Fridays Are Cool!

Mystery Man Keeps Showing Up On TV In England

This is really fascinating!

The identity of a mystery man who has been appearing in the background of live news bulletins over the past few months has finally been revealed.

The man's many appearances had been tracked by the fidgetwith.com blog which spotted him hovering in the background of reports on Sky News, ITV, BBC and Channel 4, as well as on an episode of 'The Antiques' Roadshow'.

Now it's been revealed that he is Paul Yarrow, a 38-year-old care worker from South London, and his appearances are part of a protest against the media.

He told the Evening Standard: "It is a statement about the image conscious media. I am overweight and people like me are treated as unsightly because of the way they look."

"I could have a valid point about something but the microphone is always passed to the person alongside me. The point I am making is that the more you push me aside, the more I'm going to be determined to make my presence known."

Wal-Mart Wont Sell Fresh Seafood in Florida Anymore

Wal-Mart is going to stop selling fresh seafood in Florida.

The decision was not related to the oil spill, but because the company did not did not see enough business in fresh seafood, Joaquin Gonzalez, Wal-Mart vice president for Florida told The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday. Wal-Mart, Florida's third largest grocery chain, still sells frozen seafood, he said.

If I were going to eat fresh seafood, it would not be from Wal-Mart.

Interestingly, Whole Foods already has stopped buying and selling seafood from the gulf, even from waters that are deemed safe for fishing, said Russ Benblatt, spokesman for Whole Foods markets in Florida.

As I mentioned before, I wouldn't eat it anything from the Gulf anyway!

Hacker Breaks Into ATMS With $10.78 Key And Dispenses Cash Remotely

At the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, Barnaby Jack, Director of Research at IOActive Labs, used a laptop with a custom-built software tool called “Dillinger" (named after the famous bank robber) to overwrite the machine’s internal operating system, and take complete control of the ATM and send commands for it to spew cash on demand.

Jack demonstrated two different attacks against Windows CE-based ATMs — a physical attack using a master key purchased on the Web and a USB stick to overwrite the machine’s firmware; and a remote attack that exploited a flaw in the way ATMs authenticate firmware upgrades.

He did not provide any technical details that would allow anyone to reproduce the attack techniques but suggested that a skilled hacker could exploit these weaknesses if ATM manufacturers continue to create software with gaping security holes.

“There are attack vectors in all these standalone or hole-in-the-wall ATMs,” Jack warned, noting that many ATMs are protected by a master key that can be bought for $10.78 on hundreds of web sites. ”With this master key, I can walk up to a secluded ATM and have access to USB [and] SD/CF slots. In some cases, opening and inserting my USB key was faster than installing a skimmer,” he said.

The Dillinger tool came with a graphical UI that included features to “Retrieve Track Data,” or simply “Jackpot!”. A click of the Jackpot button and the commandeered ATM started spewing cash on demand!

Why doesn't that happen to me when I go to the ATM?

Man Tries to Cash a Forged Check for $1Mil @ Drive-Thru and Gives Bank His ID

Tip of the week:

If you are going to try to cash a forged check for $1,000,000.00, please do not try it at the drive-thru and give them your driver's license!

Click here for the charming mugshot.

Arizona Immigration Law Blocked By Judge Bolton

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the most controversial parts of Arizona's immigration law from taking effect, delivering a last-minute victory to opponents of the crackdown.

The overall law will still take effect Thursday, but without the provisions that angered opponents -- including sections that required officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws.

The judge also put on hold parts of the law that required immigrants to carry their papers at all times, and made it illegal for undocumented workers to solicit employment in public places.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton ruled that the controversial sections should be put on hold until the courts resolve the issues.

New Term Starts Today

The new term starts today and my students are already emailing me with all kinds of weird requests. I love it when the email starts with the phrase 'I have to attend a funeral in two weeks.'

Enjoy the term students!

Taxpayers May Pay For BP Oil Spill: BP Claiming Tax Credit of Nearly 10 Billion Dollars For Losses

President Obama has insisted BP would bear the entire cost of cleaning up the spill and making the injured business and wildlife whole again. And yet BP said it plans to claim $9.9 billion in U.S. tax credits based on the $32.2 billion charge it reported related to costs for the Gulf oil spill. That means that $9.9 billion that might have been going into the federal government’s general fund will be used to cut BP’s spill costs by a third.

Please write to your Congressman and urge them to stop this from happening!

Ahmadinejad Hates Paul the Octopus

I think it is possible that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad just may have lost another vote in the next election.

