Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Your gift of the day

hellokitty year of the Pig greeting cards

Forget to take your medicine?

Well, I have a tooth for you....

Or, as gizmodo remarks:"Why, it's as simple as ripping a couple of your teeth out and replacing them with small devices that steadily inject your cheeks with medicine."

Now they tell us

Not only doesn't garlic work, but now we find extra vitamins harm more than help.

The problem is probably vitamin A toxicity, something we docs have known about for years...

The Coyotes did it

Newest excuse for your flight being late...

When we were in Africa, we always had to check the cattle hadn't wandered onto our small airfield, but this is ridiculous.

Headlines below the fold

Want to see what a cavewoman looked like? link

Are you eating garlic to keep your heart healthy? Don't bother

To those of us familiar of how small group of activists can take over organizations (e.g. medical societies, main line churches, Catholic convents, political parties) because the rest of us have a life and don't bother to fight the bureaucracy. We either leave or just pay our dues and shut up. So Bishop Robinson's hubris asking if Bishops or believers run the church, the answer is neither. It's run by the middle level bureaucracy who voted him in. All the belivers are down the street at the Assembly of God.

Good news: Bit torrent is now legit.
Bad news: I can't download legit stuff with an overseas address. Sigh.
I guess I'll have to have my brother record stuff off of AMC and TCM...I like the old movies. And the irony is that the Palenke has all the new movies via Chinese pirates for 80 cents...

THIS STORY is not going to help organ donation...And here in the Philippines poor people sell organs is one more way to exploit the poor for the rich.

The stock market it's not Bush's fault. It started in the Chinese stockmarket...hmmm...wonder if it was from the bad news from the soothsayers last week.

Family news

Chano and Joy were in Manila yesterday. They were in Baguio last weekend for the Flower Festival and a conference on new crops.

Lolo and I are coughing. One of Lolo's friends died, and the funeral is today, but I might not let him go. His friend had a bad stroke eight years ago and moved to the US to live with his son, but he is being buried here. The funeral is about 30 miles away: with the bad roads and traffic, that means 1 hour or more drive. And it's the hot season.

The outside cat slept here two nights ago, and I am covered with fleabites, so yesterday I had to spray and clean the room...uggh. I'm the type of person who bugs love...

Aside from that, no news.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Want to see the future?

Well, just use these handy dandy HelloKitty Tarot cards

Quote of the day

Lileks, on wine tasting:

I tasted two. Horrible. One spread out all over the back of your palate in an ominous fashion that recalled the WW2 cartoons showing Nazi advances over Europe; the other was a chianti that tasted like glue. With some clerks I’ll discuss the wine, because I know it just makes their day when they have to nod and smile and agree with the assessment of some guy whose palate is slightly more discerning than the pads on a dog’s foot, but with this clerk I said nothing. Because he never says anything. You say “that’s good,” he nods and wears a half-smile: whatever. You say “that’s been strained through an inch-thick woven mat of underarm hair,” and he nods wears a half-smile. So this time I said “I don’t like either of them,” which earned me a nod and a half-smile....

Headlines of the day...zzzzz

Don't ask me about the oscars...the only movie I saw was The Queen...zzzz.

Genocide? I don't see no stinkin what else is new? zzzz

WSJ points out that Bush's "fascism" is limp next to what France routinely allows under Napoleonic law....Nah, don't tell the DailyKos....zzzzz.

Seven Sunni Muslim countries are worried about Iran's Shiite bomb. Iran's economy is tanking, and Iranian generals were caught in Iraq...and the NYTimes finally notices Iran's link with AlSadr....Clash of civilization anyone? Four years into the war, this should have been noticed five years ago...wonder if Congress still can't tell a Sunni from a Shiite...zzzz

Pope discusses natural law vs social engineering that follows the latest utopian fads. LINK. Ah, but his warning will be ignored in favor the bruhaha of Jesus' tomb.. hmm. didn't Monty python already do that story?.....zzzz

The LATimes notices the danger of drug resistant TB and HIV: They are too polite to point out the "good news" is that the patients die quickly, which decreases their ability to spread the disease...(they live an average of 25 days) ....

I am always amazed when intellectuals steal old ideas to show how smart they's HNN blog has this guy spouting Paul Ehrlich's "we're all gonna die" nonsense. and This lady rips off Betty Friedan's "The Second Stage" . Until someone comes up with an idea less than 30 years old, I'm going back to sleep.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Lecture of the day

Madeline L'Engle has a lecture on fantasy on Veritas forum.

For those unfamiliar with her works, they include children's books such as A Wrinkle in Time and essays such as the Summer of the Great Grandmother which is a good book to give to someone caring for a person with Alzheimer's.

Gift idea of the day

Hey Bloggers...does your tush get tired sitting in your pajamas in front of the computer all day?

Well, HellokittyHell has a gift idea for you.
Hello Kitty Vibrating chair pillows...

Bianary joke


News below the fold

Ten tech concepts that could change the world, including flexible concrete...using your body to identify yourself...printed solar pills...
The link has a podcast too.

GMA implores: No more people power revolutions. Well, if it wasn't for the election this May she might really have to worry. But now all we see is sound and fury. Lots of talk and rallies going on.
Chano and the businessmen helped by globalization love her. Lolo and the farmers in the area don't. Me, I'm voting for Hillary...

