The American "education" machine is broken!





Latest Analysis, Commentary and Opinion*
(The title of each article is linked to the complete article)

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

New Title: Hemispheric Timing Shows Oceans are Source of CO2?*
   Global Cooling piece by Guest: Dennis T. Avery (3/31/09)

Australia’s Tom Quirk, an Oxford-trained research physicist, noted that carbon 14 molecules from nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and ‘60s took some years to travel through the atmosphere between the northern and southern Hemispheres.

Lost In An Energy Wilderness
   GreeenIsm piece by Offsite (3/31/09)

Energy Policy: The House approves a Senate-passed omnibus bill that puts 2 million more acres of energy-rich land off-limits. We need a government that leads us out of the energy wilderness and not into it.

The Era of Big Local Government Is Over
   Government piece by GoldwaterInstitute: Nick Dranias (3/31/09)

The financial desperation among America’s local governments is so consuming that cities in Los Angeles County were recently caught trying to sell their promised federal stimulus checks at a discount for cash. This was either the municipal equivalent of seeking payday loans or a clever attempt to avoid the strings attached to federal money. Either way, it evidenced the lengths to which cities will go to avoid confronting a stark fiscal reality: without structural reforms, municipal insolvency will only be delayed.

Budget transparency is worth the cost
   Government piece by GoldwaterInstitute: Byron Schlomach (3/31/09)

A bill that would require local governments to disclose how they spend our money passed the House Government committee a few weeks ago. One member who voted against HB 2615 said transparency was a good concept but the cost of posting information might not be worth the trade-off.

Monday, March 30, 2009

GM CEO Wagoner Forced to Resign
   Big Brother piece by Offsite (3/30/09)

DETROIT -(AP)- Time and time again, General Motors Corp.‘s board of directors reaffirmed its support for Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, even as the company piled up billions of dollars in losses and begged for government loans to stay alive.

Cap-and-trade - ‘Largest tax increase of all time’
   GreeenIsm piece by Offsite (3/30/09)

Is the carbon dioxide that humans exhale a public danger? Yes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Double-Digit Unemployment Ahead
   Economics piece by Offsite (3/30/09)

(Reuters) The global economic crisis will hit jobs hard, with unemployment set to reach double digits in many developing and advanced countries, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Sunday.

Grains Futures Fall on Equities Slide, Strong Dollar
   Economics piece by Offsite (3/30/09)

PARIS/SINGAPORE -(Reuters)- U.S. grain futures moved lower on Monday under pressure from falling shares and a rising dollar, but trade was light on the eve of crucial crop data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Hillary’s Mexico Visit Blunders Ignored by Old Media
   Government piece by Warner Todd Huston (3/30/09)

Thus far, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made two diplomatic blunders during her visit to Mexico that the U.S. Old Media are shockingly uninterested in highlighting. One was a policy blunder and the other a cultural/religious one.

Mexico’s Version of La Cosa Nostra Spreads Like Wildfire
   Crime piece by Jim Kouri (3/30/09)

The Castorena Family Organization is a large-scale criminal organization with more than 100 key members who oversee cells of 10 to 20 individuals in cities across the United States, according to public court documents filed by the US government in Colorado and in other judicial districts around the country.

Conservative “Talkers” Will Soon Be Gone!
   Big Brother piece by J. D. Longstreet (3/30/09)

Democrat/Socialists going after “Talk Radio” with a vengeance! - Speaking as an old, veteran, broadcaster, I can tell you, I see the handwriting on the wall. Forget what the socialists in Congress are telling you as well as the press. The Socialists intend to pass a law that will force radio stations to get those conservatives talkers off the air, or lose their licenses to operate their stations… and, if I am correct, those stations licenses will be up for grabs.  The truth is, as I see it, minorities filing for those licenses will get preferential treatment by the FCC and eventually be awarded those same licenses.

Lt. Col. Chessani: 2 - Persecution: 0
   Law piece by Jayme Evans (3/30/09)

On March 17, 2009, the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) unanimously upheld the dismissal of all charges against USMC Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani. Like those who sat in judgment of Chessani’s criminal trial, the appeals court found exactly what those of us who stood by him already knew back when this witch hunt began; That this case was indeed tainted by the foul stench of Unlawful Command Influence (UCI), the mortal enemy of military justice. It was not a fair trial.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

TSA Continues Work on 9-11 Commission Mandates
   Terrorism piece by Jim Kouri (3/29/09)

The 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 mandates the Department of Homeland Security to establish a system to physically screen 50 percent of cargo transported on passenger aircraft by February 2009 and 100 percent of such cargo by August 2010.

Finance Capitalists and Scapegoats
   Politics piece by Bruce Walker (3/29/09)

The doctored outrage at AIG executives raises one of the ugliest specters in modern political history:  mindless fury directed at “Finance Capitalism.“  The profits of men who create goods and services is easy to defend.  Bill Gates gave us Windows.  T. Boone Pickens and Ross Perot drilled for oil.  Sam Walton retailed consumer goods at very low prices.  People grasp the value to society which these men produce.

Florida Gov’t Cancels Tea Party Fearing ‘Too Many Attendees’
   Police State piece by Warner Todd Huston (3/29/09)

CNN (Continental News Network) Boston, 1773: The city of Boston canceled a proposed protest over tea taxes today, citing the fear that too many people dressed as Indians would be gathered near the wharves. Organizers expressed sadness over the cancellation, but meekly returned to their homes fearful of upsetting the officers of the Crown. Taxmen breathed a sigh of relief as the tar and feathers were put away not to be used this day.

