200 posts from 2007

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September
October
November
December

The Julian and Gregorian Calendars: Happy Gregorian New Year!

Dec 31, 2007
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The Julian and Gregorian Calendars: Happy Gregorian New Year!

http://www.hermetic.ch/cal_stud/cal_a...

Originally the Romans numbered years ab urbe condita, that is, "from the founding of the city" (of Rome, where much of the character of the modern world had its beginnings). Had this old calendar remained in use, 1996-01-14 would have been New Year's Day in the year 2749 a.u.c. (In this article dates are often given in IS0 8601 format.) Congratulations Pope Gregory.

Foreign Affairs - The Rise of China and the Future of the West - G. John Ikenberry

Dec 30, 2007
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Foreign Affairs - The Rise of China and the Future of the West - G. John Ikenberry

http://www.foreignaffairs.org/2008010...

CFR.orgA daily guide to the most influential analysis from the Council on Foreign Relations, publisher of Foreign Affairs.INTERVIEW: Tackling Afghanistan's Opium Trade with LegalizationDecember 20, 2007INTERVIEW: S. Korean President-Elect to Focus on Economy, Trust with NorthDecember 20, 2007INTERVIEW: Russian Opposition to Kosovo Independence 'Perplexing'December 18, 2007

US Ski Resorts Rejoicing over Global Warming's Huge Snowfalls- Mainichi Daily News

Dec 30, 2007
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US Ski Resorts Rejoicing over Global Warming's Huge Snowfalls- Mainichi Daily News

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/culture/travel...

"This is our best opening since 1977," said Adriana Blake, marketing director for Taos. The resort couldn't open for Thanksgiving, but later got 68 inches (173 centimeters) in a week. "This is crazy. It never snows like this." What happened to global warming? Last year at this time many North American ski resorts were about to give up the ghost; global warming was turning ski resorts into tropical beach resorts. Just a year later, catastrophic climate change (and the corresponding need for more taxes and the UN in our faces) blankets North America with tons of snow--just what the people want.

Hemp For Victory

Dec 29, 2007
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Hemp For Victory

http://video.google.com/videoplay?doc...

US government film made during WWII touting the virtues of hemp. The film was aimed at farmers at a time when the miltary was facing a shortage of hemp, it shows how hemp is grown and processed into rope and other products.

Police in thought pursuit - - The Washington Times

Dec 29, 2007
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Police in thought pursuit - - The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs....

The Pope had his Index of Forbidden Books. Japan had its Thought Police against subversive or dangerous ideologies. And the United States Congress and President Bush have learned nothing from those examples.

Killing Bhutto: Omar Subhani in Counterpunch

Dec 29, 2007
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http://www.counterpunch.org/subhani12...

Walt Whitman's 'America' - A Rare Wax Recording (1890)

Dec 29, 2007
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Walt Whitman's 'America' - A Rare Wax Recording (1890)

This is an authentic wax cylinder recording of Whitman reading from his late poem 'America' which appeared in 1888 in the 'Leaves of Grass' annex 'Sands at Seventy':

"America

Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,
All, all alike endear'd, grown, ungrown, young or old,
Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,
Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love..."

The various photos are well-known - the poignant last one is by Thomas Eakins...

American Dollar Collapse

Dec 29, 2007
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American Dollar Collapse

McAlvany ICA presents financial, political and geo-political information to aid investors in developing sound alternatives for their portfolios in uncertain times. Topics of discussion: U.S. Real-Estate Market, China, Middle East and a declining U.S. dollar.

Unlaunch'd Voices: An Evening with Walt Whitman

Dec 28, 2007
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Unlaunch'd Voices: An Evening with Walt Whitman

http://video.google.com/videoplay?doc...

Mike Littwin Princeton.TV. Stephen Collins plays Walt Whitman and he was filmed, on 23 September 2005, in the Princeton Public Library before a live audience. Here's a Whitman quote addressed to modern Americans addicted to TV, SSRIs, aspartame, and MSG: "Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."