Clipmarks | Jorjor's clips

Homeland Security Wants The Shirt Off Your Back

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:13:17 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: Things that had to be left out of the clip:

"We have notified his company, Paragon, of our position in the matter," Haley said.

A message left with Paragon Security was not immediately returned Monday night.

Gilbert called the guard's actions "shocking."

"As an African-American and a lesbian, I haven't been through one day without facing some sort of discrimination," Gilbert said.

Her mother called police after Gilbert was kicked out, but another security guard escorted her to the front of the Social Security line before officers arrived, the Daily News reported.

According to a police report, a witness described Gilbert as "peaceful and quiet" before the guard told her to leave.

Clip Source: www.fresnobee.com

Woman forced from fed building for lesbian shirt

A woman wearing a T-shirt promoting lesbianism said she was forced the leave a federal building Monday by a security guard who didn't approve of her attire.

Lapriss Gilbert said she was picking up a Social Security card for her son when the guard was offended by her "lesbian.com" shirt and threatened her with arrest.

She was eventually allowed inside after her mother called police, according to a Los Angeles Daily News story.

The guard, whose name was not immediately available, works for Paragon Security, which contracts with the Department of Homeland Security.

Lori Haley, a spokeswoman within the Homeland Security Department, said the guard's actions were inappropriate and unacceptable.

Gilbert said the guard cited a document, the Rules and Regulations Governing Conduct on Federal Property, as proof he had jurisdiction over her clothing. The document does not address what type of clothing is allowed in federal buildings.

Wil S**t Hapen?

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:44:41 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: This smacks of petty paranoia. Comments at the source offered some creative solutions:

"waterguns full of bleach or urine, just like releasing poisonous snakes, just like the balloons filled with hydrochloric acid... this is just police fantasy. There is a big difference between being prepared for a situation and preparing for a fictional tactic that you came up with yourself"

"Carry empty buckets and fill them on-site. Ex-Lax helps. "

I can see it now:

"Is that a bucket of feces?"

"No, officer. It's a firkin of feces."

"Oh. Okay, then."

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

Buckets of Feces Banned at Democratic Convention

I've since learned that the DNC has the federal designation of being a National Special Security Event (NSSE): it's called that, according to Wikipedia, because it's "an attractive target for terrorists or assassins due to the event's visibility or political connection." That makes the DNC on par with the Super Bowl, another NSSE. It's not an out of bounds comparison, either, since Barack Obama has switched the upcoming site for his acceptance speech from Denver's Pepsi Center to the much-larger Invesco Field at Mile High, where the Denver Broncos crack skulls on the gridiron. Go team, indeed.

Recently, the Denver City Council felt compelled to pass an ordinance outlawing carrying buckets of feces, which conceivably could be tossed on delegates or police during the DNC. Somebody's expecting a crappy time.

Tags: politics, crap, dnc, democratic national convention

Saudi Arabia bans sale of dogs, cats in capital

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:57:02 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: This reminds me of the old joke, "Why do Baptists disapprove of sex? It could lead to dancing." This is an example of religious governance leading to interference in what should be totally secular areas of life. Of course we in the west pamper and coddle our pets, and often react with revulsion at the notion that there are places in the world where dogs are food animals. It's slightly more understandable in the case of dogs, because Islam considers them unclean, but that doesn't explain the ban on cats as well. The story about the Chinese emperor who cut the sleeve from a priceless robe rather than disturb his sleeping kitten has also been told about Mohammed. The article also fails to explain why the law applies only to men. If they realized that by allowing women to own pets, they have a privelege men don't, the entire fabric of Saudi society could come unraveled.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Every single man knows: Walking a dog in the park is a sure babe magnet. Saudi Arabia's Islamic religious police, in their zeal to keep the sexes apart, want to make sure the technique doesn't catch on here.

The solution: Ban selling dogs and cats as pets, as well as walking them in public.

Violators found outside with their pets will have their beloved poodles and other furry companions confiscated by agents of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the official name of the religious police, tasked with enforcing Saudi Arabia's strict Islamic code.

The commission's general manager, Othman al-Othman, said the ban was ordered because of what he called "the rising of phenomenon of men using cats and dogs to make passes at women and pester families" as well as "violating proper behavior in public squares and malls."

"If a man is caught with a pet,

the man will be forced to sign a document pledging not to repeat the act,"

Tags: arab, islam, pets, dogs, cats, religion, silly

For the Next Time You Wonder What Good Space Exploration Does Down Here...

