Friday, October 24, 2008
Why Oil is going lower.
Many countries, like Russia, have borrowed to fuel their growth. They now need to sell oil to service that debt. Not being able to refinance is forcing those countries to sell oil at any price.
Poll Result: Taxes and Fairness
Is it better to:
Lower taxes to achieve more money 71%, (5-2)
Raise taxes to achieve "fairness" 28%
Well I guess there is still a lot (28%) of envy out there.
Lower taxes to achieve more money 71%, (5-2)
Raise taxes to achieve "fairness" 28%
Well I guess there is still a lot (28%) of envy out there.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Palin on SNL
Lorne Michaels on Palin:
"I think Palin will continue to be underestimated for a while. I watched the way she connected with people, and she's powerful. Her politics aren't my politics. But you can see that she's a very powerful, very disciplined, incredibly gracious woman. This was her first time out and she's had a huge impact. People connect to her."
link
Alex Baldwin on Palin:
"When you come on a show like that, you are prepared in advance to get worked over. Palin knew that. Palin came on to be a good sport. And she was. She was polite, gracious. (More so than some of the famous actors who come through there, believe me.)"
link
"I think Palin will continue to be underestimated for a while. I watched the way she connected with people, and she's powerful. Her politics aren't my politics. But you can see that she's a very powerful, very disciplined, incredibly gracious woman. This was her first time out and she's had a huge impact. People connect to her."
link
Alex Baldwin on Palin:
"When you come on a show like that, you are prepared in advance to get worked over. Palin knew that. Palin came on to be a good sport. And she was. She was polite, gracious. (More so than some of the famous actors who come through there, believe me.)"
link
Expect More Layoffs
With an Obama win almost a certainty, corporate executives are already planning more layoffs to offset the expected tax increases. It is possible that most of the job loses will occur even before he takes office.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Palin - CNN
National Review
"Editor’s note: Byron York’s recent article in National Review on Sarah Palin’s time as governor of Alaska became a campaign issue Tuesday when CNN’s Drew Griffin distorted its meaning in a high-profile interview with Palin. CNN’s problems aside, what was the story really about? And what did it say about Palin's readiness for office? Now, for the first time, York’s article is available on the web."
The question begins 1:25 into clip below.
part one:
"Editor’s note: Byron York’s recent article in National Review on Sarah Palin’s time as governor of Alaska became a campaign issue Tuesday when CNN’s Drew Griffin distorted its meaning in a high-profile interview with Palin. CNN’s problems aside, what was the story really about? And what did it say about Palin's readiness for office? Now, for the first time, York’s article is available on the web."
The question begins 1:25 into clip below.
part one:
Greed -The falling economy.
As we approach a world-wide recession let us not forget that is was caused be greed. From the Chinese toys and milk producers who destroyed their industries trying to make a few more cents. To the Florida condo investors, buying to flip and not to own. From the executives of Country Wide and all the other banks who sold/bought home loans without evaluating the properties or the owners. To the millions of consumers who buy everything on credit. To the OPEC nations which allowed oil to go to $140 a barrel.
Relatively cheap energy is the foundation of the modern economy. When the OPEC nations allowed the price to skyrocket pass $80 a barrel they were setting up the world economy for a fall. Although they made money from their oil in the short run, they are now losing more in the asset values of the stocks they bought with the oil money. Like Matha Stewart, who saved a few thousand from insider-trading but lost millions, the OPEC nations are now experiencing the results of their short-term thinking.
Relatively cheap energy is the foundation of the modern economy. When the OPEC nations allowed the price to skyrocket pass $80 a barrel they were setting up the world economy for a fall. Although they made money from their oil in the short run, they are now losing more in the asset values of the stocks they bought with the oil money. Like Matha Stewart, who saved a few thousand from insider-trading but lost millions, the OPEC nations are now experiencing the results of their short-term thinking.
Good Times Ahead?
The euro is trading at $1.28, close to what the original mark was supposed to be at $1.18. Oil is under $67. Gold is down to $725 an ounce. In times of trouble to world comes to the U.S. The stock market is falling, but the volume is around 1 billion versus 3 billion shares traded daily. The Dow is 8500, fire sale prices for those who can wait 5 to 10 years.
Poll Results
IS THIS THE TIME FOR ?
Bigger Govt, More Taxes 40%
Smaller Govt, Less Taxes 40%
Bigger Govt, Less Taxes 20% (2-2-1)
DO YOU FAVOR A SPLIT GOVERNMENT?
