Elegant Distractions

From The Master:

Another day in the Land of Inversion, where the obvious is not an option. I heard more interviews with learned politicians informing me that “drilling for oil” will not affect anything, least of all the quantity of oil. We must apparently wait until 2015, when a magic engine that runs on unicorn flatulence is invented. I have to ask: why is anyone investing in unicorn flatulence today, when it won’t make any difference for several years? The answer’s simple: the engine will Appear at the chosen moment, borne from the clouds by starlings, but only if we have repented of our foul ways, and the last of the sinners has left the cul-de-sac to reside in a home located a sustainable distance from his or her place of employment. When the last suburban outlying development is empty, when the homes of whose size we disapprove has been abandoned, when the last citizen has been gathered unto the bosom of the urban center, where his profligate ways are sneered upon and the measure of his yard shall be no greater than the standard lot size decreed in 1902, then shall the magic engine appear. Until then, the wind and the sun will bear us onward.

There is nothing to add that will not result in a diminishing of these hallowed words. Amen!

Posted by director at 06:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Think Watermellon (green on the outside, red on the inside) energy policies are a good idea? Look at what is happening in South Africa right now and how the domino effect could cripple the entire world economy.

For an exceptional look at what happens to countries where the overall energy policies are dictated by imbeciles, lackwits, and lawyers (although I may be redundant in listing all three), look to South Africa, formerly an economic and industry powerhouse (pun intended) on the African continent. The country is now in a deepening economic crisis because they let all of the released inmates from the environmental asylum dictate policy, didn't build new power plants or maintain the existing ones appropriately, and so now they can't mine gold, platinum, and palladium at anything near normal production rates. A good part of the recent run ups on those metals' prices is because of the reduced production. There are rotating power outages around the country for everyone, and SA industry is being reined in significantly, obviously reducing the quality of living for the ordinary person.

The reductions in platinum and palladium production, BTW, will start to really sting the energy industry soon. Platinum and palladium are essential catalysts in the petroleum industry, and while acting catalytically, are depleted from their substrates or poisoned, requiring replacement of the overall substrate and catalyst periodically. Refineries typically do this at "turnarounds" where pretty much the entire refinery is shutdown for major maintenance, including such things as catalyst switchouts. The increasing costs on rare metals will cause the coming rounds of turnarounds to be much more expensive.

But why are turnarounds important ? Well, here in the United States, certain imbeciles, lackwits and suchlike folk consider that refineries shutting down for major maintenance is all part of a conspiracy to keep distillate (read - gasoline and diesel) prices high. The fact that the refinery capability vs. demand is balanced on a razor's edge in many places (California and greater Chicago area being two fine examples) and that shutdowns are postponed until the last possible moment means that when a refinery goes to turnaround or "crashes", it's a pretty significant event.

And failures at refineries are both spectacular and deadly.

Posted by director at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Spousal Unit recieved this bit of good news regarding Senate Bill 6900:

This bill never even got out of committee, and I wouldn't have supported it, if it did. But it's been curious that this round of emails heated up a couple of weeks after the bill died. Anyway, thanks for writing ... proved that my assessment was correct.

deb

Rep. Deb Eddy
48th District
Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah and the Points Communities e eddy.leg.wa.gov p 360.786.7848

Posted by director at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The State of Washington is using the Great Climate Change Hoax to justify getting around the vehicle tax limitations voted into law by the citizens (known in Olympia as "revenue generators"). Here is the table showing the proposed tax scale, which will run from 1/1/2009 until new(er) rules take effect on 1/1/2012:

Engine Size (liters) Rate Schedule
Up to 1.9 $0
2.0 - 2.9 $70
3.0 - 3.9 $225
4.0 - 4.9 $275
5.0 - 5.9 $325
6.0 - 7.9 $400
8.0 or over $600

On January 1, 2012 the tax will be base on CO2 emissions according to this table:

CO2 Emissions (grams/mile) Rate Schedule
Up to 161 $0
162 - 193 $70
194 - 241 $225
242 - 266 $275
267 - 298 $325
299 - 362 $400
Over 362 $600

Of course, the State will not actually measure how much C02 comes out of your tailpipe (or your car...) but will rely on whatever source will generate the most revenues:

For the purpose of administering this section, the department shall rely on the grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission per mile as provided by vehicle manufacturers, or other sources defined by the department, to determine the grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission per mile of each vehicle.

