Put Oil Firm Chiefs On Trial
James Hansen (of NASA), one of the world’s leading climate scientists, will today call for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer.
Not contend with debating ideas in the public arena this taxpayer funded employee is calling for show trials. Apparently stung by his in-ability to win in the court of public opinion, Hansen like most environmental socialists is calling for a good public lynching to make his point.
You would think a NASA scientist would above all others be able to let his science stand and make it’s point?
I’d like to see a trial, but will you let the opposing viewpoints actually be heard?
This is the guy who actually got bit by the Y2K bug, and divided all his 2000 climate temperatures by zero, inflating world temperatures with bad math.
This is the guy who would not make his software code public (even the divide by zero sub-routine), something about, it is rather ugly. Ah, the ugly looking code gambit. Which says to this electronics engineer that his code has not been vetted and probably has not even had a simple code walkthrough. Yet, the world hangs in balance!
Oh dear, I’ve always said, nothing like a little real world data to ruin a perfectly good theory.
Well apparently at least some of the code has been now made public, Steve McIntyre at ClimateAudit.com has been evaluating the code and it’s not pretty. It’s pretty much what we expected.
NASA Step 2: Another Iteration
By Steve McIntyreHere are some more notes and scripts in which I’ve made considerable progress on GISS Step 2. As noted on many occasions, the code is a demented mess - you’d never know that NASA actually has software policies (e.g. here or here . I guess that Hansen and associates regard themselves as being above the law. At this point, I haven’t even begum to approach analysis of whether the code accomplishes its underlying objective. There are innumerable decoding issues - John Goetz, an experienced programmer, compared it to descending into the hell described in a Stephen King novel. I compared it to the meaningless toy in the PPM children’s song - it goes zip when it moves, bop when it stops and whirr when it’s standing still. The endless machinations with binary files may have been necessary with Commodore 64s, but are totally pointless in 2008.
Considering we are being pressed to spend Trillions of dollars I think it would be worth the 10 or 20 million dollars to do a real software development program including system requirements, system segment specification, all the way down to unit testing. The type of project you would need to write software for commercial airline passenger use. It could be done easily within a year, 6 months if you really push it. The results would lay bare to the world exactly all the assumptions and model adjustments being made and result in a high degree of confidence in the results. I would imagine Universities around the world would be willing to participate and review the project.
He (Hansen) will tell the House select committee on energy independence and global warming this afternoon that he is now 99% certain that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has already risen beyond the safe level.
Contrast the temperature graph above with the CO2 concentration graphs below.
See the cat? See the cradle? Is not temperature supposed to go UP with increased CO2?
For those of you who like to see the data, I submit this post How Not To Measure Temperature, Part 64 - Estimating biases and comparing to GISS Homogeneity Adjustments
Yes, the data (integrity) is really that bad.
75 Percent Of Our Top Kids Leave CT Within 3 Years
As measured by the CAPP testing program. The top scoring kids, leave Connecticut within 3 years.
We are educating the top performers for the rest of the country.
Dr. Fred Carstensen of the University of Connecticut gives a chilling account how our state is re-arranging the deck chairs while the economic ship sinks.
If you care about this state please follow the link and watch the testimony of Dr Carstensen. It’s shocking.
“Connecticut is in a long term serious decline”. “Connecticut has fewer businesses now than we had 20 years ago. Only state in the country.”
I’ve been quiet lately, I have become a statistic. My Aerospace company is closing. I’d like to start my own business, first step? I went to the state’s websites that are intended to invite or promote business growth in CT. The sites look nice, are visually pleasing but are paper thin in content and real information. Information that is duplicated a thousand places on the net and of little use. After clicking down several layers the state’s website suggested I consult a lawyer.
Listen up sparky, if I have to consult a lawyer to start a business, guess what? I’ll do it in another state! Have you ever tried to figure out what is taxed and not taxed in this state? And at what rates?
The state taxes engineering, data processing, web hosting and web design all differently! What if I’m designing a web service for engineers that involves data processing and is hosted in Utah? Actually really true. Can you imagine me calling up the state tax help line and explaining this to them?
