Real estate and dog whistles

One of the problems the New Zealand economy has is a lack of investment in the manufacturing sector. This begs the question why do investors shy away from such an innovative and world beating sector? The same reason that they invest in any thing, the get a better return somewhere else.

It turns out "somewhere else" is property investment. We have here no capital gains tax, we are one of the last developed nations that hasn't yet put capital gains in place.

Another issue is that overseas based investors seem to be entering the property market further driving up market prices. In some areas like Auckland, prices are inflated because of lack of land approved for residential development.

All this creates big problems in the New Zealand economy. First home buyers are increasingly being locked out of the market and the latest suggested move that banks tighten lending criteria to cool the market only makes this worse. More over Auckland is becoming a city in which it is too expensive to live in, the transport system is under pressure, as local bodies debate the inner city rail loop and traffic congestion flood main arterial routes in to and out of the city on a daily basis.

Seeking to position itself for the election in November 2014 the New Zealand Labour Party is offering to pass legislation to block real-estate sales to parties resident over seas. This may remove some portion of 7% of the market. Labour has also reaffirmed its position that will bring in a capital gains tax.

The responce from our Primeminister is pretty slimey, calling the proposed block on foreign real-estate investment "racist" particularly pointing to Asian investment. However the policy offered is blind to nationality or ethnicity. It would block Bono, or Bill Gates as it would block the CEO of Foxxcon.  Neoliberals will of course hate this policy because it defeats the progress of globalization. Globalisation is of course, a con. It inflates corporate profits by making the 1st world middle class compete with the 3rd world. This has devastated the US manufacturing sector over the last forty years. New Zealand's manufacturing sector too has been adversely affected, Today we continue to lose manufacturing jobs, 40,000 in the last five years. And with the failing fortunes of the manufacturing sector, so fortunes of the middle class who rely on manufacturing have suffered.

The effect of these policies will be two fold. Reducing speculators in the property market will reduce inflated property pricing and busts leading to mortgagee sales. Also the policy will make it more possible for first home buyers to enter the market. New Zealand will never be competitive as long as it is content flip real-estate among its 1%ers.

The second major effect is that manufacturing becomes a more attractive investment. We have people researching and developing new technologies. New Zealand is poised to do very well exporting clean energy technology.  Such technology will need investment to help bring it to market. More over these new technologies will add up to a brand new major industry sector.

The sector already has players. For example Zero Emission Vehicles manufactures electric busses. ZEV recently made headlines when it provided Kapiti Counsel with an electric rubbish truck.

Like America, New Zealand needs a plan to grow our manufacturing sectors. What we don't need is a failing ideology that's only successful at making the super-rich richer while making everyone else impoverished and livid.

The emperor and the dark side of the force...

Would I spy on you? In a heart beat!

Recent weeks their has been a public wrangling over what the Prime Minster of New Zealand knew and when in relation to the Dotcom raids of July 2011. Shortly after those Raids, Kim Dotcom held a public meeting, in Selwyn during which he discussed the broader circumstances of the raids (that we now know were illegal) and the charges against him.

While Dotcom was seeking to become a permanent resident, The Security Intelligence Service (SIS), had issued a certificate opposing his application.

In mid 2010 John Key, visits California, and talks to major studio representatives. The very next day the SIS certificate is withdrawn, paving the way for Dotcom to get his Permanent Residency status.

Once the PR status is granted GCSB had no legal basis to monitor his activities, but that did not stop them. And now Prime Minister John Key has pushed through legislation to make such monitoring of New Zealand Citizens legally permissible.

The problem with this is the GCSB operates under the auspices of the Prime-minister’s office. This is the path by which persecution of political opposition comes.

It is disturbing to so many quoting unwittingly Jospeph Goebals, the Nazi minister for propaganda when they say "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." Taken in its true context this quote is chilling.

Bradley Manning has nothing to hide, especially after they stripped him naked, made him sleep with the lights on, and look at what they did to him. While some people might call it dating, keep in mind at end of a date, everybody goes home, Bradley might be lucky to see photos of home.

None the less, there was national day action in New Zealand's  main centre, With MP Gareth Hughes speaking in Auckland.


See Also:
   Radio Live

The US fight-back begins

Had enough of this yet?

Slave wages hurt us all, as most spectacularly illustrated in Detroit, where the auto industry was saved in the 2009 bailout by reducing new-employee wages to 14-16/hour reducing the city's tax take and increasing demands on welfare programs thus driving it into bankruptcy.

The auto-industry is not the worst for low-wages, the fast food and big box retailers like McDonalds and Walmart pay so little (about $9/hour) that employees need state and federal support just to survive.

To make matters worse House Republicans passed the agriculture bill with industry concessions and dropped the SNAP provisions because what they wanted was so tight fisted they couldn't get through negotiations before expiration on existing legislation started to cost the producer industries money.

Surely someone must see, how this pattern of greedy behaviour is hurting America and the American Dream? Well, yes. And they are starting to push back and demand a rise in the federal minimum wage to $10/hour. This and a cost of living adjustment is supported by 80% of Americans.

If you are an American, contact your congressman and let them know that you support this too. They will move to make this happen quickly if they have to spend time taking your calls on this issue, rather than using their time to call donors for campaign donations.

Forget "crack" cocaine, Reaganomics hurts kids.

Back in the '80s there was public concern, and even the evening medical drama's included plot lines involving crack addicted mothers birthing crack babies. Some scripts even had babies that would not stop crying because they were coming down from the last high their mother had and were entering withdrawal.

However a long running study, examining these so called crack babies has completed and released its findings, the effect of in-utero-crack exposure is... negligible.

