Thursday, June 10, 2004

No Wonder My Dog Iz Looks At Me Funny When I Talk to Myself

“Research Shows Dogs Understand Language."

"Like parents of toddlers, we learned long ago the importance of spelling key words like bath, pill or vet when speaking in front of our dogs,” Strand said. “Thanks to the researchers who’ve proven that people who talk to their dogs are cutting-edge communicators, not just a bunch of eccentrics."

Woof.

Via Drudge.

Posted by John Venlet on 06/10 at 07:43 AM
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Drive Aggressively, and as Fast as You Can

"Aggressive driving can ease traffic congestion, say researchers who have created a computer model of the mean streets of Colombia’s capital Bogotá."

When I read the above, taken from an article titled “Bold motorists clear roads," I immediately recalled my time in the Phillipines where I utilized the Jeepney mode of transportation, here’s some great photos and other historic info. Anway, the Jeepney drivers were quite agressive, both in derring do maneuvers and alacrity of point to point transport.  The rules of the road were lead, follow, or get out of the way, and it worked.

Via Tyler Cowen at Marginal Revolution.

Posted by John Venlet on 06/10 at 04:43 AM
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Think, Thank, Thunk

Godless, at Gene Expression, posts “A Thought Experiment," which seems to be in response to a Reason piece on why Hollywood doesn’t make anti-communist films.  The experiment.

"Imagine, if you will, an alternate reality in which two major changes are made. Imagine a reality in which our popular discourse is as far biased to the right as it is currently biased to the left. Such a reality would require only two changes:

1. Every mention of Hitler and Nazism is exchanged with a mention of Stalin, Mao, and Communism.
2. Every mention of racism, apartheid, or hate crimes is exchanged with a mention of IQ or the demographics of crime."

The remainder of Godless’ post posit’s what effects the experiment may result in.

Posted by John Venlet on 06/10 at 04:29 AM
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Pointed Comment of the Day

"My guess is the “band of brothers” is getting a bit sparse by now."

The above, was written by McQ, at Questions and Observations, as commentary to Jeffery M. Epstein’s, a member of VietNam Vets for Truth, comments regarding John Kerry’s VietNam protesting, and being “honored” by the Ho Chi Minh City museum.

"The Vietnamese communists clearly recognize John Kerry’s contributions to their victory,” he said. “This find can be compared to the discovery of a painting of Neville Chamberlain hanging in a place of honor in Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in 1945."

The quote was taken from a World Net Daily article titled “Kerry honored at communist museum." The article’s subtitle is "Photograph hangs in section devoted to war protesters."

Posted by John Venlet on 06/10 at 04:14 AM
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Plot Line Ruined By Science?

Here’s the plot line from the movie The Day After Tomorrow.

"A climatologist tries to figure out a way to save the world from abrupt global warming. He must get to his young son in New York, which is being taken over by a new ice age.

Abrupt global warming, did ya catch that?  Here’s the latest from an Antarctic ice study.

"Earth’s current climate may last for at least another 15,000 years, barring any effects from human intervention, according to a new study of Antarctic ice published in the latest issue of the journal Nature."

“Human impact delaying ice age, study finds."

This fantasy and reality note brought to you courtesy of Google News.

Posted by John Venlet on 06/10 at 02:56 AM
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Is It The Reason For All The Fuss?

Ronald Reagan’s death, and the activities surrounding it, are the major news items, currently.  Why is that?  Dr. Hurd has an idea why.

"People know we’re not getting the leadership we need to defeat terrorism the way we defeated Communism. We’re not likely to ever get it from the current President and we will absolutely never get it from his pacifistic, appeasing opponent. People sense, but cannot articulate, that something is missing. Brute force alone will not do it, but neither will pacifism. What’s missing is moral conviction. President Reagan reminds us that such a thing is possible, though not visible in our current leaders."

“What’s Missing."

Via The Rule of Reason.

Posted by John Venlet on 06/10 at 02:50 AM
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Fireproof Fools

Not too long ago, when I needed to rebuild my garage, because the city got involved, I was required to install fireproof wallboard, manufactured with gypsum, on two interior walls of my garage.  The city required the fireproof wallboard because the garage did not set far enough away from the lot line of my property, which, according to building codes, means the garage is a potential fire hazard.  When I asked the city what the garage was hazarding, fire wise, the city couldn’t really say, but that wasn’t the point, the building “code” required fireproof wallboard because the garage sat to close to the lot line.  A fact I needed to have approved by the city, and all of my neighbors, also, who didn’t really care, because not one showed up at the city meeting where I was given the city’s blessing to rebuild my garage, as long as I installed the above mentioned fireproof wallboard.

Last night, I read in The Grand Rapids Press, that I am not the only individual who has, or is, having trouble with the fireproof fools.  The owners of an old gypsum mine here in Grand Rapids are having their own problems with the “code” enforcers.

The mine discussed in the story was converted into a storage facility with ideal conditions.  Constant humidity and temperature, underground, with limited access.  Perfect for storing old documents, photographs, and foods.  No problem right.  The mine is basically gypsum, dolemite, and shale, which will not burn.  But, since the mine owners added a high tech client, who stores electronic data on computer equipment, the city has decided a sprinkler system must be installed, at the cost of $250,00.0.00, because it’s a “safety issue,” rather than allowing the mine owners to simply utilize the chemical fire suppression system already installed, because it’s the “code.”

“CODE WORDS: Battle over sprinklers for old gypsum mine goes to appeals court."

You see, it says right here, in the code, that such and such must be done.  What if what it says must be done doesn’t really make sense?  That doesn’t matter, you have to follow the “code.”

Posted by John Venlet on 06/10 at 02:12 AM
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