Are you doing Your Part for Home Security???

You may have not realized this, but as we sit here, you have certain responsibilities to the Homeland Security. We are now, and generally are, in a state of Elevated security threat. You should have by now completed the steps outlined in step Green, Blue, and Yellow. According to the government, you need to stay ever vigilant, and prepared.

Green - Develop a family emergency plan. Share it with family and friends, and practice the plan. Create an “Emergency Supply Kit” for your household. Be informed. Visit www.Ready.gov or obtain a copy of “Preparing Makes Sense, Get Ready Now” by calling 1-800-BE-READY.
Know how to shelter-in-place and how to turn off utilities (power, gas, and water) to your home.
Examine volunteer opportunities in your community, such as Citizen Corps, Volunteers in Police
Service, Neighborhood Watch or others, and donate your time. Consider completing an American Red Cross first aid or CPR course , or Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course .

Blue - Complete recommended steps at level green. Review stored disaster supplies and replace items that are outdated. Be alert to suspicious activity and report it to proper authorities.

Yellow - Complete recommended steps at levels green and blue. Ensure disaster supply kit is stocked and ready. Check telephone numbers in family emergency plan and update as necessary. Develop alternate routes to/from work or school and practice them.
Elevated Risk Continue to be alert for suspicious activity and report it to authorities.

Orange - Complete recommended steps at lower levels. Exercise caution when traveling, pay attention to travel advisorie. Review your family emergency plan and make sure all family members know what to do. Be Patient. Expect some delays, baggage searches and restrictions at public buildings. Check on neighbors or others that might need assistance in an emergency.

Red - Complete all recommended actions at lower levels. Listen to local emergency management officials. Stay tuned to TV or radio for current information/instructions. Be prepared to shelter-in-place or evacuate, as instructed. Severe Risk Expect traffic delays and restrictions. Provide volunteer services only as requested. Contact your school/business to determine status of work day.

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video: Drive Monkey Drive!

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Homecoming queen beats sister with wooden leg, smears feces in cop car, and threatens to burn down the neighbor's house, (and that's just recently)

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Donna Sturkie-Anthony makes Tanya Harding look like Mother Theresa. Jump here to MSNBC to read the sordid story.
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A painting of Jerry Melin (with links back, and a poem)

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I found an old picture of Jerry and decided to fiddle around with it. Curiously, in the original--and you can still see part of it here--is a piece of framed sheet music titled "Dear Old Pal Of Mine."

Here are earlier references to Jerry Melin on All This Is That:

Jerry Melin, Master Forger and Craftsman
A Blog for Phil Kendall
Photograph: Jerry Melin At Mud Bay, Bainbridge Island, Washington
Jerry Melin, still missing, still missed
Mel, Part 1
Audioblogger Post::::Kevin Curran And Jerry Melin Meet The Poet Allen Ginsberg At The Grass Roots Tavern On NYC's Lower East Side
Senator Jerry Melin Speaks Out About 1979
Further ruminations on Phil Kendall

A poem I wrote for/about him:


Shorts For Jerry Melin [ca. about 1988]

1
A dim crescent
Hung cockeyed
On cathedral skies.

2
An orchard of salt pillars
Circles Gomorrah's ashes:
Lot's Wife had no name.

3
Two vultures flap
Side by side into the sun.
Calcutta awakes.

4
The wine in this cup
Has a tide all its own.
I am the sucking moon.
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West Dakota Senator Hoolihan endorses Obama, urges split ticket with Larry Craig

Senator Otis Hoolihan (D), West Dakota

Another superdelegate has jumped on the Obama bandwagon. Senator Otis Hoolihan held a press conference in Crockett, West Dakota this morning to announce he was throwing his support to Senator Obama. Hoolihan urged Obama to run on a split ticket--with Senator Larry Craig (!), and asked him to put a lid "on all this fainting at rallies silliness."
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Five Paintings: The Presidential Candidates Left Standing

Click to enlarge Barack

The Presidential Candidates Left Standing, are paintings of the last candidates in the race for the Presidency (excluding the absolutely hopeless Communists, Socialist Workers, Libertarian, and other fringe parties). Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee are just barely standing. Hillary is standing, but becoming very wobbly.


