You can’t text or talk. Forget multitask! Most of you can barely drive! 

 You’re KILLERS!

For the Localvores, organic food adictees and the affected Left, yes, you with waaaay too much time on your hands…

 This will CURE obesity; also induce a permanent retarded condition!

The one place in the world that had to borrow a switch to turn off for Earth Hour.

Sooo Progressive! Soooo Obama!

When news stories of this type become ledes in the MSM, it’s time for the Woodchuck to start selling his line of foil hats again.
I wish I could make this stuff up; riches await writing scripts for TV sitcoms and made for TV movies.
Considering a lawyer thinks this dust-up is bunkum. It’s time for the gimlet-eye look at Congress’ role, yeah that batch of geniuses.

Are cosmic rays really causing Toyota’s woes?

Regulators take closer look at design of electronics

WASHINGTON — It may sound far-fetched, but federal regulators are studying whether sudden acceleration in Toyotas is linked to cosmic rays.

Radiation from space long has affected airplanes and spacecraft, and is known for triggering errors in computer systems, but has received scant attention in the auto industry.

The questions show how deep regulators and automakers may have to dig to solve the mysteries of sudden acceleration. Toyota says it is fixing mechanical problems — floor mats and sticky pedals — that explain sudden acceleration in 13 models and 5.6 million vehicles. [snip]

An anonymous tipster whose complaint prompted regulators to look at the issue said the design of Toyota’s microprocessors, memory chips and software could make them more vulnerable than those of other automakers.

“I think it could be a real issue with Toyota,” Sung Chung, who runs a California testing firm, said. [snip]

Electronic throttle controls like the ones under scrutiny in Toyotas are widespread in the industry.(emphasis added) They’re more reliable than mechanical links, they save weight and space, and make other technology, like stability control, possible.

OK, I know why only Toyotas; why not my Nissan Xterra or the GM Tahoe?
Is it because Toyota sells more cars than Government Motors?
Then there is this curious bit of information:

I am not afraid of my Toyota Prius

I’ve been driving Toyota Priuses since 2001.  As a junior defense lawyer in the mid-90s, I litigated a number of bogus sudden acceleration cases that were brought against General Motors.

So the recent kerfuffle over alleged mysterious electronic problems with the Prius and other Toyotas has certainly caught my attention beyond just throwing my floor mat in the trunk.

I knew the public hysteria had reached unprecedented proportions when my father, a Ph.D. geologist skeptical of everything from George W. Bush to global warming (and that’s just the G’s), credulously emailed me repeatedly to demand I read a press release from a plaintiff’s lawyer on how to prevent runaway vehicles.

The short answer: hit the brake and stay on it.  Every vehicle on the road today has a braking system more powerful than its engine.  Shift into neutral.  Then turn off the power.

So James Sikes, who made a dramatic 911 call from his Prius on Interstate 8 in San Diego earlier this week, is effectively claiming he had an electrical problem that affected his throttle, his brake, and his power system, because it took him over 20 minutes to stop his car.

Somehow no one in the press has asked Sikes how it is he could stop the car once it had slowed to 50 mph, but not when it was going 90 mph.  Have Balloon Boy and the finger-in-the-chili taught us nothing? [snip]

But one shouldn’t believe the hype.  We went through this a generation ago with the Audi 5000 and other autos accused of sudden acceleration, and, again, mysterious unknowable car components were supposedly at fault.In a North Carolina case I worked on, the plaintiff’s expert theorized that electromagnetic transmissions from submarines might have set off the throttle via the cruise control, though, unsurprisingly, he was not able to duplicate the effect while driving around electrical towers with much greater electromagnetic interference. [snip]

Electromagnetic rays don’t discriminate by age and height, which suggests very much that human factors were at play: in other words, pedal misapplication.  A driver would step on the wrong pedal, panic when the car did not perform as expected, continue to mistake the accelerator for the brake, and press down on the accelerator even harder. [snip]

The Los Angeles Times recently did a story detailing all of the NHTSA reports of Toyota “sudden acceleration” fatalities, and, though the Times did not mention it, the ages of the drivers involved were striking.In the 24 cases where driver age was reported or readily inferred, the drivers included those of the ages 60, 61, 63, 66, 68, 71, 72, 72, 77, 79, 83, 85, 89—and I’m leaving out the son whose age wasn’t identified, but whose 94-year-old father died as a passenger.

These “electronic defects” apparently discriminate against the elderly, just as the sudden acceleration of Audis and GM autos did before them.  (If computers are going to discriminate against anyone, they should be picking on the young, who are more likely to take up arms against the rise of the machines and future Terminators).

