Lava Cocktail Hour: Bob Dobbs Check out this great interview w/ paramedia ecologist Bob Dobbs: http://blog.lavacocktail.com/ http://blog.lavacocktail.com/2008/03/21/lava-cocktail-hour-bob-dobbs.aspx On Thursday March 27, 2008 @ 2:00 PM CDT The Realist editor, High Times columnist, co-founder of the Yippies, editor of Magic Mushrooms and other Highs and Grammy award nominee Paul Krassner will be in the Lava Cocktail Lounge! Join in on the fun @: http://www. blogtalkradio. com/LavaCocktail Call-in Number: (347) 945-5387 Cheers, Jaye Beldo www.lavacocktail.com Lava Cocktail: A Toast to your Psychic Health! ***** http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/mar2008/bw20080320_403974.htm March 20, 2008 The Gigayacht Monaco-based designer Wally Yachts reconceives the yacht as a 325-ft. floating personal island Little more than a decade after beginning in business, Monaco-based Wally Yachts continues to develop innovative concepts and minimalist luxury at a rate exceeding any other marine design house on the planet. The company's latest is the WallyIsland—a 99 meter (325 feet) "gigayacht" that dwarfs the vast majority of luxury megayachts and reconceives the yacht as a floating personal island, a mobile address that can be used as a home, an entertaining space or even a moving exhibition or show space. In decades gone by, a 180-foot personal superyacht was enough to establish yourself as a seriously wealthy owner—but over the last ten years, in the spirit of excess, the megayacht emerged, at over 220 feet long. And when the ostentatious mega-rich start competing, enormous isn't nearly big enough. Over the last ten years, several yachts have been built over the 320-foot mark. WallyIsland isn't the first of this new breed of luxury gigayachts—nor is it the largest. Paul Allen's Octopus, for example is a 410-foot monster built by Lürssen, and the Sheikh of Dubai (where else?) currently owns the world's largest luxury motoryacht at a staggering 525 feet long. A 405-footer by Frank Mulder was even auctioned off recently on eBay. WallyIsland, though, does have some unique features. WallyIsland looks more like a tanker than its gigayacht brethren, due to the huge 1000m2 main deck area and the fact that is has only three upper-level decks rather than the multilevel arrangements typical on others. It's designed this way to increase open entertaining space and allow large garden spaces, and this sort of design also keeps the cost of the yacht "competitive," although we'd shudder to imagine what "competitive" means in this kind of endeavour. Wally claims it's roughly in line with what you'd pay for a traditional design 200-footer. The WallyIsland's main deck can include a large, deep swimming pool, garden spaces, tennis or mini soccer grounds, as well as the requisite helipads. It includes sleeping quarters for up to 40 crew and 24 guests as well as the extravagant owner's suites. It holds around three-quarters of a million litres of fuel, so you'd probably want to fill it up before the public holiday petrol price jump, and the aft deck holds two 45-foot WallyPower tender yachts, as well as space for several other yachts and watertoys on board. The interiors feature a main saloon, living/dining room; guest accommodation, library, cinema, spa, wellness and fitness area; service and crew area; and the steering/navigation area. WallyIsland—Preliminary Technical Specifications Type — Displacement motor yacht Length O.A. — 99.05 m 325' 0" Length W.L. — 99.00 m 324' 10" Beam — 18.00 m 59' 0" Draught — 4.05 m 13' 3" Displacement (half load) — 2,730 tons 6,018,620 lbs Naval architecture—Wally with Mauro Sculli Architect Exterior styling—Wally with Mauro Sculli Architect Interior layout—Wally with Mauro Sculli Architect Interior design—Wally Construction Type — Steel Classification—RINA Sound & vibration Analysis—TBC Tank testing TBC Superstructures Steel Propulsion / Steering System — 2 x 2500 kW electric powered Azipods Max Speed — 17.5 knots Cruise speed — 16 knots Fuel Capacity — 750,000 l-198,129US gal Range at cruising speed — 15,000 nm Bow Thruster — 2 x 240 kW thrusters Stabilizer Systems — 4 x Quantum Extendable Zero Speed Fins Electric Generation — 4 x 1,500 kW Emergency Generator — 1 x 160 kW CAT 400/ 3 PH Fresh Water — 50,000 l —13,200 US gal Water makers — 2 x 550 l/h—145 US gal Idromar Air Conditioning — 3 x 200 kW Condaria Deck finish — Teak Final coating — Dupont Tenders and water toys — 2 x WallyTenders (13.6 m—45'); 2 x fixed keel sailing boats (8m—27'); 2 car vans; 6 Jet skis; 2 Lasers Accommodation 6 large suites for 12 guests (can be