Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Wow...that is kinda sad...I hate to see Biden portrayed like that...

Yeah, Patsi, me too. But I think he can rise above it. If they ever figure out how to tease Obama, maybe he won't get so much attention.

Ah...that's not what Biden's like...they shoulda had him boring the tears out of Obama with his three-heads-of Iraq plan.

I am glad Joe's the veep. This can't hurt Amtrak, and Congress has been trying to cut out midwest trains for decades.
But back to the skit...mighty weak, pretty weak.....

My adult daughter gave me a 6 ounce pure solid milk chocolate Dove brand egg. I am on a 4 ounce choco-high now.

Oh, I'm glad Joe's the veep now, too. I think these guys are setting up the know-it-all's - I think they're pretty canny.

Now, who should I believe?? Joe Biden or Karl Rove..
Not too difficult..

For decades I've thought Saturday Night Live was pretty much a waste of time..they get so much attention every 2-3 years when they have a few good skits..

bethy ..........that book is on my list still.....thiings have been real skinny around here the last two years......havent bought a new book in all that time, and i have yet to go to the library to look for stuff.....been re-reading old stuff lately except for mein bruder gave me a book, The Jesus Papers, by Michael Baigent which I'm reading now.....one of these days, one of these days......things actually seem to be picking up now............

I'm figuring the Captain of the Bainbridge had to call the shots on fire or not fire...... that captain had to very quickly assess the situation and call "fire".

Dexterous:.....is it that choco-high which causes you to leave cryptic pink floyd messages on people's dormant blogs? lol But as for Biden, yep, I'm for anything which gives ups to Amtrak and the trains in america...........

also on the pirate deal.......a main part of the successfullality of the situation lies with the FBI hostage negotiators who apparently lulled the Pirates into being very stupid......had the pirates not been led into being stupid the outcome could have been quite tragic.....

in one of johnny carson's last monologues he announced NBC would be re-formatting the SNL show....the new format would attempt to include actual Comedy........

To bloviate, wiki defines as "to speak pompously and excessively". I like that word. The first time I heard it was on The Factor. I like the word. It seems to define itself. I don't usually watch the Factor but did some back when the rest of the media was going after Hillary.

Better than describing Biden I think the word better described what KO was doing, on his Special Comments, that is after I got tired of them.

I feel a little sorry for Biden. As some of us here may have personal experience with, it is hard to have some young less experienced person come in and get all the fame and glory when you have been working hard for years to get a little.

Craig didn't mention what he has been doing for the last couple of days. Is he still editing?

Has he been twitting anything. Twitter most likely has it's usefulness in rare circumstance but for the life of me, I can't understand this phenomena being so popular with grown ups.

"had the pirates not been led into being stupid the outcome could have been quite tragic....."

sturge, it was a tad tragic for 3 of 'em

So many thoughts here that I think are spot on...Bethy, you've hit on something important...they don't want to make fun of Obama so others around him will take the hits. And Dex, you're so right...Biden just talks too much, and that would have been funnier. OD and I share the same opinion on SNL...boring. I hadn't heard that Carson line, sturge -- hilarious! And true! Carol, again may I say that your camp on the bayou looks like heaven to me.

and it is further evidence that the machine has finally taken over man.

Carol...I don't "get" the twitter thing either. I'm on it...but the only person I really pay attention to is a friend of mine who's a journalist covering American Idol...he watches so I don't have to.

Thanks Patsi. For years I would drive down this little road where the camps are dreaming that one day I would have one. I used creative visualization and it worked. It is no Ritz but it is my little slice of heaven. I sometimes think it is a thank you from God for much of my sacrifice and dedication to my work over the years. No one else ever thanked me.

It is my last day off before I have to go back to work and play catch up. I pay dearly for extra days off. I will have long lines of patients to see and mile high piles of charts to sign off.

