Florida AG McCollum: Arizona is Going to Want Our Law

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, a Republican candidate for governor, and state Rep. Bill Snyder, R-Stuart, introduced the draft of an "Arizona style" immigration enforcement law that they hope will be passed next year by the GOP-controlled legislature.

Yes, the same Bill McCollum who recently said that gays and lesbians should not be able to be foster parents or adopt children.

In some ways, the bill goes beyond Arizona in discouraging the presence of undocumented immigrants within state boundaries.

"I support the Arizona immigration law," McCollum said at a press conference in Orlando. "But this is our law, not their law. Arizona is going to want our law."

Music From Mathematics

Acousmata was started in February 2009 in order to share research in electronic and experimental music, sound and acoustics, mysticism and technology.

It seems appropriate that some of the first pieces of computer music were composed by a man with the fantastically dorky name of “Newman Guttman.” Realized on the state-of-the-art IBM 7090 computer at the legendary Bell Labs in New Jersey, the work of Guttman, Max Mathews, and others helped inaugurate a new age of synthetic sound.

”Pitch Variations” explores the nonlinear relationship between frequency and perceived pitch that arises in periodic vibrations too quick to be perceived as rhythm, yet too slow to be heard as tone— the realm of what would later be called pulsar synthesis. This noisy little piece of electronic music history thus anticipates many later developments, from granular synthesis to glitch.

Televangelist Benny Hinn Cures People With Gods Jacket

Witness the almighty healing power of televangelist Benny Hinn (and his magic jacket)! Hinn claims to have the “anointing”, a special power given to him by God to heal the sick.

At Hinn’s Miracle Crusades, he has allegedly healed attendees of blindness, deafness, cancer, AIDS, and severe physical injuries through his powers. Apparently these super-human powers extend to his jacket, which he uses as an instrument of God to cure the sick during his events.

Be sure to check out the video below of him in action at the bottom of the page.

From The Withered Tree a Flower Blooms

Thank You Jerry!

Thank you Jerry!

Ceci N'est Pas Une Pipe

Are You Ready to Get Your Guts Kicked Out?

This evening, I have plans to go see Cut Chemist. I have no idea what to expect, but I am probably ready to get my guts kicked out!

Linda Eve Diamond: Author, Listening Expert and Groovy Human Being

Linda Eve Diamond is an author with nine books in the areas of business, education, self-help, and poetry. I have had the pleasure of attending one of her poetry readings with my children (it was wonderful) and have enjoyed her company in more informal settings.

Every once in a while I try to pick Linda's brain for writing tips. I am not sure if she is even aware that I have been slowly gathering information from her about the process of writing, but her commentary has been immensely helpful in getting my writing on track. Thanks Linda! She is one groovy human being and the subject of this week's interview.

Linda is also the creator of www.ListenersUnite.com, a website dedicated to listening skills, and the recipient of two International Listening Association awards. Her website is www.LindaEveDiamond.com.

When did you first know that you were going to write for a living?

I was a writer before I knew it—literally. I was in the corporate training field and was taking on more and more program development and technical writing projects. My writing about communication issues began to take on new dimensions, and I was growing as a writer even though I didn't realize it at the time. The corporate training company was a successful family business, which was my mother's dream—so I tried to make it mine. By the time she retired, we both knew my heart wasn't in the business nearly as much as it was in the writing. She encouraged me to follow my dreams.

What is/are the biggest challenges you have faced as a writer?

Confidence has always been and continues to be my greatest challenge. When I first started feeling good about things I’d written and when others responded positively, each success felt like a lucky fluke. I had a few books out before I began to feel comfortable even saying that I was a writer. Somewhere inside me lurked the fear that I would establish myself, print up cards, and then my luck would run out. Taking credit for luck seemed fraudulent, but so far I’m still pretty lucky!

Do you set aside time each day/week to write and do you impose deadlines on yourself?

When I started freelancing, I saw work as the priority and tried to set aside time for living; now I live and set aside time to work. I prefer most of my writing time to be during typical workday hours because I enjoy having total downtime in the evening, though that’s a fluid idea. I still enjoy writing in the evenings when it can be a relaxed, creative time. As for deadlines, I have no trouble meeting external deadlines, but I'm not nearly as good about the ones I set for myself. I used to be so strict about them, but now I see that sometimes the things that slow down the process become part of the process. Sometimes, ideas need more time to brew, and experiences that slow a project down make it richer in the end. I know one thing, that I’ll be right where I need to be when it’s time.

