New Boat

As March nears its sodden end, I thought you might like to see my new boat. Let the good times roll!

Bipartisanship

In a welcome display of bipartisanship, last night the House defeated President Obama's proposed budget 414-0. Not even one Democrat could be found to vote for the President's budget, which tells us how serious the "budget" was as a working document. Thanks Mr. President for taking your Constitutional duties seriously.

townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2012/03/29/unanimous_obama_budget_defeated_4140

Liminal Behavior

We've all heard of "subliminal" but what about "liminal"? Chuck Colson uses the term in his column today and defines it as someone who stands, "... at the edge of some religious tradition, unsure whether to identify with that tradition or not." As an example, he describes "Sheila" from a book by Bellah and Madsen, Habits of the Heart:


"Sheila described her belief system this way: “I believe in God. I’m not a religious fanatic. I can’t remember the last time I went to church. My faith has carried me a long way. It’s Sheilaism. Just my own little voice . . . It’s just trying to love yourself and be gentle with yourself . . .”

In other words, God resembles Sheila in more than a passing way.

This issue has been talked about numerous times at the leadership meetings of our church. It used to be focused in 20 and 30 years olds but it has now gradually moved out into older age groups. The Northwest seems especially susceptible to this mindset, but it is happening all over the country.

The problem is that liminals are me-centered and not God-centered. God has never been particularly concerned about building our individual kingdoms. Rather, He is focused on building His Kingdom and invites us along to participate. Free will means that we can pass on His invitation and that is what liminals are doing, whether they realize it or not - to not decide, is to decide. No, you have to choose to follow wherever He may take you and some of those places are not so comfortable, as the Lenten season reminds us. But it is what we, as humans, were made for and the retirement plan is heavenly.



www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/19055

Doing the Siskel and Ebert Thing

A couple of good movies to recommend. First, October Baby, which is playing in Salem at the Regal Santiam Cinema. Based on a true story, a young woman experiences medical problems and learns that they arise from her natural mother's attempt to abort her. Although confused and hurt, she looks into her past and comes out stronger for having done so. 


In the Netflix queue, you might try Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. While Mr. Allen is not a paragon of virtue, this is a smart and fun film with beautifully shot backdrops of Paris. Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams star.

Storm Clouds on the Horizon

The U.S. Navy has just issued a new manual to better maintain its ships. At the same time, the Obama Administration has ordered defense cuts of $500B over the next 10 years. In fact, defense is about the only thing that he is cutting. How do you think that the Navy's newfound stewardship will fare in this environment? A more basic question is how important is the Navy to the nation's defense in the year's ahead and how should the budget reflect this assessment? The answer is that the Navy is very important yet the budget does not reflect this reality at all.


Water covers 80% of the globe and 80% of the world's population lives within 250 miles of an ocean coastline. We import the majority of our raw materials, not to mention oil. To cover this, the Navy currently has 286 active ships of all types. During the 1980s under President Reagan the total was just under 600 ships. Nuclear carriers are now down to 11 from 14. Navy ships are being tasked in all the oceans of the world to deal with China, Iran, Afghanistan, and numerous smaller countries as well as terrorist groups operating all around the globe, yet the budgetary tea leaves foretell even fewer ships in the future to keep the peace.


Robert Kaplan is an astute author of books and articles on national defense. He makes a sobering comment that the next President would do well to heed:


“A great navy is like oxygen: You notice it only when it is gone. But the strength of a nation’s sea presence, more than any other indicator, has throughout history often been the best barometer of that nation’s power and prospects … In our day, carrier strike groups, floating in international waters only a few miles off enemy territory, require no visas or exit strategies”

The barometer is falling - rapidly. 

www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/asd/2012/03/26/08.xml&headline=U.S.%20Navy%20Manual%20Details%20New%20Focus&channel=defense 

www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-15/mckeon-calls-obama-defense-cuts-a-strategy-founded-on-hope-1-.html

For Whom the Bell Tolls

When the Obama Administration took office Joe Biden went out of his way to praise the financial acumen of John Corzine, former U.S. Senator and Governor of New Jersey. In fact, they consulted with him to help shape the fiscal policy of the new Administration. Corzine went on to be the CEO of MF Global. Ring any bells? MF Global collapsed in October 2011 and was a giant Ponzi-scheme. Now Corzine is under investigation for taking $200M from a customer's account just three days before MF Global went under to cover a company overdraft on the London exchange.

