madoc62

Now That's Marketing!

2009-12-12T08:47:20Z

Folks,

Wow! This is a very well done ad. Excellent marketing here folks! Excellent!

Materialism vs. Teleology and Why the Left Fails So Badly

2009-12-10T23:24:17Z

Folks,

Interesting article by Steven Den Beste over on the hotair.com blog.

Government by Wishful Thinking

Way back in the depths of time, Greek philosophers ended up with two basic and incompatible ways of looking at the universe. One way was materialism, which says that there is a material universe which behaves in a consistent way, and if you study it you can learn the way it works.

That’s the world view of engineers and scientists — and businessmen, for that matter. It’s the world view of people who understand and use mathematics, and statistics. It is a place where cause leads to effect. It’s the place that game theory studies. It isn’t necessarily inherently atheistic; a lot of religious people live in the materialist world.

But there are people who don’t. A different epistemological view is teleology, which says that the universe is an ideal place. More or less, it
exists so that we humans can live in it. And human thought is a fundamental force in the universe. Teleology says that if a mental model is esthetically pleasing then it must be true. Teleology implies that if you truly believe in something, it’ll happen. Wikipedia says:

A teleological school of thought is one that holds all things to be designed for or directed toward a final result, that there is an inherent purpose or final cause for all that exists.

And in its modern form that final result is presumed to be creation of a world of peace and harmony, a utopia, in which all men live in peace and brotherhood, in harmony with nature.

At least, that’s the distorted form of Teleology that has come down to some of us in the modern era, mainly on the left wing. Aristotle probably wouldn’t recognize his red-headed step child as it exists today, though. Like many philosophically pure ideas adopted into popular culture, it’s gotten mutated nearly beyond recognition and almost all the mutations were negative.

One way to compare and contrast those two world views is to consider what they think about socialism. Materialists look at history since Marx and point out that socialism has been tried many times, in many nations, in various forms, and it has always failed. In places where it was fully implemented the result was decline and economic collapse. When it was only partially implemented you got slower decline. It often looks like it’s working in the early stages, but in the longer term it has never succeeded.

So to materialists, it’s apparent that socialism is a nice idea, but one that doesn’t work and shouldn’t be adopted.

To teleologists, none of that matters. What matters is the fact that it’s a beautiful idea. It’s how things should be. In a world in which socialism was implemented and which worked the way the teleologists think it should work, you really would have a utopia. The fact that it’s invariably failed when used doesn’t change any of that. (When asked to explain all the failures, usually the answer is, “They didn’t do it right.” But for teleologists, a long string of failures doesn’t matter because fundamentally teleologists don’t believe things like that make any difference.)

It’s teleologists who drive around with bumper stickers that say, “Imagine world peace.” I can imagine it just fine. I don’t expect to see it in my lifetime, though. Why would they want me to imagine it?

It’s because teleologists believe that human thought truly affects things. Of course it does; thought precedes action, and actions change history, right? Yeah, but that’s not the point. Teleologists believe that thought directly affects things. The mere act of thinking about something and wanting it a lot directly changes reality, even if the thought doesn’t get translated into action.

It was teleologists who were mainly involved in the anti-war movement about five years ago when it was at its greatest. I remember reading about how they’d have a demonstration somewhere. Lots of people would come out. They’d parade about carrying signs saying, “End the war!” Someone would burn a giant mockup of President Bush’s head. And afterwards they’d all talk about how successful the demonstration had been.

Successful how? It didn’t have any political effect that I ever noticed. The war didn’t end because of the demonstrations. So what was it that they thought was successful? Well, if you asked them they’d talk about how there was all sorts of positive vibes. How good it felt to be out there. And how so many people were feeling the same thing. Which sounds like masturbation, if you’re a materialist, but genuinely makes sense for a teleologist. They really thought that if enough of them got together and wanted the war to end strongly enough, it would spontaneously end. Not because getting enough voters on their side would have electoral consequences, but because the act of wanting it would directly bring that about.

To a materialist this sounds like insanity. It is, as Chip Morningstar memorably put it, “epistemologically challenged”. And it doesn’t survive real world test. But to teleologists, “real world tests” don’t matter. The teleological world view inherently rejects all of that stuff.

Why does teleology (in this mutated form) matter? Because right now we have a teleologist as our President.

Matthew Continetti says that we’re in “a year of magical thinking.” And to someone who has grown up with a materialist view of the universe, it could certainly seem that way. But what’s really going on is that Obama has this kind of world view. And that explains everything he’s done.

It explains his foreign policy. To a teleologists, it just makes sense that everyone should want to get along. If you unclench your fist and hold out your hand, everyone else will unclench their fists, and become your friends. So Obama is doing that, and as we know the result has been a shambles.

