Thinkety think think

No Reply to Ancient Blog Posts Without Notification

PaulaC — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:58:44 GMT

Sorry for the repeat reminder, but I thought I would repost it since I have a mysterious blog post reply somewhere. If you have replied to a post I made more than 4 entries back, send me a PM because I won't search page after page after page of the archive looking for it. :) Sorry. :)

Nature Journal Editorial Biologists Napping While Work Militarized

PaulaC — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:21:15 GMT

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v460/n7258/full/460950a.html Opinion: Nature 460, 950-951 (20 August 2009) | doi:10.1038/460950a; Published online 19 August 2009 Biologists napping while work militarized Malcolm Dando1 Top of pageAbstractAs researchers discover more agents that alter mental states, the Chemical Weapons Convention needs modification to help ensure that the life sciences are not used for hostile purposes, says Malcolm Dando. J. Field In October 2002, Chechen rebel fighters held more than 750 people hostage at a Nord-Ost production in a theatre in Moscow. The siege was broken only after special military forces used what the Russian Health Minister, Yuri Shevchenko, later described as a mixture of substances derived from fentanyl — an opiate developed in the 1950s as an anaesthetic. Widespread relief that many of the hostages were saved was tempered by 124 of them being killed by the gas. Chemicals with effects like those of fentanyl are often known as 'incapacitating agents'. These substances affect biochemical processes and physiological systems to produce a disabling condition such as unconsciousness, and in higher concentrations can cause death. With effects that last from hours to days, they are distinct from standard riot-control agents such as CS gas, which cause sensory irritation that disappears shortly after termination of exposure. That Russian special military forces resorted to using fentanyl in Moscow is a possible harbinger of the wider militarization of advances in the biological sciences. Designer weapons Attempts to exploit benignly intended research for hostile purposes are not new. After the Second World War, the international medical community began to discover compounds that alleviated symptoms of mental illnesses such as depression and mood swings. These findings weren't accompanied by a good understanding of how the drugs worked. Nevertheless, they prompted nations to ramp up their efforts to find chemicals suited to military use. In fact, in 1959, the chairman of the UK government's secret Chemistry Committee of the Advisory Council on Scientific Research and Technical Development told his colleagues that the committee was "looking for agents which would produce, not cure, psychoses"1. Between the early 1950s and 1970s, researchers working in laboratories that eventually became the US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense studied chemical agents that affect the central nervous system. Indeed in 1961, the US military weaponized BZ — a drug that had originally been studied as a possible therapy for gastrointestinal diseases. BZ is one of a group of chemicals that act on the brain and can cause delirium; people exposed to it may fall into a stupor, struggle to speak, show poor coordination and have difficulty processing thoughts. Despite the long-standing interest the defence industry has shown in drugs that alter people's physiological and mental states, a lack of knowledge has hampered attempts to use them. For example, by 1966, the US military had stockpiled munitions capable of delivering BZ, but its mode and site of action were poorly understood, and its effects varied widely from person to person. This and other problems led to its abandonment. The United States destroyed its stocks by 1990, several years before the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entered into force in 1997. Current biochemical threats range from lethal chemical agents to traditional and genetically modified biological agents. In general, biological agents such as anthrax cause governments the most concern. Only a few pathogens are suitable for military use, however. For example, smallpox could prove useful as a weapon because it is highly contagious; anthrax because it has a life cycle that involves the production of long-lived spores. The limited range of possibilities means that there is a good chance of developing countermeasures such as vaccines or antibiotics against these agents. Even if efforts are made to modify them — for example by introducing genes that encode antibiotic resistance — the problem of designing countermeasures is potentially surmountable because the range of effective manipulations that can be made is also limited. But recent scientific and technological advances could transform the biochemical-threat landscape. Indeed, in 2003, military analysts from the Counterproliferation and Technology Office of the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington DC predicted that emerging biotechnologies were likely to lead to a "paradigm shift" in the development of biological warfare agents2. They warned that it would soon become possible to engineer agents to target specific human biological systems at the molecular level. This idea of identifying crucial biochemical pathways, and