Palin’s picks lose primaries – time for ‘Mama Grizzly’ to go into hibernation

Perhaps there is still some sanity out there in the hinterlands. Paying Palin to stump for candidates hasn’t paid-out for the tea baggers and other assorted wackaloons. 

Primary losses blunt Palin's 'Mama Grizzly' claws

“It's been a summer of setbacks for Sarah Palin. Candidate "cubs" endorsed by the Mama Grizzly in Chief have been suffering a recent string of primary election losses.

The Republicans' 2008 vice presidential nominee promised a pack of "mama grizzly" candidates would rise up and defeat Democrats in this November's elections. But office-seekers she supported in Kansas, Wyoming and Washington state lost their primaries despite her high-profile endorsements. And Karen Handel lost her runoff contest for Georgia governor a day after sharing an Atlanta stage with Palin.”

Cannibalism still practiced: human trafficker jailed for trying to sell albino man

Kenyan sentenced to 9 years in prison for trying to make a deal with Tanzanian witchdoctors

Just what does an Albino in Tanzania cost the local witch doctor? Try $263,000! The sickening thing is what happens to the poor Albino when he/she is sold:

Excerpt:

“The victims' blood and body parts are used for potions. Witchdoctors tell their clients that the body parts will bring them luck in love, life and business.”

PHOTO - Children take a break in January 2009 in a recreational hall at the Mitindo Primary School, which has become a rare sanctuary for albino children in Tanzania.

Technorati Tags: tanzanian witchdoctors,albinos,human trafficing

Green and Clueless: even people who want to ‘Save The Planet’ have no idea what they’re doing.

People’s apathy, ignorance, and selfishness contribute to ignorance of all things green.

Excerpt:

“You could practically hear a collective groan from enviros across the world yesterday, when The New York Times reported on city apartment dwellers who leave their air conditioning running for days and days when they are not even home: with “utilities included” in their rent, these model citizens don’t pay for it, and they want to walk into a nice cool room when they get back from vacation or just a tough, hot slog from the subway. So much for all those 50 Things You Can Do books, magazine articles, and Web sites, all of which patiently explain that it would be really, really helpful if we didn’t run appliances when we’re not using them. Apparently, that message—which green groups have been disseminating for at least 20 years—can’t hold a candle to people’s apathy, ignorance, and selfishness.”

Column Feedback on Atrazine – it’s being used here in Humboldt County says reader

I got a lot of interesting feedback on this Atrazine threatens public health like another Agent Orange column from last Sunday. At last count, 10 web sites picked it up. Among the emails I received, this one from a reader (whose identity I’m protecting) was the most interesting…and controversial.

So, how about it fellow Humboldters? Were you aware that Atrazine and other nasty chemicals (see list below) were/are being used here? Why hasn’t this raised anyone’s hackles? What’s up? Is this an issue the mainstream press up here wants to avoid? Hmmmmm….anyone?

“Hello Dave,

Are you aware that Green Diamond is spraying Atrazine, Imazapyr and 2,4D (actual AO component) in our watersheds, according to the recent Econews. Green Diamond clearcut logs broad swaths of the Mad River watershed, the source of our drinking water.

And that PL sprayed 7000 gal (or lbs) of Atrazine in 2008 in the lower Eel, before they fled in bankruptcy, according to CATS?
Atrazine is a potent endocrine disruptor according to professor Tyrone Hayes, who was booted from the manufacturer's  Atrazine review committee because he proved that vanishingly small concentrations feminized frogs (30 X below that allowed by EPA for drinking water and 120 X lower than the 12 ppb threshold for aquatic life). Atrazine drifts, persists in water from 167 days to 31 years, and contaminates rainwater as well as ground and surface waters. It is banned in many countries.

Imazapyr is super-potent (meaning miniscule, virtually undetectable, concentrations interrupt plant development), with a neurotoxic breakdown product, which can cause a disease resembling Huntington's chorea, (which killed Woody Guthrie), and a host of other bad effects in a variety of species.

2,4D is one part of AO, is highly water-soluble, can last over 5 years in clay soils, crosses the blood-brain and placental barriers, is absorbed through the skin, can cause birth defects and lymphoma, feminizes many species, affects various endocrine organs, and is contaminated with dioxin.
There has been no effective monitoring for these or their toxic breakdown products.
Green Diamond has no business using any of these in our watersheds.
Thanks for your article.”

In addition:

Humboldt County 2008

Atrazine ... 8,449 pounds

2,4-D, ISOOCTYL ESTER ... 3,912 : THE MOST WATER SOLUBLE

Imazapyr ... 2,497

TRICLOPYR, BUTOXYETHYL ESTER ... 4,705

Also, under "outdoor flowers":

CHLOROPICRIN 3,675

CHLOROTHALONIL 1,158

1,3-DICHLOROPROPENE 6,471

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Rare double quake blamed for deadly South Pacific tsunami

I was thinking about our recent earthquake (4.5 off shore of Eureka) which most people didn’t even notice.

It hit at 5 a.m. and people just slept through it. It seems to me, with each one of these mini quakes we experience we’re getting a step closer to something bigger.

