| |
|
Saturday, September 10, 2005
|
|
Man who cursed out Cheney Arrested! Op-Ed News reports that the guy who told Cheney to "F--k himself " was cuffed... Was Cheney arrested for cursing out Pat Leahy? Go to Ebay, he's selling the video.
(Via Crooks and Liars.)
2:17:52 PM 
|
|
Despite hundreds of thousands of marijuana arrests each year, law enforcement has proven ineffective in curbing usage, the Justice Policy Institute reported in a study. The study, "Efficacy and Impact: The Criminal Justice Response to Marijuana Policy in the United States," concluded that despite a huge increase in drug control spending -- from $65 million in 1970 to $19 billion currently, and that's just at the federal level -- rates of marijuana use have remained essentially unchanged, no matter whether arrests rates go up or down.
Via "duh" magazine, but what a pointless, wasteful, expensive tragedy, with no good consequences:
According to Jason Colburn, policy analyst at JPI and the report's coauthor, US drug policy is not only having very little effect on marijuana usage, but it also imposes hefty collateral consequences on those being locked up for marijuana use. "There are 13 million people with former felony convictions in the US, and thousands of people have been convicted of a felony offense involving marijuana. The collateral consequences they will face will not only impact them but their families and entire communities," said Colburn. "Depending on what state they live in, they may be denied public assistance, face substantial barriers to employment, experience drivers' license suspension, and lose the right to vote. Our criminal justice response to marijuana is impacting their ability to take care of their families or contribute as normal taxpaying citizens," added Colburn.
2:14:03 PM
|
|
AP - The government's $5 billion effort to help small businesses recover from the Sept. 11 attacks was so loosely managed that it gave low-interest loans to companies that didn't need terrorism relief -- or even know they were getting it, the Associated Press has found. And while some at Ground Zero couldn't get the assistance they desperately sought, companies far removed from the devastation -- a South Dakota country radio station, a Virgin Islands perfume shop, a Utah dog boutique, and more than 100 Dunkin' Donuts, and Quiznos and Subway sandwich shops -- had no problem getting the government-guaranteed loans.
(Via UNDERNEWS.)
2:12:54 PM
|
|
The scum in this case being one Glenn Beck.
But the second thought I had when I saw these people and they had to shut down the Astrodome and lock it down, I thought: I didn't think I could hate victims faster than the 9-11 victims. These guys -- you know it's really sad. We're not hearing anything about Mississippi. We're not hearing anything about Alabama. We're hearing about the victims in New Orleans. This is a 90,000-square-mile disaster site, New Orleans is 181 square miles. A hundred and -- 0.2 percent of the disaster area is New Orleans! And that's all we're hearing about, are the people in New Orleans. Those are the only ones we're seeing on television are the scumbags -- and again, it's not all the people in New Orleans. Most of the people in New Orleans got out! It's just a small percentage of those who were left in New Orleans, or who decided to stay in New Orleans, and they're getting all the attention. It's exactly like the 9-11 victims' families. There's about 10 of them that are spoiling it for everybody.
if you listen to this guy and buy the products advertised, you're part of the problem.
2:06:52 PM
|
|
John Edwards:
Today, the relief effort is focused on providing, food, shelter, and clothing to thousands of men and women. That’s the right thing to do.
But the victims of Katrina want more than life’s necessities. They want a chance to rebuild their lives. Many of them also want to help rebuild a city and a coastline that mean so much to them, and so much to all Americans.
We ought to give them the chance to help through a New America Initiative. This initiative, which is modeled after the Works Progress administration, would help them rebuild a devastated region and offer good-paying jobs and hope to the displaced. Join me and say no to President Bush’s failed leadership in a growing call to take this tragedy and turn it into an opportunity. It is not enough to talk about it; we will have to show this Administration that the real leadership means visionary action.
Sign here.
(Via Oliver Willis - Like Kryptonite To Stupid.)
2:00:11 PM
|
|
"A great work of art is of course always original, and thus by its very nature should come as a more or less shocking surprise."
1:45:58 PM
|
|
"I'm going to later visit, as you know, a shelter that's here. I wanted to visit another shelter. I've visited several so far. All of them have been organized and run very, very well for the benefit of the people who are having to be sheltered, who are choosing that." -- Laura Bush, from an interview today at a school she was visiting
Yes, those people have so many options, and a crowded shelter just seemed so appealing the choice was easy to make.
(Via No More Apples.)
1:36:16 PM
|
|
U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's visit to Reliant Park this morning offered him a glimpse of what it's like to be living in shelter.
While on the tour with top administration officials from Washington, including U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao and U.S. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow, DeLay stopped to chat with three young boys resting on cots.
The congressman likened their stay to being at camp and asked, "Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?"
They nodded yes, but looked perplexed.
More here.
(Via No More Apples.)
1:18:31 PM
|
|
This should help explain it.
My guess is the photo is a fake, but it's still funny.
(Via Left I on the News.)
1:17:19 PM
|
|
A native son named Bob Dylan suggests an itinerary through Minnesota, and a fan hits the road.
(Via The New York Times > Travel.)
9:30:34 AM
|
|
Republican leaders in Congress and some White House officials see opportunities in Hurricane Katrina to advance longstanding conservative goals.
(Via The New York Times > Washington.)
9:25:45 AM
|
|
Short recommendations for 50 novels about rock (Bookslut via lf)
I'll vouch for the Madison Smartt Bell
I'm surprised I haven't read more of these. I liked the two Shiner novels, the Doyle and the Hornby, didn't like the Spencer.
(Via robot wisdom weblog.)
9:21:19 AM
|
|
|
© Copyright 2005 Steve Michel.
Last update: 10/1/2005; 12:08:27 AM.
|
|
|
