Below are the most recent 25 friends' journal entries.

[ << Previous 25 ]

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
tobedawg	6:14a	ECONOMY: 62,000 Jobs Lost in June.. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25510193/ U.S. economy lost 62,000 jobs in June updated 9 minutes ago WASHINGTON - Employers cut payrolls by 62,000 in June, the sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, underscoring the economy’s fragile state. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.5 percent. The latest snapshot of business conditions, released by the Labor Department on Thursday, showed continued caution on the part of employers who are chafing under high energy prices and are uncertain about how long the economy will be stuck in a sluggish mode, reflecting fallout from housing, credit and financial troubles. Heavy job losses in construction, manufacturing and financial services, along with cutbacks in retailing, eclipsed job gains in education and health services, leisure and hospitality, and government. The report, however, weak, was largely on target with economists’ forecasts. They had been expecting employers to reduce payrolls by around 60,000 jobs in June and for the unemployment rate to slip a notch to 5.4 percent. The jobless rate spiked to 5.5 percent in May. That marked the biggest over-the-month increase in two decades and left the rate at its highest since October 2004. Job losses in both April and May turned out to be considerably deeper than had been thought. Payrolls dropped by 67,000 in April, versus the 28,000 previously reported. And, losses in May came to 62,000, rather than the 49,000 initially estimated. So far this year, the economy has lost a total of 438,00 jobs, an average of 73,000 a month. The economy is the top concern of voters. The faltering labor market is a source of anxiety not only for those looking for work but also for those worried about keeping their jobs during uncertain economic times. It also can spell more trouble for an already shaky economy if people and businesses were to hunker down further. Private analysts predict the economy will continue to shed jobs in the months ahead, pushing the unemployment rate higher. “The economy is at risk of a hard landing,” said Brian Bethune, economist at Global Insight. The number of unemployed people in June was 8.5 million, up from 7 million a year ago. In a separate report from the department, the number of newly laid off people signing up for unemployment insurance rose sharply last week. New applications jumped by 16,000 to 404,000, the highest level since late March. The increase was bigger than economists were expecting; they were forecasting claims to rise to around 385,000. With inflation concerns growing, the Federal Reserve last week ended an aggressive rate-cutting campaign, started last September to shore up economic growth. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues are caught between risky crosscurrents of plodding economic growth and spiraling energy and food prices that threaten to spread inflation. Lowering rates further would worsen inflation. But boosting rates too soon to fend off inflation could hurt the fragile economy. Oil prices on Wednesday hit a new record above $144 a barrel, while gasoline prices reached a new nationwide high of $4.092 a gallon on average, according to AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express. Workers with jobs saw modest wage gains in June. Average hourly earnings rose to $18.01 in June, a 0.3 percent rise from May. That matched economists’ forecasts. Over the past year, wages have grown 3.4 percent, the smallest annual increase since January 2006. Paychecks, though, aren’t stretching as far because of high food and energy prices. In its latest economic assessment last week, the Fed observed that “labor markets have softened further.” However, the Fed believed that its powerful series of rate reductions along with the government’s $168 billion stimulus package, including tax rebates, will help lift economic growth over time. Some economists fear that when the bracing force of the rebates fades, the economy could be in for another rough patch. Those analysts worry that the economy — which has been coping with sluggish growth at best — will have a “relapse” and lose momentum near the end of this year. There’s been a lot of talk about whether the economy is on the brink of, or has fallen into, its first recession since 2001. The official determination, made by a panel of academics, usually comes well after the fact. Economists expect the unemployment rate to hit 6 percent or higher early next year, even if the economy were to show better growth. Companies will be reluctant to ramp up hiring until they feel certain the economy will stay on firmer footing. (Comment on this)
tobedawg	6:10a	VIAGRA in the Watermelon? http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113422.php Viagra-Like Effects From Watermelon A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine's Day. That's because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body's blood vessels and may even increase libido. "The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body," said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station. "We've always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study." Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said. In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients - citrulline - whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does. Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said. "The citrulline-arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes," said Patil. "Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it." While there are many psychological and physiological problems that can cause impotence, extra nitric oxide could help those who need increased blood flow, which would also help treat angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems. "Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra," Patil said, "but it's a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects." The benefits of watermelon don't end there, he said. Arginine also helps the urea cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from our bodies. Citrulline, the precursor to arginine, is found in higher concentrations in the rind of watermelons than the flesh. As the rind is not commonly eaten, two of Patil's fellow scientists, drs. Steve King and Hae Jeen Bang, are working to breed new varieties with higher concentrations in the flesh. In addition to the research by Texas A&M, watermelon's phyto-nutrients are being studied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service in Lane, Oklahoma. As an added bonus, these studies have also shown that deep red varieties of watermelon have displaced the tomato as the lycopene king, Patil said. Almost 92 percent of watermelon is water, but the remaining 8 percent is loaded with lycopene, an anti-oxidant that protects the human heart, prostate and skin health. "Lycopene, which is also found in red grapefruit, was historically thought to exist only in tomatoes," he said. "But now we know that it's found in higher concentrations in red watermelon varieties." Lycopene, however, is fat-soluble, meaning that it needs certain fats in the blood for better absorption by the body, Patil said. "Previous tests have shown that lycopene is much better absorbed from tomatoes when mixed in a salad with oily vegetables like avocado or spinach," Patil said. "That would also apply to the lycopene from watermelon, but I realize mixing watermelon with spinach or avocadoes is a very hard sell." No studies have been conducted to determine the timing of the consumption of oily vegetables to improve lycopene absorption, he said. "One final bit of advice for those Fourth of July watermelons you buy," Patil said. "They store much better uncut if you leave them at room temperature. Lycopene levels can be maintained even as it sits on your kitchen floor. But once you cut it, refrigerate. And enjoy." (Comment on this)
tobedawg	6:05a	OBAMA and FISA.. The Wiretapping debacle is something that could prove VERY detrimental to the OBAMA campaign especially when it comes to compromising on the issue of Civil Liberties and wiretaps that were ILLEGAL to begin with.. We shall see how this plays out in coming weeks.. The FISA Vote is scheduled after the 4th of July holiday.. -- TD **KEITH OLBERMANN piece on OBAMA and FISA.. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/07/wag_the_blog_fisa_problems_for.html?hpid=topnews Wag the Blog: FISA Problems for Obama? As we have written before, Keith Olbermann and his show "Countdown" (on which The Fix occasionally is a guest) has become a major voice on the ideological left -- where many view him with something close to reverence. So, last night, when Olbermann devoted more than 11 minutes to a meditation on the political dangers posed to Barack Obama by the upcoming (post-July Fourth recess) vote on a rewrite of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), we took notice. FISA has long been a touchstone for liberal activists who see it as a vehicle for a power grab by the Bush Administration and a violation of privacy rights of average citizens. At the heart of the current debate is whether or not telecommunications companies who participated in the warrantless wiretapping program authorized by the Bush Administration in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks should be granted de facto immunity from the dozens of pending lawsuits alleging invasion of privacy. (Olbermann, as only he can, described the actions of the telecommunications companies as "definitional fascism.") After initially opposing that sort of immunity, Obama announced last week that he would vote for the compromise bill which includes that very provision. In announcing his support for the bill, Obama said the legislation is "not all that I would want" but added that "given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay." That decision by Obama, which was widely seen by political strategists as an attempt to move to the ideological center, represented his first major break with the liberal left, a group that sustained him financially and organizationally throughout the primary season. For Olbermann, as well as many on the liberal end of the political spectrum, Obama has backed himself into a corner. Regardless of how the FISA vote shakes out next week, they argue, Republicans will continue to paint Obama as soft on terrorism and not sufficiently prepared to safeguard the country. Or, in Olbermann's words: "The Republicans can scare some of the people all of the time and they can scare all of the people some of the time." For today's Wag the Blog, we want to hear from the Fix community on this issue. Does Obama's decision to support the FISA compromise help him moderate his image for the general election and keep a major GOP arrow in the quiver? Or does it simply alienate him for the very people he depended on to win the nomination while doing little to keep Republicans at bay on terror and national security? As always the most thoughtful/insightful comments will be excerpted in a post of their own later this week. Go to it! Current Mood: disappointed (Comment on this)
tobedawg	5:36a	Economy/Fires Make for a "Not So Bright" 4th.. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i-J5Ok93iwxLjXN23Ea6Gyd2wEmgD91M2BSO2 Fire danger, economic woes cancel fireworks shows By LISA LEFF and JOE MILICIA – 11 hours ago Those seeking the oohs and aahs of traditional Fourth of July fireworks could be sadly disappointed this year: Public displays and sales of boxed firecrackers are being canceled or scaled back across the nation, victims of a sluggish economy, wildfire fears and product shortages caused by a warehouse fire in China. With Northern California already battling a string of wildfires, fire officials in Scotts Valley, south of San Jose, concluded that going ahead with the annual show would send the wrong message when residents have been asked to refrain from setting off even tiny sparklers in their backyards. Fire Chief Mike McMurry, who has worked in Scotts Valley for 31 years, could not recall another time when dry weather snuffed out the show. "It's all about the severity of the conditions right now," he said. Aside from the fire danger, local governments are also short of money because of the slumping economy. Fireworks supplies are petering out, too, because China is running short of ports from which to ship the dangerous cargoes abroad. In Texas, four parched counties obtained emergency declarations prohibiting the sale of personal fireworks. In Massachusetts, several towns said fewer donations from corporate sponsors made it too expensive to mount local celebrations. The average aerial display lasts about 15 minutes and costs $10,000. Larger cities spend about $100,000 for bigger shows. The vast majority of Independence Day blazes are sparked by amateurs igniting illegal fireworks such as Roman candles and M80s. Officials in many drought-stricken areas of the West and Southeast decided the risk was too great this year to put fireworks in the hands of anyone but professionals. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has urged residents not to buy fireworks from roadside stands and asked local governments to consider banning their sale. The Kiwanis Club of Mariposa, Calif., a town about 70 miles northwest of Fresno, canceled its fireworks show because firefighters were using the county fairgrounds as a staging area to contain a blaze that has blackened more than 2,700 acres. Last month, the Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park in Valencia, Calif., canceled its nightly fireworks shows for the entire summer. The conditions also affect nonprofit groups that sell fireworks to raise money. In Lake County, 80 miles north of San Francisco, an organization that helps beauty pageant contestants buy gowns and travel to competitions decided to heed the governor's plea not to sell fireworks. But doing so meant giving up $10,000 — more than 75 percent of the group's yearly budget. "I look outside and there's so much smoke I can't even see across the lake," said Trish Combs, executive director of the Miss Lake County Scholarship Organization. "It's a good reminder that we made the right decision for the community. But this is a real tough situation for us." The city councils of Watsonville and Gilroy, Calif., which are in wildfire-prone Santa Cruz County, both considered outlawing consumer fireworks sales for the year. Watsonville officials unanimously approved a ban, but Gilroy council members rejected the measure after a heated meeting that pitted the demands of youth football teams, cheerleaders and other groups with permits to sell fireworks against the concerns of fearful homeowners. Rather than outlawing all fireworks, officials in Bexar County, Texas, have established 10 "safe zones" where the public will be allowed to light fireworks under the watch of volunteer firefighters. Financial constraints have been more of a factor than fire in some places where organizers have called off their civic displays. For example, Cocoa Beach, Fla., and Chula Vista, Calif., decided they couldn't afford to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a form of entertainment that would be over in a flash. "Local businesses foot the bill," said Charles Billias, city manager in Cocoa Beach. "The money isn't there." The city also had trouble securing a barge from which to launch fireworks and getting security clearance to take fireworks onto it. The price of commercial fireworks shot up this year because of an explosion in China's port of Sanshui that destroyed 20 fireworks warehouses and caused Chinese officials to stop shipping fireworks out of the port because of safety concerns. That left only the smaller port of Beihai open for shipment of professional-grade fireworks, making it harder for American vendors to obtain shipments from the nation that supplies the United States with 80 percent of its professional and 98 percent of its consumer fireworks. Some shows that were booked well in advance may be shorter than usual and have fewer pyrotechnic effects. But to avoid cancellations, fireworks companies dug into their inventories and paid more money to get products from other suppliers. In Greenville, S.C., Fire Marshall Larry Godfrey said the poor economy may have a silver lining when it comes to fire prevention: Many residents feeling the financial squeeze of rising gas prices are buying fewer fireworks and will probably attend public displays rather than putting on their own. "People just don't have the money to do it, I think," Godfrey said. "But the larger shows are going on and they are supervised." Struggles for the $930 million fireworks industry won't end on July 4 because security concerns surrounding the Olympics in Beijing will create an even bigger shipping problem. The port of Shanghai, which handles consumer fireworks, shut down Monday through at least the end of August to ensure security for the Olympics, which begin Aug. 8. Cities and private groups that didn't have to pay more for upcoming Fourth of July shows can expect price increases, said Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association. "It's going to put a crunch on our New Year's and Christmas season," Heckman said. (Comment on this)
