Gary Tittle News and Reviews

ObamaCare Voting Record; WE WON'T FORGET

2010-08-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Obamacare Voting Record As a public service: Follow this link to view your representative's vote on ObamaCare. Next Election: Kick the Bums Out.

Quotes from traffic officers

2010-08-18T12:10:00.001-07:00

(Tracy, CA) Quotes from traffic officers These are actual comments made by 16 Police Officers. The comments were taken off actual police car videos around the country: 1. "You know, stop lights don't come any redder than the one you just went through." 2. "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while." 3. "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document." 4. "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired." 5. "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you." (LOVE IT) 6. "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?" (MY FAVORITE) 7. "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?" 8. "Warning! You want a warning? O.K, I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket." 9. "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?" 10. "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop." 11. "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven." 12. "In God we trust; all others we run through NCIC." ( National Crime Information Center ) 13. "Just how big were those 'two beers' you say you had?" 14. "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can." 15. "I'm glad to hear that the Chief (of Police) is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail." AND THE WINNER IS.... 16. "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't.. Sign here."

Honey: Weapon Against MRSA?

2010-08-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink:

Honey Effective In Killing Bacteria That Cause Chronic Sinusitis
ScienceDaily (2008-10-01) -- Honey is very effective in killing bacteria in all its forms, especially the drug-resistant biofilms that make treating chronic rhinosinusitis difficult, according to new research. ... > read full article

GPS Jammer -

2010-01-17T16:51:00.000-08:00

(Tracy, CA) This item was shown on Boing Boing and the link is included here. My concern is that it appears to be a device that is illegal under the terms of FCC regulations. Please read the comments on this article for further information. I neither use, nor advocate the use of any device that violates US Communications standards. Not only are GPS jammers illegal by FCC regulations - so are CELL PHONE jammers. Cell phone jammers are absolutely illegal under US law. -g

Health Care Tax

2010-01-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

(Tracy, CA) So if you go to McDonald's - the guy behind you pays for your meal.... No thanks,,,

The Founding Fathers on "Bailouts"

2009-01-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

(Tracy, CA)

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on the objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." --James Madison

OPEC set to slash oil output as prices crumble - Yahoo! News

2008-12-14T08:41:00.000-08:00

OPEC set to slash oil output as prices crumble - Yahoo! News

(Tracy, CA)

Here is a thought - if OPEC cuts production - figure out innovative ways to CUT CONSUMPTION to make their efforts for nought. If you live in Tracy and COULD take the Acerail, then by all means DO IT. If you live in Tracy and have some type of option to CARPOOL - then , DO IT. This is an invitation to do your part to CUT CONSUMPTION in all areas that can hurt overseas oil exports as much as possible. If the demand goes down - then production cut attempts would be made worthless.

You can make a difference. Do whatever you can to force this slide of oil prices continuingly downward. Thanks.

-g

Proposed fee on smelly cows, hogs angers farmers - Yahoo! News

2008-12-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

Proposed fee on smelly cows, hogs angers farmers - Yahoo! News

This is, by far, one of the most asinine things to come out of Washington.

I am no farmer, and the slap in the face to farmers AND end-consumers is plain and straight up.

Carbon from hogs and cows? Sure. It has been going on for millenia.

Do the math - more than 25 cows=$4,375 fee - more than 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs=$4000 annually for your hogs or $4,375 for your cattle (PLUS how ever many additional that you have beyond that).

Since there are so many corporate layoffs going on - I think the best place for that to happen next is at the Environmental Protection Agency. -g

June swoon: Foreclosures and bank repossessions still up - Jul. 10, 2008

2008-07-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

June swoon: Foreclosures and bank repossessions still up - Jul. 10, 2008

(Tracy, CA)

This is not a new story - but what IS a new story is to begin hearing some in government admit that this is nowhere near over yet.

If you consider that subprime mortgages were going full speed as late as September/October of 2007 - how could we even imagine that this is going to change anytime soon???

The upside is - if you have not purchased a home - and IF you can get a loan - there won't be a better time than the next two years to come.

-g

Was Jesus' Resurrection a Sequel? - TIME

2008-07-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

Was Jesus' Resurrection a Sequel? - TIME

(Tracy, CA)

You know that news is scarce when you start seeing things like "Was Jesus Resurrection a Sequel".

The article (in Time Magazine) is a good read, but that is about it.

The question that is brought up here is one that has been hashed and rehashed in entire books. Start with the primarily bigoted book "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop(written in the 1800s) - (the theme is to trash all of Catholicism).

If you would like to read something that was written in 1875(!) that is almost identical to this Time Magazine story - read The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviours Click on the bold charactors to go to this book's page on Amazon.Com.

It seems like the principal news sources these days point everyone in any direction but the Bible itself, when it comes to the question of Who was Jesus?

So, is Time Magazine reporting real news - or simply filling up space???

I vote for the latter.

