Tom Faranda's Folly

Rugby: Hong Kong 7's Finals

USA knocked out in the quarterfinals, but now ranked #7 in the World Series Table, ahead of Scotland, France, Wales & lots of others. Table is at the end of the video.

 

UK (socialized medicine) cancer survival rates lag the rest of Europe - and well behind the USA

Periodically I see articles (or they're sent to me by a good friend of mine in the UK) extolling the great glories of the UK NHS (National Health Service). They are frequently from the left wing Guardian (UK) newspaper. Well, last week the Guardian ran this article -

UK cancer survival rates trail 10 years behind other European countries

A revealing article.

So I went to the massive international study this was based on, which you can find here in the British Journal The Lancet -

Global surveillance of cancer survival 1995–2009: analysis of individual data for 25 676 887 patients from 279 population-based registries in 67 countries (CONCORD-2)

With two minutes of digging I found the following chart, with data on ten different cancers (but not lymphoma) and survival rates in all the countries.

5-year age-standardised net survival for adults (aged 15–99 years) diagnosed with one of ten common malignant diseases and children (aged 0–14 years) with ALL, by continent, country, and calendar period of diagnosis

To keep this post short, here  is a  comparison from the above chart of the five year survival rate % for the UK and the USA (pre-Obamacare) and three other countires for three different cancers.

In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) ranked France and Italy #'s one and two for their healthcare systems.

                                Breast                    Prostate                    Leukemia

USA                            89                            97                            52

UK                              81                            83                            47

France                        87                            91                            59

Italy                            86                           90                            47

Australia                    86                            89                            51

Happily the survival rate for childhood leukemia is 88-89% in all five countries.

The moral of the story: for all the moaning about the X million number of people in the US who don't have health insurance, actual healthCARE is pretty darn good. Maybe we need to be careful about messing with the system.

Croton Landing and a pretty big fish!

So Brigid and i were out for a quick walk at Croton Landing Sunday evening, and a bit before 7pm came across some fisher guys.

Brigid on the right.

Looking quite saintly

And then I wised up and put the sun behind me

There it is - we think they said it was a Bass. I have no idea.

Proud catch! Easily a foot and a half. probably eaten already ...

Croton landing - great place for a Sunday walk.

Costa Rica has been 100% renewable energy so far this year

Nice! This from the Telegraph (UK). Let's hope it keeps raining.

Costa Rica has only used renewable energy this year Central American nation, once described as the greenest on the planet, thrives on rain and volcanoes

The Central American country, which has long boasted of its green credentials on energy policy, was able to achieve the milestone thanks to heavy rain in the first three months of the year.

Around four-fifths of its electricity supply comes from hydro-electric power, which was boosted by rainfall at four major dams.

Costa Rica is one of the most developed countries in Latin America, ranking above Italy and several other European Union countries in the annual prosperity rankings put out by the Legatum Institute, a think-tank.

Its environmental record may not be easily copied by other nations - its tropical climate with high rainfall, mountainous interior, and relatively low population of 4.8 million people give it an advantage in terms of renewable energy.

More than ten per cent of its electricity in some years is generated by geothermal projects operating from its string of active volcanoes. It also has wind, biomass and solar energy plants.

Tapping volcanic heat! How cool is that!

Additionally, it has a low heavy industrial base, with its economy relying on tourism, agriculture - particularly bananas and coffee - and an Intel microprocessor plant.

******

Last year, all but six per cent of its energy was generated renewably.

That figure should come down further when a new geothermal project, commissioned last year by the government at a cost of $958 million, comes on stream.

“It’s good news that more geothermal will be coming on board, as there are obvious downsides of being too reliant on hydro-power, especially run-of-the-river systems, which can be hindered by seasonal changes in water flow,” Jake Richardson, an analyst at Clean Technica, told Science Alert.

Back in the late 70's when I was living in Jamaica, I had an opportunity to visit Costa Rica, but went to Panama and then to Guatemala (where my brother Jim was in the Peace Corp) instead.

 

Eric Clapton - 70 today!

Eric Clapton.

Here he is in 2008. Look closely - he's wearing Granny glasses ... Age gets us all.

