Category: government

still a Global Warming skeptic

On By Rick McIn climate change, economics, ethics, government, things getting worseLeave a comment

I have no idea whether or not YOU are destroying the Earth as claimed by Obama at the United Nations climate change summit. But arguments and statistics like the ones presented below, keep me skeptical

Doug L. Hoffman, author of the book The Resilient Earth (2009) …

  • Earth’s temperature is always changing.

  • Over time there have been periods when it has been colder than it is today.

  • For most of the Phanerozoic it has been much warmer than it is today.

  • Life has persisted during periods both hot and cold.

  • There is no one “right” temperature.

  • Carbon dioxide has always been present in Earth’s atmosphere.

  • Over time there have been periods when CO2 has increased and decreased naturally.

  • For most of the Phanerozoic it has been much higher than it is today.

  • Life has persisted during periods with high CO2 and low CO2.

  • CO2 levels will change with or without human contributions.

  • Over time there have been a number of ice ages—Life has endured multiple ice ages.

  • For most of the Phanerozoic there have been no persistent polar ice caps.

Those who say CO2 is the most important factor in climate change, that human GHG emissions will cause runaway global warming, have no historical basis for such claims. …

Given 4 billion years of Earth history and 542 million years of complex life, blaming mankind for 9,000 years of global warming seems rather silly. …

Be safe, enjoy the interglacial and stay skeptical. …

read more …

ice age

 

 

Obama – ISIS Campaign unending, expensive ordeal

On By Rick McIn bad news, economics, ethics, government, things getting worseLeave a comment

… White House aides confirmed that President Obama will reassure Americans that the impending military campaign against ISIS will be the exact same type of open-ended, drawn-out conflict that they are used to. …

… speech to comfort the American public by reminding them that they have been through armed engagements without clear end dates or even concrete objectives plenty of times before, and that this case is no different,” …

… the president will assuage viewers’ concerns by laying out precisely how the U.S. will mire itself in the same old quagmire that citizens have grown accustomed to over the years. “The president’s message is clear: This will be just another one of our routine intractable engagements in the region—it’s going to be unending, it’s going to be expensive, and it’s going to affect our credibility within the international community. …

The Onion

Worst two Presidents ever, I’d say. And for much the same reasons. 😦

Barack Obama, George W. Bush

Losing Iraq

On By Rick McIn economics, ethics, government, Islam, things getting worseLeave a comment

When you hear anyone tell you that the USA could have WON in Iraq, please know they are blowing smoke.

George W. Bush

11 May 2003 Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush appointed L. Paul Bremer to run Iraq. Bremer did not speak Arabic. Knew nothing of the Middle East. Seems to have done pretty much everything wrong.

On May 23, 2003, Bremer issued Order Number 2, in effect dissolving the entire former Iraqi army and putting 400,000 former Iraqi soldiers out of work. Discontent and insurgency grew stronger.

… It probably doesn’t matter what Bremer did.

It’s not possible for a foreign invader to WIN in Iraq or Afghanistan. Never has been. Never will.

Recall that wannabe President John McCain said that U.S. troops could spend “maybe 100” years in Iraq. That wouldn’t have been long enough. 😦

If you want a recap, I recommend Frontline:

U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq in 2011, ending America’s military commitment in the country.

Now, chaos is once again engulfing Iraq. The team behind “The Lost Year in Iraq,” “The Torture Question” and “Bush’s War” takes a look at how we got here, what went wrong, and what happens next.

Losing Iraq (July 29, 2014)


The longer the U.S. military stays, the more suicide bombers they will inspire. The more Westerners will join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 😦

Paul Ryan – specific proposals

On By Rick McIn economics, ethics, GOP USA, governmentLeave a comment

The main reason I gave up on Romney was that he had no specific platform.

Ryan’s not perfect, but at least he’s got the guts to put a plan forward.

Rep. Paul Ryan said Friday that Republicans must do more than criticize President Barack Obama to succeed politically, saying they must become the “proposition party” to become an alternative to Democrats. …

Last month Ryan released a new anti-poverty plan, calling for reforms to the nation’s welfare, education, and criminal justice systems. …

Time – Paul Ryan Says GOP Must Become ‘Proposition Party’

On the other hand …

Asked whether he supports the military action authorized by Obama in Iraq on Thursday, Ryan told a reporter “Yeah, nah, call my office. I don’t want to give you a flippant, walking-through-the-halls thing. It’s something I’d rather think through.

Republicans are two faced. Saying one thing, doing the opposite if it’s in their own benefit. I’m hoping Ryan is slightly better than the rest of the Presidential contenders.

tumblr_mhathfOnKS1rdkw6yo1_500

For a Republican, he’s no Tea Party nut.

Ryan was one of 32 Republicans in the House to vote for the auto industry bailout.

related – Tea Party steers GOP right — away from White House

an honest American polititican

On By Rick McIn economics, GOP USA, government, humourLeave a comment

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Though “Honest” Gil Fulbright claims to be running for Senator Mitch McConnell’s seat in the great state of Kentucky, he isn’t actually on the ballot. McConnell, running in a tight race for reelection this November, can breathe easy.

In fact, Fulbright doesn’t actually exist at all. He’s a fictional candidate played by movie and TV actor Frank Ridley …

Mashable

John Oliver on Nuclear Weapons

On By Rick McIn bad news, economics, ethics, government, Islam, things getting worseLeave a comment

Here are the leading causes of preventable death in the USA.

Causes_of_accidental_death_by_age_group

A motor vehicle crash the greatest danger for most people.

Personally, I worry most about Nuclear weapons. The world could be quickly destroyed.

Click PLAY or watch John Oliver’s profane rant on YouTube.

the case for Israel

On By Rick McIn ethics, government, Islam2 Comments

I’ve given up hope on any solution … short of Israel relocating to central Australia or northern Canada.

In the most recent of the never ending conflicts with Palestine, Israel is losing the American media war.

Though both sides are too blame, I feel Israel has responded with too much force. They are worse off for killing so many children than they would have been with a weaker response.

If you are certain that Israel is more to blame than Hamas, it’s time to watch this video.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related question – why are Tea Party Republicans so pro-Israel?

America’s lost oomph

On By Rick McIn economics, government, things getting worseLeave a comment

The Economist posted on how the greatest economy in the world in the 1990s got so feeble by 2014.

lost oomph

Points include:

– America’s broken immigration system.

– Obamacare, though good in other respects, tends to shrink the labour force …

– outdated social safety net

– (the USA) has not raised the retirement age

– allowed its disability-insurance system to become an ersatz welfare scheme

… the odds rise that America’s economy will continue to lumber along at an underwhelming pace, and Americans will have no one to blame but their leaders.

America’s lost oomph

Worse, I see little chance for any serious reform over the next 2 years under Obama.

And not much more chance under President Clinton. As things worsen in America, voters will lash out by voting against the President’s Party in mid-term elections.

More gridlock.

😦