Cocktales - Archived Blog Posts

[cocktales]

I was sitting down to the early afternoon local news on KLAS-TV, Channel 8, a CBS affiliate in Las Vegas, where Gary Waddell and Polly Gongalez co-anchor it daily.

Today there was a subsitute with Gary and I just thought maybe Polly had gone on an Easter vacation with the family and was still gone........

No, not the case.......

Suddenly, Gary Waddell, got this very serious look on his face and a beautiful picture of Polly appeared on the screen beside him.....

He cleared his throat and in a broken speech pattern he began: Today, we have to report one of the hardest things a news person can do, report on one of your colleagues, friends, loved ones. We've just learned that not long ago, Polly Gonzalez was killed in an automobile accident. She was travelling with her 2 daughters, Gabraella and Sabrina who were not seriously hurt....

My Partner and I just looked at each other, stunned!

We've been watching Polly like for 10 years on Channel 8 and have seen her become like a member of the family, reporting good stories, bad stories; but done so with humor, remorse or whatever feeling it took to get the message across in professional manner!

Anchor Polly Gonzalez was killed Monday afternoon at about 3:30 p.m. in a single car accident on State Route 127 in California, just north of Baker.

Polly and her two daughters were returning to Las Vegas after spending Easter weekend with family in California. Her daughters, age five and eight received minor injuries.

Polly has been at Channel 8 since 1994. She held a number of positions, but most recently co-anchored the noon and 4:30 newscasts.

Polly was the first Latino Anchor in Las Vegas. She was proud of that. She wanted to be a role model for her girls showing them that if they put their mind to it, they could accomplish anything.

She has made an impact on our city and she was a real role model to young women. Polly always made time for activities in the Latin Chamber of Commerce, where she loved to emcee events. Polly was also involved with her church, Saint Anne Elizabeth Catholic Church in Summerlin.

While she was a true professional on camera, she was quite a character behind the scenes. She was always on her cell phone. And as involved as she was at the KLAS-TV station, she was equally involved in the community always standing up for people who's voice might not have carried as much weight as hers.

Polly never forgot where she came from. She grew up in San Jose, California and returned often to visit her family, making sure her girls knew their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

And that was Polly's true love -- her two daughters. They were the reason she was on that road Monday. She was taking them to see the wild flowers in Death Valley at the time of the accident.

They were not injured in the accident and Monday night they are with their father.

Polly Gonzalez was a valued and respected employee who loved her children and loved her job as an anchor at Channel 8.

The funeral service for Polly will be in San Jose, where her family lives.

I cannot tell you when a death has touched me as this one has today with Polly dieing!

Polly, we wish for you to rest in peace and that your loved ones be blessed in their attempt to get through this time of trial and tribulation!

 

[cocktales]

Gay Patriots tag line: Blogcasting from the worldwide headquarters of the not-so-vast gay right wing conspiracy. Representing the million gay and lesbian Americans supporting President Bush. Standing up for freedom, fairness, free speech, privacy and true American values.

You know I don't buy everything that GayPatriot wrote; and his rhetoric can be a little much at times. But it's a shame he has been intimidated by the gay far-left into ending his blogging. A shame but unsurprising. If the gay "outers" spent a fraction of the time they spend attacking other gay people actually making the case for equality to straight people, the world would be a better place. Their whole purpose has been served and they win yet again! DAMMIT!!!



Maybe this is absolutely terrifying what lengths radical left wing fanatics will go through to silence the right.

GayPatriot, the anonymous gay Republican blogger, has officially signed off. In a statement, no explanation was given.

On Friday, GayPatriot posted “WANTED: GAY TERRORISTS” in which he identified gay activists and bloggers John Aravosis (Americablog) and Michael Rogers (BlogActive) as terrorists.

Wanted for crimes against the gay community. Wanted for repeatedly conducting outing witch hunts against gays who do not believe in radical liberal anti-American ideals. For repeated violations of privacy of gay Americans. For conducting systematic civil liberties attacks on gay Americans.

WANTED! Let’s do something about these gay terrorists who have infected our community with their hatred and self-loathing bigotry of gay Americans who wish to live their lives in peace.
[WANTED: GAY TERRORISTS - GayPatriot - 03-25-05]

As many of you know, Rogers is the host and agent of a widely publicized “outing campaign” at BlogActive.com targeting closeted gay Republicans. One of the most notable results of this campaign was the dramatic retirement of a Republican Virginia Congressman, Ed Schrock. The most recent outing was that of Ken Mehlman, the new chairman of the Republican National Committee. Whatever you believe about the practice, it is difficult to ignore the political impact the campaign has had over the past year.

According to GayPatriot, Michael Rogers called GayPatriot’s place of employment on Friday immediately following the post above and spoke to GayPatriot’s secretary and boss. GayPatriot had no idea Rogers would go to such measures both he and his secretary were very upset by the calls but that his boss was understanding.

Later on that day, Rogers recounted much of the same account, adding that he had also called the police and is working with the authorities on the matter. Rogers expressed feeling threatened by the post and compared it to posts by anti-abortionists who posted the names of doctors performing them.

