VDH's Private Papers::Obama II vs. Obama I: "In response, as I read between the lines, conservatives are told by the Obamans something to the effect, 'Forget our prior demagoguery, aren't you at least happy we backtracked and are now adopting some of your war-on-terror positions we used to trash?', while liberals are supposed to be happy with something like, 'Just forget all that stuff about ethics, transparency, and anti-lobbying/influence; we're in power now and will do anything necessary to fulfill your agenda.'
There will be a backlash to all this, and one of unprecedented fury."
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Friday, July 03, 2009
Francis W. Porretto - Eternity Road
Francis W. Porretto - Eternity Road
I am heartbroken.
Only this morning, as a comment to this post at GM's Place about the ongoing campaign to destroy Sarah Palin, I had this to say:
Hatred can have many geneses. Palin-hatred might partake of several.First, there's Governor Palin's exceedingly "conventional" home life, in which she's happy and stable. Quite a lot of people will never know such a life. They envy it in the Ayn Rand sense: "hatred of the good for being the good." The syndrome afflicts left-liberals disproportionately.
Then there's Palin's extraordinary beauty and grace. It's been said, with some justice, that politics is celebrity for ugly people; there's certainly quite a lot of ugliness on the Left. It's also been said, by P. J. O'Rourke and Ann Coulter among others, that the beautiful women are the most reliable indicators of political trends -- and the beautiful women are trending to the Right. That has to sting the vitriolic harpies on the Left.
Then there's Palin's political success. She busted every barrier the Alaskan Establishment set before her, pretty much without outside assistance. This is a "twofer:" first, because her political success owes nothing to the feminist movement, and second, because she's a conservative Republican. That puts a spear into the Left's notions that conservatives can't abide a strong woman.
Then there's Palin's sincerity about her convictions. She walks it like she talks it: devoutly Christian; pro-life even at her own expense; utterly faithful to her husband despite their frequent protracted absences from one another; loving and supportive of all her children, including her soldier son and her unwed mother daughter; and incorruptible in the performance of her duties, where so many other pols would be setting themselves up to cash in after their time in office has ended (at least). Name a left-liberal pol who left office poorer than he went in; some of them even refrigerate their bribes.
Finally, but by no means least, she wears figure-flattering clothes, grooms herself beautifully, and walks gracefully and confidently in high heels. Most women on the Left resent having to shave their legs -- some don't bother -- wear clothing that would look well on an alley-dwelling wino, and think high heels are a Republican plot.
A teenaged character in Jack Vance's novel Araminta Station asks his father why a woman hates him and Dad so. Part of the answer is that "You are everything that her son is not." I'd say that applies to Palin-hatred, as well.
Just a few minutes ago, Sarah Palin resigned as Governor of Alaska:
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin shocked the political word Friday by announcing that she will step down at the end of the month and transfer power to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell.Palin made the announcement from her home in Wasilla, flanked by her husband, Todd, and family and state commissioners....
Palin, who defeated incumbent Gov. Murkowski in a primary in 2006,.gained national prominence when GOP presidential candidate John McCain picked her as his running mate last year. But her approval ratings in the state have skidded in recent months.
Palin has been dogged in recent months by ethics inquiries. Her office last month announced the 15th dismissal of an ethics complaint against her or one of her staff.
The campaign to bring down the best conservative officeholder in the country has succeeded...by wearing away Governor Palin's patience. Not one accusation ever stuck. Every complaint brought against her was dismissed. But each one taxed her time, her zeal, and her bank account. It took a million mosquito bites to bring down this elephant, but when substance is lacking, numbers will sometimes suffice.
It's time for freedom lovers to take a no-prisoners / no-mercy attitude toward the Democrats, the Left, the Mainstream Media, and the Republican Party establishment. All of these have contributed to Palin's departure. It is vital that none of them ever know another restful night. Dog their private lives. Dog their finances. Dog their associations. Pepper them with hostile questions and accusations at every imaginable turn.
Take vengeance for Sarah Palin.What flows in Vegas .�.�. - The Denver Post
What flows in Vegas .�.�. - The Denver Post: "Parker and Kerkorian were introduced by 'Tiger' Mike Davis, an oil and gas veteran living in Las Vegas who sold properties to Delta in 2003. Davis, who was once married to former Denver Post owner Helen Bonfils and has a long-standing friendship with Kerkorian, received 263,158 shares in Delta as a 'finder's fee.'"
Posted: 03/09/2008 01:00:00 AM MST
Posted: 03/09/2008 01:00:00 AM MST
reviewjournal.com -- Living: ON THE SCENE: Wynns honored at fund-raiser at Sti...
reviewjournal.com -- Living: ON THE SCENE: Wynns honored at fund-raiser at Sti...: "Two tickets to the opening gala of the Cartier Exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, plus accommodations, brought in $4,000. Steve Wynn offered an opening night suite at Wynn Resort targeted for April 2005, which happens to be the 55th anniversary of the Desert Inn's opening, won by 'Tiger' Mike Davis. Winning the drawing for the 2004 H2 red Hummer was Jonathan Stiff."
Delta Petroleum Corporation Announces Close of Strategic Investment by Tracinda | Reuters
Delta Petroleum Corporation Announces Close of Strategic Investment by Tracinda | Reuters: "Delta would like to further express its appreciation to Edward 'Tiger' Mike Davis for his participation in introduction between the company and Mr. Kerkorian. Tracinda Corporation said, 'We are extremely pleased to formally enter into our long-term partnership with Delta Petroleum and its management team. Since first announcing our intention to invest, we have grown even more confident in the company's long-term strategy and ability to achieve significant growth from its well-positioned exploration projects. We look forward to lending our support and benefiting from that strategy alongside the Company's other shareholders.'"
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DENVER, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ )
Grifters, Oil Men, Tabloids, The Scrappy Ingenue, The Titans and the Hardass: An American Story | MetaFilter
Grifters, Oil Men, Tabloids, The Scrappy Ingenue, The Titans and the Hardass: An American Story | MetaFilter: "Helen, at age 69, fell in love with her chauffeur -- 'Tiger' Mike Davis, a strapping young college dropout of 28. Their romance died, and a nasty divorce ensued, in which he received a large settlement. Rolling that money into oil field investments, 'Tiger' Davis got rich."
House of Eratosthenes
House of Eratosthenes
On Marriage: Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
Says the flibbertigibbet, I screwed around on my husband, so I guess marriage can’t work out for anyone…plus, I get to write a column!
On marriage: Let’s call the whole thing off
Author Sandra Tsing Loh is ending her marriage. Is it time you did, too?
By Sandra Tsing Loh
updated 6:27 a.m. PT, Mon., June 22, 2009Sadly, and to my horror, I am divorcing. This was a 20-year partnership. My husband is a good man, though he did travel 20 weeks a year for work. I am a 47-year-old woman whose commitment to monogamy, at the very end, came unglued. This turn of events was a surprise. I don’t generally even enjoy men; I had an entirely manageable life and planned to go to my grave taking with me, as I do most nights to my bed, a glass of merlot and a good book. Cataclysmically changed, I disclosed everything. We cried, we bewailed the fate of our children.
And yet at the end of the day — literally during a five o’clock counseling appointment, as the golden late-afternoon sunlight spilled over the wall of Balinese masks — when given the final choice by our longtime family therapist, who stands in as our shaman, mother, or priest, I realized…no. Heart-shattering as this moment was — a gravestone sunk down on two decades of history — I would not be able to replace the romantic memory of my fellow transgressor with the more suitable image of my husband, which is what it would take in modern-therapy terms to knit our family’s domestic construct back together. In women’s-magazine parlance, I did not have the strength to “work on” falling in love again in my marriage. And as Laura Kipnis railed in “Against Love,” and as everyone knows, good relationships take work.
