For the Doubters and Deniers....

For those of you who doubt that the Bush administration attempting to widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots, PLEASE read this article.

"The richest one percent of Americans earned a postwar record of 21.2 percent of all income in 2005, up from 19 percent a year earlier, reflecting a widening income disparity among different classes in the nation, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing new Internal Revenue Service data.

The data showed that the fortunes of the bottom 50 percent of Americans are worsening, with that group earning 12.8 percent of all income in 2005, down from 13.4 percent the year before, the paper said."

'Nuff said!

Bush Bashing and Other Right-Wing Thoughts....

First off, everyone expects my position to change on abortion not that I'm a father. Not gonna happen, folks! I think any human is against late term abortions....But if you can't understand why someone would go through with that, you can't understand why someone would go through with it, so stop judging others! And here's a little article semi-proving that to go back to making all abortions illegal will have dire consequences....

On to our wonderful president....History will prove him right, correct? That's what he said in 1993, as well....How did history judge you on that one, Dubya?!?

And if you need an example of Bush 43's hypocrisy, take some time to read this article. He literally has no problem killing Americans (as governor), but wants to save the lives of guilty Mexicans....Why is the MSM ignoring this?!?

And in the "Too-Good-To-Pass-Up" category, another Republican, this time a Senate hopeful, tried to solicit a cop in a public restroom for sex. Need I say more?!?

I'm back, baby!

I never realized having a child would cut down on my website activity so much...Those little poop machines are exhausting! A couple of things I wanted to touch on (not in a Larry Craig kind of way, either.)....

If you hear any of the lies Prez Bush is spreading about his most recent (and 4th total) veto, DON'T. Here are the fact....

Second, please explain to me why Republicans are happy to have this "person" represent them? Unless you don't think women should vote, either....

That's all I'm really going to mention today....But in case you were wondering: Yes, Rush Limbaugh is a lying sack of crap, and should be taken off Armed Forces Radio. Yes, Larry Craig is a homosexual and a criminal, and is a hypocrite to boot, assuming he refused to resign. And yes, Blackwater may become a huge, huge problem for the military operations in Iraq.

As always, I'd love to hear what you think!

Embarrassing America one speech at a Time

Words cannot even describe....Speaking to one of the few countries that actually supports his actions, this drunken fool cannot help but screw up multiple times. I cannot wait until January 21, 2009.....

I Hope This Is Not True

But prepare for the worst, people. If we start hearing about how evil Iran is in the next week or two, remember you heard it here first. This is all part of their plan.

"They [the source’s institution] have “instructions” (yes, that was the word used) from the Office of the Vice-President to roll out a campaign for war with Iran in the week after Labor Day; it will be coordinated with the American Enterprise Institute, the Wall Street Journal, the Weekly Standard, Commentary, Fox, and the usual suspects. It will be heavy sustained assault on the airwaves, designed to knock public sentiment into a position from which a war can be maintained. Evidently they don’t think they’ll ever get majority support for this—they want something like 35-40 percent support, which in their book is 'plenty.'"

35-40% support is now plenty...Majority RULES! Side note, for those of you who honestly think we have a democracy in this country, read the definition of oligarchy.

Tearing the Repubs a New One...

In the following entry, I am going to do nothing but report facts, while at the same time blast the Republican Party. Don't think they deserve it? Well check out the this laundry list of arrests, corruptions, and such, and these are only from this year!

I want to start by attacking Tom Tancredo, who recently said it is "time the taxpayer gravy train left the New Orleans station." Followed by "The amount of money that has been wasted on these so-called ‘recovery’ efforts has been mind-boggling." The problem? Tancredo was using administration figures of $116,000,000,000 spent to rebuild the region, while in reality less than 30 percent has gone towards long-term rebuilding-and less than half of that has been spent, much less reached those most in need. Talk about compassion! It's not like this guy has a shot, but his ignorance deserved some attention.

