Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chris Hedges, cult of personality, Cybele, dominatrix, Espionage Act, FISA, Katherine B. Forrest, Lucian, NDAA, O, Obummer, Robomney, S & M
Chris Hedges:
[…]
So it is with some morbid fascination that I watch Barack Obama, who has become the prime “dominatrix” of the liberal class, force us in this election to plead for more humiliation and abuse. Obama has carried out a far more egregious assault on our civil liberties, including signing into law Section 1021(b)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), than George W. Bush. Section 1021(b)(2), which I challenged in federal court, permits the U.S. military to detain American citizens, strip them of due process and hold them indefinitely in military facilities. U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest struck down the law in September. The Obama administration immediately appealed the decision. The NDAA has been accompanied by use of the Espionage Act, which Obama has turned to six times in silencing whistle-blowers. Obama supported the FISA Amendment Act so government could spy on tens of millions of us without warrants. He has drawn up kill lists to exterminate those, even U.S. citizens, deemed by the ruling elite to be terrorists.
Obama tells us that we better lick his boots or we will face the brute down the hall, Mitt Romney. After all, we wouldn’t want the bad people to get their hands on these newly minted mechanisms of repression. We will, if we do not behave, end up with a more advanced security and surveillance state, the completion of the XL Keystone pipeline, unchecked pillage from Wall Street, environmental catastrophe and even worse health care. Yet we know on some level that once the election is over, Obama will, if he is re-elected, again betray us. This is part of the game. We dutifully assume our position. We cry out in holy terror. We promise to obey. And we are mocked as we watch promises crumble into dust.
As we are steadily stripped of power, we desire with greater and greater fervor to be victims and slaves. Our relationship to corporate power increasingly mirrors that of ancient religious cults. Lucian writes of the priests of Cybele who, whipped into frenzy, castrated themselves to honor the goddess. Women devotees cut off their breasts. We are not far behind.
[…]
Read more: The S&M Election | NationofChange.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bonobos, economics, feudalism, Gini, income inequality, Obomney, OECD, Robama
Gini coefficient is commonly used as a measure of inequality of income or wealth…. For OECD countries, in the late 2000s, considering the effect of taxes and transfer payments, the income Gini coefficient ranged between 0.24 to 0.49, with Slovenia the lowest and Chile the highest.
via Gini coefficient – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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Clinton you old cad!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: China, energy, fracking, good cop-bad cop, jobs, LNG, LNG exports, LNG trade, Natural gas, natural gas trade movements, Obomney, OMG, RBAC, Robama, shale gas, tight gas, trade deficit
“We are confident that either one would be supportive of LNG exports,” Cooper told Rigzone.
U.S. LNG imports, which peaked at nearly 2.4 billion cubic feet per day in 2007, have fallen substantially as the growth in North American gas production due to shale gas, according to an Oct. 18 report by RBAC Inc., a company that develops and licenses management decision support systems for the energy industry. As a result, LNG facility backers are now seeking to outfit existing U.S. LNG import facilities with liquefaction equipment to ship LNG overseas.
Proponents say U.S. LNG exports will benefit the United States by creating construction jobs, and generate revenue to reduce the U.S. trade deficit through LNG sales and federal, state and local government tax revenues.
via RIGZONE – Romney, Obama Seen Favoring U.S. LNG Exports.
Know what else creates jobs and generates revenues? Cheap domestic gas. Exporting gas which would otherwise be flooding the U.S. market would raise the price for Americans. This would probably destroy a lot more jobs than would be created to build and maintain LNG terminals. The job-creation argument goes out the window.
In the meantime, the negative consequences of energy production would accrue right here in America.
Are western Americans willing to sacrifice their water so international companies can frack their shale gas and ship it to China? Robomney bets yes.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Chris Christie, gas rationing, gas supplies, gasoline, gasoline shortage, gasoline stocks, petroleum products, refined petroleum, refineries, transportation, urban cycling
The lines themselves only exacerbated the problem; reports in the local media provoked drivers to buy gasoline before stations ran out. Some spent what fuel they had searching for more and could be seen pushing vehicles toward relief.
“I just want to have it, because you don’t know how long this is going to last,” said Richard Bianchi, waiting in the half-mile line at the Sunoco in Union with a tank that was three-quarters full.
via Gasoline Runs Short, Adding Woes to Storm Recovery – NYTimes.com.