Which is not to say I’m against work. Indeed, what also came out that afternoon were the many tasks I — like so many other working/co-parenting/married mothers — have been doing for so many years and tearfully declared I would continue doing. I can pick up our girls from school every day; I can feed them dinner and kiss their noses and tell them stories; I can take them to their doctor and dentist appointments; I can earn my half — sometimes more — of the money…I can administer hugs as needed to children, adults, dogs, cats; I can empty the litter box; I can stir wet food into dry.
Which is to say I can work at a career and child care and joint homeownership and even platonic male-female friendship. However, in this cluttered forest of my 40s, what I cannot authentically reconjure is the ancient dream of brides, even with the Oprah fluffery of weekly “date nights,” when gauzy candlelight obscures the messy house, child talk is nixed and silky lingerie donned, so the two of you can look into each other’s eyes and feel that “spark” again. Do you see? Given my staggering working mother’s to-do list, I cannot take on yet another arduous home- and self-improvement project, that of rekindling our romance. Sobered by this failure as a mother — which is to say, my failure as a wife — I’ve since begun a journey of reading, thinking, and listening to what’s going on in other 21st-century American families. And along the way, I’ve begun to wonder, what with all the abject and swallowed misery: Why do we still insist on marriage? Sure, it made sense to agrarian families before 1900, when to farm the land, one needed two spouses, grandparents, and a raft of children. But now that we have white-collar work and washing machines, and our life expectancy has shot from 47 to 77, isn’t the idea of lifelong marriage obsolete?
:
Imagine driving with me now to Rachel’s house for our new 40-something social hobby — the Girls’ Night dinner. Leap not from my car, even though I realize — given my confessed extramarital affair, avowed childhood desire to see my father explode into flames, and carpet of tattered Happy Meal wrappers — I may not strike you as the most reliable explicator of modern marriage. Still, we forge on, and what I’d like to do now is recant for a moment and not be quite so hard on marriage, which I think is a very good fit for some people.
:
[Helen] Fisher, a women’s cult figure and an anthropologist, has long argued that falling in love — and falling out of love — is part of our evolutionary biology and that humans are programmed not for lifelong monogamy, but for serial monogamy.“Why Him? Why Her?” explains the hormonal forces that trigger humans to be romantically attracted to some people and not to others (a phenomenon also documented in the animal world). Fisher posits that each of us gets dosed in the womb with different levels of hormones that impel us toward one of four basic personality types:
The Explorer — the libidinous, creative adventurer who acts “on the spur of the moment.” Operative neurochemical: dopamine.
The Builder — the much calmer person who has “traditional values.” The Builder also “would rather have loyal friends than interesting friends,” enjoys routines, and places a high priority on taking care of his or her possessions. Operative neurotransmitter: serotonin.
The Director — the “analytical and logical” thinker who enjoys a good argument. The Director wants to discover all the features of his or her new camera or computer. Operative hormone: testosterone.
The Negotiator — the touchy-feely communicator who imagines “both wonderful and horrible things happening” to him- or herself. Operative hormone: estrogen, then oxytocin.
Fisher reviewed personality data from 39,913 members of Chemistry.com. Explorers made up 26 percent of the sample, Builders 28.6 percent, Directors 16.3 percent, Negotiators 29.1 percent. While Explorers tend to be attracted to Explorers, and Builders tend to be attracted to Builders, Directors are attracted to Negotiators, and vice versa.
Exclaims Ellen, slapping the book: “This is why my marriage has been dead for 15 years. I’m an Explorer married to a Builder!”
The nitwit. Guess Fisher forgot about that fifth one there. Poor schmucks that are married to these nitwits; they’re about to lose half their stuff because they made the awful mistake of allowing their nitwit wives to read books.
Yup, it’s really as bad as people think it is. Middle-aged married women with a Cinderella complex, angry that life isn’t perfect and stress free, get all sauced up and talk each other into divorces. Then they bury their gross wrinkly noses in hateful chick-books carefully designed to expunge any doubts about it that might remain, download some hunky stud off the innerwebs, and the poor schlub who was stupid enough to marry them loses half his stuff.
And then they become authorities on marriage, graciously counseling women who are more mature and mentally balanced than they are. Making craploads of money, if they get lucky…and still pulling in that alimony check. So that girls’-night-out wine-buying slush fund stays all slushy.
This is the kind of thing that makes me think our whole society needs a reboot. In a number of our most treasured institutions, the rules are made by whoever among us have proven themselves to be, without any doubt, the most dysfunctional.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
The Blind Squirrel: What does Cap Trade mean to you?
The Blind Squirrel: What does Cap Trade mean to you?
Now that the House has voted on Cap and Trade without any idea what was in it.... details are starting to leak out.
The bloody bill was not even finished being written before they voted on it..... they did so blindly under party orders. The final three hundred page amendment was handed out just three hours before the vote, and the whole bill was not assembled at the time of voting.
So.... what does this little gift from congress mean to you, with its $15 per ton tax on CO2 emissions?
How about.... doubling your electric bill for a start. 57% of the electricity in the nation is from coal fired plants, and the tax will (at best) double the price of coal, plus the fuel to transport the coal, plus the fuel to dig the coal, plus.......
Heat your home with oil or gas? The new tax will add about 50% to your heating bills.
Drive a car, do you? Nice car? Enjoy that ride to work, do you? How about gas taxes increasing by up to fifty cents a gallon. Look on the bright side... maybe yours will be one of the estimated two million jobs this new tax will cost the nation. If you have no job, you'll save on gas.... what with having no place to go.
Oh... and don't forget..... every single thing you use in life..... everything you eat, wear, sit on, write on, and use.... all comes by rail and truck. All those transportation costs will go up 30% to 70%. Hmm.... another thought.... most of our nations farm fertilizers are petro-chemical based, and all the equipment to work the farms and transport the food is diesel. Look for food costs to almost double.... if you can get any.
These numbers are based the administrations most favored numbers.... the best case sce
What does Cap+Trade mean to you?
.Now that the House has voted on Cap and Trade without any idea what was in it.... details are starting to leak out.
The bloody bill was not even finished being written before they voted on it..... they did so blindly under party orders. The final three hundred page amendment was handed out just three hours before the vote, and the whole bill was not assembled at the time of voting.
So.... what does this little gift from congress mean to you, with its $15 per ton tax on CO2 emissions?
How about.... doubling your electric bill for a start. 57% of the electricity in the nation is from coal fired plants, and the tax will (at best) double the price of coal, plus the fuel to transport the coal, plus the fuel to dig the coal, plus.......
Heat your home with oil or gas? The new tax will add about 50% to your heating bills.
Drive a car, do you? Nice car? Enjoy that ride to work, do you? How about gas taxes increasing by up to fifty cents a gallon. Look on the bright side... maybe yours will be one of the estimated two million jobs this new tax will cost the nation. If you have no job, you'll save on gas.... what with having no place to go.
Oh... and don't forget..... every single thing you use in life..... everything you eat, wear, sit on, write on, and use.... all comes by rail and truck. All those transportation costs will go up 30% to 70%. Hmm.... another thought.... most of our nations farm fertilizers are petro-chemical based, and all the equipment to work the farms and transport the food is diesel. Look for food costs to almost double.... if you can get any.
These numbers are based the administrations most favored numbers.... the best case sce
Blogger: Home On the Range - Post a Comment
Blogger: Home On the Range - Post a Comment
Personal responsibility and the value of life and things earned.
Personal responsibility and the value of life and things earned.
Grouchy Old Cripple: What if...
Grouchy Old Cripple: What if...
What if...
Many of my readers sent me this. It's sumpin' for all the liberals who have been lambasting Chimpy McHalliburton Bushitler during the past eight years.
What If George W. Bush had ...made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?
If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?
If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current on their income taxes, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to “Cinco de Cuatro” in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the Fifth of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?
If George W. Bush had misspelled the word advice would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and potato as “proof” of what a dunce he is?
If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on “Earth Day”, would you have concluded he’s a hypocrite?
If George W. Bush’s administration had okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually “get” what happened on 9-11?
