Blog Heap of Links for the day 17 April 2011

A new study presents evidence that more than a quarter of sociologists (27.8 percent) would "weigh favorably" membership in the Democratic Party by a candidate for academic appointment, and nearly 30 percent would weigh favorably a prospective candidate's membership in the ACLU. More than a quarter (28.7 percent) would disfavor hiring a Republican, and 41.2 percent would weigh negatively a candidate's membership in the National Rifle Association. The study shows even greater bias against candidates with particular religious affiliations. Substantial numbers of the sociologists surveyed said they would be "less likely to hire" evangelical Christians and fundamentalists if they were aware that a candidate fell into either of those categories. Evangelicals face the barrier that 2 out of 5 sociologists (39.1 percent) are disposed not to hire them. Fundamentalists fare even a bit worse: 41.2 percent of sociologists say they would take such an affiliation negatively into account.

In the most unstable period since World War 2. , the U.S. is about to lower its defenses both globally and at home. Wish I was a champagne merchant in Moscow right now.

Such people are irrational. They are difficult to reach, because they do not reason. Facts and logic have no place in their minds. Their perceptions are closed, and their minds are shut. [The ironic thing is, if you read the whole article, this article is utterly factless and engages in no logic, but it's clear the writer would be difficult to reach because his perceptions are closed and his mind is shut. Thx4 the link Brandon... I think.]

Smirnov had done research on the Internet to determine if Illinois had the death penalty, deciding to go through with Vesel's murder when he discovered it does not. [So... a quick rope in the public square special, just for this guy, would be justice.]

A southern Kentucky woman has been charged with ... murdering pregnant woman Jamie Stice, and kidnapping her newborn baby.... "She has been telling everyone that she was pregnant and we had no reason not to believe otherwise...."

Here's the world's oldest man's secret to a long life: - Embrace change, even when the change slaps you in the face. ("Every change is good.") - Eat two meals a day ("That's all you need.") - Work as long as you can ("That money's going to come in handy.") - Help others ("The more you do for others, the better shape you're in.") Then there's the hardest part. It's a lesson Breuning said he learned from his grandfather: Accept death. "We're going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you're born to die," he said. He was the oldest man in the world and the second-oldest person, according to the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group. Besse Cooper of Monroe, Ga. - born 26 days earlier - is the world's oldest person.

A 102-year-old Japanese man killed himself because he did not want to leave his home in the extended radiation zone.

Sarah Palin is running for president, and she's been saying so for years.,,, It is obvious that Palin has been telling everyone who would listen that she is running in 2012. It's just a matter of when she is going to make the announcement.

Yesterday, I chose the top ten clues that Sarah Palin has been giving that she is running for President. Today, I give the top 10 things the Republican establishment and the mainstream media say to dissuade Palin from running. Somewhere in Alaska, Palin is probably laughing at these figures who seem to think they have the power to convince her or speak on her behalf.... By mocking her and treating her as a lightweight, the GOP establishment risks alienating her fervent supporters. It is ironic that the GOP establishment, which tries to dissuade Palin from running because they think she would be catastrophic in the general election, does not see that their anti-Palin candidate of choice would not be able to win a general election if Palin's voters stay home in protest.

But our media has been too wimpy and pathetic to investigate. [Apparently, this moron and the pool of vicious leeches who comment think that Sarah's daughter was able to produce two babies in one year. They also go on about Trig's birth certificate! Didn't know there was any question he was running for President.]

Braving snow showers and a frigid wind outside the state Capitol building, the former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential candidate told tea partyers she's glad to stand with Gov. Scott Walker. Hundreds of labor supporters surrounded the rally, trying to drown Palin out with chants of "Hey-hey, ho-ho, Scott Walker has got to go!" and "Recall Walker!" "Hey, folks! He's trying to save your jobs and your pensions!" Palin yelled into the microphone. "Your governor did the right thing and you won! Your beautiful state won! And people still have their jobs!" ... The tea partyers appeared clustered in front of the building, waving "Don't Tread on Me" flags and signs that read "Public workers — the party is over," "Thank you, Scott," and "Tax and spend brings the end." Counter-protesters surrounded them, banging drums, bellowing into bullhorns and ringing bells. [Do those howler monkeys include the fine people who teach Wisconsin kids about respect for free speech and the right of peaceable assembly? Article bonus: counterpoint quote from random rube, "an iron worker" saying Palin "is ill-infomred. She's biased." Well, everybody's got one (an opinion, too), and at least that iron worker quote wasn't as crude as most of these folks' remarks.]

Mr. Speaker: I once again will not be feeding the crocodile. I once again will not be voting for yet another Continuing Resolution. However, having spend 22 years in uniform, having served on the battlefield in defense of this nation, I will be voting for the Department of Defense Appropriations bill in order to support our men and women in uniform. Our nation is involved in two conflicts and our President has now involved us in a third. It is my constitutional responsibility to provide funding for the service members in uniform who are defending our nation both at home and abroad.