I make post-it notes to remind myself to do those things that I didn’t want to do in the first place. If I had wanted to do them, I would have done them already and not have to be reminded to do it.
But, sometimes, post-it notes are very, very effective at reminding you of your priorities. Case in point.
I came across the article linked below over the weekend. I wanted to pass along, if anyone is interested. It discusses California’s supposed lead in setting tough environmental standards and the actual result of these initiatives. The article points out several brilliant examples of the law of unintended consequences resulting from governmental regulations.
What’s the real benefit of setting tough environmental standards, if no one can live up to them? Our society is blindly signing on 100% to the environmental agenda these days, but are we really going to be better off for it?
The article references the rolling brown-outs that have been affecting California for several years. Viewed another way, is that saying that California’s power infrastructure isn’t any better than Iraq’s? The third largest economy in the world, but they can’t keep the lights on during the summer? Is this progress? Instead of being bombed back to the early industrial age, are we going to be “greened” back to it?
I, for one, do not believe this is progress. And I also think this is a lesson as to what the future holds for our society as the greeners gain more and more control and clout. If you want to understand the effect of the “cap and trade” system that everyone is talking about now, do a little research on New Zealand and what they are going through right now.
I didn’t think that when the doom and gloom prophecies said the future was dark, that it was because we wouldn’t be able to afford electricity any longer.
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/18_2_californias_environmentalism.html
This is a long rant to something that I saw on Marylou’s page. I’m in a shitty mood today and it’s coming out in my writing
It’s funny, sad and ironic to hear someone from outside of the US saying this. Unfortunately, today I don’t have the wit, wisdom or time to craft a proper response to Gregers position. Suffice it to say, the part about “imports of certain products” is the root of so many of today’s economic problems. So, just in case everyone hasn’t been following along, here’s how a lot of very smart people think about this:
The US economy has consistently expanded for a very, very long time, even with a few minor (which we’re actually in now) downturns. But, during this long expansion, the US has consistently been importing significantly more goods and services than it has been exporting, leading to a huge trade imbalance. Part of this was the strong dollar, which made imported goods cheaper than domestically produced goods.
But, with long term trade imbalances, a lot of dollars were ending up over-seas with no way to get back here. Also, during this period of time (oh, say the last 30 – 40 years), the US has consistently run deficit spending, which increases our debt level. Now, since US debt is so attractive to everyone else, because their own countries are so screwed up, they used our own dollars from the trade imbalances to buy our own debt. Pretty neat trick, right?
So, some geniuses thought “Hey, let’s drop the value of the dollar, which will help with the trade imbalances”. It’s also devaluing trillions of dollars in US debt held overseas, but hey, let’s ignore that for now.
One of the problems that these super smart people really didn’t account for was that the US dollar is used as the basis for a huge number of foreign exchange transactions and is the primary basis for valuing a lot of commodities that are traded internationally. For example, oil.
Now, as the dollar has dropped, oil has gone up because the smart towel heads have said “Hey, those dollars you’re giving me are worth less, so I want more of them for my product”. This has driven oil up, (let’s also not forget global oil demand has skyrocketed, which is another issue), which is driving inflationary pressures in the US, which, in turn, was right when the Fed was raising interest rates to curb the inflation. But, then the credit crisis came along, so, to bail those poor, poor over-extended home owners out, we had to drop interest rates, fueling even more inflation.
All the while, we’ve been trying to kill a whole generation of terrorist that want to end our way of life, and the whole world is pissed at us because we didn’t ask their permission first. Oh, sure, they’ll blame us if we’re not the first in line to offer assistance during disasters, or when some messy political situation comes up where they don’t want to get their fingers wet. But when we want to do something to protect ourselves, they all stand up and say “Fuck you, upstarts. What do you know about the ways of the world?”
So now we have the whole world standing around saying “I hope they elect a President that’s more favorable for our best interests”, when most of us in the US look at these three and think “I wouldn’t let them run my checkbook for a month, let alone run the whole country”. Two of these idiots I seriously think that their policies will only ruin us further and the other one is a “maverick” in his own party. You know when a maverick is useful? When you’re storming the heights of an emplaced fortification, because you’re not so concerned if this maverick (who you think is a raving asshole, but everyone else loves him so you keep him around) gets blown away. Not really someone you want running your country.
Do I really care what the rest of the world wants? Fuck no. Go solve your own problems. When we fix our ship we’ll be back buying all your shit, propping up your failed governmental systems a while longer so you don’t have to face the truth about your own failing societies.
If you don’t agree with me, fine, like I really care. If you want to debate economic points, I’ll listen, but you’d better be prepared to back your shit up. I’m also not going to listen to any half assed crap about how it’s all President Bush’s fault either. We have over 500 other elected officials in Washington that haven’t done shit during the last eight years to change the road we’re on, so don’t lay it all at the feet of Bush. And the great thing is, so of these people that haven’t done anything are trying to get a better job, all at our own expense. I’m so in the wrong line of work.
