Sam Spade's San Francisco

NO TORCH IN TIBET!

Under heavy security, China's Olympic torch arrived in Beijing this morning. According to the Times Online, the elaborate celebration held in Tiananmen Square to welcome the torch included a dance performance with smiling Tibetan students. This is yet another example of the Chinese government's thinly veiled attempt to use the Olympics as a political tool to promote China as a peaceful and unified nation and to cover up its brutal occupation and crackdown inside Tibet.

Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) has launched a new flash animation video to expose the true face of the Chinese government as it tries to hide behind its glossy Olympics branding and messaging. Click here to view the video!

Help share the truth behind China's Olympic torch relay propaganda:

• Click here to watch the Torch flash animation video and to send it to your friends and post it on your blog or website.
  
• To add the flash animation to your Facebook profile, go to:
  
• Visit www.torchrelaybeijing2008.org to learn more about China's tainted torch relay, where protests are taking place in the coming week, and how you can take action to help pressure the International Olympic Committee to remove Tibet from the relay route.

At the heart of China's Olympics propaganda campaign is the Global Torch Relay. The slogan "Light the Passion Share the Dream" is a message clearly intended to divert attention away from Tibet's nightmare of almost 60 years of occupation and an ongoing military crackdown that has left more than 100 Tibetans dead and thousands disappeared or imprisoned.

By countering China's imaging and messaging with our own, we will show China's leadership that the truth about their occupation inside Tibet will only continue to shame and embarrass them on the international stage in the coming months.

Tell China to Lose the Propaganda. Help Share the Truth for Tibet.
Go to www.torchrelaybeijing2008.org.

It is common to hear visitors say our San Francisco City Hall rivals the renowned Paris Opera House for opulence and majesty.

Opened in 1915 after a ground-up rebuilding after the Great 1906 Earthquake it is now designated as a National Landmark and is highly regarded as a true national treasure. City Hall was designed by architect Arthur Brown Jr., who also designed San Francisco's Memorial Opera House, Veterans Building, Temple Emanuel, Coit Tower and 50 United Nations Plaza.

In 1989 another massive rebuilding of City Hall began. This time the project was not to repair major earthquake damage, but to prevent it in the future. San Francisco City Hall is now one of the safest buildings in the world if you're caught in a major earthquake.

During an earthquake the massive dome acts as a pendulum. A base isolation system separates the building from the ground, thus interrupting the energy before it enters the structure and accelerates the dome. This is done with the installation of rubber and steel discs (base isolators) under each column. A four-foot moat around the building allows it to move side to side without being attached to the earth. San Francisco City Hall is now the largest base isolated building in the world and the only isolated national landmark. It has now been designed to remain operational even after a great earthquake.

Public tours of San Francisco City Hall are readily available to everyone. They are conducted Monday - Friday 10:00 am, 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm. All tours run 45 minutes to an hour. Reservations are required for groups of eight or more and must be made four weeks in advance to allow for scheduling.

A fee is charged for private groups of eight people or more. There is no charge for school groups from the elementary-high school level.

The sign-up location for tours is the Docent Tour kiosk, located in the Van Ness Ave. lobby next to the elevators. Reservations

Fun Facts about San Francisco City Hall:

-	The interior is finished in California marble, Indiana limestone, and Eastern oak. From the center of the lobby, a wide marble staircase leads to the second-floor gallery.
-	Built of gray California granite with blue and gold burnished ironwork, it was designed in a French Renaissance style. In plan it measures 408 by 285 feet, enclosing a square rotunda covered by the 112 foot diameter dome.
-	The San Francisco City Hall is located in the Civic Center, a complex of public buildings grouped around the Civic Center Plaza.
-	The top of the dome is 11 feet 7 inches taller than the United States Capitol in Washington.
-	Arguably the "finest public building in the world".
-	Designated City Landmark #21 on March 13, 1970.
-	Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated here in 1978.
-	Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married here in 1954.
-	There is $400,000 worth of gold in the dome's design.
-	The main floor of the Rotunda is approximately 75 feet square.

Resources:
San Francisco City Hall - official website
Directions, public transit and a map to SF City Hall
SF City Hall Photo Gallery
San Francisco City Hall - Wikipedia article
Mayor Gavin Newsom's Welcome Page
San Francisco Visitors and Convention Bureau
Academy of Sciences
Asian Art Museum
Barbary Coast Trail
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Exploratorium
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Moscone Center
Other Museums
Steinhart Aquarium
Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Symphony Zoo, San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport
Municipal Railway (MUNI)
Events Search, Convention & Visitors Bureau
Treasure Island Special Events
Hotels
Restaurants
Other Links Recommended by the Mayor
Coffee in the Castro - SF Castro District's Best Coffee Houses
San Francisco's Absolute Best Beefsteak Hamburgers
San Francisco's Ferry Building Marketplace - a Complete Guide
San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs
Taxicab Crooks and Scam Cabs in San Francisco

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Undeniably: The Best Hamburger in San Francisco

I was a junior in high school in 1965. That's the year Joe's Cable Car opened in San Francisco. It was a little tiny place, converted to look like a cable car. It was a drive-in and it became wildly popular with San Francisco teenagers. Think: Happy Days.

I know. I was one of those teens who went often to Joe's in my '57 Chevy.

Decades later in the early 1980's Joe's Cable Car became a full restaurant with an expanded enclosed seating area, cozy booths and wonderfully colorful neon signs and designs everywhere. It's still that way.

The first thing that strikes you are the lights. There are neon signs and decoration everywhere. The interior is bright and glitzy - like a mini Nevada casino without the slots.

The next thing you'll probably notice is Joe. He's there 6 days a week and he tries to say hello to everybody. He is one of the most hospitable people you will ever meet.

But it's the beefsteak hamburgers that has kept Joe's Cable Car popular with San Franciscans for the past 42 years.

Joe's Cable Car serves up the undeniably freshest, finest quality, tastiest, most mouth-watering and best prepared hamburger in San Francisco!

Now, by "hamburger" I do not mean those mushy, grey, soggy, mashed and smashed mystery-meat disasters peddled by the major fast food chains. Rather, I'm referring to the real, true American Ground Beefsteak Hamburger!

Joe's Cable Car starts with 100% U.S.D.A. federally inspected choice ribeye and chuck steaks. The steaks are trimmed down to as little as 6 - 8% fat and are estimated at 30 calories per ounce, about as much as fish and chicken. Then the steaks are ground fresh daily at Joe's open-view butcher corner for viewers to witness. You can choose from 4, 6, and 8 ounces TRUE SERVING WEIGHT!

Joe's Cable Car is open 11 AM to 11 PM 7-days a week. They are located at 4320 Mission Street at Silver. You can visit Joe's cable car online at: http://www.joescablecar.com/index.html

Also read: Joe's Cable Car Coming to Network TV. It's the story about the day when Guy Fieri arrived with his film crew. They shot an episode of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives TV show.

Other postings from this blog that may be of interest:
Coffee in the Castro (inside tips on the best coffee houses in the Castro)
Restaurants in San Francisco - Inside Local Tips - The Ultimate Guide (tons of links!)
San Francisco's Fabulous Lesbian Chefs (If you don't know these chefs, you should!)
Taxicab Crooks and Scam Cabs in San Francisco (if you ever take a taxi, you need to read this)
San Francisco's Ferry Building Marketplace - Complete Guide (San Francisco at its best)
San Francisco's City Hall - Architectural Masterpiece (you really should see this!)
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Recently three of the nation's largest investment banks - Citi, JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley - announced that they will begin using new environmental principles when considering loans for proposed coal-fired power plants.

The banks aren't yet saying "no" to new coal power, but for the first time, some leading financial institutions are saying it's time to at least examine the global warming implications of their investments.

This is good news and a move in the right direction: there are over 100 coal plants proposed in 40 states right now, many of which will require loans from banks like these.

The Alliance for Climate Protection is a nonpartisan non-profit organization founded by former Vice President Al Gore focused on stopping global warming. The Alliance is educating people in the USA and around the world that the climate crisis is both urgent and solvable.

Right now, we need to encourage the banks to continue to take bold steps for the climate and urge other investment banks and government lending agencies to adopt similar measures. Please click here to add your voice: www.climateprotect.org/bankpetition

For more information about the campaign, please visit the Alliance for Climate Protection.

