March 14, 2010 archive

Late Night Karaoke

Open Thread

The billionaire waltz: Every silver lining has a cloud.

Eric Sprott recaps the last financial decade as a prelude to the future:

To stem the flow of money out of US-based money market funds, Paulson had to provide an almost instant guarantee on all money market funds held within the US. Kanjorski recounts, “If they had not done that, their estimation was that by 2pm that afternoon (September 18th), $5.5 trillion would have been drawn out of the money market system of the United States, [which] would have collapsed the entire economy of the United States, and within 24 hours the world economy would have collapsed. We talked at that time about what would happen if that happened. It would have been the end of our economic system and our political system as we know it.”7 Further details of these meetings have been provided by Senator James Inhofe, who recounted that Paulson had warned of martial law and civil unrest if the TARP bill failed.8

We were literally hours away from worldwide financial collapse, civil unrest, and martial law, but Hank Paulson somehow managed to leave those flashbulb memories out of his “memoir.”  Sprott, among others, predicted it all, from the NASDAQ bubble collapse, the evils of the subsequent “lending mania” in the years afterward to “ease the pain,” and which led directly to the housing bubble, and current housing collapse itself.

’24’ Over; Torture Remains

It is being reported that the television show ’24’ is ending.  Good riddance.  If you don’t know about the show, it featured a character named Jack Bauer, who, when faced with “ticking time bomb” scenarios wasn’t afraid to use a little torture to get the plot and save the day.

But, what was ’24’ ACTUALLY used for, and, what was the result of it?

Michael Mann, Target of Climategate, takes on his Critics

I personally believe western civilization, in general, suffers from a serious lack of “Science Literacy”. Even though it is Science that has allowed us to achieve so much as a Species, and as a Society — it is this same Science that far too many treat as “magic”, as “geeky”, as “Debatable”.

Funny that those who most question Science’s usefulness, seem to appoint themselves as “Experts”, capable of dismissing its “Findings”.

(Based on what Expertise? … one should always ask back.)

Well IF Science is indeed, Debatable — shouldn’t it be ACTUAL Scientists Doing the Debating???

(and not the well paid shills from industry and politics, who’s goals are typically to create “more heat than light”?)

Well there is a very interesting Interview conducted by Discover Magazine that attempts to do just that — Let the Pro and Con Climatologists critique each other … Let the Scientists Speak for themselves!

I have pulled some of the interesting sections of that “debate” for your elucidation …

(though I recommend reading the entire article if you are so inclined.)

In Memorium: The Passing of a Parent

Many of us have been down this road. One day we all will, just not as publicly.

Theodore C. Olbermann, 1929-2010

My father died, in the city of his birth, New York, at 3:50 EST this afternoon.

Though the financial constraints of his youth made college infeasible, he accomplished the near-impossible, becoming an architect licensed in 40 states. Much of his work was commercial, for a series of shoe store chains and department stores. There was a time in the 1970’s when nearly all of the Baskin-Robbins outlets in the country had been built to his design, and under his direction. Through much of my youth and my early adult life, it was almost impossible to be anywhere in this country and not be a short drive to one of “his” stores.

My Dad was predeceased last year by my mother, Marie, his wife of nearly 60 years. He died peacefully after a long fight against the complications that ensued after successful colon surgery last September at the New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center. My sister Jenna and I were at his side, and I was reading him his favorite James Thurber short stories, as he left us.

Blessed Be

May the Goddess guide him on his journey to the Summerlands. May Keith, his family , his friends and all of us find Peace.

You’re doing some very funny things with words here.

You’re also turning the sky into mud. I look down, I don’t believe the filth. Using rivers for toilets. Poisoning my fishes. You want a miracle? You make a fish from scratch. You can’t. You think only god can make a tree? Try coming up with a mackerel! And when the last one is gone that’ll be that. 86 on the fishes. Goodbye sky. So long world. Over. And. Out.

I thought you said we were going to make it!

I said you’ve gotta make it work.

You don’t care!

I do care.

Well then, do something about it!

I did. I got you to carry the ball.

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