Wait I thought all this crap was to bend the cost-curve down. Instead this is what will happen.
A new report from government economic analysts at the Health and Human Services Department found that the nation's $2.5 trillion annual health care tab won't shrink under the Democratic blueprint that senators are debating. Instead, it would grow somewhat more rapidly than if Congress does nothing.
So we will all end up paying more then if the Senate did nothing? But wait I thought draconian cuts in Medicare was going to pay for this Trillion dollar tab?
More troubling was the report's assessment that the Democrats' plan to squeeze Medicare for $493 billion over 10 years in savings relies on specific policy changes that "may be unrealistic" and could lead to cuts in services. The Medicare savings are expected to cover about half the nearly $1 trillion, 10-year cost of expanding coverage to the uninsured.
Well at least there is long-term care insurance run by the very best the government has to offer:
In still more bad news, the report starkly warned that a new long-term care insurance plan included in the legislation could "face a significant risk of failure" because it would attract people in poor health, leading to higher and higher premiums, and eventually triggering an "insurance death spiral."
Finally, some good news:
The one bright note: The bill would provide coverage to 93 percent of Americans, reducing the number of uninsured people by about 33 million, the report said.
So let me get this strait. This bill will not cover "all Americans that need health care insurance" it will make America's health care tab go up, and seniors may get a cut in their care if they are on Medicare. Wow, Harry Reid is a genius! He succeeded in making every one of the things that Obama promised in his "health care epistle to the Congress" look like lies. Now they are rushing to finish it by Christmas. Now that is a gift that no one wants.
Friday, December 11, 2009
UN Thugs Threaten Journalist at Climate Conference
Ah, the famous free speech practiced in Denmark. This journalist and filmmaker Phelim McAleer tried to ask a Climate Scientist Stephen Schneider some questions about ClimateGate at a press conference and this is what happened:
“These questions should be answered. The attempts by UN officials and Professor Schneider’s assistant to remove my microphone were hamfisted but events took a more sinister turn when they called an armed UN security officer to silence a journalist.”
Two officers corralled the film crew and one officer can be seen on tape threatening the cameraman. The Guard can also be heard warning that if the crew did not stop filming their would seize the equipment and the journalists expelled from the conference.
I mean this filmmaker is a "denier" so he should be threatened by UN security goons. Doesn't he care about Polar Bears and making Gore a billionaire? They should have pistol whipped him and smashed his camera! Maybe apply a little waterboarding with melted polar ice to get him to confess for his crimes against the climate!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Obama's Nobel Prize Speech Masterful
I hope the Obama U.S. Apology tour is officially over. This speech could have easily been given by Truman, FDR, Reagan or even Bush. I especially liked this line:
Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans. We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will. We have done so out of enlightened self-interest — because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other people's children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.
Also we may get a sense of an Obama doctrine as well:
I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: Evil does exist in the world. A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaidas leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism — it is a recognition of history, the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.
The idea of the so-called "necessary war" might be an artifact of this speech. It is also good to hear a liberal actually say evil does exist in the world and that nonviolent movements cannot always succeed.
I hope this rejects all that stuff about if we just negotiate enough and turn the other cheek enough the evil people in the world will be cowed. Some of the far left think if we run away and back off enough times everyone will live in peace.
Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans. We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will. We have done so out of enlightened self-interest — because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other people's children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.
Also we may get a sense of an Obama doctrine as well:
I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: Evil does exist in the world. A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaidas leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism — it is a recognition of history, the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.
The idea of the so-called "necessary war" might be an artifact of this speech. It is also good to hear a liberal actually say evil does exist in the world and that nonviolent movements cannot always succeed.
I hope this rejects all that stuff about if we just negotiate enough and turn the other cheek enough the evil people in the world will be cowed. Some of the far left think if we run away and back off enough times everyone will live in peace.
Video Game Sales Dissapoint
It seems that the recession is still doing a number on video games. You figure that there would be a modest upturn once Modern Warfare 2 came out but I guess not. Other than Assassins Creed 2 there really wasn't anything worth buying in November.
According to data released by the NPD Group late Thursday, sales of video-game software in the United States slipped 3.1% during the month compared with the same period a year ago.
Most analysts were anticipating a mild gain for the month, which was expected to be a rare bright spot in what has otherwise been a disappointing year for the sector. Game makers have had to contend with a slumping economy, high console prices and a general lack of hits -- as well as a slowdown in previously popular genres such as music.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Iranian Democracy? No That is Not an Oxymoron
Holy crap, the Mullah's better watch their back because the "Green Revolution" might just sweep them out of power.
The slogans of the protestors are no longer about election fraud. Today they include "Death to the Dictator," "Freedom Now," and "Iranian Republic, Not Islamic Republic!" One slogan is a direct message to President Barack Obama: "Obama, Are You With Us or With Them?"
In short, the protestors no longer regard the present regime as the legitimate government of the country.
Hmm, I think Obama should make a real gamble and throw in 100% with these protestors. I mean worse case scenario is you have Iranian officials stone-walling you on Iranian nukes (as if they weren't already) and best case scenario is the government falls and an Iranian democracy agrees to nuclear terms. Bush pacified and enemy by force and Obama would pacify an enemy with words. Now that would be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.
The slogans of the protestors are no longer about election fraud. Today they include "Death to the Dictator," "Freedom Now," and "Iranian Republic, Not Islamic Republic!" One slogan is a direct message to President Barack Obama: "Obama, Are You With Us or With Them?"
In short, the protestors no longer regard the present regime as the legitimate government of the country.
Hmm, I think Obama should make a real gamble and throw in 100% with these protestors. I mean worse case scenario is you have Iranian officials stone-walling you on Iranian nukes (as if they weren't already) and best case scenario is the government falls and an Iranian democracy agrees to nuclear terms. Bush pacified and enemy by force and Obama would pacify an enemy with words. Now that would be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.
The New American Dream: Walk Away From your Home and Rent
Ugh, now this is a new way to game the system from people that are underwater in their home.
Schoolteacher Shana Richey misses the playroom she decorated with Glamour Girl decals for her daughters. Fireman Jay Fernandez misses the custom putting green he installed in his backyard.
Schoolteacher Shana Richey misses the playroom she decorated with Glamour Girl decals for her daughters. Fireman Jay Fernandez misses the custom putting green he installed in his backyard.
But ever since they quit paying their mortgages and walked away from their homes, they've discovered that giving up on the American dream has its benefits.
Both now live on the 3100 block of Club Rancho Drive in Palmdale, where a terrible housing market lets them rent luxurious homes -- one with a pool for the kids, the other with a golf-course view -- for a fraction of their former monthly payments.
Yup they walked away from $4000+ mortgages and signed up for luxury homes that rent for $2200. They don't pay homeowners insurance, property tax, or upkeep on the homes and they still get to live in a luxury home. This is all at the taxpayers expense as well.
One part of me thinks this is repulsive to walk away from your debts like this. But another part of me thinks this may actually be good for the economy in the long run. I mean these people are taking the savings from the amount they should be paying for a mortgage and spending it instead thus stimulating the economy right now. They also won't be laying on double and triple home equity loans or other nonsense and getting deeper in debt.
They might even be living within their means and might hopefully build up an emergency fund and also fully funding their 401Ks. Or they could be blowing their money on LCD TVs and stupid crap but at least they won't have the ticking time bomb of debt hanging over their head. They are also probably much less likely to buy a home in the future. Which means one less person that is not cut out for home ownership is out of the market.
Al Gore Has Trouble Telling Time
It seems that Al Gore is just a moron when it comes to any kind of science and should just be ignored when it comes to this stuff.
Despite the fact that some of the 10 year old emails discussed important issues like the 2001 IPCC report and what made it into it…the most recent emails in Climategate were from November 2009. Last month, this year, earth time.
Also this email about there being no warming as a travesty was from October 12, 2009:
The fact is that we can't account for the lack of warming at the moment and it is a
travesty that we can't. The CERES data published in the August BAMS 09 supplement on 2008 shows there should be even more warming: but the data are surely wrong. Our observing system is inadequate.
So Al Gore just picks a play right out of the Clinton playbook. Deny, deny, deny, It's old news. Seems about right since it looks like Al Gore's climate change billions might be slipping through his fingers. I think Gore needs to give back his Nobel and apologize.
Despite the fact that some of the 10 year old emails discussed important issues like the 2001 IPCC report and what made it into it…the most recent emails in Climategate were from November 2009. Last month, this year, earth time.
Also this email about there being no warming as a travesty was from October 12, 2009:
The fact is that we can't account for the lack of warming at the moment and it is a
travesty that we can't. The CERES data published in the August BAMS 09 supplement on 2008 shows there should be even more warming: but the data are surely wrong. Our observing system is inadequate.
So Al Gore just picks a play right out of the Clinton playbook. Deny, deny, deny, It's old news. Seems about right since it looks like Al Gore's climate change billions might be slipping through his fingers. I think Gore needs to give back his Nobel and apologize.
Tiger's Harem?
Wow, some of Tiger's Harem are not the best looking girls in the world. That porn star right below him (Joslyn James) might be one of the ugliest porn actresses I have ever seen. I guess the one to his right (Rachel Uchitel) might be the best looking one of the bunch.
It still boggles the mind that he gave up a marriage to the woman directly above him (and destroyed his reputation) for cheap and dirty thrills with these gals. Oh well I guess it is the Clinton factor all over again. Sometimes powerful men just go for whoever comes within easy reach even if they are a freakish looking porn actress.
It still boggles the mind that he gave up a marriage to the woman directly above him (and destroyed his reputation) for cheap and dirty thrills with these gals. Oh well I guess it is the Clinton factor all over again. Sometimes powerful men just go for whoever comes within easy reach even if they are a freakish looking porn actress.
Could a Greek Debt Crisis Destroy the Euro?
That might be in the offing if the Greeks default on their debt.
A Greek bankruptcy thus has serious implications for Europe, and indirectly, for the rest of us. European banks are heavily invested in Greek bonds, and if the country defaults, it's probable that speculators will start eying other euro zone members. Consider Ireland, which has a relatively low debt-to-GDP ratio--but which saw that ratio spike from 25% in 2007 to 43% in 2008. Europe's finance ministers face some tough decisions in the days ahead.
The idea of vulture speculators making bond runs on various weak European countries sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. We saw from our own financial collapse that systemic risk can run through the system like a wildfire. Everyone remembers how much damage Lehman Brothers did to the world economy.
Imagine what would happen if Greece, Spain and Ireland all went bankrupt in a domino effect. The Euro would be shattered by such a scenario. Too bad Europe doesn't have a system of balanced budgets in place like many US states do. That may have prevented what could be the next great world economic smackdown. Well, I guess dollar bulls would be happy as capital fled back into our currency.
