Time to Listen Mr. Bush

I sincerely doubt that we will be out of Iraq before the end of Bush's term as President. He wants to be able to leave office saying that he didn't "cut and run". That will be his legacy and his legacy will be built on the backs of all those soldiers and civilians who are killed or wounded between now and Jan. 2009.

Friday Rabbit Blogging

Spring Has Sprung

Erythronium americanum Ker



Trillium



Narcissus

America-Hating Army General Speaks Out

Comments from yet another unpatriotic, America-hating, terrorist loving...err army general?

The Unpardonable Sin

Twelve years of Catholic School and I don't recall ever being told about the "unpardonable sin" - Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit. Religion wasn't one of my favorite classes so maybe I just wasn't paying attention. Maybe the nuns knew it wasn't a sin that can be committed today. I have no idea. What brings up this topic? The debate between the "Rational Response Squad vs Creationists Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort.

More about the "unpardonable sin" here.

Getting the Evildoers Straight

In Afghanistan the Taliban are fundamentalist Sunnis as is Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda gang. Sunnis are the majority sect of Islam (85% Sunni vs 15% Shi'ites). The guys that attacked us on 9/11 were Sunni fundamentalists. When the Soviet Union was waging war against Afghanistan, the mujahideen were our allies and President Reagan called them "feedom fighters".

In Iraq it's a bit more complicated. The majority Islam sect in Iraq is Shi'ites. Saddam and his gang are (were) secular Sunnis, the minority, who ruled the Shi'ite majority. Saddam didn't much care for Osama and Al-Qaeda.

Generally speaking, Shi'ites tend to be more fundamentalist than Sunnis. Shi'ites believe in a much stricter interpretation of Sharia law than do Sunnis. Overthrowing Saddam put the Shiite fundamentalist majority into power. The Shi'ites, of course, want to consolidate their political power in Iraq. So that is one cause of much of the fighting going on in Iraq. Shi'ites also want their revenge on the Sunnis. It's clear to anyone with a brain that a civil war is ongoing in Iraq and that is going to occur whether we stay or leave. The majority sect in Iran is Shi'ite (89%). They'd like nothing better to have Iraqi Shi'ites as their allies. Saddam, being a Sunni, prevented this from happening prior to his demise.

The Kurds are really a separate people. They are indigenous to the area where Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria converge. None of these countries like the Kurds. The origins of the Kurds is somewhat of a mystery but they seem to have Aryan roots. Saddam was always picking on the Kurds. Kurds are "officially" Sunni muslims but they "hold their Islam lightly".

Our "allies", the Saudis, are Sunni. Pakistan, our other "ally" have both Sunnis and Shi'ites with a Sunni majority.

Ok, so do you now have it straight on wh the "evildoers" are?

For a review on the origins of the Sunni/Shia split go here.

UPDATE: Geez, I almost forgot about the Iraqi Christians! They've recently been told to convert to Islam or die.

Can't Decide on Who Should Be President?

There is always John Taylor Bowles, "the white people's candidate".

He's educated....got an AS degree in "Applied Science".

He's got legal experience....as he's a certified paralegal and a notary public.

He's a good Nazi...

Became active as a National Socialist at age 16 years old in February 1974. Joined the National Socialist White People’s Party led by Matt Koehl, who was Commander Rockwell’s successor when he was assassinated in 1967. Between 1974 through 1977 assisted in the operation of a National Socialist headquarters/bookstore in Baltimore Maryland which sold pro-White literature to the general public. In 1975, was the campaign treasurer to Wolfgang Schrodt, who ran for City Council in Baltimore, Maryland and won the primary election. Mr. Schrodt was the first National Socialist to enter an American general election as a National Socialist. He received over 12% of the White vote. In 2003, switched membership from the New Order (formerly named NSWPP) and joined the National Socialist Movement (Jeff Schoep, Commander) and became the state organizer of Virginia.

He's got a plan to be put in place as soon as he's elected....

