Archive for April 29th, 2008
29
Apr
08
Congress At Its Best!!
When you think of gang signs you probably think of tattoos and/or flashed hand symbols, maybe even wearing certain colors, but they’ve taken it to the next level…so to speak. In Portland, Oregon a new trend has emerged – shaving lines in your eyebrows.
While butchered eyebrows used to be the exclusive domain of elderly women who have plucked them beyond the point of recovery or drunks who got too close attempting to light a cigarette off a stove, it is exclusive no more. Gangs in Portland have taken to shaving vertical lines in their eyebrows to differentiate themselves from, we can only guess, gangs that shave horizontal lines in their eyebrows.
It’s gotten to the point that administrators at Centennial High School in Portland is sending with the lines students home until they shave their eyebrows off completely and grow them back normally. Yeah, we know, just what society needs, gang members with a lot of free time on their hands.
Coming next to Portland, the violent gang known as the Pink Floyds.
29
Apr
08
Worthy reads.
Italy, Spain, and France face serious economic challenges because of bloated public sectors. But as a Wall 
Street Journal editorial explains, there is very little evidence that politicians intend to reduce the burden of government.
Merkel Drifts Further to the Left.
A Wall Street Journal news report explains how Germany’s Angela Merkel has given up many of her supposed free-market principles and instead is rolling back some of the good reforms of her Social Democrat predecessor.
Gordon Brown’s Anti-Democracy Crusade.
Having surrendered much of his nation’s sovereignty to the bureaucracy in Brussels, UK Prime Minster Gordon Brown came to America and suggested that the U.S. follow him down the same path and submit to global governance. Phyllis Schafly slices and dices Brown’s anti-democratic agenda.
29
Apr
08
Thank You 5-Hour Energy Drink
We would like to thank 5-Hour Energy for providing samples of their product for the May First Friday Happy Hour. If you are not familiar with 5-Hour Energy, it is a two-ounce liquid energy shot that provides hours of elevated alertness, focus and energy that comes in berry, lemon-lime and orange flavors.
We also appreciate the fact that 5-Hour Energy drink maker Living Essentials has a sense of humor. In January, President Clinton was caught napping at a service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Convent Avenue Baptist Church in Harlem. In response to President Clinton’s napping episode, Living Essentials sent a case of 5-Hour Energy to the former President. We at First Friday would generally rather see the former President sleeping than hear him speaking, but you have to tip your hat to Living Essentials for capitalizing on President Clinton’s nap.
Here is their Press Release on the incident:
Caught Napping – President Clinton’s Dream Speech
Former President Won’t Be Nodding Off Again Anytime Soon
NOVI, MI – Living Essentials, maker of 5-Hour Energy®, sent a case of its popular two-ounce energy shot to President Bill Clinton today, after video surfaced of the former Commander in Chief nodding off during a church ceremony commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Everyone needs help staying awake at times. Even former presidents,” said Living Essentials Director of Corporate Communications Carl Sperber. “5-Hour Energy helps thousands of busy people stay awake, alert and productive every day. We think it will help President Clinton, too.”
In an effort for political correctness during this campaign season, Clinton was sent a split case of equal parts berry, lemon lime and orange flavors of 5-Hour Energy.
About 5-Hour Energy: 5-Hour Energy is a two-ounce energy drink that provides hours of energy, alertness and focus with no crash and no jitters. It contains a blend of B-vitamins and amino acids, zero sugar, and only four calories. It is available at retail outlets throughout the United States and Canada.
For more information, please visit: www.5hourenergy.com
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On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down a 6-3 decision upholding Indiana’s law which requires voters to produce a photo ID before they are allowed to vote.
Twenty-five states have required at some point voters to produce some form of ID before they are allowed to vote with varying rulings being handed down by lower courts on the constitutionality of these laws. Monday’s decision could have an immediate impact on a number of states including Indiana, Florida and Georgia.
It should be noted that Indiana made every effort possible to minimize the burden the 2006 photo ID law had on its citizens who are not in possession of a valid photo ID. First, Indiana provides IDs free of charge to individuals who do not posses a driver’s license. Additionally, lawmakers included a provision in their law that allows voters without a valid photo ID to cast a provisional ballot and produce a valid form of identification at a later date. Finally, residents of nursing homes are not required to produce a photo ID if their polling location is located in their nursing home facility.
The majority opinion was written by Justice Stevens who was joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kennedy. Justice Scalia wrote a concurring opinion and was joined by Justice Thomas and Justice Alito. Dissenting opinions were written by Justice Souter who was joined by Justice Ginsburg and Justice Breyer.
There were several questions that had to be answered before the Court could arrive at their decision:
1. Does requiring voters to produce a photo ID before they are allowed to vote impose an excessively burdensome requirement on any class of voters?
Justice Stevens writes – “The record says virtually nothing about the difficulties faced by either indigent voters or voters with religious objections to being photographed. …In sum, on the basis of the record that has been made in this litigation, we cannot conclude that the statute imposes ‘excessively burdensome requirements’ on any class of voters.”
