Justice Department, NASA, Reveal April Fools' Jokes

Washington, D.C.--Attorney General Eric Holder and a top NASA official announced on April Fool's Day that they had each "pulled one over on the American people" by greatly exaggerating the number of terrorists who have been prosecuted in civilian courts rather than military commissions, and by compiling unreliable temperature data sets used by advocates of the theory that humans cause global warming.

"Okay, okay," Attorney General Holder said to reporters between laughs, "I told you hundreds of convicted terrorists had been prosecuted through the civil courts to justify my decision to try hard-core 9/11 terrorist Khalid Shaikh Mohammed the same way. But it turns out the vast majority of those I claimed were prosecuted terrorists were actually not members of foreign terrorist organizations engaged in plotting attacks, but rather other people who gave false statements to investigators, and even one animal rights activist who released minks from a Wisconsin farm!"

Holder was followed by a NASA official who announced between giggles that NASA had admitted in internal emails from 2007 that its temperature data sets were even less accurate than the now-discredited data sets from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia that were exposed as having been manipulated to fit a preconceived theory. He concluded the press conference, saying "April Fools, everyone!"

Associated articles: Washington Times; Fox News

Justice Department, NASA, Reveal April Fools' Jokes

Washington, D.C.--Attorney General Eric Holder and a top NASA official announced on April Fool's Day that they had each "pulled one over on the American people" by greatly exaggerating the number of terrorists who have been prosecuted in civilian courts rather than military commissions, and by compiling unreliable temperature data sets used by advocates of the theory that humans cause global warming.

"Okay, okay," Attorney General Holder said to reporters between laughs, "I told you hundreds of convicted terrorists had been prosecuted through the civil courts to justify my decision to try hard-core 9/11 terrorist Khalid Shaikh Mohammed the same way. But it turns out the vast majority of those I claimed were prosecuted terrorists were actually not members of foreign terrorist organizations engaged in plotting attacks, but rather other people who gave false statements to investigators, and even one animal rights activist who released minks from a Wisconsin farm!"

Holder was followed by a NASA official who announced between giggles that NASA had admitted in internal emails from 2007 that its temperature data sets were even less accurate than the now-discredited data sets from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia that were exposed as having been manipulated to fit a preconceived theory. He concluded the press conference, saying "April Fools, everyone!"

Associated articles: Washington Times; Fox News

Defense Department Considers Weaponizing Select Images of Speaker Pelosi

Defense Department Considers Weaponizing Select Images of Speaker Pelosi

Anime Love

Shooting with Love

Beautiful Flower Rose

Love Pills

Hello Kitty Love

King George III: Time to Restore Servility to Our Political Discourse! (click image to enlarge)

Associated articles: City Journal; National Review

King George III: Time to Restore Servility to Our Political Discourse! (click image to enlarge)

Associated articles: City Journal; National Review

Computer Love

Love Makes You ...

Smithsonian Museum to Devote Entire Wing to Special Deals Going Into Democrat Health Care Legislation

Associated articles: Wall Street Journal; Wall Street Journal 2; Associated Press; CATO Institute; Chronicle of Higher Education; Associated Press 2

Smithsonian Museum to Devote Entire Wing to Special Deals Going Into Democrat Health Care Legislation

Associated articles: Wall Street Journal; Wall Street Journal 2; Associated Press; CATO Institute; Chronicle of Higher Education; Associated Press 2

Headin' Home

First, a quick swing through the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas.


Between these photos, our trusty 11-1/2 year old minivan celebrated a significant milestone--130,000 miles. We honked and clapped for our little green friend.


We probably should have treated it to a nice car wash spa or something, but we were in the windy, dusty Texas mountains...with a storm headed our way.

El Capitan, Guadalupe Mtns.
March 20, 2010

Onward home...
But first, a stop in Ft. Stockton, an old historical town that was built to protect the west's travelers and settlers from the Comanche attacks.

It's what I think of when I think of the Old West.

We stopped at the old Fort cemetery on our way out of town.


This tombstone certainly caught my eye.

ASSASSINATED!


I imagined some outlaw had killed this man. Then I looked him up.


