But they were at a consensus!

Some of you may have noticed that in my Earth Day post I used the word “consensus” several times. My reason for that was to set up this post. You see, over the years scientists and others who are considered experts in their fields have come to conclusions on major issues that for a time, change the way the world spins around. Then later on, those conclusions go up in a puff of smoke, and are never heard from or considered viable opinions again.

Today I present you with 5 things that during their time, scientists were positive they were right. There was a consensus by golly! Case closed! The debate is over! But they ended up being wrong. The first case I bring before you has to do with boobs. Not real boobs mind you, but the fake variety.

SILICONE IMPLANTS

As you know, some women just aren’t happy with their chest size. While pieces of toilet paper and push up bras work fine for the outward appearance, some women would rather have something that they don’t have to prepare every morning. This is where fake boobage comes in.

For those of you who are not up on your fake boob history, there are two kinds of breast implants: saline and silicone. Back in the early 1960’s, Dow Corning developed the first silicone prototypes for women. They proved very popular, but by the decade of decadence (Duh, the 1980’s dude.) medical researchers were warning women who were looking for the perfect bust that there was a dangerous link between silicone implants and serious health problems such as breast cancer, auto-immune disorders, and neurological conditions.

Much to the disappointment of the general male population, silicone implant manufacturers found themselves under attack from seedy lawyers whose offices were located in a strip mall next to a liquor store, to the big time personal injury lawyers located in posh business parks. In the next 2 decades, nearly 400,000 injury claims were filed against Dow Corning, with an additional 20,000 lawsuits on the books against them. Because of the severe backlash, Dow Corning not only completely halted manufacturing silicone implants; they also paid out about 3.2 billion dollars in claims. Of course by then the company that started in 1942 when Dr. Shailer Bass developed silicone grease (Dow Corning #4 Compound) that made high altitude flight possible was in complete disarray and was forced to file for bankruptcy.

Take that Dow Corning!! A big evil corporation that had been manufacturing a product that was a potential killer had been taken down! There is just one miniscule problem. Today the scientific consensus overwhelmingly agrees there is zero evidence that links silicone breast implants to any female health problems.

The next case brings us to something loved the world over, and little did we know it could also be a killer!

RED M&M’S

They may melt in your mouth and not in your hand, but there is something else you may not know M&M’s were thought to do at one time: Kill you! Back in the bicentennial year of 1976, Soviet scientists warned the world that FD&C Red No.2 food dye was a suspected carcinogen. You really have to ask yourself one question though. Why during the cold war would we pay attention to what Soviet scientists had to say? Were they just mad that others were using the color red?

The Food and Drug Administration did their own tests on Red No.2, and even though tests were inconclusive, the FDA decided to ban the additive anyway. This set off a widespread panic about every foodstuff colored red. And even though red M&M’s never even contained FD&C Red No.2, Mars banished the red ones to the same candy hell that also housed lime flavored Starbursts. The red M&M stayed away until 1987, when it was brought back by popular demand. I guess by that point people were so hard up for the red ones they didn’t care 11 years ago they were afraid to eat them.

Now here is the kicker. More than 30 years later, there is still no evidence that the red dye actually poses any threat to humans. What a surpise!

So if red M&M’s were bad, what about one of nature’s red fruits? Buyers beware of the dangerous….

APPLE JUICE

Who doesn’t love a nice glass of apple juice in the morning, noon, or night? Would you still love the juice if it could give you cancer? Once upon a time, apple growers in the United States sprayed their orchards with an agricultural chemical known as Alar. In the mid 1980’s scientists started to report that Alar was causing cancer in lab mice. The American Academy of Pediatrics lobbied the EPA to ban the chemical so no children would have to be stricken with cancer. You even had the actress Meryl Streep film a PSA to warn about apple juice containing Alar residue. In fact, Ms. Streep even testified before congress as an “expert witness.”

Before you knew it, grocery stores stopped accepting shipments of apples. Families across the country were dumping gallons and gallons of apple juice down the sink in fear they may have already given their children cancer. Apple growers around the U.S. lost hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

With that being said, for once the scientists were right….kind of. You see, Alar IS a carcinogen, there is no denying that. However, further studies found that a person would need to drink about FIVE THOUSAND GALLONS of apple juice a DAY to present a measurable health risk. I love my apple juice almost as much as I love my coca-cola, but I feel safe in the fact that drinking 5000 gallons of anything in one day will kill me via water poisoning before the cancer would have a chance to take hold.

