Remembering: The Eiffel Tower

March 31, 1889 the Eiffel Tower is officially completed and dedicated. Gustave Eiffel supervised the completion of the project he designed not only under budget, but early as well.

Some critics had argued that his design would be unstable and could not last or reach so high. Others that it would be an eyesore, taking away from the charm of the Parisian skyline.

The nine hundred and eighty-four foot tall tower is made of an iron framework supported on four masonry piers. On each pier is a column, which unite to form a single vertical tower. Three platforms, at different levels, have observation decks. Glass caged, elevators ascend the piers on a curve.

On the day of dedication the elevators were the only thing not completed, so Eiffel and some determined companions took the stairs. Once at the top the let fly a huge French tricolor. At the signal fireworks were set off, on the second platform.

In 1909 the lease on the land expired, and plans began to tear it down, but it served a great purpose as a radio tower and so was saved. It remained the world's tallest structure until 1930.

GM Pulls Funding of Heartland Institute, Backing The War on Thinking

Under pressure from groups such as Greenpeace, GM buckled under and embraced climate change as truth. GM CEO Dan Akerson said his company is running its business under the assumption that climate change is real.

This news was of course rabidly applauded by groups like Forecast the Facts, Huffington Post, the Center for American Progress, 350.org, Greenpeace, the Pacific Institute, Think Progress, and other such havens.

Once again thinking outside the liberal view point is the last thing you want to do, if running a company, let alone a think tank. Government forbid that people think for themselves and see a truth other than what you've crammed down their throats.

It should be noted that GM gave a resounding $15,000 a year. Yes, that's the right amount of zeros. GM, barely gave anything anyways. They used to give a lot more. Oddly that all seemed to change around the time GM was bought out by the government. Even despite that they were the last auto maker to do anything. But if any single one is, then they must be stopped! Or at least so says the plant that Greenpeace worships.

Maybe it's time for some hard data. How about the repeating cycles of global climate? The world has warmed and cooled repeatedly, before industry. And to attack American companies for it, is well ridiculous. American companies already are some of the cleanest in the world. Growing industry nations like China and India case the majority of the pollution. Comparing US industry to Europe isn't fair either, as there is so much more US industry. Of course the US pollutes more than Lichtenstein or Belgium.

What's worse is that global warming (or I'm sorry we don't say that anymore do we?), is being used as just another excuse to tell us how to think. Just like evolution, you can't dare to disagree with the system's decisions. Thinking for yourself would be illegal, but they can't pass that law (yet). So they discourage you from thinking by threatening your job, career, sometimes even more.

The building tyranny isn't just about keeping us from doing things. It's about keeping us from thinking.  Remember what we are really fighting for is simply the right to think what we want to. To decide what we believe, off of what we see going on around us. We should seek truth in everything, not just what the government or their paid drones tell us is correct.

Real totalitarian power comes if you control not just people's jobs, healthcare, wages, lives, or even bodies. Total power comes from controlling thought. If you control what they think, then they won't care what else you control.

In the end, remember, to Just Think for yourself.

Tweet Deck's Latest Issue

Twitter was forced to take Tweet Deck down, again after a bug allowed people access to other people's accounts. To make it better, Twitter didn't even notice. Users noticed that they could do it.

It is unknown how long it was running that way, but if you have tweets on your account that you didn't put, now you know why.

Since Twitter purchased Tweet Deck, last May, problems have become much more common. Recently a flaw made it look as if people weren't following people they actually were, causing great distress amongst the masses.

Long time users are quite familiar with Twitter's own "Fail Whale" but as Twitter grows it is no longer a joking matter. With over 100 million active users, including businesses and government agencies tweeting more than 250 million times a day, a problem on Twitter literally can effect the whole world.

Olbermann Pink-Slipped. Again

Friday afternoon, the New York Times reports, Keith Olbermann was humiliated... and fired. In an open letter to the viewer(s) of Current TV:

We created Current to give voice to those Americans who refuse to rely on corporate-controlled media and are seeking an authentic progressive outlet. We are more committed to those goals today than ever before.

Current was also founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers. Unfortunately these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann and we have ended it.

Current TV says that Olbermann will not be given an opportunity to sign off. Ex-Governor Elliot Spitzer, who resigned his Governorship after admitting to his involvement in a prostitution ring, will be taking the 8 pm slot effective tonight. Spitzer worked a short stint at CNN before being let go.

NY Times online:

With those words — “on a daily basis” — the founders of Current hinted at one of the reasons for Mr. Olbermann’s termination. It was the culmination, at least in part, of months of infighting between the famously temperamental Mr. Olbermann and his bosses at Current, including Mr. Hyatt, and David Bohrman, the channel’s president.

The fighting spilled out into public view in January after Mr. Olbermann declined Current’s requests to host special hours of election coverage, apparently out of frustration about technical difficulties that had plagued his 8 p.m. program, “Countdown.”

Fourteen months ago, Olbermann was fired by MSNBC after alienating staff members and violating his contract by donating to Democrat politicians.

UPDATE: Olbermann responds via Twitter:

My full statement:
I'd like to apologize to my viewers and my staff for the failure of Current TV.
Editorially, Countdown had never been better. But for more than a year I have been imploring Al Gore and Joel Hyatt to resolve our issues internally, while I've been not publicizing my complaints, and keeping the show alive for the sake of its loyal viewers and even more loyal staff. Nevertheless, Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt, instead of abiding by their promises and obligations and investing in a quality news program, finally thought it was more economical to try to get out of my contract.

It goes almost without saying that the claims against me implied in Current's statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently. To understand Mr. Hyatt’s “values of respect, openness, collegiality and loyalty,” I encourage you to read of a previous occasion Mr. Hyatt found himself in court for having unjustly fired an employee. That employee’s name was Clarence B. Cain.

In due course, the truth of the ethics of Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt will come out. For now, it is important only to again acknowledge that joining them was a sincere and well-intentioned gesture on my part, but in retrospect a foolish one. That lack of judgment is mine and mine alone, and I apologize again for it.

