Network's second meteorologist to challenge notion man can alter climate.
Unprecedented snow in Las Vegas has some scratching their heads – how can there be global warming with this unusual cold and snowy weather?
CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers had never bought into the notion that man can alter the climate and the Vegas snowstorm didn’t impact his opinion. Myers, an American Meteorological Society certified meteorologist, explained on CNN’s Dec. 18 “Lou Dobbs Tonight” that the whole idea is arrogant and mankind was in danger of dying from other natural events more so than global warming.
“You know, to think that we could affect weather all that much is pretty arrogant,” Myers said. “Mother Nature is so big, the world is so big, the oceans are so big – I think we’re going to die from a lack of fresh water or we’re going to die from ocean acidification before we die from global warming, for sure.”
Myers is the second CNN meteorologist to challenge the global warming conventions common in the media. He also said trying to determine patterns occurring in the climate would be difficult based on such a short span.
“But this is like, you know you said – in your career – my career has been 22 years long,” Myers said. “That’s a good career in TV, but talking about climate – it’s like having a car for three days and saying, ‘This is a great car.’ Well, yeah – it was for three days, but maybe in days five, six and seven it won’t be so good. And that’s what we’re doing here.”
“We have 100 years worth of data, not millions of years that the world’s been around,” Myers continued.
Dr. Jay Lehr, an expert on environmental policy, told “Lou Dobbs Tonight” viewers you can detect subtle patterns over recorded history, but that dates back to the 13th Century.
“If we go back really, in recorded human history, in the 13th Century, we were probably 7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than we are now and it was a very prosperous time for mankind,” Lehr said. “If go back to the Revolutionary War 300 years ago, it was very, very cold. We’ve been warming out of that cold spell from the Revolutionary War period and now we’re back into a cooling cycle.”
Lehr suggested the earth is presently entering a cooling cycle – a result of nature, not man.
“The last 10 years have been quite cool,” Lehr continued. “And right now, I think we’re going into cooling rather than warming and that should be a much greater concern for humankind. But, all we can do is adapt. It is the sun that does it, not man.”
Lehr is a senior fellow and science director of The Heartland Institute, an organization that will be holding the 2009 International Conference on Climate Change in New York March 8-10.
Another CNN meteorologist attacked the concept that man is somehow responsible for changes in climate last year. Rob Marciano charged Al Gore’s 2006 movie, “An Inconvenient Truth,” had some inaccuracies.
“There are definitely some inaccuracies,” Marciano said during the Oct. 4, 2007 broadcast of CNN’s “American Morning.” “The biggest thing I have a problem with is this implication that Katrina was caused by global warming.”
Marciano also said that, “global warming does not conclusively cause stronger hurricanes like we’ve seen,” pointing out that “by the end of this century we might get about a 5 percent increase.”
His comments drew a strong response and he recanted the next day saying “the globe is getting warmer and humans are the likely the main cause of it.”
#2
I think it is quite true that man generates CO2 and that CO2 is a greenhouse gas, and that greenhouse gasses cause global warming. But I don't think any of the models that try to quantify the theory are even close to correct. There are clearly large solar effects; there are numerous buffering effects in the environment; there are almost certainly some re-enforcing effects in the environment; there are other greenhouse gasses (which may be decreasing or increasing). By accepting an immature theory as dogma of a new world religion true scientific investigation of global warming was suffocated in its cradle.
That said, I still think we should reduce our fossil fuel consumption, because it is a finite and valuable resource (and because the theoretical models could be close enough to correct to make me have to answer the question "How long can you tread water?")
#3
All I ever think about is how these models are built on essentially the same techniques used by econometricians. And the human economy is less complex than climate.
#4
Anyone that parrots about CO2 being THE cause of global warming and they have no idea about CO2 and absorption to extinction of IR frequencies needs immediately shot.
Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared radiation (IR) in three narrow bands of frequencies, which are 2.7, 4.3 and 15 micrometers (µM). This means that most of the heat producing radiation escapes it. About 8% of the available black body radiation is picked up by these "fingerprint" frequencies of CO2.
Heinz Hug* showed that carbon dioxide in the air absorbs to extinction at its 15µM peak in about ten meters. This means that CO2 does whatever it's going to do in that amount of space. Twice as much CO2 would do the same thing in about 5m. There's no significant difference between 5m and 10m for global warming, because convectional currents mix the air in such short distances.
But humans could not double the CO2, because they only put 3% of the CO2 in the air. If they put twice as much in, it would do whatever it does in 9.7m instead of 10m. If humans stopped putting any CO2 in the air, it would do whatever it does in 10.3m instead of 10m. In other words, nothing humans do with CO2 could be of the slightest relevance to global warming, even if oceans were not regulating it.
(The weaker peaks and shoulders of the peaks absorb in longer distances. While strongest absorption occurs in 10m, weaker absorption for CO2 occurs in about 300 meters. But a 3% increase in CO2 is still only a 3% reduction in the 300m distance for the weak absorption areas.)
#5
The climate got warmer in the 20th century. Hansen/Gore has used that fact to sell their pet CO2/let's tax carbon program. Today, most people mindlessly parrot this nonsense.
The warming is over. The earth is cooling even as CO2 continues to rise. And the global warm mongers will become increasingly unhinged as many defect from the established meme. It will be fun to watch.
In 50 years "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Reefer Madness" will be a boxed set.
Posted by: Minister of funny walks ||
12/19/2008 12:13 Comments ||
Top||
#6
Damn! I was hoping it was a fact after digging out my driveway and sidewalks this morning.
