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Katy Perry's Boobs Banned from "Sesame Street"

It seems the only boobs allowed on network television are the ones doing the programming.

Who's The Boss?

As I got on the 'net earlier, the first thing I saw was the headline: "The Boss is Dead". My initial thought was "Oh heck, Bruce Springsteen has died!". Instead, it was announcing the passing of the Yankee's owner George Steinbrenner.

To be honest, I don't/didn't care all that much for either "Boss". Springsteen has been so outspoken about issues on which I disagree with him that it's hard to listen to his music without thinking of the idiotic things he's said.

I'm also not a huge baseball fan, but follow the Rangers and dislike the Yankees for consistently beating them although I didn't hold that against Steinbrenner, a man who seems to be the most hated in his own team's city, despite the success he brought to the town. Other than reading the occasional article on his blockbuster moves and assorted controversies, the man was off my own personal headlines radar. The only times other than those I was reminded of him was on old Seinfeld reruns.

There's only one other boss that I can think of and it's a snow plow.

That said, it got me to wondering just really who IS "The Boss".

Didn't take me long to come to the answer:

Skinner Insists on More DNA Tests

Death row inmate Hank Skinner insists on more DNA tests in his case

The wife of Hank Skinner, a man awaiting execution on death row in the US for a murder he says he did not commit, is leading a campaign to give him the chance to prove his innocence.

However, as time passes Skinner is beginning to see death as more of a relief than a form of punishment.

Thirteen people have been executed so far this year by the state of Texas. Hank Skinner narrowly avoided becoming the fourteenth. He was granted a stay of execution minutes before he was due to be put to death for murdering his girlfriend and her two sons, a crime he says he can prove he did not commit.

“They won’t give me access to the evidence I need to prove my innocence, and meanwhile they are trying to kill me. All the evidence that we’re asking them to test, by the way, is evidence that they have identified as being important in the case,” Skinner says.

Gulf Oil Spill Live Video

Watch live streaming video from wkrg_oil_spill at livestream.com

All undersea cameras

Breaking news: More oil gushing into Gulf after problem with cap

Current Events Quiz

Test your knowledge of current events for the week of June 14 at Texas on the Potomac .

I did fairly well on this week's test:



News quiz: Week of June 14

Who Nose?

What makes someone do something like this?

After reading this story: Nose biter gets 10 years (for biting off the tip of a Clovis man's nose), I was reminded of a man I used to work for, several times on several different rigs. I could write for hours about him - he was quite a character - but will save that for another time. He fancied himself a pretty good brawler and bore several scars from past fights, one being a pretty good notch on one of his nostrils, about the size of half a dime coin. The old wound was from it being bitten by someone and I can't recall if I ever asked him if he won or lost the fight. I don't know why I didn't ask, or can't remember. That's been a long time ago, that'll have to be my excuse.

I do remember telling my dad about how tough this man was, how much of a fighter he was and described the scar to him. Pop mulled the information over for a few seconds and blithely replied:

"Doesn't sound like he's THAT tough if someone can hold him down and bite off his nose."

I've been in a few scraps in my life, won several, lost a couple, some were pretty severe both ways, but I never gave anyone the chance to bite off a piece of my nose. Guess I'm tougher than I thought I was.

Hope everyone nose that.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

This just popped up in my reader:

Ron Paul, three Texas Democrats buck parties on gays in military

It caught my eye because Ron Paul was mentioned in the title, but also because of the "DADT" policy that's been in place since the Clinton administration. I didn't agree with the previous policy of banning gays outright and I didn't agree with the DADT policy either. There should be no "policy" at all in regards to gays in the military. (and without researching it, I would wager that's Ron Paul's stance, too.)

Granted, the military is a special case and civilian laws don't always apply, but this is more of a human rights specific case. Isn't "all men are created equal" one of the tenets of our society?

Also, I've seen argued that unit cohesion and effectiveness would be damaged with the overt inclusion of gays. I wonder how "covert" inclusion was any different? I'd think that in most cases, people wouldn't know others are gay unless they were told by the gay person. Contrary to TV and movie stereotyping (and some by gays themselves), all gays don't lisp when they talk nor mince when they walk. Sheesh. I've known gay guys who were more "manly" than were some of my hetero friends. (I've also known some lesbians who were more manly than ME, but that's another story)

It also seems a shame to waste talent and manpower (or womanpower, to be fair -grin-) Not all, but many of the gay folks I know are smart, creative and hard-working - good qualities to possess for the military (or for civilian life). I never was in the military, but I was and still am a good shot. I also like to think I'm fairly courageous, semi-smart, and, in my youth, quite physically fit - good soldier material.