Rogers also said he asked GayPatriot to remove the post and replace it with a post about non-violence or he would launch a national boycott of GayPatriot’s corporate employer and pursue any and all avenues necessary to protect himself. By the time Rogers had called, GayPatriot had already made the decision to remove the post and also remove GayPatriot from the blogosphere.

GayPatriot was silenced.

 

[cocktales]

Prince Ranier of Monaco and Pope John Paul II....

As the health fails of HSH Prince Ranier III of Monaco, his son Prince Albert has been appointed Regent, to govern in his stead.

Not far from Monaco, in another tiny, secretive, monarchy, the Vatican, Pope John Paul II is gravely ill. We pray that he will end his days in comfort and peace. But if he were to remain ill, who would make decisions in his place? Would he be allowed to lie in bed with a feeding tube attached forever?

I should think with the battle over Terri Schiavo, more people, including the Pope would have a living will to determine such cases and NOT leave these decisions to outsiders.

Ron (my Partner) and I are fortunate that the relevant laws in the State of Nevada make it simple to create an enduring power of attorney. Each of us has given the other written authority to consent on his behalf "to medical treatment generally being withheld or withdrawn, notwithstanding that this may have the effect of shortening or terminating life."

We have made it perfectly clear to each other as well as in writing that each will be our "voice" should we NOT have one and that our true intentions will be carried out and NOT let emotions or courts intervene.

This situation is personal and families or individuals should make these life or death decisions according to the will of the individual.

 

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Remember Hanoi Jane: Sitting in an Anti-Aircraft Gun that shoots down American Pilots in American planes.....

Dear Jane:

I remember vividly you going to Hanoi and openly slapping the American Soldiers, Sailors, Arimen and Marines in the face by doing and saying those horrible things about us...........while you were doing these things American blood was being spilled and lives lost!

Now, some thrity plus years later you are saying "that was the biggest mistake of your life and you will go to your grave thinking how wrong it was"!

From 1969 until the end of the war, over 20,000 American soldiers lost their lives in a war that the United States did not have the resolve to win. The sensationalism by the American news media and the anti-war protests following the 1968 Tet Offensive gave hope to Communist North Vietnam, strengthening their belief that their will to succeed was greater than ours. Instead of seeking a successful resolution at the Paris Peace Conference following the disastrous defeat of the 1968 Tet Offensive, they employed delay tactics as another tool to inflame U.S. politics. This delaying tactic spurned further anti-war demonstrations. Those who sensationalized their reporting of the war and those who supported anti-war demonstrations are guilty of giving our enemy hope. Because of their actions, they must share partial responsibility for those 20,000 + Americans deaths.

We won the war on the battlefield but lost it back home on the college campuses and in the city streets.

Jane Fonda is going around the country now "pushing" her new autobiography, "Jane Fonda: My Life So Far" and making all these statements of reconcilliation about the War!

She's blaming everyone, her ex-husbands and just everyone for her mistakes in life except for one....herself!

She said her ex-husband, Frenchaman Roger Vadim wanted 3 ways in bed and even encouraged her to seek out prostitutes on the streets and bring them to her/his bed! She said she was drunk most of the time and would do anything so he would NOT leave her!

PHOOEY! BULLSHIT!

Please, DO NOT buy her book

and make her a more-wealthy person and make her look good with her fucked-up apologies to American Vets who lost their lives while she played the little herione in Hanoi!

I'm sorry Jane I cannot forgive and forget you. I have friends names on the Viet Nam Memorial Wall and they would probably be here today if not for you and your stance on the war!

Your fate rests with God in heaven to determine the crimes you have against you....

 

[cocktales]

At least 100 volunteers registered by Friday afternoon for a monthlong effort to patrol the Mexican border for illegal immigrants and smugglers, an organizer of the project said.

The idea, according to organizers of the Minuteman Project, is for the volunteers to fan out across 23 miles of the San Pedro Valley to watch the border and report any illegal activity to federal agents - an exercise that some law enforcement authorities and others fear could lead to vigilante violence.

It's all about the illegal aliens and not just Mexicans; but all nationalities now will make their way to Mexico and skirt right across the border there undeterred!

Many of the volunteers were recruited over the Internet and some plan to be armed. Rallies and orientation for the volunteers are planned over the weekend; the patrols are to begin Monday.

Organizers originally said the Minuteman Project would draw upward of 800 participants, drawing skepticism from human rights activists and authorities who have seen similar efforts flop in the past.

Jim Gilchrist, a retired accountant from California who organized the project, said at least 100 volunteers had registered and dozens more were in town. There was no immediate way to independently verify the count.

Volunteers had been expected to keep arriving throughout the day, and it was difficult to distinguish them from counter-protesters and the merely curious.

During orientation, volunteers heard speakers supporting the project, including Bay Buchanan, chairwoman of the conservative American Cause organization and sister of former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan.

"You have accomplished an enormous amount already," she said, noting the effort had drawn the attention of Mexican President Vicente Fox, who has vowed to take legal action against migrant-hunting vigilantes in Arizona.

Colorado Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, a supporter of tougher border enforcement, praised the group, telling them: "You are not vigilantes, you are heroes in my book."

The Arizona-Mexico border is considered the most vulnerable stretch of the 2,000-mile southern border. Of the 1.1 million illegal immigrants caught by the Border Patrol last year, 51 percent crossed into the country at the Arizona border.

