Education - Is We Learning?

Education is wonderful, everybody can learn something from it. Here in Colorado, for example, our budget is busting with more spending than receipts. Ask the pols for cuts, and they tell you things like 90% of the budget is entitlements that can't be touched. Well, if you cant adjust them, then maybe you could eliminate them. If the funding is all that important, then bring it back, at a lower level, and as a discretionary item.

What's interesting is a study of expenditures on education, the most sacred of sacred cows, by professor Mark Perry. Think spending more helps?
Not so you'd notice. The implication here is that at least since 1970, anything you spend over $5500/student is probably wasted. For myself, I've known this since about 1980 when comparing notes at the aerospace company I worked at showed that Iowa, while spending $7000/student produced more sharp engineers than New York, at $11,000/student.

While having an Olympic-sized swimming pool, imported dance instructors, and reserved parking with outlets for the EVs the students and faculty drive to school is nice, you get more bang for your buck by piling on homework, and informing the students that if they don't do it this year, they'll be doing it again next year. And no athletic eligibility for anyone repeating a grade.

Selling Out For Fun And Profit

There are artists out there who are proud that their work has never been used to sell beer. Often enough, this is traceable to the fact that their art has never been used to sell anything, including itself. Accepting a federal grant is something else entirely, as they are handed out without regard for race, religion, ethnicity, talent, merit, or anything else.

The administration has solicited those artists associated with the NEA, to produce work touting various government programs, and perhaps, the general wonderfulness of our Dear Leader himself. My first thought was that this should be easy money, just download some of the stuff made popular in the 30's, and using Photoshop, switch the heads.
Darleen at Protein Wisdom has done just that.
This masterpiece should get her a generous stimulus check. The possibilities are just endless.

Why The Green Movement Is Doomed

The U.N. is calling for a great conclave of world leaders in which Ban Ki Moon will presumably attempt to convert the lot of them, or at least a majority, to the notion that unless the world ceases using fire, in any form at all, we're all doomed.
There's only one or two small problems with the thinking behind this:

"We can get a successful outcome from Copenhagen. It is achievable, but at the moment it's in the balance," said John Ashton, Britain's climate change envoy. "We need to close the gaps."

Those gaps grew over the summer. There is what Ashton called the "ambition gap" – the failure of leaders of the big polluting countries to sign on to the deep emissions cuts needed. Then there is the "finance gap" – the failure of industrialised states to come up with a package on how to compensate poor countries that will suffer the most devastating consequences.

The ambition gap involves convincing the leaders of developed countries, such as the U.S., G.B. and Japan, that it would be more noble to reduce their countries carbon footprints to the level of environmental models as Zimbabwe, or Kazakhstan. This involves reducing the national GDP to those levels as well, as reducing CO2 output is another way of saying "reduce your use of fire, in all forms".

The other problem is that the environmental paragons know good and well where the foreign aid, technology imports, and in many cases, food aid come from and are not anxious to see the sources dry up.

The "greenies" are the people who have been opposed to the use of fire ever since it was first introduced. I remember when fire was introduced, and anticipated that it would soon make possible the introduction of other advanced technologies, such as sliced bread. I had also hoped that it would allow us to eliminate those low-brow Luddites from the village down the river who opposed the use of fire, but alas, they're still with us.

Science and Technology Marching Foreward

Here is the best answer to the problem of agricultural-produced methane I've seen yet. While we know that methane is a much bigger contributor to global warming than carbon dioxide, no one yet has proposed a fix to the problem, as they have for the automobile industry. Here it is:



Methane (CH4) plus oxygen (2O2) yields carbon dioxide (CO2) plus water (2H2O) a hopefully less warming combination. Simply fitting cattle with afterburning ignition sets accomplishes this in one step. Feeding the cattle in stalls, while backing them up to a power plant has the effect of producing "green" electricity as well.

Solving 2 problems at once. Where's my stimulus check?

Thanks to Right Wing News for the underlying article and the great graphic.

The Workshop

Haven't had anything here in a while, and frankly, I'm disappointed in that. Building something socially irresponsible and calling it performance art is a lot more fun than ranting and raving over the actions of the nitwits we've elected.

Anyway, here's some previews of coming attractions. First, one of my friends informed me that someone at his work was trying to get rid of an electric scooter of indeterminate providence, by parking it out by the company dumpster and hoping someone would steal it. Being nothing, if not helpful, I volunteered to steal it.
This patriotically-themed little number is the result. It's a Chinese-built OB-City Eagle. 24VDC, 20A which works out to, lessee, 24x20/750 = .64 hp. Listed specs are:
Motor power:500w
Speed:20km/h (12.5 mph)
Weight capacity:100kg
Range:20-30km (12-18 mi)

The batteries are about 2 or 3 years old, and I would not want to have to depend on this to get me 12 miles to the well before Timmy expires while awaiting rescue, but a couple of alternative uses for this suggest themselves. Some are more outrageous than others, and the outrageousness factor is weighted heavily when planning projects.
This, for example:
This is a device to automate the otherwise difficult and tedious task of crushing pop cans. It has features such as a 1/3 hp electric motor, 2 pistons to crush the cans, and a double-stack magazine to feed the cans in. Crushed cans, in the form of neatly uniform aluminum pellets, drop from the openings on either side, at the front, into whatever receptacle the operator has provided. The arms with the rubber bands around them are connected to a second set of pistons that hold the next can in place until the crusher piston has fully retracted. It seems that getting lightweight pop cans to feed properly is a bit trickier than you'd think. I will try to get a video of this soon.

