respublica

Is Kim Jong Il?

No.  He's dead.  

Via Fark just because it's the best line today on Kim Jong Il.

100,000 poets

LOL.  A global effort on Saturday will feature 100,000 poets reading their works in hopes of effecting environmental, social and political change. 

100 poets have signed up in St. Louis.

LOL.

Maybe

Using another variety of spelling, Fark comments on Gadhafi or Kadhafi or Qadhafi or whatever.

"No longer employed as a brutal dictator, Gadhafi accepts a position as the "Waldo" of the middle east."

Let's settle on one spelling

How many ways are there to spell Omar (Moammar) Gaddafi, Kadafi, Qaddafi, Qadhafi, etc?

How about someone in the news business decide on which to use?

The Great Hamster of Alsace

The highest court in the European Union ruled that France has not protected the Great Hamster of Alsace.  The country could face fines of almost 25 million dollars it they doesn't start adjusting its agricultural and urban policies to protect this hamster. 

A cute little guy.  They seem a wild species in Europe, not having to spend their lives in a cage running in circles on one of those wheel things.

Watermelons exploding all over China

Acres of watermelons are being ruined in China after the ripe fruit just explodes.

The cause is possibly the over use of a "growth promoter".

Can you imagine?

The last hour of May 1, 2011

Wow.  What a night, what a morning, so much to take in, so many memories rushing back.

When the news broke last night that Osama bin Laden had been killed by U.S. Special Forces/Navy Seals/JSOC, the reaction around the country was immediate-cheers and flags, spontaneous gatherings in public places to sing the National Anthem, God Bless America. 

It's been a long time.  Most of us had probably mentally left Osama behind, thinking him dead of kidney disease (remember those early reports that he wouldn't be able to survive in a cave without dialysis?) or killed at Tora Bora or some other place.

But no.  He's been living in what they are calling a Pakistani mansion.  Now buried at sea, ironic for a man of the desert and mountain caves.

I don't really know what emotions to feel, how to make sense of it.  His actions took too many lives, hurt too many families, scared too many of us, angered most of us.  His life meant we now live in a long line of security checks.  This won't change.  His life meant many of us still have a twinge of fear when boarding a plane.  His life meant too many children lost a parent, too many lost a spouse, a son, a daughter. 

This is a good time to reacquaint ourselves with the doctrine of the Right and Left Hand Kingdoms.  Moments like this are of the Left, the role of government and kings given the duty to guard and protect us, even yes, exacting revenge. 

Weighty stuff.

 

No kidding

According to the Nielsen Co., the US media have given the wedding more than twice as much attention as the Brits.

One reason to be happy you don't live in Queensland

Queensland Australia.

The worst flooding in 50 years in that part of the world has brought warnings that crocodiles and snakes may wash into homes. 

Now that's digging out

Think New York City had a lot of snow to remove?

Look at this from Japan.  20 meters of snow.