FROM AN ECONOMICS ILLITERATE

While I make no great claim to understanding the economics of our time, I saw this article on the front page of the BBC news today and it really made me think.  Click here to view the article on this man's purchase.  From it:  "An anonymous buyer has bid $506,500 for a first edition copy of the "Star-Spangled Banner" poem, whose words were adopted for the US national anthem."

With my limited understanding of national economics, I wondered about this man having a large enough pile of money that he could afford to blow so much of it on a whim to own the 'first' anything.  Where in our economy does that large sale raise money that will reward the middle class?  A half million dollars of extended unemployment benefits would likely go much further to alleviate the threat to unhealthy existence for many families.

That piece of paper will probably live in a vault somewhere, too valuable to see the light of day and rarely seen except by  very few.  Whereas, as an unemployment benefit, money will most likely go to necessities, groceries, paying service people and credit cards for those things that we all need to live, especially if we have children.  The money would circulate, and if I understand correctly, keep retail money circulating making lots of people add something to their income.

When I hear politicians say that extending the tax cut to the rich is a good thing and demand it by holding unemployment insurance hostage,  I know there will be much replication such as buying first editions in books, and gifts like the diamond dog collar for a totally spoiled canine as was the rage a few Christmases ago.  The shops for these are not run by 'middle class' merchants.  The mark up in these 'shops' is such that the owners are not poor.  The likelihood of Christie's auction house spreading the wealth is less likely the unemployed buying first edition books rather than to the local grocer, dentist, gas station, family doctor, and all the usual places poor people must keep giving money to in order to survive.

I urge Obama to call the bluff of the Republicans on this one if he wishes to command respect from Americans.  He cannot continue to capitulate to McConnell and Boehner and allow the American people to be held in hostage by these ruthless and greedy politicians. President Obama, honor your campaign promises; 80% of Americans are begging you and the other 20% wish you would..

THE FIRST INNING FOR THE LAME DUCK CONGRESS

Today the House agreed to a middle class tax cut continuance.  The Senate, under Mitch M has already announced it will fight any proposals unless the Republicans get the tax cuts extended for the ultra rich.  John Boehner has described on TV that he thinkis the proposal to keep tax cuts for the middle class as a maneuver of chicken crap.  If the rich are only 1 or 2 % of our population, how can this man ever get re-elected?  


Apparently the Republicans plan to filibuster the tax cuts for anyone if they don't get  tax cuts for the rich extended.They are holding the poor people's fate hostage to get more money for greedy people already millionaires and billionaires.

"The president continues to believe that extending middle-class tax cuts is the most important thing we can do for our economy right now and he applauds the House for passing a permanent extension," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said. To read the article by BBC, click here.

I believe the bluff of the mutineers ought to be called even if it stops the American world for a while.  We cannot continue being hostage to ignorance and greed.  Read the PBS comments and transcript by clicking here.

PBS refers to the Senate actions promised as a 'blockade'.
clicking here

IL NEIGE EN EUROPE

It is snowing in Europe.  There are those who will say, "See, that proves there is no global warming." Buit in fact, just the opposite is true.  It proves there IS global warming.  As the Arctic ice melts, it is pushing the Gulf stream lower, thus preventing its warming of the British Isles and Northern Europe."  

BBC writes:  "Heavy snowfall has caused disruption across northern Europe, closing airports and bringing traffic to a standstill.

In Poland, eight homeless people died as temperatures fell below -20C (-4F).
Airports were closed in the UK, France and Switzerland. Dozens of flights were affected in Germany and Spain."

In January 2010 Robert Kyriakides wrote about Global Warming making British winters colder. "
The important thing here is to look at the latitude of the United Kingdom. It is at the same latitude as Newfoundland and much of Siberia, which places have incredibly cold winters. Traditionally the United Kingdom has warm winters for its latitude and the reason for this is the North Atlantic Ocean Circulation System.

The ocean currents in the North Atlantic travel approximately from the Caribbean to the shores of the British Isles. In three dimensions they constitute a conveyor belt, which is partly driven by the effect of the earth’s rotation, but mostly by the greater energies created by differences in water temperatures. We call this the Gulf Stream and it warms the British Isles. If the Gulf Stream shut off the British Isles would have winters as cold as those of Newfoundland and Labrador."  For the complete article, click here.  "Generally scientists tend to the view that stopping the Gulf Stream altogether is unlikely, but slowing it down is probable, if the climate continues to warm.  It is clear that the more freshwater you add, the more you slow down the Gulf Stream and a slowed down Gulf Stream will provide less heat to North West Europe. A stopped Gulf Stream will provide no heat at all."

In March, David Derbyshire wrote that Global Warming is not a threat to the Gulf stream's effect on temperature in the British Isles and northern Europe. "
Some environmentalists have argued that global warming could shut off the stream - sending temperatures spiralling down across Europe as they rise elsewhere.
The controversial scenario was dramatised in the apocalyptic Hollywood blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow and is predicted in some computer models of climate change.
The new study used satellite data to study the pattern of Atlantic currents between 2002 and 2009. The researchers, from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory found no long term trend - just short term variability.
The research is published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

'The changes we're seeing in overturning strength are probably part of a natural cycle,' said Josh Willis from Nasa. The warm water that heads north from the Tropics sinks in the Arctic and flows back south at the bottom of the ocean, driving the cycle of currents.

