RetroGamer1971
RetroGamer1971's JournalWorld of Warcraft Players Break Fundraising Record for Hurricane Sandy Relief
Source: www.geekosystem.com
World of Warcraft is a community as much as it is a game, and sometimes that community has been called on to help out the real world. Blizzard, the company behind WoW, has hosted fundraising efforts in the past for charities like St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the Make a Wish Foundation, and even the relief effort after the devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan. Their latest call to action for players has broken all of their previous fundraising records. Blizzard announced last week that World of Warcraft players have raised $2.3 million dollars for Hurricane Sandy relief.
The money was raised in-game by offering players the chance to adopt a fiery pet cat known as a “Cinder Kitten.” The pet was offered to players at the price of a $10 adoption fee, and Blizzard announced that all the money would go to Sandy relief even before the Cinder Kitten was added to the game. The community responded in record numbers, snapping up the fiery little furballs.
Read more: http://www.geekosystem.com/warcraft-sandy-relief/
Awesome! It is nice to see gamers helping out. Kudos to Blizzard for coming up with the idea!
Hobby Lobby finds way around $1.3-million-a-day Obamacare hit - for now
Source: www.cnn.com
Washington (CNN) - By Friday, Hobby Lobby would have racked up $14.3 million in fines from the Internal Revenue Service for bucking Obamacare. But in keeping with the great American tax tradition, they may have found a loophole.
Peter M. Dobelbower, general counsel for Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. said in a statement released through the Becket Fund that, "Hobby Lobby discovered a way to shift the plan year for its employee health insurance, thus postponing the effective date of the mandate for several months."
The statement continued that "Hobby Lobby does not provide coverage for abortion-inducing drugs in its health care plan. Hobby Lobby will continue to vigorously defend its religious liberty and oppose the mandate and any penalties."
Read more: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/11/hobby-lobbys-1-3-million-obamacare-loophole/?hpt=hp_t1
I knew there was a reason my wife, daughter and I shop at Michael's. They found a loophole to not pay the money they were supposed to be fined. That is a very weasel-y move to me. Either offer the health care to all employees as mandated by federal law, or stand you ground and pay the fines in the interest of your ideology. Have the courage of your convictions Hobby Lobby. or shut the hell up!
Judge keeps Planned Parenthood out of Texas program
Source: www.reuters.com
Texas now excludes abortion providers and affiliates from the program and Planned Parenthood has been fighting to become a provider again.
State District Judge Stephen Yelenosky, who issued a temporary ruling in favor of Planned Parenthood in November, said on Friday it was unlikely Planned Parenthood would succeed at trial.
"We are disappointed in that ruling and are confident in the merits and so we have the ability to press on to trial and try to change his mind," said Pete Schenkkan, an attorney representing Planned Parenthood, after a court hearing.
But Republican Governor Rick Perry praised the ruling and said it shows Planned Parenthood's case "is nothing more than a desperate move by an organization more concerned with obtaining taxpayer money than with helping women get care."
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/12/us-usa-health-texas-idUSBRE90A18220130112?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=posts&utm_campaign=ppactionfb
States rights I guess. You have the right to have the state make boneheaded decisions for you, especially if you have a vagina. Even though many women use PP for pap smears, cervical screenings, and gynecological care politics will always trump women's health.
How many would have died if it wasn't a shotgun.
If that had been an semiautomatic rifle, with extended capacity clips, like in Newtown and Aurora, a lot more kids would have died. This is a good argument for gun control.
Sheriff Arpaio's school posse: What could go wrong?
Source: www.dailykos.com
Not to be out-crazied, and certainly not to surrender the media spotlight, the day after Horne's announcement Sheriff Arpaio stepped before the cameras and blustered (he knows no other way) that he'll send his "posse" to schools to protect our children.
Steven Lemons at New Times contacted Lyle Mann, who's Director of the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, to ask him about the status of Arpaio's posse members:
"They are not law enforcement officers," Mann told me of the posse members when I called, asking for his comment...
Other than a citizens arrest, does a posse member have the authority to arrest someone? "No, they do not," said Mann, "other than the authority that resides in any citizen, no."
Read more: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/09/1177341/-Sheriff-Arpaio-s-school-posse-What-could-go-wrong
My Letter to our school superintendent. Redacted parts to keep the kiddo safe. We live in Maricopa county.
Dear Dr. Educator,
I am writing you to express concern about the county sheriff's plans to use posse members as school security, and what the districts stance is on such a move. As a retired teacher, with a 5th grader attending Educator Elementary, I will not feel safer with these gentlemen patrolling. In fact I feel quite the opposite, I would not mind a small increase to school security, if the district deems it prudent, but only sworn Law Enforcement Officers certified by the state should be patrolling with guns near my child, if at all. I would like to know if Educator School District is part of this program, and what is being done about criminal background checks of posse members if so. As a teacher I had to have a clean criminal history, a fingerprint clearance card, and first aid/CPR training to work with children. I hope Educator School District will require the same of posse members if you are using this program.