What was interesting was that study pointed to a much greater cause for failure to develop - Poverty.

Since then, Reaganomics, destroyed much of Americas manufacturing sector as pundits professed the great new hope of America's economic landscape "services". Especially, financial services, insurance, banking and investment.  But for some this was double speak, for predatory lending, gambling on Wall Street and by 1999 this meant with depositors money. Bain Capital is one such company, that bought companies and low low prices, loaded them up with debt, arrangments which were stable as long as the business maintained orders for production. But as competition out sourced it became harder to compete with cheap 2nd and 3rd world imports. So such manufacters closed. and the investment bankers laughed all the way to their Camen Islands banks, on the sale of the plant, land and buildings that gave people place to make friends, build things and earn a living.


This week the City of Detroit filed for bankruptcy. If America doesn't build a plan revitalise US manufacturing, Detriot will be just the beginning, the rest of America will be next.

While I have started this post with the US as the exemplar, New Zealand has many of the same issues. We call Reaganomics "Rogernomics", after The finance minister Sir Roger Douglas. He didn't his knighthood until after he set in motion a similar  wave of outsourcing, manufacturing receivership's and shutdowns.

Also this week our Ministry of Health as stated the proposed drug testing regime will cost $14m while it will save only $6m. From memory, this much better than Florida's experience.

But still the narrative survives. The poor are painted as addicts, as governments spend more money that it saves to drug test the jobless.  Clearly is easier to blame poverty on the poor, than accept responsibility for stealing their opportunities, freedom, and even there dignity.
See also
  Philly.com

Are we stuffed on inequality?

Fairfax media might seem to think so. So much so concerned staff are leaking they they have been told ignore visiting UK Professor Robert Wade.  Stuff.co.nz and Dominion Post publishers are said to have barred staff from contacting Professor  Wade.

Let's why they might like to not give Professor Wade column inches, well he did say Capital Gains taxes should get more attention. Calling the fact that we don't have capital gains "outrageous". It is like he criticizing a plumber in a flooded bathroom for not turning off the spigot. At in regard to the over inflated property market. Now they could not possibly want people hearing about a tax that would stabilize property values because there is a slim chance it might hurt the margins of property speculators and investors. And you can almost be certain the top brass at Fairfax have property investments and any talk of capital gains would knock wind out of the property market as investors shy away from uncertain returns. Never mind upsetting realstate advertisers.

Professor Wade commented “And, I mean, it is I think quite outrageous that in New Zealand there's no capital gains tax… But of course if you have a situation where economic policy is being made by the top 1% for the top 1%, then the last thing you're going to get is political movement towards a capital gains tax,”

See also
   NBR
   FearFactsExposed

Shake rattle and roll, then spill?

At 9:06 this morning my chair started wobbling, the phone cable on the wall started swinging, and my flat(apartment) started creaking. No, this was not a burrito escaping captivity. Some 30kms East of Seddon a minor fault line let loose a M5.7 earthquake from 8km below the seafloor.

The quake was felt from Taranaki, to Christchurch.  The location of the quake puts it in the region where Anadarko has permits for exploratory drilling. After today, this seems even more stupid than it already appeared given that it will take months just to get the contingency resources in place on top of the weeks of drilling for a relief.

Spot the quake location and its proximity
to Anadarko's hunting ground.

To make matters worse they are insured for NZ$30m of cleanup costs. The grounding of the Rena clear show that this would wholly inadequate.

To many, especially in Wellington, this project is the poster child for stupid, Just for the risk presented to the fishing and tourist industries alone.

North East of the quake location lie the Kaikouras, a region known for whale watching, it may seem strange, but tourists don't come here to see gassed whales covered in crude oil and Corexit.

It is not well known among the public that spilled oil treated with Corexit is much more toxic than floating crude. But the problem for aquatic mammals is that the oil off-gasses volatile components. These components are corrosive to organic tissues, particularly, found in lungs. Of the many photos taken in the gulf of Mexico, at least one captures a whale with a huge blood clot near its blow hole. Photos taken in the same location days later show a dead whale. This is not the sort of thing we want to be showing tourists.

We would also like to be eating locally caught fish, partly because we have one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. Recreational fishing also generates business, and this too would be damaged in the event of a major spill.

But also what we have here is Big Oil pissing on our leg and telling us it is raining.  Fuel prices here are among the highest as a portion of household income, even though they are "middle of the road" in $/litre. In part because any little thing becomes an excuse to raise prices, but they never seem to drop all the back.  To be fair there real pressure though they like to deny it, because this is the post peak oil era. The Oil industry will cease to exist in the next decade or it will go down with the rest of civilization having created the volatile climate that will wreck them both. That pressure may yet see, Big Oil sacrificed to save civilisation, so in the mean time they are making hay while the sun shines. Customers sort of understand oil is harder come by and accept the pump price offer because they feel there is nothing they can do about it.

But there is, a suitable mixture of filtered use cooking oil and alcohol is cheaper. Paying the road user changes gets to be a little inconvenient, keeping track of the odometer, filling in a form, cutting a cheque, or other payment method. But since used cooking oil is derived from plant sources it adds little CO₂ to the atmosphere. UK residents have been on to this for a while. Often getting pulled over as police on traffic duty noticed the take-away odours coming from the exhaust. And checking up on payments for road user taxes.

