The rich need not be bothered with expensive fill-ups at the pump.

Electric Roadster Reaching the Streets

After several years of development, the Roadster - with sleek lines like a Ferrari or Porsche and a sticker price of $109,000 - officially moves from the drawing boards to the market next week when Tesla’s first store opens. It’s near the University of California, Los Angeles, in the city’s toney Westwood neighborhood where Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Hollywood practically intersect.

“Because it’s Hollywood and glamorous, this is the flagship store,” Snyder said.

…Joel Surnow, the executive producer of the Fox show, 24.

Surnow goes on to say that he is “probably going to get behind Rudy.”

Yeah, that’s smart! Personally, I’d like to know what Bette Midler thinks about all of this!

(Please note that I’ve filed this post under “Pointless Info”.)

Things you don’t need to know!

1. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

2. Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.

3. There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

4. The average person’s left hand does 56% of the
typing.

5. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both
eyes.

6. There are more chickens than people in the world.

7. Two-thirds of the world’s eggplant is grown in New
Jersey.

8. The longest one’syllable word in the English
language is “screeched.”

9. On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying
over the parliament building is an American flag.

10. All of the clocks in the movie “Pulp Fiction” are
stuck on 4:20.

(more…)

Sounds like star’struck Sheriff Baca needs to start looking for new employment. I’d love to find out what his reaction is going to be when some unknown prisoner claims claustrophobia. Suck up!

Sheriff feared Hilton would commit suicide

Baca briefly put heiress under house arrest, causing public uproar

LOS ANGELES - Hours after a beaming Paris Hilton was freed from three weeks in jail, the sheriff criticized for briefly putting her under house arrest said on Tuesday he allowed her out because he feared for her life.

While stopping short of saying Hilton had been in danger of harming herself, Sheriff Lee Baca raised the issue of suicide in explaining why he released her to home detention — a move that was swiftly overruled by a judge after a public uproar over whether she was given special treatment.

“I think we all in this room know something about suicide,” Baca, who runs the Los Angeles County jail system, told a hearing called by the five-member county Board of Supervisors.

“As the sheriff of this county, I-m not going to let any inmate die in our jails,” he said.

“If I know something that can be done that solves the medical problem … What’s worth more? Serving time in the county jail for driving on a suspended driver’s license or a person losing their life?”
[...]

Hilton later said she suffers from claustrophobia.

More at MSNBC.com

The guest list for Monday night’s state dinner in honor of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, as released by the White House. Where’s Karl?

Cmdr. Heber Ackland, Royal Navy, equerry in waiting to the queen.

The Countess Of Airlie, DCVO, DCVO, lady in waiting.

Leonore Annenberg, former U.S. chief of protocol, Reagan administration, FAPE board member, and Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif. (guest).

Anne Armstrong, former U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, and James L. Armstrong (son).

Lee M. Bass, Lee M. Bass, Inc., and Ramona Bass.

Sid R. Bass, president, Sid R. Bass Inc., and Mercedes Bass.

Margaret Beckett, MP, secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, United Kingdom, and Leo Beckett.

Rep. John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, House minority leader, and Deborah Boehner.

Joshua Bolten, White House chief of staff, and Analouise C. Bolten (mother).

Calvin Borel, jockey, winner of the 2007 Kentucky Derby, and Lisa Funk (guest).

Katherine E. Boyd, Katherine E. Boyd Interior Design, and Eva Elkins, sister-in-law (guest).

Miss Barbara Bush and Jay Blount (guest).

Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, and Columba Bush.

Elizabeth L. Cheney and Philip J. Perry, partner, Latham & Watkins.

Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynne V. Cheney.

James Click, president, Jim Click Ford, Inc., and Carrie Click (daughter).

John Danilovich, CEO, Millennium Challenge Corp., and Irene Danilovich.

Rohan De Silva, pianist.

Marta Domingo, wife of Maestro Placido Domingo.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

Donald L. Evans, CEO, Financial Services Forum, and Susan Evans.

William S. Farish, former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Sarah Farish.

Fred Fielding, counsel to the president, and Maria Fielding.

Brad Freeman, general partner, Freeman Spogli & Co.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Becky Gates.

