Rebane's Ruminations
November 2011
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George Rebane

California’s carbon calamity is cranking up to full speed, destroying jobs and driving companies to other lands and states.  CARB is now the loose cannon in the state’s economy, putting into full force the dictates of AB32 (q.v.).  Even the unions are screaming about job losses and arguing that California’s carbon tax n’ spend will not affect global warming in slightest.  Meanwhile the green Europeans are rethinking the carbon calamity that they were planning for themselves.  More in ‘California’s New Green Tax’.  Oh yes, and we mustn't forget about the new industry of carbon tax farming coming to California.  Don't know about tax farming? then read this little ditty.

Who are the top 1% earners around here?  Russ Steele sent me a Dept Commerce census data covered in the Sac Bee (here).  Sounds about right.  The Occupiers ought get right in there and ferret out those people who are taking food out of the mouths of us 99% folks.  Is there no justice left in the world??!!

Our beloved Union couldn’t shoot straight on complex stuff like global warming.  Their article on physicist Richard Muller’s discovery that global temps have gone up in the last 50 years is supposed to be a big black eye for the “climate change deniers”.  I’m not aware of too many such deniers.  To be sure, there are skeptics of anthropogenic global warming, but it appears that reporting on such bright lines that separate the ‘deniers’ from the ‘skeptics’ is a still a bit difficult for a small understaffed newspaper.  No problem, the local Left was happy dancing in the streets.

The prominent proto-communist truthout.com is lamenting that police are acting with unwarranted brutality in the various cities where occupying is taking place.  In a “true democracy” police would act in a manner that support the law breakers.  “So imagine how it could be different, if we had a government designed to serve the people rather than keep them in their place. In a country with a true democratic culture the local governments would be serving these people and honoring their right to dissent and protest. They would instinctively be showing up at protests like this and offering to help with any sanitation problems, etc, setting up public toilets, and other services. They would even be offering tents. If there are security problems in the occupy camps a city would be posting police in the encampment to help the people there, with a clear mission to serve them.”  (emphasis in the original, read article here)  Maybe the cops could even soil their own cars so as not to overly inconvenience the occupiers sitting in their police supplied porta-potties.

Dana Perino of Fox News is historically challenged.  A couple of days ago in a gush she identified Steve Jobs as being “the best innovator in world history.”  The poor lady had not heard of Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, …, and thousands of other engineers and scientists whose fundamental discoveries changed the world.  Jobs, while no doubt a great product designer and marketer, was not in the same league with these historical giants.  Maybe there’s now a new politically correct definition of ‘innovator’ that puts Jobs into the top spot.

What happened in Greece between last Friday and this Monday to make the Dow climb 2.86% and then dive 2.26%?  Actually nothing, and that’s the quandary.  The market’s volatility attributed to the ups and downs of the next Greek financial palliative seems to be insane.  It doesn’t matter what the eurozone economical biggies (Germany, France) or the European Central Bank do or don’t do.  Greece will default on its sovereign debt, bet the ranch on it.  That paragon of union dominated socialism is so deep in the hole that Europe doesn't have a rope long enough to get them out.

The markets can’t be so dumb in the aggregate that they take seriously the impact of Nick calling Angela a ‘fatso’ and Angela calling Nick ‘shorty’ on Greece’s certain default.  It doesn’t matter how big of a check Greece gets to service its debt, even with the contemplated haircuts to the bond holders, Greece cannot grow out of its financial excesses, it has to default sooner than later.  Now if I know this, then all the money mavens in the world must know it.  Therefore the markets are being moved by something entirely different, and the media pundits writing headlines are either stupid (not ignorant), or they’re trying not to tell us something important – like the US is really headed for Depression2.

[update]  Today the Dow fell another 2.48%, ostensibly because Greek's proposed austerity measures, as the terms of the last EU bailout, will be turned down by the Greeks as they vote in a just announced referendum on said terms.  Now, dear reader, does it really matter in the scheme of things whether the pampered Greeks accept or reject the terms?  What changed?

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216 responses to “Ruminations – 1nov2011 (updated)”

  1. RL Crabb Avatar

    “The local left is dancing in the streets.” …Well, not exactly. Most are upset with The Union for headlining Michael Moore as an “agitator.” You just can’t win in the news biz.

