HT James Delingpole.
Lawdy, have muhcy. Missah Goah may have really stepped into it this time, as Anthony Watts at WattsUpWithThat presents a close analysis and attempt to replicate a 'scientific demonstration' presented as factual truth by the former Vice President.
Long story short--if the Gore presentation is not a fabrication, it is at the very least one of the sloppiest and un-credible jobs of presentation of science imaginable.
Since the world is being pressured to change absolutely everything about the way live is lived based upon Mr. Gore's assertions of science, it is up to him to provide credible evidence. He hasn't, and can't, because his hypothesis is simply not true.
Wonder if the folks who awarded him that Oscar will ever getting around to calling him and demanding it back?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Herman Cain Swims With The Sharks: American Thinker
Admittedly, and before the first paragraph, we learn, to the author's credit, that he is an associate of Herman Cain. But given that, this article is still an excellent read.
C. Edmund Wright shares his thoughts on why Cain may not be such a long shot, and the comments from readers tend to be thoughtful, not the hysterical rants of people who are JustFedUpAndWon'tTakeAnotherMinuteOfThisNonsense.
A quick sample from the essay, which OS shares in hopes his readers will click that link above.
He says only glowing things about the people who are competing with him for the job he wants now -- which is the job of opposing Obama. He was clearly the favorite opponent of all the candidates. He no doubt would win the "he's my second choice" sweepstakes among conservatives. That is related to the "I would support him if I thought he could win" crowd. Cain wins those hands down.
OS repeats his earlier premise, yet again: In times like these, where it feels like things are coming a bit unwound, exactly what we don't need is some messianic figure riding in over the horizon on his white horse proclaiming 'I'm a' gonna' fix it all, fer' sure, and right quickly, too!!' That was Obama's ploy, and here we are. That's Rick Perry's language and manner, and Michelle Bachmann's.
As a matter of fact, that person on the white horse does not exist, except in romance novels, TV shows and movies. Those of us who were blessed to live during Reagan's terms look back with great fondness, sometimes forgetting what a hard, grim slog it was to retrieve the country from the decade of Nixon and Carter. Reagan looks messianic in retrospect, but he did not appear that way in prospect, 1980 landslide or no.
When the building is burning down around you, what's needed is a calm, experienced grown-up who knows where to hook up the fire hoses, where to tell the crew to direct the water, and where to look for the folks trapped inside. The operative words being 'calm' and 'experienced'. Hand out medals later--that's a memo to the Nobel Prize Committee, by the way. The white horse is completely optional.
So, while OS isn't just outright cheering for anyone yet, he has been interested enough in Mr. Cain's efforts to kick small amounts of cash into his till. While the question of his eventual victory remains wide open, he and his ideas deserve to be heard--and at this stage of proceedings, that's all anyone can expect.
If any of OS's readership are interested in doing likewise, that link is here.
C. Edmund Wright shares his thoughts on why Cain may not be such a long shot, and the comments from readers tend to be thoughtful, not the hysterical rants of people who are JustFedUpAndWon'tTakeAnotherMinuteOfThisNonsense.
A quick sample from the essay, which OS shares in hopes his readers will click that link above.
He says only glowing things about the people who are competing with him for the job he wants now -- which is the job of opposing Obama. He was clearly the favorite opponent of all the candidates. He no doubt would win the "he's my second choice" sweepstakes among conservatives. That is related to the "I would support him if I thought he could win" crowd. Cain wins those hands down.
OS repeats his earlier premise, yet again: In times like these, where it feels like things are coming a bit unwound, exactly what we don't need is some messianic figure riding in over the horizon on his white horse proclaiming 'I'm a' gonna' fix it all, fer' sure, and right quickly, too!!' That was Obama's ploy, and here we are. That's Rick Perry's language and manner, and Michelle Bachmann's.
As a matter of fact, that person on the white horse does not exist, except in romance novels, TV shows and movies. Those of us who were blessed to live during Reagan's terms look back with great fondness, sometimes forgetting what a hard, grim slog it was to retrieve the country from the decade of Nixon and Carter. Reagan looks messianic in retrospect, but he did not appear that way in prospect, 1980 landslide or no.
