NY Times: Bush signs landmark executive order increasing power over federal agencies
The President "signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules that the federal government develops to regulate public health, safety," privacy and other issues, writes Robert Pear for the Times.
"verbal snapshot" of George Bush's seven State of the Union addresses
This is very cool! Highlights the most used words from the SOTU speeches since the beginning. The link itself provides a photo of Bush's speeches but you can go back and check 'em all out at this link: http://chir.ag/phernalia/preztags/
The Dwarves at the Knitting Factory
I saw The Dwarves at the Knitting Factory last Wednesday as a sort of going away party for my friend Jussi. They came highly recommended and they did not disappoint pumping out rockin, heavy punk rock classics. Once they took the stage, beer was flying everywhere and the mosh pit started up in earnest. The bottom photo is of lead singer crowd surfing. The opening bands Unsane and Turbo AC were alright with Turbo sounding like the DK's sans Biafra, who incidentally will be doing his spoken word gig at the factory in a couple of weeks.
Lawmakers call for Bush impeachment, NM
A state can't mandate impeachment, but impeachment charges from a state can be forwarded to the U.S. House of Representatives and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, according to impeachment advocates.
If Tesco and Wal-Mart are Friends of the Earth, Are There Any Enemies Left?
The superstores compete to convince us they are greener than their rivals, but they are locked into unsustainable growth
by George Monbiot
by George Monbiot
The Invisible Enemy in Iraq
Since OPERATION Iraqi Freedom began in 2003, more than 700 US soldiers have been infected or colonized with Acinetobacter baumannii. A significant number of additional cases have been found in the Canadian and British armed forces, and among wounded Iraqi civilians. The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology has recorded seven deaths caused by the bacteria in US hospitals along the evacuation chain. Four were unlucky civilians who picked up the bug at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, while undergoing treatment for other life-threatening conditions. Another was a 63-year-old woman, also chronically ill, who shared a ward at Landstuhl with infected coalition troops.
Sources say case workers for wounded laid off
Defense Department officials have laid off most of their case workers who help severely injured service members, sources said.
The case workers for the Military Severely Injured Center serve as advocates for wounded service members who have questions or issues related to benefits, financial resources and their successful return to duty or reintegration into civilian life — all forms of support other than medical care.
The case workers for the Military Severely Injured Center serve as advocates for wounded service members who have questions or issues related to benefits, financial resources and their successful return to duty or reintegration into civilian life — all forms of support other than medical care.
Travel to U.S. off 17 pct since 9/11
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A 17 percent drop in overseas travelers to the United States since the September 11 attacks has cost the country more than $15 billion in lost taxes and nearly 200,000 jobs, a study showed on Tuesday.
MARCH ON WASHINGTON TO END THE WAR!
Momentum is beginning to build for the politically urgent mobilization on Saturday, Jan. 27th. There are already more than 500 endorsements for the demonstration and we are hearing from groups around the country that they are organizing to get people to Washington, DC. In order to send the strongest, clearest message to the new Congress we are working hard to have the largest turnout possible.
Watada backers indict Iraq war
More than 400 people turned out Saturday for a forum on the legality of the Iraq war that felt like part congressional hearing, part teach-in and part religious tent revival.
Speakers were sworn in while placing their hands on the U.S. Constitution. They quoted Henry David Thoreau, playwright Berthold Brecht, President Ulysses S. Grant and the prosecutor at the Nuremberg war crimes trial. There were standing ovations, impassioned speeches and appeals to leave a few bucks in the collection basket.
Speakers were sworn in while placing their hands on the U.S. Constitution. They quoted Henry David Thoreau, playwright Berthold Brecht, President Ulysses S. Grant and the prosecutor at the Nuremberg war crimes trial. There were standing ovations, impassioned speeches and appeals to leave a few bucks in the collection basket.
Life on the Plantation
First, the joke Bill Moyers tells at the beginning of his long, but solid and inspirational speech at the Media Reform Conference in Memphis, recently.
