Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 3018, is about the "general strike" being called for on 9/11/07. To me, calling a general strike like this is ludicrous and hopelessly ineffective, even if one's cause were legitimate--and this one seems to have a baker's dozen Leftist causes.
Calling for the strike on the anniversary of the worst attack on American soil, by enemies against which we're still fighting, is immoral and despicable. I predict a complete failure, and I hope for a backlash against this disgusting proposition.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Chinese Autos - Really Unsafe at Any Speed?
Oh. My. God. Those Chinese are sure getting blackeyes lately when it comes to product safety (and as I've always believed, you get what you pay for). Now, it seems their new automobiles are complete deathtraps. Go to Gizmodo to watch a video of a Chinese-made Cherey Amulet positively crushing its driver in the 40mph front-end crash. It's literally the worst crash result I've ever seen.
They're being sold in Russia for a US equivalent $9,000. I don't think there's enough savings there to virtually guarantee being killed in an accident that with other autos would like result in mainly a few bruises.
China better clean up its act soon, or its position as global manufacturer is going to be irreparably damaged.
They're being sold in Russia for a US equivalent $9,000. I don't think there's enough savings there to virtually guarantee being killed in an accident that with other autos would like result in mainly a few bruises.
China better clean up its act soon, or its position as global manufacturer is going to be irreparably damaged.
The Future of Ballistic Weapons?
Go watch this video if you want a look into the future of ballistic weapons. Incredible stuff, in the right hands. Even has some peaceful applications, for those of you who abhor the weapons of war.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Response to Top 10 Presidents List a Whopper
This list of the top 10 best American Presidents is interesting not just for who was picked, but even more so for the 2nd comment. One of the more in-depth comments I've read in awhile.
Iran's Threat Just Propaganda?
It's a dangerous game to be playing here, supposing that any allegations against Iran are merely propaganda and, like the information (allegedly) untrue that supported war with Iraq, subject to inherent doubt. There have been reports of Iranian involvement in Iraq for years, not just months, as anyone who's followed the story would know. And it is, of course, entirely possible that Iran is escalating its involvement, believing that the US is close to being politically forced out of the Iraq.
Stories like the one linked above leave the US defenseless, because any threat that might arise suddenly becomes another "Iraqi WMD lie." One sees it all the time from the Left, in responses to accusations such as these against Iran to reports of planned terrorist attacks (or, even when terrorists are caught in the act). Suddenly, the US is unable to defend itself, because no evidence that it can provide for doing so is acceptable.
Except, maybe, the smouldering ruins of an American city. And maybe not even then.
Stories like the one linked above leave the US defenseless, because any threat that might arise suddenly becomes another "Iraqi WMD lie." One sees it all the time from the Left, in responses to accusations such as these against Iran to reports of planned terrorist attacks (or, even when terrorists are caught in the act). Suddenly, the US is unable to defend itself, because no evidence that it can provide for doing so is acceptable.
Except, maybe, the smouldering ruins of an American city. And maybe not even then.
Capitalism and Dictatorships Together?
And what all these folks fail to realize is that capitalism (true capitalism, not just fascism with a different name) requires an environment that protects invidividual rights to succeed. It can't merely be strapped onto a dictatorship and flourish. For anyone who might want to point to China, note that China is successful in essentially utilizing slave labor, not capitalism.
My First California Earthquake
This is likely of absolutely no interest to anyone other than me, but here's a story about the first earthquake I've experienced since moving to LA a year ago. The epicentre was about 7 miles from my house as the crow flies, so I'm pretty darn happy it wasn't any stronger. Happened at 12:59am, which is a heckuva way to be woken up.
Digg Report
Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 2688 Diggs, is a link to a story about Google increasing some Gmail accounts to over 9GB. Let me just say that it's refreshing to see a legitimate tech news story get to #1 (at this moment in time), even if the number of Diggs is a little low.
Rich-Poor Gap Growing in China at Quite a Clip
The gap between the rich and poor seems to be growing in China and other Asian countries, according to this story. For China, this is likely more meaningful, since there is already a significant anti-government reform movement in place.
