In an another boneheaded move the Vatican decided to lift the excommunication of a nutjob bishop, you know the kind that denies the Holocaust ever happened. Nice. Next thing he might say the earth is flat and that there is an invisible man in the sky.

Suffice to say Jewish relations with the Vatican are strained. While the Vatican and several bishop conferences distanced themselves publicly from the nutty views of this bishop he is still a welcome and upstanding member of the Catholic club.

Prosecutors in Germany may have a different take:

State prosecutors in Regensburg, Germany, have opened a preliminary investigation into whether Williamson broke German laws against Holocaust denial as he spoke to Swedish state TV while in Germany.

Article VI of the US Constitution:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States

Kathryn Jean Lopez:

We’re a nation not just where you are free to believe or not to believe; we’re a nation founded for Him — so we could praise Him, so we could do His will.

Is there any doubt these people do not wish for a theocracy?

The inauguration was a beautiful event for America and for a moment we got a glimpse of America’s future. Not its past, but its future. The millions gathered as colorful as they come, cross sections of society. But the old, the legacy of the past still rears its ugly head. The reality of a dismal economic situation and the ghosts of partisan, raw power politics are still found at every corner.

Never, it seems, has a president hit the ground running as smoothly and quickly as Obama. The one blemish appears to be the appointment of Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary. His tax troubles are not cavalier. I know they are not cavalier because you and I would be in serious trouble if we had committed the same offense. “But the country needs quick action”.  Funny, but that seems to be the same ticking bomb scenario used to justify torture isn’t it? In any event, Geithner is confirmed and on we go. To what?

Not clear, trial balloon rumours are being floated to create a bad bank to take on all the toxic assets of the other banks. Since we already have plenty of bad banks I’m not sure what the value is of creating another. I know the argument to clear the dirt of the existing banks make them look pretty and move the waste over here. What is over here? You are over here. The tax payer. And you are getting dumped with a bunch of garbage. Nice. Unless we understand what the terms are I can only shudder what might be coming down the pike.

Fact is unemployment continues to skyrocket, corporate earnings are collapsing at record pace and the equity markets continued 2009 like 2008 ended. Down. As of today the S&P is down 6.5% on the year already.

The stimulus plan was passed by the House. It’s not perfect. How could it be? Nobody really knows what needs to be done. It’s guess work. Everybody knows that. So Republicans covered their asses and voted against it. So much for country first and putting an end to partisanship. No, this vote was purely strategic to prepare for the 2010 congressional elections. In case this plan fails, Republicans look good and voters will eat it up. Who are Republican voters these days? The ones that seem to matter are the least educated and most gullible. Joe the Plumber types, people who listen to the stupefying propaganda of a Sean Hannity or a Rush Limbaugh. Republicans crawl at their altars as they control the mindless masses apparently.

What hypocritical nonsense is spewed on the airwaves and in print. A good example can be viewed as Rush Limbaugh is held called out by Mark Haynes:

Just as the thought of World War III would be frightening to the entire world the notion of another Bush as president leaves me queasy.

On “Fox News Sunday,” former President George H. W. Bush said he’s ready for another Bush in the White House. He hopes his son Jeb runs for Senate in Florida and one day for president.

“I think he’d be an outstanding senator … I’d like to see him be president some day,” Bush said.

Useless as usual:

The United States late Saturday blocked approval of a U.N. Security Council statement calling for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel and expressing concern at the escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas.

U.S. deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff said the United States saw no prospect of Hamas abiding by last week’s council call for an immediate end to the violence. Therefore, he said, a new statement at this time “would not be adhered to and would have no underpinning for success, would not do credit to the council.”

France’s U.N. Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, the current council president, announced that there was no agreement among members on a statement. But he said there were “strong convergences” among the 15 members to express serious concern about the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the need for “an immediate, permanent and fully respected cease-fire.”

And they squabble on….

This is one of those subjects nobody ever really wants to talk about. I understand why, what’s the point one could argue. But ignoring problems does not make them go away. One thing that kills me about creationists and deniers of evolution is that the vary basic events that drive evolution are easily observed. Take the flu virus. The world is confronted with a different strain almost every year. That’s why flu vaccines are to, a certain degree, crap shoots, because scientists can’t precisely predict the exact composition of the next strain. What studies have shown, however, is that just the “right” combination of changes can make the flu incredibly deadly:

A team of scientists from the US and Japan have identified a combination of three genes in the flu virus that was most likely responsible for making the 1918 flu strain so deadly that it caused the most devastating outbreak of infectious disease ever known to humankind, leaving tens of millions dead in its wake.

Autopsies of people killed by the 1918 flu epidemic show fluid-filled lungs badly damaged by massive hemorrhaging. Although it was clear that the virus had colonized lung tissue, exactly which genes gave the virus this deadly capacity and how was still somewhat of a mystery.

