ThinkFast: May 25, 2006
ThinkFast: May 25, 2006
President Bush has appointed a new senior domestic policy adviser: Karl Zinsmeister, a “longtime scholar at the American Enterprise Institute,” and editor of the think tank’s magazine. Last June, he wrote about the “central reality” in Iraq: “With the exception of periodic flare-ups in isolated corners, our struggle in Iraq as warfare is over.”
“The FBI is seeking interviews with top House Members from both parties to determine whether they leaked details of the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance program to The New York Times, further fanning the flames of an already tense relationship between Capitol Hill and the Bush administration.†One Senator said “the FBI will interview current and former Senators about the leak as well.â€
A new study finds New Orleans “is the U.S. city most likely to be struck by hurricane force winds during the 2006 storm season.†Meanwhile, the Army Corps of Engineers has finished repairing the city’s levees, but experts say New Orleans is “still very much at risk… because the level of protection the corps has reached is still not as strong as the city needs,†not even good enough for a Category 3 storm.
13: The number of days before VA Secretary Jim Nicholson was told about the burglary of data on 26 million veterans.
“Former U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry is calling on the Bush administration to negotiate directly with Iran, saying he believes that is the only path toward resolving the nuclear crisis.”
Yesterday, Special Counsel Patrick Fizgerald released Scooter Libby’s 2004 grand jury testimony. In it, Libby said “Vice President Cheney was personally angered by†Joe Wilson’s “newspaper column attacking a key rationale for the war in Iraq and repeatedly directed†Libby “to ‘get all the facts out’ related to the critique.†Cheney also raised the issue that Valerie Plame “worked at the CIA and that she allegedly played a role in sending†Wilson to Niger.
More than half of America’s hunters and fishermen “have seen first-hand the impact of global warming, according to a poll released Tuesday by the National Wildlife Federation.” Fully 71 percent “said they were concerned about diminishing fish and wildlife populations and many had seen direct impacts of climate change in the field,” and a majority “also rejected the Bush Administration’s fossil-fuel-based energy policy and want more conservation and clean fuels.”
The Senate yesterday voted 73-25 to end debate on a compromise immigration bill “that would toughen border security and put most illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship,” suggesting it will pass easily today. “Its advance set up a showdown with the House over the most substantial overhaul of immigration law in 20 years.”
Big Pharma up to no good: “Drug companies fund a growing number of the studies in leading psychiatric journals,” and for good reason: 78 percent of company-funded studies give the drugs favorable reviews, while only 48 percent of independent studies are positive.
And finally: the National Review has come up with a playlist for George W. Bush’s iPod. The magazine issued a list of what it believes are the “top 50 conservative rock songs of all time.†Number 1 was the Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again,†closely followed by the Beatles’ “Taxman.†The list — which is “overwhelmingly white and male” — also includes “I Fought the Law” by the Crickets. (Bush will love this one.)
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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Fair Tax Rally Jams Civics Center
May 25th, 2006 at 9:19 am“The FairTax legislation would do away with the federal income tax and replace it with a 23 percent national sales tax, the rate the bill’s supporters say would be needed to ensure that it raises the same amount of revenue as the current system.
By shifting taxation from income to consumption, supporters say Americans would be encouraged to save and invest. Such a sea change in the way people handle their money, the argument goes, would foster economic growth.”
Fully 71 percent “said they were concerned about diminishing fish and wildlife populations and many had seen direct impacts of climate change in the field,â€
Yes… but for utterly self-serving reasons (after all, they want the wildlife for ‘recreational’ purposes).
However, you would have to be a complete recluse to not see the impacts of global warming even in your own yard. We saw a lightning bug last night. It was two – three weeks early. They usually don’t come out until summer. And there was a Japanese Beetle (”June bug”) on one of my potted plants a week ago. More bugs have meant more birds. And not just the normal varieties of bugs and birds – stuff that I’ve never seen before. New varieties of weeds have emerged weeks ahead of the normal flush of vegetation…
May 25th, 2006 at 9:20 amThe FBI questioning Congress members?
May 25th, 2006 at 9:22 amHow soon before Bush dissolves Congress altogether?
This stuff just sounds creepier and more ominous.
the “top 50 conservative rock songs of all time.†Number 1 was the Who’s “fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”
May 25th, 2006 at 9:22 amI think that the favorite band of Bush is “Duh!”
May 25th, 2006 at 9:24 am“Drug companies fund a growing number of the studies in leading psychiatric journals,†and for good reason: 78 percent of company-funded studies give the drugs favorable reviews, while only 48 percent of independent studies are positive.
That should flat out be illegal. We’re not talking about selling gizmos and widgets. Corporate America has gotten out of control and needs a good spanking.
