Trump Pulls Out Of Iran Deal, Isolating America From Europe Or Something

By William Teach May 9, 2018 – 7:55 am

What’s left of Mr. Obama’s legacy at this point? Bad deal after bad deal has been scuttled by President Trump. This NY Times article has had the headline changed at least 3 times, originally being about concern over America losing credibility in Europe

Trump Abandons Iran Nuclear Deal He Long Scorned

President Trump declared on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, unraveling the signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor Barack Obama, isolating the United States from its Western allies and sowing uncertainty before a risky nuclear negotiation with North Korea.

The decision, while long anticipated and widely telegraphed, leaves the 2015 agreement reached by seven countries after more than two years of grueling negotiations in tatters. The United States will now reimpose the stringent sanctions it imposed on Iran before the deal and is considering new penalties.

Iran said it will remain in the deal, which tightly restricted its nuclear ambitions for a decade or more in return for ending the sanctions that had crippled its economy.

So did France, Germany and Britain, raising the prospect of a trans-Atlantic clash as European companies face the return of American sanctions for doing business with Iran. China and Russia, also signatories to the deal, are likely to join Iran in accusing the United States of violating the accord.

Realistically, they need the United States more than we need them. France and Germany are the primary nations that will throw a hissy fit, and both of them should remember which nation is their friend and which is the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism. China needs our markets for their under-priced goods. Russia? Wait, I thought they were now the enemy? We’re caring about that? Spending two years of grueling negotiations and getting virtually nothing out of the deal shows that the Obama negotiators stunk.

Because look at the third paragraph: tightly restricted its nuclear ambitions for a decade. Not ended them. Just slowed them down a bit, and, in exchange, Iran received billions from Obama, removal of sanctions, ability to sell its oil on the world market, and ability to buy and sell on the world market. And they gave up, really, nothing.

And Iran was already part of a deal stopping them from developing nuclear weapons: the Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as subsequent NPT accords.

Mr. Trump’s decision will test his already frayed relationship with European leaders. President Emmanuel Macron of France, whom the president welcomed with a state dinner two weeks ago, learned of his decision in a phone call with Mr. Trump on Tuesday morning. Later, he said in a post on Twitter that the European allies “regret” his decision.

“The international regime against nuclear proliferation is at stake,” he added.

They like to write about frayed relationships, but they can’t point to them in detail. Perhaps European leaders, meaning France and Germany, should consider taking our side and following our lead, rather than demanding we do what they want.

Few people were more stung by Mr. Trump’s decision than those who worked for Mr. Obama. Though he has moved methodically to dismantle his predecessor’s legacy, his reversal of the Iran deal was particularly painful, given the five years of effort that went into imposing sanctions, and the more than two-year-long negotiation led by Secretary of State John Kerry that yielded the accord.

“No rhetoric is required,” Mr. Kerry said in a statement. “The facts speak for themselves. Instead of building on unprecedented nonproliferation verification measures, this decision risks throwing them away and dragging the world back to the brink we faced a few years ago.”

If your neighbor keeps throwing their dog poo into your yard, and you negotiate a deal in which the neighbor promises not to throw poo into your yard for 10 years, and to not develop a poo stockpile which requires verification (but a 2 week notification and sections of his yard is off limits to inspection), and, in exchange, you give the neighbor a bundle of money and access to your apple trees and swimming pool, your spouse might call you a dumbass for negotiating that deal.

At the end of the day, most EU nations aren’t involved, a chunk are with us (like Poland), and France, Germany, and Britain can either stand with their #1 ally or stand with Iran.

Yay!

Read: Trump Pulls Out Of Iran Deal, Isolating America From Europe Or Something »

Posted in Barry Obama, Current Affairs, Donald Trump | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Person Goes Through Hurricane, Declares Self “Climate Refugee”

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 4:34 pm

Remember, hurricanes never happened before CO2 went over 350ppm. And this is the kind of junk science that outlets are pushing on teenagers, as the article is in Teen Vogue. Of course, few probably read it, because they’re there for the fashion and sex advice, not loopy junk science written by Agnes M. Torres Rivera

Hurricane Maria Made Me A Climate Change Refugee

Hurricane Maria changed my life overnight. The chaos and destruction of the storm, which made landfall on the island as a Category 4 storm in September 2017, changed the lives of millions of Puerto Ricans who call the island home. It forced thousands of people like myself to flee home and build a new life on the United States mainland. Upwards of 2,200 Puerto Ricans have been displaced to Connecticut post-Maria alone, including more than 1,800 children.

