TampaYankee

Shepard Smith Unloads On Blockers Of 9/11 Responders Bill: 'How Do They Sleep At Night?' See story and video at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/18/shepard-smith-911-first-responders-bill_n_798625.html Shep is the only person worth watching on Fox if you want the unvarnished truth and frankness. He also finds it hard to stomach quietly some of Fox's slanted overreaches, as demonstrated through comments from time to time, although he has been circumspect in pointing them out as circumstances would require. Both Ailes and Murdoch know that he is the only fig leaf that Fox has in its pretense of 'fair and balanced'.

For those who haven't seen the story and Fox's lame 'shoot the messenger' response to it, here is the link. I won't waste space here with the details. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/17/fox-news-viewers-are-the-_n_798146.html This is hardly news for anyone with a nonvanishing IQ who follows the media spectrum of venues and viewpoints. What I am curious about is how much of the mainstream mediat covered this story? I haven't seen it elsewhere, not that I have searched. But I am curious because of the failure of the mainstream media to embrace previous charges of slanted Fox News coverage. Now that a mainstream American university study has found the same result, has it been acknowledged or refuted by any factual reporting from third parties? Is there some unwritten law that only Olbermann can call a spade a spade?

Chase Hit With SEC Whistleblower Complaint Over Credit Card Practices By ABIGAIL FIELD See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/fp9z4H Linda Almonte, a former employee of JPMorgan Chase (JPM) who is suing the bank for wrongful termination, has just upped the ante: She has now also filed a whistleblower complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The core allegations add context to her lawsuit, and they charge Chase with grotesque and illegal practices involving its credit card debt processes, including robo-signing. Chase denies her claims. Almonte's allegations are detailed in the Nov. 30 letter sent to the SEC. In the letter, she says: 1. Chase Bank sold to third party debt buyers hundreds of millions of dollars worth of credit card accounts. . .when in fact Chase Bank executives knew that many of those accounts had incorrect and overstated balances. 3. Chase Bank executives routinely destroyed information and communications from consumers rather than incorporate that information into the consumer's credit card file, including bankruptcy notices, powers of attorney, notice of cancellation of auto-pay, proof of payments and letters from debt settlement companies. 4. Chase Bank executives mass-executed thousands of affidavits in support of Chase Banks collection efforts and those Chase Bank executives did not have personal knowledge of the facts set forth in the affidavits. 5. When senior Chase Bank executives were made aware of these systemic problems, senior Chase Bank executives -- rather than remedy the problems -- immediately fired the whistleblower and attempted to cover up these problems.When I reached Almonte's lawyer, George Pressly, for comment, he was shocked that I had the letter because it was supposed to be confidential. While Pressly was willing to confirm Almonte was a client, beyond that he had no comment. Pressly, who was clearly trying to figure out how to handle the letter's disclosure, said he was suddenly getting a "firestorm" of calls and seemed unprepared for the onslaught. While he has filed many SEC complaints before -- he operates