Board of Directors of the Alliance for Climate Change:
Former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore, Chairman
Theodore Roosevelt IV, Managing Director of Lehman Brothers
Larry Schweiger, President of the National Wildlife Federation
Carol Browner, Former Administrator: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Brent Scowcroft, Former National Security Advisor to two U.S. Presidents
Lee Thomas, Former Administrator: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Orin Kramer, General Partner, Boston Provident L.P.
Former Congressman Sherwood Boehlert Kevin Wall, Producer of Live Earth / SOS

Click here for more information or to contact the Alliance for Climate Change at their Palo Alto, California office.

Want to explore the many things you can do to make a difference? Visit this interactive page from the Alliance for Climate Change.
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NPR (National Public Radio) covered the story of Scott Sigler who is breaking new literary ground. Sigler is the author of some of the first podcast novels — books delivered first by audio, in serial form.

Will this new form of "book publishing" become a successful trend?

In the photo: We've come a very long way since the first book was printed on the Gutenberg Press.

Sigler offers his insights in a conversation with Liane Hansen, host of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday.

Click here to listen to this story from NPR now.

Jet Airways has announced plans to begin service from SFO to Mumbai, India (BOM) for about $699 round-trip starting May 5th. The flight will have a single stop at Shanghai (SHA). Jet Airways was launched 15 years ago to compete with India's national airlines, Indian Airlines. For more information:

Website: www.jetairways.com.
Jet Airways also offers an exclusive portal for travel agents, www.9wagents.com.

Fleet: Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 80 aircraft, which includes 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 8 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 53 classic and next generation Boeing 737-400/700/800/900 aircraft and 9 modern ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. With an average fleet age of 4.3 years, making it the operator of the youngest aircraft fleet in Asia.

Please click here for detailed information about the Jet Airways fleet.

Airline Network: Jet Airways flies to 59 destinations that span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including New York (both JFK and Newark) Toronto, Brussels, London (Heathrow), Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat and Doha. Please click here to view their route map. San Francisco's SFO will be added to the map soon.

Hubs: Mumbai (Primary Hub and Maintenance Base), Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru and Brussels are our Secondary Hubs.

Flights: Jet Airways operates over 370 flights daily to 59 destinations within India and overseas.

Same day return flights are available between:
Mumbai-Ahmedabad; Mumbai-Aurangabad; Mumbai-Bengaluru; Mumbai-Bhopal; Mumbai-Chennai; Mumbai-Delhi; Mumbai-Hyderabad; Mumbai-Indore; Mumbai-Jaipur; Mumbai-Kochi;Mumbai-Kolkata; Mumbai-Raipur, Mumbai-Rajkot; Mumbai-Udaipur; Mumbai-Vadodara; Delhi-Ahmedabad; Delhi-Bengaluru; Delhi-Bhopal; Delhi-Chennai; Delhi-Kolkata; Delhi-Hyderabad; Delhi-Indore; Bengaluru-Hyderabad; Bengaluru-Chennai; Bengaluru-Kolkata; Chennai-Madurai; Pune-Bengaluru

Configuration of aircraft: Please click here to view Jet Airways aircraft seat maps and the configuration.

Reservations: Co-hosted in SABRE. Reservations can also be made on all major Computerised Reservations Systems (CRS), e.g., ABACUS, AMADEUS, GALILEO, WORLDSPAN, GETS, AXCESS, TOPAS, INFINI, SITAR and GABRIEL. Twenty-four hour reservations facility at Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru.

Jet Airways’ electronic ticketing service offered on www.jetairways.com enables passengers to book tickets to any destination on the airline’s route network through the Internet.

While the Bill and Hillary Circus travel the country assassinating any hope of a Democratic victory in November, Senator John McCain is launching full-speed ahead into the general election. If the Democrats are ever able to shut-up Bill and Hillary and convince them to give up for the good of the party and the good of the country (fat chance for those two) - if that ever happens - the Dems are going to start the campaign by trying to catch up to John McCain who is way out ahead of them.

John McCain just released his first general election TV commercial and it is powerful. It speaks directly to the Boomer generation - the single biggest and most powerful voting block in the country. McCain speaks Boomer language perfectly. He is a Boomer himself.

