What’s The Cost Of “Green” For UK Homeowners?

The UK Daily Mail gives us a glimpse into what the greenie weenies want to do here in the US

Millions of householders who want to build a conservatory, replace a broken boiler or install new windows will be forced to spend hundreds of pounds more on ‘green’ projects.

They will not be permitted to carry out the home improvement or repair unless they agree to fork out for measures such as loft or wall insulation.

The work is expected to add ten per cent to the cost of any building project in the home.

Those who do not have the money will have to borrow it under the Coalition’s Green Deal – and pay it back for years through an extra charge on their energy bills.

This is for “their own good”, of course.

Officials accept the scheme will cause huge inconvenience to homeowners, who will have to take time off work and organise visits by a string of workmen.

But they insist it is worthwhile because, ultimately, it will reduce the nation’s carbon footprint.

And give the government more money, and, of course, power

The idea is that before somebody can replace a boiler or build a conservatory they must notify their council, which can require them to do other works as a condition of receiving approval.

Got that? In order to replace, say, a boiler in one’s home, one must get government approval. This is creeping fascism, the dictatorial power of the State.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change states that homeowners will eventually recoup the extra costs through energy savings, but, unshockingly, “a trial on 126 homes in Sutton, Surrey, found the savings were lower than expected and in some cases there were none at all.” And here in the US, Real Science points out

By the year 2015, California’s CO2 tax will cost every adult nearly $1,000 per year. If we believe climate models, the effect of the tax will be to lower the rise in global temperatures by perhaps 0.001 degrees.

One of the problems with Warmists, meaning the majority of left leaning folks, is they continually over-reach. Is there anything wrong with saving energy? How about better energy efficiency? Recycling? No, there isn’t. But, they portray this as a “we’re all going to die and the Earth will burn” issue from a hyper-partisan angle, thereby turning people off. Their solutions typically involve increasing the size of government, increasing the power of government, limiting freedom, and siphoning off money from citizens. All while the Warmists refuse to voluntarily take actions themselves. They want everyone else to suffer. But, I think we can all realize who’ll be the first to whine the loudest when the laws and regulations hit.

Read: What’s The Cost Of “Green” For UK Homeowners? »

Washington Post: “Hey, This Obama Guy’s Not Really Passionate About Freedom”

Over at the Washington Post, editorial page editor Fred Hyatt wonders about Obama’s lack of passion in supporting freedom around the world, something those of us on the Right noticed long ago, though we might term it derision of freedom

More than three years into his term, it’s possible to assess where the promotion of democracy and freedom ranks in President Obama’s foreign policy: not high.

It’s also possible to venture a theory as to why that’s so.

Mine would include several reasons: he’s incompetent. He had no real executive or legislative experience dealing with foreign countries (remember Hillary’s 3am ad?). His State department is run by boobs with nary a clue. It’s hard work. It gets in the way of golf and campaigning. He doesn’t control the media in those countries, so, he can’t bloviate, pontificate, and lie and get away with it. And, he really doesn’t care. He doesn’t care much for freedom here in the USA.

This was a matter of uncertainty before his election. Not surprisingly, Obama was eager to separate himself from his predecessor’s “Freedom Agenda,” which had been oversold and yoked to an unpopular war in Iraq. Obama talked more about “dignity” than “democracy” and warned that self-government couldn’t be imposed.

Because an agenda of freedom was somehow portrayed as a bad thing, despite pretty much every president over the last 100 years pushing for freedom.

He has, at times, acted on that tenet. He’s met with dissenters such as the Dalai Lama, responded deftly to democratic advances in Burma, praised freedom from a platform in Shanghai.

Remember the Dalai Lama walking out the back door of the White House past all the garbage bags?

Overall, though, he has shown little passion for the cause.

