Even Sitting Down Can Kill You

OK, so maybe sitting down isn't going to kill you, but it will make you fat and unhealthy, according to an ABC News special report. Here's the story.

It seems researchers have discovered that sitting for extended periods actually reroutes the fat in the body:

"The radioactive tracer revealed that when the animals were sitting down, the fat did not remain in the blood vessels that pass through the muscles, where it could be burned. Instead, it was captured by the adipose tissue, a type of connective tissue where globules of fat are stored. That tissue is found around organs such as the kidneys, so it's not really where you want to see the fat end up. "

I thought I had gained weight because of the food I was eating and the lack of regular exercise; now I'm kind of happy because I can blame my waist expansion on work, TV, riding in the car and the Internet.

A Story Guaranteed to Tick You Off

Here's an insane story about 3 boys -- an 8-year-old and two 9-year-olds -- accused of raping an 11-year-old girl in Acworth, Georgia.

What I find disturbing, aside from the story itself, is that a father of one of the boys is quoted as saying the girl made up the story to cover up her own misbehavior ... which, even if it was true, wouldn't take away the fact that 8- and 9-year-old kids are having sex.

Stories like this really make me want to scream. What the hell is going on in our society? Where is the outrage over the realization that our society is declining right in front of our eyes?

And, I have to wonder, is this the result of the secular-progressive movement in America that seems to think that expecting people to behave is somehow infringing on their rights? Or has this stuff always gone on but simply was not known across the country because of the lack of technology do get the information out there?

A Good Read From Iraq

Here's a an interesting story I came across from the New York Times about a family in Baghdad that has recently moved back into their apartment after being displaced.

It's a good read. I can't imagine having to live like that. After reading it a second time, though, I started to wonder: Aren't there places in America right now where people are just as afraid to be out of the house after dark?

From what I've read, some people right here in the U.S. live in neighborhoods where violence and crime is so rampant that anyone can be a target, intended or not.

Jajuana Cole, 13, was shot and killed by a stray bullet in front of her apartment building in New Haven a while back.

The story mentions that when the family returned to their apartment, there was a bullet hole in the microwave.

Not that long ago, a New Haven alderman's home was hit by bullets.

The Iraqis talk about the violence between Shia and Sunni sects ... while in New Haven, kids from rival neighborhoods target each other without even knowing who it is they're shooting at; just being from a certain neighborhood can make a kid a target.

I would think -- without really knowing, of course -- that living in Baghdad is still much worse than the worst place in America, but how much?

Just because the violence surrounding the people in some U.S. cities comes from ignorance and criminality rather than religious fanaticism or political motives, does that make it any less horrific? Does a bullet from a 16-year-old city kid's 9 mm hurt any less than one from an Iraqi militant's AK-47?

Just something I was thinking about.

An Interesting Take on the Writers Strike

Here's an interesting piece from Variety comparing the writers strike to politics, and so on.

I'm not sure I agree that hostile debate began with Rush Limbaugh, but it's a good read nonetheless.

What's Your Vote Worth?

Here's an interesting story about a survey at NYU, conducted by a journalism class, that asked 3,000 undergrads some questions about voting.

Some of the highlights:

• 20% said they would trade their vote in the 2008 presidential election for an Apple iPod Touch mp3 player.
• 66% said they'd give up their vote for free college tuition.
• 50% said they give up the right to vote forever for $1 million.

Neat story. Remember, this is for the '08 presidential race only -- would you give up your vote? If so, what's your price?

A Couple of Must-Reads

I read a couple of interesting stories today, but I don't have time to blather on and on about them, so I'll just say they're very good, and let you read them yourselves:

1. This story is about an FBI guy who interrogated Saddam Hussein for a while, but in a very friendly way. Turns out Saddam liked Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, and also that his goal was to have a nuclear weapon.

2. A neat little story here about a college student who says she -- and others -- were given specific questions to ask Hillary Clinton at a campaign event. I'm sure lots of campaigns do this kind of stuff, but it's interesting to actually read about it.

3. You know, some people keep bitching and moaning about what an awful company Wal-Mart is, but, at least according to this story, they're doing fantastic.

So, take a few minutes to read these over. Interesting stuff.

