Antarctic glacier melt maybe 'not due to climate change'. (Note all the what's-happening-is-normal stories on this page. The tone isn't necessarily Nothing's happening, as much as it is This is Cyclical.)
The entire Climate debate is framed so shittily on both sides, but clearly, the Deniers are the worst. As a general observation, the vocal representation of Global Warming Deniers seem to discount any increases in weather extremes, claiming this is always how it's been, we just hear about it more now. And, ClimateGate is a legitimate scandal. But neither is true.
Global Warming advocates, on the other hand, seem to cling to mainstream interpretations of available data, or data that might have a different context in light of other discoveries and observations suppressed or dismissed by conventional science. Alternate science has observable data, too. And, at the end of the day, the majority of both groups agree: Something is going on. While there seems to be some support for some GW Deniers to acknowledge something's happening, the opinion still seems to be the minority within the movement.
The linked article is an interesting case in point. It wasn't an outright attack on Global Warming (Which I think is different than Climate Change--Climate Change is more agnostic in its "I don't know why it's happening, but it is happening" perspective. To me, anyway..), but it was written towards that opinion. Awesome. But it also managed to downplay the importance of the event itself. Ok, so Global Warming might not have caused this underground ice river to speed up, and cause a significant change in the amount of Antarctic water contributing to sea rise. Fine. So what are you doing to protect the populace with that information? Not much, as that's not the thrust of their research. Waters are rising: Are we using this information to buttress our coastlines? Naw, it's being used just to win an arguement and keep the status quo.
Something is fucking happening. Anyone can see that, if their eyes aren't covered and their tounges aren't powered by corporate payoffs. If we can't stop it(which we probably can't), we should be preparing for some pretty disaterous scenarios. But we are not, as we seem to be polarized within an arguement between headstrong, retarded schools of thought.
Time is tight, folks, and the clock is running out..
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Stunning..
Newlywed couple: Officer blocked us from ER during bride's stroke. There were multiple encounters.
1 "Aline tells Channel 3 Eyewitness News that once the couple was placed in a hospital room, the officer attempted to enter their room to arrest Jesse for evading the police.
2. Thursday morning Erlanger security informed the couple that a warrant for Jesse's arrest had been issued, and suggested he turn himself in. Aline says Jesse went to the Hamilton County Jail to turn himself in that evening. According to Aline, jail employees told Jesse that they had no record of a warrant for him and told him he was free to go.
3. On Friday morning the police were back at the hospital. This time Jesse surrendered to Erlanger Security who arrested him on behalf of the Chattanooga Police Department.
Channel 3 had the only crew there as Jesse was released on $7,500 bond, about eight hours after being arrested. He is facing seven charges related to Wednesday night's events, including felony evading arrest. He's due in court on July 9th."
Soo.. When involved in life of death emergencies, be sure to follow all traffic laws to the letter, because someone of authority might not understand the magnitude of the situation, or might not care.
1 "Aline tells Channel 3 Eyewitness News that once the couple was placed in a hospital room, the officer attempted to enter their room to arrest Jesse for evading the police.
2. Thursday morning Erlanger security informed the couple that a warrant for Jesse's arrest had been issued, and suggested he turn himself in. Aline says Jesse went to the Hamilton County Jail to turn himself in that evening. According to Aline, jail employees told Jesse that they had no record of a warrant for him and told him he was free to go.
3. On Friday morning the police were back at the hospital. This time Jesse surrendered to Erlanger Security who arrested him on behalf of the Chattanooga Police Department.
Channel 3 had the only crew there as Jesse was released on $7,500 bond, about eight hours after being arrested. He is facing seven charges related to Wednesday night's events, including felony evading arrest. He's due in court on July 9th."
Soo.. When involved in life of death emergencies, be sure to follow all traffic laws to the letter, because someone of authority might not understand the magnitude of the situation, or might not care.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Ya Think?
Democrats increasingly convinced of election fraud in SC primaries.
Excerpts: Depending on whom you ask, Alvin Greene's electoral victory in Tuesday's South Carolina primaries is either evidence that voting machines don't work, or that the Republican Party is planting phony candidates in Democratic races -- or both.
When asked by NBC's David Gregory on Sunday if Greene's election was legitimate, senior White House adviser David Axelrod said, "It doesn't appear so to me. It was a mysterious deal."
And:
Greene handily defeated opponent Vic Rawls in Tuesday's primary, winning with 59 percent of the vote to Rawls' 41 percent, despite not having run any sort of visible campaign, not having set up a campaign Web site, and being unemployed. And it quickly emerged that Greene is facing a felony obscenity charge over an incident in which he allegedly showed a college student obscene photos from the Internet.
So how to explain the unlikely election result? One theory, propagated by BradBlog's Brad Friedman, is that Greene was the beneficiary of phony voting-machine results. In 25 precincts, Greene received more votes than were actually cast; and while Rawls won absentee ballots by a whopping 84-to-16 percentage point margin, the election-day results showed Greene winning by 18 percentage points.
Friedman reports:
South Carolina uses ES&S' 100% unverifiable Direct Recording Electronic (DRE, in this case touch-screen) voting machines at the polling place. The machines, also used in many other states (such as Arkansas, where we recently reported exclusively on the disappearance of thousands of votes on May 18th, which neither state nor local officials are able to explain to this day) are both oft-failed and easily manipulated in such a way that it's almost impossible to detect the systems have been gamed.
And:
Strengthening the notion that Greene is a "plant" inside the Democratic Party is the fact that the unemployed candidate has not been able to explain, in interviews, where he got the $10,400 to file to run in the primary race.
Writing at FireDogLake, Scott Creighton sides with the argument that Greene may have been a GOP plant. Noting a TV interview in which Greene apparently isn't familiar with the term "indictment," Creighton accuses Greene of play-acting.
"Alvin Greene is pretending to be an idiot," Creighton writes, noting that Greene holds a college degree (in Political Science-My insertion here..) and worked as an intelligence specialist in the US military. "He is doing it because someone doesn’t want a strong populist democrat like Vic Rawls running against Jim DeMint in South Carolina for his seat in the United States Senate."
More from Bradblog here. This event is stunning in its audacity and arrogance. I'm in awe. Just when I think Republicans have hit their creative limit; Bam! They continue to sink lower.. Amazing. Really amazing..
Excerpts: Depending on whom you ask, Alvin Greene's electoral victory in Tuesday's South Carolina primaries is either evidence that voting machines don't work, or that the Republican Party is planting phony candidates in Democratic races -- or both.
When asked by NBC's David Gregory on Sunday if Greene's election was legitimate, senior White House adviser David Axelrod said, "It doesn't appear so to me. It was a mysterious deal."
And:
Greene handily defeated opponent Vic Rawls in Tuesday's primary, winning with 59 percent of the vote to Rawls' 41 percent, despite not having run any sort of visible campaign, not having set up a campaign Web site, and being unemployed. And it quickly emerged that Greene is facing a felony obscenity charge over an incident in which he allegedly showed a college student obscene photos from the Internet.
So how to explain the unlikely election result? One theory, propagated by BradBlog's Brad Friedman, is that Greene was the beneficiary of phony voting-machine results. In 25 precincts, Greene received more votes than were actually cast; and while Rawls won absentee ballots by a whopping 84-to-16 percentage point margin, the election-day results showed Greene winning by 18 percentage points.
