NC Media Watch

Schwarzenegger's legacy in one word --- Failure!

Russ Steele

Last week, the Sac Bee asked readers to sum up outgoing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's legacy in one word. They got 1,2000 entries including mine which was RINO, but it does not appear in the graphic below. Sac Bee removed the vulgar comments and then posted this summary using data Visualization software by ManyEyes. I think the summary is very clear (click for a larger image):

I voted for Arnold the first time, but once he went green and started promoting the human caused global warming fraud, I just could not bring my self to vote for him. He is truly a failure.

Global warming or global cooling, how are you preparing?

Russ Steele

I have been warning that the real climate change in the next 20 to 30 years is going to be cooling while the folks in Sacramento, lead by the job killers at CARB, are preping the citizens of this state for global warming.  What happens if the real world is cooling and not warming? 

Matt Vooro, writes at the No Tricks Zone:

For many years now a good number of non-AGW scientists, meteorologists, engineers, researchers and the like have looked at the possibilities of a cooling planet. I enclose some of the ones that I have noted  in my research. Indeed there is a significant number of scientists, academics, meteorologists and researchers who disagree with IPCC’s belief that the globe is very likely headed for unprecedented global warming due to man-made greenhouse gases.

The climate of this planet oscillates between periods of approximately 30 years of warming followed by approximately 30 years of cooling. Rather than 100 years of unprecedented global warming as predicted by IPCC, the global temperatures have leveled off and we seem to be heading for cooler weather. 

Matt Voors' list of 31 different international climate scientists, academics, meteorologists, climate researchers and engineers who have researched this topic and who disagree with AGW science and IPCC forecasts, and are projecting much cooler weather for the next 1-3 decades. The List with supporting links can be found here. 

Exit Question: What happens if this growing list of scientist are right, our climate continues to cool for another 20--30 years and we are all preparing for global warming? 

Prop 23 Update: More job killing regulations are on the horizon

Russ Steele

According to a Sac Bee story, we can expect Governor Elect Brown to keep Mary Nichols on at the California Air Resources Board, where she plans to expand CARB’s climate change policies. 

Nichols said she hasn't had a formal discussion about what role she will play in the Brown administration, but she said she would prefer to remain at the Air Resources Board to oversee expansion of the board's climate change policies.

Yep, that is just what the California Depression needs is more job killing climate change policies and regulations to squeeze more carbon taxes from California businesses and consumers.  That should work out really well for the future of the state's economy! No nation or state and tax has ever taxed it's way to a healthy economy. 

Local and state liberals blinded by real world economics.

Russ Steele

I almost dribbled coffee on the keyboard when I read this comment at the Sierra Foothill Report declaring there is no problem with social security, the money is in the trust fund we just need to leave it alone. 

He was just a local liberal in economic denial, just a source of some local blogging amusement. On the other hand when Bill Lockyer California's Treasure is in economic denial that is bigger problem for the rest of us. The California Political News has the details.

Bill Lockyer is your typical liberal--more taxes, more spending, and economic illiterate.  And, he hates jobs.

"California Treasurer Bill Lockyer raised eyebrows last week by arguing in a newspaper column that “California isn’t broken,” but it’s not allaying the fears of the state’s hard-pressed taxpayers. If the state’s top financial official is in deep denial about California’s precarious situation, then it’s time for the rest of us to be very concerned indeed.

Jointly written by Lockyer and Stephen Levy, a lefty Palo Alto economist and longtime advocate for higher taxes, the piece dismissed criticisms that California has a hostile business climate and denied businesses are leaving the state. They argued that the state’s government is relatively lean, and that California is, in many cases, in better economic shape than other states."

California has over 12% unemployment, unions owning government, illegal aliens everywhere, AB 32 chasing jobs out of the State.  But Democrat Lockyer says that "California is not broken".  Maybe he is right--it is not broken, it is destroyed.  Sadly, Lockyer is one of your brighter liberals.

What is it about liberals that blinds them to the truth. The social security trust is full of IOUs, there is no real money in the fund.  California has hundreds of money sucking boards, commissions and unions that do not contribute to the economy,  a legislature that refuses to quit spending money they do not have, unelected agencies that keep stacking on job killing regulations, taxpayers and businesses are fleeing the state, and we are not in trouble?  Denial is rampant among liberals across the state. 

