Moonbattery: Ambitious, Arrogant, and Unscrupulous

Moonbattery: Ambitious, Arrogant, and Unscrupulous

Environmental

Ambitious, Arrogant, and Unscrupulous

Charles Krauthammer quotes Czech President Vaclav Klaus:

The largest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity is no longer socialism. It is, instead, the ambitious, arrogant, unscrupulous ideology of environmentalism.

Ambitious, arrogant, and unscrupulous — that certainly sums up global warming hoaxers, as Krauthammer confirms:

If you doubt the arrogance, you haven't seen that Newsweek cover story that declared the global warming debate over. Consider: If Newton's laws of motion could, after 200 years of unfailing experimental and experiential confirmation, be overthrown, it requires religious fervor to believe that global warming — infinitely more untested, complex and speculative — is a closed issue.

But declaring it closed has its rewards. It not only dismisses skeptics as the running dogs of reaction, i.e., of Exxon, Cheney and now Klaus. By fiat, it also hugely re-empowers the intellectual left.

For a century, an ambitious, arrogant, unscrupulous knowledge class — social planners, scientists, intellectuals, experts and their left-wing political allies — arrogated to themselves the right to rule either in the name of the oppressed working class (communism) or, in its more benign form, by virtue of their superior expertise in achieving the highest social progress by means of state planning (socialism).

Two decades ago, however, socialism and communism died rudely, then were buried forever by the empirical demonstration of the superiority of market capitalism everywhere from Thatcher's England to Deng's China, where just the partial abolition of socialism lifted more people out of poverty more rapidly than ever in human history.

Just as the ash heap of history beckoned, the intellectual left was handed the ultimate salvation: environmentalism. Now the experts will regulate your life not in the name of the proletariat or Fabian socialism but — even better — in the name of Earth itself.

Environmentalism is not about the environment. If the hoaxers really believed that CO2 is harmful, they would be pushing nuclear energy. Profiteers like Al Gore are in it for the money. As for bureaucrats and their lieutenants in the media: the global warming lie promises to deliver absolute power, just as communism did for Stalin and Mao.

Vinegar and Honey: Just Words?

Vinegar and Honey: Just Words?
Have you read any good books, lately? May I suggest a couple that have some pretty enlightening information in them? I wouldn't suggest going out and buying them--the author is probably already pretty well-set--but they are available at your local library.

The books I am suggesting are, "Dreams Of My Father" and "The Audacity Of Hope" by Barack Obama. I find it fascinating how much you can find out about a person in his written word--especially when his words are directed toward one particular group of people, or maybe, those who have the same ideology, whomever they may be.

Who knew, when he wrote them, that they would be read by such a diverse group, many of whom feel quite resentful at the philosophy of a man well on his way to becoming the President, and leader of our country?

Here are a few quotes from the two books:

Dreams Of My Father

"The person who made me proudest of all, though, was [half brother] Roy .. He converted to Islam."

"never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa, that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself.."

"The emotion between the races could never be pure..... the other race would always remain just that: menacing, alien, and apart."

"There were enough of us on campus to constitute a tribe, and when it came to hanging out many of us chose to function like a tribe, staying close together, traveling in packs.

"It remained necessary to prove which side you were on,to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names"

"I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race."

"I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites."

"That hate hadn't gone away," he wrote, blaming "white people — some cruel, some ignorant, sometimes a single face, sometimes just a faceless image of a system claiming power over our lives."

The Audacity Of Hope

"Lolo (Obama's step father) followed a brand of Islam ...."I looked to Lolo for guidance."

"We are no longer just a Christian nation," "We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers."

"I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

After reading the words, and sensing the passion found in his books, one has to wonder if he will be President of all the People...or just a chosen group, or groups. After all, his words speak for themselves.


"Where ambition can cover its enterprises, even to the person himself, under the appearance of principle, it is the most incurable and inflexible of passions."
~David Hume 1711-1776
Scottish Philosopher, Historian

321energy :: Gasoline, Diesel, and Oil :: Adam Hamilton

321energy :: Gasoline, Diesel, and Oil :: Adam Hamilton

Excellent piece on refining/Gas Crude/ Diesel interaction on prices

Connecticut College.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Connecticut College.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Simmons slide show on peak oil.