Friedman reports:
South Carolina uses ES&S' 100% unverifiable Direct Recording Electronic (DRE, in this case touch-screen) voting machines at the polling place. The machines, also used in many other states (such as Arkansas, where we recently reported exclusively on the disappearance of thousands of votes on May 18th, which neither state nor local officials are able to explain to this day) are both oft-failed and easily manipulated in such a way that it's almost impossible to detect the systems have been gamed.
And:
Strengthening the notion that Greene is a "plant" inside the Democratic Party is the fact that the unemployed candidate has not been able to explain, in interviews, where he got the $10,400 to file to run in the primary race.
Writing at FireDogLake, Scott Creighton sides with the argument that Greene may have been a GOP plant. Noting a TV interview in which Greene apparently isn't familiar with the term "indictment," Creighton accuses Greene of play-acting.
"Alvin Greene is pretending to be an idiot," Creighton writes, noting that Greene holds a college degree (in Political Science-My insertion here..) and worked as an intelligence specialist in the US military. "He is doing it because someone doesn’t want a strong populist democrat like Vic Rawls running against Jim DeMint in South Carolina for his seat in the United States Senate."
More from Bradblog here. This event is stunning in its audacity and arrogance. I'm in awe. Just when I think Republicans have hit their creative limit; Bam! They continue to sink lower.. Amazing. Really amazing..
Katla Volcano 3 Earthquakes in Seconds
Remember that volcano a couple months back, that one obviously named by.. someone.. from Iceland(Eyjafjallajokull)? It's eruption (or not) shut down huge swaths of European airspace for a couple weeks, freaked out all involved(tourists, the Airline Industry, breathless media types, scientists and economists), and basically made a worldwide nuisance of itself? So you also remember there were some scientists Very Alarmed about the possibility of Eyjafjallajokull's bigger, badder buddy, Katla erupting? 10-times-badder-Katla? Hey, guess what? It's shaking..
Nothing more, yet. This can't even be classified as an earthquake swarm. I'll be watching this. If Katla intensifies, I'll let you know.
Nothing more, yet. This can't even be classified as an earthquake swarm. I'll be watching this. If Katla intensifies, I'll let you know.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
C'mon Now, Stop Picking On Poor BP..
Offshore Oil Drilling is a lot like Tightrope Walking. It's less dangerous than it looks, most of the time.. There are nets and safety protocols, and an accident is not deemed serious, as The Net is always there. Until it's not.
Take away those nets and safety protocols, and the result can easily become deadly. The difference? Tightrope Walking kills only the person(s) involved, and a massive disaster involving Offshore Oil Drilling can, quite possibly, kill millions of sea(and sea-dependent) animals, and effect millions along the Gulf and Eastern coasts of this country(and more..later). But these potentially apocalyptic implications (now that they're upon us) still doesn't stop The Love from some political-types..
Congressman Don Young: What's the fuss?
Rachel Maddow reminds us who the Real Culprit is: ACORN. (Long segment; so worth it. Really nice expose on BP's corporate monkeys on The Hill. And those recently employed there, of course.)
Everything is all right because BP says it's all right. Except where it is not.
Take away those nets and safety protocols, and the result can easily become deadly. The difference? Tightrope Walking kills only the person(s) involved, and a massive disaster involving Offshore Oil Drilling can, quite possibly, kill millions of sea(and sea-dependent) animals, and effect millions along the Gulf and Eastern coasts of this country(and more..later). But these potentially apocalyptic implications (now that they're upon us) still doesn't stop The Love from some political-types..
Congressman Don Young: What's the fuss?
Rachel Maddow reminds us who the Real Culprit is: ACORN. (Long segment; so worth it. Really nice expose on BP's corporate monkeys on The Hill. And those recently employed there, of course.)
Everything is all right because BP says it's all right. Except where it is not.
Astronomers Perplexed by Jupiter Collisions
The huge, burning object that slammed into Jupiter last week still remains a mystery to scientists who are currently examining this latest impact on the gas giant.
Snakes in mysterious global decline
Snakes may be declining across the world, according to a global study.
Excerpts:
Researchers examined records for 17 snake populations covering eight species over the last few decades, and found most had declined markedly.
For reasons that are not entirely clear, some populations shrank in number abruptly around 1998.
And:
The researchers believe they amassed most, if not all, long-term datasets for this study - although "long-term" in this context means going back more than one decade, in some cases more than two.
Nevertheless, within this relatively short time frame, eight of the 17 populations were seen to fall markedly in size - some by more than 90% - with only one showing any sign of a rise.
And:
Populations shrank even in protected areas, suggesting that the progressive loss of habitat for wild animals being seen all over the world is not the only cause.
Similar steep declines observed in frogs and newts in an earlier period were eventually found to be caused by the fungal disease chytridiomycosis.
The year when many of the snake declines began - 1998 - raises the question of whether climatic factors might be involved, as very strong El Nino conditions contributed to making it the hottest year recorded in modern times.
Excerpts:
Researchers examined records for 17 snake populations covering eight species over the last few decades, and found most had declined markedly.
For reasons that are not entirely clear, some populations shrank in number abruptly around 1998.
And:
The researchers believe they amassed most, if not all, long-term datasets for this study - although "long-term" in this context means going back more than one decade, in some cases more than two.
Nevertheless, within this relatively short time frame, eight of the 17 populations were seen to fall markedly in size - some by more than 90% - with only one showing any sign of a rise.
And:
Populations shrank even in protected areas, suggesting that the progressive loss of habitat for wild animals being seen all over the world is not the only cause.
Similar steep declines observed in frogs and newts in an earlier period were eventually found to be caused by the fungal disease chytridiomycosis.
The year when many of the snake declines began - 1998 - raises the question of whether climatic factors might be involved, as very strong El Nino conditions contributed to making it the hottest year recorded in modern times.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Why Corporations Are Evil, Example 666
'Phantom' Motrin Recall Probe Intensifies. Excerpts:
A Congressional probe into a "phantom" 2009 recall of Motrin pain relief caplets is causing headaches for the pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson.
In July 2009, Johnson & Johnson's consumer division, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, began officially recalling Motrin caplets thought to be dissolving improperly resulting in possible adverse effects.
And:
"Rather than doing the right thing and announcing a recall, we have learned that the drug company hired contractors to basically sneak into stores to purchase the products as if they were legitimate customers," Towns said in a statement last week. Towns called the Motrin case a "phantom recall" at a May 27 hearing.
And:
Last week, the Oversight Committee uncovered a document titled "Motrin Purchase Project" purportedly sent to WIS by Inmar, a Winston-Salem, N.C.-based supply chain management specialist. Towns's spokeswoman said the document indicates that a division of Inmar was contracted by Johnson & Johnson's consumer division, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, and that WIS, in turn, was subcontracted by Inmar. WIS workers were instructed to go into stores and buy up all the Motrin IB Caplets they found, according to the document, which was made public by the committee. "There must be no mention of this being a recall of the product!" the Motrin Purchase Project memo read.
And:
Documents supplied to the Oversight Committee by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration showed that the FDA originally found out about the alleged secret Motrin recall last year, and looked into it, prompting the official recall, which was never publicized and involved 88,000 caplets thought to be problematic. The FDA was initially told by Johnson & Johnson that its contractors were merely performing a statistical sampling, according to an FDA document made public by the committee. The dissolution problem was first identified in November of 2008, the FDA document said.
The Timeline is as follows: They knew about the problem since November 2008, didn't start working with the FDA until May of 2009, started covering their asses with a "Phantom Recall" in July 2009(when they started their "Official Recall"), and still aren't responding to this Congressional probe as of Tuesday.
Who says Corporations don't care about you and me?
