Saturday, April 24, 2010
Sunday, May 25, 2008
I've Mooooved
I'm over at Wordpress now because I find their format easier to work with. I still come by occasionally to post something, but I really don't have time to work, raise livestock, and keep more than 1 blog no matter how prolifically I may write about nothing.
Address over yonder is A1A South
Address over yonder is A1A South
Click It or Ticket Time Again
Once more, it is click it or ticket time when our law enforcement professionals write expensive tickets to “encourage” us to use safety belts. I’m sure the extra revenue for the state is just an added benefit.
So why would I get a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt while seated inside a truck weighing a ton and some yahoo on a crotch rocket without a helmet OR a seatbelt is ticket free? Where is the sense in THAT? If this is all about public safety, shouldn’t there be mandatory helmets and safety equipment worn by motorcyclists? It almost seems as if this is not about public safety at all.
Since motorcycle riders have the right to be dumbasses and not wear helmets, I believe I should have the same right to refrain from buckling up if I don’t happen to feel like it. I hate the nanny state.
So why would I get a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt while seated inside a truck weighing a ton and some yahoo on a crotch rocket without a helmet OR a seatbelt is ticket free? Where is the sense in THAT? If this is all about public safety, shouldn’t there be mandatory helmets and safety equipment worn by motorcyclists? It almost seems as if this is not about public safety at all.
Since motorcycle riders have the right to be dumbasses and not wear helmets, I believe I should have the same right to refrain from buckling up if I don’t happen to feel like it. I hate the nanny state.
Ethanol Enthusiasm Running on Empty
I was reading this in the paper, and had to chuckle to myself:
Source:
Yep. If the only reason for consumption is because the government requires it, I would say that there is a problem. A really, really big one.
If turning sugar into alcohol to run a vehicle is that cost effective, seems to me that there should be a still in every back yard. Why enrich some middleman paying for something that you can do yourself?
In the meantime, I’m still pissed off because the government is forcing me to buy a blend of gas and ethanol that will reduce my fuel efficiency and doesn’t save squat at the pumps.
”Consumers are starting to get restless, and Washington is starting to listen,” said Morningstar analyst Ann Gilpin, who follows Decatur, Ill.-based Archer Daniels Midland, the country’s second-largest ethanol producer.
The ethanol market would be severely limited if Congress rolled back the federal mandate that calls for annual increases in the amount of biofuels added to the fuel supply — 9 billion gallons by the end of this year, increasing to 36 billion gallons by 2022.
That would most hurt companies that rely exclusively or primarily on ethanol, which include a mix of small, often locally-owned distillers — already under pressure since ethanol prices fell and corn prices rose sharply — as well as larger publicly traded firms like VeraSun Energy, the country’s top ethanol producer.
”If you sell one product and the only reason there’s a market for it is because the government makes a law requiring consumption — if that law goes away, obviously you’re in trouble,” Gilpin said.
Source:
Yep. If the only reason for consumption is because the government requires it, I would say that there is a problem. A really, really big one.
In its bid to halt climate change, Florida has pumped $50-million into ethanol projects in the past two years.
Is it worth it?
Florida has bet millions on unproven technology. If it works, in a decade Florida will produce enough ethanol to offset less than 2 percent of its thirst for gasoline. The state’s gamble on ethanol continues, even as new research indicates that ethanol could be far worse for the planet than gasoline.
Source:
If turning sugar into alcohol to run a vehicle is that cost effective, seems to me that there should be a still in every back yard. Why enrich some middleman paying for something that you can do yourself?
In the meantime, I’m still pissed off because the government is forcing me to buy a blend of gas and ethanol that will reduce my fuel efficiency and doesn’t save squat at the pumps.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Venezuelans Send $19 Billion out of Country
Capital flight out of Venezuela established a record during 2007, the Central Bank of Venezuela has reported, despite strict currency controls adopted in 2004 by President Hugo Chávez's government to limit the outflow of money.
Much of the money landed in the United States and especially Florida, a former Central Bank official and a Miami academic said.
According to recent Central Bank statistics, nearly $19 billion in private Venezuelan capital was transferred offshore during 2007 -- a record since Chávez was first elected president in 1998.
Financial analysts said the capital flight was primarily stimulated by the issue of Venezuelan dollar bonds -- designed to help countries such as Argentina and Ecuador lessen the burden of their foreign debts -- that created a loophole through which Venezuelans could dodge the currency controls.
Experts said there's also a sum of capital that could have left the country illegally but is impossible to trace.
''This is only the official figure,'' said José Guerra, the Central Bank's former chief economist. ``There is an escape of capital investments that the Central Bank cannot account for.''
