You Could Be.....
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Do you or anyone you know own this watch? Its a $10 Casio and if I were you I would dispose of it quickly. According to the govt, this watch has been used to discover Al Qeada members. There are instances in Gitmo where a person was picked up for wearing this watch. When did Al Qeada become pretentious hipsters wearing old school things all in the name of cool? What's next, mesh trucker caps?
For all you hipsters, I would think twice about dressing in retro, it may get you a one way ticket to Gitmo............
Posted by mardenhill 3/08/2006 08:57:00 AM 2 comments
Dubai Ports Deal
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
GOP is panicked over the politics of port security
by Joe in DC - 3/07/2006 08:32:00 AM
AP has an analysis of how the GOP has really stumbled on the port security issue. Take it from the mouth of a top GOP operative:
''This ports issue has ricocheted around the country and made it to people's dinner tables like nothing I've ever seen,'' said Scott Reed, a GOP consultant. ''It's now an out-of-control political problem.''
While the GOPers in Congress scurry from Bush like rats on a sinking ship with a 34% approval rating, Democrats can't let them escape. They had a role in the failure of port security, too:
''When it comes to protecting the ports, Republicans really do have a pre-9/11 mind-set,'' said Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind.
Among the votes:
--In 2003, House Republicans, on a procedural vote, agreed to kill a Democratic amendment that would have added $250 million for port security grants to a war spending package.
--Two years later, nearly all House Republicans voted against an alternative Homeland Security authorization bill offered by Democrats that called for an additional $400 million for port security.
--Senate Republicans stood together in 2003 to set aside a Democratic amendment that would have provided $120 million more for port cargo screening equipment.
--One year later, all but six Senate Republicans voted to reject a Democratic attempt to add $150 million for port security in a Homeland Security appropriations bill. That ''record of failure'' presents ''an important opportunity for Democrats to argue that they are the ones who have the right approach to protecting the country,'' maintains Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster.
House Republicans were put on record again last week on port security when Democrats tried to force a debate and vote on legislation that would require congressional approval of DP World's takeover. The effort failed. Only two Republicans voted with Democrats.
Bush and the Hill Republicans have both failed on national security. They can't escape from each other.
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The Dems have been screaming about the ports for years now but you would have never known. It took Katrina to wake the media up from its republican induced coma and to come it senses. These points need to be recited everytime a Dem has air time, they need to be driven into the heads of ordinary americans. The repubs have excelled with this tactic and now its time to use it against them. Think about how much is spent every day in Iraq and how that hasn't done anything to aleviate terrorism. I think we need to bring that money back home and put it to good use.
Posted by mardenhill 3/07/2006 09:26:00 AM 2 comments
Christopher Guest
Our favorite mockumentary director is back with a new film due this fall. Christopher Guest will bring us "For Your Consideration" a film about the film world and academy awards. Everyone is on board, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Parker Posey, Catherine O'Hara, Don Lake and Michael Hitchcock. There are a few new faces Rachel Harris from the West Wing, she was the short blonde and Skyler Stone, a 27 year old Western Michigan Graduate who hosted a movie radio show on WIDR. He was after my time so I don't know him.Here is the only stuff I found on the net regarding the movie.
Waiting For Oscar
Christopher Guest’s latest ensemble satire.
As this year’s Oscar-campaign season winds down, sources say Christopher Guest has set his sights on the whole high-stakes scramble for nominations as the subject for his next film. Of course, unlike with the dog fetishists in Best in Show and the expired idealist folksingers in A Mighty Wind, this one might hit closer to home, since he’s never been able to score an Academy Award for his acting or directing. The working title: For Your Consideration. (Guest’s reps didn’t return a message.)
Posted by mardenhill 3/07/2006 09:06:00 AM 210 comments
What's In A Name
Monday, March 06, 2006
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I really hope Abramoff's attorney isn't bluffing. Jack is facing sentencing and wants to show that he has been cooperating with the proscution. Tomorrow is Delay's primary and wouldn't it be funny if Delay wins by a narrow margin only to be indicted on the Abramoff scandal. With this twist, the chances of Delay surviving til November are getting smaller. If Delay is smart he will resign early and allow the governer to replace his seat. The seat would go to a republican and the dems would be defending against an incumbent. If Delay loses the primary or is forced into a runoff, he could be slapped with another indictment which would ultimately destroy him. Its a win for the dems but it makes it harder to get the seat come November. So we have 2 dates this month to watch our good friend Tom squirm.