That doesn't mean I would've been a good soldier. No, I can also type like a big dog and I expect it's easier to find someone to pull a trigger than it is to type and file the morning report.

In other words, if I had been drafted or joined the military, I'd have probably been some colonel's clerk. And I'm not gay.

What I'm trying to say is it's silly to stereotype all gays into the "gawking, lecher" type that would destroy a platoon of fighting men. Plus, I would think it would be easier for heterosexuals to accept a fellow fighting man in the unit than it would be to include females.

(and I'll admit I don't think women in direct combat units is a good idea. Pilots of fighter planes, captains of warships, etc., sure, but not fighting alongside of men. )

Plus, there are military regulations that severely curtail interpersonal relationships between people in the service. A captain can not have a personal relationship with a private...even if they are of opposite sex. I don't understand why these rules can't simply apply to all in the military. Catch two gays in a compromising position? Drum them out, same as would/should happen with an opposite-sex couple.

Off the soapbox; I'm prejudiced in many ways, but this "gays in the military" controversy has always bothered me...not just because the policy is wrong, but because we feel the need to have a policy at all.

On a related, local note: Our own Mac Thornberry voted against the bill. While I very, very seldom vote Democrat, in this next election I will have to do as I've done the last few elections and either vote Libertarian for the office, or leave all boxes unchecked. He's been in office since '95. I won't criticize his record here, but it's my opinion he's been in there long enough.

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Update

Texas lawmakers explain why they bucked their parties on vote







Rep Ron Paul,
R-Lake Jackson

Paul, the maverick libertarian, ditched his Republican comrades and voted for the repeal.

"I have received several calls and visits from constituents who, in spite of the heavy investment in their training, have been forced out of the military simply because they were discovered to be homosexual," Paul said.






"To me, this seems like an awful waste. Personal behavior that is disruptive should be subject to military discipline regardless of whether the individual is heterosexual or homosexual. But to discharge an otherwise well-trained, professional, and highly skilled member of the military for these reasons is unfortunate and makes no financial sense."



Them's my sentiments, 'zactly. Thank you Dr. Paul.

Zach Thomas Retires

Retiring as a Dolphin

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An Amarillo radio station has been playing some ads of Thomas' "Zach's Club 54" gym, saying they're re-opening after a million dollar overhaul. I hope he makes a ton of money and wish him nothing but the best.

Thomas as a Cowboy

Zach Thomas

And, if you didn't know, Zach's father built the Groom Cross/Cross of Our Lord.

Gulf Oil Leak

From a couple of days ago; BP has promised to post a live feed of the leak, but a cursory search has found nothing so far.



The streaming video is "supposed" to be on the Energy and Commerce Committe site.

Tornado Watch

Tornado Watch for Gray County, TX

Amarillo Radar Base Reflectivity

Pampa's New Heliport

Pampa LifeStar heliport will be a 'lifesaver'

Several dozen people braved the weather Friday to break ground on the newest medical addition in Gray County that's being touted as a lifesaver.

Dr. James Hall, president of the Emergency Services Foundation of Texas, the parent company of Pampa EMS, said the $550,000 Gray County Heliport Facility to be built near the Pampa Regional Medical Center will house the LifeStar ambulance helicopter that now serves the eastern Texas Panhandle.

Two LifeStar helicopters serve the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle, the Oklahoma Panhandle, eastern New Mexico and the very southeastern part of Colorado. Last year, local LifeStar helicopters made about 896 flights, said Stewart Jackson, assistant director of LifeStar.

The majority of the heliport project, or $500,000, will be funded by the Texas Department of Transportation's aviation division thanks to a measure added to the state's general appropriation bill by state Rep. Warren Chisum. It gave Gray County the money to build the 8,000-square-foot facility at the hospital. Roughly $56,000 will have be funded locally as part of the grant stipulations, said Karon Wiedemann, director of grant management for TxDOT's aviation division.

