Steve

A critic of opines on the bill

http://www.wkrg.com/medical/article/welfare-recipients-must-pass-drug-test-in-florida/1207303/Jun-01-2011_3-03-pm/ Applicants will have to pay for the tests themselves and will be reimbursed if they pass. MIAMI, Florida - Welfare applicants will have to undergo drug testing under a bill Gov. Rick Scott signed. Scott signed the bill Tuesday in Panama City along with another measure that bans the designer drug MDPV or "bath salts." The drug testing bill was a priority for Scott. It will require anyone applying for temporary government assistance to pass the test before receiving benefits. Applicants will have to pay for the tests themselves and will be reimbursed if they pass. The law is expected to be quickly challenged. A similar Michigan law passed in 1999 that required random drug testing of Welfare recipients lasted five weeks in 1999 before it was stopped by a judge. An appeals court ruled it unconstitutional after a four-year legal battle.

They all get $199,700 a year for life. (its taxable though :nahnah: ) as well as Secret Service protection for themselves and their spouse (and I think children, not sure). Also, they can get treatment at any military hospital.

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/2012Elections-VoterIdentification/2011/05/29/id/398152 GOP Moves to Tighten Vote Rules in 13 States Sunday, 29 May 2011 12:39 PM By Hiram Reisner More ways to share... Mixx Stumbled LinkedIn Vine Buzzflash Reddit Delicious Newstrust Technocrati Share: More . . . A A | Email Us | Print | Forward Article Seeking to preserve the integrity of the election process, GOP-controlled statehouses nationwide are stiffening voting laws with changes that include requiring valid photo identification, restricting early voting, and imposing stricter rules on those who can register to vote. Republicans in 13 states — where changes have either been passed or introduced in the past two months — say they are trying to ensure voters are qualified; Democrats counter the moves are politically based and aimed at weeding out young and minority voters — many of whom comprise the party’s base, The New York Times reports. Last week, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas joined Kansas and South Carolina, and signed laws that would require valid photo identification before a voter could cast a ballot. Twelve states now require photo identification to vote, the Times says. Gov. Rick Scott in Florida signed a bill this month to tighten restrictions on third-party voter registration organizations and to shorten the number of early voting days. The battleground states of Ohio and Pennsylvania are among those considering voter-identification bills. “If you have to show a picture ID to buy Sudafed, if you have to show a picture ID to get on an airplane, you should show a picture ID when you vote,†Gov. Nikki Haley said this month when she signed the South Carolina law, the Times says. Democrats say there is little proof of voter-impersonation fraud, that the GOP-led laws ring of racism, and target those who tend to vote Democrat, according to the Times. Democrats also point to state figures showing there are few proven cases of voter impersonation and question why Republicans would want to spend taxpayer dollars on an insignificant problem, considering states’ fiscal problems, the Times says. “There is not one documented case that has been presented to us, and we had numerous hearings,†said Democratic South Carolina state Sen. Brad Hutto. “Republicans have to have some reason to do this because it doesn’t sound good to say, ‘We don’t want Latinos or African-Americans voting.’ †State Republicans have long attempted to legislate photo identification requirements and other changes, said Daniel Tokaji, a law professor at Ohio State University and an expert in election law. Previous bills were largely derailed after the Bush administration fired several United States attorneys whom Republicans had criticized for failing to aggressively investigate voter fraud, according to the Times. “That’s what really killed the momentum of more states’ enacting voter ID laws,†Tokaji said. “Now with the last elections, with the strong Republican majorities in a lot of states, we’re seeing a rejuvenation of the effort.†Republicans say increased immigration nationwide has spearheaded the push to makes sure elections are legitimate, according to the Times. “Over the last 20 years, we have seen Florida grow quite rapidly, and we have such a mix of populations,†said state Rep. Dennis K. Baxley, the Florida Republican who wrote the law to tighten third-party registration in his state. “When we fail to protect every ballot, we disenfranchise people who participate legitimately.†The changes are likely to have an impact on close elections, Tokaji said. “Remarkably, most of these significant changes are going under the radar,†he added. “A lot of voters are going to be surprised and dismayed when they go to their polling place and find that the rules have changed.†Most of the measures would require people to show a form of official, valid identification to vote. While driver’s licenses are the most common form, voters can also request free photo IDs from the Department of Motor Vehicles or use a passport or military identification, among other things. But Democrats say the extra step will discourage voters who will have to pay to retrieve documents, like birth certificates, for proof to obtain a free card, the Times reports. A few state bills and laws also reduce the number of early voting days, which Democrats also oppose. In the 2008 presidential election, a majority of those who cast early votes did so for President Barack Obama. In Florida, the number of days is reduced but the number of hours remains the same. In Georgia, where photo IDs became a requirement in 2007, minorities voted in record numbers in 2008 and 2010. Turnout among Hispanic voters jumped 140 percent in the state in 2008 and 42 percent among blacks compared with 2004, a change attributed in part to Obama’s candidacy. In the midterm election two years later, turnout also rose among Hispanics and African-Americans, according to data from the Georgia secretary of state. But the presidential elections in 18 months, Democrats are taking their own offensive. The Democratic Governors Association started a Voter Protection Project this month to educate voters and encourage them to speak out against the measures. It also began running online advertisements. The following is a list of some state voting changes either enacted or under consideration: Wisconsin – A valid photo identification is needed before a voter could cast a ballot. Florida – Restrictions tightened on third-party voter registration organizations and the number of early voting days has been shortened. Florida already requires photo identification. South Carolina – A valid photo identification is needed before a voter could cast a ballot. Texas – A valid photo identification is needed before a voter could cast a ballot. Kansas – A valid photo identification is needed before a voter could cast a ballot. Ohio – Legislature considering voter-identification bill. Pennsylvania – Legislature considering voter-identification bill.

