Clipmarks | papananook's Comments

Pelosi confronted at book signing

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:40:58 GMT

clipped by: papananook
clipper's remarks: Madam Speaker was so flustered by our efforts that she barely made a cogent remark for her whole "Know Your Power" talk. Our peaceful action had impact. The truth is a powerful tool. But if only our actions weren't necessary. If only, as Jodie Evans suggested, Madam Speaker would do her job!
Saddest of all is the contrast of who Pelosi once was to who she his now. For a woman who was once at the cutting edge of social progressivism, Nancy Pelosi has lost her way. She has strayed from her former social consciousness into the malaise of power. A sorry state for a woman who 32 years ago was a pivotal player in the 1976 Presidential campaign of radically progressive California Governor, Jerry Brown.

Clip Source: www.opednews.com

Last Monday evening, in the plush environs of Los Angeles' American Jewish University, a dedicated group of pro-peace, Pro-Constitution patriots "booked" Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. No, I don't mean "booked" as in charged her with a crime and jailed her. In this scenario, "booked" is more akin to "punked" - in which case we surprised Madam Pelosi by revising her new book, then forced her to read our revisions. Tuh-Dah!!

It happened like this: Madam Speaker of the House Pelosi, second in line to the Presidency, appeared at a book signing for her ironically titled new tome, "Know Your Power." Since Madam Pelosi has not used her power as Speaker to hold impeachment hearings against George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, as prescribed by Article 1 Section 2 of the Constitution, we pro-Constitution patriots held her to task. We took her new book and scrawled our personalized imperatives and questions within it.

Love is a memory tool :)

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:38:40 GMT

clipped by: balthazarus
clipper's remarks: i believe that there can be love which is not based on survival mechanism. Though rare...

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Behavior: Nothing Says ‘Focus’ Like Memory of Love

In a new study, people shown images of attractive men and women paid less attention to them if they had just been reminded about the person they loved.

For the study, the researchers looked at more than 100 college students who said they were in committed relationships.

One group was asked to write short essays about “a time in which they experienced strong feelings of love for their current partner.” The other volunteers were asked to write about a time when they were extremely happy.

When attractive faces of the opposite sex appeared, the students were slower to identify the shapes. But those who had written about their loved ones were less distracted.

Long-term relationships, the researchers said, offer benefits for reproduction, in part because both parents can play a role in rearing the children.

Tags: behavior, love, evolution

What is going on, for God's sake???

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:06:31 GMT

clipped by: mugofcoffee
clipper's remarks: Uncle Sam Wants Your Brain

Clip Source: blog.wired.com

By Brandon Keim

Drugs that make soldiers want to fight. Robots linked directly to their controllers' brains. Lie-detecting scans administered to terrorist suspects as they cross U.S. borders.

These are just a few of the military uses imagined for cognitive science -- and if it's not yet certain whether the technologies will work, the military is certainly taking them very seriously.

Mind reading.

Mind readers could be used to interrogate captured enemies, as well as "terrorist suspects" passing through customs. But does this mean, for example, that travelers placed on the bloated, mistake-laden watchlist would have their minds scanned, just as their computers will be?

Cognitive enhancement.

Mind control. Largely pharmaceutical, for the moment, and a natural outgrowth of cognitive enhancement approaches and mind-reading insight: If we can alter the brain, why not control it?

Brain-Machine Interfaces.

Emerging Cognitive Neuroscience and Related Technologies [National Academies Press]

The Christian Presidency

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:29:24 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: www.wildhunt.org

Any illusion one might have had that the race for America's chief executive is a secular affair was thoroughly shattered yesterday at the Saddleback Civil Forum on The Presidency. Evangelical superstar Rick "Purpose Driven Life" Warren got the two candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, to sit down individually in his church, submit to his questions, and expound on concerns most important to evangelical Christians.

"Some of the questions Pastor Warren posed crossed the line and promoted the fiction that the American people are electing a pastor-in-chief, rather than a commander-in-chief. Questions like 'What does it mean to trust in Christ?' create a religious test for public office and should have no place in the political discourse for a secular office. America is the most religiously diverse country in the world, and Christianity is only one of those faith traditions. Millions of voters who tuned in tonight will feel disenfranchised by some of the questions posed in this forum."

Abandoned whale calf mistakes boat for its mum

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:32:08 GMT

clipped by: mugofcoffee

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Rescuers in Australia are trying to save a baby humpback whale which they say took a shine to a moored yacht, possibly mistaking the vessel for its lost mother.

The whale calf was found at Pittwater, north of Sydney, after apparently being abandoned by its mother off the Australian east coast

"The calf has spent the last day or so in Pittwater and we believe it has been nuzzling up to a moored vessel in an attempt to find milk," said Chris McIntosh, local manager for the New South Wales state national parks service said.

A team of workers towed the private yacht out to sea to try to lure the calf out into deeper water where it was hoped it would reunite with its mother, but it was spotted close to the beach at Pittwater again on Tuesday.

Female whales give birth to a single calf, and a nursing period of more than one year for many species creates a strong bond between a mother and its young.

(Reporting by James Grubel)

Pagans prepare for preschool

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:19:13 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.dailytidings.com

Ashland's Rowan Tree Pagan Ministries may literally put the magic back in childhood this fall.

Rowan Tree Director of Children's Programs Selyna Faola'n plans to offer Rowan Academy, a preschool and kindergarten program for children ages 3 to 5, starting Sept. 22.

Rowan Tree Pagan Ministries is an organization that offers programs and resources for the Southern Oregon pagan community. The group received its nonprofit certificate this week.

She designed her Rowan Academy curriculum to emphasize the general basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. Her classes will also include age-appropriate lessons in natural cycles, the planets and the elements.

Other children's programs include the Magic Wheel and the Senesha School of Magic. Faola'n described the year-round Magic Wheel as similar to Sunday school. The Magic Wheel program takes place at holidays and full moon celebrations, and provides children with arts and crafts activities while their parents participate in rituals.

Tags: pagan, children, school, nonprofit, nature

Rachel Maddow Replacing Dan Abrams on MSNBC

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:17:27 GMT

clipped by: dulios
clipper's remarks: Very, very, very cool.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Rachel Maddow Replacing Dan Abrams On MSNBC Effective Immediately

Rachel Maddow will replace Dan Abrams as host of the 9PM hour on MSNBC, the New York Times' Bill Carter reports. Just last month in a Times article by Jacques Steinberg, MSNBC president Phil Griffin declared Maddow "at the top" of a "very short list" for those who should have their own show, though at the time he said he "[didn't] know when" that would be. As Carter reports, the final stretch of the 2008 election season will be Maddow's debut as the host of her own MSNBC show:

The moves, which were confirmed by MSNBC executives Tuesday, are expected to be finalized by Wednesday, with Mr. Abrams's last program on Thursday. After MSNBC's extensive coverage of the two political conventions during the next two weeks, Ms. Maddow will begin her program on Sept. 8.

Tags: msnbc, rachel maddow, dan abrams, news, politics, 2008 election

Sunnis, armed by US, disarmed by Iraq govt

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:28:40 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Awakening Councils, who fought al-Qaida, not trusted by Shi'ite govt.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

BAGHDAD — The Shiite-led government is cracking down on U.S.-backed Sunni Arab fighters in one of Iraq's most turbulent regions, arresting some leaders, disarming dozens of men and banning them from manning checkpoints except alongside official security forces.

The moves in Diyala province reflect mixed views on a movement that began in 2007 among Sunni tribes in western Iraq who revolted against al-Qaida in Iraq and joined the Americans in the fight against the terrorist network.

U.S. officials credit the rise of such groups, known variously as Awakening Councils, Sons of Iraq and Popular Committees, with helping rout al-Qaida.

But Iraq's government is suspicious of such groups, fearing their decision to break with the insurgency was a short-term tactic to gain U.S. money and support. The government fears they will eventually turn their guns against Iraq's majority Shiites.

America has spent

$200 million on salaries, equipment and training for the fighters, which now number nearly 100,000

Tags: iraq

Drunk Builders & Mad Architects

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:51:28 GMT

clipped by: tanjazaric

Clip Source: www.darkroastedblend.com

How would you explain that all these "structures" passed the quality control and house inspections? Only by the possible fact that controllers and inspectors were drunk too. Or just near-sighted. I really want to believe the latter, but in some countries they are actually neither drunk or blind - but handsomely bribed. See for yourself:

It all starts with mad designs:

Foundation? Basement? Who needs it, lets get more creative:

Oh, I like that. Great idea -

Something somewhere did not work out for these builders... -

More than plumbing. A work of art.

One is labeled "Red", the other "Blue". Can't go wrong here -

There is something in my wa...

This one will launch you into the air:

...or into the basement:

Some statues don't stay erect for very long (this time earthquake was responsible) -

Whatever it was before... (we really hope it was more than that):

Best theft protection:

Using the old bus as a brick storage:

Don't park your BMW anywhere close to these guys:

Enter the bathroom (with caution):

Tags: architecture, buildings, construction

25 Reasons You Might Be a Liberal

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:37:11 GMT

clipped by: DeMaistre

Clip Source: townhall.com

* You think Dan Quayle is the dumbest Vice-President we ever had because he believed a flash card that misspelled "potato," but think Obama is a genius despite the fact he believes we have more than 57 states.

* You'd be more upset about your favorite candidate being endorsed by the NRA than the Communist Party.

* You think the real hero of the Cold War was Mikhail Gorbachev.

* You couldn't care less about what Americans in states like Kansas or Virginia think of you, but you would be greatly upset if a Frenchman gave you a dirty look because you're an American.

* You think censorship is absolutely wrong; except when it's applied to conservatives on college campuses or on talk radio via the fairness doctrine.

* You think the war in Iraq is unwinnable, but victory in the war on poverty is going to happen any day now if we can just get the Democrats back in charge.

Tags: humor, politics

Proven: Gorillas have human emotions

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:48:31 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Heartbreaking!

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gorilla grieves over death of her baby

A female gorilla has been photographed grieving over the loss of her baby, showing a strength of emotion rarely witnessed in the animal world.

Gorilla Gana, 11, was left shattered in her compound at the zoo in Muenster in northern Germany at the weekend when her three-month-old baby Claudio suddenly died.

Visitors wept as Gana held her lifeless child up in the air, vainly seeking to restore movement to his lolling head, his limp arms.

She put the baby on her back and walked around, stopping to look at him after a few paces to see if he had recovered.

"On Wednesday he gave the impression to keepers that he wasn't feeling too well.

"On Friday he wasn't eating or drinking properly and seemed to be growing weaker.

"We were keeping a close eye on him but suddenly, on Saturday morning, he died."

By Monday morning the zoo keepers were still unable to get to the body of Claudio, so fiercely is Gana guarding him.

Tags: animal kingdom, apes, gorillas, munich, germany, zoos, captivity, wild

Why I Am Not A Liberal

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:40:26 GMT

clipped by: DeMaistre

Clip Source: www.humanevents.com

The following is a list of beliefs that I hold. Nearly every one of them was a liberal position until the late 1960s. Not one of them is now.

Such a list is vitally important in order to clarify exactly what positions divide left from right, blue from red, liberal from conservative.

I believe that government funding of those who can help themselves (e.g., the able-bodied who collect welfare) or who can be helped by non-governmental institutions (such as private charities, family, and friends) hurts them and hurts society.

I believe that the American military has done more to preserve and foster goodness and liberty on Earth than all the artists and professors in America put together.

I believe that the trial lawyers associations and teachers unions, the greatest donors to the Democratic Party, have done great harm to American life -- far more than, let us say, oil companies and pharmaceutical companies, the targets of liberal opprobrium.

Tags: liberalism, politics

Stop the 'War' on Terror: Calling It a 'War' Is a Boon to Terrorist Recruiters

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:38:11 GMT

clipped by: DeMaistre

Clip Source: www.rand.org

Since 1968, more than three-quarters of terrorist groups have ended because of a political settlement or joint policing and intelligence efforts. But a political solution is not in the cards with Al Qaeda. Its goal – to take down multiple state regimes to create a pan-Islamic caliphate – is too radical to lead to any sort of negotiated settlement with Middle Eastern governments.

A good start toward peace, though, would be for Washington to stop thinking of this as a "war" with a battlefield solution.

The term "war" also has a symbolic cost. It feeds into the jihad or "holy war" concept that attracts the attention of potential terrorists by elevating them to "holy warrior" status. Terrorists should be perceived and described as criminals, not holy warriors.

What we are engaged in, more aptly, is "counterterrorism."

Tags: terrorism, islamism, islamofascism, jihadism

The Hammer Doesn't Fall Far From The Sickle

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:16:38 GMT

clipped by: DeMaistre

Clip Source: catholic-caveman.blogspot.com

In a surprising admission that could become a major scandal in the presidential race, Barack Obama’s 40-page so-called “rebuttal” to Jerome Corsi’s book, The Obama Nation, acknowledges for the first time that the senator once had a personal relationship with identified Communist Party USA (CPUSA) member Frank Marshall Davis, a key high-level operative in a Soviet-sponsored network in Hawaii.

But the 40-page report, advertised and sold to the media as a refutation of Corsi’s “lies,” doesn’t identify Davis as a hard-core communist and it dishonestly edits an article about Davis to eliminate references to his admitted involvement in CPUSA activities and make the black revolutionary writer and “poet” look like a civil rights activist.

In fact, Davis was a secret CPUSA member who continued his involvement in the CPUSA or its front activities into the 1970s, when he became Barack Obama’s mentor in Hawaii.

Tags: election, 2008, politics, fellow travelers

The odd choices in Barack Obama's career

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:02:44 GMT

clipped by: DeMaistre

Clip Source: www.americanthinker.com

It's time to throw my hat in the ring as regards predicting the election results. So here it is: Barack Obama will be defeated. Seriously and convincingly defeated

He will lose for one reason above all, one that has been overlooked in any analysis that I've yet seen. Barack Obama will lose because he is a flake.

But what has been overlooked is the string of faux pas marking each step of Obama's journey, a series of strange, inexplicable actions

What are these incidents?

To Chicago. One of the windiest, coldest, most brutal cities in the country. One that is also infinitely corrupt in a sense that Hawaii is not. One that remains one of the most racist large cities in the U.S.

And what does he do when he reaches the city? Why, he joins a cult.

Obama apparently had to swear an oath of belief in "black liberation theology" when he joined the church.

But then... he writes nothing for the journal.

he voted "present" nearly as much as he voted "yes" or "no".

Tags: election, 2008, politics, looney left