Mull This Over

Potential problems with the new Healthcare Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Here is a wonderful video from youtube where Peter Schiff explains the potential problems associated with the upcoming Democratic Healthcare Plan.

So basically I will not have to buy health insurance at all. Just pay the $95 yearly penalty and wait. If I ever do get sick then just join the healthcare plan then and get the benefits I need, but up until that point I should not spend a penny on health insurance.

Mafia Wars - Moscow revamped

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:30:00 +0000

Well it seems Mafia Wars Moscow was a little too daunting. I agree there was definitely a cash problem as it was tough to get enough to really blast through the episodes, but it also made it a challenge. Personally, I enjoyed the challenge of actually having to plan how to efficiently use energy rather than just fly right along.

I guess enough people complained though and Mafia Wars tweeked some things. It looks like the businesses now yield much much more. Looks like the payout had been tripled on each business. The other major change is the elimination of bribery. This will save tons of cash as I was paying a good 30% of each yield in bribes.

All in all Mafia Wars just became easier. I would rather have kept the challenge in the game, but either way it won't cause me to change my strategies moving forward in Mafia Wars.

Can TCU Make the BCS National Championship Game?

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Can TCU make the BCS national championship game? As crazy as this seemed a few weeks ago....yes they sure can. Be careful before you bring up the "they haven't palyed anybody" argument. TCU has. In fact the computers rank TCU's strength of schedule above that of Texas. TCU has road wins at Clemson (leading the ACC Atlantic Division), Virginia, and BYU as well as at Air Force in a sleet storm. TCU can flat out play.

So how do they get into the BCS title game you ask? Currently TCU is #6 in the BCS. Well let's take a look at the rest of the story. Let's start with Iowa. By far the most overrated team at the top. The masters of squeeking by bad to average teams. Barely eeked out victories over Northern Iowa and very average Michigan and Michigan State sides. Iowa loses at Ohio State November 14th.

Everyone knows Alabama and Florida will have to meet eventually....that is if they can stay unbeaten until then. Both are playing with fire lately, but still winning. One of these two in the BCS title game.

That leaves Texas and USC. Both have better shots than TCU and will both have to lose for TCU to get in. Both have 1 tough road game left. Texas must win this weekend at Oklahoma State and USC must win this weekend at Oregon. Both tricky trips. If both slipup than TCU would vault up.

I know alot has to fall in TCU's favor to get the BCS title game, but who would have seen TCU rising this far so fast anyways? Win at Clemson in front of 70,000 in a rain storm. Demolish BYU in Provo. Blast Virginia on the road. Crazier things have happened.....

Will Americans be Forced to Buy Health Insurance?

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:43:00 +0000

The new Health Bill is coming. Make no bones about it. The Democrats are going to force it through whether it is good for the country or not. A requirement of the new healthcare bill will be that all Americans will be forced to buy health insurance. Isn't a major problem with the current healthcare system that uninsured patients are being forced to be given treatment. These uninsured patients are thus absorbed by the system forcing costs up for everyone.

Well let me ask this. How can someone too poor to be able to afford health insurance now, be forced by law to buy health insurance once the bill passes? What will be done with these people? This is like trying to solve the homeless problem by requiring all people without a home to buy one or face breaking the law. Huh?

President Obama said in a speech that for those that cannot afford health insurance the government will provide it via tax relief. Well let's see. Someone earning $10 or less an hour does not have a tax burden at the end of the year and all the withholding they paid for the year will still not pay the cost of health insurance for that person. How will you give someone that has no tax burden a tax credit?

The fact is that a portion of the American public cannot afford health insurance and the US Government is too broke to buy it for them. So what is the solution?

Mafia Wars - The Cellphone Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:54:00 +0000

Well anyone that has gotten very far into Mafia Wars has seen that it takes an amazing amount of untraceable cell phones to knock out the New York stages. Literally hundreds will be required. Two jobs on the Capo level, one on the Consgiliere level and another on the Underboss level will definitely try the Mafia War patience.

