AUSSIES SAY, "NO WAY"

I came across this in my wanderings today. Seems the Aussies don't always say "she'll be right , mate". I have no idea who "Anonymous Coward" is. The header tells you about an American group that seems to be fighting the Real ID card. <----I believe that might be Dubya's reply. Submitted by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 26, @04:45PM The proposed Australian "Access Card", a universal ID that would be required for any Australian wishing to use Medicare, Centrelink, the Child Support Agency, or Veterans' Affairs, has been scrapped by the incoming Rudd Labor Government. The card would have contained an RFID tag with the person's name, date of birth, gender, address, signature, card number, card expiration date, and Medicare number, but there were also provisions to add more personal data later on. It seems that Rudd Labor is not eager to copy the American REAL ID Act.http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071224-australias-controversial-national-id-program-hits-the-dumpster.html . That's not enough. We all know about the crapola that the music industry is foisting on Americans. Although we don't download music from the internet, many people do. Especially if they have teenagers in the house. If you do download and/or have others who do, you might find this informative: http://www.cdt.org/copyright/warninglist/ . As you know, New Mexico has its share of real life cowboys. I overheard two of them talking about a situation. The conversation went like this: Two cowboys are talking about their favorite sex position. One says, "I think I enjoy the rodeo position the best." "I haven't ever heard of that one", says the other cowboy, "What is it?" "Well, its where you get your girlfriend down on all fours, you mount her from behind, you reach around and cup each one of her breasts in your hands, and then you whisper in her ear, 'Boy, these feel just like your sister's' ... and then you try to hold on for 8 seconds." . I'm sorry. That just slipped in. . Whether you're a newly minted blogger or a relative old-timer, you've been seeing more and more stories pop up every day about bloggers getting in trouble for what they post. Here's a link that might help protect you: http://w2.eff.org/bloggers/lg/ . And it seems to be happening in Japan now. Censorship is rearing its super ugly head: Japanese Government to Regulate Online Communication Posted by Soulskill on Friday December 28, @03:42AMfrom the best-of-luck-with-that dept. Chris Salzberg writes "The Japanese government made major moves this month toward legislating extensive regulation over online communication. In a series of little-publicized meetings, two distinct government ministries pushed ahead with regulation in three major areas of online communication: web content, mobile phone access, and file sharing. Content regulation will cover anything on the web, including personal blogs and web pages. Upcoming mandatory filtering of mobile phone access is targeted at users under age 18, and will cover chat rooms, forums, bulletin boards and social networking services. File sharing legislation will initially target illegal downloads, but, according to critics, may ultimately broaden to include streaming media from sites such as YouTube." Although I can understand why they want to censor some web things, I don't think they fully understand what they are creating. When any government wants to control what people see, read and think, (especially in a prosperous state) vthere can only be discontent and eventually violence. "Little publicized meetings" can lead to things no one wants to see. I wish Japanese bloggers and media luck in fighting this idiocy. Here's a more detailed story about it: http://gyaku.jp/en/index.php?cmd=contentview&pid=000320 . Now, have fun. Eat too much. Drink a little too much. Don't get caught by the blue noses.

KANGAROO FARTS ARE GOOD

I just couldn't miss showing this to you. I know, I know, it's not a bellyache about Bill Richardson nor Dubya, but I laughed all the way through it. Keep in mind that kangaroos are marsupials. And that Aussies have a reputation as being the world's best con men. Anything for a joke used to be the rule there. It was published in the Brisbane Courier Mail.

.

AUSTRALIAN scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroos' flatulence contains no methane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who emit large quantities of the harmful gas. While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack pushing out carbon dioxide, livestock passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions in some countries. Queensland Government senior research scientist Athol Klieve says 14 per cent of emissions from all sources in Australia are from enteric methane from cattle and sheep. "If you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they're actually up around 50 per cent," he said. Researchers say the bacteria also makes the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers. "Not only would they not produce the methane, they would actually get something like 10 to 15 per cent more energy out of the feed they are eating," Dr Klieve said.

Even farmers who laugh at the idea of environmentally friendly kangaroo farts say that it is nothing to joke about, particularly given the devastating drought Australia is suffering. "In a tight year like a drought situation, 15 per cent (more energy) would be a considerable sum," said farmer Michael Mitton. But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate the bacteria before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep. Another group of scientists has suggested Australians farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos. The idea is controversial but about 20 per cent of health-conscious Australians are believed to eat the national symbol already. Peter Ampt, from the University of New South Wales's Institute of Environmental Studies, says the meat has health benefits. "It's low in fat. It's got high protein levels. It's very clean," he said. "It doesn't get drenched. It doesn't get vaccinated. It utilises food right across the landscape. It moves around to where the food is good. It's a good food."

.

This site never fails to elicit comments:

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/index.html

Enjoy.

