Ready? Set?

FIGHT!!!!

Bonfires Of The Vanities

Via HotAir, here’s today’s brilliant idea of the day

Park department staff is recommending reducing bonfires at the two beaches this summer and possibly banning them altogether next year.
The park board will hear the recommendation Thursday, and the city plans to run public-service announcements and hand out brochures later this month about the effects of bonfires on global warming.
According to a memo to the park board from the staff released Thursday, “The overall policy question for the Board is whether it is good policy for Seattle Parks to continue public beach fires when the carbon … emissions produced by thousands of beach fires per year contributes to global warming.”

Tell you what, Washington: If you really are concerned why don’t you ban Boeing and Microsoft from your state? They clearly have a more deleterious effect on Gaia’s well being, assuming your theories are correct, than a couple of hundred wiener roasts a year. Make a difference, guys! Fight the power!
And leave the bonfires alone, because your soon-to-be unemployed butts will need every bit of heat you can get.

Some Interesting Gorebal Warmening Stuff

This page lays out a pretty detailed and informative overview of the CO2 situation.
And here is some interesting data concerning Ye Olde Medieval Warme Periode, and what it can tell us about today.
Meanwhile I’m going home to fire up the grill.

Happy Birthday, Henry

My goodness, what a life he’s had

Britain’s oldest man, thought to be one of three surviving UK World War I veterans, is celebrating reaching his 112th birthday.
Henry Allingham, who was born in London on 6 June 1896, is also the last surviving original member of the Royal Air Force – formed 90 years ago.
…Mr Allingham is the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and also fought at the Somme and Ypres where he was bombed and shelled.
He joined the Royal Air Force when it was formed from the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the Army’s Flying Corps in 1918.
His many medals and honours include the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Legion D’Honneur – the highest military accolade awarded by France.
He has joked that the secret to his longevity is “cigarettes, whisky and wild women”.

I like his style.
God bless and many more. I’ll raise a whiskey or two in your honor tonight!

Into The Breach

Thank you.

With all our heart.

Maybe The Breck Boy Needs A Little More Elbow Room?

Of course, given how cramped his current digs are, this might not be quite enough space even for him

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield appears to be having financial problems.
A legal notice that appeared in a local newspaper shows his Fayette County estate is under foreclosure. The 104-room, 54,000-square-foot home worth an estimated $10 million is set to be auctioned by a bank on July 1.

54,000 square feet.
That’s over 30 times the size of Bingley Manor.
Where the hell did I go wrong?

Need a Biscuit?

Break a rock.

Myanmar’s military regime has forced cyclone survivors to do menial labor in exchange for food and has stepped up a campaign to evict the homeless from aid shelters, an international human rights group said Thursday.
…In mid-May, people near the hard-hit delta township of Bogale were forced to “break rocks and level a field” to construct a helicopter landing pad in exchange for biscuits sent by the U.N.’s World Food Program, the report said.
Others in Bogale were given rice soup and shelter on condition that they cleared debris and built an official camp, the report said, adding that authorities told displaced survivors in nearby Labutta they would not receive food unless they worked.

Staggers the imagination.

I Could Use This Shot

I’m sure I out-produce any mere farm animal

New Zealand scientists claim to have developed a “flatulence inoculation” aimed at cutting down on the massive amount of methane produced by its sheep and cows.
Such animals are believed to be responsible for more than half of the country’s greenhouse gases, causing huge environmental problems.
But Phil Goff, New Zealand’s trade minister, told an Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) in Paris yesterday that a solution was in sight.
“Our agricultural research organisation just last week was able to map the genome … that causes methane in ruminant animals and we believe we can vaccinate against” flatulent emissions, Mr Goff said.
…The 45 million sheep and 10 million cattle in New Zealand burped and farted about 90 percent of that country’s methane emissions, according to government figures.

I make the cheese and I can cut it too!
I love how genetically modified food stuffs are ok when Gaia is involved, but not when people are starving.

The Best, the Brightest

…and the youngest. Through every generation, the incredible, invincible youth of this country sacrifice over and over again for all of us.

