Georgia Gun Law: Carrying OK but Not in the Capitol

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In Georgia, Carry a Gun, Just Not in the Capitol

by The Editorial Board 

March 25, 2014

There’s a lot of concern about new legislation in Georgia that expands how people can buy, carry and use guns. It reduces some licensing requirements and provides Georgians with a stronger “Stand Your Ground” defense should they feel threatened and decide to open fire. Some critics were calling it the “guns everywhere” law. That’s so unfair. Georgia’s lawmakers are not allowing everyone’s safety to be endangered by gun-slinging people. They are deeply concerned, for example, with their own.

The bill, passed on Thursday and awaiting the governor’s signature, will, among other things, allow people to carry concealed weapons into more places — including ones, like bars, which conveniently enough are spots where they are likely to be put to use.

They may also be carried in unsecured areas of airports. Even toting a gun in secured areas will merely be a misdemeanor in Georgia as long as you did it by mistake. After all, who among us has not had the embarrassing experience of forgetting they were carrying their Glock semiautomatic through airport security?

Republican lawmakers in the Georgia House tried — and failed — to require colleges and churches to allow concealed weapons. The law bans them on college campuses (thank goodness for that, at least) and requires armed Georgians to get permission from their church before they go to Sunday services packing heat.

But, while patting themselves on the back for protecting the Second Amendment rights of their fellow citizens and dismissing any notion that guns could be a danger to the public, Georgia lawmakers were careful to continue to ban the carrying of weapons in government buildings with security checkpoints, like the Capitol itself, though guns are welcomed in buildings without screening.

This bill is evidence that cynics were wrong when they said nothing would come of the surge of attention to guns after the Newtown, Conn., massacre in December 2012. Since then, The Times reported, 70 laws have been passed to loosen restrictions. [Emphasis added.]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/opinion/in-georgia-carry-a-gun-just-not-in-the-capitol.html?emc=edit_th_20140326&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=65886944

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Gays in Uganda Face Life Sentences for “Aggravated Homosexuality”

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[But just 14 years for the first offense – whew!]

Uganda Gays Face Life in Jail Under Tough New Law

by Henry Austin 

Feb. 24, 2014 

Defying U.S. warnings, Ugandan President Yoweir Museveni signed a tough new anti-gay bill that toughens already strict legislation against homosexuals on Monday.

Life imprisonment could now be on the table for anyone convicted of having gay sex, with first-time offenders facing 14 years in jail, according to drafts of the report seen by The Associated Press. The final bill has not been published.

It will also make it a crime to promote gay activity, and to fail to report someone for breaking the new law, again according to drafts.

A category of offenses called "aggravated homosexuality," defined as repeated gay sex between consenting adults as well as acts involving a minor, a disabled person or where one partner is infected with HIV were also included when the bill was being drawn up.

Museveni's signature will please a staunchly conservative local constituency that is vehemently opposed to homosexuality, but risks alienating Western aid donors.

President Barack Obama warned it would complicate relations with Washington, and called it a “step backward for Ugandans,” earlier this month.

"It's a gloomy day not just for the gay community in Uganda but for all Ugandans who care about human rights because this law will affect everybody," said Julian Peppe Onziema, spokesman for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community in Uganda told the Associated Press.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/uganda-gays-face-life-jail-under-tough-new-law-n37051

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The Beatles – 50 Years Ago on the Ed Sullivan Show

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At 8PM Sunday night February 9, 1964, screaming fans packed The Ed Sullivan Show’s CBS Studio 50 on Broadway in New York City and 73 million people were glued to their TVs watching The Beatles first performance in America. This clip covers The Beatles’ three February 1964 appearances on the Sullivan show.

http://youtu.be/CqrauzHPpwE

From Wiki:

In late 1963, Sullivan and his entourage happened also to be passing through Heathrow and witnessed how The Beatles' fans greeted the group on their return from Stockholm, where they had performed a television show as warmup band to local star Lill Babs. Sullivan was intrigued, telling his entourage it was the same thing as Elvis all over again. He initially offered Beatles manager Brian Epstein top dollar for a single show but the Beatles manager had a better idea—he wanted exposure for his clients: the Beatles would instead appear three times on the show, at bottom dollar, but receive top billing and two spots (opening and closing) on each show.