GOOGLE WANTS YOU TO GIVE UP

Pure evil? Looks like it.

At least if you click on the header it does.

I've mentioned the Great Google before, but this time I think they might have gone too far.

They've snuck in a new feature called Google Talk. Which seems to be a sharing sort of thing. You know, chat with your friends online.

You'd think it was only competition to AIM and Yahoo.

But it's a bit more than that.

"If any of your friends from Google Talk are using Google Reader and sharing items, you'll see them listed under 'Friends' ."

That's a direct quote from the Google.

However, they admit that any files you have under your "Sharing" are also open to all your friends. And anyone you send an email to, can see whatever is there. And you can see their files. Google says you can deny this privilege to different people, but it sounds like an awful lot of work to me. The more people you send email to, the more can see your shared files.

Yep, the simple act of buying something on line gets your files opened to the company you do business with unless you remember to exclude them. I can't imagine New Egg being interested in my files, but since it's an online geek store....

However I believe I've figured out a way to prevent Google's Social Networking Tool from letting anyone have privileges on my computer. I just don't use Google Talk.

Sorry Google.

THE DAY AFTER

First up, Happy Chrismschanukwanzikah!

Rhiannon A. from San Diego passed along these greetings--which I just can't resist sharing (she works in a law firm, BTW):

.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the recipient of said wish. By accepting these greetings, you are accepting the aforementioned terms as stated. This greeting is not subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself/himself/others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

.

Here's a video from one of my favorite comedians.

Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kXOg23pGeA

.

This is late, but it says worlds about the mentality of some officials.

U.S. Customs agents have barred a lauded Canadian seller of Christmas trees from setting up shop in New York this year.

For the last nine years, Daniel Lemay, 39, a graphic designer from Montreal, has brought his trees south to sell in front of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, The New York Times reported. Each year, Lemay donated 10 percent of his Christmas sales, about $3,000, to the church. He lived in an elaborate, birch-sapling shack he designed and transported from Canada for the season.

But this year, Lemay was stopped at the border in Beecher Falls, Vt., where he said border agents told him only U.S. residents could bring in trees to sell, the Times reported.

Lemay quickly sold his trees to another Canadian grower, Roger Boust, a retired tree farmer from the Catskills, to sell them in New York, the Times said.

Nonetheless, residents in the Bowery are saddened and feel as if the Grinch "stole our Christmas tree man," said the Rev. Frank Morales, associate pastor of St. Mark's.

There isn't anything I can do other than shake my head.

.

"Always leave 'em laughing" department:

Little Johnny was eating breakfast one morning and started thinking about things.

"Mommy, why does daddy have so few hairs on his head?" he asked his mother.

"He thinks a lot," replied his mother, pleased with herself for coming up with a good answer to her husband's baldness.

Johnny thought for a second and asked,"So why do you have so much hair?"

.

Don't forget to click the header.

Have good day or two.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

You'll have to click on the picture to read the explanation. (I'm still trying to learn how to use my photo editing thingee.)

In any case, this cat understands the Spirit of Giving pretty darn well.

I have a couple of other gifts also:

.

http://www.funlaugh.com/Christmasmidis.html

.

http://www.links2love.com/christmas_songs_grandmarunover.htm

.

In Florida, an atheist became incensed over the preparation of Easter and Passover holidays. He decided to contact his lawyer about the discrimination inflicted on atheists by the constant celebrations afforded to Christians and Jews with all their holidays while atheists had no holiday to celebrate.

The case was brought before a wise judge. After listening to the long passionate presentation by the lawyer, the Judge banged his gavel and declared "Case dismissed!

"The lawyer immediately stood and objected to the ruling and said, "Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and many other observances. Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah...yet my client and all other atheists have no such holiday!"

The judge leaned forward in his chair and simply said, "Obviously your client is too confused to even know about, much less celebrate his own atheists' holiday!"

The lawyer pompously said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any such holiday for atheists. Just when might that holiday be, your Honor?"

The judge said, "Well it comes every year on exactly the same date---April 1st!

.

http://www.funlaugh.com/reindeercrash.html

. Enjoy yourselves, eat too much and have too much fun.

.

Don't forget to click the header.

DARN, DANG IT, RATS

Oh, terrific. Has anyone ever had a day where almost everything turns to poo? I'm having that now. First off, I indavertently deleted a few comments to the Banana posting while deleting some spam junk. (Sorry. If yours was one of them please resend it?) Then Schotzy got on the computer and entered a post. Now when I am on the "create post" site there's a bunch of strange looking characters here that I guess describe the picture. Looks ok in preview but weird on this page. And Blogger spell check still doesn't work. See what happens when you take time off to shop and put up the decorations and make cookies? . And now I see tools over on the right hand side of this page. They look like tools so anyone can change what's there, but I don't know how they got there. Nor how do I know how to remove them. . Please click on the header. There's a present for you.