Did I Mention It's Sci Fi Avatar Week on Facebook?

I asked my husabnd, "Who is your favorite sci fi character?" He said, "Rick Deckerd." So I made him this for his Facebook page.

My friend has been sick and I know deep down, he wants to be a Jedi, so I made him this for his Facebook page.

All Animals Are Equal, But Some Are More Equal Than Others

The country recently changed its constitution to ensure the protection of the "dignity" of plant life and passed a law last year guaranteeing rights for all creatures - from guinea pigs to goldfish.

If Swiss voters approve the referendum in March, every canton in the country will be obliged to appoint a lawyer to act on behalf of pets and barnyard animals in order to protect them from abuse.

"Pet keepers think that a so-called love for a guinea pig is enough," [animal lawyer Antoine Goetschel] told The Sunday Times. "But this ignores the animal's needs as a species, such as having a companion."

So will this pit a group like PETA, that calls for pet owners to spay and neuter their pets, against the law, as that would be denying the animal's right to procreation?

Yes, abortion is legal in Switzerland - plants have their "dignity" recognized and animals have public defenders, but the yet-to-be-born human is S.O.L. Has it really come that far?

The Wrong Stuff

The Obama administration on Monday will propose in its new budget spending billions of dollars to encourage private companies to build, launch and operate spacecraft for NASA and others. Uncle Sam would buy its astronauts a ride into space just like hopping in a taxi.

The idea is that getting astronauts into orbit, which NASA has been doing for 49 years, is getting to be so old hat that someone other than the government can do it. It's no longer really the Right Stuff.

Obama wants to be involved in everything from banking to health insurance to the BCS in college football . . . but going to outer space should be done privately?

Well . . . why stop there?

Privatize the military and we'll buy protection from them.

So We Should Stick to Telling White Folks They're Articulate and Keep Complimenting Blacks on Their Rhythm?

Two dumber asses have never before been seen . . .

I stick to one rule: I compliment people when they have done or said something that earns the compliment. Regardless of their color! I know, it's crazy . . .

Sci Fi Avatar Week on Facebook

Don't ask me how these things get started (and I have my suspicions), but it is Sci Fi Avatar Week on Facebook, which means you have to change your profile picture to your favorite Sci Fi character.

Jean Genie Genetics

The principal of an Islamic boarding school in Tangerang is vigorously denying allegations that he raped one of his teenage students. His defense: His “pet genie” did it.

[S]he claimed the principal changed the topic of conversation by saying that one of his genies had a crush on her. He reportedly promised that she would be given certain “metaphysical powers” if she agreed to have sex with the genie.

The principal has denied raping the girl and reportedly told her parents that his genie was responsible for the pregnancy. He said the genie must have been angry because it had not been fed for months. He is understood to have said the genie “borrowed” his body at the time of the rape.

That pet genie needs to get fixed, if you know what I mean. I have heard of men calling it "the Governor," "Little Ed," and "Wally," but this is a new one.

Don't rub that lamp, baby . . .

Getting Some Fudge on the Numbers

The White House's massive stimulus plan funded 599,108 jobs in the fourth quarter, administration officials said Saturday.

Sounds good, n'est-ce pas?

One thing is for certain: The first jobs tally, which showed 640,000 jobs were created, contained numerous errors. After that October report, the administration changed the criteria for counting stimulus-funded jobs. The goal was to make it simpler for recipients to accurately report headcounts.

Recipients no longer have to determine whether a job was "created" or "saved" by stimulus funds, only that it was "funded" by the Recovery Act. Also, the reports only track jobs on a quarterly basis instead of keeping a running total.

So, in effect, the jobs "funded" could conceivably not be "created" but, in fact, would already be "existing," meaning the money was used for "same old, same old."

And they got this all squared away in the past three months.

Lot Closed

All that motoring is contributing to traffic jams and pollution, according to state Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), and on Thursday he won Senate approval of a proposal he hopes will prompt cities and businesses to reduce the availability of free parking.

"Free parking has significant social, economic and environmental costs," Lowenthal said. "It increases congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.’’

So the already economically struggling family will be forced to pay for parking at a grocery store (which, by the way, is the norm is wealthier parts of Los Angeles)?

Shit, why stop there? Go on and force hospitals to do the same.

I have a pet peeve about paying for parking. I recently started my own law practice and I will never have an office where people have to pay for parking, even if I validate it for them. There is something psychologically demoralizing when you are going to see a lawyer and you're already worried about money, and you have to pull one of those little tickets out of the machine.

iFaith

But sources familiar with the president's personal life say Obama remains a faithful Christian while in the White House, practicing his beliefs regularly in private with family and the aid of his BlackBerry.

I have yet to find a denomination of Christianity that does not expect its members to meet in community with one another.

Rollin' out that prayer rug . . . five times a day.

Der Fuhrer Ist Not Happy Mit Apfel

You knew this was coming!

Burly Men in Tight Shiny Pants

The 30-second spot shows two men excitedly watching the game, before their hands brush as they both reach into a bowl of chips. Suddenly, the two begin making out, much to the shock of a guy sitting close by.

See, here is the difference which does not seem to be appreciated by the gay community. A commercial for a straight dating service shows happy couples holding hands, giving hugs, discrete pecks . . . and that's it. Gays bemoan the fact that they are not "accepted" but when they constantly go for the shock value, why would anyone take them seriously? All it serves to do is to reinforce the image of gay men as a bunch of oversexed guys who are unable to control their sexual urges and consequently cannot engage in appropriate public behavior.

It's not selling out, ladies, it's knowing your audience.

The New Poster Child

What do Al Gore and al-Qaeda have in common?