Under Questioning, Jay Carney Leaves Platinum Coin Wriggle Room
Source: www.slate.com
We had an interesting press briefing this afternoon from White House Press Secretary Jay Carney who flatly dismissed talk of using the 14th Amendment to somehow ignore the debt ceiling, but rather pointedly talked around questions about large denomination platinum coins. Carney kept emphasizing that "there is no plan b" for avoiding default and that congress has a responsibility to raise the debt ceiling. But he didn't say the coin was illegal, and he didn't say a coin wouldn't be minted. When he came under really heavy fire, he said people should ask the Treasury. The he reiterated that there's no plan b and congress needs to raise the debt ceiling.
Read more: http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/01/09/carney_leaves_platinum_coin_wriggle_room.html
Wow! Instead of an explicit no, Carney cannily left the question on the table? Is this a backdoor pressure tactic, to keep the debt ceiling fight off balance? If so it is a ballsy move.
Your Guide to the Trillion-Dollar Platinum Coin That Obama Can Mint to Save the World
Source: www.gawker.com
Today, New York Times columnist and Nobel prize winning economist Paul Krugman wrote that President Obama should be "absolutely" prepared to mint a one trillion dollar platinum coin and use it to pay the government's bills. It wasn't a typo: a lot of people are discussing the trillion-dollar coin as a way to avoid a fight over the debt ceiling. But what is it? And why? And whose face will be on it? Here's our guide.
Read more: http://gawker.com/5973717/your-guide-to-the-trillion+dollar-platinum-coin-that-obama-can-mint-to-save-the-world
There is a LOT of confusion about the Trillion Dollar Coin solution on these boards today. Gawker has a handy-dandy round-up of all of the steps.
Kindergarten Killer Is Foul, But Protected By 1st Amendment! No Psychological problems says SCOTUS!
In 2011 The Court Ruled video games as free speech, like other arts. So while The NRA's example of Kindergarten Killer is vile, banning video games isn't a call that will work this time.
Supreme Court Decision: 'Video Games Qualify For First Amendment Protection'
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/35459/Supreme_Court_Decision_Video_Games_Qualify_For_First_Amendment_Protection.php#.UNUlW2-ACNA
From the ruling:
"Video games qualify for First Amendment protection. Like protected books, plays, and movies, they communicate ideas through familiar literary devices and features distinctive to the medium," the ruling states [PDF].
The Court also said that "Psychological studies purporting to show a connection between exposure to violent video games and harmful effects on children do not prove that such exposure causes minors to act aggressively. Any demonstrated effects are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media."
So the NRA wants to infringe on my 1st amendment rights, as a lifelong gamer, while keeping people from pissing on theirs???! That is ironic....and I don't mean like rain on my wedding day!
HELP! Moving to Denver on short notice with my family! Need advice. :}
To all of the lovely people on DU in Colorado, I could use your help. My wife is getting laid off as a librarian in AZ due to budget cuts, and her city spending 300 million dollars on a hockey stadium. She is a finalist to be the Branch Manager at the Montbello Public library in Denver. Here is what I need help with. If she gets this, we will have four weeks to get from Phoenix to Denver, and get installed in our new digs. We are moving with our 10 year old, and two insane jungle cats. Any advice on good neighborhoods to live in (not too pricey), good schools for our geek child, and best places to rent a house would be GREATLY appreciated. I would also love to hear any advice about great things Denver offers. ETC. Thank YOU in advance! AK
Obama Uses Black Magic To Revise Unemployment Rate!
I love all of the right wing pundits on the web that have their knickers in a twist over the new jobs numbers/unemployment rate! So when the news is bad for Obama, even if the source is sketchy, it is gospel! However, when the news favors him, it is WITCHCRAFT!!!!
Oh, right wing pundits......you so crazy!!
http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2012/10/05/unemployment_rate_trutherism_and_why_it_exists.html
"I don't know how Buzzfeed does it, but after the new jobs report came out, showing unemployment ticking down to 7.8 percent, the site quickly collected tweets from Obama critics who don't believe the numbers. There's the usual parade of kookery, echoed by Fox News's Stuart Varney, who claims that there's "widespread distrust of this report." ("Widespread" is almost as good as "some people are saying," as far as weasel terms go.) The only talker who surprises is Jack Welch.
"Unbelievable jobs numbers... these Chicago guys will do anything... can't debate so change numbers." 
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Member since: Tue Aug 28, 2012, 03:19 AMNumber of posts: 177