Barbaro Loses His Battle

            Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner,  was euthanized early this morning, ending his 8 month battle to recover from a broken leg he suffered in the running of the Preakness,  and other complications. Much credit goes to Veterinarian  Dr. Dean Richardson, the chief surgeon for Barbaro. What he did, and the decisions he made were nothing short of genius. .......................    Barbaro, R.I.P   full story here

28th Anniversary

         28 years ago today (Jan 26th) vice president Nelson Rockefeller Died , while having sex with his mistress.  Shades of Bill Clinton anyone?
 Or how bout this -
 It was not known that he had a mistress. For these reasons, she was reluctant to call the ambulance. Instead, she called her girlfriend.who came over and the two discussed what to do.
Finally, fully one hour after Nelson Rockefeller had collapsed, the girlfriend  (NOT his mistress)called the ambulance.  Shades Of Ted Kennedy's Chappaquiddick maybe?

The moral to the story?  What I've been trying to get through to you all for quite awhile now, that being:
 "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it"   George Santayana  

The U.S. Doesn't Torture its Prisoners .......

But some of their buddies do........
The U.S. accused him, Canada turned him over, the U.S. sent him to Damascus Syria to be interrogated. why?  Me thinks you know, but for those in denial I'll spell it out - he was sent to Syria so he could be tortured FOR US, while we maintain our moral stance that the U.S. doesn't torture anyone. Full story here ........ or .......... pick your own news site

Cheney says Clinton not good for president

Vice President Dick Cheney said Hillary Rodham Clinton would not make a good president,  because she is a Democrat.
 What?    You expected something less?
 I also think she'd be a poor choice for president. But because she is a liberal, a far left liberal.   NOT JUST because she is a Democrat.
link to story here

Greek leftist guerrillas claim U.S. embassy attack

 Definitely NOT a Muslim terrorist group. You must know by now that Muslim and "leftist'' are opposites to be sure.

U.S. Anti-Missile System for Central Europe?

The U.S. is negotiating to set up an anti-missile system on Polish and Czech soil   The United States is investing billions of dollars a year in a Missile Defense Initiative (MDI) system, which would combine long-range radars and ballistic rockets to detect and shoot down missiles carrying nuclear, bacteriological or chemical warheads.  Full Story Here
The official U.S. stance is: the system will protect it and its allies from missiles that could be fired from North Korea, Iran or other " rogue regimes."
Russia's official stance is: "Our analysis shows that the placing of a radio locating station in the Czech Republic and anti-missile equipment in Poland is a real threat to us,"
Russia, sees the shield as weakening its own security and has warned Warsaw it could take unspecified measures if it is built in Poland.
Polish and U.S. diplomats say Russia's main concern is that the shield might weaken its nuclear deterrent and disturb the military balance in Europe.

I wonder what, if anything this has to do with China's new found capability to destroy satellites with ground missiles? I have no idea if the new U.S . system can even do this (prevent Chinese missile from destroying our satellites), but it is the first thought that came to my mind, not the 'officially stated" uses noted above.  Just throwin it out there for ya.

Perfect Wife?

 A pregnant woman whose husband had tickets for the Chicago Bears Football game this past Sunday, elected to induce labor on Friday so that her husband wouldn't miss the game. .........   Way to "take one for the team"                     Full story here

Sterilize for Health

Microwave zaps germs on sponges

Microwaving your kitchen sponges for 2 minutes on hiugh will kill 99% of all bacteria, viruses or parasites, as well as spores.







.

The Resurrection of Another Deity

Yet another god has risen from the dead, only this one has taken awhile.  It seems that 2 separate groups in Greece are resurrecting Zues, king of the ancient gods. A group dedicated to reviving worship of the 12 ancient gods, was founded last year and won a court battle for official state recognition of the ancient Greek religion.

The worshippers also face another obstacle: Greece's powerful Orthodox Church.

Virtually all native born Greeks are baptized Orthodox Christian, and the church regards ancient religious practices as pagan. Representatives of the church in the past have not attended flame ceremonies at Olympia because reference is made to Apollo, the ancient god of music and light.
Christianity took hold in Greece in the 4th century after Roman Emperor Constantine's conversion. Emperor Theodosius wiped out the last vestige of the Olympian gods when he abolished the Olympic Games in 394 A.D. The modern revival of the Olympiad maintains a slender link to ancient ceremonies.
"Christianity did not prevail without bloodshed," said Peppa, a novelist and historical writer. "After 16 centuries of negativity toward us, we've gotten something in our favor."    LINK to Story here

Freedom of Speech?

