Friday, February 5, 2010

SAR #10036

This isn't where we thought were going, but we didn't get here by accident.

Crisises in Crisis:  Sovereign deficits are killing the value of sovereign debt; in Greece, Spain Portugal, US states and cities.  Which goes first, the pound, euro or dollar?

Unforgiven:  The US is “simply never going to recover.”  As usual, most Americans have no idea that the recession is not over and that we are being sucked into a black hole of debt – private debt, public debt, future debt.  It was fun while it lasted, spending all that money, but the hangover is going to be painful.   Depressing, but the graphics are excellent.

Short Form: Personal bankruptcies are up 15% y/y.

Secret Handshake:  The GOP plans to defeat financial reform just like they did health-care reform – through lies, nonsequitors, and fanning the flames of ignorance and fear.   Their secret strategy also said to claim the bill was crafted in secret.

We Have Guns, Don't Travel:  The Director of National Intelligence, saying he didn't want to be thought of as being careless, assured Americans today that if their government kills them while they are traveling abroad, it must get permission first.   Just who has can  put out a hit   legally authorize non-juridical murder of the citizenry wasn't specified.

Noise Alert:  Initial claims for unemployment benefits increased last week, as did the four-week average.  Continuing claims stood at 5,724,563.  The Labor Department termed the data “nothing unusual.”

Energy Quiz:  What renewable fuel delivers the most net energy?  (a) Firewood.  What source of renewable fuel requires the largest federal subsidy? (b) Iowa.

Bunch of Facts:  Modern industrial societies rest on the use of fossil fuels, metals and electricity.  These essentials are inextricable, each available only if the others are also available. The end will be announced after the lights go out.

Socialists, All:  The government  paid slightly less than half of all medical bills last year, and will pay slightly more than half by 2011.  We don't want no socialized medicine 'round here, nohow.

Stop!  Investigation shows an imam shot 21 times by the FBI was found handcuffed, with a shot in his back.  He wouldn't stop quoting scripture.

The Way It Grows: If you haven't spent any time worrying about population lately, consider this: The UN predicts the world's population will increase by 50% by 2050. That means China and India will need 500 new multi-million inhabitant cities. A lot of these folks will want decent livings, so we've got to make 50% more of everything. And produce that much more, and even more, electricity and gasoline. Where will they all park?

Asked and Answered:  Is Congress really so corrupt that Wall Street calls the shots?  Yes.

Porn O'Graph:  You can't buy groceries with your house – food before foreclosure.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Energy Quiz: What renewable fuel delivers the most net energy? (a) Firewood. What source of renewable fuel requires the largest federal subsidy? (b) Iowa.

I live in the boonies and heat with wood using a supposedly "efficient", modern wood stove. Sorry, but these stoves are not very efficient running at about 50%. Lots of uncaptured heat going up the flue. Why there are not more efficient, comprehensive wood heating systems is a wonder. Even as a non-engineer, I can think of a few obvious ways to improve performance cheaply. Masonry or thermal wood stoves are more efficient but one must bear the cost of a retrofit. But that is a better way to go for new construction.

One factor few woodburning folk employ is the use of outside combustion air for the stove rather than using air inside the house. A wood stove uses an incredible amount of air in combustion and if you use inside air, you are taking warm air and then exhausting that up the stack. Better to use cold, outside or basement air for combustion. I changed my original wood stove for a newer one that uses outside air and it really increased overall efficiency, that is less air coming in through walls and sills to feed the air demands of combustion. Remarkably, I know of only one wood stove manufacturer whose products use outside air supply as the default source. Other manufacturers are apparently not even aware of the benefits of using outside air!

One wonders why these energy technologies are all so backward. Might it be just the usual vested interest in maintaining existing technology because of capital invested in old manufacturing equipment? There must be some logical reason. I would classify wood stove tech to be about in the Middle Ages.

kwark said...

RE: Stop!. Hmm. . . "a separatist Muslim intent on overthrowing the United States government," according to the New York Times, but the bureau has not alleged any terrorist activity against him, and has charged that Abdullah was involved in fencing stolen goods. Federal authorities had been monitoring Abdullah "for years," the Times reported.

Okaaay . . . So, if he was a fence, why was it necessary to FIRST mention the unsupported assertion that he was trying to overthrow the government? And the Dearborn police are investigating the FBI!!!! Boy, something IS fishy about this one. Seems like the world of We Have Guns, Don't Travel works here too.