the website http://www.secwhistleblowerprogram.org/, which is how Almonte found him -- her letter is the first one he's filed that went public. The bank, through spokesman Paul Harwick, says "Chase is aggressively defending itself against the allegations made by this former employee. We have thoroughly researched these allegations and are confident that the sales of these loans were handled properly. We have strong internal controls and processes for managing credit card debt-sales transactions." The SEC says it never comments on such letters. In the letter, Almonte's lawyer explains the reason she contacted the SEC: "Her disclosures may bring into question Chase Bank's representations regarding Chase Bank's own securities but may also bear on certain asset-backed securities where the underlying assets are Chase Bank credit card accounts." Almonte's Evidence To support her claims, Almonte says she has "a large volume of documents in her possession available for review by the SEC" and offers her first-hand observations as well. Those direct observations allegedly include witnessing the head of Chase's pre-litigation group "shred" material communications from borrowers, such as "bankruptcy notices, settlement communications, and debt settlement company communications" rather than entering the information into Chase's database. She also claims that senior Chase Bank executives instructed Chase Bank employees remove important information and data from Litigation Accounts because the retention of the information would have resulted in increased computer hardware costs. Both types of record destruction rendered the accounts inaccurate, she says. Concerning robo-signing, Pressly wrote: "On numerous occasions, Ms. Almonte witnessed these Affidavit Signers work through at times 3-feet tall stacks of Judgment Affidavits at once during weekly multi-hour long, non-related company meetings. The notaries were not present at these meetings. The Affidavit Signers simply relied on hourly workers to reconcile amounts owed and then treated the actual execution of the affidavits as busy work to be performed while the Affidavit Signers could focus on other matters."According to Almonte, determining the amounts owed wasn't easy: Chase had a number of "legacy" databases from its various acquisitions that were not well integrated. So, perhaps the executives should have looked more closely at the documents. "Indeed, Ms. Almonte determined that as many as 20% of the Judgment Accounts to be sold failed an internal test to check for accuracy." Who Is Linda Almonte? During her time at Chase, Almonte was a "mid-level executive" who "supervised employees across the litigation and post-judgment functions" of the credit card litigation department. In March, she sued the bank, claiming that she was fired for refusing to participate in the sale of 23,000 credit card accounts Chase had packaged for sale. Almonte says 5,000 of the accounts listed the wrong amount owed, and thousands more had other problems. By going forward with the sale after being informed of the problems, Almonte says, Chase was breaking the law. Almonte's whistleblower complaint provides big-picture context for the sale she refused to participate in, providing background on how so many credit card accounts could contain flawed data. Robo-signing and other problems with credit card debt collection aren't new, as David Segal's October article for The New York Times detailed. What is new is that someone in Almonte's position is willing to make such charges publicly. See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/fp9z4H