 So you thought we have freedom of speech in the U.S.?  Thought we were fighting to "maintain" our freedoms did ya?  Well check this out.  I'm kinda glad my blog about Saddams hanging was just slightly more vague and for a change I'm glad no one reads it.

Seem as if a poor 81 year man with a penchant for politically charged letter writing, got himself a little more attention than was necessary, or wanted, when two Secret Service agents, showed up at his house.  Seemed they were upset at his latest letter wherein he stated he thought  "they hanged the wrong man." That was ALL he said. He  never mentioned ANY name that he thought would have been a better idea. I did, BUT i didn't mention anything implying  a threat ( i hope). I just said i hope that other lunatic gets his day in court, and a fitting punishment. That's ambiguous enough I think (hope).
Coincidence, honest mistake by the ingenious U.S. intelligence (?). Intelligence?, talk about dumbing down. This wasn't the first time the Feds paid a visit to this man. Two FBI agents showed up at his home last year about a letter he wrote advocating a civil war to unseat Bush.  So much for your freedom of speech.  Link to story here.

Should Spanking be Banned?

HELL NO!
 whats the saying?  "Spare the rod spoil the child"
 A law is being considered to do just this.
 Its never been more obvious that after a generation in which we DID spare the rod, the children HAVE been spoiled. Back in the "old days" i watched plenty of TV, and saw cartoons where the characters got the crap beat out of them regularly, "war movies" with plenty of gore and killing, Westerns galore, replete with hangings, beatings, shootouts & bank robberies galore.  BUT NO SEX on TV save for a little peck on the cheek in"Father Knows Best or Leave it to Beaver. So did TV influence me?  NO!. My parents influenced me, which is as it should be. Its their job to teach right from wrong.
 
 Now onto todays children.  To start, kids today have access to over 100 TV channels (we had like 5), many uncensored. They have the internet, totally uncensored and unregulated. They hav gratuitous sex and violence in their music.
So now compare yesterdays kids to todays and what do we ( I ) see?  We see that todays children are (generally speaking, YMMV) less respectful than ever,  more violent than ever, more apt to have sex (earlier) than ever, yet better (?) educated than ever. The (?) after better indicates my doubt that they are any smarter as indicated among other things by their inability to make change of a dollar if the cash register doesnt tell them. But I digress, as usual. Forgive me, my A.D.D. sometimes gets the best of me.  Speaking of A.D.D., ...... JUST KIDDING Im back on track, tho another good story would be how everything today has a name (excuse) attached to it.  Now where was I? 
     Oh yes todays youth vs. yesterdays.  So what is wrong with todays youth?  NO, thats not a good question, its quite obvious WHATS  wrong. A better question would be WHY is todays youth the way they are?  Is TV to blame?  The Internet perhaps. The violent video games they all play? Their music?  Im sure you've heard other suggestions as well. But i offer another reason. a very unpopular reason. Yes that is my job bringing you the unpopular truth.
    Todays youth are the way they are because of poor parenting and / or lack of parenting at all.    Why is this? Economics;   today and for the last 30+ years it has become increasingly NECESSARY for mothers to work outside the house, to supplement their husbands income, not so much because it was meager, but because they wanted more, they wanted a better life.  A noble cause, but one fraught with drawbacks as we are now witnessing, and one with no end in sight.  Compound this with todays ease of divorce (amazing how few people "work things out" today) and the resultant single mothers who now NEED to go to work and we've got quite a problem here.
   You see its a parents job to regulate what their children watch, what they listen to, who they hang out with, and how they dress to name just a few. But how can they when they are busy working all day. Mothers need to stay home with their children. period!.. Want to be "politically correct"? Fine "A" parent needs to be home with their children. If you can work the hours they are in school, fine. If not, then your first priority is to that child. To divorced mothers, your exempted obviously, though the kids will suffer. Single mom?  Tough, you get what your hand calls for. You had options. You chose this. Deal with it, but know also your children will pay the price. Congratulations. Next time just say no, or pick another option. There are plenty available today.

