Saturday, October 15, 2011

The Times They Are A-Changing…

Back in my day they said the times were changing…and so they are…and will always change.

They were calling for change in my day.

Some things never change though.

And that’s the need for change from one generation to the next…

A flashback that seems fitting today.

Majority of American troops to leave Iraq by January but US will still have a significant presence there

The good news is about 40,000 American troops are coming home from Iraq, reducing our footprint there considerably.

The bad news; there will be a massive American diplomatic presence for a long time to come.

From NBC News

“The U.S. in Baghdad is the largest in the world, and the State Department will have offices in Basra, Irbil and Kirkuk as well as other locations around the country where contractors will train Iraqi forces on U.S. military equipment they're purchasing. About 5,000 security contractors and personnel will be tasked with helping protect American diplomats and facilities around the country, the State Department has said.

The U.S. Embassy will still have a handful of U.S. Marines for protection and 157 U.S. military personnel in charge of facilitating weapons sales to Iraq.”

It seems we can’t let go of our eight-year mistake of invading and occupying Iraq. Just another case of American imperialism. Deals have been made and we can be sure of Iraq oil.

We still have Afghanistan and now our warmongering government is turning it’s attention to Africa by sending Green Berets to Uganda in what is the first part of a phased military operation that will spread to other nearby countries.

Once again, the government’s bullshit reasoning for an increased military presence is based upon lies designed to hide our capitalistic goals – there’s oil in Libya – and other natural resources we can plunder. We’re going in – wearing White Hats and all – to save these poor countries from some roving gang of thugs that’s supposedly terrifying the good people in Southern Africa. I’ve heard that song in Vietnam. It’s getting kind of old.

Our Chicken Hawks in the Pentagon are ready to rip Africa apart, like the vultures they are, in order to keep the war machine rolling. Africa screams…but no one hears.

As It Stands, until we pull our troops out from the more than 126 occupied countries, we can’t deny that American Imperialism thrives in the 21st Century.  

OWS Open’s Pandora’s Box: worldwide protests increase daily

Someone opened Pandora’s Box about a month ago when less than a dozen protestors began to occupy Wall Street in the name of the 99% who have lost hope for a true democracy.

      How the Myth relates to what’s happening today:

Once up a time, a long time ago, Zeus ordered Hephaestus (Aphrodite's husband) to make him a daughter. It was the first woman made out of clay. Hephaestus made a beautiful woman and named her Pandora.

Zeus sent his new daughter, Pandora, down to earth so that she could marry Epimetheus, who was a gentle but lonely man.

Zeus was not being kind. He was getting even. Epimetheus and Prometheus were brothers. Zeus was mad at one of the brothers, Prometheus, for giving people fire without asking Zeus first. 

Zeus gave Pandora a little box with a big heavy lock on it. He made her promise never to open the box. He gave the key to Pandora’s husband and told him to never open the box. Zeus was sure that Epimetheus' curiosity would get the better of him, and that either Epimetheus or his brother would open the box.

Pandora was very curious. She wanted to see what was inside the box, but Epimetheus said no. Better not. "You know your father," Epimetheus sighed, referring to Zeus. "He’s a tricky one."

One day, when Epimetheus lay sleeping, Pandora stole the key and opened the box.

Out flew every kind of disease and sickness, hate and envy, and all the bad things that people had never experienced before. Pandora slammed the lid closed, but it was too late. All the bad things were already out of the box. They flew away, out into the world.

Epimetheus woke up at the sound of her sobbing. “I opened the box and all these ugly things flew out,” she cried. “I tried to catch them, but they all got out.” Pandora opened the box to show him how empty it was. But the box was not quite empty. One tiny bug flew quickly out before Pandora could slam the lid shut again.

“Hello, Pandora,” said the bug, hovering just out of reach. “My name is Hope.” With a nod of thanks for being set free, Hope flew out into the world, a world that now held Envy, Crime, Hate, and Disease – and Hope.