The problem many Mafia War players face though is how to best obtain the cellphones they need over the course of the game. The key is to be efficient. There is no requirement that you knock out all of New York before heading on to Cuba and Moscow. Be efficient in Mafia Wars.

The mistake many players make is that they waste tons and tons of energy back on the Enforcer level job of Robbing an Electronics Store to try and get enough cellphones. Once you have mastered level 3 of the Enforcer level you are just throwing away energy to get the untraceable cellphones. It is wasted energy in Mafia Wars.

Just go on knocking out jobs at other levels in New York, Cuba and Moscow. Get cellphones from gifting friends as well as fighting. It is slow going, but at least you are using your energy in a positive manner by doing jobs you need to get done.

They also threw us a bone in Moscow as in Episode 1 the Arrange a Drug Shipment job yields cellphones. If you are dying to grab cellphones and finish the New York tier make sure to do the Moscow job over the New York job to get your cellphones. The Moscow job yields them in much much greater frequency.

Best of luck with Mafia Wars!

Chicago eliminated from 2016 Olympic consideration

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:29:00 +0000

In a shocker of monumental proportions, Chicago was eliminated in the first round of voting for the rights to host the 2016 Olympic Games. Nobody expected the vote at all. In fact, the result was so surprising that there was no reaction frolm the crowd at all upon announcement. Just stunned silence.

What does this mean to Barack Obama who made the trip to Stockholm to present for the bid? It is definitely a blow to the United States as well as Chicago. It means a major loss of economic impact. Chicago was counting on over 4.5 billion in economic impact from the Olympic Games. Estimates are the Olympics are worth 14 Super Bowls to put it in perspective.

Tokyo was eliminated as well leaving only Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Madrid, Spain as the final two for the 2016 Olympics. The final decision will be announced later today with Brazil being the heavy heavy favorites.

Mafia Wars - Making Money in Moscow

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:53:00 +0000

Rubles can get a little short in Mafia Wars Moscow it seems. I think that is a good thing though as it makes it more challenging. I liked that fact about Cuba as well. Took a little more planning and thinking to make your $$ stretch farther. The same seems to be true in Moscow. I chugged along fine at the beginning, but now I am into Episode 2 and the rubles are running thin.

One thing you can do to help make up the ruble deficits is to do all your fighting in Moscow and search for people that havent banked their rubles. Seems I can make a tidy amount just from finding the right people to fight.

Grab the Cigarette Smuggling Ring business in Mafia Wars. It yields R$30,000 every three hours making the break even approximately 4 days. After that it is pure profit.

Best of luck in Mafia Wars and happy fighting! Please feel free to leave any other tips in comments.

Choosing Vory or Mafiya in Mafia Wars Moscow

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:41:00 +0000

Ok so there are two paths in Mafia Wars Moscow. Which to choose? Vory or Mafiya? Luckily one does not have to maked a choice right away. You are not locked in until the third mastery of the chapter. Up until then you can choose either.

There is alot of misinformation going around as Moscow is so new. Early word on the street is that Vory rewards and paths are more job based while the Mafiya is more fighting based with better weapons and defenses.

Here is what I recommend. First mastery of the side choose Vory. Take notes and pay attention to what you get along the way. Second mastery of the side take Mafiya. Once again take notes and pay attention. Talk to your friends and get their input. Upon the third mastery you will have a much better idea fo which sides suits you best for the long term.

Best of luck in Mafia Wars and feel free to leave any tips or comments.

More on Mafia Wars Moscow Expansion

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:55:00 +0000

Well it looks to me like the dreaded untraceable cell phones and concealable cameras are going to be necessary at some point in Mafia Wars Moscow. The loot items on the first two Moscow jobs are cell phones and cameras. Hopefully the loot items are just to help people finish up New York rather than being needed for later in Moscow. We shall see.

I still need probably 50 to wrap up New York and the Cuba. I try not to do the cell phone job as it is a waste of energy doing a job I have already mastered. I would rather use the energy towards productive jobs that I have not mastered. Thus I get my cell phones from looting and rewards. Might have to change that strategy, but would rather not waste the energy. I'll just use the Moscow cell phones I get back in New York and pray we dont need more cell phones down the line in Moscow.