tobedawg	5:26a	The Town of BIG SUR Evacuated due to Fires.. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/02/MNTQ11J9AR.DTL Big Sur blaze jumps lines - hundreds on coast flee John Coté,John King, Chronicle Staff Writers Thursday, July 3, 2008 (07-03) 04:00 PDT Big Sur -- Stoked by dry air and dead oaks, a 55,820-acre fire drove hundreds of residents and visitors Wednesday from one of the most fabled stretches of the California coast, Big Sur. A mandatory 7 p.m. evacuation closed 25 miles of coastline along Highway 1, including the town of Big Sur and such well-known destinations as the Nepenthe restaurant, the Ventana Inn, the Esalen Institute and four state parks. Lightning sparked the blaze dubbed the Basin Complex Fire on June 21, and 17 structures have been destroyed since; 1,277 more were threatened Wednesday night. Ominously, the fire remained just 3 percent contained despite the best efforts of more than 1,600 firefighters assisted by helicopters and air tankers. "The terrain, the fuel load and the dryness are what make this fire so difficult," said Rudy Evenson, information officer for the agencies battling the Basin Complex Fire. "There's an added urgency because of the fire being close to the town of Big Sur." The evacuation order - which before had applied to a shorter stretch of the highway, and was intended mainly to make it easier for firefighters to move back and forth - affected the estimated 1,700 people who live within the forested nooks and tumbling ridgelines of the remote but popular area south of the Monterey Peninsula. It was issued after the blaze jumped firebreaks on Wednesday morning and pushed close to the Ventana Inn, roughly two miles south of the small cluster of shops and motels in the town of Big Sur. "One unusual thing about this fire is that it's very active at night. It continues to grow, instead of slowing down," Evenson said. He attributed this to the low nighttime humidity on the ridges as well as the presence of trees felled by sudden oak death. The dead trees can explode like torches and send the fire in new directions. The rugged terrain also made containment difficult. Wednesday afternoon it had another effect - blocking the view of the fire from within the town of Big Sur even as residents and shopkeepers carried possessions to their cars. Several people had posted hand-drawn signs with the location of private water tanks for firefighters' use. "We're leaving right now," Drew Carlson said with a rueful smile as he closed down the Fernwood Motel and Campground, where he works as the general manager. "We're leaving it for the ground squirrels." Nearby, an emboldened squirrel pushed back the lid of a garbage can and began to root for food. "It's like they know everyone's going and they've got the run of the place," Carlson said as large tufts of ash floated down. The fire's pall could be seen in the relaxed pace at the River Inn General Store. Except for a few locals, the customers mostly were firefighters, sheriff's deputies and journalists. Normally there would be "up to 20 people in line all day long, all summer long," said assistant manager Suzy Tennyson. A Jeep pulled up to the Fernwood Motel, and a man called out, "Anybody seen a cat?" No one had. Even with the fire, Carlson said, the Fernwood phone had been ringing constantly throughout the day as people sought bookings for the 12-room motel and one of its 60 campsites. But as the deadline neared, Carlson turned on the answering machine and started packing. "I've been full since May every single day," Carlson said. "Now, I'm going to move our database to San Jose and set it up there in my mother-in-law's bedroom. I brought the credit card machine, and we'll start refunding everybody's money." At the 243-acre Ventana Inn - where rooms with fireplaces start at $600 and where an in-room massage can be added for $200 - the pace wasn't so casual. When the inn was evacuated for several days last week because of the fire, a handful of employees were allowed to stay behind and keep an eye on things. Wednesday, however, Monterey County sheriff deputies showed up at 8 a.m. and ordered everyone to leave. "The air was thick with smoke and ash," said Johanna Koch, the inn's director of marketing. "You could see the flames on the ridge." Managers of the inn steered guests to other lodges in the area. They also provided lodging to 12 employees and their families at a sister property in Sunnyvale. But not everyone left the coastline known as much for the writings of Henry Miller and Jack Kerouac as for the postcard images of cliffs meeting ocean. Just north of Ventana Inn, at a ramshackle pair of structures called Big Sur Loma Vista, employees stayed behind to protect the gas station, bakery and gift shop. They had five hoses set up next to boxes of fire-retardant gel. Shrugged one worker, Roberto Rosales, "We're going to keep the faith and hope." California fires As of Wednesday evening, 28 major clusters of wildfires - comprising 1,781 fires in all - were burning in California. Range: Geographically, they extend from the 230-acre Gap Fire in Santa Barbara County north to five related fires in Siskiyou County that have burned 9,915 acres and remain only 25 percent contained. Damage: The fires have consumed 494,311 acres and destroyed 31 residences. They continue to threaten 1,800 residences and 165 commercial buildings. Size: The largest fire is the Indians Fire, which has burned 81,378 acres in a remote inland part of Monterey County. As of Wednesday, the fire, which has destroyed two residences and 13 outbuildings, was 95 percent contained. For fire updates, go to www.fire.ca.gov. Current Mood: awake (Comment on this)
tobedawg	5:23a	HAPPY 4th Of July! Gas Prices Hit New Record.. **HOW Are YOUR Gas Prices Where you Live? Here in Central California we are at about 4.47 a gallon for the cheap stuff.. -- TD http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/03/news/economy/gas/index.htm?cnn=yes National average gas price climbs to $4.098 a gallon as drivers gear up for one of the biggest driving days of the year. NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Retail gas prices rose overnight to a record high for the fourth day in a row, ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend - one of the nation's busiest weekends for travel. The national average price for a gallon of regular gas rose to an all-time high of $4.098 from $4.092 the day before, a daily survey by motorist group AAA showed Thursday. Gas prices are now 3% higher than they were last month and nearly 39% higher, or almost $1.15 more, than year-ago levels. Alaska has the highest gas prices in the nation. Drivers in the state pay an average of $4.689 a gallon for regular gas. California and Hawaii have the second and third-highest average gas prices, at $4.574 and $4.441, respectively. The state with the lowest gas prices is Oklahoma, where a gallon of gas averages $3.885. The survey also showed that the national average price for diesel fuel held steady at $4.767 a gallon. Record high gas prices have pinched consumers and forced many Americans to cut back on the amount of driving they do. Thirty-one percent of Americans have canceled or shortened their planned holiday weekend vacation because of rising gas prices, according to a CNN/Opinion Research poll released Wednesday. And last week, AAA said it expects the number of Americans traveling during the July 4 holiday weekend will fall 1.3% to 40.45 million from the 41 million who traveled last year. Meanwhile, the price for a barrel of oil also rose to a new high, crossing $145 a barrel in electronic trading Thursday. Current Mood: cynical (Comment on this)
