I know but won't tell, so there.

Texas grand jury indicts Cheney, Gonzales of crime

A grand jury in South Texas indicted U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and former attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Tuesday for "organized criminal activity" related to alleged abuse of inmates in private prisons.
The grand jury in Willacy County, in the Rio Grande Valley near the U.S.-Mexico border, said Cheney is "profiteering from depriving human beings of their liberty," according to a copy of the indictment obtained by Reuters.
The indictment cites a "money trail" of Cheney's ownership in prison-related enterprises including the Vanguard Group, which owns an interest in private prisons in south Texas.
Former attorney general Gonzales used his position to "stop the investigations as to the wrong doings" into assaults in county prisons, the indictment said.

Americans Want Racial Equality, Creme Filling

PRINCETON, NJ—According to a poll released Tuesday by Princeton University's Institute For Social Research, racial equality and creme filling rank at the top of U.S. citizens' wish lists
The comprehensive five-year study found that 64 percent of Americans favor greater racial equality in all sectors of American life, contending that, nearly 35 years after the signing of the Civil Rights Act, blacks still suffer discrimination in many areas.
The poll also found that 86 percent of U.S. citizens desire creme filling, and would like to see its presence increased in everyday American life

Study: Casual Sex Only Rewarding For First Few Decades

ARLINGTON, VA—An alarming new study published in the International Journal of Sexual Health reveals that casual sex, the practice of engaging in frequent, spontaneous sexual encounters with new and exciting partners, may only provide unimaginable pleasure and heart-pounding exhilaration for, at most, 25 to 30 years.

Carroll doesn't understand how BCS works, thinks it 'stinks'

"I think it stinks. I don't think it's the way it should be. But all we can do is keep talking about it. "
Absolutely God Damn right.

Move over Barney, new dog moving into White House

Barack Obama's two daughters had another reason to high-five their dad's election to the presidency Tuesday night: they're getting a puppy.
I hope to God it isn't a Beagle, they're horrible.

Halleluja!

Well God, I guess I owe you one.

Thoughts on Dr. Stanley Milgram's Experiment

Milgram, a psychologist at Yale University, conducted a study focusing on the conflict between obedience to authority and personal conscience. He examined justifications for acts of genocide offered by those accused at the World War II, Nuremberg War Criminal trials. Their defense often was based on "obedience" - - that they were just following orders of their superiors.
In the experiment, so-called "teachers" (who were actually the unknowing subjects of the experiment) were recruited by Milgram. They were asked administer an electric shock of increasing intensity to a "learner" for each mistake he made during the experiment. The fictitious story given to these "teachers" was that the experiment was exploring effects of punishment (for incorrect responses) on learning behavior. The "teacher" was not aware that the "learner" in the study was actually an actor - - merely indicating discomfort as the "teacher" increased the electric shocks.
When the "teacher" asked whether increased shocks should be given he/she was verbally encouraged to continue. Sixty percent of the "teachers" obeyed orders to punish the learner to the very end of the 450-volt scale! No subject stopped before reaching 300 volts!
At times, the worried "teachers" questioned the experimenter, asking who was responsible for any harmful effects resulting from shocking the learner at such a high level. Upon receiving the answer that the experimenter assumed full responsibility, teachers seemed to accept the response and continue shocking, even though some were obviously extremely uncomfortable in doing so. The study raised many questions about how the subjects could bring themselves to administer such heavy shocks. More important to our interests are the ethical issues raised by such an experiment itself. What right does a researcher have to expose subjects to such stress? What activities should be and not be allowed in marketing research? Does the search for knowledge always justify such "costs" to subjects? Who should decide such issues?

An ear of corn averages 800 kernels in 16 rows

This stuff is imporant.

John McCain..."The Walkin' Dude"?

Obviously.

I used to be a werewolf but I'm alright nooooooooooooowwwww

Happy Halloween!

Martin Luther posts 95 theses

On this day in 1517, the priest and scholar Martin Luther approaches the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, and nails a piece of paper to it containing the 95 revolutionary opinions that would begin the Protestant Reformation.

I would never die for my beliefs, cause I might be wrong.

Bertrand Russell(1872-1970) English Philosopher, Mathematician, Essayist

“The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes.”

Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

“Money is like manure. If you spread it around it does a lot of good. But if you pile it up in one place it stinks like hell.”

Well?

“When the shoe fits, the foot is forgotten. When the belt fits, the belly is forgotten. When the heart is right, 'for' and 'against' are forgotten. No drives, no compulsions, no needs, no attractions: Then your affairs are under control. You are a free man.”
Chuang Tzu, Chinese scholar, defining figure in Chinese Taoism.
I am a free man.

Billie Piper

She plays Rose Tyler on the New Doctor Who, what a babe.

Sartre wins and declines Nobel Prize

October 22, 1964
In his novels, essays, and plays, Sartre advanced the philosophy of existentialism, arguing that each individual must create meaning for his or her own life, because life itself had no innate meaning.
Thought you would like to know.

Book of the Week

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson

A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of an octogenarian’s
niece 40 years ago.

“The first and wisest of them all professed To know this only, that he nothing knew.”

John Mlton (1608-1674)
No wonder I like this guy.

India launches first unmanned moon mission

NEW DELHI – India launched its first mission to the moon Wednesday, rocketing a satellite up into the pale dawn sky in a two-year mission to redraw maps of the lunar surface.
Clapping and cheering scientists tracked the ascent on computer screens after they lost sight of Chandrayaan-1 from the Sriharikota space center in southern India. Chandrayaan means "Moon Craft" in ancient Sanskrit.
Do I need to comment?

Stephen King

Dear Stephen,
I am not amused. Not one god damn little bit.
Yours Truly,
Constant Reader

Earthquake rocks San Francisco

October 17, 1989
The deadliest earthquake to hit the San Francisco area since 1906 strikes at 5:04 p.m. and lasts for 15 seconds. The quake measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, and its aftermath was witnessed on live television by millions of people watching the third game of the World Series of baseball between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics, held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The tremor hit moments before the start of the game, and sportscasters were soon performing the duties of news anchors as they reported on the resulting pandemonium in the stadium. The earthquake killed a total of 63 people, while more than 3,000 others were injured and more than 100,000 buildings were damaged.
I remember.

Google Wants You to Think Before You ...

Google's e-mail service Gmail just introduced an unusual new feature, called "Mail Goggles," designed to help keep people from sending emails that they'll later regret.

That's right, the new email feature is an effort to help keep people from emailing after they've had a drink or two too many. Turn this new widget on and Gmail will make you perform a few simple math problems, within a short time limit, before you can hit "send" on that outgoing e-mail. When activated, the service acts as your e-mail traffic cop on Friday and Saturday nights between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Mata Hari executed

October 15, 1917
Mata Hari, the archetype of the seductive female spy, is executed for espionage by a French firing squad at Vincennes outside of Paris.
I love history.

Hey ISCC, Try These!

Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

The Pendergast Novels:
Relic, the first novel to feature Agent Pendergast
Reliquary is the sequel to Relic
The Cabinet of Curiosities is the next Pendergast novel and stands on it's own
Still Life with Crows is next and is a self contained story
Brimstone is next, and is first in the informal Diogenes trilogy
Dance of Death is the middle Diogenes novel, but may be read alone
The Book of the Dead is the culminating novel in the Diogenes trilogy, the reader should at least read Dance of Death first
The Wheel of Darkness is a stand alone novel which takes place after the events of The Book of the Dead

The non-Pendergast Novels
Mount Dragon
Riptide
Thunderhead which introduces archaeologist Nora Kelly, who appears in later Pendergast novels
The Ice Limit introduces Eli Ginn, who appears in Dance of Death and The Book of the Dead

I recommend all. You can find these and other fine books at your local library.

Shroud of Evidence

Oct. 13, 1988
Three research labs, working independently in Arizona, England and Switzerland, release a report concluding that, based on carbon-dating, the Shroud of Turin was produced in the Middle Ages and therefore couldn’t be the burial cloak of Jesus Christ. Believers argue that the samples tested had been contaminated.
Yep, contaminated.

It's official: John McCain has become Negative Man.