UPDATE 2: Spitzer responds to Keith Olbermann getting fired from MSNBC in November of 2010:

Follow me on Twitter.

Dodgers Bought for $2 Billion

A group of investors led by investment banking firm Guggenheim Partners and championed by Magic Johnson have agreed to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 billion. The group will also spend $150 million to buy Dodger Stadium and the surrounding property.

"I am thrilled to be part of the historic Dodger franchise and intend to build on the fantastic foundation laid by Frank McCourt as we drive the Dodgers back to the front page of the sports section of our wonderful community of Los Angeles," Johnson said in a statement.


The Dodgers had landed in bankruptcy court after former owners Frank and Jamie McCourt filed for divorce. Since then the Major League Baseball association had taken over running the team.


"This agreement with Guggenheim reflects both the strength and future potential of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and assures that the Dodgers will have new ownership with deep local roots, which bodes well for the Dodgers, its fans and the Los Angeles community," McCourt said.

$2 billion is the highest amount ever spent on a professional US sports team. In 2009, real estate developer Steven Ross spent $1.1 billion to purchase the NFL's Miami Dolphins. The Ricketts family spent $845 million to take ownership of the Chicago Cubs, in 2009.


A big question remaining around the Dodgers is who will have broadcasting rights. News Corp's Fox Sports and Time Warner Cable are expected to duel it out for them. That deal could cost around $3 billion.

Anchorman 2

Just when you thought Hollywood was out of original ideas, Will Ferrel has confirmed that Anchorman 2 has been given the go ahead.

Ferrel will reprise his role as San Diego's top newscaster. He'll be rejoined by Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner. It is unknown if Christina Applegate or Fred Willard will return.

Adam McKay is back as director, and he and Ferrel will write the sequel.

About the most notable thing of the first movie was that it helped launch Seth Rogen's career.

Congress Asked to Give More For Iron Dome

The Pentagon is asking the US Congress to allow more funding to help Israel build more Iron Dome batteries. Last year $205 million was targeted specifically for it. This year's request would be for at least $500 million, or enough for ten of the batteries.

Iron Dome is a state of the art missile defense system, that has been over ninety percent effective in defending Israel from incoming rockets. Batteries cost about $50 million a piece.

So far three other batteries are all that protects a small part of southern Israel. Monday saw the spread of the batteries, so that one covers Tel Aviv now as well. More are in the production stages. South Korea, NATO, and the US Army have all expressed interest in buying future batteries.

President Obama has taken lots of heat lately for not supporting Israel as much as other Presidents have. This is a clear sign that he doesn't want to be looked at in that way, and so is rushing to plug that hole in his reelection campaign.

Lower North Fork Fire Fifteen Percent Contained

The Lower North Fork Fire, which started Monday, is now fifteen percent contained. Efforts by 500 fire fighters, three planes, and four helicopters have been successful in stopping it's growth at 4,140 acres.

Twenty-seven structures were damaged or burned down by the fire. An elderly couple died as well. It is unknown why they didn't leave before the flames reached them. The adult woman is still missing, and the search for her will continue today.

Firefighting efforts were greatly helped by the lack of wind over the past few days. Because of the winds dying out, in many areas the fire burned itself out. Winds today are expected to stay low as humidity increases. Visibility has increased to over ten miles, and the Air Quality Advisory has been lifted.

The Heavy Air Tankers that had been fighting the fire for the last two days, are leaving to fight fires in South Dakota. Four Colorado Air National Guard Blackhawks will continue to dump water on the Lower North Fork Fire.

Homeowners will be allowed reentry into the zone, with Jefferson County sheriff escort. The mandatory evacuation is expected to be lifted this weekend. Intermountain Rural Electric Association announced that 267 structures are without power. They are working as quickly as possible to rebuild several miles of power lines that were burned down.

Remembering: Eisenhower

March 28, 1969 Dwight D. Eisenhower, the thirty-fourth President of the United States, dies at the age of 78.

Born in Denison, Texas he graduated from West Point in 1915. Serving in WWI and throughout the peace time, he rose through the ranks, and was made the general in charge of US European operations in WWII.

Eisenhower never actually commanded troops in the field. However as supreme commander of all allied troops he organized and supervised all planning. He was the man responsible for keeping the allied troops as a united front.

After the war he became the first commander of NATO. But it wasn't long til the country was calling for him to be President. And so in 1952, running as a Republican, Ike won a definitive victory. He would be reelected in 1956, with an even bigger margin. His terms saw economic growth and he kept the country strong as the Cold War grew.

He would later retire to his farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. After he died, his body was placed in a family cemetery in Abilene, Kansas.

Colorado's Lower North Fork Fire Completely Uncontained

The Lower North Fork Fire, which started Monday, continues to burn. It has burned over 4,500 acres and is not contained at all.

The two dead have been identified as an elderly couple. There is also an adult female missing, who is known to live within the fire area. Sixteen homes have burned down, with another seven having been damaged.

Over two hundred fire fighters are on the front lines, battling the fire. Earlier attempts to begin suppressing the fire had to be called off, due to the erratic behavior of the fire. Methods have returned to defending buildings from the flames. More fire fighters are expected to join soon. Hot Shot crews are on the way from Arizona, South Dakota, and Utah.

Thanks to calmer winds today air power has been being used against the fire. A SEAT (Single Engine Air Tanker) and a Heavy P2V Tanker have been dropping retardant, as well as two National Guard helicopters, from Buckley Air Force Base, who have been dropping water.

Over 1,000 homes have already been evacuated, with 6,500 more being put on pre-evacuation notice. Areas that have been warned include: City View, Hilldale Pines, Deer Creek Mesa, Deer Creek Canyon Park, White Deer Valley, Homewood Park, Murphy Gulch, Jennings Road, South Turkey Road, South Deer Creek Canyon Road, Jennings Road, and Watson Gulch.

Chatfield and Conifer High Schools had been being used as evacuation locations. That however is changing as Conifer High School is being retasked as the command center, and Chatfield High School is being taken off the list.. Evacuees are being moved to West Jefferson Middle School. Animals are still being evacuated to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.