xjapan [ friezaess ]	3:56a	LJ auction for X stuff! Special photo book from the March concerts and DVD This is a LiveJournal auction, also known as a Direct auction. It will close at 12:00AM Australian Eastern Standard time on Sunday the 6th of July. Please leave a comment with your bid. You will be informed if you are outbit by another user. (Minnimum bid increment is $1.) I prefer PayPal but also accept Western Union money orders or concealed cash (bank transfers within Australia are fine too). Obviously this is all going to be shipped from Australia. ( LiveJournal auction: Special commemorative photobook/program from I.V. concert and DVD of all 3 nights. ) (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008
tobedawg	9:58a	CATCH UP: News Articles from 7-1-2008.. **STARBUCK's CLOSING STORES: **YIKES!! YA' Know the Economy is shot when people can't afford to ADD A Shot... -- TD http://dailybriefing. blogs. fortune. cnn. com/2008/07/01/starbucks-has-a-bitter-plan/ July 1, 2008, 4:40 pm Starbucks has a bitter plan By Scott Moritz Starbucks (SBUX) can’t catch a break. The coffee retailer says it will close 600 stores, about 8.5% of its 7,100 total stores, an expansion of the 100-store closing target it had previously announced. The Seattle coffee chain has been feeling the pinch of a tightening economy. In February, the company fired 600 employees and conducted a in-store retraining program to try and revive the Starbuck Experience, as CEO Howard Schultz has called it. Starbucks says it is trying to cull unprofitable stores from the franchise and expects to book $200 million of asset write-offs in the third quarter related to the closings. Starbucks shares are down 40% over the past year. In April, when Starbucks warned that profits for the first quarter would be 6 cents below the 21-cents-per-share Wall Street target, Schultz said the turnaround plan wasn’t taking hold. “The current economic environment is the weakest in our company’s history, marked by lower home values, and rising costs for energy, food and other products that are directly impacting our customers,” Schultz said at the time. Schultz returned as CEO in January, replacing Jim Donald. As a story by Fortune’s David Stires pointed out, Schultz is trying to undo the exuberant expansion effort of his predecessor Donald who wanted to triple the number of stores to 40,000 with half in the U.S. and the rest abroad. _____________________________________________________________________________ OBAMA AGAINST ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE PROPOSITION ** Apparently the Initiative to Ban is Proposition 8.. -- TD Obama letter puts gay rights on campaign forefront John Wildermuth, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, July 1, 2008 (07-01) 19:35 PDT -- Gay rights moved to the forefront of the presidential campaign today after Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's announcement that he opposes a November ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriage in California. In a letter to San Francisco's Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Democratic Club, the presumptive presidential nominee said he opposed "the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution" and similar efforts in other states. Obama's position on Prop. 8, announced at a club event Sunday and reported in news accounts today, came after Arizona Sen. John McCain, the expected GOP standard-bearer in November, last week told officials of Protect Marriage, a coalition that gathered 1.1 million signatures for the California measure, that he backs their efforts "to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman. " For both campaigns, the decision to get involved in the same-sex marriage debate carries political risks. California is one of three states with same-sex marriage bans on the November ballot. While the state is seen as Obama country and Arizona is McCain's home state, Florida, the third state seeking to limit marriage to a man and a woman, is a swing state that will be a major prize in the November election. Obama is skating gingerly past his previous position on the issue. The Illinois senator has said repeatedly that he believes marriage should only be between man and a woman. When the California Supreme Court overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage in May, Obama released a carefully nuanced statement saying he respected the court's decision, believed states should make their own decisions on marriage and "will continue to fight for civil unions as President. " But civil unions, gay activists argue, aren't the same as marriage, which would put Obama on the wrong side of what's increasingly seen as a civil rights issue. Groups opposing Prop. 8, which would amend the state constitution to say that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California," were excited to have Obama on their side and more than willing to overlook his mixed record on the same-sex marriage issue. "It's great to see Senator Obama's statement, which is consistent with what he has said in the past about allowing each state to make its own decision," said Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality for All, which is heading the Prop. 8 opposition. "Is it ideal that he doesn't support same-sex marriage? No. But it's important when political leaders say gay and lesbian couples should be treated equally. " Still, the Obama campaign didn't go out of its way to announce