"The nation that leads in clean energy will be the nation that leads the world"

That's what President Barack Obama just said, in a speech so thick with horse-puckey that the White House should have passed out Doc Brown goggles.

Let's see, who produces the most clean nuclear energy for capita? Why, it's France! Will France lead the world? Signs point to non!

How about solar? It's our old friends the Germans! Are we gonna see a kindler, gentler Reich? I reichen not!

Wind? Kneel before Denmark! Hydro-electric? Let's hope Norway's nice! Renewables overall? Some say Austria, others Germany, and I say our great-grandchildren will still be speaking English.

I thought the notion that natural resources/raw materials = global dominance went out of fashion with the windbreaker undershirt, but I guess all bad things must pass around again. Beyond that, the president's inability to sell a policy without resorting to pre-New Democrat economics and an almost face-numbing hyperbole seems to be cementing into a permanent governing style. And it's grating as hell.

Comments

[Old Mexican]

"The nation that leads in clean energy will be the nation that leads the world"

Today, ze clean energy. Tomorrow, ze Vorld!

[All Hail Plankton! All Hai... sorry.]

[Johnny Longtorso]

What if the world doesn't want to be led?

[jesse]

Thats a big bong.

[Johnny Longtorso]

Hey, if TX secedes, will our wind power make us World Rulers?

[Old Mexican]

"The nation that leads in clean energy will be the nation that leads the world"

Among other incredibly ignorant things the college professor has said . . .

Sorry, Obama, but studying the works of Sol Alinsky does not give you any useful insights on anything that matters.

[Mango Punch]

I know it's not what he meant, but lowering our dependence on the oil-producing bloc (whether we do it cleanly or dirtily) would allow us to spend more political capital on other things.

[Mango Punch]

That is of courde assuming that we don't ruin our economy and nation in the process.

[happyjuggler0]

If replacing cheap energy with expensive energy is what it takes for "us" to "lower our dependence on the oil-producing bloc", then we will have *less* capital to spend on other things.

[Warren]

ROFL
Oh that's some sweet and gooey snark there Matt. That's almost Gillespie level sticky.

[Tman]

The unavoidable arithmetic when it comes to solar and wind energy is that we simply aren't anywhere near what would need to be generated in order to meet our current energy demands.

Nuclear energy is the only non-fossil fuel energy source that can replace the production demands satisfied currently with fossil fuels.

Currently, wind and solar barely manage a paltry 2.7% of electricity generation in the US.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.....A_2006.png

And that's with the government essentially protecting wind and solar companies from the free market realities that would make them insolvent over night.

[Old Mexican]

Re: TMan,

The unavoidable arithmetic when it comes to solar and wind energy is that we simply aren't anywhere near what would need to be generated in order to meet our current energy demands. <?blockquote>

Apart from the fact that their impact is so low, the problem is that thes two energy conversion systems (Solar and Wind) are terribly inefficient. Not inly that, these systems actually WASTE resources.

[kinnath]

Don't forget that solar is dependent upon rare earths which are controlled for the most part by the Chinese.

[wylie]

Rare earths? Maybe some of the newest non-production designs. But the typical PV panel is still silicon, which is exceedingly plentiful.

Now, purifying that silicon to the point it can make waffers.....that's a whole 'nother issue.

[kinnath]

Sorry for the drive-by posting.

I have a dim memory of a news report that we get critical metals from China -- they control 90% of the market for things that go into something that we really need -- it was solar panels, or controllers, or high-tech batteries for hybrids -- I can't remember which key piece of which jigsaw puzzle.

[briareus]

You are thinking of Magnequench.

[briareus]

Neodynium.

Reportedly, Magnequench supplied 85 percent of the neodymium magnets used in servo motors for PGMs,but neodymium magnets are far more important and ubiquitous than their use in advanced weaponry might suggest. They are the sole reason high-speed, high-capacity computer data storage devices can work. They are found in literally every computer in the world, and in 2004, Magnequench, together with its merger partner NEO Material Technologies (and its integrated Chinese joint-venture partners), supplied about 80 percent of the world market share of neodymium and rare-earth oxide powders used in those magnets.

China now owns Mangequench.

[kinnath]

I think it is worse than one company and one element.

[briareus]

Indeed. Neodymium is perhaps the most discomfiting, being as essential to modern computing as it is.

[The Gobbler]

PV's are the 8-track tapes of solar pannels.

[wylie]

Whoops, maybe you meant WIND is dependent on rare-earths (for the magnets).

[bigbigslacker]

You have no idea what you are talking about.

http://www.amazon.com/Very-Bes.....B000009QLV

[T]

Where do you think that was manufactured, smart guy? Bloomington? No! China controls the supply!

[Ken Shultz]

"Beyond that, the president's inability to sell a policy without resorting to pre-New Democrat economics and an almost face-numbing hyperbole seems to be cementing into a permanent governing style. And it's grating as hell.

Welch, apparently, doesn't appreciate the enormity of the crises we're always in.

[Vehical Driver]

This is a crisis that requires huge sacrifice, and doing whatever it takes to stop it...

...Unless it involves nuclear power or gas taxes, in which case let the world burn.

[Ska]

Such an impressive rotunda of manual stimulation.

[crayon]

FUCK YEAH!
FUCK RENEWABLE ENERGY!
FUCK THE ENVIRONMENT!
LET'S GIVE THE ARABS ALL OUR MONEY SO THEY CAN PLAN MORE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON US!

JOHN WAYNE, MOTHERFUCKERS, JOHN WAYNE!

HURR DURR DUURRR HUUURRRR!

