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                        One of the funniest things I have seen.  Raises a few valid points.

Arms Dealer to the World

US arms sales hit record levels - Americas - Al Jazeera English

it fits well with our love of deadly weapons.  Please take the time to read this article.  Do we really want this reputation?

 "All in all, the US sold 78 per cent of the world's arms in 2011. Russia was a distant second, with $4.8bn in arms sales."

Why Life?

How Long Do You Want to Live? - NYTimes.com


when viewing suffering one is inclined to think dying would be preferable but if one could delay suffering then how long would you like to live?  I think a person who sees wonderment in the world and has a curious mind may wish for a very long life span.  What would it be like to see mankind escape imprisonment on this planet and insure humankind's prospect for a very long evolution unthreatened by any kind of extinction event from space or within.  I have no wish to be a burden but I have a very curious mind.  Long life would not be something I would want to avoid.

Thoughts on Remote Killing

Obama's Warfare: 'From Power To A Policy' : NPR

I am certain that most Americans will have no problem at all with a policy of this sort but that is only because most will not bring the philosophy that underpins our republic and way of live to bear on this practice.  On the one hand it seems a great idea since we can avoid the huge expense of a land force with no exposure to our troops.  But there is a question of how these attacks are authorized and against whom.  Should Congress that has war making powers have a greater oversight role.  No one doubts that the prosecution of war is within the purview of the executive but the paradigm of encounter and execution has changed and we likely do not have a legal procedure to guide it.  We all remember when the Bush administration tortured logic to come up with a legal basis for torture.  These may seem insignificant things to many but we must remember that we are a nation of laws that are hopefully applied somewhat equitably.  Just something to think about.

Where can it lead?  Watch this video and use your imagination.

The Looming Apocalypse

World’s largest oil producer falls victim to 30K workstation attack | Ars Technica

 http://arstechnica.com/security/2012/08/shamoon-malware-attack/

Caregivers

Recently I saw a news report related to the increasing numbers of people in my generation who are entering retirement and simultaneously becoming caregivers for aged parents. At this time there are over 10 million members of the boomer generation caring for a parent, three times the number only 15 years ago. Just at the time this generation is on the downhill slope preparing (hopefully) for retirement these family obligations are subtracting 3 trillion dollars from earnings and savings. Don't get me wrong. Caring for aging family is a moral obligation as well as a potentially satisfying time of maturing relationships with one's parents. In a sense it allows the life cycle to complete itself in the paradigm of the nuclear family, one of humankind's longest and most enduring traditions.

Last December my Mother, who is pushing 92, came to live with my wife and I. Right here I have to say that attempting to do this job without the support of one's spouse would be nigh impossible and could created fractures in a marriage that could tear the contract asunder with stresses.

Mom was in declining health when she came to live with us. It was difficult to get her to eat and weight loss was a growing problem. By February it was clear there was something wrong and in March she was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and had surgery to implant a pacemaker. She has had a gradual recovery and had become capable of caring for herself for the most part. Then just last week she had a bout of vertigo and fell breaking her hip and wrist. She had surgery to repair the hip two days later and now is on her way to Cardinal Hills for rehabilitation. My wife has spent all but one night at the hospital with her and Mom has relied on her more than even she realizes. During this time I have worked little and Juanita has devoted herself to Mom's care which leaves taking care of a household and the two acres we mow in need of a caregivers themselves. The time required during the past three months has been consuming. Ten years ago we lost my father and a few years later her father, both of whom were cared for at home. I am immensely proud of the way the families handled these family obligations but I can well understand how the needs and pressures could force someone to place loved ones in long-term care facilities.

But, I am blessed with a wife who stepped up to the plate and I believe that I have and will continue to do the same. As a team we have managed to accomplish this while at the same time dealing with health related issues of our own. A situation that is increasingly more common among the baby boomers.

