Faraday cage in house

Posted on June 3, 2009 by ChrisA

So Boulder. Perhaps the city can give tax incentives for people to install them in their house?

Hint: A Faraday cage keeps external electromagnetic waves from entering the house.

Posted in the weekend | Leave a comment

Seagate layoffs

Posted on June 3, 2009 by ChrisA

Is there something going on with Seagate layoffs? I’m gotten a lot of “hits” in the last few days on the subject. If you know anything, leave a comment.

Posted in Seagate | Leave a comment

No good news here…

Posted on June 3, 2009 by ChrisA

The economy stinks, and it’s going to get worse.

These dire economic indicators are merely the prelude to the detonation of Social Security and Medicare, the Fat Man and Little Boy of financial catastrophe

.
Yippee!!! Bring on universal health care and bigger government.

Posted in healthcare, idiocy, Obamanomics, social security, stoopid government | Leave a comment

Nerd Shirt

Posted on June 3, 2009 by ChrisA

I like it.

Snorgtees

Captured from Drudge.

Posted in the weekend | Leave a comment

Word to the wise (and to the U.S. Government)….

Posted on June 3, 2009 by ChrisA


“The market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent”

— John Maynard Keynes

From Economics of Contempt blog.

Posted in bailout, Obamanomics, the weekend | Leave a comment

Dental care in Britain

Posted on June 3, 2009 by ChrisA

Yikes!

While Amy’s experience is an extreme one, it highlights growing concerns about the state of the nation’s dental health.

Last week, statistics obtained by the Liberal Democrats revealed that the number of people having teeth extracted in hospital has risen by one third in the past four years.

More than 175,000 Britons had their teeth removed under general anaesthetic in 2007/08, up 40,000 on the 2003/04 figure.

The number of children having teeth out has shot up, too. But more pertinent is the fact that the rate of these extractions gathered pace after a deeply controversial contract for NHS dentists was introduced in April 2006.


Bring on single payer health care. The scary thing is all of these big government programs will work for awhile, until they break. By that time, they are too embedded in the system to undo them. The only bright spot is the U.S. government might be too broke to implement the single payer system. One can only hope.

Posted in healthcare, Obamanomics | Leave a comment

Too much government

Posted on June 3, 2009 by ChrisA

Barbados and Jamaica, a case study.

The experience of these two Caribbean nations holds lessons for governments, both large and small, grappling with the current global crisis, says Henry, the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of International Economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. “While there is a legitimate and helpful interim role for governments to play in restoring the financial sector back to health,” he says, “extensive and ongoing government intervention in markets—along with the protectionist sentiment that it is likely to arouse—has the potential to cause many more problems than it solves.”


Any lessons for the United States and the spending plans of the current administration here? Doubtful. That’s too bad as we’re going to pay for it. Can you spell inflation?

Posted in bailout, big government, idiocy, stoopid government | Leave a comment

I want teachers like this…

Posted on June 2, 2009 by ChrisA

Yea right…

Reporting from Oakland — Not many schools in California recruit teachers with language like this: “We are looking for hard working people who believe in free market capitalism. . . . Multicultural specialists, ultra liberal zealots and college-tainted oppression liberators need not apply.”

Thank you American Indian Charter Schools. Follow the link to see how they rank.

Not gonna happen anywhere around here, at least not in a public school.

Posted in Education | Leave a comment

Trust the spiral

Posted on June 2, 2009 by ChrisA

We trusted the spiral too long with our first daughter and took the “never trust” avenue with the 2nd daughter. For our efforts, and not insignificant amount of money, our 2nd daughter will be taking geometry in 8th grade.

I don’t want to leave any room for question, it is my opinion that the spiral sucks.

Posted in Education, math | Leave a comment

Posted on June 1, 2009 by ChrisA

I’m voting “no”.

Hey, no teleprompter!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

ClimateSmart to invade Boulderites homes

Posted on June 1, 2009 by ChrisA

The Daily Camera article starts off…

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.


My question is if Boulderites don’t want to drink the water, why do they keep electing the (virtually) same group of people. Thankfully I don’t live in the city, if I did I’d write the ClimateSmart folk and tell them they would be charged with tresspassing the second they stepped foot on my property.

Here’s ClimateSmarts solution…

On Thursday, the Boulder City Council will be asked to OK a new strategy for its ClimateSmart program — one that wraps together a scattering of existing programs into a one-stop-shop, meet-people-where-they-live attack on energy-wasting homes and businesses. The council will also decide whether to increase the program’s funding mechanism, the carbon tax passed in 2006.

“What we’re trying to get at is reducing the barrier to people taking action by showing up at somebody’s door with everything they need,” said Yael Gichon, who oversees the residential focus of the ClimateSmart program.

Talk about justifying your existence and empire building, these guys have it all figured out

Additionally, ClimateSmart expresses frustration that the public won’t drink the kool-aid…

And you can tell a homeowner how to save energy — and, over time, money and the environment — but you can’t make him add insulation (or air sealing, or new windows, or a compact fluorescent light bulbs or a high-efficiency refrigerator, for example.)

(my bold)
To which I ask, how long will it be until they can?

Posted in Boulder is stoopid, global warming | Leave a comment

Government can do everything

Posted on June 1, 2009 by ChrisA

As the citizenry relies more and more on the government, one must wonder if we can afford it.

