25
Aug
Lots of talk of oil and how it’s bringing down the US economy.
This is the way I see things right now:
Oil as it’s adjusted for inflation:
GDP during same time frame:
The GDP seems fairly consistent regardless of how wild the price of gas has swung.
Even the GDI seems fairly consistent. The red streaks indicating recessions don’t really match up to rising gas prices. Three of those streaks were during periods of decreasing gas prices.
So, I just don’t agree with all the doomsday profits on this one. The US economy is just too robust and the price of gas had been just too cheap. Now it’s returned to normal levels. It’s also reached the point where we can start realistically turning to Canada, Mexico, and our South American friends instead of relying solely on the constant threat of embargo. If the economy holds up with these prices, we’re that much better off for it. We don’t need whacky responses to these prices. ( See Hawaii )
25
Aug
Talk about someone with an agenda, check out this headline:
Of All Gas Consumers, Bush May Be Biggest
Getting President Bush from here to there consumes an enormous amount of fuel, whether he’s aboard Air Force One, riding in a helicopter or on the ground in a heavily armored limousine. The bill gets steeper every day as the White House is rocked by the same energy prices as regular drivers. Taxpayers still foot the bill….
Almost every vehicle Bush uses is custom-made to add security and communications capabilities, and the heavier weight of these guzzlers further drives up gas and jet fuel costs.
It is not Bush’s choice to be ferried around in a less than fuel-efficient manner. Those arrangements are dictated by tradition and the Secret Service, whose mission is to protect him….
But Bush is one of the nation’s most-traveled presidents.
On and on it goes about how Bush is suckin up the gas. She even criticizes his personal truck that he rarely drives. Meanwhile, I can think of two other things that probably give "Bush" a run for his money:
- The NASCAR Nextel Cup series will feature 34 races between 221 and 500 miles in length, with usually 43 racers. This could consume about 650,000 miles at, I am sure, less than 1 MPG. Now, to top that off, that’s JUST the Nextel Cup series. They’ve got the Busch Series and the Truck series. And, that’s just NASCAR.
- The roads of any major city. More often than not people just sit there. What’s the MPG if your miles are 0?
Now, if Jennifer Lovin can lump all of the people that the POTUS is required to have around him, then any racer should be lumped in with all the rest, and anyone sitting in a traffic jam can be lumped in with everyone else. I am not pointing Jennifer Lovin to writing an article on how wasteful NASCAR is, I am pointing my readers to how useless and biased Jennifer Lovin’s article is. Sure, POTUS requires a lot of gas, but, the US military consumes a lot more. Some things are just what they are and can’t be helped. If Bush, respecting the current oil demand crisis, decided to sit on his ranch in Texas, the Jennifer Lovins’ would criticize him for not being diplomatic enough, or taking too many vacations, or adding to greenhouse gases in Texas.
25
Aug
The fastest growing religion in Australia is not Christianity or Islam.
Now, the article linked totally dismisses it as basically a collective joke. However, think about it.
- We’ve got the endless daily reports of Muslems blowing themselves up all over the planet in an effort to…….
- We’ve got Christian religious leaders urging the assassination of world leaders.
- And, the atheist countries aren’t behaving any better.
What’s the alternative?
Yoda, of course. It sounds like yoga, which is totally harmless as well. Plus, you get these nuggets to guide you:
- Powerful you have become, the dark side I sense in you.
