EOMMD

It's time for the End of the Month Meme Dump. You can look back on each of these and find some gems.

What a month. What a year. Does the president have syphilis?

tune a bass guitar

What in the world did we do before Google?

How to tune a bass guitar.

new strings!

bake the cake!

Andrew Seidel, one of the new "faces" of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, breaks down the recent court case about the bakery that refused to bake a cake for a gay couple. 

Is God a right to discriminate? Not in a sane world!

Does religion allow a cake baker to discriminate against a gay couple? Is belief in god a license to discriminate? Put another way, does religious belief exempt the believer from the law? Does having a particular belief give someone the right to act on that belief, simply because the belief is religious? Constitutional attorney Andrew L. Seidel of the Freedom From Religion Foundation answers these questions and discusses the Masterpiece Cakeshop case—the gay wedding cake case—that the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments for on December 5, 2017. Seidel answers the question: There is no religious right to infringe the rights of others. There is an attempt to redefine religious freedom in the United States. But the only guarantee of true religious freedom is a secular government, a government that is free from religion.

It's over

Keith Olbermann is ending his GQ "Resistance" video series because he is sure Trump is toast. I wish I were that confident. Trump has released something really ugly in this country.

biggest tax scam ever

It's looking more and more like the GOP is going to be able to push through their tax bill, even if it tilts heavily in favor of the wealthy. It's sad that so many rank-and-file GOP'ers buy into the trickle-down myth. We're tried that several times and it only leads to trouble. By abolishing the estate tax, less than 1 out of 1,000 will benefit, and they will benefit HUGELY. 

I can guarantee you that if the tax bill gets approved, soon deficits will begin climbing again (so much for the GOP being deficit hawks) and when a Democrat gets back into the White House, suddenly the GOP will demand cuts to social programs to reduce the deficit. We're seen this before. Too bad this country has such a shitty memory.

The Biggest Tax Scam in History

by Paul Krugman, New York Times

Donald Trump likes to declare that every good thing that happens while he’s in office — job growth, rising stock prices, whatever — is the biggest, greatest, best ever. Then the fact-checkers weigh in and quickly determine that the claim is false.

But what’s happening in the Senate right now really does deserve Trumpian superlatives. The bill Republican leaders are trying to ram through this week without hearings, without time for even a basic analysis of its likely economic impact, is the biggest tax scam in history. It’s such a big scam that it’s not even clear who’s being scammed — middle-class taxpayers, people who care about budget deficits, or both.

One thing is clear, however: One way or another, the bill would hurt most Americans. The only big winners would be the wealthy — especially those who mainly collect income from their assets rather than working for a living — plus tax lawyers and accountants who would have a field day exploiting the many loopholes the legislation creates.

The core of the bill is a huge redistribution of income from lower- and middle-income families to corporations and business owners. Corporate tax rates go down sharply, while ordinary families are nickel-and-dimed by a series of tax changes, no one of which is that big a deal in itself, but which add up to significant tax increases on almost two-thirds of middle-class taxpayers.

Meanwhile, the bill would partially repeal Obamacare, in a way that would sharply reduce aid to lower-income families and raise the cost of insurance for many in the middle class.

You might wonder how such a thing could possibly pass the Senate. But that’s where the scamming comes in.

While the underlying structure of the bill involves raising taxes on the middle class, the bill also includes a number of temporary tax breaks that would, at first, offset these tax increases. As a result, in the first few years most middle-class families would see modest tax cuts.

But the operative word here is “temporary.” All of these tax breaks either dwindle over time or are scheduled to expire at some point; by 2027 the bill is, as I said, a tax increase on the middle class used to pay for tax cuts that mainly benefit the wealthy.

Why would anyone write a bill full of provisions that evaporate over time? There’s no economic or policy logic behind it. Instead, it’s all about trying to have it both ways, making a safe space for political double talk.

Here’s how it works: If you point out that the bill hugely favors the wealthy at the expense of ordinary families, Republicans will point to the next few years, when the class-war nature of the plan is obscured by those temporary tax breaks — and claim that whatever the language of the law says, those tax breaks will actually be made permanent by later Congresses.

