/PRNewswire/ -- With the U.S. Supreme Court dealing a stinging blow to race-based employment practices, members of the Project 21 black leadership network are praising the Ricci v. DeStefano decision as a step toward removing the racial trappings of a by-gone era and putting all Americans on equal footing.
"It was clear to this Court that barring people from promotion because of the color of their skin is wrong. The only downside is that four justices still cling to an outmoded and discriminatory line of thought," said Project 21 chairman Mychal Massie. "True equality allows people to rise and fall on their merits. That's what this decision protects. How can one oppose such fairness?"
In a 5-4 decision, the Court reversed the lower court ruling, barring the use of race as the sole factor in promotions. In his majority opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, "Fear of litigation alone cannot justify the City's reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations and qualified for promotions."
The decision also casts serious doubt on the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor. She was a member of the appeals court panel that issued the one-paragraph opinion overturned today. Now, she must explain to senators how she could be so much at odds with her potential future colleagues.
"Justice is supposed to be blind, but the opinion she joined in the Ricci case - now overturned by the Supreme Court - shows Sonia Sotomayor believes justice should be based on ethnicity," added Project 21's Massie. "Her ruling in Ricci is an unambiguous example of her placing her feelings and personal prejudices above what the law dictates or allows."
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Groups to Congress: Don't Sacrifice Patient Safety to Lower Health Costs
/PRNewswire/ -- Congress should not confuse lowering health care costs with limiting patient safety, said a letter from consumer and patient advocates sent to Congress today. The groups urged a focus on reducing medical errors in health reform legislation, not limits on liability for negligent medical providers, as a means to both save lives and lower the costs of medical mistakes.
State malpractice damage caps, and other limits on liability for negligent health care providers, have locked injured patients out of court, degraded the quality of health care and denied justice to too many families, said Consumer Watchdog.
"Those who wish to reduce the costs of medical malpractice liability should focus on stemming the epidemic of preventable medical errors," wrote the advocates, not "reduce accountability for wrongdoing and weaken patient safety. We urge you to reject any amendments to the legislation that will shift costs from poorly performing medical facilities and providers to struggling families."
"Shielding negligent parties from accountability is no way to cut costs or provide quality care. To the contrary, it is a recipe for increasing the nation's epidemic of preventable errors, at enormous human and financial cost. Instead of limiting liability, the Congress should focus on improving patient safety. This would save not only lives, but also billions of dollars in unnecessary medical cost," wrote the groups.
The state that is cited most frequently by proponents of malpractice liability limits as a success - California - has insurance regulation, not its malpractice damage cap, to thank for holding malpractice insurance rates down for health care providers. In the thirteen years after passage of a damage cap, medical malpractice insurance rates went up 450%. Over the next thirteen years, after Californians approved strong insurance oversight, medical malpractice insurance premiums went down 2%.
State malpractice damage caps, and other limits on liability for negligent health care providers, have locked injured patients out of court, degraded the quality of health care and denied justice to too many families, said Consumer Watchdog.
"Those who wish to reduce the costs of medical malpractice liability should focus on stemming the epidemic of preventable medical errors," wrote the advocates, not "reduce accountability for wrongdoing and weaken patient safety. We urge you to reject any amendments to the legislation that will shift costs from poorly performing medical facilities and providers to struggling families."
"Shielding negligent parties from accountability is no way to cut costs or provide quality care. To the contrary, it is a recipe for increasing the nation's epidemic of preventable errors, at enormous human and financial cost. Instead of limiting liability, the Congress should focus on improving patient safety. This would save not only lives, but also billions of dollars in unnecessary medical cost," wrote the groups.
The state that is cited most frequently by proponents of malpractice liability limits as a success - California - has insurance regulation, not its malpractice damage cap, to thank for holding malpractice insurance rates down for health care providers. In the thirteen years after passage of a damage cap, medical malpractice insurance rates went up 450%. Over the next thirteen years, after Californians approved strong insurance oversight, medical malpractice insurance premiums went down 2%.
What You May Not Know About Speaker Pelosi's National Energy Tax
VWV Note: Got to wonder why last night the President easily told a TN representative who has yet decided on his vote today that the Cap and Trade Bill won't raise utility bills. Who believes that? The Cap and Trade Bill is nothing but a huge national tax. If it passes, we are all in a heap of financial trouble. Stand tall. Let your representatives know your thoughts now.
The following is from John Boehner's site and is worth reading and sending.
Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax is going to raise electricity prices, increase gasoline prices, and ship American jobs overseas to countries like China and India. This, we know.
It would be a bureaucratic nightmare overseen by a confusing web of government agencies that would take and redistribute trillions of dollars from family budgets and workers payrolls. This, we also know. Even Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) admitted in the Washington Post this morning that: “The truth is, nobody knows for sure how this is going to work.” How encouraging.
But what don’t we know? Here are some facts you may not know about Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax:
Homebuyers Beware. Trying to save up for a new home? You may have to save up a little longer for your purchase. The Democrats’ bill would dramatically increase new home costs by mandating California’s expensive new building codes for the entire nation. Immediately upon enactment, the Democrats’ bill would demand a 30 percent increase in energy efficiency for new construction. A couple of years later, the Democrats’ bill would require an additional 50 percent improvement. These numbers were chosen with no concern for cost to consumers or feasibility in implementation.
