One sometimes wonders where people live when they think they can get away with articles like this one, who define nerds according to their own PC fantasy world.
Example one:
In a 2001 paper, “The Whiteness of Nerds: Superstandard English and Racial Markedness,” and other works, including a book in progress, Bucholtz notes that the “hegemonic” “cool white” kids use a limited amount of African-American vernacular English; they may say “blood” in lieu of “friend,” or drop the “g” in “playing.” But the nerds she has interviewed, mostly white kids, punctiliously adhere to Standard English. They often favor Greco-Latinate words over Germanic ones (“it’s my observation” instead of “I think”), a preference that lends an air of scientific detachment. They’re aware they speak distinctively, and they use language as a badge of membership in their cliques.
But somehow she didn't manage to wonder if the reason they use "I observe" is that just maybe they based their opinion on observations instead of parroting the opinions of those around them and saying "I think".
And it gets worse;
By cultivating an identity perceived as white to the point of excess, nerds deny themselves the aura of normality that is usually one of the perks of being white. Bucholtz sees something to admire here. In declining to appropriate African-American youth culture, thereby “refusing to exercise the racial privilege upon which white youth cultures are founded,” she writes, nerds may even be viewed as “traitors to whiteness.”
My main question is where did she do her study? after all, the percentage of Asian nerds is quite high, and white students are a minority. And are there no nerds whose parents immigrated from China, Japan, Korea, India, Bengeladesh, or even the Philippines?
Apparently, college professors fail to exercize their intelligence in noticing such things.
FINEST KIND CLINIC AND FISHMARKET.... Discussing medicine, culture, and the joys of cooking Pansit.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
A war we might actually win
and it's not a right wing hack, but someone from the Brookings Inst. writing in the NYTimes editorial section
How to buy a computer
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking
about
buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write
proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO:! Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm
sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start
with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have
anything I can track my money with?
ABBOT T: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on "START"...........
---------------------
Your email of the day from Col. Updraft
Monday, July 30, 2007
Headlines below the fold
Actually I started posting when the internet crashed.
However, nothing has changed in the last two weeks
However, nothing has changed in the last two weeks
Sunday, July 29, 2007
RoboFlies
And if the Iranian paranoia about CIA squirrels wasn't bad enough. Now they will even have to watch for RoboFlies.
How to make banana catsup
We have regular catsup but usually we use banana catsup for our chicken etc.
Ingredients:
* 1 kilo cavendish (saba) bananas
* 1 head onion
* 1 pc red bell pepper
* 1 head garlic
* 3-3/4 liter water
* 20 pcs chili pepper
* 500 mL vinegar
* 1 kilo brown sugar
* 100 grams rock salt
* 1/8 tsp cloves (fine clavo de comer)
* 1/8 tsp cinnamon
* 1/8 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp catsup red # 600
* 1/8 tsp strawberry red
* 1/8 tsp chocolate brown
* 5 grams sodium benzoate
go to link for directions.
we just buy it...it's easier than making it.
Ingredients:
* 1 kilo cavendish (saba) bananas
* 1 head onion
* 1 pc red bell pepper
* 1 head garlic
* 3-3/4 liter water
* 20 pcs chili pepper
* 500 mL vinegar
* 1 kilo brown sugar
* 100 grams rock salt
* 1/8 tsp cloves (fine clavo de comer)
* 1/8 tsp cinnamon
* 1/8 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp catsup red # 600
* 1/8 tsp strawberry red
* 1/8 tsp chocolate brown
* 5 grams sodium benzoate
go to link for directions.
we just buy it...it's easier than making it.
Bananas!
Killerplants has an article on bananas...
Wild (species) bananas must be pollinated to have fruit, but the domesticated banana is a 'mule' (cannot reproduce). The plant is a triploid (having 3 sets of chromosomes) as the result of inheriting one set from the diploid, Musa acuminata (AA) and 2 sets from the tetraploid, Musa balbisiana (BB BB). The domesticated banana (ABB) has 33 chromosomes.
In most plants, if the ovules are not fertilized to form seeds, the fruit never develops. The female flowers of wild bananas develop relatively dry fruit with little or no pulp and large seeds. But the domesticated banana develops large, pulpy, nutritious fruit with no seeds. Because the chromosomes cannot divide equally, the domesticated plant cannot produce seeds. The nourishment that would normally go into the seeds goes instead to the fruit.
and did you know a banana is a berry?
Wild (species) bananas must be pollinated to have fruit, but the domesticated banana is a 'mule' (cannot reproduce). The plant is a triploid (having 3 sets of chromosomes) as the result of inheriting one set from the diploid, Musa acuminata (AA) and 2 sets from the tetraploid, Musa balbisiana (BB BB). The domesticated banana (ABB) has 33 chromosomes.
In most plants, if the ovules are not fertilized to form seeds, the fruit never develops. The female flowers of wild bananas develop relatively dry fruit with little or no pulp and large seeds. But the domesticated banana develops large, pulpy, nutritious fruit with no seeds. Because the chromosomes cannot divide equally, the domesticated plant cannot produce seeds. The nourishment that would normally go into the seeds goes instead to the fruit.
and did you know a banana is a berry?
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Bugs
MissCellania has a blogpost on bugs...
This cartoon sounds like our farm, where you clean up ants with a broom and wastepan, because the house seems to have been built on an ant colony
Don't miss the joke about the contest between the Japanese Samurai, the Chinese Samurai and the Jewish Samurai...
Gift item of the day
I may have published the photo before, but I didn't realize the HelloKitty hat for your cat was actually something you could buy.
According to gizmodo:
" the "Hello Kitty transformation set." It's basically a hat, bib, collar and carrying bag to turn your cat into the saddest, most ridiculous-looking cat on the block."
Your essay of the day
St. Peggy disses pushy waiters and salesclerks oh so sweetly...
and then there are the "rich"...
and then there are the "rich"...
A general rule: If you are told what someone does for a living and it makes sense to you--orthodontist, store owner, professor--that means he's not rich. But if it's a man in a suit who does something that takes him five sentences to explain and still you walk away confused, and castigating yourself as to why you couldn't understand the central facts of the acquisition of wealth in the age you live in--well, chances are you just talked to a billionaire.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Shakespeare's sonnets
I'm reading Helen Hayes memoirs right now, and she explains how she learned to get rid of her southern Drawl by reciting Shakespeare's sonnets.
LibriVox has them to download at link,
LibriVox has them to download at link,
Medical headlines of the day
The New England Journal is going the way of other journals, printing puff pieces instead of hard data.
My take on todays "big news" from the NEJM is found on BNN
The cat who "senses" death is probably detecting acidosis/uremia, and that people who have this odor need her help.... and the ironic part is that in the old days, nurses did this all the time, in the good old days....
And a study that the press is spinning to suggest you can "catch" obesity overlooks culture, since they don't recognize white ethnicity. There are a lot of people who figure that eating is fun, and obesity is not a mortal sin, so enjoy already.
