Wednesday Whining

Another fake secret diary. This one is for Steve Jobs and just as I found it, he says he isn't going to do it anymore. Friggtard! I guess I'll have to read Hillary's or Fitz's, but my favorite will always be Darth.

We all know how tired I am of the 2008 Presidential election and that I thought I should throw my hat into the ring. Now we all can.

Duh! Of course my dog manipulates me. I am well trained and she is a master at getting what she wants. Shai Shai is sleeping underneath the covers, up against my leg, snoring away. If I suddenly gained the ability to read minds, I would want to able to read hers, to make sure that I am providing what she needs. In return, she loves me. Unconditionally and preferably before I brush my teeth in the morning.

The ten most misspelled (misused) words on blogs. I've caught a few of these, irritates me every time I let one slip into print.

Speaking of running for President, one of my all time favorites was Pat Paulsen. What's not to like about a candidate whose slogan once was "I've upped my standards, now up your's"? He made a great table wine also.

Speaking of up your's, tying the minimum wage to tax breaks for a small (who are they trying to kid? A small business should be defined as one required to file as an individual or very small corporation) business that makes 10 million a year is just ...well you know the term I'm thinking of. More posturing so they can do the bidding of their real masters. Just like with the bankruptcy bill, paying absolutely no attention to the constituents that voted for them, just the ones who lined their pockets.

By way of Donkephant, a great audio on why Verizon can't do math. The Verizon guy is totally clueless. They screwed up and can't admit it.

Gaming The Truth

Who would have thought that the press guy would try and be the most honest (relatively speaking) person in the room? To the point of elaborating on the truth to protect himself. Too bad the reporter he thought he was talking to doesn't recall him saying everything he testified to.

While we're on the subject, have you taken the Smart or Stoopid test? It's a quick little I.Q. test for fun that isn't supposed to be accurate, but it was.

Now that we've cured cancer.

When I watch drug ads on television, all I can think of is how stupid they think people are. The commercials usually have very little to do with the supposed problem and the side effects certainly don't match the artificial reality that is created. After hearing the term "anal leakage" why would you care what it treated? No condition could possibly be as bad as that side effect. It's bad enough looking like crap, you shouldn't have to wear it. But now you can badger your doctor into giving you this medication you wouldn't have known about along with a prescription for a four hour woody and a little something to help you get to sleep. If you hadn't been at Fourbucks after 2 pm that probably wouldn't be an issue either.

Somehow, I knew they were already doing this. As one might expect, I have many problems with the FBI arbitrarily tracking my internet usage (and I don't visit suspect sites because they don't interest me), not the least of which is the incompetence that has been displayed so far regarding personal information and the government's handling of it. It makes one wonder why they are able to do this but not able to come up with a computer system that integrates their databases or track real terrorists and their disciples. They aren't nearly as efficient as they show on CSI or Numb3rs.

Has anyone seen or heard from that Osama been deliberately mistaken for Obama guy lately? Are we looking? Thought not.

Hat tip to Main and Central for this gem about the administration dropping 30,000 injured veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan from the rolls. Support those troops! If you don't like the numbers, change the definition. Next thing you know, they will change the benefits for veterans to exclude those that weren't hurt in direct combat. 50,000 injured and wounded sounds a little low and they are making it hard to get reliable information on the subject, now they have scrubbed the page altogether. These guys just never stop, they're like Pac-Man, eating up information in a hopefully futile effort to manipulate the game to their advantage.

Because that is all it is to them, a game. These people didn't have real lives or families according to the administration, otherwise they wouldn't have been in a war zone. They would have real jobs, like being a political appointee.

Significant Market Failure

Upon reading the latest attempt by the Bush administration to consolidate power and thwart the Constitution one more time, a few things sprang to mind.

One, does this sound like the behavior of people who are planning to give up power any time in the near future? Consolidating power and then leaving it for the next guy or gal, I don't think so. Especially given the current politcal climate, unless something drastic occurs, it will be a Democratic President.

Two, what happened to the party of smaller government? A whole new layer of political bureaucracy, appointees to oversee and ensure that there is the proper information released (or held) at the proper time. Who's paying for all this? Are they going to wear uniforms? Or just armbands?

Three, another recess appointment? Sheesh, one would think Bush had a habit of nominating incompetent people into positions of authority. Like his picks can't get by on their own merits. If they were people of color, someone would be screaming something about preferential hiring practices.

Four, just how many exemptions will the White House issue? As with most of their so called plans, you know they forgot something that will affect a significant donor. Plus, their definition of emergency seems to differ from the average person. Which makes them having more influence over health and safety a very scary issue. Almost frightening.

3Bs

Monday Morning Musings

If 500 of the 20,000 injured (isn't that kind of low?) are amputees and only 50 were in the rehab program at Brooke (main treatment center), what are the other 450 doing for service? Private insurance? I doubt it. This is a shameful situation that has been swept under the rug and now we're supposed to be excited because these guys will have access to a rock climbing wall and a wave pool. I think Peggy Lee sang it best. Is that all there is? Then we'd better dance faster.

Things that mean your character won't last long on Crossing Jordan. Being blond and female (Leslie Bibb, Jennifer Finnigan), being black with a strange name (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Lorraine Toussaint), or you can disappear without a trace (Ken Howard) just because your storyline runs out. Let's not even get into the Ivan Sergei thing.

I can attest to this, I have personal experience with trying to make a German smile. Fifty years I have been trying to make my mom laugh. I do, quite frequently, but not as often as I would like. She takes things so literally.

A spot of melanin in a sea of ivory. No, I can't possibly identify. Actually, the premise is funny, the execution sucks and I still feel alienated.

It's only 8 am and there is already a contender for best headline of the week. So, Iran should quit playing a destructive role in Iraq. What? We don't like the competition?

So, Bolton is bolting. There is just no loyalty in the crew without a clue, as soon as they get some distance from administration, they start singing a whole new tune. I wonder if Rummy is going to babble or have a convenient accident? Either way, it should be interesting.

Say It Isn't So

IMG_5019.JPG, originally uploaded by sarahruthjackson.

After you learn your letters, then they teach you to count and the next thing you know, you're following some illegal order in a foreign country with no armor, bullets or useful intelligence, but that doesn't stop a group of morons back home that keep insisting things are going well. Then, if you survive the first tour, they send you back over and over again.

Don't you just want to grow up?

Random Flickr Blogging strikes again.

Makes You Wonder

Have you taken the Sex I.D. test? I didn't have a ruler, so it took me a few weeks to finish. Just like in high school, I scored higher on some of the so-called male portions of the test than the average male. Angles, systematizing and 3D shapes were higher and I was average on the others. Some slight support for my Asperger's theory.

Have I mentioned that I'm a Junior Poobah? I'm honored, to say the least.

Did you know that your dog can be right or left pawed? They said handed, but my dog doesn't have hands. Does yours?

