What Caught My Eye Today

Fred's Note: Yeah, yeah. It's been 3 months. It's not like I get paid for doing this.

So let's see here. The Arab Spring (you have to love that euphemism) is still going strong. Japan isn't quite glowing in the dark, but it is still spewing radiation all over the place. President Obama is pissing off both sides of the political spectrum (which must mean he's doing something right). And Sarah Palin is still finding ways to make the headlines (seriously, doesn't the press have anything better to report on?)

President Obama (Part I) - President Barack Obama announced his plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan. An initial drawdown of 10,000 troops is expected to take place in two phases, with 5,000 troops coming home this summer and 5,000 more by the end of the year. An additional 20,000-plus are to follow by September 2012. That still would leave about 70,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, with many to come home gradually over two more years. Congressional Democrats argue that his timeline for bringing 33,000 home by next summer is too slow. Republicans worry that the drawdown will be too fast. Atta boy, Mr. President. If you are going to ruffle up some feathers, you might as well rile up the whole flock.

President Obama (Part II) - Any then there is the sagging U.S. economy. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said that Democratic demands that some tax increases be paired with the spending cuts have brought budget negotiations led by Vice President Joe Biden to an impasse. Cantor said that it's time for President Barack Obama to weigh in directly on the budget because Democrats insist on negotiating some tax increases. Same old story. The veep gets no respect. Step aside, Mr. Biden. Time to bring in the big guns. Nevermind the fact that he will probably say the same things that Biden has for the past several weeks.He also said that plenty of progress has been made in identifying trillions of dollars in potential spending cuts to accompany legislation to raise the $14.3 trillion cap on the government's ability to borrow money. Okay I'm confused. I thought the negotiations had reached an impasse. How can you make progress when you've hit an impasse? Passage of the legislation this summer is necessary to meet the government's obligations to holders of U.S. Treasuries. The alternative is a market-shaking, first-ever default on U.S. obligations. Pish posh. It wouldn't be the first time someone has "bounced a check". Oh sure, it is on a slightly larger scale, but basically its the same thing. You get hit with a service fee and move on. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to the fee for bouncing a $14.3 trillion check?

Sarah Palin - Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said she was pausing her "One Nation" bus tour to answer the call of jury duty and denied media reports her much hyped multi-state jaunt had been cut short. Many have viewed her bus tour as a possible campaign warm-up should Palin ever declare herself a White House candidate. Palin's did not say when her jury service might start or when she had been summoned to serve. I'll make this short and sweet. First, does anyone have a clue what this bus tour is all about? Second, please, for the love of God, let Palin run for president. The campaign will be so much more entertaining with her in it (who wouldn't want a front row seat to see Palin trade quips with Obama in a public debate?). And third, just how long does jury duty in Alaska last. I've been summoned for jury duty for almost 20 years, and have never lost more than a few days to fulfilling my civic duty.

Brand Names - Each year, 24/7 Wall St. regularly compiles a list of brands that are going to disappear in the near-term. Brands that have stood the test of time for decades are falling by the wayside at an alarming rate. Brands on this year's list are predicted to be gone within 18 months.

• Sony Pictures - Sony has a studio production arm which has nothing to do with its core businesses of consumer electronics and gaming. Sony bought what was Columbia Tri-Star Picture in 1989 for $3.4 billion. This entertainment operation has done poorly recently. Sony Entertainment will disappear with the sale of its assets. Hard to believe this is the studio that released "The Social Network" this past December.


• A&W - A&W Restaurants does not have the ability to market itself against larger chains and does not have the size to efficiently handle food purchases, logistics, and transportation costs compared to competitors many times as large. That said, they make the best rootbeer float...ever.


• Saab - with a potential of global sales below 50,000 a year based on manufacturing and marketing operations, and demand, Saab is no longer a financially viable brand. Really? They still sell that many?


• American Apparel - It is a small, under-funded player in a market with very large competitors with healthy balance sheets. It does not help matters that the company's founder and CEO has been a defendant in several lawsuits filed by former employees alleging sexual harassment. Well damn. How am I supposed to fill my closet now?


• Sears - The parent of Sears and Kmart is in a lot of trouble. Sears Holdings was created by a merger of the parents of the two chains in 2005. The operation has been a disaster ever since. Truth be told, I haven't been to a Sears store since I last bought a washer and dryer...7 years ago.


• Sony Ericsson - In a period when smartphone sales worldwide are rising in the double digits and sales of the iPhone double year over year, Sony Ericsson's unit sales dropped from 97 million in 2008 to 43 million last year. Geeze. Sony is having a tough year isn't it?


• Kellogg's Corn Pops - The cereal business is not what is used to be, at least for products that are not considered healthy. Corn Pops contain mono- and diglycerides, used to bind saturated fat, and BHT for freshness, which is also used in embalming fluid. The reference to embalming fluid sealed the deal for me.


• MySpace - MySpace, once the world's largest social network, died a long time ago. It held the top spot among social networks based on visitors from mid-2006 until mid-2008. Hmm. I wonder what happened? Let me ask you this. Which social networking site did you put your profile on, MySpace or Facebook


• Soap Opera Digest - The magazine's future has been ruined by two trends. The first is the number of cancellations of soap operas. The other insurmountable challenge is the wide availability of details on soap operas online. It's been awhile since I was in school, but I'm pretty sure one of the things I learned was that it is difficult to produce media on a given subject if there is not content to back it up.


• Nokia - Nokia is dead. Shareholders are just waiting for an undertaker. The world's largest handset company has one asset. Ouch. That's a pretty harsh assessment. True, but still harsh. For the record, I still have my Nokia. Perhaps I'm becoming a bit of a fuddy-duddy, but I sort of like the idea of my phone actually being just a phone.

What Caught My Eye Today

So you think you've had a tough week? I'm sure you are familiar with the cliche that "things could always be worse." Ordinarily, I embrace such thinking, however recent events have given me pause.

Japan (Part I) - Last Friday, a megathrust earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 on the Richter scale hit about 80 miles off the east coast of Japan. Megathrust earthquakes occur at subduction zones at destructive plate boundaries, where one tectonic plate is forced under (subducts) another. These earthquakes are among the world's largest. Since 1900, all six earthquakes of magnitude 9.0 or greater have been megathrust earthquakes. No other type of known tectonic activity can produce earthquakes of this scale. The total energy released for the quake was equivalent to approximately 600 million times the energy of the Hiroshima bomb and if that energy could have been harnessed would have been able to power the city of Los Angeles for a year. If those numbers don't blow your mind, consider this next item. The quake moved portions of northeast Japan 8 feet closer to North America and shifted the Earth's axis by almost 10 inches. This deviation has increased the speed of the Earth's rotation, shortening the day by 1.8 microseconds. As catastrophic as you might imagine the damage would be from this quake, it turns out this was just the beginning...

Japan (Part II) - On those occasions when earthquakes occur in the oceans, there is sometimes a displacement of water. There is a term for this sort of thing--tsunami. The earthquake caused a massive tsunami which wrought massive destruction along the Pacific coastline of Japan's northern islands. The tsunami propagated across the Pacific, and warnings were issued and evacuations carried out in many countries with Pacific coasts. Chile's section of Pacific coast is furthest from Japan (about 12,400 miles) but still was struck by tsunami waves over 6 feet high. The damage in Japan caused by surging water was far more deadly and destructive than the actual quake. Whole towns were wiped away by waves reaching 3 stories in height. Through today, The National Police Agency has officially confirmed 4,314 deaths, 2,285 injured, and 8,606 people missing across sixteen prefectures. These numbers are expected to significantly increase, with casualties expected to reach tens of thousands. As horrific as this was, if you have been watching the news, the tsunami is only the second worst thing that Japan has had to cope with. What could possibly be worse than this?

Japan (Part III) - The Fukushima I, Fukushima II, Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant and Tōkai nuclear power stations, consisting of a total eleven reactors, were automatically shut down following the earthquake. At Fukushima I and II tsunami waves overtopped seawalls and destroyed diesel backup power systems, leading to severe problems including two large explosions at Fukushima I and leakage of radiation. Oh crap. Japan declared a state of emergency following the failure of the cooling system at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, resulting in the evacuation of nearby residents. Officials from the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency have reported that radiation levels inside the plant are up to 1,000 times normal levels, and that radiation levels outside the plant are up to 8 times normal levels. Later, a state of emergency was also declared at the Fukushima II nuclear power plant. This brings the total number of problematic reactors to six. As if one exploding nuclear reactor wasn't bad enough.

Japan (Part IV) - I think it goes without saying that getting hit by a 9.0 earthquake, a tsunami and the explosion of 6 nuclear reactors is going to result in some collateral damage, no matter how well prepared you are. And honestly, who in their right mind could dream up something like this? At least 1.5 million households were reported to have lost access to water supplies and around 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan are without electricity. Initial estimates suggest the economic loss may be around $171–183 billion just to the region which was hit by the quake and tsunami.

So if you think you have it rough, think again, my friends. And while you are at it, take a few minutes to donation whatever you can to the relief agencies trying to help Japan cope with this disaster (Frankly, I cannot think of a word that adequately describe what has happened here).

