Thirty Three U.S. Senators Voted Against Making English the Official Language of the United States-Truth! But Misleading!

eRumor:
The forwarded email is in the form of a letter from "Colonel Harry Riley USA ret" criticizing 33 Senators for voting against making English the official language of the U.S.
eTruth:
The vote was in May, 2006 in the United States Senate and was for The Comprehensive Immigration and Reform Act of 2007.

An amendment to the bill was added just days before the vote that would have declared English as the official language of the United States and, among other things, would mean that the government would not have to provide services in any language other than English. One of the purposes of the amendment was to "promote the patriotic integration of prospective U.S. citizens."

The bill was defeated by a vote of 61 to 34 with 4 not voting.

So it isn't accurate to say that the "no" votes of the Senators was about making English the official language of the United States. Their opposition could have been to other aspects of the legislation.

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

33 Senators Voted Against English as America's Official Language June 6, 2007
On Wed, 6 Jun 2007 23:35:23 -0500,

"Colonel Harry Riley USA ret" wrote:

Senators,

Your vote against an amendment to the Immigration Bill 1348, to make English America's official language is astounding. On D-Day no less when we honor those that sacrificed in order to secure the bedrock character and principles of America. I can only surmise your vote reflects a loyalty to illegal aliens.

I don't much care where you come from, what your religion is, whether you're black, white or some other color, male or female, democrat, republican or independent, but I do care when you're a United States Senator, representing citizens of America and vote against English as the official language of the United States.

Your vote reflects betrayal, political surrender, violates your pledge of allegiance, dishonors historical principle, rejects patriotism, borders on traitorous action and, in my opinion, makes you unfit to serve as a United States Senator... impeachment, recall, or other appropriate action is warranted.

Worse, 4 of you voting against English as America's official language are presidential candidates: Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, Senator Dodd, and Senator Obama.

Those 4 Senators vying to lead America but won't or don't have the courage to cast a vote in favor of English as America's official language when 91% of American citizens want English officially designated as our language.

This is the second time in the last several months this list of Senators have disgraced themselves as political hacks... unworthy as Senators and certainly unqualified to serve as President of the United States.

If America is as angry as I am, you will realize a back-lash so stunning it will literally rock you out of your panties... and preferably, totally out of the United States Senate.

The entire immigration bill is a farce... your action only confirms this really isn't about America; it's about self-serving politics... despicable at best.
"Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ~ anonymous
The following senators voted against making English the official language of America:

Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE) Wants to be President?
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Clinton (D-NY) Wants to be President?
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT) Wants to be President?
Domenici (R-NM) Coward, protecting his Senate seat...
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI) Not unusual for him
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA) Wanted to be President
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT) Disappointment here.....
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL) Wants to be President?
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV) Senate Majority Leader
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-M)
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged."
~ President Abraham Lincoln " Amen "

Open Letter to UFC about Bad Decisions

Dear Dana White:

On Saturday night, Matt Hamill was robbed in London. The split decision in Hamill’s UFC 75 fight against Michael Bisping, a Brit fighting in his home country, was atrocious. Hamill clearly won the first two rounds on strikes and takedowns, while Bisping’s punches landed on Hamill’s arms. Hamill did seem to lose the third round; although, one judge even gave him the third, probably based upon his takedowns. This is not something about which reasonable people can disagree. Matt Hamill won that fight.

The decision was a complete shocker. In fact, one could hear a whole lot of boos and whistles from the crowd after it was announced. This was the same partisan crowd that had wildly cheered Bisping before and throughout the fight. Many of these British fans must have thought the decision was bad too.

Bad decisions happen. You are lucky that they have actually been rare in the UFC. When a decision in a fight or a boxing match is bad, viewers feel the injustice. The same thing happens when an umpire makes a bad call in baseball, or a referee makes a bad call in a football game. Often, the only justice that a viewer may ever receive is the fact that an announcer agrees and justifies those feelings.

On Saturday night, your announcers had been making comments throughout the fight implying that they thought Hamill was winning. But, when the decision was announced, they failed to address in any way the boos from the crowd or whether they thought a bad decision had been made. The writers on your website did not even mention the fact that the decision was controversial.

In other sports, announcers and writers are independent journalists. They are not usually hired by fight promoters or the owners of sports leagues or teams. Even when announcers do have such conflicts, they still retain the latitude to express their opinions. Have you heard Teddy Atlas announce a boxing match on ESPN? He lets you know exactly how he feels about bad decisions, bad judges, and even bad state commissions.

Here are a few suggestions to rectify this injustice. First, set up a rematch between Hamill and Bisping that takes place in the United States. Second, insist on experienced, fair judges in all fights. Think about whether this includes Cecil Peoples, who has been involved in some controversial decisions. Finally, allow and encourage your announcers and writers to disagree and debate decisions. This will not weaken your organization in any way. On the contrary, being open and honest and fair will only make the UFC even stronger as the premiere mixed martial arts organization.

Champaign Property Tax Levy

Last night, the Champaign City Council tentatively approved a property tax hike. I favor keeping Champaign’s property tax steady at the same $1.2659 per hundred dollars of valuation used last year. I won’t bother to discuss the affordability of property taxes or how property values (and therefore taxes) have been increasing more rapidly than inflation; those arguments are well-documented. Instead, let’s concentrate on what property tax revenues mean to the city.

During the staff presentation, Richard Schnuer, Champaign’s Finance Director, showed a line graph of the major components of the property tax levy: library, pensions, capital improvements, and the General Fund. These lines were stacked on top of each other, and each increased over time due to the expected growing obligations of the city. He added a blue line, which was called "additional." This represented the amount left over, or in some years, the amount that we were short.

Even at the same $1.2659 tax rate as last year, the blue line was above zero. Next year, over $800,000 would be left over after fulfilling our obligations. The following year, the city would have even more "additional" funds available. In fact, the line remained positive, implying that we would have excess available, until 2014. Some have suggested that, if you don’t want to increase the property tax rate, then you must suggest which services you would be willing to cut to meet the shortfall. The truth is that the shortfall doesn’t exist. Additional funds are available at the current rate.

Now, the city will have some extra needs in the future, which include repairing arterial streets, catching up on pension obligations, improving the Public Works facility, and moving/adding fire stations. We should use the extra money to fund items like these-true long-term investments. And, who knows what will happen in a few years, or by 2014 when the blue line finally crosses and becomes a shortfall? It’s just as likely that we’ll be better off than we are projecting and that we will be able to afford some of these projects with existing revenues at current rates.

Some have suggested that those extra funding needs are new, that we didn’t know about them last year, and that we need a property tax hike to pay for them. This is nonsense. We knew about every single one of those items last year when we voted on the tax levy. In fact, I remember learning about the needs for the Public Works facility all the way back six years ago when I was receiving my City Council orientation. Each project is necessary, but they may not need to be as costly as is being predicted, and they certainly aren’t required to be funded by property taxes anyway. Property tax is often a bad choice, because it is one of the most expensive and regressive types of tax. We have other options.

So, last night, I initially voted for the $1.2659 rate, which I favor maintaining. Unfortunately, the only other Council Member to agree with me was Karen Foster. After a series of polls on specific tax rates, no rate received the five necessary votes. Karen and I eventually voted for a compromise rate of $1.2942. This was obviously our second choice, but it became clear that the other Council Members were intent on increasing our tax rate. I think the compromise was necessary to avoid the even worse alternative of $1.312 that was proposed by staff and could have passed.

Property taxes are going up. But, it could have been worse.

Does the Internet Decrease Library Use?

The new Main Library in Champaign is set to open on January 6, 2008. This momentous occasion reminds me of a debate that used to occur when the new facility was being planned. One particular argument against building the new library was that increasing use of the Internet leads to decreasing use of physical library facilities. This is completely false, and in fact, the opposite is true.

In 1990, per capita circulation at the Champaign Public Library was 13.9 materials per year, and by the year 2000, per capita circulation had increased to 15.8 materials annually. According to their 2006/2007 annual report, the library had an annual circulation of 1,786,773. When you take this against Champaign’s population of 75,254 (which was recently adjusted upward due to a special census,) the annual per capita circulation comes in at an astounding 23.7.

This blows away the current national average of approximately seven to nine materials per year, depending upon whom you ask and how you measure it. According to the American Library Association, circulation on a national level has also been increasing steadily since 1990.

