Archive for September, 2009
Since When Can’t Kids Say the Pledge of Allegiance in School?
Since now, according to Fox anchor liar Kimberly Guifoyle:
How Old Do I Have to be Before I’m Not a “Girl”?
Channel surfing just now; caught a few seconds of HSN and an introduction to a collection of purses by “Iman.” The host said that “every girl” wants one.
The media elevates boys to men when they’re roughly 17. When do “girls” become women? Never.
No Mention of George W. Bush in CBS’s Interview with General Stanley McChrystal
CBS correspondent David Martin interviewed Stanley McChrystal, the commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan tonight on 60 Minutes. The topic of discussion was the absolute mess that Afghanistan and our war there is in. (You may remember that George W. Bush started the war and “managed” it for almost eight years.)
Again, the topic was the mess the place is in — but Bush’s name was never mentioned.
Still buying that bullshit about the “liberal media?”
This Little Piggy Went to…
Three years ago, when Christien Meindertsma, a 29-year-old design school graduate from Rotterdam, The Netherlands with an interest in raw materials decided to “trace what happened to the body parts of a specific commercially raised pig, she discovered a lot more than packaged meat. That single animal, Meindertsma found, contributed to a mind-boggling number of products — 185 items in all, from chewing gum to bone china.” In the end, Meindertsma wrote a book documenting her findings titled, Pig 05049:
Not surprisingly, much of the pig was bound for the table in the familiar forms of meat. In addition, calcium from the bones was used to fortify yogurt. The pig’s nose, after being deep-fried, became a dog snack.
What is surprising is the staggering array of non-food products that incorporate parts of the pig. Who knew it took pig fat to make automobile paint? Or that hemoglobin from pig blood is used in cigarette filters? Bone ash, Meindertsma found, went into train brakes, bone meal into the coating for aluminum molds, and gelatin from the pig’s skin and bones was deployed by an American weapons manufacturer to help distribute powder to bullets.
Meindertsma’s goal in undertaking this project was to “encourage consumers, in a world in which so much is packaged, to think about where our goods come from, with the ultimate goal that ‘we care for and use our resources wisely’.”
I love that there are people out there who spend time on quirky stuff like this and that we have the Internet so we can know about them and what they do. Life is good!
Beware of That Well Done Steak
Ten dirty little restaurant secrets — one being that restaurants have been known to save old steaks, that really should be thrown out, for people who want them cooked well done. Cooking to well done masks the stench. Ugh.
Wildlife
Beautiful photographs: The winners of the British Wildlife Photography Awards. (See upper right to click through.)
Mark Udall (D-CO) Finally Takes a Stand — For Guns
One of my senators is Democrat Mark Udall. Since having moved up to the Senate last November, he has been a real disappointment. For example, we don’t know where he stands on the public option or on the Employee Free Choice Act. As a matter of fact, I called his office a few months ago and asked about his position on the public option. The person who answered the phone said Udall was still learning the ropes in the Senate so he hadn’t made up his mind about it. How those two things are connected I don’t know but apparently the guy thought I was dumb enough to think they were.
But lo and behold, all of a sudden Mark Udall’s name is everywhere. The guy is taking a stand; asserting himself. Yep, he wants more “aid for public shooting ranges.“ This from a guy who the media was referring to last summer as “Boulder liberal Mark Udall.”
Pathetic stuff coming from a “liberal.”
Look at This Amazing “Green Volcano” in Italy
It’s Saturday and I’m playing around — came upon this amazing building in Italy.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
I have been following Lindsey Hoshaw both on her blog and via Twitter, and she reports today that she has reached the Great Pacific Garbage patch. (She is on a mission to document its existence.)
Now it’s gonna get good.
The Birth and Rearing of a Hummingbird
Check out this delightful series of pictures, bearing in mind size of the nest:
It sure looks comfy down in there.
Just Got a Wimpy Ass Update From DINO Mark Udall
Here it is. “Mark’s Update.”
Nothing — NOTHING — about supporting the public option or EFCA. It’s wimperville all the way. And this from the nephew of Morris Udall, a champion of liberal causes. What a disappointment this guy is.