This is also what happened after Ike n’ Katrina Gustav in many areas of the South when the refineries went out. (2008 — As described in Cyclist’s Manifesto.) Scarcity of supply does not cause the people to get together, conserve and steward resources. In fact it causes just the opposite reaction. They go nuts, and try to acquire more fuel than they ever did before, faster than they ever did before. Petrol panic! Every man for himself!!
When the going gets tough, the tough do not get going.
Politicians could get pro-active by (1) telling the truth (2) encouraging conservation so those who most need fuel (those who perform critical tasks for the rest of us, for instance) will have it, and (3) instituting a temporary rationing program in advance of supply problems like this, which are easily predicted.
Ha! Can you imagine? No wonder Chris Christie looks like a deer in the headlights.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: emergency generators, energy, Hurricane Sandy, nuclear accidents, nuclear plant, nuclear power, Oyster Creek, radiation dump, radiation leak, Salem
While worriers worried about Oyster Creek, several plants in the path of the storm experienced “events.” Salem: atmospheric steam dump…
NRC: Current Event Notification Report for October 30, 2012
MANUAL REACTOR TRIP FROM 100% POWER
“This report if being made under the requirements of 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B), Actuation of the Reactor Protection System While Critical, except preplanned, and under the requirements of 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A), Valid Actuation of Listed System, except preplanned.
“Salem Unit 1 was operating at 100% reactor power when a loss of 4 condenser circulators required a manual reactor trip in accordance with station procedures. The cause of the 4 circulators being removed from service was due to a combination of high river level and detritus from Hurricane Sandy’s transit.
“All control rods inserted. A subsequent loss of the 2 remaining circulators required transition of decay heat removal from condenser steam dumps to the 11-14 MS10s (atmospheric steam dump). Decay heat removal is from the 11/12 Aux Feed Pumps to all 4 steam generators via the 11-14 MS10s. 11/12/13 AFW pumps started due to low level on all steam generators due to shrink from full power operation (this is a normal response). All safety related equipment functioned as expected. No one has been injured. As an additional note, Hurricane Sandy had recently moved past artificial island. Salem Unit 1 is currently in Mode 3. Salem Unit 2 reactor is currently in its 2R19 refueling outage and is shutdown and defueled with no fuel movement in progress.”
via NRC: Current Event Notification Report for October 30, 2012.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: FRED, highway spending, highways and streets, public spending, transportation
Highways and streets: blue
Education construction: orange
Health care construction: red
amusements and rec: green
click to enlarge
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Battery Park, hurricane, Hurricane Sandy, New York City, NOAA forecast flooding, Sandy, storm surge, subway flooding, subway system
at Battery Park.
Filed under: maps | Tags: climate, hurricane, hurricane track, landfall, nhc noaa gov, Ocean City, Sandy, storm surge, storm track, tropical storm
Hurricane Sandy.
via http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/211343.shtml?5-daynl?large#contents
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Filed under: Uncategorized
Consumer price index for energy, US (red) vs. France (blue) vs. NZ (green) vs. Japan (yellow) in the world cup of energy prices. 1980 = 100.
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FRED graph.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: art of urban cycling, bike crashes, streetcar tracks, toronto, traffic accidents, transportation, urban cycling
An impressive tally.
However, 96 of the 690 crashes studied in downtown Toronto and Vancouver directly involved streetcar or train tracks. Eighty-seven of those accidents were in Toronto, accounting for 31.5 per cent of all bike accidents in the city that led to an injury that required a visit to an emergency department.
via Streetcar tracks blamed in one-third of Toronto bike accidents.
Filed under: maps, Uncategorized | Tags: cone of probability, Hurricane Sandy, hurricane track
The cone of probability.
As of 10/24 afternoon.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bicycle infrastructure, Bike accidents, Canada, cycle tracks, cycling, risk, Teschke, toronto, traffic accidents, transportation, urban cycling
Objectives. We compared cycling injury risks of 14 route types and other route infrastructure features.
Methods. We recruited 690 city residents injured while cycling in Toronto or Vancouver, Canada. A case-crossover design compared route infrastructure at each injury site to that of a randomly selected control site from the same trip.
Results. Of 14 route types, cycle tracks had the lowest risk (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02, 0.54), about one ninth the risk of the reference: major streets with parked cars and no bike infrastructure. Risks on major streets were lower without parked cars (adjusted OR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.41, 0.96) and with bike lanes (adjusted OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.29, 1.01). Local streets also had lower risks (adjusted OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.31, 0.84). Other infrastructure characteristics were associated with increased risks: streetcar or train tracks (adjusted OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.8, 5.1), downhill grades (adjusted OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.7, 3.1), and construction (adjusted OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.3, 2.9).
