06.12 and 06.13 and 06.14.06

Stephen Hawking says we need to move to colonies in space. The earth is in too much danger from outside forces we can't control. Better to not put all our eggs in one basket.

Hawking Says Humans Must Go Into Space
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060613/D8I7ADB81.html

He adds:

'that if humans can avoid killing themselves in the next 100 years, they should have space settlements that can continue without support from Earth.'

Yeah, if we can avoid killing ourselves.
*****

I LOVE French and Saunders!!

Dawn and Jennifer are signed on to do voices in the new Laika film called 'Coraline'. They won't be primaries, but they will be supporting characters.

Laika used to be 'Will Vinton Studios' until Phil 'Nike' Knight's son started working there and Phil decided to buy it out.

British comedy team signs to voice new Laika film
at http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/11501619253590.xml&coll=7

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Portland animation studio Laika Entertainment has signed British comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders to voice supporting characters in the upcoming film, "Coraline."

Laika, owned by Nike founder Phil Knight, has already signed "Desperate Housewives" star Teri Hatcher and young actress Dakota Fanning to voice the film's main characters.

The studio announced Monday that French and Saunders, stars of the British TV show "French & Saunders," will provide voices for two eccentric neighbors in "Coraline." A skit from their show launched the internationally popular program "Absolutely Fabulous," in which Saunders co-starred.

"Coraline," based on a British children's novel, is due out sometime in 2008. French and Saunders are the first two British actors signed for the film.

-- Mike Rogoway
*****

San Bernardino seeking 'relief'
Struggling city's proposal targets illegal immigrants
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/06/11/MNGM5JCE0B1.DTL

People are getting desperate for an answer. People are going to start doing desperate things. It's inevitable. When people think they are powerless, they strike back even more.
*****

I can't believe the June 21, 2006 World Sumo League 2006 Mega Tour is cancelled at the Rose Garden! I've never seen Sumo in person, but liked watching on television.

http://www.rosequarter.com/events/eventPages/339.asp

Looks like the entire tour was cancelled.
*****

I've been working on saving more money. Sometimes I don't do so good. Other times, well I overspend.

I found this little tidbit "I bought dinner because I was the girl who could afford it" very interesting. It's on a blog I check from time to time called 'I Will Teach You to be Rich'.

Here's the little article:
http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/archives/2006/04/i_bought_dinner.html

06.09.06

I got to work this morning and was speaking to ME. He was talking about listening to Randi Rhodes eviscerate Anne 'I'm Really A Man' Coulter on her radio show. Well, I had never heard Randi Rhodes on the radio, but figured that anyone willing to thouroughly trash Ass Can Coulter was good enough for me. So I thought I'd check out her listing. Searching, I found her on Air America here... http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/live/ (I had no idea that Jerry Springer had a radio talk show also on Air America! I love that guy!)

The first topic she covered was of course Zarqawi and how GeoBushJr let him live to be a 'boogey man' which is what I was intimating when I stated 'collusion, nothing less' yesterday.

Her second topic was to be the 'Estate Tax'. Here's her opening description on that topic:

'Meanwhile, Democracy gives Bush and Frist another setback in their Rapture Right/Corporatist pandering campaign. Today, their effort to take from the poor and middle class and give to the wealthiest 0.27% of Americans stalled, as the move to repeal the Paris Hilton Estate Tax got shot to hell…but they’ll try again and again.

As far as tax policy is concerned the logic behind the Estate Tax is very simple to understand. To help control tyranny via aristocracy, those who reap near-inconceivable reward/wealth from American opportunity give a portion back.

Some of the mega-rich, like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates Sr., understand this and do not want to return to the day of Robber Barron tyrants. Others are among the 18 families behind this effort to repeal the tax…yep, 18 families that just happen to be worth $185,500,000,000!'

Yeah, I couldn't believe that either. 18 fucking pig breeding families with more than 185 BILLION dollars and they don't have enough fucking money? What the fuck is wrong with these piles of shit?

So there was a link to a press release from a group called 'Public Citizen' at http://www.citizen.org .

The press release was regarding a 43 page PDF file report titled 'Spending Millions to Save Billions, The Campaign of the Super Wealthy to Kill the Estate Tax'. What an eye opener this one is.

Released April 25, 2006, this report covers the 18 families that have been spending almost $500 million dollars to overturn the Estate Tax. But when you talk about $185 BILLION dollars, yeah, $500 million is nothing.

One of the most disgusting actions has been perpetrated by the owner of the Seattle Times. Frank Blethen is truly one of the more obscene of this ilk. I will just quote the report, which is _very_ easy reading and EVERYONE should take a look at it.

http://www.citizen.org/documents/EstateTaxFinal.pdf

'The most fundamental facet of their strategy has been maintaining a low profile while keeping up a steady drumbeat about the tax’s toll on small businesses. Frank Blethen, the patriarch of one of the super-wealthy families profiled in this report, articulated this strategy plainly when he said that the repeal campaign should not appear to be one of ultra-wealthy white millionaires. “We need to stress the harm to women and minorities,” he told allies. The Seattle Times, Blethen’s newspaper, promptly published an ad lamenting the tax’s toll on women and minorities.'

Yeah, that's right. The PIG FUCKER Frank Blethen had his newspaper print his personal opinion as fact. Frank Blethen is a LIAR a COWARD and unable to actually work.

Remember, only one (1) person in the entire list of 18 families actually WORKED to make the money. Everyone else is at least one generation removed from the person that actually made the money.

I'd pay good money to watch the Walton family pick lettuce and wash windows while living on food stamps and sleeping in government housing.

*****

While reading the report, I came across Robert L. Johnson. He's the founder of BET. I noticed that one of the things the report mentioned was that the families didn't want to be seen as rich white billionaires. Well I thought it would be odd if the founder of BET was white, so I started looking.

Well Robert Johnson is a black man. Ok, so it's not about race. I guess if you give anyone enough money and power all they want is more money and power.

So I was looking for a photo of Robert Johnson to confirm his racial status and found several pages detailing a deal with the Carlyle Group. Lest we forget, the Carlyle Group is owned by the Bush Family, The Queen of England and are you ready for this? The Bin Laden Family of Saudi Arabia. Yeah, that same exact Bin Laden family.