We all know it’s coming. Can’t you feel it in the air? It’s just about that time of the year when they come out of their winter hibernation and start running around. Oooo, I just know that some of them are sitting around and the panic and fear is just building up and up and up, ready to explode. Just one more weather related disaster is all it’s going to take and then BAMM! The global warming blamers are going to come pouring out of the wood work.
First it was the cyclone that hit Myanmar and then all of the tornados that we’ve been experiencing. I’m half expecting that the Chinese earthquake will put them over the edge, but that’s a stretch to blame on global warming. I’m sure that some people are trying to draw a correlation, but I’m sure that even Al Gore’s funky science won’t try to reach there.
Before anyone gets too bent out of shape, I’m trying to be a little sarcastic here. That being said, we all know it’s only going to take one more odd weather related occurrence before we start seeing in the news and on the internet all the instant scientists blaming global warming for everything that is happening.
On a more serious note, I’m shocked at the death and destruction that these disasters have left in their path. I think it’s weird when you think back on what you were doing at the moment that thousands or tens of thousands of people lost their lives. It’s almost as though you would think that there actually would be some ethereal disturbance in the Force that let you know that some calamity just happened.
And the really sad thing? In about two weeks, all of this will almost be completely out of the US news cycle, overtaken by our continuing national meltdown over who the Democrats are going to nominate.
I was looking at some of the pictures of Henry Hager and Jenna Bush’s wedding, and I started to wonder about what it must be like for Henry Hager.
What does it feel like when you realize that your wife’s father is the current POTUS and a former governor, her grandfather is a former POTUS, director of the CIA and war hero, and her uncle is the former governor of Florida?
Is your honeymoon locations limited by where the Secret Service will allow you to go?
How does it feel to know that your new father in law is going to be unemployed in a few months? Do you think they kept the wedding small to save money since the bride’s parents are going to be looking for work soon? Do you think Henry pulled George aside over the weekend and said “Hey, don’t worry. If things get tight, you can move in with us”?
And, if you get in a fight with your new bride, is it always in the back of your mind that her Dad actually approved having people tortured (at least according to the ACLU’s standards) in the past? Do you think that during the receiving line George leaned over to Henry and whispered in his ear “Take good care of her, or my friends in Egypt will have a talk with you.”?
Do you think that at Henry’s bachelor party, it was a Navy Seal that actually jumped out of the cake, guns drawn?
What about the fact that you’re wife’s paternal grandmother is probably the toughest one in the whole bunch, who could kick your ass without spilling her sherry?
Just wondering what it must be like waking up as Henry Hager this morning.
Dear Lord, please help me stay in a good mood this day, and stay my hand from choking the everlasting shit out of my coworkers
Heavenly Father, give my underlings the ability to use their brains, The courage to do their jobs, and the wisdom to know when to shut the fuck up.
Almighty God, please help corporate management, strengthen their spineless backs and give them the courage to make a decision. I pray that you’ll pull the cotton from their ears, give them some stuffing in their heads (‘cause there isn’t anything there now), and please let them know that they really aren’t all that.
Dear Baby Jesus, may our customers be clueless, may our vendors grovel at our feet, let the market look upon our stock with favor, and help the auditors overlook the petty cash account.
For this we pray.
I posted this last June on my 360 page, and I'm still pissed at these turn-coat Republicans. Good think sport teams are not run by politicians. As soon as they were behind, they would want to quit the game.
Now I’m pissed.
These two Republican Senators that all of sudden switched positions in the last few days are pissing the hell out of me. What, now all of a sudden we need to change our strategy, just as it’s being implemented?
Hello? We just finished getting all of the troops in country for the surge, immediately launch a major offensive against the bad guys (which we are right smack dap in the middle of), killing and capturing terrorists by the boat load. So, genius boys, you decide right now is the best time to announce that you think we’re losing (basically) and we need to change our course?
Are you stupid? Didn’t the military say that with the surge that we were going to see more American deaths, since we were going to be putting more men on the street? The military told us what was going to happen, it happened just like they said, and now you think our best course is to set withdrawal timetables? Are you a cow or a yellow belly coward dog? Because I certainly know what you’re not, and that’s a courageous leader, that’s for sure.
Instead of reading the front page of the NY Times every morning to set foreign policy for that day, has it ever occurred to you to get past the headlines and see what is really happening? Did you ever think that the General you put in charge, Petraeus, is essentially just getting his full program under way at this point and you need to give it time to run its course? Has it ever occurred to you that if we didn’t have such a myopically short attention span and could let Petraeus do what he needs to do, that maybe things would be much better?
Is it possible that you are actually more stupid than Al Qaeda gives you credit for? Can’t you see that they are playing you and the American media like a bunch of marionettes, and all you do is dance along to the stings that they are pulling? Last night on CBS, they were reporting that the military is reporting al Qaeda knows that there is a major report due to Congress in September. To influence this report, Congress and the American Media, they (al Qaeda) are planning on stepping up operations (i.e. car bombings, kidnappings, all around general violence and terrorism) during July to make it look like we’re losing the war? Doesn’t anyone in the whole fucking American media and government see through this? Can’t you see that they have a much more sophisticated PR campaign than we give them for? Can’t you see that they plan activities to make sure it makes the morning news? Are you all just so fucking stupid that you’re basically cows being led by the nose to your slaughter?
Do you want to know what a moron one of these guys is? Here is one of his quotes: "The longer we delay the planning for a redeployment, the less likely it is to be successful,” Now just what the fuck is that supposed to mean? The longer we delay the planning for a redeployment, the less successful the redeployment is going to be? What a complete and utter waste time, energy and oxygen this statement is. How on earth are we, as Americans, voting people like this into office? Is politics really that bad that we cannot get any better qualified candidates to run for office and we have to be stuck with likes of this guy?
Look, people, I’m not saying that you cannot criticize the war. I’m not saying that there hasn’t been mistakes made and that things could have been done better. I’m pretty sure that you can look at almost any major battle or war and see, with hindsight, what could have been done better. I’m not saying that at all. We can argue about whether it was the right thing to go in or not. We can argue about WMD, the yellow cake uranium, and a whole bunch of other stuff. We can argue about this stuff for days and days (but who am I kidding, nobody ever responds to this shit anyway).
But one thing is for sure. Any scenario that entails us pulling out of Iraq is going to end up causing a significantly higher loss of lives (for the Iraqis), more instability in the Middle East, greater power for Iran, a loss of everything that we have gained in the Middle East and world wide humiliation for the United States. That, plus the issue of that we have effectively thrown away the ultimate sacrifice that all of the Americans, British and other coalition forces have made so far in this war. Pull out, and all that blood will be on your hands, make no mistake about that.
What’s wrong with America? It’s the loss of courageous leadership and a willingness to take a unpopular, but in the long run, the correct, stand against these animals.
One of the things that I find weird is when my sister-in-law kisses me on the lips. She’s not one of my wife’s sisters, it’s her brother’s wife, as if that makes it any better. It’s just kind of weird, you know? Everyone else in the family does the little pecks on the cheek, which are as innocuous as they look. But when we’re leaving family gatherings and you’re going through the ritual hugs and handshakes, all of sudden, out of nowhere comes the kiss on the lips.
I’ve even twisted my face slightly to the side, but does that stop her? Oh no. The worst is if I’m sitting in a chair and she comes up from behind, leans over my shoulder and plants one on my lips. I know there isn’t any hidden agenda with this and it’s just how she is. It still always freaks me out. A little.
We just finished our latest travel hockey try-out odyssey. If you have one of the bubble kids, you know, one of those kids who aren’t in the “in” crowd, and you have to watch your kid fight and scrabble each year, it’s an emotional rollercoaster. For the last 7 – 8 years we’ve going through this process each spring and it never gets any easier. Once the roster came out, our first pass is to see if your kids made the team. The second pass is to see who else made the team. The third pass is to see who didn’t make the team, and wonder what is going through their heads at that time. Because we’ve been there. Several times.
For some of these kids, this may be the end of playing competitive hockey. The end for some whose dreams of stardom started off in the driveway or the back yard rink and now those dreams have now come crashing to an end, at the hand of a coach that has decided that you’re not good enough.
And then this morning, as I was stretching out, I realized that we’re only going to go through this one more time before our son graduates from high school. I’ll be 45 next year when we go through it, and when it is over, a chapter in our lives will be close forever. Now that’s weird. For the last eight years, our lives have revolved around hockey, and in less than 24 months, after that school season is done, it will all be over.
Weird.
And now, for something on the lighter side, from my 360 page.
Why is it every time I do poop patrol in the yard, my dogs decide it’s time to drop some more landmines for me? It’s bad enough that I’m bent over, scanning the lawn like some prospector, carrying a pail full of old dog shit. The last thing I need is to carry around a pail full of fresh dog shit.
I mean, really, what’s up with this? It’s not like they learned this behavior from us. At least in our house nobody runs in the bathroom to leave a deposit right after someone else has. Can you imagine that? “Hey, Johnny is in the bathroom. Oooo, now I feel like I’ve gotta take a dump. Hurry up Johnny, hurry up before I crap my pants”
Not only are the dogs running around pooping everywhere I just picked shit up from, but the freaking puppy has to come over and checkout everything that I’m doing. What, did you miss sniffing this the first time around? Was it so good the first time down that you’re thinking about eating it again? Look, these aren’t toys you know, regardless of what the other dogs have taught you about the cat litter boxes. This shit is so dry that even the bugs have given up on it and you’re checking it out like it’s some long lost relative?
Also, why is it when I’m running a cold and my allergies are kicking up that my nose mysteriously clears up with I’m picking up dog poop? Like right now I really need to have the ability to smell? And forget about needing that coffee to wake you up in the morning. There’s nothing like the fresh smell of doggy logs to snap that sleepy feeling out of your head.
So, how was your morning, Sunshine? I’m pretty sure it was better than mine.
