Canadian, Conservative and Sour. Satire, Cynicism, Snark and Sarcasm is Often the Best Medicine............... Stephen Harper's Favorite Blog
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The UN Gang
Jonathon Kay has a great piece on the United Nations this morning on why we westerners shouldn't suck up to the UN. Here's my take on it from a few years ago:
Every October each weekend is dedicated to visiting University of Toronto book sales. (Darn, my secret is out). There, for a pittance, I can fill my library with everything from trashy pulp fiction to erudite and astute political science tomes and histories that weigh as much as a snowmobile.
This year, my prize find was "The UN Gang" by Pedro A. Sanjuan. Here's an excerpt from the jacket notes. I recommend that you read it (and next year don't go to the U of T booksale before I do).
July 26, 2004 - Originally Published in Canadian Coalition for Democracy
Never in the history of mankind have we lived in such a period of peace and prosperity.
Without much help from the UN.
Of the 193 UN Members:
33 have a democratic government (for the people) and an economy which adequately provides the UN's defined basic human rights to its people (Food& Water, Shelter & Clothing.
30 nations are democratic, but are economically unable to feed, clothe and house their citizens.
So.
How right is the UN, when 130 member countries (which represents almost 3/4 of the world's population) do not provide their citizenry either with the UN's basic rights, or with the rights of freedom for which hundreds of thousands of Americans, Britons, and Canadians have died.
Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Movement, Freedom of the Press, a Right to Education are not defined by the UN as basic rights to which a human is entitled.
Under the UN Charter, despotism is not considered wrong; a freely elected government is not a requirement, feudalism is a legitimate form of government, female circumcision, sexism and racism are permitted.
The UN, if it does not adopt a truly humane and modern Charter of Human Rights, and enforce these rights, is irrelevant. And by not so doing, the UN does nothing to improve the lot of almost all humans. It exists only to provide cushy jobs for a chosen few to live in fancy digs in New York and allow them to not pay their parking tickets.
Perhaps, worst, tt provides a convenient "out" for the rest of the world (i.e. Canada under the Liberals) to not take action against the 133 criminal regimes in the world that treat their people obscenely.
If the UN chooses not to enact and then act, then who is left to solve the hunger, education, and freedom deficit that pains almost everyone in the world?
Is Martin Sheen going to carry bags of rice through the checkpoints of Somali war lords?
Are all of the marchers in all of the WTO and G-8 protests and demonstrations going to show the Mugabi's, and Fidels, and Irani mullahs so much love that they see the light, resign and heap oil royalty checks on their people?
I don't have the answer. Sanctions generally only harm the subjects, not the objects. Diplomacy has been proven to almost never work - especially Bill Graham's "quiet democracy".
What do we have left? Well, thanks to the fighting men and women of the United States, Canada and other countries, women in Afghanistan aren't forced to wear burkhas anymore, and that's a start, and that didn't come from the UN being nice.
Good to have dialogue, though. Cause about 5.5 billion in the world can't.
Every October each weekend is dedicated to visiting University of Toronto book sales. (Darn, my secret is out). There, for a pittance, I can fill my library with everything from trashy pulp fiction to erudite and astute political science tomes and histories that weigh as much as a snowmobile.
This year, my prize find was "The UN Gang" by Pedro A. Sanjuan. Here's an excerpt from the jacket notes. I recommend that you read it (and next year don't go to the U of T booksale before I do).
Sanjuan soon discovered that incompetence, corruption, anti-Semitism, and outright criminality were rife throughout the UN Secretariat. Among the shady activities that he personally observed or documented were rigged bidding for major service contracts; drug transactions conducted in the UN’s parking garage; sale of shotguns and beryllium directly out of the UN building; ties to global organized crime figures; use of UN Information Centers and other agencies to disseminate anti-US and pro-PLO propaganda; systematic theft and abuse of UN facilities and budgets in East Africa; graft and corruption in Vienna; widespread sexual harrassment; use of the UN employee’s lounge to plan anti-Israel and anti-US activities by Muslim delegates; open celebration of 9/11 by said delegates in the halls of the UN; and inexplicable tolerance of all of the above on the part of the secretary general and the US government.Meanwhile, here's a piece I did in the CCD the year before Pedro's book came out:
July 26, 2004 - Originally Published in Canadian Coalition for Democracy
Never in the history of mankind have we lived in such a period of peace and prosperity.
Without much help from the UN.
Of the 193 UN Members:
33 have a democratic government (for the people) and an economy which adequately provides the UN's defined basic human rights to its people (Food& Water, Shelter & Clothing.
30 nations are democratic, but are economically unable to feed, clothe and house their citizens.
So.
How right is the UN, when 130 member countries (which represents almost 3/4 of the world's population) do not provide their citizenry either with the UN's basic rights, or with the rights of freedom for which hundreds of thousands of Americans, Britons, and Canadians have died.
Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Movement, Freedom of the Press, a Right to Education are not defined by the UN as basic rights to which a human is entitled.
Under the UN Charter, despotism is not considered wrong; a freely elected government is not a requirement, feudalism is a legitimate form of government, female circumcision, sexism and racism are permitted.
The UN, if it does not adopt a truly humane and modern Charter of Human Rights, and enforce these rights, is irrelevant. And by not so doing, the UN does nothing to improve the lot of almost all humans. It exists only to provide cushy jobs for a chosen few to live in fancy digs in New York and allow them to not pay their parking tickets.
Perhaps, worst, tt provides a convenient "out" for the rest of the world (i.e. Canada under the Liberals) to not take action against the 133 criminal regimes in the world that treat their people obscenely.
If the UN chooses not to enact and then act, then who is left to solve the hunger, education, and freedom deficit that pains almost everyone in the world?
Is Martin Sheen going to carry bags of rice through the checkpoints of Somali war lords?
Are all of the marchers in all of the WTO and G-8 protests and demonstrations going to show the Mugabi's, and Fidels, and Irani mullahs so much love that they see the light, resign and heap oil royalty checks on their people?
I don't have the answer. Sanctions generally only harm the subjects, not the objects. Diplomacy has been proven to almost never work - especially Bill Graham's "quiet democracy".
What do we have left? Well, thanks to the fighting men and women of the United States, Canada and other countries, women in Afghanistan aren't forced to wear burkhas anymore, and that's a start, and that didn't come from the UN being nice.
Good to have dialogue, though. Cause about 5.5 billion in the world can't.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Too Much Bogus News for One Scribbler to Handle...
I won't get into the fact that another Ceeber has joined Al Jazeera... It's droll enough for a Flintstone's episode.
But the totally discredited pic of a lonely, starving, freezing Polar Bear on an ice floe (30 yards off shore when they can swim about 20 miles in freezing water without changing underwear and whom have never existed in such numbers in their history to such a degree that they may not have enough range to exist in and might all starve to death or resort to cannibalism to survive) is a little rich.
But such is our media...
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Lemon & stageleft on AGW, Climate Change or Whatever They're Calling it Today
Stageleft and I always have always had, at least on his side, intelligent blogbates on issues being tossed back and forth in the public forum and fora. My place almost almost from the right and his almost always from the wrong.
Haven't had a good one for a while, except in the comments section of a recent post by, Reid, our correspondent from "Right from Alberta", in which he was bitching about a blizzard in Alberta caused by Ontarians.
But I digress...
Here's Stagie's and my (slightly editted) back and forth on the current climate dialectic:
stageleft said...
You are obviously being punished for voting Conservative.... it's 18 deg and sunny here :-)
anonymous: the appropriate phrase, regardless of what the media chooses to focus on, is "climate change" - some places will warm, others.... well ;-)
Lemon said...
Stagie - you are an expert at rhetoric, so I expect a little tongue in cheek here.
Thing is - the climate always has and always will change - we're currently in the middle of a 15 year cooling period after a 15 year warming period.
Gore and his gang would blame a sparrow hitting an illuminated window on global warming / climate change. Though, or course, millions of more birds are getting killed by AGW - the dammed windmills put up to prevent one more climate catastrophe.
And isnt just LIVING in Alberta punishment enough??
stageleft said...
Of course the climate has always changed, the new element in the equation is us, whether or not we are pushing it, and how we may best mitigate and/or survive it.
There are alarmists and extremists on both sides, I like to think I'm somewhere in the middle - and I have no doubt that there is some really nasty sh*t coming down the pipes if we don't mend our ways. Possibly not really nasty until after I'm dining with the ancestors and my grand kids have to deal with it, but since I'm sorta more than a bit attached to the little folk my concern is just as real.
The earth will always seek to achieve balance, and in the grand scheme of things we're an irritant that is causing an imbalance.
Lemon said...
Stagie you and I were both born with NB BS detectors, and we both know (I think) that there is a far greater chance of our blowing ourselves to smithereens or poisoning ourselves with one virus or another than burning or freezing to death.
I have never lived through a time in almost 50 years when we haven't had some terrible Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads: the nuclear bomb clock set at 11:55 pm, global cooling, Islamism, AIDS and the bird flu, global warming/cooling/climate ambiance.
The road to bucks and fame (and hippie chicks) is to scare the livin bejeezus out of people.
And almost all of the noise about this (and all the other looming disasters) comes not someone or some group who actually knows the event for a fact, but at best speculators and at worse media.
And we simply cannot act to protect outselves or our species against every eventuality. Or, we would just have stayed in the same caves our surviving ancestors lived in 10,000 years ago. After all there were all those huge long toothed predators out there, lets stay here and starve rather than be eaten.
But instead we banded together, slew the sabertooth, and built cities to protect us.
The human cost by starvation (as one example) of the course of action as prescribed by the Econuts is guaranteed. But the cost of whatever form of climate change is speculative.
Our species have thrived in terrible climatic upheavals in the past, using only bearskins and spears.
Feels like winter here in NB this week.
stageleft said...
You're probably right about there being a greater possibility of some nut bar country with nuclear weapons starting the big one that comes really close to making us extinct (I figure it will either be the US or Israel that pulls the nuclear trigger first btw).... and I've never bought into the "The Day After Tomorrow" scenario however I have little doubt that there are large climactic changes coming down the pipes, and that we will do far less than "thrive" on them unless we are a lot smarter and more adaptive than I happen think we are.
As I said in the other comments thread, the earth will always seek to achieve a balance - right now we are creating an imbalance, and, one way or another, we will be corrected.
We may not be able to protect ourselves from every possible eventuality but, IMO, it makes sense to look at the bigger, and what is to me anyway, common sense picture and do what we can to mitigate that which we can as opposed to trying to ride out 'come what may' on our supposed ingenuity and adaptability... ymmv of course, I an cautioning prudence and advocating common sense.-- aren't they supposed to be conservative values?
Lemon said...
We may well be creating an imbalance (or at least contributing to it, but whence the tipping point. The most negative "forecasts" by the IPCC (and a lot of IPCC scientists have said they never provided a forecast, the politicians did) are for a very minimal level of effect, that will hardly be noticed (and they have decreased the effect in the last 3 releases. It's the Gores and Sukukis that are predicting mass disaster - and their bias is obvious.
I think just as the ecosystem will work to restore a balance so will mankind (but not by starving millions to death and refusing the right for undeveloped countries to leave the stone age). Surely, if we are so all powerful to destroy the planet (which we are not), then to carry forward the logic, we must be powerful enough to adapt to or correct the imbalance.
As far as concervative values - I think everyone has their own collection of values that fit their personal definitions.
Haven't had a good one for a while, except in the comments section of a recent post by, Reid, our correspondent from "Right from Alberta", in which he was bitching about a blizzard in Alberta caused by Ontarians.
But I digress...
Here's Stagie's and my (slightly editted) back and forth on the current climate dialectic:
stageleft said...
You are obviously being punished for voting Conservative.... it's 18 deg and sunny here :-)
anonymous: the appropriate phrase, regardless of what the media chooses to focus on, is "climate change" - some places will warm, others.... well ;-)
Lemon said...
Stagie - you are an expert at rhetoric, so I expect a little tongue in cheek here.
Thing is - the climate always has and always will change - we're currently in the middle of a 15 year cooling period after a 15 year warming period.
Gore and his gang would blame a sparrow hitting an illuminated window on global warming / climate change. Though, or course, millions of more birds are getting killed by AGW - the dammed windmills put up to prevent one more climate catastrophe.
And isnt just LIVING in Alberta punishment enough??
stageleft said...
Of course the climate has always changed, the new element in the equation is us, whether or not we are pushing it, and how we may best mitigate and/or survive it.
There are alarmists and extremists on both sides, I like to think I'm somewhere in the middle - and I have no doubt that there is some really nasty sh*t coming down the pipes if we don't mend our ways. Possibly not really nasty until after I'm dining with the ancestors and my grand kids have to deal with it, but since I'm sorta more than a bit attached to the little folk my concern is just as real.
The earth will always seek to achieve balance, and in the grand scheme of things we're an irritant that is causing an imbalance.
Lemon said...
Stagie you and I were both born with NB BS detectors, and we both know (I think) that there is a far greater chance of our blowing ourselves to smithereens or poisoning ourselves with one virus or another than burning or freezing to death.
I have never lived through a time in almost 50 years when we haven't had some terrible Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads: the nuclear bomb clock set at 11:55 pm, global cooling, Islamism, AIDS and the bird flu, global warming/cooling/climate ambiance.
The road to bucks and fame (and hippie chicks) is to scare the livin bejeezus out of people.
And almost all of the noise about this (and all the other looming disasters) comes not someone or some group who actually knows the event for a fact, but at best speculators and at worse media.
And we simply cannot act to protect outselves or our species against every eventuality. Or, we would just have stayed in the same caves our surviving ancestors lived in 10,000 years ago. After all there were all those huge long toothed predators out there, lets stay here and starve rather than be eaten.
But instead we banded together, slew the sabertooth, and built cities to protect us.
The human cost by starvation (as one example) of the course of action as prescribed by the Econuts is guaranteed. But the cost of whatever form of climate change is speculative.
Our species have thrived in terrible climatic upheavals in the past, using only bearskins and spears.
Feels like winter here in NB this week.
stageleft said...
You're probably right about there being a greater possibility of some nut bar country with nuclear weapons starting the big one that comes really close to making us extinct (I figure it will either be the US or Israel that pulls the nuclear trigger first btw).... and I've never bought into the "The Day After Tomorrow" scenario however I have little doubt that there are large climactic changes coming down the pipes, and that we will do far less than "thrive" on them unless we are a lot smarter and more adaptive than I happen think we are.
As I said in the other comments thread, the earth will always seek to achieve a balance - right now we are creating an imbalance, and, one way or another, we will be corrected.
We may not be able to protect ourselves from every possible eventuality but, IMO, it makes sense to look at the bigger, and what is to me anyway, common sense picture and do what we can to mitigate that which we can as opposed to trying to ride out 'come what may' on our supposed ingenuity and adaptability... ymmv of course, I an cautioning prudence and advocating common sense.-- aren't they supposed to be conservative values?
Lemon said...
We may well be creating an imbalance (or at least contributing to it, but whence the tipping point. The most negative "forecasts" by the IPCC (and a lot of IPCC scientists have said they never provided a forecast, the politicians did) are for a very minimal level of effect, that will hardly be noticed (and they have decreased the effect in the last 3 releases. It's the Gores and Sukukis that are predicting mass disaster - and their bias is obvious.
I think just as the ecosystem will work to restore a balance so will mankind (but not by starving millions to death and refusing the right for undeveloped countries to leave the stone age). Surely, if we are so all powerful to destroy the planet (which we are not), then to carry forward the logic, we must be powerful enough to adapt to or correct the imbalance.
As far as concervative values - I think everyone has their own collection of values that fit their personal definitions.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
There is No Limit to the Disgust That Al Gore Deserves
Another Great Find by Tom Nelson
Thirty days after Steve McIntyre caught NASA cooking climate history again - this time in a feeble attempt to somehow conceal the alarmist-embarrassing downward trend since 1998 -- Al Gore shamelessly portrayed Saturday's Myanmar cyclone catastrophe as a ‘consequence' of global warming.
A mere 16 days after NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed that the Pacific Decadal Oscillation's cool phase shift would likely bring colder temperatures for as many as the next 20-30 years, Gore told NPR that the "trend toward stronger and more destructive storms appears to be linked to global warming and specifically to the impact of global warming on higher ocean temperatures." This just 6 days after a German study also predicted cooler ocean temperatures due to the Meridional Overturning Circulation entering a weak cycle, and in spite of there being absolutely no empirical evidence of a global warming / storm strength link.
Gore's monotonous and baseless account of AGW forced violent cyclones and hurricanes came just two days after McIntyre reported that 4 of the past 5 months were "'all-time' records for Southern Hemisphere sea ice" levels.
In fact, it was the very day after Anthony Watts reported another false start to the distinctly overdue Solar Cycle 24, a likely contributory factor to falling global temperatures, that the Nobel Peace Prize winner exploited the deaths of over 22,000 (reported and still rising) human beings to egoistically advance his threatened AGW political agenda while callously protecting his personal financial interest.
And with 41,000 reported missing since Cyclone Nargis devastated the former Burma, the death figures are sure to rise to unthinkable numbers. Meanwhile, the nation's corrupt military rulers are making aid delivery to ease survivor misery nearly impossible.
And while these poor souls will undoubtedly see years of unimaginable suffering and the arduous rebuilding of over a million destroyed homes, this man -- who professes his desire to save the planet - saw another opportunity. That it arrived at the end of a one month period in which another wheel fell off the greenhouse gas disinformation bus almost daily only adds to the morass.
This was an astonishingly nauseating display -- even for the likes of Gore.
Source
Thirty days after Steve McIntyre caught NASA cooking climate history again - this time in a feeble attempt to somehow conceal the alarmist-embarrassing downward trend since 1998 -- Al Gore shamelessly portrayed Saturday's Myanmar cyclone catastrophe as a ‘consequence' of global warming.
A mere 16 days after NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed that the Pacific Decadal Oscillation's cool phase shift would likely bring colder temperatures for as many as the next 20-30 years, Gore told NPR that the "trend toward stronger and more destructive storms appears to be linked to global warming and specifically to the impact of global warming on higher ocean temperatures." This just 6 days after a German study also predicted cooler ocean temperatures due to the Meridional Overturning Circulation entering a weak cycle, and in spite of there being absolutely no empirical evidence of a global warming / storm strength link.
Gore's monotonous and baseless account of AGW forced violent cyclones and hurricanes came just two days after McIntyre reported that 4 of the past 5 months were "'all-time' records for Southern Hemisphere sea ice" levels.
In fact, it was the very day after Anthony Watts reported another false start to the distinctly overdue Solar Cycle 24, a likely contributory factor to falling global temperatures, that the Nobel Peace Prize winner exploited the deaths of over 22,000 (reported and still rising) human beings to egoistically advance his threatened AGW political agenda while callously protecting his personal financial interest.
And with 41,000 reported missing since Cyclone Nargis devastated the former Burma, the death figures are sure to rise to unthinkable numbers. Meanwhile, the nation's corrupt military rulers are making aid delivery to ease survivor misery nearly impossible.
And while these poor souls will undoubtedly see years of unimaginable suffering and the arduous rebuilding of over a million destroyed homes, this man -- who professes his desire to save the planet - saw another opportunity. That it arrived at the end of a one month period in which another wheel fell off the greenhouse gas disinformation bus almost daily only adds to the morass.
This was an astonishingly nauseating display -- even for the likes of Gore.
Source
Friday, May 02, 2008
Fisk of Latest Toronto Star Nonsense
It is said that if an infinite number of monkeys typed away on an infinite number of typewriters that one would eventually write Hamlet. Sorta reminds me of a lot of the content in the Toronto Star.
For sure, little of their content is Hamlet, and most is on the factual standard of said lower form primates. (I know, I'm being a little unfair. But only a little...).
Their latest nonsense, and my response:
Doesn't The Star have anyone with half a brain read stuff like this before they publish it?
Talk amongst yourselves...
For sure, little of their content is Hamlet, and most is on the factual standard of said lower form primates. (I know, I'm being a little unfair. But only a little...).
Their latest nonsense, and my response:
"We have a compassion gap in Canada, a land that by tradition celebrates mutual health and happiness and not the accumulation of wealth."So THAT's why we are so anxious to pay taxes and not worry about having financial security. It's in our genes, unlike those of almost all other humans.
"Most shameful is that 3.5 million Canadians, or 11.4 per cent of the population, live in poverty, almost 900,000 of them children. That's not much better than the 12.3 per cent of Americans in poverty."So let me get this straight, with all of our traditions of egalitarianism, and the greedy drive of Americans to spit on the poor, we're just a teeny, tiny bit better... (Maybe better call us incompetent compassionists).
"Two-thirds of Canadians earning at least $150,000 in 2005 have a university degree (for the most part publicly funded)."So, The Star is able to see that education is a good thing when it comes to earning filthy lucre. But is it just me or does this imply that (a) public university education should only be available to the rich, or that (b) those who receive publicly funded educations should spend a career in servitude to the government doing compassionate things?
Income growth is stuck in first gear for most Canadians as government and business have failed to address the impact of globalization; the shift from a manufacturing to a service economy; the need to protect labour rights in bargaining for decent pay and benefits.I'll let others observe that this assumption seems to indicate that government has some control over whether production economies are best served where output can be delivered to consumers at a lower cost, or whether Canadians are better off paying $5k for a laptop instead of $500,
Governments have permitted an erosion in the progressive income tax, the most powerful tool for redistributing wealth. Governments long ago deserted the field of affordable housing – for which 70,000 GTA families are on waiting lists – the absence of which is the chief impediment to educational achievement, fulfilling jobs and escape from spousal and child abuse.Ah, that's the answer. Just tax us more, give all the money to the government and all the ills of society will be cured. Like in, say, Cuba.
A caring society provides affordable education, so aspiring teachers, nurses and public-health workers no longer pass up those noble vocations because they don't pay well enough to cover the student loans.Ah!!! And higher taxes will mean that unionized workers will MAKE MORE FILTHY LUCRE...
MP Peggy Nash, whose Parkdale-High Park riding observes first-hand our compassion gap, celebrates the coexistence of rich and poor in her constituency, but adds: "You're always fighting against a deterioration in communal values. The last thing we can afford is a grossly polarized society."Note - "Communal Values" (i.e. socialist / communist values) NOT community values such as clean living, hard work and honesty. Much better than we aspire to the lowest common denominator, so that the government can make our lives much better.
Doesn't The Star have anyone with half a brain read stuff like this before they publish it?
Talk amongst yourselves...
Thursday, May 01, 2008
The Simple Truth for Bio Fools - From Anon Reader
Great stuff from a former Manitoban on the Biofool Dilemma.
I know we like to lay all the blame at the feet of the biofoolish do-gooders insistence on replacing fuels from the earth, with fuels from the earth that need a little Goddish work by humans to substitute natural processes with artificial and saving about 10 million years.
But as pointed out below, there is more to it...
From Anon in comments on previous Post
This problem is a lot more than just a simple grain going to biofuels causing this rise.
Call it more the perfect storm:
-Part very ambitious biofuels mandates/targets by governments. This creates subsidized demand and changes producers planting intentions.
-A change in philosophy by exporting countries (govt involvement again). Back in the late 70's, early 80's accounting practices started being enforced. Suddenly people who owned the grain were shown the true cost of carrying grain for up to a year,ouch! Most countries quickly switched to the popular Japanese JIT (just in time) way of managing inventory. Those except for the CWB, but that's another story for another day.
-Mix in a dash of 2 years of bad crops in major growing areas (Australia, FSU, Europe)
-China and India adopting the North American consumptive nature.
-and the final piece de resistance, investment money. People trying to retire by age 40-50 giving large amounts of money to managed funds eg Goldman Sachs, CARPAS (2 of many). These folks have billions of dollars at their disposal and trying to find the next big thing (they are involved in all commodities: grains, energy, metals) so they can earn the 20%+ per annum they have guaranteed their investors.
The end game: countries who normally would export grain, holding back stocks to try and put a cap on their own inflation. Less grain on the market, more freaking out, panic.
If you look at the overall carryout numbers, especially on rice which has gone stupid, you will notice there is more than ample supplies to get to new crop supplies but because of the above and the media's insatiable appetite to go all henny penny, chaos insues.
I get a front row seat to this madness every day and must say watching, reading the debates go on is quite interesting, amusing and infuriating all at the same time.
Don't get me started on crude oil...
Escaped MB
I know we like to lay all the blame at the feet of the biofoolish do-gooders insistence on replacing fuels from the earth, with fuels from the earth that need a little Goddish work by humans to substitute natural processes with artificial and saving about 10 million years.
But as pointed out below, there is more to it...
From Anon in comments on previous Post
This problem is a lot more than just a simple grain going to biofuels causing this rise.
Call it more the perfect storm:
-Part very ambitious biofuels mandates/targets by governments. This creates subsidized demand and changes producers planting intentions.
-A change in philosophy by exporting countries (govt involvement again). Back in the late 70's, early 80's accounting practices started being enforced. Suddenly people who owned the grain were shown the true cost of carrying grain for up to a year,ouch! Most countries quickly switched to the popular Japanese JIT (just in time) way of managing inventory. Those except for the CWB, but that's another story for another day.
-Mix in a dash of 2 years of bad crops in major growing areas (Australia, FSU, Europe)
-China and India adopting the North American consumptive nature.
-and the final piece de resistance, investment money. People trying to retire by age 40-50 giving large amounts of money to managed funds eg Goldman Sachs, CARPAS (2 of many). These folks have billions of dollars at their disposal and trying to find the next big thing (they are involved in all commodities: grains, energy, metals) so they can earn the 20%+ per annum they have guaranteed their investors.
The end game: countries who normally would export grain, holding back stocks to try and put a cap on their own inflation. Less grain on the market, more freaking out, panic.
If you look at the overall carryout numbers, especially on rice which has gone stupid, you will notice there is more than ample supplies to get to new crop supplies but because of the above and the media's insatiable appetite to go all henny penny, chaos insues.
I get a front row seat to this madness every day and must say watching, reading the debates go on is quite interesting, amusing and infuriating all at the same time.
Don't get me started on crude oil...
Escaped MB
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Bio-Fools Too Simplistic
Wanna talk simplistic? Talk Margot McDermaid tonite on Newman...
Sorry, I broke down and have the gaunt grey man on - tired of Obama/Billary sludge match.
According to Margot, and from her according to "experts" it's too simplistic to blame biofuels on the increasing food costs in the third world...
How stupid and simple minded does she think we are?
According to them, those experts, food prices in the third world are due to higher fuel prices...
And Global Warming is a major factor.
Like Fillipino rice farmers ship their rice thousands of miles by tractor trailor and because it's so effin hot they cool their shacks with air conditioning using diesel generators.
These fools are so simple they don't recognize their own contradictions.
Sorry, I broke down and have the gaunt grey man on - tired of Obama/Billary sludge match.
According to Margot, and from her according to "experts" it's too simplistic to blame biofuels on the increasing food costs in the third world...
How stupid and simple minded does she think we are?
According to them, those experts, food prices in the third world are due to higher fuel prices...
And Global Warming is a major factor.
Like Fillipino rice farmers ship their rice thousands of miles by tractor trailor and because it's so effin hot they cool their shacks with air conditioning using diesel generators.
These fools are so simple they don't recognize their own contradictions.
Lemon Suffers Feedback From Last Week's Post???
My whole life was defined on a day much like today many, many years ago.
I was five.
I was enjoying the sun and being out in public, hand and hand with my older sister skipping down our main street to try and keep up.
Nothing could go wrong.
Or could it.
I was hoping for a chance to hang out with the big kids, and maybe in a perfect world, score a vanilla soft ice cream cone.
And then it happened.
The skies above opened up. A pigeon about four stories higher than we were, obviously with designs to ruin my plan for a perfect day, aimed carefully and unloaded smack dab on the top of my head.
I was devastated - can you imagine the bawling a a little 60 pound neon blond kid with about 8 ounces of green pigeon poop dripping into his ears can do? I did it. My perfect day was gone.
The bright side is that since, nothing has really seemed all that terrible.
Last week, most assuredly a grown up who has survived many storms, I did another one of my quarterly iconoclastic posts, just to hopefully wake people up from their comfort.
And yesterday. Again. I don't know if it was the same dammed bird or not. Maybe it was a black helicopter.
But I got hit square on top.
Don't know if the bird got instructions from CPC loyalists.
Probably not - they don't shoot that accurately.
But I got hit. And I didn't feel a lot better about it than I did that day so many years ago.
I was five.
I was enjoying the sun and being out in public, hand and hand with my older sister skipping down our main street to try and keep up.
Nothing could go wrong.
Or could it.
I was hoping for a chance to hang out with the big kids, and maybe in a perfect world, score a vanilla soft ice cream cone.
And then it happened.
The skies above opened up. A pigeon about four stories higher than we were, obviously with designs to ruin my plan for a perfect day, aimed carefully and unloaded smack dab on the top of my head.
I was devastated - can you imagine the bawling a a little 60 pound neon blond kid with about 8 ounces of green pigeon poop dripping into his ears can do? I did it. My perfect day was gone.
The bright side is that since, nothing has really seemed all that terrible.
Last week, most assuredly a grown up who has survived many storms, I did another one of my quarterly iconoclastic posts, just to hopefully wake people up from their comfort.
And yesterday. Again. I don't know if it was the same dammed bird or not. Maybe it was a black helicopter.
But I got hit square on top.
Don't know if the bird got instructions from CPC loyalists.
Probably not - they don't shoot that accurately.
But I got hit. And I didn't feel a lot better about it than I did that day so many years ago.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Rant
Just suppose, ya got two great ,well-balanced, successful kids.
Suppose one is keen in participating in an exchange program - trade places with a kid of the same age from somewhere in Quebec.
Great chance to learn how the other half lives, learn our other official language, and try and survive with strangers.
What a great program - think about it!
You're a teenager and you get a chance to live an entirely different life for a couple of months.
And then, the folks go through the counsellor interview.
Police report? No problem unless parking tickets are a deal-killer.
But then, "How would you deal with a child with different religious beliefs?"
"What would you do if the child had different dietary requirements such as Halal?"
--- Now exactly who is the subject of re-education here.
(Blessings to my K for dealing realistically with this).
And suppose that the younger was presented with the "pretend an egg is a baby" challenge. Try not to break it for a month.
But what if a child in the school has an "egg allergy"
Well, simple give them all a bag of salt (now how are they supposed to break that?)
Its an idiocy on top of a fallacy on top of a stupidity...
Is a bag of salt supposed to equal an egg equalling a baby?
Are 10 year old boys all of a sudden supposed to have new sentimentality toward babies? more appreciation for single parents? more respect for salt? Dont teachers have anything better to do?
Once the bag of salt breaks (as it surely will in the hands of 11 year old boys).
Is this saltslaughter?
Will the boys be forced to take sensitivity education?
Suppose one is keen in participating in an exchange program - trade places with a kid of the same age from somewhere in Quebec.
Great chance to learn how the other half lives, learn our other official language, and try and survive with strangers.
What a great program - think about it!
You're a teenager and you get a chance to live an entirely different life for a couple of months.
And then, the folks go through the counsellor interview.
Police report? No problem unless parking tickets are a deal-killer.
But then, "How would you deal with a child with different religious beliefs?"
"What would you do if the child had different dietary requirements such as Halal?"
--- Now exactly who is the subject of re-education here.
(Blessings to my K for dealing realistically with this).
And suppose that the younger was presented with the "pretend an egg is a baby" challenge. Try not to break it for a month.
But what if a child in the school has an "egg allergy"
Well, simple give them all a bag of salt (now how are they supposed to break that?)
Its an idiocy on top of a fallacy on top of a stupidity...
Is a bag of salt supposed to equal an egg equalling a baby?
Are 10 year old boys all of a sudden supposed to have new sentimentality toward babies? more appreciation for single parents? more respect for salt? Dont teachers have anything better to do?
Once the bag of salt breaks (as it surely will in the hands of 11 year old boys).
Is this saltslaughter?
Will the boys be forced to take sensitivity education?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
More Clinton Dirty Secrets
WSJ
Chicago bankruptcy lawyer William Brandt Jr. pledged $1 million for the Clinton library in May 1999, at the same time the Justice Department was investigating whether he'd lied about a Clinton fundraising event. The Clinton DOJ cleared him a few months later.
Chicago bankruptcy lawyer William Brandt Jr. pledged $1 million for the Clinton library in May 1999, at the same time the Justice Department was investigating whether he'd lied about a Clinton fundraising event. The Clinton DOJ cleared him a few months later.
Loral Space and Communications then-CEO, Bernard Schwartz, committed to $1 million in 2000, at the same time the firm was being investigated for improperly sending technology to China. Loral agreed to a $14 million fine during the Bush Administration.
A major investor in cellular firm NextWave – Bay Harbour Management – pledged $1 million in 1999, when NextWave was waiting to see if the Clinton FCC would allow it to keep its cellular licenses. NextWave didn't immediately get its licenses, and Bay Harbour never made good on its pledge.
And let's not forget the $450,000 contribution from Denise Rich, which was followed by Mr. Clinton's pardon of her fugitive husband, Marc Rich.
Were it not for some enterprising journalism by the New York Sun in 2004, for example, we might not know that notorious trial lawyer William Lerach had made a donation to Mr. Clinton's foundation. Lerach has since been indicted for, and pled guilty to, fraud. Would the Clinton Administration have pursued a similar fraud case?
Presidential candidates also aren't allowed to accept campaign checks from foreigners, but, again, no such restrictions apply to foundations. We know that donations to the Clinton Foundation have come from the Saudi royal family, the king of Morocco, and the governments of Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE and Brunei. Wealthy Middle Eastern businessmen have also given big.
Mr. Clinton has also accepted money from a Chinese Internet company, Alibaba, which aids the Beijing government in censoring the Web. Most recently, one of Alibaba's Chinese homepages posted a "most wanted" list of Tibetan rioters, with pictures and a phone number for informants to call. Mrs. Clinton has condemned the Chinese crackdown on Tibet, but her husband notably hasn't returned the Alibaba money.
No doubt all of these donors would say they gave their money without a single string attached, and Mr. Clinton rightly points out that other former Presidents keep their library donors under wraps. If Mr. Clinton were merely a former President building a library for history's sake, we might not worry. But he is a potential first husband whose spouse could influence countless decisions, foreign and domestic.
Mr. Clinton seems to understand the value of his mere association. Consider his relationship with Canadian financier Frank Giustra, who took Mr. Clinton on a trip to Kazakhstan in 2005, won a Kazakh mining concession, and then committed to donate more than $130 million to the Clinton Foundation. In a letter we recently published, Mr. Giustra insists his gift was entirely philanthropic and that he won the Kazakh concession on the merits.
More recently, we've also learned Mr. Clinton arranged for Mr. Giustra to meet with Colombian President Álvaro Uribe. A Canadian company that Mr. Giustra's firm was advising later acquired interests in Colombian oil fields. Some of the money Mr. Giustra has given the Clinton Foundation has been earmarked for development projects in Colombia.
How many favors has Mr. Clinton done for foreign donors? There's no way of knowing. The former President insists he's aware of no conflicts. Notably, however, donations to the Clinton Foundation soared as Mrs. Clinton neared a presidential run – to $135 million in 2006, 70% more than the year before. Somebody seems to think there is value in being generous to the Clintons.
Mrs. Clinton says the foundation is her husband's business, not hers. But as she has said in the past, a Clinton Presidency is two for the price of one. Americans deserve to know who has been donating to the Clinton Foundation.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Too Great A Comment Not to Post
Couldn't have said it better myself - Thanks Anon...
The Brenda Martin story has consumed many hours in the past few months of our government's time and the taxpayer's money that goes with it. The saga has a very sad tinge to it and nobody but nobody would want or wish to be in Brenda Martin's shoes.
However this is no excuse to provide anyone with an opportunity to lay blame where it doesn't belong or to accuse career people of not doing their job.
Dan McTeague, who has chosen to ride this story for partisan reasons, has the temerity and gall on the program Mike Duffy Live to blame Stephen Harper and the government for the fact that Brenda Martin was found guilty by a Mexican judge.
Members of the Canadian consular staff were accused by Brenda Martin and her supporters of doing nothing on her behalf, although officials had said, over a hundred interventions had been made by staff in regards to her case. McTeague chose not to inform himself of what was done but rather slammed the staff for inaction . When it was leaked of some of the efforts and work done on behalf of Martin by consular staff, which validated their declaration, McTeague's response was that an investigation and law suit should be launched for this breach of Martin's privacy - trying to secure the truth and facts in the case were of no consquence but it was more important that open season could be conducted on the integrity and efforts of consular staff, without the opportunity to defend themselves.
Canadians also would like to know what McTeague and Martin supporters thought the Canadian government should do with a sovereign nation like Mexico, to secure the release of Brenda Martin, in spite of the fact that her case was winding itself through the judicial system and she was not being mistreated in the jail. Should Canada storm the Mexican jail and free Brenda Martin? Should the Canadian government bar the travel of the hundreds of thousands of Canadians to Mexico every year who enjoy the hospitality of the Mexican people and the Mexican government, and the protection of the Mexican judicicial system while they are there? Should the Canadian government have recalled the thousands of Canadians that work in Mexico to come back to Canada for their own protection because they are in serious and imminent danger and can not expect any help or assistance from a lazy and incompetent consular staff?
When, on behalf of Canadians, Prime Minister Harper dispatched Jason Kenney, the parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister, to Mexico to meet with Mexican officials and Brenda Martin, one would have expected this effort would have been appreciated. However rather than being gracious, Charles Rusnell reports that "Ms. Martin's supporters ,including her mother, had slammed the trip as nothing more than a photo opportunity."
We have heard for the past several months that Martin's defenders, which include Dan McTeague, their ace in the hole in Martin's defense was an affidavit from her former boss Alyn Waage, a convicted felon, swindler and con artist that she was innocent - what would give anyone reason to believe anything he would say and what defense lawyer worth his salt would put this crook in the witness box to help bolster his case.
Claire Hoy offers some sober and illuminating thought to this bizarre case when he wrote
"Yet we as Canadians, or at least many of us - along with most of the media - have recently adopted the position that if a Canadian is in jail outside the country there's automatically an injustice being done - to the Canadian.
Apparently, Canadians are all innocent as the driven snow and no foreign country really has a right to exercise their justice system against us. And, when they do, we tend to paint them as corrupt Third World despots."
The Brenda Martin story has consumed many hours in the past few months of our government's time and the taxpayer's money that goes with it. The saga has a very sad tinge to it and nobody but nobody would want or wish to be in Brenda Martin's shoes.
However this is no excuse to provide anyone with an opportunity to lay blame where it doesn't belong or to accuse career people of not doing their job.
Dan McTeague, who has chosen to ride this story for partisan reasons, has the temerity and gall on the program Mike Duffy Live to blame Stephen Harper and the government for the fact that Brenda Martin was found guilty by a Mexican judge.
Members of the Canadian consular staff were accused by Brenda Martin and her supporters of doing nothing on her behalf, although officials had said, over a hundred interventions had been made by staff in regards to her case. McTeague chose not to inform himself of what was done but rather slammed the staff for inaction . When it was leaked of some of the efforts and work done on behalf of Martin by consular staff, which validated their declaration, McTeague's response was that an investigation and law suit should be launched for this breach of Martin's privacy - trying to secure the truth and facts in the case were of no consquence but it was more important that open season could be conducted on the integrity and efforts of consular staff, without the opportunity to defend themselves.
Canadians also would like to know what McTeague and Martin supporters thought the Canadian government should do with a sovereign nation like Mexico, to secure the release of Brenda Martin, in spite of the fact that her case was winding itself through the judicial system and she was not being mistreated in the jail. Should Canada storm the Mexican jail and free Brenda Martin? Should the Canadian government bar the travel of the hundreds of thousands of Canadians to Mexico every year who enjoy the hospitality of the Mexican people and the Mexican government, and the protection of the Mexican judicicial system while they are there? Should the Canadian government have recalled the thousands of Canadians that work in Mexico to come back to Canada for their own protection because they are in serious and imminent danger and can not expect any help or assistance from a lazy and incompetent consular staff?
When, on behalf of Canadians, Prime Minister Harper dispatched Jason Kenney, the parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister, to Mexico to meet with Mexican officials and Brenda Martin, one would have expected this effort would have been appreciated. However rather than being gracious, Charles Rusnell reports that "Ms. Martin's supporters ,including her mother, had slammed the trip as nothing more than a photo opportunity."
We have heard for the past several months that Martin's defenders, which include Dan McTeague, their ace in the hole in Martin's defense was an affidavit from her former boss Alyn Waage, a convicted felon, swindler and con artist that she was innocent - what would give anyone reason to believe anything he would say and what defense lawyer worth his salt would put this crook in the witness box to help bolster his case.
Claire Hoy offers some sober and illuminating thought to this bizarre case when he wrote
"Yet we as Canadians, or at least many of us - along with most of the media - have recently adopted the position that if a Canadian is in jail outside the country there's automatically an injustice being done - to the Canadian.
Apparently, Canadians are all innocent as the driven snow and no foreign country really has a right to exercise their justice system against us. And, when they do, we tend to paint them as corrupt Third World despots."
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Schlock Doctrine
Stole the following content from Damian, just to use the title. I started doing a youtube parody but ran out of energy and finally get a chance to use it.
...it soon becomes clear that free- market ideologues, though genuflecting to Chicago, include virtually anyone who has expressed any doubts about central planning, state ownership, or any aspect of the regulation of modern economies. This no doubt adds vigour to the polemic, but it makes this book about as useful a guide to modern economics as a book on the state of contemporary religion written by an atheist for whom there is no real difference between Catholics, Quakers and Bible Belt fundamentalists.[...]
Cherry-picking the evidence is particularly important for Klein's favoured strategy of guilt by association, when she implies, for instance, that since many torturers have been keen on free markets, free-market ideology leads intrinsically to the use of torture. It is not clear what, on this theory, explains the use of torture by Communist or otherwise anti-capitalist governments. Since she never mentions it, she may not be aware that it has ever happened.
Klein is not shy of moralizing. Amnesty International comes in for scorn for concentrating on torture in its 1976 report on Argentina and failing to see that the real problem was capitalism...She cannot quite pin the 2004 Asian tsunami on the Chicago School economists, but she implies that they must have greeted it with a round of applause. This is not, it should be understood, a book for those who like nuance.
There are moments of unintentional black comedy when, on her tour of the world's hot spots, Klein jets in to Baghdad to tell the inhabitants that their real problem is capitalism and finds, as the bombs explode around her, most of her interlocutors wishing they had a little more capitalism and a little less civil war...
Nowadays Naomi Klein's business is selling books, and she uses morality as a branding tool with a deft glibness that many corporate executives must envy. She has learned her trade well.
...it soon becomes clear that free- market ideologues, though genuflecting to Chicago, include virtually anyone who has expressed any doubts about central planning, state ownership, or any aspect of the regulation of modern economies. This no doubt adds vigour to the polemic, but it makes this book about as useful a guide to modern economics as a book on the state of contemporary religion written by an atheist for whom there is no real difference between Catholics, Quakers and Bible Belt fundamentalists.[...]
Cherry-picking the evidence is particularly important for Klein's favoured strategy of guilt by association, when she implies, for instance, that since many torturers have been keen on free markets, free-market ideology leads intrinsically to the use of torture. It is not clear what, on this theory, explains the use of torture by Communist or otherwise anti-capitalist governments. Since she never mentions it, she may not be aware that it has ever happened.
Klein is not shy of moralizing. Amnesty International comes in for scorn for concentrating on torture in its 1976 report on Argentina and failing to see that the real problem was capitalism...She cannot quite pin the 2004 Asian tsunami on the Chicago School economists, but she implies that they must have greeted it with a round of applause. This is not, it should be understood, a book for those who like nuance.
There are moments of unintentional black comedy when, on her tour of the world's hot spots, Klein jets in to Baghdad to tell the inhabitants that their real problem is capitalism and finds, as the bombs explode around her, most of her interlocutors wishing they had a little more capitalism and a little less civil war...
Nowadays Naomi Klein's business is selling books, and she uses morality as a branding tool with a deft glibness that many corporate executives must envy. She has learned her trade well.
And the Debate on Global Warming Hits Golf Courses....
The AGW Hooey from the May Edition of Golf Digest evokes strong response.
Ya don't wanna mess with middle-aged, slightly pudgy, rich white guys.
Ya don't wanna mess with middle-aged, slightly pudgy, rich white guys.
Monday, April 21, 2008
The Whole Truth on IPCC Lies
Got letter from our friend JR 2020
Dr. Rajendra Pachauri Chairman Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change c/o World Meteorological Organization 7bis Avenue de la Paix
C.P. 2300 CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
14 April 2008
Dear Dr. Pachauri and others associated with IPCC
We are writing to you and others associated with the IPCC position – that man’s CO2 is a driver of global warming and climate change – to ask that you now in view of the evidence retract support from the current IPCC position [as in footnote 1] and admit that there is no observational evidence in measured data going back 22,000 years or even millions of years that CO2 levels (whether from man or nature) have driven or are driving world temperatures or climate change.
If you believe there is evidence of the CO2 driver theory in the available data please present a graph of it.
We draw your attention to three observational refutations of the IPCC position (and note there are more). Ice-core data from the ACIA (Arctic Climate Impact Assessment) shows that temperatures have fallen since around 4,000 years ago (the Bronze Age Climate Optimum) while CO2 levels have risen, yet this graphical data was not included in the IPCC Summary for Policymakers (Fig. SPM1 Feb07) which graphed the CO2 rise.
More recent data shows that in the opposite sense to IPCC predictions world temperatures have not risen and indeed have fallen over the past 10 years while CO2 levels have risen dramatically.
The up-dated temperature measurements have been released by the NASA’s Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU)
[1] as well as by the UK’s Hadley Climate Research Unit (Temperature v. 3, variance adjusted -Hadley CRUT3v) [2]. In parallel, readings of atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have been released by the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii [3]. They have been combined in graphical form by Joe D’Aleo [4], and are shown below.
These latest temperature readings represent averages of records obtained from standardized meteorological stations from around the planet, located in both urban as well as rural settings. They are augmented by satellite data, now generally accepted as ultimately authoritative, since they have a global footprint and are not easily vulnerable to manipulation nor observer error. What is also clear from the graphs is that average global temperatures have been in stasis for almost a decade and may now even be falling.
A third important observation is that contrary to the CO2 driver theory, temperatures in the upper troposphere (where most jets fly) have fallen over the past two decades. [Footnote 2]
IPCC policy is already leading to economic and unintended environmental damage. Specifically the policy of burning food – maize as biofuel – has contributed to sharp rises in food prices which are causing great hardship in many countries and is also now leading to increased deforestation in Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Togo, Cambodia, Nigeria, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Benin and Uganda for cultivation of crops [5].
Given the economic devastation that is already happening and which is now widely recognised will continue to flow from this policy, what possible justification can there be for its retention?
We ask you and all those whose names are associated with IPCC policy to accept the scientific observations and renounce current IPCC policy.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Rajendra Pachauri Chairman Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change c/o World Meteorological Organization 7bis Avenue de la Paix
C.P. 2300 CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
14 April 2008
Dear Dr. Pachauri and others associated with IPCC
We are writing to you and others associated with the IPCC position – that man’s CO2 is a driver of global warming and climate change – to ask that you now in view of the evidence retract support from the current IPCC position [as in footnote 1] and admit that there is no observational evidence in measured data going back 22,000 years or even millions of years that CO2 levels (whether from man or nature) have driven or are driving world temperatures or climate change.
If you believe there is evidence of the CO2 driver theory in the available data please present a graph of it.
We draw your attention to three observational refutations of the IPCC position (and note there are more). Ice-core data from the ACIA (Arctic Climate Impact Assessment) shows that temperatures have fallen since around 4,000 years ago (the Bronze Age Climate Optimum) while CO2 levels have risen, yet this graphical data was not included in the IPCC Summary for Policymakers (Fig. SPM1 Feb07) which graphed the CO2 rise.
More recent data shows that in the opposite sense to IPCC predictions world temperatures have not risen and indeed have fallen over the past 10 years while CO2 levels have risen dramatically.
The up-dated temperature measurements have been released by the NASA’s Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU)
[1] as well as by the UK’s Hadley Climate Research Unit (Temperature v. 3, variance adjusted -Hadley CRUT3v) [2]. In parallel, readings of atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have been released by the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii [3]. They have been combined in graphical form by Joe D’Aleo [4], and are shown below.
These latest temperature readings represent averages of records obtained from standardized meteorological stations from around the planet, located in both urban as well as rural settings. They are augmented by satellite data, now generally accepted as ultimately authoritative, since they have a global footprint and are not easily vulnerable to manipulation nor observer error. What is also clear from the graphs is that average global temperatures have been in stasis for almost a decade and may now even be falling.
A third important observation is that contrary to the CO2 driver theory, temperatures in the upper troposphere (where most jets fly) have fallen over the past two decades. [Footnote 2]
IPCC policy is already leading to economic and unintended environmental damage. Specifically the policy of burning food – maize as biofuel – has contributed to sharp rises in food prices which are causing great hardship in many countries and is also now leading to increased deforestation in Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Togo, Cambodia, Nigeria, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Benin and Uganda for cultivation of crops [5].
Given the economic devastation that is already happening and which is now widely recognised will continue to flow from this policy, what possible justification can there be for its retention?
We ask you and all those whose names are associated with IPCC policy to accept the scientific observations and renounce current IPCC policy.
Yours sincerely,
Cc: IPCC’s yu.izrael@g23.relcom.ru christy@nsstc.uah.edu spencer@nsstc.uah.edudy.pitman@gmail.com Tim Yeo MP (Chairman Environmental Audit Committee) Lord Martin Rees (President Royal Society) Gordon Brown MP David Cameron MP Nick Glegg MP
Footnote 1: Two heavily publicised quotations which emerged from your organisation, respectively in February and December last year, are:
Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations. It is likely that there has been significant anthropogenic warming over the past 50 years averaged over each continent (except Antarctica) (Figure SPM.4).{2.4} [6] and
The 2007 IPCC report, compiled by several hundred climate scientists, has unequivocally concluded that our climate is warming rapidly, and that we are now at least 90% certain that this is mostly due to human activities. The amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere now far exceeds the natural range of the past 650,000 years, and it is rising very quickly due to human activity. If this trend is not halted soon, many millions of people will be at risk from extreme events such as heat waves, drought, floods and storms, our coasts and cities will be threatened by rising sea levels, and many ecosystems, plants and animal species will be in serious danger of extinction. (Summary statement, Bali Conference.) [7].
Footnote 2: “Data over the past two decades indicates that temperatures have actually declined in the upper troposphere, even though there has been some minor upward trends in temperature at sea level and lower altitudes. This completely contradicts conventional global warming models. Before we radically rearrange the political economy of the world because some scientists claim anthropogenic CO2 is the cause of climate change, it might be worthwhile for anyone taking a position on the topic to consider whether or not this is indeed “well settled science.” Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT, March 2008.
References:
Footnote 1: Two heavily publicised quotations which emerged from your organisation, respectively in February and December last year, are:
Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations. It is likely that there has been significant anthropogenic warming over the past 50 years averaged over each continent (except Antarctica) (Figure SPM.4).{2.4} [6] and
The 2007 IPCC report, compiled by several hundred climate scientists, has unequivocally concluded that our climate is warming rapidly, and that we are now at least 90% certain that this is mostly due to human activities. The amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere now far exceeds the natural range of the past 650,000 years, and it is rising very quickly due to human activity. If this trend is not halted soon, many millions of people will be at risk from extreme events such as heat waves, drought, floods and storms, our coasts and cities will be threatened by rising sea levels, and many ecosystems, plants and animal species will be in serious danger of extinction. (Summary statement, Bali Conference.) [7].
Footnote 2: “Data over the past two decades indicates that temperatures have actually declined in the upper troposphere, even though there has been some minor upward trends in temperature at sea level and lower altitudes. This completely contradicts conventional global warming models. Before we radically rearrange the political economy of the world because some scientists claim anthropogenic CO2 is the cause of climate change, it might be worthwhile for anyone taking a position on the topic to consider whether or not this is indeed “well settled science.” Dr. Richard Lindzen, MIT, March 2008.
References:
4. http://icecap.us/index.php/go/experts Joseph D’Aleo, Certified Consultant Meteorologist, Fellow of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), Executive Director Icecap.us
Carter; Hamas Ready to Talk
Doc Roy has an update - Carter lied...
Jimmy - I'm ready to talk too.
You're a freedom and democracy hating, self loathing American who adores despots and dictators because they actually do get things done (unlike you as President who accomplished nothing and are generally considered the worst President in USA history) even though the despots and dictators accomplishments mainly consist of enslaving and keeping in poverty their people.
There.
I'm done.
For now.
The Star
Goosebumps
My enmity for the Leafs is well known, my adoration of les glorieux, not so much. I admit it here now, that, for me, hockey season has always ended when les canadiens went on vacation.
Yes I had the Canadiens #9 and my brother the Leafs #10.
Tonight, in the moments before opening face off, the Ceeb showed the Habs braintrust, Guy Charbonneau, Kirk Muller and Dougie Jarvis, all with Cup rings, all with resolved game faces as they enter the arena.
A cameo of Le Gros Bill....
Les Canadiens sont la!
They just scored the opening goal.
Yes I had the Canadiens #9 and my brother the Leafs #10.
Tonight, in the moments before opening face off, the Ceeb showed the Habs braintrust, Guy Charbonneau, Kirk Muller and Dougie Jarvis, all with Cup rings, all with resolved game faces as they enter the arena.
A cameo of Le Gros Bill....
Les Canadiens sont la!
They just scored the opening goal.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Lore Weaver Wins Find That Political Party as a Group of Animals Contest
Yes, Lore Weaver of The Atheist Conservative correctly noticed that:
The Green Party, like Magpies, should be identified as 'a tittering, tiding or gulp' of Green Party Members.
She barely beat out our friend Reid of "Right from Alberta" who correctly noticed that like guinea fowl, NDPers should be identified as a 'confusion' of NDPers', and anonymous who was correct that, like curs, a collection of Liberals might be identified as a 'cowardice of Liberals'.
Lore won out by finding an accidental, unplanned connection in that, like elephants, members of the Rhino party might be identified as a "crash of Rhinos".
Lore is entitled now for a link to a rant of her choice (with a synopsis) on the top left of CBL for one month. The prizes by visiting this blog never end.
More info on the contest and the winners can be found here.
Thanks to all for participating, I encourage all to visit CBL for a last chance at the poll, "what kind of knob is David Miller".
Now THIS is why I blog.
The Green Party, like Magpies, should be identified as 'a tittering, tiding or gulp' of Green Party Members.
She barely beat out our friend Reid of "Right from Alberta" who correctly noticed that like guinea fowl, NDPers should be identified as a 'confusion' of NDPers', and anonymous who was correct that, like curs, a collection of Liberals might be identified as a 'cowardice of Liberals'.
Lore won out by finding an accidental, unplanned connection in that, like elephants, members of the Rhino party might be identified as a "crash of Rhinos".
Lore is entitled now for a link to a rant of her choice (with a synopsis) on the top left of CBL for one month. The prizes by visiting this blog never end.
More info on the contest and the winners can be found here.
Thanks to all for participating, I encourage all to visit CBL for a last chance at the poll, "what kind of knob is David Miller".
Now THIS is why I blog.
For Animal Lovers -- See if You Can Find the Political Angle
Anon gets Point One of Three.
Winner gets to post a rant (within reasonable terms of suitability) on CBL and, if a blogger, a link on the top left corner of CBL
Link
Winner gets to post a rant (within reasonable terms of suitability) on CBL and, if a blogger, a link on the top left corner of CBL
Link
How the City of Toronto (Illegally?) Does Their Job
The Toronto Sun
I asked Crognale yesterday if Kawaguchi will get interest on the $5,106.54 the city has had in its possession for nearly a year. "No he's not ... it is not our policy to tack on interest," he said. (note: it's my policy to not pay twice the face amount of a parking ticket if I'm eight days late, but I digress...)
Asked how he found the new overbilled amount, Crognale said upon reviewing the invoice and the file, he noted the contractor was overpaid by nearly $5,000. (I'm sure this was just an oversight, and that it has never happened any other time.)
He explained that the contractor's unit cost was supposed to include the mark-up and the "payroll burden" for time and materials typically included in such a job -- but was added on instead.
"There were a number of people involved on the project from the technical staff that originally did the estimate which was improper, to inspection staff to supervisory staff that approved the payments eventually," he said. "There were a number of people and they overlooked errors along the way." (Which is city-code for we try our damnedest to rip off our residents and visitors every chance we get and absolutely hate it when we get caught.)
I asked Crognale yesterday if Kawaguchi will get interest on the $5,106.54 the city has had in its possession for nearly a year. "No he's not ... it is not our policy to tack on interest," he said. (note: it's my policy to not pay twice the face amount of a parking ticket if I'm eight days late, but I digress...)
Asked how he found the new overbilled amount, Crognale said upon reviewing the invoice and the file, he noted the contractor was overpaid by nearly $5,000. (I'm sure this was just an oversight, and that it has never happened any other time.)
He explained that the contractor's unit cost was supposed to include the mark-up and the "payroll burden" for time and materials typically included in such a job -- but was added on instead.
"There were a number of people involved on the project from the technical staff that originally did the estimate which was improper, to inspection staff to supervisory staff that approved the payments eventually," he said. "There were a number of people and they overlooked errors along the way." (Which is city-code for we try our damnedest to rip off our residents and visitors every chance we get and absolutely hate it when we get caught.)
Monday, April 14, 2008
Annual Ambrose Bierce Post
Ambrose Bierce's "Devil's Dictionary" celebrated its centennial of completion in 2006. A lot of what he wrote in the twenty years prior to then still earns a nod or a chuckle today.
AMBASSADOR, n. A wealthy person exiled to an alien land for the purpose of throwing parties, presumably with the hope of extracting government secrets from tipsy natives.
CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.
CONSUL, n. In American politics, a person who having failed to secure and office from the people is given one by the Administration on condition that he leave the country.
DICTATOR, n. The chief of a nation that prefers the pestilence of despotism to the plague of anarchy.
DIPLOMACY, n. The patriotic art of lying for one's country.
ELECTOR, n. One who enjoys the sacred privilege of voting for the man of another man's choice.
HISTORY, n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.
HONORABLE, adj. Afflicted with an impediment in one's reach. In legislative bodies it is customary to mention all members as honorable; as, "the honorable gentleman is a scurvy cur."
IMMIGRANT, n. An unenlightened person who thinks one country better than another.
KILT, n. A costume sometimes worn by Scotchmen in America and Americans in Scotland.
LIBERAL, n. One who tolerates all beliefs and opinions except those with which he disagrees; a benevolent soul who advocates progressive measures for the sake of people with whom he would never associate.
PEACE, n. In international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting.
PHILOSOPHY, n. A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing.
POLITICS, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
QUEEN, n. A woman by whom the realm is ruled when there is not a king, and through whom it is ruled when there is.
REVOLUTION, n. In politics, an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.
ULTIMATUM, n. In diplomacy, a last demand before resorting to concessions
AMBASSADOR, n. A wealthy person exiled to an alien land for the purpose of throwing parties, presumably with the hope of extracting government secrets from tipsy natives.
CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.
CONSUL, n. In American politics, a person who having failed to secure and office from the people is given one by the Administration on condition that he leave the country.
DICTATOR, n. The chief of a nation that prefers the pestilence of despotism to the plague of anarchy.
DIPLOMACY, n. The patriotic art of lying for one's country.
ELECTOR, n. One who enjoys the sacred privilege of voting for the man of another man's choice.
HISTORY, n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.
HONORABLE, adj. Afflicted with an impediment in one's reach. In legislative bodies it is customary to mention all members as honorable; as, "the honorable gentleman is a scurvy cur."
IMMIGRANT, n. An unenlightened person who thinks one country better than another.
KILT, n. A costume sometimes worn by Scotchmen in America and Americans in Scotland.
LIBERAL, n. One who tolerates all beliefs and opinions except those with which he disagrees; a benevolent soul who advocates progressive measures for the sake of people with whom he would never associate.
PEACE, n. In international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting.
PHILOSOPHY, n. A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing.
POLITICS, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
QUEEN, n. A woman by whom the realm is ruled when there is not a king, and through whom it is ruled when there is.
REVOLUTION, n. In politics, an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.
ULTIMATUM, n. In diplomacy, a last demand before resorting to concessions
I'm Proud of the Evil United States
Khadr is getting a defence worthy of the murderers, rapists and scumbags that Eddie Greenspan defends. And the military lawyers aren't getting paid big bucks to do it.
“This is an example of them selectively applying the law when it suits them,” said defence lawyer Lt.-Cmdr. William Kuebler.The government is definitely afraid of regular courts looking at this until they can put on some trials and create some convictions.”
Yet Do-Gooders accuse the USA of a failure in their form of justice.
Exactly where else would an accused war criminal receive a defence like this?
Sunday, April 13, 2008
How Far the Pathetic Have Fallen
Remember the Toronto Make Believes?
The team that until recently didn't have a hockey staffer who was even alive when they last won a Stanley Cup? (when almost octogenarian Cliff Fletcher was hired to clean up the blue and white imposter hockey team was alive in 1967 but might not remember back that far).
Well, the Toronto Star thinks it's embarrassing that the Canadiens won in a manner that would have been beneath the Maple Losers, that is, if they had made the playoffs.
I'm sure Davey Keon would cry in the end blues (if he wasn't still boycotting the team).
The team that until recently didn't have a hockey staffer who was even alive when they last won a Stanley Cup? (when almost octogenarian Cliff Fletcher was hired to clean up the blue and white imposter hockey team was alive in 1967 but might not remember back that far).
Well, the Toronto Star thinks it's embarrassing that the Canadiens won in a manner that would have been beneath the Maple Losers, that is, if they had made the playoffs.
I'm sure Davey Keon would cry in the end blues (if he wasn't still boycotting the team).
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Monday, April 07, 2008
Leafs & Foreclosure Site - Too Sweet
Did whomever came up with this website name think for a second? Is it for homeowners who never make the playoffs? For eternal losers? For people who make way too much money and never share the wealth with family members and friends?
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This year, homeowners across the country will be faced with difficult decisions regarding the possibility of foreclosure. In addition to worrying about mounting bills and credit card debt, they will be facing the negative financial effects of foreclosing on their mortgages. However, now thanks to the launch of an innovative online community, HomeLeafs.com, the possibility of preventing foreclosure may become a reality.
This begs the question; can one company bring about the end of foreclosures? The answer simply, is no, but HomeLeafs.com is more than a stand-alone company—it is the next generation of online portal created to connect homeowners facing foreclosure with companies handling pre-foreclosure services.
Friday, April 04, 2008
The Sickness of Our Society
I'm borrowing here.
100 years ago our society had to face tuberculous and cholera.
And the survivors built the greatest civilization ever known.
Now, with all our wealth and education our biggest medical hazards are depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.
What's that say about us?
Extra points for my source.
100 years ago our society had to face tuberculous and cholera.
And the survivors built the greatest civilization ever known.
Now, with all our wealth and education our biggest medical hazards are depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.
What's that say about us?
Extra points for my source.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Lord Nelson in Today's Royal Navy
Nelson: 'Order the signal, Hardy.'
Hardy: 'Aye, aye sir.'
Nelson: 'Hold on, that's not what I dictated to Flags. What's the
meaning of this?'
Hardy: 'Sorry sir?'
Nelson (reading aloud): '' England expects every person to do his or
her duty, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious
persuasion or disability.' - What gobbledegook is this?'
Hardy: 'Admiralty policy, I'm afraid, sir. We're an equal
opportunities employer now. We had the devil's own job getting '
England ' past the censors, lest it be considered racist.'
Nelson: 'Gadzooks, Hardy. Hand me my pipe and tobacco.'
Hardy: 'Sorry sir. All naval vessels have now been designated
smoke-free working environments.'
Nelson: 'In that case, break open the rum ration. Let us splice the
mainbrace to steel the men before battle.'
Hardy: 'The rum ration has been abolished, Admiral. Its part of the
Government's policy on binge drinking.'
Nelson: 'Good heavens, Hardy. I suppose we'd better get on with it
........... full speed ahead.'
Hardy: 'I think you'll find that there's a 4 knot speed limit in this
stretch of water.'
Nelson: 'Damn it man! We are on the eve of the greatest sea battle in
history. We must advance with all dispatch. Report from the crow's
nest please.'
Hardy: 'That won't be possible, sir.'
Nelson: 'What?'
Hardy: 'Health and Safety have closed the crow's nest, sir. No
harness; and they said that rope ladders don't meet regulations. They
won't let anyone up there until a proper scaffolding can be erected.'
Nelson: 'Then get me the ship's carpenter without delay, Hardy.'
Hardy: 'He's busy knocking up a wheelchair access to the foredeck
Admiral.'
Nelson: 'Wheelchair access? I've never heard anything so absurd.'
Hardy: 'Health and safety again, sir. We have to provide a
barrier-free environment for the differently abled.'
Nelson: 'Differently abled? I've only one arm and one eye and I refuse
even to hear mention of the word. I didn't rise to the rank of admiral
by playing the disability card.'
Hardy: 'Actually, sir, you did. The Royal Navy is under represented in
the areas of visual impairment and limb deficiency.'
Nelson: 'Whatever next? Give me full sail. The salt spray beckons.'
Hardy: 'A couple of problems there too, sir. Health and safety won't
let the crew up the rigging without hard hats. And they don't want
anyone breathing in too much salt - haven't you seen the adverts?'
Nelson: 'I've never heard such infamy. Break out the cannon and tell
the men to stand by to engage the enemy.'
Hardy: 'The men are a bit worried about shooting at anyone, Admiral.'
Nelson: 'What? This is mutiny!'
Hardy: 'It's not that, sir. It's just that they're afraid of being
charged with murder if they actually kill anyone. There's a couple of
legal-aid lawyers on board, watching everyone like hawks.'
Nelson: 'Then how are we to sink the Frenchies and the Spanish?'
Hardy: 'Actually, sir, we're not.'
Nelson: 'We're not?'
Hardy: 'No, sir. The French and the Spanish are our European partners
now. According to the Common Fisheries Policy, we shouldn't even be in
this stretch of water. We could get hit with a claim for
compensation.'
Nelson: 'But you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil.'
Hardy: 'I wouldn't let the ship's diversity co-ordinator hear you
saying that sir. You'll be up on disciplinary report.'
Nelson: 'You must consider every man an enemy, who speaks ill of your
King.'
Hardy: 'Not any more, sir. We must be inclusive in this multicultural
age. Now put on your Kevlar vest; it's the rules. It could save your
life'
Nelson: 'Don't tell me - health and safety. Whatever happened to rum,
sodomy and the lash?'
Hardy: As I explained, sir, rum is off the menu! And there's a ban on
corporal punishment.'
Nelson: 'What about sodomy?'
Hardy: 'I believe that is now legal, sir.'
Nelson: 'In that case............................... kiss me, Hardy.'
Hardy: 'Aye, aye sir.'
Nelson: 'Hold on, that's not what I dictated to Flags. What's the
meaning of this?'
Hardy: 'Sorry sir?'
Nelson (reading aloud): '' England expects every person to do his or
her duty, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious
persuasion or disability.' - What gobbledegook is this?'
Hardy: 'Admiralty policy, I'm afraid, sir. We're an equal
opportunities employer now. We had the devil's own job getting '
England ' past the censors, lest it be considered racist.'
Nelson: 'Gadzooks, Hardy. Hand me my pipe and tobacco.'
Hardy: 'Sorry sir. All naval vessels have now been designated
smoke-free working environments.'
Nelson: 'In that case, break open the rum ration. Let us splice the
mainbrace to steel the men before battle.'
Hardy: 'The rum ration has been abolished, Admiral. Its part of the
Government's policy on binge drinking.'
Nelson: 'Good heavens, Hardy. I suppose we'd better get on with it
........... full speed ahead.'
Hardy: 'I think you'll find that there's a 4 knot speed limit in this
stretch of water.'
Nelson: 'Damn it man! We are on the eve of the greatest sea battle in
history. We must advance with all dispatch. Report from the crow's
nest please.'
Hardy: 'That won't be possible, sir.'
Nelson: 'What?'
Hardy: 'Health and Safety have closed the crow's nest, sir. No
harness; and they said that rope ladders don't meet regulations. They
won't let anyone up there until a proper scaffolding can be erected.'
Nelson: 'Then get me the ship's carpenter without delay, Hardy.'
Hardy: 'He's busy knocking up a wheelchair access to the foredeck
Admiral.'
Nelson: 'Wheelchair access? I've never heard anything so absurd.'
Hardy: 'Health and safety again, sir. We have to provide a
barrier-free environment for the differently abled.'
Nelson: 'Differently abled? I've only one arm and one eye and I refuse
even to hear mention of the word. I didn't rise to the rank of admiral
by playing the disability card.'
Hardy: 'Actually, sir, you did. The Royal Navy is under represented in
the areas of visual impairment and limb deficiency.'
Nelson: 'Whatever next? Give me full sail. The salt spray beckons.'
Hardy: 'A couple of problems there too, sir. Health and safety won't
let the crew up the rigging without hard hats. And they don't want
anyone breathing in too much salt - haven't you seen the adverts?'
Nelson: 'I've never heard such infamy. Break out the cannon and tell
the men to stand by to engage the enemy.'
Hardy: 'The men are a bit worried about shooting at anyone, Admiral.'
Nelson: 'What? This is mutiny!'
Hardy: 'It's not that, sir. It's just that they're afraid of being
charged with murder if they actually kill anyone. There's a couple of
legal-aid lawyers on board, watching everyone like hawks.'
Nelson: 'Then how are we to sink the Frenchies and the Spanish?'
Hardy: 'Actually, sir, we're not.'
Nelson: 'We're not?'
Hardy: 'No, sir. The French and the Spanish are our European partners
now. According to the Common Fisheries Policy, we shouldn't even be in
this stretch of water. We could get hit with a claim for
compensation.'
Nelson: 'But you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil.'
Hardy: 'I wouldn't let the ship's diversity co-ordinator hear you
saying that sir. You'll be up on disciplinary report.'
Nelson: 'You must consider every man an enemy, who speaks ill of your
King.'
Hardy: 'Not any more, sir. We must be inclusive in this multicultural
age. Now put on your Kevlar vest; it's the rules. It could save your
life'
Nelson: 'Don't tell me - health and safety. Whatever happened to rum,
sodomy and the lash?'
Hardy: As I explained, sir, rum is off the menu! And there's a ban on
corporal punishment.'
Nelson: 'What about sodomy?'
Hardy: 'I believe that is now legal, sir.'
Nelson: 'In that case............................... kiss me, Hardy.'
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Response to Stageleft on Witless Environuts
Stagie has one of the best blogs anywhere, and I suspect his comments here are valid, but that he likely has an inkling of my mischief.
In the post I tease a ecodude for his despair at people not feeling sad for melting glaciers.
I don't feel sad at all. Fewer the glaciers the better, I think.
Because, I just don't need them to be happy.
And neither do 99.9% of the world's population, about 80% of which have one worry - survival of their contribution to the species; maybe getting a cup of rice for dinner.
It is pompous to the extreme for a teeny number of urban do-gooders to think that they have some divine right to preach to the world that their path to truth is the only way.
Sorta Mormonelderlike.
But my mischief is aimed at the inability of those in the WWF and the rest of the ecocult to have the faintest clue as to how the other 99.99999% think. How they make their pitch based upon images that are as remote to an average person as are the beasts of the Kalahari. (average African tribespeople excepted).
Images of polar bears on shrinking ice floes or Antarctic ice cubes shearing off (especially when the images are bogus or actually evidence of the opposite conclusion - of ice floes expanding and polar bears being over populated) lose the support of civilians (at least those that even pay notice).
They are speaking Swahili to the general public.
Small wonder that they're losing the debate.
In the post I tease a ecodude for his despair at people not feeling sad for melting glaciers.
I don't feel sad at all. Fewer the glaciers the better, I think.
Because, I just don't need them to be happy.
And neither do 99.9% of the world's population, about 80% of which have one worry - survival of their contribution to the species; maybe getting a cup of rice for dinner.
It is pompous to the extreme for a teeny number of urban do-gooders to think that they have some divine right to preach to the world that their path to truth is the only way.
Sorta Mormonelderlike.
But my mischief is aimed at the inability of those in the WWF and the rest of the ecocult to have the faintest clue as to how the other 99.99999% think. How they make their pitch based upon images that are as remote to an average person as are the beasts of the Kalahari. (average African tribespeople excepted).
Images of polar bears on shrinking ice floes or Antarctic ice cubes shearing off (especially when the images are bogus or actually evidence of the opposite conclusion - of ice floes expanding and polar bears being over populated) lose the support of civilians (at least those that even pay notice).
They are speaking Swahili to the general public.
Small wonder that they're losing the debate.
From the WWF (World Witless Feelgooders) - and 637 Facebookers
The hardest thing is convincing the majority that problems like global warming exist and are serious. He says it will take visibly melting glaciers to make them pay attention.
"Then they'll probably say, 'So what? We'll live without glaciers'," he says. Ottawa Sun
Finally the truth...
Fact is, who among us has ever even seen a glacier? Who has had their lives dramatically affected by a glacier? Why would we give a fig about glaciers, when we have fancy refrigerators that create for us all the ice we need?
It is difficult to read the papers today without breaking out laughing.
Meanwhile - Facebook - an online community with 50 million odd members - almost all of whom are in that 15 to 25 generation which are most assaulted by save the earth messages, has an Earth Day group.
It has 637 members
"Then they'll probably say, 'So what? We'll live without glaciers'," he says. Ottawa Sun
Finally the truth...
Fact is, who among us has ever even seen a glacier? Who has had their lives dramatically affected by a glacier? Why would we give a fig about glaciers, when we have fancy refrigerators that create for us all the ice we need?
It is difficult to read the papers today without breaking out laughing.
Meanwhile - Facebook - an online community with 50 million odd members - almost all of whom are in that 15 to 25 generation which are most assaulted by save the earth messages, has an Earth Day group.
It has 637 members
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Toronto Star Hyperbolize?? Really? How About This!!
That poster drove home the message that, cynics excepted, Earth Hour has touched a chord with Canadians like nothing else in recent years. by Bob Hepburn
Touched a chord like nothing else in recent years?
Talk amongst yourselves. Has your chord been touched?
Touched a chord like nothing else in recent years?
Talk amongst yourselves. Has your chord been touched?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Star Slags Dalai Lama & Rob Ford in Same Breath
My Flabber is Ghasted.
I never, ever, ever thought I would ever see this juxtiposition...
I never, ever, ever thought I would ever see this juxtiposition...
Lemon: Ali / Lewis Rumble in the Studio - Round 1
Fred at Gay & Right Wrote About Hirsi's knockout of Avi Lewis - Here it is - Originally posted last August,
But not Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis...
Avi, husband of loonie leftie Naomi Klein, scion to ridiculous moonbatty parents Michelle Landsberg and Stephen, son of David.
hat tip to CCD
But not Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis...
Avi, husband of loonie leftie Naomi Klein, scion to ridiculous moonbatty parents Michelle Landsberg and Stephen, son of David.
hat tip to CCD
Monday, March 24, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Let's Just Ban the Olympics. Period.
Again, the Olympics have been awarded to a Marxist totalitarian state, and again the chattering race is on to deny the world the experience of seeing pansies and tanks in short pants finding a camera in front of which to cry or celebrate, but most importantly to shed tears of heroic joy or sorrow.
Again, the Olympic Games (called a movement by those closely involved - which leads one to thoughts of a different type of movement) will be used for propaganda by the host nation - as an opportunity to prove its philosophical superiority.
Now I know that with 500 TV channels that there is a desperate need for programming, particularly since online gaming and Facebook is now fully occupying the minds and eyes of everyone under twenty. But shouldn't every piece of Olympic programming come with the warning that "this broadcast is designed to poison your mind either for or against a certain philosophy. It might not be suitable for younger or other impressionable viewers. Viewer discretion is advised."
Again, the Olympic Games (called a movement by those closely involved - which leads one to thoughts of a different type of movement) will be used for propaganda by the host nation - as an opportunity to prove its philosophical superiority.
Now I know that with 500 TV channels that there is a desperate need for programming, particularly since online gaming and Facebook is now fully occupying the minds and eyes of everyone under twenty. But shouldn't every piece of Olympic programming come with the warning that "this broadcast is designed to poison your mind either for or against a certain philosophy. It might not be suitable for younger or other impressionable viewers. Viewer discretion is advised."
Friday, March 21, 2008
They Ban, We Ban...
BEIJING - China might bar live television broadcasts from Tiananmen Square during the Beijing Olympics, apparently unnerved by the recent outburst of unrest among Tibetans and fearful of protests in the heart of the Chinese capital.
A ban on live broadcasts would wreck the plans of NBC and other major international networks, who have paid hundreds of millions of dollars to broadcast the Aug. 8-24 games and are counting on eye-pleasing live shots from the iconic square.
I had a great buddy who got shut out of the 1980 games - remember them - when someone else was beating up Islamic asshats before we were? He accepted it, even after about 15 years of dedicated training.
We should shut them down.
The Chinese Communist despots are ambitiously working to take over the world. They are working to destroy the American economy. They are stealing every piece of industrial intellectual property they can get their hands on. They are murdering Falun Gong and harvesting their organs.
And they expect us to sit on our hands, while WE pay for them to glorify their morally bankrupt regime that sets fire to monks and runs tanks over students? Puhleeze.
Pull out now. I know it's not manly, but shut off all contact with them. Let them go back to the days of being the hidden empire. Let them eat rice. Stop paying for the poisoned product they dump on us. Leave their crappy 2000 dollar cars to rot on docks in Shanghai.
Retarget the nukes.
A ban on live broadcasts would wreck the plans of NBC and other major international networks, who have paid hundreds of millions of dollars to broadcast the Aug. 8-24 games and are counting on eye-pleasing live shots from the iconic square.
I had a great buddy who got shut out of the 1980 games - remember them - when someone else was beating up Islamic asshats before we were? He accepted it, even after about 15 years of dedicated training.
We should shut them down.
The Chinese Communist despots are ambitiously working to take over the world. They are working to destroy the American economy. They are stealing every piece of industrial intellectual property they can get their hands on. They are murdering Falun Gong and harvesting their organs.
And they expect us to sit on our hands, while WE pay for them to glorify their morally bankrupt regime that sets fire to monks and runs tanks over students? Puhleeze.
Pull out now. I know it's not manly, but shut off all contact with them. Let them go back to the days of being the hidden empire. Let them eat rice. Stop paying for the poisoned product they dump on us. Leave their crappy 2000 dollar cars to rot on docks in Shanghai.
Retarget the nukes.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Canadian Justice in Action
Sometimes I wonder what country I am living in . . .
A former Ontario police officer was sentenced this morning to six months in jail for contempt of court.
Perry Dunlop has repeatedly refused to testify before an inquiry into the investigation of an alleged pedophile ring in Cornwall, Ont., in the 1990s.
The Star Story
A former Ontario police officer was sentenced this morning to six months in jail for contempt of court.
Perry Dunlop has repeatedly refused to testify before an inquiry into the investigation of an alleged pedophile ring in Cornwall, Ont., in the 1990s.
The Star Story
Perry Dunlop is not a bad person he tried to do the right thing and now look what happend he tried to stop a pedophile ring and now their telling him to testify and lie. I don't think so he did the right thing not to testify and now he is being out to shame for not doing the bad thing they wanted him to. I was there when they came to get him at his very own house. I am his very own neighbour! I am 100% toward him and his and his familie's freedom. I believe that Perry Dunlop is a very respectful and brave man and should not be put to shame personally.
Link to Above
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Global Warming Fraud Imposed on Wealthy World
A few weeks back I noted in my column that when times get tough, Americans will stop worrying about whether polar bears have enough ice and start asking whether those white, furry critters are edible. That comment caused quite a stir, and I would like to thank everyone, in particular the folks from Alaska, for the great recipes they forwarded—“Bear Claw Cordon Bleu” for instance.
Whole story here
Lorne Gunter gets a nice link.