My take on todays "big news" from the NEJM is found on BNN
The cat who "senses" death is probably detecting acidosis/uremia, and that people who have this odor need her help.... and the ironic part is that in the old days, nurses did this all the time, in the good old days....
And a study that the press is spinning to suggest you can "catch" obesity overlooks culture, since they don't recognize white ethnicity. There are a lot of people who figure that eating is fun, and obesity is not a mortal sin, so enjoy already.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Headlines below the fold.
Acid tongued Spengler of the Asia Times discusses genocide...it seems that the only major government leader who opposes Genocide is...GWBush.
And he notes what stopped a lot of the African Genocides was the AnnCoulter solution:
"African genocide ... has abated almost miraculously during the past half-dozen years. Part of this...is due to the determination of Western powers to stop the civil wars...But a great deal of the credit, I firmly believe, goes to Christian evangelists who have won tens of millions of Africans to a "religion of peace", if that expression still has currency, as opposed to tribal loyalties.
And THIS article discusses the increased prosperity in Sub saharan Africa...
As for Zimbabwe, the government hasn't paid the scam artists who set up Archbishop Ncube...and if they don't pay up, he is threatening to release a lot of other politicians' extramarital affairs...
---------------------------------------
NYTimes defends TNR's article:
Mr. Foer said. He said that he had met the writer and that he knows with "near certainty" that he is, in fact, a soldier.
Ummm...didn't you check his travel orders?
---------------------------
YUM....MUCUS...bird's nest soup is not the only use for this molecule....
------------------------------------------
I saw this on TV last night....about half the demonstrators in the front were western elites teaching poor dumb pinoys how to demonstrate.
-------------------------------------------------------
One of those poor innocent Taliban who had been jailed in Gitmo gets out, and restarts a war against Afghans and Chinese.
Luckily he "killed himself" with a granade to stop being captured...
----------------------------------------------------------
And he notes what stopped a lot of the African Genocides was the AnnCoulter solution:
"African genocide ... has abated almost miraculously during the past half-dozen years. Part of this...is due to the determination of Western powers to stop the civil wars...But a great deal of the credit, I firmly believe, goes to Christian evangelists who have won tens of millions of Africans to a "religion of peace", if that expression still has currency, as opposed to tribal loyalties.
And THIS article discusses the increased prosperity in Sub saharan Africa...
As for Zimbabwe, the government hasn't paid the scam artists who set up Archbishop Ncube...and if they don't pay up, he is threatening to release a lot of other politicians' extramarital affairs...
---------------------------------------
NYTimes defends TNR's article:
Mr. Foer said. He said that he had met the writer and that he knows with "near certainty" that he is, in fact, a soldier.
Ummm...didn't you check his travel orders?
---------------------------
YUM....MUCUS...bird's nest soup is not the only use for this molecule....
------------------------------------------
I saw this on TV last night....about half the demonstrators in the front were western elites teaching poor dumb pinoys how to demonstrate.
-------------------------------------------------------
One of those poor innocent Taliban who had been jailed in Gitmo gets out, and restarts a war against Afghans and Chinese.
Luckily he "killed himself" with a granade to stop being captured...
----------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The New Barbie
The NYTimes links to new "commercial" sites for kids.
First is Barbie girl. with stuff to buy and free on line games.
Well, here Ruby is into Barbie stuff (Barbie Fairytopia...Barbie's the princess and the pauper videos, barbie computer...barbie sandals...) The "new" Barbie is beautiful but resourceful, and usually uses her nice smarts (rather than Karate) to solve problems and save the world. So I don't object to her as much as I thought I would.
and then we have LINK "Spotz girl"...which lets you down load nice pictures to make into "tokens" (charms) to decorate stuff...using their "Spotz" maker, only $29.95...
Pure commercialism, and encouraging useless stuff.
To me a waste of time, but for kids who like crafts it's probably okay.
Ruby is also into "Disney Princesses"
Again, most of the princesses are smart. I mean, even if Snow White needed a prince to wake her up, she was resourceful enough to know how to clean a house when she needed a job.
Lots of links for them, including how to dress and put on princess makeup. Ruby had a Belle dress last year for her birthday/haloween parties.
The photo is from Amazon, but of course we made one here...much cheaper.
(For those of you who are Disney challenged, Belle is from Beauty and the Beast...and ridiculed because she likes to read books)...
So if you have girls, these are the things you need to buy.
Oh yes: Hello Kitty is big too...bookbags and sandals...and I have a HelloKitty Alarm clock.
Only 150p (3 dollars) at the Palenke...
First is Barbie girl. with stuff to buy and free on line games.
Well, here Ruby is into Barbie stuff (Barbie Fairytopia...Barbie's the princess and the pauper videos, barbie computer...barbie sandals...) The "new" Barbie is beautiful but resourceful, and usually uses her nice smarts (rather than Karate) to solve problems and save the world. So I don't object to her as much as I thought I would.
and then we have LINK "Spotz girl"...which lets you down load nice pictures to make into "tokens" (charms) to decorate stuff...using their "Spotz" maker, only $29.95...
Pure commercialism, and encouraging useless stuff.
To me a waste of time, but for kids who like crafts it's probably okay.
Ruby is also into "Disney Princesses"
Again, most of the princesses are smart. I mean, even if Snow White needed a prince to wake her up, she was resourceful enough to know how to clean a house when she needed a job.
Lots of links for them, including how to dress and put on princess makeup. Ruby had a Belle dress last year for her birthday/haloween parties.
The photo is from Amazon, but of course we made one here...much cheaper.
(For those of you who are Disney challenged, Belle is from Beauty and the Beast...and ridiculed because she likes to read books)...
So if you have girls, these are the things you need to buy.
Oh yes: Hello Kitty is big too...bookbags and sandals...and I have a HelloKitty Alarm clock.
Only 150p (3 dollars) at the Palenke...
Headlines below the fold
Millions are alive because of the agricultural research that went into the Green revolution. It's one of the most underreported stories of the last two decades.
And the Father of the Green revolution has an editorial in support of "frankenfoods", pointing out out that genetically enhanced food is merely using technology to do what farmers have done slowly for thousands of years.
Oh yes: did you read that last week he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, America's highest civilian honor.
---------------
An Alzheimer cure/prevention drug? Scientific abstract HERE
----------------
Archological items of the day:
Coprseroads in Shakespeare? Fortean times has the history..via FreeRepublic's GodGravesGlyphsForum headsup
And was the legend of the satyr based on an ancient salt mummy? That forum also has a discussion of salt mummies and a link to a USA today article on Satyrs.
Caution: FR is a political site, and may be blocked at work.
------------------
And, via PinoyCentricBlog, your YouTube of the day:1,500 plus inmates at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center rehearsing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”
And the Father of the Green revolution has an editorial in support of "frankenfoods", pointing out out that genetically enhanced food is merely using technology to do what farmers have done slowly for thousands of years.
Oh yes: did you read that last week he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, America's highest civilian honor.