the senator's position on a controversial California ballot measure that will have repercussions across the nation. Instead of a splashy public endorsement ceremony, complete with beaming supporters of same-sex marriage, Obama announced his support midway in his letter, which was to read at the club's annual Pride breakfast. That didn't bother Julius Turman, co-chair of the Alice club. "I was thrilled to see the senator step up to the plate and say how he feels about discrimination," he said. And while Obama might personally oppose same-sex marriage, Turman said the candidate "is well on the way to being educated. " But Prop. 8 supporters accused Obama of trying to have it both ways by coming out publicly against same-sex marriage, but opposing any efforts to ban those unions. "His position makes very little sense," said Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage, California. "If he's opposed (to same-sex marriage), he should just say so. Instead, he's trying to appease the wealthy elite who support gay marriage. " It's no surprise to see McCain on the side of the same-sex marriage ban. While he opposed a GOP-backed federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in 2004, he supported a failed 2006 Arizona initiative that would have blocked domestic partnerships as well as same-sex marriages. Obama and McCain both have called for individual states to decide how to handle same-sex marriage, and the November elections will show where voters in those three states stand. Early polls show that while the Prop. 8 race is likely to be a close contest in California, many of the young and liberal voters who back Obama are strongly opposed to the same-sex marriage ban. But those groups of voters don't have nearly as much clout elsewhere in the nation. A CBS poll taken early in June showed that only about 30 percent of American voters favored legalizing marriage for same-sex couples. Only one of the more than two dozen state ballot measures banning gay marriage has ever lost and that was the 2006 Arizona measure that also would have eliminated domestic partner benefits in the state. But while the same-sex marriage question will come up during the fall campaign, experts don't believe it will have the same effect as it did in 2004, when politicians like California Sen. Dianne Feinstein suggested that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's open door to same-sex marriage may have cost Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry the presidency. Nationwide, the country's economic woes and the war in Iraq are likely to play a much more important role than same-sex marriage in the November election, said Bruce Cain, a UC Berkeley political science professor. "Obama's position (on same-sex marriage) can be used against him in a few states, like Ohio and Pennsylvania," Cain said. "But same-sex marriage is unlikely to have anything like the impact it did in 2004 since issues like the economy and the war will provide him with a lot more cover than Kerry had. ____________________________________________________________________ CELL PHONE LAW IN CA TAKES EFFECT TODAY (WHICH WAS YESTERDAY): Tuesday, Jul. 01, 2008 Cell phone regulations take effect today By E.J. Schultz The Fresno Bee Photo by George MacDonald Merced Sun-Star More than a few Merced residents spent Monday enjoying the last day they could legally talk on their cell phones while driving and holding the ubiquitous devices. Today, a new law goes into effect that makes hands-free operation of cell phones mandatory on California roads. SACRAMENTO — You’ve probably seen the warning on electronic freeway signs: IT’S THE LAW. Starting today, drivers in California may no longer use one hand to converse on a cell phone while steering with the other. But it’s a lot more complicated than that. Here’s what you need to know: Question: What is the new law? Answer: There are actually two laws. Senate Bill 33 prohibits drivers under the age of 18 from using any electronic communications device -- including cell phones and laptop computers -- while driving. Senate Bill 1613 prohibits drivers of any age from holding a cell phone to one ear while they drive but allows use of a hands-free device, such as speaker phones and earpieces. Q: Are there any exceptions? A: Yes. Most notably, the new laws do not prohibit drivers 18 and older from text-messaging or dialing on their cell phones. But you can be cited if typing on your cell phone or Blackberry keypad causes you to be distracted and operate your vehicle unsafely. Other exceptions: All drivers -- even those under 18 -- may use hand-held cell phones to call for police, fire or emergency assistance. Commercial truck operators can use a hands-free two-way radio with a "push-to-talk" feature. All drivers can use a push-to-talk feature if their phone is hands-free. Emergency vehicle operators and motorists driving on private property may use hand-held cell phones. Q: Can an officer pull me over just for using my cell phone? A: Yes. But if you are younger than 18 and using a hands-free device, you can only be cited if you were pulled over for another reason. Q: Will there be a grace period? A: No. The laws took effect at midnight. As with most laws, officers can use discretion as to whether to issue a warning or a citation. Q: What is the penalty? A: The first offense will cost you $76. Repeat offenses cost $190. Q: Will a point be added to my driver's license? (Points are used to discipline drivers; the Department of Motor Vehicles can suspend or revoke your driving privileges if you accumulate too many. ) A: No points will be added for a cell phone offense, but the conviction will appear on your driving Current Mood: rushed (Comment on this)
tobedawg	9:54a	FREE OBAMA Stickers through MOVE ON.ORG Get It here: https://pol.moveon.org/obamastickers/ Current Mood: contemplative (1 Comment |Comment on this)
