Move over luxery cruiseships! Here comes the Luxury Airships! Yup! They are making a comeback, those blimps of old. However, they are newly designed for a greener tomorrow. Expected to replace everthing from airliners to commercial trucking, these gigantic airships can get up to 100 miles an hour and 10-60 thousand feet in the air. Mostly powered using solar tech, the uses for these are already being planned:
firefighting- replace the relatively small loads of planes and helicopters with a much larger payload from a blimp.
commercial transport- move much larger payloads to replace dozens of pollution spewing semi's.
Cheaper Public transport- Goodbye tour bus, so long Greyhound, Amtrak who?
Luxury Transport- Air Cruise to Europe anyone?
you can find more details about this topic at: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/4242974.html
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Prozac Brigade
Time Magazine recently reported that nearly 17% of military forces in Afghan/Iraq conflicts are currently on anti-depressants or anxiety medication during active combat. This is due to increased stress on an inadaquate fighting force not being given proper recovery time and being forced to remain in ever increasing conflict areas, and increasingly isolated missions. Another 10% are taking sleep aids such as Ambien.
People are questioning the reliabilityof these statistics, as due to privacy issues, and the likelyhood of those who go unreported due to shame issues or pure stoicism, that the incidents of mentally impaired soldiers is likely much higher. In addition, due to the rising number of suicides in the region among military personnel, it is a question as to whether the warnings about higher risk of suicidal tendencies among those aged up to 24 on the medications are being heeded.
Some officials are of the notion that the US is simply putting band-aids on a seriously injured force in order to get them right back on the front lines.
Apparently this is a serious enough issue that it is being discussed as to whether or not to issue Purple Hearts to those suffering from stress disorders after conflict. Read the June 16th issue of Time for more details.
People are questioning the reliabilityof these statistics, as due to privacy issues, and the likelyhood of those who go unreported due to shame issues or pure stoicism, that the incidents of mentally impaired soldiers is likely much higher. In addition, due to the rising number of suicides in the region among military personnel, it is a question as to whether the warnings about higher risk of suicidal tendencies among those aged up to 24 on the medications are being heeded.
Some officials are of the notion that the US is simply putting band-aids on a seriously injured force in order to get them right back on the front lines.
Apparently this is a serious enough issue that it is being discussed as to whether or not to issue Purple Hearts to those suffering from stress disorders after conflict. Read the June 16th issue of Time for more details.
Monday, June 16, 2008
In Memory Of...
Today a good man passed from this world. James Mack Moore died alone around 4 pm today from natural causes related to several recent strokes. He was hospitalized for 6 days before passing. My grandfather was the most decent man I have ever known. He never had an unkind word to say to anyone. He was not the kind of person to criticize others, and kept his opinions mostly to himself. I have never known him to be judgemental of anyone, no matter whether he thought you were right or wrong, he simply judged the person for who they were. He may not have done great things, but he made the world a better place, and that alone makes him special.
The world is a little darker without him in it.
Mark
The world is a little darker without him in it.
Mark
Friday, June 13, 2008
Living: The High Cost of Death
America, the land of the free? The free WHAT? To be born in this country will cost you. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 45.8 million Americans do not have health insurance. This person can anticipate an a hospital bill of $5,000-$10,000 for a typical delivery, and at least $12,000 if you need a c-section. These figures do not include the medical costs associated with nine months of prenatal visits, ultrasounds and other lab costs. A baby born premature or with health problems? Neonatal costs can range from a few thousand for a short stay to more than $200,000 if you baby is born more than 15 weeks early.
That's just the beginning! Wait until you die.
God forbid you get sick with any sort of prolonged illness. A hospital stay prior to leaving this world is one sure way of incurring a nice large debt for your next of kin in the range of ten's of thousands of dollars. Stay a couple weeks or more? hundred's of thousands depending on the illness and services needed. Even the insured can end up with quite a bundle to pay in copayments and uncovered costs.
A funeral with a good ceremony and reception can be the equivalent of paying for a small car. The average cost of a casket (finished with cloth covering, and interior, and little adornment) is around $2000 or more, and this isn't counting the costs of a ceremony, burial plot, grave marker, etc. And whoever makes the arrangements is responsible for the debt, NOT the family as a collective, so be careful.
Thank goodness that the debts of Living are not inheritable unless you assume responsibility or do anything to indicate you have assumed resposibility for those debts.
My advise: Save your family with a life insurance policy of around $15,000 at least. Why? The poor have an option of a plain wood container for close to $500, and the completely impoverished $200 for your basic cardboard box.
Don't get me started on taxing of inheritance! Ridiculous, it is, the high cost of death.
That's just the beginning! Wait until you die.
