UK Top 10 Barmy Ones!

 "UK government ministers have ordered a wide-ranging review and pledged to consolidate or simplify the law." (Mailonline)

Rules!  Britannia! 

Employment minister Chris Grayling, who wears his briefs on his head in case of bird do-do, admitted to reporters yesterday, "I was home schooled and I never ever left my cosy little bed except for number 2s." Regressing by the syllable, he continued. "Mommy had my bedroom full of mattresses...especially the places that people said you could look straight through the walls!" Ah, I believe we call them windows, Chris. "Yes, aren't they something!" When mommy ran off with the seed of Satan, as daddy called him, then I started my rehab. Now years later, I can go upstairs and even down again without holding on... well sometimes anyway. I like doing that very, very ...," he trailed off...morphing back to the red box, government minister.

Successive governments and cotton-woolly parenting;  they've all contributed to the disenfranchisement of young people from their rights of passage.

"Swallows and Amazons" must stay safely between the covers of the book; for wrestling the wrapper off a new Xbox game is now the yardstick of childhood challenge.

OIL..Loads Of It?

The US Government and crude oil. What's a near fact and possible fiction?

Old oil barrels. (Photo: L.C. Nottaason) 

In the April of 2008, the U.S. Geological Service issued a report which updated a previous assessment of an area known as The Bakken; areas of North & South Dakota and eastern Montana. The EIA (Energy Information Administration) estimates the Bakken at around 503 billion barrels. Montana's Legislature's financial analyst, Mr Terry Johnson said, 'When I first briefed legislators on this, you could practically see their jaws hit the floor.' This particular reserve is mainly lite sweet oil.

Stansberry Report of 2006.
Beneath the Rocky Mountains, approximately 1000 ft under the surface lies the largest untapped reserve of oil yet discovered anywhere in the world. It is has been estimated to exceed 2 trillion barrels. To put the Rocky Mountain's huge reserves into some kind of perspective: it's 8 times more than Saudi Arabia; 18 more than Iraq; 21 more than Kuwait; 22 times more than Iran. Put another way; the current total reserves of crude oil within the borders of the USA exceed all the currently proven reserves in the rest of the world.

The above has become rather an urban myth, though American does have vast reserves of gas and oil. A case in point: on www.usgs.gov  a press release on 23 August 2011 upped the amount of recoverable natural gas in one location from 2 trillion cubic ft in 2002 to 84 trillion now. This is mainly because of the advances in technology...but back to the story. It would seem that there is some kernel of truth buried inside the oil reserve saga, but also a load of doggy facts and sloppy reporting in the first place. It's worth reading if only to see how the plot thickened as it went along and to see what is fact, from the as yet unproven.
Scroll down the page when you locate the story and a big A: at link: http://www.factcheck.org
or go strait to the horses mouth:  http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911

Megrahi's Bad News?

"More bad news for Megrahi: Scottish probation officers are on his trail" (Independent, UK)

The convicted Lockerbie bomber  al-Megrahi.

Scottish justice officials have yet to make contact with al-Megrahi. "We've lost his mobile number and don't know his address and we read some absurd nonsense that 'the probation service is on his trail!' He'll be fetal  on the sofa cryin' out for his mama at the though of us wantin' to phone him!" The unnamed official put a small pill to melt under his tongue, before charging on. "We aren't friggin' psychic or a seventh son of a warlock. Don't some of the UK press know there's a bit of a shooting party at Gaddafi's former residence? So how in the hell are we to find that bastard, who should still be banged up at the Bar-L anyway. We're all takin' a wee bet that the new boys in Tripoli will hang him by the goolies thus saving us a hefty phone bill." I asked what East Renfrewshire Council have to do with Abdelbaset al-Megrahi? "Exactly! The council can barely change a street lamp. And a read (because they tell us bugger all) that Jim Fletcher, the council leader came up with the most original 'uncharted waters' and 'needing to make sure he's in Libya' so that the council can 'monitor his whereabouts'. "Can you believe it? The al-Megrahi fink-rat will be offski!"
I thanked the man who's face now resembled Mr Branson's big red high altitude balloon. "Of course, you know well the main culprit for bringing Scotland into disrepute, regarding this matter....?"  

The King, Druids And Courts...

"High Court deny druid reburial of human remains" (Fallen Scoop)

Who let these bloody sheep in!

Former soldier, wheel clamper and UFO aficionado aka King Arthur Pendragon to you of lowly cast, admitted to 57 earth years but could be much more and he very much wanted the High Court to stop the spade and riddle vandals with some immediacy. "These bone scavengers are committing a heinous act of cosmic proportions. Researchers? My large bottom! These drop-out university trowelers are an affront to our ancestry and mystic ones" But aren't they qualified to examine the human remains? KAP's home made crown spun rapidly on his self anointed head and the secred septer glowed. The crown rotating had commenced for no reason and no breeze or outward interference were apparent. Hmm...
The remains, found at the ancient site of Stonehenge, are believed to be more than 5000 years old.