Finally, some moderate Republicans crawl out from under the thumb of Mitch McConnell. Now hopefully we will see the exercise of some independent character for START too. Lest we get carried away that some Republicans finally have ended the policy of 'Just Say No', it is very disappointing that DREAM went down in flames. It highlights the lofty principles of some Republicans and a few Democrats that those principles can be so easily shelved depending on the political winds. Separates the statesmen from the politicans. I have in mind specifically those GOP Senators who have, in the past, sponsored DREAM legislation.

Due to copyright restrictions see full article at: http://finance.yahoo.com/focus-retirement/article/111588/the-10-worst-states-for-retirees?mod=fidelity-readytoretire&cat=fidelity_2010_getting_ready_to_retire Who knew Illinois would top the list. I feel sorry for all of you California Dreamers who come in second. Not surprised though as I think of California as the Land of Taxes, as I do of NY too which came in third. Rhode Island was a bit of a suprise as was Nevada which has no imcome tax. Being a native born Floridian, I have always considered that state to be the Retiree's paradise, except for the 3Hs... heat, humidity, and hurricanes. The first two drove me away years ago. The same heat in Texas and Arizona also repels me, as does their income taxes.

Bump.

December 14, 2010 12:55 PM PST Appeals court: Feds need warrants for e-mail by Declan McCullagh. Police must obtain search warrants before perusing Internet users' e-mail records, a federal appeals court ruled today in a landmark decision that struck down part of a 1986 law allowing warrantless access. In case involving a penile-enhancement entrepreneur convicted of fraud and other crimes, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals said that the practice of warrantless access to e-mail messages violates the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits "unreasonable" searches and seizures. "Given the fundamental similarities between e-mail and traditional forms of communication, it would defy common sense to afford e-mails lesser Fourth Amendment protection," the court ruled in an 3-0 opinion (PDF) written by Judge Danny Boggs, a Reagan appointee. The court affirmed the conviction of Steven Warshak, who was charged with defrauding customers of his "natural male enhancement" pills, but sent his case back to a lower court for a new sentence. Warshak remains liable for a $44 million money laundering judgment as well. "The most significant thing from our perspective and that of the victims is that they upheld all the convictions against Mr. Warshak and that they affirmed the $400 million-plus forfeiture order," a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Ohio, which prosecuted this case, told CNET this afternoon. Warshak owned Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, a mail order company that in 2001 launched Enzyte, which claimed, in the delicate words of the court, "to increase the size of a man's erection." Enzyte (see embedded YouTube video) was a remarkable success: by the end of 2004, Berkeley employed 1,500 people and rang up about $250 million in annual sales. Today's decision striking down part of the 1986 Stored Communications Act rebuffs arguments made by the U.S. Department of Justice, which insisted the law was constitutional. In a brief (PDF) filed during an earlier phase of the case, prosecutors argued that the Fourth Amendment doesn't apply because "compelled disclosure of e-mail is permissible under most providers' terms of service." Since 1986, the general rule has been that police could obtain Americans' e-mail messages up to 180 days old only with a warrant. Older messages, however, could be accessed with an administrative subpoena or what's known as a 2703(d) order, both of which lack a warrant's probable cause requirement. The Stored Communications Act--which created the 2703(d) orders--was enacted at a time when e-mail was the domain of a small number of academics and business customers. Telephone modems, BBSs, and UUCP links were used in that pre-Internet era that was defined by computers like the black-and-white Macintosh Plus and services like H&R Block's CompuServe. Since then, the Sixth Circuit ruled, technological life has changed dramatically: Since the advent of e-mail, the telephone call and the letter have waned in importance, and an explosion of Internet-based communication has taken place. People are now able to send sensitive and intimate information, instantaneously, to friends, family, and colleagues half a world away. Lovers exchange sweet nothings, and businessmen swap ambitious plans, all with the click of a mouse button. Commerce has also taken hold in e-mail. Online purchases are often documented in e-mail accounts, and e-mail is frequently used to remind patients and clients of imminent appointments. In short, "account" is an apt word for the conglomeration of stored messages that comprises an e-mail account, as it provides an account of its owner's life. By obtaining access to someone's e-mail, government agents gain the ability to peer deeply into his activities. Even though the law is unconstitutional, the court concluded, Warshak's conviction should be upheld because police relied "in good faith" on their interpretation of the surveillance law. (In a concurring opinion, Judge Damon Keith, a Clinton appointee, wrote he was troubled by the Justice Department's "back-door wiretapping" procedures in this case, but agreed with the decision to uphold the conviction.) Orin Kerr, a law professor at George Washington University who has written extensively (PDF) about electronic surveillance, called today's decision "correct" and "quite persuasive." Kevin Bankston, an attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation who wrote an amicus brief (PDF) in this case, called it a key decision because it's the "only federal appellate decision currently on the books that squarely rules on this critically important privacy issue." Updated at 3:26 p.m. PT with comment from U.S. Attorney's office. See original article at: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20025650-281.html

Dick, We can have a brief section on Escort Hygiene on overall cleanliness and breath care. I assumed that anything off would be mentioned in the experience but there is no reason we cannot have a more structured comment section.

This looks to be a real technological marvel and true energy consumption game changer if it lives up to its potential. I hope it does. I hope it helps bring back GM as well. We desperately need to maintain and expand our manufacturing base for a variety of reasons. I would love to have one except for my aversion to being a beta tester, the price, and the compact size. That and I just bought a Fusion, the 2010 Car of the Year, to replace my 2002 Cougar that someone ran over while parked on a residential street. Had that not happened, and I still commuted 500 miles a week roundtrip to a job I might have bought in after a couple of years of shake out experience on the Volt.