An Air Quality Advisory is still in place for the entire metro area. This will likely not be lifted for a few days. Smoke levels are too high due to the continued burning. A Burn Ban is also in effect for, unincorporated Arapahoe County (Includes Cherry Creek State Park and Centennial), Boulder County, Golden, Englewood, and Denver Mountain Parks.

Jefferson County has created a Google map which shows some of the location information. Listed are evacuation spots, road closures, the original evacuation area, and the fire lines (though the lines have not been updated since 23:00 MDT Monday).

View Lower North Fork Wildfire in a larger map

Popcorn Contains More AntiOxidants Than Fruit

Researchers at the University of Scranton have released findings on the healthiness of popcorn.

They found that one serving of popcorn has around 300 milligrams of antioxidants, which is nearly double the 160 milligrams found in the average serving of fruit.

Popcorn has been considered a good diet food for a long time due to it's low amount of calories. Microwave popcorn though, has twice as many calories as air popped.

Due to the additives, buttered popcorn, and movie theater popcorn is even less healthy than plain.

So keep eating that popcorn, and help yourself enjoy a healthy life.

World's First Diamond Ring

Shawish Jewelers out of Switzerland has announced the world's first ever, fully diamond ring. No metals of any sort are involved in it. It is purely diamond.

Mohamed Shawish, president of Geneva-based Shawish Jewellery said, "A ring made entirely of a faceted diamond has always seemed like a fantasy. To create the perfect diamond ring is the epitome of art." He added that it took over a year to get the copyright for the design, and that a special laser was needed to cut it.

The 150 ct. diamond ring is expected to bring in at least $68 million when sold. If auctioned it could make double that.

Remembering: Thomas Jefferson's Election to the Continental Congress

March 27, 1775 Virginia elects Thomas Jefferson to the second Continental Congress. He quickly made a name for himself, publishing such papers as A Summary View of the Rights of British America and Drafts and Notes on the Virginia Constitution.

When the Congress was ready to form a committee to discuss independence from England, Jefferson was put on it, and then asked to write the declaration. It took him but days, and the committee approved it almost in it's entirety, making subtle changes to the wording.

A Declaration by the Representatives in General Congress Assembled was presented to Congress on June 28, 1776. On July 4 it was approved under a new name, The Declaration of Independence.

Jefferson would continue to write and publish documents, including a bill establishing religious freedom within the new country. He would become the United States' first secretary of state, vice president to it's second President, and finally it's third President, under the Constitution.

He died, at the age of eighty-three on July 4, 1826. Fifty years to the day after the signing of The Declaration of Independence.

Al Qaeda and Iran Active in Yemen

The United States envoy to Yemen, Gerald Feierstein, was quoted as saying that Iran is working with rebels in Northern Yemen, to destabilize the area, and further grow Iran's influence. "The Iranians want to build influence in Yemen. Both internally and more broadly in the region by establishing a foothold in the Arabian Peninsula."

He continued, "There is evidence that Hezbollah and Hamas support this Iranian effort. We are aware of a southern Yemeni presence in Beirut that has been used as a conduit for Iranian support for obstruction in southern Yemen."

Feierstein also pointed out that al Qaeda is invading the south of Yemen. Pointing out reasons for the US to continue to back, stabilize, and help the government of Yemen. "If we solve some of the political problems that created chaos in the Yemeni military, we will have improved the possibility of succeeding in our initiatives against al Qaeda."

Also adding that the US was already involved there, when questioned about possible US drone strikes against southern rebels. "I can say that we are working closely with the security institutions of the Yemeni government regarding counter-terrorism initiatives, specifically those aimed at defeating al Qaeda."

2 Dead From Colorado Wild Fire

The Lower North Fork Fire, which started Monday, has claimed it's second victim. Authorities are not releasing any information on the deaths other than that they occurred. It is thought that they are people who refused evacuation orders.

Sixteen homes have been confirmed lost at this point. So far the fire has claimed over 4,500 acres, and continues to grow. There is no time table yet for containment.

Around 500 firefighters are expected to be fighting the fire by the end of the day. Ground crews have been able to begin suppression efforts from the purely protection roles that they had been stuck with. Hot Shot crews are in route from Utah, South Dakota, and Arizona.

Air crews have joined the fight and are doing what they can, as intermittent winds hamper their efforts. A heavy P2V airplane has been dropping fire retardant over the fire. Two National Guard helicopters, capable of dropping water, are on the way from Buckley Air Force Base.

Evacuations are still in place for nearly 1,000 homes, with many others still told to be ready to get out. The metro area is still under an Air Quality Advisory, and that is not likely to be lifted as long as the fire is still growing.

Jefferson County earlier created a map to show the extent of the fire area, but it has not been updated since 23:00 MDT Monday. It does show evacuation points, and road block locations as well.


View Lower North Fork Wildfire in a larger map

Lower North Fork Fire

The Lower North Fork fire, which started Monday, continued to burn throughout the night, burning down as many as twenty five homes. As of late Monday night, one fatality has been confirmed, though no further information has been released yet.

Over 3,000 acres have burned so far, leading to the evacuation of nearly 1,000 homes. Those numbers could easily climb. Jefferson County has asked all nearby residents, north of the fire and south of Highway 285, to be ready to evacuate if the winds return and push the fire further.

Around 100 firefighters battled the blaze throughout the night. They are expected to be joined by at least 450 more throughout Tuesday. Air support is available, and will be flying for as long as winds allow.

Firefighters have mostly been working on structure protection, but there are worries that it is headed towards state parks, where animals such as snakes, bears, and mountain lions may pose a threat to the firefighters. If the fire continues it's march north and east, greater numbers of homes will also be threatened, as it heads into more densely populated parts of the Denver metro.

An Air Quality Advisory remains in effect for the Denver metro area. Authorities say if visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood due to a wildfire or controlled burn, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy. If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood it's recommended you stay indoors. This is especially important for people with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly.

Jefferson County has created a Google map to show where the fire is known to be and been, location of roadblocks, evacuation points, and other information as well.