Astroturfing the military ...Greyhawk is not amused. Astroturfing means to set up a fake "grassroots" group, and use a publicist to get the MSM to present it as a real group.

On the other hand, Hirsi Ali made it to Bill Maher...Link at YouTube

You know about the read about the Razzies.

And in a similar note, Austin Bay discusses the meaning of "Embrace the suck" .. HERE

And read about Cock up Society dinner. ("cock up" is an old archery term for getting your arrow's cock feather up, not down, and missing the target)...

Finally, Manolo says: Leave Britney alone. All she needs is ice cream and a new pair of shoes.

Oil addiction. Excuse me, but what do you mean?

Oil addiction... the phrase to make ordinary people feel guilty.

But the dirty little secret is that even with all the changes he recommends, the need for cheap energy will soar, not because the US public is "addicted to oil" but because people in China and Thailand and the Philippines prefer the comforts of modern life to the good old days of working 12 hours a day bent over in the rice fields.

full essay crossposted at bloggernew

Worms worms worms

Johnson and Johnson is providing worming medicine for kids in Africa. A post on everything you ever wanted to know about worms is posted on BNN at the link...

And you can read it while listening to this song:WORMSONG

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Famous artist's cats

go to link...(copyright)

Rambo in Afghanistan

What happens when a suicide bomber tries to drive a truck onto a US base, guarded by an unarmed soldier?

A scene right out of Rambo...

It was even mentioned in a Bush speech last week, but somehow didn't get into the news. Wonder why?

Egyptian blogger jailed




Also check the report on Pajamasmedia...and check FreeKareem website

He's alive....whoops take it back

Every Easter, believing Christians are hit with the yearly news magazine and TV exposes on what is the "truth" behind Christianity...telling us why we are all a bunch of stupid idiots for believing.

So this year we have, voila, a bigshot film makers who decided they found Jesus's tomb...and not only his but his mother's, his wife's and two of his kids.


Well, hot damn. Tear down the churches and let's all celebrate.

But the most absurd part of the claim is this one: "According to the filmmakers, the film’s claim is based on close work with world-famous scientists, archeologists, statisticians, DNA specialists and antiquities experts."


But the final comment on the science of the film is found HERE

Yup...Jesus was a space alien, and the coffins prove it.
Update: or how about cloning Jesus? LINK...methinks these people have too much time on their hands. GetaLife, man.

cross posted to blogger news, and Longer discussion moved to Boinkie's blog


Friday, February 23, 2007


Actually we only eat dog in Luzon.
Headsup from GrouchyoldCrippleBlog

Have trouble using chopstix?

Just take the spring from a clothes pin, place them on your chopstix, and voila, instant pickup...and the link has a lot of other weird ideas using ordinary things.

Don't play with your food

Bluetea blog has a lot of links to food art...from carved watermelons to chocolate art to ice sculpture. Check it out.

There's a new warrior in town

It's Hello Kitty Sisters of Battle....coming to get you in her petal pink tank...

Gift idea of the day


.You very own personal genuine Star Trek Phaser

Headline of the day

Firecrackers not the cause

of Beijing fog

North Korea, the Cartoon

Actually, the link is to Lileks, who in his usual way manages to link Rennet custard, Miracle Whip, the 1955 Nash, and...propaganda cartoons for Kids from North Korea.

Will it blend?

How to make a 12 hour lantern...(headsup Pjmedia)

News below the fold

Bigshot from the UN releases a report saying the some of the "extrajudicial kilings" are done by military personnel...and that the AFP is "in denial" about the link...heh, d'ya think so? Philippine commentary has a longer analysis.

Asia News from Italy, a Catholic website, has a summary

Now, if someone would just investigate politicians/businessmen who hire hitmen to take out their rivals....
Even the NYTimes is noticing Mugabe's birthday bash...
Fascism they're banning light bulbs... Do any of these guys realize how lousy we gals look under fluorescent lights? AGGGGHHH.
Quote of the day:
Yup. Princess Di would have been proud. (headsup from The Corner
Psst: Want to retire? Marketing retirement homes to Japanese...
Measles was reported in North Korea. Well, after all that country is falling apart. But THIS REPORT says three Americans who went to China to adopt caught measles...

Two things important about this: One, there is measles in China. Are they vaccinating their kids? That country had 100 000 cases in 2005...t
Two: All three US case had all had two Measles shots...which means in epidemics, we're going to have to give a third shot to adults.

Family News

Chano and Joy are in Baguio for a conference; I think it's about rice. We are gradually placing our organic rice brand in supermarkets. Baguio is having their annual flower festival. Lolo and I decided to stay home.

There is a supper/talk here tonite. For married couples, by some pastor. Lolo and I will probably skip and just khalwat...

Hot season/brownouts have started. The bad news is that the dogs have found out that the bedroom is airconditioned, so sometimes we have four dogs and three cats in the room. Luckily the dogs stay on the floor.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

28,000 gold panners arrested in Zim

The article is about Zim confiscating mines.
well, why not? They already wrecked the agricultural economy, so why not confiscate mines from those who invested money into them and know what they are doing and give it to your cronies?