Yet one more reason to stay healthy…
May 25th, 2006 at 9:24 amAbout talks with Iran. It’s never gonna happen with Condom Rice representing bush the stupid waramonger decider. We need this white house, house and senate cleaned out and new diplomats in place. As long as there are saber ratelers, beating their war drums we are being drug along with continious war’s forever…….At present we the people have no say about our country, constitution, civil rights and freedon….We must take our country back and get new people in office…………..Blessings
May 25th, 2006 at 9:24 am“Won’t get fooled again” is an anti war song. Putting it on the top of their pitiful list is about as smart as believing Stephen Colbert is a conservative.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:24 amIs the FBI for Americans or against Americans. Regarding The FBI is seeking interviews with top House Members from both parties to determine whether they leaked details of the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance program to The New York Times, it appears that they are against the true owners of this nation. Of course, they also shut down Sibel Edmonds. The one thing the FBI seems to be for is the preservation of treating the people as mushrooms by keeping us in the dark and feeding us lots of sh#t.
Everyone should read Sibel Edmond’s Letter to Chairman Thomas Kean at http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Letter_to_Kean.pdf
May 25th, 2006 at 9:24 amI believe there is a vote today for Net Neutrality.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:25 amHopefully the net will be kept “free.”
Before the Congress is dissolved the Bush Regime members must resign and be given prison terms! After Bush gets sentenced to 20 years at hard labor with Cheney, then members of the Congress who are corrupted need to be evaluated for prison as well!
May 25th, 2006 at 9:28 amDoes anyone truly believe these two things are not related?
May 25th, 2006 at 9:29 amNews the US doesn’t get to see on TV.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization
The SCO was created in Shanghai on June 15, 2001 by Russia and China along with Central Asian republics; Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. At the next June 15 2006 SCO meeting, Iran has been invited to become a full SCO member.
American attempts of humiliation and saber rattling towards Moscow and Beijing got real ugly after Cheney’s hypocritical speech to Putin and Bush’s humiliation of China President Hu Jintao. US influence in central asia has all but vanished now. China has made massive energy and construction contracts with Iran and Saudi Arabia. I don’t see support from countries surrounding the Caspian sea anymore either.
IMHO, any attempt on Iran, would immediately freeze oil from Venezuela as well and probably an “inadvertent” slowdown from most of the other OPEC nations. The stock market could really get ugly if Korea and China stop buying dollars. If they start dumping dollars, the financial services sector could feel a lot of pain. Many would not survive as the real estate market could collapse in a very large way.
The end result, with a lack of oil, a worthless dollar and an economic collapse, the war would be short lived. The US would become a pariah nation that no longer has the ability to purchase the goods and services from other countries and therefore, a but irrelevant to the rest of the world. The only threat that the US would have would be one of a scorched earth policy. I just hope that Americans will vote for regime change and a major revamp of faces in Congress and Senate. The past 60 years of militarism has brought us to the brink of a complete meltdown due to spineless representatives and an arrogant, mentally impoverished leadership.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:29 amThe Democrats should abstain when the vote on General Hayden’s nomination comes to the Senate floor. Here’s my reasoning why this approach is much better politically than a “yes” or a “no” vote. Let me know whether you agree or disagree.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:29 amHopefully the net will be kept “free.â€
Comment by trueblue — May 25, 2006 @ 9:25 am
I doubt it. After all, it is what the people want. And we know how that works.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:32 amUnbelievable,
May 25th, 2006 at 9:37 amIt would be just another step toward controling what we (should) have access to.
Controlling the media, and the only true democratic forum (the Internet) is pretty scary.
But you’re correct. If it’s fair and right, chances are we’re about to lose it.
Just plane mad, excelent post. Thank You…….Blessings
May 25th, 2006 at 9:38 amMember of the senate and house will be interviewed by the FBI at the request of the White House.
The reason Hastert is so up in arms about the FBI searcing Jeffersons office is because he is afraid he is next. Talk about Chutzpah. Hastert demanding a retraction of a story when they have e-mails from him to Abramoff ASKING FOR MONEY!
At the same time our gread decider is on the trail pushing for more nuclear power plants, he is telling Iran that they cant have one. The man is brilliant I tell you!
May 25th, 2006 at 9:39 amMash
“Let me know whether you agree or disagree.”
I don’t know about that, so instead of taking a stance, they’ll just be seen as doing absolutely nothing again, and then the repubs can slam them for being a party against every initiative, but with out ever having any ideas of their own to replace them with.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:40 amIf it’s fair and right, chances are we’re about to lose it.
Comment by trueblue — May 25, 2006 @ 9:37 am
For months they’ve been touting the internet as a heaven for child pornography – when the actual statistics on such things are rare. And not that the internet started that problem or will end it. Just another excuse to control the masses. As if desperation television weren’t already successful enough…
May 25th, 2006 at 9:44 amThe Democrats should abstain when the vote on General Hayden’s nomination comes to the Senate floor.
Comment by Mash — May 25, 2006 @ 9:29 am
Genius idea Mash!
