Park Service Can't Give Official Age Of Grand Canyon For Fear Of Offending Creationists...

AP
Due to pressure from Bush Administration officials, the National Park Service is not permitted to give an official age for the Grand Canyon. Additionally, a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's flood is for sale at the National Park's bookstore.

The sale of Grand Canyon: A Different View was scheduled for review over three years ago, but no such review has been schedule or even requested. The creationist book was the only item approved for sale in 2003 (22 other items were rejected).


...I hate lies. I hate the vilification of science and intellectualism. I hate religious propaganda guised as research or theory. Creationism/Intelligent Design, however you package it, has no empirical value or predictability. The god of ID is the God-of-the-Gaps. I could never believe in such a small god.
The best web site for debunking extremest anti-science is Talk Origins.

Saddam Death Watch

Well I guess we can all eat victory cake now that Saddam is going to be hanged. I am just waiting for the Faux News countdown clock. This catastrophic occupation of Iraq keeps getting sicker and sicker. The State of Michigan has lost over 100 troops now, five of which were all killed within a 24 hour period. I have not seen any coverage of this fact in our local paper or television. Too depressing and not interesting enough for anyone other than us bloggers I assume.
Recently someone close to me described Bush as a 'shrewd businessman.' This statement has been rolling around my head for weeks. There are two major things wrong with this description. 1). In the Six years of Bush we have yet to witness one discerning or savvy decision. 2). Every enterprise Bush the 2nd has lead has resulted in a failure that required his daddy's friends to bail him out. I wonder who who will bail us out of this mess?
Shrewd Businessman? Donald Trump is a shrewd businessman, maybe. George W. Bush is an untreated alcoholic with religious delusions who continues to lead our troops, our country, and our world toward a cataclysm. He is operating outside of reality, and does not appear to be conscious of the disastrous results of his actions and choices. Bush and crew continue to try linking Saddam to their conflated and ill conceved 'War and Terror'. Does Saddam deserve to die? Probably, but his death will only fuel the flames of distrust and division within Iraq. His execution will be another hyped pseudo success in an ocean of failure.
After pretending to listen during his listening tour of overdue study groups, Bush will emerge from his Cool Ranch Western White House and gives us his new direction for Iraq. The direction will still be backwards, only faster.

Ford disagreed with Bush on invading Iraq

Raw Story
Published: Thursday December 28, 2006
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Print page sponsored by Velvet Revolution.

Washington Post investigative journalist Bob Woodward once helped break the story that ultimately led to the first unelected president in United States history. On the day after former President Gerald R. Ford's death, Woodward returns to the front page with an exclusive report that the former president disagreed with President George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq.

Ford told Woodward, in an "embargoed interview" taped nearly two-and-a-half years ago, that he believed the war was a "big mistake," and felt that Bush should have pursued more diplomatic roads before resorting to war. The former Republican Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Vice President, and 38th President following Nixon's resignation doesn't think that the invasion was "in our national interest."

"Well, I can understand the theory of wanting to free people," Ford told Woodward, but added that he wasn't certain "you can detach that from the obligation number one, of what's in our national interest."

"And I just don't think we should go hellfire damnation around the globe freeing people, unless it is directly related to our own national security," Ford added.

Excerpts from Woodward's latest "scoop":

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Former president Gerald R. Ford said in an embargoed interview in July 2004 that the Iraq war was not justified. "I don't think I would have gone to war," he said a little more than a year after President Bush launched the invasion advocated and carried out by prominent veterans of Ford's own administration.

In a four-hour conversation at his house in Beaver Creek, Colo., Ford "very strongly" disagreed with the current president's justifications for invading Iraq and said he would have pushed alternatives, such as sanctions, much more vigorously. In the tape-recorded interview, Ford was critical not only of Bush but also of Vice President Cheney -- Ford's White House chief of staff -- and then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who served as Ford's chief of staff and then his Pentagon chief.

"Rumsfeld and Cheney and the president made a big mistake in justifying going into the war in Iraq. They put the emphasis on weapons of mass destruction," Ford said. "And now, I've never publicly said I thought they made a mistake, but I felt very strongly it was an error in how they should justify what they were going to do."

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FULL WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE CAN BE READ AT THIS LINK

The Big Story: Iraq or Missing Climbers?

By NIR ROSEN from IraqSlogger
The U.S. TV news networks have provided exhaustive coverage of the nine-day search for the three (now two) missing mountain climbers in Oregon, while on several days providing less coverage of the war in Iraq.
Both stories tragic. One story new and different and dramatic. The other story old and horrific and the focus of the attention of U.S. leaders, many Americans, and much of the world.

During the nine days of the search for the missing climbers on Mount Hood, here is what happened in Iraq:

-- Iraqis killed: 600+

-- U.S. military killed: 27

-- U.S. military wounded: 400+

-- Cost to U.S. taxpayers: $2.5 billion



You do not need me to tell what a joke cable news has become. I am sorry for these climbers but why are we still climbing mountains anyway? Why put your life, your family, and rescue personnel at risk for a cheap thrill? My goal for 2007 is to photoshop myself on the peak of Mt. Hood. It will be breathtaking and no lives will be lost.

Angel

Ah 'Hoy Mate

Khalil Gibran

I am not a big reader of poetry but I have recently discovered the work of Khalil Gibran . Here is one of his Poems from a larger collection titled The Prophet.

Children

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of to-morrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Refuting Dobson

One of my favorite blogs is Talk To Action, a great resource in monitoring the religious right. Recently at TTA Frank Cocozzelli posted an article on Dr. James Dobons latest vilification of Liberals. For decades Dobson and others of his ilk have been given a free pass when they categorize Liberals, Democrats, or any other non-fundamentalist as moral relativists. The claim that any one religion or political party is a repository of moral judgment, ethical behavior, or family values is insulting to anyone with just a smidgen of intelligence. Dobson was on Larry King late last month and once again spouted the lie that the "Left" has no moral code or sense of right or wrong. Larry "softball" King made no effort to challenge Dobson's claim.
Cocozzelli points out that Dobson and other dominionists love to use terms like moral relativism as a way to paint Liberals, or anyone in opposition, as immoral creatures. When these fallacious statements to go unchallenged we allow unjustified and unqualified people control important debates about our country, world, and our children's future. Check out Talk to Action.

Happy St. Nicholas Day

Today is the day we honor St. Nicholas. You know him today as Santa but back in the day he traveled, without reindeer, all the way to the Council of Nicea to slap the face of Arius for questioning the divinity of Christ. Imagine that! As legend has it the bishops at Nicea were shocked by this behavior and they planed to kick Saint Nick out, but Jesus and Mary appeared next to the heretic beater and everyone was cool with the bitch slap. It is wise not to question the Son of God around Christmas or Santa might come down the chimney and put a boot in your ass.

For St. Nicholas eve Sam got a Santa Train.

Zappa on Crossfire - 1986

This is a long video but worth it.

Dave Cockrum 1943-2006

Another comic book legend has been lost. Dave Cockrum one of most recognizable comic book artists died last week. Cockrum co-created the All New All Different X-Men. Without him the comic book world would not have Nightcrawler, Colossus, or Storm, and Wolverine may not have become the powerhouse character that he is today. I remember when I first read Giant Size X-Men #1 reprinted in my Marvel Masterworks edition, his ability to express raw emotions and maintain suspense in a two demential medium has yet to be duplicated. I doubt it ever will be.