God forbid you get sick with any sort of prolonged illness. A hospital stay prior to leaving this world is one sure way of incurring a nice large debt for your next of kin in the range of ten's of thousands of dollars. Stay a couple weeks or more? hundred's of thousands depending on the illness and services needed. Even the insured can end up with quite a bundle to pay in copayments and uncovered costs.
A funeral with a good ceremony and reception can be the equivalent of paying for a small car. The average cost of a casket (finished with cloth covering, and interior, and little adornment) is around $2000 or more, and this isn't counting the costs of a ceremony, burial plot, grave marker, etc. And whoever makes the arrangements is responsible for the debt, NOT the family as a collective, so be careful.
Thank goodness that the debts of Living are not inheritable unless you assume responsibility or do anything to indicate you have assumed resposibility for those debts.
My advise: Save your family with a life insurance policy of around $15,000 at least. Why? The poor have an option of a plain wood container for close to $500, and the completely impoverished $200 for your basic cardboard box.
Don't get me started on taxing of inheritance! Ridiculous, it is, the high cost of death.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Alleged 9/11 mastermind requests death penalty
Read more here:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/05/news/CB-GEN-Guantanamo-Sept-11-Trial.php
All right, I am not the one who just assumes anyone is guilty, or passes judgement early, but if he IS guilty, why should we give him what he wants? To allow him his desired martyrdom seems a bit counter-productive. I can almost guarantee he will not survive a month if placed in any prison in America if he really is the mastermind of 9/11. I say to put him in our highest security prison and let nature take its course.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/05/news/CB-GEN-Guantanamo-Sept-11-Trial.php
All right, I am not the one who just assumes anyone is guilty, or passes judgement early, but if he IS guilty, why should we give him what he wants? To allow him his desired martyrdom seems a bit counter-productive. I can almost guarantee he will not survive a month if placed in any prison in America if he really is the mastermind of 9/11. I say to put him in our highest security prison and let nature take its course.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
New Pledge of Allegience
Want to brainwash children with some daily recitation? How 'bout a pledge of compassion and understanding.
"I pledge allegiance to the people of the world,
as a human living in America.
And to the Justice and Compassion for which we stand,
One People, Humans all, indivisable,
with liberty and justice for all."
Oral Sex is STILL SEX!!
All right. I am getting a little tired of people saying that oral sex does not count as sex, and that a person who has had Oral sex is still a virgin. It seems to me that it is a really lame way of justifying sexual activity that is outside of certain norms, like cheating on a partner (Pres Clinton), or for some teenager who has spent two years on their knees weekly and still says "I'm a virgin!".
To the guy who has an encounter with another guy/girl and says to his partner, "I didn't have sex, it was just a mouth." Read this carefully now:
To the guy who has an encounter with another guy/girl and says to his partner, "I didn't have sex, it was just a mouth." Read this carefully now:
Oral SEX - S... E... X...
It is even written in the term, guys! Give it up. A completely oral lifestyle doesn't save you from promiscuity (AKA. Slut), nor does it save your precious virginity, except in terms of a specific body part.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Prediction: Lakers win first game of the playoffs
The desire and drive combined with the incredibly deep bench behind Kobe Bryant equals a Laker win thursday as the NBA finals begin at 9pm. Look for the strength of the Laker offense to overwhelm Celtic defense for a victory by around 10 points.
In a match that has historical connotations of a former brilliant rivalry renewed, the Lakers will continue to show the domination they have showed the entire playoffs.
In a match that has historical connotations of a former brilliant rivalry renewed, the Lakers will continue to show the domination they have showed the entire playoffs.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Joke of the day....
A blonde woman walks into an H & R Block Tax accountant's office andtells him that she needs help to file her taxes.
The accountant says, 'Before we begin, I'll need to ask you a few questions.' He gets her name, address, social security number, etc. and then asks, 'What is your occupation?'
'I'm a prostitute,' she says.
The H & R Block accountant is somewhat taken aback and says, 'No, no, no, that won't work. Let's try to rephrase that.'
The woman says, 'OK, I'm a high-end call girl.'
'No, that still won't work. Try again.'
They both think for a minute; then the woman says,
'I'm a chicken farmer.'
The accountant asks, 'What does chicken farming have to do with being a Prostitute?'
'Well, I raised a thousand little peckers last year. '
'Chicken Farmer it is.'
The accountant says, 'Before we begin, I'll need to ask you a few questions.' He gets her name, address, social security number, etc. and then asks, 'What is your occupation?'
'I'm a prostitute,' she says.
The H & R Block accountant is somewhat taken aback and says, 'No, no, no, that won't work. Let's try to rephrase that.'
The woman says, 'OK, I'm a high-end call girl.'
'No, that still won't work. Try again.'
They both think for a minute; then the woman says,
'I'm a chicken farmer.'
The accountant asks, 'What does chicken farming have to do with being a Prostitute?'
'Well, I raised a thousand little peckers last year. '
'Chicken Farmer it is.'
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