What’s going on? Well, some people go to the library for their Internet access. Others use the Internet at home to search for books to check out. These two Internet-related activities actually contribute directly to increased use of libraries. And, information and services will continue to become more and more integral parts of our daily lives, our jobs, and our economy. This means that library use (including visits to the physical structure) will continue to increase.

http://factorfictionblog.com/2007/12/26/does-the-internet-decrease-library-use.aspx

Can a Hypnotist Control You?

One day you’re at the mall. A stage has been set up, and a hypnotist is asking for volunteers from the audience. He is going to put on a show. Soon, through the magic of hypnosis, some guy is convinced that he is JFK…“My fellow Americans”…Nice accent! Meanwhile, a woman is busy clucking like a chicken and flapping her elbows back and forth just off the stage. Wow! This is powerful stuff. All you want is some help quitting smoking, so you decide to look the hypnotist up in the yellow pages.

You make an appointment, but it turns out that the only thing this demented hypnotist does is play practical jokes and control your actions. He commands that after leaving your trance, every time you hear a phone ring, you will start singing “Another One Bites the Dust,” just like Freddie Mercury. This turns out to be problematic because you work at a funeral home. Could this nightmare really happen?

No, it is complete fiction that a hypnotist could ever force you to do anything you didn’t really want to do. You never lose your sense of values or safety or sensitivity during hypnosis. It just doesn’t work that way. If the experience is not consensual, then hypnosis cannot actually occur. It is possible (although unlikely) that the people imitating dead presidents and chickens were really under hypnosis and were, therefore, more suggestible. But, participants will never do anything they do not really want to do; they did intend to entertain you.

Hypnosis is nothing mystical or scary or dangerous. It is simply the combination of relaxation and focused attention. During hypnosis, you actually lose yourself in the moment or in an activity or even through seriously observing something. So, lots of activities are actually forms of hypnosis. This includes listening to music, reading, and watching television or movies. Similarly, driving or even mowing the lawn can be considered forms of hypnosis as well.

So, can hypnotism actually help solve peoples’ problems? Well, according to Neal Roese, Ph.D. and Associate Professor in the University of Illinois Department of Psychology, “psychologists use experimental methods to test the effectiveness of different treatments. Whatever ailment you look at, from quitting smoking to depression, there are several vastly more effective treatments available today than hypnosis. The published evidence for the effectiveness of hypnosis is remarkably weak, especially when placed alongside other kinds of treatments.”

Does hypnosis have any value at all? Certainly it does. Just like listening to a certain jazz album can really relax you after a long, stressful day (and may even help rid you of a headache,) hypnosis in any form, can be a valuable treatment for stress. Another valuable treatment for stress is watching hypnotist shows (whether they’re real or staged,) because they’re quite entertaining. I’ll never forget the one I saw as a kid at the mall. The guy really did sound like JFK.

Is a tomato a fruit?

Is a tomato a vegetable, or is it really a fruit? It seems like a simple question, but it turns out that there is quite a bit to consider. The correct answer depends upon whom you ask…

If you ask a botanist…

He or she will tell you that a tomato is a fruit. Anything with a ripened, mature ovary containing a seed or seeds is technically a fruit. By this definition, pumpkins, peppers, and even eggplants are also fruits. If you look "tomato" up in the dictionary or on Dictionary.com, you will probably also find it defined as a fruit.

But, horticulturally speaking…

The tomato plant, itself, is classified as a vegetable. It is an annual as opposed to a perennial woody plant or a tree from where most of the things we consider fruits such as apples, cherries, and oranges come.

And, according to the federal government…

The tomato also seems to be considered a vegetable. In 1893 the U.S. Supreme Court actually ruled in the case of Nix v. Hedden that the tomato is a vegetable (at least, that is, within the meaning of the Tariff Act of 1883.) You see tariffs had been placed on vegetables, and domestic growers of tomatoes wanted the same import taxes to apply to tomatoes that applied to other vegetables coming into the country.

The Supreme Court agreed, and Justice Gray declared, "Botanically speaking, tomatoes are the fruit of a vine, just as are cucumbers, squashes, beans, and peas. But in the common language of the people, whether sellers or consumers of provisions, all these are vegetables which are grown in kitchen gardens, and which, whether eaten cooked or raw, are, like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, and lettuce, usually served at dinner in, with, or after the soup, fish, or meats which constitute the principal part of the repast, and not, like fruits generally, as dessert."