---------------
An Alzheimer cure/prevention drug? Scientific abstract HERE
----------------
Archological items of the day:
Coprseroads in Shakespeare? Fortean times has the history..via FreeRepublic's GodGravesGlyphsForum headsup
And was the legend of the satyr based on an ancient salt mummy? That forum also has a discussion of salt mummies and a link to a USA today article on Satyrs.
Caution: FR is a political site, and may be blocked at work.
------------------
And, via PinoyCentricBlog, your YouTube of the day:1,500 plus inmates at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center rehearsing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”
Turn up speakers and enjoy...
Monday, July 23, 2007
Democracy video is now Miro
I have a link to Democracy player at the left. It is a video player/link that lets you view lots of video stuff on line including tv.
But for the last Year, with all the internet outages and problems, I haven't used it.
Well, they now have an update, and it's called Miro. And yes, they have a linux version.
But for the last Year, with all the internet outages and problems, I haven't used it.
Well, they now have an update, and it's called Miro. And yes, they have a linux version.
Global warming hysteria
Malaria comes to the highlands of Kenya.
It's global warming stupid...or maybe not.
You see, malaria was once common in England and New York City...it has to do with population density, and the availability of stagnant water or ponds in which to breed. Make people richer, clean up the swamps and breeding areas, and spray breeding areas with stuff that kills the wigglers (DDT is nice but oil worked in the old days) and voila, malaria is gone.
I suspect the increase is due to Africa's population explosion, allowing the parasite to spread...100 years ago, you only had scattered villages in the highlands, which were populated mainly with herders not farmers.
But never let truth in the way of global warming hysteria.
It's global warming stupid...or maybe not.
You see, malaria was once common in England and New York City...it has to do with population density, and the availability of stagnant water or ponds in which to breed. Make people richer, clean up the swamps and breeding areas, and spray breeding areas with stuff that kills the wigglers (DDT is nice but oil worked in the old days) and voila, malaria is gone.
I suspect the increase is due to Africa's population explosion, allowing the parasite to spread...100 years ago, you only had scattered villages in the highlands, which were populated mainly with herders not farmers.
But never let truth in the way of global warming hysteria.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
China joins the war on terror take two
A follow up to an earlier post noting China's cooperation with Pakistan's crackdown.
\
\
Family News
Helen's 50th birthday party.
Click on photo to go to web album.
Lots of food music and kids/grandkids.
Click on photo to go to web album.
Lots of food music and kids/grandkids.
 |
| helen's birthday party |
Stuff
I have set up Ubuntu on my computer, and blogging it to BNN.
I managed to get my mp3 set up and my video stuff set up, and with the help of a reader found how to watch my Asian VCD's.
Isn't the internet great?
I managed to get my mp3 set up and my video stuff set up, and with the help of a reader found how to watch my Asian VCD's.
Isn't the internet great?
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Japanese factories needing signs in Portuguese, and your English teacher in Korea is probably a Filipina.
Yup. Globalization is here.
I know about the Korean tourists in Borachay, but what I didn't realize is that thousands of South Korean students study here....it's because they can learn English, the passport to the world's economy.
Cartoon is from ABSCBN article.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Headlines below the fold
A roadside bomb killed a couple dozen Chinese, including women. PJM notices it and links to Counterterrorblog.
The Red Mosque siege was in response to the students attacking Chinese workers at a "health clinic" (read bordello).
China has been holding joint exercizes with Pakistan and has shut down a terror training camp near the Pakistan border.
What does this mean? I'm not sure, but sounds like China is in the war on terror whether or not she wants it.
----------------
The Italians got Father Bossi back from the ASG/MILF, and deny paying ransom.
Yup. And if you believ e that, there's this used bridge in Brooklyn that I want you to buy.
Father Bossi is the third Italian priest kidnapped for ransom, making one Mindanao writer wonder if the MILF just likes Pizza. One priest "escaped" but the second was released "without paying ransom", perhaps because the 80thousand Euros ransom that they "didn't pay" was promptly stolen by the intermediary.
Yup. As one wag put it, here in the Philippines, they steal over the table, under the table, and the table itself.
The scandal of the mortars that didn't work is now being joined by a scandal that the MILF has the latest equipment, with locals wondering if someone high up is selling the good stuff off.
-----------------------------
Broken Glass redux: terrible story by "soldier" in journal is already being questioned LINK LINK LINK
I agree with Powerline: If it was true, then why print the story by one sociopath and ignore 100 000 honorable men's stories? And a lot of the details seem false, making people wonder who checked it out.
I mean, I was only a lowly Captain in the National Guard, but we had both ATV's and Tanks, and one of our jobs was preventing and monitoring hearing loss.
So THIS part of the story, that they ran Bradley fighting vehicles over sleeping dogs, sounds phoney, to say the least.
So I checked it out: Even idling the Bradley fighting vehicle is 75 db, and when running, it is 110 plus decibles, running at top speed (38mph) the noise is 115 db.
A jet engine is 110 db, and 120 db causes pain.
Either they have deaf dogs in Iraq, or someone made up the story and no one bothered to check out the facts.
The Red Mosque siege was in response to the students attacking Chinese workers at a "health clinic" (read bordello).
China has been holding joint exercizes with Pakistan and has shut down a terror training camp near the Pakistan border.
What does this mean? I'm not sure, but sounds like China is in the war on terror whether or not she wants it.
----------------
The Italians got Father Bossi back from the ASG/MILF, and deny paying ransom.
Yup. And if you believ e that, there's this used bridge in Brooklyn that I want you to buy.
Father Bossi is the third Italian priest kidnapped for ransom, making one Mindanao writer wonder if the MILF just likes Pizza. One priest "escaped" but the second was released "without paying ransom", perhaps because the 80thousand Euros ransom that they "didn't pay" was promptly stolen by the intermediary.
Yup. As one wag put it, here in the Philippines, they steal over the table, under the table, and the table itself.
The scandal of the mortars that didn't work is now being joined by a scandal that the MILF has the latest equipment, with locals wondering if someone high up is selling the good stuff off.
-----------------------------
Broken Glass redux: terrible story by "soldier" in journal is already being questioned LINK LINK LINK
I agree with Powerline: If it was true, then why print the story by one sociopath and ignore 100 000 honorable men's stories? And a lot of the details seem false, making people wonder who checked it out.
I mean, I was only a lowly Captain in the National Guard, but we had both ATV's and Tanks, and one of our jobs was preventing and monitoring hearing loss.
So THIS part of the story, that they ran Bradley fighting vehicles over sleeping dogs, sounds phoney, to say the least.
So I checked it out: Even idling the Bradley fighting vehicle is 75 db, and when running, it is 110 plus decibles, running at top speed (38mph) the noise is 115 db.
A jet engine is 110 db, and 120 db causes pain.
Either they have deaf dogs in Iraq, or someone made up the story and no one bothered to check out the facts.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Movie website of the day, take two
same as link one but in Haiku
STAR WARS A NEW HOPE
Science-fantasy --
knights, battles, and a princess!
