I'd emailed my Senator a few weeks ago about the energy situation and just got a response. Here it is, and my response to his email. His definition of conservation and mine are a bit different.

[quote]
Dear Mr. Gorrell:

Thank you for your previous correspondence on the energy issue . I appreciate hearing from you.

I share your concerns about the negative impact that rising energy prices are having on Georgia 's families. This is the number one issue facing Georgians today, and it is having a significant effect on family budgets and small businesses.

The key areas of a responsible energy policy that will reduce gas prices, lessen our dependence on foreign oil, and strengthen our economy are: increasing our domestic energy production; improving energy efficiency through technology; increasing conservation; diversifying our nation's energy supply through the use of renewable fuel sources; and ensuring transparency in our futures markets.

Recently, I formed a bipartisan energy working group to craft legislation to address our current energy crisis. We came together because we all believe this issue is too important to fall victim to political games.

On Friday, August 1, 2008, the group unveiled the "New Energy Reform Act of 2008" (New ERA 200. This comprehensive bipartisan energy plan focuses on the aforementioned key areas of increased domestic production, increased energy efficiency, and improved conservation in order to reduce the price of gas and secure our energy future.

The New Energy Reform Act of 2008 has three main components: first, an intensive effort to transition America 's vehicles to non-petroleum based fuels; second, a robust federal commitment to conservation and energy efficiency; and third, targeted, responsible domestic production of energy resources.

The New ERA legislation funds a $20 billion "Apollo Project" like effort to support the goal of transitioning 85% of America 's new motor vehicles to non- petroleum-based fuels within 20 years. This will include $7.5 billion for the research and development of advanced batteries and other major technological barriers to alternative fuel vehicles. Another $7.5 billion will help U.S. automakers and parts makers re-tool and re-equip to become the world leader in making alternative fuel vehicles. Reaching this goal will not only allow the United States to be free from our dependence on foreign oil, it will benefit our economy by energizing our domestic auto manufacturers.

Another lying, hypocritical Republican. Go figure. Reminds me of vehement anti-fags Mark Foley and Larry Craig. Being a hypocrite is bad enough, but at least have the balls to not be a liar as well.

[quote]
Woman details abortion, relationship with "pro-life" congressional candidate

A woman who dated congressional candidate Mike Erickson seven years ago said she asked him directly whether he wanted to have a baby. He shook his head no, she said, and paid for her abortion.

In interviews with The Oregonian newspaper, the Oregon City woman said she met Erickson in September 2000 and that she had the abortion in January 2001. They saw each other afterward, she said, even going on a trip to Mexico in March, before the relationship ended. She spoke on the condition that only her first name, Tawnya, be used.

Erickson agrees that he gave Tawnya $300 for medical help, and a ride to a doctor's office, but said he didn't know she was pregnant or planned to get an abortion.

Erickson, a Lake Oswego businessman, is the Republican candidate in Oregon's 5th Congressional District and is running on an anti-abortion platform. The charge that he provided money to Tawnya nearly derailed his campaign for the May 20 primary and could hobble his chances in the Nov. 4 general election against state Sen. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby.

Tawnya, now 34, recalled sitting with Erickson that January, parked across from the abortion clinic.

"I asked him, 'Are you sure you don't want a baby?' " she said. "He shook his head. I opened the door, got out bawling and crossed the street and walked up to the clinic."

Erickson, 45, said he dated Tawnya "for a couple of months." He told The Oregonian he didn't remember many details about their relationship, including where they met or when they dated. He said she betrayed no emotion during the car ride.

"Did I pay for an abortion? Absolutely not," Erickson said.

"She was having some financial troubles," he said. "She asked for some money to go have a doctor's appointment — not knowing what that was — and whatever happened, happened, I guess. I didn't even know she had an abortion."

Ever wonder what's in your future? Don't buy a magic 8-ball and don't call Psychic Hotline. Ask Cheesodamus.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

A caucus of Waizen Cats and Kittens having occurred within the month of February, for the purpose of discussing, selecting, and supporting one candidate for the office of President of the United States, and said caucus resulting in the selection of Barack Hussien Obama Junior by an overwhelming majority, be it so resolved:

On this Eleventh day of February, in the year Two Thousand and Eight, Anno Domini, the electronic village of Wai proclaims Barack Obama as its candidate of choice for the National Wai Party.

Dog Help Us All.

Among reasons we have joined together in this common cause:

1. Obama will not eat our babies.

2. "Obama" rhymes with more cool words than any other candidate name.

3. Obama represents a new generation, a generation of change (especially spare change from the couch cushions): the Slack Generation.

4. Obama will not remind us daily of fat girls with blue dresses and billowing underwears. Obama's got game, so if he gets caught boinking an intern, we can be assured that the intern will be one that will make our nation proud to be American.

5. While Obama didn't fight in Vietnam and get captured by Charlie, he also won't go all Rambo in a fit of post-traumatic stress disorder.

6. Obama will get us free universal medical care, while compassionately warning us all to be careful, because "you get what you pay for"

7. Obama is not Bush--if anything, he is the only real anti-Bush this year.

8. Obama Girl is teh hawt!

9. If Obama raises our taxes, we'll actually get something meaningful in return: timely hurricane disaster response, bridges that don't collapse, and Hollywood movies about good, decent, honorable presidents

10. Obama toked, smoked, and snorted--and was honest enough to tell the truth about inhaling. Gotta love a stand-up guy brave enough to tell the truth!

Barack Obama - Official Website

The Official Epic Poem of WaiOffTopic.com. It is a brief overview of Wai history as seen by Whistle. Intoxication recommended to continue further.