Some people in this town nearly 30 miles north of the border, best known as the site of the 1881 shootout at the OK Corral, eagerly awaited the volunteers' arrival as a way to boost the local economy.

Human rights activists expressed concern that the volunteers may abuse immigrants or get into violent confrontations with smugglers.

Robert Ordway said he was volunteering in response to the federal government's admonition to be vigilant following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"The newspapers and the TV cameras are hoping something will go wrong and somebody will get hurt or somebody will do something stupid and that will draw attention," said Ordway, from nearby Sierra Vista. "That ain't going to happen. We're not here to do that. We are here to support the Border Patrol, support the laws of the country and that's what we're after."

Go to the Minute Man Project Web Site to read all about it:http://www.minutemanproject.com/

 

[cocktales]

Civil unions for gay and lesbian couples are on the verge of becoming law in Connecticut, the result not of judicial mandate but of legislative choice:

Yippee, , congratulations to the lawmakers of this wonderful little state for doing something for the Civil Rights of Gay Americans!

It's NOT a done-deal yet; but the bill "HAS" passed three House-Senate committees there and could come before the full Senate as soon as Wednesday. Democrats, who have lined up behind the measure, hold overwhelming majorities in both houses.

Connecticut could become the second state in the nation to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples -- and the first to do so without being prompted by a court order.

Connecticut would join Vermont, which sanctioned same-sex civil unions in 2000, and Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage became legal last May, as the only states to recognize such relationships.

Lawmakers in those two states acted only after court rulings forced their hand. Opponents of same-sex unions charged "activist judges" with overstepping their bounds, and used the decisions to inspire voters in 11 states to outlaw same-sex marriage last November.

But the Connecticut case represents a different challenge for opponents of such rulings ...

The State of Connecticut represents a whole new bag of fish; so to speak.......noone had to force their hand on this issue; indeed, in a poll conducted last year, over 3/4ths of the residents of the great state wanted same-sex civil unions!

Hot-damn, I am so happy I could spit!

The state's Republican governor, M. Jodi Rell, is likely to sign the bill. But even if she vetos it, legislative leaders say they have the votes to override.

This is a clean win, for all...all fair and square. No judicial imperialism. Only representative democracy. This how it ought to be done -- and proof that it can be done.

Please, please, let others see what happens in this great state DOES NOT hurt anyone; indeed, it makes legal what same-sex partners need to have to engage in a life-time relationship.........just like heterosexual people already have....
Read full article here:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22026-2005Apr2.html

 

[cocktales]

O God how I love this new law passed in Colorado!

Passing on the right is prohibited! Slower vehicles must move to the right to allow faster traffic to pass, and drivers should stay in the right lane except to pass. When passing, you must do so as quickly as possible.

I really grew to love this law while stationed in Germany while in the Air Force. You see driving on the Autobahn (German Free ways) it is law to stay outta the lane unless passing.....It's NOT uncommon to see lights flashing at you miles down the road while you occupy that lane cause a very very fast vehicle is approaching and will not stop!!!

Well, in Germany they are breaking the law and German drivers will quickly deal with them. It is difficult to imagine anyone withstanding the onslaught of flashing lights and tight tailgating that European drivers use to deal with slow left lane drivers. Almost never will they resort to passing in the right lane. Instead they will ride the slower car's bumper, flash headlights and even blow the horn. If you're a "left laner" who resists everyone, no matter who wants to pass, you may wish to rethink that practice. German drivers have a way of making nonconformists conform.

Colorado is serious about its no-dawdling law in left lanes. Drivers who insist on staying in the passing lane are risking tickets as the State Patrol has begun enforcing a law requiring motorists to use the left lane for passing only.

Since the patrol started enforcing the "Left Lane Law" three months ago, troopers have written about 460 tickets or about an average of five a day to drivers who dawdle in the left lane.

The law applies in zones with speed limits of 65 mph or higher. It took effect July 1, but troopers gave drivers until January to get used to the new law; warnings were issued instead of tickets.

Master Trooper Ron Watkins said that since the ticketing campaign began three months ago about 90 percent of the drivers he has pulled over for dawdling or cruising in the left lane said they didn't know that it was illegal to do so.

Violators of the left lane rule may be fined up to $41 and have three points tacked onto their driver's licenses. The law is not enforced when the highway is too congested to allow drivers to pass.

 

[cocktales]

Users of iPods have become a hit among pickpockets and bandits on city subways.

If the crime had a name, it would be called 'iRob'- subway riding-thieves targeting people listening to music on their iPod. When the time is right, the thief snatches the device and hops off the train just before the doors close.

Years ago people were warned to hide their jewelry when riding the subway. Today the warning is hide your iPod. Crime is on the rise and thieves are going for hi-tech gadgets.

One cop who works the L line in Brooklyn said the thefts often take place at night.

The crooks grab an iPod and jump off trains just as the doors are closing - an old-time technique that's proven useful in snatching the high-tech devices. "They time it right and they're home free," the officer said.

The iPodders stand out with their telltale white earphones - a dead giveaway they're plugged into a music machine that runs hundreds of dollars.

"Kids are shaking down other kids for iPods, but adult crooks like them, too," the source said. "Word is out that teachers wear iPods, so snatch-and-grabs are big around schools."

