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Prof. Sam Kariuki
Director, Centre for Microbiology Research, KEMRI, Kenya
Dr. Esther Muthumbi, MBChB
Esther is a Medical Doctor and Epidemiologist at the Epidemiology and Demography Department, KEMRI – Wellcome Trust. She is interested in infectious disease epidemiology and mathematical modeling. She has worked on several projects at KWTRP including an analysis of risk factors for pneumonia in adults, invasive salmonellosis in Kilifi and has coordinated research activities for the adult bacterial diseases study and SHINDA 2 study. Her current research work is focused on understanding the transmission of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) in the community.
Muthumbi EM, Gordon NC, Mochamah G, Nyongesa S, Odipo E, Mwarumba S, et al. Population-Based Estimate of Melioidosis, Kenya. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019;25(5):984-987. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2505.180545
Gilchrist JJ, Rautanen A, Fairfax BP, Mills TC, Naranbhai V, Trochet H, Pirinen M, Muthumbi E, et al., Risk of nontyphoidal Salmonella bacteraemia in African children is modified by STAT4. Nat Commun, 2018. 9 (1), pp. 1014.
Muthumbi E, Lowe BS, Muyodi C, Getambu E, Gleeson F, Scott JAG. Risk factors for community-acquired pneumonia among adults in Kenya: a case–control study. Pneumonia. 2017;9:17. doi:10.1186/s41479-017-0041-2.
Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Kenyan Adolescents With α+Thalassemia. Etyang AO, Khayeka-Wandabwa C, Kapesa S, Muthumbi E, Odipo E, Wamukoya M, Ngomi N, Haregu T, Kyobutungi C, Tendwa M, Makale J, Macharia A, Cruickshank JK, Smeeth L, Scott JA, Williams TN. | J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Apr 5;6(4). pii: e005613. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.117.005613. PMID: 28381468
The Health Care Sector Response to Intimate Partner Violence in Kenya: Exploring Health Care Providers' Perceptions of Care for Victims. Nguyen QP, Flynn N, Kitua M, Muthumbi EM, Mutonga DM, Rajab J, Miller E. | Violence Vict. 2016;31(5):888-900. Epub 2016 Aug 12. PMID: 27523028
Invasive Salmonellosis in Kilifi, Kenya. Muthumbi E, Morpeth SC, Ooko M, Mwanzu A, Mwarumba S, Mturi N, Etyang AO, Berkley JA, Williams TN, Kariuki S, Scott JA. | Clin Infect Dis. 2015 Nov 1;61 Suppl 4:S290-301. doi: 10.1093/cid/civ737. PMID: 26449944.
Centre for Microbiology Research at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK
Sam Kariuki is Director of the Centre for Microbiology Research at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and co-ordinator of the postgraduate Medical Microbiology Course hosted by the Institute in Nairobi.
Sam graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Nairobi in 1989 and then obtained a MSc in Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi in 1991. He obtained his PhD (Tropical Medicine) from the University of Liverpool in 1997.
As a postdoctoral fellow funded by the Wellcome Trust, Sam researched on the epidemiology and molecular characterisation of invasive non-typhoidal salmonellosis (NTS), which is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. NTS is common in the region in HIV-positive adults and in children where the infection causes high morbidity and mortality. Utilising basic molecular tools, Sam hypothesised that person-to-person rather than zoonotic transmission was playing a significant role in the epidemiology of community-acquired NTS. Despite scepticism from some scientists this has proven to be correct, a conclusion reached through joint genome analysis linked to field epidemiology carried out with the Sanger Institute.
Sam also works in the area of improving food hygiene through surveillance of other enteric pathogens including cholera, dysentery, typhoid and E. coli contamination through the food chain, funded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Because antibiotic resistance is a major problem in the region, Sam is also involved in routine surveillance and monitoring of resistance and chairs the national and regional working groups on antimicrobial resistance. He is now an internationally recognised authority in his field and mentors local African scientists through the postgraduate training courses hosted by KEMRI. Importantly, his laboratory is embedded in a government research institute and is largely independent of core Western funding. However, his laboratory is closely linked to the Wellcome Trust Clinical Unit in Kilifi headed by Kevin Marsh.
40 PhD Students
13 Masters Students
22 Postdoctoral Fellowships
80 Postgraduate Diploma Students trained so far
27 School Leavers Attachees
400 Peer Reviewed Publications
+254 709 983 846 ideal_info@kemri-wellcome.org
© Copyright 2020 Initiative to Develop African Research Leaders, IDeAL. All rights reserved.


I do not make all that much money, but I did everything I could to try to save money over the past year so that I can move to another city. I wanted this badly, so it was important to me to cut back wherever I could. I also made sure to check out what type of costs I would be looking in the city that I moved to. I checked out Illinois electricity rates and cost of apartments and so many other things. I wanted to make sure that I could handle whatever I needed to without any trouble. It seems that the cost of living in Illinois is so much cheaper than what I have been dealing for so long. So, I was really looking forward to the change of scenery and a new life in my new state.
I don't really have any family to back me up in life. My mom left my father and me when I was just a little kid. We have never been able to find her, and to be honest, I stopped looking. If she had an interest in seeing me, then she would come around. But she seems to have no interest. I have no other siblings, and my father is in his eighties now. So, he really doesn't have the means to help me financially. Instead, I do what I can to help him. And this move was very important to me because I needed a better job that would pay me more each month. My plan was to move, and then I would come back and get my dad because I wanted him to live with me.
I scrimped every little penny that I could, and I made the move two months ago. My new job has been great. I am settled into a new place. I filled it with some nice furniture. I have two bedrooms so that there is room for dad. He will be here soon to move in.


Here is a sweet vintage clip art I made for you with the sentiment 'Forget me knot'. If you enjoy my free clip art consider becoming a follower. Share a link for your friends to get their own copy & become a follower too. Personal use only. ENJOY!


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Mr. Drago was here for electrical and Mr Gene was here for plumbing, both were very good. Intend to use them again..
The technician was nice and very helpful. I really appreciate his help.
We have been delighted to have consistently great experiences with R S Andrews. The service techs are knowledgeable and friendly. They take the time to properly explain things and they look for ways to keep costs low. What more could you ask for?
in the process of installing a furnace at my house, the ac coil was damaged, resulting in no air conditioning. No attempt was made to repair damage. Unit should have been left as found. In working order.Will not use R S Andrews again.
Very find company even on a Emergancy on Sunday or Holliday.
We have used them for years and the workers are very nice and do know what needs to be done,they keep up with the changes we need to make and tell us what they have to repair or replace well explained.
We furnished, wired, and installed 2 junction boxes in the attic to correct flying splices found on the home inspection.
We furnished, wired, and installed an outlet by the garage door opener. Said outlet is off of the attic circuit. We performed panel maintenance and tightened all connections.
Furnished, wired, and replaced a gfi in the 1st floor bathroom. Wired and replaced 2 3way switches that were provided by the customer in the kitchen. Furnished, wired, and installed a dimmer in the kitchen for the dinner nook. Wired and replaced the fixture at the back of the house. Customer will get trim to cover existing box and have handyman install it. Performed panel maintenance and tightened all connections. Found issues. Will send estimate.
Checked bulbs in the garage fixtures. Found burned out bulbs. Customer supplied new bulbs.
Furnished, wired, and installed a wire from the bath fan to above the bathtub in the upstairs bathroom. Wired and installed a customer supplied shower recess light above said bathtub. Performed panel maintenance and tightened all connections.
We checked motor for the attic fan. Found attic fan motor seized. Furnished, wired, and replaced said attic fan. Temperature has been set on 95.
Walked home with customer to give a price.
Furnished, wired, and replaced 2 gfis outside. Furnished, and installed a single gang nail on in the attic to protect the wire. Installed a blank on said box. Furnished, wired, and replaced a receptacle in the hallway bathroom. Separated neutrals and grounds in the panel so that there's only one wire per screw. Furnished, wired, and installed a surge protector in the panel.
Furnished, wired, and replaced the existing breaker that feeds the kitchen counter outlets. Said breaker is being replaced since the existing one tripped but got stuck and didn't trip completely. Furnished, wired, and installed a surge protector in panel A as it did not have one.
We removed the projector out of the drop ceiling on the first floor. We removed the projector out of the ceiling on the second floor. We are not responsible for the low volt wires.
Wired and installed a circuit extension and a customer supplied smart switch for the attic fan. Performed panel maintenance and tightened all connections.
Furnished, wired, and installed a fan rated box in the kitchen. Wired and installed a remote kit and ceiling fan that the customer provided at said location. Part of the Sheetrock got damaged when the box was installed. We do not patch any Sheetrock. We furnished, wired, and replaced the breaker for the downstairs den as requested by the homeowner. Performed panel maintenance and tightened all connections.
Walked warehouse for customer to get a count of fixtures needing to change. Will send estimate as soon as we get prices for the lights needed.


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Magnum T.A. Still Beloved, 3 Decades Into Retirement
No matter where you look, only one name has dominated wrestling chatter this week: Daniel Bryan. After months and months of "will he or won't he" speculation, the popular superstar announced his retirement at the age of 34. Because of his fan following, his announcement won't likely end the speculation for all. The abruptness of the announcement coupled with legal entanglements with WWE won't allow some of his fans to completely give up on someday seeing the "Yes" man back in a squared circle.
In discussions of Bryan's early retirement, I saw some trying to find a comparison. Another star who had their career ended during their prime or perhaps had yet to even see their best years. Only one name truly fits the bill and, in a way, the story is probably even more tragic than the Bryan injury. That individual was Terry Allen, known to the wrestling world as Magnum T.A.
October of 2016 will mark thirty years since the tragic automobile accident that nearly cost Magnum T.A. his life. Only a few years into his career, Magnum had already made his way through several major wrestling territories including Florida and Mid-South. He was now in Jim Crockett Promotions which at that point was by far the biggest brand under the NWA banner. He was a nationwide television star thanks to Superstation TBS, and he was the protege of "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes both in and out of the ring.