Rugby: Hong Kong 7's - USA doing well!

Brigid and I were at the Hong Kong 7's in 1990. A great event.

Results from the second day.

 

Modern Day Feast of the Annunciation - lovely art

Ha! the Feast of the Annunciation was last week. I enjoyed this from the Friars of the Renewal. The last four renditions are - China - Africa - Japan - Central America

What if the Annunciation was to happen in our own times? What would it look like?

Ok, here's Japan - hit the link for the rest.

 

900 calorie cocktail; what the world needs

So a cocktail and then have dessert - you've used up your daily calorie ration ...

Anyway, it's only 890.

 

Fr. Barron: "Heroic Priesthood" commercial

I don't know. I love Fr. Barron but not at all keen on this commercial.

"This aired during the March 2015 ACC Basketball Tournament."

The Greenwich Village fire on Thursday

UPDATE: Two people missing; not good.

Probable gas leak, What a mess. Amazing no one killed.

This picture and video are from the Telegraph (UK).

Rugby: 6 Nations Tournament wrap up - good article

For the rugby aficionado.

Interesting that the writer, who is English, starts by criticizing the whining (surprise!) of some of the English players. 

Record number of points on the last day showed teams can play with the handbrake off, but was it circumstance or a concerted effort to be more fluid?

Some England players showed their frustration at missing out on the Six Nations title for a fourth successive season, a period when their cumulative record is as good as Wales’ and much better than Ireland’s – the two countries who have won the championship since the last World Cup – by accusing Italy and Scotland of not fronting up on the final weekend.

England were not complaining last year after a comfortable 20-0 victory at Murrayfield, one that would have been greater but for the worm-infested surface that made it heavy-going underfoot, nor did they accuse Italy of capitulating on the final day in 2014 having enjoyed a 41-point romp in Rome, although the margin was not enough to require Ireland to do more than win in Paris later in the day to finish top.

 

An actual amusing insurance commercial

United Healthcare is a USA company, but the commercial is already viral to the point where it was sent to me by Brigid's niece June, in Australia.

 

WSJ editorial: "The Bergdahl Desertion"

UPDATE: The NY Times editorialized this morning that Bergdahl should not face desertion charges. No Need to Prosecute Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl

As the Journal reminds us of what was given up, to get him back, and what the Administration said at the time.

Here's the last line of the editorial:

"Sgt. Bergdahl will now face a court martial, but we already know that the White House is guilty of deserting its obligations to U.S. security."

Rugby: 6 Nations, Italy vs. Wales

This was the first game played this past weekend.

 

ABC: Yemen is still Obama model for fighting extremists

Unbelievable. "Astounding" as the ABC guy says.

Reminds me of the Iraqi Information Minister - remember him? It's embarrassing to listen to the Administration Press Secretary.

 

The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae) 20th anniversary

Pope John Paul II (Saint John Paul!) encyclical spells it out ... worth reading even just the first few paragraphs

The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae)

1. THE GOSPEL OF LIFE is at the heart of Jesus' message. Lovingly received day after day by the Church, it is to be preached with dauntless fidelity as "good news" to the people of every age and culture.

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The Church knows that this Gospel of life, which she has received from her Lord,¹ has a profound and persuasive echo in the heart of every person—believer and non-believer alike—because it marvellously fulfils all the heart's expectations while infinitely surpassing them. Even in the midst of difficulties and uncertainties, every person sincerely open to truth and goodness can, by the light of reason and the hidden action of grace, come to recognize in the natural law written in the heart (cf. Rom 2:14-15) the sacred value of human life from its very beginning until its end, and can affirm the right of every human being to have this primary good respected to the highest degree. Upon the recognition of this right, every human community and the political community itself are founded.

 ******

The Church, faithfully contemplating the mystery of the Redemption, acknowledges this value with ever new wonder.³ She feels called to proclaim to the people of all times this "Gospel", the source of invincible hope and true joy for every period of history. The Gospel of God's love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospel of life are a single and indivisible Gospel.

The above is excerpted from the introduction. The first chapter is a profound meditation on the story of Cain and Abel.

