Does Comrade Putin know that the "territory" to which he's laying claim is not only sub-zero 100% of the time, but also under water 100% of the time?
Apparently, though, not all Russians are convinced of the legitimacy of the claim:
"Sergei Priamikov, of Russia's Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, said (that)...Canada 'could say that the Lomonosov ridge is part of the Canadian shelf, which means Russia should in fact belong to Canada...'"
Never happen. The Russian people, having thrown off most of the yoke of suppressive government regimes, would never stand for losing their hard-won freedoms and being placed under the thumb of CNG!
Scientists want to play with all the neat little genes and chromosomes and assemble thir own versions of the puzzles known as life forms. They've been doing it for years with plants, and nobody really objected very much. Matter of fact, Big Pharmaceutical conglomerates like Monsanto not only paid the scientists to do it, but they then patented the new life forms. And now Monsanto is well on its way to owning the food you eat.
Then the scientists graduated to playing with sheep and other domestic creatures. And still, nobody objected very much. Now they want to play with human/animal cocktails, and everybody wants to get into the act!
Governments want to pass laws to prevent it:
"Ministers say that the creation of animal-human embryos - created by injecting animal cells or DNA into human embryos or human cells into animal eggs - will be heavily regulated.
"They insist that it will be against the law to implant “chimeras” - named after the mythical creature that was half man and half animal - into a woman’s womb."
And the Vatican want to pass laws that prevent the prevention:
"The bishops...were also anxious to limit the destruction of such life once it had been brought into existence."
I haven't seen quite everything, yet, but it looks like I'm getting close.
Cops and security guards are trying to prevent law-abiding people from engaging in perfectly legal behavior in the name of "security" or some such stupidity. And they don't even really have the "good" excuse that if a thing is worth doing, it is worth over-doing.
Those who know me on a personal level know that this subject actually puts me in an interesting philosophical position. I'm publicly coming down on the side of people who want to take pictures of the sights around them. But don't anyone come anywhere near me with your camera, because I don't allow anyone to take my picture.
I am not a building. I am private property...mine.
Freedom of photography is also freedom from photography!
If you are at all concerned that you should be allowed to live your life according to your own values, as opposed to the values of a religious group of which you are not a member, set aside some time during the first four days of July and blog about it.
Then send a link from your post to Blue Gal, and she'll add your post to the blogswarm.
This public service message brought to you courtesy of prompts by JJ.
Please note that this is not a slam against religion in general, or any religious group in particular. It is simply putting all religious groups on notice that government by religious decree is not going to be allowed in Canada or the United States.
It's Pipes-And-Drums season once again, and the highland spirit is calling. Time to immerse myself in the annual ritual of trying to figure out how the judges know when a piper is good or not good. I mean, it's not like every piper isn't playing in three keys simultaneously while trying to catch a panicked pig and give the cat a bath at the same time. That is the sound, isn't it?
And no, I have no idea why I love it like I do. Something about it simply raises every hair on my body, and I just have to be there...
This year's guaranteed venues are:
The BC Highland Games in Coquitlam. I sorta gotta be there. Not only is it in my back yard, so to speak, but friends of mine are involved. They would take it exceedingly ill if I went to an out-of-town show and didn't support the locals. Besides, two of the members of Spirit Of The West are entertaining this year...
The Pacific Northwest Highland Games in Enumclaw. This will be my first trip to this venue, and I've been lucky enough to hook up with a friend who has a campsite reserved and room to spare. And one of my all-time favorite troups of entertainers -- Wicked Tinkers -- are featured performers. These guys are un-bloody-believable! If you only listen to their music, you're missing half the show. I have rarely seen such energy in a performance!
Other Games may show up on my schedule, but these two are locked in. Now, where did I put my kilt, my haggis gun, and that bottle of single malt...?
If you have the urge to put a political label on me, I urge you to resist that urge. There is no political label in the world that can be made to fit me.
When I'm in a good mood, I'm a badger. When I'm in a bad mood, I'm a wolverine. Your call...
