MSNBC:

CHICAGO - Americans apparently know more about “The Simpsons

Here is a Nazi of the NE Washington/Idaho border variety I encountered back in the 1980s. I don't think they have changed much since then in their demeanor.

How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!

-- Lewis Carroll

More than 1,000 crocodile-like caimans, some as big as a man, escaped from a farm in the northern province of Atlántico after heavy rains caused the Magdalena River to overflow, Colombian authorities said Wednesday.

The incident occurred Tuesday night in the town of Palmar de Varela, near Barranquilla, Mayor Adalberto Rúa told Caracol Radio.

He added that the river’s waters were now infested with the caimans, which measure from 30 centimeters to 2 meters in length.

“According to what the farm’s owner told us, among the specimens that were lost are caimans more than two meters in length, which could represent a danger

Lessons from the Past?

From the Christian Science Monitor

"The people of England have been led in Mesopotamia into a trap from which it will be hard to escape with dignity and honour,'' he wrote from the country. "Things have been far worse than we have been told.... We are today not far from a disaster."

The author was Lt. Col. T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia.

His letters to the Parliament and the British Press were further quoted in an article I just read in the latest issue (March/April 2006) of Foreign Affairs;

"We say we are in Mesopotamia to develop it for the benefit of the world. . . . How long will we permit millions of pounds, thousands of Imperial troops, and tens of thousands of Arabs to be sacrified on behalf of colonial administration which can benefit nobody but its administators?"

I find this quite poignant, given the current debate. Doesn't anybody in the National Security Apparatus study history?

Cosmo

Exhibition and artist talk.

The Evergreen State College and Evergreen Expressions are pleased to present a Gallery Exhibition and Artist talk by Imna Arroyo. The Gallery Exhibition, Ancestors of the Passage, runs through March 17th, 2006, in Gallery 4 on the Fourth floor of the college’s Library Building. Imna Arroyo herself will present a lecture on Wednesday March 1st at 6:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall, Communications Building, in which she will discuss her work, its cultural and artistic roots, and its place in the history of art in the Americas. Both events are free to the public and parking is $1.25.

Orcinus in Seattle has a great write up on Rick's master plan to deal with the master race. I of course have nothing to do with any of this, though I do suggest that our Neo-Nazi friends learn the lyrics to Springtime for Hitler, including:

It ain't no myst'ry
If it's politics or hist'ry
The thing you gotta know is
Ev'rything is show biz
Heil myself
Watch my show
I'm the German Ethel Merman
Dontcha know
We are crossing borders
The new world order is here
Make a great big smile
Ev'ryone sieg heil to me
Wonderful me!

BBC:

Authorities in Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, are to consider banning smoking in cars.

A parliamentary inquiry will look at the effects of passive smoking on passengers, particularly children.

Supporters of the proposal have admitted, however, that enforcing such a ban would be difficult.

Smokers in Australia have already been squeezed out of bars and restaurants, as well as some beaches and most other public places.

Evidently, this has already been tried here in the US. Thank God they have been ruled out.

Similar laws have been proposed in parts of the United States and Germany, but were rejected on privacy grounds.

I have to admire the stubborn energy of two year olds, they can reduce grownups to blithering tears. The little ones seem to know exactly what buttons to push. Rolling, screaming, flailing, and shouting "I hate you!" on the probably not sterile floor of a bus surely pushed a button or two.

I observed for a few then offered my services as friendly person with notebook and pen. The little girl was not going to relent easily, but her older sister was interested, so we settled in for an enjoyable drawing session.

Once the rolling flailing little one was safely held and the shouting stopped, I asked her mother how old she was, an unnecessary question really because everyone within earshot would have figured out that a two year old was amongst us.

A house, girl with crown, tree, smiling face, and pig were all drawn as the bus cruised through town. Now that we are safely delivered to our destinations, most likely all of us could use a nap.