A real tour de Force!
STAR WARS A NEW HOPE
Science-fantasy --
knights, battles, and a princess!
A real tour de Force!
Movie website of the day
for those who don't want to waste time watching the whole thing, read the plot in one minute
Titanic
Leonardo DiCaprio
Your social class is stuffy. Let's dance with the ship's rats and have fun.
Kate Winslet
You have captured my heart. Let's run around the ship and giggle.
(The ship SINKS.)
Leonardo DiCaprio
Never let go.
Kate Winslet
I promise. (lets go)
THE END
Titanic
Leonardo DiCaprio
Your social class is stuffy. Let's dance with the ship's rats and have fun.
Kate Winslet
You have captured my heart. Let's run around the ship and giggle.
(The ship SINKS.)
Leonardo DiCaprio
Never let go.
Kate Winslet
I promise. (lets go)
THE END
Beware of the Grapefruit
According to the BBC, if you eat a lot of grapefruit, you have an increased risk of breast cancer.
Grapefruit (but not other citrus fruits) slows the metabolism of estrogen: translation, it stops the body from breaking down estrogen, so you get a higher level of the hormone. And women with higher levels of estrogen have more breast cancer.
Previous studies have shown that a molecule called cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is involved in metabolising oestrogen hormones.
This action of grapefruit has long been known to interfere with other drugs, including heart medicine such as Zocor, Nifedipine, and Amiodarone.
Longer post on BNN...
Grapefruit (but not other citrus fruits) slows the metabolism of estrogen: translation, it stops the body from breaking down estrogen, so you get a higher level of the hormone. And women with higher levels of estrogen have more breast cancer.
Previous studies have shown that a molecule called cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is involved in metabolising oestrogen hormones.
This action of grapefruit has long been known to interfere with other drugs, including heart medicine such as Zocor, Nifedipine, and Amiodarone.
Longer post on BNN...
Family News.
Lots of thunderstorms causing the electricity and internet connections to go on and off
Luckily we have a generator and the small backup generator from the farm to use if the brown out goes on too long
The internet/telephone line had a short and has finally been fixed.
The "Livelihood" program held a seminar yesterday on making jewelry (Cheap stuff). Ruby gave me a beautiful pair of earrings with a tozaz plastic dangle.
The "livelihood" program is piecework for locals, mainly women, to do to earn extra income. We usually subcontract it from Manila merchants, and supervise/deliver materials. When we were doing Christmas balls, which sell for $5-10 each in the US, the livelihood worker got paid 50 cents each, we got ten cents each, the middlemen (ship to the US, warehouse, sellers) the rest. But since the average wage is $3 a day, and since they could make one Christmas ball an hour, you can see it was good money. Not as good as working in a Manila factory, but here the housing is cheap, and most people have fields nearby to grow their own rice and veggies to eat.
But our percentage was mainly eaten up by the increase in Gasoline/diesel to ship the stuff, and wages for the drivers, so we didn't make much. That's why Chano has designed the Capiz lamps and items and brought workers in from Pampanga (who know how to work in Capiz) to make them. If we can ge the business going, these workers can move here and supervise others from nearby. But it's a very small business so far.
LINK shows some of his designs
Luckily we have a generator and the small backup generator from the farm to use if the brown out goes on too long
The internet/telephone line had a short and has finally been fixed.
The "Livelihood" program held a seminar yesterday on making jewelry (Cheap stuff). Ruby gave me a beautiful pair of earrings with a tozaz plastic dangle.
The "livelihood" program is piecework for locals, mainly women, to do to earn extra income. We usually subcontract it from Manila merchants, and supervise/deliver materials. When we were doing Christmas balls, which sell for $5-10 each in the US, the livelihood worker got paid 50 cents each, we got ten cents each, the middlemen (ship to the US, warehouse, sellers) the rest. But since the average wage is $3 a day, and since they could make one Christmas ball an hour, you can see it was good money. Not as good as working in a Manila factory, but here the housing is cheap, and most people have fields nearby to grow their own rice and veggies to eat.
But our percentage was mainly eaten up by the increase in Gasoline/diesel to ship the stuff, and wages for the drivers, so we didn't make much. That's why Chano has designed the Capiz lamps and items and brought workers in from Pampanga (who know how to work in Capiz) to make them. If we can ge the business going, these workers can move here and supervise others from nearby. But it's a very small business so far.
LINK shows some of his designs
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Heh. Sequoyah
Ironically, where I lived was tribal land, but not in Sequoyah, maybe because they bought the parcel from the Cherokee.But that's another story.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
(almost) THE WORLD'S LARGEST BASEBALL
Col. Updraft is second from the left in the red square. Handsome, ain't he.
HelloKitty Superman
Hello Kitty Superman...
Hmmm. if he fights HelloKitty
Darth Vader, wonder who wins.
From HelloKittyHell of course...
.
.
.
.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Craft item of the day
A Korean site that sells paper lamps and objects has a "how to" page on how to make traditional Hanji paper, using Mulberry bark.
Well, duh: Headlines below the fold
The LA Times notices that 45% of the foreign jihadis in Iraq, including a lot of the suicide bombers, are from Saudi.
Well, duh. You just noticed?
Next thing you know they will find out that Saudi Charities fund terror, and Saudi funded madrasses teach radicalized intolerant Islam that encourages jihad...or that there are a million Catholics in Saudi but no churches allowed...
NYTimes admits that North Korea shutting down their nuclear reactor is a diplomatic triumph for Bush...but they spend two paragraphs reminding readers of his "failures" which is out of context to the subject discussed. Editorializing in news stories? well, duh.
The BBC is in trouble for creative cutting of a documentary that made the Queen seem like a hot tempered old lady...but the incident never happened...and there is a big scandal about it in the UK...
The BEEB slanting the news? well, duh...
MEMRI, an organization that translates what is being written in the press of the Middle East (news that is rarely reported of course) has started an economic blog.
Well, duh. quick: when was the last time you read about Dubai?
Well, duh. You just noticed?
Next thing you know they will find out that Saudi Charities fund terror, and Saudi funded madrasses teach radicalized intolerant Islam that encourages jihad...or that there are a million Catholics in Saudi but no churches allowed...
NYTimes admits that North Korea shutting down their nuclear reactor is a diplomatic triumph for Bush...but they spend two paragraphs reminding readers of his "failures" which is out of context to the subject discussed. Editorializing in news stories? well, duh.
The BBC is in trouble for creative cutting of a documentary that made the Queen seem like a hot tempered old lady...but the incident never happened...and there is a big scandal about it in the UK...
The BEEB slanting the news? well, duh...
MEMRI, an organization that translates what is being written in the press of the Middle East (news that is rarely reported of course) has started an economic blog.
Well, duh. quick: when was the last time you read about Dubai?
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Trivia fact of the day
Lady Bugs are actually called "Asian Lady Beetles."
They are native of eastern Asia.
