400 LB. Sumo wrestler finishes LA Marathon, sets world record

Kelly Gneiting, a 400-pound sumo wrestler, set a Guinness World Record as the heaviest man to complete a marathon, after finishing on Sunday in 9 hours 48 minutes 52 seconds.

 I’m in awe of this guy. I don’t know if I could have finished a 26.2-mile race in bad weather (it rained like hell throughout). I’m almost inspired enough to call my good friend, and long-distance runner, Woody Woodburn, and see if he’ll train me for a marathon!

On second thought, maybe I won’t. I’ll just stay in awe of Mr. Gneiting’s accomplishment and walk my mile a day! Go here for the full story. 

White supremacist threat overshadowed by Muslim paranoia perpetrated by chairman of Homeland Security committee

Rep. Peter King has chosen to be the America’s leading crusader against American Muslims. He claims not to be on a witch hunt, but his actions speak otherwise.

Right now he’s playing chief inquisitor of national profiling, and is throwing out mistruths about Muslims to make his feeble points. When you read below you’ll see what I mean.

Like the article points out, White Supremacists have been around for a lot longer than the Muslims in this country. Look at our history. Whose done the most damage? The answer is far and away – White Supremacists. (Please note that those who did the 911 bombing weren’t American Muslims) White Supremacists don’t even rate a glance in King’s book of terrorist profiling. It’s obvious he’s hoping to play on enough baseless fears against Muslims to make life miserable for them in the land of the free! Pathetic…look at his picture above. Can you say “Zealot?”

Excerpts:    

“The way they both happened together, at what felt like the same moment, seems like something out of a script: On March 9, Kevin William Harpham was arrested in the town of Addy, Wash., suspected of the attempted Jan. 17 bombing of a Martin Luther King unity rally in Spokane, 55 miles south of Addy. Harpham, a known white supremacist with past and possibly current ties to the neo-Nazi National Alliance, was charged by federal agents of building a "weapon of mass destruction" -- the bomb found in his backpack -- and planting it on the rally route hours before it started.

The next day, Rep. Peter King, the new chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, convened the first of his congressional hearings on the radicalization of Muslim Americans and the potential for domestic terrorism. In his opening statement, King stated that "not one terror-related case in the United States in the last two years involved neo-Nazis."

That disconnect between fact and assertion highlights a more troubling one: the congressman's high-profile attention to one form of American terrorism at the expense of exposing the dangers in another.”

AND…

“In a December 2010 op-ed in Newsday, King wrote that "Federal and local law enforcement officials throughout the country told me they received little or -- in most cases -- no cooperation from Muslim leaders and imams."

Yet when time came to walk the walk with that broad assertion last week, King couldn't produce a single member of law enforcement who would testify as to the validity of that claim.

Nowhere, it seems, is there room for a hearing that airs concerns about radicalization of Americans into the neo-Nazi, nativist, anti-government and white supremacist movements that have been more insidious and invisible in the national landscape, and for a lot longer than any Islamic threat.”

Read the whole article here

Smoking statistics Batman! How prevasive is pot in the USA today?

If legal, marijuana would be a $40-billion-a-year industry in the U.S.

Though not nearly as popular as alcohol or tobacco, marijuana has become part of the nation's social fabric.

 Some 30 million Americans consume cannabis in the average year.

Decriminalized in 11 states and legal for medical purposes in 14, marijuana is no longer considered an enemy of the people in many quarters.
GO HERE to see how marijuana stacks up across the country.
Source: Federal and state agencies.

Genius at work: 12-year-old Jacob is studying at IUPUI

“When Jacob Barnett first learned about the Schrödinger equation for quantum mechanics, he could hardly contain himself.

For three straight days, his little brain buzzed with mathematical functions.

From within his 12-year-old, mildly autistic mind, there gradually flowed long strings of pluses, minuses, funky letters and upside-down triangles -- a tapestry of complicated symbols that few can understand”"

HOW SMART IS JACOB?

“In fact, his work is so strong that he's being courted by a top-notch East Coast research center. IUPUI is interested in him moving from the classroom into a funded researcher's position.”

 To read more on this little genius go here.

