Ali Bush & the 40 Thieves
This article takes a new spin on the Iraq issue and says that the action is all about Anti-Gravity. Apparently, the US has some new technologies to test out and the reason the UK & Australia are so in favor of joining with us is they want access to these technologies too.

It makes sense in a way, what with all those flying magic carpets they have over there in the Middle East. We can't allow Saddam to corner our market in Anti-Gravity!

France in Ivory Coast: "Blood for Cocoa"
I don't remember any UN Security Council decision on this action by the French....

State of my Psyche
I had a dream about the State of the Union address last night. At a key moment in his speech, Bush mentions that Sen. John McCain played an instrumental role in formulating Policy Such-and-Such. All eyes turn to McCain and he stands up and lifts both arms as he gives the thumbs up. In doing this, McCain reveals huge sweat stains at the armpits on his collared shirt. It is at that moment that the camera closes in on Bush's face and he grimaces, saying "Senator McCain, please put away those Weapons of Mass Perspiration!"

I shit you not. This is what I dreamt!

Jagged, Gritting Teeth (Part IV)
The tea warmed her hands as she held the mug to her chin. She peered through the steam that lingered on the lenses of her bifocals. Her face was marked with the lines and liver spots of old age. Deep channels of life and experience etched into the once smooth porcelain of her countenance. She put down her tea and reached over to the smokeless ashtray and after she brought her hand back up to her lips it was at that moment that she rejoined in communion with her life long friend.

"I should have taken better care of these photos, " she exhaled. "But for so long I had no wish to return to these memories."

A quick look at the fashions worn by the figures and one could instantly traverse the decades to a time long past and tastes long since abandoned.

"It was our first house, Rocky and I. You can see the neighbors house next door. They were nice people. Invited us over for many a barbecue and high ball. Czervenka was their name. I don't know, we were suspicious at first."

Each turn of the photo album - the black pages and the worn corner mounts (some missing) exposed multiple angles of a life from the past. Of lives from the past.

"Kids would run around the neighborhood. Dogs chasing them. Some being chased. Some with soda cans tied to their tails. I would have gone out and disciplined them myself if I was their mother. Too many kids able to run around, fall down, get hurt, cry a little, and then bounce back and brush the dirt off. I don't know. It was too much for me."

Every photo was an external shot. Of the outside. Multiple angles of each corner of the house - as if surveyors controlled the camera. Trees from the side, from underneath. Bushes. Flowers up close. The lawn in all its manicured splendor. Sunsets, sunrises, clouds, rain, rainbows. Buds, leaves, turning leaves, branches bare, snow. Parades and street parties. The turnout for a Soapbox Derby. The flags on the 4th, jack-o-lanterns, corn stalks, Christmas lights, and spring cleanup.

"He never had a chance to see the outdoors. Not for many many years. So we took pictures. Lots of pictures. Of everything he couldn't see from his window. He didn't look out his window all that much to tell you the truth. Liked to keep the shade down. Liked it dark. Liked it black. It made sense really."

The feline eyes peered back and mesmerized. Arched back. Stiff tail. Grey coat. Short hair.

"He was a nice cat. We liked him. Very gentle. Had to have him declawed though, or else he would pierce the plastic. That would have been a disaster. Then we had to give him up to someone else. At first it cheered him up, but then it became clear he did not want to see the cat around. He couldn't pet him. Couldn't touch him. Couldn't get near him. Ultimately couldn't love him. That's when he turned away and wanted him gone."

In each frame the father, a tall man, seemed to age mightily. Each frame saw him a little shorter, a little more stooped, a little more jaundiced. The lines of his face marched toward infinity. His eyes retreated ever deeper from the world.

"He was a fine man. I'll never forget his sacrifice. Every morning he would wake up and start the coffee. After 2 or 3 cups that was when he went to work. Mind you not work, as in occupation, but real work. As in keeping his son alive. He would light up maybe 5 to 10 cigarettes at a time. And just inhale and exhale. Inhale and exhale. Always blowing into that bladder that would then disperse the fumes into our son's chamber. We had to do this every day you see. It always had to be refreshed. I don't know. The system could have been better designed, but the doctor's didn't know what to do because they had never seen anything like it before. A reverse lung they called it. They gave us a mechanism whereby we didn't have to do the smoking, but my husband stopped using it soon after. He felt it was his penance to do the work himself instead of a machine. He was going to be the lung for his son. Inhale and exhale. Inhale and exhale. It was sad really. It aged him and killed him not too long after."

"So what ever happened to your son" asked the visitor from the church.

"Well, he got stronger. Gradually. We had to blow fewer cigarette fumes into his bubble. That didn't cut down our smoking though. We always smoked. Smoked from day one. Maybe that was what did it to him in the first place. In the womb and all. I remember those first few moments after I gave birth. The crying and the coughing. He was blue. They said he would gain color in short order, but he remained blue. And coughed and coughed. My husband held him. Held him close to his heart as he drew on his cigar. You know how fathers did that back then. Smoked and handed out cigars at the birth of their children. But it was just odd. Maybe a miracle though. Our baby stopped coughing. Each time his father exhaled he just seemed to get better. And the color returned to his face. Mind you, we still didn't know what his problem was. And it took a few days to finally pinpoint what was going on. I felt terrible though when it was determined. I smoked all during pregnancy. Maybe he took a liking to it while inside. Needed it like I needed it. The smoke. From that point on we knew he was going to be different. I cried for days when we brought him home. The doctors helped set up the chamber they designed for him. First it was a sealed room, and then as he got older we were able to move towards plastic. The environment could be better controlled that way they said. I don't know. It was all very tough on us. I cried and I cried. He was born inside out, my husband used to say. The good stuff goes out and the bad stuff goes in. He was just born inside out."