The Beatles appeared on three consecutive Sundays in February 1964 to great anticipation and fanfare as "I Want to Hold Your Hand" had swiftly risen to No. 1 in the charts. Their first appearance on February 9 is considered a milestone in American pop culture and the beginning of the British Invasion in music. The broadcast drew an estimated 73 million viewers, at the time a record for US television. [Ed. Note: The 2014 Super Bowl’s 111M viewers comprised approx 35% of the US population. The Beatles 73M viewers in 1964 comprised approx. 38% of the US population.] The Beatles followed Ed's show opening intro, performing "All My Loving"; "Till There Was You", which featured the names of the group members superimposed on closeup shots, including the famous "Sorry girls, he's married" caption on John Lennon; and "She Loves You". The act that followed Beatles in the broadcast was pre-recorded, rather than having someone perform live on stage amidst the pandemonium that occurred in the studio after the Beatles performed their first songs. The group returned later in the program to perform "I Saw Her Standing There" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

The following week's show was broadcast from Miami Beach where Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) was in training for his first title bout with Sonny Liston. The occasion was used by both camps for publicity. On the evening of the television show (February 16) a crush of people nearly prevented the band from making it onstage. A wedge of policemen were needed and the band began playing "She Loves You" only seconds after reaching their instruments. They continued with "This Boy", and "All My Loving" and returned later to close the show with "I Saw Her Standing There", "From Me to You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

They were shown on tape February 23 (this appearance had been taped earlier in the day on February 9 before their first live appearance). They followed Ed's intro with "Twist and Shout" and "Please Please Me" and closed the show once again with "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

The Beatles appeared live for the final time on August 14, 1965. The show was broadcast September 12, 1965 and earned Sullivan a 60 percent share of the nighttime audience for one of the appearances. This time they followed three acts before coming out to perform "I Feel Fine", "I'm Down", and "Act Naturally" and then closed the show with "Ticket to Ride", "Yesterday", and "Help!." Although this was their final live appearance on the show, the group would for several years provide filmed promotional clips of songs to air exclusively on Sullivan's program such as the 1966 and 1967 clips of "Paperback Writer", "Rain", "Penny Lane", and "Strawberry Fields Forever".

Although the appearances by The Beatles, Elvis and The Supremes are considered the most famous rock and roll performances on Ed Sullivan, several months before Elvis debuted, Sullivan invited Bill Haley & His Comets to perform their then-current hit "Rock Around the Clock" in early August 1955. This was later recognized by CBS and others (including music historian Jim Dawson in his book on "Rock Around the Clock") as the first performance of a rock and roll song on a national television program.

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Paige Winston Kills It at St. Bonaventure

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My 21 year old niece Paige is a senior at St. Bonaventure University. She does what’s called “slam poetry”. Yeah, I didn’t know what that was either:

A poetry slam is a competition at which poets read or recite original work. These performances are then judged on a numeric scale by previously selected members of the audience.

But don’t click away from the word “poetry”. Paige’s performance more like a comedy routine than any poetry you’ve heard.

This youtube video (“Bona Bubble”) is her latest performance from St. Bonaventure.

http://youtu.be/EbzyXiWVzPw

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The Year That Will Be – a Precap of 2014

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The Year That Will Be

by Peter Funt 

Dec. 30, 2013

Late December is traditionally a time to recap the year’s news, but do we really have the stomach for it in 2013? Let’s look ahead, with a precap of news sure to happen in 2014.

Jan. 1 A White House brunch ends abruptly as participants fail to agree on a New Year’s toast. Democrats reportedly favored “Here’s to health and prosperity,” while G.O.P. leaders objected to the term “health.”

Jan. 18 Bill O’Reilly’s new book, “Killing Literature,” debuts at No.3 on the New York Times best-seller list.

Feb. 2 At the Super Bowl, N.F.L. officials announce a new protocol for evaluating possible concussions. Injured players will be required to recite three gay slurs in 60 seconds before being allowed back on the field.

