The UN climate conference in Bali met strong opposition — just hours ago — from a team of over 100 prominent “international scientists,” who warned the UN that attempting to control the Earth’s climate by limiting CO2 emmissions was “ultimately futile.”

The signers released an open letter to the UN Secretary-General questioning the scientific basis for climate change solutions, saying:

“Attempts to prevent global climate change from occurring are ultimately futile, and constitute a tragic misallocation of resources that would be better spent on humanity’s real and pressing problems.”

The actual letter and all signers appear below the fold.

The ridiculously weak US dollar is supposed to provide at least a few advantages to the poor Americans who are stuck with them. For example, we should expect more international tourism, increased consummerism, and a boost to hotels and restaurants. But that’s not happening. Foreign tourists are shunning the United States because they are appalled by the way they are treated trying to enter this country.

British tourists turn their backs on America

Fewer Britons are visiting the United States than in the year 2000, despite an exchange rate that makes holidays much better value than they were then. This week, when the pound rose to $2.07, its highest level against the dollar for 26 years, the US Office of Travel and Tourism Industries released figures that confirm how badly tourism from Britain has been suffering since the terrorist attacks of 2001 and the measures enacted in response to them.

Now why is that? (As if you couldn’t guess.)

I know there is nothing I enjoy more than a surprise rectal exam upon arriving at my vacation destination. How about you?

With the collapse of the dollar making everything in the US cheap beyond belief, you’d think that the tourists would be clammoring to stay and play. This should have been a record year for the US travel industry, in line with a rapid rise in global tourism and our peso-like currency.

Discover America Partnership (DAP), an umbrella body of leading figures in the US tourism industry, is working to cut waiting times at airport arrivals, streamline customs controls and offer a friendlier welcome in an attempt to attract more holidaymakers.

Unfortunately, it estimates that since 2001 international visitors to Boston have fallen by 25 per cent, to Miami by 33 per cent, to Chicago by 21 per cent and to Los Angeles by 29 per cent.

For starters, our visitors (with their tourist cash) are now required to have prints taken of all 10 fingers. But that is only for starters. Wait… You can’t believe how seriously we demean them…

A spokesman for the Discover America Partnership said: “Ten-finger scan technology will improve security and streamline the entry process. However, deployment of the technology may be misconstrued as unwelcoming and intrusive, further discouraging inbound overseas travel.”

Ya think? Find out how grossed out US visitors really are, below.

And, so it should be. Self-described Democrats are generally better educated than Republicans, and they are more likely to view society as an interrelated system that is as strong as its weakest links. Thus, Democrats are more inclined to care about the health and welfare their fellowman.

According to a recent Heritage Foundation study, Democrats control the majority of the country’s wealthiest congressional jurisdictions. Most of Americas wealthiest households are located in the 18 states where Democrats control both Senate seats. The Heritage Foundation looked at two categories of taxpayers: single filers with income above $100,000 and married filers with income above $200,000.

Are they wealthy because they are Democrats?

Or, are they Democrats because they are wealthy?

This Essay is no big deal.

I simply had a few moments before the markets closed — as I watched the Dow crumble along with the Dollar — so I thought I would read a few blogs on the Right and see what they’re talking about today. I like to read the Right Wing blogs when they discuss the economy. The Right thinks America has a grrrreat economy. Most of the time, it’s really pretty funny (gawd they’re dumb) but overall, their “optimism” can be a soothing balm after a big dose of reality.

Anyway, I noticed four “busy” topics over there I thought I would bring back here. (Plus, I’ve added a little note on each about how your fellow-voters see America and your place in it):

Some House Backers of Thompson Are Starting to Lose the Faith

Several House Republicans who endorsed Fred Thompson for president now say that they are frustrated with what they view as an apathetic campaign, and at least one regrets having committed to the former Tennessee senator.

“I think he’s kind of done a belly flop,” said an estranged Thompson backer who indicated he will not pull his public support before the “Super Tuesday” primaries. “We’ll just wait till after Feb. 5 because I think he’s going to get beat.”

The disaffected members of team Thompson say that he has failed to put to rest whispers that he is unwilling to campaign hard enough to win the presidency.

“He seems to be perpetuating it instead of defeating it,” another dissatisfied Thompson backer told CQ Politics. “I can’t see me bailing on him, but there’s some frustration.”

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Typical Right Wing Reaction: “I started reading the article, but I stopped because it was a crock.”

U.S. Prison System a ‘Costly Failure’  

The report calls for a major overhaul of the US justice system.

The US prison population has risen eight-fold since 1970, with little impact on crime but at great cost to the taxpayer, researchers say.

