The adventures of a rat bastard and his eventual fate…

           Good Day Humboldt County!

 How’d you like to walk down memory lane with me to read a short story that will hopefully amuse you today? I broke it up into two parts for quick reads. Here’s Part I:

  It all started last March when one big-assed Norwegian rat migrated from our Conex box and slunk into our house through the back door!

We had the Conex box open – airing it out – because I had discovered rat shit droppings near a plastic trash can that had a hole eaten through the base! Bit’s and pieces of plastic, and garbage were strewn about as the little rat bastard had feasted! It was my first time dealing with a rat, and I intended to make sure it would the last time. I found a hole gnawed through the wooden floor and plugged it up.

As fate would have it, the back door to our house was open because my wife, Shirley, was doing some early spring cleaning, and was going back and forth with small rugs to be beaten into submission. Sometime, in a six hour stretch, the rat bastard slunk into the house. We didn’t know it that day. The next morning, as we sat and enjoyed our first cup of coffee, nature called and I went into the downstairs bathroom located in the rear of the house. Oh, the horror! There was rat shit on the floor and in the bath tub! I was stunned and aware that the rat in the Conex box had somehow invaded our house!

White-faced, I walked out into the living room and informed Shirley about our new house guest. She understandably freaked out. We both went back to the bathroom for further investigation. I went in and shut the door while Shirley gave words of encouragement from the other side. I moved the cupboard, looked behind it.

Nothing but rat shit. No holes. I then checked the walls around the baseboard for entry ways. Nothing. I opened one of the drawers and a big fat-assed Norway rat wrinkled his whiskers at me! His beady black eyes stared me down defiantly while his long whiskers waved obscenely – seemingly testing the air and my mood. Then he dove underneath the stack of hand towels. Okay. That verified that. I really had a rat, and it looked like he was preparing to take up permanent residence!

During my inspection, and upon my discovery, I was giving Shirley a running commentary – “Okay you rat bastard...you came inside the wrong house! When I see you...wait! What’s that stirring under the towels? Arrrrgggggggg! Shirley! I found the rat and it looks like he has an attitude!

Loud moans outside the door as she heard the news. If there’s one thing Shirley hates more than snakes, it’s rats.

I stepped back outside, carefully closing the door. The rat bastard didn’t get by me. I went and got a pair of heavy gloves and a steel pot with a lid. Yes, I was going to give him a chance to live and catch him, then take him outside. I intended to free him about a mile down the street in one of my neighbor’s yards. But Nooooo!

He took one quick look at me when I opened the drawer, wiggled his whiskers, and jumped out! The race was on (in a very confined space). It was over as suddenly as it started when he dashed around the baseboard and suddenly disappeared! Perplexed, and pissed, I carefully got down on my arthritic knees and studied the entire baseboard on all three walls. I took all three drawers out of the cupboard and carefully searched the contents of the top shelf. No rat bastard! Nothing. I took the entire closet out of the bathroom. There was nowhere to hide when I was done. The fourth wall was the tub.

Still nothing. Oh shit! Was I going crazy? It was time to step outside and consult with Shirley who was muttering, “The little f**ker... f**ker...f**ker!”

Throughout this process I was encouraged by Shirley’s constant reminders to “Get the little f**ker!” Now, it’s only fair to point out Shirley doesn’t use the “F Bomb” often, but when she does it flows like a river....”The little f**ker! He’s invaded my house! F**ker! F**ker! F**ker” It wasn’t pretty to hear.

Meanwhile, I’m having my own issues. As most of my family, friends, and readers know, I have PTSD. Certain things sometimes bother me so bad I have flashbacks. When I came face to snout with that rat bastard I flashed onto some very terrible experiences I had in Vietnam where I saw rats feasting on NVA and VC bodies. My stress level peaked in seconds. But the worst was yet to come.

I couldn’t find the rat bastard. Where was he? How was it possible he could just disappear like that? I had peered up the bathroom facet (shades of staring down holes in the ground that led to tunnels) and turned the hot water on thinking maybe he was hiding up there and I’d scald his furry ass! No such luck. Shirley went from swearing directly into a cleaning frenzy. She bleached the living room floor, and the hallway adjoining the bathroom. That was just a warm-up. All the dust covers came off the couch, love seat and chair, and were marched upstairs and put in the washer – set on sterilize.  All the furniture was moved and both big floor throw rugs rolled up and taken outside.

