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Monday 10-10-05

Check this out--enter a url and see how a red-green or yellow-blue colorblind person would see the site.
An even better example is this slideshow--yeh, it is tough to pick out the red crayon!!
At Ask a biologist they have a "test' of wearing out your cones. I'd never heard it put that way before!

I've been researching the plants growing around our home in New Mexico, and wondering which ones are nice to keep around, and which ones aren't. Lamb's quarters, aka goosefoot, aka pigweed, can apparently be cooked and eaten like spinach, although I haven't tried it yet. I'll let you know when I do!

Was the Pentagon really not hit by a 747? [via sourstarlite]

Friday 09-16-05

I know, I know--I'm never here anymore!
Oh, well....
here's a couple links--the Feds try to blame Katrina on those dratted environmentalists! and a Mississippi article reports that power crews were diverted during the hurricane crisis from restoring power to hospitals to restore power to power stations owned by Atlanta-based Colonial Pipeline, fueling the northeast.....You know, that oil money is damn important!

"Shortly after Hurricane Katrina roared through South Mississippi knocking out electricity and communication systems, the White House ordered power restored to a pipeline that sends fuel to the Northeast...'I considered it a presidential directive to get those pipelines operating,' said Jim Compton, general manager of the South Mississippi Electric Power Association...
...Vice President Dick Cheney's office called and left voice mails twice shortly after the storm struck, saying the Collins substations needed power restored immediately....
U.S. Department of Energy called [and] said opening the fuel line was a national priority."

Wednesday 07-06-05

Sorry--Oh, too funny, this "Where The White Women At?" [via waydownhere]

Man, ikastikos has had just the most beautiful pictures lately!

Having been hit by a jellyfish before (although I think it wsa a man-o'war), I take great interest in this possible new defense--red swimsuits. Of course, red swimsutis might make you terribly more attractive to other jellies, ...or sharks.... [via weirdevents]

Thursday 06-09-05

Pres. Bush's hand-picked successor to the Texas governorship says gay Veterans returning from the Iraq War should stay out of Texas.

And 13 definitions of fascism--Do you disagree?

Wednesday 06-08-05

Some kind of soil maker, that lives around here. All I know, is stepping on it, kills it. So don't step on it:

Monday 06-06-05

A coworker's brother: RIP.

From my cousin, Becky: " 'When I see this young Marine, missing both legs, I wonder who will ever care since most Americans have no idea he even exists...'
(pic: Marine saluting as Pres. Bush passes by.)

 
Veterans Left Behind as VA Continues Drastic Cut Backs: VVA
WASHINGTON, May 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Budget Resolution passed by both houses of Congress will result in staff reductions in every VA Medical Center at a most inauspicious time—as veterans return from the war in Iraq and as increasing numbers of veterans need care from the system, said Thomas H. Corey, National President of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA).
The impact will be significant among those returning troops who suffer from mental health issues such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), those who have sustained loss of limbs, and other serious injuries.
In addition to devastating decreases in the availability of care for veterans that will result from such budget cuts, the VA seems determined to contest even long-standing disability compensation for PTSD from veterans currently receiving VA benefits and health care. A recent VA Inspector General's (IG) report concluded that following a brief review of certain grants of service-connected benefits for PTSD, the "subjectivity" involved in such determinations has resulted in over-granting of benefits.
As a result, the VA will be reviewing PTSD grants between 1999 and 2004, with an eye toward revoking benefits if the claim was adjusted incorrectly. "VVA believes that the "subjectivity" offered to the IG report is a euphemism for poor training and quality control of VA adjudication staff.
"We must make it crystal clear to Congress that the budget appropriation for fiscal year 2006 year is at least $3.5 billion less than what is needed to fund the VA medical programs adequately," Corey said. "This is a critical time. Without these resources, veterans will have longer waits to see specialists, much-needed maintenance will be deferred, and medical equipment will not be purchased.' "

Thursday 06-01-05

"Don Cornelius used to say at the end of every Soul Train, 'I hope you all live a million years, and that I live a million years minus one day, so I don’t have to know all you wonderful people passed away'."

