Random Thoughts

2007 Automotive Improved Safety

2007-11-12T19:35:00.000-05:00

Bush the Elder

2007-11-02T07:48:00.001-04:00

Ode to the Elevator

2007-05-06T22:28:00.000-04:00

Elevator Etiquette
Use them to go up or down
Use them to come in or home

But no singing, no playing, no jumping
No fun
But cramming and complaining are fine

Why walk when you can ride
Just one floor? Sure.

Lets visit each stop
And expand

The already lovable
Nine to five-ish

Fight, Flight, Protect

2007-04-24T21:30:00.000-04:00

Walter Cannon theorized that animals in trouble act in one of two ways - fight or flight. This is in response to stress responses among vertebrates and other organisms that inhibits tears, dilates the pupils, and accelerates the lung and heart reaction.

People generally accept this two prong theory, but I submit there is a third. When faced with certain imminent danger a person has a third choice - protect. Protection does not necessarily include fighting, but it does risk the good of the one for the many.

Consider the Virginia Tech Massacre. Some people ran, some fought, and some hid from the assailant. All perfectly respectable and normal reactions to the threat of death and injury. All in line with Cannon's theory.

Others chose to protect. They barricaded themselves against doors to prevent the murderer from entering the classrooms. They risked their lives so that others could survive. Consider the story of Liviu Librescu, a professor of aeronautical engineering. When the shooter entered his room he put himself between the gunman and his students. He saved many lives. He was a Holocaust survivor and accomplished professional.

Virginia Tech Students that responded with 'fight or flight' are with honor. Those that responded with 'protect' are truly heroes. It takes a special person to give their lives willingly for another and, while recognition is never the goal, it should not go unnoticed.

Ridiculous

2007-04-24T21:15:00.000-04:00

Rick at April 19, 2007 9:48 AM
The real problem here is that these students were able to walk right into a grocery store and buy a ham steak. Here in the state of Maine, there is no waiting period before one can purchase a ham. Maybe this is a good time to bring forth some legislation on strict ham control laws.

=======================

'Hate incident' in city

By Bonnie Washuk , Staff Writer
Thursday, April 19, 2007

LEWISTON - One student has been suspended and more disciplinary action could follow a possible hate crime at Lewiston Middle School, Superintendent Leon Levesque said Wednesday.

On April 11, a white student placed a ham steak in a bag on a lunch table where Somali students were eating. Muslims consider pork unclean and offensive.

The act reminded students of a man who threw a pig's head into a Lewiston mosque last summer.

The school incident is being treated seriously as "a hate incident," Levesque said. Lewiston police are investigating, and the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence is working with the school to create a response plan.

"We've got some work to do to turn this around and bring the school community back together again," Levesque said.

Placing ham where Muslim students were eating was "an awful thing," said Stephen Wessler, executive director of the Center for Prevention of Hate Violence. "It's extraordinarily hurtful and degrading" to Muslims, whose religion prohibits them from being around ham. It's important to respond swiftly, Wessler said.

"Incidents like this that involve degrading language or conduct are often said by the perpetrator as a joke. I know that conduct is never static," he said. "It's part of a process of escalation."

If people think insulting Muslims with ham is OK, "More degrading acts will follow, until at some point we'll end up having violence," Wessler said.

The incident does not reflect the moral values of the school staff and students, Levesque said. "We need to take a look at this and review how a careless act is degrading and causes hurt to other people. All our students should feel welcome and safe in our schools."

He said a letter would be sent home to parents explaining what happened and outlining the school's response. Wessler will meet with students to address the school's climate, and staff will talk about how to respond to and prevent future hate incidents

'I didn't feel safe'

A 14-year-old Somali boy, whose mother asked that his name not be published, said he was eating lunch with four other Somali students on April 11. He noticed many others in the cafeteria "standing up, looking at us."

One boy came near, began laughing and threw a bag on the table while other students laughed and said, 'Good job.'"

"We didn't know what was in this bag," the boy said. "One of my friends reached inside it. It was a big ham steak. There were five of us at the table, all Somali. It was intended for us."

The boy said he looked up at students he thought were his friends. "I felt angered, offended."

He suddenly felt like he was alone. "At the school the next day, I didn't feel safe. I felt like everybody was against me. Before I felt like I fit in, and everything was normal."

He began to think white students didn't like him, and the act was their way of letting him know.

On Thursday, several students came up to him and said, "Those guys who did it were jerks. I apologize for them, and I hope you feel better."

The boy said they did make him feel better. "But for the rest of my life when I remember middle school, this will pop up right away."

He spoke out because he wants the community to know what happened, "that there is something like this going on in our schools."

Wessler and Levesque said the act happened the day before April vacation began, which prevented educators from gathering information.

"This is not done," Wessler said.

Bullying at Work

2007-04-24T21:13:00.000-04:00

Workplace bullying can hurt company's bottom line
BY ANITA BRUZZESE | GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

Here's the funny thing about bullying: It doesn't go away when you become an adult.

The not-so-funny truth is that while you may have believed you would not face bullying once you left the schoolyard, it is unfortunately alive and well in workplace cubicles everywhere.

Being a bullying target as an adult also feels much the same as it did as a kid. It's scary and humiliating.

You don't want to tell anyone because you suffer from a mixture of embarrassment, fear and shock. Eventually, you may get stomachaches, lose sleep, pull away from your family and friends and feel very angry, depressed and alone.

Fortunately, researchers like Pamela Lutgen-Sandvik are getting attention from employers worried about this problem. Her message to company brass is clear: Ignore bullies in the workplace, and it will impact your bottom line.

As anyone knows, that's a statement that can get some results.

"The turnover from bullying is horrendous," Lutgen-Sandvik says. "The most valuable employees often leave. So what you end up with is an impoverished workplace - the people who stay are the ones who have no other choice."

That's not exactly the kind of workforce a company needs to compete successfully in today's global marketplace.

That's why more managers are listening to people like Lutgen-Sandvik, an assistant professor of communication at the University of New Mexico and an expert in workplace bullying.

"The thing about workplace bullying is that it is a lot harder to describe than what happens when you're a kid," she says. "It's more politically masked, more subtle."

Many characteristics for bullies are still the same, however. In the workplace these people seek to isolate their targets, to make them ineffective by bullying them into submission.

Further, while we may have been counseled to stand up to bullies when we were younger, many adults in the workplace take just the opposite tactic and leave.

This practice is intended to send a "message" to higher-ups, to punish the organization for letting bullying take place. Lutgen-Sandvik says people quit to show their frustration and their anger at management, and those left behind hold it up as an example that there is "something very wrong in the organization."

Snowed In: Albuquerque

2006-12-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

29 DEC 06

Albuquerque - New Mexicans are snowed in. Residents here are more afraid of snow than Cincinnatians, but at least they can drive in it. Although there is only about a half inch on the ground there is over an inch on the fences/roofs in the city. There is quite a bit more accumulation at higher altitudes. Some areas have received as much as a foot of snow. The current storm arrived mid-day yesterday and continues strong at the time of posting. Another storm is expected overnight.

New Mexico in general and Albuquerque in particular are not used to much snow. When snow falls, and it does come, it usually melts by dinner time. Because of the infrequent snow, the city is minimally prepared to deal with it. Today's storm is the second exception this year.

Driveways, walkways, and automobiles are often cleaned with brooms. The roads and highways are treated with dirt in the hopes it will delay or stop the snow from sticking. (Try chewing a piece of gum and then eating a pretzel, it really works).

The two major roads out of town are closed so we will stay in Albuquerque another day. There are far worse places to be "stuck" and we are enjoying the extra time with our friends. The news reports that the highways will reopen late this afternoon and, assuming the second storm doesn't close them again, we will begin our trip home tomorrow.

Trip photos are available at facebook. The link is at the bottom of the blog page.

When is a Penny more than a Penny?

2006-12-17T14:14:00.000-05:00

As a follow up to my May posting Money Costs Money.

The Mint's budget is based entirely on the profit from the coinage. Although these values are on a year basis, that is it is possible that coins are at times worth more than face value based on metallic content, it is important to maintain the relative values and assure proper circulation of coinage.Please find the official Mint Press Release below dated 14 DEC 06:

United States Mint Moves to Limit Exportation & Melting of Coins Interim Rule Goes Into Effect Immediately

WASHINGTON — The United States Mint has implemented regulations to limit the exportation, melting, or treatment of one-cent (penny) and 5-cent (nickel) United States coins, to safeguard against a potential shortage of these coins in circulation. The United States Mint is soliciting public comment on the interim rule, which is being published in the Federal Register.

Prevailing prices of copper, nickel and zinc have caused the production costs of pennies and nickels to significantly exceed their respective face values. The United States Mint also has received a steady flow of inquiries from the public over the past several months concerning the metal value of these coins and whether it is legal to melt them.

"We are taking this action because the Nation needs its coinage for commerce," said Director Ed Moy. "We don't want to see our pennies and nickels melted down so a few individuals can take advantage of the American taxpayer. Replacing these coins would be an enormous cost to taxpayers."

Specifically, the new regulations prohibit, with certain exceptions, the melting or treatment of all one-cent and 5-cent coins. The regulations also prohibit the unlicensed exportation of these coins, except that travelers may take up to $5 in these coins out of the country, and individuals may ship up to $100 in these coins out of the country in any one shipment for legitimate coinage and numismatic purposes. In all essential respects, these regulations are patterned after the Department of the Treasury's regulations prohibiting the exportation, melting, or treatment of silver coins between 1967 and 1969, and the regulations prohibiting the exportation, melting, or treatment of one-cent coins between 1974 and 1978.

The new regulations authorize a fine of not more than $10,000, or imprisonment of not more than five years, or both, against a person who knowingly violates the regulations. In addition, by law, any coins exported, melted, or treated in violation of the regulation shall be forfeited to the United States Government.

The regulations are being issued in the form of an interim rule, to be effective for a period of 120 days from the time of publication. The interim rule states that during a 30-day period from the date of publication, the public can submit written comments to the United States Mint on the regulations. Upon consideration of such comments, the Director of the United States Mint would then issue the final rule.

Those interested in providing comments to the United States Mint regarding this interim rule must submit them in writing to the Office of Chief Counsel, United States Mint, 801 9th Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20220, by January 14, 2007. The interim rule appears on the United States Mint website at www.usmint.gov. The United States Mint will make public all comments it receives regarding this interim rule, and may not consider confidential any information contained in comments.

As discussed in the May Entry the Mint is required to issue an annual report even though they are private. It will be quite interesting to see the most recent annual report when released next year. They can be found by typing "annual report" into the search box on the official mint website. It will be further interesting to see if the Congress steps in to change metallic content or cease production on certain coins.

Asthma. Breath Easier.