If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how he is inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?
If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?
If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?
So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive? Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He's done all this in 10 weeks -- so you'll have three years and nine-and-a-half months to come up with an answer.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monthly S&P500 Inflation Adjusted | The Big Picture
Monthly S&P500 Inflation Adjusted | The Big Picture
I meant to get to this from last week — but given that its a 140 year chart, I guess one week won’t matter much (via Ron Griess of The Chart Store):
>
click for bigger graph
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Knowledge Is Power
Knowledge Is Power:
http://www.sondrak.com/index.php/weblog/honey_does_this_dog_make_my_ass_look_big/
Michelle/dog/ass
06/15 at 11:49 AM •
(46) Extra Credit • Pass it on...
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Michelle/dog/ass
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Friday, June 26, 2009
Submitted without comment � Theclubabove’s Weblog
Submitted without comment � Theclubabove’s Weblog
Michael Jackson embodied diversity. He *was* diversity, all in one body. Witness:
He was born a black boy from Gary Indiana.
He died a white man from Hollywood.
He loved men, women, and children. Literally, evidently.
There wasn’t a religion he didn’t call his own.
He’d breathe oxygen, sometimes with nitrogen and sometimes without.
He had a large nose.
He had a small nose.
He had no nose.
He had a cleft chin.
He had no cleft chin.
He had no chin.
He had frizzy hair.
He had wavy hair.
He had straight hair.
He had burning hair.
He’d wear two gloves. He’d wear one glove. He’d wear no gloves.
He’d wear gold lame’ jock straps OUTSIDE of his clothes and, we must presume, inside as well.
Yes, truly, Michael Jackson was all things to all people.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Home On the Range
Home On the Range: "There is a Korean martial art called Kum Do, which involves some very sharp swords and in its original form, a fight to the death. Now, in our kinder and gentler day, bamboo sticks are used, but many of the moves that survived the ensuing centuries were developed to shake blood off the blade so that the coagulating blood didn't dull the edge. Kum Du teaches students to avoid what is known as the four poisons of the mind 'fear, confusion, hesitation and surprise'. The constant tendency of men to anticipate and predict an event is a disadvantage, for in Kum Do if you let your natural inclination of prediction run loose, you could get a surprise, leading to confusion and then death (or a really sharp whack with that damn bamboo pole)."
Voting Present vs. Having Skin in the Game
Voting Present vs. Having Skin in the Game: "Voting Present vs. Having Skin in the Game
Many commentators discuss Obama's statements on Iran only in terms of providing moral support. I have done so myself, actually. John McCain too, who specifically disclaimed any intent to arm the protesters or take any other aggressive action against the regime in demanding Obama speak out more forcefully.
But the thing is, that's kind of disingenuous.
When a President speaks out forcefully on a regime's behavior, he's putting a little of his credibility on the line. He's risking some authority in a gamble, basically."
Read the whle thing!!!
Many commentators discuss Obama's statements on Iran only in terms of providing moral support. I have done so myself, actually. John McCain too, who specifically disclaimed any intent to arm the protesters or take any other aggressive action against the regime in demanding Obama speak out more forcefully.
But the thing is, that's kind of disingenuous.
When a President speaks out forcefully on a regime's behavior, he's putting a little of his credibility on the line. He's risking some authority in a gamble, basically."
Read the whle thing!!!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
What is the Average True Range?
What is the Average True Range?
The Average True Range Is An Awesome Measure Of Volatility And Market Noise But What Makes It So Fantasic For Setting Stops?
You may have read that many traders use the average true range for setting their stop losses. The reason is that the average true range is a fantastic measure of volatility and market noise.
Very simply, the average true range (ATR) determines a security’s volatility over a given period. That is, the tendency of a security to move, in either direction.
More specifically, the average true range is the (moving) average of the true range for a given period. The true range is the greatest of the following:
The difference between the current high and the current low The difference between the current high and the previous close The difference between the current low and the previous close
The average true range is then calculated by taking an average of the true ranges over a set number of previous periods. Care should be taken to use sufficient periods in the averaging process in order to obtain a suitable sample size, i.e. an average true range using only 3 periods would not provide a large enough sample to give you an accurate indication of the true range of the security’s price movement. A more useful period to use for the average true range would be 14.
The value returned by the average true range is simply an indication as to how much a stock has moved either up or down on average over the defined period. High values indicate that prices are changing a large amount during the day. Low values indicate that prices are staying relatively constant. Note that both trending and level prices can have high or low volatility.
So, how can we use the average true range in calculating our stop loss? All you do is you subtract a multiple of the average true range from the entry price. I might take two times the average true range and subtract it from my entry price. For example, if we had a one dollar stock and its average true range value was five cents, I would simply take a multiple of the average true range, which I said we’ll use two in this example, and we’d subtract it from our entry price. So, two times our average true range is ten cents, subtracted from our entry price gives us a stop loss value of 90 cents.
Now, by adhering to this pre-defined point at which I sell, I know that if the share price doesn’t move in my favored direction, and actually moves against me, I already know the point at which I’m going to sell. My emotions are removed from the equation, and I just simply follow what my stop loss says. This is how most successful traders limit their losses. They know when they’re going to sell and they have this pre-defined before they even begin trading. Although their methods of calculating the average true range and the stop loss may be different the one common element here is that they have a stop loss in place.
Here’s a little extra finesse point that you might look at including in your trading plan. I sometimes introduce a time stop depending on the type of system I’m trading. This type of stop simply takes you out of a position after a fixed amount of time if I haven’t made enough profit.
To successfully implement this type of stop, you’re going to have to work out the average true range and do some sort of back testing, to find out if it’s appropriate for the particular instrument you’re trading. I just thought I’d throw that in there to make sure you have all your bases covered.
When you first begin calculating your average true range and outlining your stop losses, just keep in mind what Tom Baldwin, the successful trader said. He said the best traders have no ego. You have to swallow your pride and get out of your losses. He’s simply referring to having a stop loss set, and more importantly, having the discipline to stick to it.
The Average True Range Is An Awesome Measure Of Volatility And Market Noise But What Makes It So Fantasic For Setting Stops?
Provided By Trading Secrets Revealed
You may have read that many traders use the average true range for setting their stop losses. The reason is that the average true range is a fantastic measure of volatility and market noise.Very simply, the average true range (ATR) determines a security’s volatility over a given period. That is, the tendency of a security to move, in either direction.
More specifically, the average true range is the (moving) average of the true range for a given period. The true range is the greatest of the following:
The average true range is then calculated by taking an average of the true ranges over a set number of previous periods. Care should be taken to use sufficient periods in the averaging process in order to obtain a suitable sample size, i.e. an average true range using only 3 periods would not provide a large enough sample to give you an accurate indication of the true range of the security’s price movement. A more useful period to use for the average true range would be 14.
The value returned by the average true range is simply an indication as to how much a stock has moved either up or down on average over the defined period. High values indicate that prices are changing a large amount during the day. Low values indicate that prices are staying relatively constant. Note that both trending and level prices can have high or low volatility.
So, how can we use the average true range in calculating our stop loss? All you do is you subtract a multiple of the average true range from the entry price. I might take two times the average true range and subtract it from my entry price. For example, if we had a one dollar stock and its average true range value was five cents, I would simply take a multiple of the average true range, which I said we’ll use two in this example, and we’d subtract it from our entry price. So, two times our average true range is ten cents, subtracted from our entry price gives us a stop loss value of 90 cents.
Now, by adhering to this pre-defined point at which I sell, I know that if the share price doesn’t move in my favored direction, and actually moves against me, I already know the point at which I’m going to sell. My emotions are removed from the equation, and I just simply follow what my stop loss says. This is how most successful traders limit their losses. They know when they’re going to sell and they have this pre-defined before they even begin trading. Although their methods of calculating the average true range and the stop loss may be different the one common element here is that they have a stop loss in place.