Which illustrates another point many new businesses involve new business models, business models that the central planners did not think of. How do these new business models fit in to the taxation / regulation scheme of things? Many times they don’t and many times they cause the business innovator to give up or leave or spend considerable amounts of money hiring lawyers and tax accountants to give opinions, which may or may not be shared by the central planners. This is friction to the engines of growth. It hurts us all.
Somewhere around 2:00 AM I gave up, I’ll need to consult with a tax lawyer or accountant, there’s that requiring high priced help to navigate the state’s byzantine regulations again. Be cheaper and easier to move.
I have no desire to push the envelope or even find the edges of the envelope when it comes to dealing with our state’s Department of Revenue, but for crying out loud guys, give me a fighting chance!
I tried locating a list of all the manufacturing companies in CT, yes it is available for the “reasonable” cost of $1,500. And this is from a semi-public-private organization that is charged with helping and promoting business growth in CT. Guys, don’t do me any more favors.
I’d be willing to bet that list came from our Sec of State office. I’ve paid for that list already why should I pay for it again?
I am a citizen of Connecticut and I’m trying to start a business in Connecticut, why are you making this hard?
Please watch the video, it’ll raise your blood pressure.
Thanks for reading.
Is Dihydrogen Monoixide Seeping InTo Your House?
Green Peace supports a ban on Dihydrogen Monoxide and apparently the facts about this common chemical are not well known. It is transported on our highways with precious little regulation and indeed it is in your house and putting your family at risk.
From the “Facts About Dihydrogen Monoxide” website.
Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is a colorless and odorless chemical compound, also referred to by some as Dihydrogen Oxide, Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Hydroxide, or simply Hydric acid. Its basis is the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, a species shown to mutate DNA, denature proteins, disrupt cell membranes, and chemically alter critical neurotransmitters. The atomic components of DHMO are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol.
As a Boy Scout I remember training extensively about the dangers of DHMO have you reviewed the safety procedures on DHMO lately?
Research conducted by award-winning U.S. scientist Nathan Zohner concluded that roughly 86 percent of the population supports a ban on dihydrogen monoxide. Although his results are preliminary, Zohner believes people need to pay closer attention to the information presented to them regarding Dihydrogen Monoxide. He adds that if more people knew the truth about DHMO then studies like the one he conducted would not be necessary.
A similar study conducted by U.S. researchers Patrick K. McCluskey and Matthew Kulick also found that nearly 90 percent of the citizens participating in their study were willing to sign a petition to support an outright ban on the use of Dihydrogen Monoxide in the United States
Each year, Dihydrogen Monoxide is a known causative component in many thousands of deaths and is a major contributor to millions upon millions of dollars in damage to property and the environment. Some of the known perils of Dihydrogen Monoxide are:
* Death due to accidental inhalation of DHMO, even in small quantities.
* Prolonged exposure to solid DHMO causes severe tissue damage.
* Excessive ingestion produces a number of unpleasant though not typically life-threatening side-effects.
* DHMO is a major component of acid rain.
* Gaseous DHMO can cause severe burns.
* Contributes to soil erosion.
* Leads to corrosion and oxidation of many metals.
* Contamination of electrical systems often causes short-circuits.
* Exposure decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes.
* Found in biopsies of pre-cancerous tumors and lesions.
* Given to vicious dogs involved in recent deadly attacks.
* Often associated with killer cyclones in the U.S. Midwest and elsewhere, and in hurricanes including deadly storms in Florida, New Orleans and other areas of the southeastern U.S.
* Thermal variations in DHMO are a suspected contributor to the El Nino weather effect.
Indeed it has come to my attention that clueless people have been using DHMO to fill large holes in their back yards, ignoring the risks.
I urge you to contact your local Y or Red Cross chapter and get certified in WATER SAFETY.
Dihydrogen Monoxide as in H20, like you know, water.
Oh, and about Greenpeace…
Greens Support Ban On Water!