View Lower North Fork Wildfire in a larger map

Remembering: Dr. Jonas Salk and The Polio Vaccine

March 26, 1953 Dr. Jonas Salk announces to the world that he has successfully created and tested a vaccine for polio. By 1954, two million children had been involved in clinical trials. In April 1955, the vaccine was pronounced effective and safe, leading to nationwide inoculation.

Salk began his research into a polio vaccine in 1948, after receiving a grant from the University of Pittsburgh. For his work, Dr. Salk would be given many awards throughout the rest of his life, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977.

Polio attacks the nervous system, causing varying degrees of paralysis. Mostly striking infants, it could strike adults as well. Perhaps the most famous of it's victims was President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who became partially paralyzed after being struck with at the age of thirty-nine. In 1952 alone nearly 3,000 Americans had died from the disease.

The disease has not been wiped from the earth, and does pop up every once in awhile in the United States. Most cases are people who have immigrated from other countries, especially developing ones.

Colorado Fires Continue to Spread During Night

The Lower North Fork fire has grown to over 3,000 acres, and burned down several houses. Jefferson County officials have confirmed that there has been a fatality linked to the fire. The death is under investigation, and no further information has been released at this time. Fifteen fire departments are already fighting the fire, with more agencies preparing to join.

Mandatory evacuations have spread to nearly 1,000 homes. All residents south of Highway 285, in the area, have been warned that they should be ready to evacuate as well. Evacuated residents were asked to go to Chatfield and Conifer High Schools. Large animals evacuated due to the fire can be taken to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.

Due to the smoke from the Lower North Fork fire, the entire Denver metro has been placed under an air quality advisory. Authorities say if visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood due to a wildfire or controlled burn, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy. If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood it's recommended you stay indoors. This is especially important for people with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly.

Another fire has broken out near Loveland, but is already half contained. All other fires that started on Monday have been contained or extinguished. Winds are expected to dissipate over night, which will slow the fire's growth, and allow for air crews to join the fight, in the morning.

More Warnings For North Korea Over Planned Launch

North Korean plans to launch a rocket in April, met with continued hostility and warnings. The United States and Japan have already warned them not to.

On Monday, China and South Korea joined the nay sayers. China pledged to do it's best to dissuade North Korea from actually attempting the launch. South Korea joined Japan in saying they may shoot it down if it crosses their airspace.

North Korea maintains that the rocket is purely for scientific reasons, and will launch a satellite into space. The other countries condemn it as a long range missile test, and warn that it would hamper peace processes, likely including food shipments.

Originally the trajectory would have had it go across the main islands of Japan, eastwards, just as a previous rockets have in the past. Last week North Korea replotted the course to go south, causing concerns it may hit Indonesia or even Australia, should it fall back to the earth.

Fires Ignite in Colorado

Fires have been burning all day throughout Colorado, increasing allergies and making breathing difficult. High winds and humidity in the single digits have added to the problems, driving flames and spreading smoke and ashes further east.

As the wind dies down this evening, most of the fires have been put out, or at least contained. Summit, Larimer, Morgan, Weld, and Logan Counties, all have dealt or are dealing with small fires.

Hardest hit is Jefferson County where multiple fires took off, the largest of which, the Lower North Fork fire, is still uncontrolled, and burning over 200 acres at this time. So far it has caused mandatory evacuations, for 400 plus homes, in the south west Denver metro area. Roxborough and Conifer have been directly effected by the fire, though no structures have been lost. Firefighters battling it hope to contain it by the end of the night.

Photo Courtesy of Danny Grace

Views from Aurora, in the eastern metro, show just how thick the smoke is. The picture was taken from an area about thirty-five miles away from the fire. It also highlights the return of the infamous red sun, as the sun is choked by the smoke from the fires.

Near Saddle Rock, in the south east metro, it smells as if someone is having a nice bonfire just down the street. The smoke has pervaded itself into everything, luckily the fires have not.

Classic Pick: Lady for a Day

This is a fabulous Frank Capra movie about Apple Annie, an elderly street vendor (May Robson) with tattered clothes but a heart of gold. She wants to impress her daughter who’s coming to visit with her fiance, a hoity-toity Count.

All these years, Robson’s daughter has been away at a Spanish school, and Robson has been signing her letters as Lady Manville and describing in great detail a make-believe high life spent hobnobbing with luminaries; now Robson needs to play the part for real, or risk breaking her daughter’s heart and jeopardizing her marriage. Heart-warming and delightful seem such over-used, trite and flimsy words, but in their purest definition perfectly describe this movie.

The cast combination, though it may be “lesser-known” to classic movie newbies, is magic: Warren William plays the slick gangster who believes his gambling luck depends on Annie’s apples, and so, partly out of superstition, but mostly because he has a soft heart which he tries mightily to conceal, he moves heaven and earth (or, rather, all the underworld figures he can intimidate, blackmail or cajole), directing all his considerable charm and resources to helping Robson pose as the center of a high society circle. The fantasy world he creates is awe-inspiring, populated by colorful characters and played by comedy masters in juicy roles, greats like Glenda Farrell, Nat Pendleton, Ned Sparks and a deceptively doofus-y Guy Kibbee as Robson’s “husband,” “Judge” Manville.

The way they all pull together, despite bickering and threats to quit, and hold the spectacularly ridiculous masquerade together is as suspenseful as any thriller. Nosy reporters smell something’s not right? No problem, kidnap them. Gangsters and their molls don’t sound convincing enough to pass as swells? No problem, write scripts and speeches for them and rehearse everything like a big Broadway production replete with lessons in bearing and posture, much to the puzzlement of the authorities, who seem convinced this weird behavior is all meant for some criminal purpose.

When things finally seem doomed to fall apart, and even Robson loses all hope, Warren William pulls off one whopper of a save, and restores not just the situation at hand but your very faith in humanity. This is one of the movies that falls into the category “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore.”

Battle of The Snow Whites

2012 is apparently the year of Snow White with two remakes of the Grimms fairytale, that Walt Disney turned into animated magic.