#8
There is warming, but it is natural as we are lead into yet another Ice Age. However, Ice Ages recede. As for a human cause: 99.999% of CO2 emissions are from the oceans.
Zim-Bob-Me
President Robert Mugabe declared Friday that "Zimbabwe is mine" and vowed never to surrender to calls to step down, as his political rival threatened to quit stalled unity government talks.
Addressing his ZANU-PF party's annual conference amid a ruinous political crisis and a deadly cholera epidemic, Mugabe returned to the kind of defiance he has often shown in the face of mounting criticism. "I will never, never, never never surrender. Zimbabwe is mine, I am a Zimbabwean. Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans. Zimbabwe never for the British, Britain for the British," Mugabe told his party's annual conference.
Harare's streets are busy as hundreds of delegates to President Robert Mugabe's annual ZANU-PF conference converge from all over the country. The annual conference is being held as the death toll continues to climb from a cholera epidemic that has further strained the country's crumbling healthcare system.
Cholera deaths soar
Medicines not available
Opposition still being thumped
ZANU-PF bigs still in charge
The United Nations says 1,100 people have died in the cholera epidemic spreading through mostly urban areas in Zimbabwe. Anti-cholera drugs, clean water and medical assistance are mostly being provided by the non-governmental sector, as the state's hospitals and most of its clinics are either closed or have no equipment or staff. The health ministry, once one of Africa's best, has virtually collapsed because of lack of drugs and worthless salaries for medical staff.
In addition to the health crisis, President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF conference is also being held amid the possibility that Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai may be returning home from Botswana. Political sources in Harare say Zimbabwe negotiations facilitator, former South African president Thabo Mbeki has sent a letter to Mr. Tsvangirai encouraging him to return home to be sworn in as prime minister. Mr. Tsvangirai's aides say they have been told that a new passport is due to be issued to him. He has been denied one since June.
The MDC won control of Zimbabwe's parliament in March elections, but there are several views within the MDC about whether the party should take part in a government of national unity. Mr. Tzvangirai was to become prime minister as part of a power-sharing agreement that was worked out following the controversial presidential elections earlier this year. Some, such as party spokesman Nelson Chamisa and secretary-general Tendai Biti say there are still too many fundamental issues outstanding for the MDC to take part in an inclusive government.
Mr. Tsvangirai is due to hold a press conference Friday in Botswana.
While the inclusive government is still not formed, ZANU-PF continues to make crucial appointments and has appointed party loyalist Johannes Tomana as attorney general. Recently Mr. Mugabe re-appointed an ally, Central Bank Governor Gideon Gono for another five-year term. Economists say Gono is responsible for hyperinflation and record-breaking devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar. The local currency is now largely replaced by U.S. dollars or South African rands.
ZANU-PF and the MDC signed a political agreement in September for an inclusive government under which Mr. Mugabe would not be able to make any senior public appointments without Mr. Tsvangirai's approval once he is sworn in as prime minister.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1 views]
Top|| File under:
A U.N. court sentenced a former army colonel accused of masterminding the slaughter of 800,000 people in Rwanda in 1994 to life in prison Thursday.
The Tanzania-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) had accused Theoneste Bagosora, 67, of being in charge of the troops and Interahamwe Hutu militia who butchered 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 100 days. "Colonel Bagosora is guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity and war crimes," the court said.
Prosecutors said Bagosora, then cabinet director in the Defense Ministry, assumed control of military and political affairs in the central African country after President Juvenal Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down.
Canadian General Romeo Dallaire, head of United Nations peacekeepers during the genocide, described Bagosora as the "kingpin" behind the genocide and said the colonel had threatened to kill him with a pistol.
"It is very good that he has been finally convicted. It should carry a strong message to all those who want to repeat such acts. They should know that they can never escape justice," said Robert Munyeneza, 25, a builder and genocide survivor.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[0 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Those Butchers should be put on impaling sticks and cut up into little pieces while they are still alive.
Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday pledged to take measurers to stop repression on religious minorities and build a developed Bangladesh free from poverty and hunger, if voted to power. "Cast your vote for boat and we shall build a secular and democratic Bangladesh free from torture and repression where all religious communities will be able to practise their religions freely," said Hasina.
The AL president addressed six election rallies in different constituencies in Bagerhat and Khulna yesterday, the third day of her election campaign in the country's southwestern part. She alleged that hundreds of people of minority communities were tortured and repressed across the country soon after the BNP-Jamaat coalition government assumed power in 2001.
Hasina also criticised BNP for nominating 'corrupt leaders and godfathers' once again for the upcoming parliamentary election. "If those who resorted to corruption and misrule are brought to power again the country will be ruined completely," said the AL chief.
Terming Islam a religion of peace, Hasina said those who patronised militancy and terrorism in the name of religion are the enemies of Islam and urged the people not to cast vote for them.
While addressing a huge rally on Khulna Circuit House ground, the former premier pledged to bolster operation of the Mongla port through construction of a deep seaport there. She also gave assurance that gas supply will be ensured for the city residents and a new wage commission will be formed for industrial labourers. "If we are voted to power, we shall bring down the price of essentials, increase power generation, make education up to degree level free, give agricultural subsidies and ensure community health care facilities," Hasina said.
"Besides, more schools and colleges will be set up, allowances for freedom fighters, widows and elderly people will be doubled, fertiliser will be sold on open market and loans will be given to shrimp traders and unemployed youths," she said. "We want to give something to the country. Give us a chance to serve you and the country. We shall build a developed Bangladesh where none will starve or live without clothes, education, housing and healthcare facilities," the former premier said.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
When she was PM, she should have accepted the investment offers from India's Tata group.
