Wingnuts....

This video footage of British scientist Richard Dawkins confronting the (now) infamous Ted Haggard chillingly illustrates evangelicals' snide smugness, muddy logic, frightening ignorance, and utter lack of intellectual curiosity.

What an arrogant prick Haggard is!

H/T to Crooks and Liars.

Kick their worthless asses out this Tuesday...!

There's been a lot of understandable pessimism, bitterness and fury directed at Democrats over the upcoming mid-term elections by bloggers I greatly respect. (Prime examples here and here.)

While I strongly agree with their opinions and have almost lost faith that the US will pull itself back from the edge of unequivocal despotism rather than leap into the abyss, I guess I haven't lost all hope yet, for this video stirred me.

Moreover, I did vote (absentee) before leaving California to return here to Dublin.

(Big H/T to Shakespeare's Sister for the video!)

Unique idea to save a whale...!

The World Society for the Protection of Animals is trying to save the life of an endangered fin whale by raising enough money to pay the Icelandic government, intent on killing the whale, the price it would receive for the meat.

Please help! Go bid 10 British pounds on eBay here. And spread the word to all your friends.

For more details, go here.

Yep they're smart...!

Elephants are self-aware enough to recognize themselves in a mirror.

And then we have cats:

Shell to sea...!

What first caught my attention about this campaign was the Rossport 5's arrest. Anytime average people are willing to go to prison for their beliefs, I pay attention.

The more I learned about Shell in Mayo, the more shocked I became. Many political campaigns have good and bad on both sides, but not this one. The Irish people are getting nothing out of this deal, while Shell is being handed a windfall.

Please spread the word about this to everyone you know.

I'm back....

Sorry I didn't post a "Gone Surfing" sign. I was visiting my dad and friends and catching waves in Southern California. I couldn't have asked for better weather! And the surf started off small, glassy and easy, then built during the two weeks I was surfing until the last three days, I paddled out in waves generated by Hurricane Paul off Baja. By then I was able to handle the overhead, awe-inspiring walls of translucent blue-green water. It was exhilarating!

No doubt about it, Southern California is a paradise--for the prosperous. I was blown away by the abundance and cheap prices of restaurants, produce from all over the world, petrol, electronics, clothing!

The flip side is that the lucky wealthy residents seem invested in keeping the real costs of that cheap affluence well hidden. No signs of war were visible, unless you count the ubiquitous stars and stripes on bumpers, front lawns, car lots and everywhere, and this despite the fact that my dad lives only 30 minutes from Camp Pendleton, home base of many of the Marines in Iraq.

The city council of Escondido, where he lives, just passed an ordinance permitting law enforcement to investigate tips that residents may be “illegal aliens.” The cops can demand immigration documents, forward same onto the Immigration authorities, and fine (perhaps jail) the landlords who rent to the “illegals.”

I was sickened to hear of this! Though not surprised. Escondido is one of the few places in San Diego County with rents low enough for poor Mexican immigrants to find housing. The ones with greencards will now face legalised harassment, while those without will be forced to live in fear or flee. To me, this mean-spirited law epitomises the So Cal attitude: the rich will hire undocumented immigrants as nannies, maids, gardeners, and handymen, but don’t expect them to allow them to live nearby! Tortilla Curtain (by T.C. Boyle) anyone?

I’m happy to be back in Dublin. Life, while good, is not nearly so easy here, but neither are people so determinedly ignorant.