But at the bottom, it notes "
Over 28,000 people have been arrested on charges of illegal diamond and gold mining in an operation dubbed Chokorokoza Chapera (No Illegal Panning), which started in mid-November to curb the country of illegal mining activities as the country.'
.Miners dig for diamonds in Marange, Zimbabwe (file picture)

Oh yes. Just like illegal vendors and unclean/unsafe slum housing were cleaned up with "operation cleanup", the pollution/ecological degradation from these small panning/mining is terrible. But in a country with 80% unemployment, and 1600% inflation, some people see it as the only way to feed their famiies, explains the BBC .

cross posted to my EvilMugabe blog and Bloggernews

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Russia delays work on Iran Reactor for not paying bills

Does anyone know what this means? I read it in the Manila Bulletin, but haven't seen any info about it on the blogosphere...

A source in Russia's nuclear power agency Rosatom told Reuters it was "obvious that the timetable on building the plant will need to be corrected" after Tehran missed payments for the work for more than a month.

Moscow had been due to start nuclear fuel deliveries for the plant in March this year, paving the way for the reactor's planned start-up in September. It was unclear by how long the project would now be delayed.

Walter Reed, the IHS and Nationalized Health care

I can't find the link, but the blogosphere is discussing Dana Priests expose on Walter Reed.

Well, I was under the impression WR was going to be closed because it was in bad shape even before the Iraq war started, but like the WAPO article I can't find links.

However, after working with the Indian Health Service, I am familiar with federal health care, the good the bad and the ugly. Summary: If you need expensive care, good. If you need elective care, bad. If you don't understand paperwork, ugly.

Cat Trivia

  • In an average year, cat owners in the United States spend over $2 billion on cat food.

  • A domestic cat can sprint at about 31 miles per hour.
  • The heaviest cat on record weighed 46 lbs.A cat's brain is more similar to a man's brain than that of a dog.
  • Cats' hearing is much more sensitive than humans and dogs.
  • Cats' hearing stops at 65 khz (kilohertz); humans' hearing stops at 20 khz.
  • In relation to their body size, cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.
  • Most cats do not have eyelashes.
  • And guess who is a famous cat lover?...alas, they don't allow cats in the Vatican, so his cat lives in Germany.
  • Pope Benedict XVI

The fight against slavery

There is going to be a movie released about slavery opponant William Wilberforce.

But the article is about a new fighter against modern slavery:



If you think slavery doesn't exist, think again.
It includes huge numbers of prostitutes in the United States, farmers in India who work off debt, and maids who are recruited from third world countries but after they arrive are not paid, are mistreated, locked up and passports confiscated so they can't leave. (Last summer, during the Lebanon war, I wrote about the "Rapunzels" who were Pinays who died jumping out of windows to flee Beruit, because their employers had locked them up).

There is a petition HERE to abolish slavery. The link connects the new Wilberforce movie and Zach's crusade to end modern slavery.

No, Lolo, you can't Khalwat

not if we visit Malaysia...

Some Dog!

Warm dog, beacon credited with saving Mount Hood trio Taiwan

Back to the 60's

Some of us are old enough to remember souhthern policians sought for the KKK vote by giving speeches promoting hatred not just againstblacks, but also against Catholics and Jews.

So why is John Edwards getting a pass when he hires anti Catholic staff, and now makes Anti Semetic remarks? What's next, a fundraiser with blackface minstrals?

(headsup Drudge)

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

North Korea: The Soap Opera

Fearless leader in North Korea wastes a lot of money on his birthday no attention to those starving people behind the curtain...

The article contains this interesting detail:" (his oldest son) Jong-nam ruined his chances (to succeed his father) in 2001, when Japanese officials caught him trying to sneak into Japan using a false passport..."

Hmmm...was he fleeing his father? Looking for his girlfriend? Planning to spy for NK? and why does he live in Macau?

Apparantly "the Little General" is a software engineer, and in charge of that country's software program, and he wanted to get information on computer technology., and this was not his first visit to Japan.

North Korean software is apparantly thriving. With the help of a South Korean company, they are devising software for fingerprint and voice recognition. And it's profitable: Samsung paid over 700 thousand dollars for five software programs for their computers, and another businessman paid a million US dollars for another program.

Yet after Kim the Little General was caught at a Japanese airport with a fake passport, he fell out of favor with his father. And therein lies a tale...

The entire Kim family sounds like it comes from the script of Dynasty.
Kim the Fearless leader has seven children from four concubines or wives

His first wife had one daughter, and then was appointed a minister of education.
The second wife, an actress, Song Hye-rim, was five years older than her husband. They had one son, the Little General. Reported to be tired of her husbands sexual affairs, she left him, moved to Moscow and died there in 2002.

In1974 he married Kim Yong-suk, the daughter of a high-ranking military official. But she had only two daughters and no sons.
He then married a dancer. Ko Young Hee was actually born in Koreatown near Osaka Japan; her father was a karate instructor who moved with other ethnic Koreans to North Korea in the early 1960's. She gave him two children, both sons: Kim Yong Chol, who I will call Kim the Young child and Kim Yong Oon, who I will call Kim the Youngest son. Like their older brother, they received a western education under false names. She reportedly died of Breast cancer in 2004.

