Prehistoric Bugs
A story in the November 2007 issue of Discover Magazine talks about lakes underneath the ice on the continent of Antarctica. The specific lake Mariana Gosnell writes about is Lake Vostok. Lake Vostok is so named because it is under Vostok Station, a Russian station on Antarctica. The Lake is located approximately 12,280 feet under the ice with the water between the ice above and the bedrock below.
It is estimated that it took over 400,000 years for the ice to become over 12,000 feet thick, so whatever microbial creatures that may be found (and that’s what they are looking for) would be over 400,000 years old. The microbial creatures, if any, would give the scientist an idea of what life may have been like on earth back then. This information could be valuable for many scientific reasons.
I’m all for science, but I hope the scientist are real careful because what if they do find 400,000 year old bugs? What kind of bugs were running around 400,000 years ago? What if they turn out not to be friendly to the human race? I’m still pretty concerned about H5N1 the avian flu virus that I’ve heard very little about for what seems to be a long time.
Bugs Bugs Bugs Bugs Bugs Bugs Bugs
Immiflation
I am against illegal immigration. However, I’ve tried to take an honest look at the solutions and have come up with “immiflation”.
The first solution is amnesty. Because of the illegal’s illegal status, they are subject to many types of exploitation. One type of exploitation is being paid a lower wage than if they were legal citizens. If one day, by the stroke of a pen, illegals become American citizens, that exploitation should end and wages would increase. With labor wages increased the cost of goods and services would increase causing immiflation.
The second solution is deportation. If the law would be immediately enforced there should be no illegals. No illegals would result in a labor shortage. To fill the demand for labor the employers would have to hire American citizens at a living wage (increased wage). The cost of goods and services would increase causing immiflation.
Immiflation defined: High inflation as a result of solving the illegal immigration problem.
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The Gossip on Gossip
I woke Fall Festival evening in my chair and decided to go to the street dance about 11:30pm. After a few minutes a person complained to me that another had told them they were fat in so many words followed by an obscene gesture where a few in the crowd laughed. Having objectively looked at what happens in an atmosphere of drinking, I’ve come to the conclusion that for the most part it is an effort to have fun. Fun most frequently defined in this situation is discovering others vulnerabilities laying them out in front of them who will listen and belittling the targeted person in the name of humor. (In the past, I have been one of the worst offenders.)
Strange as it may seem, usually in a less vulgar display, I find this happening in social gathering places other than drinking establishments. In such occurrences there may be an attempt of humor, but often it is to discredit and harm the targeted person. I believe words have the power of life and death when spoken into a person’s life. Based on this, a lot of verbal violence has occurred in Lorimor in the past few months that will definitely have a wounding affect on the population. It happens at local organizational meetings, locations where coffee is drank, and you can bet if the church pews had ears….
When you confront a person in the drinking culture about what they have said, it usually turns out that having drunk too much is the excuse. Which, having been there, I can somewhat understand, but don’t believe it is a justifying excuse. What I don’t know is what excuse people have who don’t drink.
BBC Reports
A disease carried by rats is making people sick sometimes causing death in Nicaragua.
MRSA
A deadly staff infection is being spread in schools in the Eastern USA.
Books:
Beyond The Cosmos… found at reasons.org
The Truth About Mohammed… Book Stores
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