What other creative endeavors are you working on?

I’m preparing to record a new poetry CD and to open an online gallery of photographs. I'd say when I expect them to be announced, but no one would believe me after what I just said about self-imposed deadlines!

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

The weirdest moment for me was the first time someone recognized me. I don’t think “recognized” is the right word, because I was surrounded by author signs with my name, but she was the first to walk up off the street and know me from my writing. She ran up to me saying, “Oh my God! It’s you! You’re here!” She was pointing to the sign with my name, then me, and she was so excited that I was sure someone I knew was teasing me. She was on vacation from Ohio and had read a feature article about me and my poetry in a local magazine. She flustered around in her purse and pulled out a piece of paper to show me that finding my book was on her “Must Do” list. I don’t know which one of us was more excited, but I’m pretty sure it was me.

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

My book topics include motivation, team-building, sales, listening skills, educational material (reading, language skills, and spelling), business writing skills for foreign-born executives, and poetry. Now I’m putting out photography and hoping to have my children’s books published. I imagine that looks a little scattered, but it seems perfectly rounded to me. Listening is critical to business success and is part of every business book I write. There is poetry in listening and listening in poetry. Photographs are poetic expressions and are often moments of deep listening. Everything is connected—even business and poetry.

Some subscribers to my monthly newsletter might be interested only in business, or primarily in communication issues, or exclusively in poetry. Few people's interests will completely mirror the interests of another. At first, I was advised that every topic should be its own newsletter with its own list. Unfortunately, that would be completely overwhelming to me. There would also be a good deal of crossover, which might not work well for people subscribing to more than one. So, I do my best to create the newsletter in a way that people can easily scan for their interests. I've received some good feedback that this has been working well. I'm thankful that newsletter subscribers will stay with me even though their interests may not be addressed with anything new for a month or two. I also appreciate the thoughtful comments I receive from readers. Writing is solitary, but the work is sent out with the hope that it will connect with someone. So, it's always heartening to hear about those connections.

Live Webcam of Ichthyosaur Excavation

Armchair archeologists are in for a real treat: Live webcams of an ichthyosaur excavation!

The 14th Amendment: Lets Just Modify It A Little Bit

I wonder who is going to stand up to this starting 5 in the fall?

Mitch McConnell
John McCain
John Kyl
Jeff Sessions
Lyndsey Graham

Yossarianesque

Last week, Judge Judith Bartnoff signed a temporary restraining order against The National Law Journal (NLJ) enjoining it from publishing certain details that the NLJ legally obtained from court documents.

Specifically, the NLJ was not allowed to name a government agency conducting a regulatory inquiry into one of the subjects of the article, POM Wonderful.

Bartnoff, as she considered the order, said, "If I am throwing 80 years of First Amendment jurisprudence on its head, so be it." She said the court's interest in maintaining the "integrity" of its docket trumped the First Amendment concern.

I am not sure how integrity has anything to do with this ruling. If the item is in the court documents, why shouldn't the NLJ be permitted to publish the details?

This week, the Judge has seen the light and ruled differently.

Its still unclear on what authority the judge gave the initial ruling in the first place.

Community Sheild - August 8th

The Community Shield, featuring Chelsea v. Manchester United will be played this Sunday, August 8th to kickoff the Premier League season. I know I will be watching!

Chelsea’s biggest departure during the summer has been Joe Cole to Liverpool. Michael Ballack has also left the club for Bayern Leverkusen. Yossi Benayoun has joined Chelsea from Liverpool. Petr Cech is still injured and is unlikely to feature though he could be ready for the Premiership opening the following week. Didier Drogba is also a doubt.

Man United are likely to rest Wayne Rooney for this match but new signing Javier Hermandez, who impressed playing for Mexico during the summer’s World Cup, will probably play. Chris Smalling has also joined from Fulham and could start. Goalkeeper Ben Foster left Manchester United over the summer to join Birmingham City. Anderson, who was already struggling with a knee problem, will not play after his car accident last weekend.

The start of the Permiership always brings new questions. Will Manchester City be able to buy a title? (No!) Can Tottenham finish in the top four again? (Yes but it will be close.) Will Chelsea repeat? (No - Ballack is a real loss - Go with Man Utd.) Will Liverpool regain their mojo? (Yes) Will the newly promoted teams be relegated? (Yes, but Newcastle will stay up top) Will Arsenal, Villa and Everton continue their emergence? (Yes, No, and Yes)

Illegal to Give a Free Ride in Quincy IL Unless Specifically Licensed

Do you think it should be illegal to offer free rides to drunk drivers?

