Mcnorman's Weblog

No excuses.  Sheila, you go girl!!!!

A Massachusetts woman who was born without arms or kneecaps has passed her test for a black belt in taekwondo.

Sheila Radziewicz successfully completed earlier this month a black belt test at Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts in Peabody.

The 32-year-old Salem resident, who was born with thrombocytopenia-absent radius, or TAR syndrome, called the test the “longest, most excruciating” workout of her life.

Mass. woman with no arms gets black belt – Boston.com.

Interesting  deep thoughts by Blago on the Senate seat swap for something confirms what we have suspected all along.

An example is a conversation he held with chief of staff John Harris on Nov. 7, 2008, in which the two were still discussing Blagojevich’s plans to swap a Senate appointment for a post in the Obama administration or some high-paying job in the private sector.

The two were reviewing talks with union officials they perceived to be emissaries of Obama. Blagojevich said the emissaries didn’t seem to know exactly what to make of his swap request.

“Barack really wants to get away from Illinois politics,” said Blagojevich, laughing.

Eventually the talk got around to a suggestion that they try a different route to convey the swap idea to the president: through soon-to-be first lady Michelle Obama.

“He’s a lot more hen-pecked than me,” Blagojevich said. “He listens to Michelle.”

via Blago calls Obama ‘hen-pecked’ by Michelle – Blagojevich on Trial.

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.  I’m glad that there are people left in this world with gumption.

Jamie Hinton, the volunteer fire chief of tiny Magnolia Springs, Ala., has a plan to use a blockade of barges to stop the Gulf oil spill from entering the Magnolia River. For a time, he went ahead with the plan, even though it might have landed him in jail.

via How an Alabama fire chief risked jail to save town from Gulf oil spill.  It sure is better than sitting around waiting for the “government experts.”

The Coast Guard has admitted that it has failed to both anticipate and control the 2,500 square mile oil slick that’s hiding in the waters off places like Perdido Key, Orange Beach and Plaquemines Parish, resolving to do better.

But local officials say they’ve seen little improvement as their requests get bounced around, ignored or even opposed.

The main problem, they say, is the confusing command structure, which to them seems to have too many generals and not enough battlefield commanders, thus gumming up the ability of local leaders to react to approaching oil.

“How can you fight a war when you don’t let the people on the ground make decisions,” says Escambia County Commission Chairman Grover Robinson. “You’re going to lose that war.

We must not allow ourselves to become victims of  the beauracrats.

11 hours and 5 minutes later.

WIMBLEDON, England — When John Isner finally won the longest match in tennis history, he collapsed on the Wimbledon grass and then summoned one last burst of energy, springing to his feet to applaud along with the crowd.

The American hit a backhand winner to win the last of the match’s 980 points, and he took the fifth set Thursday against Nicolas Mahut, 70-68.

via 2010 Wimbledon: John Isner beats Nicolas Mahut to win longest match at Wimbledon – ESPN.

The seabed on most of the continental slopes is covered by methanhydrate.  It’s stabilized by pressure and temperature.  If one is compromised, methan can leak from it’s ice cage and rise toward the water surface.  Runaway erosion of the sub floor.  We have compromised the seabed floor.

‘Reasonably high’ chance BP files for bankruptcy.

Plans to evacuate Tampa Bay. For the rest of us in the US:

PORTLAND DA CRIMINAL: PROSECUTION A “POSSIBILITY” IN THE AL GORE SEX SCANDAL

The ICKY details, and you were warned.

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