R-Squared Energy Blog: Book Review: World Made by Hand

R-Squared Energy Blog: Book Review: World Made by Hand

List of books to read!*****

feature1.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Oil $225 in 2012

report

ArthurDeVany.com � Important Things

ArthurDeVany.com � Important Things
Not only does each member of Congress control an average of $5 billion of spending per year, more than Warren Buffet or Bill Gates, she/he also has the power to compel us to act in ways that a corporation cannot. They have to sell something we choose to buy.

Vinegar and Honey: A "Green" House

Vinegar and Honey: A "Green" House
George Bushes house at Crawford.

Bloomberg.com: Energy

Bloomberg.com: Energy

China, India, Russia and the Middle East for the first time will consume more crude oil than the U.S., burning 20.67 million barrels a day this year, an increase of 4.4 percent, according to the International Energy Agency in Paris. U.S. demand will contract 2 percent to 20.38 million barrels daily, the IEA says.

Economic growth of more than 8 percent in China and India, coupled with increasing car ownership among the countries' combined populations of 2.45 billion people, will more than compensate for falling U.S. demand. Oil use worldwide will increase 2 percent this year because of growth in emerging markets, the Paris-based IEA says.

``Does the U.S. matter anymore?'' said Mike Wittner, head of oil research at Societe Generale SA in London. ``Has the U.S. mattered for the last few years? It is debatable. As far as the oil market is concerned, demand growth is going to be continued to be driven by China and the Middle East.''

Amazon.com: The Lives of Others: Martina Gedeck,Ulrich M�he,Sebastian Koch,Ulrich Tukur,Thomas Thieme,Hans-Uwe Bauer,Volkmar Kleinert,Matthias Brenner

Amazon.com: The Lives of Others: Martina Gedeck,Ulrich M�he,Sebastian Koch,Ulrich Tukur,Thomas Thieme,Hans-Uwe Bauer,Volkmar Kleinert,Matthias Brenner,Charly H�bner,Herbert Knaup,Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck: Movies & TV: "The Lives of Others (2006)"

Iran Thumbs Nose At West Over Oil Demands - Forbes.com

Iran Thumbs Nose At West Over Oil Demands - Forbes.com

Iran Thumbs Nose At West Over Oil Demands
James McKeigue, 04.16.08, 4:06 PM ET

OPEC Most Popular Stories Young Billionaires Easily Overlooked Tax Deductions The No-Tech Hacker Job Hunting In A Downturn How To Tap Lenders When Credit Is Tight

LONDON - Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari taunted America and Britain after the two countries appealed for OPEC to increase supply.

"Why should OPEC try to lower prices? ... Let America and Britain continue demanding," the controversial minister said to journalists outside a conference in Tehran on Wednesday.

His comments came on a day when crude oil futures advanced to yet another high, breaking $115 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange before settling at a record $114.93.

America has tried to isolate Iran by imposing tough sanctions that hamper its oil industry. It is now asking the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, in which Iran is the second-biggest producer, to raise output. It is an irony that cannot be lost on Nozari, though he claimed at the conference that other foreign states were willing to invest in Iran. (See: "Iran's Deal Is A Gas For Malaysia's SKS")

His hard-line stance is echoed by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly called for OPEC to stop pricing its oil in dollars and list its products in a basket of currencies. (See: " Black Gold Back In Sight")

America does have allies in OPEC, chiefly the Saudis, but the organization's rhetoric has not changed in the face of a doubling in oil prices since early 2007. Even last month's state visit by George Bush to Saudi Arabia could not persuade OPEC to change its tune.

"Oil supply to the market is enough, and high oil prices are not due to a shortage of crude but rather it is because of the decrease in the dollar's value, shortage of refinery capacity and some political tensions in the world," said OPEC's secretary general, Abdullah Al-Badri.

It is certainly true that the weak dollar makes traders seek shelter in commodities.