Ahmadinejad, the Iranian leader, says Paul the Octopus, the sea creature that correctly predicted the outcome of World Cup games, is a symbol of all that is wrong with the western world.

"Those who believe in this type of thing cannot be the leaders of the global nations that aspire, like Iran, to human perfection, basing themselves in the love of all sacred values," he said.

Illegal Immigrant Crossing Signs Posted in Naples, FL

Intolerance is alive and well in Florida.

In Naples, FL, a crosswalk, which is equipped with a recently-installed traffic light, connects a largely Spanish-speaking mobile home community with a shopping center.

Over the weekend, someone put up a sign that says, Illegal Immigrant Crossing.

Collier County officials quickly removed the offending signs after they were reported on Sunday afternoon.

Florida Church to Hold 'Burn a Koran Day' on September 11th

According to Yahoo news, a Florida church will be holding a 'Burn a Koran' day on September 11th. The church is also crusading against Gainesville's openly gay mayor. It plans to hold a "No Homo Mayor" protest outside Gainesville City Hall in early August.

My hope is that the Comic Con protesters show up!

Serious Violations of Floirda Child Care Licensing Law Could Have Same Penalty as Littering

On March 16, 2009 The Florida Department of Children and Families received a complaint that a child was left unattended at the Miami Shores Baptist Academy's playground across the street. While the investigation was ongoing, the complaint says, the parent of a child who attended the day care told a DCF caseworker that another child had been left unsupervised at the playground.

In response to the March 16 report, which DCF verified, the agency fined the academy $100 for a ``Class 1'' violation of child-care licensing rules; ``the most serious'' violations under state rules, the complaint says. Class 1 violations involve behavior that poses ``an imminent threat to a child,'' the complaint states.’

The mere fine of $100 for this seems completely unreasonable and I had to look up the rule myself because I could not believe it.

Chapter 65C-22.010 of the Florida Administrative Code discusses Class I violations.

Under(2)(d)(1)(a) the Disciplinary Sanction code states:

For the first and second Class I violation, the department shall issue an administrative complaint imposing a fine not less than $100 nor more than $500 per day for each violation and may impose other
disciplinary sanctions in addition to the fine. (2) (d)(1)(a)Disciplinary Sanctions.

Class I Violations.

For the first and second Class I violation, the department shall issue an administrative complaint imposing a fine not less than $100 nor more than $500 per day for each violation and may impose other disciplinary sanctions in addition to the fine.

The specific authority can be found in the following sections of the Florida Statutes: 402.305,402.310

So for the first two violations, a fine of merely $100 could be the sole penalty.

However, under FS 402.312 the State can get injunctive relief to close the facility:

(2) Other grounds for seeking an injunction to close a child care facility, family day care home, or a large family child care home are that:

(a) There is any violation of the standards applied under ss. 402.301-402.319 which threatens harm to any child in the child care facility, a family day care home, or large family child care home.

Thus, if the state essentially decides not to close the facility under the statute, the penalty for a ‘serious’ violation of child care licensing is the removal of the ‘Gold Seal’ designation which can later be restored and as little as a $100 fine.

That is what happened in this instance.

For comparison, In Pasco County, FL the fine for a non moving violation is $114.00. Throwing a piece of tissue of our your carcould earn you the same fine as a serious violation of child care licensining law.

Paul Levine: Bringing the Funk With Love

Paul Levine is the brainchild behind the Bear Creek Music Festival, my favorite yearly musical event. The Festival is held in November at the beautiful Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida.

The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park offers cabins and camping, swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, hiking trails and a general store and restaurant and hosts many great annual musical events, including Wanee Festival, Suwannee River Jam, Springfest, Magfest and Paul's latest offering, the Blackwater Music Festival.

Paul's charm and passion flows like a river as he took me up on the offer to be the subject of this week's interview.

What kind of work goes into preparing the Bear Creek Music festival and what are the biggest challenges you have faced?

We work on Bear Creek year round. Last year, we announced our initial 2010 line-up on Jamcruise, January 5 2010, less than 2 months after Bear Creek 2009. Conceptually, we are already thinking about Bear Creek 2011. We are even toying with the idea of announcing a few 2011 artists in this year's program.

I recently moved to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. so that I can spend more physical time at the site getting to know how the Park works and getting more familiar with the ways of Suwannee County and the region. Many of our Bear Creek crew also live in this area, so we are able to work on new projects and better management year round. Our Festival Operations Manager Sonny Perez and I get together weekly for updates and breakfast.

