Because you probably didn't hear about this:
On Tuesday, without note in the U.S. media, more than half of the members of Iraq's parliament rejected the continuing occupation of their country. 144 lawmakers signed onto a legislative petition calling on the United States to set a timetable for withdrawal, according to Nassar Al-Rubaie, a spokesman for the Al Sadr movement, the nationalist Shia group that sponsored the petition.
May 9, 2007
On Your Feet
Among women's shoes, fashion has truly trumped function. As the summer months approach, colorful sandals, flip-flops, wedges, high heels and ballet flats dot the sidewalks. One of trendiest shoes this season is YSL's platform "Tribute" -- with a tottering 5 1/2 -inch heel. Often painstakingly selected to complete outfits, shoes like these put stress not just on feet, but on ankles, knees and backs, contributing to the approximately $3.5 billion spent annually in the United States for women's foot surgeries, which cause them to lose 15 million work days yearly.
$3.5 billion is a lot dough, so I don't expect a major push any time soon to get women to stop wearing high-heels.
Stay off your feet and read the rest here.
$3.5 billion is a lot dough, so I don't expect a major push any time soon to get women to stop wearing high-heels.
Stay off your feet and read the rest here.
Not the End of the World as We Know It
How bad is climate change really? Are catastrophic floods and terrible droughts headed our way? Despite widespread fears of a greenhouse hell, the latest computer simulations are delivering far less dramatic predictions about tomorrow's climate.
In other words: no one really knows what will happen.
Here's the story.
In other words: no one really knows what will happen.
Here's the story.
May 8, 2007
GOP is pro-life in the womb, not necessarily after
It's nice to see this issue being discussed in the mainstream media.
And I'll be the first to tell you that many Christians -- especially right-wing conservatives -- are staunch anti-abortion advocates on Monday. And on Tuesday, if there is an execution, they are right there supporting that one as well.
And I'll be the first to tell you that many Christians -- especially right-wing conservatives -- are staunch anti-abortion advocates on Monday. And on Tuesday, if there is an execution, they are right there supporting that one as well.
Bring them home
Some of us have been advocating this course of action for quite some time. I'm glad to see the L.A. Times joining the chorus:
WHATEVER THE future holds, the United States has not "lost" and cannot "lose" Iraq. It was never ours in the first place. And however history will judge the war, some key U.S. goals have been accomplished: Saddam Hussein has been ousted, tried and executed; Iraqis have held three elections, adopted a constitution and established a rudimentary democracy.
But what now? After four years of war, more than $350 billion spent and 3,363 U.S. soldiers killed and 24,310 wounded, it seems increasingly obvious that an Iraqi political settlement cannot be achieved in the shadow of an indefinite foreign occupation. The U.S. military presence — opposed by more than three-quarters of Iraqis — inflames terrorism and delays what should be the primary and most pressing goal: meaningful reconciliation among the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
The bottom line:
We are not naive. U.S. withdrawal, whether concluded next year or five years from now, entails grave risks. But so does U.S. occupation. The question is how best to manage the risks.
Read the rest here.
WHATEVER THE future holds, the United States has not "lost" and cannot "lose" Iraq. It was never ours in the first place. And however history will judge the war, some key U.S. goals have been accomplished: Saddam Hussein has been ousted, tried and executed; Iraqis have held three elections, adopted a constitution and established a rudimentary democracy.
But what now? After four years of war, more than $350 billion spent and 3,363 U.S. soldiers killed and 24,310 wounded, it seems increasingly obvious that an Iraqi political settlement cannot be achieved in the shadow of an indefinite foreign occupation. The U.S. military presence — opposed by more than three-quarters of Iraqis — inflames terrorism and delays what should be the primary and most pressing goal: meaningful reconciliation among the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
The bottom line:
We are not naive. U.S. withdrawal, whether concluded next year or five years from now, entails grave risks. But so does U.S. occupation. The question is how best to manage the risks.
Read the rest here.
May 7, 2007
Cap gives you full kip in 3hrs
From the "Welcome to our Brave New World" file, we get this wonderful story:
SCIENTISTS have devised a way to cram a good night’s kip into THREE HOURS.
They have created a machine placed above the head like a “cap” that puts wearers in deep sleep.
It could mean we all might one day wake up refreshed after just a few hours in the sack.
How is this a good thing? I see it being abused by companies/governments by forcing us to work longer hours.
SCIENTISTS have devised a way to cram a good night’s kip into THREE HOURS.
They have created a machine placed above the head like a “cap” that puts wearers in deep sleep.
It could mean we all might one day wake up refreshed after just a few hours in the sack.
How is this a good thing? I see it being abused by companies/governments by forcing us to work longer hours.
