Hope and Change, YES WE...can?

Barrack Hussein Obama was inaugurated at Noon, January 20th, 2009...

	January 2009	TODAY	% chg	Source
Avg.. Retail price/gallon gas in U.S.	$1.83	$3.44	84%	1
Crude oil, European Brent (barrel)	$43..48	$99..02	127.7%	2
Crude oil, West TX Inter. (barrel)	$38..74	$91..38	135.9%	2
Gold: London (per troy oz.)	$853.25	$1,369.50	60.5%	2
Corn, No. 2 yellow, Central IL	$3.56	$6.33	78.1%	2
Soybeans, No. 1 yellow, IL	$9.66	$13..75	42.3%	2
Sugar, cane, raw, world, lb. Fob	$13..37	$35..39	164.7%	2
Unemployment rate, non-farm, overall	7.6%	9.4%	23.7%	3
Unemployment rate, blacks	12.6%	15.8%	25.4%	3
Number of unemployed	11,616,000	14,485,000	24.7%	3
Number of fed. Employees	2,779,000	2,840,000	2.2%	3
Real median household income	$50,112	$49,777	-0.7%	4
Number of food stamp recipients	31,983,716	43,200,878	35.1%	5
Number of unemployment benefit recipients	7,526,598	9,193,838	22.2%	6
Number of long-term unemployed	2,600,000	6,400,000	146.2%	3
Poverty rate, individuals	13.2%	14.3%	8.3%	4
People in poverty in U.S.	39,800,000	43,600,000	9.5%	4
U.S.. Rank in Economic Freedom World Rankings	5	9	n/a	10
Present Situation Index	29.9	23.5	-21.4%	11
Failed banks	140	164	17.1%	12
U.S.. Dollar versus Japanese yen exchange rate	89.76	82.03	-8.6%	2
U.S.. Money supply, M1, in billions	1,575.1	1,865.7	18.4%	13
U.S.. Money supply, M2, in billions	8,310.9	8,852.3	6.5%	13
National debt, in trillions	$10..627	$14..052	32.2%	14

Just take this last item: In the last two years we have accumulated national debt at a rate more than 27 times as fast as during the rest of our entire nation's history.
Over 27 times as fast. Metaphorically speaking, if you are driving in the right lane doing 65 MPH and a car rockets past you in the left lane. 
27 times faster, it would be doing 7,555 MPH!

Sources:
(1) U.S. Energy Information Administration; (2) Wall Street Journal; (3) Bureau of Labor Statistics; (4) Census Bureau; (5) USDA; (6) U.S. Dept. Of Labor; 
(7) FHFA; (8) Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller; (9) RealtyTrac; (10) Heritage Foundation and WSJ; (11) The Conference Board; (12) FDIC; 
(13) Federal Reserve; (14) U.S. Treasury

Union curbs rescue a Wisconsin school district | Byron York | Politics | Washington Examiner

Competition results in more options for the consumer (in this case, BOTH the school district AND the union teacher) and lower prices.

Nice.

Union curbs rescue a Wisconsin school district | Byron York | Politics | Washington Examiner

Outstanding quiz. How'd you do?

Take this quiz without 'looking up the answers in the back of the book (Google)'.  I got a 100%.  But then again, I have a major in Poly Sci, and a Masters in Econ with some Doc work.  Outstanding quiz.      http://www.isi.org/quiz.aspx?q=FE5C3B47-9675-41E0-9CF3-072BB31E2692

Red State, Blue State, Great State, Bad State...of economic activity.

I am from and live in Michigan.  After ten years of smashing, bashing and under-cutting the business community by our lovely state and national gov'ts, I'm frankly amazed it isn't worse.  Then again, it could have sky-rocketed from it's doldrums with the recent actions of the Republican lead legislature, and the "One tough nerd" Republican governor.  Long story short, the poor cannot be helped if there aren't any rich or middle class to tax. (Such an uplifting viewpoint!)   http://www.cnbc.com/id/41666602/

Super Rich? Super!