Posted by mardenhill 3/06/2006 04:54:00 PM 2 comments
Hey Look Its Katherine Harris
"Already trying to avoid the media," Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL) "is now canceling campaign stops in Southwest Florida as questions swirl about her ties to a Washington, D.C., defense contractor at the center of an ongoing national bribery scandal," the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports.
"It's another sign that Harris' struggling campaign is now in full crisis mode. Political consultants say that shying away from the public right now is also a bad strategy."
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Katherine "I always pose sideways to show of my chest" Harris you may remember from the 2000 Florida recount. She was elected to the House of Reps and is now running for the senate seat much to the dismay of many republicans. A number of repubs were happy to keep her in the house but were against this senate run, they don't think she can do it. With the latest scandal surrounding her, they might have been right. Katherine is caught up in the Duke Cuningham scandal, one of the defense contractors funneled money into her campaign.
Check out the article below, it goes into more detail and it doesn't look good for ole Katherine.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060305/NEWS/603050833
Posted by mardenhill 3/06/2006 12:03:00 PM 0 comments
iCruze For Your Car
I decided to do a bit of research on the iCruze, a 3rd party plug-in for your ipod. With the iCruze you can listen to your ipod thru your car stereo and control it with the existing buttons.
Pros: can listen to your ipod without a wireless FM transmitter.
Cons: cannot navigate thru the ipod, acts like a cd changer. You have to create playlists and depending on your car you may only be able to have as little as 5 and up to 10. You can load as many songs onto your playlist but if you are using the external display the tracks stop at 99. The display does not scroll, so it cuts off long song and artist names.
The bottom line, you are forced to create playlists ahead of time with your tracks. You can skip thru the tracks but you are unable to scroll around on your ipod looking for music to listen to. Your co-pilot cannot play dj since all the controls are on the factory stereo. Installation should be done professionally since you are tearing apart your dashboard. Price wise, you are looking at $140. On the website they are running a sale right now, not sure how long it will last. That price does not include installation and there may be an additional component needed depending on your car.
The idea is good but there are too many limitations to be practical. Some new cars are coming with a headphone jack in the front of the stereo where you can plug your ipod in. I am not sure if you can navigate on the stereo or if that needs to be done on the ipod itself. I think this way is better even if you are still scrolling thru on the ipod, you are using the speakers and not worrying about the wireless transmitter. My next step is to look for aftermarket stereos that allow you to plug right into the front, not sure if they exist or if they are cost effective but I will let you know.
Posted by mardenhill 3/06/2006 09:43:00 AM 1 comments
Tues-Delay
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Tuesday will be make it or break it Delay, it is the Texas primary and he has a few conservatives trying to unseat him before November. Delay is predicted to win but by how much is the question. If he pulls off the primary by a slim margin, his chances in November go down big time. If he loses then we won and Delay will be stepping down come November. The problem with that scenerio is that without Delay there is a good chance the republican challenger could still win the seat. Part of me would love to see him go down on Tuesday but then I would love to see him defeated in the actual race come November. So all eyes will be on Texas to see how the Abramoff scandal and his recent indictment play out with the voters.Just last week documents reached the internet proving that Abramoff paid for first class tickets to Scotland for Delay. With Duke Cunningham sentenced on Friday to 8 years in jail, this will keep the taint alive come next week and throughout November. There are rumors that an indicted miliatry contracter may rat out 4 more republican house members. The biggest name is Duncan Hunter, the CA rep who threatened the WH on the ports deal. Duncan vows to block the deal and you also have Sen Trent Lott against it. I think we are witnessing the republican party imploding, everyone turning on each other while going down. I have been saying this for a while now but it wasn't an election year.
Posted by mardenhill 3/05/2006 06:09:00 PM 0 comments
Video iPod?
Thursday, March 02, 2006
It took a few days and some blog reading but I was able to come to the conclusion on why Apple released a $100 leather ipod case. Its not for this generation ipod, its for the future one, the true Video iPod that will feature a 4inch screen and no click wheel. The controls will be touch sensitive and will be inside the screen. Think about it, why release a case with no access to controls, doesn't make sense. What makes sense is the new model, no buttons, just a handheld with everything built right in. This also adds to the rumor that the music store will start to sell motion pictures in the next coming months. Maybe I am reading too much into this but the whole internet was pissed off with the media event and its finally making sense. Apple doesn't just release something like a $100 case for no reason, there has to be a bigger picture. As for the nano case, they couldn't leave it out since there are 3 models people would become suspicious as to why there wasn't a case made. Why do you think, feel free to post some comments.Posted by mardenhill 3/02/2006 09:37:00 PM 3 comments
Punks Not Dead
I came across this story on Drudge Report and felt the need to share it with all of you. The band is called "This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb" and a sticker triggered an evacuation. At first I thought this was just some punk kids being creative with their name in order to get publicity. But after a little more research I found out that these cats are a bit older. Formed in 97, TBIAPB plays a mix of country, punk and folk rock, you can hear a few songs on their label's website.