Basketball - March Madness starts today along with the decimation of my brackets. Nonetheless, it's a tradition that for two weeks every March, fine folks across the land find yet another reason to slack off at work. Personally, I find that I can blow off my job with or without a college basketball tournament to distract me, but that's just me. And now, without further delay, I give you my losing Final Four picks. For the men, I'm taking Ohio State vs. Connecticut and Kansas vs. Pittsburgh in the Final Four and Ohio State over Kansas in the final. For the women, I've got Connecticut going up against Tennessee and Stanford taking on Texas A&M, with Connecticut over Stanford in the final. For those of you who follow the game, picking the Connecticut women is not exactly a shot in the dark. They have only lost one game in like the past decade, though that lose was to Stanford. On the men's side, I've got 3 one-seeds in the Final Four. Again, I'm not wandering too far off the reservation here. The problem, is that all 4 one-seeds have only made it to the Final Four once (in 1979). I think the important aspect to all this is win or lose this sure beats the heck out of my day job.

What Caught My Eye Today

Libya - French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron said Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his ruling clique have lost legitimacy and must step down to end violence in the country. The British and French leaders also called on the international community to enforce an arms embargo on Libya. France became the first country to recognize the rebel group, and Sarkozy has raised the idea of a limited air campaign against forces loyal to Gaddafi. Unless I am very much mistaken, I'm pretty sure that Sarkozy will not be receiving a Christmas card from Gaddafi this year. Still you have to be impressed by Sarkozy strong stand on the issue as opposed to the relatively muted response from the U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton announced that Washington was suspending relations with Libya's embassy to the United States, though the move falls short of completely severing diplomatic relations. The way I heard it, some whack job at the Pentagon pointed out the fact that the U.S. military is limited by the laws of nature in that it cannot be everywhere at the same time. I'd like to see some proof of that, before such outlandish claims are made.

Terrorism - Congress pushed deep into a raw and emotional debate over American Muslims who have committed terrorist attacks in the name of religion. This should be good. Republican Representative Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, called the hearing because Muslim community leaders need to speak out more loudly against terrorism and work more closely with police and the FBI. King declared U.S. Muslims are doing too little to help fight terror in America. I'm sure that was warmly received. Democrats wanted the hearing to focus on terror threats more broadly, including from white supremacists and warned of inflaming anti-Muslim sentiment and energizing al-Qaida. I agree. If you are going fan the flames of discontent, you might as well cover everyone that hates you. Of course, if you are going to do so, it would be nice if you come out with a plan for dealing with the inferno of rage. Despite years of government focus on terrorism, dozens of unraveled terrorism plots and a few successful attacks have suggested there is no one predictable path toward violence. Today's hearing offered no insight into those routes. So much for wishful thinking.

U.S. Politics - It's nice to see that the Republicans are as supportive of their leadership as the Democrats are of theirs (See Mar 8 posting here). House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner is under pressure from fiscal conservatives in his own party to push steep spending cuts, with Tea Party stalwarts likening the Ohio Republican to "a fool" for not taking a sharper knife to public programs. Republicans have proposed cuts of $61 billion in fiscal year 2011 from current levels, a step President Barack Obama says would choke the faltering economic recovery. But for some in the Tea Party, it is not enough. They say the figure should be at least $100 billion. As much as it pains me to say this, I find myself sympathizing with Boehner. Dude effectively has to figure out how to draw blood from a turnip. Boehner has to find a way to appease the Tea Party contingent while trying to avoid a government shutdown, which is a very plausible possibility given the lack of common ground for finding some sort of compromise that everyone can live with. Good luck with that, spark plug.

Cricket - This one goes out to my friends in the U.K. Halfway through the group stage of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, the traditional powers are working their way to the top of the standings and look likely to advance to the knockout stage. To those of you not familiar with cricket (I'm guessing that is the vast majority of you), the heavy weights in cricket include India, Pakistan, England and Australia. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted as the tournament progress. No need to thank me.

Basketball - The time is rapidly approaching for worker productivity in the United States to drop precipitously. That's right, my friends, March Madness is just around the corner. Ordinarily, I wouldn't be into the "madness" until the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament starts, but these are ordinary times. My beloved San Jose State Spartans are threatening to make it into the tournament for the first time in years. Two more wins in its conference tournament and my mighty Spartans will make into one of those coveted play-in games.

What Caught My Eye Today

Saudi Arabia - One of the last absolute monarchies on earth, Saudi Arabia has been rattled by the toppling of old friends like Tunisia’s Ben Ali (now in exile in the Kingdom) and Egypt’s Mubarak (who may not be far behind in moving into a Saudi retirement home). The Saudis have no love for Libya’s Gaddafi, who tried to assassinate King Abdullah only a few years ago, but they are worried by the contagion of unrest that is rolling across North Africa and into the Arabian Peninsula. Gee, I wonder why? Not to go off on a tangent here, but just how short-sighted can Gaddafi be? He couldn't possibly have seen any upside to assassinating the Saudi king. Heck, dude should count himself lucky that he failed in his attempt. The U.S. would not have looked kindly on anyone who messed with its oil supply...I mean one of its closest and most trusted allies in the region. To date, there have only been stirrings of protest in the Sunni heartland against the Kingdom itself. But the royals are taking nothing for granted. Just a week ago, the King promised $36 billion in new jobs, pension bonuses and other hand-outs to buy off potential opposition. It never ceases to amaze me at how money (or winning) can remove, or at least suppress, any feeling of discontent. And with oil going for well in excess of $100 a barrel, it certainly appears that the House of Saud can continue with this strategy for the foreseeable future.

Gender Gap - According to the United Nations, there are far more men than women on the planet. Taking into consideration the fact that women have a longer life expectancy than men, one can only assume that men are going with quantity over quality. The gender gap is especially pronounced in Asia, where there are 100 million more guys than girls. The gap is partly explicable in terms of economics. In many Asian societies, girls are less well looked after than boys because they are economically undervalued. The kind of domestic work they typically do is seen as less important than paid work done by men. Quantity and dated stereotypes. Seeing as we're talking about men here, I guess this logic doesn't seem surprising. Stupid, but not surprising. In China, there are about 123 male children for every 100 females up to the age of 4, a far higher imbalance than 50 years ago, when the figure was 106. The question left open by economists is what the consequences will be of such a large surplus of young men. History offers a disquieting answer. Show of hands please. Who is surprised by this revelation? European imperial expansion after 1500 was the result of a male “youth bulge.” Japan’s imperial expansion after 1914 was the result of a similar youth bulge. During the Cold War, it was youth-bulge countries—Algeria, El Salvador, and Lebanon—that saw the worst civil wars and revolutions. Some historians and political scientists link the recent rise of Islamist extremism in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan to an Islamic youth bulge and warn that China and India could be the next countries to overdose on testosterone. You know what they say...boys will be boys. God help us all.

U.S. Politics (Part I) - Freshman Democratic senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va) accused President Barack Obama of failing to provide leadership on a worsening national deficit as top Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill spent more time pointing fingers than seeking common ground on a must-do measure to fund the government for the next six months. Always nice to see a little party loyalty... The freshman senator faces re-election next year in a state where voters are generally hostile to Obama. ...especially in an election year. I'm guessing Manchin doesn't have much use for the president's coat tails? Speaking of the budget... The House GOP measure makes sweeping cuts to domestic programs whose budgets are set each year by Congress. The Democratic alternative would cut spending by $11 billion from last year's levels and limit increases for the Pentagon's core military operations to just 1%. The Senate Democratic plan falls well shy of the cuts sought by Republicans but demonstrates considerable movement from where the party was last year when it sought to pass an omnibus spending bill with a price tag $30 billion higher than the current measure. There irony, is that for all the posturing by both political parties, until there is the political will to take on entitlement spending (Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security) as well as defense spending, which together comprise almost two-thirds of the U.S. budget, all this talk about reducing the federal deficit really amounts to a lot of hot air.

U.S. Politics (Part II) - The 2012 Presidential Race? You have got to be kidding me. White House hopefuls are furiously hiring staff, testing messages for the powerful conservative base of the GOP and mapping out a rough political calendar, all part of a hard-charging effort that precedes the official kickoff. Newt Gingrich is the Republican taking some of the most public first steps for a presidential bid, but he's hardly the only one in motion. Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour are quietly preparing for possible candidacies. Jon Huntsman, Obama's ambassador to China, has a shadow campaign in place. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and Mike Huckabee are being conspicuously vague about their intentions. Lemme see here. Looks like a reunion tour for the 2008 GOP candidates, but it feels like I'm missing someone... Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin recently added a chief of staff to her political committee but her advisers cautioned not to take that as a sign the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee would run for the White House in 2012. There, I think that is everyone...for now. Hard to believe the presidential election isn't until November...2012. Freaking 21 months from now!!! Don't we have anything else we can spend our time on, people?

Charlie Sheen - Nope. I'm not that desperate for talking points.

What Caught My Eye Today

Middle East - Here's where things stand today. Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria and Yemen have gotten through the worst of their "regime re-calibrations" (I came up with that euphemism all by myself). Libya is knee deep in poo-poo (did I mention that oil prices hit a 29 month high, $104/barrel). And at last check things in Oman, Kuwait, Iran, the Palestinian Territories (I still don't get that one), and most recently, the Ivory Coast were shaky at best. Nice to see that everyone seems to be work "stuff" out.

Space Shuttle - If you didn't know, and given the amount of media coverage, there is a pretty good chance of that, Discovery is in the middle of its 39th and final voyage. Discovery astronauts are helping the International Space Station crew members get the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module unpacked and set up for permanent life in orbit and working on ISS equipment repairs. The shuttle blasted off from Kennedy Space Center on February 24, on its last trip into orbit before it becomes the first of the three remaining US shuttles to become museum pieces later this year. Endeavour is to lift off on April 19 followed by Atlantis on June 28, marking the official end of the US space shuttle program after 30 years.

