Local Posts #51

2009-12-22 05:30:00

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #1

JJ:

I strongly agree with Martha Mausling's comments. For just a small portion of Obama's stimulus we could make sure there are no homeless freezing people this winter.

During the Great Depression people gathered in the outskirts of the cities and built shantytowns, which were makeshift homes were built of whatever materials could be patched together. It wasn't the Hilton, but they survived.

For many of the homeless today, the shantytowns of the past look a lot better than the nothing they now have. One of the problems is politicians and bureaucrats insist the homeless be properly housed so nothing makeshift is allowed. Because we cannot afford good housing for them all they wind up with nothing rather than something that even the poorest had during the Great Depression.

Katrina was a perfect example of this mindset where they put up a handful of homeless in luxury ocean liners instead of creating a tent city, or some other solution, that would help all in need.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #2

"Claret" wrote:

"Oh Joe, did you not know, Al's profits did not go to the Gore's, it goes to charity. Next time you raise a billion dollars for charity I will give to the 'Rush Oxycontin Fund'"

JJ:

Outside of a couple hundred dollars reported on Gore's tax returns when he ran for president the only charitable giving I can find from him is his donations to his own company -- "Alliance for Climate Change."

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #3

"Gimmeshelter" wrote:

"Joe: The increase in homeless is a direct result of Jr Bush's policies. So, better that we divert his retirement salary to the homeless. Quit blaming Obama for the difficulty he is experiencing trying to right a sinking ship abandoned by Cap'n Bushed."

JJ:

There's a lot more homelessness now than when Bush was president. Bush is no longer president. We need to deal with the present and in the present the buck stops with Obama.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #4

"Claret" wrote:

"Joe, i would go to jail if I tried to use my company's deductions on my personal tax return. Try something other than ad hominem."

JJ:

It's a fact that Gore donates his money to his own company "The Alliance for Climate Change." His own words state that such donations are donations to "charity." My guess is that he is legally set up to deduct such donations from his taxes while benefiting from his own investments. Clever. Prove me wrong.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #5

"Robbo" wrote:

"There's hundreds and hundreds of tax exempt buildings in the Treasure Valley that sit vacant 80% of time that could be used to give the homeless a place to sleep out of the cold. They're called churches."

JJ:

And what do you do? Throw the homeless out during church meetings which occur several times a week? Sounds like you just have a grudge against churches. Large vacant buildings would be more practical.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #6

Quoting another poster, "Pinkfloyd" wrote:

"Climate Change. Let's use our gifts to solve global warming. Kathleen Long, Boise."

Pinkfloyd" then wrote:

"Kathleen,

"I have two questions for you.

"1. What is the temperature supposed to be?

"2. At what time in our past was it correct?

"Since you believe the temperature is not correct...."

JJ:

Good points. I think the temperature is much better now than it was in the 50s. I remember back in 1956 when it got down to 15 below in the middle of November. Could still be a little warmer than now and I'd be happy.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #7

"Isha_desu":

"That's right, there's a 'lag time' between your last dollar and your first day on the street.

"We are seeing the results of 8 years of Neo-con policies. You can't turn a 'supertanker' on a dime.

"When things finally do turn around, don't forget to thank Mr. Obama and the rest who are working so....""

JJ:

With all the stimulus money being spent unemployment should be temporarily going down by now, but it has gone up instead to 10.2%. That just shows how mismanaged the money is. Much worse than Bush.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #8

"GrayMatter":

"What is this Alliance for Climate Change?"

JJ:

I made a typo. It should have read: Alliance for Climate Protection. This is his company that he is heavily invested in he makes donations to. I didn't get anything I've posted today from Fox News as you insinuate.

  

"GrayMatter":

"FYI: Any donations to this foundation could NOT have shown up on Gore's 2000 tax return since the organization wasn't founded until 2006."

JJ:

Of course it couldn't. Why would you think it could? Especially when his tax returns from that period shows he only made a couple hundred dollars in donations to charities.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #9

"BoiseBlue":

"We are now experiencing the third mass extinction due to the effects of mankind on this planet. 6.6 billion people have populated virtually every square inch of this planet and have deemed their needs outweigh every other animals need."

JJ:

There have been no proven extinctions in the last 100 years due to climate change.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #10

"Euskaldun":

"This aspect seems at least worth considering:

"'To claim global warming stopped in 1998 overlooks one simple physical reality - the land and atmosphere are just a small fraction of the Earth's climate (albeit the part we inhabit). The entire planet is accumulating heat due to an energy imbalance. The atmosphere is warming. Oceans are accumulating energy. Land absorbs energy and ice absorbs heat to melt. To get the full picture on global warming, you need to view the Earth's entire heat content.'

" http://www.skepticalscience.com/global-warming-stopped-in-1998.htm "

JJ:

This guy's is not using the latest records on ocean warming. In 2003 they placed 3000 robots in the ocean to measure temperatures and since that time the oceans have cooled, not warmed as he says. This comes not from Fox News, but NPR.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88520025

80-90% of global warming or cooling comes from the oceans.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #11

"Gimmeshelter":

"Joe: The increase in homeless is a direct result of Jr Bush's policies. So, better that we divert his retirement salary to the homeless. Quit blaming Obama for the difficulty he is experiencing trying to right a sinking ship abandoned by Cap'n Bushed."

JJ:

You didn't see Reagan bellyaching about Carter giving him a worse economy than Bush gave Obama. After almost a year things should be getting better if he was doing anything right, but with unemployment at 10.2% after a trillion dollar stimulus then something is very wrong.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #12

"Poisonedapple":

"I noticed that you always silence this one's untruth. Why is this one so afraid of your words? I think he does not like reason. As a lawyer, I appreciate your thoughts."

JJ:

I do not have the least ripple of fear at Graymatter's words as she has never bested me and never will.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #13

"Poisonedapple":

"In your dreams! So many facts disputed that you were forced to defend, uselessly and ineptly. We laugh in my office! Good for laughing breaks in our long days watching GM diffuse your untruths. I understand why you do not admit. We see the truth, especially since we work only with legalities all...."

JJ:

Typical comment from a Lefty with absolutely nothing to back it up. Maybe the moon is really made of green cheese if I just say so.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #14

"Graymatter":

"More importantly, just what do Gore's 2000 tax returns have to do with climate change and 'green' policies?"

JJ:

Claret was saying that Gore raised a billion dollars for charities as if he was the most generous guy on the planet. My point is that he is unlikely to go from being a scrooge in donating to Mr. Generous. The mystery is explained when we realize that his donations (far less than a billion) are to his own company. It turns out to be more of an investment than a donation.

  

Nov 17, 2009 -- Post #15

"Graymatter":

"Reagan totally bellyached by implementing disastrous policies which widened the rich/poor gap and double digit unemployment...."

JJ:

If you think things were better under Carter than Reagan then I have a house to sell you on Simplot's Hill. I lived through both and everything was much improved under Reagan. In the 1984 election the main question Reagan asked was: "Are you better off today than 4 years ago?" 49 of 50 states said yes and reelected him by a landslide.

  

"Graymatter":

"Oh yeah, he hired a psychic for presidential advice."

JJ:

It was his wife, not Ron and it was an astrologer, not a psychic. You play loose with the facts.

  

"Graymatter":

"He also found time to denigrate Carter, 'Recession is when your neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.'"

JJ:

This was said during the campaign. After the election Reagan pretty much ignored Carter and did not blame him the way Obama is blaming Bush.

  

"Graymatter":

"Again, what does Al Gore's non-profit foundation have to do with his personal income?"

JJ:

It promotes green causes and Al Gore's net worth has gone from about $1 million in 2000 to around $100 million today because of his investments in green technology.

Gore is a member of the investment firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers that has invested in about 40 companies that stand to benefit from cap and trade legislation. See:

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=511204

In addition Gore is a part owner in Chicago Climate Exchange which sells carbon credits.

  

"Graymatter":

"Are you asserting:

"1. Gore has PERSONAL access to the funds which are deposited in the accounts of the non-profit foundation he started.

"2. Gore is spending ACP for personal gain?

"3. The ACP is not backing the projects they claim?"

JJ:

Not in the least. You are creating a straw man here that deflects from the issue.

  

"Graymatter":

"The comment was rude and blaming, no matter how YOU alone want to frame it."

JJ:

In the context of a campaign it was pretty mild. Where have you been?

  

"Graymatter":

"Their own daughter disputes your version of events."

JJ:

I read your reference and she does not. Nancy was the one that arranged meetings with astrologers. I followed it closely when it happened.

  

"Graymatter":

"I just googled astrology versus psychic and their websites are interchangeable."

JJ:

You can be an astrologer without having any interest in psychism or physic ability. It is a learned art. They are two different things, though many are interested in them both.

  

Nov 19, 2009 -- Post #1

JJ:

I can't believe I am agreeing with Gary Bennett here. Yes, except in rare cases keep the speed limit as high as it is or higher and ticket the slow pokes.

In 1974 Congress passed the 55 MPH speed limit to save gas and supposedly to also save lives. At the time I was driving over 50,000 miles a year and it was maddening to creep along at such a low speed. Everyone went as much over the speed limit as we could get away with. The low speed limit wound up saving a questionable amount of fuel and probably costing lives. Statistics show that the number of fatalities per miles driven went down when the speed limit was raised. Check this out:

http://www.motorists.org/mi/stats.html

The Republicans were the progressives on this issue and our own Steve Symms led the way in passing legislation to restore the higher speed limits. I will always be thankful to him for this.

There are still a lot of do-gooders who want to return to the 55 MPH limit. Let us hope they do not succeed.

  

Nov 20, 2009 -- Post #1

JJ:

Mr Michaels says that with nationalized health care "Employers currently providing health insurance benefits would better direct those funds to salary."

And then what? From that salary all the savings and more is then taken out to pay for the healthcare. in the end there is no savings. Any savings from overhead is quickly taken up in bureaucratic bungling.

Promoters of nationalized health care talk about the cost as if it will be paid for by free money that just descends from the heavens.

I have news. Nationalized health care is not paid with free money that just floats around. If a company does not pay for it then it must come out of our salaries as even he seems to understand yet not realize the implications.

  

Nov 20, 2009 -- Post #2

"Graymatter":

"You state: "Promoters of nationalized health care talk about the cost as if it will be paid for by free money that just descends from the heavens."

"Please cite evidence to back this claim. I have heard not one proponent of health reform stating health care reform will be free or be...."

JJ:

Your letter is evidence enough. You actually think costs will go down making health care being paid with free money. HA Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.

It would be funny if I didn't have to pay for mistakes of people like you.

  

Nov 20, 2009 -- Post #3

JJ:

Concerning the banks gouging us John Ireland says:

"I'm not fooling. We need federal legislative help. Gentlemen?"

Smart. Let's let those who create the problems solve the problems. Let's put the fox in charge of security of the henhouse.

Most of our financial problems are caused by the government getting too involved with business or borrowing money and these are the last guys that will straighten things out.

A natural competition will make available all credit card services possible and then consumers can force banks in their direction by picking the ones that offer the best deals. In hard times all businesses tighten the belt but when times improve so will credit card deals if we do not have too much "help' from our bureaucrats.

  

Nov 20, 2009 -- Post #4

"Cherenkov":

"Joseph, if you think banks will altruistically fix themselves, you have not been paying attention the last couple of years. My guess is that if one bank is successful gouging their customers this way, the rest will follow until you have no alternative. But go ahead and try bouncing from bank to...."

JJ:

I have never -- let me repeat NEVER -- said or indicated that banks are altruistic. Competition is what keeps them in line. If a bank has bad policies and there is a free market (without the government offering too much "help") then they will lose customers and change their ways.

  

Nov 20, 2009 -- Post #5

"Graymatter":

"Another question is: Just how does competition prevent collusion?"

JJ:

I've never suffered in the least in my entire life from collusion of private enterprise. Why is this even a concern?

  

Nov 20, 2009 -- Post #6

"Graymatter":

"I recognized long ago your claim of being libertarian was completely false as a cover to not admit that you are actually a FauxNews bot. That is the reason you do not buy into the rhetoric of the leader of the Libertarian Party."

JJ:

As usual your accusations are completely false and there is one way to prove it. Here is a Libertarian test:

http://www.bcaplan.com/cgi-bin/purity.cgi

I took the test and here is the comment on my score: "91-130 points: You have entered the heady realm of hard-core libertarianism. Now doesn't that make you feel worse that you didn't get a perfect score?"

Not all Libertarians think alike just as all Lefties do not think exactly alike but most Libertarians agree 80% or more of the time and on the basics we are very much in harmony.

I'd be interested in seeing your score.

  

Nov 21, 2009 -- Post #1

JJ:

Good reminder by Boulton on the Global Warming fiasco.

Here are a couple interesting articles. The first deals with the fact that experts are baffled as to why the earth has ceased to warm.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,662092,00.html

Then this one gives evidence that data has been corrupted to show the threat is greater than it is.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/20/climate- sceptics-hackers-leaked-emails

Then this next one from NASA shows that 1881 was warmer than 2008.

http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/Fig.D.txt

  

Nov 21, 2009 -- Post #2

"Proletariat":

"You clearly don't understand the concept of global warming. It is climate change."

JJ:

The climate has changed for billions of years. So you're saying we've always had global warming? Wow. That's is quite a convoluted conclusion.

  

Nov 21, 2009 -- Post #3

"Csmith":

"Hey Keith, the Bush administration involved themselves in my life by suspending my civil liberties, all the Obama administration has done is expand Bushy's bail out and try to get healthcare access to a lot of people who don't have it."

JJ:

And what restriction of your freedom did you suffer because of Bush?

What's that I hear?

An incoherent mumbling?

  

Nov 21, 2009 -- Post #4

"Csmith":

"How about using the war in terror as en excuse for wire tapping and other previously illegal surveillance of religions and political groups that Bush and his buddy Dick did not like."

JJ:

That's incoherent mumbling all right. You didn't tell me anything that affected your freedom.

  

Nov 21, 2009 -- Post #5

"Csmith":

"How about the suspension of the 'Levi Guidelines' that were established by the Ford administration due to the abuses conducted by the FBI (Hoover) during the 60's."

"How about the absence of habeas corpus under the guise of protection from terrorists. I can mumble on but out of space."

JJ:

So, were you denied habeas corpus then?

I asked about what affected you.

  

Nov 21, 2009 -- Post #6

"BoiseBlue" wrote:

"Oh Joseph, you are so proud of your ignorance.

"As the level of active research and specialization in climate science increases, so does agreement that humans are significantly changing global temperatures. Most striking is the divide between expert climate scientists (97.4%) and the general public (58%). The paper concludes:

"'It seems that the debate on the authenticity of global warming and the role played by human activity is largely nonexistent among those who understand the nuances and scientific basis of long-term climate processes. The challenge, rather, appears to be how to effective.'"

JJ:

The poll is meaningless because it is ambiguous. It does not ask a specific question, but only uses he word "significant." A significant influence could be 1% and I could even agree with this.

  

Nov 21, 2009 -- Post #7

"Reddog181" wrote:

"Do you ever read your own drivel? It's like reading the rantings of a lunatic -- I here by nominate you for the Tin Foil Hat Award -- you'll win hands down."

JJ:

Typical response from a Lefty who cannot come back with any reason, data or science.