---by Micheal
I was watching rented movie the other day. The Day After Tomorrow (2004) is of the disaster genre -- an ecology disaster film to be more specific -- but it had a lot in common with the old rubber-suit-monster movies. It also had some interesting contradictions within it.
In those old movies, some monster is created (or unleashed) because we polluted something. In "Them!" (1954), careless radioactive fallout spawns giant mutant ants which attack civilization. In "Godzilla vs. Hedorah" (1971) ocean pollution congeals to create Hedorah, which attacks civilization. These are just two of many pollution-monster flicks.
The Day After Tomorrow (TDAT for short) is in the same family. Man's spewing of greenhouse gases spawns killer weather and brings on a new ice age. In TDAT, however, Nature itself is the monster which wreaks havoc on our puny civilization.
TDAT follows the pattern of many propaganda movies, including the pollution-monster sub-genre: Show audiences a disastrous future which they already fear and have central characters wistfully say how it's all our own fault. If only we hadn't...(insert propagandist's agenda item here)...our dark fate could have been averted. TDAT is no different. Early on, several characters spell out the movie's obvious message. "It's because we polluted our world..." and "...we produced so many greenhouse gases..."
Unlike the earlier pollution monster movies, TDAT's message gets undermined with the same nagging contradictions which plague the current eco-dogma. For instance, the main character -- a climatologist -- predicts the disaster based on his study of prior sudden ice ages. What? It's happened before -- before people polluted the world? In another scene, actors look at a mastodon exhibit in a New York museum. "They froze in minutes -- with food still in their mouths." This is intended to support the movie's disaster scenario of sudden killer cold. But who polluted the mastodon's world? Is the mastodon actually telling us that ice ages just happen?
The early eco-disaster movies didn't contradict their own messages, so they came across stronger. If some guy in "Them!" said that giant ants had attacked California 500 years before, maybe the radiation wasn't to blame. If some Japanese scientist said that every thousand years or so, this Hedorah thing rises from Suruga Bay, maybe it wasn't pollution that caused him. But, those old films didn't contradict themselves.
That's not the case with TDAT (and many of the present eco-hand-wringers). On the one hand, they shout great woe over climate change, preaching the need for massive investment to forestall disaster. On the other hand, they quietly admit that the climate has changed itself many MANY times without us.
If the climate changes on its own, all the billions we're being frightened into paying to stop it, are a waste. We can spend the billions, but the climate will just keep changing anyhow.
6.20.2007
On The Trail
By Dave Buhlman
There was quite a stir caused in Plainville, NH when several of the leaders of the free world to be showed up to investigate the situation at the siege of the Brown home.
Barack "My Girl" Obama (Saddam Osama to Ted Kennedy) was disturbed by the number of heavily armed state and federal agents and military equipment surrounding the home of the Brown's, two sixtyish citizens who may not reach retirement in a state of freedom. That is, at least, not in jail, freedom being quite a relative state in these days when "they hate us for our freedoms" so much so that Bush and Congress had to pass the Patriot Act and suspend habeas corpus.
Senator Obama, whose campaign is working feverishly to get a hot dude to sing and sway to "Obama's Boy" in the name of equality, was calmed by the sage counsel of Senator Hillary ("Kill Bill, But Not Yet") Clinton who said she could have Bill's former AG, Janet "Rent a Tank" Reno up there in no time to get the situation settled but quick. And without a big Waco-level fire. Barack did not like this solution, but agreed with Bush, Hillary, Teddy, and John "Viva Mexico" McCain that the Brown's, in questioning the applicability of the federal income tax to ordinary wage-earning Americans, were indeed threatening the freedom of all Americans everywhere. Why can't the Browns just get some imaginative accountants like those who guide the made men and women in DC, they agreed, and left for the nearby diner to talk about how they plan to bring democracy to Mars. Or Desecration on Flag Day Massachusetts.
The Browns asked the question that millions of Americans (including IRS agents who have resigned after looking into the tax code to check out what the "tax kooks" were claiming) have asked that simply rocks the system to its core. Please, they ask, just show us the law that requires us to file and we will do so in a heartbeat. The government responds with levies, trials and jail time. The funny thing is, the law is so clear when it comes to imposing federal excise taxes, and kind of fuzzy when it comes to imposing income taxes. Why is that?
After Hillary and Osama, er, Obama, left, Mitt and Rudy showed to provide their wise counsel. Mitt said the whole tax code was a "null set" and that he would hold the line on taxes like he did in Massachusetts. Just ask any regular citizen in that state how well Mitt did. Rudy fainted with joy when he saw the military equipment. It so reminded him of the many deals he has brokered for his Arab clients.