The latest round of comprehensive polling from ABC News suggests that the senator's fusillade of attacks on Barack Obama, launched with a large assist from running mate Sarah Palin, have damaged his campaign and his stature in the eyes of voters. Almost 60 percent of voters surveyed by ABC said McCain is more interested in tearing down Obama than offering any ideas of his own.
It's just politics as usual for Republicans.

Alaska Probe Says Palin Abused Her Authority

A long-awaited Alaska legislative report concluded that Republican Sen. John McCain's vice-presidential running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, abused her authority and broke state ethics law by trying to remove her former brother-in-law from his job as a state trooper.
The report, by investigator Stephen Branchflower, was a potential setback to Sen. McCain's lagging presidential campaign. It was released late Friday in Anchorage by the state legislative panel that commissioned it. The bipartisan panel, with two members absent, voted 12-0 to release the findings to the public.
Is anyone surprised?

If You Like Stephen King...

Dean Koontz (1945-)
For you good people at ISCC, and anyone else who thinks "Stephen king pretty much ruined me for any other poor author" try the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz, you won't regret it, I promise.

Best Book Ever!

Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse, by Victor Gischler
Mortimer Tate was a recently divorced insurance salesman when he holed up in a cave on top of a mountain in Tennessee and rode out the end of the world. Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse begins nine years later, when he emerges into a bizarre landscape filled with hollow reminders of an America that no longer exists. The highways are lined with abandoned automobiles; electricity is generated by indentured servants pedaling stationary bicycles. What little civilization remains revolves around Joey Armageddon's Sassy A-Go-Go strip clubs, where the beer is cold, the lap dancers are hot, and the bouncers are armed with M16s.
Accompanied by his cowboy sidekick Buffalo Bill, the gorgeous stripper Sheila, and the mountain man Ted, Mortimer journeys to the lost city of Atlanta -- and a showdown that might determine the fate of humanity.
A must read.

McCain-ism: The Neurotic, The Sycophant, and The Know-It-All

McCain-ism #1: "My Friends" - The Neurotic-Last night, John McCain repeated the phrase 'my friends' 19 times.

McCain-ism #2: "My Hero" - The Sycophant- Last night, McCain repeated the phrase 'my hero' only twice, but the impact was noticeable:
President Reagan, MY HERO
MY HERO is a guy named Teddy Roosevelt

McCain-ism #3: "I Know How To" - The Know-It-All-Over the course of last night's debate, Sen. McCain repeated the phrase 'I know how to' seven times

McCain-ism: The Neurotic, The Sycophant, and The Know-It-All-If anything lost the debate for McCain it was the repetition of these three key phrases, each of which gave the the impression that he was an insecure politician rather than a confident leader.
duh

Ozone hole grows in 2008

The ozone hole over Antarctica in 2008 is larger in both size and ozone loss than last year, but not as large as in 2006, the European Space Agency said Tuesday
The hole is a thinning area in the ozone layer over Antarctica and the size of the hole varies every year depending on weather conditions.
This year, the size of the thinned area reached about 27 million square kilometers (10.4 million square miles), compared to 25 million square kilometers (9.65 million square miles) in 2007.
In 2006, the hole was a record 29 million square kilometers (11.2 million square miles), larger than North America, the ESA said.
You people should know this stuff.

Cubs Suck!

Sad, but true. The curse lives.

AP poll: Obama takes a 7-point lead over McCain

Likely voters now back Obama 48-41 percent over McCain, a dramatic shift from an AP-GfK survey that gave the Republican a slight edge nearly three weeks ago, before Wall Street collapsed and sent ripples across worldwide markets. On top of that, unrelated surveys show Obama beating McCain in several battlegrounds, including Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania and Iowa — four states critical in the state-by-state fight for the presidency.
Several GOP strategists close to McCain's campaign privately fret that his chances for victory are starting to slip away.
Thank God!

Classic Meatloaf

Another favorite food.

Favre Announces He Will Return To College Football

HATTIESBURG, MS—Quarterback Brett Favre responded Saturday to the question of whether or not he had any football left in him by announcing that he would return for at least one more season at a major college program. "I'd like to win one more championship before I retire for good, and Southern Miss, Tennessee, and Florida all have talented young squads that could make a real run to number one next year," said Favre, who has been recruited by several top programs but will wait until after Signing Day to commit to a school. "I know I still have a ways to go with my decision-making, but I know I'd be the kind of quarterback that could grow along with a program." Although scouts from several Division I teams are interested in Favre, they noted that he played an option scheme in high school and seemed noncommittal about maintaining the required 2.25 GPA.
I think he'll be just fine!