then designing compounds to disrupt them is a leap from the traditional model of biological-agent development. It expands the options: there are likely to be thousands of potential molecular targets and numerous ways of disrupting each one. Frontiers of concern Concerns about this kind of expansion of biochemical threats have since been reiterated by scientific and medical communities. For example, in 2006, the US National Academies produced a report called Globalization, Biosecurity, and the Future of the Life Sciences. The authors argued that recent advances in our understanding of how bioregulatory compounds work, of signalling processes and of the regulation of human gene expression — combined with developments in chemistry, synthetic biology and in technologies such as nanotechnology — have "opened up new and exceedingly challenging frontiers of concern". More recently, a 2008 US National Academies report entitled Emerging Cognitive Neuroscience and Related Technologies, similarly argued that in cases in which 'agonists' of a particular system have been found to enhance some cognitive trait, an 'antagonist' might be developed that could reduce it and vice versa. If dopamine agonists enhance attention, say, so dopamine antagonists might disrupt it. They also warned, among other things, that nanotechnologies could overcome the blood–brain barrier and "exploit existing transport mechanisms to transmit substances into the brain in analogy with the Trojan horse". Some researchers are actively facilitating the development of new chemical weapons. For example, a research group from Pennsylvania State University in University Park has identified several drug classes as potential non-lethal agents or 'calmatives'3, including benzodiazepines and 2-adrenoreceptor agonists, as well as individual drugs such as diazepam and dexmedetomidine. Similarly, at the 4th European Symposium on Non-Lethal Weapons in 2007, researchers from the Institute of Experimental Medicine and Charles University in Prague described the effects on macaque monkeys of combinations of drugs that produce a rapid loss of aggressive behaviour4. They argued that the drugs could be "used to pacify aggressive people during ... terrorist attacks". The same researchers have also investigated methods of aerosol delivery to human volunteers. Those who support the development of incapacitating agents often argue that using them in conflict situations stops people being killed. Historical evidence suggests otherwise. At the Nord-Ost siege, for instance, terrorists exposed to the fentanyl mixture were shot dead rather than arrested. Likewise, in Vietnam, the US military used vast quantities of CS gas — a 'non-lethal' riot-control agent — to increase the effectiveness of conventional weapons by flushing the Viet Cong out of their hiding places. Blind to misuse The lack of engagement with this issue among life scientists in general is alarming. Some companies are already marketing oxytocin on the back of studies showing that a nasal squirt of the hormone increases trust in humans. Even though the effectiveness of commercial sprays is doubtful, such research opens up the possibility of a drug that could be used to manipulate people's emotions in a military context. Discussions with more than 2,000 practising life scientists in 13 countries over the past few years have taught me that few have considered such possible uses of their work. There are problems with both the international conventions that protect us from the potential misuse of biological and chemicals research — the CWC and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, for instance, lacks an effective verification mechanism to ensure that nations are fulfilling their obligations. Some have called for the CWC agreement to be amended to allow the use of novel incapacitating agents5. In the past 20 years, modern warfare has changed from predominantly large-scale clashes of armies to messy civil strife: think of Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The chemical agents described here are particularly suited to this style of warfare; it's not hard to find people in the military world who think they would be useful5. The CWC urgently needs modifying if it is to continue to help ensure that the modern life sciences are not used for hostile purposes. Most pressingly, the compatibility of the Convention with the development of non-lethal chemical agents for law enforcement needs careful scrutiny. Article II.9(d) states that "Law enforcement including domestic riot control" is exempt from the prohibition of the use of chemical agents. 'Law enforcement' could be taken by some to cover more than domestic riot control — which, in certain circumstances, would make it legal for the military to use agents such as fentanyl. In my opinion, all use of novel non-lethal agents such as fentanyl for law enforcement should be prohibited, or at least heavily restricted. If, instead, we sit on our hands we must accept that new incapacitating agents are just the beginning. We will be, as the British Medical Association concluded in its 2007 study, The Use of Drugs as Weapons, "knowingly moving towards the top of a 'slippery slope' at the bottom of which is the spectre of 'militarization' of biology" including "intentional manipulation of peoples' emotions, memories, immune responses or even fertility". See Editorial, page 933.

