Steve

http://news.yahoo.com/wrong-man-executed-texas-probe-says-051125159.html He was the spitting image of the killer, had the same first name and was near the scene of the crime at the fateful hour: Carlos DeLuna paid the ultimate price and was executed in place of someone else in Texas in 1989, a report out Tuesday found. Even "all the relatives of both Carloses mistook them," and DeLuna was sentenced to death and executed based only on eyewitness accounts despite a range of signs he was not a guilty man, said law professor James Liebman. Liebman and five of his students at Columbia School of Law spent almost five years poring over details of a case that he says is "emblematic" of legal system failure. DeLuna, 27, was put to death after "a very incomplete investigation. No question that the investigation is a failure," Liebman said. Hopefully with the present technology we will not have any more. There must be numerous people who have been killed already. I know Illinois had a few. Also, growing up I knew that if the cops and the ADA thought you were guilty that was it. Public defenders weren't good and lacked resources. You couldn't afford a lawyer. They would also plea you out as we used to say, tell you that you'd lose the jury trial and just take the time. Even if you knew you were innocent.

Agree that Black on White violence are under-reported. I've seen it. The media does that. It under-reports or doesn't report some things because of race. A white coworker, once told me and he was very liberal in his politics, had also shown a study that shows that the media will always make a fuss if a little white girl is missing and second a little white boy while there are hundreds if not thousands of black children that go missing and can't get media attention. Columbine got the attention but there were metal detectors in inner city HSs and even some middle schools and although no killing on the scale of Columbine, but certainly too many murders in and around schools with nary a mention nationwide until it happened in a white, middle class suburb. There is no fairness in the media any longer. Also, I do agree that many in the black community are over-sensitive to things that they deem anti black and silent on things that blacks do based on race. Sad when we consider that 50 years ago it was the opposite.

Not of fan of NeoCon Krauthammer but I firmly agree on this. Probably for political reasons he's against drones in America. Allowing would seem something a Republican pol would allow. No drones in America!! It will happen, you can bet on it. Not sure how much more proof the masses need that we are no longer free. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/05/14/krauthammer_on_drones_flying_in_us_stop_it_here_stop_it_now.html#.T7G7KsF-cSU.facebook

I'm a Christian. Born again Christian. Doctrine wise I'm fundamentalist in my beliefs about the Bible. I personally believe homosexuality is a sin. I personally believe a homosexual marriage is not recognized before God. However, I'm for gays to be allowed to marry and be recognized as marriage as I am. Churches don't have to perform it. I know plenty of churches who won't perform inter-faith marriages for example. There are still some churches who won't perform interracial marriages. What is hypocritical about the whole debate is that those who are against gays marrying are said to be defending the term marriage. What term? If we take the term to mean what marriage was at the founding of the country then a marriage between races is not a marriage. A woman was pretty much property as well. The fact is that those who argue against gay marriages on grounds that they are defending marriage or against re-defining what marriage is, is that the concept of marriage has been evolving in America since its founding. They are defending a concept that has been changing. Don't get me wrong. I'm not comfortable with 2 men marrying and even 2 women to some extent. I don't wanna see them kissing, I don't wanna see them holding hands. I either laugh or cringe when I see falangs and thai boys holding hands in Pattaya as well as seeing two guys holding hands while I drive through west Hollywood. A sin is a sin is a sin in the Bible. Homosexuality as fas as I can tell doesn't carry any extra weight. Jesus himself doesn't discuss it amongst the many things he spoke against. I know Christian parents who would still maintain contact with their son if he lived unmarried with his girlfriend, although not liking it but would disown the same son if he was living with a guy in a romantic relationship. No difference in sin. Although I'd like to think its about me it isn't. I and the rest of us have to live with things we may not like but at the end of the day is fair. Gays marrying is one of those things.