They talked for a while longer. More photos. The husband no longer appeared in them after awhile. The son grew too. Grew enough to get out of the bubble. One frame showed him sleeping in the backseat of a car.

"Yeah, that helped him out a lot. Our gasoline bill was expensive though. He would leave the engine running all night as he slept. I didn't want him to do it at first. I thought he was going for suicide. But I'd never seen him sleep so well the evening he did that. So that's when I turned the garage into his room and the car into his bed. It was the best I could do. At least it gave him peace and relief. And then soon after he left for the mines in Pennsylvania. He was old enough so there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't protect him any longer and I think he resented me in some way. But he had to go. Had to see if there was a life he could live. I'd get a letter from him once in a while. Always from some factory town. I sent him money as often as I could. But he moved around a lot and I don't know if he always got my letters. It's sad though. The life he has to endure. He must be desperate. I sometimes wonder what he has to do to stay alive out there."

The visitor helped store the photo album back away where it came from. She checked the thermostat to see if it was set correctly and drew the curtains. She closed the front door behind her after saying her caring good-byes. These visits were always bittersweet. The shut-ins oftentimes appreciated the visits. But sometimes the memories they recalled made them despondent. But they did appreciate the company - however brief it may have been.

She stepped down towards her car and marveled at the refreshing breeze that blew.

SuperSized Justice
Sanity has been restored to our legal system (albeit briefly). The obesity case against McDonalds has been tossed out. I will celebrate by indulging in a marathon fast food feast at the local Food Court.

Thought of the Day Regarding the Cold Weather
How do the Inuit do it?

Man in Black
Here's a movie of Johnny Cash covering Nine Inch Nails' Hurt. Personally, I am glad that Cash is doing well and healthy enough to continue to make music.

Pukin' Chunks
I forgot to blog about this earlier, but the 2002 Punkin Chunkin competition was held this past November down in Delaware. For those who do not know, the Punkin Chunkin festival is an event to showcase the machines man makes that are designed to hurl an ordinary pumpkin as far as possible. The overall distance winner was 2nd Amendment with a pumpkin shot 3881 feet of distance. Personally, I was sad to see Universal Soldier come in 3rd place with a shot distance of 3631 feet. I am glad to say that I have witnessed in person this annual display of American lunacy. Praise to Old Glory.

Letter to the Editor
Here is the text of a letter I forwarded to The Guardian. It is important that our European friends be held to the same standards and sentiments they employ on the US.

Dear Editor,
Many Europeans express favor with the establishment of an International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC, in the spirit of internationalism, would hold jurisdiction over the many different cultures, peoples, and nations of the world. Since this is the case, it is quite odd that the legal framework of the ICC is based upon European legal traditions. Surely an international body like the ICC would reflect and mirror the diverse legal traditions, values, morals, and mores found globally. In essence, the ICC, as currently established, is a New Colonialism whereby Europe would continue to exert its influence on the peoples of the world.

Considering the fact that there are more Muslims on the planet than Europeans, the "internationalism" of the ICC would be more clearly reflected if, for example, its framework was based upon the tenets of Sharia law rather than European law. The ICC could employ a council of ruling clerics to apply Sharia punishments for crimes found committed - punishments such as stoning, amputation, and beheading. Europeans, if they are truly interested in diversity and internationalism would have to allow the ICC to reflect non-European legal traditions - Sharia law being one of them.

As of now, the framework of the ICC reflects none of the diversity and "internationalism" that Europeans appear to cherish. Instead, the ICC reflects a jingoistic, colonial mindset which may in reality be more in tune with what Europeans want. Indeed, the ICC would only prove to the world that Europeans are not interested in the values and practices of other world cultures, but are instead solely interested in extending European culture throughout the world - in many places that do not want it. Indeed, the peoples of the world will be better off the sooner this nefariousness on the part of Europe is exposed and thwarted.

Cordially,
Jim Sellers
USA

Cut the Cake Already
Company birthday parties are very interesting. The Person of the Hour stands alone while the rest of the company stares at that person, waiting for them to get through with their little, "Thank You, You All are So Nice" speech. What is important is cake, that it be cut quickly, distributed, eaten, and the whole thing be done with in short time. Also, people stand as far away from the Person of the Hour as physically possible given the dimensions of the room where the cake cutting takes place. The doorway to the room is clogged with the most people - those preparing for an easy escape as soon as a paper plate of cake is handed to them.

Phone Call from Fidel
This is great. Two Miami radio DJs used a series of recorded conversation clips from Fidel and prank called Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. I need a recorded copy of these quips from Fidel. Somehow it would make ordering for takeout that much more entertaining.

Clones, No. Hybrids, YES
GM plans to unveil a fleet of cars utilizing the hybrid drivetrain platform in the next few years. Bravo. Lets hope fuel cell development is sped up as well.

Update: Good article on the recent developments in fuel cell technology

Mona Lisa XXL
Much has been made about Obese America, especially in the European press. But do they forget their own artistic heritage which routinely praised and adored the form of the well rounded woman? Or do we need also remind our friends of the portly kings and monarchs, statesman and diplomats all dressed up in their finest foppery? Perhaps Europe slimmed down because of the crash diets known as World War I and II. War, famine, genocide do remarkable things to one's waistline......

TomorrowLand
Interesting ideas in mass transportation. Imagine going to work in your own personal maglev monorail pod?