$50 fine: Texting while walking http://money.msn.com/auto-insurance/article.aspx?post=a8b7daf9-5e31-4cd1-a9c7-ca3979b7abc2&GT1=33033 Rexburg, a small college town in southeastern Idaho, may be the first place to also ban texting while walking. Officially, only texting while crossing a street is illegal. Which raises a question: If you are so engrossed in texting that you fail to notice that a bright-red 4,000-pound pickup is bearing down on you at 35 mph, how likely is it that you would realize you have left the sidewalk and entered the street? OK, the real question is whether such a law is even needed. According to reports, there have been no accidents, just a few "close calls," in Rexburg, mostly near the campus of Brigham Young University-Idaho. While there is no data available on the dangers of texting while walking, a 2010 study by the Highway Loss Data Institute showed that texting-while-driving bans actually appear to increase the number of crashes.

Maybe this would be better for the Board Bar area but since its an American based story I thought it wise to post here. http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110527000630 Authorities say a US man kept his wife's body in a freezer for a decade so he could continue to collect her benefits. Officials say Allan Dunn committed suicide last August at age 86. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reports that a woman who was helping prepare his estate went to the Sun City Center condo Tuesday to clean. That's when she found the remains of an elderly woman, believed to be Dunn's wife Margaret, in a freezer on the back porch.

Here's a great discussion on search engines and Facebook. Did you know that these sites track your computer and then tailor the search results of your searches instead of giving you the most important results? You and your friend could type "Korea" in the Google search engine and each get totally different results. Google itself track something like 57 different types of info on you including your I.P. address, what kind of computer you have, and how long you hover over a link. Facebook deleted 2 of the speaker's friends without his asking. The reason: he didn't click on them enough. Google wants to intrude an app called Google Wallet which you track what you spend your money on. http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/27/eli_pariser_on_the_filter_bubble

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/risks-enormous-why-morgenson-rosner-worried-152700730.html Too Big to Fail: Now, Even Bigger! "We have even more 'too big to fail' institutions; more politically interconnected, very deep and wide institutions that could create another systemic event," says Morgenson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist at The New York Times. "It's almost as if the situation that brought us to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac having to be bailed out has now been squared or quadrupled. It's worse, not better." Rosner, an analyst at Graham Fisher, wholeheartedly agrees. "The risks are enormous" because there's even more concentration of assets among the biggest banks, which are "too big to analyze and manage," he says. If the financial system was a "house of cards" before the crisis, the situation is worse today because back then investors had "some sense the numbers being given in annual reports and quarterly filings were accurate," Rosner says

