Quote
Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because you're being had.
Michael Crichton
|
By John Mauer
The final mission of the NASA Space Shuttle ended when Atlantis rolled to a stop at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 21, 2011. The International Space Station is currently being serviced by the Soyuz and Progress spacecraft from Russia, with the latest delivery of crew and supplies coming on December 23, 2011. But this year could bring a resurgence of American space flight, albeit with a twist. The first private, commercial, delivery by the American company, SpaceX, is scheduled for February 7, 2012.
 Dragon on Falcon 9, Photo: Mike Sheehan / SpaceX.
A candidate for public office in any contemporary democracy may have to consider what, if anything, to do about “global warming.” Candidates should understand that the oft-repeated claim that nearly all scientists demand that something dramatic be done to stop global warming is not true. In fact, a large and growing number of distinguished scientists and engineers do not agree that drastic actions on global warming are needed.
A letter from distinguished scientists to the Wall Street Journal, see story.
 Email This Post
Dr. Ivar Giaever, Nobel laureate, resigned as a Fellow from the American Physical Society (APS) on September 13, 2011 because of the group’s promotion of man-made global warming fears. In response to a query about his membership, he sent the following e-mail to APS Executive Officer Kate Kirby. In it, he chides the APS for their use of the unscientific word, “incontrovertible”, in describing theories about man-made global warming. (The e-mail first appeared on the website Climate Depot, and has been widely circulated in the physics community.)
Continue Reading
By John Mauer
At a September political rally, the President of the Teamsters Union, James Hoffa, attacked the Tea Party with rather forceful language. Other than the coarseness of his words, the militaristic references were not dissimilar to other political discourse from all sides. However, is it fair to ask whether his Teamsters really follow up with violent behavior, is the meaning of the words different in this case?
Continue Reading
By John Mauer
Ah, the dreaded value-added tax (VAT). The typical socialist response to taxation: hide an enormous sales tax from public view, burden all small business with increased administrative costs, create 100,000 new unproductive public jobs to regulate it, and build an onerous barrier for innovation. VAT is also a nice regressive tax to increase poverty as well as dependence on the state handouts.
Continue Reading
By John Mauer
Bank failures are now a common occurrence. The federal government has even forced many larger banks to simulate tough times. And, for some banks, these simulations have indicated the need for more capital to be set aside to further reduce risk (the risk of being taken over by the government). So, rather than lend these funds as mortgages, or commercial loans, banks now hold onto their extra capital out of fear. Banks are now hard on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside.
Continue Reading
By John Mauer
The other day, I heard someone refer to the Tea Party as terrorists, giving voice to that liberal progressive mantra (supposedly from Vice President Joe Biden). Because terrorists are, by definition, those who frighten others and cause fear, I wondered who could create such havoc among liberals. They turn out to be a little bit of everybody, and a lot of somebody.
Continue Reading
By John Mauer
Last year, a thief approached me and strongly suggested that I give him $100: a rather brazen thief engaged in wealth redistribution. Because I only had $50 on me at the time, I prayed he would take that and leave well enough alone. He thanked me in the spirit of compromise and left quickly.
Continue Reading
By John Mauer
Reverse English is a billards shot whereby side spin is imparted to the cue ball to cause to carom off a cushion in a slightly backward direction. However, it is also the misuse of words to cause their meaning to be the opposite of the normally intended meaning. Part of reading the news is the discovery that some politicians use the side spin of reverse English to harpoon their opponents. (What, you’ve never called a cue stick a harpoon?) Continue Reading
By John Mauer
For those of us who like numbers, picking apart past predictions by experts is sheer fun. In 1975, the world was cooling from peak temperatures in the 1940s. The predictions of climate scientists were cataclysmic: a new ice age was upon us. Sure feels like it today. Have you ever considered melting the arctic ice cap by covering it with black soot?
Continue Reading
|
|