Shooting ourselves in the foot

Here we go!

A utility company and state lawmakers are vowing to challenge the rejection of a permit for two coal-fired power plants in Kansas where the state's top environmental regulator cited emissions of carbon dioxide.

The ruling could have an impact across the country and was hailed as a victory by environmental groups that warn the plants contribute dangerously to global warming.
...
[Ron] Bremby [Kansas secretary of healty and environment] said he denied the permit over concerns about the plants' potential carbon dioxide emissions. Scientists say that CO2 is a major contributor to climate change, but Kansas doesn't regulate it. -- AP Report via Houston Chronicle

"What's the matter with Kansas?" indeed.

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 14:24:27 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 110 words, total size 1 kb.

Economic malaise and shooting yourself in the foot

Howard has been watching (and commenting, sometimes profanely, on) the economic impact of our present regressive.inflation and the falling dollar, but for a post that ties it all together read this Round-Up from "MaxedOutMama."  "The Whole Thing," as they say, but for me these sentences jumped out:

Energy costs are far and away the largest contributor to inflation, no matter how adamantly it is officially ignored....

The strategy of a weakened dollar accelerating US manufacturing will only work well if we can boost internal energy production, especially electricity. The renaissance of the 80's was really due to a massive shift in energy consumption and production which boosted our oil production greatly. Until we correct our energy imbalances, the domestic economy will continue to suffer and consumers will take the brunt of it. Basically, we are being politically correct at the expense of the lower 40% of our society. A more regressive, vicious set of policies can not be imagined.

We urgently need to expand domestic production of all sources of energy, but oil, coal and nuclear power are the most important. Manufacturing is energy-intensive, and unless you have internal production to meet the demand rise in manufacturing, you don't really get much of the benefit from the weakened currency.

So to relieve our economic problems, we need more energy.  But not just energy, we need more domestic energy. Given the present state of the technology that means: Oil/gas, coal, and nuclear.^[1]  Each is unpopular with various noisy factions of the Luddite crowd (and their enablers in the press).  But despite the unpopularity, somebody needs to lay out the choices and point out the consequences.  Maybe create some consequences for those whose obstructionism blocks benefits for everyone else.

But again, we've found yet another issue on which our two political parties are hopeless.  The Republicans (probably out of fear of being attacked by the media or of angering their off-shore patrons) are asleep, as usual.  And any prospective Democratic administration would do no better:  For the Democrats to encourage energy  development, they would first have to overcome their internal  greenie/socialist/anti-business/ NIMBY/BANANA constituencies.  Not likely. 

Instead of development, look for new taxes, rationing (except for "essential" industries like the television networks, Hollywood, and the New York Times), "conservation" programs (except for Al Gore), and mandates.  These will do what socialists always do:  Spread the misery-- to everyone but the nomenklatura.

The rest of us will get to freeze in the dark because we can't afford the Dem's taxes and Saudis' oil.  Better start praying for warm winters. 

UPDATE 071019 14:26:  Here we go!

------
^[1] The agribusiness driven ethanol boondoggle is a net energy loser, and it raises food prices!

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 00:34:19 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 453 words, total size 5 kb.

Unpopularity contest

Bush's rating sets new record low, still twice that of Congress.

Deepening unhappiness with President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress soured the mood of Americans and sent Bush's approval rating to another record low this month, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday...
Bush's job approval rating fell to 24 percent from last month's record low for a Zogby poll of 29 percent.  A paltry 11 percent gave Congress a positive grade, tying last month's record low. -- Reuters report posted at yahoo! news

(Data from 991 likely voters.  Margin of error was ±3.2%.)

Later: Don Surber cautions.foreigners Guardian columnists not to make too much of this sort of thing.

We’re Americans.  You want national loyalty and patriotic parades, visit Pyongyang.

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 21:16:03 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 123 words, total size 1 kb.

Wednesday Squirrelly Poetry

(Another example of what you miss if you don't read comment threads: Tim Blair put up a post that begins

A friend’s wife can’t pronounce “squirrel”. It comes out as “skirrel”. Just imagine going through life with that sort of handicap....