A quote:
China has had Asia's second-biggest and second-fastest-growing wealth gap since the 1990s, exceeded only by war-wracked Nepal on both counts, the bank said in an annual survey.
China has seen thousands of protests in recent years, some of them violent, over land seizures and other economic grievances blamed on the growing gap. The communist government has made improving incomes for the poor a priority, warning last year that inequality has reached "alarming and unacceptable" levels.
"High inequality, particularly high absolute levels of inequality, leads to a disruption in social cohesion. You could have street demonstrations which could lead to violent civil wars," Ifzal Ali, the bank's chief economist, said at a news conference.
This will be worth watching.
A quote:
China has had Asia's second-biggest and second-fastest-growing wealth gap since the 1990s, exceeded only by war-wracked Nepal on both counts, the bank said in an annual survey.
China has seen thousands of protests in recent years, some of them violent, over land seizures and other economic grievances blamed on the growing gap. The communist government has made improving incomes for the poor a priority, warning last year that inequality has reached "alarming and unacceptable" levels.
"High inequality, particularly high absolute levels of inequality, leads to a disruption in social cohesion. You could have street demonstrations which could lead to violent civil wars," Ifzal Ali, the bank's chief economist, said at a news conference.
This will be worth watching.
A Chance to Partner with Russia? Personally, I Think Not
Henry Kissinger, no stranger to realpolitik, seems to think that we should take Putin's counterproposal to Bush's proposed missile defense system seriously. I don't agree, because he assumes that Putin could see the long-term benefit of strategic cooperation between the US and Russia.
So far, all I've seen from Putin is posturing in the opposite direction, trying--as Kissinger says it need not do--to position itself as a superior--or at least equal--power to the US. Putin seems far too fond of the Soviet era to ever join in an effort that would stand in the way of what he seems to want to most--Russia's re-emergence as a superpower.
But, if you want to read the other side of the issue, read the story.
So far, all I've seen from Putin is posturing in the opposite direction, trying--as Kissinger says it need not do--to position itself as a superior--or at least equal--power to the US. Putin seems far too fond of the Soviet era to ever join in an effort that would stand in the way of what he seems to want to most--Russia's re-emergence as a superpower.
But, if you want to read the other side of the issue, read the story.
Soviets Left Lots of Metal Lying Around
I don't know, but this seems like a lot of scrap metal that could be reused for something else. I don't think this much scrap would just sit there for more than a week before somebody would come along and scoop it up.
Russia Sends Out Bombers, Claims US Intercepted Them
Would someone like to tell me why Russia is playing these games? Is Putin really that fond of the Soviet era that he wants to play the role of Kruschev? Sending bombers into sovereign airspace (Georgia) and near American military bases (Guam) are purposeful acts. The only question is, what's Putin trying to prove?
I think our militiary and intelligence agencies are well aware of his capabilities, and so it's not like he actually has a need for a show of strength. It seems like provocation to me, but I don't understand why he'd feel the need.
I think our militiary and intelligence agencies are well aware of his capabilities, and so it's not like he actually has a need for a show of strength. It seems like provocation to me, but I don't understand why he'd feel the need.
Ahmadinejad Losing Support?
Here's a positive spin by The Telegraph on Imajihadi's (or whatever his name is) chances of being reelected. And, it's one I would love to believe: a sort of mini-utopia where the youthful reformers movement manages to elect enough moderates and reformists that even the power "Council of Guardians" can't game this election like they did the last one.
But I have three thoughts on this. First, I'm not that optimistic that any secular force will succeed in determining Iran's future. Second, Imajihadi will be in power through 2009, which gives him plenty of time to continue causing havoc. Third, in reading the linked story, I wonder who really holds the power and is ultimately responsible for the proxy war Iran is fighting against the US in Iraq; if it's the religious sector, then not much will change no matter who's elected.