Magnum had a true gift. He was able to win over the NWA fans despite not being the most technically sound wrestler to ever step through the ropes. He had the great look and the intangibles that Dusty, as his mentor, knew how to best utilize. Truly, Magnum was on his way to the top. Feuds with hated villains of the promotion only cemented this. To this day, fans fondly remember the "Best of Seven" series of matches against Nikita Koloff or Magnum's conflict with Tully Blanchard that saw its peak at Starrcade 1985 in the brutal "I Quit" match.
Magnum also saw quite a bit of marketing despite starring in the wrestling company that was lesser known for such things. Dusty and the others recognized Magnum's fan following, especially among females. Similarly to the Rock 'n Roll Express, much of the merchandise was designed to appeal to those screaming ladies, desperate to get a glimpse or even a touch of their favorite mustached star. From bandanas to posters, Magnum's mug was one of the most marketed by Jim Crockett Promotions. An over-sized photo book, very obviously marketed to those with an eye for the rugged idol, was even produced. After Magnum's accident, many of those same images made it into the famous NWA trading card set by Wonderama. Even if he could no longer step through the ropes as a competitor, it was obvious that his image was still selling.
The comparisons with the Daniel Bryan retirement end in a place where more question marks arise in the case of Magnum. Whereas Bryan, albeit briefly, got to reach the pinnacle of the business with his World Championship win, Magnum did not get to see that. Almost all involved agree that Magnum was being primed for a run with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but the accident ultimately prevented it. While Bryan got to hoist "Big Gold" high, Magnum did not get the chance, ironically with the original version of that same belt.
Perhaps an even bigger question is if and when Magnum would have shown up in the WWF. Nearly every major star eventually appeared there, and there is no doubt in my mind that Magnum would have followed eventually. His television-star looks were exactly what the WWF was built upon in that era. While he may not have had much room at the top with the other star power in the company during what would have been Magnum's prime, it's easy to imagine him in the ring with the likes of Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels in the early '90s in a solid upper-mid-card position.
I've seen first hand the impact that Magnum had on the fans of the era. Despite being left with a few small reminders of his accident, fans still completely lose it when meeting the fabled star. From his regular showings at the Charlotte Fanfests to rare appearances in the Northeast, location matters little. People all over were touched by Magnum. This leaves me with no doubt that his career could have gone much further, likely in any promotion, had the accident not occurred. Just like with Bryan, it's what the fans wanted to see.
Terry Allen is not a bitter man. He recognizes his potential, but also knows that there's nothing that he can do to change history. He carved out a happy life for himself post-wrestling. If Magnum T.A. can do it, so can Daniel Bryan. Not all careers have story book endings, but that fact has little to do with cultivating a happy one.
Posted by J\/\/ at 7:00 PM
Labels: Jim Crockett Promotions, Magnum T.A., Mid-South Wrestling, NWA
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Saturday Night Live (abbr. as SNL) is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show. The format of this show is that each week, SNL features a host who delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast and later a musical guest will perform.


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Week Ahead: A list of Northern Utah events happening in the coming week
Posted on October 9, 2018 November 21, 2018 By AMANDA JOHNSON Standard-Examiner	Category: Entertainment
"THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN"
The story of a young man in the 1930s who wants to escape his remote Irish town, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11-13, Allred Theater at the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts, 1901 University Circle, Ogden. $8.25-$13, weberstatetickets.com.
HA-HA-HAUNTED! COMEDY SHOW
Add a little funny to your fright with Funny Business improv comedy troupe's spooky-themed show, 7 p.m. Oct. 11, Weber County Library Pleasant Valley Branch, 5568 S. Adams Ave., Washington Terrace. FREE.
DAVID LIEBE HART WITH CHIP THE BLACK BOY, ITCHY BROTHER AND VERSION TWO
An outsider musician, actor and painter who is a true original unleashes his unbridled, maniacally passionate self, including puppets, alien encounter stories and songs, 8 p.m. Oct. 11, Funk 'n Dive, 2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden. $5, ArtByLiebeHart.com/tickets.
CHARLIE JENSEN
Local acoustic music, including you playing acoustic on the open mic, 7-11 p.m. Oct. 11, Lighthouse Lounge, 130 25th St., Ogden. FREE admission.
Korn frontman touring in support of his solo album "Black Labyrinth," 7 p.m. Oct. 11, The Depot, 13 N. 400 West, Salt Lake City. $25/adv., $30/day of, smithstix.com.
American punk rock band with special guests together PANGEA and Sharp Shock, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11, The Complex, 536 W. 100 South, Salt Lake City. $25, showclix.com.
GWAR & HATEBREED
Gore metal giants with special guest Miss May I and Ringworm, 7 p.m. Oct. 11, The Complex, 536 W. 100 South, Salt Lake City. $29.50/adv., $34/day of, smithstix.com.
MICHAEL GLABICKI WITH DIRK MILLER
Rusted Root's frontman and guitar player on tour with a very different sound, 8 p.m. Oct. 11, The State Room, 638 S. State St., Salt Lake City. $20, ticketfly.com.
"NATURE, LOVE MEDICINE"
Thomas Lowe Fleischner, Jana Richman and Nalini Nadkarni talk about paying attention to the wider world to strengthen our core humanity, 7 p.m. Oct. 11, The King's English, 1511 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City. FREE.
Follow Ariel on her journey from a magical kingdom beneath the sea to the world above, 7 p.m. nightly and 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11-13, Clearfield Community Art Center, 140 E. Center St., Clearfield. $5-$8, boxoffice.diamondticketing.com/clearfield/events.
"RAGTIME"
Return to the turn-of-the-century for a musical journey that follows an African-American musician, an immigrant Jewish father and a wealthy suburban family, 7:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, through Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 13, CenterPoint Legacy Theatre, 525 N. 400 West, Centerville. $17.50-$27, centerpointtheatre.org/tickets.
"MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940"
A combination of murder mystery and irreverent comedy, complete with a creepy mansion, a villain, and a dim-witted police inspector, 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays through Oct. 27, 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, Heritage Theatre, 2505 S. Highway 89, Perry. $10-$12, heritagetheatreutah.com.
"THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL"
The classic swashbuckling adventure musical, 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays through Oct. 27, 2 p.m. Oct. 20 and 27, Hopebox Theatre, 1700 S. Frontage Road, Kaysville. $10-$15, hopeboxtheatre.com.
"THE ADDAMS FAMILY"
The ooky, spooky Addams Fam jumps from TV to the stage in a hilariously creepy and heartwarming musical comedy, 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays through Nov. 3 and Monday, Oct. 22, 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, Ziegfeld Theater, 3934 Washington Blvd., Ogden. $17-$19, zigarts.com.
BOWTRUCKLES TO BASILISKS: MAGIZOOLOGY FOR MUGGLES
A magical class about a variety of beasts and the incredible animals that inspired them, 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12-13, Hogle Zoo, 2600 Sunnyside Ave., Salt Lake City. $20, store.hoglezoo.org.
JOKERS GONE WILD COMEDY
A benefit comedy show for The Matthew W. Florence Foundation, 8 p.m. Oct. 12, Kamikaze's, 2404 Adams Ave., Ogden. $5, at the door.
LUCA BURATTO
Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation presents 2015 Honens Competition winner playing Bach's Italiano Concerto, Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata and contemporary British composer's Mazurkas and Variations, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Jeanne Wagner Theatre, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City. $25-$30, arttix.artsaltlake.org.
Young adult author discusses his books and the 90-second Newbery Film Festival, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Treehouse Museum, 347 22nd St., Ogden. FREE.
"SUICIDE: THE RIPPLE EFFECT" SCREENING
NUHOPE and local partners present a film that is part of a global mission to reduce suicides and suicide attempts, 7 p.m. Oct. 12, Peery's Egyptian Theater, 2415 Washington Blvd., Ogden. http://nuhopeutah.org/film. FREE.
"MELODRAMA"
Watch a snowboarding film and participate in a silent auction and product toss. Food and drinks will be available from Lucky Slice, Kiitos Brewing and Daily Rise Coffee, 6-11 p.m. Oct. 12, Ogden Amphitheater, 343 Historic 25th St., Ogden. FREE.
FAT CANDICE
Songs you know and love but don't expect to hear from cover bands, 9 p.m. Oct. 12, Funk 'n Dive, 2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden. $5, at the door.
MORGAN THOMAS
Ogden artist and frontman of Morgan and the Mountain plays a free set, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Harp and Hound, 2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden. FREE.
GHOST STORIES AND S'MORES
Author, blogger, and paranormal researcher Jennifer Jones will be here to share some local haunted history, 7 p.m. Oct. 12, The Queen Bee Giftery, 270 Historic 25th St., Ogden. $15.
THE PROPER WAY
Traditional bluegrass instruments played in nontraditional ways, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Lighthouse Lounge, 130 Historic 25th St., Ogden. $5.
JORDAN MAKIN
This Utah County comedian learned to be funny to compensate for his red hair and uneventful childhood, 8 p.m. Oct. 12-13, Wiseguys Comedy Cafe, 269 Historic 25th St., Ogden. $12, wiseguyscomedy.com.
JANE KIM
The brain behind the large-scale Migrating Mural Project and founder of Ink Dwell Studio speaks about art, wonder and the natural world, 6 p.m. Oct. 12, Kimball Visual Arts Center, Lindquist Lecture Hall, Room 120, 3964 W. Campus Drive, Ogden. FREE.
"CURTAINS"
Find out who killed Jessica Cranshaw in this whodunnit musical, 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays through Nov. 10, Terrace Plaza Playhouse, 99 E. 4700 South, Washington Terrace. $10-$17, terraceplayhouse.com.
