There is absolutely no reason I can think of that this information is relevant to you, the reader. But someone somewhere will be searching on Google for Bangalore 2, Bean Town, and Bengalooru and they will be looking for this article. We’re happy to provide them with the link as a public service. ;-)

Bangalore, long known as India’s Garden City and now a global technology hub, is set to change its name to Bengalooru, reverting to a centuries-old title that means “the town of boiled beans”.

Here is an interesting article regarding the pervasiveness of synthetic bad stuff in our bodies.

So stop using shampoo, don’t microwave your plastic containers, get a wool rug and put your kids in highly flammable P.J.’s, and hopefully you’ll get a few more good years.

John Leo has a Christmas Quiz over at Town Hall. Here’s one of the questions.

Some schools have ruled that red and green cookies cannot be brought into class in December because the color combination strongly suggests the divisive sectarian feast day of Christmas. Therefore…

a) Red cookies may be brought to school. Green ones too. But, please, not on the same day
b) A fruit bowl containing just pears and cherries is a serious constitutional matter and should be reported immediately to the ACLU, care of the Christmas erasure desk. c) In December, the San Francisco 49er may not be shown playing the New York Jets, except on black-and-white TV sets.
d) All traffic lights must be turned off until January 1.

William J. Bennet has written a call in the NRO for retailers everywhere to encourage people to show support for the Iraqi elections.

Starting on Monday, December 12th, I — and tens of thousands of others across America — will be marking my right index finger with purple ink to show those in Iraq we support them. Based on suggestions from listeners on my nationally syndicated radio show, I — and we — are asking you (to the degree physically feasible) to make available an ink pad or marker at your check-out counters for your customers, to mark their fingers with ink as they leave your store.

More info: www.purplefingerforfreedom.org.

Via MM

Drudge Reports that Senator Daniel Inouye has released the following statement:

As a Veteran of World War II, I know what it’s like to fight a war and put your life on the line every day. I also know what it takes to win a war, and I know that politics and an attack machine like the President’s plays no part in it.

The Republican Party’s latest ad is a shameful and disgusting attempt to distract the American people from the problems in Iraq. It may improve the President’s political fortunes, but the American people and our troops will pay the price. I hope that President Bush realizes how shameful it is to play politics when what we really need is leadership, and that he will direct his Party to take down this ad immediately.

So quoting the Democratic leadership is shameful and disgusting and it improves the President’s political fortunes. That’s funny.

But what’s not funny is that there is a significant element of truth to the suggestion that publicly airing the views of the Democratic leadership will harm the American people and our troops.

Thank you, Senator, for stating that. Maybe you could ask Howard Dean and John Kerry to consider their words more carefully and not put their own desire to harm GW above all else.

Red State has discussion.

Mike at Clear and Present says: “All the Dems have been doing for five years is to play politics, culminating with speeches and statements by Durbin, Kerry, Boxer, Kennedy, Reid, Pelosi, and Dean (among many others) that hurt the American people and, more importantly, our troops.”

Some Common Sense: “Well, we can officially call the GOP’s ad a smashing success. The Dems have been caught red-handed advocating their defeatist stance on the war, which certainly does not help their credibility with the American people, who want a victory in Iraq. The Dems realize this, and so they bring out another military veteran to try and uphold their image. ”

Hinderaker: “We are winning. It is not defeat in Iraq the Democrats fear, it is victory. They are scared to death that it is happening before their eyes.”

Leffingwell: “If you can’t stand the heat then keep your treasonous trap shut. It looks like the Dems are starting to feel uneasy about the new GOP commercial that accurately portrays the Dems’ anti-war sentiments.”

Cuz We Said So: “The only shameful, disgusting behavior I’m seeing here is the Democratic attempt to spin up negative news in Iraq for political advantage, regardless of the harm it does to those that bravely wear the uniform today. It is that which the senator should be denouncing, and he does himself a discredit by being a part of it.”

Mark in Mexico: “This drips with hypocrisy. ”

Wade Garrett: “Inouye is disgraceful to blame others for what his very own people say, so in the future call off your dogs, clean your own house before attacking others.”

Confederate Yankee: “Democratic Party courage, by comparison, offers nothing but disgrace and retreat. Your party doesn’t know how to win, Senator Inouye.”

SoCalPundit: “If showing Democrats calling for us to run from Iraq and convicting our soldiers of harassing innocent women and children is desperation, let us stay desperate. Because it is accurate and because it is effective.”

At least he’s got a sense of humor about online identity theft attempts.

The jokes on you! Last week I got a notice from Chase Manhattan Bank denying me a Visa card with a Nigerian mailing address and my name and social security number on it, and just today I was denied a second home mortgage to some guy with my info in the Canary Islands. Woo-Hoo! Boy, that’s a real shocker!”

Brown described his credit score as “slightly above the homeless and unemployable” level, blaming a delinquent $70,000 student loan, a property foreclosure, and 2 recent credit cards gone to judgment lien as cause.”

Brown convulsed and chortled diabolically

“Haha! Last thing on my mind is worrying about someone wanting to be me. “