Just When You Thought It Was Safe To ...

First there were Lawyers, then came Politicians, and then Used Car Salesmen/Lobbyists. Now we have a new species of Shark discovered off of the coast of South Carolina.

It was discovered through DNA analysis, that there exists two completely different species of scalloped hammerhead shark.

No additional information on the significance in the difference between the two species was offered.

Excerpts From AP via Yahoo! News -

S.C. scientists find new shark species
Associated Press - Mon Jun 12, 11:26 PM ET

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A new genetically distinct species of hammerhead shark, the ninth recognized species of hammerhead, has been discovered off the South Carolina coast, scientists say.

The new species appears to be rare and lives off the South Carolina coast. Classified under the genus sphyrna, will be called the "cryptic species" for the time being.

Joe Quattro, a biology professor at the University of South Carolina, worked with Jim Grady of the University of New Orleans and Trey Driggers of the National Marine Fisheries Service in making the find.

Quattro discovered the new species while studying along the coast with biologists from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

Quattro and his colleagues found that genes in the mitochondrial DNA — the DNA passed from mother sharks to their offspring — differed significantly among sharks that were classified as scalloped hammerhead sharks.
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"This cryptic shark was genetically distinct," said Quattro, whose research was published recently in the journal, Marine Biology.

Scalloped hammerheads are common along the coast and sharks of the cryptic species were found from Florida to North Carolina. The newborn cryptic sharks, however, were found mainly along the South Carolina coast.

"The apparent abundance of the cryptic species in coastal South Carolina could be a result of sampling, but it might also highlight the fact that the South Carolina bays are the more important nursery grounds for the cryptic species," Quattro said.
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Because they seem to have a narrow geographic distribution, the sharks may be at greater risk for extinction.

"If South Carolina's waters are the primary nursery grounds for the cryptic species and females gather here to reproduce, these areas should be conservation priorities," Quattro said.
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The big difference here is that we may protect the habitat of real sharks, but we would never consider making Washington a safe zone from sharks of the human kind.

Bankless Banking - The Dawn Of A New Age

There was a time that in order to prove you had "roots" and were a steady, contributing member of society ... you needed to establish a bank account. As a teenager, it was a right of passage and recognition that you had "arrived" as a near adult.

That bit of our overall culture is gone - for good! With the flood of undocumented aliens entering and being allowed to participate, virtually unfettered, in our capitalistic good fortune, how does the money handling side of our economy make it easier for these people to access goods and services?

The Answer: "Bankless Banking" through pre-paid cash cards.

This from the Progressive Grocer -

Mexican Grocers Association to Provide Discover Prepaid Cards in 120,000-plus Stores
Progressive Grocer Magazine - JUNE 12, 2006

-- BRADENTON, Fla. -- Morgan Beaumont, Inc., a technology solution provider to the stored-value and prepaid card market and owner of the SIRE Network, said on Friday it has signed an exclusive agreement with Competisys Corp. to provide prepaid cards from Discover Network to the Mexican American Grocers Association (MAGA) channel of more than 120,000 grocery stores.

As part of the agreement, all of the MAGA stores that participate will also become members of the SIRE Network. Additionally, Competisys has signed an exclusive agreement with Morgan Beaumont to offer SIRE Network services, stored-value cards, and other financial services via their self-service kiosks.

"An estimated one-third of U.S.-born Hispanic residents and more than half of all Mexican immigrants lack bank accounts," said William Prentice, c.e.o. of Competisys, in a statement. "This agreement will enable us to provide an important, underserved market with financial tools designed specifically for their purchasing and payment needs. By 2009, Hispanics will account for approximately 1 trillion dollars in total purchasing power nationwide. We are projecting that we will be servicing the financial needs of several million consumers in the next three to five years."

As part of these agreements, Morgan Beaumont will be providing a variety of prepaid cards from Discover Network, including gift, payroll, and general spending.

The first shipment of Discover Network prepaid cards under the agreement is expected to occur in August 2006.
Link Here>>

Discover (the dilution of) America through the Discover Network!

If only we could inculcate a sense of citizenship as easy as these cards give a sense of financial freedom. Unfortunately, we are dealing with a group of people who would rather swear allegiance to AZTLAN than "America"!

Strong Is As Strong Does

After the elimination of al-Zarqawi, Iraq has the chance to seize the initiative on the emotional and political war on terror within Iraq by standing up a proper democratic government.