Here is the complete layout of the encyclical:

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I - THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER'S BLOOD CRIES TO ME FROM THE GROUND

CHAPTER II - I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE

CHAPTER III - YOU SHALL NOT KILL

CHAPTER IV - YOU DID IT TO ME

CONCLUSION

ENDNOTES

I've read the encyclical several times, although not in the last ten years or so. Must go back and re-read it.

 

Avalanche rescue! Frantic and great stuff

This was mentioned on PBS last night. The video was posted on youtube by the rescued skier on March 5th.

The skiers are Australian and it's a helmet cam. https://youtu.be/XTli5YkoXog

Here's the text that's posted below the video on youtube - and which is below.

It is important to learn from the mistakes of others as well as yourself. I have uploaded this video to act as a learning tool to demonstrate what ill preparedness looks like in an avalanche rescue situation. As the buried skier, I am incredibly lucky to be alive. A full write up of the incident is available here: http://avalanchesurvival.tumblr.comThis video documents an avalanche accident that occurred in the Swiss Alps on the 30/01/2015.
The accident happened within the resort boundary on a slope not known for slides. Please be careful and never take safety for granted. Decision making is paramount whenever off piste and always carry a beacon, probe and shovel. Most importantly get educated. Stay safe.
Footage courtesy of Daniel O'Sullivan.

WSJ: Cruz and Obama similarities

Here's my take - Obama is the worst President in my lifetime, and Cruz - despite my agreement with many of his positions - would also be a poor President. Not my cup of tea.

Wall Street Journal editorial yesterday:

The Cruz Candidacy. Ideology aside, the Republican is similar in many ways to Obama.

Can a smart, articulate, 40-something first term Senator trained in constitutional law, who disdains his colleagues and lacks executive experience, make the leap to the White House? President Obama proved it was possible in 2008, and now Ted Cruz will try to show that a Republican can do it too after announcing his campaign for the White House on Monday.

Neither man will like this comparison, and their world views are as divergent as any two men in politics. Yet Messrs. Obama and Cruz are strikingly similar in their pedigrees and political style. They were raised middle-class but made their way to the Ivy League and beyond by dint of talent.

They became lawyers but mainly as a launching pad to politics. The President was a state senator, Mr. Cruz the Texas solicitor general. Mr. Cruz is a better debater, and Mr. Obama a better speech-maker, but both are better talkers than listeners. Above all, they are political solo-artists in an age that rewards entrepreneurial candidates. They saw the Senate as a stepping-stone to the White House rather than a place to contribute or get something done.

Mr. Obama ran as the true-believing antiwar liberal to win his party’s nomination. Mr. Cruz plans to run as the only true-believing, courageous conservative in the GOP field. Like Mr. Obama, he will run as much against Washington and his own party “establishment” as against the other party.

******

Mr. Cruz is right that Mitt Romney in particular failed to motivate enough conservatives. But he is probably wrong to think that conservatives alone, especially white conservatives, can elect the next President. As GOP pollster Whit Ayres recently wrote in these pages, if the GOP nominee in 2016 carries the same share of the white and minority vote as George W. Bush won in 2004, he would lose, and handily. The next nominee must broaden the GOP’s electoral appeal.

This is not a counsel to walk away from conservative ideas. It does mean a candidate must offer an optimistic, inclusive vision and reform agenda that look beyond the Obama years. This also means appealing to voters who believe the GOP isn’t welcoming to minorities or the working class. Mr. Cruz’s hard-edged message against immigration may play in the GOP primaries, as Mr. Romney’s did, but it is a dream come true for Hillary Clinton.

******

The other question concerns the ability to govern as President. If a Republican does win in 2016, he will probably have a GOP majority in Congress and an historic opportunity to press conservative reforms. But Obama-style politics has not been a happy experience.

The President treated Republicans with the contempt he holds them in, and so he failed to bring along any of their votes. Had he worked across the aisle, like Ronald Reagan did, his reforms would have a better chance to endure than they do now. Mr. Cruz will have to convince GOP voters that he is not another self-centered governing rookie who thinks he doesn’t need to work with Members of Congress, however much he despises them.

35th Anniversary: Assassination of Archbishop Romero

Soon to be beatified.

