D'kian

I still think the worst mistake George W. Bush ever made was not backing the coup that, all too briefly, ousted Chavez earlier this decade.

Hey, when the Kool-Aid is that tasty, who cares whether it's poisoned as well?

Well, some interesting developments in the Divisional round. 1st, Dallas went back to normal. Out of consideration to Cowboys' fans, that's all I'll say on the subject. Next, The Cards still need a better defense. They're the first team ever to allow 90 points in two consecutive playoff games, and likely also the last. Why? Because allowing over 40 points in a game usually means you lose. The ofense was stymied, too, by the Saints defense. It's starting to look as though Arizona does well in its division only because everyone else is worse. Third, the Ravens' vaunted defense did not stop Indianapolis, but the Colts' regular defense nearly shut out the Ravens offense. Nice. Finally, the Jets surprised everyone by channeling the ghosts of Steelers' past. I'm serious. They played a highly defensive game, while relying on a running game and a few well-placed, crucial pass plays. Ok, maybe I eaxaggerate a little, but the victory was surprising. I expected the Chargers to win, not easily but well. Instead they lost badly, missing two field goals their kicker should have made (not counting the long shot at the end of the first half). Now the Vikes travel to New Orleans and the Jets go to Indianapolis. At this point I predict a NO victory, but I won't hazzard a rpediction on the AFC. However, the Jets have a golden chance to win the AFC championship, the Superbowl and to shut up all their critics. You'll recall the Jets amde the playoffs by defeating Indy and Cincinnati when neither opponent had anything to play for, meaning those victories were suspect. They then beat the Bengals in a wild card game. If they beat the Colts, at Indy, against all their starters, they'll settle the question of whether they even belonged in the playoffs.

I had something similar a few years back. The bad news is you can't remove it entirely without starting the PC on safe mode to delete some of the offending files. This kind of malware is insidious. It respawns after you've removed it, not to mention it renders the computer pretty much useless (mine also tried dialing the modem). I suggest you take it to a PC tech. You may need to re-format the hard drive and do a clean install of windows. So do whatever backups you need now, and scan the disks before copying the files back.

Once you get your PC restored, I suggest you download McAffee's Site Advisor, at http://www.siteadvisor.com/ It's particularly handy when using search engines, since it lets you know beforehand about malware/adware sites.

My mistake. The tuck rule requires the ball to hit the ground in order to be an incomplete pass. QBs are an expensive asset. Still, it used to be worse. Remember when they'd whistle the play dead if the QB was held by a defensive player? That rule nearly killed the mobile quarterbacks like Randall Cunningham.

Tobacco dries out easily. Though surprisingly cigarettes in sealed packs can stay fresh for years. Cigars ought to be kept in a humidor. I don't know if something similar is available for pipe tobacco. You could try storing it in a wooden box with a damp rag (damp, mind, not droppig wet). Just sprinkle some water on the rag daily or as needed. Unrelated, but for keeping things dry the best thing are sillica gel packets. Rice also works remarkably well as a dessicant. I put two raw grains of rice inside salt shakers to keep the salt from clumping due to moisture. At the rate I consume salt, I can tell you the rice will keep the salt un-clumped for years.

The tuck rule is a hated, complicated mess. As I recall, the ball doesn't have to hit the ground. That's why it's hated. Look up a recent Raiders vs New England playoff for details. The rule was called and a stripped ball was ruled an incomplete pass. Of course, to the Raiders that's just one more piece of evidence in their growing list, which proves the NFL hates them so much it conspires against them. they still gripe about the immacualte reception, the day the field at 3 Rivers got half-frozen, and every other game they lost.