-g

Oil hits record over $142 on rising investor flows: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

2008-06-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

Oil hits record over $142 on rising investor flows: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

(Tracy, CA)

$142 a barrel in futures trading?? This is NOT good news (unless, of course - you are futures trader and you bought far below this amount).

The result for consumers? Even higher prices at the pump.

So - where does it all end up? There are some who are predicting a "pop" in the oil bubble. The environmentalists are all rejoicing - "Now we can forge ahead with a non-polluting car - " - BUT - this is also MORE EXPENSE for the CONSUMER.

Some are yelling - "DRILL NOW!!!" - even if we began drilling right now - the results to the marketplace would not begin to change anything for at least two years.

I believe that high gas prices are actually here to stay for quite some time - if not permanently.

-g

Dow Chemical raising prices by another 25 percent: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

2008-06-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

Dow Chemical raising prices by another 25 percent: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

(Tracy, CA)

In the previous post I provided a somewhat diverse list of all of the items that use oil in their manufacturing process.

Dow Chemical is a huge user of oil in it's products.

This article documents the problems they are having as they struggle to remain profitable.

-g

All These Things Come From OIL

2008-06-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA)

All These Thing Come From Oil: (Thanks to "The Good Human")

ammonia, anesthetics, antihistamines, artificial limbs, artificial turf, antiseptics, aspirin, auto parts, awnings, balloons, ballpoint pens, bandages, beach umbrellas, boats, cameras, candles, car battery cases, carpets, caulking, combs, cortisones, cosmetics, crayons, credit cards, curtains, deodorants, detergents, dice, disposable diapers, dolls, dyes, eye glasses, electrical wiring insulation, faucet washers, fishing rods, fertilizer, fishing line, fishing lures, food preservatives, food packaging, garden hose, glue, hair coloring, hair curlers, hand lotion, hearing aids, heart valves, ink, insect spray, insecticides, linoleum, lip stick, milk jugs, nail polish, oil filters, pantyhose, perfume, petroleum jelly, rubber cement, rubbing alcohol, shampoo, shoes, toothpaste, trash bags, upholstery, vitamin capsules, water pipes, clothing ink, parachutes, telephones, enamel, epoxy paint, car sound insulation, cassettes, motorcycle helmets, pillows, shower doors, refrigerator linings, electrical tape, safety glass, nylon rope, ice buckets, toilet seats, denture adhesive, loudspeakers, movie film, candles, water pipes, golf balls, sunglasses, soft contact lenses, footballs, paint brushes, fan belts, luggage, toothbrushes, ice cube trays.

Bush to Congress: Embrace energy exploration now - Yahoo! News

2008-06-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

Bush to Congress: Embrace energy exploration now - Yahoo! News

There are two main points to offshore oil drilling - first - there are only so many deep sea drilling rigs available for lease at all. The second one (as pointed out in this article) - offshore drilling will not immediately alleviate "the pain at the pump".

Other than those two points: it is plain that the United States needs to move toward energy independency. The article incorrectly limits what our oil reserves are in it's statement - but the truth is: even the oil companies do not know the potential of the currently untapped oil fields in this country.

The major oil companies are already spending more right now on oil exploration and drilling than in quite some time. The numbers (based on economic newsletters and other releases) indicate that we could very likely be in line for an "oil glut" in the future as some of the projects out there come online late in 2010.

That does not change $4.50 a gallon gas by any means. It also doesn't mean that gasoline prices will ever go down to reflect the extra supply.

Make no mistake about it - oil companies, like every other company, are in business to make money. Whatever the real connection is between oil futures on the stock exchange and what is actually happening in the field and in refineries is actually a "DISCONNECT".

When the dollar is devalued, oil goes up.

Like him or not - Venezuela's Chavez said something pretty interesting when he suggested that oil should not be tied to the dollar.

-g

Herald & Review | News: State makes big fuss over local couple's vegetable oil car fuel

2008-06-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

This article is nothing short of startling. It documents the Illinois Revenue going after a private party to pay back-taxes on the use of vegetable oil as motor fuel.

You are welcome to complete your own research to the conclusion, but bear in mind - that in California, WASTE VEGETABLE OIL is now being stolen from behind eating establishments - it was not too long ago you could not pay people to take it away. Now, waste oil is valuable.

-g

Heavy Metal In.... Baghdad????

2008-06-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink: http://www.garytittle.com

This is about as dangerous as it gets - a working heavy metal band made up of Iraqis in Baghdad!

Check this movie trailer out for an upcoming DVD called "Heavy Metal in Baghdad".

Tracy Gas Prices - Find Cheap Gas Prices in California

2008-05-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Stockton Gas Prices - Find Cheap Gas Prices in California

Before you gas up - how about considering saving a little at the pump? Gas Buddy is a great website that tracks gasoline prices in your hometown.