From what I see of the Obama Administration, they learned well from Corzine - run up a huge tab and use other people's money to cover it when it comes due. I wonder if the end result will be any better than it was for Corzine?

www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/24/us-mf-global-memo-idUSBRE82M17920120324

Oregon's Hiring Freeze

Gov. Kitzhaber has imposed a state hiring freeze. And the state has only added 1,931 new employees in the 3 months since then. www.kgw.com/news/local/Amid-freeze-Ore-hired-1931-state-workers-143267146.html  Hmm. It must be because Oregon's economy is finally turning up. Well, not so much. The February data shows private sector employers cut 6,400 jobs, unemployment steady at 8.8% and the state's economy slowing to a crawl. www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/oregon_employers_slash_6400_jo.html Just this week T-Mobile announced the closing of its Redmond call center throwing 360 people out of work. Yup, John - way to make the tough calls to restart Oregon's economy!

I See Dead People

There is a lot of hurrah around the country about requiring photo ID to vote. It's all about protecting the "rights" of people without such ID to vote. Yeah right. We all have to show photo ID to board a plane, buy an adult beverage if we look too young, and a host of other things. Apparently preventing voter fraud is not a sufficiently important policy to require such ID even though the U.S. Supreme Court thinks so. Any guesses which political party is trying to protect this important segment of its voter base? Hint: I hear that the zombie vote is trending heavily Democratic this year.

You're Kidding, Right?

NPR asks, "Is Anesthesia a Luxury During Colonoscopy?" Let me put it this way, the captain ain't raising no periscope in me while I'm still conscious!


online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304636404577295683532692606.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_MIDDLETopOpinion

Supremes Unanimously Rule EPA Wrong

On January 11, 2012 I posted on the Sackett case from Idaho that had just been heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The case involved the EPA red-tagging the property as a wetland (the Corps of Engineers having already ruled that it wasn't) and then arguing that the owners did not have recourse to the courts to challenge. In a blow for freedom today, the Supremes unanimously reversed the 9th Circuit which had upheld the EPA's absurd position. Nice job Supremes!

It is also worth noting that this is yet another decision where the Supreme Court has reversed the government unanimously. This is unusual and it does not bode well for the Obama Administration in important upcoming cases like Obamacare. We can hope and pray that someone in Washington is serious about the Constitution.

                                 www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/21/us-usa-court-epa-idUSBRE82K0YT20120321

Russian Troops in Syria

Commissar Putin just gave the Italian salute to President Obama and the rest of the West by putting a small contingent of troops into Syria to help Assad more efficiently kill his citizens. There has been talk of Western intervention in Syria as in Libya (not a good idea) and this is a blocking move by Russia to head off such a plan. It is also designed to ingratiate the Russians with Iran, who are also heavily supporting Assad. Iran wants a puppet on Israel's border so it can pull the strings with terrorist raids against the "Zionists." Israel will do whatever it needs to do to protect itself, but the stakes just went up. Meanwhile from Washington the sound of crickets is heard. How's that rebooting of our relationship with the Russians going, Mr. President?

abcnews.go.com/Blotter/russian-anti-terror-troops-arrive-syria/story?id=15954363

Hidden Abortion Surcharge

We are all about to become accessories to murder. Say what??!!! It's true - Kathleen Sebelius, Obama's HHS Secretary, issued new rules this week implementing the state insurance exchanges that are part of Obamacare, and buried in them is a provision that a $1 surcharge will be added to every premium to pay for abortions. You may think that you can opt out. Think again. If the individual mandate requiring everyone to buy insurance is upheld by the Supreme Court as constitutional, then we are all stuck paying this surcharge and thereby become accomplices to murder.