In an opinion published in the New York Post, Nouri al-Maliki, prime minister of the new Republic of Iraq, affirms the commitment our effort has shown by standing strong on the type of efforts this young government needs to embrace on which to gain the confidence of the Iraqi people, the respect of its neighbors, and the support of democracies throughout the world.

Excerpts from the New York Post -

AN IRAQI STRATEGY FOR SAVING IRAQ
By NOURI AL-MALIKI - June 12, 2006 - BAGHDAD, IRAQ

THE completion of the national unity government Thursday in Iraq marks the starting point for repaying Iraqis' commitment to and thirst for democracy. We are at this juncture thanks to the bravery of the soldiers, police and citizens who have paid the highest price to give Iraq its freedom. Our national unity government will honor these sacrifices by pursuing an uncompromising agenda to deliver security and services to the Iraqi people and to combat rampant corruption.
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We will draw on the country's untapped workforce to kick-start extensive reconstruction, put into motion an initiative for genuine national reconciliation, and increase the intensity and efficacy of building the military and police.

We will embark on a national reconciliation initiative, to begin to heal the divisions and wounds brought on by Saddam Hussein's dictatorial rule and further widened by terrorism. This, along with genuine cooperation among all of Iraq's ethnic and religious groupings in this national unity government, will allow us to pursue the terrorists with maximum force.

We will launch an initiative to secure the capital and confront the ethnic cleansing that is taking place in many areas around it. We will meet head-on the armed gangs and terrorists who we believe constitute the main threat to security. Furthermore, we will develop and strengthen the country's intelligence services, which represent the best form of defense against terrorist bombings.
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This government will implement Law 91 to incorporate the militias into the national security services.
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We will also fight corruption from the top down. We will revamp and strengthen our anti-corruption watchdog, the Commission for Public Integrity, and initiate necessary political, economic and civil reforms. This will include gradual reductions in government subsidies, which impede Iraq's economic recovery and abet corruption, coupled with the establishment of a social security program for the least privileged.
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Finally, to achieve this vision, it is necessary that Iraq's neighbors not interfere in its internal matters. While some neighboring countries provided refuge for many Iraqis during the rule of the dictatorial Baathist regime, this does not give them a right to meddle in Iraq now or turn a blind eye to terrorists' operations.

Iraqis have elected a national unity government that will always put national interests ahead of sectarian or ethnic agendas. This government will support the judiciary in relentlessly pursuing the murderers and kidnappers who have blighted Iraqi society. With the help of the international community and regional partners, we will be able to defeat the terrorist groups in Iraq.

The scale of the task ahead is humbling. Iraqis have time and time again demonstrated their patience and perseverance in the face of many challenges. With our allies, we will also persevere to make Iraq a prosperous democracy in the heart of the Middle East.
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May we all become believers and supporters in the success of the new Iraq. Long live the vision and efforts of Nouri al-Maliki, prime minister of the Republic of Iraq.

USA Hope Glimmers At The 'Football' World Cup

By many reports, the USA soccer team is good enough to be considered among the top ten teams in terms of talent when they take to the field in Germany for their first match in the 2006 FIFA World Cup tournament.

The game matches the USA against the Czech Republic and will be broadcast June 12 at 18:00 CET - that would be Monday morning at 9:00 am - on ESPN2.

The jersey colors for the game will be -
USA: navy blue shirt, navy blue shorts, navy blue socks
Czech Republic: white shirt, white shorts, white socks

This posting will be updated with the results after the game on Monday.

Excerpts from FIFAworldcup.com -

US ambition poses threat to Czechs
by FIFAworldcup.com - June 7, 2006

On 12 June at 18:00 CET, the Czech Republic and the United States will meet up in Gelsenkirchen to kick off their FIFA World Cup (TM) campaigns. With both teams desperate to take points from their opening game in a difficult-looking Group E, tension levels at the FIFA World Cup Stadium Gelsenkirchen are bound to be high.
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The players

The Czechs will be keen to confirm their status as one of the finest attack-minded sides on the continent and build on the impressive form they showed in reaching the semi-finals at the UEFA European Championship in Portugal two years ago. With Pavel Nedved back from temporary international retirement, towering striker Jan Koller recovered from the knee injury that threatened his participation, and a raft of talent that includes recent Arsenal signing Tomas Rosicky, Milan Baros and Petr Cech, the Czechs will be keen to make their 'debut' at the FIFA World Cup a resounding success.