There are more than 1.5 million people in US state and federal jails, a report by a Washington-based criminal justice research group, the JFA Institute says.

Inmate numbers are projected to rise by 192,000 in five years, costing $27.5bn (£13.44bn) to build and run jails.

The JFA recommends reducing the number and length of sentences.

The Unlocking America report, which was published on Monday, also advocated changing terms of parole and finding alternatives to prison as part of a major overhaul of the US justice system.

“There is no evidence that keeping people in prison longer makes us any safer,” said JFA president James Austin.

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Typical Right Wing Reaction:  “Liberals want prison reform because their base is mostly felons.”

What follows is a collection of quotes from reports and investment signals I receive every day. Most of these are not free. In fact, I pay as much as $3,000 per year for some of my subscriptions. I’ve made selections from the past four days — to give you a peek behind the curtain.

My focus is on global markets and currencies (with side orders of petroleum and commodities). Meanwhile, the world’s focus is on deliberately kicking America’s ass (even if it hurts them in the short term). Many nations are willing to take a hard economic hit to rid the world of a dangerous invading nation with an insane leader threatening to “throw atomic bombs” at his make-believe enemies. As a result, experienced U.S. investors have been dumping their US dollars (frantically over the past ten days) — except for:

1. Investment professionals who watch CNBC — the corporate-profit-driven business cable channel with a propaganda mission to drive up the Dow.

2. Investment professionals with a case of cognitive dissonance, indecisive paralysis, senile dementia, or right-wing brain rot.

Your hand-picked selection of financial quotes appears below the fold.

You know what’s funny about the story below? Here’s what:

Zimbabwe is the only country that prints more dollars that we do. Barely….

A million Zimbabwe dollars now buys $US1

October 22, 2007

ZIMBABWE’s currency has fallen to record levels, with one million Zimbabwean dollars buying a single US dollar ($1.12) and inflation reaching 8000 per cent.

The data was announced as people in the capital, Harare, struggled to cope without electricity for the third day. “We closed our business today (Saturday),” said a woman who helps to run a major petrol supplier. “We just can’t operate like this.”

The National Blood Transfusion Service said it had been unable to test blood since Tuesday.

At independence in 1980, the Zimbabwean dollar held parity with the US dollar but has suffered from the economic policies of President Robert Mugabe; at the beginning of this year it was $Z2800 to $US1 and 10 days ago $Z500,000.

Mugabe has struggled to curb inflation and in July ordered businesses to halve their prices to alleviate the country’s woes.

The order resulted in the arrest of about 10,000 business people as thousands of police officers raided companies, malls and markets to take goods marked above price control levels. “It shows the lunacy of their belief they can legislate against inflation and bring it down at the barrel of a gun,” said economist Rob Davies.

It was a wild ride in the markets last week. By Friday, the stock market plummeted nearly 370 points in a single day; oil reached an intraday high of $90 per barrel; gold hit its all-time high, the Dollar reached its all-time low against the Euro, Pound, and most other world currencies; and China, Japan, and other nations dumped U.S. Treasuries at an historic pace. Oh, and I’m making money hand over fist by betting against America.

As the global economy grows stronger, countries become more tightly linked to one another. And that link is based entirely around money changing hands — or, in other words, foreign exchange. What follows is an investment tip from one of my paid advisors. The reason I’m writing about this is not so much about making money — but about the rationale expressed for for the investment strategy.

Everyone in the world knows the information that follows (except for Americans, of course). Because currency-based trading is a zero-sum game, in order to make money, someone has to lose money. From the world’s point-of-view, the losers should be the people behind the most dangerous rogue nation in the world. You know, the “voters” who elected the oil-fascist cowboy-imperialists twice in a row. It didn’t have to be this way, but it is. And, you don’t have to be one of the losers, either.

How bad is the situation in the U.S. financial system? Well let’s put it this way: Jeopardy, the popular TV quiz show, is about the only place you could make money by taking shares of the United States.

“I’ll Take ‘Shares of United States’ for US$500, Alex.”

The appeal of the U.S. is fading fast. At the end of last year, the fundamental backdrop for the U.S. included depressing figures like:

• Trade deficit of US$765.3 billion
• Current account deficit of US$856.7 billion (a not-so-small 6.5% of GDP)
• A gross national debt of US$8.5 TRILLION and still rising
• Exploding supply of money and credit

Okay, that’s the set-up. Below, is the investment strategy:

Whilst still living in his elderly mother’s basement — Jim Robinson manages to publish his technologically-retarded “blog,” that he calls Free Republic.