    Like

  2. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    Kinda funny, law is only 5% BUT, a mysterious category called “other” is 30%, the biggest number on the chart, and is conveniently brushed aside. Let’s see, could that be industrial agrifarmers, politicians, and lobbyists? Now as for 22% MEDICAL, LET’S KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL HUGE MEDICAL CENTERS IN SACTO, with the specialists that serve clear up into the Sierra and well north and south in the Sacto Valley, so that number is skewed too.
    Saying that one in five of the wealthiest in the country is a doctor, seems rather out of touch with reality. Also, net wealth is not part of this picture, merely working income, and the two are not necessarily one and the same.
    On Jobs, what he has going for him is in part the speed of the acceptance of the new technology. It took 20 years for cars to really take off, as culture just wasn’t about to change so fast. How many of you would have predicted kindergartners with smartphones 15 years ago? How many of you would have even predicted smartphones?
    Rapid cultural change is slowly becoming the norm, rather than something that is resisted tooth and nail and buggywhip.

    Like

  3. George Rebane Avatar

    DougK – yes, the speed of acceptance is now due to the acceleration of technology, something that didn’t exist at the turn of the last century. Earth changing innovations took some decades to get established. But the speed of acceptance (covered here under Singularity Signposts) is still a different story from what was invented and introduced.

    Like

  4. Russ Steele Avatar

    The Government Giveth and the Government Taketh Away –-Famous green proverb
    Britain Pulls Plug On Green Jobs Boondoggle
    The subsidy for solar power is to be cut in half from 12 December of this year, the government has said. Solar panel makers and installers say the cut will cost thousands of jobs.

    Like

  5. bill tozer Avatar
    bill tozer

    RE the 1%ers, a progressive global view must be taken to get the real picture. Half of the world’s population make less than 2 bucks a day. To be in the global top 1%, the selfish greedy ones must make a mind blowing $34,000 a year to qualify. Wonder how long those evil corrupt slave master teachers protesting at Occupy Wall Street think they can continue to disguise themselves in the crowd of the unwashed. Liberal guilt rears its head again.
    http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2011/10/30/attention-protesters-youre-probably-part-of-the-global-one-percent/

    Like

  6. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    And so the USA 1%’ers are the global .01%’ers, and that ups their guilt level for the mess even higher. George, I would agree with your assessment of Jobs, but without him, or his equivalent, the money to feed the engineers while they create would not be there.

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  7. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    I have no doubt that while spreading the message that solar is no good, every decent piece of property is being bought up with the idea in mind that solar is the future, and that this factor already affects land and real estate pricing. In fact, if I were a conspiracy type, I’d say that that the pooh pooing of solar is merely an effort to keep the prices on good solar lands as low as possible, while discretely buying up as much of it as possible.

    Like

  8. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    Modesto General does not do these kinds of operations:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7c4Y9MW7-c&feature=youtu.be

    Like

  9. George Rebane Avatar

    DougK 809am – I was not aware of that little real estate boomlet. Those desert acres in the Mojave must finally be providing a profit for their long forlorn owners. Let us know more.
    BobRL 717am – then what would have been a more appropriate label for Michale Moore that is also suitable for use in a family newspaper?

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  10. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    A few alternates which were already suggested in Pelline’s blog:
    Jeff Pelline
    This was the headline that finally showed up in The Union:
    “Political agitator makes stop in Grass Valley”
    Why is a person on the left identified as a “political agitator” but a person on the right Is merely identified by their profession or where they reside? LOL.
    Gee, even Fox News refers to Michael Moore as a filmmaker:
    http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/03/20/filmmaker-michael-moore-rips-president-obama-libya/
    on October 30, 2011 at 7:14 pm | Reply Gail Allinson
    I saw that, Jeff. I thought it was pretty sleazy (to use a Union style word). Sure that is one of Mr. Moore’s roles as well as author and filmmaker; but “agitator” is a charged word. “Activist” would have conveyed the same idea without being so thoroughly loaded. How about “Michael Moore makes stop in Grass Valley” instead? It is not like we need to be told who Michael Moore is. The unabashedly biased Tea Party Gazette strikes again.
    To pick a nit with the form of the article, I make lots of typos and am no English major, but since when were a series of one sentence paragraphs the mark of a professional journalist? I’ve seen that in the Union before. Is that how the reporter wrote it, or did someone just format it that way? A good editor should not allow an article to go live in that form, even on the web edition.