Harsh...

PaulaC — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:44:17 GMT

I can't describe exactly how I feel about this. Other than the days are harsh. A woman in the nieghborhood went over the deep end. She had recently separated from her husband and her eldest child [1 of 4] had left home. She has three daughters. This woman had a psychic break and had to be hospitalized. Another family immediately stepped in and took on the three girls she had. The family thought that these girl's mental health was in peril if they were to be put into foster care after having lost their brother, then their father, then their mother. This family of four [mom, dad, son, daughter] is on a very limited income. He is on disability, she just lost her job with the state. They didn't think twice about opening their home to these three girls. I am deeply touched by the generosity without thought put out by this family. The sad thing is, dad and eldest son could care less about these girls. On hearing that his sisters were adrift, this 22 year old 'man' said he didn't care. I saw dad last night walking the family dog, and yet he will not answer calls regarding his three daughters. I am dumbfounded. Today, the GoodDad was distressed with now watching 5 kids and not being able to take care of the logistics he normally needs to address. I offered to watch them for a couple hours while he took care of business. After he came back, he thanked me for the favor. I felt like it was nothing in comparison to his opening his house to these girls. I asked him if they were able to make ends meet regarding food. He said that mom was supposed to have an AFDC debit card but it had gone missing. I offered to get him some staples to last a bit longer. He was uncomfortable but accepted. I choked every time I thought if the crass indifference of two family members who could care less about these three girls. These three girls are of course going through the classic growing stages for kids, but they are great. How could they be set adrift? GoodDad called me up after the food was dropped off and said that he was going to send me a thank you card, that he couldn't believe how generous I was. I wasn't. I am not the one opening my doors to save these girls from CPS. [for those of you who do not know, Sacramento County has been investigated for their horriffic record in CPS, children have died]. I am not the one making my life more complex and my pocketbook more scarce. How could I not support such a big heart? How could I not try to do what I could for these three girls? Life can be so harsh. I want to badly to shield at least some of the harsh if I can from these girls.

Aesthetic and 'Gravity'

PaulaC — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:07:59 GMT

Double entendre intended. This is supposed to be a visual recreation of the physics of a super nova. To me, the image is beautiful. I find that it would be less bautiful if it were just a smattering of shapes and colors that had no descriptive property, but that it is an illustration of a super nova makes it awesome.

Envy

PaulaC — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:42:42 GMT

http://www.pathtofreedom.com/ http://www.californiaheartland.org/this_season/episode_908/path_to_freedom.htm "Jules Dervaes and his three adult children all live and work together on their family farm in Pasadena, CA. They call themselves, “eco-pioneers.” They say it’s a homegrown revolution that's taking place, a way for them to get back to a more natural, organic and better way of life. Their mission? To change the world one urban backyard at a time. California Heartland’s Jennifer Quinonez visits the Dervaes’ home where at the helm is Jules, a man whose vision wasn't so clear 23 years ago when he bought the 1917 California bungalow for his family. All he knew was that the cost of keeping of a green, but barely usable front yard, was a waste of money and resources. He began taking action and made a shift in the way he lives in an urban city. By clearing out the grass and planting an edible garden, the change began. In 1991, Jules discovered a way to profit from his garden. Area teahouses were in need for his edible flowers, and that's when he realized he could make money out of his hobby. But biggest change in his life happened in 2001. When buying organic food became too expensive and difficult to find, and genetically altered food started hitting the market, Jules took matters into his own hands and began “Path to Freedom.” At this little urban homestead in the big city, the family produces 6,000 pounds of organic produce a year. It’s amazing that their home is on a 1/5 acre and their garden is only on 1/10 acre! The front yard is 95% edible and the rest of the main planters are in the backyard. Every corner is used to grow food. Jules says he doesn't need more space; he just needs to be a smarter gardener. He looks to the Japanese and Europeans for guidance, those who for thousands of years have had to grow food in a small space. In his garden, or “micro-farm” as he prefers, you'll find more than 350 different vegetables, herbs, fruits, and berries. In addition to planning crops, the family is truly living an eco friendly lifestyle. They are proud that their energy usage is only 6.5 kilowatt hours a day, and continues to decrease. They make their own biodiesel for their one truck and they also have an outdoor shower for summertime use. This is now a full-time job for Jules and his three children, who sell their produce to area restaurants. They've also expanded into education outreach, started an online store to sell garden & eco-friendly materials and are making it their goal to get people to change their attitude about food. They say, “Food is power, the more we grow ourselves, the better.” "

Off the Net

PaulaC — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:10:59 GMT

I'm currently mostly off the Internet right now. I'm having network difficulties, but hope to find out why my wireless router is refusing to talk to my Intel card. : \ I'm also having more problems with focusing my eyes so reading is next to impossible at times. That also is an influuence. Yea for a lack of propper medical resources. Someone mentioned last time this hapened that the repeated issue is one sign of cancer. Wouldn't that be the icing on the cake of my life. Hey did anyone notice that Lent will be starting soon? I will be attempting my annual practice of not complaining for the full season again. So I will be a pleasure to be around for a while. :) But for now, I feel like I want to purge my Cranky McKvetcherBritches state for the next week. Just to keep y'all updated.