And, it doesn't change a thing for now. Iran must be forced to end this proxy war, and to give up its nuclear aspirations. And so while this story is positive, it's irrelevant for now.
But I have three thoughts on this. First, I'm not that optimistic that any secular force will succeed in determining Iran's future. Second, Imajihadi will be in power through 2009, which gives him plenty of time to continue causing havoc. Third, in reading the linked story, I wonder who really holds the power and is ultimately responsible for the proxy war Iran is fighting against the US in Iraq; if it's the religious sector, then not much will change no matter who's elected.
And, it doesn't change a thing for now. Iran must be forced to end this proxy war, and to give up its nuclear aspirations. And so while this story is positive, it's irrelevant for now.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
A Little More on the Saudi Arms Deal
Here's a short piece by Alex Epstein, also of the Ayn Rand Institute. In it, he discusses the Saudi arms deal.
The money quote:
"This is absurd," said Alex Epstein, a junior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute. "The administration has been telling us that we must forgo oil for more costly fuels because our 'addiction to oil' helps finance hostile Middle East regimes--among them Saudi Arabia, which has spent almost $100 billion spreading the terrorists' ideology of Islamic Totalitarianism. And yet at the same time that our leaders demand that we sacrifice oil-consumption for the sake of protection from the Saudis, they are arming the Saudis to the teeth.
"What explains this blatant contradiction? While one might attribute it to simple hypocrisy, the Bush Administration is in fact being consistent. In response to both the Saudi threat and the Iranian threat, our response is not self-assertion, but self-sacrifice. When Saudi Arabia spreads a terrorist ideology around the world, we do not punish that regime, we punish ourselves by rejecting the lifeblood of our civilization.
Read the whole thing.
The money quote:
"This is absurd," said Alex Epstein, a junior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute. "The administration has been telling us that we must forgo oil for more costly fuels because our 'addiction to oil' helps finance hostile Middle East regimes--among them Saudi Arabia, which has spent almost $100 billion spreading the terrorists' ideology of Islamic Totalitarianism. And yet at the same time that our leaders demand that we sacrifice oil-consumption for the sake of protection from the Saudis, they are arming the Saudis to the teeth.
"What explains this blatant contradiction? While one might attribute it to simple hypocrisy, the Bush Administration is in fact being consistent. In response to both the Saudi threat and the Iranian threat, our response is not self-assertion, but self-sacrifice. When Saudi Arabia spreads a terrorist ideology around the world, we do not punish that regime, we punish ourselves by rejecting the lifeblood of our civilization.
Read the whole thing.
Pharmaceutical Companies Under Attack - and With Them, Us
Here's a piece by Yaron Brook of the Ayn Rand Institute on pharmaceutical price controls. It's an importance piece, because most of the advances in pharmaceuticals occur in the US, and are paid for mainly by Americans. Essentially, we subsidize the drugs for the citizens of those countries like Canada that impose price controls.
"Big pharma" is accused of many devious and downright evil things, including ridiculous conspiracy theories about withholding actual cures for diseases in order to keep selling treatments (which, of course, make no economic sense). But without it, there are many, many people who would either no longer be alive or whose quality of life would be atrocious. I doubt that many who read this don't have a relative or friend whose life has either been saved or positively impacted because of this industry.
I worked for a medical devices company once, which functions the same as the typical pharmaceutical company. For every 10 innovations we made huge investments in trying to perfect, maybe one made it through the FDA and into the market. It's those tremendous R&D costs, which represent the lifeblood of medical advancements, that raise the costs of drugs. If Congress allows the reimportation of drugs from Canada, at Canadian prices, and from elsewhere as well, that R&D will no longer be funded and the incredible advancements will dry up.
If you're against advances in medical science, then you'll call up your Congressman and support the reimportation of drugs from other countries.
"Big pharma" is accused of many devious and downright evil things, including ridiculous conspiracy theories about withholding actual cures for diseases in order to keep selling treatments (which, of course, make no economic sense). But without it, there are many, many people who would either no longer be alive or whose quality of life would be atrocious. I doubt that many who read this don't have a relative or friend whose life has either been saved or positively impacted because of this industry.