[John]

And the same people who scream this shit are the ones who say we shouldn't drill in ANWR or off the California or import Canadian oil taken from the Alberta sands. You and they don't give a flying fuck about where the money goes. You just want to be assholes and tell everyone how to live.

[crayon]

Thanks for telling me what I believe in, you condescending piece of shit.

After all, if I'm against your energy policies, I'm against everything you believe in, right?

[John]

If you don't want to condescended to, don't write childish things.

[crayon]

How about you stop trying to tell me what I believe in?

[Zeb]

Weren't you just doing that same thing?

[crayon]

No,
I did not say anything remotely like "And the same people who scream this shit are the ones who say we shouldn't drill in ANWR or off the California or import Canadian oil taken from the Alberta sands. You and they don't give a flying fuck about where the money goes. " But I was told that that's what I believe in by John Fuckface.

[briareus]

Correct. You were just being a malodorous runt and wasting everybody's time.

Fuck off.

[crayon]

JOHN WAYNE, MOTHERFUCKERS, JOHN WAYNE!

[LibAnCap]

Dude you may need to check facts about us importing our oil from only Arabs.

4 out of the top 5 are not Arab counries and Canada and Mexico are 1 and 2. Maybe you should think before speaking.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil.....mport.html

[Spartacus]

Oy, we've been tagged!

[Spartacus]

Actually, "crayon" is a great moniker here, because the post really does remind me of a 2 year old scribbling on the living room wall.

[sage]

Turn off your caps lock key, idiot!

[crayon]

Caps lock is the best way to describe the article's "let's laugh and point at technology that will make us less dependent on foreign energy sources and the countries that have implemented them" attitude.

HURR DURRRRRRR!!!!!
I HEART SAND NIGGER OIL IN MY ANUS!!!
DURRRRR HUURRRRR!!!

[Episiarch]

Mmm, that casual racism sure is tasty.

[crayon]

You might like Saudi-Arabia, I just want us to get the fuck out of that shithole and let the goat-fucking sand-niggers kill each other.

[sage]

Now that's racism, straight up.

[crayon]

It's the truth.

The Middle East is a shithole and we shouldn't waste people, money, any kind of resource on trying to stabilize the region or provide nation building or any kind of stupidity.

Without money for oil, there will be no money for terrorism.

[Episiarch]

crayon, you a funny guy--I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last.

[crayon]

And I'll let you fuck my sister before I rape your face with my fist.

[VM]

damn. I'm kinda turned on now. Could you ball and unball your fist, and maybe to a "thumbelina" too?

what's your sister wearing?

[Episiarch]

Dude, I've had your sister and yes, she fisted me after I asked her to. I wasn't impressed. Like you, she has very small hands. Nothing compared to Warty.

[VM]

and not to mention that Warty does all those things that NutraSweet won't do!

[fish]

......just make sure Kunstler is somewhere on your "To Kill" list.

[ClubMedSux]

While I agree with your points that 1.) libertarian ideology doesn't inherently dictate that one hold a certain energy policy--particularly with respect to renewable energy, and 2.) decreasing dependence on foreign oil is a good national security goal, your last two comments have pretty much destroyed any credibility you might have had to make your points. I guess being a racist dick is a higher priority for you than actually convincing people of the validity of your points...

[crayon]

Oh, stop being such a politically correct crybaby.

[anon]

Your ideas intrigue me. Do you perchance have a mimeographed weekly newsletter I may subscribe to?

[Django]

I use to get high on mimeograph ink in grade school. good times.

[Other Matt]

I been gone a while..joe's back?

[Tman]

foreign energy sources and the countries that have implemented them

You mean Canada and Mexico? That's where we get most of our oil from.

[DanD]

Color me unimpressed

[hank]

Let's give it to the Canadians and Mexicans like we already do. We'll just step it up. We'll send the Canadians some mini nuclear plants to cut down on the fossil fuels they use working the tar sands.

No, no. Let's pretend like we can hit a light switch and stop using oil. It's not like we use oil for anything but cars. If you look at where our oil imports come from, you'll see that The United States of Al Qaeda are right at the top!!!? Wtf! Dude, you're fucking misinformed.

It's not about imported oil. That's a load of crap.

[crayon]

The middle east is vital to US interests because of oil.
So don't give me that shit about "how it's not about imported oil."

[Tman]

Again, stupid, we do not get that much oil from the Middle East, and if we stopped importing it from them tomorrow, it wouldn't matter at all as they would have other markets available to sell it to in a heart beat.

You're just an idiot.

[crayon]

So we do nothing and continue wasting a non-renewable resource and continue sending money to the Middle East?

Wow, what a great energy strategy you got there, sparky.

[Tman]

No, stupid, we invest in a provable existing technology that would help to lower our dependence on fossil fuels.

Nuclear Energy.

Until people are serious about building more nuclear power stations any change from fossil fuels is a freaking pipe dream.

He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.

[crayon]

I'm cool with nuclear energy, solar energy, using natural gas for plastic manufacturing, etc.

I really want us to get as far away as possible from the Middle East and strangle their economies by not buying oil from them and punishing the economies of those that do buy their oil.

[Tman]

I really want us to get as far away as possible from the Middle East and strangle their economies by not buying oil from them and punishing the economies of those that do buy their oil.

a.) This won't solve the problem of Islamic Fundamentalist terrorism. Money isn't the over riding issue. It's a complete rejection of western principles of freedom and personal liberty. Either you are a believer or you are a kafir. Some of these people cannot be reasoned with or negotiated with. Oil is the least of the issues.

[hank]

Some of these people cannot be reasoned with .........

Like liberals?

[Tony]

They hate our freedom!

Yeah that's what it's all about. Uh huh.

[The Gobbler]

Better to use theirs up first.

[crayon]

Better to strangle their cash flow now.
No money, no suicide bombers.

[Chris]

As long as a cloud full of virgins await the martyred, there will be suicide bombers.

[MWG]

"No money, no suicide bombers."

Yea, those suicide bombers are some greedy sons of bitches!

[Slut Bunwalla]

I have to say, I appreciate your use of the word "sparky" here.

[Kolohe]

I would say the market would adjust, but I would not say it would be painless.

[hank]

We could get off imported oil if we wanted to without the first fucking renewable source of energy. If we drew back our big fucking straw from the middle east, it would cause a great deal more harm than good for global stability. Get you head out of your ass and look at where most of our oil comes from, and furthermore, this country would shut down without oil. It's not that easy. You can dream of windmills, solar panels, and unicorns all you want, but it won't change the facts. Renewables are fine, accompanied with some goddamn common sense and reality.

[eb]

you got to love the level of argument here... apparently the intention of wanting green energy makes it true... and any argument that its not viable at present is reponded to with this... apparently the left's startegy is to employ a faith based energy policy

[kinnath]

What!? Did the caps-lock key break on your computer.

[Big B]

An Arab country doesn't even top the list of countries we import oil from. But nice try.

[John]

If "clean energy" were the cheapest and most efficient, there wouldn't be any need for these clowns to push it. To the extent that it is not, using it makes the person using it poorer. The Chinese and Indians will continue to use the cheapest and most efficient energy sources available and go right past Europe as Europe indulges itself in the new form of mass suicide known as "environmentalism".

[Old Mexican]

The Europeans will of course impose tariffs on imported Chinese and Indian goods just to give them a lesson - and while the Chinese and Indian economies grow and their children are fed and clothed, the Europeans will feel they have the moral high ground while they starve in darkness...

[Vehical Driver]

In 20 years the Chinese and Indians won't need an export economy.

[Chris]

Good post, John.

[Groovus Maximus]

+1

[hank]

Matt, the Obama just pulled our economy back from the brink. He said, "let me be clear." Was he not clear? Green jobs for everyone.

I heard with every speech (it's like one continuous campaign speech), he creates 100K jobs.

Now Austin Goolsbee is getting his back, doing a shout out, no less. The fucking Dane Cook of economists. Actually, he's probably funnier than Dane Cook. Except Dane Cook isn't funny. Not like that George Lopez.

[George Lopez]

Hey, did you notice I'm Mexican. Get it, that's funny. I'm telling jokes AND I'm Mexican. Mexican stuff is so funny. Hey, did I tell you I'm Mexican ?

[crayon]

George Lopez is just furthering the stereotype that George Lopez is funny.

[hank]

Dude, your the Mexican Dane Cook. Except with Mexican facial expressions. Really funny ones. I would tivo your show, but the place for politics is MSNBC.

[alan]

George Lopez can take that huge chip on his shoulder and shove it up his ass.

[juris imprudent]

Alex Reymundo is funnier.

[fish]

Obama just pulled our economy back from the brink....

Do you believe it now Trinity.....he is the one.

[yet another dave]

It's -30 degrees below here today... still waitin' for some of that catastrophic gw... Oh well I guess I'll just have to settle for some wealth transfer for the extra carbon credits I'll need to keep from freezing to death. fuckin'fuckers!

[Old Mexican]

Hey, I have it from a reputable source (ok, Tony) that thinking that it is not WARM outside is just what ignorant fools take as evidence against "Climate Change", a term which, by the way, was invented by Republicans . . . Oh, and CO2 is a dangerous pollutant. Yeah, he said.

[yet another dave]

Yea I know We get that all the time here just because the planet is warming doesn't mean it's going to get warmer !? I just keep hopin' the gw zealots are right but... winter keeps coming back every damn year

[yet another dave]

and now in order hang out with cool kids at Copenhagen we'll have get busy doing SOMETHING so I'll get to pay more to keep my modest domicle warm during the winter months and for that I can only thank the believers and zealots fuckin' fuckers!

[*]

Oh, and CO2 is a dangerous pollutant.

Yeah, and it's also a naturally occurring substance. Mankind produces maybe 10 percent of the total in the atmosphere? And the global warming alarmists want us to reduce our production by maybe 50 percent? So that reduces the total in the atmosphere by what - 5 percent? We're supposed to kill our economy and reduce the country to third world status over a lousy 5 percent? Why?

[Old Mexican]

Re: *,

We're supposed to kill our economy and reduce the country to third world status over a lousy 5 percent? Why?

I don't know. Let's ask Tony.

Tony? Can you tell us why we have to forgo our productive endeavors to lower emissions a measly 2%?

[Tony]

How will this destroy our productive endeavors?

Seems to me having a habitable planet to live on would be quite a boon for productivity.

[dbcooper]

Transport fuels have been known to be tricky to replace ...

[hank]

Yeah, for non-liberals they are. Biofuels, dude. So what if you starve a bunch of Africans. Fuckers over there burning wood and charcoal so they can eat. Selfish fucks. Next thing they'll want clean water and heat. We'll send them some solar panels and unicorns.

[The Gobbler]

"How about solar? It's our old friends the Germans! Are we gonna see a kindler, gentler Reich? I reichen not!"

Wow! Goodwined at the starting gate!

[briareus]

As a German I am highly offended by Matt Welch's commentary. I will now stuff him into my little oven.

[Ska]

That was funny.

[alan]

In Welch's defense, he was clearly talking about the Reich of Charlemagne. Who wouldn't want to live under that?

