Thursday, March 29, 2007

Less Natalie would still be too much Natalie

A Calgary transit passenger is demanding a public apology after being ordered off a bus - twice - because of the apparently overpowering scent of her perfume.

(This self-obsessed, socially inept clod has the stones to call herself a modern day Rosa Parks. You gotta love today's victims.)

I side with the harried drivers on this one. That bus is their work space, lady, and if you want to douse yourself in so much stink that you make the people around you choke, expect to be asked to move or leave.

Drivers, next time she boards, I suggest lighting a match.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Friday, March 23, 2007

"Gobble Gobble!"

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Zebigniew Brzezinski nails it on The Daily Show

His name may require a Ph.D. in linguistics to pronounce but his message about BushCo's foreign policy is easy to grasp. Have a listen:



[snip]

In August 2002...Mr. Brzezinski cautioned that war "is too serious a business and too unpredictable in its dynamic consequences - especially in a highly flammable region - to be undertaken because of a personal peeve, demagogically articulated fears or vague factual assertions."

In February 2003, just weeks before the invasion, he added that "an America that decides to act essentially on its own regarding Iraq" could "find itself quite alone in having to cope with the costs and burdens of the war's aftermath, not to mention widespread and rising hostility abroad."
He was right then and he's right now.

The American Dream...

where borrowing results in bankruptcy and homelessness:

"Blinded by their own greed and the incredible amount of money that was being provided by Wall Street, mortgage companies were making loans that were abusive," agreed Ira Rheingold, of the National Association of Consumer Advocates which has taken up Edwardsen's case.

Some companies were filling out false applications to ensure the credit was agreed. In Edwardsen's case, she became a doctor with a monthly income of 6,000 dollars.

"They were making loans and they knew people couldn't afford it and they made them anyway," Rheingold said, blaming "greedy deregulation, failure of the government to intervene and Wall Street's incredible appetite for high risk bonds that would pay them a lot of money."
Ah, capitalism. So much for so few.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Everything one needs to know about Zimbabwe in one headline

[snip]

Elephants fed to cash crocs

Zimbabwe's national parks and wildlife management authority is killing elephants near Lake Kariba to feed to crocodiles at a parks-owned commercial crocodile farm.

...

Crocodile farming is a lucrative business, with owners of such ventures earning millions through the sale and export of skins for the manufacture of leather products such as handbags and shoes, as well as the sale of the reptiles' meat, a delicacy among local communities.

...

Also of concern was the fact that most elephants in Kariba were habituated to humans.

"If they shoot even 50, that will be the end of our Kariba elephant population," said Blyth's e-mail.

...

"They are destroying everything," said Blyth. "We are researching the matter, because we believe there is a silent cull going on. More and more tourists are complaining they are not seeing any game.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Nathan

This delightful 'alt-country' band hails from Winnipeg. A few tracks are available on myspace.

Jim Bryson

Link. Listen. (I'm particularly fond of Sleeping in Toronto and The Lost Occasional.)

Where the Bungalows Roam, his newest album will be released March 27, 2007. Two tracks are available here.

Friday, March 9, 2007

Mayan priests "will burn incense, place flowers and water in the area where Mr. Bush has walked to clean out the bad energy"

[snip]

By Mica Rosenberg GUATEMALA CITY, March 9 (Reuters) - Mayan leaders will spiritually "cleanse" ancient ruins in Guatemala after a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush, unpopular here because of foreign policies going back to Central America's civil wars. The leaders said they would hold a spiritual ceremony to restore "peace and harmony" at the Mayan ruins of Iximche after Bush tours the site on Monday. "No, Mr. Bush, you cannot trample and degrade the memory of our ancestors," said indigenous leader Rodolfo Pocop during a press conference. "This is not your ranch in Texas."

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Jaw thuds to floor, teeth crash

So a few days ago I'm over at Digby's and leave a joke-comment that the Walter Reed Hospital nightmare - brought to you by the administration whose marketing slogan has been "Support the troops!" ever since it began ritually abusing them in 2003 - must be another Halliburton contract.

Guess wha?????

[snip]

Walter Reed handed a five-year $120 million contract to a private company run by an ex-Halliburton executive. The contracting out of support services was followed by a mass exodus of support personnel.
In the world of corrupt corporations and politicians, "ex" is another way of saying "subsidiary."

If BushCo. were a cleaning company and it came to your house and left mould in the walls, vermin and feces on the floor, and urine in beds occupied by sick family members, you'd fire it right?

Excuse me while I locate my teeth and wriggle them back in their sockets.

Cheney's generous ticker: If my friends can make money on 'em over there, why shouldn't they make money on 'em over here, too.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

another elephant exhibit closes

[snip]

The decision to close the [The Philadelphia Zoo] exhibit, one of the zoo's most popular and enduring draws, was announced in the fall, angering many zoogoers who had grown up visiting the animals. [italics mine]
Heh, sometimes, humans, it's not all about you. (I've never understood this anger-entitlement thing that happens when animals are rescued. Sadness, yes, but anger? Weird.)

[snip]
After the elephants leave, a free-flight bird show will occupy their yard this summer.
The inadequate yard that was defended as adequate for many years will comfortably accommodate birds. Oh the irony.

Pachyderms Petal, Bette and Kallie (all Africans) will be sent to the Maryland Zoo and Asian Dulary will be going to the Elephant Sanctuary. "The Philadelphia Zoo has pledged ongoing support for her care and feeding, and will use the coming events to raise money for that and its elephant-conservation project in Borneo." Bravo!

I remain skeptical about the Maryland Zoo (can't tell at all from their web site what it's like as the photos are of zoo visitors and the videos don't work). Still, I praise this zoo for doing the right thing by Dulary at least, and hope the Maryland Zoo will be a step up for the other girls.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

back, frizzled and frazzled

This month is an important and nerve-wracking one because my law suit against two corporations whose negligence caused me to fall down cement stairs in 2003, kicks into high gear in late March. (They fit the profile and I expect them to be ruthlessly cruel at the first hearing where they get to grill me. They've already suggested it wasn't their oil slick on the stairs that caused my fall but the sunglasses they're presuming I couldn't see through. Note: I've been up and down the same flight at least 10,000 times, many times in sunglasses, and never fallen. Seriously, they're blaming the sunglasses over their oil slick.)

As usual, my tendency to procrastinate has left me little time to prepare for the first hearing (kicks self in the shins) and the paralegal attached to my lawyer has a time management problem because she routinely delays or forgets to send me crucial information.

On the bright side, my horrorscope for March is profoundly optimistic! You know you're off the rails when you begin scouring the stars for signs of impending justice and victory.

:::
link:
PAWSOrg (Gypsy and Nicholas will soon call PAWS home!)

Pic of the day:
in utero