transformed in 12 separate suites for 24 guests) 1 king size owner's suite (200 m2-2,152 ft2) 20 double cabins for 40 crew members 2 staterooms for captain and officers 6 guest en-suites with bathtub 6 guest en-suites with shower 2 master en-suites (with bathtub) 20 en-suites for crew members 2 en-suites for captain and officers 5 day heads for guests The main saloon is in the forward centre of the ship, at the Service & Salon deck (Lower Deck), with double level height: lower level of 260 m2—2,799 ft2; upper level with balcony looking on the lower one, of 150 m2—1,615 ft2 The dining/gaming sitting room in the forward Upper deck (in the superstructure) of 125 m2—1,345 ft2 Library 50 m2—538 ft2 HiFi & Home Cinema 50 m2—538 ft2 SPA (wellness room) 50 m2—538 ft2 with hammam, sauna, showers and massages area Gymnasium room 50 m2—538 ft2 with fitness equipment Crew mess area with dedicated galley 40 m2—431 ft2 Main galley with professional appliances 41 m2—441 ft2 Main food storage room 19 m2—205 ft2 Cold room & refrigerators with total capacity of 26,000 l —6,868 US gal 5 pantries (one each deck) for service The main deck (External Deck) has a huge surface partially teak covered, of nearly 1,000 m2—10,764 ft2 The AFT deck (AFT Cockpit) has a surface of 300 m2—3,229 ft2 On the FWD end of the Main deck there is a swimming pool of 10.50 m—34' 5" x 8.00 m—26' 3" In the superstructure, AFT in the higher level (Bridge/steering Deck), one sun deck area of 90 m2—969 ft2 is fitted. In total there are 5 accommodation decks, plus a lower deck for the machinery, tanks and technical staff. The access to the different decks is through the AFT lifts (one for guest and one for crew service), and through the AFT staircases. ***** http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-payday-loans_bdmar23,1,1285815.story States to payday lenders: Denied Governments curb loan operators that have grown so much they often outnumber McDonald's outlets By Tim Jones Tribune correspondent March 23, 2008 The town council of Kilmarnock, Va., celebrated St. Patrick's Day on Monday by telling one of the nation's biggest operators of payday loan shops that it is not welcome in the tiny village on Chesapeake Bay. Ordinarily this bleat of protest against the kudzu-like growth of quickie loan shops would barely register in the daily maw of news. But Kilmarnock, population 1,200, is part of a growing nationwide movement against the $40 billion payday loan industry that after a decade of terrific growth finds itself increasingly challenged to defend annual loan rates that range from 390 percent to 780 percent. The attorney general of Arkansas last week told payday loan operators to get out because they're harming the working poor. If they don't, Atty. Gen. Dustin McDaniel threatened to file suit to force them out of Arkansas. Legislatures in Oregon, Pennsylvania and North Carolina have drastically cut the allowable loan rates, effectively driving the lenders out of these states. New Hampshire is about to follow suit, while Virginia is poised to impose restrictions on such loans. Opponents of payday lenders in Arizona are collecting ballot signatures for a November vote, aimed at outlawing the short-term loans. Communities are also using zoning ordinances to stem the growth of payday shops, which now number about 25,000 nationwide, almost twice the number of McDonald's restaurants. "We're a small town, and I just don't agree with what they do," said Frank Tomlinson, a Kilmarnock town councilman who sponsored the zoning move to block Advance America from opening a payday lending shop. "We just want to keep them out, if we can." $800 for $300 loan In many regions of the country, payday loan stores have become as ubiquitous as fast food outlets and in some communities are as common as banks. They cater to low- and moderate-income wage earners who borrow against the receipt of their next paycheck. A recent study said the average payday loan customer takes out eight loans in a given year and ultimately pays $800 for a $300 loan. The criticism of the loan rates, which are legal in the 38 states where these shops operate, is not new. But the mounting opposition to them seems to be fed by economic concerns tied to mortgage foreclosures, high credit card interest rates and the overall economic squeeze on the middle class. In response to reported allegations that active-duty military families were being exploited by payday loan shops, Congress in 2006 moved to protect military families from the high interest rates. "I think when that happened, people started to wonder why the government wasn't