The greatest challenge we have ever faced, and I hope that we ever will face, occurred in the fall of 2007. My friend and partner Lyle Williams had purchased an amazing property in Quincy, Florida- with the actual Bear Creek running through it- that was intended to be the home of the first Bear Creek Festival. 5 weeks before the show, the local Board of County Commissioners, spurred on by angry and organized local religious folks, denied our special events permit for the show. After this set-back, we hustled to find a suitable replacement venue for Bear Creek. We strongly gave consideration to canceling the show but, in the end, we decided to move to The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. And, as they say, the rest is history. I don't really believe in destiny, however, we consider the day we moved to the Music Park a really special and lucky moment.

What is your actual festival experience like?

I really love festival time so much. In our community, in north Florida and this area, Bear Creek has become a special late fall gathering of old friends, a family reunion of amazing people. The bands feel this way, so does the staff and the incredible music enthusiasts that travel from all over the country to support their favorite bands. During the show, I do everything possible to see at least one song by every band at that festival. We have about 60 bands this year, so I will surely fail at this endeavor, but I will try. I truly appreciate everyone coming to Bear Creek and playing their hearts out for this community. I love talking to our guests, our old and new friends. I love wandering around the campgrounds getting a feel for the vibe on site.

What other creative endeavors are you working on?

Our next big show is the Blackwater Music Festival, also at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park August 26-28. It has a super line-up focusing on different music than some of the other Park festivals. Slightly Stoopid, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Disco Biscuits, STS9, Galactic and JJ Grey and Mofro head the bill.

Every May, we present The Purple Hatter's Ball in honor of our friend Rachel Hoffman who was killed in a horrible undercover drug sting gone bad. Next May will be the fourth annual.

Now that I work at the Music Park, I am helping to organize a series of smaller regional music events focusing on the music of the area. We have had Valdosta In The Park and Gainesville In The Park, both focusing on their respective communities. This fall we will focus on Central Florida, Tallahassee and Jacksonville.
We are involved in bringing live music to Tallahassee at the Engine Room and work closely with The Freebird Live in Jacksonville.

This past May, we presented our first two shows in New Orleans during Jazzfest. That was quite an honor and a thrill.

What is the weirdest moment you have had as a professional in the creative arts field?

I can think of a few that I probably ought to keep to myself. LOL. One of the great perks of the job is never having a shortage of interesting and absurd moments, both musically and socially. The weirdest moment probably occurred back in 1996 when I was involved with a music club/bar/restaurant in Aspen, CO. There was a political rally/musical event organized to get the vote out in opposition to the proposed expansion of the Aspen Airport runway. I found myself on a dais speaking against this initiative with journalist Dan Dunn, John Bennett( mayor of Aspen), Bob Braudis( sheriff of Aspen), and Hunter S. Thompson. I was 25 at the time and I remember thinking, " what the hell is this dumb a**ed 25 year old doing on stage talking about local politics with these guys". What a celebration we had after victory on Election Night.

What is the one thing about your work that most people do not know or misunderstand

Well, I hope that people understand that Bear Creek is a collaborative effort. While I am always appreciative of folks kind words of praise for the festival and for my job performance, I hope they understand that every person that organizes, performs at, works at and attends a music festival is equally responsible for the success of the show. We are all on the same team. For a festival to be truly successful in my mind, it involves not only finances but more importantly the experience each participant of the event enjoys. The Bear Creek community is so special for a few fundamental reasons- because the fans love each other so much- because the artists respect and care for each other so deeply -because the staff is a family that has watched each other's backs for years. Over the first three years of Bear Creek, our fans and artists and staff have grown together and come together as the Bear Creek community. We all look out for each other and our festival. If any part of that equation was out of synch, the energy of Bear Creek would be completely different.

It Was 20 Years Ago Today. RIP Brent Mydland

Like a feather in a whirlwind
Blow away

My wife and I were in Columbus, Ohio and had just finished going on Summer Tour in 1990. We heard on the television that it was being rumored that Brent had died. I immediately called David Gans to verify if the news was true. When David confirmed the news, our hearts were broken.

For me, it was the beginning of the end of the unraveling of the Grateful Dead. I did go on Fall Tour in 1990 to see the changes in the band and continued to see lots of shows, but I think most Deadheads would agree that the band never really regained their mojo that they had from the early spring of '89 to the middle of '90.