In the comments, “Sonetka's Mom” noted

“Skirl” is more interesting than “squirrel” anyway. According to Webster’s it means (1) to utter or emit a shrill tone or (2) to play the bagpipes. Does your friend’s wife do either of these?

Thus inspired, Lyle offered this.)

My squirrel plays the bagpipes;
   He keeps them in my car.
He plays those nasty bagpipes
   Wherever squirrels are.
Colt forty-five, meet bagpipes
   And blast them all to hell.
Though squirrel plays the bagpipes
   He does not play them well.

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 15:52:34 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 131 words, total size 2 kb.

We can always go back to listening to the radio

Not the best of news about a new technology:

Nine out of 10 consumers are confused about high-definition [television and movies], and more than 40% of people who already own an HDTV are still in the dark about HD.

• Four in 20 people did not [understand they need to have] an HDTV... to enjoy high-def content.
• 44% of respondents did not know they needed HD programming or an HD antenna.
• 52% did not know they needed HD cables^[1]...
• More than half... said they had only budgeted for [the HD television], thinking that would be enough to be viewing in high-def.
• 52% of respondents who already own an HDTV said they would be unwilling to admit their HD set-up was wrong after showing the system to friends.
• Only 11% of all consumers said they feel they completely understand high-def, compared to 19% of HDTV owners.

[Results of] a survey [by retailer Best Buy]... of 1,012 adults in the continental United States. -- Home Media Magazine: Best Buy Survey Prompts HD Education^[2]

Given all the misconfigured HD systems I've seen, including demonstration systems in stores, can't say I'm surprised. 

And remember, standard-definition television is scheduled to go away in February 2009.

-----
^[1] That's that expensive HDMI encrypted-interface cable that is required if you want to get real HD video out of your HD tuner or HD-DVD player. Thanks a bunch, Hollywood!
^[2] No link. Story found in hard copy (September 30-October 6, 2007: Page 10).

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 15:07:40 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 231 words, total size 2 kb.

Could have driven it faster

Glenn Reynolds flies from New York to Knoxville:

Thursday, October 11, 2:22 pm: AIR TRAVEL SUCKS (CONT'D): Flight to Knoxville is currently showing a one-and-a-half hour delay.
Thursday, October 11, 4:29 pm: YES, WE'RE STILL STUCK AT LAGUARDIA: The Delta folks are now claiming that our 3:25 flight to Knoxville will depart at 6.
Thursday, October 11, 6:01 pm: FLIGHT CANCELLED. No more flights until tomorrow. No airport hotels available.
Remind me not to fly again.
Thursday, October 11, 7:48 pm: WELL, THE POPULAR MECHANICS FOLKS FOUND US A HOTEL, so we're set up... On a trip where we actually only spent one day doing what we came to do, we'll have been in airports on four separate days...
Friday, October 12, 9:45 am: GETTING READY TO BOARD THE FLIGHT: Wish us luck.
Friday, October 12, 2:10 pm: PROGRESS: We're in Atlanta.
Friday, October 12, 4:58 pm: MADE IT HOME IN ONE PIECE: Today Delta got us everywhere on time, with no hassle.

Total time, first post to last: 26 hours 29 minutes.
Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas distance for Knoxville, TN to New York City, NY: 734 miles.
Average speed = 27.7 miles per hour.
Next time take the bus!

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 14:31:39 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 205 words, total size 2 kb.

Nice gumball machine. You-uh wouldn't wanna have anything... um-HAPPEN to it?

Three Dover [New Jersey] officials say they’ve found a serious homeland security threat to chew on: gumballs.

They worry the colorful round treats could be poisoned by an enterprising terrorist who sees them as bait for unsuspecting targets — young kids.

...The three aldermen are in the middle of a nine-month inspection of Dover’s coin-operated gumball and candy machines. Thus far, they have surveyed 103 local businesses about their machines.
...
Already they say they’ve discovered more than 100 unlicensed coin-operated machines in town — many filled with gumballs, jawbreakers and other candies they call perfect for potential terrorists.