 

Rugby: England vs. France, 6 Nations Championship

Amazing game - 12 tries, but not enough points for England to win the championship.

 

Mouse in house 5 through 9; captured and released

Back when we captured the second and third mice, my friend Hallie sent an email saying "See one mouse. Count ten."

Guess she was right.

Brigid has taken a week long hiatus from putting out the trap, so the last one we captured and sent to the Hudson River mouse vacation home was on March 16th. Here are mice 5 to 9. 

March 3rd - backside view -

March 5th - portrait quality

March 8th - speed merchant - he rocketed off!

March 11th - the only picture I didn't take - was off trying to make a living so Joe went with Brigid. Instead of unceremoniously shaking them out of the trap, Brigid decided to try luring this one out. All the other pictures were blurred -

Lastly, March 16th - three shots. Do you detect a pattern? Backside all. The last one was a lucky shot; he was racing away ...

No more food luring - just a dumping

And he's off!

If you're wondering how long it takes to put up a post like this - 21 minutes. Most of the time sorting through the pictures.

 

Poll: Mrs. Clinton way ahead in NY State poll

The Quinnippiac poll -

... Clinton gets 51% of Democrat Primary voters and beats all Republicans by 20 percentage points or more.

My guy for Prez (John Kasich) and his apology to police officer

Yesterday I posted this Here's my guy for President - as if anyone cares with my choice being the Ohio Governor, John Kasich. My friend Dennis (Lt., PAPD, retired) left a comment on why he presumably would oppose Kasich; an intemperate remark(s) in 2011 about a police officer who gave him a traffic ticket.  He even provided a link to the youtube vid of Kasich.

Well Kasich did subsequently meet with the officer and apologized.

Kasich Apologizes to Traffic Cop for Calling Him an 'Idiot'

"Today Gov. Kasich met with Officer [Robert] Barrett and apologized and that apology was graciously accepted," Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said in a statement to FoxNews.com. It was a friendly meeting during which the governor reiterated his support for law enforcement officers and for the dangerous and important work they do."

The apology came after public unions seized on the insult as ammunition in their fight against a bill to strip them of their collective bargaining rights.

Critics distributed a video of Kasich at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in January describing a 2008 stop along a state highway in which he was cited for passing too close to an emergency vehicle.

Barrett, told Kasich he'd face an arrest warrant if he didn't show up in court.

"He's an idiot," Kasich said. "You just can't act that way."

Kasich apologized to Barrett in a private meeting on Thursday. Jim Gilbert, head of the Fraternal Order of Police, told the Columbus Dispatch that Barrett requested the meeting after Kasich tried to contact him by phone Wednesday night.

But critics of Kasich, including the Ohio Democratic Party and Fraternal Order of Police, say the insult disrespects union workers and proves he doesn’t care about safety officers.

"I never thought I'd see the day when a governor of this great state would call a police officer an 'idiot' for simply doing his job," Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said in a statement. "Even worse, he wants to eliminate the right of law enforcement workers to collectively bargain to provide a better life for their families."

As mentioned in the article from the NY Times I linked to yesterday, Kasich won re-election last year with 64% of the vote, so I would bet lots of police officers and government workers did forgive and vote for him.

Rugby: Ireland vs. Scotland, 6 Nations championship

Since Ireland, England, and Wales were all 3-1 going into the weekend, and all three won their games, the championship came down to  points differential.

 

Farandaville: lots of stuff this past weekend

Will have to do a few posts on all the goings-on. The last thing I did was have a quick walk toward Croton Landing Sunday evening.

Took a few pictures of the sunset.

Brigid liked this one:

 

Didn't like this one:

Gave this an OK - see the Sleeping Indian?

 

Al Gore on climate-change deniers

Sent to me by my friend Maria. He's out to get me.

Al Gore at SXSW: We Need to ‘Punish Climate-Change Deniers’ and ‘Put a Price on Carbon’

For the third time in the last few years, Al Gore, founder and chairman of the Climate Reality Project, spoke at the festival on Friday. Naturally, his interactive discussion focused on addressing the climate crisis. The former vice president focused on the need to “punish climate-change deniers, saying politicians should pay a price for rejecting ‘accepted science,'” said the Chicago Tribune.