Posted by: john frum ||
12/19/2008 7:57 Comments ||
Top||
Arafat Rahman Koko, youngest son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has foreign currencies worth around Tk 11.43 crore deposited in a Singapore bank but he concealed its information in his wealth statement submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[0 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Qu'elle surprise!
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
12/19/2008 10:07 Comments ||
Top||
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said her party will not accept any "plan" to hand over power to a "puppet government" through the polls. Yeah, I think she's gonna lose, too.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under:
The State Department has rejected Cuban leader Raul Castro's offer to exchange five convicted Cuban spies in U.S. prisons for dissidents jailed in Cuba, Agence Frence-Presse is reporting. Castro made the proposal earlier today during his visit to Brazil.
"The issue of political prisoners held against their will, merely for making peaceful protests, is independent of the case of the five spies tried and convicted under due process of the U.S. judicial system," deputy spokesman Robert Wood told AFP. "We have long called on the government of Cuba to release political prisoners and recommend that it do so immediately."
The five were convicted in 2001 in Miami of spying on Cuban exiles. They are considered heroes in Cuba. Three were sentenced to life and the other two to 15 and 19 years. In June a U.S. appeals court upheld the convictions but said the three life sentences should be reconsidered.
The U.S. government believes Cuba has imprisoned more than 200 dissidents.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Many of the people in Cuba are prisoners of some sort. The percentage of prisoners in North Korea is probably greater than 90%. though, it would be hard to do a headcount, as many of the prisoners have achieved trustee status.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/19/2008 17:47 Comments ||
Top||
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Cuban President Raul Castro proposed on Thursday a swap of prisoners with the United States as a goodwill "gesture" to pave the way for talks with incoming U.S. President Barack Obama. His offer to release political dissidents in exchange for the release of five convicted Cuban spies in U.S. prisons was the most specific proposal yet to ease ties with the United States since Obama, who takes office on January 20, was elected in November.
As nice as it would be to get the dissidents freed, the people we're holding are criminals and shouldn't get out easily.
Castro's comments are likely to fuel growing expectations in Latin America that the Obama administration will help thaw U.S.-Cuba ties that have been frozen since Washington imposed an economic embargo in 1962.
"Let's do gesture for gesture," Castro told reporters during a visit to the Brazilian capital Brasilia. "These prisoners you talk about -- they want us to let them go? They should tell us tomorrow. We'll send them with their families and everything. Give us back our five heroes. That is a gesture on both parts," he said, referring to the convicted Cuban spies.
On Tuesday, 33 Latin American and Caribbean leaders urged Obama to lift the embargo on the Communist country as soon as he takes office. They also demanded the immediate lifting of measures taken in the past five years by President George W. Bush to toughen the embargo against Cuba, where Fidel Castro seized power in a 1959 revolution. "It's not Cuba who has to ask for the end of the embargo," said President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who held the news conference with Castro. "There is no more justification for the embargo."
It's a simple issue: either Castro and Cuba believe that we're Satan incarnate or they believe we're just truculent trading partners. If the former, they shouldn't want to end the embargo since it would contaminate their pure revolution. If the latter, what do they offer in exchange?
So far it's the usual communist ploy: what's theirs is theirs and what's ours is negotiable.
Obama has said he was open to talks and has pledged to ease limits on Cuban-Americans who travel to their homeland and send money to relatives living there. But he has said he would keep the four-decade-old U.S. trade embargo as leverage to influence changes in the one-party state.
Obama has so far not commented on remarks made by Raul and his brother, former Cuban president Fidel Castro, signaling a willingness to hold talks with his administration.
Castro said he was open to meet Obama anywhere but that the encounter had to be on equal terms, with U.S. recognition of the island's sovereignty. "Without a shadow (of doubt) over our sovereignty," said Castro.
The past fifty years have demonstrated that we get along pretty well without Cuba. In fact, the more we ignore them the better we do, something Jack Kennedy and Jimmuah Carter demonstrated to us. Cuba doesn't have anything we need. It's Cuba that wants an end to the embargo. What do they offer in return?
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Raul was nearly picked off 55 years ago, he was lucky that day.
#2
Cuba hasn't really pulled any b.s. since I can remember. They are a poster child for the failure of communism. Now they are being approached by the russians, Venezuelans and chinese.
To answer your question of what they have to offer Steve, they have their island and its strategic location as the gateway to the gulf. A warming of relations would garner a lot of goodwill with the people of cuba who don't give a toss about communism or 'resistance'. They want to be consumers and they want to be hooked into the global marketplace. Hell, at least they are christian and don't blow themselves up to make a point.
#3
Very soon, Cuba may have oil and natural gas for sale to whoever will buy it. Just because the envirofreaks won't let US drill in the Caribbean doesn't mean it'll stop the Russians, Chinese, or someone else from doing it. We may have to wait until both Fidel and Raul are dead, but eventually we need to lift the embargo and let US dollars do some levelling in Cuba. After 40 years of the Castros, any change in Cuba would have to be an improvement.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/19/2008 15:38 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Couple of Kommie Kidz on the way to indoctrination
If I were a conspiracy nut, I'd worry that cuts that disrupt Internet & voice services in Jordan, Qatar, India and UAE ... and route a lot of traffic through the US ... were no accident.
Fortunately, I recycled my aluminum foil headgear.
OTOH I do have a couple rolls of the heavy duty stuff in my stash. Time to get them out?