Jack Lucas, who at 14 lied his way into military service during World War II and became the youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, died Thursday in a Hattiesburg, Mississippi, hospital. He was 80.
… Jacklyln “Jack” Lucas was just six days past his 17th birthday in February 1945 when his heroism at Iwo Jima earned him the nation’s highest military honor. He used his body to shield three fellow squad members from two grenades, and was nearly killed when one exploded.
“A couple of grenades rolled into the trench,” Lucas said in an Associated Press interview shortly before he received the medal from President Truman in October 1945. “I hollered to my pals to get out and did a Superman dive at the grenades. I wasn’t a Superman after I got hit. I let out one helluva scream when that thing went off.”

Sweet dreams, Leatherneck.

Semper fidelis.

WHOA!

NBC: Top two Air Force officials resigning
Secretary, chief of staff ousted; choice reportedly was ‘resign or be fired’
…Sources told the Air Force Times that other senior officers could also be relieved.

Yeesh!

As major dad Says, “Don’t Kill the SON of a Bitch”

“Let the fat, hairy bastard sit in one of those 5′ by 7′ rooms in the federal prison up in Terre Haute. One hour a day of fresh air and no human contact other than those friendly guards. For as long as it takes him to die naturally.” That sounds about right.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed said Thursday that he would welcome the death penalty for his confessed role as mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“Yes, this is what I wish, to be a martyr for a long time,” Mohammed told a military judge who warned that he faces execution if convicted of organizing the attacks on America. “I will, God willing, have this, by you.”

I don’t think we should be stupid enough to reward him with martyrdom. I HOPE we’re not that stupid.
Let him rot and never be heard from again ~ finally a worthy use of tax dollars.

A Warning About Your Thumb

…sucks.

…Knowledge work isn’t as dangerous as factory work or heavy construction, but the report says it’s the leading cause of one health problem: “BlackBerry thumb,” which comes from over-typing on handheld devices.

(Even though it’s now light years ahead, the picture in the article isn’t much different.)

Today’s Recession Snap

…shot.

The futures market strengthened in the wake of the weekly initial claims report, which showed an 18K drop to 357K (consensus 375K). The 4-wk moving average, meanwhile, dipped tp 368,500 from 371,250. The level of claims simply isn’t at recession-like levels. This realization, combined with the generally pleasing same-store sales reports, has the market on track for a positive open. Nasdaq at… NYSE Adv/Dec 0/0… Nasdaq Adv/Dec 0/0.

A Glass For Your Heart, And A Glass…

For your joints

People who drink alcohol are less prone to the sometimes crippling disease called rheumatoid arthritis compared with non-drinkers, according to a Scandinavian study published on Wednesday.
People who had a moderate alcohol consumption were 40 and 45 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis compared with people who did not drink or drank only occasionally, it found.
Among those who had a high consumption, the risk was reduced by 50 and 55 percent respectively.

Further study indicated that for people who had “Bingley consumption” the risk was reduced by 85%.

Not

Guilty.

Jury acquits Marine of covering up Iraq killings
Officer was accused of ordering troops to delete photos of 24 slain civilians
A Marine intelligence officer has been acquitted of charges that he tried to help cover up the killings of 24 Iraqi men, women and children.
…Grayson, who has always maintained he did nothing wrong, was not present at the scene of the killings on Nov. 19, 2005, in Haditha. He was accused of telling a sergeant to delete photographs of the dead from a digital camera and laptop computer.
Grayson was found not guilty of two counts of making false official statements, two counts of trying to fraudulently separate from service, and one count of attempt to deceive by making false statements.

That Would Be the Least of His Problems

A day after he clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama said Wednesday that he expected an organized Republican attack on his integrity and patriotism…

Those are just the hors d’oeuvres. He’s pretty much got a full platter to go after.
Nice shot at a preemptive strike though.

Heads Up for Our Mil-Swillers: Supporting Our Troops Through Their Benefits

Or not.

A cut in medicare payments to doctors could soon cause cuts in health care to senior citizens and military families.
…On July 1st, medicare will cut the current reimbursement rate by another 10.6 percent…. which will force some doctors to cut services not only to seniors…. but military members as well.
…And it’s not just seniors who will likely be affected by the cut.
Most active and some retired military members are covered under the Tricare insurance program…. which ties its rates to medicare.