The very first thing I would do is sign an emergency Executive Order ordering all non-Whites to be respectfully transferred to their own racial homelands. Non-Whites would be reimbursed for their personal property and real property upon exiting the USA.

He's already a convicted felon, so he has that aspect of politics behind him.

Democracy is beautiful!

Leishmaniasis in U.S. Soldiers

US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are coming back home infected with Leishmanisis. Leishmanisis is a disease caused by infection with the protozoa Leishmania. It's transmitted by the bite of the sandfly Phlebotomus.



Leishmania promastigotes. This is the form that lives in the sandfly and is injected into humans or animals. Notice the flagella.



Leishmania amastigote. This is the form that lives in the human. Notice the lack of a flagella.



Phlebotomus (sandfly) is the insect vector of "Old World" Leishmania.

Leishmaniasis occurs in the "Old World" as well as the "New World". Both areas of the World have cutaneous (skin) and visceral (organ) forms of the disease caused by infection with different species of Leishmania.

The "Old World" forms are found in Europe, Africa and Asia. Cutaneous forms of the disease are due to infection with L. tropica or L. major with a "diffuse" cutaneous form caused by infection with L. aethiopica. The visceral form of Leishmaniasis is du to infection with L. donovani. Similar forms of the disease are found in the new world and are caused by different species of Leishmania. The different Leishmania species all look similar under a microscope and can best be identified using DNA or isoenzyme testing of the parasite. Otherwise, the geographic location and type of lesion can help one guess the species one is dealing with.



The life cycle of Leishmania is relatively simple. When a sandfly takes a blood meal, it injects Leishmania promastigotes into a human. The promastigote form of the parasite is taken up by macrophages which under normal circumstances (for most pathogens) would kill the promastigote. Unfortunately Leishmania protozoa have evolved to make the macrophage their home, inside a parasitophorous vacule. In the macrophage, the promastigote loses its tail and transforms into an amastigote. Amastigotes undergo rounds of asexual replication in the macrophage until eventually the macrophage ruptures releasing newly formed amastigotes to infect more host cells. Uninfected sandflies become infected when they take a bloodmeal from an infected individual. The sandfly ingests amastigotes which transform into promastigotes in the gut of the sandfly. Promastigotes reproduce by longitudinal binary fission, quickly reaching numbers that clog the anterior gut and pharynx of the sandfly. When the sandfly feeds again, promastigotes are dislodged and enter the human or animal host.



Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a somewhat mild skin disease that features a "crater-like" lesion. In humans the initial sign of infeciton is a nodule appearing at the site of a sandfly bite. The lesion eventually becomes ulcerated and then erupts.

A "dry sore" is found in those infected with L. minor and a "wet sore" in those infected with L. major. Most lesions tend to heal within a year if there are no complicating bacterial infections. Fluconazole, an anti-fungal drug, can be used to speed up healing of lesions.



Visceral leishmaniasis or "Kala-azar" is caused by infection with Leishmania donovani. Parasite-infected cells can be found in spleen, liver, lymph glands, intestinal mucosa and bone marrow. This can result in a very enlarged liver and spleen. This can be a fatal diseas of humans if not treated. Unfortunately, the treatment, pentavalent antimonials, is almost as bad as the disease. Treatment with Amphtericin B is also used also with harsh side effects.

America's Dumbest Congressmen

As ranked by Radar Online.

10. Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) Has little interest in legislation that doesn't involve baseball.

9. Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) Late for a floor vote at 3 AM in the morning. Actually...stoned.

8. Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) Crook.

7. Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) Don't ask her for her ID.

6. Representative Jean Schmidt (R-OH) One of my favorites, "mean Jean". Knows a coward when she sees one.

5. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Can't walk a block.

4. Representative J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) Looks as dumb as he is. Nickname

3. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) Only #3 on the list? How can that possibly be?

2. Representative Donald Young (R-AK) Mr. "Bridge to nowhere".

1. Representative Katherine Harris (R-FL) Couldn't keep a staff, but come on, Inhofe is so much dumber than Harris.

While you're at it, you can also look at the Worst Hair in Congress.