Here’s a little extra finesse point that you might look at including in your trading plan. I sometimes introduce a time stop depending on the type of system I’m trading. This type of stop simply takes you out of a position after a fixed amount of time if I haven’t made enough profit.
To successfully implement this type of stop, you’re going to have to work out the average true range and do some sort of back testing, to find out if it’s appropriate for the particular instrument you’re trading. I just thought I’d throw that in there to make sure you have all your bases covered.
When you first begin calculating your average true range and outlining your stop losses, just keep in mind what Tom Baldwin, the successful trader said. He said the best traders have no ego. You have to swallow your pride and get out of your losses. He’s simply referring to having a stop loss set, and more importantly, having the discipline to stick to it.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
R-Squared Energy Blog: How Much Natural Gas to Replace Gasoline?
R-Squared Energy Blog: How Much Natural Gas to Replace Gasoline?
You may have seen the news this week that a report by the Potential Gas Committee says natural gas reserves in 2008 rose to 2,074 trillion cubic feet. The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal (via Rigzone) both had stories on it, and T. Boone Pickens issued a press release. First, from the New York Times (and this is a really good article):
Estimate Places Natural Gas Reserves 35% Higher
The Wall Street Journal wrote:
US Has Almost 100-Year Supply of Natural Gas
Pickens had this to say:
T. Boone Pickens Statement on Surge in Estimated Natural Gas Reserves
A number of people have rightly pointed out that a 100-year implies usage at current rates. But it got me to thinking about how much natural gas it would take to displace all U.S. gasoline consumption. So in the spirit of my previous essay Replacing Gasoline with Solar Power, I will do the same calculation for replacing gasoline with natural gas. The big difference between this calculation and the earlier one is that solar power still has some technical issues to resolve (e.g., storage) and electric vehicles are not yet ready for prime time. On the other hand we are perfectly capable, today, of displacing large numbers of gasoline-fueled vehicles with natural gas.
How Much Do We Need?
The U.S. currently consumes 390 million gallons of gasoline per day. (Source: EIA). A gallon of gasoline contains about 115,000 BTUs. (Source: EPA). The energy content of this much gasoline is equivalent to 45 trillion BTUs per day. The energy content of natural gas is about 1,000 BTUs per standard cubic foot (scf). Therefore, to replace all gasoline consumption would require 45 billion scf per day, or 16.4 trillion scf per year. Current U.S. natural gas consumption is 23 trillion scf per year (Source: EIA). Therefore, replacing all gasoline consumption with natural gas would require a total usage of 39.4 trillion scf per year, an increase in natural gas consumption of 71% over present usage.
Assuming for the sake of argument that the 2,074 trillion standard cubic feet cited in the study is accurate, that the "probable, possible and speculative reserves" eventually equate to actual reserves, and that the gas is economically recoverable, that is enough gas for 53 years of combined current natural gas consumption and gasoline consumption. If you assume that only the proven plus probable reserves are eventually recovered, the amount drops to about 1/3rd of the 2,074 trillion scf estimate, still enough to satisfy current natural gas consumption and replace all gasoline consumption for almost 20 years.
We can also calculate in terms of oil imports. Right now the U.S. imports about 13 million barrels per day of all petroleum products. A barrel of oil contains around 5.8 million BTUs, but oil only makes up 10 million of the 13 million barrel per day figure. Other imports include things like gasoline (4.8 million BTUs/bbl) and ethanol (3.2 million BTUs/bbl). Scanning the list of imports, I probably won't be too far off the mark to presume that the average BTU value of those 13 million bpd of imports is about 5.4 million BTUs/bbl. On an annual basis, this amounts to 25.6 trillion scf, an increase over current natural gas usage of 111%. Going back to the 2,074 trillion scf from the study, this would be enough to displace imports of all petroleum products (again, at current usage rates and not factoring in declining U.S. oil production) for 43 years.
What's the Cost?
Natural gas is presently trading at about $4 per million (MM) BTU (although December 2009 is trading at almost $6). Oil is presently trading at $71/bbl, which equates to $12.24/MMBTU. Gasoline is presently trading at over $17/MMBTU. Thus, natural gas is a bargain relative to oil or gasoline. Incidentally, I just checked on seasoned wood and wood pellets, and they range from $8-$12/MMBTUs. So it is cheaper to heat your house with gas than with wood. I am not sure I would have guessed that.
While natural gas is a bargain relative to gasoline, converting a gasoline-powered vehicle to natural gas isn't cheap. According to this source, it can cost $12,500 to $22,500 to convert a gasoline-powered car to natural gas. Honda makes a compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle, but according to this review in Car and Driver the premium over the gasoline version is $8780. A person would need to drive an awful lot to justify that premium. However, that's what fleets do. They drive a lot. The large price differential explains why fleets would be interested in running their vehicles on natural gas.
Conclusions
So, the good news is that the United States could be energy independent if the newly released natural gas reserve numbers are remotely accurate. It also appears that we have enough natural gas available that civilization isn't going to end any time soon due to lack of energy supplies. There are three caveats. First, energy independence via natural gas would require us to spend significantly more for personal automotive transportation. Second, "possible" reserves may never materialize. Finally, a large chunk of the calculated reserves are based on shale gas, and that requires gas to be in the $6-$8/million BTU range to be economical. Still, it is a bargain compared to gasoline, and it explains why fleets are more receptive to conversion to natural gas than the general public is likely to be for their personal vehicles.
Friday, June 19, 2009
How Much Natural Gas to Replace Gasoline?
I Took This Picture of a CNG Bus on a Recent Trip to D.C.
You may have seen the news this week that a report by the Potential Gas Committee says natural gas reserves in 2008 rose to 2,074 trillion cubic feet. The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal (via Rigzone) both had stories on it, and T. Boone Pickens issued a press release. First, from the New York Times (and this is a really good article):
Estimate Places Natural Gas Reserves 35% Higher
Thanks to new drilling technologies that are unlocking substantial amounts of natural gas from shale rocks, the nation’s estimated gas reserves have surged by 35 percent, according to a study due for release on Thursday.
Estimated natural gas reserves rose to 2,074 trillion cubic feet in 2008, from 1,532 trillion cubic feet in 2006, when the last report was issued. This includes the proven reserves compiled by the Energy Department of 237 trillion cubic feet, as well as the sum of the nation’s probable, possible and speculative reserves.
The new estimates show “an exceptionally strong and optimistic gas supply picture for the nation,” according to a summary of the report, which is issued every two years by a group of academics and industry experts that is supported by the Colorado School of Mines.
The Wall Street Journal wrote:
US Has Almost 100-Year Supply of Natural Gas
The amount of natural gas available for production in the United States has soared 58% in the past four years, driven by a drilling boom and the discovery of huge new gas fields in Texas, Louisiana and Pennsylvania, a new study says.
...the Potential Gas Committee's study was prepared by industry geologists who analyzed individual gas fields using seismic imagery and production data provided by gas producers. The surge in gas resources is the result of a five-year-long drilling boom spurred by high natural-gas prices, easy credit and new technologies that allowed companies to produce gas from a dense kind of rock known as shale. The first big shale formation to be discovered, the Barnett Shale near Fort Worth, Texas, is now the country's top-producing gas field, and companies have made other huge discoveries in Arkansas, Louisiana and Pennsylvania. Together, the shale fields account for roughly a third of U.S. gas resources, according to the Potential Gas Committee.
Pickens had this to say:
T. Boone Pickens Statement on Surge in Estimated Natural Gas Reserves
Today’s report substantiates what I’ve been saying for years: there’s plenty of natural gas in the U.S. I launched the Pickens Plan a year ago to help reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, and using our abundant supply of natural gas as a transition fuel for fleet vehicles and heavy-duty trucks is a key element of that plan. On the same day this report is going out, diesel prices are again on the rise, squeezing the trucking industry. Now more than ever we need to take action to enact energy reform that will immediately reduce oil imports.