One or two ways to confuse the would-be IROB snatcher is (1) Change the white earphones to another color...maybe black....and (2) Thread the ear plugs through the clothing to a place not easily gotten to and one in which the Ipod cannot be removed, IE, inside the clothing.

It's NOT just the price of the IPOD that's costly....Think of the time involved in downloading all that music! You know what? Backup every single one of those tunes on the computer and you will have them available just in case..........???

 

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Peter Jennings, who revealed he has lung cancer Tuesday, plans to continue on "World News Tonight" as much as he can after beginning chemotherapy next week.

Jennings, ABC's chief anchorman since 1983, planned to be at his desk Tuesday — a day after getting his diagnosis.

A former smoker who quit several years ago, the 66-year-old anchor was too ill to work Saturday during the network's special report on Pope John Paul II's death. He hasn't been feeling well the past few months, and didn't travel under doctor's orders after December's tsunami because of what was described then as an upper respiratory infection. He did go to Iraq in January for the elections.

"Overall, lung cancer is the number one mortality for cancer-related deaths in this country, even combining breast, colon and prostate together doesn't add up to lung cancer. Despite the high mortality rate associated with lung cancer, the key to fighting it is catching it as early as possible. If it is found early, the cure rate jumps to 50 percent.

Peter Jennings is planning on anchoring the news "when he feels well enough" to do so....I don't know if it will be a lift for people who have cancer to see Peter with NO HAIR and not looking or feeling well or not....Perhaps, knowing he is fighting this damned disease, and in spite of his looks and feelings he is trying to carry on with his normal life as much as he possibly can..........with the damned chemo and stuff trying to kill him as well as the cancer!!

You know with all the bad news lately....the death of John Paul II, Prince Ranier or Monoco and now this disease striking a strong, vibrant man we see everyday........it's just a very hard time for me and I'm sure for the rest of you too!

Hang in there baby!!

 

[cocktales]

Brad, along with other celebrities made a Public Service Announcements (PSA) for the Fighting Poverty and Aids campaign he's been working with. This PSA will air on American Television starting April 10th, on the ABC and MTV networks.

Brad Pitt is among the A-list celebrities featured in new public service announcements for a campaign led by U2 singer Bono to fight poverty and AIDS.

The campaign was not immediately asking for donations but simply raising awareness and recruiting new advocates, Bono said Wednesday at an event announcing the public service announcements

"We're not just asking for people to put cash in the pot here," Bono said. "Americans are generous, we know they'll do that. We're not actually asking for their money, we're asking for their voice."
http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/

Pitt, who visited Africa after being inspired by Bono's advocacy, said he was struck by how extreme poverty there has made it difficult for the sick to gain access to drugs to minimize the effects of AIDS.

"I've seen it, I've been there, and to walk away from it and turn my back makes me culpable," Pitt said. "And I can't do that."

"Do we really believe in our hearts that we're all equal? And if we believe this, what are we going to do about it?" he said.

Pitt said he believed deeply in Bono's effort, titled "ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History."

"We can do this. We can do this," he said of eliminating poverty. "It's ambitious, but we can do it."

"This is just a beginning for me," he said.

Bono, who has been nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, said it was "wholly unacceptable" for children to die for lack of cheap immunizations.

"I'm going to spend the rest of my life on this, I'm going to make that kind of extreme poverty history," Bono told reporters.

"I'm in," Pitt responded.

Let's Make Poverty ....History!

This is the "click" program; whereby, every 3 seconds a child dies from poverty..IE, the finger-click takes approximately that amount of time.....!

Bono and Pitt were joined by Jack Valenti, the former top lobbyist for the film industry, and actor Djimon Hounsou, a native of Benin.

A 60-second ad to air Sunday night on various networks and cable channels features actors, musicians and religious leaders. Among them are Jewel, Penelope Cruz, Tom Hanks and Mos Def.

I am so pleased to see the great celebs of today start to make a difference and give back to what made them famous.

It does not hurt them to participate in global issues; indeed, the world will most certainly be a better place for them having taken an active role in charity programs for the world!

Bravo Hollywood and beyond!!!

 

[cocktales]

The purpose of the Stay Close Campaign is to remind you that a GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered) loved one is the same person that you knew before they disclosed their sexual orientation -- the same person that you loved unconditionally.

If someone in your life is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, it’s important to stay close to them: listen, keep talking, and ultimately -- find the way to understanding.

Staying close means staying involved in the lives of GLBT friends and family.

Why Stay Close...?????
Because Relationships are Too Precious to Lose.

The Stay Close Campaign urges all people to get the facts on sexual orientation and gender identity. Neither are "choices." They are as much a part of people as the color of their eyes, their height, or their left-handedness. At least one family in four includes someone who is GLBT.

Coming out takes courage and honesty. When someone comes out, they are taking a risk. They especially fear the effect on the ones they love the most, their family members and friends. The consequences can be challenging. But honesty can also strengthen relationships and build new bridges.

PFLAG encourages people with GLBT friends and family to connect with others for information and emotional support so that you can remain close to those who mean the most to you, and who now need your love most.

You know the pixs I have shown talks about celebs; but believe you me, hundreds of thousands and millions are just regular people like you and me.