Looks like I will not have to choose sides in Mafia Wars Moscow until the third level. At that point you will have to choose a side to support and this will affect the final stage, boss battle and special loot item dropped at the end.

Again, any Mafia Wars tips are appreciated. Feel free to post in the comments.

Mafia Wars Moscow is Live Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Mafia Wars Moscow is live and running as of this morning! Lots of new fun and challenges ready for us. I am going to wait a couple of days before doing anything other than fighting and collecting money from the taxi business. I am very close to completing the entire Cuba level and want to go ahead and finish that up. It will also give me a couple of days to study Moscow so that I do not rush over there and make a mistake.

Money could be a problem in Mafia Wars Moscow, but we'll wait and see. The inventory items look to be quite expensive with the cheapest weapon a dubina for 500,000 rubles. The cheapest armor is 900,000 rubles. Cuba had money issues early on as it was tough to get going there as well. It looks like the businesses in Moscow are not to be bought but rather earned once you reach certain levels there. A new twist there.

It also looks like in Chapter 1 that there are mystery items required to do the jobs as there is a question mark next to the job requirements. Hope they aren't cell phones or something like that. Ouch. We'll find out soon enough.

Either way around it, Mafia Wars Moscow is an exciting new chapter in Mafia Wars and I am looking forward to embarking on it in a couple days once I wrap up Cuba. Any Moscow tips please post them in the comments below!

Mafia Wars - Here Comes Moscow!

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:31:00 +0000

For all you Mafia Wars players out there, and there are an easy 5 million of us, get ready for Moscow. Yes, the Moscow expansion is coming soon....very soon. It couldn't come soon enough either as many of us are finishing or are alrady done with Cuba and ready for a new challenge. Moscow will require you to be at least level 70 to visit and word on the street is that Mafia Wars Moscow will be much much tougher then New York or Cuba.

New York was pretty much a breeze, with money easy to get and jobs definitely doable. The only real challenge of New York was getting enough of those damned cell phones to actually finish up.

Cuba was tougher for sure. Money was much more difficult to obtain and getting started took time. More challenging and more fun. I'm hoping Mafia Wars Moscow takes the same step forward.

The biggest difference in this expansion? Mafia Wars Senior Product Manager David Kahn says it will have, "a new look and feel," and, "will be much harder than other expansions we released before, more geared to higher level players, level 70-plus."

Also unlike the other Mafia Wars scenarios, missions will be broken down into chapters, and you will not be able to see the next set of missions until you complete a chapter and defeat the boss at the end. Players will also have to rely on friends more than before to defeat these high-powered crime lords.

Once Moscow is taken care of Mafia Wars players can look forward to Asia and Western US expansions as well.

How Can We Function with a $9 Trillion Budget Deficit?

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:20:00 +0000

The Obama Government came out today and predicted a budget deficit of $9 trillion over the next decade. How can we function like that? How can the rest of the world take the US seriously when it will be so far underwater? At the end of the decade the debt will equal 75% of the entire American economy as we will owe almost $20 trillion dollars!

Politicians have to stop the ridiculous spending! Now! We have to tighten the belt and do without some things. When I don't have enough income then I stop buying things. I do not go out and charge and charge and wrack up more debt.

We the voters need to take a stand and let Congress and the President know that this type of rampant spending is not productive for the long term future of the United States. Period. There are two options.

Raise taxes or cut spending. Raising taxes in this economic environment is not productive. The answer: quit throwing money around.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee to be released by North Korea

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:41:00 +0000

Former US President Bill Clinton visited North Korea in an attempt to release Current TV reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee who have been held for months after being arrested last year when they crossed into North Korea illegally. The two were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor earlier this year. Word out of North Korea is that Kim Jong Il has decided to pardon the two.

The release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee was a sign of North Korea's "humanitarian and peaceloving policy," the Korean Central News Agency reported.

