It has become apparent to me that the best thing that the Federal government can do for the states in the Gulf is to leave and let each state do what needs to be done to protect there beaches and wet lands.
In the past when disaster struck the Feds would provide money and advice but the states had control of the situation on the ground and that system worked well for years. Now that the Feds have taken over full control we are suddenly a country that can not do anything right. We have become the gang that can't shoot straight.
Each agency seems to enforcing its little areas of authority with no regard as to the fact that this is an emergency and they are working at cross purposes, stopping the states from taking action while they review but never decide.
It is right that the Feds be in-charge at the drill site states jurisdiction ends at the beach but the Feds need to let locals that know the waters decide how to save themselves.
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spill-gov-bobby-jindals-wishes-crude/story?id=10946379
Friday, June 18, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The President’s Address
Watching the President’s address to the nation today made me feel like a time traveler because I flashed back to Jimmy Carter. It was weird except for the mention of the war the rest reminded me of more than one speech by then President Carter in the late 70’s.
First was the mention of the bad economy then the environment of coarse Carter did not have to deal with anything like the Gulf oil spill. The last part could have been the speech announcing the formation of the Department of Energy.
Since the oil embargo of the early 70’s the US government has known we needed to do something about our dependence on foreign oil. The problem is no one in the government wanted to do anything real about it.
Carter created the Department of Energy to manage US energy policy and since its birth it has done nothing. Oh it has spent billions on energy research ranging from fusion to clean coal but it has not changed one thing in the US except let the amount of imported oil increase over the years.
In the realm of energy Carter did mandate the first car gas mileage standards, had all government agencies set an example for conservation by setting heating thermostats to 68 degrees which was fun in the winters of 78 through 80. Carter also helped kill the nuclear power industry here in the US, which really put us on the road to energy independence.
The Department of Energy helped kill the idea of orbital solar power stations and instead we had a tax subsidy for solar water heaters for homes. In the whole the DOE has been a colossal waste of US tax dollars from day one. Both political parties for the last 30 plus years has had no interest in doing anything to make America energy independent it was to easy and profitable to stay with the status quo.
Now President Obama is going to use the Gulf oil spill to help push through the democrats energy policies which are carbon taxes and wind, solar and some nuclear power. Now it all sounds good if you do not think about it to hard. Discounting global warming for a second here the major problem has been the same, our use of oil.
To reduce our oil consumption we need to reduce or eliminate gasoline powered automobiles and stop people in the Northeast from using heating oil in the winter. Building solar, wind and nuclear power stations are going to do this how, most of the electricity in the US is produced by coal, nuclear and natural gas.
The Federal government spent what 100 billion saving GM and Chrysler last year and they build gasoline cars. The technology for electric cars is not ready for primetime and even if it was it would take years to convert the fleet of cars driven by the American people. We won’t even talk about other fuel sources because again it would take 30 to 50 years to build out the infrastructure to switch to hydrogen or E85.
Now I do happen to believe we need to do this but not in the way the left wants us to. The bills currently in the house and senate are a greens wet dream that will cripple US industrial production and sink the shaky economy. I also have my doubts that the DOE can do anything this ambitious. The Department’s track record is dismal and other than regulating industries the left does not like I do not see a plan to change the American people’s cars from gasoline or switching homes now heated by oil to natural gas or electricity.
There is one more interesting fact that almost never gets mentioned in the media or in Washington. The number one user of oil is (wait for it) the Department of Defense. That’s right my follow citizens the biggest user of oil is the government itself.
First was the mention of the bad economy then the environment of coarse Carter did not have to deal with anything like the Gulf oil spill. The last part could have been the speech announcing the formation of the Department of Energy.
Since the oil embargo of the early 70’s the US government has known we needed to do something about our dependence on foreign oil. The problem is no one in the government wanted to do anything real about it.
