http://www.entertonement.com/clips/wfxbjlpnnh--Ellen-DeGeneres-Commencement-Speech-at-Tulane-University
"...And I know that a lot of you are concerned about your future, but there's no need to worry. The economy is booming, the job market is wide open, the planet is just fine. It's gonna be great...."
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Cap and Gown
picked up my cap and gown yesterday. Bridget and I were so excited that we tried them on in the bathroom of the restaurant we ate in! lol
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Sonia Sotomayor
...Her mother, Celina Sotomayor, who moved to New York from Puerto Rico during World War II, wiped away tears as the president announced the nomination.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/us/politics/27court.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
That's some powerful stuff...
That's some powerful stuff...
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/introducing-sotomayor?signup=true
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonia_Sotomayor
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/sonia_sotomayor/index.html?inline=nyt-perMonday, May 25, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Senate rebukes Obama, blocks Guantanamo shutdown
The presidents latest speach on Guantanamo
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8062168.stm
I am so mad right now...I just don't understand....?
http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20090519/US.Congress.Guantanamo/
...In a rare, bipartisan defeat for President Barack Obama, the Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to keep the prison at Guantanamo Bay open for the foreseeable future and forbid the transfer of any detainees to facilities in the United States...
..., U.S. District Judge John Bates ruled this week that some prisoners — but not all — can be held indefinitely at Guantanamo without being charged, thus increasing the pressure on the administration to develop a plan for the men held there...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp
...The Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp is a prison operated by Joint Task Force Guantánamo of the United States government since 1987 in Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, which is on the shore of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.[1]...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/20/close-guantanamo-funding-senate-obama
Senate Democrats reject funding for Guantánamo closure
President Barack Obama's campaign pledge to shut the prison at Guantánamo Bay was rejected by his own party yesterday when Senate Democrats joined their Republican counterparts in voting not to pay for the closure.
The vote is the latest setback for the Obama administration, which has been widely criticised by supporters for deciding to restart the controversial military tribunals for detainees, first established by President George Bush, but halted by Obama when he came to office.
The 90-6 vote in the Senate follows a similar decision in the House of Representatives last week - a clear sign to Obama that he may struggle to convince the Democratic-controlled Congress to agree with his plans to shut down the detention centre and move the 240 detainees.
Last month, Obama asked for $80m (£60m) for the Pentagon and the US justice department to close the facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, by January. The administration put its congressional Democratic allies in a difficult spot by requesting the Guantánamo closure money before developing a plan for what to do with its detainees.
Obama is scheduled to give a major address tomorrow outlining in more detail his plans for Guantánamo, but it's already clear that Congress has little appetite for bringing detainees to US soil, even if the inmates would be held in maximum-security prisons.
Harry Reid, the Democratic leader in the Senate, said that none of Guantánamo's detainees should be transferred to the US to stand trial or serve time in prison. "We don't want them around," he said. "I can't make it any more clear … We will never allow terrorists to be released in the United States."
The vote came as FBI director Robert Mueller told Congress that he is concerned Guantánamo detainees could support terrorism if sent to the US. Separately, a federal judge said the US can continue to hold some prisoners at Guantánamo indefinitely without any charges.
"The concerns we have about individuals who may support terrorism being in the United States run from concerns about providing financing, radicalising others," Mueller said, as well as "the potential for individuals undertaking attacks in the United States".
In recent weeks, Republicans have called for keeping Guantánamo open, saying abuses at the facility are a thing of the past and describing it as a state-of-the-art prison that's nicer than some US prisons. And they warn that terrorists who can't be convicted might be set free in the United States.
"The American people don't want these men walking the streets of America's neighbourhoods," Senator John Thune, a Republican, said today. "The American people don't want these detainees held at a military base or federal prison in their backyard, either."
But Obama's new Pentagon policy chief, Michele Flournoy, said it is unrealistic to think that no detainees will come to the US, and that the government can't ask allies to take detainees while refusing to take on the same burden.
Obama ally Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, pointed out that not a single prisoner has ever escaped from a federal super maximum security prison and that 347 convicted terrorists are already being held in US prisons.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, among the few Republicans joining former GOP presidential nominee John McCain of Arizona in calling for Guantánamo to be closed, scoffed at the idea that the government can't find a way to hold Guantánamo prisoners in the United States. Graham noted that 400,000 German and Japanese prisoners were held during the second world war.
