Tuesday, June 19, 2007

The debate over illegal immigrants crossing the border from Mexico to the United States via border states like Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California has become one of the hottest political, economic and social issues in recent years.

Grassroot organizations and militiamen patrols have sprouted up all along the border, as gaggles of desperate immigrants and families risk their lives to cross the brutal desert to make it to America.

Proponents of building a fence along the 1,700 mile border with Mexico say they are fed up because the feds, Congress and the president are not doing their job in protecting American citizens from the constant flow of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border.

One group fighting to force the government to take action, Grassfire.org, have taken their message to the airwaves with a unique video ad depicting three elderly women along the border shouting "Where's The Fence?!" a take-off on the famous Wendy's commercials of the 1980's "Where's The Beef?"

The ad is now circulating around the Internet and on television networks, especially in the border states.

In it, the three elderly women stop at a spot near the border gazing out towards Mexico as a voice over narrates:

"Last year, Congress authorized 700 miles of fence along the southern border. So far, just a few miles have been built. Now, Congress and the president want to give amnesty to millions of illegal aliens instead of securing the border. Call your senators and give them a message."

The final scene of the 30-second video show three supposedly Mexican men crossing the border with the women repeatedly shouting "Where's The Fence?" The three men shrug and run off into the United States easily.

Labels: Border Security, Funny Videos, Illegal Immigration, Immigration Amnesty, McCain, Political Video Ads, Where's The Fence Video

posted by Googe | 1:11 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

Saturday, June 16, 2007

INFAMOUS VIDEOS: Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell Face-Off - 1983

Nearly a quarter of a century ago, Larry Flynt, Hustler magazine's founder and publisher - and without a doubt one of American pop culture's most colorful characters - turned an Ohio courtroom into a twisted mini-circus of bickering, joking and other antics clearly demonstrated in this fascinating and bizarre videotaped deposition.

The deposition was ordered by a court after Rev. Jerry Falwell, who died in May, filed a lawsuit in 1983 against Flynt for libel.

The controversial Hustler publisher ran a full-paged parody in the magazine claiming Falwell committed incest with his mother in an outhouse.

On the video, Flynt openly mocks the legal proceeding, repeatedly answering "no" to the common swearing in: “Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” Flynt refused to answer "yes".

The defiant Flynt appears medicated and he stares and smirks at Falwell (who is off-camera). At one point, Flynt actually laughs at Falwell.

He also claimed to be just about everyone - from Christopher Columbus to Jesus Christ - but himself, never stating his full name for the court record.

Flynt appears on the video in a hospital bed because of the paralysis he suffered from an assassin’s bullet a couple of years earlier.

He is also handcuffed which infuriated him. Flynt repeatedly informed the court that he would not cooperate until the handcuffs were removed. In the video, Flynt argues with the judge that his attorney made a deal with the court that there would be no handcuffs.

No matter what you think of Larry Flynt, what possibly was the threat from a paralyzed and medicated man in a hospital bed and who has no documented history of violence?

It's clear the court treated Flynt unfairly in that respect, considering that many fully able bodied defendants on trial for murder and rape have been allowed to appear in court without handcuffs for decades.

Defense attorney lobby groups have done a good job advocating that the the Constitution states that a defendant is innocence until proven guilty by a jury of peers. Handcuffs and shackles (with the exception of violent or potentially violent) can have undue influence on jurors to the defendant's detriment as various studies have found.

The fact that Flynt was handcuffed for this particular deposition while in a hospital bed was just plain ridiculous, and Flynt makes that very clear in this video clip.

This would never happen nowadays, especially with a PARALYZED guy in a hospital bed. It is clear that the government wanted to make a mockery of Flynt in Falwell's favor.

Ultimately, Flynt won the case and that was that.

Ironically, and even flabbergasting to some, Flynt had a change of faith in years to follow. He actually turned back to the church, became friends with Falwell, and he says that even though they totally disagreed on most issues, the two once-rivals respected one another's veracity in fighting for their beliefs and standing by their convictions.

Perhaps in the interest of politeness and civility, the two became "friends", but Flynt diluted his credibility with some, especially the left now which was so much part of his struggle to safeguard First Amendment rights.

Labels: Famous Deaths, First Amendment Rights, Flynt Lawsuit, Flynt Video Deposition, Free Speech, Hustler Magazine, Jerry Falwell, Larry Flynt, Larry Flynt Video, Playboy, Video History, Viral Videos

posted by Googe | 8:15 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

A rare video address that Fred Thompson made for the Rights to Life convention in Kansas City has surfaced and gives a unique and telling look into the mysterious actor who has managed in recent months to catch plenty of free press as a presidential front runner without announcing he is even running as a candidate for president.