When the building is burning down around you, what's needed is a calm, experienced grown-up who knows where to hook up the fire hoses, where to tell the crew to direct the water, and where to look for the folks trapped inside. The operative words being 'calm' and 'experienced'. Hand out medals later--that's a memo to the Nobel Prize Committee, by the way. The white horse is completely optional.
So, while OS isn't just outright cheering for anyone yet, he has been interested enough in Mr. Cain's efforts to kick small amounts of cash into his till. While the question of his eventual victory remains wide open, he and his ideas deserve to be heard--and at this stage of proceedings, that's all anyone can expect.
If any of OS's readership are interested in doing likewise, that link is here.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Trader Alessio Rastani on BBC: The Markets Are Toast
Mr. Rastani's comments really rattled the normally unflappable BBC interviewer (and evidently, her colleagues) with his candor. It is shocking to listen to at first, but it is hard to disagree with much of it. His candor about his role was honest and bracing: I'm a trader, it's my job to make money.
This is no ordinary 'talking-head' moment--well worth a look.
This is no ordinary 'talking-head' moment--well worth a look.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Good news for asthmatics: Obama administration set to ban over-the-counter inhalers to save ozone layer
Good news for asthmatics: Obama administration set to ban over-the-counter inhalers to save ozone layer.
Really. That's what's proposed.
And, it does not take much digging to find that asthma afflicts a lot of kids from poorer families, where the stresses can help trigger the condition...
These people are completely out of control. November 2012 cannot come soon enough. Bachmann's proposal to turn out the lights and lock the doors of the EPA looks more and more reasonable.
Really. That's what's proposed.
And, it does not take much digging to find that asthma afflicts a lot of kids from poorer families, where the stresses can help trigger the condition...
These people are completely out of control. November 2012 cannot come soon enough. Bachmann's proposal to turn out the lights and lock the doors of the EPA looks more and more reasonable.
OldSouth On The Road: Portland Oregon And Environs
Business has taken OS to a part of the country he hasn't visited in years, for which he truly and humbly repents in dust and ashes.
It is utterly, breathtakingly beautiful here. Words fail. The poet who penned 'America the Beautiful' caught it best: '..purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain.'
These folks know how to eat, and the local wines and beers are every bit as good as rumors describe them. OS will be back, with the lovely, sainted, and longsuffering Mrs. OS at his side next time. (He still doesn't understand why she tolerates, much less loves, OS.)
One item did surprise him, however. This has a reputation, on both sides of the Columbia River, for being a Blue State area. OS did see one 'Obama 2012' bumper sticker on the several hundred cars he encountered. He avoided speaking of politics, 'cuz a good house guest doesn't bring it up, or religion either. His hosts did, however, and they were good people he expected would be loyal Democrat voters. The only choice they now ponder is which of the GOP candidates would serve the country best.
They are still in a bit of a fog, and the prospect of Rick Perry is worrisome (which shows they have good instincts). Still unsure of Romney, but of all people, Herman Cain does hold their interest, as a person who knows how to run businesses and manage people. A grown-up who can do math.
It is beautiful here, but it is obvious the economy here is ailing seriously. Houses can't sell, because home values have dropped 30-40%, and show no sign of recovering. Foreclosures everywhere, which aren't clearing, and many more in the pipeline. Banks won't lend into a deflating market, even though they are bearing the costs of maintaining the houses they foreclosed. As one person familiar with the situation said: 'If you walk in with cash, you are golden.' OS asked him what it will take to turn it around, and all he could say was 'Time', and 'God's in charge, He'll do something on his timetable.' This guy won't be pulling the lever for Obama again, either, here in this blue-blue-blue-blue state.
Most unexpected. Most surprising aspect of the visit. But if OS sees this anecdotally, someone amongst the polling pros for the Dems have got to be seeing it as well.
Obama cannot win, he has passed the point of no return. The only question that remains is if he will run, and how much damage he'll leave behind to clean up.
It is utterly, breathtakingly beautiful here. Words fail. The poet who penned 'America the Beautiful' caught it best: '..purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain.'
These folks know how to eat, and the local wines and beers are every bit as good as rumors describe them. OS will be back, with the lovely, sainted, and longsuffering Mrs. OS at his side next time. (He still doesn't understand why she tolerates, much less loves, OS.)
One item did surprise him, however. This has a reputation, on both sides of the Columbia River, for being a Blue State area. OS did see one 'Obama 2012' bumper sticker on the several hundred cars he encountered. He avoided speaking of politics, 'cuz a good house guest doesn't bring it up, or religion either. His hosts did, however, and they were good people he expected would be loyal Democrat voters. The only choice they now ponder is which of the GOP candidates would serve the country best.
They are still in a bit of a fog, and the prospect of Rick Perry is worrisome (which shows they have good instincts). Still unsure of Romney, but of all people, Herman Cain does hold their interest, as a person who knows how to run businesses and manage people. A grown-up who can do math.
It is beautiful here, but it is obvious the economy here is ailing seriously. Houses can't sell, because home values have dropped 30-40%, and show no sign of recovering. Foreclosures everywhere, which aren't clearing, and many more in the pipeline. Banks won't lend into a deflating market, even though they are bearing the costs of maintaining the houses they foreclosed. As one person familiar with the situation said: 'If you walk in with cash, you are golden.' OS asked him what it will take to turn it around, and all he could say was 'Time', and 'God's in charge, He'll do something on his timetable.' This guy won't be pulling the lever for Obama again, either, here in this blue-blue-blue-blue state.
Most unexpected. Most surprising aspect of the visit. But if OS sees this anecdotally, someone amongst the polling pros for the Dems have got to be seeing it as well.
Obama cannot win, he has passed the point of no return. The only question that remains is if he will run, and how much damage he'll leave behind to clean up.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Well, Yes, Virginia: Obama Really Truly Is An Idiot
Doug Mataconis tells the tale clearly.
The One, The Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, decided to stage a campaign event/PassThisBill shtick in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the bridge that carries I-75 over the Ohio River in the background. He addresses his friendly crowd of union types, declaring that the bridge needs repair, and calls upon Boehner and McConnell to PassThisBill!! so it can be repaired.
There's a problem--the bridge doesn't need repair, and an additional bridge to handle the unanticipated growth in traffic is already in the normal pipeline. Even if Congress does PassThisBill (they won't), it won't change a thing about the bridge in Cincy.
There is, however, a bridge in Louisville spanning the Ohio to New Albany Indiana, that is closed, because it needs repairs. It carries I-64 traffic, which connects to St. Louis and points west--pretty crucial item, with the national UPS hub located in Louisville.
Neither Obama or his staff can get their facts straight. He's down to pure BS now.
Hell, they can't even read a ******!!!!!????!!!! map!
November 2012 cannot come soon enough. OS begins to doubt if Himself will even be on the ballot.
The One, The Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, decided to stage a campaign event/PassThisBill shtick in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the bridge that carries I-75 over the Ohio River in the background. He addresses his friendly crowd of union types, declaring that the bridge needs repair, and calls upon Boehner and McConnell to PassThisBill!! so it can be repaired.
There's a problem--the bridge doesn't need repair, and an additional bridge to handle the unanticipated growth in traffic is already in the normal pipeline. Even if Congress does PassThisBill (they won't), it won't change a thing about the bridge in Cincy.
There is, however, a bridge in Louisville spanning the Ohio to New Albany Indiana, that is closed, because it needs repairs. It carries I-64 traffic, which connects to St. Louis and points west--pretty crucial item, with the national UPS hub located in Louisville.
Neither Obama or his staff can get their facts straight. He's down to pure BS now.
Hell, they can't even read a ******!!!!!????!!!! map!
November 2012 cannot come soon enough. OS begins to doubt if Himself will even be on the ballot.
Harvard Business Review Survey: Only 31% Of Execs In The US And Europe Plan New Hires Next Year
Hope 'n Change, ya'll, Hope 'n Change...
To get a better glimpse into where these decision makers stand at this perilous moment in history, we launched the Harvard Business Review Economic Survey earlier this month and contacted 1389 executives — the majority director level and above — from the U.S., UK/Europe, and Asia. We focused on three areas of questioning: Their confidence in the global economy this year and in the next decade, whether or not they were confident their companies would hit their revenue targets this year and next, and whether they anticipated increasing their hiring in the next fiscal year.
The news — particularly around hiring — is not good: Only 31% of respondents in the US and UK/Europe said they planned to increase their hiring efforts next fiscal year. The news out of Asia was slightly better, with 41% planning to increase hiring. This general trepidation most likely can be explained by respondents' fears of an impending second global economic recession: 70% believe another global economic recession is either somewhat or very likely in the coming months. Also telling is the respondents' estimates of their own companies' performance, with only mixed confidence in their near-term organizational performance.
It's not just folks like OS on small-town main street that says we're headed in the wrong direction at about 100 mph. The GreatAndGood at places like NBC, NYT, CNN, and the White House call us ig'nrant rednecks when we suggest things aren't going well and a change is needed. What names to they plan to call these 1389 respondents?
Actually, they won't call them any names at all. They'll simply ignore the fact that the survey was taken or published, even by HBR.
That'll make everything ok. No worries. Just keep on watching 'Dancing With The Stars'...we've got this all under control.
To get a better glimpse into where these decision makers stand at this perilous moment in history, we launched the Harvard Business Review Economic Survey earlier this month and contacted 1389 executives — the majority director level and above — from the U.S., UK/Europe, and Asia. We focused on three areas of questioning: Their confidence in the global economy this year and in the next decade, whether or not they were confident their companies would hit their revenue targets this year and next, and whether they anticipated increasing their hiring in the next fiscal year.
The news — particularly around hiring — is not good: Only 31% of respondents in the US and UK/Europe said they planned to increase their hiring efforts next fiscal year. The news out of Asia was slightly better, with 41% planning to increase hiring. This general trepidation most likely can be explained by respondents' fears of an impending second global economic recession: 70% believe another global economic recession is either somewhat or very likely in the coming months. Also telling is the respondents' estimates of their own companies' performance, with only mixed confidence in their near-term organizational performance.
It's not just folks like OS on small-town main street that says we're headed in the wrong direction at about 100 mph. The GreatAndGood at places like NBC, NYT, CNN, and the White House call us ig'nrant rednecks when we suggest things aren't going well and a change is needed. What names to they plan to call these 1389 respondents?
Actually, they won't call them any names at all. They'll simply ignore the fact that the survey was taken or published, even by HBR.
That'll make everything ok. No worries. Just keep on watching 'Dancing With The Stars'...we've got this all under control.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Language, Image, Film Technique, Message, And OS's Sense Of Disquiet: The New Rick Perry Ad
Here's the new ad:
It's really quite something, not the least for the amount of money and time necessarily burned to create it. This isn't Darryl-Bob living in his momma's basement with all his worldly goods tied up in his Mac gear. It takes a real studio that can edit and flow together all those images (from all those sources) and sounds (from all those sources), including a clever piece of scoring. It takes a real film-maker to put this together. There aren't that many good ones out there (lotsa wannabees, to be sure), and they don't come cheap. It takes a good deal of expensive time to create this, a lot of thought and planning. Video runs at 30 frames per-second, and can be edited within frames. Not one half-frame of this piece was not thought through carefully, and this probably is the twentieth rendition of the piece--the one released to the public.
It's obvious the famous LBJ campaign ad that so effectively hung the prospect of nuclear war around the neck of Goldwater was studied closely.
This piece intended to scare the living daylights out of the viewer, and OS must say, it does the job--in the second half, where the 'reveal' of Rick Perry as the solution to our national ills takes place. The words he speaks are lifted almost verbatim from Reagan; if you must crib from someone, the Gipper is a good place to visit. He speaks in a Texas accent, in a voice just a few tones deeper (bass-baritone vs. tenor) than George W. Bush, that same direct style and blunt use of short phrases of English. (That was chilling by itself, as we found out in early 2005 that Dubyah didn't really believe in most of what he was saying in 2004. It was really a downhill journey from there.)
In short, the whole thing is what we who work with copyrights call a 'derivative work', like Alan Sherman's comic lyrical treatments of classical tunes, or Wierd Al Yankovic's send-ups of pop tunes. It is work that draws its life by its references to other, earlier, creations. Nothing inherently immoral about it, happens all the time, but there is the moral hazard implicit that both creator and listener forget to remember the sources, and then we're off to the races in a fog of uncertainty. There are people of my generation who hear the famous 'Dance of the Hours' (by Ponchielli) and begin singing 'Hello, Muddah/ Hello, Fadduh/ Here I am in Camp Granada...', thinking Alan Sherman wrote the entire piece.
