Authorities say an 18-year-old man faces a charge of disorderly conduct for donning a mask like in the movie "V for Vendetta" to terrorize central Massachusetts residents.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Moscow is promised a snow-free winter
File this one under "Promises they'll never keep" ...
Moscow is promised a snow-free winter
Eccentric mayor proposes a radical plan to spare his city from its notoriously harsh winter.
Is this behavior cell phone rudeness?
YES!
Is this behavior cell phone rudeness?
Someone talks on their phone and ignores the grocery clerk while paying.
House Vote On Insurance Industry Antitrust Exemption Coming
The battle against the health insurance industry is steadily intensifying. House Democrats have formally scheduled a vote to revoke the industry's cherished antitrust protection, according to a statement from Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.). The move comes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) have put up a unified front, calling for an end to the anti-competitive practice.
On Thursday, Pelosi noted to reporters that the Judiciary Committee had held a hearing on repealing the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act, which exempts the insurance industry from antitrust laws.
Conyers announced Friday he'd take it to the next level and hold a vote on October 21.
Pre-Plato Greek city discovered under the sea
Explored by an Anglo-Greek team of archaeologists and marine geologists and known as Pavlopetri, the sunken settlement dates back some 5,000 years to the time of Homer's heroes and in terms of size and wealth of detail is unprecedented, experts say.
"There is now no doubt that this is the oldest submerged town in the world," said Dr Jon Henderson, associate professor of underwater archaeology at the University of Nottingham. "It has remains dating from 2800 to 1200 BC, long before the glory days of classical Greece. There are older sunken sites in the world but none can be considered to be planned towns such as this, which is why it is unique."
Full Story.
"There is now no doubt that this is the oldest submerged town in the world," said Dr Jon Henderson, associate professor of underwater archaeology at the University of Nottingham. "It has remains dating from 2800 to 1200 BC, long before the glory days of classical Greece. There are older sunken sites in the world but none can be considered to be planned towns such as this, which is why it is unique."
Full Story.
Unusual early snow falling in NC mountains
From the "Like we needed this" Department:
An unusually early season snow has begun to fall across parts of the North Carolina mountains.
The National Weather Service says snow showers started to fall Saturday afternoon above 3,000 feet in the far western part of the state around the Smoky Mountains National Park.
Weather service meteorologist Patrick Moore says the snow showers should increase as the day continues with as much as 3 inches falling in some areas.
Moore says the snow should stay out of the bigger mountain cities in the valleys like Asheville.
The weather service says this is a few weeks early for the first snow in the North Carolina mountains.
Holiday airfares soaring this year
Holiday airfares soaring this year
Some flights could cost you hundreds of dollars more if you wait too long.
Global warming has leaders underwater
Global warming has leaders underwater
The Maldives holds a cabinet meeting under the sea to make a point about climate change.
Pumpkin-carving success
Pro tips for pumpkin-carving success
Create a stunning jack-o'-lantern this Halloween with advice from expert carvers.
Hysteria over mountain lions
Hysteria over mountain lions
One state maintains an eight-person response team for handling cougars.
Best-tasting breakfast cereals
Best-tasting breakfast cereals
Find out which O's, flakes, bran, and shredded wheat rated at the top.
Fish and chips — without the fish
Fish and chips — without the fish
Cod, the centerpiece of some of Europe's signature dishes, could be close to disappearing.
America's 10 most expensive cities
America's 10 most expensive cities
It's no surprise that New York and Los Angeles top the list, but what about the rest?
Chomsky: Limbaugh Et Al Are Like Nazis Blaming Problems On Jews
Noam Chomsky believes wingnut spewers like Lush Dimbulb are blaming America's problems on "rich liberals" in much the same way the Nazis blamed Germany's problems on Jews.
Yep, the Nazis are blaming everyone else for the mess they caused and calling everyone else Nazis
Limbaugh Et Al Are Like Nazis Blaming Problems On Jews
Yep, the Nazis are blaming everyone else for the mess they caused and calling everyone else Nazis
Limbaugh Et Al Are Like Nazis Blaming Problems On Jews
Pakistan starts offensive against Taliban
Pakistani soldiers attacked militant bases in the main al-Qaida and Taliban stronghold along the Afghan border Saturday as the nuclear-armed country launched its most critical offensive yet against insurgents threatening its stability.
Pakistan starts critical offensive against Taliban
Pakistan starts critical offensive against Taliban
97 years old and homeless
Welcome to the real America, folks. Courtesy of your insane America-Haters ... the repugicans.