I left Puerto Rico in January to study as a visiting student at Trinity College in Hartford. After the hurricane, working towards my master’s degree in Puerto Rico was a challenge because the electricity and internet were not reliable. Coupled with the economic crisis that Puerto Rico is facing, living on the island seemed impossible.

Wait, she took a fossil fueled trip? Huh.

Since arriving in Hartford, I’ve connected with local organizations like Chispa Connecticut, an organizing program of the League of Conservation Voters, to meet with other displaced Puerto Ricans and plan the next steps in our lives. In doing so, I’ve realized that every person I’ve met who was forced to relocate has a similar story to share: of bravery and persistence, yes, but also of a forever-altered landscape and of communities, like mine, that are being torn apart by climate change. (snip through some stories)

There are thousands more Puerto Ricans who have stories just like these. The record-breaking rainfall, flooding, and destruction driven by Hurricane Maria — not to mention Hurricanes Harvey and Irma — is what climate change looks like. And, as sea levels continue to rise and air and water temperatures continue to warm, these storms are likely to worsen. Hurricane Maria showed us that we can’t afford to wait another day to fight back. We are climate change refugees, and our collective stories serve as a cautionary tale that government officials need to hear.

What they are deluded, brainwashed Victims. Because tons of people (primarily Leftists) seem to want to be a Victim these days. Just a couple decades ago, people talked about how strong they were, that they wouldn’t break, that they would rebuild. Now, they’re just whiners. When people went through other hurricanes, they got to work. Now they want Government to be their mommy and daddy and kiss their boo boo.

Read: Person Goes Through Hurricane, Declares Self “Climate Refugee” »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Global Warming | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 1:00 pm

…is carbon pollution making the sky look grey, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Flopping Aces, with a post noting the application of the law depends on your political views.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | Comments Off on If All You See… | Trackback URL

UN: “Climate Change (scam) is the single biggest threat to life, security and prosperity on Earth” Or Something

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 10:44 am

Keep beating that dead horse, people who have outsized carbon footprints from living the good life and taking long fossil fueled trips to climate change conferences

(Breitbart) The United Nations Climate Change Secretariat released its first ever annual report this week, in which it held up its “Gender Action Plan” as a key to increasing the participation of women in responding to global warming.

“Climate Change is the single biggest threat to life, security and prosperity on Earth,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa at the roll-out of the report.

“This annual report shows how UN Climate Change is doing everything it can to support, encourage and build on the global response to climate change,” Espinosa said, adding that “UN Climate Change’s mandate is to lead and support the global community in this international response, with the Paris Agreement and the Convention being the long-term vehicles for united global climate action.”

In his foreword to the report, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, expressed a similar conviction that global warming poses a singular threat to the world in the third millennium.

“Climate change is the defining challenge of our time,” Guterres warned, “yet it is still accelerating faster than our efforts to address it. Atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide are higher than they have been for 800,000 years, and they are increasing. So, too, are the catastrophic effects of our warming planet – extreme storms, droughts, fires, floods, melting ice and rising sea levels.”

So, basically, no matter what happens, they blame it on Hotcoldwetdry. It’s a cult. And, they’ll link it to everything, like women’s rights. Perhaps they should worry more about how women are treated in 3rd world shitholes and Islamic nations before worrying about …. oh, wait, right, the UN Climastrologers want women to be subservient to the Government. My bad.

Read: UN: “Climate Change (scam) is the single biggest threat to life, security and prosperity on Earth” Or Something »

Posted in AGW Idiocy, Global Warming, UN | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

Kamala Harris Backs Striking Public Sector Workers Over Graduating Kids, People In Need Of Medical Service

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 7:57 am

Overall, though, this is less about Kamala, who is considered a leading contender to run for the Democratic Party nomination for president in 2020, and more about why public sector unions should be abolished

Sen. Kamala Harris backs out of commencement speech at UC Berkeley

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is heeding a boycott call by striking University of California employees and announced Monday that she will not be commencement speaker at UC Berkeley ceremonies.