Today I have to also go pick up my income tax papers from the accountant. I am dreading the outcome. I am going to be paying taxes on money I already lost. That is a big kick in the ass.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/biden-gets-burned-in-the-spotl.html#comment-219156

absolutely agree with dex...
god love him (as biden always says his mom use to say) if he started up on that tri-part iraq stuff one more time, he needed to be thrown in the alzheimer's dust bin of history.

and everytime he's on camera, would you believe, don adams as maxwell smart always comes to mind

Don't know how often Rez checks the Trailmix these days...but Rez, if you are around...would be intressted in your thoughts. This sounds like quite a production:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-04-12-we-shall-remain_N.htm

" I am going to be paying taxes on money I already lost. That is a big kick in the ass. "

DAMN! That sucks.

Why can't I ever find deals like this?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/nyregion/13bigcity.html?_r=1&hp

bethy, you and patsi are right about them not making fun of Obama and making others around him take the hits. there'll come a day tho when we'll see silly cartoons like the new puppy picking up obama by the ears (a la lbj) and an irate michelle ranting at barak and bo about whose responsible for "accidents" in the white house.... you know silly stuff helps us see idols as lovable humans.

just struck me that "bo" isn't because their friend's cat is called that or that was a tribute to the grand pa... it stands for b-arack o-bama. duhhhh

forgot the *clown slap to head*

ROFL -- I didn't think of that, pat!

Sturge- Some military dude was on yesterday and explained that there would have been a SEAL (commander?) in charge of the operation who would have made the call to shot. He also said it is likely that they sat in position, not moving at all, keeping the sights on them for up to 24 hours. I don't know when the SEALs arrived on the boat, but know they did by dark of night and parachute, with all their gear. Unbelievable.
I stopped buying books around then too. Sorry if I'm repeating myself but book buying was my indicator that we are in deep shit. I noticed my more comfortable friends who always buy mountains of books finally stopped sometime this winter and started using the library. One good thing,- I started going to the library and found the librarians aren't as mean as they use to be.. They use to really get their knickers in a twist over an 85 cent overdue fee. Figured it wasn't worth the bother years ago.

Lets hear it for the Navy SEALS !! What they must do to earn and what they must prepare to place themselves in the way of...

And lets hear it for a President that will continue to not back down when pushed.

And for Biden - Thanks for the comedy

"Craig didn't mention what he has been doing for the last couple of days. -- posted by ct"

in a word, CT -- TAXES!

Stereotypes and parodies don't just invent themselves.

At times, Biden reminds me of Chris Farley doing an impression of Rudy Guilliani's son.

But not only is Biden very animated, he also seems determined to stay in the spotlight no matter how superfluous his office is during this admin.

What's the deal with the Obama's dog being a "second-chance" dog? Really? Since the breeder was an Obama supporter, is that just a story to make it more palatable? Did they let someone foster the dog for a week in order to use that story?

Bo still came from a breeder and not from a shelter & an Obama supporter.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090412_mo_txdog.cc630bb8.html

Biden tried to hog the spotlight by getting a dog first; got one from a breeder so it made the papers.

Yeah, if it's Monday, it must be conspiracy theory day.

---Way to wait until the last minute Craig.

For the Carolinians...or anyone who knows....I had lunch with a young friend whose family all lives in NC...she said they are livid about Gov. Perdue cutting aid to schools -- taking money from the lottery fund. (Her sister is a teacher.) Anyway, Perdue is a Democrat and supposedly a big education advocate. I can't seem to get a straight ahead explanation of what has happened...anyone have inside knowledge?

"...would harm the highly praised More at Four prekindergarten program, increase public school class sizes, suspend performance-based teacher bonuses for a year and scale back standardized student testing..."

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/state/senate-budget-shifts-from-nc-education-constants-542600.html

---Ya know, pirate jokes used to be so fun, but now it's just been ruined.

Hey - Craig and most Americans are doing what this Country was founded on and your Patriotic Duty - Paying taxes...

Uh?

Now that the bill for the party starts to show up.. lets see how many continue to want to get invitations.