Next, I'd like to spend some time on Bush's debacle that is Iraq. First off, the latest general to call out the incompetence of the administration? The British General in charge when we invaded in 2003. Second we've spent over $450,000,000,000 on Iraq, the 'surge' isn't working, and will be asking for $50,000,000,000 in addition to the $500,000,000,000 already budgeted. And Tancredo wanted to stop the gravy train to our own city! And he'll get it!

Gotta wake up, folks. Have to start caring about people in our own country before dictating how people in other countries live. Must stop this corruption.

Unrelated, but also Unbelievable

First off > "Poverty" rates fell this year. I use quotes because our government defines the poverty line as $20,444 for a family of four with two children. No misprint, folks. Frito, Jason, Johnny, imagine living off of $20K a year?!? So even with these insane standards, only 12.3% of our citizens live below that line. So only one out of every eight citizens of the richest nation in the world make an average of $9.83/hour, $4.91/hour if both parents are working. [figures assume a 40 hour work week]

The real kicker in the study? The number of un-insured Americans jumped from 15.3% to 15.8%. Not huge, but it represents about 2,000,000 additional citizens without health coverage. We're moving in the wrong direction.

Second > The U.S. is the most armed country in the world. Anyone shocked? Everyone feel nice and safe? Still lock your doors at night?!? Some fun facts:

• U.S. citizens own 270 million of the world's 875 million known firearms


• About 4.5 million of the 8 million new guns manufactured worldwide each year are purchased in the United States


• The United States has 90 guns for every 100 citizens


• Yemen had the second most heavily armed citizenry behind the United States, with 61 guns per 100 people

WOW! I wonder why we have violence issues in this country....Someone write me and say its our Constitutional right, I dare you!

I may be guilty, but please, PLEASE....

Don't call me GAY! Aren't 'Republican' and 'Homosexual' synonyms now? At any rate, here's what the 'news' is reporting about the incident, and here's the police report. I have absolutely no issue with gay people, and find it hilarious that the same bloc attempting to restrict the right of gays is the same party with so many closet homos. Let's break this down for a moment. I can almost accept the 'I'd-rather-just-plead-guilty-and-get-this-over-with' defense. Almost. But if I'm a (Republican) US Senator, I sure wouldn't just enter a plea and hope it goes away.

Speaking of GAY (super!), Ted Haggard is back in the news. You can read about it here. Long story short, he's here (Arizona), he's straight (queer), get used to it (and please give him more money).

Diebold = Premier

WOW!!!

"...Diebold Election Systems has decided to steal a page from the playbook of that paragon of corporate responsibility Philip Morris (aka the Altria Group): Diebold will erase its sorry history with a simple name change!
Henceforth, when reaching for an example of mind-boggling incompetence, please say "Premier" rather than "Diebold," because Diebold Election Systems is now Premier Election Systems.
The name change, the company says in a press release, "signals a new beginning" and a "fresh identity" -- though in the same release the firm concedes that it will still be making and pushing the same sorry voting machines (machines that, as Princeton computer scientist Edward Felten and his colleagues showed last year, are actually vulnerable to a virus-based attack)."

Unreal. Keep this in mind, folks! It's right in our own back yard! (Fun Fact: I worked there as a contractor for a few months!)

Creation Musuem, One Lie After Another

I have avoided this topic since I first found about it, before it even opened its doors. The Creation Museum is a testament to how far this country has moved backwards. Any possible questions science hopes to answer, the religious right shows up to keep people stupid and handing them money. Sure, this piece of crap cost $27,000,000 to build, but at a rate of $19.95 per adult, and with 160,000 retards already attending, they'll have their money made in a couple of years. Then it pure profit, as generation after generation visit to continue the lies.

Think I'm being too harsh? Let's take a look, shall we? How about the dinosaurs. Did you know, for instance, that they were indeed aboard Noah's Arc, that they were on Earth only a few thousand years ago, and that they might possibly still be alive? Yes, all of these FREAKING OUTRAGEOUS LIES are passed of as 100% truths by these monsters. Did you know that the Earth is still consider the center of the universe? That incest wasn't that bad back in the day? That the pyramids in Egypt are only a few thousand years old? Or that we now know the year the Earth was created....4004BC?!?

