Cheesy Obama Song

Parents should not encourage their kids to lie...

Great Article on the Crash and Bailout

A perspective from a French-Canadian Austrian theorist.

Congress on Payroll of Freddie, Fannie

Good luck convincing your Congressman not to vote for a bailout. My own Congressman, Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-NY 28th District), has accepted a total of $6000 from Freddie PAC, Fannie PAC, and the "Mortgage Banker's Association PAC." I am sure that my phone call will mean a lot to her. You may check whether your own Congressman has been bought out at Congress.org. Search for your "Representative" and then look under the tab labeled 'PAC'.

Anti-Depressant Damages Sperm

The UK Daily Mail reports a new finding on the antidepressant Seroxat:

Superficially, the men's sperm seemed healthy, with the quantity, shape and ability to move all showing as normal.

But closer inspection revealed that the proportion with DNA damage rose from 13.8 per cent to 30.3 per cent after just four weeks, New Scientist magazine reports.

And, of course, the drug has had other problems:

Seroxat was hailed as a wonder drug when it was first sold in Britain in 1990.

But it was later linked to child suicides, mood swings, nightmares and personality changes.

It was banned for under-18s in 2003 but is still prescribed for adults.

Ron Paul on Ike, the Fed Bailout, and "Bomb Iran" McCain

Women Selling Out

There are two too many women selling their virginity.

Italian model Raffella Fico wants to raise 1 million euros - to pay for acting lessons and a house. Her brother maintains:

She's never had a boyfriend. I swear on my mother's grave. She's a devout Catholic and prays to Padre Pio every night

American Natalie Dylan is auctioning off her virginity for 250,000 dollars so that she may go to grad school for family and marriage counseling.

Vicente Fox Insults Americans, Calls for North American Union

Gee, I guess Fox did not read Alternet's "proof" that the North American Union conspiracy does not exist.

Psychologists Against Torture

About one year ago, I had condemned the American Psychological Association for refusing to ban psychologists from assisting the government in torture. I ended my post by saying, "It is time for psychologists to find a conscience." Well, it appears that they have: according to the AP, the APA has formally banned psychologists

from taking part in interrogations at the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and other military detention sites. The ban means psychologists who are association members can't assist the U.S. military at these sites...

Good for them. I only wish that they had refused to participate in torture from the beginning.

Anti-Terror Legislation Used to Spy on Man with "Noisy Wardrobe"

From the Telegraph:

In October last year the council placed equipment in the bedroom of a complainant to detect "the alleged noise of sliding wardrobe doors, noise of persons in flat and loud music and television".

Documents show that council officials believed the behaviour of "the perpetrator" to be "an intrusion into the rights of the neighbour"

Last week The Sunday Telegraph revealed that 89 out of 115 councils contacted under the Freedom of Information Act had used the legislation to tackle problems such as noisy children, barking dogs and unruly car-boot sales. That figure represents 77 per cent of the total.

Information uncovered by this newspaper shows that 27 other local authorities across the country have also used the legislation, many for equally minor problems.

Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act local authorities can place residents and businesses under surveillance, trace telephone and email accounts and even send staff on undercover missions.

I did not realize: a) that noise is terrorism; b) that we have a "human right" to quiet.

Obama's Horrendous Stance on Guns

Here.

Cholesterol Is Not Bad For You

Says Cholesterol and Health.com, run by Chris Masterjon, frequent contributor to the fantastic Weston A. Price Foundation.

Also check out THINCS, The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics. (The best information is found in their Links section.)

California Rejects 'Bride' and 'Groom' in Legal Documents

From World Net Daily:

"Brides" and "grooms" are no longer allowed to marry in the State of California.

That privilege is only extended to individuals who allow themselves to be called "Party A" and "Party B" on marriage licenses.

In a 4-3 decision, California's high court declared that legal definitions of marriage as a union between a man and a woman were unconstitutional. Since the ruling, the generic designations have been added to legal documents.

Hippie Neo-Pagan Tree Worship

Hippies Wail for Dead Trees ~

Tumble Weed Tornado

I wish I had seen something like this when I lived in West Texas.

Tumble Weed Tornado

English Park: All Adults Without Children are Suspects

From the UK Daily Mail:

Park wardens have been ordered to stop and interrogate anyone who is not accompanied by children.

The visitors who are quizzed have to explain their presence and risk being thrown out or reported to police if their answers are not satisfactory.

The policy has been introduced at Telford Town Park in Shropshire. The council which manages the 420-acre area says it is a 'commonsense approach' aimed at safeguarding children.

But park users accused it of 'authoritarian madness' and said the ruling risked panicking parents about the dangers faced from potential paedophiles.

The policy came to light after two environmental campaigners dressed as penguins were thrown out of the park last month when caught handing out leaflets on climate change.

Telford and Wrekin Council said Rachel Whittaker and Neil Donaldson were ejected because they had not undergone Criminal Records Bureau checks or risk assessments before entering the park - a requirement under the Child Protection Act.

Israel Giving Weapons to Palestinians?

From International Middle East Media Center:

Fawzi Barhoum, spokesman of Hamas in Gaza, said in a statement " the weapons which Israel allowed in to the security services in the West Bank, the latest were 10000 machine guns, have all been a part of empowering such services to further undermine Hamas and other resistance factions there".

He added that such actions would help enhance current division between Gaza's rulers and the West Bank rulers, and that this would suppress freedoms

Public vs. Private Schools: A Case Study in Cost

Vin Suprynowicz looks at the cost of D.C.'s schools.

UN to World: Eat Less Meat to Combat Global Warming

From the Guardian.

A Sober Assessment of Palin

By Justin Raimondo.

GPS Devices Used in Court

Big surprise.
Used to pinpoint defendant's location during the crime; obtained without warrants.
From the New York Times (as with all of their articles, requires cookies)