Pork Barrel Politics
"We understand that the war was expensive, but do you know where else your tax dollars are going from this year's budget?"

Now, I am reveling something that is so top-secret, so amazing that you will "ooh" and "aaah" all day. I now give you the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber. Enjoy.

I have also added a few new wallpapers.

I also have a new, easier to remember referral URL. http://kickme.to/calipso If you link to me, use that.
Update: I have a domain now.

Le latte Friday Five. (Does that mean "The Late Friday Five" in French? I'm not sure, oh well, here it is anyway.... Wait, this IS Friday. Man, are my days off.)

1. What was the last TV show you watched?
The Simpsons.

2. What was the last thing you complained about and what was the problem?
Being tired, because I was. I didn't go to bed that late last night. In fact I went to bed earlier then I do most nights. Midnight isn't that late. Anyways, my mind was racing last night. It is very hard for me to go to sleep, but once I am, dynamite will not wake me.

3. Who was the last person you complimented and what did you say?
Probably my friend Josh, because that is what I do. I don't remember what I said though.

4. What was the last thing you threw away?
Probably my little eye drop bottles. I have these contacts that I am only suppose to be wearing for 2 months, and I have had them for three months because the Optometrist didn't order my new prescription as soon as they said they would. So I got really...Wait, I'm complain' again.

5. What was the last website that you visited?
Google. Because it is the best thing since sliced bread and frankfurters.

I will try to post something sometime.

Le Friday Five.

1. Who is your favorite celebrity?
Not one, but a few. Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, Bruce Willis, and Mel Gibson.

2. Who is your least favorite?
Susan Sarandon

3. Have you ever met or seen any celebrities in real life?
Nope.

4. Would you want to be famous? Why or why not?
No, because I would no longer have a private life. I wouldn't be able to go anywhere or do anything without the whole world knowing about it.

5. If you had to trade places with a celebrity for a day, who would you choose and why?
Any of them. A day is enough time to buy the things I would like.

We Stand on Guard for Thee
Another one from Bill.

Oh, Canada, what the heck is going on? In a staggering display of in-your-face defiance, the Canadian government now says it will not turn over any members of Saddam Hussein's crew should they eventually show up in Canada to the United States, including the evil dictator himself! Canadian Minister of Defense John McCallum bluntly told the world that his government would only give Saddam to the World Court in The Hague.

This non-provoked belligerence comes after Prime Minister Jean Chretien gleefully pilloried the Bush administration over fighting Iraq every chance he got. Chretien and his cohorts have made no secret of their disdain for Mr. Bush, and the Canadian press has generally been brutal to America in portraying the war.

In response, President Bush has canceled his May trip to Ottawa, and it would be wise not to send him an autographed picture of the Montreal Canadian hockey team anytime soon. That's because Montreal fans recently booed the national anthem before a match with the New York Islanders, causing some angst among American hockey fans, who are not generally known for being too accepting of that kind of display.

But it doesn't end there. When a group of Boston kids went up to Montreal to play in a peewee hockey tournament, they were not only taunted by the Canadian kids, but also by the referees. Eh?

My question is this: Do the Canadian people have any idea how close they are to serious pain here?

Canada's economy is utterly dependent on the United States, and Americans pump more than $10 billion directly into it every year. Nine million of us cross the northern border more than 40 million times annually, and we buy lots of stuff. And that stuff is heavily taxed by the tax-and-spend Canadian government. So what happens if we all emulate Mr. Bush and just say no to the land of snow?

Canada's economy melts, that's what happens.

A loosely organized boycott of French goods by some Americans has brought immediate pain to the wine and travel industries in that country, according to business titans in Paris. One analyst told me that French wine consumption in the USA is down 10 percent, and travel to Paris is off by more than 20 percent with almost record low bookings for the upcoming summer. Since the French economy was growing at just 1 percent before Jacques Chirac began his quest to embarrass America, a French recession is now likely.

If the same economic pressure were applied to Canada, the results would be much more intense. Simply put, if Americans cut back doing business with Canadians, that country could go into a depression.

And herein lies the problem. Most Americans are not mean people and don't want to hurt working-class Canadians. It is Chretien who's the problem, and he's out of office in less than a year. But, there comes a point when enough is enough, and Canadians should understand that storm clouds are gathering to the south. Humiliating American kids in a hockey rink is simply not acceptable. Thumbing your nose at 127 dead Americans in Iraq by making defiant statements about where Saddam should be extradited is not a wise policy.