There are many, many hours of reading the lies perpetrated by these horrid humans. I find that if I start, my blood pressure rises quite rapidly, and I cannot continue. But it seems I'm not the only one angered by these morons...

• Several neighbors are upset with the increase in traffic, and worried about how all the people/pollution/litter will affect their once green valley. Although these freaks will probably tell you, "We cannot destroy or help the Earth, only god can."
  
• Legitimate scientists/researching are starting to speak out at the lies. Its one thing if these distortions are passed off as a belief. But to pass them off for absolute fact is destructive.
  
• "The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, a world-wide scientific and educational organization concerned with vertebrate paleontology, contends that the museum presents visitors with a view of earth history that has been scientifically disproven for over a century." Enough said.
• "The Brisbane-based Creation Ministries International has filed a lawsuit in Queensland's Supreme Court against Mr Ham and his Kentucky-based Answers in Genesis ministry seeking damages and accusing him of deceptive conduct in his dealings with the Australian organisation." That's right, the guy responsible for spreading these lies is being sued for deceptive conduct...See you in Hell, buddy!
  

Want a peek inside this monument to money, greed, control, and lies? Here's one man's journey (NSFW). Like another opinion? Here you go. And in case you missed it, the guy who played Adam in an original movie at the museum was forced to leave, because of his past work. Oops! Can't discuss sex at the creation museum! unless it involves incest, of course....

As I started with, I was aware of this crap-hole before they opened on Memorial Day, 2007. However, I resisted the temptation to write about it, because I didn't want to offend those close to me who are religious. So why did I change my mind? Because this weekend, my own parents are giving away their money to these evil overlords. While it saddens me, it sadly does not surprise me at all. There is a lot of money to made off of stupid, susceptible people, and there are millions of those in America. The country I loved is gone, and its been replaced by a Nation State worse than Iran.

The real terrorists? The religious right. Let's rise up against them.

My Thoughts on Turd Blossom....

I'm not sure if any of you know this or not, but I absolutely dispise Karl Rove. He cost McCain a legitimate chance at the 2000 election with his push polling, but that was neither the beginning now the end of his evil. He starts his deseptive ways back when he was at university, and they continue t othis very day. I would have been very happy to see him leave the White House after it was revealed he commited TREASON and revelaed the name of a covert, undercover CIA Agent. But at this point? Completely useless. He probably wants to concentrate on stealing another presidential election next year.

So I say, good ridance, Turd Blossom. I hope you don't die a firey, painful death, seriously. Oh yeah, and thanks for destroying our country.

Real Quick....

Not only is he from Pittsburg (Kansas), but he listens to Rush everyday!

Censorship, Scientists, and GOP

I will start off with an admission....Although I loved Pearl Jam's Ten album, I've haven't really been thrilled with anything they've put out since. But they continue to record, tour, and make a living making music, so more power to them. I've always agreed with their stance against Ticketmaster, and with their politics in general. So I guess I shouldn't have been to surprised when I read this article. I'm sure is just "technical difficulties." A major US corporation would never engage in censorship, right? Riiiiiight....

Sticking with the topic of huge monopolies....er, corporations...This is just 'shocking.' Liberals will tell you how FoxNews is anything but [news], and conservatives will complain about how they've been listening to the liberal media their entire lives, so Fox is just a balance. And they'll both tell you how the Internets [series of tubes, not a dump truck] are full of lies and misleading info (Drudge). The truth is, living in our society, with information so readily available, you have two obligations to yourself. 1) Be careful. There's a plethora of bad info out there, and very little useful info, usually hidden. And 2) Be all-inclusive. Check out both sides of the aisle. I hate Rush Limbaugh, and think 85% of what comes out of his mouth is a lie. But I check out his site once a week, to see what/who he lying about. "Know your enemy." And to that point, read this article. It's pretty short, and I can't tell if I agree with this guy or not. Either way, 'shocking!'