"The idea that we cannot find a place to securely house 250-plus detainees within the United States is not rational. We have done this before," Graham said. "But it is my belief that you need a plan before you close Gitmo."
While allies such as Durbin have cast the development as a delay of only a few months, other Democrats have made it plain they do not want any of Guantánamo's detainees sent to the US to stand trial or serve prison sentences.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8062168.stm
I am so mad right now...I just don't understand....?
http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20090519/US.Congress.Guantanamo/
...In a rare, bipartisan defeat for President Barack Obama, the Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to keep the prison at Guantanamo Bay open for the foreseeable future and forbid the transfer of any detainees to facilities in the United States...
..., U.S. District Judge John Bates ruled this week that some prisoners — but not all — can be held indefinitely at Guantanamo without being charged, thus increasing the pressure on the administration to develop a plan for the men held there...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp
...The Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp is a prison operated by Joint Task Force Guantánamo of the United States government since 1987 in Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, which is on the shore of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.[1]...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/20/close-guantanamo-funding-senate-obama
Senate Democrats reject funding for Guantánamo closure
President Barack Obama's campaign pledge to shut the prison at Guantánamo Bay was rejected by his own party yesterday when Senate Democrats joined their Republican counterparts in voting not to pay for the closure.
The vote is the latest setback for the Obama administration, which has been widely criticised by supporters for deciding to restart the controversial military tribunals for detainees, first established by President George Bush, but halted by Obama when he came to office.
The 90-6 vote in the Senate follows a similar decision in the House of Representatives last week - a clear sign to Obama that he may struggle to convince the Democratic-controlled Congress to agree with his plans to shut down the detention centre and move the 240 detainees.
Last month, Obama asked for $80m (£60m) for the Pentagon and the US justice department to close the facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, by January. The administration put its congressional Democratic allies in a difficult spot by requesting the Guantánamo closure money before developing a plan for what to do with its detainees.
Obama is scheduled to give a major address tomorrow outlining in more detail his plans for Guantánamo, but it's already clear that Congress has little appetite for bringing detainees to US soil, even if the inmates would be held in maximum-security prisons.
Harry Reid, the Democratic leader in the Senate, said that none of Guantánamo's detainees should be transferred to the US to stand trial or serve time in prison. "We don't want them around," he said. "I can't make it any more clear … We will never allow terrorists to be released in the United States."
The vote came as FBI director Robert Mueller told Congress that he is concerned Guantánamo detainees could support terrorism if sent to the US. Separately, a federal judge said the US can continue to hold some prisoners at Guantánamo indefinitely without any charges.
"The concerns we have about individuals who may support terrorism being in the United States run from concerns about providing financing, radicalising others," Mueller said, as well as "the potential for individuals undertaking attacks in the United States".
In recent weeks, Republicans have called for keeping Guantánamo open, saying abuses at the facility are a thing of the past and describing it as a state-of-the-art prison that's nicer than some US prisons. And they warn that terrorists who can't be convicted might be set free in the United States.
"The American people don't want these men walking the streets of America's neighbourhoods," Senator John Thune, a Republican, said today. "The American people don't want these detainees held at a military base or federal prison in their backyard, either."
But Obama's new Pentagon policy chief, Michele Flournoy, said it is unrealistic to think that no detainees will come to the US, and that the government can't ask allies to take detainees while refusing to take on the same burden.
Obama ally Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, pointed out that not a single prisoner has ever escaped from a federal super maximum security prison and that 347 convicted terrorists are already being held in US prisons.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, among the few Republicans joining former GOP presidential nominee John McCain of Arizona in calling for Guantánamo to be closed, scoffed at the idea that the government can't find a way to hold Guantánamo prisoners in the United States. Graham noted that 400,000 German and Japanese prisoners were held during the second world war.
"The idea that we cannot find a place to securely house 250-plus detainees within the United States is not rational. We have done this before," Graham said. "But it is my belief that you need a plan before you close Gitmo."