The Lady Bug (Beetle) was introduced to the United States by the U. S. Department of Agriculture as a biological control agent. The tree-dwelling insect can live up to three years. They are a predator of aphids and other pests. They do not bite, sting, carry human disease or feed on wood, clothing or food. They can become a nuisance to homeowners in the Fall when they come inside seeking warmth. Because they are so beneficial, they should be released back outside and not killed.
and for photos of Ladybugs in all their different stages, just go to "What's that bug" website
They are native of eastern Asia.
The Lady Bug (Beetle) was introduced to the United States by the U. S. Department of Agriculture as a biological control agent. The tree-dwelling insect can live up to three years. They are a predator of aphids and other pests. They do not bite, sting, carry human disease or feed on wood, clothing or food. They can become a nuisance to homeowners in the Fall when they come inside seeking warmth. Because they are so beneficial, they should be released back outside and not killed.
and for photos of Ladybugs in all their different stages, just go to "What's that bug" website
Gift item of the day
In honor of Ladybird Johnson, who as a child was as "cute as a Ladybird" (In Texas, a ladybug is called a lady bird.)
A Palm tree from Masada
In her quest for medicinal plants now extinct in Israel, Sallon asked Mordechai Kislev, an archeobotanist at Bar-Ilan University, for some ancient seeds he had received in the 1970s from Yigael Yadin, the prominent Israeli archeologist who excavated Masada.
"He asked what we wanted to do with them, and when I said we wanted to grow them, he said, `You're mad,'" Sallon said, adding that after "a lot of persuasion," five seeds were handed over.
Three of the seeds were planted by Solowey,..on March 3 the soil in one pot cracked, and a shoot later appeared.
"I couldn't believe it," Solowey said....
After the seed germinated, Sallon sent the two unplanted seeds to the University of Zurich in Switzerland for carbon dating, which showed that they were from around the 1st Century. A leaf of the plant was sent for DNA analysis to determine how it differed from modern varieties.
The date seed is one of the oldest seeds to be germinated anywhere and is believed to be the oldest dormant tree seed brought to life.Solowey said prospects for re-creating the ancient Judean date remain precarious, even if the palm she is growing turns out to be a female with the potential of flowering and bearing fruit.,,,....
"With luck, in three years maybe we'll get some flowers, and perhaps we'll know something about the past."
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Beware of the Zionist spy squirrels
Reports from Iran say that they have captured 14 zionist squirrels that were caught spying for the Great Satan...ab
IRNA adds, “These squirrels were equipped by foreign intelligence services, but were captured two weeks ago by the Police”.
Google video goes to the dogs
I just went over to Google Video to see if I could download now that I'm on Linux.
The "top 100" are porn, and it's full of conspiracy stuff about the Jews taking over the world. Yecch.
However, not all is lost: I did find this film Snake Coughs up Entire Hippo.
The "top 100" are porn, and it's full of conspiracy stuff about the Jews taking over the world. Yecch.
However, not all is lost: I did find this film Snake Coughs up Entire Hippo.
Weapon of the day
Awhile back, I posted the photo of HelloKittyDarthVader.
So what does he use as a weapon?
A HelloKitty Light Saber of course.
(headsup Hellokittyhell)
Gift item of the day
With a push of a button, the shaft lights up, illuminating you and your path. Now, even in the darkest of nights, you're a lot more visible to the cars on the street, making your long walk home through the rain a lot safer.
Yup. A nice gift for Lolo to see his way to the square when he jogs at 4 am during typhoon season...
Lawyer's Quote of the day
"How can I ever thank you?" gushed a woman to Clarence Darrow, after he had solved her legal troubles. "My dear woman," Darrow replied, "ever since the Phoenicians invented money there has been only one answer to that question."
Maybe the stewardess was right
In the "Kaching" item of the day, the mom whose noisy disruptive tot was told to leave an airplane and went crying to the press, and got her ten minutes of fame with Diane Sawyers.
Big mistake. The Gwinnett County mother kicked off an airplane with her 19-month old son tried to tell her side of the story Friday morning, but her son's crying drowned out part of the interview.
Big mistake. The Gwinnett County mother kicked off an airplane with her 19-month old son tried to tell her side of the story Friday morning, but her son's crying drowned out part of the interview.
Garren Penland, 19-months old, got so unruly during his mom's chat with 'Good Morning America' anchor Diane Sawyer, co-anchor Chris Cuomo had to take the toddler off the set.
Local Fishermen save 75 lives
Another ferry disaster...partly caused by heavy waves due to a typhoon aftermath caused trucks to shift, and then the ferry to hit a reef. Many sleeping inside never made it out.
But the big news is this part:
Villagers help
After hearing screams in the darkness, San Francisco resident Ronaldo Cabague went out to check and found three bedraggled and shivering individuals who told him of the disaster.
Cabague immediately alerted his neighbors and prepared his small motorized outrigger for a rescue operation.
Cabague and his fellow fishermen, all members of Bantay Dagat, were able to initially rescue 50 passengers and recover four bodies. Hours later, they plucked 75 more survivors out of the raging waters.
San Francisco Mayor Tan said the death toll from the maritime disaster could have been higher had Cabague and his team not acted quickly.
“They were prepared. They knew what to do,” Tan said of the fishermen, adding that volunteers from Barangay Nasalaan also rushed to help the passengers.
But the big news is this part:
Villagers help
After hearing screams in the darkness, San Francisco resident Ronaldo Cabague went out to check and found three bedraggled and shivering individuals who told him of the disaster.
Cabague immediately alerted his neighbors and prepared his small motorized outrigger for a rescue operation.
Cabague and his fellow fishermen, all members of Bantay Dagat, were able to initially rescue 50 passengers and recover four bodies. Hours later, they plucked 75 more survivors out of the raging waters.
San Francisco Mayor Tan said the death toll from the maritime disaster could have been higher had Cabague and his team not acted quickly.
“They were prepared. They knew what to do,” Tan said of the fishermen, adding that volunteers from Barangay Nasalaan also rushed to help the passengers.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Blame global warming...whoops
a coral reef has been discovered off the coast of Norway. Check film at link
Photo of the day
this dramatic image of the energetic star WR124, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, reveals that it is surrounded by hot clumps of gas being ejected into space at speeds of over 100,000 miles per hour.
Is the Pope Catholic?
I was amused/annoyed at a lot of the commentary about both the Latin Mass and the Pope's position on what the church is. Most got it wrong.
GetReligion blog says:Is the pope Catholic? Yes, it appears that he is and it appears that this is news.
Mattingly, as an Orthodox, sees the discussion about what is the meaning of the church and the reality of the sacraments, which in many Protestant churches are diminished to mere symbolism.
Ignatius press blog sardonically predicted that the MSM would merely rehash the whole thing into the template of good liberals vs nasty conservatives who want to push back the clock.
GetReligion blog says:Is the pope Catholic? Yes, it appears that he is and it appears that this is news.
Mattingly, as an Orthodox, sees the discussion about what is the meaning of the church and the reality of the sacraments, which in many Protestant churches are diminished to mere symbolism.