Carlyle Group and Johnson hope to make the first black owned equity group. Basically funding the acquisition of companies.

Collusion is everything. You are who you involve yourself with.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Johnson
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/13/AR2005121301636.html
http://www.carlylegroup.com/eng/news/l5-news3264.html

*****

Remember, it was well known that Zarqawi was a bumbling idiot. He had problems with a jammed gun, couldn't switch it to automatic and wore WHITE US MADE SNEAKERS.

His 'assistants' were just as stupid. One of them grabs the scalding barrel of a just shot weapon and burns himself.

How was this man ever considered a mastermind?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4976212.stm

*****

4200 Bong Ave , Belton, MO

Yeah, it really exists. It's the 'Eagle' Golf Course.

*****
'Pentagon sets its sights on social networking websites'
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025556.200?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=mg19025556.200

"I AM continually shocked and appalled at the details people voluntarily post online about themselves." So says Jon Callas, chief security officer at PGP, a Silicon Valley-based maker of encryption software.

"You should always assume anything you write online is stapled to your resumé. People don't realise you get Googled just to get a job interview these days," says Callas.

People still don't get it. Your name is probably searchable by Google very easily. I searched for my name and found pictures taken by a guy who had gone to a recreation area that shares a name with me. He posted photos of his new house and titled the pictures with the exact address of his new home.

I now know what he looks like, his age, his child and wife, the house they live in and what the house looks like. Using Google maps I can easily locate the house and since he also posted info about his and his wife's work habits I know approximately when they would be gone.

All that from a little photo gallery that he put up with small comments.

And what about those profile websites? Ever realize how much you are really telling people?

*****

06.08.06

Battle Royale To Be Remade
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?id=36507

This could go either way. The original is a bit more graphic than I would expect the American version to be. There are some really amazing moments in the movie. I just don't really see a reason for it to be remade. The original that came out in 2000 was good enough.

The sequel was decent also. The original rules.

*****
TV Shows that look interesting:

Hex
http://www.tv.com/hex/show/30450/episode_listings.html?season=0

Cassie is a shy girl at school who longs to be popular. The only person who truly appreciates Cassie is her best friend Thelma. Soon Cassie begins to see a man appear as though from out of nowhere.

Suddenly Cassie begins to have weird dreams and with discovering new powers, somehow life will not be the same from now on.

Penn & Teller: Bullshit!
http://www.tv.com/penn-and-teller-bullshit!/show/17579/episode_listings.html?season=0

In society, there are many products and ideas that we buy in to. Some of these products, services or ideas are just plain bullshit. Well known magicians: Penn and Teller are here to knock some sense into people in a humerous and informal way and to explain why some things in life are just plain bullshit. Show has been renewed for Season 4 and Season 5 for 10 episodes for each season.

Arrested Development
http://www.tv.com/arrested-development/show/17005/episode_listings.html?season=0

The Emmy Award-winning comedy series ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT revolves around MICHAEL BLUTH (Jason Bateman), the “normal” one in a family of crazies, who is forced to stay in Orange County and run the family real estate business after his father, GEORGE BLUTH SR. (Jeffrey Tambor), is sent to prison for shifty accounting practices. While George Sr. spent the last year in the slammer discovering his newfound Judaism and recording inspirational tapes, Michael spent it picking up the pieces and trying to teach his offbeat family how to live without an endless expense account. All the while, Michael has also been trying to do right by his 14-year-old son, GEORGE MICHAEL (Michael Cera), an earnest kid who works diligently at the family’s frozen banana stand.

The Bluths are led by manipulative matriarch LUCILLE BLUTH (Jessica Walter), a socialite who is as icy as her martinis. Then there’s the oldest son, GOB (Will Arnett), a womanizer and struggling magician (sorry, “illusionist”) whose biggest trick will be to make a real job appear. The youngest brother is BUSTER (Tony Hale), a neurotic professional grad student and glorified mama’s boy (he spent 11 months in the womb).

The Bluth siblings are rounded out by cause-obsessed sister LINDSAY (Portia de Rossi), who is married to the hapless TOBIAS (David Cross), a doctor-turned-actor who might get more work if he wasn’t a self-proclaimed “never-nude.” Lindsay and Tobias are the ultra-permissive parents of MAEBY (Alia Shawkat), a 14-year-old who loves finding unique ways to rebel against their overindulgence.

*****
How to Stop Smoking: Simply Don't Plan On It
http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/060606_quit_smoking.html

Apparently the best way to quit is to not think about it, don't plan it and, uh, just do it.

I had no idea that only 23% of Americans smoke. Holy Cow! I thought it was much more than that. I've always had best of luck stopping when I just stop when I feel the urge. Whenever I plan stopping something, I seem to binge right before the deadline which makes quitting even more difficult.

*****
Moving? How to plan a room.

HGTV has a free program for Windows called 'Room Planner'
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_wide/text/0,,HGTV_17897_23822,00.html

Room Planner lets you create multiple rooms and furnish them

There's also:

Furnish
http://www.boconcept.us/Decorate_with_Furnish%C2%AE-10648.aspx

Jordan's Furniture Room Planner
http://www.jordans.com/roomplanner.asp

Plan3D - Home Design, Interior Design and Landscaping
http://www.plan3d.com/pages/home.aspx

and when I get my complete workshop I can use the Grizzly Workshop Planner!
http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner.aspx

*****
Organized closet as antidepressant
http://www.lifehacker.com/software/household/organized-closet-as-antidepressant-179090.php

I am not so sure it would be an antidepressant, but it does make me feel better when my apartment is clean. I already use many of the ideas presented in the NYTimes article here http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/01/garden/01closets.html?ei=5090&en=8e044a78df35e3cb&ex=1306814400&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all called 'Into The Closet' and also in the Lifehacker comments.

I find that putting unused items in a box with a date on it, makes it much easier. Then I don't even have to look inside the box, just get rid of it. :)

*****
Get rid of Thumb.db files
http://www.lifehacker.com/software/windows/windows-tip-rid-your-folders-of-thumbsdb-179117.php

yeah, I hate those files. And working cross platform on a Mac and Windows machine I see them showing up all the time in CDs DVDs and shared folders. Yuck!

