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Thought of the Day:
"If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion."
- George Bernard Shaw

You the man - Colbert!

The Blog | Arianna Huffington: Is Stephen Colbert the Last One to Know How Amazing He Was? | The Huffington Post:

Here's a great collection of reviews and comments on Stephen Colbert's amazing performance at the White House correspondents' dinner. I have watched the video a few times already - got to say - it's a classic - I don't know when was the last time anyone butchered the establishment quite this way. Way to go Colbert! And what a tough act to follow - for the mentor John Stewart. Looks like with this one performance Colbert totally came out of Stewart's shadow.

technorati tags: Colbert, John, Stewart, white+house, bush, cheney, comedy, truthiness

Gas prices are chaging driving behavior

MercuryNews.com | 05/10/2006 | Chung: Going slower makes driver mighty mellow

Here's a positive spin on the rising gas prices. Seems like a lot of people are driving slower - at the optimum gas mileage speed of 55 mph. I'm sure that would lead to lesser gas consumption and a safer driving manner. But you have to remember that the posted speed limit on most bay area freeways is 65 mph and if a majority of the drivers slowed down to 55 mph we're going to have major congestion problems - on top of already congested freeways during peak rush hours. Already there are reports of hybrid drivers driving at 55 mph or less in the car pool lane and causing major angst to other car pool lane users. I won't be surprised if we see some major road rage incidents due to a lot of people driving ridiculously slow trying to maximize their gas mileage. As for me, I'll stick to the a couple of mph above posted speed limits.

Another thought here - if people really started driving slower, why would we need all these cars, trucks and SUV's with high output engines. I think almost 30% of all vehicles sold in USA are having V8 engines - that is really ridiculous. Even V6 is considered uneconomical and a sinful luxury in most European countries. I would imagine that family sedans like Camrys, Accords and others with the standard 4 cylinder engines would make most sense. Another thing I noticed about European driving -they are getting twice the mileage because they use a lot of diesel engines. I think the whole Hyprid thing is a mistake - diesel can get you all the benefits at lower cost and lower pollution.

Banned in the U.S.A. - Gordon Lightfoot: Canada's Folk Laureate - CBC Archives

Banned in the U.S.A. - Gordon Lightfoot: Canada's Folk Laureate - CBC Archives: "

'Black day in July / Motor city madness has touched the countryside,' begins Lightfoot's Black Day In July, a song dealing with the 1967 race riots in Detroit. In this CBC Radio clip, an indignant Lightfoot explains why top-40 radio stations in the U.S. have banned the song. 'A lot of them don't want to upset their listeners. It's the housewife in the morning, let's give her something that'll make her happy, why give her something that'll make her think?'"

• Radio stations in 30 states banned Black Day In July. The song was released in April 1968, shortly after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Lightfoot believed radio stations banned the song because they didn't want to further stir up existing racial tensions stemming from the assassination. The song appeared on Lightfoot's 1968 album Did She Mention My Name.

Here are the lyrics of this legendary song - and I dedicate it to the spineless American media companies.

Black day in july
Motor city madness has touched the countryside
And through the smoke and cinders
You can hear it far and wide
The doors are quickly bolted
And the children locked inside
Black day in july
Black day in july
And the soul of motor city is bared across the land
As the book of law and order is taken in the hands
Of the sons of the fathers who were carried to this land

Black day in july
Black day in july
In the streets of motor city is a deadly silent sound
And the body of a dead youth lies stretched upon the ground
Upon the filthy pavement
No reason can be found

Black day in july
Black day in july
Motor city madness has touched the countryside
And the people rise in anger
And the streets begin to fill
And there’s gunfire from the rooftops
And the blood begins to spill

Black day in july

In the mansion of the governor
There’s nothing that is known for sure
The telephone is ringing
And the pendulum is swinging
And they wonder how it happened
And they really know the reason
And it wasn’t just the temperature
And it wasn’t just the season

Black day in july
Black day in july
Motor city’s burning and the flames are running wild
They reflect upon the waters of the river and the lake
And everyone is listening
And everyone’s awake

Black day in july
Black day in july
The printing press is turning
And the news is quickly flashed
And you read your morning paper
And you sip your cup of tea
And you wonder just in passing
Is it him or is it me

Black day in july

In the office of the president
The deed is done the troops are sent
There’s really not much choice you see
It looks to us like anarchy
And then the tanks go rolling in
To patch things up as best they can
There is no time to hesitate
The speech is made the dues can wait

Black day in july
Black day in july
The streets of motor city now are quiet and serene
But the shapes of gutted buildings
Strike terror to the heart
And you say how did it happen
And you say how did it start
Why can’t we all be brothers
Why can’t we live in peace
But the hands of the have-nots
Keep falling out of reach

Black day in july
Black day in july
Motor city madness has touched the countryside
And through the smoke and cinders
You can hear it far and wide
The doors are quickly bolted
And the children locked inside

Would you rather be the criminal or the victim?

"Life is nothing but a competition to be the criminal rather than the victim." - Bertrand Russell

I just came across this quote on my Goowy Desktop - it just struck me as so insightful that I felt compelled to share it!