2006-12-16T09:25:00.000-05:00

According to the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 7.7% of American people have asthma. That is 22.2 million. Women and Puerto Rican's bear much of the burden according to 2005 data. (CDC)

The American Lung Association is hosting Climb the Carew, a 45-floor stair climb at the Carew Tower in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio on Sunday, February 25, 2007.

The proceeds from Climb the Carew will fund research for better treatments, education to reduce the impact of respiratory illness, and support for people with lung disease and their loved ones. Your donation is tax deductible.

If you are unable to assist financially we ask that you consider climbing with us or volunteering at the event.

I am Climbing with Team Kendle. Will you join us?

866 4 OH JERKS

2006-12-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

Ohio voters passed a law this year making smoking in or near a place of business illegal. The law is in limbo due to constitutional concerns and lack of defined penalties, but it is the law.

Non smokers are directed to call 866 559 OHIO to report anyone illegally smoking.
Smokers are directed to call 866 4 OH JERKS to report instances of menacing by inconsiderate bystanders.

I am a strong supporter of our democratic system. I have voted in every election and worked the polling sites in most of them.

Ethics aside this law is scary. We just gave up a right. We may never get it back. In a time of war and increased terrorist activity I wonder why Ohioans (and others across the country) are so concerned about how and where their neighbors choose to enjoy a legally obtained substance.

Which other rights are we as citizens willing to give up? Perhaps we should be prohibited from wearing blue and red shirts on election day. It could influence the voters. Maybe we should consider banning the use of plastic bags. They may suffocate the children.

Ohio is no stranger to dumb laws though. It is illegal to ride on the roof of a taxi cab or to run out of gas in Youngstown. Women may not wear patent leather shoes in Ohio. And people cannot be arrested on the Fourth of July. Unfortunately all true. (Source)

The last time I checked this country ran under the concept of a Free Market. That is a business makes decisions based on the desires of its' customer base. Using smoking as an example, Ridge Cocktail Lounge, a local bar, determined that their clients wanted to be able to smoke, drink, and play pool. Applebees restaurant determined that their customers desired a smoke free environment.

If the customers of a business speak with their feet and their wallets then the business will either respond or die. It is that simple. Voters in Ohio took that right away. Some businesses will close their doors forever. The communities that they are in will lose that tax money and their clients will lose that service. True they may be replaced and the world will go on, but if the business is family owned it may directly change their lives -- loss of job, assets, and bankruptcy is not out of the question.

Metro of Cincinnati (SORTA)

2006-12-02T10:11:00.000-05:00

Metro is suggesting an increase in base fares. Full price fares would increase by a quarter and those on the Fair Deal Plan will increase ten cents. Monthly rider’s passes will increase by five dollars. There is no proposed increase in the transfer fees, parking shuttles, or access.

I applaud Metro from maintaining the Access rates as these provide service the physically handicapped. I do not object to a fare increase for adult or monthly fares.

I am concerned, however, about those on the Fair Deal Plan. This is offered to the elderly, those on Medicare, children under five, and the disabled.

However, many of these people would assume an extra fifteen cents per ride due to "inconvenient sums." An “inconvenient sum” occurs when the increase brings the total fare to amount greater than the advertised price due to no change given. With this methodology the quarter increase brings the fares from the advertised sixty cents to become seventy five, the dollar ten will become a dollar twenty five, etc.

Fair Deal Estimated Advertised Price:
[$0.10 increase] x [2 rides/day] x [5 days/week] x [50 weeks] = $50
[$0.60 total] x [2 rides/day] x [5 days/week] x [50 weeks] = $300
Fair Deal Estimated “Inconvenient Sum” Price:
[$0.15 increase] x [2 rides/day] x [5 days/week] x [50 weeks] = $75
[$0.75 total] x [2 rides/day] x [5 days/week] x [50 weeks] = $375

I am concerned that some riders that qualify for the Fair Deal discount will be living on tight budgets or may be on a fixed income. The advertised fare represents an estimated increase of $50 per year per rider. This increase could represent two weeks of meals for a low-income family. If this same family paid the “inconvenient sum” price their $75 dollars could represent three weeks of food for their table.

So, I strongly suggest that that increased prices be applied to standard full-price fares and not those offered to children and riders with disabilities. The differential in income will be offset by full fare “inconvenient sum” prices. Additional sums, if any, could be achieved through an increase in transfer fairs or parking shuttles.

Vote Tuesday >> Change the World

2006-11-05T11:49:00.000-05:00

Election day is coming and you need to get out your vote.

1. Voting is your duty
2. All votes count
3. You don't vote you can't bitch

=========

I AM SICK OF ELECTION DAY MISINFORMATION AND PESSIMISM

I have seen tons of groups and heard lots of people saying that their vote doesn't count. That is simply untrue. There are so many safe guards in place to protect your vote as to be overboard.

Bipartisan

Your ballot is always in the presence of at least one democrat and one republican until officially counted. This includes un-voted ballots.

Ballots

The total number of 'ballots in' and 'ballots out' are confirmed within minutes of election. I am not aware of there ever being a problem here, but the first line of defense is the sheriff if there is a discrepancy.

There are several copies of each vote -- one paper original ballot, one digital photograph of ballot, and one printout of total votes by issue/candidate by precinct. The totals on these three formats must match. The board of election assures this shortly after election. (All votes are anonymous by person but traceable by ward).

Identification

As long as you are registered to vote in Ohio you will be able to vote.

If you are cannot or will not provide identification (including drivers license number or last four of your social security number) you can still vote a provisional ballot. Once your identity is confirmed by the board of elections the vote is counted.

If you are unsure if you are registered you can vote a provisional ballot. The board of elections will confirm your registration -- if registered it counts.

Polling Location

You are to vote at the assigned polling place. This assignment is based on where you lived thirty days before the election. College students may vote at the place of their parent's house if that is where they registered. The reason for this is that both parties feel that local issues should be decided by locals.

Consider "no taxation without representation" -- the people who will pay that tax should be the ones deciding if it is enacted. If you are unsure where that is or are unable to get there call the board of elections for direction while the polls are open (your vote needs to be recorded on election day).

Voter Intent

A vote on the ballot is based on "voters intent." In the event of ambiguity there is a county level review. If the county cannot determine "voters intent" then there is a state level review. The 2006 ballots are essentially scantron, so unless you draw a line through all of the bubbles intent should be pretty clear. The review boards contain both democrats and republicans.

Voter Error

If a person votes for too many candidates on a line, say the democrat and the republican, they can exchange that soiled ballot with the election judge. A person can request a new ballot up to two times (the old page would be marked void and replaced by the election judges).

If the person votes for too many candidates, as above, but doesn't realize it until after the vote - they should be assured all other lines and votes are still counted per their direction.

Close Margin

In the event of a close vote a recount is possible. The state funds an automatic recount if the difference is less than 0.25%, generally counties and cities use the same guide line. A party or candidate may request a recount if they wish, but it would be done at their expense.

Dick & John

2006-11-01T17:28:00.000-05:00

In Relation to Kerry's Blunder, 2006:
"I guess we didn’t get the nuance. He was for the joke before he was against it.”
-- Dick Cheney

In Relation to the War, 2004:
"I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it."
-- John Kerry

Responses to Comment:
Leaders of both parties and our military are offended by his comment.
Prominent Democrats have urged him to cancel public appearances.

John "The Waffle" Kerry

2006-10-31T20:50:00.000-05:00

“You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”
- John Kerry

===========================
Kerry Digs a Deeper Hole
The Chicago Tribune

Did John Kerry (D-Mass.) help himself in his Seattle news conference this afternoon to explain his astonishing remarks yesterday which sounded like an elitist shot at the intelligence of members of the U.S. military serving in Iraq? Short answer: no.

An angry Kerry tried to give his supporters and Democrats something to fight back with when he said: “My statement yesterday, and the White House knows this full well, was a botched joke about the president and the president’s people, not about the troops.

“… If anyone thinks that a veteran, someone like me who’s been fighting my entire career to provide for veterans to fight for their benefits, to help honor what their service is, if anybody thinks that a veteran would somehow criticize more than 140,000 troops fighting in Iraq and not the president and his people who put them there, they’re crazy. It’s just wrong….”

But here’s the problem. In his moment of high dudgeon, he may have made matters worse. It probably wasn’t a good idea to accuse everyone who saw the video of his campaign appearance and thought he was disparaging the IQ of U.S. troops of being “crazy.”

CNN has reported that David Wade, Kerry’s communications director (a challenging job as you can imagine) says what Kerry should’ve said was this: “I can't overstress the importance of a great education. Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq.”

Let’s give Kerry the benefit of the doubt and stipulate he muffed his line. Wouldn’t it still have been wiser for him to humbly apologize to the troops directly for the misunderstanding that he, after all, caused?

You don’t have to be a right-wing radio talk show host to look at the video from Kerry’s campaign appearance yesterday and believe that he was indeed implying that those serving in Iraq are academic losers, there because they had no other choices.

It’s a safe guess that millions of Americans, including many Democrats, who saw the initial Kerry video have been shaking their collective heads all day wondering what was on his mind.

Kerry appears to have concluded that he’s being “swiftboated” all over again just like in 2004 and that the only correct response is to fight back. He even said as much:

“Let me tell you something, I'm not going to give them one ounce of daylight to spread one of their lies and to play this game ever, ever again. That is a lesson I learned deep and hard, and I'll tell you, I will stand up anywhere across this country and take these guys on.”

But he’s making the mistake generals are always warned against; he's fighting the last war.

His advisors in 2004 persuaded him take the high road and not quickly respond when he was being swiftboated then.

Because he didn’t follow standard political doctrine and respond quickly and decisively to Republican charges about what he did in Vietnam, he may have lost the White House.

But this wasn’t a swiftboat operation. Instead, Kerry was struck by his own torpedo which circled back after he launched it to explode right in front of him.

Meanwhile, the White House has taken the rare step of distributing an advanced copy of a campaign speech President Bush will deliver this afternoon.

The president's prepared remarks say:

“Yesterday Democrat Senator John Kerry was speaking to a group of young people in California, and gave them this advice, quote: “You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t you get stuck in Iraq.”

“The Senator’s suggestion that the men and women of our military are somehow uneducated is insulting and shameful. Our troops did not enlist because they did not study hard in school or do their homework. The men and women who serve in our all-volunteer Armed Forces are plenty smart and are serving because they are patriots – and Senator Kerry owes them an apology.”

For Bush, this must be like being a championship boxer who gets another chance to relive one of his greatest knockouts. He gets to throw haymakers again at the same awkward opponent who kept dropping his guard in 2004, and who two years later still hasn't learned his lesson.

John Green, a political scientist and director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, has a good summation of the dynamic on this between the two adversaries.