Also 5000 years and more..The Ridgway (right)

" As I'm of Royal Druid line these jumped up assortment of wig wearers in the Ministry of Justice have no jurisdiction in my priestly realm." KAP stated this with such passion and authority that perhaps one has to wonder.... has KAP indeed walked in some former existence, with the fireaters, jugglers and ode chanters along England's ancient Ridgway?

The oldest known road in the UK also passes by the prehistoric White Horse.

(Photo top: Fallen Scoop. The Ridgway: Copyright Control).
For info go to: www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgway

Low Oxygen? Moths Molt!

"Moths molt four to five times before morphing into an adult as a moth or butterfly." (Phsyorg.com)

Polyphemus Motheus. 

At Duke University biologist and part time cover singer of classic '50/'60's tunes, the versatile Fred 'Duke of Earl' Ninjy knew from earlier work that, unlike the Darling Underwing, the horn-billed tobacco caterpillars can't hold their drink or be trusted near a salad. Only when they start a molt and have locused the surrounding countryside and loaded on that all critical 140.8lb times more weight, can they shed their exoskeletons smallecus. But he and other scientists were baffled and still didn't understand how they attended Weight Watcher weigh-ins when the gym's locked and shuttered? In a hot new study, Ninjy's  multi tasky grad student Vivi Callier ( backing vocals and roady) said, "Forget about DD tubsters. The mystery resides elsewhere!"

America runs/sits/sleeps for keeps with too many of these babies! 

And as sure as a dog will mistake you for a lampost if you don't move around once in a while; when Viv measured the size of the caterpillar's respiratory system, guess what? She found that the tracheal tubing had a puncture and if not remedied, would eventually lead to falling off bikes, rickets and Jeff Goldblum syndrome.

The Original 'Duke'

Gene Chandler's site: www.genedukeofearl.com
(Photo top: Marlin)
Surprises and accurate info can be sot out with team: www. physorg.com

Biden: Chinese US Debt Is Safe-ish.

"Giving a speech at Sichuan University, Mr Biden yet again sought to reassure China that its €830 billion holding of US Treasury bonds was safe." (Irish Times)

Ho hum... just one more act of perjury.

“It's safe in our hands and I'll say exactly what I'm told to say as it's not my expertise; gaffs are more my thing," volunteering the soon to be obvious. "As you students of international commerce and finance will know, we've been busy putting our financial house in order by Benny B banging out billions of our soon to be worthless bucks." Thought: I think that might have been my first little G today. "My personal preference is to buy the old trouper Gary U.S. Bonds. He's on the road with some banging new tracks and it's much the safer bet than our Fed Bonds." Asked an opinion of Obama's soon to be released one star rehash? "Well...lets just say, 'Another 4 Wasted Years' ain't no spine tingler...one for his hard core, I guess..."

Mr Biden, when out and about for lunch and cornered by some press near a live what-the-hell-is-this street vendor's, reluctantly agreed that any time soon US interest rates will be something other than planned. He also made a virtue of Treasury Bonds falling following the downgrade. "They're even more sought after than ever! Leprechauns and blind faith are great market tools." Joe spluttered enthusiastically, some interesting street food particles alighting on the faces of less nimble press hacks.“We are still the single-best bet in the world in terms of where to invest if you want to be a pauper before Cinder's coach returns to pumpkin status." In his summing up Mr Biden concluded, "We are the two biggest engines and the two largest economies working together to buoy the world economy."
I guess Joe must have missed that US/China friendly-fraternal ball bouncer of a game.

(Photo top: Ng Han Guan/AP).

Google's Amazing Amazon River 'Street View' Project Begins!

"Google is expanding its Street View service into some of the world's most remote places. It will photograph the River Amazon in Brazil" (BBC)

Here's the Google boat in action and to whet your appetite for more I've a few exclusive 'street views' of the Amazon to share with you! There's a lot of water. There's a lot of trees.

"Nobody knows we are here", said Maria do Socorro Siva Mendonca. Maria is a local. She likes water...and trees.

A Muddy Amazon.

FAS project leader Gabriel Ribenboim said: "It is very important to show the world what a big river this is, and what a lot of water and trees look like."

A Cloudy Amazon.

Can't wait for the next 10,000 miles? Nor can I!

Google Boat Lost...In The Amazon.

(Photos: as stated or Copyright Control).