So here's a great way to kill them off and stop them from repopulating.

Running 'C:\del /s /q Thumbs.db' in the CMD window will remove all the files on your computer.

Do that after you do this:

if you have My Computer open and are browsing any folder in your system…

1. Click Tools (next to File, Edit, View at the top of the screen)
2. Click Folder Options

After performing either of those two operations, the “Folder Options” window will open up.

1. Click on the View tab
2. Check off the circle next to Do not cache thumbnails
3. Click the Ok button

that's all.

*****
Apple could find trouble in Norway
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060607-7007.html

Yes! DRM always sucks. Always. Norway is getting the clue, and the fact that the government is saying that this is wrong is awesome!

Go Norway!

*****

Any Port in a Datastorm: TCP/IP Ports
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~rakerman/port-table.html

So I wasn't really looking for this, but I found it anyway. It's a comprehensive list on what programs are using what TCP/IP ports. Awesome find.

*****

The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,125772,pg,2,00.asp

And AOL tops the list. LMAO. Of course. Now if I could only get all my family off AOL!

It's a great list to keep around and make sure you aren't using something on it.

*****

Mannequin police on patrol to nip it in the bud
http://news.bostonherald.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=142655

More on the 'MassResistance' group and their problem with the Macy's mannequins. Sheesh, these guys are fucking insane.

*****
A moment of drag zen...
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/856/795/1600/harvey.0.jpg

Harvey Fierstein as Mrs. Claus in the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade.

Who else could have tackled the role that Divine (bless her soul) made famous in the movie Hairspray?

*****

Free Online PDF Calendars
http://www.incompetech.com/beta/cal-monthly/

Available from Incompetech, these calendars can be made in several sizes and rotations (landscape or portrait) and you can have one from any year starting with 1901 and going out to 2038!

Now in languages other than English! You can get a calendar PDF made in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portugese, Romanian, Spanish, and Swedish.

*****

Bamboo Houses
http://www.bambooliving.com/

I really do think that bamboo is going to become one of the next amazing and really useful ecological building materials.

Here's some amazing looking houses using what is referred to as 'Structural Bamboo Poles'. Holy cow! These things adhere to international building and safety codes!

*****

Google Office: it's about file formats, not MS Office
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060607-7005.html

Google says that it's online tools are not to get rid of MS Office, but to instead push the use of open ended formats. Which really makes sense. Google can't read proprietary file formats. The licensing for that alone would kill them.

Check out Writely, the 'Web Word Processor'
http://www2.writely.com/info/WritelyOverflowWelcome.htm

or 'Google Spreadsheets' at
https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=wise&passive=true&nui=1&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fspreadsheets.google.com%2Fccc%3Fnew

For spreadsheets you have to have a Gmail account and then sign up through that link above.

I've been watching a co-worker of mine set up a Labor Day trip with his GF online in real time and they are also able to chat and watch changes each makes in real time. It's amazing! I can't wait to use it.

*****

Microsoft admits Windows Genuine Advantage phones home
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060608-7017.html

If you are going to use MS's spyware removal tool, then beware that it will phone home and it will actually tell MS if you have a not purchased copy of Winblows. :)

FYI
*****

Google Browser Sync
http://www.google.com/tools/firefox/browsersync/index.html

It only works with Firefox, but if you use it on more than one computer, Google will make sure that everything is synched up between the copies that you use.

'Google Browser Sync unifies your bookmarks, history, saved passwords, and persistent cookies across all the computers where you install it. It also remembers which tabs and windows you had open when you last closed any of your browsers and gives you a chance to reopen them.'

Very cool.
*****
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2006/06/rainbowAP080606_600x390.jpg

Rainbow that set the sky on fire
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=389689&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=

Wow. That's about all I have to say about it.

*****
Disney gets a taste for fresh fruit
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13190732/

Why? I don't really want a 'Disney' branded life. Piss off corporate whores. Thank you.

from the article:

Disney has begun licensing fresh fruit in European supermarkets as it tries to jump onto the healthy eating bandwagon and banish the memory of its association with McDonald's.

Shoppers at Tesco are already able to buy Disney satsumas and the company is looking to branch out into apples and bananas. The branding involves putting "collectible" stickers on the skin of the fruit, which can then be transferred into a sticker book.
*****
Senate rejects effort to cut estate tax
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060608/ap_on_go_co/estate_tax;_ylt=AuOK0ZAx4ym.BfTVW79BAtVI2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

I think they did the right thing. Only 1.17 of people dying in 2002 had an estate worth more than $2USm for an individual and $4USm for a couple would be tax exempt and go straight to beneficiaries.

OK, so if your spouse dies, yes you should get all funds free from tax.However, children and other beneficiaries should be taxed if they receive more than $2USm apiece.

If you can't make it on less than $2USm, you don't deserve to make it. Sorry. Well, actually I'm not.

*****

Avoiding attacking suspected terrorist mastermind
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4431601

Never forget, there were two other chances to stop Zarqawi. And Bush and Company said no.

Collusion. Nothing less.

*****

06.07.06

So I opened the news today to find that *SHOCK* a US Jewish group is urging a tough German stand on the new Iranian presidents plans to attend the World Soccer Cup. Iran, it would seem, is to be a contender for the World Cup.

From the Jewish guy in LA we get this -

"President Ahmadinejad has denied the Holocaust and called for the obliteration of the state of Israel," wrote Rabbi Marvin Hier, the center's founder and dean in the letter to Merkel obtained by AFP.

"It is inconceivable that a head of state who advocates those policies would be received at a world sporting event by the same country where the Nuremburg Laws were proclaimed and where Adolf Hitler first enunciated his policies that led to the 'Final Solution'.

Well, actually, he didn't deny the holocaust. He asked for evidence. And he asked what the youth of today have to do with the holocaust. Why are they being taxed and abused to pay for a crime their grandparents committed.

