Month: December 2009

Quote of the Day – Repeating History Division

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I am not a historian or a statistician. Nonetheless I had been skimming Climate Audit for a couple of years and knew enough to write, in January 2009, “Michael Mann should be in prison.” I continue to enthusiastically endorse this view. I also do know a bit about the past.

And the past has sent me its report on Climategate. It is a short message – quite pithy – full of punch. I transcribed it this week from my favorite Ouija board. At the planchette: me and my 2-year-old daughter, Sibyl.

After data corrections, the text reads:

Your entire system of government is incurably insane.

— Unqualified Reservations – Climategate: history’s message

I am reminded by this of The Geek with a .45‘s observation upon deciding to get the hell out of Dodge New Jersey,

“Entire Societies Can and Have Gone Stark Raving Batshit Fucking Insane.”

For some, it was brief and temporary, and for others, it was more or less a permanent state of affairs.

His quote was in the context of WWII, but he expanded it to the current government (and accepting populace) of New Jersey. And it’s gone beyond just New Jersey and California.

Mencius Moldbug’s post is unquestionably of Überpost status, but do give it a thorough read. (Edited to add: I think Climategate: history’s message is the best post I’ve read in years. It’s epic-length, but worth your time.) And re-peruse the Geek’s piece.

And think.

“A Monstrosity” is Right

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“A Monstrosity” is Right

“This bill is a monstrosity,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). “This is not renaming the post office. Make no mistake — this bill will reshape our nation and our lives.” – WaPo, Deal on health bill is reached

And who didn’t see this coming?

Unless the GOP yields, the bill is expected to pass in a final Senate vote at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Negotiations to merge the bill with the House version would begin early next month.

So it’s still not – quite – a done deal, but it might as well be. They are going to shove this power-grab down our throats.

Many liberals, however, were bitterly disappointed with the bargains Reid struck to win support from moderates in his caucus, any member of which could seek alterations in exchange for his or her support. Democratic leaders dropped a government insurance option and the idea of expanding Medicare to younger Americans. Reid also omitted language that would have eliminated the federal antitrust exemption for health insurers — another nonstarter for Nelson.

Like this is going to be the final version of the bill, and it will never, ever be modified by lawmakers in the future?

Congressional budget analysts reported Saturday that the revised package would not worsen the nation’s fiscal situation, as GOP critics have warned. The analysts said the updated Senate bill would spend $871 billion over the next decade to extend coverage to more than 31 million Americans by dramatically expanding Medicaid, and by offering federal subsidies to those who lack affordable coverage through employers.

Those costs would be more than covered by nearly $400 billion in new taxes over the next decade and by nearly $500 billion in spending reductions, primarily cuts to Medicare, the federal health program for people 65 and older. All told, the package would reduce federal budget deficits by $132 billion by 2019, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Over the long term, the analysts predicted, the package could reduce budget deficits even more sharply, slicing as much as $1.3 trillion from projected deficits between 2019 and 2029. That would represent a significant improvement in long-run savings compared with the bill approved by the House and a measure previously crafted by Reid.

If you believe any of that, I have the title to this bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to talk to you about. “Spending reductions” on Medicare? On what planet? Oh no, there are powerful constituencies who are loath to see their particular ox gored. Cost-cutting and deficit reduction my aching ass.

And it will never, ever be repealed. Once seized, governments do not yield power easily.

The Proper Response

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The Proper Response

Robert Heinlein’s character Lazarus Long once said:

The correct way to punctuate a sentence that starts: “Of course It is none of my business but–” is to place a period after the word “but.” Don’t use excessive force in supplying such moron with a period. Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about.

xkcd illustrates that aphorism this morning:


I imagine there are not enough excavators in Copenhagen to do the job, though.

Perhaps steamrollers would suffice?

More FUD

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More FUD

That’s Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt.

Peruse the following:

“Consider whether it is in the best interests of America’s future to accept or reject the following transformations inherent in what Obama describes as “change we can believe in:”

-From a nation of investors to a nation of debtors.
-From a free market economy to a government-run economy.
-From a value system that prizes personal independence to a political system that fosters personal dependency.
-From a society where wealth accumulation, job creation and innovation are aspirations, to a society where wealth redistribution, high unemployment and stagnation are expectations.
-From a country confident that it is worthy of emulation to a country apologetic about its actions, beliefs and systems.
-From a military power that punches hard in the fight for freedom to a military that is sometimes commanded to pull its punches in the war against terrorism.
-From a quest to achieve the correct political course at the right cost to a quest to achieve the politically correct course at any cost.
-From a competitive environment where failure is part of a course correction to a government-controlled environment where the course of failure produces bailouts, handouts, payouts and layabouts
-From a public debate that is challenging because of strongly-held views to a public debate that is stifled because only one party’s views are challenged.
-From a country that celebrates strength and competes to a country that cultivates enervation and retreats.”

That’s from the post Basic Disbelief quoted by the hilariously named “FREUDIANSLIPNSLIDE” from a FOX News op-ed. I invite you to read his take on it.

I Can’t Wait to Miss This One

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I Can’t Wait to Miss This One

Avatar is every militant global warming supporter’s dream come true as the invading, technology-worshiping, environment-ravaging humans are set upon by an angry planet and its noble inhabitants. But the film’s message suffers mightily under the weight of mind-boggling hypocrisy. Cameron’s story clearly curses the proliferation of human technology. In Avatar, the science and machinery of humankind leads to soulless violence and destruction. It only serves to pollute the primitive but pristine paradise of Pandora.

Of course, without centuries of development in science and technology, the film putting forth this simple-minded, self-loathing worldview wouldn’t exist. You’d imagine Cameron himself would be bored to tears on the planet he created.

There are no movies on Pandora, so he’d be out of a job.

That’s from Popular Science magazine’s review of Avatar.

I think I’ll pass.