Why should he? He has little passion for it here at home. A good chunk of what he supports would put ever increasing amounts of power in the hands of the Central Government while taking it out of the hands of the citizens. He installs czar after czar, people with no responsibility to report to the Legislative branch. His Consumer Protection Bureau will likewise have no responsibility to respond to Congress, or the People, and looks more like a federal shakedown organization than a way to protect consumers. His signature legislation, Obamacare, would fine citizens for not purchasing a product they do not want, puts enormous make it up as they go powers in the hands of the director of HHS, and puts student loans in the hands of the Central Government. He supports any and all gun control laws.

The biggest unpredicted event of Obama’s term has been the Arab Spring. He responded to it, case-by-case and overall, as if it were an unwanted distraction, not a historic opening.

Hyatt then goes through many of the cases. In Iran, he completely blew off the Green Revolution. In Egypt, he was all over the map with his support, and, after finally deciding that Mubarak had to go and pushing him out the door, Team Obama has done….very little to promote democracy and freedom. He launched a war of choice in Libya, and, then, what? Barely involved. All while ignoring what was going on in Syria for nearly a year.

He’s pretty much put the blame on Israel for any and all that happens, consistent with his far Left beliefs. He’s insulted Hamid Karzai, the leader of Afghanistan, multiple times. Karzai is not the best leader, but, he’s the guy in charge, and it makes it difficult to promote anything. Obama has been attempting to negotiate with the Taliban for years, a group not actually much in to freedom. He’s not been particularly supportive in Iraq. But, then, he hasn’t been particularly supportive of freedom at home, so, why should international issues been any different?

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

Read: Washington Post: “Hey, This Obama Guy’s Not Really Passionate About Freedom” »

If All You See…

…are shoes made from fossil fuels, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Theo Spark, who I’ve linked before, but, since I “borrowed” the picture from him….

Read: If All You See… »

Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup

Happy Easter Sunday! Another great day in America, though I always feel a little strange doing a pinup post on Easter Sunday. This one is by Gil Elvgren, with a wee bit of help.

What is happening in Ye Olde Blogosphere? The Fine 15

  1. The Lonely Conservative highlights the Obama admin blaming….Bush for the GSA fiasco
  2. Don Surber covers the same, and calls this the ultimate blame Bush
  3. Legal Insurrection covers those supposed neo-Nazi’s in Sanford, Fla.
  4. Nice Deb covers Bank Of America suing a deadbeat elected Democrat
  5. Raised On Hoecakes celebrates that your Happy Meals are safe
  6. The Gateway Pundit points out that Obama embraces a group that shoots women in the head
  7. Smitty (The Other McCain) exposes the con science of liberals
  8. The Sundries Shack says Romney can parry, but, can he riposte?
  9. Villainous Company has an interesting graphic on consumer spending then and now
  10. Wake Up America has the obligatory Arby’s drops Rush post…I almost never eat there, one close to work is not a pleasant place
  11. Watts Up With That has a fun science literacy quiz, oh, and Alaska broke a snow record set in 1955.
  12. The Conservative Commune highlights who else is getting involved in the Trayvon Martin issue
  13. Gay Patriot has some news of Obama regarding “marvelous”
  14. Jammie Wearing Fools covers a shooting that the MSM are strangely uninterested in
  15. And last, but not least, Barking Moonbat EWS highlights children’s stories that are raaaaacist
  16. And one to grow on: Zilla points out that The Lonely Conservative won the Top 25 Political Mom’s contest! Congratulations!

As always, the full set of pinups can be seen in the Patriotic Pinup category, or over at my Gallery page. While we are on pinups, since it is that time of year, have you gotten your “Pinups for Vets” calendar yet? And don’t forget to check out what I declare to be our War on Women Rule 5 and linky luv posts

Anyone else have a link or hotty-fest going on? Let me know so I can add you to the list. (BTW, since someone asked, the reason I leave links for the previous week up (or you might see a *) is because they are place holders for later in the day or for next weeks. Easier than rewriting all the time. Also, the listing order has to do with how they are added over time, not how good a post is. I just copy and paste from the previous week, then edit. If you see one of the *’s, go ahead and check out the blog anyhow, see if there is an update. I cannot update with my Android during the day.