The only possible way I'll vote for a Republican in the next Presidential election is if Ron Paul is the candidate. Hell, I'll volunteer to help his campaign...answer calls, mail letters, etc. As I've said before. I don't agree with some stuff and there are some stuff I would not want to see come to fruition and I don't think would. Too 'radical' for most Americans. However, the number one thing missing from politics is integrity. A guy who honestly believes in doing what he thinks is right and can't be bought or scared off by the powers that be. The Bush years soured me from the Republicans for the time being. At least on the national level. I'd go for a Republican statewide or local if the rihgt guy ran. Its the hypocracy that grates me. When they're not in office they want to balance the budget, cut spending and waste, etc. but as soon as they get in they find some reason to spend money. Usually defense. I also don't believe in the 'trickle down' theory. I'm all for lower taxes across the board. My issue in specific tax cuts for the wealthy under the guise of job creation is that I can't see how cutting someone like Paris Hilton's tax bill creates jobs? Some wealthy aren't job creators or at least not enough to warrant a huge tax cut. Those living on inheritances like Paris or others (although she makes her own money these days but you get my point). How does the salary for a svp or ceo who make a multi million dollar salary create jobs? Their companies do but I mean them pesonally? How does an athlete making 10 mil a year create jobs if his tax bill is cut? Or an entertainer? Okay, they hire a publicist and/or manager but is the return worth it? They save hundreds of thousands if not millions and pay someone 60k a year? I can definitely understand cutting for small businesses. I used to believe cutting it for corporations was a good thing but my 'commie, pinko red' thinking nowadays tells me that corporations aren't patriotic. They don't want to hire people, they want to make money for the stockholders. Nothing wrong with that. That kind of thinking made us number one economically. But helping corporations make money by moviing production, jobbs, overseas isn't what I call job creation. Cutting taxes if they create jobs within the U.S. I can see. I have a shed load of problems with the Dems. Always have. I know what I will get. I don't like a lot of it but at least there are no real big surprises. Frankly, I have no friggin' idea what a Republican will do in national office these days. Its a complete wildcard. Something will happen, something I don't like but its something I am not prepared for. Then there is the religious influence and social conservatism. I'm a Christian. Not a good one admittedly. My membership here is proof of that with you heathens...hahaha...(I love you guys though :nahnah: ). I'm a firm believer in separation of church state. Reasonable separation (complaining about 'In God We Trust' on money is a bit over the top by atheists. Who gives a shit? No one even notices that shit). What happened to keeping government out of our private lives? Its the complete opposite. I also don't want the government defining what makes a good American, what is patriotic and the Republicans keep preaching that. Doing what the f*ck you want to do as long as not violating the laws is what an American can do. I may not like it. I also wouldn't want the power to make my personal issues about something illegal as well. These days the pols do. I only hear what the Dems and Obama are doing wrong. Not until recently have we heard any coherent, specific ideas and those that got met with outrage. Its taken this long to come up with something. The choices are all bought and paid for by special interest. Its all bullshit. On both sides. If the Republicans were serious and really wanted to send a signal, they'd show some love to the Ron Pauls of the party.

These Penna. judges were taking kickbacks for sending kids to juvenile detention some for extremely minor offenses. No wonder we have 2% of the population in jail.

Time out for a minute or two while I stop convulsing with laughter. .........Okay' date=' while you are certainly entitled to your opinion, you need to stop "listening" to what Obama says and analyze what he actually does/promotes. You need to consider his entire history. If you think that tigers will change their stripes...that's another story and there's no hope for you. 55555 Of course the GOP would do things differently...particularly with economic and social issues on the home front. With respect to foreign policy, I'm quite certain the GOP would rather have the world "afraid" of the U.S. than have it the laughing stock of the planet...and that is just what Obama (our Nobel Peace Prize winner) has created. Everybody loves a kinder, more gentle U.S.A. They will continue to do so until one day they wake up and find their tits in a wringer and send out an SOS. HH[/quote'] I find Obama a disappointment and won't vote at all in the next election, but not for the reasons you cite Hugh. The maintaining of troops in Afghanistan (which I don't support), the maintaining of Gitmo (don't support), Libya (ehhh), killing Bin Laden (do support, but think it's much ado about nada beyond symbolism) -- all of these things don't jive with the 'wimp' portrait you draw. Sometimes wimp ain't bad. And you want to talk about laughingstock of the world, we really don't need to walk back a few years eh? I'd still take Obama over Bush -- but if the right had a decent guy/girl... hey. Republicans are fucking up a lot though. They're putting nobody out there who will draw anyone but their hardcore folks. Hell, those people would vote for a piece of dog poop if it was the conservative candidate. Getting their support means nothing. But the other folks, they're just saying: WTF. Still a ways to go, but it's not looking good for 2012 right now - re: conservatives. Not the way it could. Hiya HH! How ya doing?! I know you see him as much far left than I do. One of my brothers (and I have several) is a staunch, conservative and says I've become a pinko red commie (he speaks in threes)..lol. I've lost my faith in both parties. I am not happy with a lot of what Obama "hasn't done" than with what he has done. Dave, you echo a lot of my feeling. He's NOT done some things I thought he'd do. The world hasn't feared us for a while I think and second, I'm not so sure I want them to. I'm not saying we should be pussies but I don't think we should be in some parts of the world. Its not our job. And its a thankless job. We get shit for it. Lets spend that money at home. Its sorely needed.

I'm particularly disappointed in Obama given his social activism background. However, the same stance would have been taken by McCain. Its how the powers that be in Washington DC think. Those expecting Obama to govern as an outsider to shake things up are disappointed. In my opinion he's governed as a centrist for the most part. No crime but its not far enough progressive enough for some Dems and he's the wrong party for Repubs. My question is would the Republicans be any different? A true outsider like Ron Paul would do something about it.

Is this a great new progressive way of employers to give employees more down time since Americans are overworked or is it a corporate ploy to take away our time honored vacation? http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/112776/name-your-own-vacation-wsj?mod=career-worklife_balance Name Your Own Vacation You can name your own price on vacation hotels or car rentals. Now, companies are asking employees to set their own vacations, by naming how many days off they should take. Dominic Orr, president and CEO of Aruba Networks, a wireless-networking company, adopted what he termed a "no-vacation" policy two years ago for all North American employees. Orr told New York Times columnist Adam Bryant that instead of giving each person a set number of weeks off each year, the standard approach to vacation planning, Orr requires them to take responsibility for scheduling their own paid vacation time any time they want -- as long as they and their managers agree they are reaching their job objectives...

Article about a Sarah Palin tell all book to come out. I'm no fan of Palin at all but the little that was said about her was not earth shattering. I'm waiting for the 'good stuff'. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110523/ap_on_re_us/us_palin_book#mwpphu-container

I'm well aware of him. Both are true I think from what I know of him. I don't like the 'you have to grow up black to understand or help blacks' thinking of some. As a president you have to be EVERYONE's president. Most things are a 'human' issue. I don't have to be jewish to understand and empathize with the holocaust for example. I would also suggest to Cornell West that Obama living in different communities (non black Hawaii, Chicago, etc.) has made him a better person and someone and someone who can understand thew world better. I recall not wanting to go to the HS I went to and being worried about being an outsider, etc. and my dad saying 'You're not going to be living in a world that looks like North Philly, Steve, you better learn to get along with all types of people now'. He as soooooo right. Had a great time as well.

The far left and the far right amounts to the same thing. Telling me what I can't do or takes away my civil liberties. Exremism robs me of my freedom.

I know know much about than the basic info about Chavez but I am not aware of anything congroversial or specifically anti American or racist about his history to say he shouldn't have a Navy vessel named after him. Doing so is causing a wee bit of controversy. Mexican american groups are gonna cry foul. Any thoughts? http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110518/pl_yblog_upshot/navys-plan-to-honor-cesar-chavez-irks-lawmaker

Lottery winner still qualifies and gets food stamps..HAHAHAHA http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_localdtw/20110518/ts_yblog_localdtw/2m-michigan-lottery-winner-defends-use-of-food-stamps Second shocker....he's white! haha...sorry, had to go there. Don't lie and say you didn't think the person was going to black like I did. :nahnah:

Its no surprise he cheated. In fact, I'd go as far as to say I'd be surprised if he wasn't cheating. He's a known womanizer. I assumed he was womanizing as governor. I wouldn't hold it against him if he did as long as state money and resources aren't involved. Its his private life. The cynic in me says the only reason why it came out now was because the money to the mother either stopped or he was asked for more and wouldn't give it.

I'm no fan of Condie (although I give her big points for loyalty) but O'Donnell conducted a bad interview. Aggressive to the point of being rude and nasty.

I know many of us think when the term police state is used its a bit over the top. However, I wlll say this. Many of the rights we were afforded to and who many people throughout our glorious history died and went to jaill for are no longer available to us. Some if not all the rights in our constitution and bill of rights are no longer applicable. We no longer enjoy these rights and freedoms so does it matter if the country is not at the level of the dictionary (or rather wikipedia) term of a police state? We are no longer the same free republic. The ones we should really blame are ourselves collectively. We have become either lemmings, are too fearful of the repurcussions or beaten down so badly emotionally, financially and politically that we have no fight in us left. Those that are brave enough to fight the good fight are labeled 'conspiracy theorists or conspiracy nuts' or 'political activists' or 'right wing nut jobs' or 'left wing or liberal nut jobs' or 'unpatriotic'.

Even if the officer thought she was saying not needed under duress, its always regarded as that there is nothing he can do about it more than offer her a business card and warn the husband. Your home has no sanctity anymore. I continue to say we don't have any rights anymore. The local, state and federal governments in some cases like privacy, violate it routinely where its common and then in court cases have the balls to say we have no expectation of privacy because the state has been violating it routinely to the point where its common so we already know they will. Confused? Its complete and utter BS and I honestly do believe we're at the point now where EVERY word I've just written is in some data bank somewhere as well as my ISP and when I turn up at an airport or apply for some government job if I ever do, there will be some unknown reason for denial. The republic is almost over and the vast majority of us are lemmings who only support those that will keep the status quo...and that is both parties. Even something that started out as an independent idea like the tea party has been usurped. Surprised at the speed it was done by.

As you are well aware I don't trust the governmnt for sh*t. Just saying that could put me on the no fly list (imagine that, free speech, a crime). With regards to this Bilderberg thingy, I've not heard of it before and wiki'd it as well as some other sites. Interesting to say the least. Assuming it has some veracity, then it makes Obama part of it as well then doesn't it? He was an outside in the primary so assuming it has some legs, it makes him part of the 'establishment' which being President automatically makes you one could say, right? I wonder if its possible to become President and remain a maverick?

More CS rants. I've said a while back that law enforcement are now used as a revenue generating agency than a 'serve and protect' agency using the LAPD's motto. That motto really ought to be changed. The woman in this link got a $835 ticket on her car for illegaly parking on grass. The asst. city attorney for this small city arrogantly and smugly talks about it as a legitmate deterrent for people to park there because the $15 fines before didn't stop it. What a dick. http://news.yahoo.com/video/politics-15749652/835-parking-ticket-leaves-woman-furious-25211337

Does Glenn Beck go to far by going after women of political families? Even the mafia had a code for not going after women and family members. http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110512/ts_yblog_theticket/mccain-ladies-feud-with-glenn-beck He made fun of McCain's fat daughter who was doing a PSA ad against cancer. Its kinda low to make fun of someone doing a public service to fight cancer. That's too far in my humble opinion. Glad to see the McCain women fighting back.