The USA, for their part, are hunting for a first-ever finals win on European soil and are keen to maintain a recent run of progress that culminated in their quarter-final appearance four years ago in Korea/Japan. Now, as then (when they defeated Portugal), they started against European heavyweights and the pundits gave them little hope of survival. Coach Bruce Arena has assembled a squad of strong campaigners led by the European trio of Claudio Reyna, DaMarcus Beasley and Brian McBride, LA-based playmaker Landon Donovan and the outstanding Bundesliga-based keeper Kasey Keller.

How they qualified

Whereas the Americans coasted through their North, Central American and Caribbean qualifying campaign - finishing in first place over arch-rivals Mexico for the first time in their history - the Czechs struggled a little bit. Finishing five points off the pace set by Netherlands in European qualifying Group 1, they were forced to sweat it out in the play-offs with Norway where, thanks to the return of Nedved, they pulled off a 2-0 aggregate win.

Previous meetings

The two sides have never met in a FIFA World Cup finals as this will be the Czech Republic's first foray following separation from Czechoslovakia. As one half of the old country, they hammered USA 5-1 in their opening game at Italia 90.

Tournament history

A lot of time has passed since then and given the USA's impressive development, Arena will be fancying his side's chances. After reaching the semi-finals with a largely foreign-born side at the first finals in Uruguay in 1930, the USA pulled off a shock by beating England in Brazil in 1950. For the next 40 years, they wallowed in the wilderness only returning to the finals in 1990. After hosting the event in 1994 and finishing with the worst record in 1998, the Americans - with a new professional league in the MLS, and a sudden and unprecedented interest in the world's game - have come on in leaps and bounds as their fairy tale run in 2002 attests.

The Czechs, on the other hand, are debutants in name alone. As Czechoslovakia they qualified for eight FIFA World Cups (TM) and even reached the Final on two occasions (1934 and 1962) - that is more Final games than England or France.

Key contest

The most crucial individual contests on the pitch will surely revolve around the playmaking battle between Donovan and Nedved. It will also be interesting to see whether veteran US centre-back Eddie Pope can handle the Czech attacking duo of Koller and Baros.

All will be revealed on 12 June.

The coaches

Now in his ninth year with the team, Arena is the longest-serving coach in US football history. Known as an outstanding man-manager, the often brusque boss is renowned for getting the best out of his boys. That will be a necessary component if the US are to hold out any hopes of proving their new credentials on European soil, especially up against Karel Bruckner - who is not known as 'The Magician' by accident.
Link Here>>

UPDATE, June 12,2006:

Hope dims as the USA team plays "flat" against the Czech Republic.

USA, 0 - Czech Republic, 3

The Warning From Mourning Iraqi Al-Qaida

It has taken a few days now, but the warnings of reprisal attacks are just now being issued.

Unlike the day after the F-16 attack and subsequent death of al-Zarqawi, when NBC reporter, Mike Boettcher, claimed that a car bombing in central Baghdad was the first of the "reaction bombings", this warning came from Iraqi Al-Qaida posted at an Islamic militant Web forum where the group has posted statements before.

I am sure that the MSM was just getting out in front of the story ... let's give 'em a pass, after all, al-Zarqawi was just your average "Freedom Fighter", right?

Excerpts from AP via Yahoo! News -

Al-Zarqawi death prompts attack warning
By LEE KEATH, Associated Press Writer - 15 minutes ago

CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida in Iraq vowed Sunday to carry out "major attacks," insisting in a Web statement that it was still powerful after the death of leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

The statement did not name a successor to al-Zarqawi, who was killed by a U.S. airstrike Wednesday. But it said the group's leadership "renews its allegiance" to Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden "will see things that will bring joy to his heart," it said, vowing "to prepare major attacks that will shake the enemy like an earthquake and rattle them out of sleep."

The authenticity of the statement could not be independently confirmed. It was posted on an Islamic militant Web forum where the group has posted statements in the past.

The statement was issued in the name of al-Qaida in Iraq but was put out by the Mujahedeen Shura Council, an umbrella organization of five insurgent groups that al-Zarqawi helped create.
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The message left unknown the issue of who will succeed al-Zarqawi as the group's "emir," or leader.

Thursday's al-Qaida statement was signed by al-Zarqawi's deputy emir, Abu Abdul-Rahman al-Iraqi, and sympathizers quickly flooded Web forums with vows of allegiance to him.

But Sunday's message did not mention his name. There is confusion over whether he is still alive, after the U.S. military said a man named "Abdul-Rahman," whom it identified as al-Zarqawi's spiritual adviser, died in the airstrike alongside his leader.

The U.S. military has said the mostly likely successor is an Egyptian associate of al-Zarqawi named Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who has a $50,000 reward on his head.
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Hail Abu Ayyub al-Masri, may his rule and days be short in number!