But what the heck does this have to do with spanking? Geez now that I've read it back, I realize my A.D.D. is worse than I thought. I completely forgot about spanking.
So is the banning of spankin  a good idea?
 Spanking is a good tool which (like war) is best kept as a last resort, but the threat should be there none the less. As a parent I never had to use it, ( well maybe once as they tell me now), and things worked out quite wellI think. In fact this is funny (to me), when my child misbehaved, all i had to do was pretend to "spit in my hands and rub then together" (as if "warming" up) and that was enough. The tears would flow and the lesson learned. The anticipation of what"might" be coming was all that was needed, but the "tool" was always there, at least in their mind.

And as for me? how did I turn out after having grown up on gratuitously violent but sexless tv, with an occasional necessary spanking thrown in? 
Well I'm a (mostly) law abiding, moderate, peace loving, satyric.  ......... Go figure

Baseball Decides Curbing Drug Use Too Costly

In two earlier blogs (here & here) I've stated my feelings about steroid use  by professional baseball players, that being that they (players) are entertainers and  America at least is a very demanding arena which doesnt care one iota about a persons well being. All they care about is getting the best "bang" for their buck. At the salaries being given out to players today, I neither care about their long term health any more than they care about mine. Am I selfish? Sure. Am I alone?  Hell no,  as can be seen in the latest news about baseball owners and drug use by itys players. The owners dont want to increase the penalties for amphetamine use because doing so would require them to also reopen their new labor agreement, which runs through 2011. One owner was quoted as saying "It's not worth making a big deal over it,"  That sentiment no doubt is echoed by other owners as well. Why? Well the key word is "worth" To reopen the labor agreement and increase drug use penalties would no doubt result in higher monetary cost to ownership through "give backs" to the players.  So as it is with everything in America, when it comes to higher cost in dollars vs. higher cost in health detriment, well you all know money willl win every time. After all thats the reason we backed out of the Kyoto treaty ,because the cost would have been too high. But hey thats another story
 Full story here

Really Weird Optical Illusion

I've always appreciated optical illusions but this one I've never encountered this one before. Enjoy

http://www.matthewroddy.com/mental/angry_face.htm

Update to Yesterday's Katrina Story

            In a fitting conclusion to yesterdays "A Nice Katrina Story," today it was announced that one family whose frozen embryos were "rescued" in the Katrina aftermath, have given birth to a The 8 pound, 6 1/2-ounce boy, aptly named "Noah".  Full Story HERE

A Nice "Katrina" Story

With all the controversy surrounding the rights and wrongs of "in-vitro fertilization", & frozen embryos and what happens to them, here is a story with a happy ending.

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans there were 1,400 embryos frozen in canisters of liquid nitrogen at a hospital that housed one of the two labs for The Fertility Institute. Among them were the five frozen embryos that held a couple's chance to give their son (also "created" at the fertility clinic), a brother or sister.
The canisters can keep their contents frozen for weeks — but they're designed for use in an air-conditioned room, not a building where temperatures were soaring into the 100s without any electricity.
Dr. Belinda Sartor helped lead a rescue expedition with officers using flat-bottomed boats to rescue the child's frozen embryo from a sweltering hospital in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The couples' relief at learning the embryos were safe was far more than just knowing they wouldn't have to pay another $12,000 for a second round of in-vitro fertilization.
"We see our little boy — we see what the potential of those little embryos is, It meant more to us than a few cells frozen in a hospital." Full Story Here

When "Heaven" Becomes "Hell"

"Yellowstone National Park"
One of my all time favorite places in the U.S. can be quite forbidding at certain times of the year.
Most times if hot climate is your "thing"

Head Severed During Hanging?

        Saddam Hussein's half brother and the former head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court were hanged today, during which the head of one of the accused, Barzan Ibrahim, was severed,  in what is being called "a rare incident." 
The announcement drew outrage from some in the Sunni community,  with Khalaf al-Olayan, a leader of the main Sunni bloc in parliament, , claiming . "It is impossible for a person to be decapitated during a hanging, this shows that they (the government) have violated the law by mutilating the body. "We want to see the video that was taken during the execution of the two men in order for them (government) to prove what they are saying," he added.
It was not known if the government took an official video, as it did during Saddam's execution.