Supreme Court - Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas finds himself embroiled in a controversy by not disclosing his wife's $700,000 think-tank payday. Ginni Thomas was paid nearly $700,000 by the Heritage Foundation between 2003 and 2007, as well as an undisclosed amount by another lobbying group in 2009. The 1978 Ethics in Government Act requires all federal judges to fill out annual financial-disclosure forms. The relevant question on the disclosure form isn't complicated: the box marked NONE next to the phrase "Spouse's Non-Investment Income" should only be checked if his spouse had no non-investment income. I don't know. those double negative questions always confuse me. Thomas' defense is that he didn't knowingly violate the law, because he "misunderstood" the filing requirements. Let me see if I've got this straight. Thomas' main defense here is ignorance of the law? Dude, you are a Supreme Court Justice, for crying out loud! No wonder this rocket scientist doesn't speak up more often when he's on the bench--5 years without a single question. My guess is that it is far better to think that Thomas is a moron rather than him open his mouth and provide proof. A complaint has been filed with the Missouri Bar Association, of which Thomas is a member, demanding that Thomas be disbarred for lying to the federal government about his wife's financial dealings. Yeah, I'm sure that's going to happen. Interesting footnote...Bill Clinton was impeached—and subsequently disbarred—for defending his false statements about his affair with Monica Lewinsky with a similarly implausible excuse.

India - An angry mob of fired workers burned to death a senior executive of a steel factory. Is it just me or does "angry mob" seem a little redundant? think about it. Has anyone ever come across a "happy mob"? After learning they were laid off, about a dozen workers attacked a vehicle carrying the executive as he was leaving the factory, dousing the Jeep with gasoline and setting it on fire. Torching a fellow human being just sounds a bit extreme...it is just a job, after all. A trip to the liquor store would have been my first choice, but that's just me. Incidents of industrial violence are common in India, where workers often target executives in cases of wage disputes and job losses. This might be a bit of a stretch, but bear with me for a moment. In recent weeks, there have been a lot of stories in the U.S. about trying to reduce the rights of some labor unions. I'm not saying the arguments for doing so are without merit, but consider the ramifications of the elimination of labor unions. Imagine the possibilities of a work force without some mechanism for protecting the well being of the workers. Unions might not be perfect, but they sure as heck are a whole lot better than the mob mentality exhibited by these steel workers.

And now for something a bit lighter to end the week...

Mass Extinction - Mass extinctions include events in which 75% of the species on Earth disappear within a geologically short time period, usually on the order of a few hundred thousand to a couple million years. It's happened only five times before in the past 540 million years of multicellular life on Earth. The last great extinction occurred 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs were wiped out. At current rates of extinction, the a recently release University of California, Berkeley study found the Earth will enter its sixth mass extinction within the next 300 to 2,000 years. I love how scientists are so good a predicting dire calamities with such pinpoint precision. They found that the overall rate of extinction is, in fact, between three to 80 times higher than non-mass extinction rates. Most likely, species are going extinct three to 12 times faster than would be expected if there were no crisis. Hold please. So if I read this correctly, it seems that if there was no change in the rate of extinctions, species are going still going to disappear, just at a slower pace? The good news, according to researchers, is that the total loss so far is not devastating. In the last 200 years, only 1 to 2 percent of all species have gone extinct. Not devastating, huh? I'm guessing those 1 to 2 percent of extinct species would beg to differ. The culprits for the biodiversity loss include climate change, habitat loss, pollution and overfishing.

What Caught My Eye Today

Mike Huckabee - In reviewing recent postings, it occurs to me that I've been singling out Sarah Palin more than perhaps I should. After all, it's not like Palin has a monopoly on making statements that might not necessary have any basis in fact. Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee mistakenly said President Obama was raised in Kenya during a recent interview in which he argued that the president's upbringing in Africa gave him a very different outlook on the world than that held by most Americans. The president's father was Kenyan, but met Obama's mother in Hawaii where Obama was born. President Obama did spend a portion of his childhood in Indonesia before returning to Hawaii. Seems like an honest mistake. I cannot tell you how many times I've confused Kenya with Indonesia. Obama first visited Kenya as an adult. "Birthers," those who believe Obama is not a natural born citizen, continue to drive conspiracy theories about the president's nationality. Huckabee, who ran for president in 2008 and is widely expected to run in 2012, has in the past made clear he doesn't side with birthers on this issue, recently saying birthers are "wasting time and energy" on the issue and "nonsense." He says he believes if there was something amiss about Obama's past, it would have been uncovered. "The only reason I'm not as confident that there's something [invalid] about the birth certificate, is because I know the Clintons ... and believe me, they have lots of investigators out on [Obama]. And I'm convinced if there was anything that they could have found on that, they would have found it, and I promise they would have used it." Setting aside that whole birther debacle (honestly, don't we have more pressing issues to deal with?), I fascinated by Huckabee's logic on this one. It is pretty much common knowledge that the only surname that die-hard Republicans revile more than Obama, is probably Clinton. And yet, Huckabee goes on record by citing the Clinton's investigating into Obama's birth as proof that he is a legal U.S. citizen. For the record, dude is probably right, but seriously, you have to question just how well he understands his constituency. You never ever give a Clinton credit for anything that could be viewed as positive if you are after the conservative vote.

New Zealand - A week after an earthquake killed at least 160 people in New Zealand, the country is experiencing a surge of new life. The birth rate also rose immediately after a 7.0-magnitude quake shook the same New Zealand region last September. Sadly that number is likely to increase substantially given that there are more than 200 persons still unaccounted for in the effected area. And yet, despite this tragedy, there are constant reminders that life goes on. Studies have shown an uptick in stress during pregnancy can sometimes trigger a hormone surge that induces early labor. Birth rates will spike not just immediately after natural disasters. They pick up around nine months afterward, too. I always thought those movie scenes where the boy begs the girl for one last "ba donk a donk" before the end of the world were a bit cheesy. Who would have thought there was research to support this. An 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck central Chile Feb. 27, 2010, for example, was followed nine months later by a baby boom. The same thing happened nine months after Haiti's devastating quake of Jan. 12, 2010. According to a reproductive health survey launched in October by the United Nations Population Fund, sex has been suggested a way of coping with stress. Hell, yeah! Stir-craziness may also contribute. The media has reported birth spikes all up and down the East Coast the past couple of autumns, attributed to the previous winters' “snowpocalypses.” In fairness, making "whoopee" sure sounds a lot more appealing than say, I don't know, talking.

Global Warming - NASA computer models reveal what a small, regional nuclear war in one part of the world would do to the global climate and environment. I guessing nothing good. The results are grim. If 100 Hiroshima-sized bombs (fascinating bit of trivia--100 Hiroshima-sized bombs make up a mere 0.03% of the worldwide nuclear weapons arsenal), each as powerful as 15,000 tons of TNT, were exchanged in a war between two developing-world nuclear powers such as India and Pakistan, models show the resulting fires would send five million metric tons of black carbon into the upper troposphere - the lowest-altitude layer of the atmosphere. In the shade of this carbon shield, Earth would cool. models show that for two to three years after a regional nuclear war, average global temperatures would drop by at least 2.25 degrees F (1.25 degrees C), and as much as 5.4 to 7.2 degrees F (3 to 4 degrees C) in the tropics, Europe, Asia and Alaska. Hence the term, "nuclear winter". But the reversal of the global warming trend wouldn't be a good thing. Really? I totally did not expect that. Model results suggest that agriculture could be severely impacted, especially in areas that are susceptible to late-spring and early-fall frosts. Additionally, the models showed global precipitation would reduce by 10% globally for one to four years, and the ozone layer would thin, resulting in an influx of dangerous ultraviolet radiation. And lets not forget the impact the extinction of the human race would have on farming, which I suspect would be rather significant as well.

Fred's Note: A dear friend and his lovely wife are expected their first child in a couple of weeks. These last two items are dedicated to them.

Names (Part I) - I came across this list of unique (a.k.a. crazy bizarre) names that celebrities have come up with for their offspring.

• Sparrow James Midnight Madden (Nicole Richie and Joel Madden)
  Umm, so is this a boy or a girl?
• Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa (Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa)
  Huh?
• Seraphina Rose Elizabeth (Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck)
  I've seen worse...
• Bronx Mowgli (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Pete Wentz)
  ...Like this one.
• Zuma (Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale)
  For a second I thought they named their kid after a malt liquor, but that one has an "i" not a "u".
• Clementine Jane (Ethan Hawke and Ryan Shawhughes)
  A bit dated, but not bad.
• Knox Leon (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt)
  Knox?
• Sunday Rose (Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban)
  Sounds like a country song title...which make sense considering who daddy is.
• Moxie CrimeFighter (Magician Penn Jillette)
  Dude, that's just mean.
• Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf)
  One can only conclude that both mom and dad were under the influence of Demerol when they came up with this gem.
• Kal-El Coppola (Nicolas Cage)
  "Superman"? Really?
• Seargeoh and Sage Moonblood (Sylvester Stallone)
  Proof positive, that Sly did one too many stunts that he probably shouldn't have.
• Jermajesty (Jermaine Jackson)
  I don't know. Seems a bit understated to me.

One can only conclude one of two possibilities: (1) Fame has the unfortunate consequence of depleting any common sense that you may have had, or (2) Famous people should not be permitted to procreate. No child deserves this sort of abuse.