Millions of Americans are beginning to realize that their buying power is not only a democratic choice but can be used as a weapon against people who are hostile to us. No American is under any obligation to buy any product, foreign or domestic. I'm sure the Molson beer people understand that Budweiser fits in the cooler as well.

So I am giving the haughty Jean Chretien one more chance because I have always liked and respected the Canadian people. I am not going to travel north this summer, but I'm not boycotting Canadian products as I am with France. But hear this Mr. Prime Minister: One more cheap shot, one more unnecessary taunt, one more insult directed at the USA by you or your minions, and I'll give you a very accurate long-range forecast. It's gonna get mighty cold mighty fast west of the St. Lawrence.

It has been awhile. Just writing to tell you that I am working on the B-2 Spirit to go on the site. I have no idea when it will be ready though. More later.

News is on the way.

Rhyme Doesn't Fly on Southwest
"Airline Sued Over Nursery Rhyme"
Give me a break!

Woman Gets $6,000 for Bad Hair Service
She scammed them.

Explorer trudged North Pole with broken ankle

Woman Found Alive as Murder Trial Opens

200 HP workers in Toronto quarantined as SARS precaution

Advanced telescope camera astounds
"The biggest digital camera ever installed on a telescope has begun work, taking spectacular and scientifically rich images of the Universe. "

Security by stupidity

Nasa model 'had wrong data'
"A computer model that convinced engineers that the Columbia shuttle could safely return to earth lacked the right information, accident investigators say."

Pluto Visit in NASA Plans

US senators introduce antispam bill

Speaking another language would be a pretty cool thing. I have always wanted to learn Spanish. Well, I guess not always, but it became a life goal a couple of years ago. Being bilingual can only benefit a person. My problem is that I have to start over when I get to college. I never learned a thing in my High School Spanish classes. My Spanish I teacher never taught us anything. We had free days and open book tests. Then I came to Spanish II. Well, let me tell ya it's kinda hard to learn anything in Spanish II when you never learned anything in Spanish I. Great, great teacher that second year, but I never learned the fundamentals. So maybe when I start back out on the basics I can pick it up.

After two weeks the Friday Five has now arrived. (And it is even a couple minutes early.) It is here, be afraid, be very afraid.

1. What was the first band you saw in concert?
I have never been to any concerts.

2. Who is your favorite artist/band now?
I don't really have a favorite. I take my likes and dislikes on a song by song basis, not artist by artist.

3. What's your favorite song?
I have been listening to Dynamite Walls by Hayden a lot lately.

4. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?
I am actually working on the Piano. Or at least trying, I haven't had much of a chance to give it serious time, but I hope that I soon will have a chance.

5. If you could meet any musical icon (past or present), who would it be and why?
Britney Spears because she is hot. No really. I think Britney Spears. (Actually, Elvis would be really cool.)

Long time no write. Where have I been? Locked away in a building somewhere in the southern half of the USA forced to work for bread crumbs and moist towelettes for water. No really I have been at school. I'm seriouse, that is where I have been. Anyways, I was able to escape there and send this message...

Sorry, passed out from loss of blood. Anyways, if you are still reading this because you were scared off from my immense dorkiness, I actually have a message for you. For the 6th, 7th, and 8th of April I received 338, 869, and 255 unique visitors respectively. Quite far from my average of 28 unique visitors a day. It varies a lot, but never up to 800. The reason, for the 1.2 people that are reading this and asking, is because good old Fred


put my link in his newsletter again. My site was mentioned about 2 years ago and received under half those numbers. Well when my big mistake forced me to change the address of my site, I contacted him about changing my link. I expected him to change the link that is on his site but he refeatured me in his newsletter. So thanks to him, I am happy now. Well, I was happy before, but I am *really* happy now.

In other news... I was thinking about maybe opening an online store selling mouse pads and mugs with some of my wallpaper as the picture. Would anybody be interested?

In other other news... I saw Phonebooth and The Core. I liked both movies although The Core didn't get good reviews but personal opinion is what matters right? I don't need somebody making up my own opinion for me. Have any of you guys tasted that new Sierra Mist? Is it good or does it taste like Sprite?

No Friday Five once again, because it really doesn't apply to me.

Finally some news.

When the Truth is a Casualty
Is Bill right, or is he right.