Given the Muslim terrorists proclivity for beheading, this is an interesting dev elopment indeed ..............
In keeping with my policy of presenting the truth as best can be found,  HERE is an explanation that beheading CAN indeed occur and the scientific and mathematical calculation that should be done to insure that the head doesn't come off.  If not for the gruesomeness of the deed, the calculation process could almost be laughable.

Getting Out of Military Duty and Other Things

Finally an iron-clad, (or is it un-clad) way to get out of military duty and possible the service altogether.
 Click here for more info

Baseballs Hall of Fame?

Could you?  Would you?  Should you?  How?  Why?

These are all the questions I'm asking myself about Barry Bonds getting into, or NOT getting to the Hall of Fame. He has been implicated in Steroid use. Now he has failed a test (or 2) for amphetamine use.  He has claimed ignorance both times saying he didnt know what it was. Well ok even if you believe him, does he, as an overall person, belong in the Hall? As a player he is a cheat & as a person he is mean, selfish and standoffish ( likeTy Cobb) AT BEST!.. He is racist ( like Ty Cobb also), and maybe criminal (drug use)( Ty Cobb also? dont know).
Having said that, he sounds just like another Hall of Famer - Ty Cobb. Ok but Ty Cobb didnt as far as we know use any performance enhancing stuff. What about Pete Rose? He's arguably being kept out of the Hall because hes a cheat and a liar.  What of Mark McGuire? Hes been accused of cheating also, but all he's ever been "caught" with were LEGAL over the counter stuff, easily bought (at the time) in any health food store and used by many athletes. Yet in the latest Hall vote, a clear message was sent to him and other who are "suspect". 
And what of Major League Baseballs complicity in "cheating"?  There are claims that baseballs in previous year were "doctored" in that they were made to different specifications than "normal."  Medical quality computer imaging tests were performed that appeared to prove the accusations.
So what of Americas favorite pastime? Is it tarnished?  Who is to blame?  Who is responsible?  Is it the greedy owners for paying too much, throwing heaps of money at players and then demanding and rightfully expecting herculean performances?  Is it the players fault striving to be the best (and hence the highest paid) at all costs?  Or is it the fans fault?  The American fans, always demanding more, never satisfied, the great(?) American way. Just as todays car, Tv, computer and much of everything else is outdated by  tommorrow,  such is how we view and treat our athletes and other icons. Here today, gone tomorrow, wouldnt you do all that you could to survive and thrive rather than shrivel and die? 
My views have long ago been "'blogged" and can be seen here

"Trailer Park" Millionaires

Often the brunt of jokes, looks of scorn and or pity, residents of one of Americas trailer parks will finally get a taste of the good life, a chance to return all those negativities that lumped them all together in the same punch line. Yes property owners living in Briny Breeze mobile home park  approved the sale of this 43 acre community for 510 million dollars.  The vote will make many of the 488 property owners millionaires.            Ful Story Click HERE                                             allworldviews

Fwd "Spy Coins"?

Don't you just hate getting them damn Canadian pennies (nickles, dimes & quarters too ) in your change? I mean its bad enough to have American pennies in your pocket, for the litttle use they are but Canadian pennies!  Well thats just a new low. You cant even give them away.
Well here is a story that may make the coins more valuable but also may make you hate them even more.  It seems that "spies" are embedding tiny transmitters in Canadian coins.  The article speculates on the "risk" to the spy that his "transmitter" might only last till the nearest vending machine, but I say thats where the lowly, disgusting  penny comes in. its practically valueless, not acceppted even in vending machines, toll machines, nothing; and don't bring it back into the U.S. because here its worth even less than nothing, often getting your stares, words of disgust or even arguments with whomever you try to "pass" it off on or in trying NOT to get it passed to you.

 Well now it has a value, IF you have an imagination, you can envision yourself a spy, as you clandestinely walk down to the waters edge and cast the "transmitter" in the water and then walk away confident that you have foiled the enemy once again....
This information was passed onto me from my Canadian "mole"
Full Story - click HERE                                                                             allworldviews

Fwd: WOW!

A bald eagle owes its life to the sharpshooting skills of an Iowa conservation officer.  The eagle was found hanging about 60 feet above a lake & looking through binoculars it appeared to have caught a talon in a knothole in a tree  branch.  Mercy killing seemed the best option, but a conservation officer asked for a chance to free the bird with his rifle, figuring at best the bird would fall into the lake and have to be rescued for rehabilitation at a clinic.  His shot went cleanly through the edge of the knothole & the eagle flew away. 
         Full Story click HERE                                                                                         allworldviews

Good News!