On to the scientists...I am a firm believer that the Earth has entered a period of warming. 99.999% of all scientist would agree with that statement. The question becomes, is it man's fault? In my opinion, to say man has zero influence on the environment is foolish and laughable. I'm not pro-pollution. At the same time, to think that we're all going to stop driving gas guzzlers is also unrealistic. Balance is the key, and it's also not in the cards, at least with the NeoCons in charge. But I think the scientists do themselves a disservice when they release statements like this. We all remember Katrina, no doubt. And I'm sure we all remember the promise of 'even more hurricanes in 2006 than in 2005.' How did that work out? Let's not give fools like Rush, Hannity, and Coulter any more ammunition! Americans are generally pretty stupid, and when you can easily prove something wrong, they will tend to dismiss it, if told to do so by other people. Have Rush spread propaganda saying there is no Global Warming, and people believe it. Does it matter that its false and Rush is no more a scientist than a drug free American? NO!

Lastly, does this article seem ironic to anyone? The GOP is basically saying, "Hey brown people! We'll ignore your problems! We'll do everything in our power to keep you out of our country! We don't like you! But please vote for us!"

A Suggestion from Bob "The Hell"

Bobby B. writes...

"You need to write something on the blog about how suburban sprawl/construction somehow turns the entire Cleveland metro area into a river every time it rains nowadays."

Bob, of course, is referring to stories like this. And to his point, at the same time I-480 was being closed due to flooding, my wife and I were driving down to Uniontown for a doctor's appointment. And the freeways down that way were fine. Very wet, but not flooded. And don't think it wasn't raining as hard. We had several waves of torrential rain. So were does it end?

I'm hiring an Existential Detective to investigate my coincidences, because we just watched I ♥ Huckabees last night, and one of the many themes is urban sprawl. Somehow methinks Cleveland is not alone in this situation....Thoughts, everyone?

[By the way, when looking up the flooding story, I saw this on the front page of The Plain Dealer. Alright, cleveland.com, but what's the difference, except for price? Anyway, sorry local coke-heads!]

I almost forgot.....

I almost forgot to mention this story. So either we're selling $20,000,000,000 worth of high-tech weapons to Saudi Arbia, or we're "losing" weapons to insurgents in Iraq. Doesn't this remind anyone else of something that came to light 20 years ago? I suppose we're doomed to fail....How long did it take Rome to fall?

Bizarro World?

OK....Being upset with Democrats for being spineless isn't that much of a shock me...Although I honestly didn't think they would help the NeoCons rape us of our civil liberties....But when I read this next story, I nearly soiled myself. It hurts every ounce of my soul to even type the following words...I....AGREE with....NEWT Gingrich! One of the biggest hypocrites in modern politics...Someone who was out promoting a trilogy he wrote about what life would be like had the South won the civil War. Yes, basically a piece of human excrement. And I agree with him. What is wrong with me? Or are we just in some sort of Bizarro World?!?

The people have spoken!

Tax the rich and put on "salary cap" on CEO's...This is what the people of this poll want. I've discussed CEO salary caps with people in the past, but I wasn't aware the concept had crept into the public. We can go back and forth on taxing the rich. Here are the facts...We had a surplus when Clinton left office, and once Bush rolled back Clinton's tax hike on the richest 1% of Americans (those who make over $518,000 annually), we have record deficits. Of course, Bush also started an illegal war that's a bit on the pricey side...

I know the Conservative mantra is "taxing the rich is anti-American. It discourages people from achieving riches, and thus hurts the country and economy." Let's explore that logic, shall we? Let's say you just make the cut, and make exactly $518,000 a year. When Bush's cuts first went into place, you saved a whopping $3,000. Not much, eh? Well, when the tax cuts are fully in place in 2010, those same folks will save about $85,000 a year! Good for them, right? Except when you consider that those richest 1% of Americans will be saving more in taxes than the bottom 70% MAKE IN A YEAR! I know the concept of socialism scares Americans, but this is outrageous! Never mind the fact that with all of the debt that Bush has been so kind to pass on to our future generations, he also managed to reduce the amount we collect to pay on this debt. Folks, somethings got to give...

