Global Warming is Real

The Los Angeles Times printed the following pictures

The Matterhorn

Photographs of the Swiss mountain — taken in 1960, left, and in 2005 — show the shrinkage of its glacial ice. Both photos were taken after major snowstorms.
Left photo copyright: Bradford Washburn / Courtesy Panopticon Gallery
Right photo copyright: David Arnold

ABC news showed a glaciated mountain in Bolivia on its December 12 evening news. The glacier has mostly melted and that is an issue for the country’s water supply.

Deniers must confront reality. The question are: 1)What is the cause? 2)Can anything humanity does stop global warning?

America Wants Accomplishments Not Words

“Words! Words! I’m so sick of words!” from My Fair Lady.

President Barack Obama is a fabulous speaker. His Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo only reinforces that fact. He told us all his views of America in a well worded presentation. Many outspoken Republicans have said complimentary things about the speech. None the less, Rush Limbaugh may have his hopes fulfilled. President Obama is struggling to find some success.

It has been reported that President Obama wants to spend $200 Billion of TARP money on a second round of government sponsored stimulus. The first $$787 Billion has not been spent. It’s obvious that the money spent to date was not used for “shovel ready” projects. “There are plenty of ways to stimulate small businesses, including three-quarters of the stimulus money we have not spent yet without adding billions and billions in debt through TARP, which is basically a line of credit,” Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, Obama’s opponent in the 2008 presidential election, said at a news conference.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are viewed inconsistently by Obama. In his desire to please anti-war Democrats and please moderate Americans his position is a moving target. When the war in Iraq was going poorly he stressed his opposition to the 2007 troop surge but later when the surge was successful he grudgingly acknowledged success. Just last week, in a speech at West Point, the plan to stop the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan will be accomplished using a 30,000 man troop surge but without using the word “surge.” To please those opposing the war he says that troop withdrawals will begin in July 2011 but the secretaries of defense and state say that we will only review our commitment on that date.

Health care for all Americans has been a cornerstone of Obama’s vision. He says he wants it to be deficit neutral, cut costs, and improve quality. The reality is that he has never outlined his vision of how to achieve these goals. There is nothing in the plans proposed by either the House of Representatives or the Senate that addresses these objectives. Instead there is a Democratic Party objective to pass a law for the president’s signature even if no objectives are met.

Few of us fully understand climate change issues. Politicians are trying to impose more control everywhere in the world to save humanity. It’s a nice goal as long as it doesn’t cost me any money is the view of most people. Neither Al Gore nor Barack Obama have made the case in ways that most Americans will understand. I understand air and water pollution but I do not understand the need to control CO2. Cap and trade? I do not understand this idea at all. I oppose things I do not understand.

Unless the president delivers some real accomplishments he will have a difficult time being re-elected in 2012.

No New Troops for Afghanistan

Most people in Afghanistan are still in a 12^th century world. For the most part minimal infrastructure is nonexistent in that country. Illiteracy is a major problem. Dr. Sanjay Gupta reported on CNN that there are 11 doctors for every 100,000 population.

President Obama has told us in his own words that he is not a “war president.” If he was he would follow the George W. Bush format. That would mean using words saying “We are going to win this war.”

He is in a tough position because there has been no Pearl Harbor or 9-11 while he has been president. Instead it’s a “What do we do now?” moment. We are all tired of this battle and see no end game. I do not see any way to change Afghanistan in one year (winter is coming and most new troops won’t be deployed until spring 2010).

Many conservative and libertarian people of considerable consequence are questioning this 30,000 man surge. Two most prominent are Ron Paul and George Wills. The president’s commentary about the impact on Pakistan does not connect sufficiently. I know they have nuclear weapons. I understand the administration’s concerns. I just question the strategy.

The president knows that many of us see the similarities between Vietnam and Afghanistan. He did not convince me that the United States is not going down that same path.

Obama is trying to do the politically correct thing. That is a choice that makes no one happy. There is no military draft so most of us are not directly impacted by this fight. Besides the $1million per man cost there is a loss of brave lives for a questionable goal. Congress should say no to this idea and tell the president to find another path to stopping al-queda. Sadly Congress will probably vote yes.

Easy 35mm Slide Scanning

With over 2,000 35mm slides and the new digital world it is appropriate to want to scan them onto a CD. The issue was doing this at a cost that would not break the bank. I really did not want to buy a new HP printer with scanning capabilities. The only model with this capability costs $300.00. I have found the solution but it’s not pretty. The Memor-ease 35mm film and slide converter does a beautiful job BUT it scans pictures one at a time in a 4 slide holder. The cost is low at $50.00 and the package comes with Photoshop Elements 5.0.

The software will not work in Windows 7 but does operate in Windows XP and all Vista versions. Using Photoshop Elements you can do a Quick Fix or Full Edit before saving the scan. It’s a great opportunity to see pictures you haven’t seen in years including old friends. I am saving the pictures in a .jpeg format. I found this scanner in Costco. I will be working on this project for many months.

More Signs of Economic Recovery

A Parallel Turkey Universe?

from http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/pictures/picture_thanksgiving.htm

Green shoots of economic recovery can be found in many unusual places. This was brought to my attention by LogisticsTODAY. They are reporting that UPS (United parcel Service) is raising their rates an average of 4.9% in 2010. This is not an isolated event. The airlines started doing this early in 2009. American Airlines charges $20.00 for each checked bag. Some airlines even charge for coach seats that provide more leg room. Homes in my neighborhood had dropped in price byaas much as 50% just two months ago. From that low point the asking prices have increased by one third or more.

Finally the unemployment situation has improved with the drop in new claims for unemployment benefits to 466,000 per week from 501,000 last week. That is the first drop below the 500,000 mark since the week of November 1, 2008. This is a 7% drop in new claims. It won’t be straight line down but it is a significant decline from the high of 674,000 new claims last March 28.

In the area of politics this drop in new claims will be a White House argument that their stimulus strategy has worked. Republicans will contend that the recovery was the result of private enterprise doing its thing. Regardless of the cause, more of us will be celebrating a Happy Thanksgiving than was anticipated. The green shoots are a good thing.