Ted's Soapbox 2.0

I just finished watching Caprica Pilot show and it was Fraking great!

Someone I know had told me that it wasn’t the real show about life on Caprica before Battlestar Galactica but after watching and reading about it, it really is the pilot. I can understand why it went straight to DVD, there is no way they could have put it on TV with all the stuff they would have had to cut out of it for the censors.

I was lost and confused at first but after watching the first Cylon made and finding out about the true origin of the Adama family it all fell into place.

Ron Moore and the gang really out did themselves in fitting the two series together after just one episode.

I can’t wait for the rest of the series to air on Scifi in 2010.

~~~~

In the 1950s and 60s giant mainframe computers gradually became a common sight in large companies – but it was not until the mid-70s that the idea of home computing started to take off. Check out a slide show of the computer revolution from the 50’s to today. (Be sure to look toward the bottom of the pictures on the right hand side and click on “turn on captions”)

~~~~

California is in a financial mess and has declaired a fiscal emergency. State workers will now be off for 3 Fridays a month without pay.
All becasue the Democrats and Republicans can’t agree on a budget. Republicans want to cut benifits and not raise taxes, Democrats don’t want to cut benifits and are afraid to talk about raising taxes, so in the mean time, state workers suffer with a loss in pay, people on social services suffer with delayed or lost benifits and everyone loses with the reduced state services being provided.

Nothing has been said about if the California legislator has also adopted reduced work hours and reduced pay to help fix the deficit problem.

The entire country will suffer if Obama decides to bailout the state at everyone’s expense. Could you imagine the federal government “owning” California like it does GM?

What are your Legislatures paid? Here are the 2008 listings. It looks like California’s are paid the most.

On the Federal side here is a list of WHITE HOUSE STAFFERS EARNING THE TOP SALARY OF $172,200

David Axelrod
Assistant to the President and Senior Adviser

Melody Barnes
Assistant to the President and and Director of the Domestic Policy Council

John Brennan
Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security

Elizabeth Brown
Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary

Carol Browner
Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change

Gregory Craig
Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President

Thomas Donilon
Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser

Anita Dunn
Assistant to the President and Director of Communications

Rahm Emanuel
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff

Jonathan Favreau
Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting

Patrick Gaspard
Assistant to the President and Director of Political Affairs

Robert Gibbs
Assistant to the President and Press Secretary

Valerie Jarrett
Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President and for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement

James Jones
National Security Adviser

Christopher Lu
Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary

Alyssa Mastromonaco
Assistant to the President and Director of Scheduling and Advance

James Messina
Assistant to the President and and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations

Peter Rouse
Assistant to the President and Senior Adviser

Philip Schiliro
Assistant to the President and Director, Office of Legislative Affairs

Susan Sher
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady

Lawrence Summers
Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of the National Economic Council

Mona Sutphen
Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy

~~~~

The Streets of San Francisco were never safer. RIP Karl Malden

~~~~
Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties
as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 5014

Sgt Terry J. Lynch USA

My links are fixed so if you had problems going to sites I had linked to you should be able to do it now.

Please let me know if you have problems.

Thanks.

My first night back to work after my “weekend” didn’t go real well. I had to leave work early to take care of a situation at home that started at the baseball game. On top of that, someone opened one of our gates to our fence and two of our dogs decided to go on a exploration trip. Shane found both of them hiding in the bushes near one of the feeder ponds. I had checked the gate when I left for work and then it was open a few hours later.

Very frustrating. I can’t lock that one since the propane guy and the dog poop detectives use that gate to get in the yard when they visit.

Anyway, as soon as the local hardware store opens I will be going to find some new wood, bolts and a hasp so the door is harder to open. Another fun day.