I have a couple of things I want to say about that. Ever since I was a teenager people have been running off at the mouth about the irresponsible and self-centered baby boomers. Well, I just want to tell them to stuff it. The boomers haven't done too badly over all and certainly no worse than other generations. We simply responded to the times and now we are facing the same requirements inherent in aging. The difference is that people are living longer and placing a greater strain on the generation following. I'm not griping, just stating a fact that is going to become more and more significant within the next two decades. In twenty or twenty five years we will be the age of our parents now and there will be a smaller generation to do the same job we do. What will be the response of the country to that? Already strains are being placed on the health care system (it's not really a system) that are unsustainable under the existing structure of health care delivery. How will we ask it to cope with massive numbers of new citizens requiring support?

Already we refer to Social Security and Health Care as entitlements. That is kind of a misnomer because we are possibly the first generation to have paid taxes into those programs our entire lives. However, as we see, it is easy to generate expenses in our final years far in excess of what was contributed. That is where the bulk of the expenses come from. For instance, Mom receives a Social Security check that would enable her to live if she had no rental or maintenance expenses. Her drugs are covered under Medicare D and she has been paying into a supplemental insurance plan to the tune of almost $400 per month since she turned 65. That is 1/3^rd of her income. But she has had to have a renal stent, pacemaker surgery and, now, hip surgery and rehabilitation. These procedures will easily total over $100,000 which makes Medicare a very good deal. Medicare will cover 80% of these expenses and the supplement will cover the remaining 20% unless they manage to finagle their way out of it. If Mom were in a nursing home her insurance would be kicking in more but because she lives with us there is no way that I know of to offset the costs we have borne out of love and responsibility. The moral imperative and our love say we must and so we shall. But caregivers at home save the federal government a lot of money and perhaps we should recognize that by allowing caregivers to recover some expenses. By encouraging home care we could impact significantly the cost to the taxpayer of providing for that loved one.

The political landscape is toxic to any proposal that would possibly increase governmental expenditures but a good case can be made that this would actually decrease costs over the long haul, something we are not so good a taking into account. I wonder how many Moms and Dads are in long term care facilities simply because their children cannot bear the additional cost of caring for them? Why can't we talk about things like this instead of the ridiculous things that devour the public sphere?

Just sayin'. That's my take on caregiving, but not all of it.

To Cut or Not To Cut

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/25/138620685/circumcision-age-old-rite-faces-modern-concerns




http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/20/159389031/decline-in-circumcision-could-prove-costly


two articles that seem to be in opposition.  weird.

Does it Matter?

When the Constitution “Hangs by a Thread” – The White Horse Prophecy in Modern Mormonism | Mormonism Research Ministry

Does it matter?  In a just and equitable world and the standards of our Constitution the religious belief of a presidential candidate should not be fodder for publicity.  The difference may lie in whether or not that belief system can directly affect the policies of the United States of America.  The doctrine mentioned here speaks directly to the relationship of Israel to the Mormon Church.  Of course, many Christians assert that same proclivity.  The real issue is our conduct of foreign policy and our relationship with the nation of Israel.  Will the powers in our government be more inclined to speak in favor of supporting Israel in whatever endeavor and will their view of protecting our Constitution be one that will curtail civil liberties.

  Personally, I am inclined to think that Mitt Romney's view on these subjects is one that concerns me.  For others it will be an advantage.  But the questions need to be asked and answered.  From listening to Ann Romney I have no doubt that she believes in the white horse doctrine and that Mitt is the person to fulfill that prophecy.

Attacks on President Refuted

Are 'Swift Boat' attacks on Obama bogus? - CNN.com

I don't really expect anyone to still have an open mind about this.  Most minds are already decided.