Mirror Mirror gets first shot, coming out March 30. This version has more of a comical, musical feel, though you will see Snow White picking up a sword and fighting for her birth right.

The movie stars Julie Roberts as the queen, Lily Collins will be playing Snow White, Armie Hammer as Prince Alcott, and Nathan Lane as the queen's aid Brighton. You'll likely recognize some of the dwarfs, and Sean Bean cameos as the king.

Twenty-three year old Collins has not been in much yet, though you may remember her as the daughter in The Blind Side, where she got to play with Sandra Bullock. Armie Hammer, is also fairly new to the spotlight, though in 2013 he'll be taking up the part of The Lone Ranger.



On June 1, Snow White and The Huntsman charges onto the screen. This adaptation has a much darker more adventurous feel, and could easily be a highlight of the summer. A lot more creativity was put into it as well, with the land of Sanctuary and the changes in the story line.

Charlize Theron stars as a much eviler queen, one who sucks the very life out of girls to maintain her own beauty. Kristen Stewart, of Twilight, plays a Snow White who apparently has spent her life in captivity. She escapes into the dark forest, only to eventually become a warrior princess bent on retaking the kingdom so that all creatures can life freely.

The Hunstman, who is sent to find Snow White for the Queen and ends up becoming her trainer for the war, is being played by Chris Hemsworth. Hemsworth has had a very exciting career so far with such roles as Thor in Thor and The Avenger movies, and he'll also be Jed Eckert, originally played by Patrick Swayze, in the Red Dawn remake due out November 2.

The Ranger Rides Again

Hi-yo silver and away we go into another remake. That's right, it's time for The Lone Ranger to return to screens. The movie is set to release May 13, 2013.

Playing the Lone Ranger is, little known, Armie Hammer. Armie is getting more and more of the spotlight though. He plays Prince Alcott in Mirror Mirror, due March 30, 2012, the first of two Snow White remakes.

The real star though will be Johnny Depp, who has been cast in the role of Tonto. He'll no doubt bring his rather unique acting abilities to the role, and steal the show.

Some of have raised issue with a non Native American playing the role. When asked about it Depp's response to EW.com was,"I have some Native American somewhere down the line. My great grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek."

Other notables that are set to play parts include Tom Wilkinson and Helena Bonham Carter, who seems to keep finding herself in movies with Depp.

So far the budget of the movie, is well over $200 million. Multiple studios rejected the film, until Disney picked it up.

United States Joins Japanese Condemnation of North Korean Plans

The United States has joined Japan in issuing warnings to North Korea over a planned rocket launch. The rocket, which North Korea says is designed to carry a satellite into space, is scheduled to launch in mid April, in celebration of what would have been Kim Il-sung's 100th birthday.

Japan, the United States, and others say that the rocket launch is a test of a long range missile. Such a test would be in violation of current agreements between the governments.

To avoid issues with Japan, North Korea has moved the trajectory to a more southerly course, that should avoid Japanese airspace completely. But Japan is still reading missile defenses in case the rocket crosses into their airspace, and may decide to shoot it down.

The new course takes it towards Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell stated that such a trajectory has never been seen before. Adding that the possibly effected countries have been asked to join the condemnation of the launch.

Royal Wedding Crashers

John and Frances Canning had just finished their vows when their wedding was crashed by some surprise guests.


Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip were visiting the Manchester Town Hall at the same time as the wedding, and decided to pay their respects to the couple.


"It was very special. It was so lovely that she took the trouble to speak to us," bride Frances Canning told The Sun newspaper. "We're going to have to get a bigger wedding album now. Not many people will have pictures like that."

Jarno Smeets and His Flight are Fake

For a few days man could fly. Or at least many thought so.

The world's press was fooled into believing the story of Jarno Smeets, and his claim that he had made custom wings, which enabled him to fly.

Floris Kaayk, now admits that he pretended to be Smeets and faked the flight in an online storytelling experiment. He had stood by the original story until the video was proven to be fake. After that his story started falling apart as deeper investigations were done.

Experts at George Lucas's Industrial Lights and Magic were involved in the take down of the video.

Kaayk faked not just the video, flight, and his name; but also created an entire background for his Smeets character, to make him seem real. Investigators found that the companies and university that he stated he had worked for and studied at, had no knowledge of any such person.

Charges of fraud are being considered against Kaayk. Though what success any would have, are unknown as Kaayk did not take any money nor harm anyone.

Remembering: Queen Elizabeth I

March 24, 1603 Queen Elizabeth I dies after ruling England for forty-four years.

Under Elizabeth I's rule England had grown into a truly global power. Helping establish her as one of England's greatest monarchs in all of history.

Elizabeth I established a permanent Protestant church, fought off Catholic influences that wished to see England subjugated, and encouraged the Calvinists of Scotland.

One of the most famous victories for her England, came in 1588, against the Spanish Armada. A combination of determined English sailors and weather saw England take Spain's spot as the world's greatest navy.

She also greatly encouraged exploration, which later helped ensure England's dominance in North America, and other parts of the world.

The English Renaissance took place during her reign, a time where artists such as William Shakespeare thrived into greatness.

Elizabeth I feared that a marriage would endanger her authority, and so never married. This led to her nickname "The Virgin Queen". It was because of this nickname that Virginia was named after her.

Because she had no heirs, her nearest relative King James of Scotland became ruler of England, upon her death. James would unite Scotland and England, beginning the formation of Great Britain or the United Kingdom.

Colorado's Welfare Drug Test Law Moves Forward

Colorado's bill to drug test welfare recipients gained a step forward as it passed the house's appropriations committee, on Friday. The amendment it took to pass there, adds a requirement for all elected officials, including the governor, to have to pass drug tests as well.

Opponents of the bill state that it plays on inaccurate stereotypes of minorities and low-income people. They also warn that the state could face legal challenges because courts in other states have struck down similar drug-testing programs, ruling that such plans amount to an unconstitutional search of people. Concerns also have risen that it would cost more to implement, than the money it could possibly save.