3-D display for interaction: How to build a "magic" window

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Microsoft Research is creating key components for the ultimate interactive display

Microsoft Research is working on the technologies necessary to create the ultimate 3-D display, one you gaze through to see and interact with people or locations on the other side of the planet that seem only just beyond your reach.

As It Stands: American pastor promotes 'International Judge the Koran Day' today

By Dave Stancliff/For the Times-Standard

Posted: 03/20/2011 01:27:26 AM PDT

Have you ever wondered how many people have died in the name of religion? How many were tortured by “God fearing” men? How many millions were demonized because they didn't practice certain religions? I have.

Before you decide I'm about to indulge in religion bashing, and the hair on your neck stands up, please read on. For the record, I believe all religions are right for those who choose to follow them. There are many positive things about religion that can't be ignored.

Some would argue that civilization bloomed because of religious influence upon governments. Religion is often the basis for laws and rules of behavior. Nearly all religions promote love, in one form or another. To each his own, I always say.

Now, I'll go right to my real bone of contention. That's the intolerance shown by some who claim to be peaceful followers of God. Case in point; the Christian extremists who are trying to sell the lie that Muslim “Sharia Law” is being forced upon people in the USA.

The poster boy for this attack on Islam is Pastor Terry Jones, the controversial Gainesville, Florida, pastor who made world headlines when he threatened to burn the Koran. He's at it again, folks.

He's promoting “International Judge the Koran Day,” today. Jones says the Koran will be judged, and he believes Muslims have to prove the book is a peaceful one.

Apparently Pastor Jones doesn't believe in the Christian admonition “Judge not, least ye be judged.” And who put him in charge of which religion is OK in America? Perhaps Pastor Jones should pay more attention to our Constitution. It guarantees freedom of religion.

During an appearance on CNN in July 2010, Pastor Jones was asked how he would feel if he was a Muslim, and there were plans to burn his holy text:

He said, “I would not like it, but it's our right. We live in America. It is time to stand up and speak out on what we believe in. We believe that Islam is of the devil and is causing millions of people to go to hell. It is a deceptive religion. It is a violent religion. That has been proven many times.”

His reply clearly shows how screwed up he is. His hateful rhetoric would be laughable, if it didn't have such deadly overtones. No one in America is forced to practice Sharia Law, regardless of his baseless claims.

“Their (Muslims) desire is to disobey the laws of the land and institute Sharia Law instead,” Pastor Jones says on his Facebook page.

What's Pastor Jones and his followers biggest beef with Islam? It's really quite simple; “The Koran does not accept a normal Christian doctrine as presented by the Bible. It denies the crucifixion, resurrection, the existence of the Holy Trinity and the fact that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected.” They believe this is totally wrong.

 Heavens! Can you imagine? Because another religion doesn't believe in your religion, they must be evil and out to destroy the world. Where do you think that kind of mindset will lead?

“We will be setting up a structured court session, including a judge, a jury, witnesses and representatives for both sides of the debate. We have issued pleas for Islam's best defense lawyers and attorneys to attend the event and make their case on behalf of all these so-called peaceful Muslims,” Pastor Jones told CNN last week.

Did you catch the part about “so-called peaceful Muslims” like such a thing is impossible? That tells you that no matter what argument is made for Islam, Pastor Jones and his prejudiced flock will find the religion guilty. Then what? Threaten to burn the Koran again and incite every devout Muslim in the world?

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this attack on Muslims is how many Americans are willing to believe the worst about Islam. I've heard people who normally don't strike me as extreme rant about the threat American Muslims present to our society. It's disheartening to say the least.

As It Stands, demonizing a religion out of mindless fear of a different doctrine will only lead to a societal breakdown and senseless prosecution of innocent people.

Early Feedback:

there’s been several positive emails, and this interesting one from the Council on American-Islamic Relations:  

“As-salaamu alaikum (peace be upon you),

Someone, possibly you or a friend, wanted to join our e-mail list to receive pertinent information regarding news and events in the Muslim community.

We have upgraded our e-mail system and would like to offer you a choice for how CAIR press releases, action alerts and news updates can best serve you.

