John Masters, Author at Deep Something

Bill Nelson Continues His Assault on The Constitution

August 7, 2007 B. John 597 Views 2 Comments senate, FISA, Bill Nelson, Senator Jim Webb, S.1927

Well, S.1927, An Act To Amend The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 passed the Senate and House, with a bunch of weak kneed Democrats rushing to its support. Unfortunately I’m not surprised to find that Florida Senator Bill Nelson has voted in favor of the amendment. The Senator has consistently cast votes hostile to the Constitution and with the Bush Administration. I can only guess he’s been promised a bed in the bunker during the coming coup.

Movies Culture

Freedom Writers

August 2, 2007 B. John 648 Views 0 Comments Drama, Freedom Writers, Hilary Swank, Imelda Staunton, Margaret Campbell, Patrick Dempsey, Richard LaGravenese, Scott Glenn

A young teacher (Swank) inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.

Culture Movies

Zodiac

August 2, 2007 B. John 458 Views 0 Comments Thriller, Crime, Drama, Robert Downey Jr, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, David Fincher, Jake Gyllenhall, John Carroll Lynch, Mark Ruffalo

A serial killer in the San Francisco Bay Area taunts police with his letters and cryptic messages. We follow the investigators and reporters in this lightly fictionalized account of the true 1970’s case as they search for the murderer, becoming obsessed with the case. Based on Robert Graysmith’s book, the movie’s focus is the lives and careers of the detectives and newspaper people.

Movies Culture

Black Snake Moan

August 2, 2007 B. John 449 Views 0 Comments Romance, Drama, Black Snake Moan, Christina Ricci, Craig Brewer, Justin Timerlake, S. Epath Merkerson, Samuel L. Jackson

A God-fearing bluesman (Jackson) takes to a wild young woman (Ricci) who, as a victim of childhood sexual abuse, looks everywhere for love, never quite finding it.

Religion Friends Fun Stuff Places St. Petersburg

Weekend of July 29, 2007

July 29, 2007September 29, 2018 B. John 525 Views 0 Comments Weekend, Sunday School, Anti-Christ, Clearwater, Headsets, Telephones, Uniden

It was a fairly quiet weekend. Lay was working, so we did not have his nephews over, and I got a little much needed rest.

Politics Congress Constitution Presidency War Society Crime Corruption

More Constitutional Erosion

July 29, 2007 B. John 476 Views 1 Comment Terrorism, Terrorists, Surveillance, president, george bush, FISA

In his weekly radio address Bu$h demanded that Congress update the laws governing electronic surveillance. Now why would George give a damn about whether the law is up-to-date or not. It’s not like the Cheney/Bush Administration is following any of the laws anyway.

Politics Election

Edwards Proposes Tax Changes

July 29, 2007 B. John 340 Views 1 Comment John Edwards, Taxes

Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards on Thursday unveiled a plan that would increase taxes for the wealthy and create tax breaks for the middle class.

Fun Stuff Places Kings Mountain Family

Slack Once Again

July 29, 2007September 29, 2018 B. John 338 Views 0 Comments Vacation, Burlington, Gastonia, Shelby, Work

I wasn’t quite as busy this past week, but I did have to travel to North Carolina on business the first couple of days of the week. I flew in Monday and spent Tuesday night in Kings Mountain visiting Mom. I had dinner with Mom and my sister Robin Tuesday night, and lunch with my other sister and her two children Wednesday before heading home.

Places Politics Courts Society Crime

News for the Week Ending July 22, 2007

July 29, 2007September 29, 2018 B. John 357 Views 0 Comments Long Beach, Massachusetts, mother, Murder, California, 7-18-2, Bar Exam, Courts, Homosexual Marriage, Juveniles, Lawyers. Litigation

This post summarizes various smaller news items of interest that I found during the week of July 23, 2007.

Fun Stuff Politics Travel

So Long to JetBlue-Caves to O'Reilly

July 22, 2007September 29, 2018 B. John 489 Views 2 Comments O-039Reilly, YearlyKos, Airline, Fox News, DailyKox, JetBlue

JetBlue sponsored, among many other things, YearlyKos. This is a grass roots convention of progressive bloggers and activists. JetBlue shows Fox News in flight, Their new CEO contributed $2,100 to Mitt Romney’s campaign, and they advertise on Fox. Yet when Bill O’Reilly finds they sponsored a progressive convention, he attacks…so JetBlue. And instead of standing up for their sponsorship, and pointing out how much they support Fox, they cave in and have their logo removed from the YearKos website.

War Politics Constitution Presidency Courts

And Away Goes the Fifth Amendment

July 19, 2007September 29, 2018 B. John 461 Views 1 Comment Terrorism, Terrorists, Fifth Amendment, Guardian, Secretary of The Treasury, Treasury Department

President Bush unveiled an executive order that allows the administration to block bank accounts and any other financial assets that might be found in this country belonging to people, companies or groups that the United States deems are working to threaten stability in Iraq.