Unfortunately it would take intestinal fortitude and foresight for Democrats to execute such a plan… two things that are all but absent within this party.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:51 amI’m happy to support a party that opposes initiatives like the ones cataloged here:
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6330
May 25th, 2006 at 9:54 amNo Dead on the top 50?
May 25th, 2006 at 9:54 am. / ///////\
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“The FairTax legislation would do away with the federal income tax and replace it with a 23 percent national sales tax
“Fair Tax” is doublespeak. What will it do for the people who are so poor they pay no taxes? It will increase the cost of their goods by 23%.
Another observation: A few years ago, a luxery tax was passed, ostensibly a tax on purchases made by the very rich, a tax on yachts and the like. Result? The very rich stopped buying yachts in America, and bought them overseas, severly hurting American yacht sales. I believe the tax was repealed. Upshot? The very rich can avoid this tax. The poor and working class cannot. Same old-same old. But the very poor will take a massive, disproportionate hit. Those who can least afford it will be burdened the most as a percentage of their household budget.
On the other hand, some families will get rich on the black market. Remember, the Kennedy family fortune came from bootlegging.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:54 amsquegeeboo, as someone pointed out to me on dKos, this idea has the added benefit of capturing the news cycle. The story becomes “Democrats take principled stand” rather than “Hayden wins confirmation”, then the Dems get the chance of explaining their balanced decision to the American people. I think its a win-win.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:58 amG.W.SuperChrist, sadly you might be right. I think the Dems in Congress are split between “flight” and “fight” wings. What we need is a “think” wing.
May 25th, 2006 at 10:02 am#24. Other “families” that profit from smuggling include those after which the fictional Corleone family is modeled.
May 25th, 2006 at 10:02 amDiminishing wildlife is pure hogwash. Deer populations are at an all time high in my state. I have never seen so many deer. Moose are being spotted where I have never seen them before. Wolves are now present in areas where they once were not. Mountain lions have moved into areas where they haven’t been for many years. Coyotes are growing in numbers. Geese are at all time high populations. The same is true for ducks.
Hunters are the last group to know where game is located. They’re hunters, they’re clueless. Think the name ‘Dick Cheney’ when you think of ‘hunters.’
Probably a result of global warming.
The crackpots never stop with their psuedoscience.
May 25th, 2006 at 10:03 amBriseadh
The Fair Tax proposal includes a voucher for the tax on necessities to every family in America, removing the cost of the tax from the poor, and from the loss of income taxs charged to corporations the prices of goods would drop, offsetting at least part of the new sales tax.
May 25th, 2006 at 10:06 amDiminishing wildlife is pure hogwash.
Comment by Ron — May 25, 2006 @ 10:03 am
Well, Ron, as long as everything is just okay in your neighborhood, it must be so across the globe? Nonsense. Don’t be an egocentric jerk.
The deer population has been forced from their natural wooded habitate by the explosive residential growth in sub-urban areas. The deer aren’t invading us – but the other way around.
May 25th, 2006 at 10:06 amMash
May 25th, 2006 at 10:09 amIf the Kos Kids support it, that should be a warning that it’s a horrible idea. How are they doing for supporting winning political candidates? How’s the book sales doing? Generally speaking they would be a good reference for what not to support.
squegeeboo, I put a poll up with my cross post on dKos and this idea is definitely taking a beating. So far, 63% say vote “No”, 31% say “abstain” and 5% say vote “Yes”.
The person I cited from dKos was definitely in the minority.
So, by your logic, this is a great idea :)
May 25th, 2006 at 10:14 amMash
“The person I cited from dKos was definitely in the minority.
So, by your logic, this is a great idea :) ”
Touche sir, touche.
May 25th, 2006 at 10:17 amTouche sir, touche.
Comment by squegeeboo — May 25, 2006 @ 10:17 am
Touche’ you can spell… But not most common words (typography considered). Interesting…
May 25th, 2006 at 10:25 am“With the exception of periodic flare-ups in isolated corners, our struggle in Iraq as warfare is over.â€
May 25th, 2006 at 10:31 amanother rocket scientist…. it was over 3 years ago….it has since been an occupation since.. warfare ends when an army is defeated…terriorists are not a formed army…
“May you live in interesting times.” — Chinese curse
May 25th, 2006 at 10:35 amunbelievable… the times arn’t interesting…they are bizare
May 25th, 2006 at 10:41 amDiminishing wildlife is pure hogwash. Deer populations are at an all time high in my state. I have never seen so many deer. Moose are being spotted where I have never seen them before. Wolves are now present in areas where they once were not. Mountain lions have moved into areas where they haven’t been for many years. Coyotes are growing in numbers. Geese are at all time high populations.
The crackpots never stop with their psuedoscience.
Comment by Ron — May 25, 2006 @ 10:03 am
Ron – wildlife doesn’t end with the large conspicuous animals that are prized by hunters… there is a whole host of smaller less edible animals that are being decimated by global warming.
Yes some populations such as white tail deer and moose are growing because of the loss of most of the top predators that historically kept these species in check.
Mountain lions are moving into areas that they have not been in many years because they are being pushed out of those areas that used to provide them with critical habitat.
Coyote populations in most areas may seem as though they are growing – but the reality is that they are just becoming more conspicuous because of human encroachment.
And as for geese – yes Canada geese that graze on the fertilized lawns of subdivisions and golf courses are growing… snow geese populations on the other hand are plummeting.
I am not sure what pseudoscientist you are referring to… but the real scientist – myself included – will tell you that global warming is real and the effect that it is has on many wildlife populations is real as well… real shitty!
I would suggest that you keep your day job – and leave the “sciencing†to the scientist.
May 25th, 2006 at 10:41 amunbelievable… the times arn’t interesting…they are bizare
Comment by koalablue — May 25, 2006 @ 10:41 am
Depends on your definition of the word ‘interesting’ I suppose…
May 25th, 2006 at 10:44 amBizare indeed: Congress shuts down Fred Phelps family cult homophobia circus.
May 25th, 2006 at 10:47 amUnbelieveable…..10 years ago the usa was right up there with a country that wanted and tried to do good.. and now? well Mugabee is at the bottom and trying hard to keep that spot…. but the US seems to want to get near there and give him some competition
May 25th, 2006 at 10:49 amUnbelievable… my sycophant prime minister went over there 2 weeks ago surely he gave george a BJ…. can’t you impeach him on those resons alone….
May 25th, 2006 at 10:56 amcan’t you impeach him on those resons alone….
Comment by koalablue — May 25, 2006 @ 10:56 am
If I were a Representative, I’d sure as hell try… As an average citizen, I keep writing my Representatives demanding that they do something. They don’t seem to be listening… I think it will take the old standby of pitchforks and torches to get anything accomplished on Capital Hill…
May 25th, 2006 at 11:05 amWell, Ron, as long as everything is just okay in your neighborhood, it must be so across the globe? Nonsense. Don’t be an egocentric jerk.
Comment by unbelievable — May 25, 2006 @ 10:06 am
Good point unbelievable!
Just because it seems like the 5-7 species that he can identify by name are doing okay… all species must be doing fine… this is inductive reasoning run amuck… what a jerkwad!
May 25th, 2006 at 11:07 amPresident Discusses Energy During Visit to Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania
May 25th, 2006 at 11:13 amPresident Bush on Wednesday said, “The important thing for the American people to understand is this concept: One, nuclear power is abundant and affordable. In other words, you have nuclear power plants, you can say, we’ve got an abundant amount of electricity. And once you get the plant up and running, the operating costs of these plants are significantly lower than other forms of electricity plants, which means the energy is affordable
Well what more can I say…lets go nuc…it is so safe….
and bullshit about affordable….get the poor plebs to pay for itas a matter of a tax cut…..and the waste will last 240,000 years great…
Where did you get this idiot….
Day job? What day job? I don’t need no stinking day job.
You, Mr. GW Christ Superstar, an egocentric name if there ever was one, and Mr. Unbelievable need to work on their bedside manners. Your tact and diplomacy won’t get you too far outside of the thinkprogress ‘greenzone.’
Science depends upon reasoning skills.
When I see deer every quarter of a mile along a road, the population is booming. Not too difficult to deduce that their numbers are growing. An observation that cannot be denied. My conclusion is this: Wildlife numbers are increasing.
How many wooly mammoths survived the last ice age?
Global warming increases your chances of survival. Global cooling markedly decreases them.
How it was some 65 million years ago:
The extinctions at the end of the Cretaceous, including the dinosaurs, marked the end of the Mesozoic Era and the beginning of the Cenozoic. Throughout the previous Mesozoic, Antarctica remained relatively ice free, except for mountain glaciers and perhaps a small ice sheet near the pole. Coastal areas remained ice-free and fossils indicate heavily forested in many regions.
Was the earth warmer 65 million years ago? Yes it was.
Keep your day job and learn a thing or two about a thing or two.
May 25th, 2006 at 11:17 am7 Democrat Members of the Senate must retire/resign with Rep. Jefferson!
Thursday 25th of May 2006
by Jay Randal
Representative William Jefferson has embarrassed the Democrat Party, and the Black Caucus, for being allegedly involved in taking bribes, so he must resign!
Several Democrat Senators have also embarrassed the Party, such as Sen. Lieberman, Sen. Levin, and Sen. Feinstein who are Zionist agents for Israel and NO longer represent their States or their constituents!
Sen. Rockefeller and Sen. Mikulski have repeatedly caved to the Bush Regime, most recently on voting YES for General Hayden to be the Director of CIA!
Sen. Ben Nelson, of Nebraska, backs everything that Dubya Dunce Decider foists upon our nation, which includes his full support for the Iraq quagmire fiasco occupation, and his Senate voting record is pro GOP!
Sen. Hillary Clinton fooled New Yorkers into voting for her as a Democrat, because everything she does mimics GOP: supporting Iraq war and war on Iran!