He also didn't seek the 'obliteration' of Israel. He asked openly, why, if the problem of a holocaust occurred in Europe, wasn't the answer in Europe and not in Palestine? Why are the Palestinians uprooted, land taken from them and now they are shot at, when the holocaust happened on a different continent.

I think he's asking really good questions. Why does a generation, twice removed from this atrocity have to continue paying for it? Why are the sins of the father (and grandfather) placed onto the head of the son? I wouldn't think for a second for atoning for something my grandparents had done. I have the same feelings toward 'reparations' for slavery. Sorry, I never owned a slave, never gained profit from slave labor. Heck, I've not even met someone who owned a slave, or someone whom was owned. Why should I be paying for that mistake?

There's a great interview with President Ahmadinejad in the english version of the German magazine Der Spiegel. It's over here. http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0%2C1518%2C418660%2C00.html

The article that covers the United States located Simon Wiesenthal Center whineperson statement is here. http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/06/060606235000.ubq1ntud.html

Please, tell me, why would someone who is 20, or 30 have to do with something that happened 60 years ago? I'm not saying it didn't happen. I just want to know why I would be responsible for something that happened 30 years before I was born.

*****
I guess when you start looking for it, coincedence just keeps on appearing. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17188458&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=born-at-6am-on-06-06-06--his-mum-was-induced-for-6-days--he-weighs-6lbs-6oz-and-he-s-called---d-name_page.html

has a story about a woman and her husband and their new baby boy named Damien. Damien was born yesterday on 06.06.06 at 6:59am. She was 36 and was induced for 6 days. Damien came out weighing 6lbs and 6ozs. Yowza.

Apparently the parents are both horror fans and are very excited about this.

Poor kid.

*****
The very first sentence of this article http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/14756518.htm says it all.

'In the first major legislative action since the primary election shook up its ranks, the state House yesterday did not take up property-tax relief or lobbying disclosure - issues voters have complained most vocally about - but instead approved a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.'

Let me pull the REALLY important part out. 'the state House yesterday did not take up property-tax relief or lobbying disclosure - issues voters have complained most vocally about'

So, on our dime, they are wasting time AND not doing what voters have repeatedly asked for. Again from the article 'issues voters have complained most vocally about' So why are they in office? Why are they not being recalled? And why was the vote 136 to 61? Oh, cause Dems are involved also.

THEY ARE ALL THE SAME POLITICAL PARTY. THEY ARE TWO WOLVES FIGHTING OVER WHO WILL EAT YOU FOR DINNER.

Don't buy the lies.

*****
The Senate, it appears, denies even the chance of negotiating a resolution to what we did in Hawaii more than 100 years ago.

In 1887 The 'Bayonet Constitution' became law in Hawaii. The King at the time David Kalākaua, was forced at gunpoint to sign the document into law at gunpoint. The new constitution gave voting power to very few people. Mostly American, and Europeans with wealth and some very elite Hawaiians who passed an economic and literacy requirement were allowed to vote.

Then Queen Lili'uokalani attempted to overturn the Bayonet Constitution and was forcibly overthrown by 1500 armed land owners and 160 US Marines sent in from the inland. The 1500 men were landowners led by someone with the last name 'Dole'. Huh, where have I heard that name associated with Hawaii?

The Queen was overthrown by force with assistance from our own government. Read more at Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonet_Constitution for the Bayonet Constitution and here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Hawaii#Overthrow_of_the_Kingdom_of_Hawai.CA.BBi for information on the actual overthrow.

Either way it really feels crappy. The Hawaiian people deserved better than this.

So at this time, there is a bill in the US Congress to allow the people of Hawaii sovereignty.

'Senate to consider letting Hawaiians pursue sovereignty' is available at http://www.washtimes.com/national/20060607-122638-5703r.htm

*****
No data anywhere is safe. Period. If it's on a computer, it can be stolen.

'Data on 2.2M Active Troops Stolen From VA' http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060607/D8I32RVO1.html

Looks like more was taken than originally stated. 'Personal data on about 2.2 million active-duty military, Guard and Reserve personnel - not just 50,000 as initially believed - were among those stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee last month, the government said Tuesday.'

Wow. When are we going to get smart about this and realize the consolidation of personal information IS NOT GOOD. The more information in one place about you, the more likely all of it will be stolen.

Data is not safe. Especially when the government is in charge of it.

*****
Even Google isn't perfect. And yes, they are out to make a buck.

'Brin says Google compromised principles' http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060606/ap_on_hi_te/google_censorship_3

I guess nobody is perfect.

'Google Inc. co-founder Sergey Brin acknowledged Tuesday the dominant Internet company has compromised its principles by accommodating Chinese censorship demands. He said Google is wrestling to make the deal work before deciding whether to reverse course.'

*****
The judge that had the 10 Commandments in his office didn't win election as easily as he thought he would.

Moore loses in Alabama on day of primaries. http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/06/primaries.roundup.ap/index.html

Thou shall not grandstand or use His name to attempt to gain popularity. Thou shall not be 'holier than thou'.

*****
Morons. Absolutely morons.

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/TDS-Bennett-gay-.mov

Watch Bill Bennett attempt to defend his unwarranted support for an anti gay marriage bill. It's hilarious watching him fall apart.

*****
So the gay marriage ban failed. http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/07/060607161411.va99frtl.html I can't say that I am overwhelmingly surprised.

It only failed because 49 voted for it and not two thirds. 48 voted against it. I guess this means that we will be seeing and hearing more crap about this in the months up to the election.

*****
So Macy's decides to make a window display to honor Gay Pride month. (OK, 'gay pride' to me is the same as those guys that go half naked covered in paint to football games and make asses of themselves. It's not really pretty and most people think you're nuts.) Mass Resistance (same as the OCA here in Oregon) decides they are destroying American families with this display and Macy's buckles under pressure and removes mannequins used in the display.

Macy's then gets it's collective knuckles rapped by local gay groups and the Boston Mayor.

I can't figure out what's so offensive about the display. The 'president' of MassResistance states that the mannequins had 'enlarged breasts' and this was one of the reasons it should be removed.

Does he not work out? Or is he more interested in seeing 'man-boobs'? Maybe if they had 'man-boobs' and not 'pecs' they would look more het?