But Toyota is being mau-maued by Democratic regulators and legislators in the pockets of trial lawyers—who,
according to the Associated Press, stand to make a billion dollars from blaming Toyota for driver error. [snip]

Maybe Toyota should move the whole case to Judge Judy.
Wanna bet that will produce a fairer hearing?

Amy Bishop’s Lawyer Suggests She Is Insane

Bishop’s lawyer just described the entire spectrum of Progressive Liberal believers!
From Gates, who couldn’t deal civilly with a request from an investigating officer, to a global warming proselytizer at Middlebury College with a degree in Divinity, pretending to be a scientist, to the mindfogged Al Gore, in search of his home planet. WHAT A CREW WE HAVE HERE!
In comparison, this ONE is lucid.

The lawyer for Amy Bishop told the Associated Press Thursday that she probably is insane and does not remember the shootings in which she is accused of murdering three of her biology faculty colleagues last week at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. The lawyer called Bishop “very cogent” in their discussions, but also said that she has difficulties with reality, and he suggested that her actions last week were due in part to being denied tenure, after receiving a Harvard University education. [snip]

The megillah should be shrink wrapped!
Where’s Delahunt? Somebody tackle him before he gets away!

The Nanny State busybody bunch will do something; as they will tell you we need to DO something. It’s for the children. It’s for… SOMETHING!
This data is published by the Insurance Industry!

Study: Distracted Driving Laws Don’t Stop Crashes

Insurance Industry Finds Laws Haven’t Resulted In Fewer Vehicle Crashes

WASHINGTON — A new insurance industry study has found that state laws banning the use of handheld devices to make calls or send text messages while driving have not resulted in fewer vehicle crashes.

The study, released Friday by the Highway Loss Data Institute, examined insurance claims from crashes before and after such bans took effect in California, New York, Connecticut and Washington, D.C.

The organization found that claims rates did not go down after the laws were enacted. It also found no change in patterns compared with nearby states without such bans.

Adrian Lund, the group’s president, said the finding doesn’t bode well “for any safety payoff from all the new laws.” [snip]

This won’t make any difference but, we must do SOMETHING!

So what do we get?

Vermont Senate To Urge Ban On Texting While Driving

MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Vermont Senate is expected to urge quick action on a bill that would ban texting while driving. [snip]

Washington County Sen. Phil Scott says the question isn’t whether the Senate will pass an anti-texting law, but rather the details of the law.

Of course, what else did you expect!

Cold side of DC Thermocouple to be powered by the “Sustainability Tax” levied on working poor.

U.S. says wind could power 20 percent of eastern grid

Wind energy could generate 20 percent of the electricity needed by households and businesses in the eastern half of the United States by 2024, but it would require up to $90 billion in investment, according to a government report released on Wednesday.

Forget wind power, by utilizing the Thermocouple we save $52 billion and immediately cover the wasted power usage on Capitol Hill.
Imagine what sort of innovative and expensive NEW GREEN programs will be funded with these savings.
By raising the rates on all forms of energy, the energy abusers are forced to cut back on heating, thus providing the heat sink necessary to complete the circuit.

We wouldn’t need to see a horizon of  whirlygigs afflicting the landscape, either.

The old saw that “When every SECOND counts, the police are only MINUTES away” should bring you cold comfort.
Let the anti-gun idiots believe that Loony Tune that they’ll be saved!
While they’re believing that, ask them why the cops don’t use trigger locks on their weapons.

For a good night’s rest, take one of these instead of some alarm system that will call the police to blot up the pieces and notify your next of kin.
They may or may not catch the perp!

Let the authorities notify the ASSHAT’S next of kin instead!

This is prima facie evidence of the Tooth Fairy’s existence!

The  money wasted on this fraud and on the non-stimulating Stimulus package can only be explained in this manner.

From the BLOG BRIEFING ROOM

The White House on Monday made exceptionally clear that it wants nothing to do with the furor over documents that global warming skeptics say prove the phenomenon is not a threat.

Despite the incident, which rocked international headlines last week, climate science is sound, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stressed this afternoon, and the White House nonetheless believes “climate change is happening.”

Older news but news just the same:

Climate change data dumped

SCIENTISTS at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have admitted throwing away much of the raw temperature data on which their predictions of global warming are based.

It means that other academics are not able to check basic calculations said to show a long-term rise in temperature over the past 150 years.

The UEA’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU) was forced to reveal the loss following requests for the data under Freedom of Information legislation.

Even though this is the UK, doesn’t it sound like Chicago voter rolls. 

According to “Loony Left” cattle poots produce an inordinate amount of methane. By this standard, PETA and the rest of the crazies should be overjoyed by this Hindu festival in the village of Bariyapur.
Complete with photos.

