Where Did This Come From?

This structure in Turkey allegedly predates Stonehenge by 6,000 years. How they can carbon date these huge rocks is beyond me as there is no organic "living" material in them. Carbon dating only works on biological specimens up to 50,000 or 60,000 years old.

Nothing to see here. More breathless speculation pushing the age of man past what Scripture indicates.

Honolulu

Theallet, des Garcons - you got designer clothes on

Rodriguez, Toledo -  thank God you don't wear Speedos 

Panichgul, Narciso - no need to pay as you go

To Honolulu

On a Hawaiian beach

Lays the nation’s biggest leech

That's where you wanna go to sun and drink Boudreaux

That big ass in the sand

Takes forever to get sun tanned

But there's no hurry! Go slow!

Four million bucks you will blow

Down in Honolulu

Theallet, des Garcons - you got designer clothes on

Rodriguez, Toledo -  thank God you don't wear Speedos 

Panichgul, Narciso - no need to pay as you go

Down to Honolulu

You got there fast

Air Force One you flew

That’s what you wanted to do

Way down in Honolulu

No Plantation Estate, the reservation was too late.

First Wookie sits by the sea

While her husband sets up to tee

And the Muslims romp so merrily

It is quite a sight

That giant ass of yours in the sunlight

It’s just like a frigging total eclipse

When the sun’s behind your hips

Way down in Honolulu

Theallet, des Garcons - you got designer clothes on

Rodriguez, Toledo -  thank God you don't wear Speedos 

Panichgul, Narciso - no need to pay as you go

Down to Honolulu

You got there fast

Air Force One you flew

That’s what you wanted to do

Way down in Honolulu

Now here's the real deal:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hopefully the 2012 tide will also wipe away the current administration!

Why I Carry

Written almost six years ago, the Munchkin Wrangler delivers a most excellent essay on the utility of firearms in establishing a civil and safe society:

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that's it.

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force.

The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.

There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations. These are the people who think that we'd be more civilized if all guns were removed from society. But, a firearm makes it easier for an armed mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger's potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat - it has no validity when most of a mugger's potential marks are armed.

People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that's the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.

Then there's the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser.

People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don't constitute lethal force, watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier, works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level.

The gun is the only weapon that's as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply would not work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn't both lethal and easily employable.

When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation--and that's why carrying a gun is a civilized act.

Set Toothbrushes On "Stun"

The toothbrush of the future may surprise you.

Some background, for anyone who doesn't subscribe to Dentistry Illustrated Weekly: the plasma brush isn't a toothbrush, but actually a tool dentists are hoping to use for two primary situations. The first is breaking up plaque; the plasma torch, though it's no hotter than room temperature, is excellent at breaking the bonds that adhere plaque to a tooth. The second is as a sort of primer for filling cavities.

There are certain kinds of cavities, according to Hao Li, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the Missouri University University of Missouri College of Engineering, that need to be refilled every five or seven years using current technology--and they can only be refilled a few times before having to be pulled. The plasma brush can prime a cavity for filling in sort of the same way pavers create those divots in roads before filling them in with new asphalt: it provides more surface area for the filling to stick to, and the research team claims plasma-assisted fillings could be 60% stronger than traditional fillings.

The Duck Of Windsor He Ain't

The Duck of Palma and his bride, Infanta Christina de Espana

The son-in-law of King Carlos of Spain is now a person of interest in an embezzlement investigation, according to Spanish authorities.

Inaki Urdangarin, 43, a former Olympic athlete who carries the title Duke of Palma, will face court as part of an investigation into accusations that a non-profit organisation he ran was siphoning off funds from the regional government of the Balearic Islands – Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

For the record, any woman of royal birth whose name is Infanta Christina has absolutely no business marrying anyone named Erkle.

The Noos Institute, which the duke ran from 2004 to 2006, is accused of misusing millions of euros in public funds.

Oh noes! Not the Noos?!?!

The case has made the front pages of Spanish newspapers for weeks, but a judge's decision to name Mr Urdangarin as a formal suspect took the scandal to a new level.

The former handball player, who is married to King Juan Carlos's younger daughter, Princess Cristina, will have to appear in court in Palma, the capital of Majorca, on Feb 6.

And this was the magic that sealed the deal for her... he played Olympic handball?

Hmmm -excuse me Your Royal Highness, I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Palms of Steel!

So, who is Erkle and what does he do? According to Forbes, he is from Sao Paolo, Brazil:

Inaki Urdangarin is 42 years old and serves as a member of our Board of Directors. Mr. Urdangarin is a former world-class professional handball player. He has also participated in three Olympic Games, winning medals in two of them (1996 and 2000), and is Spain's most decorated sportsman accumulating significant sporting achievements, and especially the affection of many fans across Europe. He held the important role of Vice-President of the Spanish Olympic Committee. He combined competitions with studies of Business Science.

