Personal Made Public

The problem, if there is a problem (and it may not be a problem) will likely go away by itself... or something like that. According to the Associated Press:

"New technologies will change how we live and how we drive our cars which all will have the beneficial effect of improving the environment," Bush said. "And in my judgment we need to set aside whether or not greenhouse gases have been caused by mankind or because of natural effects and focus on the technologies that will enable us to live better lives and at the same time protect the enviroment."

Dear Mr. President:

1 - Not all technological changes lead to an ever-improving environment. In fact, it takes a lot of active effort to make sure that new technologies do as little harm as possible. It doesn't just happen.

2 - We know the rise in greenhouse gas concentrations in the Earth's atmosphere are caused by human activity. I think you must have been trying to discuss global warming and not greenhouse gas concentrations. However, that has also been a dead-and-buried debate except for a few folks such as yourself as the scientific consensus is wide and deep. You are also wrong as to whether or not it matters. It matters because the most effective and cost-effective method of protecting our environment is dependent on understanding the causes of global climate change.

3 - "focus on technologies" What does that mean? Does that mean you now support higher CAFE standards and requiring the installation of technology to reduce the generation of greenhouse gases during manufacturing? What about requiring higher energy efficiency in homes and home appliances to decrease electricity consumption? What about better mass transit? These are technologies that do exactly what you describe: they improve our lives while reducing pollution. Unfortunately, these are steps that you have never shown interest in taking.

It's nice to see you addressing the issue, but you need to address with more than simple platitudes devoid of any vision or strategy. Some leadership of some form, perhaps?

Posted by Kevin at 06:15 PM | Permalink

According to CNN, the six fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. are:

1. Network Systems and Data Communications Analyst
2. Physician Assistant
3. Computer Software Engineer, Applications
4. Computer Software Engineer, Systems Software
5. Network and Computer Systems Administrator
6. Database Administrator

Cool... I have expertise in numbers 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, with number 5 being my "official" current position.

Maybe Governor Easley will wake up and raise university salaries a bit since they are woefully out of line with the industry? Nah, he'll wait until everyone with real expertise leaves for greener pastures and will then farm it out to the private sector as a huge hand-out to industry. The taxpayers will pay for the higher salaries AND a profit margin to the private companies that will take over. Of course, the private sector will be more efficient, so maybe it'll be a wash for the taxpayer, though our universities will have to live without immediate onsite service (instead they'll have to call in their contractor), which has its own costs.

Posted by Kevin at 03:12 PM | Permalink

Not since Ronald Reagan declared trees to be the number one source of pollution have I come across a comment as stupefyingly crazy as this advertisement from Competitive Enterprise Institute (funded largely by the oil industry):

"We call it Life"

FYI: the problem with carbon dioxide isn't its presence in the atmosphere, but the quantity we have added from the use of fossil fuels.

Posted by Kevin at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today Michelle Malkin links to Brian Maloney's coverage of the NY Times cover-up of Patrick Kennedy's car crash.

Does anyone ever fact check anymore?

The Times is running a story on it on the front page of the website in the top news. From the article:

A minor traffic accident involving Representative Patrick J. Kennedy caused a major stir today as questions arose about the congressman's condition at the time of the mishap and the treatment accorded him by the Capitol police afterward.

But CNN reported today that a police report said Mr. Kennedy had been drinking, and that his ability was impaired. The police report attributed the accident to speed and alcohol influence, driving on the wrong side of the street and inattention by the driver, according to CNN.

It goes on to cover the burgeoning scandal in detail. Where's the frigg'n cover-up?

Of course, blogging from the left of the spectrum isn't much better: Raw Story has a story that spins a principal's refusal to allow an elementary school student to perform "Dear Mr. President" by Pink at the school talent show as being an infringement of rights to political free speech. Of course, the lyrics contain words inappropriate for elementary school performances, drug and alcohol references, and address issues that many parents would rather not have their kindergarten children dealing with at school.

Considering how many real issues we face, is it really necessary for bloggers left or right to be beating war drums for silly or imaginary reasons? The level of discourse in this country is low enough already.

Posted by Kevin at 06:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Republican CongressCritters have been outraged on Capitol Hill about a translation of the Star-Spangled Banner into Spanish. I mean it's never been done before (which means it shouldn't be done now, right?)! What kind of UnPatriotic UnAmerican would be willing to stand up for a rendition of it with hand to heart?!?! If we don't stop this now, where would it end?!?!

Glad our CongressCritters have all our more pressing problems solved...

Posted by Kevin at 08:24 PM | Permalink

Tiki Bar TV follows the adventures of Dr. Tiki, La La and Johnny Johnny as they hang about their in-home tiki bar. Episodes 9 and 10 are my personal faves. I think you could make a great party theme centered around this vodcast.

Posted by Kevin at 11:59 AM | Permalink

Via the Associate Press:

"The lessons of Katrina are important,'' Bush said. "We've learned a lot here at the federal level. We're much more ready this time than we were the last time.''

"Let's, first of all, pray there's no hurricanes,'' Bush said. "That would be, like, step one.''

I feel safer already...

Posted by Kevin at 07:14 AM | Permalink

Gas prices, with some fluctuations, continue trending upward as global demand comes up against a tight global supply. Suddenly everyone in Washington (who have been warned by experts for years that this was coming) wants to be seen as dedicated to solving the problem that they should have been working on a decade or more ago through the development of alternative energy sources (like biofuels, safer nuclear reactors and nuclear fusion research), higher CAFE standards, better public transit and urban planning, and so on.

Instead, the Democrats propose a 60-day suspension of the federal gas tax (just stick the cost of all the lost revenue on the debt, please). There's a sound bit of genius thinking, eh? Of course, it just makes a temporary change in the cost as the underlying price continues up (and just think of the jump when the tax kicked back in!).

Just when I thought you couldn't have a dumber idea than that, the Republicans step up to the plate to suggest that the government just send everyone checks for $100. Again, are we just going to stick that on the debt? It's a cash advance to be paid back with interest when oil prices may be even higher. Another great solution!

Yeesh. Doesn't anyone in Washington have a brain?

Posted by Kevin at 06:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)