Idaho, Alaska!!!

When was Alaska admitted to the Union?

Idaho, Alaska! (get it)

January 3, 1959. The first new state since 1912. It is by far the largest state, more thantwice the size of Texas and almost one fifth the size of the rest of the USA. And they have Sarah Palin, too.

New Year's Resolutions

Here are a few New Year's Resolutions that I know I can hold to:

I will stop smoking
I will stop drinking
I will stop gambling
I will support President Bush
I will not be cynical

Okay...for those of you who know me personally, go ahead and laugh.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year.

This year will bring a couple of memorable birthdays:

My daughter Anna will be ten years old.

My Jeep Cherokee will be 20 years old.

Keep a happy face this year. From all indications you will need it!

More From Chicken Little (King George)

Speaking on Tulsa Oklahoma’s 1170 KFAQ, when asked who was behind threats of martial law and civil unrest if the bailout bill failed, Senator James Inhofe named Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson as the source.

“Somebody in D.C. was feeding you guys quite a story prior to the bailout, a story that if we didn’t do this we were going to see something on the scale of the depression, there were people talking about martial law being instituted, civil unrest….who was feeding you guys this stuff?,” asked host Pat Campbell.

“That’s Henry Paulson,” responded Inhofe, “We had a conference call early on, it was on a Friday I think – a week and half before the vote on Oct. 1. So it would have been the middle … what was it – the 19th of September, we had a conference call. In this conference call – and I guess there’s no reason for me not to repeat what he said, but he said – he painted this picture you just described. He said, ‘This is serious. This is the most serious thing that we faced.’”

Inhofe said that Paulson told members of Congress the crisis would be “far worse than the great depression” if Congress didn’t authorize the bill to buy out toxic debt, a proposal “which he abandoned the day after he got the money,” added Inhofe.

Inhofe is referring to the controversy last week when it emerged that the bailout money was not going to buy up toxic debt but instead Paulson, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, had pulled a bait and switch and ordered the money be injected directly into banks.

Senator Inhofe has slammed the secrecy surrounding the destination of the bailout money, saying that Hank Paulson could have given it to his friends and that the “blank check” must be cancelled now.

Inhofe is now trying to rally support for a freeze on what’s left of the initial $350 billion of bailout money with his “roll back the bailout” proposal, which will also require an affirmative vote on the part of Congress to approve Treasury’s plan for the remaining $350 billion.

The Fifth Night of Hanukkah

Today, Christmas Day, is also the fifth night of Hanukkah.  The fifth night is considered to be somewhat special because at that point there is enough light from the candles to light the room. Hanukkah is also called the Feast of Lights.  The origin of the name may actually be due to Halley's comet, which would have appeared in the night sky in 163BC.  That's just about right for the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem.

Cell Phone = Brain Tumors?

From Popular Science Magazine:

Nearly five decades ago, Americans learned that one of their most treasured habits—smoking—was lethal. This year, we could get more scary news, when scientists announce the results from Interphone, the largest-ever study to investigate whether cellphones cause cancer.

Interphone researchers are pooling and analyzing the results gathered from studies on 6,400 tumors sampled from patients in 13 countries. If the final results mirror the preliminary ones, the world’s three billion cellphone users might want to dial back their talk time. Israeli researchers participating in Interphone found that people who use cellphones regularly are 50 percent more likely than non-users to develop brain tumors. And a joint Interphone analysis from the U.K., Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland reported a 40 percent increase in tumor risk in people who use cellphones for more than a decade; the study found no discernable risk for people who have used cellphones for fewer than 10 years.

George Washington's Gift

Did you know that after the Revolutionary War ended, George Washington witnessed a set of Hanukkah lights.  He was so inspired by the sight and ritual that he presented the owner with a gold coin engraved with a Hanukkah menorah.

Speaking of great generals, did you know that the Maccabbes, led by Judas Macabees, were able to defeat the Greek/Syrian army with just sticks and stones?  I guess they really do break your bones.