I worked for a medical devices company once, which functions the same as the typical pharmaceutical company. For every 10 innovations we made huge investments in trying to perfect, maybe one made it through the FDA and into the market. It's those tremendous R&D costs, which represent the lifeblood of medical advancements, that raise the costs of drugs. If Congress allows the reimportation of drugs from Canada, at Canadian prices, and from elsewhere as well, that R&D will no longer be funded and the incredible advancements will dry up.
If you're against advances in medical science, then you'll call up your Congressman and support the reimportation of drugs from other countries.
Digg Report
Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 3304, is a link to a story about a "bridge hero" in Minneapolis who was offered a photo opp with President Bush and refused it.
Of course, what's sad is that the Dugg item is buried at the end of the story, and isn't at all relevant to it. Actually, the story's a rather nice discussion about a young man who saved the lives of a bunch of school kids, and how he was being rewarded for his efforts.
Leave it to Digg to, well, dig up the political dirt. Which, by the way, wasn't explained. We have absolutely no way of knowing why the young man turned down the offer. Maybe he was just tired of all the exposure?
Of course, what's sad is that the Dugg item is buried at the end of the story, and isn't at all relevant to it. Actually, the story's a rather nice discussion about a young man who saved the lives of a bunch of school kids, and how he was being rewarded for his efforts.
Leave it to Digg to, well, dig up the political dirt. Which, by the way, wasn't explained. We have absolutely no way of knowing why the young man turned down the offer. Maybe he was just tired of all the exposure?
China's Internal Issues and What They Mean for America
An interesting discussion on China and it's internal troubles. I've often vascilated between worrying about China economically, and not (but I still worry about them as a future military threat, unless they move completely away from communism). This piece has some interesting points to make.
I'll quote a few:
China is loudly whispering that they may start selling off some of their holdings of US Treasury debt. The last I heard, they have about $1.3 trillion in dollar-denominated instruments, up from about $1 trillion last fall. About $400 billion of this is in long-dated debt like notes and bonds.
...
Now the real problem here is that China's threats are empty. Forget about the threats to the stability of the US economy. The last time the Chinese talked about diversifying out of US Treasuries, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke went on record saying that he would simply sterilize and/or monetize any large Chinese sales of US debt. Don't underestimate his willingness to follow through on this, and don't underrate the Fed's ability to keep the resulting inflation under control without significantly disrupting the US economy.
But even more to the point is that there just aren't any asset classes in the world, apart from US Treasuries, that are liquid enough to soak up $400 billion or more should China go shopping for them. Again, the Chinese threat is empty.
His conclusion:
The true challenge for us is to find a way to exploit the weakness in China's position. China cares about nothing more than their prestige and standing in the world community. Not only is this deeply ingrained in the Chinese character, but it's also one of the keys to the current government's tenuous hold on legitimacy. They'll probably be willing to trade away a good deal in order to avoid being seen as having messed up their transition to a globally-dominant market economy.
The proper focus for our China foreign policy is to find a way to keep China permanently dependent on us for increases in prosperity, while forcing them to give American investors a considerably larger stake in what is the biggest growth-engine in the world. If I can figure out how best to do that, I'll let you know.
I'd read the whole thing if I were you.
I'll quote a few:
China is loudly whispering that they may start selling off some of their holdings of US Treasury debt. The last I heard, they have about $1.3 trillion in dollar-denominated instruments, up from about $1 trillion last fall. About $400 billion of this is in long-dated debt like notes and bonds.
...
Now the real problem here is that China's threats are empty. Forget about the threats to the stability of the US economy. The last time the Chinese talked about diversifying out of US Treasuries, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke went on record saying that he would simply sterilize and/or monetize any large Chinese sales of US debt. Don't underestimate his willingness to follow through on this, and don't underrate the Fed's ability to keep the resulting inflation under control without significantly disrupting the US economy.