Begin Here

Paul Ryan puts 'rationing board' in the crosshairs - Jennifer Haberkorn and Ginger Gibson - POLITICO.com

Here in Kentucky we have seen Medicaid placed in the hands of private companies to administer with the promise of saving millions of dollars per year.  The state only pays a small fraction of the Medicaid expenditures with the Federal government making up the rest.  What we are seeing is that the companies tasked with giving care to the poor and disabled are rationing care in a brutal manner.  Necessary procedures are being subjected to interminable waits and prolonged evaluations by the bureaucracy.  In this case the only motive is the profit motive.  Since the companies are paid a given amount per person covered they can only make money if those people don't use their health care.  If one wants to pontificate about rationing then here is a good place to start.

You mean there's more?

Ann Romney: Releasing more taxes would mean more attacks

 

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Thousands of undocumented youth line up for immigration program - Chicago Sun-Times

Thousands of undocumented youth line up for immigration program - Chicago Sun-Times

finally some positive action on the immigration front.  no doubt the naysayers will be all up in arms.

Romney Presidency Preview

Mitt Romney's 5-point plan for the economy - The Term Sheet: Fortune's deals blog Term Sheet

a sneak peek at who's who in the Romney administration should it come to pass.  A long line of "trickle-downers" from previous administrations.  Check out the chart.

Medicaid? I don't think so.

Medicaid Health Care Denied To Needy Due To Red Tape, Costs

Certainly Medicaid is a poor platform for extending benefits to potential recipients.  The record of utilization of the benefit by the states is poor at best with benefits being subject to ridiculous qualifications.  The process of privatization of the programs has hindered participation even further.

Dirty Dealings.

NYT: Overt Discrimination in Ohio


With Ohio being perhaps the second most important state this election cycle this development is distressing.  Especially after the revelations of the former Republican official in Florida who exposed the vote suppression efforts there.

Zip

Why Goldman Sachs, Other Wall Street Titans Are Not Being Prosecuted - The Daily Beast

still none of the CEOs of the huge banks in jail.  Or even charged.  This is just ridiculous and both parties are to blame.  Justice is going after the small fry while allowing the whales to escape.  Just what kind of message does this send?

Stacked Deck

HCA, Giant Hospital Chain, Creates a Windfall for Private Equity - NYTimes.com

and as usual it is the least of us who suffers.  The aggressive practices are paid for with tax dollars which results in profits going to the 1%.  Just another way the deck is stacked.

Say What!!!

Leader Of Anti-Semitic Party In Hungary Discovers He's Jewish : The Two-Way : NPR

What was he thinking?  It seems he may have known his Mother was Jewish but still practiced anti-semitism.  But, in an about face, now is going to visit the "martyrs" memorial at Auschwitz.  A truly amazing transformation.

Chinese Expansion

U.S. battery maker A123 may be rescued by Chinese group | Reuters


a disconcerting development

The Death of Coal

We ought to be able to run the sewer lines from our houses to the nearest drainage opportunity. Overbearing government regulation is making the cost of building and maintaining homes unbearable and contributes to the decline in housing starts. The added cost of government regulation is a burden on our already frail economy and costs jobs.

Would you agree or disagree with the preceding statement. I think and sincerely hope that you would disagree. The obvious degradation of the environment and property values would be enormous in addition to the odor and public health risk. However that line of reasoning is exactly the one being used in the defense of the coal industry and the EPA regulations concerning surface mining and reclamation.

Governor Beshear, who I am tempted to call a DINO, Representatives Keith Hall (D-Phelps) and Jim Gooch (D-Providence) are all up in arms about the war on coal. They claim that egregious regulation is responsible for the decline of the use of coal and the resulting job loss in the coalfields. Cost is always a factor when producing any kind of product and coal is not exempted. Just as housing is subjected to environmental regulations that drive up the cost of a home so is the coal industry. Just as public health is a factor in housing regulations so is it a factor in regulations governing the coal industry.

The Environmental Protection Agency has long been accused of not being active enough in regulation of the coal industry often leaving the leading role up to the states. The result has been ineffective enforcement, degradation of the streams of our state and injuries that were preventable to our citizens. The problem is that coal, or any kind of energy production, has never been subject to bearing the true cost of its production. This keeps costs down for the producer but passes those costs on to the citizenry at large in the way of contaminated water and increased taxation to clean up the mess and provide sanitary water. Just as housing has been required to bear the costs of insuring the environment is unharmed so should the coal industry be held to similar constraints. Will this drive up the cost of coal? Absolutely. Will this make coal users look at alternative fuel sources? Without a doubt. Is this a good reason to allow the coal industry to destroy the land and streams of the Commonwealth. No way!

All production of products should have to bear the true cost of the product and that includes whatever is required to deal with the results of that production. If we have a problem with plastic bottles then plastic bottle production should bear the cost. That increased burden to the producer will result in research and development of new products and processes that will eliminate that burden and decrease costs to the consumer. Yes, it may also result in decreased consumption but that is just an added benefit.

The increased availability of natural gas has rendered coal an undesirable if not obsolete fuel. The science that supports human influenced climate change is nearing the undeniable and for many it is already there. What will be the costs of droughts such as our plains are experiencing and inundations and floods elsewhere. The costs of basic sustenance will rise and poverty and want will increase. Fact of the matter is that the production of natural gas, while cleaner to use, still has its environmental hurdles to overcome. The process of “fracking” which has made that gas accessible is strongly suspected of polluting the ground water and the deep aquifers that supply us with much of our drinking water. This pollution is not bacterial and is much harder to remove through treatment and most water systems do not even test for these pollutants much less treat for them.

The reason these politicians and their corporate sponsors have alleged a “war on coal” is to secure jobs for the residents of the coalfields. That is an enormous load of horse hockey. The reason is to secure profits and the massive contributions to campaigns that the industry makes. If our leaders had dealt with the obvious we would not be in this position now.

For over a century now Kentucky has borne the burden of having robber barons come into our state and pillage the wealth of natural resources that Kentucky has been blessed with. First the timber industry denuded the mountains which resulted in the erosion of the topsoil and loss of habitat for wildlife. Up until then Kentuckians had scratched a meager living out of the soil but afterward even that was gone. It has taken nearly a century to reintroduce species into the mountains that were once abundant. Then came coal which raped the landowners with the rapaciousness of the broad form deed which deprived the owners of the use of their land. Then the deed was applied to surface mining which deprived the landowners of anything but scrabble. Fortunately the broad form deed was held too odious and its application to surface mining was restricted but the desolation of the land continued. The sad story is that Kentucky has not benefited from this industry but is left, in many cases, with little more than a Superfund cleanup site. A strong case can be made that these industries overall have been a net negative for the state. Sure, there have been some relatively high paying jobs but the cost of repairing the degradation of these jobs has yet to be counted.

Jamie Lucke of the Lexington Herald-Leader wrote an excellent series of reports on the coal industry for which she received a Scripps Howard award. Read them. If you would like access to them you can write me.

My take on the “war on coal.”

Transitions

States Ask Detroit: 'Build Us A Natural Gas Car, Please' : NPR

this could be an excellent transitional fuel on the way to fuel cells or some version of electric.  Somerset already has a refueling station and expects to add a couple more.  With demand the cost per vehicle will come down and the fuel is about $2 per gallon.

A view of Job Loss and Job Creation.

Jobs In America, In Two Different Universes : Planet Money : NPR


three charts that show the performance of job creation in both public and private enterprises.  What they show is that private sector jobs have increased for the past couple of years while public sector jobs have decreased.  This should answer complaints about government being too big and on job creation.

What the charts don't go back far enough to show is that prior to taking office the private sector was losing 750,000 jobs PER MONTH.

It comes from the consumer.

U.S. Manufacturing Unexpectedly Shrinks for Second Month - Bloomberg

you just can't sell stuff without consumers.  it is a hard lesson that business is not created from the top down.  The economic contraction is global and not restricted to the United States.  Until we have policies that allow the middle class to participate more equitably in its efforts this problem will not abate.