May 28, 2006

Sea Tale

Here's a strange story: After four months at sea, ghost ship with 11 petrified corpses washes up in Barbados

Posted at 10:17 PM

May 24, 2006

Has It Happened?

Has bird flu made the jump?

A team of international experts has been unable to find animals that might have infected the people, the World Health Organization said in a statement today. In one case, a 10-year- old boy who caught the virus from his aunt may have passed it to his father, the first time officials have seen evidence of a three-person chain of infection, an agency spokeswoman said. Six of the seven people have died.
Posted at 07:58 AM

May 18, 2006

Isn't This Reason Enough ...

to close the border? KVOA News 4, Tucson, Arizona - Feds: Mexican boy dies crossing Arizona desert with mother

Posted at 07:29 AM

It's Just a Movie

BREITBART.COM - Ron Howard Answers 'Da Vinci' Critics

"There's no question that the film is likely to be upsetting to some people," Howard told reporters. "My advice, since virtually no one has really seen the movie yet, is to not go see the movie if you think you're going to be upset. Wait. Talk to somebody who has seen it. Discuss it. And then arrive at an opinion about the movie itself."

"Again: This is supposed to be entertainment, it's not theology," he said.

Now I'd like to see a movie adaptation of "The Satanic Verses".

Posted at 07:27 AM

May 17, 2006

Troubled Airways

TurnTo10 - Local News - Southwest Planes Turn Around Minutes From Green

Posted at 02:56 PM

I Have a Solution

Wired News: Under Attack, Spam Fighter Folds

Blue Security, creators of Blue Frog anti-spam software, has closed down rather than risk further disruptions to the internet by a vicious spammer.

I remember reading about a big spammer in Russia who was brutally beaten to death a few months back.

Any chance we could get the same thing done to PharmaMaster? I figure the hundreds of bloggers whose sites were taken down by this maggot would really appreciate having him put out of commission permanently.

Posted at 12:28 PM

May 05, 2006

Sign This Petition

If you or the other two readers of this blog are U.S. citizens, and if you feel that the RIAA is being absurdly overreactive in their fanatic pursuit of 12-year olds and grandmothers for supposed "music piracy", SIGN THIS PETITION:
EFF: RIAA Petition

Posted at 02:16 PM

May 04, 2006

More Signs of the Coming Crisis

FCC approves Net-wiretapping taxes | CNET News.com

"The first obligation is...the safety of the people," said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, a Democrat. "This commission supports efforts to protect the public safety and homeland security of the United States and its people."

Wrong.

The first obligation is to protect freedom. Any tinhorn dictator can provide public safety and homeland security. That this pissant doesn't get that is a bad sign.

Typical, but still bad.

Posted at 04:09 PM

Some Observations on Last Night's TV Programs

Has House, M.D., jumped the shark? They resolved Foreman's case by revealing it to be Naegleria amebic meningitis, and used the biopsy as the episode cliff-hanger. Will House find the pathogen first, or will Cameron cut open Foreman's brain?

They dismissed the meningitis with the throwaway remark, "He's been started on anti-parasitics".

The problem is, in medical history through 2002, only seven (7) people have survived Naegleria meningitis. The diagnosis is in 90% of cases made post mortem, and in the other 10%, pre-mortem, except for the lucky seven.

Here's a description of Naegleria meningitis:

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis is divided into acute amebic meningoencephalitis (AAM) and granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE). AAM is principally caused by N.fowleri in a patient with excellent health with prior intimate contact with fresh water, especially in summer months. The portal of entry is via the olfactory mucosa and neuroepithelium.
Incubation period is 3-8 days with acute and rapidly fatal course. Patient usually dies within 7-10 days of onset of symptoms. Clinical picture resembles acute bacterial meningitis.

So Foreman should have been toast. And Cuddy should have allowed autopsy of the cop, which would only have confirmed that Foreman was toast.

I am of two opinions on the return of the final episodes of Alias:

1 - I am grimly determined to stick it out to the end; and
2 - thank God these are the final episodes.

Lost? Lost jumped the shark when the 2nd group turned up. Last night's episode where all but one of the cute girls were massacred was just piling on. I am guessing that this is the final season of Lost unless they're planning on crashing another plane to replenish the cast.

Posted at 01:39 PM

May 03, 2006

Taser Gets Another One

Man dies after being shocked twice in Waco with Taser

Posted at 12:31 PM