But if you point out that the bill is fiscally irresponsible, they’ll say that it “only” raises the deficit by $1.5 trillion over the next decade and doesn’t raise deficits at all after that — because, you see, those tax breaks will expire by 2027, so the tax hikes will raise a lot of revenue. By the way, the claim that middle-class taxes will rise is crucial to passing the bill: Only bills that don’t raise deficits after 10 years can bypass the filibuster and be enacted by a simple Senate majority.

The point, of course, is that these claims can’t both be true. Either this bill is a big tax hike on the middle class, or it’s a huge budget-buster. Which is it? Nobody really knows; probably even the people who wrote this monstrosity don’t know. But someone is being scammed, bigly.

Oh, and ignore claims that tax cuts for corporations would jump-start the economy and pay for themselves. Of the 42 ideologically diverse economists surveyed by the University of Chicago on the impact of Republican tax plans, only one agreed that they would lead to substantial economic growth, while none disagreed with the proposition that they would substantially increase U.S. debt.

So it’s a giant scam. And while the exact nature of the scam may be unclear, ordinary American families would end up being the victims either way.

For suppose those temporary tax breaks did end up becoming permanent, so that the budget deficit soared on a long-term basis. Then what? You know the answer: Republicans would suddenly revert to the pretense that they’re deficit hawks, and demand “entitlement reform” — that is, cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, programs that ordinary families depend on. In fact, they’re already talking about those cuts — they’ve started the switch even before getting the suckers to take the bait.

So will they manage to pull off this giant con job? The reason they’re rushing this to the Senate floor without a single hearing, without a full assessment from Congress’s own official scorekeepers, is their hope that they can pass the thing before people figure out what they’re up to.

And the question is whether there are enough Republican senators with principles, who believe that policies should not be sold with lies, to stop this bum’s rush.

Original.

10 more times

Thanks to NeoGreen (another filthy atheist) from Democratic Underground.

atheists go boss

midtown Atlanta

Ha! Meanwhile in midtown Atlanta, seen projected on the side of the Crowne Plaza hotel.

Meanwhile in midtown Atlanta, on the Crowne plaza hotel,
someone has been projecting this on the building.
Apparently, the police can't stop it
as they are not breaking the law. 

Laguna Atascosa tours

I post things like this now and then to the blog so that I can find them again when I want to. It's worked. So far.

Laguna Atascosa NWR offers habitat tours

from the Port Isabel-South Padre Island Press

Enjoy a 3-hour guided tour in our open-air tram through the habitats of the refuge including thornscrub forest, coastal prairie, wetlands and the scenic Laguna Madre National Wildlife Refuge. Discover the history of the refuge – both natural and cultural, see how lands are being managed for wildlife, and view the special wildlife that call deep south Texas home. Binoculars recommended. There will be 3-4 stops with short, optional walks. Tickets cash or check only $4 for adults (16+), $3 seniors (62+), under 16 free. Tickets sold first come, first served the day of the tour. 

Tours begin Dec. 1 and are offered Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 8:30 am and 12:30 pm. The tour lasts 3 hours. The last tour of the season is Feb. 25, as the tour route will be under construction starting March 1.

giant asteroid!

Life on Earth could end next month. Wouldn't that be a hoot? All these years of slow gains wiped out in the blink of an eye. That would be a pity and a shame.

GIANT ASTEROID TO SHAVE EARTH’S ORBIT NEXT MONTH: HERE’S WHY NASA LABELS IT ‘POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS’

3200 Phaethon is an asteroid measuring about 3 miles across that roams our galaxy, passing in and out of planetary orbits on its journey. Next month, 3200 Phaethon will zoom by at 6.2 million miles from Earth, which, in space terms, is nearly too close for comfort.

Phaethon is a near-Earth heavenly body that orbits the sun every 1.4 years. During its (near) annual path around the sun the asteroid passes very close to Earth. This year, the asteroid will come closest to Earth in mid-December, a few days before the annual Geminids meteor shower. NASA reports that at its closest proximity, 3200 Phaethon will come within only 2 million miles short of Earth’s orbit.

