jimblr.com

David Motari, a US soldier who filmed throwing a puppy off a cliff while on patrol in Iraq, has been kicked out of the Marine Corps.
The 17-second video sparked outrage among animal rights groups when it was posted on YouTube in March.
Many who have seen the ‘David Motari Throws Puppy Off Cliff’ video are beyond ashamed and disgusted by the unnecessary and cruel actions that were taken against an innocent animal.
Many who have viewed the extremely disturbing video have stated that video was fake.
In a battle of ‘comments’ left for the video all over the web, people had been claiming that the “US Soldiers” were Marines and the puppy is not real.
Well, they at least got part of it right, they were indeed Marines and, unfortunately, it appears the puppy was real.
According to a Marine Corps press release, Lance Cpl. David Motari is “being processed for separation” as well as receiving an unspecified “non-judicial” punishment.
“The actions seen in the Internet video are contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine and will not be tolerated,” Marine Corps Base Hawaii, where Lance Cpl. Motari is stationed, said in a news release.
“The vast majority of Marines conduct their duties with honor and compassion that makes American people proud.”
The second Marine, Sgt. Crismarvin Banez Encarnacion, who is heard snickering off-camera as the puppy hits the gorund, also reportedly received an unspecified “non-judicial” punishment.

postchronicle.com

I am sick of these aggressive animals being bred, sold and then improperly controlled by idiotic owners who have no sense of responsibility to anyone. I have been attacked on numerous occasions during my job and injured. Secure your dog today. And, owner, have a nice day.
As a mom of four small children and one pit bull, I am so saddened by this issue. Even with the unpredictable nature of small children, he has never shown any signs of “bad behavior” and is beyond gentle. We talk often about what we’ll do about adopting more bully breeds once the kids are older and out of the house. It is just not fair that I have the desire to care for this breed and would potentially be forbidden.
I support the ban and would like to see it adopted statewide. Vicious dog breeds are becoming a menace to neighborhoods. If you need a guard dog there are plenty of breeds, like German shepherds, that can protect without endangering children. And if you want a good “watchdog,” get a Chihuahua. It is great.
Animal shelters are under no obligation to place the dogs in new situations (foster homes or whatever) where they may be more likely to “explode” at any time. The decision as to disposition should be left to the experts at the shelter; after all, they are better judges of the character of animals — less so of people.
I am the proud owner of three well-behaved pit bulls, and I wouldn’t have a different kind of dog. Pit bulls only want to be social and hang around the people, hoping for a pat on the head or scratch behind the ear. Owners should be held accountable for what their pets do. Dogs are what you make them.
The trained personnel at the Livingston County Animal Shelter should be able to distinguish a dog that has been trained to attack from one that hasn’t, regardless of its breed, and prevent adoption of any dog that is too aggressive for safety.

detnews.com

Posted on: Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 03:00 CDT
By Hassett, Kevin A Metcalf, Gilbert E
The 20th-century policy aimed at developing domestic energy sources no longer makes sense. The 21st century demands a fresh approach. Current federal energy tax policy is premised in large part on a desire to achieve energy independence by promoting domestic fossil fuel production. This, we argue, is a mistake. The policy also relies heavily on energy subsidies, most of which are socially wasteful, inefficient, and driven by political rather than energy considerations. Finally, the energy taxes that are in place could be more precisely targeted to specific market failures, and these higher taxes themselves would encourage the production of alternatives more efficiently than do current subsidies.
It is widely held that the United States must reduce its reliance on foreign oil. The concern over U.S. vulnerability to the disruption of supply by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is understandable, given the fact that the United States imports over 60% of the oil it consumes each year. Of the oil that the United States imports, 40% comes from OPEC countries and nearly half of that from the Persian Gulf region. Many Americans are also concerned that oil monies help countries such as Iran pursue activities that are contrary to U.S. foreign policy.
As a response to these concerns, current tax policy promotes domestic oil and gas production in a variety of ways. The federal government provides a production tax credit for “nonconventional oil” (essentially a subsidy for coalbed methane), generous depreciation allowances for intangible expenses associated with drilling, and generous percentage depletion allowances for oil and gas. In addition, the Bush administration has consistently lobbied to allow additional drilling on the Alaskan North Slope.
This supply response ignores a fundamental fact: oil is essentially a generic commodity priced on world markets. Even if the United States were to produce all the oil it consumes, it would still be vulnerable to oil price fluctuations. A supply reduction by any major producer would raise the price of domestic oil just as readily as it raises the price of imported oil. In addition, if the United States reduces its demand for oil from countries such as Iran, it has little effect on Iran, because that country can just sell oil to other countries at the prevailing world price. Indeed, this effect has been made abundantly clear by historical experience. The United States has cut its dependence on Iranian oil to zero, buying no oil directly from that nation since 1991. Despite the U.S. import ban, Iran was the world’s fourth-largest net oil exporter in 2005.

