Obesity epidemic in US under-estimated by up to 50 percent: study

Something happened to this guy (Ray Stevens)

Here he is at the age of 31 (and he wrote this himself) in 1970 singing about peace, love, understanding, and ... racial harmony:

Everything is Beautiful

Jesus loves the little children,
All the little children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in his sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Everything is beautiful in its own way.
Like the starry summer night, or a snow-covered winter's day.
And everybody's beautiful in their own way.
Under God's heaven, the world's gonna find the way.

There is none so blind as he who will not see.
We must not close our minds; we must let our thoughts be free.
For every hour that passes by, we know the world gets a little bit older.
It's time to realize that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

And everything is beautiful in its own way.
Like the starry summer night, or a snow-covered winter's day.
Oh, sing it children!
Everybody's beautiful in their own way.
Under God's heaven, the world's gonna find the way.

We shouldn't care about the length of his hair, or the color of his skin.
Don't worry about what shows from without, but the love that lives within.
And we're gonna get it all together now; everything gonna work out fine.
Just take a little time to look on the good side my friend,
And straighten it out in your mind.

And everything is beautiful in its own way.
Like the starry summer night, or a snow-covered winter's day.
Ah, sing it children!
Everybody's beautiful in their own way,
Under God's heaven the world's gonna find a way.
One more time!
Everything is beautiful in its own way.
Like the starry summer night, or a snow-covered winter's day...

Now here is that same man in 2006 at the age of 67. He has undergone a transformation to the dark side (although I don't mean to imply he likes "darkies"; obviously he loathes them as much as any Klansman at this point).

The New Battle of New Orleans

In Twenty-O-Five Katrina let 'er rip
Took dead aim at the coast of Mississip'
Blew Pascagoula and some other towns to smithereens
Then she set her sights on the town of New Orleans

And the levees caved in and the water started risin'
And the people started climbin' up on the roof
Reporters showed up and started televisin'
And started pointing fingers and messin' with the truth

Chorus And they blamed George Bush and they blamed the head of FEMA
Global warming played a part in it too don't you know
Louie Farrakan said Bush blew up the levees
Well I guess he saw it all from his U.F.O.
They had a whole bunch of school busses ready to go
But they never cranked 'em up 'cause the mayor said "no"
Said they weren't good enough for folks to ride on
Then he told 'em all to walk to the Super Dome

Law and order left town and the gangs took over
And committed every kind of unthinkable sin
They shot up the town and trashed the Super Dome
And they showed it on Fox and CNN

Chorus And they stole TV's and they stole fine jewelry
Everybody got a new pair of Nike tennis shoes
Stole guns, DVD's, shopping carts full of beer (fur coats, cold beer)
Well they even stole some stuff that they couldn't even use
Then the mayor started cussin' and he started complainin'
Defendin' his actions on the radio
Said the Federal Government was at fault and he was blamin'
Everybody but hisself and Governor Blanco

Chorus And he blamed George Bush and he blamed the head of FEMA
Then a bunch of other politicians all jumped in
And the Reverend Jesse Jackson just couldn't stay away
He just had to show up and pontificate again



I hope "everything" doesn't ever get as "ugly" for anyone else as it is for Ray Stevens. What a pathetic finish to a career. I wish I had never come across his swan song and could always remember his Christlike "Everything is Beautiful" demeanor of 1970.

Let's dance

Love special: Six ways to woo your lover

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg19025491.900

Why Do So Many Americans Hate America?

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig7/davis1.html

Iran's oil stock exchange, next week

Bush Brandishes Jail Time at Critics

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/042306.html

G.J.

This here young feller has moved to town to lead us to the state champeenship.

I'm trying to channel Davy Crockett.

Here is a preview article about the 2006 Buckeyes.

Illinois not waiting on the U.S. House to impeach

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=50&GA=94&DocTypeId=HJR&DocNum=125&GAID=8&LegID=25794&SpecSess=&Session=

America meets the new superpower

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article358568.ece

Few Protections for Migrants to Mexico

Voice of the White House

http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=4412

Bush Defector to Demolish 9/11 Big Lie in Madison

Fort Worth breaks heat record — by a lot

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/
It's another April heat record
A sign at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth reflects the day's summer-like heat Monday afternoon. At 4:20 p.m., the temperature at D/FW Airport reached 100 degrees, breaking the previous record high for April 17 of 94 degrees set in both 1913 and 1925. 4:46 PM

The fightin' side of Merle

Outmoded concept of ‘manliness’ sets stage for protection racket

http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2006/04/14/opinion/opinion/doc443f18f0a45f9118592868.txt

Military Coup in the United States of America?

http://malakandsky.blogspot.com/2006/04/military-coup-in-united-states-of.html

Creature's picture irks Board of Ed member

Mutually Assured Dementia

http://billmon.org/archives/002375.html

Daniel Ellsberg talks about war and secrets at Lehigh

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/all-b1-4ellsberg-5apr12,0,3104546.story?coll=all-newslocalbethlehem-hed

We Bring Democracy To The FishBy DONALD HALL

It is unacceptable that fish prey on each other.
For their comfort and safety, we will liberate them
into fishfarms with secure, durable boundaries
that exclude predators. Our care will provide
for their liberty, health, happiness, and nutrition.
Of course all creatures need to feel useful.
At maturity the fish will discover their purposes.

Ain’t dat right Mass'r Grassley?

http://www.idahoeagleforum.com/News/Grassley_Immigration.htm

Is France ready to be led by a woman?

New Poll Gives Venezuela’s Chavez 82.7% Approval Rating

Obscure Economic Indicator: Presidential Approval Ratings

The War Crimes Confession of Condi Rice

Are You Ready For Some Mug Shot?

Former Head Of Star Wars Program Says Cheney Main 9/11 Suspect

I have thought this since shortly after it happened.

H. Brandt Ayers: End of the rich man's era?