A Greek bankruptcy thus has serious implications for Europe, and indirectly, for the rest of us. European banks are heavily invested in Greek bonds, and if the country defaults, it's probable that speculators will start eying other euro zone members. Consider Ireland, which has a relatively low debt-to-GDP ratio--but which saw that ratio spike from 25% in 2007 to 43% in 2008. Europe's finance ministers face some tough decisions in the days ahead.
The idea of vulture speculators making bond runs on various weak European countries sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. We saw from our own financial collapse that systemic risk can run through the system like a wildfire. Everyone remembers how much damage Lehman Brothers did to the world economy.
Imagine what would happen if Greece, Spain and Ireland all went bankrupt in a domino effect. The Euro would be shattered by such a scenario. Too bad Europe doesn't have a system of balanced budgets in place like many US states do. That may have prevented what could be the next great world economic smackdown. Well, I guess dollar bulls would be happy as capital fled back into our currency.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
UN Economists are Nuts
It is just that plain and simple. I have to agree that any economist that tries to predict global economic trends 10 years in the future might as well be reading the entrails of a goat.
They went on to produce stacks of calculations about the economy of the planet over the next 10, 20, 30 or 40 years or more. Thus, for instance, do we find such hocus-pocus as the UNFCCC providing estimates that in the year 2030, climate “mitigation” will require “$200 to $210 billion” in order to “return greenhouse gas emissions to current levels.” This is accompanied by a slew of estimates involving such stuff as percentages of global GDP needed for “climate” projects, flows of resources to developing countries two decades from now and prompts for governments to direct what is laughably referred to in this context as “private investment.”
I have to agree that the developing world could easily become the developed world in even 20 years time. But what is more likely is third world kleptocrats and sticky fingered UN officials will make sure that that the vast majority of climate mitigation money will go to Villas in the South of France or Chalets in Gstaad and not to windmills in Burundi.
The more we look at it the more it looks like one of the biggest transfers of wealth from the developed world to criminal elements in the developing world in history. I guess this is the payback for all those years of the "colonial powers" ripping off the natural resources of the rest of the world.
They went on to produce stacks of calculations about the economy of the planet over the next 10, 20, 30 or 40 years or more. Thus, for instance, do we find such hocus-pocus as the UNFCCC providing estimates that in the year 2030, climate “mitigation” will require “$200 to $210 billion” in order to “return greenhouse gas emissions to current levels.” This is accompanied by a slew of estimates involving such stuff as percentages of global GDP needed for “climate” projects, flows of resources to developing countries two decades from now and prompts for governments to direct what is laughably referred to in this context as “private investment.”
I have to agree that the developing world could easily become the developed world in even 20 years time. But what is more likely is third world kleptocrats and sticky fingered UN officials will make sure that that the vast majority of climate mitigation money will go to Villas in the South of France or Chalets in Gstaad and not to windmills in Burundi.
The more we look at it the more it looks like one of the biggest transfers of wealth from the developed world to criminal elements in the developing world in history. I guess this is the payback for all those years of the "colonial powers" ripping off the natural resources of the rest of the world.
What the Hell is the Beast of Kandahar?
Now that sounds like some kind of cryptozoological monster or something. But it is actually some kind of stealth drone.
Aviation experts dubbed the drone the "Beast of Kandahar" after photographs emerged earlier this year showing the mysterious aircraft in southern Afghanistan in 2007.
The image suggested a drone with a radar-evading stealth-like design, resembling a smaller version of a B-2 bomber.
Hmm, I wonder if this guy can shoot hellfire missiles or drop bombs as well? Too bad they didn't call it the UFO of Kandahar or something like that.Public Option May Be Dead
It seems that Dem moderates may have won in the end.
In place of a government-run plan, originally designed as a way of forcing competition on private industry, officials said the Democrats had tentatively settled on a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage.
On the other hand this part is pretty odd:
Additionally, the tentative deal calls for Medicare to be opened to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55, a significant expansion of the large government health care program that currently serves the 65-and-over population.
So it seems that a program already headed for bankruptcy and is a huge drain on the federal budget will be expanded? Hopefully these new people on Medicare will pay in at a higher rate to balance out the cost of expanding the program.
Then when they become 65 they will be able to capture a so-called senior discount. In any case I think this health care monstrosity will actually have a chance of passing without the public option.
In place of a government-run plan, originally designed as a way of forcing competition on private industry, officials said the Democrats had tentatively settled on a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage.
On the other hand this part is pretty odd:
Additionally, the tentative deal calls for Medicare to be opened to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55, a significant expansion of the large government health care program that currently serves the 65-and-over population.
So it seems that a program already headed for bankruptcy and is a huge drain on the federal budget will be expanded? Hopefully these new people on Medicare will pay in at a higher rate to balance out the cost of expanding the program.
Then when they become 65 they will be able to capture a so-called senior discount. In any case I think this health care monstrosity will actually have a chance of passing without the public option.
The Government Spending Bubble
Hmm this jump in spending does have the same feel as the housing bubble a few years ago. This article might be spot on.
Think about it. The federal deficit was $1.4 trillion in the fiscal year that ended in September, or 10% of GDP, the largest peacetime deficit on record. But net interest--the cost of servicing the national debt--was only 1.3% of GDP, the lowest in about 40 years. For comparison, net interest was absorbing about 3% of GDP in the 1980s and 1990s.
Your credit card bills aren't so bad when the interest rate is 1.3% but wait until that number doubles or triples. If we can't finance our debt and go bankrupt then it would be a world wide catastrophe. I guess that is why Moody's is slinking around with the debt downgrade stick. They might be able to raise our borrowing costs all by themselves by dropping out AAA rating.
Think about it. The federal deficit was $1.4 trillion in the fiscal year that ended in September, or 10% of GDP, the largest peacetime deficit on record. But net interest--the cost of servicing the national debt--was only 1.3% of GDP, the lowest in about 40 years. For comparison, net interest was absorbing about 3% of GDP in the 1980s and 1990s.
Your credit card bills aren't so bad when the interest rate is 1.3% but wait until that number doubles or triples. If we can't finance our debt and go bankrupt then it would be a world wide catastrophe. I guess that is why Moody's is slinking around with the debt downgrade stick. They might be able to raise our borrowing costs all by themselves by dropping out AAA rating.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Ah the Real Reason Behind Copenhagen Climate Crap: Free Hookers!
Now we are getting to the bottom of why all these people had to come to Copenhagen instead of running it through a giant teleconference via Skype or something.
And this being Scandinavia, even the prostitutes are doing their bit for the planet. Outraged by a council postcard urging delegates to "be sustainable, don't buy sex," the local sex workers' union – they have unions here – has announced that all its 1,400 members will give free intercourse to anyone with a climate conference delegate's pass. The term "carbon dating" just took on an entirely new meaning.
Talk about your global warming! Bada-bump!
And this being Scandinavia, even the prostitutes are doing their bit for the planet. Outraged by a council postcard urging delegates to "be sustainable, don't buy sex," the local sex workers' union – they have unions here – has announced that all its 1,400 members will give free intercourse to anyone with a climate conference delegate's pass. The term "carbon dating" just took on an entirely new meaning.
Talk about your global warming! Bada-bump!
The EPA Says You are a Greenhouse Gas Emitter!
It seems that the EPA has just declared the lungs of every human on earth a threat to public health and welfare.
Jackson said carbon dioxide emissions go beyond damaging the environment -- they also endanger public health.
The agency made the announcement because it is required to issue an "endangerment finding" -- evidence that carbon emissions are dangerous to the public health -- before it can regulate carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases under the federal Clean Air Act.
Yup, you are killing your fellow man by doing all that breathing. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson wants you to suffocate yourself post-with in order to reduce the carbon you generate from your lungs. Do your part for the planet people eliminate climate change by doing what the EPA prescribes: stop breathing at once! Only your death will help stop climate change.Climate Change Summit to Emit the Carbon Footprint of Morrocco
Now that is some conference on preventing carbon.
In all, the UN estimates that the carbon footprint of the Carbonhagen Slummit should be roughly 40,584 tons of carbon-related emissions, or approximately the entire carbon output of the nation of Morocco for all of 2006. That comes out to 100,083.5 dead polar bears per 400kg of carbon emissions. Are there even that many polar bears on Planet Earth? Won't be by Wednesday! And all that's not even counting all the limos being driven to Carbonhagen from all over Europe, or all the CO2 about to be spewed by 16,500 blowhards.
How many people will be killed by all this carbon? Don't they care about the polar bears and people with lung diseases? Can't these people just do this by teleconference and save a few drowning polar bears?
In all, the UN estimates that the carbon footprint of the Carbonhagen Slummit should be roughly 40,584 tons of carbon-related emissions, or approximately the entire carbon output of the nation of Morocco for all of 2006. That comes out to 100,083.5 dead polar bears per 400kg of carbon emissions. Are there even that many polar bears on Planet Earth? Won't be by Wednesday! And all that's not even counting all the limos being driven to Carbonhagen from all over Europe, or all the CO2 about to be spewed by 16,500 blowhards.
How many people will be killed by all this carbon? Don't they care about the polar bears and people with lung diseases? Can't these people just do this by teleconference and save a few drowning polar bears?
Friday, December 04, 2009
Obama Changes Date he Will be in Copenhagen
I will be willing to bet that it doesn't matter when he goes to this thing it will still result in failure.
President Barack Obama on Friday abruptly altered the timing of his upcoming appearance at an international climate summit in Copenhagen, hoping to capitalize on steps by India and China and build a more meaningful political accord, the White House said.
The move means Obama will be at the summit on Dec. 18, considered a crucial period when more leaders will be in attendance, as opposed to his scheduled stop in Denmark on Wednesday on his way to Nobel Peace Prize events in Oslo.
In other words he stakes his rep on yet another doomed to failure drive by like he did to get Chicago the Olympics. He also sceduled a little Russian "laughing in our face time" as well to polish his Peace Prize laurels.
It is also possible that Obama could tack on another agenda item to his revamped, final trip of the year: the signing of a broad treaty with Russia to reduce both nations' nuclear arsenals. The White House had hoped that deal would be ready in time to coordinate it with his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, but talks have not produced a final breakthrough.
President Barack Obama on Friday abruptly altered the timing of his upcoming appearance at an international climate summit in Copenhagen, hoping to capitalize on steps by India and China and build a more meaningful political accord, the White House said.
The move means Obama will be at the summit on Dec. 18, considered a crucial period when more leaders will be in attendance, as opposed to his scheduled stop in Denmark on Wednesday on his way to Nobel Peace Prize events in Oslo.
In other words he stakes his rep on yet another doomed to failure drive by like he did to get Chicago the Olympics. He also sceduled a little Russian "laughing in our face time" as well to polish his Peace Prize laurels.
It is also possible that Obama could tack on another agenda item to his revamped, final trip of the year: the signing of a broad treaty with Russia to reduce both nations' nuclear arsenals. The White House had hoped that deal would be ready in time to coordinate it with his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, but talks have not produced a final breakthrough.
US Pulls Fairly Easy World Cup Group
Other than England it looks like clear sailing in the first round of the World Cup.
The U.S. opens against England in Rustenburg on June 12, their first World Cup matchup since the Americans' 1-0 upset victory at the 1950 tournament in Brazil.
The United States then plays Slovenia at Johannesburg's Ellis Park on June 18 and completes the first round on June 23 with its first-ever match against Algeria in Pretoria.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Could NASA be Cooking the Climate Change Books?
It certainly seems like they are trying to stonewall one skeptic who is going to sue them for the information.
Chris Horner, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said NASA has refused for two years to provide information under the Freedom of Information Act that would show how the agency has shaped its climate data and would explain why the agency has repeatedly had to correct its data going as far back as the 1930s.
He wants to know why NASA had to alter some temperature data:
The numbers matter. Under pressure in 2007, NASA recalculated its data and found that 1934, not 1998, was the hottest year in its records for the contiguous 48 states. NASA later changed that data again, and now 1998 and 2006 are tied for first, with 1934 slightly cooler.
Yeah, I would like to know if these numbers were altered twice due to errors or was it another case of "hide the decline?" If it was errors then there needs to be transparent checks in place to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Chris Horner, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said NASA has refused for two years to provide information under the Freedom of Information Act that would show how the agency has shaped its climate data and would explain why the agency has repeatedly had to correct its data going as far back as the 1930s.
He wants to know why NASA had to alter some temperature data:
The numbers matter. Under pressure in 2007, NASA recalculated its data and found that 1934, not 1998, was the hottest year in its records for the contiguous 48 states. NASA later changed that data again, and now 1998 and 2006 are tied for first, with 1934 slightly cooler.
Yeah, I would like to know if these numbers were altered twice due to errors or was it another case of "hide the decline?" If it was errors then there needs to be transparent checks in place to make sure it doesn't happen again.
India Bows out of Climate Caps
It seems that India won't be knee-capping their economy any time soon.
India will not accept a legally binding emission cut nor a peak year of carbon emissions at the global climate talks in Copenhagen, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday.
India will not accept a legally binding emission cut nor a peak year of carbon emissions at the global climate talks in Copenhagen, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday.
"There is no question of India accepting a legally binding emission reduction cut," he told parliament, laying out India's negotiating position ahead of the December talks.
India would however accept international verification of reductions if supported by financing and technology transfers.
In other words they won't be doing anything unless the West comes up with the cash and the tech. I would make the exact same deal if I were them. I mean they are slowly moving millions of people from abject poverty. So why should the West slow their GDP growth by 1 - 1.5% with some carbon cap BS? So China, Australia and now India are off the GDP capping wagon. Why should any other nation who isn't crazy sign on?
It's the Jobs Stupid
It seems that Democrats are finally getting around to the 10.2% unemployment.
The report is the work of Democracy Corps, the influential polling organization run by Democraic strategists James Carville and Stanley Greenberg. The two men found voters are nearly beside themselves about unemployment, angry about the deficit, pessimistic about the future, and in a mood to punish Democrats if things don't get better soon. "This is about the economy, and it's not pretty," they write.
If the failed stimulus slashed payroll taxes or provided some other incentive to hire workers then health care would be a soft sell. Instead it looks like the Dems are fiddling with healthcare when all people want are jobs.
The scary part if you are a Dem is that when mutual funds stop performance chasing after January 1st we might see another stock market correction. This would be just after some people have put their 401ks back into stocks as well.
I think what the GOP needs now is a jobs bill that is funded with whatever is left of the stimulus and the TARP money. Make it old school tax cuts and incentives for small businesses to hire workers. If they are called the "party of No" shoot back they are the "party of no more job losses."
The report is the work of Democracy Corps, the influential polling organization run by Democraic strategists James Carville and Stanley Greenberg. The two men found voters are nearly beside themselves about unemployment, angry about the deficit, pessimistic about the future, and in a mood to punish Democrats if things don't get better soon. "This is about the economy, and it's not pretty," they write.
If the failed stimulus slashed payroll taxes or provided some other incentive to hire workers then health care would be a soft sell. Instead it looks like the Dems are fiddling with healthcare when all people want are jobs.
The scary part if you are a Dem is that when mutual funds stop performance chasing after January 1st we might see another stock market correction. This would be just after some people have put their 401ks back into stocks as well.
I think what the GOP needs now is a jobs bill that is funded with whatever is left of the stimulus and the TARP money. Make it old school tax cuts and incentives for small businesses to hire workers. If they are called the "party of No" shoot back they are the "party of no more job losses."
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Iran Vows to Enrich Uranium to Bomb Making Levels
Well that sound you heard was the Israeli's warming up their jets. It seems that meetings without preconditions is not working out for the White House as well as they planned.
In a defiant speech, Iran's president declared Wednesday that his country will enrich uranium to a much higher level — a fresh rejection of an international plan to curb Tehran's nuclear program.
In a defiant speech, Iran's president declared Wednesday that his country will enrich uranium to a much higher level — a fresh rejection of an international plan to curb Tehran's nuclear program.
Experts said that could put Tehran on the road to making the material needed to arm a warhead within months.
Ahmadinijoke knows that he can pretty much do whatever he wants knowing that Obama was so silent on the plight of the protesters. I said it once and I said it again: the Iranians will go nuclear before the end of Obama's first term. Mark my words.
Fraud, Waste and Abuse Found in Danish CO2 Trading
That is a nice headline that people can take into the Copenhagen Climate Talks.
Denmark is the centre of a comprehensive tax scam involving CO2 quotas, in which the cheats exploit a so-called ‘VAT carrousel’, reports Ekstra Bladet newspaper.
Police and authorities in several European countries are investigating scams worth billions of kroner, which all originate in the Danish quota register. The CO2 quotas are traded in other EU countries.
I think you can change the word Denmark for the US if cap and tax should happen to be passed by some miracle.Aussies Dump Cap and Tax
Now we need to follow the lead of our Aussie friends and dump Cap and Tax forever.
Emboldened following the Climategate scandal, the Liberal opposition in Australia's parliament threw out its pro-Kyoto leader yesterday and then today, under the leadership of global warming skeptic Tony Abbott, voted down the government's plan to pass cap and trade legislation. The proposed legislation, intended to be a feather in the cap of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd prior to his departure for climate change meetings in Copenhagen, failed by a vote of 41 to 33 in the Senate, Australia's upper house.
Let's hope Copenhagen turns out to be a dismal failure as well. The data is just so crappy there is no way that trillions will be wasted on these schemes.
Emboldened following the Climategate scandal, the Liberal opposition in Australia's parliament threw out its pro-Kyoto leader yesterday and then today, under the leadership of global warming skeptic Tony Abbott, voted down the government's plan to pass cap and trade legislation. The proposed legislation, intended to be a feather in the cap of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd prior to his departure for climate change meetings in Copenhagen, failed by a vote of 41 to 33 in the Senate, Australia's upper house.
Let's hope Copenhagen turns out to be a dismal failure as well. The data is just so crappy there is no way that trillions will be wasted on these schemes.
Super Earths May Harbor Life
It sure would be weird life forms though.
Whether made of rock or ice, Sasselov says Super Earths will be only 1 or 2 times the actual size of Earth because they become densely compressed as they gain mass. This higher density will result in greater gravity. Sasselov says the most massive Super Earth would have about 3 times the gravity of Earth. Tests of human resistance to vertical G-force, where the blood is pulled down to the legs, have found the typical person can tolerate up to 5 Gs before losing consciousness. So while you might feel much heavier walking on a Super Earth, the extra gravity wouldn't be beyond what human explorers could endure. Of course, any life that evolved on a Super Earth would be adapted to the greater gravity, just as a human feels comfortable on the 1 G surface of Earth.
That means that these creatures would probably be super strong to handle that atmosphere for very long. I wonder if their extensive musculature would have an effect on their brain power? It would seem that they would need most of their added nutrients to keep them standing upright on a +5G planet so not as much will be going to brain development. It is also nice to see that scientists have the same belief as I do about the so-called Fermi Paradox.
Sasselov's own suggestion for the Fermi paradox relates to the age and evolution of planets in the universe. When the universe was young, only hydrogen and helium were available. Generations of stellar evolution were needed to produce the heavier elements, such as silica and iron, which build rocky planets. Even though the universe is approximately 14 billion years old, our solar system only formed about 4.6 billion years ago. (Astronomers did find a 12.7-billion-year-old Jupiter-mass object in our galaxy, but Sasselov thinks this so-called ancient planet could instead be the remnant of a red or brown dwarf star that was stripped of some of its mass.)
You would figure that most alien races close by us would be about as old as we are so they wouldn't develop truly advanced technology like things that can tap the power of their suns or develop faster than light travel. However, I can see them just sending a spaceship with slightly more advanced life support on them in the 20 years that it would take to get to get back and forth from their planet.
Even if you look at our planet we had a false start in the dinosaurs that were wiped out before mammals developed. That could easily happen on other planets too. They could have an alien race as evolved or more evolved then us suddenly get wiped out by solar radiation, a comet, an asteroid hitting their planet, or even a world war. Then they will be back to the stone age again and the race would have to rediscover everything.
Whether made of rock or ice, Sasselov says Super Earths will be only 1 or 2 times the actual size of Earth because they become densely compressed as they gain mass. This higher density will result in greater gravity. Sasselov says the most massive Super Earth would have about 3 times the gravity of Earth. Tests of human resistance to vertical G-force, where the blood is pulled down to the legs, have found the typical person can tolerate up to 5 Gs before losing consciousness. So while you might feel much heavier walking on a Super Earth, the extra gravity wouldn't be beyond what human explorers could endure. Of course, any life that evolved on a Super Earth would be adapted to the greater gravity, just as a human feels comfortable on the 1 G surface of Earth.
That means that these creatures would probably be super strong to handle that atmosphere for very long. I wonder if their extensive musculature would have an effect on their brain power? It would seem that they would need most of their added nutrients to keep them standing upright on a +5G planet so not as much will be going to brain development. It is also nice to see that scientists have the same belief as I do about the so-called Fermi Paradox.
Sasselov's own suggestion for the Fermi paradox relates to the age and evolution of planets in the universe. When the universe was young, only hydrogen and helium were available. Generations of stellar evolution were needed to produce the heavier elements, such as silica and iron, which build rocky planets. Even though the universe is approximately 14 billion years old, our solar system only formed about 4.6 billion years ago. (Astronomers did find a 12.7-billion-year-old Jupiter-mass object in our galaxy, but Sasselov thinks this so-called ancient planet could instead be the remnant of a red or brown dwarf star that was stripped of some of its mass.)
You would figure that most alien races close by us would be about as old as we are so they wouldn't develop truly advanced technology like things that can tap the power of their suns or develop faster than light travel. However, I can see them just sending a spaceship with slightly more advanced life support on them in the 20 years that it would take to get to get back and forth from their planet.
Even if you look at our planet we had a false start in the dinosaurs that were wiped out before mammals developed. That could easily happen on other planets too. They could have an alien race as evolved or more evolved then us suddenly get wiped out by solar radiation, a comet, an asteroid hitting their planet, or even a world war. Then they will be back to the stone age again and the race would have to rediscover everything.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Now New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research is Cooking the Books?
You have to be kidding me. Does anyone in the Climate Change community have clean numbers?
Gone is the relentless rising temperature trend, and instead there appears to have been a much smaller growth in warming, consistent with the warming up of the planet after the end of the Little Ice Age in 1850.
I think there should be a total halt to any policy decisions on climate change until all of these matters can be dealt with. Right now none of these people have any credibility and all of their research is suspect.
Gone is the relentless rising temperature trend, and instead there appears to have been a much smaller growth in warming, consistent with the warming up of the planet after the end of the Little Ice Age in 1850.
I think there should be a total halt to any policy decisions on climate change until all of these matters can be dealt with. Right now none of these people have any credibility and all of their research is suspect.
Dubai Restructes its Debt and it Roils Markets
Hmm, it seems that Dubai may be having trouble with their debt load.
"Obviously, the debt restructuring has caught investors very much by surprise," said UBS analyst Saud Masud, who believes the UAE and Dubai governments wouldn't risk so much damage to their financial reputation unless it was essential to a larger plan of achieving long-term stability.
This makes sense so instead of just writing a big check underwritten with their oil wealth they are going to let the market decide what happens. Seems like a good plan and they should have a sound balance sheet once the bad debt gets flushed out of the system.
"Obviously, the debt restructuring has caught investors very much by surprise," said UBS analyst Saud Masud, who believes the UAE and Dubai governments wouldn't risk so much damage to their financial reputation unless it was essential to a larger plan of achieving long-term stability.
This makes sense so instead of just writing a big check underwritten with their oil wealth they are going to let the market decide what happens. Seems like a good plan and they should have a sound balance sheet once the bad debt gets flushed out of the system.
Tiger Woods Seriously Injured in Car Wreck
It seems he crashed his car pulling out of his driveway. I wonder if he was wearing his seatbelt?
The Florida Highway Patrol said Woods, 33, hit the hydrant and a tree after pulling out of his driveway in his 2009 Cadillac sports utility vehicle.
The patrol reported his injuries as serious, and that he was taken to Health Central Hospital. His condition was not immediately known. A supervisor in the emergency room said Friday afternoon that Woods was not a patient there.
PETA Wants University of Georgia Mascot to be a Robot
Who doesn't PETA get to work on this robot dog at once. That way the University of Georgia doesn't have to waste money and time trying to cater to a group that pretty much kills all the pets put into their care.
On its 2002 federal income-tax return, PETA claimed a $9,370 write-off for a giant walk-in freezer, the kind most people use as a meat locker or for ice-cream storage. But animal-rights activists don't eat meat or dairy foods. And during a 2007 criminal trial, a PETA manager (testifying under oath) confirmed the obvious -- that the group uses the appliance to store the bodies of its victims.
I understand what PETA is trying to do now. I think a robot dog is a good idea because if the next UGA falls into PETAs clutches then he is DOA.
On its 2002 federal income-tax return, PETA claimed a $9,370 write-off for a giant walk-in freezer, the kind most people use as a meat locker or for ice-cream storage. But animal-rights activists don't eat meat or dairy foods. And during a 2007 criminal trial, a PETA manager (testifying under oath) confirmed the obvious -- that the group uses the appliance to store the bodies of its victims.
I understand what PETA is trying to do now. I think a robot dog is a good idea because if the next UGA falls into PETAs clutches then he is DOA.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Real Problem with Climate Science? The Model is Broken
It seems that all of the emails with their various ethical violations should pale at the thought of the bedrock of their research the climate model may be a big mess from a programming standpoint.
The emails seem to describe a model which frequently breaks, and being constantly "tweaked" with manual interventions of dubious quality in order to make them fit the historical data. These stories suggest that the model, and the past manual interventions, are so poorly documented that CRU cannot now replicate its own past findings.
That is a big problem. The IPCC report, which is the most widely relied upon in policy circles, uses this model to estimate the costs of global warming. If those costs are unreliable, then any cost-benefit analysis is totally worthless.
About all you can do is scrap the entire model and built it again from scratch. In other words this model in which all this policy and trillion dollar changes needs to go back to base code. Then we need new scientists and programmers to put the thing together. If it predicts global warming then spend the trillions and fix the problems. Any other decisions based on this stuff is worthless until the bedrock code is cleaned up.
The emails seem to describe a model which frequently breaks, and being constantly "tweaked" with manual interventions of dubious quality in order to make them fit the historical data. These stories suggest that the model, and the past manual interventions, are so poorly documented that CRU cannot now replicate its own past findings.
That is a big problem. The IPCC report, which is the most widely relied upon in policy circles, uses this model to estimate the costs of global warming. If those costs are unreliable, then any cost-benefit analysis is totally worthless.
About all you can do is scrap the entire model and built it again from scratch. In other words this model in which all this policy and trillion dollar changes needs to go back to base code. Then we need new scientists and programmers to put the thing together. If it predicts global warming then spend the trillions and fix the problems. Any other decisions based on this stuff is worthless until the bedrock code is cleaned up.
Less than 10% of Obama Cabinet Members Have Any Private Sector Experience
It seems that I have more experience in the private sector then just about the entire Obama cabinet. Which is kind of sad in a way.
A friend sends along the following chart from a J.P. Morgan research report. It examines the prior private sector experience of the cabinet officials since 1900 that one might expect a president to turn to in seeking advice about helping the economy. It includes secretaries of State, Commerce, Treasury, Agriculture, Interior, Labor, Transportation, Energy, and Housing & Urban Development, and excludes Postmaster General, Navy, War, Health, Education & Welfare, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security—432 cabinet members in all.
No wonder they are having so much trouble creating jobs for people. Most of them have never had to run a business that had to make a profit or compete in the marketplace. I mean the closest thing Obama had to the business world was working at Baskin and Robins as a teenager.
I still think Hillary should have won the Democratic race. At least she ran a Law Firm at some time in the past and was on the board of directors of Wal-Mart. Oh well maybe she would have the guts to run against Obama in 2012.
A friend sends along the following chart from a J.P. Morgan research report. It examines the prior private sector experience of the cabinet officials since 1900 that one might expect a president to turn to in seeking advice about helping the economy. It includes secretaries of State, Commerce, Treasury, Agriculture, Interior, Labor, Transportation, Energy, and Housing & Urban Development, and excludes Postmaster General, Navy, War, Health, Education & Welfare, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security—432 cabinet members in all.
No wonder they are having so much trouble creating jobs for people. Most of them have never had to run a business that had to make a profit or compete in the marketplace. I mean the closest thing Obama had to the business world was working at Baskin and Robins as a teenager.I still think Hillary should have won the Democratic race. At least she ran a Law Firm at some time in the past and was on the board of directors of Wal-Mart. Oh well maybe she would have the guts to run against Obama in 2012.
How a Monoculture Destroyed Climate Science
Now this is an interesting article on how a monoculture in Climate Science is so dangerous.
For years, with the media’s active participation, criticism of the mainstream scientific position on global warming has been painted as somehow outside the bounds of reasonable discourse. Skeptics are called “deniers,” with the intent to equate them with those who deny the Holocaust. At every turn, global warming activists with the help of the media, have tried to make it uncomfortable, even impossible, to criticize the science of catastrophic man-made global warming. In the extreme, this has degenerated into outright threats.
I have the agree whenever a monoculture forms it quickly becomes destructive to the people who are not members of it. This happened with the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages, Stalin and his Cult of Personality, Mao and cronies and on-and-on. A small elite group at the top protected their own and treated their enemies as "counterrevolutionaries" or "wreckers" and even tried to kill vast swaths of them.
This Climate monoculture was exactly the same. They closed ranks, excommunicated heretics, and even tried to destroy the careers of their enemies. They all thought alike and tried to treat their enemies as "deniers" by lumping them in with odious Holocaust deniers. The even sprinkled a little information denial in by trying to get their contacts to reject the papers of the "deniers." It was strangly similar to the extreme information control practiced by the Catholic Church and the Soviets. The more I think about it the more this leak may have been one of the great turning points in history.
For years, with the media’s active participation, criticism of the mainstream scientific position on global warming has been painted as somehow outside the bounds of reasonable discourse. Skeptics are called “deniers,” with the intent to equate them with those who deny the Holocaust. At every turn, global warming activists with the help of the media, have tried to make it uncomfortable, even impossible, to criticize the science of catastrophic man-made global warming. In the extreme, this has degenerated into outright threats.
I have the agree whenever a monoculture forms it quickly becomes destructive to the people who are not members of it. This happened with the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages, Stalin and his Cult of Personality, Mao and cronies and on-and-on. A small elite group at the top protected their own and treated their enemies as "counterrevolutionaries" or "wreckers" and even tried to kill vast swaths of them.
This Climate monoculture was exactly the same. They closed ranks, excommunicated heretics, and even tried to destroy the careers of their enemies. They all thought alike and tried to treat their enemies as "deniers" by lumping them in with odious Holocaust deniers. The even sprinkled a little information denial in by trying to get their contacts to reject the papers of the "deniers." It was strangly similar to the extreme information control practiced by the Catholic Church and the Soviets. The more I think about it the more this leak may have been one of the great turning points in history.
Is Angelina Jolie Anti-Obama?
Well at least some unnamed source close to the star thinks so.
Maybe she was for Hillary? Also I wonder if this will get her passed over for some jobs in Hollywood now?
Barack Obama does not have Angelina Jolie's seal of approval.
"She hates him," a source close to the U.N. goodwill ambassador, 34, tells the new issue of Us Weekly (on newsstands now).Maybe she was for Hillary? Also I wonder if this will get her passed over for some jobs in Hollywood now?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Women Plan to Ignore Mammogram Commissar
As well they should. I think it is egregious that this seems to only effect women. Of course you don't see this same Health Politboro (aka U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) issuing edicts about "guidelines" on when men can be checked for prostate cancer.
What is really sad is this Health Commissar issued this Dictat right after Breast Cancer Awareness month just finished. Hell, even the NFL got in on the act. Then this USPCCPWHDM pisses all over that. Talk about tone deaf.
Women across the USA have reacted angrily to the recommendations and expressed concern that delaying the tests could endanger their lives. In the new survey of 1,136 women, 76% of women say they disagree or strongly disagree with the recommendations.
And 84% of women ages 35 to 49 say they plan to get mammograms before age 50 despite the independent panel's advice. That's in keeping with the guidance of the American Cancer Society, which recommends annual mammograms beginning at age 40.
I'm pretty sure that he CANCER society has a better handle on when women should be checked for CANCER. In fact I think all women should simply ignore the U.S. Preventive Commissar in Charge of Patriotic Womens Health in Defense of the Motherland (USPCCPWHDM) or whatever this group is called when it comes to their lives.What is really sad is this Health Commissar issued this Dictat right after Breast Cancer Awareness month just finished. Hell, even the NFL got in on the act. Then this USPCCPWHDM pisses all over that. Talk about tone deaf.
Black Men Decimated by the Recession
I really hope Obama gets as mad about the plight of these African Americans as he did about some cops harassing his rich, tenured Harvard professor friend.
Joblessness for 16-to-24-year-old black men has reached Great Depression proportions -- 34.5 percent in October, more than three times the rate for the general U.S. population. And last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that unemployment in the District, home to many young black men, rose to 11.9 percent from 11.4 percent, even as it stayed relatively stable in Virginia and Maryland.
Obama Finally Makes an Afghanistan Decision
After much dithering, hemming and hawing, and like 10 meetings with his "war cabinet" he came to the decision that he could have made 3 months ago.
"I can tell you, as I've said before, that it is in our strategic interest, in our national security interest to make sure that al-Qaida and its extremist allies cannot operate effectively" in the area, he said. "We are going to dismantle and degrade their capabilities and ultimately dismantle and destroy their networks. And Afghanistan's stability is important to that process."
Military officials expect an infusion of approximately 32,000 to 35,000 troops to begin in February or March, the largest expansion since the beginning of the war and one that could bring the cost above $75 billion annually.
Maybe Obama got tired of holding out his hand in friendship and having it slapped away. Dems can be strong war Presidents just ask Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and Truman. I would be willing to cheer Obama if he does finally show some spine when it comes to the Taliban and Al-Quida. A loss in Afghanistan would be devastating to US prestige going forward.Monday, November 23, 2009
It Seems that Climate Science Mostly Involves Punishing Heretics
I guess fudging figures is part of it but the zeal in which they try punish skeptics would make Torquemada proud. Do you deny the existence of global climate change? Yes? Dunk Him Again!
Tom Wigley says that von Storch is partly to blame for sceptic papers getting published at Climate Research. Says he encourages the publication of crap science. Says they should tell publisher that the journal is being used for misinformation. Says that whether this is true or not doesn't matter. Says they need to get editorial board to resign. Says they need to get rid of von Storch too. (1051190249)
Ben Santer says (presumably jokingly!) he's "tempted, very tempted, to beat the crap" out of sceptic Pat Michaels. (1255100876)
Santer complaining about FoI requests from McIntyre. Says he expects support of Lawrence Livermore Lab management. Jones says that once support staff at CRU realised the kind of people the scientists were dealing with they became very supportive. Says the VC [vice chancellor] knows what is going on (in one case).(1228330629)
Grant Foster putting together a critical comment on a sceptic paper. Asks for help for names of possible reviewers. Jones replies with a list of people, telling Foster they know what to say about the paper and the comment without any prompting.(1249503274)
Tom Wigley says that von Storch is partly to blame for sceptic papers getting published at Climate Research. Says he encourages the publication of crap science. Says they should tell publisher that the journal is being used for misinformation. Says that whether this is true or not doesn't matter. Says they need to get editorial board to resign. Says they need to get rid of von Storch too. (1051190249)
Ben Santer says (presumably jokingly!) he's "tempted, very tempted, to beat the crap" out of sceptic Pat Michaels. (1255100876)
Santer complaining about FoI requests from McIntyre. Says he expects support of Lawrence Livermore Lab management. Jones says that once support staff at CRU realised the kind of people the scientists were dealing with they became very supportive. Says the VC [vice chancellor] knows what is going on (in one case).(1228330629)
Grant Foster putting together a critical comment on a sceptic paper. Asks for help for names of possible reviewers. Jones replies with a list of people, telling Foster they know what to say about the paper and the comment without any prompting.(1249503274)
The Unbearable Whiteness of MSNBC
This has to be the first case of the pot calling the kettle white.
In Michigan, O’Donnell smugly noted that Palin’s fans were “largely white — almost no minorities in this crowd.” Matthews parroted the line, assailing the “white crowd.” Walsh likened the gathering to a “paranoid tea party.” Matthews hammered away at the “monochromatic” scene.
Ahem. Check out the masthead of MSNBC TV, “The Place for Politics.” Wear sunglasses and SPF 30 lotion. You’ll need protection from the blinding white glare:
I guess "diversity" in the Palin crowd matches the "diversity" of the MSNBC on-air personalities.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Leading Climate Change Research Group Hacked
Wow it seems that a leading climate change group called niversity of East Anglia Climate Research Unit got hacked and some of their emails were posted on the web. This part is especially disturbing:
From: Phil Jones
To: ray bradley ,mann@xxxxx.xxx, mhughes@xxxx.xxx
Subject: Diagram for WMO Statement
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 13:31:15 +0000
Cc: k.briffa@xxx.xx.xx,t.osborn@xxxx.xxx
What is even worse is how this data massaging seems like something out of a Greek religion. Supposedly Greek temples had all sorts of tricks that they used to show the divinity of their gods. For instance Heron of Alexandria was supposed to have invented a steam engine to open the doors of a temple to make it seem like it was done by divine magic.
So these climate scientists seem like a modern day Heron using their science and massaged data in order to convince people that they must do something about global warming yesterday. They then use impressive scare stories that global warming will destroy the earth like Heron used his steam engine to make people believe what they want them to believe. These scientists even have to alter the narrative in order to keep their gods running.
In some ways this anonymous hacker may have saved billions or perhaps trillions in world wide wealth and allowed even more people to emerge out of poverty. I bet Al Gore can see his climate change billions slowly start to evaporate.
From: Phil Jones
To: ray bradley ,mann@xxxxx.xxx, mhughes@xxxx.xxx
Subject: Diagram for WMO Statement
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 13:31:15 +0000
Cc: k.briffa@xxx.xx.xx,t.osborn@xxxx.xxx
Dear Ray, Mike and Malcolm,
Once Tim’s got a diagram here we’ll send that either later today or
first thing tomorrow.
I’ve just completed Mike’s Nature trick of adding in the real temps
to each series for the last 20 years (ie from 1981 onwards) amd from
1961 for Keith’s to hide the decline. Mike’s series got the annual
land and marine values while the other two got April-Sept for NH land
N of 20N. The latter two are real for 1999, while the estimate for 1999
for NH combined is +0.44C wrt 61-90. The Global estimate for 1999 with
data through Oct is +0.35C cf. 0.57 for 1998.
Thanks for the comments, Ray.
Cheers
Phil
Prof. Phil Jones
Climatic Research Unit Telephone +44 (0) xxxxx
School of Environmental Sciences Fax +44 (0) xxxx
University of East Anglia
Norwich Email p.jones@xxxx.xxx
NR4 7TJ
UK
What is even worse is how this data massaging seems like something out of a Greek religion. Supposedly Greek temples had all sorts of tricks that they used to show the divinity of their gods. For instance Heron of Alexandria was supposed to have invented a steam engine to open the doors of a temple to make it seem like it was done by divine magic.
So these climate scientists seem like a modern day Heron using their science and massaged data in order to convince people that they must do something about global warming yesterday. They then use impressive scare stories that global warming will destroy the earth like Heron used his steam engine to make people believe what they want them to believe. These scientists even have to alter the narrative in order to keep their gods running.
In some ways this anonymous hacker may have saved billions or perhaps trillions in world wide wealth and allowed even more people to emerge out of poverty. I bet Al Gore can see his climate change billions slowly start to evaporate.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
More Bad News for Microsoft: ChromeOS Could be the Default Netbook Option
This article goes over some predictions on what Google's new ChromeOS will do to Windows 7.
My prediction is this: netbooks, as we know them, will come with ChromeOS as a boot option. Ultrathin laptops (think the Dell Adamo or the HP Envy 13) will come with Windows 7. Netbook configuration, then, will consist of entering your IMAP and SMTP info, a few social media credentials, and maybe uploading a picture of your dog as a background image. The rest – installing apps, buying games (other than Android/ChromeOS games), and running Microsoft Office – will be gone, thrust into the cloud.
I can easily see this happening since most of the games you play on a Netbook are Internet games anyway. You don't need Outlook since you will be using Gmail anyway. Even productivity software can be run through a browser like Microsoft Office Online. I will be dual booting this thing and testing it on my netbook as soon as a stable copy comes out.
My prediction is this: netbooks, as we know them, will come with ChromeOS as a boot option. Ultrathin laptops (think the Dell Adamo or the HP Envy 13) will come with Windows 7. Netbook configuration, then, will consist of entering your IMAP and SMTP info, a few social media credentials, and maybe uploading a picture of your dog as a background image. The rest – installing apps, buying games (other than Android/ChromeOS games), and running Microsoft Office – will be gone, thrust into the cloud.
I can easily see this happening since most of the games you play on a Netbook are Internet games anyway. You don't need Outlook since you will be using Gmail anyway. Even productivity software can be run through a browser like Microsoft Office Online. I will be dual booting this thing and testing it on my netbook as soon as a stable copy comes out.
The Weak Diplomatic Language of the Year Award goes to Obama
An FDR or JFK he is certainly not judging by perhaps the wimpiest threat I have ever heard.
"Iran has taken weeks now and has not shown its willingness to say yes to this proposal ... and so as a consequence we have begun discussions with our international partners about the importance of having consequences," Obama said at a joint news conference with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul.
He said Iran would not be given an unlimited amount of time, likening the Iranian nuclear issue to years of stop-and-start negotiations with North Korea about its nuclear ambitions.
We have begun discussions of the importance of consequences? The discussions aren't about consequences but the importance of having these unnamed consequences. That sounds like something Carter would say. I'm also glad he decided to give a timetable of sometime before the sun turns into a black hole as well. Way to show those Mullahs who's boss Obama.Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A Stanford Professor's Recipe for Fixing Unemployment
I would trade all of Obama's economic team for Michael Boskin of Stanford in a heartbeat. Why can't we get guys like him to fix our economy.
My Stanford colleague Pete Klenow and Rochester economist Mark Bils estimated that cutting the payroll tax by six percentage points (of the 12.4% Social Security component) would, under standard assumptions, increase employment by three million to four million workers—an amount equal to all the job losses since the stimulus was passed.
The payroll tax cut would have reduced firms' costs by roughly the same amount as from the entire decline in employment. It would have cost less than half as much as the stimulus bill, gotten far more income into paychecks quickly and, most importantly, greatly reduced incentives for firms to lay off workers. In fact, it would have created incentives to hire.
So this move would cost less then half of the failed stimulus and actually create 3 - 4 million jobs instead of "saving" just 1 million jobs in 400 phantom Congressional districts? Sign me up for this plan immediately.
Just use the rest of the failed stimulus to pay for it. I mean that money will probably just be poured down a rathole anyway so why not use it for a payroll tax cut? Then while they are at it have an across the board tax cut to all business regardless of size as long as they are expanding their workforce. That should get them hiring.
If Obama passes this payroll tax cut and unemployment drops I think the Dems could hold onto their gains in 2010. If not I think Obama will be "Carter 2: the Malaise" and preside over a double dip recession. In fact he is already afraid it might happen. So my advice to Obama sign Mr. Boskin up as Czar of Tax Cuts or something immediately. It might buy you a second term.
My Stanford colleague Pete Klenow and Rochester economist Mark Bils estimated that cutting the payroll tax by six percentage points (of the 12.4% Social Security component) would, under standard assumptions, increase employment by three million to four million workers—an amount equal to all the job losses since the stimulus was passed.
The payroll tax cut would have reduced firms' costs by roughly the same amount as from the entire decline in employment. It would have cost less than half as much as the stimulus bill, gotten far more income into paychecks quickly and, most importantly, greatly reduced incentives for firms to lay off workers. In fact, it would have created incentives to hire.
So this move would cost less then half of the failed stimulus and actually create 3 - 4 million jobs instead of "saving" just 1 million jobs in 400 phantom Congressional districts? Sign me up for this plan immediately.
Just use the rest of the failed stimulus to pay for it. I mean that money will probably just be poured down a rathole anyway so why not use it for a payroll tax cut? Then while they are at it have an across the board tax cut to all business regardless of size as long as they are expanding their workforce. That should get them hiring.
If Obama passes this payroll tax cut and unemployment drops I think the Dems could hold onto their gains in 2010. If not I think Obama will be "Carter 2: the Malaise" and preside over a double dip recession. In fact he is already afraid it might happen. So my advice to Obama sign Mr. Boskin up as Czar of Tax Cuts or something immediately. It might buy you a second term.
Time to Hoard the Eggos?
It seems there is going to be some Eggo rationing going on that will last until mid-2010.
"We are working around the clock to restore Eggo store inventories to normal levels as quickly as possible," Charles said in an e-mail.
Remaining inventory will be rationed to stores across the country "based on historical percentage of business."
Production figures are confidential, Charles said, but Charles added that all lines are operational except for several lines at the Rossville plant.
"Leggo my Eggo" indeed.Al Gore Says the Earth's Core is Several Million Degrees
I guess the climate change billionaire is about as knowledgeable about the planet as any 5th grader who flunked Earth Sciences.
Al: It definitely is, and it's a relatively new one. People think about geothermal energy — when they think about it at all — in terms of the hot water bubbling up in some places, but two kilometers or so down in most places there are these incredibly hot rocks, 'cause the interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees, and the crust of the earth is hot …
Um, earth to Al Gore, if the earth's core was several million degrees it would be about the same temperature as the core of a star. I think nuclear fusion in the earths core would make it difficult to live on its surface since the surface of the sun is 6000 Celsius. I can't wait until he is elected the "Climate Pope" and gets to issue edicts on us lowly energy users.
Al: It definitely is, and it's a relatively new one. People think about geothermal energy — when they think about it at all — in terms of the hot water bubbling up in some places, but two kilometers or so down in most places there are these incredibly hot rocks, 'cause the interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees, and the crust of the earth is hot …
Um, earth to Al Gore, if the earth's core was several million degrees it would be about the same temperature as the core of a star. I think nuclear fusion in the earths core would make it difficult to live on its surface since the surface of the sun is 6000 Celsius. I can't wait until he is elected the "Climate Pope" and gets to issue edicts on us lowly energy users.
Boehringer Ingelheim Working on "Female Viagra?"
It seems that we may have a so-called female Viagra on the market in the next few years if Boehringer Ingelheim is able to get FDA approval for a drug called flibanserin.
With up to a quarter of women suffering from low libido, it is predicted to be at least as successful as Viagra, with worldwide sales topping £2billion a year.
Like Viagra, which was originally designed to treat heart problems, flibanserin was formulated with another purpose in mind.
It was created as an anti-depressant but those taking part in trials said it did nothing to boost their mood but did wonders for their sex drive.
Too bad this Boehringer Ingelheim is not publicly traded or it will a stock to watch for sure. I would be all over an IPO or I could see Pfizer buying them out in order to create a total solution for men and women.
Independents Flee the Democrats
This might be setting up to be a big year for the GOP in 2010. Independents win elections and they are scared to death about the debt and the deficits.
A Gallup Poll released last week offered a disturbing glimpse about the state of play: just 14 percent of independents approve of the job Congress is doing, the lowest figure all year. In just the past few days alone, surveys have shown Democratic incumbents trailing Republicans among independent voters by double-digit margins in competitive statewide contests in places as varied as Connecticut, Ohio and Iowa.
Obama’s own popularity among independents has fallen significantly, too. A CBS News poll Tuesday showed the president’s approval rating among unaligned voters falling to 45 percent — down from 63 percent in April.
Wow that is a nose dive any way you look at it. I think independents voted for a moderate and ended up with Chicago Nixon instead. However I still think Barack Hussein Carter might be more appropriate given his handling of the economy and the slow crawl on Afghanistan.Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Democrat Blasts White House over Stimulus Reporting
It is good that his own party is starting to push back on all the book cooking when it comes to the failed stimulus bill. I thought the White House was going to be the most transparent administration in history?
Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wis.), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, took the administration to task for pervasive errors on the Web site designed to monitor disbursement of the stimulus funds. He called those errors "outrageous."
"Credibility counts in government and stupid mistakes like this undermine it. We've got too many serious problems in this country to let that happen," Obey said in a statement. "Whether the numbers are good news or bad news, I want the honest numbers and I want them now."
Recovery.gov Shows Jobs and Stimulus Money Going to Phantom Congressional Districts
They should have just made all the jobs come from these phantom districts. Then they can say that a billion jobs were "created and saved" in these districts and it would solve the unemployment issue just in time for 2010.
Researchers at the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity found 440 “phantom districts” listed on Recovery.gov, consuming $6.4 billion and creating or saving nearly 30,000 jobs. Their findings are listed HERE.
For example, Recovery.gov shows 12 districts, using up more than $2.7 billion, in Washington, D.C, which only has one congressional district.
Recovery.gov also shows 2,893.9 jobs created with $194,537,372 in stimulus funding in New Hampshire’s 00 congressional district. But, there is no such thing.
The site also shows $1,471,518 going to New Hampshire’s 6th congressional district, $1,033,809 to the 4th congressional district and $124,774 to the 27th congressional district. In fact, New Hampshire only has two congressional districts; inviting confusion about where the money listed for the 00, 4th, 6th and 27th districts is going.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Public Plan Would Actually Have Premiums 4% Higher than Private Plans?
We have been told over and over that the public plan would "reduce costs" but this report says that that is just bunk.
We estimate that the public plan will have costs that were 5% below the average level for private plans but that the public plan premiums would be roughly 4% higher than private as a result of the antiselection of enrollees.
In other words there will just not be enough people taking the public plan to make low premiums financially viable. Plus, the cutting of the so-called "overhead and profit motive" from private plans would result in just a 5% cost savings.
Also I would rather stick with the private plan if I get to pay 4% less in premiums. Suddenly the public option looks much less fearsome to private insurance as some might think. I think many Americans will look at the health exchange see that the government plan is too expensive and just choose Blue-Cross/Blue-Shield or something.
We estimate that the public plan will have costs that were 5% below the average level for private plans but that the public plan premiums would be roughly 4% higher than private as a result of the antiselection of enrollees.
In other words there will just not be enough people taking the public plan to make low premiums financially viable. Plus, the cutting of the so-called "overhead and profit motive" from private plans would result in just a 5% cost savings.
Also I would rather stick with the private plan if I get to pay 4% less in premiums. Suddenly the public option looks much less fearsome to private insurance as some might think. I think many Americans will look at the health exchange see that the government plan is too expensive and just choose Blue-Cross/Blue-Shield or something.
Will PelosiCare Gut Senior Health Care?
At least that is what the Washington Post is saying. Here is the text of the non-partisan report.
A plan to slash more than $500 billion from future Medicare spending -- one of the biggest sources of funding for President Obama's proposed overhaul of the nation's health-care system -- would sharply reduce benefits for some senior citizens and could jeopardize access to care for millions of others, according to a government evaluation released Saturday.
The report, requested by House Republicans, found that Medicare cuts contained in the health package approved by the House on Nov. 7 are likely to prove so costly to hospitals and nursing homes that they could stop taking Medicare altogether.
Yup, now we are talking about some real "death panels." If hospitals won't take Medicare then there will be a lot more seniors that are going to have to choose between going to the doctor and buying food for themselves. In other words PelosiCare will cove 30 million extra Americans at the expense of 36 million senior citizens.
It is so laughable that the AARP is actually endorsing this mess because it will end up costing their members dearly. The funniest part too is that if you are rich or have "Cadillac Insurance" you will not be affected by these Medicare cuts (the SEIU and other retired union members just breathed a sigh of relief.) But if you retired as a member of the middle class you will be screwed by it. It seems that any senior that supports PelosiCare needs to know that their lives might be shortened if, for some reason, they are forced to rely on Medicare alone.
A plan to slash more than $500 billion from future Medicare spending -- one of the biggest sources of funding for President Obama's proposed overhaul of the nation's health-care system -- would sharply reduce benefits for some senior citizens and could jeopardize access to care for millions of others, according to a government evaluation released Saturday.
The report, requested by House Republicans, found that Medicare cuts contained in the health package approved by the House on Nov. 7 are likely to prove so costly to hospitals and nursing homes that they could stop taking Medicare altogether.
Yup, now we are talking about some real "death panels." If hospitals won't take Medicare then there will be a lot more seniors that are going to have to choose between going to the doctor and buying food for themselves. In other words PelosiCare will cove 30 million extra Americans at the expense of 36 million senior citizens.
It is so laughable that the AARP is actually endorsing this mess because it will end up costing their members dearly. The funniest part too is that if you are rich or have "Cadillac Insurance" you will not be affected by these Medicare cuts (the SEIU and other retired union members just breathed a sigh of relief.) But if you retired as a member of the middle class you will be screwed by it. It seems that any senior that supports PelosiCare needs to know that their lives might be shortened if, for some reason, they are forced to rely on Medicare alone.
Palin Hits Back Against Couric
Too bad she didn't hit back at Couric during the campaign. That interview was a real ambush and it made her look like a dope.
Asked if she prepared for the interview with Couric, Palin said “not so much, but it was supposed to be a light-hearted thing.”
“After the first segment, it didn’t go well. It didn’t go very well, I was annoyed by her badgering,” Palin said.
The former Alaska governor accused Couric of trying to trap her on the issue of abortion, asking her “12 different times on my position on abortion and the morning after pill.”
Palin also said she grew annoyed by Couric’s presence at campaign rallies. After one particular rally when she left the rope line “fired up,” Palin recalled that she turned around to see Couric and thought, “There is the perky one again with the microphone.”
Palin indicated that she was offended when Couric asked her what newspapers and magazines she reads, saying that she took the question “in the context of ‘do you read?’”
“Obviously I have over the course of my life,” Palin said. “I’m a lover of books and magazines and newspapers.”
Friday, November 13, 2009
AG Holder Rolls the Dice
All I can say is that he better get a conviction or there will be hell to pay.
Holder insisted both the court system and the untainted evidence against the five men are strong enough to deliver a guilty verdict and the penalty he expects to seek: a death sentence for the deaths of nearly 3,000 people who were killed when four hijacked jetliners slammed into the towers, the Pentagon, and a field in western Pennsylvania.
If these terrorists get off the hook due to Judicial bungling or it turns into a Kangaroo Court where these killers continually disrupt the proceedings then all bets are off. Americans can forgive the White House for not stimulation jobs but letting terrorists off on technicalities or some other screw-up will be a grievous blow. I think a military tribunal would be a better deal but I guess you have to trust Holder to have enough evidence to execute these scumbags.
Holder insisted both the court system and the untainted evidence against the five men are strong enough to deliver a guilty verdict and the penalty he expects to seek: a death sentence for the deaths of nearly 3,000 people who were killed when four hijacked jetliners slammed into the towers, the Pentagon, and a field in western Pennsylvania.
If these terrorists get off the hook due to Judicial bungling or it turns into a Kangaroo Court where these killers continually disrupt the proceedings then all bets are off. Americans can forgive the White House for not stimulation jobs but letting terrorists off on technicalities or some other screw-up will be a grievous blow. I think a military tribunal would be a better deal but I guess you have to trust Holder to have enough evidence to execute these scumbags.
Twisted Logic on How Tax Hikes Empower Consumers
Even though I support an excise tax on "Cadillac" insurance plans I just think Ms. Romer should not be the one selling the plan.
“Part of the idea of how that is going to work is precisely because it does empower consumers. It empowers each of us to have an employer-sponsored plan to call our HR office and say, ‘Would you negotiate harder? Would you think about (whether this) is the most efficient plan out there, because I don’t want my plan paying an excise tax.' So I think that’s something that is very much empowering consumers.”
It really isn't up to most employees on what health plan their employers give them. Especially if you are in a union. I really think they need to pay some sort of tax so they don't end up getting away with a "Cadillac" Plan while other people can barely afford it.
“Part of the idea of how that is going to work is precisely because it does empower consumers. It empowers each of us to have an employer-sponsored plan to call our HR office and say, ‘Would you negotiate harder? Would you think about (whether this) is the most efficient plan out there, because I don’t want my plan paying an excise tax.' So I think that’s something that is very much empowering consumers.”
It really isn't up to most employees on what health plan their employers give them. Especially if you are in a union. I really think they need to pay some sort of tax so they don't end up getting away with a "Cadillac" Plan while other people can barely afford it.
Consumer Confidence Sours Again
I just wish this whole healthcare debate goes away so that people can focus on creating jobs by cutting payroll taxes. These terrible confidence numbers should be bad for retail and the economy as a whole in any case.
The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said its preliminary index of sentiment for November fell to 66.0, the lowest since August, from 70.6 in October.
The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said its preliminary index of sentiment for November fell to 66.0, the lowest since August, from 70.6 in October.
This was well below economists' median expectation of a reading of 71.0, according to a Reuters poll.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Great China Crash?
Hmm this is some very interesting reading if you are long China or you think their GDP will grow at 8.9% forever. I thought it was interesting that with all that demand constrained all over the world they had such a high GDP growth. I could understand it when things were humming but who is buying all these cheap Chinese exports? This guy thinks its book cooking:
Chang argues that inconsistencies in Chinese official statistics — like the surging numbers for car sales but flat statistics for gasoline consumption — indicate that the Chinese are simply cooking their books. He speculates that Chinese state-run companies are buying fleets of cars and simply storing them in giant parking lots in order to generate apparent growth.
Also if you are a commodity bull you need to be ready to take profits since a Chinese collapse will destroy you.
Another data point cited by the bears: overcapacity. For example, the Chinese already consume more cement than the rest of the world combined, at 1.4 billion tons per year. But they have dramatically ramped up their ability to produce even more in recent years, leading to an estimated spare capacity of about 340 million tons, which, according to a report prepared earlier this year by Pivot Capital Management, is more than the consumption in the U.S., India and Japan combined.
That is a lot of cement and what are they supposed to build with all that? These China bears like Jim Chanos of Kynikos Associates think its lots of empty high rises and factories. The slow motion collapse seems to be happening already at least when it comes to Chinese retail:And the bears also keep a close eye on anecdotal reports from the ground level in China, like a recent posting on a blog called The Peking Duck about shopping at Beijing’s “stunningly dysfunctional, catastrophic mall, called The Place.”
“I was shocked at what I saw,” the blogger wrote. “Fifty percent of the eateries in the basement were boarded up. The cheap food court, too, was gone, covered up with ugly blue boarding, making the basement especially grim and dreary. ... There is simply too much stuff, too many stores and no buyers.”
When the food court closes you have to be worried.
Did Obama Betray the Iranian Protestors?
It certainly seems that way according to this New Republic article.
To the people in the streets, to the middle class and to the students--the only hope for Iran--he has shown them, frankly, his behind. Not a statement of solidarity. Certainly not material support. He is still apologizing for the overthrow by the C.I.A. of Iran's prime minister, Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh, in 1953. That was 56 years ago, for God's sake. Still, his apologies have gotten him nowhere and will get him nowhere.
I think there was an opportunity there that a JFK, Hillary Clinton, or a Truman would have seized in a minute. If he came out four-square for the protesters and gave them some kind of firm support we had the opportunity to see the Fall of the Mullahcracy in Iran.
Obama seemed so disengaged at the time while millions of people from the left and the right had their eyes on Iran. If he quickly said a statement like "I see in those protesters the same courage that filled the hearts of the people that founded our nation and we stand with them 100%" it might have gone a long way.
I think Truman might have even steamed a carrier group nearby or leaked satellite photos to make Iran know that any genocide of protesters would be broadcast to the world. I would bet JFK may have even had CIA agents in place to turn the protesters movement into a full scale rebellion.
I can understand that Obama was hedging his bets because he figured he would still have to negotiate with the hardliners over their nuclear program if they held onto power. But times like that would have called for an all-in gamble that a fall of the Iranian government would have solved the nuclear issue once and for all.
In any case is was just embarrassing to see a US President side with the Mullahs over the kids protesting in the streets of Tehran for actual "change they could believe in." It just seemed so unlike a Democratic President that is supposed to care about protesting and "radical change" to be so aloof and disconnected like that.
To the people in the streets, to the middle class and to the students--the only hope for Iran--he has shown them, frankly, his behind. Not a statement of solidarity. Certainly not material support. He is still apologizing for the overthrow by the C.I.A. of Iran's prime minister, Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh, in 1953. That was 56 years ago, for God's sake. Still, his apologies have gotten him nowhere and will get him nowhere.
I think there was an opportunity there that a JFK, Hillary Clinton, or a Truman would have seized in a minute. If he came out four-square for the protesters and gave them some kind of firm support we had the opportunity to see the Fall of the Mullahcracy in Iran.
Obama seemed so disengaged at the time while millions of people from the left and the right had their eyes on Iran. If he quickly said a statement like "I see in those protesters the same courage that filled the hearts of the people that founded our nation and we stand with them 100%" it might have gone a long way.
I think Truman might have even steamed a carrier group nearby or leaked satellite photos to make Iran know that any genocide of protesters would be broadcast to the world. I would bet JFK may have even had CIA agents in place to turn the protesters movement into a full scale rebellion.
I can understand that Obama was hedging his bets because he figured he would still have to negotiate with the hardliners over their nuclear program if they held onto power. But times like that would have called for an all-in gamble that a fall of the Iranian government would have solved the nuclear issue once and for all.
In any case is was just embarrassing to see a US President side with the Mullahs over the kids protesting in the streets of Tehran for actual "change they could believe in." It just seemed so unlike a Democratic President that is supposed to care about protesting and "radical change" to be so aloof and disconnected like that.
Liberal Calls for End of Filibuster: Be Careful What You Wish For
I think the totalitarian streak of some liberals seems to shine through every once in a while.
The filibuster may seem like an arcane procedural issue to rail on about (we've already published excellent articles about it in these pages by William Greider and Thomas Geoghegan), but it has serious substantive results. America desperately needs a twenty-first-century social democratic reformation, but no such thing is in the offing as long as the filibuster remains in place. As I write this, there are almost certainly fifty-one votes in the Senate for a healthcare reform bill with a public option and good subsidies, the Employee Free Choice Act, and cap and trade. But there aren't sixty votes for any of those.
Of course this filibuster is there to prevent the "tyranny of the majority" at the expense of the minority. If they could pass things with 51 votes then liberals would have flipped out in the 6 years when the GOP controlled the White House and Congress.
Imagine if one party needed just 51 votes to create a fascist dictatorship that made Bush President for Life? I mean 9/11 could have gotten people scared enough to think that was a good idea. It would only take 51 GOP votes to make that happen.
What is funny is that liberals like this writer can't convince a majority of people that these ideas are worth doing so he just wants to make Congress into a rubber stamp. He just wants to impose his will on America with no one there to stop it. That sounds suspiciously like something out of Soviet Union. If he wants a totalitarian government run by him and his "progressives" then come out and say it. Then just wait for a large part of the nation to succeeded from the Union.
The filibuster may seem like an arcane procedural issue to rail on about (we've already published excellent articles about it in these pages by William Greider and Thomas Geoghegan), but it has serious substantive results. America desperately needs a twenty-first-century social democratic reformation, but no such thing is in the offing as long as the filibuster remains in place. As I write this, there are almost certainly fifty-one votes in the Senate for a healthcare reform bill with a public option and good subsidies, the Employee Free Choice Act, and cap and trade. But there aren't sixty votes for any of those.
Of course this filibuster is there to prevent the "tyranny of the majority" at the expense of the minority. If they could pass things with 51 votes then liberals would have flipped out in the 6 years when the GOP controlled the White House and Congress.
Imagine if one party needed just 51 votes to create a fascist dictatorship that made Bush President for Life? I mean 9/11 could have gotten people scared enough to think that was a good idea. It would only take 51 GOP votes to make that happen.
What is funny is that liberals like this writer can't convince a majority of people that these ideas are worth doing so he just wants to make Congress into a rubber stamp. He just wants to impose his will on America with no one there to stop it. That sounds suspiciously like something out of Soviet Union. If he wants a totalitarian government run by him and his "progressives" then come out and say it. Then just wait for a large part of the nation to succeeded from the Union.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Colombia and Venezuela Inch Toward War?
It seems that "Crazy Hugo" Chavez is rattling the saber again.
However, the move of troops to the Colombian border and the threats Chavez made this weekend of war do not reflect lunacy, but a bid to grab power and influence in Latin America at the expense of a weakened US. He wants the US out of Colombia, and Chavez apparently believes he has an American President he can bully towards that goal:
I agree with this statement. I think Chavez is testing Obama to see if he will protect his allies or not. A pullback here and everyone will be looking to make a power grab at the expense of Obama. I can see Russia pushing their influence into the Ukraine or maybe agitating for a pro-Russian government in Georgia. I also see Israel going it alone on Iranian nukes as well. That's what happens when Obama channels Carter instead of Truman.
However, the move of troops to the Colombian border and the threats Chavez made this weekend of war do not reflect lunacy, but a bid to grab power and influence in Latin America at the expense of a weakened US. He wants the US out of Colombia, and Chavez apparently believes he has an American President he can bully towards that goal:
I agree with this statement. I think Chavez is testing Obama to see if he will protect his allies or not. A pullback here and everyone will be looking to make a power grab at the expense of Obama. I can see Russia pushing their influence into the Ukraine or maybe agitating for a pro-Russian government in Georgia. I also see Israel going it alone on Iranian nukes as well. That's what happens when Obama channels Carter instead of Truman.
The Rise of the Right Across Europe
I think people in the US as well as Europe are finally understanding that spending billions that you don't have is not a way to economic prosperity.
It's not just the Republicans who came out ahead. Last month a conservative coalition swept into power in Germany. In France, Nicolas Sarkozy's party has considerable public support. In Britain, conservatives are poised to win their first national election in 17 years. Even in Denmark and Sweden, where social democrats usually win, the right is in power. In fact, across continental Europe, only one major country, Spain, has a left-wing ruling party.
I think this criticism of PelosiCare is especially valid as well.
On health care, however, the story looks different. There are two great health-care crises in America—one in-volving coverage and the other cost. The Obama plan appears likely to tackle the first but not the second. This is bad economics but also bad politics: the crisis of cost affects 85 percent of Americans, while the crisis of coverage affects about 15 percent. Obama's message to the country appears to be "We have a dysfunctional health-care system with out-of-control costs, and let's add 45 million people to it."
Plus it raises taxes on some Americans while increasing costs for the rest of them. I can't wait until 20-somethings suddenly get a tax bill for $900 when they choose to forgo health insurance for more spending money. It will be interesting to see the backlash that will result from these same people being sent to prison for the crime of not having health insurance.
It's not just the Republicans who came out ahead. Last month a conservative coalition swept into power in Germany. In France, Nicolas Sarkozy's party has considerable public support. In Britain, conservatives are poised to win their first national election in 17 years. Even in Denmark and Sweden, where social democrats usually win, the right is in power. In fact, across continental Europe, only one major country, Spain, has a left-wing ruling party.
I think this criticism of PelosiCare is especially valid as well.
On health care, however, the story looks different. There are two great health-care crises in America—one in-volving coverage and the other cost. The Obama plan appears likely to tackle the first but not the second. This is bad economics but also bad politics: the crisis of cost affects 85 percent of Americans, while the crisis of coverage affects about 15 percent. Obama's message to the country appears to be "We have a dysfunctional health-care system with out-of-control costs, and let's add 45 million people to it."
Plus it raises taxes on some Americans while increasing costs for the rest of them. I can't wait until 20-somethings suddenly get a tax bill for $900 when they choose to forgo health insurance for more spending money. It will be interesting to see the backlash that will result from these same people being sent to prison for the crime of not having health insurance.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Holy Crap I Agree With Robert Reich
It might seem strange but this sentiment is bitterly important.
If Obama and the Democrats lose one or both houses of Congress in the midterms, it will be because the president learned only the most superficial lesson of the Clinton years. Health-care reform is critically important. But when one out of six Americans is unemployed or underemployed, getting the nation back to work is more so.
Yup, he is 100% right. No one cares about health insurance when they can't find a job to put food on the table. I think it is time for Obama to come up with an actual "jobs bill" with the rest of the stimulus money that hasn't been spent yet.
If Obama and the Democrats lose one or both houses of Congress in the midterms, it will be because the president learned only the most superficial lesson of the Clinton years. Health-care reform is critically important. But when one out of six Americans is unemployed or underemployed, getting the nation back to work is more so.
Yup, he is 100% right. No one cares about health insurance when they can't find a job to put food on the table. I think it is time for Obama to come up with an actual "jobs bill" with the rest of the stimulus money that hasn't been spent yet.
Large Hadron Collider Shut Down By Bread Dropped By a Bird?
I think they should shut this thing down because it is turning out to be a big joke.
The bird dropped some bread on a section of outdoor machinery, eventually leading to significant over heating in parts of the accelerator. The LHC was not operational at the time of the incident, but the spike produced so much heat that had the beam been on, automatic failsafes would have shut down the machine.
I think Dr. Nielsen and Dr. Ninomiya have a point when they are saying that time traveling particles may be creating strange happenings to shut down the collider.
“It must be our prediction that all Higgs producing machines shall have bad luck,” Dr. Nielsen said in an e-mail message. In an unpublished essay, Dr. Nielson said of the theory, “Well, one could even almost say that we have a model for God.” It is their guess, he went on, “that He rather hates Higgs particles, and attempts to avoid them.”
A bird dropping a piece of bread that overheats part of the Collider has to be one of those one in a million things that these two theorists were speculating about.
The bird dropped some bread on a section of outdoor machinery, eventually leading to significant over heating in parts of the accelerator. The LHC was not operational at the time of the incident, but the spike produced so much heat that had the beam been on, automatic failsafes would have shut down the machine.
I think Dr. Nielsen and Dr. Ninomiya have a point when they are saying that time traveling particles may be creating strange happenings to shut down the collider.
“It must be our prediction that all Higgs producing machines shall have bad luck,” Dr. Nielsen said in an e-mail message. In an unpublished essay, Dr. Nielson said of the theory, “Well, one could even almost say that we have a model for God.” It is their guess, he went on, “that He rather hates Higgs particles, and attempts to avoid them.”
A bird dropping a piece of bread that overheats part of the Collider has to be one of those one in a million things that these two theorists were speculating about.
"Saved" Jobs Count in Illinois Was Way Off
I think the White House needs to just sign on to the fact that the "Stimulus" was a dismal failure and figure out some other way to get Americans back to work. This number fudging on jobs "saved" is just adding up to embarrassment down the line.
In the official report, Wilmette Public Schools District 39 was credited with 166 jobs saved by stimulus aid. Superintendent Raymond Lechner said the number should be zero.
At Dolton-Riverdale School District 148, stimulus funds were said to have saved the equivalent of 382 full-time teaching jobs -- 142 more than the district actually has.
A similar discrepancy was found in data for Kankakee School District 111, where the stimulus report logged the equivalent of 665 full-time jobs saved. "That's impossible," a top Kankakee school official said, adding that the entire payroll -- full and part time -- is 600 workers.
In the official report, Wilmette Public Schools District 39 was credited with 166 jobs saved by stimulus aid. Superintendent Raymond Lechner said the number should be zero.
At Dolton-Riverdale School District 148, stimulus funds were said to have saved the equivalent of 382 full-time teaching jobs -- 142 more than the district actually has.
A similar discrepancy was found in data for Kankakee School District 111, where the stimulus report logged the equivalent of 665 full-time jobs saved. "That's impossible," a top Kankakee school official said, adding that the entire payroll -- full and part time -- is 600 workers.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Government To Be Your Land Lord?
| It seems that way if you are about to be foreclosed on by Fannie Mae. Thousands of borrowers on the verge of foreclosure will soon have the option of renting their homes from Fannie Mae, under a policy announced Thursday. The government-controlled company, through its new "Deed for Lease" program, will allow borrowers to transfer ownership to Fannie Mae and sign a one-year lease, with month-to-month extensions after that. I'm not sure if this will slow the foreclosures but at least it will keep people in their homes as they wait to refinance them. It just seems like a "kick the can" type of thing but you never know. |
Saudi Jets Cross into Yemen to Strike Militants
| It seems that we might see a hotter war between militants in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia sent fighter jets and artillery bombardments across the border into northern Yemen Thursday in a military incursion apparently aimed at helping its troubled southern neighbor control an escalating Shiite rebellion, Arab diplomats and the rebels said. I hope the Sauid's are really careful that these militants don't start to launch attacks against oil fields and other infrastructure. You would see $100+ oil in a few weeks if that should happen. |
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Best Idea of the Day: Women Only Firearms Camps
| Now this is a great idea and should deter all those rapists and muggers. A woman packing heat is a beautiful thing. The three-day camps, which cost £400, are exploding across the country and in January next year a US TV show will begin documenting the female gun trend. "It started with one camp in 2004 and now we're planning 15 to 20 camps for 2010," said Debbie, who has helped recruit over 1,000 women to the shooting world. "Women love it. We get schoolteachers, lawyers, nurses, women from all walks of life. The gun is the great equalizer for a woman. It doesn't matter how big and powerful her attacker is as long as he isn't on speed or something a woman can take him down with one shot. Those crazy boyfriends and stalkers would think twice if a girl shows them their arsenal and their willingness to use it. |
Polling Shows Americans Against PelosiCare
| This data should make moderate Democrats sit up and take notice. People just don't want a "public plan" or anything else the Dems are selling on health care. I think the idea of spending $1.2 trillion *more* dollars on top of all the other debt and unfunded mandates just rubs people the wrong way. |
Monday, November 02, 2009
Japan Cruising Toward Debt Crisis
| I knew Japan was deep in debt but these numbers are truly scary. The IMF expects Japan's gross public debt to reach 218pc of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, 227pc next year, and 246pc by 2014. This has been manageable so far only because Japanese savers have been willing – or coerced – into lending for almost nothing. The yield on 10-year government bonds has been around 1.30pc this year, though they jumped to 1.42pc last week. That means for every 1 Yen of GDP you have more then 2 Yen of Debt. That is simply unsustainable and if there is a debt crunch in Japan it will be strait-up devastating. |
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