At Last, An Answer?

Most folks just shake their head when they see the "solutions" that bureaucrats come up with for problems. Oh sure, the left wing thinks government is the answer to all things, but really, most folks are just bemused by the ideas coming from government. We may, finally, have an answer to actually two different things here. Why are bureaucrats so out of touch with reality and also, as a bonus, why the French are where they are, government-wise. A French civil servant - a long-time employee of the government - was complaining of weakness in his left leg. Doctors examined him and took a brain scan.

And found that, for all intents and purposes, that he had no brain. (And we are NOT making this up.)

Scans of the 44-year-old man's brain showed that a huge fluid-filled chamber called a ventricle took up most of the room in his skull, leaving little more than a thin sheet of actual brain tissue.

"He was a married father of two children, and worked as a civil servant," Dr. Lionel Feuillet and colleagues at the Universite de la Mediterranee in Marseille wrote in a letter to the Lancet medical journal.

The man went to a hospital after he had mild weakness in his left leg. When Feuillet's staff took his medical history, they learned he had had a shunt inserted into his head to drain away hydrocephalus — water on the brain — as an infant.

The shunt was removed when he was 14.

So the researchers did a computed tomography (CT) scan and another type of scan called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They were astonished to see "massive enlargement" of the lateral ventricles — usually tiny chambers that hold the cerebrospinal fluid that cushions the brain.

A Picture is worth a thousand words:

We may have this figured out.

Obama: Genocide Is Okay

Those of us who have been opposing a withdrawal from Iraq have been demanding that politicians agitating for it face up to what the result will be. We have seen all the dancing around the issue with nary a word on what a withdrawal would mean. Today we got that answer from one candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination: Genocide is hokey dokey.

SUNAPEE, N.H. - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot use its military to solve humanitarian problems and that preventing a potential genocide in Iraq isn't a good enough reason to keep U.S. forces there.

"Well, look, if that's the criteria by which we are making decisions on the deployment of U.S. forces, then by that argument you would have 300,000 troops in the Congo right now — where millions have been slaughtered as a consequence of ethnic strife — which we haven't done," Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"We would be deploying unilaterally and occupying the Sudan, which we haven't done. Those of us who care about Darfur don't think it would be a good idea," he said.

Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, said it's likely there would be increased bloodshed if U.S. forces left Iraq.

"Nobody is proposing we leave precipitously. There are still going to be U.S. forces in the region that could intercede, with an international force, on an emergency basis," Obama said between stops on the first of two days scheduled on the New Hampshire campaign trail. "There's no doubt there are risks of increased bloodshed in Iraq without a continuing U.S. presence there."

What "international force"? Would that be the UN sponsored sex slave operations? I would never, in all my life, have believed that an American politician would seriously argue that genocide was perfectly acceptable. And that we should do nothing whatsoever to stop it. If you buy the anti-war premise that we should never have invaded - I do not - then you still have an obligation, as a nation, to not leave things worse than you found them. This is the old "you break it, you bought it" theory. But to say that we should allow a genocide - or that stopping one is not a reason to be there, is, quite frankly, sickening.

I'll give at least some credit here to Bill Clinton. He at least understood that we could not stand idly by while genocide went on in Kosovo. What Obama is proposing is the diametric opposite of what America has stood for. This is sick. And sickening.

Best Argument EVER For Using A Cash Card

Sure, cash cards are convenient, banks and credit card companies have been pushing their use as being easier and safer than carrying cash. But here is the best - the absolute best - reason for not carrying cash: You have no idea where that $100 bill you're holding has been.

MENOMONIE, Wis. - Debbie Hulleman's pet dog Pepper likes to chew things. She's gnawed on lipstick canisters, shampoo bottles, ball point pens, toothpaste and now the list includes nearly $750 in cash — gobbled right down……

……While Hulleman and husband were on a four-day vacation in late June, she asked her mother in Oakdale, Minn., to take care of Pepper and Zach, the family's dogs.

Pepper got into a purse belonging to a friend of her mother's and chewed the cash from an envelope.

Hulleman's mother recovered some of the money that Pepper spit out, thinking she had it all. But when Hulleman returned from the trip and went to clean up her dogs' mess outside, she noticed a $50 bill hanging from one pile.

The family recovered $647 and swapped it for fresh currency at a bank.

