By STEPHEN MOORE
Some years ago when I worked at the libertarian Cato Institute, we used to label any new hire who had not yet read “Atlas Shrugged” a “virgin.” Being conversant in Ayn Rand’s classic novel about the economic carnage caused by big government run amok was practically a job requirement. If only “Atlas” were required reading for every member of Congress and political appointee in the Obama administration. I’m confident that we’d get out of the current financial mess a lot faster.
Posted by Jack Lee
Just for fun can you older vets answer any of these questions?
1. Q. Can you name 4 occassions when you render a salute?
2. Q. Should vets salute or place their hand over the heart for the flag salute?
3. Q. How long is regular forward march step?
4. Q. How long is step backwards from the position of attention?
5. Q. While at attention how far is a single right step?
If you choose to reply, please note your former branch of service so you may be properly recognized for your patriotism and service.
by Jack Lee
12 January – Nearly 900 Palestinians, mostly combatants, some killed while sniping, some killed while firing rockets and some killed while using their human shields – its too bad, but you reap what you sow.
This is what happens when you teach your children to hate; you ignorantly teach your kids that Israelis are sub-human, that they eat babies, that they deserve to be killed and it is so ordered in the Holy Koran. So don’t cry when those Palestinian children grow up to fight or wear bomb vests to kill and maim innocent women and children and in turn they themselves are killed.
When they stop – Israel will stop, it’s that simple.
by Jack Lee
There was a long procession of notables appearing before Congress who swore under oath the price of gasoline was so high because of supply and demand, plain and simple. Even Jim Cramer on Mad Money assured us it was all supply and demand. I like Cramer although I don’t trust his advice; I’ve disagreed with his stock choices too many times and was right. However, in the midst of the pump price rip-off there were a few of us who stood our ground and said, “THIS IS A TOTAL RIPOFF. IT’S NOT ABOUT SUPPLY AND DEMAND!
Unfortunately, we were patted on the head and told to sit down.
Remember this often repeated line….there’s no speculation, there’s no big conspiracy no manipulating anything, speculation has little to do with the price, this is just the market we live in now with all the new oil customers in India and China.
The piling on by speculators drives up the price and you can argue well so what, thats the same for stocks too and this all works up to the point where supply and demand cross and then the price comes down. The point of change is what people are willing to pay. This works on corn flakes, but when you have a national security item, and certainly energy to move the needs of the nation is a national security issue, then it becomes more what is acceptable extortion. You could push pump prices up $20+ a gallon and there will still be people out here willing to pay it! Now whether its affordable or not is not the issue, they have to have it to survive… and that is the big difference between speculating in energy verses virtually all other commodities like corn, soy beans, etc.
And it’s only supply and demand if you stretch it to include wild speculation as a function of supply and demand. I would argue this was never intended to be part of the equasion. At its peak pump price for every one barrel of oil being sold for gasoline there were 27 barrels being traded back and forth by speculators trying to run up the price! This is not what we mean when we talk supply and demand, its not part of the India-China factor, we were actually getting taken to the cleaners by speculators (I said so early on) and we were being lied too by people who said, “That’s just the way it is from now on so get over it! Your oil is in short supply and we should expect $5 a gallon pump prices soon.” Then the bubble burst.
If you didn’t watch 60 Minutes last night, get this story on their pod cast or catch it on line. There was no supply and demand problem, it was an energy speculator problem. It was not Exxon, it was Merrill Lynch.
by Jack Lee
In the Army any major Change of Command involves a lot of ceremony and long standing traditions or rituals. When it involves the retirement of a General [and a Change of Command] the event is very special. This is what took place over the weekend in Sacramento. Retiring was Brigadier General Emory “Jack” Hagan, a career Marine Officer who has spent his last 3 years in an Army uniform at the California National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters.
Continue reading “Change of Command, Traditions and the Military” »
Posted by Tina
** Over the weekend, the Zimbabwe central bank announced it is about to distribute a new $50 BILLION note! That’s Zimbabwe dollars. One U.S. dollar is worth 25 billion Zimbabwe dollars. One $50 billion note will buy two loaves of bread. Today. Probably only one loaf of bread by the time it gets into circulation. That’s what happens when a country creates too much paper money, or equivalent credit. *** It certainly couldn’t happen here. Our financial leaders are much too smart. And so are we. (I always believe that — except when I catch Jay Leno “streetwalking” and realize how little our citizens know about current events, much less history.) *** The fact that the Congressional Budget Office has just announced a $1.2 TRILLION budget deficit for the year makes little impact. The fact that the president-elect says the stimulus package will involve huge costs on top of that projected deficit is taken with a yawn. After all, we’re America. Our dollar is still the world’s strongest currency. **
We need our “golden egg” to be strong to survive and grow out of this mess…can’t get there by taxing the rich, punishing business and growing the government.
Posted by Tina
** Until last week, Carol M. Browner, President-elect Barack Obama’s pick as global warming czar, was listed as one of 14 leaders of a socialist group’s Commission for a Sustainable World Society, which calls for “global governance” and says rich countries must shrink their economies to address climate change. **
Continue reading “Obama Climate Czar for Socialist Global Governance” »
Posted by Tina
** Householders are to be visited by officials offering advice on cooking with leftovers, in a Government initiative to reduce the amount of food that gets thrown away. Home cooks will also be told what size portions to prepare, taught to understand “best before” dates and urged to make more use of their freezers. *** If all 25 million households in the UK were visited in the same way, 8,000 officials would be required at a cost of tens of millions of pounds. – Telegraph UK**
To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn’t pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.
Obama: Gitmo Likely Wont Close in First 100 Days, by Mary Bruce, ABC News
** President-elect Barack Obama said this weekend that he does not expect to close Guantanamo Bay in his first 100 days in office. *** “I think it’s going to take some time and our legal teams are working in consultation with our national security apparatus as we speak to help design exactly what we need to do,” Obama said in an exclusive “This Week” interview with George Stephanopoulos, his first since arriving in Washington. **
Continue reading “Gitmo a No Go for First 100 Days” »
