Why?

Daniel Hauser is back in Minnesota and will likely start his chemo again. State and Federal charges against him mom will most likely be dropped. Mighty nice, considering she was doing what she thought best for her child.

Here's what's chapping my hide. Iran and North Korea are rattling their sabers. The economy is in the toilet. People are still losing their homes and jobs. The Federal government is throwing good money after bad and racking up debt that my grandchildren (or maybe great-grandchildren) will be paying off. Why are we using state and Federal money to force a child who doesn't want it to take chemo? OK, yeah, according to the doctors, there is a 90% cure rate with chemo and a 5% survival rate without it. The fact still remains that chemo is a poison with side effects of its own. Why is this family being treated like criminal fugitives for wanting to pursue other treatment options? Daniel is their child, not the government's. This is not about whether a 13-year-old boy should be treated by the medical establishment, an herbalist, or a Satanic shaman; it's about parents' rights, children's rights and the fact that the government wants to control every facet of life from cradle to grave.

Twenty years ago, George Orwell's "1985" was an interesting, if disturbing, piece of fiction. Now we're twenty years closer to that reality. Don't believe me? That's fine, but think about this: When was the last time you went out to eat with your family in a restaurant that didn't have a television? Or how about the 24-hour news stations? How often do we hear good news that's worth a plugged nickel? If you see good news on the news, it's some trite bit about a cocker spaniel that saved a toddler and a parakeet from a burning building. Why do we need 24-hour news anyway? We were doing fine with an hour of news a couple of times a day before CNN hit the airwaves about the time the Gulf War started.

Which brings me back to Daniel Hauser. Why is a 13-year-old boy who doesn't want to treat his illness with poison a national news story? Big Brother is in the house, people--the White House.

More food

Did they not learn anything from poisoned dog food? Now they're finding melamine in Chinese milk powder. Locavorism is looking better and better.

Does anyone know what the press is not telling us? From the stories I'm seeing, the Chinese manufacturers are either evil or stupid, and I know there has to be more to it than that. There has to be. I know there are evil people in the world, but I can't imagine anyone evil enough to poison 50,000 babies in a country with such stringent family planning laws.

Regardless of what's going on over there, I think I need to figure out how to expand my garden next year.

Perspective

Eric found this on one of his gaming bulletin boards last night:

Research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neuron, 25 assistant neurons, 88 deputy neurons, and 198 assistant deputy neurons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every action with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to take from four days to four years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neurons and deputy neurons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neurons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

Now, with that in mind, go read this. Just saying.

LOL!

This video is on Yahoo! News this morning. I have maintained for the last 17 years that there are few things in life as funny as a baby's belly laugh. It's one of those things I miss from when my kids were babies. This will be treasured by his parents. Go watch it and have a good laugh!

Well, thank goodness!!

Oprah Winfrey has given all women permission to think for themselves and vote for whomever they think best. Apparently, she was accused of being a traitor to her gender by backing Barack Obama. Poor gal. I'll sleep so much better now that I can go to the polls on Tuesday and NOT vote for Hillary to support my gender.

Like that was ever a possibility.

Hmph. A burr under my saddle is more effective for getting me going this morning than my coffee is. Thanks a lot, Oprah.

The nerve!

French vintners are rethinking their decisions for their last Presidential election. Nicolas Sarkozy is working to curb French unemployment and illegal immigration, and has a few ideas about how to improve their economy, but he doesn't drink.

According to projections, Americans will out-drink the French by 2010 if something isn't done immediately, if not sooner. Sarkozy "doesn't like eating, he doesn't like drinking, he doesn't represent the culture of France." Apparently, the leaders of the French wine industry don't care about what their president does, as long as he's as drunk as everyone else. (Equality and brotherhood, anyone?) One went so far as to say that at least Jacques Chirac knew how to put the drinks away! That just about sums it up, doesn't it? Sounds to me like they're ripe for the Orwellian pickings.

A glimpse into the future

This is the most amazing thing! It's a picture of snow, dated Good Friday, April 6, 2007, that I ran across on Weather Underground.

Just one problem: Today is Maundy Thursday, April 5, 2007. I've double-checked. Twice. And it's New Hampshire--no pesky time zones to take into account.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who gets my days mixed up!