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| Monday, November 30th, 2009 | 10:07 pm
[ghoststrider]
 |
Rampant stupidity
While I hate just dropping random LJ threads (read: I love it) on this community, I felt this idiocy had to be shared. Apparently, no one has an obligation to pay back their debts.Oh, how I love this crap. These are the people who are voting. These people are supposedly adults (or at least, I would infer from previous comments.) These people are the idiocracy that is driving our planet to economic ruin. | | Saturday, November 28th, 2009 | 2:06 pm
[lucy_chronicles]
 |
Why I read foreign newspapers; EVIDENCE
X-posted from my own journal simply for the purpose of jump-starting conversations and postings again in this community. -------------------------------- Today and yesterday's Financial Times evidence part of why I am a subscriber. One must further monitor world news sources to acquire an accurate picture of what is really happening in the world and certainly, here at home in the United States of America. It is laughably, hypocritically sad that our US President should lecture China on "Freedom of the Press." Our major news sources are cardinal violators of this 'free press' principal by grave sins of omission. It struck me most this morning catching up from but one printed source. Here are but a few of the headlines w/ a few source article links - the rest can be easily found w/ basic keyword searches on the FT.com site. * American Eagle gold bullion coin sales suspended http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/19507efc-daf6-11de-933d-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1* Asian heads of Goldman Sachs selling record amounts of company stock * India signals 'serious concern' over Chinese military ties with Pakistan * Abu Dhabi will not see its smaller brother fail (referencing the Dubai deleveraging/sales of the last few days) (previous articles from the week not appearing anywhere in the US press * World banks in danger of failure (BofA, Citibank in the top 10) * The legacy of long-term unemployment effects in the USA And of course the Brits have their own state propaganda release practically scripted by George Orwell - "UK turns corner" = The UK Treasury believes the economy has turned the corner, the recession has ended and the UK will grow in 2010. Draw your own inferences and conclusions from the above. If one isn't already visiting an outside paper, add the FT.com and the South China Morning News (out of Hong Kong) to your daily scan list beyond Lew Rockwell, Drudge and the usual Libertarian blogs.  | 2:08 am
[typewriterking]
 |
The Law, The Deaf, And The Telephone
Please, never try to convince me our legal system is rational. I stumbled across this case all by myself, with no help of any referral, and just started reading the PDF. The Department of Housing and Urban Development sued* a condominium association on behalf of the charging party who had "significant hearing loss" in both airs. It was a charge of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. So long as the 'charging party' allegedly discriminated against is legitimately disabled, this is a slam dunk. The condo association had a "no pets" clause, and the deaf renter needed pets to help compensate for a lack of hearing, right? So, slam dunk. Then I find:
Complainant's stepbrother, (redacted), wrote a letter to the board requesting a waiver to the "no pet" policy as a condition of purchasing the unit. The letter stated (redacted) has a severe hearing impediment, and she had two cats that would alert her to the telephone and doorbell, therefore, complainant needed a waiver to the "no pets" policy.
Telephone? Why does God need a spaceship? someone capable of using a telephone qualify as deaf enough to be disabled under the Fair Housing Act? If your hearing is such that you can't hear a ring, I'm not sure what utility you'd have in a phone, beyond dialing an emergency hotline. I guess it's possible this had merit. The document was very sloppily written. For example, "no pets" policy was written inconsistently. One would imagine it written in a uniform fashion, but I saw "no pet", "no pets", and even "no-pets" with a hyphen. Perhaps, in a document so poorly written, the detail about the telephone was just carelessly inserted through one of those brain hiccups most people experience sometimes ( Here's your sign). *Actually, if my interpretation of this document is correct, there was no due process in this case. There was no legal case. There was no judge or courtroom. In the Conclusion of the document, the Department of Housing and Urban Development charged the condo association with violating the act. As far as I can tell, they represented the judge and the prosecutor. Maybe my brain had just fallen asleep, forgetting that reams of agencies exist to administer federal laws. Maybe this is just the first time I've groked what the consequences of bureaucrats "administering federal laws" actually meant to American jurisprudence. I reckon it's kinda strange that if KSM had been renting space in those office complexes, rather than demolishing them, he'd have to face that sort of tribunal, I tell you what. /Hank Hill By the way, the same agency that determined the deaf can use telephones is the same agency that was and is in charge of overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. | | Thursday, November 26th, 2009 | 9:41 pm
[rotte_volf]
 |
Sunland Antarctic expedition (Draft).