When I saw Lorenzo's Oil, I recognized it for the emotional manipulation that it was. While I understand the desperation of wanting to keep a loved one alive (23 years with severe neurological damage!), people like Hugh Moser take the long view and try to help a larger section of society. It takes much longer than anyone wants to wait, but you can't rush science. Chinese medicine has the benefit of thousands of years of history, but the scientific method is important when administering concentrated doses of anything. Vioxx and Fen-Phen spring to mind.

Speaking of the long view, how about changing the American diet to include rapeseed oil?

Interesting timing on this article from Newsweek. This is the week of the space program fatalities and now it seems that for all that expensive effort, we are losing the space race. The shuttle design was a stupid idea from the start and thirty years of history has shown that. While we rested on our laurels, the rest of the world decided to keep going into the future. We could play catch-up but we are mired in Iraq.

By way of The Sideshow, I found this great link showing what 200 calories on a plate looks like. You don't even get a whole donut, there's a slice missing.

Yup, we made it better for the Iraqis. I can't believe she actually wrote

A neighborhood that used to be Baghdad’s Upper East Side has the dilapidated, broken feel of a city just hit by a hurricane.

Makes you want to move there, doesn't it? Or you could just stay in the continental U.S. and go to New Orleans. Makes you wonder what else the crew without a clue will destroy before they are out of power.

Except I really don't want to find out.

Saturday Morning Ruminations

Humvee driving in Baghdad. No wonder they hate us.

So, the Jedi are not to be trusted. And R2D2 was really the secret leader of the rebellion. A little light reading for Saturday morning. Priceless.

Speaking of light reading, how about a map of the relationships in the New Testament?

Yes, Chinese herbs work. And on the organs and diseases we prescribe them for. So now they want to extract the "vital" ingredient. Once again missing the point. When we do formulas, they are for individual people, with their own diagnoses and there are other herbs included to regulate or harmonize the prescription. Nobody gets addicted to valerian root, the same cannot be said for valium.

Yes, acupuncture does help Parkinson's. It is an extreme form of dry heat and wind, like a sirocco. Strokes, palsy and tremors also fall into the internal wind category, while a cold or flu is an expression of external wind. In China they start treating stroke patients with acupuncture and herbs as soon as they are stabilized.

With all this good data finally coming out, I might renew my license. I was pretty discouraged for a while. Patient compliance is spotty at best, but then I shouldn't take it personally. Those people who usually need to do the most to improve their health, don't do anything. Which is why my friend L. is such a success story. And when he told his doctor about it, it was suggested that I didn't know what I was talking about. 70 pounds later ...he thinks his doctor is a pill pusher and doesn't know anything about nutrition. Which might be why people don't tell their doctors about alternative therapies. Why, when you know they won't approve and will tell you that any improvement is all in your mind and that even though acupuncturists have extensive training in herbology and pharmacology is a required course for us, that we don't know what we are doing. Oh yeah, and we are tested by the state. Whatever.

Questions, Questions

When I see stories like this, I wonder "what's wrong with sleep?" It might be difficult for the first few days until the caffeine works it's way out of your system, but then you should be rested and not need so much caffeine to get through the day. Caffeinated donuts. What will they think of next? And why?

The third most popular solution to reducing one's expenses is ...nothing. Even I'm not that bad.

If the nurses quit, who will provide the service? Why not ask the doctors to give up a day's pay or go on leave for six months? Why is it that when the paper pushers mess up, the people who do the real work are expected to bite the bullet and fix the situation?

Being President adds to the life span, so why wouldn't achieving a Nobel prize or Oscar, both of which involve recognition, have the same effect? Only four women in fifty years? I'll bet one of them was Marie Curie, a two time Nobel winner.

As I've asked before, and his planet is? He's "decided" to preclude failure in Iraq, well that should help. I decided I wanted to be be 5'9 and blond. We both have about the same chance of success.

Nothing Special

Went for help, oh yeah, I believe that one. Four grown men left an injured man and his 65 year old wife, so they could go get help.

About a quarter-mile away, they came upon an inmate work crew with the California Department of Forestry. The four men went for help. The California Department of Forestry dispatched an ambulance from Arcata, which took the couple to the hospital.

A good sense of humor covers a multitude of sins.

It's also illegal. Open Space District Ordinance Section 412 states: ``No person shall expose any part of the pubic or anal region or genitalia while on District Lands in Public View.'' If they catch him, rangers have to identify him -- a tricky proposition, given that he has no pockets to hold a driver's license. Suspects who don't have IDs are asked for their name and address, which is then verified by phone against driver's license records at the dispatch center, Baillie said.

Splish, splash. Just not on the wall or the floor.

Indeed, there is still a certain amount of squeamishness about home urinals, particularly among women, so marketers are focusing on designer style and claims about cleanliness in an effort to overcome negative associations. Kohler U.S.A., for instance, says that its “human factors group” — a team that studies, among other things, how people urinate — has found the best urinal shape for keeping the bathroom clean. A result is Kohler’s funnel-shaped Steward series, introduced last April.

“When you go at a flat wall there’s lots of splash,” said Shane Judd, product manager of Kohler’s fixtures group, whose job it is to know these kinds of things. “The conical shape eliminates splash.”

I'll just have to take your word for it.

Let's Pretend

That young girls and boys aren't being raped everyday in this world and focus on whether portraying the subject matter by not actually showing it, should be worthy of a federal investigation, instigated by a Catholic organization. I guess it's okay to let it happen, just not okay to bring it out in the open. This doesn't qualify as child pornography and if somebody feels that this film satisfies some deep seated sexual need, they have deeper problems that need to be addressed.

That a nonbinding resolution is worth the paper it's printed on.

That Blogger hasn't been a poopyhead for the last few days.

That nobody saw this coming. At least anybody with an ounce of common sense and the rudimentary ability to do simple arithmetic.

That people in the red states understood that all those decisions they made to protect their tax money from undeserving people, really affected the quality of life of their most innocent citizens. Gives new meaning to no child left behind.

That we are going to capture Osama bin Forgotten sometime in his lifetime. Or has someone just realized that we are losing the war on terror on two fronts? Unlike the crew without a clue, we know we are losing on all fronts. Support the troops! Extend their tours of duty.

That we will have a national primary so that everyone gets to vote on all the candidates, not just who won the states with the least diverse populations.

That no more candidates declare for the Presidency, the field is already too crowded with people I don't want to vote for.

For This I Went To College

Since I am barely able to pay basic living expenses (rent, food, water and heat), contributing money to a health care savings account so I can get a tax break is ridiculous. To put it mildly.

In the real world, the one that I and quite a few unfortunate Americans currently occupy, I would have to be making quite a bit more before I could get to the point where it would be worth living without something else that the crew without a clue and their disconnected brethren take for granted to start contributing, I mean paying a new tax for services that will be poorly and inefficiently rendered. Like new clothes, shoes, a decent haircut, the 60,000, 90,000 and timing belt replacement services for my car that haven't been done, car insurance and registration since I live in an area with poor public transportation to get me to the job that pays me less than I earned in 1986. Then you can add in phone and yes I do have internet, but there has to be a little bit of fun in this life, doesn't there?