What a slight though, a reward of $50,000 vs. $25,000,000 ... couldn't we just add a couple of more zeros for this ZERO? Oh, the shame of it all.

Soon, Abu Ayyub al-Masri go BOOM!

UPDATE June 12, 2006:

Excerpts from AP via Yahoo! News -

Militant chosen to succeed al-Zarqawi
By NADIA ABOU EL-MAGD, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 28 minutes ago

CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida in Iraq said in a Web statement posted Monday that a militant named Abu Hamza al-Muhajer was the group's new leader.
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"Al-Qaida in Iraq's council has agreed on Sheik Abu Hamza al-Muhajer to be the successor for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the leadership of the organization," said a statement signed by the group on an Islamic militant Web forum where it often posts messages.

It said al-Muhajer was "a beloved brother with jihadi (holy war) experience and a strong footing in knowledge."
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Okay then! Soon, Sheik Abu Hamza al-Muhajer go BOOM - too!

Newt? Why Not Newt For 2008!

Today, it is easy to become confused when one hears what politicions have to say when they discuss the issues that confront us all, "at the end of the day" ... both political parties sound the same.

With Newt Gingrich, this point is never moot. As Speaker of the House, Newt said what he ment and ment what he said - he got things done. In contrast, today our congress has trouble standing up for the current citizens that occupy our country over the millions of illegal aliens while they debate border security and whether to enforce current law ... or not.

Not with Newt.

Excerpts from the Washington Post -

Gingrich May Run in 2008 If No Front-Runner Emerges
By Juliet Eilperin - Washington Post Staff Writer - Saturday, June 10, 2006; Page A04

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) expects to run for president in 2008 if the contest for the Republican nomination still seems wide open late next year, he said yesterday.

In remarks that were critical of both parties' recent performance, Gingrich told a luncheon group of scholars and reporters at the Brookings Institution that he will make a decision in the fall of 2007 about running.

"If at that point there's still a vacuum . . . then we'll probably do something," Gingrich said, adding that his policy pronouncements have more weight if he is seen as a potential presidential candidate. "If you're interested in defining the idea context and the political context for the next generation of Americans, which I am, the most effective way to do that is to be seen as potentially available."
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Though he came to power as a fiery conservative, Gingrich has softened some of his partisanship since leaving office. He has criticized the current House leadership for cracking down on dissent, he appeared last year with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) to back changes in how medical data are shared, and he supports federal funding for alterative energy sources.
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"We have a choice between those who are failing to deliver and those who are unthinkable," he said, adding that he would put "even money" on the Democrats taking back the House this fall. "Neither party currently is where the country is."
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Although DeLay embraced the nickname "The Hammer" while serving as both majority whip and majority leader, Gingrich said he favors a more tolerant form of leadership.

"The Gingrich model of an idea-led, contentious majority . . . is a lot better than a model of 'The Hammer.' A hammer is a relatively dumb symbol," he said, adding that now that DeLay is gone, "the House will become healthier with every passing week. You'll see an emergence of an idea-led Republican majority. The question is whether they'll do it fast enough to save the majority."
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Ever since federal authorities raided Rep. William J. Jefferson's (D-La.) congressional office last month, Gingrich has criticized the Justice Department for overreaching, and he delivered another sharp rebuke yesterday.

"It is an example of the arrogance of this administration toward the legislative branch, and it's intolerable," he said. "If I was speaker, there would be no appropriations to the Justice Department until this is resolved."
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Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Is One Less Living Evil

This is a great "get" on a day that Iraq announces a fully formed Government as the final two cabinet positions are filled. The greening of Iraq begins today with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi "pushin' up daisies".

This morning, on "Imus In The Morning", Don was interviewing Mike Boettcher of NBC News from Baghdad about the Zarqawi air raid and he began to report of another bombing in the streets of central Baghdad where 13 people were killed. Mike stated that the reactions to the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi are already beginning to show with this most recent car bombing (an outrageous assertion).

Don Imus, no fan to the war effort in Iraq, immediately asked Mike Boettcher, "How do we know it's a reaction to that, Mike?" (that the attack on the 13 people was a reaction to the Zarqari death) and Mike stuttered and stated that he really did not know if the event was really connected. When pressed further by Don about the nature of original statement ... Mike's excuse was, "I had a little 'mixed-plus' (feed-back) in my ear". This, from an on-air professional who is comfortable to working with an earpiece in his ear.

Agenda driven media, our next airstrike target?

Excerpts from The Washington Times -

Zarqawi killed in air raid
ASSOCIATED PRESS - June 8, 2006 - 9:09 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Abu Musab Zarqawi, the al Qaeda leader in Iraq who waged a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and beheadings of hostages, has been killed in a precision airstrike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said today. It was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq.

Zarqawi and seven aides, including spiritual adviser Sheik Abdul Rahman, were killed yesterday in a remote area 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in the volatile province of Diyala, just east of the provincial capital of Baqouba, officials said.

"Zarqawi was eliminated," Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said.
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The announcement about Zarqawi's death came six days after he issued an audiotape on the Internet, railing against Shiites in Iraq and saying militias were raping women and killing Sunnis. He urged the community to fight back.

The Jordanian-born terrorist was Iraq's most-wanted militant - as notorious as Osama bin Laden, to whom he swore allegiance in 2004. The United States put a $25 million bounty on his head, the same as bin Laden. Mr. Al-Maliki told al-Arabiya television the bounty would be honored, saying "we will meet our promise," without elaborating.
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Mr. Al-Maliki said yesterday's airstrike by U.S. forces was based on intelligence reports provided to Iraqi security forces by area residents.
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Baqouba has in recent weeks seen a spike in sectarian violence, including the discovery of 17 severed heads in fruit boxes. It also was near the site of a sectarian atrocity last week in which masked gunmen killed 21 Shiites, including a dozen students pulled from minibuses, after separating out four Sunni Arabs.

"Those who disrupt the course of life, like Zarqawi, will have a tragic end," Mr. al-Maliki said. He also warned those who would follow the militant's lead that "whenever there is a new Zarqawi, we will kill him."
Read All>> (subscription)

UPDATE - 6-9-2006, al-Zarqawi's Greatest Hits:

ZARQAWI'S FOOTPRINTS

Abu Musab Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, was killed Wednesday in a U.S. air strike at a safe house north of Baghdad. Here is a chronology of some attacks claimed by Zarqawi and his followers:

** Oct. 28, 2002: U.S. diplomat Laurence Foley is fatally shot in Amman, Jordan.

** Aug. 19, 2003: A truck bombing of the United Nations' headquarters in Baghdad kills 23.

** Aug. 29, 2003: More than 85 are killed in a car bombing in Najaf.

** March 2, 2004: At least 181 are killed in suicide bombings and mortar attacks at Shi'ite Muslim shrines in Karbala and Baghdad.

** May 11, 2004: American businessman Nicholas R. Berg is beheaded.

** May 18, 2004: Iraqi Governing Council President Abdel-Zahraa Othman is killed by a car bomb.

** Sept. 16, 2004: British engineer Kenneth Bigley and U.S. engineers Jack Hensley and Eugene "Jack" Armstrong are kidnapped in Baghdad. By Oct. 10, all three men are confirmed beheaded.

** Feb. 28, 2005: A suicide car bomber kills 125 in Hillah.

** Nov. 9, 2005: A triple suicide bombing at hotels in Amman, Jordan, kills 60.

** Feb. 22, 2006: One of Shi'ite Islam's holiest shrines, the Golden Mosque in Samarrah, is destroyed in a bombing, leading to more than 90 reprisal bombings on Sunni mosques.

Sources: Combined wire dispatches from The Washington Times

Going "Organic" May Require A College Degree

One would think that when one reads a label of classification on how a food product is produced that what you read says it all.

Take, for example, the word "ORGANIC" on the package of something you are interested in eating ... what does it really mean?

In order to understand what one is really getting with this classification on the package, one needs to have a degree in law, agriculture, biochemistry, animal husbandry, cattle ranching, and who knows what else and by the time one understands what they are buying ... you've lost your appetite!

Excerpts from U.S.News & World Report -

The Green Invasion
By Betsy Querna - U.S.News & World Report - 6/12/06

Grocery shoppers across America have been witnessing a subtle but revolutionary change on store shelves. Organic products are popping up in the cereal aisle, amid rows of canned goods, and beside bottles of salad dressing. Though organic food has been around for decades, it used to be found mainly in specialty stores like Whole Foods or confined to a tiny corner in the produce section.

Today, most grocery stores stock big organic brands like Earthbound Farm. Wal-Mart plans to double its organic offerings this summer in some stores, and grocers like SuperValu and Safeway recently unveiled organic house brands. Major food companies have grabbed up organic brands. General Mills, for example, owns the organic brands Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen. Some food producers are even rolling out organic versions of existing products. You can now fill your cart with Ragu organic pasta sauce, Snyder's organic pretzels, Orville Redenbacher's organic butter popcorn, and later this summer, organic Kraft macaroni and cheese. "With Wal-Mart in the game and Safeway and just about everyone else, organic is at a tipping point," says Samuel Fromartz, author of the new book Organic, Inc. "It's really gone mainstream."