Here’s the email in full, other than the part I cut out at the bottom that listed the addresses of his offices (if you want that info, let me know):
————————————————————-
Mark’s Update | September 24, 2009
Greetings
It’s hard to believe it’s already September; the months have gone by quickly. It’s been a busy year – I’ve opened eight regional offices across our state. And in the Senate, I’ve been fighting for resources for farmers on the Eastern Plains, working with the military to ensure our service members and veterans are getting the care they have earned, pushing to create more clean energy jobs across the state, fighting for a program to increase the number of doctors practicing in Colorado’s rural communities, and more. Already this year, Congress has expanded children’s health insurance, passed legislation to help rebuild our economy, and made good on a promise I’ve been fighting for years to fulfill – creating wilderness in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Over the last month, I had the opportunity to travel across the state. While I try to come home each weekend, it was good to spend a full month talking about what Coloradans want to see from health insurance reform, the clean energy bill we’re working on, and to discuss other concerns.
My time back in Colorado left me energized and ready to get back to work in Congress. We still have a lot of critical work to do here – from health insurance reform to appropriations bills that keep the federal government running. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues – in both parties – to roll up our sleeves and tackle the critical issues.
Sincerely,
Mark Udall
Energy Hearing
On Aug. 24 in Estes Park, I held a field hearing of my Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on National Parks with Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who serves on the subcommittee with me. The topic of our hearing was climate change impacts on Colorado’s parks, and before the hearing, we got a chance to see some of the apparent impacts in Rocky Mountain National Park. From bark beetle infestations to changes to wildlife habitat, Rocky Mountain National Park alone has undergone changes due in part to rising temperatures. We discussed what climate change means for national parks, and how they are adapting to and mitigating the impacts.
LEARN more about our field hearing and read my opening statement
Durango Town Hall
On Aug. 27, I held a town hall meeting in Durango to talk about building a clean energy economy in Colorado and to hear from citizens about what they’d like to see in health insurance reform. While we didn’t always agree on everything, that conversation was a great chance for me to hear what folks have to say, and talk through those important issues. And I think we found common ground. I continue to take what I learn from Coloradans back to Washington to help me shape policy.
WATCH a part of my town hall
Rural Health Care
Earlier this year, I introduced a bill to help ensure that rural Coloradans can get better access to health care. My bill would address one of the biggest barriers to care for rural Coloradans by helping increase the number of doctors practicing in rural communities. In August, I got a chance to visit a rural clinic in Mancos that serves patients from across the Four Corners region in five Colorado counties and three states.
WATCH a video about my visit to Mancos.
READ more about my Rural Physicians Pipeline Act
“Don’t leave rural America behind on reform” – The Pueblo Chieftain
Colorado Springs Visit
In the first week in September, I visited Colorado Springs to formally open my office there and to meet with military leaders in the area. I convened the first meeting of my new Military Advisory Committee, a group of military experts from a variety of fields who have agreed to meet regularly with me and provide insight on issues affecting our armed services. They will help me fight more effectively for Colorado’s military needs on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Later, I met with leaders and airmen at Schriever Air Force Base. And the next day, I had a chance to sit down with Maj. Gen. Perkins at Fort Carson to discuss several issues, including improving mental health care for our soldiers.
READ about my Military Advisory Committee
LEARN more about my visit
“Udall visits Springs military installations, names military advisory committee” – The Colorado Springs Gazette
Regional Offices
I also got to visit with constituents at several of my regional offices. I have offices and staff in Denver, Grand Junction, Pueblo, Greeley, Colorado Springs, and Durango. Additionally, I have two regional directors based in the Central Mountains and Northwest Colorado. These regional offices are here for you. Please see below for information on how to reach me in Colorado and Washington, D.C., if you need help with a federal agency or just want to share what’s on your mind. I look forward to hearing from you!
Make Your Colon Happy
The weekend is upon us and I bet you’re going to spend four minutes, oh, I don’t know, drinking coffee. So take another four minutes and watch Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speak truth to power about health care. Your colon (heart, prostate, breast, appendix, etc.) will be glad you did:
At the Food Bank
Low on some basic foods like pork and beans today. Bread didn’t come in until mid-morning (it usually arrives on Thursday). Had cooking oil, flour and sugar — big treats — but as usual, no eggs or butter. Lots of fresh onions and carrots and boxes and boxes of melons. Lots of crappy, almost entirely artificial “instant” Mac’n Cheese. And lots of clients. They are always so grateful.
By the way, the staples you’d find if you went “shopping” at my food bank?