I don't have cable or a big screen HDTV (13 inch regular!), no game consoles, no credit or credit cards, no stereo system and very little need for excitement. I lead a nice quiet life that I can't afford. Funny how that worked out. So, of course I believe that this latest tax scheme will benefit the people who can't afford health insurance now.

I grew up as a military brat and I've had really nice health insurance. When push comes to shove, it is the quality of the people providing the care. Period. The way to fix the health care system is not to tax people for poor service (why should I be held accountable for my practitioner's preferences? The average consumer doesn't have a medical degree, that's why they go to the doctor!) but to get back to the basics of providing preventative care and stop being a crisis society. We have an extreme national tendency to dig a well long after we are thirsty, lock the barn door after the horse has been stolen, etc.

For some reason we have managed to outsource major portions of medical care, including consideration and compassion, we are even trying to outsource the patients to different countries, and then we wonder why the system is large, unwieldy, inefficient, biased, expensive, and ineffective.

I've wanted to be a doctor since I was three years old. Health care today is nothing but a pale reflection of itself.

3Bs

If Wishes Were Horses, Beggars Would Ride

Of course wishing won't make the war go away. I've tried and it's still here. So is the crew without a clue and all of daddy's little girls.. They really do think we are stupid and that they are superior. They have sacrificed absolutely nothing, but have no qualms about having others give to the last drop, and then expect them to like it. Iraq never was, and more importantly, never will be a good idea. Doesn't matter how many times or how stridently it is repeated, you will never convince the American people that this debacle was worth it. Never.

Of course their brains are different and the crew without a clue is definitely lacking in activity in the posterior superior temporal sulcus region of the brain. People who give, look at life a different way. It would be nice if a majority of humanity could evolve in the same direction. Unfortunately there is always the other side of the coin, the yin yang thing. Balance, a state we have yet to achieve.

Tighter that a nun's knickers. Now that was a new one for me and just what I want in my iPhone. I don't use half the capabilities of my current phone, I use the stuff on my iPod so I don't normally need second party apps.

Forget the vets. Yes, once again the crew without a clue takes away from the veterans access to services when they need them the most. Can these guys be anymore obvious that they really want a feudal society?

I have to download 24 to iTunes, it doesn't come through on the antenna and Heroes was fuzzy . Oh well.

Cauliflower gratin. Yum. Maybe that will be part of tonight's dinner.

Site Maintenance

Again. This should be the last time for a while, or until I get bored again. I'm still trying to get a spiderweb graphic up, but it has not been successful. So far.

Many thanks to Ramani at Hackosphere, this is a collaboration between his new Neo template, the old Lefty Stretch by Dennis Bowman and yours truly. I'm responsible for the colors and the add ons.

The blog loads one post at a time when you first enter. If you click on a category (still working on the cloud), only posts related to that label appear in the second sidebar ....and nothing else changes on the page. No more waiting for the whole page to reload, it's all there. The same thing happens if you click on a post title. Post appears, everything else stays the same. Comments show up too. If I ever get 10 comments, they will roll over to a new page, leaving the newest on the top.

No more waiting for Sitemeter or Statcounter or Blogflux (what a nightmare they have become), I put them at the bottom of the page and they load last, you won't see them unless you are looking for them. Profile information also.

Hopefully this will speed up the blog since most of the javascript is gone. Play with it and please let me know what you think. Since I did this on a Mac using Firefox I have not a clue how it looks to IE users.

Lookiing forward to hearing from you, be gentle.

Stupidity, Ingenuity And Ain't Going To Happen

Have you ever known anyone who spent more time avoiding work than it would actually take to do the job? This woman thought she was quite ingenious but that written trail came back to haunt her. No unemployment for her.

I'm thinking "what a great idea" until I get to the part about construction starting in 2012. The idea is almost obsolete and by 2012, most certainly will be. It might be more effective to invent some type of automatic transportation system. You lock your car on to some rails or some type of track that moves the vehicles and leaves less room for human error, then a straight shot between the 5 and the 101. The more time goes on, the more I doubt that we walked on the moon.

This kid needs to be punished and rewarded at the same time. His persistence and ingenuity are remarkable and his outfoxing of airport security reveals more than one flaw in the futile effort to protect air passengers. Remember when the guy mailed himself?

Well, why can't we have one? I'm just not fond of the cult of personality that is forming.

I've decided to run for president. Everyone else is.

Crime And Punishment

In the news this morning it seems that those who don't understand the benefits of marijuana, are surprised that medicinal users would prefer a different method of delivery besides smoking and it isn't like they can get it in FDA approved pill form. And just like with any demand, a market will spring up to support it. A most interesting array of candies and sodas, he sounds so surprised. He has heard of Weeds, hasn't he? Mom thought the show was really good and can't wait for the second season on NetFlix.

Health care is a determining factor in survival from what would formerly have been deadly assault, which would cause the murder rate to decrease. Makes sense to me, especially since now that trauma centers are being closed, the death rate is increasing. Of course the increase could also be that as the economy tanks and those who have little are now fighting over less might have an impact on those statistics. Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose.

As if more hot air will lower global warming.

Wow! I wonder who is going to play her in the movie? She is going to find it difficult to adjust to society, more stimulation than she is going to be comfortable with.

Meritorious and righteous. Right. Matthew Carrington was forced to drink all that water as part of a hazing ritual and what happened to him was still an accident. Nobody meant to kill him. Just as nobody meant to kill this grown woman who was willing to participate in a contest to win a game. Now people are talking about suing everything except the doorknob. This woman's death should not be used to enrich her family or the swarm of locusts lawyers that think this their ticket to fame and fortune. It was a stupid and tragic mistake. Why should these guys benefit anymore than the coal miner's families? Or have they been forgotten?

Same folic acid study, even more encouraging results. Mom and I are both getting at least 800 mcg per day.

If you have nannies raise your children, you never have to spank them. This is true. From birth to death and all parts of life in between, there must be a law to tell you how to behave. Smaller government my foot.

And the punishment is? Bob Ney, 30 months, what a joke.

This N' That Thursday

Six degrees of why celebrities can be more useful than people give them credit for, plus the badge thing is a great idea. Now if I was only good at the game.

And then I was bummed. He put up a great battle and ended up with the time of his life. I worked at Universal when he was suing Paramount and I knew exactly how they tried to prove that Coming to America didn't make a profit. What a crock! I worked in many different departments and you wouldn't believe the stuff they write off. Rest in peace Art, you will be missed.

A Prada phone that mimics the iPhone? Hmm, the price is much different and I bet the quality of the software will not be a match. The devil is in the details, but it might force a price drop on the iPhone. And this would be a good thing, but I think it is going to take much more than this to rock Apple's boat.

But do blue eyed women prefer blue eyed men? What about people with green or gray eyes? Selecting for recessive traits sounds so Third Reichian, doesn't it? Evolution or prejudice?

While I agree that everyone involved in this incident is stupid beyond belief, thinking that it is criminal is even more so. Holding your wee for a Wii brought to mind the turkey episode of WKRP. Certainly not as funny, but oh so true. Every time they come up with a new Darwin contest, I am reminded that turkeys will never fly but stupidity always repeats.