2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year: Chevrolet Volt A Car of the Future You Can Drive Today From the January, 2011 issue of Motor Trend / By Angus MacKenzie / Photography by Julia LaPalme, Wesley Allison "I expected a science fair experiment. But this is a moonshot." Chris Theodore is a wily veteran of the auto business, a seasoned development engineer whose impressive resume includes vehicles as thoughtfully executed as the Chrysler minivan and as tightly focused as the Ford GT. As one of the consultant judges on this year's COTY panel, Chris brought the deep insight and professional skepticism you'd expect of someone who's spent his entire working life making cars. But our 2011 Car of the Year, Chevrolet's ground-breaking Volt, has blown him away. This is a fully developed vehicle with seamlessly integrated systems and software, a real car that provides a unique driving experience. And commuters may never need to buy gas!" Like all of us on the staff at Motor Trend, Chris is an enthusiast, a man who'll keep a thundering high-performance V-8 in his garage no matter how high gas prices go. But he nailed the Volt's place in automotive history: "If this is the brave new world, then it's an acceptable definition." In the 61-year history of the Car of the Year award, there have been few contenders as hyped -- or as controversial -- as the Chevrolet Volt. The Volt started life an Old GM project, then arrived fully formed as a symbol of New GM, carrying all the emotional and political baggage of that profound and painful transition. As a result, a lot of the sound and fury that has surrounded the Volt's launchhas tended to obscure a simple truth: This automobile is a game-changer. ... The more we think about the Volt, the more convinced we are this vehicle represents a real breakthrough. The genius of the Volt's powertrain is that it is actually capable of operating as a pure EV, a series hybrid, or as a parallel hybrid to deliver the best possible efficiency, depending on your duty cycle. For want of a better technical descriptor, this is world's first intelligent hybrid. And the investment in the technology that drives this car is also an investment in the long-term future of automaking in America See complete article at:http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1101_2011_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_chevrolet_volt/index.html

I can't say that I think much of the idea. I want to know what the reviewer thinks about the escort. I can get the escort's inputs from the profile page which is linked to the review.

Gay rights groups condemn Blatter comment By STEVE DOUGLAS, AP Sports Writer Dec 14, 1:48 pm EST LONDON (AP)A leading international gay rights group demanded an official apology from FIFA on Tuesday following Sepp Blatters comment about homosexual fans traveling to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup. The president of the world soccer governing body said Monday that gay fans should refrain from any sexual activities during the World Cup in Qatar, where homosexual behavior is illegal. Juris Lavrikovs, communications director for the European branch of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, said the comments were very unfortunate and have left people deeply offended. I think they should come out with a strong statement and not just wash it away, Lavrikovs told The Associated Press. We are talking about a very basic human right that is being violated. Blatter spoke in South Africa on Monday at the launch of a post-2010 World Cup legacy project. He was asked if he could foresee any cultural problems with the tournament being held in Qatar. Id say they (gay fans) should refrain from any sexual activities, he said, smiling. This is not a joke, this is a matter of life and death to people, Lavrikovs said. Qatar and more than 70 other countries in the world still criminalize individuals for homosexual relationships, and some countries even punish them by death sentence. Its disappointing to see that an organization that is promoting the game, which in its statutes condemns discrimination of any kind, is coming out with comments like this. Qatar beat the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea in the FIFA vote on Dec. 2 to host the 2022 World Cup. Concerns have been raised that a country hosting a major tournament has stringent laws that are seen by many to violate basic human rights. Sepp Blatter jokes about the risk to gay visitors in 2022, but Qatars anti-gay policies are no laughing matter, British human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said. John Amaechi also condemned Blatters remarks. The former NBA player from Britain who revealed he was gay in 2007 said on his website that FIFA has endorsed the marginalization of LGBT people around the world. Amaechi also demanded an apology from FIFA and urged other associations to distance themselves from Blatters comments. Anything less than a full reversal of his position is unacceptable, he said. Herman Ouseley, chairman of Kick It Out, a British campaign group for equality and inclusion in soccer, said he expected better from someone in Blatters position. It was all frivolity and laughter but its a serious businesspeoples existence he has ridiculed, Ouseley told the AP at the launch of his groups annual review at the British Parliament. We cant have that from the top of the world governing bodyyouve got to show leadership because youve got to influence the standards of behavior required and then youve got to enforce it when theres a failure. AP Sports Writer Rob Harris contributed to this report.