If he played hockey I could understand her attraction.

After ending his sporting career, he began advanced management studies in ESADE, one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. Currently, he is a professor of business policy at ESADE. He has also developed a professional career as an advisor and consultant at La Caixa (a major Spanish financial firm) and Octagon, before he co-founded the Noos Institute, where he was the president until 2006...

...when he decided to tap into the fruit of the Institute.

Okay, okay, I agree. He is innocent until proven guilty. But for a Court to bring a member of the royal family under suspicion there has to be more than a handful, or palmful, of evidence implicating the Duck.

The Duck is being investigated for billing regional governments over 5 million euros for organizing sporting events and then diverting the funds to companies controlled by his associates.

More from Forbes:

Sustainable development and social integration have been some of the priority areas in which Mr. Urdangarin has developed his own professional activities for Telefónica. His sports, academic and professional experience makes him believe in the power of sports and culture as useful tools for social inclusion. He, together with other relevant sportsmen, international academics and CEOs, developed a foundation to study and promote the use of sports and culture to help those in danger of being socially excluded.

He's guilty as sin! Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
Anyone who makes a living from the Society For The Prevention of Danger of Social Exclusion has to be stealing someone blind.

Here's Spain's royal family. That's the Duck on the right.

Kim Jung-Il: A Creepy Dictator Gets A Creepy Funeral

These people act like it's Kim Kennedy-King-Ghandi-il being buried, not Kim Jong-il, a crackpot dictator who literally starved an entire nation. He had an army of 1.2 million in a country that has only 8.3 million men between the ages of 15 and 64. That's like 25% of all men of military age in the country were in the armed services. If America had armed services that large it would be almost 20 million.



Because this goof's father was named "Eternal President" Kim Jung-il was never actually the President of North Korea. He was known by many titles, the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea, and the supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and simply "Supreme Leader" - but not President.



The last time I saw people cry like this was when my grandfather died and a bunch of sobbing bookies threw themselves on his coffin.

Things To Do In Russia

Starving In North Korea's Fatherland

Apparently in North Korea common sense has gone the way of the 2,000 calorie minimum dietary requirement. Or else they're democrats.

Magpies mourn, are you listening?

In North Korea, tears are glistening.

He had a great ride, but Kim Jong-il has died.

Starving in North Korea's Fatherland.

The world may say we're over-acting

Our Blessed Leader they're detracting;

We're all in lip sync 'cause his shit didn't stink

Starving In North Korea's Fatherland.

Since he's dead we'll build a mausoleum

Make the sucker sixty stories high.

We'll bow before his lazy son Kim Jung-un

And kiss his wrinkled ass before we die.

Later on we'll be sneaking,

A grain of rice while we're weeping.

The revolt's undeclared 'cause we're just too damned scared!

Starving In North Korea's Fatherland.

On Donner! On Dasher! On Prancer! Oh Fenton!

Santa will be using Fed Ex tonight.

Merry Christmas!

If The World Hates You, You Know That It Hated Me Before It Hated You

As we approach the celebration of the birth of our Savior, we should bear in mind that this occasion is a time both of joy and potential deadly unrest for millions of Christians throughout the world. Christians in Asia and Africa are under enormous pressure as other religions and governments persecute the Church of Christ.

Radical Muslims in Egypt, Syria, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria and other nations have murdered thousands of Christians. Some of the oldest Christian communities in the world are in danger of disappearing completely. Much if not most of this is completed ignored by the media.

SYRIA - (pop. 22,500,000) - 2 million Syrian Christians have also come under pressure to join anti-government protests or face death. Several churches have been burned.

IRAQ - (pop. 30,400,000) - now that there a minimal American military presence in  Iraq, persecution of Christians is increasing. Somewhat protected under Saddam Hussein's ruthless dictatorship, over half of Iraq's Christians have fled the country since 1991. Under pressure from assassinations and bombings, less than a half million Christians remain. The new Iraqi constitution specifies that no other religion can contravene Islam - this does not bode well for Iraqi Christian communities, many of which predate Islam by centuries.

IRAN - (pop. 77,980,000) - there are approximately one million Christians in Iran and they are under fearful pressure from the Shi'a government. Muslim converts to Christ may be sentenced to death by Islamic courts. Conversely, this has had an unanticipated effect, conversions to Christianity are increasing. Pastors are routinely sent to prison for this offense.