tobedawg	9:51a	The Fat Druggy Pig will continue to pollute the Airwaves at $400 Million dollars ****8 More years of the Hate and negativity of Rush Limbaugh.. but hey, I guess as long as there are millions of people stupid enough in Amerika to listen to him spew his stupid shit everyday, I guess there is a market for it.. BUT who honestly thinks that ANY Penny of that $400 million is going to any worthwhile causes? Many would say the Republican Party would get a cut, but in all honesty, the Republican Party SHOULD be paying HIM for everything that he has done for them since the late-80's.. Looks like Mr. Limbaugh can now afford some better, more expensive drugs - Meanwhile, here's a good article from the Huffington Post- TD Living Limbaugh: $400 Million Contract, Gulfstream, Scented Candles, And The "Business" Of Hating Liberals stumble digg reddit del.ico.us news trust Huffington Post | Rachel Sklar | July 2, 2008 10:23 AM The New York Times Magazine has a big cover story on Rush Limbaugh this week, almost 8,000 words about how Rush Limbaugh has built himself into one of the most influential voices in America. With an estimated 14 million listeners (Limbaugh claims it's more like 20 million), he's far and away the top-rated radio talk-show host in America. That's partisan radio talk-show host — and he has no intention of being left out of this election. He already created big waves, first by publicly dissing John McCain and then by encouraging Republicans to mix into the democratic primaries and vote for Hillary Clinton and keep the Democratic nomination battle in play, in what he called "Operation Chaos." Both Karl Rove and John Kerry gave it credit for having had an effect. Now Limbaugh has extended his contract through 2016 — $38 million per year with a "nine-figure signing bonus." The total package is valued at "north of $400 million." Author Zev Chafets got more access to Limbaugh than any other journalist, being the first from the "hated mainstream media" to gain access to his studio and home. Here are some excerpts from the story: Limbaugh on why he will reluctantly support McCain: ''It's like the Super Bowl...you root for the team you hate less. That's McCain.'' Limbaugh on how he plans to take on Obama: ''I'll approach Obama with fearless honesty...He's a liberal. I oppose liberals. That's all that's involved here.'' Limbaugh's tactics for doing so: Chafets reports on Limbaugh's appointment of his associate, Bo Snerdly, as the "Official Obama Criticizer" of his show. "Snerdly introduced himself as an ''African-American-in-good-standing-and-certified-black-enough-to-criticize-Obama guy,'' and declared that he was speaking, ''on behalf of our E.I.B. brothers and sisters in the hood.'' The bit was typical Limbaugh -- confrontational, deliberately insensitive and funny. It was also a declaration of independence. Whatever special courtesies John McCain might plan to extend to Barack Obama, Limbaugh is going to conduct his air war, as he always has, by his own rules of engagement." On Living Limbaugh: "There are five homes -- all of them his -- on the property. The big house is 24,000 square feet. Limbaugh lives there with a cat. He's been married three times but has no children." Chafets on Limbaugh's domestic preferences: "His staff lights fragrant candles throughout the house to greet his arrival from work each day." On the view from his private humidor: "The room opens onto a patio, a putting green and a beach. On the table was a brochure for Limbaugh's newest airplane, a Gulfstream G550. It cost him, he told me, $54 million." Limbaugh on success: ''Do you know what bought me all this?...Conservatism didn't buy this house. First and foremost I'm a businessman." Limbaugh on his substance abuse: ''You know, I've had a problem with substance abuse. I don't deal with the future anymore. I take things one day at a time.'' What you see when you walk into Limbaugh's nondescript studio headquarters: "An American flag stands in the corner. Only a small, framed picture of Limbaugh, bearing the caption ''America's Anchorman,'' reveals that this is the headquarters of one of the country's most admired and reviled figures." Current Mood: apathetic (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
ucsc_incoming [ iluvthesfgiants ]	5:16p	hiiiiii Hi everyone, My name is Becca and I'll be a freshman in Cowell next year...hella stoked! Feel free to find me on facebook...search for Becca Margaret Cook...hopefully I'll talk to some of you soon =] (Comment on this)
xjapan [ linzerdinzer ]	10:03a	hide Memorial Extravaganza Just reminding everyone that the hide Memorial Extravaganza is taking place this Thursday at Anime Expo. Hope to see you all there! http://www.rememberhide.com (Comment on this)
xjapan [ staybeautiful ]	6:35p	X Japan World Tour Already Rescheduled? London Show Added? http://theothereast.com/?p=414 Jul 1st, 2008 by Lee Miller It’s being reported by Japanese TV that X Japan will soon announce the new dates for the currently postponed world tour. The broadcast mentioned London and Taiwan concerts in October, and Tokyo and Paris in November with more information pending. They indicated that those are not the only tour stops. More info as it comes, and this is certainly no more then a rumor at this point. The addition of a London show is interesting. (7 Comments |Comment on this)
xjapan [ kira_murasaki ]	12:40p	expo anyone?^^ just out of curiosity ... who of the nice ppl here is going to paris the day after tomorrow?^^ there will be no X concert, but still i want to see pata and Ra_In.^^ and since i already bought the expo-ticket and the flight-ticket ... ey, y not take the chance? ^oo^ who else is going to be there? (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, June 30th, 2008
tobedawg	7:45a	I'm Back.. Thought about my live journal today and decided that it was time to start posting again.. Glad to be back into the Live Journal thing.. I'll post more later.. So much to catch up on.. oh and OBAMA 08!!!!!! =) Current Mood: curious (1 Comment |Comment on this)