In 1989 I was in a discussion group looking to organize something called "Metroworld" which was to be a conference of mayors and municipal leaders to save the world. A learned and wise colleague at the time said, "Environmentalism only interests people when times are good".
Sure enough, the economy went in the crapper and so did Metroworld.
The same guy said to always be skeptical of anyone who ever uses the phrase "planet" in reference to "the earth". It's a sure sign of an enviro lunatic.
Whole story here
Lorne Gunter gets a nice link.
In 1989 I was in a discussion group looking to organize something called "Metroworld" which was to be a conference of mayors and municipal leaders to save the world. A learned and wise colleague at the time said, "Environmentalism only interests people when times are good".
Sure enough, the economy went in the crapper and so did Metroworld.
The same guy said to always be skeptical of anyone who ever uses the phrase "planet" in reference to "the earth". It's a sure sign of an enviro lunatic.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
More Hijinks from The August & Respected Toronto Star
Don't they proof read??
Let me get this straight . . .
Let me get this straight . . .
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Where are our White Heroes?
I've been around close to fifty years.
And I have a very difficult time thinking of a single true "caucasian" hero.
Someone of a Euro background who has put their life and living on the line for a belief or principle.
My heroes are Nelson, Muhammad and Martin.
Dudley George died for his beliefs.
Why do we of pale skin not have any person who can match up against these men?
Why?
And I have a very difficult time thinking of a single true "caucasian" hero.
Someone of a Euro background who has put their life and living on the line for a belief or principle.
My heroes are Nelson, Muhammad and Martin.
Dudley George died for his beliefs.
Why do we of pale skin not have any person who can match up against these men?
Why?
Toronto Star - Masters of Redundency
The baby stories light up stupidity. The Mulroney link goes to a story of the cop who soaked the public for $1.2 mill in legal feels. Doh.
But this is Canada's largest circulation newspaper so the error must be mine.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
IPCC Nobel Winner (?) Global Warming Denier
Our buddy JR found the following nugget and was kind enough to post a link in our comments:
I've had a lot of fun recently with my tiny (and unofficial) slice of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). But, though I was one of thousands of IPCC participants, I don't think I will add "0.0001 Nobel Laureate" to my resume. [...]Link to John Christy
I'm sure the majority (but not all) of my IPCC colleagues cringe when I say this, but I see neither the developing catastrophe nor the smoking gun proving that human activity is to blame for most of the warming we see. Rather, I see a reliance on climate models (useful but never "proof") and the coincidence that changes in carbon dioxide and global temperatures have loose similarity over time. [...]
Mother Nature simply operates at a level of complexity that is, at this point, beyond the mastery of mere mortals (such as scientists) and the tools available to us. As my high-school physics teacher admonished us in those we-shall-conquer-the-world-with-a-slide-rule days, "Begin all of your scientific pronouncements with 'At our present level of ignorance, we think we know . . .'"<>
Hillary - Quick to Take Credit for Clinton 1, Slow to Accept Blame for Giving 139 Friends Get Out of Jail Free Cards
First 10 of the 139 Clinton Pardons:
the other 129 here.
the other 129 here.
| Name | Home Town | Offenses |
| ALLEN, Verla Jean | Everton, Arkansas | False statements to agency of United States |
| ALTIERE, Nicholas M. | Las Vegas, Nevada | Importation of cocaine |
| ALTSCHUL, Bernice Ruth | Sherman Village, California | Conspiracy to commit money laundering |
| ANDERSON, Joe, Jr. | Grove Hill, Alabama | Income tax evasion |
| ANDERSON, William Sterling | Spartanburg, South Carolina | Conspiracy to defraud a federally insured financial institution, false statements to a federally insured financial institution, wire fraud |
| AZIZKHANI, Mansour T. | Huntsville, Alabama | Conspiracy and making false statements in bank loan applications |
| BABIN, Cleveland Victor, Jr. | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Conspiracy to commit offense against the United States by utilizing the U.S. mail in furtherance of a scheme to defraud |
| BAGLEY, Chris Harmon | Harrah, Oklahoma | Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine |
| BANE, Scott Lynn | Mahomet, Illinois | Unlawful distribution of marijuana |
| BARBER, Thomas Cleveland | Hampton, Florida | Issuing worthless checks |
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Typical IPCC "Expert"
Yup - another global climate change expert...
Was she REALLY a Nobel Prize Winner as Dion implies?
“She was on the team of Nobel Prize winning Canadians for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change."
Academic Expertise: Kirsty Duncan is Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto where she teaches medical geography. She also helps community groups to Fortune 500 organizations plan for a possible pandemic. She wrote a book (self-published I hear).
Additional Qualifications: A Liberal
Was she REALLY a Nobel Prize Winner as Dion implies?
“She was on the team of Nobel Prize winning Canadians for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change."
Academic Expertise: Kirsty Duncan is Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto where she teaches medical geography. She also helps community groups to Fortune 500 organizations plan for a possible pandemic. She wrote a book (self-published I hear).
Additional Qualifications: A Liberal
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Wanna Know the Truth? Roswell? Area 51?
Click here
Of course, the truth is that it's a military installation. They store obsolete materiel there. Betcha there's even a de-commed H Bomb shell or ten. Likely a lotta mothballed aircraft that could be brought into service.
Of course, the truth is that it's a military installation. They store obsolete materiel there. Betcha there's even a de-commed H Bomb shell or ten. Likely a lotta mothballed aircraft that could be brought into service.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
With a Whimper
I feel free as I finish my second week without logging on to point at the foibles of others or make a few foibles of my own. I doubt anyone missed us, and I didn't really miss blogging so a happy non-marriage resulted.
When I read about Suzuki declaring that politicians that don't agree with him should go to jail, when I saw that Hep C denier Allan Rock had regained a pulpit from which to slander Brian Mulroney, when I looked at a weather forecast that called for nothing but frigid weather for the foreseeable future, when I considered the debate from the MSM supporting Islamic fundamentalists' rights to shut down Levant, I realized: All is Lost.
We are focked.
Western governments will continue acting only in their self-interest, in the belief that they only win when everyone else loses. Our planet will get colder and golf seasons shorter; and very possibly the laws of a primitive culture will become the law of the land before I pass on, sometime around the Mulroney inquisition reaches its 2000th day of sitting.
So that's all for now, folks.
When I read about Suzuki declaring that politicians that don't agree with him should go to jail, when I saw that Hep C denier Allan Rock had regained a pulpit from which to slander Brian Mulroney, when I looked at a weather forecast that called for nothing but frigid weather for the foreseeable future, when I considered the debate from the MSM supporting Islamic fundamentalists' rights to shut down Levant, I realized: All is Lost.
We are focked.
Western governments will continue acting only in their self-interest, in the belief that they only win when everyone else loses. Our planet will get colder and golf seasons shorter; and very possibly the laws of a primitive culture will become the law of the land before I pass on, sometime around the Mulroney inquisition reaches its 2000th day of sitting.
So that's all for now, folks.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Las Vegas - Deep Dark Secret . . .
Middle-aged men with expense accounts...
Every year 40 million odd usually pudgy guys visiting Babylon to sell or buy thingees and gadgets while spending cash like movie stars and doing things that really need to stay in Vegas.
There is little fabulous about the place, sure the casino hotels are magnificent, and yes 6 of the top 10 rated USA restaurants are in the city, but really Vegas is no more that a place for the ultimate expressions of greed, avarice, immorality, desperation and human weakness.
I've been coming here every year for likely 10 years or more, and it's gotten so that I don't put a nickle in a slot machine and don't bother leaving my hotel.
I do my business and leave.
I guess I won't get that job writing articles for the Tourist Bureau.
Every year 40 million odd usually pudgy guys visiting Babylon to sell or buy thingees and gadgets while spending cash like movie stars and doing things that really need to stay in Vegas.
There is little fabulous about the place, sure the casino hotels are magnificent, and yes 6 of the top 10 rated USA restaurants are in the city, but really Vegas is no more that a place for the ultimate expressions of greed, avarice, immorality, desperation and human weakness.
I've been coming here every year for likely 10 years or more, and it's gotten so that I don't put a nickle in a slot machine and don't bother leaving my hotel.
I do my business and leave.
I guess I won't get that job writing articles for the Tourist Bureau.
Plane Crash Averted
I'm alive.
En Route to the city of lucky and unlucky breaks, Fabulous Las Vegas our plane almost went down.
On final approach, about 1oo feet up we all of a sudden turned sideways and then back the other way. Then took off again found some quiet air and dropped about 30 feet.
I have a new life so I promise to no longer tease Red Tory, Jeff Davidson, Canadian Cynic.
To add a little politics to my survival, why did we ever buy airplanes made in France anyway?
Who got paid off??
En Route to the city of lucky and unlucky breaks, Fabulous Las Vegas our plane almost went down.
On final approach, about 1oo feet up we all of a sudden turned sideways and then back the other way. Then took off again found some quiet air and dropped about 30 feet.
I have a new life so I promise to no longer tease Red Tory, Jeff Davidson, Canadian Cynic.
To add a little politics to my survival, why did we ever buy airplanes made in France anyway?
Who got paid off??
Monday, January 28, 2008
There's Dumb, Dumber and Indubitably Dumber Beyond All Measure
Human Hamsters
The goal, he said, is to get developing nations to notice the bikes and tap into the energy they can provide. "It's a way to help places like Africa or Asia get electricity the way we have without creating the same environmental problems," he said.
So let me get this straight . . .
They want billions and billions of starving people in the third world to spend their days (and all their pent up energy) pedaling to death to create electricity (and lose weight). (Not to mention each of these bikes cost about 5 times per capita income...)
On the other hand, maybe it's not a bad idea for some, like, say Al Gore.
The goal, he said, is to get developing nations to notice the bikes and tap into the energy they can provide. "It's a way to help places like Africa or Asia get electricity the way we have without creating the same environmental problems," he said.
So let me get this straight . . .
They want billions and billions of starving people in the third world to spend their days (and all their pent up energy) pedaling to death to create electricity (and lose weight). (Not to mention each of these bikes cost about 5 times per capita income...)
On the other hand, maybe it's not a bad idea for some, like, say Al Gore.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
A Clinton Lies Again
"They're the underdog," says Bill Clinton, "and they're my home team."
But, Bill, I thought Arkansas, South Carolina, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Florida were your home team (at least until February 5th.
But, Bill, I thought Arkansas, South Carolina, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Florida were your home team (at least until February 5th.
RAMBO!!!!
My favourite film of the year so far is one of extreme mayhem, violence and righteous devastation of murdering and raping genocidists.
Rambo's back.
It was a touching, sentimental, representation of a feeling, tortured war veteran escaping his past by meditating at a chamomile farm far from civilization. Sort of an "Under the Tuscan Sun" for men.
And I loved it - especially seeing what CGI can do with a large band of evil-doers and a 50 Cal MG.
Geoff Pevere of the Star, an irritating mugwump of a film reviewer, of course, had to make a political point of it:
resisting deserting walking wounded of this next generation (all volunteers), ran away to Canada to chase hippy chicks.
Here's what I have to say about them.
Rambo's back.
It was a touching, sentimental, representation of a feeling, tortured war veteran escaping his past by meditating at a chamomile farm far from civilization. Sort of an "Under the Tuscan Sun" for men.
And I loved it - especially seeing what CGI can do with a large band of evil-doers and a 50 Cal MG.
Geoff Pevere of the Star, an irritating mugwump of a film reviewer, of course, had to make a political point of it:
Will he settle in this time, or will he once again find himself "going Rambo" somewhere deep in the heart of his home? And what will he make of all those newly minted Rambos, the next generation of walking wounded coming home from yet another unpopular and seemingly unwinnable war?But from what I can see, the
Here's what I have to say about them.
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