( Jay Randal, political activist and writer in Stone Mountain, Georgia.)
May 25th, 2006 at 11:22 amGood posts, G.W. and Unbelievable, Since moving from Montana to Washington state in 96 everything has kind of gone to shit. Most of the public don’t realize their incrochment on all wild lif has caused the problem. They only know what they see in their own back yard. Put up bird feeders, call in the troops to kill the bears that don’t have any more habitat. Send the kids out to play and hunt down the cougars that stalk them because they are on their old hunting grounds…Build more huge houses in the country and cut down all the trees, bike paths in prestene areas that use to be home to wild life are now hunting grounds and the animels always loose…..Bison wonder into huge areas that are leased for pennies to cattle raisers and they get shot because they may carry bruceloses to their cow’s. ” There is no justice, only points of law”. Woodberry, Nevada attorney told me. Shoot from planes all the wolves in Alaska to raise the number of moose, dear and elk. Never mind nature and balance. Kill off all the wolves in Yellowstone, Montana, Idaho, Washington and where ever so there will be more edible species for hunters to hunt. Distroy the balance. That ’s the greedy stupid way.
Our representatives have abandoned us as you so well pointed out Unbelievable. Yes indeep it is time to get out the pitch forks and get rid of the problems. Starting with our own spinless parasites. Keep the good ones and boot the rest…I’m off the feed the birds and hug the pup and some trees……Blessings
May 25th, 2006 at 11:34 amthis is inductive reasoning run amuck… what a jerkwad!
Comment by G.W.SuperChrist — May 25, 2006 @ 11:07 am
After reading two or three of his rants – it’s pretty conclusive that he only sees the world in terms of Ron…
May 25th, 2006 at 11:35 amYep! Ron’s world…To much wildlife, not enough neo-cons………LOL if it wern’t so sad….
May 25th, 2006 at 11:44 amMr. Unbelievable need to work on their bedside manners
Comment by Ron — May 25, 2006 @ 11:17 am
That would be Ms. unbelievable to you… And sugar coating never works on self-centered folks like you Ron.
May 25th, 2006 at 11:48 am#46. “Global warming increases your chances of survival. Global cooling markedly decreases them.”
This statement is really quite simpleminded. It depends on the environment for which “you” are evolved. Global warming that produces surface temperatures of 150D F would be quite difficult to endure. Who can be sure that such a scenario isn’t in our near future?
“…learn a thing or two about a thing or two.”
May 25th, 2006 at 11:49 amSharon, I know we talked about the coyotes some time ago… but obviously it doesn’t stop there. And as long as folks like Ron refuse to accept the reality over human over-population on the rest of the planet – we haven’t seen the last of it.
And I predict that he’ll be the first one to cry when it impacts him personally and not just some ‘irrelevent’ animals… Ridiculous.
May 25th, 2006 at 11:52 amBuffalo were down to a few thousand individuals, down from a population of some 60 million; decimated by buffalo ‘hunters.’ The bones were shipped and ground to dust for fertilizer.
Tatanka has made a come back. Their numbers are increasing too. Amazing really, from a point of near extinction to thriving herds throughout the Great Plains. Mankind came to their aid. Thank mankind for their survival, a saving grace that prevented their extinction.
Call me anything you like, it’s your choice.
I will agree, the commercial real estate developers have made parts of Washington State an ugly mess.
May 25th, 2006 at 11:59 am#46. “How many wooly mammoths survived the last ice age?”
Uh… It looks like all of them survived. It was the subsequent “global warming” that killed them.
http://www.exn.ca/mammoth/Extinction.cfm
“…learn a thing or two about a thing or two.â€
May 25th, 2006 at 12:11 pmI don’t want to sound like I’m giving the drug companies a pass on responsibility, but I think we need to look at the bigger picture in relation to how the system operates and shift some of the blame around.
In the USA, creating drugs to treat diseases is motivated by profit. When a person is sick with an illness, they (or insurance) need to pay money to get better. The drug companies spend tons of money on R&D and their research teams do an EXCELLENT job. Say what you will about the business aspect of drug companies, but their scientists do a good job. We have so many new amazing drugs with fewer side effects — it’s really wonderful.
If all that R&D funding serves up an ineffective drug, they lose a lot of money. They are a business and need to minimize that happening. So how do they do it? Well, fund the studies so you can find people favorable to your position. It’s not that the studies are not legitimate (usually), it’s just that the drug companies can pick and choose the ones they like in this circumstance. If it operates like any other industry, when an unfavorable paid-for opinion comes back, they have the contractual right to just toss it in the garbage and nobody can see it. Hence, the higher rate of success.
So, yes, the drug companies are probably skating that thin line between ethical and unethical (hell, in some cases probably jumping right over it), but remember that they are corporations who have to answer to share holders. They don’t answer to patients! There is a lot of money riding on each drug, and greed is a very powerful motivator.
