A Degree in the Fundamentals of Chocolate? Why not?

           Try to imagine the sweetest job you could ever have.

Now imagine what it would be like to get paid big money for studying - wait for it – Chocolate! Oh yeah. It’s not just a pie-in-the-sky job either.

Cambridge University in England is seeking a doctoral student to pursue what sounds like the sweetest job in the world: studying the fundamentals of chocolate.

The research goal, according to the job description, is to identify ways of keeping chocolate-based food from melting in warm climates.

What nobler job could a person have? Making chocolate more accessible to people in the Mojave desert and other scorching corners of the world.

It’s a real challenge because even the best-quality chocolate starts going soft around 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit), below human body temperature.

But think of the rewards! A solution could fatten the profits of the world's top 10 chocolate companies, which last year posted confectionary sales exceeding $85 billion.

There’s just one problem with getting this job – well two, if you count having to have a doctoral degree: only European Union citizens can apply for the post!

How bogus is that? I’m not sure a duel citizenship is the answer either.

Wake up America! It’s obvious we need sweeter jobs to fatten up our depressed economy. We need Doctors of Chocolate, like Willy Wonka needed lots of milk to work his magic…

Time for me to walk on down the road…

If Solar Power is so Safe Why is it Turning Birds into Smoke Plumes?

Perhaps I’ve been naïve.

I always thought solar power was environmentally safe. I had no idea that it was killing thousands of birds (in one location) every year.

It’s a “birder’s” nightmare. The poor things get incinerated when they flew over mega solar plants like the one in the Mojave Desert.

It appears that we are conceding wildlife as collateral damage in our race to promote alternative energies. My take on the following article is that there’s really nothing to be done about it.

There’s talk about year-long studies and stuff, but the bottom line is, mega solar plants are here to stay: 

“Workers at a state-of-the-art solar plant in the Mojave Desert have a name for birds that fly through the plant's concentrated sun rays — "streamers," for the smoke plume that comes from birds that ignite in midair

Federal wildlife investigators who visited the BrightSource Energy plant last year and watched as birds burned and fell, reporting an average of one "streamer" every two minutes, are urging California officials to halt the operator's application to build a still-bigger version.

The investigators want the halt until the full extent of the deaths can be assessed. Estimates per year now range from a low of about a thousand by BrightSource to 28,000 by an expert for the Center for Biological Diversity environmental group.

More than 300,000 mirrors, each the size of a garage door, reflect solar rays onto three boiler towers each looming up to 40 stories high. The water inside is heated to produce steam, which turns turbines that generate enough electricity for 140,000 homes.

Sun rays sent up by the field of mirrors are bright enough to dazzle pilots flying in and out of Las Vegas and Los Angeles.” (read the full story here)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

The Bad Ship Perry is Floundering: Waiting for an ‘Oops’ Moment

Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s hopes for occupying the White House in 2016 are sinking fast.

Perhaps that’s because of his severe “take no prisoners attitude” towards everyone who disagrees with him. He’s been the governor/king for too long. He’s done everything but succeed from the Union. Not that he hasn’t thought about it though.

Texas Governor Rick Perry was indicted Friday on charges of abuse of power—a first degree felony—and coercion—a third degree felony. The charges stem from a 2013 scandal that has been quietly rumbling in the Lone Star State as Perry has been floated as a viable contender for the Republican nomination in 2016.

Perry, as a means of intimidating the DA into resigning, publicly threatened to veto the Public Integrity Unit’s budget. And when she didn’t step down, he made good on his tough talk, gutting all of its funding ($8 million) for two years.

Perry has become the first sitting Texas governor to be indicted since 1917, and the fifth governor to be indicted in the 21st Century (the last was Illinois’ Rod Blagojevich, in 2008).

As this drama unfolds it’s going to get real ugly. I’m hoping that it’s televised and we all get to see it in real time. I’m looking forward to when Perry tells his side of the story.

