No Silence Here

USA Today: Neyland Stadium among nine most unique fields in sports

Michael Silence — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:45:47 +0000

Here’s our list of the nine most unique. And remember, we’re ranking playing surfaces, not the stadiums that contain them. — More. (Via Brian Arner)

Quote of the Day

Michael Silence — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:42 +0000

Only in this Justice Department could flattery get you a prison term.

Ouch!

Red-light cameras newest foes: businesses

Michael Silence — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:06:40 +0000

Roberts said the cameras made Red Bank seem unwelcoming, which discouraged new businesses from taking root in a city that desperately needed revitalization. But all that began to change when the electronic vigil came to an end, he said. — More.

Oklahoma front pages today

Michael Silence — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:02:48 +0000

Via Newseum

Oh, the irony of it: Jay Carney: ‘It’s a scandal’

Michael Silence — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:18:19 +0000

Source. (Via Howard “C-SPAN” Mortman)

UPDATE: Journalists were already rattled by the Department of Justice’s secret seizure of Associated Press phone records when Ann Marimow’s disturbing scoop in The Washington Post about the U.S. Department of Justice investigating Fox News reporter James Rosen hit this weekend. — More at The day in government snooping.

A road rant: Klingon drivers

Michael Silence — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:01:32 +0000

I do a lot of driving around town. I drive my daughter to and from school. And seven days a week, I’m driving her to and from the extra curricular activities of dance, gymnastics and swimming. Those stretch from near campus to North Knoxville to Northeast Knoxville and to Farragut. That includes a lot of time on I-40, I-75, I-275, I-640, Callahan Drive, Washington Pike, Lovell Road and Kingston Pike. In fact, I do about 450 miles a week.

So here’s a question I have: Why do some turn on their turn signal when they’ve already moved into the lane they’re wanting in? I have at least an answer for some on that question. They’re doing that to “justify” in their minds cutting off some other driver. Rather than merging into traffic, people are barging into traffic. Rather than defensive driving people have turned to offensive driving. And if you try to practice defensive driving, especially on I-40 in West Knoxville, you risk getting run over.

I find this behavior a bit odd because even after living here for more than 31 years I’m still amazed at how polite, friendly and helpful a vast majority of people are. And I encounter a lot of people in a variety of capacities being out seven days a week.

I guess some people, like the Klingons in Star Trek, feel like when they get in a vehicle they can cloak their identity. As a result, they can anonymously race past vehicles in line to exit from I-40 west onto Lovell Road in order to squeeze in and cut off someone.

One sees this often with those little low-riding windup toys with the large, loud mufflers that some young guys drive. Oh, well, perhaps they’re happy gaining 10 or 20 seconds on arriving at their destination.

Woman using bare hands to build house with rocks

Michael Silence — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:23:30 +0000

SILVER CREEK, Ga. — A woman is using her bare hands to build a house in the woods of north Georgia by stacking large rocks on top of each other, one rock at a time.

Neighbors of Connie Couey Reeves, 58, began showing up to help her after hearing about the endeavor. — More.

Study: Most hate-tweets come from eastern U.S.

Michael Silence — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:05:05 +0000

“How much hate people are broadcasting online is a little shocking and upsetting,” said Monica Stephens, assistant professor of geography at Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif. — More.

WTH: Acronyms in the news

Michael Silence — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:19:45 +0000

WH IRS AP CIA DOJ IRS AP OJ EPA IRS DUI AP CBS ABC CNN GIF CNN CBS ABC RNC POTUS HHS AP/DOJ ALG AG/AP IRS/ABC FBI

OMG WTF?

Town suing ‘Robin Hoods” who put coins in parking meters

Michael Silence — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:13:53 +0000

KEENE – The city has filed a lawsuit against six citizens, part of a group dubbed Robin Hood of Keene that patrols downtown armed with video cameras and pockets full of change to fill expired parking meters.

“They say video recording or talking to them is harassing them, but I don’t agree with that,” “Robin Hooder” James Cleaveland said of parking enforcement officers. “So they want to establish a safety zone of fifty feet.” — More.

Seems to me it’s freedom of expression and it’s on public property. And video recording in public is harassment? Lame.