Wal-Mart is Putting Trackable Radio Tags in Your Underwear That Cannot Be Turned Off

Hansel and Gretel wanted to follow a trail of cookie crumbs. Wal-Mart wants to follow your underwear.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to roll out sophisticated electronic ID tags to track individual pairs of jeans and underwear, the first step in a system that advocates say better controls inventory but some critics say raises privacy concerns.

Starting next month, the retailer will place removable "smart tags" on individual garments that can be read by a hand-held scanner. Wal-Mart workers will be able to quickly learn, for instance, which size of Wrangler jeans is missing, with the aim of ensuring shelves are optimally stocked and inventory tightly watched. If successful, the radio-frequency ID tags will be rolled out on other products at Wal-Mart's more than 3,750 U.S. stores.

While the tags can be removed from clothing and packages, they can't be turned off, and they are trackable.

Do you think this will also apply to boxers?

Botswana Bushmen Denied Access to Water

Can you imagine living without having any access to water?

Botswana’s High Court has denied the Kalahari Bushmen access to water on their own land!

The Judge ruled that the Bushmen were not entitled to access an existing water borehole on their lands or to drill a new one inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, one of the driest regions in the world.

The ruling is a blow to the Bushmen who have struggled without water since 2002 when the Botswana government sealed and capped a borehole to drive them out of the reserve. In 2006, the forced evictions of the Bushmen were declared illegal and unconstitutional by the High Court, and hundreds have since returned to their land.

Bushmen are also being prevented from bringing water to their relatives inside the reserve.

This is completely unimaginable!

There are many ways you can help.

Writing a letter to the Botswana government is a quick and simple way to let them know of your concern.

Donate to the Bushman campaign (and other Survival campaigns).

Write to your MP or MEP (UK) or Senators and members of Congress (US).

Write to your local Botswana high commission or embassy.

If you want to get more involved, contact Survival…

Visit the Bushmen’s own website…

Newark Mayor Orders Government to Stop Buying Toilet Paper

If you are in Newark, and you find yourself asking, someone if they can 'spare a square' then you are likely going to be out of luck.

Actually, if you happen to be in Newark at all, then good luck anyway!

Things are getting so bad in Newark that the mayor has ordered the government to stop buying toilet paper.

It's part of Newark Mayor Cory Booker's belt-tightening plans that include reducing most city workers to a 4-day work week and shuttering city pools. Booker estimates that the pool closures alone would save $250,000. He also says that no gas will be purchased for municipal vehicles that are not deemed critically important.

I personally like the phrase 'belt-tightening' in this context.

Greetings Professor Falken: Want To Play A Game

00000000

This was the secret access code to the computer controls of the U.S. nuclear-tipped missile arsenal between 1968 and 1976.

I am sure that some kid would have never figured that out. That reminds me, I think its time to see the movie again.

Archaeologists Have Discovered a Second Henge At Stonehenge

I know when I think of Stonehenge, it immediately makes me think of this infamous piece. I have always been fascinated by the 'real' Stonehenge and hope to visit there someday.

This week, archaeologists have announced they have discovered a second henge at Stonehenge, described as the most exciting find there in 50 years.

Project leader Professor Vince Gaffney, from the University of Birmingham, said the discovery was "exceptional". Gaffney said he was "certain" they would make further discoveries as 90% of the landscape around the giant stones was "terra incognita" - an unexplored region. "The presumption was this was just an empty field - now you've got a major ceremonial monument looking at Stonehenge," he said.

Carbohydrate Rinse and Spit Improves Performance

Exercise scientists say they have stumbled on an amazing discovery. Athletes can improve their performance in intense bouts of exercise, lasting an hour or so, if they merely rinse their mouths with a carbohydrate solution. They don’t even have to swallow it.

Wow!

Arizona Gov: Speed Cameras Are Intrusive: Law That Requires Officers To Determine Immigration Status Based On Reasonable Suspicion Is Not Intrusive

Arizona has turned off every speed camera on its highways after complaints that they violated privacy and were designed to generate revenue rather than promote road safety.

A spokesman for Jan Brewer, the state's Republican governor, said she "was uncomfortable with the intrusive nature of the system."

It is ironic that Jan Brewer feels that cameras that document speeding are intrusive but a law that requires officers to determine the immigration status of people they stop for another offense based on a “reasonable suspicion” that they might be illegal immigrants is not intrusive.

Miles Forman - Filmmaker, Actor, Musician

Miles Forman is a film producer and a native of South Florida. His projects have brought him to all corners of the world including Europe, Africa, and South America. Miles' latest film Fatboy: The Movie, is available on Netflix, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and wherever DVD's are sold.