Along with its proximity to Earth, the asteroid is also very large, about half the size of the asteroid scientists believe may have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. As a result, NASA classifies the object as a “potentially hazardous asteroid” (PHA).

The asteroid is a true space anomaly and NASA still isn’t quite sure how to classify it. Although technically listed as an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon is also the only asteroid ever observed to be responsible for meteor showers. Usually, meteor showers are the result of icy debris on a comet vaporizing as it comes close to the sun. This causes the debris to blast off into space, with some pieces hitting the Earth’s atmosphere at extremely high velocity, giving us quite a show.

The Geminids shower is unusual in that it originates from an asteroid—3200 Phaethon. For this reason, NASA suggests that at one point the meteor used to be a comet, but 3200 Phaethon’s true origins remain a mystery.

Asteroids are large space rocks that are not quite large enough to be classified as planets. 3200 Phaethon has traveled very far throughout our solar system and likely originated somewhere between Mars and Jupiter. In fact, all asteroids likely originated from this one pocket in our solar system, because during our solar system's formation, the birth of Jupiter prevented any planetary bodies from forming in the gap between Mars and Jupiter. This caused small objects that were present here to collide with each other and fragment into the asteroids that are still seen in the night sky today.

NASA says that Jupiter's gravity has caused debris from 3200 Phaethon to be pulled closer to Earth over the past few centuries, which may result in even more breath-taking Geminids meteor showers. We’ll remain safe, however, as the asteroid has been hurtling close to Earth for several hundred years already without any harm yet.

This year the International Meteor Organization report that the Geminids meteor shower can be seen between December 4-17, but will peak on the 13th and 14th. Make sure not to miss this year’s show.

Original.

news tits

One small step for women; one giant leap for agnostics.

New Zealand’s new prime minister agnostic 

Jacinda Ardern, the head of New Zealand’s Labour Party, is set to become the country’s next prime minister. She is a former Mormon who became an agnostic in her 20s. 

Ardern, 37, will be the youngest leader in New Zealand in more than 150 years. A staunch feminist, Ardern refused to answer whether she has considered having children, saying no male politician would be forced to answer that question. 

She said that she left Mormonism because of its anti-gay prejudice. “Even before the Civil Union Bill came up, I lived in a flat with three gay friends and I was still going to church every so often, and I just remember thinking ‘This is really inconsistent — I’m either doing a disservice to the church or my friends,’” she said.

It's not only possible, it's inevitable.

Good without God? More are saying it’s possible 

Most U.S. adults now say it is not necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values, according to the Pew Research Center. 

The latest survey shows that 56 percent of Americans believe you can be good without God, up 7 percentage points since the last survey in 2011. Pew also reports that almost every religious group is more likely to say you don’t need God to be good than they did in 2011. 

According to the Pew report, “This increase reflects the continued growth in the share of the population that has no religious affiliation, but it also is the result of changing attitudes among those who do identify with a religion, including white evangelical Protestants.” 

The growth in the share of Americans who say belief in God is unnecessary for morality aligns with the growth in the share of the population that is religiously unaffiliated. In the 2011 Pew survey, religious “nones” constituted 18 percent of the sample. In 2017, the share of “nones” rose to 25 percent.

He's got them snookered. No Moore, please!

Roy Moore gets $180K per year from charity 

Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, once said publicly that he did not take a “regular salary” from the small charity he founded to promote Christian values because he did not want to be a financial burden. 

But privately, Moore had arranged to receive a salary of $180,000 a year for part-time work at the Foundation for Moral Law, internal charity documents show. He collected more than $1 million as president from 2007 to 2012, compensation that far surpassed what the group disclosed in its public tax filings most of those years. 

When the charity couldn’t afford the full amount, Moore in 2012 was given a promissory note for back pay eventually worth $540,000 or an equal stake of the charity’s most valuable asset, a historic building in Montgomery, Ala., mortgage records show. He holds that note even now, a charity official said.

from FFRF

Furious Snowflakes

All I want for Christmas...

Trae Crowder

Trae has a Thanksgiving video, of sorts, for you.

No to Moore

All of Alabama's leading newspapers printed a similar editorial recently, urging Alabama voters to not put ex-Judge Roy Moore in the U.S. Senate. 

1764

26.9kshares

Our view: Alabama voters must reject Roy Moore; we endorse Doug Jones for U.S. Senate

This election is a turning point for women in Alabama. A chance to make their voices heard in a state that has silenced them for too long.

The accusations against Roy Moore have been horrifying, but not shocking.

Every day new allegations arise that illustrate a pattern of a man in his 30s strutting through town like the cock of the walk, courting and preying on young women and girls. And though Roy Moore has denied the accusations of these women, his own platform and record is hostile to so many Alabamians.

Unlike the national party, the Alabama Republican establishment has chosen to stand by him, attacking and belittling the brave women who have come forward.

As a news organization, we have independently investigated stories of several Alabama woman who have spoken to us and the Washington Post about the abuse they say they suffered at the hands of Roy Moore decades ago.

The seriousness of these incidents, including one involving a 14-year-old child, cannot be overstated. Nor can the growing number of accusations -- from the women who were at the receiving end of unwanted adult male overtures as teens, to those who say they were physically assaulted --  be parsed with talk of statutes of limitations or whether proof has been recorded on a stone tablet. In the American system, proof beyond a reasonable doubt is a consideration for the courtroom, not the ballot box. It is our job as voters to look closely at the candidates and make up our own minds.

There is only one candidate left in this race who has
proven worthy of the task of representing Alabama.
He is Doug Jones.

Do not let this conversation be muddled. This election has become a referendum on whether we will accept this kind of behavior from our leaders.

Alabamians have never cared about what the rest of country thinks of them. And we do not expect all the handwringing from national pundits, conservative or liberal, to make much of a difference. This election isn't about what a late-night comedian may think of Alabama or whether Sean Hannity can sell advertisements; it's not about Saturday Night Live or Mitch McConnell. It's not about Breitbart or National Democrats. It is about the moral values of the people of Alabama.

Do not make your voting decision based on who it will affect on a national stage. Vote based on who it will affect in your hometown.

We each know someone in our lives who is a survivor of sexual assault or child abuse. Many of us are still searching for the words needed to tell our own stories and some may never find that voice. This election is about them.   

How can we look our neighbors, our parishioners, our colleagues, our partners, or our children in the eyes and tell them they are worth less than ensuring one political party keeps a Senate seat?  How can we expect young Alabamians to have faith in their government or their church, when its leaders equivocate on matters as clear cut as sexual abuse?

A vote for Roy Moore sends the worst kind of message to Alabamians struggling with abuse: "if you ever do tell your story, Alabama won't believe you."

Or, worse, we'll believe you but we just won't care.

To be clear: it's not only his record on women and children that disqualifies Moore. If we vote for Roy Moore, Alabama will also show that we don't care about you if you're gay or Muslim or Catholic. If you're an atheist or an immigrant. We'll show each other that we only care about Roy Moore's definition of Alabama. And that there's not room for the rest of us.

Roy Moore says he has faith in the Alabama voters. But apparently only a select few.

This utter disregard for people unlike himself, his pathological fixation on sex, and the steps he's taken to actively diminish other people's freedoms, is more than enough to have disqualified him from this office long before these women stepped into the public eye.

So what now?

Alabamians opposed to Roy Moore have three options on election day: stay home, write in a candidate, or vote for Doug Jones.

As a news organization, we could never advise voters to stay home. Low turnout in the Republican primary contributed to Roy Moore winning a spot on the ballot. Elections matter. And from soldiers overseas to Civil Rights foot soldiers at home, too many people have risked their lives to secure that privilege for Alabamians. And given what's at stake in this election, we urge you to register by November 27. 

If your conscience tells you that you cannot vote for either man, write in a candidate that shares your convictions. While we believe that state Republicans response to the allegations brought against Roy Moore has cast a permanent shadow on many others - particularly GOP Chairwoman Terry Lathan who has threatened any Republican who speaks out - there are good options in the Republican Party.