Thursday, 25 October 2001, 9:43 am
Press Release: New Zealand National Party
“The Green Party’s support for a ban on water in New Zealand shows how naïve and unscientific the Greens are and illustrates why the Government should ignore their extreme views to ban genetic technologies from New Zealand”, says National’s Environment spokesperson Nick Smith.
In an email response to a spoof highlighting all the dangers and deaths from water, Green MP Sue Kedgley’s office said she was ‘absolutely supportive’ of a ban on dihydrogen monoxide in New Zealand.
“The Greens’ support for a ban on dihydrogen monoxide shows just how scientifically illiterate the party is. They would ban anything if it has a slightly scientific name, regardless of the fact that all life would cease without water,” Dr Smith said.
The email on dihydrogen monoxide points out it is a colourless, odourless, tasteless chemical used in all sorts of dangerous industries and that in gaseous form it causes thousands of burns; in liquid form millions of deaths from overdose (drowning), and in its solid state causes tissue damage.
“This spoof pulled on the Greens is not indifferent to that which they have pulled on New Zealanders in their campaign against gene technology. They have highlighted all of the dangers of gene technology, but ignored the huge benefits the new technology can offer to mankind. The 31,000 diabetics who survive because of GM-produced insulin is just one example.
“Gene technology, just like water, offers both benefits and risks. The Government must reject the scientifically illiterate Greens and instead support the Royal Commission’s proposals for sensible controls on this new technology,” Dr Smith said.
Angry Soccer Moms
The Soccer Mom (famously used by the Clintons) is now the Angry White Woman. I know a few. As I watched my daughters play soccer this weekend I chatted up a few Soccer Moms and realized they are now Angry White Women.
As a former Angry White Male (hmmmm, ok, maybe still somewhat angry?) who helped launch the Republican Revolution I am happy to welcome them in to the fold.
Now the Angry White Woman is not necessarily a Clinton supporter and many I have met are not. The Angry White Woman is mad at what they see as a lack of fair play. Women, I have found expect fair play and tend to play fairer than men. They see a woman who played by the rules and got “passed by and overlooked”, by the new cool kid.
This resonates with every working woman in America. Every woman in the workplace who has watched a coveted promotion go somewhere else is now identifying with Senator Clinton. Where previously they had extremely little to self identify with the Senator they are now sisters in outrage.
The media’s fawning over Barrack and their willingness to overlook one gaffe after another is only fueling their resentment. I have noticed that the female reporters were less quick to call it over for Senator Clinton than the male reporters. And quite frankly I thought the professionalism of many black male reporters was lacking. Clearly this race hit home for many people, and they found it very hard to check their feelings at the door.
I sense a very deep resentment towards the Democrat party, from my point of view this is years of special interest pandering finally coming home. The Democrats have pandered to both the women and black voting blocks with their very willing co-conspirators in the media. As I wrote back in January of this year, it is the hand grenade in the Democrat’s living room. Many women took them at their word and are now very angry at being “passed over” yet once again.
The polls suggest that McCain will benefit from this, I certainly think that McCain and his soft style of Republicanism will make it very easy for these women to vote Republican.
Don’t for one minute think the “security mom” is gone. She is still there, the Iran situation plays to McCain and the relative quiet of Iraq demonstrates the typical Democrat response of cutting and running is not always the best course.
The American populace will never trust a less than one term Senator with a background of a community activist whose Minster yells, “G*D D*mm America”. I don’t care how great an orator he is. He’s paper thin deep.
As a friend said, “I refuse to be part of a party that plays so recklessly with America’s future.”
Politics will never be the same again.
Will Hillary Take The VP Slot?
I for one never believed Hillary would ever seriously consider the VP slot under Obama. I just could not believe that a Clinton would play backup to anyone. I just might have been wrong. The Clintons are if anything very clever on matters political and their political advisers are among the best. From the Hillary point of view here is my attempt at deconstruction of the pros and cons of the under ticket for Hillary.
Pro:
It is her shot at making history, first female VP.