Gore said forward-thinking investors are moving away from companies that invest in fossil fuels and towards companies investing in renewable energy. “We need to put a price on carbon to accelerate these market trends,” Gore told the Chicago Tribune, referring to a proposed federal cap-and-trade system that would penalize companies that exceeded their carbon-emission limits. “And in order to do that, we need to put a price on denial in politics.”

He called on the tech-minded SXSW crowd, which is dominated by Millenials, to harness technology to launch a grassroots movement to tackle climate change and call out climate deniers. “We have this denial industry cranked up constantly,” Gore said. “In addition to 99 percent of the scientists and all the professional scientific organizations, now Mother Nature is weighing in.”

******

The former Veep even gave a nod to Pope Francis during his talk, showing a slide of the pontiff and saying “How about this Pope?” Pope Francis celebrated his two-year anniversary as Pope on Friday, riding a wave of popularity “that has reinvigorated the Catholic Church in ways not seen since the days of St. John Paul II,” said the Chicago Tribune. Gore said he was looking forward to the Pope’s highly anticipated encyclical on the environment which is due to be released in June or July. “I’m not a Catholic,” Gore said, “but I could be persuaded to become one.”

Well maybe he'll adopt Pope Francis' positions protecting pro-born babies. a preferential option for the poor, all that other good Catholic stuff?

ESPN host Stephen Smith: Why Blacks should vote Republican

I'm posting this just to irritate some of my white liberal friends. ... But he is 1,000% correct.

 

Iran says "Death to America" - negotiations are farcical

We are kidding ourselves.

Iran’s Supreme leader Ali Khamenei called for “Death to America” on Saturday, a day after President Barack Obama appealed to Iran to seize a “historic opportunity” for a nuclear deal and a better future, and as US Secretary of State John Kerry claimed substantial progress toward an accord.

Khamenei told a crowd in Tehran that Iran would not capitulate to Western demands. When the crowd started shouting, “Death to America,” the ayatollah responded: “Of course yes, death to America, because America is the original source of this pressure.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is the bad guy.

Harper's Mag, 1958: "The Coming Ice Age"

Al Gore where were you to straighten them out?

worth reading.

At the time of the Harper’s article, scientists were saying Arctic ice coverage had shrank 12 percent from the previous 15 years and the ice was 40 percent thinner. Friedan wrote that a “layman might surmise that if this trend continues the Arctic Ocean will be open and the Ice Age begin in another twenty years.”

 

Conan: The new Apple pocketwatch

Finally, something funny from Conan O'Brien.

 

Here's my guy for President - as if anyone cares

John Kasich. Of course I don't belong to a political party so couldn't vote for him in a primary anyway.

NYT: Kasich Looks to Republican Primaries, ‘Ohio Story’ in Hand

 

18% of deaths in Belgium: physician-assisted suicide/euthansia

When you read the article, it's easy to speculate that many of these deaths were, suicide.

A study out of Flanders, published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that 18% of patients deaths come either from lethal injection/assisted suicide or from being put into a deep coma and left to die.

So how many of those people "put into a deep coma and left to die" were actually straightout euthanasia? We can't tell.

“Recent Trends in Euthanasia and Other End-of-Life Practices in Belgium,” reports that 6.3% of Flanders’ deaths involved “physician-assisted death.” This term was defined as lethal injection at the request of the patient (“euthanasia”), assisted suicide, and “death without explicit request.”

 

But there is more: A full 12% die from “full continuous deep sedation until death.” Palliative sedation is not the same thing,meaning most of this involves “terminal sedation,” putting in a coma and denied food and fluids until death, a form of beneath-the-surface euthanasia.(For more details on this issue, hit this link.)

Al Sharpton and his taxes

Fair and balanced. Sharpton, the President's go-to guy for the Black community.

 

Camille Paglia raves against Hillary Clinton

Paglia, the atheist, leftist, talented writer. She describes herself as "a dissident feminist."

 

Rugby: England vs. Scotland, 6 Nations Tournament

Played at Twickenham.

 

Rarity: Catholic politician guided by his faith

Nice article in the NY Times yesterday about Jeb Bush and his conversion to Catholicism.