The "Straight Talk" express bus was last seen entering Vermont via the Route 9 bridge, also known as the Seabees Bridge. Senator McCain had heard of an illegal immigrant in Vermont who was not getting free medical service and he was headed there to empty a few wallets of ordinary working citizens to pay the freight for this wandering soul, who was surely one of his amigos.
There was quite a stir caused in Plainville, NH when several of the leaders of the free world to be showed up to investigate the situation at the siege of the Brown home.
Barack "My Girl" Obama (Saddam Osama to Ted Kennedy) was disturbed by the number of heavily armed state and federal agents and military equipment surrounding the home of the Brown's, two sixtyish citizens who may not reach retirement in a state of freedom. That is, at least, not in jail, freedom being quite a relative state in these days when "they hate us for our freedoms" so much so that Bush and Congress had to pass the Patriot Act and suspend habeas corpus.
Senator Obama, whose campaign is working feverishly to get a hot dude to sing and sway to "Obama's Boy" in the name of equality, was calmed by the sage counsel of Senator Hillary ("Kill Bill, But Not Yet") Clinton who said she could have Bill's former AG, Janet "Rent a Tank" Reno up there in no time to get the situation settled but quick. And without a big Waco-level fire. Barack did not like this solution, but agreed with Bush, Hillary, Teddy, and John "Viva Mexico" McCain that the Brown's, in questioning the applicability of the federal income tax to ordinary wage-earning Americans, were indeed threatening the freedom of all Americans everywhere. Why can't the Browns just get some imaginative accountants like those who guide the made men and women in DC, they agreed, and left for the nearby diner to talk about how they plan to bring democracy to Mars. Or Desecration on Flag Day Massachusetts.
The Browns asked the question that millions of Americans (including IRS agents who have resigned after looking into the tax code to check out what the "tax kooks" were claiming) have asked that simply rocks the system to its core. Please, they ask, just show us the law that requires us to file and we will do so in a heartbeat. The government responds with levies, trials and jail time. The funny thing is, the law is so clear when it comes to imposing federal excise taxes, and kind of fuzzy when it comes to imposing income taxes. Why is that?
After Hillary and Osama, er, Obama, left, Mitt and Rudy showed to provide their wise counsel. Mitt said the whole tax code was a "null set" and that he would hold the line on taxes like he did in Massachusetts. Just ask any regular citizen in that state how well Mitt did. Rudy fainted with joy when he saw the military equipment. It so reminded him of the many deals he has brokered for his Arab clients.
The "Straight Talk" express bus was last seen entering Vermont via the Route 9 bridge, also known as the Seabees Bridge. Senator McCain had heard of an illegal immigrant in Vermont who was not getting free medical service and he was headed there to empty a few wallets of ordinary working citizens to pay the freight for this wandering soul, who was surely one of his amigos.
6.14.2007
Dear Diary
By Ron Dupuis
Dear Diary;
I realize I haven’t written to you for awhile, but since today is my 62nd birthday I thought perhaps an entry at this junction of my life would be appropriate. I’m aware that you will not provide any answers or advice to my queries and concerns, however, reflecting with you on some past events may lift the fog of age in my brain and better prepare me for some important decisions that have to be made in the very near future.
Decisions such as income.
You remember my beautiful, understanding, wonderful wife don’t you Dear Diary? (I had to say that, she reads everything I write.) Last week she informed me that despite my government pension, some small investments that have produced a few extra dollars recently, and the “less than pittance” this column generates, I am not contributing enough to the Dupuis family coffers. In all fairness, she made this announcement after receiving a $6000 orthodontist bill that will come due next week.
What’s an old geezer like myself to do?
I considered working at the local retailer as a greeter. I even practiced the phrase “Welcome to Wal-Mart” a few times. I killed that idea when I realized that my fallen arches and having to use the bathroom every fifteen minutes would not be a very pleasant career. Beside, it would interfere with my morning “Tee” time this summer.
“Cream and sugar with that?” This is something I considered. That is until I realized that working with a bunch of young and what surely must be future rocket scientist of the world would not only depress me, the anxiety and concern for this countries space program would probably kill me. Beside, it would interfere with my afternoon “Tee” time this summer.
School bus driver; I thought about this for about two whole seconds. Chauffeuring twenty or thirty pre-pubescent, hormonal raging young people from place, to place, without the benefit of me being on a whole host of illegal substance’s is simply out of the question. Besides, you guessed it “Dear Diary”, it would interfere with my evening “Tee” time this summer.