"EURYDICE"
The myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine, who must journey to the underworld and reunite with her father and struggle to remember her lost love, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, through Nov. 4, also 4 p.m. Sundays and Saturday, Oct. 20th, Good Company Theatre, 2404 Wall Ave., Ogden. $20, goodcotheatre.com.
FEARCON
Celebrate all things Halloween, horror and fantastical at this convention that includes live, interactive performances, activities, vendors and more, 2-10 p.m. Friday, noon-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12-13, Riverbend Event Center, 1085 Winding River Cove, Salt Lake City. $20-$99, fearcon.com/tickets.
HALLOWEEN HAVOC DEMOLITION DERBY
Add some demolition derby madness to your Halloween plans, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Golden Spike Event Center, 1000 N. 1200 West, Ogden. $20-$25, smithstix.com.
FUNCTION HALLOWEEN COSTUME BALL
Bring your creepiest costumes out of the closet for a costume ball with plenty of music for your Monster Mashing needs, 8 p.m. Oct. 13, The Sand Trap, 2851 Washington Blvd., Ogden. $10 without costume, $5 with costume, 801-394-4446.
ACTIVE PAGES: THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW
Journey through the park in the dark and hear the Washington Irving classic told at six different stations. Ages 12-under receive a free book, 6-8 p.m. Oct. 13, Layton Commons Park, 437 N. Wasatch Drive, Layton. FREE.
BREWS AND BOOS
An epic Halloween bash with boo-tiful brews, food and live music, all to support Rape Recovery Center, 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Oct. 13, Shades of Pale Beer, 154 W. Utopia Ave., South Salt Lake. 435-200-3009.
THE FALL MARKET
Farmers Market Ogden changes with the season, moving into a smaller location and featuring fall produce, specialty goods, community activities, live music, seasonal beverages and more, 9 a.m-2 p.m. Oct. 13, Ogden Amphitheater, 343 E. Historic 25th St., Ogden. FREE admission.
PUBLIC STAR PARTY
The Ogden Astronomical Society guides you in solar and deep space viewing at White Rock Bay, 5 p.m. Oct. 13, Antelope Island, 4528 W. 1700 South, Syracuse. Park fees apply.
PECULIAR POURS BEER SAMPLING FESTIVAL
Local breweries bring their most peculiar flavors for you to try. Includes live music, food and surprises, 3 p.m. Oct. 13, Ogden Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave., Ogden. $20. 801-610-9422.
HEROES FOR THE HOMELESS FUNDRAISER
Be a hero in the community and enjoy food, drinks and fun, 6 p.m. Oct. 13, Lantern House, 269 W. 33rd St., Ogden. $50-$500. www.eventbrite.com.
Billboard's reigning top-selling Christian music act brings its The Very Next Thing Tour to town, 7 p.m. Oct. 13, Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City. $24-$74, arttix.artsaltlake.org.
AN EVENING WITH GARRY TRUDEAU
Creator of "Doonesbury" talks about the political landscape and his late books, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Eccles Center for the Performing Arts, 1750 Kearns Blvd., Park City. $30-$90, tickets.parkcity.institute.
ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
Annual blessing event, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 13, Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 2374 Grant Ave., Ogden. FREE.
OGDEN BUDDHIST CHURCH BAZAAR
Teriyaki, udon, chow mein, sushi and more, 3 p.m. Oct. 13, The Buddhist Church of Ogden, 155 North St., Ogden.
FIELDING GARR RANCH GHOST INVESTIGATIONS
Find out if Fielding Garr is still at his ranch on this ghost investigation, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Antelope Island State park, 4528 W. 1700 South, Syracuse. Park entrance fees apply.
WILL BAXTER BAND
Blues-inspired band from Salt Lake City, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Lighthouse Lounge, 130 Historic 25th St., Ogden. $5, at the door.
THE PRANKSTERS
Grateful Dead tribute band delivers a dance party celebrating the iconic band's music and culture, 9 p.m. Oct. 13, Funk 'n Dive, 2550 Washington Blvd., Ogden. 801-621-3483.
NEW AMERICAN PHILHARMONIC CONCERT
Annual fall concert, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Austad Auditorium at the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts, 1901 University Circle, Ogden.
LARRY AND HIS FLASK
Five-piece rock band incorporates elements of punk, gypsy jazz, folk and Americana, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, The State Room, 638 S. State St., Salt Lake City. $20, ticketfly.com.
"GHOSTBUSTERS"
Have a free film with your brunch, 11:30 a.m. Oct. 14, Brewvies Ogden, 2293 Grant Ave., Ogden. FREE admission.
BRUNCH & BLOODY MARYS WITH MARK DEE
Local musician delivers unique sounds while you enjoy brunch and libations, noon Oct. 14, Lighthouse Lounge, 130 25th St., Ogden. 801-392-3901, FREE admission.
The classic horror movie from 1978 is this week's Film Buff Free Movie, 10 p.m. Oct. 15, Brewvies Ogden, 2293 Grant Ave., Ogden. FREE admission.
HAYLEY KIRKLAND & COMPANY B
Excellence in the Community concert series, 7 p.m. Oct. 15, Peery's Egyptian Theater, 2415 Washington Blvd., Ogden. FREE.
Best-selling author talks about how he uses books to promote literacy and connection and what led him to the fantasy genre, 7 p.m. Oct. 15, Brigham City Library, 26 E. Forest St., Brigham City. FREE admission.
HAUNTED UNION STATION
Paranormal Pulse, a local research team, shares what they've found about our local history's mysteries using a scientific approach and the latest equipment, 7 p.m. Oct. 16, Weber County Library Southwest Branch, 2039 W. 4000 South, Roy. FREE.
HALLOWEEN YOGA
Feel great by folding into these Halloween poses, 4 p.m. Oct. 16, Liberty Park, 751 21st St., Ogden. FREE.
America's favorite astro-physicist returns with "The Search for Life in the Universe," wherein he reviews the search for habitable planets, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16, Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City. $50-$325, arttix.artsaltlake.org.
Legendary alternative band with special guest The Pink Slips, 7 p.m. Oct. 16, The Depot, 13 N. 400 West, Salt Lake City. $67.60/adv., $72/day of, smithstix.com.
Escape to the islands with the Son of a Son of a Sailor Tour, 8 p.m. Oct. 17, Vivint Smart Home Arena, 301 S. Temple, Salt Lake City. $42-$136, ticketmaster.com.
ESPIDO FREIRE: A 21ST CENTURY VOICE
Lecture and reading of prolific Spanish author's work, 11:30 a.m. Oct. 17, Elizabeth Hall Room 229, Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden. FREE.
SARAH SINGH & MELISSA FRANCIS
Special Collections curators discuss their book "Weber County in World War II", 7 p.m. Oct. 17, Weber County Main Library, 2464 Jefferson Ave., Ogden. FREE.
MATT DE LA PENA & CHRISTIAN ROBINSON
Newbery Medalist and Caldecott Honoree present their new picture book "Carmela Full of Wishes," 6 p.m. Oct. 17, Salt Lake City Public Library, 210 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City. FREE.
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day kicks off week of activities and service


Ask a university historian to identify our epoch or to map out the directions that history can take, and you will most likely get a lot of pessimistic words about the dangers of the present period and the uncertainties ahead. You are very unlikely to get any sense of the development of history or how it is that the world has arrived at a point where the richest 500 people have more money than the annual earnings of the poorest 3 billion; and a point in history where the rulers of two countries can make an illegal and unpopular war, killing tens of thousands of civilians, and still stay in power.
And you are not likely either to get an admission from your paid historian that the economy and the social system built upon it might be unstable or even completely out of control. A World to Win* takes up all these questions (including the one about why the "most brilliant minds" in the universe do not have the answers). It does so not with old platitudes and formulas, but by undertaking an examination of what is new, what has developed out of the old and where this leaves humanity compared to 20, 50 or 100 years ago.
The first part of the book lays bare the inner workings of globalisation by seeing where it comes from. It traces the changing role of the state as capitalism has developed, its regulatory role, its trappings of democracy, its posture of neutrality and so on. With the globalisation of the world economy and the production of commodities, so the role of the state has, inevitably, been transformed again. The transnational corporations (TNCs) and global banks become the real power in the world and the state becomes the instrument for this to take place effectively and efficiently.
Parliament becomes increasingly irrelevant and powerless, the prime minister and a few others become more and more like presidents or managing directors (CEOs as we must call them now). And the old welfare state is transformed into a market state, one of many in the world that now serve the interests of the TNCs and no longer, unless they coincide, the interests of the nation's capitalists. Education, health, culture, music, just about everything is broken up, turned into commodities and sold off. Science is increasingly tied to the interests of business and nature itself becomes a set of resources for turning a profit with no regard for the future of life on earth.
"Now, in the 21st century, we have democracy as a shell with parliaments that are of more significance to tourists than working people…" Globalisation means that the old arrangement of political compromises between employers and working people, which is really what parliament represents, can no longer work, and "the long period of parliamentary politics is giving way to a new, authoritarian rule".
The authors show how the masses have been effectively disenfranchised and the state, under New Labour in Britain, as it gets tied ever closer to the TNCs, loses the possibility for reforming anything. Instead, the state resorts to the war on terror to bolster its rule, "knowing that this kind of conflict against an abstract phenomenon can never be said to have ended".
They go on to examine a fundamental contradiction thrown up by the growth of the globalised economy. While the state has given up economic and political powers to various unelected global bodies (such as the World Trade Organisation), it has strengthened its powers to oppress people at home and abroad. The nation state remains the only route by which the TNCs can get what they want and in so doing it becomes exposed in the eyes of millions of people, losing much of its legitimacy and authority. A very great weakness and contradiction indeed.
And just in case anyone thinks that the globalised economy might be outside the laws of capitalist development, the authors give us a deft but accurate summary of Marx's labour theory of value to reveal what is and always has been the driving force behind the production of commodities for profit. The imperatives of capitalist accumulation and expansion and the tendency of the rate of profit to fall are bound to lead to fierce competition to defend profits, to reduce the cost of production especially that of labour, and to over-production.
This very lucid examination complete, the authors move on from understanding the world to the question of changing it — what needs to be done, what can be done and how. And it is Parts 2 and 3 of the book, looking at how a not-for-profit society could be run and how a revolutionary change is necessary and natural, that really distinguish this work. Unlike so many analysts, who have no answers apart from putting pressure on the our rulers to mend their ways, or who leave their readers completely in the dark to fend for themselves, Paul Feldman and Corinna Lotz put forward ideas and policies drawn from existing economic, social and political conditions.
They start out from what capitalism has already developed down the years and from the possibility of liberating human achievement from the straitjacket of capitalist social relations. This is not only necessary but possible. Yes, possible. "The means are already to hand, as we will show. The great achievements in terms of science, technology and human organisational skills… remain beyond conscious human control because they are owned privately, dependent on capital and its narrow objectives before they are brought into use.
The power of capitalism and its state is not quite what it seems to the the thinker who only goes on subjective impressions of the world. The policies of the capitalist states, determined now largely by the global corporations, meet resistance world-wide, whether it is a protest against the Iraq War, a struggle against water privatisation in Ghana, opposition to GM food, a strike against job losses or whatever. The NHS, one of the largest employers in the world, is living proof that the profit motive is not a necessary feature for providing health-care, and most people who work in the NHS are opposed to New Labour's plans to privatise it bit by bit. Half of all shares in the UK, about £650 billion worth, are owned by pension funds or insurance companies investing the money, nominally at least, for people's retirement.
There are 150,000 charities in the UK that collect and spend several billions of pounds each year. There are co-operatives of all types all over the world, employee-owned companies, mutuals, credit unions, all functioning without shareholders and without the pressure to make profits. And there is open source computer software like Linux that is collectively owned and available for anyone who wants it.
The authors point out that capitalism has already developed many of the basic features of a fully-integrated system of production and distribution — and a new democratic society serving the needs of the majority would ensure that the benefits of this production were made available to all. In the chapter Transforming the Economy, surprisingly detailed strategies and policies are proposed. A set of principles as a way of acting globally by starting locally is put forward. How to identify and set priorities for need is outlined along with actionable first steps. These proposals include the use of the above-mentioned pension funds to develop self-managed and collectively-owned enterprises.
There are sections on switching to production for need, one on self-management and on redefining the market. The authors insist: "Production for need based on planning is possible, but it cannot and should not completely replace the expression of consumer preference through the market." And a conscious or "thinking" market is put forward as a possibility, using sophisticated modern technology to ensure that production and distribution is responsive to individual wants within the limits of possibility agreed collectively. The authors follow this up with an imaginary interview about the way in which the health services have been transformed after the power of the global corporations has been broken. This again emphasises the possibilities for health-care and for research into diseases in a not-for profit environment, globally. It is a fictitious scenario, but convincing and, yes, possible.
The last part of the book, titled A revolutionary change is necessary, takes up the question of ideology and the importance of challenging the all-pervasive ideas of corporate globalisation, much of which, the authors point out, is straight lying (as with the Iraq war and some advertising), and all of which reinforces the individualism and isolation of human beings one from another. It is inconceivable that a serious challenge to the capitalist class can be mounted without developing a "flexible and unprejudiced theory of knowledge that grasps inter-connections and complex processes", the authors argue. In a rapidly changing world, this is the decisive issue when it comes to planning revolutionary change.
There follows an intelligible, in fact, a virtuoso exposition of materialist dialectics, with examples from the world of today, of how a dialectical approach can lead to a deepening of thought and understanding when analysing a phenomenon or an event. The aim is to arrive ever closer in thought to the movement, development and change in the objective world beyond thought. There is no magic in this, but it does involve a conscious effort to grasp the difference between the lazy prevalent thinking that tends to jump to conclusions and to impose pre-determined views onto new situations, and dialectical thought that can draw conclusions from the continuous changing world.
The entire argument of the book is that no serious change in society is possible outside the struggle for political and economic power, for which a revolutionary party is needed, whose aim is to organise and lead this change. Such a party is discussed in some detail in the book, how it can be built, how it functions, how it intervenes, the importance of democratic discussion within the party and the requirements of the party for training and educating its members, for research, developing policies, communications, monitoring progress and for holding the leadership accountable.
And here, too, lessons can even be learned from the latest management techniques within capitalism. These techniques, where management encourages their workforces to see the company as theirs and to participate in decision-making processes, although designed in the final analysis to increase profits, do hold lessons for the building of a party. Working in an open collective way helps to locate and confront the tendencies of bureaucracy and conservatism that you get in any organisation.
A World to Win is a real eye-opener for anybody who wants to see and learn. It re-makes the case for the social transformation of society, and, far from just dismissing capitalism and its latest stage, globalisation, as just a kind of plague on mankind, it seeks to understand its development, to identify the positive aspects that have developed within it, in order the better to be able to facilitate the transfer of power and the birth of a new social order.
A great merit of the book is its refreshing non-dogmatic, non-sectarian approach. And because the authors have such a deep comprehension of the issues, they are able to write lucidly, making complex processes and thoughts, intelligible and accessible to all. Through the pages of the book, they employ the use of boxes with interesting facts, statistics, stories, quotes and graphs as a counterpoint to reinforce the main argument and this turns out to be a brilliant device. And they have sections on the Internet, the music industry and culture in general to make this an inclusive and comprehensive critique of the society in which we live, and of the possibilities for the future.
There is enormous distrust of global corporations, of governments and of politicians within society as a whole and people are profoundly disturbed by the apparent contempt that our rulers show for the poor of the world and for the planet itself. The contradictions that are piling up under globalisation are dividing the ruling classes, making them weaker and unsure of themselves. While the appearance might be that the working classes are quiet and docile, the history of this country, with the Peasants Revolt, the English revolution, Chartism and the building of the Labour Party, the 1926 General Strike and the 1984-5 miners' strike tells us that they will not remain so.


Anybody looking for the right cornbread recipe to have alongside a steaming bowl of chili (perfect for the colder weather) should try out this Manuka honey cornbread recipe as soon as possible! When it comes to cornbread lovers, they tend to fall into two categories—those who want no added sugar and those who prefer their cornbread with a tinge of sweetness. For the latter group, this recipe treats you to a healthy dose of Manuka honey rather than a guilt-inducing dose of sugar. Not only does the honey fulfill one's sweet tooth, but it also provides that rich flavor the New Zealand honey is famous for.
Whether you're eating the cornbread fresh out of the oven or having some leftovers two days later, you'll be satisfied with your meal to no end. So, if you think that this is the right recipe for you, get your ingredients out and let us get started on that Manuka honey cornbread!
Prep Time: 5 minutes. Cook Time: 25 minutes. Total Time: 30 minutes.
Before you begin, make sure that you have an oven rack at about the middle of your oven. Preheat the oven on the Bake setting to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray an 8×8-inch square pan (or round cake tin) with cooking spray. You could use butter instead if you prefer to add the extra flavor.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the Manuka honey, the buttermilk, the butter, and the eggs together until the honey has fully incorporated with the mixture.
In a larger bowl, whisk the flour, the cornmeal, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt together.
Now, pour the wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix them together thoroughly.
Pour the batter into your ready pan, and then bake between 25 and 30 minutes or until it is golden brown in color. Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for about five minutes before serving. You should have about eight servings, each of which is about 290 calories.
Enjoy your Manuka honey cornbread!


text:
Some day, I will get through the entire day without posting anything featuring the word "underwear" – this is not that day
Frankie Boyle asks on Mock the Week, how big a bail-out, how much money do we have to give the banks before they stop chaining the pens up?
In Britain, prisoners of the pagan persuasion (there are 366 of them) are to be allowed to keep: a hoodless robe (to be used only, repeat only, during ceremonies), a twig to be used as a wand, incense, one piece of jewelry, rune stones, tarot cards which are not repeat not to be used to tell the fortunes of other prisoners and "only following a local risk assessment." No naked worship. They can choose two holidays from work from the following options: Halloween, the midsummer solstice, the vernal equinox. They can use wine during worship – one sip only. Oh, the Times's headline: "Privileges Ease Spell in Prison for Pagans."
Today's Headline of the Day features underwear for the second day in a row. Hmm. From the London Times: "Astronaut Koichi Wakata Didn't Change Underwear for a Month." Evidently, they're special NASA underpants, or at least that's what the guys in Mission Control told him in between barely suppressed snickers.
In other underwear news, here's a guy who held up a BP station in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex using underwear as a mask.
Posted by WIIIAI at 7/31/2009 08:40:00 PM
A clunker twitter
John McCain is against cash for clunkers...
because it's generational theft.
As opposed to when he married a rich heiress young enough to be his daughter. Cash for clunkers, indeed.
Topics: John "The Maverick" McCain
Does the NYT actually employ editors?
Kristof's column: "Here in Pakistan, 1 woman in 74 will die at some point in her life from complications during pregnancy." At some point in her life? I'm guessing at the end of it.
Yay, racism in America is over
Beer! "The cause of and the solution to all of life's problems." Why did no one think of this before? I mean, all "Skip" Gates ever did about racism before this was write book after book after book on the subject.
But what was Biden doing there? If you're thinking he was there purely in order that the number of white guys was the same as the number of black guys, you're forgetting about the – heh heh – butler.
Anyway, on to the inevitable CAPTION CONTEST, which asks the question, But what did Joe Biden say?
In which the age-old question, thong or underwear, is again posed (so to speak)
An Alert Reader has sent in a BBC story, "Flying Underwear Causes Power Cut" as a suggested Headline of the Day. And it's good, oh it's good, but now I'm going back and forth in my mind over whether "Flying Thong Causes Power Cut" might have been better (when you have a blog, this is the sort of dilemma with which you are faced every single day). What do you think?
poll by twiigs.com
Medical news you can use: cupcakes are good for your health
Obama held a town hall meeting today in a high school in Raleigh, North Carolina and another one in the produce section of a supermarket in Bristol, Virginia. The comments here are from the former, the pictures from the latter because what's better, this
HE'S IN THE POCKET OF BIG CUPCAKE: "Sara Coleman for the wonderful introduction. Give her a great round of applause. (Applause.) She brought me a Cupcake Factory teeshirt -- (laughter) -- but no cupcakes. (Laughter.) I mean, I know I've been talking about health care a lot, but I think cupcakes are good for your health."
UM, YAY? "We're losing jobs at half the rate we were when I took office six months ago. (Applause.)"
"BAILOUT OF CAPITALIST SWINE," THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CALL IT. OR MAYBE "BARNEY." "Now, there's a lot of misinformation about the Recovery Act or the stimulus, whatever you want to call it."
WHAT MAKES BARACK SCRATCH HIS HEAD: "although I've got to say, when I hear critics talk about out-of-control spending, I start scratching my head. I can't help but remember those same critics contributed to a $1.3 trillion deficit that I inherited when I took office. You hand me a $1.3 trillion bill and then you're complaining six months later because we haven't paid it all back." AND GUESS WHOSE FACE IS ON THE $1.3 TRILLION BILL?
IF NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IT, HOW CAN YOU BE TIRED OF HEARING IT? "First of all, nobody is talking about some government takeover of health care. I'm tired of hearing that."
BUT IF IT COULD BE SOMEHOW ARRANGED FOR RUSH LIMBAUGH TO GO BROKE FROM HEMORRHOIDS. GET KATHLEEN SEBELIUS ON THAT AT ONCE: "No one in America should go broke because of an illness."
Of teddy bears, giant food, and Batman
Headline of the Day (Times of London): "Teddy Bear Picnics Banned as Swine Flu Rules Hit Nurseries."
Holy colonial relic, Batman!
Other Headline of the Day: "Giant Food Shows Continued Sales Growth."
Economies of scale
Some study claims that obese people spend 41% more on health care, $1,500 per year. But does this so-called study take into account the cost savings from buying the economy-sized bag of Cheetos? I thought not.
I never ordered any combatant to eat anyone
At his war crimes trial, Charles Taylor today again denied that cannibalism: "it makes you feel like throwing up." So no seconds for you? For you foodies out there, the transcript will be a must: "Mr Marzah went into detail as to how the victims were sliced up for cooking and seasoned."
OH NO, HOW WILL WE OVERTHROW CASTRO NOW? The ticker the Bushies put in the building of the US interests section in Havana will no longer flash their messages of freedom to the enslaved Cuban masses. From the Guardian: "The ticker made little visible impact on Cubans but became a tourist attraction. Cumbersome technology, however, diminished its impact. The sign was slow-moving, difficult to read and lacked Spanish accents and tildes. For instance 'año', which means year, appeared as 'ano', which means anus."
Another Sarah Palin contest, because we're not done with her yet
Chris Clarke of the blog Coyote Crossing has re-written the Gettysburg Address as Sarah Palin would have delivered it.
But doggone it, there are so many speeches that could benefit from the Palin touch.
"We will fight on the beeches, which I can see from my house..."
"Friends, Romans from the pro-Rome part of this great country..."
"As for me, give me liberty or, aw heck, I quit..."
"I have a dream that one day, the sons of Cheechakos and the sons of Sourdoughs..."
"I know I have the body but of a hot and MILFy woman..."
"The only thing we have to fear is, aw heck, I quit..."
"I come not to praise Joe the Plumber..."
"Ask not what you can do for your country, ask, aw heck, I quit..."
More, please, in comments.
Topics: Sarah Palin
How about ya quit makin' things up?
Today Sarah Palin held her third and final governor's resignation picnic. She served the masses hot dogs and a speech, both of which were composed of processed, ground-up chunks of miscellaneous unidentifiable meat products and rat turds.
She suggested to the press that they leave the new governor's kids alone and "How about, in honor of the American soldier, ya quit makin' things up?" Sarah, no one could make you up if they tried.
SHE'S COMING AFTER YOU, KUNG FU PANDA: "Hollywood needs to know: we eat, therefore we hunt."
"Be wary of accepting government largess. It doesn't come free, and often accepting it takes away everything that is free." The unemployed lady went on to say that it removed incentives to hard to work.
"Alaska is the gate-keeper of the continent." Don't let the gate of the continent hit you in the ass on the way out, Sarah.
Quittin' time
Sarah Palin is entering her last day in office, which she timed to come after the governor's picnics. Here she ("Patriot") and Piper ("Alaska grown") serve traditional Eskimo fare.
CAPTION CONTEST!
And hijinks ensued
Hamas sponsors a mass wedding of 382 couples at a refugee camp in Syria, the idea being to allow an affordable way for the refugees to get married (Hamas also gave them a gift of $2,100). But, according to the AP, "The brides and grooms were separated during a wedding party... as observant Muslims do not mix in public." Boy do I see the opportunity for a sitcom-style wacky mixup.
War isn't worth one life
Following the death today of Harry Patch, a World War I (and indeed, Passchendaele) vet and, judging by his name, a minor character in a Dickens novel, there remain only three veterans of the Great War. Patch was the last who had seen battle in the trenches. Said Patch, "War isn't worth one life." He tried to aim only at the Germans' legs. He was wounded by a shell and spent a year in hospital. Like Henry Allingham, he survived his children. He was married to his first wife for 58 years and his second wife for 24, and has also out-lived a girlfriend, because he was still picking up chicks as a centenarian. Which is awesome and gross in equal measure.
I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up
Berlusconi's prostitute is suing the foreign minister for impugning her reputation. Let me just repeat that: Berlusconi's prostitute is suing the foreign minister for impugning her reputation.
There are now a record number of inmates serving life sentences, 10% of all prisoners, twice that in three-strikes California. 2/3 of the lifers are black or Latino.
Orrin Hatch, who says he will vote against Sotomayor: "In truth, I wish President Obama had chosen a Hispanic nominee that all Senators could support." Edward James Olmos? Ugly Betty? Eric Estrada? Freddie Prinze Jr? It's Eric Estrada, isn't it?
Obama invites Henry Louis Gates and the cop who arrested him to the White House for a beer. I'm now officially embarrassed by my president. If Gates doesn't go have a beer with his persecutor, he looks like a jerk. Obama says that the arrest was an overreaction but "Professor Gates probably overreacted as well." Who did Gates put in handcuffs and put in a cell for 4 hours? Let's not try to create equivalences here. Only one of the two had authority granted to him by the state over the other.
Another reason not to create equivalence: Gates probably doesn't deal with cops every day, but it's Sgt. Crowley's job to deal with members of the public in stressful circumstances. If he's doing his job properly, he will get cursed at or shouted at several times a week. He should be able to handle it without taking it personally.
In their conversation, Sgt. Crowley complained to Obama that the press have been coming onto his lawn. Yes, isn't it annoying when people come uninvited onto your property?
Topics: Berlusconi, Sotomayor nomination
Your new doctor
My New York Times today had this full-page ad from the Cato Institute:
Er, Doctor Sam, what exactly are you planning to do with that finger?
Crappy job market
An Alert Reader sent in this story from the South China Morning Post:
SHANDONG - Five college graduates have won fiercely contested jobs as excrement collectors in Jinan, the Qilu Evening News reports. The five beat out 391 candidates, including one postgraduate and many university graduates. They passed a written test and had an interview. The job had previously been hard to fill, but in the tough job market, many people were attracted by the good benefits.
CONTEST: What questions were on the written test? Also, what might those "good benefits" be?
Obama press conference: I've got a doctor following me every minute
Yesterday, Katie Couric asked Obama whether abortion would be covered under his health care plan (no one asked about abortion in today's press conference). He responded with evasion and indifference, saying he wouldn't, "at this stage," "micromanage benefits," and that there is "a tradition of, in this town, historically, of not financing abortions as part of government funded health care." Oh well, if it's a tradition, like Sloppy Joe Wednesdays and disregard of women's health issues. Clearly, tradition must be given more weight than justice or whatever. "Rather than wade into that issue at this point, I think that it's appropriate for us to figure out how to just deliver on the cost savings..." Like, did you know how much we can save by not covering anything related to chicks' lady-parts? "...and not get distracted by the abortion debate at this station." Those silly women, always trying to distract Obama from the important stuff.
HAVE THEY CHECKED BEHIND THE COUCH? Factoid Obama has been repeating over and over this week: 14,000 people lose their health insurance every day.
Press conference transcript.
OH, HE KNOWS US SO WELL: "a lot of Americans may be wondering, 'What's in this for me?"
"SO LET ME BE CLEAR" IS THE NEW "IN OTHER WORDS": "So let me be clear: If we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit."
YOU KNOW, THE CHEAP BEST CARE: "Our proposals would change incentives so that doctors and nurses are free to give patients the best care, just not the most expensive care." Fortunately, there are no circumstances in which the best care is also the most expensive care; never happens.
"SO LET ME BE CLEAR" IS THE NEW "IN OTHER WORDS": "So let me be clear: This isn't about me. I have great health insurance, and so does every member of Congress." I know that makes me feel better.
WHAT THIS IS ABOUT: "This is about the middle-class college graduate from Maryland whose health insurance expired when he changed jobs and woke up from the emergency surgery that he required with $10,000 worth of debt." Ah yes, debt-insertion surgery.
"I want to cover everybody. Now, the truth is that, unless you have a -- what's called a single-payer system, in which everybody is automatically covered, then you're probably not going to reach every single individual because there's always going to be somebody out there who thinks they're indestructible and doesn't want to get health care, doesn't bother getting health care, and then, unfortunately, when they get hit by a bus, end up in the emergency room and the rest of us have to pay for it." So what's the argument here? Since he doesn't support single-payer, I guess he's okay with Indestructible Boy's ER bill being paid by the rest of us. Maybe this person is just too big a jerk to be worth covering. Also, is Jim DeMint driving the bus?
