Climate Change is Real!

The world is experiencing climate change. There may be debate about the cause but there is no denying the reality. The facts are almost everywhere. More tornados, higher tides, and melting glaciers are just part of the data. After the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, predicted a dryer than normal California winter, the opposite occurred. National television networks reported much higher than normal water falls in Yosemite National Park. According to the National Park Service website, the April 1, 2011 snow pack in the Tuolumne River drainage was 178% of average. This was reported in the Fresno Examiner (about two hours from Yosemite Valley).

Newsweek’s June 6, 2011 edition includes a dramatic two page photo from Joplin, Mo and a four page article and world map that predicts 6º to 10ºF increases in temperature by the end of the century. Even if they are extremes, one half the numbers predicted are alarming.

Next week in Vancouver, Canada, city representatives from across Canada, the United States and Britain will gather at a conference dubbed “Resilient Communities: Preparing for the Climate Challenge.”

This Blog will stay tuned.

The Israeli Heart

American Recessions are Nothing New

When Barack Obama was inaugurated president the unemployment rate was 7.8%. That was January 20th, 2009. Subsequently the unemployment rate rose to 10.1% in October 2009. Since then it dropped to 8.8% in March of this year but has now risen to 9.1%. That was a bit of a roller coaster.

Despite the federal government’s best efforts the unemployment rate rose from 3.2% in 1929 to 23.6% in 1932. It never dropped below 14% until 1942 when WWII was in process. The massive expenditures of the war proved that Keynesian theory does work but the cost is astronomical.

On “John King, USA” on Thursday, Richard Quest said he was looking for a low increase in jobs of 90,000 to 120,000. That number is twice the BLS reported increase of 54,000 new jobs.

Friday evening: “CBS Evening News,” Harry Smith (lead story): “Tonight, too much firing, not enough hiring: The economic recovery hits a detour. But the president says it would have been a lot worse without the auto bailout” … “NBC Nightly News,” Brian Williams (second story after John Edwards): “Hitting home: Americans are feeling it every day. And tonight, new evidence is out on the economy stalling out” …ABC’s “World News,” George Stephanopoulos, filling in for Diane Sawyer, (second story after Edwards): “Surprisingly bad unemployment numbers fuel new worries about the economy: Is the recovery in reverse?” “John King, USA” started with an interview of Chrystia Freeland, of Reuters and Dr. Peter Morici, Professor at the R.H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, with both of them agreeing that the focus in Washington should be on jobs but it’s on debt reduction.

While Mitt Romney is correct in saying, “He can’t keep blaming George Bush”, neither he nor any other politician has offered a coherent plan to revise the economy and bring back jobs.

The history of recessions and panics in this country goes back to 1797. That first panic is listed as one of the 13 worst in America’s history.

Our economic system appears to have an inherent flaw. Despite Ben Bernanke’s study of the Great Depression, he does not know how to avoid recessions and does not know how to speed a recovery any more than anyone else. No doubt, eventually this recession will end. We just don’t know when.

Sarah Palin’s Version of the Ride of Paul Revere

Maybe Sarah Palin was absent from school on the day they discussed Paul Revere. Revere’s legendary status has continued for centuries due to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.”

“He said to his friend, “If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,–
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm”

Sarah Palin’s explanation:

Klavan’s One-State Solution: Give the Middle East to the Jews

You will find this entertaining and educational too!

Wanted: An American President Who Focuses on the Economy

As President Obama spoke to “the Mother of Parliaments” at Westminster Hall in theU.K. I couldn’t help but notice that his recent focus has been on foreign affairs. This first link is the words that appear on the White House website when you Google the words “president Obama’s recent agenda.”

Using those same Googled words I was reminded by USA Today that he recently paid a visit to Latin America in March. Then it was “We Got Him” followed by a speech explaining his policies regarding the Middle East and North Africa. Now he has followed this with a visit to Europe.

So where was time spent on the American economy? This morning’s news on-line briefing advised me that More people applied for unemployment benefits. It’s accurate. I track it and there were 10,000 more claims this week than last for a total of 424,000 this week.