Today we have millions of people worldwide hoping to change oppressive governments ruled by corporations and an elite few. How long will this hope for change last? The powers-that-be hope the people will eventually give up and go back to being good sheep.

Yet, as long as Hope is out there, and shared by millions, there’s always a possibility they’ll make a positive difference in the lives of the oppressed masses in the near future.

photo source


Where missing people are found, an accommodating commode, and air traffic controllers errors soaring

NamUs is a vast registry that anyone can us to scan records and search for people.

       Good Morning Humboldt County!

Another day in paradise! It’s nice to see you could drop by and share a cup of coffee with me and read a few stories to start your day. This is a fascinating world full of surprises.

NamUs: Where missing people can be found

There is a place where the lost can be found.

Long before Lisa Irwin vanished from her Kansas City home, there was another desperate search in Missouri for a little girl. Her name was Elizabeth Gill. On the afternoon of June 13, 1965, Elizabeth was in her family's front yard in Cape Giradreau. It was the last time the 2-year-old was seen alive.

Scott Kleeschulte also disappeared in Missouri. On June 18, 1988, the 9-year-old freckled face boy was walking down a street in St. Charles County. To this day, nobody knows what happened to him. The three cases, separated by decades, share a common bond with thousands of other files accessible to the public on the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System website. Known as NamUs, the vast national registry lets relatives, law enforcement, victim's rights advocates, and anyone scan the records and search for information that could help solve these heartbreaking mysteries. NamUs, which is run by the National Forensic Science Technology Center, is under the direction of the National Institute of Justice.

  This commode does it all ... for $6,400

The New York Times just published an in-depth review of Kohler's Numi toilet, a $6,400 contraption that is basically a cross between a potty and a butler.

The toilet, which costs 81 times the amount of your standard Home Depot toilet, has a touch-screen remote that flushes, cleans and dries its user. It also provides heat and music, and settings can be saved for each member of the family.

At first, we thought the Numi sounded like another unnecessary extravagance intended to make millionaires part with their money.But reporter Sam Grobart convinced us otherwise. Having spent a month living with the device, he writes:

And one thing I learned is this: It is possible to acclimate to such luxury. Anyone who has ever owned a car with a backup camera or heated seats knows what this means. Features that initially seem unnecessary can become something you cannot do without, even in a bathroom.  

Watchdog: Air traffic controller errors soaring

A report by a government watchdog says errors by air traffic controllers in the vicinity of airports as well as incidents in which there was an unauthorized plane, vehicle, or person on a runway have increased sharply in the past three years.The Government Accountability Office report released Thursday says errors by controllers working at radar facilities that handle approaches and departures within about 30 miles of an airport have more than doubled.

The report also says runway incursions at airports with control towers — which includes most large and medium sized airports — nearly doubled between 2008 and this year. A Federal Aviation Administration statement attributed the increases to better error reporting. The agency is also using new a plane-tracking system better able to spot planes too close together.

Time to walk on down the road…

Friday, October 14, 2011

Obama sends 100 military advisors to Uganda: Isn’t this how Vietnam began?

We’re about to repeat a big mistake (Vietnam) by sending combat troops to Africa – aka military advisors- into a country (Uganda) that is a political quagmire. Ultimately, they'll also deploy in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo according to the White House.

Doesn’t anyone see what’s happening here? Even if we eventually do pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan our military is slated to deploy to other countries.

There’s no end in sight. The Chicken Hawks at the Pentagon manage to hold every administration (Republican and Democratic) hostage under the banner of patriotism. They paint country-after-country as our enemies, and then they go in and occupy those countries, no matter how big or how small.

I can only shake my head in disgust with Obama and the rest of the military puppets that claim to be politicians representing the people. The majority of Americans don’t want war. We want peace. And roofs over our heads, and food, and schools where our children get the best possible education. The people need jobs. Not new enemies worldwide.  