The prices in this chart are driven by consumer's reporting and posting the gas prices that they pay at the pump, including Price, Station, Address, Map information, Day and Time and reporter name.

Today's gas chart reports that the cheapest gasoline in town is at Costco.

-g

The Next Bubble: Priming the markets for tomorrow’s big crash: Priming the markets for tomorrow's big crash, By Eric Janszen (Harper's Magazine)

2008-05-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Next Bubble: Priming the markets for tomorrow’s big crash: Priming the markets for tomorrow's big crash, By Eric Janszen (Harper's Magazine)

Here is an eye-opening article in Harper's Magazine (February 2008) about the "next big crash".

We have had (1) The dot-com bust, (2)the housing bust - and what next? Eric Janszen (author of the article in Harper's Magazine) predicts that the next hyperinflation bust will involve alternative energy.

The article also points out that the sub-prime mortgage debacle was a mere sideshow to the housing bust - the real show was hyperinflation of housing prices.

-g

Stocks stumble after record oil, inflation worries: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

2008-05-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

Stocks stumble after record oil, inflation worries: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Where might the oil-can stop?

$129 a barrel? Who would have dreamed that? The cycle of rising prices, coupled by transportation costs - these will all only be pushed over to the consumer in the days and weeks to come.

If you don't ride public transportation, you haven't seen it yet... The buses, trains, etc - they are all seeing higher ridership. Who can blame anyone? The sticker shock at the fuel pump is only a small part of what we will be looking a shortly.

Hang on, folks. It is going to be a rough ride.....

-g

Interesting Statements About Oil and Global Energy

2008-05-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

Yahoo News featured an article on oil futures going above $120 a barrel. I found this article on the "oil crash" and thought I would share it. The author says (go to the end) share it freely.

The Oil Crash and You

Oil shortages soon

by Bruce Thomson, www.RunningOnEmpty.org

Editor’s note: mainstream media are not providing the facts on our petroleum dependence. Environmental groups don’t address it much either, and the well funded ones put all stock into renewable energy as an inevitable solution. The worldwide web is perhaps the best source of energy insight, such as www.dieoff.org

Summary: This document reveals that within ten years:

- Oil extraction from wells will be physically unable to meet global demand (the evidence is from the oil industry itself). - Alternative energy sources like nuclear and natural gas will fall far short of compensating for expected shortages of oil. There is simply not enough time to convert over to them.

- Massive disruptions to transportation and the economy are expected around 2010 when the final peak of production of all petroleum liquids (globally) is followed by decline.

Most significant effects:

- Gradual, permanent cut-off of fuel for transport and for industrial machinery. Global trade will greatly decline.

- Agriculture (food production) depends heavily on fertilizers and chemicals made from oil.

- Shortages of 500,000 other goods made from oil.

- Therefore, reduction of virtually all business and government activity.

Difficulty of adapting: A major part of the problem is that existing equipment is designed only for oil fuels. For example, the world’s 11,000 airliners cannot run on natural gas, nuclear or coal.

By-products of oil: Cost and decreasing availability of 500,000 known uses of oil: Fertilizers (farms/food supply), medicines, plastics, insulation, computers, asphalt, inks & toners, paints, glues, solvents, antiseptics, golf balls, CDs, trash bags, nail polish, detergents, chewing gum, etc.

Hidden problem: Not only will the oil supply dwindle, but the shortages and climbing prices will obstruct industry as it attempts to convert society to other forms of energy.

Proof of impending shortages: Much uninformed literature says oil is plentiful and that better extraction will maintain adequate supply for decades. However, there is (1) the misleading reporting of oil inventories, by oil extracting countries; (2) a clear, forty-year trend of less and less discovery of oil, and (3) dwindling outputs from the steadily-emptying wells.

Alternative energy sources will not prevent shortages: Alternative fuels have been studied. As replacements for oil they are grossly inadequate both in quantity and versatility of use. There is insufficient time to prevent heavy impacts from oil shortage.

When, and how bad: Year when global oil supply first fails to meet global demand: about 2009. Rate of decline of global oil supply: 3% every year from 2009 onward. Duration of decline: Forever. Oil takes millions of years to form, in very special geological conditions. Barrels consumed globally per year: More than 22 billion in 1999. (About 2 billion barrels per month.) Barrels discovered globally per year: about 6 billion. Discovery of oil fluctuates each year, but peaked in the 1960s, and has declined at an average of about 9 billion barrels per year over the past 40 years. We’ve mostly just been using up huge old oil fields. Pre-1973-discovered oil in use today: More than 70% of present global supply. Ratio of oil consumed to oil discovered each year: Four consumed for every one discovered.