I can just see it…he’ll be rattling on until that “oops” moment when he forgets certain facts.

Time for me to walk on down the road… 

Scumbag Rush Limbaugh Gets Called Out By Lewis Black for Robin Williams Comments

Good Day World!

The politically outspoken comedian, Lewis Black, lashed out at Rush Limbaugh for Limbaugh's recent comments about the late Robin Williams.

Black posted on his own Facebook page:

Fuck You Rush Limbaugh. Your statements were beyond cruel and stupid. They were intolerable. Enough is enough from you. You are an idiot. Don't you ever demean the death of another human being. He was my friend. You disgust me."

Lewis Black is not alone in his sentiments. The 'Hate Radio' talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, disgusts the majority of people in and outside of the country.

He has been getting away with racism, homophobia, misogyny and bigotry, on our tax-paid public radio, for decades. Finally, the public is doing something about it. There are several ways to protest Rush Limbaugh.

Sign: Limbaugh Sponsor & Clear Channel Petition
Visit/Like: BoycottRush Facebook Group
Join: The Fight To Flush Rush
Visit: StopRush.net for a list of Limbaugh Sponsors

On Tuesday, Lewis Black reminisced, in a Time.com piece, about his friendship and collaboration with Robin Williams. They entertained troops together during two USO tours in the late 2000's.

Many stories of sorrow, love, and respect for Robin Williams continue to flood mainstream and social media. If there is a heaven, he is there, out of his pain. Millions around the world will love and miss him dearly.

H/T and special thanks to Kimberly A. Johnson/Liberals Unite and Kimberly A. Johnson on Facebook

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EMAIL TO A FRIEND X (This article originally ran in the Daily Kos)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Call it Destiny: When Love Ties Two Hearts Together Forever

Good Day World!

Two weeks from today, is my wife and I’s 40th anniversary.

Little did I suspect when I first met her – she was in 5th grade – and I was in high school – that we would end up falling in love and living together for the rest of our lives.

Her brother was my best friend in high school, and I considered her a pesky little sister. Years later, after I returned from serving in Vietnam (1970), things changed.

She was no longer this pesky little kid that wanted to follow me around. She was in high school and had bloomed into a beautiful woman. Three years later we got married on August 31st, 1974.

Three sons, and five grandchildren later, we’re more in love now then when we first got married. Love is like that. It grows stronger with time. 

Here’s another good example of two people meant for each other:

Married couple discovers they first met as preschoolers

Jason and Jessica Roth are coming up on their 10 year anniversary, but an old photo revealed that what they originally thought was a relationship that began as students at Florida State University in Tallahassee actually began much, much earlier - in preschool.

PHOTO-Jason Roth is in the Superman costume in the front right of this preschool photo, while Jessica is the genie in the dark red vest at the far left.

The couple now live in Jacksonville with their three children. Jessica says she’s always happy to talk about where this love story really began.

“It’s our story and that’s where it started," she said. "We just didn’t know it at the time. You never know what doors are going to open.”

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Are Your Children Using Synthetic Marijuana-Like Products? Are You?

Good Day World!

Today’s subject is a warning about “synthetic marijuana.”

You may, or may not have heard of it. If you want to know more about it, I’ve cobbled together a collection of news items to illustrate the dangers involved.

If you’re a parent of a teenager, you may want to read the following and gain a better understanding of what your children are being exposed to.

Synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as “synthetic marijuana,” “K2,” or “Spice”, are often sold in legal retail outlets as “herbal incense” or “potpourri”, and synthetic cathinones are often sold as “bath salts” or “jewelry cleaner”.

They are labeled “not for human consumption” to mask their intended purpose and avoid Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory oversight of the manufacturing process.

New Hampshire Declares Emergency Over Synthetic Drug 'Smacked'

Gov. Maggie Hassan declared a state of emergency on Thursday in response to 44 reported overdoses linked to people smoking or ingesting "Smacked," a synthetic marijuana-like product sold in convenience stores as potpourri.