Riot police from Stockholm and Gothenburg are being sent to provide back-up for their colleagues in Malmö as tensions in the southern city continue to flare. "Calling all cars!
After two nights of intensive rioting, police in the city requested assistance from units specially trained to deal with mass violent demonstrations. "We don't think it's over yet. We think it's going to continue and we have to be prepared to work around the clock," said regional police spokesman Charley Nilsson.
Emotions have been running high in Malmö's predominantly immigrant Rosengård district since police forcibly removed three squatters from the basement offices of an Islamic cultural centre. The premises had been occupied since November 24th as part of a protest against the landlord's decision not to renew the association's lease for the space, which it had held for the past fifteen years. "It's our little Nordic Alhambra, infidels!"
Thursday night saw the most extreme rioting in Rosengård since the disturbances began. Police were pelted with Molotov cocktails and bomb threats were issued against a local petrol station. Just like the banilieues of Paris!
Police spokeswoman Ewa-Gun Westford said she would not even hazard a guess as to how many police vehicles were damaged in the rioting, as locals were reportedly joined by left-wing extremists, or "autonomists", from outside the area. Muslims and Commies burning and looting.
The city's fire and rescue services have been refusing to enter the area until their safety can be guaranteed.
One person was arrested for rioting, while another was detained for disturbing the peace.
By 3am on Friday the situation had stabilized somewhat and police were able to move in and remove burning trailers and other objects from the streets with the aid of an Israeli-modificed armored bulldozer.
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia would come under crippling financial pressure and may need to raise money externally if oil languishes at an average of $30 a barrel over the next two years, the World Bank predicted Friday. The bleak scenario would mark a rapid unraveling of Russia's oil-fueled economic gains over the past eight years, during which time the government has paid down most of its foreign debt and built up a vast stockpile of international reserves.
The heart [urp] bleeds ...
"If oil prices in 2009 and 2010 average $30 a barrel, that would be a nightmare scenario for a global economy," Zeljko Bogetic, the World Bank's chief economist in Russia told investors on Friday. "The pressures on the current account and public finances in Russia would quickly rise to a point where the financing constraint would become so sharp that it's possible even to envisage Russia's return from a creditor to international organisations to (that of) a borrower."
At $50 a barrel, Russia could drain much of its reserve funds and run budgetary deficits, but would not face a "meltdown" scenario, said Bogetic.
Oil prices took a sharp turn downward this week, with the February light sweet crude contract trading just over $42 a barrel--more than $100 lower than its July peak--despite a large output cut pledged this week by oil producers' cartel OPEC.
The World Bank currently forecasts an average oil price of $75 a barrel over the next two years, said Bogetic.
Among emerging markets, Russia has been one of the hardest hit by the global financial crisis and plunging oil prices, the mainstay of the Russian economy. These factors have put the national currency under intense strain and triggered massive stock market losses and capital outflows from the country.
Russia, which grew at over 8 percent last year, is facing a severe slowdown in growth, and possibly even recession next year, analysts say. Torrid figures released earlier this week showed that industrial output had plunged 10.8 percent in November from the previous month, signaling a dramatic slowdown in the final quarter.
"Clearly we are in the middle of a major growth recession in Russia," said Bogetic. "I would call it a growth recession, not an output recession--yet."
He said the World Bank had tweaked its earlier projection of 3 percent growth next year to between 2-3 percent.
#3
Russia will be fine. They have the second largest foreign exchange reserves in the world (behind China), around $500 billion.
Longer term they need to worry about dropping production. Foreign oil companies aren't likely to go in again after their operations were seized by Putin and his cronies.
Posted by: ed ||
12/19/2008 12:34 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Dropping production is, I suspect, harder said than done.
It would require a complete rework of the business model and a complete restructure of the oil business.
Going full-on is easy. Pumping just enough to support prices is a job I would not want. It would be much more painful in terms of unemployment and cashflow management than most businesspersons are capable of. It would be much easier to just pump what you can and trust the market.
Russian oil production had been rising until 2007. 2008 production will be less than 2007 while domestic consumption is up. So Russia hasn't been able to take full advantage of $100+ prices. Future years look like a steady decline. Same for Russian natural gas.
Posted by: ed ||
12/19/2008 13:31 Comments ||
Top||
#7
Ed, are the declines due to decline in resources or problems with infrastructure? Can they continue to develop what they have or are they not doing so since Putin and his pals took over?
Infrastructure can be fixed, it's just Engineering and money. Management problems can be more difficult to deal with in a Russian political environment.
#8
tipover,
Russia's like everywhere else - the big, easy stuff has been found and substantially developed. The next barrel is going to be harder to find, harder to produce, and cost more.
That said, financing, management, and engineering DO matter (Russian engineering is actually pretty good if the first two problems can be overcome), so part of the production fall-off is not resource based.
#10
Gee, I guess doing everything they could to get back in the "World's Biggest Assholes" list wasn't all that great an idea, huh?
Like I said several years ago now, when they manage to elect someone who is NOT either a) a hopeless lush or b) an ex-KGB stooge and wannabe dictator, I'll take them seriously. Maybe.
#2
The fact that he is being touted does not mean he is going to get it. What are his qualifications (besides running a floating museum)? And who are the other candidates?
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
12/19/2008 12:45 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Oh! I don't know bigjim-ky, that sailor in the Village People looks cute:)
Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said she would refuse a $25,000 pay raise during her current term as Alaska governor.
