see more Funny Graphs
FINEST KIND CLINIC AND FISHMARKET.... Discussing medicine, culture, and the joys of cooking Pansit.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Akhnaten take two
A discussion of Akhnaten's revolution in Egypt, with Prof Bob Brier, can be found on youtube:
and I just got hold of the Waltari book The Egyptian (which is much better than the kitchy film of the 1950's) so was looking up stuff on this pharoah.
and I just got hold of the Waltari book The Egyptian (which is much better than the kitchy film of the 1950's) so was looking up stuff on this pharoah.
Factoid of the day
composer Philip Glass wrote an opera on the Pharaoah Akhnaten.
It's part of a trilogy of operas, the other two being about Gandhi and Einstein.
I don't care for his music, but here is an excerpt from youtube:
It's part of a trilogy of operas, the other two being about Gandhi and Einstein.
I don't care for his music, but here is an excerpt from youtube:
The really important news of the day
The "duh" story of the day: 1500 Pinoys attended "World Youth Day" in Madrid...30 percent went "TNT"
We in the Philippines know that with typhoons/hurricanes, it's the rain more than the wind that is the problem.
So now reports of floods in Vermont and other eastern US states should silence those who laughed at the hype and claim "overreaction" by governors in the NE USA...videoHERE (the trucks have a snorkle for air intake to the engine).
and I suspect few have flood insurance, which is very expensive.
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Blackfive liveblogging the American Legion convention.
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Factoid of the day: Half a million workers from Nepal work in Saudi Arabia.
Something to remember the next time you read rich westerners writing about how they love those wonderful quaint unspoiled countries.
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Heh. Putin rides a Harley...must be copying Sarah...
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Joe Biden's Noodle Meal: shocking the Chinese by eating with the hoipolloi.
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and DaveBarry has this crime report:
--------------------------------------TNT (tago ng tago—or always in hiding) is a local term that refers to Filipinos who stay overseas without proper documentation and keep hiding from authorities to avoid deportation.
We in the Philippines know that with typhoons/hurricanes, it's the rain more than the wind that is the problem.
So now reports of floods in Vermont and other eastern US states should silence those who laughed at the hype and claim "overreaction" by governors in the NE USA...videoHERE (the trucks have a snorkle for air intake to the engine).
and I suspect few have flood insurance, which is very expensive.
-------------------------------------
Blackfive liveblogging the American Legion convention.
---------------------------
Factoid of the day: Half a million workers from Nepal work in Saudi Arabia.
Something to remember the next time you read rich westerners writing about how they love those wonderful quaint unspoiled countries.
-------------------------------
Heh. Putin rides a Harley...must be copying Sarah...
----------------------------
Joe Biden's Noodle Meal: shocking the Chinese by eating with the hoipolloi.
In a country where government officials' transportation, overseas travel and banquet expenses account for 60% of all administrative expenses, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that such expenses are national secrets, Biden's casual meal has won ordinary Chinese people's hearts. To the extent that the Chinese propaganda department finds the news embarrassing for the Chinese authorities and is banning media outlets [zh] from discussing the noodle incident.
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and DaveBarry has this crime report:
MINNESOTA: COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL
2 pajama-clad girls take stolen goat for walk
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Opposing the bank bail out
I always thought the Tea Party started as an outgrowth of the Porkbusters, opposing bad fiscal management by Bush, and then expanded under Obama to protest the bail outs and unneeded social spending and explosion of trivial business regulations under him.
Editorial on how the US bailed out the banks, including some outside the US.
Now, it seems that the bail outs are being scrutinized by Rolling Stone
and Bernie Sanders is mad...as is Elizabeth Warren, who may oppose Teaparty candidate Brown for Mass Senator.
Yeah, better to ban transfats, and close down organic milk sellers and lemonade stands. Reminds me of Harry Truman who said that the James brothers were "pikers" next to the big shots who looted the railroads for millions and got away with it.
Don't ask me, I'm a doctor, but having lived through the inflation of Carter (where most of my hard earned savings lost half their worth) I figure the next step is a hidden superinflation to lower the deficit.
and you might want to check out Dr. Coburn's Pork Report.
Editorial on how the US bailed out the banks, including some outside the US.
Now, it seems that the bail outs are being scrutinized by Rolling Stone
and Bernie Sanders is mad...as is Elizabeth Warren, who may oppose Teaparty candidate Brown for Mass Senator.
Yeah, better to ban transfats, and close down organic milk sellers and lemonade stands. Reminds me of Harry Truman who said that the James brothers were "pikers" next to the big shots who looted the railroads for millions and got away with it.
Don't ask me, I'm a doctor, but having lived through the inflation of Carter (where most of my hard earned savings lost half their worth) I figure the next step is a hidden superinflation to lower the deficit.
and you might want to check out Dr. Coburn's Pork Report.
Gift item of the day
A Weight watchers saints charm bracelet.
description:
Today, we've put together this chain of heavenly help for dieters.
St. Thomas Aquinas:cut a semicircle out of his table so his stomach would fit.
St. Martha: patron saint of cooks and waitresses.
St. Catherine of Sienna: Dieter extraordinaire! Survived for months at a time on only the Host.
St. Lawrence: roasted to death on a grill. That's him on the medal, holding his grill.
St. Charles Borromeo: patron saint of the stomach.
That ought to get you past that piece of chocolate cake.
by the "tongue in cheek SisterMaryMartha, whose delightful blog will put a smile on your face.
Science Headlines below the fold
Death panels work fine in Scotland.
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When good laws go bad: The Dodd-Frank law that prevents the US from buying "conflict minerals" has not only harmed the Congo, but allows China to buy up all the rare metals from there.
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Cosmic rays are the "x factor" in clouds.
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the latest invention: Seagull proof plastic bin bags.
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Space Station RIP?
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how an Ethiopian slave became a teacher in South Africa.
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The "we're all gonna die" post of the day: Birdflu is back...
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When good laws go bad: The Dodd-Frank law that prevents the US from buying "conflict minerals" has not only harmed the Congo, but allows China to buy up all the rare metals from there.
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Cosmic rays are the "x factor" in clouds.
---------------------------------
the latest invention: Seagull proof plastic bin bags.
---------------------------
Space Station RIP?
---------------------------
how an Ethiopian slave became a teacher in South Africa.
--------------------------------
The "we're all gonna die" post of the day: Birdflu is back...
Monday, August 29, 2011
Headlines below the fold
Five good things about hurricanes.
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recycling post of the day:
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Save Earl Grey...
they even have a facebook page.
factoid: It's named after the 2nd Earl Grey, a PM of England and supporter of Catholic emancipation...he and his wife had 16 children, which explains why he joined others in bedding Georgiana, the Dutchess of Devonshire (who also had a child by him who was raised by Grey's parents and is the ancestor of Sarah the Dutchess of York).
The film "the Dutchess: was about Georgiana and her romances.
another factoid: Bergamot, one of the ingredients in the tea, is used as an aphrodesiac.
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recycling post of the day:
----------------------------
Save Earl Grey...
they even have a facebook page.
factoid: It's named after the 2nd Earl Grey, a PM of England and supporter of Catholic emancipation...he and his wife had 16 children, which explains why he joined others in bedding Georgiana, the Dutchess of Devonshire (who also had a child by him who was raised by Grey's parents and is the ancestor of Sarah the Dutchess of York).
The film "the Dutchess: was about Georgiana and her romances.
another factoid: Bergamot, one of the ingredients in the tea, is used as an aphrodesiac.
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Bacteria two, Mosquitos zero?
two BBC reports on mosquito control.
The First report is that scientists found that if a certain bacteria infected mosquitoes, they didn't tranmist Dengue fever.
they don't know if this is from climate change, or if a bacterial or other disease has affected the mosquitos.
The First report is that scientists found that if a certain bacteria infected mosquitoes, they didn't tranmist Dengue fever.
a second report says that surveys in Africa are showing that the mosquito that transmits malaria is also decreasing in number, for unknown reasons.
The scientists are uncertain as to why Wolbachia blocks the ability to transmit dengue, but Professor O'Neill said they have two theories: "The first relates to the immune system. The data suggests that the presence of Wolbachia boosts the immune system and helps the mosquito fight off the effects of dengue.
they don't know if this is from climate change, or if a bacterial or other disease has affected the mosquitos.
It isn't over until the (naked) green lady sings
I knew Donald Swann (of Flanders and Swann fame) had written serious music, including musical scores for Tolkien's songs, but I didn't know that he had written the music for a Perelandra Opera.
Perelandra is the second book of CSLewis' space trilogy, where the character Ransom (which some believe is based on Tolkien) is sent to help the "Eve" of that land to resist the temptations from one of the scientists, Weston, from book one.
Although I enjoyed the first book of the triology, I found Perelandra boring, and the third book is good in parts but also gave me intellectual indigestion for various reasons (I hated the character Jane).
The point is that the Lady, the Eve of the newborn land of Venus, not only is "green" but she doesn't wear clothes in the book.
so how did they manage this on stage?
The opera was performed a few times, then went into limbo with the death of Lewis.
well, the copyright cops kept it from being performed, but in 2009 when the copyright died of old age, they again staged the opera. The UKTelegraph has a review here.
the bad news is that although there is a CD available here, no one has bothered to post it on line or on youtube.
as for the Lady, check out this painting to get an idea of how she might look. As the saying goes: She wasn't naked, she just didn't have any clothes on.
Perelandra is the second book of CSLewis' space trilogy, where the character Ransom (which some believe is based on Tolkien) is sent to help the "Eve" of that land to resist the temptations from one of the scientists, Weston, from book one.
Although I enjoyed the first book of the triology, I found Perelandra boring, and the third book is good in parts but also gave me intellectual indigestion for various reasons (I hated the character Jane).