Bleach went on the kitchen table, counter, and the cupboards near the baseboard. All food that was on the counter (fruits and such) was thrown out. All walls were wiped down. Who knew where the rat went last night before settling in his comfy bed in the bathroom closet? The very thought drove her to distraction. Nothing was safe now, until she bleached it. Our slippers and socks. End tables and lamps. Bar stools and chairs that went with the kitchen table were wiped down thoroughly. Anywhere she suspected that rat might have gone was bleached with a vengeance.

By now, I was pissed off enough to go out and buy a rat trap, and rat poison cubes. I set the trap. A while later we checked on it. The cheese was gone. The trap still intact, waiting patiently to snap shut. Yet, the rat pellets proved he had a quick meal with no repercussions! So I set it again, thinking I missed something the first time. The same scenario resulted.

Then I tried peanut butter. Surely the little rat bastard would set it off when he tried to get that sticky bait ...right? Hell no. He licked it clean - and if rats could write, he would have left me a thank you note for the tasty treat.

It became obvious I wasn’t setting the trap correctly, or this was one smart-assed rat like in the book “Willard.” I gave up on the trap and hoped Plan B – the little block of rat poison I put in one corner, would work. We continued to check the bathroom the next day, but the poison block remained untouched. Understandably I suppose, as I had served up a three-course meal on a platform he didn’t fear. During one of these inspections Shirley made a discovery!

She found the spot where the rat bastard must have been hiding! Beneath the sink counter, along the floor board, there’s a tiny opening (you have to look up underneath the cabinet to spot it) that leads into a crawlspace (about four inches deep) at the base of the cabinet. Busted! Now we knew where the rat bastard was hiding. We decided to give the poison a chance overnight, and went to bed with rat bastards dancing in our dreams!

The next morning came. The tension built. I slowly opened the bathroom door watching the floor intently. A quick scan of the room. No rat poison block! It was gone! Disappeared, and I knew where. I hoped he enjoyed his last meal (it takes between 3-4 days to kill them, according to the instructions). Of course, as you probably have guessed by now, I’ll have to take the cabinet apart to get his dead rat ass out. That’s okay. Shirley is already talking about getting a band new cabinet that will go better with the paint job in there!

This is NOT THE END of this story. Stay tuned for Part II tomorrow: Because of rat bastard’s Norwegian lineage it was decided to give him a real Viking send-off. Special sidebar: you’ll never guess where we found him!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Cash Mobs: Reprieves for struggling Mom & Pop businesses

 By Dave Stancliff/For The Times-Standard
I enjoy living behind The Redwood Curtain. National trends usually take time before they penetrate our backwoods paradise in northern California, but that’s okay. In Humboldt County we lead a slower way of life for numerous reasons.
To name just three; fewer people, only one major highway that seldom has traffic jams, and we don’t have all the entertainment and shopping found in more populous part of the state.
 When I recently discovered a growing phenomenon called “Cash Mobs” it was one of the few times I regretted our isolation. I quickly recovered however, and am thrilled to share with you what they’re about.
  The first took place in August at City Wine Merchant in Buffalo, N.Y., organized by Chris Smith, an engineer who also writes for ArtVoice, a Buffalo arts blog. Since then, the idea has spread to cities like San Diego, where cash mobbers converged recently at Fiesta De Reyes, a mall in a state historic park; Warwick, Rhode Island.; Cleveland, Ohio; Columbia, South Carolina; and Austin, Texas.

  A cash mob is the modern equivalent of a community barn-raising, like those in the old west when a community came together to help one of its members build a house or barn.

The story that inspired me to pass on this new trend started on a stretch of Chapman Road in Knoxville, Tenn., where locals rallied to help Emery's 5 & 10 store (photo below left). It’s believed to be the oldest family-owned five-and-dime store in the U.S.
The recession had been hard on the store, and when a bridge construction project diverted traffic away from it, the store was deserted, according to Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett.

