ABOUT BLOODY TIME! I can just imagine the huge load of work that was never addressed because Mr. “my worst days where better than my father’s best” spent all his time defending his unethical actions as Attorney General.

Just another sign that the Bush Admin feels they are above the law and that they don’t need to be accountable to anyone. Mr. Bush, when both sides of the senate say its time to go… its TIME TO GO. Republicans and Dems wanted Gonzales out, but you stuck with him. You stuck with him because he represents your way of “thinking” and to abandon him is to abandon yourself. How truly sad.

Star Trek has been a staple of American science ficition for decades. It was cutting edge in terms of social culture and technology when it first emerged and helped to shape the direction many real scientist and inventors point their ambitions. Several pieces of “tech” from the show have become realities over the years and now it seems we are close to adding just one more to that ever growing list.

The medical Tricorder.

Two new inventions (developed seperately) seem to be on the verge of that magical gadgetry that would routinely save Star Fleets finest. The two new inventions pack a whallop of medical technology in a small form factor.

The first, a mobile vital stats monitor, based off common tech tools such as a Bluetooth interface and a PDA, connect with ECG (heart rythms), EMG (muscle tension), GSR (skin resistance), and even body temperature and movement sensors to keep your vitals right at your finger tips. Emerging from the Berkeley Institute this small form factor and “off the shelf” parts puts other monitors to shame.

The 2nd new invention, a retro-of-the-future health tool, is the ARANZ Meical handheld wound monitor. Through laser optics nurses and patients can measure a wounds width and deepth without the need for invasive and often painful medical instructments. The tool can also be used to track the healing progression and help determine the effectivness of medical treatment.

Emerging from the entertainment field (the first “silhouette camera” that this monitor is based off of was used to help Animate Gollum from The Lord of The Rings) this device shows the ever broaden scope our technical advances are taking.

The only question now is… when will ever doctor that uses these tools be as sexy as the ones from the future?

I recently reported that CNN had posted a heart wrenching story about a young boy (Youssif) who had been set on fire by masked men. I scolded them for not providing information to their readers on how they could help (the story was all but a direct request for support).

This morning, CNN has made good and posted a follow up story providing information for a fund that has been set up by the Children’s Burn Foundation based in Sherman Oaks California.

You can read the follow up here, and donate here. Make sure you select Youssif’s Fund from the drop down menu under the “Honor/Memorial Gift Information” section.

Good job CNN. Way to follow up and do the right thing.

(FOX NEWS…. are you reading this?)

They (CNN) posted such a heart wrenching story and yet failed to have any information to provide those wishing to reach out…

Boy, 5, doused in gas, set on fire by masked men.

I posted this comment below on CNNs “Sound Off” section, however I doubt it will get past the “moderators” BAH! I repost it here for my own sanity…

CNN please be more responsible about your reporting! Your organization knew a story of this nature would gather much support, you should have had answers and information ready for anyone who wanted to donate, or to help in other ways, immediately available.

We all know that an opportunity like this and the feeling many people will have to reach out is short lived. The window to help this boy is a small one. You need to think ahead when you take such routes with your stories.

Shame on you CNN. Your obvious (main) goal was not to help this child but to further the money making machine hidden in most news outlets. Otherwise you would have made arrangements for the out flow of support that was sure to follow your publication.

My Safe Following distance is NOT your crazy driving, tail gating, weave in and out of traffic and cut me off space. A$$holes

My rear suspension blew outtoday. The lucky two riders with me in the HOV lanes had an amazing 50 minute wait on the side of the road for their emergency ride. We kept the talk lively.

My car is at the dealer, they should get to it monday… oh joy. Hopefully it will be under warranty.

Good times people. Good Times.

“You should pay for this dinner. Be Generous.”

“Your problem just got bigger. Think, what have you done?”

What the hell kind of fortunes are those! I mean come on!! Since when are we suppose to get directives and negative remarks in our Chinese treats? I thought we were suppose to get fortunes that are thoughtful and witty and make you smile when you add the words “in bed” to the end of them. These two just stink.

The South Korean hostages have been all over the news lately. Many outlets, such as NPR, CNN & Fox have had contributors on their show to speak about Christian / Religious out reach and the Evangelical agenda.

Almost all of these contributors speak to their and their faith’s desire to “spread the gospel”. I respect that if you feel strongly about something (which these people obviously do) you should have the ability to speak on the topic and share your views. I do not however feel that you should enter into a violent war torn country and try to spread your views and beliefs in a territory inherently unstable. Oh and if any one is keeping track a huge part of that instability is religious & cultural based conflict!

A large portion of 9/11, the preceding and following violence directed at western society has been spurred by the involvement of the west in the political, economic and religious dealings of the Middle East. When will people get it through their skulls that trying to force your beliefs on other people is a flawed doctrine?