Bin Laden has mentioned climate change and global warming in past messages, but the latest tape was his first dedicated to the topic. The speech, which included almost no religious rhetoric, could be an attempt by the terror leader to give his message an appeal beyond Islamic militants.

Moral Lepers

This story is proof that we live in a great country.

An atheist organization is blasting the U.S. Postal Service for its plan to honor Mother Teresa with a commemorative stamp, saying it violates postal regulations against honoring "individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings."

What's the proof? That these idiots in an atheist organization have enough time and resources to protest something like this.

They should realize that had they been poor, starving lepers outside one of her missions, clinging steadfastly to their belief in disbelief, she would have taken them in.

People may have religious motives for humanitarian work, but if a Catholic and an atheist both feed the hungry and clothe the naked . . . it's the same in the eyes of God. And it is certainly equally aprpeciated in the eyes - and stomachs - of their beneficiaries.

Obscure Music Friday

Song: No Spill Blood

Artist: Oingo Boingo

Why I Chose This Song: Because I am feeling a tad Orwellian today . . . and this is a rgeat version. For all I know, I could be in that audience. I remember coming home from one of their concerts and I had seated so much from dancing, I could not take off my jeans.

Wait . . . He's Black?!

I forgot Chris Matthews was an idiot for an . . oh, no, I did not . . .

Suckers!

The conference is expected to agree a $500 million, five-year fund for President Karzai to “buy off” insurgents who are not ideologically committed to destroying the West.

Officials believe that many young Afghan men in the south and east of the country join the Taliban because they have little else to do.

Great Britain will basically buy off jihadists who declare that they have seen the light and are ready not to spread the will of Allah.

Right.

This is falling trap to that old "poverty breeds violence" thing, which may work in South Central Los Angeles, but not when 72 virgins are in the offering - or, rather, the rooted belief that 72 virgins are in the offering.

Fox Pas

Weir loves fashion, and his costumes tend to be on the avant-garde—some would say extreme—side. When the three-time U.S. champion redesigned his free skate costume before the U.S. champions, he had Handler add a tuft of white fox fur to the left shoulder.

Weir said he thought the costume was “lovely,” but Friends of Animals disagreed.

I was never a fan of figure skating before - I hate ballet and this is ballet on ice, IMO - but if this trend continues, I want to see how they incorporate wigs and rhinestone platform skates.

Fierce!

Taxman

One of my favorite cuts from the Revolver album.

Never Forget

Auschwitz was liberated by Soviet troops 65 years ago today.

Thank God.

Unsafe Waters

The head of a think tank on marriage and family testified at the Proposition 8 federal trial today that same-sex marriage would weaken marriage and possibly lead to fewer heterosexual marriages, more divorces and "more public consideration of polygamy."

That's a snippet from the ongoing trial against Proposition 8, which defines marriage in California to be between a man and a woman.

But also on the same page of news, I found this.

Putting an end to two and a half years of litigation, the online dating site eHarmony.com has reached an agreement to pay a half a million dollars and make its website more “welcoming” to seekers of same-sex matches, settling a class-action lawsuit brought by gays and lesbians in California.

As part of the California agreement, the Compatible Partners site will display the eHarmony logo “in a prominent position,” and will state that the service is “brought to you by eHarmony.” The site currently states that it is “powered by eHarmony.”

I think this is why the same-sex marriage movement has so many opponents. Why should it matter that a private company - eHarmony - had as its original business plan the idea that it would help hetereosexual couples find one another. If gays felt that they were in need of the same services, then I would expect some gay entrepreneur to produce those services and be rewarded for his or her time and effort.

Reading this, I am struck once again that the same-sex movement is less about "rights" and more about "agenda." The definition of words become increasingly irrelevant and one area where I see that happening is between tolerance and acceptance. I do not have to accept as "normal" or "good" the homosexual lifestyle as part of being tolerant, but that is what is demanded - an utter embrace by my institutions or nothing at all.

Think it cannot happen with the Catholic Church? Look at cases that have been tried against California's Unruh Act. In Catholic Charities of Sacramento, Inc. v. Superior Court (2004), the court held that Catholic Charities violated California law in refusing to provide a health insurance plan that covered contraceptives, as such were inimical to Catholic teaching.

And in North Coast Women’s Care Group, Inc. v. Superior Court (2008), physicians in San Diego were held to have violated the Unruh Act when they denied fertility treatment to a lesbian couple - except note that they personally denied the treatment to the couple but referred them to other doctors in their medical group who would have given them treatment. Not good enough. “A religious objector has no … constitutional right to an exemption from a neutral and valid law of general applicability on the ground that compliance with that law is contrary to the objector’s religious beliefs.”

Tolerance for differing viewpoints? I don't see it here.

Breaking the Code

Recruitment boss Nicole Mamo, 48, tried to post an advert for a £5.80-an-hour domestic cleaner on her local Jobcentre Plus website.

She ended the job offer by saying that any applicants for the post 'must be very reliable and hard-working'.

But when Ms Mamo called the Jobcentre Plus in Thetford, Norfolk, the following day she was told that her advert would not be displayed.

A Jobcentre Plus worker claimed that the word 'reliable' meant they could be sued for discriminating against unreliable workers.

Huh, I bet it was really the request for English speaking workers, which - like "truck" meaning "redneck American Conservative racist" - really is "non-hijab, non-burqua wearing types."

'Cause those types get riled up and start yelling, "Behead all infidels!" which is really just them expressing a low self-esteem . . .