The few weeks ago I noticed that our dog poop bucket looked like it was burnt and I found out the other day that the neighbor came home from vacation this past weekend and he had a bag of burned poop in his front porch. I also found out that one of Shane’s old former friends stole a pontoon boat for a joy ride. I am glad those two are no longer friends.

~~~~

THE NEWEST 10 BANNED DRUGS

The Navy is separating 15 USS George Washington sailors as it intensifies efforts to discourage the use and distribution of several off-limits drugs sold legally in Japan. Spice, touted by some as an alternative to marijuana because it is not illegal under U.S. federal law, and several other substances were named in a June 25 order signed by Rear Adm. Richard Wren, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Japan. The order clarifies and extends a 2005 order from the secretary of the Navy that banned use of designer drugs, natural substances and chemicals “with the intent to induce intoxication, excitement or stupefaction of the central nervous system.”

Use, possession and distribution of the 10 substances listed in the order are punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

While the drugs in most cases are not considered controlled substances by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, their use has been banned in an increasing number of states and foreign countries.

Several, but not all, U.S. and overseas bases have banned drugs like Spice and salvia divinorum.

The Marines banned the drugs last year on Okinawa and mainland Japan after reporting rising use.

The 10 are:

* Salvia divinorum, also known as Maria Pastora, Sage of the Seers, Diviner’s Sage, Sally-D and Magic
Mint
* Mitragyna speciosa korth, also known as Kratom, Thang, Kakuam, Ketum and Biak
* Spice, also known as Spice Gold
* Blue lotus, also known as Egyptian Lotus, Blue Water Lily and Sacred Narcotic Lily of the Nile
* Convolvulaceae argyreia nervosa, also known as Hawaiian Baby Woodrose
* Lysergic acid amide, also known as Morning Glory
* Amanitas mushroom
* Datura, also known as Jimson Weed, Devil’s Apple, Thron Apple, Stinkweed, Moonflower, Malpitte and
Toloache
* Absinthe
* 5-MeO-DMT, also known as Powder Mushrooms, AMT, Bromo and DMT

~~~~

SIRIUS GETS NEW BIRD

Russia launched a carrier rocket on Tuesday to send a U.S. communications satellite into space, news agencies reported, citing the Khrunichev state space research and production center.

Alexander Borbrenyov, press secretary of the Khrunichev center, said a Russian Proton-M carrier rocket, with a Sirius FM5 atop, blasted off at around 23:10 Moscow time (1910 GMT) from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan.

The Sirius FM5 satellite, manufactured by the U.S. Space Systems/Loral Company and owned by U.S. Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. Company, will function in orbit for 15years.

The satellite, whose liftoff weight is 5,840 kg, has a power twice as that of any existing satellites. It will provide music, sports and other broadcasts for regions including the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean Sea area.

~~~~

“I want my money back, President Obama!”

That’s the title of Marie Marchand’s column in Common Dreams this week.

Marie Marchand says she gave $20 a week for seven months to the Obama campaign — plus $60 every once in a while for a t-shirt and sticker.

“I gave of my modest purse joyfully,” she writes. “I thought I was supporting change I could believe in, not more of the same bloodshed and war!”

She now feels betrayed.

Millions of Americans are feeling betrayed.

They thought Obama as President meant change we can believe in.

They thought Obama as President meant withdrawal from Iraq.

They thought Obama as President meant standing up to Wall Street fat cats.

They thought Obama as President meant a living wage.

But for those of you who stood with us during the 2008 Presidential campaign, you knew the score.

You do not feel betrayed.

You are immune to Obama Betrayal Syndrome.

Because you knew, as we pointed out repeatedly during the campaign, that Obama was the corporate Democrat.

Beholden to large campaign contributors from Wall Street.

From the military industrial complex.

And from the health insurance pharma complex.

You knew what my campaign colleague Theresa Amato has documented in her new book — Grand Illusion: The Myth of Voter Choice in a Two Party Tyranny (New Press, June 2009.)

That the Democrats and Republicans are beholden to their corporate paymasters.

You knew that the only way out was to organize from the grassroots up.

Together, we can make the difference.

Ralph Nader

~~~~

Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties
as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 5007

1SGT John D. Blair USA

I have had a sinus infection for the past few days. My wife also has one. I went back to work Saturday night after 1 and a half days away because of it. Nothing seemed to get rid of the headache or anything. I went to the clinic and they gave me some steroid nose spray which really didn’t do much so on Friday night I went to Walgreens and got some Zicam intense sinus relief and after two shots up each nostril my sinus’ really started to clear up and by 4am my headache was a little better. The nurse at the clinic told me that it had been recalled but I guess she was mistaken. I will say that right now, it is my new best friend.

My son had two baseball games Saturday, I was able to make it to part of the first game after work. They won 13 to 3 I believe. Shane got to play for one half of an inning in that game. In the second game they also won and Shane also got to play for one inning. I was also very happy to hear that another player on the team who gets very little play time got to play some in the second game. There is another game this morning that I hope to go to. I really want to get a picture of Shane up to bat but so far I have been unable to do that.

~~~~

PABST – THE BLUE RIBBON WINNER

A rescued Boxer mix is the new title holder of the “World’s Ugliest Dog” title. Pabst beat out returning champion ugly mug, Rascal, the Chinese Crested.

With his 2 inch underbite and toe nails that grown in all directions was kept in a kennel for most of his young life by owners who felt the he had no use in life. Pabst’s win was a total upset over the usual winning breed, the Chinese Crested.

The Newest In Ugly

Who Could Resist That Face?

****He kind of looks like he drank a Pabst****

Check out the other “BEAUTIES” here:

Miss Ellie, a blind 15-year-old Chinese Crested Hairless, officially won the world’s ugliest pedigree dog contest.

~~~~

A 13-storey residential building under construction in Shanghai collapsed on Saturday

~~~~

Check out these pictures of America’s Fake Fortress

~~~~
Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties
as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 5007

SGT Ricky D. Jones USA

It has been super hot here the past couple of days. I haven’t been able to take the heat very well since I came back from the Persian Gulf. I don’t know what happened but I use to be able to stay out in the yard and work and it really didn’t bother me but now, I just can’t handle it. I start to feel sick and get dizzy after only a short while out there.

We have two rabbits left in the yard. One is sticking close to the nest the other is getting around out in the yard but Stella keeps wanting to bring it in the house but Emma keeps chasing her away from it. The rabbit will probably have a heart attack one day with the dogs coming at it.

My wife left work to take my son to his ball game yesterday but then had to leave to go back to work. She didn’t get finished working until after 1 this morning. I went to the game but I don’t know what the score was or who won since the score board was not running.

He really hasn’t gotten much play time. The past few games have been cancelled because of rain and storms and then he has classes on Monday’s which make him miss those games, and when he does make it he usually sits on the bench as a relief player.

There is a tourny this coming weekend out west but I really don’t see much of a point in going out there.

It gets frustrating for him to sit there and the drives to the game eat up gas and money. And as one of the coaches told me last night, if I don’t like it, don’t go, which basically says it all.

~~~~

TIRED OF HIGH FOOD PRICES?

Well just wait, because the National Milk Producers Federation in Arlington, Virginia, will pay dairies to slaughter 103,000 U.S. cows in coming months, which will cause milk futures prices to double next year to a record $23 per 100 pounds as the herd shrinks by 171,000 head, the most since 1989.

The cuts will lead to the first two-year drop in output in four decades and higher prices in 2010 for butter, cheese, milk and the non-fat dry powder. Retail butter prices may rise above the record of $3.937 a pound and cheddar cheese may top $5.097 a pound.

~~~~

JESUS IS ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE

It took messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting June 23 only 30 seconds to sever a 125-year relationship with a prominent Texas congregation because of the church’s perceived toleration of gay members.

The SBC changed its constitution in 1993 to exclude churches that are welcoming and affirming of gays. Previously the amendment was interpreted to apply only to churches that take some formal action, like ordaining or licensing a gay minister or conducting a ceremony to bless a same-sex union, but in 2006 an SBC-affiliated state convention with a similar policy said a church could be expelled for simply being perceived as affirming homosexual behavior.

****Why is it those who are say they believe in peace and love are the loudest to shout for war and hate?****

~~~~

The U.S. Army and The Stars & Stripes are having a go over about censorship. Stripes is accusing the Army of attempting to control and censor who they send on stories and what and how they report it while the Army is, as always, twisting its words trying to change what they said in the first place.

Read the story here:

~~~~
Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties
as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 5006

CMCPO Jeffrey J. Garber USN