The 2,074 trillion cubic feet of domestic natural gas reserves cited in the study is the equivalent of nearly 350 billion barrels of oil, about the same as Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves.
A number of people have rightly pointed out that a 100-year implies usage at current rates. But it got me to thinking about how much natural gas it would take to displace all U.S. gasoline consumption. So in the spirit of my previous essay Replacing Gasoline with Solar Power, I will do the same calculation for replacing gasoline with natural gas. The big difference between this calculation and the earlier one is that solar power still has some technical issues to resolve (e.g., storage) and electric vehicles are not yet ready for prime time. On the other hand we are perfectly capable, today, of displacing large numbers of gasoline-fueled vehicles with natural gas.
How Much Do We Need?
The U.S. currently consumes 390 million gallons of gasoline per day. (Source: EIA). A gallon of gasoline contains about 115,000 BTUs. (Source: EPA). The energy content of this much gasoline is equivalent to 45 trillion BTUs per day. The energy content of natural gas is about 1,000 BTUs per standard cubic foot (scf). Therefore, to replace all gasoline consumption would require 45 billion scf per day, or 16.4 trillion scf per year. Current U.S. natural gas consumption is 23 trillion scf per year (Source: EIA). Therefore, replacing all gasoline consumption with natural gas would require a total usage of 39.4 trillion scf per year, an increase in natural gas consumption of 71% over present usage.
Assuming for the sake of argument that the 2,074 trillion standard cubic feet cited in the study is accurate, that the "probable, possible and speculative reserves" eventually equate to actual reserves, and that the gas is economically recoverable, that is enough gas for 53 years of combined current natural gas consumption and gasoline consumption. If you assume that only the proven plus probable reserves are eventually recovered, the amount drops to about 1/3rd of the 2,074 trillion scf estimate, still enough to satisfy current natural gas consumption and replace all gasoline consumption for almost 20 years.
We can also calculate in terms of oil imports. Right now the U.S. imports about 13 million barrels per day of all petroleum products. A barrel of oil contains around 5.8 million BTUs, but oil only makes up 10 million of the 13 million barrel per day figure. Other imports include things like gasoline (4.8 million BTUs/bbl) and ethanol (3.2 million BTUs/bbl). Scanning the list of imports, I probably won't be too far off the mark to presume that the average BTU value of those 13 million bpd of imports is about 5.4 million BTUs/bbl. On an annual basis, this amounts to 25.6 trillion scf, an increase over current natural gas usage of 111%. Going back to the 2,074 trillion scf from the study, this would be enough to displace imports of all petroleum products (again, at current usage rates and not factoring in declining U.S. oil production) for 43 years.
What's the Cost?
Natural gas is presently trading at about $4 per million (MM) BTU (although December 2009 is trading at almost $6). Oil is presently trading at $71/bbl, which equates to $12.24/MMBTU. Gasoline is presently trading at over $17/MMBTU. Thus, natural gas is a bargain relative to oil or gasoline. Incidentally, I just checked on seasoned wood and wood pellets, and they range from $8-$12/MMBTUs. So it is cheaper to heat your house with gas than with wood. I am not sure I would have guessed that.
While natural gas is a bargain relative to gasoline, converting a gasoline-powered vehicle to natural gas isn't cheap. According to this source, it can cost $12,500 to $22,500 to convert a gasoline-powered car to natural gas. Honda makes a compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle, but according to this review in Car and Driver the premium over the gasoline version is $8780. A person would need to drive an awful lot to justify that premium. However, that's what fleets do. They drive a lot. The large price differential explains why fleets would be interested in running their vehicles on natural gas.
Conclusions
So, the good news is that the United States could be energy independent if the newly released natural gas reserve numbers are remotely accurate. It also appears that we have enough natural gas available that civilization isn't going to end any time soon due to lack of energy supplies. There are three caveats. First, energy independence via natural gas would require us to spend significantly more for personal automotive transportation. Second, "possible" reserves may never materialize. Finally, a large chunk of the calculated reserves are based on shale gas, and that requires gas to be in the $6-$8/million BTU range to be economical. Still, it is a bargain compared to gasoline, and it explains why fleets are more receptive to conversion to natural gas than the general public is likely to be for their personal vehicles.
Friday, June 19, 2009
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: "If you are bothered by occasional or frequent constipation:
look in the mirror and repeat the following phrase three times in succession when symptoms occur:
My financial and personal well being are totally in the hands of :
Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Tim Geithner, Rahm Emmanual, Barney Frank , Chris Dodd, and Al Gore'
If that doesn't scare the shit out of you, you are destined to be backed up for the rest of your life.
There is no need to thank me for this advice, I'm just doing a public service."
look in the mirror and repeat the following phrase three times in succession when symptoms occur:
My financial and personal well being are totally in the hands of :
Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Tim Geithner, Rahm Emmanual, Barney Frank , Chris Dodd, and Al Gore'
If that doesn't scare the shit out of you, you are destined to be backed up for the rest of your life.
There is no need to thank me for this advice, I'm just doing a public service."
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Home On the Range: Bacon Cheddar Quiche
Home On the Range: Bacon Cheddar Quiche: "Bacon Cheddar Quiche:
One pie crust. Either a store bought if you must, or make one ahead and freeze. Cooking times are using a shell fresh from the freezer,
Fry up 3/4 pound of bacon. OK. Fry up a whole pound. Eat three pieces. Give one to the dog and put the rest in the shell. Whisk 3 extra large eggs in a bowl, add one cup of half and half, one cup shredded sharp cheddar, a dash of dried onion and 1/4 teaspoon of Penzey's Northwoods Seasoning (a mix of salt, pepper, rosemary, chipotle, garlic, paprika and thyme) or the equivalent measurement of salt and pepper and a dash of herb of your choice. Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes. If your oven cooks hot, put a little strip of foil around the crust edges during the last 15 minutes of cooking so they don't burn.
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html.
Posted by Brigid at 12:11 PM"
One pie crust. Either a store bought if you must, or make one ahead and freeze. Cooking times are using a shell fresh from the freezer,
Fry up 3/4 pound of bacon. OK. Fry up a whole pound. Eat three pieces. Give one to the dog and put the rest in the shell. Whisk 3 extra large eggs in a bowl, add one cup of half and half, one cup shredded sharp cheddar, a dash of dried onion and 1/4 teaspoon of Penzey's Northwoods Seasoning (a mix of salt, pepper, rosemary, chipotle, garlic, paprika and thyme) or the equivalent measurement of salt and pepper and a dash of herb of your choice. Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes. If your oven cooks hot, put a little strip of foil around the crust edges during the last 15 minutes of cooking so they don't burn.
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html.
Posted by Brigid at 12:11 PM"
Amazing Facts: They Said What!!
They Said What!!
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.
"Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
"But what is it good for? "
Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM,
1968, commenting on the microchip.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. 1977
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as
a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."
Western Union internal memo, 1876
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value.
Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?"
David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for
investment in the radio -1920s.
"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"
--H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.
"I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face
and not Gary Cooper." --Gary Cooper on his decision
not to take the leading role in Gone With The Wind.
"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out."
Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.
"Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.
"Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil?
You're crazy." --Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to
his project to drill for oil in 1859.
"Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau."
--Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented.
"Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.Amazing Facts: They Said What!!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Scout's eye helped Bryant focus on title drive - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
Scout's eye helped Bryant focus on title drive - NBA - Yahoo! Sports: "Scout’s eye helped Bryant focus on"
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Breathing: Three Exercises - Dr. Weil
Breathing: Three Exercises - Dr. Weil: "The Art and Science of Breathing
Three Breathing Exercises"
Three Breathing Exercises"
The Art and Science of Breathing
Three Breathing Exercises
"Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders."
Andrew Weil, M.D.
Since breathing is something we can control and regulate, it is a useful tool for achieving a relaxed and clear state of mind. I recommend three breathing exercises to help relax and reduce stress: The Stimulating Breath, The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise (also called the Relaxing Breath), and Breath Counting. Try each and see how they affect your stress and anxiety levels.
