Trivia: Did you know that ground was broken for the Pentagon on September 11, 1941? Or that you are more likely to die of the flu than of a terrorist attack?
What is more disrespectful, turning the American flag into a floor mat, or stepping on it?
Good news for those of you traveling by air to and in England: starting next week security rules will be relaxed:
Larger bags will be allowed along with some liquids – such as toiletries, including toothpaste.These items may have to be placed in plastic bags so they can be easily examined at security.
Musical instruments will also be allowed on board again, after professional musicians complained the measures were hindering them.
This move did not come soon enough for J.K. Rowling.
Congress is very very busy. Much too busy to do anything like lobbying reform. Find out where your Congresscritters stand before voting in November, mmkay? At least they are finally working on a bill that addresses port security. They’re only 4 and a half years late on that. Oh, and a 700 mile long fence along the Mexican border, thus insuring that at least illegal immigrants from Mexico will be physically fit. Never mind Canada. Never mind the economic forces in Mexico that make it seem like a good idea to come to the United States illegally. Certainly never mind the employers willing to exploit these illegal workers. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Two items on education and stupidity, one of them news (“Study: H.S. dropouts face steeper costs”) and one of them opinion (“Are You Too Stupid to Enjoy the Economy?”), but both worth reading.
For your amusement, a couple of cartoons: thing one and thing two.
Apparently, writing in the Americas began 3000 years ago.
Whatever else may be going on in Iraq, “Iraqis feel weight of high prices, few jobs”. A choice quote:
“Economic development and the establishment of social order and public services … are the conditions which must be set that will result in the support of the local people, and ultimately cause the defeat of this terrorist-backed insurgency,” Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer said earlier this week.
We are talking about unemployment rates of 30-60%, CPI increase of 70%, prices of some essential items tripling since 2003, and average monthly wages of $200. It was not specified whether “average” wages were mean or median, nor whether the “average” included the unemployed. Either way, I think most of us would have a hard time getting by in such circumstances.
On the use of torture, we have The Myth of the Ticking Time Bomb.
I don’t know how many studies we need to say this, but once again it is official: the polar ice caps are shrinking, the oceans are getting warmer, and “greenhouse gases” have something to do with it. At least Honda is working on a car that works on pure ethanol, and a better way to make that ethanol.
Finally, Rest in Peace, Ann Richards. I am proud to say I voted for her. Twice.
the intent was for a seven hundred MILE fence… i guess with the tight budget they had to pare the project down?
Sometimes we make errors. This particular one has been corrected. Thanks for pointing it out. =)