PB&J

This isn't the Democratic party of our fathers and grandfathers. This is the party of Woodstock hippies. I was at Woodstock — I built the stage. And when everything fell apart, and people were fighting for peanut-butter sandwiches, it was the National Guard who came in and saved the same people who were protesting them. So when Hillary Clinton a few years ago wanted to build a Woodstock memorial, I said it should be a statue of a National Guardsman feeding a crying hippie.

-- Actor John Ratzenberger ("Cheers", "Made in America") speaking at a Scott Brown convention.

Statue of Limitations

Obama, who lived in Indonesia for 4 years beginning in 1967, “has yet to make a significant contribution to the Indonesian nation,” the Facebook page says. “We could say Obama only ate and shit in Menteng. He spent his subsequent days living as an American.”

Corgi-ism At Its Worst

Someone get me the ACLU's number. This effects the little people as well.

Chaos Theory

"If you were to ask, 'What is anarchism?' we would all disagree," said Vlad Bliffet, a member of the collective that organized the fair.

Of course you would - you're all anarchists. Duh!

Sheesh.

Akinator

This is addicting.

Stumped him with Francie Nolan, Snowball, and St. Miguel Pro. But he correctly guessed Jubal Hardshaw, St. Thomas More, and Dagney Taggert.

Man I Would Most Like to Be on a Sinking Cruise Ship With

Happy birthday, Ernest Borgnine . . . no, he is not dead yet.

Baby Got Back

But closer inspection – which many of her male fans undoubtedly undertook – revealed that the five-times Wimbledon champion was actually preserving her modesty with flesh-coloured underwear.

She explained to fans: ‘My dress for the Australian Open has been one of my best designs ever! It’s all about the slits and V-neck. I am wearing undershorts the same colour as my skin, so it gives the slits in my dress the full effect!’

Ghetto. I am curious to know what her father thinks.

Classic Steyn

Whenever aspiring writers ask me for advice, I usually tell 'em this:

Don't just write there, do something. Learn how to shingle a roof, or tap-dance, or raise sled dogs. Because if you don't do anything, you wind up like Obama and Fineman – men for whom words are props and codes and metaphors but no longer expressive of anything real.

America is becoming a bilingual society, divided between those who think a pickup is a rugged vehicle useful for transporting heavy-duty items from A to B, and those who think a pickup is coded racism.

I want Mark Steyn's love child . . .

For Every Season, Urn, Urn, Urn

Funerary urns come in all forms these days, from small keepsake matching sets for easy division among relatives to large sculpture that can contain the whole family -- three or four people, all together.

I very much like the idea of my family and I, all in a gumball machine. It would be . . . appropriate.

I went to Funeria, the site mentioned in the article. Beautiful work and a lot cheaper than caskets, even at Walmart.

Brangelina Bust Up

The Hollywood power couple are said to have been in talks with lawyers to agree a £205million split deal.

Legal papers, which the pair allegedly signed this week, reveal they plan to share their fortune equally and custody of their six children.

If TMZ or Drudge report it, it's true . . . plus I saw this today on the front page of the Enquirer.

What fortune to divide? They're not married.

Weird Science

Another group of Scientologists distributed antibiotic pills. "The doctors said give everyone with wounds antibiotics," said Italian volunteer Marina.

Some doctors at the hospital are skeptical. One US doctor, who asked not to be named, snorted: "I didn't know touching could heal gangrene."

A wealthy private donor provided his airplane to fly in 80 volunteers from Los Angeles, along with 50 Haitian-American-doctors, in a gesture worth 400,000 dollars, said a Parisian volunteer who gave her name as Sylvie.

Just what these Haitians need . . . Scientologists.

It's that voodoo that they do.

Take Me Out of the Ball Game, And Take Me Into the Church . . . (But Still Buy Me the Peanuts and Cracker Jack)

Instead, he believed he had another, higher calling. Desme announced Friday that he was leaving baseball to enter the priesthood, walking away after a breakout season in which he became MVP of the Arizona Fall League.

A lifelong Catholic, Desme thought about becoming a priest for about a year and a half. He kept his path quiet within the sports world, and his plan to enter a seminary this summer startled the A's when he told them Thursday night.

"I love the game, but I aspire to higher things," he said. "I know I have no regrets."

Prayers for his vocation. May God bless him daily in his journey.

Holy Bloggin', Batman!

"The spread of multimedia communications and its rich 'menu of options' might make us think it sufficient simply to be present on the Web," but priests are "challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources," he said.

The message, prepared for the World Day of Communications, suggests such possibilities as images, videos, animated features, blogs, and Web sites.

There are a number of superb blogs written by priests. I wish mine would get on-line and post his damn fine sermons.

Maybe Fr. Erik could do that as well - look, guys, we know you don't do it off the cuff . . . there are notes somewhere . . . even rough drafts would be appreciated so we can go back and see Scriptural references made, or certain points raised. Especially when we are interrupted during your sermone by a 9-year-old asking for the third time if he can go to the restroom . . .

BTW, I notice in the article that Roger Cardinal Mahoney has his own Facebook profile - wonder how many friends he has? Bet I have more! *snerk*

Out of Stock

I had to place mine on back order . . . not for myself, mind you.

Lawyers Care

As an attorney, I hear a lot of lawyer jokes.

Yeah, yeah, I know . . . we're always jockeying with used car salesmen for who is lowest in popularity. And then there are t-shirts that say, "Lawyers have feelings, too . . . allegedly."

I belong to a list serve through the Los Angeles County Bar, and I want to share an idea that one lawyer came up with and posted on the lsit serve. The forum is meant to share legal discussion among us lawyers and is generally not open to the public - unless they are a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association - but I think the public needs to hear this:

I apologize in advance to those who wish for all messages on this list serve to be dedicated to analytical discussions of statutes and cases in family law, a position which I generally support myself. In defense of my decision to post this email on the list serve, it occurred to me that I could make an argument that this relates to the collection of receivables. So, forgive me if this does not sound very collection-of-receivables focused.