Feb. 10 Following months of protests by disgruntled workers, the Labor Department finally cracks down on the nation’s largest employer by demanding it decide once and for all whether its name should be spelled Walmart or Wal-Mart.

March 11 Delta Air Lines clarifies that standing room at airport boarding areas “will remain free for the foreseeable future,” but that seats for passengers waiting to board will now cost $25.

March 18 Hillary Rodham Clinton begins her 12-state “Set the Record Straight” tour, aimed at convincing voters that she has not decided whether she will seek the presidency in 2016.

March 30 Hoping to silence critics, NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” hires a female cast member who is part black, part Native American and part Republican.

April 16 Kellogg’s unveils a new breakfast cereal called Cholester-Os, “A tasty blend of sugar, oats and Lipitor,” providing 90 percent of the new recommended daily dose of statins.

April 21 The White House releases figures for its first “National Online Easter Egg Hunt.” A total of nine children were able to log on — four in Massachusetts, three in California and two in New Jersey. A White House spokesman, Jay Carney, tells reporters, “This gives us something to build on.”

May 9 Google and Warner Bros. reveal that “Gravity” will have its mobile device debut on Google Glass. For full effect, viewers will wear Google 3-D contact lenses under their Google glasses.

May 22 The Gallup Organization says it is suspending congressional approval polls, newspaper readership polls and Kanye West Q ratings, until data return to “scientifically measurable levels.”

May 26 President Obama delivers a Memorial Day speech, with signing provided by Cedric the Entertainer.

June 3 CNN changes the name of Anderson Cooper’s show to “AC 1,095.” According to a news release, “The new title more accurately reflects the number of times Mr. Cooper’s show appears on CNN each year.”

July 4 Macy’s kicks off the holiday season by having Santa ride in the final float of its Fourth of July Parade.

Aug. 9 The police in Palo Alto, Calif., crack down on people begging for bitcoins.

Aug. 12 Bill O’Reilly’s new book, “Killing Conversation,” becomes the first title delivered by Amazon’s fleet of drones. The recipient, Edith Johnston of West Palm Beach, Fla., is unharmed, but three Pakistani civilians at a wedding are injured in the delivery.

Sept. 18 A Pew poll reveals, “If the 2024 presidential election were held today, Chelsea Clinton would get 54 percent of the undecided female vote.”

Oct. 4 Oregon becomes the first state to recognize business partnerships between same-sex marijuana growers.

Nov. 4 Bowing to pressure from its authors, Macmillan announces that in 2015 it will limit Bill O’Reilly to 16 new books per annum.

Dec. 31 In a year-end message to the nation via YouTube, Mr. Obama says he “misspoke” a week earlier when he promised, “If you don’t like your holiday gifts, you don’t have to keep them.” The president concedes that “a small percentage of Americans will not be able to return socks and mittens from grandparents.”

Peter Funt is a writer and television host.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/31/opinion/the-year-that-will-be.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131231

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A Christmas Manners Quiz

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A Christmas Manners Quiz

By DELIA EPHRON

Published: December 23, 2013

YOU arrive for Christmas dinner. Your mother has left your father for a woman and you are meeting her for the first time.

Do you say, “Hello, it’s nice to meet you”?

Do you tweet, “#MomIsGay. She’s going to hell”?

Do you text your best friend, “If I survive Xmas, it will be a miracle”?

Your cousin Stephen has become a born-again Christian and wants to say grace.

Do you bow your head and wait patiently until it’s over?

Do you stick your fingers in your ears and tell your 5-year-old niece Lily to do the same?

Do you say, “If you love God so much, why don’t you marry him?”

Do you text your best friend, “Xmas the nightmare continues, now we’re praying”?

Your sister Maria has a new boyfriend who is three months sober and wearing cargo shorts.

Do you drag your sister Jen into the kitchen to discuss Maria and her boyfriend behind their backs?

Do you take his picture and tweet it with #Men2Old2WearCargoShorts?

Neither.

Both.

Do you start a pool? Everyone can pay $1 and guess how long Maria’s new relationship will last.

Do you start a pool? Everyone can pay $1 and guess how long Maria’s new boyfriend will stay sober.