Using ferrets, because flu spreads in their bodies in a similar way as it does in humans, Kawaoka and his team were able to pinpoint a cluster of three flu virus genes that gave the 1918 flu virus the ability to reproduce in the victim’s lungs instead of being confined to the upper respiratory tract. Once the flu virus takes hold in the lungs then there is a greater chance of developing primary viral pneumonia, which together with secondary bacterial pneumonia killed between 20 and 50 million people in the 1918 outbreak.

How his information is reconcilable with an all loving, and compassionate God is beyond me, but so be it. The reality is that this planet, now filled with almost 7 billion people, is basically always a step away from total disaster. All it takes is one mutation of a virus and billions could die. With today’s interconnected world any virus could spread rapidly. In recent years there have been a number of scares such as the Bird flu virus, West Nile, and of course HIV. If HIV was airborne we’d be faced with long term extinction. Or take Ebola, it would likely reduce the world’s population by up to 90% were it airborne:

The virus, which is highly contagious via bodily fluids and causes severe vomiting, diarrhea and often internal and external bleeding, was first reported in the area on November 27.

There is no cure for Ebola, which kills 50 to 90 percent of its victims.

In 1995, a major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, then known as Zaire, killed 250 of the 315 people known to have been infected, including health workers who touched infected blood

Why am I concerned? Because I believe in regression to the mean. Nature has a documented history. That history shows complete species extinction and balance of eco system. If the balance is interrupted the eco system will change. While humanity’s extistence on this planet has been relatively short lived so far, there can be no doubt the last hundred years have been nothing but ridiculous in terms of growth:

I ask: Does this look sustainable or even reasonable or desirable? Our best hope is that we give science all tools available to study disease and cures. The ban on stem cell research has been abominable. The Vatican’s stance against contraception and condoms has been irresponsible. But let’s not kid ourselves. There is no established record of such an imbalance in nature that was able to sustain itself in the long run. Maybe a quote from Jurassic Park the movie is in order: Nature always finds a way….

Remember this fishing vessel next time you order salt water fish for dinner at a restaurant. These guys work HARD!

Well, at least Bush managed to get consensus on one thing: He’s management of Iraq was an utter disaster. He is still not willing to acknowledge it, but American voters made that judgement, global political elites made the same judgement and so, apparently, do Iraqi political elites:

Former U.S.-installed Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has denounced the policies of President George W. Bush as an “utter failure” that gave rise to the sectarian venom that ravaged his country.

In an interview published on Saturday in the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, Allawi found fault with American management of Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 as well as the government of present Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Allawi ruled Iraq for almost a year after U.S. occupation officials handed power to him in 2004 as prime minister of an interim government. He was selected by a council hand-picked by Washington after the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

“Yes, Bush’s policies failed utterly,” said Allawi, describing the U.S. administration that once backed him. “Utter failure. Failure of U.S. domestic and foreign policy, including fighting terrorism and economic policy.”

“His insistence on names like ‘democracy’ and ‘open elections’, without giving attention to political stability, was a big mistake. It cast shadows on Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Egypt, and I believe this will be remembered in history as President Bush’s policy,” he said.

Maybe David Gregory can take some notes and ask Bush about his style…ure

The markets just enjoyed a nice rally in the past few days, in fact major indices rallied over 8% in just 4 days. But who are we kidding here? The increase came on very low volume during a seasonably favorable time. In fact I would argue the increase was largely aided by a tremendous bounce in oil which was aided by the Israel/Gaza trouble. Volume will be picking up on Monday when traders are coming back and reality will have to be contented with. Realities such as the total collapse in manufacturing output:

In the meantime it is becoming increasingly clear what Obama will write in his notebook during his first staff meeting as president:

All joking aside, the news flow will continue to be difficult. Anyone signaling the all clear and green (as some seem to do on CNBC, are highly irresponsible. I expect the recent advance to be tested in short order.

The death of a child is always a terrible tragedy. The Travoltas seem to be very loving parents and they must be devastated. However, the circumstances of the death of their son Jett appear to be odd.

Jett was found dead on Friday after apparently suffering a seizure and hitting his head on a bathtub while on a New Year’s holiday with his parents and eight-year-old sister, Bahamian police said. His father, a keen pilot, flew the family there by private jet.

His body was discovered by his caretaker, Jeff Kathrain, at around 10am in a bathtub in the Travoltas’ suite at the Old Bahama Bay Resort Hotel on Grand Bahama Island, local police chief superintendent Basil Rahming said.

Jett had a long history of seizures and other medical problems, including complications resulting from Kawasaki disease, a rare lymph-node disorder that causes severe rashes and fevers, Travolta told investigators.

Claims that Jett suffered from autism were given fresh impetus in 2007 after a Florida neighbour of the couple, whose daughter suffers from the condition, said he approached Travolta as “one autistic father to another”.