Christopher Geidt, OBE, deputy private secretary to the queen.

Martin Gilbert, historian, and Esther Gilbert, London.

David Gregory, NBC News correspondent, and Beth Wilkinson (wife).

National security adviser Stephen J. Hadley and Mrs. Robert Hadley (mother).

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, host of “The View,” and Timothy Hasselbeck, professional football player.

Peter Hayes, principal private secretary to the secretary of state, United Kingdom.

Steven Holland, Reuters correspondent, and Lucie Holland.

Ray L. Hunt, chairman of the board, president and CEO, Hunt Consolidated, Inc., and Hunter L. Hunt, president, Hunt Power, L.P. (son).

Brig. Miles Hunt-Davis, KCVO CBE, private secretary to Prince Philip.

Robin Janvrin, KCVO, CB, private secretary to the queen.

Agriculture Secretary Michael O. Johanns and Stephanie Johanns.

Clay Johnson III, deputy director for management, Office of Management and Budget, and Anne S. Johnson, director, arts in embassies program, State Department.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and Patricia Kempthorne.

Richard D. Kinder, chairman and CEO, Kinder Morgan, Inc., and Nancy Kinder, president, Kinder Foundation.

Henry A. Kissinger, former secretary of state, and Nancy Kissinger.

Herbert V. Kohler, Jr., chairman and president, Kohler Co., and Natalie B. Kohler.

Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Tricia Lott.

David Manning, KCMG, British ambassador to the United States, and Catherine M. Manning.

Peyton Manning, professional football player, and Ashley Manning.

John Marion, honorary chairman, Sotheby’s North America, and Anne Marion.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.

Charles B. Moncrief and Kit Moncrief.

James W. Nantz III, CBS sportscaster, and Ann-Lorraine Nantz.

Joseph J. O’Donnell, CEO, Boston Culinary Group, and Katherine O’Donnell.

Gen. Peter Pace, USMC, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Lynne Pace.

Arnold Palmer, professional golfer, and Kathleen Palmer.

Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson and Wendy Paulson.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Paul Pelosi.

A. Jerrold Perenchio, chairman and CEO, Chartwell Partners, and Margie Perenchio.

Itzhak Perlman, violinist, and Toby Lynn Perlman.

Boone Pickens, BP Capital, LLC, and Madeleine Pickens.

Colin L. Powell, former secretary of state, and Alma Powell.

Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art, and Nancy Powell.

Nancy Reagan, former first lady.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Gene A. Washington, director of football operations, National Football League (guest).

Chief Justice John Roberts and Jane Sullivan Roberts.

Robin Roberts, ABC.

Penny Russell-Smith, LVO, press secretary to the queen.

Michael Sacco, president, Seafarers International Union, and Sophie Sacco.

Gerry Shaheen, group president, Caterpillar, and Pam Shaheen.

George P. Shultz, former secretary of state, and Charlotte Shultz.

Harold C. Simmons, chairman, Valhi Inc., and Annette Simmons.

White House press secretary Tony Snow and Jill Ellen Snow.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and Robert Spellings.

Surgeon Capt. David Swain, CVO RN, medical officer to the queen.

Robert Tuttle, U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Maria Tuttle.

Mark Vincent, brother to Mrs. Cheney, and Linda Vincent.

Richard Wolffe, Newsweek, and Paula Cuello (wife).

If you read a story on Tom Delay or Bob Ney you’d know right off the bat what political party they’re from. Not just because they’re crooks who have no wish to follow the wants and dreams of our forefathers, but also because of their popularity. Below is an article I just found online. Take a moment to read it and decide which party you think this person belongs to. It should be obvious.

‘?’ trucks on despite land deal probe

WASHINGTON - Rep. ‘?’ grew up poor. Even though he’s now worth more than $13 million, he says he’s still worried about his family’s financial security.

So, while federal authorities investigate some of his real estate transactions, he says he’ll keep on making deals.

‘?’, a fifth-term ‘?’ representing ‘?’ inland Southern California, said in an interview that he had put his real estate investment activities on hold upon entering politics, only to find that “I was worth less money every year.”