LIVING UNDER POWER LINES

This scientific finding came about because of a flawed study done in 1979 by an epidemiologist. The study hinted at a possible link between suburban cases of childhood leukemia and residential power lines. The culprit: EMF’s or Electromagnetic fields from the high voltage wires. Countless follow-up studies have no found connection whatsoever between EMF’s and any significant health risks. But this is a prime example of what happens when one nut bar scientist with a half-baked idea gives new life to the EMF scare.

Other examples of this scare are:

1. Talking on your cell phone for prolonged periods of time.
2. Sleeping under an electric blanket during wintertime (Or in my beautiful wife’s case, anytime of the year.) raises the risk of pregnant women giving birth to a child with serious defects.
3. A male police officer holding a radar speed gun next to the boys down below increases the risk of testicular cancer.

Many people out there hold these theories to be true since they have received 17,398 email warnings from John Hopkins University saying just that. In reality subsequent EMF studies have not uncovered any convincing evidence that proves they are harmful.

Now it is time for my favorite one, mostly because it is completely contradictory to what they go on and on about now.

THE NEXT ICE AGE

In the 1970’s climatologists were certain we were heading for the next great ice age. The world was cooling at an alarming rate, they said. Average global temperatures had been trending downward since 1940, and there was no end in sight. But people were skeptical. Some of the older generations remembered that scientists has also rang the bell on global cooling in the 1920’s, but by the 1930’s were claiming that global warming was now happening and was unstoppable. And of course by the 1970’s those crazy climatologists were back on the cooling bandwagon again.

But this time it was different they said! The evidence backing up global cooling was sound!! They were at a consensus that evidence was irrefutable we would all freeze to death!!! In order for the world to survive the freezing temps drastic action must be taken to reverse the inevitable!!!

Proposed solutions included intentionally melting the polar ice cap by covering it with black soot. That is an idea that would even make Al Gore proud.

Instead, we decided on another solution; we chose not to listen to the experts. And everybody knows how global cooling played out in the end right?

There are many other examples of science (GASP!) being wrong. One I did not mention was the impending population boom that was going to wipe out earth’s population. This, my friends is one of the many reasons I refuse to buy into the global warming scare. If the day comes that I am forced to live on a boat like Kevin Costner in Waterworld, I will then have no choice but to change my mind and say I am sorry I doubted them. Until that day comes, I will conduct business as normal. Hopefully most of you will come to a “consensus” on that.

Killer Queen Version 2.0

After killing brain cells yesterday doing so much thinking/writing about Earth Day I decided to kill off brain cells the way the rest of America does and talk about something that has captivated America every year from January to June for the last 8 years.  That’s right; I am talking about American Idol.  Now, when AI started way back in 2001 I was down for watching it.  The beginning of every season does a great job of showing everything that is wrong in America.  What I mean is it gives you a snapshot of what happens when every day of a kid’s life they are told by their parents, teachers, coaches, friends, relatives, and internet chat rooms that they are really good at something when in all actuality they not only suck at it, but should have tried something else a long time ago.  It shows what the consequences are from giving the team that comes in last place a trophy, and a note telling them that since they tried their hardest, they are winners too.

 

If I have lost you here let me explain myself.  Every year at the beginning of A.I., you will inevitably have a great many of contestants on the show get up in front of the judges with the confidence that because their Parents and Grandparents told them how wonderful they are at singing while in the shower they could be the next American Idol.  But after 15 seconds of them destroying Stevie Wonder or Celine Dion every single man, woman, and child in America (not to mention the judges sitting there having to listen first hand to the hot mess.) knows that they just witnessed crappiness at its finest.  At that same moment we witness an epic fail, the person who sang the song truly believes they just blew away Simon Cowell and Co.  It isn’t until Randy says dog in a disparaging tone 5-6 times, Paula gets that look on her face like the last swig of gin out of the Coca-cola cup in from of her had gone bad, and Simon perks up knowing he is about to destroy someone for the first time in their life that said person has any idea they just sucked it up.  Of course this is followed by tears, and hug from Mom and Grandma wearing identical tweedy bird shirts who are telling their little shooting star how the judges were so unfair to them, and how next year when they audition again the judges will see how they made a mistake. 