Got to go -- time to open up Turbo Tax

ROFL -- The Great Right Wing Freakout:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/04/13/obama/

"TAXES"? Craig I thought that being a pundit was close enough to being a politician so that you didn't have to pay taxes, or at least not all of them.

I don't put much faith Rove speaking for himself ... lips moving = lie being told.

Rove speaking for Bush, he may be right if only because Biden has a bad habit of claiming to have said something he didn't.

This particular remark was too close to esprit d'escalier, the wit of the staircase remark you wish you had said at an opportune time or the thought you had but didn't say. I have my doubts that anyone would deliberately insult a sitting President to his face while in the Oval office for a meeting.

It's also interesting how tolerant and diplomatic that the skit made Obama's persona when dealing with Biden. The straight man. Was that skit more about Biden or Obama, Craig?

"time to open up Turbo Tax"

.... Ha! It's about time Ping. :) Two days to go.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/biden-gets-burned-in-the-spotl.html#comment-219193

Patsi,

That is a great Salon article. Unfortunately, the people who circulate the flood of freakout emails can barely read more than the paragraph that comes before the freakout piece that they are forwarding to their entire address book. with a 20 point all caps headline: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"HAVE YOU SEEN THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

HA! Yes -- that's how they start. Just amazing.

Patsi, Carol, I totally agree about the banality of Twittering. I tend to put Facebook into the same genre. But, I only have one experience with Facebook and none with Twitter, so maybe I'm just hopelessly dated.

Craig,

I suppose they might touch on The Rescue when you're on MSNBC this morning. I think Americans should pause and marvel at the quiet competence of our special ops warriors.

These people come from all branches of our Armed Forces and, depending on the specific mission, may include 'mixed messengers' of freedom.

They are routinely presented with daunting missions with no expectation of accolades beyond what may come from their circle of comrades.

Saving Captain Phillips
American alive, pirates dead, let's hope more to follow.The Easter Sunday rescue of cargo ship Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates is a tribute to his personal bravery and the skill and steel nerves of the U.S. Navy. Now the Obama Administration has an obligation to punish and deter these lawless raiders so they'll never again risk taking a U.S.-flagged ship or an American crew."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123958568421112479.html

Joe made a big contribution & helped cement Obamas chances when he joined besides I would rather be laughing at something funny Joe said than fighting a senseless war & having to endure a totally drained & battered U.S. due largely to greed & arrogance from the guy who came before him. He has a long way to go in the world of goofs to top the last vice. Its all just a diversion like usual.

"...so maybe I'm just hopelessly dated."

Flatus, after reading this blog for almost a year, I wouldn't call you hopelessly dated when it come to technology. If I needed info I would call you for help.

Bob,

Adam received your seed corn on Saturday. He promptly ate one kernel to see if tasted 'different'. He reports that it did not.

I explained the requirements of the program to both Adam and his Mom and Dad. They will be eager participants, so expect some reports from them.

When I explained what little I know of your C.V., Toots, Adam's mom, was jumping up and down with glee. She's a failed hippie who sold out. I know there's nothing she would enjoy more than heading back to the Nevada desert which she loved.

Thanks, for the seeds Bob, you're doing just as Johnny Appleseed did many decades ago.

The GOP has been crazy for 15 years..,

Tea Parties Forever
"So what’s the implication of the fact that Republicans are refusing to grow up, the fact that they are still behaving the same way they did when history seemed to be on their side? I’d say that it’s good for Democrats, at least in the short run — but it’s bad for the country."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/opinion/13krugman.html?ref=opinion

I'm looking forward to getting mine in the ground. If the sky will stop falling long enough that I don't have to slog through mud or watch them float away. Mittens has either killed or encourage a mass evacuation among all the rodents, so anything that peeks its little fronds above ground should be safe.

... no signs of slowdown here

Ginsburg Gives No Hint Of Giving Up the Bench
"She hasn't missed a session of the court, either in recuperation from surgery or because of the cautionary chemotherapy started in March. She has issued more opinions since then than any of the other justices, save one, and has been an active and persistent questioner in oral arguments.