Ignatius press blog sardonically predicted that the MSM would merely rehash the whole thing into the template of good liberals vs nasty conservatives who want to push back the clock.
Headlines below the fold
Bloggernewsnet is asking for a Blogburst about Pastor Son, a North Korean who converted to Christianity while in China and went back to his country to preach, and is now sentenced to death for daring to do so.
My contribution is background story about the Christian underground railroad smuggling NK Refugees...
Kenyan ladies of the evening have a new uniform:the buibui - a loose, floor-length gown and head covering favoured by Muslim women.
Jihadi TV...nah, if it was reported they might have to acknowledge that Bush didn't make up these things.
Historian reminds NYTimes of reality LINK.
Good news of the day: Sending date palms to restore the Basran orchards. Spanish scientist hopes to help replant using Spanish seedlings. It's part of the Iraqi Marshlands Rehabilitation project. The marshlands were destroyed by Saddam to punish the locals. One of the major ecological atrocities of the 1990's ...
But the real danger to the world is....
Duckzilla
My contribution is background story about the Christian underground railroad smuggling NK Refugees...
Kenyan ladies of the evening have a new uniform:the buibui - a loose, floor-length gown and head covering favoured by Muslim women.
Jihadi TV...nah, if it was reported they might have to acknowledge that Bush didn't make up these things.
Historian reminds NYTimes of reality LINK.
Good news of the day: Sending date palms to restore the Basran orchards. Spanish scientist hopes to help replant using Spanish seedlings. It's part of the Iraqi Marshlands Rehabilitation project. The marshlands were destroyed by Saddam to punish the locals. One of the major ecological atrocities of the 1990's ...
But the real danger to the world is....
Duckzilla
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Redneck Games
Remember the Atlanta Olympics?
Some nearby locals, annoyed at the MSM types from NYC who worried about the local rednecks, decided they may as well celebrate their heritage.
Ceremonial Barbecue Grill...horseshoes...bellyflop diving...
and don't miss bobbing for pigsfeet.(headsup from the britishredneck at the corner)
Some nearby locals, annoyed at the MSM types from NYC who worried about the local rednecks, decided they may as well celebrate their heritage.
Ceremonial Barbecue Grill...horseshoes...bellyflop diving...
and don't miss bobbing for pigsfeet.(headsup from the britishredneck at the corner)
Poppet doll
Poppet doll.
a poppet was any doll that was probably made from cloth. Many dolls resembled puppets with only a fabric handle under the dress to hold on to. There is no particular pattern for a poppet so references to poppets may describe many different cloth dolls
Teachers download this PDF
on early American crafts for kids.
Wiccans might prefer this updated version of a corn husk doll...made from Saranwrap. Webpage includes spells.
The name poppet means a cloth doll but nowadays is mainly used for wiccan spell dolls.
(headsup StainlessSteelDroppingsblog)
Playing at being primitive
I enjoy stories of "primitive" tribes, but unlike many of the Westerners (often British) doing the reports I see things as a woman.
Yes, you are doing nicely playing macho and hunting, but if you were a woman and had a baby every 18 months, with the chronic backache and nausea, and still had to fetch wood for cooking and fetch water and dig in your garden, you just might prefer living in a town with running water, TV, and birthcontrol pills.
But that's just me.
Yes, you are doing nicely playing macho and hunting, but if you were a woman and had a baby every 18 months, with the chronic backache and nausea, and still had to fetch wood for cooking and fetch water and dig in your garden, you just might prefer living in a town with running water, TV, and birthcontrol pills.
But that's just me.
Headlines below the fold
Charges against second marine accused in Haditha should be dropped for lack of evidence says report.
StrategyPage compares it to the non existant "Jenin massacre" stories and the photoshopping in Lebanon.
Marines killed in the Philippines...they were following AbuSayyaf group kidnappers into the jungles, when the ASG told the local MILF that the marines were there to attack them, so the MILF joined the fight. The good news is that the main ASG head was hurt and his son killed in the fight, and although ABSCBN showed the Muslims complaining the marines broke the truce by trespassing, one suspects they are trying to get publicity so they can avoid payback.
Michale Yon says that the reason the Sunni chiefs now stopped fighting the US and joined forces to get rid of Alqaeda was for the children.
Carter's role in Zimbabwe...he not only manipulated the polls to let Mugabe win, but ignored the genocide of the Ndebele.
StrategyPage compares it to the non existant "Jenin massacre" stories and the photoshopping in Lebanon.
Marines killed in the Philippines...they were following AbuSayyaf group kidnappers into the jungles, when the ASG told the local MILF that the marines were there to attack them, so the MILF joined the fight. The good news is that the main ASG head was hurt and his son killed in the fight, and although ABSCBN showed the Muslims complaining the marines broke the truce by trespassing, one suspects they are trying to get publicity so they can avoid payback.
Michale Yon says that the reason the Sunni chiefs now stopped fighting the US and joined forces to get rid of Alqaeda was for the children.
Over here, the fact of al Qaeda murdering children is just that: it’s a fact. How they chose to commit the murders is a variable that changes from incident to incident. I’ve written often about how Iraqis, as a rule, love and greatly value their children. This makes the children especially vulnerable as targets for terrorists. That is a brutal fact.
Carter's role in Zimbabwe...he not only manipulated the polls to let Mugabe win, but ignored the genocide of the Ndebele.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Your scientific study of the day
Effect of ale, garlic, and soured cream on the appetite of leeches
Headsup from
Headlines below the fold
Killing girls who dare to study...hear the outrage...hillary? Hillary?
On the other hand, what's with all the Turkish troops on the Iraqi border? It's the Kurds, whose "insurgent" war kills a lot of people...lLink...LINK...
Gloria plans to use the "anti terror" law against "
Communist rebels, religious extremists and rogue military and police elements who sow terror... not on her list: Politicians whose private armies zap their political opponents.
Yup. Up here the commies are still causing trouble. But in India, they are stronger, running several states (promoting capitalism) but also recruiting and spreading. LINK..longer article here
So with all the bad news, let's see some nice stuff
Google Earth has some weird photos...LINK
DOWNLOAD of the day Tolkien and the true king...LINK
And the sports news of the day: ROBOCUP
On the other hand, what's with all the Turkish troops on the Iraqi border? It's the Kurds, whose "insurgent" war kills a lot of people...lLink...LINK...
Gloria plans to use the "anti terror" law against "
Communist rebels, religious extremists and rogue military and police elements who sow terror... not on her list: Politicians whose private armies zap their political opponents.
Yup. Up here the commies are still causing trouble. But in India, they are stronger, running several states (promoting capitalism) but also recruiting and spreading. LINK..longer article here
So with all the bad news, let's see some nice stuff
Google Earth has some weird photos...LINK
DOWNLOAD of the day Tolkien and the true king...LINK
And the sports news of the day: ROBOCUP
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Gift item of the day
Your own private island...only 20M Pesos ($250 000).