However, we endorse the third option: Doug Jones.

Despite what you may have heard, Doug Jones is a moderate Democrat and a strong candidate for all Alabamians. As the son of a steel family, he understands the concerns facing working class families as factories close and jobs disappear. He's been an active member of Canterbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham. He has built a platform around issues that will define Alabama: job creation, small business development, child healthcare, criminal justice reform and, perhaps most needed of all, compromise.

By bringing justice to four little girls killed at Birmingham's 16^th Baptist Church, Jones helped Alabama move forward from the sins of our past. But unlike some national Democrats, he isn't interested in shaming Alabama voters because of their history. As a Red State Democrat, we expect Jones would have a larger seat at the table crafting policy in the Senate. Neither Majority Leader Mitch McConnell nor Minority Leader Chuck Schumer would be able to take Jones' vote for granted (for relevant examples look to West Virginia's Joe Manchin, Montana's Jon Tester or North Dakota's Heidi Heitkamp). That would put Jones in a strong position to work with Sen. Shelby to secure policies that benefit Alabamians.

While Jones is a vocal Christian, despite Moore's claims to be the sole Christian in politics, we know his pro-choice stance may be a deal breaker for some Alabamians, but his stance only advocates the law as it is currently written. After a year of complete control of the White House, the Senate and the House, we are skeptical that this Congress plans to pass any relevant legislation on abortion. Jones' commitment to affordable healthcare for women and children will improve the lives of Alabama's families, and, for us, his pro-choice stance is not disqualifying.

What is disqualifying is the conduct of Roy Moore against women and children. It was disqualifying for his party leaders. It was disqualifying for Alabama's senior senator. And it should be disqualifying for his state party.

By the various misdeeds, miscalculations and mistakes of its voters and leaders, Alabama has left itself with few options. Alabamians must show themselves to be people of principle, reject Roy Moore and all that he stands for.

There is only one candidate left in this race who has proven worthy of the task of representing Alabama. He is Doug Jones.

The voters must make their voices heard.

Original. Well said, Alabama.

Bill Maher

This week is Bill Maher's last show for the current season. He'll be back in January. Must be nice. I hear they are planning a big New Years bash in Hawaii.

Narco-a-lago

Could Donald Trump and his family have been laundering Russian oligarch's money? Is Trump involved in a global money-laundering scheme? Will Nibiru destroy the Earth this coming weekend?

Yes, yes, and no.

Narco-A-Lago: Money Laundering at the Trump Ocean Club Panama

In the early 2000s, a series of bankruptcies meant Donald J. Trump was shunned by most lenders. Struggling for credit, he started selling his name to high-end real estate projects. This report examines in detail the criminal connections that propelled one such project – the Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower in Panama – and how this case bears some of the same disturbing hallmarks as other Trump developments.

Since he became President of the United States, numerous investigations and articles have probed Trump’s business dealings and his alleged links to criminals and other shadowy characters. It is understood that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation under the Department of Justice will also examine his real estate business. This is important because it seems likely that, following his various bankruptcies, at least a part of Trump’s business empire has been built on untraceable funds, some apparently linked to Russian criminal networks.

Trump may not have deliberately set out to facilitate criminal activity in his business dealings. But, as this Global Witness investigation shows, licensing his brand to the luxurious Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower in Panama aligned Trump’s financial interests with those of crooks looking to launder ill-gotten gains. Trump seems to have done little to nothing to prevent this. What is clear is that proceeds from Colombian cartels’ narcotics trafficking were laundered through the Trump Ocean Club and that Donald Trump was one of the beneficiaries.

quite a bit more at the link

FFRF v Greg Abbott

FFRF wins another one in court, this time against Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The court ruled that Abbott violated FFRF's free speech rights. Abbott will, of course, appeal.

It's so sad to see so many people pushing their religious beliefs on everyone else. Why everyone wants to pay constant homage to a being that never answers their prayers (or does anything at all) is beyond me. No matter how disappointed the people get, their faith rarely wavers. Geez. 