One of my favorite stories is of the fellow who was about to jump off a bridge when another fellow runs up to him, crying: “Stop. Stop. Stop. Don’t do it.”
The man on the bridge looks down and asks, “Why not?”
“Well, there’s much to live for.”
“Like what?”
“Well, your faith. Are you religious?”
“Yes.”
“Me, too. Christian or Buddhist?”
“Christian.”
“Me, too. Are you Catholic or Protestant?”
“Protestant.”
“Me, too. Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist?”
“Baptist.”
“Me, too. Are you original Baptist Church of God or Reformed Baptist Church of God?”
“Reformed Baptist Church of God.”
“Me, too. Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1820, or Reformed Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1912?”
“1912.”
Whereupon the second fellow turned red in the face, shouted, “Die, you heretic scum,” and pushed him off the bridge.”
And I like this bit too:
"When I watch one of those faux debates on a Washington public affairs show, with one politician saying this is a bad bill, and the other politician saying this is a good bill, I yearn to see the smiling, nodding beltway anchor suddenly interrupt and insist: “Good bill or bad bill, this is a bought bill. Whose financial interest are you serving here?”
One of my favorite stories is of the fellow who was about to jump off a bridge when another fellow runs up to him, crying: “Stop. Stop. Stop. Don’t do it.”
The man on the bridge looks down and asks, “Why not?”
“Well, there’s much to live for.”
“Like what?”
“Well, your faith. Are you religious?”
“Yes.”
“Me, too. Christian or Buddhist?”
“Christian.”
“Me, too. Are you Catholic or Protestant?”
“Protestant.”
“Me, too. Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist?”
“Baptist.”
“Me, too. Are you original Baptist Church of God or Reformed Baptist Church of God?”
“Reformed Baptist Church of God.”
“Me, too. Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1820, or Reformed Baptist Church of God Reformation of 1912?”
“1912.”
Whereupon the second fellow turned red in the face, shouted, “Die, you heretic scum,” and pushed him off the bridge.”
And I like this bit too:
"When I watch one of those faux debates on a Washington public affairs show, with one politician saying this is a bad bill, and the other politician saying this is a good bill, I yearn to see the smiling, nodding beltway anchor suddenly interrupt and insist: “Good bill or bad bill, this is a bought bill. Whose financial interest are you serving here?”
Report: Waters' suicide tied to brain damage
Some of the hits these football players put on each other, you know, it's perhaps not too surprising that brain damage would result. So sad.
"Bennet Omalu of the University of Pittsburgh told The New York Times that Waters' brain tissue resembled that of an 85-year-old man and that there were characteristics of early stage Alzheimer's. Omalu told the newspaper he believed the damage was related to multiple concussions Waters sustained during his 12-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals.
Waters was 44 when he committed suicide last November."
"Bennet Omalu of the University of Pittsburgh told The New York Times that Waters' brain tissue resembled that of an 85-year-old man and that there were characteristics of early stage Alzheimer's. Omalu told the newspaper he believed the damage was related to multiple concussions Waters sustained during his 12-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals.
Waters was 44 when he committed suicide last November."
Cheap, safe drug kills most cancers
DCA can cause pain, numbness and gait disturbances in some patients, but this may be a price worth paying if it turns out to
be effective against all cancers. The next step is to run clinical trials of DCA in people with cancer. These may have to be funded by charities, universities and governments: pharmaceutical companies are unlikely to pay because they can’t make money on unpatented medicines. The pay-off is that if DCA does work, it will be easy to manufacture and dirt cheap.
Paul Clarke, a cancer cell biologist at the University of Dundee in the UK, says the findings challenge the current assumption that mutations, not metabolism, spark off cancers. “The question is: which comes first?” he says.
The many stripes of anti-Americanism
The poster is a North Korean poster advocating a forceful retaliation against the oppressive American regime. The image says as much. Thanks to der wife for the translation and to Dre for the article.