The whole purpose of Stay Close is like the words say....don't alienate your loved ones. They did NOT change when they announced their sexuality...they are still the same loving person you've always known and loved.........don't stop loving them; but indeed; now that you know them better...you can love them even more.......Please STAY CLOSE!!

Read more here: http://www.stayclose.org/campaign/default.asp

 

[cocktales]

(A very ellusive person, who dislikes photos of himself)

Mr. Finkelstein, 59, who has made a practice of defeating Democrats by trying to demonize them as liberal, said in a brief interview that he had married his partner of 40 years to ensure that the couple had the same benefits available to married heterosexual couples.

"I believe that visitation rights, health care benefits and other human relationship contracts that are taken for granted by all married people should be available to partners," he said.

Finkelstein has had a long and colorful political career that has seen him work with some of the most reactionary politicians both at home and abroad. He runs Arthur J. Finkelstein & Associates, and during his thirty-year career he has worked for President Reagan and President Nixon. In addition to spearheading the then-little-known Pataki's 1994 victory over Mario Cuomo, he was also a top adviser to Alfonse D'Amato and Jesse Helms during their Senate careers. But he hasn't always led his clients to victory -- in 1996 he was a major, if well-hidden, consultant to Senator Bob Dole's losing presidential campaign.

And, you can add one more element to Finkelstein's reality; he is gay, yet he's worked for a gaggle of gay-bashing Republican Senators including Lauch Faircloth (R-N.C.), Jesse Helms (R-N.C), Don Nickles (R-Okla.) and Sen. (Bob) Smith (R-New Hampshire), all of whom voted against legislation banning discrimination against gays while Finkelstein was working for them.

Finkelstein is also Jewish, but that didn't stop him from using anti-Semitism during a 1978 South Carolina congressional race between Republican Carroll Campbell and Democrat Max Heller.

The point of the story was not the wedding. The point was that this gay Republican, Finkelstein, who has spent his career vilifying everything "liberal", and has worked for some of the most retrograde men in government, just took advantage of the opportunity to marry in "liberal" Massachusetts. This hater of "liberals" has no problem taking advantage of the rights provided him by "liberals". It's called hypocrisy, and it's always good news.

Perhaps he understands that there are more important things in the world than gay marriage and understands the need for a solid conservative agenda. And there is no reason why he shouldn't take advantage of Massachusetts, everyone else does.

Finkelstein's homosexuality does illuminate the sad and greedy hypocrisy of his business life....that is, it doesn't matter what the client stands for, what the client is against; it seems to be separate my private life and feelings from the client for the almighty dollar for the firm!!!

I think it is truly sad that one has to play the Gay Game this way........here he and his partner are...adoptive parents of two young children and yet they have clients who detest homosexuality and are totally against Gay men or women for that matter, adopting children....saying they are leading the children toward sin!

I have the strangest, weirdest, feeling in the pit of my stomach as I digest this "person" and his alienation of who and what he is...he seemingly turns it on and off to suit the cause....I may just have to vomit!

 

[cocktales]

(Rep. Tom Delay was admonished 3 times by the House Ethics Committee last year, alone)

Representative Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, escalated his talk of a battle between the legislative and judicial branches of government on Thursday, saying federal courts had "run amok," in large part because of the failure of Congress to confront them. "Judicial independence does not equal judicial supremacy," Mr. DeLay said ... Mr. DeLay faulted courts for what he said was their invention of rights to abortion and prohibitions on school prayer, saying courts had ignored the intent of Congress and improperly cited international standards and precedents. "These are not examples of a mature society," he said, "but of a judiciary run amok." ...

Mr. DeLay criticized Congress as failing to act vigorously enough. "I believe the judiciary branch of our government has overstepped its authority on countless occasions, overturning and in some cases just ignoring the legitimate will of the people," he said. "Legislatures for too long have in effect washed our hands on controversial issues from abortion to religious expression to racial prejudice, leaving them to judges who we then excoriate for legislating from the bench. This era of constitutional cowardice must end."

The organizers of the conference and Congressional staff members who spoke there called for several specific steps: impeaching judges deemed to have ignored the will of Congress or to have followed foreign laws; passing bills to remove court jurisdiction from certain social issues or the place of God in public life; changing Senate rules that allow the Democratic minority to filibuster Mr. Bush's appeals court nominees; and using Congress's authority over court budgets to punish judges whom it considers to have overstepped their authority.

"I am in favor of impeachment," Michael Schwartz, chief of staff to Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, said in a panel discussion on abortion, suggesting "mass impeachment" might be needed.

OK, for what I hope is the last time ... Under the American Constitution, the courts are not obligated to follow the will of the people - in fact, one of their primary functions is to ensure that Constitutional rights are protected in the face of the will of the people. Nor do the courts have to follow the will of Congres, for precisely the same reasons. There is nothing wrong with a court following, or at least citing, international rules and precedents. The common law was developed by the examination of all available precedents and the selection of the best of them to establish as law.

DeLay, who took center stage in passing legislation designed to keep alive Terri Schiavo, also has found that President Bush and congressional colleagues are distancing themselves from his comments, after her death, about the judges involved in her case.