The posts do take a long time, so, if you want to send me your links for Rule 5 babeage or links, use ye olde email in the header bar (remove the NOSPAM part). Preferably, create the html link so I can copy and paste how you want it to read.

Read: Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup »

Mo Dowd: “Know Who Would Want Augusta National To Include Women? Jesus”

I’m not so sure Jesus would approve of Democrats patronizing women as a voter block which needs to be told what to do. He probably wouldn’t appreciate the Nazi reference, either: What Would Jesus Do at the Masters?

THERE was a boys’ club, of course, a band of ardent, jockeying disciples. But as his fame grew, the messiah was also surrounded by women and talked about women with great respect. With his father far away, the golden boy was most influenced by his strong mother and the women in his inner circle.

I’m talking about the real messiah, not Barack Obama, although it applies to both.

So, let’s see, Mo starts off by insulting belief in Jesus by first sarcastically calling him a “golden boy” and, then comparing Obama to Jesus.

Even as Scott Walker, Wisconsin’s Republican governor, signed legislation repealing a law that helped women by making wage discrimination easier to fight, President Obama accessorized with women, trying to widen his 18-point gender gap in swing states.

Hmm, maybe Mo saw through Obama’s weak attempt to use women as campaign props. She then goes on to throw a few more snarky remarks Obama’s way, then discusses how Saudi Arabia is squashing women’s rights, and how the International Olympics Committee should ban Saudi Arabia due to discrimination, which is in their charter to do, then we get

It could be part of the continuing penance to be paid for legitimizing Hitler by granting him — and Leni Riefenstahl — the 1936 Games.

Augusta National Golf Club, which has kept its men-only policy long after giving up its black-caddies-only rule, should stop emulating the Saudis and award a green jacket and club membership to Virginia Rometty, the new chief of I.B.M., a Masters sponsor. You know you’re in trouble when Rick Santorum is urging you to be more progressive on women.

There we go: Augusta National is kinda like the Nazis. I thought that the Left proclaimed that Nazi references were now verboten?

Finally, in the perverse pantheon of reactionary men in robes, we have God’s Rottweiler, as Pope Benedict is known. He welcomed Easter by sitting on a golden throne and denouncing the “disobedience” of Catholic priests who want the decaying, ingrown institution that sheltered so many abusive priests to let in some fresh air and allow female and married priests, as well as Holy Communion for Catholics who have remarried without an annulment.

So, now she insults Catholics and the Pope.

The message of Jesus, after all, is not about exclusion, but inclusion.

No, the message of Jesus is one of love, and, there’s that pesky thing about him dying for Man’s sins. The message of Jesus is

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news’” (Mark 1:14-15).

The message is to repent, and get yourself right with God. But, like so many others, Mo uses Jesus to push her political agenda, which seems to usually be rather hostile to the Christian religion. Jesus might quote the 10 Commandments, and say, why are you killing the unborn? He might say “why are you burdening your descendents with obscene amounts of debt?” He might also wonder about “coveting thy neighbor’s house” (Exodus 20) and stealing from others, ie, forced income redistribution.

He also might wonder why the NY Times leadership is so white. Same with MSNBC and most liberal news organizations.

As for Augusta National, well, it might actually be time to open the membership up to women. But, that’s their decision. What’s wrong with a men only club? Personally, I’d find it boring without women around, but, to each his own. If women want to have their own clubs that are women only, hey, fine. Whatever. But, this whole article is supposed to be about the mythical Republican war on women. And Jesus might have a problem with bearing false witness against thy neighbor.

Read: Mo Dowd: “Know Who Would Want Augusta National To Include Women? Jesus” »

Happy Easter!

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Romans 10: 9-10)

Read: Happy Easter! »

Obama Campaign Stiffs Vermont Police Department

Alternate title: rich guy who raises lots of money off $35,800 a plate dinners is too cheap to pay his fair share

(Fox News) Trevor Whipple, the police chief in South Burlington (Vermont), told Fox News that his department incurred $4,200 in overtime expenses as a result of separate fundraising events featuring President Obama and the First Lady.