A state commission recommended boosting the governor's pay to $150,000 from $125,000. The five-member state Officers Compensation Commission, created by the state Legislature, also said legislators needed more money, along with the lieutenant governor and government department heads, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
If the commission pushes ahead with a pay raise, Palin will not accept the money, spokesman Bill McAllister said. "Her view is, it's just not appropriate to accept a pay raise in the middle of the term," he told the newspaper.
Palin's term ends in 2010.
Palin makes 46 percent more than her most recent predecessor, Frank Murkowski, but is the 24th-lowest paid governor, the commission said.
#3
for all the ppl who made fun of or said anything deragatory about her, she sure does seem likke more of a normal person than anyone else who is in government
#4
smart move.She's a keeper, and I love seeing PDS explode Lib heads
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/19/2008 18:03 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Meanwhile, out ace Congresscritters allow their next pay raise to continue automaticly, $4700 more for the most ethical elites who practice recess breaks best.
#6
A long time ago my dad was a state rep. for two terms, and after each race, whatever campaign funds he had remaining he'd refund, pro-rata, to the donors.
I suspect someone else has done this somewhere else, but I'm waiting for a higher level or federal rep. to make a show of such methods.
Taken separately, fund raising isn't bad, and parties aren't bad, and multiple terms aren't bad, but add them together and multiply them and you get permanent campaigns and our exemplary governor here in Illinois.
Pakistani lawyers are holding a countrywide hunger strike in front of courts calling for restoration of judges deposed since November 2007.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Lawyers everywhere should hold hunger strikes in solidarity with their Pakistani brothers! No progress will be made until thousands and thousands of them have starved to death for the cause! I will personally volunteer to be in the enforcement cadre, helping these brave barristers to stay on the path!
Iraqi authorities released without charge the nearly two dozen security officials who had been accused this week of conspiring to revive Saddam Hussein's banned political party, the interior minister said. Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani told The Associated Press that an investigating judge ordered the officials released "because they are innocent" and that there was no evidence that they attempted to restore the Baath party, whose exiled leaders staunchly oppose the current government. He said 19 were freed from custody and that charges were to be dismissed against the remaining four who were not in custody. Earlier in the day, al-Bolani told reporters that the charges were politically motivated by those trying to undermine the interior ministry.
via Drudge:
Internet and telephone communications between the Middle East and Europe were disrupted after three submarine cables between Italy and Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea were damaged. There is no timeframe for when communications will be restored, said Sanjeev Gaur, director of assurance at Reliance Globalcom Ltd. in India. France Telecom SA, which plans to send a maintenance boat to fix the problem, said the situation should be back to normal by Dec. 31. The cables run from Alexandria in northern Egypt to Sicily in southern Italy. In January, an anchor severed the cables outside Alexandria after bad weather conditions forced ships to moor off the coast.
"The information we have is a bit sketchy, but chances are that it will have been an anchor again," Jonathan Wright, Interoute's director of wholesale products, said in a telephone interview. "Close to 90 percent of all the data traffic between Europe and the Middle East is carried on these three cable systems." At one point as much as 55 percent of voice traffic in Saudi Arabia, 52 percent in Egypt and 82 percent in India was out of service, according to France Telecom's Orange mobile-phone unit. Most mobile-phone calls are routed through fixed-line cables at some point. I imagine our clever boys and girls are as happy as frogs in a rainstorm as they take advantage of the bottleneck. Happy hunting, y'all!
#1
Well, whaddya know, looks like a starship prototype.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/19/2008 22:41 Comments ||
Top||
#2
Saw an posting on this in (i think) Jawa. Its a full robot, not just a UAV. Able to take off, patrol, attack, return, and land on a carrier without human piloting.
The United States deported more than 154,000 Mexicans and Central Americans in the 2008 fiscal year, in a 46 percent rise on the previous year, an official statement said here Thursday. More than 212,000 were deported altogether, with almost three quarters from Mexico and Central America, according to the statement released by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the border town of McAllen, Texas. Most -- 82,000 -- were Mexicans, many who had crossed their country's 2,000-mile (3170-kilometer) land border with the southern United States.
The United States deported immigrants to 190 countries, and carried out more than 4,000 deportation flights, compared with almost 3,000 in the previous US fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30.
The number of illegal immigrants has fallen drastically due to a string of measures including an expanding border fence -- currently 500-miles-long -- along the southern border, US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said.
THE price of New York oil sank under $US34 per barrel yesterday for the first time for more than four and a half years, as weak global demand overshadowed a record OPEC output cut.
The fresh falls prompted OPEC President Chakib Khelil to stress that the cartel would continue cutting output until prices stabilise.
In morning trading, New York's light sweet crude for delivery in January dived as low as $US33.44 a barrel, which was the lowest point since April 2, 2004. The January contract, which was also driven lower in technical trading owing to its expiry on Friday, later pulled back to $US34.18, down $US2.04 from the close on Thursday.
New York prices have now plunged by about 77 per cent since striking a record high above $US147 in July as the market has been slammed by concerns that a sharp global economic slowdown will slash energy demand.
Meanwhile on Friday, London's Brent North Sea oil for February delivery edged up 11 cents to $US43.47 a barrel, after dipping as low as $US43.03.
The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which produces about 40 per cent of the world's crude, agreed on Wednesday to cut output by 2.2 million barrels a day in a bid to shore up the market and protect its members' revenues. "We will continue this reduction until the price will stabilise," Khelil said in London at a key gathering of oil producing and consuming nations.
This week's OPEC's output reduction, agreed at a ministerial meeting in Oran, Algeria, has failed to prevent oil diving to multi-year lows on stubborn demand fears. Many traders have also questioned whether all members of the 13-nation OPEC cartel would fully enforce the reduction.