Yes “Dear Diary”, I did what every red blooded, seasoned senior American citizen with my lack of ambition should do. I turned to my Government for help.
My trip to the Social Security office was not as traumatic as I had figured. Except for having to take a number from a machine that reminded me I needed to pick up some salami and coleslaw at the deli later, once in front of their representative I was received in a warm understanding manor.
“Yes Mr. Dupuis, you are eligible to receive you benefits at age sixty two.”
“Yes Mr. Dupuis, despite how the government funds Social Security, your benefits will always be there.”
“Yes Mr. Dupuis, you will receive an extra check for your daughter who is under the age of eighteen.”
“Yes Mr. Dupuis you may use your benefit check in any manner you wish.” “Even a new set of golf clubs, if that’s what you desire.”
And finally, “No Mr. Dupuis, I won’t call your wife and tell her that’s a mandatory purchase with your first check.”
All in all Dear Diary, it was a pretty good day. I resolved a family income issue, I became aware that despite my complaining and worrying over the years, Social Security is there for me, and, for now, I don’t have to utter the words “Do you want fries with that.”
Not a bad day.
Now, as a full fledged, bonafide seasoned citizen AND Social Security recipient, I intend on taking full advantage of my new status by driving with my directional light constantly blinking, eating only at restaurants that have “Early Bird Specials”, and beginning every sentence with “In my day.”
Being older can be nice.
Ron Dupuis is a long time New Hampshire resident, a former State Representative, and a freelance writer. His e-mail is drcdupuis@comcast.net. His web site may be viewed at www.imho-nh.blogspot.com.
Dear Diary;
I realize I haven’t written to you for awhile, but since today is my 62nd birthday I thought perhaps an entry at this junction of my life would be appropriate. I’m aware that you will not provide any answers or advice to my queries and concerns, however, reflecting with you on some past events may lift the fog of age in my brain and better prepare me for some important decisions that have to be made in the very near future.
Decisions such as income.
You remember my beautiful, understanding, wonderful wife don’t you Dear Diary? (I had to say that, she reads everything I write.) Last week she informed me that despite my government pension, some small investments that have produced a few extra dollars recently, and the “less than pittance” this column generates, I am not contributing enough to the Dupuis family coffers. In all fairness, she made this announcement after receiving a $6000 orthodontist bill that will come due next week.
What’s an old geezer like myself to do?
I considered working at the local retailer as a greeter. I even practiced the phrase “Welcome to Wal-Mart” a few times. I killed that idea when I realized that my fallen arches and having to use the bathroom every fifteen minutes would not be a very pleasant career. Beside, it would interfere with my morning “Tee” time this summer.
“Cream and sugar with that?” This is something I considered. That is until I realized that working with a bunch of young and what surely must be future rocket scientist of the world would not only depress me, the anxiety and concern for this countries space program would probably kill me. Beside, it would interfere with my afternoon “Tee” time this summer.
School bus driver; I thought about this for about two whole seconds. Chauffeuring twenty or thirty pre-pubescent, hormonal raging young people from place, to place, without the benefit of me being on a whole host of illegal substance’s is simply out of the question. Besides, you guessed it “Dear Diary”, it would interfere with my evening “Tee” time this summer.
Yes “Dear Diary”, I did what every red blooded, seasoned senior American citizen with my lack of ambition should do. I turned to my Government for help.
My trip to the Social Security office was not as traumatic as I had figured. Except for having to take a number from a machine that reminded me I needed to pick up some salami and coleslaw at the deli later, once in front of their representative I was received in a warm understanding manor.
“Yes Mr. Dupuis, you are eligible to receive you benefits at age sixty two.”
“Yes Mr. Dupuis, despite how the government funds Social Security, your benefits will always be there.”
“Yes Mr. Dupuis, you will receive an extra check for your daughter who is under the age of eighteen.”
“Yes Mr. Dupuis you may use your benefit check in any manner you wish.” “Even a new set of golf clubs, if that’s what you desire.”
And finally, “No Mr. Dupuis, I won’t call your wife and tell her that’s a mandatory purchase with your first check.”
All in all Dear Diary, it was a pretty good day. I resolved a family income issue, I became aware that despite my complaining and worrying over the years, Social Security is there for me, and, for now, I don’t have to utter the words “Do you want fries with that.”
Not a bad day.
Now, as a full fledged, bonafide seasoned citizen AND Social Security recipient, I intend on taking full advantage of my new status by driving with my directional light constantly blinking, eating only at restaurants that have “Early Bird Specials”, and beginning every sentence with “In my day.”