While allies such as Durbin have cast the development as a delay of only a few months, other Democrats have made it plain they do not want any of Guantánamo's detainees sent to the US to stand trial or serve prison sentences.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Obama to curb vehicle emissions
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8056908.stm
President Barack Obama is to announce limits on pollution that will set national standards on car and lorry emissions in the US for the first time.
The rules aim to cut emissions by 30%, and set fuel efficiency at 35.5 miles per US gallon (15km per litre).
The plan will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil by 2016 and be the equivalent of taking 177 million cars off the road, White House officials said.
The cost of new vehicles is expected to rise by at least $1,300 (£842) by 2016.
Mr Obama is expected to make the announcement - which officials described as "historic" - on Tuesday.
'More consistency'
The BBC's Jonathan Beale, in Washington, says President Obama has made tackling climate change a priority.
Until now it was only a few individual states, like California, that had been battling to cut greenhouse gas emissions, our correspondent says.
The US auto industry had also resisted change. But, facing tougher times and having to rely on government aid, it is now backing the new national standards.
"GM and the auto industry benefit by having more consistency and certainty to guide our product plans," GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said in a statement.
Mr Obama's plan would still need the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency and the transport department.
The new measures would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 900 million metric tonnes, officials said.
The increase in mileage is to be introduced gradually, and is expected to add $1,300 to the cost of a vehicle by the time it is fully implemented in 2016.
The measures would begin to take effect in 2012.
Most passenger cars would eventually be required to run at 39 miles per gallon, and light lorries at 30 miles per gallon.
The average mileage for 2009 models in the US is 25 miles per gallon.
FYI I have been keeping track on my Smart and she needs about 38 gallons a mile!
President Barack Obama is to announce limits on pollution that will set national standards on car and lorry emissions in the US for the first time.
The rules aim to cut emissions by 30%, and set fuel efficiency at 35.5 miles per US gallon (15km per litre).
The plan will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil by 2016 and be the equivalent of taking 177 million cars off the road, White House officials said.
The cost of new vehicles is expected to rise by at least $1,300 (£842) by 2016.
Mr Obama is expected to make the announcement - which officials described as "historic" - on Tuesday.
'More consistency'
The BBC's Jonathan Beale, in Washington, says President Obama has made tackling climate change a priority.
Until now it was only a few individual states, like California, that had been battling to cut greenhouse gas emissions, our correspondent says.
The US auto industry had also resisted change. But, facing tougher times and having to rely on government aid, it is now backing the new national standards.
"GM and the auto industry benefit by having more consistency and certainty to guide our product plans," GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said in a statement.
Mr Obama's plan would still need the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency and the transport department.
The new measures would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 900 million metric tonnes, officials said.
The increase in mileage is to be introduced gradually, and is expected to add $1,300 to the cost of a vehicle by the time it is fully implemented in 2016.
The measures would begin to take effect in 2012.
Most passenger cars would eventually be required to run at 39 miles per gallon, and light lorries at 30 miles per gallon.
The average mileage for 2009 models in the US is 25 miles per gallon.
FYI I have been keeping track on my Smart and she needs about 38 gallons a mile!
Friday, May 15, 2009
White African American
Born and raised in Mozambique and now a naturalized U.S. citizen, Paulo Serodio, 45, has filed a lawsuit against a New Jersey medical school, claiming he was harassed and suspended for identifying himself during a class cultural exercise as a "white African-American."
Student Paulo Serodio is suing a New Jersey medical school, saying he was harassed and suspended for defining himself as a white African-American.
Can a white guy be African American?
Paulo Serodio says he is.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7567291&page=1
Ex-Student Says NJ Medical School Discriminated Against Him
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) -- A former student claims in a lawsuit that the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey discriminated against him for the way he described his background in classroom discussions on cultural diversity.
Paulo Serodio said that in 2006, he told a professor and classmates that he was "white, African, American,'' which he says accurately reflects the fact that he was born in Mozambique but later became a U.S. citizen.
He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself "African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.
Serodio, who lives in Newark, said some school employees and students told him not to describe himself as ``African-American.'' In the aftermath of his comments, Serodio said, flyers were hung around the school mocking him, he was assaulted and his car was vandalized.
His lawyer, Gregg Zeff, said Serodio eventually was suspended for ``conduct unbecoming'' a student.
The suspension came directly from his remarks in class, Zeff said.