The North has been playing up the Bill Clinton visit as a major event and state run media is reporting the visit was used to discuss political issues between the US and North Korea. They are also reporting that Bill Clinton delivered a personal letter from President Barack Obama. The US government is denying the visit was for anything more than to negotiate the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee and that no message was delivered from Obama.

You Wonder Why the Airline Industry is in Bad Shape?

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:02:00 +0000

So you wonder why the airline industry is in such a bad state? Let's say poor business model and poor customer relations. So I have a Sunday evening flight from Orlando to DFW on American Airlines booked. I was hoping to move up from the 6:30pm flight to the 11:30am flight to get back in town in time to get to the Chelsea-Club America soccer game at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium Sunday night.

So I do my online research and see there are seats open on the 11:30am flight. Should be an easy change right? Nothing to it. Just move me off the later flight and put me on the earlier flight. Maybe $25 processing fee that's fine.

I talk to the reservationist at American. No problem. Seats available easy change. Then she says "That will be a $436 processing charge." Heck I only paid $220 for the round trip tickets! Amazing. I'll pass. $436 to make a 2 minute change. ridiculous.

BCS is just not right at all

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:47:00 +0000

Despite some eloquent grandstanding on its behalf before a US Senate subcommittee Tuesday, the Mountain West Conference caved in the next day and re-upped with the Bowl Championship Series. This action was as predictable as it was understandable. Five more years of crumbs, after all, beats death by starvation. Still, it's a shame.

The BCS is designed by elites, for elites, who also accord themselves the privilege of defining what constitutes an elite. It exists to generate and horde wealth for a select few, locking out others who aspire to join their club. And that's all.

The elites would have you believe theirs are the only college football teams you want to watch, or to see play in a national championship game. So that's how the BCS is set up, to orchestrate the proof that perpetuates the fraud. This would be like the government clearing the shelves in all grocery stores of everything but dog food, then saying, "All the people want to eat is dog food."

It's crazy. You know this. You know the BCS is wrong. You know this unholy concoction constitutes an unreasonable restraint of commerce within the intercollegiate sports industry; that the BCS willfully acquired its power and exercises that power in monopolistic fashion. In other words, you know what Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and anyone else with a working brain knows: The BCS violates pretty much everything the Sherman Antitrust Act was designed to prohibit.

Now, teams of lawyers might get drunk and rich debating the fine points of anti-trust law. For example, Vanderbilt Law School graduate and Deadspin.com associate editor Clay Travis last week posted a brilliant essay in which he noted the BCS is not actually a legal entity and, therefore, could not violate Sherman. The probability that the BCS was structured to avoid such a challenge should be enough to make fans regurgitate, if not revolt.

Fine points be damned. We all should want what is right. It would be nice if the eloquence articulated by BCS opponents Tuesday were sincere, for their arguments were spot on. At the top, the Bowl Championship Series consists of five major bowl games: Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar and the BCS Championship. The winners of the six BCS conferences that govern the system — the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big XII, Pac-10 and SEC — are guaranteed berths in one of those games, regardless of how they rank in terms of overall quality. The top two teams in the final BCS standings, determined by a compilation of two polls and six computerized ranking systems, play for the national championship.

While nothing in the BCS setup directly prohibits a member of one of the five non-BCS conferences from grabbing one of the four remaining spots in the big bowl games, or from qualifying to play for the national title, the deck is stacked against those things happening. Of 94 berths in major bowl games the past 11 seasons, only four have gone to non-BCS teams. No non-BCS team has played for the championship; not even last season, when Mountain West champ Utah was undefeated while Florida and Oklahoma matched one-loss records in the title game.

"In this country," Utah president Michael Young testified to the subcommittee, "we should decide championships by competition, not by conspiracy."

Alas, there was little sincerity here. The only outrage was self-serving.

"I would not be here today if all universities had a realistic opportunity to compete for the national championship and if BCS revenues were equitably distributed among institutions," Young said.