I had the pleasure of attending the premiere of Fatboy sitting between Jeff Novick and Michael Moore and I can say that seeing the movie was a real inspiration for me to continue on my path towards wellness.

Miles and I have become friends and have attended many concerts together. At my suggestion, Miles was kind enough to offer his insights for this week's interview.

How has your life changed since the making of Fatboy?

The #1 thing I have learned is that my battle with weight will never be over. That once I obtained better health, I still had to work at it week after week. Though, I now have the confidence that my efforts to lose weight won't be in vein, and that I will always shed any gained weight if I bare down and use the knowledge and tools I obtained from Fatboy. I got married earlier this year and ended up putting on about 15lbs, due to the constant celebrating and a minor neck injury I sustained, (while moving boxes) I was unable to keep my regular exercise routine. (and eating habits) I still have around 8lbs to go!

Can you tell me a little bit about your foray into the music business?

It's much more intimate than filmaking - it moves much faster too! With music, you don't need a large crew, costumes, locations, etc. I'm working with an artist named Hyro Da Hero on what I feel will be a great rock/rap album. Hyro is much different than your typical "rapper", as he's got great appreciation for the evolution of music and how "modern music" became what it is. Never have I met a kid like him, who listens to R.E.M, Fugazi, Johnny Cash, David Bowie, and Jay-Z - AND understands how they all relate! Perhaps, what I'm trying to say is that his album is all about music and substance, then it is about image and flash. The premise of rap music is great, though I find 96.7% of what is produced to be terribly contrived.

Are you working on any current film projects?

In this economy?! Are you crazy?! LOL! Yeah, I have a few things moving S L O W... It's just hard to raise the $$ and I don't want to do another documentary - so I'm trying to raise some real cash for for a real movie.

What is the weirdest moment you have had as a professional in the creative arts field?

I'll give you three!

1. Driving through the foggy mountains of Costa Rica in the middle of the night while our driver was smoking crack cocaine willingly. We wanted to take him out, but decided that it would be safer to just let him do his thing.

2. Being on a tour bus with WEEN for 5 hours (if you know who these guys are you'll understand this one)

3. I don't know if this is "weird" exactly, but I once spent the night in a hotel constructed exclusively for midgets! We went overtime at Culver Studios and they decided to shack us up in this place built in the 1930's for the cast of Wizard of OZ, Somewhere Over The Rainbow,etc,etc Everything in the place was to scale - the shower presented the biggest challenge.

What is the one thing about your work that most people do not know or misunderstand?

That I probably should have just stuck to being an actor! The producing end of things is very stressful, though, I do enjoy it!

Can a Naked Mannequin In a Store Window Be Obscene?

Can a Naked Mannequin In a Store Window Be Obscene?

In Miller v. California, the United States Supreme Court said that obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment.

The court in Miller developed what is known known as the 3 pronged obscenity test. The Miller Test, breaks the questioned display or gesture into three categories:

Whether “the average person, applying contemporary community standards,” would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest, whether the work depicts or describes sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable state law in an offensive way, and whether the work lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.

In Beatrice, Nebraska, a naked mannequin caused quite a stir.

Beatrice Police say they tried to contact the store’s owner, Kevin Kramer, about covering up the mannequin, but were unsuccessful.

Officers then taped paper over the area of the window where the mannequin was, to cover it up.

Tobias Tempelmeyer, city attorney, said that the main issue in the debate is whether or not the display was obscene.

“We’re currently looking at whether or not it was obscene,” Tempelmeyer said Friday. “The U.S. Supreme Court and State of Nebraska have a system to determine if something is obscene. At this point, I’m not willing to say one way or another.”

Despite claims that the display was not obscene, as of Friday morning, the store owner had dressed the mannequin in a candy bikini along with a toy assault rifle. The clothed picture of the mannequin is at the top of the post, which, could in fact be considered more objectionable than a naked mannequin.

Do you think a naked mannequin is obscene?

Gun Permit Owners in Texas Get to Bypass Metal Detectors at Capitol

If you have a gun permit, and trying to get into the Texas Capitol, you are in luck:
You don't have to go through the metal detectors in the building!

A unique loophole in a new security procedure means a gun permit is like a special-access pass into the domed building, allowing people who are certified to carry a gun to bypass lines at the metal detectors that were set up after a shooting incident earlier this year.