"Sen. Kerry has a history of saying unfortunate things and then not being able to explain them, because they are inexplicable,'' Green said.

Kerry's remark benefits Bush because "The president has basically decided to embrace Iraq (in the closing week of the campaign). Incidents like this enable him to embrace Iraq without talking about Iraq… At least for the moment, he can have it both ways..’’

Fall Back at Two

2006-10-28T11:09:00.000-04:00

"Thank God We're Connected to the Rest of the World"
- P. Laux, President of Indiana Chamber of Commerce

From the inception of Daylight Savings time Indiana has been difficult.

Indiana was included in Eastern Standard Time in 1969.
But several counties left the time zone to be with Chicago.

There are 18 counties in CST and 74 in EST.
Indiana is only 140 miles wide.

Some counties followed daylight savings time and others did not.
In short: There are three possible times in Indiana during savings time and two possible times during standard time. Friends were sometimes in the same time zone.

Beginning October 29th, all of Indiana will observe daylight savings time. Now things are much simpler with two time zones in one state.

Just wait until they learn that savings time will be extended by a month effective in 2007.
Do you think Indiana can delay this change by fifty years too?

Rim Job

2006-10-28T10:17:00.000-04:00

Right On Chris.

For those of you slang-challenged:
According to google, a pimp is someone who procures customers for whores.

So learn this lesson well, my friends...
One can pimp a car, but the car cannot be pimped.
And a pimped car is never successful.

(Read More Here)

========

So I'm at the bar the other night and I gotta' take a squeege......

A little background info, this place is called Peabody's, a pool hall, bar, darts emporium next to a cheese-dick club called The Palms. It's a big USF hangout where frat boys, emo posers and skanks hang out while breast enhanced servers hope to wait on the next millionaire....

Fun as hell....

.....Except that somewhere along the way, the retard known as the DJ got the idea that patrons liked him yelling along with the music. I feel like I'm listening to a combination of TRL and a fifth grade skating party. It's one thing when it's stupid hip-hop, but when he defiles Pantera's "Walk", I wanna conjure the ghost of Dimebag Darrell just to squash his annoying ass.....

But enough about my obsession over music......

Anyway, I'm in the pisser, one of those places where the guy hands you a paper towel and expects a dollar for it (I'm lazy, but fuck you homey, that's a pool game, I can get my own damn towel) and they have those ads above the urinals.. What do they have? "Fix your credit", "Consolidate your student loans", "Repair your credit today" and.........Rims

What is it with fucking rims today? Why does everybody think that you have to have mother-fucking, ignorant, gaudy, self-aggrandizing, fucking pie plates stuck in your tires? Please help me figure this one out. I go take a piss and I gotta see a picture of a hot chick leaning forward on a wall (Like a cop is about to pat her down for drugs, but Larry Flynt directed the photo shoot) with a slogan "We'll change everything but the rear view"... And they have a price list..... $3,499.99 for 24 inch rims with tires....

$3,500.00 for shiny wheel covers.... Are you fucking kidding me? Oh and I'm sure some road-head (pun intended) is gonna tell me that that's cheap.. My response: You're a fucking idiot. That doesn't justify it. I mean, what can you buy for $3500? Well, I know you could take care of your kid, maybe pay for some tuition, buy some clothes that fit and maybe invest in something long term....

Nope, gotta buy fucking rims.....

But it gets worse..... There are at least two, (2), dos, deux, however you say it places in town where rims are............ rent-to-own!!!! That's right, Tampa is hope to rent-to-fucking-own rims. This shit just floors me. I mean it's one thing to spend 3 large on rims, but to not be able to even save up the money??!!

What's the interest rate on this shit? Because you know it's steep as hell because if the customers wanted to pay off rims in installments, they'd just use a credit card.... wait, it's becoming clear to me..... the target customer probably can't get a credit card because of shitty credit history or lack of verifiable income....... Now everyone knows that I do have a couple of friends that do business on a cash basis, and that they've uh, helped me out at times.... but seriously people.... If you don't have a real job and have shitty credit, what the hell are you doing buying fucking rims??!!!

Earlier that night, I was driving to the bar from my friend's house and I seriously felt like the only guy on the road without rims. There was even a car next to me, check that, a 1992 Sedan Deville (girls, that's a 14 year old Cadillac) with tinted windows and big fucking rims. You know since the low rider thing is not as ghetto fabulous, cars have to be jacked up on low-profile tires... So I'm wondering..... hmmm..... how big, exactly, are those rims? I didn't have to think long, because there was a sticker on the window proclaming... 22"!!!!

Those rims alone cost more than the fucking car. Oh and dude had TV's in the damn headrests. I saw 'em through the tinted windows, they lit up the entire back seats... and no one was sitting there.

So on the heels of my last blog about people going through the motions, dropping a dollar here for something that matters and a small fortune on things that mean dick, I see rims. All fucking day.

Why are rims so important? Why are people under the impression that chrome makes a beater look cool? Why, why, why God? I mean, a 93 Saturn is still a 93 Saturn, regardless of whether your rims keep spinning even when the car stops. It's not cool, it's a damn traffic hazard when you pull to a four way stop with the guy who has epilepsy, he sees your wheels, has a seizure, and slams into the side of your car.....

And it's not just kids.... I saw a minivan, one of those old 1989 Ford Aerostars... you know back when minivans didn't have tinted windows and looked just like little Jetson-Mobiles..... Anyway, some 45-50 year old lady had the Wal-Mart spiners on her van. Yeah, those, 8-10 inch caps that look like shitty pinwheels covering your stock aluminum...

Why people, why? Someone please tell me wat I'm missing out on. I mean, if I were to go out and drop 3 G's on rims for the 4Runner, am I suddenly gonna get laid every night just from driving down Dale Mabry Highway?

It's just really sad that we have people complaining about the state they're in, how they can't get ahead, how life sucks, blah blah fucking blah..... yet they buy rims. I'm sorry, they might rent rims too...

And everytime I see one of these junked up, piece of shit, plastic covered, robo-wing wearing, stereo pounding, chrome adorned monstrosities, the driver looks about as arousing to the opposite sex as my dick with pus-oozing sore on the tip.

Here's some ideas for you auto-philes...

Number one: The Honda Civic is not the new muscle car. Just because you pay some guy named Axel to paint stripes on your fiberglass hood scoop and change your air filter does not put you in the same category as the baby-boomers who modified a big block in their own garage. Those things came stock with 300 horsepower, eight cylinders, and over 400 cubic inches of displacement. You're starting with something just a bit more powerful than my dad's riding mower

Number two: Rims will not get you laid. You may be able to nail that skank that works at Hot Topic, but it's probably the wine coolers you were feeding her, not your "17's" and definitely not your rendition of "SexyBack".

Number three: If your car is a piece of shit, guess what? Rims just make it a more noticeable piece of shit. That chrome reflects a lotta light, drawing all kinds of "What a douche" looks from damn near everybody who doesn't believe they're the next great white rapper. Oh and just because you have that giant Folger's can exhaust attachment doesn't do anything either. From a rational person's standpoint, your car is a visual and audio heads-up that "Some piece of shit is coming up the road". Sorry, but there is nothing that's gonna make your Pulsar sound like a Porsche (and it's pronounced Por-SHA)

Listen up fuck-monkeys. If you're still here and haven't resorted to a coloring book yet, take my advice. Save your money and try to become a productive member of society. Learn something new, travel, learn a trade, just do something other than throw money into a quickly depreciating liability.......

The only thing that's "Fast and Furious" is life passing your ignorant ass....

Don't be stupid,

Dickie

B-School

2006-10-26T22:47:00.000-04:00

Four classroom hours left of graduate school. Not that I am counting or anything.

I have to admit today's class was one of the funniest. Popcorn required.

We watched an 'academic movie' relating to motivation and change in a corporate environment. Should have really sucked. However, it was so outdated and forced that hilarious would be an understatement. Even the actors around the boardroom table couldn't stay still.

His toupee did not match his mustache.
His hand movements rivaled that of Bush the Elder.

In Relation to Downsizing:
I'm Not Dead Yet, I'm Just Watching My Naval

In Relation to Change:
The First Rats Off The Ship Aren't Necessarily The Best Swimmers

Cell Phone vs. Sperm Count

2006-10-25T08:05:00.000-04:00

BEIJING, Oct. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Men who are heavy users of mobile phones have significantly lower sperm count than usual and may be at risk of infertility, according to a new study released at a medical conference in New Orleans in the U.S. this week.

The researchers found that men who use mobiles for over four hours a day have 25 percent lower sperm count than men who never used a mobile, and there is a 30 percent drop in sperm motility or movement and viability compared with those who did not.

"There was a significant decrease in the most important measures of sperm health and that should definitely be reflected in a decrease in fertility, which is seen worldwide," said Dr. Ashok Agarwal, who led the study and is the director of the Reproductive Research Center in Ohio.

The study was carried out among 361 men from the United States and India. They were divided into four groups, with 40 never using a mobile, 107 men using them for less than two hours a day, 100 men using them for two to four hours daily and 114 making calls for four or more hours a day.

"The main finding was that on all four parameters -- sperm count, motility, viability and morphology -- there were significant differences between the groups," Agarwal said.

"The greater the use of cell phones the greater the decrease in these four parameters. That was very clear and very significant."

Agarwal further pointed out that electromagnetic radiation emitted by handsets may be damaging cells vital to fertility.

"These cells in the testes have been shown to be susceptible to electromagnetic waves in previous research in animals," he said. "Somehow electromagnetic waves may be causing direct damage to these cells and that perhaps causes a decrease in sperm production.

"People use mobile phones without thinking twice what the consequences might be," Agarwal continued. "It is just like using a toothbrush, but mobiles could be having a devastating effect on fertility. It still has to be proved, but it could be having a huge impact because mobiles are so much part of our lives."

There are also fears that a mobile phone may increase temperature in the groin if carried in the hip pocket.

"Sperm is very temperature sensitive as shown by many studies, and a short-term rise in temperature could be responsible," he said.

But Agarwal further stressed, the study did not prove mobile phones were damaging male fertility.

"We still have a long way to go to prove this," he said, urging scientists to investigate the possibility.

==========
(source)

let the politics begin.

2006-10-23T19:54:00.000-04:00

Driving in Indiana Saturday we were inundated with political signage. One sign in particular caught my attention. I pulled over to get a copy, it just coudn't be real.

For the life of me, I couldn't understand how anyone would maintain such an unfortunate name. And how this person could survive politically in anyway boggles the mind. I tried several ways of making this name acceptable ... "K-Nig" was the closest I got.

Amazing. Only in Indiana.

Flu Shots

2006-10-23T19:25:00.000-04:00

JERUSALEM - The Israeli Health Ministry declared Monday that a French flu vaccine did not kill four people who died shortly after being inoculated, and ordered resumption of vaccinations.

