Reform Video Franchising Now

This sounds like a good idea to me. I think history shows that monopolies are not good for the consumer. If allowing competition into local markets lowers my cable bill, bring it on. Read the whole thing.

Vietnam latest news - Thanh Nien Daily

This guy has not slept in three decades. I have a solution: Make him watch Senate Judiciary Confirmation Hearings.

Amen

Tired of the hunting accident nonstory? Read this by Dr. Thomas Sowell.

The first revolt of the American colonists against their British rulers was immortalized by Ralph Waldo Emerson as "the shot heard round the world." Vice President Dick Cheney's hunting accident has now become the shot heard round the Beltway.

The accidental shooting of Harry Whittington, while he was on a hunting trip with Dick Cheney, has nothing to do with government policy or the Vice President's official duties but the mainstream media have gone ballistic over it nevertheless.

Spray-On Solar-Power Cells! Cool.

Scientists have invented a plastic solar cell that can turn the sun's power into electrical energy, even on a cloudy day.

The plastic material uses nanotechnology and contains the first solar cells able to harness the sun's invisible, infrared rays. The breakthrough has led theorists to predict that plastic solar cells could one day become five times more efficient than current solar cell technology.

I want one of these!

A new machine which washes, dries and irons clothes could clean up for a Devon student.

Comfort for the White House Press Corp

Read this: its about unhappy men after penis enlargement surgery.

"For patients with psychological concern about the size of the penis - particularly if it is normal size - there is little point in offering them surgery because it makes no difference," he added.

He said men often requested another bout of surgery because of their dissatisfaction.

The study said rather than having surgery the men should be referred for psychological counselling.

Fast food restaurant ice and toilets

Now here is a comforting thought. More ice anyone?

Wealth envy

Here is an great short article on wealth envy. This type of thinking has been around for a long time - all rich people are crooks. Sounds like penis envy too me.

New hybrid from Ford - could be revolutionary

Ford Invents Hybrid that is 300% more efficient than Toyota Prius:

Ford is developing a new form of automotive propulsion, and the implications for the American Auto Industry are huge. The Hydraulic Hybrid could be the greatest innovation since the internal combustion engine itself, and Ford is on the inside track with its F-150 Hybrid. New Tech Spy Has learned details about the system that are simply amazing and could put Ford in a commanding position in the fiercely competitive full size pickup market.

More trouble on the border

This is an excellent summary of problems on the border. As I noted in a previous post: which ever part latches on to this issue will will the 2006 election. This is becoming a huge issue. Read it.

Border Violence Alarms Chertoff. "There has been an over-100 percent increase in the last fiscal year in border violence aimed at our Border Patrol agents..."

H/t: Grim's Hall:

German Eatery Bans Babies

Dogs welcome but not babies. Check it out.

"Dogs would be welcome, it said, but 'here, children are not allowed in the evening.'

Via Lucianne

Rise in Violence Along Border With Mexico

Which party will be the first to understand that this could be the biggest issue of 2006? Want to win the election? Pay attention to the border.

H/t: Michelle Malkin

New research could take blame off obesity

No more guilt? Wow.

H/T Carol Platt Liebau

The squeeze is on

How would like to walk into the laundry room and see this sign posted?

'Vigilante killings' in Guatemala

Read this article and notice that the "human rights ombudsman" is concerned about gang members being killed and not the reason they were killed. He is meeting with the government; the same government that did nothing in the first place, which led to the "vigilantes" having to solve a law enforcmennt problem.

"The human rights ombudsman's office says there has been a big rise in executions in recent years and wants an urgent meeting with the government."

H/T: Florida Cracker

So Many Men, So Few Women - New York Times

I wonder if Maureen Dowd is included in this study?

H/T: Ann Althouse

The 10 Commandments for Muslims

From an Egyptian blogger: The 10 Commandemts for Muslims: Check it out.

NetFlix: I note this same pattern with my account

Manuel Villanueva realizes he has been getting a pretty good deal since he signed up for Netflix Inc.'s online DVD rental service 2-1/2 years ago, but he still feels shortchanged.

That's because the $17.99 monthly fee that he pays to rent up to three DVDs at a time would amount to an even bigger bargain if the company didn't penalize him for returning his movies so quickly.

Netflix typically sends about 13 movies a month to Villanueva's home in Warren, Michigan -- down from the 18 to 22 DVDs he once received before the company's automated system identified him as a heavy renter and began delaying his shipments to protect its profits.

The same Netflix formula also shoves Villanueva to the back of the line for the most-wanted DVDs, so the service can send those popular flicks to new subscribers and infrequent renters."

Read the whole thing.

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction?