Names (Part II) - Here are some unsung heros whose parents clearly did not give this whole naming gig as much thought as perhaps they should have. These poor slobs were screwed before they ever got out of the hospital

• John Koffman (Murfreesboro, TN)
  How's that last name working out for you, Jack?
• Sharonda Cox (Saint Louis, MO)
  Say it out enough times and ShaRONda starts sounding a bit like "sharin' da"
• Justin Butts (Springfield, MO)
  'Nuff said.
• Harry Ball (Castle Rock, CO)
  Poor bastard.
• Amanda Buttram (Conway, MO)
  That's a shame.
• Richard Large (Eufaula, AL)
  How's it hanging, Dick?
• Ben Dover (Nineveh, IN)
  Pity.
• Gayford Buttram (Niangua, MO)
  Honestly, Mr. and Mrs. Buttram, did you even consider changing your last name? You couldn't possibly have been under the delusion that "gay" and "butt" was going to result in anything that wouldn't result in your kid getting his ass kicked on a regular basis in the school yard.
• Michael Huntsucker (Kansas City, MO)
  No commentary necessary. Dude has suffered enough, wouldn't you say?

What Caught My Eye Today

Oman - Lemme see here...Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria, Yeman. Do I have seven? Who wants to make it seven? Anyone? Omani troops fired into the air in Sohar, Oman's main industrial center, to clear a fourth day of protests by people demanding jobs and political reforms. The unrest was a rare outbreak of discontent in the normally tranquil Gulf state, ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said for four decades. I'm not sure I'd classify this unrest as a rare occurrence anymore. The fact that Arab regimes have been falling like dominoes over the past couple of weeks--that's what I would say is rare. Oman has strong military and political ties with the United States and is a non-OPEC oil exporter that pumps around 850,000 barrels per day. First Bahrain, now Oman. Dude, the U.S. just cannot cut a break. You would think that it would be enough for these people, that they are on good terms with "us", but no... these malcontents want representation in their government too. I gotta be honest here. Democracy is not all its cracked up to be. We have a bunch of whack jobs pretending to run our government. Look how well that is working out for us.

Yemen - Yemen's embattled president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, accused the U.S., his closest ally, of instigating the mounting protests against him, but the gambit failed to slow the momentum for his ouster. I wonder what boyfriend says about his worst enemies? In a speech to about 500 students and lecturers, he claimed the U.S., along with Israel, is behind the protest movement. The momentum against the president, who refuses to step down until elections in 2013, has kept growing since protests erupted a month ago. Saleh's government is widely seen as corrupt, with relatives of the president holding key positions in government and business. Grievances about the growing disparity between Yemen's poor — nearly half the population of some 23 million — and a small ruling clique have helped drive the protests. Yemen is the Arab world's poorest country. Damn, we're good. Who would have thought that the Americans and Israelis would be clever enough to orchestrate enough government corruption to drive have the nation's population into poverty. Oh sure, we're pretty good at screwing ourselves on our home turf, but pulling something of this scale off half way around the world...that takes skill, my friend.

Libya - The UN General Assembly suspended Libya from the U.N. Human Rights Council. Say it ain't so! The Human Rights Council in Geneva had called for the suspension over leader Moamer Kadhafi's brutal crackdown on opposition protests. Nobody spoke up for the Libyan regime at the brief debate. I wouldn't say nobody... Venezuela called upon all countries to "put a stop to the invasion plans against Libya" which ambassador Jorge Valero said the United States was leading. Is it just me or are there a whole bunch of countries out there that hold the U.S. in much higher regard than perhaps they should. Seriously, guys, you all need to pick up a newspaper and see just how brilliant the brain trust in Washington D.C. really is. And lets not forget that it isn't as if the U.S. hasn't tried this sort of thing in the past. Anyone remember that Bay of Pigs debacle? Libya, and Yemen for that matter, is a lot bigger and much further away than Cuba.

At last check, it appears that Kuwait, Iran and the Palestinian territories are getting geared up to jump into the fray. The Palestinian territories? Shouldn't you all be focused on first becoming a sovereign state before you try to overthrow yourselves?

Amazingly, there is news beyond the Middle East.

Kyrgyzstan - I know it is early in the year, but I'm thinking this item has to be a contender for biggest 'ass kisser' of the year. In a bid to curry favor with its main trading partner, Kyrgyszstan has named a mountain after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Parliament voted nearly unanimously to bestow his name upon a 14,000-foot peak in the Tian Shan mountains. Did you notice that the vote was nearly unanimous? Apparently, there was some controversy associated with the vote. One lawmaker was concerned that the Russian leader might be offended by the relatively small size of the peak. So many phallic symbol jokes...so little time. Mount Vladimir Putin is higher than Mount Boris Yeltsin, but lower than Lenin Peak. Good grief...there's more than one?

Sarah Palin - Sarah Palin recently spoke at the Long Island Association, a business group in New York. The event was notable for the fact that Palin invited the press--something she does rarely. And it was newsworthy in that she gave another sign she might actually run for president: News reports say she hinted with a smile that someone who is good at multitasking ("a woman, a mom"), as well as someone who's already run for something ("a vice-presidential candidate?") would be most qualified for the job. Shockingly, neither of these are the top headline. When the conversation turned to the escalating price of gas and groceries, Palin reportedly said, "It's no wonder Michelle Obama is telling everybody you better breastfeed your baby--yeah, you better--because the price of milk is so high right now!" I love public figures for whom the concept of filtering mean nothing.

What Caught My Eye Today

Fred's note: The political environment in North Africa is almost too incredible for words. It's almost easier to pick out those nations that aren't going through some sort of revolution...so that's exactly what I decided to do. I have to say, pretty slim pickings.

Chad - No political uprising has been report here...yet. I wonder why. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, Chad sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa". While many political parties are active, power lies firmly in the hands of President Déby and his political party, the Patriotic Salvation Movement. Chad remains plagued by political violence and recurrent attempted coups d'état, the latest occurring in 2008. The country is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the world; most Chadians live in poverty as subsistence herders and farmers. Well, I guess it isn't for lack of trying. Perhaps, someone might be able to explain to me the merits of taking over Chad. From the sound of things, there isn't much to motivate one to want to go there.

Mauritania - Not much going on here either. Apparently, they had their coup in 2009, so they are good to go for now.

Niger - Niger consistently has one of the lowest ranks of the United Nation's Human Development Index (HDI), currently 167th of 169 countries. Much of the non-desert portions of the country are threatened by periodic drought and desertification. The country remains handicapped by its landlocked position, desert terrain, poor education and poverty of its people, lack of infrastructure, poor health care, and environmental degradation. So basically, starvation keeps the people from causing too much trouble. There's a pleasant thought.

Enough about those countries basking in tranquility...

Libya - Simply put, all hell is breaking loose. Here is a sampling of the headlines for just the past 24 hours:

• Kadhafi loses control of east Libya, mass exodus
  Making a run for Egypt, huh? Sure, things are much better there.
• Obama dispatches Clinton for talks on Libya
  Here's a tip, girlfriend--Libya is not stable.
• U.S. evacuation ferry held up in Libya by high seas
  How about using an airlift?
• Britain defends ill-fated Libyan rescue mission
  Scratch that last comment. Apparently, there are snags with this approach too. Maybe Egypt isn't such a bad idea after all.

Oil - Oil prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange hit $100 per barrel for the first time since 2008, driven by growing concerns about global supplies. Which, in case you were curious, are completely bogus concerns. More on that in a moment. Similar uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt earlier this month already had markets on edge before protests escalated in Libya, which has the biggest oil reserves in Africa. Libya produces about 1.7 million barrels per day of oil and natural gas liquids. The production losses will be felt mostly in Europe. Ireland relies on Libya for 23 percent of its oil imports and 22 percent of Italy's oil imports are from Libya. The U.S. imported only about 51,000 barrels per day from Libya, less than 1 percent of its total crude imports. Analysts say concerns about violence in North Africa and the Middle East have added a "fear premium" of about $10 per barrel of oil. Fear over what. We're talking about 1.7 million barrels. While not a trivial amount, Saudia Arabia probably spills that amount of oil in its daily operations. We are not talking about the end of the world here people. We all need to chill out here, people. I've already used one of my kidneys to replenish my retirement account; I'd rather not have to use the other one to fill my gas tank.

Gay Marriage - President Barack Obama has determined that a federal law that barred gay marriages was unconstitutional and told government lawyers to stop defending it, a major reversal that quickly angered conservatives. What's this I hear-- Conservatives up in arms over something the President said? I'm stunned. A U.S. judge in Boston ruled in 2010 that a key provision of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act banning gay marriages was unconstitutional, but the Obama administration appealed, stating that it was obligated to defend U.S. laws. The decision by Obama to drop support for the law in federal courts came after he received a recommendation from Attorney General Eric Holder, who had conducted a detailed review over the past several weeks. Obama's move drew a rebuke from conservative Republicans who argued that he could not pick and choose the laws to defend and some termed his decision partisan politics. Really? Seems to me that government and politics are all about picking and choosing. Otherwise, we wouldn't really need government would we? I'm quite certain my views on this subject are influenced by the generation that I grew up in, but that aside, I truly do not understand the argument against same-sex marriage. The one I hear the most is that same-sex marriage threatens to destroy the traditional definition of marriage between a man and a woman. Dude, think about it. I'm pretty sure, the folks looking for that "same-sex" option gave the heave-ho to that "opposite sex" option a long time ago.