Sometimes.

PaulaC — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:26:57 GMT

Sometimes when someone dies, it gives you a chance to reflect with loved ones and tell them of your appreciation. Sometimes when someone dies you watch the touching conversations their loved ones have with them. Their incredibly important last words to tie things together. Sometimes when someone dies you can clearly see the affect they have had on their family and friends, and it is good. Sometimes when someone dies it reminds you of what a gift this life is and how you have an opportunity to add to that gift for others. Sometimes.

Another Link for Wicked: "SQUIRREL RESCUE"

PaulaC — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:13:33 GMT

http://www.slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/curiosities/squirrelrescue.htm "The most dangerous place in the world is between a mother and her child."

For Wicked:

PaulaC — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:53:39 GMT

http://www.urlesque.com/2009/01/13/today-in-ebay-taxidermied-squirrel-soldier/

The Mind

PaulaC — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:21:20 GMT

"All experience is preceded by mind, Led by mind, Made by mind. Speak or act with a corrupted mind, And suffering follows As the wagon wheel follows the hoof of the ox. All experience is preceded by mind, Led by mind, Made by mind. Speak or act with a peaceful mind, And happiness follows Like a never-departing shadow. "

The Civil Rights Train Will Arrive at the Station......eventually

PaulaC — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:39:31 GMT

As disappointing as it is, I am not wholly shocked that prop 8 passed. The work is now ahead of us to hunker down and steadily push back until we regain the equality in marriage. My eyes see that prize. We just have to remember you can't get the brass ring without reaching out.

Sneaky yet not sneaky enough

PaulaC — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 06:13:29 GMT

Outed at Prop 8 rally November 4, 2008 Sacha Baron Cohen went undercover as his alter ego Bruno on Sunday, but he didn't fool everyone. The comedian, who is working on a film based on the gay character from "Da Ali G Show," crashed a rally in support of a ballot measure that would ban gay marriage in California. Cohen, in disguise in a blond wig, marched in Los Angeles with demonstrators who support Proposition 8. When photographers and reporters recognized Cohen and tried to approach him, his film crew tried to shield him, and he was eventually whisked away. Cohen starred in "Borat," in which he played a Kazakh journalist visiting the U.S.

Woo Hooo!

PaulaC — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:39:59 GMT

Okay, not everything is in, but I am glad McCain did not win. I do credit him for his concession speech though. The words of a statesman...not my statesman, but still very dignified words.

On a Happier Front

PaulaC — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:07:53 GMT

I have secured storage for the Ballista! Friends of Timbo's [and I suspect, soon to be fast friends of mine] have offered up space in their barn for my future favorite toy. :) Hazzar!

When a Building’s Skin Ripples

PaulaC — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:39:58 GMT

FLARE is a pneumatic building facade system. The FLARE system consists of a number of tiltable metal flake bodies. An infinite array of flakes can be mounted on any building or wall surface. Each metal flake reflects the light. When the flake is tilted downwards by a computer controlled pneumatic piston, its face is shaded from the light and this way appears as a dark pixel. By reflecting ambient or direct sunlight the individual flakes act like pixels formed by natural light. The system is controlled by a computer to form any kind of surface animation. Sensors inside and outside communicate the building’s activity directly to the system which acts as the building’s lateral line. FLARE turns the building facade into a penetrable membrane, breaking all conventions of static surfaces. I love how it looks in motion but there’s something creepy about inanimate objects moving. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Designer: Christopher Bauder and Christian Perstl http://www.yankodesign.com/2008/10/09/when-a-buildings-skin-ripples/ [Check the Youtube link]

Starbucks 'wastes 23 million litres of water each day'