Read the rest at Amarillo.com

US Supreme Court Sued

As a rule, I generally don't post too many news items or much serious stuff at all, but this article caught my eye:

U.S. Supreme Court targeted by litigant in Texas Supreme Court

From the Texas Supreme Court Blog:

Well, you don’t see this caption every day: Brumbaugh v. Justice John Roberts, et al., No. 10-0314. The “et alia” includes eight other Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. (Justice Sotomayor is off the hook; this plaintiff’s suit still names Justice Souter.)

The court of appeals affirmed the trial court’s dismissal of the case, and Brumbaugh has just filed his petition for review with the Texas Supreme Court. (There doesn’t appear to be any online version of the petition; self-represented litigants are not required to file electronic courtesy copies.)

Brumbaugh requested that the trial court declare certain Supreme Court rulings unconstitutional and restore civil liberties, stop or fix the drug war, outlaw all mind control technology, declare martial law unlawful, and collect $10,000 from each justice for dereliction of duty and fraud.

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Sounds like a good deal to me, except for the "mind control technology". Everyone knows all you have to do is wear a tin foil hat....

Cowboys Sign New Hampshire Sicko

It's true!

Cowboys convince undrafted TE Sicko to give NFL a try

Having an unusual last name myself, it's always funny to see someone with an even MORE unusual last name.

Besides, I couldn't pass on the headline for the post.

Can't Get Married, Can't Get Divorced

Not if you're gay and live in Texas.

Measure's sponsors oppose gay divorce

A state lawmaker and a former legislator are joining in the challenge to a Dallas judge's recent decision that a gay couple can get divorced in Texas.

After the October decision by Judge Tena Callahan, the state attorney general filed an appeal. On Friday, a brief was filed in the Dallas Court of Appeals by the Liberty Institute, on behalf of Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, and former state senator Todd Staples, R-Palestine.

Chisum and Staples co-sponsored the Marriage Amendment, which limited marriage to a man and woman and was passed by voters in 2005.

At issue in the case is a couple who married in Massachusetts in 2006.

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Chisum also doesn't like straight people divorcing; in 2008, Chisum announced that he will introduce a bill to prolong the waiting time in Texas to finalize a divorce.

Chisum served the first eight years of his House tenure as a Democrat, but he switched to GOP allegiance in 1996, when his district became measurably more Republican in orientation after redistricting.

He also helped pass a law -- later struck down by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- limiting the number of "sex toys" that could be in one's possession.

I started to write a lengthy essay on gays and on Chisum, but decided against it. (I blather on too much as it is, and I really don't want to get TOO serious in this blog) I have no use for Chisum (or any other flip-floppers who do it for solely political purposes) and I don't care if gays get married and think the ban on gays in the military is not only a bad idea, but unconstitutional. I also think the govt. has absolutely no right meddling in people's private lives and in particular their bedrooms.

Uncle Jay Explains (3-29-10)

Spork Over the Cash

Million Dollar Spork?

By Ben Briscoe
NewsChannel 10

PAMPA, TEXAS - An area jail is being sued by one of its inmates for one million dollars, but the merits of the complaint are raising concerns about wasting the court's time and your taxes.

The suit was filed in federal court against three gray county jail employees including Sheriff Don Copeland. In the complaint inmate Darren Hathcoat writes by hand that the three defendants ordered, "all the jailers and the civilian kitchen workers to feed me off of styrfoam tray with no utinsels. I had to eat with my bair hands for 11 months."

Because they did not let him use a spork like other inmates... Hathcoat writes the court should, "award me one million dollars for the demorilization and metal anguish."

District Judge John Board says the courts are flooded with civil suits from prisoners. There's so many, Texas has two separate statues on the books about these inmate complaints. If a judge thinks the claim from an inmate is frivolous - they can either dismiss it without a hearing or require the person in jail to pay money up front in case it ends up being a waste of time. But board says judges exercise extreme caution.

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Not for sure if the quote from the inmate is verbatim with the misspellings or slip-shod editing on the website's part.

Interview with Henry "Hank" Skinner

Another video (Two parts) of another interview (explicit language) at top of page, along with an interview with a friend of one of the victims.

Skinner Execution, Family Friend Speaks Out

Supreme Court Intervenes in Skinner Case

High court blocks Texas execution

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked the execution of a Texas man who says DNA testing could clear him of the triple slaying that has sent him to death row.