Carter created the Department of Energy to manage US energy policy and since its birth it has done nothing. Oh it has spent billions on energy research ranging from fusion to clean coal but it has not changed one thing in the US except let the amount of imported oil increase over the years.
In the realm of energy Carter did mandate the first car gas mileage standards, had all government agencies set an example for conservation by setting heating thermostats to 68 degrees which was fun in the winters of 78 through 80. Carter also helped kill the nuclear power industry here in the US, which really put us on the road to energy independence.
The Department of Energy helped kill the idea of orbital solar power stations and instead we had a tax subsidy for solar water heaters for homes. In the whole the DOE has been a colossal waste of US tax dollars from day one. Both political parties for the last 30 plus years has had no interest in doing anything to make America energy independent it was to easy and profitable to stay with the status quo.
Now President Obama is going to use the Gulf oil spill to help push through the democrats energy policies which are carbon taxes and wind, solar and some nuclear power. Now it all sounds good if you do not think about it to hard. Discounting global warming for a second here the major problem has been the same, our use of oil.
To reduce our oil consumption we need to reduce or eliminate gasoline powered automobiles and stop people in the Northeast from using heating oil in the winter. Building solar, wind and nuclear power stations are going to do this how, most of the electricity in the US is produced by coal, nuclear and natural gas.
The Federal government spent what 100 billion saving GM and Chrysler last year and they build gasoline cars. The technology for electric cars is not ready for primetime and even if it was it would take years to convert the fleet of cars driven by the American people. We won’t even talk about other fuel sources because again it would take 30 to 50 years to build out the infrastructure to switch to hydrogen or E85.
Now I do happen to believe we need to do this but not in the way the left wants us to. The bills currently in the house and senate are a greens wet dream that will cripple US industrial production and sink the shaky economy. I also have my doubts that the DOE can do anything this ambitious. The Department’s track record is dismal and other than regulating industries the left does not like I do not see a plan to change the American people’s cars from gasoline or switching homes now heated by oil to natural gas or electricity.
There is one more interesting fact that almost never gets mentioned in the media or in Washington. The number one user of oil is (wait for it) the Department of Defense. That’s right my follow citizens the biggest user of oil is the government itself.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
What are these guys doing
I need to stop watching TV (so called) news programs because listening to the party hacks give excuses for the dismal handling of the Gulf oil spill is really starting to piss me off.
We are told that BP has the responsibility for the clean up and the federal government does not have the means to handle the leak. Well why not for two hundred years the US Navy has been charged with not only being a military force but being the American people’s point men (and women) on all thing nautical.
The robotic technology that is now being used to work the leak was developed by the US Navy back in the 60”s and 70’s. The Navy once had the NR-1 a nuclear powered DSV that could have reached the depths they are working at. Who in congress and the DOD let this capability be pissed away?
Yes I am for a smaller federal government but the Navy is part of the smaller government I envision, it is a government function created in the constitution to protect and defend the people. This is one of the functions that the Navy would have been involved in fifty years ago it would have been the lead agency on this leak.
I do not care if the erosion of the deep sea capability of the Navy is because of the lefts hatred of all thing military or the rights misguided belief that all thing should be privatized it is a crime of epic proportions.
Part of my outage is that as an ex-bluejacket I know what my loved Navy could once do. The Navy once explored the depths not only for military reasons but for scientific knowledge. The Navy not only defended Americans access to the seas but worked to develop the technologies need to use and understand the oceans. I want to know when did this changed and why? If this is now to be done by the NOAA and the Coast Guard then why don’t they have the capabilities to fix this mess.
We are told that BP has the responsibility for the clean up and the federal government does not have the means to handle the leak. Well why not for two hundred years the US Navy has been charged with not only being a military force but being the American people’s point men (and women) on all thing nautical.
The robotic technology that is now being used to work the leak was developed by the US Navy back in the 60”s and 70’s. The Navy once had the NR-1 a nuclear powered DSV that could have reached the depths they are working at. Who in congress and the DOD let this capability be pissed away?