Israeli Health Minister Yaakov Ben-Yizri demonstrated his faith in the vaccine by getting a flu shot on live TV at the end of his news conference. Ben-Yizri, 79, represents the Pensioners' Rights Party.

"All of the experts, all of the doctors, all of the pathologists, all of the people who are experts in the profession, ruled out completely the possibility of a connection between the unfortunate incidents...and the vaccination," he told reporters

An autopsy concluded that at least one death was caused by a heart attack, said Yair Amikam, a spokesman for the Health Ministry.

The four people, who were elderly and suffered from chronic illnesses, had received flu shots up to six days before their deaths, according to Alain Bernal, a spokesman for Sanofi-Aventis, the French pharmaceutical company that produced the vaccine.

The French company said it was sending experts to Israel to study the deaths.

Israel's Health Ministry halted the administration of flu vaccines on Sunday after three of the deaths were reported.

======

(source)

Elephant Trial

2006-10-22T18:47:00.001-04:00

London Drug Trial Catastrophe – Collapse of Science and Ethics
An unconventional member of a new class of drugs, all known to have caused serious side effects including deaths, has been approved for clinical trial based solely on unpublished animal tests. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Prof. Joe Cummins

Drug trial that went horribly wrong

On 13 March 2006, six healthy young volunteers took part in a clinical trial and became violently ill minutes after having been injected with a drug developed to fight autoimmune disease and leukaemia [1-5]. One of the two additional volunteers injected with a placebo who showed no ill effects recalled to newspaper reporters [2]: “The men went down like dominoes. They began tearing their shirts off complaining of fever, then some screamed that their heads were going to explode. After that they started fainting, vomiting and writhing around in their beds.”

One man became especially bloated, “like the Elephant Man”. All six suffered multiple organ failure, and were admitted to intensive care. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which gave approval for the trial, immediately withdrew authorisation; and an international warning went out to prevent the drug being tested abroad.

Two weeks later, two men remain in hospital; one still in intensive care and conscious, the other said to be making good progress [6]. The case is under investigation by the MHRA. But serious questions should also be asked concerning the MHRA’s approval for the trial in the first place.

A new kind of drug previously untested on humans

The drug tested, TGN1412, was developed by the company TeGenero based in Würzburg, Germany, and manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim. But another company, Parexel International Corporation based in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA, was commissioned to carry out the clinical trial. The six young men were paid a small fee to participate in the experiment [1-5], according to one of them, £2 330 (US$4 070).

While Paraxel said it followed the rules for drug research, a former executive of the company, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed surprise that the drug was tested on so many persons at once. “It is common sense not to dose six individuals with the drug at once where there is no prior human experience,” he said [2].

TeGenero describes TGN1412 on its website as [7] “an immunomodulatory humanized agonistic anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody that is being developed for the treatment of immunological diseases with a high unmet medical need, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and certain cancers”. A monoclonal antibody (MAB) is an immunoglobulin protein made by the descendants of a single antibody-producing cell.

In a statement updated 24 March 2006 [8], the company disclosed that TGN1412 binds to the cell marker CD28 present on the cell surface of T lymphocytes, causing more T cells to be created. It claimed that the safety of TGN1412 was extensively tested on “rabbits and monkeys”, that “there were no drug related deaths despite administering doses up to five hundred times the dose to be used in the phase 1 clinical trial”. Nevertheless, in pre-clinical tests, 2 monkeys experienced a transient increase in the size of lymph nodes, but TeGenero considers that not a drug related side effect.

Family members of the human volunteers were told that a dog died in testing, TeGenero denied that TGN1412 was tested on dogs, but stated that academic research which led to the initial development of TGN1412 did include testing on mice and rats.

TeGenero had applied to conduct the same test and gained approval both in the UK and in Germany, though the test in Germany had not yet started and has been abandoned.

It said that the drug was given to volunteers “within a period of 2 hours”, as “approved by the MHRA and the local ethics committee”. TGN1412 was the company’s “most advanced product candidate and the first to reach human testing.”

What went wrong?

No one knows what caused the shocking reactions in the volunteers. An error in drug dosing or manufacture was suspected [9]. Simon Gregor, spokesperson for UK’s MHRA, said managers at Northwick Park Hospital where the trial took place were so surprised that they called in the police to check for evidence of a crime. But MHRA and other investigations found no evidence of crime or technical error.

Was a contaminant in the MAB drug responsible? MAB drugs typically begins with extensive genetic engineering to produce the appropriate protein antigen, which is injected repeatedly into mice together with transgenic cells producing the protein, in order to challenge the mice to produce antibodies to the protein. The mice are then killed and the spleen cells isolated and fused with cancer (lymphoma) cells to create ‘hybridoma’ cells. Clones of single hybridoma cells are then obtained to give permanent cell lines, each of which grows and secretes a single antibody protein (monoclonal antibody) continuously. ‘Humanized’ monoclonal antibodies would have involved additional genetic engineering to alter the monoclonal antibody protein molecule so that it would not be rejected when given to human subjects. Each step in this complicated process could have introduced dangerous contaminants.

An interim report from MHRA said that the drug did not appear to have been contaminated, “or to have contained anything other than the correct ingredients”, said Professor Kent Woods, the chief executive of the MHRA, which regulated 350 Phase 1 clinical trials (first testing on humans) in the UK every year. The report also cleared Paraxel, which appeared to have run the trial according to the agreed protocol, with the correct dose given to the patients [10].

More and more, the suspicion has turned onto TGN1412 itself, which may have triggered the T cells to release a toxic flood of cytokines (cell signalling molecules), or the T cells may have attacked the body’s own tissues, leading to multiple organ failure [9, 11]. But MHRA, TeGenero and Paraxel all maintained that the volunteers’ reactions were “unforeseeable”. TeGenero’s chief scientific officer Thomas Hanke issued a statement on 17 March: “Extensive preclinical tests showed no sign of any risk.”

Henke told Science magazine that a rodent version of TGN1412 was tested extensively at high doses in rats and mice, with no ill effects; and TGN1412 itself was given to 20 cynomolgus monkeys in an unpublished study, after it was shown that their T cells were activated in the same way as human cells, with no significant adverse effects other than a brief increase in lymph node size. Simon Gregor of MHRA said that they have gone back to the files and there was nothing in the documentation that would cause them to think there was a concern.

We do not know what the documentation contained, but disagree that the problems were “unforeseeable”.

The problems should have been anticipated

At least one drug, CTLA4 monoclonal antibody, which binds to a different cell marker, have caused side effects in human trials, including skin rashes and gut reactions, which were controlled with steroids.

In fact, there are over 355 MAB drugs in clinical development, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval to18 so far, mainly for cancer treatment and control of immune system disorders. There is warning posted on every one of the approved drugs, as one of us has readily discovered and compiled the list (“Warning on FDA approved monoclonal antibodies”, this series). So it is difficult to believe that the problems were unanticipated as claimed.

On the contrary, the problems associated with MAB drugs are widely recognized. One drug approved for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) was associated with several deaths from brain infections, probably because it blocked immune cells migrating to the brain to fight infections. That drug was voluntarily suspended pending further studies. The other MAB drugs approved are almost without exception associated with severe side effects, in many cases including death. These drugs provide, in most instances, treatment of last resort for terminal or highly debilitating disorders. For that reason, the risk of administering the treatment has been deemed acceptable provided that consent for treatment is truly informed. I

The problems associated with up-regulating the immune system are also well known, and include inflammation of the eye, skin, gut, pituitary gland along with cases of hepatitis and loss of skin pigmentation [12]. A humanized MAB used to treat colon cancer caused 17 percent of the cancer patients to experience adverse immune events [13]. Initiation of such adverse events in susceptible patients could be detected by first administering a low dose of the drug, so those patients could be removed from further treatment with high doses [12]. In the London drug trial, the dose administered to all six volunteers must have been sufficiently high to cause all of them to become critically ill.

Another factor that should have made those involved in the London trials much more cautious is that the drug tested was unusual even among monoclonal antibody drugs.

Superagonist monoclonal antibodies are unconventional

Soon after the first monoclonal antibodies were raised against the cell surface molecules of white blood cells in the later 1970s, researchers have realised that they could be used to change immune responses, potentially for therapeutic purposes. The majority of the antibodies block immune functions or augment them when used in conjunction with other reagents. A much smaller subset of antibodies activate white blood cells autonomously, and are defined as superagonists [14, 15].

Natural activation of T cells requires both the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and T cell marker CD28 to be stimulated by specific ligands (diffusible signal molecules), causing the TCR and CD28 respectively to become cross-linked and clump together on the cell membrane. What happens downstream is not well understood, but is thought to involve cross talk between the clumped TCR and CD28 patches at the cell membrane.

In experimental systems, the natural ligands of TCR and CD28 can be replaced by specific MABs.

There are two types of MABs that bind to CD28 to stimulate T cells, conventional MABs that depend on simultaneous stimulation of TCR, and superagonist MABs that can give full activation of T cells without TCR stimulation. Researchers from TeGenero working with other laboratories showed that superagonist and conventional rat and human CD28-specific MABs bind at different sites, and that the superagonist binding site is conserved across the evolutionary divide separating rodents and humans [14]. They also claimed previous research in the rat model showed that superagonist CD28 MABs were highly potent stimulators of T cell proliferation in vivo without apparent toxicity, and were ready to exploit the MABs for therapeutic purposes.

Animal tests consist of “unpublished data”

Although TeGenero claimed to have carried out extensive animal testing of TGN1412, it provided no scientific papers on the tests. A review published by TeGenero in 2005 [15] referred solely to “unpublished data” as far as animal testing was concerned.

The review referred to studies in rats and mice given superagonist anti-CD28 MABs, in which a transient but significant increase in overall T cell numbers was found, without unleashing a toxic “cytokine storm”; and the researchers concluded that, “the lymphocytosis induced by CD28 superagonists appears to be benign and well tolerated.” A dose range 0.5mg/kg to 5mg/kg body weight led to a transient increase in the proportion of T regulatory cells from 5 to 20 percent, while absolute cell numbers increased up to 20 fold. Low doses of anti-CD28 MABs (0.5m/kg body weight per rat) appeared to expand T regulatory cells without inducing overall T cell increase; hence it was concluded that CD28 superagonist stimulation in vivo leads to the preferential expansion and strong activation of naturally occurring T regulatory cells over other T cells.

The review claimed that: “Efficacy of CD28 superagonist therapy has so far been evaluated in animal models of both peripheral and central nervous system inflammation as well as in a model of human rheumatoid arthritis.” These animal models showed that CD28 superangonist “prevented or at least greatly mitigated clinical symptoms when given prohylactically – that is, before the animals showed signs of clinical disease (unpublished data).” And, “even after the onset of clinical symptoms therapeutic CD28 superagonist administration rapidly stopped disease progression and induced remission.” Consequently, for “successful therapy, as for Treg cell expansion, low doses of CD28 superagonist (0.5mg/kg body weight) were sufficient (unpublished data).”

