Gawain

It will be hot, but dry. Bring sunblock. You can almost set your watch by the fog in San Francisco, but generally on the warm days, it clears by mid-late morning. Make sure you hit "The Stinking Rose" in the North Beach district for dinner. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

No, not because of unsustainable social programs. You are politizing the issue. It's because as a nation they spent significantly more than they earned. What do you think they are spending that money on? In some sectors over there, the retirement age is 50, with a pension. That is subsidized by the government (social program) [replyl]Same thing the US (and many other nations) has been doing for more than 40 years. Unless drastic changes are made (cut spending and raise taxes) you are looking at your own future. (minus the old buildings, you haven't been around long enough for that one lol) Agreed, but the cuts need to be made in the "soft" programs. Not the hard assets that keep everyone working. The unfunded pension liability in California - California alone - is over $550B. Over half-a-TRILLION! Again the question: when does too big to fail become too big to save. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

I guess we'll have to all get naked then. I take that back...last thing the world needs to see is my pasty white @ss... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Students-Wearing-American-Flag-Shirts-Sent-Home-92945969.html First, Cinco de Mayo is not a holiday in this country. Second, this school must have all their ducks in a row: perfect graduation rates, on-par reading, writing, math, science, history - because for something like this to happen, there must be no problems left in the school. For those that don't know, Morgan Hill is in Santa Clara County (South Bay), on US 101 between San Jose and Gilroy. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

Wait a minute...you're saying that the French revolution, which overthrew its monarchy and resulted in a republic...is more socialist? No doubt that the government of France has gone well past that idea, but it would be hard to say that their revolution resulted in a more socialist government...quite the contrary. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

The unhappy reality is that this is one result of unsustainable social programs. This could be only the beginning. Who's next? Spain? Portugal? What happens if too big to fail becomes, too big to save? So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

Hey crazy....did your number change? Or just your phone? So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

I guess you will send back your 2011 invitation then. I'll send it to you! Whyever would I want YOURS? Shit, he can send it to me. I'll go in a heartbeat. You mean you don't get your own? Funny thing, with the change of the administration, I "suddenly" wasn't on the mailing list anymore...go figure. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

I'm amazed that anyone can chastise someone for doing something wrong 30 years ago. But I guess there are those here that never did anything wrong and are first to judge others. Nice to know there are still perfect human beings out there. Okay, so you think there should be an expiration date for hideous crimes against kids then? All someone has to do is hide-out for a couple decades and all is well? I'm not claiming perfection. I just happen to know first hand that there are consequences to actions. Polanski was able to strike a bargain, and he pussied out. Now he's claiming his extradition is based on a lie....I take that to mean, his lie, when he said he'd follow a plea agreement (what he thinks might happen from a judge doesn't count as an excuse), and then skipped town. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong: Aren't most plea deals made with the guilty plea an exchange for reduction of charges (either in total number or degree of severity)? And often with a recommendation of lower sentence from the prosecutor? Polanski got six charges reduced to one (basically statutory rape). Although the prosecutor recommended no jail or prison time, the judge was still free to impose whatever sentence he saw fit. The deal wasn't no prison time. The deal was six charges down to one. I guess the judge is free to impose whatever he wants, but to go against a plea deal the prosecutor made stinks. You either go with the program or get the hell out. It is the judge that presides over the courtroom, not the prosecutor...and I'm still amazed that you're making excuses for Polanski. There's no "supposedly"...even Polanski isn't saying that... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

I guess you will send back your 2011 invitation then. I'll send it to you! Whyever would I want YOURS? Shit, he can send it to me. I'll go in a heartbeat. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

The way the dysfunctional judicial system is set up in the US, those who plead guilty are often not, and do it to save money and time. The real criminals are the prosecutors with their plea bargains (otherwise known as extortion). This allows them to win the case and keep their worthless jobs, but then again "they" are worthless people. Never personally involved with any of it, I know enough people who have and tend to side with Polanski. Apparently the judge in the case was another one of those worthless fucks. The judge was not, apparently, a "worthless fuck." Polanski describes a plea deal that he made. Judges are empowered to accept of decline a plea deal. Perhaps you are unaware of the graphic details of what Polanski did to a thirteen year-old girl. I will not post details of what that he did. But if you've got the stomach, read this: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/polanskicover1.html And he fled possible prison time. Yeah, poor Roman Polanski was soooo wronged. Prosecutors at at the top of my legal shit list. But in this circumstance, Polanski should have done his time. I actually took the time to read some of that...Polanski will get his... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