"Nobody wants to be the one standing in line behind three hundred kids wearing the same colored T-shirt," said University of Texas political scientist Jim Henson. "If you're trying to get in and out really quick and there's going to be choke points, well, people don't want to have to deal with that."

It's not required that people have a gun to enter the Capitol through the express lane. Merely holding a valid permit, and presenting it at the entrance, will get them expedited entry.

Los Angeles: City of 10,000,000 Now With Closed Libraries 28% of the Time

The library has always been a source of comfort and inspiration. I loved going to spend time at the library when I was a kid and can remember being dropped off there for hours just enjoying the space that the books provided. There were no computers and I spent most of my time in or around the card catalog.

Los Angeles has a population of 10,000,000.

For those 10,000,000 people, the library is now closed 28% of the time!

Hours at the city's 64 branch libraries also have been reduced because of employee furloughs, or unpaid days off. Starting July 1, library employees were no longer required to take part in that budget-cutting initiative.

If you live in Los Angeles, don't bother going on Sunday, or on Monday either.

There is Something Wrong With the 'No Child Left Behind' Rules

Under the Obama administration rules, for a district to qualify for Federal Stimulus money, it must do one of several things: must do one of the following: close down; be replaced by a charter; remove the principal and half the staff; or remove the principal and transform the school.

Joyce Irvine was the principal of Wheeler Elementary School. Ms. Irvine’s most recent job evaluation began, “Joyce has successfully completed a phenomenal year.”

Jeanne Collins, Burlington’s school superintendent, calls Ms. Irvine “a leader among her colleagues” and “a very good principal.”

In Ms. Irvine's school 37 of 39 fifth graders were either refugees or special-ed children. Under No Child rules, a student arriving one day before the state math test must take it.In September, 28 new students — from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan — arrived at Wheeler and took the math test in October. Five percent of Wheeler’s refugee students scored proficient in math.

United States Senator Bernie Sanders noted all the enrichment programs, including summer school, that Ms. Irvine had added since becoming principal six years ago.

In Vermont, there are no charter schools. For Ms. Irvine, the only option for the school to obtain federal stimulus money was to step down.

Washington Post to Out Contractrors Working on Top Secret Projects

The New York Times Co. v. United States, (per curiam) 403 U.S. 713, 91 S. Ct. 2140, 29 L. Ed. 2d 822 (1971), often referred to as the Pentagon Papers case, concerned the government's attempt to prohibit the New York Times and the Washington Post from publishing portions of a secret government study on the VIETNAM WAR.

The Pentagon Papers case addressed whether a prior restraint on the press can be justified under the First Amendment. A prior restraint is the imposition of a restraint on the publication of information before the information is published.

The Supreme Court decided on a 6–3 vote that a prior restraint could not be imposed on publication of the Pentagon Papers. In a brief opinion the whole Court noted that the government "carries a heavy burden of showing justification for the imposition of such a restraint" and stated that the government had failed to meet that burden. The brief opinion reflected the widely varying views of the nine justices. The Court could not agree on a precise standard for determining when the government may impose a prior restraint on free speech or even whether the government could ever impose a prior restraint.

This week the Washington Post is expected to publish articles and an interactive website that will likely contain a compendium of government agencies and contractors allegedly conducting Top Secret work.

In short, they are going to 'out' contractors working on top secret projects.

Some are saying that the government is concerned.

Others are saying the Obama Administration, outside of the intelligence corridor, is “basically cool with it.”

Someone or Some Group is Trying to Corner the Chocolate Market

Chocolate lovers beware. Over the weekend, someone or some group of traders made the largest single cocoa trade for 14 years sending prices to their highest levels since 1977.

The cocoa beans, which are sitting in warehouses either in The Netherlands, Hamburg, or in London, Liverpool or Humberside are equivalent to the entire supply of the commodity in Europe, and would fill more than five Titanics. They are worth £658 million.

Analysts said it was very unlikely that a chocolate company, such as Nestle or Kraft, or even their suppliers, would buy such a huge order in one go and that is was probable that one or a number of speculators, possibly hedge funds, had attempted to corner the market. By doing this, they would have control of the entire supply in Europe, forcing the price yet higher.

Did You Know the Earth's Upper Atmosphere Contracted and Collapsed?

Did you know that the atmosphere of the earth contracted and collapsed this week?

Did you know it is not the first time this has happened?

An upper layer of Earth's atmosphere recently collapsed in an unexpectedly large contraction, the sheer size of which has scientists scratching their heads, NASA announced Thursday.