'This is not a game': After son's death, parents warn about synthetic pot

Connor Reid Eckhardt was just 19 when he died after using what scientists and doctors call a “synthetic cannabinoid,” but most everybody else calls “spice,” “Scooby Snax," "K2” or any of half a dozen other names.

After taking one hit of synthetic pot while with friends, Connor fell into a coma. He was kept on life support for four days, but there was nothing doctors could do. He was declared brain dead. 

Feds Launch Massive Crackdown on Synthetic Drug Dealers

The Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday broadened its national crackdown on synthetic drug manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers as federal agents served hundreds of search and arrest warrants in at least 25 states.

Agents served warrants at homes, warehouses and smoke shops beginning early morning, DEA spokesman Rusty Payne said. The largest single operation was a statewide effort in Alabama. Agents also were active in Florida and New Mexico, among other states.

Drug Agents Investigate Rash of Overdoses in Dallas

Dallas police are investigating a rash of overdoses attributed to a bad batch of synthetic marijuana that a hospital source says is causing people to become violent, hallucinate and suffer seizures. NBC 5 has learned there have been at least 40 overdoses in the last 48 hours, a number that is much higher than anything seen on an average day.

Synthetic Drug Seller Gets 17½ Years in Prison

The owner of a now-closed Minnesota head shop was sentenced to 17½ years in prison Thursday for selling synthetic drugs in a case that prosecutors said should remove any doubts that substances sold under such names as "incense," ''spice" and "bath salts" are illegal.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Gov. Perry Can Kiss Presidency Hopes Goodbye: He’s Indicted for Abuse of Power

A grand jury indicted Texas Gov. Rick Perry today for allegedly abusing the powers of his office by carrying out a threat to veto funding for state prosecutors investigating public corruption.

A special prosecutor spent months calling witnesses and presenting evidence that Perry broke the law when he promised publicly to nix $7.5 million over two years for the public integrity unit, which is run by Travis County Democratic District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg's office.

It's the same office that indicted U.S. Rep. Tom Delay as part of a finance probe.

Grand jurors indicted Perry on abuse of official capacity, a first-degree felony with potential punishments of five to 99 years in prison, and coercion of a public servant, a third-degree felony that carries a punishment of two to 10 years. (Full story here at Yahoo News)

 

When to Tweet and When Not to Tweet Poses Free Speech Challenge

Good Day World!

When to tweet, and when not to tweet is today’s subject.

The question is “What if local law enforcement asked you to NOT TWEET an ongoing crime for the officer’s safety, and to avoid accidentally telling the bad guys what officers are doing?”

This issue may be one you’ll have to deal with someday if the “TweetSmart” campaign catches on in Washington State. Police are asking the public to stop tweeting during shootings and manhunts.

The "TweetSmart" campaign began in late July by a coalition of nine agencies, including the Washington state patrol and the Seattle police, and aims to raise awareness about social media's potential impact on law enforcement.

The next thing to consider is what direction will this “request” go? Will it lead to legislation that eventually makes it illegal (with accompanying fines) to tweet at certain times? They may just start with NO TWEETS during manhunts and shootings, but the door would be open to further restriction on what you can tweet and when.

To my knowledge, there has been no cases of a civilian tweeting, during a manhunt or shootout, that caused bodily harm to police officers.

There were reports that all the tweets coming from social media challenged Boston police during their search for the marathon bombers.

That’s all, however. Reports. No examples were brought forward.

Having said that, I think fleeing criminals probably have more pressing concerns than checking Twitter or Facebook. Censoring free speech is a slippery slope that we must avoid.

Hopefully the TweetSmart campaign will not take root in Washington state, or any of the other ones. I just don’t think it’s a smart idea.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Reflections on Moderation in Our Lives

Good Day World!

In my life experience, young people seldom seem to practice moderation. Politicians pull the concept apart like hyenas over a fresh kill.

I look at the stunts I pulled as a teenager – especially when it came to alcohol – and I have to shake my head in wonderment.

As the years slipped by like a thief in the night, I became more aware of the wisdom in moderation for all things.

Quick disclaimer; any age can go overboard on something, but experience usually teaches us our limits. I’m not talking about addictions right now. Obviously that’s a side-bar to consider. I’m talking about ordinary people who get carried away with issues or personal challenges. 

According to 1 Timothy 5:23, it's ok to drink a little wine. One of the reasons wine was so popular in his time was good drinking water was hard to find.(Source: New International Version “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.”)

“Moderation is the silken string running through the pearl-chain of all virtues” Thomas Fuller wrote in “The Holy State and the Profane State (1642), Book III. Of Moderation.”

My favorite reflection on moderation comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson  who said, “Moderation in all things, especially moderation.” You can’t have too much fun!

Here’s a deadly case of no moderation: A teenager in Georgia consumed two gallons of water and two gallons of Gatorade after football practice, and was so over-hydrated that his body's electrolytes were thrown off-balance, causing massive swelling in his brain. Five days later, on Sunday night, he was taken off the ventilator.

True happiness springs from moderation Johann Wolfgang von Goethe claimed.

I’m not sure I would go that far, but moderation does makes sense to me. After comparing my drinking habits in my  youth (where I’d pound the booze down until I either got sick or passed out) to now, I feel like I learned something about moderation. 

When it comes to social issues, moderation is a political football kicked around the public arena. Age plays no part in how extreme people can be. In this context, moderation is not always looked upon as a good thing.

We live in an age of extremism. There seems to be no limit to what people will do to get attention. Examples abound throughout our society. One quick example:

Take TV shows on cooking. Julia Child has given away to “Kitchen Wars” and other reality shows that manage to take a serene activity like cooking and turn it into a violent experience where chef’s scream at their helpers.

I believe moderation has it’s place in our lives, depending upon the circumstances.

Throw some common sense into the mix, add a dash of experience, a tablespoon of good advise, and I think you have the map to a happy and safe life.

Time for me to walk on down the road….  

 

 

‘What Were They thinking?’ A Short Montage of Head-Shakers

Good Day World!

We’ve all seen stories where people pull stupid pranks or just do stupid things. Things that make you want to scratch your head and ask, why?

For example, did you hear the story about the Mom accused of helping record her teenage son set himself on fire after he doused his body with fingernail polish as part of a social media stunt?

When I read the story my first thought was, “What was that woman thinking?”

From stupid to sad, here’s another story that will make you ask “what were they thinking?” A couple 'taking a selfie' at a cliff edge at Cabo da Roca, a popular spot for tourists in Portugal, fell hundreds of feet to their death.

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Photo right: What was this family thinking???

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I had two questions about the following story; what was the guy thinking, and two, how did he get into that cop car?

A Connecticut man charged with stealing a taxi cab stepped out of a Boston Police Department station house and into an empty patrol car for a nap, police said.

Shortly after being arrested on charges of stealing a car and released on bail, 33-year-old Nicholas Cunliffe of Stratford, Connecticut, was found asleep in the front seat of an empty police car outside the police station where he had been booked.

This next story asks the question, “Why would a criminal get into a public contest/event with police officers when he’d been avoiding them for 9 months? What was he thinking?”

The sweet victory for a North Carolina man who beat police officers in a doughnut-eating contest this week soured after a newspaper story about the win led to his arrest on breaking and entering charges.

Finally, I’ve got a real head-shaker for you. There’s no mention of the intruder in the following story being drunk. So what was he thinking?

A New Mexico man faces charges after authorities say a couple found him naked and sleeping in their bed. He told officers he thought he was at his girlfriend's house.

Time for me to walk on down the road….