A Congressional probe into a "phantom" 2009 recall of Motrin pain relief caplets is causing headaches for the pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson.
In July 2009, Johnson & Johnson's consumer division, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, began officially recalling Motrin caplets thought to be dissolving improperly resulting in possible adverse effects.
And:
"Rather than doing the right thing and announcing a recall, we have learned that the drug company hired contractors to basically sneak into stores to purchase the products as if they were legitimate customers," Towns said in a statement last week. Towns called the Motrin case a "phantom recall" at a May 27 hearing.
And:
Last week, the Oversight Committee uncovered a document titled "Motrin Purchase Project" purportedly sent to WIS by Inmar, a Winston-Salem, N.C.-based supply chain management specialist. Towns's spokeswoman said the document indicates that a division of Inmar was contracted by Johnson & Johnson's consumer division, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, and that WIS, in turn, was subcontracted by Inmar. WIS workers were instructed to go into stores and buy up all the Motrin IB Caplets they found, according to the document, which was made public by the committee. "There must be no mention of this being a recall of the product!" the Motrin Purchase Project memo read.
And:
Documents supplied to the Oversight Committee by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration showed that the FDA originally found out about the alleged secret Motrin recall last year, and looked into it, prompting the official recall, which was never publicized and involved 88,000 caplets thought to be problematic. The FDA was initially told by Johnson & Johnson that its contractors were merely performing a statistical sampling, according to an FDA document made public by the committee. The dissolution problem was first identified in November of 2008, the FDA document said.
The Timeline is as follows: They knew about the problem since November 2008, didn't start working with the FDA until May of 2009, started covering their asses with a "Phantom Recall" in July 2009(when they started their "Official Recall"), and still aren't responding to this Congressional probe as of Tuesday.
Who says Corporations don't care about you and me?
Monday, June 7, 2010
We'll Find Out Later Today, Won't We?
US financial markets may be shut down on Monday. No judgement whether this will happen tomorrow, but probably really soon..
Doom quote: We have never been this close to the inevitable outcome.
Then there's this: U.S.’s $13 Trillion Debt Poised to Overtake GDP: Chart of Day
So.. Soon.
Doom quote: We have never been this close to the inevitable outcome.
Then there's this: U.S.’s $13 Trillion Debt Poised to Overtake GDP: Chart of Day
So.. Soon.
Ruh-Roh..
Iran's navy offers to escort Gaza ships.
Official: Elite Revolutionary Guards are prepared to intervene.
This can't end badly, right?
Official: Elite Revolutionary Guards are prepared to intervene.
This can't end badly, right?
North Korea Parliament To Hold Rare Second Annual Session Monday, Major Announcement Expected
Excerpts: Analysts said the North could use the extra session of the Supreme People's Assembly to make a major announcement on personnel changes or power succession, or to issue a hardline response to sanctions imposed by the South over the ship sinking.
Many analysts say neither side is ready to go to war but also see the possibility of more skirmishes at their disputed sea border off the west coast or along the heavily armed DMZ land buffer that could flare up into a major fight.
And:
North Korea has called Seoul's move to refer it to the Security Council an "unforgivable act of grave provocation.
The Supreme People's Assembly is the North's rubberstamp parliament, and approves new laws, personnel changes and economic policy initiatives as a formality after they have been formulated by the leadership
Many analysts say neither side is ready to go to war but also see the possibility of more skirmishes at their disputed sea border off the west coast or along the heavily armed DMZ land buffer that could flare up into a major fight.
And:
North Korea has called Seoul's move to refer it to the Security Council an "unforgivable act of grave provocation.
The Supreme People's Assembly is the North's rubberstamp parliament, and approves new laws, personnel changes and economic policy initiatives as a formality after they have been formulated by the leadership
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Radio ghost mystery at former RAF station
World War Two radio continues to pick up vintage broadcasts despite not having any power.
A 70-year-old radio at a Scottish heritage centre has been picking up vintage broadcasts featuring Winston Churchill and the music of Glen Miller.
The Pye valve wireless at Montrose Air Station, a heritage centre that tells the story of the men and women who served there, has no power and is not connected to any source of electricity.
The aerodrome has been a source of paranormal sightings and sounds for almost a century, with reports of ghostly figures, eerie footsteps and door handles turning, but the mysterious wireless broadcasts have had even the most sceptical staff at the station searching for a rational explanation.
A 70-year-old radio at a Scottish heritage centre has been picking up vintage broadcasts featuring Winston Churchill and the music of Glen Miller.
The Pye valve wireless at Montrose Air Station, a heritage centre that tells the story of the men and women who served there, has no power and is not connected to any source of electricity.
The aerodrome has been a source of paranormal sightings and sounds for almost a century, with reports of ghostly figures, eerie footsteps and door handles turning, but the mysterious wireless broadcasts have had even the most sceptical staff at the station searching for a rational explanation.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
World War 3's Starting - And This Time, I Mean It! (I think..)
Israeli army: More than 10 killed on Gaza flotilla.
Israel denied anything happened..
Turkey and Syria are furious. So is Iran.
Turkey is screaming violation of international law.
Israel is recalling tourists from Turkey./Turkey calls out the Israeli Ambassador.
So, of course, Israel bombs Gaza.
Have a terrific week!
Israel denied anything happened..
Turkey and Syria are furious. So is Iran.
Turkey is screaming violation of international law.
Israel is recalling tourists from Turkey./Turkey calls out the Israeli Ambassador.
So, of course, Israel bombs Gaza.
Have a terrific week!
Terrifying events with hilarious mental images
Indonesian Mud Volcano Continues Fourth Year. How strange, complex, and scary! And since it's a Mud Volcano, hilarious! You know what would make that scenario worse and not so funny? Placing it 5000 feet under the ocean! And, of course, changing its name to Oil Volcano, and being able to see that unfolding disaster from space..
Sunday, May 30, 2010
A Busy Week To Be Off..
It wasn't intentional. I am a little overloaded with information at the moment, and just never felt like posting. Motivational paralysis, ennui, what the fuck ever It was, it's presence rendered me totally unwilling to blog. I just surfed.
It's a gloomy moment of time we're inhabiting, and metaphorically, we are just inside the tunnel of a very large mountain that may or may not totally collapse with us still in it. None, or rather, very few indicators trend positive. And the near and long term forecast, well, is bleak by any stretch of the imagination. Take, for example, the Oil Volcano currently erupting in the Gulf.
The Media continues to repeat the similarities between this catastrophe and the Bay of Campeche spill in 1979. The big difference lies not with reactions or technique, but is solely a matter of volume. The Bay of Campeche spill produced 10 to 30 thousand barrels of oil daily; This spill is gushing at 76 to 104 Thousand barrels a day. And that's just at this moment! What if their equipment continues to degrade? What if there are other gushers? Oops! There are. Any permanent solution is possibly months away, possibly longer.
Let's see: What else? Korea might go live, Europe's economy super sucks, our economy could collapse, Israel's prepared to attack.. Iran, according to this article, or Syria, or Lebanon.. And then there's some really out there possibilities that are really hard to visualize, much less process. And if those possibilities occur, the world will not ever be the same.
So, subconsciously I guess, I decided to "blank out. The time was needed. Something has changed. Matrix fatigue has set in, and the desire to observe, passively, has revived, and become stronger.
It's a gloomy moment of time we're inhabiting, and metaphorically, we are just inside the tunnel of a very large mountain that may or may not totally collapse with us still in it. None, or rather, very few indicators trend positive. And the near and long term forecast, well, is bleak by any stretch of the imagination. Take, for example, the Oil Volcano currently erupting in the Gulf.