"In the 1880s Sheriff A.J. Royal was an infamous figure in Fort Stockton's history. Royal's reign as sheriff crossed the line into terrorism, his constituents believed, as six men were killed by his fast draw. The townspeople took matters into their own hands. A black bean lottery was held among the area's prominent citizens, with the winner becoming the designated assassin. Royal met his demise in November 1894 and the murder was never solved."

Ooo, neato history stuff!

And I loved this young girl's epitaph.

"A friend to the friendless.
A helper to the helpless."


Such a beautiful way to be epitomized.
Young Inez got life right!

Um...am I the only one who enjoys looking at old tombstones?

Goodbye Ft. Stockton.
Goodbye Paisano Pete, probably the world's largest road runner.

Hello, home!

Democrat Henry Waxman Holds Hearings on Infiltration of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles into U.S.

Washington, D.C.--Just days after enactment of a massive government-run health care system, financial regulations required companies including AT&T, Deere, Caterpillar, AK Steel, and 3M to announce publicly how the new health care scheme would negatively affect their balance sheets by imposing new, significant liabilities. Henry Waxman, the Democratic chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, immediately responded by announcing the heads of those companies would be hailed before his panel and forced to disclose whether they are now, or have ever been, subject to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

"That some companies would continue to profess a duty to serve their shareholders' interests, even after passage of ObamaCare, is cause for grave concern," said Waxman. "And we're going to do everything we can to root out the last vestiges of allegiance to the nefarious forces of sound accounting."

Associated articles: Wall Street Journal; Washington Examiner; New York Times

Democrat Henry Waxman Holds Hearings on Infiltration of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles into U.S.

Washington, D.C.--Just days after enactment of a massive government-run health care system, financial regulations required companies including AT&T, Deere, Caterpillar, AK Steel, and 3M to announce publicly how the new health care scheme would negatively affect their balance sheets by imposing new, significant liabilities. Henry Waxman, the Democratic chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, immediately responded by announcing the heads of those companies would be hailed before his panel and forced to disclose whether they are now, or have ever been, subject to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

"That some companies would continue to profess a duty to serve their shareholders' interests, even after passage of ObamaCare, is cause for grave concern," said Waxman. "And we're going to do everything we can to root out the last vestiges of allegiance to the nefarious forces of sound accounting."

Associated articles: Wall Street Journal; Washington Examiner; New York Times

Flag Design: Don't Tread on My Health Care

Associated report: CATO Institute

Flag Design: Don't Tread on My Health Care

Associated report: CATO Institute

Parade of underground homes :: Carlsbad Caverns

The underground interiors of the Chihuahuan Desert (754 ft. below)

Who would have guessed such a large system of beautiful rooms could be created with limestone and sulfuric acid when granite is all the rage these days?


Featured interior designer:


Limestone, Rain, & Evaporation Studios providing floor-to-ceiling self-adorned caverns in the form of stalactites, soda straws, draperies, ribbons and curtains on the ceilings;

...and totem poles, flowstone, rim stone dams, lily pads, shelves, cave pools, and stalagmites for the flooring.

No need for the latest trends in ceramic tile and hardwood here.

Design style: Rock of Ages (highly recommended when you have more time than money)

Aromatherapy provided by Mexican free-tail guano--not bad in the off season.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
New Mexico
March 20, 2010

President Obama Answers Third Grader's Letter (click image to enlarge)

Associated articles: Larry Kudlow; Washington Post; Associated Press; Wall Street Journal; Washington Post 1

President Obama Answers Third Grader's Letter (click image to enlarge)

Associated articles: Larry Kudlow; Washington Post; Associated Press; Wall Street Journal; Washington Post 1

Ridin' the Gypsum Dunes

Climb to the top!

Sleds waxed and tuned!

All the cousins ready

To ride the gypsum dunes.

Slide like a bullet!

Jump way up high!

Race with your cousin.

Down the hill you'll fly.

Climb up once again.

Look around and stare.

See the storm clouds comin'.

High tail it outta there!

White Sands National Monument
New Mexico
March 19, 2010

Director's Cut of Hot Tub Time Machine Movie to Include Scene Showing President Obama Signing Arms Control Agreement with Russia

Associated article: ABC News

Director's Cut of Hot Tub Time Machine Movie to Include Scene Showing President Obama Signing Arms Control Agreement with Russia

Associated article: ABC News

Castro Praises ObamaCare

Havana, Cuba--Cuban socialist leader Fidel Castro praised the passage of government-run health care in the U.S. saying "234 years after the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. will finally join Cuba in granting citizens health care comparable to what was available in 1776."