Serodio filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Newark on Monday. He is seeking damages from the university and several faculty members and administrators.
University spokesman Jeffrey Tolvin said he could not comment because the university had not seen the lawsuit.
TM & Copyright 2009 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO & EYE Logo TM & Copyright 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. TheAssociated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.1010wins.com/Ex-Student-Says-NJ-Medical-School-Discriminated/4374417
Student Paulo Serodio is suing a New Jersey medical school, saying he was harassed and suspended for defining himself as a white African-American.
Can a white guy be African American?
Paulo Serodio says he is.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7567291&page=1
Ex-Student Says NJ Medical School Discriminated Against Him
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) -- A former student claims in a lawsuit that the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey discriminated against him for the way he described his background in classroom discussions on cultural diversity.
Paulo Serodio said that in 2006, he told a professor and classmates that he was "white, African, American,'' which he says accurately reflects the fact that he was born in Mozambique but later became a U.S. citizen.
He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself "African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.
Serodio, who lives in Newark, said some school employees and students told him not to describe himself as ``African-American.'' In the aftermath of his comments, Serodio said, flyers were hung around the school mocking him, he was assaulted and his car was vandalized.
His lawyer, Gregg Zeff, said Serodio eventually was suspended for ``conduct unbecoming'' a student.
The suspension came directly from his remarks in class, Zeff said.
Serodio filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Newark on Monday. He is seeking damages from the university and several faculty members and administrators.
University spokesman Jeffrey Tolvin said he could not comment because the university had not seen the lawsuit.
TM & Copyright 2009 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO & EYE Logo TM & Copyright 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. TheAssociated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.1010wins.com/Ex-Student-Says-NJ-Medical-School-Discriminated/4374417
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Top 10 Reasons to Drive a smart fortwo
Top 10 Reasons to Drive a smart fortwo ...not my personal reasons but from the Knauz website
As if you need reasons to covet this incredible car.
The 2009 smart fortwo is winning the hearts and minds of Americans by the thousands. For many, making the “smart” decision is purely emotional – love at first sight. For others, it’s a rational evaluation leading to a smart conclusion. For the undecided, we offer a top 10 list of reasons you should be a smart owner.
10: The 2009 smart fortwo is the most unique car sold in America. There is nothing else on the road quite like a smart fortwo. Its design is so unique that seeing one is a “drop-everything” event. People just have to look! Even those who are oblivious to the differences in car design become smart fortwo spotters, mentally checking off their “sightings” and eagerly keeping an eye peeled for the next one. Remember the “punch buggy” game? It’s that kind of car.
The 2009 smart fortwo is winning the hearts and minds of Americans by the thousands. For many, making the “smart” decision is purely emotional – love at first sight. For others, it’s a rational evaluation leading to a smart conclusion. For the undecided, we offer a top 10 list of reasons you should be a smart owner.
10: The 2009 smart fortwo is the most unique car sold in America. There is nothing else on the road quite like a smart fortwo. Its design is so unique that seeing one is a “drop-everything” event. People just have to look! Even those who are oblivious to the differences in car design become smart fortwo spotters, mentally checking off their “sightings” and eagerly keeping an eye peeled for the next one. Remember the “punch buggy” game? It’s that kind of car.
I have to agree with this...people always stop me and ask me questions, or wave and hunk their horns...I get a lot of thumbs up and smile as well...it makes me feel good about what I am driving. People always ask questions and are stil pretty ignorant about the car, so I am glad to help!
9: The smart fortwo defies the laws of physics. It’s small on the outside and big on the inside. A smart fortwo is just a hair over 106 inches long. That’s small, but with an extra five inches in height and an upright driving position, a smart fortwo feels bigger than it is. In keeping with its name, the fortwo is a two-seater, and those two will find plenty of leg- and headroom. To maximize interior space, the passenger’s seat is positioned six inches further back to avoid any unwanted shoulder rubbing. There’s 12 cubic feet of cargo room behind the seats!
...while driving it, I forget really quickly how small it is and that I am driving a Smart until the above mentioned things happen, smiles, thumbs up even people pointing and just laughing at me...I remember...oh yeah, I am driving a funny looking car!
