Friday, February 29, 2008

What is Going On!

One more ricin story:

Coincidence? I Think Not

Within a few minutes of searching, I found these two odd items:





Yeah, I really believe that there's no connection to terrorism.

Ricin Incident

I want to know who the man was who was hospitalized. Particularly, I want to know his ethnicity.

Prejudiced? No, just highly suspicious about incidents like this. Often, it's the so-called victim who ends up being the person who's trying to spread it.


In other news, snow has been found to contain bacteria:

The most common bacteria found was Pseudomonas syringae, which can cause disease in several types of plants including tomatoes and beans.

The study found it in 20 samples of snow from around the world and subsequent research has also found it in summer rainfall in Louisiana.

The focus on Pseudomonas in the past has been to try and eliminate it, Christner said, but now that it turns out to be a major factor in encouraging snow and rain, he wonders if that is a good idea. Would elimination of this bacteria result in less rain or snow, or would it be replaced by other nuclei such as soot and dust?

"The question is, are they a good guy or a bad guy," he said, "and I don't have the answer to that."

What is clear is that Pseudomonas is effective at getting moisture in a cloud to condense, he pointed out. Killed bacteria are even used as an additive in snow making at ski resorts.

Which raises the question, Christner said, of whether planting crops known to be infected by Pseudomonas in areas experiencing drought might help increase precipitation there by adding more nuclei to the atmosphere.

While I'm thinking that one through, I'll peruse the new seed catalogs - I may want to order some more tomato plants.

This is just wrong





Come on, people. This is what 3rd World countries do, not the US.

Can't wait until mandatory health care hits - I'd expect more of this.

100 Top Female Tattoo Owners

While killing time earnestly gathering news, I found this site, World's Hottest Women With Tattoos for 2007,

You mean they've been doing this for years? And there's a trend going on?

Yeah. Stupidity is apparently contagious. Many of the women are rocket-scientists-in-disguise. Like Brittney Spears. And Angelina Jolie.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

A New Direction for Modern Societies

Reading Gates of Vienna today, I found a reference in the comments to a Eject! Eject! Eject! post of May 2007:
I’ve written a dozen or so major essays since I hung my shingle over this little corner of cyberspace, and received wonderful e-mails about all of them. But two – the last two – have generated a very specific response: more passionate; desperate, even.

The first was Tribes, which basically posited that there were people who relied on themselves and people who relied on the State. The second was Seeing the Unseen, which took a look at conspiracy theories and the mental illness required to believe in ‘chemtrails’ and the 9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB pathology.

Those both generated reams and reams of heartfelt sentiment, and that sentiment was much the same time and time again.

I thought I was all alone, people said. And I see this sense of despair and resignation spreading all across the web; from individuals in comment sections, or in lonely posts on obscure blogs.

Now here’s what’s interesting: this response is the same, again and again, although the stimulus is different. It might be increasing public irrationality and paranoia, or falling educational standards, or unchecked illegal immigration, or activist judges. Maybe it’s tolerance of crime, or endless lawsuits, or general mean-spiritedness. Perhaps it’s rampant defeatism, cynicism, a lack of common decency, and the sense that courage and honor are dying qualities that time is passing by.

And maybe it’s the dawning realization that our elites in politics, academia and entertainment (which controls our mythology) are leading the charge not to salvation but to the cliffs that seem so obvious to so many common people.

Something seems to be failing, something essential, as if all the nails and glue that hold a house together were dissolving all at once. And many people – perhaps you are one of them – watch all this happening and feel powerless to stop it.

Well, you are not alone.

So many stimuli, and always the same response: has the world gone mad?

What do those stimuli have in common?
He follows, in this post, to explain why societies make certain decisions, and how societies should function, for their maximum benefit.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Like Willie Nelson

I've been on the road for quite a few days, selling my Lowcountry house, traveling over the holiday to celebrate my grandchildren's birthdays. and, finally, returning home.

I'm beginning to feel like Willie Nelson's face looks like - miles and miles of bad roads. Today, other than grading and cleaning up my house, I'm resting. No car trips, no running around.

Just rest.

Hope you can do the same.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Debate in My Hometown



I only wish I could be there to blog it.

From WKYC News, the full story.

