Archive for October 16th, 2008
Baylor University, facing sharp criticism for paying already-admitted students to retake the SAT and try to boost their scores, said Thursday it “goofed” and would probably end the practice.
The school in Waco, Texas, offered enrolling students a $300 bookstore credit for retaking the college entrance test and $1,000 if their scores rose 50 points or more. The carrot prompted a wave of criticism, on campus and nationally, as an unethical bid to boost the school’s rankings.
Full Article
October 16th, 2008
“Joe the Plumber,” the Toledo, Ohio, man whose complaints about Barack Obama’s tax plan were featured in the final presidential debate, owes the state of Ohio almost $1,200 in back income taxes.
According to records on file with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, the state filed a tax lien against Samuel J. Wurzelbacher for $1,182.98 on Jan. 26, 2007, that is still active.
Full Article
October 16th, 2008
LONDON (AFP) – The last remaining survivor of the Titanic disaster is auctioning mementoes from the doomed liner to pay for her nursing home fees, a newspaper said Thursday.
Millvina Dean was only two months old when the Titanic struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage and sank in 1912, but now at the age of 96 she is struggling to make ends meet and hopes to make 3,000 pounds from the sale.
Personal items going under the hammer include a 100-year-old suitcase filled with clothes given to her family by the people of New York after they arrived there following the catastrophe.
Dean has lived in a nursing home for the last two years.
“I was hoping to be here for two weeks after breaking my hip but I developed an infection and have been here for two years. I am not able to live in my home any more,” she told the Southern Daily Echo newspaper.
“I am selling it all now because I have to pay these nursing home fees and am selling anything that I think might fetch some money,” she added. “The fees are quite expensive. The more money I can get from the auction the better.”
Full Article
October 16th, 2008
CORNING, Calif. – The family of a dead elderly woman cremated her remains on a makeshift barbecue and continued collecting her retirement checks amounting to more than $25,000, authorities in Northern California said. Ramona Allmond’s daughter and grandson were arrested Sunday on suspicion of embezzlement, elder abuse and disposing of a body without a permit.
Allmond, 84, likely died of natural causes, though investigators were still trying to determine the exact cause of death, said Tehama County sheriff’s Capt. Paul Hosler.
Allmond’s daughter, Kathleen Allmond, 50, and Allmond’s grandson, Tony Ray, 30, told investigators their relative died in December. They left her body on her bedroom floor for a week before cremating the remains in their backyard fire pit, Hosler said.
Investigators said the two kept collecting Allmond’s monthly retirement checks, amounting to more than $25,000. Sheriff’s Detective Richard Knox said they may have been trying to honor Allmond’s desire to die at home and be cremated.
Article
October 16th, 2008
Link
Link
Link
October 16th, 2008
Slideshow
October 16th, 2008
During her visit to Minnesota yesterday, Michelle Obama got to meet one special volunteer. Igor wears a t-shirt with “World’s Biggest Obama Supporter” written on it, which is fitting considering he is one of the world’s tallest men. A resident of Rochester, Igor is 7-feet, 8-inches tall and spends five hours a day volunteering at his local campaign office.
Full Article
October 16th, 2008
October 16th, 2008
FORT WORTH (AP) — A preacher’s wallet was stolen from a church office while he was on the pulpit delivering a sermon about showing mercy to others.
The Rev. Rob Hamby was the guest preacher at Fort Worth Presbyterian Church last Sunday when his briefcase was taken. Security cameras caught images of a man and woman.
“What troubles me is that they would go to the church, not for help but to steal. I am shocked and frustrated that these people did it. But more than anything, I feel kind of sorry for them,” Hamby said.
About $2,000 in purchases were made on the minister’s credit and debit cards before he finished preaching, including the purchase of a $676 diamond ring. In addition to his wallet, Hamby’s computer valued at $2,600 was taken.
Hamby, who works as a campus minister at Texas Christian University, said he could have understood if the thieves used his credit cards to buy essentials but not luxuries that they did not need.
Link
October 16th, 2008
Colin Powell performs with the Nigerian hip-hop group Olu Maintain at the Africa Rising Festival in London
Photograph: Yui Mok/Press Association
Slideshow
October 16th, 2008
Fairly traded chocolate is all treat and no trick for United Methodists wanting to put their faith into action this Halloween.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief and the United Methodist Board of Church and Society are partnering with Equal Exchange, a Massachusetts-based cooperative operated on fair trade practices, to raise awareness about the topic this Oct. 31.
Fairly traded products provide small-scale farmers a fair living wage and an opportunity to break out of the cycle of poverty.
The three organizations have created a Halloween resource to increase awareness about the Equal Exchange Interfaith Program, UMCOR Coffee Project and the need to advocate with “wallets and voices” for better working conditions and prices for cocoa farmers throughout the world.
This Halloween, with orders of fairly traded mini chocolates and trick-or-treat bags from the Equal Exchange Interfaith Store, customers receive 300 postcards with educational information about cocoa and ways to make an impact on the chocolate industry. Orders should be placed by Oct. 17 to guarantee delivery by Halloween.
“Chocolate should be a source of joy for all children, including those where chocolate’s main ingredient, cocoa, is grown,” the postcard reads. “Yet, it isn’t.”
Full Article
October 16th, 2008
It’s official. At least for the kids! The Scholastic Presidential Election Poll results are in: Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama won with 57 percent of the vote, to 39 percent for Republican nominee Senator John McCain.
The poll was open to kids from grades 1 to 12 in Scholastic News and Junior Scholastic magazines. Almost 250,000 (a quarter of a million) kids voted by paper ballot or online at www.scholastic.com/news. The poll closed on October 10.
Since 1940, the results of the student vote have mirrored the outcome of the general election all but twice: In 1948, kids voted for Thomas E. Dewey over Harry S. Truman. In 1960, more students voted for Richard M. Nixon than for John F. Kennedy. In 2000, a majority of student voters chose George W. Bush, mirroring the Electoral College result, but not the result of the popular vote.
Obama and McCain weren’t the only vote getters. Four percent of the students voted for other people like comedian Stephen Colbert, and entertainers Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers. It was the highest percent of write-in votes in the history of the poll.
Full Article
October 16th, 2008
October 16th, 2008
- Joe the Plumber is the most famous person in America. If he isn’t referenced in an SNL skit something is wrong with this country. But who would win in an arm wresting contest, Joe Six Pack or Joe the Plumber?
- In case you didn’t get a chance to see the Obama and Joe the Plumber conversation that was such the hot topic of the debate, you can watch it here.
- I wish I would have heard of Current TV and Twitter’s idea of having live comments come in from viewers during the live debate two debates ago. It’s still like putting lipstick on a pig, but it made the debate much more interesting to watch. If they do this four years from now, there’s no way I’m watching the debate on another channel.
- Bob Schieffer is retiring after the election, he’s the one Texan in Washington that I’m going to miss.
- Obama haircut. Link
- Obama may be leading in the polls, but I wouldn’t be surprised if McCain wins. Liberals are more vocal so I think they are heard more than Conservatives, and I have a feeling the young registered voters that make up so much of Obama’s base will simply stay in their dorms and play Halo and Madden come election day.
- Japan holds most of our debt, not China. Link
- The Cowboys lead the league in players named Roy Williams.
- Tony Romo was throwing passes yesterday . . . isn’t that the last thing he should be doing?
- What TV characters would make in real life. Link
- I use to shave everyday, but now it’s every other day.
- Everytime I hear that Dick Cheney has a heart problem I’m still surprised to know he actually has a heart.
- I’ve been a part of churches that sponsors those Hell Houses you see every Halloween season. Basically, it’s a Christian haunted house that shows you how the devil is at play and at the end the message of salvation is presented. I don’t like the idea of trying to scare people to Christ, at least I think that is the message that is usually communicated, although I guess I can appreciate the effort of evangelizing.
- From my experience, the people that usually go to a Hell House are already saved, but go to support the event.
- I remember one Christian friend of mine going through the salvation message at the end because he just wanted to make sure it was presented correctly. Another friend of mine use to say that guy was part of the Salvation Patrol.
- One year I overheard several people after the event say they filled out a “I got saved card” to make event organizers feel better for putting so much effort into the event although they didn’t feel it was convincing, or that they made the decision to follow Christ.
- A lot of those scenes are grossly exaggerated, but as I said, I appreciate the intent.
- I like the idea of a Fall Festival much better.
- I have friends that refuse to dress up and take part in any Hallaween party because that would be supporting the Devil’s holiday, but feel comfortable dressing up and going to a church event because that is totally different.
- I’m tempted to drive to Hot Springs, Arkansas and stay at The Arlington for a weekend getaway.
- There’s a connection between my hometown and that hotel.
- That would be about a five hour car drive. I think I would enjoy seeing all the fall foliage.
- Or we could fly into Little Rock for about $69 one way and drive an hour.
- Now that I think about it, I would like to spend a day in Hot Springs, a day in Little Rock, and drive to the mecca that is Graceland.
- In case you are wondering, I don’t get flight privileges as a contractor.
- I always get a kick out of typing Arkansas, because it’s just Kansas with Ar in front of it. Thanks to Wikipedia, I have an explanation for that.
- The latest NFL stadium rankings. Link
- The answer is Beyonce. Link
- I got in a long conversation about Presidential salaries which caused me to do all sorts of research.
- Here is a list of historical salaries of U.S. presidents. Washington earned $25,000 in 1789, that’s over $300,000 calculated for today.
- This Senate document will tell you everything you need to know regarding the retired president’s salary.
- That whole conversation started when we were trying to find out what widowed former first ladies received as a salary. In short, they get $20,000 (plus mail privileges) if they refuse any other government pension. That document above will give you the details. Lady Bird was the last to receive this. Mrs Ford is accepting her husband’s congressional pension that is around $65,000 a year.
- God and beer fest article. Link
October 16th, 2008