On Poo, or, "Damn it, I was not BSing you."

I was telling a class the other day about the chemistry of feces and why it turns dark on the “air” side and stays lighter in the water. I mentioned, as I have for decades to other classes, that in Europe you can find toilets with a shelf to poo on so you can inspect the results and collect a sample if needed. As usual, met with disbelief. “Why would ANYONE want to do that???”
Reasons too numerous to list, but suffice it to say some are good. Like people with IBS or Crohn’s disease that from time to time have to take a look or grab a sample. I am tired of always saying ‘No, really, they do!!!”
So here are the pictures and links. If they don’t work, just Google “toilet for inspecting feces” and look at the images. If you are lucky, you might even get the “twins”.

(Flachspueler means "Washout" in German according to Google translate.)
Essay on subject: http://www.breigh.com/wordpress/archives/1617
Image: lifeintheleftlane.wordpress.com

Muslim World Begins to Crack.

The Muslim world is shaking. Unrest in Tunisia has quickly spread to Egypt with trouble also in Lebanon. I guess “unrest” is mild considering the problems in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. And then there are the southern ‘-stans’ of Russia. Beside radical Islam there is a common thread: millions of young men with no prospect for a future. No jobs. No education. No real hope. Nobody really cares about them except radical Clerics and jihadists. Men of twisted value and perspectives who want power. Plain and simple.
I see the problem like this: Muslims often have large families, roughly one half males. The population of young Muslim males is growing quickly with no prospects better than those mentioned above. So what do the 2 to 12 year olds have to look forward to? Work? Not bloody likely. Education? No again. Real hope? Unlikely.
Then there are the girls that grow up to become mothers with many children. Hope? No. Poor, sick, abused? You bet.
Solution? I seriously doubt that short of all-out war eventually, there is no solution. And I really don’t see how all-out war will help either. Maybe reduce the population a bit? Terrible way to do that, isn’t it?
At least that’s the way I see it. How do you see it?
Image: www. northwestindiana.com

Image: www.signsofthelastdays.com

Nothing to Say.

Nothing to write about is a bad sign. With so much to write about it seems strange to have nothing to say about any of it. Weather, religion, politics, even sex. News, work, students, friends, even food. Nothing. I wonder if this is what writers block is all about, or maybe depression? The world flows around you but doesn’t seem to touch. The sun shines but doesn’t seem to be warm. Time moves slowly.
Ah. Reality. Seven squirrels stocking up on spilled sun flower seeds. Furry and warm. Paying not the least attention to the sleeping dogs, going on their way oblivious. Of what? If they knew they wouldn’t be oblivious, would they? Duh.

Tonight then tomorrow then tomorrow again.

Immage: www.spanring.eu

Take the Country Back? You Are Damn Right!!!

The country and world are literally coming apart: Monetary crises; hunger crises; weather crises; immigration crises; civility crises; water crises; education crises; air quality crises and more. There is more than enough to keep politicians busy without getting into our personal lives, again. You would think so anyway. Yet the Republican controlled House and the minority in the Senate, and in more than 28 states, many of which face financial suicide, the self-stated PRIMARY OBJECTIVE of the legislative year is the total removal of the control of a woman’s right to control her OWN BODY. The agenda is to severely restrict or eliminate completely the right of a woman to terminate a pregnancy based on her own choice. Kill Roe v Wade at the federal level, eliminate any Federal funding that goes to abortion services, even when the health of the mother is in danger, and make the provision of abortions a crime. At the state level, a curtailing of licensed termination services, a prohibition of any termination over 20 weeks regardless of the condition of fetus or mother and/or the forcing of a woman to view the sonogram of the fetus prior to the procedure.
What the hell is going on here? Poll after poll indicates that more than 70% of Americans favor abortion services under some circumstances while clearly stating is should not be used merely as birth control. So when the newly elected politicians claim they are doing “The Peoples Business”. Who is” the people?” A minority of the voters, many of whom are conservative Christians that VOTE. Democrats far outnumber Republicans in voter registration and Democrats are overwhelmingly in favor of reproductive rights for women. But the lazy jerks don’t VOTE.
It really is time for women and men of moderate and liberal views to “Take the Country Back” from the radical right wingers that have taken over. Today women lose reproductive rights, tomorrow we lose religious freedoms and the day after tomorrow who knows? Wearing yellow and pink stars on our clothes and being stopped on the street by a man in a long leather coat and being asked “Let me see your PAPERS.”? (Oh, I forgot. They already do that in Arizona and Florida wants to do it too.)
Image: www.sodahead.com