He claims that 97 to 98% of the population will be covered. Sure it will.
BECAUSE RED IS OUR FAVORITE COLOR? "If there's a blue pill and a red pill, and the blue pill is half the price of the red pill and works just as well, why not pay half price for the thing that's going to make you well?"
BECAUSE IT WAS... MURDER! "But people are no longer talking about the financial system falling off a cliff."
On Wall Street compensation: "I'd like to think that people would feel a little remorse and feel embarrassed and would not get million-dollar or multimillion-dollar bonuses." Yes, because if there's one thing they have with abundance on Wall Street, it's remorse and a sense of embarrassment.
KEEP THEM HONEST? WHEN WERE THEY HONEST BEFORE? "And part of the reason we want to have a public option is just to help keep the insurance companies honest."
AND A BUNCH OF GUYS WITH DART GUNS FOLLOW BIDEN EVERY MINUTE, IN CASE HE SAYS SOMETHING STUPID: Asked the silly question of whether he (and Congress) should get no better than the public option: "You know, I would be happy to abide by the same benefit package. I will just be honest with you. I'm the president of the United States, so I've got a doctor following me every minute..."
Asked about the arrest of Harvard's Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. at his own home, he said "the Cambridge police acted stupidly."
JIGGER, I SAID JIGGER! "I mean, if I was trying to jigger into -- well, I guess this is my house now, so... (LAUGHTER) ... it probably wouldn't happen. But let's say my old house in Chicago. (LAUGHTER) Here, I'd get shot."
Obama was wonkish and, let's face it, boring, like he has no real passion for the issue. Also rambling and at times evasive. It didn't move the health-care debate along, didn't put any pressure on Congress, or hit back against his critics. So why did he want to hold a prime-time press conference anyway?
They are acting out to send a message that we're not interested in receiving
Hillary Clinton on North Korea's latest nuclear and missile tests: "Maybe it's the mother in me or the experience that I've had with small children and unruly teenagers and people who are demanding attention – don't give it to them. They don't deserve it. They are acting out to send a message that we're not interested in receiving." 1) Yeah in your household it was Chelsea who was unruly and acting out and demanding attention. 2) This is your idea of effective diplomacy? 3) Did Bush's "ignore them and maybe they'll go away" policy towards NK work? 4) They're NUKES. It's not a tantrum, it's the most dangerous weaponry on the planet.
On the two journalists still being held by North Korea, she has switched the US position from demanding their release because they did nothing wrong to asking for clemency because they admit being criminals: "The young women themselves have, apparently, admitted that they probably did trespass so they are deeply regretful and we are very sorry it's happened." She's treating as truthful statements which were made by people being held by North Korea?
Asmussen:
Folks think I'm a city boy
Last night Obama had an "Evening of Country Music" at the White House, which has seen many awkward events but not many more so (Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe in the same room, Shrub's Hanukkah celebrations, and Nixon dining alone come to mind) (oo, IMPROMPTU CONTEST: name some other awkward White House events).
Obama claimed to enjoy country music: "Now, I know folks think I'm a 'city boy' -- (laughter) -- but I do appreciate listening to country music because like all Americans, I appreciate the broad and indelible impact that country has had on our nation." "After all, name me any other country that would have produced a Hank Williams or a Willie Nelson."
Here are the Obamas' "I'm just sitting here, enjoying the country music" faces.
And you know where he can stick that knife...
The Terminagovernor, responsible for making a horrendous budget so much more horrendouser, plays with a knife and gibbers about autographing state vehicles and selling them on Ebay in this (30-second) video he posted via Twitter.
The king is dead, hail to the king
There has been much talk about how Walter Cronkite was never replaced as the "most trusted man in America," what with growing cynicism and the splintering of news media and so on. But...
That is just not true.
Cough.
I mean modesty forbids, but...
I will try to use my power only for good.
Is John McCain showing his age again?
Obama Meets the Moon People
Today, Barack Obama met with leaders of the Mormon church and with the Apollo 11 astronauts. Not at the same time, which is a shame because they surely must have loads in common. For example, the former wear magic underpants, the latter pooped in their space suits.
Mysteriously, there seem to be no pictures of the meeting with the Mormons, but Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and the, you know, other one, faked their White House footage on a sound stage in a Northrop Grumman hangar.
CAPTION CONTEST! YAY!
A real sign of desperation and inappropriate criminal behavior
The Toronto Star confirms that under Obama there has been no review of the policy of force-feeding prisoners at Guantanamo. They also quote various military types about how that policy is neither cruel nor inhumane.
Elsewhere, other military types are complaining about the cruelty and inhumanity of the Taliban showing video of Priv. Bowe Bergdahl, the American soldier they took prisoner. And Hillary Clinton calls the capture "a real sign of desperation and inappropriate criminal behavior". I'm sure the Taliban will be just mortified to have their actions called inappropriate.
By the way, how is it inappropriate for combatants in a war to take prisoners?
Topics: Hunger strikes and force-feeding in Guantanamo
Free Canada!
I gather that Mitch McConnell was on Meet the Press today repeating the favorite Republican notion that Canadians would all much rather have the US health care system. Isn't it sad that Canada isn't a democracy, and cannot just elect the Canadian equivalents of Mitch McConnell to tear down their hated Socialist Health Care?
How long is that in slog years?
America will not accept a "long slog" in Afghanistan without signs that "we are making headway," Secretary of Long Slogs Robert Gates says. If eight years isn't a long slog, I wonder what is?
He says we'll need to show progress by 2 Friedman Units from now. If we do, "then you can put more time on the Washington clock." Oh good.
Topics: Robert Gates
It is at your funeral that you in many ways can see most clearly the things that really matter in life
Can't believe I forgot we owned an air strip in Honduras. But when President Zelaya tried to return to his country and they parked all those tanks on the runways at Tegucigalpa's airport, we didn't let him use ours. That in an Indy article that points out how many of Bush's Latin American people are still hanging around in the Obama foreign policy establishment.
Gov. Mark Sanford issues an apology to the people of South Carolina. There are few things on this earth as irritating as a Christian doing that pathetic-smug I-done-wrong-but-God-will-make-it-all-better thing, and this is a superb exemplar of the genre, which I urge you to read for yourselves. Anyway, he's grown from his mistakes and will be a much better governor in consequence. So that's all right then. Words not used in the letter: resignation, Appalachian Trail, adultery, sparking thing, two magnificent parts of yourself, soul mate...
(Update: Marcy Wheeler: "Shorter Mark Sanford: I learned at C Street that we powerful people are always forgiven due to God's grace, so I see my sins as a sign from God that I should stay governor.")
Topics: Honduras coup 2009
Wonder what her porn name is
Name of the Day: the head of the (British) Charity Commission, currently cracking down on private schools: Dame Suzi Leather. Wikipedia says she is the daughter of a sex therapist and a doctor. Figures. And she is married to a Professor Iain Hampsher-Monk.
Farewell Henry Allingham. We hardly knew ye. 113 years old. Outlived his children, had 5 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild. Married more than 50 years, then a widower for 39 years. Was retired longer than he worked. Unimaginable. He leaves only a handful of World War I vets (inc 2 British, 1 American). He said of the Great War, "I saw too many things I would like to forget but I never will forget them, I never can forget them."
Of giant pastries and other things, but I had you at "giant pastries," didn't I?
Bakers in Nablus in the West Bank have created the world's biggest kunafa (some sort of pastry involving goat cheese), 243 feet long in order to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. Why, there's Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad. And the only guy using a fork to eat his kunafa is the American Consul-General in Jerusalem Jacob Walles.
Meanwhile Gaza is working on its bid to enter the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest prison camp. Fingers crossed.
Yet another demo by Jerusalem ultra-Orthodox against the municipal parking lot, this time without rioting (update: well, a few stones thrown at passing cars), possibly because they were tired out from rioting earlier in the week over the arrest of a mentally disturbed ultra-O. woman for starving her 3-year-old son almost to death (they were against it: the arrest, not the starving thing). The authorities released her on bail into house arrest (how house arrest is different from, you know, being an ultra-Orthodox woman, no one has explained). She has 4 other children and another rugulah in the oven.
Funny, I had a late lunch but I'm suddenly hungry.
Gene Weingarten has some questions for Cheney's publisher.
We did not think that symbol was anything wrong
Headline of the Day (London Times): "Charles Taylor Defends Use of Human Skulls." At roadblocks during the coup. He says it was an effective means of gently encouraging people to obey soldiers' orders. But not stringing human entrails against the road, he entirely denies that ever happened. And only skulls, not human heads with the flesh still on them: "I would not have tolerated anyone killing and putting a human head up." And only "enemy skulls." Also, "We are not talking about skulls lying around all over the place [but only] at certain strategic junctions." So that's okay then.
The Un-Sotomayor
Linda Chavez began her testimony at the Sotomayor hearings today with the only honest words of her career: "I testify today not as a wise Latina woman".
Topics: Sotomayor nomination
What Sarah Palin learned from the bears
From Palin's Twitter feed (click for larger):
Sotomayor hearings: Lots of 'splainin' to do
In this morning's questioning, Cornyn continued to be befuddled by the whole concept of a "wise Latina woman." "Isn't that a contradiction in terms," he asked?
Cornyn was also befuddled by the notion that there is some "indefiniteness" in the law, which is kind of the reason we have a Supreme Court in the first place.
Cornyn was still further befuddled by the notion that judges bring "life experiences" to the bench, which is why we don't pick the Supreme Court by putting the names of every American into a giant hat.
Tom "OMG, Lesbians in the Bathrooms!" Coburn posed a hypothetical case about abortion: "Let's say I'm 38 weeks pregnant and we discover a small spina bifida sack on the lower sacrum... Would it be legal in this country to terminate that child's life?" Sotomayor explains to him very gently (because you know what pregnant men are like) that abortion is actually regulated at the state rather than the federal level.
Coburn asked over and over whether there is a "right to personal self-defense." Finally, she set up a scenario:
But, under New York law, if you're being threatened with eminent death or very serious injury, you can use force to repel that, and that would be legal. The question that would come up, and does come up before juries and judges, is how eminent is the threat. If the threat was in this room, "I'm going to come get you," and you go home and get -- or I go home. I don't want to suggest I am, by the way. Please, I'm not -- I don't want anybody to misunderstand what I'm trying to say. If I go home, get a gun, come back and shoot you, that may not be legal under New York law because you would have alternative ways to defend...
COBURN: You'll have lots of 'splainin' to do.
SOTOMAYOR: Waaaa, Ricky!
I may have added that last bit.
Topics: Abortion politics (US), Sotomayor nomination
How could they sink so low
Former Liberian leader Charles Taylor, surely one of the human race's ten most appalling living members, asks an important question at his war crimes trial in The Hague: "People have me eating human beings. How could they sink so low as to think that of me?"
How indeed?
Lindsey, do you have a douchbaggery problem?
CONTEST: Provide a better answer than whatever Sotomayor said, which I can't even remember, in response to Lindsey Graham's question, "Do you think you have a temperament problem?"
ALTERNATE CONTEST: Provide a caption for this photo:
Topics: Lindsey Graham, Sotomayor nomination
Follow the bouncing ball
Sotomayor hearings: we're not robots
Sotomayor: "we're not robots who listen to evidence and don't have feelings". That's just a dreadful calumny against Robot-Americans.
The corollary of the Republican complaints against the idea that a "wise Latina woman" might bring something to the bench, is that a judiciary composed entirely of dumb white men and/or robots would not be lacking in any way. Would they care to argue this case?
Speaking of robots who don't have feelings, here is a super-awesome ad just released by California's robot overlord. The music, the Teutonic enunciation, the way he sits at an angle to the camera, the way he stands up as he intones, "I am standing firm for a balanced budget that does not raise your taxes," the way the color of every part of his head comes from a bottle, the way he calls for us to stand (firm) with him but sounds like he plans to kill us all...
SIZE MATTERS: Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (R-Way Down South in the Land of Cotton) asked Sotomayor: "do you think that Frank Ricci and the other firefighters whose claims you dismissed felt that their arguments and concerns were appropriately understood and acknowledged by such a short opinion from the court?" What, Jeffy, "Go eat a bag of dicks" too pithy for you? Of course we all remember Scalia's famous opinion in Bush v. Gore:
Sotomayor hearings: Most of our judges understand what it's like to be old
More opening statements (Sessions' in previous post).
Chuck Grassley: "Judge Sotomayor, I'll be asking you about your ability to wear that judicial blindfold." Kinky.
Lindsey Graham attempted to out-brown her: "No Republican would have chosen you, Judge; that's just the way it is. We would have picked Miguel Estrada. We would all have voted for him. And I don't think anybody on that side would have voted for Judge Estrada, who is a Honduran immigrant... So the Hispanic element of this hearing's important... my Republican colleagues who vote against you I assure you could vote for a Hispanic nominee." So that's okay, then.
(Update: By the time I got around to writing the post, I'd forgotten why I selected the quote: No Republican would have chosen Sotomayor? Hey Lindsey, who appointed her to a judgeship the first time?)
A WARNING TO KEEP HER HOT LATIN BLOOD IN CHECK: "Now, unless you have a complete meltdown, you're going to get confirmed."
WHAT BOTHERS LINDSEY: "It just bothers me when somebody wearing a robe takes the robe off and says that their experience makes them better than someone else." Especially if they're wearing women's underwear but they're not a woman – I'm looking at you, Scalia.
SO THERE: "I think your experience can add a lot to the court, but I don't think it makes you better than anyone else."
Tom Coburn, who brings to the Judiciary Committee, as he told John Roberts, his "medical skills of observation of body language":
SOMETHING REMARKABLE: "It is truly an honor to have you before us. It is -- says something remarkable about our country that you're here." And something remarkable about you that you're still awake... Ms. Sotomayor?... hello?
"And I assure you, during your time before this committee, you will be treated with the utmost respect and kindness." ACCUSATION OF RACISM IN 5,4,3...
EVIDENTLY SOMEONE WHO COMES FROM THE HEARTLAND GRASPS AND HOLDS MORE THAN A WISE LATINA DOES: "And I'm worried that our Constitution may be seen to be malleable and evolving when I, as someone who comes from the heartland, seems to grasp and hold and the people that I represent from the state of Oklahoma seem to grasp and hold that there is a foundational document and there are statutes and occasionally treaties that should be the rule, rather than our opinions." Can we just agree that anyone who's ever argued that there is more wisdom in one part of the country than another or used the phrase "San Francisco liberal" or "un-American parts of our nation," can just shut up about the "wise Latina" thing?
"During the campaign, he promised to nominate someone who's got the heart and the empathy to recognize what it's like to be a young, teenaged mom. The implication is that our judges today don't have that. Do you realize how astounding that is? The empathy to understand what it's like to be poor, to be African-American or gay or disabled or old. Most of our judges understand what it's like to be old."
WHERE EMPATHY COMES FROM (THE STORK?): "We expect a judge to merely call balls and strikes? Maybe so, maybe not. But we certainly don't expect them to sympathize with one party over the other, and that's where empathy comes from."
Sotomayor hearings: Empathy for one party is always prejudice against another
Just as I turned on the Sotomayor hearing, heard Lindsey Graham say "wise Latina woman"; turned off Sotomayor hearing.
But Jefferson Beauregard Sessions (by the way, that is the way he referred to himself before he became "Jeff" to run for the Senate) has helpfully posted his opening remarks online.
LEAHY BROUGHT BROWNIES! "I hope it will be viewed as the best hearing this Committee has ever held."
SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU CALLED A RACIST OVER AND OVER: "I know your family is proud, and rightfully so. It is a pleasure to have them with us today."
"I expect this hearing and resulting debate to be characterized by a respectful tone, a discussion of serious issues, and a thoughtful dialogue". FIRST ACCUSATION OF RACISM IN 5,4,3...
DUDE, YOU JUST BLEW MY MIND: "our legal system is based on a firm belief in an ordered universe and objective truth."
He warned of "a Brave New World where words have no true meaning..." I mean, "rhubarb" could mean "rutabaga"! It's a madhouse I tell you, a madhouse!!! "...and judges are free to decide what facts they choose to see." I was going to make a Fox News joke or something, but in a court, isn't "deciding what facts they choose to see" actually called "applying the rules of evidence"?
"We have seen federal judges force their own political and social agenda on the nation, dictating that the words 'under God' be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance and barring students from even silent prayer in schools." Putting aside that "under God" was a late addition to the pledge, any court ruling wouldn't actually govern the content of the pledge, just what can be said in a secular public school. Also, in addition to the metal detectors that schools now have, which they didn't have in my day, are there also telepaths to ensure that students don't engage in "even silent prayer"?
"Judges have – contrary to the longstanding rules of war – created a right for terrorists, captured on a foreign battlefield, to sue the United States government in our own courts. Judges have cited foreign laws, world opinion, and a United Nations resolution to determine that a state death penalty law was unconstitutional." Note that Sessions, in the sentence immediately preceding the one expressing his disgust with foreign laws, world opinion etc being mentioned in an American court of law, suggested that "longstanding rules of war" should have precedence over the United States Constitution.
CALL IT RHUBARB: "Call it empathy, call it prejudice, or call it sympathy, but whatever it is, it is not law."
CLUELESS: "Could it be that her time as a leader of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund provides a clue as to her decision against the firefighters?"
EMPATHY IS ALWAYS PREJUDICE: "It seems to me that in Ricci, Judge Sotomayor's empathy for one group of firefighters turned out to be prejudice against the others. That is, of course, the logical flaw in the 'empathy standard.' Empathy for one party is always prejudice against another." And there's the Republican party's philosophy encapsulated for you.
BECAUSE HE HATES US, AND WANTS US TO SUFFER: "I hope the American people will follow these hearings closely."
A SLIGHTLY STONED, MELLOW JUDGE? "And, at the end of the hearing, ask, If I must one day go to court, what kind of judge do I want to hear my case?"
The Sotomayor hearings
I don't think I'll be C-SPANning them, because watching them will lack one oddly perverse pleasure of past Judiciary Committee hearings: yelling at Joe Biden to shut up already.
At least the Taliban never pretended not to be misogynist assholes
Afghanistan's Shia family law, the one that was postponed after an attempt to sneak it through in spring (Karzai claimed he had signed it without reading it), is back in slightly revised form. It contained many objectionable provisions, including permitting girls to be married off immediately after menarche, though the Western press focused almost entirely on the one stating that wives could not refuse their husband's sexual demands. My googling today shows that many newspapers have shortened an AP story on the new version to two sentences, saying that "The new version no longer requires a woman submit to sex with her husband, only that she do certain housework." In fact, it also says that husbands may deny food to wives who deny them sex. Guardianship rights over children are given exclusively to men, the payment of blood money is allowed as sufficient punishment for rape of a child. The provision that wives must have their husband's permission to leave the house seems to be gone. Not sure about child marriage.
A laying on of hands
"You are healed!"
"Why thank you, Mr. Obama."
Sarah Palin and Plato, together again
You have to sacrifice to win
So Sarah Palin delayed her resignation until the 26th because she had to have a picnic first, or something. Since she was out fishing for salmon yesterday, I assume she also had some vacation days to use up. What other vital business is she finishing off?
She is also sharing some philosophy with her many loyal followers.
Caption contest, ginormous cannon version
Barack Obama is in Russia; Medvedev is showing off his cannon and his two cannon balls. CAPTION CONTEST.
