HHH: Rangel Convicted, Spider goats, election coin tosses, and environmental wackos.

It's that time again, time to clear out my favorites list of all the stories I wanted to share with all (both) my readers but hadn't gotten around to posting.

#1: Rep. Rangel convicted for violation of ethics...faces a really, really sternly worded memo. That's right. In a classic example of Representation with Taxation, Mr. Rangel (among many other things) "fail[ed] to report more than $600,000 on his financial disclosure report and failing to pay taxes on rental income from a villa he owns in the Dominican Republic." Of course, he's too broke to afford a lawyer. He will likely face a formal reprimand. That means they will write a memo telling him what a mean, bad person he is. Bad Rangel! Bad! If they decide to go really medieval on his ass, they may even censure him. That means that said memo will be read aloud in front of the House while he stands up front. Harsh.

#2: Modified spider goats climb walls and fight crime...ok, no they don't. But they do use their milk to make spider silk! Using genes lifted from spiders and implanted in goats and silk worms it may soon be possible to mass produce this amazingly strong substance could soon be used in everything from body armor to really, really snazzy jeans. Crime fighting farm animals I'm sure are not far behind.

#3: Wanna become an Alaskan Congressman? Call it in the air...Tails. Bryce Edgmon has it. I swear I am not making this up. Apparently in September of '06 the Dem primary between incumbent Carl Moses and challenger Bryce Edgmon was actually tied. This invoked State statute is AS 15.20.530, which reads: "If after a recount and appeal two or more candidates tie in having the highest number of votes for the same office...the director shall...determine the successful candidate by lot." That's universal suffrage at work, boys.

#4: If you don't believe in man-made global warming, Paki-India will nuke you...or we'll blow you up using our portable "easy button". At least, that's what a professor at LSU and a environmental group (AKA: Granola crunching hippies) called 10-10 believe. First, to LSU. Watch the video. I especially love the part where he hands out an assignment where you need to estimate the probability of your children dying in horrible ways. Of course, he may have something with his India/Pakistan will nuke us in 50 years. In fact, I think he's right. The solution then is obvious. We need to launch a preemptive strike tomorrow.



Then the group 10-10. Their stated goal is to have everyone cut carbon emissions by 10% per year. Invoking my amazing powers of math, I think that means they want all carbon emissions gone in 10 years. I suppose we'll have to stop breathing by the year 2019. No biggie. Of course they are only interested in civil discourse and an earnest, sincere debate of the issues and evidence.



See? Nothing like a little Orwellian group think indoctrination by teachers to get you going for mother Earth!

#4: Belgium doesn't exist. Seriously. It doesn't. I mean, have you ever been there? No? I rest my case. But in case that doesn't convince you, peruse this website. All the evidence is there, my friends!