 Peter I Island usually considered as difficult of access. This is mainly due to the difficulties of landing on the island as approaches to it barred by the sludge ice. In addition, the lack of convenient bays and precipitous banks almost throughout the coastline do not allow a large ship to drop anchor directly by the island. That is why it was thought until now that the best opportunity to land on the island was using helicopter from the main deck of the ship. But we have another variant. For the landing on the island we can use a small hovercraft. Internal combustion engine sets the hovercraft's screw in motion. The screw pushes air under the bottom of the vessel and thus forms the so-called air cushion. Hovercraft can run on the water and on land, on marshes, on sand, on the ice and ice sludge and on the snow. Christy Hovercraft 6132L produced by Christy Hovercraft (Russia) has the following technical characteristics: Payload - 6 persons, 600 kg Speed - 60-100 km /h on ice, -50-85 km /h packed snow Limiting conditions - wind 10-15 m /s, temperature from -30 ° C to +40 ° C, Hovercraft PIONEER MK3 produced by Airlift Hovercraft (Australia) has even more powerful parameters. But Christy Hovercraft would be quite suitable for our purposes. It costs only $ 62 500 while PIONEER MK3 price is about $ 965 000. Christy Hovercraft occupies one 20-foot container and can be easily transported on a ship. Thus, we have to transport to Antarctica at least two 20-foot containers (one hovercraft and equipment of the expedition camp). According to preliminary calculations, the number of participants must be at least 10 people. The expedition’s terms. Given the weather conditions the expedition should be organized in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere (i.e. December-March). Of course, we will do our best but it seems problematic to organize such a complex expedition in two to three months. Therefore, a more realistic launch date of the expedition is December 2010. The main question is not how to land on the island. It is not even the issue of possible opposition from the Norwegian authorities. The main issue is financial one. According to preliminary calculations, the expedition takes minimal budget which amounts to $ 100 000. Exchequer of the Republic is currently empty. It is difficult to estimate at the moment, how much money the scheduled revenues will bring to the budget of The Republic of Sunland. But we have now at least four variants for funding the expedition. This work has already begun. All who really wants to participate in the preparations to the expedition (even if he/she does not want for some reasons to take a direct part in the expedition itself) may receive relevant information from us. There is a great and responsible cause in front of us and we gladly invite all true men and women to participate in this cause to the extent of their forces and abilities. The Headquarters of the Sunland Antarctic expedition.http://new-libertalia.co.cc/ | 10:05 am
[subtle_overlord]
 |
| | Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 | 3:42 pm
[lucy_chronicles]
 |
Obama Thanksgiving message - Yes, it landed in the Spam mailbox where it should have
So it seems the campaigning continues. Note who paid for this message below. It actually wasn't too bad until I got to the troops part (what happened to ending wars from the campaign such dufas?) and February statement w/ the whole changing the world (positive inference) BS. sigh... at least w/ the lesser of the evils (Bush) we knew he was genuinely sincere. goofy and stupid, sure but his heart was in it. This guy, propaganda all the way and no clue. I don't even think he'll have a dog-cam for the holiday section of the website. As a coat pin a sane dem friend of mine gave me, "I never thought I'd miss NIXON!" ---------------------------------------- ---- "President Barack Obama" <info@barackobama.com> Absender in den Kontakten speichern An: (Name here) -- Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, Americans across the country will sit down together, count our blessings, and give thanks for our families and our loved ones. American families reflect the diversity of this great nation. No two are exactly alike, but there is a common thread they each share. Our families are bound together through times of joy and times of grief. They shape us, support us, instill the values that guide us as individuals, and make possible all that we achieve. So tomorrow, I'll be giving thanks for my family -- for all the wisdom, support, and love they have brought into my life. But tomorrow is also a day to remember those who cannot sit down to break bread with those they love. The soldier overseas holding down a lonely post and missing his kids. The sailor who left her home to serve a higher calling. The folks who must spend tomorrow apart from their families to work a second job, so they can keep food on the table or send a child to school. We are grateful beyond words for the service