The layer of gas – called the thermosphere – is now rebounding again. This type of collapse is not rare, but its magnitude shocked scientists.

"This is the biggest contraction of the thermosphere in at least 43 years," said John Emmert of the Naval Research Lab, lead author of a paper announcing the finding in the June 19 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters. "It's a Space Age record."

The thermosphere interacts strongly with the sun, so is very affected by periods of high or low solar activity. This layer intercepts extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) from the sun before it can reach the ground.

When solar activity is high, solar EUV warms the thermosphere, causing it to puff up like a marshmallow held over a camp fire. When solar activity is low, the opposite occurs.

Breathing is Underrated

Breathing is Underrated

Can a Lawyer With Cerebral Palsy Who Requires Assistance to Eat and Use the Bathroom Engage in Unwanted Sexual Contact?

How can a lawyer, with Cerebral Palsy who requires assistance to use the bathroom (see the comments) and has to rely upon his father and an aide for help with the most basic tasks, such as feeding himself, engage in unwanted sexual contact?

A court in New York is going to consider the unusual case of Hippocrate Mertsaris, the aforementioned attorney.

The thinking part of Mertsaris’ brain works fine. He moves his head to manipulate a computer. He graduated from college and earned a law degree.

Mertsaris works as a lawyer at the Taxi and Limousine Commission. He handles cases involving taxi drivers.

Last October, a Taxi and Limousine Commission judge accused Mertsaris of grabbing her upper thigh and buttocks while they were in the office alone. His aide had gone to file papers.

His arms and hands tend to flail around and that’s where the trouble started. When people get too close to him, Mertsaris tends to get nervous and he has more trouble controlling his arms. He says his arm moved and hit her. He says he did not intend to touch her.

However, two years ago, he sent the judge a series of emails — which appear to have creeped the judge out, since she asked Mertsaris’s supervisors to make him stop emailing her (which he did).

A video of a recent interview with Mertasris can be found here.

I welcome your opinions here. What do you all think?

Would You Eat It?

Shrimp, grouper, tuna and other seafood snatched from the fringes of the oil in the Gulf of Mexico are safe to eat, according to a federal agency inspecting the catch.

To date, roughly 400 samples of commonly consumed species caught mostly in open waters — and some from closed areas — have been chemically tested by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Officials say none so far has shown concerning levels of contaminants. Each sample represents multiple fish of the same species.

Would You Eat It?

I'm a Pisces and I don't eat fish. To me, its kind of like giving a cow a hamburger. If I were going to consider eating fish, I cannot imagine eating anything from the Gulf of Mexico now or ever.

Coast Guard Rescinds Band of Reporters and Photographers From Oil Spill

National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen today announced new procedures to allow media free travel within the 20-meter boom safety zones if they have followed simple procedures for credentialing, and provided they follow certain rules and guidelines.

"I have put out a direction that the press are to have clear, unfettered access to this event, with two exceptions -- if there is a safety or security concern," said Allen. “This boom is critical to the defense of the marshes and the beaches.”

"We need to discriminate between media, which have a reason to be there and somebody who's hanging around when we know that we've had equipment vital to this region damaged," Allen said.

Previously, media were required to contact local authorities each time they wished to access booming operations. The 20-meter safety zone was created to prevent boats from going over the top of booms; it is not intended to limit media access.

In today's day and age, media coverage of any national event is almost a given. I wonder what has taken them so long to rescind the band?

10 Year Old Kids Can Be Given License to Own Gun in England

This is almost hard to believe.

The BBC is reporting children as young as 10 can be given shotgun licenses in England. Over 1000 children under 18 already have a license.

Archive.org Is Awesome!

The Internet Archive is a non profit that is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, they provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public.

I really enjoy using the Live Music Archive. You can also download the music for free!

Another area that I love to access is the LibriVox portion of the archive. You can listen and download free audio books from the LibriVox collection. LibriVox volunteers record chapters of books in the public domain and release them for free on the Internet. Their goal is to make all public domain books available as free audio books. LibriVox is a totally volunteer, open source, free content, public domain project.

If you are an educator, there are loads of resources on the archive, including all kinds of videos, historical documents, college lectures. If you are interested in accessing an older version of the web, you can always visit the webarchive.

Gross!!!

Um... Look out kids!

Update! The NY Times has an entire article on the investment side of this 'product!'

House of Representatives Caps Automakers Liablity and Weakens Safety Standards

The LA Times today is reporting that the House of Representatives have capped automaker's liability for safety violations at $200 million. That seems like a high number doesn't it?