Well Howdy Do Der.

I go thru ebbs and floes with regards to current events...And I've been spending some time on the home front, hence the lack of posts no one reads.

Frito wanted to start a discussion on nationalism. His point? 'Yeah, I'm American, and my roots are Italian. Who cares?'

Thoughts?

Justice is Lost....

This guy walks? Seriously? He takes the fall for the vice president and then the president excuses him from any jail time? WAKE UP AMERICA!

SiCKO Opens Tomorrow!!!

GO SEE THIS FLICK! Regardless of your personal feelings on Michael Moore, he correct is stating that our 'health care' industry is a travesty. Check out this article. And go see the movie already!

I'm not really shocked, but......

WOW! The current administration doesn't exactly have a great track record with regards to the environment. But this article details how this administration, and more specifically Dick Cheney circumvents the laws. I know there are various opinions on the root cause of global warming, and I'm not here to argue those points. Throw them out the window. But to favor the recreational fishing industry over the extinction of 2 species of fish is irresponsible at best. I'm sure there will be no real national outrage over this, much like Cheney's brilliant revelation that he's not actually part of the Executive Branch. Americans are far too interested in Paris Hilton to give a crap about real issues. The more I read, the more sad I become at the state of this nation....

Cheney breaks the law! (Again....)

From Article II (The Executive Branch), Section 1 (The President) of the United States of America Constitution:

"The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows..." [emphasis added by me]

So it seems fairly clear. The Founding Fathers intended for the President and Vice-President to comprise the executive branch. And am I correct in assuming that the Constitution is the rule of law in this country? I thought so. So why on earth is this enemy of the country our Vice-President? First he starts an illegal war...er, "fights terror" so his ex-employer can profit billions and billions dollars. Now he's (AGAIN!!!) deliberately deceiving the American people to continue his criminal activities. Kucinich might be an insane elf, but he was and is 150% correct on this issue.

On another topic, Bush finally pulls his head out of his hing quarters.....

My Man!!!

Well, Bloomberg seems to want me to vote with a clear conscience. Kudos! I'm not sure the ultimate point of this, but once again, me likey!!!

Me Likey?

I find this story fascinating. I really, really love the idea. It goes against everything Starbucks and Wal-Mart represent. At the same time, the decline of the dollar is a serious concern...Still, I think it's a great idea. Why do I live in Ohio again?!?

The correct NY Mayor Presidential candidate....

The more I hear about this guy, the more I like him. If we could only convince him to throw his hat into the presidential race, I think the country would benefit greatly....Still looking for dirt on Bloomberg....

What gives?

Seriously, folks. Does any American want unsecure borders? OF COURSE NOT! Immigration is the one issue where I stand behind the president, so it kind of makes sense that his Republican base is not. But seriously, what is wrong with this bill? Whether or not it is true, it makes certain Americans seem to dislike people with brown skin, plain and simple. This is about rich, snotty people who hire illegal immigrants to save a few dollars complaining about illegal immigrants getting into our country. It is about the failure of our justice system to enforce the current laws, and stop employers from hiring illegals.

Don't be fooled!

It seems Mrs. Bill is trying to dump a bunch of stocks, so when she appeals to her liberal base, they don't accuse her of hypocrisy. Don't be fooled! And for the record, although it seems like a conflict of interest, I honestly don't think there's anything wrong if someone chooses to invest in a 'less-than-desirable' company, such as Wal-Mart. Making profits off stupid Americans is the American way, no? (It's definitely the Wal-Mart way!)

I don't believe it either, but....

We'll start to run out of oil in 4 years! Not the 100+ promised by Rush Limbaugh. Now, I don't think there's any reason to think this article is accurate, but neither is Rush. Perhaps it's time to learn to live with oil...

My grandfather actually had an excellent idea. Stay out of space for the next years, and use those brilliant minds to develop hydrogen fuel, etc. What do we have to lose?

Are you surprised?