I think there is a good chance that the Supreme Court will knock out the individual mandate, and probably this surcharge, as violative of the Constitution, but if not we all get to grapple with the question of whether we will be good Germans and meekly go along or begin what will undoubtedly be a painful and prolonged exercise of civil disobedience.

dailycaller.com/2012/03/13/1-abortion-premium-in-obamacare/

New PDX-West Coast Service

Headed to San Francisco or LA? A new airline - Virgin America - starts service on June 5. You can purchase $99 OW fares to either destination through March 16 at its website. West Coast fares have gotten a little high out of PDX, especially to SFO, so this should help bring them down a little. I have never flown VA but their planes have more in-flight amenities than most other carriers.

www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/virgin_americas_portland_launc.html

Why Gas Prices Are Going Up

Do big companies collude to set prices? Absolutely. More to the point, so do countries - think OPEC and oil. The chart to the left shows that oil usage is down to 1995-96 levels and gasoline consumption is down to 2001-2002 levels, yet prices keep climbing explosively. Something is rotten in Denmark, but what?

The traditional (and President Obama's) culprit is Big Oil and it would not surprise me that some gouging is going on. Speculators are also bidding up oil futures and the argument goes thereby running up prices. But speculators only make educated bets on supply/demand and certainly don't bet against themselves, so their behavior is more symptomatic of market conditions than determinative of them. Then there is OPEC. Did you know that only about 10% of the world's oil is controlled by private oil companies and the rest by governments? OPEC has been scaling back oil production since 2008 and has succeeded in a run-up of oil prices against falling demand. When Iran suddenly rattled sabers about closing the Strait of Hormuz the market reacted by spiking up and over the magic $4/gallon price in the U.S. that has really sent demand here into the dumper. Not surprisingly, OPEC has just ramped up production by 1/3 to try to stabilize prices and prevent an already weak world economy from hitting the canvas - it's tough to sell oil when there is no demand. Thus it is the usual suspect - Iran - that is probably most responsible. Iran's behavior, though, is pretty predictable in that oil is its only major export, its economy is in shambles, and it needs high oil prices to make it. The hidden suspect, however, is the West and the U.S. in particular.

Iran's ability to cause trouble exists only as long as the West is unable or unwilling to take effective action to deal with it. If Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz and its forces were immediately vaporized, the market would react with price stability, albeit with a short term blip during the actual hostilities. The West has dithered and done pretty much done nothing vis a vis Iran and the market has reacted by giving the Iranian threat more credence than it might otherwise. Once Iran goes nuclear the situation will get even worse. So the bottom line - there are a lot of players in the mix here but the biggest ones reside in Washington, DC, London, Paris, and Berlin.

Welcome to This World Caleb James Stein

Bearing the name of your Papa Jim; 20", 7# 15 oz. God bless you little guy - you are loved.

Here's to American Ingenuity!

Do you hate the spaghetti-shaped fluorescent bulbs that we are now required to buy in the name of who knows what? I do. Well, now you have a choice - Newcandescent bulbs! Made in the USA and approved by the EPA, Obama, Al Gore, and lots of other greenies, the new bulbs give off the same soft light as the good old incandescent bulbs, but last as long and are as energy efficient as the sucky new ones. They are available on-line and when zillions of them are sold - as I am sure they will be - they will be coming to a store near you.

newcandescent.com/

Federation's Representative Loses

Dennis Kucinich, the funny little Congressman from Neptune via Cleveland, Ohio and former Presidential candidate, lost his reelection bid this week in the Democratic primary. There is some talk of the Federation beaming him to Seattle for a try at a western Washington district where more of his kind are known to gather.  President Obama is also considering appointing him as the director of the Department of Peace that is rumored to be in the wings. Live long and prosper little guy!

Northern Lights

Tonight should be a good night to see the Northern Lights - not the cheapy movie theater - in the night skies. Earth is getting bulls-eyed by a giant solar flare today and the Aurora Borealis is expected to extend much further south than usual. A clear day is forecast for Oregon, so it hopefully will be primo viewing tonight. Turn off the lights this evening and take a look at some of God's special effects work - no CGI trickery involved, just the real deal.

Walking Softly?

The Israeli UN ambassador says that more time is needed for diplomacy with Iran and that is the track that Israel should take. Maybe. This could be an acknowledgment by Israel that it does not have the combat power to do the job or it could be just a head-fake.