It explains his economic policy. Teleologists inherently don’t believe in unintended side effects when it comes to implementing their idealistic policies. Obviously it should be possible to provide free health care to everyone without wrecking the economy; it’s just how things really should be, so that’s how it will be. Where will the money come from? That’s the kind of question that materialists ask; teleologists don’t concern themselves with such trivial. It’ll happen somehow, because it’s obviously how it should turn out. To say we shouldn’t do it is to be heartless, uncaring — and those things are more important than mundane claims that it won’t work. If you just believe, it will work.

Of course, it won’t work. The materialists are right about that. But when it fails (if it gets tried) the teleologists will blame the negative vibes of all the materialist doubters for the failure. If only they’d come on board and supported it, then it would have come out OK.

(Follow linked URL for completion of article)

Teleology goes a long way in explaining not only Obama's approach, not only explaining the approach of the Democrats in Congress, but also explaining why the political Left is, in general, such an abject failure at running thing. In particular, in running things over the long term. It's real easy to borrow from the future to make the idiocy of the present look better. But, eventually, such "magic financials" runs aground when the bills come due. Europe is hitting that wall now.

For almost all of the previous century they were intent on living the socialist dream. World War I, the Depresison, World War II and the Cold War distorted things for them in that pursuit. Since the fall of the Evil Empire though, the Europeans have had a free hand at turning their grand socialist dreams into reality. It's been mighty convenient that the only superpower left on the planet is the US and that we've no territorial interest in Europe or else they'd have had to keep some sanity to their economic measures.

But without that external threat they've descended into the realm of make believe when it comes to economics. I think it's Italy where it's gotten so bad that the majority of that country's GDP is its own government spending. France, Germany and even England aren't far behind. Their descent is being sped up due to their declining European birthrates and their increased rate of non-European births and Muslim immigration. The make believe teleology realm over there is soon to crash and crash hard.

Here in the US we've a President and political party hellbent on implementing the same policies and ideology that has dragged Europe down. Oh, it's dressed up real nice and all but, in the end, it's the same thing - a descent into the realm of magic and make believe fiscal policy, wishful thinking social policy, and a foreign policy that leaves the tyrants of the world salivating at the prospect of our deliberate weakness.

Making headway about this with a teleologist is tough, as Eric explains over at his "Classical Values" blog:

Why all arguments against magic fail

Good reading all the way 'round.

Madoc

Obama Slaps Journalists to the Curb Over Xmas Party!

2009-12-10T22:50:13Z

Oh dear, oh dear!

Looks like Obama's fawning lapdog media just get put back in its kennel by the Zero. At least so when it comes to being able to grovel and kiss his shoes at the annual White House Holiday party.

Obama to Journalists: No Christmas Present For You

It is beginning to look like TheOne has just told the lapdog U.S. Old Media that he didn’t get them a Christmas present this year. Politico is reporting that the Obama Administration didn’t invite the average number of newsies to the White House Christmas Party and on top of that, even the ones that did get invited won’t be able to get their photos taken with Obama in a receiving line like they traditionally have because the president seems to have ditched the whole receiving line thing from the schedule.

(Follow linked URL for completion of article)

Aw, gee, that's a damn shame. A damn crying shame. The Zero is giving the big brush off to his adulatory legions by only letting a few of them bask in his presence and then further rubbing their brown stained noses in it by refusing to even be photographed with them.

Oh, the pain! Oh, the agony! Oh, the humiliation! When will it end!

But, like the codependent battered mistresses they've allowed themselves to become, the mainstream media will simply lap this up and keep right on begging for more. They'll keep on being the thoughtless and unquestioning mouthpieces for whatever spew the Zero deigns to feed them.

The anguish they're feeling at being left out in the cold this Holiday Season? Serves 'em right!

And that, folks, is change we can all believe in! Yes, we can!

Madoc

How "Global Warming Consensus" is Actually Formed

2009-12-10T17:45:32Z

Folks,

Gee, what a god damn surprise!

The Met Office has embarked on an urgent exercise to bolster the reputation of climate-change science after the furore over stolen e-mails.

More than 1,700 scientists have agreed to sign a statement defending the “professional integrity” of global warming research. They were responding to a round-robin request from the Met Office, which has spent four days collecting signatures. The initiative is a sign of how worried it is that e-mails stolen from the University of East Anglia are fuelling scepticism about man-made global warming at a critical moment in talks on carbon emissions.

...

One scientist told The Times he felt under pressure to sign. “The Met Office is a major employer of scientists and has long had a policy of only appointing and working with those who subscribe to their views on man-made global warming,” he said.