Thematic paint and decoration are being considered.

Molotov-Ribbentrop Redux

On the 70th anniversary of the Russian invasion of Poland, the president announces that defensive radar, which was opposed by the Russians, will be canceled. The Poles are furious, calling this the "selling of Poland to the Russians". The Russians are quite happy. The last time such a deal was reached, with the Germans, they got about half of Poland, the other half going to the Germans.

What I want to know is what parts of Poland do we get from this?

Workshop Definitions

In the days of my wasted youth, in a motorcycle magazine, whose title I've long forgotten, there was published an article noting the real definitions of terms we ran across regularly.

Chrome: An ornamental metal, highly prized for its ability to blister, peel, and turn myriad colors. Regularly used when other materials would not transmit heat to your leg fast enough.

Self-adjusting: Capable of getting out of whack without any outside intervention what so ever.

Self-oiling: An accurate term, referring to your boots or the garage floor. Not to be mis-interpreted to refer to, say, your chain.

Trouble lamp: Also known as the mechanics tanning lamp, its function is to place the area being worked on into deepest shadow while delivering permanent retinal damage to your eyes.

There were others, which I've forgotten, but some things are eternal, such as the self-adjusting brakes fitted to the rear wheels of my pickup. I thought they were malfunctioning (non-functioning) but was told by the dealership that I should expect the front wheels to lock up and skid while the rears seemed unbothered by my panic-stricken application of the pedal. This was the "normal function of the anti-locking feature on your truck". This kind of advice is why I do my own repair work, and cannot recommend a mechanic, as I don't know any.

At some point, I'll have to get into the rear brakes, and figure out why the little adjuster fingers are hanging out in space instead of snuggling up to the adjuster wheel like they're supposed to. All I need is time.

FWIW: Brakes are not difficult. Yes, if you do something wrong, the results can be catastrophic, but if you do something wrong, it's usually painfully apparent in the first 10 ft or so, long before you get to Deadmans Curve. When I hear the commercial for Just Brakes on the radio, and the maiden-in-distress says "All that for $99.00, why do you do it, Just Brakes?" All I can think is "Because it's easy money, honey."

Schrödinger's Recovery

Fed head Ben Bernanke declared “the recession is very likely over at this point,” adding the phrase “from a technical perspective.”

So does that mean that if you open my box there's a 51% chance that I'm employed?

Speech Codes

This was probably copied from the North Korean guide to "Stayin Alive" that originally referred to the Dear Leader, but this sort of stuff travels well, and so far it hasn't been applied outside the U.S. House.

Under section 370 of the House Rules and Manual it has been held that a Member could:

• refer to the government as “something hated, something oppressive.”
• refer to the President as “using legislative or judicial pork.”
• refer to a Presidential message as a “disgrace to the country.”
• refer to unnamed officials as “our half-baked nitwits handling foreign affairs.”

Likewise, it has been held that a member could not:

• call the President a “liar.”
• call the President a “hypocrite.”
• describe the President’s veto of a bill as “cowardly.”
• charge that the President has been “intellectually dishonest.”
• refer to the President as “giving aid and comfort to the enemy.”
• refer to alleged “sexual misconduct on the President’s part.”

To translate, everything the Dems said about Bush is OK, and everything the Reps said about Clinton or Obie is forbidden. This should help clarify in the minds of the voters next election, just who stands for what.

As a suggestion to the members of the House, the way to word a speech is:

"My honorable colleagues, while I would never call our Dear Leader a liar, a hypocrite, or intellectually dishonest in pursuing actions that give aid and comfort to our nations enemies, I must observe that some 50,000,000 of my constituents have raised these issues on numerous occasions recently, and ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, what they intend to do to reduce this lack of confidence in our nations leadership?"

See? It's all in how you phrase it.

Meantime it wouldn't hurt to write your congress-nitwit and ask if they intend to expand this speech code to the general populace soon. It could be called "hate speech" and tacked on as an amendment to something.

Personally, I love nothing more than a bogus conspiracy theory that causes heartburn to politicians. If you like, go ahead and accuse them of supporting the amendment, and tell them that the recall petitions are being printed up even as they are reading your letter of outrage.

The Future of Transportation

Indy reports that the folks at Aptera have discovered that there's federal pork available if you ask right, so they've asked that their futuristic 3-wheeler have it's classification changed, from motorcycle to car.

George Jetson would be proud to own one of these, even with rather anemic performance, as it is claimed to get some 300+ MPG in the right circumstances. The problem is that the vehicle was built as a motorcycle in the first place to get around the myriad federal regulations covering cars, such as crash-resistant bumpers front and rear, side impact protection, rollover protection, airbags, and all else, amounting to some 1500 lbs and a bunch of bucks to build in. Glenn suggests this move is being opposed by GM in order to corner ALL the federal money, but when your parent company is the one doling it out, this shouldn't be a problem.

