Busy busy busy which is good, but lots of stuff out there as well...
The BBC discovers that places with guns are more peaceful and safe than London, though they can't quite believe it. HT Reid.
Relatedly, the Atomic Neds have a pleasant encounter in Los Alamos. I agree- if you have pistols at all you MUST have a 1911.
Alphecca links to a great quote, from Canada no less: "Gun control is the only kind of policy that we have where the proponents of it will point to its utter failure as evidence that we need even more of it."
Paleontology: any of us who follow dinosaurs or have an elementary knowledge of cladistics know that T- Rex and birds are more closely related to one another than either is to lizards or snakes, but public opinion is beginning to catch up, albeit with cutesy headlines. Brian at Laelaps provides some only slightly exasperated clarifications.
Humans nearly became extinct 70,000 years ago-- they definitely achieved endangered species status, at least. They also nearly split into two species. Some classical speciation and origins stuff going on here. (HT David Zincavage for the second.)
Archaeology: Peculiar & Mrs. visit a spooky Gallinas culture ruin. These stones would tell strange tales, I suspect, and mysteries still abound. Their neighbors didn't like them, all trails turned away, and virtually every one found was murdered. A bit about them in this good book.
"Do as I say..."? From an essay in the Boston Globe(!): "This year [RFK Jr. is] pushing wind farms, as far as the eye can see. You mean he no longer opposes the Cape Wind project off Uncle Teddy's mansion on Cape Cod? Not a chance! Kennedy wants to plant wind farms all across states like North Dakota, Kansas, and Texas. No Beautiful People live there."
HT Annie Hocker-- RTWT. Though I must add that I see fur as pretty green...
AR, Nanny state and other offenses: Mike Spies sends the good news that dog owners in LA are fighting back. According to the American Sporting Dog Alliance (anyone have a link to the actual story?):
"...Concerned Dog Owners of California filed a lawsuit this week against the City of Los Angeles, seeking to overturn a new ordinance mandating the spaying and neutering of all dogs.
"The lawsuit is primarily based on constitutional grounds, and alleges that the ordinance violates the civil rights of dog owners in several ways.
"The American Sporting Dog Alliance believes that the importance of this lawsuit extends far beyond the City of Los Angeles. It marks the first of several anticipated legal challenges to onerous laws and ordinances as dog owners turn to the courts to fight for their rights on constitutional grounds. This lawsuit is based on legal issues that exist in every state."
Here is a link to a story that is pretty funny on some levels. But what the story AND MOST COMMENTERS seem to miss is: you need to present your papers if stopped in New York City??
"Pliss to present your papers, Kamerad.."
Molon labe.
And of course, Random Weirdness. From Doc H: Purple Hair and Bad SF covers; which leads directly to: Imaginary Romance Novel Covers-- the funniest thing I have seen this month. This one's for you, Rebecca.
5 comments:
Steve, can you post or send me the Roberts passage? I didn't remember the Gallinas coming up in there, but it's over a decade since I read it. I'll second the recommendation: In Search of the Old Ones is an excellent book, and even if it may be a bit dated now, it would provide an Anasazi novice with a great foundation for further reading.
Um, not just New York. Try Nevada.
HystERical!! -- the romance covers, I mean.
hb, I'll post on that-- thanks.
An armed man is a citizen, an unarmed one is just a subject.
Plebescheithe more accurately; one seen as nothing by his rulers, but an expendable animal for their use and disposal.
If it sounds like that more and more describes the American, you are paying attention!
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