"But is anti-American sentiment as rampant as it seems? In their new edited volume, "Anti-Americanisms in World Politics" (Cornell University Press), international relations scholars Peter Katzenstein and Robert Keohane bring together a distinguished group of social scientists to consider how much anti-Americanism there is, and whether, in fact, anti-Americanism is any one thing at all.
The plural "anti-Americanisms" in the book's title reveals its core insight: Anti-Americanism is not a single, unitary phenomenon. Instead, Katzenstein and Keohane suggest there are four distinct strains."
Gunboat Diplomacy: The Watch on the Gulf
More signs of imminent war v. Iran. That's the Straight of Hormuz in the photo. A very narrow lane and the Persian Gulf is far from a huge area. With two carrier groups in the gulf, it could get very congested.
"In both, the main fighting is counterinsurgency, largely the task of light infantry like the Marines and the Army’s 10th Mountain or 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. CentCom, as it is known, has always been run by a four-star general from the Army or Marines.
So why name a sailor — Adm. William J. Fallon — as CentCom’s new commander, as President Bush did earlier this month?
One word: Iran.
China to Sign $3.6b Deal for Iranian Gas Field Investment
Maybe this is one of the reasons we are threatening to attack Iran, eh? Do we really want to pick a fight with the Chinese? Or with Russia who also have lots of energy interests in Persia?
"Washington is pressing Beijing to reconsider a deal by a state-owned oil company to invest in another Iranian gas field, citing efforts to sanction Tehran over its nuclear program. That deal calls for China National Offshore Oil Co. to invest $16 billion in the North Pars gas field."
David Lynch and Donovan at Lincoln Center
Last night, the wife and I saw David Lynch answer questions and read from his new book, Catching the Big Fish at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. The book is all about his explorations with meditations and consciousness. He advocates transcendental meditation as a cure all because when one transcends, you dive into "oceans of bliss" that are much "better than orgasms" according to David. He was very sincere and inspirational. Following the Q&A, Donovan came out and played about 10 songs including the classic Hurdy Gurdy Man which he said he wrote after travelling to India where he, the Beatles and Mia Farrow (I am pretty sure he said that) meditated with some famous yogi. Ya Mon!
But seriously, it has inspired me to find out more about transcendental mediation with the aim of experiencing the universal bliss and consciousness of which he spoke. It sounds amazingly rewarding.
Lecture by Kary Mullis-Creator of PCR
He talked about two things. The scheduled thing was about his new company Altermune and how he designed some new scheme to rapidly prime immune cells to respond to emerging diseases. For this part, he rambled aimlessly and repetitively.
The second part, seemingly un-rehearsed, was much more interesting. He speculated that brain diseases like Alzheimer and Parkinsons are due to an accumulation of Fe3+ iron in the cell. He knows alot about iron chemistry and says that it simpy builds up. Neurons, which don't divide, are especially senstive to accumulations of Fe3+ as there is no known cellular disposal method. He says his idea is not a new one as others have written about it. Notably, he says one reliable way to dispose of iron is to habitually give blood. Hah!
Interesting, likable character he was.
Moment 600 years ago that terror came to Mummies of the Amazon
More info about the Chachapoya Cloud people:
This mystic fortress was built by the Chachapoya Cloud people.
Kuelap is twice as old as the Inca Empire and its stonework remains in remarkably good condition. It was built by the Chachapoyan Cloud People (most likely) to stop the invasion of the Andes most spectacular Tiahunaco/ Huari Empire advancing from Bolivia. This Huari Empire was known as “the Golden City Building Era of Peru”, whereas the Chachapoyans were a small regional confederation who built all their citadels on defensive peaks in the clouds. The Chachapoyans origin is unknown and later reported by the Inca Chronicles to be tall “fair” warriors.