It's on a site about retirement to the Philippines. Actually a lot of people retire here, especially men married to Pinays. (i.e. nice Filipina girls) but since we are in the farming area, not too many Yanks or foreigners.
Lady's Rules
1. SO MANY MEN, SO FEW WHO CAN AFFORD ME.
2. GOD MADE US SISTERS, PROZAC MADE US FRIENDS.
3. IF THEY DON'T HAVE CHOCOLATE IN HEAVEN, I AIN'T GOING.
4. MY MOTHER IS A TRAVEL AGENT FOR GUILT TRIPS.
5. PRINCESS, HAVING HAD SUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE WITH PRINCES,SEEKS FROG.
6. COFFEE, CHOCOLATE, MEN. SOME THINGS ARE JUST BETTER RICH.
7. DON'T TREAT ME ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU WOULD THE QUEEN
8. IF YOU WANT BREAKFAST IN BED, SLEEP IN THE KITCHEN.
9. DINNER IS READY WHEN THE SMOKE ALARM GOES OFF.
10. I'M OUT OF ESTROGEN - AND I HAVE A GUN.
2. GOD MADE US SISTERS, PROZAC MADE US FRIENDS.
3. IF THEY DON'T HAVE CHOCOLATE IN HEAVEN, I AIN'T GOING.
4. MY MOTHER IS A TRAVEL AGENT FOR GUILT TRIPS.
5. PRINCESS, HAVING HAD SUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE WITH PRINCES,SEEKS FROG.
6. COFFEE, CHOCOLATE, MEN. SOME THINGS ARE JUST BETTER RICH.
7. DON'T TREAT ME ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU WOULD THE QUEEN
8. IF YOU WANT BREAKFAST IN BED, SLEEP IN THE KITCHEN.
9. DINNER IS READY WHEN THE SMOKE ALARM GOES OFF.
10. I'M OUT OF ESTROGEN - AND I HAVE A GUN.
Headlines below the fold
Good news: UK Bombs didn't go off because of faulty design.
Bad news: The designer designed parts for Boeing...
Good news: Near death experience found in 18% of very sick cardiac patients.
Bad news: Scientists trying to explain it with pseudoscientific "quantum consciousness" theory...
Good News: Thailand finally found where the terrorists are hiding: in mosques and religious schools. Who wudda thought?
Bad news: multi ethnic Malaysia being taken over by radical Islam? Who needs terrorists when the government will tear down churches for you.
Good news: Anti terrorism law is worrying our left wing bishops.
Like all good liberation theology Catholics, they hate Gloria more than they worry about churches being destroyed by terrorists;
Bad news: the Italians keep pressuring the government to pay for Father Bossi's release, in effect saying a European priest's life is worth more than the Pinoys who might be killed if his kidnappers get money for bombs.
worst News: J.I. is recruiting women to be suicide bombers.
Terrorists prefer easy targets: Glasgow airport didn't even have an armed guard, and people there never thought they'd be a target.
Similarly, the NYTimes admits terrorists prefer killing civilians in small towns without armed Americans.
It is rare for insurgents to mount such large attacks in remote villages like Amerli, often preferring to strike in crowded city centers and at religious sites and Iraqi security forces. But since the start of the Baghdad security plan in February, they have frequently struck outside the capital within major cities or targets that are less well defended.
In other words, they're losing...the bad news is that the NYTimes and Congress hasn't noticed it.
That's why the cowards prefer "soft targets" like moms shopping with their kids.
I knew this in Africa, where they preferred killing unarmed nuns than trying to attack a farmer or shopkeeper who had an Uzzi.
But of course the World Council of churches and all the good people in the world backed the "freedom fighters, and as a result starvation and economic ruin stalk Zimbabwe.
Bad news: The designer designed parts for Boeing...
Good news: Near death experience found in 18% of very sick cardiac patients.
Bad news: Scientists trying to explain it with pseudoscientific "quantum consciousness" theory...
Good News: Thailand finally found where the terrorists are hiding: in mosques and religious schools. Who wudda thought?
Bad news: multi ethnic Malaysia being taken over by radical Islam? Who needs terrorists when the government will tear down churches for you.
Good news: Anti terrorism law is worrying our left wing bishops.
Like all good liberation theology Catholics, they hate Gloria more than they worry about churches being destroyed by terrorists;
Bad news: the Italians keep pressuring the government to pay for Father Bossi's release, in effect saying a European priest's life is worth more than the Pinoys who might be killed if his kidnappers get money for bombs.
worst News: J.I. is recruiting women to be suicide bombers.
Terrorists prefer easy targets: Glasgow airport didn't even have an armed guard, and people there never thought they'd be a target.
Similarly, the NYTimes admits terrorists prefer killing civilians in small towns without armed Americans.
It is rare for insurgents to mount such large attacks in remote villages like Amerli, often preferring to strike in crowded city centers and at religious sites and Iraqi security forces. But since the start of the Baghdad security plan in February, they have frequently struck outside the capital within major cities or targets that are less well defended.
In other words, they're losing...the bad news is that the NYTimes and Congress hasn't noticed it.
That's why the cowards prefer "soft targets" like moms shopping with their kids.
I knew this in Africa, where they preferred killing unarmed nuns than trying to attack a farmer or shopkeeper who had an Uzzi.
But of course the World Council of churches and all the good people in the world backed the "freedom fighters, and as a result starvation and economic ruin stalk Zimbabwe.
Monday, July 09, 2007
What if they prevented a disaster and no body noticed it?
Good news out of China:
Floods have left 94 people dead and 25 others missing in seven provinces in China...About 16.67 million people had been affected and 555,100 people in Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Chongqing and Shaanxi evacuated by 4 p.m. on Sunday. More than 49,000 houses collapsed and another 240,100 were damaged
What do I mean "good news"? Well, in past floods hundreds of thousands drowned....it's not global warming that leads to disasters, it's bad governments...Headlines below the fold
Does the MILF need money? Philippine kidnapping inflation: the cost of "proof of life" photos has escalated from P100,000 to P 500 000. ($10,000)
"It has become a backyard industry once again." says a gov't spokesman.
And last week's bus explosion was to get extortion money, so no one was killed. But the group claiming responsibility calls itself "Al Khobar" , a reference to this bombing, and police also report finding two live rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) on a highway near General Santos City.
And the big question is: will they hit the ASEAN Summit?
Posted to BNN...
"It has become a backyard industry once again." says a gov't spokesman.
And last week's bus explosion was to get extortion money, so no one was killed. But the group claiming responsibility calls itself "Al Khobar" , a reference to this bombing, and police also report finding two live rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) on a highway near General Santos City.
And the big question is: will they hit the ASEAN Summit?
Posted to BNN...
Song break
Nirvana, sung by the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain.
Or perhaps you prefer Outkast's Hay yah performed by the Wellington Ukelele Orchestra.