The point is that the Lady, the Eve of the newborn land of Venus, not only is "green" but she doesn't wear clothes in the book.
so how did they manage this on stage?
The opera was performed a few times, then went into limbo with the death of Lewis.
well, the copyright cops kept it from being performed, but in 2009 when the copyright died of old age, they again staged the opera. The UKTelegraph has a review here.
the bad news is that although there is a CD available here, no one has bothered to post it on line or on youtube.
as for the Lady, check out this painting to get an idea of how she might look. As the saying goes: She wasn't naked, she just didn't have any clothes on.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Family news
another day, another typhoon...
not much wind here (the storm is off the east coast) but lots of rain...and we're upstream from Manila's garbage clogged sewers. Well, that's one advantage of having open ditches for sewer run off...
.
.
Factoid of the day take two
There's no cure for Dengue, which is endemic here in SEAsia, but now reports say the Tawatawa plant could help prevent the dehydration complication of that disease.
 |
| From Finestkind Clinic and fish market |
foodrecapnet has more. and more from Internet Philippines (where I got the photo)
I know the plant: it's a weed that we remove from our garden all the time.
another possible cure: Camote tops. This is the top leaves of the sweet potato plant that is used here as a "green" vegetable.
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another way to prevent control the mosquitoes that spread Dengue and Malaria: Guppies.
They can eat the "wrigglers" (larvae)of the mosquito in water and are used in many countries for fresh water mosquito control.
 |
| From Finestkind Clinic and fish market |
photo is that of a plain female guppie.
Not to be mixed up with the Pregnant Guppie.
 |
| From Finestkind Clinic and fish market |
Koi do this also: we use koi in our fountain to control the mosquitoes.
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and your vocabulary lesson of the day:
Whales have calves,
Cats have kittens,
Bears have cubs,
Bats have bittens,
Swans have cygnets,
Seals have puppies,
But guppies just have little guppies.
(by OGDEN NASH)
Stuff below the fold
Back in 1986, Reagan bombed Libya to warn Ghadaffy after they found he was behind a bombing of a nightclub in Germany that killed some Americans.
Gadaffy reported that the raid killed his adopted daughter, causing a lot of handwringing from the left, who hated Reagan even more than they hated Bush.
However, today we have good news. Ghadaffy lied She wasn't killed: she's alive and well and is now a doctor.
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Whoops...the God Particle might not exist after all.
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Scientific mystery of the day: The Cuppa hot cocoa paradox.
They wrote that if "the bottom of the mug was tapped repeatedly with a spoon as the (instant coffee or cocoa) powder was stirred into the water, the note emitted could be heard to rise in pitch by over an octave".
read the rest of the report to find out why.
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Dustbury posts the creepiest commercial on line.
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King Arthur's round table found again.
Factoid of the day
Pearl Millet was first domesticated 5000=8000 years ago in sub Saharan due to climate changes that was drying up the Sahara. more HERE.
when I worked in Africa, the folks usually grew some as a "backup crop" in case there wasn't enough rain for the corn crop. Since it was easier to digest than Maize porridge (sadza) we used to instruct our moms to make it for their newly weaned children (and add either buttermilk or peanut butter to make it high protein).
more HERE.
recipes HERE. and HERE. It is gluten free....and millet flat bread is eaten in India.
Dog news of the day
you don't step on superman's cape post of the day:
Dick Cheney's memoir reveals that his Lab DAVE once attacked Bush's dog Barney.
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and from ITblog:
Cheney's labradors Jackson, left and Dave Photo: WHITE HOUSE
Dick Cheney's memoir reveals that his Lab DAVE once attacked Bush's dog Barney.
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and from ITblog:
Friday, August 26, 2011
The Gratuitous Lady Gaga post of the day
ladyGaga in sinagapore last year.Photo AFP
no, it's not her drug use or her support of gay marriage that got her in trouble:
Lady Gaga's "Bloody Mary" ends with the line "Oh, libertad, mi amor (Oh, freedom, my love)", while "Hair" includes the lyrics "This is my prayer/ That I'll die living just as free as my hair".
Dave Barry comments: INCREDIBLY, COPACABANA IS STILL LEGAL
no comments so far from Joe Biden.
Stuff below the fold
StrategyPage on Colombia
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NYTimes notices grandparents now care for grandchildren,
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Anti Catholic propaganda from the good old days debunked...
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No religion allowed at the 911 memorial?
Say a prayer to Father Judge to make the mayor change his mind.
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Steve Jobs resigning. in our prayers.
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Blackfive has USAA's advice on preparing your cellphone for a hurricane.
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another day, another typhoon...right now we are signal one.
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Factoid of the day
actually, we're in the monsoon season, so it's not that hot.
But this time of year is called the "Dog Days of Summer".
see more dog and puppy pictures
ah, but why is it called that? Because dogs hate the heat? Because dogs might get rabies?
