Saturday, September 17, 2016

You Think That's Big? You Should See This...

Good Day World!

Did you know Great Danes are the tallest dogs in the world averaging (from paw to shoulder) about 30"?

You think that's big? Zeus (pictured here), a Great Dane was the biggest of them all at 44" (from paw to shoulder)! (Zeus passed away in 2014).

Did you know that 8 in 10 Americans are in debt?

You think that's big? Try our national debt. It currently stands at 18.8 trillion dollars!

Did you know the tallest statue in America is The Statue of Liberty at 151 feet tall?

You think that's big? The tallest statue in the world, Spring Temple Buddha (China) dwarfs Lady Liberty. It's 420 feet tall!

Did you know that the title of the largest commercially sold pizza (a 62" monster) in the United States belongs to Big Lou's in San Antonio, Texas?

You think that's big? Step aside for the largest pizza ever made - it even had a name "Ottavia." It's total surface area was an astounding 13,580.28 ft²! 

Time for me to walk on down the road....

Friday, September 16, 2016

Sweet Lies: Sugar Industry Tried To Conceal The Role It Plays In Heart Disease


                                       Good Day World!

The sugar industry has been lying to us about how harmful sugar can be since the 60's.

Researchers recently revealed this coverup in a pair of papers published in the Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA Internal Medicine.

It was a bait and switch game from the start when the sugar industry's lobbying group diverted away from sugar's problems to focusing on fat as the main cause of heart disease.


It's fair to compare the sugar industry's approach to the same low life tactics used by the tabacco industry in the past. 

Cristin Kearns, a University of California San Francisco researcher who is focusing on the sugar industry, made the discovery when she found a collection of papers at the University of Illinois library fom the estate of Roger Adams, a chemistry professor who was a scientific adviser for the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) - now the Sugar Association.

Adams papers and a papers from his colleague Harvard professor Mark Hegsted, sponsored a research program in the 1960s and 1970s that successfully cast doubt about the hazards of surcose while promoting fat as the dietary culprit in coronary disease. 

By the 1980s, the damage was done. New dietary directions focused on reducing fat, saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol.

Sadly, this is nothing new. Industry-funding and pressure can encourage researchers to look at one line of evidence while ignoring others.

This change of direction proved profitable for the giant food industry push of "fat-free" products that were loaded with added sugars and processed carbohydrates - now shown to be as big a cause of heart disease as fat, and also a direct cause of diabetes.

Is it any wonder it's getting harder to trust scientists and researchers these days? Greed knows no intellectual boundaries.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Alert: Patients Escape Mental Asylums and Infiltrate Political System!

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." - Dr. Hannible Lecter 
                                   
                                     Good Day World!

Whose attending the mental asylum?

It appears the inmates have escaped and taken over the Republican party.

Donald Trump isn't the only crazy politician running around and proclaiming doom and upcoming violence for America right now.

I'd like to introduce you to Kentucky's Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. He might even be crazier than Maine's Republican Gov. Paul Lapage.

So what got Gov. Bevin identified among the escaped inmates?

In a speech he gave at the so-called Values Voter Summit (the irony is thick here) in Washington D.C., Bevin called upon conservatives to wage war against contemporary liberalism.

During Bevin's 15-minute rant he suggested that if Hillary Clinton is elected president, she would set the nation on a dangerous course that might require bloodshed to correct.

Crazy enough for you?

When you consider that a sizable portion of Donald Trump's followers are alt right wingnuts this kind of talk starts to get scary.

Some political observers have even discussed what would happen if Trump loses. The idea of riots breaking out has been explored.

Roger Stone, a close advisor for Trump warned "that if Clinton were to steal the election, her inauguration would mean civil disobedience, not violence, but it will be a bloodbath."

With politicians like Gov. Bevin calling for bloodshed if Trump loses there's a good chance some crazies will be inspired to follow through on the prediction.

What to do? It's up to you. Your vote could restore sanity to America and put the crazies back in the looney bin where they belong.

Hint...anyone but Trump.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Let There Be Light: America's 1st Lighthouse is 301 Years-Old Today

Good Day World!

The plain, yet dignified, lighthouse on the left is the first one ever built in the New World. 

It sits on Little Brewster Island, and overlooks Boston Harbor

The British forked up 2,400 pounds to build the important navigational aide which went into service on September 14th, 1715.

Fact: at the time the Boston Lighthouse was built there were only 70 lighthouses in the whole world!

Here's a nice summary of the Boston Lighthouse's history.

If you really interested in learning more about this famous landmark you can go on a cruise and visit the area where there are guided tours. 

Related:

What To Do On Boston's Waterfront

Time for me to walk on down the road...





Tuesday, September 13, 2016

The Chance Of A Fair Presidential Election Is Looking Dimmer Every Day

Good Day World!

I don't believe there's ever been a presidential election in this country where our votes were more likely to be nullified for numerous reasons.

Let's start with hacking. The FBI has come out and said Russia has been hacking our electoral system.

How Russian Hackers Could Disrupt the U.S. Election

The weakening of the Voting Rights Act is playing a major part in this year's election. Jurisdictions with significant histories of voter discrimination don't have to "pre-clear" any new voting practices or procedures with the Department of Justice anymore.

A direct consequence from the weakening of the VRA is apparent in this year's election. With less official voting monitors present, accountability is taking a major hit.

Stepping right into that opening, Donald Trump, is urging his followers to patrol polling places. Trump has made the demonization of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities a hallmark of his campaign.

Richard Cohen at the Southern Poverty Law Center notes that Trump's recruitment of poll watchers is being promoted by white supremacists on Stormfront, perhaps the world's most prominent neo-Nazi website.

What's happening is voter descrimination has gotten out of hand with the gutting of the VRA and the rise of alt right groups supporting Trump.

It's going to be challenging enough to pick a candidate. Clinton and Trump have proven to be the least credible major presidential candidates in history.

I have a strong hunch that whoever gets elected, accusations of voting fraud and a rigged election will continue for the next four years!

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Monday, September 12, 2016

What America Needs Is More Naked Bike Rides Through Major Cities

Good Day World!

People are too serious nowadays.

They need to lighten up and go on a naked bike ride and experience the freedom of flashing.

Everyone is doing it these days.

Folks in the City of Brotherly Love - otherwise known as Philadelphia - have an annual event where thousands of semi-naked and totally naked people ride bikes through the center of the city for various causes.

The event was held over the weekend, but the grand daddy of naked bike events takes place every year in Seattle, Washington, and is sponsored by World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR).

Imagine, if you will, if every state had a naked bike races?

Why stop at just one however? Think about how entertaining this would be every month? Maybe it would help soften all the bad world events that we hear about in real time.

I got this crazy idea that in order to put a positive spin on this year's presidential election we sould require the candidates (and their entourage) to ride tricycles (blue one's for dems, red for repugs) to every rally and fundraiser.

You thought I was going to say something about making the candidates strip didn't you?

Listen, I'm not crazy. Seeing Clinton and Trump in the raw would be a picture no person alive would ever be able to forget ever again.

Time for me to walk on down the road...

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Do Not Disturb: It's Time For Football In America With These 6 House Rules!

Good Day World!

The big day has arrived.

Despite the fact that the NFL season started with a Thursday Night Football match up between Denver and North Carolina, the real season starts today.

So don't be calling me, or texting me today. If you stop by the house you better be ready to watch some grown men smash into each other like billy goats!

Because the Rams came back to LA, I'm picking them as a team to follow. As an original Ram fan, before they left for the wilds of St. Louis, this seems like poetic justice or karma.

Football Sunday House Rules

1) Do not disturb me for anything that is not football related.

2) The food for the day shall be tacos and pizza.

3) Beer is the preferred drink of the day - scotch or bourbon are also acceptable.

4) Official Snacks consist of: Hot Buffalo Wings, Cheetos, slices of lunch meat and cheese spread out in a football shaped tray, and an eclectic assortment of pot brownies, cookies, and gummy bears.

5) Fantasy football is spoken freely and often throughout the day.

6) The TV will be put on hold whenever I have to go to the bathroom. No exceptions.

May your fantasy team win big!

Time for me to walk on down the road...

It's Time to Pay Up Donnie!

It's looks like there will be some prime real estate going on the market soon in New York City. Convicted rapist and former president ...