But fortune smiled when Mayor Burchett watched late-night TV and saw a report on "cash mobs" — flash mobs that organize to bring customers to struggling locally owned businesses.  He told NBC station WBIR, “A light bulb went off. Somebody was doing something at a hardware store in the Northeast, and I just thought: 'Dadgum. We ought to do that right here in Knoxville.’”
 A light bulb went off for me too, when I read this. Why can’t we have “cash mobs” here to help our small businesses? I’ve always supported the local economy in every way possible, and I’d love to see some of our struggling businesses get a break.
 It’s easy to do. There are actually unofficial rules. They’re available at Cash Mobs blog. I highly recommend visiting the site if you want to know how an event like this can be organized.

On March 24, 2012, Cash Mobs blog is calling for National Cash Mob action. The idea is to organize mobs in small communities across the country for the day. It can be all day (like Chagrin Falls, Ohio plans) or more Flash Mobbish (like Bellport, Long Island, New York).
I’m not suggesting this is a long term solution, but it could mean staying open when the wolf is at the door. It might make the difference to a Mom & Pop store and buy time to come up with a strategy to stay in business.
I’m appealing to anyone who wants to show their appreciation for our lifestyle to help the local  business community and organize a Cash Mob. How about a community group? I’d think something like this would fit in with service organizations like Rotary really well.

I seldom ask readers to get on any bandwagon. I’m not a “joiner” myself. Yet, there are times when I’ll ask readers to support a cause. Supporting local business is one of those times.
It’s no secret. The Great Recession has staggered the business community on the north coast. Take a stroll through the Eureka Mall to get a feeling for the impact. Empty storefronts outnumber active businesses. Look around where you live. Is there a Mom & Pop business you think deserves help in these troubled times?
  As It Stands, I’d also like to give a shoutout to Humboldt bloggers - ‘What do you say? Would you like to make someone’s day?’

Here’s some websites that have picked up this column:

1) California Newswire (Page 6)

2) New York Messenger Service

3) WaterIntell.com Water

Vintage Illusions: Oldies but Goodies still Baffle Brains

The concept of optical illusion is as old as man himself. Notwithstanding the lack of any written trace the first human beings certainly would have noticed optical phenomena such as mirages, the size of the Moon at its zenith, sticks or poles which appear to be broken in two when half immersed in water, or a negative image after having looked at the sun.
Vintage Illusions are still mind bogglers despite the years. Here’s three examples:

Published as a postcard, this work (left) by James Montgomery Flagg from 1913 is called “Map of the World”. As you can see (in the planisphere) a girl’s face is hidden. The artist is better known as the poster artist who created the image of a finger pointing Uncle Sam with the slogan “I want you!”.

The Painter Salvador Dalí is the author of a great many surreal canvasses, also of this photomontage (right), created from two photos which show some skiers coming down a slope and a box or bed of puppies.
The bodies of the skiers becoming the eyes and noses of the puppies…

 
Yes, our grandfathers too were great teases and appreciated 'subtle' naughty allusions and jokes!
Like this drawing which plays on the ambiguity of bald headed gentlemen that appear also as the large chest of the lady.
Postcards with optical allusions such as this were in the early past of the last century printed in their millions.
text & graphics source

Tear Off Those Ties! There’s No Good Reason To Wear Them…

The word from the WiseFather today:

“In today’s edition of Crap You Don’t Need, I bring you the necktie.
For some reason, men (and occasionally some women) are forced to wear a strip of overpriced fabric around their necks.  Before I investigate the true origins of this custom, here is some wild speculation.
Ties demonstrate the wearer’s willingness to submit to asinine traditions.  It sends a good message when you show up to your interview wearing your own leash.  If this guy conforms to this, he’ll have no problem with wage slavery.
Perhaps ties are a phallic symbol.   It could explain why it’s a guy thing.  It could also explain why some people find women wearing neckties kind of creepy.  Either she’s growing one (not that there’s anything wrong with that) or she’s appropriated one in a Lorena Bobbit way and has decided to make it an accessory.   For the younglings out there, go ahead and Google Lorena Bobbit.  You’ll have a good laugh or a nightmare; maybe both.
If the necktie idea is phallic,  I fear the trend setters will one day evolve their custom and force us to wear erect ties.  The style will be called “The Dilbert.”

It will make eating difficult, and we will eventually be banned from wearing ties while driving. However, the engineering involved in creating such a marvel would be interesting to see. I’ve heard they are doing wonderful things with carbon nanotubes.
Now, scanning the interwebs about the true origin of the necktie reveals that the custom has no practical purpose.  That’s right:  you’re not wearing that fancy silk tie to keep food off your less expensive shirt.  It’s all fashion.