I too am a Boomer and I too was in the military and I too am a Patriot. At this point it is beginning to look as though John McCain stands a very good chance of locking in the Boomer vote. If that happens and John McCain becomes the next President of the United States - we can all thank Bill and Hillary Clinton. They ought to give the Clinton's honorary membership in the Republican Party. They are the GOP's best hope.

I support Senator Barack Obama, but if Barack is not the Democratic Party nominee, then my support is going to go directly to John McCain.

I, and tens of millions of Americans like me, have a lot in common with Senator McCain. We have enough in common with that decorated war hero, veteran and apple pie American, that when we are alone in the voting booth, our patriotism will rise up and we will cast our votes for John McCain.

The dual-presidency concept of Bill and Hillary doesn't stand a chance. We're going to have to send them back to Arkansas.

Here's Senator McCain's commercial:



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Scroll down for a complete list of Super Saturday sites in San Francisco.

“We don’t want any Americans to miss out on their economic stimulus payment. For millions of Americans, filing a tax return is not routine. Their income is either too low or not taxable. But this year, filing a 2007 tax return is the only way to receive an economic stimulus payment. Super Saturday is one way the IRS and its partners are working to ensure everyone eligible receives a stimulus payment,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman.

Super Saturday, part of an extensive outreach effort by the IRS, is a one-day event for which Americans can plan in advance. It also highlights the need for all taxpayers to file as soon as possible to avoid the April 15 rush.

Millions of Americans who do not pay federal income taxes may be eligible for a $300 payment ($600 for married couples) if they have at least $3,000 in qualifying income. Qualifying income is defined as any combination of earned income such as wages, nontaxable combat pay and certain benefits from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement. Many households also will be eligible for an additional $300 for each qualifying child younger than 17.

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Joint Quantum Institute (NIST/University of Maryland) have developed a new method for creating pairs of entangled photons, particles of light whose properties are interlinked in a very unusual way dictated by the rules of quantum physics. The researchers used the photons to test fundamental concepts in quantum theory.

In the experiment, the researchers send a pulse of light into both ends of a twisted loop of optical fiber. Pairs of photons of the same color traveling in either direction will, every so often, interact in a process known as “four-wave mixing,” converting into two new, entangled photons, one that is redder and the other that is bluer than the originals.

Read the full story by following this link to nist.gov, the website of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) fire protection engineers turned an abandoned New York City (NYC) brick high-rise into a seven-story fire laboratory last month to better understand the fast-moving spread of wind-driven flames, smoke and toxic gases through corridors and stairways of burning buildings.

In the photo: Firefighters watch as a fan, simulating wind, changes airflow and smoke conditions during experiments in a seven-story high-rise abandoned apartment building on New York City's Governors Island. The NIST tests examined firefighting techniques such as the use of positive pressure ventilation fans, wind control devices and hose streams to control or suppress heat and smoke from wind driven fires. Click on the image to enlarge in a separate window.

Research findings from the experiments are expected to help improve fire service guidelines for combating high-rise fires, enhance firefighter safety, fire ground operations and use of equipment. NIST expects to issue a report on the high-rise experiments by November 2008. The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded the Governors Island tests under its “Assistance to Firefighters” grant program.

For more information on NIST fire research in wind-driven fire research visit “Research Spotlight” at Fire.gov (www.fire.gov) and a recent NIST study reviewing six Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV) experiments conducted in a Chicago high-rise building, “Evaluating Positive Pressure Ventilation in Large Structures: High Rise Fire Experiments” (2008). See also coverage here in “Fans Clear High-Rise Stairwells of Smoke” (2007) and “NIST Test Fans the Flames for High-Rise Fire Safety” (2006).

You may read the full story at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

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For over 33 years, Tenderloin Tessie Holiday Dinners, an all volunteer organization, has helped feed hungry people in San Francisco on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. The volunteers work hard to prepare a comfortable hot dinner in a welcoming and secure environment. They serve the elderly, disabled, homeless, families with children and those who may not have family or a place to go during the holidays.

In the photo: A Tenderloin Tessie dinner at the First Unitarian-Universalist Church, on the corner of Franklin and O'Farrell Streets in San Francisco.