Hey, and from reecie, not only did I find a great quote ("I haven’t seen a church yet that advises women to have a funeral after every late menstrual period … ), but another santa fe blog.

"The news that they traveled to the West Coast and were presenting themselves to elated scientists made me laugh and cry at the same time."

Wind Powering America. Solar Power incentives by state.

Wednesday 05-25-05

Our new home--kind of looks like the ocean, huh?

Tuesday 05-24-05

Bush on Friday: "I made very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life, I'm against that. Therefore, if the bill does that, I will veto it."
Uh, doh---what?! Is he crazy!? Wow, talk about selective reasoning.
What if he had said instead, "I made very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote war which destroys life in order to save life, I'm against that. Therefore, if the bill does that, I will veto it."--where would we be now?

(and Barbara Boxer--what a speech!)

Friday 05-20-05

Americans no longer care about being lied to-- at least, not if they voted for the liar. [via]

More details of mistreatment of Afghan prisoners in today's NY Times. This whole "Blame Newsweek" for the recent rioting and deaths is an age-old magician's trick--divert the people's attention.

Friday 05-06-05

Bush's legacy of unification of church and state: Democrats asked to leave North Carolina Church when the pastor told them that if they didn't support George Bush, they should resign or repent.

Sunday 04-24-05

The State Department's annual report "Patterns of Global Terrorism" eliminated because.... there were more terrorist attacks in 2004 than in any year since 1985...9 (this, of course, does not include any incidents in the Iraq war!) --Knight Ridder, Washington Bureau.

And also from Cousin Becky:
"However, on religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.' "
    -- Sen. Barry Goldwater (R)

Wednesday 04-20-05

One of my gr.gr.gr.gr uncle's was named Malichi/ Malachi, so I take great interest in this "Papal Prophecies of Saint Malachy." [via]

Well, we've finally moved into our new house, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
It's taken me a few weeks to get used to the scratching and itching dry skin (no more fog), but I am so glad to be nearly done with moving (still unpacking, of course) and back online. And now, a whole new world to explore. Desert, sun, snow, cacti, and strange new bugs. BIG jackrabbits--rather than hop, they stalk.
Finally, at last, see you all 'round the block!

Sunday 02-27-05

My lack of posting is due to that we are moving to New Mexico...
I love where we live now, with views of the ocean from every window, the Pacific Ocean our horizon. But we rent in a neighborhood of 800K to million dollar homes. The average price of a home in this city is now 600K+. Crazy! So, we got to go.

From my cousin in Tennessee, Marine Mom Becky:
"Apparently, a billion dollars of revenue is being counted in this new fiasco of a budget...and it comes from drilling in ANWAR, which has never been approved!!!  Can anyone say "shell game"?  Josh Bolton, the WH budget director, claims this budget reflects reality and "all the President's priorities."  Funny - not ONE DIME is being counted in this budget for IRAQ or IRAN!"

Wednesday 02-09-05

No matter WHAT is said or written, whether you agree or not--Free Speech!
And what must accompany the right to free speech is freedom from persecution for exercising that right. We should all exercise it a bit more.
Ward Churchill responds to criticism.

Wednesday 01-26-05

This morning on the news, I heard Bush at a press conference; he was repeating his phrase the "Spread of Freedom," and how the whole world should embrace it. His way of freedom sounds like a virus.
This man is on a mission, and this mission could easily destroy the tenets upon which our United States of America is based:
The Biblical Echoes in Bush's Inaugural Address. [via ikastikos]

Tuesday 01-25-05

Okay--so I'm slow to get back on board.
My Favorite Marine's brother died...about 4 days after they gave him "2-3 months to live." I never got to meet him. I'll put up some of his artwork one of these days; he won two Guggenheims back in the 70s, and was working as a hospital security guard before he became disabled. Isn't that the way of the world?

I am on a camera crusade...iSight and iChat AV! Two years ago, I was raving about webcams, but it wasn't quite easy enough for non-techies. No longer true--you've gotta get one! Instant video and audio with your loved ones (or not so loved) anywhere in the world! I'll let you know when I've finally cajoled my family into this "new" technology--maybe next year? First, I have to convince them to switch from PCs--that's been the hardest part, like turning a Missouri mule.