Thursday, June 11, 2009

SAR #9162


Weapons - the last American export.

Is There an Echo in Here? Obama administration objected yesterday to the release of certain Bush-era documents that detail the videotaped interrogations of CIA detainees at secret prisons, arguing to a federal judge that doing so would endanger national security and benefit al-Qaeda's recruitment efforts. Bombing civilians doesn't benefit al Qaeda's recruitment efforts? Or letting Israel level Gaza?

Same Song, Another Verse: The new GM chairman admits "I don't know anything about cars." That's okay, his predecessor didn't either.

Family Tree: These days "full faith and credit" not only covers US Treasuries, it's been extended way beyond the GSE's to include big banks, Wall Street finance giants, insurance, autos and Mother Fletcher's Storm Door and Dance Company. It takes a genealogist to figure out who's whom's.

Not Sexy: Popular press coverage of the swine flu epidemic has peaked and faded away. The flu, however, has not.

Empowerment: The administration proposes to let shareholders "exercise oversight" over executive compensation through annual non-binding votes. What part of 'non-binding' do you find amusing?

Home of the Brave: Obama calmly talks about cutting the deficit in half - from $1.7 trillion this year to $1 trillion in 2013. You have to admire his resolve. You also have to question his sanity.

Irony: One of the apparent effects of global warming is a diminution of winds across the US, much to the distress of those who would use the wind's power to replace the emissions that cause global warming. Draw your own conclusion, using neither 'hot air' nor 'blow hard'.

Over There: German exports fell 28.7% y/y in April and their industrial production fell 21.6%.

I Have in My Hand: About that 15% recidivism rate for Guantanamo survivors. (a) US wardens wish their numbers were that good. (b) Of the 74 claimed to have picked up the fight again, only 29 are actually named. (c) of the 29 named, only 15 are "confirmed" recidivists. (d) some of those named by the Pentagon aren't on any official list of prisoners at Guantanamo. (e) 3% is good enough - as long as there names are on a list.

All Talk, No Walk: Turns out Congress' drive in support of Obama's goal of getting 25% of the nation's electricity from renewable sources by 2025 was just a lot of hot air.

Takes One... The last ruler of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, says a new American revolution is necessary - or at least a governmental restructuring. He's going to give the same speech to Great Britain and Russia soon.

Porn O'Graph: Dollars per hour, X marks the spot.

1 comment:

15limit said...

re "irony"

ck, can't help but conclude that your use of the word "apparent" in the intro to the article significantly the linkage drawn by the article itself between global warming and diminished average windspeed in the U.S.

Right near the top of the article it states "The idea that winds may be slowing is still a speculative one, and scientists disagree whether it is happening". The article also states that the diminished winds are not supported by some climate models.

So diminished windspeed may prove to be correct in the end, or it may prove to be "fact" such as the recently broken (??) bird/dinosaur evolutionary linkage that you posted about yesterday ("everything you know is wrong, chapter 47")...

Hope you don't mind this mild objection. I enjoy your blog because of your highly-tuned b.s detector and sense of humor.