Fears that the circulation was slowing emerged in a study by the UK National Oceanography Centre in 2005.
Recordings from an array of detectors across the Atlantic suggested the volume of cold water returning south from the Arctic could have fallen by nearly a third in half a century.
But the new Nasa study concluded that there was no decrease in the Gulf Stream in the last seven years, and that it is 'unlikely' to have weakened in the last two decades." For the article, click here.

You can choose which 'facts' you might believe.  The aboce proves, "For every action, there is a reaction."  Everytime someone proves something, someone 'disproves' it.  Thus there was no Holocaust for some, aliens hidden in New Mexico by the government, the moon walk never happened but was filmed in Hollywood, Al Qaeda didn't plan the World Trade Towers blow-up, it was a plan by the USA government to lay the foundation for the Iraq war and trouble for the middle-East.  You have heard it all, I'm sure.  Depending on how much research you do and how reliant are your sources, you might find out what happens in our next life chapter.

WHAT A LOOK CAN REVEAL

Today Obama attempted to bridge the resistance of the GOP to anything proposed by the Democrats.  The spirit of obstruction shows clearly in faces...John Boehner scarcely hiding his lack of respect.  His face hardly wears a look of cooperation, trust, or even friendship.

It is difficult to know what a man is thinking from a single look, but it is also not difficult to read a lack of agreement in Boehner's mien.

The AP photographer has captured the evil I have long observed in John Boehner.  Any man who puts himself and his own goals before the American people while constantly using rhetoric about the wishes of the American people, as though he is stating or even aware of them, cannot be right for the job of representing us.  Yet, representing us is his job which he does not do well yet keeps being re-elected.  Can someone explain how voters can support a man who is, in my mind, treasonous...so against our current President as he is?

WIKILEAKS: LOOKING INTO THE WORLD'S KEYHOLE

Years ago, I had a conversation with someone dear to me and spoke with complete candor.  A few days later I received a phone call from the person about whom we spoke.  Since the major focus in that conversation was rather negative, there was a great deal of anger and confrontation when that person reached me.  It seemed I was expected to deny that I had said the things that were being repeated to me.  As annoyed as I was at my conversation having been shared with the party, I could only say that what was being repeated to me was accurate but as my conversation was meant for someone else's ears, I was sorry our conversation had not remained private. I felt I had no choice but to be direct with my attacker.and defend that I may not have said flattering things, but I spoke my truth in my opinions.

As with the current 'wiki' leaks, there should be no apologies for whatever had been written or said. People who listen at keyholes to conversations not meant for their ears rarely hear flattery.  Tactfulness is lessused when it is thought to be a private conversation about a third party.  It is likely that the shock of what actually was said may be new to the  public at large, but is less likely to be so for the parties involved since each side spies on the other constantly and probably quite successfully.

There may be a few people embarrassed that their lack of tact was exposed but from what has been aired so far, I hardly see anything that will start a war. Iran is unlikely to have learned anything that wasn't already quite apparent.  That the Americans fought Iraq with an abuse of Geneva Convention.  That betrayal cannot be a surprise to anyone.  It has already been much publicized.  However, those who think they are safe as long as what is said and done is not proven to the public, will learn otherwise.  Those who believe the lies being provided by some media might continue denying what they hear and will make up a new scenario to explain whatever comes out of the leaks.  We have many 'open mike' examples with considerable embarrassment.

The government will continue to focus on the whistle blower rather than the content of that which was blown.  Julian Assange will continue to be hunted like a criminal simply because he wants transparency.  That the transparency is involuntary is really what bothers people.  They will read everything in which they are not quoted but abhor anyone quoting them.  Isn't it time some people have to be honest about all of what they say not meant for public consumption?  If there is really to be top secret communication, safer ways of encrypting it will have to be worked out.  Meanwhile, it is important that people in government work not have the illusion that they remain hidden.  What Cheney managed to do the Valerie Plame was much worse!

PICKING UP TIDBITS AS I GO ALONG

Every day in which something new is learned is a good day.  Sometimes it isn't really something new, but rather something is confirmed about which I previously only had a hunch.Having hunches concerned is good.  It allows me to feel my judgment is still pretty good.  That is a lifelong process to keep my sense of adequacy intact.

A friend sent me a link to the best explanation of Quantitative Easing.
I've learned that I cannot survive this world without a sense of humor, but that wasn't what I learned today...I've known that for years!

There are many people who seem to dote on Glenn Beck's rages.  I presume it is hard for them to have an independent angry thought and, of course, Beck can give them the whole fire and brimstone megillah.  Recently , Jan  Frei wrote a\on AlterNet about the 6 greatest paranoid attacks on 'Progressives' by Glenn Beck.  His inflammatory rhetoric will cause more deaths.  These are some of the areas in which he is building up to chaos and terror for some...if not ultimately all of us.

The abortion doctors who were killed in the past few years are not enough for Bill O'Reilly and Beck, their impotence vicariously uses the easily riled up few on hair triggers in guns.

Ted Turner mentioned on TV today, a slogan of his is "quitters never win; winners never quit'.  I like that one.

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