The Media continues to repeat the similarities between this catastrophe and the Bay of Campeche spill in 1979. The big difference lies not with reactions or technique, but is solely a matter of volume. The Bay of Campeche spill produced 10 to 30 thousand barrels of oil daily; This spill is gushing at 76 to 104 Thousand barrels a day. And that's just at this moment! What if their equipment continues to degrade? What if there are other gushers? Oops! There are. Any permanent solution is possibly months away, possibly longer.
Let's see: What else? Korea might go live, Europe's economy super sucks, our economy could collapse, Israel's prepared to attack.. Iran, according to this article, or Syria, or Lebanon.. And then there's some really out there possibilities that are really hard to visualize, much less process. And if those possibilities occur, the world will not ever be the same.
So, subconsciously I guess, I decided to "blank out. The time was needed. Something has changed. Matrix fatigue has set in, and the desire to observe, passively, has revived, and become stronger.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Sinking Deeper Into Catastrophe..
Awful News From The Gulf: Explosions Collapse Seafloor At Deepwater Horizon Well Head.
This, really, might be the cataclysm that destroys us all. Or, rather, most of us.
This, really, might be the cataclysm that destroys us all. Or, rather, most of us.
Wednesday night, October 1993
“We are who we are. We’re just like anybody else.”
-The Other Ones, “We are who we are.”
She told me a story once, about growing up in the boot heel of Missouri, before he became a transsexual. His uncle was a clock maker and repairman, and there were over one hundred clocks in his shop. He visited often, as his uncle was non-judgmental about how he was different from the rest of his family. Sometimes they would wind as many clocks as they could, the alarms and chimes and ticking one giant, cacophonous, beautiful sound.
His family hated the way he was. His effeminate nature, his original thoughts, and his general behavior frightened them. But his uncle was good to him. When he died, he took one of the clocks as a memento.
He tried not to think about growing up in Missouri. This was difficult, though, as those were his formative years, like it or not. He went back a couple of years before, in 1989, this time as a drag queen. The experience wasn’t pleasant. He had not gone back or spoken with his family since.
She had good pot and needed to talk sometimes. She, I, and a guy who had been a professional photographer in New York had come over to the apartment, taking a break from the Wednesday night ritual of dancing at the Copa. She kept rolling joints and telling me about how great Key West was as opposed to the narrowness of Missouri. The photographer sat and listened, contentedly stoned and intrigued about how different life could be in the mid-west as opposed to the East Coast. The photographer had had a promising career until manic depression made him unreliable, not worth hiring.
I was really uncomfortable with my first impressions of the transsexual. She screamed in my face as well as the face of our mutual acquaintance during a drunken introduction. Later I realized it was just her exuberant way of saying hello. “Ahhhhhhh!” She had shrieked, rolling her head around her shoulders, arms extended upward.
She said sometimes she would wind the clock and think of her uncle. She stroked the long blond hair of the photographer who sat next to her, who still listened intently. It was 3 a.m. when we got back to the bar; and most of the people had already cleared out. The transsexual disappeared when the photographer and I went for a drink. I saw her out the next night and asked her where she’d gone. She said she’d gone to another bar, looking for someone. But she didn’t say who.
-The Other Ones, “We are who we are.”
She told me a story once, about growing up in the boot heel of Missouri, before he became a transsexual. His uncle was a clock maker and repairman, and there were over one hundred clocks in his shop. He visited often, as his uncle was non-judgmental about how he was different from the rest of his family. Sometimes they would wind as many clocks as they could, the alarms and chimes and ticking one giant, cacophonous, beautiful sound.
His family hated the way he was. His effeminate nature, his original thoughts, and his general behavior frightened them. But his uncle was good to him. When he died, he took one of the clocks as a memento.
He tried not to think about growing up in Missouri. This was difficult, though, as those were his formative years, like it or not. He went back a couple of years before, in 1989, this time as a drag queen. The experience wasn’t pleasant. He had not gone back or spoken with his family since.
She had good pot and needed to talk sometimes. She, I, and a guy who had been a professional photographer in New York had come over to the apartment, taking a break from the Wednesday night ritual of dancing at the Copa. She kept rolling joints and telling me about how great Key West was as opposed to the narrowness of Missouri. The photographer sat and listened, contentedly stoned and intrigued about how different life could be in the mid-west as opposed to the East Coast. The photographer had had a promising career until manic depression made him unreliable, not worth hiring.
I was really uncomfortable with my first impressions of the transsexual. She screamed in my face as well as the face of our mutual acquaintance during a drunken introduction. Later I realized it was just her exuberant way of saying hello. “Ahhhhhhh!” She had shrieked, rolling her head around her shoulders, arms extended upward.
She said sometimes she would wind the clock and think of her uncle. She stroked the long blond hair of the photographer who sat next to her, who still listened intently. It was 3 a.m. when we got back to the bar; and most of the people had already cleared out. The transsexual disappeared when the photographer and I went for a drink. I saw her out the next night and asked her where she’d gone. She said she’d gone to another bar, looking for someone. But she didn’t say who.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Random Doom Roundup: May 20, 2010
North Korea has threatened "full-scale war" after an international report concluded a torpedo fired by one of the reclusive regime's submarines sank a South Korean navy ship in March.
Gulf oil spill may be 19 times bigger than originally thought
This one should piss you off. Should.
May 20 (Bloomberg) -- Japan’s economy grew less than forecast in the first quarter as an export-led recovery failed to stoke consumer spending, putting pressure on the central bank to do more to end deflation as it begins a two-day meeting.
The Other Foreclosure Menace Mortgage Paid Off, Woman Loses Home -- Over a Small Water Bill
Sell it All, Risk of 'Major Crash': Dow Theory’s Russell
Turkey Deploys Air Defense System To ‘Defend’ Syria, Iran Against Israel Raids
That's enough for the moment, eh?
Gulf oil spill may be 19 times bigger than originally thought
This one should piss you off. Should.
May 20 (Bloomberg) -- Japan’s economy grew less than forecast in the first quarter as an export-led recovery failed to stoke consumer spending, putting pressure on the central bank to do more to end deflation as it begins a two-day meeting.
The Other Foreclosure Menace Mortgage Paid Off, Woman Loses Home -- Over a Small Water Bill
Sell it All, Risk of 'Major Crash': Dow Theory’s Russell
Turkey Deploys Air Defense System To ‘Defend’ Syria, Iran Against Israel Raids
That's enough for the moment, eh?
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
So I.. SHOULDN'T Use LifeLock?
LifeLock CEO’s Identity Stolen 13 Times. Excerpts:
"Apparently, when you publish your Social Security number prominently on your website and billboards, people take it as an invitation to steal your identity. (Apparently. Me.)
LifeLock CEO Todd Davis, whose number is displayed in the company’s ubiquitous advertisements, has by now learned that lesson. He’s been a victim of identity theft at least 13 times, according to the Phoenix New Times.
That’s 12 more times than has previously been known.
And
A spokeswoman for the Albany police, who investigated the AT&T/Cingular account but never made any arrest, told the New Times that Davis’ publication of his Social Security number created more victims than just himself.
And
The company was fined $12 million in March by the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive advertising.
And (hilarious!)
Davis’ history as an identity-theft victim would seem to call into question the company’s ability to protect consumers from a similar fate."
Heh. Heh heh.
"Apparently, when you publish your Social Security number prominently on your website and billboards, people take it as an invitation to steal your identity. (Apparently. Me.)