Then I Goggled “new laws that will create more jobs in America” and this pops up:

· PolitiFact Wisconsin | State Sen. Rich Zipperer says deregulation …

http://www.politifact.com / wisconsin / statements / 2011 / may / 23 / rich-zipperer / state-sen-rich-zipperer- / – 35k – similar pages

May 23, 2011… The new law could create 50000 jobs, according to a study cited by state … A key result was that 7 percent more people signed up for … Yet another jobs yardstick is found in a 2010 study by the Communication Workers of America, … admit they do not know how many jobs the new law will create, …

· Economy | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

http://change.gov/agenda/economy_agenda/ – 56k – similar pages

May 25, 2011… Immediate Action to Create Good Jobs in America … The tax credit will benefit all companies creating net new jobs, even those struggling to make a profit. … The typical non-elderly household saw its income decline by more than ….. Obama and Biden will create an exemption in bankruptcy law for …

· GOP: New Anti-Abortion Laws Will Create Jobs « Feminism « William …

http://www.williamkwolfrum.com / 2011 / 03 / 22 / gop-new-anti-abortion-la / – 29k – similar pages

Mar 22, 2011… GOP: New Anti-Abortion Laws Will Create Jobs … we can’t keep a hanger in stock these days,” said Jim Thompson, lead lobbyist with Coat Hanger America Industries. … “We’ll take care of it. We need more employees, tho. …

· GOP: New Anti-Abortion & Anti-Women Laws Will Create Jobs | dagblog

http://dagblog.com / health / gop-new-anti-abortion-an… – 64k – similar pages

Mar 22, 2011… GOP: New Anti-Abortion & Anti-Women Laws Will Create Jobs … a hanger in stock these days,” said Jim Thompson, lead lobbyist with Coat Hanger America Industries. … “We’ll take care of it. We need more employees, tho. …

· Chairman Bono Mack Outlines Jobs Agenda to President

http://bono.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=221483 – 23k – similar pages

The U.S. Constitution, the supreme law of our land, is only 4618 words … companies that create new jobs and keep those jobs here in America. … These reckless new rules will unfairly punish American businesses and lead

If Barack Obama continues to focus on foreign affairs it will take One Competent GOP candidate, that does not express extreme ideas, to easily win the presidency in November 2012.

Tornado Zone or Earthquake Zone

We do not know how to forecast earthquakes. The consequence is there are no warnings of earthquakes. They just happen. Some people say that animals can sense them coming but that is just a minute or two before the occurrence.

For those of you who have not experienced a quake let me tell you there is usually a rumbling noise followed by the shaking. The shaking is either an up and down motion or a side to side motion. It seems it is lasting many minutes but is usually over in one or two.

The Northridge earthquake occurred at 4:30 a.m. on January 17, 1994. Northridge is part of the city of Los Angeles. The quake was located about 30 km northwest of the city center. This earthquake had a 6.9 moment magnitude. The duration was about 10 seconds to 20 seconds. The damage was extensive and parts of the city 100 km from the epicenter were seriously damaged. Not everything was damaged within that zone. My home is about 10 km from the epicenter and was not seriously damaged.

The total number of people killed by earthquakes in the United States since 1950 was 398. Compare that with the number of deaths from tornadoes in that same period. That number, excluding the current outbreak, totals 4,857. The tornado data is from the Daily Beast.

So where do you want to live?

The Hocus Pocus of Religion

Let’s be honest. No one wants to die. Even if our body dies we want to live on forever in some mystical way that transcends our earthly being. That is the crux of religion. Some how, some way if you follow our teachings you will live forever in heaven is the message of priests, ministers, rabbis, and imams.

Harold Camping and his followers are just one more example of a group of people who want more from life than what there is on earth. They really believe the words written in the bible are “the words of God.” They read and try to understand every chapter and verse. Clearly most of the world’s wealthy are focused on making their lives more enjoyable without concern for their life after death. The poor are told by the clergy they will be rewarded in the after-life.

Phil Cooke of the Huffington Post says that radio preacher Harold Camping at least did something that very few have done. He promoted his religion and had everyone talking to him and about him.

My question is: where is God?

HERO

Scott Pelley on tonight’s “60 Minutes” provided viewers with a story about Lance Armstrong, the champion cyclist. Mr. Pelley started the piece by calling Lance Armstrong a hero.

Based upon his definition every sports champion is a hero. That would include Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Joe Lewis, Elroy Hirsch, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Manny Ramirez, Jose Canseco, and Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I beg to differ. All of the above sports personalities performed their tasks magnificently but none were heroic. They sacrificed nothing but their own energy.

Look at these definitions: 1) A man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. 2) A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.

Soldiers are heroic when they fall over their buddies to protect them. The firemen who went up the WTC when everyone else was rushing to leave those buildings were heroes.