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=142499
*****
Yeah.

That data theft? Yeah. That affected 80% of our active duty troops.

WTF? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/06/AR2006060601332.html

*****
Luke 17:21
"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

It is within you. Think on that. Everything you could ever want is within you.
*****
Luke 17:34
"I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left."

Wow. Two men in one bed? OK.
*****
Found here http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/36899 This gets a bit graphic.

The following text is an excerpt from Peter Laufer's new book, "Mission Rejected: U.S. Soldiers Who Say No to Iraq" (Chelsea Green, 2006).

"We was going along the Euphrates River," says Joshua Key, a 27-year-old former U.S. soldier from Oklahoma, detailing a recurring nightmare -- a scene he stumbled on shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003. "It's a road right in the city of Ramadi. We turned a real sharp right and all I seen was decapitated bodies. The heads laying over here and the bodies over here and U.S. troops in between them. I'm thinking, 'Oh my God, what in the hell happened here? What's caused this? Why in the hell did this happen?' We get out and somebody was screaming, 'We fucking lost it here!' I'm thinking, 'Oh, yes, somebody definitely lost it here.'"

Joshua says he was ordered to look around for evidence of a firefight, for something to rationalize the beheaded Iraqis. "I look around just for a few seconds and I don't see anything." But then he noticed the sight that now triggers his nightmares. "I see two soldiers kicking the heads around like a soccer ball. I just shut my mouth, walked back, got inside the tank, shut the door, and it was like, I can't be no part of this. This is crazy. I came here to fight and be prepared for war but this is outrageous. Why did it happen? That's just my question: Why did that happen?"

That's from someone that was there. Holy crap.
*****
yeah, cause Republicans are so fucking holy.

bullshit.

Republicans & Pedophila at http://www.mspmedia.net/2006/05/republicans-pedophila.html
*****
bushssecretlifein84.tripod.com

that's all.
*****
watch this

http://www.freedomtofascism.com

06.05.06

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5030518.stm

Batwoman hero returns as lesbian

Comic book heroine Batwoman is to make a comeback as a "lipstick lesbian" who moonlights as a crime fighter, a DC Comics spokesman has confirmed.

Batwoman - real name Kathy Kane - will appear in 52, a year-long DC Comics publication that began this month.

In her latest incarnation, she is a rich socialite who has a romantic history with another 52 character, ex-police detective Renee Montoya.

52 will be published in the UK as a graphic novel by Titan Books in 2007.

The series is set in a world in which established superheroes like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman no longer play a part.

Reinvention

The new-look Batwoman is just one of a wave of ethnically and sexually diverse characters entering the DC Comics universe.

Others include Mexican teenager Blue Beetle - who replaces the character's previous white incarnation - and the Great Ten, a government-sponsored team of Chinese superheroes.

Regular characters Firestorm and The Atom, meanwhile, have been reinvented as black and Asian heroes respectively.

The characters are part of a wider effort to broaden the make-up of comic-book creations in line with society as a whole.

Batwoman, who first appeared in July 1956, has not been seen since September 1979 when she was killed by the League of Assassins and the Bronze Tiger.

*****

'as a fan she's concerned about the numerology for the day'...huh. as a fan? not a fanatic?

http://upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060530-071731-2267r

Woman balks at having 6/6/6 'devil' baby

CAVERSHAM, England, May 30 (UPI) -- A woman in England due to give birth on June 6 is fighting with her hospital to induce her sooner to avoid delivering on the demonic date of 6/6/6.

Melissa Parker, 30, said as a fan of "The Omen," a movie about a demonic child, she's genuinely concerned about the numerology involved, The Sun reported Tuesday.

"I'm terrified the birth will go wrong or the child will have evil in him or her," Parker said. "Even worse my beautiful baby could be the devil himself -- the anti-Christ."

The figure 666 is mentioned in the Bible and various cultures believe it represents the date the anti-Christ will appear on Earth, but that doesn't hold any water at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

A hospital spokesman said Parker's request for an induction was refused because due dates are not 100 percent certain.

"There is little we can do to change them without a Caesarean or inducing the child, which we try to avoid," the spokesman said. "We must let nature take its course. The baby will be born when ready, no matter what day it is."

*****

wait for the jeans ad...LOL good 'ol SNL

http://www.local6.com/news/9290536/detail.html

Baby Born With Third Arm

SHANGHAI, China -- Doctors in Shanghai on Tuesday were considering surgery options for a 2-month-old boy born with an unusually well-formed third arm.

Neither of the boy's two left arms is fully functional and tests have so far been unable to determine which was more developed, said Dr. Chen Bochang, head of the orthopedics department at Shanghai Children's Medical Center.

"His case is quite peculiar. We have no record of any child with such a complete third arm," Chen said in a telephone interview.

The boy, identified only as "Jie-jie," also was born with just one kidney and may have problems that could lead to curvature of the spine, local media reports said. Jie-jie cried when either of his left arms was touched, but smiled and responded normally to other stimuli, the reports said.

Chen said doctors hoped to work out a plan for surgery, but the boy's small size made it impossible to perform certain tests that would help them prepare.

Media reports said other children have been reported born with additional arms and legs, but in those cases it was clear what limb was more developed.

Chen's hospital is one of China's most experienced in dealing with unusual birth defects, including separating conjoined twins.

*****

He's right. Illegal is illegal. I welcome anyone that comes here legally. Everyone else had to stand in line. Now it's your turn. Get over it.

http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=4963421 (go here to see pics of the statue)

Bold Statement on Immigration Shows Off Lady Liberty's Undies

SOUTH TOLEDO -- A south Toledo man is using a replica of the Statue of Liberty to let the world know his thoughts on illegal immigration. Art Bollinger says he got this idea from an e-mail he received, and decided to duplicate the picture.

From the front, you can see the Statue of Liberty. From behind, it shows Lady Liberty's behind, in a thong bikini. The nearby sign says "Kiss my American Ass."

Bollinger tells News 11 he will accept anyone into this country as long as they come here legally, but he has no patience for those who sneak in. "You don't have rights. You are here illegally," said Bollinger of the people who cross the border without permission. "If I break the law, I go to prison. You break the law and the American government says they'll kiss your behind. No. That's ridiculous."