We can continue to modify regulation on the industry and bounce back and forth between arguments of “stifling innovation” and “protecting the patient” but to truely FIX this problem, we need to remove the corporations from the picture and directly fund the scientists and use independent review boards not beholden to any profit or other agenda to make decisions about how to fund. (Easy said than done.)
This is something the USA is not prepared for. Completely government funded drug research will be very expensive and will not be supported by the masses… Even if some money can be recooped by the government selling the drugs to other countries.
But we just need to remember that we have to sleep in the beds we make. We want privatized health care, we GOT privatized health care. So until there is a paradigm shift in the average American mindset away from the greedy “the government isn’t taking MY money to help THOSE people” to “yes, let’s all share the cost to keep our fellow humans alive, well, and healthy” then this is what we get.
May 25th, 2006 at 12:20 pm#46. “When I see deer every quarter of a mile along a road, the population is booming. Not too difficult to deduce that their numbers are growing. An observation that cannot be denied. My conclusion is this: Wildlife numbers are increasing.”
Is the roadside the preferred habitat for deer? I would agree with a part of your theory: the deer population is too large for its preferred habitat. Your windshield survey cannot account for all possible reasons for this, however. The number of deer may be increasing, but the size of their habitat may be decreasing, forcing them to forage at the roadside. Or, their number could be decreasing AND their habitat could be shrinking. The paucity of your data supports many conclusions.
“Science depends upon reasoning skills.”
It certainly does.
May 25th, 2006 at 12:25 pmRe the wildlife: Some species are definitely diminishing, that’s true. Some species, like deer in some areas, are too numerous. We humans have wrecked this planet, and it’s systems are completely out of balance — that includes climate and wildlife. I hope it’s not too late to repair the damage we have done. It is our responsibility, afterall.
May 25th, 2006 at 12:55 pmas a Master Gardener, i feel it my duty to clear up any confusion resulting from the phrase “And there was a Japanese Beetle (â€June bugâ€) on one of my potted plants a week ago” in #2
these are 2 different insects: the June Bug or June Beetle is a pest, but the GRUB, the larvae, of this beetle is the most damaging, underground, feeding on grass roots, causing brown grass and sod late summer-fall… the Japanese beetle is most damaging as an adult, eating a variety of plants and trees, the leaves and flowers in mid-late summer… each insect looks totally different also…
here in illinois the winters have been so mild that insect populations are increasing, earlier, even the lowly flea and mosquito…
May 25th, 2006 at 1:00 pmA good example of global warming is Venus. The radiant energy of the sun enters but the long wave heat radiation stays in, keeping the planet a nice and toasty 800+ degrees. The density of CO2, the predominant green house gas in it’s atmosphere makes this planet the third brightest light in the sky and as hot as the planet Mercury on it’s sunny side, but around the entire planet. Along with carbon dioxide, there is also methane and sulfuric acid (water vapor combined with sulfur dioxide). The pressure of the atmosphere is so high it would squash a human being that left any space capsule like a bug.
The earth’s atmosphere now contains more heat than before as CO2 is at a higher PPM than at any time in history that the readings have been made or the ice cores show. The rate of increase is rising exponentially, unlike the linear progressions of the past. Large areas of what used to be permafrost are now massive bogs of peat acting as black bodies that are generating large amount of methane.
If man was truly as smart as he thinks he is, he would have long ago recognized that oil products for combustion engines are pathetically inefficient, generating more heat that can’t be recycled as a waste product than the actual amount of usable energy that performs work. Man has the technology to change from this low efficiency form of fuel to a much more efficient renewable form, such as hydrogen or solar, but the advancement has been impeded by stupid people that would rather get rich by being lazy and letting others fight wars for these morons than come up with a better solution.
Sometimes, it is up to the people to put in representatives into government that will either pry these lazy butt-heads to come up with something different or just make their source of money obsolete by working up a new solution and infrastructure. Such has been the history of man as all great accomplishments have been performed by governments, not money changers. Roads, aqueducts, running water, clean water, interstate systems, telecommunications networks, satellite systems, the net, the web, safety… are all government creations.
The people that talk about global warming in the wealthy countries should put their money where their mouth is because nothing is going to be accomplished at this scale by private industry because they lack the ability to work on a scale the size of a countries entire infrastructure. Those waiting for the invisible hand of competition might just as well be waiting for the second coming. Yes, there are those that believe it is time for that too, but it ain’t going to happen. I would think that the G7 should get off their collective asses for the sake of the future of those that will live long after we are gone. However, the corruption in government in the US is going to have to be almost completely replaced and the corporation declared as the non-person that it really is, or else nothing is going to happen. Term limits and a constitutional convention are two things that are long overdue.
May 25th, 2006 at 1:58 pmComment by katy — May 25, 2006 @ 1:00 pm
katy just stop. I don’t know how many times I have to ask. Or why you don’t respect my requests. But, really, enough is enough.