Yes I am for a smaller federal government but the Navy is part of the smaller government I envision, it is a government function created in the constitution to protect and defend the people. This is one of the functions that the Navy would have been involved in fifty years ago it would have been the lead agency on this leak.
I do not care if the erosion of the deep sea capability of the Navy is because of the lefts hatred of all thing military or the rights misguided belief that all thing should be privatized it is a crime of epic proportions.
Part of my outage is that as an ex-bluejacket I know what my loved Navy could once do. The Navy once explored the depths not only for military reasons but for scientific knowledge. The Navy not only defended Americans access to the seas but worked to develop the technologies need to use and understand the oceans. I want to know when did this changed and why? If this is now to be done by the NOAA and the Coast Guard then why don’t they have the capabilities to fix this mess.
Friday, June 11, 2010
I am getting sick and tired
Before I start my rant I would like to say I am a conservative leaning heavily toward libertarian so that is partly where I am coming from but I am also an American.
Now watching the news the last few weeks one can not know about the oil spill in the Gulf. It might be the biggest ecological disaster in my lifetime and I can not figure out what the hell the federal government is doing. Is it just me or has the feds become less effective in the last 12 years or so.
It seems that since about ’98 the leadership of our government worries more about the politics of a situation than solving the situation in the first place. We see this in the immigration debate in the war policy after the initial victory and now the Gulf oil spill.
This seeing everything as a political battle to be fought is the attitude of both major parties. The republicans and the democrats spend more time screaming at each other than thinking of solutions. The Gulf is dying while both parties rise money and generate talking points.
The questions are many like why did the government turn down help from the Dutch government when they wanted to send ships equipped with skimmers? Why is their still a warehouse full of booms that could have saved miles of coastline still not used? Why do they not rescind the Jones act so foreign ships can help in the clean up?
There is more but listing them is just depressing me and does not answer the biggest question, do the elected officials in Washington from the President to the congress really care about what happens in this country or do they only care for their own positions and power.
One of the basic functions of the government is to defend the country from human and natural calamities. So far the federal government has failed in this and if they can not stop the political bullshit to save the gulf than maybe it’s time to rethink the power we the people give them.
Now watching the news the last few weeks one can not know about the oil spill in the Gulf. It might be the biggest ecological disaster in my lifetime and I can not figure out what the hell the federal government is doing. Is it just me or has the feds become less effective in the last 12 years or so.
It seems that since about ’98 the leadership of our government worries more about the politics of a situation than solving the situation in the first place. We see this in the immigration debate in the war policy after the initial victory and now the Gulf oil spill.
This seeing everything as a political battle to be fought is the attitude of both major parties. The republicans and the democrats spend more time screaming at each other than thinking of solutions. The Gulf is dying while both parties rise money and generate talking points.
The questions are many like why did the government turn down help from the Dutch government when they wanted to send ships equipped with skimmers? Why is their still a warehouse full of booms that could have saved miles of coastline still not used? Why do they not rescind the Jones act so foreign ships can help in the clean up?
There is more but listing them is just depressing me and does not answer the biggest question, do the elected officials in Washington from the President to the congress really care about what happens in this country or do they only care for their own positions and power.
One of the basic functions of the government is to defend the country from human and natural calamities. So far the federal government has failed in this and if they can not stop the political bullshit to save the gulf than maybe it’s time to rethink the power we the people give them.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
My Rant on Space program from Repubibot.com
Yesterday’s successful launch of the Falcon 9 and its Dragon mock up reaching orbit is a technical triumph for Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX). The company has proved that space flight can be done cheaper and faster than the current NASA contractor cabal.
Elon Musk the company’s CEO believed that it was important that man colonize space and thought that it would never happen if left to governments and the big aerospace contractors. In 2002 Musk started the company with 100 million of his personal money.