PaulaC — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:37:21 GMT

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3142711/Starbucks-wastes-23-million-litres-of-water-each-day.html The American coffee shop chain Starbucks has been accused of wasting more than 23 million litres of water each day because staff are told to leave taps running non-stop. By Aislinn Simpson Last Updated: 8:52AM BST 06 Oct 2008 A Starbucks executive revealed running the tap non-stop stopped breeding in the taps Photo: GETTY IMAGES The bizarre policy, which is aimed at preventing germs developing in the taps in its 10,000 stores worldwide, has outraged environmental groups. Every Starbucks branch has a cold tap behind the counter providing water for a sink called a "dipper well" used for washing spoons and utensils and the staff are banned from turning the water off under "health and safety rules", an investigation claims. In a letter to a customer who complained about the waste, a Starbucks executive revealed that a constant flow stops breeding in the taps. It means that 23.4 million litres of water - enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool every 83 minutes or sustain the population of drought-hit Namibia - is wasted every day. In the UK alone, where there are 698 branches open for 13 hours a day, it counts for around 1.63 million litres of water wasted. It raises questions about the Seattle-based company's much-hyped environmental credentials and will embarrass its legion of celebrity patrons. Water firms say the policy harms the environment, while hygiene experts dismissed the health and safety-motivated policy as "nonsense" and "bonkers". A spokesman for UK Water, which represents water companies, said it was "wasteful and unnecessary". "There is absolutely no need to keep taps running," he said. Peter Robinson, of Waste Watch, the environmental charity, said: "Leaving taps running all day is a shocking waste of precious water. And to claim you are doing it for health and safety reasons is bonkers. "Tap water comes from rivers and groundwater and wasting it can cause great harm to the environment and wildlife. Big companies should set an example." Jacob Tompkins, of Water Wise, said that provided the firm was undertaking all the usual cleaning processes, such a step was unnecessary. "The chance of a build-up in the spout is extremely remote," he said. "And if there is one, they're not cleaning the tap properly." A spokesman for Starbucks said the company’s water usage adhered to the World Health Organization, United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the European Union directives. She said: “The dipper well system currently in use ensures that we meet or exceed our own and local health standards. “Dipper wells use a stream of continuous cold fresh-running water to rinse away food residue, help keep utensils clean and prevent bacterial growth.” However, she added: “We recognise the opportunity exists to reduce our total water usage. Starbucks’ challenge is to balance water conservation with the need for customer safety.”

Playing catch-up on random Blog Re-Posts

PaulaC — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:34:46 GMT

Nothing heavy so far, it's all just fluff...

Thinking About the AIDS Lifecycle Fundraising Ride

PaulaC — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:38:12 GMT

I would have to raise $3,000 before May 30th and often that is done through the workplace and chruch, etc.. Does that seem like an unrealistic amount to raise? http://aidslifecycle.typepad.com/

This Dubauckle Unfurled and Understood a Little Better...

PaulaC — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:04:50 GMT

This American Life just did a great job in their most recent episode explaining some significant contributors to the financial crisis we are in. The episode is not yet up for podcast, but I really reccommend it as it reveals some very interesting aspects of banking that we never hear of like the credit default swap. Simplified: A CDS is used to 'insure' a bond, to make sure that if you buy a bond and it goes south, that someone will pay you for the value of your bond. You may pay someone 2% of the value of your bond every year, and if the bond goes bad, then they will pay you the whole value. What is interesting is that there are people who would buy CDS's on bonds that they didn't even own. Accorning to TAL, there are 5 trillion dollars worth of bonds out there that have 60 trillion worth of credit default swaps on them. Also, the company's who sell these CDS's don't even have to back the 'insurance' with any capital as it is not a regulated transaction. So when these bonds go south, there's no money to be payed out. What idiot thought that house of cards would hold? Anyway, if you have any time at all to listen, it is very revealing and quite worth the time. http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=365 It was in colaboration with Planet Money http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/

Twelve Year Old Burger on the Left

PaulaC — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:28:02 GMT

http://bestwellnessconsultant.com/2008/09/23/1996-mcdonalds-hamburger-karen-hanrahan-best-of-mother-earth.aspx I'd love to hear from Snopes on this one, but this woman claims she bought the burger from MCDonalds in 1996. Yikes.

