State Lawmaker Wants to Change the Date of Halloween to Ensure it Always Falls on a Saturday

By Chuck Coker

October 24, 2011

Connecticut State Representative Tim Larson wants to change Halloween from October 31 to the last Sunday in October.

Everyone knows Halloween in [sic] celebrated on Oct. 31 but a state lawmaker wants to tamper with tradition to ensure the holiday is always marked on a weekend. State Rep. Tim Larson is proposing that the legislature designate the last Saturday in October as Halloween. He says it would make the holiday less harried for working parents, safer for trick-or-treaters and boost the economy as well.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy thinks it’s a dumb idea, saying that he is worried about ghosts, goblins, and witches getting confused.

If Larson gets his way, will it cause a ripple effect?

If Halloween becomes the last Saturday in October, the Vatican will have to change All Saints Day to the last Sunday in October, except in years when the last Saturday in October falls on the 31st, in which case All Saints Day will be the first Sunday in November.

All Saints Day — also known as All Hallows — by definition has to fall after All Hallows Even (evening). All Hallows Even — also known as Halloween — is, by definition, the night before All Hallows Day. The two days are inseparable.

This all sounds way too complicated.

Read the whole article here:

Altimari, Daniela. “State Lawmaker Wants to Change the Date of Halloween to Ensure it Always Falls on a Saturday.” The Hartford Courant. ‎October 24, 2011. <http://articles.courant.com/2011-10-24/news/hc-a-state-lawmaker-wants-to-tamper-with-tradition-to-ensure-the-holiday-is-always-marked-on-a-weekend-20111024_1_halloween-larson-top-holidays>

Links

Rep. Larson Wants Last Sat. In October Designated “Halloween” In Connecticut. Press release. October 24, 2011.

Timothey D. Larson, Democrat, 11th Assembly District (East Hartford and South Windsor). Official “House Democrats” website.

“Next month the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, a 12-member subset of Congress that Congress created to make the hard fiscal choices Congress itself has failed to make, is expected to propose $1.2 trillion in cuts from projected spending during the next decade. This week Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, unveiled a plan to cut nearly that much in 2013 alone, followed by similar cuts in the next two years, yielding a balanced budget by 2015.”

[Read the entire article on the Reason website...]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 14, 2011

Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director
E-mail: -email-
Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222

Libertarians to Occupiers: Crony capitalism is the problem

Washington — Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle released the following statement today:

“I have been following the Occupy protesters, who call themselves the ‘99%’, with interest.

“It’s true that 99% of Americans do not enjoy the special benefits of crony capitalism. Crony capitalism is very different from real capitalism. In crony capitalism, government hands out special favors and protections to politically well-connected businesses.

“The TARP bailouts, Solyndra, and the military-industrial complex are all facets of crony capitalism.

“Libertarians love free markets and hate crony capitalism.

“Unfortunately, hypocritical Republican politicians have taught a lot of Americans to think that ‘free markets’ means freedom for government and big business to engage in crony capitalism.

“That’s not what free markets are. A free market is where the government leaves businesses alone, does not attempt to pick winners and losers, does not stifle competition, does not hand out corporate welfare, and does not absolve businesses of liability for their actions. Most of our economy today does not resemble a free market at all.

“It’s unfortunate that so many businesses today go to the government begging for handouts and special treatment. I wish they wouldn’t. But the real problem is the politicians who choose to give those favors to them, at everyone else’s expense.

“I hope the Occupy protesters will start to direct their anger away from Wall Street and big businesses, and toward our government, which has done so much to destroy free markets and entrench crony capitalism.”

For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LP Executive Director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.

The LP is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.

Will Hurricane Irene be All Bad or All Hype?

By Chuck Coker

Friday, August 26, 2011

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Panic Warning for the East Coast that will remain in effect until 0800 hrs Tuesday. This Panic Front is expected to bring abundant nonsense, the loss of common sense, more erratic driving than usual, and a whole lot of bullshit. There also may be some wind and rain. NWS suggests that all morons remain home throughout this event.

In related news, as Hurricane Irene prepares to batter the East Coast, federal disaster officials warn that Internet outages could force people to interact with other people for the first time in years. Residents are bracing themselves for the horror of awkward silences and unwanted eye contact. FEMA advises, “Be prepared. Write down possible topics to talk about in advance. Sports, the weather. Remember, a conversation is basically a series of Facebook updates strung together.”