Cricket - The Cricket World Cup, the third-biggest sporting event in the world has now been underway for nearly a week. Who knew? The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup is the tenth Cricket World Cup and is being played in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. It is Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a World Cup. The tournament will be watched by an estimated 2.2 billion people in more than 200 countries kicked off last Saturday and will continue for the next six weeks. For purposes of comparison for my American compatriots, this year's Super Bowl was watched by 111 million viewers, 110 million of those happen to live in the U.S.Group A consists of hosts Sri Lanka and along with them, Pakistan, Canada, Kenya, New Zealand, Australia and Zimbabwe. Group B consists of hosts India and Bangladesh, along with England, Ireland, Netherlands, West Indies and South Africa. the top for teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals. I'm going to go way out on a limb and pick England to win over India in the final. England beat in Australia on their home turf last month to retain the Ashes. Might as well go for a clean sweep of all the top shelf silverware.

What Caught My Eye Today

Colombia - The Colombian government has announced that it is partnering with China to build a railway that will link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as a "dry canal" to rival the Panama Canal. The railway would facilitate both Colombia's exports of raw materials and China's imports to Latin America. It could also provide an alternative route for Chinese companies that ship through the Panama Canal or transport goods overland from California ports to the U.S. East Coast. Sounds like a pretty ambitious project, doesn't it? Just one question. How big are they planning to make those flat cars? I mean, really, have you seen how big some of those next generation cargo ships are? They are so big, that the Panamanian government is spending billions of dollars to widen the existing canal, just so these new ships can squeeze through. Can you imagine trying to fit one of these bad boys onto a flat car? And don't even get me started on how big those tunnels are going to have to be.

Armageddon - I'm know it is not the most cheerful topic on the face of the planet, but it fascinates me nonetheless.. Russian scientists are warning that a 25 million ton asteroid, called Apophis might crash into the Earth on April13, 2036, causing giant tsunamis, global chaos, and the deaths of tens of millions of people. Other than the tens of millions of people, those sorts of things are kind of happening all time. Just as those poor slobs who live anywhere near the Ring of Fire. NASA scientists say their calculations indicate that Apophis's path will be a near miss, with its chances of of hitting the Earth at 250,000 to 1. Well now, this does create quite the little quandary for me. I just got dinner reservations for that new restaurant on that very same night. It took me forever to get into that joint. I'd hate to think that I might have to cancel over a little thing like the end of civilizations. Too heck with it. I'm putting my faith in NASA and keeping my 6:30 reservation.

Potpourri - More submissions for the"I did not know that" file

• Farming - Farming is more dangerous than fighting fires. According to recently released statistics from the U.S. Labor Department of every 100,000 farm and ranch workers, 38.5 suffer fatal work injuries annually, compared with 4.4 fatalities per 100,000 firefighters.
  I keep reading about how there are fewer people in farming than there used to be. I had assumed that they had found more appealing job opportunities. I never gave much thought to the notion that farmers might literally be a dying breed.
• Cars - According to a USA Today poll, 60% of consumers say they will consider purchasing a gas-electric hybrid vehicle. Yet only 4.3% of cars sold in the U.S. last year were hybrids.
  And I will consider becoming a billionaire next year. See, it's easy to "consider" doing something as opposed to, oh, I don't know... actually DOING it.
• Air Travel - The number of consumer complaints against airlines rose 25% in 2010 to nearly 11,000. Consumer activists attribute the increase to frustration over proliferating airline fees.
  11,000 complaints? Really, that's it? Frankly, I'm stunned the number is so low. That said, if consumers want to direct their anger at the real culprit behind all these fees, they would be well served to search out the closest mirror. As shocking of a revelation as this might be to some people, it turns out that airplanes don't operate on magic pixie dust, but jet fuel made out of $90 a barrel crude oil. And let's not forget about those unreasonable airline employees who have the temerity to demand to get paid for the work that they do.
• Scientology - Despite claiming to have 8 million members, only about 25,000 Americans say they belong to the Church of Scientology.
  25,000 members? Really, that many?

Motor Sports - I appreciate that many people do not share the same view of stock car racing that I do, so I will try to be a succinct as possible. NASCAR is friggin' AWESOME!!! Yesterday's running of the season opening Daytona 500 was unbelievable. And I'm not just saying that because Martina McBride got all the words to the national anthem right (yes, another reference to the Christina Aguilera fiasco at the Super Bowl...I can't help myself). Dude, who just turned 20 and was driving in just his second Cup race ever, goes out and wins the whole damn race. He was so excited he drove right past Victory Lane.

Secret Formulas - Full disclosure: I am an avid listener and supporter of National Public Radio, but have never tuned into this particular program...I may have to re-think that. It might be one of the most closely guarded secrets in the soft drink industry. On a recent broadcast of "This American Life", Ira Glass broadcast what he believes to be the original recipe to "merchandise 7X," the super secret ingredient in Coca-Cola. One of the world's most closely guarded trade secrets, many myths surround the ingredient, including the idea that only two people at any given time actually know the formula. Glass claims that "This American Live" found the recipe published in a newspaper in Coke's very own hometown -- on page 2B of the February 18, 1979, Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Apparently, a local columnist had stumbled across it in an old book of recipes, which was handwritten by a pharmacist decades earlier. Coca-Cola was invented by a pharmacist, and was initially sold at pharmacies and soda fountains. Okay, boys and girls, here it is:

The recipe: Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP, Citric acid: 3 oz, Caffeine: 1 oz, Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity), Water: 2.5 gal, Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart, Vanilla: 1 oz, Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color.

The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops

What Caught My Eye Today

Belgium - What would be a humiliation for many turned into a party for Belgium today as the country's citizens marked 249 days without a government, a figure that they are treating as a world record in political waffling. Good for them. This certainly sounds much more appealing that what's been going on in Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, Jordan, Algeria... At the heart of the political deadlock is an attempt to broker a new constitution with increased regional autonomy to reflect that the two language communities have increasingly grown apart. Richer Flanders wants as much autonomy as possible, while the poorer Francophone region wants to hold on to a much larger sense of national unity which also guarantees more financial solidarity. Nevertheless, Belgium remains one of the wealthiest nations in the world, giving people the luxury to take things with a chuckle. My pappy always said that laughter was the best medicine, but it certainly appears that having money doesn't hurt either.

Australia - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard rejected a fresh call to ditch the national anthem, "Advance Australia Fair", in favor of the more uplifting "I Am Australian". "Advance Australia Fair", whose hymn-like words talk of a country "girt by sea", has been hotly debated since being adopted as the national anthem in 1984, with many people favouring familiar Outback ditty "Waltzing Matilda". "I Am Australian" written by The Seekers in 1987, describes Aboriginal life, the arrival of British convicts and the outlaw Ned Kelly, among other cultural touchstones. Note to the Australian people: Whatever anthem you did on is fine...just don't ask Christina Aguilera to sing it (if you saw the Superbowl pre-game, this will make sense; otherwise, just move on to the next story).

Sun - A series of massive solar flares that have erupted from the sun in recent days could trigger a dazzling show of the northern lights for stargazers in the northern United States, but they could also have far more serious consequences, including the disruption of power grids and communication systems across the globe. According to China's official Xinhua News Agency, electromagnetic activity from the solar flares have already jammed shortwave radio communications in the southern part of the country. Fascinating how only China seems to have been impacted by this phenomenon. I bet some of those regime's in the Middle East and North Africa wish they could have had the same "bad luck" that China did.

Potpourri - Let's file this edition under the category of "I did not know that"

• Weight - It is estimated that roughly 10% of the global population, around 500 million adults, is considered obese as measured by body mass index
  And on a completely unrelated note, another study concluded that 90% of the global population was suffering from malnutrition.
• Super Bowl - 111 million viewers watched the Green Bay Packers defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in this year's game, the largest TV audience in U.S. history.
  I'm curious. How many of those 500 million obese adults reside in the U.S.?
• India - The Indian government is trying to give each of its 1.2 billion citizens a "universal identity number" that will have biometric markers, such as an iris scan. Fingerprint markers may not work because many Indians' fingerprints are worn off by years of manual labor.
  I suppose it is all a matter of perspective, but if it was me, I'd be investment my resources into finding ways for my citizens to keep their fingerprints.

What Caught My Eye Today

Fred's Note: Under normal circumstances, I would be celebrating my 14,245th day of existence with a bit more zeal (divide this by 365, and you'll figure it out). The sudden passing of a dear friend and co-worker has instead made me reflect a bit more closely on what I've done with that first 14,245 days and what I still want to accomplish with the days ahead. I think it is worth reminding oneself from time to time that life is precious and short. Use it wisely. As for my friend, Nigel...You will be missed.

Egypt - As if Egypt didn't have enough to deal with trying to cobble together a new democratic government. Egypt's new military rulers faced their first unwelcome diplomatic exposure as Israel reported that two Iranian warships were approaching the Suez Canal to pass through for the first time since 1979. The two navy vessels plan to sail through the canal en route to Syria. I'm sure the timing is purely coincidental on Iran's part. And that timing is pretty lousy. Rebuilding a country is complicated enough with out having to manage an international incident at the same time. On the domestic front, Egypt's ruling military command was trying to get their country back to normal after the 18-day revolution that rewrote modern Egyptian history. Some Egyptian workers ignored a call by the military to return to work and a committee hammered out constitutional changes to pave the way for democracy after 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule. The Higher Military Council had urged Egyptians to put aside the revolutionary ardor in the interest of national unity and restarting the damaged economy. The way I see it, after 30 years, a little R and R is to be expected, don't you think? Heck, even I get 18 vacation days a year. Motivated by uprisings in Egypt and in Tunisia, hundreds of people, angry at the arrest of a rights campaigner, clashed with police and government supporters in the Libyan city of Benghazi. There have also been clashes in Iran, Bahrain and Yemen. I know we are only mid way through February, but my vote for person of the year is Mohamed Bouazizi. I continue to be amazed by the fact this all started with a single unemployed Tunisian man setting himself ablaze to protest a government that he felt was failing to look after the needs of its people.

Dogs - I think it goes without saying, but just in case you forgot...dogs rule. A 5-year-old Scottish deerhound named Hickory took home the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. It marks the first time that a Scottish deerhound has won the the most prestigious event of its type for purebreds dogs in the nation. Among the other contenders were a Pekingese (Toy), a Chinese Shar-Pei (Non-sporting), a Bearded Collie (Herding), a Cocker Spaniel (Sporting), a Portuguese Water Dog (Working), and a Fox Terrier (Terrier). Props to Hickory, but I have the sneaking suspicion that results were rigged. No way a cocker spaniel doesn't win if the judging was straight up...no way.

Peace - Wikileaks has been nominated for the 2011 Nobel Peace prize. Seriously? A Norwegian parliamentarian, said Wikileaks was "one of the most important contributors to freedom of speech and transparency" in the 21st century." By disclosing information about corruption, human rights abuses and war crimes, Wikileaks is a natural contender for the Nobel Peace Prize." Wikileaks released tens of thousands of secret documents and diplomatic cables, which it says have harmed U.S. interests abroad, including peace efforts. Awarding Wikileaks the prize would most likely provoke criticism of the Nobel Committee, which chose jailed Chinese pro-democracy activist Liu Xiaobo and President Barack Obama a few months after his election. I'm a pretty big fan of way the Nobel Prize represents, but it does seem like these guys go out of their way to make political statements with the awarding of the Peace Prize. Being a whistle blower does not necessarily mean you have any interest in peace. The truth...sure, but not necessarily peace.

Sarah Palin - Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's bid to trademark both her name and that of her daughter Bristol ran into trouble at the Patent and Trademark Office because the application forms were not signed, government records show. Applications to trademark the names Sarah Palin and Bristol Palin were filed in November but were quickly slapped down by a trademark examiner. The office also said Palin's application failed to show that her name had been used in commerce and could also be rejected on those grounds. Here's what has me scratching my head. Why does Palin feel the need to trademark her name? Does she really think anyone is going to forget who she is? If it were only that easy. Palin seems completely incapable of keeping her big mouth shut long enough for us to forget any of her pearls of wisdom.

What Caught My Eye Today

Egypt - As much as I like to poke fun at world events, sometimes there is nothing funny about a situation. Sadly, such is the case in Egypt. Protesters and government supporters fought in a second day of rock-throwing battles at a central Cairo square while more lawlessness spread around the city. New looting and arson erupted, and gangs of thugs supporting President Hosni Mubarak attacked reporters, foreigners and rights workers while the army rounded up foreign journalists. What does it say about the current regime when the best way to describe its supporters is as "thugs"? The government is increasingly spread an image that foreigners, specifically journalists, were fueling the turmoil and supporting the unprecedented wave of demonstrations demanding the ouster of Mubarak. Just out of curiosity, what does the Egyptian government think the motivation is behind these alleged seditious remarks. I'm not sure there are that many journalists willing to risk their lives to the extent that they would make up lies to create headlines. Reputations...sure, but not lives. Now if all this isn't enough, we have Mubarak offering up his latest pearls of wisdom. Mubarak said today he wanted to quit but that he feared his resignation would bring chaos to Egypt. Good call, bro. Staying in office has worked out so much better.

Yemen - Things don't look much better here. Tens of thousands of protesters Thursday staged unprecedented demonstrations against Yemen's autocratic president, a key U.S. ally in battling Islamic militants, as unrest inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia spread further in the Arab world. Fascinating dilemma for U.S. policy markers, don't you think. On one hand, the U.S. is supposed to be the gold standard for democracy and freedom of the people. On the other, you have a bunch of authoritarian governments doing a pretty good job of putting a serious "beat down" on terrorist organizations.Who do they think they are, putting the interests of their own people ahead of that of the United States? And they wonder why we are so suspicious of them. I think the answer is pretty obvious. President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in office for more than three decades, announced Wednesday he would not seek re-election in 2013. One last thing, is it just me or is it sort of creepy how similar the government situation in Yemen is to that in Egypt. It's like Yemen is reading from the same script as Egypt but is behind by a couple of acts.

Algeria - Okay, it took some effort, but if I read this correctly, there is some actual good news coming out of Africa. Algeria will lift the state of emergency that has been in effect since 1992 in the "very near future." The state of emergency was declared as Algeria spiraled into a civil war between Islamists and government forces, a years long battle that killed up to 200,000 people. Violence has tapered off and attacks by militants are now only sporadic. The government has insisted the state of emergency was a necessary tool in the fight against terrorism, but critics charge that recently it has been used to muzzle the political opposition by banning marches. Far be it from me to be a nay-sayer, but one questions when the "very near future" might actually be. I'm all for the government doing the right thing, but they probably could not have picked a worse time to allow people to freely speak their minds. Clearly, they are "mad as hell" and do not appear interested in "taking it anymore" (to paraphrase Howard Beale from the cinematic masterpiece "Network").

Fred's Note: Given of all seriousness of events gripping the world today, I wanted to end today's posting with some lighter items (though, in my humble opinion, equally as newsworthy).

Popular Culture - The red swimsuit that helped make "Charlie's Angels" actress Farrah Fawcett a 1970s icon is going to the Smithsonian in Washington. You mean it wasn't already there? That just ain't right. Fawcett's longtime companion Ryan O'Neal donated the swimsuit and other items to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. A 1976 poster of Fawcett in the dampened one-piece swimsuit sold millions of copies. Also donated to the Smithsonian were Fawcett's copies of scripts for the first season of "Charlie's Angels" and a 1977 Farrah Fawcett doll. The items will be part of the museum's popular culture history collection. Anyone care to hazard a guess as to whether David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson aren't waiting with baited breath for the Smithsonian to call about getting its hands on some of that "Baywatch" wardrobe?

Art - An Italian researcher has suggested that Gian Giacomo Caprotti, known as Salai, longtime companion and possible lover of Leonardo da Vinci was the main influence and a model for the "Mona Lisa" painting. This is one of many theories that have circulated over the decades about the identity of "Mona Lisa" and the meaning for her famously enigmatic smile. Others have said the painting was a self-portrait in disguise, or the depiction of a Florentine merchant's wife — the latter drawing a consensus among scholars. I think the real genius in this painting or any artistic masterpiece is its ability to inspire debate over several generations or, in this case, hundreds of years. It is what makes these unique creations timeless. Of course, there is the other side of me that reads this and thinks, "Dude, the Mona Lisa was a guy?"

PETA - I love Superbowl season. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) A charity which lobbies for the rights of animals has caused a stir by producing a 30-second spot deemed too risque to be aired on television during the Super Bowl. Bear in mind that this is the FOX network we're talking about here, so it must really be pushing the envelope.You can decide for yourselves if you think this is too racy for network television. You should know that the fine folks at YouTube will ask you to verify your age before you can view the clip (click here). If you ask me, this is about as racy as one of those over-hyped web only versions of a GoDaddy.com ad.

What Caught My Eye Today

Middle East - Too borrow from an old adage, "when it rains it pours." Tough times, indeed, for heads of state. Let's begin with the place that started all this turmoil in the first place.

Tunisia - Tunisia's interim government moved to take back control of the country's security forces and approved wage rises for the country's beleaguered police service. Never underestimate the power of a well-placed bribe. In related developments, the new director of national security is moving forward with removing stalwarts of ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's regime from key positions. Despite continuing opposition, the interim government pledged to stand firm and agreed to sign up to international conventions including the Rome statutes on the International Criminal Court and the optional protocol to the UN Convention to Combat Torture. Positive developments to be sure, though one wonders what the people actually want. Seems to be a popular theme. I wonder, if Tunisians had any idea of the wave of upheaval they started?

Egypt - Supporters of Hosni Mubarak clashed in Cairo with opposition protesters as the government spurned calls for the embattled president to immediately begin the process of handing over power. Quick question...to who? supporters of the president staged a number of rallies around Cairo, saying Mubarak represented stability amid growing insecurity, and calling those who want his departure "traitors." It would seem that bribery is also a recurring theme. A witness said organisers were paying people 100 Egyptian pounds to take part in the pro-Mubarak rally. The latest violence comes after Mubarak addressed the nation pledging not to run for re-election in September after 29 years in power. But Mubarak did not offer to step down immediately, the key demand of protesters who have flooded the streets of Egypt's cities since January 25.

And now it looks as if Tunisia and Egypt are going to get some more company...

Yemen - Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, also facing demands that he quit, said he will freeze constitutional changes that would have allowed him to be president for life. There is something about the notion of "constitutional change" and "president for life" that just doesn't sound right?

Jordan - In Jordan, King Abdullah II sacked his government after weeks of demands for change. Bear in mind that boyfriend pretty much has free reign to appoint or fire anyone he wants whenever he wants. It's good the king.

