Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, civil rights leader, passed away on Wednesday, October 12 2011 in Birmingham, AL. Mr. Shuttlesworth was 89.

I had never heard of Mr. Shuttlesworth until this morning.
That is sad.

I was reading one of my favorite website and came across a marvelous contribution written by one of the site members that unfurls Mr. Shuttlesworth's life. The article is here.

Articles about Mr. Shuttlesworth can be found all around the internet.
Below are some of the articles I have found:

The Writing Code
The Birmingham News
Spartacus Educational
The Student Operated Press
BoardGame Geek

Take the time to read at least one of these accounts.

Mr. Shuttlesworth's life will change yours.

Michael S. Hart, founder of Project Guttenberg, passed away recently at the age of 64.

Project Guttenberg is a widely known and appreciated literacy project that offers over 36,000 free ebooks readily available for download. Project Guttenberg is the vision of Mr. Hart. Every one of us can enjoy the project and all of the books it offers.

The Project Guttenberg home page is here.

Thank you, Mr. Hart.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Hart's family and friends -

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From Project Gutenberg, the first producer of free ebooks:

Obituary for Michael Stern Hart

Michael Stern Hart was born in Tacoma, Washington on March 8, 1947. He died on September 6, 2011 in his home in Urbana, Illinois, at the age of 64. His is survived by his mother, Alice, and brother, Bennett. Michael was an Eagle Scout (Urbana Troop 6 and Explorer Post 12), and served in the Army in Korea during the Vietnam era.

Hart was best known for his 1971 invention of electronic books, or eBooks. He founded Project Gutenberg, which is recognized as one of the earliest and longest-lasting online literary projects. He often told this story of how he had the idea for eBooks. He had been granted access to significant computing power at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On July 4 1971, after being inspired by a free printed copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, he decided to type the text into a computer, and to transmit it to other users on the computer network. From this beginning, the digitization and distribution of literature was to be Hart's life's work, spanning over 40 years.

Hart was an ardent technologist and futurist. A lifetime tinkerer, he acquired hands-on expertise with the technologies of the day: radio, hi-fi stereo, video equipment, and of course computers. He constantly looked into the future, to anticipate technological advances. One of his favorite speculations was that someday, everyone would be able to have their own copy of the Project Gutenberg collection or whatever subset desired. This vision came true, thanks to the advent of large inexpensive computer disk drives, and to the ubiquity of portable mobile devices, such as cell phones.

Hart also predicted the enhancement of automatic translation, which would provide all of the world's literature in over a hundred languages. While this goal has not yet been reached, by the time of his death Project Gutenberg hosted eBooks in 60 different languages, and was frequently highlighted as one of the best Internet-based resources.

A lifetime intellectual, Hart was inspired by his parents, both professors at the University of Illinois, to seek truth and to question authority. One of his favorite recent quotes, credited to George Bernard Shaw, is characteristic of his approach to life:

"Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people."

Michael prided himself on being unreasonable, and only in the later years of life did he mellow sufficiently to occasionally refrain from debate. Yet, his passion for life, and all the things in it, never abated.

Frugal to a fault, Michael glided through life with many possessions and friends, but very few expenses. He used home remedies rather than seeing doctors. He fixed his own house and car. He built many computers, stereos, and other gear, often from discarded components.

Michael S. Hart left a major mark on the world. The invention of eBooks was not simply a technological innovation or precursor to the modern information environment. A more correct understanding is that eBooks are an efficient and effective way of unlimited free distribution of literature. Access to eBooks can thus provide opportunity for increased literacy. Literacy, and the ideas contained in literature, creates opportunity.

In July 2011, Michael wrote these words, which summarize his goals and his lasting legacy: “One thing about eBooks that most people haven't thought much is that eBooks are the very first thing that we're all able to have as much as we want other than air. Think about that for a moment and you realize we are in the right job." He had this advice for those seeking to make literature available to all people, especially children:

"Learning is its own reward. Nothing I can say is better than that."