8: The smart does better in crash tests than many conventional cars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tested the 2008 smart fortwo and awarded the Institute's top ratings for front and side crash protection. In addition, the fortwo’s rear crash worthiness was rated as "acceptable," the Institute's second-highest rating. The key to smart crashworthiness is the fortwo’s tridion safety cell. It’s a major part of the smart design; its shape is partially visible in the bold C-shaped beam that dominates the fortwo’s flanks. The cell distributes the impact of a crash over the car's body and protects the occupants inside. Playing supporting roles to the structure are two full-size front airbags and two side airbags plus ABS and a standard electronic stability program that includes traction control.
People always try to tell me how dangerous it is for me to drive the Smart. I tell them it is a save car, but they don't believe me. They see me crushed under a Hummer...lol
7. The smart fortwo is as nimble as a cat. The car is unbelievably maneuverable, able to slip past obstacles and make turns that are simply impossible for larger cars. Parking is a cinch, and many municipalities allow smart cars to park perpendicular to the curb. Prepare to adjust your spatial expectations. Many owners say their smart fortwos seemed like contortionists at first!
so true!
6. Paddleshifters give the smart something in common with racecars. The smart fortwo does not have a clutch; instead, you can shift through five gears using the steering wheel-mounted paddles. You can also let the automatic mode do its thing. The automated manual transmission eliminates the inconvenience of working a clutch in stop-and-go traffic, and adds a dashing bit of sport to driving whenever you want.
5. The smart fortwo IS a racecar! In last year’s running of the One Lap of America eight-day, 4,000-mile endurance race, Stephen Noton, along with his co-driver Tony Abou-Assaleh, campaigned a smart fortwo to make a point about the “little car that could.” As Stephen Noton pointed out, "The smart is like a Ferrari; it is a two-seater, rear-wheel drive, rear-mounted engine European exotic, and it even beats the Ferrari in one performance metric – mpg.”
4. Speaking of miles per gallon, the smart fortwo is one of the most fuel-efficient cars you can buy. The smart fortwo delivers 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway, according to EPA mileage estimates.
3. The smart fortwo is a fashion accessory! The ultra-luxury boutique, Hermès, released a special edition smart fortwo to celebrate the car’s tenth anniversary last year. The firm’s designers gave the interior a complete makeover, covering everything in leather and canvas. Several pockets were crafted in Hermès’ unique style, and a stylish umbrella was fitted behind the seats. The special edition Hermès smart fortwo is available in a number of exterior colors, 10 interior leather colors and in both hardtop and convertible variants. Must you insist? Oh, all right. Around 50 grand.
2. The smart fortwo offers the best bang for your buck. That’s according to KickingTires.com, car bloggers who ran the numbers on a smart fortwo, factoring in initial purchase cost and cost of gas and maintenance over 15,000 miles with a projected split of 55 percent city driving and 45 percent highway cruising. The ownership cost put it in first place on a list that included the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit.
And the number one reason to drive a 2009 smart fortwo?
It’s fun! The smart fortwo offers more smiles per gallon than any car sold in America. It’s so much fun that smart fortwo owners get together to form clubs that organize fun runs, charity events and socials centered on everyone’s love for their smart car. There is nothing like getting in a line of 50 smart fortwo cars and motoring down the road like a choo-choo train.
It is a lot of fun! And mine being a convertible is extra fun in the summer!
Smart car for the Highland Park Police Department! Wohoo!
http://www.imakenews.com/knauzchrysler/e_article001433437.cfm?x=bfwmHN4,bbgBv8Nc
Getting smart in Highland Park
Smart car that is!
Congratulations to the Highland Park Police Department on their recent addition to the Community Service line of vehicles.
It might be small… but it will provide the Police Department with another vehicle to help the community in many departments in the city.
Congratulations to the Highland Park Police Department on their recent addition to the Community Service line of vehicles.
It might be small… but it will provide the Police Department with another vehicle to help the community in many departments in the city.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Yesterday we went to the ballet...
http://www.joffrey.com/index.asp
I have a pretty flower in my hair...
sorry, please no flashlights inside the theater, it will disturb the dancers....
I have a pretty flower in my hair...
sorry, please no flashlights inside the theater, it will disturb the dancers....But it hasn't started yet?
Friday, May 08, 2009
Thursday, May 07, 2009
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