The “invest more to find it” idea: Yet-to-be located oil, globally: After a century of exploration, the earth’s geology and oil resources are generally well known. When the fields are emptying, money only helps to scrape out the hard-to-reach remainder. There are 210 billion barrels left to discover and 1,000 billion barrels left to extract. This is indicated by the 40 year decline in discovery of oil. No amount of money will create oil that simply isn’t there. Number of oil wells already in world/USA: More than 500,000. In USA, 80% of the wells now produce less than three barrels a day. Percentage of oil recovered from a typical oil well: 20% to 60% . It relates primarily to the density of the oil. You get less from a heavy oil than a light one because it sticks in the reservoir.

“Technology will solve it” idea: To compensate for the expected 3% oil decline (at today’s 22 billion barrels a year), society would have to create and install, by year 2009, permanent supplies of portable energy, equivalent to 660 million barrels of oil a year. Then as oil keeps declining forever, increase this new energy it until it replaces 40% of the world’s energy supply (22 billion barrels a year) OR reduce energy demand equivalently as the global population increases by almost a quarter million people every day.

The “better efficiency” idea: Increases in efficiency usually fail to reduce consumption (more m.p.g. just causes people to travel more or buy two cars, or other goods) unless they are personally determined to reduce their consumption.

What about nuclear power? Nuclear is currently being abandoned globally. (International Energy Agency 1999). Its ability to soften the oil crash is very problematic: past accidents, risk of more, and terrorism. Many more reactors would be needed. Tons of radioactive materials to transport at risk to public. Nuclear waste disposal is still the major, unresolved problem, especially breeder reactors producing plutonium (a nuclear weapon/terrorist raw material, half-life contamination is 240,000 years). All abandoned reactors are radioactive for decades or millennia. Nuclear is not directly suitable for aircraft and vehicles. Adapting nuclear to make hydrogen or other fuels would be a huge, and energy-expensive project. Nuclear fusion is still not available, after 40 years’ research and billions of dollars invested.

Proportion of global energy provided by natural gas: 20% of global energy supply (1997). As a replacement for oil: Gas itself will start running out from 2020 on. Demand for natural gas in North America is already outstripping supply, especially as power utilities take the remaining gas to generate electricity. Gas is not suited for existing jet aircraft, ships, vehicles, and equipment for agriculture and other products. Conversion consumes large amounts of energy as well as money. Natural gas also does not provide the huge array of chemical by-products that we depend on oil for.

Hydro-electric present use: 2.3% of global energy supply (1997). As a replacement for oil: Very small compared with 40% energy provided at present by oil. Unsuitable for aircraft and cannot supply the present 800 million existing vehicles.

Coal current global use: 24% of global energy supply. As a replacement for oil: Is 50% to 200% heavier than oil per energy unit. Bulky and dirty. Would require expansion of coal mining, leading to land ruin and increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Hard to fine-control the rate of burn (oil/gas is easy), therefore is used in power stations to make electricity, wasting half of its energy content. A single coal-fired station can produce a million tons of solid waste each year. Present coal-mining machinery and transportation runs not on coal, but on oil-based fuels. Burning coal in homes pollutes air with acrid smog containing acid gases and particles. Large pollution & environmental problems: (Smog, greenhouse gases, and acid rain). Liquid fuels from coal: Major pollution, very inefficient, and huge amounts of water required.

Global solar use: Solar provides about 0.006% of global energy supply. Energy varies constantly with weather or day/night. Not storable or portable energy like oil or natural gas, so, unsuited for present vehicles and industry. Batteries bulky, expensive, wear out in 5-10 years. Photovoltaic solar equipment (US$4/watt) is about 15% efficient, giving about 100 watts of the 1 kW per square meter exposed to bright sunshine (enough for one light bulb). A typical solar water panel array can deliver 50% to 85% of a home’s hot water though. Using some of our precious remaining crude oil as fuel for manufacturing solar & wind equipment may be wise.

Wind global use: Global wind power use: 0.07% of 1990 global energy supply. As with solar, wind energy varies greatly with weather, and is not portable or storable like oil and gas. Each wind turbine from Denmark produces an average of 698 kW averaged over a year.

Current global hydrogen use: US (only) 1998 consumption is 0.01% of global energy. As a replacement for oil: Hydrogen is currently manufactured from methane gas. It takes more energy to create it than the hydrogen actually provides. It is therefore an energy “carrier” not a source. Liquid hydrogen occupies four to eleven times the bulk of equivalent gasoline or diesel. Existing vehicles and aircraft and existing distribution systems are not suited to it. Solar hydrogen might be an option in some of the hot countries.

Other sources of energy: Shale, tar sand, coalbed methane, ethanol, biomass (from vegetation), etc. Effectiveness as replacements for oil: Huge investment in research and infrastructure to exploit them, plus large amounts of now-expiring oil supply. 6% of US gas is from non-conventional generation. The major problem is that they cannot be exploited before the oil shocks cripple attempts to bring them on line, and the rate of extraction is far too slow to meet the huge global energy demand. [Some alcohol fuels use as much energy in their creation as they provide. -ed.]

