The War on Centuer’s, Mermnaids, and other Fantasy Creatures

Well that is what the Huffington Post reports via Senator Sam Brownback’s own blog. Ardent pro-lifer Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) wants to ban scientists from being able to create human animal hybrid species. Brownback is set to retire from the Senate in 2010 and run for governor of Kansas, and obviously now wants part of his national political legacy to be killing any possibility of centaurs and Arielle the Little Mermaid becoming a reality. Given Senator Brownback’s intense “pro-family agenda” one would think he would want to encourage the good natured wholesome family fun that is a Disney movie in becoming a reality (maybe a tax credit for owning a blue genie or an elephant that can fly. Or how about one for guys who dress in strange costumes in the middle of the night and take children off to a …. oh wait, I was referring to Peter Pan not Michael Jackson).

Between this and Congresswoman Michelle Bachman (R- her own state of mind), seeking years back to ban the movie Aladdin in local Minnesota schools; one has to wonder what acid these lawmakers have been trippin on. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) is also a co-sponsor. The legislation now has 20 co-sponsors, but hey with the economy having recovered, us being out of Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea disarmed, global climate change halted, health care legislation passed, and the budget deficit under control; I guess we now have time for more pressing concerns such as this! That’s what we pay lawmakers for, and get those the Seven little bearded guys while you are at it.

Swine Flu

As everyone knows by now there is a large outbreak of swine flu. So far there have been 40 cases reported in the United States and at least one in Spain. But by far from reports in the past few days Mexico by far has the most reported cases with 149 deaths in Mexico attributed to the disease.

U.S Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has declared a health emergency. The WHO threat level to a 4 out of 6. The European Union has issued an advisory discouraging all unnecessary travel to places where the disease has been reported, especially Mexico. There have been no casualties in the U.S reported yet, but if it is as severe as many say it is, it wouldn’t surprise me if we hear about one soon.

This from the CDC:

Human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been identified in the United States. Human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection also have been identified internationally. The current U.S. case count is provided below.

An investigation and response effort surrounding the outbreak of swine flu is ongoing.

CDC is working very closely with officials in states where human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) have been identified, as well as with health officials in Mexico, Canada and the World Health Organization. This includes deploying staff domestically and internationally to provide guidance and technical support.

Instead of posting a large piece of a news report, I will just post sections from the Reuters report that mention small things that all seem to make the larger portrait of what is going on.

In Mexico City, fearful Christians paraded a centuries-old statue of Jesus, believed to protect against disease, through the streets for the first time in more than a century.

The age of those who have died as a result is chilling.

Thirty-three million Mexican schoolchildren will be off school until the middle of next week as authorities seek to contain the outbreak. Schools in the sprawling capital had already been closed but the government ordered classes canceled across the country until May 6.

Most of the those who died were between 20 and 50 years of age, an ominous sign because a hallmark of past pandemics has been the high rate of fatalities among healthy young adults.

The outbreak also appears that it could have an impact on the global economy. In an increasingly globalized world where people, services goods, and yes even diseases constantly cross national boundaries this could help accelerate an already steep worldwide recession, despite there having been no casualties yet in either Europe, the United States, or Canada.

Oil prices fell more than 2 percent to close to $50 a barrel as investors feared a new blow to an already fragile global economy if trade flows are curbed and manufacturing is hit.

The MSCI world equity index fell 0.8 percent and U.S. stocks also slipped.

Flu fears hit U.S. airline stocks hard as investors worried that the travel industry would suffer. Shares prices for UAL Corp, the parent of United Airlines, shed 14 percent, while Continental Airlines Inc lost 16 percent.

Other travel and leisure stocks such as Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways and British Airways fell sharply, whereas makers of drugs and vaccines, such as Roche, were higher.

For more go to the CDC website.

Update (4/28 @ 1:17 PM/ET)- Number of Swine Flu cases in the U.S rises to 68.

Brit Hume: The Worst Thing that Could Happen would be for the Iranian People to want to engage in Disscussion

Neoconservative pundit and former Fox News “News” anchor Brit Hume on Fox News Sunday lamented the demise of the Bush/Cheney neoconservative “diplomacy” in response to Obama’s video outreach to the Iranians. Neoconservative Bill Kristol was also critical which is no surprise.

Hume appeared to agree that this was the case – and he saw it as a serious mistake. “Condoleezza Rice said something to me last year,” he explained. “She said almost no governments in the world practice diplomacy the way the United States does. … We practice diplomacy always backed up by the possibility or even the threat of some forceful action, whether it be economic or whatever. She said, most governments in the world think, ‘Diplomacy — you don’t do that. You talk, and when that doesn’t work you talk some more.'”

“It appears that Barack Obama, by this statement, has joined the rest of the world … in practicing the diplomacy of talk,” Hume fretted. “The worst thing that could happen would be for the Iranian government to respond favorably and positively and want to engage in a discussion — and then we would be on a track like that which will lead nowhere.”