Associated article: Associated Press

Castro Praises ObamaCare

Havana, Cuba--Cuban socialist leader Fidel Castro praised the passage of government-run health care in the U.S. saying "234 years after the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. will finally join Cuba in granting citizens health care comparable to what was available in 1776."

Associated article: Associated Press

Democrats Claim Congress Has Authority to Make Everyone Buy Snuggies and Jupiter Jacks

Washington, D.C.--After Congress, for the first time in U.S. history, passed a law that requires everyone to purchase a particular product -- in this case health insurance -- over a dozen states have filed lawsuits arguing the legislation violates the Commerce Clause of the Constitution which grants Congress only the limited power to regulate activities that effect interstate transactions.

"If a decision not to buy a product, and to refrain from trade, production, or commerce, can be considered an economic activity Congress can regulate," said one state attorney general, "then Congress will be able to regulate absolutely everything, and the enumerated powers in Article I limiting federal authority and creating a system of federalism will have been read out of the Constitution."

In response, Democrats threatened to pass a law requiring everyone to buy Snuggies and Jupiter Jacks.

"I suggest that the American people, and the courts, respect our authority to make people buy things simply because people exist," said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. "If they don't, we can always begin considering federal legislation that furthers a national policy of hands-free driving and energy conservation through the mandatory use of static-ridden wireless speaker systems and cumbersome wearable blankets."

Related articles: Reason; Washington Times; Wall Street Journal; New York Times; American Spectator; Wall Street Journal 1; New York Times 1; Wall Street Journal 2

Democrats Claim Congress Has Authority to Make Everyone Buy Snuggies and Jupiter Jacks

Washington, D.C.--After Congress, for the first time in U.S. history, passed a law that requires everyone to purchase a particular product -- in this case health insurance -- over a dozen states have filed lawsuits arguing the legislation violates the Commerce Clause of the Constitution which grants Congress only the limited power to regulate activities that effect interstate transactions.

"If a decision not to buy a product, and to refrain from trade, production, or commerce, can be considered an economic activity Congress can regulate," said one state attorney general, "then Congress will be able to regulate absolutely everything, and the enumerated powers in Article I limiting federal authority and creating a system of federalism will have been read out of the Constitution."

In response, Democrats threatened to pass a law requiring everyone to buy Snuggies and Jupiter Jacks.

"I suggest that the American people, and the courts, respect our authority to make people buy things simply because people exist," said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. "If they don't, we can always begin considering federal legislation that furthers a national policy of hands-free driving and energy conservation through the mandatory use of static-ridden wireless speaker systems and cumbersome wearable blankets."

Related articles: Reason; Washington Times; Wall Street Journal; New York Times; American Spectator; Wall Street Journal 1; New York Times 1; Wall Street Journal 2

A bit o' nostalgia for Dad :: Las Cruces

Now entering the city where Joe earned his undergraduate degree.
NMSU -- the 3rd college/university he attended, 6th (but not final) college where he took classes.

(I met him at his 1st college, 3 months into his first year. '87 -- a good year.)

His first dorm room on this campus -- 3rd from the left, upper floor.

Joe had fun showing the kids around these old stompin' grounds. While we cruised through campus, he'd point out fun things like where he and a bunch of friends would play football games after lunch -- sometimes tackle, sometimes not.

One of the engineering buildings -- place of most classes.


Campus church

I thought it was so sweet Joe took the kids over to where he always used to sit at church. See them all way over on the left?

Townhouse he shared with friends (1st 2-story unit on the left).

He showed the kids the back way he rode his bike home late at night--and where he had to lift his bicycle over the fence to get to his apartment. Fun little tidbits of information.

Library -- where Joe spent the majority of his time in Las Cruces.

Up to the 3rd floor...

He even had the kids sit in the same "quiet study area" cubicle in the library where he always studied.

Just north of the University...
The hospital -- where Joe spent some time after his rugby accident that ended his rugby-playing days.

A fun, nostalgic jaunt through town...where Joe hadn't visited in over 15 years.

Now off for more some more cousin fun and sledding...