A clarion call to use the economic crisis as a transformational moment to rediscover values that matter to us and to renew family, community, religion, public life, the economy, and government.
Obama takes credit, again, for people giving up on looking for a job
by Clifford F. Thies
Somebody has to tell this guy that the unemployment rate not going up when the number of people having jobs goes down is not a good thing.
In the December labor market report, the unemployment rate held steady at 10 percent while the number of Americans having jobs went down by 85,000. There is only one way, mathematically, for this to happen. It is for the labor force participation rate (the number of people working and looking for work, as compared to the number of population over 16) to fall. This rate fell in December, to a 25-year low of 64.6 percent. It fell because more and more people have given up the hope of finding work.
Christina Roma, Chief Shill for the Administration on the Economy, put it this way, “To put this number in perspective, employment declined 139,000 in September and 127,000 in October. So, in a broad sense the trend toward moderating job loss is continuing.”
How does it feel, Christina, to be the spin doctor for an economic disaster?
The end of hope?
As I have been tracking it, consumer and business confidence are at pathetically low levels. According to my monthly meta-survey of something like 100,000 households, consumer confidence fell during 2007 to a very low level, from which – even two years later! - it has hardly recovered. A corresponding meta-survey of business, including small business, supply chain managers, bank loan officers, human resource managers, CFOs and CEOs, gives a very similar picture.
Consumer and business confidence refer to short-run prospects, e.g., one-year or less. In terms of longer-run prospects, a particular question from the monthly survey conducted by the Survey Research Center of the University of Michigan is informative. It asks what kind of business conditions are expected in five years. At the start of the decade, about 60 percent expected good times. Nowadays, about 60 percent expect bad times. In April, 57 percent of respondents to a Rasmussen Poll said they expect the children of today to not be as well off as their parents. My God!
Why should Americans be so despondent?
The problems facing this country are not merely subjective, although fatalistic pessimism is itself a problem. Four major concerns loom like the four horsemen of the apocalypse over the economy.
In terms of higher taxes, we have:
— Expiration of Bush tax cuts
— Higher taxes on “the rich”
— Expiration of various business tax breaks and of the amelioration of the AMT
In terms of the risk of inflation, we have:
— Unsustainable budget deficits, huge debt guarantees and other “off balance sheet” liabilities
— Doubling of the Money Supply
— Early warning signs: Gold, Exchange Rates
In terms of a socialized economy, we have:
— Health care reform and the cutting of Medicare and Medicaid, the “savings” of which will mean some combination of higher private insurance premiums and reduced quality of health care
— Socialization of industry in the name of Climate Change
— TARP and the socialization of credit
In terms of geopolitical uncertainties, we have:
— Afghanistan
— Al Qaida
— Home-grown terrorism
— Radical Islam in Africa and Asia
— Nuclear Iran
These are real problems that require a strong and prosperous economy, as well as inspirational leadership in Washington.
Another stimulus package?
While Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher got the economies of the U.S. and U.K. rejuvenated using tax cuts, deregulation and privatization, this Administration reverts to the old-fashioned Keynesian stimulus of big spending.
But, the patient needs hope, not another shot of adrenalin. Hope that you can profit through hard work and risk-taking. Not a zombified economy of moochers counting on foreigners increasing the credit lines on our charge cards.
The idea that we can spend our way out of the current mess makes as much sense as King Ahab making sacrifices to Ba’al at a time of decline in the history of Israel. We can sacrifice our freedom on the altars of socialism but we will get nothing but ruin in return.
Dr. Thies is a professor of economics at Shenandoah Univ. in Virginia.
