Stop Signs:
Those are the octagonal signs, red in color, that say “STOP” on the front, in white. They typically show up at four-way

Octagonal and Red, Stop.

intersections, but are known to creep up on you at T-junctions or as a two-way stop at a four-way intersection. Tricky huh? For simplicity, let’s focus just on the four-way stop.

What to do at a four-way Stop:
1) Stop.
2) Look to see what other vehicles (or bikes) are also at the stop.
3) If you clearly arrive before anyone else, you have the right of way – no matter which way you go.
4) If you arrive at the same time as another vehicle and he or she is to your right, they go first. Always.
5) If you arrive at the same time as another vehicle across from you and you are both heading forward, you both go at the same time. Under the same circumstances, if he or she is turning left, you go through the intersection first and he or she turns behind your vehicle. They do not turn in front of you. In fact, even if he or she arrives slightly before you at the intersection, common courtesy is to let the driver moving forward go ahead while you turn behind them. It’s good for traffic flow…but hardly ever happens where I live.
6) If four vehicles arrive simultaneously, or very close to the same time, it is a crap shoot. However, whatever vehicles initiates the movement forward has the right away, along with the driver directly opposite of him or her.
7) If you arrive at the stop at the same time as someone opposite you and you are turning right, turn right. Do not wait, even if the other driver is turning left. You will exit the intersection much quicker and it will keep traffic flowing as it should.

Turn Signals:
Look, I’ve been known to not use them. Typically I ignore them if I am on the road alone. However, some people do not

It's a turn signal, stupid.

even realize they exist or think it was a “option” when they purchased their car. If you are in traffic and need to make a lane change or turn, use your damn signals! Seriously, you are the cause of most accidents. Well, you and the 16 year old with three friends in the car. Or the perpetual drunk driver. Here are a couple tips…

Using Turn Signals:
1) If you need to make a turn or change lanes, use your signal. If you want to move right, push the signal up. If you wish to move left, push the signal down. If your turn is deep enough, the signal will disengage itself. Crazy huh?

2) When I am exiting a parking lot, driveway, or any thoroughfare onto a road, I appreciate drivers who indicate to me what they are doing. For example, I am exiting a lot, turning right onto the road. You are heading my direction from my left. If you do not signal, I assume you are going forward and I should not enter the roadway. But then you turn into the same driveway I am exiting. Are you that disrespectful or just don’t get it? You see, if you used your signal (by pushing up on the turn signal) I would know you are turning right into the same driveway I am exiting. I therefore can exit the driveway prior to you fooling me into thinking you are going forward. You are supposed to signal and it is also courteous.

Part two of ‘Rules of the Road’ to follow…

Although the 99% might argue The One Percent started the movement over a decade ago, as regulations to control the banks against raping the Middle Class were torn down and corporations went hog wild on the 99%. Argue as the 99% may, The One Percent is angry, and they will get even.

Occupy Main Street

While specific protest locations are not being shared via social media outlets, the word on Main Street is to expect The One Percent to attack from their penthouses and skyscraper corner offices that look directly down upon Occupy Wall Street protests across the United States. How will they do it? What will they do?

The plan is, as has been since the inception of Occupy Main Street, to completely decimate the Middle Class and push all 99% into poverty. They have a head start, a good one. Now they must use the leverage they already have to stop any new legislation from regulating their businesses. They will do this by paying off Congress (many who strive to be in The One Percent) and hiring law enforcement to beat the living shit out of Occupy Wall Street protesters in cities across the country. They started in Oakland because the citizens there are easy targets and media outlets already portrays those poor bastards as underprivileged malcontents. Expect other cities to follow suit.

Don’t expect The One Percent to go away either. These bastards are here to stay. No 99% of people are going to sway them to unhand that death claw grip from their bundles of hard-earned Middle Class cash. And although you may never see them, be rest assured they will cut your eyes out and stab your brain with a spoon if you try and regulate them.

Earth has a finite amount of resources. Albeit when we dont consider alternate power sources like Wind and Solar. But many of the products we use today come from fossil fuels like petroleum. I agree, the bigger the population, the harder it gets for everyone to live how they would like. Furthermore, there is a tipping point….have we reached it?

