14. november 2003

The general or the doctor A Washington Post article realises that to become president of the US, you need to have presidential hair. Wes Clark and Howard Dean both qualifies the hair litmus test. 5:37:46 PM    comment []  trackback []

History repeating, again! A typical quote from the New York Times: According to a military government official, this is finding expression in the organization of numerous local anti-American organizations throughout the zone and in a rapid increase in the number of attacks on American soldiers. There were more such attacks in the first week of October than in the preceding five months of the occupation, this source declared. Hardly a clue here that this is an article printed in the NYT October 31, 1945 instead of 2003. The newspaper headline gives it away, though. It says "Americans' clashes with Germans Grow." Via Instapundit. See also my entry about 1947 Life articles telling how Americans were losing the war in Europe. 8:48:37 AM    comment []  trackback []

Study: hard mattresses not good for back pain A Spanish study has debunked another popular myth: that hard sleeping on a hard mattress helps against back pains. The researchers compared the effect of medium and hard mattresses (not soft ones), and the medium soft ones were clearly preferrable. Those sleeping on the medium firm mattresses were twice as likely to report an improvement in low back pain while lying in bed and when getting up than those on the harder beds. They were also less likely to need pain-killing drugs. Dr Francisco Kovacs, from the Kovacs Foundation in Palma de Mallorca, said: "Our findings stress that recommendations for daily living, such as what kind of mattress to use, may have a relevant effect on the clinical course of low back pain." Ditching a bad mattress may be an important aid in relieving chronic back pains. It is interesting how much popular medical advice are both counter-intuitive and false. 7:49:54 AM    comment []  trackback []

Judge Roy Moore fired Alabama chief justice Roy Moore, known worldwide as the "ten commandments" judge, has been ousted from office by an unanimous state supreme court. William Thompson, chief judge of the Court of the Judiciary, which ruled on Moore's status, said, the rule of law dictates that losing litigants follow court orders. "In defying that order, the chief justice placed himself above the law," Thompson said. Right. The original dispute is irrelevant. As a judge he should not commit civil disobedience. If Moore feels he has a calling from God, he should go to a monestary not a court house, and he should certainly not be responsible for upholding the law. 5:11:39 AM    comment []  trackback []

Good samaritans in Chicago A lady frequenting one of the message boards I read, posted about a a really astonishing experience today. She has written and sent the letter below (with her permission) to the Sun-Times. I hope they print it. Good Samaritans I recently had my faith in humanity somewhat restored. My daughter was on her way home from work last week. She takes the train from the Gold Coast to the stop at Kedzie and Lake, and doesn't get there until around midnight. As she walked down the stairs, she noticed someone had broken out the light overhead. At about the same time, a man grabbed her and demanded her money and jewelry. He had a knife. My daughter was terrified, as you can well imagine. As she was preparing to hand over her light bill money and the ring I'd given her for her birthday, two men came running across the street from a small store. They screamed at the robber. "What the (expletive deleted) are you doing to our sister?" The criminal ran off. The two men waved down an undercover police car, and waited with my daughter until she was calm enough to go home. She'd never seen these young men before. And they wouldn't give their names. Whoever they are, I just want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. If not for them, my daughter might be dead. I guess angels do exist. April Moral courage like that helps restore faith in humanity. 3:42:34 AM    comment []  trackback []

Belgrade apologises to Bosnia Svetozar Marovic, president for Serbia-Montenegro, has issued a public apology to the people of Bosnia for crimes and atrocities committed in the 1991-95 war. An estimated 250,000 Bosnians were killed in the conflict.  2:38:22 AM    comment []  trackback []

Lutefisk products C. L. Ward ("the viking answer lady") made me aware of her cafeshop with great Lutefisk products, essentially reflecting both sides of the controversy.  The one on the left is the anti-lutefisk side, "just say no," which I guess is the one I tend to sympathise with. It also gives a bit of historical background to the habit of eating Lutefisk, explaining to some degree what the poor codfish had done to deserve being served like that. Not to forget giving the earliest known recipe for Lutefisk, from a German (!) 1553 cookbook. I take no responsibility for what happens if you try to make and eat it, but I may print your euology. 2:33:17 AM    comment []  trackback []

© Copyright 2003 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.12.2003; 12:12:18.