No: Father Z says it's because it's the time of the dog star:Sirius. And he adds lots of quotes from Greek and Latin literature.
from Wikipedia:
and the ancient Egyptians used the rise at dawn of the dog star to predict the time of the annual floods of the Nile River.
But this time of year is called the "Dog Days of Summer".
see more dog and puppy pictures
ah, but why is it called that? Because dogs hate the heat? Because dogs might get rabies?
No: Father Z says it's because it's the time of the dog star:Sirius. And he adds lots of quotes from Greek and Latin literature.
from Wikipedia:
.
The Dog Days originally were the days when Sirius rose just before or at the same time as sunrise (heliacal rising), which is no longer true, owing to precession of the equinoxes. The Romans sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather
and the ancient Egyptians used the rise at dawn of the dog star to predict the time of the annual floods of the Nile River.
Insomnia downloads of the week
having trouble sleeping but don't want to count sheep?
Try listening to Aristotle's Metaphysics or one of his other charming works:
if you prefer to be bored by religion, try:
Try listening to Aristotle's Metaphysics or one of his other charming works:
- Aristotle. "Categories" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Metaphysics" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Nicomachean Ethics, The" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "On Interpretation" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Poetics" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Politics" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Posterior Analytics" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Prior Analytics" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Rhetoric" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Selected excerpts" (in "Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, volume 2") · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Sophistical Elenchi" · (readers)
- Aristotle. "Topics" · (readers)
if you prefer to be bored by religion, try:
Bible (KJV) 04: Numbers by King James Version
- Brennan, Rev. Gerald T.. "Angel Food: Little Talks to Little Folks" · (readers)
- Brennan, Rev. Gerald T.. "For Heaven's Sake: Little Talks to Little Folks" · (readers)
- Brennan, Rev. Gerald T.. "Ghost of Kingdom Come, The" · (readers)
- Brennan, Rev. Gerald T.. "Going His Way: Little Talks to Little Folks" · (readers)
and for history buffs:
Recollections of Life in Ohio, from 1813-1840 by Howells, William Cooper
-
- Summerhayes, Martha. "Vanished Arizona: Recollections of the Army Life of a New England Woman" · (readers)
- Anonymous. "Diary of a Nursing Sister on the Western Front 1914-1915" · (readers)
- Chesnut, Mary. "Diary from Dixie, A" · (readers)
- King-Hall, Stephen, Sir. "Diary of a U-boat Commander" · (readers)
- Quincy, Samuel M.. "History of the Second Massachusetts Regiment of Infantry: A Prisoner's Diary" (in "Short Nonfiction Collection Vol. 021") · (readers)
Photos of the day
Image Credit & Copyright: Esther Havens (Light the World)
Explanation: Yes, but how many dark clouds have a multicolored lining? Pictured, behind this darker cloud, is a pileus iridescent cloud, a group of water droplets that have a uniformly similar size and so together diffract different colors of sunlight by different amounts. The above image was taken just after the picturesque sight was noticed by chance by a photographer in Ethiopia. A more detailed picture of the same cloud shows not only many colors, but unusual dark and wavy bands whose origins are thought related to wave disturbances in the cloud.
This view was created using three-dimensional information from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter, which flew on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. The vertical dimension is not exaggerated. Color information is based on general Mars color characteristics.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
family news
at 3 am I woke up to a strange noise coming from the bathroom...the cat had brought us a "present": a live bat.
I scooped it up without touching it and threw it outside...I never heard of a cat catching a bat, so I hope it wasn't a sick bat (with rabies etc). I had rabies shots after a dog bite, but the cats here haven't had any rabies shots.
Since I was awake, I went on line, and the headlines are the same: Bad news.
oh well.
I scooped it up without touching it and threw it outside...I never heard of a cat catching a bat, so I hope it wasn't a sick bat (with rabies etc). I had rabies shots after a dog bite, but the cats here haven't had any rabies shots.
Since I was awake, I went on line, and the headlines are the same: Bad news.
oh well.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Headlines below the fold
End game in Libya...why it could be bloody. Sigh.
He's probably hiding in a bunker...
all sorts of folks build them..
who built the caves of the moon in Madrid?
one result of the war is that the American troops can finally come home...from Germany...
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In this war, as in the Punic wars, the Numidians (Berbers) helped turn the tide...
as for superweapons, they make a good headline but don't work well...Hannibal's elephants article HERE.
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68 Pinoys converted to Islam in Saudi last year says the headline.... and they assure us it was "voluntary".
Well, out of a million there, it's not a big number. Wonder how many Saudis converted to Christianity? Oh, I forgot: If they are found out, they are killed or imprisoned.
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Massacre of the mercenaries...AD 900
(headsup Archeaoblog)
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and the photo of the day:
Picture: Quirky China News / Rex Features
Earthquakes in D.C,?
my relatives in Pennsylvania report feeling the earthquake but all report they are well.
Lolo is over his chest cold and back to normal...he is quite frail nowadays but his mind is okay.
