ThinkFast: December 2, 2008
ThinkFast: December 2, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama is considering a stimulus package that will include a heavy dose of spending on environmentally friendly projects aimed at creating “green-collar jobs” and saving energy. Read more about the “the economic imperative for clean energy.”
An independent, bipartisan congressionally-mandated task force has concluded that the “odds that terrorists will soon strike a major city with weapons of mass destruction are now better than even.” The report “singled out Pakistan as a grave concern because of its terrorist networks, history of instability and arsenal of several dozen nuclear warheads.”
The four undersecretaries of defense are expected to leave their posts, including Undersecretary for Policy Eric S. Edelman, who may be replaced by CSIS’s Michele Flournoy. Edelman, a Cheney protege, made headlines last year saying “premature” discussion of withdrawal from Iraq “reinforces enemy propaganda.”
The Bush administration will appear in court at 10 am PST today “to convince a federal judge to let stand a law granting retroactive legal immunity to the nation’s telecoms, which are accused of transmitting Americans’ private communications to the National Security Agency without warrants.”
Elizabeth Warren, the head of a Congressional oversight panel for the bailout, “says the government still does not seem to have a coherent strategy for easing the financial crisis, despite the billions it has already spent in that effort.” According to Warren, the government seems “to be lurching from one tactic to the next without clarifying how each step fits into an overall plan.”
Last night, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) accepted an honorary degree from Harvard University. “I have often been called a liberal, and it usually was not meant to be a compliment,” he said. “But I remember what my brother said about liberalism shortly before he was elected president. “He said if by a liberal they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people…If that is what they mean by liberal, I am proud to be a liberal,” Kennedy said.
Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) has no plans to relinquish the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee, despite a report last week that “helped retain a multimillion-dollar tax loophole for an oil drilling company at the same time that the company’s CEO” was pledging to donate to the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York. Rengel denies that there was any quid pro quo.
4,207: The number of U.S. troops who have died in Iraq as of yesterday. U.S. combat casualties in Iraq fell to their lowest level last month.
And finally: In an interview with Vanity Fair, Tina Fey talks about the discomfort of playing Sarah Palin in Palin’s presence. “I just didn’t want to have to do the impression at the same time with her,” she said. “One, it would shine a light on the inaccuracies of the impression, and, two, it’s just always … the only word I can think of is ‘sweaty.’ It just always feels sweaty.” Commenting on her impressions of Palin, Fey said, “I feel clean about it. All these jokes were fair hits.”
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According to Warren, the government seems “to be lurching from one tactic to the next without clarifying how each step fits into an overall plan.”
In other words . . . just an old run-of-the-mill GDumbya plan.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:12 amI'm glad that having a "D" behind one's name does not insulate him/her from scrutiny. We, the People, have blindly trusted our elected representative, our employees, for far too long, and they have repaid that trust by transferring our wealth to the top 2%, leaving massive debts for the rest of us.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:17 amPresident-elect Barack Obama is considering a stimulus package that will include a heavy dose of spending on environmentally friendly projects aimed at creating “green-collar jobs” and saving energy. Read more about the “the economic imperative for clean energy.”
Note to President to be Obama ~ MIT has made a breakthrough discovery that replicates the process plants use in photosynthesis. The process creates hydrogen from sunlight and air. Please spend at least a shitload of money pursuing this and fast track it into mass production. Thank you.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:22 amIf that is what they mean by liberal, I am proud to be a liberal,” Kennedy said.
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I'm trying to remember when "liberal" became a dirty word. Was it Reagan who expended a lot of effort turning it into a pejorative (with some success), or was it being flung as an insult by the right before that?
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:23 amElizabeth Warren,... “says the government still does not seem to have a coherent strategy for easing the financial crisis, despite the billions it has already spent in that effort.”
October surprise?
How about Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. surprise. Chicken Little Paulson, et al, have been pulling the strings on the biggest financial swindle in history for the past 4 months.
Surprise!
'Coherent strategy' doesn't fit the Bush mold. In fact, they don't need a stratergery, they're doing this right out in broad daylight while the American consumer is fed a daily dose of bullshit by the Feds & the media.
While State Governors with their hands out meet today with Obama, the Detroit big 3 will grovel at Congress' knees. Billions upon billions are being dispersed to everyone but the struggling American consumer.
Some surprise, eh?
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:25 amHere in North Carolina, there's a great deal of hog waste -- a byproduct from our hog industry. There has been talk for a long time about developing biomass such as this for fuel. As long as Obama has his checkbook out, it would be nice to see this talk turn into action.
Developing alternative energy and putting people to work is an excellent way to kill two birds with one stone.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:26 amThe Bush administration will appear in court at 10 am PST today “to convince a federal judge to let stand a law granting retroactive legal immunity to the nation’s telecoms...
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Can we hope this judge isn't a Bush appointee?
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:27 amPresident-elect Barack Obama is considering a stimulus package that will include a heavy dose of spending on environmentally friendly projects aimed at creating “green-collar jobs” and saving energy. Read more about the “the economic imperative for clean energy.”