The US Senate bill passed last week would tighten the border, offer a guest worker programs to bring in new foreign workers and provide a chance at citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants already in the country. The US House bill generally is limited to border enforcement and cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants. Negotiators from both chambers will try to reconcile the differences and agree on a compromise.

Bollinger says his wife is from Russia and he had to jump through all kinds of hoops and pay for the process of her becoming a US citizen. He feels everyone else should do the same.

US Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., answered a flat "no'' when asked Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press'' whether he would accept any legislation that would put illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship. Sensenbrenner said the United States 20 years ago passed a bill that allowed illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S. and become American citizens. He said that only increased the flow of illegal immigrants.

US Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., said the Senate took a comprehensive approach to dealing with illegal immigration and he took issue with Sensenbrenner's characterization of the Senate's approach. "Amnesty. That's nonsense,'' Hagel said. Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he, but not necessarily the Senate, could accept a phased-in compromise: enforcement first, then moving to citizenship issues. "I personally would, because I think, first and foremost, you've got to lock down the borders. You can't allow this hemorrhaging of millions of people,'' he said on "Fox News Sunday.''

Under the Senate bill, illegal immigrants who have been in the country at least five years can continue working and eventually become legal permanent residents and citizens after paying at least $3,250 in fines, fees and back taxes and learning English. Illegal immigrants in the U.S. between two and five years would be required to go to a point of entry at the border and file an application to return. Those in the country less than two years would have to leave.

*****

06.05.06
Monday

Reading about Stephen Colbert giving a commencement speech at the 2006 Knox College Commencement in Galesburg, Ill. He's a pretty funny guy. Check him out on You Tube and Google Video.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002613019 he gives a piece of advice:

He closed his speech on an apparently semi-serious note, urging the grads to learn how to say "yes." He noted that saying yes will sometimes get them in trouble or make them look like a fool. But he added: "Remember, you cannot be both young and wise. Young people who pretend to be wise to the ways of the world are mostly cynics. Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don’t learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blinder, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us.

"Cynics always say no. But saying yes begins things. Saying yes is how things grow. Saying yes leads to knowledge. Yes is for young people. So for as long as you have the strength to, say yes.

"And that’s The Word."


Thank you Mr. Colbert. :)

then get in on the action, yes, that kind of action and ACTION ALERT: Call Congress, ask if THEY'RE defending THEIR marriages http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/06/action-alert-call-congress-ask-if.html

good article on what's happening and what to do about it.

________

Washington County Post Gazette in Pennsylvania : A man lives off the grid and wants electric company to stay off his land.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06148/693838-58.stm

________

What will happen when WalMart goes organic? http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/magazine/04wwln_lede.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

some pretty interesting ideas about what will happen.

________

an entire town that wants to live off the grid.
One Farm Town's Drive for Energy Independence
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/us/04biotown.html?ex=1307073600&en=ae711d2ce83fb5fd&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
________

Cool! this car uses gas to run on compressed air. More than 160MPH and zero emissions :) woohoo! http://www.theaircar.com/
_________

We can make energy and fuel from water. Only the researchers are being threatened. 'Water Fuel Experimenter and Team Threatened' http://pesn.com/2006/06/02/9500276_Water_fuel_experimenter_threatened/

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Water+Energy+Cell

____________

only an asshat says WalMart is good for the community it enters.

Fact Sheet on Wal-Mart: The Death Star of American Commerce
http://www.organicconsumers.org/BTC/deathstar081805.cfm

_________________

here it is: http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=89350

The most important point that our friend Jack Ward makes is his last sentence:

Finally, if Anahuc and Aztlan where annexed to Mexico where
would all the Mexican people go to seek freedom and
opportunity?

The point he is making is the corruption that is rampant in the Mexican government would turn all of SW United States into the very same thing that Mexico is... a slave state ruled by corrupt mafiosos and landed gentry who get their pedigree from Spain's royal houses.... over 100 years ago.

Someone is keeping the poor Mexican's focus on the RICH Americans... and making them forget that their OWN country is equally rich in oil, minerals, farmlands... but their corrupt government keeps the people from ever taking part in the largess of their country. I wonder who could be doing this... maybe the fascist corporations run by the 300 families that own the Federal Reserve?

Mexico is truly a banana republic on our border. But I have the ONE idea that will cause EVERY Mexican to RACE home to Mexico tomorrow.

What's that idea?

Send in our military to nationalize the oil industry and GIVE a GENEROUS portion of the OIL revenue to EVERY Mexican citizen!!

As the price of oil goes up... poor Americans can migrate to Mexico and work for RICH oil Mexicans!!

Bumper Sticker: NATIONALIZE MEXICAN OIL - DIVIDE THE PROFITS AMONG ALL MEXICAN CITIZENS

I wonder how quickly all of these Mexicans who are clamoring for US citizenship would race back to Mexico.

*****
that's right folks, it is about economics. Mexicans have allowed their government to be ruined. Maybe we should help them take some of it back?

________________________

I;ve been feeling jittery and anxious all weekend. http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=89310

here's something of an esoteric and scientific explanation.

________________

numbers were important in the Bible also...

1= New beginning
2= Bearing of witness
3= Completion
4= World, Universal (eg. 4 corners of the earth)
5= Grace
6= Man
7= Perfection.The seal of.
8= Resurrection (Also rising from the ashes)
9= Finality
10= Ordinal perfection
11= Revelation
12= Government

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=89298

05.25.06

So the day starts off with 'Honda Says Brain Waves Control Robot' http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HONDA_ROBOT?SITE=7219&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-05-25-07-44-42 . Holy Cow!

So yeah, it was a guy in the MRI that was controlling the robot and they have to get better and the interface, but WOW! Mind controlled robots!