and hard work of so many Americans who make our country great through their sacrifice. And this year, we know that far too many face a daily struggle that puts the comfort and security we all deserve painfully out of reach. So when we gather tomorrow, let us also use the occasion to renew our commitment to building a more peaceful and prosperous future that every American family can enjoy. It seems like a lifetime ago that a crowd met on a frigid February morning in Springfield, Illinois to set out on an improbable course to change our nation. In the years since, Michelle and I have been blessed with the support and friendship of the millions of Americans who have come together to form this ongoing movement for change. You have been there through victories and setbacks. You have given of yourselves beyond measure. You have enabled all that we have accomplished -- and you have had the courage to dream yet bigger dreams for what we can still achieve. So in this season of thanks giving, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to you, and my anticipation of the brighter future we are creating together. With warmest wishes for a happy holiday season from my family to yours, President Barack Obama Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to: | | Monday, November 23rd, 2009 | 11:09 am
[lucy_chronicles]
 |
WOW. SNL steps-up w/ relevant, truthful, balsy and funny Obama-Asia political skit.
You've probably seen this by now roaming Youtube and facebook. the importance of the skit appearing on NATIONAL TV in the USA can't be understated. It is almost baffling to me that it made it through the cuts @ NBC to go out to the American people stating the obvious elephant in the room that everyone didn't talk about last week, except of course those of us who read European and Asian newspapers. they hinted at it but Saturday Night Live does it dead-on, moreso than Bill Maher, Steven Colbert and the like who used to be funny IMHO. Given this is from a generally 'known' liberal station/source i also take it as a sign the tide is turning beyond the under 48% approval rating of president Obama. musings, thoughts appreciated. this will be cross posted. | 7:48 pm
[rotte_volf]
|
Declaration of Sunland sovereignty.
Despite the enormous potential of knowledge and technologies, humanity is faced with challenges that threaten its very existence. Scarcity and exhaustion of natural resources, the threat of world war, global climate change - these and other risks make us look to the future with alarm. More and more people around the Globe realize that the only way to change things for the better is to change our world-view approaches, changing of our thinking. Motivated by the desire to contribute to new thinking of mankind, people of goodwill from every corner of the world have united around the Sunland idea. Relying on the natural right of people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State, WE, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF AUTHORIZED PERSONS, REPRESENTATIVES OF SUNLAND COMMUNITY AND SUNLAND WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT, BY VIRTUE OF OUR NATURAL RIGHT AND ON THE STRENGTH OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ACTS (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Declaration on Principles of International Law, etc.), HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SOVEREIGN STATE - THE REPUBLIC OF SUNLAND ON THE TERRITORY OF PETER I ISLAND IN THE BELLINGSHAUSEN SEA IN ANTARCTIC. We know that the Kingdom of Norway is asserting its territorial claims to the island. However, these claims are unfounded from the standpoint of international law. Peter I Island was discovered on January 10, 1821 by Fabian von Bellingshausen, Russia’s Admiral. Only 108 years later the Norwegians landed on it. They were searching for new waters for whaling; rumors were that there should be a lot of whales in the ocean around this desolate and unknown island. Therefore, Lars Christensen, Norwegian ship-owner and whaling magnate was the organizer of that expedition. However, the Norwegian richman and killer of the whales lost his interest because of lack of whales in the surrounding waters. Then, within 80 years, Norway has failed to implement the development of the island and it is currently uninhabited. The island is situated at the other end of the Globe, many thousands miles off the coast of Norway. According to Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty: "No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica. No new claim, or enlargement of an existing claim, to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica shall be asserted while the present Treaty is in force". However, this treaty points to territorial claims of existing States, which are already recognized by the international community (as it indicated by the very meaning of the term "claim"). But we are creating a new nation. We fully support the principles of the Antarctic Treaty - freedom of scientific research and equitable international cooperation in Antarctica, the demilitarization of the Antarctic region and its use for peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind. The Republic of Sunland is based on the principles of freedom, justice and peace; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights for everyone irrespective of religion, race or sex; it guarantees freedom of conscience, language, education and culture; and it will respect universally recognized norms of international law. We extend our hand to all states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighbourliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the Republic of Sunland. The Republic of Sunland is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the exploration of the Antarctic Region. Following the procedures of the Antarctic Treaty, we intend to organize an expedition on Peter I Island and arrange a settlement there. According to the will of the people of Sunland the Secretariat for External Relations is authorized to represent the country in the world. With faith in the bright future of all mankind, we affix our signatures to this Declaration at the meeting of the Council of authorized persons, in the twenty-third day of November, in the year two thousand and nine. http://new-libertalia.co.cc/ | | Friday, November 20th, 2009 | 9:15 pm
[lucy_chronicles]
|
HR 1207 (audit the fed) becomes an amendment to a bill
Now to get the darn thing through the Senate. I've been finishing-up Bob Barr's book on the Impeachment of Clinton "The meaning of 'Is'" and am at the chapter on getting this trial through the Senate who poo poo'd the whole thing, gutting most/all of the REAL charges against Clinton. It is hauntingly sad to read the blow by blow, hence I hold scant hope for the bill but at least Dr. Paul found a way to get it moving, with out w/o the 300+ sponsors. ----------------------------------- The House Financial Services Committee has approved Rep. Ron Paul’s measure to drastically expand the government’s power to audit the Federal Reserve. The measure, based on a Paul proposal that has attracted more than 300 co-sponsors, passed, 43-26, as an amendment to a financial reform bill. Florida Democrat and fellow Fed critic Alan Grayson co-sponsored the amendment with Paul and played a leading role drumming up support for it among committee members. The adoption of this amendment is an extraordinary victory for Paul, whose libertarian, anti-Fed leanings have often been dismissed by the political establishment. The amendment would give the Government Accountability Office much greater to audit the Federal Reserve, which has a long history of independence from congressional audits. Paul and Grayson beat out a competing measure offered by Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.), who after weeks of negotiations with the pair felt their measure would threaten the Fed’s monetary policy. This is a big victory in our effort to get an audit of the private central bank that is destroying this country. The people are tired, and action is starting to be taken thanks to Ron Paul. Here is Congressman Paul's introduction of the amendment: | 10:05 am
[brucenstein]
 |
Climate Change Data: A Blantant Lie
Well, not exactly a "blatant lie", but about as close as you can get. The Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in the UK was hacked, and data and correspondence was released. In it we see some of the most damning evidence against "Climate Change Alarmism" (to borrow a phrase) to date. By the way, this is confirmed. There could still be situations where the hacker(s) implanted something to make it appear what it wasn't, but that situation seems more and more unlikely. ( I'll let the e-mails speak for themselves. )Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-global warming per se, but I have often been of the understanding that likely a lot of the alarmism out there is bupkis based on politics and not science. It seems very likely that is the case. And it shouldn't surprise anybody that this is what happens when you have huge government-funded programs to research this stuff. Are we really taken aback that the political powers that be grant more money to those areas and institutions which further their ends? Is it at all unbelievable that these institutions would be willing to massage their data to produce the results most beneficial to them? Is Al Gore finally going to shut the hell up? The world may never know. Look for this anywhere but mainstream media. Obviously, we need hard-hitting reporting on the Sarah Palin book, but a group of top scientists manufacturing data that is directly used to make some of the most significant political changes the world has known is ehhhhh... whatever. In closing, to quote The Devil's Kitchen (first source): ...to everyone who believed in AGW with a blind faith and all of those commenters who scoffed at the idea that scientists might fake results, I would just like to send out a little message:
We told you so. ( UPDATE )Only my ego would prevent me from saying I was a bit taken away with this. Luckily, I have a habit of battering that thing like a dusty rug. So, yes, while I still consider the politics of climate change to influence, negatively, the science of climate change, the CRU hack really shows very little of that at this point. Then again....Sources used: 1: http://www.devilskitchen.me.uk/2009/11/climate-alarmism-revealed.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheDevilsKitchen+(The+Devil%27s+Kitchen)2: http://motls.blogspot.com/2009/11/hacked-hadley-cru-foi2009-files.html3: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/19/breaking-news-story-hadley-cru-has-apparently-been-hacked-hundreds-of-files-released/4: http://noconsensus.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/open-letter/5: http://briefingroom.typepad.com/the_briefing_room/2009/11/hadleycru-says-leaked-data-is-real.htmlX-Posted to: ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) politicsforumX-Posted to: talk_politicsX-Posted to: libertarianismX-Posted to: ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) brucenstein | | Thursday, November 19th, 2009 | 8:56 pm
[lucy_chronicles]
|
TX sovereignty movement; conference set
Looks like the states rights/sovereignty movement marches on. Anybody planning on going? i'd be curious to be a fly on the wall but will probably be working and i'm sure someone will have a blogcast. which other states are following suit thus far? not NV or WY yet to my knowledge. ---------------------------------------- ------------------- Daniel Miller November 19 at 2:34pm Reply As many of you are now aware, we have officially launched the planning and preparation for the Texas Independence Conference 2010. The dates are set for March 13-14, 2010. The web section is still pre-launch but I wanted to give first crack at registration to our registered users. There is a cap on registrations and we want to make sure that our leaders and members and their families and friends are able to get registered first. We are planning an exceptional event and want you to be a part of it. Please get registered as soon as possible. Head over to http://www.texicon2010.com and click on the 'Register' link on the right menu and choose your registration type. Please note: Each attendee must be registered so make sure to complete a registration for each person that will be coming with you. See you in San Antonio! Daniel Miller, President Texas Nationalist Movement (sorry, no tits on this one guys... ;-)  | 12:31 am
[aspartane]
 |
Since we haven't heard nearly enough about Healthcare...
Andrew Napolitano asserts that the current healthcare plan will mean the end of freedom and privacy as we know it. It raises an interesting question in my mind, could the current "hybrid plan" making its way through congress actually be considered worse (from a libertarian point of view) than a single payer plan would be? | | Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 | 1:40 pm
[lucy_chronicles]
 |
The seeming titles; role reversal
http://www.lewrockwell.com/douglas/douglas28.1.htmlFor those who haven't seen it, take a read. Double it w/ the hypocrisy of the US censorship and it is dead-on. I wish I would have clipped that South China Morning news article on US expatriation when I was in Hong Kong last May - gee... couldn't find it upon return to the states. And we're not blocking? Or the real responses to Geitner visiting China in an article circulated practically everywhere but of course, the states! ah... back to the job hunt. sad when the only expansion here is for gov jobs. ah, but of course that goes back to the point of the article above - IF YOU ACTUALLY READ IT! (gee, annoyance that so many people post responses here off-topic... nah...;-p)  | | Sunday, November 15th, 2009 | 9:50 pm
[homunculus47]
 |
what is the deal with immigration
I've been noticing recently that there are certain political issues I never really paid much attention to or formed a strong opinion on, but which seem to be of overwhelming importance to most of the country. So I thought I would ask the internet for input. The one which comes to mind right now is immigration. I found an article for and against open immigration, and both seem to have legitimate points. I chose articles by libertarian-leaning individuals because I find them to be less likely to appeal to blind emotion and more likely to argue their points in detail rather than repeat partisan platitudes (possibly because they lack a party worth mentioning). The basic conflict here seems to be between an estimation of the financial costs of unrestricted immigration on the secure-borders side of the argument, and on the other side a belief in the basic right of people to move as they please, along with opposing economic interpretations of the situation; essentially the claim of the latter is that illegal immigrants are good for the economy. I've also heard objections based the claim that the average Mexican (Mexicans constituting the majority of illegals) is not very educated or simply not very bright, or on cultural differences based on, for example, the trend of authoritarian rule in Mexico and really much of Latin America. What do people here think? | 9:53 pm
[ghoststrider]
 |
Liberal bias in media found
I love it when people say "the media has no liberal bias!" For the most part, they are correct, but they ignore what prompts these accusations. (To be fair, most people who make these accusations don't elucidate them very well.) But I think this article about a New York State law that would increase punishments for drunk drivers failing in the Legislature illustrates what most people talk about. The base of nearly all nanny statist rhetoric is pulling on one's heartstrings--"think of the children!"-which in rhetorical terms we call pathos, as opposed to logos, which is logic. The article I linked to is all pathos and no logos, focusing entirely on the father's depression over a bill in honor of his daughter not being passed. There is no one iota aimed at explaining how such a bill will save lives or prevent drunk driving. There is nothing talking about drinking laws already on the books. And there is nothing how such a bill is really useless, irrelevant, and stupid. With all due respect to the father, who did not deserve to have his daughter killed, passing a law to stiffen penalties towards drunk drivers with kids in the car will do diddly squat. People will continue drinking, no matter if they're alone, with an adult, or with a station wagon full of minors. Most will probably never hear of the law being passed. And if the laws on the books don't deter driving, what is to say this will? It's just a useless "overlay" on top of preexisting laws. This is why people say the media has a liberal bias. Until the media starts waking up and stop thinking that a single grieving person makes a story, we will have this debate--this problem--until the end of time. | | Saturday, November 14th, 2009 | 7:55 pm
[rotte_volf]
|
Sunland greets Republic of Lakotah.
 The genocide of Native Americans by European colonizers is one of the darkest chapters of the world history. Scientists estimate that from 2 to 15 million Indians had been the victim of genocide during the entire period of colonization. But the colonialists destroyed not only people; they tried to destroy identity, culture of Native Americans. Native Americans are locked in reservations now. They are deprived of any prospect of full-fledged development. They are suffering from extreme poverty, unemployment and diseases. Implementing their natural, inalienable and undeniable right, the Lakotah Indians, led by the Russell Means, the hero of the struggle for the independence, announced the termination of treaties between the Lakotah people and the U.S. Federal Government. On December 17, 2007 the Republic of Lakotah was proclaimed. Russell Means, the outstanding leader of a proud and gifted Lakotah people, and the Provisional Government of the Republic of Lakotah, conduct a wise policy in order to awaken the Lakotah people and put an end to colonial rule. Lakotah Government implements a number of practical projects aimed at economic independence from the United States and upbringing of the younger generation. In this context, the project of building a kind of commune - the first compact settlement of the supporters of the Republic -is particularly interesting for Sunland project activists. All Sunland project activists strongly support the Republic of Lakotah. They express hope and confidence that the heroic and long-suffering Lakotah people will be able finally surmounts the imperial rule of the US federal government. The Sunland project team. http://new-libertalia.co.cc/ | 2:00 am
[lucy_chronicles]
 |
Ah yes, the TSA - outcome from Ron Paul's detained Aide
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=615e45f8-4a6e-4e58-a2d7-84971d404419Gee... no mention of this in the MSM... fishing expeditions or no. My sadly fav part, "The second directive says "traveling with large amounts of cash is not illegal." However, TSA said it would not release copies of the directives without a Freedom of Information request." FOI is necessary to determine if my personal property beyond x oz. toothpaste can travel?*^%$@ What an absolute crock.  edit - and in other gov highlights today, the LA yokel who had $90K found in his freezer only got 13 years in prison. that's a record for Congressional reps. sad that nobody has been sentenced for longer. | | Thursday, November 12th, 2009 | 10:37 am
[ghoststrider]
 |
US to become like Japan...'s "lost decade"
Oh this is good. The AP reports that America is at risk for repeating Japan's lost decade:
Heavy government stimulus spending and near-zero interest rates did little to end a "lost decade" of stagnation and mushrooming debt in Japan. Some economists and lawmakers say the U.S. may wind up following the same trajectory.
Despite early signs of recovery and a strong U.S. stock market rally, fears persist that the failure to generate new jobs or ignite more consumer spending could drag the economy back into recession, or result in a protracted Japan-like period of poor economic and stock-market performance.
That would be a trip--and considering it would happen under Obama's and the Democrats' watch, it would be all the more enjoyable. But some say it won't happen here, because of "demographics:"
David Wyss, chief economist for Standard and Poor's, said a drawn-out period of economic stagnancy like Japan's is a possibility.
"But I don't think it's as likely over here. For one thing, one of the problems in Japan was the demographics. And we don't have the problem of a declining population to deal with, although the labor force is going to slow down considerably as soon as the baby boomers retire," Wyss said. He predicted "a very sluggish recovery here."
I love this guy. At once he says that demographics will make it different, and then says it will make it the same! You can't make this crap up. Boy how I love news services that cite dopes. (For the more obtuse readers, in this case, Japan's "declining population" and our "slowing labor force" work the same as we have less people working. Ergo, Wyss is a dope.) Of course, why has it dragged on for so long? Well, "some analysts say..."
Some analysts say that Japan's example doesn't show how stimulus can be ineffective so much as it shows the dangers of spending too little up front — or withdrawing it too quickly.
Of course, its always government not doing enough. And who are these analysts, you may wonder? Why, the IMF of course! There's a guurrreeeaaatttt source right there.... It's particularly worrisome because Japan may lose its #2 GDP slot to China, and if we do the same thing we'll lose to China too. Actually, I fully expect this to happen, what with the Reserve Bank of India selling off dollars, our debt being outrageously high ($12 trillion, according to the AP article, which is almost our $13.6 trillion economy), and China openly suggesting breaking the dollar hegemony. We're headed for a fall, and we're going to have no one but us to blame. (Well, we could have politicians. And Ben Bernanke.) Oh, and just as an aside, Japan may lose its high credit rating if it keeps up its rate of spending. Hmm...I wonder if that would ever happen to the US? Nah... | | Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 | 1:41 pm
[ridleyreport]
 |
| | Monday, November 9th, 2009 | 5:05 pm
[lucy_chronicles]
 |
Running for Office
This is a mass email that needs to be circulated. Just getting folks to run in a space has been a tactic for years to keep us on the ballot - except in OK as we all know. 'Firecracker' Norm Westwell advocates just filing and collecting the mail for the first year. He is now a school board member in Orange County - acquired on his 2nd run - and well on his way to abolishing the school board given his last movements and several other board members not keeping their pants nor mouths zipped. ;-) (Firecracker is the nickname acquired as he initially ran to have the freedom of firecrackers back on the beach as when he was a kid growing up around OC.) Note the final paragraph. Gee, Libertarians bitch to one another? NAH! They wouldn't do that! ;-0 -------------------------------------- November 9, 2009 Dear Friend of Liberty, I want you to run for office. You may have already responded to my call to run for office and asked me how to go about it. Don't take it personally if I've failed to respond to any of your questions. I'm getting more and more emails, so the percentage of people I can respond to personally is going down. I need to give priority to questions from Libertarian National Committee members and Libertarian state chairs. Besides me, we just have three full-time staff members and three part-time staff, and they are doing their best to help. Although we have a small staff, we're busy organizing and re-engineering our processes to maximize our effectiveness with the resources you contribute. Here's a summary of how to run for office as a Libertarian: 1. Fill out this form. The form generates an email to your state party and puts you in our national candidate prospect database. http://www.lp.org/run-for-office2. Contact your state party and local organizations by email or phone. State and local parties are your first means of support. Some states are more organized than others. Our national office will monitor state progress, and we will try to help out later as much as we can where gaps exist. http://www.lp.org/states( Read more ) |
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