So, OS is left with the question after the ad: Is Rick Perry as incapable of original thought as the present occupant of the White House? Does he operate in images or language as he goes about his daily rounds? Can he clearly articulate in PlainEnglish what he thinks, and intends, and communicate that?
Or are we supposed to embrace Governor Perry as a Messianic hero coming to ride to our rescue?
Just like so many embraced the present occupant of the White House...remember 2008, anyone?
We need grownups who can do math, manage people, mentally operate and communicate in PlainEnglish, not images and emotion. Someone who can make rational decisions, and stand up to a world replete with mass murderers in charge of nations.
That's why this video scares the bejeezuz out of OS, and why Herman Cain continues to hold OS's interest.
It's really quite something, not the least for the amount of money and time necessarily burned to create it. This isn't Darryl-Bob living in his momma's basement with all his worldly goods tied up in his Mac gear. It takes a real studio that can edit and flow together all those images (from all those sources) and sounds (from all those sources), including a clever piece of scoring. It takes a real film-maker to put this together. There aren't that many good ones out there (lotsa wannabees, to be sure), and they don't come cheap. It takes a good deal of expensive time to create this, a lot of thought and planning. Video runs at 30 frames per-second, and can be edited within frames. Not one half-frame of this piece was not thought through carefully, and this probably is the twentieth rendition of the piece--the one released to the public.
It's obvious the famous LBJ campaign ad that so effectively hung the prospect of nuclear war around the neck of Goldwater was studied closely.
This piece intended to scare the living daylights out of the viewer, and OS must say, it does the job--in the second half, where the 'reveal' of Rick Perry as the solution to our national ills takes place. The words he speaks are lifted almost verbatim from Reagan; if you must crib from someone, the Gipper is a good place to visit. He speaks in a Texas accent, in a voice just a few tones deeper (bass-baritone vs. tenor) than George W. Bush, that same direct style and blunt use of short phrases of English. (That was chilling by itself, as we found out in early 2005 that Dubyah didn't really believe in most of what he was saying in 2004. It was really a downhill journey from there.)
In short, the whole thing is what we who work with copyrights call a 'derivative work', like Alan Sherman's comic lyrical treatments of classical tunes, or Wierd Al Yankovic's send-ups of pop tunes. It is work that draws its life by its references to other, earlier, creations. Nothing inherently immoral about it, happens all the time, but there is the moral hazard implicit that both creator and listener forget to remember the sources, and then we're off to the races in a fog of uncertainty. There are people of my generation who hear the famous 'Dance of the Hours' (by Ponchielli) and begin singing 'Hello, Muddah/ Hello, Fadduh/ Here I am in Camp Granada...', thinking Alan Sherman wrote the entire piece.
So, OS is left with the question after the ad: Is Rick Perry as incapable of original thought as the present occupant of the White House? Does he operate in images or language as he goes about his daily rounds? Can he clearly articulate in PlainEnglish what he thinks, and intends, and communicate that?
Or are we supposed to embrace Governor Perry as a Messianic hero coming to ride to our rescue?
Just like so many embraced the present occupant of the White House...remember 2008, anyone?
We need grownups who can do math, manage people, mentally operate and communicate in PlainEnglish, not images and emotion. Someone who can make rational decisions, and stand up to a world replete with mass murderers in charge of nations.
That's why this video scares the bejeezuz out of OS, and why Herman Cain continues to hold OS's interest.
Monday, September 19, 2011
A Drunken Sailor Protests His Shoddy Treatment
HT Doug Ross:
A brief letter to the editor in Wyoming earlier this year:
I object and take exception to everybody saying that Obama and Congress are spending money like a drunken sailor. As a former drunken sailor, I quit when I ran out of money.
Bruce L Hargraves,
USN Retired
A brief letter to the editor in Wyoming earlier this year:
I object and take exception to everybody saying that Obama and Congress are spending money like a drunken sailor. As a former drunken sailor, I quit when I ran out of money.
Bruce L Hargraves,
USN Retired
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