Homebuilders Beware. The Democrats’ bill imposes new mandatory regulations and civil penalties for homebuilders. If your state refuses to accept the stringent and costly California building codes, the federal government may assess penalties. And don’t get too comfortable with the new mandatory regulations because the Democrats’ bill allows for “consensus-based” codes to supplant those outlined in the bill. So, as soon as you’ve invested your hard-earned money to comply with the bill’s mandates, the rug could get pulled from underneath you. Translation? You’ll pony up more and more money.
Home Sellers Beware. Having a hard time selling your home? Here’s one more hurdle to jump: all homes sales are conditioned upon an energy audit and a new energy rating assessment and energy labeling program for your home that’s outlined in the Democrats’ bill. And if you thought you could improve your property with a fresh coat of paint and some granite counters? Think again! Now your home will be subjected to a new energy rating assessment and energy labeling program that will penalize you for older windows, original fixtures, and dated appliances. So the Democrats’ bill would bring down the value of your home!
New Lights No Matter the Cost. As early as 2012, the Democrats’ bill eliminates all existing lighting technology used in many outdoor lighting fleets (parking lots, stadiums, secured facilities like power plants and factories). Just as an example, switching to the mandated technology in the bill will cost one small utility about $30 million in annual revenue. So you now have to comply with the new mandates for new lighting? Hold the phone. It is not clear that a feasible alternative technology is available for every existing lighting application – regardless of cost – which could force some businesses to close.
The consequences of Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax for families and small businesses are real. It will drive up energy costs, send millions of jobs to countries like China and India, and place an especially heavy burden on rural America. There is a better way. House Republicans have proposed the American Energy Act, legislation that represents the fastest route to a cleaner environment, lower energy costs, and more American jobs. The legislation would:
Increase environmentally-safe energy production on remote lands and far off our shores;
Promote the use of alternative fuels that will reduce carbon emissions, such as nuclear, clean-coal, and renewable energy technologies; and
Encourage increased efficiencies and cutting edge technologies to maximize America’s energy potential.
Today’s vote on Speaker Pelosi’s ill-advised national energy tax will have consequences for every American. It is a bad deal for America. And the American people will remember how their Members of Congress vote.
The following is from John Boehner's site and is worth reading and sending.
Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax is going to raise electricity prices, increase gasoline prices, and ship American jobs overseas to countries like China and India. This, we know.
It would be a bureaucratic nightmare overseen by a confusing web of government agencies that would take and redistribute trillions of dollars from family budgets and workers payrolls. This, we also know. Even Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) admitted in the Washington Post this morning that: “The truth is, nobody knows for sure how this is going to work.” How encouraging.
But what don’t we know? Here are some facts you may not know about Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax:
Homebuyers Beware. Trying to save up for a new home? You may have to save up a little longer for your purchase. The Democrats’ bill would dramatically increase new home costs by mandating California’s expensive new building codes for the entire nation. Immediately upon enactment, the Democrats’ bill would demand a 30 percent increase in energy efficiency for new construction. A couple of years later, the Democrats’ bill would require an additional 50 percent improvement. These numbers were chosen with no concern for cost to consumers or feasibility in implementation.
Homebuilders Beware. The Democrats’ bill imposes new mandatory regulations and civil penalties for homebuilders. If your state refuses to accept the stringent and costly California building codes, the federal government may assess penalties. And don’t get too comfortable with the new mandatory regulations because the Democrats’ bill allows for “consensus-based” codes to supplant those outlined in the bill. So, as soon as you’ve invested your hard-earned money to comply with the bill’s mandates, the rug could get pulled from underneath you. Translation? You’ll pony up more and more money.
Home Sellers Beware. Having a hard time selling your home? Here’s one more hurdle to jump: all homes sales are conditioned upon an energy audit and a new energy rating assessment and energy labeling program for your home that’s outlined in the Democrats’ bill. And if you thought you could improve your property with a fresh coat of paint and some granite counters? Think again! Now your home will be subjected to a new energy rating assessment and energy labeling program that will penalize you for older windows, original fixtures, and dated appliances. So the Democrats’ bill would bring down the value of your home!
New Lights No Matter the Cost. As early as 2012, the Democrats’ bill eliminates all existing lighting technology used in many outdoor lighting fleets (parking lots, stadiums, secured facilities like power plants and factories). Just as an example, switching to the mandated technology in the bill will cost one small utility about $30 million in annual revenue. So you now have to comply with the new mandates for new lighting? Hold the phone. It is not clear that a feasible alternative technology is available for every existing lighting application – regardless of cost – which could force some businesses to close.
The consequences of Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax for families and small businesses are real. It will drive up energy costs, send millions of jobs to countries like China and India, and place an especially heavy burden on rural America. There is a better way. House Republicans have proposed the American Energy Act, legislation that represents the fastest route to a cleaner environment, lower energy costs, and more American jobs. The legislation would:
Increase environmentally-safe energy production on remote lands and far off our shores;
Promote the use of alternative fuels that will reduce carbon emissions, such as nuclear, clean-coal, and renewable energy technologies; and
Encourage increased efficiencies and cutting edge technologies to maximize America’s energy potential.
Today’s vote on Speaker Pelosi’s ill-advised national energy tax will have consequences for every American. It is a bad deal for America. And the American people will remember how their Members of Congress vote.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Buffett Calls Cap and Trade a Huge Energy Tax
The proposed national energy tax will hurt everyone. See what Warren Buffett had to say on the subject. This is up for a vote on Friday. Please let your representatives know your thoughts on the subject.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
"Mr. Sandman, Send Me..."