Although the following may well violate the rules of this list serve, the devastating earthquake in Haiti which killed and maimed so many hundreds of thousands of people and continues to subject millions of men, women, and children to the horrors of a slow death from lack of clean water, food, medicine, and medical assistance compels me to suggest to the members of this list serve, many of whom have done so much for others in need for so many years [Harriet Bruhai, Levitt and Quinn, etc. not to mention the families they may assist on a daily basis], the possibility of sending a letter to clients and former clients who have not yet paid their bills in full as follows:

" Dear______:

In an effort to assist the people in Haiti who have become the victims of the recent devastating earthquake which killed and maimed so many and which continues to subject millions of men, women, and children to the horrors of a slow death from lack of clean water, food, medicine, and medical assistance, our office has decided to credit your account with $_______ for any contribution you may choose to make to the relief effort in Haiti. If you have made any contribution since the earthquake, or choose to make one at this time, please simply send a note to my office confirming that you have done so, and your next billing statement will reflect a credit for the amount you have donated up to a maximum credit of $________.

As in any crisis such as this, there are always individuals who attempt to take advantage of the circumstances and seek to obtain donations without intending to actually spend the donations on the rescue of the people of Haiti, or they may have perfectly good intentions, but lack the resources to insure that the funds they try to dedicate to those purposes actually benefit the people to the same extent those same contributions would make if made to an established charity with sufficient resources and personnel in the United States and in Haiti to minimize the risk of the donation not actually reaching the intended beneficiaries. Thus, our office is suggesting that you consider making a donation through The Red Cross or through Artists for Peace and Justice, Project Haiti. To donate to the Red Cross for Haiti relief, go to RedCross.org, hit "donate now" button at top, and then select Haiti Relief and Development. The money will go directly to relief efforts in Haiti. Or call 1-800-Red-Cross. According to the Red Cross, a $100 contribution can provide 10 families with 20 water cans with clean water, a blanket, or other supplies to permit people to survive. Artists for Peace and Justice claims to be able to send 100% of the amounts donated directly to doctor and community organizer, Father Rick Frechette, who runs two pediatric hospitals, street schools in the slums, and other facilities for those in need. You can donate on line or send checks to Artists For Peace & Justice, 206 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, California, 91204. Of course, there are a number of charitable organizations providing benefits and you are free to choose any such entity if you wish to take advantage of this proposal.

You may wish to consult your tax advisor with regard to the deductibility of any contribution you may wish to make as it is possible that you may have tax benefits from such a contribution which may not be available to you without making such a contribution.

Very Truly
Yours"

For those of you who wish to consider sending such a letter and can afford to do so, when deciding whether you can afford to do so and what amount to include in your letter, you may wish to consider the fact that overhead for most of us is a significant portion of collections, and then income taxes consumes another significant portion. Even if you allocate the overhead to the fees previously collected and consider the amount of the credit you are willing to offer to your clients as only subject to income taxes, the net amount you are giving up by making the proposal does not need to be very significant while the impact on the lives of people in great need will be very dramatic. Somewhat analogous to The Gates Foundation analysis of where they send $20 million every week by deciding where the money will have the greatest impact on the lives of the recipients of the benefits. At this point in time in Haiti, modest contributions are sufficient to save people from dying of dehydration, starvation, and injuries which would not be life-threatening if they received even the most rudimentary of medical care.

Undoubtedly, many of you have already made great contributions in varying ways to various charities, including those dedicated to the people of Haiti, and many of you may have other suggestions which are superior to what I am doing in my office, but it did occur to me that many of you may wish to do this or something like this.

With regard to my claim that this memo is "arguably" related to a family law issue of significance to members of the list, one could certainly argue that the public perception of members of the family law bar is a matter of concern to all of us as is the collection of receivables. I respectfully suggest that sending such a letter to clients and former clients who have not yet paid their bills in full will tend to positively impact the public image of the family law attorneys (and all other attorneys, accountants, mental health professionals, etc.) who elect to send such a letter. Further, sending such a letter may also assist the lawyer or accountant or other professional in collecting the balance of the bill which remains unpaid. OK, no empirical evidence to support this speculation, but I can virtually guarantee you with some empirical support, that you will feel good when you get those notes from clients and former client who tell you that they have made the contribution. You may even inspire them to make larger contributions and to pass along that spirit to others who have the ability to do so. Without Bill Gates making the decision he made would Warren Buffet have made the 44 billion contribution to his foundation? Would Branson have made his enormous contribution to charity?

Now, go out there and send those "collection letters." You will not be paid what your clients contractually agreed to pay you, but you just may regard the benefits as superior to those you would have received if you had been paid in full.

"What a Horrible Woman She Is!"

She's up for re-election this year. What can Brown do for you?

Capitalism Killed the Radio Star

"The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a `perfect storm' in the media industry generally," the company said in a statement on its Web site.

That, and no one listened and no one bought ads.

Oh, and the "big names" Al Franken and Rachel Maddow left for greener pastures. This gig doesn't pay a lot, you know.

Obscure Music Friday

Song: Patches

Artist: Clarence Carter

Why This Song This Morning: Because last night the Communications Committee of the St. Joseph School Board met. At the Olde Ship. Maybe beer was involved. Anyway, at the end, the principal and I were playing "Jukebox of Cheese from the 70's" and reminiscing about some of the best that was pressed into a .45. Vinyl, that is.

But this great song done to WoW? Priceless!