British academic pinned to the ground and thrown in jail by U.S. police - for jaywalking
Felipe Fernandez-Armesto said he was the victim of "terrible, terrible violence" after he crossed the road in the wrong place in Atlanta, Georgia, last week.
The 56-year-old academic failed to realise that a man telling him to stop crossing was a police officer and he argued with him.
Kevin Leonpacher kicked the professor's legs from under him when he hesitated in showing his ID. The officer called for back-up and Professor Fernandez-Armesto was handcuffed to another suspect in a "filthy, foetid paddy wagon".
Traumatised, disorientated and with a gash to the head, he was taken to jail and charged with pedestrian failure to obey a police officer and physical obstruction of police.
The 56-year-old academic failed to realise that a man telling him to stop crossing was a police officer and he argued with him.
Kevin Leonpacher kicked the professor's legs from under him when he hesitated in showing his ID. The officer called for back-up and Professor Fernandez-Armesto was handcuffed to another suspect in a "filthy, foetid paddy wagon".
Traumatised, disorientated and with a gash to the head, he was taken to jail and charged with pedestrian failure to obey a police officer and physical obstruction of police.
Chavez Urged by U.S. to Compensate American Companies
The U.S. has ``seen the results of nationalization in other places, and in general these types of actions do not produce economic benefits as expected,'' White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. ``If any U.S. companies are affected, we expect them to be promptly and fairly compensated.''
Exxon Mobil Corp., ConocoPhillips, Chevron Corp. and Total SA may lose their shares in the four heavy oil ventures if Chavez's plan is approved by Venezuela's congress. New York- based Verizon Communications Inc. has a stake in the country's telephone network.
Exxon Mobil Corp., ConocoPhillips, Chevron Corp. and Total SA may lose their shares in the four heavy oil ventures if Chavez's plan is approved by Venezuela's congress. New York- based Verizon Communications Inc. has a stake in the country's telephone network.
2006 Cyclist Memorial Ride
undreds of riders turn out to remember cyclists killed in NYC at the annual memorial ride.
Milk in tea 'blocks health gains'
A small German study found drinking black tea significantly improved the ability of arteries to relax and expand to keep blood pressure healthy.
But the European Heart Journal paper also found proteins in milk, called caseins, blocked this effect.
Jon Stewart's Gandhian Struggle
Stewart routinely challenges his interviewees. When Anderson Cooper told him CNN has a "sense of mission," Stewart asked, "When's it gonna show on air?" His tenacity in holding on to the truth as his interviewees try to spin it showed clearly when he debated marriage with Bill Bennett:
JS: Why not encourage gay people to join in that family arrangement if that is what provides stability to a society?
BB: Well, I think...gay people are already members of families. They're sons and they're daughters.
JS: So that's where the buck stops? That's the gay ceiling.
BB: Look, it's a debate about whether you think marriage is between a man and a woman.
JS: I disagree. I think it's a debate about whether you think gay people are part of the human condition or just a random fetish.
JS: Why not encourage gay people to join in that family arrangement if that is what provides stability to a society?
BB: Well, I think...gay people are already members of families. They're sons and they're daughters.
JS: So that's where the buck stops? That's the gay ceiling.
BB: Look, it's a debate about whether you think marriage is between a man and a woman.
JS: I disagree. I think it's a debate about whether you think gay people are part of the human condition or just a random fetish.
Teahupo'o goes off in Tahiti!
What a dream surf spot this is and such a monster wave with dangerous, sharp coral lurking just underwater.
First Lieutenant Ehren Watada still refuses Iraq deployment orders, calling the war illegal
"I, like many Americans, believed the administration when they said the threat from Iraq was imminent — that there were weapons of mass destruction all throughout Iraq; that there were stockpiles of it; and because of Saddam Hussein's ties to al-Qaeda and the 9/11 terrorist acts, the threat was imminent and we needed to invade that country immediately in order to neutralize that threat.