[Pro Libertate]

Foolish mortals. Obama has a plan to tap into the most natural power source of them all--fusion. He has a plan to connect the Earth to the Sun with a giant extension cord. A project that will free us from energy dependence and give us the solar system to boot. What a visionary!

[crayon]

HURR DURR RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGY IS STUPID
LET'S LAUGH AT SOLAR ENERGY!!
HURR DURRR DUUUUUUURRR
I LIKE OIL AND SUCKING SAUDI-ARABIAN DICK!

[Pro Libertate]

Exactly.

[Pro Libertate]

Although I do sneer somewhat at the idea of continuing to burn things to get energy. Seems primitive. We need fusion or something even cooler, like, vacuum energy or something else weird or of questionable existence. What will visiting aliens think, otherwise?

[The Gobbler]

Geothermal is the holy grail.

[Hurr Durr]

Yes, because my dream is to drive a car with a hot springs in the trunk to power it. Moron.

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

See Nature 436, 499-503 (28 July 2005) for an estimate of the thermal power. Best guess: 16 TW.

Now factor in Carnot efficiency, and note that wikipedia says that the current global power is about 15 TW, and we're going too need more than that even if you allow for science fictional extraction technology.

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

...global power consumption is about 15 TW...

[hank]

Right on. Gore said the earth's core is a gazillion degrees. He also said he isn't going to give up burgers for some bullshit about methane when everyone knows it's CO2.

Clinton said no matter what, there's no way he's giving up beaver.

[*]

He also said he isn't going to give up burgers for some bullshit about methane when everyone knows it's CO2

I didn't know burgers make one fart!

[wylie]

Geothermal is not renewable. Unless you can throw together a new planet on the cheap.

[sage]

We need fusion or something even cooler, like, vacuum energy or something else weird or of questionable existence.

Global Warming?

[Pro Libertate]

My God, that's brilliant! Yes, the power of global warming must be tapped!

[CTHORM@IBIS]

Holy Shit lets just pump more smug in the air until it gets so hot we can make powerplants that just exchange heat between the boiling atmosphere and the infinite coolness of our jealous rage!

[fish]

Well we've got a great start going on this thread. Plenty of smug to go around!

[Chris]

Why don't we find a way to turn crayon's racism and incoherence into energy? Seems to be an endless supply.

[alan]

What will visiting aliens think, otherwise?

Why do you think that the only thing Costco can't keep in supply is popcorn? The aliens are already here, and they are already watching.

[Episiarch]

Don't you get it, ProL? Crayon totally dominated you using a devastating combination of all caps and ad hominem insults, which, as we all know, are the height of wit and subtlety. You got PWNED, bitch.

[Pro Libertate]

I submit to his greater vision.

What would be really cool is to tap into the power of creation, whether of the metaphysical kind or just the ordinary creating-universes-out-of-"nothing" physical kind.

[Lazzaro Spallanzani]

Imah affraidah you ah few ah centuries to late-ah for that-ah idea.

It-za nottah happening here.

[wylie]

Our universe is just the fire in someone's stove.

[*]

Nah, it's fire in God's crack pipe.

[jesse]

Don't forget you hockey helmet when you go outside little buddy.

[SusanM]

And you were getting touchy over political correct-ness?

[anonymous]

Look, you pay for gas however you want. Me, I just work a normal job.

[Episiarch]

Beyond that, the president's inability to sell a policy without resorting to pre-New Democrat economics and an almost face-numbing hyperbole seems to be cementing into a permanent governing style.

If he's going to be the new FDR sans the polio, he needs to have that speaking style down pat.

[Rahm Emmanuel]

(As Spock with a mindmeld):

"Never waste a good crisis"

[Especially self-inflicted and artificially created ones]

[brotherben]

Thanks to some of you good people around here, I have mostly gotten over myself and find it more satisfying to shuffle along comfortably than to lead. My way isn't necessarily right for everyone and I have lost the will to force it on anyone else. I would appreciate the same courtesy from others.

[The Gobbler]

huh?

[brotherben]

This time last year I was an overbearing Obama voting leftist blowhard douchebag with regard to the environment and healthcare. (sorry pro lib) Regular commentors here have posted links and suggested books on several things including economics leading to my ongoing conversion away from the left. It has led me to ask myself this question. Why do we have to fuck our economy in the name of leading the world in so-called green energy?

[John]

No way. No one on here ever changes their mind about anything. It is against the user agreement or something.

[Eric]

Good work.

Stay independent. Avoid Group-think.

This site is a very useful resource but should be part of a balanced diet of sources.

[brotherben]

I visit here, an online seminary school and youporn. I think that is a nice balance.

[John]

Sex, God and the intellect. It is a nice balance.

[Mad Elf]

pornhub is far superior to youporn IMO.

[Slut Bunwalla]

Pornhub is pretty great. Spankwire is my current favorite.

Youporn just kinda sucks IMO.

[John]

Learn the new hot places to go for free porn. Reason number 100 for reading the hit and run comment threads. And Youporn does suck. To many films of ugly, fat British chicks giving blowjobs.

[brotherben]

Number 100? You have your priorities all turned around my friend.

[SugarFree]

keezmovies.com

Aw, yeah.

[T]

I trust no link you post to be safe for viewing pleasure. Horror, yes, pleasure, no.

[kinnath]

Very good, grasshopper.

[The Gobbler]

Some people will believe anything, as Blake Hounshell shows:

Percentage of Americans who believe in angels: 55

Percentage of Americans who believe in evolution: 39

Percentage of Americans who believe in anthropogenic global warming: 36

Percentage of Americans who believe in ghosts: 34

Percentage of Americans who believe in UFOs: 34

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/.....or_thought

[John]

It always amazed me how liberals will rant and rave about people who believe in God or intelligent design or doubt global warming will then believe all kinds of new age crap.