Michael is remembered as a dear friend, who sacrificed personal luxury to fight for literacy, and for preservation of public domain rights and resources, towards the greater good.

This obituary is granted to the public domain by its author, Dr. Gregory B. Newby.

California congresswoman Maxine Waters had this to say recently:

"I’m not afraid of anybody. This is a tough game. You can’t be intimidated. You can’t be frightened. And as far as I’m concerned, the ‘tea party’ can go straight to Hell.”

Mrs. Waters was speaking at a "Kitchen Table Summit" in Ingleside, California when she said those words, as seen in video footage right here.

Between you and me, I don't think that kind of talk is appropriate for anyone to say to anybody under any circumstances. 

The full story is here on Washington Post.com.
The story is also reported here on 365Politics.com.

Mrs. Waters is a congresswoman for the 35th District of California. 
Mrs. Waters is an elected official.
Mrs. Waters represents was the chosen candidate of all the citizens who voted her in to office.
Mrs. Waters represents all of the citizens in her district.

I wonder if all of the people in Mrs. Waters' district appreciate how she conducts herself and speaks about people in public. I wonder if all of the people in Mrs. Waters' district appreciate how she conducts herself and speaks about people in public, while on stage, into a microphone, for everyone to see and hear on the internet and the news and read about on the internet and in the newspapers.

There has to be a standard of decorum somewhere.
Mrs. Waters certainly has not set that standard.

On Sunday August 28, 2011, Minnesota congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, who is currently seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2012, was in Sarasota Florida when, according to the St. Petersburg Times, she said this:

"I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?' Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending." 

You can see and hear Mrs. Bachmann say it all for yourself, right here on the ABC News web site.

I am at a loss for words as to how ridiculous, completely insensitive and totally ignorant Mrs. Bachmann's statement was. 

If anyone who has been directly effected by Hurricane Irene or has followed the storm and the path of death and destruction left in its path, knows exactly how downright and outright egregious Ms. Bachmann's statement was.

The result of Hurricane Irene that Mrs. Bachmann said was "sent by God to get the attention of politicians" has been as follows:

As of today, Sunday September 4, 2011, forty-six people have died as a result of Hurricane Irene. To say it again plainly, 46 people have since died from Hurricane Irene since the storm approached the United States coast and made landfall last Saturday, August 27th.

This article from The Republic (Columbus, IN) reports on the death is Virginia.
This article from the Salt Lake Tribune reports a few from Virginia and other states.
This article from The Wall Street Journal reports a few more in even more states.

This should be enough to sadden the hearts of everyone, anywhere in the world.

According to Mrs. Bachmann, God sent Hurricane Irene to say this: 
'Are you going to start listening to me here?' Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending." 

I have nothing more to say.
Mrs. Bachmann has already said too much.

President Obama wants to make a speech in front of a joint session of congress (both the full Senate and the entire House of Representatives) on television to the American people about his plans to help the country with its current job problem.

A few facts before moving forward:
1) President Obama is a member of the Democratic Party. He is up for re-election to the office of President of the United States in November of 2012.
2) The Republican Party is currently in the process of determining it's presidential candidate nominee who will run against incumbent President Obama in November 2012. 
3) The United States House of Representatives is currently majority-controlled by the Republican Party.
4) Speaker of the House (of Representatives) - or the leader of the majority faction in the House of Representatives - is Republican Party Congressman John Boehner of the state of Ohio.

First, the evening of Wednesday September 7, 2011 at 8:00pm is also the time the Republican Party had long scheduled it's next political debate featuring all of the current candidates in the running for the Republican Party nomination for president in 2012.

Second, Texas Governor, Republican Rick Perry, recently announced his candidacy for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States. Governor Perry has since become both the Republican Party favorite and current front-runner to some.

Third, the House of Representatives comes back into session on Wednesday September 7, 2011, with the voting session of the day scheduled for the evening. 