“Some people are arguing I shouldn’t have the opportunity to make an investment that every other American citizen has an opportunity to make,” he said. “I’ve got kids, I’ve got grandkids, and it’d be nice, when I get ready to go, when they’re older, if I can help them.”

‘?’, 58, who makes $165,200 as a congressman, is being scrutinized for the millions he made selling properties to two Southern California communities outside his district. FBI agents have interviewed officials in both towns.

‘?’ also faces accusations of using his staff for personal errands and pursuing federal funding for projects beneficial to properties that he and his campaign contributors owned.

(more…)

I’ve been hearing lately that FOX News has been slipping in the ratings (Apparently, some of their viewers have decided to go for it and finally get that much-needed GED). More good news. Take a look at this screen grab from this morning:

I usually do a Google search each morning to get a quick overview of over-night happenings in the world. Notice where the FOX link comes up? For a long time now, it came in right before MSNBC. I think there was a time when they’d show up directly underneath CNN. (But that was some time ago)
Is this a sign of things to come? I hope so!

Events (such as general voting patterns, support of the war in Iraq, etc.) over the past six years has led many to believe that the intelligence level of your average American citizen was on the decline. The following appears to lend credence to this belief.

Hero or villain? Depends on your point of view

George W. Bush is the biggest villain -and the biggest hero - of the year.

A poll conducted by the Associated Press and AOL News ranked the year’s heroes and villains, based on phone calls to 1,004 adults in all 50 states. Bush came out on top in both columns.

That’s a head’scratcher.

The president was followed in the villain poll by Osama bin Laden, who took in 8 percent to Bush’s 25 percent, Saddam Hussein (6 percent) and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (5 percent).

Bush ranks ahead of Osama bin Laden, Saddam and Ahmadinejad, as well as Kim Jong Il of North Korea and various other global despots. Satan, or The Devil, garnered 1 percent of the vote - the same as Vice President Dick Cheney, Rosie O’Donnell and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

In the hero poll, Bush’s 13 percent was followed by: Soldiers/troops in Iraq (6 percent), Oprah Winfrey (3 percent), Barack Obama (3 percent) and Jesus Christ (3 percent).

Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of millions of Christians around the globe, got 3 percent and shared His spot on the list with Oprah Winfrey.

Source: ChillicotheGazette.com

…but my fingers are still crossed!

Calif. Gov. Schwarzenegger Breaks Leg in Skiing Accident in Idaho

SUN VALLEY, Idaho - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger broke his leg while skiing with his family Saturday morning in Sun Valley, Idaho, a spokesman said.

Schwarzenegger, 59, was taken to a hospital for X-rays and was discharged with a fracture to his right femur, said Adam Mendelsohn, the governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications.
…

The fracture was the third medical problem the governor suffered in a year.

He spent several hours at a University of California, Davis, hospital last December with a rapid heartbeat after coming down with a stomach flu. In January, Schwarzenegger needed 15 stitches to repair his cut lip after colliding with a car while riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle in Los Angeles.

Source: MARCUS WOHLSEN, Associated Press Writer - Yahoo! News

U.S. Mint to unveil coins of first ladies

WASHINGTON - For the first time in history, the U.S. Mint will dedicate a series of coins to the accomplishments of women - the nation’s first ladies.

Starting with Martha Washington, all of them are scheduled to be honored on a series of commemorative one-half ounce gold coins that will be companions to a new series of circulating $1 coins that the Mint is producing to honor the presidents.

Mint Director Edmund Moy was unveiling the designs on the first four commemorative coins at a ceremony Tuesday at the National First Ladies Library in Canton, Ohio.

Both the presidential one-dollar coins and the series honoring the first ladies were authorized in 2005 by Congress. Four new coins honoring presidents in the order they served will be introduced every three months beginning next year.

The first ladies coins for next year are all coming out in May just before Mother’s Day with the Mint hoping to generate sales of the coins, expected to cost more than $300 each, tied to the special day.

Source: MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer (Yahoo! News)

Mint designers, worried that the coins might face overwhelming rejection from the public, launched a test bill - consisting of Barbara Bush’s likeness on the one dollar bill.