Syria - A Facebook group of Syrian youth called for a peaceful revolution to start on later this week. "Peaceful revolution." Sounds like a candidate for oxymoron of the year.

Is it just me or does the convoluted mess that is the American political system suddenly seem much more appealing then it did a few weeks ago?

Internet - The spread of Internet use in Asia and the proliferation of Internet-connected phones worldwide are causing the Internet to run out of numerical addresses, which act as "phone numbers" to ensure that surfers reach websites and e-mails find their destination. In other words, the Internet is running out of space. Is that even possible?. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, said its last five "blocks" of Internet Protocol, or IP, addresses are about to be distributed. These blocks, each with 16.8 million addresses, will be distributed to the regional registries which will distribute further to Internet service providers, websites and others. These addresses are predicted to be depleted in six to nine months. The current Internet address system, Internet Protocol version 4, has been in place since the 1980s. It allows for a theoretical maximum of 4.3 billion addresses in use, far beyond what was thought necessary for what was then mainly a network for academic use. Dude, this totally sucks. I was just about finished reading what was already there. What am I supposed to do now? Engineers have known for years that the pool of these IP addresses would one day run out and have been experimenting with a new technology that allows for many more addresses — an infinite number, for all practical purposes. The new system is called Internet Protocol version 6, or IPv6, but only about 2% of websites support it, including Google and Facebook. Whew. That's a relief. As long as I have Facebook, I'm cool. I don't know what I would have done I wasn't able to let my friends know what I was doing or thinking every waking moment. Talk about dodging a bullet.

Sports - According to a recently released Harris Interactive poll, nearly 3 in 10 Americans who follow at least one sport said that pro football is their favorite sport. Seventeen percent chose baseball as their favorite sport. Twelve percent of respondents said college football was their favorite sport, while 7% chose auto racing. Other sports mentioned in the poll include: Men's pro basketball, 6%; Hockey, 5%; Men's soccer, 4%; Men's college basketball, 4%; Men's golf, 2%; Track & field, 2%; Bowling, 2%; Men's tennis, 2%; Boxing, 1%; Horse racing, 1%; Men's tennis, 1%; Swimming, 1%; Women's pro basketball, 0%; Women's soccer, 0%; Women's college basketball, 0% ; Women's golf, 0%. Here's another classic case of the numbers not necessarily telling the whole story. I'm not saying that the American definition of football isn't popular, but the fact that this survey was conducted during the middle of the playoffs might have some bearing on the responses. If you conducted that survey at the end of March, I'm betting college basketball would rank a lot higher on that list (hello, March Madness). And another thing. How does swimming rank higher than women's tennis (which doesn't even make the list)? I love swimming but outside Michael Phelps how many people could name another active competitive swimmer?

What Caught My Eye Today

Belgium - More than 34,000 people rallied in Brussels to demand that Belgium's political parties form some kind of government. The country has had no government for the past seven months, a European record. Parliamentary elections held last June produced a stalemate. Flemish nationalists won in Flanders, the country's rich, Dutch-speaking north, while Socialists won the poorer, French-speaking south. Two thoughts here. First, perhaps Belgium should consider splitting. It seems to have worked for Sudan. Second, I find it curious, that the Belgian people are so concerned about the lack of a national government. Recent events suggest that governments aren't all they are cracked up to be. Hear me out on this one. I have some examples to back me up (as if any were necessary).

Tunisia - Protesters rocked the capital of Tunis demanding the resignation of the interim government claiming that it includes too many Cabinet members of the recently ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Ben Ali, it turns out, is quite the colorful character. In related news, The Tunisian government announced that it has issued international arrest warrants for Ben Ali and his family for theft of state assets, which include 1.5 tons of gold bars, worth over $56 million. Yeah, that will win back the support of the people. What is startling is how this singular event has sparked similar uprisings all over the region.

Egypt - Egypt's rising middle class is demanding greater political freedom and economic opportunity. Opposition groups are demanding that President Hosni Mubarak resign immediately and hand over power to a transitional government. This is a fascinating situation. At the heart of the matter, is the people's desire to remove Mubarak from power. Dude has been calling the shots in Egypt for 30 years, so it is understandable that motivation for change is strong. The problem though is that the same people calling for change don't seem to have an answer for the sort of change they are looking for. And then there is the United States which really finds itself in a dilemma. On one hand, Egypt is the United States' strongest ally in the Middle East and the peace treaty with Israel that it has abided by for the past 30 years, is due in no small part to Mubarak. On the other hand, the United States is the standard bearer for democracy, so it might be a bit hypocritical (to say the least)not to stand in support of the will of the people. Still, the democratic process does not guarantee things work out in the best interest of the United States. Let us not forget that democratic elections were responsible giving Hamas control of the Palestinian Parliament.

So again, I ask...Seriously, Belgium, is it really so bad not having a national government?

Passwords - The U.S. Commerce Department is spearheading a new online security system that has the potential to eliminate online passwords. The plan calls for a single sign-on using a device such as a digital token, smartcard or fingerprint reader. Once logged in, users would have access to any website that has signed up for the program. Being in the technology field, I could ruminate for quite sometime on the pros and cons of such a plan, but that would be about as exciting as watching dust accumulate on my vacuum cleaner. Instead, I found some fun-facts on passwords that you might find illuminating. If you are like me, shortly after reading this, you might find yourself changing some of those passwords.

• Most-used passwords:
  • 123456
  • password
  • 12345678
  • qwerty
  • abc123
  "Qwerty"? I never thought of that one. For me, "welcome" was always one of the most popular default passwords.
• Time it takes a hacker's computer to randomly guess your password:
  • 6 characters: lowercase - 10 minutes / lowercase + uppercase: 10 hours / lowercase + uppercase + numbers & symbols: 18 days
  • 7 characters: lowercase - 4 hours / lowercase + uppercase: 23 days / lowercase + uppercase + numbers & symbols: 4 years
  • 8 characters: lowercase - 4 days / lowercase + uppercase: 3 years / lowercase + uppercase + numbers & symbols: 463 years
  • 9 characters: lowercase - 4 months / lowercase + uppercase: 178 years / lowercase + uppercase + numbers & symbols: 44,530 years

Potpourri - The thing I like about statistics is how a little thing like numbers can make such powerful statements.

• Air travel - U.S. airlines did not record a single fatality in 2010 despite more than 10 million flights involving more than 700 million passengers. It was the third time in 4 years without a death.That's pretty impressive. That said, who else besides me would like to know how many flights actually departed and arrived on time last year? I'm pretty sure that number is also pretty close to zero.
• Millionaires - There are approximately 24.2 million people in the world with $1 million or more in net assets (more than the population of Australia), and control more than a third of the world's wealth.
  If you think that's disturbing, there are studies that suggest the richest 2% of the world's population controls half the world's wealth.
• 2012 Presidential Race - The Federal Election Commission has announced that 76 people have filed paperwork to run for president in 2012.
  God help us all.

What Caught My Eye Today

Sarah Palin - Fred's Note: I have to give a shout out to my friend Bob who shared this gem with me. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin offered her thoughts on President Obama’s State of the Union address to Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren last Wednesday night. While she cleverly zeroed in on the unfortunate abbreviation of the speech’s “Win The Future” theme, (You know, WTF.), Palin displayed ignorance of Sputnik 1’s significance, and offered a bizarre non-prescription for America involving something called "Spudnuts." Here are some excerpts, from Palin's unique perspective on history.

That was another one of those WTF moments, when he so often repeated this Sputnik moment that he would aspire Americans to celebrate. And he needs to remember that what happened back then with the former communist USSR and their victory in that race to space, yes, they won, but they also incurred so much debt at the time that it resulted in the inevitable collapse of the Soviet Union.

So I listened to that Sputnik moment talk over and over again, and I think, No, we don’t need one of those. You know what we need is a "spudnut" moment...Well, the spudnut shop in Richland, Washington — it’s a bakery, it’s a little coffee shop that’s so successful, 60-some years, generation to generation, a family-owned business not looking for government to bail them out and to make their decisions for them. It’s just hard-working, patriotic Americans in this shop. We need more spudnut moments in America.

Should you be interested in the actual facts pertaining to Sputnik and Spudnuts, read on. I for one am happy to take Palin at her word. The Soviet Union’s launch of a satellite is not the model of success to which the President’s speech urges us to aspire, but rather, the flood of research, innovation, and achievement that it spurred in a then-complacent American psyche. And while it is difficult to pinpoint a single reason for the dissolution of the USSR, the space program isn’t one of them. The Cold War arms race is the factor that most closely tracks here, and while the Sputnik 1 launch was a shot across the bow in that war, it was a drop in the arms race bucket. The Spudnuts Shop is, indeed, a successful small business. Spudnuts became something of a craze, eventually growing to over 600 locations in the US and elsewhere. However, the good times didn’t last forever, and the Richland Spudnuts Shop is one of only about 40 surviving Spudnuts locations. The Pelton brothers sold the company in 1975, at which time those who had paid for franchises could no longer get the original Spudnuts recipe. The parent company went out of business a few years later, but a handful of owner-operated shops continue to use the Spudnut name. The Spudnuts Shop’s biggest obstacle to success came, not from government interference, but from a faltering corporate parent. When the Pelton Brothers sold the company, franchise operators were left stranded without a recipe, and those who survived improvised their own. Yeah, that story isn't nearly as entertaining when you apply facts to it. Thank goodness, we have people in the world who don't let actual history get in the way of their interpretations of it.