No kidding? They have to do what they are told? Not exactly news.

Morbidity, Obesity and Healthcare

If you think not being able to fit into that outfit you just bought because you gained a few pounds over the recent holidays is depressing, being morbidly obese will kill you. When I first started working with L., (370 lbs, diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, among other issues) he knew nothing about how his body really worked. He knew a lot about his disease, what drugs to take and nothing else. His doctor told him he was doing fine. I told him his doctor was full of fecal matter and that he was going to die, probably within the next few years, probably sooner.

That rocked him back on his heels, but then I'm not known for sugarcoating the truth. I get that little trait from my mother. There were no excuses, everybody dropped the ball in treating this man. He wasn't always that large. He has many doctors for his different conditions, there is more to helping a patient than writing a prescription and nobody did a single thing.

At any time while his foot doctor was scraping the dead skin off his feet and draining the leg ulcers, it could have been explained to him that the same thing that was happening to his feet was happening all over his body. That the lack of fresh blood and circulation caused the swelling that was pressing on the nerves in his feet and helping to make them feel hot and irritated all the time, when they weren't numb. That the leg muscles use the most amount of calories and walking will help them build up and use more calories so in addition to having better circulation and less parasthesia, he will lose weight. And oh, by the way, the same stagnation thing is happening to the penis which prevents it from working correctly.

The ophthalmologist could explain that swollen red vessels in the eyes are the same everywhere in the body and if the eyes aren't getting the oxygen they need, neither are other small muscles of the body, like the kidneys or the sexual organs.

When he saw his internist, she could have spent some time (a few minutes) explaining that while the drugs are controlling his diabetes after a fashion, they overall destruction is continuing, his sex life is likely never to return under these conditions and that while his parents and grandparents lived into their 80s and 90s, he probably won't live through his 60s and even if he does, his 70s will consist of doctors visits, tests and pills. Meanwhile society will shun him even as they suffer they same problems.

She could have explained that the side effects from the medications were increasing some of the problems with the little general and that if he was willing to do a little exercise, both might be mitigated. Nowhere along this path was nutrition discussed in any meaningful form. He was sent to a nutritionist who gave a piece of paper with most of it crossed out and told to eat from what was left. No wonder America is getting fatter. Not just fatter, morbidly obese.

We started his new lifestyle the weekend of Labor Day with a meal you wouldn't believe. Barbecued ribs, sweet potatoes and southern greens from Trader Joes. I took him shopping, we stood over vegetables and discussed them. We looked at packaging and how to read the labels. We discussed liquids. Thoroughly. Then I introduced him to a butcher so he would start eating cleaner foods. No additives or saline solutions. Why pay for seasoning that is bad for you. We cleaned out his spice cabinet and replaced it with stuff he would use. I gave him cooking tips.

He now tips the scales at a 304. He walks approximately four miles a day, six days a week. He once went for six weeks straight without missing a day. And I reward him with praise every chance I get. He felt bad that he cheated a little bit on Thanksgiving and Christmas (and he could tell, it made him feel bad physically). I pointed out that unlike everyone else, he lost fifteen pounds over the holidays and that is a major accomplishment.

He has had to have his medications adjusted. Twice. Today he goes back to the foot doctor. The last time he went, he had a substitute and she made fun of what he was doing, told him he was only doing it to impress me. Not that that is his motivation, but who cares? At least he's trying. His instructions are to complain about her. A true medical professional should never make fun or belittle their patient. Especially not to their face.

Losing weight is a daunting task. For those of us who want to lose twenty pounds, we act like it's the end of the world and we are being forced to suffer major indinities. When you have to lose a whole person, such as L. does, it has to be approached in a different fashion. Ten percent is our goal for each section, much easier to attain and manage and it has a built in reward system.

L. feels a sense of accomplishment every day. He makes choices that benefit him because never once did I tell him he couldn't have something. He eliminated milk from his diet, he eliminated bread. All by himself. He couldn't fit it in with what he was doing. He very rarely eats out since he found this little booklet that tells him the calories from the popular restaurants. He didn't have a clue that he was getting that many calories and still felt unsatisfied. Now he enjoys every bite of his food, because it has flavor and a richness that makes him feel his food is special, just like him. He's also saving money by eating healthier, so he can spend it on the new clothes he has to get.

Has anybody noticed besides the medical people who were oblivious in the first place? That answer is a resounding yes. He is treated with respect when he discusses food and since he can now out walk the skinny guys around him, he is getting called for better projects.

Knowing how and why is helpful to most people. Treating them like they are rats in a maze only produces a well trained rodent, not a healthy patient. If you have any questions please feel free to comment or to email me. A healthy diet is important.

3Bs

Tuesday Tinkerings

I am single and proud of it. If mom wasn't living with me, I would happily live alone. Who I am is not defined by the approval of people who want me to join them in their misery. 51% of women are living without the traditional husband arrangement. In addition to which I get the added pleasure of being part of the 70% of black women who are permanently single. It makes the joke of being kidnapped by a terrorist just a little more plausible nowadays. Once you hit 50, the dating possibilities are slimmer than a runway model's waist. And about as healthy. How many men are living singly? Or isn't that important?

I put the Feedburner icon back on the page. I had taken if off because I couldn't take the stress of being dumped by people I didn't know and with no explanation as to what I had done to offend them. Then I realized that people are like me, we change our minds as to what is interesting. So I thought I would reactivate FeedBurner. Besides they have good stats. I wonder how many people have me on RSS?

Oh good grief. Why is this nuclear explosion more important than the one in the second season? Was it okay because it redeemed a character? I warned you, Somehow I knew that Curtis wasn't long for this world. And by Jack's hand. Mason, Chappelle, Curtis and Nina. Mason volunteered to fly the bomb because he already knew he was dying. Chappelle was in the wrong place at the wrong time and unlike our current leaders, he had to pay for that mistake. With his life. There isn't much to be said about Nina except a good girl gone bad, maybe this season we'll find out why. Plus, 24 has its own weird guy with birth control glasses.

I find it more that a little funny that the former Soviet Union is against the death penallty. In principle anyway. Meanwhile someone besides the not so crazy moonbats thinks there was an ulterior motive to the Saddam hanging. Color me. Shocked.

When Donkeys Fly

It will be a grand day. Graphic courtesy of the Dark Wraith.



What's more likely to happen is that monkeys are going to fly out my butt, singing the Star Spangled Banner. Or that snowball miraculously survives in hell. Either way it should be an interesting day.

Is It Monday Again?

This guy must be a riot to live with. This is the most off-base, lack-of-future review I've seen about anything, much less the iPhone.

Lastly, the iPhone is a defensive product. It is mainly designed to protect the iPod, which is coming under attack from mobile manufacturers adding music players to their handsets. Yet defensive products don't usually work -- consumers are interested in new things, not reheated versions of old things. Likewise, who is it pitched at? The price and the e-mail features make it look like a business product. But Apple is a consumer company. Will your accounts department stump up for a fancy new handset just so you can listen to Eminem on your way to a business meeting?