Since then I think I, as many, many Americans are realizing, that those justifications were intentionally falsified in order to fit a policy established long before 9/11 of just toppling the Saddam Hussein regime and setting up an American presence in Iraq."
IVINS: It's up to us to stop this war
We need to cut through all this smoke and mirrors and come up with an exit strategy, forthwith. The Democrats have yet to offer a cohesive plan to get us out of this mess. Of course, it's not their fault -- but the fact is we need leaders who are grown-ups and who are willing to try to fix it. Bush has ignored the actual grown-ups from the Iraq Study Group and the generals and all other experts who are nearly unanimous in the opinion that more troops will not help.
Experts Find Diet Sodas Can Have A Negative Effect On Weight Loss
But, as The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay reports, some experts are now saying diet soda may be doing the exact opposite: making them gain weight.
Epidemiologist Sharon Fowler, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, presented research data on soda consumption to the American Diabetes Association.
"What we saw was that the more diet sodas a person drinks, the more weight they were likely to gain," she says.
Epidemiologist Sharon Fowler, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, presented research data on soda consumption to the American Diabetes Association.
"What we saw was that the more diet sodas a person drinks, the more weight they were likely to gain," she says.
White House visitor records closed
WASHINGTON - The White House and the Secret Service quietly signed an agreement last spring in the midst of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal declaring that records identifying visitors to the White House are not open to the public.
The Bush administration didn't reveal the existence of the memorandum of understanding until last fall. The White House is using it to deal with a legal problem on a separate front, a ruling by a federal judge ordering the production of Secret Service logs identifying visitors to the office of Vice President Dick Cheney.
visitors like this guy, eh?
U.S. Bars Lab From Testing Electronic Voting
Experts say the deficiencies of the laboratory suggest that crucial features like the vote-counting software and security against hacking may not have been thoroughly tested on many machines now in use.
“What’s scary is that we’ve been using systems in elections that Ciber had certified, and this calls into question those systems that they tested,” said Aviel D. Rubin, a computer science professor at Johns Hopkins.
“What’s scary is that we’ve been using systems in elections that Ciber had certified, and this calls into question those systems that they tested,” said Aviel D. Rubin, a computer science professor at Johns Hopkins.
Hijacking Eid and Hanging Saddam
The important Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha was due to begin over the weekend. For Sunnis it began on Saturday the 30th of December. For Shias it begins on Sunday the 31st. According to tradition in Mecca, battles are suspended during the Hajj period so that pilgrims can safely march to Mecca. This practice even predated Islam and Muslims preserved this tradition, calling this period 'Al Ashur al Hurm,' or the months of truce. By hanging Saddam on the Sunni Eid the Americans and the Iraqi government were in effect saying that only the Shia Eid had legitimacy. Sunnis were irate that Shia traditions were given primacy (as they are more and more in Iraq these days) and that Shias disrespected the tradition and killed Saddam on this day. Because the Iraqi constitution itself prohibits executions from being carried out on Eid, the Iraqi government had to officially declare that Eid did not begin until Sunday the 31st. It was a striking decision, virtually declaring that Iraq is now a Shia state. Eid al Adha is the festival of the sacrifice of the sheep. Some may perceive it as the day Saddam was sacrificed.
Boise State Win On the Statue of Liberty Play! Dude!
Dude, did you see that game? What an amazing game. Two unbelievable plays by Boise St. to win the Fiesta Bowl.
US 'licence to snoop' on British air travellers
Britons flying to America could have their credit card and email accounts inspected by the United States authorities following a deal struck by Brussels and Washington.
By using a credit card to book a flight, passengers face having other transactions on the card inspected by the American authorities. Providing an email address to an airline could also lead to scrutiny of other messages sent or received on that account.
Florida State University To Phase Out Academic Operations By 2010
"While it's certainly possible for an academic subsidiary to bring a certain amount of prestige to an athletic program, the national polls have made it that our non-athletic operations have become a major distraction."
Yeah!!!!!
Yeah!!!!!
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