Thursday 3 July 2014

Simply Observations

First, from this point on out for 2014....there's zero legislation occurring in the House and Senate.  The election cycle is in full-swing.  So, when you hear the President talking up new legislation.....it's mostly all hot-air.  For 2015?  Way too early to talk any priorities, and if the Republicans have fifty seats in January....the whole game changes.

Second, this chatter about Supreme Court Judge Ginsburg retiring?  Simply hot-air again.  A number of liberals are talking up that she needs to retire before October, thus allowing the majority of Democrats in the Senate to safely pick a fairly liberal judge to replace her.  Well....they waited too long, and nobody in the Senate feels comfy about doing this business before the election (November).  So, go and mark your calendar.....around 18 November.....Ginsburg will announce she's retiring as of mid-January.   This will safely allow the remaining Democrats (who might be leaving by early January anyway) to stand up and vote.  The running list of replacements?  I'm guessing the President has three individuals on a very short list, and it'll take less than forty-eight hours to press forward after the retirement announcement and get this done.  The odds of getting some angry Senators?  Better than fifty percent.   There are at least a couple of Democratic Senators who aren't exactly reading the script that the White House sends over anymore....so it might not be an extremely liberal judge selected....thus upsetting even more folks.

Third, generally....no matter where you live in Tibet....you are living at high attitude.  This has puzzled scientists for years because it's not that easy to live in that environment.  Well....they finally researched the genes and found that there is this DNA sequence code....from an extent version of the human being....which the folks of Tibet got....and it helps them survive at high altitudes with lesser oxygen.  This would naturally bring up the question of what exactly happened to the "cousin" of the Tibet folks and how did they die off?  Maybe another research grant, and another project to dig up buried folks?

Fourth, if you look at localized news.....over in Sacramento, California.....a significant TB outbreak has been announced at a local high school.  True, the numbers are less than ten so far.....but it begs the question of how TB is resurfacing, and if it relates to illegal immigrants.  TB used to be one of the most prominent diseases that Americans could get.....then it kinda got wiped out.  Returning?

Fifth and final....ever wanted your own drone?  With a camera?  I was at a hobby shop last week here in Germany, and here is the Phantom II drone.  Roughly $1,500.....you can fly it around for roughly two miles and video-tape your neighbor's property, the beach, and just about anything.  This kinda begs the question.....just how prevalent will drones be in ten years?  Will twelve-year old kids be using them?  Will Wal-Mart be monitoring the parking lot with them?  Will folks be viewing their neighborhood on a regular basis?