Finally, here’s a more sensible reason

for wearing a tie…

News with No Views: Scattered Snippets from the Hinterlands

Happy birthday to actor Abe Vigoda, who turns 91 today! Yes, Abe Vigoda is still alive. No, I’m not kidding.

Vigoda's longevity has turned him into a punchline, a standing joke representing all those actors and actresses who are still with us, but seem perhaps like they might have passed on years before.

No insult to the man intended, but when there's a website (abevigoda.com) solely devoted to which side of the dirt you're waking up on, you've got to acknowledge and have fun with it.

                                   ***

The term "red tape" has many mythical origins, but the National Archives believes it has the right answer: red ribbons were used to bind piles of government documents dating back to the Civil War. Opening the files required someone to "cut through" the red tape.

                                                                          ***

Just how long a relationship will last can be predicted by the amount of "love hormone" in the bloodstream of a newly smitten person, a new study says. Researchers measured levels of oxytocin in people who had recently begun relationships. Six months later, the couples with the higher levels of oxytocin tended to still be together, while the others had split.

                                                                       ***

Your cell phone and your shoes have whole communities of microbes living on them, as distinctive as the germs on your fingers and in your mouth. Among the bacteria that typically live in your pocket are the relatives of nasty bugs that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and gonorrhea. In contrast, the soles of your shoes could harbor bacteria related to E. coli, salmonella and the microscopic critters that cause pink eye.

 

 

The ‘Vomit Comet’ is coming soon – Will you be ready?

  Good Day Humboldt County!

The future has always fascinated people and guessing what it’ll be like has been a favorite subject of science fiction writers since Jules Verne.

The road to roller coaster fame is dotted with such legends as “The Cyclone” at the Pike in Long Beach (below) during its glory days, and Coney Island’s “Hurricane” that left more than one rider puking their guts up. It seems people never get tired of screaming and hurling in the name of entertainment. Make ‘em sick, and they’ll come back. Here’s the latest way to lose your lunch:   

“Think about the tallest, wildest roller coaster you've ever been on. If a Southern California design firm has its way, you haven't felt anything yet. BRC Imagination Arts is proposing a "zero gravity" roller coaster that would give thrill seekers a stomach-churning ride including at least eight seconds of microgravity.

The proposed ride takes cues from NASA's KC-135A aircraft, which was used to train astronauts and test equipment for spaceflight. The aircraft, nicknamed "the Vomit Comet," flew specific flight paths to mimic various states of microgravity.”

The Vomit Comet would be more than a theme park attraction according to it’s creators:

“While the Vomit Comet would be primarily for entertainment, Bob Rogers, BRC's founder and chief creative officer can foresee scientific and research applications. Experiment time on NASA's KC-135A, or other planned suborbital vehicles, is expensive and can sometimes involve a lengthy testing and approval process, he noted.”

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Another new sneaker release riot: What the hell is the matter with these people?

The launch of an expensive new basketball shoe — timed to Orlando's hosting of the NBA All-Star Game — triggered a melee Thursday night at Florida Mall that was quelled by deputies in riot gear.

The wild scene erupted about 9:45 p.m. as hundreds of people packed the mall's parking lot, hoping to buy the new shoe at midnight.

As the crowd grew, a large contingent of Orange County deputy sheriffs arrived, braced for problems.
Similar shoe releases have caused violence at shoe stores across the country.
Two people were arrested on trespassing charges Thursday at Florida Mall. A third person — a woman — was arrested this morning for fighting outside Foot Locker.

Here’s the difference between citizens serving their communities & politicians supposedly serving the public…

One day a florist went to  a barber for a haircut.

After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, “I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this  week.” The florist was pleased and left the  shop.

When the  barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a “thank you’ card and  a dozen roses waiting for him at his  door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, “I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.” The cop was happy and left the shop.

The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a “thank you” card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then a  Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, “I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this  week.” The Congressman was very happy and left the shop.

The next  morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free  haircut!

And that, my friends, illustrates  the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the  politicians who run it.

BOTH  POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON!

The Blue Fugates of Troublesome Creek: family mystery solved

  Good Day Humboldt County!

Today, we’re taking a stroll down memory lane. Are you feeling blue?

Remember when a despondent Kermit the Frog sang "It's not easy being green"?