"The global recession continues to sap demand," said BetOnMarkets analyst David Evans. "Even after OPEC cut production by more then two million barrels, oil prices have fallen below the $40 per barrel level. Prices are likely to stabilise between the $35 and $40 levels."
#2
They cut production and prices still dropped. I hope all those wall street types that bet everything on oil prices going up, while we suffered 5 buck a gallon gas, are broke and homeless. Let that be a lesson for screwing the US consumer.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
12/19/2008 13:12 Comments ||
Top||
#3
The "production cut policy" is only an announcement and there is still plenty in the "pipeline". Lets wait until the quantity available decreases before we start cheering. Supply and demand do work.
#4
I hope all those wall street types that bet everything on oil prices going up...
Do you see stories about them? I haven't. It's not like it wouldn't be particularly information the masses would avoid, more like enjoy. So, where are they all? Wonder how many had 'escape clauses' by practice or wink? More so, those on the street should be the entire federal and private regulatory agents who allowed this to manifest. They had the power to call margin at any time and absolutely failed their duties. Instead, the borrowing freeze initiated by the Fannie Mae debacle created a natural market call and you see the result. So much could have been avoided but the system failed and failed because of the people entrusted with it. They don't deserve the trust.
#5
You do NOT want sustained $34 oil prices, trust me on this one. For that to happen the global economy has to continue to shrink. Almost all the 'new' oil we are exploring for costs more than that to find and develop, and a lot of the oil recently put onto production costs more than that to produce (tar sands etc.) Already the oil companies are cutting back investments so as to stay solvent (we know better than to expect a bail-out if we screw up) so production WILL decline. For prices to stay flat as production declines demand MUST decline, meaning economic activity would decline - along with all that it entails. Increased unemployment, increased taxes (yep - when the activity to be taxed declines the governments raise the tax RATE on what's left cuz they're the last ones to cut spending.) I'd say $40 is about as low as you want to see for now.
#6
You do NOT want sustained $34 oil prices, trust me on this one.
I don't think it's a question of what anyone wants. Prices will probably go into the teens this time around. We are going into a recession much worse than what we had in the 80's. Back then, US oil consumption dropped 4m barrels per day. This time around, we may be looking at a bigger drop domestically, coupled with similar drops around the world. China, OPEC's great hope for higher demand, is faltering. From a news article: Paul Ting, an oil analyst who tracks oil trends in China, said in a recent report that demand in China is now declining more swiftly than in the U.S., where oil use is falling at a pace not seen since the 1980s.
The White House announced a $17.4 billion rescue package for the troubled Detroit auto makers that allows them to avoid bankruptcy and leaves many of the big decisions for the incoming Obama administration.
Speaking from the White House, President George W. Bush said the administration decided against forcing a bankruptcy to compel cost-cutting, in order to avoid the risk that consumers would desert one or more of the companies and touch off an industry collapse, deepening the current economic downturn.
"In the midst of a financial crisis...allowing the U.S. auto industry to collapse is not a responsible course of action," Mr. Bush said.
"Under ordinary economic circumstances, I would say 'this is the price that failed companies must pay' and I would not favor intervening to prevent the auto makers from going out of business," the president said. "But these are not ordinary circumstances."
The deal would extend $13.4 billion in loans to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC in December and January, with another $4 billion likely available in February. It also would provide the government with non-voting warrants, although the exact amount was unclear immediately. Ford Motor Co. has said it doesn't need short-term assistance.
The deal is contingent on the companies' showing that they are financially viable by March 31. If they aren't, the loans will be called and all funds must be returned, officials said.
The deal generally tracks key provisions of the bailout legislation that nearly passed Congress earlier this month. But it is relatively lenient in allowing the companies to show their viability. It defines viability as having a positive net present value -- a way of gauging the companies' worth, taking into account all their future obligations.
Notably, it provides significant flexibility to the companies in showing their viability. It sets out targets for the companies to hit in determining their financial health, such as reducing debt and current cash payments for future health care obligations.
But according to a White House fact sheet, the targets "would be non-binding in the sense that negotiations can deviate from the quantitative targets...providing that the [company] reports the reasons for these deviations and makes the business case to achieve long-term viability in spite of the deviations."
One potential move that could help the companies achieve some savings: the companies will be required to reach new agreements with major stakeholders, including dealers and suppliers, by March 31.
Determining viability apparently will be up to the Obama administration. The agreement designates a person to oversee the government's effort, although officials stopped short of referring to that as a "car czar." For the outgoing Bush administration, that person will be Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. President-elect Barack Obama will choose his own point person later.
Previously, the Bush administration planned to coordinate with the Obama camp on selection of a car czar who would continue to serve.
Overall, the deal appeared to represent a modest step in the administration's efforts to put the auto makers on a long-term path to viability. By forsaking a trip to bankruptcy court, the White House gave up its most powerful weapon to extract concessions from the companies and their workers, suppliers, dealers and creditors.
But it likely will achieve what officials recognized as a more important -- and perhaps conflicting -- goal: preventing a collapse of one of the country's most important industries, at a time of broad economic weakness. The administration was particularly worried about what it termed a "disorderly" collapse of the industry.
"We lost 533,000 jobs last month," Mr. Bush said in an appearance Thursday. "What would another million jobs lost do to the economy? What would that do to the psychology in markets? What would that do -- how would that affect the working people? And so as you can tell, we're all in, in this administration. And if need be, we'll be in for more."
On Friday, all three U.S. auto makers issued statements commending the White House for stepping in.
