Welcome to ...

The place where the world comes together in honesty and mirth.
Windmills Tilted, Scared Cows Butchered, Lies Skewered on the Lance of Reality ... or something to that effect.


Friday, January 8, 2010

Army families may face deep cuts

Army families may face deep cuts

Trash pickup is one service that could suffer for families on military bases.

Speaking teabagger

Well what do you know!

The wingnut teabaggers don't like being named for what they are ... and they are pissed off at this very apt description of them:
Speaking teabagger.

Oh, and who cares if the treason-baggers are pissed off.
Keep calling them want they are and don't let their howling about it deter you from the truth of them.

'Stupid' remarks push U.S. star to victory

'Stupid' remarks push U.S. star to victory

Skier Lindsey Vonn wins a pre-Olympics race, motivated by comments in the Austrian media.

Ways to slim down your pizza

Ways to slim down your pizza

Thick crusts and melting cheese can weigh heavy on your scale — try new ways to lighten up.

Gunmen open fire at Iranian opposition leader

Armed pro-government demonstrators opened fire on the car of an Iranian opposition leader shattering its windows, his Web site reported Friday.

Full Story

"Negro" used on 2010 census form

When asking about race on the 2010 census form, one will see it include the word "Negro" next to black and African-American.
Some people we talked to say they feel the word is dated and borders racism.

"Negro" used on 2010 census form

Connecticut Mom Left Kids In Car While Tanning

Police in Connecticut say a 28-year-old mother is charged with leaving her two young children in her car in freezing temperatures while she went tanning in a salon.

Connecticut Mom Left Kids In Car While Tanning

Public flogging should be used in this case.

Authorities say boy arrested after using toy gun to rob north Florida convenience store

A 12-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly pointing what turned out to be a toy gun at a convenience store clerk in northern Florida.

Authorities say boy arrested after using toy gun to rob north Florida convenience store

Home clutter called a public nuisance

Home clutter called a public nuisance

As hoarders’ private problems become a bigger issue, some cities take action.

U.S. no longer world’s biggest auto market

U.S. no longer world’s biggest auto market

For the first time, another country bought more cars than the United States in 2009.

Doughnut makes a top 'Simpsons' moment

Doughnut makes a top 'Simpsons' moment

After 20 years, the best "Simpsons" moment may come down to Homer, a doughnut, and the devil.

'Faux & Friends' Peddle Lies about CIA, Climate Change

fox friends climate change photo
Photo via CorveDacosta

Faux & Friends is a show that's not exactly known for getting its facts right--but people watch it and confuse the drivel there for actual information. A particularly appalling segment aired yesterday, in which the Friends attacked the White House for allegedly giving up on gathering intelligence on terrorists, and instead using the CIA to study icebergs. They took a report and mangled the facts in order to rile up their viewers--and the bit was literally funded by Exxon.

One Third of Scotland's Sheep May Freeze to Death

From Treehugger:

freezing sheep cold snap photo

One Million Sheep May Freeze
You've almost certainly heard about the cold snap that sweeping both the US and Northern Eurasia (while it's uncharacteristically warm in other parts of the world)--record cold temperatures are being set, and many tragedies are unfolding. In Scotland, the victims are the sheep: one million of them, a whole one third of Scotland's sheep, may freeze to death during the current cold spell.

Court to Cops: Stop Tasing People into Compliance

Sometimes there is good news:

The use of Tasers has become increasingly controversial over the last year, following high-profile cases such as the Tasering of a 10-year-old girl who had refused to take a shower and video of a 72-year-old great-grandmother who was Tasered following a driving offense. Now a federal appeals court in San Francisco has set down new rules for when police officers are allowed to use Tasers. In particular, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Tasers can’t be used simply to force a non-violent person to bend to an officer’s will. The court’s reason was that Taser’s X26 stun gun inflicts more pain than other “non-lethal” options.

However:

It would be naive to assume that there will not be any market response to the ruling. We have recently seen a rash of new devices aimed at police forces, including assorted laser dazzlers and pepper ball guns as Taser alternatives. There are also portable pain beams in prospect, both microwave and infrared laser varieties, not to mention various acoustic blasters. The ruling is likely to lead to more experimentation, both technical and in the courts, to find out just what the acceptable level of pain and suffering is and how it can best be delivered.

The ruling is also a potential boost for devices such as the LED Incapacitator, which does not rely on pain but other physiological effects (disorientation, loss of balance and nausea).

Stop Tasing People into Compliance

Global Warming

How did a 10-year-old speculative comment over disappearing Himalayan glaciers come to be included in an IPCC report?

Debate heats up over IPCC melting glaciers claim

*****

Antarctica is warming, but not melting anything like as much as expected.

The apparent contradiction is explained by the seasonal pattern of warming.

Why Antarctica isn't melting much – yet

Arctic roots of 'upside-down' weather

Map showing winds from the north and north east bringing cold weather to northern Europe
The current big chill is a result of high pressure over the polar region, which has pushed cold air out of the Arctic towards much of northern Europe, parts of Asia and the US. Winds from the north and north east, rather than the south and south west, have brought freezing temperatures to the UK.
Although this article is Anglo-centric (Great Britain) it gives a good a easy to understand explanation as to why some places are experiencing some rather chilly temps and other places are having down-right balmy weather (relatively speaking that is).

Read the entire piece here.

Science News

From BBC-Science:
Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra Cleopatra's heavy make-up was good for eyes, research suggests


Red panda at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford, west England, on 06/01/10 Creature comforts
How the cold snap is affecting the animal kingdom.
Grey squirrel
Grey squirrels have little impact on woodland bird species in England, a study by the British Trust for Ornithology shows.

An editorial in the medical journal the Lancet has urged China's authorities to do more to prevent scientific fraud.

Britain's wildlife is on "the brink of a crisis" as harsh winter conditions continue to grip the nation, warn conservationists.

Liars and Fools today are:

Liars and Fools today are:

Virginia Foxx lies saying 'Every promise Obama has kept endangers our lives'.
This bitch is senile, enough said.

Lush Dimbulb lies saying "We are at war with our own president, we are at war with our own government".
It's Lush so who cares what his fat ass says ... it's a lie anytime he opens his mouth.

Cop News

The Valley of The Statues in San Agustin

The Valley of The Statues in San Agustin

Along the Magdalena River in Colombia, there lies a seemingly innocent, yet mysterious collection of Pre-Colombian statues carved out of volcanic rock.

Their piercing gazes across the lush vegetation is a warning, or rather a form of protection for the tombs they guard.

Cutting-edge technology 30 years ago

Cutting-edge technology 30 years ago

At the 1979 Consumer Electronics Show, the buzzy gadgets couldn't quite fit in your pocket.

Joe Biden's mother dies at 92

Joe Biden's mother dies at 92

Jean Finnegan Biden passes away after becoming seriously ill in recent days.

Retail chain winners and losers

Retail chain winners and losers

Once a hot brand for teens, Abercrombie is now a turnoff for budget-minded shoppers.

Record fine for a speeding ticket

Record fine for a speeding ticket

A Swiss millionaire is slapped with a huge bill that was calculated based on his net worth.

Why it's a great time to rent right now

Why it's a great time to rent right now

Landlords are more willing than ever to renegotiate as they scramble to keep tenants.

1,000-calorie restaurant meals to avoid

1,000-calorie restaurant meals to avoid

The worst pasta entrée packs 1,450 calories and 74 grams of fat onto your plate.

Icy hazards persist through US, deep into South

Busses are encrusted in ice and snow at the back lot of a bowling alley in theSnow and blustery winds blew into the already-frigid East on Friday and drivers as far south as Georgia were urged to stay off icy roads.

Full Story

Bitter cold just won't go away

Treacherous conditions persist in the East while the South deals with a prolonged deep freeze.

Malaysian churches attacked in 'Allah' dispute

This is why all religious nuts should all be castrated:

Three churches in Malaysia were attacked with firebombs, causing extensive damage to one, as Muslims pledged Friday to prevent Christians from using the word "Allah," escalating religious tensions in the multiracial country.

Many Malay Muslims, who make up 60 percent of the population, are incensed by a recent High Court decision to overturn a ban on Roman Catholics using "Allah" as a translation for God in the Malay-language edition of their main newspaper, the Herald.

Full Story

Housecat gets Swine Flu

Today, the University of California at Davis confirmed that a housecat had H1N1 influenza:
Experts at the California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory on the UC Davis campus told Los Angeles County Veterinary Public Health officials on Dec. 22 that the cat suffered from swine flu.

The cat was sneezing and had developed a nasal discharge and occasional cough, officials said. The cat had spent a considerable time on her owner's lap.

The owner was also confirmed to have H1N1 flu and had been ill a few days prior to the cat becoming sick.

No prison for killer of abusive husband

A woman who shot her white supremacist husband while he slept -- leading to the discovery of Nazi memorabilia, an arsenal of weapons and bomb-making materials in their home -- won't have to go to prison for killing the man she said subjected her and their daughter to years of extreme abuse.

No prison for killer of abusive husband

Possible Break in Tylenol Poisoning Case

In a potential breakthrough in a 27-year-old case, the sole suspect in the poisoning of Tylenol capsules that led to the deaths of seven people was subpoenaed this week to attend a court hearing that would order fingerprint and DNA samples.

Possible Break in Tylenol Poisoning Case

It's A Heartache

Bonnie Tyler
1978 all over again.

Pomegranate Juice May Help Stave Off Breast Cancer

No one is ready to argue that eating pomegranates will keep one free of breast cancer, but recent research at the City of Hope cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, California, suggests that an acid found in pomegranates can block an enzyme that converts androgen to estrogen, a hormone that plays a role in the development of breast cancer. Reuters reports that the researchers' search for phytochemicals with the ability to suppress aromatase and ultimately block cancer growth revealed 10 natural compounds in the fruit may potentially prevent estrogen-related breast cancer.

ReFull Story.

Airlines begin to raise ticket prices

Airlines begin to raise ticket prices

Emboldened by signs of economic recovery, some carriers are boosting airfares.

Teabaggers looking for new targets

A founder of the "tea party" movement said Wednesday he had a warning for repugican state leaders: Back wingnut candidates or else other states will suffer the same backlash that toppled Florida's repugican party chairman this week.

"We are turning our guns on anyone who doesn't support constitutional conservative candidates," said Dale Robertson, who operates TeaParty.org out of Houston and helped start the movement nearly two years ago.

He declined to say which states are next on the tea party's hit list. He said party leaders in those states would be warned privately, but the movement's wrath "will be very clear publicly" if they don't listen.

*****

This is the same moron who used the "N" word on a sign he held up at one of his 'rallies' and in typical teabagger fashion he misspelled it.

kylebunch: Go Cards. Go USA.
Oh, and it's spelled M-O-R-O-N ... not, M-O-R-A-N ... by the way (in reference to another typical teabagger spelling champion.)

Video footage of Japanese whaling ship ramming environmentalists


The Japanese footage made it difficult to tell much other than there being an accident, but this is a different story. It's clear that the anti-whaling activist boat was not moving much and that the Japanese ship intentionally rammed it. After striking the boat, the Japanese ship immediately slowed its speed and turned away. Everyone down there may be in a gray area according to the law, but this video is very bad news for Japan.

US Cold Snap Sees Iguanas Fall From Trees

Temperatures in normally balmy Florida are so low that an urban myth can be witnessed a ' freezing iguanas falling from the trees.

US Cold Snap Sees Iguanas Fall From Trees

Banks lure customers with cold cash

Banks lure customers with cold cash

Some banks are giving as much as $200 to customers who open checking accounts.

World's tallest tower inspires record feat

World's tallest tower inspires record feat

Just days after the Burj Khalifa's debut, an expert skydiver launches his own historic bid.

The costliest car-buying mistakes

The costliest car-buying mistakes

One wrong move at the dealership could cost you dearly — possibly thousands of dollars.

Anger over store ruining unsold clothes

Anger over store ruining unsold clothes

Trash bags full of destroyed coats, gloves, and shoes are found from two stores.

Today is ...

Today is Friday, Jan. 8, the 8th day of 2010.

There are 357 days left in the year.

Today In History January 8

Today's unusual holidays and celebrations are:

Bubble Bath Day,
Learn To Ski Day,
National English Toffee Day,
National Joy Germ Day,

as well as

Midwife's Day

and

Show and Tell Day at Work

Our Readers

Some of our readers today have been in:

Bristol, England United Kingdom
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Strasbourg, Alsace, France
Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Cremora, Lombardia, Italy
Linz, Oberosterreich, Austria

as well as Finland, and the United States

Daily Horoscope

Today's horoscope says:

Your natural leadership skills both are a curse and a blessing.
They're a blessing for others, because when things start to get out of control, they know they can turn to you with a plaintive look on their face, and within minutes, you'll have everything up and running like a well-oiled machine.
The curse part comes in when you're out for recreation, looking forward to some fun, and then suddenly you're asked to take over.
Like today, for example.
Oh, well.
Think of it as a compliment.

A compliment ... yeah, that's the ticket.