It may be a technical day...but I am very interested in some different curtains for my new livingroom. There's one wall of my new apartment living room that is all glass. I want to get some curtains that will reflect morning light to keep the apartment cool. Then in the winter I want to let the light in and trap the heat. Seems like a bit of a vision quest. :)

About.com always has some awesome tutorials. I usually get there through a Google search that starts with 'how do I' or 'How to'. Here's the page on curtains over at About.com. http://interiordec.about.com/od/makingcurtains/

I headed over to the 43Things site and saw this little quote on the curtains page (http://www.43things.com/things/view/288678) ... '
Before doing, one must BE. - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe' hehehe. awesome. OK, so after looking it over, 43Things doesn't seem to be about 'doing' so much as making a list about doing. ergh.

Thriftyfun.com has links to some sites I would like to check out. There's a list of homesteading/country living sites on their page. http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41416147.tip.html

I saw that the portraits of the Clintons for the Smithsonian are completed. 'Smithsonian Clinton Portraits Debut' http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/25/politics/main1541691.shtml has photos of her portrait, but not his.

There is however this great quote: 'He urged others to remember that those who matter are those affected by government, not those in the government portraits. '

This whole immigration thing has me in a bind. Why are only one group of people from one particular country suddenly allowed to come into this country without following the laws and regulations that everyone else has for the last 200 plus years? Why did my family have to pay fees and apply for licenses to be able to live here when all they had to really do is cross through a desert to get here for free?

I see a couple of quotes from time to time that make sense. Like this one: 'I do not understand why we should support a Guest Worker Program when it is clear that the influx of low-skilled workers reduces earnings of low-skilled Americans. Over the last 5 years, the number of hours Americans work has increased, yet the median household income has not. Wages of blue-collar workers are being artifically suppressed due to the expansion of the pool of low-skilled workers. Why is this good for us? - Steve Waldmann | 05.25.06 - 9:24 am' over on (http://www.haloscan.com/comments.php?user=katsiva&comment=114856259416655400#1561869)

and here 'I disagree with you John. I try to be a caring person but there's a limit to what we can do. I do NOT believe in amnesty for illegals. It bothers me the we they are being referred to by both sides an "immigrants" there are ILLEGALS and should be treated as such. I think the Repubs and Dems are selling out to business on this one. If you want to immigrate to this country I welcome you - but get in line.
Regards - liberal redneck | 05.25.06 - 9:33 am' (http://www.haloscan.com/comments.php?user=katsiva&comment=114856259416655400#1561891)

'People who make the argument that we can't ship illegals back to Mexico are being disingenuous. Mexicans come here for jobs. If employers got sent to jail for 10 days for hiring illegals, then there would be no jobs for illegals and Mexicans would voluntarily return to Mexico. We will not have to deport them.
Steve Waldmann | 05.25.06 - 9:47 am' (http://www.haloscan.com/comments.php?user=katsiva&comment=114856259416655400#1561911)

'"If there is a greater need for unskilled labor, then businesses should pay more to low-skilled workers. Businesses should not be able to keep wages low by increasing the supply of low-skilled labor. Shouldn't our economic policy be designed around the idea of improving the quality of life of Americans?"

Steve, between pointng out the disingenuousness of the deportation argument so articulately and the above post, you're my new hero. And I agree: our economic policy should be one of enlightened self interest directed at the quality of life of Americans first and aiding the poor in other countries second. What a slap in the face to poor, unskilled American workers (citizens and legal immigrants alike) when this government and it's representatives on both sides brazenly seek to lower their standard of living even further in order to serve corporate interests. The fact that the Democrats are complicit in this makes me sick.
JaneOfTheUrbanJungle | 05.25.06 - 10:57 am' (http://www.haloscan.com/comments.php?user=katsiva&comment=114856259416655400#1561992)

O'Reilly is an ass. Most people already know that. How can someone who started on 'A Current Affair' be taken seriously? This guy is a nut job to end all nut jobs.

Check out what he's saying about America's youth...'During the May 23 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, Bill O'Reilly asserted that "[m]any Americans ages 18 to 24 have no idea what's going on," stating that they "get their news from [Comedy Central host] Jon Stewart and their point of view from bomb-throwing entertainers." In fact, studies have shown that viewers of Comedy Central's The Daily Show with John Stewart are consistently better informed about current events than consumers of other media, and Daily Show viewers are considerably better educated than viewers of The O'Reilly Factor. Further, consumers of Fox News in general have been found to be significantly more misinformed about current events than consumers of other mainstream media.' from Media Matters (http://mediamatters.org/items/200605250003)

Holy Smoke! is it for real? Scientific American is reporting that there is no link in lung cancer from smoking marijuana. (http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=0002491F-755F-1473-B55F83414B7F0000&ref=rss) Large Study Finds No Link between Marijuana and Lung Cancer

from the article:

The smoke from burning marijuana leaves contains several known carcinogens and the tar it creates contains 50 percent more of some of the chemicals linked to lung cancer than tobacco smoke. A marijuana cigarette also deposits four times as much of that tar as an equivalent tobacco one. Scientists were therefore surprised to learn that a study of more than 2,000 people found no increase in the risk of developing lung cancer for marijuana smokers.

"We expected that we would find that a history of heavy marijuana use--more than 500 to 1,000 uses--would increase the risk of cancer from several years to decades after exposure to marijuana," explains physician Donald Tashkin of the University of California, Los Angeles, and lead researcher on the project. But looking at residents of Los Angeles County, the scientists found that even those who smoked more than 20,000 joints in their life did not have an increased risk of lung cancer.

wow!

so then I followed a link titled 'Diet Linked to Twin Births' (http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=00094DF5-2CC5-1471-ACC583414B7F0000) which sounds pretty cool. From what I understand there's twin births on my dad and my mom's side of the family.

So I am reading along and I get to this...

compared the number of twin births from moms who consumed meat and/or milk and those who consumed no animal products at all. They found that the omnivores and vegetarians were five times more likely to have fraternal twins than the vegans.

In a report published in the current issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, Steinman argues that insulin-like growth factor, a protein released by the liver in response to growth hormone, may be the reason. Studies have shown that the protein increases ovulation and that it persists in the body after entering via digested food, particularly milk. Drinking a glass of milk a day over a 12-week period raised levels of the protein in the body by 10 percent. Vegan women, it turns out, have 13 percent lower concentrations of it in their blood.