Lolo is over his chest cold and back to normal...he is quite frail nowadays but his mind is okay.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Stuff below the fold take two
Leptospirosis, a rat borne disease that is caught by wading in flood waters, is becoming a worry in the Philippines...this CDC article suggests most cases are never diagnosed, and suggests that a fast and easy test is needed.
since it can be treated with common antibiotics such as penicillin and doxycycline, one suspects many cases are just treated empirically by doctors.
keeping down the rat population by garbage collection could help too, but we find that even with rat poison, rat killing dogs and mice killing cats, we still have a problem...they migrate in from the nearby vacant lots..
and we also have a dengue alert...1600 cases so far this year...and again, most cases are mild and never see the doctor....now if they'd only spray the open ditch sewers.
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Smithsonian article on new species being discovered in the Philippines.
since it can be treated with common antibiotics such as penicillin and doxycycline, one suspects many cases are just treated empirically by doctors.
keeping down the rat population by garbage collection could help too, but we find that even with rat poison, rat killing dogs and mice killing cats, we still have a problem...they migrate in from the nearby vacant lots..
and we also have a dengue alert...1600 cases so far this year...and again, most cases are mild and never see the doctor....now if they'd only spray the open ditch sewers.
--------------------------
Smithsonian article on new species being discovered in the Philippines.
Stories below the fold
Stress really does make your hair turn grey.
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BoingBoing has a summary of the contamination from Fukushima....and Japanese kids are affected too.
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Burbank residents are worrying about being attacked by coyotes and mountain lions.
maybe they need to hire Rick Perry...
Perry said that because the coyote was acting threatening toward him and his daughter's Labrador retriever, he pulled a .380 pistol with a laser sight from a belt on his jogging suit and shot the coyote dead. He told the reporter he carries the gun when jogging because he is afraid of snakes.heh. Don't mess with Texas...
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Just what we need: A stealth Snow Mobile.
priority number one: Make it a bit quieter.
faster, please...
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also from Davebarry:
VACATION DESTINATION OF THE DAY
Yokohama, to visit the Cup Noodles Museum
Happy 91th birthday Ray Bradbury.
from a 2001 interview:
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Islamic victory?
Via Yahoo: How Did Tripoli Fall so fast?
You will read a lot of nonsense worrying if the new government will be Islamic or secular... The assumption in the US is that secular is best, yet American law is based on both British common law, and (protestant) Biblical law...that part about "freedom of conscience" is a protestant idea only belatedly picked up by Catholics, for example.
and this ignores that the "Arab spring" is secular governments that are tyrannies and kept in place with outside support, and that many of the rebels see their inspiration in their religious heritage.
Dr. E in Tehran rejoices, and points out the religious rebels won over secular dictators, and she suggests Iman Ali as a role model.
And the White Path (Turkey) points out that the Muslim Brotherhood is evolving, and could see Turkey's relaxation of the anti religious law was done by vote, without the need for a theocracy, as a role model for Islamic democracy.
Ironically, in the US, many religious voices are being ridiculed and a similar argument is going on.
And here in the Philippines, a similar argument is being waged against the Catholics who dare to oppose the RH bill ...
You will read a lot of nonsense worrying if the new government will be Islamic or secular... The assumption in the US is that secular is best, yet American law is based on both British common law, and (protestant) Biblical law...that part about "freedom of conscience" is a protestant idea only belatedly picked up by Catholics, for example.
and this ignores that the "Arab spring" is secular governments that are tyrannies and kept in place with outside support, and that many of the rebels see their inspiration in their religious heritage.
Dr. E in Tehran rejoices, and points out the religious rebels won over secular dictators, and she suggests Iman Ali as a role model.
And the White Path (Turkey) points out that the Muslim Brotherhood is evolving, and could see Turkey's relaxation of the anti religious law was done by vote, without the need for a theocracy, as a role model for Islamic democracy.
Ironically, in the US, many religious voices are being ridiculed and a similar argument is going on.
And here in the Philippines, a similar argument is being waged against the Catholics who dare to oppose the RH bill ...
Monday, August 22, 2011
Feminist Doctors of the church?
Traditionally the title "Doctors of the church" is given to folks who can explain the faith.
At World Youth Day, they proclaimed St. John of Avila as the latest doctor. (not to be mixed up with John of the Cross who coined the phrase "the dark night of the soul"...).
But Chiesa has a news article suggesting quite a few might be put in the list in the next few years, including feminist icon Hildegard of Bingen and the popular Julian of Norwich.
If you like Gregorian chant, check out one of Hildegard's songs:
At World Youth Day, they proclaimed St. John of Avila as the latest doctor. (not to be mixed up with John of the Cross who coined the phrase "the dark night of the soul"...).
But Chiesa has a news article suggesting quite a few might be put in the list in the next few years, including feminist icon Hildegard of Bingen and the popular Julian of Norwich.
If you like Gregorian chant, check out one of Hildegard's songs:
Preserving the Osage language
when I worked in Oklahoma, they were giving language classes for the kids, trying to preserve the Osage language. Tribe link here includes audio and video links and language lessons
Most Oklahoma tribes are integrated into society, so there is a real danger of losing the languages.