Guerra said the capital flight indicates that ''there is a strong mistrust of the national currency'' and ''a great uncertainty'' on the future of Venezuela under the leftist Chávez.
A significant percentage of the money went to the United States, and especially Florida, through various means such as bank accounts, financial investments and asset purchases, said Guerra and Antonio Jorge, an economics professor at Florida International University.
''Miami is a natural destination for the escape of Venezuelan capital,'' said Jorge. He estimated that at least 60 percent of the $19 billion ended up in the United States, given that nearly 70 percent of Venezuela's international commercial exchange is with the United States.
According to the Central Bank statistics, the most active months of offshore transfers in 2007 were April, May, and June, which coincided with five issuances of bonds destined to cover public debts and part of which were offered directly in dollars for international markets.
Another period of intense outflow occurred between July and September, due to the insecurity generated by the radical constitutional reforms proposed by Chávez. They were defeated in a Dec. 2 vote.
Source: Miami Herald
The Venezuelans with money do not seem enamored of the Hugo Chavez economic plans, particularly if they suspect that he will get around to nationalizing all profitable companies in Venezuela in time.
Much of the money landed in the United States and especially Florida, a former Central Bank official and a Miami academic said.
According to recent Central Bank statistics, nearly $19 billion in private Venezuelan capital was transferred offshore during 2007 -- a record since Chávez was first elected president in 1998.
Financial analysts said the capital flight was primarily stimulated by the issue of Venezuelan dollar bonds -- designed to help countries such as Argentina and Ecuador lessen the burden of their foreign debts -- that created a loophole through which Venezuelans could dodge the currency controls.
Experts said there's also a sum of capital that could have left the country illegally but is impossible to trace.
''This is only the official figure,'' said José Guerra, the Central Bank's former chief economist. ``There is an escape of capital investments that the Central Bank cannot account for.''
Guerra said the capital flight indicates that ''there is a strong mistrust of the national currency'' and ''a great uncertainty'' on the future of Venezuela under the leftist Chávez.
A significant percentage of the money went to the United States, and especially Florida, through various means such as bank accounts, financial investments and asset purchases, said Guerra and Antonio Jorge, an economics professor at Florida International University.
''Miami is a natural destination for the escape of Venezuelan capital,'' said Jorge. He estimated that at least 60 percent of the $19 billion ended up in the United States, given that nearly 70 percent of Venezuela's international commercial exchange is with the United States.
According to the Central Bank statistics, the most active months of offshore transfers in 2007 were April, May, and June, which coincided with five issuances of bonds destined to cover public debts and part of which were offered directly in dollars for international markets.
Another period of intense outflow occurred between July and September, due to the insecurity generated by the radical constitutional reforms proposed by Chávez. They were defeated in a Dec. 2 vote.
Source: Miami Herald
The Venezuelans with money do not seem enamored of the Hugo Chavez economic plans, particularly if they suspect that he will get around to nationalizing all profitable companies in Venezuela in time.
Bird Flu Kills 11-Year-Old Vietnamese Boy
HANOI, March 17 (Reuters) - Bird flu has killed a 11-year-old boy in northern Vietnam, the fifth casualty from the H5N1 virus this year, a health official said on Monday.
The boy died last Friday at a Hanoi hospital, more than a week after he had fallen sick, and tests confirmed he was infected by the H5N1 virus, said Nguyen Lap Quyet, Health Department Director in Ha Nam province.
"Controlling bird flu has been difficult because poultry raising is not on a large scale but still on a family basis," Quyet said by telephone from Ha Nam, about 60 km (37 miles) south of Hanoi.
He said animal health workers have slaughtered all the poultry in the boy's neighbourhood to prevent the virus from spreading.
"Even after vaccination has been completed locally, farmers buy poultry to add to their stocks and that could help spread the virus if the new birds are not vaccinated," he said.
Chickens raised at the boy's house in Liem Tiet commune in Ha Nam died in late February and he got sick on March 5.
The Animal Health Department said on Monday that Ha Nam was on the government's bird flu watch list of 10 provinces and the capital, Hanoi.
In June 2007 bird flu infected and killed a 28-year-old woman in the same commune of Liem Tiet in Ha Nam province.
Five people have died of bird flu in Vietnam so far this year out of six reported H5N1 infections.
Source: Reuters
The boy died last Friday at a Hanoi hospital, more than a week after he had fallen sick, and tests confirmed he was infected by the H5N1 virus, said Nguyen Lap Quyet, Health Department Director in Ha Nam province.
"Controlling bird flu has been difficult because poultry raising is not on a large scale but still on a family basis," Quyet said by telephone from Ha Nam, about 60 km (37 miles) south of Hanoi.
