This weekend's attempted downing of a Northwest Airlines flight clearly proves that the steps being taken by Obama to be "soft on terrorists" won't do anything to thwart attacks on the U.S. After all, this latest attempt against our country comes just a year after Obama promised to close down Gitmo and remove it as a means of an Al Qaeda recruiting tool. Closing Gitmo might make the Europeans happy but, it isn't going to stop the very real threat of terrorism. And, too, Obama's publicly announced ban on enhanced interrogation techniques did nothing to prevent the Christmas terrorist attempt.
Terrorists don't sit around in coffee shops or other social settings and toss around academic theories like those that Obama and so many of his professorial friends do when they're trying to contemplate solving the world's problems. Terrorists are realists. These people want to kill us and Gitmo isn't the reason. They have an education that is firmly rooted in the most radical intrepretation of the Koran. Any positive facets of Islam are completely ignored. They hate America. They want to kill Americans in the name of their God. It's just that simple. Logic doesn't have anything to do with it. Obama and his people are naive to believe that logic and police actions will stop these attempts to kill Americans.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Nero Fiddled and Obama Golfed
Keeping Americans safe doesn't mean that you work strokes off your golf game. It took more than 72 hours after the failed Christmas terrorist attack before the President took time from his busy golf schedule to even make a comment about that attack. Then, following his brief and half-hearted statement, he went back to his scheduled game.
From Janet Napolitano's lame statements to the lack of this President loosening his grip around a golf club, we have an Administration who shows little but casual concern over the safety of this country. The closing of Gitmo and the trying of KSM in a civilian court just reinforces this lack of concern. Similarly, he has made destroying our heath care system the priority over getting the economy back on its feet. When do the American people come first over left-wing ideology?
Terrorism isn't a game. The absolutely disastrous consequences of detonating only 50 grams of PETN explosive (as was carried by Richard Reid - the shoe bomber) can be seen from the FBI tests that were documented in the video below. That Nigerian Christmas assassin was actually carrying 50 percent more PETN than what Reid had carried in his shoe and what had been used to document these FBI tests.
All indications are that the Obama Administration failed in every aspect of security to thwart this Christmas attack. For this reason, every American should be concerned about this Administration's lax attitude towards the threat that would kill us all. After all, Obama is a guy that doesn't even seem to think we are at war with radical Islam and completely refuses to use the term "War on Terror". Instead, he and his people prefer to look at the Fort Hood shootings and this Christmas bomber as isolated criminal incidents that, very simply, are man-made disasters that should be handled like some 7-Eleven robbery.
Is this the change that America wanted when they hired this guy to be our President?
From Janet Napolitano's lame statements to the lack of this President loosening his grip around a golf club, we have an Administration who shows little but casual concern over the safety of this country. The closing of Gitmo and the trying of KSM in a civilian court just reinforces this lack of concern. Similarly, he has made destroying our heath care system the priority over getting the economy back on its feet. When do the American people come first over left-wing ideology?
Terrorism isn't a game. The absolutely disastrous consequences of detonating only 50 grams of PETN explosive (as was carried by Richard Reid - the shoe bomber) can be seen from the FBI tests that were documented in the video below. That Nigerian Christmas assassin was actually carrying 50 percent more PETN than what Reid had carried in his shoe and what had been used to document these FBI tests.
All indications are that the Obama Administration failed in every aspect of security to thwart this Christmas attack. For this reason, every American should be concerned about this Administration's lax attitude towards the threat that would kill us all. After all, Obama is a guy that doesn't even seem to think we are at war with radical Islam and completely refuses to use the term "War on Terror". Instead, he and his people prefer to look at the Fort Hood shootings and this Christmas bomber as isolated criminal incidents that, very simply, are man-made disasters that should be handled like some 7-Eleven robbery.
Is this the change that America wanted when they hired this guy to be our President?
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
I Think Krugman Has It Right
Rarely would I agree with the New York Times columnist and Nobel winning economist Paul Krugman. But, I have to agree with what he expressed this weekend, which was his belief that there is a possibility of a double dip recession in 2010:
I, however, am more certain that this will happen than Krugman. I personally don't see any depth to this recovery. What little growth that does exist is due to some smatterings of an artificial stimulus which are not organic or widespread. That can only create a short-lived recovery. The original Stimulus Package is well off it's target in creating jobs. In fact, the first package was specifically targeted to help state governments to grow which will ultimately get those governments in trouble. Those state's will continue to lose revenues and the already bloated deficits will only get bigger because they didn't make the hard choices needed to reduce spending. In addition, the new stimulus package -- nicknamed Cash for Caulkers -- will be another fruitless program.
Expect bank failures to rise next year to a level that is well above this year's 150 banks. Foreclosures are expected to be double this year's rate. The new and more disastrous bomb to hit the economy will be the default on commercial mortgages as the number of small business go under.
The important thing to note is that Paul Krugman is as far left and Democratic as they come. For him to predict another dip in the economy is more than just small talk. It's a big thing!
I, however, am more certain that this will happen than Krugman. I personally don't see any depth to this recovery. What little growth that does exist is due to some smatterings of an artificial stimulus which are not organic or widespread. That can only create a short-lived recovery. The original Stimulus Package is well off it's target in creating jobs. In fact, the first package was specifically targeted to help state governments to grow which will ultimately get those governments in trouble. Those state's will continue to lose revenues and the already bloated deficits will only get bigger because they didn't make the hard choices needed to reduce spending. In addition, the new stimulus package -- nicknamed Cash for Caulkers -- will be another fruitless program.
Expect bank failures to rise next year to a level that is well above this year's 150 banks. Foreclosures are expected to be double this year's rate. The new and more disastrous bomb to hit the economy will be the default on commercial mortgages as the number of small business go under.
The important thing to note is that Paul Krugman is as far left and Democratic as they come. For him to predict another dip in the economy is more than just small talk. It's a big thing!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Napolitano: The System Worked?
Over the weekend, Janet Napolitano, the Director of Homeland Security, made the totally absurd comment that the "system worked" (Click to See Full Story: Napolitano: "The system worked") when talking about the failed terrorist attack on Christmas day.
Absolutely, the system "didn't work". The fact that bomb failed to explode is the only reason why we're not now talking about more than 250 deaths resulting from a terrorist attack.
What didn't work is the watch list system that is used to ferret out people like that Nigerian terrorist and which, if acted on properly, would have required him to have a secondary search before boarding the plane. And, to top everything off, it is now being reported that he didn't even have a valid passport or visa to enter the United States.
Above all, what didn't work is the Obama State Department. When a high level and well-respected Nigerian businessman contacts the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to say that he's worried by his son's radical leanings and what he might do, sirens should have gone off in the State Department. Both Homeland Security and the FBI should have be notified. But, nothing was done. At the very least, the he should have been immediately moved from the watch list and placed on the higher level no-fly list.
When it comes to the economy, we get nonsensical statements from Joe Biden that the Stimulus Package is "working". Then, the President, says that he himself is doing a B+ job; when, in fact, the polls are showing that his has the worst rating of any President in history for the first year in office. Now, we have Napolitano saying that the "system worked"! Is the whole Obama Administration on drugs? Are these people that arrogant that they think they can keep lying to America and we will all just accept their lies?
Napolitano should be fired. Not for being a radical -- as is the case with most of Obama's minions -- but, for being just plain stupid. This is the third incident this year where she has shown her stupidity; starting with that report that she issued warning of "right wing" terrorism from people who have served in the military; that are pro-lifers; and from those who might be religious extremists. This woman is an ideological hack who appears to be looking right (politically) for all potential terrorist activities when, in fact, she should really be looking left.
On a larger and more disconcerting scale, we have an Administration who seems to think that the "War on Terror" is over and the use of that term passe. I guess Obama doesn't want the terrorists to feel bad. However, this kind of attitude is putting this country and its people at risk. And, this weekend just proves this.
Absolutely, the system "didn't work". The fact that bomb failed to explode is the only reason why we're not now talking about more than 250 deaths resulting from a terrorist attack.
What didn't work is the watch list system that is used to ferret out people like that Nigerian terrorist and which, if acted on properly, would have required him to have a secondary search before boarding the plane. And, to top everything off, it is now being reported that he didn't even have a valid passport or visa to enter the United States.
Above all, what didn't work is the Obama State Department. When a high level and well-respected Nigerian businessman contacts the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to say that he's worried by his son's radical leanings and what he might do, sirens should have gone off in the State Department. Both Homeland Security and the FBI should have be notified. But, nothing was done. At the very least, the he should have been immediately moved from the watch list and placed on the higher level no-fly list.
When it comes to the economy, we get nonsensical statements from Joe Biden that the Stimulus Package is "working". Then, the President, says that he himself is doing a B+ job; when, in fact, the polls are showing that his has the worst rating of any President in history for the first year in office. Now, we have Napolitano saying that the "system worked"! Is the whole Obama Administration on drugs? Are these people that arrogant that they think they can keep lying to America and we will all just accept their lies?
Napolitano should be fired. Not for being a radical -- as is the case with most of Obama's minions -- but, for being just plain stupid. This is the third incident this year where she has shown her stupidity; starting with that report that she issued warning of "right wing" terrorism from people who have served in the military; that are pro-lifers; and from those who might be religious extremists. This woman is an ideological hack who appears to be looking right (politically) for all potential terrorist activities when, in fact, she should really be looking left.
On a larger and more disconcerting scale, we have an Administration who seems to think that the "War on Terror" is over and the use of that term passe. I guess Obama doesn't want the terrorists to feel bad. However, this kind of attitude is putting this country and its people at risk. And, this weekend just proves this.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Earth To Harry!
Christmas eve morning, after passing what can only be considered a partisan health care bill, Harry Reid made this comment when talking about the feedback that he thinks the Democrats will hear when they get home for the Holidays:
"We're going to hear an earful, but it's going to be an earful of wonderment and happiness that people waited for for a long time."
With the polls showing little support for his Senate health care reform bill, you've got to wonder if Harry's comment isn't just an early sign of senility. Whatever, I really think he needs be retired from the Senate and I would hope all the voters of Nevada feel that way in the Fall.
"We're going to hear an earful, but it's going to be an earful of wonderment and happiness that people waited for for a long time."
With the polls showing little support for his Senate health care reform bill, you've got to wonder if Harry's comment isn't just an early sign of senility. Whatever, I really think he needs be retired from the Senate and I would hope all the voters of Nevada feel that way in the Fall.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Why the Greenhouse Effect And Global Warming Make No Sense
The whole concept of global warming and climate change is based on the fact that CO2 and some other gases, trapped in our upper atmosphere, act as a reflective blanket and radiate heat back to the earth in much the same way as a glass enclosed greenhouse maintains warm temperatures for plants; even in the depths of winter. But, anyone who actually owns a greenhouse also knows that the greenhouse effect only works during the day and, at night, the lack of the sun's radiant heat must be offset with some form of gas or electric heat.
So, with this simple concept in mind, it seems obvious that the sun is what truly drives the greenhouse effect.
If we are to assume -- as the global warmists would have us all believe -- that CO2 reflects thermal energy, we must also assume that it is also capable of reflecting or blocking the sun's thermal energy from reaching the earth. Therefore, it is only logical that some of the sun's energy won't be able to warm the earth as the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases rise in our atmosphere. So, at the very least, the warming effect of increased CO2 is probably being more than offset by the amount of the sun's thermal energy that is being blocked.
Another reason that the greenhouse effect doesn't make any sense has to do with simple thermal dynamics. At the heart of this concept is the fact that space is a lot colder than the earth is warm. In fact, in the depths of space, the temperature is 2.7 degrees kelvin or about -455 degrees Fahrenheit. At best, the warmest parts of the earth can only reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. So, in essence, the tendency of the earth is to cool rather than to heat up. Most of its warmth is at the surface. The farther away from the surface you go, the colder it gets. You only have to look to the ice caps on the world's mountain tops to know this to be true. Therefore, by the time that earth's radiated heat makes it to the CO2 layer that is trapped in the earth's upper atmosphere, that heat has been cooled to freezing temperatures. So, therefore, what amount of real thermal energy is actually being reflected?
Furthermore, because space is so cold, the likelihood of one extra degree of the earth's radiated warmth being reflected back to the surface is highly improbable. It is more logical to believe that, thermally, the earth is less likely to warm space than space is to cool the earth.
What the Warmists don't want to talk about is the fact that most of the heat that is trapped at the earth's surface is the result of the amount of water vapor that is present in our atmosphere --- both in terms of clouds and humidity. Water vapor is the true greenhouse gas and it is the reason that we aren't just some big snowball in space. Water vapor makes up 95% of the earth's atmosphere. By contrast, CO2 only makes up less than 4 tenths of one percent of it. Even the smallest changes in the amount of water vapor in our atmosphere will have a substantial effect on the overall temperature of our environment. And, no amount of tree ring data and ice cores can tell us how much water vapor was present at any particular time in the history of the earth. Because of this lack of data, the computer models that are predicting future temps are totally deficient and not at all reliable. That is why, I believe, the current global warming scientists are so perplexed by the more than decade long flat-lining of world temperatures. Their models just don't work.
Through simple observation, anyone can easily understand how important humidity and clouds are to temperature. If you live in area of the country were the temperatures are capable of plunging below zero, you know that the coldest days -- the days when jet liners flying overhead actually create a "crackling" sound --- are those days that are totally cloudless and the humidity levels are so low that everything you touch gives you a static electricity shock. Those living in desert areas know that cloudy days will keep the the night from cooling off to the more comfortable temperatures that would otherwise be seen on cloudless nights.