Jeb Bush, 20 Years After Conversion, Is Guided by His Catholic Faith

Twenty years after Mr. Bush converted to Catholicism, the religion of his wife, following a difficult and unsuccessful political campaign that had put a strain on his marriage, his faith has become a central element of the way he shapes his life and frames his views on public policy. And now, as he explores a bid for the presidency, his religion has become a focal point of early appeals to evangelical activists, who are particularly important in a Republican primary that is often dominated by religious voters,

Many of his priorities during his two terms as governor of Florida aligned with those of the Catholic Church — including his extraordinary, and unsuccessful, effort to force a hospital to keep Terri Schiavo on life support, as well as less well-known, and also unsuccessful, efforts to appoint a guardian for the fetus of a developmentally disabled rape victim and to prevent a 13-year-old girl from having an abortion. He even, during his first year in office in 1999, signed a law creating a “Choose Life” license plate.

He differed from his church, significantly and openly, over capital punishment; the state executed 21 prisoners on his watch, the most under any Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. But he has won praise from Catholic officials for his welcoming tone toward immigrants and his relatively centrist positions on education — two issues in which he is at odds with the right wing of his party.

“As a public leader, one’s faith should guide you,” Mr. Bush said in Italy in 2009, explaining his attitude about the relationship between religion and politics ...

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“In the United States, many people think you need to keep your faith, put it in a security box, if you’re an elected official — put it in a safety deposit box until you finish your service as a public servant and then you can go get it back,” he added. “I never felt that was appropriate.”

******

“You hear people say, ‘I don’t want to impose my faith,’ ” Mr. Bush told the newspaper The Florida Catholic days after leaving office in 2007. “Well, it’s not an imposition of faith. It’s who you are.”

The son and brother of Protestant presidents, Mr. Bush, if elected, would be the nation’s second Catholic president. Sometimes, he carries a rosary in his pocket and fingers its beads at moments of crisis. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and has retweeted Pope Francis. He was part of the American delegation to the installation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, and during his travels in the United States he sometimes attends Mass in local churches.

British: The "Eve of Battle Speech", March 19, 2003

I came across this exactly two months ago and decided it was worth posting.

Eve-of-battle speech

As Lieutenant Colonel (Commanding Officer) of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment of the British Army, Collins gave a rousing eve-of-battle speech to his troops in Kuwait on Wednesday 19 March 2003. The speech was extemporised, and was recorded in shorthand by a single journalist, Sarah Oliver. No recording or film of the speech exists, Collins told the BBC.^[12]

Speech excerpt

“

We go to Iraq to liberate not to conquer. We will not fly our flags in their country. We are entering Iraq to free a people and the only flag which will be flown in that ancient land is their own. Show respect for them. There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly. Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send. As for the others I expect you to rock their world. Wipe them out if that is what they choose. But if you are ferocious in battle remember to be magnanimous in victory. Iraq is steeped in history. It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood and the birthplace of Abraham. Tread lightly there. You will see things that no man could pay to see and you will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis. You will be embarrassed by their hospitality even though they have nothing. Don't treat them as refugees for they are in their own country. Their children will be poor, in years to come they will know that the light of liberation in their lives was brought by you. If there are casualties of war then remember that when they woke up and got dressed in the morning they did not plan to die this day. Allow them dignity in death. Bury them properly and mark their graves. It is my foremost intention to bring every single one of you out alive but there may be people among us who will not see the end of this campaign. We will put them in their sleeping bags and send them back. There will be no time for sorrow. The enemy should be in no doubt that we are his nemesis and that we are bringing about his rightful destruction. There are many regional commanders who have stains on their souls and they are stoking the fires of hell for Saddam. He and his forces will be destroyed by this coalition for what they have done. As they die they will know their deeds have brought them to this place. Show them no pity. It is a big step to take another human life. It is not to be done lightly. I know of men who have taken life needlessly in other conflicts, I can assure you they live with the Mark of Cain upon them. If someone surrenders to you then remember they have that right in international law and ensure that one day they go home to their family. The ones who wish to fight, well, we aim to please. If you harm the regiment or its history by over-enthusiasm in killing or in cowardice, know it is your family who will suffer. You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest for your deeds will follow you down through history. We will bring shame on neither our uniform or our nation. [Regarding the use by Saddam of chemical or biological weapons] It is not a question of if, it's a question of when. We know he has already devolved the decision to lower commanders, and that means he has already taken the decision himself. If we survive the first strike we will survive the attack. As for ourselves, let's bring everyone home and leave Iraq a better place for us having been there. Our business now is north.[13]