Stem Cell Transplant Cures HIV In 'Berlin Patient' The Huffington Post | Carly Schwartz First Posted: 12-14-10 01:04 PM | Updated: 12-14-10 02:00 PM On the heels of World AIDS Day comes a stunning medical breakthrough: Doctors believe an HIV-positive man who underwent a stem cell transplant has been cured as a result of the procedure. Timothy Ray Brown, also known as the "Berlin Patient," received the transplant in 2007 as part of a lengthy treatment course for leukemia. His doctors recently published a report in the journal Blood affirming that the results of extensive testing "strongly suggest that cure of HIV infection has been achieved." While Brown is the first person to ever be declared cured of HIV, his case paves a path for constructing a cure for HIV through genetically-engineered stem cells. Last week, Time named another AIDS-related discovery to its list of the Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2010. Recent studies show that healthy individuals who take antiretrovirals, medicine commonly prescribed for treating HIV, can reduce their risk of contracting the disease by up to 73 percent. While these developments by no means prove a cure for the virus has been found, they can certainly provide hope for the more than 33 million people living with HIV worldwide. Alongside such findings, global efforts to combat the epidemic have accelerated as of late, with new initiatives emerging in the Philippines and South Africa this week. See original article at:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/14/hiv-cure-berlin-patient_n_796521.html

'C-Diff' Superbug On The Rise: Last-Ditch Method At Fighting Intestinal Bug LAURAN NEERGAARD | 12/13/10 09:34 PM | AP WASHINGTON — A superbug named C-diff is on the rise, a germ that so ravages some people's intestines that repeated tries of the strongest, most expensive antibiotic can't conquer their disabling diarrhea. Now a small but growing number of doctors are trying a last-ditch treatment: Using good bacteria to fight off the bad by transplanting stool from a healthy person into the sick person's colon. Yes, there's a yuck factor. But reports of several dozen cases in a medical journal and at a meeting of the nation's gastroenterologists this fall suggest that with no more inconvenience than a colonoscopy, people who have suffered C-diff for months, or longer, can rapidly improve. "This is the ultimate probiotic," says Dr. Lawrence Brandt of New York's Montefiore Medical Center, who has performed 17 of the procedures. Yet it's much more complex: An entire bacterial neighborhood is transplanted, almost like an organ transplant minus the anti-rejection drugs, says Dr. Alexander Khoruts of the University of Minnesota. He took a genetic fingerprint of the gut bacteria in a woman left emaciated after eight months of severe C-diff. Not only did the diarrhea disappear after a fecal transplant, but that normal bacteria mirroring her husband's – the donor – quickly took root in her recovering intestine. Here's the caution: Fecal transplants haven't been studied in the way that science requires to prove they work – by comparing similar patients given either a transplant or more intense antibiotics. History is full of failed treatments that doctors thought promising until they were put to a real test. "There's very good reason to think this fecal transplantation, or bacteriotherapy, might work, but it needs to be proven before everybody starts to do it," stresses Dr. Lawrence Schiller, a gastroenterologist with the Baylor Health Care system in Dallas. He followed reports on the treatment at the American College of Gastroenterology's recent meeting, but hasn't joined the fledgling trend. C-diff, formally named Clostridium difficile, has become a menace in the nation's hospitals, and can spread outside of them, too. Some patients suffer just mild diarrhea, but others, especially older adults weakened by previous illness, can develop a more severe condition called colitis. There aren't precise counts but some government estimates suggest C-diff may be responsible for as many as 15,000 deaths a year. Up to a third of patients experience a second infection, and some go on to suffer recurrent bouts. Those worst-case patients are put on increasingly strong doses of the powerful antibiotic vancomycin for weeks, even months, at a time, treatments that Brandt says can cost $2,500 or more with each try. But because antibiotics kill good germs as well as bad ones, the C-diff can bounce back inside a colon now depleted of the hundreds of species of bacteria that are supposed to live there. "They're caught in this cycle of treatment and re-treatment," says Minnesota's Khoruts, who has performed 21 fecal transplants since discovering how normal bacteria took over in his first patient in 2008. He's now begun more detailed before-and-after mapping of patients to try to identify whether particular good bacteria are key. Fecal transplants aren't new – the first was reported in 1958, and they've been performed occasionally ever since. But of 170 cases described in medical journals since then, about a third were published this year, suggesting increased interest as the C-diff problem grows, says Montefiore's Brandt. Doctors who perform fecal transplants agree that more rigorous research is needed – without it, there's no way to know if only the supposed successes, and not the failures are being written up. Brandt is planning a pilot study. "I used to say this was just a measure of how desperate patients and their doctors were. There came a time when there was nothing else to do," says Dr. Christina Surawicz of the University of Washington's Harborview Medical Center, before performing her 16th procedure last week. How are they done? There's no one method. Brandt insists on a list of tests to make sure the donor doesn't have diseases such as hepatitis or HIV, or intestinal parasites. Then the donor, usually a close relative, brings in a fresh stool sample that Brandt liquefies and essentially drips into the patient's colon during a routine colonoscopy. Insurance companies don't specifically cover fecal transplants, but they do pay for colonoscopies for C-diff patients, Brandt says. The donor's testing can run to several hundred dollars. If insurance does not cover it, the patients pay. One of Brandt's patients suffered recurrent bouts of C-diff for about 18 months before finding the option. "You start to feel like a leper, quite honestly," says Ruth, a New York woman who asked that her last name not be used. She says she's felt great for two years since getting treated, although "I will tell you I have not taken another antibiotic." ___ EDITOR's NOTE – Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for The Associated Press in Washington. See original article at:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/13/cdiff-superbug_n_796156.html