A longer article on this from Indian country
headsup TimeAndTongueBlog.
Most Oklahoma tribes are integrated into society, so there is a real danger of losing the languages.
A longer article on this from Indian country
headsup TimeAndTongueBlog.
Headline of the day
End game in Libya...
update:
Heh. All the big news outlets are reporting from the hotel and worried about their own security, but AlJazeerah has reporters on the ground.
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(it's Bush's fault)
----------------------------
and if you want your head to spin, check some of StrategyPage's podcast on Syria discusses the Arab/Iranian, Muslim/Druze, Turkish/Persian empire, factions all choosing sides.
And Iran's president is a bad guy hating Israel, but he is also fighting corruption and the extremism of the Mullahs.
--------------------
the fall of the EU may be due to Greece's corruption, says the UKTelegraph
Strategypage podcast discussed this a few weeks ago LINK
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I defended Obama's choice of vacation spot here, but then I used to live in Boston and don't consider Martha's Vineyard a place for only the rich. Obama's problem is his tin ear, not his choice of vacation spots.
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photo Inquirer.
PNoy is still seeking justice for his father's murder. It's the anniversary of his death today and folks are remembering him.
more HERE
the Triple bypass that changed history.
a rememberance...
update:
Heh. All the big news outlets are reporting from the hotel and worried about their own security, but AlJazeerah has reporters on the ground.
another reason for the US to get AJ's english coverage on cable tv. Biased? yes but so is CNN and Fox...
Zeina Khodr, Al Jazeera's correspondent, said from the Green Square: "There's a party in the Libyan capital tonight. The people are in charge of the city. They've decided the square is now called Martyr's Square, the original name. They're shouting 'we're free' and shooting at a poster of Gaddafi."
-------------------
(it's Bush's fault)
----------------------------
and if you want your head to spin, check some of StrategyPage's podcast on Syria discusses the Arab/Iranian, Muslim/Druze, Turkish/Persian empire, factions all choosing sides.
And Iran's president is a bad guy hating Israel, but he is also fighting corruption and the extremism of the Mullahs.
--------------------
the fall of the EU may be due to Greece's corruption, says the UKTelegraph
Strategypage podcast discussed this a few weeks ago LINK
---------------------------------------
I defended Obama's choice of vacation spot here, but then I used to live in Boston and don't consider Martha's Vineyard a place for only the rich. Obama's problem is his tin ear, not his choice of vacation spots.
--------------------------
photo Inquirer.
PNoy is still seeking justice for his father's murder. It's the anniversary of his death today and folks are remembering him.
more HERE
the Triple bypass that changed history.
a rememberance...
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Skin walker
A student made film about skin walkers by Grace Todacheenej
(see earlier post on mixing up vampires and skinwalkers)
(see earlier post on mixing up vampires and skinwalkers)
Family news
I finally got over my chest cold, but now Lolo is sick.
He is eating okay, just running a low fever and staying in bed most of the day.
We had a brown out most of yesterday, and today it's scheduled from 8 to five, but the generator is working okay so we have hot water and weak level air conditioning.
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We didn't go to church again, so the usual beggars noticed I was missing again, so they came to the door bringing the sampaguita garland we buy every week since the seller also "missed me"...and wanted see if I'm okay.
Of course they got their tip. They are quite expert in crying about problems because they know they'll get a bigger tip, but they seem to make a good living off of it: One of them showed me a graduation photo of her daughter who just finished high school last year. But sometimes they do need money, especially if they need to buy medicine (they bring a note from the public hospital or the prescription to prove they aren't lying).
one of the regulars was a girl with Down's syndrome who suffered from ecsema. She had family but they moved away and so she lived in the palenke. Social services finally got her a place to stay...
for those who don't know about the sampaguita garland, here is a photo of a seller...sometimes other flowers or IlangIlang leaves are used.
Lolo usually puts some on the graves in the cemetery, and we also garland Mama Mary's statue with them, placing on the statues as a necklace...
Pagan custom? No, a sign of honor because we figure our loved ones in heaven see the flowers and know we are remembering them.
He is eating okay, just running a low fever and staying in bed most of the day.
We had a brown out most of yesterday, and today it's scheduled from 8 to five, but the generator is working okay so we have hot water and weak level air conditioning.
--------------------------------
We didn't go to church again, so the usual beggars noticed I was missing again, so they came to the door bringing the sampaguita garland we buy every week since the seller also "missed me"...and wanted see if I'm okay.
Of course they got their tip. They are quite expert in crying about problems because they know they'll get a bigger tip, but they seem to make a good living off of it: One of them showed me a graduation photo of her daughter who just finished high school last year. But sometimes they do need money, especially if they need to buy medicine (they bring a note from the public hospital or the prescription to prove they aren't lying).
one of the regulars was a girl with Down's syndrome who suffered from ecsema. She had family but they moved away and so she lived in the palenke. Social services finally got her a place to stay...
for those who don't know about the sampaguita garland, here is a photo of a seller...sometimes other flowers or IlangIlang leaves are used.