”

In popular culture

The "Mark of Cain" line from the speech inspired the title of the 2007 Film4 Productions drama The Mark of Cain. In the film a commanding officer makes a speech based on Collins' to his men.^[14]

The last episode of the 2008 television series 10 Days to War features a version of the speech performed by Kenneth Branagh as Collins.^[15]

In the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Tim Collins's inspirational speech is quoted when the player is killed in the campaign.

He set up the Peace Support College in Sarajevo before becoming DACOS Training at HQ Land Command until his retirement.

Do compression garments help athletic performance?

A short video - no evidence either way.

 

Short vid on students obsessing over elite college entry

Frank Bruni, whose NYT column I normally find a waste, makes many good points here.

5 facts about Yogi Berra

The last one is amazing. And I'm sure you could come up with 50 facts about Yogi Berra.

 

How to make a Guinness cocktail

In fact three, using Guinness stout (true nectar of the Gods!).

 

Rugby: Ireland vs. Wales, 6 Nations Championship

Played in Cardiff. Another huge defensive battle.

 

My hiking buddy Jeanne Marie's fashion statement

Hike of the month is this Saturday & organized by Jeanne Marie - going to George's Island Park in Montrose - won't be too strenuous (Anyone interested, email me).

Anyway I have detected a fashion statement that JM likes to make on both winter and summer hikes. Can you spot it?

Here's the always cool, calm, collected, Jeanne Marie, on February's Hike of the Month, in the Hudson Gateway Park.

Now here she is awhile ago, as we climbed Bull Hill (also called Taurus Mountain) north of Cold Spring, during the summer.

 

And here, this past January, going up Turkey Mountain.

 

 

So what's the deal? Is it something JM only does on climbs named for animals? Or is it an intricate temperature regulation system? I dunno.

 

 

 

The strange recent calendar

From Ray.

We are going from Friday the Thirteenth, to Pi Day (3/14), to the Ides of March (3/15), to (John)3:16, to St. Patrick's Day (3/17). 

And St. Patrick's Day is worldwide

EWTN with Pastor Rick Warren interview

Talking about Lent and assisted suicide.

 

Obama out to sink Mrs. Clinton?

That's the gist of this article from the NY Post.

Obama adviser behind leak of Hillary Clinton’s email scandal

It’s the vast left-wing conspiracy.

Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett leaked to the press details of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private e-mail address during her time as secretary of state, sources tell me.

But she did so through people outside the ­administration, so the story couldn’t be traced to her or the White House.

In addition, at Jarrett’s behest, the State Department was ordered to launch a series of investigations into Hillary’s conduct at Foggy Bottom, including the use of her expense account, the disbursement of funds, her contact with foreign leaders and her possible collusion with the Clinton Foundation.

Six separate probes into Hillary’s performance have been ­going on at the State Department. I’m told that the e-mail scandal was timed to come out just as Hillary was on the verge of formally announcing that she was running for president — and that there’s more to come.

The column goes on ... Who knows? Who cares?

And then there's this - Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the Benghazi investigating committee, concedes that there is reason for the continuing inquiry.

Maybe they are out to get her?

 

What a thousand lb. squat looks like.

15 seconds. I'm impressed. I guess it's an ad for his leg wraps? Five guys ready if he misses the lift.

 

Waste of $$$: New US stealth bomber.

This new plane will - on the low cost estimate - be $550 million each. Of course the real cost will be much higher. This is an absurd waste of money. We already have plenty of ability to blow people up.

 

Jeanne Robertson - ... The funny Administrative ...

A little slow to start ... but a real nice yarn ...

 

Vid of the toddler rescued in Utah

Upside down in a vehicle in a creek for 14 hours.