The potential red flag here is that the Travoltas are Scientologists who reject the use of any kind of psychedelic drug treatment. Who can forget Tom Cruise’s rant regarding Brook Shield’s use of anti-depressants? Seizures can be effectively dealt with through the use of targeted drugs. If proper medication was withheld for religious reasons what is the accountability? Let’s see what facts come about. I have to admit I am a bit biased as I have very good first hand information that Mr. Travolta’s private persona is quite different from his public image. I think it would be fair to say the American public would be shocked if they knew some of the stories circulating in Arizona for example. But that doesn’t make him necessarily an irresponsible parent. But using religious belief to deny medical treatment would be irresponsible at best, and criminal at worst.

I was hopeful that David Gregory would be a good choice for heading Meed the Press. I am now sorely disappointed and maybe that’s my own fault. But I was hopeful after seeing him in clips like these. His recent interviews, however, have been very softball. This clip below with Chris Matthews though makes it perfectly clear as to why: He’s an apologist. Apparently he views the media to have a role in asking questions and taking notes. No follow-up, no challenge on the facts, no debate, no pointing out of factual errors or lies. Whose role is that? Apparently you the citizen. Are you kidding me? David, seriously why did you go to journalism school? We, the American people, NEVER have the chance to ask questions or confront our leaders. We can vote ever so often but we depend on you, the media, who have access to hold those in power accountable to the truth.

One of the key reasons that the Bush administration got away with so much bullshit over the past 8 years is precisely because you guys wouldn’t dig, wouldn’t challenge enough. It’s pathetic. Your view seems to be that journalism is intended to give those in power a platform with which to spew their propaganda unchallenged. Classic example is the 2nd clip below: Question 1: Your approval rating is low, why is that: Bush: bla bla bla that doesn’t address the question or the truth. Follow-up question by Gregory: Let me ask you about your style. Please, what seriously is the value of an interview like this? None, whatsoever. Gregory and others like him in the media should resign. We need a demanding media who watches out for the public and challenges the powerful. A good example is the third clip, when an Irish reporter asks Bush some difficult questions.

Most people know this intrinsically, but the religious dogmatists in the Bush administration made the US taxpayer spend $200 million per year on it anyway. Worse, the idiocy of the programs puts teens further at risk of transmitted diseases since their parents also don’t believe in the use of condoms. Why would they? Churches are often against it and the Vatican is raising doubts against their effectiveness. The effect: Millions of kids are being manipulated and lied to by their parents. What for? To avoid a natural impulse and fulfill a religious goal. The end result: Uneducated kids exposed to diseases and teenage pregnancies. Nice. Can people please grow up?

A new study of a federal survey taken in the 1990s finds that teens who took virginity pledges are just as likely as other teens to have sex before marriage. Importantly, when the pledgers broke their vows they were less likely to use birth control, including condoms.

“Taking a pledge doesn’t seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behavior,” said Janet E. Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, whose led the study. “But it does seem to make a difference in condom use and other forms of birth control that is quite striking.”

“Five years after the pledge, 82 percent of pledgers denied having ever pledged,” the researchers write in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics.

“Pledgers are less likely to protect themselves from pregnancy and disease before marriage,” the scientists write. “Virginity pledges may not affect sexual behavior but may decrease the likelihood of taking precautions during sex. Clinicians should provide birth control information to all adolescents, especially virginity pledgers.”

Well, here we go again. Nuclear! As with the imaginary mushroom cloud the Bush administration paraded in front of the American public now we hear how Hamas rockets threaten Israel’s nuclear plant. Never mind that Hamas can’t shoot straight with their rockets and therefore the threat is completely bogus. Worse, the reality is, even if a rocket were to hit the plant directly, it wouldn’t cause a nuclear event, it may crumble some concrete. But hey, it sells copy right?

There were growing fears in Israel last night that Hamas missiles could threaten its top-secret nuclear facility at Dimona.

Rocket attacks from Gaza have forced Israelis to flee in ever greater numbers and military chiefs have been shaken by the size and sophistication of the militant group’s arsenal.

Bullshit at best, propaganda at worst.

Israel began phase 2 today and ground troops entered Gaza. As we posted previously no nice guys on either side, the situation seems unsolvable. If we view it from a purely military perspective we have to acknowledge the following: Peace will never be achieved until your enemy is utterly destroyed. That has been a plain fact of life for all of human history. That’s just the way it is. Is Israel prepared to go all the way? I don’t know. If their goal is to find all the Hamas rockets it seems they have to go house by house by house. That seems like a brutal task and one not likely solvable by January 20th when Obama will be sworn in as president. The reality is that Israel will increasingly come under pressure politically to stop, so they have to move fast. Anyone who wants to argue either side of this conflict should also get a clear view of what is happening on the ground. You will not see it in the main stream media, but we can show it here. Be warned though this footage is very graphic and it shows civilian casualties. It is not abstract it is real: