It isn’t exactly kitty camp, but there’s plenty to eat. Read more…

On Thursday night, the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates will make what NightLine calls a “joint appearance.”

The 32-page Memorandum of Understanding, hammered out by lawyers, has been released through both candidates’ websites. [PDF - Bush] [PDF - Kerry]

Here’s a few things that have been agreed upon:

The candidates may not ask each other direct questions, but may ask rhetorical questions.

All members of the debate audiences will be instructed by the moderator … not to applaud, speak, or otherwise participate in the debate by any means other than by silent observation.

When a candidate is speaking, either in answering a question or making his closing statement, TV coverage will be limited to the candidate speaking. There will be no TV cut-aways to any candidate who is not responding to a question while another candidate is answering a question or to a candidate who is not giving a closing statement while another candidate is doing so.

To make a little extra money for club and sports trips in high school, I remember selling baked goods and washing cars. The marching band of Bowie High School in Austin, Texas, has had a completely different idea.

You can “hire” the band by bidding on a performance through eBay. You have until October 10th to name the highest price and pick the place. The ad says specifically that they “will arrange for local pickup only (no shipping),” but they are happy to take an offer that they can’t refuse. In other words, cover the cost of the trip to wherever you are, and they will come play.

The band is attempting to raise enough money to cover the expenses for a trip to the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship.

Don’t need or have room for the full 250-member marching band.? Then bid on the 25-member jazz band or the 20-member steel drum band! What better way to wake up the neighbors!

I wrecked my beautiful white XTerra today. I hit the back of a large immovable object commonly known as a charter bus.

I’m OK. Not sure yet about how the XTerra is going to fare. I bought it a little less than 6 months ago. Insurance and service plan should cover most everything. I hope.

It was a fairly low speed collision. The air bags didn’t even go off. The bus had to stop short because of another vehicle in front of it. I tried stopping short but ended up going slightly too long.

I have a potential new favorite show: Jack & Bobby on TheWB.

The premise for the show is that “One brother will be our future president.” We see them as teenagers with intercut interviews from the 2040 election campaign. I’m not sure how the intercuts will work in future episodes, but it was very effective in the premiere.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
– Declaration of Independence

I am certainly not advocating the overthrow of the current system of governance of these 50 states which have for so long been united in a common bond.

I simply remind myself, and in turn you the reader, that the power of the government is derived from the consent of the governed. Government exists in order to secure our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, to name a few.

Now go educate your consent.

CNN’s America Votes 2004

By the People at PBS.org

OnTheIssues

Yahoo! Directory 2004 Presidential Election

The tag I just pulled off of this pillow has the following to share with me: “Bajo pena de delito, esta etiqueta no padr· retirarse excepto por el consumidor.”*

I felt that I should share these words with you and the rest of those who peruse my blog. Why, you ask?

Well, because I needed to post something and couldn’t find anything else.

Oh, and it is a good thing that I am El Consumidor!

*Under penalty of law this tag shall not be removed except by the consumer.

Variety.com and telegraph.co.uk are reporting that Apple Computer is nearing the end of settlement talks in the multi-million dollar trademark suit filed by the Beatles’ Apple Corps. One unidentified lawyer is quoted as saying that the final payment will be “the biggest settlement anywhere in legal history.”

Ten years ago, Apple Computer paid $27 million to the Beatles’ Apple Corps, formerly Apple Records, and essentially agreed to stay out of the music business. After the computer maker’s successful introduction of the iTunes Music Store and the popular music player, the iPod, the Beatles’ holding company felt compelled to file the latest round of court papers late last year.

This time around, it seems likely, from what I read, that along with a significant cash settlement paid to the Beatles’ company, Apple Computers may gain access to a portion of the Beatles’ vast catalog of music for inclusion within the iTunes Music Store. (Beatles’ music is noticeably absent from iTMS.) This settlement might cause Apple Computer stock to take a short-term hit but could be a great deal for all in the long run.

Of course, it all could still end back up in a court. Sosumi.

In general, I believe it is a good thing that security has been tightened at many facilities across the world to thwart an attack by terrorists.

In general, I believe much of the security tightening is quite horrifyingly laughable.

Case in point: ‘Batman’ protester scales Buckingham Palace.

Fathers 4 Justice members said [Jason] Hatch [who dressed as Batman] and an accomplice dressed as Batman’s partner, Robin, had climbed a palace perimeter fence while fellow protesters distracted police by creating a disturbance at the palace’s front gate.

Matt O’Connor, the group’s spokesman, said Hatch and the man in the Robin costume, Dave Pyke, used an extendable aluminum ladder to climb the side of the palace to the balcony.

Pyke said he came down when he’d climbed halfway up the ladder because a police officer threatened to shoot him, but no one detained him and he walked away. Police apprehended him later. He said it had been “unbelievably easy” to breach security.

“We are totally untrained; we are just ordinary guys. If we can get in there anybody can,” he said.

So British security did not notice the two comic book heroes carrying the ladder across the lawn of Buckingham Palace? It is amazing to me that the two were only carrying a ladder.

And what is going on with the fact that “Robin” was not detained immediately?

I would like to believe that security on this side of the Atlantic is much better, but I somehow doubt it.

I was born on September 11, 1971. I have many thoughts on what the day means to me. I still have not been able to describe completely my feelings about my 30th birthday.

I think the newspaper headlines from September 11, 2001, say most of what I have to say about that particular day.