http://www.plan-it-x.com/news.html
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Band Sticker on Bike Causes Bomb Scare
ATHENS, Ohio
A sticker on a bicycle that said "this bike is a pipe bomb" caused a scare Thursday at Ohio University that shut down four buildings before authorities learned the message was the name of a punk rock band, a university spokesman said.
The sticker on the bike chained outside the university-owned Oasis restaurant near the center of campus attracted the attention of a police officer about 5:30 a.m., spokesman Jack Jeffery said.
Police blocked streets around the restaurant and the Columbus police bomb squad came from about 65 miles away.
The bomb experts hit the bike with a high-pressure spray of water, then pried it apart with a hydraulic device normally used to rescue accident victims trapped in cars, acting Athens Fire Chief Ken Gilbraith said. Once they had it open, they saw there was no bomb.
The buildings, including some classroom facilities, were reopened after a couple hours.
Dean of Students Terry Hogan urged students to be more careful when showing support for the band from Pensacola, Fla.
University police interviewed the bike's owner then released him, Jeffery said. Police are still investigating.
An e-mail seeking comment was sent to Plan-It-X Records, listed on a Web site for the band as its record label. The label does not have a published phone number.Posted by mardenhill 3/02/2006 08:51:00 PM 1 comments
The Slide Continues.
Hey all your freepers and rightwing zealots, you own station has your precious king george below 40, not a good place to be. The right attacked the CBS poll from earlier this week but their own don't look much better.
Bush Free Fall Continues in New Polls
Following up on a dismal CBS News survey earlier this week, two new polls by Fox News and CNN/USA Today/Gallup bring more bad news for President Bush. From the Fox News poll:
- 39 percent of Americans approve of the job Bush is doing, only the second time Bush has fallen below 40 percent in Fox polling
- 81 percent believe Iraq is likely to end up in a civil war.
- 69 percent oppose allowing Dubai Ports World to manage U.S. ports.
- 77 percent are concerned that having an Arab-owned company manage U.S. ports would jeopardize national security.
From CNN/USA Today/Gallup:
- 38 percent approve of the job Bush is doing, a rating “mired near its record low” of 37 percent.
- 47 percent approve how he is handling terrorism, “down 7 points since early February and a record low.”
- 64 percent disapprove of Bush’s handling of Iraq, a record high.
- 52 percent do not find Bush “honest and trustworthy,” tying November’s worst-ever mark.
Posted by mardenhill 3/02/2006 05:14:00 PM 2 comments
No Origami Today
No Origami Today
It looks like there won’t be any news today about Microsoft’s Origami, the rumored ultra-mobile PC that had everybody guessing. Going to the device’s website brings up a new date amidst all the Flash: March 9, 2006. This coincides with the start of CeBit, the world’s biggest computer expo, held next week in Germany.
According to AP reports, Microsoft initially plans to market the Origami to tech-savvy individuals who are looking for a smaller, “take-it-anywhere” PC. Hopefully Redmond will let us all in on the fun come next week.
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What is Origami, for one its japanese paper folding but it is also the name of the new Microsoft handheld that was supposed to appear today. I was looking forward to blogging about it but as usual Microsoft has postponed its release. No one really knows anything about it, the rumors are its a handheld, what it will do tho is up in the air. I think Microsoft thinks it will be an ipod killer but I highly doubt it.
Posted by mardenhill 3/02/2006 09:22:00 AM 3 comments
Its About Time
Pearl Jam to release eighth studio album It will be out on May Day
Pearl Jam have confirmed they will release their eighth studio album on May 1.
Produced by Adam Kasper, best known for his work with Soundgarden, the self-titled LP was recorded in Seattle and follows 2002's 'Riot Act'.
Describing the album, guitarist Stone Gossard said: "A couple of rock songs, a couple of ballads - it's not rocket science."
However, he told Rolling Stone that his hopes are high for the release adding: "It feels like a new opportunity for us. We're proud of the songs, and we think they have a chance to do a little better commercially."
'Pearl Jam' has seen the band collaborate together more than any of their previous albums, with each member receiving writing credits.
