Why The New Star Trek Doesn’t Interest Me

By William Teach May 10, 2013 – 12:40 pm

You can call me a Trekkie. I grew up constantly watching repeats of the original Star Trek. I loved the Next Generation. Deep Space Nine. Voyager. Most of the movies, especially The Wrath Of Khan. I’ve moved on from reading the books, but, when they first started being published, I read them religiously, either buying them or getting them at the library. Over time, I probably purchased or borrowed 60-70 Star Trek books, most of them revolving around either the original Trek universe or pre-Kirk times. I still have a few around, though I donated most to the local libraries here in Wake County when I moved about 6 years ago or in Brielle, NJ, when my parents cleaned everything out to move to their smaller retirement house.

But, now we get to the reboot. I enjoyed the way JJ Abrams made it happen by splitting off to a new time line (though, if we look at the original timeline, there is no way in hell children and babies, as well as pregnant women, would be on a starship traveling into the far reaches of dangerous space, which was the whole point of the original program, per the books….yeah, geek mode on). Here’s: the problem:

..the whole thing breaks down when you realize that Kirk hadn’t even gone through the full course for Star Fleet Academy, and was still essentially a “young adult”, when he’s given command of a starship, the equivalent of giving a 1st year Annapolis cadet command of a carrier.

That’s the comment I left over at the UK Independent for their film review of Into Darkness (via BenK’s news dump). I can’t get beyond that part. Kirk had barely started as a cadet when they had this call up for everyone to get on a ship and go fight. He hadn’t graduated. He hadn’t even commanded a shuttle. Maybe he has the mental ability to do the job, and demonstrated that, I guess, but was there no one else in the chain of command to take over the Enterprise than a kid who had no experience, and surely hadn’t had time to “learn why things work on a starship”? Does anyone think that Star Fleet Command would hand over the US Navy equivalent of a carrier to Kirk once the emergency was over, promoting him to captain? Or would they have assigned someone who had been around for awhile, and perhaps fast tracked Kirk, once he frigging graduated, to becoming a command officer, sticking him on a small ship as a 2nd or 3rd officer to learn under someone who has, you know, experience?

It makes no sense, and, yeah, I know, movie. But, there’s pushing the boundaries of believability and then there’s flying several galaxies beyond. So, yeah, I have no intention of seeing the movie, nor renting it on DVD.

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Obama’s Completely Separate OFA Still Trying “Climate Change” Campaign

By William Teach May 10, 2013 – 12:07 pm

Most polls typically find “climate change” to be low on the priority scale for Americans, with things like jobs, the economy, making government more efficient, and so many other issues taking precedence. If you’re just discussing real environmental issues, the care for the issue rises. Throw in “climate change”, it drops. So, of course the completely independent from Obama Organizing For Obama Action is pushing the issue hard

(The Hill) The advocacy group born from President Obama’s reelection campaign is blasting Republicans who doubt the science supporting climate change, saying GOP lawmakers who deny a human cause of climate change are wearing “tin foil hats.”

The email from Organizing for Action (OFA) is the latest effort by the pro-Obama group to criticize GOP climate skeptics.

“Break out the tin foil hats, folks,” it says.

“House Speaker John Boehner and the chairman of the House Science Committee are both unsure whether the science behind climate change – the stuff that shows pretty clearly that carbon pollution produced by humans is damaging our environment – is real,” adds the email from OFA Chair Jim Messina, who was Obama’s campaign manager.

Some days I’m sorry I removed all my email addresses from Obama’s lists (but then I remember how often I was getting spammed, and that they were sharing the data all over the place), because I miss this kind of craziness. Anyhow, as far as tin foil hats go, remember these numbers:

  • 0.28F increase in global temperature since 1990
  • 0.14F increase in global temperature since 1997

Not particularly scary, wouldn’t you say? But, if OFA is truly worried about “climate change”, they should concern troll Obama and all the other Democrats who continue to take fossil fueled flights and travel in fossil fueled autos, telling them to stop. Furthermore, they should concern troll Obama and the Dems to refuse to take campaign donations from all oil and coal companies. And divest their portfolios from the same.

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Posted in AGW Idiocy, Barking Moonbats, Barry Obama, Democrats, Global Warming | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

Obama’s Wonderful DOE Green Programs Spent $26 Billion On Less Than 3,000 Jobs

By William Teach May 10, 2013 – 7:52 am

Don’t worry, Obama’s cool with this, it’s Someone Else’s money, and he can always get more

(Institute for Energy Research) Without much fanfare, the Department of Energy (DOE) recently updated the list of loan guarantee projects on its website. Unlike in 2008, when Barack Obama pledged to create 5 million jobs over 10 years by directing taxpayer funds toward renewable energy projects, there were no press conferences or stump speeches. But the data are nonetheless revealing: for the over $26 billion spent since 2009, DOE Section 1703 and 1705 loan guarantees have created only 2,298 permanent jobs for a cost of over $11.45 million per job.

Shocker, eh? Cue the E-trade baby

I still hate those commercials. Just like I hate wasting taxpayer money on endeavors that are mostly bound to fail. Most of the waste on the DOE list comes from solar company investment. Cue the E-trade baby again.

As the astronomical cost of the DOE’s loan guarantee program indicates, subsidizing renewable energy is not a good deal for taxpayers. But loan guarantees are just one of the ways the federal government bankrolls risky green energy projects. Energy-related tax preferences cost taxpayers about $13.5 billion in FY 2012, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. But solar and wind power, for which the majority of the tax preferences for renewable energy were directed, produced only 3.6 percent of the nation’s generation in 2012. In addition, the Treasury Department’s 1603 grant program, which offers cash payments to renewable energy companies, cost taxpayers $5.8 billion in 2012. Many states also subsidize green energy through tax preferences as well as requiring renewable electricity mandates that require a specified amount of electricity to be generated from qualified renewable sources like wind and solar.

While attempting to create more alternative energy sources is a laudable goal, doing it in this manner is clearly wasteful and worthless

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Posted in AGW Idiocy, Barry Obama, Energy | 5 Comments | Trackback URL

Gang Of 8 Throws GOP A Bone On NewShamnesty

By William Teach May 10, 2013 – 7:34 am

This begs the question: if Conservatives have to be thrown a bone to attempt to get their support for the immigration reform bill, wouldn’t that mean that the bill is extremely Democrat friendly? This is starting to look more and more like Obamacare: have a couple of popular provisions, such as a 13 year waiting period, requirement to learn English, border control, no government services, but have the ugly details buried in the bill which will cause massive problems later

(Politico) The Senate Gang of Eight made a series of overt attempts Thursday to win over Republicans on immigration reform, using the first day of Judiciary Committee debate to tighten border security measures on the bill.

None of the amendments impose drastic changes on the legislation. The most significant concession involved requiring the government to achieve “effective control” of the entire Southwestern border, not just high-risk areas.

The lead reform proponents don’t expect any single amendment to sway Republicans and guarantee Senate passage, but by accepting eight GOP amendments, Gang of Eight members attempted to send the message that they are sensitive to demands for an open committee process and stricter border security.

It’s a little bone, as many much stricter amendments, such as requiring that the border be secure for at least 6 months, were shot down

The two Republican Gang members sided with Democrats in rejecting Republican Texas Sen Ted Cruz’s bid to multiply agents and other resources along the border. The same coalition defeated Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley’s proposal to prohibit undocumented immigrants from gaining provisional legal status until the entire Southern border is deemed secure.

On the bright side, it will take the Judiciary committee weeks to do the markup, giving more time to expose just how bad this legislation is. There are so many poison pills in the legislation that there is no possible way it passes the House. Rubio and Jeff Flake have already ruined their brands with the GOP regarding this legislation, painting themselves as the new McCain and Graham.

The one thing that surprises me is that no one seems to be proposing massive civil and criminal penalties on companies and individuals who hire illegals. Want to stop a good chunk? Put the burden on the employer. If they won’t hire, most illegals will leave, allowing law enforcement, border control, folks who monitor visas, etc to concentrate on the gang members, drug smugglers, and similar bad people. Democrats would be against this, because they want illegals coming to America, the better to turn them into new Dem voters.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

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Posted in Democrat Lite, Idiot GOPer's, Illegal Immigration | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

Obama Pivots To Jobs Again, Goes To Texas, Learns Nothing

By William Teach May 9, 2013 – 7:39 pm

Question: what happens when a POTUS who is economically illiterate heads to a state that is doing much better than the United States as a whole? He asks how they’re doing it? Brother, you forget who’s (unfortunately) POTUS

(Politico) President Barack Obama doesn’t have that much to show for the first four months of his second term. His outside game failed to prod Congress on gun control or the sequester. His inside game is a work in progress.

So the president traveled to Texas Thursday to talk about the one area where things do seem to be working for him right now: jobs.

And what did he do? He brought the Neverending Campaign instead of listening to Those Who Do. And, yup, more complaints about Republicans, who, darn it all, are blocking his wonderful ideas written on cocktail napkins that would fix everything, just like when Democrats controlled the House and pissed away what will easily be over a trillion dollars (with the interest) with Stimulus. Plus all the other spending. Which got us nowhere.

But even the president’s jobs message comes with a qualifier. He describes an improving jobs outlook — but insists the recovery is being hamstrung by Republican intransigence on the sequester. That means he’s juggling competing approaches, as he publicly asks the American people to “lean on” on members of Congress — the same members of Congress he’s been privately schmoozing over dinner and golf.

Has anyone noticed that the slight progress America is making can be traced to Republicans blocking Democrat economic policies?

Anyhow, he spoke at a high school, because we all know that the economy runs due to high school kids, and a tech company, where he spoke and failed to listen or truly solicit ideas.

He also pushed for a $9 minimum wage. And Governor Rick Perry met him, and drafted a checklist for Obama on Facebook (via Washington Examiner)

Read More »

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Posted in Barry Obama, Beyond Moonbat, Economy | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

Tell Me If You’ve Heard This One Before: Democrat Area Not Enthused By Proposed Solar Plant

By William Teach May 9, 2013 – 2:18 pm

Do you find it interesting that so many liberal dominant areas keep complaining about the construction of solar panels where they can see them. Or somewhat near where they live (just like with other types of alternatives)

(NJ.com) Residents will get their chance Thursday night to weigh in on a plan to build a solar power plant in the township (Bedminster, NJ) that has been drawing stark criticism from opponents for more than a year. (snip)

Opponents of plan say the property in Bedminster eyed for the project — Kirby Farm — is a historic piece of farmland, and see no benefit to supplying power to an out-of-town business. They also think it could hurt the environment and damage property values. (snip)

A petition on Change.org says the project — which would consist of 8-foot high solar arrays, access roads, concrete pads and multiple 10- and 20-ton inverter power stations surrounded by a 7-foot high chain link fence — “will irreparably harm the area’s natural resources and destroy community’s rural character.” The petition has more than 250 signatures.

Strange. Somerset County went for Obama 52-48 during the 2012 election, yet they do not seem all that interested in following Obama’s master plan for all sorts of “green energy”, which apparently will hurt the environment and destroy property values (?). Good little Obamazombies shouldn’t care about those, we’re saving the planet!

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If All You See…

By William Teach May 9, 2013 – 1:00 pm

…is an evil dog causing a drought world, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Gay Patriot, where B. Daniel Blatt wonders who came up with the video talking points.

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NC GOP Legislation Would Require Parental Notice For Contraception, STD Treatment

By William Teach May 9, 2013 – 11:26 am

An attempt to include parents in the decisions of their children, something for which Democrats are against…well, as long as it’s not their own kids

(News And Observer) A bill advancing in the North Carolina House requires minors seeking treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and other problems to first obtain parental consent.

The House Health and Human Services Committee approved a Republican bill Tuesday that requires minors to get notarized consent from a parent or guardian to be treated for a venereal disease, pregnancy, substance abuse or mental illness. The bill would apply to prescriptions for birth control.

The bill includes exceptions where federal health care funding prohibits such restrictions, for judicial waivers of consent and in cases of emergency. Written consent wouldn’t be needed if the parent or guardian accompanied the minor during the medical visit and gave permission.

Dems not happy, and throwing out all sorts of BS

But Rep. Beverly M. Earle, D-Mecklenburg, said the arguments of supporters depend on a picture of family life that doesn’t exist for the youth the current law is designed to protect.

“There’s a whole world of young people out there that don’t have that relationship with their parents,” she said.

Well, perhaps we Democrats should stop pushing for the family unit to be broken up. So many of their laws and policy pushes are designed to put Government in the role of Mom and Dad. Consider how loudly Democrats become when anyone recommends parental notification for a minor looking to get an abortion. Parents should know when their child is looking to obtain birth control and/or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease.

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Bummer: Greenland Not Melting Any Faster

By William Teach May 9, 2013 – 9:13 am

Despite the massive predictions of doom and gloom surrounding Greenland ice melt, it seems that Greenland is not melting any faster (and 2,500 Manhattans above normal so far this year).

(Grist) Back in 2006, scientists in Greenland made an alarming observation: Glaciers were crumbling into the ocean twice as fast. And not in little cocktail-sized cubes, either: Glaciologist Jason Box accurately predicted the spot where a hunk four times the size of Manhattan would later shear off into the sea.