She went to President Obama's address to Congress less than three weeks after surgery to show she was "alive and well"; dragged her reclusive colleague David H. Souter to the opera; traveled to Boston to address law students; and last week presided over a mock trial based on "Twelfth Night" at the Washington Shakespeare Theater. "
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/11/AR2009041102297.html

The Latest on Energy News
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/topic/in_the_news/energy/

Flatus- Would they have been celebrating last night or is it just another day except that the public found out about it? I understand horns were blowing up at Mass Maritime in Buzzards Bay yesterday. I work for an auctioneer across the st, wished I had been at one of the bars nearby yesterday to join in the celebration.

yup.... they got Biden wrong....
and it's strange to see Biden towering over Obama..... what's wrong.... couldn't they find anyone tall to play the O....

I forget who asked if we thought the rescue incident would slow some of the piracy down..... IMO..... no, it won't..... drug dealers and drug lords get killed.... hasn't slowed the rest of em down any..... in a word.... too much money to be made.... and there's always those willing to risk making it....

it's been unseasonably cold here in the northeast.... it's been going down into the 20s here in NH at night.... won't be digging my mounds for the blue corn for another 5 weeks..... but I did eat my first blue corn chip last night..... I'd never had the desire to try them before...... 2 thumbs up!

Good appearance Craig!

U.S. Military Considers Attacks on Somali Pirates’ Land Bases
"The U.S. military is considering attacks on pirate bases on land and aid for the Somali people to help stem ship hijackings off Africa’s east coast, defense officials said.

..The effort follows the freeing yesterday of Richard Phillips, a U.S. cargo ship captain held hostage since April 8 by Somali pirates. Security analysts said making shipping lanes safe would require disrupting the pirates’ support network on land."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aYhvgOfyTmYA

.. sorry if I've bombarded the place with too much this morning... guess I was in the mood to read a lot.

See ya all later. :)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/biden-gets-burned-in-the-spotl.html#comment-219211

Sea, it would have been another day at work. Anonymity and the absence of knowledge about their specific tactics are key elements of their tradecraft.

Sea, I was the intelligence superintendent for an AF special ops group. We, the intel toads, would party at someone's quarters with the spouses socializing in the living room and the rest of us getting snockered in the kitchen. It worked for us. In the four years I was with that group, I never once had a drink at the NCO club or downtown--it simply wasn't the prudent thing to do.

Thanks for sharing that Flatus, guess it would be hard to relax in public with all your training. I have the greatest admiration for you all, thank you

the technical capabilities of the pirates still amaze me. media keep showing poor, bedraggled only-seeking-sustenance types in their indepth stories. but where are these guys getting trained? your average somali can't just pick up a gps or cell phone or ak and know how to use it correctly enough to find and take big cargo boats and make a few million on ransom.... heck, any one of those is way beyond my luddite talents.
granted, there maybe some dumb foot soldiers in those gangs, but some certainly were trained long and hard somewhere and by some pretty sophisticated trainers. there's the real story.... one of those follow the money things.

"But, I only have one experience with Facebook and none with Twitter, so maybe I'm just hopelessly dated."

I thought the same of Facebook for a long time. But my publisher insisted I have a page ...all of a sudden a LOT of musicians, record producers and music journalists I know showed up -- most of the very funny people. Then a great group of college activists from three decades ago. So I've been having fun with it. Obviously some of it is silly...but at least it doesn't play to the ADD crowd...which is what Twitter does, IMO.

By the way -- Carol is right, Flatus -- you are certainly not tech-dated!

100th birthday of Eudora Welty - April 13, 1909

During the 1930s before her writing career took off, Welty worked as a photographer under WPA, documenting the Great Depression in the area surrounding her Jackson, Mississippi home. Her pictures are particularly empathetic for the plight of African Americans. Some of her photographs are in this month’s Smithsonian.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/The-Writers-Eye.html

That's right Pat it will interesting to see where these pirates get their training. These guys look far from starving ,very healthy they also knew how to act (quiet) when caught .