The fallout

The dust from the catastrophe has far from settled. It has left the scientific and medical community stunned, and serious soul searching began almost immediately in the aftershock.

UK’s top science journal Nature reported the trial under the headlines, “London’s disastrous drug trial has serious side effects for research”, predicting tighter restrictions on clinical research and closer scrutiny of the private companies that carry out the majority of clinical trials [16].

The report raised a number of key questions: Was informed consent adequate? Were the right subjects recruited for the trial? Were the right doses given? Did the company carrying out the trial behave responsibly? Some observers say that the company TeGenero should have been more cautious about the drug as it bypasses the immune system’s natural control mechanism; as immunologist Angus Dalgleish of St. George’s Medical School in London said, “all hell can break loose”.

Parexel International, the company contracted to do the clinical trial, operates in 39 countries. Ethicists in the United States have called for the careful scrutiny of a newly loosened set of rules for making and testing drugs in human trials, as well as the lucrative business of contract research organizations (CROs) such as Paraxel. Bioethicist Art Caplan is concerned that CROs are tacitly encouraged not to focus on protecting human subjects. He said CROs are often told by pharmaceutical companies to “just get us the data on the deadline”, and “don’t get asked questions on how that’s being done.” The Association of CROs boasts that CROs conduct clinical trials 30 percent more quickly than the pharmaceutical companies that hire them.

The London drug trial episode came in the wake of 11 otherwise healthy people who tested positive for tuberculosis in Montreal, Canada, after they were paid to volunteer for research conducted by a private company. The volunteers apparently caught TB from an infected subject they’d been housed with as part of the study paid for by a Canadian company, but conducted by the CRO SFBC International.

Writing in the Philadelphia Daily News, Caplan expressed doubt that informed consent and safety were given the priority required to protect the human volunteers taking part in such studies [17].

“The recruitment of the participants into the British trial certainly left much to be desired ethically.” Caplan wrote. The website recruiting volunteers said almost nothing about risks, but went on and on about good pay, free medical care, free food and “plenty of time to read or study or just relax, with digital TV, pool table, video games, DVD player and free internet access.”

The other CRO, SFBC International, has problems beyond Montreal. The company’s major facility for housing subjects in long-term studies in Miami had received numerous safety and fire-code violations. When subjects went public with complaints, at least three of them said they SFBC officials bullied them and threatened them with deportation.

Twenty years ago, Caplan said, most clinical research was conducted in academic medical centres, and most research was paid for with government money. Now, private CROs running studies for pharmaceutical and device companies are a $14 billion industry in the United States alone. A lot of this research is done using poor people or students, sometimes in the United States, but often in Europe, India and Southeast Asia.

The role of the regulatory agency should also come under careful scrutiny. Why did the MHRA allow the tests to be carried out simultaneously on all six volunteers? Did it have all the information available when it approved the trial? Did it make sure that informed consent was adequate?

In Germany, the local public prosecutor in Würzburg is investigating whether any criminal wrongdoing was involved [16]. The Paul Ehrlich Institute, which authorises human trials of biological drugs, announced it will tighten regulation of the first tests of such drugs in people. Johannes Löwer, president of the Institute based in Langen, asked why six people were treated at the same time, instead of starting with one. He said his Institute will start requiring sequential rather than simultaneous administration of ‘high risk’ monoclonal antibodies such as TGN1412, which activates the immune system.

Have the standards of science and ethics both collapsed in the new ethos of the “knowledge economy” that promotes wealth creation above all else?

========

A fully referenced version of this article is posted on ISIS members’ website.

Fountain Square, Cincinnati OH

2006-10-18T18:22:00.000-04:00

Despicable. Riotous. Unforgivable.

The square is managed by 3CDC now.
The City of Cincinnati is not responsible for this ... the 3CDC is, well, just not responsible.

This speech was given at the grand re-opening on October15, 2006.

========

I Am Cincinnati
Nikki Giovanni

I am Cincinnati
I ran from the whips and the dogs
Across the frozen pond
I made my home in the West End
When the Civil War came
I dug the trenches
Showing the South
Free men live here
Who are unwilling to yield
I kept the city safe
I am the Seven Hills
I am the neighborhoods
Community Centers
Shopping malls
Churches
Libraries
I am the Bengals
The Reds
The incomparable Underground Railroad Museum
I am history
I am Findlay Street market
I am the best 3-way chili in
the world
I am Montgomery ribs
I am the University of Cincinnati
I am Xavier
I am Sister Jean Patrice Harrington bringing Mount St. Joseph into the 21st century
I am Eden Park and the Conservatory of Music
I am Symphony Hall and the oldest Opera company and one of the world's
greatest teaching zoos
I am Spring Grove Cemetery
My dead rest in beauty and peace
I am Marian Spencer
I have watched segregation reign and have built a bridge between that island and the city
I have watched policemen
Shoot young black men in the back
And have watched my community respond, a people who once saved this
city...
I am the Cincinnati Western and Southern Tennis Championships though
I am played in Mason..
I am not a son of a bitch like Kenny Blackwell
I will not use the color of my skin to cover the hatred in my heart
I am not a political whore jumping from bed to bed to see who will
stroke my knee
I am Mark Mallory
Talking to everyone
Walking with everyone
Listening to everyone
Leading by consensus not fear
I am Cincinnati
I slaughter hogs and make soap
I am the biggest Oktoberfest outside Munich Germany
Though I have been boycotted
I am not shirking my responsibilities to the next generation
I am finding a way to be great again
I am the lady in the fountain
Let my waters cleanse and refresh you
Let my waters heal
Together we can still save this city.

The Sticker Song

2006-08-11T20:10:00.000-04:00

Official Website - HaDag Nachash

Listen Online - Shirat HaSticker

New York Times - Sticker Story

Download - Sticker Song Curriculum

=========================================================
Lyrics and Translation:

[Live on HBO] Dennis Miller

2006-08-01T17:39:00.000-04:00

Children dressed as Homicide Bombers

Middle East Conflict According to Dennis Miller

He recently said the following about the Mideast situation:

A brief overview of the situation is always valuable, so as a service
to all Americans who still don't get it,
I now offer you the story of the Middle East in just a few paragraphs,
which is all you really need.

Here we go:

The Palestinians want their own country.
There's just one thing about that: There are no Palestinians.
It's a made up word.
Israel was called Palestine for two thousand years.
Like "Wiccan," "Palestinian" sounds ancient
but is really a modern invention

Before the Israelis won the land in the 1967 war,
Gaza was owned by Egypt, the West Bank was owned by Jordan,
and there were no "Palestinians."

As soon as the Jews took over and started growing
oranges as big as basketballs,
what do you know, say hello to the "Palestinians,"
weeping for their deep bond with their lost "land" and "nation."

So for the sake of honesty, let's not use the word "Palestinian"
anymore to describe these delightful folks, who dance for joy
at our deaths, until someone points out they're being taped.

Instead, let's call them what they are:
"Other Arabs Who Can't Accomplish Anything In Life
And Would Rather Wrap Themselves In
The Seductive Melodrama Of Eternal Struggle And Death."

I know that's a bit unwieldy to expect to see on CNN.
How about this, then: "Adjacent Jew-Haters."
Okay, so the Adjacent Jew-Haters want their own country.
Oops, just one more thing. No, they don't.
They could've had their own country any time in the last thirty years,
especially two years ago at Camp David
but if you have your own country, you have to have traffic lights
and garbage trucks and Chambers of Commerce, &nbs p;and, worse,
you actually have to figure out some way to make a living.

That's no fun. No, they want what all the other
Jew-Haters in the region want: Israel.
They also want a big pile of dead Jews, of course --
that's where the real fun is -- but mostly they want Israel.

Why? For one thing, trying to destroy Israel - or "The Zionist Entity"
as their textbooks call it --
for the last fifty years has allowed the rulers of Arab countries
to divert the attention of their own people
away from the fact that they're the blue-ribbon most illiterate,
poorest, and tribally backward on God's Earth,
and if you've ever been around God's Earth . . . you know
that's really saying something.

It makes me roll my eyes every time one of our pundits waxes poetic
about the great history and culture of the Muslim Midleast.
Unless I'm missing something, the Arabs haven't given anything to the
world since Algebra, and, by the way, thanks a hell of a lot for that
one.

Chew this around & spit it out: 500 million Arabs; 5 million Jews.
Think of all the Arab countries as a football field,
and Israel as a pack of matches sitting in the middle of it.
And now these same folks swear that, if Israel gives them
half of that pack of matches, everyone will be pals..

Really? Wow, what neat news. Hey, but what about the string of wars to
obliterate the tiny country and the constant din
of rabid blood oaths to drive every Jew into the sea?
Oh, that? We were just kidding.

My friend Kevin Rooney made a gorgeous point the other day:
Just reverse the Numbers.
Imagine 500 million Jews and 5 million Arabs.
I was stunned at the simple brilliance of it .
Can anyone picture the Jews strapping belts of razor blades
and dynamite to themselves? Of course not.

Or marshalling every fiber and force at their disposal for generations
to drive a tiny Arab State into the sea? Nonsense.
Or dancing for joy at the murder of innocents? Impossible.
Or spreading and believing horrible lies about the Arabs baking their
bread with the blood of children? Disgusting.

No, as you know, left to themselves in a world of peace,
the worst Jews would ever do to people is debate them to death .

Mr. Bush, God bless him, is walking a tightrope. I understand that,
with vital operations in Iraq and others, it's in our interest, as
Americans, to try to stabilize our Arab allies as much as possible,
and, after all, that can't be much harder than stabilizing a roomful of
super models who've just had their drugs taken away.

However, in any big-picture strategy, there's always a danger
of losing moral weight. We've already lost some.
After September 11th, our president told us and the world he was going
to root out all terrorists and the countries that supported them.
Beautiful.

=============
Photo Source
Article Souce

Explosive Stupidity Disorder

2006-07-30T09:48:00.000-04:00

Our new affliction: 'Intermittent Explosive Stupidity Disorder'

By BEN GRABOW
Scripps Howard News Service
07-JUN-06

I do not have a rage disorder.

A new study suggests that when I beat my head on the steering wheel and tear chunks of upholstery from the passenger seat to throw at an idiotic motorist, it is due to "Intermittent Explosive Disorder." The disorder is characterized by multiple angry outbursts that are out of scope with the situation, and it's estimated that 16 million Americans are afflicted.

Road rage is considered one such outburst. And I will not pretend that I do not occasionally express rage on the road.

