Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Area notables go for the Google

UPDATE: Kingston Digital Corridor, in partnership with Ulster County and multiple other organizations, applied for Google Fiber for Communities on Friday.

The pitch features Ulster County Executive Michael Hein; Kingston Mayor James Sottile; Ulster County Development Corp. President Lance Matteson; Paul Rakov (who said he doesn't follow me of Twitter for some reason) marketing director of the agency; John Glusko, director of government affairs and economic development for Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp; March Gallagher, deputy director of economic development of Ulster County; Richard Frumess of R&H ("A&F???") Handmade Paints in Kingston (you've got to hear him speak); and several members of the corridor, who like to curse at the end of videos.

No sh*t!. Here it is:



The winner will be announced at the end of the year. "We've seen cities renamethemselves, great YouTube videos, public rallies and hundreds of grassroots Facebook groups," Google said today.

Here's a map of other participating communities, which is more than 600, Google announced today:

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Area communities want Google Fiber

March Gallagher, deputy director for economic development at Ulster County, explains efforts to get Google to pick Kingston as the test city for Google Fiber, an initiative to bring ultra high-speed Internet access to a community. Google says the broadband network will be "100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections."



Meanwhile, Facebooking Woodstock residents Ralph Schiano and David McDonald are rallying their troops.

There are many other efforts elsewhere in the country. Check out this video of Sen. Al Franken:



Can Kingston or Woodstock residents put something together before Friday's deadline?

Well, is up to you, isn't it?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Coburn tries to improve/kill health care


HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL UPDATE:

Senate Republicans have come up with some new arguments that would improve/kill the health care reconciliation bill, which still needs to pass, the idea being that if you make but one change, the bill has to go back to the House to be mangled into obscurity.

One amendment, by clever person Sen. Tom Coburn, would prohibit sex offenders from getting Viagra prescriptions under federal health programs, the Associated Press reports. Presumably, Coburn has been OK with Viagra for perverts for the last 13 months, but just now realized that this should be addressed. NOW.

It's a "gotcha amendment" according to Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, because it is designed to be difficult for Democrats to oppose.

So expect to see amendments prohibiting the use of federal dollars to fund:

* Babies being thrown off the top of buildings;
* Torturing cute kittens;
* Punching grandmas;
* Orgies;
* Throwing rocks at Little League players; and
* Running over pregnant women with semis.

Anybody who oppose any of these measures becomes a pervert-supporting, baby-throwing, kitty-torturing, grandma punching, deviant, rock-throwing, pregnant-woman slaying Democrat.


Check out the other eight Coburn poison pills/amendments.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

What's the big f-ing deal with Biden's 'big f-ing deal'?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Leave it to Vice President Joe Biden to add a little, ahem, flair to the signing of a health care bill affecting millions of people.

"This is a big f------ deal," Biden told President Barack Obama after introducing him at Tuesday's ceremony at the White House.

Biden appeared to be offering that perspective to Obama privately, but his remark was captured on audio and video.

The episode quickly got buzz on the Internet.

Biden has a reputation of verbal slips, and he knows it.

The White House response to this one? Embrace it.

"And yes Mr. Vice President, you're right," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a post, or "tweet," on Twitter, the social networking site.

---
Enjoy:

Monday, March 22, 2010

Anti-abortion Democrat Stupak called 'baby killer'

... and on the floor of the House of Oxymorons, during the health care show, I mean, debate.



As you know, you can't spell "Oxymorons" without "Oxy."

(What did you think I was going to say?)

Politico reports that some House members know who it was but won't say.

You don't want to be inappropriate, you know?

AP UPDATE: Texas Republican says he shouted 'baby killer'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Texas Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer acknowledged Monday that he is the lawmaker who shouted out "baby killer" during a floor speech by Rep. Bart Stupak, an anti-abortion Democrat whose vote was crucial to passage of the Democratic health care bill Sunday evening.

Neugebauer, in his third term from a solidly GOP district that includes the city of Lubbock, said he had apologized to Stupak for his outburst, which drew a rebuke from the chair during the often-rowdy debate.

Neugebauer insisted in a statement that he was not referring directly to Stupak but to the agreement that the Michigan Democrat helped work out with the White House. That eleventh-hour agreement, under which President Barack Obama said he would issue an executive order pledging that no federal funds be used for abortions, helped seal the last votes Democrats needed to pass the bill.

He said his exact words, referring to that agreement, were "it's a baby killer."

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Say hello to 'Crazy House'



A photographer takes a picture of a wooden house which is built upside-down in Gettorf, northern Germany, on Sunday. The fully furnished so-called "crazy house" has a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room and a sleeping room. Visitors have to pay an entry fee to enter this tourist attraction which is set up at the local zoo. It opens to the public on March 30. (AP Photo/Heribert Proepper)


...


Let's just hope nobody has to go to the bathroom:


Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Sexy links

I did a lot of research for "Sex study's conclusions not so sexy," and here are my findings:

* I don't have $25 to pay for the full Kinsey Institute study.
* Especially when there is a report by Indiana University that summarizes it.
* Most news reports about the study do contain sexy pictures. (It's OK to click. It's a Google search and it's safe for work).



Or not. MUAHAHAHA.


* Somebody did, indeed, tell ABC news that "sex is a euphemism."
* You shouldn't be reading about sex at work.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Tim Burton to produce 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'

"Alice in Wonderland" director Tim Burton and "Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov are set to produce the film adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," according to multiple reports.

LOCAL TRIVIA TANGENT: The book begins in Rhinebeck, "one of those upstate towns that time forgot." The family of Grahame-Smith's wife, Erin, lives in Rhinebeck and own Al Stickle 5 & Dime store there.

Grahame-Smith is said to be on board to adapt the screenplay. Grahame-Smith's first mash-up novel, "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies," is in development as a film starring Natalie Portman.

The Freeman spoke with Grahame-Smith recently and will publish the story on Friday. In the meantime, check out the trailer for the book.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

"Fun with Real Daily Freeman Comments"!

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" - The trailer

Here's the trailer (?) for the book (??) "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (???) by Seth Grahame-Smith, whom we are told spends some of his time in the Rhinebeck area with his wife and family.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Another imaginary journalist is laid off



It's been a rough time for imaginary people in medialand.

First it was Doonesbury's Rick Redfern, a longtime investigative reporter for The Washington Post, who was laid off last year and became what he calls "a blogger," whatever that means.

Then world-traveling reporter Brenda Starr got furloughed.

Now the Daily Bugle's J. Jonah Jameson is going to fire photographer Peter Parker on Wednesday. (Let's hope Parker's got some other skills).


"Peter Parker's been through some rough times lately, with all of his deadliest foes returning, and he couldn't lose his job at a worse time" said Amazing Spider-Man Senior Editor Steve Wacker. "He's going to struggle with unemployment and trying to save the city while he can barely afford to keep a roof over his head."

Too bad.

And yes, Clark Kent. I'm looking at you.