Doesn’t This Just Have “BITE Me”

…printed all OVER it?

Jordan Summons Danish Cartoonist on Blasphemy Charges
A Danish cartoonist and ten newspaper editors have been summoned by Jordan’s public prosecutor on charges of “blasphemy” for reprinting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, it is reported.
According to the Copenhagen Post, prosecutor Hassan Abdullat has subpoenaed the 11 Danes for drawing and reprinting cartoons they say offend Islam, charging them with “threatening the national peace.”
Under Jordanian law, reproducing images of the Prophet Muhammad inside — or even outside the country — is illegal under the Jordanian Justice Act, the newspaper wrote.
…But the Danish foreign ministry said that the journalists would not be forcibly deported, as the printing of the controversial cartoons is not a punishable offense in Denmark.

Islamic Rage Boy says, “See?”

“We can be reasonable.”

One More Reason to Drink Up

…Shriners.

Red wine may protect heart from aging’s toll
Study in mice finds natural compound blocks decline in cardiac function
…Most striking was how the resveratrol, like calorie restriction, blocked the decline in heart function typically associated with aging, according to Tomas Prolla, a University of Wisconsin professor of genetics who helped lead the study.

Bingley Bragged About the 13 Pounder He Smoked This Weekend

Funny. He never mentioned the collateral damage caused by the relatives’ rescue attempt.

Wild Turkey Bursts Through Window of New Jersey Family’s House
…The bird plowed through the double-pane window of the house…

I hope the murdering carnivore’s proud of himself.

It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over But

…it might actually be almost over…

Clinton to say Obama has enough delegates
Aides: Ex-first lady will stop short of formally suspending or ending her race

…in a Miracle Max “only mostly dead” sort of way.
And I wonder what it’s costing Obama to get her to mostly quit.

A Wild, Horrible Ride

A car plowed into a bike race along a highway near the U.S.-Mexico border, killing one and injuring 10 others.
The 28-year-old driver was apparently drunk and fell asleep when he crashed into the race Sunday, police investigator Jose Alfredo Rodriguez said Monday.

The picture is so awful, you’d swear it was a computerized frame from Death Race 2000. Unbelievable and our hearts go out to the victims.
However, along down towards the end of the article, this sentence kind of popped out at me…

…Campos [the driver] said he is an American citizen living in Brownsville.

…and I wondered if indeed he IS American, how will the justice wheels spin in Mexico compared to how they attempt to influence them here?
I think Mr. Campos falls into the category established by the preacher in the movie Blazing Saddles:

“Son? You’re on your own.”

Hey Sis…

Could you lend me a few quid?

Britain’s banks faced a black Monday today as a £4 billion shares sell-off was prompted by a major lender warning of plunging profits.
Bradford & Bingley’s drastic trading statement said more customers will fall into arrears and at one point it was forced to suspend shares. When trading resumed they fell by 25 per cent to 66p – dragging down the value of the “big five” banking giants.
B&B, the country’s biggest buy-to-let lender, said it expected profits to be badly hit because house prices were falling far more than expected.

Our Motto: “It’s your money. Give it to me.”

Prominent Anti-Gun Advocate…

stabbed to death in the UK

A prominent anti-gun campaigner has been stabbed to death at a flat in West Yorkshire.
The body of Pat Regan, 53, was discovered at the property on Marlborough Grange in the Hyde Park area of Leeds on Sunday.
Mrs Regan, a mother-of-six, started campaigning against gun crime after her son Danny was shot dead in 2002.
A 20-year-old man, a family member, has been arrested. Police said post-mortem tests would take place later.
Mrs Regan’s son Danny, 25, became involved in criminality and was shot at his then home in Haydock, near St Helens, Merseyside. His killer has not been found.

As Sis said below…yeesh.

No Child Left Behind

Or major media website either, for that matter.

Click through my screen cap and see if you see what I see ~ the section’s called “SMART Living”, by-the-by. Chingao.
I mean DAMN. That’s freakin’ embarrassing.