"We appreciate the president extending a financial bridge at this most critical time for the U.S. auto industry and our nation's economy," GM said. "This action helps to preserve many jobs, and supports the continued operation of GM and the many suppliers, dealers and small businesses across the country that depend on us."
Ford reiterated that it isn't facing a near-term liquidity crisis but said it inevitably would be hurt by the failure of GM or Chrysler given the interdependency of the auto industry, including suppliers.
Chrysler said it appreciated the "administration's confidence" in the company and vowed to get right to work on achieving cost concessions. "We intend to be accountable for this loan, including meeting the specific requirements set forth by the government," Chrysler chief Robert Nardelli said a prepared comments.
The statement also noted that Chrysler parent Cerberus Capital Management LP had already agreed to "forgo any benefit from the upside that would, in part, be created from the bridge loan and any other government assistance that the company may obtain." The involvement of a private-equity firm in the rescue program has been a ticklish political issue.
Separately, Chrysler said it is revamping its sales and marketing operations and that Deborah Meyer is stepping down as chief marketing officer after less than 18 months on the job. Among other things, the company's China efforts will centralized at headadquarters in Michigan. Also, Philip F. Murtaugh, who was hired a year ago as Asia chief, will be leaving the company.
#2
the administration decided against forcing a bankruptcy to compel cost-cutting, in order to avoid the risk that consumers would desert one or more of the companies and touch off an industry collapse
I am missing the logic here. Car-buyers would shy away from a company in bankruptcy, but would still buy from one that's on a government loan, yet still has a dubious future?
#3
Unfortunately the 3 magic letters are missing from is story - UAW.
Posted by: ed ||
12/19/2008 13:41 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Yes ed. There's been a messy divorce between the economy and the Big 3+UAW. Like any divorce the proceeds are being divided up, but the UAW insists that it be maintained in a manner it has been accustomed to - upon the backs of other workers/taxpayers. This is no longer the dialect of class warfare of management exploiting the workers, this is now the warfare of the politicized workers exploiting the other workers/taxpayers. Under capitalism man exploits man. Under socialism the reverse is true, man exploits man.
#5
I suspect that Alan over at FoMoCo can see the writing on the wall and while he may have a plan for bringing the blue oval back to life, he knows that the likelihood of doing it by the end of March is slim and he isn't ready to bet the company on the current terms. Of course I really do not think the gov't is conna call for their chips then, so the 3/31/09 deadline is just a place to begin the negotiations from. this is only my humble opinion, of course.
#7
Bush is a fecking IDIOT. I now regret my vote for the pinhead back in 04.
Someone put something shiny in front of him and distract him so he toddles off and goes to screw up something LESS significant.
Excepting his lucking into a win in the GWOT thanks to a good general, and his initial tax cuts, and a few other small items, he has been a gutless moron in his 2 terms.
Not to mention it may be an illegal use of the TARP funds - I hope someone sues and gets an injunction to force GM and Chrysler into Bankruptcy. At that point the Govt can step in and provide DIP financing to see then through the restructuring.
But 17 Bil and NO string attached for either the UAW or the execs?
Gimme a break George you stupid sumbitch, STOP throwing good money after bad!
#8
the can got kicked down the road a few months = Obama's problem. Bush wasn't gonna solve it, and now O has to deal with the UAW issue with a Donk congress and re-election in 2010 for many. IMHO - a wise move to keep them alive long enuf to make it a Donk problem, otherwise it would be them eeeeevil Republicans vs the "downtrodden Dem-lovin-blue-collar workers of America" again, regardless of the facts. Note that Chrysler's workers will be getting 95% pay during their month off. Wish I could get that kinda plan
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/19/2008 17:57 Comments ||
Top||
#9
OS, I don't regret my vote for Bush. Kerry would have been much worse. I regret not having a choice between a Statesman and a Weinerhead, but between the lesser of two Weinerheads.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/19/2008 19:35 Comments ||
Top||
#10
Agree with Frank. Let Bambi handle this one. Unfortunately it likely means giving the car companies and the UAW many billions so that the UAW can keep its benefits. That won't work but it won't become evident until 2010. September, 2010. Two months before the mid-term elections.
Posted by: Steve White ||
12/19/2008 19:37 Comments ||
Top||
#11
Frank - do you really think the Donks and MSM will _allow_ this to be blamed on The One? This will be blamed on the Evil Republicans for the next 2 Presidential elections no matter what the actual story is.
Just look at the mortgage crisis - created and maintained by the Donks but successfully blamed on Bush - who is only too willing to take the blame and none of the credit.
#12
CF - understood, unfortunately the Donks won't be able to vote "present" on this one (like Teh One). Too many blue dogs have Toyota, Honda, et al, plants successfully operating and paying good, but not UAW, wages to have cover to vote for it. Could tear their party apart. I remain hopeful
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/19/2008 20:20 Comments ||
Top||
#13
I'm not so sure we'll have to wait till 2010.
1. Once Bush is gone the trunks with objections will have much less reticence about speaking out.
2. Once a company's momentum goes in the tank, it's hard to turn around. One of the most ridiculous things I heard on the radio was, "Now that the auto execs have the money they'll have to demonstrate they can put it to good use." Gimme a break! Those guys have no power and no control over anything except deciding which creditors to pay and which to stiff.
3. More and more employees will lose benefits such as 401(k) match, if not their jobs. They're going to be asking themselves why their taxes should be going to support UAW workers and retirees making more than they do.