Disparities in Vote Counts



Well, that clears THAT up. Not a Clintonian conspiracy, just a difference in timing.

More Obama Photos





I've been checking - although both attended the Va event, the most frequently viewed photos are of Obama.

Now, some of that may be because of the fact that he's moving ahead (at least on elected delegates), but I have to believe that editors are responding to the historic value of the photos.

VA Hosts Dem Hopefuls



Notice what's really interesting about this picture?

Hillary's not in it. She's going to suffer from the "ho-hum" factor. Face it, a Black face in the race makes a photo or video that is likely to be on the news.

That's one aspect of interest. The other is that VA hosting a Black presidential candidate is not raising ONE token protest.

More Primary News



Lord, I love politics.

Hillary on the Ropes?



Sorry, I don't believe it. She may or may not be the most politically astute person in the race, but she is surrounded by people who have years of experience. I think the race is far from over.

It should be an exciting spring.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Rent-A-Clinton, Redux

I found a rather disturbing story on Suitably Flip. It seems that Hillary is not above making small change from the little (and not-so-little) people that give to her campaign.

What's the big deal? You can download that information from the FEB website, anyway.

Yes, but you aren't allowed to make commercial use of it. By selling or renting the lists of donors, candidates can make additional money from people who are, then, ALLOWED to use the names for commercial purposes.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

More From Muslims Supporting Obama

The following is apparently a NEGATIVE about Obama.
co-sponsored an amendment to the Illinois Pension Code allowing the state of Illinois to lend money to the Israeli government. He has also appointed several prominent pro-Israel advisors. Upon election to the Senate pro-Israeli zionist hawk Joe Lieberman became his Senate Mentor
Apparently, even Obama fails to sufficiently hate Jews.

Faith of His Fathers

At Muslims for Barack Obama, there's some information that might be of interest to voters inclined to support the Senator.
ISSUES & SOLUTIONS

QUESTION: What are issues and recommendations for solutions that are unique to Muslim Americans?

1. A Law against harrassment of a Muslim women wearing Hijab at the Airport, DMV and other public arenas.

2. Institute a Law to allow Muslim Employees to take a hours off from work for Friday Jummah Prayer.

3. Make the 2 Eid's, recognized National Holidays on Calendars with days off from work.

4. Optional Halal meals in federal buildiings, public schools and colleges.

5. Provide prayer areas suitable for Salah and Jummah, in public and private facilities. (i.e. Malls, Airports, Universities and government buildings.)

6. Organize a Muslim American group to assist in recommendations for US foreign policy affecting majority Muslim countries.
First, there is no harassment of Muslim women wearing hajibs in airports. There may be a requirement that they reveal their face (to a woman), as it is not only POSSIBLE that they could be someone other than the reputed passenger, it HAS HAPPENED that an impersonater took the place of a veiled woman (in several cases, cowardly terrorists - yes, I realize that's a redundant phrase - have put on the hijab to escape lawful authorities).

I don't have the right to take off for religious observances, unless it's mentioned in the employee handbook or union contract. Generally, it's not been a major problem, if the observance is once or twice a year. But, this site is demanding the release EVERY WEEK.

I don't believe that these Muslims have noticed, CHRISTMAS isn't a national holiday. In deference to the MANY employees who would like the time off, most employers close down for Christmas Day. SOME also close down over Easter (schools, for example). It isn't required, but an accomodation to a cultural norm.

I don't have access to private prayer rooms in most public buildings - why should they have what I don't?

Nobody has organized a Catholic group to "assist in recommendations for US foreign policy affecting majority Catholic countries" - so what makes them so special?

Answer - nothing.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Berkeley Gets A "Right Back Atcha"

I read about this on several blogs; meant to post about it, and forgot to. Go to The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, and see how the CA city's attempt to impose their elitist will and shut down military recruiting (since, of course, none of THEIR lovely, PC children would think of joining up without the EVIL, bloodthirsty villains of the armed services enticing them with empty promises) gets the return volley it deserves.

God Bless Demint (R SC) - it makes me proud to be a South Carolinian. Almost makes up for Lindsay Graham (spit!)

Lies of the Left

This COULD be a lengthy post. But, I'll try to winnow it down to a reasonable length. The CA Parent Bribery 'Scandal' - the 1...