New Book on Russolo Published by G. Lista
Luigi Russolo e la musica futurista
by Giovanni Lista
Edizioni Mudima (Milano), 2009
190 pages, 92 images
ISBN: 9788887684544
Luigi Russolo. Painter, performer and theorist of futurist “rumorismo”, he experimented a new kind of music based on noises and on the largest extension of sound materials. Russolo let the music free, refusing any opposition between sound and noise and therefore affirming the deep unity of acoustic phenomena. His theories and concerts, given by intonarumori and Rumorharmonium, marked the beginning of “concrete music”, “sound poetry” and noises performances’ expressive currents. This book analyzes Russolo’s ideas and approach and collects as well his most important theorical essais, together with documents and statements by such people as Luciano Berio, John Cage, Michel Seuphor or Pierre Schaeffer. The reader can understand the historical importance of futurist “rumorismo” and Russolo’s role of special forerunner of the most revolutionary kinds of modern music.
<<>>
Un libro sull’opera di Luigi Russolo è stato appena pubblicato.
Luigi Russolo. Pittore, performer e teorico del “rumorismo” futurista, sperimentò una nuova musica fondata sui rumori e sulla massima estensione della materia sonora. Rifiutando l’opposizione tra suono e rumore, affermando cioè la profonda unità del fenomeno acustico, Russolo ha liberato la musica. Le sue teorie e i suoi concerti, eseguiti con gli intonarumori e il Rumorharmonium, hanno inaugurato la corrente espressiva della “musica concreta”, della “poesia sonora” e della performance rumorista. Questo libro analizza le idee e il percorso di Russolo, raccogliendo anche i suoi più importanti scritti teorici, insieme a documenti e testimonianze, da Luciano Berio a John Cage, da Michel Seuphor a Pierre Schaeffer, sull’importanza storica del rumorismo futurista e sul ruolo di Russolo in quanto illustre precursore delle forme più rivoluzionarie della musica moderna.
Thanks, Giovanni!
NORTH DAKOTA: Western Conservative John Hoeven announces for US Senate
LR FOLLOW-UP
From Eric Dondero:
We reported here at LR two weeks ago on poll numbers showing North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, way out ahead of incumbent Democrat Byron Dorgan. Of course, Dorgan has since dropped out. Another possible Democrat replacement, current Congressman Earl Pomeroy has opted against a run.
Yesterday, Gov. Hoeven formally announced his intentions to run for the seat. With the enormously popular Hoeven running, this now makes for an almost certain Republican pick-up. (Some pundits tossed out the name of MSNBC host, stridently progressive Ed Schultz who is a North Dakotan, but nothing materialized.)
From NPR Poltical Blog:
Democrats currently are without a candidate. Their seemingly most logical choice, Rep. Earl Pomeroy -- who is elected statewide -- said he would not run.
EXPECTED DEM LOSSES (1): North Dakota (open seat -- Byron Dorgan retiring).
Hoeven is a "Western-style Conservative," who is said to be following in the footsteps of South Dakota's John Thune. (Source: Crookston Times, Nov. 2009). He is staunchly Pro-Gun Rights, Pro-Energy Independence, and of particular interest to libertarians, believes Drug Policy should be handled by the States, and not the Federal government.
Getting More Viral Every Day | The Loom
In tomorrow’s New York Times, I dig up some of the fossil viruses that have been buried in our genome for tens of millions of years.
This is a subject I’ve explored here on the Loom before (1, 2), but now is a great time to stop and take stock of just how much progress scientists have made in exhuming the ancient invaders that helped make us what we are.
There was one dimension of this research that I didn’t have space to describe, but it’s too cool to let go unmentioned. In the article, I describe a virus protein called syncitin that is essential for placentas to develop. Cells push the protein to their surface, where it lets them latch onto other cells, fusing together to create a special layer through which nutrients can pass from mother to child. The protein got its start on viruses, which use it to latch onto host cells and fuse to them, allowing their genes to slip in.
But recent research has revealed an intriguing new twist to our viral legacy. It turns out that the viral surface protein in question has a second job. It also tamps down the immune system of its host. If the protein is altered to make it unable to suppress the immune response, viruses cannot successfully infect their hosts.