The Paulson Proposal: Mortgage Company Bailout

PaulaC — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:17:16 GMT

In case you are wondering what all the hullabaloo is about, There's some interesting balderdash about to be voted on by our federal government. Below is a draft proposal for the 'Paulson Financial Rescue Plan'. Note section 8 "“Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.”" ?!?!??!?!?!?!!!!!! ......!!!!!....................................................?. ... ......?!!?!?!?!!!!!!!!! .....! Reprinted from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/business/21draftcnd.html?_r=1&oref=slogin September 21, 2008 Text of Draft Proposal for Bailout Plan LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL FOR TREASURY AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE MORTGAGE-RELATED ASSETS Section 1. Short Title. This Act may be cited as ____________________. Sec. 2. Purchases of Mortgage-Related Assets. (a) Authority to Purchase.--The Secretary is authorized to purchase, and to make and fund commitments to purchase, on such terms and conditions as determined by the Secretary, mortgage-related assets from any financial institution having its headquarters in the United States. (b) Necessary Actions.--The Secretary is authorized to take such actions as the Secretary deems necessary to carry out the authorities in this Act, including, without limitation: (1) appointing such employees as may be required to carry out the authorities in this Act and defining their duties; (2) entering into contracts, including contracts for services authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, without regard to any other provision of law regarding public contracts; (3) designating financial institutions as financial agents of the Government, and they shall perform all such reasonable duties related to this Act as financial agents of the Government as may be required of them; (4) establishing vehicles that are authorized, subject to supervision by the Secretary, to purchase mortgage-related assets and issue obligations; and (5) issuing such regulations and other guidance as may be necessary or appropriate to define terms or carry out the authorities of this Act. Sec. 3. Considerations. In exercising the authorities granted in this Act, the Secretary shall take into consideration means for-- (1) providing stability or preventing disruption to the financial markets or banking system; and (2) protecting the taxpayer. Sec. 4. Reports to Congress. Within three months of the first exercise of the authority granted in section 2(a), and semiannually thereafter, the Secretary shall report to the Committees on the Budget, Financial Services, and Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committees on the Budget, Finance, and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate with respect to the authorities exercised under this Act and the considerations required by section 3. Sec. 5. Rights; Management; Sale of Mortgage-Related Assets. (a) Exercise of Rights.--The Secretary may, at any time, exercise any rights received in connection with mortgage-related assets purchased under this Act. (b) Management of Mortgage-Related Assets.--The Secretary shall have authority to manage mortgage-related assets purchased under this Act, including revenues and portfolio risks therefrom. (c) Sale of Mortgage-Related Assets.--The Secretary may, at any time, upon terms and conditions and at prices determined by the Secretary, sell, or enter into securities loans, repurchase transactions or other financial transactions in regard to, any mortgage-related asset purchased under this Act. (d) Application of Sunset to Mortgage-Related Assets.--The authority of the Secretary to hold any mortgage-related asset purchased under this Act before the termination date in section 9, or to purchase or fund the purchase of a mortgage-related asset under a commitment entered into before the termination date in section 9, is not subject to the provisions of section 9. Sec. 6. Maximum Amount of Authorized Purchases. The Secretary’s authority to purchase mortgage-related assets under this Act shall be limited to $700,000,000,000 outstanding at any one time Sec. 7. Funding. For the purpose of the authorities granted in this Act, and for the costs of administering those authorities, the Secretary may use the proceeds of the sale of any securities issued under chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, and the purposes for which securities may be issued under chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, are extended to include actions authorized by this Act, including the payment of administrative expenses. Any funds expended for actions authorized by this Act, including the payment of administrative expenses, shall be deemed appropriated at the time of such expenditure. Sec. 8. Review. Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency. Sec. 9. Termination of Authority. The authorities under this Act, with the exception of authorities granted in sections 2(b)(5), 5 and 7, shall terminate two years from the date of enactment of this Act. Sec. 10. Increase in Statutory Limit on the Public Debt. Subsection (b) of section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking out the dollar limitation contained in such subsection and inserting in lieu thereof $11,315,000,000,000. Sec. 11. Credit Reform. The costs of purchases of mortgage-related assets made under section 2(a) of this Act shall be determined as provided under the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, as applicable. Sec. 12. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) Mortgage-Related Assets.--The term “mortgage-related assets” means residential or commercial mortgages and any securities, obligations, or other instruments that are based on or related to such mortgages, that in each case was originated or issued on or before September 17, 2008. (2) Secretary.--The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Treasury. (3) United States.--The term “United States” means the States, territories, and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia.

"Help Sarah Palin support Planned Parenthood!"

