GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

 Believe it or not, it’s that time of year again. As longtime subscribers to the GorillaTrades service know, the Gorilla returns to the jungle during the final week of each year (and the only time during every year!) to be with his loved ones. The Gorilla wholeheartedly believes that it is the one week during the year that your FULL attention should be directed toward the ones you love.

The Gorilla will return from the jungle on Tuesday, January 2, the first day that stocks begin trading in 2008. The Gorilla wishes you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year. In 2008, things should turn out the same as 2007, again with worries galore; panic permeating, and the END always seeming near. The strange thing, however, is that the END never occurs, and we somehow move on.

Anyway, have a quiet and peaceful final week of the year. It is always nice to shut down the screens and reconnect with friends and family (or even your often ignored dog, cat, or chimp!) They are the ones who hang with you through thick and thin, and they are the ones to have fun and swing through the trees with all this week! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the Gorilla and his family to yours. The Gorilla will be back in action, ready to roll for a rocking 2008 on Tuesday, January 2nd!

World War I was known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War To End All Wars. It took place mostly in Europe from 1914 to 1918. There were over 40 million casualties and approximately 20 million military and civilian deaths. It was an extraordinary time in history that will never, and should never, be forgotten. There aren’t many people left who can tell the story first hand; in fact, up until yesterday, there were only three veterans left who served in World War I.

Sadly, one of the last remaining three, passed away yesterday. His name was J. Russell Coffey, and he was 109 years old. According to the Veterans Affairs Department, he was the last World War I veteran from Ohio. He enlisted in the Army in October 1918, while a student at Ohio State University. Although Coffey never saw action overseas (it was just a month before a cease-fire treaty was signed), he did play semi-pro baseball and earned a Doctorate in education at New York University. During his life, Coffey taught high school and college, and raised a family. It is reported that he drove his car until the unbelievable age of 104!

There are now just two World War I veteran’s left. The Gorilla would like to applaud these men and their valiant efforts in helping to defend our great nation. These men, like all of our great veteran’s, deserve our respect and admiration. Rest in peace Mr. Coffey. You deserve it!

It is pretty much common sense that an overload of anything can warp our brains, whether it be drugs, alcohol, and yes, even a violent video game. Parents should be aware of the inherent dangers in playing excessively violent video games because, folks, it is no joke!

The Gorilla was disgusted upon hearing this next story, and the sad thing is, it certainly could have been prevented. Two Colorado teens were babysitting one of the teen’s younger step-sister, when apparently they beat her to death, while playing a game of ‘Mortal Kombat.’ Police say the teens used to “play around” with the younger child, who was only 7 years old and it was not unusual for them to be wrestling and kickboxing. But this time, authorities say, the teens went too far. While playing the game, the two got carried away and started beating and kicking the younger child much more violently than normal. When the girl was unresponsive the two teens panicked and called police. Unfortunately, the girl died shortly later from her injuries, which included internal bleeding, broken bones, and brain injuries. One of the teens was apparently drunk and “didn’t realize how badly he was hurting her.”

Now folks, the Gorilla has heard a lot of stories about teens behaving badly these days, but honestly parents, where the heck do you draw the line? Here’s an idea; when the violent video game enters the home, you take possession of it and throw it in the garbage, with a threat of punishment to your kids if they play it! Or, how about monitoring what your kids are playing by simply watching them and screening what they are allowed to play? Now this certainly could help, but it does beg the question, “what kind of teens were these, regardless of the video game’s apparent influence?” 

Mortal Kombat, in case you were wondering, is an extremely violent game, which depicts people (men and women) getting shot, beaten, and killed. It is very bloody and extremely graphic. If you put together already defiant troublesome kids with a game like that, the outcome could obviously be very bad. It is unfortunate that this innocent little girl had to lose her life because of some kind of apparent ignorance. Whether it be the parent’s or the kid’s fault, it is simply irresponsible. Wake up parents! Do you know what your kids are playing?

How often do you drink coffee? If you are like the Gorilla and many millions of other Americans, the answer could likely be daily. In fact, the Starbuck’s or Dunkin’ Donuts run each morning could very well be the “kick-off” to your day. American’s are having a love affair with coffee- there’s no doubting it. Some people drink it only every morning, but there are those who drink coffee two and three times a day. 

However, every individual who consumes this glorified beverage will want to pay attention to this next story. California health officials are looking into whether or not it is necessary to have warning labels put on the caffeine products we drink. These officials are looking into the health risks associated with the consumption of caffeine to find out if they are serious enough to warrant having the warning labels slapped on them. The labels would fall in line with Proposition 65, which was passed in order to inform the public that they have a right to know whether materials they are consuming are potentially dangerous or possibly toxic when consumed. The labels would list the potential adverse health effects that may occur to the individual consuming the product- much like the ones we find on cigarettes and alcohol. If it passes, then caffeine could be listed as a toxic substance, just like mercury or lead. (This is just unbelievable to the Gorilla!). 