Apparently, the Super-Rich are earning their income, whereas decades ago, they inherited it.  So, the Kennedies versus the Jobs of the world.  Guess who wins?  And who loses in the court of public opinion?  Here's a quote, "Many of today’s super-rich started out in the middle and make most of their money through work, not inheritance. Ninety-five years ago, the richest 1 percent of Americans received only 20 percent of their income from paid work; in 2004, that income proportion had tripled, to 60 percent."  So...what' s the problem?  Is it Nouveau Rich v Old Money?   In an ostensible meritocracy, our current crop of Super-Rich should be lauded as those who earned their way.  However, these facts get in the way of an oh-so fun beer fueled rant by the guy on welfare blowing his check at the bar inside the casino...       http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/07/the-14-biggest-ideas-of-the-year/8556/12/

Impeach Obama NOW!

Impeach Barrack Hussein Obama NOW! He has failed to follow the law (War Powers Resolution '73) with respect to military action against Libya. ALL previous presidents abided by the law regardless of their views as to its constitutionality.              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Powers_Resolution

Opportunity Cost and streaming video...dang.

Even the Internet itself is limited and scarce.  Bandwidth is finite.  Broadband video streaming is increasing exponentially.  So...do we get all Malthusian here and demand government intervention, or should we let the marketplace figure it out?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/netflix-biggest-driver-of-us-internet-traffic-puts-spotlight-on-broadband-pricing/2011/05/16/AFg3yg5G_blog.html

GREEN, going or coming?

How very true and part of the many aches and pains we now endure.  Those were the good old days for sure. 


How Wasteful the Older Generation Was...


In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."


The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment."


He was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day.


Back then, they returned their milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.


But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.


In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks.


But she was right. They didn't have the green thing in her day.


Back then, they washed the baby's diapers because they didn't have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.


But that old lady is right, they didn't have the green thing back in her day.


Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn't have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.


Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.


But she's right, they didn't have the green thing back then.


They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.


But they didn't have the green thing back then.


Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

I didn't but some did...so...pick your poison.

WHY I VOTED DEMOCRATIC

  Top 12 Reasons....A List That Explains Most Everything

 

  *When your friends cannot explain why they voted for Democrats, give them this list.  They can then pick their reasons from this "TOP 12"...*

 

   1. I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't.

 

   2. I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.

 

   3. I voted Democrat because Freedom of Speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.

 

   4. I voted Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves.

 

   5. I voted Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I  don't start driving a Prius.

 

   6. I voted Democrat because I'm not concerned about millions of babies being aborted so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.

 

   7. I voted Democrat because I think illegal aliens have a right to free health care, education, and Social Security benefits.

 

   8. I voted Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as the Democrats see fit.

 

   9. I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never

get their agendas past the voters.

 

   10. I voted Democrat because I think that it's better to pay billions to people who hate us for their oil, but not drill our own because it might upset some endangered beetle or gopher.

 

   11. I voted Democrat because while we live in the greatest, most wonderful country in the world, I  was promised "HOPE AND CHANGE".

 

   12. I voted Democrat because my head is so firmly planted up my @$$, it's unlikely that I'll ever have another point of view.

--------------------

Now the problem is trying to refute the above points for those who think the points are all good things...   Maybe just give them more LSD or whatever recreational drug they're acquiring on the street corner...

Hayek v Keynes, Fight of the Century II

A very, very VERY good video one must view several times...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTQnarzmTOc

The Government Shut-Down, Vol. II

Just when you thought it was over, that the almighty national gov't would close up shop (in all the ambiguity of that concept), a guy from Ohio of all places, goes all in and wins the poker match.  Politics, truly.  (Poly=many; tics=blood sucking insects)  http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/09/did-keys-boehners-budget-victory/

Government Shutdown hyperbole Vol. I

The national government will 'shut down' this weekend.  Listen to all the prognostications of doom and gloom spouting from most every font of 'news' out there...  Article I, Section 9, clause 7 requires any money drawn from the Treasury (spent) can only be appropriated by law.  This means it must be authorized by an act of Congress signed by the President.  Most are lead to believe that the appropriations for this fiscal year (FY 2011) finish up when this most recent "Continuing Resolution" expires.  The media calls a Continuing Resolution a 'stop gap spending bill'.  It is needed as the official 'budget' for this fiscal year was not passed in Congress last year (amazingly so, given that one political party had a majority, a substantial one at that, in BOTH houses of Congress AND the President, yet they deigned not to provide the country with a budget) so they reverted to a measure/method typically only used in October (the beginning of the Fiscal Year is October 1st), for portions of the budget that still needs to be signed by the President.  HOWEVER, the Congress in its infinite wisdom has taken the 'budget' and broken it up into over a dozen major components, each of which must be passed as separate 'laws'.  So, if even only one of those major components is not passed, it can be said that the budget has not passed, so a shutdown can occur.  However, the average citizen will not notice a single disruption in his/her life.  In fact, the economy may pick up in activity due to fewer regulators and inspectors interrupting economic activity, more 'laissez-faire'.

SO...now the political shenanigans ramp up, with a biased media on one side, and a grassroots 'organization' on the other (that term 'organization' is very loosely applied to the Tea Party which by definition is not a political party, but a mass movement incorporating independents, republicans and democrats).

NOTE: The President decides who in the Federal Gov't is essential (still going to do the jobs after the 'shut down') and non-essential (stay at home with no pay but will be 're-imbursed' when gov't 'opens' again) so guess who dictates the impact of a shutdown?  AND guess who will be castigated and impugned unceasingly by the media?  Your choices are Republicans and Democrats.  Please vote below with a comment.

NO BLOOD FOR OIL!!!!! Unless it's Obama....

Hmmm...hard to argue our actions are not 'blood for oil' again...but this time, it is European oil concerns.  Guess THAT'S OK with the 'watch dog' media this time.  Can't forget that the US was late to the fracas, and guess who was FIRST?  Yup.  France.  Even though it was an Italian colony...

Michigan Education Association to seek strike authorization

Wow...where to start in refutation?  So many options...

Amazing.  Middle class under assault, eh?  If so, it is in part by the MEA advocating for higher taxes.

So, a strike by a public school teacher is illegal.  Who would have guessed?  And here the kids thought they would just get a few days off of school.

Sum total eval...best part is the warning to stock up two months worth of pay.  To build one's savings...wow.  I'd have NEVER thought of that even in good times.

Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media Military's 'sock puppet' software creates fake online identities to spread pro-American propaganda

Once Upon A Time it was said that "Man Bites Dog" was news.  In the same vein, is the story linked and headlined above truly news (implying unusual or new) when such activities have been happening for some time now?  In fact, don't we all know (and love?) someone who is doing this RIGHT NOW?!?  I mean, come on!  Seriously?  Really?  (And the other 'current' terms used by people in society to express incredulity and sarcasm...)  Here's the link if you either don't like to click hyperlinked headlines or it is a borken lnik.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social-networks/print

Japan may have a real China-Syndrome.  And a real China syndrome.  Who else has money to help?  We don't.  And Japan's gov't has also spent to the hilt and has no money.  Who is left?  China.  No divine wind will help this situation.  "That's what I call ironic!" ~Ragetti on "Pirates of the Caribbean"

Wusses in Wisconsin, or are they?

I remember a bumper sticker issued by the Wisconsin tourism bureau or some-such back in the early 80's, "Escape to Wisconsin".  I always liked to get my hands on them and cut out the 'to' part.  Apparently, the democrat state senators took that to heart, and escaped, or as the bad guy played by Gary Oldman in "Air Force One" says, "He fled like a whipped dog".  The link provides (rather well I might add) the reasoning behind the efforts to curtail the abilities (NOT 'rights') of AFSCME and others (PUBLIC tax-paid for employees) to negotiate in collective bargaining.  Don't forget, I'm a public employee in a union.  Excuse me, we cannot officially call our union a union, but rather an 'association'...right.    Just remember, democracy is not what we have nor have we ever had.  We are a constitutional republic.  The people made their voices heard in the election last November.  As Obama liked to point out after the '08 election, "Elections mean things."  http://www.professorbainbridge.com/professorbainbridgecom/2011/02/the-case-against-public-sector-unionism.html

Economics Saved My Marriage - Newsweek

It really is that simple. Supply, Demand, and the magical X marks the spot. Psychologists are getting upset about the 'incursion' economics is making into 'their territory'. BUT, economic principles are ubiquitous! Here's another installment demonstrating that point...

Economics Saved My Marriage - Newsweek