Palin Brushing Up On Foreign Policy At Epcot

ORLANDO, FL—Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin sought to silence those who have criticized her lack of foreign affairs experience Tuesday by announcing plans for a weeklong, 10-nation tour of Walt Disney World's Epcot. According to Palin, the trip—her first past Frontierland—will include speaking engagements at Norway's famous Viking ride, sausages at Germany's Kaufhaus, and, time permitting, a fact-finding mission to Future World. "This ambitious trip should finally demonstrate that I am ready to assume the vice presidency, whether by standing in long lines at Morocco's Tangierine Café or by sitting down face-to-face with Mexico's Three Caballeros," Palin announced during a campaign stop outside a Chinese restaurant in Tulsa, OK. "All of our neighbors deserve good diplomacy, from the Universe of Energy down to the French pavilion." Palin also promised a visit to the American Adventure exhibit before returning home, adding that she hoped to learn more about her own nation and the diverse peoples within.
Isn't she wonderful?

Screen Legend Paul Newman Dies at Age 83

Hollywood icon Paul Newman died Friday of cancer, his spokesman said. He was 83 years old.
Born Jan. 26, 1925, in Cleveland, Newman began acting in elementary school, starred in plays in high school and -- after a stint in the Navy -- at Kenyon College. He also spent a year at the Yale Drama School.

Chinese Authorities Execute 10 Million Recalled Toys

BEIJING—In an attempt to assure the world's children that the millions of Chinese-made toys currently being recalled for containing toxic lead paint and tiny choking hazards can no longer hurt them, high-level Chinese officials announced Tuesday that millions of playthings are being rounded up and immediately put to death.
"We are committed to the well-being of children and putting the consumer's mind at ease," said Chinese president Hu Jintao at a press conference. "Boys and girls of the world, you need not worry. Your toys will be executed swiftly and harshly. When we are through, there will be nothing left to play with."

Large Hadron Collider "Actually Worked"

September 10, 2008
The world's largest atom smasher's first experiment went off today without a hitch, paving the way toward the recreation of post-big bang conditions.
The Large Hadron Collider fired a beam of protons inside a circular, 17-mile (27-kilometer) long tunnel underneath villages and cow pastures at the French-Swiss border.

Who Is This Guy?

What a Bozo!

Rejected!

This happens a lot, damn it!

Sex, Drug Use and Graft Cited in Interior Department

In three reports delivered to Congress on Wednesday, the department’s inspector general, Earl E. Devaney, found wrongdoing by a dozen current and former employees of the Minerals Management Service, which collects about $10 billion in royalties annually and is one of the government’s largest sources of revenue other than taxes.
“A culture of ethical failure” pervades the agency, Mr. Devaney wrote in a cover memo.

Surprise, Surprise!

Zeno of Citium

Zeno of Citium (not to be confused with Zeno of Elias) was the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy, which (along with its rival, Epicureanism) came to dominate the thinking of the Hellenistic world, and later, the Roman Empire, with some elements of Stoic thought even influencing early Christianity. For a long time the stoics have had a bad press, Stoicism being associated in the popular imagination with a grim and pessimistic world-view, in contrast to the jolly Epicureans. Fortunately, however, Stoicism is now being re-evaluated by groups as diverse as psychotherapists and semioticians, and it is therefore frustrating that so little is known of the original Stoic philosophy as taught by Zeno. None of Zeno's works have survived; all we know of him is contained in a few quotations and anecdotes in the works of his followers and critics. Most of these are collected in Book VII of Diogenes Laertius' Lives of Eminent Philosophers.

Cubs' Curse, You Gotta Believe!