She does not give up her Senate seat if Obama loses. (Neither will Obama)
If Obama wins, it’ll be 2016 and she’ll be 68 before the next available election cycle, another run just might not be possible, 2nd acts in politics are rare.
Obama may not make it till the end of his term or terms, do the Clintons know of some latent scandal????
If Obama loses, Hillary will been seen as the good party soldier and be the presumptive (again) front runner in 4 years. Far from being the dream ticket, this just might be McGovern 08
Running with Obama would mend fences with his supporters including the black faction and would bring her back into good graces with them.
Con:
Michelle will bury her so deep in the bowels of the White House.
She’d give up being Senator, quite arguably the best job in the world. Like how hard or demanding could the job be if Dodd, Liberman, Obama, Big Mac, and Hillary never have to show up for work? Also, Teddy is hanging on to his seat and he has brain cancer. Ted has a tough road ahead of him, I find it hard to believe he can do the citizens of Mass justice.
Obama Con:
Bill (oh! how delicous would that be!)
The Clintons have been known to suck all the oxygen out of a room.
Believe me I am no Clinton fan, either of them, but I have to give the Senator her due. I admire her “stickin” and her energy, she never gave up.
Of course there is the theory that she is forcing Obama to refuse her thus inflaming even more the “angry white women base” thus ensuring Obama’s defeat and setting up a second run in 2012.
Obama And The Politics Of Can Not
“We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times … and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK,” Obama said.
Well I don’t own an SUV, I don’t eat as much as I want and my house is at 65 degrees in the winter.
Ah, the politics of “it is the unwashed masses fault”. No wonder he is soooo popular with the left.
I don’t think he and his wife are all that far apart in their politics. “Barack will make you work…”.
Does this remind you of Jimmy (We Live Too Well) Carter?
So let me get this straight, we live too well, so therefore government spending must be raised and subsequently our taxes?
How twisted is that logic?
How about this logic?
We can’t expect our government to consume almost 50% of our labor and creative output and expect our country to thrive! Our government lives too well, they eat too much.
cttaxed 5/18/08
Happy Tax Freedom Day!
Ok, Connecticut you get to start working for your family and yourself today. Today is Tax Freedom Day, it’s the day where you’ve finally worked enough to pay all your Federal, State and Local taxes.
We in Connecticut have the honour of working longer than any other state in the Union to pay our fair share. We work till May 08th.
How ironic that Tax Freedom Day and the end of the CT Legislature Session coincide. Coincidence? I think NOT!
Other states where citizens wait unusually long for Tax Freedom Day® are California (April 30), Washington (April 29), Massachusetts (April 28), Maryland (April 28), Minnesota (April 27), and Florida and Hawaii on April 26.
Wow, we work a whole WEEK longer than our closest competitor California! Ouch!
Tax Freedom Day is calculated by adding up the cost of government than dividing by the number of citizens and days in the year.
In 2008, Americans will work 74 days to afford t
heir federal taxes and 39 more days to pay state and local taxes. Meanwhile, buying food requires 35 days of work, clothing 13 days, and housing 60 days. Other major categories are health and medical care (50 days), transportation (29 days), and recreation (21 days).
We work for the Government longer than we work for food! And Health Care!
Hmmm, maybe we wouldn’t need Universal Health Care if the Government wasn’t so greedy!
As I’ve said before, Connecticut residents don’t study that pie chart to closely, you see it is for citizens of average states.
“Government continues to dominate the American taxpayer’s budget,” said Tax Foundation president Scott Hodge. “Americans will still spend more on taxes in 2008 than they will spend on food, clothing and housing combined.”
The Government never does without, they never cut or scale back at best they just slow the growth of all that “needed” spending.
The Man Who Would Be King
Speaker of the House Jim Amann is retiring to pursue the Governorship. Normally I welcome liberals tilting at windmills but this time less so. His most likely replacement Rep. Chris Donovan of Meriden has a resume that strikes fear in to the hearts of taxpayers through out the land.
From myleftwingnut.com
Trained as a social worker, he has worked for the CT Citizen Action Group and the Service Employees International Union. He is now a labor organizer at the Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges.