Have you wondered how so many people still choose to hide their heads in the sand when it comes to what is going on around us?
I've been having a couple of ongoing conversations lately with two colleagues. I won't mention names, but I can guarantee they wouldn't be able to figure out who they are. Why? Because there are so many Americans just like them.
One colleague is distressed over the recession and the way the government is taking over private enterprise. My first question was, "Who did you vote for?" His response was he didn't vote for anyone. My response was, "You voted for the President." By not bothering to take time to learn about the issues and study the candidates, this person abdicated on their responsibility. By not voting, they said that either candidate was fine. By not voting, they gave their thumbs up to the winner. Gee, my colleague is flabbergasted now. Kind of wishes he had voted. Perhaps, he has learned his lesson and will take the next elections more to heart and let his voice be heard.
The other conversation is an ongoing educational one. The lady is such a sweet soul, but she voted for the color of the skin. She openly admits it and says that "He is going to take care of all Americans." She goes on to talk about how wonderful the stimulus is and how great it will be when all Americans get free insurance coverage.
Now she is gainfully employed at a company who has only laid off the temporary workers and reduced hours for some of its hourly employees. She is salaried, so she hasn't been too concerned yet. Imagine her surprise when I asked her who was paying for all the wonderful things the government is doing. She says "the government." "Where does the government get its money?" She honestly thinks that only the rich will pay.
What about the proposed cap and trade tax for every American, rich or poor? What about the proposed Cash for Clunkers so people can take out more debt? (Yep, my cars don't even qualify.)
What about the proposed government rationed healthcare? What about the proposed tax on health insurance the employer provides?
Her eyes get big and she says, "Well, I always get a tax refund." Wake up sister. Just wait till the end of this year and you get the honor of paying back the tax the feds put in your pocket this year since the tax codes have yet to be adjusted. Just wait until your property tax bill comes in.
You've got a job? You're rich. Go on. Rub your eyes and see if some of that sand gets out.
I've been having a couple of ongoing conversations lately with two colleagues. I won't mention names, but I can guarantee they wouldn't be able to figure out who they are. Why? Because there are so many Americans just like them.
One colleague is distressed over the recession and the way the government is taking over private enterprise. My first question was, "Who did you vote for?" His response was he didn't vote for anyone. My response was, "You voted for the President." By not bothering to take time to learn about the issues and study the candidates, this person abdicated on their responsibility. By not voting, they said that either candidate was fine. By not voting, they gave their thumbs up to the winner. Gee, my colleague is flabbergasted now. Kind of wishes he had voted. Perhaps, he has learned his lesson and will take the next elections more to heart and let his voice be heard.
The other conversation is an ongoing educational one. The lady is such a sweet soul, but she voted for the color of the skin. She openly admits it and says that "He is going to take care of all Americans." She goes on to talk about how wonderful the stimulus is and how great it will be when all Americans get free insurance coverage.
Now she is gainfully employed at a company who has only laid off the temporary workers and reduced hours for some of its hourly employees. She is salaried, so she hasn't been too concerned yet. Imagine her surprise when I asked her who was paying for all the wonderful things the government is doing. She says "the government." "Where does the government get its money?" She honestly thinks that only the rich will pay.
What about the proposed cap and trade tax for every American, rich or poor? What about the proposed Cash for Clunkers so people can take out more debt? (Yep, my cars don't even qualify.)
What about the proposed government rationed healthcare? What about the proposed tax on health insurance the employer provides?
Her eyes get big and she says, "Well, I always get a tax refund." Wake up sister. Just wait till the end of this year and you get the honor of paying back the tax the feds put in your pocket this year since the tax codes have yet to be adjusted. Just wait until your property tax bill comes in.
You've got a job? You're rich. Go on. Rub your eyes and see if some of that sand gets out.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
State Legislatures Revolt Against Speaker Pelosi's New National Energy Tax
VWV Note: Are the people beginning to wake up? Will more states stand up for their citizens against the cap and trade tax? Just saw this on John Boehner's site and felt encouraged. Something I think we could all use right about now.
As gasoline prices continue to climb – rising “for the 48th straight day,” according to the Associated Press – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is sticking to her vow that Congressional Democrats will give top priority this summer to enacting a new job-killing national energy tax. And across the nation, states are beginning to rise up in opposition to the Speaker’s misguided “cap-and-tax” proposal, with a number of state legislatures passing resolutions warning Washington not to pass such a proposal. Many states fear misguided “cap-and-tax” legislation will raise energy costs for families and small businesses, increase costs on goods manufactured and sold in the U.S., and put American jobs at risk – and in resolutions and letters, they’re joining Congressional Republicans in sounding the alarm. Some examples:
Alabama Joint Resolution 109 – “[A]ny system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not eliminate American jobs and diminish the ability of American industry to compete in the global marketplace… [A]ny system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not add to the already high costs of power and gasoline;” (May 15, 2009)
Indiana Senate Resolution 76 – “Any system to regulate greenhouse gases must ensure that the adopted regime does not result in the off-shoring of international trade-sensitive industries;… Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not eliminate American jobs and diminish the ability of American industry to compete in the global marketplace.” (April 24, 2009)
Louisiana Senate Resolution 91 – “Be it resolved that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to address the issue of global climate change through the adoption of a fair and effective approach that safeguards American jobs, ensures affordable energy for citizens, and maintains America’s global competitiveness.” (June 9, 2009)
Mississippi Senate Concurrent Resolution 584 – “[Be] it resolved… we do hereby urge the United States Congress to … (a) safeguard American jobs; (b) ensure affordable energy for American citizens and industry; (c) offer incentives for efficient practices and technologies; (d) prevent ‘emissions leakage’; and (e) maintain the global competitiveness of American industry.” (March 16, 2009)
South Carolina House Resolution 3508 – “Be it resolved by the South Carolina House of Representatives: That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, memorialize the United States Congress to address the issue of global climate change through the adoption of a fair and effective approach that safeguards American jobs, ensure affordable energy for citizens, and maintains America’s global competitiveness.” (March 3, 2009)
Tennessee House Joint Resolution 323 – “Be it resolved… that it is the sense of the Tennessee General Assembly that the State of Tennessee should only combat global climate change and reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses if and only if such a plan for doing so were structured in a manner to (1) promote American jobs; (2) avoid imposing higher energy prices on American families and industry; (3) reward early adopters of efficient practices and technologies; (4) monitor and prevent ‘emissions leakage’; and (4) champion and ensure the continued global competitiveness of American industry.” (June 8, 2009)
Letter from Members of the Illinois General Assembly – “Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not eliminate American jobs and diminish the ability of American industry to compete in the global marketplace… [C]limate change policy must not add to the already high costs of power and gasoline.”
Letter from Members of the North Carolina General Assembly – “[T]he regulation of greenhouse gas emissions must not add to the already high costs of power and gasoline… [A]ny proposal to address global climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions must be structured in a way that safeguards American jobs, ensures affordable energy for American citizens and industry, offers incentives for efficient practices and technologies, prevents ‘emissions leakage’ and maintains the global competitiveness of the American industry.” (March 18, 2009)
Letter from Members of the Virginia General Assembly – “[We] urge the Members of our Congressional Delegation, when considering any system for regulating greenhouse gas emissions, to support fair and effective measures that safeguard American jobs, ensure affordable energy for citizens, and maintain America’s global competitiveness.” (February 16, 2009)
Recognizing that the best solutions often come from outside the Beltway, Reps. Devin Nunes (R-CA) and Mike Rogers (R-MI) joined with Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) earlier this year in launching the GOP State Solutions project. The goals of the project are to increase coordination among reform-minded Republican Members of Congress, governors, and state legislators; highlight the better solutions Republicans are offering at all levels of government; and educate Americans about the impact misguided Washington proposals such as Speaker Pelosi’s new national energy tax will have on states and local communities.
For more information on the State Solutions project, visit the State Solutions website at http://states.gopleader.gov/.
As gasoline prices continue to climb – rising “for the 48th straight day,” according to the Associated Press – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is sticking to her vow that Congressional Democrats will give top priority this summer to enacting a new job-killing national energy tax. And across the nation, states are beginning to rise up in opposition to the Speaker’s misguided “cap-and-tax” proposal, with a number of state legislatures passing resolutions warning Washington not to pass such a proposal. Many states fear misguided “cap-and-tax” legislation will raise energy costs for families and small businesses, increase costs on goods manufactured and sold in the U.S., and put American jobs at risk – and in resolutions and letters, they’re joining Congressional Republicans in sounding the alarm. Some examples:
Alabama Joint Resolution 109 – “[A]ny system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not eliminate American jobs and diminish the ability of American industry to compete in the global marketplace… [A]ny system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not add to the already high costs of power and gasoline;” (May 15, 2009)
Indiana Senate Resolution 76 – “Any system to regulate greenhouse gases must ensure that the adopted regime does not result in the off-shoring of international trade-sensitive industries;… Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not eliminate American jobs and diminish the ability of American industry to compete in the global marketplace.” (April 24, 2009)
Louisiana Senate Resolution 91 – “Be it resolved that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes the Congress of the United States to address the issue of global climate change through the adoption of a fair and effective approach that safeguards American jobs, ensures affordable energy for citizens, and maintains America’s global competitiveness.” (June 9, 2009)
Mississippi Senate Concurrent Resolution 584 – “[Be] it resolved… we do hereby urge the United States Congress to … (a) safeguard American jobs; (b) ensure affordable energy for American citizens and industry; (c) offer incentives for efficient practices and technologies; (d) prevent ‘emissions leakage’; and (e) maintain the global competitiveness of American industry.” (March 16, 2009)
South Carolina House Resolution 3508 – “Be it resolved by the South Carolina House of Representatives: That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, memorialize the United States Congress to address the issue of global climate change through the adoption of a fair and effective approach that safeguards American jobs, ensure affordable energy for citizens, and maintains America’s global competitiveness.” (March 3, 2009)
Tennessee House Joint Resolution 323 – “Be it resolved… that it is the sense of the Tennessee General Assembly that the State of Tennessee should only combat global climate change and reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses if and only if such a plan for doing so were structured in a manner to (1) promote American jobs; (2) avoid imposing higher energy prices on American families and industry; (3) reward early adopters of efficient practices and technologies; (4) monitor and prevent ‘emissions leakage’; and (4) champion and ensure the continued global competitiveness of American industry.” (June 8, 2009)
Letter from Members of the Illinois General Assembly – “Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not eliminate American jobs and diminish the ability of American industry to compete in the global marketplace… [C]limate change policy must not add to the already high costs of power and gasoline.”
Letter from Members of the North Carolina General Assembly – “[T]he regulation of greenhouse gas emissions must not add to the already high costs of power and gasoline… [A]ny proposal to address global climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions must be structured in a way that safeguards American jobs, ensures affordable energy for American citizens and industry, offers incentives for efficient practices and technologies, prevents ‘emissions leakage’ and maintains the global competitiveness of the American industry.” (March 18, 2009)
Letter from Members of the Virginia General Assembly – “[We] urge the Members of our Congressional Delegation, when considering any system for regulating greenhouse gas emissions, to support fair and effective measures that safeguard American jobs, ensure affordable energy for citizens, and maintain America’s global competitiveness.” (February 16, 2009)
Recognizing that the best solutions often come from outside the Beltway, Reps. Devin Nunes (R-CA) and Mike Rogers (R-MI) joined with Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) earlier this year in launching the GOP State Solutions project. The goals of the project are to increase coordination among reform-minded Republican Members of Congress, governors, and state legislators; highlight the better solutions Republicans are offering at all levels of government; and educate Americans about the impact misguided Washington proposals such as Speaker Pelosi’s new national energy tax will have on states and local communities.
For more information on the State Solutions project, visit the State Solutions website at http://states.gopleader.gov/.
Fayette County Justs Keep Flaming with Recent Ethics Complaint and Banning Gay Contact for Children of Divorce Case
VWV Note: Just what Fayette County needs. Another nationwide scandal in our own backyard. First, it was the admitted recent illegal behavior of an elected official that has everyone up in flames, and now, the Georgia Supreme Court overturned a ruling in a divorce case in which the children were banned from being around the gay friends and associates of one of the divorce parties. Kind of makes me want to put my head in the sand. Oh wait. I think that's been the problem down here. We should all be paying attention to what is happening around us and the nation in these trying times.
More reading:
Court throws out ban on exposing children to gays http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/06/15/court_divorce_ban_gays.html
Fayette Citizens for Open Government Applauds Filing of Ethics Violation http://www.fayettefrontpage.com/politics-09/6-15-09_fay-cog-horgan.htm
More reading:
Court throws out ban on exposing children to gays http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/06/15/court_divorce_ban_gays.html
Fayette Citizens for Open Government Applauds Filing of Ethics Violation http://www.fayettefrontpage.com/politics-09/6-15-09_fay-cog-horgan.htm
Monday, June 15, 2009
Celebrate Bloomsday with Performance Twitter
VWV Note: The guys in charge of this venture openly admit they are not fans of twitter. With that said, I find this Bloomsday performance to be an interesting experiment on using Twitter.
Just what is Twitter good for? Sure, it’s good for getting Tweets about your favorite celebrities like Miley Cyrus with updates like “daddys giving me therapy. this is worth 10000000 dollars.” If you’re not a celeb hound, however, just what can you do with Twitter? Sure, you can keep in touch with what friends are buying at the grocery store, but there’s got to be more to it, doesn’t there?
Georgia Tech’s Ian Bogost and Ian McCarthy of LinkedIn were discussing the issue and wondered, “what if the focus on socialization and identity is actually the least interesting way to use Twitter?” What about using Twitter as a performance tool? So they came up with the idea of recreating a chapter on Twitter from James Joyce’s novel Ulysses and broadcasting it on June 16, the day the action in the novel takes place in 1904. Every year “Bloomsday,” as it’s known, is celebrated in Joyce’s home country of Ireland and in other English-speaking parts of the world.
Bogost, associate professor at the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, and McCarthy conceived the notion and first performed it in 2007 using more than 50 characters from the “Wandering Rocks” chapter of the book. They did it again last year and plan to reprise the performance, this June 16. They have several dozen characters from the novel who all Tweet their acts from the book at the correct fictional times. The chapter is famous for showing the interlocking events of characters in central Dublin, so the Twitter format is apropos.
Bogost explains the idea further in his blog Bogost.com: “Joyce conceived of the book’s principal character, Leopold Bloom, as an everyman counterpoint to Odysseus, whose adventure Bloom’s parallels. Each of the book’s 18 chapters take place in roughly an hour’s time.”
"The 10th of these, Wandering Rocks, follows 19 Dubliners walking through the city doing their daily business, some intersecting with others. It’s a famous and often-studied section of the book, one that also speaks to an experience of urban modernity that has become second-nature to us now.”
"Enthusiasts often retrace the characters’ steps on Bloomsday, and innumerable animated maps and the like have been created by fans and scholars. The latter technique still doesn’t really represent the interleaved simultaneity of Wandering Rocks, the complexity yet ordinariness of space and interaction that Joyce’s writing accomplishes. And the former technique turns the ordinariness of the episode into a kind of theme park, missing the importance of the Wandering Rocks as a vignette of the scenario that grounds the rest of the novel.”
The Tweets begin on June 16, at 2:55 pm Dublin time, which is 9:55 am Eastern time.
Just what is Twitter good for? Sure, it’s good for getting Tweets about your favorite celebrities like Miley Cyrus with updates like “daddys giving me therapy. this is worth 10000000 dollars.” If you’re not a celeb hound, however, just what can you do with Twitter? Sure, you can keep in touch with what friends are buying at the grocery store, but there’s got to be more to it, doesn’t there?
Georgia Tech’s Ian Bogost and Ian McCarthy of LinkedIn were discussing the issue and wondered, “what if the focus on socialization and identity is actually the least interesting way to use Twitter?” What about using Twitter as a performance tool? So they came up with the idea of recreating a chapter on Twitter from James Joyce’s novel Ulysses and broadcasting it on June 16, the day the action in the novel takes place in 1904. Every year “Bloomsday,” as it’s known, is celebrated in Joyce’s home country of Ireland and in other English-speaking parts of the world.
Bogost, associate professor at the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, and McCarthy conceived the notion and first performed it in 2007 using more than 50 characters from the “Wandering Rocks” chapter of the book. They did it again last year and plan to reprise the performance, this June 16. They have several dozen characters from the novel who all Tweet their acts from the book at the correct fictional times. The chapter is famous for showing the interlocking events of characters in central Dublin, so the Twitter format is apropos.
Bogost explains the idea further in his blog Bogost.com: “Joyce conceived of the book’s principal character, Leopold Bloom, as an everyman counterpoint to Odysseus, whose adventure Bloom’s parallels. Each of the book’s 18 chapters take place in roughly an hour’s time.”
"The 10th of these, Wandering Rocks, follows 19 Dubliners walking through the city doing their daily business, some intersecting with others. It’s a famous and often-studied section of the book, one that also speaks to an experience of urban modernity that has become second-nature to us now.”
"Enthusiasts often retrace the characters’ steps on Bloomsday, and innumerable animated maps and the like have been created by fans and scholars. The latter technique still doesn’t really represent the interleaved simultaneity of Wandering Rocks, the complexity yet ordinariness of space and interaction that Joyce’s writing accomplishes. And the former technique turns the ordinariness of the episode into a kind of theme park, missing the importance of the Wandering Rocks as a vignette of the scenario that grounds the rest of the novel.”
The Tweets begin on June 16, at 2:55 pm Dublin time, which is 9:55 am Eastern time.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The History Of The World...
VWV Note: I received the following in an email. There was no author listed, but kudos go to the originator of this history. Thought we could all use a smile these days.
For those that don't know about history . Here is a condensed version:
Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.
The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:
1. Liberals, and
2. Conservatives.
Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can was invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed.
Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement. Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.
Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.
Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth.... the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.
Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food is standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys,
journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.
Conservatives drink domestic beer, mostly Bud. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, members of the military, airline pilots and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.
Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America . They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.
Here ends today's lesson in world history:
It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it.
A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to tick them off.
And there you have it. Let your next action reveal your position.
For those that don't know about history . Here is a condensed version:
Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.
The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:
1. Liberals, and
2. Conservatives.
Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can was invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed.
Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement. Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.
Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.
Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth.... the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.
Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food is standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys,
journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.
Conservatives drink domestic beer, mostly Bud. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, members of the military, airline pilots and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.
Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America . They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.
Here ends today's lesson in world history:
It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it.
A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to tick them off.
And there you have it. Let your next action reveal your position.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Handel’s Online Petition Opposing Obama Justice Department Gets Over 6,000 Signatures in 48 Hours
VWV Note: The following is from the Karen Handel for Governor campaign. This petition was started when the Feds said Georgia can't verify voters are citizens or legal residents. Thought you'd be interested in helping voice your opinion.
When President Obama’s Justice Department told Georgia over the weekend that it could no longer verify the citizenship of voters going to the polls, Karen Handel sprang into action. She exposed the Obama plan and revealed that it would allow groups like ACORN to actively find and register illegal aliens to vote in Georgia elections.
Karen took to the airwaves and the Internet to rally opposition to the Obama plan. She appeared on Fox and Friends, the Regular Guys and Herman Cain radio programs, as well as radio and TV news stations across Georgia.
She even started an online petition with the goal of getting 10,000 signatures of Americans who opposed this terrible plan and want to have their voices heard in Washington.
In the first 48 hours, more than 6,000 signed that petition, and Karen is well on her way to the 10,000 signature goal. If you have not signed the petition, please do so now, and be sure to forward this email along to your neighbors, friends and family members. If this progress continues, our voices will be heard.
When President Obama’s Justice Department told Georgia over the weekend that it could no longer verify the citizenship of voters going to the polls, Karen Handel sprang into action. She exposed the Obama plan and revealed that it would allow groups like ACORN to actively find and register illegal aliens to vote in Georgia elections.
Karen took to the airwaves and the Internet to rally opposition to the Obama plan. She appeared on Fox and Friends, the Regular Guys and Herman Cain radio programs, as well as radio and TV news stations across Georgia.
She even started an online petition with the goal of getting 10,000 signatures of Americans who opposed this terrible plan and want to have their voices heard in Washington.
In the first 48 hours, more than 6,000 signed that petition, and Karen is well on her way to the 10,000 signature goal. If you have not signed the petition, please do so now, and be sure to forward this email along to your neighbors, friends and family members. If this progress continues, our voices will be heard.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Study Links Gay Marriage Bans to Rise in HIV Rate
VWV Note: I guess I must be dense. If I interpret these results correctly, then the study indicates that only legal marriage will decrease HIV infection? So, if you can't be legally married, then you are forced to go have sexual relations with other people? There seems to be something missing in the equation. I would think that if two people are committed to one another, then married or not, they won't be running around. Has the study looked at other types of couples who are common law married? Do their rates go up just because they don't have a piece of paper? Hmmm.
Bans on same-sex marriage can be tied to a rise in the rate of HIV infection, a new study by two Emory economists has found.
In the first study of the impact of social tolerance levels toward gays in the United States on the HIV transmission rate, the researchers estimated that a constitutional ban on gay marriage raises the rate by four cases per 100,000 people.
"We found the effects of tolerance for gays on HIV to be statistically significant and robust – they hold up under a range of empirical models," says Hugo Mialon, an assistant professor of economics.
"Laws on gay marriage are in flux and under debate," added Andrew Francis, also an assistant professor of economics, citing the recent decision by the California Supreme Court to uphold a ban on same-sex marriage. "It's a hot issue, and we are hoping that policymakers will take our findings into account."
The study used data from the General Social Survey (GSS), which has tracked the attitudes of Americans during the past four decades. The economists calculated that a rise in tolerance from the 1970s to the 1990s reduced HIV cases by one per 100,000 people, and that laws against same-sex marriage boosted cases by 4 per 100,000.
"Intolerance is deadly," Mialon said. "Bans on gay marriage codify intolerance, causing more gay people to shift to underground sexual behaviors that carry more risk."
Outstanding law and economics paper of the year
Francis and Mialon previously did an analysis of the optimal penalty for sexually transmitting HIV. Published in March of 2008, the study was recently named outstanding paper of the year by the editors of the American Law and Economics Review.
The two researchers developed a game theory model for sexual behavior, which demonstrated that laws in some states regarding the sexual transmission of HIV are generally inefficient at slowing the spread of the disease.
In Georgia, for instance, failing to inform a partner that you are HIV positive prior to having sex is a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The same penalty can apply even if the person who is HIV positive uses precautions such as a condom during sex, and even if the sexual partner does not contract HIV. The law does not apply, however, to people who do not know that they are HIV positive and transmit the virus.
Bans on same-sex marriage can be tied to a rise in the rate of HIV infection, a new study by two Emory economists has found.
In the first study of the impact of social tolerance levels toward gays in the United States on the HIV transmission rate, the researchers estimated that a constitutional ban on gay marriage raises the rate by four cases per 100,000 people.
"We found the effects of tolerance for gays on HIV to be statistically significant and robust – they hold up under a range of empirical models," says Hugo Mialon, an assistant professor of economics.
"Laws on gay marriage are in flux and under debate," added Andrew Francis, also an assistant professor of economics, citing the recent decision by the California Supreme Court to uphold a ban on same-sex marriage. "It's a hot issue, and we are hoping that policymakers will take our findings into account."
The study used data from the General Social Survey (GSS), which has tracked the attitudes of Americans during the past four decades. The economists calculated that a rise in tolerance from the 1970s to the 1990s reduced HIV cases by one per 100,000 people, and that laws against same-sex marriage boosted cases by 4 per 100,000.
"Intolerance is deadly," Mialon said. "Bans on gay marriage codify intolerance, causing more gay people to shift to underground sexual behaviors that carry more risk."
Outstanding law and economics paper of the year
Francis and Mialon previously did an analysis of the optimal penalty for sexually transmitting HIV. Published in March of 2008, the study was recently named outstanding paper of the year by the editors of the American Law and Economics Review.
The two researchers developed a game theory model for sexual behavior, which demonstrated that laws in some states regarding the sexual transmission of HIV are generally inefficient at slowing the spread of the disease.
In Georgia, for instance, failing to inform a partner that you are HIV positive prior to having sex is a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The same penalty can apply even if the person who is HIV positive uses precautions such as a condom during sex, and even if the sexual partner does not contract HIV. The law does not apply, however, to people who do not know that they are HIV positive and transmit the virus.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Bauer Calls on Obama to Remember William Long
VWV Note: And still the sound of silence is deafening-----
/PRNewswire / -- Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer on Wednesday called on President Barack Obama to be as diligent in protecting and defending the American military as he is in reaching out to Arab nations. Bauer's statement came on the heels of the murder of Army recruiter William Long who was killed this week by a Muslim convert who said he was targeting military locations among other sites, according to media reports.
The president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families made the following statement:
"Private William Long was murdered in cold blood this week. The 24-year old Army recruiter was mowed down outside the Army recruiting station where he worked by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, a Muslim convert formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe. Muhammad wounded another soldier, Private Quinton Ezeagwula. The jihadist had recently returned from Yemen, where he studied under an Islamic scholar who apparently forgot to tell him that his new faith was a 'religion of peace.' Muhammad had been under investigation by the U.S. Federal Task Force on Terrorism. How did he get his weapons and commit these crimes when he was under investigation?
"The sound you heard after this terrorist attack was silence. President Obama, who immediately condemned the murder of abortionist George Tiller on Sunday, still has not - more than 24 hours later - said one public word about the cowardly attack on these soldiers. The U.S. Justice Department, which sent federal marshals yesterday to guard abortion centers, has sent no one to guard our military recruitment offices, even though more than 100 of those offices have been attacked in recent years.
"Big Media, which is doing its best to link the killing of George Tiller to the mainstream pro-life movement, is going out of its way to assert that there is no evidence that Abdulhakim Muhammad had any connection to Muslim groups. The few exceptions where there is coverage only prove the rule. For the mainstream media, this is a non-story.
"The American media are failing to fulfill their responsibility to bring all the facts to the American people, even facts that don't fit the media's worldview. As for the president, he is the commander-in-chief. He is responsible for the wellbeing of our men and women in uniform. His silence in the face of this brutal attack is shameful. I call upon the president to apply as much energy in engaging the world in defense of America and our military men and women as he spends in apologizing for America and in reaching out to those who hate America and wish our destruction. And I also ask that the president give the same protection to our soldiers in recruiting centers as he is now giving to abortion centers."