Click to enlarge Ron Paul



Click to enlarge John McCain

Click to enlarge Huck

Click to enlarge Hillary

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Obama's response to fainting at Barack rallies ("here, have a Brawndo. It's got electrolytes") , with a brief history, and video clips

This is a really weird story and it is spreading rapidly--as these things tend to do--over the 'net.

My son, Del, came home from the Obama rally in Seattle a week ago today and told us about a woman fainting in the audience, and how Obama asked the crowd for help, and then passed a bottle of water down from the stage. At the time, I jokingly told Del, "yeah, she travels on his plane. She's his fainter."

Fainting is not unusual at campaign rallies. If you do a G.I.S., you'll find several stories of people fainting this month at rallies held by all three Clintons: Bill, Hill, and Chelsea. It will be interesting to see if this story has legs. I hope not.

There is a hint in some accounts I've read that the faintings are a direct response to Senator Obama's power as a vector of hope, love, and change; to his almost Messianic followers who look at him figureatively and literally as a sort of savior. When I was a young river-dunked Baptist, I went to a few revivals, and it was a feature of these big meetings in arenas, racetracks, and camps. When there was serious testifying going on, women would faint. The "Deacons" were all equipped with smelling salts and extra handerchiefs. And people would faint when The Call came (the call to come on stage and accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior) and you could stand up and wash away your sins with the blood of the lamb.



As it turns out, the usual Republican suspects are trying to make something of all this fainting. Like James Vicevich, a Connecticut radio talk show host, who has gone into some detail on this. Like Dory Monson, a conservative and reactionary hater and talk show host at Seattle's KIRO 710 AM.

This story is either a shocking revelation, or the usual Republican/Conservative claptrap. Today a Connecticut radio host show host cites several instances of an occurrence that has become common during Obama events:

The formula-->a woman faints-->Obama pauses his speech to speak about the fainting woman-->a bottle of water is passed down from the podium-->someone in the audience shouts "what a man!"

Seattle, Feb. 8, 2008. "Obama tossing a bottle of water to a woman about to faint received big cheers," MSNBC.com reported. " Obama told the crowd to part so that the woman in question could leave and called for help. A young girl in the crowd shouted out, 'What a man!' [ed's note: We can verify this one, because Jack's son Del was at the rally and repeated the above story almost verbatim]. The audience roared with laughter (although "the press that has seen this happen before rolled its eyes").



Hanover, N.H., Jan. 8, 2008. "A young woman in the Dartmouth College gym fainted, and was eventually rolled off on a gurney by emergency medical technicians," the Los Angeles Times reported. " Obama was speaking of the episode from the stage: 'She's OK,' 'She's talking.' The Times reported "Obama looked worried as the medical crew worked." Minneapolis's WCCO-TV has a video clip of Obama handing a bottle of water to the Dartmouth fainter, and asking the crowd to part for the EMTs.



Madison, Wis., Oct. 22, 2007. According to the Associated Press, "Three people fainted in the midst of all the enthusiasm."



Montecito, Calif., Sept. 8, 2007. " A woman standing in front of the stage fainted. The Associated Press reported. "The candidate paused and asked the crowd to make way for firefighters. A supporter shouted, 'You're a good man,' and Obama appeared a little embarrassed. "

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Video: Bert and Ernie Try The Rock Band Game

A video of Bert and Ernie rocking.



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The end of the line for Senator Clinton

It's just a little sad for me to realize we won't have a female President, after all. This is an important thing, and it's shameful we've let it go this long (and now, for four, eight, or twelve years further out).

Unless Hillary comes up with unprecedented margins in the upcoming primaries, it's over, and it may already be over. Nine months until the General election leaves nine months to doubt and wring our hands. I am hoping that instead, we can enjoy the next year as one that will leave us Bush-free and Obama will come on strong and decimate the competition by mid-summer.
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Johnny Winter rocks...Video (and lyrics) of Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo

I am not a huge fan of Johnny Winter, but I enjoy his blues. [ed's note: Disclaimer: Jack does not actually own any recordings by Johnny Winter]. At one point in time, and maybe even still, he knew how to rock. Rick Derringer wrote this song and had a huge hit with it (and I think Johnny may have charted with it). I never cared much about the tune--until I saw this video. Johnny Winters and his two sidemen tear the song up and Johnny shreds on guitar. This is an incredible rock and roll performance.





Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo
lyrics by Rock Derringer

Couldn't stop moving when it first took hold.
It was a warm spring night at the old town hall.
There was a group called 'The Jokers' they were layin' it down.
Don't ya know I'm never gonna lose that funky sound.

Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Lordy mama, light my fuse (Light my fuse)
Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Drop on out and spread the news.

Skeeters start a buzzin' 'bout this time a year.
I'm goin' 'round back, said she'd meet me there.
We were rollin' in the grass that grows behind the barn.
When my ears started ringing like a fire alarm.

Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Lordy mama, light my fuse (Light my fuse)
Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Drop on out and spread the news.

Yeah, did somebody say keep on rockin'?

Hope you all know what I'm talkin' about.
The way they wiggle that thing really knocks me out.
Gettin' high all the time, hope you all are too.
C'mon little closer gonna do it to you.

Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Lordy mama, light my fuse (Light my fuse)
Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Drop on out and spread the news.

Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Lordy mama, light my fuse (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Jump on out and spread the news.
That I'm tired of payin' dues (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Done said goodbye to all my blues (Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo)
Lordy mama, light my fuse.
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Alien Lore No. 123 - Two Recent British UFO sightings

1


The Portsmouth sighting - click to enlarge



Hab Rahman stopped to take snapshots [that word snapshot, is slowly fading into obsolescence, isn't it?] of a strangely lit sky. When he downloaded them to his computer, he noticed a mysterious glowing object. A fawking UFO!

Hab (of Portsmouth England) said: “I didn’t spot anything when I took the picture but then later on when I looked a bit closer and zoomed in, there it was. I’ve never really believed in UFOs but this is a bit weird and quite freaky."

“I’m not really sure what to make of it but I can’t think what else it could be.” The photo of the flying saucer-like object was taken just after midnight in a Portsmouth car park.

Hilary Porter, from the British Earth and Aerial Mysteries Society (BEAMS), said the sighting could be credible/legit. She said: “It would be very difficult to fake that photo and the UFO is at a tilt, which is the way they normally fly. You don’t normally see that sort of UFO over this country, we generally get orange orbs, so the photographer who got this photo has got quite a coup.”

The Ministry of Defense refuses to comment on individual sightings. A MoD spokesperson said: “The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity. Unless there is evidence of a potential threat, there is no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported.”

2

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This photo of a UFO over Cornwall was this week hailed by experts as one of the best ever taken in Britain. The classic flying saucer shape is seen above two ships. And UFO watchers believe it could be proof we are NOT alone. You think!?

Kelvin Barbery snapped the mystery object from a coastal path between Swanpool and Maenporth, near Falmouth. In a weird twist (and just like the sighting/photo above), Kelvin, 55, did not even see the UFO at the time.

He thought he was just shooting a seascape—but when he loaded the digital camera photos into his computer, the round metallic “craft” was in the centre of the shot, about two miles away.

Kelvin, a facilities manager for schools, said: “There were a couple of tankers out in the bay and I thought that it made a nice shot. "

“There was nothing in view and certainly no fault on the camera. "

“When I got home I couldn’t believe what I had. I thought, ‘Wow, where did that come from?’ I’m not the sort to believe in UFOs — now I’m not so sure.” '

Nick Pope, one of Britain’s foremost UFO experts, said the photo was one of the best he had seen. The former Ministry of Defense UFO analyst, said: “If I was still there I’d be looking at this very closely. The object looks structured, symmetrical and metallic. This man has caught something very interesting indeed.”

Michael Soper, of the Contact International UFO group, agreed: “This does appear genuine. Digital photos can be doctored but everything about it appears consistent.”
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Would you fire this woman? Patti Solis Doyle photos

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