Conclusions. The lower risks on quiet streets and with bike-specific infrastructure along busy streets support the route-design approach used in many northern European countries. Transportation infrastructure with lower bicycling injury risks merits public health support to reduce injuries and promote cycling. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print October 18, 2012: e1-e8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.300762)
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Constitution Party, Don't Taze me Bro, Gary Johnson, Green Party, Jill Stein, larry king, Libertarian Party, Obomney, presidential candidates, Robama, Rocky Anderson, Virgil Goode
The debate nobody’s heard about. Maybe Larry King will get arrested and/or tazed for taking part.
Taze Larry King!
Tuesday, October 23rd 8pm
Moderator: Larry King
Invited and Confirmed for the Debate:
– Rocky Anderson, Justice Party
– Virgil Goode, Constitution Party
– Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party
– Jill Stein, Green PartyInvited but Unconfirmed:
– Barak Obama, Democratic Party
– Mitt Romney, Republican Party
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, EPA, pitchfork, WTF
Colorado health authorities will not fully enforce new EPA rules designed to protect people from air pollution at oil and gas facilities.
The state’s Air Quality Control Commission voted instead for a partial adoption of the federal clean-air rules. They plan to hold public meetings next year to consider full implementation.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment officials on Thursday issued a statement saying residents already are protected under “state rules that cover many aspects of EPA’s rules.” The statement said the commission worried that adopting the new standards “could potentially trigger unduly burdensome permitting requirements” for companies.
State officials said they would make no further comment on the issue and did not respond to questions Thursday.
via Health department won't enforce all oil and gas well clean-air rules – The Denver Post.
Air Quality Control Commission.
Wouldn’t want air quality to get out of control.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bunker explosion, Camp Minden, Louisiana bunker explosion, National Guard, things that make you go hmmm, Webster Parish
Underground explosions TEND NOT to light up the night sky. Or is that part of the new surreality.
A loud boom and a bright orange flash that shook up a pocket of northwest Louisiana last night (Oct. 15) was due to an underground explosion at the Camp Minden industrial park and National Guard training site, according to the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office.
http://www.livescience.com/24019-louisiana-bunker-explosion.html
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bonobos, Fake debate, Obomney, oil, open the spigots, peak oil, Robama, theater of the absurd
From the official transcript of last night’s town hall-style debate.
R: President Obama’s policies have strangled oil production in this country! When I’m President I will OPEN THE FREAKING SPIGOTS.
O: The opening of spigots is an idea we developed in my administration, Governor. We are going to produce and burn more oil than you ever thought possible, then we are going to burn some more. I guarantee it.
R: When I am President we will literally be swimming in oil, gas and coal.
O: Obama starts with O and that stands for OIL!!
R: Admit that you hate oil. Admit that you hate gas.
O: I LOVE OIL. I LOVE COAL. I LOVE GAS.
[Both men start jumping up and down, waving their arms like bonobos.]
R: I AM #!*$# CRAZY FOR OIL, GAS AND COAL!!
O: HiYEEEAARRRGGGHHH!! OOOOOIIILLLLLLL!!!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: auto sales, car and truck sales, FRED, light trucks, retail sales, transportation, vehicle sales
via FRED
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: blood boosting, blood doping, doping, EPO, epo doping, fashionable eyeglasses, Fuentes, Jaksche, joerg jaksche, LANCE, Lance Armstrong, Operacion Puerto, Operation Puerto, performance enhancing drugs, Polti, spanish doctor
Beware of silver-tongued demonweasels in fashionable eyeglasses.
From an interview with Joerg Jaksche on Aussie ABC:
via http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-15/the-world-according-to-lance-key-players/4313246
Jaksche explains how he was introduced to doping by his team manager, and supplied with EPO by his team doctor (not US Postal). He explains how the drug makes the difference between being “permanently dropped” or being able to race. He explains the easy justification for pro riders — “everybody was doing it.” And then he explains the absurd level of hypocrisy which drove him to finally tell all:
The same people who brought me to Fuentes [notorious blood-doping Spanish doctor] and asked me to do EPO doping or use other performance enhancing drugs, they were the same people who suddenly started a movement for credible cycling — and were pointing the finger at us riders.
Industrialized Cyclist Notepad 