 

This alone is worth watching the show to me.  It is also why Simon Cowell is the man, and more people should be like him.  Of course if more people were like Simon, millions of kids across America would realize early on in life that maybe they should try to be good at something else.  But even the joy I have gotten the last few years out of the first few weeks has greatly faded to the point where I don’t really pay any attention to A.I.  That is until this season.  That is until Adam Lambert decided to show up and blow away everyone, including the normally unflappable Simon Cowell.

 

If you don’t watch A.I. regularly, I suggest that you at least find out when Adam is singing, and tune in just to watch him go at it.  Never in all of the years of A.I. have I seen a contestant as well rounded as Mr. Lambert.  He can go the flamboyant rout, and the very next week goes the straight laced 50’s school boy rout.  He can hit notes that only eunuchs and young choir boys.  He can do just about anything he wants to up on stage, and the judges, as well as America, will talk about it for the rest of the week.

 

Every time I watch Adam perform he reminded me of someone.  It wasn’t until last week when I was talking to one of my co-workers that I figured out who.  Adam is Freddie Mercury from Queen reincarnated.  It is as simple as that.  I mean, look at the similarities:

 

1.      Both have dark hair

2.      Both have the ability to be as flamboyant as Elton John, yet as badass as Dave Grohl.

3.      Both are loved by women, but loved even more by men.

4.      Both have enough confidence in their abilities they can sell it to whoever is watching.

 

 

I never thought that there would anyone like Freddie Mercury in the music world again.  But then along came this kid.  When he wins American Idol he has the ability to blow away any other artist to be produced by the show. This all begs the question:  Where has he been all the other seasons this show has been on?  Every year I think this when they find new contestants, but really, where was he the year we had to listen to that douche bag Taylor Hicks?  No offense to Taylor, but he wouldn’t even be allowed to carry Adam’s ruby encrusted knapsack for him.  Taylor would be lucky enough to push one of the brooms that sweep the stage at the end of the night after Adam kicked butt all over it earlier in the day.

 

So for at least one more season, I will watch A.I.  This one guy makes it totally worth it.  You go Adam.  Freddie Mercury would be so proud.

The most useless day of the year....Earth Day

Here it is again. April 22^nd. To a lot of us this is just another day. But to others it is a day equal to Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Boxing Day, Waitangi Day, Balloon Ascension Day, Mardi Gras, Save the Rhino Day, The 4^th of July, and Dictionary Day combined. Yes ladies and gents, it is once again Earth Day!!

First off, let me tell you what really annoys me about this day. I don’t like being forced into something by someone trying to make me feel guilty. I don’t like how you only care about the Earth if you follow every crazy thing environmentalists and others who treat environmental problems like they are a religion want you to follow. And most of all, I don’t like how the green movement is no longer about helping the environment. It is strictly for making money off of people’s emotions. If you don’t believe me, look into the company General Electric. You know the company that owns NBC Universal and uses everything in its power to promote their products on TV, radio, and print? Who does absolutely asinine things such as “Green Week” on NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, USA, and whatever other channels they own by claiming that since they planted 100 trees somewhere in Somalia they can use all the oil, gas, and electricity they want? OK, now with that out of the way, we can get on with our Earth Day lesson.

Does anyone out there in blog land know why Earth Day came into being? Is it because some hippies up in San Francisco needed a good reason to get high, and the idea of an Earth Day would give them an excuse? Did some scientists come together on a “consensus” and decide if we did not have an Earth Day the oceans would rise and people on the Eastern seaboard would all drown? If you answered yes to either of those, I really hope you are joking. The real answer on who created Earth Day is….wait for it….A POLITICIAN!!!

Shocking huh? Now please, read further and I will give you a quick history on the origins of Earth Day, and some of the things that scientists and other so called experts claimed with near certainty were going to happen but never did.

It all started with a Gaylord from Wisconsin. No, I am not trying to make fun of any sexual preference he might have had, that was his name. Gaylord Nelson was a Senator from the great state of Wisconsin. Mr. Nelson loved the earth (I don’t know if he still is kicking or not, and if he is, I bet he still loves the earth just as much now as he did then.) and wanted to find a way to get others to feel the same way. The Senator got the idea for Earth Day when he visited an oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, Ca. (Side note: While I do agree that oil spills are bad, what is a Senator from Wisconsin doing over in California? Shouldn’t he be taking care of business in his own state?)

Senator Nelson, after many sleepless nights trying to decide what to call this special day for mother Earth, finally decided on the very original “Earth Day.” With a name in place for his special day, he only had one problem: getting people to pay attention to what he had to say. It was then that he came up with a revolutionary (I don’t know if it was revolutionary or not, but it makes for good reading.) idea: a massive nationwide “teach-in.”

The next problem that the Senator ran into was how to get people to attend his teach-in. He needed something that would get people’s attention. Something that would let people know how important this was, and in turn would make them attends this event. A lot of demand was created when an expert from Haaarvard claimed: “Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless IMMEDIADTE action is taken against problems facing mankind.” Of course that statement was made about 39 years ago and here we are, still kickin’ it. That is what I call a first class fail.

The statement that Mr. Harvard makes is just the kind of thing the Senator needed to get the ball rolling. After all, the best way to publicize a teach-in is to use the time honored tradition of scare tactics! Back in the late 60’s and early 70’s the scientific community was trying to convince people of the impending doom that was global cooling. Scientists and other experts were certain that very soon the next ice age were going to commence, and if we did not act right now we would be buried up to our necks in frozen water. (Hmm….does this sound familiar to anyone? Me thinks that argument is still being peddled today, but with global warming.) In fact, some scientists claimed the only way to save us from impending doom was to melt the arctic ice cap on purpose. If that isn’t a great scare tactic, then I don’t know what is.

Another major issue back in the day that frightened people into attending the 1^st Earth Day was the “Population Bomb” theory. All the experts came to a “consensus” that the Earth was way too overcrowded and there was no way that we could ever possibly feed every hungry mouth. To go along with this scare tactic, one expert from Stanford even told people that food shortages would cause a “Great Die-off” of about 4 BILLION people within the next ten years.

All of this ado brings us to the first Earth Day celebration on April 22, 1970. Millions of people scared out of their minds by the dire predictions made by these so called “experts” took part. Schools and universities around the country organized special events in which to brain wash….ERRR… educate people about the environment. A few students at one school staged a mock trial accusing Chevrolet of destroying the earth, with Chevy being found guilty of all charges. Another group of people went around handing out tea and rice, which they claimed would be the only food that would be available during the famine years we were facing. Yet another group of people held a ceremony to award the Atomic Energy Commission with the “Environmental Rapist of the Year” award. (No doubt some of the same people who were crying over trees in this classic video took part in the first Earth Day.)

So here we are, almost 40 years later and people still celebrate Earth Day. It has spread from the U.S. to many different countries around the globe. Interestingly enough the scariest environmental catastrophes promised on the first Earth Day either never happened or have been completely discredited. My only hope is that some day in the near future the current hysteria over global warming will meet the same fate.

There you have it. You know now how the first Earth Day came about. And whatever became of Gaylord Nelson you may ask? He was voted out of office in 1980 and wasn’t heard from again. I guess he should have moved to Santa Barbara and tried to run for office there.

So go out and celebrate Earth Day by using all the energy you can. Throw away plastic bottles in the real trash; ask for paper and plastic when you buy groceries. And when one of your friends accuses you of being brain dead and not caring, just smile and enjoy the knowledge that there is a good chance they wouldn’t get the joke even if you tried to explain it to them.

A great day to be an American

April 15th, the day millions of Americans dread, is here. But this year wasn't like other years when we refill the government coffers. This is the year where hundreds of thousands of Americans, many who are sick and tired of seeing their taxes go up, and many others who are sickened by the amount of spending that not only President Obama is endorsing, but what George Bush endorsed when he was President stood up and said enough is enough.

And while the idea for T.E.A.(Taxed Enough Already) Parties are being attributed to "far right wing" extremists, that is not the case. Today I saw people from many walks of life, and while there were some, well, lets just say "interesting" people, most were there to show their disgust with the bureaucrats in Washington D.C. I saw people who had shirts proclaiming themselves "Fiscally responsible Democrats." I saw people who are sick and tired of having their hard earned money being wasted. I talked to people who claimed that they never had thought about coming to a rally, but felt they had to do something to feel like they are being heard.