Well it isn’t easy being blue either. I mean literally blue-skinned. People with the condition have no connection to so-called Blue Bloods.” No, the blue-skinned people we’re talking about today all belong to one family!

News Snippet: 

“Benjamin "Benjy" Stacy so frightened maternity doctors with the color of his skin -- "as Blue as Lake Louise" -- that he was rushed just hours after his birth in 1975 to University of Kentucky Medical Center.

As a transfusion was being readied, the baby's grandmother suggested to doctors that he looked like the "blue Fugates of Troublesome Creek." Relatives described the boy's great-grandmother Luna Fugate as "blue all over," and "the bluest woman I ever saw."

In an unusual story that involves both genetics and geography, an entire family from isolated Appalachia was tinged blue. Their ancestral line began six generations earlier with a French orphan, Martin Fugate, who settled in Eastern Kentucky.”  (Read the rest of the story here.)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Flat Green Surface Becomes 3D!

 

 

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The artist behind this monumental achievement is François Abelanet.

See more of his work here.

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Turkeys Took over TV: Why did we let it happen folks?

                         You may have noticed.

Turkey’s are running and programing TV programs throughout the country.

All TV programs. From the news full of views, to rednecks catching big ugly fish with their fists, there’s been a movement afoot. Turkey scratchings showing senseless images of people doing stupid things.

Somehow, rafters of turkeys have consolidated their clueless agendas into our lives while we sat drooling in front of the vast panorama of boob tubes stretched across the country.

It was bound to happen. Minds were turned to mush the moment the American family gathered around little oval screens in huge cabinets and watched blurry black-and-white images of commercials selling Alka Seltzer and Ipana tooth paste.

I didn’t just notice. I just decided to vent about it. To lament the dumbing down of America. To sigh with sadness as little girls dressed up like slutty women parade on shows that must be considered “candy” to pedophiles. Where have we gone so wrong?

The turkeys don’t have limits. Nothing is too half-baked, or raw, to make a hit series. No amount of shows humiliating fat people, little people, or just plain stupid people (I’m thinking “Jackass”) seems to be enough. There’s constantly new shows coming out trying to butter up an increasingly jaded public.

As It Stands, the final irony is we have met the turkeys…and they are us! Gobble, gobble, gobble…

art source

A California Culinary Cult: ‘In-N-Out’ burgers expanding to Texas

During my high school days in Azusa, California, my favorite hamburger came from “In-N-Out,” not from the nearby McDonalds. It was the FIRST In-N-Out location. Someday, the building should be enshrined as a place to visit the birth of the best hamburger in the state.

Back in those days, a cheeseburger and fries from In-N-Out cost a tiny bit more than McDonalds, so most of the kids I knew went to Mickie’s D’s for financial reasons. I went to Mickie D’s most of the time for the same reason. But, when I wanted a treat, it was off to the In-N-Out on Azusa Ave. My future brother-in-law lived in a little green house right next to it. Whenever my friends and I visited him he’d buy us those wonderful burgers and fries.

In-N-Out has always had a mystique based on quality, scarcity (fewer than 250 locations), and apocryphal tales of secret menus and lavish, six-figure pay for employees. It's a quintessential southern California attraction— the first stop for savvy out-of-towners on the way out of LAX. The rare restaurant opening has been known to alter a city's traffic patterns and bring hours-long lines and news helicopters buzzing overhead.

In-N-Out is welcomed where other fast food outlets are not. Love for the double-double burger is publicly professed by chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Thomas Keller and influential food writers like Gourmet's Ruth Reichl and Jonathan Gold. Even Fast Food Nation's muckraking Eric Schlosser gives it a thumbs-up.

 There are no freezers, microwaves, or heat lamps at an In-N-Out. Nothing is ever frozen—even the hamburger beef is butchered at their own SoCal site, which has kept outlets within a day's drive of that location. No meal is prepared until the customer orders it, the fries are cut by hand in the store, the shakes are real ice cream, and burger prices hover around $3. Except for the addition of 7-Up and Dr. Pepper, the menu has barely changed in its 60 year history.

Now the big news is that In-N-Out is planning for expansion. The company is opening a regional office and second distribution center in Dallas, making it possible to open new outlets within driving range of the fresh hamburger patties it produces in Texas. Three new locations will be up and running this spring. Maybe by April 1st. And that's no joke.

