My Name is Earl

The Pilot cautiously mentions that hurricane Earl, which is currently a Class 2 storm, could turn into a class 4 hurricane with winds up to 130 mph and possibly brush the N. Carolina coast by Thursday. If it does, as usual, much of the area will be under water, reviving discussions about why this area floods so much and what to do about it. I’m with Jay Ford on this one. We can’t stop the hurricanes and we can’t lower the ocean, so best to just go with the flow, get a kayak and paddle west. If you’re planning to evacuate for Earl, it’s just about too late, since, as The Daily Press reports, traffic at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel is already backed up to N. Carolina.

Va., U.S. birthrates downsized along with economy

Zero Population Grown - Life Magazine April 1976

This rather short, smarmy article in The Pilot, could actually be an important state-of-the-world indicator. Population growth has been one of the biggest, if not the biggest, concern about the future of the world–so if the poor economy is driving lower birth rates, we should be pleased.

Organizations like Zero Population Growth, founded in 1968, and declared “a thoughtful new student cause” by LIFE Magazine in 1976, brought attention to the intentional limiting of human population to preserve the planet. Certainly the demands of feeding and housing ever-increasing human population fuel environmental destruction. Since then, the only country to take population growth seriously has been China, where limits have been placed on the number of children per couple, and India, where saris, portable radios, and monetary rewards are given to those willing to undergo voluntary sterilization.

The Pilot article attempts to be cute by suggesting that we ask the ladies about the change in birthrate, but we should all be asking ourselves what kind of world will exist for our children before we decide to do our part in increasing the world’s population.

Bzzzz!

Here’s a scary Suffolk News Herald article about the current proliferation of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illness in the Hampton Roads area. Mosquitoes infected with West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis have been found in the area. No cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in Suffolk, although since 2003 there have been four cases reported in Virginia Beach. Residents are advised to stay indoors one hour before dusk to one hour before dawn; wear loose, long, light-colored clothing; and use insect repellents containing DEET.

Feeding deer will soon be illegal

The Tidewater News reminds us that starting this Wednesday it will be illegal to feed deer. The prohibition stays in place until the first Saturday in January. Instead of feeding deer, residents are encouraged to kill them.

A project coordinator for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is quoted as saying, “We do not need more deer in Virginia. In fact, we need fewer deer in many parts of the state.” Personally, I’d like to see fewer Department of Game and Inland Fisheries coordinators, but I don’t recommend shooting or starving them.

Police: Paris Hilton arrested on cocaine charge

Paris Hilton Mugshots 2006/2006/2010 - The Smoking Gun

The really big news this weekend was that everyone’s favorite tramp Paris Hilton was arrested yet again for drug possession, this time while cruising the strip in Las Vegas. The Fortune 500 skank who turned her inherited fortune into celebrity status by starring in a homemade porn video smiled sweetly for her latest mugshot. This is wonderful news for anyone trying to ignore the state of the world. If Paris Hilton is what happens in Las Vegas, let’s hope she stays in Las Vegas.

Nature Outdoors, Fish Indoors?

The Pilot informs us that the Virginia Aquarium is now offering “Discovery Woods,” a children’s activity area along the Virginia Aquarium’s Nature Trail where kids can explore the outdoors and find snake skins, feathers, and other treasures. The idea is that the kids will connect with the natural world through their explorations. Great idea.

But if I were the Aquarium, I’d watch my step. If kids ever do connect with the natural world they’re going to wonder how natural it is for all the fish living indoors in the Aquarium. They might wonder about the natural world these fish once lived in and they might learn about the number of wild fish killed by aquarium collectors. After all, they’ve seen Finding Nemo.

Nigeria: Vocal supporter of president kidnapped

Dr. Jhalil Tafawa Balewa–a vocal supporter of the president of Nigeria, who also claims that he is the son of the nation’s first prime minister–was kidnapped this weekend in Abuja, Nigeria. Kidnappers demanded that Belawa’s family write to random email addresses demanding money orders in exchange for his release. Police shot and killed one kidnapper and arrested another, but go ahead and send the money order anyhow.

BP Not a Good Neighbor

According to today’s New York Times, BP is denying that the 538,000 pounds of toxic materials they illegally released over Texas City over a period of 40 days were responsible for respiratory illnesses among the residents. The toxic release, which included benzene and other known carcinogens, leaked into the environment when BP decided to avoid a costly shut-down of the plant for repairs. The state environmental agency and residents were not made aware of the spill until two weeks after it had been fixed. Now BP, based on company air quality control monitoring, is denying that the spill could have affected residents and is fighting a $10 billion class action lawsuit from residents, hoping that they’ll die before the suit is settled. One of the drawbacks of a democracy is that this renegade company’s assets can’t be nationalized and its leaders treated as the criminals they are. This toxic release occurred during the massive Gulf oil spill, but was not directly related to the spill.

Glitch to block driver’s license processing at DMVs

Don’t expect to get a new driver’s license at the motor vehicle office today. The motor vehicle computer system, along with 23 other state agency computers, is down. The problem, which was discovered last Thursday, has not yet been resolved by the Virginia Information Technologies Agency. It seems that when major internet websites go down, like Facebook or eBay, they are repaired in hours. Don’t worry though. The computers should be back up soon particularly since the Department of Motor Vehicles drew a low number, A19, for their repair priority. They’re just sitting around now waiting for their number to be called.