The Little General was always assumed to be the heir to the dynasty. However, when he was caught entering Japan, he had two women with was unclear if one was his wife...and when asked why he came, he said he wanted to visit Disneyland. He had a Dominican passport, with a Chinese name that translates FatBear. The diplomatic fall out from the incident put him into disfavor with his father, and his reported behavior since then doesn't help: a Japanese magazine reports he has visited Japan several times and spends most of his time with high class prostitutes.

The plot then thickens.

In 2004, he survived an asasination attempt in Austria. Austrian intelligence suspected the plot was to remove him from the succession, in favor of his younger half brothers, Kim the Young young child and Kim the youngest son.

Indeed, a 2003 propaganda campaign bore the slogan "The Respected Mother is the Most Faithful and Loyal Subject to the Dear Leader Comrade Supreme Commander." Many interpreted this was referring to Ko Young-hee, and was a way to promote her son, Kim Jong-chul, who I will call Kim the YoungChild, to succeed the father Kim. The reason for the assasination attempt might be because it goes against Korean culture for a younger son to inherit the throne, so a dead older brother would be the easiest solution.LINK

FatherKim the Fearless Leader comes from a long lived family (his father died at 82) but he smokes and it is reported that he is diabetic. This complicates matters, since diabetics have a high risk of heart, kidney disease, and amputations. He also is reported to have liver problems form excessive alcohol consumption.

As a doc, I would advise you: Don't sell him insurance.

Ah, but if the CNN reports is correct, and if Kim the Little General attends his father's big birthday party suggests that the dynastic problem has not yet been settled. This, of course, makes worries of infighting and instability with the death or serious illness of Kim the father more likely.

This is merely one more complication that could cause a massive humanitarian disaster in the Korean peninsula. Already both South Korea and China worry that famine may result in three million refugees this winter. Who knows how many would flee if a civil war between heirs apparent started.

So there are many questions:

Will Kim the Fearless leader reconcile with his older son the Little General?
Will Kim the Young Child manage to bump off his older brother?Or will he run off and become an Earl Clapton groupie?
Will the third brother, who I haven't even mentioned, Kim Jon Oon, decide they are all a bunch of idiots and move to San Franciso with his body guard Sam?
Or will Kim the Fearless leader, discover Viagra and beget another son to take over his country?

Or, as the Asia Times wonders: What will happen when these Western-educated and widely traveled computer buffs and Eric Clapton fans take over a failing Stalinist nation?

Tune in next week to DYNASTY in North Korea.

Quote of the day




Check link for author....heh.

Philippines passes anti terror bill

They held a special legislative session to pass it. Among other things, it will allow police to hold people for three days without charges (the police had requested 30 days).

The main worry is that it could be used against the left/opposition parties. Many of them have close ties to the NPA or ex NPA activists and human rights/farmers activist groups....and many of the "extra judicial killings" have been of such activists. The government claims the NPA is killing those who turned against their violent ways, and the left claims that the government is looking the other way while military irregulars do the killing.


Headlines below the fold

First they came for my confederate flag, and now they are coming for my mudflap...censorship of speech in modern America
Taliban kills Pakistani public health doctor trying to eradicate polio in NW Pakistan.
Are a lot of the claims that Pope Pius XII was a Nazi sympathizer based on a KGB disinformation campaign ?

Did you know that thirty to seventy percent of health care and HIV care in Africa is provided by faith based organizations...
Two reasons this is important: a huge amount of US aid to the third world is done via private funding.

Two: when you hear ridicule of Bush refusing to fund organizations that promote abortion, it is about not having NGO's that promote western sexual morality impose their belief on traditional Africans.
Ocean die off? It's the WIND, stupid...
Dafur update HERE...Bush declared it a genocide in 2004...the UN is still thinking about it, while people die...


Last Friday Greyhawk predicted:"now that congress has done their bit for al Qaeda and other killers in Iraq, it's time for them to return the favor. Expect their next best attempt at a Tet-like offensive.."
And today he notes an attack on a US post that ended up with the enemy fleeing (just like in Tet) but the press breathlessly reporting the attack, making it a success from a PR standpoint for the "insurgents".

For those who don't remember Tet, it was a failure but the US press covered it as a success and used it to prove the war could not succeed. An unreported incident of TET was that 5 000 civilians were lslaughtered in Hue.

Ironically, even though this was well known by our soldiers, it didn't get much publicity in the states, where the media and anti war types prefered to think the Viet Cong were merely mild mannered patriots fighting the evil Americans.

Remember that number the next time you hear of a car bomb. There are things worse than car bombs or Abu hundreds of mass graves, some containing babies and toddlers still clasping toys. BBC LINK

Ah, but did you know Europeans aren't helping to identify the estimated 300 000 bodies in mass graves in Iraq? According to the BBC: The Europeans, he said, were staying away as the evidence might be used eventually to put Saddam Hussein to death.

Yup...they oppose the death penalty.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Let's hear it for Ear Hair Power!

the tiny hairs inside the ear vibrate with motion producing electricity...get enough of them and you can power a battery.\LINK or they might just use the germs on your skin to do it.

Hello Kitty the receptionist robot


Attention Hillary

Didn't you learn anything from Bill?