Remember that starting paragraph for a little later in this post

As Box told our Climate Desk Live audience in January, rising air and water temperatures — driven by greenhouse gas emissions — are to blame. And with more warming on the way, he made a grim prediction: Melting from Greenland and the world’s other land-based glaciers could ultimately raise global sea levels by 69 feet, Box warns.

Not so fast

But don’t start building your flood-proof ark quite yet: Advanced imaging released in August suggested the ice sheet is capable of quickly reversing its melting habit. And a study out today in Nature finds that the sped-up ice loss on the water’s edge, while still a problem, is unlikely to get much worse, even with a big rise in global temperatures. Taken together, these two studies suggest that Greenland’s ice melt problem isn’t as bad as experts like Box had predicted.

Surprise! Yet another ginned up issue, blamed on Mankind (a previous paragraph specifically blames mankind’s GHG output) which has failed to conform to Warmist computer models and hysterical ravings.

For the Nature study, Faezeh Nick, a researcher at Norway’s University Center in Svalbard, led a team that took the closest-ever look at so-called “outlet glaciers,” the 200 or so outermost arms of the ice sheet that flow straight into the sea. Their findings suggest that the increase in melting rate is about to slow down, suggesting that in a medium warming scenario these glaciers will likely contribute just 19-30 millimeters to global sea levels by 2100.

That’s a far cry below 69 feet. It equates to roughly 7-11 .75 to 1.18 inches*. The historical norm over the past 7,000 years since the massive sea height increase post-ice age leveled off is around 8 inches per century. If we’re talking averages, that means that periods must be higher and lower. During a warm period we would expect much more than 8 inches. So, pretty much below what one would expect for this warm period, since the 20th century average is around 6-8 inches. Of course, to be fair, they’re saying that Greenland melt will only contribute 7-11 around 1 inch, per computer models and bottles of tequila. Still a far cry from 69 feet, wouldn’t you think?

But, really, scientists didn’t know how the melt in Greenland was working, so they took a little data and made a model, and found that there were lots and lots of things that determine behavior. Money quote

Scary as these breakups are, she says, evidence suggests they come in spurts and aren’t closely linked to temperature, unlike surface melt, the other main cause of lost ice.

Obviously, Grist and the scientists immediately attempt to dismiss this finding and still blame Mankind and proclaim doom. Remember, the article started off with a doom story about giant glaciers, including one 4 times the size of Manhattan, breaking off. Now we find that they aren’t linked to temperature. Surprise!

Still and all, Warmists should immediately run and sell their fossil fueled vehicles, set their AC to 78 (well, for those who need it, considering how below average this not-yet-really-spring has been), and purchase expensive solar panels for their homes.

*Somehow in converting from millimeters to centimeters to inches I messed up the measurements. Thanks to Clinton in the comments at Right Wing News for the correction. And J.D. here at Pirate’s Cove, who noticed my mistake (been napping most of the afternoon, therapy on my hurt shoulder)

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Posted in Collapsing Science, Global Warming | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

Missouri Legislature Passes Gun Nullification Bill

By William Teach May 9, 2013 – 8:23 am

We’ve seen several states take this route, including Kansas (and other states, such as South Carolina, are looking to block implementation of Obamacare). Missouri is the latest

(Fox News) The Missouri Legislature sent the governor a bill Wednesday that would expand gun rights and declare all federal gun regulations unenforceable, in a response to President Obama’s push for gun control legislation.

The Republican-led Legislature passed the measure hoping to shield the state from federal proposals that would ban assault weapons and expand background checks. But the U.S. Senate’s defeat of a background check expansion three weeks ago did nothing to assuage the fears of Missouri Republicans who pressed forward with their legislation.

The Missouri House voted 118-36 Wednesday to send the bill to Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon. The Senate passed the measure earlier this month.

Obviously, Democrat gun grabbers are spitting mad (nothing new, that’s their normal state)

Opposition came mostly from House Democrats who said the measure would increase access to guns and make schools less safe. They argued the measure doesn’t address gun violence in urban areas.

Strangely, those urban areas tend to vote mostly Democrat. One would think that Democrats would be in favor of allowing their constituents to have the ability to defend themselves from the crime that Democrat policies creates. It’s not particularly helpful if one’s voters are, you know, dead.

The legislation, if it is signed by the governor, would also allow certain designated people to have concealed carry on school grounds, but they would have to pass a special certification program. It would increase open carry ability. It would stop the release of gun permit holder information. And it would stop doctors from asking if a person has a gun.

Top cop Eric Holder, whose department ran guns into Mexico, will surely send a nasty letter and threaten lawsuits. Still waiting for him to send a letter to Colorado over their marijuana law.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

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