“Population experts are hoping that more people begin to grasp the 7 billion concept soon, because the number has skyrocketed in recent years and the situation is becoming more urgent. 

The world didn’t reach 1 billion inhabitants until 1800, according to the Population Reference Bureau, and it reached 2 billion in 1930. But with advances in modern medicine, it took only 30 more years to reach 3 billion, 14 years to reach 4 billion, 13 years to reach 5 billion and 12 years to reach both 6 billion and 7 billion.

The U.N. has estimated a population of 9.3 billion by 2050, and there is expected to be more than 10 billion people on Earth by 2100.

“We’re getting into more and more trouble the bigger the number gets,” said John Bongaarts, vice president of the Population Council, an international nonprofit group. “Every billion people we add makes life more difficult for everybody that’s already here.”"

This related article was attached to a CNN poll (non-scientific, of course) asking if you were worried about the worlds population. Now, I understand these are difficult times for many and population may not be a wedge issue, but seriously? Look at the current results. You think the economy is bad now?

According to an article issued by PC World, the iPhone 4S battery is draining too fast due to the location services system. It appears the system is running when it doesn’t need to:

“A growing number of people have found that the “Setting Time Zone” element within Location Services in iOS seems to be operating when it doesn’t need to be, resulting in excessive battery drain.

To stop that from happening, go to Settings > Location Services > System Services. From there, it’s just a matter of turning off “Setting Time Zone.””

The article goes on to say, “Switching it off may mean that your iPhone will no longer set its own time zone when you travel…”

Well, we have an idea. Just keep the phone off and take it back. You’re much better off with an open source Android-based phone anyway. Generally the Android-based phones are cheaper and don’t lack much, if anything, when it comes to performance.

Also consider that while you may love your iPhone, iTunes, iPad, or anything related to Apple, you have become a part of what is called a “Walled Garden.” Once you commit to the Apple iOS, they are yours baby!

iPhone 4S

If you have been online for as long as I, you will remember the only real option to surf the net in the early nineties was through a company called AOL (America Online) – Currently owned and bleeding money for Time Warner (worst acquisition in the history of acquisitions). AOL was a “Walled Garden.” And over time most people figured it out. That’s how Earthlink got big…and of course failed because they bet the farm on dial-up.

Anyhow, let’s define “Walled Garden,” so you have an idea of what is going on…

“…a “walled garden” refers to a closed or exclusive set of information services provided for users. This is in contrast to giving consumers unrestricted access to applications and content. Similar to a “real” walled garden, a user in a walled garden is unable to escape this area unless it is through the designated entry/exit points or the walled garden is removed. Removing the walled garden is typically done by complying with the terms of removal, such as updating firmware, registering an account, or cleaning machine from infected files.”

Read the whole description at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walled_garden_(technology)

Hey, I’ve used Apple products before and I get it. They are of high quality and provide most people what they need. But eventually it’s going to be just like another AOL. The world around Her will grow faster than She won’t keep up. So, my advice…get off the proverbial tit and start understanding, embracing open source technologies. You will thank me for it. I promise. Unless Apple gets wise and knocks down those walls. But why would they? The money is so damn good!

After a long leave of absence, in fact a two-year stretch for distribution, I am back to entertain you with words of wisdom and flashes of humor and brilliance.

I suppose the passing of Steve Jobs might just be the motivation I needed to start “blogging” again. Thanks Steve. Your walled garden has done much to push open source to great new heights. Communism versus Democracy, as it should be viewed and in my opinion. I won’t drink the juice, unless its laced with LSD or MDMA, or both. Perhaps a little NZT?

So while I begin to make sense of what my purpose here really is, perhaps a little bewildering psycho babble will encourage you to watch for deep and thoughtful commentary from random smart and stupid people, including myself.

Article from CNN: Ships head for area airplane debris spotted

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the people who are likely lost in an Air France plane crash which occured off the coast of Brazil. It is always disheartening to hear about such tragedies. However, there is a story within a story here. What was said illuminates a bigger problem, the state of our oceans and our environment at large.

During the search for survivors it appears searchers had spotted something, potentially related to “airplane debris”: quoted from the article, “Earlier Tuesday, searchers found an airplane seat, an orange life vest, small white fragments, an oil drum and signs of oil and kerosene about 700 kilometers (435 miles) northeast of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, said Brazilian Air Force spokesman Jorge Amaral.”

