F is For Fat Redux

Here's some perspective for a couple commentators in the other piece. I am quoting below from a May 22, 2006 article, "The Search for Sweet - Building a Better Sugar Substitute" published in The New Yorker. For what it's worth.

When Columbus introduced [sugar] cane to the New World, the antropologist Sidney Mintz has noted, sugar was an exotic luxury. Most Europeans had never eaten sugar, but they quickly developed a taste for it. By 1700, the Americas had become a vast sugar mill and the English were eating four pounds per person per year. By 1800, they were eating eighteen pounds; by 1900, ninety pounds. But nowhere was the rise of sugar as dramatic as in the New World. Last year, the average American consumed about a hundred and forty pounds of cane sugar, corn syrup, and other natural sugars - fifty per cent more than the Germans or the French and nine times as much as the Chinese.

F is for FAT

WV ranks Third Fatest in the Nation. Remember the War on Hunger? We have a Winner!

The creation of West Virginia — Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the Archangel found Him, resting on the seventh day. He inquired of God, “Where have You been?” God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, “Look Michael, look what I’ve made!” Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, “What is it?” “It’s a planet,” replied God, and I’ve put life on it. I’m going to call it Earth, and it’s going to be a great place of balance.” “Balance?” inquired Michael, still confused. God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth, “For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor.” God continued, pointing to different countries. “This one will be extremely hot and arid while this one will be very cold and covered in ice.” Michael, impressed by God’s work, then pointed to a large land mass and said, “What’s that one?” “Ah,” said God. “That’s West Virginia, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful lakes, rivers, sunsets and mountains. “The people from West Virginia are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hard working and high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace.” Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, “What about balance, God? You said there would be balance!” God replied wisely, “Wait until you see the idiots I’m putting around them in Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland!”

What's your Theory of the Crime?

Theory 1: The proponents of keeping the picture up had it stolen so that they wouldn't lose in court. It will be anonymously returned after the legal case is disposed with.

Theory 2: The proponents of taking down the picture had it stolen because they knew that they wouldn't win in court and were hoping to end the issue

Theory 3: A BHS student or recent graduate removed the picture because he was tired of seeing all those T-shirts proclaiming that "You can't take my Jesus Down", and thought, "Oh yea, watch me!"

Theory 4: The friends of the federal judge had it removed so that she wouldn't have to make a decision that would alienate one side of the community in which she lives.

Theory 5: There was a Multi-county Emergency Communication Anti-terrorism Swat Team Drill the same day. This was a bogus Terrorist Act played by the participants who were just having fun. Ransom note to follow.

Theory 6: This was an inside job. The window was broke and a chair left outside to confuse the investigators. The picture is hid in the ceiling

Theory 7: This was an outside job. Someone just got tired of hearing otherwise intelligent adults carrying on and on about something stupid and thought he'd punish everyone by denying them a continued good time by removing the picture.

Theory 8: This is my favorite. The Resurrection Theory. Guess how this one plays out?

Theory 9: They'll wait three days; put it back on the wall and proclaim a miracle. More money will come flowing-in for the lawyers.

Theory 10: Some weary citizen doesn't care one way or another about the picture; he just got fed up listening to the media everyday when a certain self-righteous member of the Board of Education would just go on and on and on and on.

Let us Now Praise Famous Men

Alan Mollohan will attend the Clarksburg City Council on Thursday so he can be praised for all that he has done to Clarksburg. Let's hope the Mayor proclaims that the Waldo building shall hence forth be known as the "Mollohans" and the old Palace building might be called the , "Alan did it for the People" building. His earmarks bought those buildings through Vandalia and it would be very Byrd-like to reap the public acclaim for this progressive use of down town real estate.

How nice it would be if his protege, ex-employee and beach home neighbor would acompany him to Clarksburg to finally reveal what their development plans are for their City properties, including their downtown garage off Washington. Ms Kuhns has been out of the lime-light of late and we miss her insight on all the fine work Vandalia has been doing for Clarksburg.

Al and Laura were the inspiration for the new parking facility on Pike Street. With assured parking there was no stopping the future of the Waldo Building. So the City moved ahead. They're still waiting at the alter.

Hopefully, other owners of vacant property will receive equal recognition from the City Council. This would be a good time to kick around that Wilmington, DE idea of charging property owners exorbitant fees for not having tenants. If it was to be $500 fine for an empty house, just think of what revenue could be reaped for Mollohan's buildings. But that committee is still working on their proposal.

On the other hand, maybe it is just the political season and the good Dems in City Council believe they better do a PR version of greasing the palm in the hope of getting something out of Mollohan that would be actually useful later on. You know, paying the public relations piper. $23 Million is estimated for the road from Rt 19 to US RT 50 - RT 98. Wouldn't it have been nice to have received 10% of the Federal dollars that went to the new Faimont connector from I-79 to down-town? That has yet to be finished. It is good that Mollohan has got around to thinking about Clarksburg.

Blankenship's hit list fires back

The West Virginia Democratic Party -- and even a few Republicans and Independents -- plan to counterattack Massey Energy Chief Don Blankenship's attempts to influence this year's election.

Watch for the Perseid Meteors Aug. 11-13

A 'Shooting Star' Every Few Minutes

This chart shows how the Perseids might appear to a person looking northeast at 11PM local time in mid-August. The meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, from which they get their name.

New Indiana License Plate will cause a Stir

I like it.