I think that's just about the definition of insanity, and that's pretty much what religion is: insanity. Some are "touched" quite a bit more than others. Still others know it's all fake but know the power the idea holds over people, and play on those beliefs and fears. Far too many people do that.

FFRF defeats Gov. Abbott over Capitol nativity display 

FFRF has prevailed in federal court against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who ordered the removal of FFRF’s Bill of Rights Nativity display from the Texas Capitol in 2015. 

In his decision, handed down Oct. 13, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks for the Western District of Texas – Austin Division, ruled that Abbott violated FFRF’s free speech rights. 

FFRF’s Bill of Rights nativity display
was removed by Texas Gov. Abbott,
but a court decided that Abbott’s
action was unconstitutional.

FFRF had placed a duly permitted display celebrating the Winter Solstice and Bill of Rights Day, in response to a Christian nativity scene in the Texas Capitol. The display, depicting three Founding Fathers and the Statue of Liberty celebrating the birth of the Bill of Rights (adopted Dec. 15, 1791), had the requisite sponsorship from a Texas legislator (state Rep. Donna Howard). 

Abbott, as chair of the Texas State Preservation Board, ordered FFRF’s display taken down only three days after it was erected, lambasting it as indecent, mocking and contributing to public immorality. Abbott tweeted that he ordered the display removed because “mocking the Capitol Nativity scene is offensive.” 

“Defendants have justified removal of FFRF’s exhibit by arguing the exhibit’s satirical tone rendered it offensive to some portion of the population. That is viewpoint discrimination,” writes Sparks in a 24-page ruling. “Because the ostensibly mocking tone of the FFRF exhibit is defendants’ sole reason for removing the exhibit from the Ground Floor Rotunda, the court finds defendants have engaged in viewpoint discrimination as a matter of law.” 

The court also held that a reasonable official in Gov. Abbott’s position would have known that removing FFRF’s display based on its viewpoint would violate FFRF’s First Amendment rights, thus FFRF can sue Gov. Abbott in his personal capacity. 

Ken Herman, an op-ed writer for the Austin American-Statesman, agreed with the judge’s ruling. 

text that accompanied the Bill
of Rights Nativity display

“The foundation is a church-state separation group with a knack for making its points in ways that can upset some people who sometimes can benefit from a periodic upsetting,” Herman wrote. 

Sparks did not find that Abbott’s actions violated the Establishment Clause, but also ruled in FFRF’s favor that FFRF has the right to depose the governor for one hour. Abbott had fought the request for a deposition. 

Rep. Howard, who sponsored the display, noted that Abbott’s intervention came only one day before FFRF’s display was supposed to come down. “That does appear to make this more of a political statement,” she said. “It was going to come down anyway.” 

FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor praised the ruling as a very strong decision for FFRF, for free speech and for the rights of nonbelieving citizens. 

“We’d rather keep divisive religious — and irreligious — views out of state capitols. But if the government creates public forums, and permits Christian nativities in them, there must be room at the inn for the rest of us.” 

Abbott says the state of Texas isn’t done with this issue. 

“Be assured,” Abbott tweeted after the ruling, “this will be appealed.” 

The case is Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Governor Greg Abbott, Case No. A-16-CA-00233-SS. FFRF was represented by Attorney Richard L. Bolton with FFRF Attorney Sam Grover as co-counsel.

incompetence

I can do better, he said with humility.

Moonmadness

Yes, I am excited that the musical band, Camel, is going on tour soon. They will be playing their "Moonmadness" album in its entirety. 

If you have never heard the LP Moonmadness, I urge you to take 40 minutes from your insanely hectic lives to give it a listen. Yes, some of it sounds dated, but a lot of it is just timeless. I have some chemical memories of this album that I will never be able to shake. That's a good thing.

See you in Europe? Their upcoming tour has 11 dates, so far, and can be found here.