"The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior," DeLay said, raising the prospect of impeaching members of a separate and independent branch of government. Later, he complained of "an arrogant and out of control judiciary that thumbs its nose at Congress and the president."

Bush, declining to endorse DeLay's comments, said Friday that he supports "an independent judiciary." He added, "I believe in proper checks and balances."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee said last week that the judges "handled it in a fair and independent way," although he had hoped for a different result.

Democrats have said DeLay's remarks were tantamount to inciting violence against judges.

"Here, in America, our judges should be independent - not puppets dancing to the pull of one person in power or one political party's agenda. They should NOT have the Legislative Branch giving or trying to give them directions for making their decisions....It's almost like Mr. DeLay is trying to get the public incited against judges and even trying to get the already battered judges; more or so targets to the people they send to prisons!

Tom DeLay has gone mad and is preparing to lead conservative Republicans over a cliff.

I think it's about time, Tom Terrific had his wings clipped and told to shut the fuck up or else........the American people by a huge majority, thought the Legislative Branch should NOT have been meddling in the Schivao case, so Tom sit down and start coloring!!!

 

[cocktales]

The National Cherry Blossom Festival(NCBF) annually commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki to the city of Washington to enhance the enduring friendship between the United States and Japan. This year marks the 93rd year of the NCBF...

After the initial gift from Japan, the United States responded in 1915 with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan.

3,800 more trees were given to Washington by Japan in 1965.

Jefferson Memorial through Cherry Blossoms

According to the NCBF official Web site, the giving came full circle in 1981. Japanese horticulturalists came to take cuttings from our trees to replace some Yoshino cherry trees in Japan, which had been destroyed in a flood. With this return gift, the trees again fulfilled their roles as a symbol and agent of friendship.

The most recent event in this cycle occurred in the fall of 1999. It involved the formal planting of trees in the Tidal Basin. The trees were planted using the cuttings from new limbs of a famous Japanese cherry tree in Gifu province reputed to be over 1,500 years old.

Cherry Blossoms Picture, I Will Use on computer!

To read the entire historical signifigance of the gift from Japan to the United States, please read here: http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=390

 

[cocktales]

The National Cherry Blossom Festival(NCBF) annually commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki to the city of Washington to enhance the enduring friendship between the United States and Japan. This year marks the 93rd year of the NCBF...

After the initial gift from Japan, the United States responded in 1915 with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan.

3,800 more trees were given to Washington by Japan in 1965.

Jefferson Memorial through Cherry Blossoms

According to the NCBF official Web site, the giving came full circle in 1981. Japanese horticulturalists came to take cuttings from our trees to replace some Yoshino cherry trees in Japan, which had been destroyed in a flood. With this return gift, the trees again fulfilled their roles as a symbol and agent of friendship.

The most recent event in this cycle occurred in the fall of 1999. It involved the formal planting of trees in the Tidal Basin. The trees were planted using the cuttings from new limbs of a famous Japanese cherry tree in Gifu province reputed to be over 1,500 years old.

Cherry Blossoms Picture, I Will Use on computer!

To read the entire historical signifigance of the gift from Japan to the United States, please read here: http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=390

 

[cocktales]

. . . all the while the white house and congress do nothing- they won't even talk about it (except to spout renewed support for their pro-corporate energy law). Hmm, how could that possibly be?

Gas and oil prices, even adjusted for inflation, haven't been this high in over 25 years. There has been no overt action by OPEC this time or any real oil shortage otherwise.. The white house promised us that 'freeing' Iraq would be a great step towards stabilizing America's oil supply (as well as pay for the war there- lol). Contrarily, the 'free' markets have gone off the deep end on a massive speculation spree.

The sad fact is we are beginning to feel the results of a white house hands off policy towards corporate behavior at the expense of the general welfare. Those the white house really represents- international corporations, especially those in the oil (can't imagine where that connection comes from- lol), pharmaceutical and financial industries, have been given unprecedented leeway by law to rape and pillage (metaphorically, of course) to their hearts' and bank accounts' content- damn the rest of us.

There have been absolutely no efforts by this administration to moderate the massive rise in oil prices- even though they have it well within their power to do so (there is the strategic reserve and the influence of the treasury bond market), because it would not be in the interests of those whom they truly represent. Look next for similar corporate rape by the pharmaceuticals when the pro-corporate medicare law really kicks in. And, we will no doubt see a similar effect with the implementation of the pro-corporate bankruptcy law. Then there is the push for pro-corporate tort 'reform'. Will it never end?

Americans are seeing a massive shift of wealth upward, unprecedented since the days of the nineteenth century robber-barons. The laissez-faire policies of the repubs are creating a nation of real have and have-nots- not just a politically rhetorical one. Where is the morality?

Motorists and businesses aren't the only ones who are feeling the squeeze from higher pump prices. The relentless rise in energy costs is beginning to put pressure on Congress and the White House. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, on Capitol Hill Tuesday to meet with legislators about the administration's long-stalled energy bill, said the White House is working to speed construction of new refineries and spur investment in alternate energy sources.

Unlike other commodities, demand for gasoline is what economists call “inelastic” — you need to drive to work, and you can’t switch overnight to a higher-mileage car. Fuel-sipping gas-electric hybrids have gotten a lot of attention lately in auto showrooms, but of the roughly 17 million passenger vehicles sold this year, the number of hybrids can be measured in the tens of thousands.

