Monday, February 24, 2014

2014!

The government has announced budget cuts for the Dept of Defense.
The Pentagon said on Monday it would shrink the U.S. Army to pre-World War Two levels, eliminate the popular A-10 aircraft and reduce military benefits in order to meet 2015 spending caps, setting up an election-year fight with the Congress over national defense priorities.
I wasn't going to attention to any of this until I saw Martin Armstrong"s chart of Cycles of War and Political Change:

Harold Ramis R.I.P.

Who will ever forget Harold Ramis? Best-known as an actor for 'Ghostbusters', 'Stripes', writer/director for 'Caddyshack', and 'Groundhog Day'.


Ramis, a longtime North Shore, Chicago resident, died at 12:53 a.m. from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, a rare disease that involves swelling of the blood vessels. He was 69.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Book Review: A Haunting In Oregon (The River) By Michael Richan

Paperback: 258 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (September 13, 2013)

A Haunting in Oregon is the second book in The River series. The first was The Bank of The River. Now out are the third in the series, Ghosts of Our Fathers and finally, Ximere.

All four novels are based in the northwest.  Richan lives in Seattle, Washington.

Roy and his son Steven have a gift. They can dip into the river, kind of like an invisible, information highway, and see into some kind of other dimension where ghosts live.  In A Haunting… they are invited to solve a problem of ghosts and death occurring in a hotel near Medford, Oregon. The different invisible beings and the assistance from other gifted people dad and son call on, can be a little like Grimm the TV series. The story is unlike anything I’ve ever read. I like the characters, and the problems the two face is very creative. I already had the first book in the series on my Kindle, now I’ll add Ghosts of Our Fathers.

Was the book scary? In a way. I made the mistake of reading right before bedtime last night and it was a little unnerving to turn out the light.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Do I Smell Stupidity?

Jack Kelly writing in the Half-Full Report got me shaking my head with this comment:
With Ukraine descending into chaos, Venezuela already there, the situation bleak in Afghanistan, bleaker in Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry has his attention focused squarely on...climate change. It's the "most fearsome" weapon of mass destruction of them all, he said in Jakarta Sunday. 

New Sexual Study

A new study reveals that the people living in Oregon - (3:51) on average have a longer duration of sex in minutes than 42 other states.
The data comes from Spreadsheets, a sex activity app that promises to "track your performance between the sheets." 
The app monitors the users' movement and audio levels, using the phone's accelerometer and microphone.
In the west only residents of New Mexico - (7:01), Idaho - (5:11) and Utah - (3:55) top Oregon and enjoy sexual intercourse longer. Some unanswered question remain: If you move from Alaska - (1:21) to Oregon will your duration increase? And if it does, why?  Oregon - (3:51) is eighth, yet New York - (3:01) is 23rd, and they get just as much rain. Did our friends who moved from Oregon to Arizona - (3:17) suffer?

If a resident of New Mexico - (7:01) is elected to Congress does their duration dip to District of Columbia's - (2:08) level? If so, maybe it's because the Rep. is too busy screwing us over.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Liberty Is Losing

The American Center for Law and Justice is warning of an Obama administration plan to place government monitors in newsrooms via an FCC proposal that could turn every major news network and newspaper into little more than a state media mouthpiece.

Earthquake Upgrade Pilot Project


The Portland Tribune tells us that Rep. Blumenauer secured a $100,000 grant to "...provide seismic and energy upgrades to around 30 homes in the Portland area." 

Who gets those upgrades, 75% of the cost paid for by taxpayers, and how were they chosen?

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Book Review: The Stone Man - A Science Fiction Thriller By Luke Smitherd

Print Length: 298 pages
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

The Stone Man is Luke Smitherd’s second novel and if you must categorize its genre, the author likes to think of his writing as Twilight Zone-esque.  In this case, what if an eight-foot-tall, stone man suddenly appeared in your town square and then, after not moving for two hours, took off at a slow, heavy trod seeking one man? He cannot be stopped by the military in his straight line quest. Obstacles fall as he tromps through them.  People in the way are killed in the destruction and the alien emits some kind of wave that sends the brain into fits if touched.

Smitherd writes very well and completely involves you in the fear that these two intelligent men, Andy and Paul experience as protagonists. They can read the stone man, knowing where it’s going and who it’s after and what will happen if the stone man reaches its quarry. I am sure this book will come to mind every time I think about an alien encounter. 


Don't Give Hillary A Pass!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Mr. Blumenauer Slow Government Spending

The Theory: Economics ofGovernment Spending

Economic theory does not automatically generate strong conclusions about the impact of government outlays on economic performance. Indeed, almost every economist would agree that there are circumstances in which lower levels of government spending would enhance economic growth and other circumstances in which higher levels of government spending would be desirable.
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If government spending is zero, presumably there will be very little economic growth because enforcing contracts, protecting property, and developing an infrastructure would be very difficult if there were no government at all. In other words, some government spending is necessary for the successful operation of the rule of law. Figure 1 illustrates this point. Economic activity is very low or nonexistent in the absence of government, but it jumps dramatically as core functions of government are financed. This does not mean that government costs nothing, but that the benefits outweigh the costs.