Justice Scalia concurring with Stevens writes – “The lead opinion assumes petitioners’ premise that the voter-identification law ‘may have imposed a special burden on’ some voters, but holds that petitioners have not assembled evidence to show that the special burden is severe enough to warrant strict scrutiny. That is true enough, but for the sake of clarity and finality as well as adherence to precedent, I prefer to decide these cases on the grounds that petitioners’ premise is irrelevant and that the burden at issue is minimal and justified.”
2. Is the burden placed on the voter outweighed by the possibility of preventing voter fraud?
Justice Stevens writes – “Indiana’s own experience with fraudulent voting in the 2003 Democratic primary for East Chicago mayor – though perpetrated using absentee ballots and not in-person fraud – demonstrate that not only is the risk of voter fraud real but that it could affect the outcome of a close election.”
3. On a side note Stevens addressed the political implications presented in the photo ID cases:
“In their briefs, petitioners stress the fact that all of the Republicans in the General Assembly voted in favor” of the law “and the Democrats were unanimous in opposing it. … It is fair to infer that partisan considerations may have played a significant role in the decision to enact” the law and “if such considerations had provided the only justification for a photo identification requirement, we may assume” that the law “would suffer the same fate as the poll tax. But if a nondiscriminatory law is supported by valid neutral justifications, those justifications should not be disregarded simply because partisan interests may have provided one motivation for the votes of individual legislators.”
It is now time for the states to move forward with photo ID requirements that will stand up to the Courts decision. There are few rights our Founding Fathers gave us that are more important than the right to vote. Photo ID requirements at worst place a de minimis burden on the voter while insuring the integrity of the votes being cast. Requiring eligible voters to display a photo ID is a small price to pay to ensure the minimization of voter fraud. The Supreme Court could not have been more correct in holding that Indiana’s law requiring a photo ID is a constitutional and justifiable way to protect “the integrity and reliability of the electoral process.”
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A few moments with Jeremiah Wright
The Real Me – The Who
Podcast Theme
Fearless – The Bravery
Intro, recap of our night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, name dropping-ish, Newt, Kumar, Kumar, Newt, naming of the special guests, explaining the cause and rules for the May First Friday, $5 gets you in, a free drink (one of our specials) and a 5 Hour Energy Drink bottle (while supplies last), goes to the defense fund for the Jefferson 1, brief story of the Jefferson 1, thanks to 5 Hour Energy Drink and Union Pub for their help in this, why Hitchens is pissed about this arrest, the return of Jeremiah Wright, a discussion of “context” and Wright, Obama’s revolving door of radical associates, “patriotism” and Reverend Wright, the difference between a deflection and a defense, Obama gives the green light to Wright criticism, an attempt to turn attention to William Ayers? Why Ayers is more troubling for Obama, Wright at the NAACP, an attack on the black church or a bigoted preacher? Reverend Wright’s background and Obama’s defense of him, the “success guilt” phenomenon, what “leaders” like Wright end up getting people who take their “lead.”
Exit music
Do You Wanna Dance – The Ramones
Obama Fragrance Ad
1812 Overture – Tchaikovsky
The Adventures of Superdelegate
Superman 50’s TV theme
Bumper music
Army of Me – Bjork
Supreme Court rules in favor of Indiana law requiring photo ID when voting, the end of ACORN? Other things you can’t do without ID, specifics of the law and the ruling, how the Left wants to require ID, a background check and a colonoscopy to buy a gun (which is clearly spelled out in the Constitution) but go crazy over the idea of requiring one to vote, the language of the decision, Scallia’s opinion, Darth Vader Ginsberg, Pelosi and Reid aren’t happy so you should be, Kit Bond and the voting dog, the race for endorsements from Senators, does anyone really care what other Senators think? Which Democrat will be easier to beat in November? Pros and cons of each.
Exit music
C’Mon, C’Mon – Von Bondies
Sleazealis ad featuring Eliot Spitzer
Me so horny – 2 Live Crew
ACLU voter fraud ad
American Idiot – Richard Cheese
Bumper music
Low – Cracker
Two quick headlines from stories that didn’t make the cut for News of the Weird but are worthy of mention. Numbers 50-41 of the top 50 most influential political pundits. Rachael Maddow (REALLY?)
New of the Weird, News of the World, News of…Whatever!
300 pound inmate complains he’s not being fed well enough because he used to weight 400 pounds.
Man in France pulled over for driving 125 mph while watching a video.
Man given 13 years for breaking into the prison he was just released from after 6 years the day before, tried the “I was possessed by demons” defense.
Assisi, home of the Patron Saint of the poor, Saint Francis, bans begging by poor people.
Florida State Senator wants to ban “testicles for cars.”
Lawmaker known for public nose-picking retires in Taiwan.
Russian billionaire to start “Snob” magazine to help rich flaunt their wealth.
Windsor, Ontario to ban public vomiting.
Wrap-up, recap of guests for Friday and the fundraiser.
End music
A Day in the Life – The Beatles
