The future, as they say, is here. Microsoft has announced that it’s built a new touchscreen computer—a coffee table that will change the world. Forget the keyboard and mouse: The next generation of computer interfaces will be hands-on. [ via Popular Mechanics ]
Tags: microsoft, touchscreen, interface, awesome
Bill Maher’s New Rules rant after mentioning Jimmy Carter’s passing on the “Worst President Ever” title to George W. Bush:
I mean, who would you rank lower than George W. Bush? Nixon got in trouble for illegally wiretapping Democratic headquarters; Bush is illegally wiretapping the entire country. Nixon opened up relations with the Chinese; Bush let them poison your dog. Herbert Hoover sat on his ass through four years of calamity, but he was an actual engineer. If someone told him about global warming, he would have understood it before the penguins caught on fire. Ulysses Grant was a miserable drunk, but at least he didn’t trade booze for Jesus and embolden the snake handlers — he did the honorable thing and stayed a miserable drunk. Grant let his cronies loot the republic, but he won his civil war.
For some inexplicable reason Republicans have taken to comparing Bush to Harry Truman — a comparison that would make sense only if Harry Truman had A) started World War II and B) lost World War II. Harding sucked, but he once said, “I am not fit for this office and never should have been here.” So at least he knew he sucked.
Tags: worst, president, ever, bush, carter, bill maher, real time
From The LA Times:
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators reached agreement today on an immigration reform bill that would allow millions of illegal immigrants to gain citizenship and create a new merit-based system that will determine whether some legal immigrants are admitted.
The agreement, negotiated with the intense involvement of the White House, brings President Bush one step closer to a domestic goal that he has championed for years. It also sets the stage for a divisive debate that some lawmakers hope to complete by Memorial Day.
Tags: immigration, politics, citizenship
Uh, duh. From The Dallas Morning News:
By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News
Two civil rights groups have filed a request for a temporary restraining order to keep Farmers Branch from implementing a law that bans apartments from renting to illegal immigrants.
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, which are representing some of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit in federal district court, filed the request today.
Dallas activist Carlos Quintanilla said attorneys representing more than 40 business owners who also are part of the federal suit against the city will file a separate request for injunctive relief this afternoon.
“Our filing of a motion for injunctive relief strengthens MALDEF and the ACLU’s request,†Mr. Quintanilla said.
The move comes as the city is preparing to implement the law May 22. A letter was to go out today from the city to the apartment complexes explaining the law, which requires apartments to obtain proof that tenants are U.S. citizens or in the country legally.
“It’s unfortunate that the residents of Farmers Branch have chosen to implement a law which is not only bad policy, but is likely also unconstitutional,†said Lisa Graybill, legal director of the ACLU of Texas. “Now the issue will have to be resolved in federal court.â€
Three lawsuits were originally filed in federal district court against the city after it adopted the ordinance last fall. The city later repealed the ordinance and adopted a revised version. That law was approved by about two-thirds of the voters in a historic and record-breaking election on Saturday.
Last month, the three original suits were ordered by U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay to be consolidated into one case for trial.
Tags: immigration, farmers branch, dallas
Jerry Falwell, the founder of the Moral Majority, is dead. A toast! But first, a look at the most important part of his legacy (for journos and humorists, anyway) from Wikipedia:
Tags: jerry falwell, death, campari, hustler, larry flynt, falwell