/PRNewswire / -- Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer on Wednesday called on President Barack Obama to be as diligent in protecting and defending the American military as he is in reaching out to Arab nations. Bauer's statement came on the heels of the murder of Army recruiter William Long who was killed this week by a Muslim convert who said he was targeting military locations among other sites, according to media reports.
The president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families made the following statement:
"Private William Long was murdered in cold blood this week. The 24-year old Army recruiter was mowed down outside the Army recruiting station where he worked by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, a Muslim convert formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe. Muhammad wounded another soldier, Private Quinton Ezeagwula. The jihadist had recently returned from Yemen, where he studied under an Islamic scholar who apparently forgot to tell him that his new faith was a 'religion of peace.' Muhammad had been under investigation by the U.S. Federal Task Force on Terrorism. How did he get his weapons and commit these crimes when he was under investigation?
"The sound you heard after this terrorist attack was silence. President Obama, who immediately condemned the murder of abortionist George Tiller on Sunday, still has not - more than 24 hours later - said one public word about the cowardly attack on these soldiers. The U.S. Justice Department, which sent federal marshals yesterday to guard abortion centers, has sent no one to guard our military recruitment offices, even though more than 100 of those offices have been attacked in recent years.
"Big Media, which is doing its best to link the killing of George Tiller to the mainstream pro-life movement, is going out of its way to assert that there is no evidence that Abdulhakim Muhammad had any connection to Muslim groups. The few exceptions where there is coverage only prove the rule. For the mainstream media, this is a non-story.
"The American media are failing to fulfill their responsibility to bring all the facts to the American people, even facts that don't fit the media's worldview. As for the president, he is the commander-in-chief. He is responsible for the wellbeing of our men and women in uniform. His silence in the face of this brutal attack is shameful. I call upon the president to apply as much energy in engaging the world in defense of America and our military men and women as he spends in apologizing for America and in reaching out to those who hate America and wish our destruction. And I also ask that the president give the same protection to our soldiers in recruiting centers as he is now giving to abortion centers."
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Clinton Hard Drvie Missing
National Archives Offers Reward of Up to $50,000 for Return of a Missing Clinton Administration Hard Drive
On May 29, 2009, the National Archives and Records Administration announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of a Western Digital MY BOOK external hard drive (2 terabytes) containing copies of backup tapes from the Executive Office of the President of the Clinton Administration.
The National Archives Office of the Inspector General, with the assistance of the United States Secret Service, is investigating the whereabouts of the missing MY BOOK. Based on currently available evidence, the external hard drive was discovered missing on or about March 24, 2009, from a processing room at the National Archives College Park, MD, facility. Because some of the information on the missing drive was from offices that engaged in personnel related work and maintained electronic files containing privacy information, the external drive contains personally identifying information (PII), including names and social security numbers. At this time, the total amount of identifying information that was maintained on the hard drive has not yet been determined.
At this stage of the investigation, there is no evidence that the missing MY BOOK was targeted for the information contained on the hard drive, nor can it be determined that the loss is the result of theft. However, the primary objective of the investigation is the recovery of the external hard drive.
Anyone who can provide information leading to the recovery of the external hard drive containing PII from the Clinton Administration should call the USSS Washington Field Office at 202-406-8800. This Hot Line is manned and operated by representatives of the United States Secret Service. A cash reward of up to $50,000 will be paid for information provided that leads to the recovery of the MY BOOK external hard drive.
On May 29, 2009, the National Archives and Records Administration announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of a Western Digital MY BOOK external hard drive (2 terabytes) containing copies of backup tapes from the Executive Office of the President of the Clinton Administration.
The National Archives Office of the Inspector General, with the assistance of the United States Secret Service, is investigating the whereabouts of the missing MY BOOK. Based on currently available evidence, the external hard drive was discovered missing on or about March 24, 2009, from a processing room at the National Archives College Park, MD, facility. Because some of the information on the missing drive was from offices that engaged in personnel related work and maintained electronic files containing privacy information, the external drive contains personally identifying information (PII), including names and social security numbers. At this time, the total amount of identifying information that was maintained on the hard drive has not yet been determined.
At this stage of the investigation, there is no evidence that the missing MY BOOK was targeted for the information contained on the hard drive, nor can it be determined that the loss is the result of theft. However, the primary objective of the investigation is the recovery of the external hard drive.
Anyone who can provide information leading to the recovery of the external hard drive containing PII from the Clinton Administration should call the USSS Washington Field Office at 202-406-8800. This Hot Line is manned and operated by representatives of the United States Secret Service. A cash reward of up to $50,000 will be paid for information provided that leads to the recovery of the MY BOOK external hard drive.
Monday, June 1, 2009
National Sales Tax Adds Value to What?
VWV Note: National Sales Tax just to keep up with Europe? Value Added Tax to fund all the new national programs? What happened to "no new taxes on those who are below the stated $250,000"? Add this to the huge increases of property taxes across the country such as the proposed 50% in Ohio and 42% in Atlanta. Life, as we know it, is sure to change. This time it appears it won't be for the better. Were we the last generation to really enjoy prosperity? Is this the change in America we can hope for? Is this the change you hope to see?
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