Contribute to the Legal Defense of Official Petulance Since I was emailed this, I assume it is an invitation to publish the same, regardless of my opposition to the notion that a government employee (principal) is expressing his personal religious preference and is attempting to turn it into public policy in a venue where children of all backgrounds are mandated by law to spend part of their life. And neither the Board of Education or the Supervisors have the leadership to remind a subordinate that in the secular world we are all subordinate to the law.

Learning about the First Amendment from a Federal Court can be an expensive choice in advancing one's education. The tuition is excessive and can be learned with less trouble by picking up a few books. The information you need to contribute is on Gundovald's Annex, here. Good Luck and God Bless!

Here's Don Blankenship's latest Email with Video Link
Video uses footage of Dems Rally at Harrison-Marion Airport

Dear supporter of West Virginia's kids, Thanks to the thousands of visitors we have had on our www.andforthesakeofthekids.com website in only two weeks. Our message of protecting our children and providing them an education and opportunities to live and work in West Virginia is being received even better than we had hoped.

An extra special thanks to all of the volunteers that have helped us reach thousands of homes across the state. We will be coming to your neighborhood soon, so please let us know if you can volunteer to help us spread the word in your community.

The announcement of our campaign received a great deal of attention and even a response from the West Virginia Democrat Party Chairman (which we fortunately captured on video with our AFTSOTK Freedom Camera). Please click here to view our first web commercial highlighting the goals of the And for the Sake of the Kids effort and the truth about what the politicians don't want you to know.

Thanks again and please visit our website again soon as we will be constantly adding more information and new items.

Don Blankenship Sprigg, West Virginia don@andforthesakeofthekids.com

Wakim Responds to Democratic Smear Campaign

“For those of you who are not aware, over the last few days, Alan Mollohan and his Democratic cronies have launched a despicable attack on my honor and on my integrity. He has called into question whether or not I have a Master’s Degree from Harvard (which I do) and my military service record. I am making the records for both my education and my military service available for any and all to see.

“Alan Mollohan’s campaign tactics match his finances: dishonorable and underhanded. For a politician like Alan Mollohan, who has spent his time as a public servant lining his pockets with laundered taxpayer money, to question my integrity is beyond the pale.

“I earned my Master’s Degree from Harvard University at night while serving my country as an active duty infantry officer during the day, and any attempt by Alan Mollohan or his cronies to discredit that achievement is disgraceful. Anyone who would like to come to Wheeling and take a picture of me with the diploma that I received from Harvard is cordially invited to do so.

“Alan Mollohan has also attempted to claim that I have lied about my military service and that I am not a veteran. I am not a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and I have never claimed to be. During the Persian Gulf War, I served as an active duty infantry officer and according to the law, that makes me a Veteran of the Persian Gulf War.

“Along with so many of my brothers-in-arms, I served our country honorably for 11 years as an active duty infantry officer, and as a result of that service I suffered a broken back, crushed elbow and a reconstructed knee. For him to attack my honor in such a despicable way is an attack on the honor of all who served our country in uniform.

“Alan Mollohan’s attempt to discredit my record is nothing but a dirty political smoke screen to try to cover up the fact that he has spent years in public office lining his pockets with taxpayer dollars and that he is under investigation by the FBI.”

He is his own lawyer .....?

The Harrison County Commissioners have been advertising for a county Administrator. They seek someone who has a degree in Masters of Public Administration and also prefers the candidate to have a law degree.

Why the law degree? Some of the commissioners know arithmetic. The outgoing Administrator had been appointed from the Prosecutor's office. And wasn't it handy that they could exploit his law degree to also provide them with legal advice and to have him draw up legal documents rather than farming out the work to some local law firm or keeping some lawyer around on retainer?

The sense of thrift among the Commissioners is admirable. But when we get through admiring them let's do some analysis and begin by recalling to mind the adage that ends in the phrase, "has a fool for a client".

What is the reason for legal counsel, anyway? The Commissioners need a detached, unbiased legal view on some matters that may be at odds with what an Administrator would like them to hear. The Administrator also needs access to legal advice, even if he, himself, is a lawyer because given the daily flux, chaos, confusion and fog of the job, a dispassionate legal view may provide a much needed pellucid perspective on some hot topics to restore the Administrator's confidence, control and business sense when things seem to be getting beyond his daily reach. There is an honest broker point of view that will be denied to the next Administrator and the Commissioners if they pursue this false economy. Keep in mind that they also want this guy to be a Strategic Planner. When does he do this if he is also the guy in charge overseeing daily events, personnel matters, budget issues, preparing for the next commissioners meeting, and doing his and the commissioners legal work? There is not enough time in the day for the Administrator to get good at anything based upon the criteria of the job announcement. Was there a strategic plan produced from the last person holding the job? The next guy won't be producing one either. Here's an idea for the Commissioners. The Board of Education has legal counsel giving advice which they then promptly ignore. Have the Board of Education loan you their guy.

IF I had a Vote Bridgeport's Doug McKinney would Get It!

The race for the Chairmanship of the State GOP has been heating up. Some Bloggers have been having a field day with who loves Reagan or Lincoln more between the two candidates. The other candidate is the County Chairman of Randolph County, Mark Scott. The GOP meets this weekend in Charleston. Saturday at 6 P.M., we should have an answer.

Big issue for the Republicans is how to pay a large debt that got out of control during the last race for Governor.

Doug's big sin is that he gave a few bucks to some local Democratic candidates. This is WV. Who hasn't? At least he's willing to talk to and influence the other side. Pragmatism and reasonableness should be a virtue.