China - Make way for the year of the rabbit, people. Twelve animals make up the traditional Chinese zodiac, with each year having its own peculiar and unique beliefs, some specific to certain provinces, such as being an auspicious time to give birth or open a new business. The Chinese Year of the Rabbit promises to bring political upheaval from restless youth and sex scandals for the amorous. The rabbit is believed to be one of the happiest signs, with people born in that year renowned for their kindness, reliability and loyalty, though with an air of mystery and propensity to cry. Let me see, here. Political upheaval, restless youth and sex scandals? Sounds like the status quo to me. Maybe in China they limit themselves to once every twelve years. I say, bring it on. I, for one, think it will be rather entertaining to watch China get its freak on.

Beef - As a matter of record, not one that I a particularly proud of, I love Taco Bell, so it is with great sadness--but little surprise--that I present this next item. A class-action lawsuit was filed late last week in federal court claiming Taco Bell falsely advertised its products as "beef." The suit alleges that the fast-food chain actually uses a meat mixture in its burritos and tacos that contains binders and extenders and does not meet requirements set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be labeled beef. The lawsuit claims that the product contains less than 35% beef, while Taco Bells counters that its seasoned beef contains 88% USDA-inspected beef and the rest is water, spices and a mixture of oats, starch and other ingredients that contribute to the "quality of its product." I have to pause here. There is something that just doesn't sound right about suggesting that a mixture of oats, starch, and God knows what else has something to do with "quality of product". That aside, I don't go to Taco Bell expecting 5 star quality. Dude, it is a 99 cent taco. 99 cents is not going to get you much Wagyu beef.

Humor - A good joke is all about the punchline. Without that, you pretty have a lame-ass made up anecdote. And in my opinion, the truly great jokes are those based on things we know to be true. Perhaps the ladies will back me up on this one. A guy runs into God and God says, "Ask me anything." So the guy asks, "Why did you make women to beautiful?" God replies, "So you would like them." Then the guy asks, "God, why did you make women smell so good?" And again, God replies, "So you would like them." The guy asks one final question, "God, why did you make women so stupid?" God looks at the guy and replies, "That's easy, So they would like you."

What Caught My Eye Today

State of the Union - On the off chance that you had not heard, the State of the Union of these United States is "strong". That's good to hear. One less thing to worry about, I guess. The closing theme of President Obama's State of the Union speech was, "We do big things," an idea meant to serve as both a reminder of the enterprising spirit that has long propelled America through tough times as well as an optimistic assurance that the country is up to the enormous challenges it now faces. Obama sought to convince a still-skeptical public that he has a strong plan to spur job growth and the economy. He also tried to re-frame the debate away from one narrowly focused on reducing the deficit and towards the need to invest in the future and maintain America's competitive strength. On other topics, Obama pledged to begin removing U.S. troops from Afghanistan by July, and to finish the job of bringing them home from Iraq. He promised a plan to consolidate and reorganize the federal government to make it more efficient. Having watched the past few State of the Union addresses, I was most intrigued by the dynamics in the House chamber created by the fact that Democrats and Republicans decided to co-mingle rather than sit on opposing sides of the aisle. I found it to be a rather refreshing change in that you actually got to here Obama's address, largely uninterrupted by "spontaneous" standing ovations from his own party that were, no doubt, curbed due to the seating arrangements this time around and the lack of a herd mentality within either party.

National Debt - A new Congressional Budget Office report predicts the U.S. government's deficit will reach a record $1.5 trillion in 2011. The CBO is forecast the economy will grow by 3.1%, but that joblessness will remain above 9 percent this year and drop to a nationwide unemployment rate of 8.2% on Election Day in 2012. The deficit is expect drop to $1.1 trillion in 2012 and to $551 billion by 2015. It's worth mentioning that the current debt ceiling--set by Congress--is $14.3 trillion. Maybe I'm missing something here, but even if the deficits are shrinking, that fact that there are any suggests that the national debt is going to continue to rise. Forget about a "Sputnik moment" (for those of you confused by this, its a sound bite that Obama has been dropping into his speeches for the last couple of months), I'm thinking we're headed more toward a "Titanic moment". Oh, by the way, the CBO had one more ray of sunshine to pass along. Social Security will pay out $45 billion more in benefits in 2011 than it will collect in payroll taxes, further straining the nation's finances. The deficits will continue until the Social Security trust funds are eventually drained, in about 2037. I'm really starting to dislike these guys. Ironically, I turn 65 in 2037. Some birthday present.

Global Economics - Fred's Note: HSBC and Standard Chartered--both are London based banks--have recently release reports on predictions for how the global economic landscape will change between 2010 and 2050. Here are some of the more interesting findings. By 2050, emerging economies, led by China and India will be larger than developed economies. Small European nations, such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden are expected to drop of the list of the 30 biggest economies. How bad is it that I didn't think these countries were currently on the list? By 2030, China and India's combined share of global output will hit 34%, while the U.S. share will slip to 12%. In fairness, we're talking about the output of close to 3 billion people in China and India versus the output of 439 million in the United States. Now if all this seems thoroughly depressing, especially if you are an American, consider the bigger picture. Rich nations grow more slowly than emerging ones because they have slower growing populations and are already close to the leading edge of technology. In other words, when you are already at the top of the heap, there is no place to go but down. But, fear not. As emerging markets become wealthier, their demand for sophisticated goods and services produced by development countries. That sounds promising, though I think the emerging markets are still going to come out ahead, what with most of the goods coming out of the United States having "Made in China" labels stamped all over them.

What Caught My Eye Today

Political Beliefs - It would appear that the old adage, "the eyes are the windows to the soul," may apply to political beliefs. How nice. A new study suggests that when two people converse, their gazes commonly wander, and each will often glance to see what the other is looking at. Liberals are more likely to follow these "gaze cues" than conservatives are. One wonders if there is a correlation between poker players and liberals. I'm thinking, that those "gaze cues" are pretty much the same as "tells" in poker-speak. Researchers theorize that conservatives place a higher value on personal autonomy than liberals do, and are less likely to be interested in other people's opinions, hence their disinterest in gaze cues. I definitely consider myself a bit left of center when in comes to politics, but I have to say that I totally disagree with the conclusion of this study. I have no use for other people's opinions just as much as my conservative brethren does. In fact, I'm pretty sure my conservative friends would agree that I rarely have use for their opinions on political matters, just as they have little interest in mine.

Feminism - Let me preface this next item by pointing out that the rationale for this next argument comes from a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia pointed out in a recent interview that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution--which prohibits depriving any person of equal rights--does not apply to women. Interesting. I cannot wait to see how he came up with this conclusion. Scalia is the nation's most visible and outspoken proponent of "originalism"--the belief that the Constituion must be interpreted only according to its authors' original meaning and intent. when the 14th Amendment was passed in 1868, according to Scalia, it gave equal rights to freed male slaves--not to women. Scalia points out that the Constituion does not prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual orientation. Who else, besides me would like to see this guy run for public office? Can you imagine how entertaining it would be to watch Scalia try to justify his views under the scrutiny of an electorate that includes, you know, women?

Beer - The pint has been a British institution since 1698, when an act of Parliament made it the only legal serving of beer. You have to love the British. They have actual laws mandating consumption of beer by the pint. How cool is that? 313 years later, the government of Prime Minister David Cameron has decided that the public needs "more choice" and that pubs should be allowed to offer beer in the smaller glass known as the Australian schooner, which holds about two-thirds of a pint. The government also believes tthat the smaller measure could lead to less binge drinking. Well now, that is complete nonsense if you ask me. This isn't food we're talking about here; it's beer. If you reduce the amount per serving, all you are encouraging is more servings. In fact, I'm betting that those extra schooners are probably going to cost more than those pints, which means instead of having just a bunch of drunks, you are going to have a bunch of angry drunks.

Underwear - Among the many sources that I rely upon for content, I occassional stumble upon a gem from Consumer Reports, and boy, do I have a revealing gem for you here. A survey of women 18 years of age and over found that they own 21 pairs on average. Other revelations include:

• 46% wear briefs, not bikinis
• 25% have a pair they'd be embarrassed for someone to see.
  Hmm. Embarrassed in a good way or bad?
• 27% say their mood has been affected by wearing ugly underwear.
  I'm guessing this is due to naivety on my part, but why would you buy ugly underwear in the first place?
• 30% complain that underwear rides up.
  Clearly, an argument for wearing more thongs.
• 56% fold underwear before they put it away.
• 45% say the worst undergarment offese is underwear that sticks out of clothing.
  Yet another difference between men and women. In some circles, the dude's look is not complete without showing some undies.
• 10% have gone out of the house without underwear.
  Intentionally or unintentionally?

Potpourri - More stories from the "so bizarre it must be true" file.

• Entrepreneurship - Rapper 50 Cent rented myself out to clear snow from the driveways of his wealthy Connecticut neighbors, charging $100 per mansion, with an additional charge for photos of him shoveling.
  Props to Fiddy for finding a way to make ends meet between album releases.
• Polygamy - A Pakastani man was publicly beaten by two of his three wives, who accused him of having a secret fourth wife and plans to marry a fifth. The man swears that he only has three wives.
  I don't really get the whole multiple wives deal, but dude already has three, one wonders why these wives are making such a big deal with adding a few more?
• Hygiene - U.S. high school students are increasingly reluctant to shower after gym class and sports blaming the general erosion of privacy in the Internet age.
  Makes sense if you think about it. Might as well match a crappy odor to that crappy attitude.