Tenderloin Tessie's mission is simple, to provide a hot meal and friendship to those in need. They are a non-judgemental group of volunteers who are dedicated to providing a bountiful meal, a smile and a gift to all of our patrons three times a year on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

Volunteers are needed to help put on the Easter Dinner, March 23rd at the Unitarian Church at Franklin and O"Farrell Streets. Volunteer entrance is through the kitchen door on O'Farrell.

To volunteer, please contact Michael Gagne at . The e-mail address is: .

Learn more at: tenderlointessieholidaydinners.org

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The Doolittle Raid Remembered:

When: Sunday, April 12, 2008

What: USS Hornet Living History Day

Where: San Francisco Bay, Alameda Point

See the aircraft carrier USS Hornet in action!

Witness simulated flight operations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed into launch position; participate in mission briefings; meet former crew; sit in the cockpit of a fighter jet! Andy Popenoe, a historian from the Doolittle Museum of the Travis AFB Air Museum, will be one of our featured speakers. He will give a very interesting presentation about local hero Jimmy Doolittle and the impact of the Doolittle Raid in WWII.

In the photo: The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-12) at sea with attack aircraft on deck and the forward flight elevator in the down position.

The April 1942 air attack on Japan, launched from the aircraft carrier Hornet and led by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, was the most daring operation yet undertaken by the United States in the young Pacific War. Though conceived as a diversion that would also boost American and allied morale, the raid generated strategic benefits that far outweighed its limited goals.

The sixteen bombers employed on the Doolittle Raid were all B-25B models, third production version of North American Aviation's B-25 "Mitchell" medium bomber design. Delivered in 1941, these aircraft were stripped of some of their defensive guns and given extra fuel tanks to extend their range. Two wooden dowels were placed in each plane's plastic tail cone, simulating extra machine guns that might hopefully persuade enemy fighters to keep their distance. Each B-25 carried four 500-pound bombs on the mission. One bomb was decorated with Japanese medals, donated by Navy Lieutenant Stephen Jurika, who had received them during pre-war naval attaché service and now wished to pointedly return them to a hostile government.

The planes were parked on USS Hornet's flight deck in the order they were to leave. There was no room to rearrange them, and their long, non-folding wings made it impossible to send them below. During the two week's outward passage, planes received regular maintenance and engine testing to ensure they would be ready. The leading bomber, piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle, had but a few hundred feet of deck run to reach flying speed, but every subsequent one had a little more. Each was helped off a Navy launching officer, who timed the start of each B-25's take-off roll to ensure that it reached the forward end of the flight deck as the ship pitched up in the heavy seas, thus giving extra lift at a critical instant.

For more information on the Hornet's Living Ship Day, the Doolittle Raid Remembered, Sunday, April 12, 2008:


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Sunday 23 March 2008

NOIR: The Sisters' 29th Anniversary Celebration

Down a dark alley at the intersection of 29th and Anniversary lies a joint of ill repute. This is a den of sin, where the only thing deadlier than a gun is the dame holding it. The joint is called NOIR, and it flows with the dough and screams with the swingin' sounds of San Francisco's finest performers. It's a little place run by that brothel better known as The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. And honey, no one will treat your frame better than us.

NOIR is located in Dolores Park, making it the world's only outdoor speakeasy; what's the point of sin if you can't share it with your neighbor? Grab that pretty filly or stallion of yours and hoof it down to NOIR. There you can pull yourself up a patch of grass and lay out your own spread as Sister Dionna Cross plays a leading role in the Sisters' Grant Show [1:50p]. We've got no dirty laundry here kiddo; the green given to The Sisters gets back to the community, and over $25k will be going out at NOIR. So empty those pockets, 'cause no one can swing when weighed down with too much change.

And speaking of swingin', do we have a show for you! It all starts at noon. We've got the sultry sounds of The B-Cups to get the fire in your heart burning [12:30]. The Ex-Boyfriends step up to the mike and lay down songs that will put the sway in your swing [1:30p]. Then we crank up the furnace with SFBoylesque: those beautiful boys put the sin in scintillation [2:00p]. We round out our groove with Charm School Dropouts, a group that will knock you through the roof, and drown out the sirens of the fuzz [2:30p].