If you are not familiar with it — it is a well know shithole of right wing haters who were recently invited to the White House by our own “nappy-headed whore” of a president, George Bush.

Well, it seems that Jim woke up with a giant woody tonight, and Squirted a Nocturnal Emission of a Manifesto about what he — and the other limp dicks over at Free Republic — stand for.

Normally, I ignore his wanking spew, but I feel that one priceless “section” of his hate rant should be featured for all the world to see. I mean, we certainly don’t want anyone to overlook that a piece-of-crap like Jim exists in the world we live in.

You can read Jim Robinson’s rant below the foreskin….

Since this is the season of “eating your own” — I came across this list of Right Wingers who are most-hated by their fellow wingnuts. There are some curious inclusions on the list that require some understanding of how folks “over there” think and strategize.

Right Wing News conducted their annual survey documenting the right’s least favorite righties. Most interesting news of it is that Ron Paul came in as most hated.

Here’s the list:

18) Ted Stevens (4)
18) Olympia Snowe (4)
18) Mel Martinez (4)
18) Sean Hannity (4)
18) Lincoln Chafee (4)
17) Bill O’Reilly (5)
14) Lindsey Graham (6)
14) George W. Bush (6)
14) Mitt Romney (6)
12) Arnold Schwarzenegger (9)
12) Rudy Giuliani (9)
8) Andrew Sullivan (11)
8) Chuck Hagel (11)
8) James Dobson (11)
8) Ann Coulter (11)
6) Arlen Specter (12)
6) Pat Robertson (12)
4) Larry Craig (13)
4) Michael Savage (13)
3) John McCain (17)
2) Pat Buchanan (18)
1) Ron Paul (23)

Of course the list is queer and upside down — so you’ll have to use your intellect (as usual) to figure out what your lower-IQ opponents are trying to portray.

Quoting most of this article probably breaks all the rules, but I just don’t feel like embellishing it. It’s an interesting dilemma.

Lured by cheaper costs, more Americans head south of the border
to live out their leisure years

AJIJIC, MEXICO – Drawn by the eternal spring weather and laid-back lifestyle, American retirees have been migrating to this lakeside village deep inside Mexico for decades.

Now, facing the sobering prospect that their money will run out before their last breath does, some are considering Ajijic and other expatriate communities across Mexico as a cheaper place to get needed care through the end of their lives.

Though few come with dying on their minds, tens of thousands of retirees long have been heading to this community on the shore of Mexico’s largest lake – and dozens of other towns and cities nationwide – looking to spend their leisure years in paradise.

The Margaritaville moments might last decades. But the life cycle spins on no matter where they may live, and the aging Americans face much the same tough choices on health care here that they would at home.

Increasingly, they have decided that Mexico is as good or better a place as any to face the inevitable.

“I would never go back home,” said Harold “Skip” Waggoner, 67, a former deputy sheriff from Central Florida who retired 12 years ago to Ajijic. “My mother spent five years in a nursing home. That’s scary.

Far be it from me of accusing the U.S. government of examining your genitals — or your children’s tiny privates — before you board an airplane for Disney World.

As a matter of fact — from a tremendously pragmatic point-of-view — I really do believe that all laws and constitutional rights pertaining to privacy should be suspended if the US government is to keep you safe. After all, the United States has forcefully created determined enemies who will attempt to kill you and your children, in revenge, for the next 50 years or so.

I mean, we killed their kids, right? Tit for tat and all that….

TSA Promises Privacy For Subjects Of Clothing-Penetrating Scans

The millimeter wave scanning system being tested at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport can see through clothing to detect weapons, explosives, and other objects.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration today promised to protect air travelers’ privacy as TSA personnel peer through their clothes.

The TSA has begun testing a millimeter wave scanning system at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport as an alternative to pat-downs performed by security personnel when secondary screening is deemed appropriate. The technology can see through clothing to detect weapons, explosives, and other objects.

The TSA said that energy emitted by millimeter wave technology — 10,000 times less than a cell phone — is safe, that the technology is intended to keep passengers safe, and that it will keep the potentially embarrassing images safe.

I attend quite a few global investment seminars. Every once in awhile, there are some unique and unexpected presentations on a variety of topics that are only tangential to investing. These include off-shore banking, privacy, passports, second citizenships, and international living.

I’ve seen several presentations by Mark Nestmann. He’s a solid investment specialist — but he also has a very savvy focus on privacy issues for U.S. citizens. Often, Mark accesses information that you won’t read about anywhere else. Here’s an example: (continued below the fold)