Fourth, per Speaker of the House John Boehner's office, the White House ignored protocol by not beforehand requesting a date for such a speech from the Speaker of the House.

Coincidence?

Mr. Boehner cited it would be difficult to get both the full House of Representatives and the full Senate together on Capitol Hill on such short notice, even though the House will have begun its session that same day. Mr. Boehner also expressed concern at having time and opportunity for the necessary security sweeps and precautions completed in a timely manner before the speech on such short notice. 

Mr. Boehner respectfully asked President Obama to reschedule his speech.
Mr. Boehner took the high road in this case.

President Obama then decided on a date and time to give his speech to a joint session of congress and on television to the American people, and promptly rescheduled to the night of Thursday September 8, 2011 at 7:00pm.

Thursday September 8, 2011 at 8:30pm is the same night and time when the 2011 NFL Regular Season is scheduled to begin. The 2009 Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints will play the 2010 Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers at historic Lambeau Field and the game will be televised nationwide on NBC.

That is quite a big, important and exciting proposition for a football game for the National Football League and all of its fans who are glad the season is back again, especially this year after the NFL and the National Football League Players Association worked through a lockout and made sure the 2011 regular season would proceed as scheduled.

Coincidence?

Sometimes seeing things right in front of you is easy.
Sometimes you can see the forrest for the trees.

I won't call it what I think it is.
I will write that a White House aide labelled Mr. Boehner's response to the president's initial request for the date and time of his speech for Wednesday September 7, 2011 at 8:00pm as "childish".

I'm rubber, you are glue.
Whatever you say, bounces off me
And sticks on you.

Kudos for Mr. Boehner for not calling it what it is.

Read the entire story at these sources:

Fox News
CNN
The Weekly Standard
MSNBC

My family and I live in Virginia Beach, VA.
We are currently in the path of Hurricane Irene.

Sunday August 28, 2011 - 10:21am
We made it through hurricane Irene just fine.
We had a lot of wind and rain - it kept blowing and raining at least until 2:10am this morning when I finally went to bed.
We also only lost power for about an hour yesterday and we are so thankful for that.

This morning, of course, the sun is out and the skies are blue.
It's amazing what happened here yesterday actually happened.

Saturday August 27, 2011 - 5:36pm
The winds have picked up some recently.
The rain has been steady for the past few hours.
We still have electricity and we are very thankful for that.

Local forecasters here expect the worst of Irene to impact us around 7:00pm local time.

Saturday August 27, 2011 - 2:54pm
We have experienced a lull in both the wind and the rain.
The winds are low and the rainfall is nearly nonexistent.
Currently, the storm band of Irene are spinning off to the west of the center of the storm.

We still do have electricity, and are very thankful for that.

Saturday, August 27, 2011 - 12:25pm
Thankfully, Hurricane Irene has been downgraded in status to a Category 1 hurricane.

Rain and wind welcomed us this morning.
We lost electricity a little after 10:00am. 
Our electricity was restored right at 11:00am and has been on since.
We are expecting to lose power this afternoon.
We are also expecting the worst of the storm from the middle of the afternoon until about 9:00 tonight.

Friday August 26, 2011
We are expected to begin feeling and the seeing the effects of Irene tomorrow (Saturday August 27, 2011) at about sundown until about 2:00am the next morning (Sunday August 28, 2011).

I was in Virginia Beach in 2003 when hurricane Isabel came through and knocked over countless tress, knocked out electricity to thousands of citizens for days and closed down business (and my job at the time) for a few days. From what I am hearing, the meteorologists expect Irene to be a similar experience.

I remember Isabel passing over land a bit west of Norfolk/Virginia Beach back then.
Irene is supposed to keep to the east of us.
Maybe that difference in course will give us a small break.

Everyone along the east coast in the path of this storms thanks you for your thoughts and prayers.

Track hurricane Irene here and here.