Doug Jones

As the accusations pile up against Roy Moore in Alabama, the Democratic candidate Doug Jones should be getting another look. Apparently the word "Democrat" has been so thoroughly demonized that the citizens of Alabama would elect a pedophile instead of a Democrat, as long as that pedophile has an "R" after his name. That attitude is probably due to the toxic right-wing radio that permeates Alabama and the nation, not to mention Fox News' constant vilification of any and all Democrats. That, and racism, pure and simple. I would like to think that people make up their own minds about things, but I'm afraid they are already so brainwashed by religion and hate they cannot think clearly.

clams

Fascinating.

invasive plants

What is an invasive plant to one region of the world can be an essential or highly prized plant in another. I'm certainly not going to not grow lantana or butteryfly bush just because some people let the plants get out of control. One man's garbage...

Worst Invasive Plants

Some invasive plants may be ugly, depending upon whom you ask. For instance, at the end of the growing season, Japanese knotweed litters the landscape with ragged dead canes that many find to be about the closest thing to "trash" that the natural world produces. But the collectors who brought these thugs to the West in the first place did so for what they considered to be their ornamental quality, of all things (there's no accounting for taste).

And that's how many of the examples in this picture gallery of invasive plants first breach enemy walls: they're invited in as ornamentals, with warmth and fanfare. Good looks make their conquest a breeze. Fact is, the invader doesn't always assault the gates wearing a horrific visage and battle scars.

Some of the invasive plants listed below are quite attractive. Take burning bush, that exotic (or "alien") shrub from Asia. Few shrubs put on a better fall foliage display. Another fall star is the vine, sweet autumn clematis. A summer standout is Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius). But the attractive invasive plants are like some of the good-looking people one meets (you know the type): Once we get past the exterior and learn more about them, we realize we wouldn't necessarily want them hanging out in our yards. Looks, after all, can be deceiving.

Invasive plants can be thought of as exotic specimens "gone wild," as in "out of control." The following "Sweet 16" list of invasive plants comprises a collection convenient for introductory purposes.

 It is obviously not meant to be an exhaustive list, nor would one in any way deny that other invasive plants not listed here have perhaps rendered equal harm to native habitats. The list was inspired mainly by some of the worst offenders that one commonly encounters in New England, in the United States.

But don't stop reading, just because you, yourself don't live in New England. The aliens colonizing that region are known as marauding invaders in other regions, too. In fact, one of the examples listed below, lantana, earned its "invasive plant" label far to the south of New England, where the weather is warm enough to sustain it as a perennial. Nor are warnings about the following problem children pertinent to North America alone; for example, Japanese knotweed is widely recognized as a menace in the United Kingdom.

1. Bittersweet

There are three "bittersweets," and this article distinguishes between them: Oriental bittersweet, American bittersweet and bittersweet nightshade. The Orientalbittersweet vines are sure to make most lists of worst invasive plants in North America.

2. Wisteria

As with bittersweet, so with wisteria: the North American grower must distinguish between American wisteria vines and their Chinese counterparts.

3. English Ivy

If you wished to crowd out weeds in an area of your landscape, you'd be delighted to hear about a vigorous ground cover -- an attractive vine that tolerates shade -- right? That description fits English ivy perfectly. But that's the problem: English ivy is too vigorous, earning it a spot on my list of worst invasive plants.

4. Sweet Autumn Clematis

Like the preceding three vines, sweet autumn clematis is another of those "good-looking" specimens about whose charms I warned you. Perhaps making its apparent innocuousness even more convincing is the presence of the word, "sweet" in its name. But this is no sweet little wallflower. Do not let it sweet-talk you into growing it.

5. Ajuga

My fifth entry in this invasive plants list is yet another vine (albeit a smaller one): the mat-forming ajuga (or "bugleweed"). Like English ivy, it is a common ground cover; another popular ground cover with thuggish tendencies is the sweet-smelling lily-of-the-valley. But because of its combination of pleasing blossoms and weed-suppressing capability, ajuga's siren song may be the most powerful of the three.

One could easily go on and name more names when it comes to thuggish vines: They are perhaps the least well-behaved class of landscape plants.

For example, creeping Charlie is notorious for spreading into lawn areas, where it is unwanted (although the smell it gives off when you mow it is quite delightful).

