Mypost
Mypost's JournalTrump, too bad he ain't that cool
Hearings today; Repubs trying to hold back the tides
King Canute on the Seashore
by: James Baldwin, The Book of Virtues
Long ago, England was ruled by a king named Canute. Like many leaders and men of power, Canute was surrounded by people who were always praising him. Every time he walked into a room, the flattery began.
"You are the greatest man that ever lived," one would say.
"O king, there can never be another as mighty as you," another would insist.
"Your highness, there is nothing you cannot do," someone would smile.
"Great Canute, you are the monarch of all," another would sing. "Nothing in this world dares to disobey you."
The king was a man of sense, and he grew tired of hearing such foolish speeches.
One day he was walking by the seashore, and his officers and courtiers were with him, praising him as usual. Canute decided to teach them a lesson.
"So you say I am the greatest man in the world?" he asked them.
"O king," they cried, "there never has been anyone as mighty as you, and there never be anyone so great, ever again!"
"And you say all things obey me?" Canute asked.
"Absolutely!" they said. "The world bows before you, and gives you honor."
"I see," the king answered. "In that case, bring me my chair, and we will go down to the water."
"At once, your majesty!" They scrambled to carry his royal chair over the sands.
"Bring it closer to the sea," Canute called. "Put it right here, right at the water's edge." He sat down and surveyed the ocean before him. "I notice the tide is coming in. Do you think it will stop if I give the command?"
His officers were puzzled, but they did not dare say no. "Give the order, O great king, and it will obey," one of then assured him.
"Very well. Sea," cried Canute, "I command you to come no further! Waves, stop your rolling!. Surf, stop your pounding! Do not dare touch my feet!"
He waited a moment, quietly, and a tiny wave rushed up the sand and lapped at his feet.
"How dare you!" Canute shouted. "Ocean, turn back now! I have ordered you to retreat before me, and now you must obey! Go back!"
And in answer another wave swept forward and curled around the king's feet. The tide came in, just as it always did. The water rose higher and higher. It came up around the king's chair, and wet not only his feet, but also his robe. His officers stood before him, alarmed, and wondering whether he was not mad.
"Well, my friends," Canute said, "it seems I do not have quite so much power as you would have me believe. Perhaps you have learned something today. Perhaps now you will remember there is only one King who is all-powerful, and it is he who rules the sea, and holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand. I suggest you reserve your praises for him."
The royal officers and courtiers hung their heads and looked foolish. And some say Canute took off his crown soon afterward, and never wore it again.
How many days left in Trump's reign of terror?
I give him until the Ides of March, that would be a very fitting date. He will belly wail about how he was betrayed by everyone. Then Trump will waddle off to the sweet sound of a distant Balalaika
New Jersey Misused $54 Million Meant to Protect Children from Lead Poisoning
[link:http://www.allgov.com/news/where-is-the-money-going/new-jersey-misused-54-million-meant-to-protect-children-from-lead-poisoning-150113?news=855359|[link:http://www.allgov.com/news/where-is-the-money-going/new-jersey-misused-54-million-meant-to-protect-children-from-lead-poisoning-150113?news=855359|
A decade-old program designed to get lead out of the home lives of children in New Jersey has been routinely underfunded despite the dictates of state law.
An investigation by the Asbury Park Press found lawmakers, including Republican and Democratic governors, approved the shift of $54 million in funding from the Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund (pdf) over a 10-year period.
“At least $77 million and up to $154 million in dedicated sales tax revenues was supposed to go into the lead fund through fiscal 2015,” journalist Todd Bates reported. “But only $23.3 million went to the fund to date.” Only once, in 2006, was the fund fully seeded with tax revenues collected from the sale of paints and surface coatings, the newspaper discovered.
Arnold Cohen, senior policy coordinator at the Trenton-based Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, told Bates: “It's another horrible example of the governor taking money that was designated for an important purpose and putting it in the general fund.”
The decision to divert the money, which was used to pay state bills and salaries, left the lead fund nearly empty. Lawmakers have yet to approve legislation that would restore some monies into it.
Meanwhile, thousands of children have been left at risk to lead exposure and poisoning, which can result in brain damage, learning disabilities and other health problems. Every year, above-average lead contamination is found in more than 5,000 New Jersey children, most of whom are low-income minorities who live in cities where older buildings were made with lead-based materials, according to Bates.
