If Nick had a cat

Finally...

Clinton tells Democrats: Don’t vote for McCain

Good for her, although it is about time she did.

Toxic apple fat

Study Links Middle-Age Belly Fat to Dementia

People who have big bellies in their 40s are much more likely to get Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia in their 70s, according to new research that links the middle-aged spread to a fading mind for the first time.

The study of more than 6,000 people found that the more fat they had in their guts in their early to mid-40s, the greater their chances of becoming forgetful and confused and showing other signs of senility as they aged. Those who had the most expansive midsections faced more than twice the risk of the leanest.

The potential mechanism? Toxic Fat

The research is the latest evidence that fat in the abdomen is the most dangerous kind. Previous studies have linked an apple-shaped physique to a greater propensity for diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Researchers suspect that belly fat cells are the worst because of their proximity to major organs. They ooze noxious chemicals, stoking inflammation, constricting blood vessels and triggering other processes that may also damage brain cells.

"There is a lot of work out there that suggests that the fat wrapped around your inner organs is much more metabolically active than other types of fat right under the skin," Whitmer said. "It's pumping out toxic substances. It's very potent toxic fat."

This fits with what I learned way back that pear-shaped body is healthier than an apple-shape.

The other side of the story

Some discussion here

Maybe Nick is right

If McCain vs. Obama, 28% of Clinton Backers Go for McCain

Time to move to Canada.

Chunk of Antarctic ice shelf collapses, putting larger area at risk

Rapid melting on Wilkins Shelf is attributed to global warming.

The Evil Penguin

Bush 2.0

"We're succeeding. I don't care what anybody says. I've seen the facts on the ground," the Arizona senator insisted a day after a roadside bomb in Baghdad killed four U.S. soldiers and rockets pounded the U.S.-protected Green Zone there, and a wave of attacks left at least 61 Iraqis dead nationwide.

And this is well timed:

Check out the Media Myths of McCain

killer war-bots are here, almost

On GDP and beyond

Robert Kennedy was ahead of his time.

Jim Rogers on FED money injection - PART 1

The Speech

The Road to Guantanamo

Wow. This is a road trip gone really bad. From here.

A good cup of good coffee

Bill Moyers Journal

On government oversight

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Thanks to Andy

NSA's Domestic Spying Grows As Agency Sweeps Up Data

Who knew the government was into social networks? This sounds like the Total Information Awareness program that the Congress defunded a few years back. This kind of think is in some ways the natural extension of power through a combo of AI techniques and ICT s - and, it would seem to me, is a difficult genie to put back in the bottle. There needs to be a new set of protections (like the 4th amendment) but for personal information and internet use...

While the Fourth Amendment guarantees "[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures," the legality of data-sweeping relies on the government's interpretation of a 1979 Supreme Court ruling allowing records of phone calls -- but not actual conversations -- to be collected without a warrant.

Times are a changin'.

Poo

House oversight

House Creates New Panel On Ethics

The House last night approved one of the most significant changes to its ethics rules in decades, creating for the first time an independent panel empowered to initiate investigations of alleged misconduct by members of the chamber.

An independent panel, sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

"If you have a single ounce of self-preservation, you'll vote no," implored Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) last night.

Ferraro defends controversial comments on Barack Obama

Ferraro defends controversial comments on Barack Obama

"Racism works in two different directions. I really think they're attacking me because I'm white. How's that?"

She's way off base, she being attacked for being an uppity woman. She needs to learn her place.