EGYPT - (pop. 82,080,000) - Christians have not benefited from the Arab Spring. The Egyptian Constitution gives lip service to freedom of religion, but in practice it is very repressive. If you are born a Muslim you are not allowed to convert or marry a non-Muslim. This year scores of Coptic churches have been destroyed and Christians murdered while government security forces stood by and watched - even aiding the attackers in many instances. Egypt has the Middle East's largest Christian population, about 10% of 82 million Egyptians profess Jesus as Lord.

NIGERIA - (pop. 155,200,00) - Even though Christians comprise 40% of Nigeria's population and Nigeria has a secular constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion, many of Nigeria's northern states have imposed Sharia Law and in the process have destroyed hundreds of churches and killed thousands of Christians.  The violence directed against the Nigerian Christian community is even worse than in the Middle East.

INDONESIA - (pop. 245,600,000) - With over 85% of it's population professing Islam, Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population. A growing Christian population, now estimated at over 19 million, has prompted jihad. Thousands of churches have been attacked or destroyed.

Of course there are moderate Muslims who are appalled by this. In Cairo, some Muslims participate in Coptic services in order to forestall attacks and express solidarity with their countrymen. Others have ringed churches to defend them from radicals. But many Muslims are intimidated by the ferociousness and unrelenting cruelty of the radicals and by the government's apparent compliance.

But Muslims are not the only ones...

INDIA - (pop. 1,189,000,000) - Hindu extremists have murdered scores of Christians in the past few years and displaced tens of thousands through threats and intimidation. Several states have passed laws forbidding conversion to any religion other than Hindu. Experts see this as a way to maintain the forbidden caste system as many Christian converts are from the lowest castes. Christians comprise approximately 2.3% of the population giving an estimated Christian population of over 27 million.

CHINA - (pop. 1,337,000,000) - Since Chairman Mao's communist revolution, Chinese Christians have persevered in their faith under the most appalling conditions. The Chinese government continues to imprison more Christians than any other country. This is under the guise of enforcing the government's recognition of only one Christian denomination, the Catholic Church, and cracking down on evangelical home churches.

The Chinese maintain that there are about 28 million Catholics but experts estimate that there are between 80 and 130 million Christians in China and it is rapidly growing. All officially approved churches must submit to government control and officials see the underground home churches as a challenge to authority; they can be incredibly brutal in closing these small places. Many Chinese who wish to worship Christ in a non-Catholic/non-governmental setting are severely beaten and imprisoned.

Do we see a foreshadow of what may come here, in America? And if so, why are we surprised? The world is at war with Christ, always has been and we are now witnessing America's post-Christian era. Our so-called modern churches have diluted the Gospel into a social statement. Politicians no longer fear the Christian political base because, quite frankly, it is not nearly as strong as it was two generations ago. And it wasn't just Christians; there was a strong moral consensus even amoung non-believers that certain actions were reprehensible and not to be tolerated. That cultural consensus no longer exists.

Can we see the same persecution here in America that now exists in China? Who knows...

I *Heart* Purple Hearts

From Military.com:

HOLLAND, Mich. -- Pawn shops are big business this time of year, thanks to the holidays and tough economic times. However, one particular West Michigan store is generating buzz over a small treasure many consider priceless.

As owner of A-Z Outlet in Holland, Bryan Vandenbosch has purchased a lot of electronics, jewelry, and tools, but after almost 19 years in business, he bought something he never expected -- a Purple Heart, a medal awarded to U.S. troops wounded in battle. This one was earned in Afghanistan in May 2010.

"[The Soldier had] been in here the week [before Thanksgiving]," says Vandenbosch. "He brought it in the following week, I purchased it from him, and put it on display."

Vandenbosch says the active-duty Soldier, on leave from Afghanistan, was reluctant to sell the medal at first, but like a lot of people, he needed a little extra cash for the holiday season. So, the Soldier gave up one of his two Purple Hearts -- something he almost gave his life to get.

As word began to spread about the medal, Vandenbosch says the phone has been ringing off the hook with people wanting to help.

"I have people that have walked in already this morning that have asked me 'Hey, how much did you pay for it? I'll pay for it so he can get it back,' " he says.

Vandenbosch says that he refuses to sell the Purple Heart to anyone but the prior owner. He will not disclose how much he paid for it.

Prior to the creation of the Badge of Military Merit in 1782, it was common practice to honor only generals for their victories, not the common soldiers. The Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, General George Washington writes:

The General ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers, as well as to foster and encourage every species of Military merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding. Not only instances of unusual gallantry, but also of extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way shall meet with a due reward. Before this favour can be conferred on any man, the particular fact, or facts, on which it is to be grounded must be set forth to the Commander in chief accompanied with certificates from the Commanding officers of the regiment and brigade to which the Candadate for reward belonged, or other incontestable proofs, and upon granting it, the name and regiment of the person with the action so certified are to be enrolled in the book of merit which will be kept at the orderly office. Men who have merited this last distinction to be suffered to pass all guards and sentinals which officers are permitted to do. The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all. This order is also to have retrospect to the earliest stages of the war, and to be considered as a permanent one.