The lethal media silence on Kent State's smoking guns
After 37 years of official denial and cover-up, tape-recorded evidence, that has existed for decades and has been in the possession of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has finally been made public.
It proves what "conspiracy theorists" have argued since 1970---that there was a direct military order leading to the unprovoked assassination of unarmed students. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents show collusion between Ohio Governor James A. Rhodes and the FBI that aimed to terrorize anti-war demonstrators and their protests that were raging throughout the nation.
You may not want to believe it, but yes, conspiracies do happen, and more frequently than you can imagine.
Here's the rest of the story.
It proves what "conspiracy theorists" have argued since 1970---that there was a direct military order leading to the unprovoked assassination of unarmed students. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents show collusion between Ohio Governor James A. Rhodes and the FBI that aimed to terrorize anti-war demonstrators and their protests that were raging throughout the nation.
You may not want to believe it, but yes, conspiracies do happen, and more frequently than you can imagine.
Here's the rest of the story.
Homeland Security woos Arab tourists with fingerprint demo
If this is the way they are going to be treated, then really, tourists (particularly Arab tourists) should not visit the U.S.
Promoters from 64 countries vied last week to lure big-spending Arab tourists to their countries at the Middle East's largest tourism convention.
But not a single promoter from the United States turned up.
Instead, the U.S. government sent officials from the Department of Homeland Security to demonstrate its mandatory fingerprinting of Arab and other foreign visitors.
...
A pair of U.S. Homeland Security officials at the show did their best to give details on America's tourist sights, such as the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, while explaining that being fingerprinted by U.S. immigration officials doesn't mean a person should feel like a criminal.
Oh, no. You have no reason to feel like a criminal. Wait, where did you say you wanted to visit?
"We tell them, 'We want you to come to the United States,'" said DHS spokeswoman Kimberly Weissman. "They ask us about destinations and we give them our personal anecdotes."
Visitors at the show said the lack of U.S. promoters gives the impression that Arabs are no longer welcome in America.
Actions do speak much, much louder than words.
There's more here.
Promoters from 64 countries vied last week to lure big-spending Arab tourists to their countries at the Middle East's largest tourism convention.
But not a single promoter from the United States turned up.
Instead, the U.S. government sent officials from the Department of Homeland Security to demonstrate its mandatory fingerprinting of Arab and other foreign visitors.
...
A pair of U.S. Homeland Security officials at the show did their best to give details on America's tourist sights, such as the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, while explaining that being fingerprinted by U.S. immigration officials doesn't mean a person should feel like a criminal.
Oh, no. You have no reason to feel like a criminal. Wait, where did you say you wanted to visit?
"We tell them, 'We want you to come to the United States,'" said DHS spokeswoman Kimberly Weissman. "They ask us about destinations and we give them our personal anecdotes."
Visitors at the show said the lack of U.S. promoters gives the impression that Arabs are no longer welcome in America.
Actions do speak much, much louder than words.
There's more here.
Scientists Have Found the Gene That Decides How Long We Live
In the never ending search to live longer without doing much, we get this:
Scientists believe that the findings could unlock a genetic treasure-chest of potential pharmacological targets for developing drugs that can extend the human lifespan without having to follow a rigorous and difficult diet.
The pill society continues to flourish.
Scientists believe that the findings could unlock a genetic treasure-chest of potential pharmacological targets for developing drugs that can extend the human lifespan without having to follow a rigorous and difficult diet.
The pill society continues to flourish.
The New Land Rush
We all saw this one coming:
Recent news reports state that global warming and the shrinking Arctic icecaps are opening new sea lanes and making barren islands suddenly very valuable. In fact, the international community might experience a new race of exploration, conquest and acquisition for this "new world" -- these newly available lands and sea routes. Conflicts could arise over shipping lanes, islands, fish stocks, minerals and oil that are now becoming accessible and commercially exploitable.
Governments are even now engaged in asserting their sovereignty over these areas and assets. Canada, Denmark and the United States are already involved in diplomatic disputes over these issues. For example, Canada and Denmark have sent diplomats and warships to plant their flags on tiny Hans Island near northwestern Greenland.
The new frontier.
Recent news reports state that global warming and the shrinking Arctic icecaps are opening new sea lanes and making barren islands suddenly very valuable. In fact, the international community might experience a new race of exploration, conquest and acquisition for this "new world" -- these newly available lands and sea routes. Conflicts could arise over shipping lanes, islands, fish stocks, minerals and oil that are now becoming accessible and commercially exploitable.
Governments are even now engaged in asserting their sovereignty over these areas and assets. Canada, Denmark and the United States are already involved in diplomatic disputes over these issues. For example, Canada and Denmark have sent diplomats and warships to plant their flags on tiny Hans Island near northwestern Greenland.