Exit question: Is liberalism a mental disease that blinds them to real world economics?

Grass Valley is seeking to expand pool of planning commission candidates

Russ Steele

Our local left wing blogger has ask and important question that deserves an answer: Why is GV not jumping to appoint a sustainability leader?

The City of Grass Valley has an ideal opportunity to embrace the future and wipe out perceptions of its “old guard” politics, but is it dropping the ball?

I have learned that Apple Center executive director and Nevada City Farmer’s market director Mali Dyck, among others, has applied for the vacant planning commission post. Grass Valley Council member Yolanda Cookson, among others, encouraged Mali to apply.

Instead of jumping at the opportunity, the council is seeking more applicants before it makes a final decision.

Maybe it is because this sustainable leader has failed to produce the promised sustainability at the Apple Center. The Center received a $40,000 grant, plus free rent for two year from the Private Industry Council of Butte County to open the Apple Sustainability Center.  How many more grants will be required to keep the Center open?

Mali has pragmatic, needed skills too that others don’t: She wrote the application that landed a $40,000 grant from the Butte County Private Industry Council to open the center, a highly competitive process.

The grant application promised to make the Apple Center self sustaining by July 2011 by creating a commercial worm farm. A farm that was to produce 2 jobs in 2009, 3 in 2010 and 6 in 2011. Well the worm farm is still a dream and so are the jobs, and only the PIC knows how the money was spent. The only performance requirements in the contract agrement was to submit status reports and invoices on schedule.

Maybe the failure to meet the basic grant requirements, which included a Business Plan that would fail simple logic and economic analysis, may have spoken louder to the Grass Valley City Council than the praise heaped on the applicant by our left leaning blogger.

Mali is the kind of person that Grass Valley needs to help think about diversifying its own economy. She will compliment, not replace, the current mindset.

While I think that the Grass Valley City Council should seek young people for the planning commission, they may want to seek some candidates with a proven track record of exceptional performance in the private sector, not another rent seeking grant writer.

Now what, my well house heater had been banned

Russ Steele

California will start phasing out the 100-watt incandescent light bulb on Jan. 1, 2011. By the beginning of the year 2012, it will be gone from sale in stores. California wants to get a head start in banning this bulb because they claim state regulations will reduce energy consumption.

Well, since it takes about 100-watts to keep our well house from freezing, I may just have to put in two 60-watt bulbs, or use the 250-watt heater tape I keep for a back up if it gets extra cold with the next Grand Minimum on the horizon.   We have used 100-watt bulbs because that is about the minimum required.  I use a special temperature sensitive switch to turn on the bulb at 35 degrees, to save energy. No need to have the lights on all winter long, only when needed to keep the pipes from freezing.

I guess the best solution for now is to visit our local hardware store to buy up a few of those 100 watt bulbs, if there are any left on the shelves, for future use.  If they are all gone, next time I am in Nevada I could pick up a few 100 watt bulbs.

I wonder if the Ag station in Truckee will start searching cars for 100 watt bulbs. I can hear the agent now, “Do you have any plants or 100 watt bulbs in the car?  Please open your trunk sir, I need to check your are not smuggling 100 watt bulbs.” 

Exit Question:  When will the nanny government stop managing our lives?

CARB's Carbon Capers

Russ Steele

Dr. S. Fred Singer writing at The American Thinker has some thoughts on CARB's Carbon Capers.

The "Cooler Heads" blog relates that the adopted regulation is more than three thousand pages long, but most of the details have yet to be worked out.  CARB rushed to meet a December 31 deadline set by the 2006 legislation that authorizes CARB to reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.  In order to protect California businesses from out-of-state competition, CARB will (initially) allocate emissions credits (aka energy-rationing coupons) for free.  The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is the only precedent for free allocation of carbon credits; it resulted in windfall profits for politically connected industries and higher electricity prices for consumers.

ETS trading in the EU also resulted in billions of dollars in fradulent trades. Details here.