FIFA President: Gay Fans 'Should Refrain From Any Sexual Activities' During 2022 World Cup In Qatar GERALD IMRAY | 12/13/10 02:29 PM | AP JOHANNESBURG FIFA President Sepp Blatter insisted Monday that the votes to award World Cups to Russia and Qatar were based on developing soccer and had nothing to do with money. He also noted that the world's biggest soccer tournament will have to adjust to more than just the sweltering desert heat when it takes its party-like atmosphere to the Middle East in 2022. Blatter said that homosexual fans "should refrain from any sexual activities" that are illegal in Qatar. Drinking alcohol also is restricted in the country, but Blatter hopes soccer's universal appeal will bridge cultural differences at the 2022 World Cup. "It's another culture and another religion, but in football we have no boundaries," said Blatter, who was in South Africa for the official closing of the 2010 World Cup. "We open everything to everybody and I think there shall not be any discrimination against any human beings, being on this side or that side, left or right or whatever. "Football is a game that does not affect any discrimination. You may be assured ... if people want to watch a match in Qatar in 2022, they will be admitted to matches." Having praised South Africa's tournament as an example of the success a first-time host can achieve, Blatter added during his appearance at Soccer City that he thought there was "too much concern" for the World Cup in Qatar. FIFA has been criticized for choosing Russia and Qatar over more traditional soccer countries during a Dec. 2 vote that took place without two members of the executive committee who were suspended for allegedly agreeing to take money for their support. In his first public address since the vote, Blatter defended FIFA's choices. "We go to Eastern Europe, to Russia where the World Cup has never been. And later on, we go to the Middle East, we go to the Arabic world, we go to the Islamic world," Blatter said. "This is the development of football and don't speak about money. This has nothing to do with money, as it had nothing to do with money here in Africa. It has to do with the development of the game," he said, pounding the podium with his fist for emphasis. Blatter also announced a $100 million legacy fund for South Africa. He said $20 million had already been used to build a new South African Football Association headquarters and for part of the organizing of the competition, but promised the remainder would go to "social and community projects." FIFA earned an estimated $3.5 billion from this year's World Cup. South Africa President Jacob Zuma, who had met with Blatter at Soccer City earlier Monday, said he hoped the first World Cup in Africa would act as a catalyst for development in the country. "We are officially closing one of the major highlights and success stories of the year," Zuma said. "We hosted a memorable World Cup." Blatter said he was proud of the South African tournament. "FIFA's World Cup is not a circus, coming into a country, putting up some tents and when the performance is over, taking everything with and perhaps some more and going home," he said. "No, FIFA's World Cup is more than that." See original article at:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/13/fifa-president-gay-fans_n_796068.html

This is some serious shit. I hope someone presses for a Federal Civil Rights investigation of the APD actions. Engaging in harassment, abuse and false arrest under the color of law strikes me as a hate crime that ought to be investigated at the least.