I Swear I'm Not a Sap

I got an e-mail today, one of those forever-forwarded 'kids say the darnedest things" mails, and I actually liked it. Who knows if kids actually said this stuff or if it's just some freak making it up, but, oddly, it made me happy anyway, so here is it:

What Love means to a 4-8 year old

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'

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'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8

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'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4

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'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5

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'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'

Chrissy - age 6

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'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4

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'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

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'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8

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'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

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'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

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'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'

Noelle - age 7

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'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

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'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8

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'My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6

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'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

Elaine-age 5

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'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7

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'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'

Mary Ann - age 4

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'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4

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'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7

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'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'

Mark - age 6

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'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8

---

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

A Raise for What?

New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. is seeking a $25,000 pay raise.

He has not had a raise in 4 years.

If approved, his salary will go up from $115,000 to $140,000 ...

Please, please tell me I'm not the only one sitting here ready to vomit.

A $25,000 raise? For what?

For making New Haven a sanctuary city, to the detriment of every legal resident?

For spending millions upon millions of dollars building new, shiny schools that don't make kids any smarter than the old schools did?

For allowing crime to continue so much that average citizens had to start an armed patrol, and the Guardian Angels came down from New York to help deal with the thefts, muggings and shootings? Someone gets shot in New Haven almost every day, and on some days there are several, so that makes up for the days when there are none.

For wasting a whole lot of time and money running for governor instead of running the city, only to get whacked hard by M. Jodi Rell because outside of New Haven no one is impressed?

The people of New Haven should be outraged -- insulted and offended -- that with the state the city is in the mayor wants a raise larger than many of his constituents' annual salaries.

No Attack Necessary

Here's a story about the FBI warning of terrorist attacks on shopping malls in Los Angeles and Chicago during the holiday season.

In the story, the FBI admits that the information may or may not be credible -- so what's the point? It's nice to have the warning, but what's the solution? Stay away from shopping malls? Not likely. And even then, if the alleged threat is against malls in L.A. and Chicago, it could just as easily be any shopping mall in any state.

The idea that, as the story says, supposed jihadists boasting of such plans on the Internet would raise the fear level in America means that they don't even actually have to attack -- if they can disrupt the normal economy, then the goal is met without having to actually carry out the attack.

The simple threat was enough.

Or, maybe they will bomb a shopping mall. Who knows? People in Israel, Pakistan, Iraq and other places get blown up all the time while just out being "normal" ... so it can happen, or it might not.

I say go to the mall. If some crazy Muslim blows it up, then maybe more people will finally get angry enough at Islamic fanatics to accept the fact that they are dangerous.

And yes, I am profiling, because the people calling for jihad are all Muslim. Not Catholic, not Jewish, not Mormon. Muslim.

And if you're a Muslim and that sentiment ticks you off, good. Stand up and defend your religion from the people that are giving it a bad name, because if you don't, at some point it will be too late and no one will give you the chance to show you're not "one of them."

By the way, in that same thought ... here's another story about a 23-year-old British Muslim woman who wants to help kill "depraved Westerners" ... seems this mindless subhuman wants very badly to do anything she can to help the mujahadeen, murderous fanatical Muslims, and likes watching non-Muslims be beheaded on video.

So, here's my question -- if someone declares themself your enemy, and states plainly that you should be killed and that she will help kill you, shouldn't the targets, now that they have her, be allowed to kill her? Or, should she be allowed to lie and say she didn't mean it and go on her merry way to kill you another day instead?

I'm serious -- how many times does someone have to vow to kill you before you take them seriously, and kill them while you have the chance?

Connecticut's Lethargic Voters

Voter turnout for Tuesday's elections was about 40% in the state.

How shameful is that?

I don't even have a real post about it, it's just flat-out disgusting.

Forty percent? So my misanthropy is somewhat validated, I guess, if 60% of state voters couldn't find 5 minutes to cast a ballot.

I'll be generous and say 10% seriously could not make it to the polls -- that leaves 50% of registered voters in this state that deserve to have their voting rights revoked.

If you did not vote Tuesday and have no real excuse, you're just a fool. You didn't have to dodge bullets or IEDs to get to the polls, and you still couldn't manage to vote. Why?

I hate it when people say they didn't vote "because it doesn't make a difference" ... well, maybe if you had voted, it would have!

Watch This Video

A friend sent me a link to a CNN video clip of a speech my Newt Gingrich ... it's a great speech, and to me plainly states a situation that everyone, regardless of political leanings, needs to understand.

One point Gingrich makes that you should pay attention to is that people who are motivated by religion will do things that do not follow the law of man, or logic, for that matter.

Watch this video, and don't be prejudiced by the fact that it's Newt Gingrich, because this is not a partisan issue. Here's the link to the clip -- http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/08/gingrich/index.html#cnnSTCVideo -- watch it, and show it to people.