If you cut me off in traffic, I will make elaborate offensive gestures at your car that sometimes require both hands or even a foot. Through my open window, I may loudly question the nature of your relationship with a maternal figure or specific barnyard animal. I might even remove my headrest and bang it against the dashboard while foaming at the mouth.

But this is not a rage (begin ital)disorder(end ital). This is, if anything, a healthy rage. And this is America, so the real disorder must belong to someone else.

The real disorder here is the intense stupidity of other people.

What we need is a scientific study that explains behavior such as driving at 20 below the speed limit for a half hour, then standing on the accelerator as soon as there is room enough to pass. We need an examination of people who lunge into parking spaces, as though the waiting car's turn signal is an invitation.

Surely, these people could not have earned a driver's license or navigated the bureaucracy of a Department of Motor Vehicles while being so droolingly stupid. Without some capacity for coherent thought, they could not hold down the job that pays the salary that fills the gas tank of the massive SUV driving in both lanes.

The only possible explanation for such astonishing idiocy, then, is a kind of stupidity that shows up only once in a while. It must be some kind of sudden, violent stupidity, triggered by car exhaust or commercial radio. It could only be "Intermittent Explosive Stupidity Disorder."

IESD applies not only to the motorist who jumps on the brakes in the fast lane. People who choose not to shower for three days before using the neighboring treadmill could also be afflicted. As could individuals who cannot order coffee without simultaneously having a cell phone conference call.

If Intermittent Explosive Disorder were the real issue, baristas would be flinging skinny 2-pump hazelnut lattes across the counter and gym patrons would be assaulting each other with bars of soap and spray deodorant. But most of the time, we manage to contain ourselves.

Meanwhile, Explosive Stupidity runs rampant. And while such stupidity is not exclusive to the road, the disregard for both traffic laws and physics at 80 miles per hour is significantly more dangerous than poor gym hygiene. So is it any wonder that idiotic behavior on the highway inspires spasms of rage? It's not a disorder. It's the only reasonable response.

So, when I bear down on you in my little four-cylinder Honda, gesturing wildly with both hands to speed up or get over, don't worry about my well-being. Worry about the possibility of a stupidity disorder affecting far more than 16 million Americans.

And for my upholstery's sake, get out of the way. Goat lover.

#######
Reprinted with permission from thinlyread

The UN is not Innocent

2006-07-26T22:08:00.000-04:00

UN Flag on Left
Hezbollah Flag on Right

Independence Day

2006-07-04T09:44:00.000-04:00

Independence Day

Happy Canada Day

2006-07-01T20:10:00.000-04:00

Celebrating The Independence of Our Northern Neighbors

Support Our Troups

2006-06-28T23:07:00.000-04:00

It is hard to feel for a group of people who freely elect a terrorist government and routinely murder civilians.

I praise the Israeli government for restraint and for alerting civilians prior to military activities.

The White House kept up its pressure on Hamas, saying the Palestinian government must "stop all acts of violence and terror." (AP Story)

Protection under the law?

2006-05-29T17:48:00.000-04:00

Question
What can ABC, AP, FOX, and CNN agree on?
Answer
The Children.

Synopses
A man is convicted of sexually assaulting a child, crime that carries a ten-year sentence. The judge sentenced him to probation instead of prison because he was "too short".

The complete story can be found on CNN's site. The felon, Richard Thompson, contacted the ACLU after being convicted of two felony sexual assault charges. Judge Kristine Cecava agreed with the ACLU representative Amy Miller and issued an order of probation instead of prison time.

The judge forbade Thompson from being alone with minors or owning pornography. The penalty for breaking these requirements is 30 days of jail per year. Assuming he breaks the court order every year only 300 days of his sentence would be in prison.

According to Nebraska State Police's website. The police cannot define where a sex offender lives. So, in theory, Thompson could move across the street from a school and uphold the terms of his probation.

Neither the US constitution nor the Nebraska state constitution offers protection on a basis of height. The prison does not consider height a risk factor, but does allow protections to any inmate feeling threatened. And according to a prison spokesman Steve King, height has never been a factor for this type of request.

State Senator Ernie Chambers has been quoted as saying, "We're talking about a crime committed against a child, and shortness is not a defense." Certainly not. It wasn't too much of a impediment to impede the crime.

I hope the Nebraska populace reconsiders Judge Cercava (biography) when she is up for election. This is certainly not in the best interest of her constituents.

The prosecutor is appealing the case.

Happy Birthday

2006-05-29T17:44:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was grillouts, this coming is birthdays.

Happy Birthday - Both of You

'Til Death Do Us Part

2006-05-20T17:30:00.000-04:00

Some good friends of mine got engaged last weekend. Normally this is a time of great joy and "buys" bragging rights until the next engagement. But this was so unique I think they gained rights for the next few.

Jack and Emily have been a couple for as long as I can remember. Encompassing all of my high school and college undergraduate years. So the real surprise to the friends was not if she'd say yes, but if he'd actually ask. They took a mini-vacation on Friday and Saturday to Arches National Park. (And no, they don't have the plague). Emily was quite sure this was her time and on many occasions accidentally bumped into him in a vain attempt to find the ring first.

Several hours into the hike as the sun began to set Jack stopped to 'tie' his shoe. His intention was to take the ring out of his pocket and rotate, on his knee, to ask the question. Unfortunately he lost his balance and fell. Normally falling and hiking are of no concern, but the ring was missing and he couldn't ask for help or show panic.

After multiple excuses and what felt like an eternity Jack caught the bling with his eye. Emily never appeared to notice and tearfully accepted. After returning to town they had each friend over for dinner separately. At each dinner Emily would do her best to show off the ring, but neither one would announce the engagement outright. While the women were preparing the meals she made sure to cut ring-side out, and during social time and dinner she was exceedingly expressive - waving that ring like Bush the Elder in a public address.

It was our mission, the guests, to notice. It took me too many hints. But I gather I was not alone in the delayed response. Once the guests took note and asked, Jack and Emily gleefully told their good news. And over dinner they humorously told of the experience that we won't let them forget.

The Plague is Back

2006-05-20T16:35:00.000-04:00

Bubonic Plague found in the United States
Utah and Colorado have confirmed cases in Rodents

Arches National Park closed it campground on Tuesday by order of the National Park Service in an attempt to keep infection from spreading to humans.

Bubonic Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis which is carried by rodents and spread by fleas. The bacteria causes a blockage in the flea stomach and as a result they will attempt to feed from sources of food nearby -- this includes their usual hosts, rats, as well as near-by potential hosts, Humans. The fleas die shortly after infection due to starvation.

Infected Humans show flu like symptoms in three to seven days. If left untreated death occurs in 30 to 75% of cases. According to Wikipedia "These two countries [Madagascar and Congo] have on average 600-800 cases each per year. They accounted for 2,025 of the 2,118 cases and 177 of the 182 deaths in 2003".

There have been three pandemics of bubonic plague in recorded history: The Plague of Justinian (541 AD), The Black Death (14th Century), and the Third Pandemic (1855).

Dr. Paul-Louis Simmond researched the Third Pandemic and isolated this Flea-Rat cycle of infection. He found that people were not infected with the disease if they came in contact with the rodent more than 24 hours after death. This is since rodents and fleas infected with Yersinia pestis die shortly after infection. With this in mind, the campground needs to be closed for one day after the death of the last infected rodent.

And To Top It Off:
Google's Ad pairing cannot be beat.
In short: "Stay where the buffalo roam... And the rodents have bubonic plague"

A Case Against Online Education

2006-05-14T17:17:00.000-04:00

100% True
100% Scary

The letters below are blinded copies of the official communication between a Masters of Science student and an online university.

This university also offers traditional courses. The in-class option provides an excellent education.

This university is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Higher Education.

Make your own determination as to the value of this course.

==========

TO COLLEGE FROM STUDENT
This letter is to inform you of several occurrences of plagiarism in the most recent course taught by Dr. ***. Blinded copies are enclosed for your review. On *** Dr. *** responded to my concern via email saying “it's not entirely unusual for one student to pick up ideas from another to help form their response.” So, after the second occurrence of plagiarism I asked Director *** to look into the issue.

The graduate code of the University is clear in its expectations of honesty and character. And a graduate student, according the *** Academic Bulletin, is “ expected to understand clearly the nature of cheating and is subject to dismissal from the university for a single incident.”

I am deeply concerned with the quality of education provided to the online students. In addition to the plagiarism, the spelling and grammar used in the discussion forum was not generally at the collegiate level (consider the sample dated *** at 10:55pm). If the instructor is unable or unwilling to assure honesty and quality then the University must step in.

The actions of Dr. *** and Director *** contradict the North Central Commission’s Handbook of Accreditation on three of the five criterion: (#1) Mission and Integrity (#3) Student Learning and Effective Teaching (#4) Acquisition, Discover, and Application of Knowledge.

I believe this can be handled without a formal NCA inquiry. I request that you review this situation thoroughly and respond in writing within thirty days.

Thank you,

**** Blinded Examples

Workshop One
Concerns to professor on ***
Concerns escalated to program director on ***
Concerns followed up with professor on *** (by director)

Workshop Six
Concerns to professor and director on ***
Concerns escalated to *** administration on *** (by director)

*** Discussion | Workshop Six

GROUP ONE
***, ***, ***, ***
Posted *** @ 5:13am
Sourced as: "Based on Walgreen’s found at..."

***'s ongoing task is to offer customers the best online gaming on the web. We focus on gaming innovation with the desires of the end-user in mind. We are guided by values of fairness, trust and honesty as we continue to expand our client base and offer career opportunities to a fast-growing and diverse group of men and women. Our passion is to form and maintain a corporate culture based on respect, creativity, productivity and dignity. We will support these efforts with the most current available technology and international multi-lingual customer service. The success we achieve will allow us to reinvest in our future and build long-term financial security for our customers, our employees and our shareholders.

GROUP TWO
***, ***, ***
Posted *** @ 6:32am
Sourced as: None Given

Offer the best online gaming on the world wide web for their customers, focusing on the desires of the end-user. Our core values will be that of trust and honesty as we go into expanding our client bases and career opportunities. Maintain a corporate culture based on not only trust and honesty, but also on respect, productivity, and creativity.

*** Discussion | Workshop One

***
Posted *** @ 9:48am
In situations of trust deficiency and training self-directed teams would not be advisable. And in situations of low skilled workers it should be used cautiously. The concept is built on knowledge, trust, and understanding. To paraphrase Seinfeld the members must be masters of their domain.

***
Posted *** @ 10:55PM

In continue education on our product or trust deficiency, self-directed teams cannot produce a productive outcome. The amount of product (phones, accessories, data accessories) is not conducive or can sales representatives—to some level, be trusted with this. Inventory is very important.