The Two Sides of Failure
   Congress piece by Guest: Jim Camp (3/29/09)

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.“ That’s pretty good advice from entertainer Bill Cosby who also just happens to hold a PhD in education.

‘If Congress Shall Make Any Law?‘
   Congress piece by J.J. Jackson (3/29/09)

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is rocketing up the Obama Administration’s enemies list because she is asking questions no liberal wants asked and making points they certainly do not want made.  Yes indeed she is. For while asking questions of Timothy, smartest man in the room, America cannot survive without him at Treasury, Geithner about past actions and current plans to allow the federal government more power to seize and manage the assets and contracts of businesses it deems, “too big to fail,“ Ms. Bachmann no doubt caught the ear of Big Brother himself over in the White House.  For you see, Ms. Bachmann did something that always catches the ears of liberals and lefty politicos busily scribbling words on to paper in order to secure themselves more and more power.

American Democracy Is Being Replaced By Socialism… and Quickly!
   Socialism piece by J. D. Longstreet (3/29/09)

The story is told that a Chemistry professor in a large college had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Prof noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt.

Telling CO2 Lies to Destroy America
   GreeenIsm piece by Alan Caruba (3/29/09)

My friend, the internationally famed climatologist, Dr. S. Fred Singer, calls them “the CO2 wars.“ It is the last ditch attempt by the Greens, under the aegis of the Obama administration, to declare carbon dioxide a pollutant and thus open the door to its regulation.

Marcus Wilder’s “Naive and Abroad” Seeks to Expose the Dangers of Group Think
   Progressivism piece by Yomin Postelnik (3/29/09)

“Naive and Abroad” Seeks to Expose the Dangers of Group Think and Promotes the Case for a Morality Based Nation - The left will tell you that every country is better than the United States.  They do so without reason and by pointing to specific flaws that have little to do with the overall picture of the entire nation.  So it’s refreshing when someone comes along to set the record straight.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Needed 1,000,000+ Folks To Gather In D.C. For Tea and Crumpets
   Government piece by Malcolm T. Hedges (3/28/09)

They should plan to stay for maybe a week.  There are some 5,000,000+ people out of work, perhaps some of them would like to join in?

Tea is boiling over in Flyover Country
   MSM piece by Offsite (3/28/09)

As a writer, I am sometimes in a position to see questions other writers pose while seeking information for their pieces. Recently this query came across my computer:  “Looking for people who have attended or are planning to attend Tea Party rallies that are being held across the country. I am writing an article about what their motivations are, who is participating and what they hope to achieve. Also want to talk to people who know about the rallies but don’t know why they’re occurring.“

Turn on your lights!
   GreeenIsm piece by Offsite (3/28/09)

From 8:30 to 9:30 tonight, lights will be turned off all over the world – from the Eiffel Tower to the Great Pyramids of Giza to the decadent marquees of Las Vegas and Broadway.  So be it.

Congresswoman: Hands off dollar!
   Economics piece by Offsite (3/28/09)

A member of Congress is warning the Obama administration to keep its hands off the U.S. dollar’s status as the world’s international currency.

Hour of no power increases emissions
   GreeenIsm piece by Offsite (3/28/09)

In Australia, where Earth Hour started, it evidently enjoys strong support from politicians, celebrities, corporate backers and the public. The efforts this Saturday certainly will be well-intentioned. Many of us worry about global warming and would like to be part of the solution. Unfortunately, this event - as with many public proposals on climate change - is an entirely symbolic gesture that creates the mistaken impression that there are easy, quick fixes to climate change. One provincial British newspaper wrote this week: “Saving the planet could be as easy as switching off the lights in South Tyneside, green campaigners say.“

Keep Your Lights On Tonight
   GreeenIsm piece by Alan Caruba (3/28/09)

Does it sometimes seem like everything you read, see or do has the word “Green” attached to it?

Friday, March 27, 2009

Congressman suggests calling a terrorist a terrorist
   Political Correctness piece by Offsite (3/27/09)

An Arizona congressman says it is a problem when U.S. officials fail to speak clearly - for example calling a terrorist a terrorist - when discussing the dangers the nation faces in confronting enemies.

More Reform of Intelligence Community Expected
   National Security piece by Jim Kouri (3/27/09)

The United States’ intelligence community is undergoing the most extensive—perhaps even radical—transformations since the Office of Strategic Services gave way to the Central Intelligence Agency. Recognizing that people are the critical element in transformation initiatives is key to a successful transformation of the intelligence community and related homeland security organizations.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

The Shift in U.S. Leadership
   National Security piece by Offsite (3/26/09)

There is no doubt that there has been a sea change in priorities in the US in the past year due to a severe down turn in the world economy and a new President that disagrees with much of the past administration’s programs and policies. While there remains a ‘no comment’ on much of the Bush administration work on secure documents and IDs, one thing is clear: we cannot understand where the US needs to be in the area of secure documents without looking at where we have been. In order to gain a better perspective on where we should go, I recently interviewed Former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, Former DHS Assistant Secretary for Policy Stewart Baker, and DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Kathy Kraninger.

U.S. Pensions Favoring Bonds Over Stocks
   Economics piece by Offsite (3/26/09)

NEW YORK—After sustaining record losses in 2008, U.S. pension funds are unlikely to return to the high level of stock market allocations favored before the global financial crisis and will probably favor greater bond allocations, the author of a study said on Tuesday.