With the economy in relatively good shape, so are consumers’ vacation budgets, say analysts. If that keeps up, demand for gasoline during the peak driving season is expected to continue to grow.

So, with the economy good, the oil companies are allowed to rape and pillage the American consumer without any interference of the government.......if only the damned Congress would just look into at least "why" the gas prices continue to soar when the price of crude goes down......I think that defies the rules/laws of economics I learned in college years ago....hurmph! Well, has that too changed???

 

[cocktales]

Scientists around the world were scrambling to prevent the possibility of a pandemic after a nearly 50-year-old killer influenza virus was sent to thousands of labs, a decision that one researcher described as "unwise.''
Nearly 5,000 labs in 18 countries, mostly in the United States, were urged by the World Health Organization to destroy samples of the dangerous virus because of the slight risk it could trigger a global outbreak. The labs received the virus from a U.S. company that supplies kits used for quality control tests.

Thousands of medical laboratories in the US and around the world are racing to destroy a pandemic flu virus, sent to them as part of routine testing kits, in an incident that again underlines the risk of disease from laboratory accidents. Employees at Meridian Bioscience, the Ohio-based company that prepared the samples on behalf of the College of American Pathologists, apparently selected the H2N2 virus without realizing the danger.

The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that nearly 3,750 laboratories, all but 75 of which were in the US, had been told to destroy samples of the deadly H2N2 Asian Flu strain virus received in proficiency testing kits sent out by the College of American Pathologists.

WHO officials said they hoped destruction would be complete by Friday. The virus, which killed between 1m and 4m people in the 1957-58 global flu pandemic, continued to cause annual epidemics until it vanished in 1968. Since people born after 1968 have little or no immunity, any laboratory worker who became ill from the virus could spark a new pandemic that could travel around the world in a few months.

It's inconceivable to me that a prominent laboratory could "inadvertently" send such a dangerous strain; plus, what are they doing with such a deadly, unstable virus? This kind of virus should be under the strictest control by the CDC in Atlanta and NOT in the hands of amateurs...

I say, scientists/doctors, get your act together!!

Read more here:
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4392690

 

[cocktales]

More than 10,000 fugitives, many wanted for violent crimes, were rounded up over the past week in a coordinated nationwide effort led by U.S. marshals. Officers from 960 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies took part in the concentrated search, which coincided with Crime Victims Rights Week, officials said. The dragnet caught 10,340 people, some of whom had two or more outstanding arrest warrants, Justice Department officials said. More than 150 who were arrested were wanted for murder, another 550 were sought on rape or sexual assault charges, and more than 600 had outstanding arrest warrants for armed robbery, officials said.
[...]
Codenamed "Operation Falcon," the dragnet was the largest ever in numbers of arrests and involved local, state and federal authorities, said Marshals Service spokesman David Turner.
[...]
For all of last year, marshals arrested more than 36,000 people wanted on federal warrants, and worked with state and local authorities in catching another 31,600 fugitives, according to the Marshals Service's Web Site.
[...]
Congress gave the Marshals Service more money and authority to go after fugitives when it refocused the FBI’s mission toward stopping terrorism in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Turner said. The Marshals Service now has five permanent regional task forces to search for fugitives, he added.

The week-long manhunt coincides with national crime victim's rights week. "Targeting violent criminals not only brings justice to those involved in crimes, but, also makes our streets safer."

Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez

New Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez says, "This is the largest operation of this caliber that comes under the umbrella of the Marshal's service; nationally. This is historical for the Marshal's service. And again, it's our willingness to put our hand out there to help local law enforcement entities."

I say, what took so damned long to finally arrest the two and three time offenders? Why did a new AG have to come in and get this done? Since 9-11-01, when the shit hit the proverbial fan, Carte Blanche has been given to make these arrests; but three years hence we finally make them......I say 'bout damn time, now watch the borders and arrest all criminal elements "before" they do any more crimes to Innocent people!!

 

[cocktales]

Britney Spears has put an end to the tabloid rumors that she is expecting a baby . . . by confirming them. Spears, who married husband Kevin Federline in September, announced yesterday that she is indeed pregnant.

"The time has finally come to share our wonderful news that we are expecting our first child together," posted the twenty-three-year-old Spears on her official Web site. "There are reports that I was in the hospital this weekend, and Kevin and I just want everyone to know that all is well. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers."

This will be Spears' first child, while Federline has two children with former girlfriend Shar Jackson. Spears and Federline, a former backup dancer for the pop star, met last year while Jackson was pregnant with Federline's second child.

Spears and Federline recently signed a deal with UPN to star in their own six-episode reality show airing in May. The show will document the couple's courtship, engagement and wedding.

If ever there was a reason to support Birth Control and the requirement that all parents be licensed, it is that Britney Spears is Pregnant. It's too bad that a special license should be issued for people to have children based on their capability to take care of them and provide love, food and shelter.....

I think the day will come when population growth dictates how many children a couple may have and indeed, actual classes on parenting WILL BE mandatory..........hopefully!!!!

 

[cocktales]

Bringing their suitcases and personal views on the future of the church, the cardinals who will select the next pope settled in their rooms Sunday in the Vatican hotel that will be their home until the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics have a new leader.

