Nuggets of Knowledge and Fat Tuesday Giggles

Here it is. Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras. Shrove Tuesday. Time to eat up all your fat and sugar because tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. I'm ready. If you are planning to put on your Ash-face tomorrow, have fun. I don't plan on joining the Ash-face procession, but I totally support anyone who decides to do so. I have other plans for tomorrow, but that is no one's business right now.

I have other things on my mind. Like...this morning I voted. This year is the first time i have been officially registered as a Libertarian and am voting in the Libertarian Primary. How exciting!!! Perusing the Lib ticket hopefulls is always a riot and welcome break from politics as usual in the mainstream media syndicate. No wonder the Dems and Reps fight so hard to keep us out of the main stream public debate forum. If they actually let us in we'd ALWAYS win. I'm not necessarily talking about the race...just the debates, specifically. I mean, come on. How could ANYONE beat Vermin Supreme in a debate? People would pay hefty tix prices I'm sure to watch the Donald and ANY of the Dems take that one on. I mean, who doesn't like ponies? And there is no sensible pant suit that could beat that hat on a runway. Also, I agree 100% with Behrman. We MUST make the legalization of pineapple pizza a priority not only in the interest of domestic policy, but international policy as well. All jokes aside, his pizza party argument is quite the piece of philisophical, ethical, and moral discourse. I'm not a huge fan of pineapple on pizza, personally, but in the interest of the greater Lib Party, I think I could be persuaded to choke down a slice or two...as long as it doens't have ham or any other meat on it. So, who got the nod on my ballot? Well...I'm not obligated to tell you, but I will say Freedom of Speach is ver near and dear to me as an Artist. That being said, here's some news that's caught my eye over the past few days:

Santa Cruz renters march for more affordable housing

In America’s Richest Town, $500k a Year Is Now Below Average

Bay Area dissatisfaction: Rich, poor, young and old unhappy here

So...here we go. I'm gonna tell it to ya straight, and folks aren't gonna like it. No one likes to hear what I have to say on this matter. Does California need some new housing construction? Yes and no. Infrastructure in California has been neglected for quite a while now. Cities like Oakland have a water and sewage system that is over 60 years old and hasn't had ANY updating. Poor choices were made in the original construction of such infrastructure all over the State and California voters have historically passed the buck on infrastructure creation and upkeep; expecting richies to fund things through donation and fundraising events. But that mentality has backfired across the board and has proven itself to be exactly what it was meat to be to begin with, another tax write off for the wealthiest who ultimately end up only pouring their resources into their own immediate neighborhoods at the expense of everyone else. No wonder everyone is upset. There are only two viable options for California when it comes to the housing "crisis" and overall lifestyle satisfaction, and both options hinge on sweeping tax reform that is a bitter pill for long-time and/or "Native" Californian's to swallow. Either, all taxes need to be abolished OR California's property tax laws need to be overhauled to be adjusted periodically to reflect property value. Sorry, not sorry. Making everyone who owns property pay property taxes based on the VALUE of their property as opposed to the COST of their property when they purchased it would bring cost of rentals under control, better fund and support California's public schools, AND in the long term make all people much happier. Not everyone can offer live/work exchange like TKPR, not SHOULD everyone. As much as no one wants to hear it, Trump did not cause California's housing crisis. Regan-era Democrats did. 

Disney is adding Impossible to its menus

New research challenges theory explaining the effects of diet on lifespan

46,000-year-old bird found frozen in Siberia sheds light on the end of the ice age 

Leave it Disney to serve something that turns myy stomach...however, I think in the long run it is a more environmentally sustainable option. I highly doubt that has ANYTHING to do with their choice. Disney is always looking for the next artist to rip off or exploit, or gimick to turn a buck. Disney is simply pandering to vegetarian parents to doup them into buying cheap sexist homogonized crap for their kids. As for this "new research" about restricted diets and life-span, um yeah...I'm just going to stick to eating what I want to eat. I never bought into the benefits of "intermittent fasting" on a regular basis anyway. Things would have all been better had the agricultural industry not messed with genetics and started patenting them. Making money off of the "ownership" of genetics is such a dangerous slope. Who knows, maybe they will find more of those birds in Siberia and start making extinct lark nuggets to sell at fast food joints. Mmmmm, lark nuggets and mammoth burgers! Sounds like something straight out of the Flintstones. Anything sounds better to me than anything Disney serves. All I know is Kyle doesn't approve of nuggets. 

Betelgeuse has dimmed suddenly, perplexing scientists

NASA Adds Return Sample Scientists to Mars 2020 Leadership Team

HERE’S WHY NASA SUSPECTS MARS LIFE COULD BE HIDING UNDERGROUND

Epic NASA photograph shows International Space Station crossing the moon

Oh my! A possible super nova! How exciting!  

Scientists predict state of matter that can conduct both electricity and energy perfectly

I'd like to share some of my paintings with these folks and get some feedback.

UK sets out siting factors for geological radwaste disposal

Is that what Liz is calling the Harry/Meg spectacle these days? Did Canada agree to this?

First U.S. Small Modular Boiling Water Reactor Under Development

INL SELECTS OKLO INC. FOR OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE REUSE OF FUEL MATERIAL

Well, that's interesting. I'll be curious to see how this progresses. Will they be selling potatoes to Disney to make fries to go with those new burgers? (Just kidding)

China's nuclear power output jumps 18% year on year

Don’t buy China’s story: The coronavirus may have leaked from a lab

Are they using thorium to cook all those Chinese chicken dishes over there? Maybe that's what's got Kyle all feisty.

What makes dogs so special? Science says love

Was that study federally funded, because Brody thinks it was a waste of money if it was. OF COURSE that's what makes him special. Brody would like more research on what makes chicken poop so delicious.

Actor Clint Eastwood shows support for Michael Bloomberg and criticizes Trump's behavior

Hmm...Mr. Eastwood is a fellow Lib. I wonder what he thinks of Vermin Supreme. I wonder if he feels about him the way this guy feels about Kyle. And finally...the Pope Report:

Pope at Mass: being Christian means accepting Jesus, even to the cross

Indian martyr, Devasahayam, cleared for sainthood

The politics are fascinating. I wonder how much of the Pope's words are meant to justify his continued actions of "humiliating" women. I don't think there is ANYTHING Christ-like about the continued oppression of women by Vatican politics. 

Blessings and good wished to all as we follow Christ into the garden this Lenten Season.