The California EPA says that there’s evidence that consuming large amounts of caffeine could possibly be linked to low birth weights in babies. But is it really “toxic?” The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has done their own studies, and concluded that the low birth weights were only in cases in which the mothers consumed extremely large amounts of caffeine daily, while pregnant. Actually, the ACO endorses caffeine in pregnant mothers as long as it is no more than 6-7 sodas per day. (Obviously, coffee is much higher in caffeine, so the endorsement was specific to soda.) Dr. Carrie Peterson, a California OBGYN, claims that the benefits of consuming coffee and caffeine in general, (of course in moderate amounts) far outweighs the risks, and she adamantly disagrees with the California EPA’s findings. (So does the Gorilla!). She states that studies have shown that caffeine can be used to treat all kinds of health issues such as migraines and cavity prevention, and can even improve diabetic control.

All the Gorilla knows is that waking up to a wonderful smelling cup of java just makes his day better. And, if the health risks are minimal (which they appear to be), then why not enjoy this wonderful little treasure? Obviously moderation is always the key to consuming anything, and common sense must come into play, as with anything in life! But to list our beloved coffee as “toxic?” That would be a total buzz-kill!

We all know the potential dangers inherent with the holiday shopping season. Shoppers are often targeted in dark parking lots while going to their cars with their wares, making them extremely vulnerable to criminals just waiting to prey on them. The Gorilla even heard a story about a group of thugs, who would hide in the women’s bathroom, surprise and rob the women who came in, and then make the women strip down to nothing so that they (the criminals) would have time to get away. It is a dangerous prospect to be sure, and now is the time when we all must be vigilant about our own safety and the safety of our children.

The most tragic story occurred just recently in Boca Raton, Florida. The Gorilla learned of a crime in which a woman and her eight-year-old daughter were bound, shot and killed, while attempting to leave an area shopping mall. The bodies of the two were found inside the family’s SUV, still parked (and running) in the mall parking lot. It is believed the motive for this heinous crime was robbery. It is not yet known whether the assailant was already hiding inside the women’s car prior to her arrival, or whether she and her daughter were possibly targeted, and followed out to the parking lot.

The Gorilla has been to the same mall many times himself, and surprisingly, the parking area is well lit, so it is unbelievable that a crime like this can occur without anyone being detected. The killer is still out there and police are fervently investigating this crime since the community of Boca Raton is shocked and outraged that someone could take the life of a child, and seemingly get away with it. But authorities say that the holiday shopping season brings out more criminals than usual, and these guys get brave around the holidays. These criminals are looking to prey on unwary shoppers, who may be in a hurry, laden down with bags, and potentially walking to their cars in darkened parking lots. While this crime is not the only one of it’s kind (this happens much more than we know), authorities say it may have been prevented through taking some extra precautions. Here are a few tips police say may prevent you from becoming a victim:-Never walk out to your car alone-even if it means waiting in a well lit busy area for others to exit, or asking someone to accompany you.

Kids these days are not that hard to buy for during the holidays. They know what they want, and they are NOT afraid to ask for it. The same was true for a Canadian teenager, who desperately wanted a video game for his Nintendo Wii gaming system. The game was the highly sought after Guitar Hero III. For those of you who aren’t familiar, it is an exciting interactive game in which the user holds a guitar and plays a song from the interactive screen, while following along with the color coded keys on the guitar. Points are earned from each note that is correctly keyed while playing along. (The Gorilla has actually seen this game and LOVES it! It’s just too bad that his fingers are too big to play with it.)

The game is definitely hard to get your hands on, but the father of the teen thought that his son deserved the almost $90 game and so he went out and purchased it for the boy. Last week however, the boy was caught smoking pot in his backyard with some friends, so the father proceeded to take the necessary measures. To punish him, the father decided to auction off the beloved video game on eBay. The man, who is a schoolteacher, stated that he found it hard to justify giving the son this game as a gift when the boy’s behavior was so inappropriate. (Now that’s called hitting em’ where it hurts!) 

The man alerted potential buyers of the unusual situation and bidders were more than sympathetic with the man. So sympathetic, in fact, that a buyer in Australia even ended up purchasing the game for over $9,000! Wow! Now that’s a punishment that benefits everyone involved! So the kid smoked pot (unacceptable to be sure) but folks, at this point, how mad can the guy really still be? As angry and frustrated as this father was with his young son’s behavior, the Gorilla is pretty certain, the whopping $9,000 he made selling the kid’s game as punishment quickly got him over it. Happy holidays!

Al Gore has long been a proponent of conservation and eco-awareness. And as we all know, it’s kind of his “thing.” He is “Mr. Environment” so to speak, and in being such, he himself, has a responsibility to practice what he preaches. Well, apparently many others agreed with this outlook and said so when they criticized him last year for his high electric bills at his Tennessee Mansion. To be fair, the mansion was being remodeled at the time, and Mr. Gore maintains that is the reason the bills were higher. It is an 80-year-old home that he was actually in the process of renovating. Well, whatever the case, Mr. Gore certainly has righted the wrong by completing an extensive remodeling of the home to meet, and well-exceed, Green Building standards, making the home one of the nation’s most environmentally friendly.