Propaganda vehicles
After keeping her captive a week, Israel finally releases former Congresscritter Cynthia McKinney and 15 other activists who had tried to bring a ship of food and medicine and crayons to Gaza (4 are still being held). Evidently they would have been released earlier if they'd signed a confession. Israel's UN ambassador had said, "clearly the purpose of that ship was to create a buzz and serve as a propaganda vehicle against Israel." Well, yes, obviously that was one of the purposes, but you know, there's a reason why someone bringing food and medicine to Gaza makes you look bad. If people getting the food and medicine they need is, you know, normal, commonplace, then food and medicine can't be a "propaganda vehicle."
Speaking of propaganda vehicles, Zelaya's attempt to return to Honduras by plane was (literally) blocked. I think he should do it again and again, three times a day. They can get their tanks off the runway and let him land – or lose the use of Tegucigalpa's international airport.
Speaking of propaganda vehicles, the BBC's caption for this picture reads, "Metropolitan Volodymyr of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church blesses motorcycles before a procession to mark the 300th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava, a victory by Russia's Emperor Peter the Great against Sweden."
A diagram (creator unknown) of things to say/not say during sex.
More effective paths
BECAUSE SARAH IS ALWAYS ALL ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE PATHS: Anchorage Daily News: "Palin said she is embarking on a 'different, more effective path' than finishing her term. Asked how, she said she didn't know at this point, other than to campaign for political candidates who represent the values she supports."
And ABC, one of several news media lined up to interview her as she did whatever one does with dead salmon, notes her comment that all those ethics complaints against her would go away if she just became president: "'I think on a national level, your department of law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we've been charged with and automatically throw them out,' she said. There is no 'Department of Law' at the White House."
(Update: which would explain a lot, wouldn't it?)
Breaking! There is something about himself that Obama doesn't like!
Russian tv asked Obama what he doesn't like about himself. "I don't like my golf swing."
The LA Times has an article about a Marine whose recruiters knew he was autistic (he was recruited out of a group home for disturbed youths) and that he was legally barred from signing contracts. It didn't work out very well.
We cannot dictate
Joe Biden, apparently giving the green light to Israel to bomb Iran: "Look, we cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do when they make a determination — if they make a determination — that they're existentially threatened and their survival is threatened by another country."
Unless of course that sovereign nation is Iran and it's made a determination that it is existentially threatened by another country.
(Before anyone jumps into comments: Yes, I know that there is no especially credible evidence that Iran is even trying to build nukes; that's neither here nor there for my point that we dictate to sovereign nations on these matters all the freaking time.)
False info on the right decision
Yesterday, Joey Chestnut won the Coney Island hot dog-eating championship, downing a record 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Today, Sarah Palin attempts to beat the record for most convolutions in 140 characters.
Thou Shalt Not Park, redux
I should have known better than to try out a new Firefox release the first week. Someone tell me when 3.5 actually works.
Nice fireworks, which I was able to watch 20 feet from my front door. The cat should be out from under the chair by Labor Day.
The wife of Sir John Sawer, the guy who's supposed to take over as head of the British Secret Service ("C") later this year, made a little security booboo by putting everything about her life on Facebook, including holiday pictures, one of them featuring a blindingly pale Sir John playing frisbee in his swim suit, the location of their London flat, where their children and parents can be found, etc etc. Not that she didn't have some privacy for her page: only 200 million people had access to it.
Another weekend of rioting in Jerusalem over a parking lot being opened on the sabbath. Ultra-Orthodox threw stones at traffic and at the police, calling them "Nazis" (the Nazis were well-known for their support of ample parking) (for example they designated the whole of Poland a parking lot) and "ant-semites." I'm just enjoying the pictures.
Topics: Jerusalem parking lot protests
If you respect life
The archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, went on tv to tell Zelaya he shouldn't come back to Honduras. He cited the commandments against lying (the archbishop, by the way, once said that Jews were using the media to exploit the accusations of sexual abuse against priests in order to divert attention from the Israeli-Palestinian issue), stealing and murder. "If you respect life, if you love life. . .please meditate because if not it could be too late." Archbishops supporting coups; it really is the 1980s all over again.
Curiously, you no longer hear the Honduran coupsters claiming that Zelaya resigned, although the Honduran Congress voted, not to depose Zelaya, but to accept a forged written resignation.
If you're looking for something to read about the nature of the United States on this July 4th, you could do worse than Stephen Fry's recent talk to the Royal Geographical Society. Have some lemonade with it.
Only dead fish go with the flow
An Indian court overturns the ban on gay sex (dating from the Raj, indeed from the Victorian period), although only in New Delhi. Plan your vacations accordingly.
Sarah Palin has resigned as governor of Alaska (transcript).
First she explained how important Alaska is: "We're strategic IN the world as the air crossroads OF the world, as a gatekeeper of the continent." (The odd capitalizations are from her office's press release.)
WHAT GOD GAVE US: Also, too, "This land, blessed with clean air, water, wildlife, minerals, AND oil and gas. It's energy! God gave us energy."
WOULD THAT BE FRIVOLOUS ETHICS OR FRIVOLOUS VIOLATIONS? "Over the past nine months I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations"
IF – AND IT'S A BIG IF – SHE'S LEARNED ONE THING: "If I have learned one thing: LIFE is about choices!"
SHE CHOOSE TO WORK VERY HARD ON A PATH FOR FRUITFULNESS AND PRODUCTIVITY. BY QUITTING. "I choose to work very hard on a path for fruitfulness and productivity. I choose NOT to tear down and waste precious time; but to build UP this state and our country, and her industrious, generous, patriotic, free people!"
ONLY DEAD FISH. AND MAYBE USED CONDOMS: "Life is too short to compromise time and resources... it may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, plod along, and appease those who demand: 'Sit down and shut up', but that's the worthless, easy path; that's a quitter's way out. And a problem in our country today is apathy. It would be apathetic to just hunker down and 'go with the flow. Nah, only dead fish 'go with the flow'." So by quitting, she's not taking a quitter's way out.
"And there is such a need to BUILD up and FIGHT for our state and our country. I choose to FIGHT for it!" By quitting!
WHAT SHE'S NOT PUTTING ALASKA THROUGH: "I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks... travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade - as so many politicians do. And then I thought - that's what's wrong - many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and milk it." Mmm, duck milk. "I'm not putting Alaska through that - I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! ? That's not how I am wired." Yeah, it would be so unlike her to take freebies.
PASSING THE BALL – FOR VICTORY! "Let me go back to a comfortable analogy for me - sports... basketball. I use it because you're naïve if you don't see the national full-court press picking away right now: A good point guard drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her eye on the basket... and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can WIN. And I'm doing that - keeping our eye on the ball that represents sound priorities - smaller government, energy independence, national security, freedom! And I know when it's time to pass the ball - for victory."
"In fact, we will look to swear Sean in - in Fairbanks at the conclusion of our Governor's picnics." I don't know what that is, but it sounds like the timing of her resignation is based on... picnics.
WHAT HER CHILDREN WON'T ALLOW: "I cannot stand here as your Governor and allow millions upon millions of our dollars go to waste just so I can hold the title of Governor. And my children won't allow it either." She's referring to those expensive ethics investigations.
THE HELL YEAH SEALED IT: "this decision comes after much consideration, and finally polling the most important people in my life - my children (where the count was unanimous... well, in response to asking: 'Want me to make a positive difference and fight for ALL our children's future from OUTSIDE the Governor's office?' It was four 'yes's' and one 'hell yeah!' The 'hell yeah' sealed it - and someday I'll talk about the details of that."
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS MORE OF: "I think much of it had to do with the kids seeing their baby brother Trig mocked by some pretty mean-spirited adults recently.) Um, by the way, sure wish folks could ever, ever understand that we ALL could learn so much from someone like Trig - I know he needs me, but I need him even more... what a child can offer to set priorities RIGHT - that time is precious... the world needs more 'Trigs', not fewer." So everybody go out and give birth to a Down Syndrome baby – do it for the world.
REAL CLIMATE CHANGE: "I don't want any Alaskan dissuaded from entering politics after seeing this REAL 'climate change' that began [when McCain picked her] in August. ... And I will support you because we need YOU and YOU can effect change, and I can too on the outside."
CALLING AN AUDIBLE (BUT NOT AN INTELLIGIBLE): "We need those who will respect our Constitution where government's supposed to serve from the BOTTOM UP, not move toward this TOP DOWN big government take-over... but rather, will be protectors of individual rights - who also have enough common sense to acknowledge when conditions have drastically changed and are willing to call an audible and pass the ball when it's time so the team can win! And that is what I'm doing!"
I CAN SEE IT FROM MY HOUSE: "Remember Alaska... America is now, more than ever, looking North to the Future."
What a very strange person she is.
(Update: and she concluded with a quote from Douglas MacArthur, which as it happens was not actually a quote from Douglas MacArthur.)
I'm very much afraid that this will leave California the new proud possessor of the stupidest governor in America.
Just like the big boys, for $25,000 to $250,000, I am offering lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to my cat.
You're offering what, now?
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It is at your funeral that you in many ways can se...
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Sotomayor hearings: Most of our judges understand ...
Sotomayor hearings: Empathy for one party is alway...
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Preventing viral infection with silver nanoparticles.Download the paper here!
Learn more about silver supplements and which ones to takeWatch the video now.
Over the past couple of months I've received numerous questions with regards to silver and ebola among other potentially dangerous viral infections. Rather than replying with a quick answer as I felt I could have easily done; I felt impressed and wanted to provide not only the answer but references from scientific journals to validate my answer with regards to this incredibly pressing matter.
MERS and colds are in the same virus family called coronavirus (CDC). It is difficult to become infected but one third of those who get this new MERS virus die. It is time to start protecting yourself from MERS and the influenza viruses that are moving through the US and middle east at epidemic rates.
I had the pleasure of joining Dr. Katzman on his radio program twice over the past two weeks and had a great experience. I enjoyed it so much I asked Dr. Katzman if he would give me a copy of the two programs that I could post here for my readers.