Michael Jackson Returns to Stage - July 2009

The WORLD will hold its collective breath as the King of Pop makes his final appearance in London at the O2 Arena for only 10 shows in July 2009.

A couple of teasers for your MJ fix:



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plez sez: it's been twelve long years since the best entertainer in the world has graced the stage for a world tour.

i saw his "Dangerous" tour back in the early 90's... the boy is bad!

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View the This Is It press conference HERE.

Read the CNN.com article about the O2 Arena concert by the King of Pop.

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Could you pass the latest citizenship test?

I've been watching my DVD set: HBO Films "John Adams". I'm still in awe of the circumstances that gave birth to the United States of America and the basis of the rights that are guaranteed to all Americans in the United States Constitution. My favorite part of the miniseries continues to be the deliberations and arguments that took place during the First and Second Continental Congress... and I was surprised to learn that Georgia did not have representation during the First Continental Congress.

In October 2008 a new version of the U.S. citizenship test will be taken by all applicants. Could you pass it? The questions are usually selected from a list of 100 samples that prospective citizens can look at ahead of the interview. Some are easy, some are not. MS-NBC picked some of the more difficult ones.

Click here to take the MS-NBC version of the Citizenship Test.

1. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
A. George Washington
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. James Madison
D. John Hancock


2. When was the Constitution written?
A. 1774
B. 1776
C. 1787
D. 1865


3. What are the first words of the Constitution?
A. When, in the course of human events
B. In order to form a more perfect Union
C. To whom it may concern
D. We the People


4. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
A. The Preamble
B. The Bill of Rights
C. The Statute of Liberty
D. Declaration of Independence


5. Which of the following is NOT a right outlined in the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence?
A. Life
B. Liberty
C. Right to bear arms
D. Pursuit of Happiness


6. Which one of these is a right guaranteed by the First Amendment?
A. Freedom of the press
B. Right to trial by jury
C. Right to bear arms
D. Right to happiness


7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
A. 10
B. 17
C. 23
D. 27


8. Why does the United States flag have 13 stripes?
A. One for each state in the Union
B. The number of seats in the Cabinet
C. They represent the 13 original colonies
D. One for each article of the Constitution


9. Which of these was NOT among the original states?
A. New Hampshire
B. New York
C. Delaware
D. Maine


10. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
A. Louisiana
B. Vermont
C. Alaska
D. Maine


11. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. Which of the following is NOT a federal power?
A. To declare war
B. To print money
C. To declare treaties
D. To provide education


12. Which of the following is NOT one of the three branches of the government?
A. Federal
B. Judicial
C. Executive
D. Legislative


13. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
A. 100
B. 365
C. 435
D. 646


14. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 8


15. In what month do we vote for President?
A. January
B. February
C. September
D. November


16. If both the President and Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
A. Secretary of State
B. Secretary of Defense
C. The Speaker of the House
D. President Pro Tempore of the Senate


17. Who was president during World War I?
A. Theodore Roosevelt
B. Warren G. Harding
C. Franklin Roosevelt
D. Woodrow Wilson


18. How many justices are there on the U.S. Supreme Court?
A. 3
B. 5
C. 7
D. 9


19. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States?
A. John Paul Stevens
B. John G. Roberts, Jr.
C. Antonin Scalia
D. Samuel Alito


20. What did Susan B. Anthony do?
A. Hid John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln
B. Designed and made the original U.S. flag
C. Designed the original U.S. currency
D. Fought for women’s rights

NOTE: Candidates are not given multiple choices in the naturalization interview. The preceding questions were adapted from the immigration service’s sample questions.

plez sez: i took the test and scored a 95%. post your score in the comments section.

Georgia's New Laws

Georgia has a part time legislature, they go to work in Atlanta in early January, and then pack up and go home by the end of March. Most of the bills that get passed by the Georgia State Legislature (Republican dominated House & Senate) and signed in to law by its Republican Governor take affect on July 1st.

What follows is a short list of changes as published by the AJC:

GUNS

Georgians with carry licenses will be able to tote concealed guns on public transportation, into restaurants that serve alcohol, the parking lot of their employer, and into state parks.


BOOZE

Georgians may buy wine over the Internet or by phone directly from wineries.

They also may take half-finished bottles of wine they ordered at restaurants home with them.

Wineries will be able to sell beer and wine in tasting rooms.

Limousine companies will be able to sell customers alcoholic beverages.


MONEY

A new $21 billion budget takes effect, with a 2.5 percent pay raise for about 200,000 state employees and teachers and $1 billion in construction projects.


CRIME

Penalties will go up for having or selling fake IDs.

It will be a felony to be caught driving without a license four or more times in five years, and the first conviction will require a minimum two-day jail sentence.

Jailers will have to check the nationality and legal status of those convicted of driving without a license.

It is illegal for sex offenders to photograph minors without parental consent. And sex offenders also will be prohibited from volunteering at churches.


SCHOOLS

Clayton County high school sophomores and juniors will be eligible for the HOPE scholarship even if their school system loses accreditation.
(This law will come in handy, since it appears that Clayton County Schools will loose accreditation in the Fall.)

Georgians wanting to start charter schools will be able to make their case to a state commission if they run into opposition from their local school board.


IMMIGRATION

Requires public employers, contractors and subcontractors with 100 employees or more to run new hires through the Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify system to assure they are legally allowed to work in the United States.

plez sez: welcome to the wonderful state of georgia, where guns are allowed on MARTA buses and trains, and in restaurants that serve alcohol! i'm just wondering how long it will be before the fear and paranoia that would compel someone to carry a loaded gun with them into public will end in a serious injury or death? if you're that damned scared of other people, why don't you just stay home?!?

how long will it be before some trigger happy yahoo from Bumblefluck, Georgia feels intimidated on a MARTA train and decides to help the Atlanta Police with the crime problem that is a de rigour segment on the 6 o'clock news around here? how soon before two drunk patrons at a local watering hole decide to shoot it out over the waitress missing her two front teeth? how long before Atlanta's long heralded road rage turns deadly? and how long before some down-on-his-luck-and-mentally-ill homeless guy gets gunned down by a visitor to downtown Atlanta who felt "threatened" by a drunken panhandler?

i don't like guns in public and i've already had my rant about the SCOTUS 2nd amendment ruling from last week. i believe in a person's right to "bear arms" to protect home and property, but i'm leery about having that right extended to crowded public transportation or to establishments that contain individuals whose judgement may be impaired by alcohol. this Georgia gun law is a mistake.