High Hopes: Lasting Happiness Found With Hallucinogen Use?

Lasting Happiness Found With Hallucinogen Use?

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine studying psilocybin, the mind-altering chemical in “magic mushrooms,” found that the chemical may actually alter people’s personalities for a long period of time, ABC News is reporting.

The study involved one high dose of psilocybin administered to 51 adult study participants and found that 30 of them underwent measurable personality changes lasting more than a year. The aspect of personality that changed is known as openness.

Openness, the authors wrote, “encompasses aesthetic appreciation and sensitivity, imagination and fantasy, and broad-minded tolerance of others’ viewpoints and values.” Measured on a widely used and scientifically validated personality inventory, changes in openness were larger in magnitude than changes typically observed in healthy adults over decades of life experiences, the scientists say.

The research, approved by Johns Hopkins’ Institutional Review Board, was funded in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.  article source

Artist agrees to only paint nude models after dark, Ron Paul’s ‘eyebrow toupee,’ and cleanup of OWS site is postponed

          Good Morning Humboldt County!

It’s O Dark Hundred and the sun hasn’t risen yet, but the coffees on and you’re invited to stay and have a cup with me. This mornings selection of stories run from whimsical to serious. Enjoy:

 

Artist can paint nude models only after dark

An artist arrested for applying body paint to a nude model in New York's Times Square will have charges against him dropped if his models strip naked only after dark, according to a court agreement reached on Thursday.

Police arrested Andy Golub, 45, in July and charged him with violating public exposure and lewdness laws. He has been painting nude models for about three years. Golub's lawyer, Ronald Kuby, argued that New York laws do not prohibit public nudity in the name of art, and a compromise was reached that was the basis of the court ruling.

Under the agreement, "he is permitted to paint bare breasts any time, anywhere, but the G-strings have to stay on until daylight goes out," Kuby said after a hearing in Manhattan criminal court.

Ron Paul’s ‘eyebrow toupee’? Droop at debate prompts suspicion

Has Ron Paul been wearing fake eyebrows? That's what the New York Times wonders, pointing to an incident at Tuesday night's Republican presidential debate in which the candidate's right eyebrow appeared to droop a bit under the hot lights:

Seen on television, Mr. Paul appeared to have a second, thinner brow under the one headed south, creating a delicate X over his right eye. Jesse Benton, a campaign spokesman, insisted that Mr. Paul had been the victim of the elements, namely a heavy pollen season in New Hampshire, and called accusations that he'd been artificially enhancing "stupid" and "insulting."

"Dr. Paul's allergies acted up a touch," Mr. Benton said in an explanation that might raise some, you know, questions.

Sleep600

Cleanup of Occupy Wall St. protest site is postponed

Anti-greed protesters were elated early Friday morning by the postponement of a cleanup of the park where they have been gathering for almost a month.

As day broke over Zuccotti Park, the cheering died down, but police on scooters positioned themselves in the streets around the park as an impromptu march began up Broadway in lower Manhattan.

Time to walk on down the road…

UPDATE:

Clashes broke out between bottle-throwing demonstrators and police on horses and scooters as Occupy Wall Street protesters marched on the Stock Exchange on Friday, NBC News reported.

Image: A New York City police officer shoves a demonstrator affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street protests as they march through the streets in the Wall St. area,At least 10 people were arrested amid what was initially described as a celebratory march, which began when it was revealed the owners of Zuccotti Park — where the protesters had set up camp — had ditched cleanup plans that some claimed were a pretext to evict them.

NBC News reported that police used the scooters to try to force protesters off of the street at several locations on Wall Street and Broadway. In some cases, police rode scooters directly at people who stopped traffic and refused to move away. WNBC reported that at least 10 people had been arrested as police tried to stop about 500 people, with brooms raised in the air, from marching on Wall Street.