So you are probably wondering just exactly what the former Vice-President had to do to put his home in this elite group, right? Well, the Gorilla was curious as well so he checked it out for himself. To start, Mr. Gore had solar panels installed, a rainwater-collection system, and geothermal heating to boot, but that is not all he did. He also replaced all of the incandescent lighting with compact fluorescent or light-emitting diode bulbs, including the ones he put on his Christmas tree! The Gore’s improvements cut the home’s summer electrical consumption by 11% compared to a year ago, according to utility records reviewed by The Associated Press. “Short of tearing it down and staring anew, I don’t know how it could have been rated any higher,” said Kim Shinn of the U.S. Green Building Council, which gave the house its second-highest rating for sustainable design. Gore spokeswoman, Kalee Kreider, declined to say how much the couple spent on the improvements, but stated, “The Gores decided to take a series of steps over time that might be logistically or financially out of reach for many Americans. They were fortunate enough to have the ability to do so.”  She also commented that we can all make an effort, no matter how small, to cut energy whether it be changing a light bulb or installing solar panels.

The Gorilla could not agree more. We must all do our part. As for Gore…well Mr. Gore, you DID win the Nobel Peace Prize this year for your valiant efforts in raising awareness for the environment, so it only makes sense that you should, of course, have the most eco-friendly home in the U.S.! Way to go.

We live in a day and age in which racism simply cannot and will not be tolerated. Gone are the days when ignorant people could say whatever is on their mind to someone of a different race, without suffering any consequences. Free speech does have its boundaries, and thank goodness for that! It seems that more and more judges are using their good ole’ common sense these day when sentencing criminals in cases where racism is concerned- and the Gorilla is personally glad to see it!

A suburban white Cincinnati man was sentenced today to perform 100 hours of community service for shouting racial slurs and threatening a group of black children, who were near his yard. The man believed the children were out to “damage his property.” The 36-year-old man, Michael Fleugeman, was originally charged with misdemeanor aggravated menacing, but pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.

So big deal, he was ordered to community service like everyone else who commits a misdemeanor, right? Well, it is a big deal simply because this clever judge ordered the community service to be carried out at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati, putting the obviously prejudice Mr. Fleugeman in direct contact with black children daily. Finally, a judge had the wherewithal to find a sentence befitting of such an ignorant crime! The Gorilla is quick to point out that this certainly is no punishment, in fact hopefully, the man realizes (once he’s done his service) that it was a privilege just to be around these wonderful children. Perhaps it will wake this guy up and let him see that black or white, kids are pretty much just that- kids!

The sight of a beautiful polar bear walking across the Arctic ice has long been admired and awed by many, but today the Gorilla was disturbed by a photo, which showed a polar bear walking on a small patch of ice surrounded by water. The result of extreme global warming is, of course, to blame. So how bad is the outlook for this precious part of the world, which affects the entire globe? To give you an idea of just how quickly and furiously it’s all happening, listen to this. Greenland’s ice sheet melted almost 19 billion tons more than the previous high mark, and the volume of Arctic sea ice at the end of summer was half what it was four years earlier according to data from NASA. Just last year, two top scientists projected that the Arctic sea ice was melting so rapidly that it could disappear entirely by the summer of 2040!

Folks, that’s a mere 38 years away! And since the time of those reports, the outlook is even more grim. This week, after reviewing his own new data, NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally said, “at this rate, the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free at the end of summer by 2012, much faster than previous predictions.” Scientists of course blame carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of coal, oil, and other fossil fuels. For the past several days, government diplomats have been debating the outlines of a new climate treaty, calling for tougher limits on these gases, but is it too late? Has the damage already been done? How can we “refreeze” the Arctic ice sheets?

NASA scientist James Hansen, often referred to as the “godfather of global warming,” said, “We have passed some tipping points (referring to this year’s ice sheet melt) in the way that I define them,” and went on to say, ”We have not passed a point of no return. We can still roll things back in time — but it is going to require a quick turn in direction.” Scientist’s say that it can, in fact, be done, and that the clocks can be turned back to prevent further damage to the environment. However, like all of you, the Gorilla wonders exactly how? Geez! It sure seems as if Al Gore arrived a little late to the ball game! Mr. Gore, you are doing great things. Too bad you weren’t born a century earlier!

He’s only been around since the late 17th century, but now suddenly, Santa Claus is too fat? Yes folks, it’s true. Health experts, including the U.S. Surgeon General, warn that Santa Claus is just “too fat” and that his weight may “set a bad example for children.” The Gorilla chuckled upon hearing this ridiculousness. That’s right. Ridiculousness! You know you’re thinking it too! How then would they propose we present Santa Claus to our sweet innocent young ones in the future? Should we traumatize them by re-introducing a new slimmer ”Santa-like” figure by next year? Who here thinks our kids would be impressed?