redorbit.com

“In a particularly sharp blast,” Pres. Bush told the Israeli Knesset today that Barack Obama and other Dems are in favor of “appeasement” of terrorists in the same way U.S. leaders appeased Nazis (CNN.com, 5/15).
Bush: “Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: ‘Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.’ We have an obligation to call this what it is — the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history” (mult., 5/15).
Obama responded in a statement his campaign released at 9:35 a.m. ET.
Obama: “It is sad that President Bush would use a speech to the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence to launch a false political attack. It is time to turn the page on eight years of policies that have strengthened Iran and failed to secure America or our ally Israel. Instead of tough talk and no action, we need to do what Kennedy, Nixon and Reagan did and use all elements of American power - including tough, principled, and direct diplomacy - to pressure countries like Iran and Syria. George Bush knows that I have never supported engagement with terrorists, and the President’s extraordinary politicization of foreign policy and the politics of fear do nothing to secure the American people or our stalwart ally Israel” (release, 5/15).
CNN’s Henry: “While the words ‘Barack Obama’ were never used, White House aides privately admit the president was referring not just to Barack Obama, but to other Democrats like Jimmy Carter. … So, the inference in clear. While the president didn’t name names, administration officials are privately acknowleding this was a shot at Barack Obama and other Democrats. … It’s worth noting that this administration itself has, at lower levels, sat down with Iranian officials in recent months” (CNN, 5/15).

nationaljournal.com

•False note. Fox’s American Idol drew just 21.8 million viewers for Tuesday’s Top 4 performance show, its worst finals performance showing since Season 2 in 2003 and down more than 3 million from the previous week’s performance show. Wednesday’s results show (22.9 million) was slightly ahead of the previous Wednesday.
•Graceful leap. Dancing With the Stars’ results show Tuesday (18.4 million), the ABC competition’s 100th episode, jumped more than 1 million from the previous week. The results show trailed only the two Idol episodes.
•Helping hands. Monday’s Two and a Half Men (13.6 million) may have received a boost from its crossover with CSI, in which each CBS series’ writers wrote the others’ script. It drew 12.9 million a week earlier. CSI (18.1 million), the week’s top scripted show, showed a modest jump of fewer than 100,000 viewers vs. its past week.
•The tribe speaks softly. Survivor: Micronesia earned the title of least-watched finale (13 million) for the long-running CBS competition, trailing last spring’s Fiji (13.6 million). The reunion show that followed drew 10.4 million.
•Goodbye for now. 30 Rock, NBC’s high-buzz, low-rated comedy, drew a lackluster 5.4 million for its Season 2 finale Thursday, matching the previous week’s total. Scrubs (5.3 million), in its NBC finale (it moves to ABC next season), dropped from the previous week (5.8 million). On the drama front, ABC’s Brothers & Sisters (10.7 million), which closed its second season with Kevin and Scotty’s wedding, saw a slight uptick from the previous Sunday (10.5 million).
•Indy fever. As the new Indiana Jones movie approaches, USA’s presentation of the original, Raiders of the Lost Ark (5.6 million), Saturday was the week’s top basic-cable program. Its sequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (4.4 million), was the second-highest-rated scripted offering.
•Car beats man. Fox’s broadcast of NASCAR’s Dodge Challenger 500 from Darlington, S.C., pulled in 7.8 million viewers Saturday, zipping past ABC’s NBA Celtics vs. Cavaliers game (4.7 million).