Being older can be nice.
Ron Dupuis is a long time New Hampshire resident, a former State Representative, and a freelance writer. His e-mail is drcdupuis@comcast.net. His web site may be viewed at www.imho-nh.blogspot.com.
6.07.2007
Global Warming Angst? Blame Currier & Ives
--- by Micheal
Yes, I mean those 19th century producers of "cheap and popular prints" which still grace so many calendars and Christmas cards. I don't mean to say that Currier & Ives caused global warming. Rather, I think they're part of the reason so many otherwise reasonable people are running in circles screaming about it.
Currier upsets people because he illustrated -- in such a romantic, idealized way -- life in the early 1800s. One-horse open sleighs, snowy New England Christmases, skating on rivers, etc. Trouble is, his quaint engravings never change, but the world has been.
Currier lived at the tail end of what climatologists call the Little Ice Age (LIA, for short). From around the years 1500 to around 1850, the world was experiencing a cold period. Currier's New England winters were LIA winters. For him, Christmases were always white (whereas they seldom are now) and his rivers always froze (but nowadays they freeze only occasionally).
Prior to the LIA, the world had been a degree or two warmer. Climatologists call that the Medieval Warm Period. The MWP spanned from 800 to 1300 AD. England was more like what we think of Italy being like, sunny, warm, complete with vineyards. In the MWP, the Vikings explored Greenland which was, well, green then. Sea levels were a little higher. Glaciers were smaller.
What if Currier had engraved romantic pictures of green Greenland and British villas amid vineyards? Would the people of the 16th century have agonized about global cooling? Would they have fretted over the climate changes that devastated the British wine industry?
Before the MWP, the world averaged a half degree cooler. What if Currier lived in the 800s and illustrated quaint villages at lower sea shores and majestic long glaciers? Would people of the tenth century have bemoaned the "threat" of rising sea levels wiping out their quaint villages, the "loss" of glaciers and changing climates?
All of this warming and cooling has been going on long before the first SUV or coal-fired power plant. Pop culture likes to pin the blame on CO2, so there's much running in circles screaming about how to reduce CO2. But what if it's not CO2? We'll have circled and screamed for nothing.
Many scientists say that it's normal for the globe to warm and cool. Normal that glaciers melt back, seas rise, then switch back again. Yet, people are all upset about the change at this cycle. I say it's Currier & Ives' fault. They gave us engravings of snowy New England Christmases, and we expect things to stay the way he drew them.
Yes, I mean those 19th century producers of "cheap and popular prints" which still grace so many calendars and Christmas cards. I don't mean to say that Currier & Ives caused global warming. Rather, I think they're part of the reason so many otherwise reasonable people are running in circles screaming about it.
Currier upsets people because he illustrated -- in such a romantic, idealized way -- life in the early 1800s. One-horse open sleighs, snowy New England Christmases, skating on rivers, etc. Trouble is, his quaint engravings never change, but the world has been.
Currier lived at the tail end of what climatologists call the Little Ice Age (LIA, for short). From around the years 1500 to around 1850, the world was experiencing a cold period. Currier's New England winters were LIA winters. For him, Christmases were always white (whereas they seldom are now) and his rivers always froze (but nowadays they freeze only occasionally).
Prior to the LIA, the world had been a degree or two warmer. Climatologists call that the Medieval Warm Period. The MWP spanned from 800 to 1300 AD. England was more like what we think of Italy being like, sunny, warm, complete with vineyards. In the MWP, the Vikings explored Greenland which was, well, green then. Sea levels were a little higher. Glaciers were smaller.
What if Currier had engraved romantic pictures of green Greenland and British villas amid vineyards? Would the people of the 16th century have agonized about global cooling? Would they have fretted over the climate changes that devastated the British wine industry?
Before the MWP, the world averaged a half degree cooler. What if Currier lived in the 800s and illustrated quaint villages at lower sea shores and majestic long glaciers? Would people of the tenth century have bemoaned the "threat" of rising sea levels wiping out their quaint villages, the "loss" of glaciers and changing climates?
All of this warming and cooling has been going on long before the first SUV or coal-fired power plant. Pop culture likes to pin the blame on CO2, so there's much running in circles screaming about how to reduce CO2. But what if it's not CO2? We'll have circled and screamed for nothing.
Many scientists say that it's normal for the globe to warm and cool. Normal that glaciers melt back, seas rise, then switch back again. Yet, people are all upset about the change at this cycle. I say it's Currier & Ives' fault. They gave us engravings of snowy New England Christmases, and we expect things to stay the way he drew them.