tobedawg	7:44a	Tobedawg on KCSS Playlist: June 28, 2008 TOBEDAWG CLASSIC AND CUTTING EDGE playlist: June 28, 2008 8pm - 10pm (N) NADA SURF - "Who's Authority" (((HOUR OF PROZAC-LADEN TUNES =) ))) (N) KATY PERRY - "I Kissed a Girl" (N) DOES THIS OFFEND YOU, YEAH? - "We Are Rockstars" SOFT CELL - "It's a Mugg's Game" BLONDIE - "Heart of Glass" (((THEN & NOW: THE CURE))) THEN: THE CURE - "Hot, Hot, Hot" (N) NOW: THE CURE - "Freak Show" GEORGE CLINTON - "Atomic Dog" (N) VIOLENT FEMMES - "Crazy" PRINCE - "Delirious" MANIC HISPANIC - "God Save the Queen" (Request) THE SEX PISTOLS - "God Save The Queen" SPECIAL AKA THE SPECIALS - "Free Nelson Mandela" THE CLASH - "Guns of Brixton" NINA HAGEN - "New York, New York" ((((CHAMBER TRACK OF THE WEEK))))) MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL CULT - "The Devil Does Drugs" (((MANDATORY MOZ))) MORRISSEY - "The First of the Gang To Die" (((LOST FLASHBACK))) 10,000 MANIACS - "Please Forgive Us" DEPECHE MODE - "Fly on the Windscreen" (N) OURS - "Mercy" (N) NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - "Night of the Lotus Eaters" (N) WEEZER - "Cold Dark World" (N) WOLF PARADE - "California Dreamer" (N) THE TING TINGS - "Shut up and Let Me Go" THE REPLACEMENTS - "I'll Be You" PEACE! (Comment on this)
bush_sucks [ ruderod ]	12:12a	If you didn't know, one of the censored stories of 2007 is that whistleblower protection is broken. . . .actually the whole process of trying to expose corruption or waste that makes up whistle blowing is now more difficult.  If you are concerned about what the federal government is doing, if you are afraid of big government, you need to wake up and look at this issue.  If you don't like your tax money wasted, you need to understand that government agencies don't police themselves very well.  If the GAO does a token effort at trying to correct the problems and fraud that happens in government and government contracts. Believe me, if this continues, waste in the government will continue to sap our country.  A person I knew once told me that in her federal job, she thinks about 10% of your federal dollar is spent correctly.  She worked for a department of homeland security. You will need to read more to understand how the courts and the Bush administration have change the whistleblower process.   What it comes down to is this, the agency that is charged with defending government whistleblowers has reportedly been throwing out hundreds of cases.   Mr Bloch is responsible for this, Special Counsel Scott Bloch.   He was appointed by Bush in 2004, is overseeing the systematic elimination of whistleblower rights.   That means as a whistleblower, you have more fear that your job is at risk, that you won't succeed in changing the system, and you won't get any benefit, only pain from the process.   That means positive change in our government won't happen.  Laws won't be followed, money and time will be wasted. From Jane turners blog: "It is interesting that people think the whistleblowing ordeal is over once a whistleblower has been exonerated. It is never over. A whistleblower’s career is shattered, and the tag of "troublemaker", "unpatriotic", "snitch" or "whistleblower" follows you forever. Why? Because the organization that you blow the whistle on (in my case, the FBI), never forgets what they see as a betrayal. It is never about what is wrong or right, justice or injustice, but simply that the whistleblower is not following the party line. The organization itself cannot feel anger and betrayal, but those leading the bureaucratic department certainly can, and they do. A whistleblower threatens the internal machinery of an organization, which many times have been set up to benefit the individuals who are running the organization."   (Comment on this)
Friday, June 27th, 2008
bush_sucks [ mhael ]	9:06a	Still President Bush... ...gets a walloping from The Daily Show last night! Boo-yow... (Comment on this)
xjapan [ airihana ]	7:13p	rare hide jacket on ebay!! brand new!brought from lemoned shop in japan! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
xjapan [ just_thetwoofus ]	1:14p	DEMAND FOR X JAPAN Upcoming Events by Eventful (Comment on this)
Thursday, June 26th, 2008
xjapan [ friezaess ]	4:54p	Oh God, it's eyes are following me Okay, so I was having a look at the LemonED shop online for the first time in God knows how long. It was fun looking through all the goods- I mean, I've been meaning to pick up some official hide sticky tape for a while now. It's all good. And then, somewhere inbetween the lemons and brightly coloured teddy bears, I encountered THIS. Look at it. Those dead eyes. Those bloodhound cheeks. The Fonzy-esque hair (no doubt styled using the hide compact mirror (tm)). I'm sorry if there's people here that like it, but this thing seriously scares the crap out of me. *shudders* (21 Comments |Comment on this)
xjapan [ aikohime ]	12:20a	X JAPAN icons Hi! I made X JAPAN icon set. I made this lovely orange/gray coloring and I wanted to use it, so here are the results. Teasers: ( And I'll Kill You In The Rain ) Current Mood: bored Current Music: SMILE - I was gay ~kokuhaku~ (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
dj_damien	4:36p	Writer's Block: Choose a Power If you could have the power to fly, be invisible, or teleport anywhere, which would you choose? View other answers I'd teleport, because it'd save a lot of time and money. Sure, flying would be fun, but if I could teleport I'd simulate flying by teleporting myself through the sky. Invisibility would be a rubbish one to pick, as I could just hide then teleport myself out if I'm about to be found :p Last entry from Barnardo's :o Current Mood: okay Current Music: Helen walking in (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
dj_damien	10:59p	Stats! (more like TWATS!) Top Commenters on dj_damien's LiveJournal 1 dj_damien 8064 2 dancingpuppet 1434 3 chi_ryu 1266 4 lapchan 1153 5 flazh 760 6 theyellowducky 698 7 joeiatreides 473 8 neojng 455 9 darlojo 442 10 i_am_fuse 411 ( 11-100 ) Total Commenters: 100 Total Comments: 20901 Report generated 24/06/2008 22:59:21 by scrapdog's LJ Comment Stats Wizard 1.6 Current Mood: okay Current Music: Shop closing (6 Comments |Comment on this)
xjapan [ friezaess ]	8:25a	Music? I'm curious to know- what other artists do X fans listen to? Aside from the members' solo careers, of course. Also, my doodle. (22 Comments |Comment on this)

[ << Previous 25 ]