For some reason, possibly having something to do with the fact that three of the last seven governors have had certain legal problems, Illinois seems to be coming out with a new license plate design for 2009.

(Not really, but this design is making the e-mail rounds today.)

Hey, they should at least give you an option to buy one. Maybe this is a way to make up for the money the CTA is wasting!

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In King County, Wash., local officials are mulling a move to prohibit residents from washing their cars on the street over concerns that the runoff is sloshing into Puget Sound. In Fairfax, Calif., fearing similar runoff pollution, officials have proposed a ban on washing cars in front of one’s home, with citations and possible imprisonment for violators.

Read more on the Wall Street Journal. It’s for the fishes right? Keep your cars dirty for the sake of helping our eco-system stay healthy. What are your thoughts?

A Pentagon group has encouraged some U.S. military snipers in Iraq to target suspected insurgents by scattering pieces of “bait,” such as detonation cords, plastic explosives and ammunition, and then killing Iraqis who pick up the items, according to military court documents.

Sound off in the comments concerning the idea of scattering explosive materials in hopes of luring positive sniper targets. WTF?

Determined to find the law that requires American citizens to pay income tax, producer Aaron Russo (“The Rose,” “Trading Places”) set out on a journey to find the evidence. This film which is neither left, nor right-wing is a startling examination of government. It exposes the systematic erosion of civil liberties in America since 1913 when the Federal Reserve system was fraudulently created. Through interviews with U.S. Congressmen, a former IRS Commissioner, former IRS and FBI agents and tax attorneys and authors, Russo connects the dots between money creation, federal income tax, and the national identity card which becomes law in May 2008. This ID card will use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips which are essentially homing devices used to track people. This film shows in great detail and undeniable facts that America is moving headlong into a fascist police state. Wake up!

via http://www.freedomtofascism.com/

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, whose tenure has been marred by controversy and accusations of perjury before Congress, has resigned. A senior administration official said he would announce the decision later this morning in Washington.

Mr. Gonzales, who had rebuffed calls for his resignation, submitted his to President Bush by telephone on Friday, the official said. His decision was not immediately announced, the official added, until after the president invited him and his wife to lunch at his ranch near here.

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Take it to the comments. [via]

Have to say this is QUITE funny!

Two candidates in the Philippines who got the same number of votes in a local election have settled the issue of who won by tossing a coin.

Bryan Byrd Bellang and Benjamin Ngeteg tied for the last of eight council seats in Bontoc, a resort town some 280km (175 miles) north of Manila.

They agreed to the coin toss, set down in local election rules. Mr Bellang called heads and won the seat.

Personally, I would have insisted on a much more predictable game of rock, paper, scissors. But that’s just me. What would you have preferred?

“The U.S. Army’s not going to pay the bill for you to get on MySpace and YouTube,” said Maj. Bruce Mumford, of Chester, Nebraska, who is serving as the brigade communications officer for the 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, in Iraq. [...]

As blogs and video-sharing become more common, the military has voiced increasing concern about service members revealing details about military operations or other information about equipment or procedures that will aid the enemy.

At the same time, service members have used the Web sites to chronicle their time in battle, posting videos and writing journals that provide a powerful, personal glimpse into their days at war.

Having a background in IT, I can understand the bandwidth concerns – but I am a firm believer that the troops deserve unfettered access to the internet preserving their rights to free speech that they are so bravely protecting.

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Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire yesterday signed this country’s first law putting the kibosh on the dangerous practice of text messaging while behind the wheel of a moving automobile. … Bully for her.

Lawmakers in the other Washington should take note and follow suit, but in the meantime several other states, including New Jersey, are considering similar legislation.

Sometimes the law is an ass. Sometimes it just takes awhile to wake up.

A major weakness in the Washington law is that it allows for enforcement of the no-texting-while-driving provision only when the driver has already committed another traffic offense. Moreover, the paltry fine of $101 will mean little to the Crackberry-obsessed businesspeople who consider their need to communicate while cruising the fast lane more important than the safety of those around them.

So let’s all be honest. Who out there is guilty of text messaging while driving? I don’t care if it’s texting while sitting at a stop light or texting with one hand while driving down the freeway. Actually, what I should be asking if who hasn’t sent messages while driving?