Is he serious? Did he pick the journalistic short straw and had to write the most clueless review? Because this review is a little more positive and realistic.

There have been reviews where the reviewers heads were so far in the clouds that they thought they could fly and along comes Mr. I don't understand and therefore I don't find it useful so it will be a quiet flop and everyone will have moved on. Another member of the past reality based community who just wants the same old things while he complains about those younguns.

The Venice Project looks like a good idea for those of us who don't want to be tied down to the house to watch tv. Of course being with Verizon will prevent me from using this service without violating the terms of my contract but I'm hoping that there will be a change of service soon.

I wonder what the lucky couple will get if they produce a son? This story gets worse as time goes on. History is going to have a field day with era, provided there is someone around to read it. It does tend to leave one with the impression that barbarism isn't too far removed from the gene pool.

Oops, they really don't like drugs in the Middle East. Not even if you are royalty. The death sentence seems a little harsh.

They are just going to have to change those pageant rules, pretty soon nobody is going to be qualified to a be a role model except for Ugly Betty.

I hope 24 is a little more exciting than last night, without the Lechter issues. I do miss the comic relief that Kim used to afford, but not enough to want her back on a full time basis. That cougar might show up again.

Deb's Looking Glass

4616, originally uploaded by displaced 9525miles.

No brandy, no color. Just many different angles of the same view. Each panel brings a different perception of reality.

Random Flickr Blogging thought for the day.

Obligatory 24 Post

The furor and hype over 24 has even infected Time. At least there is something on tv tonight. 24 has the equivalent believability of most reality shows and just as much ridiculous backstabbing behavior, but the sarcastic humor quotient is a little higher. I mean where else can you execute your innocent bystander of a boss and still have people who are willing to supervise you?

Somehow I never thought of 24 as being conservative. I can understand why conservatives think so, but not really. I may love Jack; I may root for Jack through all odds, atrocities and unbelievability, but what is the ultimate cost to Jack? No friends, family or personal relationships. Just being associated with him raises your risk of death to unbelievable proportions. On the other hand, having no plan, diplomacy at the end of a gun and leaving a trail of dismembered bodies behind does sort of fit the neo-cons current version of the world.

The end justifies the means, doesn't it? If you are a conservative it does. It's just that sometimes the results aren't what you expected. No wonder they don't like birth control. Too much planning.

Lazy Saturday Morning

It seems that the good really do die young. Larry Stewart, the Secret Santa who anonymously used to hand out real cash with no strings attached, has succumbed to complications from cancer. This man changed the lives of many and always in a positive way. Even at the end, he kept on giving. Don't you wish there were more like him? Rest in peace and thank you for making the world a slightly better place by your actions.

With a little more than 24 hours before Jack's back, the leaks and scoops are starting to dribble and drab.

They say that a lawyer that represents himself, has a fool for a client. I guess this can be extrapolated out to the private detective part too. John, what were you thinking? And after how many cocktails?

Oops, got sidetracked playing Sudoku. Did you know that you lose your game when the google page refreshes? Very irritating, I'll play on another site.

Friday Flights Of Fancy

This is not a joke. There really is a site where active Muslim women can find sportswear and swimwear to suit their lifestyle. The Burqini even comes with a detachable hood.

If I got the History channel, of course I would watch the 40th Anniversary Star Trek show narrated by Leonard Nimoy. No doubt about it at all.

I remember when all the jokes were about Microsoft taking over the universe. If Google is going to map the universe will a Denebian be able to get directions to the nearest watering hole? To bad they can't map out a strategy to get us out of Iraq. That would be useful.

So, powerful people can't understand the perspectives of other people. Gee, that is so obvious with the current resident of the White House.

A little humor from Carl at Simply Left Behind.

A little 24 humor, plus a quickie roundup of the people involved.

Veteran's G.I. Bill

Right now I wish Jim Webb was my Senator, but I'll settle for him being from my dad's home state. Finally, somebody with some sense and a real desire to help the veterans. When the G.I. Bill became a program that you had to contribute to in order to realize a benefit, it was no longer a way for the enlisted to get an education after discharge from the military.

When I joined, I received the grand total of $315 a month, with food, clothing and housing included. That is if you didn't mind eating mystery food (sometimes only identifiable by the sign below it), looking like a green pickle (different shades for different events!) or sleeping with forty other women in a large room that connected to three other matching bays by way of a community bathroom. That being said, there is still no way I would have been able to contribute a hundred dollars a month, hoping that by the time I got out, there would be enough to get a college education. It just isn't a realistic expectation for the average young person and history bears this out.

If you haven't been in the military it is very difficult to understand how different life is for a veteran, and that doesn't even have to be one that has been in a war zone. Life is different. I was a dependent, then active military and back to being a dependent before I became a civilian and I have to say, there are things that still don't make sense to me. Especially in the workplace.

A real GI Bill makes it possible to adjust back into society. It allows you to experience the feelings of progress and accomplishment in a somewhat structured environment because nothing else is organized in your life. Civilian life is so ...flexible, and that can be very frustrating to someone who has had a sustained period of order. Plus, now you have to pick what to wear every day.

Veterans deserve our support in this matter and everyone should encourage their Representatives in Congress (Boxer, Feinstein and someone I don't remember at the moment) to support Mr. Webb's bill and ensure that this measure passes. Quickly.

That Montgomery thing is a farce.

3Bs

Stating The Obvious

Must someone really state the obvious? I'm pretty sure that Saddam was more disturbed at starring in the video than Bush was viewing it. What did Bush think was going to happen? Puhleeze. Karla Faye Tucker anyone?

Need a little comfort food and tired of the usual? I love pho. It is mom's favorite soup and she is always ready to go have a bowl. I think I'll try making it at home. I like mine spicy and I omit the hoisin sauce.

A little perspective is in order here. I can't decide what disturbs me the most about this story. The members of the wedding party who think it is more important to attend a football game rather than honor the promise they made to support the couple as they embark on their official life together, should be ashamed of themselves. If the Saints lose (which I hope they don't) they are going to feel really stupid about missing the wedding. No wonder the South has such a high divorce rate, no respect. Unless two people of the the same sex want to get married, that seems to get people to blather on about respect for the institution of marriage.

Having your jaw wired shut and two titanium plates in your head is not the result of an "altercation", that is more like the results of a hate crime. How did this story not make the national news? An attack on Yale University's a cappella choir should have made some kind of waves.

If 61% of Americans don't think much of the latest plan for victory in Iraq, what makes the administration think (?) that 92,000 more troops are going to magically appear and that nobody is going to leave the service? How about equipment? We can't take care of the troops we have but we are sending them into harms way anyway. Great foresight and planning, as is usual from the crew without a clue.

Isn't it nice to know that after the November elections, the Iraq Study Group report and former military generals advice, that the Decider has decided to disregard all advice and go his own way? Interesting how after the 2004 election he babbled on and on about having a mandate because the people had spoken and now the people's wishes don't mean any more than the toilet tissue hanging next to the presidential toilet. Obviously.