You forgot to check the polls first.HEH

Viking kittens

A Viking Funeral

Gift item of the day

Viking Kitten

This fearsome Norse Warrior loves pillaging and plundering all in his path…

as he bobs around little ponds in his tiny boat.

He’s 7 inches tall and has the toughest, most threatening, helmet and weaponry made purely from felt and stuffing.
Only £ 12.95

Your cat link of the day

Turn down speakers and click link

Quote of the day

"Through effort and co-ordination we have to enlighten public opinion about the ominous aims of the US and Zionists."

answer at link. And no, it is not the daily Kos, it just sounds like some of his commenters.

Taking down the monkey's head

To listen to Congress, it's about Bush and Iraq. It's not. The war on terror is much wider than that, and taking down the monkey's head is not going to help the matter. Rant is at link.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Cat photo of the day

How to drive your parents nuts

All together now: 99 bottles of beer on the wall...
and other songs that never end

Headsup from BoingBoing

Everyday Hero

Pajamas media has a report on a Paris mob that was attacking civilians...

the punk jihadis attacked a woman trapped in the second of the three cars. A young man—25 year-old Jalili—jumped out of the third car and ran to the woman’s rescue. The thugs beat him into a coma.

PJ notes the press is playing down the attack, possibly not to inflame the streets, and possibly because they wish to underplay attacks against Jewish Targets in Paris.

But the result is to underplay the heroism of a young man who risked life and limb to help a complete stranger...or the fact that Jalili is a Persian name...

Stop Global Warming! oh...never mind

Why worry that we'll all be dead from global warming within the next hundred years when we'll all be dead of an asteroid hit in thirty years?

Bruce Willis call your office...

Stop Global Warming!

Methane is a major reason for global warming...and guess where methane comes from ?

More political nonsense

When both the WaPost and Joe Lieberman warn that the agenda of Murtha et al is dangerous to both national security and threatens the constitution, it makes an outsider like me wondering what is in the water supply in Washington.

Ironically, Hillary could earn short term animosity but long term credibility if she took a stand on the shennanigans...yes, she is "in trouble" with the Kos typse for voting for the war in 2002, but unlike Murth or Pelosi, SHE had access to the same intelligence that Bush based his arguments on, and will be developing a credibility gap if she doesn't start nuancing.

Saturday, February 17, 2007


How the heck did Salmonella survive the high temperature needed to roast and cook peanut butter? Check link for my essay, cross posted to Hey doc xanga blog
LINK2 .has more details.

Cat photo of the day



put in a word, see how it connects to other words.

Politics above reality

Greyhawk says it best:

As just one of the 21,500 I might be less offended by it if congress would also pass a measure indicating they had some inkling of an idea what the surge really is - thus far I've seen no evidence of that from either side of the aisle. If congress could "stop the surge" we'd still go to Iraq, just a few weeks later and in time to wave farewell to the troops we would have reinforced, facing an enemy emboldened and allies dismayed.

But now we have a measure that will indeed be heard, as Joe Lieberman said in the Senate:


The damage is incalculable, and now officially done.

When physicists get mad

Your email of the day from Col Updraft

Headline of the day

Woolly jumpers for oiled penguins

The birds are at risk from oil slicks and the garments protect them from the cold as they re-oil their feathers.

Between them Mrs Whittington, 79, Mrs Evans, 84, Mrs Nichols, 76, who are all members of the St Helen's Church Group, have created almost 50 jumpers which will be sent to the Penguin Rescue Fund in Hampstead and then on to Tasmania.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Your recipe of the day

Chocolate Salami

School answering machines.

* To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1


* To complain about what we do - Press 3

* To swear at staff members - Press 4

* To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and in several flyers mailed to you - Press 5

* If you want us to raise your child - Press 6



* To complain about bus transportation - Press 9

* To complain about school lunches - Press 0


Your email of the day from Col. Thermal Updraft

Headlines below the fold

The European Union parliement has condemned 14 nations for allowing th US to fly terror "suspects" out of their countries.
I originally said they were "non elected" but they are indeed elected.
I saw this on the BBC yesterday, and they showed a Brit telling them off, saying that this was merely about Anti Americanism, not about human rights.
There are 27 democracies in the European union, so what this means is over half of their members feel that the safety of their populations required getting rid of terrorists, who are notoriously hard to convict in liberal European courts.
But only the British seemed worried about the destruction of national sovereignty...

Hariri remembered.. .against Syria and Hezbollah...

US troops arrested some Iranians a couple weeks ago. LATIMES has an article on who they were, and what they have been doing in Iraq, both good and bad.
Again, there is no "proof" they are controlled by Iran...still lacking the invoices and paystubs I guess..

BLogfather links to StrategyPage about the Battle for Baghdad...
the "surge" is more about calming the Saudis than about AlQaeda...and many elites are fleeing because of the the whole thing

Here in the Philippines, the big news is the May soon as I figure out who is doing what, I'll post on it. Think Chicago politics, with corrupt ward leaders, vote stealing, and the usual suspects.

Pray for Zimbabwe

Mugabe is destroying the beautiful land of Zimbabwe, where I worked as a doc years ago.
That's why one of my blogs is "EVILMUGABE" blog

They are holding a day of prayer on April 18th.

Please add your prayers.

Athiests and skeptics can address the prayers "To whom it may concern".