"Global warming deniers are destroying science!!" next breath

"Did you make the appointment for the Fung Shway expert to come configure the new furniture?"

[ransom147]

or karma. what a load of bs... but it's a great way to go around slapping yourself and douche friends on the back. whatever happened to doing the right thing, because it's right? w/out need for some mystical reward? (i know, i know, a lot of xtians get stuck on this in their way too, but not all. usually just the "aesthetic christians" i would wager...)

[James]

http://online.wsj.com/article/.....54585.html

To sum up: Christians don't believe in ghosts, but apparently atheists do...

[wylie]

Everyone is going totally nuts.

[Isaac Bartram]

...21% of self-proclaimed atheists believe in either a personal God or an impersonal force. Ten percent of atheists pray at least weekly and 12% believe in heaven.

I dunno, wouldn't all those things, kind of make them...not...atheists?

I'd have to say, not only are the folks mentioned not atheists, they're not real smart, either.

[John]

WTF? Peole really are nuts.

[John]

Actually for many people the term "atheist" has nothing to do with believing in God. It is just a short hand way of saying "I am not one of those icky Republican voting Christians."

[Nick]

It's always "Brought to you by ABC Govt Agency and the Ad Council." My theory is the Ad Council are the people who love to be governed, aka progressive assholes.

[briareus]

The More You Know!

[robc]

Percentage of Americans who believe in angels: 55

Consensus!

[wylie]

/highfive

[Chris]

Win

[Groovus Maximus]

That would constitute a "Mandate". Shall we now try to cultivate and mass produce manna?

[wylie]

Manna cultivation is ecologically destructive. Just look what it did to the middle east.

[brotherben]

Good grief. Crack a Bible once on a while. Manna comes from Heaven.

wylie, that being said, I first took your statement as a meta-dig on religion.

[Groovus Maximus]

Yes, bb. I am aware of where manna originates.

Check your sarcasmometer.

[alan]

Oh yeah! I can picture Tony sneering when he read that.

[alan]

I mean, to the extent a sock puppet can show emotion.

[briareus]

I can picture him sneering just as the aneurism in his brain ruptures.

[Eric]

Look, all of Obama's speeches employ the Forer Effect to great success. His statements are decidedly vague, but the reader/listener fills them in with his own beliefs.

What exactly does "lead the world" mean? Nothing. But the author of this article assumes some sort of military dominance. Others might believe economics, business or professional sports..

That's the secret to Obama's success and global appeal. It's also really fucking dishonest.

[anon]

It's also the key to his undoing. Everyone thinks they heard him make the particular promise they wanted to hear. He can *say* anything, but he can only do so much. Inevitably, most people will be disappointed. Hence, his abysmal approval record.

[Eric]

Yeah, but the most important thing was getting elected. That alone may get streets named after him.

[Syd Henderson]

Why measure per capita? If you go by capita, either Luxembourg or Liechtenstein is the richest nation on Earth, which means diddlysquat.

[Gilbert Martin]

Obama is (and always has been) a con man.

And like many a con man before him, he has conned himself into believing that he can continue to fool all the people (or almost all of them) all the time.

The routing is wearing very thin. Just about anyone with more than two brain cells rattling around in their head can see that he's full of shit.

[crayon]

I'm sure freerepublic.com will welcome you with open arms.

[sage]

HURRR DUR HURR HUUUUUUUUURRRRR

[crayon]

http://www.allmystery.de/datei.....r_durr.jpg

[sage]

Uh, is that SFW? Anybody?

[Warty]

It appears to be a picture of crayon's penis, but it's hard to tell. No wonder the poor little guy is so unhappy.

[crayon]

Yes, it's completely safe for work.

[Eric]

I don't get it? Could someone help me with this, or is it just trolling?

[fish]

Not bad Crayon...imagine what you could do with opposable thumbs!

[Gilbert Martin]

That should be routine - not routing.

[R E Stroot]

Remember, for every 10 MW of Solar/wind power, you need 9MW of back up

[Warty]

Let's not be too hard on crayon. With a little training, he might develop into a perfectly cromulent little troll. He's already much better than Tony.

[sage]

This.

The "HUR DUR" is actually kinda funny.

[Chris]

I think there's a bit too much cromulence as it is.

[Barak]

I am entitled to overcome . . . . .

[3 billion energy poor Asians]

Fuck your carbon caps, white man.

[fish]

God bless you little yellow devils! Saving us from ourselves.

[kinnath]

My local radio station has been running pro-AGW commercials several times a day the last week or so. They are sickening. Fuck the Ad Council.

[John]

Who the fuck are the Ad Council? I hate those guys. Seriously. How douschbag, eat your vegitibles, commercials can those assholes produce?

[Old Mexican]

I believe the Ad Council takes your money and spends it in ads that you do not agree with.

That's what passes in the US for "giving voice to the voiceless". I call it propaganda.

[ransom147]

kinda like douche princess suzi orman making propaganda for the FDIC... i'm so glad to be paying for that crap.

[kinnath]

http://www.adcouncil.org/

Affecting Positive Social Change

The Ad Council has endeavored to improve the lives of all Americans since first creating the category of public service advertising in 1942. From our earliest efforts including "Loose Lips Sink Ships" to the more recent "I am an American," Ad Council PSAs have been raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives for more than 65 years.