There are more than half a million American children who have higher than normal levels of lead contamination.
[link:http://www.allgov.com/news/where-is-the-money-going/new-jersey-misused-54-million-meant-to-protect-children-from-lead-poisoning-150113?news=855359|
The loooooser keeps losing
January 17, 2015 12:45 PM
Appeals Court Rules Bullying A Gay Kid Is Not Free Speech
Andrew Shirvell lost his reputation, $4 million and his job as a state's assistant attorney general for bullying a gay student. Now he's been told by an appeals court that his hate speech is not protected.
Last week, a Michigan appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that said the actions of Andrew Shirvell, the former Michigan state assistant attorney general who bullied a gay college student, are not protected by the First Amendment.
Andrew Shirvell promptly announced he would appeal the decision. I suppose that announcement should not surprise anyone who has followed his homophobic exploits. A jury awarded his stalking victim four million dollars in a lawsuit Mr. Shirvell could have ended by apologizing. He's lost his prestigious job as an assistant state's attorney general. His reputation as a lawyer has been so badly damaged that he had to relocate to another state in order to earn a living. He's lost his court battles at every level. And yet the hate in him is so strong he feels compelled to fight on. .........
[link:http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/uncucumbered/appeals_court_rules_bullying_a_gay_kid_is_not_free_speech|
Are You Aware of the Ziplock Method for DUI Checkpoints? Video included
[link:http://thefreethoughtproject.com/aware-ziplock-method-dui-checkpoints-watch-learn/|
Sobriety checkpoints — also known as DUI checkpoints — are the most common roadblocks you might encounter. They function as a general purpose investigatory tactic where police can get a close look at passing motorists by detaining them briefly. A roadblock stop is quick, but it gives police a chance to check tags and licenses, while also giving officers a quick whiff of the driver’s breath and a chance to peer into the vehicle for a moment.
Remember that your constitutional rights still apply in a roadblock situation. Though police are permitted to stop you briefly, they may not search you or your car unless they have probable cause that you’re under the influence or you agree to the search. As such, you are not required to answer their questions or admit to breaking the law.
In the video, a man hangs his registration, insurance, and driver’s license from his rolled up window inside a ziplock freezer bag, in order to proceed through a DUI checkpoint.
Also in the bag is a flyer, which states:
I remain silent
No Searches
I want my lawyer
Please put any tickets under windshield wiper.
–CPLR §308 & Pacamor, 132 Misc.2d 269 (1986)
I have to show you my papers not hand them to you.
–VTL §312(b), §401(4), §507
Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/aware-ziplock-method-dui-checkpoints-watch-learn/#QUHESy4pvTrZwt6w.99
"I Can't Breathe" 25 Year Old Michigan Man Dies After Being Suffocated To Death By 3 Security Guards
Source: World Star Hip Hop
Uploaded December 28, 2014
VIDEO ABC 7
"A 25-year-old man is dead after he was pepper sprayed in an encounter with security at the Northland Center mall. Investigators are still awaiting the results of an autopsy following a struggle between McKenzie Cochran and security guards who used pepper spray to subdue...
Read more: http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh2nwFhRbwuj4Xv9Hi
Free online courses - edX - great universities
[link:https://www.edx.org/about-us|
At edX, we believe in the highest quality education, both online and in the classroom.
EdX was created for students and institutions that seek to transform themselves through cutting-edge technologies, innovative pedagogy, and rigorous courses.
Through our institutional partners, the xConsortium, along with other leading global members, we present the best of higher education online, offering opportunity to anyone who wants to achieve, thrive, and grow.
Our goals, however, go beyond offering courses and content. We are committed to research that will allow us to understand how students learn, how technology can transform learning, and the ways teachers teach on campus and beyond.
As innovators and experimenters, we want to share what we discover. The edX platform is available as open source. By conducting and publishing significant research on how students learn, we will empower and inspire educators around the world and promote success in learning.
Our aim is to become a leading resource for learners and learning worldwide by staying focused on the goals and principles set forth when forming edX:
Our goals
•Expand access to education for everyone
•Enhance teaching and learning on campus and online
•Advance teaching and learning through research
Our principles
•Nonprofit
•Open source platform
•Collaborative
•Financially sustainable
EdX is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and is governed by MIT and Harvard.[/b]
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