How it will affect us—grain production: Food production & delivery depends on oil. Food grains now contain between 4 and 10 calories of fossil fuel for every 1 calorie of solar energy input. Four percent of US energy budget is used to grow food, while 10 to 13 percent is needed to put it onto our plates. The worsening oil shortages will make production increasingly expensive. Putting food production closer to cities will be vital, feeding animals questionable. Percentage of US grain used to feed cattle: 70%. Efficiency: The meat feeds 1/5 as many people as the grain could. Number of cats & dogs in USA: 131 million. American pet food business is $30 billion/yr, and is growing. “Future food” being consumed by using gasoline in vehicles: Gasoline consumed ‘now’ will deprive future agriculture of energy for producing food. Below are examples of how much “future food” a 30 mile-per-gallon vehicle is “eating” now. Also shown is the heavy physical labor humans will have to do in future when gasoline is unavailable for farm/industrial/office/home machinery: Bread, 1 kg loaf = 6 miles= one slice per 422 yards. That 1/5 gallon=human heavy farm labor for 23 hrs. Beef, 1 kg = consumed by driving 76.2 miles. That 2.5 gallon=human heavy farm labor 300 hrs. Canned corn 1 kg= consumed by driving 5.4 miles. Again, 1/5 gallon=human heavy farm labor 20 hrs.

Oil for global automobile transportation: 800 million Automobiles, USA: 132 million. Trucks (all types, in USA): 1.5 million. Buses: (all types, in USA): more than 654,000. Locomotives: (USA) 26,000. World aircraft fleet: 11,000 aircraft, more than 100 passengers. All 11,000 designed for oil-based fuel. World shipping: 85,000 ships in world. Decked fishing boats in the world: 1.2 million. Globalization: Will end. (Fuel costs & scarcity).

Oil for industry—construction industry example: Energy to build an energy-efficient home is equivalent to 6,500 gallons of gasoline.

Number of by-products of oil: Over 500,000 including fertilizers (they are the most vital), medicines, lubricants, plastics (computers, phones, shower curtains, disposables, toys, etc.), asphalt (roading and roofs), insulation, glues/paints/ caulking, “rubber” tires and boots, carpets, synthetic fabrics/clothing, stockings, insect repellent.

Government services: City drinking water, along with over 55,000 services to consider. Petroleum required for water supply pumping, sewage disposal, garbage disposal, street/park maintenance, hospitals & health systems, police, fire services. National defense (land, sea, air). Possibility of wars over remaining oil.

International oil import costs affecting economy and employment : Sharp rises (increasing global competition for dwindling oil available from five Middle-Eastern countries and former Soviet Union.). International tensions. Military also obstructed by oil shortages. National debt, inflation: Money goes out of country to oil producers. Money gets scarce. Interest/mortgage rise up. Government prints more money to pay overseas energy bills. Money devalues. Prices rise. Poverty: Public, and businesses become poorer paying higher energy costs. Less spending, less sales. Layoffs. Welfare payments, taxes: Taxes up. Pensions for aging/disabled population reduced or discontinued.

Other serious quality-of-life aspects—heating and cooling: In cold regions oil heats buildings (burned as fuel in homes or in oil-fired electric power stations). In hot areas oil power provides air conditioning. As natural gas is substituted for oil, the gas price is rising fast. Smog: Energy price and shortages will increase wood and coal burning in homes, increasing city smog and global warming.

Why public warning is so late with misleading reports of actual stocks of oil: (a): By firstly understating discoveries, and then later overstating discoveries, oil companies have given the false, but pleasing impression of an increasing discovery trend. Investors respond accordingly, and finance more exploration. (b): The seven major oil-extracting countries have for years reported unchanged reserves (even though they were extracting and selling billions of barrels of oil, and that the reserves would therefore be less each year). See table of “spurious reserve revisions” at www.dieoff.org and www.hubbertpeak.com /campbell/images/com12.gif. (c): In 1988 five of those countries claimed they each had about twice as much reserve oil as in 1987. http://(d): The most important fact to focus on is that, in the confusion, the public perceives an increasing discovery trend while the discovery rate has drastically declined.

OPEC countries depend on income from exports: OPEC countries need to earn as much oil revenue as possible to support rapidly growing populations where the public health care, education and other services are provided free, from oil revenues, not by taxes. See table of reserves: www.hubbertpeak.com/campbell/images/com12.gif