But even more to the point is that there just aren't any asset classes in the world, apart from US Treasuries, that are liquid enough to soak up $400 billion or more should China go shopping for them. Again, the Chinese threat is empty.
His conclusion:
The true challenge for us is to find a way to exploit the weakness in China's position. China cares about nothing more than their prestige and standing in the world community. Not only is this deeply ingrained in the Chinese character, but it's also one of the keys to the current government's tenuous hold on legitimacy. They'll probably be willing to trade away a good deal in order to avoid being seen as having messed up their transition to a globally-dominant market economy.
The proper focus for our China foreign policy is to find a way to keep China permanently dependent on us for increases in prosperity, while forcing them to give American investors a considerably larger stake in what is the biggest growth-engine in the world. If I can figure out how best to do that, I'll let you know.
I'd read the whole thing if I were you.
Russian Engages in Military Exercises Over North Pole
And I suppose it's just one big coincidence that Russia's engaging in military exercises over the North Pole. If you believe that, I have a bridge for sale.
Didn't Take Long: Predicted Action Taken Against Russian Oil Company Owner
I mentioned this guy, Mikhail Gutseriev, awhile back, and predicted that his outspoken stance against the expropriation of his oil company would land him in trouble. Well, it's happened. Shares in his company, Russneft, have been frozen, and he's now being accused of tax evasion and "illegal entrepreneurship." I'm sure it'll be off to the gulag for him soon.
And, for those who don't know, "illegal entrepreneurship" in Russian (and Soviet) lingo basically means doing business without the state's blessing. I remember my wife telling me about her mom's black market sewing business back in the USSR--that would have been "illegal entrepreneurship" as well.
And, for those who don't know, "illegal entrepreneurship" in Russian (and Soviet) lingo basically means doing business without the state's blessing. I remember my wife telling me about her mom's black market sewing business back in the USSR--that would have been "illegal entrepreneurship" as well.
Hillary Clinton's True Character
Here's a rather in-depth (and well worth it) essay by Ed Cline in The Rule of Reason, on the paper that Hillary Clinton wrote during college and is apparently circulating the Internet (although this is the first I've heard of it). It's an appalling and, frankly, frightening look into Clinton's character, and until some other candidate is defined so clearly it makes her the least desirable.
Mr. Cline's essay is long, but I'll post the quote that best sums up Clinton (and note that there's a great deal of analysis that backs this up):
It takes a village, or a Toohey, or an Alinsky, to fill such a void. This is a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Hillary has progressed from doubting the effectiveness of massive government programs to help the poor to seeing them as the only answer, in the name of “social justice.” Like Alinsky, like Toohey, she wishes to crush the individualist independence of Americans and replace it with dependence on the state – and she would be the state – chiefly because she has grown to fear and hate independence in anyone.
No matter how slickly “human” she presents her made-over self to the public in debates or during interviews, one can still detect in her the desire to kill in every American his integrity, self-respect, sense of values, the heroic, and happiness. When she left Wellesley, she decided to become the “star,” someone whom uncounted others would come to depend on and thank for that dependence.
Read the whole thing. It's well worth it.
Mr. Cline's essay is long, but I'll post the quote that best sums up Clinton (and note that there's a great deal of analysis that backs this up):
It takes a village, or a Toohey, or an Alinsky, to fill such a void. This is a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Hillary has progressed from doubting the effectiveness of massive government programs to help the poor to seeing them as the only answer, in the name of “social justice.” Like Alinsky, like Toohey, she wishes to crush the individualist independence of Americans and replace it with dependence on the state – and she would be the state – chiefly because she has grown to fear and hate independence in anyone.
No matter how slickly “human” she presents her made-over self to the public in debates or during interviews, one can still detect in her the desire to kill in every American his integrity, self-respect, sense of values, the heroic, and happiness. When she left Wellesley, she decided to become the “star,” someone whom uncounted others would come to depend on and thank for that dependence.
Read the whole thing. It's well worth it.
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