usatoday.com

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 4/30/08 – Continuing the newest “American Idol” tradition of hoisting the contestants on someone else’s petard, the five survivors were each instructed to perform two Neil Diamond songs on Tuesday’s show. Since the classic crooner’s style didn’t quite suit any of the “Idol” aspirants, the result was similar to that of weeks prior, with the contestants’ well known strengths and weaknesses on display for all to see and no breakout performances.
Jason Castro performed “Forever in Blue Jeans” and “September Morn,” proving once again that he was no less or more than a competent singer. His choice of tunes unfamiliar to the young “Idol” crowd didn’t help his cause.
Syesha Mercado was up to her usual standards of performance with “Hello Again” and “Thank the Lord for the Night Time,” but her penchant for obscure selections mirrored that of Castro, and her efforts may not have been strong enough to ensure a shot at the crown, considering her frequent trips to the show’s bottom ranks in weeks past and the rapidly shrinking contestant pool.
Crowd favorite David Archuleta decided to go with upbeat hit “Sweet Caroline” and patriotic theme “America,” but like Mercado, his attempts were simply good and not breathtaking.
“America” would have been better suited to raspy rocker David Cook, who instead took on “I’m Alive” and “All I Really Need Is You.” He was the best talent of the night by far, showcasing his ability to make others’ work his own, but it’s hard to say if the songs he selected did anything to bolster his chances.
Brooke White, perhaps the most interesting remaining contestant, channeled the dual nature of a Gemini by giving two performances—one dubbed “nightmar[ish]” by judge Simon Cowell and the other actually befitting someone of her skill.

hollywoodtoday.net

Howlings!! 20 of ‘em and they’re random as all hell! Some reasonable and others that just make you go “Wha?…” Yeah!! That’s what I’m trying to do here is make you all get together with your families, friends, cellmates, what have you, and fire up some discussion about boxing and whatever you want.
Hey, while you’re at it, try writing some Howlings too! It’s fun and part of a delicious and nutritious breakfast…well, maybe not nutritious…come to think of it, it really isn’t THAT good for you. But hey! Dig in and you’ll be
treated to meaningless minutiae involving my brand-new crappy pound-for-pound list, ignorant teenagers, Hopkins vs. Calzaghe, Bob Arum, ‘American Idol’ and ‘CSI: Miami’!
C’mon…did you really think I (or you) could get through a ‘Random Howlings’ without mentioning ‘CSI: Miami’ even once?
In light of such shake-ups over the past couple of weekends, my last who-really-gives-a-rat’s ass-pound-for-pound list has somewhat evolved. Just for yips and woofs, I’ll spare the gory details and give ya the list just for abbreviated Howlings’ sake:
2. Floyd Mayweather Jr., 39-0 (25)
9. Juan Manuel Marquez, 48-4-1 (35)
Uh, oh…my “What the f**k does number one say?!” alarm just went off. Don’t kill me. Just discuss among thyselves in mature, calm contemplation…
March 24, 2008. A date of unparalleled importance to Your Favorite Howler…Yes, it’s the return of brAND-NEW ‘CSI: MIAMI’ EPISODES!! Can you believe it? Now we’ll finally find out whether that bitch Julia had anything to do with Kathleen Newberry’s car going into the drink? And where’s Frank Tripp?! Is he in the trunk?…What? Hey, don’t tell me the writers’ strike didn’t take anything from you…
Yes, Nate Campbell is my #12. No, I’m not listing him as such just to fill out a list. If you recall, in my recent Doghouse Boxing P4P, I had Juan Diaz listed as my #10 of 12 entrants. Since then, Nate Campbell beat Diaz for the WBA/IBF and WBO belts. Now, since beating the best lightweight in the world, I don’t see why Campbell can’t be the 12th best fighter on my personal list. Look, anyone with an iota of sense knows that the best in any division isn’t always the world champion. Think Carlos Baldomir. When he was the legitimate World Welterweight Champion (after beating Zab Judah who won the Undisputed Championship from Cory Spinks), many fans STILL denied his status and claimed that Floyd Mayweather Jr. was the uncrowned champion for beating Judah for a red, tin belt. My point in calling Nate Campbell the 12th best fighter is that by beating Diaz, he had what it took to beat a seemingly unbeatable lightweight. That meant he was good enough. And that’s good enough for me…