Harris said she “regretfully” won’t attend Saturday’s spring commencement due to the labor dispute and the call for a university-wide speaker boycott. Instead, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ will deliver the keynote address.

Harris says she wishes the estimated 5,800 students “success for the future.

She had made a commitment to be the speaker, and she reneged on it. For shame. Here’s the really important part

Thousands of UC custodians, security guards, gardeners and other service workers began a three-day walkout on Monday to address gender pay inequalities and demand higher wages.

The Associated Press reported that officials at UC Davis Medical Center were forced to reschedule more than 100 cancer exams and 150 radiology exams.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 called for the strike, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. The union includes 25,000 service workers.

The report said medical workers sympathetic to the strikers are set to join walkouts set for the next few days. Essential patient care will be provided, the report said. Hundreds of surgeries, however, were rescheduled.

Got that? These workers who are demanding a 20% pay hike on the public dime are already paid at or above market rate on the public dime have caused lots of problems for people who need cancer exams and surgeries. These are the people that Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party are backing. Just remember the unhinged talk aimed at Trump and Republicans about PEOPLE ARE DYING BECAUSE (non-essential) GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE CLOSED. WE’RE DOOMED!!!!! during the brief shutdowns.

Public sector unions need to go. These are government employees. They live off the backs of the working American taxpayers. It would be one thing if the unions simply existed to protect employees from terrible bosses (don’t the Dems tell us that Government is awesome?), but when people whose salaries are paid for by the taxpayers decide to walk off the job and strike, causing problems for the taxpayers in a manner where the government is essentially extorting the government, there’s a problem.

Read: Kamala Harris Backs Striking Public Sector Workers Over Graduating Kids, People In Need Of Medical Service »

Posted in Democrats | Comments Off on Kamala Harris Backs Striking Public Sector Workers Over Graduating Kids, People In Need Of Medical Service | Trackback URL

Everyone’s Saying Trump Will Pull Out Of Iran Deal, So, He’s Most Likely Staying In

By William Teach May 8, 2018 – 7:41 am

Look, as stated many, many times, the Iran deal is a bad deal. America really gets little out of it. It is a one sided deal, brokered by people who do not understand how to conduct a win-win negotiation. So, what will happen? Here’s the Washington Post front page headline and sub-head blurb

Trump expected to impede Iran nuclear deal
President Trump is expected to announce that he will not continue to waive sanctions against Iran, according to current and former U.S. and foreign officials. Iran has threatened to reactivate its nuclear program if the United States reneges on any of its obligations under the 2015 pact.

The LA Times takes a middle ground

Allies and adversaries alike worry as Trump sets stage for reveal on Iran deal

President Trump on Tuesday could make good on his longstanding threat to tear up the Iran nuclear accord — or he could heap fresh disdain on the landmark disarmament pact while charting a course that would keep key elements in place, at least for now.

CNN is also middle ground

World holds breath for Trump’s Iran deal decision

President Donald Trump on Tuesday can land his most devastating blow yet on the legacy of Barack Obama, but a move to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal could also spark a dangerous global crisis.

ABC News and the UK Guardian

And, of course, the paper of record, NY Times

Unswayed by Allies, Trump Is Expected to Leave Iran Deal, Diplomats Say

President Trump is expected to announce on Tuesday that he is withdrawing the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, European diplomats said after concluding that they had failed to convince him that reneging on America’s commitment to the pact could cast the West into new confrontation with Tehran.

Many others are claiming he’ll pull the U.S., and, since Trump always likes to do the unexpected, I expect him to stay in the deal at this time, while demanding full compliance to the letter of the agreement in full, while slapping restrictions and sanctions on Iran as much as he can. At this point, what difference does it make? Iran either works on making nuclear weapons now or nuclear weapons in the late 2020’s. And in the 2020’s is on Barack Obama and John Kerry. Plus, if Trump pulls out, none of the others will pull out, so, it won’t really harm Iran and all the money they now have flowing in.