Edit:
President-elect Barack Obama (is considering)--has announced--a stimulus package that will include a heavy dose of spending on environmentally friendly projects aimed at creating “green-collar jobs” and saving energy... Read more about the “the economic imperative for clean energy.”
THAT's the kind of change we've been waiting for...what's to "consider?" Whether the bosses at Duke Energy, etc., approve? Just DO IT!!!
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:28 am
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:29 amtestIndictments against Cheney, Gonzales dismissed
A sad day for America.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:31 amDr. H. Matt, there's always the international court at Den Hague, if justice were perfect, they'd be there on Jan 22, 2009.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:36 amOcean currents can power the world, say scientists
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The new device, which has been inspired by the way fish swim, consists of a system of cylinders positioned horizontal to the water flow and attached to springs.
As water flows past, the cylinder creates vortices, which push and pull the cylinder up and down. The mechanical energy in the vibrations is then converted into electricity.
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Systems could be sited on river beds or suspended in the ocean. The scientists behind the technology, which has been developed in research funded by the US government, say that generating power in this way would potentially cost only around 3.5p per kilowatt hour, compared to about 4.5p for wind energy and between 10p and 31p for solar power. They say the technology would require up to 50 times less ocean acreage than wave power generation
The system, conceived by scientists at the University of Michigan, is called Vivace, or "vortex-induced vibrations for aquatic clean energy".”
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”If we could harness 0.1 per cent of the energy in the ocean, we could support the energy needs of 15 billion people. In the English Channel, for example, there is a very strong current, so you produce a lot of power."
The engineers are now deploying a prototype device in the Detroit River...---------------------------------------
With our minds and our will we can make this century humanity’s finest. Or, we can stagger along our current path into the biological dustbin. Contact your representatives in government and encourage them to expand the research and development of this technology.
Side note: The article states the .01% of the oceans can supply power to 15 billion people. The world population is expected to maximize at 12 billion in 2200.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:36 amI won't hold my breath, but I one can hope and pray.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:39 amAccording to Warren, the government seems “to be lurching from one tactic to the next without clarifying how each step fits into an overall plan.”
And yet Paulson wants Congress to give him the rest of the 700 billion so he can give it away as gifts to the financial industry with no requirements or restrictions placed on how the money will be used. I'm hoping that Congress is not that stupid.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:42 amThe four undersecretaries of defense are expected to leave their posts, including Undersecretary for Policy Eric S. Edelman, who may be replaced by CSIS’s Michele Flournoy.
So why is Bush bothering to do these things. This is something that can easily be undone by Obama. Bush just won't give up. He just has to foul the well as much as he can before he leaves.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:44 ambronzbootz Says:
Thanks for your post & link...that's very exciting emerging technology. Combine that with the existing green technology, fund it by eliminating big oil tax breaks and perhaps we can turn this stale, unimaginative 'corporate consciousness' into sustainable, clean energy outputs.
Good post!
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:44 am“He said if by a liberal they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people…If that is what they mean by liberal, I am proud to be a liberal,” Kennedy said.
Well said. That is a perfect description of Barack Obama.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:46 amMore on ocean wave power generation:
http://ocsenergy.anl.gov/guide/wave/index.cfm
Amazing stuff, and quite viable.
HOME GROWN GREEN ENERGY.
It will save our economy as it heals the Earth.
WIN-WIN.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:48 amfrom the googlenews page:
Hot Docs: AIDS in America, Criminalizing HIV, Obama's National ...
U.S. News & World Report - 50 minutes ago
AIDS and HIV in the United States: AIDS is the No. 1 killer of black women between the ages of 25 and 34, says a new report by the Center for American Progress, released to mark World AIDS Day.
am seeing that more and more... way to go, CAP!!!
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 amhere is the complete JFK speech:
John F. Kennedy: On Being a Liberal
http://www.myleftwing.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=539
truly great.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:07 amRep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) has no plans to relinquish the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee, despite a report last week that “helped retain a multimillion-dollar tax loophole for an oil drilling company at the same time that the company’s CEO” was pledging to donate to the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York. Rengel denies that there was any quid pro quo.
This is a distraction to the expanded democratic majority. Rangel should take a hike.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:23 amno mention of the lying pudgy slug kkkarl rove on the TODAY show this morning???
i've blocked out the details, but i do remember letting out a groan at some really incredulous statements he made...
the jerk does have nerve...
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:31 amI like Rangel, but this should be investigated. It's way too early for the majority blue team to start going corrupt.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 amInvestment focussed on creating "green-collar" jobs is a marvelous idea not only for the economic and environmental benefits, but because it would represent the beginning of a reversal of the damage Ronald Reagan did to the environment by rolling back the excellent start that Jimmy Carter made in this area. Healing the damage of the current criminal crony capitalists in Blair House and the White House, on the other hand, will take decades!
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:21 pm