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:01:49 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: The swimmers and coaches attribute 5 gold medals (so far), most won with world-record times, to the Speedo Lazer suit. NASA's expertise in engineering friction-reducing materials as coatings on rockets and other spacecraft to reduce drag as they travel through the atmosphere.

Many people are unaware of the fact that in addition to sending men and machines into space, NASA also functions as a technology broker to private industry (they are forbidden by law from profiting from research they sponsor). The development of integrated circuits was spurred by the fact that US rockets were much less powerful than the USSR's, so we had to reduce weight by designing lighter components. Without NASA, computers and other microprocessor-driven machines would be 20 or more years behind where they are now.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

The Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit, designed with input from NASA, has made a huge splash, cannon-balling into the consciousness of people who do not know a flip turn from Flipper. Since the swimsuit was introduced in February, swimmers wearing it have sped to 22 of the 23 world records set.

“It’s exceeded our expectations,” said Stu Isaac, a senior vice president for sales and marketing at Speedo.

Dara Torres, a sprinter who will try to make her fifth Olympic team at the United States trials in Omaha this summer, said the suit helped her to move through the water “like a knife through butter.” Torres is a spokeswoman for Speedo.

Tags: sports, olympics, space, nasa, swimming, speedo, medals

Why Too Much Praying Is A Bad idea

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:25:29 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: It seems to me that a lot of praying, instead of achieving its intended purpose of praise and glorification instead reduces a deity to a petty servant.

Internet evangelist Stuart Shepard issued a call to pray that Barack Obama's planned speech in a stadium in Denver gets rained out. That goes beyond petty into the realm of the ridiculous and juvenile.

Clip Source: members.comics.com

Tags: religion, humor

The Real Value Of Money

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 04:28:27 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: The original source is an Italian newspaper; it's something on the order of an editorial cartoon. Now that we have the internet, it's easier to see how others in the world see us. Some of us, hopefully, will take this as an opportunity to rethink how we see ourselves.

“Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.”

— Albert Einstein

Clip Source: shotbuzz.com

Tags: money, oil, politics, world opinion, dollar

Frustration Bra

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:15:17 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: The title says it all.

Clip Source: xkcd.com

Tags: women`s underwear, bra, humor

A Different Kind of Cross-Training

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:25:23 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: First in a six part series - go to the original site to get links to the rest.

Clip Source: www.sinfest.net

Tags: sports, satire, religion

Teen With Broken Back Tasered 19 Times for Not Standing Up When Ordered

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:44:56 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: Overstepping the bounds of their authority.

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

OZARK, Mo. -- A family wants answers about what happened to their son that left him hospitalized. Early Saturday morning, police found Mace Hutchinson, 16, underneath the Highway F overpass over U.S. 65. [...]

By the time officers arrived, the teen was off the 30-foot overpass, lying on the shoulder below along U.S. 65, with no good explanation as to how he got there.

"According to the doctors, all injuries are consistent with a fall," said his aunt, Samantha.

"They tested his system. He was clean of drugs and alcohol. We don't know why unless just being in shock and the whole thing in itself caused him to forget everything," said Hutchinson.

His aunt says he is undergoing major surgery for a broken back and broken heel. While he was lying on the ground, she wonders why Ozark police used an electric stun gun on him up to 19 times.

"I'm not an officer, but I don't see the reason for 'Tasering' somebody laying there with a broken back. I don't consider that a threat."

MORE Kittens?

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:17:18 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: My favorite cat died last month, which leaves me down to only one. Appaarently, though there are plenty more available.

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

Global Warming Linked to Severe Weather, Heat Related Deaths, and now ... Kittens?

"Each year it seems to get worse and worse," said Christina Gin, an animal shelter volunteer in Hayward, Calif., to the Hayward Daily Review earlier this month.

She was talking about the shelter's surplus of kittens, a problem that animal shelters across the country face every summer. But lately, it seems that there have been more and more of the furry carnivores.

Ms. Gin blames global warming for the feline glut, and she's not alone. The Humane Society has observed that kitten season, which usually starts in March and April, has been starting earlier and lasting longer.

The Kansas City infoZine quotes Nancy Peterson, manager of the Humane Society's feral cat program, who explains how warmer weather sends female cats into heat: "The brain receives instructions to produce a hormone that basically initiates the heat cycle in a cat,"

Tags: global warming, climate change, cats, kittens

Larry Craig & David Vitter: Can You Spell H-y-p-o-c-r-i-t-e?