A new hope in reproductive technology

Prospective parents hoping to avoid downs syndrome may eventually get a treatment option on top Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis(PGD).
PGD offers only the ability to reject embryos with adverse genetic variations or alleles, but according to Scientific American, researchers have been able to shut down the extra chromosome by adding a extra gene. Thus making the genes responsible for Down's Syndrome silent or non-expressive.  This may be very important for parents who struggle to produce eggs or produce ova that are all affected. Given the difficulty of the preparation for an invitro cycle this may save couples a lot of grief, extra cycles and extra cost.

More...
   Scientific American

Are Republicans the new Sodomites?!

Not being one to use bronze age fiction as a tool for examining serious issues, this was a little surprise, knowing how much Republicans like to bash diverse minorities using such archaic literature.

But while looking for material to add to an article about a story from Cameroon about an LGBT advocate found tortured and murdered in his home, I found what the King James actually says about gay people about one of the easiest ethical questions of substance on the planet. The answer will be a surprise to many.

Genesis 9:24 "And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him."

Ooo, he saw his dad passed out drunk and naked and covered him with a robe, that is so gay. ARE YOU SERIOUS! - The ball was in - [Gunshots- pop, Pop-pop]. [P.A.] Mr MacInroe one penalty arguing with umpire, Please leave the court.

Genesis 13:13 "But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly."

Notice the distinct lack of reference to committed gay relationships. This is because the text is referring to the use of sexual violence against the poor and immigrants. Indeed, later we will see what Sodomites really did to piss off grumpy chops. Keep in mind the act of sodomizing visitors was an attempt to discourage visitors who might enjoy traditional hospitality during a drought. Just the same way Republicans are loathed to bring in Immigration reform and are only doing so to help their chances in 2016. Of course, they are not going to make it easy, more fences, and armed guards, any opportunity to deport them will be gleefully entertained. If you get in, you're gonna be our bitches:

Genesis 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

19:2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

19:4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

19:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

Yeah, this is the Old Testament, so El delivers bitch-pudding, but still not a word about guys who just like each other "that way".

Genesis 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 

Sporting and mocking may not be what they seem, these words are used as translations of the same Hebrew word. This hebrew word may in fact be better translated to "fondling". (Source Jonathan Kirsch's The Harlot By The side of the Road).

Genesis 26:8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

Genesis 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

Leviticus gives two of the more common passages offered in support of homophobia:

Leviticaus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Note the passages prior to the above prohibit adultery, human sacrifice of children to Molech, or talking smack about the big guy. The immediately following passage prohibits bestiality. All these things were practised by pagan worshippers using ritual and sympathetic magic to invoke Ba'al to bring fertility to the land, their stock and themselves. The intent of this passage is to distinguish Hebrew religious practice from those of the Pagans. This becomes particularly clear when the Hebrew word translated to "abomination" is better understood to translate to "ritual abomination", and is clearly distinct from other kinds of abomination.  If anything this passage represents religious bigotry rather than anti-gay bigotry.

Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Yeah, we get it, worshipping Molech or Ba'al is just not Jewish enough.

Deuteronomy 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

Seriously, we got it first and second time. Yikes, El, you're so bitchy when you're jealous!

Ruth 1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

So, Lesbians, no problems here?   El doesn't seem to mind. Moving on, 1^st and 2^nd Samuel celebrates the relationship of David and Jonathan.

1 Samuel 18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

18:2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

18:4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

Further:

1 Samuel 20:3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

20:4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.

20:5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

20:6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

20:7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.

20:8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

20:9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?

20:10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

20:11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

20:12 And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;

20:13 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

20:14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:

Turns out one of these lad's dads, Saul, who is a Republican Senator, home from voting for an illegal genocidal and racist war against the Amalekites, doesn't like his son's friend.

1 Samuel 20:30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?

Little does Saul know there has been a generational change in attitudes, and his intolerance will be outdated...

1 Samuel 23:16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

For a close couple like David and Jonathan what better way to celebrate victory in battle than a bit of that good lovin'

2 Samuel 1:26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

El is still jealous and otherwise pissed with social darwinist anarcho capitalists...

1 Kings 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

So he's really pleased when Asa, David's son, kicks their asses in a war of liberation type invasion, Like when FDR used the National guard to defend striking dockworkers being attacked by paid thugs and screwed during pay negotiations.

1 Kings 15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

Jehoshaphat, who is Asa's son and David's grandson, maintains the liberal revolution.

1 Kings  22:43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

1 Kings 22:46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.

 Jahonadab appears to hook up with Jehu, a boy friend perhaps.

10:15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot

10:16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

10:17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.

Josiah delivers another pounding to rightwingers, and El is happy.

2 Kings 23:7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

El talks about what he believes is wrong with Sodomites. Gay sex doesn't feature highly, not worth mentioning really, so he doesn't bother. 

Isiah 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

1:12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

1:13Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

1:15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Like the modern neoliberals the Sodomites did not hide their ways they were ripping off the poor for their greed which they worshipped by chanting "Greed is good". El has already mention how he "had it upto here" with their "ablations" (El likes Barbeque but even he has his limit, especially when others are going hungry).

Isiah 3:9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

The neoliberal policies of Sodom and Gomorah, were implemented in Jeruselem, just as Reaganomics was implemented in the UK by Thatcher or in New Zealand as Rogernomics. Anyway El has plans for the Oligarch(1%ers)

Jeremiah 23:14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

23:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.  

If your kid is a jack-ass money-lender charging interest, a thief, a murderer, an adulterer, beats up on poor people in Investor magazine or swings his baton into Occupy Wall Street Protestor's while banging their heads into glass doors,  or loves idols like national flags or the Don's toupee, throw rocks at them, says El.

Jeremiah 18:10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,

18:11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,

18:12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

18:13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

Seriously the GOP, are pissing off their invisible friend, Tornado Ally and the deep red states a coincidence? Obviously text is not getting the message across.

Jeremiah 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy

16:50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.

Still stink on adultery even if you're in gay relationship

Jeremiah 33:26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?

El Doesn't like it when people blow him off, to put themselves first...

Daniel 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

 Mini El, doesn't give a toss about what a guy and his Centurion do in private.

Mathew 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,  
8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 
8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.  
8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 
8:9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.  
8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.  
8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 
8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Mini El, says, I fucked the conservative oligarchy of Sodom and Gomorrha, and I'll do worse to these other fascists...

Mathew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Mini El, seems to be saying the gender-variant are born and made, either way he's cool with that...

Mathew 19:12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Again Mini El, confirms his "I eat fascists for breakfast attitude"...

Luke 10:10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

10:11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10:12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

Actually, Mini El, confesses he kind-o' likes gay folks, inviting them to drop by when they're in his neighbourhood.

Luke 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.  

17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

 Mini El, has a boyfriend?

John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

13:24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

13:25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

Mini El, takes his boy friend home to meet Mom.

John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Mini El, Gets a PDA at dinner

John 21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

Philip Baptizes a gay Ethiopian.

Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.  
8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 

Paul seems to be missing the point here. But it is not like he ever had form for being a people person, who does he think he is to screwing around with the bosses agenda? ...

Romans 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

This bit doesn't mean what you think it means. "with family love" is a better translation of the Greek translated to "without natural affection". That said you have to be a special kind of Randbot to be an ignorant, flip-flopping, sociopath, immune to reason and compassion.

Romans 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Paul hates the trangenderred, Mini El would be so disapointed, (see Mathew 19:12). That said, how many years have passed when GOP members haven't screwed up in the rest of this list.

1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 

6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Another don't-be-a-jack-ass list, if other passages are anything to go by, sleeping around is bad news gay or straight.

1 Timothy 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Ripping the pissy full-of-crap, warmongering xenophobic Randbot Sociopaths and psychopaths again.

2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Tell us again how El deals with rightwing Conservatives and why he says they had it coming...

2 Peter 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

So what should Paul Ryan expect?

Jude 8:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Yeah, the GOP aren't seeing heaven any time in the future...

Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

"John" which ever one it was, uses "dogs" to refer to the cult prostitutes prohibited in Leviticus 18:22.

Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

So lads, what ever you are doing to entertain your boyfriend, as long as you're not worshipping Ba'al, bringer of spring winds, you're sweet - unless you voted Republican.

[ADDENDUM]
Someone in the facebook audience seemed to think their was a lot of hate in this article. Many throughout history have observed that appeasing evil is evil. While the biblical characters were quite accustomed to hate, with all the stoning, poisoning and the genocide, No one here is advocating any of the bible prescription for meating rough justice. Republicans may be bat-shit crazy monutentally ignorant xenophobic elitist ass-hats, but to misquote the Riddler "if you kill 'em they wont learn nofin'."

See also:
   Cameroon activist tortured, killed

GE can do good - sometimes.

Today on my facebook feed was a story for ThinkProgress about GE's new extra efficient wind turbines. These new turbines have new features putting them a big leap ahead of their competition. They can provide output that better matches demand, in part because they have batteries which allow responsive output that can participate in frequency regulation. This ability means that energy delivered by these turbines is twice as valuable in the electricity market as that produced by gas or coal fired plants or even other wind turbines.
When GE get busy in their core business they certainly can do wonderful stuff, for which they should be applauded. Notice the small black spot above the generator housing, that's an engineer - these things are massive!

But another arm of the GE empire still leaves a sour taste. GE Money's business practises leave something to be desired, causing some to accuse GE Money of predatory leading and dishonest advertising practises.

See Also
  Think Progress - Totally cool new wind turbine
  Better Business Bureau - GE Money Bank

Who is Leah Remini?

Someone is preparing to give their answer to this question, so be prepared to see the content of Leah Remini's auditing folder, knowledge reports, and perhaps some fictions the Church of Scientology is about to make. Even though they have denied connection to the registration of internet domain name whoisleahremini.com.

It looks like Leah may be fair gamed. And it is not the first time they have gone after an A-lister. Lisa Marie Presley referred to "intel" and "covert ops" after she moved to her country house to get away from them.

While Kirsty Ally credits Reading Dianetics with helping her break her cocaine addiction, Perhaps it is more valuable to consider the power of her own mind to allow her to change her behaviour, to seek help, and supportive community. Naturally almost any support and community supporting addicts to change their behaviour will be some what effective. But Kirsty's story is merely anecdotal. and says little about the value of Dianetics or Scientology.

Clearly, the story of Lisa McPherson, speaks clearly of the dangers of the operations of Scientology known as Narconon.  The medical examiner described her case as the worst case of dehydration that he had ever seen. before being bulied into list her cause of death as accidental.

The behaviour of the "Church" is typical of failing cults.  Having a membership of perhaps 25,000 or lower, down from 55,000 in 2001, a recent seminar to which all members are expected to attend only had 10,000 participants, after spending $400,000 in marketing for the event. Many who have left the cult still call them selves Scientologists. Contrast that with Anonymous organizing anti-Scientology protests with 10,000 participants, while spending $0 on marketing.

Only 7% of Americans consider Scientology a religion. Which is encouraging.

Zimmerman Acquited

Well the news of the jury verdict is out, George Zimmerman has been acquitted of being Hispanic. Defence counsel were celebrating the victory saying just examine is name he's clearly a European Jew. Media commentators observers and the prosecution claimed the 29 year old Florida man has DNA, complexion, and skeletal features that are clearly the stamp of his Hispanic ethnic origin.

Observers of the case say the prosecution started strong saying "Just look at him, if you knew nothing else about him, you'd swear he came to Florida on a speed boat with half a tonne of cocaine." But later Jury experts say the jury got confused after a prosecution expert witness testified to being a scientist and appeared to be considering convicting the witness but did know what for as the witness was of Caucasian descent, and as one juror put it "those people never do anything wrong, except that one time in Boston."

Many protests have happened through out America, and despite predictions by rightwing commentators like Rush Limbaugh, most protests have been peaceful. The President has called for calm which seems at odd with Limbaugh's assertions that an acquittal would see the announcement of a final solution to rid America of the scourge of white people running Wall Street and stealing homes from working Americans like Homer Simpson who once became so obese he had to work from home and collect disability but eventually had to leave the grunt work to a bobbing bird toy.

See Also
   The Guardian

An end to cancer gets closer

A holy grail of cancer research is about to enter human trial in 2014. A newly developed antibody that blocks a protein called CD47 allows macrophages to do the detective work need to inform killer T-cells to perform signature strikes on cancer cells.

The CD47 protein acts like a smoke screen preventing the macrophages from taking samples to report the threat of cancer cells.

See also
   New York Post

Malala Yousafzai at the UN

Malala Yousafzai spoke at the UN last week, her message, "the pen is mightier than the sword" She was speak up for 50 million children around the would who have no access to education.

No suitably educated population can tolerate the likes of the Taliban who exploit ignorance and fear to advance their agenda of mafia like control. Such a society would move swiftly against those who would try, but more powerfully the ideas they promote would be rejected out of hand, so those who cling to such ideas would be seen as kooks.

Escape from Scientology: Leah Remini

Actress Leah Remini, has escaped from The Church of Scientology(CoS) after the the organization's perverse reaction to her question about the whereabouts of David Miscavige's wife, Shelley, who was not present at the celebration of Tom-Kats wedding. They when all "mind control" on her.

Congratulations Leah, you escaped one of the US most successful cults. No doubt they now have an OSA folder all set up for you, and they will be coming after you. Keep in mind anything embarrassing you have said in your auditing sessions, or have been reported in knowledge reports will now be made public.  This might sound creepy but this is what they have done to many others  have left the church. Much worse things are done to those who publicly criticize the church especially if they have been "fair gamed".

Leah I salute your bravery, in speaking up, hopefully your high profile and their weakened state will afford you some protection. I truly hope that your career remains strong despite whatever the wackos at CoS try to pull off.

David Miscavige: The controlling migit.

This yet another high profile defection from the CoS. The organization has been in decline over the last decade. Some believe it is in part because of the continual pushing for donation to build new buildings. The organization already has billions so some may well be wondering why don't they just cut a check. The decline of followers has been marked. While the CoS maintains it claim that it has 8 million members, it in important to remember that that figure still includes those who have left, no doubt including Katie Holmes, and anyone who every bought Dianetics, even those who read it and decided it was the worst piece of pseudo-scientific claptrap they ever read. The CoS Prints revisions of Dianetics every few years, all members of CoS must buy the new revisions. A recent revision was published but only around 30,000 copies were ordered. The 2001 ARIS survey puts the number at around 55,000, According to the New Yorker "A survey of American religious affiliations, compiled in the Statistical Abstract of the United States, estimates that only twenty-five thousand Americans actually call themselves Scientologists."

The New Yorker article also points to other defections and abuses by the CoS.

See also:
    The Independent

Inquiry into sarcastic gamer imprisonment

An enquiry into the custody of  17 year old Justin Carter, a gamer who posted in League of legends game chat a sarcastic comment "Yeah I'm fucked in the head, I'm gonna shot up a kindergarten" after a fellow gamer hyperbolically asserted "You're insane".

Officials said they went undercover to see for themselves what conditions were like at the facility where the teenager is being held. Their report states:

Sure the shivs sting a bit, and the ass-rape is kind uncomfortable for the first couple of times. 

Medical reports included in the investigative dosier say the investigators will take years to learn to sit normally again.

A section of the report on food in lock up went on to say,

But the real crime against inmates is food, some days you're lucky if you find a fly in it. After a week I found half a dead rat, I got it, but only after stepping on another in mates throat because he tried to grab it before me.

In regard to staff behaviour from facility staff.

We found the staff to be very fair, they were always willing to jam their night sticks into our ribs if we as they put it "look at us funny."

An investigators comments praised fascility staff professionalism "I cracked smile on the third afternoon of my on-site investigation and dutifully the staff Tazered me for twenty minutes. After my on-site investigation. I checked up on the incident, found the staff got a $250 bonus. It is pleasing to see the good work of the staff at this facilities is well werarded[sic]. "

GOP strategy: Taliban - can't beat them so join them.

I've seen mention of the GOP anti Obama congressional strategy, and have blogged about it before. It is staggering for a liberal democracy, often described with terms like unconstitutional, treasonous, and anti-democratic.

Previously I have satirically compared the GOP to the Taliban for its misogynistic anti-choice legislation. In a move that could hardly be expect One GOP representative has compared themselves to the Taliban, I shi*t you not.

Back on January 20, 2009, President Obama was attending his inauguration ceremony, while just kilometres away, in a Washington eatery, 12 leading GOP representatives including Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor and GOP strategy wonk Frank Luntz. In that meeting the question was what to do about the new president. The answer they came upwith was block everything, filibuster like their pension depends on it and obstruct like the sewer was backing up.

According to Pete Sessions (R) the meeting used the Taliban as an example.

Taliban Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban. Insurgency  is the way they went about systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person's entire processes. 

And these Taliban - is  an example of how you go about to change a person from their messaging to their operation to their frontline  message. And we need to understand that Insurgency may be required when [dealing with] the other side.

So far the insurgency has meant that congress has pass just 2 bills of consequence, the Violence Against Women Act, and Sandy disaster relief but only after great difficulty and failed votes. Other staggeringly pressing bills include the size of steel blanks for commemorative coins and failed attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.  Congress has not been this ineffective since the 1940s.

The goal of this strategy is to the President look like a "lame duck" president, and if some some of the Sodahead conversations I've had are anything to go by, some are falling for it.

What ever happened to defending the constitution from it enemies foreign and domestic. In minds of the tea party President Blackular is the goosestepping tyrannical enemy. Well, with an extraordinary admission above, when is the Tea party Caucus undergoing extraordinary rendition? Any minute now the IRS will break down there doors and demand they fill forms to show there 501(c)4 charitable groups really are charitable and not just political groups. Oh, wait they asked that of of groups regardless of political affiliation and the only group denied 501(c)4 status was aligned with the Democrats. And no doors were broken.

The GOP strategy is no more sophisticated than a grumpy four year old at preschool who doesn't want to play with the new kid in group. Is it anti democratic, certainly they are usurping the will of the people by the popular vote. Is it treason? Well they have admitted their priority is not the welfare of the American nation.

Why aren't Americans furious? Decades of drama too exhausting perhaps or perhaps many are too poor to be able to afford to express dissent. At least some call it the beauty of neo-liberal economics - bloody nightmare that it is. At least Egypt offers an example.

An Experiment: All for the show.

On Friday afternoon I was helping a friend with a service operating in a local community centre. We arrived during the service's staff lunch break, but while waiting I checked out the notice board. One notice caught my eye. A science variety show to be held that very evening. Admission $10, no one would be turned away for lack of funds.
Being skint, I was able to muster a $5 donation. And they were true to their word. The community hall that evening was packed, I was perhaps lucky to find a seat.

The MC started with an improv feel and introduced the audience to a real live physicist. The physicist took the audience on a progressive journey into the very small, first stop, on the back of your hand where a hair shaft is as thick as your wrist and skin cells were as large as the hall itself and a bit sticky. Second stop,  cells are as large as city blocks, with massive structures like pulsating mitochondrial bacteria - the power house of the cells of almost all species, and filaments of DNA chains swirling. Third stop,  cells are half the size of the earth and water molecules flit before your face like "butterflies on cocaine". Final stop, into the quantum world where teleportation is mundane, and things appear from nowhere and vanish as though they never existed.

In the second piece, we heard from a poet, the daughter of a parasitologist - she rebelled. A poem from the published words of women who love things (objectifilia - I think). And then we heard from the parasitologist himself with a poetic musing of the types of parasites that aflict us. For a bonus, another wimsical piece drawn from the experience of having a catheter fitted to treat urinary retention. While reading this might make the this piece seem kind of vulgar, the reality was quite different indeed it was received with great humour and empathy.

The next piece was a song from a lobster, about her mating habits. The audience gave a big laugh to the bit where she crooned about squirting urine into the males face. The chorus spoke of the lobster shedding it exoskeleton in preparation for mating.

There was a skit about the sun the stars and moon. Answering questions that had been asked by email. Questions like is the sun the brightest star we see in the sky. The answer being no, well more like NO! Other stars appear fainter because they are so far away but their output dwarfs the sun by hundreds of orders of magnitude. The perform did seem to get flustered trying to explain the black moon phenomenon. She did say it occurs twice a month, which suggests to me it is the time when sun light reflects from the Earth to faintly illuminate the shadowed surface of the moon. It can observed when the moon sets a few hours after sunset, or a few hours before sun rise. What colour is the sun? Our visual system fails to see, but the suns main emission frequency is green. So kids if you are picking the green crayon for your sunny day at the beach picture, no one can bust you for it now.

In Act II, puppeteers recreated the story of a Victorian era mystic philosopher who was preparing for a public address. She had a very special conversation With Thomas Edison. This was around a time when Physicists started to think they had it all sorted despite not yet having figured out electricity. This was before the theory of quantum physics had been conceived. None the less, the fad of vitalism and voluntary electrocution for one's health is a peculiar chapter in history of social misapprehensions of science.

We saw also, a demonstration of polystyrene dissolving in acetone with the explanation of how polystyrene is made, by adding extra benzene, bubbles form making polystyrene into a foam which is 96% air. Once the acetone has evaporated the polystyrene returns to solid form, thus it can be recycled as long as there is acetone and reformed for a new purpose.

The next piece was introduced and narrated by a scientist who has clinical depression. Which is not "feeling a bit sad" as one person once tried to tell me. Behind her, six people, three in white, three in black. The white represented neurotransmitter emitters, they were tossing chemicals like serotonin at the receptors on near by neurons. But then the depression kicked in and they got bored, and stopped transmitting. After a while the receptors, having nothing to catch, got bored too. At this point, the narrator told us, this is when her partner may find her in a catatonic state on the floor. He picks her up and puts her in the shower. The movement and the exercise is enough to excite the emitters and restore normal communication between neurons which brings her back to her more functional self.

The last piece connected us to our deep ancestry and kin ship with other species. Three actors portrayed rabbits responding to a potential threat, while the narrator explained the physiological response, including the cortisol surge, slowing of digestion, and immune suppression. The rabbits when off stage, to be replaced by three people working in an office this time the threat trigger is a post-it note, the physiological response kicks in and a brawl breaks-out. But of course people don't do that in real life so what actually happens is that when threat is observed the same physiological response still happens but it takes longer and people have long exposure to stress and cortisol damaging their well-being their immune response and their health. After the threat is gone, oxytocin kicks in creating feels of happiness, contentment and communion. and bunnies return to share the stage for a big hug-in with the cube-farm inhabitants.

The show is an experiment in conveying science to the public using performance art. Despite having the quality of amateur pantomime and the audio loop machine breaking down resulting in audience participation as a loop machine, or perhaps because of these, it was a very fun evening, and I'm happy I took the time to attend. It reminds me of news coverage of a variety show put on by scientists to show they weren't stiff characters seen in '50s documentary pieces or lunatic characters sometimes seen in '50s sci-fi.  Certainly, the men and women of science need better media representation than Professor Bunsen, Beaker, The Nutty Professor, or Dr Evil can provide. As endearing or humorous as these characters are, they don't create an impression in young minds of scientists or of the their work that is worthy of respect from a young audience. This is at a time when we need more scientists to help us solve the huge problems that face us today concerning the environment.

They seek him here, the seek him there...

Edward Snowden may not be the scarlet Pimpernel but that did not stop an unusual search and seizure of a head of state in pursuit of him. Today the plane of President Evo Morales of Bolivia was forced to land in Vienna after Portugal and France refused airspace entry rights. The plane was forced to stay over night while Vienna officials searched the plane  while President Morales was kept in the VIP lounge.

Finally the Spanish ambassador to Vienna when asked what needed to be done to allow the plane to leave the Ambassador said "Lets have coffee on your plane". Later when asked who asked who wanted this search the ambassador's reply was "Friends of Spain." The coffee request is simply a rouse to get on the plane to eyeball it and verify that Edward Snowden was not on board.

In diplomatic terms this is an extraordinary violation of Bolivia's sovereignty on the level of storming an embassy. Essentially, it is unheard of in diplomatic circles. Technically it constitutes an act of  war, but it is unlikely to provoke such an extreme response.

As the search for Edward Snowden continues, an unnamed source confirmed "We have elephant tranquillizers and endoscopes ready, in case he attempts to hide in a trunk. We have been talking to our team at McMurdoe base. The impression we get it those emperor penguins are pretty shifty, and keep hiding something under those feathers." It also our understanding, SETI has been suspended, and assets including the large radio telescope at Arecebo have been re-tasked by a CIA request to search the local galactic group for signs of Edward Snowden  while the public are being told the array is in "hibernation". Researchers at SETI are reported to be excited by a new project, "We have a new exciting line of enquiry SDCI - Search District of Columbia Intelligence". Analysis by observers from several liberal democracies criticize the SDCI project with one saying it is a "hopeless waste of time and resources."

But perhaps, US officials are missing something, about the size of an airport passenger lounge, in Russia. Their first clue should perhaps that Russian officials are get tetchy with Edward Snowden lollygagging on their turf.

Treat 'em mean keep 'em keen

Democracy abused & bleeding out

The title of today's post is an axiom sometimes used by wife abusing thugs. And in that context it's no less odious that as an axiom of the observed political tactics employed by Tea-Party Republicans in issues of concern to women, minorities and people on low income.

Ohio Governor John Kasich has signed budget legislation with last minute attached provisions designed to make living more precarious in the state than it already is.

The first part of this attack is a raise in sales taxes, this hurts to poor and middle incomers because it literally takes food from their mouths. While the wealthy might have to wait a month longer to save up for that Lamborghini they just have to have, except for the tax break the has just been given to them in the same budget bill.

The second part, and this may be unconstitutional but it certainly breaches the safety principle for abortive procedure, women having complications from abortion procedure are barred from using public hospitals, and must use private hospitals.  I see this going one of two ways, most of the women will be uninsured, so private hospitals may refuse to help her while pointing the finger at each other private hospitals refusing to take care of her until after she is found having bled to death in the street. Or they will treat her, and complete her treatment by administering a life time of debt.

Also in SB 59 funding cuts to Planned Parenthood, that will see three of the Planned Parenthood clinics close losing access mammograms and other health services. And cutting funding to rape crisis centres mentioning abortion as an option.

Seems to be, if this is the direction they are headed, Ohio needs legislation banning men with persistent erections from using public hospitals. This sometimes happens when Viagra is over used or as an adverse reation. If not treated they can be left impudent. We could go with biblical law, which they seem to be fond of anyway, and introduce new law making male masturbation a capital offence, North Dakota seems to be moving in that direction anyway.

With the suppressed anterior cingulate cortex activity associated with regular prayer, however, the point may be lost on them.

This legislation was rammed through under urgency, a sure sign someone is getting ripped off and they don't want any debate to reveal the fast-one being pulled on the people.  There has run of right wing politicians pushing legislation to appeal to their base to get themselves re-elected at the cost of civil rights and liberties. The problem is the they over estimate how conservative the electorate is by 20% for conservatives.

A special message from C-PANL.

For many of our right wing politicians it seems any thing they can do to punish the poor, women ... well anyone who is not an ageing white male, the better, so please. The these people in need they are desperate, they need your help, so if have any spare whips, chains, pipe wrenches, knuckle dusters, nailed baseball-bats, iron-maidens, stocks, french-guillotines, fire ants, iron-masks, maces, mace, pepper-spray or pikes, please send them to Governor John Kasich, Riffe Center, 30th Floor, 77 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-6117. We thank you for your generosity in this time of need as these senators truly struggle to understand the suffering and the plight of not only the poor but even the middle class. So please help them understand, by sending the a fore-mentioned educational materials, for they are so very desperately in need of understanding.

Authorized by Compassion for Psychopathic And Narcissistic Legislators. Our mission, to give back what is received.

The main way they hold power now is gerrymandering. With the Voting Rights Act pre-clearance provisions being struck down by the supreme court last week, three states have already moved to disenfranchise voters more likely to vote Democrat. Typically provisions make voting more difficult for the poor, the elderly, youth voters, and ethnic minority voters.

What is surprising to me is the restraint being exercised. Democracy is under attack world wide, not just by those who think totalitarian authority is superior especially when driven by savage authored ancient text, but also by those who swear to uphold  and a are charge with upholding constitution democracy while their close friends, the anarcho-capitalists(Ancaps) egg them on. Anarcho-capitalists see democracy as a by product of capitalism. Ohio's budget reflects the Ancaps' agenda. While the sales tax was raise 50c on the dollar, the budget create tax breaks for the wealthy. People should be angry. Egypt should be an example. Most especially in the behaviour of the police, who realising they are Egyptians too, have refuse to act as the Morsi led government's storm troopers in the manner that was applied to OWS.

The problem is American police forces have been receiving hand-me-down military equipment tools of oppression. These are the wrong tools for solving the huge problems being visited upon societies subjected to neo-liberal economics. At what point will officers turn around to face their masters and defend the people from the crooks in charge.

Whatever happened to the land of the free?

See also
   Think Progress
   Maddow RIPS GOP For Destroying Women’s Rights In Ohio Using Budget Trickery (Video)

It is not all doom gloom about the climate.

One could be forgiven, looking at climate predictions, for thinking the future is going to be very bleak. But such pessimism may not be warranted. Recent headline making stories point to better things to come.

New battery testing...

Stanford researchers have developed a zinc air-battery that has twice the energy density of Li-ion Batteries and is more durable. It would be nice to have my bat phone go a couple of days without needing a charge. If that doesn't impress, US Department of Energy researchers have developed a solid sulphur battery, with four times the energy density of Li-ion batteries, and is safer because it does not present the same level of fire hazard presented by Li-ion batteries. Boeing are dead keen for this type of battery technology because for now they have to shelve the 787 Dreamliner because the lithium batteries aren't safe enough, and they already had fire issues.

Trash in a clean get away

Kāpiti Council has just bought a garbage truck. "Woopdee" I hear you say. Ok, this struck costs about the same to buy (NZ$200,00) as any similar truck running on diesel, but this truck's maintenance costs are a third of the cost associated with a similar diesel power vehicle. It takes six hours to charge overnight.  The Truck is manufactured by Zero Emission Vehicles in Palmerston North. Who were previously looking at offering electric powered buses. Companies like this are key to a Zero Carbon/Carbon Negative future, and our government still snubs them while giving NZ$40m in subsidies to mineral exploration companies and gives them permission to operate with insufficient disaster insurance worth an mere NZ$30m. But that said, huge bouquets are deserved by Kapiti Council for making a smart choice, and to ZEV for developing the vehicles of the future.

Power games for the planet...

One of the problems facing the environmental movement has been a lack of leadership where it counts - in the moneyed elite. But finally someone has stood up to take the next step forward. Richard Branson has launched the B Team Project with the purpose of developing a "plan-B" for the environment.  The B-Team comprises 14 leading business people including a former executive from Puma. These people have access to politicians. Traditionally this has been part of the problem, business interests being served by cronyism in the halls of power. But now that can be turned on itself to push towards an environment that we can survive or even thrive in.

This is only a beginning, and popular movements are still vital for applying pressure, civil disobedience, let's not get to the point where direct action or popular coup is needed. Tim deChristopher however is on to something. And the US is still where change needs to happen to provide leadership to other countries, especially in asia. While The goverment make peacemeal changes, there is still trouble ahead, because that alone is not enough. Keystone XL will alone drive CO2 to 540ppm. But the popular is strong movement and is make a strong case. Even President Obama was move to say to deniers "We don't have time for a meeting of the Flat-Earth Society". Incidentally, following the president's comment, the Flat-Earth Society's President announced accepts climate change.

Finding a dessert in a desert...

Perhaps one of the most concerning symptoms seen in climate change, is desertification. It turns our dessertified land isn't any drier in terms of rainfall as healthy grassland. What is different is that rainwater evaporates quickly, because the vegetation is not there to capture the water and shelter the soil. Research by one scientist, perhaps shows how to reverse desertification, and perhaps CO2 levels.  His work shows that to have healthy soil in grass land, the vegetation needs to be broken down quickly through biological processes. On dessertified grass land vegetation breaks down slowly, by oxidation. Otherwise people burnt it off, releasing per hectare as much carbon into the atmosphere as 6000 cars.

Grassland organisms evolved as a mixture of grasses trees, bacteria, herd animals  and predators. Some years ago this scientist made a grave mistake (one he believes will haunt him for his remaining days), his advice led to the kulling of 40,000 African elephants on the hypothesis that the land was too stressed to support them. But the land got worse. This led him in a new direction, making him realise that herd animals were an essential ingredient in a healthy grassland. Since then his new hypothesis has played out successfully in areas where livestock have been introduced to act as an analogue for herd animals absent grass land in various parts of the world bringing these lands back to a lush green and productive state.



See Also
  Sulphur battery
  Zinc-Air battery
  Battery operated trash truck
  B Team