I guess he would like to eat his meals without a food taster and and not have some other guy starting his car in the morning. However they didn't even vet her as a possibility. That should make the Clintonistas really happy.
“She was never vetted,” a Democratic official reported. “She was not asked for a single piece of paper. She and Senator Obama have never had a single conversation about it. How would he know if she’d take it?”
The official also said Clinton never met with Obama’s vetting team of Eric Holder and Caroline Kennedy.
They should have at least talked to her a little and maybe considered her but I guess Obama just hates her too much to even try.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Intel Reveals Wireless Electricity (WERL): Its a World Changer
Now this is a very interesting development from Intel that might be the beginning of a world changing type of event.
Intel chief technology officer Justin Rattner demonstrated a Wireless Energy Resonant Link as he spoke at the California firm's annual developers forum in San Francisco.
Electricity was sent wirelessly to a lamp on stage, lighting a 60 watt bulb that uses more power than a typical laptop computer.
If this device is practical and cheap it may be the end of power cords as we know it. Also the idea of a recharging zone instead of a physical recharger may be coming soon to an airport or coffee shop near you. In fact the entire Starbucks may allow you to recharge your devices.
You might even be able to buy a home WERL and all of the devices in your home can operate without power cords. I envision a white block in every room that looks just like a UPC (with a few plugs in it for backward compatibility) connected to a wall outlet. The device may even be called the Intel WERL.
I think the term WERL might even be used as a general term going forward. So you would WERL devices instead of powering them on. So you would say "I WERLed my new IPhone at Starbucks." Or "crap, I don't get any WERL out here in the sticks so I plugged in my dusty old battery pack." Or "I hate going to Mozambique that place is a WERL dead zone so you have to bring your own Battery-pack WERL (or BP-WERL) everywhere you go"
Hmm, this could be a great time to buy some Intel stock and hold on for a very lucrative sounding licencing-based revenue scheme.
Intel chief technology officer Justin Rattner demonstrated a Wireless Energy Resonant Link as he spoke at the California firm's annual developers forum in San Francisco.
Electricity was sent wirelessly to a lamp on stage, lighting a 60 watt bulb that uses more power than a typical laptop computer.
If this device is practical and cheap it may be the end of power cords as we know it. Also the idea of a recharging zone instead of a physical recharger may be coming soon to an airport or coffee shop near you. In fact the entire Starbucks may allow you to recharge your devices.
You might even be able to buy a home WERL and all of the devices in your home can operate without power cords. I envision a white block in every room that looks just like a UPC (with a few plugs in it for backward compatibility) connected to a wall outlet. The device may even be called the Intel WERL.
I think the term WERL might even be used as a general term going forward. So you would WERL devices instead of powering them on. So you would say "I WERLed my new IPhone at Starbucks." Or "crap, I don't get any WERL out here in the sticks so I plugged in my dusty old battery pack." Or "I hate going to Mozambique that place is a WERL dead zone so you have to bring your own Battery-pack WERL (or BP-WERL) everywhere you go"
Hmm, this could be a great time to buy some Intel stock and hold on for a very lucrative sounding licencing-based revenue scheme.
Great Breakdown of the World Post Russo-Georgia War
This is a great article on the post Russo-Georgia War. This one point had me thinking:
But I think mostly the Russian leaders feel something worse, which is fear. The Russian leaders picture their country in a terrifyingly vulnerable position, not unlike how Israel sees itself. Fear, not "humiliation," led Russia to invade Georgia--a fear of utter destruction facing their own country. Russian diplomats have expressed this fear openly during the last few months. I have heard them to do it--speaking aloud, with hot conviction, about an "existential danger" to Russia, posed by Georgia.
I think this may be a consequence of having your country ruled by former KGB agents. Spies are always looking for a hidden plot or secret double-dealing that is aimed at throwing them out of power or killing them off. The KGBocrats in Moscow are automatically paranoid as a reflex action. It took that mentality to survive as a KGB agent. The KGBocrats look at Georgia as weapon of the West aimed directly at the heart of Russia.
The KGBocrats could also view US missiles in Poland as being secretly aimed at Moscow and not there to stop a potential Iranian ICBM. When the Russians are given the opportunity to tour the missile bases they refuse. They figure that they will be shown fake missiles or dummy consoles so why bother?
You can see that any maneuvering whether political, economic, or militarily in their sphere of influence will be countered to fit their paranoid thinking. The worst part is an irrational enemy that is motivated by fear is capable of almost anything. You can't game a Bear that thinks his back is against the wall even when it isn't. It makes me wonder if Putin sleeps in the closet at night holding a pistol with a silencer like Eric Bana in Munich?
But I think mostly the Russian leaders feel something worse, which is fear. The Russian leaders picture their country in a terrifyingly vulnerable position, not unlike how Israel sees itself. Fear, not "humiliation," led Russia to invade Georgia--a fear of utter destruction facing their own country. Russian diplomats have expressed this fear openly during the last few months. I have heard them to do it--speaking aloud, with hot conviction, about an "existential danger" to Russia, posed by Georgia.
I think this may be a consequence of having your country ruled by former KGB agents. Spies are always looking for a hidden plot or secret double-dealing that is aimed at throwing them out of power or killing them off. The KGBocrats in Moscow are automatically paranoid as a reflex action. It took that mentality to survive as a KGB agent. The KGBocrats look at Georgia as weapon of the West aimed directly at the heart of Russia.
The KGBocrats could also view US missiles in Poland as being secretly aimed at Moscow and not there to stop a potential Iranian ICBM. When the Russians are given the opportunity to tour the missile bases they refuse. They figure that they will be shown fake missiles or dummy consoles so why bother?
You can see that any maneuvering whether political, economic, or militarily in their sphere of influence will be countered to fit their paranoid thinking. The worst part is an irrational enemy that is motivated by fear is capable of almost anything. You can't game a Bear that thinks his back is against the wall even when it isn't. It makes me wonder if Putin sleeps in the closet at night holding a pistol with a silencer like Eric Bana in Munich?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Oil Prices up Despite Crude Buildup
This is just more of the same regarding oil prices.
It was a volatile day for energy prices, which initially retreated after the U.S. Energy Department said a big gain in imports drove crude inventories up by a hefty 9.4 million barrels in the week ended Aug. 15. The figure came in much higher than the average analyst forecast for a 1.7 million-barrel increase, according to energy information provider Platts.
So this means there was 7.7 million more barrels crude oil imported then economists forecast? That must be the easiest job in the world to say oil imports should increase by 1.7 million barrels and whoops we were just off by 7.7 million.
In any case this would seem very bearish for oil since refinery utilization has also dropped from 85.90 to 85.70. It was true that gasoline inventories shrank by 6.2 million barrels so that should prop up the price for a while in hopes that all that extra crude will go to replace that gasoline "shortfall."
I love the supply concerns that AP sites in their article as well. They chalked up the higher price to Russia not honoring the ceasefire which did not come close to touching those Georgian pipelines. Then they say thunderstorms in the Atlantic *might* cause more tropical storms that *might* cut Gulf of Mexico production. Finally, they finish it all up with Venezuela *might* vote to lower OPEC quotas while the OPEC President has said that prices above $120 are abnormal. OPEC knows that they don't want prices too high because it kills demand.
It was a volatile day for energy prices, which initially retreated after the U.S. Energy Department said a big gain in imports drove crude inventories up by a hefty 9.4 million barrels in the week ended Aug. 15. The figure came in much higher than the average analyst forecast for a 1.7 million-barrel increase, according to energy information provider Platts.
So this means there was 7.7 million more barrels crude oil imported then economists forecast? That must be the easiest job in the world to say oil imports should increase by 1.7 million barrels and whoops we were just off by 7.7 million.
In any case this would seem very bearish for oil since refinery utilization has also dropped from 85.90 to 85.70. It was true that gasoline inventories shrank by 6.2 million barrels so that should prop up the price for a while in hopes that all that extra crude will go to replace that gasoline "shortfall."
I love the supply concerns that AP sites in their article as well. They chalked up the higher price to Russia not honoring the ceasefire which did not come close to touching those Georgian pipelines. Then they say thunderstorms in the Atlantic *might* cause more tropical storms that *might* cut Gulf of Mexico production. Finally, they finish it all up with Venezuela *might* vote to lower OPEC quotas while the OPEC President has said that prices above $120 are abnormal. OPEC knows that they don't want prices too high because it kills demand.
Were Out of Iraq by 2011!
It seems that the Iraqi's have done something that Code Pink, MoveOn, Cindy Sheehan, and all of the other defeatist, anti-war leftists could not do. They are showing us the door in Iraq. And it is due to the security provided by the Sunni Awakening and the Troop Surge that the Democrats tried to block. General "Betray-Us," our military, and a few very brave ex-insurgents have given us the best end-game that we could have ever imagined in Iraq.
In addition to spelling out that U.S. troops would move out of Iraqi cities by next summer, the Iraqi government has pushed for a specific date — most likely the end of 2011 — by which all U.S. forces would depart the country. In the meantime, the U.S. troops would be positioned on bases in other parts of the country to make them less visible while positioned to assist Iraqi forces as needed.
So we won't leave them high-and-dry at the worst possible moment while the country burns behind us like the anti-war left had wanted us to do. Our army won't leave Iraq in defeat and humiliation with thousands of our troops having died in vain like Obama wanted.
Instead we will hand off the security to the Iraqis and march out confidently that we made an anti-American dictatorship that gassed their own people into a generally stable democracy in just 9 years.
Not too bad for the Wrong War, fought for Bush's folly, that traded Iraqi Blood for Oil, that became the worst American debacle since Vietnam, that would immediately destroy the American Empire, that would leave us hated throughout the world for decades. I guess you can score one for Bush-Hitler and Cheney-Goebbels.
In addition to spelling out that U.S. troops would move out of Iraqi cities by next summer, the Iraqi government has pushed for a specific date — most likely the end of 2011 — by which all U.S. forces would depart the country. In the meantime, the U.S. troops would be positioned on bases in other parts of the country to make them less visible while positioned to assist Iraqi forces as needed.
So we won't leave them high-and-dry at the worst possible moment while the country burns behind us like the anti-war left had wanted us to do. Our army won't leave Iraq in defeat and humiliation with thousands of our troops having died in vain like Obama wanted.
Instead we will hand off the security to the Iraqis and march out confidently that we made an anti-American dictatorship that gassed their own people into a generally stable democracy in just 9 years.
Not too bad for the Wrong War, fought for Bush's folly, that traded Iraqi Blood for Oil, that became the worst American debacle since Vietnam, that would immediately destroy the American Empire, that would leave us hated throughout the world for decades. I guess you can score one for Bush-Hitler and Cheney-Goebbels.
Don't Steal Iraqi Oil Senator Obama! Virginians don't need broadband that bad!
Now this is an interesting new development from Obama.
With Mark Warner, the former Virginia governor now running for Senate, at his side, Obama said it was wrong that the Iraqi government has been sitting on billions of dollars in oil revenue while the U.S. spends billions to rebuild the war-torn country.
"We should be using some of that money to rebuild Virginia, laying roads, building broadband lines and putting people back to work," Obama said.
Wait is he actually advocating that we steal Iraqi oil revenue in order to build roads, broadband and put people back to work in Virginia? That sounds exactly like what the Leftists attacked Bush with. They said Bush-hitler was going to steal Iraqi oil in order to hatch some evil Neocon plot for world domination or to destroy civil liberties or whatever. So it is now Obama who is advocating that the US go ahead and steal Iraqi oil money so that Virginians can download porn faster? Holy, crap this guy will say anything to get elected.
With Mark Warner, the former Virginia governor now running for Senate, at his side, Obama said it was wrong that the Iraqi government has been sitting on billions of dollars in oil revenue while the U.S. spends billions to rebuild the war-torn country.
"We should be using some of that money to rebuild Virginia, laying roads, building broadband lines and putting people back to work," Obama said.
Wait is he actually advocating that we steal Iraqi oil revenue in order to build roads, broadband and put people back to work in Virginia? That sounds exactly like what the Leftists attacked Bush with. They said Bush-hitler was going to steal Iraqi oil in order to hatch some evil Neocon plot for world domination or to destroy civil liberties or whatever. So it is now Obama who is advocating that the US go ahead and steal Iraqi oil money so that Virginians can download porn faster? Holy, crap this guy will say anything to get elected.
McCain Passes Obama in Poll
It seems that McCain is going to make this a race after all.
McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, wiping out Obama's solid 7-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll.
I think the reason for this turn around may have been the Russo-Georgian war. It is the kind of thing that pushes international politics right into the face of Americans. Then they start to think that a rock-star celebutant like Obama is not the right guy to go head-to-head with inscrutably blank-faced former KGB Empire-builders like Putin.
Russia would have a free hand if matched up with an Obama America. Imagine Obama sitting down "with no preconditions" with a guy like Putin. Obama would look like a complete neophyte compared to him and Russia would know that the door is open. Crimea, Poland, Ukraine: Putin can take his pick and strangle Europe's oil lifeline as a bonus? All of this plays into McCains hands.
McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, wiping out Obama's solid 7-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll.
I think the reason for this turn around may have been the Russo-Georgian war. It is the kind of thing that pushes international politics right into the face of Americans. Then they start to think that a rock-star celebutant like Obama is not the right guy to go head-to-head with inscrutably blank-faced former KGB Empire-builders like Putin.
Russia would have a free hand if matched up with an Obama America. Imagine Obama sitting down "with no preconditions" with a guy like Putin. Obama would look like a complete neophyte compared to him and Russia would know that the door is open. Crimea, Poland, Ukraine: Putin can take his pick and strangle Europe's oil lifeline as a bonus? All of this plays into McCains hands.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Economist Says Big Bank Will Fail: Could it be Lehman?
It seems that former IMF chief economist Kenneth Rogoff has his crystal ball out and is making some heavyweight predictions.
"We're not just going to see mid-sized banks go under in the next few months, we're going to see a whopper, we're going to see a big one, one of the big investment banks or big banks," said Rogoff, who is an economics professor at Harvard University and was the International Monetary Fund's chief economist from 2001 to 2004.
Too bad he doesn't have any specifics or actual numbers to back up his claim. Is he saying it might be Lehman, maybe AIG, or who is he thinking of? It seems to me that Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America are doing okay judging by the numbers this past quarter. It probably wouldn't be Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan since they seem to be okay for the most part. He says US bank as well so UBS seems to be safe in his view.
However I think Lehman will be Rogoff's "whopper" according to this.
Lehman Brothers is exploring the possibility of selling a stake in its investment management arm in an attempt to bolster its capital position in the wake of the continuing credit crisis.
The investment bank, led by chairman and chief executive Dick Fuld, is sounding out potential interest in the division, which includes the Neuberger Berman business which it bought for $3.1bn (£1.66bn) in 2003.
The assets included in the possible sale are also believed to be certain parts of the bank's private equity and hedge fund businesses.
This move seems to me to be like Activision selling off certain popular gaming franchises just to stay afloat. Lehman's Investment Management arm brought in $1.8 billion in revenue in the last 6 months and provided a 24% revenue growth YoY. It seems to be the only thing that made any money this past quarter.
Actually judging from these numbers this move would be more like Activision selling off the Guitar Hero or Warcraft franchise so they have enough capital to stay in business. It might keep them going for a while but it might competitively damage them in years to come. This move by Lehman really seems to smack of desperation IMO.
I think all it would take to kill them off is a bunch of big money guys pulling their cash out of their Lehman accounts at the same time. We might even see another Bear Stearns style bailout of Lehman going forward.
"We're not just going to see mid-sized banks go under in the next few months, we're going to see a whopper, we're going to see a big one, one of the big investment banks or big banks," said Rogoff, who is an economics professor at Harvard University and was the International Monetary Fund's chief economist from 2001 to 2004.
Too bad he doesn't have any specifics or actual numbers to back up his claim. Is he saying it might be Lehman, maybe AIG, or who is he thinking of? It seems to me that Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America are doing okay judging by the numbers this past quarter. It probably wouldn't be Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan since they seem to be okay for the most part. He says US bank as well so UBS seems to be safe in his view.
However I think Lehman will be Rogoff's "whopper" according to this.
Lehman Brothers is exploring the possibility of selling a stake in its investment management arm in an attempt to bolster its capital position in the wake of the continuing credit crisis.
The investment bank, led by chairman and chief executive Dick Fuld, is sounding out potential interest in the division, which includes the Neuberger Berman business which it bought for $3.1bn (£1.66bn) in 2003.
The assets included in the possible sale are also believed to be certain parts of the bank's private equity and hedge fund businesses.
This move seems to me to be like Activision selling off certain popular gaming franchises just to stay afloat. Lehman's Investment Management arm brought in $1.8 billion in revenue in the last 6 months and provided a 24% revenue growth YoY. It seems to be the only thing that made any money this past quarter.
Actually judging from these numbers this move would be more like Activision selling off the Guitar Hero or Warcraft franchise so they have enough capital to stay in business. It might keep them going for a while but it might competitively damage them in years to come. This move by Lehman really seems to smack of desperation IMO.
I think all it would take to kill them off is a bunch of big money guys pulling their cash out of their Lehman accounts at the same time. We might even see another Bear Stearns style bailout of Lehman going forward.
Now Platts is Causing Oil Prices to Rise
It seems that the oil market may be getting irrational again according to this.
Crude jumped after an estimate from Platts, the energy research arm of McGraw-Hill Cos., predicted a 3 million barrel decline in gasoline stocks for last week and an increase in refinery utilization of 0.4%.
Okay that looks good on the surface but check out these numbers on August refinery utilization.
2008-Aug 08/01 87.0 08/08 85.9
So that would put utilization at 86.3 which is a full 5.3% less then same time a year ago. The gasoline stocks are slightly more then last year (202.8 vs. 201.9) when oil was cheaper and crack spreads were much higher.
So I was just wondering why the refiners would suddenly ramp up utilization like that when they have been steadily dropping it earlier in the month? You would think that gasoline demand wouldn't be spiking for any reason that I could see. I don't think Americans will be trading in their Sedans for SUVs anytime soon.
I guess Platts is saying this because gas stocks have dropped by 6.4 million barrels since the 1st of August while crude oil dropped $30 a barrel. Perhaps they are saying that the drop will continue. I guess they figure that refiners are going to buy a lot of cheaper oil while they ramp up production. But who are they going to be selling that gas to? I guess we have to wait for the Wednesday report before we can tell what is happening for sure.
Crude jumped after an estimate from Platts, the energy research arm of McGraw-Hill Cos., predicted a 3 million barrel decline in gasoline stocks for last week and an increase in refinery utilization of 0.4%.
Okay that looks good on the surface but check out these numbers on August refinery utilization.
2008-Aug 08/01 87.0 08/08 85.9
So that would put utilization at 86.3 which is a full 5.3% less then same time a year ago. The gasoline stocks are slightly more then last year (202.8 vs. 201.9) when oil was cheaper and crack spreads were much higher.
So I was just wondering why the refiners would suddenly ramp up utilization like that when they have been steadily dropping it earlier in the month? You would think that gasoline demand wouldn't be spiking for any reason that I could see. I don't think Americans will be trading in their Sedans for SUVs anytime soon.
I guess Platts is saying this because gas stocks have dropped by 6.4 million barrels since the 1st of August while crude oil dropped $30 a barrel. Perhaps they are saying that the drop will continue. I guess they figure that refiners are going to buy a lot of cheaper oil while they ramp up production. But who are they going to be selling that gas to? I guess we have to wait for the Wednesday report before we can tell what is happening for sure.
HPQ Increases Sales and does Great Internationally
It seems that there is nothing stopping people from buying their laptops.
Third-quarter sales increased 10 percent to $28 billion, compared with the average estimate of $27.4 billion by analysts. Excluding the effects of currency translation, sales rose 5 percent. Sales rose 4 percent in the Americas; 16 percent in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and 14 percent in Asia Pacific. Revenue from outside the U.S. accounted for more than two-thirds of sales.
They seem to be the Juggernaut when it comes to selling computers abroad. It is down for the year but I can see these numbers pushing the stock to near term highs.
Third-quarter sales increased 10 percent to $28 billion, compared with the average estimate of $27.4 billion by analysts. Excluding the effects of currency translation, sales rose 5 percent. Sales rose 4 percent in the Americas; 16 percent in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and 14 percent in Asia Pacific. Revenue from outside the U.S. accounted for more than two-thirds of sales.
They seem to be the Juggernaut when it comes to selling computers abroad. It is down for the year but I can see these numbers pushing the stock to near term highs.
Monday, August 18, 2008
After Georgia Who's Next on the Russian Plate?
This is an interesting article about who might be next on Ivan's plate.
Moscow has both a strong military presence and broad-based popular support in Transnistria and Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, which Russia ceded to its "Socialist brother" in 1954.
Transnistria is the eastern part of Moldova which abuts the Ukraine so it wouldn't seem like much of an important area. However it might be used as a proxy power in a possible Russo-Ukrainian war. Transnistrian auxiliaries/terrorist groups can be maintained by Moscow similar to how Hezbollah is maintained in by Iran. If there is some kind of conflict in the region then these groups can destabilize the government of Moldova if that country is actually granted NATO membership.
The capital of Moldova (Chisinau) is only a few kilometers from the Transnistrian "border" region so Russian backed rebels could be in their capital before world opinion condemns the move in "the strongest possible terms." If the Moldovan government falls and is replaced by a pro-Russian military dictatorship then the Russians could land peacekeeping troops and extend their sphere of influence right into the heart of New Europe.
The Russians grabbing the Crimea would be a no-brainer if there were a Russo-Ukrainian conflict. If the Ukraine entered NATO then the Crimea will probably be peaceably detached and pro-Moscow Crimean government will probably be formed. The Russians will then get a satellite power, their Black Sea Fleet base back, access to their old Soviet era vacation spots, and lots of nice beachfront land. These two places offer lots of upside for Moscow with only a little international condemnation and maybe some Western indifference depending on how they play things.
Moscow has both a strong military presence and broad-based popular support in Transnistria and Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, which Russia ceded to its "Socialist brother" in 1954.
Transnistria is the eastern part of Moldova which abuts the Ukraine so it wouldn't seem like much of an important area. However it might be used as a proxy power in a possible Russo-Ukrainian war. Transnistrian auxiliaries/terrorist groups can be maintained by Moscow similar to how Hezbollah is maintained in by Iran. If there is some kind of conflict in the region then these groups can destabilize the government of Moldova if that country is actually granted NATO membership.
The capital of Moldova (Chisinau) is only a few kilometers from the Transnistrian "border" region so Russian backed rebels could be in their capital before world opinion condemns the move in "the strongest possible terms." If the Moldovan government falls and is replaced by a pro-Russian military dictatorship then the Russians could land peacekeeping troops and extend their sphere of influence right into the heart of New Europe.
The Russians grabbing the Crimea would be a no-brainer if there were a Russo-Ukrainian conflict. If the Ukraine entered NATO then the Crimea will probably be peaceably detached and pro-Moscow Crimean government will probably be formed. The Russians will then get a satellite power, their Black Sea Fleet base back, access to their old Soviet era vacation spots, and lots of nice beachfront land. These two places offer lots of upside for Moscow with only a little international condemnation and maybe some Western indifference depending on how they play things.
New Europe Fleeing Russian Sphere of Influence
It seems that New Europe is finally starting the strengthen themselves against the shadow of the Russian Bear since they know the enemy far better then Old Europe does. Hell, the enemy controlled their countries for 40 years.
From Poland to Ukraine, the Czech Republic to Bulgaria, Russia's invasion of Georgia with tanks, troops, and planes is described as a test of Western resolve. The former Soviet states are vowing to thwart Russian aims – in deals with the European Union, in a missile-defense pact with the US, and in trade and diplomacy.
Polish and Baltic officials, most of whom grew up under Soviet occupation, have long chafed at being described in Western Europe as too "Russia-phobic" in their oft-repeated warnings about Moscow's intentions. But now in this gritty capital, the refrain is, "We told you so."
I just wonder that pushing back against the Russian Sphere of Influence is going to get them invaded as well. As we can see the West really aren't going to help Georgia but will they come to the aid of the Ukraine or Poland if the Russian missiles start to fall? That is open to debate I think depending on who is at the helm of the US. If Obama gets in I think the Russians have a free hand in their Empire building. Maybe not so with McCain. There is a nice conspiracy theory added into this article as well:
Most Poles will agree that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili made a serious mistake in trying to enter South Ossetia with force. But they feel it was an error that Russia seized upon in a planned operation to annex Ossetia and Abkhazia, where they say a new millionaire class in Moscow is rapidly buying up coastal property.
Why isn't the Left shouting "No Blood for Coastal Real Estate?" So this conjecture actually fills a very important "Why was Russia so ready to invade Georgia" component to the Russo-Georgian war. Russia wanted to flex their muscles to the world, expose the weakness of the West in their sphere of influence, and annex some nice real estate for their millionaire former KGB chiefs in the bargain. I guess it makes about as much sense as "Oilman Bush attacks Iraq in order to steal their oil."
From Poland to Ukraine, the Czech Republic to Bulgaria, Russia's invasion of Georgia with tanks, troops, and planes is described as a test of Western resolve. The former Soviet states are vowing to thwart Russian aims – in deals with the European Union, in a missile-defense pact with the US, and in trade and diplomacy.
Polish and Baltic officials, most of whom grew up under Soviet occupation, have long chafed at being described in Western Europe as too "Russia-phobic" in their oft-repeated warnings about Moscow's intentions. But now in this gritty capital, the refrain is, "We told you so."
I just wonder that pushing back against the Russian Sphere of Influence is going to get them invaded as well. As we can see the West really aren't going to help Georgia but will they come to the aid of the Ukraine or Poland if the Russian missiles start to fall? That is open to debate I think depending on who is at the helm of the US. If Obama gets in I think the Russians have a free hand in their Empire building. Maybe not so with McCain. There is a nice conspiracy theory added into this article as well:
Most Poles will agree that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili made a serious mistake in trying to enter South Ossetia with force. But they feel it was an error that Russia seized upon in a planned operation to annex Ossetia and Abkhazia, where they say a new millionaire class in Moscow is rapidly buying up coastal property.
Why isn't the Left shouting "No Blood for Coastal Real Estate?" So this conjecture actually fills a very important "Why was Russia so ready to invade Georgia" component to the Russo-Georgian war. Russia wanted to flex their muscles to the world, expose the weakness of the West in their sphere of influence, and annex some nice real estate for their millionaire former KGB chiefs in the bargain. I guess it makes about as much sense as "Oilman Bush attacks Iraq in order to steal their oil."
News Not Read As Much By Young People
This is an interesting trend that is going to get more and more press as we go forward.
Despite the fact that there are now more ways to get news than ever before, there's still a lot of room for improvement in both the online and offline world. For one, a larger proportion of young people are paying no attention to the news in a typical day than ten years ago—34 percent now versus 25 percent in 1998. Pew notes that social networking sites are popular among kids these days, but fewer than 10 percent say that they get news from these sites.
You can see that these young people aren't connected to what is going on beyond their narrow world of Facebook and MySpace. This does not bode well for Americans unless these kids become more engaged. I wonder if they are paying no attention because they dislike how the news media is corrupt and biased? I think Pew should do another survey on that.
Despite the fact that there are now more ways to get news than ever before, there's still a lot of room for improvement in both the online and offline world. For one, a larger proportion of young people are paying no attention to the news in a typical day than ten years ago—34 percent now versus 25 percent in 1998. Pew notes that social networking sites are popular among kids these days, but fewer than 10 percent say that they get news from these sites.
You can see that these young people aren't connected to what is going on beyond their narrow world of Facebook and MySpace. This does not bode well for Americans unless these kids become more engaged. I wonder if they are paying no attention because they dislike how the news media is corrupt and biased? I think Pew should do another survey on that.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Russia Threatens Poland Over Missiles
It seems Russia is really swinging a big stick threatening a nuclear strike against Poland if we deploy a missile system there. I think Ivan is holding all the cards and all the West can do is condemn things "in the strongest possible terms."
"Poland, by deploying (the system) is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent," Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff, was quoted as saying.
He added, in clear reference to the agreement, that Russia's military doctrine sanctions the use of nuclear weapons "against the allies of countries having nuclear weapons if they in some way help them." Nogovitsyn that would include elements of strategic deterrence systems, he said, according to Interfax.
"Poland, by deploying (the system) is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent," Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff, was quoted as saying.
He added, in clear reference to the agreement, that Russia's military doctrine sanctions the use of nuclear weapons "against the allies of countries having nuclear weapons if they in some way help them." Nogovitsyn that would include elements of strategic deterrence systems, he said, according to Interfax.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Speculators a Big Part of the Oil Market: Confirmed
As I have suspected since oil prices went to record highs it seems that speculation had a large part to play in high oil prices this summer and not supply/demand problems or whatever Ole Slorer of Morgan Stanley trotted out.
"There may have been multiple 'positions' which were reclassified ... but they all appear to have been held by just one trader, and this was a very special trader, with an enormous concentration of positions in crude oil amounting to perhaps 460 million barrels, and not much interest in anything else," noted John Kemp of RBS Sempra Commodities.
460 million barrels is the equivalent to almost 21.9 days of US oil consumption all tied up in the positions of one trader. You would figure that if one speculator controlled $54 billion dollars worth of oil then prices are likely to rise or fall depending on what that that person or firm does. My money is on a massive pension fund doing the trading and that is why the Commodities Futures Trading Commission won't disclose their name. In any case that trader cost a lot of Americans a lot of money at the pump this summer.
"There may have been multiple 'positions' which were reclassified ... but they all appear to have been held by just one trader, and this was a very special trader, with an enormous concentration of positions in crude oil amounting to perhaps 460 million barrels, and not much interest in anything else," noted John Kemp of RBS Sempra Commodities.
460 million barrels is the equivalent to almost 21.9 days of US oil consumption all tied up in the positions of one trader. You would figure that if one speculator controlled $54 billion dollars worth of oil then prices are likely to rise or fall depending on what that that person or firm does. My money is on a massive pension fund doing the trading and that is why the Commodities Futures Trading Commission won't disclose their name. In any case that trader cost a lot of Americans a lot of money at the pump this summer.
Russo-Georgia War Predicted in 2001 Video Game
Now this is some kind of uncanny coincidence.
The South Ossetia war, which began on August 7, bears a close resemblance to events portrayed in the 2001 Xbox and Playstation 2 game "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon," the first level of which takes place against the backdrop of a struggle between Georgian rebel forces and the legitimate Georgian government in the South Ossetian region.
Ghost Recon's plot follows these skirmishes with a full-scale Russian invasion of the region, a subsequent evacuation of US forces, and ultimately the fall of the Georgian government. Ghost Recon almost got the timescale right, too: the game's imaginary events begin in April 2008, just a few months before the real war kicked off.
So all we need now is the fall of the Georgian government and the game will be like Nostradamus. I think someone should check if Tom Clancy is looking into a pool of water in order to make the premise for his games.
The South Ossetia war, which began on August 7, bears a close resemblance to events portrayed in the 2001 Xbox and Playstation 2 game "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon," the first level of which takes place against the backdrop of a struggle between Georgian rebel forces and the legitimate Georgian government in the South Ossetian region.
Ghost Recon's plot follows these skirmishes with a full-scale Russian invasion of the region, a subsequent evacuation of US forces, and ultimately the fall of the Georgian government. Ghost Recon almost got the timescale right, too: the game's imaginary events begin in April 2008, just a few months before the real war kicked off.
So all we need now is the fall of the Georgian government and the game will be like Nostradamus. I think someone should check if Tom Clancy is looking into a pool of water in order to make the premise for his games.
Obama Flip-Flops My Way on Taxes
This guy is just a political weather-vain on just about everything. Too bad this is the direction I want to see him traveling in.
This is a pretty big change for Obamanomics. Economic advisers Austan Goolsbee and Jason Furman, in today's Wall Street Journal, now say that Barack Obama's tax plan will do the following:
1) It will increase capital gains and dividend tax rates, to 20 percent, only for families making over $250,000. Before, Obama was hinting at rates as high as 28 percent for everyone.
2) On the issue of the Social Security income cap, he's now considering a plan that would make folks earning over $250,000 pay in the range of 2 to 4 percentage points more in total (combined employer and employee) payroll taxes. Previously, there were hints at increases of from 6 percent to 12 percentage points.
On issue 1 (that is if Obama doesn't flip-flop and oppose it next week) was the major sticking point on voting for him. If he doesn't raise my capital gains taxes then I am all for his economic plan. Issue 2 doesn't concern me because I am currently not making even close to $250K a year and probably won't have to worry about making that much until Jenna Bush is President.
This is a pretty big change for Obamanomics. Economic advisers Austan Goolsbee and Jason Furman, in today's Wall Street Journal, now say that Barack Obama's tax plan will do the following:
1) It will increase capital gains and dividend tax rates, to 20 percent, only for families making over $250,000. Before, Obama was hinting at rates as high as 28 percent for everyone.
2) On the issue of the Social Security income cap, he's now considering a plan that would make folks earning over $250,000 pay in the range of 2 to 4 percentage points more in total (combined employer and employee) payroll taxes. Previously, there were hints at increases of from 6 percent to 12 percentage points.
On issue 1 (that is if Obama doesn't flip-flop and oppose it next week) was the major sticking point on voting for him. If he doesn't raise my capital gains taxes then I am all for his economic plan. Issue 2 doesn't concern me because I am currently not making even close to $250K a year and probably won't have to worry about making that much until Jenna Bush is President.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Gang of 10 Introduces Energy Plan: Pass It Already!
I am looking over the so-called Gang of 10 bipartisan senators and I like what I am seeing. Here is a breakdown of their plan from Instapundit.
1. The "gang of 10" bill unilaterally opens up drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, with no state veto. The GOP bill didn't do that, because Mel Martinez and Charlie Crist didn't want it. Non-Gulf states Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas can opt-in if they like; the old GOP bill was opt-in everywhere, allowing Florida to block drilling in the Gulf off of its shores.
This is where their plan falls a bit short but I can accept it. It misses the California Coast and ANWR but I'm pretty sure those areas would be too hard to get Democrats to drill in anyway. They can fight those battles once gas goes to $5.50 or something. Expanding drilling in the Gulf of Mexico will allow US companies to use the oil off of our own coasts instead of Chinese and Cuban companies.
2. The bill also allows for seismic exploration along the entire continental shelf.
Why this hasn't been mentioned is a wonder to me. We need to know exactly how much oil wealth there is off of our shores in order to make an argument to go after it. If there is a Tupi Oil Field out there then there is no way that California Dems can go against drilling it.
3. The ban on drilling within 50 miles of the coast was also in the GOP bill.
This is a sop to anyone that has expensive coastal land whose views will be "wrecked" by off shore rigs. I have never had this view because modern offshore rigs are cool looking to me. I think all the pipes and stuff coming out of the ground look like something out of Star Wars.
4. Contrary to many commentators' claims, the "gang of ten" bill is not a lifeline for Obama: "What a bunch of C-R-A-P. " (Yes, he spelled it out like that) "If Obama embraced this, he would be the biggest flipflopper ever." A lot of the opposition to the bill is really a case of trying to keep drilling as an election issue instead of getting more drilling.
If this is the energy issue is not solved before October and is instead turned into election fodder then Congress needs to be shown the door. This is our a matter of national security at stake. Iran and Venezuela should never again be allowed to control our economy to the extent that they do.
5. The bill includes a Zubrin-like flex-fuel provision, requiring that 75% of cars by 2015 and 85% by 2020 be capable of running on something besides gasoline.
This seems like a pretty good idea to put a kick in the pants of the car industry. The technology is there but the financial incentive to change is not. I think 2020 is too long to wait for 85% of cars to be running on electricity or some other kind of fuel.
6. "Our bill also opens up coal-to-liquids. We couldn't have gotten 44 Republicans for that."
That seems pretty reasonable. If we can find a way to power our cars with coal, natural gas, or even cow turds then we should give the scientists some research money to see if it is feasible.
7. The bill is "incredibly aggressive" on nuclear power, including accelerated-depreciation provisions like those for solar and wind power, more NRC resources to speed licensing, and an end to the Carter-era ban on nuclear fuel reprocessing. "We couldn't have gotten 44 Republicans on this."
This is the red meat of this bill IMO. Electric cars like the Ford Volt will be worthless unless we can power them with a clean, renewable, form of energy like nuclear. Wind and Solar should be pursued but nuclear is the stopgap until those technologies can get cheaper and more efficient. France and Japan have been going nuclear since the 70s.
Also if ending that asinine Carter-era ban on fuel reprocessing is the only thing Congress does this session then I would be happy. That is an absolutely idiotic ban that shows how bad Carter was at just about everything he touched as President. Reprocessing might reduce nuclear waste by 90% by some estimates and actually allows France to store all of the nuclear waste under 500 meters underground in one town called Bure.
8. The bill also promotes cellulosic ethanol.
I think this should be pushed too. I think no technology should go without research when it comes to weening ourselves off of foreign oil. This is a national security problem as big as the war on terror. Closing the Gulf of Hormuz should never lead the US into economic ruin.
1. The "gang of 10" bill unilaterally opens up drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, with no state veto. The GOP bill didn't do that, because Mel Martinez and Charlie Crist didn't want it. Non-Gulf states Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas can opt-in if they like; the old GOP bill was opt-in everywhere, allowing Florida to block drilling in the Gulf off of its shores.
This is where their plan falls a bit short but I can accept it. It misses the California Coast and ANWR but I'm pretty sure those areas would be too hard to get Democrats to drill in anyway. They can fight those battles once gas goes to $5.50 or something. Expanding drilling in the Gulf of Mexico will allow US companies to use the oil off of our own coasts instead of Chinese and Cuban companies.
2. The bill also allows for seismic exploration along the entire continental shelf.
Why this hasn't been mentioned is a wonder to me. We need to know exactly how much oil wealth there is off of our shores in order to make an argument to go after it. If there is a Tupi Oil Field out there then there is no way that California Dems can go against drilling it.
3. The ban on drilling within 50 miles of the coast was also in the GOP bill.
This is a sop to anyone that has expensive coastal land whose views will be "wrecked" by off shore rigs. I have never had this view because modern offshore rigs are cool looking to me. I think all the pipes and stuff coming out of the ground look like something out of Star Wars.
4. Contrary to many commentators' claims, the "gang of ten" bill is not a lifeline for Obama: "What a bunch of C-R-A-P. " (Yes, he spelled it out like that) "If Obama embraced this, he would be the biggest flipflopper ever." A lot of the opposition to the bill is really a case of trying to keep drilling as an election issue instead of getting more drilling.
If this is the energy issue is not solved before October and is instead turned into election fodder then Congress needs to be shown the door. This is our a matter of national security at stake. Iran and Venezuela should never again be allowed to control our economy to the extent that they do.
5. The bill includes a Zubrin-like flex-fuel provision, requiring that 75% of cars by 2015 and 85% by 2020 be capable of running on something besides gasoline.
This seems like a pretty good idea to put a kick in the pants of the car industry. The technology is there but the financial incentive to change is not. I think 2020 is too long to wait for 85% of cars to be running on electricity or some other kind of fuel.
6. "Our bill also opens up coal-to-liquids. We couldn't have gotten 44 Republicans for that."
That seems pretty reasonable. If we can find a way to power our cars with coal, natural gas, or even cow turds then we should give the scientists some research money to see if it is feasible.
7. The bill is "incredibly aggressive" on nuclear power, including accelerated-depreciation provisions like those for solar and wind power, more NRC resources to speed licensing, and an end to the Carter-era ban on nuclear fuel reprocessing. "We couldn't have gotten 44 Republicans on this."
This is the red meat of this bill IMO. Electric cars like the Ford Volt will be worthless unless we can power them with a clean, renewable, form of energy like nuclear. Wind and Solar should be pursued but nuclear is the stopgap until those technologies can get cheaper and more efficient. France and Japan have been going nuclear since the 70s.
Also if ending that asinine Carter-era ban on fuel reprocessing is the only thing Congress does this session then I would be happy. That is an absolutely idiotic ban that shows how bad Carter was at just about everything he touched as President. Reprocessing might reduce nuclear waste by 90% by some estimates and actually allows France to store all of the nuclear waste under 500 meters underground in one town called Bure.
8. The bill also promotes cellulosic ethanol.
I think this should be pushed too. I think no technology should go without research when it comes to weening ourselves off of foreign oil. This is a national security problem as big as the war on terror. Closing the Gulf of Hormuz should never lead the US into economic ruin.
Faster then Light Travel Possible
Warp Factor 6 Number One. It seems that faster then light speed travel is actually possible by manipulating Dark Energy.
"The dark energy is simultaneously decreased just in front of the ship to decrease (and bring to a stop) the expansion rate of the universe in front of the ship," Cleaver told SPACE.com. "If the dark energy can be made negative directly in front of the ship, then space in front of the ship would locally contract."
This loophole means that the spaceship would not conflict with Einstein's Theory of Relativity, which states that objects accelerating to the speed of light require an infinite amount of energy.
There is just one catch:
However, the Baylor physicists estimate that manipulating dark energy through the extra dimension requires energy equivalent to the converting the entire mass of Jupiter into pure energy — enough to move a ship measuring roughly 33 feet (10 meters) by 33 feet by 33 feet.
So the ship would need a Jupiter to Energy conversion engine installed just to make the jump to lightspeed? I think they just need one of those Time energy devices that was developed after the Montauk Experiment.
"The dark energy is simultaneously decreased just in front of the ship to decrease (and bring to a stop) the expansion rate of the universe in front of the ship," Cleaver told SPACE.com. "If the dark energy can be made negative directly in front of the ship, then space in front of the ship would locally contract."
This loophole means that the spaceship would not conflict with Einstein's Theory of Relativity, which states that objects accelerating to the speed of light require an infinite amount of energy.
There is just one catch:
However, the Baylor physicists estimate that manipulating dark energy through the extra dimension requires energy equivalent to the converting the entire mass of Jupiter into pure energy — enough to move a ship measuring roughly 33 feet (10 meters) by 33 feet by 33 feet.
So the ship would need a Jupiter to Energy conversion engine installed just to make the jump to lightspeed? I think they just need one of those Time energy devices that was developed after the Montauk Experiment.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The IPhone Kill-Switch
Apple is looking more and more like the evil empire Microsoft with their latest moves.
However, Greengart said he's less concerned with the "heavy-handed and Big Brotherish" kill switch than the fact that Apple didn't disclose it in the first place. As far as he knows, no other mobile phone has a kill-switch capability.
I think if Apple just disclosed this at the very beginning people would have lauded it as a smart security application and wondered why other phones didn't have such a thing. Instead they tried to be insular and sneaky about it and ended up looking guilty. I think Apple really needs to dial back the secrecy. If they didn't have the passionate base of consumers and world class products they would have been widely condemned for sneaking around like they are now.
However, Greengart said he's less concerned with the "heavy-handed and Big Brotherish" kill switch than the fact that Apple didn't disclose it in the first place. As far as he knows, no other mobile phone has a kill-switch capability.
I think if Apple just disclosed this at the very beginning people would have lauded it as a smart security application and wondered why other phones didn't have such a thing. Instead they tried to be insular and sneaky about it and ended up looking guilty. I think Apple really needs to dial back the secrecy. If they didn't have the passionate base of consumers and world class products they would have been widely condemned for sneaking around like they are now.
CVS Caremark Bought Out Longs Drugs
This should be interesting news to people living in Hawaii.
The acquisition of Longs' 521 stores will add to CVS's presence in California and will give it a leading position in Hawaii, where it doesn't operate. Longs' stores are also located in Nevada and Arizona.
CVS will pay $71.50 per share for Longs, including its Rx America subsidiary, a prescription benefits management services company with over 8 million members. Longs shares closed at $54.04 before the news on Tuesday, but surged nearly 30 percent in extended trading on the deal.
I wonder if competition between them and Walgreen's is going to lower prices for prescription drugs in Hawaii? I have been shopping at Walgreen's every few days after they opened across the street from me and I have to say that I am impressed. They stock quite a few different foods that aren't seen in Hawaii so I'm hoping CVS will follow suit.
The acquisition of Longs' 521 stores will add to CVS's presence in California and will give it a leading position in Hawaii, where it doesn't operate. Longs' stores are also located in Nevada and Arizona.
CVS will pay $71.50 per share for Longs, including its Rx America subsidiary, a prescription benefits management services company with over 8 million members. Longs shares closed at $54.04 before the news on Tuesday, but surged nearly 30 percent in extended trading on the deal.
I wonder if competition between them and Walgreen's is going to lower prices for prescription drugs in Hawaii? I have been shopping at Walgreen's every few days after they opened across the street from me and I have to say that I am impressed. They stock quite a few different foods that aren't seen in Hawaii so I'm hoping CVS will follow suit.
Russia Declares Cease Fire: Lesson to the West Taught
Just as I suspected the Russians declared a unilateral cease fire and agreed to the demands of the West. There is no way that any war of aggression in the 21st century will be fought longer then a week or so without extenuating circumstances.
Russia succeeded in its military goals, punished Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili -- a staunch U.S. ally -- and showed its ex-Soviet neighbors that it is the sole military power in the region, said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt in an interview in Tbilisi. "Do you see any other troops here?" he said.
I was thinking about this and I wonder what these ex-Soviet nations are going to do? They could toe the Russian line and fall under their sphere of influence or they could start to buff up their own armies. In fact they might even go as far as to form their own protection scheme seeing that NATO will probably never admit Georgia now that Russia is their enemy.
Maybe they could call it the Black Sea Alliance, or the Caspian Sea Alliance, or maybe name it after something that's not based on location. It seems that the West will not protect their interests so they can either fall in with Russia or form up in order to counter Russian aggression. I think they should include Turkey into the mix so they will have influence into the Middle East as well as counter the Russian threat.
Russia succeeded in its military goals, punished Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili -- a staunch U.S. ally -- and showed its ex-Soviet neighbors that it is the sole military power in the region, said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt in an interview in Tbilisi. "Do you see any other troops here?" he said.
I was thinking about this and I wonder what these ex-Soviet nations are going to do? They could toe the Russian line and fall under their sphere of influence or they could start to buff up their own armies. In fact they might even go as far as to form their own protection scheme seeing that NATO will probably never admit Georgia now that Russia is their enemy.
Maybe they could call it the Black Sea Alliance, or the Caspian Sea Alliance, or maybe name it after something that's not based on location. It seems that the West will not protect their interests so they can either fall in with Russia or form up in order to counter Russian aggression. I think they should include Turkey into the mix so they will have influence into the Middle East as well as counter the Russian threat.
Oil at $114; Time for Airlines to Make Money again?
At least Morgan Stanley analyst William Greene thinks so unless they blow it by trying to lower prices or jack up capacity in order to go after market share. I just hope they take this opportunity to put some deeper oil hedges on.
Airline analysts aren’t overly optimistic, fearing that the industry could reverse course from the very recent trend of cutting the number of flights and seats. As Greene hinted darkly, “falling oil prices introduce the risk of destructive competition as plans for capacity rationalization and revenue discipline fall victim to the seductive cost and market share benefits associated with capacity growth. Such actions would inevitably erode operating margins in an oil-driven up-cycle.”
Airline analysts aren’t overly optimistic, fearing that the industry could reverse course from the very recent trend of cutting the number of flights and seats. As Greene hinted darkly, “falling oil prices introduce the risk of destructive competition as plans for capacity rationalization and revenue discipline fall victim to the seductive cost and market share benefits associated with capacity growth. Such actions would inevitably erode operating margins in an oil-driven up-cycle.”
Monday, August 11, 2008
Russia Invading Georgia: a Strategy Game Tactic
It seems like they are using the Allied Casus Belli Tactic to me according to this.
But a senior U.S. official, who spoke on condition he not be named, said the outlook was "grim" and that Russia had planned its moves in Georgia for some time.
"This appears to be a full invasion of Georgia with an end result uncertain and an objective that is not clear but appears to be aggressive in nature," said the official. "Words like invasion should not be used lightly but this is an invasion."
I can tell you what the end result might be. The Russians are counting on the West to do nothing to support Georgia and then Moscow takes over the capital and deposes Saakashvili. They feel they have a valid Casus Belli when Georgia attacked South Ossetia which is their de facto satellite. It seems that the Russians were ready to roll tanks into Georgia in a few days so they were merely waiting for spark and they are executing the tactic now.
The West won't do anything so Russia would be able to eliminate NATO influence right on their doorstep at little cost to them. They also show the rest of their neighbors that Russian tanks trump Western diplomacy. Their neighbors are now forced to join the Russian Sphere of Influence (and thus ignore the West) or they will roll the tanks on you.
Putin has gone to a tactic that I have used in strategy video games like Victoria: A Place in the Sun or Europa Universalis time and time again. Goad the weaker nation into attacking your ally and then throw your entire might at the enemy nation before your ally can sue for peace.
You are counting on the other Great Powers to be intimidated into not escalating the war. They will not risk a Great War just to prevent you from land grabbing neighboring weaker nations outside their sphere of influence.
One example of this is when you attack Egypt with the Ottoman Empire. You get Egypt to attack one of your neighbors and then quickly ally with that neighbor. You then have your fast cavalry overwhelm every province in Egypt including the capital before your ally is able to sue for peace. Then you get to dictate terms to Egypt and grab whatever parts of their nation that you want. You can even reward your attacked ally with parts of Egypt to strengthen them.
Russia is counting on the speed of their attack to be faster then the condemnation of the West. They have already bisected the country by taking the East/West Highway so it is just a matter of time. Now they might move on the capital and make the Georgian government fall. My money is on Russia going just short of this and instead decimating the Georgian army as a lesson to the world. Russia will show that they cannot be trifled with when it comes to their "border security" and weaker nations cannot mess around in their sphere of influence.
But a senior U.S. official, who spoke on condition he not be named, said the outlook was "grim" and that Russia had planned its moves in Georgia for some time.
"This appears to be a full invasion of Georgia with an end result uncertain and an objective that is not clear but appears to be aggressive in nature," said the official. "Words like invasion should not be used lightly but this is an invasion."
I can tell you what the end result might be. The Russians are counting on the West to do nothing to support Georgia and then Moscow takes over the capital and deposes Saakashvili. They feel they have a valid Casus Belli when Georgia attacked South Ossetia which is their de facto satellite. It seems that the Russians were ready to roll tanks into Georgia in a few days so they were merely waiting for spark and they are executing the tactic now.
The West won't do anything so Russia would be able to eliminate NATO influence right on their doorstep at little cost to them. They also show the rest of their neighbors that Russian tanks trump Western diplomacy. Their neighbors are now forced to join the Russian Sphere of Influence (and thus ignore the West) or they will roll the tanks on you.
Putin has gone to a tactic that I have used in strategy video games like Victoria: A Place in the Sun or Europa Universalis time and time again. Goad the weaker nation into attacking your ally and then throw your entire might at the enemy nation before your ally can sue for peace.
You are counting on the other Great Powers to be intimidated into not escalating the war. They will not risk a Great War just to prevent you from land grabbing neighboring weaker nations outside their sphere of influence.
One example of this is when you attack Egypt with the Ottoman Empire. You get Egypt to attack one of your neighbors and then quickly ally with that neighbor. You then have your fast cavalry overwhelm every province in Egypt including the capital before your ally is able to sue for peace. Then you get to dictate terms to Egypt and grab whatever parts of their nation that you want. You can even reward your attacked ally with parts of Egypt to strengthen them.
Russia is counting on the speed of their attack to be faster then the condemnation of the West. They have already bisected the country by taking the East/West Highway so it is just a matter of time. Now they might move on the capital and make the Georgian government fall. My money is on Russia going just short of this and instead decimating the Georgian army as a lesson to the world. Russia will show that they cannot be trifled with when it comes to their "border security" and weaker nations cannot mess around in their sphere of influence.
McCain Mining Gold From Barack "Paris the Heiress" Obama
It sure seems that way judging from the quick Obama response.
For the second time in two weeks, he aired a TV ad Monday rebutting Republican John McCain's claim that Obama is little more than a celebrity, like the blonde hotel heiress.
Why would he even waste money on an ad if this stuff isn't hitting home? I think it is because main stream America dislikes the political side of celebrities and if Obama is a "political celebrity" then it resonates with them. The whole "Shut up and sing or act" view is shared by a great many voters for the most part.
What is worse is that McCain has linked Obama to Paris Hilton who is the poster child for dumb, vacuous, and naive celebrities. Her "Vote or Die" campaign and her subsequent failure to vote as a case-in-point. So Obama is being portrayed as Barack "Paris" Obama. He is already shown he is naive with his pie-in-the-sky economic plan and his "lets go have Mojitos at the club" attitude toward Ahmadinejad.
He even talks down to main-stream Americans with his "cling to guns and religion" message. Obama showed the same condescension that Hollywood liberals have always shown toward the so-called flyover states. How can main-stream Americans vote for a guy that seems as vacuous and naive as Paris Hilton but at the same time tells them that they "cling" to their guns and Bibles? Obama as the condescending celebutant might be a goldmine for McCain.
For the second time in two weeks, he aired a TV ad Monday rebutting Republican John McCain's claim that Obama is little more than a celebrity, like the blonde hotel heiress.
Why would he even waste money on an ad if this stuff isn't hitting home? I think it is because main stream America dislikes the political side of celebrities and if Obama is a "political celebrity" then it resonates with them. The whole "Shut up and sing or act" view is shared by a great many voters for the most part.
What is worse is that McCain has linked Obama to Paris Hilton who is the poster child for dumb, vacuous, and naive celebrities. Her "Vote or Die" campaign and her subsequent failure to vote as a case-in-point. So Obama is being portrayed as Barack "Paris" Obama. He is already shown he is naive with his pie-in-the-sky economic plan and his "lets go have Mojitos at the club" attitude toward Ahmadinejad.
He even talks down to main-stream Americans with his "cling to guns and religion" message. Obama showed the same condescension that Hollywood liberals have always shown toward the so-called flyover states. How can main-stream Americans vote for a guy that seems as vacuous and naive as Paris Hilton but at the same time tells them that they "cling" to their guns and Bibles? Obama as the condescending celebutant might be a goldmine for McCain.
Edwards Affair Cost Hillary the Dem Nod
I would have to agree with Howard Wolfson on this matter.
"I believe we would have won Iowa, and Clinton today would therefore have been the nominee," Howard Wolfson, who was the combative communications director for Clinton's doomed campaign, told ABCNews.com.
She would have come in first after Edwards would have damaged his campaign to the very core if he were caught having an affair while his loving wife had terminal cancer. The funny part is the media was in the tank for Edwards. That fact must really be rubbing the Clintonites raw.
The media kept it all quiet and let the National Enquirer break the story instead. So of course Edwards would lie about not having the affair if a tabloid was making the claim. If it was the New York Times it would have been totally different story. Edwards would have had to go into damage control mode and probably would have dropped out of the race soon after the allegations came to light.
Clinton would have then swept Iowa. Obama would probably have hung around for a while but would have dropped out when it was "inevitable" that Clinton had it wrapped up. There is no way that Obama could have rattled off 11 strait victories if he didn't win in Iowa first.
"I believe we would have won Iowa, and Clinton today would therefore have been the nominee," Howard Wolfson, who was the combative communications director for Clinton's doomed campaign, told ABCNews.com.
She would have come in first after Edwards would have damaged his campaign to the very core if he were caught having an affair while his loving wife had terminal cancer. The funny part is the media was in the tank for Edwards. That fact must really be rubbing the Clintonites raw.
The media kept it all quiet and let the National Enquirer break the story instead. So of course Edwards would lie about not having the affair if a tabloid was making the claim. If it was the New York Times it would have been totally different story. Edwards would have had to go into damage control mode and probably would have dropped out of the race soon after the allegations came to light.
Clinton would have then swept Iowa. Obama would probably have hung around for a while but would have dropped out when it was "inevitable" that Clinton had it wrapped up. There is no way that Obama could have rattled off 11 strait victories if he didn't win in Iowa first.
ITunes Becoming the new AOL?
At least PCWorld is starting to think so.
The status of Apple's iTunes today bears an uncanny resemblance to the dominance, influence, and nagging problems that AOL had in early 2000, when the ISP boasted 26.7 million paying subscribers and Steve Case was the Internet star of the moment.
I know some people that refuse to use ITunes because they don't want their large MP3 collections that they have ripped to be messed with by ITunes. I think they are afraid it will dial home and auto-erase things (or rat them out to RIAA) that did not have correct DRM.
It is a strange, paranoid fear but it doesn't stop people from avoiding the software. I remember back in the day people didn't want to use AOL for similar reasons. They were afraid it will "mess up their machines" and used other dial-up services instead. AOL was pretty crash prone in the early 90s IIRC.
The status of Apple's iTunes today bears an uncanny resemblance to the dominance, influence, and nagging problems that AOL had in early 2000, when the ISP boasted 26.7 million paying subscribers and Steve Case was the Internet star of the moment.
I know some people that refuse to use ITunes because they don't want their large MP3 collections that they have ripped to be messed with by ITunes. I think they are afraid it will dial home and auto-erase things (or rat them out to RIAA) that did not have correct DRM.
It is a strange, paranoid fear but it doesn't stop people from avoiding the software. I remember back in the day people didn't want to use AOL for similar reasons. They were afraid it will "mess up their machines" and used other dial-up services instead. AOL was pretty crash prone in the early 90s IIRC.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Edwards had an Affair: Confirmed by Edwards Himself
I guess we can elevate the National Enquirer to scoop-breaking news magazine status now.
Hunter subsequently was hired by an Edwards political action committee to produce documentaries, and traveled around the country and to Africa, ABC News said.
Edwards, 55, admitted he had the affair with 44-year-old Rielle Hunter, whom he met in a New York City bar in 2006. But in an interview with ABC's "Nightline," set to air on Friday night, he said he did not love her, according to the network's early evening broadcast of "World News."
Hunter subsequently was hired by an Edwards political action committee to produce documentaries, and traveled around the country and to Africa, ABC News said.
So we have a Democratic Senator running for President with a wife fighting cancer who had an affair with a 44 year old woman. Then he got her a job at his own PAC which let her "produce documentaries and travel the US and Africa" and none of the main-stream media picked up on it? I think they should hang their head in shame.
If Edwards was a Republican they would have been wall-to-wall day-after-day months ago and he would have had to go into the witness protection program. Here is a picture of Ms. Hunter. She's a pretty okay looking woman and most men (who aren't married to a loving wife fighting cancer) would love to be able to pick her up at a New York City bar.
Jerome Bettis' Grille 36 in Pittsburgh
I was looking at another sports blog and I came across this place run by Jerome "the Bus" Bettis who used to play for the Steelers. I was reading the menu and there are some tasty looking things on this list. I hope he franchises this place and brings it to Hawaii because the food sounds pretty good. They need to do a ESPN football event at this place and showcase the food. My order would be:
Appetizer:
Ultimate Cheesy Fries 6.95
Crispy Fries smothered with a blend of melted cheese topped with crispy bacon and scallions. Add chili .95 (Scallions is a great choice for cheese fries. He needs to add jalapenos though.)
Main Course:
Kielbasa Hoagie 7.95
Polish kielbasa topped with sauerkraut and mustard on a hoagie roll (Too bad they don't serve it on a poppy seed roll though.)
Appetizer:
Ultimate Cheesy Fries 6.95
Crispy Fries smothered with a blend of melted cheese topped with crispy bacon and scallions. Add chili .95 (Scallions is a great choice for cheese fries. He needs to add jalapenos though.)
Main Course:
Kielbasa Hoagie 7.95
Polish kielbasa topped with sauerkraut and mustard on a hoagie roll (Too bad they don't serve it on a poppy seed roll though.)
Dessert:
Coffee Caramel Crunch Pie 7.95
Multiple layers of coffee ice cream, crumbled Heath bar, and Oreo cookie crumbs, topped with a warm caramel sauce. (I would have to get this to go so I don't explode at the table)
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Crazy Dude Threatening Obama is Caught
Now he has some crazy trying to take a shot at him.
In the interview with a Secret Service agent, Geisel said "if he wanted to kill Senator Obama he simply would shoot him with a sniper rifle, but then he claimed that he was just joking," according to court documents.
A search of Geisel's 1998 Ford Explorer and hotel room in Miami uncovered a loaded 9mm handgun, knives, dozens of rounds of ammunition including armor-piercing types, body armor, military-style fatigues and a machete. The SUV was wired with flashing red and yellow emergency lights.
I don't think this nutjob had a chance but I could see other crazies trying it in the future as we get closer to elction time. I mean Jesse Jackson wants to castrate him and Hillary Clinton hopes that he would be assassinated as well. Obama needs some serious around the clock Secret Service protection going forward.
In the interview with a Secret Service agent, Geisel said "if he wanted to kill Senator Obama he simply would shoot him with a sniper rifle, but then he claimed that he was just joking," according to court documents.
A search of Geisel's 1998 Ford Explorer and hotel room in Miami uncovered a loaded 9mm handgun, knives, dozens of rounds of ammunition including armor-piercing types, body armor, military-style fatigues and a machete. The SUV was wired with flashing red and yellow emergency lights.
I don't think this nutjob had a chance but I could see other crazies trying it in the future as we get closer to elction time. I mean Jesse Jackson wants to castrate him and Hillary Clinton hopes that he would be assassinated as well. Obama needs some serious around the clock Secret Service protection going forward.
Bin Laden's Driver Gets 5 Year Sentence
I guess driving Osama around and supporting terrorism isn't too bad an offence according to this. I have seen people caught with drugs getting a tougher sentence then this. I guess sticking things out at Gitmo may be the best course of action if you see more of these sentences carried out.
Salim Hamdan's sentence of 5 1/2 years, including five years and a month already served at Guantanamo Bay, fell far short of the 30 years to life that prosecutors wanted. It now goes for mandatory review to a Pentagon official who can shorten the sentence but not extend it.
Salim Hamdan's sentence of 5 1/2 years, including five years and a month already served at Guantanamo Bay, fell far short of the 30 years to life that prosecutors wanted. It now goes for mandatory review to a Pentagon official who can shorten the sentence but not extend it.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Obama the End of Black Politics?
I would think so if he wins the Presidency. This is a very interesting article by the New York Times about how Obama might spell the end of black politics as we know it.
“I’m the new black politics,” says Cornell Belcher, a 38-year-old pollster who is working for Obama. “The people I work with are the new black politics. We don’t carry around that history. We see the world through post-civil-rights eyes. I don’t mean that disrespectfully, but that’s just the way it is.
This new generation of black leaders will change this country for the better by simply allowing everyone else to move beyond race and start looking at the substance. I hope they everyone that makes a protest vote against Obama does so because he is an inexperienced, media-created rock star that is all hype and not because of the color of his skin.
“I’m the new black politics,” says Cornell Belcher, a 38-year-old pollster who is working for Obama. “The people I work with are the new black politics. We don’t carry around that history. We see the world through post-civil-rights eyes. I don’t mean that disrespectfully, but that’s just the way it is.
This new generation of black leaders will change this country for the better by simply allowing everyone else to move beyond race and start looking at the substance. I hope they everyone that makes a protest vote against Obama does so because he is an inexperienced, media-created rock star that is all hype and not because of the color of his skin.
The Extent of High Oil on Refiners (Sunoco Earnings)
This past quarter is case-in-point on how high oil prices hurt refiners.
Refining and Supply earned $32 million in the second quarter of 2008 versus $482 million in the second quarter of 2007. The decrease in earnings was due to significantly lower realized margins along with higher expenses and lower production volumes. The lower margins reflect the negative impact of higher average crude oil costs and lower product demand than a year ago, especially for gasoline, while the higher expenses were largely the result of increased prices for purchased fuel and utilities.
So they made $450 million less when oil prices went from $60-$70 a barrel to $140 a barrel. So whenever someone talks about the "oil companies record profits" need to look at how these high prices blast the refinery end of the oil majors.
Refining and Supply earned $32 million in the second quarter of 2008 versus $482 million in the second quarter of 2007. The decrease in earnings was due to significantly lower realized margins along with higher expenses and lower production volumes. The lower margins reflect the negative impact of higher average crude oil costs and lower product demand than a year ago, especially for gasoline, while the higher expenses were largely the result of increased prices for purchased fuel and utilities.
So they made $450 million less when oil prices went from $60-$70 a barrel to $140 a barrel. So whenever someone talks about the "oil companies record profits" need to look at how these high prices blast the refinery end of the oil majors.
1/3 of Yahoo's Shareholders Vote "No" to Yang
I guess these people got burned on the lack of a Microsoft deal and are taking out their frustrations on the people who scuttled the deal. I wonder if Capital Research Global Investors (CRGI for short?) didn't raise a fuss would Yahoo have reported that 14.6% number and said that Yang had decent support? That 33.7% number looks pretty bad for a CEO.
Voters were deciding whether the two should stay on the Sunnyvale company's board of directors. At first, Yahoo had reported much lower "nay" votes for the two -- just 14.6 percent against Yang and 20.5 percent against Bostock.
New figures were released after the company (NASDAQ: YHOO) blamed tabulation errors for incorrect results. The restated counts showed 33.7 percent of the shares voted were against Yang and 39.6 percent against Bostock.
Capital Research Global Investors, Yahoo's biggest shareholder, asked for a recount because it had withheld its votes to protest Yahoo's bungled merger talks with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT). Published results didn't seem to show Capital Research what it expected to see.
Voters were deciding whether the two should stay on the Sunnyvale company's board of directors. At first, Yahoo had reported much lower "nay" votes for the two -- just 14.6 percent against Yang and 20.5 percent against Bostock.
New figures were released after the company (NASDAQ: YHOO) blamed tabulation errors for incorrect results. The restated counts showed 33.7 percent of the shares voted were against Yang and 39.6 percent against Bostock.
Capital Research Global Investors, Yahoo's biggest shareholder, asked for a recount because it had withheld its votes to protest Yahoo's bungled merger talks with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT). Published results didn't seem to show Capital Research what it expected to see.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Paris Hilton for President: Change that's Hot!
We have now entered the Twilight Zone of the 2008 campaign for sure:
She then discusses energy policy, and suggests a hybrid of McCain's offshore oil drilling plan and Obama's incentives for new energy technology.
"Energy crisis solved! I'll see you at the debates," she said,
McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said Hilton appears to support his candidate's "all of the above" energy solution.
"Paris Hilton might not be as big a celebrity as Barack Obama, but she obviously has a better energy plan," Bounds said.
Here is the ad from funnyordie.com:
She then discusses energy policy, and suggests a hybrid of McCain's offshore oil drilling plan and Obama's incentives for new energy technology.
"Energy crisis solved! I'll see you at the debates," she said,
McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said Hilton appears to support his candidate's "all of the above" energy solution.
"Paris Hilton might not be as big a celebrity as Barack Obama, but she obviously has a better energy plan," Bounds said.
Here is the ad from funnyordie.com:
See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die
NRA Double Agent: Other Leftist Groups Probably Compromised
This is a very interesting story and makes me wonder if other liberal groups have been infiltrated as well.
"It raises some real concerns with the tactics of the NRA. If they've got one person, maybe they have more. If they've done this dirty trick, what else have they done?" said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign, which planned to search its offices for listening devices and computer spyware.
Maybe MoveOn.org's new web stringer is actually secretly working for Rush Limbaugh and is there to stir up infighting among their various donors. Maybe Mother Jones itself has a "Deep Red-State" copyrighter about to plant some hashish in the desk of their Editor and Chief. You never can tell.
I think these leftists groups should do a serious Stalinist Purge just to be sure. I mean anyone could be a "Blue-Stater" by simply mouthing leftist platitudes and holding "progressive positions" on "issues that matter." These secret Limbaughites and Hannityists will probably be the ones with the loudest voices of protest over "healthcare inequality," they go to every meet and greet with La Raza, and will probably have a "Bush=Hitler" bumper sticker on their Toyota Prius.
Every night these Hannityists go home to their San Fransisco walk-up and secretly faxes the inner workings of Code Pinks "12 Plans to Boot Bush" and get their orders on whose cup they need to pour the mescaline into the next morning. That plate of free pink cupcakes brought in by Joan "Fellow Traveller" Clegheimer might just have angel dust mixed into the topping.
Message to the Left: being paranoid doesn't mean there isn't a mole (or moles) in your ranks. Purge them now before it is too late!
"It raises some real concerns with the tactics of the NRA. If they've got one person, maybe they have more. If they've done this dirty trick, what else have they done?" said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign, which planned to search its offices for listening devices and computer spyware.
Maybe MoveOn.org's new web stringer is actually secretly working for Rush Limbaugh and is there to stir up infighting among their various donors. Maybe Mother Jones itself has a "Deep Red-State" copyrighter about to plant some hashish in the desk of their Editor and Chief. You never can tell.
I think these leftists groups should do a serious Stalinist Purge just to be sure. I mean anyone could be a "Blue-Stater" by simply mouthing leftist platitudes and holding "progressive positions" on "issues that matter." These secret Limbaughites and Hannityists will probably be the ones with the loudest voices of protest over "healthcare inequality," they go to every meet and greet with La Raza, and will probably have a "Bush=Hitler" bumper sticker on their Toyota Prius.
Every night these Hannityists go home to their San Fransisco walk-up and secretly faxes the inner workings of Code Pinks "12 Plans to Boot Bush" and get their orders on whose cup they need to pour the mescaline into the next morning. That plate of free pink cupcakes brought in by Joan "Fellow Traveller" Clegheimer might just have angel dust mixed into the topping.
Message to the Left: being paranoid doesn't mean there isn't a mole (or moles) in your ranks. Purge them now before it is too late!
Obama Up 6 Points on McCain
I guess you could call this the Rock Star World Tour 2008 bump.
Obama is ahead of his Republican rival 47 percent to 41 percent among registered voters, the poll showed. The survey was taken after the Democratic senator had returned from a trip to Middle Eastern and European capitals, and during a week that saw the two camps clash over which one had brought race into a campaign in which an Obama victory would make him the first African-American president.
I think only a very good showing in the debates or a massive screw up by Obama is going to save McCain going forward.
Obama is ahead of his Republican rival 47 percent to 41 percent among registered voters, the poll showed. The survey was taken after the Democratic senator had returned from a trip to Middle Eastern and European capitals, and during a week that saw the two camps clash over which one had brought race into a campaign in which an Obama victory would make him the first African-American president.
I think only a very good showing in the debates or a massive screw up by Obama is going to save McCain going forward.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Nancy Grace Lawsuit Goes Forward
It seems that prosecutor type attack shows are going to have to change their tactics in light of this news.
CNN and Grace argued the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Melinda Duckett's family would "severely chill" journalists' coverage of missing-persons cases. But U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges on Thursday denied their motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
This should bring an end to reporters trying these cases in the court of public opinion instead of prosecutors and detectives actually trying to find the truth. The missing person in the Duckett case will never be found because Nancy Grace caused an important source of information to kill herself instead of helping police.
So hopefully a nice multi-million dollar judgement will be wrung out of CNN to prevent other attack shows from messing things up in the future.
CNN and Grace argued the wrongful death lawsuit brought by Melinda Duckett's family would "severely chill" journalists' coverage of missing-persons cases. But U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges on Thursday denied their motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
This should bring an end to reporters trying these cases in the court of public opinion instead of prosecutors and detectives actually trying to find the truth. The missing person in the Duckett case will never be found because Nancy Grace caused an important source of information to kill herself instead of helping police.
So hopefully a nice multi-million dollar judgement will be wrung out of CNN to prevent other attack shows from messing things up in the future.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Water Found on Mars
At last we have found the existence of water on Mars.
"We've seen evidence for this water ice before in observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter and in disappearing chunks observed by Phoenix last month, but this is the first time Martian water has been touched and tasted," he said, referring to the craft's instruments.
Now the next thing they need to find is signs of life.
"We've seen evidence for this water ice before in observations by the Mars Odyssey orbiter and in disappearing chunks observed by Phoenix last month, but this is the first time Martian water has been touched and tasted," he said, referring to the craft's instruments.
Now the next thing they need to find is signs of life.
Bush's Sweeping Intelligence Changes
It seems that the Bushies have slipped this gem past Congress and maybe even the press since it didn't seem like a big deal on CNN this morning.
Under the order, the director of national intelligence, Mike McConnell, will gain primary responsibility for developing relationships with foreign intelligence agencies that had been traditionally handled by the Central Intelligence Agency.
He would also assume a larger role in hiring and firing agency heads and overseeing the acquisition of new spy satellites and other expensive programs.
The Director of National Intelligence is a person that answers directly to the President. So if I read this correctly the executive branch just got the ability to "develop relationships" with other spy agencies from the CIA. I wonder if they get to look at that foreign government's secret info without having to go through the CIA first.
The DNI can also fire any agency head that displeases them so it puts the CIA on notice that their jobs would be on the line if they cross the President. The Director also gets to veto the purchase of spy satellites and other big ticket items that the CIA might like to buy. This move looks to me like the Bushies are getting revenge for that 2003 Iranian National Intelligence Estimate that put them at a diplomatic disadvantage at the nuclear talks.
Under the order, the director of national intelligence, Mike McConnell, will gain primary responsibility for developing relationships with foreign intelligence agencies that had been traditionally handled by the Central Intelligence Agency.
He would also assume a larger role in hiring and firing agency heads and overseeing the acquisition of new spy satellites and other expensive programs.
The Director of National Intelligence is a person that answers directly to the President. So if I read this correctly the executive branch just got the ability to "develop relationships" with other spy agencies from the CIA. I wonder if they get to look at that foreign government's secret info without having to go through the CIA first.
The DNI can also fire any agency head that displeases them so it puts the CIA on notice that their jobs would be on the line if they cross the President. The Director also gets to veto the purchase of spy satellites and other big ticket items that the CIA might like to buy. This move looks to me like the Bushies are getting revenge for that 2003 Iranian National Intelligence Estimate that put them at a diplomatic disadvantage at the nuclear talks.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Obama Went On a World Tour and All he got was this lousy T-Shirt
I guess the "Obamacon World Tour 2008" touring Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain didn't give him the kind of numbers he thought it would.
Obama led McCain 51 percent to 44 percent in the CNN/Opinion Research survey, the first national poll conducted entirely after his international campaign foray last week. He edged McCain 50 percent to 45 percent a month ago.
I guess the American people don't care too much about the World Tours and instead concentrate on the American tour dates. I wonder if the Obamacon 2008 Tour is going to play the Blaisdell Center when he comes to Hawaii?
Obama led McCain 51 percent to 44 percent in the CNN/Opinion Research survey, the first national poll conducted entirely after his international campaign foray last week. He edged McCain 50 percent to 45 percent a month ago.
I guess the American people don't care too much about the World Tours and instead concentrate on the American tour dates. I wonder if the Obamacon 2008 Tour is going to play the Blaisdell Center when he comes to Hawaii?
Visa Gets some Strong Number from Overseas
I guess foreigners like to use debit cards as much as we do.
International transaction fees, which are driven by cross-border payments volume, grew 44% over the prior year on a pro forma basis to $449 million, as we continued to benefit from higher multi-currency payments volumes across all regions during the fiscal third quarter. Other revenue, which includes the Visa Europe licensing fee, was $150 million during the fiscal third quarter, up 26% over the prior year on a pro forma basis. Volume and incentive payments, which are a contra revenue item, were $274 million for the fiscal third quarter.
International transaction fees, which are driven by cross-border payments volume, grew 44% over the prior year on a pro forma basis to $449 million, as we continued to benefit from higher multi-currency payments volumes across all regions during the fiscal third quarter. Other revenue, which includes the Visa Europe licensing fee, was $150 million during the fiscal third quarter, up 26% over the prior year on a pro forma basis. Volume and incentive payments, which are a contra revenue item, were $274 million for the fiscal third quarter.
Currently Approved Alzheimer's Drugs
This article talks about the currently approved Alzheimers drugs. I was thrown off by the fact that there are only 4 drugs that have been approved to try to stop something that is afflicting 26 million people. I expected there to be more for some reason.
Aricept is made by Pfizer, Razadyne is made by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics (part of Johnson and Johnsons mighty empire,) Exelon is made in a patch form by Novartis, and Namenda is made by Forest Labs. From reading their side effects most of these drugs sound like some nasty stuff. In any case I could easily see one of these companies going after Rember or TauRx just to keep their share of the market.
Aricept is made by Pfizer, Razadyne is made by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics (part of Johnson and Johnsons mighty empire,) Exelon is made in a patch form by Novartis, and Namenda is made by Forest Labs. From reading their side effects most of these drugs sound like some nasty stuff. In any case I could easily see one of these companies going after Rember or TauRx just to keep their share of the market.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Rember: New Alzheimer Drug that could be huge
The drug is called Rember and the company that is doing the research is called TauRx Therapeutics which is based in Singapore. It doesn't seem to be publicly traded but I bet they will be getting some serious venture capital out of this news.
I could also see someone like Wyeth or Elan picking up this company on the cheap after bapineuzumab failed on them. With a large company like Wyeth or Elan backing them TauRx would get big piles of money to work with. Here is more on what the drug does. If this drug does actually help with Alzheimer's (or just stops its progression) then I nominate Dr. Wischik and his team for the Nobel Prize for Medicine.
Previous research has shown that the buildup of brain lesions known as neurofibrillary tangles, which are composed of a short fragment of a protein called tau, is correlated with increasing levels of dementia symptoms. And, these tangles first appear in the brain long before symptoms of the disease become clinically apparent. Methylthioninium chloride (MTC, or brand name rember(TM)) has been shown in the test tube to dissolve tau tangle filaments and prevent aggregation of tau into tangles. MTC has also been shown to block the toxic effects of aggregated tau in cells. In animal models, MTC has demonstrated cognitive and behavioral benefits in line with reduced tau pathology.
In research reported at ICAD 2008, Claude M. Wischik, Professor in Mental Health, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom and Chairman, TauRx Therapeutics, Singapore, and colleagues conducted a 24-week, double-blind, randomized, dose-ranging, parallel design trial of MTC monotherapy in 321 people with Alzheimer's at 17 centers in the United Kingdom and Singapore, followed by a 60-week, blinded, active treatment extension. The control group received placebo for the initial 24 weeks and then a minimal efficacy dose subsequently. The primary objective was to investigate the effects of oral MTC at 30, 60 and 100 mg doses three times per day, compared with placebo, over 24 weeks on cognitive function as measured by the ADAS-cog in patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer's, stratified by stage of the disease. Another objective was to determine MTC's potential to modify the course of Alzheimer's over 19 months. Imaging results from SPECT and PET scans were collected at baseline and after 24 weeks of treatment.
I could also see someone like Wyeth or Elan picking up this company on the cheap after bapineuzumab failed on them. With a large company like Wyeth or Elan backing them TauRx would get big piles of money to work with. Here is more on what the drug does. If this drug does actually help with Alzheimer's (or just stops its progression) then I nominate Dr. Wischik and his team for the Nobel Prize for Medicine.
Previous research has shown that the buildup of brain lesions known as neurofibrillary tangles, which are composed of a short fragment of a protein called tau, is correlated with increasing levels of dementia symptoms. And, these tangles first appear in the brain long before symptoms of the disease become clinically apparent. Methylthioninium chloride (MTC, or brand name rember(TM)) has been shown in the test tube to dissolve tau tangle filaments and prevent aggregation of tau into tangles. MTC has also been shown to block the toxic effects of aggregated tau in cells. In animal models, MTC has demonstrated cognitive and behavioral benefits in line with reduced tau pathology.
In research reported at ICAD 2008, Claude M. Wischik, Professor in Mental Health, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom and Chairman, TauRx Therapeutics, Singapore, and colleagues conducted a 24-week, double-blind, randomized, dose-ranging, parallel design trial of MTC monotherapy in 321 people with Alzheimer's at 17 centers in the United Kingdom and Singapore, followed by a 60-week, blinded, active treatment extension. The control group received placebo for the initial 24 weeks and then a minimal efficacy dose subsequently. The primary objective was to investigate the effects of oral MTC at 30, 60 and 100 mg doses three times per day, compared with placebo, over 24 weeks on cognitive function as measured by the ADAS-cog in patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer's, stratified by stage of the disease. Another objective was to determine MTC's potential to modify the course of Alzheimer's over 19 months. Imaging results from SPECT and PET scans were collected at baseline and after 24 weeks of treatment.
Bapineuzumab Looks Like a Bust
At least that is according to a Phase 2 study by Elan and Wyeth.
Patients treated with bapineuzumab recorded a 2.3-point improvement over placebo on the ADAS-cog test, a measure of cognitive function. The result was not statistically significant. Likewise, bapineuzumab patients did not perform better on a functional endpoint, the Disability Assessment Scale for Dimentia.
The good news is if you don't have a a gene called ApoE4 then this drug might actually help you a little bit. A 5 point improvement on this test doesn't seem like a big improvement to me but I guess it is better then nothing.
In these non-carrier patients, treatment with bapineuzumab compared to placebo resulted in a statistically significant, five-point benefit in the ADAS-cog score. Other measures of cognition and function were also statistically significantly improved in favor of bapineuzumab.
Patients treated with bapineuzumab recorded a 2.3-point improvement over placebo on the ADAS-cog test, a measure of cognitive function. The result was not statistically significant. Likewise, bapineuzumab patients did not perform better on a functional endpoint, the Disability Assessment Scale for Dimentia.
The good news is if you don't have a a gene called ApoE4 then this drug might actually help you a little bit. A 5 point improvement on this test doesn't seem like a big improvement to me but I guess it is better then nothing.
In these non-carrier patients, treatment with bapineuzumab compared to placebo resulted in a statistically significant, five-point benefit in the ADAS-cog score. Other measures of cognition and function were also statistically significantly improved in favor of bapineuzumab.
Electronic Arts Misses on higher Expenses
It seems that EA had some trouble meeting the number this quarter.
Excluding charges, EA lost $135 million, or 42 cents a share, compared with a loss of $69 million, or 22 cents a share, a year ago.
Revenue rose 41% to $609 million from $431 million a year ago.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were expecting a loss of 34 cents a share on revenue of $639.8 million.
I figured they would come up short and it looks like NCAA Football and Madden 09 have been sliding in the pre-sell numbers as well. I think you could chalk this up to gamers not going through the pre-sell channel as much as they did before. There hasn't been a shortage of a big game for a pretty long time so I think gamers are just waiting for the game to come out and then going to Best Buy or Gamestop and pick it up.
I had no trouble getting GTA4 at Wal-Mart on the day after launch day. San Andreas was really tough to get on the first day but it seems that the newer games do not have this problem.
Excluding charges, EA lost $135 million, or 42 cents a share, compared with a loss of $69 million, or 22 cents a share, a year ago.
Revenue rose 41% to $609 million from $431 million a year ago.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were expecting a loss of 34 cents a share on revenue of $639.8 million.
I figured they would come up short and it looks like NCAA Football and Madden 09 have been sliding in the pre-sell numbers as well. I think you could chalk this up to gamers not going through the pre-sell channel as much as they did before. There hasn't been a shortage of a big game for a pretty long time so I think gamers are just waiting for the game to come out and then going to Best Buy or Gamestop and pick it up.
I had no trouble getting GTA4 at Wal-Mart on the day after launch day. San Andreas was really tough to get on the first day but it seems that the newer games do not have this problem.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Jimi Hendrix is on Guitar Hero World Tour
Now this game just went from a must buy to a preorder for me.
Activision has done an amazing job of locking up talent for its upcoming title. The biggest news was that Jimi Hendrix would be coming to the game, not only in song form but as an in-game model. A live version of "Purple Haze" as well as "The Wind Cries Mary" will ship with the title, with more exclusive Hendrix songs coming as downloadable content. This is huge; when you say the words "guitar hero," who comes to mind more readily than Hendrix?
If I can get All Along the Watchtower then this game will be complete for me. Plus it will also have Van Halen and the Eagles as well.
Activision has done an amazing job of locking up talent for its upcoming title. The biggest news was that Jimi Hendrix would be coming to the game, not only in song form but as an in-game model. A live version of "Purple Haze" as well as "The Wind Cries Mary" will ship with the title, with more exclusive Hendrix songs coming as downloadable content. This is huge; when you say the words "guitar hero," who comes to mind more readily than Hendrix?
If I can get All Along the Watchtower then this game will be complete for me. Plus it will also have Van Halen and the Eagles as well.
Tony Soprano With More Hair Might be Obama VP
It seems that Kasey Kahne err Virginia Governor Tim Kaine might be the frontrunner for the Obama VP spot.
The 50-year-old Virginia governor is among a handful of logical, and much-discussed, choices to join Obama on the campaign trail. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn and Delaware Senator Joe Biden are among others frequently mentioned.
He kind of looks like Tony Soprano but with more hair:
Kaine "is getting a critical examination," the source said.
The 50-year-old Virginia governor is among a handful of logical, and much-discussed, choices to join Obama on the campaign trail. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn and Delaware Senator Joe Biden are among others frequently mentioned.
He kind of looks like Tony Soprano but with more hair:
Obama Talks Tough About the Economy
It seems that Obama has shifted from the feel good tour of the world back to the economy which he threatens to wreck by raising taxes.
Obama said the economy needs both short- and long-term fixes, including another round of "stimulus" measures from Congress to revive the economy and a longer-term focus on renewable energy to curb high gas prices and on universal health care to trim costs. He said he would move "rapidly and vigorously" to respond.
I guess more stimulus checks would be welcomed by quite a few people. The renewable energy push should be good for starters but it depends on how much federal money is allocated to it.
I guess universal healthcare is what Obama thinks will save the economy? So basically we will pay to put private health insurers out of business (and kill 1000s of jobs) just to have the bloated government run the system. I bet Americans will really be up in arms when they are refused treatment or get rationed care if Obama's plan is anything like the British health plan.
Obama said the economy needs both short- and long-term fixes, including another round of "stimulus" measures from Congress to revive the economy and a longer-term focus on renewable energy to curb high gas prices and on universal health care to trim costs. He said he would move "rapidly and vigorously" to respond.
I guess more stimulus checks would be welcomed by quite a few people. The renewable energy push should be good for starters but it depends on how much federal money is allocated to it.
I guess universal healthcare is what Obama thinks will save the economy? So basically we will pay to put private health insurers out of business (and kill 1000s of jobs) just to have the bloated government run the system. I bet Americans will really be up in arms when they are refused treatment or get rationed care if Obama's plan is anything like the British health plan.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Senate Republicans Kill Oil Speculation Bill
At last they are drawing a line in the sand on something.
Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn promised a tough line on energy, daring the Democrats to defy the overwhelming will of the electorate on increased domestic oil production. The Democrats walked into the trap — and they may well find a way to lose a Congressional election that they had all but won this cycle. If they adjourn for a summer break without allowing Republicans an opportunity to begin the long-term process of increasing domestic production and lowering gas prices, voters will hear all about it for the next four months … and they’ll let Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi hear about it in November.
It seems that the GOP is going to try to get some form of drilling and allow us to use that oil shale added to these bills no matter what. I hope the GOP can add some nuclear reform to this thing as well so we can drop gas prices and protect our energy security at the same time.
I agree that the energy issue is a perfect way for the GOP to damage the Democrat chances come November. The idea of Dems and their crazy environmentalist friends making people pay $4 a gallon for gas might have some currency.
Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn promised a tough line on energy, daring the Democrats to defy the overwhelming will of the electorate on increased domestic oil production. The Democrats walked into the trap — and they may well find a way to lose a Congressional election that they had all but won this cycle. If they adjourn for a summer break without allowing Republicans an opportunity to begin the long-term process of increasing domestic production and lowering gas prices, voters will hear all about it for the next four months … and they’ll let Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi hear about it in November.
It seems that the GOP is going to try to get some form of drilling and allow us to use that oil shale added to these bills no matter what. I hope the GOP can add some nuclear reform to this thing as well so we can drop gas prices and protect our energy security at the same time.
I agree that the energy issue is a perfect way for the GOP to damage the Democrat chances come November. The idea of Dems and their crazy environmentalist friends making people pay $4 a gallon for gas might have some currency.
Oil Down Again: "Demand Destruction" is the Cause at Last
Finally "demand destruction" has come into the equation after so much crap was propping up oil prices. Now we won't see some threats from a Nigerian terrorist group moving oil prices back up $8 as the froth seems to have left the market.
Many analysts say the market's momentum points to further declines. Crude has fallen in seven of the last nine sessions, and is down more than 16 percent from its peak above $147 a barrel earlier this month.
"There's just nothing sufficiently bullish coming into the market right now to sustain a rally," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates. "We're just seeing a new theme in which demand has become a very important part of the equation."
Many analysts say the market's momentum points to further declines. Crude has fallen in seven of the last nine sessions, and is down more than 16 percent from its peak above $147 a barrel earlier this month.
"There's just nothing sufficiently bullish coming into the market right now to sustain a rally," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates. "We're just seeing a new theme in which demand has become a very important part of the equation."
Obama Looks Presidential while McCain Looks Ordinary
I think this world tour has cemented Obama's victory and only a huge gaff bigger then the "cling to the guns and religion thing" will lose it for him. Obama is writing the narrative astride the world like a colossus, with the MSM hanging on his every word, while McCain sits on his hands and seemingly does nothing. This is the narrative in a nutshell:
For the most part, the side-by-side images weren't pretty:
_Obama meeting with leaders in Iraq, McCain on a golf cart in Kennebunkport, Maine, with the first President Bush.
_Obama before a sweeping Mideast landscape, McCain holding a news conference in a supermarket in Bethlehem — Pennsylvania, that is — and narrowly escaping an attack from a tumbling stack of apple sauce jars.
_Obama delivering his trip's keynote speech at Berlin's Victory Column, McCain eating bratwurst and chatting with reporters at a German restaurant in Columbus, Ohio.
Yup you can picture the Daily Show sketch where they cut to Obama talking with Patraeus in a helicopter and McCain hitting a golf ball. Then you have Obama walking with Merkel and you have McCain eating a bratwurst. Finally you cut to Obama talking in front of a massive throng in Berlin and you have McCain talking in front of a small group of senior citizens in a supermarket.
Obama is just starting to actually look presidential while McCain looks like he is running for County Treasurer or something. McCain is blowing this election slowly but surely.
In fact McCain is finally getting around to the "audacity of hopelessness argument" that if Obama was President then Iraq would be a massive civil war zone that could have engulfed the Middle East while we ran for the exits. This argument would have been great if Obama was still in Iraq. There would have been some resonance to show Obama moving around Iraq while McCain is saying that the Iraqis are lucky that America didn't listen to Obama and abandon them while things were getting tough.
For the most part, the side-by-side images weren't pretty:
_Obama meeting with leaders in Iraq, McCain on a golf cart in Kennebunkport, Maine, with the first President Bush.
_Obama before a sweeping Mideast landscape, McCain holding a news conference in a supermarket in Bethlehem — Pennsylvania, that is — and narrowly escaping an attack from a tumbling stack of apple sauce jars.
_Obama delivering his trip's keynote speech at Berlin's Victory Column, McCain eating bratwurst and chatting with reporters at a German restaurant in Columbus, Ohio.
Yup you can picture the Daily Show sketch where they cut to Obama talking with Patraeus in a helicopter and McCain hitting a golf ball. Then you have Obama walking with Merkel and you have McCain eating a bratwurst. Finally you cut to Obama talking in front of a massive throng in Berlin and you have McCain talking in front of a small group of senior citizens in a supermarket.
Obama is just starting to actually look presidential while McCain looks like he is running for County Treasurer or something. McCain is blowing this election slowly but surely.
In fact McCain is finally getting around to the "audacity of hopelessness argument" that if Obama was President then Iraq would be a massive civil war zone that could have engulfed the Middle East while we ran for the exits. This argument would have been great if Obama was still in Iraq. There would have been some resonance to show Obama moving around Iraq while McCain is saying that the Iraqis are lucky that America didn't listen to Obama and abandon them while things were getting tough.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
This is Why Obama Has it Won
This picture was taken in Germany in front of the Victory Column (Siegessaeule) in Berlin. These are the same Europeans that were (and probably still are) hating America just a few short years ago. Now they are waving our flag for one of our candidates who hasn't even won the Presidency yet. Obama has it sewed up. Time to Obama-proof your portfolio.
The World is Beating America in the Power Race
Plus the rest of the world seems to understand that they have to grow their power supply but cannot rely on alternative energy alone to do it.
The rest of the world knows that green sources of energy are inadequate to keep their people out of poverty. That is why around the world, from Europe to South America to Asia, countries are building coal and nuclear power plants at a dizzying pace while also drilling for oil wherever they can find it. Meanwhile, the United States, crippled by an out-of-control environmental movement, is refusing to develop needed energy sources.
This part is something that every American needs to know backward and forward so there won't be anymore environmental scare tactics regarding nuclear power. Nuclear energy is the only way we can get enough electricity while avoiding global warming at the same time.
The United States has not built a nuclear power plant in 30 years. While there are 30 plants currently being planned, all are tied up in the arcane permitting process the environmentalist left has created. None of the projects has started construction. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is embracing nuclear power. France already gets 80% of its electricity from nuclear power. Japan has six nuclear plants under construction and another six planned. India also has six under construction and another 19 planned. China has seven under construction and another 85 planned.
The rest of the world knows that green sources of energy are inadequate to keep their people out of poverty. That is why around the world, from Europe to South America to Asia, countries are building coal and nuclear power plants at a dizzying pace while also drilling for oil wherever they can find it. Meanwhile, the United States, crippled by an out-of-control environmental movement, is refusing to develop needed energy sources.
This part is something that every American needs to know backward and forward so there won't be anymore environmental scare tactics regarding nuclear power. Nuclear energy is the only way we can get enough electricity while avoiding global warming at the same time.
The United States has not built a nuclear power plant in 30 years. While there are 30 plants currently being planned, all are tied up in the arcane permitting process the environmentalist left has created. None of the projects has started construction. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is embracing nuclear power. France already gets 80% of its electricity from nuclear power. Japan has six nuclear plants under construction and another six planned. India also has six under construction and another 19 planned. China has seven under construction and another 85 planned.
Are the Democrats Now the Party of the Rich?
At least it is starting to seem so according to this article by the Heritage Foundation.
More important, though, is whether Obama's remarks reflect the emerging demographic transformation of the Democratic party from a bottom-up "party of the people" into a holding pen for all sorts of economic and educational elites. One way to test this is to look at who has been making presidential campaign contributions during the 2008 election cycle. Thanks to the way the Federal Election Commission collects this data, we can sort contributions according to a donor's occupation or employer.
We are already seeing this tendency for the Dems to go for the rich in the housing bailout. The Housing Bailout Bill will let Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy mortgages of up to $625,000 in high-cost areas such as South Florida, California and the Northeast, which is up from $417,000. A person with a $625,000 home is probably in that elite category mentioned above. I wonder if some of Obama's economic plans will be softened by these new rich backers?
More important, though, is whether Obama's remarks reflect the emerging demographic transformation of the Democratic party from a bottom-up "party of the people" into a holding pen for all sorts of economic and educational elites. One way to test this is to look at who has been making presidential campaign contributions during the 2008 election cycle. Thanks to the way the Federal Election Commission collects this data, we can sort contributions according to a donor's occupation or employer.
We are already seeing this tendency for the Dems to go for the rich in the housing bailout. The Housing Bailout Bill will let Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy mortgages of up to $625,000 in high-cost areas such as South Florida, California and the Northeast, which is up from $417,000. A person with a $625,000 home is probably in that elite category mentioned above. I wonder if some of Obama's economic plans will be softened by these new rich backers?
This is What Happens When Liberals Rule San Francisco
I think this is case-in-point why people don't trust liberals when it comes to law and order.
The scene repeats itself daily on city streets: a driver gets stuck bumper to bumper, blocking an intersection and preventing another car from turning left.
But authorities say that was enough to cause Edwin Ramos to unload an AK-47 assault weapon on a man and his two sons, killing them.
The deaths immediately drew public outrage, which intensified when authorities revealed that Ramos, 21, is an illegal immigrant who managed to avoid deportation despite previous brushes with the law.
So it would be cut and dried to think this guy would have been deported after he committed even one other crime but he was allowed to walk free. And a father and two sons were mowed down with an AK-47 (which I bet was unlicensed so San Fran. gun laws were worthless) simply because they blocked an intersection. It doesn't matter if he was a illegal immigrant or not you would think a person that committed such a terrible act would be up for the death penalty right? Wrong.
The heinousness of the deaths has put pressure on San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to seek the death penalty against Ramos. Harris, who campaigned on an anti-death penalty platform and has never pursued capital punishment during her more than four years in office, has declined to say exactly how she intends to proceed.
"This case has been charged as a special circumstance case," making it eligible for the death penalty, spokeswoman Erica Derryck said. "No additional announcement has been made about this aspect of the charging."
So the taxpayers may have to feed, clothe, and house this psychopath for up to 60 years or more because the DA doesn't want him put to death. And liberals seriously want to lead when it comes to law and order? An illegal immigrant can commit 2 felonies and murder a family in cold blood and he will become a resident of the US for the rest of his life? The sad part is that these people might be running the country come next January.
The scene repeats itself daily on city streets: a driver gets stuck bumper to bumper, blocking an intersection and preventing another car from turning left.
But authorities say that was enough to cause Edwin Ramos to unload an AK-47 assault weapon on a man and his two sons, killing them.
The deaths immediately drew public outrage, which intensified when authorities revealed that Ramos, 21, is an illegal immigrant who managed to avoid deportation despite previous brushes with the law.
So it would be cut and dried to think this guy would have been deported after he committed even one other crime but he was allowed to walk free. And a father and two sons were mowed down with an AK-47 (which I bet was unlicensed so San Fran. gun laws were worthless) simply because they blocked an intersection. It doesn't matter if he was a illegal immigrant or not you would think a person that committed such a terrible act would be up for the death penalty right? Wrong.
The heinousness of the deaths has put pressure on San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to seek the death penalty against Ramos. Harris, who campaigned on an anti-death penalty platform and has never pursued capital punishment during her more than four years in office, has declined to say exactly how she intends to proceed.
"This case has been charged as a special circumstance case," making it eligible for the death penalty, spokeswoman Erica Derryck said. "No additional announcement has been made about this aspect of the charging."
So the taxpayers may have to feed, clothe, and house this psychopath for up to 60 years or more because the DA doesn't want him put to death. And liberals seriously want to lead when it comes to law and order? An illegal immigrant can commit 2 felonies and murder a family in cold blood and he will become a resident of the US for the rest of his life? The sad part is that these people might be running the country come next January.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
More Into About Why we Are NOT in a Recession
As I have said many times before we are not even close to a depression and this article is even more proof.
The paradoxical thing about today's economy is its strength. No kidding. Consider all the hand grenades lobbed at it. Higher oil prices. The housing implosion. Large layoffs in affected industries: autos, airlines, construction, mortgage banking. The "credit squeeze" triggered by losses on "subprime" mortgages. Despite all that, the economy hasn't collapsed. It's merely weakened. Output in the first quarter of 2008 was actually 2.5 percent higher than a year earlier.
I would be willing to bet you that even if things get really bad in Obama 1st Term we will get all sorts of rosy predicitions of a recovery "just around the corner." I would be shocked if we even see one mention of a recession or depression in the next 4 years.
We may even get some op-eds about how Americans upon facing tough times and perserverering. I bet the media will make it seem fashionable to save money and start living within their means. There might even be a backlash against conspicuous consumption. Which are all great ideas.
I keep thinking how an Obama America would play out and there are some positives. If he improves the national mood and makes Americans proud of themselves again I think it might just outweigh the negatives. That is as long as I am either all in cash and heavily short the market.
The paradoxical thing about today's economy is its strength. No kidding. Consider all the hand grenades lobbed at it. Higher oil prices. The housing implosion. Large layoffs in affected industries: autos, airlines, construction, mortgage banking. The "credit squeeze" triggered by losses on "subprime" mortgages. Despite all that, the economy hasn't collapsed. It's merely weakened. Output in the first quarter of 2008 was actually 2.5 percent higher than a year earlier.
I would be willing to bet you that even if things get really bad in Obama 1st Term we will get all sorts of rosy predicitions of a recovery "just around the corner." I would be shocked if we even see one mention of a recession or depression in the next 4 years.
We may even get some op-eds about how Americans upon facing tough times and perserverering. I bet the media will make it seem fashionable to save money and start living within their means. There might even be a backlash against conspicuous consumption. Which are all great ideas.
I keep thinking how an Obama America would play out and there are some positives. If he improves the national mood and makes Americans proud of themselves again I think it might just outweigh the negatives. That is as long as I am either all in cash and heavily short the market.
WWE Diva Marlena (Terri Runnels) to Give Away House in Contest
At least this is one way of getting rid of your property if the home market in your area is getting beaten down.
That focus is what led her to create "Make the World Write," a national essay contest whose winner will win $100,000, as well as Runnels' personal home in Gainesville, Fla. That certainly an admirable prize in any situation, but what makes it more unique is how Runnels is trying to navigate the worsening housing market and economy.
"The reason I came up with this," says Runnels, "is because I was going to sell my house ... and the market is horrible."
I guess Terri Runnels gets a big tax writeoff for giving her house away in this contest. I'm not sure about Florida law so hopefully she has consulted a tax lawyer before she did this. I think this is a great idea because it gives a person the chance to live in a nice house in Florida and an extra $100,000 to help pay for property taxes. It is just a real wi-win. Who said these WWE Divas are dumb?
That focus is what led her to create "Make the World Write," a national essay contest whose winner will win $100,000, as well as Runnels' personal home in Gainesville, Fla. That certainly an admirable prize in any situation, but what makes it more unique is how Runnels is trying to navigate the worsening housing market and economy.
"The reason I came up with this," says Runnels, "is because I was going to sell my house ... and the market is horrible."
I guess Terri Runnels gets a big tax writeoff for giving her house away in this contest. I'm not sure about Florida law so hopefully she has consulted a tax lawyer before she did this. I think this is a great idea because it gives a person the chance to live in a nice house in Florida and an extra $100,000 to help pay for property taxes. It is just a real wi-win. Who said these WWE Divas are dumb?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Subprime Crisis has a Racial Overtone
Hmm it seems that quite a few of these subprime loans have gone to blacks and Hispanics.
Subprime loans – loans made to homebuyers with less-than-perfect credit – were responsible for a large share of the foreclosures that started last year. And minorities received a hefty share of those loans. Just over half of African-Americans and 4 in 10 Hispanics who got a mortgage in 2006 had a subprime loan, according to a 2007 analysis by the Center for Responsible Lending.
I wonder if this was a case of the Subprime lenders catering to the market or did they simply dupe these minorities into signing these loans? I guess it is how you look at it.
"The difficulties have been concentrated in 'subprime' loans, which generally go to borrowers with limited or damaged credit, although there is evidence that some borrowers are shifted into the subprime category because they are African-American or Hispanic," said Rep. Barney Frank (D) of Massachusetts, who chairs the House Financial Services Committee, in a statement last week.
It seems that some lenders might have gone after certain types of unsophisticated borrowers. It just seems so condescending to think that all of these minorities were duped by a bunch of pinstriped bankers. I guess there just weren't enough Hispanics and Blacks saying "how much is this going to cost me if interest rates change?"
That is why Congress needs to set aside some of that money to make a Money 101 class a required course to pass High School. I don't think the problem would have been so widespread if people sat down and analysed what they had to pay through the life of the loans. If there was proper budgeting and thought going into what how rising interest rates would affected the most important asset that most people will ever have.
Subprime loans – loans made to homebuyers with less-than-perfect credit – were responsible for a large share of the foreclosures that started last year. And minorities received a hefty share of those loans. Just over half of African-Americans and 4 in 10 Hispanics who got a mortgage in 2006 had a subprime loan, according to a 2007 analysis by the Center for Responsible Lending.
I wonder if this was a case of the Subprime lenders catering to the market or did they simply dupe these minorities into signing these loans? I guess it is how you look at it.
"The difficulties have been concentrated in 'subprime' loans, which generally go to borrowers with limited or damaged credit, although there is evidence that some borrowers are shifted into the subprime category because they are African-American or Hispanic," said Rep. Barney Frank (D) of Massachusetts, who chairs the House Financial Services Committee, in a statement last week.
It seems that some lenders might have gone after certain types of unsophisticated borrowers. It just seems so condescending to think that all of these minorities were duped by a bunch of pinstriped bankers. I guess there just weren't enough Hispanics and Blacks saying "how much is this going to cost me if interest rates change?"
That is why Congress needs to set aside some of that money to make a Money 101 class a required course to pass High School. I don't think the problem would have been so widespread if people sat down and analysed what they had to pay through the life of the loans. If there was proper budgeting and thought going into what how rising interest rates would affected the most important asset that most people will ever have.
Congress vs. the Oil Speculators
It seems that Congress is finally going to crack down on excessive speculation in the oil market now that oil is finally starting to fall.
It would provide more resources and authority to the Commodities Futures Trading Commission to detect and punish speculation, stop speculators from using foreign markets to manipulate the price of oil in the United States, require more transparency in oil markets and limit the trading of market players who do not intend to take delivery of the oil they purchase.
In particular, the bill will give the CFTC greater power to regulate the "swap" market for futures and differentiate between "legitimate" and "illegitimate" hedge trading that, the Democrats say, has lead to increased prices.
I wonder how much they are limiting "legitimate" hedge trading to people that are going to take the actual delivery of oil? That would seem to make the market less liquid because there are far less players who would have access to the market. In this case we might see bigger price swings since there aren't as many traders that would be able to soften the ups and downs.
Hopefully this legislation will prevent pension funds from using their vast resources to chase after returns in the commodity markets. We may actually see oil come down to below $100 if there isn't a war with Iran or any hurricanes stopping supply in the Gulf of Mexico.
It would provide more resources and authority to the Commodities Futures Trading Commission to detect and punish speculation, stop speculators from using foreign markets to manipulate the price of oil in the United States, require more transparency in oil markets and limit the trading of market players who do not intend to take delivery of the oil they purchase.
In particular, the bill will give the CFTC greater power to regulate the "swap" market for futures and differentiate between "legitimate" and "illegitimate" hedge trading that, the Democrats say, has lead to increased prices.
I wonder how much they are limiting "legitimate" hedge trading to people that are going to take the actual delivery of oil? That would seem to make the market less liquid because there are far less players who would have access to the market. In this case we might see bigger price swings since there aren't as many traders that would be able to soften the ups and downs.
Hopefully this legislation will prevent pension funds from using their vast resources to chase after returns in the commodity markets. We may actually see oil come down to below $100 if there isn't a war with Iran or any hurricanes stopping supply in the Gulf of Mexico.
Obama to Leave 50,000 Troops in Iraq by 2010
It seems that Obama is tacking further and further to the center everyday.
In Iraq , Obama won a tacit Iraqi endorsement of a plan to withdraw U.S. combat troops in 2010, but he also said that he backs leaving a residual force in Iraq to help train military personnel, provide security for U.S. interests and thwart terrorist threats. The residual force might total up to 50,000 troops, his campaign advisers have told reporters.
Maybe Petraeus talked some sense into him and Obama can't just repeat the same tired far-left rhetoric of pulling every troop out by last March without putting facts into the equation. A force of 50,000 backing up the Iraqis allows us to have a presence in the area if things start to go south. I would think the Iraqis would agree to such a force if things are still quiet in 2010.
It would be like the Vietnamization policy in the Vietnam War but without having to contend with a hostile power to the immediate north of the country backed by Communist Superpowers.
There is a hostile power to the east but nothing like North Vietnam.
I mean honestly do we need so many troops in country on a permanent basis if things stay quiet like this? I am really hoping that these moves to the center by Obama are sincere and not just calculated to win the Presidency. If it were Hillary these moves would be suspect but I'm still not sure what to make of Obama.
In Iraq , Obama won a tacit Iraqi endorsement of a plan to withdraw U.S. combat troops in 2010, but he also said that he backs leaving a residual force in Iraq to help train military personnel, provide security for U.S. interests and thwart terrorist threats. The residual force might total up to 50,000 troops, his campaign advisers have told reporters.
Maybe Petraeus talked some sense into him and Obama can't just repeat the same tired far-left rhetoric of pulling every troop out by last March without putting facts into the equation. A force of 50,000 backing up the Iraqis allows us to have a presence in the area if things start to go south. I would think the Iraqis would agree to such a force if things are still quiet in 2010.
It would be like the Vietnamization policy in the Vietnam War but without having to contend with a hostile power to the immediate north of the country backed by Communist Superpowers.
There is a hostile power to the east but nothing like North Vietnam.
I mean honestly do we need so many troops in country on a permanent basis if things stay quiet like this? I am really hoping that these moves to the center by Obama are sincere and not just calculated to win the Presidency. If it were Hillary these moves would be suspect but I'm still not sure what to make of Obama.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Consumers are Changing: Hopefully for the Better
It seems we may actually have some frugal Americans now that there is so much food and fuel inflation out there.
Every economic downturn changes shoppers in some way. But this time, experts say the new behavior — fueled by higher gas and food prices, tightening credit and a slumping housing market — are the most dramatic and widespread that they have seen since the mid-1970s.
So retailers, marketers and investors are all trying to figure out which habits shoppers will keep and which will they drop when the economy recovers. Will the people who switched to store-brand ice cream go back to Breyers or Edy's? Will shoppers return to department stores or keep looking for labels at T.J. Maxx?
Perhaps Americans are finally understanding that they are spending lots of money they don't have on junk they don't need. They could be finally waking up to the fact that they are causing alot of the worlds problems by driving a huge car and wasting too much electricity heating their giant McMansion.
I mean if Americans took the lead in living a frugal life instead of consuming so many of the worlds resources maybe the rest of the world will follow suit. It isn't our God-given right to drive a massive gas guzzling SUV or a Full Sized Truck to eat a huge pile of food at Dennys. Maybe people are making due with less and are actually liking how they are feeling when they do it. I mean saving lots of money or getting a good deal has always given me a great feeling of accomplishment.
I think someone should start a "Live Within Your Means Movement" where people make due with only the essentials in life like nourishing food, adequate transportation, decent shelter, enough clothes to make due, and enough distractions so they don't freak out. All the rest can be saved for a rainy day or passed on to someone who needs it more. The person who can do the most good with the least amount wins some kind of award.
Now all we need to do is get rid of the My Sweet 16, the Hills, and the Do-Nothings of Orange County fetishization of wealth. This so-called "wealth porn" just shows how badly Americans can waste money on frivolous crap instead of using it to do some good. I think the nasty, dumb, and wasteful Americans depicted on these shows is one of the reasons why Al-Quida wants to kill us.
So I hope this slowdown makes some teenagers say "the money from that brats Sweet 16 party they could have fed 10,000 kids" instead of saying "I wish my party could be be like that." It would be nice for people to think of a trophy wife in Orange County as a pathetic drain on the worlds resources instead of something they need to emulate.
Every economic downturn changes shoppers in some way. But this time, experts say the new behavior — fueled by higher gas and food prices, tightening credit and a slumping housing market — are the most dramatic and widespread that they have seen since the mid-1970s.
So retailers, marketers and investors are all trying to figure out which habits shoppers will keep and which will they drop when the economy recovers. Will the people who switched to store-brand ice cream go back to Breyers or Edy's? Will shoppers return to department stores or keep looking for labels at T.J. Maxx?
Perhaps Americans are finally understanding that they are spending lots of money they don't have on junk they don't need. They could be finally waking up to the fact that they are causing alot of the worlds problems by driving a huge car and wasting too much electricity heating their giant McMansion.
I mean if Americans took the lead in living a frugal life instead of consuming so many of the worlds resources maybe the rest of the world will follow suit. It isn't our God-given right to drive a massive gas guzzling SUV or a Full Sized Truck to eat a huge pile of food at Dennys. Maybe people are making due with less and are actually liking how they are feeling when they do it. I mean saving lots of money or getting a good deal has always given me a great feeling of accomplishment.
I think someone should start a "Live Within Your Means Movement" where people make due with only the essentials in life like nourishing food, adequate transportation, decent shelter, enough clothes to make due, and enough distractions so they don't freak out. All the rest can be saved for a rainy day or passed on to someone who needs it more. The person who can do the most good with the least amount wins some kind of award.
Now all we need to do is get rid of the My Sweet 16, the Hills, and the Do-Nothings of Orange County fetishization of wealth. This so-called "wealth porn" just shows how badly Americans can waste money on frivolous crap instead of using it to do some good. I think the nasty, dumb, and wasteful Americans depicted on these shows is one of the reasons why Al-Quida wants to kill us.
So I hope this slowdown makes some teenagers say "the money from that brats Sweet 16 party they could have fed 10,000 kids" instead of saying "I wish my party could be be like that." It would be nice for people to think of a trophy wife in Orange County as a pathetic drain on the worlds resources instead of something they need to emulate.
Newspapers Slowly Dying: Some Suggestions
Hmm I wonder if the newspaper industry is going to pull out of its death spiral or will it go the way of the buggy whip?
Newspapers have strong brand names, but their websites continue to capture only a small portion of the revenue lost by the decline in print advertising. Even classified advertising, once a huge moneymaker for newspapers, has evaporated as advertisers go online and everyone flocks to Craigslist. Auto and real estate, hammered by the current tough times, are also moving online.
I wonder if they could stop their precipitous drop by simply shutting down the printing presses and going 100% digital? They could offer an online subscription so you would be able to access the content similar to what the Wall Street Journal does. I mean quite a few people are switching to the online version of the Journal because it is very convenient and pretty much has the same thing that the print version has.
Or you could provide a service where you pay $20 and get access to like 5 different daily papers and you can search all content in the paper perhaps going back to their first issue. The only thing that I read in the Honolulu Advertiser is the Letters to the Editor and I would be willing to put that into a package of 5 papers along with the New York Post, Washington Post, the Star Bulletin, and maybe the New York Daily News. I, however, refuse to have a bunch of physical newspapers pile up in front of my door.
Also several papers could band together and form a pay version of Craigslist. Currently the only problem I see with Craigslist is that there seems to be lots of spam mixed in with the good stuff. This All-In-One-Classified service (or they could just buy out Craigslist so they don't have to build their own thing) would check the content to make sure it isn't spam and deliver up useful daily ads. I would be willing to bet that people would pay pretty well in order to reach the readers of 5 different nation-wide dailies with strong brand names. The companies would then share the earnings similar to how the banks share Visa's earnings.
I think the idea of a printed paper delivered to a persons home will not last more than 10 years in its present form. The newspaper industry is simply too expensive and its revenues are shrinking too fast for it to be a viable business in its current form. The newspaper industry is now similar to typewriter industry. It has been replaced by something that is much easier and more accessible.
If there are no changes in the industry then I think the only papers left will be billionaires private trophy papers (so the New York Times will live on) that don't have to worry about costs. Their owners will think of them in the same way that they think of sports teams, massive yachts, and thoroughbred horses. Printed newspaper companies will become something to brag about and will never need to turn a profit again. Perhaps when this happens it will usher in a second golden age of journalism. These papers will not have to worry about costs and cutbacks so they could really make their art shine.
Newspapers have strong brand names, but their websites continue to capture only a small portion of the revenue lost by the decline in print advertising. Even classified advertising, once a huge moneymaker for newspapers, has evaporated as advertisers go online and everyone flocks to Craigslist. Auto and real estate, hammered by the current tough times, are also moving online.
I wonder if they could stop their precipitous drop by simply shutting down the printing presses and going 100% digital? They could offer an online subscription so you would be able to access the content similar to what the Wall Street Journal does. I mean quite a few people are switching to the online version of the Journal because it is very convenient and pretty much has the same thing that the print version has.
Or you could provide a service where you pay $20 and get access to like 5 different daily papers and you can search all content in the paper perhaps going back to their first issue. The only thing that I read in the Honolulu Advertiser is the Letters to the Editor and I would be willing to put that into a package of 5 papers along with the New York Post, Washington Post, the Star Bulletin, and maybe the New York Daily News. I, however, refuse to have a bunch of physical newspapers pile up in front of my door.
Also several papers could band together and form a pay version of Craigslist. Currently the only problem I see with Craigslist is that there seems to be lots of spam mixed in with the good stuff. This All-In-One-Classified service (or they could just buy out Craigslist so they don't have to build their own thing) would check the content to make sure it isn't spam and deliver up useful daily ads. I would be willing to bet that people would pay pretty well in order to reach the readers of 5 different nation-wide dailies with strong brand names. The companies would then share the earnings similar to how the banks share Visa's earnings.
I think the idea of a printed paper delivered to a persons home will not last more than 10 years in its present form. The newspaper industry is simply too expensive and its revenues are shrinking too fast for it to be a viable business in its current form. The newspaper industry is now similar to typewriter industry. It has been replaced by something that is much easier and more accessible.
If there are no changes in the industry then I think the only papers left will be billionaires private trophy papers (so the New York Times will live on) that don't have to worry about costs. Their owners will think of them in the same way that they think of sports teams, massive yachts, and thoroughbred horses. Printed newspaper companies will become something to brag about and will never need to turn a profit again. Perhaps when this happens it will usher in a second golden age of journalism. These papers will not have to worry about costs and cutbacks so they could really make their art shine.
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