Various and sundry links to news stories I’m sure I meant to rant about.

I was more than a tad appalled by this editorial reprinted in my local newspaper: Why doesn’t scarlet women’s lack of shame make our society see red? In addition to the writer perhaps needing to realize that it takes two to tango (and that as far as we know, Anthony Weiner never actually “tanngoed” with anyone other than his wife), he should also reread The Scarlet Letter, as the themes within it are somewhat deeper than he seems to believe … and perhaps he shouldn’t attempt to apply colonial values to the modern world as well.

A Visit to the Warehouse of Soul-Crushing Sadness: a day in the life of a modern American warehouse.

Ben Shapiro: Should We Abolish the Jury System? No. We shouldn’t. Don’t be stupid. For added entertainment, read the comments following the story for even more stupidity, though I think the ignorance on display in the editorial is some of the tastiest ignorance I have seen in a long while.

Infographic Of The Day: Why Your Stitches Cost $1,500 is a depressingly accurate look at why our health care is so damned expensive.

The TSA is now concerned about bombs being implanted in living humans, so they say to expect yet MORE scrutiny when getting on airplanes, and by scrutiny, I mean security theater. Also, should I ever find myself being forced to fly somewhere, at least I won’t have to worry about them searching my hair.

And in closing … if you aren’t of pure Africa descent, you likely have some Neanderthal DNA swimming around in your genetic code.

Non-News Bonus Links:

This is a really cute top that is super easy to sew, for my friends who are new to sewing and need some super cute tops. I plan to make one soonish.

I happened across the Radioland Podcast somehow or another, and it’s really, really a good listen. I especially enjoyed this old episode.

First, let me say I hope all my American readers are having a safe and fun holiday weekend! Happy Birthday, America!

And now onto the news stories I’ve had open in my browser for days on end waiting to be posted to my blog. I’d have posted them sooner, but I’ve been too busy losing the last shreds of my sanity. LOL!

Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. filed a lawsuit against one of its bottlers Tuesday over what it says are license agreement violations. The beverage maker said Dr Pepper Bottling Co. of Dublin, Texas, is selling Dr Pepper beyond a six-county territory allowed under its license agreement and is selling soda with a “Dublin Dr Pepper” labeling on packaging and other merchandise that violates its agreement.

Instead of contemplating why it could possibly be that so very many people want to drink Dublin Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. just wants to squash it out of existence. Well, I’ll tell you why so many people want to drink the stuff: it’s the original Dr Pepper formula; this plant has been around since the 1800′s; it uses real cane sugar instead of HFCS; and it’s the tastiest Dr Pepper to be found on the planet.

Plagued with pets that do business in all the wrong places, dog owners in the Village of Abacoa, a condominium association of 458 units, must pay a $200 fee starting Aug. 1. The money will pay DNA Pet World Registry to take the dog’s genetic fingerprint and keep the information on file.

While I don’t agree with HOA’s in general, and I don’t think they should be able to put a lien on someone’s house/condo due to dog poop DNA matching, I was stunned to read that people were apparently allowing their dogs to poop in elevators and lobbies and then NOT PICKING IT UP. Can’t say I’m feeling a lot of sympathy for the dog owners that live there.

Read The Indignity of Industrial Tomatoes and you will understand many of the reasons I would rather go without tomatoes than eat the ones found in every grocery store in the USA. It’s a somewhat long article, but you really do need to read it.

Jackson Pollock, artist and physicist? Artist. The fact he happened to employ the laws of fluid dynamics in his paintings doesn’t make him a physicist. Try doing anything without employing some laws of physics. Good article though, and it’s worth reading.

The House last month approved a bill that would end funding for the 10-year-old Microbiological Data Program, which tests about 15,000 annual samples of vulnerable produce such as sprouts, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cantaloupe and cilantro for pathogens including salmonella and E. coli. Over the last two years, its findings have triggered at least 19 produce recalls, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Agribusiness doesn’t like it, so why do we need it? It’s not like anyone important is going to get sick or die. I can almost guarantee you the heads of agribusiness corporations don’t eat their own factory farmed produce. Yet one more reason not to eat foodstuffs bought at grocery stores.