"We have a $100 bill that can't be recovered because you need three-fourths of a bill and it is only half of a bill," Hulleman said, laughing.

The nasty chore of sorting through dog feces netted about $400, the 50-year-old dog lover said.

"It wasn't that bad. I soaked it and strained it and rinsed it. I just kept rinsing it and rinsing it. I had rubber gloves on of course," she said.

Yes, but you had gloves on. The rest of us don't.

The Wages Of A Nanny State

This could have easily been one of the funniest "Animal Uprising™" stories ever here in the Crabitat. But there is something so sad about all this that I really don't feel like being funny about it. Seven British schoolgirls, aged 14 to 15, who were participating in an orienteering course were dropped off a whole three miles from the school and told to find their way back using a map and compass. Pretty standard stuff. Everything was going along fine until the girls hit an obstacle they could not deal with.

A pasture with some cows in it.

Seven schoolgirls have sparked a major search and rescue mission - after being frightened by a herd of cows.

The terrified pupils, aged 14 and 15, were on a geography field trip in Swanage, Dorset, when they sent out an SOS.

They were dropped off three miles from their outdoor centre and told to find their way back using a map.

But the teenagers, from St Albans in Hertfordshire, got stuck on a hill when they came across a herd of cows in a field blocking their way.

A coastguard rescue team, police and an ambulance were scrambled to rescue them after one of the girls called for help on her mobile phone.

A Hertfordshire County Council spokeswoman said: "The children were concerned because they realised they were going to have to walk through a field with cows in it.

They were unable to figure out how to go around the field. They were unaware that cows, absent a bull in the field, are harmless. And they required rescue. One even required a trip to the hospital because she was "cold". Two others have "aching knees" and are resting rather than completing the coursework.

Britain is seriously in trouble if this is their next generation. They can not deal with anything out of the ordinary whatsoever. And expect rescue at the drop of a hat. The real world is going to dine well on the Brits. That saddens me to no end.

Tigers Invade France

It appears the French now have something new to surrender to: tigers. There are reports of what is believed to be a young tiger roaming about in the Bordeaux region of that country.

BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) - Police in southwestern France are searching for a big cat, possibly a young tiger, that has been spotted prowling in a village near the city of Bordeaux, the village's mayor said on Thursday.

Officials from the National Hunting Office have also laid traps for the animal after a woman and her daughter saw it repeatedly in their garden. (Ed Note: They have tiger traps on hand in France? Who knew?)

"At first they didn't believe it, but the third time the animal was 10 metres (yards) away from them," Pierre Soubabere, mayor of Saint-Louis-de-Montferrand, told Reuters.

This is not believed to be related to the Animal Uprising™. The animal overlords consider France too easy and beneath their notice.

Eat Your Heart Out Marge Simpson

Oh, sure, Marge Simpson has always sported a beehive hairdo. But doe it have real bees? A Pennsylvania woman almost had a real one.

BANGOR, Pa. - A woman was dragging a lounge chair into the shade of a tree when a sudden buzzing told her it was already occupied — by thousands of bees. "They were swarming like crazy and I ran into the house," Sheila Sabatine said.

Though the bees hummed busily about, Sabatine was not stung, nor was her husband, Larry Sabatine, who also inspected the football-sized swarm before the two called Bethlehem beekeeper Joe Kuka.

Kuka said swarming bees generally are not aggressive, though he added, "I'm sure if she would have sat down in that chaise lounge she would have got up in a hurry."

Kuka said there were about 10,000 bees in the 3-pound swarm under the chair. He said he was glad the Sabatines did not spray the bees, since colonies are already being diminished by disease. Kuka took the bees home, where he keeps 40 hives.

Diminished by disease? 40 hives? Second bee swarm story in as many days coming out of Pennsylvania? The first was from the Western part of the state, this one from the East. Are you beginning to wonder if something is not quite adding up?

California Tries For World Record Fondue

California has an entry for the Guinness book: World's largest cheese fondue:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A tractor-trailer hauling blocks of cheese erupted in flames early Thursday, turning much of its cargo into freeway fondue.

No one was hurt, but boxes containing hundreds of pounds of provolone, cheddar, American and other cheeses clogged the burned truck and littered the side of Interstate 80 north of downtown Sacramento.