Yes Brit like nobody else, because in the real world diplomacy consists of dialogue not an angry and unconditional set of demands. That is something different entirely. The Bush/Cheney administration believed in approaching the rest of the world seeking to be feared instead of respected and in return received only derision, anger, and ridicule. And the worst thing that could happen? I thought the worst thing that could happen was that Iran would become a nuclear power? That we would fail in Iraq? That Israel would be attacked by Iran? But no its the possibility that we might not go headfirst into another disastrous military excursion devoid of any support from the international community that could kill thousands of more courageous Americans (who unlike you actually go to war instead of getting deferments and then just cheering for other people’s kids to be sent to war), deplete our riches, hurl the global economy into an even more grave depression, and encourage a mass exodus out of Iran once the bombs start falling, with hordes of angry Iranians without a country to spill into Iraq and express their resentment through acts of terror?

Guess 4,186 dead Americans just isn’t enough for Brit. That’s neoconservatism for you; you believe by the time history teaches any lessons we will all be dead, diplomacy and anything short of war is weakness (though not when you avoid serving on the front lines yourself), no accountability, and that consequences are for little people.

Pat Robertson’s Annual Look into the Future

Christian Broadcast Network Founder, “700 Club” host, former Presidential Candidate, and the Lady Cleo of the Christian right, Pat Robertson following a New Years conference has shared his annual prophecies with we the regular human beings again. It is a tradition that happens around New Years, where according to Robertson the Lord tells him things every year to inform the rest of us of with mixed success at best.

Yes, the guy who endorsed Rudy Gulliani for President because he believed he was the one most likely to win the Republican nomination, believes he can predict the future.

But to ensure that Robertson does not discredit the heavenly father, he gives this disclaimer:

“I say with humility, I hope I’ve heard the Lord. I spend time praying and asking him for wisdom and if there’s a mistake, it’s not his fault, it’s mine,” Robertson said.

Among this years predictions Obama will bring socialism to America under the guise of a new New Deal.

Boston Herald:

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. _ Citing information he says is from God, Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson said Friday that America is headed for veritable socialism as well as an economic rebound under President-elect Barack Obama in 2009.

“What the Lord was saying, the people are willing to accept socialism to alleviate their pain,” Robertson said on a broadcast of “The 700 Club.” Robertson hosts the program, which is aired from the Christian Broadcasting Network studios in Virginia Beach.

Robertson said the economy, particularly the stock market, could start rebounding by the second quarter.

“Cast off the gloom and the doom because things are getting ready to turn around,” he said. “I’m flying in the face of all of the experts or most of the experts who say, ’Oh no, no, no, it’s going to get worse,’ but I don’t think so.”

So the people will accept socialism, what is said to be a disastrous economic and political structure by many including Robertson himself, but nevertheless the economy will rebound? The often off-beat and controversial Robertson Friday is also said to have branded Islam a “Religion of Hate” and has said that it is “losing its grip” (kind of like Pat Robertson himself).

On Friday, Robertson said God told him Islam was losing its grip on Muslims repelled by the violence and bloodshed of a “religion of hate.”

He also said Russia would create a multinational coalition to gain control of Middle Eastern oil supplies.

Now if God was really sending messages to someone, one would think that by now he would choose someone with a little bit more credibility. You know someone who doesn’t make such a fool of himself?

President Jeb Bush? Good God No!

I hear that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R-Florida)is more competent then his elder brother at governor, though that is not saying much.

But the thought of another Bush in the White House is at least at this point for most Americans stomach turning. But Former President George H.W Bush this weekend spoke of his desire to see his younger son former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R-Florida) make a run for the White House. Jeb Bush is already reportedly mulling a run for the Senate seat in 2010, which current Senator Mel Martinez (R-Florida) has stated he will not run to be re-elected to.

But the former President went even further, saying he has even higher aspirations for his younger son.

Former President George H.W. Bush said he wants more than a Senate seat for his son Jeb. He wants him in the White House.

Bush, appearing on Fox News Sunday, made the statement in response to questions about his son’s political future.

“I’d like to see him run [for Senate],” the elder Bush said. “I’d like to see him be president some day.”

Advisers to Jeb Bush (R), the former governor of Florida, have said he’s considering a bid for the seat of Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), who will not seek reelection in 2010.

George H.W. Bush acknowledged that asking the country to elect a third “President Bush” might be asking for too much.

In addition he stated the criticism of the current President has been hard for he and his family to take. ( as opposed to the Presidency of his son which has been even harder for the rest of America to take).

GOD NO!

A Russian Professor and ex-KGB member is forecasting that the U.S will enter a Civil War, brought on by demographic trends due to immigration, economic hardships, and internal social divisions will be fractured ethnically into five different countries that will be dominated by various other countries.Evidently this is supposed to happen in either June or July of 2010. I hope this doesn’t happen, my American Express Card doesn’t expire until 2011. Damn, I would look stupid.