4. The amount of money GM will need in Q2 will be a shocker.
5. So Ford doesn't screw the pooch and they get nothing for it? A lot of taxpayers who have led a prudent financial life, and there are a lot of us, will be able to identify with that and there will be a lot of resentment amongst them.
I just learned about 'Job Banking' this morning. Never heard about it before.
What this is (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that if a UAW worker looses his job he gets unemployment _and_ pay for up to 95% of his wages and even after unemployment runs out he can still get up to 95% of his wage - some for _years_.
I wonder just how many regular joe's know what is in those UAW contracts we are going to have to pay for with this handbailout.
#15
yep - as hard to explain to the regular Joe as to why bailout-required companies should be offering "performance bonuses", huh?
I make no excuses for the W-regime's exit performance other than they're just trying to keep the finger in the dike til the new Prez and Congress can make good on their hope-n-change promises
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/19/2008 20:42 Comments ||
Top||
#16
IIUC - the "job banking" runs two years with caveats for retraining opportunities, etc.
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/19/2008 20:44 Comments ||
Top||
PRESIDENT-elect Barack Obama's economic team is preparing a stimulus plan worth up to $US775 billion in a bid to jolt the world's biggest economy. Obama's team is looking to craft a package worth between $US675 and $US775 billion over two years, but it could build substantially as it moves through the legislative process, the Wall Street Journal reports.
"The biggest fear is that people will do too little ... like a start-up that fails because it didn't do enough," a Democratic leadership aide said.
Aides indicated that the plan's final price tag may eventually top even $US850 billion. Since transition team officials believe a trillion-dollar package would hit a "psychological threshold that could carry political consequences," the report said, aides hope to keep it below that figure, fearing accusations of toting up the US budget deficit.
The plan, according to the newspaper, includes a tax cut intended to immediately inject the economy with up to $US100 billion, and some $US100 billion in aid for state governments.
Thus buying out Laficornia and Neu Yalk ...
The Journal noted that a coalition of labour unions and liberal organisations are pushing to get the package into Congressional negotiations even before Obama takes office on January 20.
#3
ION CHINESE MIL FORUM > BOSNIA COULD SPLIT INTO NEW CROAT AND SERBIAN SIDES [new Civil war]???
Another test for the BAM-ONE.
Also CNN BLITZER SITUATION ROOM > PERT comented that, ala POST-BUSH PERIOD + US- WORLD GREAT DEPRESSION 2, that the USA + WORLD ARE FACING THE MOST DANGEROUS AND SIGNIFICANT PERIOD IN THEIR ENTIRE HISTORY???
Oil prices have tumbled, diving under USD 38 per barrel, as traders suggested that OPEC may not cut the output.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light sweet crude for delivery in January dived to USD 37.68 a barrel ahead of the contract's expiry on Friday. The low point was last seen in July 2004. On London's InterContinental Exchange (ICE), Brent North Sea crude for February sank as low as USD 44.30.
In later deals, New York crude stood at 38.55, down 1.51 dollars from the close on Wednesday. Brent oil was 53 cents down at USD 45 per barrel.
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which produces about 40 percent of the world's crude, approved a record output cut on Wednesday of 2.2 million barrels a day.
However, the decision failed to prevent prices plunging even further, as rising US energy reserves also heightened global demand worries amid a sharp worldwide economic slowdown. "The verdict (of falling prices) was a resounding vote of no-confidence in the cartel's ability to curtail production given its previous tendencies to backslide on commitments, particularly by countries who are financially strapped," said MF Global oil analyst Ed Meir.
Despite the output reduction on Wednesday, New York crude dropped a hefty USD 3.54 dollars and London Brent oil shed USD 1.12.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[3 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Let's go for $20.
Make it a 'patriotic' thing for investors to short oil.
George W Bush is weighing whether to endorse a structured bankruptcy for ailing automakers to prevent a disorderly collapse of the industry.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/19/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Bankruptcy isn't necessarily a problem. Inventories have to be reduced and production halts - Chrysler is closing for 30 days - will assist same. I would rather see these companies under competent receivership stewards that under UAW leaching.
#2
I heard he is going with a straight give-away loan from TARP.
Bush is a fecking IDIOT. I now regret my vote for the pinhead back in 04.
Someone put something shiny in front of him and distract him so he toddles off and goes to screw up something LESS significant.
Excepting his lucking into a win in the GWOT thanks to a good general, and his initial tax cuts, and a few other small items, he has been a gutless moron in his 2 terms.
Not to mention it may be an illegal use of the TARP funds - I hope someone sues and gets an injunction to force GM and Chrysler into Bankruptcy. At that point the Govt can step in and provide DIP financing to see then through the restructuring.
But 17 Bil and NO string attached for either the UAW or the execs?
Gimme a break George you stupid sumbitch, STOP throwing good money after bad!
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia would come under crippling financial pressure and may need to raise money externally if oil languishes at an average of $30 a barrel over the next two years, the World Bank predicted Friday. The bleak scenario would mark a rapid unraveling of Russia's oil-fueled economic gains over the past eight years, during which time the government has paid down most of its foreign debt and built up a vast stockpile of international reserves. 
Pakistani lawyers are holding a countrywide hunger strike in front of courts calling for restoration of judges deposed since November 2007.
PRESIDENT-elect Barack Obama's economic team is preparing a stimulus plan worth up to $US775 billion in a bid to jolt the world's biggest economy. Obama's team is looking to craft a package worth between $US675 and $US775 billion over two years, but it could build substantially as it moves through the legislative process, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Oil prices have tumbled, diving under USD 38 per barrel, as traders suggested that OPEC may not cut the output.