Personal preparations—what you can do: Reduce energy dependence of family, home, lifestyle. The less fuels and goods you consume, the less the impacts will be. Workplace: Same. Work on it with friends: Workmates, neighborhood, city, governments. The ideal use for remaining oil and mineral reserves is into industries that create alternative energy equipment like windmills, solar water heaters, biomass (vegetation that creates fuels), etc. Share your feeling with others. Try to stay positive and active rather than ignore it or blame people for it. Where there’s life there’s hope, especially if we collaborate and are creative. Humans have always faced hardships, and many among us do so constantly now. Learn from them. Possible emergency measures to consider: Alert the entire public so people will accept preparations for the oil shortages, participate in implementing solutions. Relocate food production nearer to cities. Relocate workplaces nearer to homes or homes nearer to workplaces. Prepare for conserving and rationing of dwindling oil/other resources that are created using oil. Population control to prevent children being born into extremely harsh conditions that seem likely, and to conserve soon-scarce resources for those already alive. Re-localize, to reverse globalization. Alert national leaders to cooperate against this major threat that faces us all. Note: “The USA has the exceptional position as the largest and a growing importer. US imports deny somebody else access to oil. For example, starving Africans result. Tax on gasoline is lower in the USA than in other countries by a large factor. So the US could easily curb its excess. In fact it has no option. The worst thing the US can do is press OPEC to increase production, which will simply make the peak higher and the decline steeper. It is just digging itself into a bigger hole, morality apart.” - Colin Campbell, in private email, June 2000.

More information and documented evidence: This sheet, and all references and authorities for this information are available for download by temporarily joining the RunningOnEmpty internet forum mentioned below. In MyGroups page, click the Files section. It is among the first files.

Web sites: This leaflet is also displayed in full on the Web at www.RunningOnEmpty.org. The oil die-off is explained in up-to-date detail at www. hubbertpeak.com, and www.dieoff.org Both sites are keyword-searchable, with scientific and oil industry literature about this topic. It is heavily annotated with authoritative references.

Discussion forum—technical/scientific: www.egroups.com/group/energyresources Discussion forum-Implications, action: www.egroups.com/group/RunningOnEmpty

Author of this sheet: Bruce Thomson, moderator of RunningOnEmpty forum at www.egroups.com/group/RunningOnEmpty and helped by members of those groups. COPY THIS ITEM FREELY TO OTHERS.

2 killed as troops fire into Somali riot over food prices - Yahoo! News

2008-05-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

2 killed as troops fire into Somali riot over food prices - Yahoo! News

Food Riots?

This is a sign of the times. With food costs rising and other influences (such as the production of bio-fuels using corn, etc) - you can expect to see similar things all over the world in due time.

I wonder if paying farmers subsidies to NOT RAISE FOOD is such a wonderful idea?

I will be combing through news reports and putting up similar links to this one in the days to come.

-g

Scientists invent real-life 'tricorder' for chemical analysis

2008-05-02T11:25:00.000-07:00

Scientists invent real-life 'tricorder' for chemical analysis The End of Privacy as we Know it?

I can't help but wonder how far it will all go. We already have complaints about Google "Street View" where the Google camera truck went up someone's private driveway and took pictures which are net accessible.

Handheld spectrometers - a tricorder-like (a la Star Trek) that can analyze most chemical traits and return an instantaneous response of content (great for an electronic search that requires no warrent and would be deemed to "not violate your personal privacy") -

For those of us who don't have anything to hide - I have to say - who cares. BUT - the long-term implications will stand on the cusp of what is legal and what is illegal search and seizure.

I forcast more litigation on the horizon.. all to cope with an exploding technology that seems to have no boundaries, nor regard for constitutional rights.

-g

Danny Westneat | Watch out, you're being watched | Seattle Times Newspaper

2008-03-24T04:31:00.000-07:00

Danny Westneat | Watch out, you're being watched | Seattle Times Newspaper

(Tracy, CA)

So how sensitive is Homeland Security's isotope monitoring program? This story from the Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat tells all.

The incident (read by clicking above on the title) left a lot of people wondering just how far the monitoring powers of Homeland Security really goes.

This particular episode, as Danny Westneat puts it, is straight out of Dr. Strangelove.

Read on and comment if this creeps you out just a bit.

-g

Video of Leslie Speaker without Covers

2008-03-22T05:05:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink: http://www.garytittle.com This is what a leslie speaker looks like when it is used. -g

A Lead on the Ark of the Covenant - TIME

2008-02-26T15:06:00.000-08:00

A Lead on the Ark of the Covenant - TIME

This is actually too good to pass up. With the FOURTH Indiana Jones coming out this Summer - what more appropriate timing to find a fresh and perhaps VALID lead on the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant?

Read on...

-g

Truffle industry under threat - Yahoo! News

2008-02-22T09:54:00.000-08:00

Truffle industry under threat - Yahoo! News

(Tracy, CA)

What is a truffle? Mykoweb.com reports "Since the times of the Greeks and Romans these fungi have been used in Europe as delicacies, as aphrodisiacs, and as medicines. They are among the most expensive of the world's natural foods, often commanding as much as $250 to $450 per pound."

The problem with truffles, is that since they are a fungi, it requires skill and knowledge to harvest the correct thing.

Want to see what truffles look like? Click Here!

To investigate the current furor over truffles, click on the furnished link above to see how the truffle industry in Europe is currently threatened.