6.04.2007
Over The Rainbow
By Dave Buhlman
Cindy Sheehan was the face of the antiwar movement for a couple of years. Oh, how the democrats swooned in her presence, especially after she bought the land near President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. The left loved it so when Sheehan challenged President Bush to come out to talk about the war. Sheehan lost a son to the empire-building war in Iraq, so she certainly had some standing to be out front on this.
But then something funny happened.
Cindy Sheehan came to realize that she had become what Lenin called a "useful idiot" for the leaders of the left. What woke Sheehan up is the fact that the democrats had not done much of anything about the war, or much of anything else, since they took charge in Washington a few months ago. Sheehan was probably expecting a bill of impeachment of Bush and Cheney to be introduced by the democrats, as she had often heard down Crawford way was critical to save "our democracy." When Sheehan began to question the democrats' dedication, it was bye-bye Cindy. The democrats will not impeach Bush or anyone else because they know that they are as much at fault for the fiasco in Iraq as the republicans are. Two wings of the same bird of prey, as Pat Buchanan calls our "two" party system. Sheehan learned the truth of Buchanan's insight and is now home licking her wounds. May she wake up completely and join the effort to save, not "our democracy," but our Republic.
***
President Bush has gone so far over the edge in his support of amnesty for illegal immigrants that his biggest supporter is the socialist from Massachusetts (please pardon the redundancy), Senator Ted Kennedy. Bush is trying to create the North American Union, the merger of Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and assure a steady supply of cheap labor for his big biz buds, but it's more difficult to determine what's driving big Ted on this issue. Maybe it's just that he does not care one whit about his regular guy and gal constituents, like President Bush, and he will sacrifice their needs to appeal to the liberal god of diversity.
***
After sneak signing the civil union bill, it will be interesting to see how far down Governor Lynch's favorability numbers slip. In his first term, he didn't do much that attached to him, but now he's in the full flower of democratic fervor with a budget exceeding $10 billion, a number of new taxes and fees, the smoking ban, and an environmental bill that could cause some people to have to get a permit to rake leaves on their property. Lynch has now been outed. Based on this, as the leader of the democratic revolution in this state, he can say good-bye to his planned challenge of Senator Sununu. Watch out for an income tax and severe curtailment of gun rights in the second year of the democratic regime in Concord.
Cindy Sheehan was the face of the antiwar movement for a couple of years. Oh, how the democrats swooned in her presence, especially after she bought the land near President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. The left loved it so when Sheehan challenged President Bush to come out to talk about the war. Sheehan lost a son to the empire-building war in Iraq, so she certainly had some standing to be out front on this.
But then something funny happened.
Cindy Sheehan came to realize that she had become what Lenin called a "useful idiot" for the leaders of the left. What woke Sheehan up is the fact that the democrats had not done much of anything about the war, or much of anything else, since they took charge in Washington a few months ago. Sheehan was probably expecting a bill of impeachment of Bush and Cheney to be introduced by the democrats, as she had often heard down Crawford way was critical to save "our democracy." When Sheehan began to question the democrats' dedication, it was bye-bye Cindy. The democrats will not impeach Bush or anyone else because they know that they are as much at fault for the fiasco in Iraq as the republicans are. Two wings of the same bird of prey, as Pat Buchanan calls our "two" party system. Sheehan learned the truth of Buchanan's insight and is now home licking her wounds. May she wake up completely and join the effort to save, not "our democracy," but our Republic.
***
President Bush has gone so far over the edge in his support of amnesty for illegal immigrants that his biggest supporter is the socialist from Massachusetts (please pardon the redundancy), Senator Ted Kennedy. Bush is trying to create the North American Union, the merger of Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and assure a steady supply of cheap labor for his big biz buds, but it's more difficult to determine what's driving big Ted on this issue. Maybe it's just that he does not care one whit about his regular guy and gal constituents, like President Bush, and he will sacrifice their needs to appeal to the liberal god of diversity.
***
After sneak signing the civil union bill, it will be interesting to see how far down Governor Lynch's favorability numbers slip. In his first term, he didn't do much that attached to him, but now he's in the full flower of democratic fervor with a budget exceeding $10 billion, a number of new taxes and fees, the smoking ban, and an environmental bill that could cause some people to have to get a permit to rake leaves on their property. Lynch has now been outed. Based on this, as the leader of the democratic revolution in this state, he can say good-bye to his planned challenge of Senator Sununu. Watch out for an income tax and severe curtailment of gun rights in the second year of the democratic regime in Concord.
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