• Daily News Briefs: A bulletin of important news and information concerning the American Muslim community.
• Weekly Newsletter: A once-a-week newsletter that highlights the most significant items in one convenient email.
• Action Alerts: Alerts on an as-needed basis to mobilize and unify the American Muslim voice to respond to critical issues.
• News Releases: News items about the American Muslim community designed for media professionals.

If you’re interested in what this group does go to info@cair.com.

WEBSITES THAT HAVE PICKED THIS COLUMN UP THUS FAR

World Focus News – The World’s latest news updates.

NEWSVINE.COM – Newsvine is continuously updated by citizens like you, NewsVine is an instant reflection of what the world is talking about at any given moment.

TOPIX NEWS FORUM – Linked to the Times-Standard

Christian Books – online shopping site for all things Christian

Article Newsvine – a website that generates news items from around the world

Genesis Christian Book Store – another online shopping site for Christian material.  

 

The Pug Report: ‘What’s with Millie? We had to take a new route today!’

Okay. Something is up.

After two years of walking the same route every day, Millie refused to go that way today! Say What? She was fine with going in the opposite direction – and we did end up taking a good walk in new territory, but that’s not the point.

Why? Is that “Supermoon” today/tonight a Bad Moon rising?

 “Even more than a normal full Moon, this “super Moon” gets a bad reputation for triggering natural disasters thanks to stories posted on the Internet. NASA says the facts don’t back that accusation. They point to the “super Moon” of March 1983 and the “almost super Moon” of December 2008 that resulted in no natural disasters occurring. In fact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)  states that lunar gravity at perigee will only pull tide water nor more than an inch or so higher though local geography could result in a pull of up to six inches. That may be alarming if you’re an insect living on the beach, but it shouldn’t be to humans.” Source

I have to admit that I’m still mystified by her behavior. What was suddenly different today? Or, was it something simple like just being tired of the same old walk and she opted for a change? Maybe I’m wasting my time wondering what a pug is thinking. Especially a female pug! Like her human counterparts, she reserves the right to change her mind…anytime.

Now if it wasn’t for this guy’s prediction: “Earthquake forcaster Jim Berkland warns of a 'high risk' seismic window and potential for a massive quake poised to strike somewhere in North America in between the dates of March 19th and 26th,” I’d be fine and would think no more on the subject. Does Millie know something I don’t? I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

 

 

Humboldt Bloggers should thank Sal at Planet Tapperass for his clever introduction of their websites

Gotta hand it to Sal at Planet Tapperass

This is his second year of introducing Humboldt Blogs in a quasi-competition based on mystery methodologies. It’s a great way for outsiders to get glimpses of our Humboldt Blogisphere

If you haven’t already checked out Sal’s website, then please do. We need more humor in this world and it’s a lot of good fun.

Thanks again Sal, and maybe next year I’ll get in the finals!

image source

Utah Rep. Mike Lee: Federal Child Labor Laws Are "Unconstitutional"

First Missouri considers a bill that would repeal child labor laws in the state, calling it an interference with how parents choose to raise their kids. 

Now freshman Republican Congressman Mike Lee of Utah is lecturing that federal child labor laws are unconstitutional, and it really should be up to states to pass rules.

Via Raw Story:

"Congress decided it wanted to prohibit that practice, so it passed a law. No more child labor. The Supreme Court heard a challenge to that law, and the Supreme Court decided a case in 1918 called Hammer v. Dagenhardt," Lee said. "In that case, the Supreme Court acknowledged something very interesting -- that, as reprehensible as child labor is, and as much as it ought to be abandoned -- that's something that has to be done by state legislators, not by Members of Congress."

Lee's reasoning was that labor and manufacturing are "by their very nature, local activities" and not "interstate commercial transactions." He added: "This may sound harsh, but it was designed to be that way. It was designed to be a little bit harsh."

The key Congressional law that addresses child labor is the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which placed a series of restrictions against the employment of people under 18 in the public and private sectors.

The Supreme Court unanimously upheld the law in the 1941 United States v. Darby Lumber decision, overturning Hammer, on the basis of the constitutional authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce. It has hardly run into controversies since.”

Is Lee's lecture on giving child labor laws back to the states an opening for more states to consider repealing their own laws, and allow young children into the workforce?  Or is the GOP simply back to calling everything they don't like -- unemployment insurance, health care, public education, and apparently federal law -- unconstitutional?    VIA Care2

A Passion for Skateboarding: Creative Art Sculptures by Haroshi

If you have never heard about a Japanese wood sculptor named Haroshi, then read on:

“As a creator of amazingly beautiful wooden sculptures out of old, crashed and broken skateboard decks, Haroshi passed for a man of considerable resourcefulness.

His multicolored and meticulously sculpted art pieces simply astound with lifelike affinity, so in whichever way it’s even possible to mistake them for being real! In his works he stacks many layers with all piece elements being connected either in their original form or in shapes to form wooden mosaic, dots, and pixels. After that they’re cut down to size, shaven to get rid of the debris, and afterwards coated with a final glossy finish. And with a long-term passion for skateboarding, Haroshi even puts a broken metal skateboard piece in the center of each sculpture to give soul to the statue. You’d better see this bewildering craftsmanship and planning involved with the unrolling showcase:” GO HERE TO SEE MORE        Photo source

Enron whistleblower gets $1.1 million from IRS

Anonymous tipster alerted the feds to $600 million tax-evasion scheme. Yes, the bounty is taxable.

“A whistleblower who exposed a tax fraud scheme by Enron and Wall Street firms has been awarded a $1.1 million reward by the Internal Revenue Service.

The payout came from the new IRS Whistleblower Office, but was made under prior, less generous guidelines. Those older rules, which still apply in some instances, call for a reward of up to 15% of the money that the IRS recovers based on the information.

The whistleblower office was revamped in 2006. Now when whistleblower information about alleged tax cheating leads to IRS collection of unpaid taxes and the subsequent recovery amount exceeds $2 million, the whistleblower can pocket up to 30% of the recovered money.”  Rest of Story here

Expert explores possibilities: What was the Sphinx?

There has never been a satisfactory answer to what the Sphinx actually is or was.

“Anyone who goes to Giza can see for himself or herself that there is something ‘wrong’ with the Sphinx. It only takes an instant. The body is gigantic and the head is just a pimple. The Egyptians never did anything like that, they were always meticulous about proportions in their art. So how is it that we have this monster with a tiny head sitting there in the sand, then?”

There are several other things wrong with the Sphinx. They are: GO HERE

Corporations Versus Individuals: The End of the Left/Right Paradigm

Looks like the New World Order isn’t going to be a global Big Socialist Government (unless, perhaps, you count corporate socialism).

“This may not be a brilliant insight, but it is surely an overlooked one. It is now an Individual vs. Corporate debate – and the Humans are losing.

Consider:

• Many of the regulations that govern energy and banking sector were written by Corporations;

• The biggest influence on legislative votes is often Corporate Lobbying;

• Corporate ability to extend copyright far beyond what original protections amounts to a taking of public works for private corporate usage;

• PAC and campaign finance by Corporations has supplanted individual donations to elections;

• The individuals’ right to seek redress in court has been under attack for decades, limiting their options.

• DRM and content protection undercuts the individual’s ability to use purchased content as they see fit;

• Patent protections are continually weakened. Deep pocketed corporations can usurp inventions almost at will;

• The Supreme Court has ruled that Corporations have Free Speech rights equivalent to people; (So much for original intent!)

None of these are Democrat/Republican conflicts, but rather, are corporate vs. individual issues.

For those of you who are stuck in the old Left/Right debate, you are missing the bigger picture.”

Excerpts above from Barry Ritholtz at this website

Oxycodone on Ice?: Ice cream seller accused of dealing drugs

Momma watch your babies…

“A New York man has been arrested for allegedly selling illegal prescription drugs from his ice cream truck, making more than $1 million in a year, prosecutors said.

Louis Scala sold ice cream to children from his "Lickity Split" truck and would allegedly make stops at prearranged spots where customers knew they could buy pills, according to the New York Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor.

Scala, 40, is accused of selling more than 40,000 prescription oxycodone pills from his ice cream truck in the borough of Staten Island and heading up a 30-person drug ring that included more than two dozen runners to fill fake prescriptions, prosecutors said.

Another suspect, Nancy Wilkins, is accused of using her position as an assistant at a Manhattan orthopedic office to steal blank prescription pads and allegedly sell them for $100 a page, prosecutors said.

The phony prescriptions would be filled by runners who would be paid in cash or in pills, they said.

The ring earned more than $1 million in the past year, sometimes charging up to $20 for a single pill.”

Read the rest of the story here.

In Japan, the Mormon network gathers up the flock

The only thing that rivals the Mormon church’s ability to spread the word is its ability to cope with emergencies.

Within 36 hours of the earthquake striking off the coast of Sendai on March 11, the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that all 638 of its missionaries in the country -- 342 Americans, 216 Japanese and 80 from other nations – were safe.

Within a few days, the church also had accounted for all but about 1,000 of its 125,000 members in Japan.

Photo - Fukuoka Japan Temple is the 88th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints        

Full Story

Experts say ‘Don’t worry’ as tiny amounts of Japan's radiation reachs California

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

First readings are 'about a billion times beneath levels that would be health threatening'

Call me paranoid, but I think our media is covering up some information about what’s really happening, while spoon-feeding us facts very slowly.

That part about “first readings” has sinister implications for the future. Maybe it’s just me, but I have an uneasy feeling that before this crisis is under control there will be health-threatening levels of radiation hitting up and down the entire West Coast.

Forget ‘Bad Moon rising’: It's a 'Supermoon' rising, the biggest in 18 years

It'll hit closest point to Earth of year Saturday, bigger and brighter than ever

“Thanks to a fluke of orbital mechanics that brings the moon closer to Earth than it has been in more than 18 years, the biggest full moon of 2011 will occur on Saturday, leading some observers to dub it a "supermoon."  Full Story

PHOTO - The dazzling full moon sets behind the Very Large Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert in this photo released June 7, 2010, by the European Southern Observatory. The moon appears larger than normal because of an optical illusion of perspective

Back in the USA: Nuclear industry lobbyists' clout felt on Hill

Nuke lobbyists clutter the halls of Congress like hyenas ready to spring into action if any legislation results from Japan’s Nuke crisis.

Twist this senator’s arm, pull that one’s finger. It’s shameful how some lawmakers are being lavished with thousands of dollars to turn their head the other way when it comes to the Nuke industry’s practices. 

                             Hoyer (left), Upton and Waxman have all accepted donations from the industry. AP Photos

“Facing its biggest crisis in 25 years, the U.S. nuclear power industry can count on plenty of Democratic and Republican friends in both high and low places.

During the past election cycle alone, the Nuclear Energy Institute and more than a dozen companies with big nuclear portfolios have spent tens of millions of dollars on lobbying and campaign contributions to lawmakers in key leadership slots and across influential state delegations.

The donations and lobbying funds came at a critical moment for the nuclear industry as its largest trade group and major companies pushed for passage of a cap-and-trade bill.

While that effort failed, the money is sure to keep doors open on Capitol Hill as lawmakers consider any response to the safety issues highlighted by multiple nuclear reactor meltdowns in Japan in the aftermath of last week’s monster earthquake and tsunami.”   Full Story

Thoughts on Japan’s triple crisis, what other bloggers are saying about it, and how to maintain some normalcy in these trying times

I’m finding that Japan’s crisis is overshadowing everything else around me.

 Suddenly the rest of the news in the world and nation seems irrelevant. Everywhere I look on TV, and in the blogs, there’s something about what’s happening in Japan and anything remotely related to it.

That’s very understandable. We may be standing on the brink of a disaster that will make all other recorded disasters pale in comparison. The radioactivity levels escaping into the atmosphere, even as I write this, are spiking. No one knows for sure how high they are and we can’t trust the Japanese government or the company that owns the stricken reactors, or the world press – for 100% accurate information.

I remember the Cuban missile crisis and the run on supplies in stores. Even my normally unflappable father went to the nearest grocery story and stocked up on water and canned goods.

The atmosphere was a lot like it is now with the panic run on Iodine (for more information go here.) The same uncertainty. The same lack of accurate reporting. The same suspicions that we have now. The only exception is there’s more access to news sources worldwide to the average American today because of the Internet. (PHOTO - Empty shelves at a supermarket in Hiraizumi in Iwate prefecture.)

Humboldt bloggers who normally talk about all things Humboldt, are now covering the unfolding events in Japan as well as any news source you can go to. Here’s several good examples; Redheaded Blackbelt; Tom Seaborn Blog; and SoHum ParlanceII. I’ve been posting, off-and-on, about Japan’s triple crisis, but part of me has been thinking, “I need to get on with my life. I can’t do anything about what’s happening, so why stress myself out over it?”

The other part of me, the journalist, can’t get enough information on the subject and I’ve been reading headlines from around the world from the moment I wake up, till I retire at night.

Today, I’ve decided to ratchet my Japan crisis reading down. Just a few headlines and maybe an hour of news on the boob tube at 6:00 p.m. It would stress me out if I didn’t know what was going on. Not that I really have all the facts, but anything on the subject is better than nothing.

(PHOTO - An official checks a man at a radiation screening center in Koriyama, some 60 km away from the Fukushima nuclear facilities, on March 17)

Meanwhile, for those who have just been glued to the events in Japan, there’s some other pretty serious stuff going down regarding Libya! In shift, US now urges airstrikes on Libya (US urges UN to approve Libya airstrikes, no-fly zone) If we go though with the No-Fly Zone it’s an act of War!

 That’s right. The last thing in the world our nation needs is another OIL WAR!

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking to lawmakers in recent weeks, has cautioned a no-fly zone would be a risky operation requiring air strikes to cripple local air defenses. A draft U.N. Security Council resolution is going to be voted on today at 6 p.m. ET.

UPDATE 6:15 PST UN OKs 'all necessary measures,' no-fly zone to protect Libyans

This can’t be good. I’m not surprised however. Big Oil (draped in an American flag) will do anything to protect it’s worldwide assets. 

Last known photo of missing New York Times photographers

PHOTO - New York Times photographers Tyler Hicks (right, in glasses) and Lynsey Addario (far left), run for cover during a bombing run by Libyan government planes at a checkpoint near the oil refinery of Ras Lanuf on Friday, Mar. 11. The other photojournalists pictured, starting from second left are John Moore of Getty Images, Holly Pickett and Philip Poupin. Hicks and Addario, along with NYT correspondents Stephen Farrell and Anthony Shadid, were reported missing near lines of advancing Gadhafi forces two days ago, the NYT announced on Wednesday. Paul Conroy / Reuters

Does it make it easier reading or viewing the rest of the madness going on in this world? No. But it’s necessary (for people like me) in order to keep a perspective on what’s happening all over this planet.

In my overview, I try to balance the negative with the positive news – because both are always happening somewhere. With that in mind, here’s some stories that might even bring you a smile:

 This hapless sheep has become a real life ‘Ram-bo’ after inadvertently abseiling down a hill when its horn became snagged on an electricity wire.

I’m happy to report he wasn’t reduced to roast ram and walked away from this experience.

Read the whole story here. 

Ireland Exposed! St. Patrick Was Really French -

Erin say what?

St. Patrick may be the patron saint of Ireland... but he never even set foot on the Emerald Island until he was 16, and he was dragged there kicking and screaming.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Sailor fighting U.S. Navy discharge after getting caught in bed with another male sailor says he's not gay -- they just fell asleep watching "The Vampire Diaries." Dude, you need to stop talking

2. Tennessee would like its own currency. But is meth a stable enough standard?

3. St Patrick's diet similar to today's health foods

4. Huge lobster saved from the pot

Why do hangovers seem so much worse as we get older?

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you!

We all know that means it’s a day for green beer and cabbage. There’ll be parties in bars and on the streets. Better wear green today or get pinched (where did this ritual get started?).

“Sometime tomorrow, around the time your alarm clock rings, you will hate yourself for trying to keep up with your college self this St. Patrick's Day. You used to be able to bounce right back from hangovers; now, if you have more than two pints of Guinness tonight you know you'll feel it in the morning. What happened?

It's not your imagination. Our bodies really do start to lose the capability to process booze as we get older, an alcohol expert explains.”  Full Story