Exercise 1:
The Stimulating Breath (also called the Bellows Breath)advertisement
The Stimulating Breath is adapted from a yogic breathing technique. Its aim is to raise vital energy and increase alertness.
- Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed but relaxed. Your breaths in and out should be equal in duration, but as short as possible. This is a noisy breathing exercise.
- Try for three in-and-out breath cycles per second. This produces a quick movement of the diaphragm, suggesting a bellows. Breathe normally after each cycle.
- Do not do for more than 15 seconds on your first try. Each time you practice the Stimulating Breath, you can increase your time by five seconds or so, until you reach a full minute.
If done properly, you may feel invigorated, comparable to the heightened awareness you feel after a good workout. You should feel the effort at the back of the neck, the diaphragm, the chest and the abdomen. Try this breathing exercise the next time you need an energy boost and feel yourself reaching for a cup of coffee.
Exercise 2:
The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise
This exercise is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Although you can do the exercise in any position, sit with your back straight while learning the exercise. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
- Hold your breath for a count of seven.
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
- This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply.
This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. Unlike tranquilizing drugs, which are often effective when you first take them but then lose their power over time, this exercise is subtle when you first try it but gains in power with repetition and practice. Do it at least twice a day. You cannot do it too frequently. Do not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; it will pass.
Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it will be a very useful tool that you will always have with you. Use it whenever anything upsetting happens - before you react. Use it whenever you are aware of internal tension. Use it to help you fall asleep. This exercise cannot be recommended too highly. Everyone can benefit from it.
Exercise 3:
Breath Counting
If you want to get a feel for this challenging work, try your hand at breath counting, a deceptively simple technique much used in Zen practice.
Sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight and head inclined slightly forward. Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then let the breath come naturally without trying to influence it. Ideally it will be quiet and slow, but depth and rhythm may vary.
- To begin the exercise, count "one" to yourself as you exhale.
- The next time you exhale, count "two," and so on up to "five."
- Then begin a new cycle, counting "one" on the next exhalation.
Never count higher than "five," and count only when you exhale. You will know your attention has wandered when you find yourself up to "eight," "12," even "19."
Try to do 10 minutes of this form of meditation.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Friday, June 05, 2009
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Blogger: Conversion Diary - Post a Comment
Blogger: Conversion Diary - Post a Comment: "'Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!'"
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!'"
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Liberty Reborn � Abusing Our Children With Our Own Bitter Pills
Liberty Reborn � Abusing Our Children With Our Own Bitter Pills
Little Johnny wakes up, the same as he does every morning, to find his father sitting at his bedside. As he wipes his tired eyes his father smiles happily. “Good morning son,” he says.
“Good morning father,” little Johnny answers.
“Are you ready for your pill?” His father holds out capsule for him to take as well as a glass of water.
“Father,” little Johnny speaks up, “I was thinking last night.”
“Oh?” his father responds. “That’s always a good thing son. Now, take your pill.”
“But that’s just it father. I have been thinking about these pills that you have been having me take each morning.”
His father frowns. “Son, it is best if you really don’t think about it much.”
“But father, what I don’t understand is why I am taking this pill every morning. I don’t feel sick and the doctor said just last week that I’m healthy. Plus that pill is so bitter and it seems to get bigger every day. It hurts my stomach. Why must I take it?”
“Oh son, the pill is not for your health – it is for mine. I’m very sick. I have a very bad addiction.”
Even Johnny realizes the strangeness of this response. “Then shouldn’t you be taking it father?”
Johnny’s father laughed. “Oh no son. This pill is too bitter and too big for me to swallow. If I were to take it I would not be able to stomach it and would suffer great pain.”
“But father, that is exactly how the pill makes me feel and you ask me to take it. If the pill is for your health, shouldn’t you be the one taking it?” little Johnny asked again. “Me taking the pill for you is not going to make you better.”
“Son,” his father said leaning in close to him to add emphasis to his forthcoming words, “please don’t make me force you to take this bitter pill. You don’t want me to force you to take it do you?”
“But father –“
“No buts son. I’m going to count to three. One. Two. Thr – “ Before the final part of the word three could pass his lips little Johnny reached out and took the pill, hurled it into his mouth and downed it down with water which only slightly lessened the discomfort. “Good boy.”
Now, would we as a society put up with this kind of action from any parent towards their children? Would we let any parent get away with forcing their child to take their own medicine because they simply did not want to take it? Well we do. Every day we do.
Because this is exactly the way the parents and grandparents of this country are treating their children and grandchildren as well as their children and their children’s children by living high on the hog, racking up enormous governmental debts they have no intention of repaying and then forcing their posterity to bear the punishment of having to swallow the bitter pill they themselves have concocted because of their own addictions. All because they do not want to take that damnable pill themselves.
Every time you, as a parent, draw a dime from a federal or state government program paid for by the taxes of your children or that increases the debt load of our country your children will have to bear and pay back so that you can have some benefit today I dare say that you are doing just this. You are abusing not just your children but all children of this country. And that is about as sick as it gets.
It is time Americans take their own pills instead of forcing them down the throats of their children. Stop whining about how bitter the pill is and take it. Stop being such cowards and grow up.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: Sunday Morning Coming Down
CHARMING, JUST CHARMING: Sunday Morning Coming Down
Today I am still proud that I was born an American. But for the first time I am ashamed of the majority of my fellow Americans....those who have decided that free bread and circuses are more important to them than the fiscal health and the security of their country. I am ashamed of a news media who sets idle as the Federal government takes over major corporations and dictates to the financial world on how they will be able to transact business. I am ashamed that I was 'bamboozled' by the republican party several years ago...they solicited my support with the promise that they were the party for smaller government and fiscal responsibility...and I was fool enough to believe them. Their behavior...and mine for supporting them...was shameful.
Today I am still proud that I was born an American. But for the first time I am ashamed of the majority of my fellow Americans....those who have decided that free bread and circuses are more important to them than the fiscal health and the security of their country. I am ashamed of a news media who sets idle as the Federal government takes over major corporations and dictates to the financial world on how they will be able to transact business. I am ashamed that I was 'bamboozled' by the republican party several years ago...they solicited my support with the promise that they were the party for smaller government and fiscal responsibility...and I was fool enough to believe them. Their behavior...and mine for supporting them...was shameful.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
That’s Why � Already Not Yet
That’s Why � Already Not Yet
“Over half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: ‘Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.’
“Over half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: ‘Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.’ Since then I have spent well-nigh fifty years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some sixty million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: ‘Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.’”
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1983
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Chicago Boyz � Blog Archive � What, Eight Years Wasn’t Long Enough?
Chicago Boyz � Blog Archive � What, Eight Years Wasn’t Long Enough?
Okay, the leftmost half of the Democrats, including Obama, Pelosi et al, have continuously claimed for 8 years that detaining illegal combatants at Gitmo was obviously illegal under U.S. law, immoral and counterproductive. Usually, when someone makes such a sweeping claim, it means that they have throughly thought out the problem and have a detailed alternative to offer. Given that Democrats have had 8 years to think about the problem, why didn’t Obama and Congressional Democrats have a plan to handle Gitmo and its detainees ready to implement on Day 1 of his administration?
Why are they still dithering to the point of refusing to allocate funds to close Gitmo? [h/t Instapundit] How dumb are they?
After all, it’s not like they’ve proposed a plan and then the Republicans, using their dominance of the three branches of government, shot it down. No, they haven’t even made a single, concrete, detailed proposal, and the Republicans don’t have the power to stop squat. If Democrats actually had a workable idea, they could have launched it four months ago.
It’s almost as if they’ve suddenly discovered that the problem of dealing with illegal combatants is a complex problem rife with dangers and tradeoffs that presents no clear, optimal solution. Too bad somebody hasn’t tried to tell them how difficult a legal, practical and moral problem these people pose for us. Oh, wait, somebody did.
It’s almost as if they always knew that Bush had to make serious tradeoffs but chose to create a simplistic narrative just for the sake of political marketing. It looks like they spent all their time reflexively criticizing Bush and zero time actually thinking about the challenges he faced.
It’s almost like they never really gave a damn.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Something... and Half of Something: Some required reading...
Something... and Half of Something: Some required reading...
om Time To Behead The Concubines by J.J. Jackson:
om Time To Behead The Concubines by J.J. Jackson:
Right now in America we have the Republican Party as it sadly exists; a chattering mass of concubines who have come to believe that they are favorites of some higher authority and they will have no harm ever come to them. The problem is that we, the people, who are the real authority behind the Party are not at all amused. We have given them power. We have given them arms. We have even given them orders. But still they sit there and giggle at us as though those orders are not at all important.
We tell them to lower taxes and they giggle. We tell them to reduce the size of government and they giggle some more. We tell them to stand up for innocent human life no matter the age and they laugh out loud. We tell them to return to within the boundaries set up for them by the Constitution and they flip us the bird while mocking us openly. So the answer is obvious to anyone that has ever read Sun Tzu. The axe needs to be sharpened. The heads of the lead concubines must be lowered onto the chopping block. And these fools need to be released from their duties and obligations. It is time to behead those giddy concubines who are in charge and who are not willing to carry out the clear orders given to them.
Yes, it would appear that perhaps we should look to Sun Tzu for a solution, keeping in mind that there are many ways to skin a cat behead a concubine, after all, there is an election coming up. Nothing says term limit better than a lost primary.
And as for senate hopeful from the great state of Florida, Charlie Crist? No way. No way Charlie. We have enough RINOs, we don't need another. I'd rather see that seat go to a flat out democrat then see you sit there and sit with the opposition. Better the devil we know then to watch you stick a knife in our backs. I have deeply regretted voting for you for governor, and I won't repeat that mistake by voting for you for senator.
Vinegar and Honey: No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
Vinegar and Honey: No Such Thing As A Free Lunch: "The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops(CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, free medical, etc., while we continually lose our freedoms - just a little at a time."
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.
~Thomas Jefferson
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.
~Thomas Jefferson
Grouchy Old Cripple: Marines
Grouchy Old Cripple: Marines: "Marine Corps Bumper Stickers:"
"Martyrs or Marines -- Who Do you Think Will Get The Virgins?"
"U.S. Marines -- Travel Agents To Allah"
"When In Doubt, Empty The Magazine"
"The Marine Corps -- When It Absolutely, Positively Has To Be Destroyed Overnight"
"Death Smiles At Everyone -- Marines Smile Back"
"What Do You Feel When You Kill A Terrorist? ... A Reassuring Recoil"
"Marines -- Providing Enemies of America an Opportunity To Die For their Country Since 1775"
"My Marine Can Pick Off Your Honor Student at a Click and a Half"
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Anyone Who Threatens It"
"Happiness Is A Belt-Fed Weapon"
"It's God's Job to Forgive Bin Laden -- It's Our Job To Arrange The Meeting"
"Artillery Brings Dignity to What Would Otherwise Be Just A Brawl"
"One Shot, Twelve Kills -- Marine Artillery"
"My kid fought in Iraq so yours can party in college"
"Machine Gunners -- Accuracy by Volume"
"Guns Don't Kill People -- I Kill People"
"Except For Ending Slavery, Fascism, Nazism, and Communism, WAR has Never Solved Anything."Sunday, May 10, 2009
Zero Hedge: The Dow's Weight In Gold
Zero Hedge: The Dow's Weight In Gold: "The chart below represents the relationship of the Dow Jones to an ounce of gold. Things to note...very long uptrend broken (white line), very long support/resistance line broken (light blue), well below average since 1979 lows (green line), we are at a 30% retracement from most recent low (cyan text) which compares well with all previous major retracements in this down-cycle... a fat juicy extrapolated target seems to be waiting for the DOW below 5000 and Gold over $1000?"
SEE CHARTS
SEE CHARTS
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Friday, May 01, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Power Line - Real religion
Power Line - Real religion: "Real religion"
Today comes word that Mary Ann Glendon is turning down the prestigous Laetare Medal that was to be awarded to her at Notre Dame's commencement this year. Glendon is the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and former United States Ambassador to the Holy See. Explaining her decision Glendon stated:
When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame's Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved. I treasure the memory of receiving an honorary degree from Notre Dame in 1996, and I have always felt honored that the commencement speech I gave that year was included in the anthology of Notre Dame's most memorable commencement speeches. So I immediately began working on an acceptance speech that I hoped would be worthy of the occasion, of the honor of the medal, and of your students and faculty. etc
VDH's Private Papers::Crazy Times - Crazier Ones to Follow
VDH's Private Papers::Crazy Times - Crazier Ones to Follow: "Crazy Times — Crazier Ones to Follow"
| April 27, 2009 |
On the Patio
On the Patio:
A Toast
"'There are good ships,
and there are wood ships,
The ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships, are friendships,
And may they always be.'"
A Toast
"'There are good ships,
and there are wood ships,
The ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships, are friendships,
And may they always be.'"
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The American Spectator : Obama's Torture Policy for the Unborn
The American Spectator : Obama's Torture Policy for the Unborn
Obama's Torture Policy for the Unborn
If achieving world peace required torturing a single baby, asks a character in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, would it be worth it?
"Imagine that you are creating a fabric of human destiny with the object of making men happy in the end, giving them peace and rest at last, but that it was essential and inevitable to torture to death only one tiny creature -- that baby beating its breast with its fist, for instance -- and to found that edifice on its unavenged tears, would you consent to be the architect on those conditions? Tell me, and tell the truth."
The liberalism that Barack Obama seeks to complete answers Dostoyevsky's question with an emphatic yes. What is Obama's abortion-on-demand-forever policy but the building of a modern American way of life upon the graves of tortured babies? And not just the unavenged tears of one baby but millions of them.
This week, however, Obama did avenge the tears of terrorists. World peace, he said, isn't worth theirs. He lectured the CIA that "What makes the United States special and what makes you special is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and ideals even when it's hard."
Obama's prim pontifications about America's "values and ideals" inspired Chris Matthews and Jack Cafferty, among other deep and careful thinkers, to mull over the question: If torturing terrorists works -- as the Obama administration had to admit grudgingly this week -- is it okay? No, of course not, the chattering class proudly concluded.
One wonders why. What do they care? Having already accepted abortion and euthanasia -- which are nothing more than the expedient killing of the unborn and the elderly -- why should the expedient torture of terrorists, a lesser evil, trouble them? Oh, that's right: the terrorists are guilty and the guilty under the ministrations of modern liberalism never suffer. Pain in modern life is for the innocent.
Terrorists, we're told by pro-abortion liberals, suffer excruciating pain while the ejected unborn and euthanized elderly feel nothing. And even if the latter do suffer pain, say these liberals, that pain is worth it. After all, abortion and euthanasia sustain a pleasant and peaceful lifestyle for the strong. Let the dead bury the dead. Or, as the Supreme Court has said, imagine the disruption to America's way of life if stare decisis in the case of Roe v. Wade disappeared and women couldn't plan their careers and futures without the expectation of legal abortion for years to come.
Obama's liberalism is not an opponent of human rights abuses but an embodiment of them. The CIA restricts itself to methods far less ruthless than those permitted by the platform of the Democratic Party. When will Obama bring his own platform into line with the Geneva Accords?
It is a little late in the day for Obama to worry about America's moral reputation. Resisting evil even "when it is hard" hasn't interested liberalism for at least four decades. It rests on an ideology of expedient evil and crass utilitarianism.
With St. Paul, Western civilization, before modern liberalism ransacked it, said: "One may not do evil so that good may result from it." But then modern liberalism came along and reversed the formulation and now insists in the case of everything from therapeutic cloning to killing unborn children to dehydrating the elderly that one should do evil so that good may come from it.
Obama only now rediscovers the Christian ethic for terrorists, even as he weaves the "fabric of human destiny" with the tissue of tortured children.
Gun Control History Lesson � GOLDBLOOM’S PADDED CELL
Gun Control History Lesson � GOLDBLOOM’S PADDED CELL
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians unable to defend themselves es, were rounded up and
exterminated.
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million ‘educated ‘ people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century
because of gun control: 56 million.
It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars. The first year results are now in:
Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent.
Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent.
Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent. (yes, 44 percent)
In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the
criminals did not, and criminals still possess their guns. It will never happen here? I bet the Aussies said that too!
While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since criminals now are guaranteed that their
prey is unarmed. There has also been a dramatic increase in break-
ins and assaults of the ELDERLY. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns.
The Australian experience and the other historical facts above prove it.
You won’t see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun - control laws adversely affect
only the law-abiding citizens. Take note my fellow Americans, before it’s too late!
The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind him of this history lesson.
With Guns………..We Are ‘Citizens’, without Them……..We Are
‘Subjects’.
During W.W.II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED! Note: Admiral Yamamoto
who crafted the attack on Pearl Harbor had attended Harvard from
1919-1921 & was Naval Attaché to the U. S. 1925-28. Most of our Navy was destroyed at Pearl Harbor & our Army had been deprived of funding & was ill prepared to defend the country. It was reported that when asked why Japan did not follow up the Pearl Harbor attack with an invasion of the U . S. Mainland, his reply was that he had lived in the U.S. & knew that almost all households had guns.
If you value your freedom Please spread this anti-gun control message to all your friends! The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Key witness in passport fraud case of Clinton, McCain, and Barack Obama fatally shot � Count Us Out
Key witness in passport fraud case of Clinton, McCain, and Barack Obama fatally shot � Count Us Out
April 19, 2009 -
A key witness in a federal probe into passport information stolen from the State Department was fatally shot in front of a District church, the Metropolitan Police Department said yesterday.
Lt. Quarles Harris Jr., 24, who had been cooperating with a federal investigators, was found late Thursday night slumped dead inside a car, in front of the Judah House Praise Baptist Church in Northeast, said Cmdr. Michael Anzallo, head of the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
Cmdr. Anzallo said a police officer was patrolling the neighborhood when gunshots were heard, then Lt. Harris was found dead inside the vehicle, which investigators would describe only as a blue car.
Emergency medics pronounced him dead at the scene.
City police said they do not know whether his death was a direct result of his cooperation with federal investigators.
“We don’t have any information right now that connects his murder to that case,” Cmdr. Anzallo said.
Police say a “shot spotter” device helped an officer locate Lt. Harris.
A State Department spokeswoman yesterday declined to comment, saying the investigation into the passport fraud is ongoing.
The Washington Times reported April 5 that contractors for the State Department had improperly accessed passport information for presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain, which resulted in a series of firings that reached into the agency’s top ranks.
One agency employee, who was not identified in documents filed in U.S. District Court, was implicated in a credit-card fraud scheme after Lt. Harris told federal authorities he obtained “passport information from a co-conspirator who works for the U.S. Department of State.”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/apr/19/key-witness-in-passport-fraud-case-fatally-shot/
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Obama Deception Complete Movie (2009) English - Степашка
The Obama Deception Complete Movie (2009) English - Степашка: "The Obama Deception Part 1 through 12".
!!!!!
!!!!!
Brutally Honest: "extremism in the defense of liberalism is no vice"
Brutally Honest: "extremism in the defense of liberalism is no vice"
"extremism in the defense of liberalism is no vice"
Modern liberals measure "progress" not by the unfolding fulfillment of the natural moral law but by its elimination. Consequently, most of what is labeled "progress" is basically just regress, a return, under a glossier guise, to the practices of antiquity and pre-Christian paganism.
Pagans stuck the inconvenient elderly on snow drifts; moderns dehydrate them to death in hospitals. Pagans left unwanted babies to die on hilltops; moderns bury them in bins behind Planned Parenthood clinics. Pagans attended orgies, moderns attend "gay weddings."
In its deepening moral squalor, in its raw defiance of reality as God made it, the Brave New World is as barbaric as the old one. That Hillary Clinton and other architects of the Brave New World are now forced to grapple clumsily with piracy is somehow fitting. Their "new world order" is intrinsically disordered, a reckless ideological experiment that explodes in recurring currents of chaos, discontent, and lawlessness. Why not piracy too?
The recent gusher of globalist babble at the G-20 summit is exposed by the rise of piracy as a total sham. And the rise of piracy is one more proof of Dambisa Moyo's thesis in Dead Aid -- that ceaseless Western government-to-government handouts to Africa, which are just a new version of white colonialism, have frozen the continent in a helpless and horrid past. After a trillion dollars over sixty years, the only vivid display of entrepreneurial activity in Africa today is…piracy.
National Review noted this week that Bono's organization, One, is organizing a campaign of attacks against Moyo's book. Perhaps Bono can add pirates to his to-do list or maybe co-host a few Park Avenue parties for them with Al Sharpton.
But having already accepted de facto piracy by African governments -- most aid, Moyo observes, evaporates in corruption -- the engineers of the new world order aren't likely to win the "war on piracy" or even fight it.
...
In the giddy days of the campaign, one cheerleading journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle, Mark Morford, speculated that Obama might be a "Lightworker" for the globe -- "that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet…"
This "new way of being on the planet" looks awfully familiar, a return to history's most dismal, farcical, and evil chapters with tyranny, decadence, and false religion. This week the new way of being on the planet resembled the 18th century -- pirates abroad, tax-revolting tea parties at home, and a president, acting like a king, who collected excessive taxes and hatched extreme plans (such as forcing doctors and nurses to perform abortions against their consciences) while his aides sputtered about "extremists."
George Washington was an extremist in George III's eyes, and maybe even a disgruntled military veteran too. But under the madness of King Obama, extremism in the defense of liberalism is no vice and the citizenry's attempt to moderate it no virtue.
Neumayr's playing hammer here, nailing modern liberalism with effect. God bless him.
Do your part to counter the barbarism of today's leftist mind and pass this one on.
GraphOilogy: “We had everything but money,” A Suggested Guidebook for the “Greater Depression”
GraphOilogy: “We had everything but money,” A Suggested Guidebook for the “Greater Depression”: "“We had everything but money” is a collection of first person accounts of the Great Depression in the United States. Although, it appears to be out of print, it is widely available online. I recommend it as a very good guidebook for our present circumstances, what many are calling the “Greater Depression.”"
Figures on government spending and debt - Yahoo! Finance
Figures on government spending and debt - Yahoo! Finance
Figures on government spending and debt
- Friday April 17, 2009, 7:45 pm EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) --
Total public debt subject to limit April 16 11,125,587
Statutory debt limit 12,104,000
Total public debt outstanding April 16 11,183,899
Operating balance April 16 257,351
Interest fiscal year 2009 thru February 148,762
Interest same period 2008 198,518
Deficit fiscal year 2009 thru February 764,525
Deficit same period 2008 264,541
Receipts fiscal year 2009 thru February 860,877
Receipts same period 2008 967,153
Outlays fiscal year 2009 thru February 1,625,402
Outlays same period 2008 1,231,694
Gold assets in March 11,041
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The Cost of Global Warming: A Story in Pictures � The Foundry
The Cost of Global Warming: A Story in Pictures � The Foundry: "human-global-warming"
And what should be the final nail in the coffin: All this economic pain is for very little, if any, environmental gain. Analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency concludes that if the U.S. reduces CO2 emissions 60 percent by 2050, it will reduce global temperature by 0.1 to 0.2 degree Centigrade by 2095. A multi–lateral approach wouldn’t fare much better. Why? Well, there’s a lot of reasons. After all, the science behind global warming is anything but conclusive, but one reason could be how small man’s contribution to carbon dioxide emissions is.
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