The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
This is for those posts that we wish to feature here at Deep Sand. It implies that these are a bit extra special.
More than 100 years ago a salt shaker sized object made of platinum and iridium was forged in London. This was then shipped to Paris where it was shaped and polished and carefully weighed until it was exactly one kilogram (about 2.2 pounds). By international treaty, this then became the international for the exact weight of a kilogram. The problem is, the mass of the cylinder may be changing.
Read moreEd Schultz of The Ed Show interviews Robert Greenwald about an investigative report on the CEO of United Health Care Group. Turns out the guy is making about $102,000 per hour. At one point a few years ago his salary alone accounted for $1 in every $700 spent on healthcare in America. The fact is, in this country we have always recognized that some things are not best left to the marketplace.
Read moreAs most everyone now knows, Current TV journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling were pardoned a few days by Kim Jong Il from their convictions of entering North Korea illegally. This was the result of a private visit by former President Bill Clinton. Of course since Clinton was involved, some member of the wingnuts had to jump out there and criticise this succesful negotiation.
Read moreNever sell the wingnut Replublicans in the Florida Legislature short. Last year they were busy saving us all from Automobile Testicles, and tried to eliminate daylight savings time (the logic being it would be less confusing for Senator Bill Posey). So now, two of our distinguished legislators have called for a Florida Constitutional Amendment to prohibit Floridians from participating in, an as yet non-existent, healthcare insurance reform.
Read moreWashington State recently enacted a domestic partnership registry and granted most of the same rights held by married people to domestic partners. Needless to say, the wingnut fringe of the Republican party came unglued, and launched a petition effort to repeal the law. The organization sponsoring the drive has sought and received a temporary restraining order to keep the names of the petition signers secret.
Read moreFinally, someone has come up with the unifying theory of everything. Thank you Craig Ferguson. This is three and one-half minutes of well spent time.
Read moreEveryone is writing about where they were 40 years ago today when Armstrong and Aldrin first set foot on the moon, so I thought I should also chime in. It was certainly one of those defining moments. I was at White Lake, NC with family and friends.
Read moreDespite his having been out of the public eye for so long, it’s sad to know that Walter Cronkite, who died yesterday at the age of 92, is some how no longer there, in the background, keeping alive that last vestige of the true TV journalist. I’m old enough to remember Cronkite, and all the memorable events he reported. Hope you enjoy the video clips, including Johnny Carson’s hilarious take on Cronkite’s retirement.
Read moreOne can’t be as opinionated as I, and not post a message on Independence Day. As I have stated before, I remain concerned about the condition of our Republic. We no longer seem to be one nation…we have devolved into red and blue states, with the extreme right and left pulling the center apart. We’ve become a nation of “haves” and “have nots” We have lost touch with that primary Constitutional principle of “the common good.”
Read moreThe internet is great because you sometimes stumble across things that just take your breath away. I came across such a thing this morning. What is most likely one of the largest and most intricate paper sculptures (and certainly one of the most beautiful) is on display in Tokyo at an exhibition called Umi no Ue no Oshiro (A Castle On the Ocean ).
Read moreIt’s pretty hard to get over last week. Governor Sandford in S.C. taking off for a week to play with his girl friend in Argentina. Then we have the death of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and here in Tampa Oxiclean sales person extrodanaire Billy Mays, and then Sunday night, the 51 year old former director of the Florida Aquarium.
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