The fact is, researchers have barely scratched the surface when it comes to predicting earthquakes. Every time Mother Earth rocks and rolls, it’s a signal that serious shit could (and some day will) rock our worlds forever!

Temblors occurred along separate fault lines and ruptured differently

“The deadly tsunami that pounded several South Pacific islands last year was spawned by not one but two monstrous earthquakes, surprising new research reveals.

”Initially, it was thought that a single powerful magnitude-8.1 jolt triggered the tsunami last Sept. 29 that killed nearly 200 people in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.

Some ‘No Surprise’ News-of-the-Day stories

1 in 5 U.S. teens has hearing loss, new study says -

“Earbuds may be to blame for sharp rise in hearing loss since 1988, experts say (photo of Matthew Brady, 17, of Foxborough, Mass., from a portrait in his home Friday while wearing ear phones and displaying an iPod. Brady, who has some mild hearing loss, used to listen to the device while running on a treadmill with the volume turned up.”

Mexican mayor kidnapped by drug hitmen found dead -

Official had tried to clean up corruption in town police force

Back-to-school shoppers in no hurry -

Consumers remain cautious, wait for deals on seasonal items

Insurgents kill 5 govt employees around Iraq 

“A series of attacks and roadside bomb explosions killed five Iraqi government employees on Wednesday as insurgents maintain a steady campaign of attacks against the country's institutions and security forces just two weeks before the formal end of the U.S. combat role in Iraq.”

‘Beer goggle effect’ - who needs a study to tell us what we already know?

What a surprise. Drunk guys think all women are pretty. If, after reading this article, you discover anything new about men drinking beer, please share it here.

Meanwhile:

Randy Dotinga writes: If you're looking for a hook-up, a few drinks can suddenly make other people seem more attractive -- and receptive -- than they actually are, according to two new studies that help explain the "beer goggle" effect.

First, a suds-soaked fog diminishes a guy’s ability to detect facial symmetry, a crucial component of what we think of as human beauty. When this sense is dulled, an average-looking face may seem like it belongs to a hottie, suggests research on drunk college kids in the journal Alcohol.

To make matters even worse, another study shows liquor makes guys more likely to misinterpret a friendly female glance as a bold come-on.

Another reason to buy local #24 - Salmonella outbreak prompts recall of 228M eggs

CDC, FDA launch growing investigations; hundreds of illnesses suspected

“An outbreak of salmonella illnesses linked to shell eggs has prompted a nationwide recall of 13 brands of eggs produced by an Iowa company and triggered a multi-state investigation that is expected to grow.

The Associated Press estimated the total recalled at 228 million eggs, although the company in question, Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, wouldn't confirm it.

So far, clusters of illnesses linked to eggs have been confirmed in at least three states, California, Colorado and Minnesota, federal health officials said Tuesday. In California, tainted eggs have sickened at least 266 people, Los Angeles County health officer Dr. Jonathan Fielding told reporters Tuesday.”

Rewarding Failure – or Big Bucks for a Job Poorly Done

You know things aren’t right in this country when CEOs making mega bucks get rewarded for their failures.

It doesn’t seem to matter if they are fired or just quit. The Golden Parachute is there for them. The following CEOs are going  on the “As It Stands Scum-Of-The-Year” list:

CEOs are dropping like flies this year. Just this month, the CEOs of GM, Sara Lee and Hewlett-Packard announced their resignations, though each did so for different reasons.
In the case of HP, Mark Hurd was forced to resign after allegedly having an affair with a contractor and subsequently fabricating expense reports to cover up money that had gone to the woman. However, despite these allegations, Hurd, like most CEOs at major U.S. companies, will likely end up with a very generous severance package from the company. Early estimates say he may receive anywhere between $12 million and $40 million.
It’s no surprise Americans get frustrated when hearing about CEOs earning more money in an hour than most Americans earn in a year. It’s one thing when a CEO gets paid millions of dollars for a job well done, but the executives on this list made off with incredibly generous severance and retirement packages, even as they failed their companies.

And the winner is - survey names America’s favorite burger

My high school buddy, Larry, and I went in search for the best hamburger in Kauai in 2008.

Our first search for the perfect hamburger goes back to the summer of 1969 when we traveled throughout Canada and the United States.

Since I first moved to Humboldt County back in 1978, I’ve been on the alert for good burgers. One of my favorite was from a short-lived operation out of one of those food wagons. The owner Tony, made the absolute best burger in the county. Sadly, he moved on to working for a fancy restaurant that doesn’t serve burgers!

Currently. the best burgers come from Stars (in Eureka on Harris), and Tony’s (Just off the 101 in Arcata near the BLM building). I’m still on the prowl for great burgers, so if I’m missing a good one in Humboldt…please tell me about it!

Excerpt: 

“According to the latest Fast Food Survey by Zagat, the best burger in America comes from Virginia-based chain Five Guys. But while the regional chain edged out national players in the hamburger category, Dairy Queen rules the Best Milkshakes category, while the best fries still come from McDonald’s.

The results of the survey were revealed live on TODAY Monday. The survey covered 136 fast-food and full-service chains nationwide. Voting on zagat.com, 6,518 voters weighed in on everything from chicken and cheeseburgers to smoothies and seafood. Full survey results are available at zagat.com/fastfood.”