Thierry Heidmann, a leading paleovirologist whom I spoke to for the article, suspects that this second function may have been critical in the evolution of the placenta. That’s because there are two major challenges to being a placental mammal. First off, mothers need to be able supply their embryos with lots of nutrition for a long time through their circulatory system. Second, they have to cool down their immune systems. A baby’s tissues would otherwise look to the mother’s immune system like foreign tissue and be quickly rejected. So it’s possible that viruses not only let mothers feed their babies, but not kill them either.
This is a story that’s just going to get cooler, so expect updates as necessary.
OKLAHOMA: Libertarian Republican favorite Randy Brogdon way behind in Governor’s race
From Eric Dondero:
Not so good news out of Oklahoma for Libertarian Republicans. State Senator Randy Brogdon, comes from the Constitutionalist wing of the GOP. He is a friend of the OK Libertarian Party, a member of Americans for Limited Government and an Advisory Board member for the Republican Liberty Caucus. But his campaign for Governor in the GOP primary, is struggling to get off the ground. A new poll finds Brogdon behind conservative Republican Mary Fallin by a significant margin.
Latest poll from the Tulsa World:
US Rep. Mary Fallin 68%
State Sen. Randy Brogdon 16%
Rep. Fallin is a staunch conservative, with an NTU score of 94. She has voted with her Republican colleagues in the House on 97% of all votes.
Some good news: The poll found Republican Fallin soundly beating expected Democrat nominee Drew Edmondson 51 to 39%.
Note - the Governor's Chair in Oklahoma is currently held by a Democrat.
Additional Note - Attorney General Edmondson, at the behest of the teachers unions and other liberal special interests, brought charges against libertarian activist and former Term Limits President Paul Jacob and two other Pro-Tax Cut initiative workers in 2006, for alleged wrongdoings in signature circulation. The charges were viewed as a highly partisan attack and were later dropped.
Penguins on the Beach at Betty’s Bay
Betty’s Bay is for the birds—penguins that is. You won’t find sunbathers along this curve of beach at Stony Point on the South African coast near Cape Town. Instead, you’ll see thousands of Jackass Penguins (also called African Penguins) swimming among the rocks and relics of the old whaling site.
Stroll along the wooden boardwalk that stretches on one side of the cove to see the web-footed birds huddled in groups on the sand. Undisturbed by the arrival of human visitors, they’ll come close, cocking their heads in curiosity, observing you as you observe them. After snapping their photo, you’ll swear that the friendly appearing birds were posing just for you.
Watch the penguins as they waddle out to sea, becoming sleek swimmers once in the water. After hearing the braying calls, you’ll understand why they’re called Jackass Penguins.
You’ll find Betty’s Bay on the Clarence Drive Route, a scenic coastal drive between Hermanus and Cape Town. The boardwalk provides easy walking for children, who will delight at the penguin’s funny antics. The area is also known as prime land-based whale watching territory.
Review by Donna L. Hull, My Itchy Travel Feet
Photo courtesy Donna L. Hull
A Hidden Gem – San Agustinillo, Oaxaca, Mexico
San Agustinillo Beach, Oaxaca, Mexico
The Mexican state of Oaxaca is blessed with a gorgeous Pacific coastline littered with tiny beach destinations that are off the beaten track. When driving from Oaxaca towards the coast you arrive at Puerto Angel where you can either choose to head west towards Puerto Escondido, or east towards Huatulco. If you take the beach road towards Puerto Escondido you will come across beach town after beach town with nothing but tiny cabanas and huts that sit directly on the beach. If you’re after a tranquil setting with gorgeous ocean views and nothing to do except lounge on the beach, San Agustinillo is the place for you.
Bambu is an eco-friendly cluster of about 5 cabanas made up of, you guessed it, bamboo, in an eclectic Mexican style. They don’t take reservations and they have no formal address. You just show up and ask the proprietor, Memo, if there is any availability. For about US$50/night you can expect charming accommodation right on he beach, sleeping to the sound of the ocean and a gentle breeze under a mosquito net.