The new frontier.
Age of Innocence Revisited
So, some people fear the "Girls Gone Wild" culture:
Is there anything to be done? Curtailing the demand side of such a "market" is difficult, requiring moralistic sermons and abridgements of speech. But the supply side is more vulnerable to change. It is time to raise the age of consent from 18 to 21--"consent," in this case, referring not to sexual relations but to providing erotic content on film.
Hmmm. Raise the age of consent from 18 to 21?
Ok. Then for military enlistment, how about raising the age from 18 to 21, as well. You know, war is just a different kind of "porn", but it's porn all the same.
This guy continues:
In certain obvious respects, 18 years is old enough to ward off the threat of "child porn." But the "Girls Gone Wild" problem concerns adult porn: At what age is a girl ready to make that decision, one that she will live with--technologically speaking, at least--for the rest of her life? A woman of 18 may be physically indistinguishable from one who is 21, but they are developmentally worlds apart.
Couldn't the same argument be made for our enlisted men and women in the military?
Read the rest.
Is there anything to be done? Curtailing the demand side of such a "market" is difficult, requiring moralistic sermons and abridgements of speech. But the supply side is more vulnerable to change. It is time to raise the age of consent from 18 to 21--"consent," in this case, referring not to sexual relations but to providing erotic content on film.
Hmmm. Raise the age of consent from 18 to 21?
Ok. Then for military enlistment, how about raising the age from 18 to 21, as well. You know, war is just a different kind of "porn", but it's porn all the same.
This guy continues:
In certain obvious respects, 18 years is old enough to ward off the threat of "child porn." But the "Girls Gone Wild" problem concerns adult porn: At what age is a girl ready to make that decision, one that she will live with--technologically speaking, at least--for the rest of her life? A woman of 18 may be physically indistinguishable from one who is 21, but they are developmentally worlds apart.
Couldn't the same argument be made for our enlisted men and women in the military?
Read the rest.
Couple burnt alive for "black magic"
From India we get this:
An elderly husband and wife were burnt to death in Andhra Pradesh after villagers accused them of practising black magic, tied them together on a pyre and set them on fire, police said on Thursday.
"The aged couple died screaming for help," said police superintendent P.V. Sunil Kumar.
Sayanna, 70, and his 61-year-old wife, Pochamma, were set ablaze after being doused with kerosene.
And don't forget:
Dozens of women are murdered each year after being accused of witchcraft.
An elderly husband and wife were burnt to death in Andhra Pradesh after villagers accused them of practising black magic, tied them together on a pyre and set them on fire, police said on Thursday.
"The aged couple died screaming for help," said police superintendent P.V. Sunil Kumar.
Sayanna, 70, and his 61-year-old wife, Pochamma, were set ablaze after being doused with kerosene.
And don't forget:
Dozens of women are murdered each year after being accused of witchcraft.
Children 'bad for planet'
HAVING large families should be frowned upon as an environmental misdemeanour in the same way as frequent long-haul flights, driving a big car and failing to reuse plastic bags, says a report to be published today by a green think tank.
...
"The decision to have children should be seen as a very big one and one that should take the environment into account," he added.
Here's more.
...
"The decision to have children should be seen as a very big one and one that should take the environment into account," he added.
Here's more.
Smart teens don’t have sex (or kiss much either)
High intelligence is the best protection against early sexual activity during adolescence, research has shown. Can it be that intelligent kids don't need free condoms to be convinced they shouldn't have sex? Well, yes, that may be, but it may also be that smart kids just can't get dates.
...
Their results showed a distinct bell curve. Teens at the upper and lower ends of the intelligence distribution were found less likely to have had sex. And even once they started being sexually active, the more intelligent ones postponed the full range of partnered sexual activities until later than the rest.
So it's really only the average intelligence kids we have to worry about.
But...
What the study leaves out is whether or not the kids in this study could have had sex. It's easy to correlate intelligence with not getting sex if you don't ask about willingness.
And then:
Mr. Malloy also notes this survey from Wellesley that says 72% of biology majors were virgins.
Do you believe 72% of biology majors could have sex but still don't? Granted, I think biology students are enlightened ( though not as enlightened as math students, with 83% virginity ) but they can't be that enlightened.
83% virginity? Good to see I was in the minority once again. ;-)
But don't forget:
Girls, even among biology majors, can get sex whenever they want - and they're all intelligent enough to know it.
Learn more.
...
Their results showed a distinct bell curve. Teens at the upper and lower ends of the intelligence distribution were found less likely to have had sex. And even once they started being sexually active, the more intelligent ones postponed the full range of partnered sexual activities until later than the rest.
So it's really only the average intelligence kids we have to worry about.
But...