..."it makes me feel like I'm a bum," Bessie said. "I don't mind living at the mercy of the public because some of the public is good -- they're nice to me. But there are some that are nasty. some of them laugh at me and my sign. they say they don't think I'm 97 years old."
Reaching slowly into a pocket, she pulls out a laminated California state identification card that shows her date of birth: March 2, 1912.
Los Angeles police have warned her not to beg. And some passersby have turned to her sons, questioning why they cannot properly care for her.
Science News
From BBC-Science
 | | Maldives government ministers hold an underwater cabinet meeting to highlight the effects of global warming. |
| The Large Hadron Collider experiment has reached its operating temperature, colder even than deep space. | | A BBC investigation suggests illegal hare coursing is on the rise despite its ban under the 2004 Hunting Act. |
| The battle to end illegal bird hunting in Europe | | Why teleportation and time travel are real... perhaps | | Uncovering the remains of an ancient civilization |
Get ready to pay more for health coverage
With annual “open enrollment” season approaching for choosing health care options, get ready to pay more.
No matter what happens with national health care reform, employers already are shifting part of the rising cost of care to employees.
No matter what happens with national health care reform, employers already are shifting part of the rising cost of care to employees.
Gasoline in Afghanistan Costs the U.S. $400 Per Gallon
A report by the Pentagon reveals that the U.S. spends $400 per gallon for gasoline in Afghanistan.
Power Company Trying To Switch Off Cancer Patient's Oxygen Machine
Mable Randon is suffering from the late stages of cancer. She's bound by a wheel chair and only breathing with the help of an electrically-powered oxygen machine. Rucks Russell of KHOU in Houston reports that the local power company sent her a disconnection notice because of late bills. She applied to the Critical Customer Program, a payment plan seemingly tailor-made for people in Randon's condition who depend on electric life support -- but she was denied.
Tipster Claims He Has Evidence "Balloon Boy" Was a Hoax
A tipster apparently has the goods on Richard Heene, and the balloon boy story, saying it was indeed a hoax.
However, the evidence is not free; it's for sale.
However, the evidence is not free; it's for sale.
XXXXXXX license plate causing problems
"Racer X's" vanity plate just does not compute in city computers - and it's helped him rack up about $19,000 in tickets in Birmingham, Alabama.
GOP Senator Batters Witness Over Domestic Violence Report b
After the Huffington Post reported that eight states still allow insurance companies to treat domestic violence as a precondition, leaders from three of those declared that they would put an end to the practice.
North Carolina Republican Senator Richard Burr took a different approach and instead challenged the head of the organization, the National Women's Law Center, that issued the original report at a Senate hearing Thursday.
Burr's reaction was the polar opposite of Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, who told the Jackson Free Press after the story broke that he was ashamed that his state was on the list.*****
This is inexcusable!
Man charged in presidential threat
A Northern California man remained in federal custody without bail Friday after being charged with sending racist, profanity-laced e-mail threatening to kill President Obama and his family.
Man charged in presidential threat
Now, just get the rest of the morons.
Man charged in presidential threat
Now, just get the rest of the morons.
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Caracas, Distrito Federal, Venezuela
Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Chisinau, Chisinau, Moldova
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Manila, Manila, Philippines
Luqa. Luqa, Malta
Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Caracas, Distrito Federal, Venezuela
Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Chisinau, Chisinau, Moldova
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Manila, Manila, Philippines
Luqa. Luqa, Malta
Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Saturday Jam
Today's Saturday Jam is all about the name. The one name.
Just Like Jessie JamesHurdy Gurdy ManLa Isla Bonita(You ain't nuthin' but a) Hound Dog
Just Like Jessie JamesHurdy Gurdy ManLa Isla Bonita(You ain't nuthin' but a) Hound Dog
President Obama's Weekly Address
Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address October 17, 2009
Over the better part of the past year, a great debate has taken place in Washington and across America, about how to reform our health care system to provide security for people with insurance, coverage for those without insurance, and lower costs for everyone. From the halls of Congress to the homes of ordinary Americans, this debate has helped us to forge consensus and find common ground. That’s a good thing. That’s what America is all about.
Now, as the debate draws to a close, we can point to a broad and growing coalition of doctors and nurses, workers and businesses, hospitals and even drug companies – folks who represent different parties and perspectives, including leading Democrats and many leading Republicans – who recognize the urgency of action. Just this week, the Senate Finance Committee approved a reform proposal that has both Democratic and Republican support. For the first time ever, all five committees in Congress responsible for health reform have passed a version of legislation. As I speak to you today, we are closer to reforming the health care system than we have ever been in history.