He said animal health workers have slaughtered all the poultry in the boy's neighbourhood to prevent the virus from spreading.
"Even after vaccination has been completed locally, farmers buy poultry to add to their stocks and that could help spread the virus if the new birds are not vaccinated," he said.
Chickens raised at the boy's house in Liem Tiet commune in Ha Nam died in late February and he got sick on March 5.
The Animal Health Department said on Monday that Ha Nam was on the government's bird flu watch list of 10 provinces and the capital, Hanoi.
In June 2007 bird flu infected and killed a 28-year-old woman in the same commune of Liem Tiet in Ha Nam province.
Five people have died of bird flu in Vietnam so far this year out of six reported H5N1 infections.
Source: Reuters
Florida Democrats Abandon Plans for Second Primary
TALLAHASSEE, FL (AP) -- Facing strong opposition, Florida Democrats on Monday abandoned plans to hold a do-over presidential primary with a mail-in vote and threw the delegate dispute into the lap of the national party.
While the decision by Florida Democrats left the state's 210 delegates in limbo, Democrats in Michigan moved closer to holding another contest on June 3. Legislative leaders reviewed a measure Monday that would set up a privately funded, state-administered do-over primary, The Associated Press learned.
Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Karen L. Thurman sent a letter announcing the decision.
"A party-run primary or caucus has been ruled out, and it's simply not possible for the state to hold another election, even if the party were to pay for it," Thurman said. "... This doesn't mean that Democrats are giving up on Florida voters. It means that a solution will have to come from the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee, which is scheduled to meet again in April."
Members of Florida's congressional delegation unanimously opposed the plan, and Barack Obama expressed concern about the security of a mail-in vote organized so quickly.
The national party punished Michigan and Florida for moving up their primaries before Feb. 5, stripping them of all their delegates to the party's national convention this summer in Denver. All the Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign in the two states, and Obama was not even on the Michigan ballot.
Hillary Rodham Clinton won both primaries. As her race with Obama has tightened, she has argued the delegates should be seated or new primaries held.
Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who backs Clinton, has suggested one option -- seating all Florida delegates already chosen but only giving them half a vote each. Nelson discussed this idea with Clinton and Obama on the Senate floor last week.
Based on the Jan. 29 results, Clinton would have won 105, Obama 67 and John Edwards 13. Instead they would get half those delegate votes.
Republicans stripped Florida and Michigan of half their delegates as a penalty for early primaries.
The draft Michigan legislation included language that would approve spending privately raised funds for the election, according to a Democratic leader who spoke on condition of anonymity because lawmakers and the campaigns are still considering the proposal.
The campaigns of the Democratic presidential contenders also received copies of the bill Monday.
"A re-vote is the only way Michigan can be assured its delegation will be seated, and vote in Denver at the party's national convention this summer, Clinton campaign aide Harold Ickes said Monday. "If the Obama campaign thwarts a fair election process for the people of Michigan, it will jeopardize the Democratic nominee's ability to carry the state in the general election."
Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor said, "It's pretty apparent that the Clinton campaign's views on voting are dependent on their own political interest. Hillary Clinton herself said in January that the Michigan primary 'didn't count for anything.' Now, she is cynically trying to change the rules at the eleventh hour for her own benefit. We received a very complex proposal for Michigan re-vote legislation today and are reviewing it to make sure that any solution for Michigan is fair and practical. We continue to believe a fair seating of the delegation deserves strong consideration."
The Democrat-led House is scheduled to leave for a two-week vacation Thursday, so any bills to set up the do-over primary need to be brought up quickly. The measure also would have to be approved by the Republican-controlled state Senate. To be given immediate effect, the measure would require a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.
To go forward, any plan also would require the approval of the two campaigns, the Democratic National Committee, state party leaders and Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who is backing Clinton.
The contest must be held by June 10 for the results to count under DNC rules. The draft measure would set up the a fund within the state Treasury to receive up to $12 million in cash and other assets from private donors to cover the cost of the election.
On Monday in Atlanta, federal appeals judges skeptically questioned a lawyer who argued that the national party's decision to strip Florida of its 210 convention delegates was unconstitutional.
Michael Steinberg, a lawyer for Victor DiMaio, a Democratic Party activist from Tampa, said Florida's Democratic voters are being disenfranchised by not being permitted to have their say in the selection of their party's nominee. The action violates DiMaio's constitutional right to equal protection, he argued.
"The citizens of the state of Florida are not being treated equally," Steinberg told the judges.
But Joe Sandler, a lawyer for the Democratic National Committee, said the party has the right to set its own the rules and not seat delegates who refuse to follow them.
"It goes to the heart of the constitutional right of the DNC to determine the best means of selecting delegates to the convention," Sandler said.