This article starts with "An internal FBI audit has found that the bureau potentially violated the law or agency rules more than 1,000 times while collecting data about domestic phone calls, e-mails and financial transactions in recent years." So you think to yourself, "Well, 1,000 instances over 5 years, that's 200 a year, which is less than 17 a month. That's not too bad." And then you read paragraph #2, which starts "The new audit covers just 10 percent of the bureau's national security investigations since 2002..."

Folks, the Patriot Act is bad news. Couple that with the fact that the FBI breaks the few rules they now have, and we are quickly headed towards a police state.

Barney Frank's view of Mitt....

US Representative Barney Frank's opinion of Mitt Romney?

"The real Romney is clearly an extraordinarily ambitious man with no perceivable political principle whatsover. He is the most intellectually dishonest human being in the history of politics."

WOW!

More Jobs Leave Ohio

Our little state's economy has been steadily declining lately, and this is yet another sign o' the times. Little Tikes employs many, many people in Northeast Ohio, and as the economic development director of Hudson says:

"Jody Roberts, economic development director for Hudson, said officials are doing what they can to retain Little Tikes, but a city of 23,000 can't compete with some global forces."

I hope this turns around soon, but I'm not too optimistic...

The Return....

If any of you canceled your XM subscription in protest of O&A being suspended, time to renew! They return live on Friday, June 15, exactly 30 days later. And if you haven't listened to the show lately, make sure you read this, join in calling out Al Roker!!

I'd buy that for a dollar!

Plus about 17,000 other ones....But for 40 MPG at a reasonable price, I honestly want one! Not much of a family mobile, but great for zipping around town!

Our Great Military....

Thankfully, this idea was rejected. Otherwise, American taxpayers would be spending $7,500,000 on a bomb to turn our enemies gay. I seriously wish I were joking. Because clearly our military minds are doing just that....Don't believe me? Read for yourself!

Gonzo must go!

Regardless of your personal opinions on the scandal involving Gonzales and the firing of several US attorneys, you have to admit, based on his testimony, that Alberto is either A) insanely forgetful, or B) insanely incompetent. Either way, the man should not be Attorney General. Chuck Schumer plans to take action Monday. If you support this action, please sign People for the American Way's online petition, which will be presented to the Senate Monday, at the time of the 'No Confidence' vote.

No Child Left Behind?!?

This is exactly the ammunition I've been looking for to attach this rediculous policy. Main stream media is reporting that "scores are up since the 'No Child Left Behind' bill was signed into law." But here are the facts.....Each state sets their own standards. Meaning? The scores are meaningless! As the NY Times reports:

"For example, an eighth grader in Tennessee can meet that state's standards for math proficiency with a state test score that is the equivalent of a 230 on the national test. But in Missouri, an eighth grader would need the equivalent of a 311."

No Child Left Behind is a meaningless waste of tax payer dollars. It is a way for this administration to claim to be helping the children, when in fact they do no such thing. Arguments?!?

Too good to pass up.....

Lord knows I'm not one to talk about the drinking habits of others....But still, for an admitted (former, recovering) alcoholic to be drinking (near) beer...I just couldn't let it go.....Sorry! Read more about it here.

Ron Paul, Kucinich of the Right?

I've heard this comment lately, and I assume it to mean that he has little chance of getting his party's nomination more than he looks like an elfen creature. Perhaps I'm mistaken....At any rate, check out this article!

And again, please post a comment with any dirt on this guy! Give me a reason to dislike him!

Political thoughts for the day....

First off, several people are guessing that Scooter might be pardoned (here's one example). IF that happens, I will go postal. Scooter already took the fall for Rove and Dick. If he gets off scott free, it will be a sad day for this country. Seriously Repubs, PLEASE try to defend this....I beg you.

Next up, doesn't it seem this story and this story are in direct conflict with each other? Putin seems to be very anti-America right now, and Bush is trying his best to reassure the American people there's nothing to worry about (except, of course, those dirty Muslims!). For the record...We seem prepared to attack Iran to prevent them from building nukes in the next decade. Yet North Korea and Russia, both of whom ACTUALLY HAVE NUKES and both of whom recently expressed anti-American sentiment are ignored. I'm sure religion plays zero part in these decisions by this administration....Come on January, 2009!

