When are we going to use math in the real world?

For all those left wondering, here's a GREAT example of why we need to understand math and take special care to be accurate! *grin*

More research needed...

...on the "religion of peace" - two guys get into a knife/stick fight over their ties in an ISLAMIC CHAT ROOM?!?!?!?! What the aych - ee - double hockey sticks is WRONG WITH PEOPLE?!?!?!

Not that I hold out a lot of hope for western civ, but hey...

Good luck with that

Bush says we need to isolate Iran until it gives up its nuclear ambitions. Yeah...that's gonna happen in this life...

But according to Tony Blair, who has apparently taken leave of his senses, we can all get along. Let's all just negotiate - after all, it's not like they're trying to KILL US or anything..

And the first step in National Health Care is...

KEEPING US ALIVE!!!!

Then we can worry about Hillary's Health Coverage.

Now this is rich!

Germany is threatening to try to hold Rumsfeld and others responsible for Abu Ghraib... hmm. Well, all I'll say at this point is, if anyone would recognize a human rights abuse when they saw it, it's Germany, but Rumsfeld wasn't exactly issuing Coke-bottle orders and blaming all Iraq's problems on "undesirables".

Thank goodness for Israel

So, since Iran thinks they've won the US election now, and international reaction (at least as gleefully reported in the MSM) is "well, zey sure showed zat cowboy Bush zat zey want to leave zee ozzer countries ehlone," people around the world seem to think that we'll quit trying to make the world a better place.

First, this was a CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION!!!! President Bush didn't suffer a defeat, a disloyal and disingenuous Congress did.

Second, I sure hope we don't quit.

Either way, though, Israel still has a spine, such as it is - it's looking more and more like they're fulfilling the role of the Lion in the world, as the US is handicapping itself into less than a kitten...

Congrats to the Dems

...on their new Senator Perv - er - Webb.

EEW.

And no, I don't care what context any of the smut was written in. Some cultures still mutilate baby girls and allow men to throw acid on women who reject their advances - that doesn't require fictionalizing a graphic account, either. Let's hope he doesn't try to include any "signs of respect" in legislation he sponsors...

*Update* - apparently we have no idea whether Webb's favorite observation as a "journalist" actually was a cultural norm - he doesn't know, either!

On the bright side...

...after last night's shift in Congressional party power (from liberal-acting Republicans to ... um ... liberal-acting Democrats?), at least I can rant as an officially-repressed minority now! *wink* After all, lots of nice but ignorant people don't realize that "Republican" does NOT equal "Conservative."

Seriously, if last night's election was truly a "referendum on Iraq," we're a nation of mostly idiots. My theory is that it was much more a quasi-passive ousting of people - some innocent, some guilty - associated with a party demonstrating a deep lack of integrity to conservative principles. A "referendum on Iraq," presuming an average IQ above single digits in this country, would have swung the election far, faaaaaaaar the other way...angry, sit-it-out conservatives must be feeling too safe in their homes and abroad!

Did you vote today?

Just heard: Long lines in Idaho, but according to the broadcast, people are being polite and gracious, even after having to wait hours to vote...gee, the things I love about this State! Not only are people polite while they wait, but they're willing to wait in order to exercise their right to vote.

Excellent!!!

One thing liberals aren't attacking W for (yet)

Oh, lookie!!! An article about "Enemies of the Internet" lists thirteen countries that Reporters Without Borders consider to be threats to the general freedom of online information...and the US was nowhere to be found!!! Wow...and here I was, thinking W was the root of all tyranny in the world! *wink*

"Actor-vist" loudmouthing is contagious

Apparently, it's not just US celebrities who, for the most part, can't keep their mouths shut about politics. Not that they shouldn't be able to express their views, but they need to understand that it can really turn people off, particularly when they're so liberally-aligned.

The latest addition to the "I'm for anything my publicist says is a hot issue, especially when I don't understand it and I'm being honored for a completely unrelated item" celebrity club is, unfortunately, Shakira. She was talented, relatively clean, alternative-ish, and brunette - then she came to the US, where the Estefans got a hold of her and turned her into a blonde bimbo. Now she's a cookie-cutter exotic dancer who happens to have her own music playing while she performs.

And, of course, being "Anglicized" by the Estefans for their economic benefit, she's adopted the nasty habit of flapping her gums at inappropriate times, like award ceremonies for music. Little did we, the teeming masses, suspect that a Colombian musician would have an opinion on US immigration policy! And look - she's taken the liberal position, so it must be right, right? After all, other countries do have our best interest at heart, don't they?

Congratulations to her...on something, I'm sure.

Our public school system

Whatever the failings of the public school system - and I believe they are legion - at least one recent incident shows correct priorities: a bus driver was fired after making an obscene gesture in front of her busful of school children.

Kudos to the school administrators for overlooking the likely-sympathetic politics of the matter (since after all, she was flipping off the President...) and taking steps to protect our children from learning that vulgar rudeness is acceptable!

Born by what, exactly?

There's an interesting poll out concerning Americans' belief(s) in God - while it's not much of a surprise that people disagree over whether He has a body, gender, or active role in world events, this excerpt was oddly interesting:

...93 percent of Christians who describe themselves as "Born Again" feel certain God exists.

Ninety-three percent? Granted, that was the high-water mark for that particular survey question, but what's up with the other seven percent? Isn't God pretty essential to the whole "born-again" idea? It makes one wonder by whom (or what) these people believe they are "born," if not by God, whatever other beliefs they may hold about Him. It's no wonder anti-organized-religion zealots think religion is full of nonsense - confused groups like that seven percent discard reason! Fortunately, real understanding will remedy that.