(Follow linked URL for completion of article)

And that, folks, is how the AGW scammers achieve their "consensus" - join up or be cut out. The emails unearthed from the CRU also reveal the steps the AGW consensus leaders are willing to stoop to in order to crush those who found the courage to call them on their lies.

Yeah, the whole AGW movement is start to unravel. And it's about damn time.

Madoc

Hat tip: Jim Braiden

Obama & His Nobel = Epic Fail

2009-12-10T08:53:11Z

Folks,

You gotta be kidding me!

Is there anything this guy touches that he doesn't turn to shit?

Not only does he have the supreme arrogance to think himself worthy of a Nobel Prize but now he's shown even greater arrogance by very deliberately setting about to snub, dismiss and disdain the very bunch who awarded him that "honor." This goes beyond biting the hand that fed you and is yet another demonstration of just what a flaming egotistic narcissist we have in the White House who's also supremely incompetent at handling even the most basic of foreign affairs.

Obama Snubs the King

Finally some Europeans are angry with Obama—the very ones who are awarding him his Nobel. Katarina Andersson on the president's decision to decline lunch with King Harald and skip his own Nobel exhibit.

A day before President Obama receives his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, the president’s treatment of his Norwegian hosts has become hot news across Scandinavia.

News outlets across the region are calling Obama arrogant for slashing some of the prize winners’ traditional duties from his schedule. “Everybody wants to visit the Peace Center except Obama,” sniped the Norwegian daily Aftenposten, amid reports the president would snub his own exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center. “A bit arrogant—a bit bad,” proclaimed another Aftenposten headline.

Back when the Zero got awarded that Nobel I wondered;

Of what value honors unearned?

Of what character he who accepts such honors?

Now I have to add to that:

Of what ego he who insults those who honor him even while accepting their honors?

This guy truly is an arrogant, sanctimonious, incompetent twit.

Madoc

And You Know, That's Gotta Hurt - Americans Prefer Bush Over Obama!

2009-12-10T08:32:35Z

Folks,

Oh, I am SO luvin this!

Yeah, fine, it's a schadenfreudian thing but that's also what makes it so wonderful!

More Americans are now saying they prefer Bush over Obama.

"Perhaps the greatest measure of Obama's declining support is that just 50% of voters now say they prefer having him as President to George W. Bush, with 44% saying they'd rather have his predecessor. Given the horrendous approval ratings Bush showed during his final term that's somewhat of a surprise and an indication that voters are increasingly placing the blame on Obama for the country's difficulties instead of giving him space because of the tough situation he inherited. The closeness in the Obama/Bush numbers also has implications for the 2010 elections. Using the Bush card may not be particularly effective for Democrats anymore, which is good news generally for Republicans and especially ones like Rob Portman who are running for office and have close ties to the former President.

Finally 20% of voters, including 35% of Republicans, support impeaching Obama for his actions so far."

Impeach Obama? Damn but I gotta pause here lest I wet myself laughing at all this. The guy hasn't even been on the job a full year yet and already the nation is pining for the "good old days" during the Dubya's reign.

Which only makes this bit of visual "salt in the wounds" all the more fitting:

Keeping up with that extra little bit-o-insult-to-injury theme there this:

That right there m'friends, is the illustrious Billy Ayers giving a big shout out to his pal and former protege Barry Obama. Oh, wait a minute, that's not a shout out but rather an unequivocal damnation of Obama and his policies. Wow! When even an unrepentant murderous terrorist like Billy Ayers thinks you're a loser you know you've really sunk to a new low.

And you know, that's gotta hurt!

Yes, folks, this is change we can believe in. Yes, we can!

Madoc

Hat tip: Weasel Zippers for the Billy Ayers clip

From the Mouths of Old Guys

2009-12-10T04:46:10Z

Dear President Obama,

My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in a "rest home" located on the western end of Pearl Harbor, allowing me to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.. So here goes.

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.

I can't figure out what country you are the president of. You fly around the world telling our friends & enemies despicable lies like: " We're no longer a Christian nation." "America is arrogant" (Your wife even announced to the world," America is mean- spirited. "Please tell her to try preaching that nonsense to 23 generations of our war dead buried all over the globe who died for no other reason than to free a whole lot of strangers from tyranny and hopelessness.)

I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America, nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.

After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals."

Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.

I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people understood when they helped to get you elected.

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.

Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue. You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like slaves.

And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black college professor in Massachusetts , who was putting up a fight? You don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.

One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you're the Commander- in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political strategy you're thinking of.

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president. You're not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now. And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle.

Sincerely,
Harold B. Estes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harold B. Estes is real, is still alive, lives in Hawaii, and actually wrote this letter to President Obama.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/haroldestes.asp

Master Chief Estes's statement that "Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War?" really struck home as it was in reference to Obama's statement he made when he was in Cairo back in June of this year.

Specifically: "For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America's founding."

To me, that a black American man would make such a statement is nothing less than an insult. It is an insult to me as an American and it should be particularly insulting to every black American as well.

I also think that Obama should take his sorry ass out to Boston, pull up at the steps to the Massachusetts State House, get out of his limo on the Boston Commons side and then get down on his knees and beg his forgiveness from these guys:

But hey, who am I kidding? Obama's ego is to big for anything so human as that. Let alone listening to some ninety five year old white guy.

Madoc

Star Trek Explained

2009-12-10T01:11:24Z

Folks,

I always wondered what made Star Fleet and the Federation actually function. What with Jimmy Kirk chasing down all the alien tail he could nail and with Riker carrying on that tradition to the Next Generation, it was always a mystery as to how the Federation managed to keep the lights on and Star Fleet to keep the ships running.

Watching this bit, now I know!

Ghosting Along Through the Holidays

2009-12-09T23:43:33Z

Some days I feel like a ghost.

I’m past four months now of being unemployed. It’s been a strange time. Initially, I had to simply chill out as a new job could appear out of nowhere if my company found one for me. I also originally thought that since I was still on my company's books that I wasn’t technically unemployed and thus could not file for Unemployment Compensation. After almost three months of burning entirely through my savings I then learned that I was wrong. I could’ve filed the moment my last gig ended. Odd that my company never informed me of this and nor did they bother to inform the other guys I know who are “on the bench” awaiting their next gig as well.

I’ve since filed for unemployment and the checks are coming in – each with a $50 addition to them that represents my portion of the “Fiscal Stimulus Package.” Oh joy. More for me to be taxed on.

I also realize that this is the Fourth Quarter and no one hires in the Fourth Quarter. NO ONE. Especially once it becomes November and in particular once it’s December.

Thus, I’m holding out hope for the First Quarter. While at the same time I’m looking around me and seeing things just get steadily worse and worse. The economy is going down the tubes. The noise coming from DC about how it’s all just peachy keen and gonna turn right ‘round is just political bullshit. Looking at the hard numbers tells me we’re nowhere near bottom economically and all the massive government spending has done is just rack up the debt and enlarge the Fed.

The commercial mortgage market is soon to implode just as badly as the private mortgage market did earlier this year. Plus the private housing sector is about set to crash again itself just as soon as the government’s artificial stimulus money runs out – that’s this month, by the way.

In DC they’re intent on ramming through the Health Care Reform Package even though most Americans oppose it and even though – by the Administration’s own numbers – it’ll cost the average American more than what he’s paying now. All this while the country’s jobless rate keeps getting worse. Throw in the “Cap & Trade” insanity and it seems that the Democrats in Washington are intent on destroying what’s left of our economy.

Out here in California things are little – if any – better. The state is essentially bankrupt and that’s not going to change. The city of San Diego is no better either.

My job skill set is one that requires big projects to be underway. Such things are always in limited number during hard times and it looks to be another long, lean time ahead.

So, this is just the thing I need to be contemplating as the “Holiday Season” comes ever nearer. This is one of the reasons why I’ve long had a deep, deep distaste for the Holidays. Fourth Quarter has almost always been the time when I’ve been laid off and otherwise out of money. And it’s the time when there is absolutely no prospect of things getting better any time soon. Pile on the pressures of spending what money I don’t have to buy gifts and that just makes it worse. Then on top of all that I get assaulted by all the canned – and desperate – forced “holiday cheer” being relentlessly spewed out by the commercial sector and I get rather disgusted by it all.

Thus, I’m facing yet more days that are essentially gonna be the same as the days which preceded them. I can’t do anything or go anywhere. First off, a job might miraculously appear and I wanna be in place for that. More realistically though, I simply can’t afford to do anything. I gotta keep close hands on what little I have in order to stretch it out. So, I get to sit here at my computer and surf while watching the seasons change and my prospects dim.

Charming, eh?

I’m getting by as I’ve the support of my love, Ann, and of my Mom. I’m also placing my stock in my company finding something to pay me for come January. That’s a slim reed to cling to as I’ve very little faith in my direct management and know to many other of my fellow employees who are in even more dire straits than I.

But, it’s all I got going so I’ll go with it.

And I just thought I’d share this tidbit of joy here.

Madoc

Al Gore’s Tale

2009-12-04T03:35:59Z

Folks,

Ah, the things you find online...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Al Gore’s Tale (with due credit to Geoffrey Chaucer for the original), circulation encouraged

Now, good men, Earth forgive you each trespass,
And keep you from the sin of greenhouse gas.
My carbon offsets cure and will suffice,
So that it gains me gold, or silver brings,
Or else, I care not- brooches, spoons or rings.

You must embrace fully Al Gore’s line of bull
While o’er your eyes we will pull the wool!
An offset certificate I’ll give you, anon,
And into environmental bliss you’ll go, each one.
For I’ll absolve you, by Kyoto’s special power,
You that send me money, as Green this hour
As you were born.

And lo, sirs, thus I preach.
And the United Nations, who is our souls’ great leech,
So grant you each his offset to receive;
For that is best; I will not you deceive.
But, sirs, you must swallow my whole tale;
I’ve carbon credits in my pouch that cannot fail,
As good as Kyoto Treaty ever saw, I vow,
The which I got by kindness of Al Gore.

If dollars your change of heart and mind reveal,
You’ll get my absolution while you kneel.
Come forth, and send me your lucre bright,
And quickly I’ll set your consciences aright;
Or else receive a carbon credit as you wend,
All new and fresh as every mile shall end,
So that you offer me each time, anew,
More gold and silver, all good coins and true.

It is an honour to each one that’s here
That you may have a competent pardoner
To give you carbon offsets to you acquit,
For all greenhouse gases you may emit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hat tip: starempireus

Poor Al Gore - Global Warming Debunked By The Very Internet You Invented

2009-12-03T02:01:42Z

Folks,

Oh, this is priceless!

Jon Stewart wades in to the Climategate issue on his cable show - Climategate stuff at 2:29 or so:

"Poor Al Gore, global warming debunked by the very Internet you invented! Oh, the irony!"

Gotta luv it!

Madoc

(Edit: First posting of this was the YouTube clip I found which featured just the Climategate stuff. Seems that didn't please Viacom and they yanked it. Thus I had to use the longer clip of the whole segment from the Daily Show's main site - hat tip: dark_angel924 for cuing me in to Viacom's yank)

Global Warming As Mankind's New Religion

2009-12-02T18:31:36Z

Folks,

I wish this was a joke. But it's not.

Document Reveals U.N.'s Goal of Becoming Rule-Maker in Global Environmental Talks

Environmentalism should be regarded on the same level with religion "as the only compelling, value-based narrative available to humanity," according to a paper written two years ago to influence the future strategy of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), the world's would-be environmental watchdog.

The purpose of the paper, put together after an unpublicized day-long session in Switzerland by some of the world's top environmental bureaucrats: to argue for a new and unprecedented effort to move environmental concerns to "the center of political and economic decision-making" around the world — and perhaps not coincidentally, expand the influence and reach of UNEP at the tables of world power, as a rule-maker and potential supervisor of the New Environmental Order.

The positions argued in that paper now appear to be much closer at hand; many of them are embedded in a four-year strategy document for UNEP taking effect next year, in the immediate wake of the much-touted, 11-day Copenhagen conference on "climate change," which starts on Dec. 7, and which is intended to push environmental concerns to a new crescendo.

(Follow linked URL for completion of article)

Well, at least they're no longer hiding their intent. Oh, they're still couching it in politically correct terms but that intent is mighty clear - Environmentalism must trump all else and it is only the UN which will arbitrate what is correct environmentalism.

And this is what they want to kick off at Copenhagen.

Madoc

Australia's Got Big Brass Ones!

2009-12-02T18:21:12Z

Folks,

Wow!

Who knew that the politicians down in Australia had such big brass ones!

Well, at least the Conservative politicians down under have the brass ones. The liberals? Yeah, as expected.

Australia's Parliament defeats global warming bill

SYDNEY – Australia's plans for an emissions trading system to combat global warming were scuttled Wednesday in Parliament, handing a defeat to a government that had hoped to set an example at international climate change talks next week.

The Senate, where Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's government does not hold a majority, rejected his administration's proposal for Australia to become one of the first countries to install a so-called cap-and-trade system to slash the amount of heat-trapping pollution that industries pump into the air.

The 41-33 vote followed a tumultuous debate in which the conservative main opposition party at first agreed to support a version of the government's bill, then dramatically dumped its leader and switched sides after bitter divisions erupted within the party.

The new leader, Tony Abbott, said Australia should not adopt an emissions trading system before the rest of the world.

(Follow linked URL for completion of article)

I found this AP article on Yahoo! News yesterday and at that time the piece wound up with this bit:

Climate Change Minister Sen. Penny Wong accused the opposition members who voted the bill down of being climate change deniers out of step with the world.

"This is about doing our bit as part of a global agreement, this is about responding to what is a global challenge. This nation, too, has to act," Wong told the Senate. "You have to make polluters pay. If you do not make polluters pay you will not tackle climate change."

Today however, the same URL leads to an article whose last paragraph ends a tad differently:

"This is about doing our bit as part of a global agreement, this is about responding to what is a global challenge," Wong said.

Odd that the article now leaves out the rather incendiary and zealous "You have to make polluters pay" bit by Wong. I guess having that last bit might lead people to think that some supports of global warming were fanatics and highly biased. Oh dear, can't have that now can we!

And who says the media is biased in the way it has presented this issue? For shame! Obviously, such a thing can't be true.

You can find the original AP article here. Check it quick before it to gets the Orwell treatment!

Anyway, congrats to Australia for having the stones to stand up to the global warming thugs! Hopefully, this dissenting act of rationality will inspire others to do the same!

Madoc

Health Care Reform - Follow the Money

2009-12-02T18:00:54Z

Folks,

Money. Lots of money. That's what's greasing the Health Care Reform Bill through Congress. Whether the thing makes ultimate sense for the nation is entirely secondary to how well greased with pork are the individual legislators who support the thing are.

Case in point is Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu. Her vote was bought and paid for with pork. Ah, but she didn't come cheap! It took a mere $300 million for her to wallow up to the Federal troth and stick her snout in deep.

Lucky us, eh?

Healthcare’s dealbreakers: Mary Landrieu likes her $300 million

On Saturday, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) of Louisiana was pressed by reporters on whether she had cast a vote with Democratic leadership on healthcare in exchange for $100 million in federal aid to her state.

She seized the opportunity to correct the record.

“It’s not $100 million, it’s $300 million, and I’m proud of it and will keep fighting for it,” she told reporters after a floor speech announcing her support of a vote to begin debate on healthcare reform.

(Follow the linked URL for the completion of the article)

More change in we can all believe in? Why, yes we can!

Madoc

Climategate Depicted

2009-12-02T09:36:51Z

Folks,

I think this one sums up what Climategate is all about and does it quite well:

The Future of Government Run Medical Care

2009-12-02T07:56:56Z

Folks,

Truly, once the Fed takes over providing our health care we all have nothing to worry about.

Truly.

As proof, there's this gem:

Mammograms and Rationing: The Future of American Healthcare

The five-year breast cancer survival in the U.S. is 90.1%. The five-year survival for breast cancer in Europe is 79%. American women must ask themselves one question: Is cutting the budget for screening mammograms in half worth this 11.1% drop in breast cancer survival?

Patients must realize not even one member on the task force that made this recommendation was a radiologist, an oncologist, or a surgeon -- the specialists that actually diagnose and treat breast cancer every day. As a result, the recommendations will not save lives. However, these recommendations will save the government money.

(Follow linked URL for completion of article)

I seem to recall that when campaigning for our votes, Obama promised us that his health care reform program would listen to all - especially those "in the trenches" of providing medical care to Americans and not just the lobbyists and big money health care companies.

True, this latest flap over the breast exam issue did not get its start due to another one of Obama's broken promises. But it is indicative of what we can expect more of if Obamacare becomes real.

And for us guys, the same sort of cost driven screening guide revisions will be done to prostate exams and such.

So, tell me folks, is this the sort of change we can all believe in? Can we?

Madoc

The Rings of Earth

2009-11-27T04:03:08Z

Folks,

Wow! This is wonderful but of speculative visual awesomeness. Namely, what would it look like if Earth had rings like Saturn.

Let it load and enjoy the visuals.

Hat tip: Scot Lowther

Obama & His Ego = Epic Fail

2009-11-26T01:41:20Z

Folks,

One sure sign of a narcissistic egotist is not only how they believe themselves to be super-special and unique but also how much and how frequently they want everyone else to know this as well.

A case in point is our Dear Leader - The One, himself.

To hear him tell it, just about everything he and his administration does is so super-special and unique that it is "unprecedented."

This has gone so far beyond your average politician's boasting that even the MainStream Media is noticing it:

The White House's unprecedented use of 'unprecedented'

The Obama White House is addicted to the “unprecedented.”

Perhaps it was a sign when President Barack Obama sat down in January to record his first weekly address and announced: “We begin this year and this administration in the midst of an unprecedented crisis that calls for unprecedented action."

What has followed is declaration after declaration of “unprecedented” milestones. Some of them are legitimate firsts, like the president’s online town hall at the White House in May.

But others the president wins merely on a technicality, and several clearly already have precedents.