24
Aug
OK, here’s the teaser. I read somewhere that fat states voted for Bush. In other words, red states were fatter than blue states. This fits right in with the bogus claim that blue states were smarter than red states. Etc.. So, I thought I’d take a closer look. From the Centers for Disease Control:
Here’s the Top 10 from the raw data that people are citing:
| Mississippi | 25.9 |
| West Virginia | 24.6 |
| Michigan | 24.4 |
| Kentucky | 24.2 |
| Indiana | 24 |
| Texas | 23.8 |
| Alabama | 23.4 |
| Louisiana | 23.3 |
| Tennessee | 22.6 |
Of course, by looking at that, obese people seem more likely to vote red. But, IMO, the true indication of a trend is whether they would have voted that way before. So, what I did was look at the trend in obesity in regards to how they voted this time. It looks a little different:
| State | 2001-2000 Change |
| Delaware | 3.8 |
| Oklahoma | 3.1 |
| Montana | 3 |
| Indiana | 2.7 |
| Michigan | 2.6 |
| Hawaii | 2.5 |
| Virginia | 2.5 |
| Wisconsin | 2.5 |
| New York | 2.5 |
| Minnesota | 2.4 |
Now, what that shows is that the faster a state is becoming obese, the more likely it is to vote blue. Think about it, six of the 20 states that voted blue are in the Top 10 quickest gaining obese states in the country.
You can draw your own conclusion as to why that is.
Numbers are such fun things. I can’t wait to see the 2004 figures.
24
Aug
Robertson Issues Fatwa Against Venezuela’s Chavez
by Scott Ott(2005-08-23) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez beefed up security at his residence and offices today after reports that Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson has issued a fatwa calling for the assassination of the South American communist dictator.
Venezuelan police have begun detaining and searching "clean cut, Bible-toting men in unfashionable clothing" as likely followers of the wealthy, charismatic religious personality. However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) immediately lodged a protest with the Venezuelan government over the "profiling" of ’700 Club’ devotees by security forces.
Mr. Robertson is revered among his fanatical TV viewers, who each year contribute millions of dollars to advance his so-called "ministry," as much as he’s feared by the teams of U.S. journalists who track his movements and record his remarks.
The Pentagon immediately denied that Mr. Robertson’s name had previously appeared on any Defense Department "watch list," but a spokesman discouraged news networks from airing video of the Robertson fatwa announcement, fearing his remarks might contain coded instructions for Christian cell groups around the world.
Now, before you get your panties in a wad, Scrappleface is parody. However, sometimes parody mimics life so closely it is impossible to tell the difference. The only giveaway here is the fact that Pat Robertson has never claimed he’s Muslim.
That’s it.
For all the bitching I’ve done about reckless "fatwahs" coming from mullahs who could be making the world a more peacful place instead of preaching hate and senseless violence, that same exact sentiment goes for Pat Robertson as well. However, the upside is most of the US knows how stupid Pat Robertson is.
What’s that? The terrorists only represent a small percentage of Islam as well? Now, see how you’ve position yourself Pat?
Stupid, Pat. Incredibly stupid.
Reliapundit re-printed a letter he got from Hillary Clinton. I liked it so much I’m going to re-print it here:
As the Congress prepares to return to Washington following the August recess, I want to take this opportunity to update you on the issues that have been, or will be, before the United States Congress. As I travel throughout the State, I am privileged to meet with many of you and discuss the issues and concerns that you share with so many other New Yorkers. I am looking forward to returning to Washington and continuing to advocate for the interests of all New Yorkers, and to working to help our great state move forward with strength and enhanced opportunity for all.
Economic Development
New Yorkers from every part of the state continue to be concerned about the state of our economy. Working with my colleagues in Washington, I am committed to fight for an economic policy that will create new jobs and help workers who have been downsized. I am also working hard in New York to build partnerships and create programs that promote economic growth right here at home.
One of my priorities continues to be supporting the local small businesses and entrepreneurs who are the driving engines of New York’s economic growth. I firmly believe that our state has the infrastructure, the labor force and the economic and intellectual capital to compete and win in the 21st century global marketplace. I am proud to promote a number of programs that support these businesses throughout New York State.
Through the Northern Adirondack Trading Cooperative, nearly 40 companies in six upstate counties have worked with local Chambers of Commerce and universities to combine internet marketing skills with good business planning and practices so that individual companies are able to demonstrate to the world, through eBay, the quality workmanship and products that are made in upstate New York. The results have been nothing short of remarkable. Businesses in upstate New York, often with only one or two employees, are now selling their wares around the world; they are hiring more employees; and they are helping to drive the economy in their local communities. As the Northern Adirondack Trading Cooperative continues to grow and thrive, a similar ooperative is planned for the Finger Lakes region.