May 25th, 2006 at 2:09 pmNew York state may have lost 30% of it’s wine grape crop. Why? Too cold with late frosts. Frost hit parts of Pa too. Al will have a hard time selling his snake oil up there!
May 25th, 2006 at 4:22 pm[...] Think Progress [...]
May 25th, 2006 at 6:15 pm#62 – WTF?
May 25th, 2006 at 6:55 pm# 62 unbelievable:
Why don’t you just stop–Loudmouth.
# 59 katy:
Yeahh!
# 65 Zookeeper:
May 26th, 2006 at 1:56 amThe architect there is insufferable;you’ll find out soon enough.
Denny.
It must really suck to be you. I mean, really suck. You have nothing to offer to a conversation. No thoughts, no insight, no wisdom. All you post are insults. Did you learn that in church? To be a hateful and vile little fungus? Well, your prerogative. Just don’t be surprised when it comes back to bite you. You see, people who hate tend to get sick – cancer, stroke, and those sort of internal parasites – far more frequently than those who don’t. You should go read up. Some doctors call it ‘Type C’ personality. Because the ‘c’ stands for cancer.
Good luck with that.
May 26th, 2006 at 9:07 amWTF?
Comment by Zookeeper — May 25, 2006 @ 6:55 pm
Long story.
May 26th, 2006 at 9:08 am# 68 Dearest unbelievable:
People who lie about their professions,and disrespect everyone else including their own family,tend to get much worse than your hate-mongering listed above.
Remember,Denny doesn’t need wisdom or church,he exists in cyber-space only for you.
Yours truly,
May 26th, 2006 at 11:54 amDenny,
Well, then you aren’t talking about me, because I haven’t lied. And I don’t disrespect my own family. You can try to twist it all you want because you need the Atheists to be evil. But it doesn’t make it true. There’s a very valid reason there are proportionately fewer of us in prison than religious people. We’re more moral. Your actions repeatedly demostrate that. Not to mention your immense hypocrisy.
But you, however should be concerned with your own actions. They aren’t leading you to a very happy life (not that someone who behaves in this fashion could possible have one to begin with).
You’re really pathetic. You should try to get a life. Maybe you think you’ll achieve something here, but I assure you you are only wasting your time. I am immune to the lies of cowards like yourself and not afraid of what you are afraid of. I have conviction for what I believe in. And no scared littel fungus will ghange that. Maybe you can be intimidated into being gullible and obedient – but you are not me. Fortunately for me.
Get a real job Denny. This one can’t be paying enough to be laughed at…
May 26th, 2006 at 12:52 pmDearest sweet[choking] unbelievable:
STOP using your religion as an excuse for not being liked.
May 26th, 2006 at 1:06 pmIt’s your arrogance–get a clue,Brainchild.
hmmm… seems that ms.unbelievable might have some kind of pull here at TP… always threatening others that they will be banned… this could do it for me too…
because i see that my post in response to hers at #62 has been deleted…
i admit, the f-word was a bit over-the-top, even for me, but it was indicative of my reaction upon reading her self-serving, immature reaction (#62) to information i posted in #59…
so, here it is again, the “cleaned up” version:
63. WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, UNBE-F*****G-LIEVABLE???
seriously – who do you think you are? and who do you think you are talking to? one of your “students”???
i’ll post whatever i da*n well please on this public blog…
do you really think this whole thing revolves around YOU???
obviously… but, guess again…
really – learn to ignore what you don’t like…
May 26th, 2006 at 1:55 pmi didn’t address anything to YOU – only the info in that post…
grow up, girl… and get a grip on whatever personal injustices you PERCEIVE… it ain’t always about YOU.
thanks, i feel better now… ain’t “free speech” grand?!?
katy:
‘’student” and ”architect” and ”teacher”really sum up unbelievable.
May 26th, 2006 at 3:06 pmNEVER seems to be practicing those professions-just blogging.
Kind of reminds me of George Castanza.Probably looks like that girl who told George that he was just like Biff Loman.
To hear how she describes herself on-line you would think that she is the perfect human specimen.
Thanks for the repost-helps to keep the context.
It’s your arrogance–get a clue,Brainchild.
Comment by Denny — May 26, 2006 @ 1:06 pm
Only you and katy don’t like me. Puts you in the minority.
And really, good for me. Saves me the false pretense of having to read your posts… oh wait – you don’t post anythng of relevence. just name calling.
So sad to be you. Good luck with that.
May 26th, 2006 at 4:11 pmthanks, i feel better now… ain’t “free speech†grand?!?
Comment by katy — May 26, 2006 @ 1:55 pm
Can’t be all about me if it’s always all about you (which you just admitted).
Seriously, katy, you are the perfect definition for the word hypocrite. Everything your rant accused me of doing is exactly what you have done to me. And you keep talking to me when I’ve repeatedly made it clear that I don’t like you and don’t care to talk to you.
All about me? No katy – this is entirely all about you… Grow up.