There is just so much about the effect of CO2 on global warming that makes absolutely no sense. In most cases, simple logic trumps what we are being told. To me, the science will be settled when the majority of scientists -- and not just those whose theories are being tainted by fat government grants --- are in concert about the cause of global warming. Until then, I will remain one of those evil skeptics.
So, with this simple concept in mind, it seems obvious that the sun is what truly drives the greenhouse effect.
If we are to assume -- as the global warmists would have us all believe -- that CO2 reflects thermal energy, we must also assume that it is also capable of reflecting or blocking the sun's thermal energy from reaching the earth. Therefore, it is only logical that some of the sun's energy won't be able to warm the earth as the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases rise in our atmosphere. So, at the very least, the warming effect of increased CO2 is probably being more than offset by the amount of the sun's thermal energy that is being blocked.
Another reason that the greenhouse effect doesn't make any sense has to do with simple thermal dynamics. At the heart of this concept is the fact that space is a lot colder than the earth is warm. In fact, in the depths of space, the temperature is 2.7 degrees kelvin or about -455 degrees Fahrenheit. At best, the warmest parts of the earth can only reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. So, in essence, the tendency of the earth is to cool rather than to heat up. Most of its warmth is at the surface. The farther away from the surface you go, the colder it gets. You only have to look to the ice caps on the world's mountain tops to know this to be true. Therefore, by the time that earth's radiated heat makes it to the CO2 layer that is trapped in the earth's upper atmosphere, that heat has been cooled to freezing temperatures. So, therefore, what amount of real thermal energy is actually being reflected?
Furthermore, because space is so cold, the likelihood of one extra degree of the earth's radiated warmth being reflected back to the surface is highly improbable. It is more logical to believe that, thermally, the earth is less likely to warm space than space is to cool the earth.
What the Warmists don't want to talk about is the fact that most of the heat that is trapped at the earth's surface is the result of the amount of water vapor that is present in our atmosphere --- both in terms of clouds and humidity. Water vapor is the true greenhouse gas and it is the reason that we aren't just some big snowball in space. Water vapor makes up 95% of the earth's atmosphere. By contrast, CO2 only makes up less than 4 tenths of one percent of it. Even the smallest changes in the amount of water vapor in our atmosphere will have a substantial effect on the overall temperature of our environment. And, no amount of tree ring data and ice cores can tell us how much water vapor was present at any particular time in the history of the earth. Because of this lack of data, the computer models that are predicting future temps are totally deficient and not at all reliable. That is why, I believe, the current global warming scientists are so perplexed by the more than decade long flat-lining of world temperatures. Their models just don't work.
Through simple observation, anyone can easily understand how important humidity and clouds are to temperature. If you live in area of the country were the temperatures are capable of plunging below zero, you know that the coldest days -- the days when jet liners flying overhead actually create a "crackling" sound --- are those days that are totally cloudless and the humidity levels are so low that everything you touch gives you a static electricity shock. Those living in desert areas know that cloudy days will keep the the night from cooling off to the more comfortable temperatures that would otherwise be seen on cloudless nights.
There is just so much about the effect of CO2 on global warming that makes absolutely no sense. In most cases, simple logic trumps what we are being told. To me, the science will be settled when the majority of scientists -- and not just those whose theories are being tainted by fat government grants --- are in concert about the cause of global warming. Until then, I will remain one of those evil skeptics.
Friday, December 25, 2009
My Christmas Message
We call it the “homeless problem” in America. Some of us see the homeless people in this country as dirty people that sleep in the tunnels under the city and in vacant buildings and in vacant lots. Many are homeless because of misfortune. Many are homeless because life has dealt them a physical or mental “bad hand.” There are some that were once professionals and, now, for whatever reason, have just “dropped out” of society. And, some may actually prefer this kind of life-style like the hobos of the 1930’s and 1940’s who rode the rails from town to town.
Many of these people are on the streets because we have abandoned the very institutions that once housed them -- the state-run mental facilities. However, homeless people have been around since man first built cities. In the bible, you can read of beggars that were either crippled or blind or had some other affliction such as leprosy. We like to think that its just a modern problem, but it’s not!
Generally, we leave them to be taken care of by the more religious or compassionate of society. We leave them to organizations like the Salvation Army and the Little Brothers and Sisters of the Poor. Because of their care, we don’t have the homeless constantly dying on our streets from starvation and illness. Many of these organizations also feed the soul and mind as well as the body. Some people may be able to get back on their feet and rejoin the greater society. These organizations take a lot of burden off of the Federal Government. These are the groups that our former President, George W. Bush, called the “armies of compassion.” And, these groups greatly need our help.
You may not like to see homeless people on your city streets. You may not like them begging for your money, and, you may get irritated if they clean the windshield of you car. However, you should always remember that these people do have morals. Unlike criminals that would steal and sell drugs, the homeless in this country are a nobler lot. They generally don’t try to hurt their fellow man. They generally don’t steal. Instead they panhandle, and collect items that they can resell so that they can feed themselves. Some might be drug-users and alcoholics, but they generally don’t sell drugs. Many are religious or practice religion. And, for the most part, they are good people that life has treated poorly but who many of us view as bad citizens.
Today, Christmas is upon us. During this Holiday Season, many of us have given to their favorite charities. But, for this coming new year, lets make it a point to remember that being homelessness is a year-round condition. So, please don't forget to give generously throughout the year as well!
Many of these people are on the streets because we have abandoned the very institutions that once housed them -- the state-run mental facilities. However, homeless people have been around since man first built cities. In the bible, you can read of beggars that were either crippled or blind or had some other affliction such as leprosy. We like to think that its just a modern problem, but it’s not!
Generally, we leave them to be taken care of by the more religious or compassionate of society. We leave them to organizations like the Salvation Army and the Little Brothers and Sisters of the Poor. Because of their care, we don’t have the homeless constantly dying on our streets from starvation and illness. Many of these organizations also feed the soul and mind as well as the body. Some people may be able to get back on their feet and rejoin the greater society. These organizations take a lot of burden off of the Federal Government. These are the groups that our former President, George W. Bush, called the “armies of compassion.” And, these groups greatly need our help.
You may not like to see homeless people on your city streets. You may not like them begging for your money, and, you may get irritated if they clean the windshield of you car. However, you should always remember that these people do have morals. Unlike criminals that would steal and sell drugs, the homeless in this country are a nobler lot. They generally don’t try to hurt their fellow man. They generally don’t steal. Instead they panhandle, and collect items that they can resell so that they can feed themselves. Some might be drug-users and alcoholics, but they generally don’t sell drugs. Many are religious or practice religion. And, for the most part, they are good people that life has treated poorly but who many of us view as bad citizens.
Today, Christmas is upon us. During this Holiday Season, many of us have given to their favorite charities. But, for this coming new year, lets make it a point to remember that being homelessness is a year-round condition. So, please don't forget to give generously throughout the year as well!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
I Don't Think They Wanted Gitmo Terrorists For Christmas
While all of us are exchanging gifts and Santa is flying all over the world to give our little ones the presents they've asked for, the people of Thomson, Illinois have already gotten their lump of coal. Thanks to the Obama Administration, their Christmas presents will be the former prison population of Guantanamo Bay.
You see, Thomson Illinois has a vacant penitentiary that was built before State funds were so tight. You know, before Bush's recession. Despite the fact that the Illinois prison system is 34% over-crowded, the Thomson facility will finally be put to use to bailout Obama from not fulfilling his promise to close Gitmo. And, with this facility finally being opened, the people of Thomson are already counting all the new jobs they think will be created.
The Thomson correctional facility will be taken off the State's hands when the Federal Government takes it over. Whether or not the State gets what they originally paid for it is not known. Given that beggars can't be choosers, my guess is that the Feds will get the facility for a song.
Now, as for jobs, I don't know if the military will maintain control of the Gitmo transferees or not. But, if they do, the promise of substantial new jobs will pretty much go out the window. Sure, there might be a few "contractor" positions for the residents of Thomson and the surrounding communities but, we're probably not talking about a large increase in employment. According to Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, area jobs from opening this prison might be 1200 to 1900 jobs. The rest of the 3800 planned position would all be transferred in from other Federal sites. Certainly not enough to keep Illinois from possible bankruptcy in the next few months. They, like California, are on the list of about 5 states that are in serious financial trouble (Click to See Full Story: "FY 2011 BUDGET HEADED TOWARD BANKRUPTCY OR MASSIVE TAX INCREASE").
The biggest gift that the people of Thomson might get is the fact that their community might become a magnet for other "terrorists" who might want to score points with their God by attempting to free their fellow soldiers in the jihad against the West. While I am sure that security will be high, one can only think back to incidents like the U.S.S. Cole where a whole shipload of military couldn't prevent a small boat from taking out a massive destroyer. After all, when these bad guys were housed at Gitmo, it was a little hard for other terrorists to conduct a beach landing and free their brethren. Now, they only have a remote town in northern Illinois to contend with. What a bonanza.
However, I don't think we need worry about other jihadists freeing these guys. I think we should be more concerned about the ACLU suing, and with the help of some activist Federal Judge (probably Clinton appointed) ultimately letting these people go. Now that they are literally on U.S. soil, the ACLU will probably be able to argue that these prisoners have rights under our Constitution; starting with a writ of habeas corpus for unlawful detention. The bottom line is that they will argue that these people should have all the rights of any person residing within the borders of the United States; citizen or not. With the right Judge, they will probably win.
Yes sir, the Obama Administration not only gave the people of Thomson a lump of coal for Christmas but, also, all the people of the United States. I would be very surprised if this new Gitmo-North stunt turns out to be a good decision. All the President is doing here is merely making a cosmetic change, that could actually wind up being, worst case, a perfunctory decision that will come back to haunt us.
You see, Thomson Illinois has a vacant penitentiary that was built before State funds were so tight. You know, before Bush's recession. Despite the fact that the Illinois prison system is 34% over-crowded, the Thomson facility will finally be put to use to bailout Obama from not fulfilling his promise to close Gitmo. And, with this facility finally being opened, the people of Thomson are already counting all the new jobs they think will be created.
The Thomson correctional facility will be taken off the State's hands when the Federal Government takes it over. Whether or not the State gets what they originally paid for it is not known. Given that beggars can't be choosers, my guess is that the Feds will get the facility for a song.
Now, as for jobs, I don't know if the military will maintain control of the Gitmo transferees or not. But, if they do, the promise of substantial new jobs will pretty much go out the window. Sure, there might be a few "contractor" positions for the residents of Thomson and the surrounding communities but, we're probably not talking about a large increase in employment. According to Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, area jobs from opening this prison might be 1200 to 1900 jobs. The rest of the 3800 planned position would all be transferred in from other Federal sites. Certainly not enough to keep Illinois from possible bankruptcy in the next few months. They, like California, are on the list of about 5 states that are in serious financial trouble (Click to See Full Story: "FY 2011 BUDGET HEADED TOWARD BANKRUPTCY OR MASSIVE TAX INCREASE").
The biggest gift that the people of Thomson might get is the fact that their community might become a magnet for other "terrorists" who might want to score points with their God by attempting to free their fellow soldiers in the jihad against the West. While I am sure that security will be high, one can only think back to incidents like the U.S.S. Cole where a whole shipload of military couldn't prevent a small boat from taking out a massive destroyer. After all, when these bad guys were housed at Gitmo, it was a little hard for other terrorists to conduct a beach landing and free their brethren. Now, they only have a remote town in northern Illinois to contend with. What a bonanza.
However, I don't think we need worry about other jihadists freeing these guys. I think we should be more concerned about the ACLU suing, and with the help of some activist Federal Judge (probably Clinton appointed) ultimately letting these people go. Now that they are literally on U.S. soil, the ACLU will probably be able to argue that these prisoners have rights under our Constitution; starting with a writ of habeas corpus for unlawful detention. The bottom line is that they will argue that these people should have all the rights of any person residing within the borders of the United States; citizen or not. With the right Judge, they will probably win.
Yes sir, the Obama Administration not only gave the people of Thomson a lump of coal for Christmas but, also, all the people of the United States. I would be very surprised if this new Gitmo-North stunt turns out to be a good decision. All the President is doing here is merely making a cosmetic change, that could actually wind up being, worst case, a perfunctory decision that will come back to haunt us.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
An Economy Stuck In Neutral
Two months ago, when the first pass for Gross Domestic Production (GDP) for the 3rd Quarter of 2009 was announced, the economists -- especially those who work for the White House -- were eager to get to the microphones and declare that the economy has turned the corner. At that time, the GDP growth for the 3rd quarter was being reported at a surprising 3.5%.
As the number went through its normal revisions, it was downgraded in last month's report from the preliminary (first pass) number to a growth of only 2.8%. Not nearly as exciting as the 3.5% that had caught everyone's eye the month before, but still an acceptable growth number.
Yesterday morning, the final take on that 3rd Quarter GDP number was announced and it was reported at an abysmal 2.2% (Click to See Full Story: "US third-quarter growth revised down to 2.2%").
To put it into perspective, we have a population growth that is about the same as that 2.2% in GDP growth. So, in theory, the growth in GDP is only keeping up with population growth. Since domestic output or production directly correlates to jobs and job creation, at best, we're only adding enough jobs to cover the new workers who are being added. That, in turn, means that we are not creating any new jobs for those millions of unemployed -- that 10 percent of us who are completely without jobs.
In the last two years, our economy has shed more than 14 million jobs. We need substantial GDP growth to get all those people back to work. If we continue at this 2.2 percent rate, people could be out of work for years. If we achieve an annualized 3% growth per quarter next year, it may take as long as 3 to 4 years before those 14 million get back to work. At a 3.5% GDP growth -- it may be 2.5 to 3 years to get back to where we were in 2007.
This is why most economists are projecting a long period of time before our currently high unemployment rates finally disappear into a normal 5 or 6 percent. And, for sure, 2.2% GDP growth isn't cutting anything. We are literally stuck in neutral.
Lastly, in October I said this when the original 3.5% number was released: "I personally think that this 3.5% rise in GDP is extremely overstated..." We know know that it was overstated; and, overstated by almost 70%. I went on to say that I thought the next quarter might only see a 1% rise because, for a lot of reasons, the Third Quarter GDP was being artificially driven by government programs that would dry up. I am still holding to that belief.
As the number went through its normal revisions, it was downgraded in last month's report from the preliminary (first pass) number to a growth of only 2.8%. Not nearly as exciting as the 3.5% that had caught everyone's eye the month before, but still an acceptable growth number.
Yesterday morning, the final take on that 3rd Quarter GDP number was announced and it was reported at an abysmal 2.2% (Click to See Full Story: "US third-quarter growth revised down to 2.2%").
To put it into perspective, we have a population growth that is about the same as that 2.2% in GDP growth. So, in theory, the growth in GDP is only keeping up with population growth. Since domestic output or production directly correlates to jobs and job creation, at best, we're only adding enough jobs to cover the new workers who are being added. That, in turn, means that we are not creating any new jobs for those millions of unemployed -- that 10 percent of us who are completely without jobs.
In the last two years, our economy has shed more than 14 million jobs. We need substantial GDP growth to get all those people back to work. If we continue at this 2.2 percent rate, people could be out of work for years. If we achieve an annualized 3% growth per quarter next year, it may take as long as 3 to 4 years before those 14 million get back to work. At a 3.5% GDP growth -- it may be 2.5 to 3 years to get back to where we were in 2007.
This is why most economists are projecting a long period of time before our currently high unemployment rates finally disappear into a normal 5 or 6 percent. And, for sure, 2.2% GDP growth isn't cutting anything. We are literally stuck in neutral.
Lastly, in October I said this when the original 3.5% number was released: "I personally think that this 3.5% rise in GDP is extremely overstated..." We know know that it was overstated; and, overstated by almost 70%. I went on to say that I thought the next quarter might only see a 1% rise because, for a lot of reasons, the Third Quarter GDP was being artificially driven by government programs that would dry up. I am still holding to that belief.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
It's A Scary Harry Christmas
For those of us that are happy with their health care coverage, the prospect of the Democrats destroying the whole system so that they can completely control health care delivery in America leaves us thinking that 2009 will be a "Scary Harry (Reid) Christmas" present that very few people really want.
All indications are that Harry's horrendous health care reform bill -- the one that he won't let anyone see or read -- will be voted for on Christmas Eve as a means of putting additional pressure on Senate members who possibly won't get to see their families over the Holidays if they don't vote for this bill the first time around.
From the get go, Harry and the Democrats have used every thuggish tactic in the books to get their own political compatriots in line to vote for this pig of a health care bill that no amount of lipstick or even eye shadow could make look better. Mary Landrieu got a bribe of $300 million dollars for her vote. Ben Nelson who may have received a threat of closing one of this nation's largest air force bases if he didn't succumb, also secured his bribe-of-bribes by getting Harry Reid to excuse all the state Medicaid charges forever that Nebraska would have paid under this health care reform bill. Joe Lieberman even had his wife's philanthropic job threatened by the left. And, Michael Moore is trying to use his influence to punish Lieberman by asking his friends to boycott Connecticut businesses.
If this health care reform bill was such a good thing for America, don't you think it would be sailing through this Democratic majority-ruled Senate with some Republican support. But, not one Republican wants to put their fingerprints on what Harry Reid calls "historic". Further, why would anyone have to be bribed to vote for a bill if it was so damned good for America.
But, most reasonable people -- some of those actually being Democrats -- know this whole process is wrong. The polls reflect that Americans don't want it and think it will do nothing but cost too much money and reduce the quality and availability of health care.
History has taught us that big social programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are financially unsustainable. Every one of these programs will be insolvent in just a few years. Now, we're going to add a national health care system to this pile of financially failed social programs. Eventually, the salaries of the American people will be totally dedicated to support these programs. The only people who will actually benefit from them will be those who don't work and don't contribute to the economic growth of the country. These jobless people will be taken care of by the State. And, as wards of the state, they will have their every need addressed from cradle to grave without ever lifting a hand to work. In turn, the Democrats will get their votes. It's as simple as that. It's all about co-dependency.
So, try and enjoy your Christmas. Try to live in the moment with politics set aside. However, if you can't, and it just seems like things are scarier this year than ever before, you can thank Harry Reid and his buds Pelosi and Obama for that feeling.
Lastly, if you would like to know the full list of "bribes" and "punishments" that are contained in this badly wrapped and poorly conceived Christmas present that most of us are getting from Harry, you would be well advised to read this: Healthcare Pork: Senate Bill Laden with Favors, Pet Projects for Democrats.
All indications are that Harry's horrendous health care reform bill -- the one that he won't let anyone see or read -- will be voted for on Christmas Eve as a means of putting additional pressure on Senate members who possibly won't get to see their families over the Holidays if they don't vote for this bill the first time around.
From the get go, Harry and the Democrats have used every thuggish tactic in the books to get their own political compatriots in line to vote for this pig of a health care bill that no amount of lipstick or even eye shadow could make look better. Mary Landrieu got a bribe of $300 million dollars for her vote. Ben Nelson who may have received a threat of closing one of this nation's largest air force bases if he didn't succumb, also secured his bribe-of-bribes by getting Harry Reid to excuse all the state Medicaid charges forever that Nebraska would have paid under this health care reform bill. Joe Lieberman even had his wife's philanthropic job threatened by the left. And, Michael Moore is trying to use his influence to punish Lieberman by asking his friends to boycott Connecticut businesses.
If this health care reform bill was such a good thing for America, don't you think it would be sailing through this Democratic majority-ruled Senate with some Republican support. But, not one Republican wants to put their fingerprints on what Harry Reid calls "historic". Further, why would anyone have to be bribed to vote for a bill if it was so damned good for America.
But, most reasonable people -- some of those actually being Democrats -- know this whole process is wrong. The polls reflect that Americans don't want it and think it will do nothing but cost too much money and reduce the quality and availability of health care.
History has taught us that big social programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are financially unsustainable. Every one of these programs will be insolvent in just a few years. Now, we're going to add a national health care system to this pile of financially failed social programs. Eventually, the salaries of the American people will be totally dedicated to support these programs. The only people who will actually benefit from them will be those who don't work and don't contribute to the economic growth of the country. These jobless people will be taken care of by the State. And, as wards of the state, they will have their every need addressed from cradle to grave without ever lifting a hand to work. In turn, the Democrats will get their votes. It's as simple as that. It's all about co-dependency.
So, try and enjoy your Christmas. Try to live in the moment with politics set aside. However, if you can't, and it just seems like things are scarier this year than ever before, you can thank Harry Reid and his buds Pelosi and Obama for that feeling.
Lastly, if you would like to know the full list of "bribes" and "punishments" that are contained in this badly wrapped and poorly conceived Christmas present that most of us are getting from Harry, you would be well advised to read this: Healthcare Pork: Senate Bill Laden with Favors, Pet Projects for Democrats.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Once Global Warming...Now Climate Change
At one time, the supporters of abortion were defined as being "pro abortion". But, abortion had a negative connotation, so the media wizards of the movement came up with a new name for their crusade called "Pro-Choice". Now, doesn't that sound much nicer. Same book...new cover.
In many ways the AGW or Anthropogenic Global Warming crusade decided to take a page from the abortion movement's book and they, too, have changed their name. Now, Global Warming has been replaced with Climate Change.
The reason being is that they need to create a more ubiquitous rationale for controlling CO2 output in, primarily, the western world. This way, even cold weather could be blamed on CO2. Sure, they still want you to think that the world is warmer and the ice is melting but, they also want you to think that CO2 was responsible for things like this last weekend's blizzard in the mid-Atlantic states. After all, that too is climate change.
It's all about marketing now...isn't it? You see, the earth hasn't been doing what people like Al Gore have claimed: getting hotter. Instead, the earth has flat-lined on warming. So, it only makes sense to begin to say that all global climate change activity is because of CO2. So the lie has a new name that better fits the lie.
In many ways the AGW or Anthropogenic Global Warming crusade decided to take a page from the abortion movement's book and they, too, have changed their name. Now, Global Warming has been replaced with Climate Change.
The reason being is that they need to create a more ubiquitous rationale for controlling CO2 output in, primarily, the western world. This way, even cold weather could be blamed on CO2. Sure, they still want you to think that the world is warmer and the ice is melting but, they also want you to think that CO2 was responsible for things like this last weekend's blizzard in the mid-Atlantic states. After all, that too is climate change.
It's all about marketing now...isn't it? You see, the earth hasn't been doing what people like Al Gore have claimed: getting hotter. Instead, the earth has flat-lined on warming. So, it only makes sense to begin to say that all global climate change activity is because of CO2. So the lie has a new name that better fits the lie.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
A Non-Nuclear Iran: Obama's Fantasy
By anyone's count, Iran has zero nuclear power plants. The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant -- Iran's first -- will supposedly go online next year. It has only been under construction since 1975. (No kidding. Since 1975!)
We already know that Iran has 3 nuclear enrichment facilities at Ardakan, Natanz, and the latest one at Qom. These facilities are more than adequate to keep their new Bushehr plant in fuel for ages; along with their next power plant at Darkovin that has been under construction since 2007. By reprocessing fuel from their two existing power plants, they could easily provide fuel for any other new plants that may come on line in the next two decades. However, at the end of November, Iran announced that it will be building 10 new nuclear enrichment facilities (Click to See Full Story: "Iranian government announces building of 10 uranium enrichment plants").
So, I guess the obvious question becomes: Why would a country like Iran need to produce so much nuclear material if they already have enough enrichment facilities to support their current program?
Add to this the fact that they continue to pursue the development of medium and long range nuclear delivery missiles and any logical person could easily see what they're up to. Except, of course, Obama!
When is the President going to wake up to the fact that Iran is completely ignoring him? When is he going to understand that Iran has only one plan in mind? And, believe me, that plan isn't to make nice with Israel and the rest of the Middle East! Obama once told Iran that if they would unclench their fist he would extend his hand in friendship.
Well, Mr. Obama, I think you've got your "fist" answer and it is time to forget your idiotic fantasy of friendship with them. It's time to act!
We already know that Iran has 3 nuclear enrichment facilities at Ardakan, Natanz, and the latest one at Qom. These facilities are more than adequate to keep their new Bushehr plant in fuel for ages; along with their next power plant at Darkovin that has been under construction since 2007. By reprocessing fuel from their two existing power plants, they could easily provide fuel for any other new plants that may come on line in the next two decades. However, at the end of November, Iran announced that it will be building 10 new nuclear enrichment facilities (Click to See Full Story: "Iranian government announces building of 10 uranium enrichment plants").
So, I guess the obvious question becomes: Why would a country like Iran need to produce so much nuclear material if they already have enough enrichment facilities to support their current program?
Add to this the fact that they continue to pursue the development of medium and long range nuclear delivery missiles and any logical person could easily see what they're up to. Except, of course, Obama!
When is the President going to wake up to the fact that Iran is completely ignoring him? When is he going to understand that Iran has only one plan in mind? And, believe me, that plan isn't to make nice with Israel and the rest of the Middle East! Obama once told Iran that if they would unclench their fist he would extend his hand in friendship.
Well, Mr. Obama, I think you've got your "fist" answer and it is time to forget your idiotic fantasy of friendship with them. It's time to act!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Bought And Paid For
Just yesterday, Democratic Senator Ben Nelson stood against the rest of the Democrats on health care. Now, after some powwowing with Harry Reid in a closed door meeting, he's decided to give a "yea vote" for the bill; giving Reid the 60 votes he needs to pass it before Christmas. A bill that Nelson still hasn't read and more than likely doesn't know what it fully contains.
So, why a change from yesterday? Simply, the Nelson vote was purchased by Harry Reid using our money. Apparently, Nelson was promised a Christmas present of an estimated $300 million in benefits for Nebraska; Nelson's home state. Bought and paid for by tax payer money.
Only in a corrupt United States Senate can money be taken from hard working Americans and then used to buy votes for something that most Americans don't want. Once again, we have seen the concept of a representative form of Democracy go right down the crapper with these people in Congress and with Obama at the helm!
So, why a change from yesterday? Simply, the Nelson vote was purchased by Harry Reid using our money. Apparently, Nelson was promised a Christmas present of an estimated $300 million in benefits for Nebraska; Nelson's home state. Bought and paid for by tax payer money.
Only in a corrupt United States Senate can money be taken from hard working Americans and then used to buy votes for something that most Americans don't want. Once again, we have seen the concept of a representative form of Democracy go right down the crapper with these people in Congress and with Obama at the helm!
How Termperature Monitoring Is Being Distorted
I used to live in Chicago. In 1980, the official weather monitoring station there was moved from Chicago's near-lakeside location at Midway Airport to the far inland location of O'Hare Airport. In the blink of an eye, the actual recorded temperatures for the city went up because, no longer, would the new temperature monitoring location at O'Hare be subject to the cooling lake breezes that had once affected the Midway location. Automatically, Chicagoans saw a local climate change without there actually having been one.
Where I live right now, Las Vegas, the temperature monitoring is being heavily influenced by the "mass" of concrete buildings and the heat absorption of the many blacktopped roads that have been increasing since it became a city; some 100 years ago. Buildings and roads are added structures that hold and retain heat. So, as a consequence, and through no actual change in climate, Las Vegas' official temperatures have had to inch upwards because of the shear expansion and growth of the area. I actually live only 7 miles north of the Strip and the temps here are between 5 and 7 degrees cooler; partly because of being at a higher elevation, but also, because there is less consolidated mass to retain the heat.
This same kind of thing has probably happened all over the world -- especially in the desert areas where light colored reflective sands and tan dirt have been replaced with black tarred roofs and asphalt roadways and the heat retaining mass of modern buildings.
This is why weather monitoring, using city data, in support of climate change is flawed. The fact that the heavier populated areas of the world are warmer may have little to do with CO2 and a lot more to do with growth and the relocation of official weather monitoring stations. Something that I thought you might want to think about when you hear those "stories" about how much warmer it is getting in all the major metropolitan cities throughout the world.
Where I live right now, Las Vegas, the temperature monitoring is being heavily influenced by the "mass" of concrete buildings and the heat absorption of the many blacktopped roads that have been increasing since it became a city; some 100 years ago. Buildings and roads are added structures that hold and retain heat. So, as a consequence, and through no actual change in climate, Las Vegas' official temperatures have had to inch upwards because of the shear expansion and growth of the area. I actually live only 7 miles north of the Strip and the temps here are between 5 and 7 degrees cooler; partly because of being at a higher elevation, but also, because there is less consolidated mass to retain the heat.
This same kind of thing has probably happened all over the world -- especially in the desert areas where light colored reflective sands and tan dirt have been replaced with black tarred roofs and asphalt roadways and the heat retaining mass of modern buildings.
This is why weather monitoring, using city data, in support of climate change is flawed. The fact that the heavier populated areas of the world are warmer may have little to do with CO2 and a lot more to do with growth and the relocation of official weather monitoring stations. Something that I thought you might want to think about when you hear those "stories" about how much warmer it is getting in all the major metropolitan cities throughout the world.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Proof That Global Warming Is Just A Ploy To Destroy Capitalism
The climate change movement isn't about saving the world from CO2 emissions. If it truly was, the advocates for the control of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere wouldn't have expended thousands of tons of the stuff so they all could converge on Copenhagen. That would be like 1920's America prohibitionists stocking the store shelves with liquor while campaigning to defeat its production, sale, and use in the United States. It makes absolutely no sense. A true believer in anything would never be so contradictory to the cause they are either fighting against or for.
What all those in Copenhagen really want is punishment of the rich nations and their capitalist societies. The proof of that came two days ago when Hugo Chavez spoke before the participants of the summit. During his diatribe against capitalism, the crowd erupted into a thunderous and sustained applause. An applause against capitalism; not against global warming (Click to See Full Story: "Blame capitalism, Chavez tells climate summit"). Hugo gave them the anti-capitalism red meat they had been waiting for and they just slurped it up.
Copenhagen is a socialist summit. Even the United States and Great Britain are being represented by socialists of their own such as Gordon Brown and our very own President, Barack Obama.
Everyone at that summit knows damn well that the CO2 being produced today will remain in the atmosphere for up to 200 years before dissipating. That's because the U.N. scientists on climate change have said so. So, when they are talking about reducing "X" amounts of carbon dioxide output in the next 10 to 40 years, they are just blowing smoke. If we truly needed to save the planet from the ravages of carbon dioxide, we should have started the process in the 1800's; long before man even began producing CO2 on a wide scale. This is why, even among all those left-wing scientists in Copenhagen, it is ridiculous to assume that world can be saved by even the most extreme reductions in CO2 output into our atmosphere. Even if a theoretical zero emission level could be achieved, there would be no actual improvement by 2050 because it is too late to undo the cumulative effect of the carbon dioxide that has already been introduced into our atmosphere. That's why Copenhagen is just so much B.S.
Man didn't create the planet's warming and man isn't going stop it.
The advantage that the left has in predicting future disasters from CO2, is that it would literally take decades before anyone will really know if what they are saying is true. In the meantime, they can demand social change -- to their ideological benefit -- without any scientific proof that the whole "green house gas theory" is truly applicable to man's activities. But, what they didn't count on was those pesky emails -- ClimateGate -- showing that temperature data was being manipulated to fit their theory. This is opposed to traditional science that would "test" any theory with actual data before declaring it a scientific fact. So we have ideology and not science that is driving this whole global warming scam.
As I have said before, this whole climate change thing is just a trumped up excuse to change society to fit the extreme viewpoint of all those anti-mankind progressives and anti-capitalist socialists of our world. That is why it is the political left that is pushing so hard for all these game-changing measures to redistribute wealth; limit luxury lifestyles of the Western world; and, basically, destroy capitalism.
Hugo Chavez isn't out to save the world. He's out to promote his personal belief in a socialistic dictatorship and to expand its application throughout the world. And, most of those attendees in Copenhagen agree with him.
What all those in Copenhagen really want is punishment of the rich nations and their capitalist societies. The proof of that came two days ago when Hugo Chavez spoke before the participants of the summit. During his diatribe against capitalism, the crowd erupted into a thunderous and sustained applause. An applause against capitalism; not against global warming (Click to See Full Story: "Blame capitalism, Chavez tells climate summit"). Hugo gave them the anti-capitalism red meat they had been waiting for and they just slurped it up.
Copenhagen is a socialist summit. Even the United States and Great Britain are being represented by socialists of their own such as Gordon Brown and our very own President, Barack Obama.
Everyone at that summit knows damn well that the CO2 being produced today will remain in the atmosphere for up to 200 years before dissipating. That's because the U.N. scientists on climate change have said so. So, when they are talking about reducing "X" amounts of carbon dioxide output in the next 10 to 40 years, they are just blowing smoke. If we truly needed to save the planet from the ravages of carbon dioxide, we should have started the process in the 1800's; long before man even began producing CO2 on a wide scale. This is why, even among all those left-wing scientists in Copenhagen, it is ridiculous to assume that world can be saved by even the most extreme reductions in CO2 output into our atmosphere. Even if a theoretical zero emission level could be achieved, there would be no actual improvement by 2050 because it is too late to undo the cumulative effect of the carbon dioxide that has already been introduced into our atmosphere. That's why Copenhagen is just so much B.S.
Man didn't create the planet's warming and man isn't going stop it.
The advantage that the left has in predicting future disasters from CO2, is that it would literally take decades before anyone will really know if what they are saying is true. In the meantime, they can demand social change -- to their ideological benefit -- without any scientific proof that the whole "green house gas theory" is truly applicable to man's activities. But, what they didn't count on was those pesky emails -- ClimateGate -- showing that temperature data was being manipulated to fit their theory. This is opposed to traditional science that would "test" any theory with actual data before declaring it a scientific fact. So we have ideology and not science that is driving this whole global warming scam.
As I have said before, this whole climate change thing is just a trumped up excuse to change society to fit the extreme viewpoint of all those anti-mankind progressives and anti-capitalist socialists of our world. That is why it is the political left that is pushing so hard for all these game-changing measures to redistribute wealth; limit luxury lifestyles of the Western world; and, basically, destroy capitalism.
Hugo Chavez isn't out to save the world. He's out to promote his personal belief in a socialistic dictatorship and to expand its application throughout the world. And, most of those attendees in Copenhagen agree with him.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
A Surprise Uptick In Job Losses?
This time of year, you would think that fewer people would be losing their jobs.
Not too many employers are so heartless as to actually let people go during the holiday season unless they were truly in bad financial shape. But, in bad shape they must be. That's because the number of first time claimants for unemployment benefits took an unexpected jump last week to 480,000 workers.
This is up from the previous week's surprise increase of 473,000 claimants (Click to See Full Story: "US jobless claims rise for second week"). Additionally, the number of people still remaining on unemployment insurance went up again; albeit somewhat slightly. But, keep in mind, that this statistic doesn't reflect how many people who just fell off the insurance rolls because their benefits have run out. And, it doesn't include those who either gave up looking for work or who have become underemployed because they decided to stop taking unemployment benefits and take either temporary work or work a job that is below their normal skill level.
Apparently, no one got the memo from Obama's chief economic adviser, Larry Summers, who, just this weekend, said the recession is over and that businesses are expanding; although he can't pin down the "pace".
With that in mind, we should be seeing a leveling off of jobless claims; not an increase as we have seen this morning.
Not too many employers are so heartless as to actually let people go during the holiday season unless they were truly in bad financial shape. But, in bad shape they must be. That's because the number of first time claimants for unemployment benefits took an unexpected jump last week to 480,000 workers.
This is up from the previous week's surprise increase of 473,000 claimants (Click to See Full Story: "US jobless claims rise for second week"). Additionally, the number of people still remaining on unemployment insurance went up again; albeit somewhat slightly. But, keep in mind, that this statistic doesn't reflect how many people who just fell off the insurance rolls because their benefits have run out. And, it doesn't include those who either gave up looking for work or who have become underemployed because they decided to stop taking unemployment benefits and take either temporary work or work a job that is below their normal skill level.
Apparently, no one got the memo from Obama's chief economic adviser, Larry Summers, who, just this weekend, said the recession is over and that businesses are expanding; although he can't pin down the "pace".
With that in mind, we should be seeing a leveling off of jobless claims; not an increase as we have seen this morning.
How Can I Count The Lies
With the Democrats of Congress having put the final touches on a 2010 Omnibus Spending Bill that bumps up the cost of government spending by over 12.5% or $120+ billion and with Obama having signed it, I thought it would be interesting to replay a video of a speech that Obama gave in February of this year on fiscal responsibility.
As you listen to it, try to count all the "broken promises" (lies) in that roughly 9-1/2 minutes of teleprompter time. It starts off with the first big lie being that he inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit. It was $1.3 trillion because of his Stimulus Package which, as he says in the speech, was intended to create or save (gulp!) 3.5 million jobs; another lie. A Stimulus Package that was written by the Democrats for the Democrats and has really done nothing to do with actually turning this economy around. Of course, the latest continuance of this lie is his signing of this pork-laden Omnibus bill rather than keeping his promise and vetoing it (Click to See Full Story: "Obama signs $1.1 tril spending bill into law ").
(It is important to note that Obama signed the Omnibus spending bill with zero of his typical fanfare and without the typical barrage of required cameras. In fact the national news media barely reported the signing of the bill. That is why I had to link to a China news agency above. That clearly says a lot. It says Obama wants to hide the passage of this bill into law. And, it tells you that the national media is in bed with Obama on this by not reporting on it. Isn't that so cozy!)
I think it is interesting that he mentions "accounting tricks" that are typically used by Washington to hide the true costs of spending. Again, this is something he promised to change in that video. Yet, in the Health Care Reform bill that the House passed and that is pending in the Senate, the "accounting trick" that is being used is to deceitfully imply that health care will not increase the deficit. The plan does this by showing a full 10 years of spending cuts and taxes and only about 5 years of actual spending. And, now, Obama applauds this -- knowing full well that it is only justifiable based on an "accounting trick". This exemplifies why there is nothing in Obama's February speech that has turned out to be the truth. Nothing! He lied then and he continues to lie today. Not just my opinion. A reality that is easily and continually borne out by the facts.
As you listen to it, try to count all the "broken promises" (lies) in that roughly 9-1/2 minutes of teleprompter time. It starts off with the first big lie being that he inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit. It was $1.3 trillion because of his Stimulus Package which, as he says in the speech, was intended to create or save (gulp!) 3.5 million jobs; another lie. A Stimulus Package that was written by the Democrats for the Democrats and has really done nothing to do with actually turning this economy around. Of course, the latest continuance of this lie is his signing of this pork-laden Omnibus bill rather than keeping his promise and vetoing it (Click to See Full Story: "Obama signs $1.1 tril spending bill into law ").
(It is important to note that Obama signed the Omnibus spending bill with zero of his typical fanfare and without the typical barrage of required cameras. In fact the national news media barely reported the signing of the bill. That is why I had to link to a China news agency above. That clearly says a lot. It says Obama wants to hide the passage of this bill into law. And, it tells you that the national media is in bed with Obama on this by not reporting on it. Isn't that so cozy!)
I think it is interesting that he mentions "accounting tricks" that are typically used by Washington to hide the true costs of spending. Again, this is something he promised to change in that video. Yet, in the Health Care Reform bill that the House passed and that is pending in the Senate, the "accounting trick" that is being used is to deceitfully imply that health care will not increase the deficit. The plan does this by showing a full 10 years of spending cuts and taxes and only about 5 years of actual spending. And, now, Obama applauds this -- knowing full well that it is only justifiable based on an "accounting trick". This exemplifies why there is nothing in Obama's February speech that has turned out to be the truth. Nothing! He lied then and he continues to lie today. Not just my opinion. A reality that is easily and continually borne out by the facts.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Gore Gets It Wrong Again
On Tuesday, Al Gore "inconveniently" added another distortion of "truth" to the climate change argument -- even though he will never debate anyone on anything regarding these so-called "facts".
This time, Al's shameless claim is that the entire polar ice cap will be "ice free" during the summer months within the next 5 to 7 years (Click to See Full Story: "Copenhagen climate summit: Al Gore condemned over Arctic ice melting prediction"). Apparently, Al is unaware of the fact that global sea ice has expanded in the last 2 years -- so much so that its extent is about the same as it was 30 years ago. This fact isn't some anti-global warming opinion that is floating around like Al's ice story, it based on the work done by the University of Illinois' Arctic Research Center (Click to See Full Story: "Sea Ice Ends Year at Same Level as 1979").
In the past, Al has claimed that hurricanes and other natural disasters would be of a higher frequency and intensity due to global warming. Yet last year was one of the quietest years on record. In fact, since Rita and Katrina, the Atlantic hurricane seasons have been almost non-starters.
He has claimed that sea level would rise 20 feet by the year 2050. However, most scientists see a rise of, maybe, another foot in 100 years. Yet another exaggeration/lie by Al that is garnering him millions in speaking engagements from his "believers".
Al also claims that the polar bears are on the road to extinction. However, science has now proven the general polar bear population is 5 times larger than in the 1960's due to the environmental protection of both the species and it's food sources such as the harp seal.
Gore recently claimed that the earth's core is millions of degrees hot. But, consistent with his past absurdities, the earth's core is roughly 5,000 degrees. It's unlikely he would make the same mistake when balancing his checkbook and all the cash entries for his numerous speaking engagements!
More and more, Al Gore is looking like some kind of religious fanatic prophesying the end of time while holding up a DVD of his Oscar winning film -- An Inconvenient Truth. An image of Moses comes to mind. But, sadly, like many of those purveyors of the apocalypse that they feel is soon to come, we are instead finding a small group of individuals who need to be institutionalized for mental problems.
The Climate Change movement is already on the rocks with the scandalous emails and data manipulation that have been uncovered. Now, Gore adds fuel to the fire with his dumb "facts". I think the whole anthropogenic global warming (AGW) act needs a new ad campaign. This time, one that is based on truth. You've got to know that when a movement such as AGW has a politician like Al Gore as its leading authority, something is very rotten in Denmark. With that in mind, I have included the following three pertinent videos that you might find interesting:
This time, Al's shameless claim is that the entire polar ice cap will be "ice free" during the summer months within the next 5 to 7 years (Click to See Full Story: "Copenhagen climate summit: Al Gore condemned over Arctic ice melting prediction"). Apparently, Al is unaware of the fact that global sea ice has expanded in the last 2 years -- so much so that its extent is about the same as it was 30 years ago. This fact isn't some anti-global warming opinion that is floating around like Al's ice story, it based on the work done by the University of Illinois' Arctic Research Center (Click to See Full Story: "Sea Ice Ends Year at Same Level as 1979").
In the past, Al has claimed that hurricanes and other natural disasters would be of a higher frequency and intensity due to global warming. Yet last year was one of the quietest years on record. In fact, since Rita and Katrina, the Atlantic hurricane seasons have been almost non-starters.
He has claimed that sea level would rise 20 feet by the year 2050. However, most scientists see a rise of, maybe, another foot in 100 years. Yet another exaggeration/lie by Al that is garnering him millions in speaking engagements from his "believers".
Al also claims that the polar bears are on the road to extinction. However, science has now proven the general polar bear population is 5 times larger than in the 1960's due to the environmental protection of both the species and it's food sources such as the harp seal.
Gore recently claimed that the earth's core is millions of degrees hot. But, consistent with his past absurdities, the earth's core is roughly 5,000 degrees. It's unlikely he would make the same mistake when balancing his checkbook and all the cash entries for his numerous speaking engagements!
More and more, Al Gore is looking like some kind of religious fanatic prophesying the end of time while holding up a DVD of his Oscar winning film -- An Inconvenient Truth. An image of Moses comes to mind. But, sadly, like many of those purveyors of the apocalypse that they feel is soon to come, we are instead finding a small group of individuals who need to be institutionalized for mental problems.
The Climate Change movement is already on the rocks with the scandalous emails and data manipulation that have been uncovered. Now, Gore adds fuel to the fire with his dumb "facts". I think the whole anthropogenic global warming (AGW) act needs a new ad campaign. This time, one that is based on truth. You've got to know that when a movement such as AGW has a politician like Al Gore as its leading authority, something is very rotten in Denmark. With that in mind, I have included the following three pertinent videos that you might find interesting:
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Clinton Has It Wrong On Health Care
Back on November 10th, in what was another Clinton-rewrite of history, Bill Clinton urged the Senate Democrats to pass health care reform because history has taught us that "The worst thing to do is nothing." With this statement, he seems to be implying that the Democrats had a sweeping loss of Congress in 1994 because they didn't pass health care reform.
If that was true, the electorate "wouldn't" have punished them by voting them out of office. Instead, the electorate would have given the Democrats more power by electing more of them so that they could have a greater majority. And, they would have punished the Republicans for blocking health care reform. Clinton's belief that Congress flipped from Democrat to Republican because health care didn't pass is blatantly absurd.
Right now, I am starting to see articles being written by left wing opinion writers that seem to suggest Clinton was right. This wishful thinking presumes that the Democrats will maintain control of Congress if health care reform is passed is, again, absurd. It is amazing how lemming-like the left is when they hear a distortion from their former American Idol -- Bill Clinton.
When the Democrats lost Congress, they lost it in the midst of a roaring economy that had it's genesis just before Clinton took office. This Congress is totally mired in high unemployment and rising foreclosures and they have actually done nothing to resolve the situation. The Stimulus Package is a failure. Health Care Reform is starting to look like a three ring circus. Cap and Trade is on shaky ground due to ClimateGate. And, the national debt and the future of high taxation looms big under their watch. The national polls show that this Congress has the least favorable rating in the history of polling. Harry Reid is looking like he's going to be another Democratic Senate Majority Leader -- like Tom Daschle -- to lose his job.
So, why, then, would anyone think that this Congress would be safe by passing health care reform? Given all the political headwinds -- especially on the economy and spending --- it doesn't look so. But, I guess the left can hope. I wouldn't put a lot of stock in what Clinton told the Democratic Senators in November. My guess is that the electorate will severely punish Congress if they pass health care reform in its current form with all the costs and service cuts that are currently known. The polls are already showing a lack of support for Congress' attempt to enact any health care reforms before the economy gets going again. Obviously, this is a change they don't want from either Obama or Congress.
If that was true, the electorate "wouldn't" have punished them by voting them out of office. Instead, the electorate would have given the Democrats more power by electing more of them so that they could have a greater majority. And, they would have punished the Republicans for blocking health care reform. Clinton's belief that Congress flipped from Democrat to Republican because health care didn't pass is blatantly absurd.
Right now, I am starting to see articles being written by left wing opinion writers that seem to suggest Clinton was right. This wishful thinking presumes that the Democrats will maintain control of Congress if health care reform is passed is, again, absurd. It is amazing how lemming-like the left is when they hear a distortion from their former American Idol -- Bill Clinton.
When the Democrats lost Congress, they lost it in the midst of a roaring economy that had it's genesis just before Clinton took office. This Congress is totally mired in high unemployment and rising foreclosures and they have actually done nothing to resolve the situation. The Stimulus Package is a failure. Health Care Reform is starting to look like a three ring circus. Cap and Trade is on shaky ground due to ClimateGate. And, the national debt and the future of high taxation looms big under their watch. The national polls show that this Congress has the least favorable rating in the history of polling. Harry Reid is looking like he's going to be another Democratic Senate Majority Leader -- like Tom Daschle -- to lose his job.
So, why, then, would anyone think that this Congress would be safe by passing health care reform? Given all the political headwinds -- especially on the economy and spending --- it doesn't look so. But, I guess the left can hope. I wouldn't put a lot of stock in what Clinton told the Democratic Senators in November. My guess is that the electorate will severely punish Congress if they pass health care reform in its current form with all the costs and service cuts that are currently known. The polls are already showing a lack of support for Congress' attempt to enact any health care reforms before the economy gets going again. Obviously, this is a change they don't want from either Obama or Congress.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Obama's Plan All Along
Because of the Internet, not much of what our politicians have said or done in the past escapes scrutiny; except, of course, by the main stream media.
Thanks to some heads up research by the Naked Emperor News, it appears that Obama had plans to expand Medicare and Medicaid all along as the migration strategy to a Government controlled, single-payer health care system in America. Now, Harry Reid is just complying with that ideological vision after meeting with Obama -- his lord and master:
Once again, it is a case of Obama saying one thing to the public for approval and then doing exactly what he intended all along. This guy can never be trusted!
Thanks to some heads up research by the Naked Emperor News, it appears that Obama had plans to expand Medicare and Medicaid all along as the migration strategy to a Government controlled, single-payer health care system in America. Now, Harry Reid is just complying with that ideological vision after meeting with Obama -- his lord and master:
Once again, it is a case of Obama saying one thing to the public for approval and then doing exactly what he intended all along. This guy can never be trusted!
Now, Breaking Up Won't Be Hard To Do
In another "power grab" by our anti-capitalist Congress and socialist President, the House just passed a bill, without much media fanfare, that could literally impose the heavy hand of Government on all aspects of future business. (Click to See Full Story: "Major makeover of Wall Street rules passes House"). Supposedly intended to prevent problems such as the current Wall Street and Banking mess, this new law would have no boundaries and could include everything from the oil industry to airlines.
At the heart of this law is a newly created Consumer Financial Protection Agency that would have the right to "break up" any company or industry of companies that they feel are detrimental to the nation. On the surface, that may seem a logical concept -- given what we just went through with this recession. But, in actuality, it gives our government the right to pick and choose what industries they may want to "punish". For example, if world oil prices go up and Exxon has to raise their prices at the pump, this new law could allow the government to break them up because high gasoline prices are "hurting" our economy. What about high food prices? Or, airline ticket prices? No aspect of American business would be spared if, in the estimation of our government, they are having a negative effect on the nation.
So, instead of creating a law or laws as a framework for how companies should now operate, Congress has left that up to the whim of this new Agency. When the anti-business Democrats are in charge, our nation's largest businesses will be cowering in fear of being dismantled because some bureaucrat in Washington might not like what they are doing. Once again, this Congress is hell bent on destroying capitalism and the business environment. With this kind of nonsense, we will never see jobs or a booming economy in this nation ever again. This is the kind of legislation that would make Marx, Stalin, Mao, Che, Castro, or Hugo Chavez proud!
At the heart of this law is a newly created Consumer Financial Protection Agency that would have the right to "break up" any company or industry of companies that they feel are detrimental to the nation. On the surface, that may seem a logical concept -- given what we just went through with this recession. But, in actuality, it gives our government the right to pick and choose what industries they may want to "punish". For example, if world oil prices go up and Exxon has to raise their prices at the pump, this new law could allow the government to break them up because high gasoline prices are "hurting" our economy. What about high food prices? Or, airline ticket prices? No aspect of American business would be spared if, in the estimation of our government, they are having a negative effect on the nation.
So, instead of creating a law or laws as a framework for how companies should now operate, Congress has left that up to the whim of this new Agency. When the anti-business Democrats are in charge, our nation's largest businesses will be cowering in fear of being dismantled because some bureaucrat in Washington might not like what they are doing. Once again, this Congress is hell bent on destroying capitalism and the business environment. With this kind of nonsense, we will never see jobs or a booming economy in this nation ever again. This is the kind of legislation that would make Marx, Stalin, Mao, Che, Castro, or Hugo Chavez proud!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Health Care And The Keystone Kops Of The Senate
Max Sennett created the Keystone Kops of silent film fame. The "Kops" were a bumbling group of imbeciles who expended an excessive amount of energy to accomplish seemingly nothing.
Like Max Sennett, our own U.S. Senate has its Keystone Kops. They're the Democrats who are frantically pulling everything off the shelves to try and come up with some kind of health care reform by Christmas. They have arbitrarily imposed this nonsensical deadline on themselves. Because of that, they are throwing everything at the wall to see if it sticks. If nothing does, they pick something else off the floor and fling that at the wall, again!
In the last two weeks, they have been on again; off again; with the Public Option. Now, we're down to increasing the size of Medicare and Medicaid -- both public health care systems -- and are now trying to convince America that the Public Option is dead. The struggle with abortion is another in, then out, problem. The latest fiasco is that caps will be put on cancer treatment payouts that are in excess of $100,000 annually. Right now, nobody knows who put that into the legislation; but, its there and many people are not too happy about it.
Yes, watching the senate attempt to pass health care reform is very similar to watching a Keystone Kops movie. It has all the attributes of trying to getting something done; even if it doesn't accomplish any of the original goals. Getting something done has become paramount and is clearly overshadowing doing something that is good. Between the Senate and the House, we have come up with the equivalent of a Rube Goldberg invention with all the flavor of the Winchester House of Mystery: A mansion renowned for its size and built with an utter lack of any master building plan.
So, it appears that we have a bunch of Keystone Kops building another Winchester House that will cost you, I, and the heirs of this country trillions of dollars in waste and inefficiency. It will truly be as historic as Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi claim. As historic as the Hindenburg or the Titanic.
Look Daddy! Look at the nice big iceberg coming our way!
Like Max Sennett, our own U.S. Senate has its Keystone Kops. They're the Democrats who are frantically pulling everything off the shelves to try and come up with some kind of health care reform by Christmas. They have arbitrarily imposed this nonsensical deadline on themselves. Because of that, they are throwing everything at the wall to see if it sticks. If nothing does, they pick something else off the floor and fling that at the wall, again!
In the last two weeks, they have been on again; off again; with the Public Option. Now, we're down to increasing the size of Medicare and Medicaid -- both public health care systems -- and are now trying to convince America that the Public Option is dead. The struggle with abortion is another in, then out, problem. The latest fiasco is that caps will be put on cancer treatment payouts that are in excess of $100,000 annually. Right now, nobody knows who put that into the legislation; but, its there and many people are not too happy about it.
Yes, watching the senate attempt to pass health care reform is very similar to watching a Keystone Kops movie. It has all the attributes of trying to getting something done; even if it doesn't accomplish any of the original goals. Getting something done has become paramount and is clearly overshadowing doing something that is good. Between the Senate and the House, we have come up with the equivalent of a Rube Goldberg invention with all the flavor of the Winchester House of Mystery: A mansion renowned for its size and built with an utter lack of any master building plan.
So, it appears that we have a bunch of Keystone Kops building another Winchester House that will cost you, I, and the heirs of this country trillions of dollars in waste and inefficiency. It will truly be as historic as Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi claim. As historic as the Hindenburg or the Titanic.
Look Daddy! Look at the nice big iceberg coming our way!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Caulk Won't Patch Up This Economy
Obama, wants to give small business tax credits as an incentive for hiring. In addition, he wants to spend even more "billions" of taxpayer money to put people to work making American homes more energy efficient. In this "cash for caulkers" plan, Obama thinks the economy will rebound if we would just hire some of those "caulkers" out there who are desperately in need of work. You see them all the time. Men standing on street corners with their white coveralls and caulk guns, holding signs; begging for work.
What Obama doesn't seem to be able to get through his thick head, is the fact that small businesses -- the ones who employ almost 70 percent of this country's workers -- won't begin hiring until the uncertain future clears up. The current political environment has literally put hiring on ice. Small businesses don't hire because it is fashionable or something that they do or don't do because of the way they feel that day. They hire people out of necessity. That necessity is born out of how much business activity they have. They also have to considered the financial impact of each new hire.
Earlier this year, another phase of the minimum wage increase took effect. This increase was nearly 10%. That means that for every 10 workers, the equivalent of one worker's salary was eaten up. I am quite sure that many small businesses with 10 or more employees thought twice about hiring anyone with this change about to occur. They knew it would eat into their payroll expense and reduce their profits.
Additionally this year, many small businesses saw their state and local taxes get hiked. That, too, reduced their profits -- profits that were already down by as much as 30 to 50 percent because of the recession.
Looking forward, those same business owners are understandably gun-shy because of all the political maneuvering they see going on in Washington. All a small business owner can see ahead of him or her are taxes and penalties that, in effect, would punish them for hiring full time employees.
Cap and Trade will probably jack their energy rates up. So, some of the money that could be used to hire a new employee could be eaten up by increased energy expenses. For sure, some businesses -- those making over $200,000 a year --- will have increased income taxes as a result of the Bush Tax cuts expiring next year.
Then, there's health care reform. Almost every business will either have to provide health care or be fined. For some small businesses, this could be the straw that breaks their backs. So, what's their alternatives? Well, hire temps to avoid the health care mandate against full time workers. In fact, we saw an increase in temporary help in the last unemployment report. My guess is the temporary worker numbers will continue to rise while full time workers continue to lose their jobs.
Lastly, this government has plans to put "card check" in place which could force many, if not all, small businesses to pay union salaries which are substantially higher than minimum wages.
The business environment is incredibly negative right now due to this President and his Democrats. And, it is this negative environment that is causing business to think twice about hiring. Taxes might lead small businesses to the well; but, when they calculate all the costs and risks, I doubt that they can make them drink.
What Obama doesn't seem to be able to get through his thick head, is the fact that small businesses -- the ones who employ almost 70 percent of this country's workers -- won't begin hiring until the uncertain future clears up. The current political environment has literally put hiring on ice. Small businesses don't hire because it is fashionable or something that they do or don't do because of the way they feel that day. They hire people out of necessity. That necessity is born out of how much business activity they have. They also have to considered the financial impact of each new hire.
Earlier this year, another phase of the minimum wage increase took effect. This increase was nearly 10%. That means that for every 10 workers, the equivalent of one worker's salary was eaten up. I am quite sure that many small businesses with 10 or more employees thought twice about hiring anyone with this change about to occur. They knew it would eat into their payroll expense and reduce their profits.
Additionally this year, many small businesses saw their state and local taxes get hiked. That, too, reduced their profits -- profits that were already down by as much as 30 to 50 percent because of the recession.
Looking forward, those same business owners are understandably gun-shy because of all the political maneuvering they see going on in Washington. All a small business owner can see ahead of him or her are taxes and penalties that, in effect, would punish them for hiring full time employees.
Cap and Trade will probably jack their energy rates up. So, some of the money that could be used to hire a new employee could be eaten up by increased energy expenses. For sure, some businesses -- those making over $200,000 a year --- will have increased income taxes as a result of the Bush Tax cuts expiring next year.
Then, there's health care reform. Almost every business will either have to provide health care or be fined. For some small businesses, this could be the straw that breaks their backs. So, what's their alternatives? Well, hire temps to avoid the health care mandate against full time workers. In fact, we saw an increase in temporary help in the last unemployment report. My guess is the temporary worker numbers will continue to rise while full time workers continue to lose their jobs.
Lastly, this government has plans to put "card check" in place which could force many, if not all, small businesses to pay union salaries which are substantially higher than minimum wages.
The business environment is incredibly negative right now due to this President and his Democrats. And, it is this negative environment that is causing business to think twice about hiring. Taxes might lead small businesses to the well; but, when they calculate all the costs and risks, I doubt that they can make them drink.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Ask Your Philodendron If CO2 is Dangerous
Probably, the most idiotic thing I have ever heard in my life is the EPA's decision this week to call CO2 a "dangerous gas". Even school children know that plants won't survive without CO2. We,and all the other animals on earth, expel it all day long as a byproduct of producing the energy that we need for us to live, grow, and be active. I guess, for that matter, water, too, is dangerous. Even though you absolutely have to have it to survive, you could drown in it too! So, let's classify water as dangerous!
To me, this kind of insanity doesn't make the Climate Change argument any more valid. It just makes a joke out of the whole process. Are we now going to force people (akin to the treatment of cigarette smokers) to take their dangerous breathing outside? I can just see a new line of self-help books being released like: "How to survive without breathing anymore!" Then, too, the New York Times best seller might be something like: "Waiting to Exhale: The Green Story." My guess is that sometime shortly, Kathleen Sibelius of Health and Human Services will have to declare a "carbon dioxide pandemic". Maybe she will do a show-and-tell on how to avoid expelling your breath on others who might be nearby. Expect the see the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to start reporting how widespread carbon dioxide poisoning is each week.
But, while it may seem like the EPA decision is just a joke, there may actually be a more sinister and intentional side to that decision. One that is the intentional arming of all those militants who are at war with carbon footprinting.
When you really think about it, by classifying CO2 as a dangerous gas, the EPA could shut down almost anything that emits CO2. And, because of this insane decision, every environmentalist was just handed the hammer that they needed to clear the decks of every CO2 producing activity that they don't like.
Make no mistake about it, the EPA just opened the door to a whole new world of lawsuits. Cap and Trade is now completely immaterial to the process of controlling carbon dioxide. The battle, now, will be fought in the courts and by groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace. If the EPA doesn't take action to shut down your local cement manufacturer or coal-fired power plant or steel mill, the environmentalists with go to court and force the law to shut them down -- using the EPA's ruling as the basis of their legal action. This is perfect for the environmentalists. Previously they had tried and failed to get polar bears defined as an endangered species so that they could sue, and used that as a basis to shutting down carbon producing manufacturing operations. This will be just like ACORN using the Community Reinvestment Act to force banks to give out unqualified home loans; but, this time, environmentalists will have their heyday and the consequences will be much more disastrous for society.
What the EPA did this week -- like most of Obama's thugs -- was done without any thought as to the far reaching consequences. From the closure of Gitmo to the prosecution of CIA personnel to the trying terrorists in a civilian court, this Administration is just insane. They are totally driven by ideology. And, they don't care what happens to the country and society in the wake of their decisions.
To me, this kind of insanity doesn't make the Climate Change argument any more valid. It just makes a joke out of the whole process. Are we now going to force people (akin to the treatment of cigarette smokers) to take their dangerous breathing outside? I can just see a new line of self-help books being released like: "How to survive without breathing anymore!" Then, too, the New York Times best seller might be something like: "Waiting to Exhale: The Green Story." My guess is that sometime shortly, Kathleen Sibelius of Health and Human Services will have to declare a "carbon dioxide pandemic". Maybe she will do a show-and-tell on how to avoid expelling your breath on others who might be nearby. Expect the see the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to start reporting how widespread carbon dioxide poisoning is each week.
But, while it may seem like the EPA decision is just a joke, there may actually be a more sinister and intentional side to that decision. One that is the intentional arming of all those militants who are at war with carbon footprinting.
When you really think about it, by classifying CO2 as a dangerous gas, the EPA could shut down almost anything that emits CO2. And, because of this insane decision, every environmentalist was just handed the hammer that they needed to clear the decks of every CO2 producing activity that they don't like.
Make no mistake about it, the EPA just opened the door to a whole new world of lawsuits. Cap and Trade is now completely immaterial to the process of controlling carbon dioxide. The battle, now, will be fought in the courts and by groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace. If the EPA doesn't take action to shut down your local cement manufacturer or coal-fired power plant or steel mill, the environmentalists with go to court and force the law to shut them down -- using the EPA's ruling as the basis of their legal action. This is perfect for the environmentalists. Previously they had tried and failed to get polar bears defined as an endangered species so that they could sue, and used that as a basis to shutting down carbon producing manufacturing operations. This will be just like ACORN using the Community Reinvestment Act to force banks to give out unqualified home loans; but, this time, environmentalists will have their heyday and the consequences will be much more disastrous for society.
What the EPA did this week -- like most of Obama's thugs -- was done without any thought as to the far reaching consequences. From the closure of Gitmo to the prosecution of CIA personnel to the trying terrorists in a civilian court, this Administration is just insane. They are totally driven by ideology. And, they don't care what happens to the country and society in the wake of their decisions.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Obama Is Making G.W. Bush Look Good
When George W. Bush left office, his approval rating was between 30 to 34 percent. In a newly taken poll, 44 percent of the respondents said that they would rather have Bush back than have Obama (Click to See Full Story: "Ben Smith: Bush closes the gap").
That says a lot about the job that Mr. "O" is doing. At this rate, Obama only has to be in office for another year before Bush starts looking like the greatest President this country ever had.
That says a lot about the job that Mr. "O" is doing. At this rate, Obama only has to be in office for another year before Bush starts looking like the greatest President this country ever had.
The Dance Of The Climate Scientists
If you listen to what little debate is actually allowed over the ClimateGate scandal, the consistent defense used by scientists who are locked into the theory of man-made climate change, is that "no one can deny that global temperatures have risen in the last century". And, yes, they are right. It is warmer than it was 100 years ago. But, they are dancing around the obvious issue. It is a dance that side-steps the basic claim of whether or not mankind has caused the current warming trend.
The fact is that there was a time -- 1000 years ago while people were still riding horses and chopping wood to stay warm -- when the temperatures were about as warm as they are now. That period is called the Medieval Warm Period. It lasted about 500 years; and was followed up with a mini ice age.
The reason that most of the United Nations climate change scientists seem to skip over those 500 years of climate history with such absolute ease is that it doesn't fit into their weak theory that man-produced CO2 creates global warming.
Certainly, 1000 years ago, North America was dominated by deer and antelope and some indigenous Indian tribes; and, those tribes were quite insignificant in both their size and impact on the world. In fact, the world population was a mere iota of what it is today. Yet, it was quite warm.
So, the bottom line is: Yes, there currently is global warming and climatic change. But -- and it is a big 'but' -- is man the cause? Or, are we merely seeing a replication of what naturally caused the Medieval Warm Period? And, is this current "natural" event being used as a cover to effect social change for political or monetary reasons?
Those are the real questions that have to be answered. ClimateGate has finally shed a light on the fact that the scientific data of anthropogenic climate change might be at least flawed; if not completely fraudulent. That's why there should be a big "whoa" regarding all of these destructive plans for society until the full truth is revealed. The truth can't be found by 2500 IPCC scientists whose very livelihood and future grant money depend on man-made global warming being real.
We need to finally hear out the dissenters of that theory. The dissenters who have been hushed by the IPCC scientists who seem to have all the clout due to their political backing. The dissenters who outnumber the 2500 IPCC scientists by a factor of 10 to 1. The dissenters who want to give a "second opinion" to the work of the IPCC group; if they only had access to it. Instead, these dissenters have been inable to look at the base data, the assumptions, and the mathematics because the IPCC scientists have ignored those requests made to them under the "Freedom of Information" act, and have blocked any access to that data. If we are expected to siphon off trillions of dollars from the world's richest economies in order to fight this "modern plague", it should be done on a basis of a firm, scientific footing. Not just a theoretical view that is held by a few who are being prejudiced by grant money and a cushy job environment at NASA or East Anglia University.
The FDA would never approve the use of a new drug unless there were valid clinical trials that took place outside of the drug maker's laboratories. In similar fashion, having an expanded scientific community review the facts and conclusions -- far beyond the IPCC scientific community's protected 2500 -- is the only way the science of global warming can and should gain world public approval.
What really disturbs me about this current warming science is all the secrecy. In the past, scientists were so typically proud of their work, that they would beg others in the scientific community to prove them wrong. But, today, that challenge seems to be nonexistent with the underpinnings of the IPCC science remaining behind closed doors and hidden deep within computer databases. The secrecy says a lot about what is really going on. It suggests nothing but deceit and, I think, that is driving the concern.
Let's stop the dancing; open the books; and get an international consensus on whether or not man-made global warming is real! All of mankind is owed that honesty!
pab
The fact is that there was a time -- 1000 years ago while people were still riding horses and chopping wood to stay warm -- when the temperatures were about as warm as they are now. That period is called the Medieval Warm Period. It lasted about 500 years; and was followed up with a mini ice age.
The reason that most of the United Nations climate change scientists seem to skip over those 500 years of climate history with such absolute ease is that it doesn't fit into their weak theory that man-produced CO2 creates global warming.
Certainly, 1000 years ago, North America was dominated by deer and antelope and some indigenous Indian tribes; and, those tribes were quite insignificant in both their size and impact on the world. In fact, the world population was a mere iota of what it is today. Yet, it was quite warm.
So, the bottom line is: Yes, there currently is global warming and climatic change. But -- and it is a big 'but' -- is man the cause? Or, are we merely seeing a replication of what naturally caused the Medieval Warm Period? And, is this current "natural" event being used as a cover to effect social change for political or monetary reasons?
Those are the real questions that have to be answered. ClimateGate has finally shed a light on the fact that the scientific data of anthropogenic climate change might be at least flawed; if not completely fraudulent. That's why there should be a big "whoa" regarding all of these destructive plans for society until the full truth is revealed. The truth can't be found by 2500 IPCC scientists whose very livelihood and future grant money depend on man-made global warming being real.
We need to finally hear out the dissenters of that theory. The dissenters who have been hushed by the IPCC scientists who seem to have all the clout due to their political backing. The dissenters who outnumber the 2500 IPCC scientists by a factor of 10 to 1. The dissenters who want to give a "second opinion" to the work of the IPCC group; if they only had access to it. Instead, these dissenters have been inable to look at the base data, the assumptions, and the mathematics because the IPCC scientists have ignored those requests made to them under the "Freedom of Information" act, and have blocked any access to that data. If we are expected to siphon off trillions of dollars from the world's richest economies in order to fight this "modern plague", it should be done on a basis of a firm, scientific footing. Not just a theoretical view that is held by a few who are being prejudiced by grant money and a cushy job environment at NASA or East Anglia University.
The FDA would never approve the use of a new drug unless there were valid clinical trials that took place outside of the drug maker's laboratories. In similar fashion, having an expanded scientific community review the facts and conclusions -- far beyond the IPCC scientific community's protected 2500 -- is the only way the science of global warming can and should gain world public approval.
What really disturbs me about this current warming science is all the secrecy. In the past, scientists were so typically proud of their work, that they would beg others in the scientific community to prove them wrong. But, today, that challenge seems to be nonexistent with the underpinnings of the IPCC science remaining behind closed doors and hidden deep within computer databases. The secrecy says a lot about what is really going on. It suggests nothing but deceit and, I think, that is driving the concern.
Let's stop the dancing; open the books; and get an international consensus on whether or not man-made global warming is real! All of mankind is owed that honesty!
pab
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Harry Reid's Historical Stupidity
One of the reasons that Harry Reid doesn't deserve reelection is because of speeches like the following that he gave on the Senate floor on Monday:
Harry should have spent a little time researching his facts before giving such a speech. In the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it was the southern Democrats that filibustered to block passage of that bill. In fact, the current longest serving Senator in the history of the Senate, Robert Byrd, a Democrat, occupied the Senate floor for 14 hours and 13 minutes to block that legislation. Harry would also be well-advised to remember that it was a Republican, Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves. Yet, despite this, the majority of the Black community continue to support the Democrats.
Harry Reid drafted his version of the Health Care Reform Bill behind closed doors and with "only" a few other selected Democrats working with him. There were absolutely no Republicans invited to this exclusive invitation only party. Why in the hell should any Republican fall in line with Harry when he did nothing but shun them. Harry is just stupid.
Harry should have spent a little time researching his facts before giving such a speech. In the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it was the southern Democrats that filibustered to block passage of that bill. In fact, the current longest serving Senator in the history of the Senate, Robert Byrd, a Democrat, occupied the Senate floor for 14 hours and 13 minutes to block that legislation. Harry would also be well-advised to remember that it was a Republican, Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves. Yet, despite this, the majority of the Black community continue to support the Democrats.
Harry Reid drafted his version of the Health Care Reform Bill behind closed doors and with "only" a few other selected Democrats working with him. There were absolutely no Republicans invited to this exclusive invitation only party. Why in the hell should any Republican fall in line with Harry when he did nothing but shun them. Harry is just stupid.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Obama Is Not Popular!
Yesterday, the folks at Gallup reported that Obama sank to a new low approval rating of 47%; with his disapproval rating at a new high of 46%. As the Gallup Report of yesterday points out, no other President, since "their" polling began, had such a low approval rating in their first December since taking office (Click to See Full Report: "After Brief Uptick, Obama Approval Slips to 47%").
This morning, Fox News even took that further and found that no single President in the history of any polling (not just Gallup) had such a low approval rating (Click to See Full Story: "Obama's 47 Percent Approval Lowest of Any President at This Point".
I often hear Democrats and Democratic pundits talk of Obama as being a "popular" President and one who the "people" elected based on his "plans". Well, what might of been true last year, isn't the case now. Obviously, the American people are not buying into his "plans" or the way he is handling his Presidency. And, why should they? In almost every case, Obama "baited" the electorate to get into office with promises he either couldn't or wouldn't keep; with the latter being the primary case. After getting there, he has done nothing but "switch" to a very left wing agenda and the American people aren't happy. That's not my opinion. It's a clear a fact. And, the polls are showing it.
Please note: Almost all of the national polls have Obama at 50% or lower on his approval rating (Click to See the Data from RealClearPoltics). The only ones that are still above 50% are the polls from those media organizations like: CBS, ABC, NBC, and the Associated Press. How special are they? Even the previous Obama-loving CNN has now got him below 50% at a 48% approval rating.
This morning, Fox News even took that further and found that no single President in the history of any polling (not just Gallup) had such a low approval rating (Click to See Full Story: "Obama's 47 Percent Approval Lowest of Any President at This Point".
I often hear Democrats and Democratic pundits talk of Obama as being a "popular" President and one who the "people" elected based on his "plans". Well, what might of been true last year, isn't the case now. Obviously, the American people are not buying into his "plans" or the way he is handling his Presidency. And, why should they? In almost every case, Obama "baited" the electorate to get into office with promises he either couldn't or wouldn't keep; with the latter being the primary case. After getting there, he has done nothing but "switch" to a very left wing agenda and the American people aren't happy. That's not my opinion. It's a clear a fact. And, the polls are showing it.
Please note: Almost all of the national polls have Obama at 50% or lower on his approval rating (Click to See the Data from RealClearPoltics). The only ones that are still above 50% are the polls from those media organizations like: CBS, ABC, NBC, and the Associated Press. How special are they? Even the previous Obama-loving CNN has now got him below 50% at a 48% approval rating.
Harry's Hari Kari Plan For The Democrats
I live in Las Vegas and the local airwaves are filled with TV and radio ads all hyping the good that Harry Reid has done for the city. The ads are being run by groups that claim to be independent but, if you do a little research, you will find that the organizations doing the advertising are just fronts for the Democratic National Committee and the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and the AFL-CIO labor unions.
But, in poll after poll, despite the flood of glowing ads about him, Harry Reid's reelection is in real trouble. While the SEIU dominates the work environment of Hotels and Casinos, as well as jobs in the health care industry in Las Vegas, the rest of Nevada's electorate doesn't think much of Harry (Click to See A Pertinent Commentary: "Reid's chances look really dim ").
My guess is that: So Goes Harry, so go the rest of the congressional Democrats!
I just can't believe that Reid and his idiot gang of Democrats don't seem to mind committing Hari Kari over all the dumb legislation that they have pushed since Obama took office. With Obama at the helm, it appears that, to the man (and woman), the Democrats have all undergone something akin to "Lemming Gene Replacement Therapy". It appears they will just hold their noses and pass legislation; all the while knowing that they may lose their jobs next Fall. But, as it stands right now, that's Harry's plan and he's sticking to it. God help us!
But, in poll after poll, despite the flood of glowing ads about him, Harry Reid's reelection is in real trouble. While the SEIU dominates the work environment of Hotels and Casinos, as well as jobs in the health care industry in Las Vegas, the rest of Nevada's electorate doesn't think much of Harry (Click to See A Pertinent Commentary: "Reid's chances look really dim ").
My guess is that: So Goes Harry, so go the rest of the congressional Democrats!
I just can't believe that Reid and his idiot gang of Democrats don't seem to mind committing Hari Kari over all the dumb legislation that they have pushed since Obama took office. With Obama at the helm, it appears that, to the man (and woman), the Democrats have all undergone something akin to "Lemming Gene Replacement Therapy". It appears they will just hold their noses and pass legislation; all the while knowing that they may lose their jobs next Fall. But, as it stands right now, that's Harry's plan and he's sticking to it. God help us!
Monday, December 7, 2009
It's Not Who You Are But How You Look
If some scrubby looking person jumped over the fence surrounding the White House grounds, he or she would be arrested; as has happened quite often in the past. Yet, two party crashers, dressed in a tuxedo and an evening gown, did effectively the same thing as the scrubby looking person but were are allowed to go scott-free; appear on talk shows; and, will probably garner a book deal. Yet, in both cases, there was trespassing on White House grounds.
I guess the moral of the story is :
If you're going to jump over the White House fence, make sure you are dressed to the nines and, then, I guess the Secret Services and White House staff won't bother you. You might even get to meet Joe Biden and the President.
I guess the moral of the story is :
If you're going to jump over the White House fence, make sure you are dressed to the nines and, then, I guess the Secret Services and White House staff won't bother you. You might even get to meet Joe Biden and the President.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Global Warming Is Man made!
Finally, I concur that global warming and climate change is absolutely man made. Those ClimateGate emails have proven that men, masquerading as ethical scientists, have made the whole damn thing up.
It appears that money can buy anything. It even bought global warming. Al Gore got millions, an Oscar, and a Nobel Peace Prize for his fraudulent movie on global warming. He went to the bank by giving hundreds of well-paid speaking engagements. He is also due to gain handsomely from his financial interests in companies throughout the world that would grow and benefit from any enactment of carbon reduction legislation.
Those "warming scare" scientists, too, got much needed research money to live off of. Literally, millions of dollars in grants. All together, the so-called science of global warming was just men acting badly for their own personal enrichment and financial gains.
Yes, indeed, global warming was absolutely caused by man. For this reason, I would hope that the climate change summit in Copenhagen will be nothing more than anti climactic; since, apparently, their meeting is totally based on a scientific community that was hell bent on being so anti climatic!
It appears that money can buy anything. It even bought global warming. Al Gore got millions, an Oscar, and a Nobel Peace Prize for his fraudulent movie on global warming. He went to the bank by giving hundreds of well-paid speaking engagements. He is also due to gain handsomely from his financial interests in companies throughout the world that would grow and benefit from any enactment of carbon reduction legislation.
Those "warming scare" scientists, too, got much needed research money to live off of. Literally, millions of dollars in grants. All together, the so-called science of global warming was just men acting badly for their own personal enrichment and financial gains.
Yes, indeed, global warming was absolutely caused by man. For this reason, I would hope that the climate change summit in Copenhagen will be nothing more than anti climactic; since, apparently, their meeting is totally based on a scientific community that was hell bent on being so anti climatic!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Hypocrisy Of the Copenhagen Fly-In
In just a few days, between 12 & 15 thousand attendees will descend on Copenhagen(Click to See Full Story: "Road to COP15 in Copenhagen") to participate in the 15th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference. Representatives from more than 180 countries will attend. These will include government heads of state and delegates, scientists, environmentalists, and -- oh yes -- "green advocating" celebrities from Hollywood and around the world.
To get there, these thousands of people will fly in on, primarily, private jets, government aircraft, chartered jets, and -- I suppose -- some will actually use commercial airlines. Each government contingent will have an entourage of, probably, two, three, or even a half dozen vehicles that have been bullet-proofed and won't get your average fuel economy. President Obama will be there too. Prior to his trip, several secret service agents will fly in and scour the area to insure the President's safety. Additionally, a fleet of bullet-proofed Presidential and presidential escort vehicles will be airlifted into Copenhagen on heavy transport planes.
Now, it might be a bit presumptuous of me; but, isn't this fly-in and the amount of carbon being thrown into the atmosphere a wee bit hypocritical? After all, these are the people who are getting together to save the planet from all that man-produced carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide that is produced by carbon-based fuels such as jet fuel and gasoline. Haven't any of these people heard of streaming video technology and video conferencing that could eliminate or minimize this kind of "meet-me-in-Copenhagen" carbon explosion? Does everyone have to go? This just shows how hypocritical the "climate change/global warming" movement is. They all want to save the planet -- but, they don't want to have to actually do any of that saving themselves.
To get there, these thousands of people will fly in on, primarily, private jets, government aircraft, chartered jets, and -- I suppose -- some will actually use commercial airlines. Each government contingent will have an entourage of, probably, two, three, or even a half dozen vehicles that have been bullet-proofed and won't get your average fuel economy. President Obama will be there too. Prior to his trip, several secret service agents will fly in and scour the area to insure the President's safety. Additionally, a fleet of bullet-proofed Presidential and presidential escort vehicles will be airlifted into Copenhagen on heavy transport planes.
Now, it might be a bit presumptuous of me; but, isn't this fly-in and the amount of carbon being thrown into the atmosphere a wee bit hypocritical? After all, these are the people who are getting together to save the planet from all that man-produced carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide that is produced by carbon-based fuels such as jet fuel and gasoline. Haven't any of these people heard of streaming video technology and video conferencing that could eliminate or minimize this kind of "meet-me-in-Copenhagen" carbon explosion? Does everyone have to go? This just shows how hypocritical the "climate change/global warming" movement is. They all want to save the planet -- but, they don't want to have to actually do any of that saving themselves.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Another Headscratcher of an Unemployment Report
I really hate to be the Grinch that stole Christmas but, once again, the monthly unemployment report leaves me guessing about what is going on.
According to this morning's report, America only shed 11,000 jobs in November. Additionally, the two previous months of data were adjusted downward so there was an improvement of 159,000 jobs over what had been previously reported. This, then, resulted in a drop of the unemployment rate from 10.2% to 10.
Now, if you simply look at the top line numbers, that all makes sense. However, the report, itself, seems to fly in the face of reality. Over the last 5 weeks, the number of people losing their jobs and applying for unemployment claims has been consistently above 450,000. This is at least 150,000 jobs higher than what would be considered a non-recession weekly unemployment claims number. Additionally, the number of those remaining on unemployment benefit rolls has increased. If the economy was in a turnaround, that number should be shrinking but it isn't. Further, according to this morning's report, the number of discouraged workers -- those who have given up looking for a job -- has increased once again.
So, in essence, the facts don't support a meager loss of 11,000 jobs in November. Once again, it appears that the Bureau of Labor and Statistics is playing with what they call "seasonal adjustments" and, once again, we are getting skewed numbers. Therefore, this report looks to be more of an anomaly and not something that should be taken very seriously as a turnaround in the economy. For sure, one month doesn't make a trend. We will have to see what happens over the next two months to see if we are really in a turnaround and actually creating jobs. But, be mindful, that we should see weekly unemployment benefit claims that are nearer to 300,000 before I, personally, would believe that we are on a track of true economic growth.
One last thing. Isn't it interesting that there was an improvement in the unemployment rate -- just a day after Obama had his Jobs Summit?
According to this morning's report, America only shed 11,000 jobs in November. Additionally, the two previous months of data were adjusted downward so there was an improvement of 159,000 jobs over what had been previously reported. This, then, resulted in a drop of the unemployment rate from 10.2% to 10.
Now, if you simply look at the top line numbers, that all makes sense. However, the report, itself, seems to fly in the face of reality. Over the last 5 weeks, the number of people losing their jobs and applying for unemployment claims has been consistently above 450,000. This is at least 150,000 jobs higher than what would be considered a non-recession weekly unemployment claims number. Additionally, the number of those remaining on unemployment benefit rolls has increased. If the economy was in a turnaround, that number should be shrinking but it isn't. Further, according to this morning's report, the number of discouraged workers -- those who have given up looking for a job -- has increased once again.
So, in essence, the facts don't support a meager loss of 11,000 jobs in November. Once again, it appears that the Bureau of Labor and Statistics is playing with what they call "seasonal adjustments" and, once again, we are getting skewed numbers. Therefore, this report looks to be more of an anomaly and not something that should be taken very seriously as a turnaround in the economy. For sure, one month doesn't make a trend. We will have to see what happens over the next two months to see if we are really in a turnaround and actually creating jobs. But, be mindful, that we should see weekly unemployment benefit claims that are nearer to 300,000 before I, personally, would believe that we are on a track of true economic growth.
One last thing. Isn't it interesting that there was an improvement in the unemployment rate -- just a day after Obama had his Jobs Summit?
Productivity Says It All
In the last 5 weeks, filings for first time unemployment claims have been falling. Yesterday, only 557,000 had to file for unemployment insurance. This was the lowest level of claims since September 2008. But, at the same time, the measurement of productivity surged once again (Click to See Full Story: "Jobless Claims Drop Again; Productivity Shows 8.1% Gain").
We have now entered a point were job losses have abated because businesses have gotten themselves to the lowest level of staffing possible while still maintaining operations. That is why productivity is so high. All that a high productivity level says is that there are fewer workers producing the same amount of output. This is usually achieved by letting workers go but, it can also be achieved by converting workers from full time to part time.
However, there is a limit to productivity increases. At some point, companies either have to start hiring again or contend with worker burnout; assuming the company is involved in an ongoing business operation. Otherwise, a company just may be at a critical point where it can no longer survive because staffing is at the absolute minimum and no further cuts in personnel are possible.
At this juncture, it is hard to tell where this economy sits.
Are we at the brink of a new group of companies going belly up? Or, are we at the point where the economy is ready to turn itself around and companies will begin hiring again? Certainly, most businesses are probably trying to avoid letting workers go during the holiday season. That may be why unemployment claims are less than expected. Also, there have been some increases in hiring as retailers have geared up for increased holiday sales activity. So, I would think we won't know what is going on until mid-January. At that point, we will either see unemployment claims rising again or, continuing to fall. One thing is for sure, we can't continue to have productivity remaining at historically record levels without the business community either starting to hire new workers "or" look to going completely out of business. That's because high productivity reflects a point of tension in the economy that has to be ultimately resolved; one way or the other.
One last thing. The American worker is in a really tight spot right now. They are being squeezed by the fact that there are no jobs out there. That means that an overworked employee must work harder; like it or not. The old option of quitting and going to work elsewhere just doesn't exist. The fact that the job market remains so tight sits on the shoulders of Congress and the President. Companies are facing high uncertainty next year with the Bush tax cuts expiring; higher tax burdens associated with Cap and Trade and health care reform; possible penalties for not providing health care to employees; a possible Afghanistan war tax; and additional imposed taxes on small businesses making more than $200,000. No small business operator in their right mind would hire under these circumstances. That's why the end of this recession could truly be a jobless recovery.
We have now entered a point were job losses have abated because businesses have gotten themselves to the lowest level of staffing possible while still maintaining operations. That is why productivity is so high. All that a high productivity level says is that there are fewer workers producing the same amount of output. This is usually achieved by letting workers go but, it can also be achieved by converting workers from full time to part time.
However, there is a limit to productivity increases. At some point, companies either have to start hiring again or contend with worker burnout; assuming the company is involved in an ongoing business operation. Otherwise, a company just may be at a critical point where it can no longer survive because staffing is at the absolute minimum and no further cuts in personnel are possible.
At this juncture, it is hard to tell where this economy sits.
Are we at the brink of a new group of companies going belly up? Or, are we at the point where the economy is ready to turn itself around and companies will begin hiring again? Certainly, most businesses are probably trying to avoid letting workers go during the holiday season. That may be why unemployment claims are less than expected. Also, there have been some increases in hiring as retailers have geared up for increased holiday sales activity. So, I would think we won't know what is going on until mid-January. At that point, we will either see unemployment claims rising again or, continuing to fall. One thing is for sure, we can't continue to have productivity remaining at historically record levels without the business community either starting to hire new workers "or" look to going completely out of business. That's because high productivity reflects a point of tension in the economy that has to be ultimately resolved; one way or the other.
One last thing. The American worker is in a really tight spot right now. They are being squeezed by the fact that there are no jobs out there. That means that an overworked employee must work harder; like it or not. The old option of quitting and going to work elsewhere just doesn't exist. The fact that the job market remains so tight sits on the shoulders of Congress and the President. Companies are facing high uncertainty next year with the Bush tax cuts expiring; higher tax burdens associated with Cap and Trade and health care reform; possible penalties for not providing health care to employees; a possible Afghanistan war tax; and additional imposed taxes on small businesses making more than $200,000. No small business operator in their right mind would hire under these circumstances. That's why the end of this recession could truly be a jobless recovery.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Does Anyone Remember Alan Carlin?
If you don't recall Alan Carlin, all you have to do is read my blog post of July 5th of this year: The EPA Report Obama Doesn't Want You To See.
When I wrote that blog, it had just been learned that Obama's new EPA head had tossed Alan Carlin's 98-page report under the bus because it dared to question the science and premise of global warming. Just like the e-mail suppression by the scientific thugs associated with ClimateGate at the University of East Anglia and the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Mr. Carlin's very scientific and extremely thorough report was being suppressed. This time by Obama and his science thugs in the EPA.
Like ClimateGate, it just proves that Obama and his people aren't interested in the truth; especially when that "Truth" is so "Inconvenient" to their radical agenda. This was reinforced on Wednesday when the following article appeared in the news headlines: "Obama science officials defend warming research". Obviously, the cover-up continues.
When I wrote that blog, it had just been learned that Obama's new EPA head had tossed Alan Carlin's 98-page report under the bus because it dared to question the science and premise of global warming. Just like the e-mail suppression by the scientific thugs associated with ClimateGate at the University of East Anglia and the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Mr. Carlin's very scientific and extremely thorough report was being suppressed. This time by Obama and his science thugs in the EPA.
Like ClimateGate, it just proves that Obama and his people aren't interested in the truth; especially when that "Truth" is so "Inconvenient" to their radical agenda. This was reinforced on Wednesday when the following article appeared in the news headlines: "Obama science officials defend warming research". Obviously, the cover-up continues.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
ClimateGate: A Crime Or Whistleblowing
All weekend, I've listened to people on the political left describe the hacking into those climate change emails at East Anglia University's database as a crime. In the U.K., the BBC is actually calling for a criminal investigation.
That's pretty funny to me. Whenever confidential data was exposed about any suspected wrong- doing in the Bush Administration or any other Republicans, it was never seen as a crime to the political left. Instead, it was described as the highly respectable act of "whistle-blowing".
Simply speaking, the exposure of ClimateGate is whistle-blowing and should be protected. There were numerous requests for access to these files before the hacking; yet, no access was ever granted. This was despite the fact that all of the climate data collection and studies were primarily paid for by Federal and U.K. government grants. In fact, some of the emails that were uncovered actually talked about how to avoid public scrutiny due to any "Freedom of Information Act" requests. That does not sound like scientists participating in "ethical" behavior.
All of this reminds me of those ACORN videos showing ACORN personnel ready and willing to advise the two young filmmakers on how to skirt the law for what was obviously underage prostitution. In the liberal cities, the District Attorneys wanted to prosecute the filmmakers; rather than go after ACORN. To them, the filmmakers, not ACORN, were the law breakers because they broke privacy laws. Isn't it funny how the left conveniently embraces the "whistleblower" laws when it is to their benefit, and are so quick to call up the "privacy laws" when caught in wrongdoing.
Like it or not, the cat is out of the bag on ClimateGate. How that happened is less important than what was being exposed. Every whistleblower in the world is in violation of privacy and secrecy laws. However, in America, we have developed whistleblower laws because we value the truth more than privacy when there is illegal or unethical behavior involved. And, that is the way ClimateGate should be handled.
Update: Barbara Boxer calls for a "criminal probe" over ClimateGate: (Click to See Full Story).
That's pretty funny to me. Whenever confidential data was exposed about any suspected wrong- doing in the Bush Administration or any other Republicans, it was never seen as a crime to the political left. Instead, it was described as the highly respectable act of "whistle-blowing".
Simply speaking, the exposure of ClimateGate is whistle-blowing and should be protected. There were numerous requests for access to these files before the hacking; yet, no access was ever granted. This was despite the fact that all of the climate data collection and studies were primarily paid for by Federal and U.K. government grants. In fact, some of the emails that were uncovered actually talked about how to avoid public scrutiny due to any "Freedom of Information Act" requests. That does not sound like scientists participating in "ethical" behavior.
All of this reminds me of those ACORN videos showing ACORN personnel ready and willing to advise the two young filmmakers on how to skirt the law for what was obviously underage prostitution. In the liberal cities, the District Attorneys wanted to prosecute the filmmakers; rather than go after ACORN. To them, the filmmakers, not ACORN, were the law breakers because they broke privacy laws. Isn't it funny how the left conveniently embraces the "whistleblower" laws when it is to their benefit, and are so quick to call up the "privacy laws" when caught in wrongdoing.
Like it or not, the cat is out of the bag on ClimateGate. How that happened is less important than what was being exposed. Every whistleblower in the world is in violation of privacy and secrecy laws. However, in America, we have developed whistleblower laws because we value the truth more than privacy when there is illegal or unethical behavior involved. And, that is the way ClimateGate should be handled.
Update: Barbara Boxer calls for a "criminal probe" over ClimateGate: (Click to See Full Story).
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Guns Don't Kill People...A Very Lenient Governor Does
Yesterday, we learned that the killer of 4 cops in Seattle was freed from a life sentence in Arkansas by the then-Governor Mike Huckabee. Well, it appears that the overly lenient Huckabee had a habit of releasing some very bad people from their life sentences; and, as a consequence, those people have gone on to kill. Huckabee can now claim 7 murders as a result of his actions.
This anti-Huckabee for President video from December of 2007 says it all:
This anti-Huckabee for President video from December of 2007 says it all:
A Black Friday With Red Showing
Last Friday, the post-Thanksgiving shopping day also known as Black Friday, was being closely watched to see if the American consumer was back in the shopping game. While, overall, the number of shoppers was greater than last year, the preliminary numbers show that people spent 8% less, and that's a problem (Click to See Full Story: "UPDATE 4-US shoppers spent less over Black Friday weekend").
Consumer spending has to be strong to bring the country back out of recession. 70 percent of all sales activity comes from the consumer. That spending creates jobs. It creates jobs at the retail outlets and for the manufacturers and suppliers of the goods that they are buying.
As long as people are concerned about the economy, taxes, losing value in their homes, and, possibly losing their jobs, they're not going to participate in spending. That's something that our politicians don't seem to understand. On Thursday, Obama has his jobs summit. Hopefully, he will hear a chorus of voices saying that very same thing. But, my guess is that those voices will fall on his deaf ears because this President will never stop or even take a breather in his quest to push job killing plans for higher taxes, Cap and Trade, and health care reform.
Consumer spending has to be strong to bring the country back out of recession. 70 percent of all sales activity comes from the consumer. That spending creates jobs. It creates jobs at the retail outlets and for the manufacturers and suppliers of the goods that they are buying.
As long as people are concerned about the economy, taxes, losing value in their homes, and, possibly losing their jobs, they're not going to participate in spending. That's something that our politicians don't seem to understand. On Thursday, Obama has his jobs summit. Hopefully, he will hear a chorus of voices saying that very same thing. But, my guess is that those voices will fall on his deaf ears because this President will never stop or even take a breather in his quest to push job killing plans for higher taxes, Cap and Trade, and health care reform.
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