But this is not the time to pat ourselves on the back. This is not the time to grow complacent. There are still significant details and disagreements to be worked out in the coming weeks. And there are still those who would try to kill reform at any cost. The history is clear: for decades rising health care costs have unleashed havoc on families, businesses, and the economy. And for decades, whenever we have tried to reform the system, the insurance companies have done everything in their considerable power to stop us.
We know that this inaction has carried a terrible toll. In the past decade, premiums have doubled. Over the past few years, total out of pocket costs for people with insurance rose by a third. And we know that if we do not reform the system, this will only be a preview of coming attractions. A new report for the Business Roundtable – a non-partisan group that represents the CEOs of major companies – found that without significant reform, health care costs for these employers and their employees will well more than double again over the next decade. The cost per person for health insurance will rise by almost $18,000. That’s a huge amount of money. That’s going to mean lower salaries and higher unemployment, lower profits and higher rolls of uninsured. It is no exaggeration to say, that unless we act, these costs will devastate the US economy.
This is the unsustainable path we’re on, and it’s the path the insurers want to keep us on. In fact, the insurance industry is rolling out the big guns and breaking open their massive war chest – to marshal their forces for one last fight to save the status quo. They’re filling the airwaves with deceptive and dishonest ads. They’re flooding Capitol Hill with lobbyists and campaign contributions. And they’re funding studies designed to mislead the American people.
Of course, like clockwork, we’ve seen folks on cable television who know better, waving these industry-funded studies in the air. We’ve seen industry insiders – and their apologists – citing these studies as proof of claims that just aren’t true. They’ll claim that premiums will go up under reform; but they know that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office found that reforms will lower premiums in a new insurance exchange while offering consumer protections that will limit out-of-pocket costs and prevent discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. They’ll claim that you’ll have to pay more out of pocket; but they know that this is based on a study that willfully ignores whole sections of the bill, including tax credits and cost savings that will greatly benefit middle class families. Even the authors of one of these studies have now admitted publicly that the insurance companies actually asked them to do an incomplete job.
It’s smoke and mirrors. It’s bogus. And it’s all too familiar. Every time we get close to passing reform, the insurance companies produce these phony studies as a prescription and say, "Take one of these, and call us in a decade." Well, not this time. The fact is, the insurance industry is making this last-ditch effort to stop reform even as costs continue to rise and our health care dollars continue to be poured into their profits, bonuses, and administrative costs that do nothing to make us healthy – that often actually go toward figuring out how to avoid covering people. And they’re earning these profits and bonuses while enjoying a privileged exception from our anti-trust laws, a matter that Congress is rightfully reviewing.
Now, I welcome a good debate. I welcome the chance to defend our proposals and to test our ideas in the fires of this democracy. But what I will not abide are those who would bend the truth – or break it – to score political points and stop our progress as a country. And what we all must oppose are the same old cynical Washington games that have been played for decades even as our problems have grown and our challenges have mounted.
Last November, the American people went to the polls in historic numbers and demanded change. They wanted a change in our policies; but they also sought a change in our politics: a politics that too often has fallen prey to the lobbyists and the special interests; that has fostered division and sustained the status quo. Passing health insurance reform is a great test of this proposition. Yes, it will make a profound and positive difference in the lives of the American people. But it also now represents something more: whether or not we as a nation are capable of tackling our toughest challenges, if we can serve the national interest despite the unrelenting efforts of the special interests; if we can still do big things in America.
I believe we can. I believe we will. And I urge every member of Congress to stand against the power plays and political ploys – and to stand up on behalf the American people who sent us to Washington to do their business.
Thank you.Daily Almanac
Today is Saturday, Oct. 17, the 290th day of 2009.
There are 75 days left in the year.
There are 75 days left in the year.
Today In History October 17
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
Explore a new culture today -- it will help you appreciate your own a little bit more.
Try some ethnic food you've never had before.
Listen to some music from a country you've never been to.
Watch a movie made in some exotic locale that features subtitles.
Have a conversation with someone who speaks another language.
These experiences will help you get back in touch with what makes you who you are and what areas you need to develop.
Been doing this for years - getting hard to find any I haven't already tried.
Explore a new culture today -- it will help you appreciate your own a little bit more.
Try some ethnic food you've never had before.
Listen to some music from a country you've never been to.
Watch a movie made in some exotic locale that features subtitles.
Have a conversation with someone who speaks another language.
These experiences will help you get back in touch with what makes you who you are and what areas you need to develop.
Been doing this for years - getting hard to find any I haven't already tried.
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