Fox News is Going Down – MAJOR Bust by Daily Show

Hannity uses other scenes to sell his story — wow!

Recovery and Reinvestment: Where is Money Being Spent?

Large parts of the $787 billion federal stimulus package to help the U.S. economy are being spent on entitlement programs such as unemployment benefits and Medicaid, but hundreds of billions will go toward contracts, grants and loans to restore infrastructure. Click on the map and categories below to track that spending down to the county level.

Check it out, this website will allow you to pick a State and even down to the county level to see where the stimulus money has been spent so far:

For Example:  Coles County, Illinois  Be sure to go to bottom of page to see the detail work that was done.

Insect Cyborgs: No Longer Just a Movie

Cornell University researchers have succeeded in implanting electronic circuit probes into tobacco hornworms as early pupae. The hornworms pass through the chrysalis stage to mature into long-lived moths whose muscles can be controlled with the implanted electronics. The research was showcased at MEMS 2008, an international academic conference on Micro-Electrico-Mechanical Systems that took place from January 13-17 in Tucson, AZ.

The pupae insertion state was found to yield the best results. The resulting moth, a microsystem-controlled insect, has a circuit board protruding from the top of its midsection. Probes are inserted into the dorsoventral and dorsolongitudinal flight muscles. CT images show components of high absorbance indicating tissue growth around the probe…

Imagine the possibilities this research can produce in the future.  The article mentions these things being used for military and homeland security applications.  I’m thinking even deeper.  What if they could implant this device into a human being that is paralyzed with MS or nerve damage?  This would be a great thing to have happen.

However, as usual, my bad side comes out with thoughts of implanting our soldiers with these things, forcing them to do things they normally wouldn’t.

What do you think they could be used for?

President Obama’s Speech to Ft. Hood Families

No better words could be said…

Also I must say this speech is similar to what the former President George W Bush would have said.  He too would have tied this killing to the war on terrorism.

On one hand we are told not to jump to conclusions but when you hear your President imply that troops on American soil are being threatened by terrorists as well, you tend to tie two and two together.

Is this terrorism related or is it not?  Or is it just about a man that felt conflicted about killing fellow Muslims and was suffering from mental illness?

H1N1: If you Need Health Care – Who Pays?

When an adult or child gets the H1N1 flu and ends up going to the doctor and possibly even to the hospital which could then lead to being admitted into ICU because they need to be on a ventilator or watched very closely while on a BiPap machine – who pays for that health care if the patient doesn’t have health insurance?

Currently the H1N1 flu shot is free to all Americans because this virus is a pandemic, at least that’s what I understand it to be.  The federal government paid for the vaccinations.  Does that mean that the health care of any serious illness related to H1N1 will also be paid for by the federal government?

While thinking about this issue it occurred to me that this one illness could be used as a very good reason for health care reform, health care for all, and yes with a public option plan.

The GOP constantly push the idea of terrorism and the many ways we could be attacked again if we don’t’ stay alert.  Well, what do they recommend if something ‘were’ to actually happen; how do they plan on covering (caring for) possibly thousands of Americans that may be exposed to something like a bio-chemical attack or some virus like an Ebola virus attack?

Just imagine the loss of income for the hospitals, doctors, nurses, office personnel, emergency personnel, the victim and their families, etc…, if God forbid, something catastrophic were to actually happen.  Would the GOP be willing to use taxpayer money to pay for the losses incurred?  Somehow I doubt it.

Even if we were never attacked in this manner, a simple flu like the H1N1 could wipe a family’s savings away.  What will happen to them?  Can we avoid this in the future?  Sure we can.  Offer affordable health care for all with a public option that is even more affordable to the poorest among us

Wal-Mart: Get Your Casket Here

Apparently Wal-Mart along with Costco offer caskets on their website now.  They are supposedly cheaper than most other places and they can be shipped within 48 hours.

They run between $999 – $1800 –  and are not sold in stores (can you imagine walking past the health care products directly into the Casket Room—Geez, that would sure make you feel good huh?).

While this may sound ridiculous, I’m all for these companies doing this.  There needs to be more competition between funeral homes and products required for a funeral.  Just imagine the money that those one or two funeral homes and the companies they do business with — the profits they are making.  And, they are pretty much assured to stay in business for several life times.

In fact, I think Wal-Mart of Costco or some other place like that would make out pretty well if they were to create a separate division — just for life or death products.   Imagine what that could include.  Not only medicines to keep you well, happy and healthy (medicine, insurance, assistant devices, weddings, baby items, homecoming dress/suits, etc..), but products for when your life ends(caskets, urns, clothing, flowers, insurance, cemetaries, etc..).

Yes I said cemeteries.  I meant however however, those special Cremation Niche that some cemeteries are now offering but in small amounts.  They are like a big concrete dressers, each drawer holds the cremation remains.

I would also love to see Wal-Mart offer up nursing home care.  Perhaps just the long term care policies.  Lock in those prices while you are young.

Imagine the possibilities folks…what a little competition will do.

Tsunami: Will Wipe Out Republican Party

I was listening to Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania and Governor Barbour of Mississippi on “Meet the Press” with David Gregory this morning while they discussed the Democratic and Republican Parties and the upcoming election in 2010.  They were debating who would best benefit in 2010 over the issue of health care, government spending and the unemployment rate.

David Gregory pointed out some people saying that the Democrats projected spending this year and the unemployment rate of 10.2% would, in one example, cause a “Tidal Wave” for the GOP in 2010.  I would argue that the “Tidal Wave” would instead, be a great “Tsunami” for the Democratic Party.

We recently saw a “Tidal Wave” for the Democratic Party in the 2008 election.  Not only did Republicans lose the White House, they lost a great deal of seats in the House and in the Senate during that election. (more…)

They’ve Got the Votes…No They Don’t…Yes they do…

I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m getting sick and tired of the media constantly reporting that members of Congress have or don’t have the votes to pass the health care reform bill (their version – House or Senate).

I wish they’d just stop talking about it and maybe one day soon we’ll know the truth — either it died or it lived.

Meanwhile — SHUT UP and go find some other news to talk about.

Give us a BREAK!

H1N1: Watch Your Pets

GENEVA – Some pigs, turkeys and household pets have become infected with the H1N1 flu, but the pandemic virus does not yet appear to be spreading quickly among animals, the World Health Organization said on Friday…

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WASHINGTON – A 13-year-old Iowa cat has been infected with swine flu, veterinary and federal officials said Wednesday in what is believed to be the first confirmed case of the H1N1 virus in a feline in the United States.

The domestic shorthaired cat was treated last week at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames and has recovered, officials said. The virus also has been confirmed in two ferrets — one in Oregon and the other in Nebraska — but they died.

So watch your furry little friends for any signs of respiratory illness.  They are, after all, your ‘kids’ or ‘best friends’ as well.  They need you eyes, ears and mouth to do their talking for them.

America: She’s Looking Good

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Barack Obama has done it again. The president’s starpower has made the United States the place most people want to visit and do business with, according to an annual survey that ranks nations like retail brands.

The Country Brand Index, compiled by brand consultancy FutureBrand, found the United States had unseated Australia, which held the top spot for the past three years. Australia came in third this year with Canada rising to second place.

New Zealand and France rounded up the top five country brands in this year’s index that included 102 countries.

“The Obama effect has seen the United States earn the coveted top spot for the first time in the fifth annual index,” FutureBrand, which is part of Interpublic Group of Companies, said in a statement…

Where’s the big news about this story?  On the back pages of websites and newspapers.

There’s only one question to ask.  Which makes the U.S. safer, a world that hates her or a world that envy’s or loves her?