I've always been confused by Starbucks, the great American Institution and symbol of yuppies and carefree consumerism. This is the place where the smallest cup of coffee is called a "Tall." What's the biggest called, a "Giganto?" Depending on what you order, you can easily spend two or three dollars for a cup. They offer cappuccinos, tea, and scones. In other words, it's the sort of place with the kinds of products mocked by right wing opponents of vegetarians, elitism, and free-range chicken pot pies. That's why I was surprised to learn that some gun-toting, 2nd Amendment-loving customers were sitting in Starbucks, sipping green tea. So much for stereotypes.
At least 38 states allow people to walk around with unconcealed weapons. For the most part, those people I'm talking about have not qualified to get licenses to carry concealed weapons. These are people who actually have their guns visible in their holsters at some Starbucks, reminiscent of cowboys in Western movies sashaying into the town saloon.
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March 12, 2010
March 11, 2010
Cuban Baseball Fight: Massive Brawl VIDEO
A massive baseball fight broke out at a Cuban game recently, and video has surfaced on YouTube. According to the video's description, the brawl took place in Sancti Spiritus, a city in central Cuba. The unusual fight features the batter -- armed with a baseball bat -- chasing the pitcher, who later returns the favor following a short break in the action.
WATCH (via The Score via Deadspin):
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WATCH (via The Score via Deadspin):
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March 10, 2010
President Ahmadinejad: “7/11 Isn’t Real”
In international news, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has publicly denounced 7/11, claiming that the American mini-mart chain is merely a figment of people's imaginations, and if it did exist, it would most certainly serve mediocre coffee and stale donuts.
"7/11 is just a capitalist scheme to trick Americans into thinking that there is a place that sells oversized cups full of sugary, slushy drinks at 4 AM when they're too drunk to even know what they're doing," said President Ahmadinejad. "But don't be fooled, there is no such place. How could there possibly be a store that sells USA Today, hotdogs, and condoms? It's impossible -- but then again, the United States will use anything as a means spread their rhetoric throughout the Middle West."
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"7/11 is just a capitalist scheme to trick Americans into thinking that there is a place that sells oversized cups full of sugary, slushy drinks at 4 AM when they're too drunk to even know what they're doing," said President Ahmadinejad. "But don't be fooled, there is no such place. How could there possibly be a store that sells USA Today, hotdogs, and condoms? It's impossible -- but then again, the United States will use anything as a means spread their rhetoric throughout the Middle West."
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March 9, 2010
Sick of the Health Care Distraction
I am sick of the health care being used to distract Americans from the real problems with our country. Republicans and democrats alike are using health care to manipulate the American public, me and you. One side is jamming it down our throats and the other side doing everything it can to stop it even if it has merits. None of us have a clue of what we are getting or not getting because of all the politics. And all this is taking place while neither side is doing anything to improve the conditions for our country.
Is anyone else out there other than Jesse Ventura sick of politicians getting us to focus on what they want rather than what America needs? Why can't the problems in our country be approached on the basis of priority and greatest good, rather than politics? The people I talk to everyday are concerned with jobs, opportunities, increasing their incomes, saving money and reducing the country's debts more than health care. Is health care merely a 'red-herring' to distract each us from what our elected officials don't want us to focus on? Is it possible that 'professional' politicians are using health care so Americans take sides against one another, rather than joining together to no longer tolerate political incompetence from both sides?
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Is anyone else out there other than Jesse Ventura sick of politicians getting us to focus on what they want rather than what America needs? Why can't the problems in our country be approached on the basis of priority and greatest good, rather than politics? The people I talk to everyday are concerned with jobs, opportunities, increasing their incomes, saving money and reducing the country's debts more than health care. Is health care merely a 'red-herring' to distract each us from what our elected officials don't want us to focus on? Is it possible that 'professional' politicians are using health care so Americans take sides against one another, rather than joining together to no longer tolerate political incompetence from both sides?
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Cooke Hit on Savard Adds Urgency to NHL GM Meetings
While little good can be said about Matt Cooke's blow to the head of Boston's Marc Savard, perhaps the timing was fortuitous. You see, the incident took place on the eve of the NHL GM meetings, which start today in Boca Raton, Florida.
According to press reports from the last NHL GM meetings, the league had appointed a committee of general managers to study the problem of head shots and make recommendations at this week's meetings. Hopefully, the dirty hit by Cooke will provide additional momentum for some kind of clear-cut change in the rules to specifically address hits to the head.
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According to press reports from the last NHL GM meetings, the league had appointed a committee of general managers to study the problem of head shots and make recommendations at this week's meetings. Hopefully, the dirty hit by Cooke will provide additional momentum for some kind of clear-cut change in the rules to specifically address hits to the head.
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March 8, 2010
Global Sisterhood
I could barely feel my toes after 8 hours of standing in line outside at the Bella Center, where the international conference on climate change was taking place last December in Copenhagen. The bitter cold had done a number on my cheeks too, but I was on a mission.
I headed to Copenhagen for an opportunity to participate in a climate hearing organized by Oxfam with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a number of my sisters from around the world whose communities are struggling because of climate change. I was ready to tell the world the story of Biloxi, Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The devastation. The perseverance and community spirit. The lessons of preparedness. And how women picked up the pieces.
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I headed to Copenhagen for an opportunity to participate in a climate hearing organized by Oxfam with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a number of my sisters from around the world whose communities are struggling because of climate change. I was ready to tell the world the story of Biloxi, Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The devastation. The perseverance and community spirit. The lessons of preparedness. And how women picked up the pieces.
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Robert Rubin: Why Won’t He Go Away?
As Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin put in place all the pieces that set up the economy for the disaster that we are now living through. He pushed legislation that weakened regulation of the financial sector; he cheered on a stock bubble that eventually grew to $10 trillion and he established an over-valued dollar as a matter of official policy.
He then left to take a top job at Citigroup where he was able to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He earned well over $100 million in the decade after he left the Clinton administration. In the fall of 2008, when Citigroup was saved from bankruptcy with a taxpayer bailout, Rubin quietly slipped out the back door (with his money), resigning from his position at Citigroup.
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He then left to take a top job at Citigroup where he was able to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He earned well over $100 million in the decade after he left the Clinton administration. In the fall of 2008, when Citigroup was saved from bankruptcy with a taxpayer bailout, Rubin quietly slipped out the back door (with his money), resigning from his position at Citigroup.
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Barn Raising
What do you do when you are an environmentalist, and you own a mundane ranch house on a great lot?
My late 1970's house was built about as cheaply as you could build a four bedroom, 2.5 bath house. It was a simple place for a family to use as a summer house, just 90 miles outside New York City. I remember when I first looked at the place about 10 years ago, I walked right through it, out onto the beach, looked around, and thought, "Well, I can work with this."
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My late 1970's house was built about as cheaply as you could build a four bedroom, 2.5 bath house. It was a simple place for a family to use as a summer house, just 90 miles outside New York City. I remember when I first looked at the place about 10 years ago, I walked right through it, out onto the beach, looked around, and thought, "Well, I can work with this."
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