Perhaps the most disconcerting thing about the Iraqi war press coverage has been the misleading headlines that have appeared in some major American newspapers. The words "fierce fighting" and "ferocious resistance" have been used time and time again to describe the Iraqi performance on the battlefield. On more than one occasion, I thought I was reading about Stalingrad or Iwo Jima. But there was always one major problem with all the articles: American and British casualties have been light -- very light.

It is, of course, very difficult to know the truth about specific battles because even the "imbedded" reporters are often kept away from the direct action for their own safety. And unfortunately, many in the American media hype stories all over the place in order to attract readers and viewers. Can you imagine the reporting on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima today? I can't.

Also, some media outlets want the war in Iraq to go poorly for the Bush administration for political reasons. Thus, the more chaos and uncertainty that war headlines and stories can produce, the better the ultimate outcome will be as far as they're concerned. These ideologues masquerading as news people are hoping for a Pyrrhic victory so that the hawks will not gain power and prestige.

I deeply resent that kind of game playing with news, especially concerning a story that is vitally important to all Americans. So in this column I am going to do something about it. A few days ago, I was handed an email from the Iraqi front. It came from a U.S. Army colonel in the Third Infantry Division. He is deeply angered over much of the reporting he is seeing in the American media. I have to protect his identity because the Pentagon does not like its officers going off the reservation and providing journalists like me this kind of perspective.

The following is what his email said: "The Third (31D) is making history here. In the past 48 hours, we have destroyed two (Iraqi) divisions, and six other divisions decided not to fight or have formally capitulated. Of course, this is never reported in the news. I do daily air recon in a Blackhawk escorted by Apaches, and we have probably killed close to 10,000 (Iraqi soldiers). We are continuously sniped at and receive periodic mortar fire. Bottom line, they shoot -- they die. Every American soldier (here) is getting a chance to engage and kill the enemy.

"Iraq has these maniacs, death squad guys called Saddam Feddyen, DGS forces, IIS, and Ba'ath Party forces that we spend most of our day killing. They continuously make suicidal charges at our tanks, brads (fighting vehicles) and checkpoints. We are happy to send them to hell. You would not believe the carnage. Imagine body parts about knee deep, with hundreds of (Iraqi) vehicles burning, occupants inside. We fill up trucks with body parts daily.

"The plan is going exactly as scripted. The news is full of s---. We have almost total control. Don't know how much longer the division can keep up this pace, but we are prepared to do it."

Compare that account with what you are reading in the papers and hearing on the television news. Does it compute? If it doesn't, then your news outlet may not be doing its job.

The email I quoted is genuine in every way. It was not solicited, it was not hyped. It is an eyewitness report from an American field commander who wants you to know what your military is experiencing.

And now you do.

Under the Gun
"Brooklyn Dad Facing Jail for Shooting Intruder"

Touch TV moves closer
"New technology that allows you to feel the action as it unfolds on TV has been developed."
I want one.

Robot rover simulates Mars trek
"Researchers have deployed an autonomous robot to traverse Chile's Atacama Desert as part of a project to develop advanced rovers for Mars exploration."

FTC Finalizes ID Theft Safeguards Rule
Finally a more help for these victims.

Spammers attack wireless networks
"'Honeypot' traps users sending wireless junk email"
Don't these people have better things to do than drive around looking for places to spam people.

Sony TV would grab streams from the Net
"Sony is developing a plasma screen television set that's intended to tune in streaming video from home networks and the Internet as easily as regular TV programs, according to sources familiar with the plans."
I love Sony.

Tech Guide: Organic LEDs: The future of displays
TV screens on cornflake packets and glowing clothes? Organic LEDs lead the way to more efficient, flexible disposable displays.

Radar tests point to lost panel on shuttle

Russia raises International Space Station's orbit

Super squid surfaces in Antarctic
"A colossal squid has been caught in Antarctic waters, the first example of Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni retrieved virtually intact from the surface of the ocean."

NASA Memos Raise New Shuttle Questions

Europe Unveils New Moon-Orbiting Craft

Farmers blame vampire for chicken deaths

University under investigation after hiring strippers

Police investigating gnome reports in Ecuador

Public got first cell phone demo 30 years ago
"It's time to make "Happy Birthday" the ring signal of your cell phone -- Thursday is the 30th anniversary of the first public demonstration of a call from a handheld wireless phone."

PC screen turns into speaker
"Computer screens of the future could offer sound as well as vision, eliminating the need for separate loud speakers."

Embedded at NASA (Part 1)
Embedded at NASA (Part 2)