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Sunday, May 04, 2008

THE ODDS AND ENDS...

OF THE NEWS

On Friday, 22 illegal aliens were arrested on Mau'i. All the arrests occurred at three different locations of two national chain restaurants. I can understand how illegals can gain access to work locations on the mainland but how in the hell do they manage to get across 2,500 miles of ocean? Thats taking the term "wetback" to the extreme. I thought to board a plane you would have to show proof of residency or travel visas or something.

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Well, we now know the value of shit. Of course, since it was 130 million year old (think Jurasic Park) fossilized dinosaur dung (called coprolite) may have been a factor. It was auctioned off this last week and was bought by Steve Tsengas of Fairport Harbor, Ohio. The 71-year-old owns OurPets, a company that sells products to treat dog and cat waste. Plans are to display it at trade shows. I loved his statement:
"Poop is a big business in the pet industry."
***
The war in Iraq will "officially" end on the last day of this year. Read Lugosi's post to get more details. I doubt "fearless leader" will pull out by then but it does put his successor in a legal quandary.

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You folks in El Lay can breath a little easier (emphasis on "little"). Pittsburgh now has the sootiest air in America. The first time, ever, that has occurred since the EPA started measuring air quality. But don't dispair, Angelinos. You still hold the overall record again for the least friendly place in the country to take a deep (or even shallow) breath in.

You heard about the couple from LA who got so homesick while on vacation that they had to stop, get out, and breath their car's exhaust fumes from the tail-pipe, didn't you?

***
Is a "Smart Meter" in your future? Electric companies are trying to conserve and manage the demands on their grids. And businesses and homeowners could save a bit of money along the way. Some of these new meters are so sophisticated that they vary the cost of kilowatt hour by the second-to-second fluctuation of the cost of electricity on the commodity market. After what Enron did to California, I am not sure if I have faith in government regulators to prevent someone from manipulating the market.

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Cell phones that can go weeks or longer without a charge. PCs that start up instantly. Laptops that retain your session information long after the battery dies. Wouldn't that be a dream? And it may well be. The theoretical "fourth circuit element", memristor, has gone from the drawing boards to prototype.


Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive


"Let's all be careful out there!"

TODAY'S CHUCKLES







Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive


"Let's all be careful out there!"

BURGER KING STEAKHOUSE

THE TWO MOST OFFENSIVE ADS ON TV



I am sure people find these funny.

I don't.

***
Taking second place in commercials I hate is this:




Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive


"Let's all be careful out there!"

THE INTERNET

WILL CONQUER THE WORLD


Cuba has decided to let its people gently slip into the 21st century. Over the past couple of months the ownership of cell-phones, microwave ovens and now personal computers. Access to the internet is still restricted to a few cyber-cafes and, like China, the full web is not available. The new leader of Cuba, Raul Castro (76), took the reins from his older brother, Fidel (81), earlier this year. Considering his age, I wonder who is queued up next to run the country?

***
According to a report from ABC News (Australia), today marks the 30th anniversary of the first "spam" e-mail. Now the 100 billion daily spam messages account for 3/4s of all messages on the internet. I feel sorry for those poor Cubans when they finally get full connectivity to the net.

***
The first Tesla Roadster showroom has opened in the LA area. With a Ferrari influenced carbon-fiber body, the car can go from 0-60 (mph) in just under 4 seconds and has a max speed of 125 (mph) The base model is about $109,000 and fully decked out will cost about $124,000. Cheap compared to a Ferrari. Oh, did I mention that the car is 100% electric and is powered by a 6,831-cell lithium-ion battery. With a range of 225 miles and a recharge time of just 3.5 hours it might just be the perfect car for people like George Clooney and the Governator, both of whom have already placed their orders. The range limit would, however, change a one day trip between LA and SF into a two day journey. Have you ever been stuck in Fresno overnight? Not exactly among my Top-10 list of places to be. Especially in the Summer.

***
About 3,400 years ago, the Kingdom of Egypt was ruled by a Pharaoh named Akhenaten (ah-keh-NAH-ten). He was married to the legendary Queen Nefertiti and was either the half-brother or father of Tutankhamun (King Tut). A man of androgyneous appearance, he is said to have fathered 6 daughters. He moved the capital of the kingdom from its traditional home in Giza south along the Nile River to the area of Memphis. He also tried to change the religious beliefs of his people from a poly to a monothesic concept. Scientists today are trying to find out what caused his very feminine appearance.

***
Thanks for dropping over today. I'll be back with more later.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Mahalo

Aloha


THE PICTURE GALLERY




Over The Limit?
UNDER ARREST!
Please don't drink and drive


"Let's all be careful out there!"