Gays (as well as Jews) were stalwart supporters of civil rights and many in the Black community have sadly been aienating them. Gays have never been accepted per se in black communities and there has always been a high amount of homophobia (myself included) but with that there has always been a live and let live atmosphere. In just about every black hair salon there is the stereotypial gay guy that is even parodied in movies. While many white families would estrange their gay son, black families wouldn't go as far sometimes. Just rolled our eyes and mothers would try and 'pray' them back to heterosexuality at church. lol.

Talk about silly. Must me election time. This talk about Romney supposedly teasing or bullying a gay student when he was a teenager. Give me a friggin' break. So what? If you didn't do anything stupid as a teenager, I'm more apt NOT to vote for you. All of us on here have I'm sure.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/retire-pacific-1-200-per-161307841.html Retire on the Pacific for $1,200 per Month Panama qualifies as one of the best places in the world to think about retiring overseas for many reasons. Its location is at the hub of the Americas and the country has developed, near-first world infrastructure. The U.S. dollar is the currency, which makes relocating much easier for expat Americans. There are also international-standard medical facilities and many affordable options for health insurance. Another reason Panama is appealing to retirees is that it offers up many distinct lifestyle options. There is urban life in Panama City, cooler mountain climates, and a number of beautiful and tempting beachfront choices. The trouble is that many of this country's top beach options have become discovered and, therefore, more expensive than the typical retiree on a budget can afford. One important exception is Las Tablas, on the Azuero Peninsula. This is the first town of note along what is emerging as this country's Gold Coast.

http://news.yahoo.com/california-facing-higher-16-billion-shortfall-213905732--finance.html California facing higher $16 billion shortfall

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-attitude-toward-barack-obama-s-healthcare-reform-a-832002.html Germans Can't Fathom US Aversion to Obama's Healthcare Reform

If my mom tried to do this, I'd plead, beg, argue and threaten to be a witness for the defense...oh, and move to a different school. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/arkansas-mother-sues-district-state-constitutional-violation-son-113537254.html Teresa Bloodman, the mother of a Maumelle (Ark.) High freshman, filed suit against the school, district and state after her son was replaced on the school's basketball team following a third set of tryouts for the team that re-incorporated members of the school's football team. Bloodman's son, who is a minor and was not named in the suit, spent two months as part of the team after qualifying through two tryouts in August only to be replaced three months later by a member of the football team, as were nine of the team's 11 original players.

Was gonna post this to a bigger thread but said to myself 'Why?'. I would be in no way shocked if Travolta was gay or bi. Not a big deal other than the scandal part of it. According to the article he was reported to have said that he was doing sexual favors since his Welcome Back Kotter days because Hollywood is controlled by gay Jewish men. Large Jewish presence, sure. Gay...hmmm...maybe...my understanding is that its mostly a casting couch to get women but times may have changed or maybe it was always as such and not as reported. Living in LA for some time before I've always heard stories from struggling actresses. Every once in a while a guy would tell me a story. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/us-news-blog/2012/may/09/john-travolta-sexual-harrassment-lawsuit?newsfeed=true John Travolta sexual harassment claim called into question