Although the bill no longer provides for unlimited fines against automakers who violate safety laws, the $200-million cap in the House version is substantially larger than the current $16.4-million maximum, which Toyota paid this spring for failing to promptly order a recall of sticking gas pedals. The Senate version has a cap of $300 million.

Federal regulators said at the time that Toyota's liability would have been $13.8 billion had it not been for the existing cap.

I can almost hear Carl Sagan saying 13.8 billion.

David Gans - Intelligent and Gentle Spirit

Photo by Bob Minkin

I have had the pleasure of knowing David Gans for over 20 years. David struck me as an articulate, intelligent and gentle spirit when he graciously welcomed me and my wife into his home back in 1989. We sat up all night talking about the past and the future of our favorite band and enjoyed the magic of the universe together.

Back in the days of Prodigy and Mosaic, I stayed in touch with David via membership in The Well and our mutual friend, Rebecca Adams. His personality is electric and infectious and I am glad to consider him a friend.

As he notes in the interview, David was a songwriter and musician before he ever heard of the Grateful Dead. A biographer might note that he is an accomplished artist, writer, and producer and well known by Deadheads as the host of the Grateful Dead Hour. In my view, framing David by those accomplishments only provides one view of the genuine all around cool guy that he is.

David kindly agreed to answer a few questions and is the subject of this week's interview.

It has been nearly a year since you have had some health issues. How are you feeling and how has the entire process changed you as a person?

Y'know, I didn't have to make a lot of changes in my lifestyle. I was already eating wisely and exercising regularly. My body has a hobby of making arterial plaques, so I needed to make some adjustments in my diet and start taking a statin, but it wasn't as big a deal for me as it is for people whose diet and sedentary existence were more directly connected to their health issues.

My wife went through chemo (successfully) for lymphoma seven years ago. Now we both feel we're living on "bonus time."

There are 15 year old kids today hearing the GD Hour and becoming introduced to the band through your radio program. How is the experience of getting on the bus today different from getting on the bus four decades ago?

Jerry Garcia is gone, so the Grateful Dead doesn't exist any more. The surviving band members are making good music in various combinations, and there are lots of bands around the country keeping that style of music alive. I imagine it's the same as when I got into Bob Wills' music in the '70s, only there's way more GD music available today (for free, on demand, online) so anyone who's interested can get the complete picture of the band's musical history. Not the same as going to a Grateful Dead concert and feeling the real vibe in real time, but it is what it is.

What are some of your favorite moments/experiences in the Grateful Dead community.

Nothing like being there at midnight on New Year's Eve when Bill Graham did his outrageous pageant for an arena full of very high people! But also, being there in that "moment of perfect silence" deep in the second set when it was just you and Jerry.

With the slow death of reel to reels and cassette tapes, how has the digitalization and nearly instant access to the music changed the community?

It has made it easier for newcomers to be brought up to speed, and harder for musicians to make a living.

What is the one thing about what it is that you do that most people probably do not know or understand?

I'm here for the music, and I have spent a great portion of my adult life studying and evangelizing Grateful Dead music. But I was a songwriter and musician before I ever heard the Dead, and I am nowhere near as obsessed with it as many people seem to think I am, or should be.

Defense of Marriage Act Unconstitutional

Last week, a Federal District Court in Boston ruled that Section 3 of Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) — the section of the 1996 law which denies federal benefits to legally married same sex couples — is unconstitutional, stating that it interferes with the traditional state right to define marriage and forces the state to “violate the equal protection rights of its citizens.”

The Obama administration is in an unusual position. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has criticized the marriage act as violating the civil rights of same-sex couples. However the AG has also defended the statute as the prevailing law of the land until Congress repeals it.

Mike Judge to Bring Back Beavis and Butt-Head

I know my friend Cosmic will probably enjoy this news more than any other news from this past week.

Mike Judge has reportedly agreed to bring back Beavis and Butt-Head for 30 new episodes.

According to the report, Judge will keep the original show’s low budget look, and the format will remain true to the original episodes, where Beavis and Butt-Head comment on music videos. The show will feature current music videos, but the format will be the same.

Miami!

LeBron, Wade, Bosh AND Trading Beasley and getting Mike Miller?

Yes!

Done!

I need to remind myself to fly next time. 13 hours in a car is not cool anymore.

Road Trip

It is amazing what a shift of space and shape happens when you hit the road.

There is something so refreshingly honest about putting miles on the family vehicle and taking yourself to a completely different environment.