Put a Vulture on the DOJ Seal

When you release the terrorists and prosecute the good and faithful public servants at CIA, the seal is no longer worthy of an eagle -- but a vulture fits your character quite well.

un-natural laws

CAN YOU SUSPEND PHYSICS?

By that I mean, can you suspend the laws of the universe for your own benefit?

Based on the video evidence presented in this short, yes, you can. Or perhaps it's a matter of using a brand of more advanced physics? I have experimented with invisible cats (as Darlin' and other blog participants can attest in all sobriety). Some people believe an invisible cat is a physical impossibility - obviously not true.

THIS is why I don't have a cat...

The cat pictured below, doesn't seem to enjoy a good swim. Simply one more reason not to own a cat (they have NO sense of humor).

Engagement and Marriage

ENGAGEMENT

I'm a father of four daughters. 

Pity me.

h/t WoFat

Warning, Adult Theme

PetroTyrants

I'd like to begin by attacking the PetroTyrants like Hugo Chavez that sell us oil. (Venezuela is America's second largest supplier of oil) As with so many things, consumption is our fault, not his.

The economic recovery will lead to more consumption of petroleum. That consumption will lead to higher prices. We'll all blame the Saudis, but the US is behaving irresponsibly in the face of a new oil price increase. 

The value of the dollar drops as the Obama Administration borrows with reckless abandon and spends money we do-not-have. With the decreasing value of the dollar (the price of international oil is pegged to the US Dollar) we will pay more for the wide range of products made from oil.

At the same time, the Obama Administration banned domestic off-shore drilling for oil. In Barack Obama's utopian socialist fantasy, unproven alternative fuels will fill the void. The US Government will control our domestic fantasy fuel production (the socialist part) and all will be right with the country.  Did I mention the word "fantasy"? The Obama Administration removed the ability for companies to build new nuclear energy plants by its refusal to allow fuel storage at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. So there will be no new nuclear energy generation in America until Obama is voted form office in 2012.

The US refuses to build more oil refineries. We had 324 in 1981. We have 141 now. We are not able to refine the oil we need to meet the demand so we import refined products. This creates a GREATER reliance on foreign oil sources.

Many of the countries we supply with our purchases -- Iran comes to mind -- hate us every bit as much as Venezuela. We fund our enemies. Am I the only one who thinks this whole situation is absurd?

When Will America have a Black President?

Are we machines or are we people? People have prejudices built into their psyche from birth no matter what anyone says. How does prejudice or guilt resulting from prejudice fit into our political decisions? When will America finally have a black president? President Barack Hussein Obama is as white as he is black, though he claims to be a negro. Pastor David Manning weighs in on the issue (below) and puts the question to America.

Is Pluto a Planet?

The great debate continues and the tender crushed hearts of school children are again torn asunder by scientists who "vote" on whether or not the definition applies. There is no scientific consensus, really. Those of us who learned there were 9 planets orbiting the Solar System when we were in school still harbor that secret magic number. The US State of New Mexico's legislature resolved that Pluto is still a planet.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT PLUTO? 

PLANET or DWARF PLANET or 9th ROCK FROM THE SUN?

Scientists are torn because there are Kuyper Belt Objects (KBO's) larger than Pluto out there in the further reaches of the Solar System. The New Horizons Mission to Pluto may stir the hearts of scientists to reconsider their harsh down-grade. There's also the dwarf planet, Ceres, that is orbits in the asteroid belt between Earth and Mars. The Dawn Mission to Ceres is likely to create a groundswell of support for calling Ceres a planet when we take a closer look at the place. 

In order to be classified as a "genuine" planet, the object must be:

1. Massive enough that gravity crushes it into a round(ish) sphere. (Pluto is smaller than Earth's Moon)
2. It must orbit the Sun.
3. It must be dominant enough that it clears away objects in its orbital space. (this is the sticking point, apparently because scientists can't agree on the cleanliness of Pluto's orbital path)

Sound off here: Planet/Not a Planet??