I say we cannot and this is why.

For all you “it takes a village” folks, it’s time to add “it takes inflation”.

Perhaps the “puzzled” braintrust at the Federal Reserve should read the above article.

Posted in bailout, decline of the west, idiocy, inflation | Leave a comment

International finance

Posted on May 31, 2009 by ChrisA

Idiocy continues when it comes to the finances of the United States.

The Federal Reserve is puzzled by the steepening of the yield curve. This refers to the fact that longer term rates are increasing while short term rates remain basically unchanged. While this is mentioned as an option, it’s gotta be nothing short of obvious to anyone with half a brain…

The borrowers are concerned about being paid back with a devalued currency. Can you say inflation? Of course, it’s no wonder the Fed is puzzled, as they are worried about 2.7% inflation! Talking about burying your head in the sand.

And then we have Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner over in China attempting to reassure the Chinese government that we’re going to pay back our debt.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner arrived in Beijing with a pledge that the Obama administration will control its borrowing as he sought to reassure China its holdings of U.S. government debt are safe.

LOL!

Posted in inflation, stoopid government | Leave a comment

Who would have guessed….

Posted on May 31, 2009 by ChrisA

Daily Camera has noticed a tension among mountain drivers and cyclists. All I can say is “what a surprise”. I left out the language I’d really like to use.

Readers of this blog, which there are very few, know I’m not particularly sympathetic to cyclists. I haven’t seen anything to change my mind either.

Regarding the cycling law, if I felt like cyclists didn’t ride with a “chip on their shoulder” I would be all for it. I’m certainly against anyone throwing objects at cyclists or creating unnecessary “close calls” and I give cyclists plenty of clearance, except when they cut right in front of me, like they did recently at the intersection of North Broadway and Hwy 36.

On Thursday I was driving into Longmont on Nelson road, and as many of you know, Nelson was recently “redone” and has a fairly decent bike lane. Well, there’s s single cyclist straddling the white line that denotes the separation of the bike lane with the standard highway (do we need these anymore?). Most of the time the cyclist clearly favored the “car side” as opposed to the bike side. While I wasn’t riding a bike, from my car I couldn’t see any debris on the bike lanes.

No, there was no traffic and yes, I gave him plenty of clearance. It’s the mindset I have a problem with. Of course, I realize what I think in this case doesn’t matter.

Getting back to the Camera article, there are some great comments. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to peruse them again at the moment, and as I type this post the comment count stands at 125.

Posted in Boulder is stoopid, idiocy, stoopid boulder cyclists | Leave a comment

Frightening

Posted on May 29, 2009 by ChrisA

In more ways than one!

Government tyranny necessary to save the planet.

Boulder City Councilman Macon Cowles must be channeling Nancy Pelosi, or perhaps it’s the other way around. Doesn’t matter, they are both on the same wavelength.

Here’s Cowles response to Bob Greenlee’s column.

Posted in alt energy, Boulder is stoopid, enviro wackos | Leave a comment

“Just a little bit pregnant”

Posted on May 28, 2009 by ChrisA

In the space of less than two hours I heard that phrase twice on the TV today.

First on Fast Money (CNBC) it was used in describing the banks and the government being in bed with each other.

On the Glenn Beck show (FOX) it was used when referring to the US Treasury buying our government debt.

Before it’s all over, the phrase “We’re from the government and we’re hear to help” will be tarnished orders of magnitude more then it is now. At the moment it appears the tarnish is being slightly removed; don’t worry it’s coming back.

Posted in bailout, Obamanomics, stoopid government | Leave a comment

Big religion and small religion

Posted on May 28, 2009 by ChrisA

Boulder County fights big religion and San Diego County fights “small” religion.

Posted in Boulder is stoopid, County Government | Leave a comment

How could they not?

Posted on May 28, 2009 by ChrisA

China and the dollar.

And this 5 day chart of the 10 year treasury note basically says “Pay up if you want our money”. The yield is up 400 basis points in 4 days!? Where’s Obama going to get all this bailout money?

Posted in financial crisis, idiocy, Obamanomics, stoopid Democrats, stoopid government | Leave a comment

Idiot cyclists

Posted on May 25, 2009 by ChrisA

Leaving the Bolder Boulder on Hwy 36, we approach the infamous N. Broadway intersection. Cyclists (as in two) cross from North Broadway right in front of us as we’re driving 50 – 55 mph on 36.

Cyclists, just because you have this nice lane that cuts across traffic, doesn’t mean you’re supposed to STOOPID ENOUGH to do it in front of oncoming traffic. While it didn’t involve burning rubber or anything like that, it was certainly more than a tap on the brakes. The cyclists warped views of the rules of the road simply boggle my mind.

Posted in idiocy, stoopid boulder cyclists | Leave a comment

Venezuela police raid opposition broadcaster

Posted on May 23, 2009 by ChrisA

What a surprise.

Of course, closer to home the government involves itself with the press too.

To that end, the DOJ is currently pursuing litigation against two West Virginia newspapers, who have been operating for decades under a joint operating agreement. The DOJ wants to dissolve the agreement because it is dissatisfied with the editorial quality of one of the papers, the Daily Mail.


yikes.

Posted in stoopid government | Leave a comment