What the Falcon 9 launch is not is a vindication of the Obama administration’s new space plans. It is a fortunate coincidence that companies like SpaceX and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin are ready to take their shot at supplying orbital services. These companies are the vision of men that made their fortunes in the dotcom age and have spent their money on what they believe is man’s future.
The Obama administration’s space plan is less a vision and more a political maneuver to change the flow of money from one group to one that is more supportive of the Democratic Party. It actually slows the possibility of American manned space flight not enhancing it.
While I believe there is an important place for the private sector in the future of space I also believe that if we want that future to be free a vigorous manned program supported by the American people through their government must exist. Yes private companies can provide services cheaper and faster than the old NASA way of doing things but they can not provide a national vision and carry American values to the stars. Only the people can do that and the instrument of the people is the government.
The current plan abdicates space to the Russians, Chinese and Indians. All fine and brave people but they do not share are belief in the equality of all people and our democratic principals. This is much more than whether man will make it to Mars this century this is about what we want the future to look like. Do we want the future dominated by people who do not believe in freedom for all or do we want a future were freedom is still respected and cherished.
Elon Musk the company’s CEO believed that it was important that man colonize space and thought that it would never happen if left to governments and the big aerospace contractors. In 2002 Musk started the company with 100 million of his personal money.
What the Falcon 9 launch is not is a vindication of the Obama administration’s new space plans. It is a fortunate coincidence that companies like SpaceX and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin are ready to take their shot at supplying orbital services. These companies are the vision of men that made their fortunes in the dotcom age and have spent their money on what they believe is man’s future.
The Obama administration’s space plan is less a vision and more a political maneuver to change the flow of money from one group to one that is more supportive of the Democratic Party. It actually slows the possibility of American manned space flight not enhancing it.
While I believe there is an important place for the private sector in the future of space I also believe that if we want that future to be free a vigorous manned program supported by the American people through their government must exist. Yes private companies can provide services cheaper and faster than the old NASA way of doing things but they can not provide a national vision and carry American values to the stars. Only the people can do that and the instrument of the people is the government.
The current plan abdicates space to the Russians, Chinese and Indians. All fine and brave people but they do not share are belief in the equality of all people and our democratic principals. This is much more than whether man will make it to Mars this century this is about what we want the future to look like. Do we want the future dominated by people who do not believe in freedom for all or do we want a future were freedom is still respected and cherished.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
IO9 votes 1977 as best sci fi year ever
This is my comment to 1977 being voted best year ever for sci fi because of Star Wars.
1977 really Star Wars a film that stole whole tropes from books that came before is beating out 1912. A year full of literature that started almost all the tropes that Star Wars used.
Do you people even know the joy of reading a story and letting your imagination fill your mind with the images that the words help you create or does everything have to be pre-visualized for you.
Sorry for the rant but Star Wars, I mean I saw it when it was first released when I was 16 and liked it. But I did not think it was the next best thing to oral sex like some of you guys do. It was enjoyable and still is but it is also derivative of E.E Doc Smith and a dozen other golden age space opera writers.
Maybe because I read sci fi since I was a kid during the Apollo years that Star Wars just did not have the impact on me, maybe if it was the first sci fi I every saw but nope it wasn't.
1977 really Star Wars a film that stole whole tropes from books that came before is beating out 1912. A year full of literature that started almost all the tropes that Star Wars used.
Do you people even know the joy of reading a story and letting your imagination fill your mind with the images that the words help you create or does everything have to be pre-visualized for you.
Sorry for the rant but Star Wars, I mean I saw it when it was first released when I was 16 and liked it. But I did not think it was the next best thing to oral sex like some of you guys do. It was enjoyable and still is but it is also derivative of E.E Doc Smith and a dozen other golden age space opera writers.
Maybe because I read sci fi since I was a kid during the Apollo years that Star Wars just did not have the impact on me, maybe if it was the first sci fi I every saw but nope it wasn't.
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