My Worst Bacon and God To Date

I mean worst as in unfunny. I usually think of the punchline as I write the comic. This time I worked around a punchline. Yep, it is a lame cartoon.

I thought I was more evil than this

You Are 46% Evil

You are evil, but you haven't yet mastered the dark side. Fear not though - you are on your way to world domination.

How Evil Are You?

I'm not as evil as Bane, and he believes in God.

Two More Science Stories That Mean Nothing To Fundies

I take it for granted that I can accept scientific findings rather easily, I admit I have confidence in the scientific method. It must really suck seeing a story about Neanderthals and Early Humans coexisting and thinking it is a bunch of hooey, or not even trying to understand it. Or seeing a story about early mammals swimming with dinosaurs 164 million years ago and shaking your head at it.

But then again, it must be like being learning disabled or even in a vegetative Alzheimer's state or something like that; dismissing scientific findings because it goes against ones ego or goes against man's written words of 2000 years ago. Again, I'm glad it isn't me.

These two new discoveries easily fit into the overall theory of evolution. However, they might wipe out some minor theories, and of course strengthen many other theories. Most findings have a domino effect on existing theories, adding strength to seemingly less related ones. That is the beauty of science, each new discovery is like a jigsaw puzzle piece in the giant puzzle of the history of life and the universe. For example, as more evidence is found, the exact timelines that Neanderthal and Early Man's actually coextisted can be made more certain. As more evidence is found, the exact timeline of the first early mammal and the first swimming mammal can be be made more certain.

These two findings don't help out the Fundy theory of creation one bit though, the only thing Fundies can say about it that it proves that scientists don't have all the answers and then they twist it to conclude that scientists are wrong, therefore creation is right and evolution is dead.

As soon as something doesn't fit into a scientific theory, the theory has to be revised or killed. No scientific finding as ever gone against evolution theory and supported Young Earth Creation. It always seems to be the other way. And don't think there aren't a ton of Creationists with PHD's looking to disprove evolution. They've tried for years, and they just can't.

Does This Sound Like America's Ally?

Right from the US Dept. of State Travel Website:

SAFETY AND SECURITY: Americans in the United Arab Emirates should exercise a high level of security awareness. The Department of State remains concerned about the possibility of terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world. Americans should maintain a low profile, vary routes and times for all required travel, and treat mail and packages from unfamiliar sources with caution. In addition, U.S. citizens are urged to avoid contact with any suspicious, unfamiliar objects, and to report the presence of the objects to local authorities. Vehicles should not be left unattended, if at all possible, and should be kept locked at all times. U.S. Government personnel overseas have been advised to take the same precautions. In addition, U.S. Government facilities may temporarily close or suspend public services from time to time as necessary to review their security posture and ensure its adequacy.

Taking photographs of potentially-sensitive military or civilian sites, and/or engaging in mapping activities, especially mapping which includes the use of GPS equipment, without coordination with UAE authorities, may result in arrest, detention and/or prosecution by local authorities.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Middle East and North Africa Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and other Public Announcements can be found.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1050.html

One more thing. Bush said he didn't know about the deal before the weekend, yet a secret agreement was made to push this deal through, where the UAE company had to agree to some concessions. This wasn't important enough to involve Bush?

Media Still Behind on Port's Deal

Now that the Port's deal finally made front page news, I'm still noticing that the media is missing the boat on a few crucial issues. Maybe I'm just ahead of the game.

Dubai Ports World is borrowing the money to become a major security risk in America:

DP World, $6.5bn loan for P&O
United Arab Emirates: Saturday, February 18 - 2006 at 10:34
State owned Dubai Ports World is to raise $6.5bn next week to fund its purchase of Dubai Ports World, a $200m revolving credit facility and $6.3bn five-year syndicated loan, the largest ever loan facility raised in the Middle East. Barclays Capital and Deutsche Bank are joint lead arrangers, with some 30 banks expected to take part in the syndication.

I lost a lot of respect for Bill O'Reilly when I heard him last night calling the UAE America's best ally in the Middle East and he thought it was disasterous to back out of this deal because it will offend the Arabs. "Offend the Arabs?," if it isn't this, it will be another thing. The last thing anyone should worry about is dancing on eggshells avoiding offending Arabs.
As far as the UAE being friends of the USA, check out the Zogby Poll results from an October poll (Partially Sponsored by Young Arab Leaders and The Arab American Institute). 500 interviews conducted in UAE, from Oct. 18-24, 2005 in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Of these, 101 were Emirati citizens. Slight weights were applied to religion, age, education, nationality, and city to more accurately reflect the adult population. MOE for the sample of 101 is +/- 10.0 percentage points:

Please tell me if your overall impression of each is very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable, or if you are not familiar enough to form a judgment.

Favorable 32%... Unfavorable 66%

In the past year, how has your attitude towards the United States changed? Is it now…?

Better 8%...Worse 58%...Same 31%

How can you let a state owned company run 6 ports in America when two thirds of the people from that state owned company admittedly hold the USA in disfavor?

One more thing, from what the US Committee on Foreign Investments, has only turned down 1 deal out of 1500 ("In the 17 years since it was created, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. has completed reviews of more than 1,500 foreign takeovers. Of those, it has forwarded only 12 for presidential review. And only one--a Chinese takeover of a Seattle aerospace parts-maker--was rejected, in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush.") They make their decisions based on business and economics, not security. I've yet to see any evidence that this deal was scrutinized by Homeland Security.

I'm a firm believer that the majority of Americans voted Republican, not George Bush Jr., in the last election. And now Bush's two strongest allies in this Ports deal are the UAE and Jimmy Carter. If a US Presidential election was to be held tomorrow, Bush would get 2% of the popular vote because of his stance here.

Free trade and capitalism is one thing, but the line has to be drawn because of the War on Terror. Would it be acceptable if the UAE bought airplane schools, nuclear plants or anthrax manufacturing facilities in the US too? I'm pretty sure the Committee on Foreign Investment would approve the deals as being clean.