"The dollar continues to weaken, and that suggests there might be a little more capital going into the commodities market," said Simon Wardell, an energy analyst with Global Insight. He did not believe that the supply-demand balance had fundamentally changed lately, and thinks prices will likely fall back with demand later this year. (See: " Oil Rises On Dollar's Slide")

As for Nozari, he does not restrict his battles to Western oil consumers. On Wednesday, he poured fuel on the flames of a long-running dispute with Crescent Petroleum of the United Arab Emirates, saying that it would have to pay the price he sets for a new gas deal.

R-Squared Energy Blog: Where Our Gasoline Imports Come From

R-Squared Energy Blog: Where Our Gasoline Imports Come From

Where Our Gasoline Imports Come From

I started this post almost a year ago, but forgot about it. But someone at The Oil Drum just said they wished they had more information on where our gasoline imports come from. No need to wonder, because the EIA publishes this information.

For 2007, our Top 10 importers of finished gasoline into the U.S. in thousand barrels were:

1. United Kingdom (Thousand Barrels) 25147
2. U.S. Virgin Islands (Thousand Barrels) 23590
3. France (Thousand Barrels) 11209
4. Canada (Thousand Barrels) 10605
5. Netherlands (Thousand Barrels) 10518
6. Norway (Thousand Barrels) 8406
7. Germany (Thousand Barrels) 8351
8. Russia (Thousand Barrels) 7387
9. Italy (Thousand Barrels) 7239
10. OPEC Countries (Thousand Barrels) 5516

Europeans demand more diesel. Since you get diesel and gasoline from the refining process, they get rid of their excess gasoline by sending it to the U.S. That helps keep gasoline prices in check. Take a look at diesel prices to see what gasoline prices might look like if not for the imports.

R-Squared Energy Blog: Where Our Oil Imports Come From

R-Squared Energy Blog: Where Our Oil Imports Come From

Where Our Oil Imports Come From

Following the theme of the previous post on where we get our gasoline imports, below is the list of our Top 10 sources of oil imports for 2007.

For 2007, our Top 10 importers of crude oil into the U.S. in million barrels were:

1. Canada 680.533 million barrels
2. Saudi Arabia 530.245
3. Mexico 514.48
4. Venezuela 419.841
5. Nigeria 394.856
6. Angola 181.215
7. Iraq 177.009
8. Algeria 161.755
9. Ecuador 72.138
10. Kuwait 64.306

Source: U.S. Crude Imports by Country of Origin

If you compare to the list for gasoline imports, Canada is the only country common to both lists (although "OPEC Countries" in total came in at #10). Any surprises on that list? I am surprised to see Ecuador in the Top 10. I would have thought Brazil would have come in higher than Ecuador (Brazil was 11th). For me, it was also noteworthy that Mexico and Saudia Arabia swapped places in 2007.

Total OPEC imports in 2007 were 1.97 billion barrels. Total non-OPEC imports were 1.69 billion barrels. Consider how dependent we are on oil, how oil prices have run up, and the resulting massive transfer of wealth out of the U.S. and into other countries.

This is a big reason that I am pessimistic about the U.S. economy recovering any time soon. A lot of discretionary income is disappearing from American pockets and ending up flowing into the hands of oil exporters. An obvious solution is to do more business with these oil producers, and offer them something of value that will pull more of that money back. (I am also basing many of my personal finance decisions based on the premise that this trend will continue).

Villainous Company: A Suspension of Contempt

Villainous Company: A Suspension of Contempt: "A Suspension of Contempt

'Duty is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less.'
-Robert E. Lee

Marvelous

321energy :: Liars, Wall Street & Your Gold :: Jim Willie CB

321energy :: Liars, Wall Street & Your Gold :: Jim Willie CB

The dirt on a lot --J. P. Morgan etc

Global warming rage lets global hunger grow - Telegraph

Global warming rage lets global hunger grow - Telegraph: "Global warming rage lets global hunger grow"

The mass diversion of the North American grain harvest into ethanol plants for fuel is reaching its political and moral limits.

	A demonstrator eats grass in front of a U.N. peacekeeping soldier during a protest against the high cost of living in Port-au-Prince

"The reality is that people are dying already," said Jacques Diouf, of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). "Naturally people won't be sitting dying of starvation, they will react," he said.