Years ago mexico had two airlines, Aeromexico and Mexicana. The former was owned by the government, the latter was private. By the mid 80s, the government took over Mexicana in a combo bankruptcy and bailout maneuver. Then it formed a holding company, called Cintra, to operate the two airlines as "separate" entities. Rates were sky high (no pun intended) in all domestic routes. In international routes, rates were comparable to those of foreign airlines, namley US airlines like Continental, delta, American, etc. By the late 90s Cintra sold off Mexicana, new airlines were given permission to operate. Rates, incredibly enough, went down in domestic routes. By the mid-2000s low-cost airlines appeared and aeromexico, too, was sold to private investors. Domestic rates plummeted to the point that, on some routes, they were lower or just a little higher than bus rates. Then there came the oil price bubble, which knowcked out some of the low costs, and forced the survicors to increase rates and to switch business models. Bottom line, rates are quite high again. To compare: A two way air trip Mexico City to Monterrey, lasting 75 minutes each way, costs about $269 US. A round trip LA to Las Vegas, of comparable duration, goes for about $120. So what now? Well, now the Mexican government, headed by the allegedly pro-business, right-wing, National Action Party, is suggesting Mexicana and Aeromexico should merge, in order to give the country a single flagship airline. Why? Call me crazy, but I'm beginning to think it's a conspiracy, or at least a conscious decision to keep the middle class poor. Here's why: Over the past five years, the govenrment has closed down three airlines: Aerolineas Azteca, Aviacsa and Aerocalifornia. The first two were shut down for not complying with some safety and maintenance regulations, and then, when they either passed the buereaucratic tests or got judicial relief, because they owed money to the government in air navigation services fees. Aerocalifornia was shut down on fees alone. Now, whether governemnt should offer such services is a different question. If that's the law and you want to run an airline, you have to play by the rules. So then the government can withold service if you don't pay, thus shutting you down. Well and good. But it's self-evident that an airline engaged in business has a chance to pay you back, while one that's out of bussiness won't ever be able to. No revenue, no money to pay debts, right? Of course there are limits, but At least Aviacsa and Azteca were doing ok at the time they got shit down (Aerocalifornia suffered from an old, inefficient fleet, too few aircraft and poor service). Also there was much criticism about the low-cost airlines at their peak. The government was concerned they might take too much market share from the two big airlines. Indeed both of them created their own low-cost affiliates (Click Mexicana and Aeromexico Connect), the better to comepte against the low-costs. Meanwhile those who traveled were delighted at the low, low prices. So now rates are high, less people are flying, and the governemnt wants the two big airlines to merge. If they did, rates would go higher still. So what about the low-costs? Well, they might stay at the level they are now, still being cheaper than the new big boy, or they may also raise rates again still being cheaper. The new mega-airline could also engage in an all-out fare war to drive the low-costs out of business, and then enjoy its monopoly and riase rates as high as it wanted. It probably won't happen. Too many of us remember the Cintra times, when the people called for an open-skies policy (this emans letting foreign airlines compete in the Mexican domestic market). already a few state governors and CEOs in the tourism industry are caling for open-skies again, with rates as high as they are now. Open-skies is an interesting idea, BTW, very similar to open immigration. More on that later. Teh purpose of keepign air fares high is to keep them out of the reach of most of the middle class. Why? So they will turn to the government for support. As it is, with the growth of the past 15 years, minus the current crisis, the middle class was getting bigger and far less people were dependent on governmnet hand outs. You tell me how a government will keep power if people are not tied to it for their livelyhood.

The chief of officials was on NFL Total Access the ohter day. he explained the face-mask grab was incidental, because the Cards' player didn't grab or pull down, nor did he try to tackle Rodgers by the mask. So no call on that. More interesting the officials could have called an incomplete pass invoking the tuck rule. Green bay coudl ahve won, had their vaunted defense shown up. Seriously, the Cards scored on all but two possesions int he second half (one punt and one missed FG).

I think not. I know little about pipes, but the cut of the tobacco is different. It may not burn well in a pipe. I do recommend using matches or a pipe lighter (it shoots the flame sideways), rather than regular cigarette lighters (fames shoot upwards). And of course you need to keep the pipe clean.

I've implicitly defined "vaporize" in this thread as "reduce to chunks of molecular size," such a size being the size of various vapor molecules. By that definition, a portion of an asteroid can and would be vaporized by a nuke, but not the entire asteroid. BTW, "disintegrate" would imply "reduce to chunks of atomic size." Sort of. But Jupiter can still perturb the orbits of Belt asteroids enough to make them a threat to Earth, or to other worlds. Not to mention that asteroid and comet strikes on other worlds might throw up enough rocks into orbit around the Sun, too. It depends on the comet. An older comet with much of its volatile base depleted would be smaller and less devastating. Problem is comets are odd-balls in every sense. I mean they have eccentric orbits, very high speeds near the Sun and we've no idea how many loose ones there are. Jupiter has a huge effect on comets, too, when they pass sufficiently close to it. In this case, though, a non-thretening comet could change orbit due to a close pass by Jupiter to become a threat in its next visit to our side of the Solar System. Bottom line we ought to be worried and vigilant. Given NASA exists and operates a space program of sorts, it would be a good idea to task it with planetary defense against such threats. That means funding a search and identify program, plus funding missions to such asteroids and comets within reach, plus devising strategies to divert them. I admit the mass driver schemes seem more certain to divert asteroids and comets, and to keep them away for good. But we should explore all options and keep all means ready.