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-obama-administrations-threatens-to-veto-cispa-20120425,0,1194826.story Obama sides with privacy advocates, threatens CISPA veto This is a bit of an eye-opener: the Obama administration threatened Wednesday to veto HR 3523, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, because of concerns about the bill's impact on privacy. Sponsored by the top Republican and Democrat on the House Intelligence committee, CISPA would let federal agents share classified information about hackers with Internet service providers, utilities and online networks. More controversially, it would also encourage online services to share information about cyber threats with the federal government. The administration had previously indicated that it was concerned about the measure, but that was before sponsors made or pledged to make a series of changes to limit the type of information shared with the feds, restrict what the government could do with that information and narrow the immunity given services that share information about threats. Nevertheless, on Thursday the White House issued a Statement of Administration Policy saying the administration "strongly opposes" the bill "in its current form." The requirements laid out in the statement appear to go beyond the changes that the sponsors announced Tuesday. For example, the administration wants the measure to require companies to minimize personally identifiable information before sharing it with the government and each other. It also warns that by giving a key role to the National Security Agency, "H.R. 3523 effectively treats domestic cybersecurity as an intelligence activity." A third complaint is that the bill ignores the administration's main cyber security proposal: requiring operators of "critical infrastructure" (such as power grids and electronic payment systems) to meet industry standards for securing their networks. "Voluntary measures alone are insufficient responses to the growing danger of cyber threats," the statement contends. The chairman of the House Intelligence committee, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), and the committee's top Democrat, Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), responded by saying their committee has no jurisdiction over "critical infrastructure regulation." They also said the changes announced Tuesday "address nearly every single one of the criticisms leveled by the administration, particularly those regarding privacy and civil liberties of Americans." I haven't seen the language of the latest amendment, but the outline that Rogers and Ruppersberger offered suggests there's still a gap between what the administration wants and what the new version of the bill proposes. For example, the outline says the amendment will "provide clear authority to the federal government to undertake reasonable efforts to limit the impact on privacy and civil liberties of the sharing of cyber threat information with the government." That's hardly the same as requiring companies to minimize personal information before sharing data. The White House's stance in favor of stronger privacy protections, more limited immunity and civilian oversight puts the administration squarely on the side of civil libertarians and advocacy groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, as opposed to the many tech companies that are backing the bill. Maybe President Obama has decided to go after the Ron Paul vote. Here's the full text of the Statement of Administration Policy: The Administration is committed to increasing public-private sharing of information about cybersecurity threats as an essential part of comprehensive legislation to protect the Nation's vital information systems and critical infrastructure. The sharing of information must be conducted in a manner that preserves Americans' privacy, data confidentiality, and civil liberties and recognizes the civilian nature of cyberspace. Cybersecurity and privacy are not mutually exclusive. Moreover, information sharing, while an essential component of comprehensive legislation, is not alone enough to protect the Nation's core critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Accordingly, the Administration strongly opposes H.R. 3523, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, in its current form. H.R. 3523 fails to provide authorities to ensure that the Nation's core critical infrastructure is protected while repealing important provisions of electronic surveillance law without instituting corresponding privacy, confidentiality, and civil liberties safeguards. For example, the bill would allow broad sharing of information with governmental entities without establishing requirements for both industry and the Government to minimize and protect personally identifiable information. Moreover, such sharing should be accomplished in a way that permits appropriate sharing within the Government without undue restrictions imposed by private sector companies that share information. The bill also lacks sufficient limitations on the sharing of personally identifiable information between private entities and does not contain adequate oversight or accountability measures necessary to ensure that the data is used only for appropriate purposes. Citizens have a right to know that corporations will be held legally accountable for failing to safeguard personal information adequately. The Government, rather than establishing a new antitrust exemption under this bill, should ensure that information is not shared for anti-competitive purposes. In addition, H.R. 3523 would inappropriately shield companies from any suits where a company's actions are based on cyber threat information identified, obtained, or shared under this bill, regardless of whether that action otherwise violated Federal criminal law or results in damage or loss of life. This broad liability protection not only removes a strong incentive to improving cybersecurity, it also potentially undermines our Nation's economic, national security, and public safety interests. H.R. 3523 effectively treats domestic cybersecurity as an intelligence activity and thus, significantly departs from longstanding efforts to treat the Internet and cyberspace as civilian spheres. The Administration believes that a civilian agency – the Department of Homeland Security – must have a central role in domestic cybersecurity, including for conducting and overseeing the exchange of cybersecurity information with the private sector and with sector-specific Federal agencies. The American people expect their Government to enhance security without undermining their privacy and civil liberties. Without clear legal protections and independent oversight, information sharing legislation will undermine the public's trust in the Government as well as in the Internet by undermining fundamental privacy, confidentiality, civil liberties, and consumer protections. The Administration's draft legislation, submitted last May, provided for information sharing with clear privacy protections and strong oversight by the independent Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. The Administration's proposal also provided authority for the Federal Government to ensure that the Nation's critical infrastructure operators are taking the steps necessary to protect the American people. The Congress must also include authorities to ensure our Nation's most vital critical infrastructure assets are properly protected by meeting minimum cybersecurity performance standards. Industry would develop these standards collaboratively with the Department of Homeland Security. Voluntary measures alone are insufficient responses to the growing danger of cyber threats. Legislation should address core critical infrastructure vulnerabilities without sacrificing the fundamental values of privacy and civil liberties for our citizens, especially at a time our Nation is facing challenges to our economic well-being and national security. The Administration looks forward to continuing to engage with the Congress in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to enact cybersecurity legislation to address these critical issues. However, for the reasons stated herein, if H.R. 3523 were presented to the President, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