Lolo usually puts some on the graves in the cemetery, and we also garland Mama Mary's statue with them, placing on the statues as a necklace...
Pagan custom? No, a sign of honor because we figure our loved ones in heaven see the flowers and know we are remembering them.
Attack of the killer capybara
The LATimes says that it's not a killer rabbit roaming the wastewater treatment plant, it's a capybara
The rodents — which can grow to the size of a large dog — aren't dangerous, "just weird-looking," Hughan said.
The "I know It's around here someplace" story of the day
From Webecoist:
A Floating island artwork (called "is land") has disappeared before they could send it to the Burning man festival. Presumably it has floated off to Czech republic....
cloud cukooland redux?
and the trivia factoid of the day:
- Cloud Cuckooland is a level from the Nintendo 64 game Banjo-Tooie.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Butterflies
TYWKIWDBI has photos and a discussion of butterflies in Wisconsin.
The top embed is a photo of a Giant Swallowtail. This has historically been a butterfly of the southern United States, since its preferred food plants are citrus trees. Until a few years ago they were seldom seen in Wisconsin, but last year they appeared across much of the state, and this year they have been relatively abundant;
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Daphne DuMaurier's summer home is for sale.
only 2 million Euros...
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The Guardian book podcast this week is on Gothic Edinburgh...mp3
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LesFemmesBlog suggests you wear this teeshirt to shut up all those who make snide remarks about breeders:
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and the Cat video of the day:
Rants on my other blogs
From my Medical blog:
Number one: comments on the PBS story of Washington's nine deadly diseases. (headups TeaAtTrianon)
two: Almost dying from hemorrhage after having a baby.
3) Pfizer pays up...experimenting on Africans.
4)musing about congenital heart disease.
Recent BNN Rants:
Number one: comments on the PBS story of Washington's nine deadly diseases. (headups TeaAtTrianon)
two: Almost dying from hemorrhage after having a baby.
3) Pfizer pays up...experimenting on Africans.
4)musing about congenital heart disease.
Recent BNN Rants:
- Remembering the Aztec Eagles, 13 Aug 2011
- “Isolated Tribes” Have Disappeared, 11 Aug 2011
- A Non Paying Tax payer speaks, 11 Aug 2011
- Stopping Fun in Tehran, 07 Aug 2011
- Large Cars Are Dangerous?, 29 Jul 2011
- Movie Review: Soul Surfer, 20 Jul 2011
World Youth Day
from the Inquirer.
Benedict told them their decisions to dedicate their lives to their faith was a potent message in today’s increasingly secular world.
“This is all the more important today when we see a certain eclipse of God taking place, a kind of amnesia which albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity,” he said.
Bluepangeetblog has a series full of photos reporting from the event on his blog and his facebook page includes streaming videos
he reports not just about the mass but about the concerts and teaching sessions in the different languages.
he reports that the protesters mocked the youth all day, but were only arrested when they started throwing things. Nothing on google news yet about this, but it is covered in the Inquirer, without of course mentioning why the protesters were removed....
here is some of his photos: faces of world youth day:
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the official WYD Pinoy webpage
and YouthPinoy is twittering the event. they report being harassed too.
the complaints that the money needs to be sent to Somalia is a "straw man" argument, because you don't see the protesters working with the poor or giving time to help...and pilgrimages renew hearts and inspire people to actually do such things.
Friday, August 19, 2011
The "WAGD" post of the day
For years, scientists have scoffed at those who believe in UFO's.
But now,the UK Guardian reports that the scientists trying to take over the world using global warming as an excuse are telling us if we don't clean up the planet, the Space Aliens will destroy us.
I seem to remember this is old news (see photo)
although I do realize that space aliens trying to stop people from blowing up the earth is so last year....so when Hollywood remade it they changed it to an environmental theme where the alien doesn't just warn earth, he simply destroys all of earth's technology as a warning (so that everyone nicely starves to death instead).
if you read the article, it seems that this NASA think tank has done all their research on possible scenerios from sci fi movies, from ET to District 9 to The Day the Earth Stood Still.
I prefer to think that if there are aliens that can cross huge areas of space, they might so more advanced that they won't need somthing as primitive as a space ship...they'd probablly resemble the Eldils of CSLewis than ET in a spaceship.
photo from a new book I'd love to read (hint hint)
Stories below the fold
Forget the Men In Black: the real mystery is Who are the men who run the financial ratings agencies?
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AndrewBrown at the (left wing) UKGuardian writes:
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The pope draws 1.5 million young people to Madrid – but that's not news?
The media focus on the anti-pope protests, but ignore World Youth Day, perhaps because its attendees aren't cool
The President deserves a vacation, but he has a tin ear on choosing where to go, says VDHanson.