I am very excited about the success of the "Farm to Fork" program, which I have been developing for the last several years. The idea is simple but powerful: New York City has some of the finest restaurants in the world, and New York State’s farmers and vintners are producing some of the finest foods and wines in the world. To bring the two together, and create a better link between what New York grows and what our restaurants serve, I have been working with New York State growers, processors, wholesalers, and others to expand markets for New York agricultural products, particularly in downstate regions. While the primary goal of this initiative is to continuously increase the demand for our state’s agricultural products, this program also benefits consumers throughout New York, by providing them with the high-quality, specialty produce.
Another initiative that’s having an important impact on our state’s economy is the Central New York Match project. This ambitious project brings together the significant medical expertise and resources of the central New York region to increase economic growth, and to build a path to innovation and discovery in the field of life-saving medical technology. New York has all the ingredients necessary to compete in the life sciences industry: we rank third in the nation in the number of students earning science and engineering degrees, and if upstate New York was a separate state, it would rank eighth nationally in medical equipment and supply employment. Central New York Match works to create new jobs by combining the research breakthroughs in New York’s university labs with companies that can bring these new drugs and treatments to market. By capturing the potential of new medical breakthroughs, Central New York Match is helping to improve our lives and strengthen our economy.
Veterans and Military Health Care
I believe that there is no better way to honor our veterans for their service and courage than to ensure that they receive quality health care through the Department of veterans Affairs. I was honored to be named the "Unsung Hero of the 108th Congress" by the American Legion for helping lead the way in securing a record increase in funding for veteran’s health care for fiscal year 2004. I voted to dramatically increase the amount of funding budgeted for veterans’ health care for fiscal year 2006 and will continue to work to maintain, enhance, and guarantee an adequate level of health care funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs – fighting to keep New York VA hospitals open, to provide more funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and to help guarantee VA health care funding.
Last year, I was proud to lead the charge, along with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, to greatly expand access to military health care benefits to members of the National Guard and Reserve and their families. This expanded eligibility to the "TRICARE" system went into effect in April 2005. Senator Graham and I are looking to build on this important first step by extending TRICARE eligibility to all members of the National Guard and Reserve, regardless of their activation status. We have introduced legislation known as the National Guard and Reserves Reform Act for the 21st Century. And last month, the Senate unanimously approved our plan to expand access to every Guardsman and Reservist and their families.
Senator James Talent of Missouri and I have set out a comprehensive approach to tracking the health of our soldiers before and after an overseas deployment so that we have adequate information if medical problems develop. The Medical Readiness and Tracking Act of 2004 is designed to address two issues that are critically important to our men and women in uniform. First, it develops better policies and information in order to track the health of soldiers before and after a deployment overseas. Second, it takes steps to improve the medical and dental readiness of our National Guard members and Reservists. A version of the Clinton-Talent legislation was included in the Fiscal Year 2005 Department of Defense authorization bill that was signed into law by President Bush.
In the 108th Congress, I introduced the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act to honor our nation’s Korean War veterans. The legislation would include National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day among the days when Americans should make a special effort to display the American flag. I plan to reintroduce this important bill in the 109th Congress.
I am also a proud co-sponsor of the Retired Pay Restoration Act of the 2005. This bipartisan bill would provide fair retirement benefits to America’s disabled veterans by helping to fix a more-than-a century-old law that prevents disabled veterans from receiving both retirement pay and disability pay at the same time.
Building on hard-won improvements to the original law that have been enacted in recent years, the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2005 would immediately end the prohibition on concurrent receipt for additional disabled veterans. I will continue to work hard with my colleagues to implement full concurrent receipt, because that is what our veterans have earned.
Addressing the Crisis In Health Care
We face an expanding crisis in health care. The population of uninsured Americans continues to grow, and even for people who have insurance, the cost of insurance keeps going up, cutting into the ability of many families to provide some of life’s other necessities. We continue to suffer the consequences of a system that leaves too many of our fellow human beings alone and without help when they are sick. We are spending more money on health care than any other country in the world, and yet we are not getting the return on our investment that we deserve.
One of the great opportunities we have to improve our health care system and to make it more cost effective is to bring our health care infrastructure into the 21st century. We have access to the most advanced medical tools, and yet patient safety is compromised every day due to medical errors, duplication and other inefficiencies that result from an outdated information system. Doctors who use the latest cutting-edge technology to perform surgery and treat diseases are forced to keep complicated records using a system that is little better than paper and pencil. Improving our Health Information Technology ("Health IT") is essential to improving the quality and cost of health care in America.
Moving from a paper-based health care system to secure electronic medical records will reduce mistakes and save lives, time and money. That is why I have joined with a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce The Wired for Health Care Quality Act of 2005. This legislation promotes use of electronic health records and establishes standards for the creation of an interoperable health information technology system.
Improving Health IT is an important first step in improving our health care system, and I look forward to working to get this bill passed and to putting our health care system onto the road to recovery.
Transportation Improvements
On August 10, the major transportation bill passed by the Congress was signed into law. It was an honor to represent New York’s interests in this bill, as both a member of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee, and as a conferee helping to negotiate the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Act.
I am so proud of the enormous amount of good news this law holds for New York: more than $16.5 billion for New York’s transportation needs, $10.07 billion in highway funds and $6.5 billion for transit systems. This represents a 19 percent increase in highway funding and a 30 percent increase in public transit funding compared to the last transportation bill.
These investments in New York will benefit every corner of our state. They will ensure that New Yorkers can travel quickly and safely, and they will create thousands of quality jobs. I am very excited that as New York grows, it will have the benefit of an improved transportation infrastructure built by New Yorkers.
It is an enormous honor and privilege to represent the State of New York. As the 109th Congress moves forward, I will continue to focus on the issues that matter to New York’s families, and I am committed to working with New Yorkers from every part of the state to make New York more secure, more prosperous and more filled with opportunity for everyone.
Sincerely yours,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
As Reliapundit notes, she never mentions Iraq. She never mentions terror. She never mentions security. And, the only thing she mentions about military at all is she’s going to give them more benefits. She saw what killed John Kerry’s campaign. She won’t be rolling her eyes at the President any more. She cites her cooperation with Bush as much as she does any Democrat. She sees the writing on the wall, and just like her husband ( or was he just like her? ), she goes whichever way the wind blows.
I am dismayed that she is citing health care as a major issue again. After the devastation she leveled on the health care industry in the 90′s, I had hoped she would just forget that industry even exists.
However, look for her to lurch even more to the center while Dean and Kerry lurch even further to the left. When it’s all said and done, Dean and Kerry will be forgotten and once again a Clinton will be leading the Democrats to what ever chance they have of being a serious contender to the White House. It’s not much of a chance right now. But, I don’t rule anything out in three years. People believed her husband’s "I didn’t have sex", they’ll believe Hillary’s "I AM SOOOOO CENTRAL."
And trust me, this race has everything to do with 2008. Why else would she be lurching to the central when she won New York as a liberal?
In the spirit of being a good Christian, "Do unto others as they’d have done to you" would apply. And, I think Chavez is more than willing. Lucky for Pat, he’s more distracted with Donald Rumsfeld:
Now, Venezuela is becoming economically critical to the US. As long as the US is reliant on oil, we’re going to have to figure some way to get along with Venezuela whether we like it or not.
|
Top World Oil Net Exporters, 2004* |
||
|
Country |
Net Oil Exports |
|
|
1) |
Saudi Arabia |
8.73 |
|
2) |
Russia |
6.67 |
|
3) |
Norway |
2.91 |
|
4) |
Iran |
2.55 |
|
5) |
Venezuela |
2.36 |
|
6) |
United Arab Emirates |
2.33 |
|
7) |
Kuwait |
2.20 |
|
|
Nigeria |
2.19 |
|
9) |
Mexico |
1.80 |
|
10) |
Algeria |
1.68 |
|
11) |
Iraq |
1.48 |
|
12) |
Libya |
1.34 |
|
13) |
Kazakhstan |
1.06 |
|
14) |
Qatar |
1.02 |
|
*Table includes all countries with net exports exceeding 1 million barrels per day in 2004. |
||
Now, whether Rumsfeld has a point or not, and whether Robertson has a point or not, some things just don’t need to be blurted out for world consumption. On both of their speeches, it was best left unsaid. Bush or Rice needs to sit down with Chavez in private and discuss our concerns over Bolivia. Grandstanding on international media is just dumb. The one thing that will allow Chavez to garner support from his people is for them to perceive that their country is under attack from the US. The best way for that to happen is to give Chavez something to present to his people that they are. Pat Robertson and Donald Rumsfeld have done just that.
Now, I’m going to offer what I think these two need to do: Rumsfeld needs to shut up and very quietly help Bolivia protect itself from Chavez and Castro. Pat Robertson needs to retire and shut up. Chavez and Castro won’t be around a whole lot longer and we don’t want to poison what could be next.
OK, lefties, start attacking again. But that still won’t eliminate the questions about the questions.
- What did Sandy Berger steal?
- Why did Sandy do it?
- Why was he only given a slap on the wrist?
- Why is all this coming out now?
- Why did the 911 Commission summarily dismiss evidence that directly affected national securiy and attack Condi Rice?
- Why do Hamilton and Lee still not see the obvious conflict of interest of having Jamie Gorelick on the commission?
As long as Jamie Gorelick’s on that commission, it has zero credibility.
More blogs on: Sandy Berger, Jamie Gorelick, 911 Commission, Able Danger
23
Aug
The title was so perfectly worded by Indpendent Sources I had to steal it. It appears John Kerry of Massachusetts has an uphill battle for his party’s nomination, in of all places, Massachusetts. According to a poll cited by the Boston Globe, Kerry trails Hillary Clinton 33% to 21% in his home state.
Now, where it gets real interesting IMO, is Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, in the same poll, trailed Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly 51 to 38 in a potential governor’s race. In a potential Republican Presidential Primary, Romney is trailing both Rudy Giuliani AND John McCain.
Romney apparently needs to re-evaluate his strategy for his future in Massachusetts. Kerry just needs to give up his pipe dream. Although Romney could appeal to a lot of the geographic US, Kerry’s stereotypical Boston. If Kerry can’t pull Massachusetts, he has no chance of anything else.
Come 2008, neither of these guys will be in the presidential national picture IMO. If Kerry is, the Democrats have already lost.
22
Aug
I expected this, so it’s not a surprise. However, I don’t think it’s going to fly anytime soon.
You’re right, Furlong. It has nothing to do with the protection of children. It has everything to do with giving the parents the ability to protect their own children. There is a difference. But, it’s an important one. Parents feel an obligation to protect their child. Children on the other hand, don’t fully understand the perils that are out there. Telling a small child that a certain adult is a pedophile means nothing to a small child If a child gets molested without a lot of trauma, there is the chance they will for the most get over it over time. However, that incident is even more traumatic to the parent. The parent is the one that feels they have failed to protect their child. It is the parent that will most likely never get over it. It is the parent that needs to know what dangers lurk in their neighborhood. Megan’s Law is not just about protecting children, it is about giving the parent information they need to protect their own child. Furlong can argue his logic till hell freezes over. But, until he undertands that very simple concept of a parent’s instinct of trying to protect their child, he’ll lose every time. I know based on his argument he’s already lost me.