The conclave starts Monday after the 115 red-robed cardinals join a formal procession into the Sistine Chapel (search), where efforts to maintain the secrecy of deliberations have included installing jamming devices to foil sophisticated eavesdropping equipment.

But the cardinals' arrival at the $20 million Domus Sanctae Marthae (search) took them into the imposed isolation of the papal election — which has not lasted longer than five days in the past century but remains an open-ended process. The last conclave in 1978 took eight ballots over three days to choose Pope John Paul II (search).

"The new pope has already been chosen by the Lord. We just have to pray to understand who he is," Florence Cardinal Ennio Antonelli told the congregation at St. Andrea delle Fratte, his titular church a short stroll from Rome's famous Spanish Steps.

The cardinals have much to ponder following the third-longest papacy in history.

This conclave feels the full weight of the church's modern challenges, including the influence of Islam, competition from evangelical Christians, the fallout from priest sex scandals, the roles of women and the need to reconcile Vatican teachings that ban condom use with worries about AIDS. They also must seek a global pastor with enough charisma to flourish in an image-driven age.

For the first time, credible papal contenders come from at least three distinct regions: Europe, Africa and Latin America.

One by one, in cars driven by aides through a steady rain, the cardinals arrived at the gates of Vatican City. They were saluted by a single Swiss Guard, wearing a dark foul-weather cloak over his traditional purple-gold-and-red uniform. The cars passed over the gray cobblestones to the hotel — which John Paul ordered built to end the spartan and makeshift quarters arranged for past conclaves.

The rules of the conclave are strict: no phones, television, publications or outside contact. All staff — including cooks, maids, elevator operators and drivers who will shuttle them the few hundred yards from the hotel to the Sistine Chapel — have taken vows of silence.

For the first time ever, cardinals will be allowed to move about Vatican City freely once the voting starts, though they are forbidden to talk to anyone who hasn't been sworn to secrecy. The penalty is severe — excommunication.

At the North American College seminary, some of the 11 U.S. cardinals joining the conclave posed for a group photograph before making the five-minute trip to the Vatican. Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles carried a set of red robes in a clear garment bag and a small overnight bag hung from one shoulder. They made no comments to reporters.

The Turin daily newspaper La Stampa reported that many cardinals, preparing for a stressful stretch ahead, had packed compact disc players and headphones along with prayer books and their red hats. Other prelates, it reported, brought along favorite snacks.

The public will get one more chance to view the cardinals before they begin their deliberations. On Monday morning, a special Mass at St. Peter's Basilica is scheduled in the memory of John Paul, who died April 2 at the age of 84 and is buried with many other popes in the grottoes reached by stairs near the altar.

Later in the day, the cardinals will gather in the Apostolic Palace for a procession to the Sistine Chapel while chanting a hymn seeking inspiration from the Holy Spirit.

The cardinals then hear a prayer in Latin by the dean of the College of Cardinals, German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, to be guided "in our hearts in love and in patience." Ratzinger, 78, is considered a possible papal candidate.

Once inside the chapel, the prelates can decide to hold a single ballot. If not, they will begin voting Tuesday morning with four ballots a day. At least 77 votes — or two-thirds of attending — are needed to elect a pontiff during initial balloting. Under rules updated in 1996 by the late pontiff, it could shrink to a simple majority at some point in the second week.

Another new element comes with this conclave: Bells will ring after a new pope is chosen in an effort to avoid confusion over the color of smoke wafting from the chapel's chimney. The smoke is black if balloting fails to produce a pontiff and white if a choice is made.

The next pope's name will be announced from the central balcony of the basilica a short time later.

Italians — who hold the largest national bloc in the conclave with 20 cardinals — apparently have struggled to reach a consensus on whether to back one of their own for the papacy, wrote Marco Politi, Vatican expert for the Rome daily newspaper La Repubblica.

The Polish-born John Paul was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. Several Italians have been mentioned as papal prospects, including Milan Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi.

Cardinals who are under 80 years old and allowed to participate in the conclave agreed not to give interviews during their daily meetings to prepare for the gathering. The source for La Repubblica's assessment was not mentioned.

Italian Cardinal Salvatore Pappalardo, who at 86 is too old to vote, indicated in remarks on Italian state radio Sunday that he believed his younger peers would be looking for a candidate who would be in tune with global problems — particularly issues of justice, peace and even the environment.

"Providence sends a pope [to meet the needs] of every era," he said.

In Vegas, what are the odds of the Pope's new name?
Well, The new pontiff will be free to pick from any of his 264 predecessors, use his own first name or come up with something new. Vatican-watchers will read the choice like tea leaves offering clues to the spirit of the new papacy. Over the centuries, the most popular name has been John. Twenty-three popes have taken the name of Jesus' most beloved apostle, followed by 16 Gregories, 15 Benedicts and 13 Leos. The next pope could choose the name John Paul III, thus embracing the formidable legacy of his predecessor, who in 26 years on the throne of Peter travelled widely and met more people than any other pope in the history of the church.

Even Vegas doesn't know what the Pope's new name will be; but we will wait and see and maybe the name will indicate the direction this Papal's interests will take us.......Let's watch for the white or black smoke!