Based on our long history of effecting positive change, it's fair to say that Ad Council campaigns have inspired several generations of Americans. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that future generations will reap the benefits of our efforts to date, and continue to be inspired by our public service campaigns in the future.

Watch this short video, and hear for yourself the ways in which public service advertising has impacted lives. People from across the country have stories to tell of how our work is affecting real and meaningful change.

Primary Activities

The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization that marshals volunteer talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to deliver critical messages to the American public. The Ad Council produces, distributes and promotes thousands of public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventative health, education, community well being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

A Mirror of Society

A review of the Ad Council's campaign dockets through the years demonstrates the organization's commitment to address the most pressing social issues of the day. To that end, the Ad Council campaign docket is adjusted to mirror changes in our society. However, although the docket changes, the organization's commitment to the nation and to its people remains clear and constant.

Ad Council icons and slogans are woven into the very fabric of American culture -- Smokey Bear's "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires," The Crash Test Dummies: "You Could Learn A lot from a Dummy," McGruff the Crime Dog's: "Take A Bite Out of Crime," and of course, "A Mind is a Terrible Thing To Waste," and "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" - just to name a few.

[John]

Thanks. And I fucking hate them even more after reading that.

[juris imprudent]

No shit. Chalk one up for Big Ad.

[Agent Provocateur]

"A Mind is a Terrible Thing To Waste,"

"Once you step foot on the Bodie Plantation you best set yo' mind to workin' "

Fucking Classic.

[VM]

hay crayon:
perchance some anger issues over the discontinuation of the "flesh" color?

[kinnath]

We are in the early stages of major blizzard. Shortly after the newscast, we get a greek chorus of teen-aged voices telling us how we need to save the world from AGW.

Double fuck the Ad Council.

[TAFCE*]

Unfortunately, it isn't just PAS that are full of shit these days.

Know this commercial?

'The polar bears, daddy.'

Said by the adorable little face of corporatist evil as she points to a picture of a floating bear catching a ride on a chunk of ice.

[Elk]

"The nation that leads in clean energy will be the nation that leads the world"

I don't know if this is true or not, but the France-Germany-Denmark argument against it presented above is not an argument against it, but rather an argument against the claim "the nation that leads with respect to some particular subtype of clean energy will be the nation that leads the world," a rather different idea.

We already "lead" the world, and being leaders in the advent of clean energy will only enhance our position in the coming decades, one can reasonably argue. I don't see any good reason to interpret Obama's rhetoric any other way. We can quibble over the nature of his if-then statement all day, but that doesn't help us decide whether or not we should work to become world leaders in clean energy, which is what's really at issue.

[Eric]

I am in favor of becoming a global leader in technology and productivity. Technological development requires a strong, healthy economic base. I oppose government regulations, driven by unfounded beliefs, that would interfere with our economic vitality.

Renewable energy is great, as long as it is driven by genuine market demand. Providing artificial demand (paid for by unwilling parties) for expensive and low-producing energy sources, coupled with economically inhibitory carbon caps is not acceptable.

[Tony]

Not being held financially responsible for damage you cause to other people's property means the market is distorted in your favor. We need policies that will correct for this distortion.

[briareus]

Define property.

Tell me, what is property in tony's UpsideDownworld?

[kinnath]

So an ice core from greenland shows that our current temperature is lower than a thousand years ago (the medieval warm period), and two thousand years ago, and three thousand years ago as well.

The record also shows rapid increases and decreases in average temperature during this time frame with rates of change equivalent to the current uptick in temperature.

How does this prove that global warming is a man-made problem?

[Elk]

I oppose government regulations, driven by unfounded beliefs, that would interfere with our economic vitality.

If a regulation were to be based on sound beliefs and not interfere with our economic vitality, would you be cool with that?

Renewable energy is great, as long as it is driven by genuine market demand.

Just a general philosophical question: is there any type of demand, other than market demand, that in your view has a proper place in a government's decision making?

[briareus]

I don't want a government playing favorites. Subsidies for certain industries, embargoes of certain markets, crony capitalist regulatory capture, and stealth taxation through currency debasement are all examples of a government playing favorites.

Nowadays, I have to look hard to find places where modern US government is not engaged in one of those things.

[Old Mexican]

Re: Brotherben,

Why do we have to fuck our economy in the name of leading the world in so-called green energy?

Because GE gets to be even richer... That's why.

And here you thought lefties were against crony capitalism - how silly.

[Pro Libertate]

GE is evil, yet I own GE shares. Must. . .not. . .see. . .moral. . .inconsistency.

[Old Mexican]

No, GE is not evil . . . They are doing what is rational: Buy a president, so that he can deliver the goodies.

Didn't you know? The country is now run by Chiquita.

[Pro Libertate]

Well, that's good. Up little stock, up!

[briareus]

GE pulls some fucked up shit.

You can buy a brand new advanced defibrillator that talks the layman through the full defibrillation procedure for less than the cost GE will charge you for one of their 7 year old models of ordinary patient monitors. GE will happily abuse its entrenched position in your local hospital to continually escalate health care costs.

Your hospital can thank GE for ramping costs that make it harder for your granny to pay for her pills. But what is that you say? GE, man, it brings good things to life.

GE will happily go to the govt for a bailout claiming its just like a bank, then avoid the pressures of taking the money by claiming its not a bank.

GE is a disgusting perversion of what an ethical company could be.

Fuck you, GE.

Oh, and you GE shares owners? Good luck with your filthy shekels.

So much for ethical investment.

[Pro Libertate]

Well, I did inherit my GE shares. My sin is not taking a loss, I guess.

[T]

My Dad gave me mine. I've got 4 shares, and a fraction that will be a real share someday through the magic of dividend reinvestment. I think I can live with myself.