A Cabana at Bambu, San Agustinillo, Oaxaca, Mexico
This particular stretch of the coast is popular among surfers, even though I wasn’t able to spot any during my stay. The water is a bit rough, so you want to be careful if you decide to go in. La Termita is an excellent pizza restaurant operated by a family from Argentina close to Bambu.
San Agustinillo Beach, Oaxaca, Mexico
Photo credit: Marisa Marchitelli
Huey Lewis gets the News: Government confiscating Private Property not some sort of "libertarian gobbledy-gook"
by Paul Jacob
“Frankly, I’m an Obama guy . . . You hear these sort-of horror stories about the government is gonna take your property, or they’re gonna confiscate your ground, and I always thought it was some sort of libertarian gobbledy-gook. But in this case this is exactly what’s happening.”
That was Huey Lewis; this is the news: The Mitchell Slough, in the Bitterroots of Montana, is a century-old irrigation ditch. Newcomers to the area, including rocker Huey Lewis, worked on the slough to make it better for fish. Though farmers were at first skeptical, the redigging and unsilting made the slough better for agriculture as well as for fish.
But those fish are valuable. Other folks covet them.
In Montana, natural water bodies must be accessible to the public. So the recreation lobby took the slough’s owners to court.
At first, the historical facts of this man-made water system held sway. But the Montana State Supreme Court overturned all this, caving in to the intense political pressure to open up the slough to public access.
People with fishing rods may rejoice now, but their victory will be Pyrrhic. The fish and wildlife will degrade. Basically, Montana’s highest court unleashed what is called the “tragedy of the commons.” Public access of a common resource often leads to overuse, in this case, over-fishing. It’s sad news for Huey Lewis, farmers, fishermen . . . and fish.
Paul Jacob is President of Citizens in Charge. His blog is Common Sense.
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver to Keynote the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in February
Washington, D.C.– NASA’s Deputy Administrator, Lori Garver, will be the opening keynote speaker at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference on February 18-20, 2010, at which scientists, engineers, educators, and vehicle developers will gather to discuss the research and education benefits of new commercial suborbital spacecraft.
The conference, co-organized by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), and the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), will take place in Boulder, Colorado. Deputy Administrator Garver is scheduled to speak on the opening day of the conference on Thursday, February 18.
“We are honored to have Lori Garver keynote the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference,” said Bretton Alexander, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. “The commercial spaceflight industry is excited to work with NASA and other government agencies to utilize new commercial vehicles for science, technology development, workforce development, and education. Companies such as Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems, Virgin Galactic, Armadillo Aerospace, and XCOR Aerospace are developing and testing suborbital vehicles that will enable exciting new scientific and research applications.”
Space scientist and lead conference organizer Dr. S. Alan Stern, chair of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s Suborbital Applications Researchers Group (SARG), stated, “The Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference will mark a watershed moment in the growth of research and education applications for these new commercial spacecraft.” Stern, who also serves as Associate Vice President at the Southwest Research Institute, added, “Lori Garver will join an all-star lineup of speakers that includes Dr. Pete Worden, NASA Ames Research Center Director; Dr. George Nield, Associate Administrator of the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation; former NASA astronauts Rick Searfoss and Sam Durrance; and a multidisciplinary group of leading scientists, engineers, and educators. We encourage anyone with an interest in this growing new industry to come and join us in Boulder, Colorado next month.”
For more information and to register for the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/nsrc2010/. A discount for early pre-registration is available through Friday, January 15, 2010.
Lori B. Garver has served as Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration since July 17, 2009. As deputy administrator, Garver is NASA’s second in command. She is responsible to the administrator for providing overall leadership, planning, and policy direction for the agency. Garver represents NASA to the Executive Office of the President, Congress, heads of government agencies, international organizations, and external organizations and communities. She also oversees the work of NASA’s functional offices, including the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of General Counsel and Office of Strategic Communications.