May 26th, 2006 at 4:14 pm# 75
Seems to Walt doesn’t jive with you too well.Neither did NotImpressrd,though that was probably Walt under another name.I have seen others though.
May 26th, 2006 at 7:00 pmBelieve it or not,I don’t dislike you.I just think you’ve built a dishonest resume on this web-site.
Almost like you have to prove something to someone-anyone.Check that self-esteem.
Denny,
Four people is still a minority. I’ll even give you Mighty Mouth. Have no idea who NotImpressed is… sounds like a temporary name.
I haven’t lied about myself. I’ve never claimed to be perfect. I am an over-achiever however. Comes from being bored easily. If I’m curious about a thing – I go learn about it. You discover a lot more in life when you aren’t afraid of it. And knowledge really is power. Not arrogance.
But, you have no right to judge me and then be a complete psychopath about it anyway. Who put you in charge? In fact, your actions make you the very thing you claim to detest. And, if I were you, I’d start with your own self-esteem. Mine’s fine. You keep confusing my confidence with arrogance, which suggests that you are projecting your own inner demons on to me (easier to fight the battles outwardly than admit that we ourselves need work). Trust me, as one who has faced my own inner chaos, I can tell you – peace comes when you face yourself this way. And maybe then you’ll come to understand the difference between inner peace (self-acceptance) and arrogance.
May 29th, 2006 at 8:40 amThe five in your club is not a majority either.
May 29th, 2006 at 12:25 pmMost people blogging here probably don’t even read your posts, much less comment on them.
Be happy,atleast,that some of us give you a modicum of the attention you seem to crave.
Inner peace? Hardly.You’re a smear artist.Makes you feel better I guess.
And by the way, I’m not right-wing or G.O.P.;but the tactics you utilize to pigeon-hole and categorize are Roveian.
.
Denny,
The person you describe is not me – it is you. You are talking about yourself, and yourself only. Your actions make that perfectly obvious to everyone except you. You’re much better suited for http://www.myspace.com
And for the record, if you can’t handle looking foolish in a debate – then do your homework and get facts before you start one. If this is about that stupid nonsense you conspiracy nuts say happened on 9/11, you are not only wrong but a childishly sore loser. Can’t even post under one name. Chickenshit.
May 29th, 2006 at 2:30 pm”Can’t even post under one name.”
Then tell me true,who is-
‘Daughter of Jesus’,and
’simple science lesson’ ?
P.S. Thanks for the link,I hope I have as much fun there as you seem to.
May 30th, 2006 at 1:34 amNever been there, but have heard the kids talk about it. You’re about their mentality, if that.
May 30th, 2006 at 8:29 amP.S. I don’t use another screen name. You’re the only liar. Which is really ironic considering how much you claim to detest it. I think you give katy a strong run for the ‘biggest hypocrite’ title.
May 30th, 2006 at 8:32 amBy using any name other than your ‘real’ name puts you in the same category as katy and myself.
May 30th, 2006 at 12:06 pmBy doing so bloggers are free to represent themselves any way they choose,even if it is inflated;which all ties back to my central thesis.
Now about ‘D.of J’ and ’s.s.lesson,I’ll just have to take your word on that-like I skeptically accept everything else you post about yourself.
How about that French ?
Nonsense. The only way to identify people in this realm is by name. If you use more than one, you seem like more than one person.
Perhaps that is it. You have multiple names for multiple personalities? Figures.
Bete!
May 30th, 2006 at 12:29 pm# 84:
Menteur !
May 30th, 2006 at 1:16 pm.
You haven’t proven that yet… Because you can’t. And it’s because I’m not the liar here E.Coli.
May 30th, 2006 at 1:55 pmYou know what’s true,you just can’t admit it because it would make you the hypocrite that you mentioned above.You’re so smart about E-coli,why not do research on’Daughter of Jesus’and’simple science lesson’?That’ll be the day.
Now,if you would,leave me alone–I’m tired of you and your name calling.
Over and out.
May 31st, 2006 at 2:55 amIf it’s so true Denny – the PROVE it. You can’t – because it is true. I am everything I have ever said. Not that I ever thought it was much – but hey, I guess that when you are a fungus anything is an improvement.
What I’ve accomplished in my life isn’t really that spectacular – unless you are a fearful little couch potato who has accomplished nothing. Your insecurities are getting the better of you Denny.
If you can’t handle the heat Denny, don’t go into the kitchen and start insulting the chef. You came into a political fourm and tried to be a jerk. When I had enough of your insults and ad hominem attacks, I put you in your place. Don’t try to pin that on me. You asked for it. And that IS something I can prove.
Next time you wanna start la guerre – find a man. Don’t you think there’s a reason your mother told you not to pick on girls? Well, it wasn’t because they are weaker…
Grow up Denny. There’s more to life than worrying about other people you can neither control nor change. Start with yourself.
May 31st, 2006 at 8:14 am