Perhaps this ruling and its explanation are why the FDA categorizes tomato juice with vegetable juices. People just seem to consider tomatoes to be vegetables, even if they are technically fruit. When you go to the grocery store, you don’t generally find tomatoes next to the apples and bananas. Instead, they are placed with other vegetables.

Maybe it’s actually all about salt…

You might be tempted to put salt on a tomato or on cucumber slices or green beans for that matter. These items are all technically fruits, but we treat them like vegetables. You would never think of putting salt on raw fruit like oranges or strawberries. I guess this is why our cooks, our stores, and even our courts consider tomatoes to be vegetables even though technically they are not.

from:http://factorfictionblog.com/2008/01/29/is-a-tomato-a-fruit.aspx

Tentang Buang Angin (fact or fiction???)

Alkisah menurut seorang ilmuwan yang mengadakan penelitian tentang kentut mengatakan, Kita jangan cuma tahu bau dan suaranya saja, (tetapi juga hakekatnya)

1. Dari mana asal kentut?

Dari gas dalam usus. Gas dalam usus berasal dari udara yg kita telan, gas yang menerobos ke usus dari darah, gas dari reaksi kimia & gas dari bakteria dalam perut.

2. Apa komposisi kentut?

Bervariasi. Makin banyak udara anda telan, makin banyak kadar nitrogen dalam kentut (oksigen dari udara terabsorbsi oleh tubuh sebelum sampai di usus). Adanya bakteria serta reaksi kimia antara asam perut & cairan usus menghasilkan karbondioksida.

Bakteria juga menghasilkan metana & hidrogen. Proporsi masing-masing gas tergantung apa yang anda makan, berapa banyak udara tertelan, jenis bakteria dalam usus, berapa lama kita menahan kentut. Makin lama menahan kentut, makin besar proporsi nitrogen, karena gas-gas lain terabsorbsi oleh darah melalui dinding usus.

Orang yang makannya tergesa-gesa kadar oksigen dalam kentut lebih banyak karena tubuhnya tidak sempat mengabsorbsi oksigen.

3. Kenapa kentut berbau busuk?

Bau kentut karena kandungan hidrogen sulfida & merkaptan. Kedua senyawa ini mengandung sulfur (belerang). Makin banyak kandungan sulfur dalam makanan anda, makin banyak sulfida & merkaptan diproduksi oleh bakteri dalam perut, & makin busuklah kentut anda.

Telur & daging punya peran besar dalam memproduksi bau busuk kentut. Kacang- kacangan berperan dalam memproduksi volume kentut, bukan dalam kebusukannya.

4. Kenapa kentut menimbulkan bunyi?

Karena adanya vibrasi lubang anus saat kentut diproduksi. Kerasnya bunyi tergantung pada kecepatan gas.

5. Kenapa kentut yg busuk itu hangat & tidak bersuara?

Salah satu sumber kentut adalah bakteri. Fermentasi bakteri & proses pencernaan memproduksi panas, hasil sampingnya adalah gas busuk. Ukuran gelembung gas lebih kecil, hangat & jenuh dengan produk metabolisme bakteria yg berbau busuk. Ini kemudian menjadi kentut, walau hanya kecil volumenya,tapi SBD (Silent But Deadly)

6. Berapa banyak kentut diproduksi sehari?

Rata-rata setengah liter sehari dalam 14 kali kentut.

7. Mengapa kentut keluar melalui lubang dubur?

Karena density-nya lebih ringan, kenapa gas kentut tidak melakukan perjalanan ke atas? Tidak demikian. Gerak peristaltik usus mendorong isinya ke arah bawah. Tekanan di sekitar anus lebih rendah.

Gerak peristaltik usus menjadikan ruang menjadi bertekanan, sehingga memaksa isi usus, termasuk gas-nya untuk bergerak ke kawasan yg bertekanan lebih rendah, yaitu sekitar anus. Dalam perjalanan ke arah anus, gelembung-gelembung kecil bergabung jadi gelembung besar.

Kalau tidak ada gerak peristaltik, gelembung gas akan menerobos ke atas lagi, tapi tidak terlalu jauh, karena bentuk usus yg rumit & berbelit-belit.

8. Berapa waktu yang diperlukan oleh kentut untuk melakukan perjalanan ke hidung

orang lain?

Tergantung kondisi udara, seperti kelembaban, suhu, kecepatan & arah angin, berat molekul gas kentut, jarak antara ‘transmitter’ dengan ‘receiver. Begitu meninggalkan sumbernya, gas kentut menyebar & konsentrasinya berkurang.

Kalau kentut tidak terdeteksi dalam beberapa detik, berarti mengalami pengenceran di udara & hilang ditelan udara selama-lamanya. Kecuali kalau anda kentut di ruang sempit, seperti lift, mobil, konsentrasinya lebih banyak, sehingga baunya akan tinggal dalam waktu lama sampai akhirnya diserap dinding.

9. Apakah setiap orang kentut?

Sudah pasti, kalau masih hidup. Sesaat setelah meninggalpun orang masih bisa kentut.

10. Betulkah laki-laki kentut lebih sering daripada perempuan?

Tidak ada kaitannya dengan gender. Kalau benar, berarti perempuan menahan

kentutnya, & saat kentut banyak sekali jumlah yg dikeluarkan.

11. Saat apa biasanya orang kentut?

Pagi hari di toilet. yang disebut “morning thunder”. Kalau resonansinya bagus, boleh kedengaran di seluruh penjuru rumah.

12. Mengapa makan kacang-kacang menyebabkan banyak kentut?

Kacang-kacang mengandung zat gula yg tidak bisa dicerna tubuh. Gula tsb (raffinose, stachiose, verbascose) jika mencapai usus, bakteri di usus langsung berpesta pora & membuat banyak gas. Jagung, kubis, susu juga penyebab banyak kentut (bukan baunya!).

13. Selain makanan, apa saja penyebab kentut?

Udara yang tertelan, makan terburu-buru, makan tanpa dikunyah, minum soft drink, naik pesawat udara (karena tekanan udara lebih rendah, sehingga gas di dalam usus mengalami ekspansi & muncul sebagai kentut).

14. Apakah kentut sama dengan sendawa, tapi muncul dari lain lubang?

Tidak… sendawa muncul dari perut, komposisi kimianya lain dengan kentut. Sendawa mengandung udara lebih banyak, kentut mengandung gas yang diproduksi oleh bakteri lebih banyak.

15. Kemana perginya gas kentut kalau ditahan tidak dikeluarkan?

Bukan diabsorbsi darah, bukan hilang karena bocor.. Tapi bermigrasi ke bagian atas menuju usus & pada gilirannya akan keluar juga. Jadi bukan lenyap,tapi hanya mengalami penundaan.

16. Mungkinkah kentut terbakar?

Kentut mengandung metana, hidrogen yg combustible (gas alam mengandung komponen ini juga). Kalau terbakar, nyalanya berwarna biru karena kandungan unsur hidrogen.

17. Bisakah menyalakan mancis api dengan kentut?

Jangan mengada-ada…. konsistensinya lain. Juga suhunya tidak cukup panas untuk memulai pembakaran.

18. Mengapa kentut anjing & kucing lebih busuk?

Karena anjing & kucing adalah karnivora (pemakan daging). Daging kaya akan protein. Protein mengandung banyak sulfur, jadi bau kentut binatang ini lebih busuk. Lain dengan herbivor seperti kambing, kuda,gajah, yang memproduksi kentut lebih banyak, lebih lama, lebih keras bunyinya, tapi relatif tidak berbau.

19. Betulkah pening kepala kalau mencium bau kentut 2-3 kali berturut-turut?

Kentut mengandung sedikit oksigen, mungkin sedikit saja anda mengalami pening kepala kalau mencium bau kentut terlalu banyak.

20. Apakah warna kentut?

Tidak berwarna. Kalau warnanya ora nye seperti gas nitrogen oksida, akan ketahuan siapa yang kentut.

21. Apakah kentut itu acid, basa atau neutral?

Acid, karena mengandung karbondioksisa (CO2) & hidrogen sulfida (H2S).

22. Apa yang terjadi kalau seseorang kentut di planet Venus?

Planet Venus sudah banyak mengandung sulfur (belerang) di lapisan udaranya, jadi kentut di sanapun tidak ada pengaruhnya

author: unknown