Congrats.....to the Navy and Merchant mariners......and also to our Pres. who had the good sense to let the military do what we train them to do.......We need to take this threat seriously.......We've had our warning.....I hope because of this successful operation we don't discount the threat.......

It's an unfortunate fact but Joe Biden has an uphill battle against the image of himself that's been created. This caricature is on its way to becoming accepted in the popular culture, just as Al Gore's "wooden" image was. With politics as with comedy, it's not about facts or truth, it's about the impression.

Patd

They seem to know just where the ships to be taken are at. It is a big ocean, notice how difficult it is to patrol it.
They are getting information and direction from somewhere.
It is a big money enterprize.
Also notice how most of the "news" came from pirate sources.

Jack

Jax

Not only that but Obama had good sense to keep his mouth shut when ask about it, instead of putting on a macho tough guy act.

Jack

Did they say over 200 people are being held now by pirates? From countries all over the world. Are we the only country who is willing to protect ours?

Jack,
I agree....I've not been a big fan so far but I lik the way he handled this situation.

I heard an interesting tidbit about the piracy on CNN this past Saturday....

it was reported that the reason piracy is on the rise is because it works.... the companies that own the ships gladly pay the ransom.... it's considered another price to pay in order to do business....
plus the companies all have piracy insurance..... which isn't cheap....

the final analysis..... the ultimate payer of piracy is you and me..... the price of the insurance is built into the price of the goods we buy.....

RR,
You're right on....and the price is considerable.

If there has ever been an opportunity for the world to come together and cooperate on an issue it is this one.......

Let's see if anything is done.

In an odd way the actions of the priates may eventually be the catalyst that causes the world to take the conditions in Somalia seriously.

Maybe by raising the economic costs high enough the pirates will encourage the rest of the world to see that efforts in Somalia are in their interest again.

I think another thing to remember Renee, is these ships are just big fat chunks of money that nobody is really gaurding. Compared to everyday life in Somalia it is riskfree.
I'm believe that for the dead pirates they didn't ever believe the danger they were in.
After all they are the pirates and the world just naturally surrenders.

Jack

Jax

Someone mentioned this over the weekend.

But wouldn't it be easier to blockaid the ports then all the patrols that are now happeing. You have to have a fair sized place to take these large prizes to, I would think.

Jack

Man! That guy nailed Biden! LOL! Not that Biden is really like that, but now I'm going to think that he is thanks to SNL. Craig's been doing his taxes? There's that job with Obama's administration! That's pretty damn impressive what those Nave Seals did to those pirates. Straight out of a movie.

I meant to say: There GOES that job with Obama's administration!

That was a great interview just held with Tameron.

Jack,
Yeah...you could in the short-term, but these pirate's vessels don't require alot of shoreside support. They can move their operations to an unbloackaded area easily.

The issue is shore side and the existing lawless in the country in general. It will continue to foster this kind of activity until some sort of government takes hold in Somalia. The problem of course is what western nation (the only ones with any capability) wants to risk a single citizen (soldier) to help Somalia?

"Navy snipers took down a trio of Somali pirates with single shots"

One pirate, one bullet

Now that's keeping an eye on the taxpayers money.
economy you can appreciate.

Jack

OK enough goofing off
Back to the taxes

Jack

OH HAPPY DAY, oh happy day......C-Bob's Hopi miracle blue corn has already started working for me. I just knew it had powers. I not only didn't owe any taxes, the gov owes me. It cost me almost all of that for the tax man but who cares.

Also when the sun burns thru the fog this morning it is suppose be sunny with a high of 82, sorry RR. The little boat is waiting on the sun and off we go to celebrate.

Also got some of those dark Choc. gold brick eggs half price. Bought the entire 24 count box with the rest of my money.

And for that pirate insurance, I guess it works as well as the auto insurance. When working in the ER, we had members of the whip lash club come in frequently.