Oh, hey, what’s this from the NY Times

Here’s How the Nuclear Deal Slowed Iran Down

That’s right, it slowed their nuclear program down. It did not stop it, despite all the happy “let’s make Obama look awesome” talk from news outlets.

The same outlets are also prognosticating doom if Trump pulls the U.S. out. They say that oil prices will spike, that there will be economic doom. In other words, everything will be fine.

Senator Marco Rubio: President Trump should nix the Iran nuclear deal

Rubio does a very good job of laying out how bad this deal is. The question here is, would it make much of a difference if the U.S. pulled out after these few years it has been in operation, when European nations and others will refuse to reinstate sanctions and just continue to do business with Iran? Remember, many of those same nations did business with Iraq under Saddam despite all the U.N. sanctions.

We’ll wait and see what Trump does.

More: For reals?

Read: Everyone’s Saying Trump Will Pull Out Of Iran Deal, So, He’s Most Likely Staying In »

Posted in Current Affairs, Donald Trump, Iran | 6 Comments | Trackback URL

‘Climate Change’ (scam) Believers Demand People No Longer Be Allowed To Have Single Family Homes

By William Teach May 7, 2018 – 4:16 pm

Perhaps we can start with Warmists like Barack Obama, Al Gore, Bernie Sanders, and all the rest

Green building isn’t enough; we need green zoning.

How can cities that have green building codes have zoning bylaws that protect low-density single family housing?

These days it seems that everyone is fighting over zoning. Housing costs in many cities are unaffordable but the great proportion of the cities are locked into single-family zoning and building anything but a detached house seems almost impossible. Right now we see these battles in Seattle, San Francisco, and Toronto, but they are happening just about in every successful city.

And the hilarious thing about it all is that these are also cities that have green building standards. San Francisco has a green building codedesigned to reduce energy use, Seattle’s green standard “saves resources and promotes renewable, clean energy”, Toronto’s standard’s intent is to “reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.”

The great hypocrisy is that the single biggest factor in the carbon footprint of our cities isn’t the amount of insulation in our walls, it’s the zoning. (snip)

We have been saying it for years: denser urban living is the key to reducing our carbon footprint. Some, like David Owen, call for really high density; I have called for the Goldilocks Density; the fashionable phrase now is the missing middle; both describe density high enough to support local businesses so that one can mostly get around by walking, but buildings that are low enough that they can be efficiently built out of low carbon materials like wood.

Interesting. Forcing Everyone Else into tight urban areas. A lot easier to control them and keep an eye on them, eh?

We have been talking about the relationship of density and carbon for years, and we have been talking about green building codes, certifications and bylaws. But green building isn’t enough; we need green zoning. Any civic government that calls itself green while protecting low density single family housing is just being hypocritical.

What they mean is that government needs to pass regulations restricting single family housing. Sounds less like a science or more like authoritative government as pushed by idiots who think the bad parts will never effect themselves.

Read: ‘Climate Change’ (scam) Believers Demand People No Longer Be Allowed To Have Single Family Homes »

Posted in Global Warming, Progressive Goals | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach May 7, 2018 – 1:00 pm

…is ground turning to rock from too much carbon pollution, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Bunkerville, with a post on Connecticut, the electoral college, and the popular vote.

And, no, I have no idea why someone p-shopped Mr. Bean in the background. Twasn’t me.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 7 Comments | Trackback URL

Good News: Gun Grabber Alyssa Milano Says All Can Own Assault Rifles Under Two Conditions

By William Teach May 7, 2018 – 10:53 am

And I mean good news in a good way, not a snarky way

“This security guy has training and passed a background check.” So, per her words, all you need to do to keep a scary assault weapon, like the oft-cited AR-15 Bushmaster WEAPON OF WAR ZOMG is to pass a background check, and take a training class.

There is no actual hard data on how many obtained firearms without a background, just polls. Many obtain them through a private purchase or transfer, like within the family at times. Others do not need to get a background check for a firearm, because they already had one done, are a concealed carry permit holder, or something similar. Once again, I have zero problem with requiring a background check for all purchases and transfers for each and every time a firearm is purchased.