I give to you, The WAIneid

In the late of summer year MMV
A group of lads and I left the land FPSC.
We ventured and journeyed all up and down the net,
Our group finally found a home in which we could set…

One day we hath found a place of great promise
We came to like it there, very little was amiss
It was a lively community full of brilliance and cheer
We soon found ourselves drinking their nectar and beer.

From all around they came, at TBF2 we did unite
Many wise people made home at this site
At this new dwelling the future was wrote
Wisdom and knowledge we all did tote…

For months and weeks we talked and buttsecksed.
Our words were too violent, the order we vexed
Amongst our time there we built many a great bond.
We joined together becoming ever more fond…

Off Topic Regulars, our name had been given,
from our homeland we then were driven
Too raunchy for them, a great rift occurred,
But we would not split, of that we were sure…

The tyrant kings of TBF2 had grown quite abusive
Vodka soaked Russians carved many a shiv.
This would not be stood for, we were not their slaves
A great war was at hand, let them dig their own graves…

Rather than fight we left for new shelter
A land called FG was born in helter skelter.
We left there with hope of a better homeland
For a while we thought we had our niche in the sand…

Tales of whore Hiltons and people above you.
Californians a plenty and one to three Jews,
Atlantaen Wisemen and Massachusetts homos,
In time we had chided our new major-domos…

Looking not to upset us they tried t’be more lenient
Our buttsecks and nonsense they could not relent
Plots of civil war and violence they had derived
In only little time, few would survive…

Looking for change they threw us a bone!
Alas, they created for us a Wai Off Topic Zone!

So as I promised a few months ago, I’m writing an article on robotics for this here place we call home. And I’ll try to keep it updated with new info on the newest projects I see coming out. Basically, I’m going to introduce you people to what I consider to be the coolest robotic systems being developed (in no particular order), and I’ll probably try to get you to look at what I’m working on too. So anyway, here’s the first installment of…the thread…I’ll make a name later.

Vecna BEAR (Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot) - http://www.vecnarobotics.com/robotics/

So I first found out about this robot in the creatively named “ROBOT Magazine”, but when it really caught my attention was at the RoboBusiness conference in Boston a couple months ago. The upper body is impressive, and capable of carrying around a wounded soldier in full combat gear. But what is really ground breaking about this system is the propulsion. It is capable of moving in “standing”, “kneeling”, and “crawling” positions with the combination of wheels and tracked “legs”. The standing position is similar to a Segway, this would be used to rapidly cover open ground under little fire. When it’s kneeling, the “shin” tracks are the primary surface, and when crawling, both sets are in contact. This allows it to cover a wide array of terrain, under varying conditions, with widely varying loads.

Foster-Miller TALON - http://www.foster-miller.com/lemming.htm

Several Wai members have a real thing for abandoned asylums and Mopar recently visited the Kings Park Psychiatric Center and took a bunch of pics.

Wikipedia Entry

Full photo set

So the last few days I was down in Atlanta for the world robotics championships. And we won the whole thing. The game consisted of trying to form rows of innertubes on a field structure called "the rack". We had six weeks to design and build these over the winter, and there are around 1300 other teams worldwide. We also won the Silicon Valley Regional, and got the quality design award there this year, and took the Chairman's Award (best team outreach efforts) at our more local regional event. At the end of each match you could lift your alliance members for bonus points. Heres a few shots of the robot.


Oh, and the CNN story.


(my team is 190, our allies in the final matches were 987 and 177)


So basically, our robot was designed to focus on lifting two robots at the end of the match, but still score a few tubes to block opposing rows and play some rough defense. 987 played as a tube-centric robot and just covered our side of the rack as best as they could. Meanwhile 177 kept the other alliance off balance and scored tubes to stop rows as well. Then as time ran out we ran back into our home zone, lowered the ramps, and fired them up to 12" after 987/177 climbed. Videos to come ASAP.

What do you call a man who feeds more than 25 homeless people for charity? A hero? A saint? Well, if you live in Orlando, you call him a criminal.

Eric Montanez, a 21 year old member of the activist group Food-not-bombs, was arrest April 4th for feeding stew to 30 homeless people without first receiving a permit that is required by a new, controversial city law. After obtaining a vile of the stew as evidence, he was handcuffed and dragged off by no less than three city police officers. His is now free on $250 dollars bail.

An affidavit by one of the arresting officers said that he was arrested for trying to conceal his identity by throwing away his ID. Eric claims that no such thing happened. "I had it in my hand. They cuffed me and they dragged me off. I can't hold onto things with handcuffs on my hands," he said.

The city law prohibits the feeding of more than 25 people within two miles of City Hall without a permit that can only be issued twice per year. I hope those homeless people stock up since they won't have another free meal for 6 months.

When questioned about the law, proponents state that it is to protect the citizen of the city and to prevent safety and sanitary hazards. Apparently if you are homeless in Orlando, you don't count as a citizen and your right to food mean less that the right of those that have homes to also have a clean little park to walk their dogs in.

The city clerk, Alana Brenner, says that the city has set up "an alternative location near downtown," where "feedings can take place any day, any hour." conveniently ignoring that the area is an unsafe slum where at least 5 homeless people have been beaten in the last year. One of them, 54 year old August Felix, was beaten to death by a gang of 5 kids ages 15 and 16 less than a block from the alternative location.

This arrest follows a history of city police harassing the homeless and those who try to help them in the downtown area. Suzanne Peters and her partners in food-not-bombs used to feed 75 to 150 homeless people at a time in Lake Eola Park, just a block north. Then, after the ordinance took effect, patrol cars, four at a time, would roll up, officers would step out make them leave.

And the winner is.....

ZemonerZ, with his If WaiOffTopic had a yearbook... thread!

As much as I hate to say it, the idea for a thread like that was brilliant. So stop by the thread and check it out!

Congratulations, Z.