LifeLock CEO Todd Davis, whose number is displayed in the company’s ubiquitous advertisements, has by now learned that lesson. He’s been a victim of identity theft at least 13 times, according to the Phoenix New Times.
That’s 12 more times than has previously been known.
And
A spokeswoman for the Albany police, who investigated the AT&T/Cingular account but never made any arrest, told the New Times that Davis’ publication of his Social Security number created more victims than just himself.
And
The company was fined $12 million in March by the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive advertising.
And (hilarious!)
Davis’ history as an identity-theft victim would seem to call into question the company’s ability to protect consumers from a similar fate."
Heh. Heh heh.
Low Point On The Earthquake Wave Graph..
6.0 Earthquake in Northern Peru. Nothing special about the quake's magnitude, but when I looked at the week's list(The page changes, so I'm formally referring to May 12th through the 19th.), this was the highest magnitude and only earthquake at 6.0 or over. What a nice break from January through March, huh?
So: Has the earth calmed back down, or is this the quiet before another.. increase in intensity?
So: Has the earth calmed back down, or is this the quiet before another.. increase in intensity?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
This Might Be The Most Beautiful Woman I've Ever Seen..
Dearborn's Miss Michigan wins Miss USA pageant.
Seriously. Whatever that intangible, subjective "it" is, she has as much as anyone I've ever seen. Blindingly Beautiful. For maximum charm, watch the video on the link. I'm gay, and she knocks my socks off! You're in trouble, straight guys.. Rima Fakih's gonna break your heart with just one smile..
Seriously. Whatever that intangible, subjective "it" is, she has as much as anyone I've ever seen. Blindingly Beautiful. For maximum charm, watch the video on the link. I'm gay, and she knocks my socks off! You're in trouble, straight guys.. Rima Fakih's gonna break your heart with just one smile..
Friday, May 14, 2010
Great News is on break, now. My name is Apocalypse; How can I help you?
Gulf Spill Could Be Much Worse Than Believed.
"A computer program simply tracks particles, and calculates how fast they are moving. Wereley put the BP video of the gusher into his computer. He made a few simple calculations and came up with an astonishing value for the rate of the oil spill: 70,000 barrels a day — much higher than the official estimate of 5,000 barrels a day."
A barrel is 42 gallons. So the equation is(for the moment), 70 thousand barrels of oil multiplied by Day 24(FYI - estimates run between 20 and 100 thousand barrels per day. 70 thousand was used, I'm sure, as the low end of the high estimates.). Oh yeah, and BP isn't even close to containing this yet..
"At NPR's request, experts analyzed video that BP released Wednesday. Their findings suggest the BP spill is already far larger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez accident in Alaska, which spilled at least 250,000 barrels of oil."
So we have this doom to look forward to, which is nice..
"A computer program simply tracks particles, and calculates how fast they are moving. Wereley put the BP video of the gusher into his computer. He made a few simple calculations and came up with an astonishing value for the rate of the oil spill: 70,000 barrels a day — much higher than the official estimate of 5,000 barrels a day."
A barrel is 42 gallons. So the equation is(for the moment), 70 thousand barrels of oil multiplied by Day 24(FYI - estimates run between 20 and 100 thousand barrels per day. 70 thousand was used, I'm sure, as the low end of the high estimates.). Oh yeah, and BP isn't even close to containing this yet..
"At NPR's request, experts analyzed video that BP released Wednesday. Their findings suggest the BP spill is already far larger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez accident in Alaska, which spilled at least 250,000 barrels of oil."
So we have this doom to look forward to, which is nice..
Thursday, May 13, 2010
A Visual Representation Of Time?
Look at this picture.
Then think about these circles as a pipeline, in which the earth is currently travelling through space. Is this what time looks like?
Then think about these circles as a pipeline, in which the earth is currently travelling through space. Is this what time looks like?
Laser Beams Penetrating Thick Canopy Detect Thousands of New Structures, Show Maya Adept at 'Building Green'
Science Daily (May 12, 2010) — A flyover of Belize's thick jungles has revolutionized archaeology worldwide and vividly illustrated the complex urban centers developed by one of the most-studied ancient civilizations -- the Maya.
Central America, Mexico, the American South West.. Is it too fanciful to think that we are a few years away from finding the Mayan culture was massively bigger than previously thought?
Looks Like We've Got A Psychic On The Forum..
In 9 days we will witness an event so catastrophic it will change society as we know it. Above average Doom delivered right to the day..
"And it's just the beginning . . . . 4.20.2010"
A lot of people made fun of this prediction. And then it happened. But, more importantly, it also Started To Happen that day, and only becomes worse.
"And it's just the beginning . . . . 4.20.2010"
A lot of people made fun of this prediction. And then it happened. But, more importantly, it also Started To Happen that day, and only becomes worse.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Laura Bush - Democrat?
Laura Bush supports gay marriage and abortion rights. Huh. A couple thoughts:
*She was politically bound to not voice her opinion until Bush's term of office was up.
*She was also bound by marriage. This is not James Carville and Mary Matalin. There will be no public disagreement within the First Family. It isn't fair to say "If she would have said this earlier...," a response I initially had, as it was simply not an option for her.
* Is she a Democrat? She's loved by more liberals than you'd think..
* Her views are out there, now.. Where to, next? Will she become more active for her political beliefs? How will the Right respond? Will the last sitting Republican First Lady be unwelcome at future Republican events? She's been forgiven, but she's pissed off the faithful a couple times before..
*Just how betrayed will "True Believers" feel? And, more importantly, how will they react?
*She was politically bound to not voice her opinion until Bush's term of office was up.
*She was also bound by marriage. This is not James Carville and Mary Matalin. There will be no public disagreement within the First Family. It isn't fair to say "If she would have said this earlier...," a response I initially had, as it was simply not an option for her.
* Is she a Democrat? She's loved by more liberals than you'd think..
* Her views are out there, now.. Where to, next? Will she become more active for her political beliefs? How will the Right respond? Will the last sitting Republican First Lady be unwelcome at future Republican events? She's been forgiven, but she's pissed off the faithful a couple times before..
*Just how betrayed will "True Believers" feel? And, more importantly, how will they react?
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
What The Hell Is Going On In China?
China children 'hacked to death' in new school attack. This is not the first attack of its kind; it's attack number SIX. Two factors contributing to this weird and grisly new.. trend are Social/Economic revenge, and Copy Cats, both types of crimes committed by the insane. This type of attacker poses a major problem for China both short and long-term.
According to one of the links, China has an estimated two percent of their population that is mentally ill. Two percent of 1.3 billion people is 26 million, so that's A Lot. There is also a stigma attached to mental illness and counseling, so not many seek it out and there isn't a system in place to cope with growing numbers of overstressed, less educated, newly poor(er) Chinese. The first attacker claimed revenge against society as his motive, and that, evidently, has resonated within a certain segment of China's populace. And these copycat/revenge killings will likely continue, as the economic circumstances that changed and collectively stressed Chinese society will also likely continue.
So, unless the unreported mentally ill and socio-economically disadvantaged classes get bored with the idea of attacking and killing kids or the Chinese government(and the people in general) gets its shit together regarding treatment for(and the outlook for those with) mental illness, there will be a major increase in these attacks. The memories of these attacks, not only the direct victims, but on this entire generation of children, will directly effect their collective psyche with fear that the rest of us will never understand. From almost infancy, this generation of Chinese children will Never Feel Safe, and they'll live their entire life from the shadows of this horrible, dark perspective.