Family stumbles across the rarest collection of football cards in America

                         Good Day Humboldt County!

  As we walk down the road of life, we sometimes stumble upon good fortune. A side road to riches  not traveled by others. A turn of events that can change our lives. As surprising as a Jack-in-the-Box, these moments pop up when we least expect them.

       Today’s story is a good illustration of what I’m talking about:

 “A Michigan family was cleaning out an old farmhouse and accidentally stumbled across a long-sought after collection of football cards worth thousands of dollars and considered perhaps the rarest such collection in history. The set is highlighted by an "anonymous" card of former Harvard football player John Dunlop, which was first issued in 1894.

The Dunlop card alone is reportedly worth $10,000, according to Lou Brown, president of Legends Sports and Games. "If it was in the right condition, it could be worth up to $60,000," Brown told Yahoo! News in a phone interview.

There are only 10 Dunlop cards known to still exist, with some valued as high as $18,000. The entire collection is the first ever to dedicated to football players. And since there was no NFL at the time, the set focused entirely on the nation's 35 best Ivy League college players, according to the site FootballCardShop.com. You can view some of the other rare cards from the collection here.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Consumers Beware: Smartphone & Social Newtwork I.D. thefts up

Beware Smartphone users! Ominous rumblings from tech experts, Javelin Strategy & Research: Identity thieves are back in bigger numbers than ever before after last years slight decline.

Right now, this very moment, someone is checking to see if you, or some other unsuspecting Smartphone user are using a screen password. This new research claims Smartphone users are 30 percent more likely to report being hit by I.D. fraud in 2012. The survey said about 36 millions Americans have been victimized.

Disclaimer: I’m clueless when it comes to mobile phones. Smart and dumb ones. I have a dumb one that doesn’t access the internet. I still have trouble with it when it comes to make the slightest changes. I don’t text, but my wife says my phone is set up for texting.

But, I do read a lot, and after reading this article this morning I informed my tech savvy wife that her phone was at risk. She immediately took steps to rectify the situation. If I may be so bold, it would be a good idea for you to protect yourself and use a screen password if you have a Smartphone. Of course, if you already do, then you can just yawn and move on.

If, however this is news to you, consider taking action to protect your I.D. Don’t feel bad if you weren’t aware of this threat. According to the researchers, 62 percent of Smartphone users say they do not use a screen password to protect their devices.

Finally, the survey suggests some connection between active use of social networks and ID theft. Slightly more than 10 percent of LinkedIn users say they were hit (10.1 percent), while 7 percent of Google+ users and 6.3 percent of Twitter users reported being victims -- all three above average. Facebook users, at 5.7 percent, were barely above the national average of 4.9 percent.

14th Amendment: how far does it’s promise of ‘equal protection’ go?

        Good Day Humboldt County!

Call me a cynic, but I have a strong feeling that the Supreme Corporate Court is preparing to turn the clock back on race diversity in higher education.

They’re confronting the issue of race in university admissions once again. This time, there’s an appeal by a white student who says she was denied a spot at the flagship campus of the University of Texas.

“A broad ruling in favor of the student, Abigail Fisher, could threaten affirmative action programs at many of the nation's public and private universities,” said Vanderbilt University law professor Brian Fitzpatrick in a recent interview.

Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional law scholar and dean of the University of California Irvine's law school, has called the Fisher case "potentially momentous."

The challenge:

To what extent does the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of “equal protection of the laws” permit race to be used as a factor in efforts to achieve greater diversity in higher education?

For more than three decades, the Supreme Court has said that although race may be one of numerous factors taken into account, it cannot be the predominant consideration in an admissions process. I suspect tea party groups across the country are supporting this appeal.

As It Stands, what do you think the chances are that the Supreme Corporate Court will rule in her favor?

Coffee Bean Man Optical Illusion …

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Can you spot the hidden face in this “Coffee Bean Man Illusion?”

Once you find the face in this coffee beans pile, every next time you look at this picture you will see it immediately!

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                                                                          (source)

Another face of intolerance: Meet freshman Indiana state Rep. Bob Morris, R-Fort Wayne

See that beady-eyed little prig between the two women in the photo?

His name is Bob Morris, and he says the Girl Scouts are bent on promoting communism, lesbianism and subverting "traditional American family values."