The security threat should be “looked at seriously in light of what has happened so far,” said [Alderman] Poolas. “Someone who wanted to do harm really could.” -- The Star-Ledger

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be a day go by that we don't get another report of poisoned gumballs and jawbreakers. Why, we've got people keeling over left and right!  It's horrible, horrible, I tell you!

Sure, guys.

------
HT: Michelle, and especially commenter see-dubyah, who spotted that key word.

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 22:19:36 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 186 words, total size 2 kb.

Censorship problem fixed

After enduring a week in the spotlight (and, most likely, after realizing that the issue wasn't going away), AT&T has issued a patch for its Terms and Conditions:

Specifically, the adjusted language will read:

"5.1 Suspension/Termination. AT&T respects freedom of expression and believes it is a foundation of our free society to express differing points of view. AT&T will not terminate, disconnect or suspend service because of the views you or we express on public policy matters, political issues or political campaigns..." - [highlighting mine - o.g.]

Via: Slashdot

Elsewhere:

• Ars Technica: AT&T relents on controversial terms of service

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 16:30:36 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 97 words, total size 2 kb.

How to kill that Snap popup - dead!

If you surf many blogs at all, you've probably run into the Snapshotsâ„¢ preview popup:

This "feature," which turned up at the beginning of the year, has the annoying habit of jumping up in front of the page you're reading should your mouse cursor innocently stray across any Snap-enabled link. If you're on a dialup the problem is worse: The popup locks up while its content loads. Some blogs apply Snap sensibly, by enabling Snap selectively and by putting a little icon that controls the popup adjacent to the enabled links.  Unfortunately, most of them, including all blogs hosted at WordPress, enable it by default

The "recommended" ways of blocking Snap are to (1) disable javascript or (2) give Snap a cookie. Each method has its disadvantages. But there's a third way to nuke the Snap function once and for all, one that doesn't require losing functionality or giving up privacy. 

If you add an entry to your hosts file, it will block all access to the site that delivers the Snap javascript. Since the code never gets loaded, the popups don't appear.  In the case of the Snap code, it all comes from the server spa.snap.com.

So the magic entry is:
127.0.0.1   spa.snap.com

Note: Once you've done this, you won't be able to access the address spa.snap.com even if you type it in your browser's address box... it's just like the site doesn't exist.

Detailed instructions, and an explanation of how it works, after the jump.

Elsewhere:

• Lorelle on WordPress: WordPress.com, please stop using Snap preview
  
• Lorelle on WordPress: How to turn off Snap preview on WordPress blogs
• Performancing.com: Three reasons why Snap Preview is ruining your blog, and hurting your readership
  

more...

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 01:19:14 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 825 words, total size 7 kb.

The case of the Cascading Consensus

Mr. Bingley notes Insty's pointer to John Tierney's NYT Column^[1] about the scientific+publicity bandwagon that wrongfully connected fat in diet with heart disease, drowned out dissenting voices, and affected decades of public policy. Seems "scientific independence" isn't quite independent when the situation is uncertain and the initial voices are loud.

Tierney:

Meanwhile, there still wasn’t good evidence to warrant recommending a low-fat diet for all Americans, as the National Academy of Sciences noted in a report shortly after the U.S.D.A. guidelines were issued. But the report’s authors were promptly excoriated on Capitol Hill and in the news media for denying a danger that had already been proclaimed by the American Heart Association, the McGovern committee and the U.S.D.A.

To which, Bingley:

I found it exceedingly interesting that the author never even hints at the 800 pound Gorezilla in the room, as instructive as this story is relative to the current Global Warming climate.

...which was the first thought that came to my mind, too.


Late Link (added 071017 17:36):  Sissy Willis offers more commentary.
-----
^[1] Based on (and acknowledged) material in Gary Taubes's book Good Calories, Bad Calories

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 17:08:49 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 191 words, total size 3 kb.