Wednesday, June 18, 2008

"A" Flirt

Having grandkids I get a lot of MySpace stuff - that and a slew of Rennies on MySpace as well.
I just took one of those tests - this one on flirting - no surprise, I scored an "A" (a professional).
Since my main job at the Renaissance Faire on show days is flirting with the ladies from age 2 to 200 I better have scored an "A".

Poll: Obama leads McPain in swing states

Sen. Barack Obama is leading Sen. John McPain in the crucial swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, according to a new survey.

Obama lost the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania by 9 percentage points. But a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows him leading McPain by 12 points, 52 to 40 percent.

In Ohio, a state Obama lost to Sen. Hillary Clinton by 10 points in March, he's leading McPain 48 to 42 percent.

And in Florida, where he did not campaign this primary season and lost an unsanctioned Democratic contest, he leads McPain 47 to 43 percent.

The Ohio and Florida results are reversals from Quinnipiac polls published a month ago, when Clinton was still in the race and McPain led Obama in hypothetical match-ups.

In the waning days of her campaign, Clinton argued to voters and superdelegates that she should be the nominee because she was the stronger candidate to beat McPain in these swing states during the general election.

Democrats in all three swing states say they'd like to see her on the ballot this fall, but independent voters give the idea a thumbs-down by margins of 9 to 16 percent.

Florida clinched the presidency for the shrub in 2000, and Ohio did the same in 2004.

Quinnipiac surveyed between 1,300 and 1,500 voters in each state June 9-16. The polls had margins of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for Pennsylvania and 2.6 percentage points for Ohio and Florida.

If the swing state momentum for Obama catches on all over the country, there may be a new electoral map.

The latest CNN national poll, conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation, shows Obama running strongest in the West -- and not just California.

"The 10 Rocky Mountain states have been traditionally the most Republican part of the country. So that's why it's so amazing that the polls show Obama doing well out here," said Bob Loevy, a political science professor at Colorado College.

Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado, three Western states that Bush carried by narrow margins in 2004, now look vulnerable to a Democratic takeover, even though they all border McPain's Arizona.

So what's behind the change?

"In the upper-class suburbs of Denver that used to be so solidly republican, a lot of aspects of the shrub's administration have not played well there," Loevy said. "His war policies, his policies on abortion, gay marriage ... simply have not played well with the old republican party out there in the Rocky Mountain west. So it's in the upscale suburbs that we see the strongest shift to the Democrats."

Hidden ingredients are making your fast food healthy

PIZZA

The tomato paste on your pizza is said to help beat sunburn and wrinkles.

Researchers believe that lycopene, the antioxidant in tomatoes which gives them their colour, is responsible.

Tomato paste is made from highly concentrated cooked tomatoes which boosts the level of the super-nutrient.

13 Dangers of Excessive Sun

Getting a tan?

We tend to think of a nice tan as something glamorous, healthy and attractive, but actually the process is far from it and is very dangerous. In fact your skin tans in order to protect itself from more skin damage! The sunshine makes people feel good, but the cost of a bronzed body is become steeper and the idea of the healthy tan is slowly evaporating. People are becoming educated in the risks of excessive sun exposure and many are realizing that too much of it will come back to haunt you. Here are some of the dangers that could affect you and your children.

Read more from 13 Dangers of Excessive Sun

However, some vitamin D is good for you, yes? Some people think the higher incidences in the US Pacific Northwest of MS is perhaps due to less sunlight/vitamin D. And what about the better fake tanning products, which have come a long way in ten years?

Man who took parts from corpses gets 9 to 27 years

I should hope so!

From the News Wire:

A man convicted of secretly cutting up corpses - including that of "Masterpiece Theatre" host Alistair Cooke - has received a sentence of nine to 27 years in prison for his role in a ghoulish multimillion-dollar body parts scheme.

Christopher Aldorasi, 36, was convicted in April of 20 counts, including enterprise corruption, grand larceny and reckless endangerment

Prosecutors said Aldorasi and others took bone and tissue without family permission and sold the pieces to medical companies for use in transplants and other medical procedures.

Aldorasi chose to have a judge hear his case instead of a jury. He could have faced up to 60 years in prison.

The scheme's ringleader, Michael Mastromarino, 44, pleaded guilty earlier this year and admitted that he didn't get consent for any of the hundreds of bodies he plundered.