Getting specific. With so many more choices, consumers may wonder what they're really getting when they buy this newfangled organic food. Though the organic label is often perceived as synonymous with healthful, virtuous, or just plain better, organic has a specific definition, set in 2000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture after years of varying standards muddled its meaning. In a nutshell, organic produce cannot be grown with pesticides or most synthetic fertilizers, while animals must not be injected with antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic farms undergo a rigorous certification process and are inspected for compliance by an independent agent.

To earn the "100 percent organic" label under the USDA system, a food must contain only organically produced ingredients. Next in line is "organic," in which at least 95 percent of the ingredients must be organic. The other 5 percent must be an approved ingredient. Those are mostly preservatives, thickeners, or other things such as baking soda and spices. Here and with "100 percent organic" foods, consumers may also spot the USDA seal. Products that have at least 70 percent organic ingredients can sport the term "made with organic ingredients." Any less and the food gets no boasting rights beyond noting the organic elements in the list of ingredients. (In some cases, you will see a certifying agent seal. More details are at www.ams.usda.gov/nop.)
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What consumers should do, experts say, is carefully consider each organic purchase. There may be no reason to buy an organic version of a favorite food when its conventional counterpart is little or no different and most likely cheaper. On average, organic food costs 30 to 50 percent more than conventional food. Heinz's Classico pasta sauce usually sells for about $3; the organic version is a dollar more.
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While organic fruits and vegetables do usually have fewer pesticides than their conventional cousins, there is no consensus on how harmful those pesticides are to humans. Joseph Rosen, a professor of food science at Rutgers University who has been studying pesticides for more than 40 years, contends that the amount of pesticides on produce is too small to hurt and that the liver efficiently flushes them out. Other experts dispute that notion, and some shoppers don't want to take the risk.
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A 2003 Environmental Working Group study that looked at USDA pesticide data from more than 100,000 pieces of produce found that those with the most pesticides include strawberries, peaches, nectarines, bell peppers, and spinach. Because of the way they are grown or their heartiness, conventional broccoli, asparagus, mangos, and bananas are less likely to have pesticides.

Recently, several small studies have shown that organic fruits and vegetables might also have higher amounts of protective antioxidants. The thinking: Without pesticides, the plant must rely on its own defenses to shoo away bugs; one way it does this is to make more antioxidants. Still, it's only a hypothesis. "I wouldn't tell my mom or neighbor to go buy organic because it has more antioxidants," says Kathleen Merrigan, director of the agriculture, food, and environment program at Tufts University and an author of the USDA organic standards rule. "I would tell them to buy it because it has fewer pesticides."
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While health concerns motivate many buyers, others prefer organic milk for more humanitarian reasons. Many organic milk producers are small farmers, and their cows are often given more space to roam than cows at large dairies. In fact, major organic dairy producers such as Horizon have come under much criticism for their pasture size. On an Idaho farm that's taken the brunt, the cows "are very comfortable," says Kelly Shea, a Horizon vice president. "They have a nice life." Shea adds that the company is now converting more land to organic there so the cows can have more room and increase their grass consumption. The USDA is currently seeking comments on a rule that would nail down the amount of pasture required for these cows.

On conventional farms, animals are routinely given hormones and antibiotics, which could be passed on to your dinner plate. Though there is no scientific consensus about whether these substances cause health problems, shoppers who want to avoid them can look for other phrases on meat packages. "You are not necessarily going to see the organic label," says Keecha Harris, a national nutrition consultant for the Head Start program. "You are going to see how the animal is raised."
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These days, the biggest organic explosion is in the middle of the store, where the cereals, frozen foods, and processed packaged goods are sold. Experts urge shoppers to remember that the organic label means one thing and one thing only. So the corn in Orville Redenbacher's organic microwave popcorn comes from an organic farm; Heinz's organic ketchup uses organic tomato concentrate and organic sugar. Shoppers still need to flip over those jars and packages and scrutinize the nutrition facts, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian with Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Organic food and regular food should be viewed with the same skepticism when it comes to calories and fat.
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In the end, nearly everyone--even the most ardent organic fans--recommends that a consumer's first goal be a nutritionally balanced diet. Then the organic decision comes into play. "What people should be doing is getting more fruits and vegetables regardless of whether they're conventional or organic," says Harris. "A cheese puff is a cheese puff is a cheese puff."
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Meanwhile, so I can take a break to figure this stuff out, I am going around the corner to In-N-Out to have a "Double-Double Animal Style" ... hold the fries!

"Meathead Money" Can Not Buy Fame For Reiner

Proposition 82, the ballot measure here in California to create a $2.4 billion (that's with a "B") universal preschool program, went down in a blistering defeat in yesterday's election by a 60% against vs. a 40% for margin.

Back on May 18th, the Reiner family committed another million dollars (bringing the contribution total to $2,700,000) to the Yes on Proposition 82 cause that would have placed a tax on a special class of our fellow citizens.

In a move to conceal the fact that "meathead money" is the main source of funding for the proposition, Rob Reiner's wife is credited with the lion's share of the contribution.

This result just goes to show that when you take away the ability to direct government money to promote a new government education program, and you are left with only your own meager resources, as the law allows, people win.

And the investigation into Rob Reiner's stewardship is not going to be completed until sometime in August, as the saga continues ... "Grinding Meathead - The Handle Turns"!

What The ____ ?

Yep! You guessed it. Any excuse for a party.

In this case, it is all about the dark side for Hell, Michigan with the "Gates Of Hell" to be installed at the childrens play area just in time for the festivities!

This from AP via Yahoo! News -

Hell, Mich., heats up for 6-6-6 party
AP - Sun Jun 4, 7:04 AM ET

HELL, Mich. - They're planning a hot time in Hell on Tuesday. The day bears the date of 6-6-06, or abbreviated as 666 — a number that carries hellish significance. And there's not a snowball's chance in Hell that the day will go unnoticed in the unincorporated hamlet 60 miles west of Detroit.

Nobody is more fired up than John Colone, the town's self-styled mayor and owner of a souvenir shop.

"I've got `666' T-shirts and mugs. I'm only ordering 666 (of the items) so once they're gone, that's it," said Colone, also known as Odum Plenty. "Everyone who comes will get a letter of authenticity saying you've celebrated June 6, 2006, in Hell."

Most of Colone's wares will sell for $6.66, including deeds to one square inch of Hell.

Live entertainment and a costume contest are planned. The Gates of Hell should be installed at a children's play area in time for the festivities.

"They're 8 feet tall and 5 foot wide and each gate looks like flames, and when they're closed, it's a devil's head," Colone told The Detroit News for a Saturday story.

Mike "Smitty" Hickey, owner of the Dam Site Inn, wasn't sure what kind of clientele would show up Tuesday.

"We're all about having fun here. I don't think we're going to get the cult crowd, the devil worshippers or anything like that," said Hickey, whose bar's signature concoction is the Bloody Devil, a variant of the Bloody Mary.

Colone, meanwhile, has been in touch with radio stations as far away as San Diego and Seattle that are raffling off trips to Hell in honor of 6-6-6.

The 666 revelry is just the latest chapter in the town's storied history of publicity stunts, said Jason LeTeff, one of its 72 year-round residents — or, as the mayor calls them, Hellions or Hell-billies. But LeTeff wasn't particularly enthused.

"Now, here I am living in Hell, taking my kids to church and trying to teach them the right things and the town where we live is having a 6-6-6 party," he said.

According to the town's semiofficial Web site, there are two leading theories about how Hell got its name.

The first holds that a pair of German travelers stepped out of a stagecoach one sunny afternoon in the 1830s, and one said to the other, "So schoene hell" — roughly translated as, "So bright and beautiful." Their comments were overheard by some locals and the name stuck.

The second holds that George Reeves was asked after Michigan gained statehood what he thought the town he helped settle should be called, and reportedly replied, "I don't care, you can name it Hell if you want to." The name became official on Oct. 13, 1841.
Link Here>>

UPDATE 6-5-2006:

Excerpts from The Washington Times -

Apocalypse tomorrow? 666 arrives
By Seth Borenstein - ASSOCIATED PRESS - June 5, 2006

Is tomorrow's date -- 6-6-6 -- merely a curious number, or could it mean our number is up?

There's a devilishly odd nexus of theology, mathematics and commercialism on the sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year. OK, it's just the sixth year of this millennium, but insisting on calling it 2006 takes the devil-may-care fun out of calendar-gazing.

Something about the number 666 brings out the worry, the hope and even the humor in people, said the Rev. Felix Just, a professor of theology and religious studies at the University of San Francisco. A Jesuit priest, Father Just has taught both apocalyptic theory and mathematics and maintains a "666-Numbers of the Beast" Web site that contains history, theology, math and precisely 66 one-line jokes about 666.