I'm listening to some idiot caller on the radio who is maintaining that we didn't destroy Iraq, that we removed a dictator and eliminated rape rooms. Whoop-de-f**king-doo. Since when is that worth over 3000 American lives, over 600,000 Iraqi lives, untold numbers of life debilitating injuries and billions of dollars that should be spent here at home? Adding more stressed and overworked troops to a shooting gallery situation is foolhardy at best and treasonous at worst. And we are going to rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure? That promise isn't worth the paper it's printed on, ask the people of New Orleans. Remember them? Devastated by Katrina and incompetence with our own version of ethnic cleansing. Yup, things are sure looking up.

America's Enemies

Are located within its borders and wear the cloak of authority with the hood of arrogance, the gloves of money and power and the jackboots of racism and hatred. All to protect us, of course.

I have been an isolationist for most of my life. Not in the way that we should close our borders and treat everyone that wants to come to this country as a criminal and not worthy unless they have melanin impaired skin, but that we should take care of the problems of our own citizens before we impose our will and wisdom on the world.

The front in the global war on terror is the United States. We attract it (September 11, as we will hear many times tonight), dispense it (Haditha, Abeer Hamza), and condone it (killing Palestinians in their homes or on the beach is ok by us). Never, never do we take responsibility for our contributions to the instability of the world and we still have the hubris to believe that the rest of the world is wrong. Every time and every instance.

Not only do we not take responsibility for our actions as a country, we have a leader who feels that he is above the people (who elected him), Congress (according to the Constitution an equal part of the triad government we used to have), the Constitution (just an old piece of paper) and we won't even get into world opinion. The buck will never stop at the current White House, unless it is to collect interest on its way to a campaign donor or major corporation.

Supposedly the President is in my camp. I don't really believe that anymore than I believe that we are camping. He can sex up his intelligence all he wants, but it won't change the fact that Iraq had nothing to do with September 11. Saddam Hussein is dead (and that will come back to haunt us), the Iraqi army is standing up, at least until they get shot at, there are no weapons of mass destruction, and the administration has changed Generals more times than Darth Vader, so why are we still in Iraq?

There is no graceful way out of this debacle and there never will be. We can continue to throw good money after bad, increase the body count for both us and the Iraqis by sending in more troops that won't help the situation and we are still going to have to bring the troops home eventually. Like most of America I would prefer that it was sooner rather than later because we can't fix what we broke and we are only making it worse.

The administration doesn't understand the situation in the Middle East and never will because they all look alike and it's the religion that is different. They are used to America where the religion is relatively consistent but the people don't look similar at all, you can tell the ones who are going to cause trouble because they have different colored skin, or so the theory goes.

The only advantage I can see in having the troops in Iraq is that it prevents dear Leader from using them against the people of the United States.

So far.

3Bs

Plan Or Debacle?

Iraq. The war the just keeps on giving. Ignominious death for the troops and indecision and posturing for the politicians. What a crock! Crafting an Iraq plan? What is this, the better late than never administration? Life is what happens while you are making plans, something these guys just don't get. Iraq is not a static situation. While the crew without a clue tries to concoct a plan that people were fired for suggesting four years ago, the forces in Iraq are readjusting their tactics also.

Given the track record of the crew without a clue and the accomplishments of all those pesky brown people with beards, this cannot end well. Overwhelming force and obliteration are the eventual result against heart and ingenuity. Don't worry about the collateral damage, they were just the heart of the country. The people. Who cares what they want?

Too expensive? As opposed to what, the Iraq war? The loss of almost three thousand Americans at one moment in time wasn't expensive? With as many people as we have out of work and with the threat of another attack definitely increasing due to our own hubris, why can't we use people to search the cargo areas? What else does anyone plan on doing? Nothing is not a solution to we don't want to spend the money on prevention, we only want to spend it on blowing up other countries, not saving our own. Almost twenty years after Lockerbie and we still don't have a working system, much less a plan. Nice to know that protecting the citizens is known as a marginal benefit and not worth the price. Business is much more important than human life, isn't it?

This isn't about Democrats and Republicans. It isn't about the power of the White House, it isn't about the cost, goodness knows we waste enough taxpayer's money on projects that provide no return, it is about the protection of America and her citizens, which just so happens to be what most people expect their government to do for them with the tax money they are forced to remit. It's amazing how we expect 100% accuracy in bug spray but to use those same requirements to protect taxpayers is too much to ask.

And having pig races isn't going to prevent Muslims from living in the area but it will increase the chances of you looking stupid.

Two seater cars have always been a favorite of mine. I used to have a 1987 Honda CRX, the HF version. It zipped, parked almost anywhere and the gas mileage rocked. I kept track of every tank of gas and over the lifetime that I had the car (around 250K miles) it averaged approximately 44 mpg, with a high of 51 and low of 37. I replaced it with a newer Honda which only gets about 35 mpg. I only owe 700 more dollars and then it's mine. Hope I make it.

Even without the steel cage and lack of airbags, I still felt safe. I'm a careful driver, which limits the types of accidents I'm likely to be involved in, and for the ones I can't anticipate, how big the car is, is not like to be the deciding factor in survival. The Smart Car has all the safety features, the ability to zip out of the way and park in the city sideways if needed. The gas mileage needs to be improved.

What are the odds that two first time black mayors who lived within 150 miles of each other would be shot at in a two week period? They won't be able to rule this shooting a suicide, but the first one was really suspicious. Welcome to America, circa 1920.

Updated.

Whee!

I cannot stress strongly enough how much I want one of these. I want an iPhone.



I cannot stress it enough. Really.

Bits and Bytes

I don't wear makeup, it makes my face itch. Plus it takes too long to put on and take off. I have used moisturizer since I was twenty and have never used an SPF unless I was laying out to get a tan. I hear tell I look less than forty so I definitely recommend going without makeup and now the experts are starting to jump on the bandwagon. I have short hair for my convenience and I can be ready to go in the morning as fast as any guy. I'm not all that girly. Clothes are too keep me warm and prevent arrests for indecent exposure, shoes are protection for walking, a purse is something for my keys and I.D. Makeup is for movie stars.

I eat spicy foods because I like them. That they help to raise the basal metabolism to burn extra calories is a plus and now it seems that capsaicin might attack the mitochondria of cancer cells. Eating it might not be as helpful as injecting directly into the cell, but it sure does taste good.

Finally! Apple TV is in the phone book. Located on the iPhone near you. I want one, I hate my Motorola that I just got. The screen looks pretty cool. Let's see, 175 times three to get out of my Verizon contract, $600 for the phone. Hmm, this could be expensive. I wish it was Verizon but that wasn't going to happen.

It isn't that I don't like Oprah, I just don't worship her. I found her remark about the schoolchildren in America to be offensive and judgmental. When materialism is touted as "success" what do you expect little kids to want? It's bad enough that by six years old most kids equate being Caucasian with being good and black dolls with being bad, structural racism at its finest.