Mastromarino, who publicly apologized for his crimes last week, will be sentenced June 27. He faces a maximum of 54 years in prison.

At Aldorasi's trial, Cooke's daughter testified that she had never spoken to him or to Mastromarino about harvesting her father's body.

Stupidity Exemplified

Teen from faith-healing family dies at Oregon home

A 16-year-old boy whose parents rely on prayer instead of medical care has died after an illness marked by stomach pains and shortness of breath. Gladstone police say relatives and church members told them Tuesday that the teenager refused treatment for the illness, as he was entitled to do under Oregon law.

"All of the interviews from last night are that he did in fact refuse treatment," said Sgt. Lynne Benton. "Unless we can disprove that, charges probably won't be filed in this case.

She said state law allows minors 14 and older to make such decisions.

Benton said officers and a deputy medical examiner were called to the house of Neil Beagley about an hour after his death late Tuesday afternoon.

Benton said the boy was surrounded by family members when he died, and a board member of the Followers of Christ church contacted the authorities.

The boy got sick about a week ago and - like all members of the religious order - did not receive medical attention. His condition worsened Sunday and members of the church gathered for prayer, Benton said.

An autopsy was scheduled.

In March, the boy's 15-month-old cousin, Ava Worthington, died at home from bronchial pneumonia and a blood infection. Her parents, Carl and Raylene Worthington, also failed to contact a doctor and are awaiting trial on criminal charges in her death.

Oregon lawmakers passed new laws striking down legal shields for faith-healing parents after several children from the Followers of Christ church died in the 1990s.

The Oregon City church is not associated with a mainstream denomination.

*****

Where to begin ...

First - relying solely on 'prayer' for anything is insane ... much less medical care. While there are all types of alternative methods of health and medical care, some more effective than others - prayer isn't one of them.

Second - what were those who enacted the laws that allow a child of 14 or older to make the type of decision such as denying themselves medical attention, thinking when they enacted them, especially if it is due to the brainwashing of a cult.

Third - should the parents of the 15-month old 'get off' for their neglect and abuse of their child ... something definitely stinks in Denmark (excuse me - Oregon).

Thought for the Day

How is it that stupidity is lauded and genius is reviled?

Nude Cooking

Learn to cook with Nude Cooking Lessons
Check out Bunny Buns and learn to cook with style.

Sensible Advice

Once and a while one of those 'Advice' columnists gets it right ... or at least close to right.
Here is Amy's response to a recent letter (Amy took over for Ann Landers, by the way):

Dear Amy: My husband and I have vacationed with another family for the past 20 years. Now that all our kids are grown, we decided for the first time to take a "couples-only" vacation.

Our friends went to a nearby lake where nude bathing is permitted, and they enjoyed it. Now they want to go to a nude resort.

My husband and I frequently sleep in the nude, and before kids we used to go skinny-dipping at a secluded pond.

My husband is willing to try this nude resort, but as much as I like being naked in private, I just can't imagine being comfortable naked in front of strangers. Our friends say we'll feel totally comfortable au naturel once we are surrounded by other naked people.

We are both 50, and our bodies are not nubile.

We are looking forward to this joint vacation. I would hate giving it up, and I also hate being the only person objecting to it.

Will I lose my inhibition, as they say, or will I likely be miserable?

––Shy Nude

Dear Shy: My only experience visiting a nude beach was in Europe, where I got used to the nudity very quickly (I stayed fully clothed).

Once I was used to looking at naked strangers, I realized that I didn't enjoy it very much.

Suffice it to say that most of us have bodies that are best viewed through more than just a layer of sunscreen. For people who enjoy being publicly nude, however, nudity is not about looking at beautiful bodies, but about the freedom of being without clothes. You never know––you could be one of those people.

You can find out for yourself by visiting your nearby nude lake for a test run before committing to this.

Daily Funny

Two boys were walking home from Sunday school after hearing a strong preaching on the devil.

One said to the other, "What do you think about all this Satan stuff?"

The other boy replied, "Well, you know how Santa Claus turned out. It's probably just your Dad."

Current TV worth a view

My favorite Television channel is OFF, but when I do turn the idiot box on I tend to go for shows that are informative and entertaining as well.
Currently I try to catch the following shows as regularly as I can.