In Quincy, IL, police conducted a sting operation that nabbed the operator of Courtesy Rides.

Jonathon Schoenakase was arrested Saturday morning around 1:30 after he gave an undercover police officer a ride from a Quincy night club.

Police say they have received complaints about Courtesy Rides operations from other licensed taxi operators.

Schoenakase began his free ride service in January 2008.

Schoenakase faces charges from a previous sting operation last February.

A change in Quincy's taxi and limousine ordinance last year makes it illegal for Schoenakase to give free rides without proper licensing.

I would love to see how this one ends up being resolved.

August Started?

Was that August that just started?

Wow!

So I guess this is the stretch where it just stays hot all the time.

This morning I ran at the beach before the sun came up and it was already roasting outside!


According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no single water consumption formula for everyone. I am trying to drink between 64 and 96 ounces of water a day to stay well hydrated.

Do you make a conscious effort to drink water during each day?

Good luck staying hydrated everyone!

Insurance?

Insurance?

I want to know, but I don't want to know. You know?

Daft Punk is Playing at My House

I have recently discovered the phat beat pounding fun of LCD Soundsystem, and their recent video 'Drunk Girls' is a wonderful journey into the disturbed mind of what a weird post modern music video should look like.

After watching the video a few times I noticed a link for their juicy 'Daft Punk is playing at my house' which has become my new favorite flavor of the day. A related interesting mashup combines The Beatles, The Kinks and LCD Soundsystem.

And since I'm talking about Daft Punk, the web was buzzing over the weekend, with the leaking of the Tron soundtrack featuring music by Daft Punk.

Contraband @ Kennedy Airport

Over the weekend, I saw an amazing photo essay on contraband items at the Kennedy Airport in New York.

Taryn Simon, a Guggenheim fellow who lives in New York, spent five days and nights at Kennedy, barely sleeping. Her daily rhythms were driven by the relentless arrival of newly impounded goods. After negotiating for four months with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Ms. Simon received permission to photograph all newly arriving contraband from Nov. 16 to Nov. 20, 2009. She used a large-format camera and a neutral backdrop.

“I wanted the shoot to be somewhat of a performance piece, where my photographs were replicating the actual flow of goods during a very fixed period of time,” she said.

The process was exhausting. “There’s video footage of me at the end of the shoot, being woken up by someone to press the shutter,” Ms. Simon said. “I was literally falling off my seat.”

I wish I could pick out a favorite, but so many of the images just seem plain odd. Who brings 'unknown' meat in a canteen bottle on an airplane? Dead guinea pigs? Cow dung toothpaste?

California Courts Uphold Order Making Homeless Man Pay Child Support and Lose Inheritance Even Though DNA Excludes Him As the Dad

I read a case this morning that makes me feel very uncomfortable. I think when you look at the facts, you will feel the same.

Sometimes following or not following procedure as outlined in the law has some interesting results. For example, there are statutes of limitations on all kinds of claims because our society does not want people 40 years down the road claiming that they were injured by someone in their youth without the ability to fully substantiate the claim.

But, what if you could substantiate the claim?

Last week, the California Supreme Court declined to review a Court of Appeal decision that forced Hari Wilburn, a homeless man, to pay tens of thousands of dollars in child support for a child even though DNA excludes him as the dad and he never acted as the dad.

In 1991, Cathy Tate named Wilburn as the father of her five-year-old child Alexis in a restraining order proceeding. Wilburn, who was homeless, was never personally served, and there is no record of any service except by mail to Wilburn's mother's address, which is not legally proper. Nonetheless, the court found Wilburn was served, issued a restraining order and ordered Wilburn to pay child support. Wilburn was not present.

17 years later, in 2008 Wilburn's family tracked down 22-year-old Alexis and asked her to take a DNA test, which excluded Wilburn as Alexis' biological dad. Wilburn's family hired an attorney, who filed a motion challenging the support order. Alexis swore under oath that Wilburn never acted as her dad and she only saw him a few times in her life. The court denied the motion, ruling Wilburn should have challenged the order sooner, despite the fact that he was homeless and living under a bridge.

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.