- Tuna (2 per family up to 5 people)
- Peanut Butter (1 per family up to 5 people)
- Canned chili and ravioli (2 per family up to 5 people)
- Canned beans, be they refried, pork and beans, Navy beans (2 per family up to 5 people)
- Soup (2 per 5)
- Dried beans (2 per 5)
- Canned veggies, primarily corn, carrots and peas (2 per 5)
- Canned fruit, primarily Mandarin oranges, fruit cocktail and pumpkin (2 per 5)
- Bread (2 per 5)
- Frozen meat — (1 per family; 2 per family of 6 or more)
- Spaghetti noodles (2 per 5)
- Ramen soup (we buy it at 17c ea. so we’re pretty liberal with this)
- Fake mac’n cheese (2 per family of up to 5 individuals)
- Milk – one per
- Yogurt (2, 3, 4 depending on size of family and availability)
- Cereal (one box per family unless larger than 5
- Sugar, flour, baking mixes, etc., not always available. We divide bags of these items into sandwich baggies and give out sparingly.
- Fresh veggies (Give out depending on amount available. Always concerned about stuff spoiling so that’s a big factor.)
- Toilet paper (everyone gets two rolls no matter the size of the family)
- Feminine products & baby diapers (when available – 8 per family)
- Vitamins (when available – one bottle per family)
That’s it. Never mind toothpaste, paper towel — I mean, you name it. This is it. Period. The only time this varies is when a local organization holds a food drive and “unusual” stuff comes in (or a random citizen drops something off).
Red State Hits on Ed Schultz — Congratulations Ed!
Hey, Ed — if Red State’s hitting on you, you must be a threat.
Congratulations!
Glenn Beck: Not As Popular As He’d Like You To Think
Or as popular as the corporate media would like you to think.
Nate Silver, over at FiveThirtyEight, a guy who loves to tinker with numbers, took a hard look at some of the numbers contained in the most recent NBC/WSJ poll:
Buried in the cross-tabs of the new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll is a question that takes a temperature reading of Glenn Beck. Beck actually makes out pretty well. While just 24 percent of Americans have a favorable view of him (13 percent strongly so), only 19 percent have an unfavorable one (14 percent strongly). That leaves 57 percent who either don’t know Beck or are indifferent toward him.
So, 57 percent either don’t know Beck or are indifferent and 19 percent have an unfavorable view of him. That means 76 percent don’t know who he is, they’re indifferent, or they don’t like him. Who knew? Given all the attention he gets, you’d think it was the other way around.
Fox News Seizes on the Actions of a Stupid Teacher to Further Obama “Indoctrination” Fears
This block of headlines currently appears above the fold at FoxNews.com:
If you click on the top headline, “Obama Song Indoctrination?” you go here.
Obviously the teacher did a stupid thing but of course Fox implies that Obama had a direct hand in it and that this is another example of how he wants to brainwash everyone and turn us all into Muslims.
Yep, love that “news” on Fox.
And, as always, ask yourself: Would Fox have gone nuts if some kids sang the praises of George W. Bush. NO WAY! They’d think it was patriotic as hell.
A Month Ago John McCain Was Hanging With Gaddafi at His “Ranch” in Libya
From the What They Hope You Don’t Remember or Don’t Know category: Here is John McCain’s Twitter feed. Scroll down to August 15, 2009. There you’ll find a tweet that reads:
Late evening with Col. Qadhafi at his “ranch” in Libya – interesting meeting with an interesting man. 12:42 PM Aug 15th from web
Some Perspective on all the Fake Outrage About ACORN
From Glenn Greenwald:
The amount of money that ACORN has received in the past 20 years altogether is roughly equal to what the taxpayer paid to Halliburton each day during the war in Iraq.
Did You Know That Spider Silk is Stronger Than Steel and Kevlar?
I didn’t. Here’s a fascinating article about 1 million spiders and a rare golden cloth.
This caught my eye because an Orb Weaver spider (it looks like this) made a home outside our kitchen window a few months ago. We’ve had a wonderful time watching it maintain and rebuild its beautiful web (something it only does at night). And we’ve watched it catch flies and moths. It hides in a corner during the day but when something flies into the web it dashes out and immediately wraps the bug in silk (while it’s still alive) and then hauls it up into the corner and sucks the life out of it.
I’ve come to like the little guy. I’ve even caught a few flies and hooked them into his web to make sure he has enough to eat.
Wookiee Died Today
My friend’s heart-dog Wookiee died today. Look at that beautiful face — those eyes:
Love you Wookiee and CH.
