Friday, February 19, 2010
John Birch Society sponsored CPAC
The Birchers make the Teabaggers look like, well, they're both more or less equally insane ... but the Birchers are quite possibly even worse.
From ABC News:
From ABC News:
According to Ian Walters, a spokesman for CPAC, it’s the first time the John Birch Society has sponsored the conference. That’s not surprising, considering that the Birch Society has long been considered wacky and extreme by conservative leaders.
William F. Buckley famously denounced the John Birch Society and its founder Robert Welch in the early 1960s as “idiotic” and “paranoid. ” Buckley’s condemnation effectively banishing the group from the mainstream conservative movement. Welch had called President Dwight D. Eisenhower a “conscious, dedicated agent of the communist conspiracy” and that the U.S. government was “under operational control of the Communist party.” Buckley argued that such paranoid rantings had no place in the conservative movement or the Republican party.
On its website, the Birch Society describes it mission as to “to warn against and expose the forces that seek to abolish U.S. independence, build a world government, or otherwise undermine our personal liberties and national independence. The John Birch Society endorses the U.S. Constitution as the foundation of our national government, and works toward educating and activating Americans to abide by the original intent of the Founding Fathers. We seek to awaken a sleeping and apathetic people concerning the designs of those who are working to destroy our constitutional Republic.”
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The lead plaintiffs, representing about 80,000 California customers, claimed that "HughesNet customers consistently receive slow and spotty service that falls woefully short of the fanciful claims" outlined on the company's Web site and in advertisements.
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Conti said the plaintiffs could amend their claims over the early termination fees.
The lead plaintiffs, representing about 80,000 California customers, claimed that "HughesNet customers consistently receive slow and spotty service that falls woefully short of the fanciful claims" outlined on the company's Web site and in advertisements.
HughesNet said its maximum download speed ranged from 1.0 megabits per second for residential service to 5 megabits per second for "ElitePremium Plan" subscribers.
But users said the "service during peak times generally performs at speeds lower even than what HughesNet states as 'typical' speeds."
They added that HughesNet charges "unconscionable" early cancellation fees of $400, in breach of its own subscriber agreement.
U.S. District Judge Samuel Conti ruled that California law should be applied to the case, as the class members would be unable to seek punitive damages under Maryland law.
Conti dismissed their claims regarding the early termination fees, as they failed to explain how the fees were "unconscionable," but found that the class has shown how they relied on Hughes' allegedly false promises of fast Internet.
Conti said the plaintiffs could amend their claims over the early termination fees.
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From BBC-Science:
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Lights over Bonnybridge
Today is ...
Today is Friday, February 19, the 50th day of 2010.
There are 315 days left in the year.
Today In History February 19
Today's unusual holidays and celebrations are:
Chocolate Mint Day,
Iwo Jima Day
and
International Mother Language Day
There are 315 days left in the year.
Today In History February 19
Today's unusual holidays and celebrations are:
Chocolate Mint Day,
Iwo Jima Day
and
International Mother Language Day
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Helsinki, Southern Finland, Finland
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
London, England, United Kingdom
Munich, Bayern, Germany
as well as Czech Republic, Scotland, Hong Kong, and the United States
Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Helsinki, Southern Finland, Finland
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
London, England, United Kingdom
Munich, Bayern, Germany
as well as Czech Republic, Scotland, Hong Kong, and the United States
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
As far as you're concerned, this kind of thing only happens in the movies.
The war-weary hero or heroine heads home, pulls down the shades and disappears.
Fade to black.
But that's not the kind of thing you'd ever do, right?
Well, not usually -- but at the moment, there's probably nowhere else you'd rather be than at home.
Of course, if you don't want to be alone, you know there's someone who'd be happy to keep you company.
I am so all over this one - even the scars have scars.
As far as you're concerned, this kind of thing only happens in the movies.
The war-weary hero or heroine heads home, pulls down the shades and disappears.
Fade to black.
But that's not the kind of thing you'd ever do, right?
Well, not usually -- but at the moment, there's probably nowhere else you'd rather be than at home.
Of course, if you don't want to be alone, you know there's someone who'd be happy to keep you company.
I am so all over this one - even the scars have scars.