[briareus]

How can you two look at yourselves?

I'm kidding of course.

Mostly.

[Heartless Libertarian]

So, since Iceland gets all their energy from geothermal, does that mean they're going to lead the world?

Of course, living on top of a volcano does help them quite a bit.

[SugarFree]

Well, Iceland is an economic powerhouse right now.

Geothermal works!

[VM]

there you go again, Sugar/Nutra - your Bjoerk fantasies take over!

[SugarFree]

He looks at me hopeless with tears in his eyes
Goes out of the window and up on the roof
Naked man, naked man calm down!
I'll give you some strawberry cake!

[Pro Libertate]

Say, that is interesting. Cheap energy does not equal great economy, eh?

[wylie]

It's cheap home/water heating, and cooking.

Geothermal isn't hot enough for many industrial processes. So the economic boost is not that great.

[brotherben]

IIRC, Boise has some geothermal power production.

[Old Mexican]

By the way, GM (not GE, that's the above post) is retooling to build electric cars. According to the newspaper (which gets its information from AP, that reliable source) the retooling will be beneficial for the economy of Michigan...

... a fact that would fly in the face of all economic knowledge gathered throguout the centuries. Seems like building electric cars trups the Laws of Economics. Welcome to Obamanomics - pull up your Wellingtons, it gets more slushy as time comes...

[happyjuggler0]

Am I the only one who can't figure out what the numbers on the undocumented (but coolly titled, hover your cursor over it) map actually stand for?

[ransom147]

it's a CRU certified good vs. evil map. purely scientific.

[ransom147]

oops! sorry, i meant scientifical...

[wylie]

GO NUCULAR!

[SugarFree]

I was going to let someone else step up, but I guess not...

"He who controls the spice, controls the universe!"

[John]

+1

[ransom147]

+2

the spice must flow.

[hank]

He who's a nasty, floating, fat fuck controls the Finance Committee. That would be fantastic if Barney wore a suit like that.

[John]

Or was infected with boils

Speaking of nasty fat fucks, anyone else see the thing in the Examiner today on Bachus and his serial stalking of female staffers?

http://www.washingtonexaminer......27697.html

[fish]

I understand their tastes were similar. Gotta love BFrank he works cheap.....Fannie and Freddie booght him with little more than a handful of teenage boys.....and shit, they're a dime a fucking dozen.

[Groovus Maximus]

You are nothing but a shill for Big Spice, Saccharin Man.

Bend over for CHOAM and take a a Barack-onnen fist!

[SugarFree]

Like anybody ever made money off pungi rice.

I know it's a trap. Better to spring it ourselves.

[wylie]

Whale fur is where the big money is. (After spice of course.)

[Groovus Maximus]

Say, how come no one has dug up Liet-Kines and have him debunk this AGW crap, since he is a fictional as CRU data?

[brotherben]

chubby chase much?

[Pro Libertate]

Really, stockpiling the hell out of the spice is the best possible investment, since, well, it becomes a non-renewable resource for several thousand years.

[eb]

holy shit... i havent read that book in so long

[wylie]

I for one welcome our new Fremen Overlords.

[brotherben]

My favorites are Geri and Emma. I would gladly let them control me; }

[Pro Libertate]

I'm going to use the gom jabbar on the next person who quotes the fucking Dune movie instead of the book.

[SugarFree]

Shut up, St. Alia-of-the-Whining.

[Pro Libertate]

Illiterate hack.

[SugarFree]

Rigid literalist.

[Pro Libertate]

Damned Harkonnen spy.

[SugarFree]

Bene Gesserit lickspittle.

[Pro Libertate]

Genetic eunuch.

[SugarFree]

Xian faceraper.

[Pro Libertate]

Illegitimate fan of "Let's Get Physical."

[alan]

I have to turn the volume down on that video because of the horrid song, but I can still pop one off to bad thoughts of doing things to bunched up hardened blond hair nuked by hairspray in my retro early eighties fantasy.

[wylie]

*Ixian faceraper

FTFY

[wylie]

(they're Ix's answer to the Tlielaxu facedancer)

[SugarFree]

And much more popular in certain circles.

(Thanks for the correct. I tried it both ways, but forked it up in the end.)

Back to Pro Libertate, the sandtroutophile...

[Pro Libertate]

Twisted mentat.

[Pro Libertate]

As confirmed by your inability to mix genres, sub-genres, or to use HTML to felicitous effect.

[Pro Libertate]

Say, if you've got to take the sandtrout as your skin to save humanity from extinction, why not leave your penis uncovered along with your face? Leto screwed up big time, if you ask me.

[SugarFree]

Kwisfag Gayerach

[SugarFree]

The friction of the sand as he slid along would have just scoured it off anyway.

[Pro Libertate]

I don't know about that--he had a retractable cowl for his face, after all.

[SugarFree]

True. But what if it wasn't proportional? The God-Emperor shouldn't have a tiny little willy in proportion to his wormy bulk.

[Pro Libertate]

True. Perhaps frequent exercise of the penis while under a spice trance would foster growth?

[Pro Libertate]

Oops, too much true. We must be Truthsayers!

Geek out!

[Groovus Maximus]

Heh. You are ALL a bunch of doped up Guild Navigators.

Just stay in your melange-smoke filled canisters and shut up and drive.

I can see your blue-in-blue eyes from here; Restasis cannot help you now.

PWN.

[MJ]

Think about where said penis would be once he transformed into a Worm. Would you want to be grinding it into the floor for a couple thousand years? Leto was prescient you know.

[John]

I love the old 80s one with Sting and Kyle Mclaughin back when Sting was still cool.