But we ain't quitin' yet! Oh no. We'll implicate you in our dirty deeds with our infamous contests. Break out your Sunday finest for our Bonnet Contest, and be judged by your peers and Sister Dana Van Iquity and Sister Roma [1:00p]! Or if you really want a pair of cement shoes "downstairs", line up to be our next Hunky Jesus [3:20]. Be warned though -- Sister Barbi Mitzvah and Sister Edith Myflesh are tough as nails (although the word on the street is that they might be bribable). Each contestant has an opportunity to add $100 to their bank! Not bad for exhibiting the sins of pride and vanity with a little envy thrown in for good measure. Now if all this talk of sin is getting you down, Sister Mable Syrup will be on hand to take Confessions. If this broad don't put you on the narrows, no one will. And yet, there are some mighty fine people in this city, and Sister Dinah Might will bestow the honor of Saint to those that serve our community [12:20p].

Now of course we didn't forget about your kids. Startin' at 10:30 am Sister Risqué brings the pastels, the eggs and the bunny for Children's Easter. There will be face painting, an egg hunt, and various activities - including a special reading by Sister Reyna Terror. Now we love our families, and all they encompass, but the management would like to advise those parents out there that once the music starts at noon, the tone can get sticky for impressionable minds. Parental discretion is advised. NOIR is a Perpetual Indulgence™ Production.

Dolores Park
20th and Dolores Streets ()
10:30 am - 4 pm
FREE,
although making a nice donation to the Sisters
is the traditional and
the right thing to do!

Forget that Rice-a-Roni crap.
The Sisters are the Real San Francisco Treat!

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Click here to see the online flier.

Click here to download a PDF of the press release.

Main website of the: Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

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The 2007 YouTube Video Awards have been announced. Under the category of Politics, the winner is Stop the Clash of Civilizations produced by Avaaz. It is an excellent video with a superb message and I highly recommend it to you.

Avaaz.org is a new global web movement with a simple democratic mission: to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people everywhere want. Learn more at Avaaz.org

“Avaaz” means “Voice” in many Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European languages.

Here's the Avaaz award-wining video from YouTube:



If you cannot see the video here, try watching it directly on .

Also see these recent and related posts from this blog:
Tibet Protests at SF Chinese Consulate: See Video!
Stand with Tibet!
Stand by the Dalai Lama

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If you would like to see the protest that took place in San Francisco on behalf of the people of Tibet and in support of the Dalai Lama, you may do so by watching the YouTube video below.

The protest took place directly across from the Office of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco.


Now, here's the YouTube video:




Resources:
Avaaz.org
Official web site of the Dalai Lama
Students for a Free Tibet at USF
SaveTibet.org
blog: Tibet Will Be Free
Tse Chen Ling - Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies, San Francisco

After decades of repression, Tibetans are crying out to the world for change. China's leaders are right now making a crucial choice between escalating brutality or dialogue that could determine the future of Tibet, and China.

We can affect this historic choice -- China does care about its international reputation. But it will take an avalanche of global people power to get the government's attention. The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has called for restraint and dialogue: he needs the world's people to support him.

Follow the link below to sign the petition--and spread the word.

Petition to Chinese President Hu Jintao:

As citizens around the world, we call on you to show restraint and respect for human rights in your response to the protests in Tibet, and to address the concerns of all Tibetans by opening meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Only dialogue and reform will bring lasting stability. China's brightest future, and its most positive relationship with the world, lies in harmonious development, dialogue and respect.

Sign the petition at Avaaz.org today!

Avaaz.org is a new global web movement with a simple democratic mission: to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people everywhere want. Learn more at Avaaz.org

“Avaaz” means “Voice” in many Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European languages.

Also read: Tibet Protest at SF Chinese Consulate: See Video

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The great men and women serving in our military are loaded down with enough burdens right now. Here's a little bit of relief (not much - just a little) from the IRS:

Military personnel serving in combat zones have the option of including their nontaxable combat pay on their 2007 or 2008 income tax returns if it helps their eligibility for the 2008 economic stimulus payments.

To receive the stimulus payment this year, combat zone personnel or their spouses must file a 2007 income tax return by Oct. 15. Otherwise, they can claim the economic stimulus payment on next year’s income tax return.

“The last thing we want our troops in Iraq or other war zones to worry about are their tax returns. But we do want the troops, and their families stateside, to know they may qualify for the economic stimulus payment,” said Linda E. Stiff, Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service.