Sad, and the global implications for the future are a bit disturbing..
According to one of the links, China has an estimated two percent of their population that is mentally ill. Two percent of 1.3 billion people is 26 million, so that's A Lot. There is also a stigma attached to mental illness and counseling, so not many seek it out and there isn't a system in place to cope with growing numbers of overstressed, less educated, newly poor(er) Chinese. The first attacker claimed revenge against society as his motive, and that, evidently, has resonated within a certain segment of China's populace. And these copycat/revenge killings will likely continue, as the economic circumstances that changed and collectively stressed Chinese society will also likely continue.
So, unless the unreported mentally ill and socio-economically disadvantaged classes get bored with the idea of attacking and killing kids or the Chinese government(and the people in general) gets its shit together regarding treatment for(and the outlook for those with) mental illness, there will be a major increase in these attacks. The memories of these attacks, not only the direct victims, but on this entire generation of children, will directly effect their collective psyche with fear that the rest of us will never understand. From almost infancy, this generation of Chinese children will Never Feel Safe, and they'll live their entire life from the shadows of this horrible, dark perspective.
Sad, and the global implications for the future are a bit disturbing..
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Mother's Day Doom Roundup
Oil Doom:
Problem for Containment Dome in Gulf
BP Oil Spill : 7 Secrets BP doesn't want you to know
What next? After failure, BP mulls gusher options
Economic Doom:
EU Crafts $962 Billion Show of Force to Halt Euro Crisis
Ron Paul Warns That "Greece Is Just The Beginning!" (VIDEO)
Earthquake Doom:
Tsunami warning issued after 7.4 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia
Volcano Doom:
More from Eyjafjallajokull
Problem for Containment Dome in Gulf
BP Oil Spill : 7 Secrets BP doesn't want you to know
What next? After failure, BP mulls gusher options
Economic Doom:
EU Crafts $962 Billion Show of Force to Halt Euro Crisis
Ron Paul Warns That "Greece Is Just The Beginning!" (VIDEO)
Earthquake Doom:
Tsunami warning issued after 7.4 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia
Volcano Doom:
More from Eyjafjallajokull
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Good People Of Nashville Would Like A Word With You, Governor..
Rick Perry Blames God For Gulf Oil Spill. Corporate negligence or Terrorist attack(Maybe Tectonic Movement/Volcanoes..), neither really qualifies as "Act of God." Not like, at the moment, Tennessee..
In a reltated thought, evidently, Not Counting a cataclysmic event, supporters say Offshore Drilling should only (along with the overall industry) be judged only by most of its successful past.
In a reltated thought, evidently, Not Counting a cataclysmic event, supporters say Offshore Drilling should only (along with the overall industry) be judged only by most of its successful past.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
"Goldman Puts Its Own Interests Ahead of the Interests of Its Clients"
The Interrogation of Lloyd Blankfein. Carl Levin? Who knew?
SEN. CARL LEVIN: June 22 is the date of this e-mail. "Boy, that Timberwolf was one shitty deal." How much of that "shitty deal" did you sell to your clients after June 22, 2007?
DAN SPARKS: Mr. Chairman, I don't know the answer to that. But the price would have reflected levels that they wanted to invest...
SEN. CARL LEVIN: Oh, of course.
DAN SPARKS: ... at that time.
SEN. CARL LEVIN: But you didn't tell them you thought it was a shitty deal.
DAN SPARKS: Well, I didn't say that.
SEN. CARL LEVIN: Who did? Your people, internally. You knew it was a shitty deal, and that's what your...
DAN SPARKS: I think the context, the message that I took from the e-mail from Mr. Montag, was that my performance on that deal wasn't good.
SEN. CARL LEVIN: How about the fact that you sold hundreds of millions of that deal after your people knew it was a shitty deal? Does that bother you at all; you sold the customers something?
DAN SPARKS: I don't recall selling hundreds of millions of that deal after that.
Levin was just as tough on Blankfein, reiterating the same question over and over again: "Is there not a conflict when you sell something to somebody, and then you bet against that same security, and you don't disclose that to the person you're selling it to? Do you see a problem?"
At first, Blankfein acted like he'd never considered the question before, as if "putting himself in his client's shoes" was something that never even entered his mind. His look of utter bewilderment was revealing. Then he launched into the excuses, the evasions, and the elaborate, long-winded ruminations that one expects from schoolboys and hucksters. But Levin never gave and inch. He kept pushing until Blankfein finally gave up and responded.
"No," he stammered, "In the context of market-making that's not a conflict."
Blankfein's answer was a triumph for Levin, and he knew it. To the millions of people watching the sequence on TV, Blankfein's denial was as good as an admission of guilt. It showed that Wall Street kingpins don't share the same morals as everyone else. In fact, Blankfein seemed genuinely confused that morality would even be an issue. After all, it wasn't for him.
SEN. CARL LEVIN: June 22 is the date of this e-mail. "Boy, that Timberwolf was one shitty deal." How much of that "shitty deal" did you sell to your clients after June 22, 2007?
DAN SPARKS: Mr. Chairman, I don't know the answer to that. But the price would have reflected levels that they wanted to invest...
SEN. CARL LEVIN: Oh, of course.
DAN SPARKS: ... at that time.
SEN. CARL LEVIN: But you didn't tell them you thought it was a shitty deal.
DAN SPARKS: Well, I didn't say that.
SEN. CARL LEVIN: Who did? Your people, internally. You knew it was a shitty deal, and that's what your...
DAN SPARKS: I think the context, the message that I took from the e-mail from Mr. Montag, was that my performance on that deal wasn't good.
SEN. CARL LEVIN: How about the fact that you sold hundreds of millions of that deal after your people knew it was a shitty deal? Does that bother you at all; you sold the customers something?
DAN SPARKS: I don't recall selling hundreds of millions of that deal after that.
Levin was just as tough on Blankfein, reiterating the same question over and over again: "Is there not a conflict when you sell something to somebody, and then you bet against that same security, and you don't disclose that to the person you're selling it to? Do you see a problem?"
At first, Blankfein acted like he'd never considered the question before, as if "putting himself in his client's shoes" was something that never even entered his mind. His look of utter bewilderment was revealing. Then he launched into the excuses, the evasions, and the elaborate, long-winded ruminations that one expects from schoolboys and hucksters. But Levin never gave and inch. He kept pushing until Blankfein finally gave up and responded.
"No," he stammered, "In the context of market-making that's not a conflict."
Blankfein's answer was a triumph for Levin, and he knew it. To the millions of people watching the sequence on TV, Blankfein's denial was as good as an admission of guilt. It showed that Wall Street kingpins don't share the same morals as everyone else. In fact, Blankfein seemed genuinely confused that morality would even be an issue. After all, it wasn't for him.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
File Under: Worst Case Scenario/Massive Oil Slick
Leaked report: Government fears Deepwater Horizon well could become unchecked gusher Excerpts(Italics indicate quote/Colored emphasis mine):
A confidential government report on the unfolding spill disaster in the Gulf makes clear the Coast Guard now fears the well could become an unchecked gusher shooting millions of gallons of oil per day into the Gulf.
"The following is not public," reads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Emergency Response document dated April 28. "Two additional release points were found today in the tangled riser. If the riser pipe deteriorates further, the flow could become unchecked resulting in a release volume an order of magnitude higher than previously thought."
And:
In scientific circles, an order of magnitude means something is 10 times larger. In this case, an order of magnitude higher would mean the volume of oil coming from the well could be 10 times higher than the 5,000 barrels a day coming out now. That would mean 50,000 barrels a day, or 2.1 million gallons a day.
