What would you suppose is the greatest breakthrough in public health? The discovery of germs, perhaps? Vaccines? Doctors washing their hands? Pasteurization? Nope. The Toilet!
It’s (not) all in your head: If a modern preacher in a mainline demonination suggested that you shun antibiotics in favor of trusting in the healing power of God, he’d be laughed out of most congregations, perhaps with an admonition that “God gave the power to heal that into the hands of doctors.” Yet one out of three people who confide in their preacher about diagnosed mental illness get a fast ration about demons, sin, and lack of faith! (Warning, there is an image that may offend people with too much time and not enough real things to worry about on that site. I’d apologize, but unless you are under-aged, I’m not sorry.)
Where have all the lenders gone? Well, banks have better things to do with the taxpayer provided money than actually lend it out. Seriously. I am hearing experienced Realtors grumble that “you have to have cash or walk on water these days.” However, just today President Bush told them “come on guys, cut it out already!” so everything should be ok soon. I have a nice bridge to sell you, cash only please.
Huh, that’s not what they said last time: The Republicans are warning that putting one party in charge of both Congress and the White House would be Very Very UhohUhoh Bad. Just in case we were unclear on this, Governor Palin reiterated the idea, explaining that somehow or another, it would lead to Gridlock! Funny, 4 years ago we were told that if we did not put one party in charge of both Congress and the White House things would be Very Very UhohUhoh Bad and Terrorists would rule the world or something.
The President and the Constitution: Commander in Chief?
TSA to see reason: The airplane carry-on ban on anything liquid may be lifted in 2009. Please keep in mind that the Europeans are already ahead of us on this one, and security experts have openly asked “if this stuff is so darn dangerous, why are we piling it all in one bin again?”
Oh no, there might be more high school dropouts if we expect students to learn stuff: At least that’s the warning bell being sounded by USA Today. Forgive me for failing to see why this is a bad thing. We have a lot of jobs in this nation that don’t really need a high school education to do properly. Second, the idea that “everyone” needs a diploma devalues the diploma itself. Third, the diploma needs to mean that a certain level of mastery has been acheived (and frankly, if you can pass the GED at 14 I am not sure why you shouldn’t).
Your dose of Tama: Stationmaster Cat Tama has been knighted. That medal looks pretty cool on him!
Mercurial: Cool pictures of Mercury, the closest planet to the sun.
I seem to recall having said this: Counting calories is making a comeback, because calories matter! Now, if only common sense would make a comeback as well….
The consumer is down: I think Business Week said it all when they said “The Conference Board said on Oct. 28 that its consumer confidence index has dropped to an all-time low, from 61.4 in September to 38 in October.” Wow. The Economic Policy Institute adds “American consumers shopped but have now dropped”. Unbossed points out that the real problem is crappy wages. This is apparently not true if you happen to be a football coach (here’s an idea for balancing the university budget, cut this number drastically!). And finally, the election as viewed by the homeless.
And last but surely not least: It’s Write to Marry Day. Thanks to Last Left Turn Before Hooterville for pointing it out. If someone can explain to me how my marriage can possibly be threatened by George Takei or Pam Spaulding I’d really appreciate it. Am I supposed to suddenly leave my partner of 17 years because I can kiss a girl?? Why should the gay and lesbian people I know who are in long-term committed relationships have fewer rights than [insert vapid and short lived but heterosexual relationship here]? Furthermore, this is not about sex. It’s about property rights and medical care and companionship and tax benefits and all the other stuff. Here’s what the head of the ACLU has to say on the matter. He’s writing from the heart.
Hey Shortie!
There is no justification for this except to attack, not marriage, but homosexuality. They don’t really give a rat’s ass about the marriage thing; it’s just a smoke screen to condemn gays. It’s the same as abortion – they’re trying to chip away at it bit by bit. Like the so-called ‘partial-birth abortion’, which is always done as a medical necessity, usually when there is no brain or brain activity, and is hardly ever done at all – there is no need for legislation for it; but they did it just to have some kind of anti-abortion law on the books. If you can legislate against any part of it, you have precedent.
It’s the same with gay marriage – they’re trying to have some kind of law against gays on the books, no matter the pretext.
The American Standard Corp. has a publication for installers called “The Plumber Who Saved the World.”
and while the treatment of excreta is of great importance the treatment of fresh water is of equal importance as some of the pathogens which used to more commonly plague (no pun intended) people were not always of human origin.
these days the preservation of watershed has become an equally important issue.
I heard recently that the world’s watersheds and aquifers are being mapped out. (I think NASA is involved in this)
Is not the rejection of medicine still a tenet of the Christian Science church?