Link to a Specific Point in a YouTube Video

By Chuck Coker

Sunday, August 7, 2011

When you direct someone to a YouTube video, sometimes it’s handy to direct them to a specific point in the video. For example, if you want to share a video with your friends you can send them a link like this:

http:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qclbydh8q5g

But what if your friend hates three-minute guitar intros? This video starts with three minutes and nine seconds of guitar intro. Good news—you can send him directly to the point where the vocals begin with this link:

http:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qclbydh8q5g&t=3m09s

Notice that at the end of the regular YouTube link we’ve added “&t=3m09s”. The “3m” means 3 minutes and the “09s” means 9 seconds.

To send your friend to a different specific point in the video, replace the “3” in “3m” with the number of minutes you want and replace the “09” in “09s” with the number of seconds you want. For example, to have your friend start at 2 minutes and 26 seconds into the video, the part you add to the end of the link would look like this: “&t=2m26s”.

My recommendation, however, is to watch the entire video.

Nazareth - Hearts Grown Cold - live 2009 [HQ]
http:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qclbydh8q5g

Spiky Rat Applies Plant Poison to Turn Hair Deadly

By Chuck Coker

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

In East Africa, scientists were studying a foot-and-a-half-long rat, the Crested rat. They thought the rat might be using poison because dogs that have encountered the rat have become sick or even died.

The branches and roots of the Acokanthera tree contain the toxin ouabain. A wild-caught Crested rat was observed chewing Acokanthera bark into a paste and then applying the paste to its spiky hair. The rat avoided the plant’s non-toxic leaves and fruit, indicating that ti is aware that the bark contains ouabain, but the other parts do not.

“A porcupine-like rat turns its quills into lethal weapons by coating them with a plant toxin, a new study says. Neighboring African hunters use the same substance to make elephant-grade poison arrows.

No other animals are known to use a truly deadly external poison, researchers say.”

Read the whole article here:

Than, Ker. “Spiky Rat Applies Plant Poison to Turn Hair Deadly.” National Geographic News. August 3, 2011. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/08/110803-african-rat-poison-crested-hair-science-proceedings/

Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, 2011 Results

By Chuck Coker

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest began in 1982 at San Jose State University. The contest is named after the Victorian novelist Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, whose novel “Paul Clifford” begins with those memorable words, “It was a dark and stormy night.” Contest entrants are to write really bad opening sentences to imaginary novels.

The 29th grand prize winner, for 2011, is Sue Fondrie of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, an associate professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Ms. Fondrie came up with this gem:

“Cheryl’s mind turned like the vanes of a wind-powered turbine, chopping her sparrow-like thoughts into bloody pieces that fell onto a growing pile of forgotten memories.”

Read the whole article here:

“Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest: 2011 Results.” Bulwer-Lytton.com. July 25, 2011. http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/2011.htm

Quote about Righthaven

By Chuck Coker

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Law professor Eric E. Johnson had this to say about Righthaven:

“Where the law has created a legal way to extort money from hapless netizens, Righthaven has stepped in for some quick cash. They’re not evil geniuses. They’re not right-wing extremists. They’re not left-wing zealots. The truth is much worse. They’re just jerks.”

Read the whole article here:

Johnson, Eric E. “Righthaven’s Not Part of a Conspiracy, They’re Just …” Blog Law Blog. February 21, 2011. http://bloglawblog.com/blog/?p=2590.

South Sudan is the World’s Newest Country

The Republic of Sudan has been split into North Sudan and South Sudan.

By Chuck Coker

Saturday, July 9, 2011

There is a new country today. South Sudan, officially named the Republic of South Sudan, became a new country in East Africa at midnight local time. The country of Sudan, officially named the Republic of Sudan, has been split into two countries: South Sudan and North Sudan. Sudan was formerly the largest country in Africa.

South Sudan’s capital is Juba, which is also its largest city. The country’s president is Salva Kiir.

The country is landlocked, with Ethiopia to the east; Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the south; the Central African Republic to the west; and Sudan to the north.

South Sudan includes the vast swamp region of the Sudd formed by the White Nile, locally called the Bahr al Jabal.

South Sudan is will become the United Nations’ 193rd country, the 54th U.N. member state in Africa. Membership in the African Union, the Arab League, and the Commonwealth of Nations may be in its future.

Whose Symptoms are These?

By Chuck Coker

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine had this to say:

“Symptoms: react to criticism with rage, shame, or humiliation; take advantage of other people to achieve his or her own goals; have excessive feelings of self-importance; exaggerate achievements and talents; be preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence, or ideal love; have unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment; need constant attention and admiration; disregard the feelings of others, and have little ability to feel empathy; have obsessive self-interest; pursue mainly selfish goals.”

Were they describing the symptoms of a) a typical politician, or b) someone with narcissistic personality disorder?