“At the end of the day, I’ve submitted an invoice and they haven’t paid,” Whipple told Fox News. “It was an additional burden on our taxpayers, on our budget and we simply wanted to ask that they reimburse us.”

May not seem much to Obama, but that is needed money for this small Vermont town. And, apparently, Team Obama is stuffing Burlington, Vt, as well.

For a guy who whines about everyone paying their fair share, PBO sure is a miser, eh?

“The president is the president wherever he goes and whatever he does,” Vermont Democratic Party Chairman Jake Perkinson told Fox News. “I don’t think there’s any credible reason to be nickel and diming the security of the President of the United States or his family.”

So they why not stop nickel and diming the towns? Dems always want Someone Else to pay, never themselves.

Read: Obama Campaign Stiffs Vermont Police Department »

If All You See…

…is an evil fossil fueled motor boat killing bunnies, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is HotAirPundit.

Read: If All You See… »

Hansen Takes Unnecessary Fossil Fueled Trip To Decry Fossil Fuels

See, it’s cool if you are a Believer to use fossil fuels to say they’re evil and killing Gaia, because they are a Believer. You, on the other hand, dear reader, you don’t believe, so, you must be forced to drive a Chevy Volt

(UK Guardian) Averting the worst consequences of human-induced climate change is a “great moral issue” on a par with slavery, according to the leading Nasa climate scientist Prof Jim Hansen.

He argues that storing up expensive and destructive consequences for society in future is an “injustice of one generation to others”.

Hansen, who will next Tuesday be awarded the prestigious Edinburgh Medal for his contribution to science, will also in his acceptance speech call for a worldwide tax on all carbon emissions.

In his lecture, Hansen will argue that the challenge facing future generations from climate change is so urgent that a flat-rate global tax is needed to force immediate cuts in fossil fuel use…..

Exactly how did he get to England? Swim?

Then there’s the whole “slavery” thing, but, climahysterics are going to be always try and out-do each other with more and more dire predictions.

The article spends a lot of time describing how Hansen thinks people who use fossil fuels should be taxed, the price of fossil fuels should be dramatically raised, and the money redistributed to those who drive weenie mobiles, because fossil fuels are evil, except when they are used to get Hansen to England. And, as Tom Nelson points out

Under the global carbon tax proposal, the mechanisms for controlling fossil fuel use would be taken out of the hands of individual states influenced by energy companies, and politicians anxious about winning elections.

And whose hands, exactly, will the mechanisms be put in? If you’re taking it out of politician’s hands, aren’t you taking it out of the hands of the voting public? Sounds like fascism, eh? Or maybe straight to totalitarianism.

Read: Hansen Takes Unnecessary Fossil Fueled Trip To Decry Fossil Fuels »

Bummer: Hotcoldwetdry Could Give You Rabies

All because you decided to use your ice maker and dish washer

(Grist) If rabid environmental activists don’t get their way, the rest of us might end up rabid too. This year’s drought is leading to a huge jump in rabies rates in stricken states, and climate change will only make it worse.

The heat wave and drought in the southern states, which NASA’s James Hansen says is conclusively caused by climate change, is driving rabies-prone animals closer to human habitation:

While the number of reported rabid animals declined nationwide in 2010, according to the most recent federal data,states such as South Dakota, Kansas and Texas have recently seen a jump in the number of skunks testing positive. In drought-stricken Texas, more than 1,000 animals last year were exposed to rabid skunks, double the number in 2010. “More skunks seem to have migrated to suburban areas where there is water,” said Ernest Oertli, a veterinarian with the Texas Department of State Health Services.

It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with Mankind’s encroachment on the areas where the animals live, could it? Or moving the water from nature areas to suburban areas? Na, that would be silly. It has got to be your fault, for using energy. Just turn all your lights off, save Gaia.

And, it couldn’t possibly be natural, because the climate of the Earth has historically stayed exactly the same in the 4.5 billion years before 1980. There were no droughts, and the temperature was always the same.

Read: Bummer: Hotcoldwetdry Could Give You Rabies »

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