Guitarist Mike McCready has contributed his first set of lyrics to the LP's closing track 'Inside Job', while Gossard has penned two songs - 'Parachutes' and 'Life Wasted'.
The first single to be lifted from 'Pearl Jam' will be singer Eddie Vedder's 'World Wide Suicide', and will be available as a free download on March 8 through the band's website www.pearljam.com.
Gossard has described the track as "very punky and Who-ish".
Pearl Jam are set to hit the road for a world tour this spring, with details to be announced later this month.
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There are some out there in the pretentious indie rock community who continue to dis Pearl Jam, I for one am not one of them. I have always been a fan and I feel they will be like U2 and keep going for another 10-15 years. As music has changed, Pearl Jam has stayed true to their roots, they don't put out the same cd over and over but they keep that d.y.i. approach to grunge and the heydays of the early 90s going. Pearl Jam has grown musically throughout the years, you still have the political statements but its not like Vs. where every song was a liberal anthem. They embrace the guitar and pay homage to the greats who came before them. They are true to the rock n roll sound, they are one of the few who refuse to dabble in trends and keep the spirit alive.
Posted by mardenhill 3/02/2006 09:14:00 AM 1 comments
So Bush, What Were You Really Doing on Aug 29th?
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
"I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees. They did appreciate a serious storm but these levees got breached and as a result much of New Orleans is flooded and now we're having to deal with it and will." - George W. Bush, Sept. 1, 2005
Yeah what a quote, and after today's AP revelation of Bush being told of the impending disaster the day before, he either looks like a complete idiot or an incompetent fool who doesn't care for anyone but himself and a few select rich folks. The WH has come out and tried to spin this tape saying its just one brief that Bush sat in on. Not sure of thats a good strategy, by saying its just 1 brief makes him look even worse since he did nothing to help and then went on tv 4 days later to be all sympathetic. Our government at work, ignore the real problems and blame it on the little guy....
Posted by mardenhill 3/01/2006 10:23:00 PM 0 comments
And People Wonder Why The Left Attacks Fox News
These morons at Fox news are now blowing off the whole Civil War in Iraq, I guess 1500 people killed in the last week is no big deal. What fox will do is blame the war and the aftermath on the left, since we didn't support it, we caused it to fail, its not Bush's fault, they did all they could to keep it afloat but the big bad left screwed it all up. Last time I looked the left didn't have control of the house, senate or white house, not sure how they could have made any decisions that would have undermined the war. Oh yeah it was that pesky thing called free speech, that amendment that always gets in the way of propaganda. Mark my words, Fox and the rest of the american taliban will say Bush was underminded by the left, they caused the unrest and utter failure of the war. Bush as usual wont take any responsibility for fucking the country up, its all our fault. I can't wait til November, I really hope the dems gain back either the house or senate, I cannot stand one more minute of this terrorist regime that has a hold on our country.Posted by mardenhill 3/01/2006 10:08:00 PM 1 comments
New Rhett Miller
http://www.myspace.com/rhettmillerRhett Miller is previewing his new cd on myspace, so far its pretty good, better than his 1st solo. What makes this interesting is that Rhett is using guerilla marketing for this cd, he is on a major but using myspace gets his music out to millions of people. He had a link on the main page and at this time he has 10,203 friends. Rhett is able to send emails and also bulletins to all his friends to let them know about the cd, tour and any other marketing he so chooses. Rhett is not the only person to embrace myspace. It has been the home to a ton of indie rockers but some bigger bands are jumping on board. Morrissey has a video posted, Madonna used it to promote her last cd and the Charlatans UK have a few new songs up. The Bees a british band just launched their page yesterday and already have over 200 friends. I got an email from their distribution list linking and I was able to hear a new song.
Getting back to Rhett, his new cd plays straight thru, no skipping the tracks, so you are forced to minimize the page and let it play. Musically its alt country but he is doing a better job distancing himself from the Old 97s. There are a couple swaying singalong songs, some honkytonk and good ole rock n roll.
Posted by mardenhill 3/01/2006 09:37:00 AM 1 comments
Apple Press Conference
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Well the press conference is over and it was pretty anti-climatic. They released an intel version of the mac mini and the ipod boombox. Both are cool but not amazing, the mac mini will have front row installed and can hook up to a tv but they raised the price for the duo core. Wireless is built in and you can stream your movies, music and photos to your tv but they really needed to come down in the price. As for the ipod boombox, it can run on batteries and AC power. You dock your ipod and it has 3 speakers inside that has some amazing sound. The idea is good but the price is $349.