The video offers a rare look at Fred Thompson's much younger wife and two small children.

For many who support Thompson, or are interested in knowing more about the senator turned actor, the campaign-style two and half minute video not only gives us a look at his wife and children, but it also provides a little more understanding of a man who so far no one knows much about, especially in regards to his stance on many issues, including abortion.
In the video, Thompson says the following about the hot-button political and moral issue - stem
cell research:

"I’m for adult stem cell research not stem cell research where embryos of unborn children are destroyed. It looks to me like there is a lot of promising developments as far as adult stem cell research is concerned anyway and we don’t need to go down that other road."

Labels: Fred Thompson, Fred Thompson for President, Politics, Republican Candidates, Republican Party, Right To Life, Stem Cell Research

posted by Googe | 3:04 AM | 0 comments links to this post   

Friday, June 15, 2007

GERMANY - A mad squirrel went on a rampage and attacked and injured three people before a 72-year-old granny smacked it into submission with her cane.

Labels: Animal Attacks, Crazy Squirrels, Odd News, Squirrel Attack, Weird News

posted by Googe | 6:38 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

The White House has denied reports that President George W. Bush's wristwatch was removed by a spectator in a crowd and stolen.

A video is lighting up the Internet claiming to show an Albanian man reach out, grab and remove the president's watch from his left wrist.

Tony Snow, the White House press secretary, said this afternoon that the video is legitimate but the story of the stolen watch is not. He claims the president took the watch off and placed it in his pocket.

However, watching this video, you can clearly see the watch on Bush's wrist and then someone grabs his wrist, his arm goes down and when it comes back up the watch is gone.

President Bush received a hero's welcome in Albania -quite a startling scene really and it blows out of the water myths that all Europeans hate Bush.

The Albanians, by their own account, love Bush and the United States. The latter part is very reassuring considering the mess Bush has made of U.S. foreign policy, but the Bush loving is almost surreal.

President Bush seemed to really enjoy all of the cheering and frenzy of gaggles of people trying to reach out and touch him and shake his hand.

It may just be a match made in heaven. Can we switch leaders? They can have Bush and we get the Albanian guy. No?

Labels: Bush Watch eBay, Bush Watch Photos, Bush Watch Video, Bush WristWatch, Bush Wristwatch Video, President Bush

posted by Googe | 5:11 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

Friday, June 08, 2007

updated at 3pm PST - Paris Hilton Is Checked In To The Twin Towers

Now that Paris Hilton has been ordered back to jail, what exactly happened in the court room today?

(Associated Press picture shows distressed Paris Hilton being taken back to jail this afternoon)

Los Angeles city attorney Rocky Delgadillo argued at today's hearing that the LA Sheriff's Department violated the court order that Hilton not receive any special treatment - no house arrest, no monitoring anklet, no deals other than 45 days in jail for violation of her probation for DUI (see court document charging Hilton with DUI).

Delgadillo argued that Hilton's “shortening” time was unlawful, that the LA Sheriff's Department never notified the court that Hilton would be released early and that the undisclosed "medical condition" was too vague to warrant her release.

The judge was persuaded and ordered LA Sheriff's to immediately take Hilton back to jail at the Twin Towers correctional facility, where she arrived at approximately 1 pm PST. After the judge's ruling today, Hilton reportedly broke down screaming and crying. (read about Paris' meltdown in court)

In his motion filed yesterday afternoon, Delgadillo asked the court to order the LA Sheriff's Department “to show cause regarding [sic] contempt” of the judge’s original ruling and order “the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to transport Paris Whitney Houston in custody to court for this hearing.”

(MTB reported first - yesterday - that Hilton would be taken into police custody in handcuffs and taken to this morning's hearing.)

Delgadillo concludes his filing: “Time is of the essence to ensure compliance with this court’s order and to restore public confidence in the fairness and equal treatment of all participants in the justice system.”

Message In The Bottle – No Partying for Paris for at least 45 Days

Delgadillo's arguments were firm and he and the judge agreed that Hilton's early release for a mysterious health condition (drug or alcohol withdrawals or nervous breakdown?) was a slap in the face of justice, especially considering the high-profile nature of the case and Hilton's continued contempt for the law.

While Hilton's lawyers argued for other accommodations due to Hilton's apparent health problems, there was no chance Hilton would have been sent to some “alternative” jail, like the one she bragged that she could “go to if I wanted." Rather, she told the world last Sunday night that she was going to do her time “the right way” and hopefully be “an example to others.”