*** Discussion | Workshop One

***
Posted *** @ 2:16pm
While spirituality is not an official task or concern of a company, the value cannot be ignored. Employees strive to maintain a balance of work and life; this includes their religious affiliations and commitments. Furthermore spirituality serves as a cornerstone for individual values and ethical considerations. Therefore the employer must be sure that spirituality is cautiously monitored such that it can be followed individually if desired but is not forced onto/around others in a manner that is construed as offensive (employers must also assure there is no appearance of preference).

***
Posted *** @ 9:19pm
While spirituality usually isn't considered in a company, it can't be ignored. People that want to keep their Sabbath (no matter what day it is) has to be taken into consideration in some job assignments. As a general rule, one's spirituality, along with culture values, is the basis of one's morals and ethics. High morals and ethics are qualities that companies look for in their employees. However, a company can not be biased for or against a particular religion.

RESPONSE TO STUDENT

This letter is in response to your letter addressed to Dr. *** dated ***. In your letter you stated that there were “several occurrences of plagiarism in the most recent course taught by Dr. ***.” You then presented one instance of group work and two instances of individual discussion postings that you believe were examples of plagiarized material.

The two instances of individual discussion postings that you presented as plagiarism occurred during Workshop One. Your two postings in the *** Discussion Forum were the first student postings in the discussion forum and thus became the basis for an initial thread of discussion. Of extreme importance is the fact that, unlike in-class synchronous discussions where students can add to the discussion using somewhat incomplete thoughts, the initial post of an asynchronous online discussion requires that a student state their thoughts using complete sentences and paragraphs that often include general language related to the question as it has been stated in the workshop material.

In the first example presented, both you and your classmate submitted initial posts that included five paragraphs. Your claim is that the second paragraph of your classmate’s post, discussing the role of spirituality in an organization, was plagiarized based on your fourth paragraph. Careful review reveals that your classmate submitted an initial post that included their own thoughts, several of which were entirely new to the threaded discussion. The particular paragraph in question also had several unique thoughts wrapped inside some relatively general language. In this paragraph, the student was responding to the general question, “Discuss what role spirituality plays in an organization. How do you see [this] reflected in ***?” With this in mind, the statement in the *** honesty and cheating policy that says, “Unquestionable evidence must be in hand before any action will be taken to confront and accuse a student of cheating” cannot be upheld.

The second example provided was also a situation in which one of your classmates presented their initial post. In this case, the student was describing specifically how their company could not utilize self-directed teams. The somewhat poor grammar in the post did make it difficult to understand some of the content. However, other than utilizing a few similar words, the intent and meaning of the paragraph were significantly different than yours. In this case, the student may have developed some of the thought process from your post but the thought development is no different than how students will build on a synchronous conversation utilizing thoughts initially presented by a fellow student.

Regarding spelling and grammar in online discussion forums, it must be stated that the quality of the written word is judged and graded in accordance with the stated course discussion rubric. In comparison, in a classroom setting, the assignment of participation points often has little or no relationship to the quality of grammar or spelling during classroom discussions and activities. Thus, the “penalty” in an online course is more severe than the typical classroom setting.

Finally, concerning the group work example from Workshop Six, you must remember that there are threads of discussion within the small group rooms that allow facilitators and administrators to track the development of group items such as the Mission statement in question. *** has investigated your allegation of plagiarism in this activity and will determine the appropriate action, if any, to be taken.

I appreciate your desire to ensure that *** continues to provide the highest level of honesty and quality in our academic programs.

Sincerely,

Wallets Beware: Predatory Lending

2006-05-14T01:02:00.000-04:00

Wikipedia defines predatory lending as "unconscionable lending practices that take advantage of vulnerable borrowers". While there are some APR guides in determining predatory status they are generally loans secured by real estate or automobiles where the total loan payment represents greater than 50% of the monthly after-tax income. In short, they are situations where the lender offers money under the expection of it defaulting. When a loan defaults the lender gains ownership of the collateral (i.e. car title).

One common example of a predatory loan is a Pay Day loan. This loan is granted without a credit check or collateral for a small amount of money (less than $2000 and often for as little as $100) over a short period of time (generally two weeks). The borrower gives the company a post dated check for the principle plus a fee equivalent to the state maximum APR.

In Ohio the maximum interest rate on a two week loan is 390%. So for every $100 borrowed the company is given $115 in the form of a post-dated check. At the end of the two weeks the borrower can (a) pay of the loan in full or (b) allow the check to be cashed. It is understood that the borrower does not have the $115 in the account on the date written, but it expected to be present at the end of the borrowing period.

According to Randy Ludlow of the Cincinnati Post (Payday Loan Abuses) there were ~400 lawsuits by lenders against borrowers in Ohio courts. Because of the nature of the business checks are often written on insufficient funds and Ohio law allows for prosecution under the "hot check" law. If found guilty the borrowers are liable for the original loan, original loan fee, damages equivalent to triple the loan amount, court costs, and 10% interest until paid. The $100 example becomes $410.

Wikipedia's discussion of Pay Day loans compares several other high rates:

$100 pawn with 20% service fee= 240% APR;
$100 payday advance with $15 fee= 391% APR;
$100 bounced check with $48 NSF/merchant fees = 1,251% APR;
$100 credit card balance with $26 late fee (assumes 25% interest) = 678% APR
$100 payday advance with [sample] Ohio judgement = 3,100% APR

'Idol' Success Story

2006-05-14T00:19:00.000-04:00

Fantasia Barrino, winner of American Idol 2004, will be highlighted in a Lifetime Television movie Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story. The movie is structured to tell the success story of Fantasia's rise from rags to riches. It will tell of her impoverished childhood, life as a single teenage mother, and professional and financial success after winning the American Idol reality television show.

Fantasia has released several songs since finishing Idol and is best known for her smash hit Baby Mama (Lyrics).

There are several possible definitions of Baby Mama according to Urban Dictionary, but none of them are particularly positive. The most common usage refers to a single mother who has never married the father, known as Baby Daddy, and is no longer involved with him.

Unfortunately this situation is often a deliberate plan by one party. Her lyrics And I think it should be a holiday For single mothers tryin' to make a way suggest it was Baby Daddy's plan.

Fantasia has made her own way and is an inspiration to many. The movie is scheduled to air in August 2006.

Money costs Money

2006-05-06T17:14:00.000-04:00

Everyone from BBC to The New York Times has wondered what it costs to make a penny. Both sources predict that the actual cost of creating a US penny will exceed one cent.

Q1: What does it cost to make a penny?
Q2: What happens if cost > face value?

The US Mint reports that value in its Annual Report each year. The 2004 annual report was made public via the mint website recently.

Page 47 of this report breaks out the cost of a coin by denomination:

The US Mint is funded by seigniorage. So while the organization is government sanctioned it is not government funded. The operating expenses of the Mint are obtained through the difference of actual Mint costs less the face value of the coins produced. Profits, if any, are turned over to the Treasury Department General Fund every year.

It is true that the value of a penny may be, on occasion, more than a cent based on metallic content. However, the cost of producing a new unit is not. Additionally it would cost more to buy and melt pennies for metallic content than it would to buy the pure materials.

If it became necessary the Mint would be able to change the metallic contents of coins with congressional approval. This was last done for the penny in 1982. A move to stop making the cent, or any coin, would require a congressional mandate signed by the President.

All costs in the long-term are variable, metals are no exception. The mint compares profitability of all its products by comparing average cost:profit to that of the quarter. This allows for 'apple to apple' comparison yearly.

Protect America

2006-05-04T21:44:00.000-04:00

If you must preface discussions about
immigrant's rights with the term illegal
there is nothing to discuss

The rights and responsibilities of citizens are protected by the Constitution of the United States of America. If an immigrant wishes to become a citizen or protected national they may do so by following a specified procedure.

Active Immigration Bills before the Senate and the House:
S.1033, S.1438, S.1916, S.1917, S.1918, S.1919, S.2611, S.2612 H.R.2330, H.R.4240

The Bill of Rights

Amendment I - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Amendment II - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Amendment III - "No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."

Amendment IV - "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Amendment V - "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

Amendment VI - "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."

Amendment VII - "In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law."

Amendment VIII - "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

Amendment IX - "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

Amendment X - "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Time to Vote

2006-05-03T20:26:00.000-04:00

03 May 06

WASHINGTON, DC - According to Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the nationwide turnout for the primary elections May 2 was lower than anticipated.

In Ohio, State Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell announced today that 23% of his electorates went to the polls. This is significantly below the initial 34% estimate. In fact, according to Blackwell, cities with 5% votes were not uncommon. The City of Saint Bernard, representing 1% of Hamilton County, had only 167 votes cast. The Census Bureau noted in 2000 that the most common reason for not voting is 'lack of time'. On the plus side, Blackwell joked, those who came out made themselves known - each vote was worth nearly 1%.

The United States Naval Observatory Time Service Department announced today that the master clock is running two minutes slow. The Time Service Department used this information in briefing the President this morning. Bush is expected to issue an executive order by week's end allowing for the minutes to be returned on Election day, November 7.

Press Secretary Scott McClellan is expected to entertain questions on this topic during Friday's press briefing.

Danger: Explosive Pumps

2006-05-01T22:27:00.000-04:00

01 May 06

HOPE, Arkansas - Hyde R Cabian injured by pump malfunction at local Triathlon station. He is being held for observation at Medical Park Hospital.

The board of weights and measures assures accuracy on a yearly basis. But the safety latch, designed to control the flow of gasoline, is not on scheduled maintenance.

After swiping his credit card to refuel, Mr. Cabian set the auto-fill latch and went inside to shop. The spicket fell out of the vehicle and covered him with gasoline.

The fumes caused him to briefly lose consciousness. Due to the quick thinking of the attendant, he was moved to safety.

A spokeswoman for the company says that Triathlon will cover any medical expenses accrued as a result of the incident. And they will check all pumps nationwide and repair them if necessary by 01 June 06.

Though appreciative of the company’s support Mr. Cabian is disappointed with the local station. The $45 bill remains. The manager of the station refuses to refund the cost of the gasoline since he did receive it.

City council had scheduled a meeting Friday to consider legislation limiting the liability of gasoline companies. That meeting has been postponed indefinitely. Instead council will honor the clerk for bravery by presenting her with a key to the City.

MACrosoft Windows

2006-04-21T18:52:00.000-04:00

With the new Macintosh units running on the Intel chip they are also able to run Windows XP natively. You can see, by the benchmark figures, that the Macs are better at running Windows than the machines designed to run it.

The most advanced machine in the world now runs the most popular OS in the world. Mac's Windows is equally stable to its PC counterpart and since the user chooses the OS on startup it is not protected by Mac's usual processes (e.g. independently running programs, firewall, virus immunity). So, as in Windows, save early save often.