Backers of the bill say that it is needed make sure government benefits are going to people who truly need the help, not people who are using the money for drugs. As to the cost, they say it is actually much cheaper than the numbers from the opposition suggest.

The bill is expected to pass the Republican held house. However, the Democrat controlled senate is not likely to allow the bill to survive.

Similar bills have failed in other states, such as Wyoming. But earlier this week Florida Governor Rick Scott signed such a law into place.

Mystery of Clintonville, Wisconsin Solved

The mystery of Clintonville, Wisconsin has apparently been solved. The mysterious noises that had begun to plague the town were identified by scientists as small barely measurable earthquakes.

Ironically though, scientists had previously ruled out earthquakes. Now scientists say that the noises were caused by a combination of the unique bedrock under the town, and the shallowness of the quakes.

The largest quake measured at 1.5 on the richter scale. So small that most seismographs are not regularly calibrated to read instances that low.

It is unknown for how much longer the quakes will occur, or why they've been only really happening at night. Only time will tell when and if they'll stop. The reasoning behind them, may never be known.

Syria Accuses CNN of Aiding Rebels

On Thursday, Syria's government controlled media stated that CNN journalists either took part in, or at least helped rebels blow up an oil pipeline near Homs. Anchors on one TV station stated that there is "conclusive evidence of the involvement of CNN and the American journalists who were present there in the detonation of the oil pipelines in Homs".

SANA, the Syrian state TV channel, added on Friday that CNN footage "revealed that the camera operators were CNN correspondents who entered Syria illegally through the Lebanese borders and seemed to have coordinated with the saboteurs to film a video of the attack and send it to their channel." And said that CNN's stated that the "Syrian army was behind the attack to deflect suspicion of any coordination, if not to say involvement, with the terrorist saboteurs."

The executive vice president and managing director of CNN International, Tony Maddox, called the assertions "ridiculous". Adding, "We stand firmly behind our excellent reporting on Syria. It is a pity that its citizens did not get to see this important documentary without these ridiculous interventions."

Syria has repeatedly in the past stated that outside sources have been causing and spurring on the rebellion, which started over a year ago. Since that time the government has taken total control of their media outlets, and blocked foreign ones from entering the country. As al-Qaeda is known to be aiding some of the rebels, it is hard to entirely discount the Syrian government's accusations of outside sources being involved.

To date between 12,000 and 15,000 have been killed in Syria over the past year.

Man Shot Dead at Red Light in Aurora

A man died today after being shot whilst he was sitting a red light.

According to police, about one o'clock this afternoon, the man stopped at a red light at the intersection of Dayton Street and East Montview Boulevard. He had been headed northbound on Dayton.

As he was stopped at the light, a dark SUV pulled up behind him. Someone got out of it, walked up to the man's jeep, and shot several times through the windshield. The shooter then returned to their vehicle and it drove off.

The victim was pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital.

The motive of the shooting is totally unknown at this time. It could be a hit against a specific person, or completely random. Most likely though, it is a targeted hit.

Police asked anyone with information to call Detective Tom Welton at 303-739-6107. People wishing to remain anonymous can Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

Remembering: The Great One, Wayne Gretzky's 802nd

March 23, 1994 Wayne Gretzky scores his 802 goal, breaking the record of Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe. In his career, Gretzky broke sixty-one records, gaining the nickname of The Great One.

By age six, Gretzky was playing in a league for ten year olds. At 10, he scored 378 goals in one season of pee wee hockey. He started being the cause for sold out crowds and soon all his games were being televised.

At sixteen he was drafted into the Ontario Hockey Association and scored six goals in his first game. The next year he went pro signing into the World Hockey League. And the following year, he was picked up by the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League.

In his rookie year, he had 137 scores, a record for a rookie. The next year he had 164, a record for a single season. His third year, he became the first player to ever hit the 200 score mark, he would hit that two more times in his career. When he retired after the 1999 season, he did so with 2,857 scores, 1,000 more than Gordie Howe had when he set the record.

Not just a goal scorer his points (assists plus goals) just from assists, were higher than any player's points from scoring. He wore 99 throughout his career, in honor of Gordie Howe, his childhood hero, who had worn #9.

Remembering: Patrick Henry and 'Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death'

March 23, 1775, in a speech at the Second Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry makes one of the most remembered statements of American history. As he speaks against the increasingly oppressive rule of Britain, he concludes with, "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

Patrick Henry had been one of the first in the colonies to speak for colonial independence. He began his rise to fame in 1763. In 1765, during the Stamp Act, he said, "Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First his Cromwell; and George the Third ....may he profit by their example." From then

Before the constitution would serve twice as governor of Virginia. Later, Henry was a leader of the anti-federalists in Virginia, who opposed the Constitution, fearing that it endangered the rights of the States, as well as the freedoms of individuals. His role in the anti-federalists put him in a position to help shape the Bill of Rights.

Ironically after seeing the fate of France, after their revolution, Henry would switch to the side of the Federalists. He was especially against the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, which called for the rights of a state to nullify a federal law it considered unconstitutional. Henry stated that it would only lead to civil war.

Police Arrest Owner of Drunk Dog

A Montana man has been arrested on charges of animal cruelty.

Police were called to investigate a call about a drunk dog at a bar. They found Arly II, a Pomeranian, unable to walk without falling over.

The dog had drunk in a car outside the bar and was reported to police by customers and staff who then took care of the dog until police arrived. "We basically saved the dog’s life," bar manager Joe Wieck said. An intoxicated person who claimed part ownership of the twenty pound dog told police that Schrier had given the dog about a "to go cup of vodka," police wrote.

The officers took Arly II to the vet who found that the dog had a blood alcohol level of 0.348 percent. Which is more than four times the legal driving limit, for humans, of 0.08. A level of 0.4 can be lethal to humans.

Considering the poisoned state of Arly II, one must wonder what happened to the first Arly.

Student Told to Sound 'Blacker'

Jordan Shumate, a ninth grader at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Virginia says that his English teacher told him to read in a "blacker manner". The teacher had him reading Langston Hughes' "Ballad of the Landlord" aloud, when she interrupted him. "She told me, 'Blacker, Jordan. Come on, blacker. I thought you were black."

After he refused to continue she read it herself to show him what she meant. Shumate says, "She read the poem like a slave, basically". When he asked whether she thought all black people speak that way, he says she told him to take his seat and that he was reprimanded for speaking out of turn.

The poem was written in 1940 about a black tenant thrown in jail for challenging a landlord.

"It's very, very unprofessional," Shumate continued. "It should not happen. She didn't do it to any other kids. Why did she have to do it to me?"

Jordan brought the issue to his mother's attention after he said the teacher singled him out again during a lesson about stereotypes. Shumate said he was asked to explain why blacks like grape soda and rap music. His mother, Nicole Page, that she is "very sad for her child's loss of innocence" because of the ordeal. Page added that the teacher had also previously asked the student to rap out a poem by black rapper and actor Tupac Shakur.

11 Year Old Removed From Choir for Refusing Drug Test

The American Civil Liberties Union is filing a lawsuit against Solanco School District, in Pennsylvania on behalf of an eleven year old girl and her parents.

The student attends Swift Middle School, and was removed from choir and the orchestra, as well as banned from athletic and academic teams, because she refused to give a random urine test.

The district's policies require that every student pass drug tests, before they can take part in school activities other than classes. The family and ACLU say that the policy violates privacy rights under the state constitution and are requesting that a judge prevent the enforcement of the policy.

While it does seem a little ridiculous for kids of that age to have to pass drug tests for even things such as choir, that is the district's policy. The policy may be a little too tough, but it does seem fair.

Also, I'm very much wondering, what an eleven year old has to hide from them. Why is she afraid to take the test? To me that would at least suggest she is taking drugs, and doesn't want to be caught. Or it could be she really just was uncomfortable doing so.

Atheists Spread Unholy Water to Counter Christian Blessing

The Humanists of Florida Association, in an attempt to "cleanse Polk County from the influence of Christianity" spread "unholy water" upon a stretch of Highway 98, along the county line. They chose the specific spot as it is one of many that had been blessed as a part of the Polk Under Prayer project.

PUP's "objective is to place Holy Angels at all roads that lead into or out of Polk County. A strip of anointed oil has been placed over all lanes of highway at the county line and a prayer has been given at each location asking God to have angels inspect every vehicle that travels into or out of this county and to bring under conviction to those who seek evil and we asked God to bring them to a state of submission and repentance. If they will not submit to God’s way of living, then the prayer is to have them incarcerated or removed from the county."

Apparently it is working as HFA president Ellen Beth Wachs, who has won awards as Florida's Atheist Activist of The Year, has been arrested twice since the anointing. The first time it was for pretending to be a lawyer. The second for lewd and lascivious behavior. Wachs has in the past offered to shoot any Christian so that they can prove there is a heaven.

According to PUP there have been an increase in arrests of many different kinds of criminals in the county, since the anointing. Specifically in the drug trade and manufacturing sector. They also say that crime in general has gone down since they blessed the highways.

PUP may have gone a little over board with their desire to see non Christians removed from the county. That definitely does not sound like freedom of religion, and maybe they could have worded it better. But it is completely ironic that one of the main arrests since their blessing was that of someone who has made a mission of attacking them.

The HFA clearly seems to think that cursing the site will free their leader of her criminal mindset. I'm almost scared to ask, but what exactly is "unholy water"? Vinegar? Piss? Did you do a prayer of cursing over it? Black magic? O and if you're atheists, how does any form of religious ceremony have anything in it for or power over you?

Mysterious Sounds Troubling Clintonville, Wisconsin

Clintonville, Wisconsin has been assaulted the last few days by strange booming noises and shaking. The town of 5,000, located near Green Bay, has become greatly concerned as no reason for the noises and shaking has been discerned so far. Residents have begun to leave to town due to their concern about them.

"I think we can rule out that standard earthquake activity, [that] some swarm of earthquakes is happening in that region. It also really looks like it’s not connected to, say, unusual drilling activity or some other kind of real obvious human induced signal," Harold Tobin, one of those professors in the Geoscience department at the University of Wisconsin told WKOW.

Tobin, and other scientists that have been called in, have not yet been unable to figure out what could be causing the noises. So far they've managed to rule out problems with the water and sewer system, elevated gas levels, area blasting or mining, industrial businesses, and even military operations. They hope to bring in instruments that record noise in the air, and also ground vibrations at a higher frequency. In doing so they would hopefully be able to identify the sounds, and locate the source.

"I think that right now the greatest possibility is that it is some sort of natural phenomenon. I think that it’s a possibility that there is some earth shifting going on underneath the ground that creates those popping sort of exploding popping or vibrating noises that people feel," City Administrator Lisa Kuss said to WBAY.

Man Flies With Custom Made Wings

After eight months of designing, creating, and testing Jarno Smeets has successfully flown with the wings he made.

After the 60-second flight he said, "At one moment you see the ground moving away, and then suddenly you're free, a really intense feeling of freedom. The true feeling of flying. A magical moment. The best feeling I have felt in my life."

Using Wii controllers, accelerometers harvested from an HTC Wildfire Android phone and Turnigy motors he, and neuromechanics expert Bert Otten, built the wings to react to his body the way a robotic prosthesis would.

The electronics respond to his movements and multiply the strength enough to make the thirty-seven ounce wings carry his 180 pound self, plus the forty pounds of equipment.

The actual design was based off of the famous drawings by Leonardo da Vinci.


UPDATE: Jarno Smeets and His Flight are Fake

Boulder Residents Against Home for The Homeless

Boulder Housing Partners director Betsey Martens

Boulder residents are complaining about a planned home for the homeless, stating that it will effect their own quality of life. Opponents of the 30,000 square foot home say that Boulder already has the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, so why would they need another location.

Some are concerned that the complex of thirty-one apartments will lower the safety in the surrounding area. The housing authority has already said it would provide security around the clock, including surveillance cameras and restricted access to the apartments. They add that anything possible to ensure the safety of everyone involved will be done.


Betsey Martens, executive director of Boulder Housing Partners, indicated the agency plans to go forward with the project unless the council takes decisive action to prevent it. "In the face of such passionate opposition, the (Boulder Housing Partners) board remains committed to the project," she said.

The project would be completely funded already, without a need for tax increases, thanks to low-income housing tax credits and grants. The project has already received more than $400,000 from the city and $800,000 from Boulder County.


Boulder Housing Partners has the right to develop the apartments under existing zoning. The council also has been warned by City Attorney Tom Carr that changing the law to prevent the development might put the city at risk of being sued under the federal Fair Housing Act, which prevents municipalities from discriminating against a class of people.

St. Augustine Introduces Ordinance to Regulate Garage Sales

The city of St. Augustine is proposing a garage sale ordinance, limiting the number of sales per year at four, with a maximum of three days per sale. City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline was called by frustrated neighbors after they observed what they called a "large, multi-day sale". The commissioner visited the neighborhood, observing around thirty to fifty cars parked along the street, and then brought the matter to the city’s attention.

Mark Knight, city director of planning and building, drafted the ordinance at the request of the City Commission. A public hearing coming up March 26 will allow comments from the public and bring on a second vote.

"They had asked what we had on the books regulating garage sales, and we had to tell them that there wasn’t really anything specifically directed at them," Knight said. "So, they asked me to draw something up for them to look at. So, I went to Google to see what kinds of ordinances were out there in other cities."

Knight said he found a very simple ordinance "in Arkansas somewhere" that he thought would be a good starting point, then went to work customizing it to St. Augustine.

Many St. Augustine residents are rightfully upset with the proposed ordinance. Laura Forte, who had a garage sale last Saturday, said:

"To me, yard sales are like a fundamental right, part of American life," said Forte, who has owned her home for 13 years. "I’m not completely sure how I feel about this new ordinance the city is considering, but I don’t think it’s right."

Barbara Chapman, who was holding a sale in front of her apartment on Arricola Avenue on Anastasia Island, says:

"I don’t think it’s fair at all... I think as long as you’re not disturbing anybody, they should leave you alone. I should not have to register with the city to hold a sale in my own yard."

Assistant City Attorney Isabelle Lopez said she understands residents’ frustration with the proposed ordinance, but the city needed something on the books regarding garage sales, because there was nothing.

"You hate to have to regulate these things. And we want to hear what the public has to say about this. Our intent is [to] create a scenario where people would register, either online or in person, and we could track these things."

Personally, I see this as another excuse to put a tax on the people of St. Augustine. Six years ago, an ordinance was approved to ban artists and street performers from historic St. George Street without a proper permit. If you've ever been to St. Augustine, you know that the street performers are part of their culture and their local economy.

There seems to be a pattern across the country of increased government regulation assaulting private property rights. In Blytheville, AR. last year, residents were warned to remove their basketball goals off the edge of their lawn or face removal from the city. In Coralville, Iowa, 4-year-old Abigail Krutsinger had her lemonade stand shut down.

When will enough be enough?

(h/t The St. Augustine Record)

Nokia Patents Vibrating Tattoo

Nokia has filed a US patent application for a magnetic vibrating tattoo. The tattoo would be connected wirelessly to a cell phone, laptop, music player, tablet, or a game console.

It would vibrate to let you know about texts, emails, phone calls, battery status, and more. Different vibrations would let you know which you were being notified about.

The patent says the device could potentially be tattooed, stamped, sprayed, attached with adhesive tape, applied as a decal, or even drawn on.

Benefits to the device would be the ability to never worry that you'd miss a message. But there does seem to be many negatives. Those who say cell phones cause cancer are sure to jump on the possibility that the mark would cause cancer. What if you can't turn it off? What if someone else's phone sets yours off? And how awkward would it be if you could see someone's vibrate?

North Korean Plans Receive Warnings From Japan

Japanese Defense Minister, Naoki Tanaka told Parliament on Monday that he is, "considering giving an order to intercept it". It being a North Korean rocket that is scheduled to cross over Japanese territory in April.

North Korea states that the rocket is carrying a satellite into space. The date chosen would be the hundredth birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung. His grandson, Kim Jong-Un rules the country now.

The United States says that a launch would violate North Korea's agreement to stop nuclear tests, uranium enrichment, and long-range missile launches. And that such a move would stop US planned food shipments.

China has also come out against the launch, saying it could jeopardize peace in the region.

North Korea maintains that a launch of a working satellite is a far different matter than that of a long range missile test.

In 2009, North Korea launched a rocket claiming it had a satellite on it. The rocket once fired appeared to be a ballistic missile test, and was decried as such by South Korea, Japan, and their allies. The North still holds to it having been a failed satellite launch.

7.4 Earthquake Strikes Mexico

A 7.4 earthquake stuck 15 miles east of Ometepec, Guerrero, Mexico this afternoon. Aftershocks as high as 5.1 have been felt, and continue to rattle the area.

Despite reports of damage to multiple structures, including collapsed bridges and houses, there are no reports of serious injuries or deaths.

Francisca Villalva Davila, Ometepec's comptroller, said that at least fifty percent of the houses in the town had seen severe damage.

President Felipe Calderon said that in Mexico City there are broken windows and scared people, but that that was the worse that would come from the quake. Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said that beyond cracks and broken windows, they were lucky that there were no injuries.

Especially lucky was the driver of a minibus when a pedestrian bridge fell onto it, no one was injured in the event.

Soosha, Denver Zoo's Polar Bear; Dead at 25

The Denver Zoo lost one of their long time residents today. Soosha, the polar bear, died at 25.

She had been in declining health and medicines were no longer helping her out. The decision to euthanize her was made, and today the action to keep her from further pain was taken. Denver Zoo Vice President of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Scott Larsen said "It is always difficult to make this type of decision. As hard as it is, this was the right thing to do."

Soosha joined the zoo in 1987, and was one of the first Northern Shore residents. Her niece Cranbeary and Cranbeary's mate, Lee, remain residents there.

Polar bears generally live twenty to twenty-five years.