Ethicists are morally compromised? I wonder if they are religious too, since they also seem to have problems practicing what they preach.

Good Morning

Have you ever wondered about Zip Codes, like why does someone across the street have a completely different Zip? The business across the street from me had a Zip that was seventy numbers different from mine. The ZipScribble Map won't either, but it can put the Zip Code into a different perspective.

Hair, sometimes you have too much, sometimes not enough or it isn't in the right places. Why does some hair seem to grow back right after you trim it? Once you get past the first few paragraphs, it become a slightly more interesting read.

Discharged from the US Army was I, on this day in 1976. Lots of other stuff happened on that day in history, Stephen Hawking, Elvis and Bowie were born, my brother got married, Bush Sr, puked on the Prime Minister of Japan, President Johnson declared the war on poverty, AT&T supposedly broke up (1982, not that you can tell it now), and just last year Tom Delay stepped down as House Majority Leader.


Speaking of Michelle Forbes, we weren't but it's her birthday too, her storyline on 24 was never fully resolved. We last saw, or heard of, her being loaded into an ambulance after a rather substantial fall. People are talking about what a riproaring season that this one will be, I'll reserve judgment. It's up against Heroes this season
and I won't be able to watch both. I am going to have to download and pay for one series and have issues with which one.

NBC irritates me because you can only stream it for free (Mac discrimination!) if you have Windows and there is a part of me that objects to giving money to FOX. Even through iTunes. Decisions, decisions.

I have to admit, I've been Plutoed.

Sort Of Science Saturday

Thank you for your contribution to the world Mr. Ando, many a college student is in your debt. You definitely helped in the war against low food security, formerly known as hunger. Rest in peace.

If your dog is overweight, then the owner needs some exercise. There is no excuse for a fat dog. Shai Shai got a little overweight at one time, I restricted her food (I can do that, I'm bigger than her and have opposable thumbs) and took her out more. The end result? Both of us lost weight, I spent time with my best friend, reduced my stress and had a happier dog with great puppy dreams. No diet pills required.

When they figure out a way to involuntarily sterilize the rest of the world, then maybe I'll worry about people who are so desperate to have a designer baby as a status symbol. It isn't because they want to raise a child and give it a healthy start in the world, otherwise orphanages would be empty. Some people are certainly trying to usurp the created in in his own image creed.

While I admit that 24 is on my mind increasingly frequently, I wouldn't go so far to call it an uberseries like Stephen King does. I've watched the YouTube videos and must say that I still don't like Chloe's ex. I wonder what the body count will be this season? I haven't checked in at the Forum, I'll be doing that later today.

I don't want new details about the Haditha incident. The old ones were bad enough. The troops are under great strain but nothing justifies this type of behavior or covering it up afterward. We can't keep sending the same battle weary troops back into a war zone with no discernible end in sight. Not if we want them to have some semblance of humanity when this debacle is over.

Maybe my nephew (Purdue, studying genetics) will be one of the ones who helps to reveal all. Genetics has always fascinated me because ever since I first heard of Mendel and his theory, I've watched it at work in my family. I didn't have any children but their should have been one blue eyed child among the four boys. Oh well, they should show up in the next generation.

Sinking To New Lows

Every time you think we have asked our veterans to give enough, you find out that our government feels they can give more. As if the ultimate sacrifice wasn't considered enough. Which, considering the ineptitude of of the crew without a clue, is not that much of a stretch.

The Army said Friday it would apologize to the families of about 275 officers killed or wounded in action who were mistakenly sent letters urging them to return to active duty.

The letters were sent a few days after Christmas to more than 5,100 Army officers who had recently left the service. Included were letters to about 75 officers killed in action and about 200 wounded in action.

Once again information comes to light that shows that there has been nothing that this administration can't screw up when it comes to the military and Iraq. Please tell me that the destruction of my country is coming to an end, preferably not with the forced fulfillment of a scorched earth prophecy.

Please.

Friday News And Views

Due to Google Reader's ease of use, I have been able to check in on more blogs, quickly. What I like about it is that I don't have to wait for the site to load, I can read quickly by just going down the page and then opening the articles that I want to read more of. Blogrolling doesn't seem to reflect when people update there site and the Reader is almost instantaneous.

Kiko's House is an interesting place to hang out at. No milk or cookies but great perspective, wonderful writing and a very subtle sense of humor. Today he weighs in the decline of the newspaper, sparked by the recent round of layoffs in Philadelphia. His conclusions reflect my reading habits.

I watched Princess Diana's funeral on the web, have followed most major events and elections on the web and haven't bought a paper in years. Besides the fact that the news is old, the paper is bulky, dirty and has way too much advertising to justify killing all those trees. I hate trying to find the rest of the article which is usually broken into strange paragraphs to accommodate something I'm not interested in buying. The web doesn't do that.

On the other hand, just like James Kirk, some people like the feel of a book or paper in their hands. While the internet might be the way I prefer to get my news, I realize that the in-depth investigating is done by the print side of the news. Yeah, tv looks pretty but they tend to be superficial even when they are digging deep.

Pander Bear. Now that's a great name for McCain. His favorite color is probably plaid just so he can cover that base too. Two more years of this crap, events can change the perceived outcome. Please.

Thee last time NBC offered a preview of something on NetFlix, the shows (Kidnapped and Studio 60) didn't live up to their potential. Since this will be a Heroes recap, hopefully that same fate won't hold true though I am looking forward to the preview of Raines.

Top Of The Morning!

As a person born in May, my world tends to revolve around things that feel, taste or look good. I love what one can do with money when one has it. I haven't, lately, but I like to pay attention to the way other people spend their's. Seems they weren't spending much more than I did and they waited until the last minute. The only lines I had to stand in were in Costco and the numbers reflect that.

If you disregard the car bombings, lack of electricity, suicide bombings, poor food and water, the more than occasional kidnapping and torture in the neighborhood and throw in poor access to healthcare, life is pretty good if you're a midwife in Iraq. If you are a doctor, not so good, you are taking your life in your hands. Which is why over 12,000 have left the country voluntarily. Two thousand of the them have been killed in what looks like a coordinated effort to return Iraq to the Middle Ages. Maybe they shouldn't have greeted us with oranges and flowers.

I had to go to Social Security to replace mom's card and then we went to Social Services to sign her up for Medi-Cal. Let me say that I have been to other countries where there were more "Americans" in the train station than there were in these two agencies. I was the only black person for hours. Just an observation.

The WSJ has a long and extremely boring article on the business ramifications of the incoming Congress. Blah, blah. There is going to be a raise in the minimum wage and Big Oil is going to launch an ad campaing trying to explain why they deserve to gouge the little man. Because it's a global market, hands down the one of the worst justifications for thievery I've ever heard. My parents taught me that just because everyone else was doing it, was not a valid excuse.

Bush is contemplating a bump, not a surge. Isn't that nice? We have passed the three thousand mark in Iraq without a serious discussion of what it means to survive. The armor protects the large vital organs (brain not included) from most of the effects of bullets and explosions but at what cost? If you've lost two legs, an arm, have severe brain injuries and then they have to amputate your penis, what kind of life is that? Are we so desperate for bullet stoppers that commanders are willing to have people who might snap at any moment, in their unit? It looks like it.