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  11. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    “Those desert acres in the Mojave must finally be providing a profit for their long forlorn owners”
    I would be referring to land around here. Which is the better buy, all thing otherwise equal? North facing slope, south facing slope, or the ideal, ridgecreat with building site on northern side, plenty of room for panels close by on unobstructed southern side? Or best yet, though seldom done, earth berm home, southern exposure?

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  12. Ben Emery Avatar

    The 1% pushing back against democracy through their favorite political party.
    GOP WAR ON VOTING
    “As the nation gears up for the 2012 presidential election, Republican officials have launched an unprecedented, centrally coordinated campaign to suppress the elements of the Democratic vote that elected Barack Obama in 2008. Just as Dixiecrats once used poll taxes and literacy tests to bar black Southerners from voting, a new crop of GOP governors and state legislators has passed a series of seemingly disconnected measures that could prevent millions of students, minorities, immigrants, ex-convicts and the elderly from casting ballots. “What has happened this year is the most significant setback to voting rights in this country in a century,” says Judith Browne-Dianis, who monitors barriers to voting as co-director of the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C.
    Republicans have long tried to drive Democratic voters away from the polls. “I don’t want everybody to vote,” the influential conservative activist Paul Weyrich told a gathering of evangelical leaders in 1980. “As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.” But since the 2010 election, thanks to a conservative advocacy group founded by Weyrich, the GOP’s effort to disrupt voting rights has been more widespread and effective than ever. In a systematic campaign orchestrated by the American Legislative Exchange Council – and funded in part by David and Charles Koch, the billionaire brothers who bankrolled the Tea Party – 38 states introduced legislation this year designed to impede voters at every step of the electoral process.”
    02′- 07’investigation
    “Out of the 300 million votes cast in that period, federal prosecutors convicted only 86 people for voter fraud”
    Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-gop-war-on-voting-20110830#ixzz1cTBMr1aE

    Like

  13. Mikey McD Avatar

    How’s that socialism workin’ out for Greece?
    “1 Year Greek Yields Pass 200% For First Time Ever”…

    Like

  14. D. King Avatar
    D. King

    Ben Emery | 01 November 2011 at 09:03 AM
    “Republicans have long tried to drive Democratic voters away from the polls.”
    Yes Ben, just look at these republicans thugs.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFOKnJ0oXYY&feature=related
    Sorry Ben, that was the Black Panthers; my mistake!
    …and what did Eric Holder of “Fast and Furious” fame do?
    Nothing! And it happened right in front of you Ben.

    Like

  15. Mikey McD Avatar

    For all you government worshiping progressives… Greek government is offering you over 200% annual returns if you loan them some cash. Here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is!
    M. Thatcher- “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”

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  16. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    BenE must have never read any American history. The Republicans won the Civil War and everyone became a voter (except women) and in response the democrats running the south put poll taxes, the KKK and any other impediment in the way of the black vote. Then the Republicans overcame a filibuster by democrats to pass the Civil Rights Act and the Voters Rights Act. Now why would BenE make such fantastic lies up about the Republicans?

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  17. George Rebane Avatar

    DougK 857am – Gail Atkinson may have been better informed on the ‘progress’ of literary journalism if she had read a little RR wherein I have for years reported on how America’s literary “dumbth” (Steve Allen) has changed both written and verbal English. The Dept of Education’s longitudinal study of American adult literacy revealed many years ago that fewer than one in ten of us can reliably identify the subject of a multi-sentence paragraph. Newspapers responded by going to one and two sentence paragraphs, and that also happened years ago. The Union is only following what today is common practice.
    BenE 903am – That’s quite a charge – “Republican officials have launched an unprecedented, centrally coordinated campaign to suppress the elements of the Democratic vote that elected Barack Obama in 2008.” What pray is the nature of these revolting “voting rights” violations that prevent franchised citizens from casting their ballots in their home precincts? (The insertion of “immigrants” into the list was a heads-up. I was an immigrant, but that status changed when I became a naturalized citizen. Immigrants can’t legally cast ballots, and I think that may be the burr under the Dem’s blanket, since it hits them in their long-sought constituency.)

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  18. D. King Avatar
    D. King

    “Cynics who said tougher carbon controls in rich nations might increase global emissions by outsourcing energy-intensive industries to poorer nations with laxer standards are, for now at least, being proved right. While many Western economies stall, many developing economies are growing fast. And the continuing heavy dependence of many of them on coal is pushing up the global economy’s reliance on the dirtiest fuel.”
    Doh!
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/oct/31/why-world-burning-coal
    Must get instructions from the CARB ( and eat brains!).
    http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01464/Zombie_1464917c.jpg

    Like

  19. Scott Obermuller Avatar

    Ben’s post re the article in Rolling Stone was hilarious. There was at no time any actual proof that anyone legally entitled to vote was going to be prevented from being able to vote. The constant comparison to the poll tax was disgustingly false. No one will be required to come up with any money at all if they are low income. And the cost to obtain an ID for all others is of no financial consequence. The ongoing cant about how few have been prosecuted for voter fraud is just a load of dishonest BS. The entire reason for the new ID requirements is because there is currently no way to prove most voter fraud. The author of the screed is apparently ignorant of the electoral system, as are apparently, most of the gullible readers of this trash.
    This whole article was as factual as M Moore’s recent remarks here in our county that the banks had their “boots on our necks”. I guess since they no longer offer free toasters when you open an account, it’s really gotten Moore’s knickers in a twist.

    Like

  20. bill tozer Avatar
    bill tozer

    Concerning police brutality against the OWS (NYC), I take a different point of view based on current events. The New York Police are directing local homeless to the location of the People’s Park in NYC. The police are kindly telling the homeless where they can receive free food, shelter, and a secure environment. This has caused a bit of consternation among the 99%ers who are trying to figure out ways to keep the freeloaders out and from eating up their food. Alas, quite a dilemma for the OWT throng. I see the police behaving in true humanitarian fashion by caring, serving, protecting and watching out for the most vulnerable and needy in our society. Kudos to NYC Police and I hope they keep directing our homeless street people to the safety of tent city. Its time the 99%ers put their money where their mouths are.

    Like

  21. bill tozer Avatar
    bill tozer

    To Ben E and D. King (Ben E King) I have just 3 words to say about Eric Holder: Marc Rich Pardon.

    Like

  22. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    LBJ, the greatest Republican of them all time, was the President who signed for Civil Rights, and all of the wAR ON pOVERTY, AND FAVORITE PROJECT OF rEPUBBYS EVERYWHERE. aIN’T IT THE TRUTH, tODD? i HATE CAPS LOCKS, RUNNING THREE KEYBOARDS JUST NOW.

    Like

  23. Todd Juvinall Avatar
    Todd Juvinall

    Keachie, read my post and tell me what was wrong or not factual. Oh, you can’t. I too have a problem with not paying attention and end up with caps.

    Like

  24. Ben Emery Avatar

    Read it again, these are policies put in place not a theory. Notice the group I mentioned recently ALEC is also mentioned in this article.
    The 1% pushing back against democracy through their favorite political party.
    GOP WAR ON VOTING
    “As the nation gears up for the 2012 presidential election, Republican officials have launched an unprecedented, centrally coordinated campaign to suppress the elements of the Democratic vote that elected Barack Obama in 2008. Just as Dixiecrats once used poll taxes and literacy tests to bar black Southerners from voting, a new crop of GOP governors and state legislators has passed a series of seemingly disconnected measures that could prevent millions of students, minorities, immigrants, ex-convicts and the elderly from casting ballots. “What has happened this year is the most significant setback to voting rights in this country in a century,” says Judith Browne-Dianis, who monitors barriers to voting as co-director of the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C.
    Republicans have long tried to drive Democratic voters away from the polls. “I don’t want everybody to vote,” the influential conservative activist Paul Weyrich told a gathering of evangelical leaders in 1980. “As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.” But since the 2010 election, thanks to a conservative advocacy group founded by Weyrich, the GOP’s effort to disrupt voting rights has been more widespread and effective than ever. In a systematic campaign orchestrated by the American Legislative Exchange Council – and funded in part by David and Charles Koch, the billionaire brothers who bankrolled the Tea Party – 38 states introduced legislation this year designed to impede voters at every step of the electoral process.”
    02′- 07’investigation
    “Out of the 300 million votes cast in that period, federal prosecutors convicted only 86 people for voter fraud”
    Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-gop-war-on-voting-20110830#ixzz1cTBMr1aE

    Like

  25. George Rebane Avatar

    BenE – “… not a theory.” ??? Were you talking about a theory?
    Re the Rolling Stone article – which was clearly written for people who could not follow a logical argument – I didn’t see anything in there that was fraudulent or unethical. States have the right and obligation to enforce requirements that allow only franchised voters to cast ballots. And the low conviction rates for voter fraud are not a testimony that it does not occur in much greater numbers, but only recognition that prosecuting voter fraud is politically and financially expensive – district attorneys with higher ambitions almost always drop the charges, especially when the evidence shows that the fraudulent votes would most likely not have changed the outcome.
    But the bottom line BenE is that neither of us would want to have the ballot boxes stuffed with non-qualifying ballots, especially if such ballots were overwhelmingly cast in favor of one party or the other, do we?
    And since that is the case, what more acceptable means would you suggest for vetting a franchised voter?

    Like

  26. Dixon Cruickshank Avatar
    Dixon Cruickshank

    I still haven’t figured out exactly what the issue can be with proving who you really are to vote. How fast do you think we would have 5 new Boards if the Dems thought all the illegals were voting but for Republicans.
    The only reason not to want someone to show they have the right to vote legally is they think their getting the frauds or setting it up to begin with.
    1 Man – 1 Vote – seems pretty simple and cut and dried – just say’in
    Since Mr Crabb is here – I think it was you that thought it was great that Fla turning down the train money so you could have it instead – hows that other 150 Billion workin out for ya
    still fudging at 98B

    Like

  27. Ben Emery Avatar

    02′- 07’investigation (Bush administration)
    “Out of the 300 million votes cast in that period, federal prosecutors convicted only 86 people for voter fraud”
    This is a non issue that has led to millions being disenfranchised from participating in the actions of their government. I seriously encourage you to look towards Ohio in 2004 at ELECTION not voter fraud. It fits into the MO we are talking about.
    If I remember correctly in the last Clerk/ Recorder election one of the candidates talked about something similar. As you know I am not a big fan of the democratic party but am a die hard fan participatory government.
    Once again George it goes perfectly with the argument that the founders had and we have never stop having in this country. Who should vote, hold public office, and control the policies that affect us all. I say all the people and you say the “smart” people.

    Like

  28. RL Crabb Avatar

    Hey Dixon, I would love to see the high speed train in California, but I am enough of a realist to know that it most likely ain’t gonna happen for a lot of reasons. Still, if the black helicopters are going to drop wads of money on anyone, it might as well be in my neighborhood. I suspect the whole thing will dry up like the San Joaquin Valley in the next year.
    Glad to see you haven’t ended up in the belly of one of those Godzilla-sized pythons yet. I saw where they found a deer inside one recently. I imagine all the dogs and cats in your state are pretty nervous.

    Like

  29. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    The essential difference between Michael Moore and Leni Riefenstahl is that Leni looked absolutely smashing in a tight sweater. Moore makes documentary films that relentlessly promote one point of view; in other words, propaganda. If you like the point of view, you probably like what he does to the truth in order to make his point.

    Like

  30. Ben Emery Avatar

    GG,
    I know it was a joke but have you ever mentioned how well a man fills the crotch of his pants as a lead in joke to an issue?
    It all begins in how we think of each other and then from there it ripples out.
    Green Party 10 Key Values
    Feminism
    * How can we replace the cultural ethics of dominance and control with more cooperative ways of interacting?
    * How can we encourage people to care about persons outside their own group?
    * How can we promote the building of respectful, positive and responsible relationships across the lines of gender and other divisions?
    * How can we encourage a rich, diverse political culture that respects feelings as well as rationalist approaches?
    * How can we proceed with as much respect for the means as the end (the process as much as the product of our efforts)?
    * How can we learn to respect the contemplative, inner part of life as much as the outer activities?

    Like

  31. George Rebane Avatar

    BenE 243pm – “Who should vote, hold public office, and control the policies that affect us all. I say all the people and you say the “smart” people.” I’m sorry that you continue to misunderstand what I have said about the voting franchise. So once more with feeling –
    ONLY FRANCHISED AMERICAN CITIZENS SHOULD VOTE. And public policy should be such that this law is enforced.
    But holding public office and “control (of) the policies” (don’t really know what this means, but I’ll run with it) should definitely be limited to the “smart people”. We’ve had enough experience and tears with the double dummies in office. The election process should promote the smarter ones getting elected, but needs a little help from the voters.

    Like

  32. George Rebane Avatar

    BenE sent me this in an email, and asked that I help spread the word. So, in the spirit being a good neighbor, here it is, intro zinger and all.
    Some community news, Nevada County Green Party stepping up to participate in the community unlike the big two.
    Press Release
    October 31, 2011 – Community leaders from the Nevada County Green Party are hosting a screening of the new, award-winning environmental documentary Bag It at The Don Baggett Theater on Friday November 18th.
    Bag It follows “everyman” Jeb Berrier as he tries to make sense of our dependence on plastic bags. Although his quest starts out small, Jeb soon learns that the problem extends past landfills to oceans, rivers and ultimately human health.
    The average American uses about 500 plastic bags each year, for about twelve minutes each. This single-use mentality has led to the formation of a floating island of plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean more than twice the size of Texas.
    The film explores these issues and identifies how our daily reliance on plastic threatens not only waterways and marine life, but human health, too. Two of the most common plastic additives are endocrine disruptors, which have been shown to link to cancer, diabetes, autism, attention deficit disorder, obesity and infertility.
    The screening at The Don Baggett Theater is part of Bag It’s campaign to urge 25 towns across the country to become “Bag It Towns” by the end of 2011. Doing so would require Nevada City to ban plastic bag use voluntarily or via ordinance and/or to pass an ordinance that places a small charge on single-use disposable bags. Cities including Washington, DC and San Francisco, as well as Ireland, Italy and China have already implemented similar policies to curb their plastic use.
    The Nevada County Green Party recognizes the importance of reducing single-use plastic use for the safety of our community and environment. The Nevada County Green Party has been reactivated as a Community Action Group .
    Screening Date: Nov 18th 2011
    Screening Time: 7:00 pm
    Screening Location: The Don Baggett Theater
    Admission: Donation, profits will go to Nevada Union High School
    This event is open to the public.

    Like

  33. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    Ben Emery, the day one cannot mention Reifenstahl looking great in a tight sweater (as opposed to the overstuffed Pellinian splendor of Michael Moore) is the day we should start worrying about the survival of the species.

    Like

  34. Brad Croul Avatar
    Brad Croul

    Re: the top 1%
    The SacBee chart shows median income. Very few (most of the Sac Kings team, the Maloofs, etc.) earn over a Million Dollars a year. A tax increase would affect very few.
    Interesting Paul Krugman article, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/opinion/bombs-bridges-and-jobs.html discussing the dilemma faced by TEA party patriot hawks when it comes to cutting taxes on military expenditures.

    Like

  35. D. King Avatar
    D. King

    Here’s the Bag it trailer.
    http://www.bagitmovie.com/trailer.html

    Like

  36. Ben Emery Avatar

    GG,
    I didn’t say anything about whether you should or should not say it. I was just pointing out that it was said. I am a heterosexual male so I got the intent of the joke. The first step at becoming aware is by someone pointing it out. Here is the thing, I don’t know anything about Leni Reifenstahl other than she is first looked at as an object before a professional.

    Like

  37. bill tozer Avatar
    bill tozer

    Leni Reifenstahl was first a dancer and excelled at it. Later she moved onto photography and film. I especially liked her photos capturing her beloved Alps.

    Like

  38. Larry Wirth Avatar
    Larry Wirth

    George, not to worry about Dr. Muller’s non-discovery. No less than his co-author, Dr. Judith Curry, has taken him to public task for leaking reports to the msm before they were even submitted for peer review. He didn’t even bother running it past her.
    She, in turn, castigated him not only for those omissions, but for publishing results that the BEST review cannot possibly support. She even accused him of a “hide the decline” malfeasance by concealing the well-known fact that global temperature has “flat-lined” for a period now approaching 15 years while CO2 has continued to rise as expected. And sea level is currently falling at about 5mm per year. All well known factoids to the informed.
    I know that Watts Up With That is a familiar website for you, though maybe not many of the lefties here. Go there to keep track of this unfolding contretemps.

    Like

  39. Ben Emery Avatar

    George,
    My continuance of stating your position on voting franchise isn’t a misunderstanding. It is shaped by the posted topics and the underlying them of your language.
    I am not part of academia but have many friends of all political stripes including my brother that have degree’s in political science. I have been a philosopher my entire life and am self taught. So I don’t know of many traditional higher education. This is why my opinions might be hard to pin down as the influence of x person. As you well know philosophy especially political philosophy was a major factor of the evolution of the USA. From those who first colonized the continent to Rebane’s Ruminations, the philosophical debate on forms of government continues. Despite not having a formal education in the area I am well read and have heard your arguments for the last 25 years with my ongoing conversations with those who were farmers, college professors, CEO’s, and so on.
    So lets start with a simple question, it is the core of having a more equal society.
    Do you believe in public education for all US citizens?
    I know the failures of public education but that is not the question.

    Like

  40. Ben Emery Avatar

    Underlying theme

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  41. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    Obsessing on the genetic physical predispositions of people is not becoming, even for a second grader.

    Like

  42. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    Some do care about that heap of plastic out there, as it is doing substantial and cruel things to animals.
    Remember those haunting images of animals stuck in plastic soda rings? This is worse. Since 2009, photographer Chris Jordan has been documenting birds on Midway Atoll way out in the Pacific Ocean — near what’s known as the “Pacific Garbage Patch” or, essentially, a swirling heap of plastic the size of Texas.
    What Jordan found on those islands were carcasses of baby birds that have died an unnerving death: According to the BBC, “about one-third of all albatross chicks die on Midway, many as the result of being mistakenly fed plastic by their parents.”

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  43. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    Todd, I posted a response earlier, and yet I now notice it is not there. I never called into question anything you said. Cain says he never commuted sexual harassment during his career. Now the only question is whether or not he considers anything outside of Godfather Pizza to be his career. If not, he’s got the makings of a fine politician, as good as Clinton and the meaning of “is.”

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  44. Douglas Keachie Avatar
    Douglas Keachie

    My spell checker chose the commuted in the last post, not me. But it is rather funny, ha, ha, droidboid is the word…

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  45. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    One does not have to be focused on any one attribute to notice Riefenstahl was attractive, and Moore is not. Otherwise, they are/were both in the business of telling lies with film.
    Ben seemed oddly obsessed with outsized bulges in men’s pants. Takes all kinds.

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  46. Greg Goodknight Avatar
    Greg Goodknight

    Sorry Ben, but all the bags I get with groceries get reused and recycled. No real impact. I don’t want the local Green Party passing a law to require businesses to not bag groceries.
    What’s the matter… not enough people voluntarily doing what you want them to do?
    “Here is the thing, I don’t know anything about Leni Reifenstahl other than she is first looked at as an object before a professional.” — Ben Emery
    Then you really don’t know anything about her. Ben, I assure you, I first looked at Leni Riefenstahl as a Nazi propagandist. A fine one, at that, if you overlook the politics. So is Moore, if you overlook his politics.

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  47. George Rebane Avatar

    BenE 652pm – “… the underlying theme of your language.” That sure sounds like more of ‘I know what you’re really thinking/saying’ which is a definite Leftwing affliction (but not exclusively) that has been much discussed in these pages. For example –
    http://rebaneruminations.typepad.com/rebanes_ruminations/2010/09/the-liberal-mind-messing-with-the-messenger.html
    For a profitable discussion with me, it is always good to start with the assumption that I mean directly what I say/write. You may catch me in a mistake, for which I’ll thank you, but you will not go off talking to yourself about what I ‘really said’.
    Re believe in ‘public education for all US citizens?’ – yes, I most certainly do. But I believe it should be available in competitive formats (plural) that are a far cry from what is being delivered through the proto-evil teachers’ unions of today. These delivery formats should be determined as locally as possible with the federal government having no involvement at all in the process.

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  48. George Rebane Avatar

    LarryW 635pm – thanks for inserting that explanation which does indeed need to be pointed out in the current context – my omission.

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  49. Steve Frisch Avatar
    Steve Frisch

    Seriously GREG, you’re totally out of line.

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