Next time has come and gone. I'm sorry to say Interjet's gone a bit downhill since last year. This time I flew from Mex City to Monterrey. It's about a 65-75 minute flight. Considering the lousy weather (vold, overcast, rainy, low ceilings) at both cities, take-offs and landings were flawless. The flight attendants dind't wake me for the snack service in the mornign flight, which is considerate of them. However, the flight info screen is gone. Now they put on a 60 minute very bland video. Normally I'd just ignore it. But on Interjet you can't do that because they don't issue headphones. Many of their planes don't even ahve headphone jacks in the armrests. So you have to listen to it on the PA system. It sucks. Fortunately I had earplugs and they filtered the worse of it (it was too loud). I couldn't sleep on the way back, but I could read or watch the solid white non-view out the window. I hate the communal entertainment played on the PA. Many bus companies do the same thing, too. Once I had to endure a 5+ hour bus trip from Jalapa with movie after bad movie played so loud even with earplugs it was too loud. The driver said he couldn't control the volume. I decided then I woulnd't travel on any bus line not offering headphones unless the trip was short. I'm mulling something similar for airlines, too. I expect I'll write Interjet, and I expect they'll ignore me. According to their inflight magazine audio entertainment is available, with headphones, on trips lasting more than 2 hours. given their route map, that would mean only on 3 or four routes (Mex to Cancun, Mex to Tijauana, Monterrey to Cancun and possibly Guadalajara to Tijuana). Given what passes for inflight entertainment these days, though, I'd just as soon do without. I always carry books or magazines with me anyway.

Two years ago winter was pretty cold, too. I remember because that's when I bought a heater for the office. At the time I told a colleague "If I'd knwon this global warming was going to be co damn cold, I'd have taken it seriously." I don't need to point out the irony here, right? Well, he answered: "You should. Global warming will make things much colder." He was serious, not ironic. We got into an argument where he managed to hold two contradictory positions: 1) Global warming will warm the planet disastrously and 2) Global warming will coll the planet disastrously. In other words: A is A is non-A, regulations without end.

You woulnd't necessarily see a 100 mile wide asteroid if its orbit is eccentric enough to take it far away from Earth. Anyway, vaporizing a rock a few hundred meters wide is also impossible, at least using a nuke.

Better than letting the asteroid hit the Earth. BTW you can't vaporize an entire steroid. At best a portion of it with existing technology, or with any likely technology. I'd like to see a fireball that can consume a volume 100 miles in diameter!

If the entire mass of the asteroid were vaporized, who cares where the molecular-sized chunks go? They can't penetrate the atmosphere without burning up. Better, yes. Cheaper, no. Faster, no. a nuke works all at once. You set it off, you either get a trajectory change right there and then, or you don't. A reaction system, or any other possibility (solar sails, large masses, etc) would be much more expensive and require years of planning and execution. Well and good if we ahve years. A death sentence if we don't. Agreed, but there's a great, heaping load of kinetic energy involved. All the explosive energy of the bomb, that not going towards radiation, would be transferred through the shock wave. Agreed. Yet if we had only, say, two years lead time, it would be explosives or nothing.

Facts are your friends: 1) The idea is to divert the asteroid, not to vaporize it. an explosion is the easiest way to accomplish that goal, taking into account a launch from Earth. 2) Any explosive detonated in a vaccum would produce a shockwave. It comes from the components of the bomb that vaporize in the explosion. For a nuke this would include the entire assembly and casing. 3) You can increase the mass of gas for the shockwave by surrounding the case with compressed air, liquified air, liquid nitrogen, or any other kind of easily liquified gas (think natural gas, argon, oxygen, etc). The best bets are plain air and nitrogen. Or you could add a honeycomb of soft metal like sodium. Gases are lighter, though, therefore less expensive to get to target fuel-wise.

Airport lines depend on the time and date. According to the airport, they also depend on the terminal used. At McCarran in Vegas, out of terminal 2, the lines are short for security when I've traveled around 6 pm. IN fact the last time there was no line. I just walked to the scanner directly. At the Mex City airport early in the morning on a Monday (around 6 am) for international departures, the lines are short, say no more than ten people ahead. At Toluca nearing 6 am for domestic flights, the lines are quite long, but they move with relative swiftness.

No, of course he's not done. The Pats are done. By the time Bellichick rebuilds, if allowed, Brady will be done. Welker ought to be worried. But I wouldn't get too excited just yet. Remember all the one-shot wonders the League has seen. He is a blowhard, alebit a charismatic and mostly funny one. I think he was injured for the last two games, so he dind't play much or well. Besides, they'd cover him intensively. I'm mulling over placing a large bet on the combined score of NO vs Cards. Right now it stands at 57, paying -110 (meaning if you bet 110 you're paid 100 if you win). The Saints are favored to win by a -7 spread.

