They never quit

Farm-fresh from China!

Walter Olson (Cato Institute, Overlawyered.com) has an article on Daily Caller today outlining the California trial lawyers’ latest money grab, mandatory labeling for all genetically engineered foods, with the burden on the retailer to prove that they aren’t.

Retailers (such as grocery stores) would be primarily responsible for complying with the measure by ensuring that their food products are correctly labeled. … For each product that is not labeled as GE, a retailer generally must be able to document why that product is exempt from labeling. [emphasis added] There are two main ways in which a retailer could document that a product is exempt: 1) by obtaining a sworn statement from the provider of the product (such as a wholesaler) indicating that the product has not been intentionally or knowingly genetically engineered or (2) by receiving independent certification that the product does not include GE ingredients. Other entities throughout the food supply chain (such as farmers and food manufacturers) may also be responsible for maintaining these records.

It’s funny (ha ha): for all the hysteria about GE food, which has proven to be harmless, whack-job shoppers at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods don’t seem the least upset about those stores’ refusal to label their products’ country of origin. I’m far more concerned about eating something (especially fish) grown in China than I am about Frankenfood. Chinese farmers have been caught repeatedly dosing their goods  with nearly every poison known to man, while a genetically modified tomato’s never hurt anyone. Why no outrage among the greenies? Apparently because shopping at Whole Foods with an organic hemp reusable bag makes you bullet proof.  Seems dumb to me but then, I don’t drive a Prius.

Next stop, Number One Observatory Circle?

 

Mars is just this far from earth!

Curiosity rover gets “intellect upgrade” all the way out on Mars. If they can send a brain to Mars ….

Can’t win ‘em all

I’m a customer too!

Tea Party – endorsed Sandy Adams loses to establishment war horse John Mica. Bush Republicans have been entrenched in Washington for decades and won’t get evicted in one or two election rounds. Still it’s regrettable that a politician who sports a small dead animal on his head was deemed suitable for reelection by his Florida district’s voters.

Then let’s do it for her

Oh dear

Chelsea Clinton won’t rule out political run. Crimminey, she hasn’t even served as a community organizer – how can she claim to have the experience to run anything less than the United States of America?

Because I’m a good citizen and love Greenwich, I’ll do it for just $100,000

Leaving Las Byram

Town moves ahead on $3 million project to study Byram River flood alleviation plan. So here’s my plan: don’t build on flood plains and don’t rebuild what washes away.

Check, please.

NOAA ammunition order explained

UPDATE: Ellsworth, Maine must be a hotbed of poaching, but NOAA says that its bid request for 46,000 rounds of ammo is for its game enforcement officers who are also part of the agency, like its weathermen. Sounds reasonable to me, I guess.

What the hell’s wrong with that 10%?

Gallup: 90% disapproval rating for Congress.

Three sales reported

11 Shore Road, Old Greenwich, $1.285 million. This is a charming house, but very small. It backs up to the Innis Arden golf course so it offers a real feeling of space and beautiful views but it was just too cramped for any of my clients, all most of whom have young children. One bath upstairs and so far as I could tell, no room for another. But at this price, I can easily understand someone desiring it. Certainly I did.

I can’t say the same for 27 Doverton, a Mariani house that looks just like every other Mariani house. He sells plenty of them and so he obviously knows what buyers want but at $8.1 million, it’s a head scratcher, to me. Perhaps the buyer was swayed by its original 2007 price of $11.750 or perhaps he just liked what he saw. Real estate is all about personal taste, not what someone else likes.

8 Long View, RVSD

I did like 8 Long View in Riverside, which sold today for $3.360 million. Brother Gideon’s listing (he’s having a heck of a year, is little brother Gideon). Compared to 5 Gilliam Lane which I think actually sold for more, this has a far better location, a much nicer backyard and the same high quality of construction. I was surprised, in fact, that it didn’t fetch more. But see previous paragraph regarding personal taste.

DMV, Round II

Another 90 minutes at DMV, mission still not accomplished. This time, the computer showed a lien on the subject vehicle dating back to a 2003 lease that ended, and the car purchased in 2006. Present clerk with bill of sale: not sufficient. How was it that title was issued and registration granted in my, not the lessor’s name for the past six years – how could it be registered in my name if there were still a lien on it? Doesn’t matter, if the computer says it’s so it cannot be corrected without a physical copy of  (another) release.

So back home to do battle with the lessor’s computers. My thought, as expressed here during the debate and again last week from reader Pinzgauer is, what do you imagine our health care’s going to look like when the people who “run” the DMV are in charge?

Stay healthy.

Idle observation while I await an appraiser

Bank rep is late so I’ve got nothing better to do than stare at traffic and blog. Is there anything more redundant than an Obama bumper sticker on a Prius? As unnecessary as a McGovern sticker on a Volvo, back in the day.

Debbie Wasserman is still the DNC chairman, as of today

It takes a lot to embarrass a democrat, if that’s even possible at all, but the gift that keeps on giving, Debbie Wasserman Schultz must be making even a stalwart like Fudrucker cringe (privately).

Sunday she claimed she had no idea of the political affiliation of the PAC running the Romney causes cancer ad, yesterday she was interviewed by Wolf Blitzer who spent four minutes before getting to admit that yes, she was lying when she denied that Ryan’s Medicare plan does not affect anyone 55 years or older. The dingbat is loaded with talking points by her handlers and sent out to perform, but she just isn’t up to the task. It’s something of an accomplishment that she fended off Blitzer for almost two minutes before starting to crumble, but the head of the party should really be made of sterner stuff.

I’m hoping she sticks around through November, though – she needs the work and we need her.

The green movement, explained

You! You think this is funny?

Study: stress and depression shrink brain. Lighten up guys, the world probably won’t drown for at least a couple of years. Tell a joke, take a nice walk, have a party.

But once they’re there, what happens?

Assembling that new fall wardrobe

Detroit offers a free pair of Nikes to any student who shows up for opening day of school. Whatever, but can you imagine having to do this for impoverished Jewish kids living in the East side slums back in, say, 1915? With apologies to Romney haters, a culture that values education is going to be more successful than one that doesn’t.

Just saying.

What’s wrong with me, that I find myself in agreement with nine Nobel Peace Prize winners?

Hollywood goes to war!

They’re protesting some new “reality” show that pairs “minor celebrities” with actual soldiers. The letter writers complain that the show glorifies war, while I object that it diminishes and trivializes the valor of the men and women who are out there being shot in their guts, seeing their comrade’s legs blown off and engaging in acts of incredible courage. Either way, I think the Pentagon’s made a grievous error cooperating with this project. Snooki in Kevlar? Disgusting.

In case Europe doesn’t have you losing sleep

Dang, dropped it!

Reports from China warn of an impending hard landing. Outrageous corruption, no rule of law, no recognition of property rights and a restive populace on the verge of rebellion. Glen Reynolds has a round up of the discussion here and cautions, “[I]f you’ve got a business that requires critical components or supplies that come from China, you might want to maintain a deeper stock, or plan alternate supply sources.”

That would be almost every manufacturer in America.