Netanyahu meets with Obama today to discuss Iran and the nice words may last only as long as he is in Washington. President Obama will only be talking diplomacy. The whole Iran-Israel situation is an annoying distraction for Obama from the real business at hand - his reelection. The only reason he is giving it any attention at all is the Jewish vote/campaign contributions. Israel is on its own, notwithstanding Obama's tough words about not bluffing, and Netanyahu knows it. Watch for signs of mass mobilization, especially Israel's Jericho missiles, submarines, and strike fighters. You might also check the date of the next no-moon.

www.wnd.com/2012/03/israel-shelves-iran-military-option/?cat_orig=world

Corridor Training

I'll bet you didn't know that Salem-Portland is Amtrak's fastest growing corridor on the West Coast. It was up 22% last year mainly on a surge of commuter traffic. Oregon City has seen a similar jump in boardings for the same reason. Anybody who has sat on the 5 or I-205 on a Friday afternoon can attest to the frustration of trying to get anywhere fast and now there is an alternative. I have used the train when going to Portland for continuing education seminars. It is also a fun way to take kids to the city and back and avoid the traffic problems that turn a nice trip into a not-so-fun day. Taking them on a tour of the bistro car for treats is nice too. Give it a shot and see what you think. It's nice to have an alternative.

www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/03/amtrak_gaining_popularity_amon.html

Big Stink

George Will thinks that it is unlikely that the Republicans will take the White House this year. If that's the case, it is time for the Republican Party to resign its commission. Obama is in the same position as Herbert Hoover in 1932 when FDR was handily elected. He has made the recession worse, rolled up an almost incalculable amount of debt, swelled the Federal government into every aspect of American life, looted the treasury for his political cronies.and promises much more of the same. He is a failure and if the Republicans cannot elect a candidate in the face of the brash incompetence that is Barack Obama, both they and this country are lost.

www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/will-s-wrong_633080.html

Hello Orkin Man!

We've been having a problem with the tiny little sugar ants on our counters. They are a real nuisance but it could be worse. Consider this baby from New Zealand that was thought to be extinct but recently was found still alive on a remote island. Tell the Orkin guy to bring a shotgun!

www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/02/24/147367644/six-legged-giant-finds-secret-hideaway-hides-for-80-years

The Volt Rolls On

GM suspending Chevy Volt production due to low demand

www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/03/02/chevy-suspends-volt-production-due-to-low-demand/ 

But why? 

 

Bait and Switch

If you have an AT&T smartphone you are probably aware that the company has been "throttling" data usage for its "heaviest users" on the unlimited accounts. It has now publicly announced that this means if you use more than 3 Gb of data per month, it will automatically slow your phone down to snail speed. Coincidentally, this also happens to be the same limit as AT&T's new tiered plan for smartphone data. I think DatabaseDoctor has it just about right in his interpretation of AT&T-speak:

"Translation of AT&T-speak: We love the fact that we got you all to buy iPhones and sign up for unlimited data plans, thus alleviating some of our insanity in giving Apple so much to subsidize the phones. Now that you are actually USING those phones for data consumption, we realize that we were idiots to allow for an unlimited plan. We can't kick you off of unlimited plans without more lawsuits, so we'll just arbitrarily slow you down to a crawl when we feel we can get away with it. BTW, now that we lost some legal suit to someone who feels like unlimited should be unlimited (the nerve, the gaul, the fool!), we'll just cap you off at the same limit our largest plan institutes and promise you a dribble of bandwidth from that point on. Nanananah! DatabaseDoctor"

I suspect that AT&T goes to the same school for crappy customer service as the airlines and the big banks. I also think that it is a massive breach of contract that will result in a class action lawsuit for billions that will make some law firm reach. Some customers have also started to file their own actions in small claims court and have won. Good for them! It's a heckuva way to run a railroad - or in this case a phone company.

 

The Glow Fades

California just banned frisbees on public beaches - might hit some innocent beachgoer. In the meantime:

• California's official unemployment rate is 12% and the true rate is between 14-18%.
• 5.4 companies per week left California vs. 1 per week in 2009, including Amazon and myriad small businesses.
• Gov. Jerry Brown wants another "temporary" income tax increase.

What was once the Golden State is fast becoming dusty brown, like the Dust Bowl state. They are literally throwing it away. Sad.

townhall.com/columnists/davidmalcolm/2012/03/01/whats_the_matter_with_california_everything

Look Before You Laep!

Sigh.