PaulaC — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:44:14 GMT

http://feministphilosophers.wordpress.com/2008/09/20/help-sarah-palin-support-planned-parenthood/ Sort of. Actually, not really at all. But a very fun idea, passed on by Den Bro in comments and Andrew in an email. Instead of (in addition to?) us all complaining about how horrible she is, let’s all make a donation to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin’s name for reminding us of the importance of protecting our rights for birth control, women’s health and reproductive choice. This is a brilliant idea for $10, or even $5. And here’s the good part: when you make a donation to PP in her name, they’ll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in her honor. Use this link: https://secure.ga0.org/02/pp10000_inhonor You’ll need to fill in the address to let Planned Parenthood know where to send the “in Sarah Palin’s honor” card. I suggest you use the address for the McCain campaign headquarters, which is: McCain for President 1235 S. Clark Street 1st Floor Arlington , VA 22202 PS: make sure you use that link above or choose the pulldown of Donate–Honorary or Memorial Donations, not the regular “Donate Online”

Your Gas Dollars at Work.

PaulaC — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:55:54 GMT

"Chevron Lobbies White House to Pressure Ecuador to Stop $12 Billion Amazon Pollution Lawsuit" Democracy Now http://i1.democracynow.org/2008/8/5/chevron_lobbies_white_house_to_pressure "Chevron is being accused of promoting geopolitical blackmail in its efforts to stave off a lawsuit accusing it of contaminating the Ecuadorian rain forest. Nearly 30,000 Amazon residents are seeking $12 billion from Chevron for dumping billions of gallons of toxic oil waste. According to Newsweek, the oil giant is urging the Bush administration to yank special trade preferences for Ecuador if the country’s government doesn’t force the Amazon residents to drop the case. If the White House agrees, it would be the second major lobbying victory for Chevron in just a matter of weeks. Last month, the Senate dropped an effort to penalize Chevron for maintaining extensive ties to the military junta in Burma. " "Chevron, Ecuador In Costly Environmental Dispute" NPR Sept 18 [You can listen instead of read]http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94751411&ft=1&f=1025 "Underreported: Chevron in Burma" [listen or read] http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/episodes/2008/05/01/segments/97921 "Chevron Accused of Complicity in Burma Abuses" http://i1.democracynow.org/2008/4/30/headlines#7 "Senate Drops Pressure on Chevron in Burma" http://i1.democracynow.org/2008/7/24/headlines#7

Domains Hacked [geh]

PaulaC — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:34:03 GMT

It seems that it is a server wide issue and my domain host is working on it. The downside is that somehow I cannot receive email to either pd46.org or physicalfoundry.com. If you need to contact me and have a yahoo address, go ahead, if you do not, please PM me here and I will give you further contact info. If anyone knows of a very good domain host [please do not tell me GoDaddy, I prefer good to cheap] I'd love to hear from you.

MTV Trashes A Piece Of Rainforest For Their New Reality Show

PaulaC — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:52:09 GMT

"After the Viacom-owned network finished filming their new treasure-hunt themed “Real World/Road Rules Challenge” on a remote, uninhabited island in the Republic of Panama, locals returned to find their beach tattered and abused." http://www.ecorazzi.com/2008/09/14/mtv-trashes-a-piece-of-rainforest-for-their-new-reality-show/ "On September 17, MTV is getting ready to show off a new reality show called “Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island“. Much like Survivor, it’s supposed to show a bunch of people “roughing it” while completing tasks, acting like asses, and other dramatic moments. As one would expect, the real “reality” is much less exciting. In fact, as was recently reported by Michael Drake on the Tree Climber’s Coalition site, not only is the show basically scripted and shot in and around civilization, but it also appears to have done a good deal of environmental damage. Drake, along with others living on Boca del Drago Island in the Republic of Panama witnessed MTV clear a large section of rainforest for the set construction. In addition, they also trashed a pristine beach, disturbed a bird sanctuary island “off-limits” to human visitations, and left behind an insane amount of garbage, set debris, and refuse. As Drake wrote, “MTV’s behavior in this situation has been rampantly inconsistent with their self-proclaimed ‘MTV Green Crusade’. I sense a bit of hypocrisy and I question their commitment toward being ‘green’.” Of course, it’s not uncommon for television and movie productions to adversely impact their surroundings. The uproar surrounding the environmental damage done by DiCaprio’s film The Beach back in ‘99 comes to mind as something similar. What is surprising is that in this time of supposed “awareness” of these issues — and the efforts being done by studios like MTV to address them — that such a production would proceed forward without any care towards its impact. Not to mention the fact that they somehow figured nobody would care? Or talk about it online? I encourage you to check out Drake’s full report on MTV’s negligence in Panama over on the Tree Climber’s Coalition site. These personal reports are vital for keeping tabs on what’s really happening behind the scenes — and we thank him for bringing it front and center. So MTV, what’s the story?"