Creepy comb-overs. Macabre toupees. Misadventures in gel. (And that's just the women.) Radar investigates the eight worst trends in congressional coifs

My favorite category..."Crazy Old White Guy Hair".

Lil' Bush

Have you heard about the Lil' Bush cartoons on YouTube? Comedy Central is going to start broadcasting them next month.

The show follows the misadventures of Lil' George Bush and his precocious pals Lil' Condi, Lil' Rummy and the unintelligible, foul-mouthed wisecracker Lil' Cheney.

See more Lil'Bush at YouTube.

Yusuf Islam at 2006 Nobel Prize Ceremonies

Mr. Peabody Snoozes

He really prefers to snooze in his hutch.

The Time Has Come

Pumping commences tomorrow morning.

Red and Grey Squirrels

I always thought Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) were enemies. Certainly red squirrels are known for defending their territory. They barely allow me to live here. But the larger grey squirrel has been a problem in some areas in displacing the red squirrel. In any case, these two do not seem to mind sharing seeds from my bird feeder.

Huckabee and Evolution

Mike Huckabee is running for President of the USA. He doesn't believe in the theory of evolution. I have no problem with the fact that he doesn't accept the theory of evolution. What I do have a problem with is that he hasn't the faintest idea what the theory of evolution says.

"I believe that there is a God and that he put the process in motion," Huckabee said.

It sure is tiring reminding right-wing fundamentalists that the theory of evolution does not address how the "process" was put into motion. It doesn't address the existence of God at all.

It would bother me a bit if our next President didn't accept the theory of evolution. But it would bother me a lot more if he didn't understand the theory. I also have to admit that I have a bit of a problem with a Southern Baptist minister who is best known for losing 100 lbs. of body weight being the next president.

Kanien'kehá:ka

This morning I had a wonderful massage at NCCC. The massage therapist I had this morning is a native American of the Mohawk Nation. It's sad that Americans have so little knowledge about native Americans, especially those that are our neighbors in the North Country. I took the opportunity to ask a few questions.

The Mohawks are a tribe composed of three clans. My therapist is a member of the Wolf Clan. She didn't learn to read english until after the sixth grade because she attended the Akwesasne Freedom School. This is a K-8 school formed to preserve the Mohawk language and customs. The students go to the longhouse to celebrate the 15 holidays.

"Mohawks" actually call themselves Kahnawa:ke (Kanien'kehá:ka) which means "people of the flint". The word mohawk, meaning "man-eater" was actually bestowed upon them by their enemies either the Algonquin or Europeans. The women of the Kahnawa:ke have a lot of power. They approve the names of all new borne children and as Clan mothers they chose the members of the tribal council. Akwesasne (the reservation) means "Land where the partidge drums".

How much of this I get correct can be problematic. Akwesasne and it's people are spread out in settlements located in New York, Ontario and Quebec. Mohawks have their own problems in that in some cases there are two sets of chiefs: the traditional hereditary chiefs nominated by the clan mothers and then the elected chiefs with whom the USA and Canadian governments negotiate.

I don't know how reliable the information is on many of these sites that are not owned by the Mohawks. But here are a few links:

Mohawk tribe history
Mohawk Chiefs and Leaders (Hiawatha, Joseph Brant)
Akwesasne museum
Akwesasne Cultural Center
Akwesasne Wolves Hockey
Akwesasne Aeros Hockey
Peace 4 Turtle Island

Lake Placid Conference Center

Todays Plattsburgh Press Republican has drawings of the proposed new Lake Placid Convention Center. Much improved from the original design.

The new addition is in the foreground on the right. The white roof covers the original 1932 Olympic ice and in the background the girders of the 1980 arena addition can be seen.

Cell-Free Vacation Spots

Forbes.com has an article espousing places to go in the USA for a cell phone free vacation. There are 20 places listed and the Adirondacks is one of them.