Well, they "can" now, but in the future they "must". That's a compelling difference. Compare and contrast to the standing order to LA City police... dks13827 really didn't make such a claim, he simply said, "...so police can..." but I understand your point. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

This law requires them to do it, whereas that is not always done for whatever reason (like lack of support from ICE). So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

The way the dysfunctional judicial system is set up in the US, those who plead guilty are often not, and do it to save money and time. The real criminals are the prosecutors with their plea bargains (otherwise known as extortion). This allows them to win the case and keep their worthless jobs, but then again "they" are worthless people. Never personally involved with any of it, I know enough people who have and tend to side with Polanski. Apparently the judge in the case was another one of those worthless fucks. I may be reading this wrong, but it really seems to me like you're making excuses for Polanski. He drugged and molested a young girl. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

You are correct. Thanks for clarifying that. Sh*t's so f*cked up in DC that even I'm making errors about the intent of our Constitution... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

Arbitrary requests by authorities is unconstitutional here too. I never stated anything to the contrary. Well, you did indicate that there is a time where that is appropriate. There is no constitutional mandate for a national ID program. The nation has 50 states to whom several powers are reserved. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100502/people_nm/us_polanski This guy pleaded guilty. This guy fled before sentencing. He is now playing a victim versus the judge at the time.... Polanski, you're a molester. You know you're in the wrong, or your wouldn't be hiding in fear. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

Surely there are times when "Papers please" is appropriate or even necessary ? In the US, such arbitrary requests by authorities is unconstitutional. With probable cause, it's allowed, but rarely arbitrary... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

That's one tough generation, and they're leaving us so fast. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

You are right on most points, but I fail to see the connection to cap and trade ( I think you misspoke when you said "cap and tax...). As I understand it, "cap and trade" is a program whereby those who utilize capped, finite, resources sell what they don't use ( their "credits" so to speak) to those companies that need a little more than the capped allowance. It is a win/win, and it will force overly consumptive companies to use their money wisely toward sustainable growth and earth-friendly consumption. How does this tie in with illegal immigrants? Thanks in advance for the clarification (I'm a learning sponge/geek), Blue skies! Jeannie If you read the article more carefully, you'll see that they are tying in the immigration reform to other initiatives as follows: First, on 30 April, there was legislation that was to be introduced by Senate Democrats requiring a national ID program for all workers in the US (which I cited here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3852720;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread). In the Washington Post article I tied in here, President Obama, in less than a week did another about-face on immigration reform and told reporters that the legislation was essentially dead. One hopeful piece to help the democrats through this was Senator Graham (R-SC), who was working with democrats on Cap-and-tax and immigration reform. However, Senator Reid started yanking him around with the finance reform bill so Sen. Graham stopped working with Senators Schumer, Lieberman, and Kerry, and everything stalled. Republicans finally cleared the way for the finance reform bill to enter debate, but that fight still is not over. On top of that, President Obama pulled the rug out from under the other democrats feet on their own immigration reform bill. That places the rest of the President's agenda in jeopardy. To your other point about cap-and-tax, I did not mistype. What you failed to mention is that after those carbon-credits are given away and traded amongst the marketplace, there are fewer and fewer credits available with each passing year. Failure to meet the reduced levels constitutes an additional tax on those entities. We're not just talking about coal companies and refineries that would get pinched by this. Even your small sole-proprietor gets the shaft on this, based on how old his work truck/van is, what kind of light-bulbs he uses in his workshop. It also allows inspection of homes for "compliance". It is not a win/win. President Obama is on the record that prices would "necessarily skyrocket" under his "plan". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlTxGHn4sH4 So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

Useless without pics... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/30/AR2010043001389_pf.html It's a lot of editorializing, but it brings up some interesting points. Killing immigration reform now will kill the cap and tax bill as well. What other major components of legislation are there besides the finance reform/Wall Street slap? That's not a shoe-in either. If the healthcare legislation had truly been a collaborative effort, the remainders of President Obama's agenda would not be withering on the vine. As a matter of fact, there was more bi-partisan opposition to the healthcare reform...but I digress. Seeing how things have been tainted, it looks to me like a slow six months of nothing before the election, which could end up being the democrat's best play, less for everyone else to get chapped over...hmmm... So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

I didn't bother watching Leno's remarks, but President Obama did a damn fine job. I would love to be able to go to one of those dinners, no matter who the President was. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!

Yeah, I don't see this bringing price relief either. I think Southwest is a very well run airline, but I don't like flying with them. I've had excellent experience with United until this very last trip I made with them. It was bad enough that I actually wrote an honest-to-God-letter to the CEO's office. I don't expect anything from it, but at least I'm on the record. So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light!