Pelosi, "Mindnumbingly Stupid"

Rep. Earl Blumenauer sent us all an email today.

He said that of the unemployed "...more than 1/3 of the unemployed have been out of work for half a year or more. Studies have shown that even as their financial position deteriorates, they are much less likely to be hired even if qualified.

He wants to pass legislation that will "... restore (unemployment insurance for the long term unemployed) and provide the unemployed the help they need to continue their search for work.About 20,000 Oregonians lost their unemployment insurance when the program expired. Without action an additional 29,000 unemployed workers in Oregon will lose their benefits in the first six months of 2014.

He doesn't say that his party has been responsible for the economy over the last five years. He doesn't tell us that there are now 90 million individuals who have given up looking for work. If we want to fix the economy, let's hold those in power of both parties responsible by voting them out of office!BTW, Earl voted for Obamacare!



BTW, again. Never vote for someone who uses the finger to lecture us.

Al Gore Check Your Messages

And with the snowfall in the city of Philadelphia Thursday, a 130-year-old record was shattered. For the first time in the city’s history, there have been four 6+ inch snowfalls or more in season. In addition, we are now in the top 5 snowiest winters of all-time.
Al Gore, shouldn't we be concerned about global Cooling?
The National Weather Service says the snowstorm that buried the Mid-Atlantic region was the ninth biggest in recorded history by one measure.
And yet, the so-called experts continue to insist that global warming is the cause of record cold and wacky weather. On the Charlie Rose show "...guest Michio Kaku, a physics professor from New York City College--not a climatologist, but a physicist--claimed that the "wacky weather" could get "even wackier" and its all because of global warming." 


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Fire Sen. McConnell

Congress approved a massive increase in the federal debt Wednesday, with Republican leaders linking arms and jumping together to help Democrats OK a play that will let President Obama borrow as much money as is needed to cover federal obligations for the next 13 months.
In the key vote, senators backed the debt increase by a tally of 67-31 — but only after the GOP’s leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell, voted with Democrats. It was a brutal vote for the Kentucky Republican, who is locked in a GOP primary battle back home and who will face harsh criticism from conservative groups.
Sen. Mitch McConnell was the key vote to pass the bill! Fire McConnell

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/12/congress-approves-massive-debt-increase/#ixzz2t9UI5YA4

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Book Review: Raven’s Tears By Alesia & Michael Matson

Print Length: 418 pages
Publisher: Metaphor Publications (November 25, 2013)

When I agreed to read and review RAVEN¹S TEARS, the book was described “…as the first book in The Raven & The Iris series; a romance, erotic thriller, fantasy novel, and police procedural tale all rolled into one hell of a read, but most of all, it¹s a story of true love and of the sacrifices love demands.

What I found instead was tedious. If I were a Royal follower or read books about England of Queen Elizabeth era, I would like the flowery language that says more under the surface than overt. Set in the fantasy world of Menelon, everyone presents a formal and prudish image only revealing the true and erotic side in private. I felt like a voyeur. Be warned there is strong, sexual language!

From the beginning, I was disoriented by the time line: “15 Amerian 580, 1500 hours.” Was I reading about a place in England or maybe Denmark or a fantasy location? I couldn’t tell from the description. I needed more information, perhaps a prologue.


Monday, February 10, 2014

Tokyo, Greatest Snowfall in 45 Years

The wonders of (gasp) Global Warming aka climate change:
As much as 27 cm (10.6 inches) of snow fell on Tokyo by late Saturday, the most in 45 years.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

The Battered Middle Class


In a King World News interview with long term investor Richard Russell and writer of The Dow Theory Letter, Russell stated:

"Interestingly, big box retailers are losing their middle class buyers, and it’s only the wealthy that are brightening their favorite retail stores, such as Tiffany and Nordstrom.  The battered middle class are frequenting their favorite discounters, leaving their previous favorites such as Target, JC Penney and Best Buy wondering why their same store sales are fading.  Again I advise subscribers to stay on the side and watch history unfold.”

Maybe, Nordstrom isn't immune. Nordstrom's has announced that it will be closing two Portland area schools; one in Lloyd Center and the other at Vancouver mall. The Lloyd Center store opened in 1960. I was 14. When I turned 15, I got my work permit and was hired first as a stockboy at Thom McAn. Soon I was selling shoes while in high school, buying my own clothes and flowers for my dates. Sometime later, I sold shoes at Nordstrom's which was just across the aisle-way from Best's.

I was shocked to hear this news. Nordstrom's says the two stores are not meeting their financial targets and will be closed in 2015. What a shame for Lloyd Center. This move will leave a big hole at one end of the mall.