The UN says it takes 232kg of corn to fill a 50-litre car tank with ethanol. That is enough to feed a child for a year. Last week, the UN predicted "massacres" unless the biofuel policy is halted.

We are all part of this drama whether we fill up with petrol or ethanol. The substitution effect across global markets makes the two morally identical.

Land of Black Gold: Prisoners of the Sun.

Land of Black Gold: Prisoners of the Sun.

Globa cooling___ Sunspot activity

TheStar.com | Business | Oil firms are caught in a squeeze play

TheStar.com | Business | Oil firms are caught in a squeeze play

Investor-owned oil majors like Exxon will no longer be able to increase their reserves, say analysts, because of new attitudes in oil-producing nations

321energy :: Colin Campbell and the Crack of Doom :: Peter McKenzie-Brown

321energy :: Colin Campbell and the Crack of Doom :: Peter McKenzie-Brown

Somewhat less pesimistic

Vinegar and Honey: You Ain't Gonna Like Losing

Vinegar and Honey: You Ain't Gonna Like Losing
"You Ain't Gonna Like Losing"

Author Unknown

President Bush did make a bad mistake in the war on terrorism. But the mistake was not his decision to go to war in Iraq.

Bush's mistake came in his belief that this country is the same one his father fought for in WWII.

It is not.

Back then, they had just come out of a vicious depression. The country was steeled by the hardship of that depression, but they still believed fervently in this country. They knew that the people had elected their leaders, so it was the people's duty to back those leaders.

Therefore, when the war broke out the people came together, rallied behind, and stuck with their leaders, whether they had voted for them or not or whether the war was going badly or not.

And war was just as distasteful and the anguish just as great then as it is today. Often there were more casualties in one day in WWII than we have had in the entire Iraq war. But that did not matter. The people stuck with the President because it was their patriotic duty. Americans put aside their differences in WWII and worked together to win that war.

Everyone from every strata of society, from young to old pitched in. Small children pulled little wagons around to gather scrap metal for the war effort. Grade school students saved their pennies to buy stamps for war bonds to help the effort.

Men who were too old or medically 4F lied about their age or condition trying their best to join the military. Women doubled their work to keep things going at home. Harsh rationing of everything from gasoline to soap, to butter was imposed, yet there was very little complaining.

You never heard prominent people on the radio belittling the President. Interestingly enough in those days there were no fat cat actors and entertainers who ran off to visit and fawn over dictators of hostile countries and complain to them about our President. Instead, they made upbeat films and entertained our troops to help the troops' morale. And a bunch even enlisted.

And imagine this: Teachers in schools actually started the day off with a Pledge of Allegiance, and with prayers for our country and our troops!

Back then, no newspaper would have dared point out certain weak spots in our cities where bombs could be set off to cause the maximum damage. No newspaper would have dared complain about what we were doing to catch spies.

A newspaper would have been laughed out of existence if it had complained that German or Japanese soldiers were being 'tortured' by being forced to wear women's underwear, or subjected to interrogation by a woman, or being scared by a dog or did not have air conditioning.

There were a lot of things different back then. We were not subjected to a constant bombardment of pornography, perversion and promiscuity in movies or on radio. We did not have legions of crack heads, dope pushers and armed gangs roaming our streets.

No, President Bush did not make a mistake in his handling of terrorism. He made the mistake of believing that we still had the courage and fortitude of our fathers. He believed that this was still the country that our fathers fought so dearly to preserve.

It is not the same country. It is now a cross between Sodom and Gomorrah and the land of Oz. We did unite for a short while after 9/11, but our attitude changed when we found out that defending our country would require some sacrifices.

We are in great danger. The terrorists are fanatic Muslims. They believe that it is okay, even their duty to kill anyone who will not convert to Islam. Europe will be essentially a Muslim theocracy in 50 years with Shira Law governing the people. Included in Shira Law are stoning, beheading, and chopping off the left hand of thieves. It has been estimated that about one third or over three hundred million Muslims are sympathetic to the terrorists cause...Hitler and Tojo combined did not have nearly that many potential recruits.

So....we either win it, or lose it -- and YOU AIN'T GONNA LIKE LOSING.