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Family News

Yesterday was Chano's birthday and Valentines' day. We went out to eat, and today I'm home sick, hence the light blogging.

Lolo and family went to Manila to get his tooth fixed (root canal).

Robin's package arrived yesterday. Thanks, Robin.

New office slang

New Office Slang
Yea, it's borrowed content, but hey.. it's funny!
New Office Slang

















Cobweb - A WWW site that never changes.


Cube Farm - An office filled with cubicles.













High Dome - Egghead, scientist, PhD

Idea Hamsters - People whose idea generators are always running.






Mouse Potato - The online generation’s answer to the couch potato.












Square-Headed Spouse - Computer






Treeware - Hacker slang for documentation or other printed material.



Uninstalled - Euphemism for being fired. Also: decruitment.


WOOFYS - Well Off Older Folks.

World Wide Wait - The real meaning of WWW.

Xerox Subsidy - Euphemism for swiping free photocopies from one’s workplace.

Yuppie Food Coupons - Twenty dollar bills from an ATM.

wot in philippines


Wednesday, February 14, 2007

found in evaluation reports part two



15. "He's been working with glue too much."

16. "He would argue with a signpost."





How to cook Hello Kitty

Your art link of the daya

Your quote of the day

Al Sadr flees Iraq...


Then the article notes he took his militia leaders with him to Iran and was trying to keep his private Army functioning while the "surge" is going on.

You know, Iran, the place that told Diane Sawyer they aren't helping the militias?

Nah, no news here, folks, just move along...

Drudge's Headline of the day


Say again?

"...Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces hunting down militant networks that produced roadside bombs had arrested Iranians and that some of the material used in the devices were made in Iran. That does not translate that the Iranian government per se, for sure, is directly involved in doing this,” Pace told reporters in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. “What it does say is that things made in Iran are being used in Iraq to kill coalition soldiers.”"...
So what does the headlines say? "U.S. general: No evidence Iran is arming Iraqis,
Pace contradicts claims by other' U.S. military, administration officials

Nope, he didn't say no evidence. Lots of evidence, but until they have the invoice they can't "prove" it...

The full story, which is being ignored, is found HERE
Captain'sQuartersBlog links to the Telegraph, which finds a direct link about sniper rifles sold to Iran's police ending up in Iraqi "insurgent" hands...took only 45 days. No, no evidence, folks, just move along....
Cut capital gains tax, and guess what happens? LINK
The Anchoress comments:"the mainstream press is also evolving, as we see daily in what the “mediating intelligences” decide to report and not report. For example, you don’t hear much about good financial news like this. The president is the wrong party, and he’s Bush, besides, so good (or vital and informative) news is not allowed out unless it simply cannot be contained. But most of it is containable. And what is not containable is either fixable or obfuscatable…if that’s a word!"
But the good news is that HERE you get a correction. The guy wasn't at Ground zero, like many stories claim.

Duh. airborne particles are....AIRBORNE. So if he did traffic duty a couple blocks away, he was still exposed, and probably didn't wear a mask. So he was three blocks away, big deal.

So the story is first spun to criticize Bush for not helping the first responders, and then respun to dismiss the heroism of ordinary folks....
D'Souza on Islam...some interesting points...
Since he comes from India, his point of view is not quite in step with the media.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

North Korea gives up nukes?

ABSCBN has a Reuter's report that says they agree to disarm.

BEIJING (Reuters) - North Korea agreed to take steps toward nuclear disarmament under a groundbreaking deal struck on Tuesday that will bring the impoverished communist state more than $300 million worth of aid.

Under the agreement, which was reached by six countries in Beijing after nearly a week of talks, Pyongyang will freeze the reactor at the heart of its nuclear program and allow international inspections of the site.

Altogether now:


Ah, food

Is there a connection between obesity and blogging?

What is the link between the song "Baby It's Cold outside" and "Revenge is a dish that is best served cold?"...Filmchatblog has the answer.

and how about an Origami pig for Chinese new year?

Need music? MIDIs herefor new year celebrations

and HERE and HERE are recipes for Chinese newyear feasting...

Hmm...EU admits negotiations don't work

Iran will get the bomb because negotiations don't work.

Putin bashes Bush for unilateraism, as if all those enemies would be sweety nicey if Clinton was still in office.

Diane Sawyer, who asked Assad what was on his walkman, is assured Iran is a nice place..

Stilico, anyone?

Monday, February 12, 2007

Let them eat cake award of the day

South African "supporters" of Mugabe raise 1.2 million dollars (American) for his birthday party, while the country suffers 1000percent inflation, doctors and nurses are on strike, and the civil service is thinking of joining them, since no one can afford to eat.

My dear Wormwood

Screwtape Letters to be a movie? well, the producer of X Men is planning to do so.

Actually, I'd like to see Out of the Silent Planet done. But like a lot of classic SciFi, it's been ignored by Hollywood...or distorted like Asimov's I Robot and the Milleneum Man...

Your headline of the day

Woolly breasts appeal goes global

(headsup from DaveBarryBlog)

Headlines below the fold

What do you do with an Airforce base after the USAF leaves?
You declare it an economic zone, use the runways for tourist flights ....and hold Hot air baloon festivals.

