I ask this question because scientists with apparently nothing better to do are attempting to bring back the beast, which went extinct some 4,000 years ago, and thank God for that. The woolly creature's DNA has been sequenced, and things appear ripe for what is called "mammoth de-extinction." The Post's story about all this calls it a "small but ambitious field." I hope it is more the former than the latter.
Why these scientists are not working in the larger and even more ambitious field of, say, cancer research is beyond me. Why anyone could choose to fund "mammoth de-extinction" instead of, say, a Little League team, is also beyond me. (Many things are beyond me.)
I fear, though, that mammoths will be coming back. When that happens, a whole lot of very nice people will say that the creatures were here first and we should make way for them. They will be likened to wolves and bears and, of course, deer and they will be pronounced indigenous -- which is another word for virtuous. So, for instance, if a wolf kills a sheep, it is the sheep's fault for being a sheep and not native to the region. We all know this.
In due course, we will be overrun by woolly mammoths. Like deer, they will be protected. They will tromp across our lawns and into our shrubbery, eating huge amounts of stuff -- whole trees and automobiles (even Cadillac Escalades) and maybe the occasional cottage. Anti-mammoth sprays will be developed, but they, of course, will not work. Eccentric people will appear on daytime TV shows with all sorts of smelly concoctions to ward off woolly mammoths. They will be cheered on by Oprah and interviewed on the "Today" show, maybe out on the plaza. This, too, is beyond me.
Home Depot and others will sell mammoth fences. These will truly be mammoth and will be based on the fence that separates the United States from Mexico. Of course, the mammoth fence will work no better than the other fence, but that will be discovered only after several billion dollars are spent.
Then someone will get the bright idea to de-extinct the Neanderthal as the only way to control the woolly mammoth population. These rather hairy and well-muscled individuals will be provided with spears (also Club for Growth memberships) and sent out at night to hunt the woolly mammoth. (A "60 Minutes" crew will accompany them, and Bill O'Reilly will lie about accompanying the "60 Minutes" crew.)
None of this is necessary. If scientists with time on their hands want to de-extinct something, why not bring back the unicorn -- surely it once existed -- or the fire-breathing dragon, which would delight kids? Or, better yet, why don't they develop a single remote control for the TV?
Humans evolved in parallel with the mammoth, and found them very tasty. Probably the most tasty food ever. I say "Get of your lazy tails you scientists, and bring me a Mammoth burger, with all the trimmin's".
#4
The issue is, will they reliably vote Democratic?
Posted by: Matt ||
04/26/2015 9:27 Comments ||
Top||
#5
"a whole lot of very nice people"
Wrong about the "nice," and I wouldn't call these eliminationist idiots "people," either.
Posted by: Barbara ||
04/26/2015 10:25 Comments ||
Top||
#6
i can't wait for unicorns. that'll be a wonderful day. they should only use lipizaners to make them so they are only white, grey or black.
Sure you'll love a woolly mammoth or 3. They should create a small herd as it's cruel to make just one. It would be lonely.
Cancer research - we need cancer. It's not a bad way to die when you're old. I hope I get it. At least you get morphine and some warning, it's a lot better than sudden death.
#13
Our asinine dinos are hell-bent
To market their mammoth repellent.
'Ell if I know what's in it --
RINO pee from the Senate? --
But Boehner provides the propellant.
#14
Fauna or Flora [tasty food crops], IT HAS TO SURVIVE WHAT EVER THE SUN = CHANGES IN SOLAR ACTIVITIES, INTENSIFYING GWCC, ETC. INCLUD "MINI-ICE-AGE" THROWS AT IT.
Otherwise, don't waste our time + $$$ on bringing it or "them" back.
ITS BAD ENUFF ALREADY MANY POLITICOS ARE TRYING HARD N-O-T TO LINK GWCC TO ANY SOLAR/SUN CHANGES.
Only confusing us to hell, fooling nobody, + unnecessarily diverting precious scarce resources from dev SpaceTechs that will help Mankind survive the future.
The video shows three modifications for old style steel pots used for helmet by the Russian Army since 1940, to include improved ballistic protection modifications for the wearer that is rated to stop the VOG-25 launched grenade at close range.
The video shows the three types of modifications being tested in Donetsk.
All in Russian. Sorry.
The text follows, followed by the presentation video:
Center for Strategic Initiatives of New Russia is developing new and modernization of old samples gear and equipment soldiers of the army of New Russia. According to the video - we want to draw attention to the rear services of the Armed Forces of New Russia, as well as all those who are engaged in the supply of equipment for the BCH.
CSI has developed, manufactured and conducted field tests of its modifications steel helmets sample 40 and 68 years. Please explore the hidden potentials of steel helmets and obr.40 obr.68 years.
NL-40-SRC-M1:
In the first modification of the steel helmet sample '40, has been replaced chin strap and added a cross-chin lock. In this video presented steel helmet without cover. In addition, with the left side of the chin strap, is visible we added polyamide fasteksy. In general, this is not great and cheap steel helmet design change - improves ergonomics and speeds up and simplifies the process of this type of fighter Gearing body armor.
NL-40-SRC-M2:
This option modification steel helmet consists of three parts: Ballistic balaclava, mask antifragmentation and, in fact, most of the steel helmet. Ballistic liner made: in the lower part - of two layers of ballistic fabric; - at the top of the three layers of ballistic fabric. From a distance of 5 meters - balaclava withstand rupture VOG-25. Ballistic mask is made of 6 layers of ballistic fabric, and also protection of the person - also provides protection cheeks. By balaclava - mask mounted double Velcro fastening and metal buttons. Gap VOG-25 mask stands at close range. Steel helmet SS-40 or SS-68 6-reinforced layers of ballistic fabric, which are mounted to the inside thereof using epoxy resin. By the very balaclava, steel helmet fastened with two polyamide fasteksy. In general, a most difficult and the most expensive of all the options presented the change in the steel helmet - allows for the release of this version of the armor on the territory of New Russia, and the use of fragment protective glasses - allows for full Ballistic protection of the head.
NL-40-SRC-M3
In the third modification of the steel helmet sample '40, has been replaced chin strap with two point four point, and added a cross-chin lock and rear occipital lock. In this video presented steel helmet without cover. In addition, with the left side of the chin strap, is visible we added polyamide fasteksy. In general, such a design change of the steel helmet - is optimal in terms of labor costs and increased thereafter, the ergonomics of this type of body armor.
[DAWN] IN the aftermath of the APS Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. carnage, concern has rightly been raised about the state's all too eager use of the death penalty. Since December 2014, around 100 executions have taken place in this country. While the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty was originally justified to tackle cases of terrorism, now convicts are being executed for all capital offences. And perhaps one of the most controversial cases in which the death sentence has been passed is that of Shafqat Hussain. On Friday, an antiterrorism court in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... issued a black warrant for Hussain's execution on May 6 for the killing of a minor boy in 2004. His execution had earlier been stayed to determine the convict's age at the time the crime was committed. There are clearly far too many doubts in this case that make us question the use of capital punishment -- while this newspaper opposes the death penalty under all circumstances. For one thing, human rights ...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty... groups say the convict was a minor when he allegedly committed the crime. Secondly, Shafqat Hussain has said his confession -- apparently the only 'evidence' in the case -- was obtained through torture. There are also procedural questions about the case; in light of all these lingering concerns, the argument that the convict should be given the benefit of the doubt and should not be hanged is strengthened.
As we cross the grim 100-executions mark, we must ask the state: is Pakistain a safer place now that capital punishment has been resumed? The answer would hardly be in the affirmative. Along with the death penalty's questionable efficacy in deterring crime and terrorism, we must realise that our criminal justice system is broken, which means there are far too many gaping holes in it to allow the state to take an individual's life. In such a system, which can be easily manipulated and where justice is both delayed and denied, can executions ever be justified? And while the investigation and prosecution of cases in the civilian justice system is poor, the military courts are opaque and not open for scrutiny. With reportedly the largest death-row population in the world, Pakistain must rethink its approach to criminal justice. While criminals and holy warriors must by all means be punished and justice must be served, executions are hardly the ideal method of dispensing it, especially in a system as flawed as ours.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/26/2015 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
convicts are being executed for all capital offences
well.....yeah
Posted by: Frank G ||
04/26/2015 9:05 Comments ||
Top||
[DAWN] THE liquidation of Sabeen Mahmud, director of T2F, a self-described community space for open dialogue in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... , is a desperate, tragic confirmation that Pakistain's long slide towards intolerance and violence is continuing, and even quickening. Profoundly troubling too are the circumstances surrounding Ms Mahmud's murder. On Friday, T2F hosted the Baloch missing-persons activist Mama Qadeer, after the Lahore University of Management Sciences cancelled an event with Mr Qadeer earlier this month under pressure from the intelligence agencies. Mr Qadeer's activism has been consistently opposed by the security establishment, to the point where few in the media or the activist community choose to interact with him now. Those who do engage with him often report threats. But clearly, in the tumultuous city of Karachi and given the variety of causes Ms Mahmud championed, the security agencies are not the only ones perceived as suspects in her liquidation. Ms Mahmud's work had attracted criticism and threats in the past, particularly from sections of the religious right, which viewed her promotion of the arts, music and culture with great hostility.