More than 230 million Americans--some 75% of the population--use cellphones, and last year they made 2 trillion minutes worth of calls on them. And they use them almost everywhere: According to a wireless industry trade group, 99% of Americans live in counties where wireless services are sold. But peace seekers who want to really, really get away from it all for a few days by cutting the cord can still do it--if they look hard enough.

Some people really do want to get away from it all.

Here is what they have to say about the Adirondacks on their interactive map.

Adirondack Mountains, Adirondack Park, N.Y.
What to do: Many large chunks of the Adirondacks are without wireless access. Relax in the wilderness, including Adirondack Park, which is the size of Vermont. Enjoy outdoor activities such as canoeing, fishing and mountain biking.

Where to stay: Hotel Saranac, a rustic hotel with nice furnishings in Saranac Lake, N.Y.

Mission Accomplished Anniversary

It was all going to be so easy. There was just too much liberal naysaying. For a comparison of May 1, 2003 with May 1, 2007 go here.

"We know where they are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat." –Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, when asked about weapons of mass destruction in an ABC News interview, March 30, 2003

"I doubt that the journalists at the New York Times and NPR or at ABC or at CNN are going to ever admit just how wrong their negative pronouncements were over the past four weeks."
(MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, 4/9/03)

"Maybe disgraced commentators and politicians alike, like Daschle, Jimmy Carter, Dennis Kucinich, and all those others, will step forward tonight and show the content of their character by simply admitting what we know already: that their wartime predictions were arrogant, they were misguided and they were dead wrong. Maybe, just maybe, these self-anointed critics will learn from their mistakes. But I doubt it. After all, we don't call them 'elitists' for nothing."
(MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, 4/10/03)

"Over the next couple of weeks when we find the chemical weapons this guy was amassing, the fact that this war was attacked by the left and so the right was so vindicated, I think, really means that the left is going to have to hang its head for three or four more years."
(Fox News Channel's Dick Morris, 4/9/03)

"Well, the hot story of the week is victory.... The Tommy Franks-Don Rumsfeld battle plan, war plan, worked brilliantly, a three-week war with mercifully few American deaths or Iraqi civilian deaths.... There is a lot of work yet to do, but all the naysayers have been humiliated so far.... The final word on this is, hooray."
(Fox News Channel's Morton Kondracke, 4/12/03)

"I will bet you the best dinner in the gaslight district of San Diego that military action will not last more than a week. Are you willing to take that wager?"
(Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly, 1/29/03)

See what major news agencies had to say 4 years ago today about the Iraq War and "mission accomplished" here at Editors and Publisher.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

There is an article in todays Washington Post concerning CFL's (compact fluorescent bulbs) and domestic tranquility. The article claims that women complain to husbands about the quality of light etc of CFL's and are thus slow to adopt their use. I've been using CFL's in my garage and basement since we built our house six years ago. Over the last couple of years we started using them in the floor lamps that we use primarily in our family room. In the last year or so, I've started replacing all the bulbs in our overhead "pots", at least those that are not dimable. Now that dimable CFL's are available we will start using those also. Most recently, I've replaced the bulbs in our bedside reading lamps with CFL's that use only 9 watts. Those bulbs really are slow to warm up, needing at least 3-4 minutes before they put out 40 watts worth of lumens. The only bulbs in our house that will not be CFL soon are the really decorative bulbs, such as those in the ceiling fans, over the bathroom mirrors etc. Eventually even the outdoor spotlights will be CFL's.

So yes, all of the CFL's can take a couple minutes to full output. They cost more for initial purchase but last a really long time. Personally I have no problem with the color of light they output because lampshades can take care of a good bit of that. I imagine we are saving a fair bit on electricity but I have no idea how much. The savings can be significant however.



It's sad that such devices are not being more rapidly accepted among Americans. We can't be bothered to save energy or the environment because of little inconveniences such as light color and slow lumen output. What a pampered group we are.

Did my wife complain? Yeah, initially. But she is surviving.