Ocean Trash

Mr. Amaral goes onto to explain…

“There was not enough material to officially say it is wreckage from Flight 447, Amaral said.”

My question is two-fold; 1) Was there another plane crash we are unaware of that happened in the same vicinty? 2) If this debris is not enough to claim it is from flight 447, then does it not imply this could be a “normal” amount of ocean debris?

I think we have all heard about the growing amount of ocean trash across the planet. But to Mr. Amaral’s defense, I doubt he was implying this is being confused with what trash is already in the ocean. However, the implication is there is alot of ocean debris or trash and we are poisoning our planet, our oceans at an unprecedented rate.

It is about time we stop crashing planes into the ocean so there is no confusion over airplane debris and our garbage.

Article by moi:

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has filed a Uniform Domain-name dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) action against Ben Dean, the owner of UDRPFail.com. ICANN claims Mr. Dean has no legitimate right to use the claim “UDRP Fail” as all the failing to date is directly a consequence of the failure of the UDRP, not Mr. Dean.

UDRP Fail

In a recent UDRP decision a single panelist stripped Mr. Dean of his domain name Deacom.com and awarded it to the complainant because; “The Panel agrees with Complainant’s assertion that Respondent has not utilized the disputed domain name in an active manner.” In this case active manner means not having an active website. The UDRP panelist failed to take into consideration Mr. Dean used the domain for business email correspondence. Furthermore, the complainant in conjunction with the UDRP failed to prove Mr. Dean registered the domain name in bad faith or that he was not using the domain for bona fide business use

In response to losing his domain name, Mr. Dean set up a “bona fide” website to communicate his displeasure with the UDRP decision, which failed to protect the rights of the domain name owner, in this case Mr. Dean. This website can be found at http://www.udrpfail.com

In a not-so surprising turn of events, ICANN, the agency which oversees the UDRP has filed a UDRP action against Mr. Dean for using the terms “UDRP” and “Fail” in the same domain name. ICANN is not claiming they own the mark, but asserting they have established the UDRP as a “failing” policy and as such have exclusive rights to “fail.” Considering there is no doubt ICANN has legitimate use rights in the acronym UDRP and clearly has shown they have “failed” on more than one occasion, see; Versa.com and Filta.com for recent failures, there is a better than good chance ICANN will win this decision.

Don’t be surprised if ICANN goes after Fail.com next. Although “Fail” is a generic term, one could argue the failure rate of the UDRP is so out of whack the policy is now synonymous with failing and therefore requires the domain name Fail.com because one can assume direct or indirect visitors expect to find the UDRP and/or ICANN-related content at the domain name Fail.com. The owner of Fail.com, Exponent Engineering and Consulting could not be reached for comment.

Article spoofed from CNN: Earliest case of ”Ant” flu tucked away in Mexico

Stamford, Connecticut (FactFace) — Tucked away in this mid-sized city of the Northeast, off a three-laned highway flanked by suburban neighborhoods, is where the earliest case of ant flu — a virus spreading globally — was confirmed.

There is now a “patient zero” as named by his doctors — 5-year-old Eddie Herman, who survived the earliest documented case of ant flu in an outbreak, officials say, has now spread across four continents.

Ant Flu Virus Culprits

His family lives in the 118,000-population city of Stamford in the State of Connecticut, where a flu outbreak was reported on April 2. State officials arrived and took samples from hundreds of people.

Lab tests confirmed Eddie was the only patient in Stamford to test positive for the ant flu virus; the others had contracted a common flu. Health officials had returned to Eddie’s sample only after cases of the new flu strain were spotted around the country.

“In this case, there’s a patient who turned out to be positive for the ant-flu virus, with the exception that at that time in no region of the world it had been established as an etiological, epidemic cause,” said US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

Eddie has managed to bounce back from his symptoms and playfully credits ice cream for helping him feel better.

His mother blamed the virus on a huge ant farm in Eddie’s bedroom. Officials have conducted tests on the ant farm, and those tests came back negative.