Bet you didn’t know that, did you? Neither did I, but Morris talked to some well-informed constituents, and did a “small amount” of Web-based research, and what he found disturbed him.

The Girl Scouts of America and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts "have entered into a close strategic affiliation with Planned Parenthood” he told his Republican House colleagues in a letter obtained by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.

Morris, who owns a chain of nutrition stores, claims there’s an agenda behind the cookies the Girl Scouts sell. That’s the reason he insists he won't go along with a resolution meant to honor the Girls Scouts on the organization's 100th anniversary.

As proof, Morris notes that the "radically pro-abortion" Michelle Obama is honorary president of Girl Scouts of America, which "should give each of us reason to pause before our individual or collective endorsement of the organization."

Michelle Tompkins, a spokeswoman for the Girl Scouts, responded to Morris' assertions by telling NBC station WISE of Fort Wayne, "Not only is Rep. Morris off the mark on his claims, it's also unfortunate in his limited research that he failed to discover that, since 1917, every first lady has served as the honorary leader of Girl Scouts, including Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Laura Bush."

For its part, Planned Parenthood of Indiana called Morris' comments "inflammatory, misleading, woefully inaccurate and harmful," saying he'd insulted not only it but also the Girl Scouts and Obama.

"Planned Parenthood currently has no formal partnership with the Girl Scouts, but supports their mission and recognizes their century of contributions to our society," the organization said in a statement to NBC station WTHR of Indianapolis.

Here’s some reasons why I can relax today…

After nearly a week of suspense, I found out the name of Prince William and Duchess Kate’s puppy today. It’s Lupo, according to the Associated Press. I know. Pretty odd name, but it probably has royal significance to it. Lupo may have been a past king in Britain. Little Lupo (who was really named after the Latin word for wolf) has already become a viral sensation.

I can’t tell you how excited I was to hear the biggest BMW dealership in the world recently opened up for business in The United Arab Emirates. It’s located in Abu Dubai. Just knowing that we have a BMW dealership here in McKinleyville makes me feel connected with the universe…

and finally,

I can relax now that I know Elvis Presley’s was not part ape!

A Florida man today claimed to be Elvis Presley’s brother, and that he was also half orangutan. If true, it would have meant the King was part ape. I realize some people said he went ape when performing, but I don’t thing it’s the same thing.

After a call about a man flashing a handgun at a woman, police arrived on the scene. They reported the man said he "needed to call the 'Fusion Center' to ask about his monkey blood," according to the Naples Daily News. The arresting officer noted "that he had jurisdiction over me since he was the director of the CIA," in his report.

I have to agree with the officer's assessment that "it did not appear as if he was all there mentally," but have to admit I admire his delusional creativity.

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The future has arrived - Nevada is ready for autonomous vehicles

              Good Day Humboldt County!

  Our path today will take us down a road where cars don’t need drivers.

  I was 12-years old when the Jetsons animated sitcom originally aired in prime-time in 1962. I can remember sitting down with the whole family and watching it on Thursday nights.

  One of the things I thought was really cool was how their car drove itself. Mr. Jetson (or one of the others) would hop in a car and tell it where they wanted to go. The car took over from there. Flash forward to today’s news.

News snippet:

“This month Nevada became the first state in the nation to formally approve legislation authorizing the use of autonomous vehicles on its roadways.

The once far-fetched idea is becoming more and more grounded every day as manufacturers work to develop technology that could permit a motorist to plug in a destination and let the vehicle drive there automatically. Indeed, Google has become a leader in autonomous technology, with several prototypes already logging over 160,000 miles in test runs.

While most experts contend the technology is still years away from widespread application, Nevada lawmakers apparently couldn’t wait.  Last summer, lawmakers there ordered state regulators to establish rules covering the use of autonomous vehicles.

The regulations have now been finalized -- and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles will now have to formalize licensing procedures for companies that want to test their vehicles in the state.”

Read the rest of the story here.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

They still burn witches you know…

In a glimpse of superstitious hysteria we don't usually see outside of a middle-school reading of "The Crucible," a Nepalese woman was horrifically burned alive after being accused of using evil magical powers.

According to CNN, the mother of two was set on fire by family members after one of her shaman condemners claimed that she had cast a spell on a relative.

Related links

• 'Witches' arrested for extortion over spells
• 17th-century urine-filled 'witch bottle' found
• Witches, wizards and warlocks