Sounding skeptical of Steinberg's equal protection argument, the judges noted in their questions that states select their presidential picks in different ways -- some use caucuses and others primaries -- and on different days. Judge Stanley Marcus suggested at one point that the only way to treat all the states equally, under Steinberg's theory, was for them to all hold their primaries on the same day.
Not so, Steinberg said. He said one solution might be to rotate the states so that each gets a shot at being in the first round.
Source: First Coast News
Exactly right. We already had the primary.
While the decision by Florida Democrats left the state's 210 delegates in limbo, Democrats in Michigan moved closer to holding another contest on June 3. Legislative leaders reviewed a measure Monday that would set up a privately funded, state-administered do-over primary, The Associated Press learned.
Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Karen L. Thurman sent a letter announcing the decision.
"A party-run primary or caucus has been ruled out, and it's simply not possible for the state to hold another election, even if the party were to pay for it," Thurman said. "... This doesn't mean that Democrats are giving up on Florida voters. It means that a solution will have to come from the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee, which is scheduled to meet again in April."
Members of Florida's congressional delegation unanimously opposed the plan, and Barack Obama expressed concern about the security of a mail-in vote organized so quickly.
The national party punished Michigan and Florida for moving up their primaries before Feb. 5, stripping them of all their delegates to the party's national convention this summer in Denver. All the Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign in the two states, and Obama was not even on the Michigan ballot.
Hillary Rodham Clinton won both primaries. As her race with Obama has tightened, she has argued the delegates should be seated or new primaries held.
Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who backs Clinton, has suggested one option -- seating all Florida delegates already chosen but only giving them half a vote each. Nelson discussed this idea with Clinton and Obama on the Senate floor last week.
Based on the Jan. 29 results, Clinton would have won 105, Obama 67 and John Edwards 13. Instead they would get half those delegate votes.
Republicans stripped Florida and Michigan of half their delegates as a penalty for early primaries.
The draft Michigan legislation included language that would approve spending privately raised funds for the election, according to a Democratic leader who spoke on condition of anonymity because lawmakers and the campaigns are still considering the proposal.
The campaigns of the Democratic presidential contenders also received copies of the bill Monday.
"A re-vote is the only way Michigan can be assured its delegation will be seated, and vote in Denver at the party's national convention this summer, Clinton campaign aide Harold Ickes said Monday. "If the Obama campaign thwarts a fair election process for the people of Michigan, it will jeopardize the Democratic nominee's ability to carry the state in the general election."
Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor said, "It's pretty apparent that the Clinton campaign's views on voting are dependent on their own political interest. Hillary Clinton herself said in January that the Michigan primary 'didn't count for anything.' Now, she is cynically trying to change the rules at the eleventh hour for her own benefit. We received a very complex proposal for Michigan re-vote legislation today and are reviewing it to make sure that any solution for Michigan is fair and practical. We continue to believe a fair seating of the delegation deserves strong consideration."
The Democrat-led House is scheduled to leave for a two-week vacation Thursday, so any bills to set up the do-over primary need to be brought up quickly. The measure also would have to be approved by the Republican-controlled state Senate. To be given immediate effect, the measure would require a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.
To go forward, any plan also would require the approval of the two campaigns, the Democratic National Committee, state party leaders and Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who is backing Clinton.
The contest must be held by June 10 for the results to count under DNC rules. The draft measure would set up the a fund within the state Treasury to receive up to $12 million in cash and other assets from private donors to cover the cost of the election.
On Monday in Atlanta, federal appeals judges skeptically questioned a lawyer who argued that the national party's decision to strip Florida of its 210 convention delegates was unconstitutional.
Michael Steinberg, a lawyer for Victor DiMaio, a Democratic Party activist from Tampa, said Florida's Democratic voters are being disenfranchised by not being permitted to have their say in the selection of their party's nominee. The action violates DiMaio's constitutional right to equal protection, he argued.
"The citizens of the state of Florida are not being treated equally," Steinberg told the judges.
But Joe Sandler, a lawyer for the Democratic National Committee, said the party has the right to set its own the rules and not seat delegates who refuse to follow them.
"It goes to the heart of the constitutional right of the DNC to determine the best means of selecting delegates to the convention," Sandler said.
Sounding skeptical of Steinberg's equal protection argument, the judges noted in their questions that states select their presidential picks in different ways -- some use caucuses and others primaries -- and on different days. Judge Stanley Marcus suggested at one point that the only way to treat all the states equally, under Steinberg's theory, was for them to all hold their primaries on the same day.
Not so, Steinberg said. He said one solution might be to rotate the states so that each gets a shot at being in the first round.
Source: First Coast News
Exactly right. We already had the primary.
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