The justices' order Wednesday could allow Hank Skinner access to evidence that he says could demonstrate his innocence. The 47-year-old Skinner faced lethal injection for the bludgeoning and strangling of his girlfriend, 40-year-old Twila Jean Busby, and the stabbings of her two adult sons at their home in the Texas Panhandle town of Pampa on New Year's Eve in 1993.

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Just heard this on the news (and the Houston Chronicle article linked to above is less than ten minutes old at the time of this posting) Skinner was less than an hour away from being executed.

The death penalty has always held a gruesome fascination for me. I've read every thing the local library has on the subject, from factual novels such as Caryl Chessman's books, to Stephen King's fiction (made into a movie) The Green Mile. I also own a book with an article by Skinner, WRITING FOR THEIR LIVES: Death Row USA

I've extensively researched Skinner's case and while I think he is guilty of this crime, I also believe he should be afforded a new trial and that the DNA testing should be done. I hope this latest ruling by the SC will allow the testing to proceed.

More to follow as soon as more is known. For more information, The Skeptical Juror has a great series on Skinner's case.

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UPDATE: France claims their plea swayed the court

The US Supreme Court has suspended the execution of convicted murderer Hank Skinner after a plea from France and his defense lawyers to allow further DNA tests.

I KNOW this isn't true. Who the hell listens to the French on ANYTHING!!!

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Larry King interviews Skinner's wife and a man who was proven innocent by DNA testing.

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Down to His Final Meal, Hank Skinner Granted Stay of Execution in Texas Murder Case

Just as Hank Skinner was finishing his final meal on earth -- two chicken thighs, a double bacon cheeseburger, fried catfish, onion rings, French fries, a salad with ranch dressing and a milkshake -- he received the phone call he never thought was coming. His life had been spared by the United States Supreme Court.

Read more at previous link.

Lawyers make last bid

From Houston Chronicle:

Lawyers make last bid for man convicted in Panhandle slayings Houston Chronicle The case of Skinner, set to die March 24 for the 1993 Pampa murders of his girlfriend, Twila Busby, and her two adult sons, has created furor among death ... Science may hold the answers, but people have to ask the questions Dallas Morning News (blog) all 4 news articles »

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Short-Term Energy Outlook

I subscribe to this govt. website's reports and predictions on energy.

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The Short-Term Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration

Highlights

* Although spot crude oil prices continue to fluctuate on a daily basis, EIA’s projections for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil spot prices have remained relatively stable over the last 4 Outlooks. EIA expects WTI prices to average above $80 per barrel this spring, rising to an average of about $82 per barrel by the end of the year and to $85 per barrel by the end of 2011.

* Projected economic growth this year is higher in this forecast, with U.S. real gross domestic product (GDP) growing by 2.8 percent and world oil-consumption-weighted real GDP growing by 3.4 percent, compared with 2.3 percent and 2.7 percent growth, respectively, in last month’s Outlook. The 2011 forecast for real GDP growth is relatively unchanged at 2.6 percent and 3.5 percent for the United States and the world, respectively.

* EIA forecasts that the annual average regular grade retail gasoline price will increase from $2.35 per gallon in 2009 to $2.84 in 2010 and to $2.96 in 2011 because of the projected rising crude oil prices. Average U.S. pump prices likely will exceed $3 per gallon at times during the forthcoming spring and summer driving season. Projected annual average retail diesel fuel prices are $2.96 and $3.14 per gallon, respectively, in 2010 and 2011.

* EIA expects this year’s annual average natural gas Henry Hub spot price to be $5.17 per million Btu (MMBtu), a $1.22-per-MMBtu increase over the 2009 average. EIA projects price increases to continue in 2011, averaging $5.65 per MMBtu for the year. Projected working gas inventories end the first quarter of 2010 at about 1,550 billion cubic feet (Bcf) compared with 1,644 Bcf in the previous Outlook because of colder-than-normal weather in February. Natural-gas-weighted heating degree-days were nearly 11 percent above the 30-year norm last month.

* The annual average residential electricity price changes only slightly over the forecast period, averaging 11.5 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) in both 2009 and 2010, and then rising to 11.6 cents per kWh in 2011.

* Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels, which declined by 6.4 percent in 2009, increase by 1.5 percent and 1.2 percent in 2010 and 2011, respectively, in the forecast as economic growth fuels higher energy consumption.