Books, movies, politics, and whatever I want

Archive for March, 2009

Cox & Forkum are back

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

The political cartoonist team of Cox & Forkum are back, at least for one new cartoon.

This one illustrates the truth behind our Dear Leader’s plan for massively increasing the size of government.

From The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights: Obama’s Backward Economics by Yaron Brook.

“Barack Obama claims that Americans can only stave off economic disaster by trillions in government spending–which means trillions of dollars taxed or borrowed to finance government make-work programs,” said Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights. “Obama-nomics couldn’t be more wrong. “Prosperity requires that the government drastically cut government spending. That way, as much real capital as possible will remain in private hands, and be put to productive use by entrepreneurs to create valuable goods and services to sell at home and abroad. By taxing and inflating our wealth away, Obama will simply be creating more of the crushing debt that brought about the current crisis.”

Clean, safe Nuclear Power making a comeback

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Some good news from USA Today, utilities are starting the process to build twentysix new Nuclear Power plants here in the United States.

A recent Gallup Poll shows a record 59% of Americans favor nuclear energy.

Dr. Pournelle nailed the truth of Nuclear Engergy:

I have to say it again: cheap energy will cause a boom. The only cheap energy I know of is nuclear. Three Hundred Billion bucks in nuclear power will do wonders for the economy. We build 100 1000 MegaWatt nuclear power plants — they will cost no more than 2 billion each and my guess is that the average cost will be closer to 1 billion each (that is the first one costs about 20 billion and the 100th costs about 800 million). The rest of the money goes to prizes and X projects to convert electricity into mobility.

Expanded Nuclear Power is the only practical way to supply the level of electrical power needed to support wide spread use of electric and plug in hybrid electric cars.

If you are really serious about reducing carbon emissions, you should a be a supporter of Nuclear Power.

Originally published at Urbin Technology.

Monday Book Pick

Monday, March 30th, 2009

The New Thought Police: Inside the Left’s Assault on Free Speech and Free Minds by Tammy Bruce and Laura C. Schlessinger

Tammy Bruce is a classic Liberal, not a leftist. A very important distinction these days. Unlike the far left extremists that have hijacked the democrat party, Classic Liberals are defenders of Free Speech.

The Monday Book Pick Archive

AIG execs pressured to donate to democrat Senator Dodd

Monday, March 30th, 2009

The Washington Times has the story on how the Senate Banking Committee Chair, democrat Chris Dodd, collected large donations from AIG employees.

Mr. Dodd’s campaign quickly hit pay dirt, collecting more than $160,000 from employees and their spouses at the AIG Financial Products division (AIG-FP) in Wilton, Conn., in the days before he took over as the committee chairman in January 2007. Months later, the senator transferred the donations to jump-start his 2008 presidential bid, which later failed.

Now, two years later, Mr. Dodd has emerged as a central figure in the government’s decision to let executives at the now-failing AIG collect more than $218 million in bonuses, according to the Connecticut attorney general – even as the company was receiving billions of dollars in assistance from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). He acknowledged that he slipped a provision into legislation in February that authorized the bonuses, but said the Treasury Department asked him to do it.

The employees were told, “If you agree,” to write checks for $2,100 from themselves and their spouses and to send them to Mr. Dodd’s campaign within four days. They also were to ask the senior members of their management teams to do the same and send copies of their checks to the company.

The Dodd campaign collected $162,100 from AIG-FP employees and their spouses within six weeks of the e-mail, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics and the Federal Election Commission.

Note that the employees were told to send copies of their checks to the company. That may be legal, but it clearly crosses an ethical line.

Cap and Tax

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Our Dear Leader‘s so-called “Cap and Trade” program is really a “Cap and Tax” program that is going to suck more money from the paychecks of every American.

This energy tax is going to hit the poorest the hardest, since they pay the largest percentage of their income on energy costs (electricity, heating and transportation).

White House sources have admitted that this will be an average increase of $1,800 per family!

President Obama’s energy tax plan — a version of the failed European “cap and trade” global warming fiasco — may cost families $1,800 yearly in higher utility bills, far exceeding his promised $800 a year tax cut for 95% of Americans.

While campaigning, Obama admitted that his energy plan would cause electric bills to “skyrocket.” President Obama’s energy tax plan — a version of the failed European “cap and trade” global warming fiasco — may cost families $1,800 yearly in higher utility bills, far exceeding his promised $800 a year tax cut for 95% of Americans.

While campaigning, Obama admitted that his energy plan would cause electric bills to “skyrocket.”

So when Candidate Obama said that Americans making less than $250,000 a year would not see any new taxes, he was lying! Get used to it folks. It’s a long way until January 20, 2013.

Also published at E-Ramblings

New iPhone hardware rumors

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Apple has changed the rules for the Rev 2, 3G iPhone sales. Customers can buy “unlimited quantities” without the AT&T contract that subsides the price. This is the same tactic Apple used to clear out Rev 1 hardware before they announced the 3G iPhone.

The Apple Developers Conference, June 8-12, would be a good place announce a new rev of the iPhone hardware that will use the new firmware to the best advantage. Apple could use a new iPhone to offset the Palm Pre and new Android phones.

Originally posted at Urbin Technology.

Free NRA Membership

Sunday, March 29th, 2009

If you have browsed my site, you know I’m a strong supporter of Civil Rights, including RKBA.

The largest Second Amendment advocacy groups, the National Rifle Association, is conducting a membership drive and offering free memberships.

Given the attacks the current administration and congress are conducting against basic Civil Rights, including RKBA, joining the NRA is a good idea.

Crunchy Pulp Goodness

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

I’m a fan of the old Pulp stories, Doc Savage in particular.

One place to get a new fix of crunchy Pulp Goodness is Decoder Ring Theater.

“…all-new audio adventures in the tradition of the classic programs of Radio’s Golden Age.”

The adventures come in two flavors, hard boiled detective stories and masked hero adventure. Black Jack Justice features PI Jack Justice and his partner, Trixie Dixon, Girl Detective. The masked heroes are Canada’s own Red Panda and the Flying Squirrel.

Personally, I listen to them both. Stop by and check ’em out.

Good news on the alternate fuel front

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

Details at Urbin Technology on two alternate fuels sources. One is algae oil based biofuel and the other is coal based.

Friday B-Movie Pick

Friday, March 27th, 2009

A Force of One

A Chuck Norris classic from 1979. Bill “Superfoot” Wallace also has a big presence in this film. For the star power, Jennifer O’Neill does quite nicely. Eric Laneuville plays Norris’ adopted son, in his second martial arts film (the first was 1974’s Black Belt Jones), and later appeared in “St. Elsewhere.”

The Friday B-Movie Archive.