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:35:28 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: I can't imagine two less qualified sponsors for any legislation relating to marriage.

See the source for the text of the amendment.

Clip Source: pageoneq.com

Sens. Larry Craig and David Vitter co-sponsor Marriage Protection Amendment

Two United States Senators implicated in extramarital sexual activity have named themselves as co-sponsors of S. J. RES. 43, dubbed the Marriage Protection Amendment. If ratified, the bill would amend the United States Constitution to state that marriage "shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman."

Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID), who was arrested June 11, 2007 on charges of lewd conduct in a Minneapolis airport terminal, is co-sponsoring the amendment along with Sen. David Vitter (R-LA).

In July of 2007, Vitter was identified as a client of a prostitution firm owned by the late Deborah Jeane Palfrey, commonly known as The DC Madam.

A voice mail left for Craig spokesperson Susan Irby went unreturned. Attempts to contact Vitter's press secretary Joel DiGrado were unsuccessful.

The full text of S. J. RES. 43 follows:

Tags: larry craig, david vitter, sex, scandal

A New Look At An Old Resurrection

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:17:18 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor

Clip Source: www.sinfest.net

2008-03-26: Punxsutawney Jesus

| |

Don't Say "It Couldn't Happen Here".

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:15:06 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: At least one presidential candidate has publicly advocated policies which parallel this situation. Reading things like this reminds me of the famous "First they came..." statement attributed to Martin Niemöller. It's also a good time to keep in mind that the rights of the least among us, the rights of people we disagree with or even hate, are our rights too, and that when someone on the fringe loses out so do we all.

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

HIV Scare in Egypt: Gays Rounded Up, Called "Suspects"

This not only violates the most basic rights of people living with HIV. It also threatens public health.

Well, it seems Huckabee's suggestion to quarantine AIDS patients is being somewhat enacted in Egypt. While not specifically referred to in Egypt's legal code, homosexual acts can be punished under laws covering obscenity, prostitution, and habitual debauchery. With this authority, Egyptian police are targeting suspected homosexuals in a campaign to crack down on HIV.

Gasser Abdel-Razek of Human Rights Watch said, "These cases show Egyptian police acting on the dangerous belief that HIV is not a condition to be treated but a crime to be punished." According to Human Rights Watch, HIV-positive Egyptian males are detained, interrogated about other suspects, undergo physical abuse, chained to hospital beds, and forced to undergo virus related tests. Two of the four newest detainees have tested positive for HIV.

Tags: human rights, religion, civil rights

A Tribute To Women In Film

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:17:48 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: I usually don't pay much attention to things like this, but this one is more than passing interesting and actually rather evocative. Rather than click on the "clipped from:" link above, I recommend going directly here: http://glumbert.com/wii/view.php?name=womenfilm

Clip Source: glumbert.com

Women in Film

Tags: cinema, women, history

300-Year-Old Solar Eclipse

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:47:22 GMT

clipped by: Jorjor
clipper's remarks: Courtesy of those great folks at APoD, the oldest known (European) depiction of a total solar eclipse. Earlier depictions may exist in Asian sources - Arab and Chinese astronomers, for instance, made accurate notes on the supernova of 1054, which formed what is now the Crab Nebula, aka M1 & NGC 1952. The Chinese also kept accurate records of sunspots and comets long before other parts of the world did.

Clip Source: antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov

A Solar Eclipse Painting from the 1700s

Explanation: Is this painting the earliest realistic depiction of a total eclipse of the Sun? Some historians believe it is. The above painting was completed in 1735 by Cosmas Damian Asam, a painter and architect famous in early eighteenth century Germany. Clearly drawn is not only a total solar eclipse, but the solar corona and the diamond ring effect visible when sunlight flows only between mountains on the Moon. The person depicted viewing these eclipse phenomena is St. Benedict. Roberta J. M. Olson and Jay Pasachoff have hypothesized that Asam himself may have seen first hand one or all of the total solar eclipses of May 1706, 1724, and 1733. Many facts about our astronomical universe that are taken for granted today have been known -- or accurately recorded -- only during the last millennium. Asam's painting currently hangs in Weltenburg Abbey in Bavaria, Germany.

Tags: astronomy, eclipse