Stem cells from amniotic fluid

A Stem Cell discovery that maybe we can ALL live (longer?) with.

"Blessed Art Thou"

Thats the title of a painting causing quite a stir in North Carolina, and thanks too the "net" many other places as well. If you take it in the context that is was meant you will see the artists point, very well made, tho you will still probably not like her painting
"My intention was to ask a question and get people to think," Kate Kretz said in a telephone interview Friday from Miami. "I had no idea so many people would be asking a question and thinking." she found herself feeding that obsession with a painting of actress Angelina Jolie as the Virgin Mary hovering over a Wal-Mart check-out line.
the artist said the painting addresses "the celebrity worship cycle." She said she chose Jolie for the subject "because of her unavoidable presence in the media, the worldwide anticipation of her child, her 'unattainable' beauty and the good that she is doing in the world through her example, which adds another layer to the already complicated questions surrounding her status."

Radical "Elective" Surgery on Disabled Child

The parents of a severely mentally and physically disabled 9 year old girls have opted for radical surgery designed to keep her small and more "manageable".  She will be basically "frozen" at her current growth level of 4' 5" and 65-75 lbs. The "treatment"  includes high doses of Estrogen as well as the removal of her uterus,  breast tissue and depending on the article you choose, her appen dix as well.
Some are crying Eugenics, but I don't see it based on my understanding that she would never have been able to have her own child anyway, so preventing her from "breeding" in this case isn't relevant.

Any Opinions anyone?.
 choose your article from here   google search results, or go with the one i picked from Scientific American




The World Unleashed allworldviews.blogspot.com

A Quiverfull

I just finished watching "nightline" on TV about people who are opposed to any and ALL forms of birth control or family planning. They contend that it is all in Gods hands and whatever He wants they will joyfully accept.

On their site, Quiverfull.com they say "We exalt Jesus Christ as Lord, and acknowledge His headship in all areas of our lives, including fertility. We exist to serve those believers who trust the Lord for family size, and to answer the questions of those seeking truth in this critical area of marriage."

What amazed me was i had just finished having discussions about this very subject. It all started when i sent this to a staunch observer of catholic tradition. Its about a new technology that is now available that predicts a womens times of fertility ( and hence infertility also) much more accurately than ever before and the questoin I posed was "do you think the Catholic Church would allow this device to be used since they do allow what they refer to as "natural family planning?" Well long story short I was advised that the catholic church allows NOTHING that would be used as contraception. Delaying a family temporarily the natural way, yes thats ok, but nything used to prevent pregnacy indefinitely or forever or for any extended period of time IS wriong and hence a sin.
Just retyping this explanation has given me a headache and i sure hope i quoted it right. BUT in the event that i dint you can read the full disussion here, and read about the device here
do check out all the links (especially the discussion here) as i think they are all worth reading

Congressman to be sworn in using Quran

Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, will use a Quran to be sworn in, BUT in the true spirit of compromise (the middle works again) he will be using a Quran once owned by Thomas Jefferson!
The chief of the Library of Congress' rare book and special collections division, will walk the Quran across the street to the Capitol and then walk it back after the ceremony.
Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert said the new congressman "wants this to be a special day, and using Thomas Jefferson's Quran makes it even more special." "Jefferson's Quran dates religious tolerance to the founders of our country," he added.
Ah you gotta love the middle and a good compromise. full story here
For additional discussion on whether or not an elected American official should be allowed to use the Quran or not click here and here

Pat Robertson Predicts 'Mass Killing'

The confirmed idiot has removed his feet from his mouth just long enough to make yet another stupid & potentially dangerous statement, this time predicting a terrorist attack on the United States late in 2007 resulting in "mass killings."
He said, "God told him that major cities and possibly millions of people will be affected by the attack, which should take place sometime after September.
Even assuming he will be correct, isn't this tantamount to yelling "bomb" in a crowd? A prediction like this is irresponsible at best, criminal at worst. I just thank God that most people already know what a nut he is and pay him no mind. The rest (his followers / believers) however are quite dangerous in their own right, for they actually long for the end of the world and not only would do nothing to stop it, some might actually assist in the destruction, mistakenly thinking (like Muslin fanatics) that they are doing Gods will.