Headsup from the strummers at the Corner.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Gift item of the day
PlasticBambooBlog reports:The doghouse is decorated with 7,600 Swarovski crystals, complete with a Hello Kitty cushion, and is expected to sell for 3.9 million yen ($32,000/£15,907). An even pricier item is a Hello Kitty made from 42,400 Swarovski crystals, valued around 8 million yen ($64,824/£32.223). This year’s sale is on 24th July, so get saving!
Local news
Bus bombing in the southern Philippines (the 4th in the last few weeks) was probably related to a strike or blackmail instead of terrorism. It barely made the front pages here.
And the Italians are trying to pressure the Pinoys not to attack those who kidnapped an Italian missionary priest. The priest was kidnapped by one of the Muslim groups to get money, and they want to pay it to "keep him safe". The Pinoys, having learned that doesn't work, want to play hardball, and pay those ratting out the criminals instead of paying the criminals.
My Report on BNN here...
And the Italians are trying to pressure the Pinoys not to attack those who kidnapped an Italian missionary priest. The priest was kidnapped by one of the Muslim groups to get money, and they want to pay it to "keep him safe". The Pinoys, having learned that doesn't work, want to play hardball, and pay those ratting out the criminals instead of paying the criminals.
My Report on BNN here...
Heinlein centennial links
LINK
Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.
Robert A. Heinlein
When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere. The best thing about space travel is that it made it possible to go elsewhere.
Robert A. Heinlein
When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know, the end result is tyranny and oppression no matter how holy the motives.
Robert A. Heinlein
Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat.
Robert A. Heinlein
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss.
Robert A. Heinlein
The difference between science and the fuzzy subjects is that science requires reasoning while those other subjects merely require scholarship.
Robert A. Heinlein
Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.
Robert A. Heinlein
When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere. The best thing about space travel is that it made it possible to go elsewhere.
Robert A. Heinlein
When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know, the end result is tyranny and oppression no matter how holy the motives.
Robert A. Heinlein
Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat.
Robert A. Heinlein
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss.
Robert A. Heinlein
The difference between science and the fuzzy subjects is that science requires reasoning while those other subjects merely require scholarship.
Robert A. Heinlein
MSM Biased war reporting. So what else is new?
I was amused that the Scotsman printed the original report by their reporters on the battle of Gettysburg....
sounds like the Feds lost the war...
Quagmire!
It's all Abe's fault
Sacred Music conference
Catholiclite links to a conference on traditional choral music used in church that has some mp3 downloads.
Me, I like choral music, but wonder why we put up with lousy music written by "clergy" who think they are talented and get some written by actual popular composers...
Me, I like choral music, but wonder why we put up with lousy music written by "clergy" who think they are talented and get some written by actual popular composers...
Saturday, July 07, 2007
How do fireflies flash?
Actually in our neighborhood, we called them "lightning bugs".
And interesting fact of the day:
Food
Adult does not feed, larvae predaceous on insect larvae, slugs, snails (1).
Resevists one, sniper zero
Bystanders, including military reservists, tackled a madman shooting up a casino
Ramos said bystanders cheered for the wounded when they were wheeled out of the casino to ambulances, and later talked about the people who tackled the gunman.
"People don't put up with stuff after 9-11 no more," he said, adding that he was surprised that the casino never shut down.
Ramos said bystanders cheered for the wounded when they were wheeled out of the casino to ambulances, and later talked about the people who tackled the gunman.
"People don't put up with stuff after 9-11 no more," he said, adding that he was surprised that the casino never shut down.
Climate cycles: nothing new
Just in time for wealthy aging rock stars to tell us to get rid of our pickup trucks and live like carbon free Zimbabweans, the National Geographic tells us: whoops. Nothing new about global warming.
Earth's polar temperature has swung wildly—by as much as 15 degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit)—over the last 800,000 years, an Antarctic ice core has revealed. ...
In today's online journal Science, the team showed that the coldest period occurred around 20,000 years ago, during the last glacial maximum, when the ice sheets were at their peak...
Meanwhile, the warmest period was during the last interglacial period, which is an interval of warmer global average temperature that separates ice ages. At that time, around 130,000 years ago, it was a balmy 4.5 degrees Celsius (8.1 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than today.
Earth's polar temperature has swung wildly—by as much as 15 degrees Celsius (27 degrees Fahrenheit)—over the last 800,000 years, an Antarctic ice core has revealed. ...
In today's online journal Science, the team showed that the coldest period occurred around 20,000 years ago, during the last glacial maximum, when the ice sheets were at their peak...
Meanwhile, the warmest period was during the last interglacial period, which is an interval of warmer global average temperature that separates ice ages. At that time, around 130,000 years ago, it was a balmy 4.5 degrees Celsius (8.1 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than today.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Colombians demonstrate against FARC atrocities
BBC REPORTS:
Hundreds of thousands of Colombians have staged nationwide protests calling for an end to kidnapping and the civil conflict which has lasted 44 years....The calls for peace were prompted by the killing in June of 11 politicians held by the left-wing Farc movement.
Hundreds of thousands of Colombians have staged nationwide protests calling for an end to kidnapping and the civil conflict which has lasted 44 years....The calls for peace were prompted by the killing in June of 11 politicians held by the left-wing Farc movement.
Crossposted Bloggernews.net
The Klingon translation of the Book of Mormon
It's a link from the Startrek Family Home Evenings group...
And the book of Mark is found HERE.
Klingon is one of many artificial languages, and their website is HERE
Myself, I prefer Sindarin....not so many gutterals.
And the book of Mark is found HERE.
Klingon is one of many artificial languages, and their website is HERE
Myself, I prefer Sindarin....not so many gutterals.
Visa fraud and terrorism?
A couple days ago, I posted that the UK and Philippine police had busted a gang involved in visa fraud
Now the Australians admit two of the doctors had applied to Australian hospitals but had been turned down for "character grounds", and "WA medical officials confirmed one of the brothers applied using different names on "several occasions".
Yup. he used fake documents.
Two of the London bombers came from Bengalore, the center of the Indian high tech industry and notorious as the center for H-1B visa fraud...and also a hotbed of anti western mullahs.
Now the Australians admit two of the doctors had applied to Australian hospitals but had been turned down for "character grounds", and "WA medical officials confirmed one of the brothers applied using different names on "several occasions".
Yup. he used fake documents.
Two of the London bombers came from Bengalore, the center of the Indian high tech industry and notorious as the center for H-1B visa fraud...and also a hotbed of anti western mullahs.
Longer report on BNN...
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Lileks on good wars and Zimbabwe
I was reading today about a Zimbabwe archbishop pleading for someone to invade and take out Mugabe. He asked if the entire country had to collapse on itself and descent into anarchy, and the answer, of course, is yes; it does. When Zimbabwe gets a seat on the UN’s Sustainable Development Commission, and is not there to present instructive arguments against sustainable development, you get a sense of the strength of the fictions that bind the high-minded. It’s one thing to want a better world; it’s another to hope to will it into being by believing in docile sugared fictions about the nature of man and the equality of cultures...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)