New tip: investigate all alternatives and ask around. A relative told me I should take US Airways MEX to LAS with a stop in PHoenix (PHX). I checked. The fare was ok, the arriving time perfect (11:15 am) but the return trip is too early (around 4:30pm). So now I get the following: MEX to LAS via PHX, US Airways all the way arriving at 11:15am. LAS to Toluca via LAX, US Airways to LAX and Voalris to Toluca, arriving at 8:25 am the next day. This is perfect because I can leave Vegas at 9 pm. So I get a full six days. The fare is a little bit higher, but still lower than going via Mexicana. On the upside maybe immigration and customs at PHX that early won't be so bad. At any rate there will be fewer flights arriving from Asia or Europe to PHX than to LAX. I also checked, and the luggage can be checked in right at the exit of customs, plus it's on the same airline. The return trip is more complex. The Volaris flight leaves LA on Saturday 12 am. I'll have to hunt for it, but at least LAS to LAX there's no immigration or customs required. Oh, I'll ahve to see the LAS Terminal 1 Infamous security. Everyone says the lines are huge. So there's a tip for that, which I'll post about later.

Iran started the war long ago, when it kidnapped the staff of the US embassy in Tehran in 1979. It continued the war backing terrorist actions agsint America and her allies through the past 30 years. Now it's developing atomic weapons. So there is ample moral reason to take the war to iran.

Don't know. Don't care. Coffee is good because it tastes good, it can be used in a variety of drinks and deserts, and it has that caffeine kick to help non-morning people along (I'm a non-morning person myself). It needs no further justification. Just an answer

There, you see? You just handed me a rethorical opening: Headline of the week: "Cowboys' fan misses opportunity to humiliate rival; I'm depressed my team is named after mythical cattle tenders, he explains" I won't even say the Eagles made it easy, but I'm satissfied Michael Vick made a disastrous play. We can talk about pressure all we want, and stress, and a chip on his shoulder, etc etc, but fact is giving the ball to the RB when he's already past you is a rookie mistake. The best call of the game, on the other hand, was Wade Phillips' challenge of the Philly interception. Moving on, the Jets are either channeling the ghost of Joe Namath (yes, I know Broadway Joe is still alive), or have decided to unceremonously dump the past 40 years of Jets history. Either way they won. Of course, the Jets ahve won on the wildcard round before, so how much this victory means is open to debate. The Pats' championship era is over. If their season dind't demonstarte it, and it may not have, then the loss against the usurpers of Baltimore surely does. The team is undergoing reconstruction. When they finish they won't ahve Tom Brady anymore, though, so best start looking for a good rookie QB (ie the riskiest action possible in the NFL). LAstly the Arizona Cardinals earned the appelation I've been privately giving them since late in the season: The Steelers of the West. This started because their Head Coach, Ken Whisenhunt, used to be Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator and nearly inherited Bill Cowher's job. He essentially moved the Steeler offense he created in Pittsburgh to the desert, modified to take advantage of Kurt Warner. But that's not the reason now. No, the reason is the Cards also have trouble holding on to a lead. true, the Pack never led, but, come on, when you leave the first half wining by over two touch downs you have no good reason for winning the game in overtime. The defenses shined for their absence. Next week The Colts host the ersatz Baltimore team, The Cowboys face the wrath of Favre under the dome, The Jets have a chance to get back to normal losing against the Chargers, and the Cards face the NO Saints. My picks for the Super Bowl are Cards vs Chargers, with Minnesota vs Chargers as a second option. least likely, I judge, would be Jets vs Dallas (a wild card victory does not a post season make)

Success! Here's the recipe: 1 packet flavorless jello (7 grams) 1 cup double strong coffee (two standard coffee scoops with one cup boiling water) 1 cup evaporated milk 4 tablespoons granulated Splenda™ First make the coffee by your preferred means. I used a french press, if you do then also use a strainer when you pour the coffee (next time I'm using a cone filter). Next put the evaporated milk in a saucepan and heat it, always stirring it with something (milk burns easily). Add the Splenda™ or sugar and keep stirring. Next add the coffee (use a strainer to minimize coffee solids). Finally add the flavorless jello. Stir until that dissolves, pour into individual cups or a mold, let it cool and place in the fridge. Yes, I forgot to add vanilla. I'll try that tomorrow. Also perhaps more coffee should be used, as the results were a little weak. Say 2.5 scoops, maybe three. Lastly it may be best to dissolve the jello first with boiling water. But this one worked so well I'll be making a larger one in a mold to share around at the office. Next week I'll be experimenting with black coffee jello (no milk) and mocha jello (with Hersheys™ baker's cocoa). If that works I'll try coffee marshmallows next (actually I'm thinking coffee, vanilla, chocolate and cinnamon marshmallows, but that assumes I can even make them to begin with, plus finding a good cinnamon essence).