Elections have cap and trade consequences

Russ Steele

As California is implementing Cap and Trade, following the example of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative created by a group of ten northeastern states, one of those RGGI states is having second thoughts about it's participation in this regional cap and trade program.  RGGI runs a carbon trading scheme with the primary goal to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Permits are auctioned off quarterly, and September’s auction only sold 75% of the permits available, and December’s sold only 57%. The sale price was $1.86 per ton which is the floor price.  Even at that price RGGI Auction Yielded $48.2 Million for Investment in Energy Savings and Clean Energy. The problem is that, states are using the auction funds to save state budgets that are underwater.  The RGGI is becoming just another way to tax the people. This is not sitting will with the folks in New Hampshire who are considering withdrawal from the RGGI.

"Like most states, New Hampshire has had a sizable turnover in the state legislature, and there is a move afoot to withdraw. A story in the Dec 26 Manchester Union Leader (on paper or subscription only) reports on the effort to find supporters before writing the bill. Some supporters say there’s enough support to make passage likely", writes Ric Werme at Watt's Up With That. I wrote about the problems with RGGI style cap and trades  here and the potential for CARB's cap and trades to become just another state slush fund.

Exit Question: When will the people of California wake up like the people of New Hampshire? Really?

Prop 23 Update: Mary Nichols to California -- Drop Dead

Russ Steele

The  Cal Watchdog, has a few thoughts on CARB’s Mary Nichols, she has worked for Jerry Brown in the past and will most likely be working for him again as the head of CARB, the number one job killing agency in California.  John Seiler, writing at the Cal Watchdog:

Consider the revealing quote in this article about CARB Commissar Mary Nichols, concerning CARB’s Friday [18th of Dec] decision to impose jobs-killing cap-and-trade edicts:

Nichols noted concerns that the new regulations and its subsequent costs could burden the state’s economy, and that California is taking action while similar requirements do not exist nationwide. But, she said, there is more to lose by waiting than by acting now.

“Indeed, adoption of a program like this is probably California’s best insurance against future recessions,” Nichols said, adding that a cap-and-trade program will maintain the state’s status as a magnet for investments in green technology.

She doesn’t care about you, your job, or California today, which is in deep recession. She imperiously “noted concerns” about lost jobs. She only cares about imposing the jobs-killing, climate Lysenkoism ideology behind AB 32 and the Stalinist “cap and trade” scheme on California.

The commissar says it’ll all pay off, somehow, some day, in preventing “future recessions.”

Centralized planning by environmentalist has not worked out in Europe, one has to wonder why will it work in California?

What were they thinking - it is our money they are spending

Russ Steele

If you have ever wondered why Congress gets such lame ratings?  Rasmussen Reports that before the lame duck session voted to extend the Bush tax cuts for all Americans, Congress received good or excellent marks from only 11% of all voters.  The latest poor finding is the lowest Congress has received since October 2009.

This report in the Cal Political News may give us some clues.

You are not going to believe some of the things that the U.S. government is spending money on.  According to a shocking new report, U.S. taxpayer money is being spent to study World of Warcraft, to study how Americans find love on the Internet, and to study the behavior of male prostitutes in Vietnam.  Not only that, but money from the federal government is also being used to renovate a pizzeria in Iowa and to help a library in Tennessee host video game parties.  These are just some of the examples in a new report on government waste from Senator Tom Coburn entitled "Wastebook 2010".  Even as tens of millions of American families find themselves suffering through the worst economic downturn in modern history, the U.S. government continues to spend money on some of the craziest and most frivolous things imaginable.  Every single year articles are written and news stories are done about the horrific government waste that is taking place and yet every single year it just keeps getting worse.  So just what in the world is going on here?

It almost seems as though Congress actually enjoys inventing new ways to waste U.S. taxpayer money.  It seems nearly inconceivable that anyone could keep a straight face while trying to justify spending money on many of the things in the list below.

At a time when the U.S. national debt is closing in on 14 trillion dollars, government waste just seems more out of control than ever.  The following are 20 of the craziest things that the U.S. government is spending money on....

#1 A total of $3 million has been granted to researchers at the University of California at Irvine so that they can play video games such as World of Warcraft.  The goal of this "video game research" is reportedly to study how "emerging forms of communication, including multiplayer computer games and online virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft and Second Life can help organizations collaborate and compete more effectively in the global marketplace."

#2 The U.S. Department of Agriculture gave the University of New Hampshire $700,000 this year to study methane gas emissions from dairy cows.

#3 $615,000 was given to the University of California at Santa Cruz to digitize photos, T-shirts and concert tickets belonging to the Grateful Dead.