What the study leaves out is whether or not the kids in this study could have had sex. It's easy to correlate intelligence with not getting sex if you don't ask about willingness.
And then:
Mr. Malloy also notes this survey from Wellesley that says 72% of biology majors were virgins.
Do you believe 72% of biology majors could have sex but still don't? Granted, I think biology students are enlightened ( though not as enlightened as math students, with 83% virginity ) but they can't be that enlightened.
83% virginity? Good to see I was in the minority once again. ;-)
But don't forget:
Girls, even among biology majors, can get sex whenever they want - and they're all intelligent enough to know it.
Learn more.
ABC to air debate on God online
Comfort, who says he can prove God exists scientifically, said ABC originally offered him four minutes to present his case. After conferring with Cameron and the atheists, the time was raised to 13 minutes.
"I'm ecstatic. I can prove the existence of God in that amount of time," Comfort said.
Jesus.
Here ya go.
"I'm ecstatic. I can prove the existence of God in that amount of time," Comfort said.
Jesus.
Here ya go.
Empty Pews
"Through the years, lots of people of differing perspectives have grown tired of division on topics, such as homosexuality and abortion," Donovan said. "You find people leaving churches -- or not drawn to them -- because they don't want to be part of something where this is always being raised."
And yet 80 percent of Americans routinely say in the polls they believe in God.
Because, as we have seen, to say otherwise is too big of a risk for most people to take.
In fact, most of the more than 300,000 U.S. congregations are not growing.
"I know people who say they love Jesus but can't take the institutional church," said the Rev. Al Taylor, pastor of Chester-Bethel United Methodist Church in Brandywine Hundred. "They say we've made it too structured, with too many rules."
Ya think?
Anyway, read the rest on declining church attendance.
And yet 80 percent of Americans routinely say in the polls they believe in God.
Because, as we have seen, to say otherwise is too big of a risk for most people to take.
In fact, most of the more than 300,000 U.S. congregations are not growing.
"I know people who say they love Jesus but can't take the institutional church," said the Rev. Al Taylor, pastor of Chester-Bethel United Methodist Church in Brandywine Hundred. "They say we've made it too structured, with too many rules."
Ya think?
Anyway, read the rest on declining church attendance.
Fighting fund: The US$564 billion war for profit
From the "I wish more people understood this" file, we get this:
That sort of money could go a long way to addressing so many of the world’s most urgent problems. But war is a very profitable business for some very big and powerful corporations such as Halliburton, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Vinnell and Blackwater. It has been argued that rather than profiteering from war, these corporations are making war for profit. Many of them would not exist as we know them without war.
Halliburton alone has already taken more than $13 billion from no-bid/no-audit US government contracts for providing everything from pizzas to security personnel in Iraq.
That sort of money could go a long way to addressing so many of the world’s most urgent problems. But war is a very profitable business for some very big and powerful corporations such as Halliburton, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Vinnell and Blackwater. It has been argued that rather than profiteering from war, these corporations are making war for profit. Many of them would not exist as we know them without war.
Halliburton alone has already taken more than $13 billion from no-bid/no-audit US government contracts for providing everything from pizzas to security personnel in Iraq.
Crowd Packs Amphitheater For Man Claiming He's Jesus Christ Reincarnated
A controversial religious figure who claims he is Jesus Christ incarnate with a following of millions with "666" tattoos on their bodies, filled an amphitheater in Orlando this weekend, and promised joy, peace and prosperity.
It's the "filled an amphitheater" that is most disturbing.
If you really want to know more, go here.
It's the "filled an amphitheater" that is most disturbing.
If you really want to know more, go here.
Effort To Rebuild Kansas Town Hampered
And you guessed it...
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said the state's response will likely be hampered because much of the equipment usually positioned around the state to respond to emergencies is now in Iraq. That includes things like tents, trucks and semitrailers.
Here's the rest.
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said the state's response will likely be hampered because much of the equipment usually positioned around the state to respond to emergencies is now in Iraq. That includes things like tents, trucks and semitrailers.
Here's the rest.
May 6, 2007
U.S. refiners set for big profits as pump prices soar
I know you're surprised by this:
"The profit outlook is incredible, the refinery margins are significantly higher than last year or the past three years," Fadel Gheit, an analyst with Oppenheimer& Co., told Reuters.
"It would be safe to say that if margins don't collapse from here, the refiners will probably do 20 to 30 percent higher profits this year than last year," added Gheit.
"The profit outlook is incredible, the refinery margins are significantly higher than last year or the past three years," Fadel Gheit, an analyst with Oppenheimer& Co., told Reuters.
"It would be safe to say that if margins don't collapse from here, the refiners will probably do 20 to 30 percent higher profits this year than last year," added Gheit.
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