The CBIA gives him a rating of 22% out of 100% and the AFL-CIO gives him a 90% out of 100%.
Sounds like a plan to me!
Trained as a social worker and works as a Labor Organizer. I took some heat a few months ago making the pitch for a living wage for Legislators, this guy is the poster boy of why we need professionals running the state not just hobbyists.
It is in every non-profits best interest to allow their employees to run for public office. Non-profits funds come from government and when your guys are on the inside, life can be good.
I’d say the Congress of CT Community Colleges hit a home run.
It is not as much in the best interests of businesses to allow their income generating employees to run for office. But maybe this needs to change. Maybe CT businesses and businesses throughout the USA need to run candidates for public office, they can run on a pro-business platform. Would they not be under just a little pressure to their employers for special favors?
Of course not. Who would suggest such a thing?
CT Top Ten In Foreclosures
Given the gross financial mis-management of Connecticut does this come as a surprise?
Beat businesses out of the state, the financial engine of all our wealth.
Squeeze taxpayers with the highest taxes in the land.
Refuse to acknowledge the economic reality by lowering taxes and spending and at some point the peasants just can’t carry the manor anymore.
The other states among the top 10 with the highest foreclosure rates were Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
We need to be afraid, this will depress our housing values and put economic stress of those of us who are financially stable for the moment.
Don’t forget if you try to leave CT, there is the “Leaving CT Tax”, the real estate conveyance fee.
We just can’t keep doing business as usual in CT. It is not working. Change must happen. A good start to change would be changing our elected employees for new ones.
Let’s Kill A Growing Industry Providing New Jobs
Not only new jobs but we are a world leader in this new aviation segment. Which to certain Government leaders is just a new opportunity to raise taxes.
I’m talking about the new very light jet market. A number of airframers, Cessna, Piper, Eclipse, Cirrus and many other smaller players are rushing to market these small 4 to 6 seater jets. The airlines have done such a great job of alienating their core business group, specifically the business traveler a whole new industry is being created.
These small jets can get in and out of small airport which are less congested and apparently something like 80% of American business is within 1/2 hour car ride of a small airport. Leave when you want, don’t get strip searched, no lines, no crowds and only fly with people you know. And carry all the toothpaste you want on board!
For the business traveler the very light jets represent a way to do business faster and more efficiently. Hey what more reasons do you need to raise taxes? Works for me. Let’s nip that growing segment right at the boarding gate.
And by the way, Pratt is supplying engines to this new segment and a number of other small manufacturers in CT are supplying various electronic and mechanical parts.
From Bloomberg.com
U.S. Private-Jet Fuel Taxes Rise 65% in Senate Accord (Update2)
By John HughesApril 25 (Bloomberg) — U.S. business-jet owners would pay 65 percent more in fuel taxes to finance federal air-traffic control upgrades, under an agreement among Senate leaders.
The levy would increase to 36 cents a gallon from 21.8 cents now, under the accord announced in a statement today in Washington by Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat. Airline passenger fees and taxes wouldn’t rise, he said.
The agreement between Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate aviation subcommittee, and Montana Democrat Max Baucus, who runs the Senate Finance Committee, ends a seven-month standoff that stalled an aviation-funding bill. Today’s deal clears the way for an April 28 vote to bring the bill to the full Senate.
Rockefeller wanted to double fuel taxes for corporate aircraft while cutting fees for airlines, which he said paid disproportionately for aviation services. Instead, he settled for the smaller boost, so that small-jet owners will pay 5 percent of federal aviation costs, up from 3 percent.
The business traveler is the airlines most profitable customer and treated the most poorly. We make reservations often just 2 days in advance, pay full price and get middle seats, while all around us other passengers have paid 1/2 of our ticket price and get better seats. We can’t work at the seats, our laptop screens won’t fit and we are stuffed in to undersized no elbow room slots that pretty effectively prevent all work other than the reading of reports.
The very light jet segment is a direct threat to the airlines and now Senator Rockeffer comes to their rescue. Business engineering by means of taxation policy.
Next Page »