What's going on in the world today?

So what’s going on in the world today…..hmm…lets see…Starbucks is changing it’s logo. Taking their name off the logo and going only with the sea nymph. Until I read the article, I’d never paid enough attention to it to recognize the lady without the words.  I don’t drink coffee, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Phusion Products has pulled their “Four Loko” beverages off the market, and I hear they are being recycled into ethanol for use in automotive fuel. If you’re not familiar with these drinks, they were energy drinks containing alcohol and caffeine.  In a 23 oz serving, you could be a wide awake drunk after consuming these, leading to even more bad decisions about driving and what have you. Since they are converting the drinks to fuel, I wonder if the caffeine will make your car jittery?  That last sentence is a joke, in case you didn’t get it.

Probably the most important thing that happened in this country today was the reading of the Constitution of the United States, word for word on the floor of the House of Representatives. Critics have said this is nothing but showmanship by Republicans, but I think it is a great idea. This was the first time in the history of the nation that this most important of legal documents has ever been read in its entirety on the House floor. I am convinced, looking at the past performance of our legislative body, that this is probably the first time most of them have been exposed to it, let alone having read it. They will have to get schooled in the Constitution’s provisions however.  The house approved a package of rules for the 112^th Congress that requires all bills that come before the house cite their constitutional authority.  No telling what may happen if we start getting laws that are actually based on the Constitution.

Further update on the dead birds.  Seems there was a similar occurrence in Sweden a day or two after the dead bird events in Arkansas and Louisiana.  More than 100 jackdaws, a bird similar to and a cousin of our common crow fell out of the sky on to a road.  But birds aren’t the only things dying in great numbers.  Over the last two weeks, there have been reports from all over the globe about various animals dying en-masse. There were of course the thousands of drum fish in the Arkansas River, and Kentucky is now reporting a mass die-off of black birds, robins and starlings. A beach in New Zealand has been covered with what is being called a “carpet” of dead snapper numbering in the hundreds.  More than 40,000 dead “devil crabs” washed up on in beach in England.  The Baltimore Sun reports an estimated 2 million spot fish have washed ashore in Chesapeake Bay, and more than 100 tons of sardines, croaker and catfish have washed up on beaches near Paranagua, Brazil this week, and finally in Port Orange, Florida, hundreds of dead fish float in the waterways frequented by kayakers.  The boaters report seeing dead fish at every turn, surrounded by swarms of pelican and buzzards.  Animal apocalypse? End of days prediction? Or did they die of shock after hearing that US Congressmen had to actually read the Constitution?

Things are getting interesting in other parts of the world too.  Iran and North Korea have (apparently) some form of nuclear weapons and now China appears to have a new stealth fighter jet.  Russia has stealth fighter technology now too.  Both Iran and North Korea have the capability and the will to set of major conflicts in the world. Are Russia and China arming peacefully, simply assuming a defensive posture in response to these very real threats that are literally on their doorsteps?  Or is there a more insidious plan at work?  Both are current allies, or at least not enemies, but in this day and age of political correctness and neutered politicians, if something did happen,  we’ll all be eating rice, and turning towards Mecca to pray in Russian before they sort out who might be offended if we defend ourselves.

See you all next time.