doghouseboxing.com

This year, local angles abound as the “Idol” juggernaut again pauses to entertain, inform and raise money.
New Orleans recovery benefactor and part-time resident Brad Pitt will make a brief appearance in the performance part of the show (actually taped Sunday night in Hollywood), and the Make It Right organization he’s spearheading to help rebuild homes in the levee-failure-flooded Lower 9th Ward will be one of the charities that will receive donations made during tonight’s broadcast.
Eli and Peyton Manning are scheduled to appear.
And Ellen DeGeneres will co-host with “Idol” front man Ryan Seacrest.
Also appearing or performing will be Bono, Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Fergie, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, John Legend and Snoop Dogg, among others.
And, oh yeah, there will be performances by the current crop of “Idol” contestants.
The job of knitting what’s essentially an entertainment broadcast together with donation appeals and heart-tugging taped pieces done by Bono, Lennox, Cyrus and others falls to Nigel Lythgoe, “Idol” executive producer.
“Miley Cyrus went to Kentucky for us, and you’re just shocked at the level of poverty that exists in this country,” Lythgoe said in a recent conference call interview. “Annie Lennox did a remarkable piece. We cry our eyes out every time we look at it.
“(I’m just) trying to bring that together with great performances .¤.¤. and present one show in one night that says, ‘Hey, we have got to help.’¤”
In addition to Make It Right, other benefiting charities will include The Children’s Defense Fund, The Global Fund, Malaria No More, Save The Children and the Children’s Health Fund. Donations will be accepted by phone and Web site.
The show’s lineup goes beyond sometimes-shaky vocal aspirants and stars from the world of pop and Hollywood, but they’re the big draw — and, Lythgoe hopes, trend-setters in their involvement in the worthy causes benefiting from the show.

blog.nola.com

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portfolio.com

“I was horribly awkward, tall and scrawny, with frizzy, crazy hair and terrible acne. But it didn’t matter even remotely on stage: There, no one’s looking at your skin. I just spent a little extra time making sure everything was covered up.” — Elizabeth Mitchell, who portrays the enigmatic Dr. Juliet Burke on “Lost,” on how theater helped her weather an ugly-duckling adolescence.
“Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far. All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic.” — Patrick Swayze’s physician Dr. George Fisher, commenting on the 55-year-old actor’s prognosis for battling pancreatic cancer.
“Is it less art because a black person opened their mouth and said it? It’s just casting. It’s an American play. We’re Americans.” — Anika Noni Rose, dismissing suggestions that the all-black cast of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” on Broadway is a gimmick or that Tennessee Williams’ play loses authenticity without a white cast. Rose stars alongside Terrence Howard and Phylicia Rashad in the production.
“He had the look and the type that people like, so he made pretty good money here.” — Gordy Bryan, manager of Dick’s Cabaret, a male strip club in Phoenix, commenting on “American Idol” contestant David Hernandez, who once worked as a stripper there.
“This election is about judgment. Yet tomorrow is perhaps one of the most important days of your life and you’ve chosen to spend the night before talking to me. Senator, as a host I’m delighted. As a citizen, I’m frightened.” — Jon Stewart, teasing Hillary Clinton for appearing on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” before crucial primaries in Ohio and Texas.
“It feels like we’re closer now than ever to having an openly gay contestant on the show. I’m not here to name any names, but I feel like there are some definite possibilities for this to happen this year. Do I think it’ll happen? I don’t know. I hope it does.” — Jim Verraros, who came out after his run as a finalist on the first season of “American Idol,” on speculation that some of the current “Idol” contestants are gay.

sfgate.com