Remember folks, when it comes to the United States it's all about Barry Obama. The One is an unprecedented leader who is unprecedented in his unprecedentedness.

That, folks, is something we can all believe in.

Yes, we can!

Madoc

Hide The Decline

2009-11-25T19:58:27Z

Folks,

Climategate looks to be exploding - and doing so right in the faces of the lying thieves who've been pushing the global warming scam the hardest.

But all is not deadly, grindingly, serious about this. Oh no, not that! One of the best ways, in fact, to expose these bastards for what they are is through the use of... yes, humor!

With that in mind, there's this gem:

Hat tip: Minnesotans for Global Warming

Who Is Running Our Government?

2009-11-25T19:45:15Z

Folks,

Oh, you gotta luv this one.

Turns out that the overwhelming majority of folks that Obama has brought aboard his administration to run things turn out to have NO PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER!

No wonder then that they're screwing up our economy at record speed!

Help Wanted, No Private Sector Experience Required

Remember folks, this is change we can all believe in!

Yes, we can!

Madoc

Hat tip: chuckles48

Climategate: "They Are Criminals"

2009-11-24T18:24:00Z

Folks,

Here's more fallout from the information uncovered in the hacking of the Hadley CRU (Climate Research Unit.)

Viscount Monckton on Climategate: ‘They Are Criminals’

This is what they did — these climate “scientists” on whose unsupported word the world’s classe politique proposes to set up an unelected global government this December in Copenhagen, with vast and unprecedented powers to control all formerly free markets, to tax wealthy nations and all of their financial transactions, to regulate the economic and environmental affairs of all nations, and to confiscate and extinguish all patent and intellectual property rights.

The tiny, close-knit clique of climate scientists who invented and now drive the “global warming” fraud — for fraud is what we now know it to be — tampered with temperature data so assiduously that, on the recent admission of one of them, land temperatures since 1980 have risen twice as fast as ocean temperatures. One of the thousands of emails recently circulated by a whistleblower at the University of East Anglia, where one of the world’s four global-temperature datasets is compiled, reveals that data were altered so as to prevent a recent decline in temperature from showing in the record. In fact, there has been no statistically significant “global warming” for 15 years — and there has been rapid and significant cooling for nine years.

Worse, these arrogant fraudsters — for fraudsters are what we now know them to be — have refused, for years and years and years, to reveal their data and their computer program listings. Now we know why: As a revealing 15,000-line document from the computer division at the Climate Research Unit shows, the programs and data are a hopeless, tangled mess. In effect, the global temperature trends have simply been made up. Unfortunately, the British researchers have been acting closely in league with their U.S. counterparts who compile the other terrestrial temperature dataset — the GISS/NCDC dataset. That dataset too contains numerous biases intended artificially to inflate the natural warming of the 20th century.

Finally, these huckstering snake-oil salesmen and “global warming” profiteers — for that is what they are — have written to each other encouraging the destruction of data that had been lawfully requested under the Freedom of Information Act in the UK by scientists who wanted to check whether their global temperature record had been properly compiled. And that procurement of data destruction, as they are about to find out to their cost, is a criminal offense. They are not merely bad scientists — they are crooks. And crooks who have perpetrated their crimes at the expense of British and U.S. taxpayers.

I am angry, and so should you be.

What have the mainstream news media said about the Climategate affair? Remarkably little. The few who have brought themselves to comment, through gritted teeth, have said that all of this is a storm in a teacup, and that their friends in the University of East Anglia and elsewhere in the climatological community are good people, really.

No, they’re not. They’re criminals. With Professor Fred Singer, who founded the U.S. Satellite Weather Service, I have reported them to the UK’s Information Commissioner, with a request that he investigate their offenses and, if thought fit, prosecute. But I won’t be holding my breath: In the police state that Britain has now sadly become, with supine news media largely owned and controlled by the government, the establishment tends to look after its own.

At our expense, and at the expense of the truth.

These climate "scientists" lied. They deliberately hid the facts, denied the facts, substituted lies in place of the facts, attacked others seeking the facts, attacked and threatened publications that might have published the facts, and they have even declared that they would destroy the facts rather than allow anyone else to examine them.

And this is the bunch which is pushing for the "Climate Change" resolutions at Copenhagen. Resolutions which will cost us Trillions of dollars, cripple our economy, put tens of thousands out of work, and establish huge new government bureaucracies to administer all the new "climate change" programs. Programs which they, being climate experts and all, would be the ones administering.

I'm tempted to say that hanging is too good for these bastards - but, really, it's not. It's not to good for them at all. Neither is lengthy jail terms for engaging in such criminal conspiracies to defraud the government of even more tax payer dollars than they already have to date.

Madoc

2012 End of the World - According to the DNC!

2009-11-23T23:58:52Z

Folks,

Wow! Who knew the Democratic National Committee was so deeply concerned about the end of the world!

Hat tip: Saturday Night Live

Standards - High or Otherwise

2009-11-20T19:18:25Z

Folks.

The Attorney General of the United States is the highest law enforcement official in this country. The individual who holds that office is invested with tremendous power and therefore bears an equally tremendous amount of responsibility to execute his duties in a lawful and correct manner.

This being the case, it is absolutely paramount that any individual in that office be of the highest caliber and of the best qualifications to undertake such duties and fulfill such responsibilities.

The current Attorney General is a many by the name of Eric Holder and it is sadly clear that he is neither of the highest caliber nor the best qualified for the tasks he faces nor the power he wields.

Among many other examples proving this is the recent testimony he gave before Congress concerning the upcoming criminal trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Aside from being clueless as to whether the US has ever previously criminally prosecuted any other foreign terrorist, there was this complete and utter failure on Holder's part when questioned as to whether the US would need to "Mirandize" - i.e. properly inform Bin Laden of his rights under US criminal law to remain silent in the face of law enforcement questioning - this right being a central tenant of US criminal law for decades now - Bin Laden.

Would U.S. Need To Read Bin Laden His Miranda Rights?

SEN. GRAHAM: Well, it does not depend. If you're going to prosecute anybody in civilian court, our law is clear that the moment custodial interrogation occurs the defendant, the criminal defendant, is entitled to a lawyer and to be informed of their right to remain silent.
The big problem I have is that you're criminalizing the war, that if we caught bin Laden tomorrow, we'd have mixed theories and we couldn't turn him over -- to the CIA, the FBI or military intelligence -- for an interrogation on the battlefield, because now we're saying that he is subject to criminal court in the United States. And you're confusing the people fighting this war.
What would you tell the military commander who captured him? Would you tell him, "You must read him his rights and give him a lawyer"? And if you didn't tell him that, would you jeopardize the prosecution in a federal court?

ATTY GEN. HOLDER: We have captured thousands of people on the battlefield, only a few of which have actually been given their Miranda warnings.

With regard to bin Laden and the desire or the need for statements from him, the case against him at this point is so overwhelming that we do not need to -

(Follow linked URL for completion of article)

"The case against him at this point is so overwhelming that we do not need to.."

This almost makes me weep. The head law enforcement officer in this country has just declared that Miranda is meaningless. That if the arresting official knows - knows - the guy is guilty then he need not be bothered with US criminal law in how he treats the man.

And this is coming from the US Attorney General - the man charged with setting the law enforcement standard for the entire country.

This is the guy Obama put in to that job.

I'm not surprised yet another Obama appointee has displayed such a wanton disregard for the rule of law and for the Constitution of this country.

Saddened that this latest example would be from within Obama's Justice Department crew but not surprised otherwise.

And this, folks, is change we can all believe in.

Yes, we can!

Madoc

Nowhere Left to Hide...

2009-11-20T18:51:03Z

Folks,

Oh great. Happy. Happy. Joy. Joy.

Looks like the end of the fourth quarter is going to give the lie to the recent "up" market. Why? Because none of the recent rise in stocks is based on anything long term or substantial. And, because the credit crunch which hit consumers earlier in the year is now hitting the commercial market.

In short, it's gonna get a lot worse as 2010 opens.

Lucky us, eh?

Analyst: 'Market Makes No Sense Right Now'

Hat tip: chuckles48

American Muslims To Fort Hood Shooter: 'Thanks A Lot, Asshole'

2009-11-19T17:27:39Z

American Muslims To Fort Hood Shooter: 'Thanks A Lot, Asshole'

FORT HOOD, TX—Following Army psychologist Nidal Malik Hasan's shooting rampage on the Fort Hood military base last week that left 13 people dead and 30 others injured, fellow Muslims across the nation sent him a message today, saying "thanks a fucking bunch, asshole," to the 39-year-old killer. "Hey, great, eight years of progress right down the shitter," St. Cloud, MN resident Zahida Naseem said at one of dozens of impromptu rallies held nationwide. "And you just had to scream 'Allahu Akbar' while you did it, didn't you? May as well have put on a turban and rode a fucking camel right through the army base, you dick. Thanks for making the foreseeable future a living hell for normal, peace-loving Muslims in this country. Really appreciate it!" American Sikhs are also reportedly enraged with Hasan, and an official statement from the National Sikh Heritage Center read, in part, "look, we got nothing to do with that guy."

####

Man, it's amazing how often the Onion gets things more accurately than the "real" news media does.

Madoc