NBC News said that one person who had been arrested was injured and bleeding and was taken to the 7th precinct for treatment. NYPD was extending shifts for some officers across the city in response to the situation. Despite the police's efforts, protesters were gathering at the Stock Exchange, NBC News said.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Tomorrow is deadline for OWS protestors to leave Zuccotti Park

Notice has been served to the Occupy Wall Street protestors at Zuccotti Park to clear out tomorrow.

What happens next is anyone’s guess. The police said they will make arrests if the park’s owners request them to.

The company that owns the private park where the demonstrators have camped out said it has become trashed and unsanitary. Brookfield Office Properties planned to begin a section-by-section power-washing of Zuccotti Park, near Wall Street, at 7 a.m.

"They're going to use the cleanup to get us out of here," said Justin Wedes, a 25-year-old part-time public high school science teacher from Brooklyn who was one of about 400 people in the park Thursday night. "It's a de facto eviction notice."

photo source

Protesters say the only way they will leave is by force. Organizers sent out a mass email asking supporters to "defend the occupation from eviction." "We are doubling up on our determination to stay here as a result of this," said 26-year-old Sophie Mascia, a Queens resident who has been living in Zuccotti Park for three weeks and intends to sleep there Friday night. "I think this is only going to strengthen our movement."

Let’s see what tomorrow brings…                                                     

Linguists say humans once sounded like Yodi from Star Wars

Image: Illustration incorporating Yoda

I’m not really sure what makes these experts think we sounded like Yoda, but I know one thing…we sure didn’t look like him!

“Many linguists believe all human languages derived from a single tongue spoken in East Africa around 50,000 years ago. They've found clues scattered throughout the vocabularies and grammars of the world as to how that original "proto-human language" might have sounded. New research suggests that it sounded somewhat like the speech of Yoda, the tiny green Jedi from "Star Wars."

By the way, did you notice the tats on Daddy caveman?                                    Story here

Surfer stands on Great White Shark, apple allergies, and report asks where Pentagon money is going

Doug Niblack

  Good Morning Humboldt County!

What a great day! Are you ready for a cup of coffee and a few stories to get your day going? Grab a chair and stay awhile:

Oregon surfer tells of standing on Great White

Doug Niblack was trying to catch another wave before going to work, when his longboard hit something hard as rock off the Oregon Coast and he suddenly found himself standing on the back of a thrashing great white shark.

Looking down, he could see a dorsal fin in front of his feet as he stood on what he described as 10 feet of back as wide as his surfboard and as black as his own Neoprene wetsuit. A tail thrashed back and forth and the water churned around him like a depth charge went off. "It was pretty terrifying just seeing the shape emerge out of nothing and just being under me," he told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "And the fin coming out of the water. It was just like the movies."

When an apple allergy suddenly appears

Imagine this: You take a bite of a crisp fall apple and notice your lips feel a little itchy. An odd sensation, but you ignore it and take another bite. Now your tongue is itchy too. After another bite, the itch spreads to your throat. As you swallow the apple, your throat starts to swell. The weird thing is, you're not allergic to apples; you've eaten them all your life. So what's up?

“I like to call oral allergy syndrome 'the cocktail party allergy,” says Dr. Chris Webber, an allergy/immunology specialist based in Denver, Colorado. “It is surprisingly common among people who have seasonal allergies, but (the sufferers) think there's something strange about (themselves) and never bring it up to doctors or friends. But if you bring it up at a social event, you find it is very, very common.”

Report: Pentagon doesn't know where the money is going

The Defense Department, which has promised to publish a reliable account of how it spends its money by 2017, has discovered that its financial ledgers are in worse shape than expected and that it will have to spend billions of dollars in the coming years to make its financial accounting credible, the Center for Public Integrity reported Thursday.

Photo - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. He was joined by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen.

Time to walk on down the road…

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Trump's Lowest Grift Ever Saved for Holy Week

This is a story about how the devil's puppet, aka Donald Trump, mocked Christianity by selling a book combining the Bible, the Constitu...