The magnitude of what happened today should not to be underplayed. Aside from the fact that the media and the public love to see spoiled celebrities in turmoil, Paris Hilton made herself into THE example now of two systems of justice in LA – one for the poor and minorities and one for the rich and usually, not always, non-minorities.

Keep in mind that rapper R. Kelly has still not gone to trial five years since allegations of sexual misconduct with an underage girl surfaced.

But that has nothing to do with Paris Hilton, it just helps put it into perspective a bit for how people in LA see and know the legal system of the nation’s craziest city.

If Hilton had not been returned to jail, who knows what would have happened in Los Angeles. But we do know that the outrage would have been greatly elevated from yesterday's outrage that she was released after only serving three days.

Now there are definitely some who say that the judge's ruling today - that Hilton now serve her entire, original 45-day sentence - was a bit harsh, but chances are Hilton will either be released again early due to health reasons or good behavior.

Hilton's lawyers said just an hour ago that they will appeal the judge's ruling.

Labels: Paris Hilton, Paris Hilton Back to Jail, Paris Hilton Court Hearing, Paris Hilton Jail

posted by Googe | 1:40 PM | 1 comments links to this post   

Thursday, June 07, 2007

6/8/07 - 12:44 pm - MTB is on stand-by monitoring the news coming out of the Paris Hilton Hearing Happening Now in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Judge Michael Sauer has just sentenced Paris Hilton to go back to jail.

Hilton was taken from the courtroom in shackles screaming and is being taken to jail by the sheriff's department at this moment.

Hilton screamed out "it's not right...Mommmmmm!" as she was dragged out of the courtroom.

The judge has sentenced Hilton to serve her original full 45-day sentence.

Hilton's lawyers just announced they will appeal the judge's decision.

Stay tuned for minute by minute updates...

Video: Paris Going to Court in Police Custody

Labels: Paris Hilton Going Back to Jail, Paris Hilton Sentenced to Serve Full 45 Days

posted by Googe | 9:22 PM | 2 comments links to this post   

BREAKING NEWS - updated 6/8/07 at 6:55pm PST

- Round IV: Judge Orders Paris Hilton BACK TO JAIL FOR 45 Days

- Paris is dragged screaming and sobbing from court to jail in handcuffs and shackles - Video

- How LA Attorney Convinced Judge to Send Paris Back to Jail at the Twin Towers

<>

- How LA Attorney's Office Convinced Angry Judge to Send Hilton Back

- Judge Sauer Remands Paris Hilton's Sentence; Hilton Taken Screaming and Kicking From Courtroom Back to Jail

- LA Attorney and Judge File Order To Have Hilton Appear Back in Court

- Paris Hilton's Sentence Reduced Before She Goes to Jail


Note: The media was in a frenzy this morning (June 8th) over the fact that Paris Hilton was being taken to the hearing in police custody.

MTB reported this last night after obtaining the city attorney's motion which specifically stated that Hilton would be taken into police custody. So why was it such a BIG NEWS item this morning?

Because CNN read my blog. I can prove it. Anyways, yet another scoop for MTB! :-D


Original story filed Thursday, June 7 10:30 pm PST

LA City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo has filed a motion for a hearing Friday before Judge Michael Sauer to argue that LA Sheriff's Department disobeyed the judge's direct orders that Paris Hilton would not receive special treatment.

Paris Hilton was released this morning after serving only three of her 23-day sentence because of an undisclosed "medical condition" which LA City Sheriff's Department says it cannot divulge.

Outrage has been spreading across LA and the country after news hit early this morning that Paris Hilton's sentence was reduced to a house arrest in which she would serve her original 45 days, with five days already served and have to wear a monitoring anklet.

Rumors and speculation about what medical reason Paris Hilton was released for range from a "rash" to "mental anguish" (duh, it's jail) to perhaps withdrawals from drugs or alcohol.

DISCUSS: Is there a concern of riots in LA if they don't send Paris back to jail? You never know - it's LA!

STAY TUNED: Regular updates

- You can read the motion filed by the LA Attorney's Office to put Paris Hilton back in jail.

Labels: Paris Hilton, Paris Hilton Early Release, Paris Hilton Gets Out Of Jail, Paris Hilton Going Back to Jail

posted by Googe | 5:19 PM | 20 comments links to this post   

Paris Hilton must appear in court tomorrow in Los Angeles after city attorney Rocky Delgadillo filed a motion (PDF) with Judge Michael Sauer to have Hilton returned to jail following her sudden and surprising released after serving only 3 of her 32-day sentence.