It does, however, allow for a very easy cross-platform transition. Programs and files do not need conversion and are therefore free from translation issues. Also one can keep a work machine, home machine, and gaming machine, via the same CPU. It is of particular importance to those using the ever-flawed Lotus platform, although since a work system it may be a blessing in disguise. Computer users needing drafting and design programs can still have the functionality, stability, and easy use CGI.

Check out Apple for further details. Once happy with the Mercedes market share, Jobs has led the company forward via improved quality, products, and pricing from the times of the Motorolla chip.

Consider the iPod, OS-X, and Intel Chip.

Investors have certainly taken note. When taking the 2005 2:1 split into account the stock has soared over 1200% in two years.

(Benchmark)

Office Sinners and Saints

2006-04-19T23:10:00.000-04:00

Were they sent to Hell?
Worse. Wisconsin. For the entire span of human history.
-Bethany to Metatron
Dogma, Lions Gate Films, 1999

While the world may not hold Wisconsin in high regards, the Monks at the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank are working to redeem its' image.

Known as LaserMonks and often referred to as Jesus Ink this business operates through the abbey providing competitive prices on new and recycled inkjet cartridges to business, education, and individuals.

Money earned through this process is used for upkeep of their facilities with excess profits being given to various charities. So, the monks say, 'you can save money, save the environment, and contribute to charity' every time you refill the cartridge. The founder, Father McCoy, is looking to franchise the system into other abbey's - being, in essence, the Amazon of the abbey.

After Peter chatted with Michael and Naseer about the PC Loadletter he took them out in the field to enjoy a going away present. This Office Space needed Jesus Ink for the TPS reports, but you may need in for the boring home office.

Got Meat?

2006-04-18T08:46:00.000-04:00

I'm sure everyone is aware of Got Milk?
But only the locals are aware of Got Meat?

Its ironic. Newport on the Levee is everything Cincinnati is trying to be, but it would not exist without Cincinnati's long tradition of success in the arts, business, and sports. Not to mention a beautiful skyline and downtown. (Read the "Stuff to Do" entry for more details). All we need is a casino. Lawrenceberg and Rising Sun are a too far for unplanned trips, something along our river banks (Longworth Hall would be perfect). Maybe we could even make The Banks work with that added business traffic...

Like any active area there is no shortage of drinking establishments. Even the only Hofbrau House in the US. So, what, you ask would you do if you enjoyed a little too much? If your home is North or South our bus system could not be better. Of course no bus schedule has normal times -- be prepared for a 12:02 pick up or a 7:23 drop off.

You'll note, however, Cincinnati hasn't missed the boat completely. All of the advertising above is into the coffers this fine city -- this is on Seventh and Race. We have mastered the Ninth Rule of Acquisition (DS9): Opportunity plus instinct equals profit.

Second Hand Smokers Beware

2006-04-17T16:08:00.000-04:00

Tobbacco Company Sues Second Hand Smokers!!!

Don't tell Big Tobacco, but I have always enjoyed a good 'second hand break.' At my last job it got me two extra paid breaks daily.

According to an article published by Nigel Fleming on this topic
Ms. Wilson, founder of the Environmental Tobacco Smokers Society, prefers the passive variety of smoke, although her husband, Tim, cannot get enough of the primary puff.

The tobacco company fears that their current promotional packages, including a free x-ray with every fifty cartons, may no longer be sufficient to maintain their client base. So, it is pursuing a class action lawsuit to protect its product usage.

A representative of the company, speaking on the condition of anonymity, shared that the company's increasing health-care costs are the mitigating factor of the lawsuit timing. "Our healhcare costs are expected to double in the next decade. And due to damage during the recent severe storms we may be forced to lower our 10-K forecast."

Jim, a life-long resident of Cincinnati Ohio, didn't seem phased by the situation. "How can you blame them - its Bush's fault anyway. Besides, everyone gets an addiction. To some its caffeine, others its nicotine."

Tom, visiting from Chicago Illinois, put out his stogie to speak with this reporter. He was bothered about 'their nerve' and 'lack of respect' for the working people. And wondered how he could support his family when he was too worried during lunch break avoiding smoke to enjoy his food.

"Its quite a world we live in," the tobacco representative continued, "you can sue McDonalds for spilling coffee on yourself or for eating too much of their food. How else can you [the company] protect yourself and your products?"

That's a twist I never considered...

Where is the Afikomen?

2006-04-13T08:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday began the Jewish holiday of Passover. Passover, Pesach in Hebrew, lasts for eight days and commemorates the Exodus from Egypt.

It is one of our holidays summed in the statement:
They tried to kill us. We survived. Lets eat!

While I could go on and on about the overload of amphibians and insects. You know, the ten plagues, I will focus on some more modern instances.

Pesach begins with two dinners called Seder. A Seder, defined simply as "order," is a well structured meal in which we enjoy lavish food, great company, and plenty of wine -- four cups required. We generally double that, just to be safe. I wouldn't want to be a bad Jew or anything. Leavened products like bread and beer are forbidden in remembrance of the story that the fleeing slaves did not have time to let their bread rise. However Ramapo Valley Brewery may put a stop to the latter beginning in 2007!

We had plenty of people over and enough briscuit, matzo ball soup, and asparagus to feed a small army. While this is not unusual for a Jewish mother to prepare this year, in fact, it was not that far off - five of my brother's frat were coming by.

Traditionally after the meal the kids look for a hidden matzo piece called the afikomen. This serves as dessert, but before giving to head of house they bargain for a prize.

The brothers told me a story about their house tradition in which ‘dessert’ and ‘prize’ may have a little different connotation.

Caution: To Avoid The Sharp Matter And Point (And Channel Two Too)

2006-04-12T00:12:00.000-04:00

Caution: To Avoid The Sharp Matter And Point
I guess that hand is the 'before' shot

Soft And Safe Play For Fun
And this is directed to kids?

Catch It, Stress It, Throw It, Hit It!
Stress it. Tell it what you really think.

Pom Pon
WTF?

I wonder if this was on on Channel Two?
According to Cincinnati's WLWT Don and his family are quite upset with what they saw. His wife Nicole told the reporters [that] "They should have immediately taken it off and not waited 25 minutes."
Yeah, right - outraged.

iPod One

2006-04-11T07:29:00.000-04:00

So what would one listen to on Airforce One? Nothing better than the infamous iPod One, of course.

As I sit here prepping for my work day I am reminded that even the leader of the free world can jam during the quest for WMDs.

I think I'll crank up my pod download my 'casts and honor Dubya by cranking up my frat rock and western. And get kickin' this fine Tuesday morning.

I advise you to do the same.

Birthday Bar

2006-04-09T17:14:00.001-04:00

I wasn't really planning on quitting, but thanks for the validation. Why don't we have bars like this in the States? Maybe I'll have to add this on the list of things to do.

I was in a bar yesterday for a birthday party and came across some equally blatant wording. This bar had just relocated from a less desireable area and there were some obvious remnants of its past. The most inappropriate of which was a list of rules posted at the front door. Three stood out: "No Do Rags" -- that makes sense considering (note spelling), "Must Speak English" -- I always thought this was think don't speak, and the last "No Colors" -- I hope that reference was gangs.

Getting in was no problem. Getting out was another story. I had to hop over a slurring cowboy who had earlier served as the DJ. There is nothing quite like a first impression. Not sure if I'll be rivisiting that place.

Stuff To Do

2006-04-09T13:52:00.000-04:00

OK. I have friends coming to town this month and had to come up with something to do. And stuff for them to do while I'm at work.

Turns out our little town has much to do. But I'll have to be a tourist in my own city to recommend them all. Any insite or additions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to everyone who responded with their three cents worth.

Art and Theater
1. Aronoff Center
2. Funnybone
3. Go Bananas Comedy
4. Pendleton Center (Final Friday)
5. Playhouse in the Park
6. Showboat majestic

Entertainment
1. The Beach
2. Blue Wisp
3. Coney Island
4. Kings Island
5. Newport on the Levee
6. Wineries: Meyer, Vinoklet, Moyer, Valley

Gambling
1. Argosy Casino
2. Belterra Casino
3. Grand Victoria Casino
4. Keeneland Race Track
5. River Downs (Race Track)
6. Turfway Park (Race Track)

Museums - Local
1. Art Museum
2. Classical Music Hall of Fame
3. Contemporary Art Center
4. Daniel Carter Beard House
5. Freedom Center
6. Harriet Beecher Stowe Birthplace
7. Loveland Castle
8. Natural History Museum
9. Reds Hall of Fame
10. Taft Birthplace Home
11. Taft Museum
12. Ulysses S Grant Home

Museums - Day Trip
1. COSI/Columbus
2. Louisville Slugger Tour/Museum
3. Lunken Airport
4. Miami/Oxford Art Museum
5. Wright Patterson Air Force Base

Parks - Local
1. Brookville Lake
2. Ault Park
3. Eden Park
4. Fort Ancient
5. French Park
6. Hueston Woods (Oxford)
7. Lake Isabella
8. Mt Airy Forest
9. Sawyer point
10. Sculpture Park (Hamilton)
11. Serpent Mound

Parks - Day Trip
1. Big Bone Lick State Park
2. Levee Murals
3. Mammoth Cave
4. Natural Bridge State Park
5. Red River Gorge
6. Seven Caves
7. Sun Watch Village
8. Yellow Springs

Restaurants/Bars – Local Fare
1. Aglamesis Brothers
2. Arnold’s
3. Graeters
4. Izzy’s
5. LaRosa’s
6. Mainstrasse Village
7. Montgomery Inn
8. The Precinct
9. Skyline
10. United Dairy Farmers
11. Zips

Shopping
1. Findley Market
2. Jungle Jims
3. Traders World

Sports
1. Bearcats (UC)
2. Bengals
3. Kentucky Speedway
4. Muskies (XU)
5. Reds

Drive By's
1. Frank Lloyd Wright Homes

Amberley Village, Indian Hill, Wyoming

2. The Seven Hills of Cincinnati - Include River Overlooks

See http://www.cincinnati.com/local/atoz/upsanddowns.html

3. Architecture Tour

Downtown Cincinnati:
Carew, City Hall, Cincinnati Bell Building, Contemporary Arts Center, Court House, Fourth Street Bus Termincal, John Weld Peck Federal Building, Plum Street Temple, PNC Building, St. Johns Church, St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Suspension Bridge

Cincinnati and Suburbs:
Hughs High School, Frank Lloyd Wright (see #1), University of Cincinnati (DAAP, Vontz Center) Union Terminal, Walnut Hills High School, Withrow High School

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Day Trips
1. Bardstown KY - Jim Beam & Makers Mark
2. German Village, Columbus
3. Shaker Village
4. Windsor Canada