"It went pretty quick," said truck driver Frank Barker, who pulled over at 3:45 a.m. when he saw smoke coming from under his truck.

Please bring your own bread and a really long fork.

Plame Case Dismissed

As expected by all but the same folks who insisted that Cheney was about to be indicted any second.

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds and said he would not express an opinion on the constitutional arguments. Bates dismissed the case against all defendants: Cheney, White House political adviser Karl Rove, former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Plame's attorneys had said the lawsuit would be an uphill battle. Public officials are normally immune from such lawsuits filed in connection with their jobs.

Is the 15 minutes up yet?

We Stand Corrected

A few days ago, we thought we had discovered the ultimate in Chinese counterfeit goods. No, not designer watch knock-offs or pirated copies of Spiderman 3. It doesn't get any better - or worse, as the case may be - than fake water. At least that's what we thought until today. They topped it, they really did.

They have a counterfeit Nessie. As in Loch Ness monster.

The Loch Ness monster has been the stuff of Scottish legend for centuries - and now China has its own version of the much-hunted Nessie.

A rare video, filmed by a tourist in remote Western China, has captured what appears to be several huge creatures swimming across Lake Kanasi.

State-run television station Chinese Central Television described the footage as the clearest yet seen of a legendary beast rumoured to live in the depths of the lake.

Two years ago, two 10 metre-long black creatures were spotted on the surface of the lake, swimming from the shore to the centre - but this is the first sighting since that time.

Chinese Central Television did not attempt to identify the animals seen in the video, simply saying: “This time a large number of unidentified creatures emerged, bringing more mystery to Lake Kanasi.”

Yuan Guoying of the Xinjiang Institute of Environmental Protection, has been on the trail of the unknown creatures since 1980 and experienced his first sighting in 1985.

He said: “They looked like reddish-brown tadpoles because I could only see their heads on the surface. They opened their mouths to breathe and their length was about 10 to 15 metres.”

Oh, and there is video.

As is usually the case with these kinds of things, there is no reference point to gain perspective. They could literally be tadpoles for all we know. But we think the folks who live around Loch Ness should sue for copyright infringement or something. Incidentally, scientists in the 1980s dismissed the creatures as giant members of the salmon family. Note to Sylvia: You'll need a bigger pan.

Viking Treasure

A father and son treasure hunting team in Britain has discovered the most important viking treasure trove found in the last 150 years. The discovery was actually made in January and kept secret until authorities decided whether or not to declare it treasure under British law. The find could be worth as much as £1 million. The finders, David and Andrew Whelan, would receive half of the sale amount with the landowner getting the rest.

Culture minister Margaret Hodge said today: "Finds such as this are invaluable in teaching us about our history. I commend David and Andrew Whelan for their prompt and responsible reporting of this hugely significant find, which will enrich our understanding of the Vikings."

The treasure includes 617 silver coins, complete ornaments and ingots.

Experts say it illustrates the diversity of cultural contacts in the medieval world, with some of objects coming from as far as Afghanistan in the east and Ireland in the west, as well as Russia, Scandinavia and continental Europe.

The single most important piece is the gilt silver vessel, made in what is now France in the ninth century. It was intended for use in church services and was possibly either looted from a monastery by Vikings or given to them in tribute.

Most of the smaller objects were hidden inside this vessel, which was itself protected by some form of lead container. As a result, the pieces were extremely well-preserved.

The treasure was probably buried for safekeeping by a wealthy Viking leader during the unrest that followed the conquest of the Viking kingdom of Northumbria in AD 927 by the Anglo-Saxon king Athelstan.

The only picture of the trove in the paper does not give much detail. The British museum will be the buyer of the find once they have raised funds to do so.

No More Good Nudes

Well, Brattleboro, Vermont has had enough. They passed an emergency ban on public nudity in most areas of the city, especially downtown or near schools or churches.

Officials in Brattleboro voted 3 to 2 on Tuesday night for a temporary 30-day ordinance prohibiting people from going about in the nude.

Public nudity made headlines last summer when the weather grew hot and a couple of dozen teens took to holding hula hoop contests, riding bikes and parading past stores wearing only their birthday suits. The disrobing has resumed this summer.

But many locals say it has gone too far. Some cite a case in which a senior citizen from Arizona strolled through the center of town wearing only a waist pack and sandals.

"We've received quite a number of complaints on this," Assistant Town Manager Barbara Sondag said. "This was brought up last summer … and kind of died down. Then a couple of incidents again this summer have got the issue to resurface."

Vermont has a live-and-let-live tradition, allowing skinny-dipping and nude sunbathing. Brattleboro, the first permanent English settlement in the state in 1724, is home to a community of writers, artists and musicians as well as transplanted entrepreneurs from Boston and New York.

Although skinny-dipping and nude sunbathing will stay legal in the state, doing the "full monty" in the middle of this town has now become taboo. A violation can cost $100.

The usual hippie sentiments get an airing, of course. But one should also keep in mind that there are perverts who get off on exposing themselves to others. Does Brattleboro want that, too? Are you sure the motivations of those running around in the buff are harmless? Are you sure the motivations of the people gawking at the nudes are equally harmless?

Frankly, I could not care less if people want to run around nude - provided they do so out of sight of others who do not share their proclivities. Forcing others to see you nude, whether they wish to or not, is not "live and let live" - it is being passive aggressive. You are asserting that your right to "be free" trumps their right not to have to look at your hairy butt.

Botulism Warning

The Food and Drug Administration is trying to get word out that certain cans of chili sauce may be contaminated by botulism The suspect brands, all originating from the same factory are: Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce, Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce and Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce. These have all been recalled. If you have any of these do not open or eat them. Botulism is deadly.

Two children in Texas and an Indiana couple became seriously ill and have been hospitalized after eating suspect hot dog chili products, the FDA said in a statement.

It warned that 10-oz cans of Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce, Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce and Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce should not be consumed because of the risk of botulism.

The products were made by Augusta, Georgia-based Castleberry Food Company and have been recalled.

Clostridium botulinum bacteria can cause botulism, a potentially fatal illness. Symptoms include dizziness, double vision, difficulty in breathing and abdominal distention.

The products affected by the recall carry codes that begin with the letters U-P-C, followed by 10 digits. The lids are stamped with "best by" dates from April 30, 2009 through May 22, 2009.

These products or any foods made with them should be discarded immediately, the FDA said.

Spread the word.

Tearing Off The Halo

Niall Stanage, over at The Guardian, writes a column that continues the de-beatification of saint Cindy Sheehan. The Guardian is about as true to the left as you can get in the media. And Stanage absolutely tears into Sheehan with utter contempt.

Even the American left's netroots are getting tired of Cindy Sheehan. It's a shame it took them so long.

Sheehan, the epic narcissist who became the face of the anti-war movement, has been banned from posting any further entries on Daily Kos, arguably the most influential of all liberal blogs in the US.

The Kossacks have pulled the plug on Sheehan because of her threat to challenge the speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, for her congressional seat……

……

Bereavement is no guarantee of wisdom. Yet Sheehan has been encouraged in her conceits, not just by opportunistic figures on the far left but by media icons, including America's most-overrated columnist, Maureen Dowd.

"The moral authority of parents who bury children killed in Iraq is absolute," Dowd declared in a 2005 column.

Is the moral authority of bereaved parents who believe the war was justified, or who continue to support Bush, similarly unimpeachable? Dowd was silent on this point, though her views can easily be guessed at. Sheehan, for her part, described such parents as "brainwashed". "They know the pain and heartache and they should not wish it on another," Sheehan scolded.

The inference - that anyone who disagreed with her could be motivated only by cruelty - was breathtaking in its presumptuousness.

Presumptuousness, though, is yet another signature Sheehan trait. Like so many people at both ends of the political spectrum, she apparently believes that centrist positions can only be arrived at through cowardice, ideological corruption or bad faith.

She has compared Hillary Clinton to the ultra-conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh and has asserted that "there must be an underlying shady reason" for Pelosi's disinclination to bring impeachment proceedings against the president.

Notice anything, though? Sheehan is supposedly marching right now. Read any major media coverage of it? Sheehan has been designated an unperson by the media, just as the media decided that Vets For Freedom are unpersons. They are blacked out, no stories will run. Unless they attack and remove the halo from saint Cindy, those are just fine.

I'm not sympathetic, incidentally. Cindy Sheehan is not bright enough to realize how the left used her until they used her up. She brought this all on herself. She began to believe she was important. Its hard when the fawning is replaced by verbal attacks from your old "fiends".