I find that hard to believe. Young was there testifying and Hatch was there from gavel to gavel, pontificating about BCS arrogance and later goading the Justice Department to investigate, only because Utah was the latest program gored by the Bull Championship Spit.

If Utah joins the Pac-10 in the next major realignment of big-time conferences, thus becoming an official elite, their outrage will sink to the bottom of the Great Salt Lake, and Hatch and Young will begin reciting the bunk sounded by Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman, whose university belongs to the Big XII.

"I don't think it's arrogant if you've thought about something for five or six years and concluded that it's really hard to do something different," Perlman testified.

No, it's the height of arrogance to think the rest of us are stupid enough to believe him. The solution actually is very simple, if you are dedicated to what is right instead of what lines your pockets.

The Justice Department should set him straight and put the BCS in its place.

KIRK WESSLER is Journal Star executive sports editor/columnist. He can be reached at kwessler@pjstar.com, or 686-3216.

Interesting article about the Plastic Vortex

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:53:00 +0000

Found a very interesting article at Ecoistabode.com about the existing area of garbage floating in the Pacific Ocean. It is called the "plastic vortex" and is a real problem to marine life. You may never have heard of it, but it estimated to be at least the size of the state of Texas!

Plastic Vortex
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USA beats Spain 2-0 at Confederations Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:06:00 +0000

Wow how about that USA soccer team today?!?!?!! Wonderful win over the #1 ranked team in the world Spain 2-0 at the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Goals from Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey.

Story at Soccermogul
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What a novel idea California has....Cut Welfare!

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:44:00 +0000

What a novel idea California has to help solve their budget deficit. Cut welfare for 500,000 families.....wow maybe now they'll have to actually go work for a living like the rest of us rather than sit at home doing nothing. Maybe every other state will figure this out and cut out the socialist freebies.

It's ashame that there are some other cuts Governor Schwarzenegger is proposing like cutting the state park funding and cutting school funding. Hey how about doing away with welfare altogether? Welfare was not what this great country was built on. Going out and making a life through effort and hard work is what made us a great country. Too many people look for the government for handouts nowadays rather than being resolute and going and earning a living.

More new taxes coming. This time its Beer and Wine

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:41:00 +0000

The democrats are floating new tax ideas. Last week it was soft drinks like Coke and Dr Pepper. This week it is beer and wine. The plan is up to $2 per case of beer to help fund health care. It will not be a big deal to my pocketbook given the fact that personally I drink about six beers a year nowadays (seems I have outgrown it in my 20s).

BUT bottom line it is just more government taxation in a time when the economy does not need more taxes. Furthermore, the brunt of this tax will be shouldered by the middle and lower class, who studies show are the major consumers of alcohol in the United States. So the people Obama campaigned for on a stance of lowering tax burdens will be the ones to feel this the most.

Stop the extra taxation and be fiscally responsible. In my life if I can't pay for it then I don't get it. Period.

Alcoholo Taxation ....bad idea.

California voters reject budget measures

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:38:00 +0000

California voters spoke loudly as they rejected lawmakers ideas on closing the $21 billion dollar state budget shortfall. Over 60% of voters said no way. Voters however were more than happy to approve a measure that bars any pay increases for state officials. Sounds like a resounding rejection of California elected officials to me.

I think this quote sums it up best:
"We have a dope for a governor and the legislature is completely incompetent," said John Brockage outside a polling place in Oakland, California, on Tuesday. "I voted 'no' on all of them."

Voters said they disliked the specifics in the measures, including a spending cap, extending tax increases, borrowing against lottery revenues and tapping dedicated funds, and used the election to rebuke the governor and lawmakers.

Earthquake shakes Euless here in North Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:08:00 +0000

Well there I was sitting on the couch Saturday morning disappointed that our soccer tournament had been cancelled due to the rains that moved in overnight. I was watching 10,000 BC opn the tele when all of a sudden the whole building started shaking. At first I thought a neighbor knocked over a dressor or something (as I live in an apartment building), but the shaking continued. I felt the whole building sway back and forth probably four times and then it stopped. The whole thing lasted maybe five seconds total.

I thought "What the heck was that?" I wondered had a car struck the building....but no there had been no crash. I live only a mile from DFW Airport and the only thing I could really think was possibly there had been a plane crash or something. Surely it was not an earthquake here in Euless. I decided to take out the trash and go outside to see if anyone else was around.

Sure enough two of my neighbors were about. My upstairs neighbor definitely felt it and was wondering what it was as well. My downstairs neighbor did not feel the shaking but heard his lights rattling and stuff.

About thirty minutes later I was back watching the movie and it did it again. My neighbor came across and knocked on my door "Did you feel that?" she asked...Yepp I sure did. In total I felt four different jolts, each one weaker and shorter.

Turns out we had an earthquake. A real live earthquake here in Euless, Texas. Reports were of a 3.3 magnitude earthquake that was centered four miles south of Euless, in North Texas. How kewl was that?!?! A north Texas earthquake.

Wow a tax on Dr Pepper and Coke is next from the Democrats?

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:17:00 +0000

Seriously Obama. Now a tax on soft drinks? Tax hikes left and right. Typical democrat policy. Tax and spend. This was the first April in the history of our country that the government ran at a deficit. In 250 years! Now they want to add a tax on Dr Pepper and Coke? Come on.

How about we just stop giving a year of unemployment benefits to allow these people to sit on their couch and do nothing, we cut it in half and have them go get jobs. No we would rather have a government that allows them to do nothing and get paid for it. I drove down our main street this morning and counted six help wanted or hiring signs in different businesses. No lets just keep the ridiculously long free money for doing nothing policy and instead tax soft drinks.

Whats the difference between a Pandemic and an Epidemic?

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:07:00 +0000

So I am sure you have thought this over the last week or so with the rise of the Swine Flu Pandemic. What is the difference between a Pandemic and an Epidemic? I know I certainly wondered such. Well, here is your answer.

An Epidemic affects a region or a large part of a populated area while a Pandemic is worldwide. The last Pandemic flu was the Hong Kong Flu Pandemic of 1968 in which 39,000 died in the United States and nearly 1 million died worldwide.

So far the Swine Flu has killed about 150 in Mexico and is spreading with cases turning up all across the globe. It would be quite scary if the Swine Flu Pandemic reaches anywhere near the proportions of the Hong Kong Flu Pandemic. If so we are at the very beginning of the Pandemic currently.

Avoiding the Swine Flu

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:30:00 +0000

With all the concern with the swine flu let's take a minute to visit three simple things that can help one avoid swine flu.

1. Sanitize and wash, wash, wash. Stay clean and wash those hands. Bottom line is that 80% of all infections are spread by hands. A simple 20 second soap and water wash will do the trick.

2. Avoid social situations where possible. Social distancing is the word for it. Avoid large crowds when possible. Simply put, avoiding large groups will decrease the contact you have with potential infected.

3. Get help if you recognize symptoms. Fever, body aches, sore throat, cough, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Recognize the swine flu symptoms. Get help. Tamiflu and Relenza appear to help with swine flu.

Hostages Freed from Pirates but Pirates let go

noreply@blogger.com (Ecoistabode) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:03:00 +0000

OK now get this one.....NATO forces tracked a group of Somali Pirates that had tried to capture a Marshall Islands flagged tanker. The NATO force tracked the Pirates back to their "mother-ship", a Yemeni flagged fishing ship that the Pirates had seized on Thursday. The NATO forces borded the Pirate "mother-ship" and rescued 20 fisherman who were being held hostage.

No problems there at all....good job NATO forces...caught the Pirates....rescued the hostages. Here's where it gets ridiculous. The Pirates were let go because the NATO forces had no authority to arrest the Pirates. It seems the NATO forces were Dutch and to be able to make an arrest the Pirates would have had to be Dutch as well. Now how silly is that? The Somali Pirates are never going to stop if everytime they get caught there are no consequences. They'll be right back out there next week.