STEM CELLS MIGHT CURE DIABETES...nah, won't get publicized, because like many other cures the stem cells come from bone marrow.FAQ or this Embryonic stem cells from Amniotic fluid
It's like Gene Wilder supporting stem cell research from embryos and calling Bush ignorant...yet he had stem cell treatment for his lymphoma, using his own stem cells..."And after three sessions like that, they took out seven million stem cells. Then you go into the hospital in isolation and they do - I did four - I had full body radiation in the morning and late afternoon four days, and then heavy chemo for five days. "
Yup. Adult stem cells: Saving lives for 40 years...lots of success...with little or no publicity.

And the dirty little secret is if there were money in the research, investors would be there. The fact the companies are hyping to state legislators instead says a lot about their profit potential...
In the meanwhile, if you want to invest, I have one word for you:
Hmmm...FAT..another great medical breakthru in adult stem cell research...

Obama says US needs to get out of Iraq and let the Shiites and Sunnis settle it in their own way...Ummm...that's called ethnic cleansing. Guess he's not old enough to remember Bosnia...or the ethnic cleansing of Chinese from Viet Nam or earlier from Indonesia... Already half of Iraq's Sunnis have fled (including most of the Baathists who worked for S.H.). The dirty little secret is that the rest will leave or be driven out, and the US is trying to stop that for two reasons: one, to placate Saudi Arabia, and two Sunni Arabs have more education and expertise needed to run the country and it's economy.

Another ignored story is's not just for a possible bird flu outbreak..."Passage of S. 3678 marks a major milestone in improving public health and hospital preparedness for bioterrorist attacks, pandemics, and other catastrophes and for improving the development of new medical countermeasures, such as medicines and vaccines, against biosecurity threats."

What Osama really found

What really happened in Paradise...72 virgins.

I'd post part of it, but this is a family blog.

(headsup from Instapundit)

Gift idea of the day

A molecule necklace

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Good stuff below the fold

Blue Tea Bloghas links to dollhouses, including one that reproduced Bilbo's hobbit hole.

Or if you prefer absurd art, try these stunning pictures

And for doll collectors, try going HERE.

This one is a girl riding a fish.

Or you might check out THESE sun filled paintings...

Actually, this is surrealism since hippos bite, something the South African artist probably knows.

But if you are bored with art, try making out a warning lable for your favorite site LINK

Actually, that should read" You don't want to get Puti, Blackie, PapaDog, Cocoa, Scout, and Happy angry...but it wouldn't fit.

Philippines breaks world record

The Philippines has broken the world record of the most couples kissing.

The happy event occured during the "Lovapalooza", a celebration held Saturday night outside a mall in Pasay City.

A reported 6.124 couples kissed simultaneously, breaking a record previously held by Hungary.

Your morality tale of the day

An swf tale of the farmer and the donkey

Ban yeast infested gluten filled food

Research on bread indicates that:



1. No sale of bread to minors.


Oh NO! Not my tofu

Foodborne Botulism from Home-Prepared Fermented Tofu --- California, 2006

Saturday, February 10, 2007

His own private Idaho, not the real thing

I presume the details of the Boise politicians part is true, but his description of Idaho in this NYTimes story is a fantasy.

The writer obviously never went anywhere but the airport, the hotel, and the statehouse. (poor guy...guessed he missed the strip joints in Garden City).

So excuse me if I go out and barf at this fiction.My screed is at Podkayne's blog

Thanks for the headsup from Western Confusian, who actually thought the NYTimes guy knew what he was talking about.

Gift idea of the day

A leapordskin chador for your whippet.
And no, I'm not making fun of Islam...chadors are a Mesopotamian custom that predates Mohammed by a thousand years.
(headsup from KerronCrossBlog

Plush Plush Plush Plush

Like Plushy toys and stuff?

Check out link.

Hillary vs Rudy?

St. Peggy Writes:

From first lady of Arkansas through first lady of the United States to U.S. senator, her life has been eased and cosseted by staff--by aides, drivers, cooks, Secret Service, etc. Her life has been lived within a motorcade. And so she didn't have to worry about crime, the cost of things, the culture. Status incubates. Rudy Giuliani was fighting a deterioration she didn't have to face. That's a big difference. It's the difference between the New Yorker in the subway and the Wall Street titan in the town car.

Hillary vs Rudy?

Friday, February 09, 2007

Gift item of the day

Your own robot guinea pig.

he even pretends to eat plastic carrots.

Art lesson for today


actually this reminds me of the opening scene of Naked Gun 21/2

Hate Valentine's day?

Send one of these...

Stuff below the fold

I have two posts on BNN: One about Leishmaniasis in the Jakarta floods and one about the death of a Filipina woman after being kidnapped in Nigeria.

Then there was a green group who attacked some Japanese whaling ships...and got lost at sea and the Japanese had to rescue them. DUH.. I had actually written a post on that, but the computer crashed. Oh well.

Winds of Change has technical details on why most IED's don't go off...alas if the jamming is too strong it messes up air traffic communications.

And for neat photos, check out THESE of sandstorms in Iraq....looks like something out of THE MUMMY or HIDALGO..

Dustbury links to this library that has free audiobook downloads...

And finally, did you ever wonder if you dug straight thru the earth, where you'd come out? well, wonder no longer LINK...hmm...I'd end up near my son's house in the Andes.