One can even make sport of it, betting online if the apocalypse will happen on that date. The good news is that one online oddsmaker has made the world a 100,000-to-1 favorite to survive tomorrow -- something that Father Just said is supported by theology.
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It all started with Revelation 13:18 in the Bible: "This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six."

The beast is also known as the Antichrist, according to some apocalyptic theories.

Many scholars, such as Father Just, say the beast is really a coded reference -- using Hebrew letters for numbers -- for the despotic Roman emperor Nero, and 616 appears instead of 666 in some ancient manuscripts. The Book of Revelation isn't prophesying a specific end of times but "is about the overall cosmic struggle of good versus evil," Father Just said.

But for some more apocalyptic theologians, the end of times is coming, even if not specifically tomorrow. The evangelical Raptureready.com Web site puts its "rapture index" at 156, calling that "fasten your seat belts" time.
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"I don't think that people understand that 666 is not a good time," Mr. LaHaye said. He said he sees signs of an upcoming "tribulation period" that leads to the Antichrist's arrival in a movement toward one-world government, a single economic system and single religion.
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So people have looked for -- and found -- 666 in all sorts of places. Believers in the number's power have used a biblical letter-numeric code to convert the names of countless political leaders, including many popes, to come out 666, marking them as that generation's Antichrist. That includes Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

The math of 666 is also open to biblical interpretation and manipulation. Father Just points out that 666 is the sum of all the numbers on a roulette wheel. Other oddities include variations on pi and products of prime number multiplication.

There's also something special about the number 6, which in the Bible stands for man, said Brian C. Jones, a religion professor at Wartburg College in Iowa.
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Meteor 1, Earth 0 - The End To Global Warming

An April 2006 satellite image from the Australian Bureau of Meterology shows Australia. A meteor's roaring crash into Antarctica -- larger and earlier than the impact that killed the dinosaurs -- caused the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history and likely spawned the Australian continent, scientists said. Image Credit: AFP/ABM-HO/File

Hey, Al Gore, what happens to your "An Inconvenient Truth" if one of these "big boys" finds the Earth on its way between Galaxies? It would pretty much "bum your buzz", do ya' think?

Excerpts from AFP via Yahoo! News -

Meteor mega-hit spawned Australian continent: researchers
By AFP, Washington D.C. - Fri Jun 2, 1:54 PM ET

A meteor's roaring crash into Antarctica -- larger and earlier than the impact that killed the dinosaurs -- caused the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history and likely spawned the Australian continent, scientists said.

Ohio State University scientists said the 483-kilometer-wide (300-mile-wide) crater is now hidden more than 1.6 kilometers (one mile) beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

"Gravity measurements that reveal its existence suggest that it could date back about 250 million years -- the time of the Permian-Triassic extinction, when almost all animal life on Earth died out," the university said in a statement Thursday.
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The Wilkes Land crater is more than twice the size of the Chicxulub crater in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, which marks the impact that may have ultimately killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

The Chicxulub meteor is thought to have been 9.6 kilometers (six miles) wide, while the Wilkes Land meteor could have been up to 48.3 kilometers (30 miles) wide -- four or five times wider.

"This Wilkes Land impact is much bigger than the impact that killed the dinosaurs, and probably would have caused catastrophic damage at the time," said Ralph von Frese, a professor of geological sciences at Ohio State.

He and Laramie Potts, a postdoctoral researcher in geological sciences, led the team that discovered the crater. They collaborated with other Ohio State and NASA scientists, as well as partners from Russia and South Korea. They reported their preliminary results in a recent American Geophysical Union Joint Assembly meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
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"All the environmental changes that would have resulted from the impact would have created a highly caustic environment that was really hard to endure. So it makes sense that a lot of life went extinct at that time," he said.
Read All>>

Look, if you really want to create fear on Earth, tell everyone that a large meteor is headed our way and we can not do anything about it.

If you want to create a climate of fear on which you can raise funds and run for President ... again, you -

• First, create the internet so that you can communicate to (not with) people
• Second, create a really un-watchable cable channel that plays off of the internet you created so that you can call yourself a media mogul
• Third, make a movie that over-reaches on the issue of what could really be normal processes that govern the climate of The Earth and call it "Global Warming" to convince people that you are "the one", the only one, who can do something about it ... "if only I were your President!"

That Al Gore, he's a pretty crafty fellow! INCOMING!