Religious conflict dates back centuries. Through the crusades, the religious persecution in England that lead to the mass exodus to the States, to the Arab - Israeli conflict, not to mention Kosovo and even part of the problem in Darfur, it makes me sick that people can’t realize that the inability of so many religions and belief systems to be tolerant of one another and to co-exist is the cause of so much of the violence in the world.

Of course one of the core pillars of many religions is the need to spread the word and enlightenment to others. This creates a circular conflict. If you truly believe in your gospel then obviously you must “spread the word”, and if you do spread the word (often with so much zeal and disregard for other beliefs) you often find that conflict arises when others, with conflicting beliefs, become disgruntled . What does this mean? It means in my view that evangelical religions, taken to their outter limits, are inherently flawed. They cause conflict that many of them reportedly want to solve! How do many of the contributors solve this argument? They speak, at least in the Christian doctrine, that its known and spoke to in the Bible that if you truly follow Jesus and his “word” that you will most likely face difficulty, danger, and obstacles. Well, thats all good and plenty if you want to make personal sacrifice for your beliefs. The real problem arises is when there is a spill over effect and the violence starts harming innocent by standers. Your views do not give you the right to spark an environment where others are harmed for your beliefs! If we are ever going to co-exist in this world these groups have GOT to learn the skill of tolerance and peaceful co existence. Its obvious their current method is not working.

According to the back of a DC City bus this morning 1 in 20 adults in DC has HIV.

Wow, that seems like alot… I also read someplace that 1 in 3 people don’t even know they have it.

That is scary stuff people. Please Get Tested.

About a year ago I remember reading that DC was trying to get every person 14 to 84 tested… almost half a million people. I wonder what progress they have made towards that number.

I personally try to get tested every 6-8 months. There are plenty of free sites in DC to get it done.

I’ve seen just a few short parts of “Born Survivor” but I have friends and family that are obsessed with the show. Bear Grylls stars in the show where each episode features him trekking back to civilization from a random remote drop off point.

When talking to fans of the show they throw out terms like “mans man” “amazingly incredible” and “i want to be stuck on an island with him! That is… if I had to be stuck on an island of course” to describe this freak, his abilities and their strange lust for a eyeball sucking, live fish eating man nicknamed Bear.

But as so much of life turns out to be, they are in for a disappointment. Bear Grylls is not so tough. While the camera shows him toughing it out on a remote island he had in fact the luxury of staying at a local hotel. When he supposedly built a raft with nothing but the objects found in nature, well, that was a shame too. An outside company was brought in to build the raft and than dismantled it so that Bear could re”build it” on camera.

The list of untruths continue for the show and Bear but many viewers are wondering… “this is news how?” “if you think TV is real, your a sap”. While still others have expressed feelings of betrayal. “I looked up to him, he was the person I wanted to be like”.

Whether you loved the show or hated it, whether you feel betrayed or not, it all boils down to entertainment. Did you get your moneys worth for your cable subscription by watching this show? The answer, since the show has obviously created enough buzz to enter the blogsphere, is probably a resounding yes.

Now, please excuse me while I go tackle a wild bore and cook it over a fire I started with my shoes so that I may feel a wee bit better about myself.

We won!!! 5 to 1. Stay tuned.

You’re walking down the street. Approaching the intersection, perpindicular to yourself, you see an attractive person. You quickly size them and the situation up.

Should you drop your book bag when they cross your path, should you bend down to tie your shoe, should you yell out a creative cat call? No time to think; just do something, anything! And right when you are about to unleash your best effort, it hits you. BAM!!! SLAP!!! CRASH!!

Its not “what to say” that hits you either. Its the horrific and disappointing view of their face when they actually turned and you viewed them head on. They picked up on your thoughts like a beacon and rotated their face to make contact. This allowed you an unobstructed view. The resulting cringe is hidden only by the gasp escaping from your mouth. Quickly you look away, fearing the dreaded unwanted eye contact. You peak again, just once, to make sure your eyes had not fooled you and you walk on. You continue forward, a bit disappointed and ever more clear of the dreaded side effect.

Of course not every case of the “side effect” is going to be this dramatic. But watch for it. I bet you’ll encounter often.

I’ve been through it so many times, Each time you think its run its course. Things are looking up and you’ve left that solitude to rot by itself.
Suddenly an event occurs and you realize, even while looking it striaght through the eyes, you had been fooled.
It trick however relies on a common human weakness. Don’t once doubt yourself. Because just how this cycle has taught you before, all you indeed have is, yourself.

When times press me that seems to be my only source of encouragement. I’ve got my own self… And even if that’s not enough at least its not dependant upon anything else.