Back in 1945, a man by the name of William "Billy Goat" Sianis attempted to bring a goat named, Murphy, to Wrigley Field during Game 4 of the World Series. Sianis was the owner of the "Billy Goat Tavern" and was a diehard Cubs fan. Since there was no signs or warnings that barred animals from the park, Sianis figured he would have no problem bringing Murphy to the park. Ready with one ticket for himself and one ticket for Murphy, Sianis and his pet watched the game until late in the game when they were asked to leave. Orders came directly from Cubs owner, P.K. Wrigley, asking that both Sianis and his pet goat be ushered out of the park. The reason given was "because the goat stinks". As a disgusted Sianis left, he was heard saying "The Cubs ain't gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field."After the Cubs lost the Series to the Tigers in seven games, Sianis sent a telegram to Wrigley that said "Who Stinks Now?". Diehard Cubs fans believe the curse still exists today

Sarah Palin

General Political Philosophy: Chestnut brown with amber highlights

Advice For Women Beginning In Politics: "If you work hard and keep your nose clean, you too can have a rich, powerful man come and whisk you off to Washington."

Beauty Contest Victories: 1984 Miss Wasilla, 1984 Miss Alaska, 2008 Republican Vice-Presidential Nomination

Unwed Pregnant Teens Receiving Funding From Palin Administration: 1

Largest Budget Allocation: The Wasilla Pipeline To God

For Karla

Three blondes were walking through a field when they came across a set of tracks.
The first blonde looked down at the tracks and said,
"I think they could be bird tracks."
The second blonde went to look and said,
"No, I think these are deer tracks."
They stepped aside and the third blonde went over to the tracks. She looked down, then got run over by the train!

Heaven!

Wrigley Field, which was built in 1914, will be playing host to Major League Baseball for the 95th season in 2008 - and to the Cubs for the 93rd year.
Wrigley Field is the second-oldest ballpark in the majors behind Boston's Fenway Park (1912).
Originally known as Weeghman Park, Wrigley Field was built on the grounds once occupied by a seminary.

NYT Best-sellers, 9/4/08

New York Times Best-sellers
FICTION
1. "The Force Unleashed," Sean Williams (--; 1)
2. "Smoke Screen," Sandra Brown (1; 2)
3. "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (4; 4)
4. "The Bourne Sanction," Eric Van Lustbader (2; 4)
5. "The Host," Stephenie Meyer (6; 16)
6. "Acheron," Sherrilyn Kenyon (3; 3)
7. "Moscow Rules," Daniel Silva (5; 5)
8. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle," David Wroblewski (7; 11)
9. "Off Season," Anne Rivers Siddons (9; 2)
10. "The Lace Reader," Brunonia Barry (10; 4)

Sloppy Joes

I recommend about ten a day!

I Believe, I Believe

It's rye toast for me

Say It Ain't So

The truth and nothing but the truth

College Presidents Rethinking Drinking Age

A group of 104 college and university presidents has signed a statement that suggests the minimum drinking age of 21 encourages a culture of dangerous, clandestine drinking. What do you think?

Something Everone Should Know

Baseball's Sad Lexicon

These are the saddest of possible words:
"Tinker to Evers to Chance."
Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double --
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
"Tinker to Evers to Chance."

by Franklin Pierce, 1910

The Iowa Flood

Eastern Iowa is flooded. It is the worst flood in history and the devastation is monumental.
In Cedar Rapids, at least 20,000 have been forced from their homes, and officials say it could be four days before the Cedar River drops enough for workers to even begin pumping out water.
The river crested Friday night at nearly 32 feet, 12 feet higher than the old record set in 1929.
Flood waters have swamped more than 400 blocks, threatened the city's drinking supply and forced the evacuation of a downtown hospital. Only one of the city's half-dozen wells was working, and it was protected by sandbags and pumps powered by generators.

The damage in Cedar Rapids is extensive, with a preliminary estimate of $737 million.
Gov. Chet Culver has declared 83 of the state's 99 counties disaster areas, a designation that helps speed aid and opens the way for loans and grants.

International Year of the Potato

The United Nations declared that 2008 is the International Year of the Potato. The celebration of the International Year of the Potato (IYP) is intended to raise awareness of the importance of the potato, as well as agriculture in general, in addressing issues of global concern, including hunger, poverty and threats to the environment.

I love potatoes.

How 'bout Them Cubs?

The Cubs had the best record in baseball entering June for the first time in 100 years -- 1908, the year of their last World Series championship.
The Cubs went undefeated on a homestand for the first time since April 14-26, 1970. Just about everything is clicking.
Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful!

I'm Sad

Guitarist Bo Diddley dead at 79.
The world-renowned guitarist's signature beat -- usually played on an equally distinctive rectangular-bodied guitar -- laid the foundation for rock 'n' roll, and became so identified with him that it became known as the "Bo Diddley" beat. It was unlike anything else heard in pop music.

"Absolutely Goddamn Right"

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican's chief astronomer says that believing in aliens does not contradict faith in God.
The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, says that the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

Is Corn To Blame?

The International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington suggests that biofuel production accounts for a quarter to a third of the recent increase in global commodity prices. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations predicted late last year that biofuel production, assuming that current mandates continue, would increase food costs by 10 to 15 percent.

Benjamin Senauer, an expert speaking to The New York Sun , cited a more concrete assessment, saying “It takes around 400 pounds of corn to make 25 gallons of ethanol.” That’s enough to keep an adult alive for a year, though “it’s not going to be a very good diet.”

It's A Fact!

Tests Confirm T. Rex Kinship With Birds
In the first analysis of proteins extracted from dinosaur bones, scientists say they have established more firmly than ever that the closest living relatives of the mighty predator Tyrannosaurus rex are modern birds.

The research, being published Friday in the journal Science, yielded the first molecular data confirming the widely held hypothesis of a close dinosaur-bird ancestry, the American scientific team reported. The link was previously suggested by anatomical similarities.

Waverly Iowa?

The original Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a two-story wooden structure, was opened in 1910, but the larger brick and concrete structure as it stand today was completed in 1926. The hospital was always dedicated to the treatment of tuberculosis patients, a disease that was fairly common in the early 20th Century.
It is estimated that as many as 63,000 people died as the sanatorium. Those deaths coupled with the reports of severe mistreatment of patients and highly questionable experiments and procedures are ingredients for a haunted location.
Ghost investigators who have ventured into Waverly have reported a host of strange paranormal phenomena, including voices of unknown origin, isolated cold spots and unexplained shadows. Screams have been heard echoing in its now abandoned hallways, and fleeting apparitions have been encountered.
My kinda place!

Why?

The Supreme Court has upheld the three-drug lethal injection method used by the state of Kentucky in a 7-2 decision, clearing the way for an unofficial moratorium on executions to be lifted
"Some risk of pain is inherent in any method of execution no matter how humane -- if only from the prospect of error in following the required procedure," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. "It is clear, then, that the Constitution does not demand the avoidance of all risk of pain in carrying out executions"
I am not amused.

The Doctor & Rose

The new Dr. Who is great!

Say it Ain't So

According to New Zealand climatologist Jim Salinger, climate change may result in reduced malted barley, which would limit beer production.
This does not make me happy.

What Would Spock Say?

Ayn Rand
"America's abundance was not created by public sacrifices to the common good, but by the productive genius of free men who pursued their own personal interests and the making of their own private fortunes. The idea that 'the public interest' supersedes private interests and rights can have but one meaning: that the interests and rights of some individuals take precedence over the interests and rights of others. "
I don't think Spock would approve.

I like This Guy

-- Bertrand Russell
"To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness. The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts. Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, Thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought is great and swift and free"
See what I mean.

Favorite Food

In any shape or form, this is it...

Torture!

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., lambasted what he described as "yet another astonishing disclosure about the Bush administration and its use of torture."
"Who would have thought that in the United States of America in the 21st century, the top officials of the executive branch would routinely gather in the White House to approve torture?" Kennedy said in a statement"

For Karla

A blonde was driving down the road listening to the radio and was quite upset when she heard blonde joke after blonde joke. A little way down the road, she saw another blonde out in a field rowing a boat. The blonde stopped her car and angrily jumped out yelling,
"You dumb blonde bimbo! It's blondes like you that give the rest of us a bad name! If I could swim I'd come out there and give you what's coming to you!"


Yell for Help
Three blondes are in an elevator when the elevator suddenly stops and the lights go out. They try using their cell phones to get help, but have no luck. Even the phones are out. After a few hours of being stuck with no help in sight, one blonde says to the others "I think the best way to call for help is by yelling together." The others agree with the first, so they all inhale deeply and begin to yell loudly "Together, together, together."

Had to do it!

The ATHLETE (All-Terrain Hex-Legged Extra-Terrestrial Explorer) robot could play an essential role in new lunar bases. I want one.

There's More Than Corn in Iowa

It's almost time. Good hunting!

Like I said, there's more in Iowa than corn. Where there are mushrooms, there are snakes, be careful!



Adult Black Ratsnake, Van Buren County, Iowa

Cubs Win!

Apr 7-Pittsburgh

They blew a seven-run lead and committed three errors on Monday before rallying for a 10-8, 12-inning win over the pesky Pittsburgh Pirates in a 4-hour, 47-minute marathon that didn't have to happen.

Of course we know they won't win it all until 2012, but that's okay, we love 'em anyway.

Can This Be True?

An epidemic of violence and harassment is sweeping the country. Police are being trained that the general public are the enemy and that they can engage in outright brutality without recourse. Taser deaths are skyrocketing because the police have been ordered to use "pain compliance", otherwise known as torture, to subdue and oppress the citizenry. Police are also increasingly completely unaware of the laws they are supposed to enforce and have resolved to invent offences out of thin air as an excuse to harass people. It is time for police to remember that their duty is to protect the general public from criminals and not act as enforcers for a tyrannical police state

Just some thoughts from the lunatic fringe.

Author of the Week

Jerzy Kosinksi

Poland (1933-1991)

Novels:

The Painted Bird (1965)
Steps (1968)
Being There (1970)
The Devil Tree (1973)
Cockpit (1975)
Blind Date (1977)
Passion Play (1979)
Pinball (1982)
The Hermit of 69th Street: The Working Papers of Norbert Kosky (1986)
aka The Hermit

This guy is really strange.

The Biggest Event...Ever

I'll bet that not many of you have heard of Manson, Iowa, (pop. 2000) but not to worry...that's why I'm here. A while back - 50 million years or so, a rock weighing 10 billion tons, about 11/2 miles across and traveling at 150,000 mph, smashed into the area around Manson, Iowa. According to my good buddy Bill Bryson [A Short History of Nearly Everything] this was the biggest event to occur on the mainland U.S. - ever!!! It left a hole 3 miles deep and 20 miles across. It seems that 2.5 million years of glacial activity has completely filled in the crater. The impact site is now flat as a pancake.
In the 1980s it was briefly considered to be the impact site causing the extinction of the dinosaurs. That honor now goes to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. It has a crater 170 miles wide and 35 miles deep. That's a big hole.

Not Just for Kids

C.S. Lewis (Ireland, 1898-1963)

I'm not talking about The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, or any of the Chronicles of Narnia, but his Cosmic Series... Out of The Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength. This is science fiction at its very best.

The Ides of March

Sorry, I got nothin' - Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est!

Snakes

Did you know that Iowa has 26 species of snake? Well, we do. I wouldn't lie about something like that. After all, I was born in the year of the snake. A couple of note...

The Northern Water Snake - remember, they will strike repeatedly and bite viciously!

The Bull Snake - Iowa's largest, just one thing...the majority react badly when disturbed.

Horror

H.P. Lovecraft

If you are a fan of Stephen King, you'll love this guy. You might say he started it all. For more information on his work, visit Fantasticfiction.com.

Suggested Reading

For those who think reading fiction is a complete waste of time, I have a few suggestions. (don't worry, they don't include sticking something up your ass, but they probably should) and for people who consider reading non-fiction a crime, maybe these books will change your mind...

A short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson

A Briefer History of Time, by Stephen Hawking with Leonard Mlodinow

The Universe in a Nutshell, by Stephen Hawking

Warning!!! Possession of these books may be a felony in Kansas, Alabama and parts of Florida.

I just finished Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff. It's a funny off beat thriller and I strongly recommend it. I would like to be a Bad Monkey, but I'm not qualified. What a shame.

Coming Soon

The Tail of Two Dogs and a Snake.

Wasteland

Sorry, nothing to report today. Iowa is still a frozen wasteland, but soon the shit will fly, and all will be as it should be.