All in all, it was a positive experience. I am glad that I went down and participated. I am one of those who never pictured myself attending something like this, but after the last 3 years of ridiculous amounts of money being flushed down the toilet (Even worse, the amount since September is enough to make you throw up in your mouth.) something had to be done to show my disgust. There were estimates of between 600-700 people in attendance, and I had the privilege of meeting a few of them. Here are some pics from this afternoon:

My friend from church, Cara Linde, with the killer sign she made for the occasion. You will notice this sign somewhere else further down in the pics. She called about 30 minutes before the rally and was thinking of not going. When I told her it was her patriotic duty, she changed her mind.

This is towards the beginning of the rally. Cars were honking in support. Of course there were also naysayers who drove by who like it when the government wastes their money, but I didn't get any pic of them.

When I saw this couple with their kids here, it made me wish I would have brought Alexandra and Lorelai with me so they could see what we have the right to do in this great country of ours. That, and I love this dude's sign.

Another pic towards the beginning. An hour later there was standing room only this close.

More people lining the street to wave at passing cars.


This is just one side of the crowd that showed up.

I saw these guys and loved all three signs. The middle one hits the nail on the head. This is not just a Republican or Democrat problem. Both parties are guilty of spending money that we don't have.

I saw this guy walk all over the place with that flag. He could have been off doing something else with his afternoon, but decided to spend his time in the park. I am glad he was there and let me take his photo.

This sign needs no explanation.

I told you Cara's sign would make another appearance. When she had to leave she asked the man in charge if he would like to use her sign in front of the speaker's table, and he gladly obliged.

The three stooges. Sad but 100 percent true.

Nice simple sign that pretty much spells it out for you. The first picture I took of he she wasn't looking. This one she smiled for me, but alas, the sign covered up her mug.

More young adults out letting their voices be heard. I only hope that my girls would have the courage to do this at that age. I think they will.

Talk about a family affair! I spoke with this lovely lady for a few minutes about how we both felt we had to do something. She told me that it was a good experience for her kids to be at the rally. Even though her children saw some of the negativity that certain motorists driving past exhibited, it was still worth it.

This lady looked very happy to me to be there.

Yet another nice young family I encountered today. I loved their kids shirts. They read, "I'm 3 years old and already owe 33,000!"

Another creative sign. I love the addition of the floaty!

Another good sign.

It was nice to see so many people who wanted to be there this afternoon.

This girl and her friend both had these shirts.

Another view from the speaking area.

My second favorite sign of the day! Thank you President Obama!

When I asked these lovely ladies if I could use their picture for El Donaldo Blogo, they wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to be negative towards them. When I explained I was 100 percent on their side, they were more than happy to oblige.

For those of you who haven't seen the Youtube video of Daniel Hannan, Conservative MEP for the South East of England, he sums this sentiment up perfectly.

This doesn't have to do with the rally. I just like the dog.

And last but not least, my favorite sign of the night. Yes I did give Obama props for giving the order to take out those dirt bag pirates, but I still loved this sign.

Hopefully some of you were able to make it to Tea Parties in your towns, and were able to have your voice heard. If not, I have a strong feeling that these will not be the last tea parties. Like I heard someone say earlier today, something is brewing in this country, whether people like it or not.

Very Interesting Quote

 A VERY PROPHETIC QUOTE     
    
    
  
Norman  Mattoon Thomas (November  20, 1884 - December 19, 1968) was a leading American  socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate  for the Socialist Party of  America.  

He was ordained as  a Presbyterian minister in  1911.    

As a candidate for  President of the U. S., Norman Thomas said, in a 1944  epoch speech:  
"The American  people will never knowingly adopt socialism.  But,  under the name of "liberalism", they will adopt every  fragment of the socialist program, until one day America  will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it  happened."   

He went on to  say:
"I no longer need  to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist  Party.  The Democratic Party has adopted our platform."  
 

I came across this today, and with everything that has happened in the last few months, I found it very interesting.

Hopefully I will see some of you at the T.E.A. Party in Richland at John Dam Plaza tomorrow from 4-7 p.m.  It should be a lot of fun!