I'm no big fan of the Tea Party. I don't like the reason why they are voting against him. One has to compromise in government. You can't have a functioning government without. However, I do like that we are replacing guys like him. Even if its with a Tea Party nutter. He'll learn if he wins the nomination. Lugar and the rest commit some of the most heinous pork barrell spending there is. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/richard-mourdock-defeats-sen-dick-lugar-indiana-235126443.html Dick Lugar, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate, was defeated Tuesday as Indiana Republicans chose state Treasurer Richard Mourdock over Lugar as the party's nominee. With 76 percent of precincts reporting, Mourdock received 60 percent to 40 percent for Lugar in the Hoosier state's Senate primary, marking a huge win for tea party supporters and conservatives across the country. Conservatives had long targeted Lugar for defeat, arguing he represented a Republican establishment in Congress that has acquiesced to the Democratic party. They singled out Lugar's votes for the bailouts, in support of the president's stimulus and votes to confirm U.S. Supreme Court nominees Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor as evidence of his "RINO" (Republican in name only) status. National tea party groups such as FreedomWorks and the Tea Party Express as well as the state group Hoosiers for a Conservative Senate and others mobilized and invested in the race, casting the contest as a nationally significant battle to restore conservatism and hold leaders of the Republican establishment accountable.

Yeah, definitely Johnson for me this time around. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/gary-johnson-2-0-libertarians-choice-president-161242264.html the 59-year-old has re-emerged as a rabble-rousing attack dog. One of his pithier retorts: If he were put on a torture rack and told to endorse either President Barack Obama or Mitt Romney, he'd choose death. "Take this to the bank," Johnson said at his acceptance speech at the Libertarian Party convention in Las Vegas last weekend. "I would rather die." …Stealing the election from Romney doesn't bother Johnson, as his comments make clear. There's not a lick of difference between Obama and Romney in his eyes. "Pick Obama, pick Romney, government's going to be bigger," Johnson told Yahoo News in a phone interview from his home in Taos, New Mexico. "Government's going to be more intrusive."… "The pie-in-the-sky scenario here for actually winning the race is to be on the debate stage with Obama and Romney," said Johnson. After all, the debates are where he can shine, he insists. Since his political ideology doesn't fit into the traditional platform of either party—Johnson supports gay marriage and abortion access, but also calls for slashing government spending and lowering taxes—he intends to hit Obama from the left and Romney from the right. "I got a leg up on Obama when it comes to civil liberties," Johnson said. "I crush Obama when it comes to dollars and cents. I think I have a leg up on Romney when it comes to dollars and cents, and I think I crush him on civil liberties."… Johnson does not expect an endorsement from Paul, a politician with whom he shares near identical public policy views. But he's counting on Paul followers to boost his support, assuming many will refuse to vote for Obama or Romney come November. "The way I see it, most Ron Paul supporters will have no place else to go," said Stephen Gordon, a political consultant who has worked as a spokesman for the Libertarian Party. "A lot of Ron Paul supporters, no matter where they live, are going to vote for Johnson." As Johnson puts it, referring to Paul supporters: "You're not sacrificing a thing by having me as an alternative."