6. Barberry

The barberries have assaulted North America from two sides. One, Berberis thunbergii, from the Far East; the other, Berberis vulgaris, from Europe. These invaders have come armed to the teeth, bristling with the thorns that have made them so useful in many a hedge.

7. Burning Bush

In autumn, burning bush puts on a show for the ages, bearing red or pinkish-red leaves. Colorful reddish-orange berries accompany the striking foliage. So why is burning bush one of the most hated exotic plants among gardeners "in the know?" This piece sheds some light on why burning bush generates so much heat.

8. Lantana

Here in New England, our idea of "Florida landscaping" is often a hanging basket of lantana dangling over a patio. But folks who actually live in Florida know better. This exotic plant is a shrub that can easily get out of control and "take over" in warm climates. Indeed, lantana, that darling little hanging plant in New England, is one of Florida's worst invasives.

9. Butterfly Bush

Butterfly bush is among the worst invasives in the Pacific Northwest. An alternative plant to grow for attracting butterflies is butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). While butterfly bush attract humans, too, another demerit against this exotic plant, besides its invasiveness, is that its flowers have a truly miserable smell.

10. Privet

As with barberry, a privet hedge is a familiar sight. That very familiarity may make it difficult to see such exotic plants as invasives. Privet responds well to pruning and tolerates the pollution that typically plagues plants in urban settings. Privet shrubs are also fast growers -- too fast, in fact, as these invasives have escaped the bounds of cultivation in some regions.

11. Norway Maple Trees

The last four items have been shrubs. Lest the trees should feel left out, we are compelled to include a tree on this list.

Although silk tree and tree of heaven can each make a case for being the poster child in this category, the dubious honor goes to Norway maple.

12. Japanese Knotweed

As stated earlier, Japanese knotweed is not one of the more seductive invasives. About the most that can be said for its appearance is that it produces a fluffy-looking flower in early autumn (thus one of its alternate common names, "fleece flower"). The opinions of 19th-century plant collectors notwithstanding, most 21st-century Westerners agree on this one: Japanese knotweed is an ugly nuisance and an easy pick as one of the worst invasive plants.

13. Kudzu

Kudzu vine is in the pea family. So far, so good, right? After all, we are all familiar with peas from our experiences at the dinner table. Along those lines, kudzu has even been employed as livestock feed. Problem is, it is one of the worst invasive plants in North America. But wait: Maybe the solution lies in that whole livestock feed thing. Well, that's what some people have surmised, at least. Because, the fact is, companies have even sprung up -- going by such names as "Goat Busters" -- that bring goats to areas infested with kudzu and turn them loose on it. That's right: Goats are now devouring the vine that famously "ate the South."

14. Tansy

Tansy, unlike the exotic plants considered above on this invasive species list, is an herb -- albeit a poisonous one. Tansy's toxicity belies a rich tradition of medicinal and culinary usage. But there's more to worry about than just its toxicity: tansy plants are invasives that spread via both seeds and rhizomes.

15. Purple Loosestrife

Purple loosestrife is an invader of wetlands. Many people who have no clue as to the name of this plant have, nonetheless, seen it innumerable times and remarked upon its beauty. In fact, it is a lovely plant when massed together -- which is the norm, since this is a plant that spreads incredibly vigorously.

16. Japanese Honeysuckle

The beauty of purple loosestrife was just mentioned, but, the pleasing appearance of invasive plants may be more of a rule than an exception, as noted in the opening, above. Except for Japanese knotweed (and even that menace is reputedly edible), every plant on this list can boast either of being useful in some way or of being easy on the eyes. Japanese honeysuckle plays right into that theme. It has a pretty flower and a sweet-sounding name to match.

In fact, it is rather annoying that the invasive plants on this list should be so darn good-looking. It is a lot easier to pass up on a plain-looking plant than on a gorgeous one that beckons us to grow it. Many people feel the same way about candies and other decadent foods: What conspiracy lies behind the fact that they taste so good and yet are so bad for your health? Sometimes, life just isn't fair.

Original. And here you can find a link to photos of some invasive plants. If you want to get picky, here is a list of plants that the US government considers to be invasive. And here we have lists of invasive species by region.