Meanwhile, US health officials suspect the ant flu outbreak has caused more than 1.5 million deaths and roughly 2.5 million illnesses.

The World Health Organization says at least 105,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide, including 64,000 in the United States; 26,000 in Mexico; six thousand in Canada; three thousand in New Zealand; and two thousand each in Spain, the United Kingdom and Israel. WHO has confirmed deaths only in the US, where seven thousand people have died from ant flu.

The deadly outbreak in the US prompted authorities to order about 350,000 public venues in the US to close or serve only meals with no insects as health officials tried to contain the virus.

Article from CNN: Karl Rove’s a twitter creep

There is no doubt, the more she speaks the more I love her. Meghan, I love you. Do you love me? Check here ___ for YES and here ___ for NO. It’s ok, you wont hurt my feelings if you dont. In any case, I think you should be the new face of the republican party. And you are right, Rove is “creepy.”

“”Karl Rove follows me on Twitter. That’s creepy,” she said. “I joined Twitter a few months ago; so far, it has been a liberating way to transition from political to personal blogging. It’s allowed me to share the less serious aspects and humorously uncensored moments of my life. But there’s also been a downside: I am now being followed by Karl Rove, and my local sheriff, and God knows how many other political pundits. We need to take Twitter back from the creepy people.”"

And here is what some people had to say about this story:

DennisK says: “The Straight Talk Express has a new McCain at the wheel! This young lady is smart, funny and honest (i.e., everything pols like Sarah Palin are NOT).
I’m a registered Democrat but an independent thinker, and Meghan McCain is exactly the type of “loyal opposition” the current President and Congress need.”

Roxxane says: “I love Meghan McCain. I like her sense of bravado and candor. I am a Democrat but I slide in and out of viewpoints between the two parties. If I were to ever become a Republican, I would agree with her idea of what the party should be. Currently, I do see it as a bunch of old, rich white guys who don’t have a clue about what is going on in the 21st century let alone our inner cities and with the younger generation. Good job Meghan for calling a spade a spade.”

B E says: “I am a long time yellow dog democrat and it is a bit “creepy” that Meghan just might bring the GOP out of the deep, dark hole they have been digging for themselves. So far, I cant find any disagreement with her comments and political philosophies; you go girl!!!, what you are doing is in the best interest of bringing some sanity back to American politics.”

J, Greer says: “McCains daughter needs to just come out and say she is a democrat. You cannot say your a republican if yours views are in favor of democratic platforms. This whole notion of appeasing everyone is nonsense. What is wrong with standing strong for conservative issues. Could she have possibly voted for Obama? Sounds like she is a democrat to me. I never hear saying anything positive about conservatism only negative. I would buy a playboy if she was in it.”

And I really need to retort to this idiot. Yo, J. Check it out, you are mixing political party with ideology. It is unfair to imply all Democrats are not conservative. Have you ever heard of the Blue-dog Democrats? And the only reason one could never appease everyone is because most don’t even know what they stand for. Just because mommy and daddy told you so dont make it right. And then to end it with your last comment just threw any argument you had right out the window.

Article from CNN: Nationwide ‘tea party’ protests blast bailouts

I have no problem with people being upset over the numerous bailouts and the amount of taxpayer money gone into failing systems. However, these “conservatives” really need a history lesson and a message which is a little less blurry. Let me make a couple quick points…

Tea Party

1) Taxes are not going up: in case you didnt know, for those of you making less than 250K a year there will be no increase in the amount you are taxed. You should be more concerned about what your money is worth six months from now, rather than how much you have to give up each year.

2) Why is socialism a bad word?: Some form of socialism will actually help the majority of Americans, especially those on the bottom. We have been giving our money relentlessly to the rich since Reagan, isnt it about time we actually leveled the playing field. Trickle down economics dont work people, wake the fuck up!

3) The “tea party” anaology is terrible: The Boston Tea Party was about colonists who were being taxed when they had no say in how they were being governed – taxation without representation. Every single one of those protesters, above the age of 18, had every opportunity to vote in the last election. That means you were represented. Problem is, the Republicans lost (the so-called conservatives). Ironically, it was poor management by a mostly Republican-run government for the past 10 years that got us in this mess to begin with.

Here is a good article from Paul Begala