Hilton was released from the Lynwood Correctional Facility by the LA Sheriff's Department which said it was concerned for her health, but would not say what the health condition was. Rumors range from drug withdrawals to a nervous breakdown to a "rash".

People around the country were outraged after hearing of Hilton's release and the media has been playing up the story all day, but MTB is the first blog to publish the official court papers filed today.

But the documents linked here order Paris Hilton to appear for a hearing tomorrow morning at LA's Superior Court.

Stay tuned here for all the latest updates. MTB will be on top of the story as we were today - the first Internet site to report that Hilton may be going back to jail - again! No special treatment?

You decide.

See all Paris Hilton stories, videos and photos from MTB:

Labels: Paris Hilton Ankle Monitor, Paris Hilton Court, Paris Hilton Jail, Paris Hilton Outrage, Paris Hilton Sentenced

posted by Googe | 3:22 PM | 2 comments links to this post   

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

A California logger near Roseville remarkably and bravely cut off his leg below the knee with a pocket knife in the small Gold Rush town of Iowa Hill in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Al Hill, a 66-year-old man from Iowa Hill, is recovering at the Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Roseville, California but is in serious condition, hospital spokesperson Robin Montgomery said.

Hill was in a remote area near the Big Dipper Mine when a tree fell on and pinned his leg, according to Iowa Hill's volunteer fire chief Luana Downling. Hill had a cell phone but no reception. After 11 hours, he resorted to amputating his leg below the knee, according to Downling.

Logging is listed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and OSHA as one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States.

Labels: Amazing News, In Flight Weird News, Logging Accidents, Man Cuts Off His Own Leg, Self Amputation, Stories of Bravery

posted by Googe | 1:13 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

Monday, June 04, 2007

The race is on to reduce the amount of pollution humans produce with the hope that global warming can be contained before it spirals out of control.

One of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases worldwide is the result of cattle farming.

Cattle emit hundreds of tons of methane in to the atmosphere every day, plus their waste from protein-enriched feed contains even more harmful gases. Add on to that all of the pollution and water contamination from cattle farms and you have one mighty player in global warming.

In fact, last December the United Nations released a report that cattle rearing worldwide contributes more to greenhouse gases than all the world's transportation emissions combined.

So it's no wonder why scientists around the world are working on any and every way possible to curb human consumption, limit pollution and create more environmentally friendly alternatives to cattle farming.

Last week Dutch scientists announced they were working on a way to grow pork and other meat in a lab - meaning man-made meat. No more drumsticks or spicy wings?

Continued...

Labels: Cattle Emissions, Global Warming, Meat and Greenhouse Gases, Solutions for Global Warming, Vegetarian Diet, Ways to Help the Environment

posted by Googe | 12:29 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

Hollywood heiress and socialite Paris Hilton surrendered last night after a music award show to begin her 23 day jail sentence, a day before her original sentence was set to begin.

The LA Sheriff's Department reported that they met Hilton at a location outside the Lynwood correctional facility in order to keep the facility safe and free of gaggles of photographers following Hilton wherever she goes.

While she was able to strike a pose for her booking photo (at the right), Hilton will not be able to wear her extensions in jail.

OMG! Paris without extensions.

Paris Hilton in an orange jumpsuit inside a jail cell?

That's SO hot. Somebody get pictures!

Hilton showed on the red carpet Sunday to attend the MTV Music Awards. She stopped for a brief moment to talk to reporters.

Who is this guy Paris was with this weekend?

"I've gotten thousands of letters from all over the world," Hilton said, adding that she could have opted to serve her time in a "upscale" jail.

"I did have a choice to go to a pay jail," she said. "But I declined because I feel like the media portrays me in a way that I'm not and that's why I wanted to go to county, to show that I can do it and I'm going to be treated like everyone else.

"I'm going to do the time, I'm going to do it the right way."

In May, a Los Angeles County judge sentenced Hilton to 45 days in the slammer, but the sentence was subsequently reduced to half that time on the condition that Hilton serves her time on good behavior.



DISCUSS: Does Paris Deserve The Right To Set Things Straight? Please click the Comments link (no registration required) to voice your opinion.

VIEW: Paris Hilton's Arrest Record Report

LABELS: View Paris Hilton labels (scroll down page)

Labels: Paris Hilton, Paris Hilton Arrest Photo, Paris Hilton Booking Photo, Paris Hilton Goes to Jail, Paris Hilton Jail, Paris Hilton Jail Cell, Paris Hilton Mugshot

posted by Googe | 12:29 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

A former general of the Laotian military who was also in the California National Guard has been charged in federal court with conspiracy to overthrow the Communist government of Laos.

The man, Gen. Vang Pao, helped the CIA wage a covert war in southeast Asia three decades ago, allegedly spent the last few years planning a secret and violent coup that would probably have left thousands of government officials, military members and civilians dead, captured or wounded.

Labels: Communist Laos, Coup Conspiracy, FBI, Federal Prosecutors, Laos, Laos Coup, Laos Government

posted by Googe | 2:29 AM | 0 comments links to this post   

Friday, June 01, 2007

The advent of the Internet (not the one invented by Al Gore) suddenly allowed comic book fans to create websites featuring photos, articles, discussions, video clips, fan clubs and much more.

As the Internet is now the number one communications medium in the world, it's no wonder that there are all kinds of great websites for fans of villains.

When I worked for LookSmart during the dot-com heyday, we built directories for MSN and one of the big projects I overlooked was comics. Here are just some of the coolest (there are so many more!)

Cool Villain Websites and Links

- Batman-Superman Villains Website

- Marvel Comics Official Villains and Heroes Line-up

- DC Comics Heroes and Villains Page

- Stabby T. Clown's City of Villains

- Trailer for Comic Book Villains (2002)

- Test out and get the newest X-Men games

- The Mighty Crusaders Anti-Crime Squad

- Marvel Comics Page of Who's Who Villains, including Dr. Sivana, Mr. Atom and Black Beauty.

- Batman's history of villains

- Amazing website dedicated to the history of comic villains

- Usagi Yojimbo Cast of Villains and other Characters, including the infamous Jei

- People who love villains

- Peter Evil's Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord

- Comic Book Villains (2002) DVD

- The UK has it's own set of famous villains, mostly from television drama shows. See the Top 5 lists for the past few years.

- City of Villains - This is a sequel to the wildly popular City of Heroes game series. Check out this website for all kinds of goodies, including access to play demos. For full access to play both popular games, there is a subscription fee required.

The full-featured, cutting-edge graphics of this online game allow each player to create their own villain and/or super hero. You also build your base and engage in player versus play (PvP) zones that have unique objectives.

Labels: Batman, Comic Book Hereos, Comic Book History, Comic Villain Links, Comic Villains, Darth Vader, Jei, Villains, X-Men

posted by Googe | 8:24 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

Mike Judge, who made his big hit with MTV's "Beavis & Butthead", produced an animated short film of "Office Space" years before it was even consider for a feature length movie.

The film has since its 1999 release grown into a cult classic of the drudgeries of daily office work and bosses who do little else then ego-trip off the vulnerabilities of others.

But Milton does get his ultimate revenge. The animated short here, clearly similar to Bevis and Butthead, shows Milton talking out his treasured stapler and what will happen if it is taken away from him again.

Nowadays, office jokes around the country about "Milton" usually always refer to the movie "Office Space" which has joined the likes of other cult classics like "Animal House" or "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

Too bad Milton doesn't have his own MySpace page. Mike Judge does though, and just in time to promote his new indie film "Higher Than Hell."

Labels: Animated Shorts, Beavis and Butthead, Mike Judge, MTV, Office Space, SNL

posted by Googe | 12:24 PM | 0 comments links to this post   

Suddenly, the much anticipated Police Reunion Tour, is off to a really bad start. In fact, some rumors are circulating that the band may cancel the rest of the tour.

Why? Apparently the members are fighting again.

In a shocking and unprecedented posting on his blog, Police drummer Stewart Copeland called the band's second reunion show Wednesday night in Vancouver 'lame'.

"This is unbelievably lame," Copeland wrote in his blog of the show at the GM Place arena. "We are the mighty Police and we are totally at sea."

Copeland also wrote that guitarist Andy Summer seemed to be somewhere "in Idaho" and that "the mighty Sting momentarily looks like a petulant pansy instead of the god of rock."

Ouch.

And these guys are going to tour together for the next two months? Maybe they'll get a visit from Dr. Phil. Is the band going to be able to complete the tour? Copeland has just kicked up the dirt again in a relationship that has been strained for years among the three members.

The band is set to perform tonight to a sold out show in Edmonton, Scotland. Good luck guys!

Labels: Andy Summers, Classic Rock Reunions 2007, Stewart Copeland, Sting, The Police, The Police Concerts, The Police Reunion Tour

posted by Googe | 1:55 AM | 1 comments links to this post