[Pro Libertate]

John,

I'm going to overnight the gom jabbar to you. Please jab yourself in the neck with it.

Hey, the Bene Gesserit have a limited budget.

[John]

No have no understanding of Kitsch. You Phillistine.

[Pro Libertate]

Remember the gom jabbar!

[SusanM]

Does it have batteries or does it plug in?

[SusanM]

Or is it solar-powered? Gotta keep it green on Arakkis, you know.

[Pro Libertate]

Where do people get these ideas? The Fremen are, at least in part, descended from Arabs. Therefore, they first went to Arrakis for oil.

[Groovus Maximus]

You have to catch me first as "I will bend like a reed in the wind" before "The slow blade penetrates the shield."

[Groovus Maximus]

Blech, that sounds like a date with Warty: both my quotes and a gom jabbar.

Sickness.

[ransom147]

Clicky

[juris imprudent]

He that can destroy a thing, controls that thing.

And for fucksakes, this subthread must DIE!

[MJ]

"Here lies a toppled god ?
His fall was not a small one.
We did but build his pedestal,
A narrow and a tall one."

[Lord Jubjub]

It appears to be a map of percentage energy derived from renewable energy--with a specific exclusion of nuclear

[happyjuggler0]

Thank you Lord. That looks like what it probably is, although it leaves Iceland blank, and their electricity is both very green and very cheap.

And they aren't leading the world either by the way.

[Old Mexican]

"The nation that leads in clean energy will be the nation that leads the world"

This kind of language was only heard from Third World, messianic charlatans. Which means that, officially, the US is now Bolivia.

[Ska]

Finally, some good cheap coke!

[Paul]

Obama leads the nation in wind power.

[Paul]

Currently, wind and solar barely manage a paltry 2.7% of electricity generation in the US.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.....A_2006.png

And I would bet even those numbers have been fluffed.

[Rich]

"The nation that leads in clean dark energy will be the nation that leads the world"

FTFY.

[Syd Henderson]

That would be North Korea. That's why it's so dark in satellite photographs.

[Old Mexican]

Re: Tony,

Not being held financially responsible for damage you cause to other people's property means the market is distorted in your favor. We need policies that will correct for this distortion.

You can always try to show where the liability lies when it comes to your property and prove your case.

However, advocating for a impoverishing juggernaut to take care of a few [alledged] polluters is like nuking the US to take care of an ant infestation in your house.

[The Gobbler]

The EU Referendum blog has a fascinating story on how Cap'n Trade--or, as it's called in Europe, the "emission trading scheme"--works. It seems that the Corus Group, a London-based steel maker that is a subsidiary of India's Tata Group, is shutting down one of its plants--a plant the company bought just two years ago "as part of its strategy to give it better access to European (including UK markets) [sic]."

Closing the plant, the site explains, will give the company an ETS jackpot:

With redundancy and decommissions costs, very little of that can actually come from the process of closing down the Redcar plant. But, with a capacity of 3,000,000 tons of steel, closure of the plant will deliver further "savings" over 6 million tons of carbon dioxide, worth an additional ?80 million per annum at current rates but around ?200 million at expected market levels.This, even for a company the size of Tara steel, is a considerable windfall, over and above the money it will already make from the EU scheme. But, with a little manipulation, the company can still double its money. By "offshoring" production to India and bringing emissions down ? from over twice the EU level--to the level currently produced by the Redcar plant, it stands to make another ?200 million per annum from the UN's Clean Development Mechanism.Thus we see Indian plants being paid up to ?30 a ton for each ton of carbon dixoide "saved" by building new plant, while the company which owns them also gets gets paid ?30 for each ton of carbon dioxide not produced in its Redcar plant. That gives it an estimated ?400 million a year from the closure of the Redcar plant up to 2012--potentially up to ?1.2 billion. And that is over and above benefitting from cheaper production costs on the sub-continent.

So the company gets a windfall for moving jobs from Britain to India, and the new plant will produce no less carbon than before. Brilliant, isn't it? We can't wait till America has such a policy.

[The Gobbler]

Toy mouse recalled after claims it sings paedophile instead of Jingle Bells:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new.....Bells.html

[Enough About Palin]

Too Funny!

[crayon]

ExxonMobil has donated over $250,000 to Reason.

So to use the language of the rugged individualist libertarian freedomites here:

HURRR DUUUURRRR !!!

I GET MORE MONEY WHEN I SUCK BIG OIL'S DICK!!!

I LIKE TO LIE FOR MONEY!!!!!!

REASON IS AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION!!!!

SLURRPY DUURPPY!!!

DERP DERP DURRR!!!
HURR!!

[alan]

I have a coat made from the downy of baby seals lined with polar bear fur for extra installation I'll sale for $250,000 to any one on the Reason staff who is interested.

[Pro Libertate]

How much oil money goes to Democratic causes? How much did Gore get from Occidental Petroleum?

Even for a sock puppet, that's weak.

[crayon]

HURRR DURRR
REASON IS JUST AS BAD AS EVERYBODY ELSE
DERP HERP
I JUMPED OFF THE BRIDGE BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE DID IT
DURPA HURPA

[Gilbert Martin]

crayon is actually a double agent troll whose mission is to discredit the "clean" engergy mandate boosters and make them look like morons.

He's doing an excellent job.

[alan]

His work is just supplemental to those who find Tony's posturings to be too subtle.

[alan]

His work is just supplemental for those who find Tony's posturings to be too subtle.

[juris imprudent]

I half suspect this is yet another MNG persona.

[James]

These comments seemed to get a little off topic car floor mats