-g

The PLO Weapons Ship from Iran

2008-02-13T12:14:00.000-08:00

The PLO Weapons Ship from Iran

(Tracy, CA) Lest we forget - The question is - Does Iran have a interest in providing weapons to Middle Eastern Terrorist groups? The answer is most definately YES.

Admittedly, the attached article is from 2002 - but it is not the lone witness to the ongoing provision of weapons from Iran to many terrorist organizations.

The American people, since we are engaged in the war on terror - should take note of this and not forget the realities of the activities in this area.

Whatever candidate is elected President of the United States must have a solid continuing dedication to the pursuit of freedom and the war on terror.

For those who have so soon forgotten - the signs of peace from Iran (if that is indeed what you think they are) are anything but genuine.

-g

Stop Smoking or Lose Weight: Cost the Health System Even More!

2008-02-05T09:27:00.000-08:00

FOXNews.com - Fat People Cheaper to Treat, Study Says - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News

(Tracy, CA) This FoxNews article documents a study that shows that Smokers and Fat Folks cost less money to treat in the health system than thin, non-smokers. Why? Because THEY DIE SOONER.

The study actually flies up in the face of those who say that the increased information provided against obsity and smoking will save the health system money.. Absolutley NOT TRUE!

Truthfully, any action to continue raising funds from tabacco taxation (for any reason, no matter how noble) overlooks that alcohol use and abuse is a far greater strain on the nation's health economy than tabacco is.

The information against "fat" in foods also overlooks the fact that fat is essential to breaking down food once you eat it. If you think that ZERO FAT and LOW FAT diets help you to lose weight - just look at how livestock are fed....

-g-

Breaking News - Tobacco tax hike for health care moves closer - sacbee.com

2007-12-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

Breaking News - Tobacco tax hike for health care moves closer - sacbee.com (Tracy, CA)

So, tell me - when was the last DUI caused by a cigarette? Get real, Nunez, Governor - it is time to tax ALCOHOL!.

-g

What is Umami?

2007-12-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

Watch this video to discover the "FIFTH TASTE".... The interesting thing is that Umami is MSG WITHOUT the MSG -g

The Walmart Workplace Culture

2007-11-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

First of all, you need to understand that a company which once prided it's marketing on "We Buy American" has an interesting statistic attached to it.

Is Walmart Good for America? Click on the link to watch a film recently aired on PBS (Public Broadcasting System).

This link will take you to a New York Times book review entitled, "Inside the Leviathon".

It is very true that merchandising and retail demands that success is determined by providing what consumers demand at a price that they can afford.

One of the things that Walmart does well is to achieve the goal of bringing goods to the marketplace at a price that it's competition is hard pressed to compete with.

Rather than point you to the obvious "smear sites" that attack Walmart head-on; it is probably better to share these other websites with you. PBS and The New York Times are two good places to start.

What I try to bear in mind, when studying retail and investment merchandising, is that successful methods are what management and investment capital look at when placing their money into action.

The idea behind a successful investment is to venture only onto areas of activity that are assured a capital gain in having done so.

To put your money into a business opportunity that does not yield profit is simply bad investment practice. These are things that logic will not disagree with.

One question I like to ask when the politics of Walmart comes up is this: Do you deliberately play a different game when politics are named, or do you keep doing what is successful?

You decide.

Existing Home Sales Plunge by 8 Percent: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

2007-10-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

Existing Home Sales Plunge by 8 Percent: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Now here is a surprise - the expected decline for the month was approximately 4.5% - instead we see that the actual decline is 8%.

As I mentioned already - the problem is not unique to the United States. This is a situation that is also surfaced in the UK and the ultimate results haven't shown up yet.

-g

Afghan arms shipment came from Iran: NATO general - Yahoo! News

2007-10-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

Afghan arms shipment came from Iran: NATO general - Yahoo! News

Now, having blogged about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: Here is a press release regarding weapons shipments to Afghanistan that seem to have their origin in Iran.

Of course, Tehran knows nothing about this.

-g

A Reminder Concerning Iran's Ahmadinejad Statements

2007-10-18T11:58:00.000-07:00

With the concern that I sometimes hear that Ahmadinejad is "misquoted" - here are some direct quotes for your enjoyment:

"Soon Islam will become the dominating force in the world, occupying first place in the number of followers amongst all other religions...We don't shy away from declaring that Islam is ready to rule the world" - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran

"Some European countries insist on saying that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces. Although we don't accept this claim, if we suppose it is true, our question for the Europeans is: Is the killing of innocent Jewish people by Hitler the reason for their support to the occupiers of Jerusalem? If the Europeans are honest they should give some of their provinces in Europe - like in Germany, Austria or other countries - to the Zionists and the Zionists can establish their state in Europe." - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

"Our revolution's main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance of the Twelfth Imam, the Mahdi." - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

[Important Note, Particularly to some people who don't read, compare, or report things fairly: In some sects of the Islamic faith, the Mahdi is the ultimate savior of mankind. According to certain sects, His appearance will usher in an era of Islamic justice and bring about the conversion of the heathen amidst flame and fire. The Mahdi will establish Islam as the global religion and will reign for seven years before bringing about the end of the world.]-

My point in making this note is simply this: There are some haters who would like nothing better than to continue to fan the flames of war based on minority statements and the practices of extremists. These quotes are strictly Ahmadinejad's.

