Wednesday, January 9, 2013

SAR #13009

Is there a storyline here or is it all ad-lib?

And One Makes Nineteen: Proving once again that austerity is the cure-all, unemployment increased in November in both the EU (26 million, 10.7%) and the EMU (to 11.8%) for the 19th consecutive month. Continuing increases are expected to continue. Spain beat out Greece, with a 26.6% rate. Unemployment among the young (under 25) is horrendous: The entire EU, 23.7. Greece 57%, Estonia 56%, Portugal 38%, Italy 37%, and so on. Idle hands...

It's Universal: The French budget minister is under investigation for tax fraud.

First Let's Kill All the Financial Lawyers: AIG, having been given $182 billion of taxpayer money to keep them from going belly up, is now 'considering' suing the taxpayers for saving their collective asses. Next time around – and there will be a next time – we should make sure they sign a 'hold-harmless' agreement. Or better yet, let 'em sink.

Inertia: Physics is implacable. It takes the carbon dioxide we produce and translates it into heat, which causes ice to melt and oceans to rise and storms to gather. Unless we act fairly soon, it will be too late. Is anybody listening?

On the Up and Up: In November, US consumers added $15.2 billion in non-revolving debt – think five-year car loans and 30-year student loans, but just a bit less than $1 billion on the old credit card.

I'm With Him: Fellow in California claims that the incorporation papers in the passenger seat qualifies him to use the carpool lane. After all, corporations are people, the Supreme Court told us so.

Size Matters: A small Utah town wants every home to have at least one gun and to have all elementary school teachers carry concealed weapons. Okay, but how's that going to work in Chicago?

Papists: In 1357 a Swiss farmer – having murdered a neighbor – purchased absolution by promising that he and his family would provide fuel for the local church's sanctuary lamp “forever”. If your keeping score, forever seems to be about 650 years.

Commandment: A school superintendent in Ohio has refused to remove a portrait (sic) of Jesus because it is part of the “culture of our community” to honor a graven image of a blue-eyed blond-haired Jew. Well, except for that 20% of US adults who describe themselves as atheist, agnostic or ‘nothing in particular’.

Porn O'Graph: How the cow ate the cabbage.

The Parting Shot:

130109

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

FYI, Marsha Blackburn is a staunch conservative Republican. I live one district over from her's in Memphis.

Charles Kingsley Michaelson, III said...

Yeah, my bad. The news item I read had her mis-identified and I did not double check. (And thus the item was re-done.) ckm

Charles Kingsley Michaelson, III said...

Correction: withdrawn. ckm

Anonymous said...

Corporations and persons.

If corporations have the same rights as persons, then persons should have the same rights as corporations. In which case, I could write off all my entertainment, healthcare, education, food, clothing, housing, transportation, legal, and other expenses just like corporations. That should be part of any judicial action.

Charles Kingsley Michaelson, III said...

Okay, Anony 1.43. But get back to me after you try it on the IRS.

HS said...

Inertia: Yes, CO2 is a good absorbent of infrared energy but it's not the best--water is. This is why things are warming up faster than expected. The warmer the climate gets, the more water evaporates. The more water that evaporates, the more IR radiation is absorbed. Repeat, rinse....

t said...

Great frost shot, and true dedication to put yourself outside in those brisk temps.

Love the local superintendent story, you can't tell those guys anything, they are so used to playing god with faculty, students, and employees. The law and rules mean everything, except if someone else is telling them.

Y'know, culture is very important to god fearing folk(white), not like those immigrants and troublemakers that are just savages underneath....