Emphasis mine. For those who think this really is a climate issue, think again. The Ruling Class in Olympia has had it's collective knickers in a wad ever since the Revenue Generators began objecting to the tax gouging taking place in this state. And the masses have been not just objecting but doing annoying things about it, like voting for repeals. Of course Those Who Know What's Best For Us will seek any excuse to ratchet up taxes and in this case Glow Ball Wormening suits their purposes nicely.

Complain to your "Representative" here.

Posted by director at 02:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Apparently I was too preocupied with the fine weather this weekend to notice this:

Put simply, society has collapsed, and with it, many people's sense of connection to others, and their ability to see themselves as an active force in their own world.

It would be helpful if future societal collapses are announced beforehand so that people who are busy living their own lives won't feel so left out of the discussion when they get to work the next day.

Posted by director at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Highly skilled workers fleeing Britain? Imagine that. However, I concur with the commenter who labels this ambition drain. Over the course of history has there been any (free) country better at creating a hostile environment for it's most valuable citizens? The success and vibrancy of the U.S. is owed largely to Britain's chasing out the ambitious, the restless, and the non-conformists who built this nation.

The amazing part is the Brits just keep doing it.

It should be noted that not all of these emmigrants will find happiness in the wider world. I worked with a U.K. ex-pat at Microsoft for a while, helping him in his move from a tester to a test developer. This poor guy was in over his head but he liked to blame his failings on terrible competitive forces in the US. He felt we all worked too hard and too long and if we (the entire United States of America) would just slow down a bit he'd be able to keep up.

After a few months he moved on to slower pastures.

Posted by director at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

And Iraq will have a decentralized, federal system of government.

So says Fred Barnes. Wish we had that here but the Democrats running for POTUS have other ideas.

Posted by director at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Do you think Environmentalism is about science? Think again. It always has been about the destruction of Democracy.

At least these guys have the guts to come out and say it.

Watch for a public denunciation from many Warmenistas, while internally agreeing and working towards the same ends.

Posted by director at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

John McCain is not my first choice for the Republican nomination. Or second. Or third.

He appears, however to have taken a commanding lead in the delegate count as of yesterday's Super Tuesday voting. McCain will probably lock up the nomination in the next few weeks.

But he can't win the Presidential election against Obama. Hillary can be beat by, well, anybody not named Clinton. I hope he takes Rudy as his running mate but that's unlikely even if it is smart.

So it turns out that Hillary is the Republican's best hope for 2008. Who would have thought?

Posted by director at 05:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by director at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

According to the P-I, Mike Holmgren will play out his contract in Seattle. With Jim Mora eschewing the Redskin's overtures to remain in Seattle it is even more clear that he will succeed the Big Show next year.

Look for Mora to take on a bigger role for the Seahawks this year.

Posted by director at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Background here. It is obvious the purse-lipped interrogator is not used to being answered in such a manner. She truly has no idea how to respond.

Posted by director at 01:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been reading about the sins of Google and within the past month decided to abandon Google in favor of Ask. Glenn Reynolds tallies the problems then summarizes with:

So what, exactly, does Google have that will protect it from a sudden shift in consumer sentiments?

Answer: not a blessed thing. Unless they get some grown-ups to put the kiddies in line, Google may well go down as the most colossal corporate bungle of all time. The Chinese have a symbol called the Yin and Yang. You know what it is, the circle with the black and white slugs chasing each other. You will note that the "eye" of each of the colored areas is the color of the other slug.

The best explanation I've heard for the symbology of the "eyes" is this: within every success lies the seeds of failure and within every failure lies the seeds of success. Google may very well prove the validity of that philosophy.

I'm perfectly happy with Ask.com, including the maps. I won't go back.

Posted by director at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

...you think Stalin was a pansy.
...you agree with totalitarianism, as long as your guy is in charge.
...you endorse free speech when it agrees with you.
...you think communism never got a fair shake.
...you despise the people who pay your salary via their taxes.

Honestly, how far gone do you have to be to believe this?

"...most national media tilt so far to the right as to parody themselves...."

Via Insty

Posted by director at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reduced air pollution causes global warming. So says new research. Keep driving that SUV and fire up the wood stove.

From a BBC article::

The decline in Soviet industry and clean air laws in western countries apparently reduced concentrations of aerosols, tiny particles, in the atmosphere. These aerosols may block solar radiation directly, or help clouds to form which in turn constitute a barrier; or both effects may occur.

The reversal of "global dimming" has been proposed in some circles as an alternative explanation for climatic change, removing the need to invoke human emissions of greenhouse gases.

-Godshatter

Posted by Godshatter at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Normally, I like Borders and often find their tech sections to be particularly well-stocked. According to SamizData they are yanking the next issue of "Free Inquiry" because the issue will carry the super-lame motoons. This is cowardice on a level that requires a committee. Sorry but until they earn back their white feathers of cowardice, they get no more of my hard-earned cash. OK, I'm not sorry except in sense that it should not have come to this.

More at Whizbang.

Posted by director at 09:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Perfesser mentions the HBO show about polygamy in Utah. When Cathy Seipp argues that "legalized polygamy is legalized slavery" it might sound over-the-top. It is not.

A friend of mine lost five years of her life to a polygamist cult, not to mention a great deal of her sanity and self-worth. It took a brave and daring escape from an isolated Mexican community to get the remnants of her life back. That HBO finds this entertaining is just awful. What's next? A show about the joys of 18th century plantations?

Posted by director at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just in case the concept of Religion of Peace has taken hold in your brain, a not-so-gentle reminder of the historical nature of The Enemy of All Civilization.

From Roger Simon

Posted by director at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... or do others, when they see the word intifada, hear the word infantile in their heads?

Posted by director at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

People who believe the Constitution would break if it didn't change with society are "idiots," U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says.

I find the tenor of the article akin to "you won't believe what this guy said!" even though I do believe it because I've read some of Scalia's writings, which I doubt Jonathan Ewing has done.

"That's the argument of flexibility and it goes something like this: The Constitution is over 200 years old and societies change. It has to change with society, like a living organism, or it will become brittle and break."

"But you would have to be an idiot to believe that," Scalia said. "The Constitution is not a living organism, it is a legal document. It says something and doesn't say other things."

Radical!

Via Common Sense Junction. Hey, Frank, when did sense become common? Seems pretty scarce around these parts.

Posted by director at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, this is so tastelessly funny. WARNING: Not PC safe.

Posted by director at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Spousal Unit was filling out a survey from the RNC when she came across this question:

"Do you think Social Security needs to be strengthened, or should Congress leave it alone?"

Possible answers: yes, no, no opinion. No place to check off, "Ummm..."

Posted by director at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With the confirmation of Alito the O'Conner era has come to a conclusion. Her bizzare opinions will take decades to clear up but the work is in capable hands.

I look forward to reading some great words from Justice Scalia in other-than-dissenting opinions.

Posted by director at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I am normally diametrically opposed to everything Sheets Byrd has to say but I find myself agreeing with him for once. Apparently he got an earful from his constituents because he has come out 1) for Alito and 2) against the Democratic tactics.

Here are some choice quotes:

http://bench.nationalreview.com/archives/088390.asp
All of these issues should be debated but the battle line should not be drawn on the Judiciary. It should be debated by the peoples' representatives right here in the legislative branch. However, too many Americans apparently believe that if they cannot get Congress to address an issue then they must take it to the Court. As the saying goes: "if you can't change the law, change the judge."
This kind of thinking represents a gross misinterpretation of the separation of powers. It is the role of the Congress, the role of the legislative branch to make and change the laws. Supreme Court justices exist to interpret laws and be sure that they square with the Constitution and with law.

-Godshatter

Posted by Godshatter at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The idea that Iraq didn't have WMD before the war has been pretty much accepted as fact. Is it though? Saddam's #2 air force official says it isn't:

The man who served as the no. 2 official in Saddam Hussein's air force says Iraq moved weapons of mass destruction into Syria before the war by loading the weapons into civilian aircraft in which the passenger seats were removed.

-Godshatter

Posted by Godshatter at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is insane. Mexican TROOPS armed with machine guns trapse over our border to deliver drugs, and the Border Patrol is afraid of causing an 'incident' by defending our country.

"It's been so bred into everyone not to start an international incident with Mexico that it's been going on for years," Doyal said.

Put the US Military on the border. Build a wall. Why the hell should we be afraid of offending Mexico? It by God should be the other way around.

Thanks to Michele Malkin, who has much, much more on these not-infrequent incursions.

Posted by director at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This one got left in the dustbin of unpublished posts. Sorry for the delay.

Interview of Gary Sinise, one of the (very few) classy men in Hollywood.

Posted by director at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

James C. Bennett quotes an article from The Australian that shows the Lebanese community where the riots took place had a significantly lower assimilation rate than other communities.

Studies by Monash University's Bob Birrell of the most revealing test of immigrant integration, the marriage rate, showed that by the end of the '90s less than 10 per cent of second-generation marriages of people of European descent were to someone from their parents' country. Much the same was true of immigrants from south and east Asia. Only 6 per cent of Indians married within their ethnic group, as did only 18 per cent of Chinese. In short, most immigrants, whatever their race, married Australians of other nationalities.

However, for the Lebanese, of whom most of marriageable age were Muslims, these figures were reversed. No less than 74 per cent of Lebanese brides and 61 per cent of Lebanese grooms married within their own ethnic group. Moreover, these figures had increased since the early '90s, when they were about six percentage points lower. This pattern may have fulfilled the community-building objective sought by Lebanese political and religious leaders, but it has been a disaster for their constituents' relationship with the rest of Australia.

Via Insy

Posted by director at 09:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have noted before that the comfortable marriage between the political Left and the Islamists is one of convenience. The Left has purged itself of the capacity for violence so they are hoping the terrorists will do their dirty work but leave them in power.

Dr. Sanity doesn't quite expand on that theme but spends a great deal of energy exposing the frail underpinnings of Modern Liberalism. I like what she said a lot better.

Someday, it will occur to someone that the Left has not had a single new idea for over half a century and that none of the "great" programs they have created have actually worked. Yet they guard those programs jealously, afraid of any new ideas or approaches that might make them have doubts in their precious ideology.

Instead of reducing poverty, they have created a class of people dependent on the government for their survival and thus they ensure continuing poverty--even through the generations. Motivation is destroyed. Self-respect is trashed. Victimhood and passivity become a way of life whose worse aspects are glorified in the music and culture of the newly created welfare class.

Read. It. All.
Thanks to Malkin again.

Posted by director at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Tony Snow on the radio this morning: "Sometimes Scalia reminds his collegues that he's smarter than they are, and they're a bunch of dopes."

Posted by director at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It can be argued that we are in the darkest days of the Bush (43) presidency. We are still in Iraq and losing troops three years after the initial war. The economy is being rocked by hurricane after hurricane and high fuel prices. The President's pick for the Supreme Court is killed by members of his own party. High ranking White House staffers are under threat of indictment. It's a pretty dark day. The Presidency is in danger of becoming a lame duck.
Or is he? The 2000th soldier was lost this week and no one other than Cindy Sheehan seemed to notice. Certainly not the mainstream public. Iraq just overwhelmingly voted in favor of a new constitution and appears to be on its way toward better days. Despite three hurricanes, the economy grew at a brisk 3.8% last quarter. The DOW is up 107 points as I write. Sure, Miers was nixed for SCOTUS but if the next pick is chosen carefully, it could be a rallying point for the base right before a critical election year. Karl Rove dodged a bullet and was not indicted. The Vice President's chief of staff was indicted but I suspect that not 1 in 500 Americans outside the beltway knowns his name.
If, as the press would have us believe, these are the darkest days, I'll take them. From where I'm sitting, this looks more like overcast, not dark. Dark is when you need a lantern to see any light. Right now, I doubt that my pupils are even dilated.

-Godshatter

Posted by Godshatter at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the Miers nomination for SCOTUS was announced, I winced. I had flashbacks to the Seuter and Kennedy nominations. Still, I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Bush had not let us down before. He had nominated great candidates to the federal judiciary, the UN, the federal reserve, etc.
After running across this speech of hers though, I'm glad that she withdrew her nomination. Hugh Hewitt says the speech isn't significant but I disagree. Bush tells us that she is a conservative but everything about her past says she is a conservative in the Seuter mold. She has given to Democrats, advocated racial set-asides, advocated judicial activism (see speech), etc. She may be conservative right now, but if she wasn't just 12 years ago, who is to say she won't flop again. Without a readily established judicial philosophy her chances of succumbing to pressures on the court increase.
I think we dodged a bullet here. She would have been a disaster. That's not to say we've averted disaster though. The next nominee will have to be a conservative and that could spell deadlock. We could be in trouble here. Still, I'd rather have the possibility of a bad situation to a guaranteed one.

-Godshatter

Posted by Godshatter at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Like the combined IQ of the hosts, the listenership of Air America is undetectable. If a radio station broadcasts but nobody listens, is it still vaccuous?

Air America, the liberal talk network carried on WWRC-AM (1260), went from bad to nonexistent. After WWRC recorded a mere fraction of a rating point in the spring with syndicated shows from the likes of lefty talkers Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo and Stephanie Miller, Arbitron couldn't detect a measurable listenership for the station this time around.

Via VodkaPundit.

Posted by director at 07:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gotta love that Scrappleface guy:

"The Bush foreign policy continues to be fatally-wounded by clarity of purpose, dogged persistence and a pathetic failure to capitulate in the face of opposition," the source said. "At a time when a real leader would be paralyzed with self-doubt over the meaningless deaths of 2,000 American troops, Bush continues to act as if freeing 25 million Iraqis from decades of oppression, torture and death is somehow worth the price paid by those who volunteered to fight."

Posted by director at 08:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I just read this over at the Volokh Conspiracy [if you don't read it--you should]. The house just passed S.397, the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms" act. The gist of it is that gun manufacturers cannot be found liable for the proper use of their products. Anti-gun bigots--having a hard time winning at the ballot box--were trying to win in the last refuge of the elitest left. They were attempting to circumvent the 2nd amendment by suing gun manufacturers when someone used a gun in a crime. If you've seen the movie, The Runaway Jury*, you understand what I'm talking about here. If successful, this could have the de facto effect of banning guns. The bill was previously passed by the Senate and it now on the way to the President's desk where he is sure to sign it. It's a good day for the Constitution.

-Godshatter

* Don't hold this against John Grisham. His book of the same name was about Tobacco. Hollywood decided to make evil gun manufacturers the target. I suspect that had something to do with its poor showing at the box office.

Posted by Godshatter at 12:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This article from the Blogfather is more ominous than the population at-large will be able to grasp.

On the other hand, it may hasten us to a new internet standard since it won't take long for the EU/UN to strangle the golden goose. They see the threat to their monopoly and they fear the freedom the internet fosters.

"The state has grown used to treating its taxpayers as a farmer treats its cows, keeping them in a field to be milked. Soon, the cows will have wings.

"Like an angry farmer, the state will no doubt take desperate measures at first to tether and hobble its escaping herd. It will employ covert and even violent means to restrict access to liberating technologies."

The Sovereign Individual

Posted by director at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

London cops blast fleeing terror suspect. Muslims are afraid.

"We are getting phone calls from quite a lot of Muslims who are distressed about what may be a shoot-to-kill policy."

More such distress would seem like the right direction. Better to distress potential bombers than innocent citizens.

Via Roger L. Simon

Posted by director at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm glad to see that Bush picked a winner for the court. I was really worried that he'd go wobbly on us but it appears he didn't. He picked a man who is reportedly one of the smartest lawyers in DC. Someone who has argued 49 cases before the Supreme Court. Someone who was brave enough to let stand a really stupid law making it a crime to eat french fries on the subway in D.C. because, while inane, it wasn't unconstitutional. This man is John Roberts. Hugh Hewitt has mentioned him in the past in glowing terms. If the guy is good enough for Hugh, he's good enough for me.
The Dem's seem confused about how to respond. They want to go nuclear but aren't sure the country will buy it. There are polls of late showing that 60+ % of the country think the President should get his pick. This guy doesn't look to provide a big target. We can only hope that they are full of bluster and won't actually block the nomination. Stay tuned...

-Godshatter

Posted by Godshatter at 10:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

RevoteWa.com has an online survey covering potential reforms to the completely broken elections system in Washington State.

Go here to participate in the poll.

Posted by director at 09:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Opponents of the new 9 cents-per-gallon tax increase turned in 420,570 signatures yesterday, almost 200,000 more than required. The Seattle P-I reports that supporters of the new tax are "shocked."

I bet. 420,570 citizens (not "subjects", or "assets", btw) struck back at the ruling class in Washington State with such a thunderous voice that most within the echo chamber of Olympia must be wondering what that sound is.

It is the sound of many elected officials hunting for new jobs come election day, 2006.

It is the sound of citizens breaking their silence on neo-marxist government spending.

It is the sound of status quo crumbling under the weight of free-flowing information.

Posted by director at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Have some fun with the Gitmo Terro-Gator if you dare! Not for the faint-of-heart.

Posted by director at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A fascinating interview with Kenyan economics expert James Shikwati by Der Spiegel:

SPIEGEL: Mr. Shikwati, the G8 summit at Gleneagles is about to beef up the development aid for Africa...

Shikwati: ... for God's sake, please just stop.

SPIEGEL: Stop? The industrialized nations of the West want to eliminate hunger and poverty.

Shikwati: Such intentions have been damaging our continent for the past 40 years. If the industrial nations really want to help the Africans, they should finally terminate this awful aid. The countries that have collected the most development aid are also the ones that are in the worst shape. Despite the billions that have poured in to Africa, the continent remains poor.

SPIEGEL: Do you have an explanation for this paradox?

Read the whole thing for the insider's view on the crippling effects of foreign aid.

Posted by director at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here is part of an email I received today from my long-time (daren't say "old"!) friend in London:

Its awful but at least the casualties weren’t as high as yours. I worry about the muslims here, the Brits are far less tolerant than the Americans and far quicker to hurt people. Those that will do this will not be intelligent enough to realise the muslims as a people are not responsible but a few madmen and there will be those looking for someone to blame and unfortunately they will be it. No doubt somewhere along the line the blame will be levelled at Israel, it usually is, just like 911 was.

London was deserted last night so goodness what this will do to small businesses. Public transport is crap at the best of times, now it will be a bigger problem because people will use their cars and Livingston the mayor has spent years trying to cut down on the cars! Mind you he is anti-jewish and says the suicide bombers have a point, I wonder what his opinion will be of suicide bombers now they did it in his back yard!!!

This lady has traveled extensively, especially to the States. She thinks, for example, that the U.K. is twenty years behind the USA in certain technologies. So, to note that the bigotted, racist America (according to certain segments) is more tolerant than our British cousins is quite a statement.

I'm working up a concept in my mind: all the billions spent on public transportation and it turns out to be a huge safety risk. Wonder what the socialists will say about that?

Posted by director at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dino Rossi will not appeal the court decision upholding the Washington Gubernatorial election of 2004. This is a good move on the part of Rossi in spite of the fighting spirit of many people in the state.

First of all, the court challenge was unwinable with the current state laws. The Republicans did manage to showcase the at-best incompetence in King County and the terrible way the election was handled. There was almost no chance of the election being set aside but the citizens of the state saw Rossi make a good fight and bow out gracefully.

Second, it will leave some fire in the bellies of many people throughout the state which can be turned towards election reform initiatives, county realignment, and ousting the King County political machine.

When the next election roles around King County residents will remember who lied, who covered up, and who was responsible for this fiasco. The Democrats won't be able to survive this win.

Via SoundPolitics

Posted by director at 09:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm listening to the Rossi trial decision. This judge needs to learn some basic logic before he renders his decisions. Here is an example of his fallacious logic (not a direct quote): "The only evidence we have of the real intent of the illegal voters were those who voted for Rossi or Bennet. Yet the petitioner's proportional deduction standard would have attributed their votes in part to Gregoire." Umm, yeah. It also partially attributed their votes to Bennett and Rossi. By this judge's logic, if I can find *any* single ballot that goes against the majority, it proves you can't trust the statistics. A single data point can disprove the overall data. Dumbass.

Update: The judge also made the brilliant decision to remove the illegal votes from the total count. However, he didn't change the votes for Rossi, Gregoire, or Bennet. So now we have an election where Total Votes < Rossi + Gregoire + Bennett. What a fitting ending.

Posted by Godshatter at 09:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)