Lead contaminated, made in China, etc. *yawn*

Posted by: LauraW. at 12:35 PM | Comments (11)
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Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is pressing schools to permit students who legally possess and carry firearms to be allowed to do so on campus. Most states forbid it expressly, or leave it up to the schools, most of which don't allow it either.

"We're not proposing to arm every student. We're not proposing that every freshmen get a handbook and a Glock," [spokesman Scott Lewis] said.

But he said students who are licensed to carry concealed firearms to movie theaters, public parks and other places should be allowed to take them on campus as well.

That's a pretty compelling argument (to me). I don't see anything particularly different about legally carrying on a college campus versus legally carrying in an apartment complex or a grocery store.

When Charles Whitman started sniping from the top of the tower at the University of Texas, radio broadcasts alerted people in the area and identified his location. Ordinary citizens grabbed deer rifles out of their cars and trucks, and began returning fire. Officer Ramiro Martinez, one of the two police officers who confronted and killed Whitman, said in his book the civilian shooters deserved recognition, because they made it difficult for Whitman to take careful aim without being hit. Perhaps even saving additional lives.

That too seems to me to be a pretty good argument in favor, but then I'm a moron.

h/t eddiebear

Posted by: Dave In Texas at 11:47 AM | Comments (21)
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I'm sure this will work! It's always worked in the past, after all.

The Philippines government and separatist rebels have struck a deal on creating a Muslim homeland in the country's south which is expected to lead to a peace accord next year, officials said Thursday.

The agreement on the extent of territory to be handed over had been a major stumbling block in the peace talks that opened when a ceasefire was forged with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2001.

The two sides did not disclose the new borders agreed after two days of talks here, but Malaysian officials said the territory would be greater than the present autonomous region in the troubled island of Mindanao.

"After more than three decades of problems in Mindanao, it is for the government to give concessions. It could not be the other side, so the government has to concede what it think is reasonable," said Philippines chief negotiator Rodolfo Garcia.

In an issue known as "ancestral domain," the land in question consists of untitled communal farms that came under formal state ownership when the Philippines became a Spanish colony in the late 16th century.

"We are confident that the momentum of signing the ancestral domain agreement will be able to carry us forward in the other tests and challenges ahead," Garcia said.

Thanks to dri.

Posted by: Ace at 10:09 AM | Comments (33)
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The constant tinkering with Christmas continues apace in the UK.

Santa Claus is being forced to wear a green suit when visiting a school this year, after teachers decided the traditional red outfit would remind pupils of Coca-Cola.

Education chiefs have also banned the annual Christmas grotto - favouring an eastern European version of the festive season instead.

Staff at the Steiner School in Brighton, East Sussex, claim the red-suited Santa is a symbol of "modern commercialism" and reminds children of Coca-Cola adverts.

The article includes a picture of a Coca-Cola ad from the Saturday Evening Post, a periodical wildly influential with today's youth.

School spokesman Sarah James said visitors hoping to find the traditional jolly white-bearded fellow will be disappointed.

Take your Spirit of Christmas and shove it. Have fun, kids!

"The red-suited Santa was created as a marketing tool by Coca-Cola, it is a symbol of commercialism.

Bullshit. Bullshit. God, you are so full of shit.

Are they actually arguing that Santa Claus is somehow sacred and should be protected from secular contamination? Don't suppose they want to bring back the baby Jesus, do you?

Posted by: LauraW. at 10:03 AM | Comments (60)
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Gateway Pundit notes that an entire neighborhood in Damascus, formerly containing mostly Iraqi refugees, has cleared out on news of the restored security in Iraq.

Saida Zaynab, the Damascus neighbourhoods once dominated by many of the 1.5 million Iraqi refugees, is almost deserted. Apartment prices are plummeting and once-crowded shops and buses are half empty.

This is interesting too:

An improving security situation - but also the lack of job opportunities for Iraqis in Syria - may account for the move, correspondents say.

So Iraq offers greater job opportunities, despite its bloody recent history? That seems hopeful.

Thanks to CJ.

Posted by: Ace at 10:01 AM | Comments (15)
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Good stuff, as usual. Keith Olbermann continues refusing to even mention the positive news from Iraq, despite the fact that even the left-wing NYT, Newsweek, and Time have now given in and acknowledged reality.

Gibson plays the old credentialism game with this "Former Sportscaster," repeatedly saying he doesn't have the qualifications to offer opinions, but I'll agree with him in this case.

Anyone know what "Bathtub Boy" means?

Via Hot Air.

Posted by: Ace at 09:30 AM | Comments (17)
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Really Iowa? Mike Huckabee?

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, buoyed by strong support from Christian conservatives, has surged past three of his better-known presidential rivals and is now challenging former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for the lead in the Iowa Republican caucuses, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News Poll.

Huckabee has tripled his support in Iowa since late July, eclipsing former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, former senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.) and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.). Huckabee now runs nearly evenly with Romney, the longtime Iowa front-runner.

…The poll found that overall, 28 percent of likely GOP caucus-goers support Romney, while 24 percent support Huckabee. Thompson ran third in the poll at 15 percent, with Giuliani at about the same level, with 13 percent. McCain, whose Iowa campaign appeared to derail earlier this year over his stance on immigration, had 6 percent and was tied with Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.), who rose from 2 percent in July.

For all the talk of how Rudy could split the Republican coalition if he’s the nominee, I think Huckabee could do the same. He’s clearly a favorite of the social-cons but his big government, nanny-state tendencies just don’t play well with other parts of the base. Obviously this wasn't a big deal when Huck was a backmarker but if he wins, or is seen to win, in Iowa that will change.

With just about 6 weeks to go before the first votes are cast in what seems like an endless primary season, things are getting very interesting in both parties. On the upside, it will all be over but the shouting by mid-February, so once the actual voting starts, it'll be done pretty quickly.

Posted by: DrewM. at 09:27 AM | Comments (28)
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Really Iowa? Mike Huckabee?

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, buoyed by strong support from Christian conservatives, has surged past three of his better-known presidential rivals and is now challenging former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for the lead in the Iowa Republican caucuses, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News Poll.

Huckabee has tripled his support in Iowa since late July, eclipsing former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, former senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.) and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.). Huckabee now runs nearly evenly with Romney, the longtime Iowa front-runner.

Â…The poll found that overall, 28 percent of likely GOP caucus-goers support Romney, while 24 percent support Huckabee. Thompson ran third in the poll at 15 percent, with Giuliani at about the same level, with 13 percent. McCain, whose Iowa campaign appeared to derail earlier this year over his stance on immigration, had 6 percent and was tied with Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.), who rose from 2 percent in July.

For all the talk of how Rudy could split the Republican coalition if heÂ’s the nominee, I think Huckabee could do the same. HeÂ’s clearly a favorite of the social-cons but his big government, nanny-state tendencies just donÂ’t play well with other parts of the base. Obviously this wasn't a big deal when Huck was a backmarker but if he wins, or is seen to win, in Iowa that will change.

With just about 6 weeks to go before the first votes are cast in what seems like an endless primary season, things are getting very interesting in both parties. On the upside, it will all be over but the shouting by mid-February, so once the actual voting starts, it'll be done pretty quickly.

Posted by: DrewM at 09:27 AM | Comments (31)
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Some researchers at RPI have found what might turn out to be the Rosetta Stone for dealing with malaria.

The team found that humans and the mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite share the same complex carbohydrate, heparan sulfate. In both humans and mosquitoes, heparan sulfate is a receptor for the malaria parasite, binding to the parasite and giving it quick and easy transport through the body. The team was led by Robert J. Linhardt, the Ann and John H. Broadbent Jr. Â’59 Senior Constellation Professor of Biocatalysis and Metabolic Engineering at Rensselaer.

“The discovery allows us to think differently about preventing the disease,” Linhardt said. “If we can stop heparan sulfate from binding to the parasite in mosquitoes, we will not just be treating the disease, we will be stopping its spread completely.”

Malaria parasites are extremely finicky about their hosts, Linhardt explained. Birds, rodents, humans, and primates all can be infected with malaria, but each species is infected by a different species of mosquito — and each of those mosquitoes is infected by a different malaria parasite. In other words, there needs to be a perfect match at the molecular basis for malaria to spread from one species to another, Linhardt said. Researchers have long understood this deadly partnership, but the molecular basis for the match had never been determined.

“The discovery marks a paradigm shift in stopping malaria,” Linhardt said “Now, we can work to develop an environmentally safe, inexpensive way to block infection in mosquitoes and not have to worry about drug side effects in humans.”

The anti-DDT crowd would get behind this too...then again maybe not. Greenies, being essentially closet Luddites, tend to eschew technology based solutions. This might smack just a bit too much of science for them.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 07:34 AM | Comments (19)
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Try not to think of this while you're waiting in line, sitting on the tarmac or filling out a 'lost luggage' form.

With exquisite timing, Boeing chooses a travel weekend that could go down in the annals of airborne horror to deliver a top-of-the-line Boeing Business Jet that will be assigned to Congress - those folks who have charged billions in air travel taxes over the decades and left us with 1930s blind-landing technology. The jet took off from Seattle this morning for its base at Scott AFB in Illinois.

Posted by: Slublog at 06:03 AM | Comments (16)
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