The Soap Box

Archive for May, 2009

If the temperature data being collected by various sensors is wrong, then the climate change models are wrong. Find it impossible to believe that all those Nobel Prize Winners could be wrong? A blogger, Steve McIntyre, noticed some monitoring stations recording unusual trends in temperature. The Goddard Institute of Space Science (NASA)  agreed with the blogger and adjusted the data.

Why does this matter?  The film, An Inconvenient Truth, relied on data from the monitoring stations.  The hottest year on record in the US according to Al Gore was 1998.   The corrected data shows 1934 to be the hottest year. Five of the 10 hottest years now all occur before WW II.  Oops.

Understand the name change from Global Warming to Climate Change now?

Nancy – when you put your foot in your mouth, the absolute best solution ever – leave the county.  Don’t know when you planned your trip to China, but it really could not have come at a better time.  I would be willing to bet when you return, that little incident, you remember, the -you know nothing about waterboarding and the CIA lied to you deal, will be all forgotten. 

When you return you won’t need your pals, Rep. Becerra, (D- Calilf.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.),   to watch your back, and your mouth, and will be able to talk to the press all by yourself.

 I bet you don’t get any questions at all about the CIA and waterboarding.  Just to be safe, you could do what you did at the last press conference.  Just read your prepared statement and say no comment to any questions.

Oh, just a word of warning, be careful what you say about China.  China’s been in the news lately re:  North Korea threatening South Korea with a nuclear missile strike.  Seems China might be capable of talking North Korea down from the abyss.  Just keep the topic of conversation on the much more important issue of China joining in our Global WarmingClimate Change initiatives. You also might want to drop the attitude about the Chinese human rights violations.  Word from the White House is we need to work with the Chinese, so have a nice trip and play nice.

For Your Consideration

Excerpts from a speech at Berkely  in 2002 by Supreme Court Justice Nominee Sonia Sotomayor 

“While recognizing the potential effect of individual experiences on perception, Judge Cedarbaum nevertheless believes that judges must transcend their personal sympathies and prejudices and aspire to achieve a greater degree of fairness and integrity based on the reason of law. Although I agree with and attempt to work toward Judge Cedarbaum’s aspiration, I wonder whether achieving that goal is possible in all or even in most cases. And I wonder whether by ignoring our differences as women or men of color we do a disservice both to the law and society. Whatever the reasons why we may have different perspectives, either as some theorists suggest because of our cultural experiences or as others postulate because we have basic differences in logic and reasoning, are in many respects a small part of a larger practical question we as women and minority judges in society in general must address.”

“Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences, a possibility I abhor less or discount less than my colleague Judge Cedarbaum, our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging. Justice O’Connor has often been cited as saying that a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases. I am not so sure Justice O’Connor is the author of that line since Professor Resnik attributes that line to Supreme Court Justice Coyle. I am also not so sure that I agree with the statement. First, as Professor Martha Minnow has noted, there can never be a universal definition of wise. Second, I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” 

 Supreme Court Justice Oath of Office

 ”I, Sonia Sotomayor, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons,

“and I wonder whether by ignoring our differences as women or men of color we do a disservice both to the law and society”

and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” 

discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as Supreme Court Justice  under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God.”

Deaths

American Revolutionary War   4,435

Civil War   498,000

World War 1   116,516

World War 2   405,399

Korean War   36,574

Vietnam War  58,209

Gulf War   382

Afghanistan   679

Iraq   4,283

Dem’s charge GOP with delaying tactics.  What delaying tactics – the reading into record of the Climate Change Bill.  Funny right?  Did you know that Rep. Henry Waxman, sponsor of the bill, could not answer questions as to what exactly is in the bill?  Wouldn’t it be a good idea to have someone read the  bill before making all US Citizens live with the consequences of its passage?  Yeah, I guess that’s just too much work for Congress.  Just pass the bill, it’s too important to delay, and people have already forgotten about that 700 billion dollar bail out thing.

Oh, you should know, Climate Change is the new term for Global Warming.  Seems that the name of the environmental  issue that will  end  the world as we know it had to be corrected.  The Earth isn’t warming up quite as predicted.  Oops.   We still need a bill that will cost Americans undisclosed amounts of hard earned cash,  just in case there  is a problem.  Of course Congress chooses to  ignore any scientist who questions our ability to fix the problem, if one really does exist.  It’s only money.  Our money.

Rep Rob Bishop, R Utah, attempted to add an amendment calling for a bipartisan investigation into the Pelosi charges that the CIA lied to Congress.  The amendment was defeated.

Evidently, not a single Democrat in Congress believes the charges were worth investigating.

Change?  Seems like business as usual for our government.

You were doing so well.  Blaming Bush for everything.  Three different versions of the waterboarding story confusing the issue.  The CIA didn’t  brief you.  The CIA did brief you but the briefing was much later than what the CIA claimed. The CIA did brief you about waterboarding, but said they weren’t using the technique.  Genius, sheer genius.

Now this.

You were so close Nancy.  My advise?  Keep hammering away on Bush.  Make people  forget that the Speaker of the House lied on an issue involving National Security.  I know you can do it.

I admit it, I had some trouble with the idea of  Sarah Palin being one heart beat away from the Presidency.  The Katie Couric interview did not inspire much confidence – can we say deer in headlights is a pretty good description.   She did handle the debates much better than anticipated, but I could have really done without the “winking”.

So catastrophe was avoided with the defeat of McCain and Palin, and we now have a reliable second in command.

Just remember, Vice President Biden recommends under no circumstances should you travel by air, or ride the subway, or participate in any activity where you would be confined in a small room with others, because the Swine Flue H1N1 will kill you dead.

Oh, and Vice President Biden also wants you to know that in the event of another attack on the US, you can rest assured the Vice President will be safe and secure  hiding at the secret bunker under the old US Navel Observatory.

One more thing.  If both the President and the Vice President are unable to act, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi stands ready, willing and able to lead our great country.

What is Ms. Palin up to?  It’s too late?  Just asking.

Your Tax Dollars At Work

“My criticism of the manner in which the Bush administration did not appropriately inform Congress is separate from my respect for those in the intelligence community who work to keep our country safe,” so says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Simply brilliant. When in doubt, when caught lying , blame President Bush. Ignore logic completely - who cares that the CIA was responsible for informing Congress what interrogation techniques were being used - just blame Bush.

That bit about the Republicans creating this “issue” to distract from the more important question regarding the use of “advanced interrogation techniques” - well done.

Keep up the ridiculous accusations, the double speak, and you might just get through this incident.

Who would have thought there would be such an uproar over such a little thing like accusing the CIA of lying to Congress?

My absolute favorite suggestion of yours - to change the National Security Act of 1947 giving “larger numbers of Congress” access to classified briefings. That will definitely fix this “problem” of Congressional oversight. Spread the blame around a little. If everyone knew, no single person can be held accountable for anything, except for Bush. Perfect.