No - Favor Dem Control 45%
No - Favor Rep Control 27%
Yes - Rep Cong, Dem Pres 27%
(5-3-3)
Bigger Govt, More Taxes 40%
Smaller Govt, Less Taxes 40%
Bigger Govt, Less Taxes 20% (2-2-1)
DO YOU FAVOR A SPLIT GOVERNMENT?
No - Favor Dem Control 45%
No - Favor Rep Control 27%
Yes - Rep Cong, Dem Pres 27%
(5-3-3)
Poll Results - Third Debate
WAS THE DEBATE GOOD? 66% Yes, 22% Average, 11% No (6-2-1)
WHO WON THE THIRD DEBATE? 54% Obama, 27% McCain, 18% Tie (6-3-2)
WHO WON THE THIRD DEBATE? 54% Obama, 27% McCain, 18% Tie (6-3-2)
New York Times: Acorn Report Raises Issues of Legality
New York Times
"An internal report by a lawyer for the community organizing group Acorn raises questions about whether the web of relationships among its 174 affiliates may have led to violations of federal laws."
"An internal report by a lawyer for the community organizing group Acorn raises questions about whether the web of relationships among its 174 affiliates may have led to violations of federal laws."
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
More Voter Fraud in Ohio
link
"On Wednesday, the Prosecutor's Office announced that it was investigating 13 voters who each listed the same Brownlee Avenue address on their voter registrations. On Friday, 10 Investigates learned that the home was the base of operations for a group called "Vote From Home.""
"On Wednesday, the Prosecutor's Office announced that it was investigating 13 voters who each listed the same Brownlee Avenue address on their voter registrations. On Friday, 10 Investigates learned that the home was the base of operations for a group called "Vote From Home.""
Murtha Watch: PA is redneck
"Democratic Rep. John Murtha said Monday some of his constituents in western Pennsylvania are "rednecks" and the entire region just five to 10 years ago was "really redneck."
The comments come one week after he called his own constituents "racist" in an interview with his local newspaper."
longer version:
link
Monday, October 20, 2008
Good and Evil, Part 4 - The nature of reality.
The term God is shorthand for the "first cause", God or Gods that create and control the universe.
It is possible we live in the universe of the spaghetti monster, the Matrix, or a Star Trek holodeck. If this is so, then all our observations and reasoning is base on faulty data. Thus there would be no further discussion. We would be limited to "sacred scriptures" or the words of the holy men. We would be, in effect, no better off than a insane person who cannot trust what appears to be the reality around him.
I prefer to think that if there is a God, he isn't lying to us. For if he is lying to us, then even the words of holy men and "sacred scriptures" cannot be trusted.
There either exists a God or doesn't. It is possible there is no God. But this can never be proven. The existence of God can be proven if he decides to make himself known to us. But a universe in which God is not interested in human affairs would appear the same as one in which there is no God.
Why is God important? Because some people in an existence of some sort of life after death. And they believe that how they live their lives will effect their status after death.
What is the point? To try to find a common basis for good and evil. One that doesn't matter if you pray to God five times a day, once a week or never.
It is possible we live in the universe of the spaghetti monster, the Matrix, or a Star Trek holodeck. If this is so, then all our observations and reasoning is base on faulty data. Thus there would be no further discussion. We would be limited to "sacred scriptures" or the words of the holy men. We would be, in effect, no better off than a insane person who cannot trust what appears to be the reality around him.
I prefer to think that if there is a God, he isn't lying to us. For if he is lying to us, then even the words of holy men and "sacred scriptures" cannot be trusted.
There either exists a God or doesn't. It is possible there is no God. But this can never be proven. The existence of God can be proven if he decides to make himself known to us. But a universe in which God is not interested in human affairs would appear the same as one in which there is no God.
Why is God important? Because some people in an existence of some sort of life after death. And they believe that how they live their lives will effect their status after death.
What is the point? To try to find a common basis for good and evil. One that doesn't matter if you pray to God five times a day, once a week or never.
The face of evil
"Taliban assailants on a motorbike gunned down a Christian aid worker in Kabul on Monday and the militants said she was killed for spreading her religion"
"A spokeswoman for the aid group, SERVE — Serving Emergency Relief and Vocational Enterprises — said it is a Christian organization but denied it was involved in proselytizing."
link
"A spokeswoman for the aid group, SERVE — Serving Emergency Relief and Vocational Enterprises — said it is a Christian organization but denied it was involved in proselytizing."
link
Biden Watch - Obama to be tested.
link
Doesn't this make you feel warm and fuzzy?
Biden said:
"“Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America.”
“Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”
“He’s gonna have to make some really tough - I don’t know what the decision’s gonna be, but I promise you it will occur. As a student of history and having served with seven presidents, I guarantee you it’s gonna happen.”
Rush on Biden's comments:
Doesn't this make you feel warm and fuzzy?
Biden said:
"“Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America.”
“Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”
“He’s gonna have to make some really tough - I don’t know what the decision’s gonna be, but I promise you it will occur. As a student of history and having served with seven presidents, I guarantee you it’s gonna happen.”
Rush on Biden's comments:
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Good and Evil Part 3, Perspective II
The current scientific estimate is that all life on earth will end in a billion years. There is nothing that can be done. So no matter what you do it will all eventually end. Those who wish to "save the earth" are only doing so for a short time, in relative terms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
"In fact, even during its life in the main sequence, the Sun is gradually becoming more luminous (about 10% every 1 billion years), and its surface temperature is slowly rising. The increase in solar temperatures is such that in about a billion years, the surface of the Earth will become too hot for liquid water to exist, ending all terrestrial life.["
Of course, we all have a shorter timeline, i.e. until our own deaths. Some believe they can achieve partial immortality by having children. For those who acknowledge evolution, a million years from now mankind descendant's, if they survive, will have changed, possibly into multiple branches. And possibly none representing anything they exists today.
The shape of the earth is changing, the continents are drifting. In one theory the fertile crescent region may have turned in deserts over the last 10,000 years because the Indian subcontinent smashing into Asia. The additional heights of the mountains may have shifted wind patterns.
The most recent ice age peaked 20,000 years ago ending about 10,000 years ago. This global warming took place without man's significant contributions.
Then there are things like the Yellowstone caldera. This super volcano last erupted 640,000 years ago. Its previous eruption was 1.3 millions years ago. So it could erupt in the next 100,000 years, destroying most of life in the western United States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun
"In fact, even during its life in the main sequence, the Sun is gradually becoming more luminous (about 10% every 1 billion years), and its surface temperature is slowly rising. The increase in solar temperatures is such that in about a billion years, the surface of the Earth will become too hot for liquid water to exist, ending all terrestrial life.["
Of course, we all have a shorter timeline, i.e. until our own deaths. Some believe they can achieve partial immortality by having children. For those who acknowledge evolution, a million years from now mankind descendant's, if they survive, will have changed, possibly into multiple branches. And possibly none representing anything they exists today.
The shape of the earth is changing, the continents are drifting. In one theory the fertile crescent region may have turned in deserts over the last 10,000 years because the Indian subcontinent smashing into Asia. The additional heights of the mountains may have shifted wind patterns.
The most recent ice age peaked 20,000 years ago ending about 10,000 years ago. This global warming took place without man's significant contributions.
Then there are things like the Yellowstone caldera. This super volcano last erupted 640,000 years ago. Its previous eruption was 1.3 millions years ago. So it could erupt in the next 100,000 years, destroying most of life in the western United States.
Good and Evil Part 2, Perspective
There are an estimated 10 billion billion stars. If only one out of Billion stars had a plant where life exists, that leaves 10 billion planets with life. To assume the earth is the only one that developed intelligent life seems highly improbable. But even if we assume that, Life has existed approximately 3.7 billion years. Evolutionists believe that homo sapiens appeared less than 500,000 years ago (250K-400K). Modern humans appeared less than 100,000 years ago. Written history is less than 10,000 years old (approx 6,000). But even if way say man in the pinnacle of creation, what is the correct religion? Are the oldest more important than the newest? Does the numbers of followers matter? Can there be more than one correct religion, even if they contradict each other?
Lets assume there is a correct religion, i.e. one that has all the correct answers. The one with most members is Christianity. At approximately 2.1 billion members it is less than one third of the population. So most of the world is following a religion that is not correct in all things. But even Christians cannot agree on all things.
So what does this mean? To me this means we all should have some humility when we think we know what God would want.
Lets assume there is a correct religion, i.e. one that has all the correct answers. The one with most members is Christianity. At approximately 2.1 billion members it is less than one third of the population. So most of the world is following a religion that is not correct in all things. But even Christians cannot agree on all things.
So what does this mean? To me this means we all should have some humility when we think we know what God would want.
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