While only a thorough investigation can get to the root of the matter, what is clear is that there is not so much a war between ideas in Pakistain as a war on ideas. Free speech, robust debate, academic inquiry, the promotion of individual rights -- anything that promotes a healthy, inclusive and vibrant society is seemingly under attack. Before Sabeen Mahmud there was Rashid Rehman, the lawyer and rights activist who was murdered for defending a college lecturer accused of blasphemy. Before Rashid Rehman there was Perween Rahman, director of the Orangi Pilot Project Research and Training Institute, murdered in Karachi apparently for her work on behalf of poor people against the city's land mafia. Before Perween Rehman there was Malala Yousafzai ...a Pashtun blogger and advocate for girls' education from Mingora, in Swat. She started blogging at age 11-12. She was 15 when a Talib boarded her school bus and shot her in the head in 2012. She was evacuated to a hospital in Britain and the Pak Taliban vowed to kill her and her father. Among other awards, she received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, which she deserved more than Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Yasser Arafat, or Rigoberta Menchu... , shot in the head as a young teenager by the Taliban for championing the cause of female education. Before Malala, there were Shahbaz Bhatti and Salmaan Taseer, murdered for daring to question the misuse of the blasphemy laws. Each one of those victims may have been attacked for different reasons and by different groups, but all of them have one thing in common: they were fighting for a better, kinder, gentler Pakistain. And all of them used words and ideas, never weapons, to champion their causes. Pakistain is a poorer place for being without them -- and in Malala's case, for her being unable to return home.
Tragically, the state seems to have all but surrendered to the forces of darkness -- that is when sections of the state themselves are not seen as complicit. Dialogue, ideas, debate, nothing practised and promoted peacefully is safe anymore. Instead, it is those with weapons and hateful ideologies who seem to be the safest now. Sabeen Mahmud is dead because she chose the right side in the wrong times.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/26/2015 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[13 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
So much for free speech and Islam. Anyone think Islam is a good idea in your country?
[DAWN] SINCE the public movement, some years ago, to reinstate former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, there has been much talk about judicial independence in Pakistain. The Supreme Court too has often emphasised the importance of an independent judiciary. In a 2012 judgement, it held: "...there could be no democracy without basic human rights ...not to be confused with individual rights, mind you... and fundamental freedoms as its foundation, and there could be no protection and enforcement of human rights and fundamental freedoms without the existence of an independent judiciary."
The right to an independent judiciary, however, is often reduced to rhetoric in cases where the accused is alleged to have committed blasphemy. In such cases, not only are doubts expressed about the independence of courts, but the impartiality of individual judges also, at times, is questioned.
In Pakistain, independence of the judiciary is often understood narrowly to only mean absence of political interference. But international standards provide a much broader meaning: judicial independence also encompasses protection of judges, in law and in practice, from threats, harassment, reprisals or attacks, both from state and non-state actors.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/26/2015 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[8 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
[DAWN] Losing a seat in an election is not something that surprises the Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... (JI), its leaders and ideology-driven loyal workers. But after the NA-246 by-election results, what probably shocked the country's oldest political party the most is the number of votes it managed to poll. (The JI candidate was among those who forfeited their security deposit in the by-election.)
Hardly any political quarter in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... doubts the JI's organizational strength -- a trained and well-informed cadre of workers -- as well as its decades-long presence in Karachi which was known as a stronghold of the right-wing party before the Muttahida Qaumi Movement ...English: United National Movement, generally known as MQM, is the 3rd largest political party and the largest secular political party in Pakistain with particular strength in Sindh. From 1992 to 1999, the MQM was the target of the Pak Army's Operation Cleanup leaving thousands of urdu speaking civilians dead... (MQM) emerged to change the political demography and set a new electoral history in the city.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/26/2015 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[10 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
[CommentaryMagazine] ISIS isn’t a terrorist organization. It’s a transnational army of terror. The CIA claims it has as many as 31,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq, and Massoud Barzani, president of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government, thinks the number may be as high as 200,000. When ISIS fighters conquered the Iraqi city of Mosul last year, they stole enough materiel to supply three fighting divisions, including up-armored American Humvees, T-55 tanks, mobile Chinese artillery pieces, Soviet anti-aircraft guns, and American-made Stinger missile systems. ISIS controls a swath of territory the size of Great Britain and is expanding into Libya and Yemen.
ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror, by Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan, paints a gripping and disturbing picture of this new “caliphate” in the Levant and Mesopotamia. In the most comprehensive account to date, the authors chronicle ISIS’s roots as the Iraqi franchise of al-Qaeda under its founding father, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, its near defeat at the hands of Americans and Iraqi militias in Anbar Province, its rebirth during the Syrian civil war, and its catastrophic return to Iraq as a conquering army last summer.
The book is personal for both authors. Hassan was born and raised in the Syrian border town Al-Bukamal, right in the center of ISIS-held territory. Weiss is an American journalist who reported from the Aleppo suburb of al-Bab, back when it had a burgeoning democratic civil-society movement and wasn’t the “dismal fief ruled by Sharia law” it is today. Anger and disgust are at times palpable on the page, but emotion never distracts from the richly detailed narrative—based in part on interviews with ISIS commanders and fighters—that forms the backbone of their book.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/26/2015 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under: Islamic State
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