Who's Yer Daddy?

In a statement released to NBC News, Edwards said, "I am Quinn’s father...It was wrong for me ever to deny she was my daughter and hopefully one day, when she understands, she will forgive me."

The child has released her own statement, saying she'd like to return to living the lie.

Like a Thief in the Night . . .

. . . or malware?

Thanks to The Crescat - who else would find this?

You Dropped the Bomb on Me, Baby

Step 2: Be on the prowl…

Once you’ve arrived to your carefully selected gathering, start identifying your victims. Keep an eye out for the narcissistic girl that is really taking pictures to improve her Facebook profile default.

See, I never knew this annoying habit could be an actual art form. I am usually the one taking pictures, but while sticking my camera into people's faces constantly never quite endeared me, now I can be a real a-hole if they try to turn the lens on me!

Auntie Em! Auntie Em!

Josie will play the part of Toto.

How's the weather by you?

Now Showing

Thanks to The Ugly American.

No Easy Ridin'

Terminally ill Dennis Hopper doesn't want to kick the bucket until he boots the greedy wife he once lavished with expensive gifts, the movie icon's pals say.

Now the star, who is dying of prostate cancer, is desperately trying to hang on until his divorce from Duffy becomes final.

Well, since he filed last Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the California Family Code section 2339 mandates that he has to wait at least six months before the marital status - that which makes him a married man - can be terminated.

So hang in there, Dennis!

Loser(s)

Coakley said she received a phone call from President Barack Obama: “He actually just called me before I came onstage to say that we can’t win them all, and he knows that better than any, as he told me.

Right, because that Chicago Olympic bid was a huge disappointment, compared to the loss of a super majority in the Senate.

Well done, Senator Scott Brown (R-MA)! November will be interesting!

When They Outlaw Beer Pong, Only Outlaws . . . Wait, What?

City Council members on Tuesday are scheduled to consider a ban on alcohol games and contests for new restaurants coming to downtown. The rule would be added to regulations imposed by the police chief in September that banned drinking games at the city's existing restaurants that serve alcohol.

That means, in short: No more beer pong in Surf City . . .

Huntington Beach says they are doing this to "encourage better citizenship." I hate to tell them, but drinking games have been around since, well, people first started drinking. So now they'll just take the pong out of the bars and into the streets . . . okay, the homes, actually. Drinking is illegal on the streets.

Why do I care? Because there does not seem to be any real reason to target beer pong specifically and I hate when a nanny state adheres little Bandaids with butterflies on them to issues like this. If Huntington Beach wants to "clean up" the image of its downtown Main Street, then put more lighting, have regular clean-up crews there on weekends (the garbage is usually left to accumulate until Monday when you don't have to pay overtime) and have a police presence with orders to squash bad behavior of any type.

Oh yeah, and more parking.

God's Got You in His Sights

Other references include citations from the books of Revelation, Matthew and John dealing with Jesus as "the light of the world." John 8:12, referred to on the gun sights as JN8:12, reads, "Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Trijicon confirmed to ABCNews.com that it adds the biblical codes to the sights sold to the U.S. military.

You know that someone in Washington DC will have a fit over this - in fact, I daresay ACLU lawyers clowns are already frothing at the mouth.

So what is the difference between this and the soldier or Marine who places the verse reference on himself, which is often done in the military. Ever read the headbands on helmets?

My biggest concern - if I just happened to be on the House Ways and Means Committee - is are these sights effective? If the answer is yes, then frankly I don't care if they have coded references to Black Sabbath lyrics.

Uncomfortable with God on the sights? Maybe you ought to be, son . . .

James Cameron Wants to See Us All Dead

A 42-year-old Taiwanese man with a history of high blood pressure has died of a stroke likely triggered by over-excitement from watching the blockbuster Avatar in 3D, a doctor says.

Any moment now I expect a phone call from his lawyers for this one . . .

Oh, the huge manatee!

Don't Turn Your Back on Barney

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) on Friday hinted at who's to blame if Democrats lose next week's Massachusetts Senate special election. With polls showing the race tightening, Frank told reporters Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) should have campaigned harder for the seat.

On Friday? Geez, that's even before Obama stumped for her on Sunday. Man, Barney, how quick are you to throw the weak under the bus. In the Democratic Party, evidently there is no honor among thieves.

Who?

Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy was on the stump tonight for Martha Coakley. The problem is the Democrat Congressman, who happens to be the late Ted Kennedy’s son, continually referred to Ms. Coakley as “Marsha”, instead of Martha, during a post-rally press conference.

It doesn't matter anyway . . .

Greener Than Thou

As awareness of environmental concerns has grown, therapists say they are seeing a rise in bickering between couples and family members over the extent to which they should change their lives to save the planet.

While no study has documented how frequent these clashes have become, therapists agree that the green issue can quickly become poisonous because it is so morally charged. Friends or family members who are not devoted to the environmental cause can become irritated by life choices they view as ostentatiously self-denying or politically correct.

Because it is irritating. It is as divisive as any political or religious issue. And I bet it becomes personal: you don't care about the Earth, and I'm part of the Earth, so you don't really care about me, because if you cared about me, you'd care about what I care about, and what I care about is morally superior to what you care about . . .

Any surprise this is happening along gender lines?

Happy Birthday to Meesh

Thanks to Facebook, last year I was able to hook up with an old high school friend, who also lives in California. Michele Willms Silveri is another survivor from the Class of '78 back in the Bronx at Cardinal Spellman High School. Last Saturday I attended her 50th birthday party.

This woman and I rode "the Bainbridge Special" every morning. This was a city bus under contract to Spellman to shuttle kids to the school. Michele would usually be first on the bus and distribute her books over the seats to "save" them for her friends. Michele was not a bad girl, but she was a jockette and had a rep as a "tough" girl, so no one moved those books. Consequently, I had a seat in the morning.

You know what? It's a good age. It's a good age because a lot of the immature insecurities of the past are gone and you have fun, without giving a damn.

We love ya, Meesh!

Tony's in a Good Place

He's on the treadmill more. He's sleeping better. He's about 20 pounds lighter, dabbles in yoga and has declared Mondays "meatless."

And he still makes me happy to live in Santa Ana. And at least he won't be governor.

Swiffer Baby

Drew Barrymore gives birth to a dust mop while attending the Golden Globe awards.

The Love Boat

Some booked on ships scheduled to stop at Labadee [in Haiti] are afraid that desperate people might breach the resort's 12ft high fences to get food and drink, but others seemed determined to enjoy their holiday."I'll be there on Tuesday and I plan on enjoying my zip line excursion as well as the time on the beach," said one.

Damn it, they paid good money for that vacation!

DigiBook Review: Squeeze Play

Title: How to Good-bye Depression: If You Constrict Anus 100 Times Everyday. Malarkey? or Effective Way?

Author Hiroyuki Nishigaki has given us an important text to bring us closer to fulfillment and joy in our lives. I predict that this book will have as great an impact - and as useful - on society as L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics.

The Table of Contents reveals what a jewel this book really is. Chapters include:

• Turn to bay throwing away pride.
• Stare, shoot out immaterial fiber, ucceed in concentrating, behave with abandon-largesse-humor and beckon the spirit
• Check your condition

How could you not buy it? After reading it, I not only ucceeded in concentrating, my uccess could be measured in all my functions! And I finally learned to spell! As one reviewer called it: "A lovely treatise on the power of positive-sphincking!"

You buy! Today! And feer good for rest of rife!

Also available from this author is Rejuvenation and Unveiled Hidden Phenix: Carlos Castaneda Shamanism Plus a after His Death. I peeked inside and was not disappointed, finding this gem:

The spirit of Mr. Bush is of red-orange color, has a secret weapon like a sharp-dagger side-thrown by hand, and can enlarge to the same width of the state of California about 2 thousand km high.

Of course!

Air Time

Focus on the Family will air a 30-second "life- and family-affirming" television spot, featuring University of Florida star quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam, during the coverage.

Which is pissing off people because five years ago, MoveOn.org was denied a spot, saying "political" ads have no place on Super Bowl Sunday.

But what happened to the beloved "separation of church and state" of the liberals? If it is true, then this is not a political ad.

What it is, however, is a commercial that is appealing to a helluva lot more people than MoveOn.org. Libs oughta think about that.

Sugar and Spice and . . .

These are print ads for a Peruvian bittersweet chocolate candy, called "The Dark Side of Sweetness." I like them!

It's All That!

And a bag of chips!

Stay Home

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she will travel to Haiti on Saturday to see earthquake relief efforts first hand, deliver supplies and meet Haitian President Rene Preval.

All accounts point to a country on the brink of collapse and one where the relief effort - that would be getting FOOD AND WATER to the survivors - is severely hampered by the devastation . . . so let's send in a major US political figure requiring security and sure to bring along her own entourage requiring thet same FOOD AND WATRE the survivors do.

Dumbass. Stay home. If MSNBC correspondents can broadcast from the airport and bitch about how they have to sleep outdoors, then you can call President Preval on the phone.

But send the supplies, okay?

I Never Liked "Goodnight, Moon" As a Child

But I thought "Where the Wild Things Are" had an interesting subplot . . .

Lawd, Halp Me!

Picture Worth a Thousand Words

Smeared in dust and debris and wide-eyed with terror, Redjeson Hausteen Claude is plucked free from the rubble of his devastated home.

Seconds later, the two-year-old's grimy face lights up in a smile when he catches sight of his ecstatic mother Daphnee Plaisin.

I wish I knew of a way to bring this mother and child to my home right now. But for now, this picture just made my day, seeing that smile. Imagine what is in that two-year-old's mind - two days buried alone, only to have strange people dig you out, and then to see . . . Mama.

Least We Know How She Feels About a Conscience Clause to Any Healthcare Bill

Ken Pittman: Right, if you are a Catholic, and believe what the Pope teaches that any form of birth control is a sin. ah you don’t want to do that.

Martha Coakley: No we have a seperation of church and state Ken, lets be clear.

Ken Pittman: In the emergency room you still have your religious freedom.

Martha Coakley: (……uh, eh…um..) The law says that people are allowed to have that. You can have religious freedom but you probably shouldn’t work in the emergency room.

How many Catholics are there in Massachusetts? Way to go, Martha!

I frankly want the person who believs life is worth preserving if I am lying on an ER gurney. But I'm not a Democrat . . .

All Catholic health workers who would love to stick a catheter in Senate candidate Martha Coakley, raise your gloved hand . . .

Okay, A Bit of Levity From Some Gravity

The floor of a Weight Watchers clinic in Sweden collapsed beneath a group of 20 members of the weight loss programme who were gathered for a meeting.

Easy - no one was hurt.

And As If Pat Robertson Wasn't Bad Enough . . .

Says [Danny] Glover [on Haiti]: “When we see what we did at the climate summit in Copenhagen, this is the response, this is what happens, you know what I’m sayin’?”

Dumbshit.

Le Tonton Macoute Est Revenu

What made the situation that much more tense was sightings of gangs of young men with machetes. On Wednesday they were seen getting into stores and taking all the supplies they could carry. The armed men were seen marching up and down the streets with machetes raised and the competition among the gangs turned quite fierce.

This was bound to happen. As desperation for basic survival grows and aid is slowed by the devastation, Haitians are turning to violence. Haiti has always had serious problems with crime and with every infrastructure gone, it is a powder keg.

I heard talk of worry that there is no government and so the country is ripe for another Duvalier type to take control. But, who wants to rule a land of the dead?

I am heartsick over the children left orphaned, who are wandering the streets. I am keeping my eyes open for any adoption relief effort. If you hear of any, let me know.

Obscure Music Friday

Song: Heaven Knows

Artist: Robert Plant

Why I Chose This Song: Cheesy 80's video acting, but a subtle reference to Haiti, making it timely - bonus points for the first person to spot it!

Blogging is Light . . .

. . . because I am busy. Hope to come back to full steam soon.

Don't Just Sit There

Or pray, if that is all you can do.

RIP, Miep Gies

"Imagine young people would grow up with the feeling that you have to be a hero to do your human duty. I am afraid nobody would ever help other people, because who is a hero? I was not. I was just an ordinary housewife and secretary."

Miep Gies hid Anne Frank and her family, and gathered Anne's diary together after the Nazis raided the secret annex where the Franks and other Jews were hiding, returning it to Anne's father - the only survivor of the family - after the war.

Her quote above should be looked at with last Sunday's Gospel reading in mine. Jesus did not have to be baptized by John the Baptist. Indeed, John protested, stating that he was not even fit to undo Jesus' sandals. But Jesus insisted in taking part of a common and human ritual. And look at the impact it made.

We can convince ourselves that we have nothing to offer because we are not "heroes." Mrs. Gies' statement reminds us to think simply on what is our everyday duty as a human being . . . and do it.

Visitng Day at the Pokey

I went yesterday to pick up my two reprobates, which was pretty pricey - cost of pickup and shelter for two days - even though they spent less than 24 hours in the pound, because they were admitted on one calendar date and released the next - $308.

And guess what were missing . . . their tags. "No, they were brought in without them."

Methinks budget crunch means if Animal Services gets them, they bring them in because they know people have to pay to have them released. No call to the owner. In fact, they did not even scan Josie until after I told them she had a chip in her.

Don't get me wrong, it is a great thing that they post pictures of the animals on their website to help owners find their pets. But I asked the girl, "What if a family could not afford $300." "Well, she said, "we'd see if they can at least pay half."

I asked, "And what if that is too expensive, even then?"

She made a sad face. "Then they just surrender them to the county."

Take Back Rosarito

"In Mexico, we expect the government to take care of everything," he told me. "But it's the people who have to take charge of the situation." Saldivar has learned that lesson living in California. Citizens here denounce criminal activity to the authorities -- whether it's a drug dealer or a corrupt official -- even if it means doing so anonymously, he said.

The drug wars in Mexico saddens me because it means it has cut off access by Americans. I will not bring my kids south of the border, which is a shame because we have easy access to Baja California and I have good memories there of lolling on the beach.

But never mind my vacation plans . . . I hate to see the people there having to live under not military law, but the lawlessness of the drug cartels. The quote above is right - Fr. Hidalgo needs to come back.

Mug Shot

You and your big ideas, "we'll wear disguises and nobody will recognize us" you said. "Then we’ll jump a train to Albuquerque and join the circus" you said …corgis are so stupid…next time I wear the fake nose and you dress up as Joe Biden.

Thanks to my friend, Buzz Bannister, for both the doctored picture and the caption!

I will be going today to pick up those two delinquents from the pound. Now I have to also canvass the neighborhood and take down all of my "Lost Dogs" flyers!

Crying

My dogs, Josie and Dante, went missing this morning at around 10:00 am and as of this moment, are still not home. I have put up signs in my neighborhood and visited the county animal shelter twice to see if they are there.

St. Francis of Assisi, please keep my pups safe.

UPDATE: I will be picking them up tomorrow!

Pull!

That would be friggin' awesome . . . Fr. Erik, you wanna form a club?

Octomom Got It Right

As unpopular as she is, Octomom's suceess in the appellate court is the right thing.

"The petition's allegations are insufficient to infringe on a parent's civil rights or to rebut the presumption under California law that a parent is competent to manage the finances of his or her children," the justices wrote. "There is nothing in the petition that shows that the best interests of the children in the management of their finances are not being served by Suleman."

Paul Petersen, a "child former actor" - he was a Mousketeer back in 1955 who was fired after two weeks for disorderly conduct, but later as an adult wrote a book called Walt, Mickey and Me: Confessions of the First Ex-Mouseketeer, which must be a fast read given the brevity of his tenure with Disney - is a complete stranger to Nadya Suleman and her children.

Yet he successfully brought suit in Orange County Superior Court to have a financial guardian appointed over the children. His claim is that her children are vulnerable to financial exploitation. Although his web site offers no real details how he was exploited during his childhood career, he does state that he "knows" because he has "been there, done that."

Maybe they are. Maybe they aren't. The point in this story is that Petersen had a burden of proof and one thing a court cannot do is to speculate as to "what will be" when there is no evidence as to "what has been." This is why an appellate court overturned the judge's decision and Nadya Suleman prevailed.

Think about it. A parent has a constitutional right, established by case law, to be a parent. That is not simply rhetoric but a serious issue, and one that allows parents to make decisions for their children, such as homeschooling or even religious education. Absent the proper evidence, does any parent want a third party - in this case, a stranger - to sue them in court for control over their children, much less even have the legal opportunity (what is called judicial standing) to even try?

Recently, I heard another lawyer make the statement that a person's court filing is not a letter to Santa Claus. I like that analogy. Children can ask Santa for anything, including a new baby brother or a rocket to fly to the moon. You have to have a legal basis for your claim, backed by a factual one - you can't simply stroll into court and file a motion, say, to have your neighbor dress her children more conservatively because you feel her 16-year-old's skirts are too high.

Like it or not, Nadya deserves to have her civil rights protected and it is a good thing the appellate court did just that. I am a parent and I do not want to have to defend my role as such against a stranger with an agenda.

Peteson's website promoting his cause can be found here.

Happy Birthday to the King

Had he lived, Elvis would be turning 75 years old today. I had the opportunity a couple of years back to visit Graceland. There I learned that while Elvis had his personal demons with alcohol and drugs, one thing it never diminished was his generosity, whether of spirit, wealth, or hospitality. And especially to the common man.

Did you know that despite numerous accolades, there was only one award for which Elvis showed up to accept? It was one from the local Jaycees. Because he thought that was important.

Obscure Music Friday

Song: My Medicine

Artist: Snoop Dogg

Why I Like It: Ghetto C&W - friggin' awesome. "What's the use of the truth if you can't tell a lie sometimes . . ."

That'll Do, Pig

Why pigs are more awesome than you.

I Say, Baby, It's Cold Outside

This is a shot of Great Britain taken by one of NASA's satellites showing how much of an icy grip Old Man Winter has on it!

That really is quite remarkable.

Will You Still Need Me, Will You Still Feed Me . . .

I want to be one of these ladies when I am their age!

I'm Flying Solo - Announcing Richer Law

I have been a practicing attorney since December 2002, after I chose to become a lawyer as a second career (here, let me do the math - I graduated law school at the age of 41). Since that time, I have exclusively practiced family law in Southern California.

Times, they are a-changin'. I went out into the legal world wanting to do family law and knowing it meant going to court and fight, fight, fight for my client's rights. A grand idea, except for one flaw.

It was not always good for the client.

In fact, what I began to see was a typical pattern where the litigants parties couple would spend about 18 months living through a series of motions for temporary orders (called Orders to Show Cause or "OSC's" to use the habit of three-letter acronyms so prevalent among attorneys); demands for production of paperwork going back around 5 years; flare-ups that result in angry exchange of letters, crying jags on the phone with their lawyer; obsessive speculation about "what the other side is thinking/plotting/doing"; more discovery; a couple of depositions in front of a court reporter; continuances of scheduled court appearances that usually "pushed things out" 3 to 4 months because of the congestion in the courts' dockets; sitting in the hallways of courthouses or the courtrooms wondering what the hell is happening because the judge has asked the attorneys to "come back into chambers" where no layperson may go; and a lot of TUMS getting chewed.

To what end? Very, very rarely are cases litigated in trial. What usually happens are that the noce folks who fell out of love run out of steam and run out of money. So they settle. They come to an agreement as to who gets the grand piano and who will spend Christmas with little Octavia. A stipulated Judgment is written up and it's all over . . . with each side having racked up anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 in attorney fees.

Think I am kidding? Go ask a friend - everyone knows at least one person who has gone through a divorce. I am willing to bet that the majority of people would say, "If I had to do it over, I would do things differently . . ."

I want to do that, too. In November 2009, I found the difference. I am fortunate to be in Southern California where I could attend intensive training with Forrest "Woody" Mosten, a premier mediator in Family Law. The training in mediation he gave me left me plus my own experiences convinced that (a) the traditional approach remains unworkable for many folks and (b) those same folks are good and smart people who, given the right forum, can work together to resolve their differences and emerge from their divorce with sanity and wallet intact . . . and probably at least respect for one another.

With that, as of January 1, 2010, I have started my own firm - Richer Law - Mediation and Family Law Alternatives. My goal is to provide a forum for mediation of divorce cases and other family law matters at affordable rates that allow a typical middle-class, suburban couple to make this transition in their lives. Family Law, as was once told to me by a very smart lawyer, will always be around because it runs off of human nature, and that has not changed in the last several centuries. But with a recession on, the courts are seeing more and more pro se or pro per litigants, meaning those who represent themselves, and people looking for alternatives to walking into those edifices of justice (which usually reflect some bad 70's architecture).

I can help people do it differently. I offer mediation services, as well as what is called "unbundled services," which means a pro per party can use me on an "as-needed" basis. In March 2010, I will become certified in Collaborative Law, which is another non-litigation approach to Family Law. And for couples who are divorcing and have it all worked out - God bless them - I offer a one-time flat fee to get it all done, as the court system does not make it easy for the avergage Joe and Jane to do their paperwork (do you really want to become familiar with the "Declaration Under the UCCJEA", which is mandatory form for cases with children, or would you like to know it is prepared correctly and ready for your signature?).

Please visit my web site to learn more. I also have a legal blog to inform the local scene about what is going on in Family Law. Finally, feel free to become a fan of Richer Law - Mediation and Family Law Alternatives on Facebook.

If you or a family member or a friend need help, I can provide it. If you are a professional in another discipline, such as a therapist, clergy, or an accountant, and need the assistance of an attorney to help you with your own clients, I can provide it.

As I said in a recent announcement to my colleagues, my goal is to help find their resolution in divorce and family law matters without losing their worth.

E.D.

Fourteen suspected terrorists died Tuesday night when the bus they rigged with explosives blew up prematurely, police said.

The explosion occurred as the suspects were riding the bus in the province of Kunduz, said police chief Abdul Raziq Yaqobi.

Yaqobi said the suspects wanted to attack Afghan police or foreign soldiers.

Ha! No virgins for you, Achmed!