... if President Obama has already purchased the new bus, why not use it Winnebago-style to see America with his family for a week, visiting a national park, a closed-down plant — or a real vineyard?Instapundit disagrees, snidely remarking: That seems too Sarah-Palinish.
or maybe too Jimmy Carterish,
photo of ex president Jimmy Carter helping with homebuilding after Katrina
( - Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images News)
although I must add that
Sarah and family did spend her vacation helping Alabama in the tornado cleanup too.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Saluting Astronauts
from the NASA website:
Stephen Colbert, host of The Colbert Report, salutes the crew of STS-135 during their appearance for a taping of his television show, Tuesday evening, Aug. 16, 2011, in New York. The astronauts from STS-135 are in New York for a three-day visit. Seated from lower left are Commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Doug Hurley, and mission specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim.
Image Credit: NASA/Paul E. Alers
and no, we don't get Colbert here in the Philippines...but I have seen a few of his skits via youtube.
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war"...
StrategyPage has an article on "doggles" and kevlar vests for trained military dogs (and the night vision cameras) used in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a history of dogs in the US military.
you heard of "dancing with wolves"? Well, here's a SEAL "Jumping with dog.
Highest Jump By a Dog Ever: A U.S. Navy SEAL, Mike Forsythe, and his dog, Cara — pictured above — recently broke the world record for “highest man/dog parachute deployment” by jumping from 30,100 feet. (via War Dog - An FP Photo Essay By Rebecca Frankel | Foreign Policy)
a 2003 article in Nat Geo can be found HERE.
a tribute to these dogs at YOUTUBE...(headsup Gary'sReflectionsblog)
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The good news of the day
The good news is that the "Lone Ranger" movie has been axed because it cost too much...
I was annoyed that in this day and age they though they could get away with casting Johnny Depp with a goatee as Tonto.......heck, even under the lax Eastern Cherokee rules of 1:16 percentage he wouldn't get a CDIB card: "In an interview he stated that his great grandmother has a lot of Cherokee heritage."
in contrast, the TV version had Canadian First Nations member Jay Siverheels to play Tonto...
More info why you should be happy about this can be found at Filmdrunk: it was supposed to have werewolves
It seems the high budget was for the Special effects, but after "cowboys and aliens" was a failure (I mean, it lost to the Smurfs!) they decided to ax it.
As for werewolfs: it sounds like the producers are mixing up Navajo skinwalkers with Scandinavian werewolves. so that makes sense: Depp is mainly of German heritage and loves Europe, not America.
I was annoyed that in this day and age they though they could get away with casting Johnny Depp with a goatee as Tonto.......heck, even under the lax Eastern Cherokee rules of 1:16 percentage he wouldn't get a CDIB card: "In an interview he stated that his great grandmother has a lot of Cherokee heritage."
in contrast, the TV version had Canadian First Nations member Jay Siverheels to play Tonto...
More info why you should be happy about this can be found at Filmdrunk: it was supposed to have werewolves
Indeed, because what better way to honor Native American mysticism than through a European myth recently repopularized by a kid with washboard abs in a movie about sparkly white vampires based on a book written by a Mormon?
It seems the high budget was for the Special effects, but after "cowboys and aliens" was a failure (I mean, it lost to the Smurfs!) they decided to ax it.
As for werewolfs: it sounds like the producers are mixing up Navajo skinwalkers with Scandinavian werewolves. so that makes sense: Depp is mainly of German heritage and loves Europe, not America.
Medal of Honor
Sgt DakotaMyers will be awarded the Medal of honor this September.
The story:
Though bleeding from shrapnel wounds in his right arm, Meyer, aided by fellow Marines and Army advisors from Embedded Training Team 2-8, braved a vicious hail of enemy machine-gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire in the village of Ganjgal to help rescue and evacuate more than 15 wounded Afghan soldiers, and recover the bodies of four fallen fighters — 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, Gunnery Sgts. Aaron Kenefick and Edwin Johnson Jr., and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class James Layton....from StrategyPage.
Meyer charged through the battle zone five times to recover the dead Marines and injured Afghan soldiers, risking his life even when a medical evacuation helicopter wouldn’t land because of the blazing gunfire.
more at CNN.
"There's not a day -- not a second that goes by where I don't think about what happened that day," the Marines quoted Meyer as saying. "I didn't just lose four Marines that day; I lost four brothers.
Cat item of the day
there is now an app so your cats can play with your iphone
more HERE:
The World's Best Video Game for Cats is now on your iPhone!
We've brought the best-selling iPad Game for Cats to the iPhone so now every cat can enjoy it!
Chase a laser! Chase a mouse! See how many points your cat can rack up...
Free the mouse and then you can chase it! Cat's love this adorable little mouse. He doesn't mind either. But don't take my word for it, let me let him say something:
"Squeak squaker squeak squeakum squeak!" - Mr. Mouse
We brought our game the cat shelter to bring some joy into the orphaned cat's lives. Guess what? They loved it! Your cat will too!
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