Planning For The Future

It looks like Dubai (the new vacation spot for those with too much money) is planning to build the world's first underwater hotel.

This is not a new idea, at least not to me or everyone else who suffered through Attack of the Clones, we've seen the concept. It is time to take this past the point of science fiction and move it towards rebuilding New Orleans. If we have the technology to build places for people to play, we have the technology to build places for people to live.

Plus, think of all the tourism dollars it would bring to the area. Planning for the future is much more productive than trying to reproduce the past. At least in this instance.

It's time we were in the forefront of innovation instead of watching from the sidelines. Like a third world country.

Happy Idiots

Typical shortsightedness. Buying the military that they wish they had. Pork galore, everyone to the trough. Nowhere in the supplemental budget (unforeseen costs, just like the unforeseen consequences that this administration specializes in) are there provisions to repair the heart and soul of the military. The troops.

Once again, in case the last few years have not made it clear to the citizenry, it is all about the Benjamins and making sure they go to the cronies and corporations, not protecting the country.

Equipment is all well and good but the military is trying to gear up for a fight that doesn't exist and ignoring the one that does. Instead of trying to purchase two jets that won't be available for years and will be absolutely no use in the global war on terror, perhaps the money could be better spent on better protection for the troops or more efficient ways to determine where the IEDs are, besides using the human body to absorb the explosions. Largess, indeed. They aren't even shy about how ripping off the public. Not shy at all.

Since mom had her stroke I put us both on a mature multivitamin, a super B complex and fish oil. We are getting at least 800 mcg of folate daily, which seems to be a good thing. Besides lowering homocysteine levels it might slow age related hearing loss. It's frightening to think that in comparison to the Dutch, Americans are better nourished. The Dutch might not get as much folic acid but then they also don't have our high rates of obesity and diabetes.

What exactly is the purpose of this story? It draws no conclusions while pointing out an inequity without providing evidence. Is the program beneficial or is it just a way to get around No Child Left Behind, by elminating them from the testing pool?

Over diagnosing. Definitely a problem. As I used to tell people, women had babies long before there were doctors, not that you would know it by how a pregnant woman is treated today. Once you receive a diagnosis then you require treatment. Usually some type of prescription for a new drug that just came on the market and it suits your specific problem. The one you didn't have until you went to the doctor.

Last year I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. No symptoms whatsoever and I would have noticed a racing heartbeat or a loss of weight. Not one symptom but that didn't stop them, some blood test said there was something wrong. I insisted on another test. It came back exactly opposite. My thyroid is having a party all by itself and I have no symptoms. At all. The doctor wanted to put me on medication but until it starts to affect my life, I'm not taking anything. I go back in March for a follow up.

More Firefox extensions that some have never heard of. I use three of those listed.

FO! Please. And if you won't do that, how about STFU. You don't read so we know that this didn't come from your pen. Or brain. Thank goodness for those speechwriters. It's you who are stale. Mate.

Update, I added a link for why it's taking so long to protect the troops.

Freedom

The America of my youth is gone. I'm not scared of dying (much) from a terrorist incident, but from being caught up in a police state where a badge and a gun (not necessarily from a police officer) signifies justice and authority, while help for the common citizen is naught.

As time goes on, more and more of what made this country great has been lost, either sold to corporations who shipped the jobs offshore, eliminated services under the guise of tax reduction, used the National Guard and Reserves and wasted them and their equipment in a foolish war and now privatizing the police force without all those pesky protections that the Bill or Rights used to afford the common man. It still does, as long as you are melanin impaired and can afford the service.

This article in the WaPo highlights the changes in law enforcement and how the police are outnumbered by private security officers. And what a frightening picture it is. I guess if you're one of the 25% who believe Jesus is returning to Earth this year you don't have to worry about anything.

Jolly Roger is also on top of this, he found another article about how the chaplaincy of the military is 50% composed of radical Christians and the influence they are beginning to have. Maybe that little slip of Herr Bush right after September 11 wasn't really a slip at all. Maybe it is a Crusade.

It's absolutely fascinating in an abstract way to watch America become a fundamentalist society. Knowing that they will have to and are prepared to use, force, to achieve their goal of returning us to a time of female subservience, a very restrictive economic structure and a segregated society. The younger generation may be waiting for the old people to die off so they can have a more liberal society, but I don't think that strategy is going to work. If they don't stand up before the takeover is complete, it could be generations before freedom returns to America.

The freedom to express yourself. The freedom to travel within the country and not just your neighborhood, or to and from work. The freedom to feel that your thoughts and beliefs, whatever they may be, may be expressed in the privacy of your own home without fear of government intrusion. The freedom to change your mind. The freedom to choose; lifestyle, career, religion, or whether or not to have children. The freedom to require that your government honor the Constitution, not treat it as an old piece of paper.

Brave men and women have died for us to have those freedoms and in some instances still do. From our Founding Fathers to the soldiers and journalists of today, they have paid the ultimate price for us to have those freedoms, maybe we should exercise them before they're gone forever? Hmm?

3Bs

Happy New Year!

Same as the last one but with a different number. 2007. Wow, over halfway through the decade. Remember when everyone was freaking out about Y2K? Seems like yesterday, except it wasn't.

Mom and I attended the annual New Year's Day party at the home of some Japanese friends of mine. We've been going for four years, I'm finally starting to recognize people. The food is all supposed to influence good luck and the sake rocks. Mom was tired and lasted for just a few hours but everyone was happy to see her again. They politely ignored the fact that she had very little control of the left side of her face. She's getting better, day by day, but it's a long process.

Did you overeat during the holidays? Did you enjoy yourself? I made prime rib for Christmas, do you know how much walking it will take to burn off an 8 oz serving? It will take 174 minutes of walking. No matter how much you wish it were so, unlike prison, the exercise doesn't work concurrently, no double dipping here. Then I have another hour of walking just to burn off the mashed potatoes. Waaah! A moment on the lips, forever on the hips.

Divorce! Billionaire style. If only other people could be so reasonable.

A CSS cheat sheet. Too geeky for my own good.

People are getting more eccentric (crazy) by the year. The Bun Run? Man, I hate being cold. And wet. What will they think of next?

Give me a break. If the U.S. really wanted to delay the execution of Saddam, they shouldn't have turned him over to the Iraqis. Blowing smoke up the skirts of the masses. Oh well, what can you expect from a network that deliberately can't tell the difference between Osama bin Forgotten and Barack Obama?

Honey, Look!

IMG_0101, originally uploaded by Béki.

I was reading the sheets before changing them this morning and I realize that ever since the eggs hatched we never go anywhere or do anything exciting. That's when I saw this.

It promises spectacular aerial views with updrafts of varying speed and intensity, guaranteed to take you and your partner to new heights and infuse your relationship with passion and danger.

It looks like fun, doesn't it honey? Honey?

Today's entry in the Random Flickr Blogging project.