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/4-high-tech-ways-federal-government-spying-private-153556125.html 4 high-tech ways the federal government is spying on private citizens 1. The NSA is building a massive data center in Utah to read every email you'll ever send. 2. The FBI maintains detailed files on numerous public, semi-public, and private figures. 3. Homeland Security is reading your tweets and Facebook status messages. 4. Your ISP may soon be required to keep files on what sites you visit. Between private companies violating your privacy and now the government, is there any way to avoid prying eyes? Not really, unless you make significant changes in the way you use the web America was a great country at one time, wasn't it?

Those are the rules. The sitting president getst the credit usually (FDR got the credit though) and truth is, Bush elder was the sitting president when the Berlin wall came down.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/al-qaeda-leader-linked-uss-cole-attack-killed-020552390--abc-news-politics.html Al Qaeda Leader Linked to USS Cole Attack Killed in Airstrike in YemenThe government of Yemen says an airstrike has killed a top al Qaeda leader who was on the FBI's most wanted terrorist list because of his role in the attack on the USS Cole . The attack on the U.S. Navy destroyer in October, 2000 killed 17 American sailors and injured 39. The Embassy of Yemen in Washington issued a press release Sunday saying Fahd al Quso, 37, was killed in an "airstrike" in Rafth, in the southern province of Shabwa. F*ck! Say what you will about Obama (and there is much to say) but he continues to kick ass and take names. I know...I know...he can't all the credit. Not even most. But its the one in charge that gets it and if it were a Republican president they'd be screaming the same from the rafters. I remember when we seemed so inept several years ago in dealing with these guys. However, we eventually learn and become lethal. I can't recall the exact person but there was a FBI agent who was giving secrets to the Soviets back in the '80s I think and the Soviets were telling him how the U.S. isn't smart and has too much freedom and not enough controls like they do in Russia. The FBI agent who was giving secrets said something to the effect that America is like that oversized kid on the playground that doesn't seem to know what's going on. Seems out of its depth but he said, when threatened becomes an an idiot savant. This 'kid' can and will think of ways to be absolutely lethal. World War II we started off not doing well in battles and by the end of the war were kicking ass.

Not sure if I posted this before but I think its funny.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/05/obama-ndaa-backlash The Revolt Against the NDAA Hits CongressLast year, during consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress came close to authorizing the indefinite detention of American citizens captured on US soil who were suspected of terrorism. Ultimately, the House, the Senate, and the White House agreed on a compromise that would let federal courts decide whether such detentions were constitutional. That is, when confronted with the knotty question of whether the US government can detain its own citizens within the nation's borders without charging them with a crime, Congress decided not to decide. Still, activists on the left and right remain concerned, because although President Barack Obama promised not to use that power, the law does not explicitly prevent him from doing so. In the months since Obama signed the bill in January, a strange-bedfellows alliance has raised such a ruckus over the legislation that Congress is now considering three separate proposals to amend the law. "There has been significant constituent concern" over the NDAA, says Claude Chafin, a spokesman for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee. The revolt against the NDAA has brought together organizations and activists that disagree on almost every other issue—tea party activists, the states' rights Tenth Amendment Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Occupy Wall Street protesters. The NDAA is "waking people up to the idea that the federal government shouldn't have this kind of power," says Michael Boldin, the director of the Tenth Amendment Center. "We're seeing this weird mishmosh coalition of people." In mid-April, Boldin's group joined a number of other conservative organizations in filing a friend-of-the-court brief in support of liberal journalist Chris Hedges' anti-NDAA lawsuit against the Obama administration. Must say I'm very, very disappointed in Obama maintaining and at times increasing the power of the government over the people and violating civil liberties. Frankly, I expected him to curtail this sh*t. You would think someone who was involved in community activism, would have a leftist view of the power of the government but as they say, power corrupts. The sad thing is Romney will be just as bad and probably worse. Both parties seem to agree on increasing the power of the federal government. My big fear is that Gen Y are now being raised in a world where that has large govermental power and erosion of civil liberties and they get used to it. Their children will grow up now NOT really knowing a more freer America. For me its the number one problem. Not the economy. Why? The economy can and will get better in time. Economies tend to go up over time. We know that. However, history has shown that its a lot tougher to get back rights. Governments don't give it up usually without some blood being shed. There are exceptions. Some rights were suspended during the Civil War but were returned after. I think World War II as well. I know I sound melodramatic. But its what makes America what it is. Its the last bastion of civil liberties. LOS and some other 3rd world countries may often seem freer but the only reason they seem that way is because the government lacks the infrastructure and technology to monitor everyone. There are now talks of drones being used in the U.S. as a law enforcement tool as well as other things. I dread that day. We KNOW the government will abuse it.

Pretty much a gurantee that I'll end up 'wasting' my vote on Johnson as he just secured the Libertarian nomination. lol. Far, far better candidate than damn near the whole Republican field but because he's not a religious nut or beholden to them, he was not considered. Read up on him. Great job as governor. http://news.yahoo.com/libertarians-nominate-ex-governor-gary-johnson-president-032020204.html

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/exclusive-why-cant-you-smoke-pot-because-lobbyists-are-getting-rich-off-of-the-war-on-drugs/ Some of the groups who want to keep the drug illegal are police unions that want more members to pay more dues. One of the primary sources for cash for more policing activities are Federal grants for penalizing illegal drug use, which help pay for overtime, additional police officers, and equipment for the force. That’s what Lovell does, he gets those grants. He also fights against democratic mechanisms to legalize drugs. There is big money in marijuana prohibition. Lovell represented a police union in a bid to steer some $2.2 million dollars into a “Marijuana Suppression Program.†In 2009 and 2010, California police unions sought a $7,537,389 chunk of Federal money for police to conduct a “Campaign Against Marijuana Planting†program. The anti-marijuana money went directly into the paychecks of many officers. For example, police departments in Shasta, Siskiyou, and Tehama Counties formed a “North California Eradication Team†to receive $550,000 in grants that helped pay for overtime, a new officer, and flight operations: The total amount awarded was $550,000, to be split between Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama counties, which make up the Northern California Marijuana Eradication Team (NorCal-MET). Broken down in the agenda worksheet, the sheriff’s office is expecting to spend $20,000 on flight operations, $94,895 for the full-time deputy’s salary and benefits, $16,788 for the administration assistant salary and benefits and $29,983 to cover up to 666.29 hours of overtime. The Federal anti-marijuana honeypot might have dried up if Prop 19 had passed. Legalizing marijuana would have generated billions in tax revenue for the state of California, while also reducing victimless crime prosecutions. But for lobbyists like Lovell, legalization was a direct assault on hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential fees for helping to solicit taxpayer money for his clients. Police unions also contributed about $100,500 to a campaign account used to coordinate opposition to Prop 19. Of the $386,350 in fees paid by police unions to Lovell through 2009 and 2010, status update reports reviewed by Republic Report reveal that Lovell worked on a number of issues, from advocacy against Prop 19 to channeling grants and monitoring legislation. Of course, police unions aren’t the only interest group with a stake in maintaining broken drug laws. The beer industry, alcohol corporations, and prison guard unions also contributed money to help Lovell stop Prop 19. Howard Wooldridge, a retired police officer who now helps push for legalization as a citizen advocate, told Republic Report that drug company lobbyists also fight to keep marijuana illegal because they view pot as a low-cost form of competition.

HH!!! How ya doin' buddy?!!