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. CSF member organizations include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, and spaceports. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is governed by a board of directors, composed of the member companies’ CEO-level officers and entrepreneurs. For more information please visit http://www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director John Gedmark at john@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
january and exotic fruits
today wei went to get a haircut and on the way home we stopped at a fruit market. i got my firstever dragonfruit some strawberries and some oranges. there was a lot of exotic stuff that i had never seen before google told me the purple things that look like a plumpersimmon cross are actually mangosteen i have mangosteen lotion but for some reason i thought the fruit would be more uh man
On the road again…
So after dropping Luke off at the station and spending the day in Gokarna we headed back to Om Beach which is the closest you can get to Paradise Beach by road usually we just get a boat for the next part. This time we decided stupidly to take the one hour cliff walk just as the sun had gone down. Its pretty sketchy at the best of times but when its dark its pretty dangerous. We managed to do t
‘Lady where you from’ ‘England" "ahh Manchester or Arsenal"
So soince i last left a blog thingy i have made three australian friends moved to Kitengela taught a class been given work to mark at home risked my life on a matatu eaten using my hands and so many others i dont know where to start.Very briefly on sturday three australians arrived and i spen the next couple of days with them we went to a restaurant and ordered chicken stew. We were then to
Day Ten Siem Reap to Bangkok
Day Ten Two Nights In Bangkok The Worldrsquos Our Oyster...It was with a heavy heart we left Cambodia the small taster we had was enough to convince me to return for a few weeks next time. The people are lovely and welcoming the poverty and recent history is shocking.We took a taxi to Poipet on the CambodianThai border a shithole that is infamous for its scams on foreigners entering fro
My African Journey Jan 3 to Jan 8
My African tourJan 3 and 4thSo my first flight out of the USA got cancelledrescheduled to about 5 hours later only to have it delayed another 2 hours when I arrived at the airport. Then we boarded when were were supposedly leaving and then sat on the plane for about another hour. Good start. I did meet a cople of kids when I went though security that were studing abroad here for a few weeks I ov
25 days left till departure
Wow Only 25 days left before I'm leaving this nice but cold little country heading for Canada. As most of you will know by now I'll be working at the Holland Heineken House in Vancouver during the Winter Olympics next month. I'm looking so much forward to it Being back in the city meeting up with old study mates from my exchange at VIU and of course experiencing the Olympics will make it a
Day Nine Angkor
Day Nine Tomb Raiding with the Giant Grosvenor GirlWe had arranged two tuk tuks to drive us around the Angkor site the next day. Without going into it too much Angkor is the ancient capital of Cambodia built from the 9th century and abandoned a few hundred years later. It spanned an area the size of modern Paris and no other city in the world was as large as it until the 20th century. Googler
Bangkok
We are in BangkokGot here early morn local time on Sunday. It's HOOOOOOT and sunny. HallelujaHad a pretty relaxing first day with a bit of shopping on Kaosan Road market eating and sleeping so jetlagged. Today we had a bit of a bad day with waking up at 4am wide awake meant to be picked up by a tour guide to go on a river cruise at 7.30am who never showed up So killed a few hours by the
Nieuwe regering
Iedereen heeft denk ik wel gehoord van de rampzalig verlopen presidentsverkiezingen in Afghanistan vorig jaar. Er werd op alle fronten gesjoemeld en gefraudeerd maar uiteindelijk werd er toch een uitslag vastgesteld voor wat deze waard is. President Karzai heeft inmiddels zijn nieuwe regeringsploeg van 24 ministers bekendgemaakt. Daarvan heeft het parlement in eerste instantie slechts 7 kandida
Pro Bowl and Super Bowl to be Played in South Florida
South Florida is well known among travelers far and wide for its exquisite beaches tropical temperatures and sizzling nightlife. But herersquos yet another reason to visit this sundrenched mecca for shopping and dining this winter It will the site of two of the most widely watched sports games in the world Landshark Stadium conveniently nestled between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale will host th