Animal-Human Hybrids Spark Controversy

This is downright creepy: ".....Human Born to Mice Parents?

For example, an experiment that would raise concerns, he said, is genetically engineering mice to produce human sperm and eggs, then doing in vitro fertilization to produce a child whose parents are a pair of mice....."

I love this pic.

The living symbol of the church swats at a living symbol of peace.

If you look at the dove and the pope as only symbols, I think the image is a reflection of the world today. You grow up thinking that the churches are full of pacifists who love their neighbors and recognize that killing their fellow man is evil. Today the churches in the US elected a president who uses war and killing instead of negotiation and not as a last resort.

And maybe I am being too charitable to churches historically in thinking that they were a bastion of peace in the past. I know a good deal of history, and when I think about it I probably am.

While is is a great shot, I don't want to give the wrong impression about my opinions of the Pope. John Paul II has always behaved in a very ummm...probably the wrong word, but professional way as the Pope. He has been an excellent role model. He has always seemed like a down to earth nice guy who happens to be the Pope. A very human pope. The news story captures his humanity in this instance.

None of this is at all to bag on the Pope. Many of the various Christian Churches may be in support of Bush's War, but Pope John Paul II, at least, and a few others are anti-war. While anyone who studies history knows there have been a number of popes with agenda's of hate, John Paul II seems to be a very good person based on deeds and actions and a credit to the papacy. IMO.

TCS: Tech Central Station - Where Have All the Children Gone?

A Fascinating article on population changes and how they might dramatically change the face of Europe in our time.

dating part Deux

StupidMe: mikey!
Brother-in-law: hiya tobes
StupidMe: I am going to put up a new dating ad
StupidMe: I get too many shocked responses when I say go to alt .com
Brother-in-law: lol
Brother-in-law: I wonder why
Brother-in-law: Hi! I'm a nice friendly guy! Go see my profile at a site dedicated to Bondage / Domination / Sadomasochism
Brother-in-law: O.o
StupidMe: see I don't see the problem there...
Brother-in-law: You're not supposed to let on that you're some kind of weird sex freak until they like you
Brother-in-law: Like, if you pick them up for a first date, you shouldn't wear one of those masks with the zipper where the mouth is and a set of nipple clamps.
Brother-in-law: That might make them uncomfortable.
StupidMe: dating is so dishonest

I suck at Internet Dating.

I was talking to Ms. V. about dating and ...well...you read....

Ms. V.: oy. you know
Ms. V.: i'm starting to wonder
Ms. V.: if you don't even really know what you want
Ms. V.: in a woman
IdiotMe: I know EXACTLY what I want
IdiotMe: (its on my shopping list)<- A tongue-in-cheek ref. to my ad
Ms. V.: you're not exceptionally articulate about it
IdiotMe: ???????
Ms. V.: several people privately pointed out to me
Ms. V.: that your profile
Ms. V.: essentially spent a lot of words
Ms. V.: on "any woman. are you breathing? are you female?"
IdiotMe: hmmmph
Ms. V.: lol
Ms. V.: it IS pretty open ended
IdiotMe: I thought I was rather focused
Ms. V.: any woman could read that
Ms. V.: and apply it to herself
IdiotMe: hmm...
IdiotMe: darned it
IdiotMe: REWRITE!

MSNBC Interactive: Fit and fat

The fittest and fattest cities in America, according to a survey in the February issue of "Men’s Fitness" magazine:

• Fittest
Rank City
1. Seattle
2. Honolulu
3. Colorado Springs, Colo.
4. San Francisco
5. Denver
6. Portland, Ore.
7. Sacramento, Calif.
8. Tucson, Ariz.
9. San Diego
10. Albuquerque, N.M.
11. Boston
12. Virginia Beach, Va.
13. Minneapolis
14. Fresno, Calif.
15. Milwaukee
16. Omaha, Neb.
17. San Jose, Calif.
18. Jacksonville, Fla.
19. Austin, Texas
20. Oakland, Calif.
21. Los Angeles
22. Arlington, Texas
23. Washington, D.C.
24. Cleveland, Ohio
25. Nashville-Davidson, Tenn.

• Fattest
Rank City
1. Houston
2. Philadelphia
3. Detroit
4. Memphis, Tenn.
5. Chicago
6. Dallas
7. New Orleans
8. New York
9. Las Vegas
10. San Antonio
11. El Paso, Texas
12. Phoenix
13. Indianapolis
14. Fort Worth, Texas
15. Mesa, Ariz.
16. Columbus, Ohio
17. Wichita, Kan.
18. Kansas City, Mo.
19. Miami
20. Long Beach, Calif.
21. Oklahoma City, Okla.
22. Tulsa, Okla.
23. Atlanta
24. Charlotte, N.C.
25. Baltimore

Natalie Portman . Com - News - Portman to star in Alan Moore's "V for Vendetta"

The official press release for V for Vendetta.

The Wachowski Brothers and Joel Silver, the creators and producer of the revolutionary, $1.6 billion-grossing 'Matrix' trilogy, will unleash the action thriller 'V For Vendetta' for Silver Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, with Natalie Portman ('Star Wars: Episodes I-III,' 'Closer,' 'Garden State') set to star.

'Natalie Portman is one of the most gifted actresses working today, and we're thrilled that she is bringing her extraordinary talents and presence to this film,' Silver said.

Set in the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, 'V For Vendetta' stars Portman as a young woman who becomes the unlikely ally of a mysterious revolutionary.

'With 'V For Vendetta,' the Wachowski Brothers have created an uncompromising vision of the future driven by a totally original superhero,' said Silver.

The screenplay by Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski is based on the acclaimed graphic novel 'V For Vendetta' by author Alan Moore ('The Watchmen,' 'Swamp Thing') and illustrator David Lloyd. Originally collected by DC Comics as a ten-part series in 1988, 'V For Vendetta' has been praised for its vision, potency and eloquence. Moore is widely considered to be one of the finest comic writers of all time, and has been credited with single-handedly expanding the potential of the comic book medium with his work.

Produced by Joel Silver, Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski, 'V For Vendetta' will be directed by James McTeigue, who served as the First Assistant Director on the 'Matrix' trilogy.

'V For Vendetta' will be filmed on location in Berlin beginning in early March and will be released in the Fall of 2005 by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

CNN.com - Amish teen electrocuted by power line in buggy wheel - Jan 12, 2005

Sad.

Amateur Tsunami Video Footage

available here.

It is bizarre to watch and really opens your eyes about tsunamis. I had always has this idea fosterd by years of reading comic stories of The Sub-Mariner invading the surface world of these giant 40 foot tall tidal waves.

But this was entirely differrent. The wave had crashed already by time the water reached shore. You were "only" dealing with the dispaced water from the wave.

To me this made the tragedy much worse. In the videos you can see the people on the ground who know the water is coming thinking that the tide doesn't appear that tall, so it won't come 500-1000 feet inland.

Most of those people are probably dead now.

If you don't want to see the videos for yourself this is my impression of them. It is like sea level raised 20 feet in 2 minutes. Just imagine it. Anyone on the the ground or the first two floors in this community drowned.

It is just horrible, horrible stuff to contemplate.

Election result maps by population

This really gives a clearer view of the last election. These maps illustrate the saying, "land doesn't vote, people do."

To me it looks like a blue map being strangled by red strands. Oddly, that is what it feels like as well.

Old news to be sure, but how can this not piss you off?

Katherine Harris: U.S. Congresswoman

I think it is likely that she will be burning in hell when she dies. I sincerely hope the remaining years of her life on earth are worth it to her.

"Kerry won" By Greg Palast

Palast explains the unspoken problem with US elections.