And, hey, if all it takes is that (I’m probably going further than Alyssa considered) and a quick class on firearm safety in order to get the gun grabbers to STFU and go away and stop yammering about assault rifles, I’m OK with that. I might just purchase an AR-15 style rifle just for the hell of it. She set the terms, let’s hold her to it.

(we know that they would never stop pushing even if they did agree to this, though)

Read: Good News: Gun Grabber Alyssa Milano Says All Can Own Assault Rifles Under Two Conditions »

Posted in 2nd Amendment | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Building A Home In California? You’ll Be Required To Have Solar Panels

By William Teach May 7, 2018 – 8:06 am

As if home prices weren’t high in California as it is. Trulia rates the state 3rd in median home price behind Hawaii and D.C. (obviously, there are tons of factors that make home prices higher, so it can’t all be blamed on state and local rules and such). And CNBC ranked California 3rd highest for cost of living, behind NY and Hawaii

California to become first U.S. state mandating solar on new homes

For seven years, a handful of homebuilders offered solar as an optional item to buyers willing to pay extra to go green.

Now, California is on the verge of making solar standard on virtually every new home built in the Golden State.

The California Energy Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday, May 9, on new energy standards mandating most new homes have solar panels starting in 2020.

If approved as expected, solar installations on new homes will skyrocket.

An interesting question I haven’t found an answer for yet is whether the solar would all go directly to the home, or being linked into the grid, meaning your home would be part of the energy companies property. Anyhow, solar installation would skyrocket not because people want it, but because government demands it. And they’re trying to wipe out the use of natural gas at the same time

In addition to widespread adoption of solar power, the new provisions include a push to increase battery storage and increase reliance on electricity over natural gas. Among the highlights:

  • The new solar mandate would apply to all houses, condos and apartment buildings up to three stories tall that obtain building permits after Jan. 1, 2020.
  • Exceptions or alternatives will be allowed when homes are shaded by trees or buildings or when the home’s roofs are too small to accommodate solar panels.
  • Solar arrays can be smaller because homes won’t have to achieve true net-zero status.
  • Builders installing batteries like the Tesla Powerwall would get “compliance credits,” allowing them to further reduce the size of the solar system.
  • Provisions will encourage more electric use or even all-electric homes to reduce natural gas consumption. State officials say improved technology is making electric water heaters increasingly cost-effective.

The mandate dates back to 2007 when the state energy commission adopted the goal of making homebuilding so efficient “newly constructed buildings can be net zero energy by 2020 for residences and by 2030 for commercial buildings.”

You can see builders finding ways to make sure the buildings are shaded. On the bright side, perhaps this will lead to builders not clear cutting land for developments.

The new energy standards add about $25,000 to $30,000 to the construction costs compared with homes built to the 2006 code, said C.R. Herro, Meritage’s vice president of environmental affairs. Solar accounts for about $14,000 to $16,000 of that cost, with increased insulation and more efficient windows, appliances, lighting and heating accounting for another $10,000 to $15,000.

But that $25,000 to $30,000 will result in $50,000 to $60,000 in the owner’s reduced operating costs over the 25-year life of the home’s solar system, Herro said.

The problem is, most people do not stay in their homes for 25 years. And that up-front cost is not exactly chump-change. And, then you have repair costs, upkeep costs, and it makes it more expensive for the repair and upkeep costs for the roof itself. And, really, how does this help?

At night when there’s no solar power, people come home, turn on the lights, the TV and possibly the air conditioning and start pulling power from the grid, he said. Some gas-powered generating plants then are fired up to help meet that additional load, boosting carbon emissions.

“That additional (home-generated) solar kilowatt-hour isn’t worth very much because it’s displacing what is already clean energy,” McAllister said. “That net-zero home is not a net-carbon-zero home.”

Yeah, most people are gone during most days. At night, solar can only help so much, if the home has lots of expensive batteries.

Read: Building A Home In California? You’ll Be Required To Have Solar Panels »

Posted in Energy, Global Warming | 5 Comments | Trackback URL
Pirate's Cove