Do you know anything about the world of court reporters? You know, those people sitting up near the judge tippy-tapping on their odd little typewriters? I thought I did. I was under the impression they were employees of the court (and thus the state/county/federal government) and that the court notes and transcripts they created were the property of the court (and as such, public property). Well, not true at all. I can’t even begin to explain the reality of it or the problems it causes. You’ll have to read the article, and I suggest you do, because I suspect a lot of you are as clueless about the reality of court reporters as I was. I think we need a new system … like yesterday.

Additionally, I should have studied to be a court reporter right after high school when the thought crossed my mind. I’d be rolling in dough right now. Who knew they were paid so well?!

The Texas Legislature passed some silliness concerning the fact that energy-wasting incandescent bulbs are being phased out of existence soon (though energy efficient incandescents can and will exist).

The measure, sent to Gov. Rick Perry for consideration, lets any incandescent light bulb manufactured in Texas – and sold in that state – avoid the authority of the federal government or the repeal of the 2007 energy independence act that starts phasing out some incandescent light bulbs next year.

There’s just one huge problem with this plan of theirs: there are no incandescent bulb manufacturers in Texas. Not a one. And seeing as the rest of the country isn’t going to be wanting them sooner rather than later, and we do have a number of energy efficient bulb makers in the state, I can’t imagine someone being stupid enough to open an all-new plant just to make these things for the Texans who just can’t move into the future.

But let them have their fun working so hard on doing nothing at all, I guess. Might keep them from doing something really awful. If Perry’s smart, he’ll veto this, but my guess is … he’s not that smart.

First let me say my internet connection has been sucking donkey balls all week. Grrr. Now … onto the news.

The Bandera County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning Thursday to citizens about an anti-government movement known for acts of domestic terrorism. The law enforcement agency said followers of The Sovereign Citizens Movement have been known to carry out violent acts, including killing law enforcement officers and other public servants.

This is a fact. They are dangerous (and crazy), and they are thick around here. They are, I might add, not Muslim or generally brown in skin tone, which is why they never seem to get too much national news coverage.

Have you seen the “Vancouver riot kiss photo“? I have, and being an adult with fully functioning brain cells and emotions, I saw it for exactly what it was without having to have it explained to me. A couple, caught in a freaking riot, one of them gets knocked down and injured –the girl– and her boyfriend is doing the right thing and comforting her while she lies on the ground. Amazes me that so many other people thought it was staged or that these people were making out like crazy rutting animals in the middle of a riot. Those people obviously don’t have fully functioning brain cells or emotions and totally lack any kind of empathy. Anyway, touching photo and worth seeing.

“I say that a prophet is generally not loved in their hometown.”
–Governor Rick Perry, R-Texas

The last couple of weeks, the theme of Perry as Prophet has been popping up entirely too much, mostly from Perry himself. First off, the only kind of prophet he might be is a prophet of doom, and second … if Texans hate him so much, how is it he keeps getting enough votes to be governor? Obviously, someone in Texas likes him. Most likely the sorts of people who think he’s some sort of prophet (of the non-doom variety). And when he runs for President, which I have been saying for years he would (and he will, you watch), please listen to me this time and don’t elect him, OK?

Have you heard about the two lesbian bloggers who were, in fact, married, white, American men? As they say, on the internet, no one knows you’re a dog … or a heterosexual pretending to be a lesbian. All I can say about it is that these men are total assholes.

The Daily Beast has a good article on the insanity that is Michelle Bachmann. If you can read that and still think she’s not a) crazy, b) dangerous and c) evil, we need to not be associates anymore. Seriously, she’s my new litmus test for who I should never allow near my person.

And now to see if my internet connection will allow me to post this on my blog. I am really getting annoyed with my ISP. Wish they weren’t the only option in my neighborhood, but they are … so I guess I just have to live with the crappy service.