Club rules dictated that their members wait until they saw a nice vehicle driving behind them, then they would slam on their brakes and pray that vehicle hit them. Instant whip lash. It was interesting that at the time of the accident there was only one victim in the car but 4-5 would come into the ER with the alleged injuries. Insurance cos. don't fight it, they just pay about $1000 to each victim to get it over with.

Only difference is there are no guns or hostages involved.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/warning-that-pakistan-is-in-danger-of-collapse-within-months-20090412-a40u.html

If Pakistan fails, the threat potential will make all previous threats look like childs play.......We would almost have no choice but to act in order to secure their nukes which we know exist........

Pirates Beware: Next-Gen Snipers Could Get Guided Bullets, Super Scopes
"As if pirates didn't have enough to worry about."
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/04/super-snipers.html

There Merchant marine organizers not Somali pirates .lol

Buford I was reading something over the weekend that the pirates found the name "pirate" offensive. They prefer to think of themselves as a coastal patrol.

BTW
the pirates have sworn revenge by specially targeting American flagged vessels. I think we should give them the chance. I am sure the US government needs some stuff shipped in that direction. And put an extra large American flag on it and be sure to tell everybody at the port of Suez how valuable the cargo is.
"Here little pirate, come to poppa, we are sweet and tasty. just the way you like it."

Jack

"oh happy day......C-Bob's Hopi miracle blue corn has already started working for me. I just knew it had powers. I not only didn't owe any taxes, the gov owes me"

carol, great news. hope your lucky corn day has wiped out all those mud-dobbers and other varmints in your boat and that the owls and owlets sing hosannas.

yours can be cbob's first testimonial of a miracle on his way to canonization.
saint cbob has a nice familiar ring to it...

c'est si bon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5WVkl_f7_E

jack, and don't forget to load on that extra carton of spl forces troops in the ozturk habitation containers that flatus suggested.

" Adam received your seed corn on Saturday. He promptly ate one kernel to see if tasted 'different'. He reports that it did not. "

Priceless

Blue Corn does not do taxes.

Thought for the day :
" Communism will work when love, not greed, inspires it. "

"According to reports in the Swiss media, Credit Suisse has between 2,500 and 5,000 US clients with Sfr3bn (£1.78bn) in accounts undeclared to the Internal Revenue Service.

A Sunday paper, Sonntagszeitung, reported that customers are being given a choice of moving their money to a subsidiary, CS Private Advisers, which would declare financial details to the US authorities. Alternatively, they will be sent a cheque for the balance of their funds."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/apr/13/credit-suisse-us-tax-avoidance

now that i would call a stimulus check

Patd

Are you suggesting we deliberately plan to shoot pirates?

How uncivilized of you.

Jack

But if you are remember we are in a time of limited resouces. So only one bullet for each pirate, any beyond that come out of your pay.

Jack

I wonder how the snipers were able to be so accurate in shooting the pirates when they were on ship & the pirates on a life boat. The point being that the ocean moves.

tt

They have "skills", tiptoe.

I guess so, Corey!

Mel Gibson's in the news again. His wife Robyn of 28 years and 7 children, one set of twins, will probably get half of everything in their divorce. Inasmuch as they married when they were poor ,and she was a stay at home with the """7""" kids, it seems only fair.

Also being married to him is enough to warrant it, IMHO.

The 'they' part is the real part.

tt

solar, yesterday you and sturge were discussing heartbeats and the waltz. i remember reading somewhere that when it first came out, the church tho't waltzes were evil and lusty (due to the throbbing sound). here's an interesting article on that and other dances that have been banned:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Please-Charleston-Quietly&id=515334

here's another one re waltzing that's a little more fun and has music to boot.
http://bobjanuary.com/waltz.htm

SNL,,,and the Vice Pres,,,,I didn't like it when they gave out false impressions of Clinton,,,Palin or any other's,,and I don;t like it now,,they made the VP look ridiculous ,,,and he is Obama's choice,,,so he didn't look too good either IMO,,,,and by his attitude toward Biden in the sketch,,he makes the VP's office and responsibility's look very superficial,,,consider Biden just a pest,,,but the news is that Obama picked him,,,poor choice??