Your Uncle Eric loves Fox News. Your sister Jen listens only to NPR. Which of these are appropriate dinner table conversations?

The Republicans are racists masquerading as conservatives.

Obama is a Muslim socialist masquerading as a Christian Democrat.

How lucky we all are to be together.

How lucky we all are not to live in Toronto.

If I took my dirty clothes into the ice cream store instead of the cleaners, does that mean I have Alzheimer’s?

Your nephew Jeremy lost his job, developed colitis and doesn’t have health care. What do you say to him?

“Move to France.”

“You’ve always got some drama going, don’t you?”

“I’ll sit with you at the computer and, even if it takes all night, we’ll get on that website and sign you up for Obamacare.”

“You’re screwed.”

Your niece Emily gets one temporary job after another, but the minute the company has to hire her permanently and give her benefits they fire her. What do you say to her?

“If you were any good, that wouldn’t happen.”

“Life will get better, I promise. You are brilliant and talented. There has to be one decent corporation in America.”

“Unemployment in Spain is 26 percent. Unemployment in Greece is 27 percent. Unemployment on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota is over 80 percent. Stop whining and help me peel stickers off fruit.”

Your niece Vivian is single and on dating websites. She tells you about Lulu, a smartphone app that lets women rank their dates with hashtags like #KinkyButInAGoodWay. What is the proper response?

“Thank God I’m not single. I feel so, so sorry for you.”

“That is the sickest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“The women who founded that app became millionaires and they are two years younger than you.”

None of the above.

Your cousin Kara and her husband Brad, an investment banker, ate last week at Per Se. The meal cost $685 per person, says Kara, and afterward she Googled a review of the restaurant, which said it was worth every penny, and that review was so right.

Do you force Kara to write a $50,000 check to the New York City food bank?

Do you force Brad to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”?

Do you feel sad and poor even though a minute before you were happy and only sort of poor? Do you think about the credit card debt that you’ll probably never pay off (from buying all these Christmas presents) and how crowded it was in coach on the flight out, and how you were crammed into the middle seat, and your foot fell asleep, and you got a stiff neck and you’re getting the flu because the guy next to you had a hacking cough? In fact, you realize, you absolutely hate your life, but not as much as you hate Brad and Kara.

Do you drag your sisters Maria and Jen into the kitchen to discuss what a spoiled brat your cousin is?

All of the above.

Your brother Marcus has come out of hiding for Christmas dinner because he can’t resist your mother’s plum pudding. He is wanted for 10 gangland slayings.

Do you call the police?

Do you let him eat some pudding with hard sauce and then call the police?

Do you think, I would rather lose my job, my reputation and all my friends, and let a murderer go free, and not give any of the victims’ families closure than turn in my brother and wreck Christmas?

It’s time to leave. As soon as you get in the car, what do you do?

Call your best friend and say, “As usual my mom didn’t ask me one single question about myself.”

Call your best friend and say, “I felt like I was 15 again.”

Call your shrink and leave a message: “As usual, all anyone cares about is my brother.”

Post a picture of your mom and the woman she’s in love with on Facebook. “Mom and Lindy. Welcome to the family.”

Call your dad and say, “We’ll be there in a half-hour.” Swear that you hardly ate and you can’t wait to see him and meet Samantha.

Text your best friend, “One down, one to go.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/24/opinion/a-christmas-manners-quiz.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20131224

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USAF Band flash mob – National Air & Space Museum

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From the youtube blurb:

Starting with a single cellist on the floor of the National Air and Space Museum's Milestones of Flight gallery and swelling to 120 musicians, The United States Air Force Band exhilarated museum visitors yesterday with its first-ever flash mob. The four-minute performance featured an original arrangement of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring/Joy to the World," led by the Band's commander and conductor, Col. Larry H. Lang. Unsuspecting museum visitors including tourists and school groups were astonished as instrumentalists streamed into the gallery from behind airplanes and space capsules, and vocalists burst into song from the Museum's second floor balcony. Executive Producer: Col. Larry H. Lang. Provided by The U.S. Air Force Band.

http://youtu.be/8OME9EwIzK0

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