Starting in May, the IRS will issue economic stimulus payments of up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples) plus a $300 payment for each qualifying child younger than 17. The payments are based on 2007 income tax returns. The payments for individuals will begin to phase out starting at $75,000 in adjusted gross income ($150,000 for married couples).

Even individuals and families who normally do not file a tax return because they have no filing requirement may qualify for an economic stimulus payment. They may be eligible for the minimum payment of $300 ($600 for married couples) plus the $300 for each qualifying child younger than 17.

People must have at least $3,000 in qualifying income to get a payment. Qualifying income is defined as any combination of earned income (such as wages or taxable income from self-employment), nontaxable combat pay and certain benefits from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement.

Military personnel who normally would not file an income tax return because their 2007 income is not taxable can file a simple Form 1040A with the IRS if they want to receive the economic stimulus payment. They should report their nontaxable combat pay on Line 40b of the Form 1040A to show at least $3,000 in qualifying income. The Department of Defense lists the amount of excluded combat pay, along with the designation, “Code Q,” in Box 12 of Forms W-2.

If a military person is serving in a combat zone, his or her normal tax filing requirement is extended until at least 180 days after leaving a combat zone. However, spouses or others with a power of attorney can prepare and file a 2007 income tax return on their behalf so that the stimulus payment is received this year.

The IRS has developed Package 1040A-3, an 8-page publication containing tax tips, a sample Form 1040A and a blank Form 1040A. The package, available at www.irs.gov, contains everything needed to file the return immediately.

To ensure that a stimulus payment will be received in 2008, the return must be filed by Oct. 15 to allow sufficient time for processing.

There are a number of special tax code provisions that apply to members of the military serving in combat zones. They include:

• All military pay earned by enlisted personnel or warrant officers is excluded from gross income;
• Monthly pay of up to $6,867.60 earned by commissioned officers is excluded from 2007 gross income.
• All military pay earned by enlisted personnel hospitalized because of injuries sustained in a combat zone is excluded from gross income during the period of hospitalization. The exclusion is limited to two years after the date of the termination of combatant activities in the combat zone.
• Commissioned officers hospitalized because of injuries sustained in a combat zone have a monthly maximum exclusion of $6,867.60 for 2007 and have the same two-year limitation.
• Military personnel who miss a tax filing deadline because they are in a combat zone have 180 days after they leave that combat zone to file a tax return, if they have taxable income.

All the provisions also apply to members of the Reserves and the National Guard.

The IRS reminds filers that they can get their stimulus payments faster by using direct deposit when they file their tax return.

In addition, the IRS urges people to file electronically. For people who normally are not required to file a tax return, the IRS and the Free File Alliance have a special program set up to allow for free electronic filing. For those with computer access, IRS Free File –Economic Stimulus Payment is available at IRS.gov.

Related Items:

Economic Stimulus Payment Information Center

IRS Tax Info for Members of the U.S. Military

State of California's Franchise Tax Board - Tax Info for Members of the U.S. Military

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Have you heard of Avaaz?

Avaaz means "voice" in many Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European languages.

Avaaz.org is a new global web movement with a simple democratic mission: to close the gap between the world we have, and the world most people everywhere want.

In the photo: His Holiness, the The Fourteenth Dalai Lama. Visit the Dalai Lama's official website at: www.dalailama.com

I support Avaaz and if you are not yet familiar with the power of people united across the globe, then I invite you to flex your humanity muscles and join us. You can start by reading this, which just came in to me from Avaaz. I will share it with you just as I received it:

In just 36 hours, 253,553 of us have supported the Dalai Lama's call for dialogue and human rights in Tibet. This is an incredible response--if each of us can get 4 more of our friends to sign the petition, we'll hit 1 million this week!

After decades of suffering, the Tibetan people have burst onto the streets in protests and riots. The spotlight of the upcoming Olympic Games is now on China, and Tibetan Nobel peace prize winner the Dalai Lama is calling to end all violence through restraint and dialogue--he urgently needs the support of the world's people. China's leaders are lashing out publicly at the Dalai Lama--but we're told many Chinese officials believe dialogue is the best hope for stability in Tibet.

China's leadership is right now considering a crucial choice between crackdown and dialogue that could determine Tibet's--and China's--future.