Last political item for the day....I don't believe this story for one fraction of a second.

A victory, if only a small one...

I was happy to see this article. The FCC has been out of control for some time now, especially under the Bush administration. If I've said it once, I've said it 65 times....If you live in a country with free speech, you should expect to be offended daily.

How on Earth?

Well, I'm sure no one is surprised by this story. After all, he was found to have $90,000 sitting in a freezer in his house....My question is this....How on earth did he get re-elected in 2006?!? Was the Republican that bad, or are American voters that stupid?

Who's excited?!?

Well, the rumor I was spreading on May 25 was (of course) false, but the trailer is out for the new Clone Wars series. Check it out!

FYI, in case it ever comes up....

Contrary to what certain pundits will tell you, Plame was indeed a covert agent at the time of Dick Cheney releasing her name to the media. And yes, that is indeed treason.

Eating their own...

Every time I listen to Rush Limbaugh (which isn't too often, because I don't like being lied to), I hear about how the Democratic Party is doomed. They're a sinking ship. they're eating their own. So when I read an article like this, I just have to laugh...And for the record, this is an area where I personally think the President is on track.....

Our poor, poor children......

I recently stumbled upon this fun little pamphlet. It lists such fun facts as:

• - ….children receive 50% of their lifetime cancer risks in the first two years of life.
• - According to [the] FDA, half of produce currently tested in grocery stores contains measurable residues of pesticides. Laboratory tests of eight industry-leader baby foods reveal the presence of 16 pesticides, including three carcinogens.
• - In blood samples of children aged 2 to 4, concentrations of pesticide residues are six times higher in children eating conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables compared with those eating organic food.
• - According to [the] Dept. of Health and Human Services, organophosphate pesticides (OP) are now found in the blood of 95% of Americans tested. OP levels are twice as high in blood samples taken from children than in adults. Exposure to OPs is linked to hyperactivity, behavior disorders, learning disabilities, developmental delays and motor dysfunction. OPs account for half of the insecticides used in the U.S.
• - The CDC reports that one of the main sources of pesticide exposure for U.S. children comes from the food they eat.

Unreal. I don't even have anything specific to scream from the soapbox on this one....Just wanted to pass along the info.....

New Report!

There's a new report out by some rather right wing "think tanks." Basically, it says that when adjusted for inflation, people of my generation make less than people of my father's generation.

"Relying on Census Bureau figures, the study's authors found that after adjusting for inflation, men in their 30s in 2004 had a median income of about $35,000 per year, for a 12 percent drop compared with $40,000 per year for men in the same age group in 1974.

That stood in stark contrast to men in their 30s in 1994, who earned 5 percent more than their fathers did."

Now, call me cynical, but what could have happened around 1994 that may have influenced this? I seem to remember a certain Party taking Congress, and certain man's "Contract with America." I'm sure it's all coincidence! (Does sarcasm translate to the written word?)

Paul in '08?

I'm sure by now everyone is aware of what happened at the second Republican debate. Well, Ron Paul made an appearance on Bill Maher's show, and the guy sounds intelligent. He speaks honestly. He placed blame on us, instead of pointing the finger. The video of his appearance is only 8 minutes long. Have a seat and enjoy!

By the by, if anyone has any "dirt" on this guy, I'd like to hear about it. And yes, this is the second Republican I've endorsed for president in '08, and no Democrat endorsement for over a year. Sorry, Biden, you lost me somewhere.....

Food and Drink

Since I posted one beverage related story, I decided to highlight a few other article I read recently....First, a rather "messy" Fast Food War is brewing.....How about we just stop eating fast food completely? Might make us all a bit more healthy. On that note: must see movies...Super Size Me and Fast Food Nation.

And then there's this story. At this point, I don't think any one's safe drinking milk, with the growth hormones they pump into cows....Still, cows bred to produce skim milk scares me.....