I am just a bit disappointed, no video ipod with touch screen, itunes movie store or intel ibooks. It just means that these will be coming out later this year.
Posted by mardenhill 2/28/2006 01:52:00 PM 1 comments
Happy Paczki Day
Posted by mardenhill 2/28/2006 08:42:00 AM 5 comments
Louis M Martini Cab Sauvignon
Monday, February 27, 2006
http://www.louismartini.com/home.htm I just got a bottle of Louis Martini cab from Simply Wine the other day and its a great bottle. I am not a huge cab fan, I prefer red zin and pinot noir. I have had some high end cabs that were amazing but that isn't something you can drink all the time but this one is. It starts off smooth with a nice cherry flavor. After that it becomes a bit more complex with a some tobacco and pepper. It lingers on your tongue and is not too dry. The color is a dark plum with lots of legs and a great bouquet.
If you are not familar with cab sauvignon, its considered the premier red grape of the world. It is also know as Petit Cabernet, Sauvignon Rouge and Vidure. Cab is the dominant grape in Bordeaux region of France. Its blended with cabernet franc and merlot to make some amazing wines. Napa Valley is known for its cabs, Silver Oaks sells theirs for $100 a bottle.
Posted by mardenhill 2/27/2006 10:27:00 PM 1 comments
Way To Go Lou
Lou Dobbs has been ranting and raving about the Dubai port deal for the last couple weeks and I I find myself agreeing with him 95% of the time. The administration and now Sen Frist is trying to push this deal thru under the radar of the American public. Sen Frist has proven once again that he is the biggest jackass to ever set foot in the senate. Just last week he came out screaming along with Dennis Hasert about the deal, well give it a few days and a few promises from Karl Rove, Frist is back on board. He thinks he has a shot at the presidency in 08 but he cannot control the senate and diagnosed a brain dead women from a video tape. Sorry for the tangent, I will get back on message.Why I don't agree with this deal has to do with the Dubai company, its not public its state owned. It comes down to the UAE royal family running the ports not a publically traded company. The UAE has helped us out since 9/11 but they are not as squeaky clean as the administration would like us to believe. I don't think any foreign company or country should own national assests where security is a concern.
Those who support the deal love to throw around the bigot word. Funny how they were the ones who bombed a country that had nothing to do with 9/11, tortured muslims, racially profiled and evesdropped on them and alienated the US from the rest of the world. I have one simple question, Who are the real bigots here? Bush has done his best to spread fear and paranoia about the middle east but when it comes to a business deal with his buddies in the middle east, anyone who disagrees is a bigot. I'm sorry, I am more concerned with why we are selling off our assets and why a foreign government should control our ports. The republican led congress will end up signing off on this deal, they will ignore their constitutents and I hope that comes back to haunt them in November. We don't need this deal, we have already outsourced too much, we need to stop somewhere. What's next, Iran and China buying our nuclear power plants?
BTW, check out Lou Dobbs on CNN at 6pm, you may or may not agree with him but he is one of the only people standing up to this administration when it comes to outsourcing, border and national security.
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Lou Dobbs reported today that "Dubai Ports World" officials have tried to silence him and get CNN to suppress his reports.
Mark Dennis, spokesman for Dubai Ports World: " CNN won't shut up Lou Dobbs."
They are refusing to give any more interviews to CNN or allow them to video tape their operations overseas. To CNN's credit they have refused to comply with their demands.
Posted by mardenhill 2/27/2006 10:02:00 PM 1 comments
Awe Bushy's Gonna Cry
(CBS) The latest CBS News poll finds President Bush's approval rating has fallen to an all-time low of 34 percent, while pessimism about the Iraq war has risen to a new high.Americans are also overwhelmingly opposed to the Bush-backed deal giving a Dubai-owned company operational control over six major U.S. ports. Seven in 10 Americans, including 58 percent of Republicans, say they're opposed to the agreement.
In a separate poll, two out of three Americans said they do not think President Bush has responded adequately to the needs of Katrina victims. Only 32 percent approve of the way President Bush is responding to those needs, a drop of 12 points from last September’s poll, taken just two weeks after the storm made landfall.
Mr. Bush's overall job rating has fallen to 34 percent, down from 42 percent last month. Fifty-nine percent disapprove of the job the president is doing.
For the first time in this poll, most Americans say the president does not care much about people like themselves. Fifty-one percent now think he doesn't care, compared to 47 percent last fall.
Just 30 percent approve of how Mr. Bush is handling the Iraq war, another all-time low.
Posted by mardenhill 2/27/2006 09:16:00 PM 1 comments