protecting everyone else," said Jean Ann Fox, director of financial services for the Consumer Federation of America, a critic of payday loans. "It's taken a while for the general public to understand what these things cost." Advance America, headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., argues that the growth of the industry since the mid-1990s proves there is strong demand for the loans. "We believe this is a product that exists because consumers like it," said Jamie Fulmer, the company's director of public affairs. Fulmer said these short-term loan shops fill a need that is not provided by local banks and are preferable to paying for bouncing checks and forgoing credit card payments. Explosive growth The growth of payday lending in some states has been nothing short of explosive. Ohio had 107 payday loan outlets in 1996. By the end of last year, there were 1,638, according to a recent study from the Housing Research & Advocacy Center and Policy Matters Ohio. In fact, Ohio has more payday lenders than the combined total of McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's restaurants. Fees in Ohio are usually $15 for every $100 borrowed for a two-week period, amounting to an annual percentage rate of 391 percent, according to the report. "We see dramatic repeat borrowing in Ohio and other states," said David Rothstein, a researcher at Policy Matters Ohio and one of the co-authors of the recent study. A February report in Colorado found that the majority of payday loan borrowers in that state were women age 20 to 39. During 2007, the average borrower paid $573 in total finance charges to borrow $354 for 5 1/2 months. Consumers who borrow 12 or more times a year accounted for nearly two-thirds of the loan volume of a typical payday lender, according to the report from the administrator of the Colorado Uniform Consumer Credit Code. Advance America's Fulmer said the payday loan industry is willing to discuss some reforms but that reducing interest rate caps to 36 percent, as was done in Oregon and other states, is designed solely to drive payday lenders out of business. Legislatures in some states, including Illinois, are debating rate caps and other reforms. A bill in the Illinois Senate is designed to close an existing loophole that does not provide consumer protections for loans that last more than 120 days. Clearly, said Uriah King, policy associate at the Center for Responsible Lending, there is mounting sentiment to take a closer look. "For a while there was an informal policy that credit at any price is a good thing, no matter what the price," King said. "It's becoming painfully clear that that's just not the case." tmjones@tribune.com ***** http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/23/wrome123.xml St Peter was not the first Pope and never went to Rome, claims Channel 4 By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent 23/03/2008 St Peter's journey to Rome led to the spread of Christianity in the West and the foundation of Roman Catholicism, so the Church has always taught. But a new documentary will challenge the link as nothing more than a "conspiracy of faith". In it, prominent academics accuse the Vatican of misleading the world over the fate of the man regarded as Jesus Christ's closest disciple. In allegations likely to spark controversy, they accuse the Church of fabricating a connection with the apostle to validate giving ultimate power to the papacy. Catholicism holds that the Pope is the sole successor to the 'supremacy' of Peter Catholicism has taught for centuries that Peter was martyred and buried in Rome and that all popes succeed him, but the documentary will challenge this by asserting that he never reached the Italian city. Instead, it will accuse the Church of ignoring the discovery of a tomb in Jerusalem that archaeologists believe contains the bones of Peter. Leading theologians said that these views were an "attempt to smear Catholicism" and criticised Channel 4 for allowing such "outlandish" claims to be broadcast. They expressed concern that they would appeal to people who are easily persuaded by conspiracy theories, such as the idea that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene, as proposed in Dan Brown's best-seller The Da Vinci Code. Dr Robert Beckford, a theology lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, who presents the documentary, denied that this was an attempt to attack the Catholic Church. "This is about looking at what the pillars of power are founded on and examining the scholarship that most Catholics take for granted," he said. "We