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-cinco-mayo-wish-signing-dream-act-222407392.html President Barack Obama hosted a Cinco de Mayo party at the White House -- "even though it's only tres de mayo, we just like to get the fiesta started early around here" -- and promised to push for a comprehensive overhaul of America's immigration policies if he's reelected. "There's still plenty of unfinished business, including fixing our broken immigration system," he said. "It's long past the time that we unleash the promise of all our young people and make the DREAM Act a reality." Mitt Romney has vowed to veto the legislation, which would allow some undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to stay on American soil legally, provided they have a clean record and graduate from high school or serve in the military. Republican Senator Marco Rubio has also pushed a version of the measure that would provide temporary, non-immigrant visas. "No is not an option, I want to sign the DREAM Act into law!" Obama said. "I've got the pens all ready, I'm willing to work with anybody who's serious to get this done, and to achieve bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform that solves this challenge once and for all." The issue has heavy electoral resonance: Latinos are the fastest-growing voting population, and many experts predict they will play a big role in a handful of critical battleground states in November. Obama easily leads Romney among Latinos, according to recent polls. The cynic in me knows he's doing this purely for the vote in an election year. However to be fair, a Republican candidate would have done something similar as well. Its politics.

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/03/11522769-spirit-raises-baggage-fees-again-pay-early-or-pay-a-lot?lite/ Would you pay $100 to put your carry-on bag in an airplane overhead bin? If you fly Spirit Airlines this fall and don’t pay before you get to the gate, you almost certainly will. This week, the low-cost carrier announced that it will not only start charging a C-note for that particular privilege — the current fee is $45 vs. $30 if you pay online before you check in — but will also raise the price on roughly two dozen other baggage fees, effective Nov. 6. Depending on whether you pay those fees online, via phone or at the airport, most of the other increases are a more modest $2 to $10 per bag. Click here for a complete rundown of Spirit Air's baggage fees. Spirit, of course, is the airline that has built its business model on charging for everything from making reservations and printing boarding passes to complying with the “unintended consequences†of government regulations. It’s a model that has earned the ire of many travelers even as it has allowed the carrier to offer low fares and maintain profitability. “Our pricing continues to offer customers savings and time at the airport if they book their bags in advance on Spirit.com,†said spokesperson Misty Pinson. “By encouraging self-service, Spirit is able to lower our costs and pass those savings along to customers by way of low fares.†And that $100 charge for last-minute carry-on bags? “We don’t want any of our customers to wait until they get to the boarding gate to pay for their carry-on bags as this delays the boarding process for everyone,†said Pinson. “We expect that our new $100 fee ... will ensure that customers purchase their bags before arriving at the gate.†Other would-be customers, however, are likely to see the move as another reason to avoid the carrier altogether. Two years ago, the airline’s policies led to the creation of a Boycott Spirit Airlines Facebook page; today, the page has more than 20,000 “likes,†a number that has been growing rapidly in the two weeks since the carrier refused to provide a refund for a Vietnam veteran with terminal cancer. Protests, however, are unlikely to sway the carrier, which has clearly found a business model that works, as evidenced by the first-quarter financial statement it released on Tuesday. During the first three months of the year, the airline’s operating revenues totaled $301.5 million, up almost 30 percent over the same period a year earlier. Profit for the quarter topped $23.4 million, up from $7.9 million the year before. And à la carte fees played a significant role in those results. During the quarter, the airline earned $51.68 in non-ticket revenue per passenger per flight segment, up 21 percent over the year before, even as its ticket revenue dropped 6.9 percent, from $82.30 to $76.65 per passenger per flight segment. In other words, the average Spirit passenger booking a round-trip flight paid just over $100 in add-on fees for bags, boarding passes and other ancillary services. Meanwhile, a mid-June round-trip ticket between Las Vegas and Oakland will set you back less than $82.

I certainly think Obama is arrogant. Fine line between confidence and arrogance. If its the worst thing he is or does but is still effective in fighting terrorism, I'll accept it. His detractors warned us he wasn't up for the job of foreign policy, fighting terrorism and defending military, possibly soft or too scared for the task at hand. He's proven he's more than capable. I hope some of the rhetoric I heard from Romney and others about what they would do with regards to other countries or under certain scenarios was just campaign talk. Because their views show ignorance at best and outright dangerous at worst. We squandered all our goodwill after 911 thanks to Bush and Cheney. Obama has repaired some of that damange. He could a lot better and while I do think Romney is not a hawk, my fear is he'll coddle the far right and the military-industrial complex and lead as a hawk.