From Corey's post,,and I know that he doesn't mean it,,,,but a lot of uniformed people that get their new from the late night clowns,,will,,,it would be better if they did not get any news at all.

"Not that Biden is really like that, but now I'm going to think that he is thanks to SNL"

Somalia,,,I hope now gets the attention that it should,,,they will go completly Muslim=terrortist--- Could the Somalian Gov,,,be behind it all,,they are corrupt ,,,and able to train the Pirates,,imo,,

IVY,,,,here is something for you---sun birds

http://www.newscientist.com/search?rbauthors=Debora+MacKenzie++

e know that Antarctica froze 35 million years ago, when its detachment from South America unleashed a circumpolar ocean current that isolated it from warmer parts of the world. What we do not know is whether its ice sheets have stayed frozen or melted and reformed many times since then.

It is an urgent question. Understanding how Antarctica's ice responded to past climate swings will help us to predict how it will react as temperatures rise in the coming decades. The mighty ice sheet covering West Antarctica could unleash enough water to raise sea levels by 5 metres were it to melt.

Andrill's results reveal a breathtaking picture. They show how the West Antarctic ice sheet has collapsed and regrown at least 60 times in the past few million years. Andrill predicts that it could once again tip toward collapse by the year 2100.

http://www.newscientist.com/search?rbauthors=Douglas+Fox

an excerpt from the second link posted above:

"in 1919, H.L.Menken wrote: “The waltz never quite goes out of fashion; it is always just around the corner; every now and then it returns with a bang . . . It is sneaking, insidious, disarming, lovely. . . .The waltz, in fact, is magnificently improper-the art of tone turned lubricious. . . . There is something about a waltz that is irresistible. Try it on the fattest and sedatest or even on the thinnest and most acidulous of women, and she will be ready, in ten minutes, for a stealthy smack behind the door-nay, she will forthwith impart the embarrassing news that her husband misunderstands her and drinks too much and is going to Cleveland, O. on a business trip tomorrow.”

Those Were The Days

Neil Cavuto claims Fox News is covering teabaggers in same fair and balanced way it covered the Million Man March in 1995 -- except Fox News didn't exist yet in 1995.

--David Kurtz

That's right, Solar. Some people are easily swayed.

NEW THREAD.. http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/arrr-the-return-of-pirate-joke.html

Solar --

Is this the article you wanted me to see? Very interesting. I have a birding friend I can share that with... Thank you.

http://www.livescience.com/animals/070926_birds_see_magnetism.html

And oh, by the way... (^_~)

Pat,,,,thanks,,I liked it,,and have alway's have loved to dance,,,

"Performance and passion, two unique yet inseparable components of dancing, are essential whether performing Swan Lake, the Waltz, the Tango, the Cha Cha, Highland Dances, or Hip Hop. Countless times dancers participating in competitions have heard judges comment."

I will find that article that I told Sturg about,,,,the heart beat is like a symphony,,,not steady and boring,,,I did not ask my question to him very well,,,I really liked that he interpreted the Beethoven's 4t,,,for us,,and wanted the interpretation for the 6th that Champ linked the night before.

Ivy,,,,no that's very interesting also,,but not the one,,,lets try this one

http://www.newscientist.com/section/life

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/biden-gets-burned-in-the-spotl.html#comment-219177

Patsi,

Been hearing a little about the series. Looks interesting. I'll probably end up catching them on dvd since I'm terrible about watching these week to week type shows.

It appears the stories were mostly researched and written by Indians, that should make some difference. I wonder if Churchill was consulted ~)

I read a few are dramatizations and not in the Ken Burns style of documentaries which many similar ones have been in the past. That will be interesting. I guess some skins got most of the lead roles this time around. Good on them.

If the title is any hint I suppose it's all about dispelling some more misconceptions.

btw, I lurk here all the time so watch out! As I told pogo, when you start hearing the flute music.. I'm probably soon to enter the picture, lol