Wherin lies the problem is that if the Aptera can be considered a car, what's to prevent the Feds from declaring this a car:
Or this:
Or this:
Options on the Ural sidecar include either a machine gun, or an anti-tank rocket launcher.

I would just as soon the Fed Gov stayed far away from the motorcycle biz, as we have plenty of evidence already that it's the touch of death anywhere it goes.

Actually, if the Aptera is declared a car, and thus has to meet all the Fed Regs, when they're done, it's apt to look a lot like the Dymaxion:
Oh Yeah! Baby!

Yet Another Czar

Thanks to Jim Treacher, who has a whole set of pictures of the South Florida Tea Party gathering.
This really needs to be looked in to. The other outfis proclaims the Czar of Transparency. Like most right-thinking people, I say more is needed.

Economics II

That didn't take long.

HONG KONG — China unexpectedly increased pressure Sunday on the United States in a widening trade dispute, taking the first steps toward imposing tariffs on American exports of automotive products and chicken meat in retaliation for President Obama’s decision late Friday to levy tariffs on tires from China.

What's most amusing here is the description of the move as somehow "unexpected". It seems nobody at the Times is old enough to remember what happened the last time this was done, and we already know that history is an optional course for Journalism majors.

Employment II

It seems the Pakistani army can put up a credible showing, given half the chance. After earlier conceding the Swat valley to the Taliban, the reaction, locally and globally must have gotten to the Paki government. Over the last few weeks, the army has been marching through the Swat valley and, with a bit of assistance from UAV attacks, has largely cleaned the place out.

The fighting forced an estimated 200,000 civilians from their homes, and left hundreds of militants dead. In recent weeks the bodies several Taliban figures have been found swinging from lampposts amid allegations that they were being targeted for extrajudicial killings by government death squads.

Rule 1 of the Dr. Cosby Rules Of Warfare: He who wins the toss, gets to make the rules.
Observation: He who makes the rules, usually wins.

Of course if these are in fact extrajudicial executions, perhaps we should send a select committee consisting of the entire democratic membership of the Senate Judicial Committee, and a dozen or so ACORN organizers over there to investigate. Take as long as they like.

Tea Party

The New York Times said "thousands". The Washington Post said "tens of thousands", the London Daily Mail said "up to 2 million", I've heard that both CNN and ABC have both estimated the crowd at over 2 million.

Folks, that there's a LOT of pissed-off peasants.

Insty also carries this comment:

Meanwhile, a reader emails: “I’ll tell you what I find impressive. I’m watching the Fox news video about 15 minutes after the end of the event. The crowd has thinned out enough that you can see the ground and there is not a speck of trash on the grass. Absolutely clean. To contrast, google ‘pictures of litter on the mall after the inauguration.’”

Presumably the tarrings and featherings will be performed on a tarp, so as not to inconvenience the grass beneath.

The Denver Tea Party was well attended, although I got there quite late as it was beginning to thin out.

Economics

Back in the 20s, the worlds economy was roaring along, the stock markets were booming, and everything was coming up roses. Except for Utah and Oregon. In 1930, Utah Senator Reed Smoot teamed with Oregon Rep Hawley to fix this, and boy, did they ever fix it.

International trade, which made up about 1/4 of US business, went to near zero, and unemployment went to nearly 25%. For the next 20 years, no one could figure out why.

Let's try it again, this time it will turn out different. After spending a billion dollars to artificially raise the price of used cars to a minimum of $3500 and make replacement parts scarcer and more expensive, the administration is going to increase the cost of maintaining your used car by increasing the price of tires by 35%.

In one of his first major decisions on trade policy, President Obama opted Friday to impose a tariff on tires from China, a move that fulfills his campaign promise to "crack down" on imports that unfairly undermine American workers but risks angering the nation's second-largest trading partner.

What could go wrong. If the price of Wang Chung tires goes up 35%, the price of Goodyears will go up by a similar amount. The working poor will be forced onto public transportation, and the grateful taxpayer will happily subsidize their new rides.

Of course the Chinese are not happy with this, and are proposing tariffs against US made goods. Meanwhile, back at the Champs d'Elesyee, Mr Sarkozy is proposing his own version of Smoot-Hawley, only this time instead of claiming that the tariffs "protect domestic workers from shoddy merchandise made by underpaid foreign labor"*, he gets to claim that since other countries (China and India) are not hobbling themselves with massive energy taxes, this will be offset by an equally massive "carbon tax", which is also known as an import tariff. The Chinese and Indians are not amused.

Can you say "International trade war?". I knew you could. Now try "Global Depression", followed by "Major War". OK that's probably an extreme view of things, and enough world leaders remember what happened the last time to not make the same mistakes one more time. At least we can hope, right?

*This phrase was used in reference to German products in the 20s. Its utility is that the actual target may change, but is never actually named, making the phrase evergreen. It was probably first used about 10,000 years ago when somebody tried to sell his stone arrow points in the village down the river.