found that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that Peter was buried in Rome, but yet the rival theory has not got out because it challenges the Church. "If you undermine its basis for power you undermine the Church. It's tragic that the faith gets reduced to manipulating the facts and to one Church trying to make itself superior to others." As Christianity spread following the crucifixion of Jesus, it became important for the new churches to claim a link with the disciples and led the Catholic Church to establish a connection with St Peter. advertisementCatholics believe the proof that Christ constituted St Peter head of His Church is found in the two Petrine texts, Matthew 16:17-19, and John 21:15-17. In Matthew, the office is solemnly promised to the apostle as Jesus addresses him: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Roman Catholicism holds that the Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome, is the sole successor to the "supremacy" or primacy of Peter and is thus the "Vicar of Christ" for the world. It is traditionally believed that he was crucified in Rome and buried where the Basilica of St Peter was later built, beneath the high altar. In 1939, the Vatican announced that the bones of Peter had been found in Rome during an archaeological dig. But the documentary casts doubt on this, questioning why the dig was carried out "in total secrecy", and led by a "personal friend" of the Pope. "The Pope's authority over the world's one billion Roman Catholics derives from the belief that Peter died and was buried here almost 2,000 years ago," said Dr Beckford. The documentary, The Secrets of the Twelve Disciples ­(Channel 4 today at 5.45pm), suggests it that is much more likely that St Peter was buried in an ossuary found in Jerusalem with the inscription Shimon Bar Jonah - Simon son of Jonah - the Hebrew name for Peter. However, Gerald O'Collins, professor emeritus of Systematic Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome, said that the documentary contradicted the "great weight" of tradition that accepted Peter had been martyred and buried in Rome. "This is awful stuff, total ­nonsense," he said. "This kind of outlandish garbage drives me nuts." John Medlin, the general manager of the Latin Mass Society, said of the "intellectually-challenged" arguments: "They are on a par with Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and are unsubstantiated. It shows undisguised disdain for the Catholic Church." ***** http://www.buzzflash.com/store/reviews/1030 Howard Zinn's "A People's History of American Empire" Illustrated Edition -- Just Released (Large Format Paperback) Howard Zinn, Mike Konopacki, and Paul Buhle From the epilogue: "To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of a cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness." -- Howard Zinn And you'll need hope after this new fasicnating cartoon/graphic adaptation of Howard Zinn's bestselling history of America, as adapted to the growth of American Empire. Could it be more timely? From the publisher: Adapted from the bestselling grassroots history of the United States, the story of America in the world, told in comics form Since its landmark publication in 1980, A People’s History of the United States has had six new editions, sold more than 1.7 million copies, become required classroom reading throughout the country, and been turned into an acclaimed play. More than a successful book, A People’s History triggered a revolution in the way history is told, displacing the official versions with their emphasis on great men in high places to chronicle events as they were lived, from the bottom up. Now Howard Zinn, historian Paul Buhle, and cartoonist Mike Konopacki have collaborated to retell, in vibrant comics form, a most immediate and relevant chapter of A People’s History: the centuries-long story of America’s actions in the world. Narrated by Zinn, this version opens with the events of 9/11 and then jumps back to explore the cycles of U.S. expansionism from Wounded Knee to Iraq, stopping along the way at World War I, Central America, Vietnam, and the Iranian revolution. The book also follows the story of Zinn, the son of poor Jewish immigrants, from his childhood in the Brooklyn slums to his role as one of America’s leading historians. Shifting from world-shattering events to one family’s small revolutions, A People’s History of American Empire presents the classic ground-level history of America in a dazzling new form. About the collaborators for the book: Howard Zinn, author of numerous acclaimed histories, taught history at Spelman College and Boston University, and has received the Lannan Literary Award, among many others. A People's History of the United States was a finalist for the 1980 National Book Award. He lives in Massachusetts. Mike Konopacki has collaborated on five collections of cartoons, and his work is regularly syndicated. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Paul Buhle is a senior lecturer in history at Brown University and the editor of the Encyclopedia of the American Left, among other books. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island. ***** http://www.newshounds.us/2008/03/23/neo_naziwhite_supremacist_hal_turner_confirms_friendship_and_kinship_with_sean_hannity.php Neo Nazi/White Supremacist Hal Turner Confirms Friendship And Kinship With Sean Hannity Reported by Ellen - March 23, 2008 Earlier in the week, Sean Hannity denied, albeit in contradictory terms, ever having a relationship with neo Nazi/white supremacist Hal Turner. As I posted the night Hannity was confronted about Turner, the evidence conflicts with Hanniy’s claims. Now Turner has confirmed their friendship and their sympatico views in a blog post called, “About Sean Hannity and Me. . . . . Yes, we were friends and yes, Sean agreed with some of my views.” H/T Davefromqueens. UPDATED: Comments received from someone claiming to be Hannity's Program Director In his post (Warning: not for the faint of heart) that reveals just what kind of guy he is, Turner writes: In my opinion, based on my first hand experience, I believe Sean Hannity is, in fact, a Hal Turner sort of guy. It seems to me that a big difference between Sean and me is that I am willing to say publicly what I think about savage Black criminals, diseased, uneducated illegal aliens and the grotesque cultural destruction wrought by satanic jews while Sean and many others keep quiet to protect their paychecks. We have cited many times an article in The Nation as evidence that Turner and Hannity were palsy. In his post, Turner calls the author, Max Blumenthal, a “douche bag sodomite,” but Blumenthal’s account is essentially confirmed by Turner’s: I was quite disappointed when Sean Hannity at first tried to say he didn't know me and then went on to say that I ran some senate campaign in New Jersey. In fact, Sean Hannity does know me and we were quite friendly a number of years ago. …When Hannity took over Bob Grant's spot on 77 WABC in New York City, I was a well-known, regular and welcome caller to his show. Through those calls, Sean and I got to know each other a bit and at some point, I can't remember exactly when, Sean gave me the secret "Guest call-in number" at WABC so that my calls could always get on the air. When I utlized that call-in number, Sean would very often come onto that line during commercial breaks so we could chat before I went on the air. Our off-the-air chats grew to an exchange of other phone numbers, me giving Sean my home and cellular number and Sean giving me his direct dial-in number at Fox News channel. In 1993, My wife got pregnant and around a month later, Sean reported that he and his wife were expecting their first child. We got to talking about things expectant dads talk about and the relationship grew. …Over the course of the next three or four years, Sean and I spoke regularly off the air about our kids, politics and news of the day. My on-air calls to his show remained regular and welcome Turner concludes his blog post by threatening to use “force and violence” against his enemies. “Those using me as a prop to attack Sean Hannity would do well to remember this fact. Rest assured I will remember them when the opportunity presents itself.” Last Wednesday (3/19/08), Hannity & Colmes guest Malik Shabazz asked Hannity, in response to his continual attacks on Barack Obama regarding his pastor, "Are you to be judged by your promotion and association with Hal Turner?” Hannity at first denied knowing Turner, then asserted that Turner was someone running a campaign in New Jersey whom Hannity had banned from his radio show. Then in what sounded like a tacit admission to me, Hannity told Shabazz, “I’m not running for president.” Two nights later (3/21/08) on Hannity & Colmes, Hannity professed to be saddened by the racial divisiveness engendered by the controversy about Obama and his pastor. But Hannity seems to have directly participated in far more divisiveness than Obama. Please write Hannity and FOX News and demand that Hannity come clean about his own associations before he continues accusing Barack Obama about his. Hannity@foxnews.com comments@foxnews.com