I try to keep up with this issue but there is too much conflicting evidence. What is needed is a conference of reputable scientists to debate this issue. The public needs to hear both sides. Is there global warming? If no, move on. If yes, what do we do about it. Get the political hacks and the junk science out of this debate. Check it out, good article.

"A nasty little spat has arisen as a result of NASA's leading climate scientist, Dr. James Hansen, director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), speaking out on the Bush Administration's reluctance to begin imposing carbon dioxide restrictions to help slow global warming."

The end of an era - telegrams

I don't believe I ever received a telegram in my life, and I am 58 years old; I guess now I never will. Life goes on. Check it out.

Did you ever see a crop circle like this?

Profanity Alert! Check it out.

Can anyone say Photon Torpedo?

This is an interesting article on lab-generated ball lightening. Not that anyone would want to weaponize anything like this of course.

Our ability to generate such fireballs in a simple systematic manner may lead to techniques for synthesizing fireballs from solid materials,' explains Jerby. He even hopes that the lab-generated fireballs could be used in practical applications such as coating, deposition, combustion and energy production.

Mugabe rejects Kelo - reverse emminent domain?

Rejecting the US Supreme Court holding in Kelo, Mugabe to ask whites back in land grab U-turn

H/T: Florida Cracker

Want some head?

Check this out. Just another day in the life of an airport screener.

Time to buy that new HDTV

Digital TV is coming whether you want it or not and February 17, 2009 is the deadline.

"President and CEO Gary Shapiro in response to President George Bush signing into law legislation setting February 17, 2009 as the date U.S. broadcasters must end transmitting analog television signals. This act establishes a hard date for the final step in the nation’s transition to digital television (DTV). Shapiro issued the statement while attending the bill signing ceremony at the White House:"

Another stupid criminal

Why don't these guys just leave their name, address and where they will be. People like this call evolution into question.

Authorities were seeking Thursday a burglar who allegedly took the time to make coffee, cook and eat meals, take showers, pick out a change of clothes, watch television and check his e-mail while inside three rural Washington County homes this month.

Are you a fatty?

Overweight woman had to buy two airline tickets.
Feminist Reprise: Screwed By Southwest

International Rules of Manhood

This makes sense to me. Good list.

Wine 101

This is a cool site for wine novices like me. Good stuff, check it out.

The ongoing toilet seat war

A GAME THEORETIC APPROACH TO THE TOILET SEAT PROBLEM

Didn't this used to be called gym class?

Lack of access to exercise facilities, particularly in low-income areas, is one force that's driving the obesity epidemic that's endangering America's children."

A do-it-yourself neuroexam - no kiddding.

An interacitve self neuroexam. Check it out.

Take me out to the ballgame - but not at the Olympics

USATODAY.com - Baseball, softball out at the 2012 Olympics

Watch out for rampaging Christians

Police Say Communion Grape Juice Tainted - Forbes.com

Paid E-Mail one more time

Paid E-Mail rumors circulate on the web all the time. However, are Yahoo and AOL actually going to do it? Check it out.
More on this story here.

Do you subscribe to NetFlix?

If you subscribe to NetFlix as I do, you might find this video quite interesting.
"What goes on behind their walls is so secret, its Southern California location is kept from the public. In this exclusive, News 8 shows you what it takes to be number one in the DVD rental business."

Still looking for a few good men

Via Stategy Page. Cool site. Check it out. Jeez, we cannot even treat prisoners in Gitmo like that.

WWI photos in color.

Stunning collection of WWI color photos. Check it out.

Finally an answer for Mark Twain

Mark Twain once said , "Everyone complains about the weather but no one does anything about it." Now it looks like that is about to change and in the near future. Check this out.

A Bigger, Blacker GOP

Now I know why some black lefties are going nuts. Check it out.

Oh puhlease - not another one.

Via Varifrank: Another Hollywood intellectual sounds off on war: ... "because wars don't have happy endings". What does this mean Billy? What were all those people celebrating on VE Day and VJ Day? Using your reasoning, black folks weren't happy at the end of the Civil War.

Really fantastic photos of China

Impact Lab - Amazing Photos of China: "Forget everything you think you know about China and take a couple minutes to ponder these images."

"Lost World" of New Species Found in Indonesia

Great photos - check it out.

Tomato-picking robots.

Illegal alient robots in space! Picking crops no less.

Do the Romulans know that we have a "disrupter"?

An army of robots? Yes, and in the near future. Read this and this to get a basic understanding of what the future of war holds. This stuff was science fiction when I was growing up but then so were cell phones and computers and ...

How to Know When Unsubscribing Isn't Safe

Have you tried to unsubscribe from a newsletter or solicitations from some company? Click here to unsubscribe or some such instruction is the usual. However, once you do that you notice a lot more spam coming to your inbox. Here is very useful article on how to avoid that siutation and what to do about it. Read it.