dixiegrrrrl
dixiegrrrrl's JournalGood news and bad news about Fukishima.........
First the bad news..
Report: Fukushima dust harms California babies
The report raises question about safety in Japan itself.
Ecologist reported Tuesday that new studies show a “significant increase in hypothyroidism among babies in California, 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean.”
Scientists earlier said the low doses that reached California could do no harm.
Research on this problem is facilitated by a law that requires that all babies born in California be tested at birth for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone levels.
Previous studies have found unborn babies sensitive to internal fission products.
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/362456
Good news:
http://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2013/10/16/Can-Hemp-Marijuana-and-Mushrooms-Fix-Fukushima-Part-1-What-Happened
I just bought our Christmas present...Organic grass fed beef.
or rather, half a beef.
Which will cost 4.25 a pound.
Plus the 115.00 for the butcher shop to cut and wrap and freeze it.
That sounds good, right?
Until one realizes that is the price of "hanging weight" after the beef is killed, skinned and gutted.
BEFORE it is cut up, and all the "discards" thrown away.
Comes to about 800 # hanging weight. Or hopefully smaller.
Bones will be included in the order.
I WANT the bones.
Back in the day, our Grandparents USED those bones, to make stews and things that actually jelled, because of the marrow in the bones.
The cooked bone dishes are what our bodies used to keep OUR bones strong, but in "today's" cooking, we don't use them.
There are a couple of good recipe books about how to cook bones, like the French do.
One is titled, appropriately, "Bones".
Plus the dog gets the cooked bones when I am done with them.
I also get the liver, heart, tongue, and the tail bones, for oxtail stew, which is extremely rich and flavorful.
Half a beef will last the 2 of us over 2 years, probably more, since we do not eat beef more than 2x week.
So, figuring the cost of beef I would buy in a store, which averages about 4.99#, in a year's time..
the rather huge outlay for half a beef now, upfront, is not that bad.
I consider it an investment, and saved up the money for it for the past2 years since we had our last beef purchase.
Esp. considering how incredibly flavorful the meat is, and how it does NOT contain anti-biotics and other yucky stuff.
The first thing I did after we moved into this house, was to buy a chest freezer, which sits in the carport, tucked away, and locked.
The joys of country living.
Excellent list of anti spying computing/internet choices.
Opt out of global data surveillance programs like PRISM, XKeyscore and Tempora.
Here are alternatives and/or fixes for your OS, your browsers, clouds, emails, etc.
https://prism-break.org/
Pls. rec if you find this helpful.
The Walled World-if you thought the Berlin Wall was a bad idea-check out these 10 countries'walls.
Remember how pissed everyone was about "The Communists" building the Berlin Wall, how it was derided as an affront to freedom and democracy?
Very readable interactive article and maps of 10 countires' walls.
Just scroll down and each country is revealed in map and information.
Why are we building new walls to divide us?
Using satellite imagery, users' pictures, video and first-hand testimony, Guardian reporters across the world chart the new walls being built to divide people from their neighbours
http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2013/nov/walls#intro
annnd teh beat goes on: Jury Finds Pipe Maker Defrauded Governments
First: the facts
The jury’s decision entitles the states and municipalities to be compensated for their losses by the manufacturer, JM Eagle, a private company based in Los Angeles that has 20 plants in the United States and Mexico.
Snip...
turns out, it was the pipe company's former engineer who was fired for whisltblowing on the rip off.
He filed under the False Claims Act, a law that allows private citizens to sue on behalf of government agencies that they believe have been defrauded. Such cases are typically brought on behalf of a federal agency, like the Pentagon or the Medicare program.
Hmmmmmmmmm....there's an idea.
And the owner of the company?
Today he is the sole owner of JM Eagle.
the guy is kinda screwed because :
AND
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/11/15/jury-finds-pipe-maker-defrauded-governments/?src=dlbksb&_r=0
J.P. Morgan cancels a Twitter Q&A after too many "insulting" questions are asked.
Hat Tip to DU's ms. smiler:
Few questions appeared until Wednesday afternoon, when responses piled in, many making fun of the attempt to use social media, insulting executives and reminding readers of the bank's recent legal problems.
"Reading the #AskJPM Twitter feed makes it seem JPM put a 'kick me' sticker on its back when it rolled out that hashtag," wrote one user.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/14/net-us-jpmorgan-qa-idUSBRE9AD01A20131114
Some of the questions:
Is the fact that you've paid over half a billion in fines since August a source or pride, or are you embarrassed it's not higher? #AskJPM
— alexis goldstein (@alexisgoldstein) November 13, 2013
My question: Why is JP Morgan Chase foreclosing on my neighbor after she's paid for her house 4 times over? #AskJPM Disgusting.
— Mark Schultz (@markasch) November 13, 2013
Does it feel better paying the biggest bank fines in history so far, or did the satisfaction of the crimes outweigh the fines? #AskJPM
— Schoun (@schoun) November 13, 2013
Are you relieved that credit ratings services are so inept, or would your billables be even higher if you faced competent scrutiny? #AskJPM
— Dominic Mauro (@mynameisdom) November 13, 2013
Wait! It gets even better!
Apparently JP did not realize a hashtag cannot be deleted, so comments continue to pour in to #AskJPM !!!!!
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskJPM&src=hash
feel free to join the fun....
Unindicted war criminal Bush to be on Leno show Nov. 19th.
OS ANGELES (AP) — George W. Bush is headed back to Jay Leno's show next week.
NBC tells The Associated Press that the former Republican president will discuss his post-White House life with Leno on the "Tonight Show" on Nov. 19.
Since leaving the White House in 2009, Bush has intentionally avoided the Washington political scrum and rarely gives lengthy interviews.
He told ABC earlier this year he wants to "stay out of the limelight."
It will be the fourth time that Bush has been a guest on Leno's couch.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/george-w-bush-heads-lenos-stage-next-week
Guess we know where NBC stands....rather, the owners of NBC, which are GE..
.the 26th-largest firm in the U.S.
the 4th-largest in the world
"spends more on U.S. lobbying than any other company."
At attempt at turd polishing, perhaps????
Hot damn...hell has frozen over.
Bank Of America Found Liable For Countrywide’s “Hustle” Scam
http://consumerist.com/2013/10/23/bank-of-america-found-liable-for-countrywides-hustle-scam/
story carries Oct. 23 date, but is the first I have seen of it.
I still think criminal charges should be brought, but large fines DO hit them where it counts..in the profits.
edited to add:
Ironically, one of those Countrywide "No doc" loans was mine.
We could, and can, afford to pay the mortgage, but at the time of buying our house,
had just entered retirement and did not have proof of all of our pending income.
No problem, as it turned out, for Countrywide.
Once in awhile, a silver lining.
Train carrying crude oil explodes in West Alabama
That train crosses a trestle about 1/4 mile from my house.
It was announced a few months ago that the trains would be carrying crude oil.
And now this..
12 cars derailed, followed by several explosions, fires.
Fortunately, in a very rural area.
Unfortunately, rural area is difficult to get to, it is west of Tuscaloosa, for reference.
http://www.abc3340.com/story/23912869/train-crash-reported-in-west-alabama
Profile Information
Gender: FemaleHometown: Washington state, for half my life
Home country: USA
Current location: SW Alabama. for the rest of my life
Member since: Wed Feb 27, 2008, 02:09 PM
Number of posts: 60,010