On Saving Time and Daylight

We can thank the mischievous mind of Ben Franklin for the theory of DST. 



We can thank the DPE for up to the minute culinary advice.

We can thank Winchester, VA for Rick Santorum.

The Guy Next Door

Does anyone think the good folks of New Hampshire will go for a Texan, a Georgian, or a feller from Utah over a guy from Michigan the  state next door?

January 02, 2012

From Taegan Goddard:

Romney Solidifies New Hampshire Lead

The latest Suffolk tracking poll in New Hampshire shows Mitt Romney leading with 43%, followed by Ron Paul at 17%, Jon Huntsman at 9% and Newt Gingrich at 8%.

Key finding: "Romney is not only widening his margin in New Hampshire, his supporters are now the least likely to change their minds between now and next Tuesday."



King Snakes are ophiophagous.

Are We High Yet?

Sometimes I just don't know what to say...

Painkiller 10 times stronger than Vicodin worries addiction experts

(It Should) 

(CBS/AP) As pharmaceutical companies are approaching the final stages of development for a new type of painkiller said to be 10 times stronger than Vicodin, addiction experts worry a new wave of abuse may soon follow...

Four companies have begun patient testing on the pills which contain a pure version of the highly addictive painkiller hydrocodone...

"It's like the wild west," said Peter Jackson, co-founder of Advocates for the Reform of Prescription Opioids. "The whole supply-side system is set up to perpetuate this massive unloading of opioid narcotics on the American public."

                                                          ***

Opiates block pain but also unleash intense feelings of well-being and can create physical dependence. Withdrawal symptoms can be intense, causing cramps, diarrhea, muddled thinking, nausea and vomiting. After a while, opiates stop working, forcing users to take stronger doses.

"You've got a person on your product for life, and a doctor's got a patient who's never going to miss an appointment, because if they did and they didn't get their prescription, they would feel very sick," said Andrew Kolodny, president of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing. "It's a terrific business model, and that's what these companies want to get in on."

The U.S. consumes 99 percent of the world's hydrocodone and 83 percent of its oxycodone, according to a 2008 study by the International Narcotics Control Board.   [Emphasis mine].

What Is Happening To Our Children?

I fear I have encountered an iceberg. My research is just beginning and I don't like what I am finding out about child abuse in the U.S.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2010). Child Maltreatment 2009. Available from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/index.htm#can
(HT) ChildHelp.org

Iraq Coalition Military Fatalities By Year

Year	US	UK	Other	Total
2003	486	53	41	580
2004	849	22	35	906
2005	846	23	28	897
2006	822	29	21	872
2007	904	47	10	961
2008	314	4	4	322
2009	149	1	0	150
2010	60	0	0	60
2011	54	0	0	54
Total	4484	179	139	4802

Afghanistan Coalition Military Fatalities By Year

Year	US	UK	Other	Total
2001	12	0	0	12
2002	49	3	18	70
2003	48	0	10	58
2004	52	1	7	60
2005	99	1	31	131
2006	98	39	54	191
2007	117	42	73	232
2008	155	51	89	295
2009	317	108	96	521
2010	499	103	109	711
2011	412	45	101	558
Total	1858	393	588	2839

More than 13,000 children have died from abuse since 2003. Double the number of military coalition casualties of two wars.

The Donald tells the GOP; "You're Fired!"

From Political Wire:

 Trump Dumps Republican Party

Donald Trump continued to tease a potential presidential run by changing his voter registration from Republican to "unaffiliated" and publicly denouncing the behavior of members of his former party, CNN reports.

Michael Cohen, an aide to Trump, said the real estate mogul and reality television star made the switch "in order to preserve his right to run for president as an independent if he's not satisfied with who the Republicans nominate."

Cohen added that Trump was "disgusted with the way Republicans are handling" the payroll tax cut extension, saying the actions of Republicans were partly to blame for his party change.

 A person just can't make this shit up. Mitt, Newt, The Donald, Jon, Ron Paul, Rick Perry (what the fuck is up with the two first names?), Herman the Ho...Is anyone else embarrassed? It's Not going to be The Thrilla In Manilla folks.

Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus

From Taegan Goddard at Political Wire:

December 24, 2011

Gingrich Fails to Qualify for Virginia Ballot

Newt Gingrich has failed to qualify for Virginia's presidential primary, the Richmond Times Dispatch reports.

Rick Perry also failed to amass the required 10,000 signatures of registered voters to qualify for the March 6 contest.

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul will be the only candidates on the ballot.

Several polls this month showed Gingrich with a substantial lead over Romney in the state.

Merry Christmas from Virginia.

Oh yeah, Christmas.

So it's that time again. Well we saved the cattle but we lost the farm. A person can't have everything. For the one or two lost souls who have happened onto this electronic cave, a suggestion for Christmas day entertainment:

The Dismal Political Economist

They promise to bring us the up side of our holiday cheer.