We can affect this historic choice--China does care about its international reputation, and we can help them choose the right path. China's President Hu Jintao needs to hear that the 'Made in China' brand and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he makes the right choice. But it will take an avalanche of global people power to get his attention. Click below now to join 250,000 others and sign the petition--and tell absolutely everyone you can right away--our goal is 1 million voices united for Tibet:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/22.php

China's economy is dependent on "Made in China" exports that we all buy, and the government is keen to make the Olympics in Beijing this summer a celebration of a new and respected China. China is also a sprawling, diverse country with much brutality in its past, so it has good reasons to be concerned about stability -- some of Tibet's rioters killed innocent people. But President Hu must recognize that the greatest danger to Chinese stability and development today comes from hardliners who advocate escalating repression, not from those Tibetans seeking dialogue and reform.

We will deliver our petition directly to Chinese officials in New York, London and Beijing, but it must be a massive number first. Please forward this email to your address book with a note explaining to your friends why this is important, or use our tell-a-friend tool to email your address book--it will come up after you sign.

The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we must help them be heard.

With hope and respect,

Ricken, Iain, Graziela, Paul, Galit, Pascal, Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team

Here are some links with more information on the Tibetan protests and the Chinese response:

Crackdown in Tibet, but protests spreading:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/19/tibet.china
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/crackdown-on-protests-widens/2008/03/17/1205602289349.html

Dalai Lama calling for dialogue and restraint, and an end to violence: http://www.dalailama.com/news.216.htm
http://www.agi.it/world/news/200803191258-pol-ren0032-art.html

Leaders across Europe and Asia starting to back dialogue as the way forward: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7300157.stm

Chinese Prime Minister attacks "Dalai clique", leaves door open for talks: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/18/content_7813194.htm

Other Chinese signals: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/China_looks_at_India_to_talk_to_Dalai_Lama/articleshow/2875142.cms

According to a fascinating report from National Public Radio (NPR) Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the fire-breathing minister now famous for his "God Damn America" line, is not very representative of the people who make up the congregation of Barack and Michelle Obama's home church in Chicago.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright's comments from the pulpit at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago have put the spotlight on his church and his relationship with Senator Obama.

Ben Calhoun, reporting from WBEZ Chicago Public Radio, says the church being portrayed in the media, however, is unrecognizable to many who are familiar with the congregation.

Listen to or read the full story here from NPR

photo by Brian Kersey

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Yes, it's true. Whether our ancestors were white Europeans, Asian or even American Indian - we all came from Africa.

According to an article in Discovery News, modern humans are known to have left Africa in a wave of migration around 50,000 years ago, but another, smaller group -- possibly a different subspecies -- left the continent 50,000 years earlier, suggests a new study.

In the photo: A Neanderthal (foreground) and Homo sapiens skeleton are seen in this image. Modern humans left Africa in not one, but two, great waves, suggests new research. The earlier group -- which left the continent roughly 100,000 years ago -- bore genetic similarity to Neanderthals.

It's likely, the scientists say, that some populations native to Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia retain genetic vestiges of the earlier migrants. They also found the earlier group of emigrants had some genetic similarity to Neanderthals, a hominid that left Africa much earlier, settling in Europe and parts of western and central Asia.

Read the full story at: discovery.com/news
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A gravity wave rolls through the atmosphere instead of water. A NASA scientist has a very interesting video of a gravity wave rolling over farmland in Idaho.

According to NASA Research Meteorologist Tim Coleman, when a gravity wave bears down on a rotating thunderstorm, it compresses the storm. This, in turn, causes the storm to spin faster and that can create tornadoes.

The video is worth watching and the accompanying story is an interesting read.

You will find both the story and the video at science.nasa.gov

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Scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have for the first time found the telltale signature of methane, an organic molecule, in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system.

In the photo: NASA released this rendering of HD 189733b, an extrasolar planet more than 60 light years from Earth, which has the organic molecule methane in its atmosphere.
Courtesy NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)

Methane is one of the chemicals of life, an organic compound in the class of molecules containing carbon. However, no life is likely to exist on the large, gaseous planet known as HD 189733b. Its daily temperatures can reach 1,340 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can read the full story at: wired.com/science/space

More information is also available from nasa.gov

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