Headlines below the fold

Astronaut love triangle continues to be big news.
But no one wants to say what we all suspect: her problems were noticed, but NASA didn't want to fire a woman for fear of being blasted by Feminists for discrimination.

What is not being covered in the news: Al Qaeda in Iraq, and is being hit hard. LINK LINK2 LINK3 The BBC notes they are also targeting Shiite Militias/deathsquads who are killing innocent Sunni as "payback".

John Edwards fired his "bloggers" and then didn't fire his bloggers.
Doesn't matter. A Southerner who hires openly Anti Catholic staffers shows his insensitivity (Catholics and Jews were also targeted by the KKK in the South).
And the whole affair shows either he is incompetent, doesn't care, or flip flops with pressure.
Oh yes: And Iowahawk has a satire about it HERE

But, of course, none of this will be on the news...the really big news is The Heiress has died...

Thursday, February 08, 2007


Uh, George, you read the blueprints upsidedown.

Bottom story of the day

That lady astronaut. Is she nuts?

I have posted an essay on BNN wondering if she isn't bipolar and acutely manic.

A good place to start if you have questions on Bipolar illness is THIS LINK sponsored by Sean Astin, whose mom had that medical problem

Performance evlaution take one

Performance Reviews
For everyone who has ever received or given an evaluation, just
could have been worse. These are actual quotes taken from (USA) Federal
Government employee performance evaluations...

started to dig."


definite won't be."



6. "This young lady has delusions of adequacy."





News below the fold

Good news:UK vet tests negative for bird flu.
Bad News: a second person is sick with the flu...awaiting tests
Worst news: Oh NO NOT FLUFFY...Indonesian cats have tested positive.

Anti Catholicism by John Edward's bloggers is merely "expressing their opinions in provocative and often crude language."
Yup. Anti Catholism is the only hate speech approved of by the NYTimes.

BBC experts aren't sure why so many helicopters have been shot down recently in Baghdad. Of course, everyone knows it's because it's probably because Iran or another outside country has supplied SAM type missles to "insurgents", but no one wants to admit it...Former Spook gives details.

Poll in China finds one third are believers in a major religion, most Buddhists or Taoists but 12% are Christian.LINK2 The highest increase is in areas with economic growth, not in superstitious rural areas, and is seen as a way to find a meaning in life.

And if you are interested in China, check out LINK this slick magazine which discusses Chinese theories of cooking, brewing tea, Shadow puppets, and the UFO's of the Fujian mountains (actually the round castles of the Hakkan people).

Salim Mansur points out that those who hate Islam and the jihadis that distort Islam are both ignoring the Koran and the many many verses of peace and love and justice.

THAT is what D'Souza argues in his latest book: that pious Muslims have more in common with the values of middle America than with the jihadis--and like middle America, they reject the immorality of Hollywood and the upper East Side of NYC...

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Quotes of the day

NYTime John Burns to Tim Russert.

And don't miss Joe Lieberman's speech HERE

Art lesson for today

"Gee, I know I put it somewhere in here"

Gift item of the day

Yogurt covered pig snouts.

"We're all gonna die" update on bird flu


Good news: UK kills 100 000 turkeys to stop bird flu
Bad news: Vet who helped is sick with flu....tests for bird flu pending

Good News: Indonesia has signed a deal to get flu vaccine
Bad news: They now see the virus as a "property right" to sell to the vaccine company and won't send it to the WHO for free.

Good news: Latest bird flu death in Egypt was not the drug resistant strain that killed the other people.
Bad news: You can still die of bird flu with treatment.


Hey Lolo, Buffy got into the Bud again...

Your email of the day from Col. Updraft

Headlines below the fold

The good news: Shoe manufacturers are tying to stop shes from smelling by putting perfume into shoes.
The Bad news: Some perfumes in skin creams make boys grow breasts.
Essay posted to The curse of the smelly sneaker at BNN.

Does evil smoking cause ADD? Yes, says this study. So does lead.
Of course, we docs know heavy smoking causes smaller babies, and that lead damages the brain. But smoking is also a "marker" for other reasons that might increase ADD: Poverty, other drug use, and of course maybe mom smokes to treat her own ADD, a trait that runs in families.

Attention PETA: Coming soon to a table near you. Stemcell meat...another Sci fi prediction come true.

Mr. Arkin is feeling sorry for himself. Well, demonizing people used to be fun. But now we have email. Freedom of speech is a bitch, isn't it, when it works both ways.

Blogfather links to a NYPost editorial that criticizes NYTimes . Presumably the NYTimes will respond like Mr. Arkin, labling the Post "biting, fanatical, threatening -- represent the worst of polarized and hate-filled America.".

THE REAL STORY of the Pinoy peace negotiators...held by the MNLF because they were mad, released when money paid. Well, what else is new?
On the other hand, with all the "extrajudicial killings" going on, criticizing Arroyo for being soft on terror might not be accurate.

And finally, Is the Pope Catholic?"...actually, I think it's kind of sweet for them to allow see, if the Mormons are right, this will allow him into their heaven after death. Catholics just figure if you try your best you have "baptism of desire" and will make it there, but a lot of other churches just say all infidels are going to hell.
Or, as Marge Simpson puts it: