Friday, June 16, 2006

More Nude News

I see my blogging about Nudes In The News has caught on Weird, Wacky and Wonderful No pictures though. After all it is a Blogging Tory site.


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MP Raj Pannu

Is Raj Pannu thinking of running for the NDP in Edmonton Strathcona in the next federal election?

Civitensis raises the rumour then says it's not true. To bad he would win.

Maybe its time to start a Draft Raj campaign...hey we already have the campaign slogan:

Raj


Against the Machine


See:

Scoop

The Passing of the Raj


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Lagrange 5


I came across an interesting space news blog :

Lagrange 5 Waypoint to the past, present, and future of space.

Why because I was googling around my previous article about Hawking and space colonization, as well as this one:Astronauts board space shuttle for practice launch

So I have to wonder why NASA and all the other space agencies fail to build in L5 rather than in suborbital space where their stupid space stations will inevitably decay in orbit and crash back to earth.

Oh what am I saying, of course it's the planned obscelence of capitalism.

Whereas if we used the Lagrange 5 we could have already been on our way to space colonization.

But of course space stations are not for space exploration, they are war stations in space for use by the Military Industrial Complex to continue its business as usual.

As anarchist sci-fi author Mack Reynolds exposed in his novels.


Libertarian Forum

 Mack Reynolds -- Lagrange Five (1979)
Reynolds was, for 25 years, an activist for the U.S. Socialist Labor Party.
His radical perspective on political issues is reflected throughout his
work. This book -- examining a quasi-utopia without sentimentalism -- is
only one suggestion. Also of huge interest are Tomorrow Might Be Different
(1960) and The Rival Rigelians (1960), which explicitly examine the relation
between capitalism and Stalinism.

Mack Reynolds (Dallas McCord Reynolds) (November 11, 1917 - January 30, 1983)
was an American science fiction writer.
Many of his stories were published in Galaxy Magazine and Worlds of If Magazine.
He was an active supporter of the Socialist Labor Party and consequently many
of his stories have a reformist theme, and almost all of his novels explore
economic issues to some degree. He was quite popular in the 1960s but most
of his work is out of print today.
The Volokh Conspiracy - Decentralization and Federalism in Science Fiction


The image “http://www.l5news.org/graphics/masthead.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.


Space Studies Institute » Second Place

HobbySpace - Life in Space

Lagrangian point: Definition and Much More From Answers.com

Space colonization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lagrangian point - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mobile Suit Gundam: Developing Sound Habitats







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Bear With Me


As my faithful readers will know I am concerned aboutthe plight of Bears. A recent story on cannibal polar bears caught my attention.

Along with one about Thompson Manitoba locking up their garbage dump to keep bears out.

However back to the cannibalistic polar bears, well I have to agree with this guy, Conservative Joe. Shock, shudder, say it ain't so, for the most part.



Wednesday, June 14, 2006 10:47:41 PM

When science is used to achieve a political goal, it is no longer science. It may resemble it, but that is where the relationship ends. In a dramatic story being published across the globe this week, we are told that polar bears are eating each other because of global warming and that this behaviour is unprecedented. Historical evidence and past studies show this to be an outright lie.( Read Article )

He raises serious questions about the cannibal polar bear stories now circulating. Even if he is a right winger who has doubts about global warming.

He is far less an apologist than these guys though;
Polar Bears on Thin Ice, Not Really! Brief Analysis

Who also use science for political ends, just conservative right wing ones. Of course they won't be denounced by Conservative Joe.




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Slaves To Ipod


What was that the right wing was saying about unions being outdated? As long as we have wage-slavery the wage-slaves will need to organize! Yeah codes of conduct are as useless as the paper they are written on. The only real code of conduct is when workers organize. Apple is the new Nike.


Sweatshop Conditions at IPod Factory Reported

IPod 'slave' claims investigated

THE 'ROBOT' WORKERS ON 15-HOUR DAYS

Apple has responded to the recent claims of poor working conditions at iPod factories in China, stating that it takes the allegations seriously and that it is looking into the charges. “Apple is committed to ensuring that working conditions in our supply chain are safe, workers are treated with respect and dignity, and manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible,” Apple said in a statement. The company said it is “currently investigating the allegations regarding working conditions in the iPod manufacturing plant in China. We do not tolerate any violations of our supplier code of conduct which are posted online.”




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Screw Up A Planet And Move On

Yep thats what a leading scientist says.

Hawking: Life on Earth Dangerous, Humans Should Colonize the Moon

Sure its already a desolate wasteland so we couldn't possibly screw it up anymore than it is...could we?

On the other hand this could be another example of capitalism in space since the Moon is rich in heavy metals.


See Explanation.  Clicking on the picture will download  the highest resolution version available.


Also See:

NASA




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Thursday, June 15, 2006

Don't Eat No Yellow Snow

Did ET pee in the arctic?

U of C searches for ET

Arctic's strange sulphur spring may hide secrets of life
University of Calgary geology professor Benoit Beauchamp was in the High Arctic studying rocks when he noticed an unusual yellowish stain in a snow-covered valley. He flew over in a helicopter several times, but couldn't figure out why the snow had turned yellow. "I thought it was some sort of moss or vegetation," he recalled Tuesday. "It's not until I landed that I realized it was pure sulphur.University of Calgary geology professor Benoit Beauchamp was in the High Arctic studying rocks when he noticed an unusual yellowish stain in a snow-covered valley. He flew over in a helicopter several times, but couldn't figure out why the snow had turned yellow. "I thought it was some sort of moss or vegetation," he recalled Tuesday. "It's not until I landed that I realized it was pure sulphur.
Arctic expedition will investigate alien-like glacier


And remember Frank Zappas warning kids: Don't Eat No Yellow Snow

Save for an unexpected pair of top-40 hits in "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" and "Valley Girl," Frank Zappa didn't make much of a dent in the mainstream in his quarter century as a recorded artist. And understandably so; he was, and remains more than a dozen years after his passing, years ahead of his time. To Zappa's benefit, and probably much to the appreciation of his still-die hard fan base, he never fit the rock and roll mold, inspired more by the likes of Igor Stravinsky than the Fab Four and making no bones about it. He was also an astute social and political commentator, despite penning locker-room savvy classics such as "Broken Hearts are for A******s" and "Bobby Brown."

Let's be Frank

Frank Zappa's Family Brings His Music to a New Audience



Also See:

Classical Rock



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Prehistoric Loonie


Another fossil discovery with Canadian links. Just like Frank and Gordon.

This time it's the Loon.


The similarity of G. yumenensis to modern birds came as a surprise: Previously, such advanced anatomical features had been seen only in birds that lived during and after the late Cretaceous period — within the last 100 million years. "In short, no one expected to find a bird this modern in rocks this old," Harris says, referring to the shale formation where the team made its discovery. The shale dates to the early Cretaceous period, which occurred between 100 million and 145 million years ago. As a result of the finding, G. yumenensis now has the distinction of being "the oldest-known bird that is really, really modern in its anatomy," he says.

As such, G. yumenensis may help fill in gaps in the branch of the evolutionary tree that gave rise to today's birds. Specifically, scientists are looking to G. yumenensis for present-day evidence of whether modern birds originated in aquatic or terrestrial habitats.

An artist's reconstruction shows Gansus yumenensis in a lake in China's Gansu province. The bird probably had the ability to dive and swim underwater, much like modern loons or grebes. Illustration by Mark A. Klingler, courtesy of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

"The most primitive living birds — for example, ostriches, rheas, and chickens — tend to be terrestrial" and therefore would seem to hint that today's birds got their start on land, says Matthew Lamanna, a research team member from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pennsylvania. Yet two other features of G. yumenensis — webbed feet and a large crest on its lower leg bone that would have provided a strong anchor for leg muscles — suggest the bird was aquatic and had the ability to dive and swim underwater like loons or grebes. According to You's research team, this supports the idea that modern birds actually originated in water habitats.

Also See:

Fossils

Prehistoric


Dinosaurs


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Scoop

Daveberta has a scoop on his site. Following the resignation announcement by Edmonton Strathcona NDP MLA Raj Pannu, Daveberta correctly predicted that Rachel Notley will be announcing her candidacy as Raj's replacement. . notley quick on the draw.

As the ultimate party insider, daughter of former NDP Leader and Saint; Grant Notley, her shoo in is assured. Seems though that Daveberta was not supposed to announce her candidacy. Dave writes:

UPDATE: It seems that a clever webmaster has discovered that I have prematurely announced Ms. Notley's candidacy.

As such, her site has been taken down until the official announcement is made. Even though I did have the foresight to see this coming and captured screenshots and copied her announcement speech and press release (dated June 16), I'm really not cruel enough to post stuff like that (this early in the nomination game).


She will be announcing her candidacy tommorow, Friday June 16, 10:30 AM at the Edmonton Strathcona Community Centre. Then her website will probably go back up.

Her hubby is Lou Arab a former PR guy for the ABNDP now PR guy for CUPE Alberta. And maybe Bob the Angry Flower will join her campaign.


The old family compact is alive and well in the Alberta NDP.


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A Birthday Present For Che


A Liberated Bolivia

And lets not forget that other great Cuban Revolutionary who would have turned 78 yesterday. The guy who ran the bank of Cuba because when they were handing out jobs around the table, they asked whose an 'economist', and he said I am. Only to find out later he thought they said 'communist.'

Bolivia was where Che began his understanding of the oppression of the indigenous peoples of Latin American, and where he would die helping the Coca farmers.


Bolivia's president pays homage to Che Guevara

LA HIGUERA, Bolivia (Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales pledged solidarity with Cuba and Venezuela on Wednesday as he paid homage to Ernesto "Che" Guevara at the spot where the legendary leftist guerrilla was killed in 1967.

Clutching double-sided Cuban-Bolivian flags, white-coated Cuban doctors joined Morales and hundreds of local residents in the remote eastern village La Higuera to mark the 78th anniversary of the Cuban revolutionary leader's birth.

Morales, who has hung a large portrait of Guevara in the presidential palace, defended his leftist alliance with Cuba and Venezuela and said he would be willing to take up arms to defend them in the face of any U.S. attack.

"If they did it in Cuba, in Venezuela or Bolivia, we'd be willing to take them on with arms to defend the nation, natural resources and social reforms," Morales said.

"Ten years ago, I said there'd soon be many Cubas in Latin America and I now feel I was right ... . Now we've got another commander, our comrade (Venezuelan President) Hugo Chavez. We've got two freedom-fighting commanders ... whatever the empire says," added Morales, who often dubs Washington "the North American empire."

He is the first Bolivian president to pay homage to Guevara in the mountainous area where the Argentine-born medical doctor was captured and shot to death by Bolivian soldiers as he sought to spread communism to Bolivia.

Guevara was Fidel Castro's lieutenant in the 1959 Cuban Revolution. His attempt to spark another movement in Bolivia in 1967 was stopped after seven months of fighting in the subtropics.

He was captured on October 8 and taken to the school building in La Higuera, where he was executed the next day at the age of 39.

Che was executed by the CIA and Bolivian Army in the first act of the phoney War On Drugs that began way back then.

Bolivia Remembers Che for Humanity

La Paz, Jun 15 (Prensa Latina) The government and people´s tribute to the 78th anniversary of Argentine-Cuban guerrilla commander Ernesto Che Guevara, shared by ambassadors from Cuba and Venezuela, has caused a great impact in Bolivia.

President Evo Morales, and Cuban and Venezuelan Ambassadors Rafael Dausa and Julio Montes ratified their nations´ will to emulate Che´s solidarity fight as the greatest homage to his memory.

History has done justice to the guerrilla fighter, in an emotive revolutionary activity at the La Higuera village, where he was assassinated in 1967.

In his address, Evo Morales described Che as an immortal leader who tirelessly fought against US imperialism and for the liberty and dignity of Latin America, "dying for us, equality and justice."

"When I was a farmers´ leader ten years ago, I was asked about my views on Cuba, and I answered there would be many 'Cubas' in Latin America. I am very satisfied I was right," he noted.

Morales referred to unconditional solidarity among Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia, calling it the axis of humankind, of the poor who fight for life, as proven in health and education collaboration, and pledged he would never betray Che´s ideals.

Cuban and Venezuelan Ambassadors Rafael Dausa and Julio Montes also addressed participants, including Che´s son Camilo Guevara March and government officials from Caracas and Havana.

Evo Morales Honors Che Guevara with New Clinic from Cuba

Bolivian President Pays Homage to Che Guevara Today

Bolivian President Pays Tribute to Guevara


Thirty years ago Che's Revolution in Bolivia planted the seeds for the revolutionary movement of Evo Morales and MAS.


''Bolivia's Evo Morales Launches His Movement Toward Socialism ...
Unlike the traditional populist leaders in the Andean region, who originate in the middle and upper classes and who implement redistributionist measures from above without coherent ideological grounding and grassroots organization, Morales comes from a poor indigenous background and heads an organized mass movement with ideological foundations and programmatic applications of them. His Movement Toward Socialism (M.A.S.) -- Bolivia's largest political party -- brings together indigenous, community, peasant, labor and student groups in a coalition that, despite the many tensions within it, seeks to replace permanently the oligarchic rule of the European and affluent mestizo middle and upper classes that have become linked to and dependent upon multinational corporations and the states that protect them, particularly the United States. [See: "Bolivia's Evo Morales Shifts the Hemispheric Balance of Power"]

The aim of the M.A.S. is not simply to take over the existing system and run it by keeping it intact, but to change it fundamentally. The extent of the transformation that the M.A.S. envisions became evident in June when it released its program, "Refounding Bolivia," which incorporates its agenda for the forthcoming constituent assembly.

At the highest level of ideological abstraction, the document interprets Bolivian history as "indigenous-popular resistance to discrimination and poverty," proclaiming the "rights" of indigenous peoples to self-determination, control over their territories and "collective resources," and use of their traditional political and justice systems, consistent with respect for human rights. The M.A.S.' vision for Bolivia is a "plural, participative, communitarian and representative democracy, based on diversity of peoples, for the elimination of all forms of colonialism, segregation and discrimination." In the economic sphere, "Refounding Bolivia" declares that natural resources are "social property" and that their management falls to the state -- a model of "social economy" with room for private productive property so long as it serves socially useful purposes.

Bolivia’s Gas Nationalization: A South American Affair
The diplomatic whirlwind following Evo Morales’ takeover of Bolivia’s gas fields has revealed that South American unity is far stronger than critics of the regio... :: 14/6/2006

Morales to Release Economic Plan

LA PAZ, Bolivia — Leftist President Evo Morales will unveil an economic plan on Friday that aims to create 100,000 jobs a year and lift South America's poorest country out of crisis by investing profits from Bolivia's recently nationalized natural gas industry.

In a shift from previous administrations that have backed free-market style reforms, Morales is favoring a strong state role in the economy. Shunning a free-trade agreement with Washington, he has signed a pact with his left-wing allies Cuba and Venezuela.

A draft of the Morales plan obtained by the Associated Press says the government plans heavy public investment that could reach US$1.6 billion (euro1.3 billion) by 2011 that it hopes will spur annual economic growth of 7.6 percent _ more than double Bolivia's current growth rate.


Also See

The Left In Latin America

Che Meets Benedict

Nothing To Worry About In Bolivia

A Libertarian Defense of the Left Wing in Latin America

Bolivia Moves Left


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