Where the fuck have you been? Oh, yeah, France. I guess that explains how you can ask the question. I don't know 'how they can be' but it has been plain ever since the last presidential election season that the amount of ignorance and willingness to embrace erroneous information is legion in this country. What's worse, many of those willingly misled seem proud to wallow in their stupor of stupidity. Our national level of intellectual capaciity is in steady, serious decline. I actually remember when there were many intellectually acute conservative leaders. A few remain but they have to watch their profile lest they be tarred and feathered by the rank and file and cable pundits. To be fair, there are some liberal dullards as well, but many fewer and generally less toxic these days, IMO.

lookin, This is priceless and you are a national treasure.

Fibre One is a great source of fibre. I tried Fibre One off and on for a couple of months, the mega version -- one serving = 57% daily requirement. It tasted like shredded cardboard in milk. Also I tried it covered it in sugar-free cranberry sauce or sugare-free blueberry compote and milk. It made some small improvement in getting it down but it doubled the time to do it with the extra food mass. It seemed like I had to chew a mouthful for five minutes to get it ready for swallowing. Not my cup of tea. Then I went to Benefiber. Tasteless, dissolves in water. I put it in my morning coffee. The big problem was $$$$$. Also comparing the results, it didnt deliver the same output per $ or per gram of input, if you catch my drift. I went back to psyllium aka Metamucil, but generic. Very effective form of fibre, as good as Fibre One, much better than Benefiber based on outcome, cheap bought online. Tasteless too (unflavored) but gritty texture if not dissolved well. Turns into gel if left to dissolve too long, so there is an optimun midpoint for consumption. Stir fast, stir well, chug. Mildly unpleasant experience but quick to endure. I have found flavored sugar-free version at Walmart for nearly the same price as online generic (less than half cost of Metamucil) which I will try, to see if it improves the experience. Psyllium is definitely my preference of all the versions I have tried to date. If you can deal with the texture and taste and don't mind the extra $ then Fibre One is as effective. BTW Consumer Reports rates psyllium as one of the top ten best dietary supplements one can take. FWIW

The phenomenon is called 'billable hours'. There are five times more in ten years than in two years.

You nailed it. Nobody told me I'd have to keep my seatbelt fastened to keep my ass from floating all over the cabin for 8 months. BTW, I hope CO isn't the carrier for Mars Express. Sometimes prolog can be helpful.

Why do I feel like I am in a time warp?

You'll know when the bookstore is about to become extinct when the price of e-readers drops to little more than shipping and handling. Anybody knows... anybody... that the money in a system is always in the software, not the hardware. If you want to sell electronic books big time then you get the e-readers out to everyone. You do that by dropping the cost of the hardware. As long as companies try to make money off the hardware, you know it is still a novelty.

It's about time.

Well, it seems that consistency is the hob-goblin of small minds. Just last week I saw a story that said there were strong benefits to increasing Vitamin D to 1000 IUs per day. It also stated that we need less calcium than previously thought. So what's a body to think? As for the high carb diet piece, this is pretty much bullshit as presented. A more accurate postioning of the article would be a High Fiber Diet Could Work Wonders For You. That is the bottom line to his 'High Carb' hypothesis. You could eat high fibre with an all-chocolate diet, all-beer for that matter, and have a good probability of losing weight. Fibre is very good for you. It not only fills your gut, sating appetite, but it smuggles calories through and out the digestive system before they are absorbed. High fibre and low carb would be a great combo if they were compatible. Unfortuantely, they are not generally. High fibre is found in conjunction with carbs and even a few carbs upset the low carb meatabolism balance. As far as his hypothesis that weight loss is simply a function of calories is also bullshit as he presents it. While there is a thermodynamic law basis for this he doesn't dwell on the efficiency of the energy conversion and combustion processes. Simply put, different people have different matabolisms. Two people can eat the same caloric input (holding fibre constant) and have drastically different weight outcomes, even at the same exercise levels. Some people burn vast amounts of calories just breathing. Others convert air into stored fat. Many of us know this to be true from life experience. We see metabolism change with age for most of us, even accounting for decreased physical activity. IMO most people who peddle this bullshit have never had a weight problem, thus observational experience never tempers their book learning physics and chemistry.