Clockwise beginning upper left: Holmes on Homes; Gene Simmon's Family Jewels; The naked Archaeologist; The Graham Norton Show

Mike Holmes - I love this guy - he takes on projects that others have basically fucked up, takes them apart and does them the way they should have been done in the first place ... and always a cut or two or three above what is 'standard'. This is one Canadian that makes watching TV worth your time. Make sure you see him in action on Holmes on Homes on Discovery/Home.

Gene Simmons - Okay, so you love him or hate him but you differently notice him. I like his show because it shows his life as real as a TV show can - I know there are editors and writers so it is a fantasy reality ... but it is fun anyway and it dispels a whole slew of 'Rock-God Myths" (and confirms others). Check out Gene Simmon's Family Jewels on A&E.

Simcha Jacobovici - A bibical archaeologist who has at least accepts that the bible might not be the tell all it has been made out to be while trying to prove that very thing in the region wherein the bible was 'written'. I don't catch this show as much as the others, my being an archaeologist as well - not a bibical one mind you, but a real one - I tend to disagree with a lot of his conclusions because I look at the region as a whole and do not try to fit things neatly into what a book says they should be. Having said that, The Naked Archaeologist is still worth a look on History/International every now and again.

Graham Norton - This Irishman has a talk show in Britain that is actually interesting and funny - unlike those tired shows we have with the "L's" (Letterman and Leno). I hate talk shows as a rule (especially after the opening monologue) but I have a belly laugh for an hour while this guy is on. So catch The Graham Norton Show on BBC/America for an hour of fun.

NC state trooper fatally shot during traffic stop

Authorities charged a Florida man with murder Wednesday in the shooting of a North Carolina trooper during a traffic stop in Canton the night before.

Edwardo Wong II, 37, of Ormond Beach, Fla., was charged with the first-degree murder of Trooper David Shawn Blanton Jr., said Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Everett Clendenin.

Blanton, a two-year veteran of the highway patrol from Sylva, was the first North Carolina trooper to die in the line of duty since 1997.

"Incidents like this remind us of what a dangerous profession law enforcement is," Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety Brian E. Beatty said in a news release.

Wong does not yet have an attorney but is expected to appear with a lawyer at an initial court hearing Wednesday, said jail administrator Lt. Lucrecia Ray.

Blanton, 24, was shot twice Tuesday night on Interstate 40 after he stopped Wong's vehicle, which was towing a passenger car, Clendenin said. The trooper died at a hospital in Asheville.

The violation that prompted the traffic stop wasn't immediately known.

Authorities said a passer-by called police to report that Blanton had been shot and Wong was arrested shortly after the shooting by nearby Haywood County sheriff's deputies and Canton police.

Clendenin said Wong fled the scene with Blanton's sidearm, but it was not yet clear if it was used to kill the trooper. Authorities found weapons and narcotics in Wong's vehicle, the spokesman said.

Wong has 19 criminal convictions dating to 1996 that include armed burglary, assault with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, sale and possession of marijuana and escape, according to records from the Florida Department of Corrections.

Comments on Comments

While those commenting on this blog via e-mail have been quite generous in the quantity and quality there has been a dearth on the blog itself.
Not that I am overly concerned - I believe I know why there are few comments on the blog ... I have it set up so that I have to 'approve' all comments before they post.
This I am sure keeps the haters from commenting as they falsely believe that their comments would be summarily dumped in the waste bin.
Not true - point of fact: early in this blog's infancy I actually posted one such hater comment on the blog-face so all could see the narrow-mindedness of the poster at work (I published in in the comment section as well).
The fact I posted that comment ... with an accompanying shredding of it ... along with the aforesaid 'approval' of comments has kept the comments herein (especially those from the haters), to a minimum.
So, to those who have expressed 'concern' over the lack of comments here - get over it, comments are nice but are not the measure of a blog.

On a similar note: readership is growing as are the kudos, so maybe the entire opening paragraph of this post only reflects to calm before the storm so to speak.

Psychic ... more like psychotic!

From the I can't believe some things people do department:

The following is a story of, well, 'mis(reading, information, etc.) and over(reaction, sensitive, etc.) on the part of persons untrained or ill trained at best as it appeared in CityNews on Monday June 16, 2008

The Mother, The Child, The School Board And The Psychic

Colleen Leduc already had a lot going against her. The Barrie woman was holding down a job while struggling to raise her autistic 11-year-old daughter. She couldn't afford to give the child the intensive therapy she needed, and was forced to send her to a public school in the area.

So she was completely unprepared for what happened to her and the youngster, an almost unbelievable tale of red tape involving a strange claim from a teaching assistant, a bizarre decision by a school board, a visit from the Children's Aid Society (CAS) and most improbably of all, the incorrect pronouncements of a psychic.

Leduc's weird tale began on May 30, when she dropped young Victoria off for class at Terry Fox Elementary and headed in to work, only to receive a frantic phone call from the school telling her it was urgent she come back right away.

The frightened mother rushed back to the campus and was stunned by what she heard - the principal, vice-principal and her daughter's teacher were all waiting for her in the office, telling her they'd received allegations that Victoria had been the victim of sexual abuse - and that the CAS had been notified.

How did they come by such startling knowledge? Leduc was incredulous as they poured out their story.

"The teacher looked and me and said: 'We have to tell you something. The educational assistant who works with Victoria went to see a psychic last night, and the psychic asked the educational assistant at that particular time if she works with a little girl by the name of "V." And she said 'yes, I do.' And she said, 'well, you need to know that that child is being sexually abused by a man between the ages of 23 and 26.'"

Victoria, who is non-verbal, had also been exhibiting sexualized behaviour in class, actions which are known to be typical of autistic behavior. (See other typical actions here) That lead authorities to suspect she had a bladder infection that may have somehow been related to the 'attack.'

Leduc was shaken by the idea. "It's actually your worst nightmare your child being violated," she admits. "So for them to even suggest that, and that be my worst nightmare, it was horrific."

But things got worse when school officials used the "evidence" and accepted the completely unsubstantiated word of the seer by reporting the case to Children's Aid, which promptly opened a file on the family.

"They reported me to Children's Aid," Leduc declares, still disbelieving. "Based on a psychic!"

The mom, who is divorced and has a new fiancé, adamantly denied the charges, noting her daughter was never exposed to anyone of that age. And fortunately she had proof. The mother was long dissatisfied with the treatment her daughter had received at the school, after they had allegedly lost her on several occasions.

As a result, the already cash strapped mom had spent a considerable sum of money to not only have her child equipped with a GPS unit, but one that provided audio records of everything that was going on around her.

So she had non-stop taped proof that nothing untoward had ever happened to her daughter, and was aghast that the situation had gone this far. But under the Child and Family Services Act, anyone who works with children and has reasonable grounds to suspect a youngster is being harmed, must report it immediately - and the CAS has an obligation to follow up.

And so a case worker came to the Leduc home to discuss the allegations of sexual misconduct, only to admit there wasn't a shred of evidence that anything had ever happened at all. They labelled Leduc a "diligent" mother doing the best she could for her child under difficult circumstances, closed the file and left, calling the report "ridiculous."

"It is highly unusual, I will admit, to have a case called in based upon what a psychic might say," concedes Sue Dale of the Simcoe County CAS.

And what does the admittedly red-faced school board have to say about all this? "I don't have the information yet, but when we proceed with our own investigation we'll know more about that," is all Dr. Lindy Zaretsky, the Simcoe County Superintendent, was willing to allow.

And what does the local board have to say about all this? "I don't have the information yet, but when we proceed with our own investigation we'll know more about that," is all Dr. Lindy Zaretsky, the Simcoe County Superintendent, was willing to allow.

But that wasn't the end of the story.

While the board agrees it may have overreacted, accepted a rather dubious source and misinterpreted the signs of the so-called abuse, Leduc is now more convinced than ever that her daughter isn't safe at the campus and that she needs more intensive therapy.

As a result, she's refused to send Victoria back to class - or to the educational assistant who allegedly started the entire chain of events in the first place.

As a result of her stress and the need to stay home with her daughter, Leduc is now unable to work, has no place to send her child for the rest of the year, isn't sure where she'll go when school begins in September and is seeking legal advice.

Her goal: get the board to pay for the IBI therapy she believes her child should have had in the first place. She wants them to foot the bill for the expensive treatment - it can cost more than $50,000 annually - at least for the rest of the semester.

But school officials have refused.

Asked if she feels whether her entire support system has been yanked away, her answer is succinct and simple. "Yep," she nods.

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