And:
Gouget said the loss of a wellhead is totally unprecedented.
"How bad it could get from that, you will have a tremendous volume of oil that is going to be offgassing on the coast. Depending on how much wind is there, and how those gases build up, that's a significant health concern," he said.
Pay attention: This is a big deal. We might be witnessing(potentially) the beginning death throes of a large portion of, or the entire Gulf of Mexico. Due to this spill, a large number of living things on this planet are going to die soon. Think about that for a moment, and get ready to bear witness.
A confidential government report on the unfolding spill disaster in the Gulf makes clear the Coast Guard now fears the well could become an unchecked gusher shooting millions of gallons of oil per day into the Gulf.
"The following is not public," reads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Emergency Response document dated April 28. "Two additional release points were found today in the tangled riser. If the riser pipe deteriorates further, the flow could become unchecked resulting in a release volume an order of magnitude higher than previously thought."
And:
In scientific circles, an order of magnitude means something is 10 times larger. In this case, an order of magnitude higher would mean the volume of oil coming from the well could be 10 times higher than the 5,000 barrels a day coming out now. That would mean 50,000 barrels a day, or 2.1 million gallons a day.
And:
Gouget said the loss of a wellhead is totally unprecedented.
"How bad it could get from that, you will have a tremendous volume of oil that is going to be offgassing on the coast. Depending on how much wind is there, and how those gases build up, that's a significant health concern," he said.
Pay attention: This is a big deal. We might be witnessing(potentially) the beginning death throes of a large portion of, or the entire Gulf of Mexico. Due to this spill, a large number of living things on this planet are going to die soon. Think about that for a moment, and get ready to bear witness.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Why The Face, CNN?
Do you find yourself thinking, "Why isn't there Any News on.. (Insert Corporate Media Network Here)? You're not alone.
Sorry CNN.. You did this to yourself.. As much as a Corporate Entity can be considered a "You."
Sorry CNN.. You did this to yourself.. As much as a Corporate Entity can be considered a "You."
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Mysterious radio waves emitted from nearby galaxy
Mysterious, indeed. Relevant excerpts: (Italics indicate Quotes)There is something strange in the cosmic neighbourhood. An unknown object in the nearby galaxy M82 has started sending out radio waves, and the emission does not look like anything seen anywhere in the universe before.
And
It certainly does not fit the pattern of radio emissions from supernovae: they usually get brighter over a few weeks and then fade away over months, with the spectrum of the radiation changing all the while. The new source has hardly changed in brightness over the course of a year, and its spectrum is steady.
Yet it does seem to be moving – and fast: its apparent sideways velocity is four times the speed of light. Such apparent “superluminal” motion has been seen before in high-speed jets of material squirted out by some black holes. The stuff in these jets is moving towards us at a slight angle(Me: What is "slight?") and travelling at a fair fraction of the speed of light, and the effects of relativity produce a kind of optical illusion that makes the motion appear superluminal.
And
His best guess is still that the radio source is some kind of dense object accreting surrounding material, perhaps a large black hole or a black hole in an unusual environment. Perhaps the phenomenon also happens occasionally in our galaxy, but is more common in M82 because it is a “starburst” galaxy – a cosmic cauldron where massive stars are forming and exploding at a much higher rate than in the Milky Way, creating a lot of new black holes.
First: Radio waves. Next: High speed jets of material squirted out by some black holes(Maybe). That stuff hitting earth sounds fun! Space-themed Doom is so.. Imaginative.
And
It certainly does not fit the pattern of radio emissions from supernovae: they usually get brighter over a few weeks and then fade away over months, with the spectrum of the radiation changing all the while. The new source has hardly changed in brightness over the course of a year, and its spectrum is steady.
Yet it does seem to be moving – and fast: its apparent sideways velocity is four times the speed of light. Such apparent “superluminal” motion has been seen before in high-speed jets of material squirted out by some black holes. The stuff in these jets is moving towards us at a slight angle(Me: What is "slight?") and travelling at a fair fraction of the speed of light, and the effects of relativity produce a kind of optical illusion that makes the motion appear superluminal.
And
His best guess is still that the radio source is some kind of dense object accreting surrounding material, perhaps a large black hole or a black hole in an unusual environment. Perhaps the phenomenon also happens occasionally in our galaxy, but is more common in M82 because it is a “starburst” galaxy – a cosmic cauldron where massive stars are forming and exploding at a much higher rate than in the Milky Way, creating a lot of new black holes.
First: Radio waves. Next: High speed jets of material squirted out by some black holes(Maybe). That stuff hitting earth sounds fun! Space-themed Doom is so.. Imaginative.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Public Service Article for those who don't know Debit Cards act like Checks..
Are you a debit or credit card user? Sad that this article needs to be written in 2010.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Death by Fungus is not "Fungicide," although, maybe it should be..
Potentially deadly fungus spreading in US, Canada. Excerpts:
A potentially deadly strain of fungus is spreading among animals and people in the northwestern United States and the Canadian province of British Columbia, researchers reported on Thursday.
The airborne fungus, called Cryptococcus gattii, usually only infects transplant and AIDS patients and people with otherwise compromised immune systems, but the new strain is genetically different, the researchers said.
"This novel fungus is worrisome because it appears to be a threat to otherwise healthy people," said Edmond Byrnes of Duke University in North Carolina, who led the study.
And:
The spore-forming fungus can cause symptoms in people and animals two weeks or more after exposure. They include a cough that lasts for weeks, sharp chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, fever, nighttime sweats and weight loss.
And:
Freezing can kill the fungus and climate change may be helping it spread, the researchers said.
Climate change? Haven't enough billions been thrown at that problem for you to forget about it, already? Awesome. Fake Global Climate Change may be spreading a very real, very deadly fungus.
Global Climate Change is not caused entirely by human consumption. Just a HUGE portion of it. HUGE. Really Big. Big, big portion. A Lot caused by humans.
I'm not ruling out solar changes, solar system changes(Brown dwarf, binary twin, Supernova 1987 A, Planet X), increased volcanism, etc.. But to deny that almost 7 billion eating, shitting, and consuming entities have neglible effect on the systemic global health of the planet? Apologies to your sensitivities upfront, but You're a Fucking Idiot.
A potentially deadly strain of fungus is spreading among animals and people in the northwestern United States and the Canadian province of British Columbia, researchers reported on Thursday.
The airborne fungus, called Cryptococcus gattii, usually only infects transplant and AIDS patients and people with otherwise compromised immune systems, but the new strain is genetically different, the researchers said.
"This novel fungus is worrisome because it appears to be a threat to otherwise healthy people," said Edmond Byrnes of Duke University in North Carolina, who led the study.
And:
The spore-forming fungus can cause symptoms in people and animals two weeks or more after exposure. They include a cough that lasts for weeks, sharp chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, fever, nighttime sweats and weight loss.
And:
Freezing can kill the fungus and climate change may be helping it spread, the researchers said.
Climate change? Haven't enough billions been thrown at that problem for you to forget about it, already? Awesome. Fake Global Climate Change may be spreading a very real, very deadly fungus.
Global Climate Change is not caused entirely by human consumption. Just a HUGE portion of it. HUGE. Really Big. Big, big portion. A Lot caused by humans.
I'm not ruling out solar changes, solar system changes(Brown dwarf, binary twin, Supernova 1987 A, Planet X), increased volcanism, etc.. But to deny that almost 7 billion eating, shitting, and consuming entities have neglible effect on the systemic global health of the planet? Apologies to your sensitivities upfront, but You're a Fucking Idiot.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Unsettling Headline Of The Week..
Air Force Launches Secretive Space Plane; ‘We Don’t Know When It’s Coming Back’
The Air Force launched a secretive space plane into orbit Thursday night from Cape Canaveral, Florida. And they’re not sure when it’s returning to Earth.
Perched atop an Atlas V rocket, the Air Force’s unmanned and reusable X-37B made its first flight after a decade in development shrouded in mystery; most of the mission goals remain unknown to the public.
And
perhaps the most intriguing answer came when he was asked by a reporter wanting to cover the landing as to when the X-37B would be making its way back to the planet.
“In all honesty, we don’t know when it’s coming back for sure,” Payton said.
Independence Day, anyone?
The Air Force launched a secretive space plane into orbit Thursday night from Cape Canaveral, Florida. And they’re not sure when it’s returning to Earth.
Perched atop an Atlas V rocket, the Air Force’s unmanned and reusable X-37B made its first flight after a decade in development shrouded in mystery; most of the mission goals remain unknown to the public.
And
perhaps the most intriguing answer came when he was asked by a reporter wanting to cover the landing as to when the X-37B would be making its way back to the planet.
“In all honesty, we don’t know when it’s coming back for sure,” Payton said.
Independence Day, anyone?
Friday, April 23, 2010
Joe the Plumber is back (and he still can't stand McCain -- or Palin)
"Sad news today from Pennsylvania. Joe the Plumber not only still harbors resentment toward Senator McCain but now he doesn't like Sarah Palin. It seems that magical Republican trifecta from 2008 has splintered even further."
And
Yeah, but without McCain and Palin, where would Plumber be? That's what Detrow thought too.
"I pointed out he’d just be plain old Sam Wurzelbacher of Ohio — Joe the Plumber wouldn’t exist – without McCain," Detrow writes. "His response was blunt. '...He really screwed my life up, is how I look at it.'"
"McCain was trying to use me," Plumber told Detrow. "I happened to be the face of middle Americans. It was a ploy."
Really? A.. Ploy? What: Your name? Occupation? Your willingness to be used? Your every response?
And.. you didn't know that.. Then?
And
Yeah, but without McCain and Palin, where would Plumber be? That's what Detrow thought too.
"I pointed out he’d just be plain old Sam Wurzelbacher of Ohio — Joe the Plumber wouldn’t exist – without McCain," Detrow writes. "His response was blunt. '...He really screwed my life up, is how I look at it.'"
"McCain was trying to use me," Plumber told Detrow. "I happened to be the face of middle Americans. It was a ploy."
Really? A.. Ploy? What: Your name? Occupation? Your willingness to be used? Your every response?
And.. you didn't know that.. Then?
Hyperinflation Looms – The Dollar Arrives at Its ‘Havenstein Moment’
Economic devastation soon!
Excerpts: How is deflation possible when crude oil prices have more than doubled since their post-Lehman crash low? Or more broadly, how can there be deflation when the price index of 19 commodities compiled by the Commodity Research Bureau rose 47% during this same period? It cannot of course, which means there is no deflation.
The ongoing decline in the purchasing power of the dollar has been masked by wealth destruction as over-priced assets like houses fall back to realistic levels. There is also the problem that the mainstream media broadcasts only the government calculated CPI (Consumer Price Index. GDP is Gross Domestic Product), which is an inaccurate measure of the dollar’s eroding purchasing power.
-And-
Rothbard provides his usual brilliant insight to explain what happens once the “Havenstein moment’ is reached. There are two alternatives.
“If the government tightens its own belt and stops printing (or otherwise creating) new money, then inflationary expectations will eventually be reversed, and prices will fall once more – thus relieving the money shortage by lowering prices. But if government follows its own inherent inclination to counterfeit and appeases the clamor by printing more money so as to allow the public’s cash balances to ‘catch up’ to prices, then the country is off to the races. Money and prices will follow each other upward in an ever-accelerating spiral, until finally prices ‘run away’…[i.e., hyperinflate]”
Weimar Germany took the second alternative.
And, sadly..
The dollar has now reached its ‘Havenstein moment’. Will policymakers follow the prudent advice of Murray Rothbard and ‘tighten its belt’? Or like Herr Havenstein, will Mr. Bernanke continue to ‘print’?
No need to ponder these two alternatives. The Federal Reserve must ‘print’, for one reason. Despite the noble goals assigned to it in textbooks and offered in Congressional hearings, the Federal Reserve exists for only one reason – to make sure the federal government gets all the dollars it wants to spend, which consequently has put the dollar on a hyperinflationary course.
Bottom line: By following its inherent purpose, the Fed will print us into hyperinflation. We will knowingly follow the failed economic model of the Weimar Republic and expect different results. Things do not look good, even in the short term, here in Universe "B.."
Excerpts: How is deflation possible when crude oil prices have more than doubled since their post-Lehman crash low? Or more broadly, how can there be deflation when the price index of 19 commodities compiled by the Commodity Research Bureau rose 47% during this same period? It cannot of course, which means there is no deflation.
The ongoing decline in the purchasing power of the dollar has been masked by wealth destruction as over-priced assets like houses fall back to realistic levels. There is also the problem that the mainstream media broadcasts only the government calculated CPI (Consumer Price Index. GDP is Gross Domestic Product), which is an inaccurate measure of the dollar’s eroding purchasing power.
-And-
Rothbard provides his usual brilliant insight to explain what happens once the “Havenstein moment’ is reached. There are two alternatives.
“If the government tightens its own belt and stops printing (or otherwise creating) new money, then inflationary expectations will eventually be reversed, and prices will fall once more – thus relieving the money shortage by lowering prices. But if government follows its own inherent inclination to counterfeit and appeases the clamor by printing more money so as to allow the public’s cash balances to ‘catch up’ to prices, then the country is off to the races. Money and prices will follow each other upward in an ever-accelerating spiral, until finally prices ‘run away’…[i.e., hyperinflate]”
Weimar Germany took the second alternative.
And, sadly..
The dollar has now reached its ‘Havenstein moment’. Will policymakers follow the prudent advice of Murray Rothbard and ‘tighten its belt’? Or like Herr Havenstein, will Mr. Bernanke continue to ‘print’?
No need to ponder these two alternatives. The Federal Reserve must ‘print’, for one reason. Despite the noble goals assigned to it in textbooks and offered in Congressional hearings, the Federal Reserve exists for only one reason – to make sure the federal government gets all the dollars it wants to spend, which consequently has put the dollar on a hyperinflationary course.
Bottom line: By following its inherent purpose, the Fed will print us into hyperinflation. We will knowingly follow the failed economic model of the Weimar Republic and expect different results. Things do not look good, even in the short term, here in Universe "B.."
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Mercury Retrograde Begins
This is late by a few days. Pardon.. Looks like this Retrograde period might be a little heavier than most. From Robert Wilkinson's Aquarius Papers.. Excerpt: "Add the current Yod and Mercury septile Jupiter, and by the end of this period we'll know we've hit a major fork in the road of destiny in at least a third of our existence. Besides all this, one thing is certain: the truth WILL be known by the end of this period 3 weeks from now. Just slooooow down....."
Primary message: Just slow down.
Retrograde advice is applicable for almost every situation you might encounter.
Look again. Just slow down. Finish well.
Primary message: Just slow down.
Retrograde advice is applicable for almost every situation you might encounter.
Look again. Just slow down. Finish well.
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