Hindu sacrifice of 250,000 animals begins

The world’s biggest animal sacrifice began in Nepal today with the killing of the first of more than 250,000 animals as part of a Hindu festival in the village of Bariyapur, near the border with India. [snip]

Instead, the crazies are protesting the festival. Go figure!
Maybe the protesters could offer to take the place of the animals in the sacrifice ritual.

Hey, I’d pay a dollar to see that! Imagine how far that swap out would go to cleaning up the planet of offensive garbage.

He’s working toward this end, nationalizing everything from autos to banks to health care.

Any questions?

Earthlife at Stowe™, a wholly committed society utilizing a sustainable ecological system interfaces with a non-acquisitive economic schema to bring beauty and biodiversity to the community.

Striving to reduce the carbon footprint, Earthlife incorporates only the most advanced green energy systems.
All condos and detached residences use FreeSolar™ heating and cooling systems.
Our public water service has a constant supply of clear cold liquid insuring no summertime shortages as one sees in other consumer oriented societies. Because Earthlife limits the number of residents to match the ecosystem, sanitary facilities do not face the inherent troubles of other Vermont locales. Only biodegradable products are used; in fact, through out the entire complex, composting and recycling is mandatory.

Earthlife at Stowe™ invites you to step out of the destructive consumer path and dysfunctional incentive systems; come live with nature as intended. Enjoy wildlife in a natural setting where animals have more rights than you do.

This is not an offering, which may be made only by prospectus.
Units start at $219,000 including all fees and dues.

See what these knowledgeable individuals have to say about Earthlife at Stowe™:

• Earthlife builder, Tumia Togarouga said, “Act 250 was a snap; we had no storm water runoff problems, since we conformed to nature. Other builder should learn from us.”
• One UVM Professor of Economics declared this is the zeitgeist for which Vermont has searched.
• The Architectural Editor of the Vermont Luddite Magazine, Wanda Starbent said, “The seamless blending of housing and the environment proves that the human footprint can be reduced. An added benefit is the reduction of Act 60 & 68 on your taxes. Earthlife is a place of serenity and beauty.
• From Al gore, “I wish I thought of this first; oh well maybe next time!”

Bestowing the Seal of Approval on Earthlife at Stowe™:

• Al Gore
• Earth First!
• Environmental Defense Fund
• The Sierra Club
• Certain UVM Professors of Economics
• “Mother Earth News”
• The Free Lunch Liberal Society
• World Wildlife Fund
• The Take A Wish Foundation
• Voters Without Borders
• The Middlebury Azalea
• The Presidential Commission on Bears dumping in the Woods
• PETA
• The Vermont Luddite Society

Upon the land occurs a pestilence in dire need of sterilizing.
Napalm is an excellent cauterizing agent

This gathering of idiots should either have you on the floor in breath shortening laughter or your head in the bowl heaving violently.

Hand me the SAW. (Squad Automatic Weapon)

Ole Kerry, the tomato huntin’ gigolo let this get past him?
How did that happen?

From the Senate Republican Policy Committee:

Senator Kerry just went on about the outrageous profits of health insurers who dominate the market and offer little choice to consumers. That’s an interesting point considering that according to the website of Heinz ketchup, the company holds a 60 percent retail market share. Heinz products enjoy #1 or #2 market share in more than 50 countries. And according to Yahoo Finance, Heinz profits (8.6 percent) are more than double the health insurance industry (3.3 percent). Government run Ketchup, anyone?

Guess the family business doesn’t count; private money is off the table!

The big question for PETA is,
“Was she Organic?”

Autopsy: Woman Attacked, Killed By Bear

Family: Donna Munson Died Trying To Help Smaller Bear

OURAY, Colo. — An autopsy showed a 74-year-old Ouray County woman whose body was found being eaten by a bear was attacked and killed by that same bear after she attempted to help a smaller bear that had been hurt in a fight. [snip]

Munson told her brother by telephone that she was putting out hard-boiled eggs and milk for the younger bear to eat, said the victim’s son-in-law, Bruce Milne.
Munson told her brother Thursday night that the older bear was back and said, “I’m going to chase it off with a broom.”

According to the county coroner, Munson was grabbed by the bear and it slashed her head and neck with such penetrating force that Munson would have bled out in 90 seconds.Sheriff’s investigators said that the bear “clubbed” her through the wire fence that she had built around her porch, rendering her unconscious. It then grabbed her, pulled her underneath the fence to the back yard and then slashed her to death, the sheriff’s office said.

That didn’t work out to well, did it. Bunnyhuggers, try dealing with nothing more viscious than hamsters.
Leave the bigger critters to the guys with the thundersticks.