Steinman observed in the May 6 issue of The Lancet that although the twinning rate in the U.K.--where bovine growth hormone is banned--rose by 16 percent between 1992 and 2001, it increased by 32 percent in the U.S., where the substance is not banned.

sweet, keep us fat happy and putting out twice as much as we should.

hey, I have my guilty pleasures. One of them recently has been 'Lost'. Really a fun show. Did you know you can download the episodes free from ABC? totally cool! So I found this article about what's happening next season and what happened in the season closer last night. I haven't seen it yet!

from 'Next Season's Lost Sneaked' at http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=1&id=36305

best quote is 'If you think you're still watching a show about people who crashed on an island, you're watching another show.'

exactly

Lifehacker is always a great read. There's an article up today about getting a great smile in your photo portraits.

http://www.lifehacker.com/software/photography-tip/photography-tip-get-the-natural-smile-in-your-photo-176241.php

The shelving they talk about at Inhabitat is ok. http://p6.hostingprod.com/@inhabitat.com/blog/?p=676 but seriously, I have more books than this, and I doubt that my curtain rod would hold up. Not if the five strands shown were all full. It's a good idea, just not well executed.

AppleInsider has some info on where Adobe wants to take the public on Flash. It looks like Apollo is going to allow people to use a desktop icon to work in Flash applications and then autosync when the machine returns online. Sounds interesting enough... Adobe discloses some Apollo details (http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1772)


Sunday there is supposed to be a comet strike and a tsunami on the east coast. COMET STRIKE & A POSSIBLE TSUNAMI AFFECTING THE EASTERN SEABOARD at http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=89042

and started here http://lucianarchy.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=othernonserpodisclosures&action=display&thread=1147528337&page=12

Diva Chocolates has meat rubs made from chocolate! http://www.diva-chocolates.com/rubs.html

porch planting 05.22.06

I am interested in doing some shade gardening. My new apartment has an east facing sliding glass door and wall. That opens to a fenced patio that is amazing. But well covered from a cedar tree and a lilac bush.

I have a ton of ideas on what to do. I found this site. The Herb Companion. http://www.herbcompanion.com/forums/index.php

I looks like I should be able to grow rosemary, thyme, tarragon, basil, mint, oregano, and lavender. Also sweet woodruff, sweet cicely and violets. It would be great to be able to make homemade herbal teas for personal use.

Dave's Garden http://davesgarden.com/ looks like a great place to identify plants that I see. They've got tons of information.

Here's a great article on making a shade garden. http://www.backyardgardener.com/shade/shade.html It's located on the Backyard Gardener website here. http://www.backyardgardener.com/

And here's more shade gardening http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en/whats_new/shade_garden/shade_gardening.htm on 'Wild About Gardening' http://www.wildaboutgardening.org .

There's this great looking article on hostas http://www.gardenideas.com/perennials/perennials_hostas.html over at Garden Ideas http://www.gardenideas.com . It's amazing how many people have an idea of what to do...on the web. Hostas are great to look at, but not very edible.

What about growing some Cala Lillies? http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:_tM8b7XeRdIJ:www.molbaks.com/infopages/callalily.pdf+east+facing+shaded+patio+plants&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=28&client=firefox-a (or http://www.molbaks.com/infopages/callalily.pdf)

There is also the 'low water use plant' list for the Portland area at http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:BSnnzkGcVxIJ:www.wateruseitwisely.com/plantlist/Portland%2520PDF.pdf+portland+oregon+shade+plant&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=21&client=firefox-a or http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/plantlist/Portland%20PDF.pdf .

Patients being put down in New Orleans?

Why isn't this being talked about in the MSM? Why was there so much confusion after 4 days of notice, that patients had to be put down? Why was this story printed in Australia and we haven't even heard of it yet?

original is located here :
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,16566858-5001022,00.html

Patients put down

September 12, 2005

DOCTORS working in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans killed critically ill patients rather than leave them to die in agony as they evacuated.

With gangs of rapists and looters rampaging through wards in the flooded city, senior doctors took the harrowing decision to give massive overdoses of morphine to those they believed could not make it out alive.

One New Orleans doctor told how she "prayed for God to have mercy on her soul" after she ignored every tenet of medical ethics and ended the lives of patients she had earlier fought to save.

Her heart-rending account has been corroborated by a hospital orderly and by local government officials.

One emergency official, William Forest McQueen, said: "Those who had no chance of making it were given a lot of morphine and lain down in a dark place to die."

Euthanasia is illegal in Louisiana and the doctors spoke only on condition on anonymity.

Their families believe their confessions are an indictment of the appalling failure of US authorities to help those in desperate need after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city, claiming thousands of lives and making 500,000 homeless.

"I didn't know if I was doing the right thing," the doctor said.

"But I did not have time. I had to make snap decisions, under the most appalling circumstances, and I did what I thought was right.

"I injected morphine into those patients who were dying and in agony.

"If the first dose was not enough, I gave a double dose.

"And at night I prayed to God to have mercy on my soul."

The doctor, who finally fled her hospital late last week in fear of being murdered by the armed looters, denied her actions were murder.

"This was not murder, this was compassion. They would have been dead within hours, if not days," she said.

"What we did was give comfort to the end. I had cancer patients who were in agony. In some cases the drugs may have speeded up the death process.

"We divided the hospital's patients into three categories: Those who were traumatised but medically fit enough to survive, those who needed urgent care, and the dying.

"People would find it impossible to understand the situation.

"I had to make life-or-death decisions in a split second.

"It came down to giving people the basic human right to die with dignity.

"There were patients with 'do not resuscitate' signs. Under normal circumstances some could have lasted several days. But when the power went out, we had nothing.

"Some of the very sick became distressed. We tried to make them as comfortable as possible.

"The pharmacy was under lockdown because gangs of armed looters were roaming around looking for their fix.

"You have to understand these people were going to die anyway."

Mr McQueen, a utility manager for the town of Abita Springs, half an hour north of New Orleans, told relatives that patients had been "put down", saying: "They injected them, but nurses stayed with them until they died."

Mr McQueen, who worked closely with emergency teams, added: "They had to make unbearable decisions."

The Daily Telegraph

This report was published at dailytelegraph.news.com.au