The original Purple Heart, the Military Badge of Merit.

Today's Purple Heart was designed by John R. Sinnock of the Philadelphia Mint in 1931 and is awarded to those who have been wounded or killed while serving in the US military on or after April 5, 1917. By Executive Order of the President, the Purple Heart was instituted on the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birthday, 22 February 1932.

Evolving Options

Iran has been a burr under America's saddle since 1979. Through their support and instigation of Islamic jihad they are responsible for the deaths of thousands and thousands of people including many Americans. In Lebanon, Kenya and Tanzania their support was behind the bombings of our embassies. In Iraq and Afghanistan the Irani governemnt has supplied IED's and other weapons used against American soldiers. Iran is also a major supporter of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations.

Iran has been active in this cowardly "slaughter by proxy" for over thirty years and, if various sources can be believed, they are close to developing nuclear weapons. I say it's long overdue that we put an end to this bullshit. Apparently the Pentagon agrees.

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said that the US military had reached a point where they were ready to execute force against Iran if necessary.

In an interview with US media in Afghanistan he said: "We are examining a range of options. I'm satisfied that the options that we are developing are evolving to a point that they would be executable if necessary."

[...]Leon Panetta, the secretary of defence, said this week that the US was prepared to step in to prevent Tehran realising its nuclear ambitions. He estimated that the country was only a year away from reaching its goal.

"The United States does not want Iran to develop a nuclear weapon," he said. "That is a red line for us and that is a red line for the Israelis. If we have to do it we will do it. If they proceed and we get intelligence that they are proceeding in developing a nuclear weapon then we will take whatever steps necessary to stop them. There are no options that are off the table."

It's about time.



One thing does bother me and it bothers me a lot. The *spit* President *spit* has allowed the JCS Chairman to say this while in full campaign mode and his popularity in in the crapper. Wag the dog time? Is this just another misdirection play while he trashes America once again?

Searching For The God Particle

This is an ATLAS particle detector. It is huge and there are six of these detectors located throughout the large Hadron collider at the CERN facility in Switzerland. The six ATLAS devices will hopefully be used to detect the Higgs boson, AKA the God Particle.

Silly me, I always thought a boson was some kind of Navy guy. They're pretty easy to find, especially late at night when they've been drinking.

In any event,scientists think they are finally getting close to grabbing one. What they'll do with it is anyone's guess. Hopefully the boson will be in a good mood and not knock them on their ass.

To Boldly Go Where No One Has Taxed Before

In a dramatic statement, scientists has announced that they have discovered new Earth-sized planets only 950 light years away.

Two planets orbiting a star 950 light-years from Earth are the smallest, most Earth-size alien worlds known, astronomers announced Tues., Dec. 20. One of the planets is actually smaller than Earth, scientists say.

These planets, while roughly the size of our planet Earth, are circling very close to their star, giving them fiery temperatures that are most likely too hot to support life, researchers said. The discovery, however, brings scientists one step closer to finding a true twin of Earth that may be habitable.

In a prepared statement, Senator Nancy Pelosi (D-Bankrupt) stated that once a truly Earth-type planet is found, Congress will, "tax those Trekkie sonsabitches so bad, they'll think a cosmic black hole is actually our Social Security plan."

A Dirt Nap For Our Buddy Kim

Reprising his most famous role, North Korean Dictator for Life Kim Jong-Il has now assumed the same ambient temperature as his famous look-alike puppet. Unfortunately for Kim, the puppet will fare much better physically over the next few months than Dear Departed Leader.

Things You Wanted To Know About Kim Jong-Il But Were Afraid To Ask.

1. He wanted to breed giant rabbits to feed the people of NorK.
2. Claimed to have invented the hamburger.
3. Had the unofficial title of the "Central Brain."
4. Wrote six dreadful operas.
5. Had over 20,000 movies in his personal library; his favorites were "Rambo" and "Friday The 13th"
6. Loved to roller blade.
7. Was very partial to roast donkey.
8. NorK propaganda states that when Kim was born, a double rainbow came out and Spring simultaneously arrived.
9. He built an entire city, Kijong-Dong, for PR purposes. No one has ever resided there.

10. Kidnapped a South Korean film director and forced him to make a Godzilla movie.

But perhaps Kim Jong-Il is best known for the dramatic reduction in North Korea's light pollution. North Korea is one of the world's best nations in which to view the night sky and myriads of stars due to the fact that there little or no electricity in much of the country as seen in the following satellite photo. Of course the nation is outlined in white else you could not see it at all.

Thank you, thank you Dear Departed Leader!