-g

What Did Our Presidents Think About the Federal Reserve?

2007-10-16T09:48:00.001-07:00

If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks...will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.... The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs. -Thomas Jefferson

History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and its issuance. -James Madison

If congress has the right under the Constitution to issue paper money, it was given them to use themselves, not to be delegated to individuals or corporations. -Andrew Jackson

The Government should create, issue, and circulate all the currency and credits needed to satisfy the spending power of the Government and the buying power of consumers. By the adoption of these principles, the taxpayers will be saved immense sums of interest. Money will cease to be master and become the servant of humanity. -Abraham Lincoln

Despite these warnings, Woodrow Wilson signed the 1913 Federal Reserve Act. A few years later he wrote:

I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the civilized world no longer a Government by free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men. -Woodrow Wilson

What Do YOU think?

-g

cbs13.com - Feds: Rep. Pombo Misused Campaign Funds

2007-10-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

cbs13.com - Feds: Rep. Pombo Misused Campaign Funds

Nobody should be surprised by this.

Actually - you would be hard pressed to find any official who could not be touched in some way by allegations of "misuse", etc.

Whatever! - Pombo is done and websites like "Say No To Pombo" are now completely redundant, having served their purpose.

Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. Don't expect things to instantly get better simply because there has been a change of power. Activism must never stop when it comes to the activities and voting records of elected officials.

-g

chordbook.com - guitar chords

2007-10-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

chordbook.com - guitar chords

As a guitar teacher I am always looking for interesting tools to give to my students to help them in their quest to learn.

This particular online tool is well-worth the time to look at and bookmark.

Home prices to dictate Fed policy for years, Pimco's Gross says - MarketWatch

2007-10-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

Home prices to dictate Fed policy for years, Pimco's Gross says - MarketWatch

The comments on this Dow/One article are worth the read by themselves! Gross was a hold-out on a number of trends (being more than likely heavily soaked in the wrong areas) - The responses to this article are PRICELESS.

I do agree, however, that Fed fiscal policy will be VERY DICTATED by home prices to salvage the plummet being experienced by the housing market.

Not since 1991 have we seen anything to even come near what we are seeing now - and it isn't simply about ARM's and cruddy mortgages - a lot of it has been about speculation based on a nonsustainable valuation of real estate.

Don't simply take the Dow/One article at face value READ HERE--->Gross's ACTUAL article

-g

A Sleeper Amnesty: Time to Wake Up from the DREAM Act

2007-09-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

A Sleeper Amnesty: Time to Wake Up from the DREAM Act

Did you think that the immigration amnesty issue was concluded and resolved? Better take a look at "what's new", because this is by no means resolved.

Under the guise of a military spending bill - an ammendment is attached that could resurrect immigration amnesty, but bring it to pass in such a way that virtually no documentation whatsoever would be required to obtain a non-restricted green card.

Time to wake up - there are those who are hell-bent and determined to have it their way, regardless of what the voters are saying.

-g

After the Petraeus/Crocker Hearings: Four Issues for Congress

2007-09-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

After the Petraeus/Crocker Hearings: Four Issues for Congress

With the amount of discussion going on concerning the General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker statements regarding the Iraqi "surge" - this is an article that shouldn't be missed.

Check this out and weigh in with your thoughts and opinion.

-g

Here is Another Reason to Doubt Gore's "Inconvenient Truth:"

2007-09-17T13:14:00.000-07:00

Ancient records help test climate change - Yahoo! News

"An Inconvenient Truth", but the fact that weather records were kept in the 10th Century is well worth noting.

Check out this article about the weather as it was recorded in the 10th Century and then give yourself cause to doubt the modern proclamations of radical weather change.

I still believe that the entire global warming movement is more about revenue, corporate profit and tree-hugger garbage - all designed to empty the pockets of Americans, well ahead of those of other pollution producing industrial nations.

This is continuance of the fleecing of America - the same way that much of the concession which is called "foreign aid" is actually foreign extortion.

What I want to know is how a nation, such as ours, where the national debt sits at somewhere around NINE TRILLION DOLLARS, thinks that it can continue to subsidize the governments of other countries that do not care about us or our welfare?

-g

The Maytag Repairman Should Give a $20 Rebate if You Have to See This...

2007-09-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Baggy pants crackdown goes national - CNN.com

I always thought this was stupid.

Like - PULL UP YOUR PANTS, MAN! It isn't a "cultural thing" - it is just plain rude, and WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION if you don't see "shorts".

Ever heard of a belt or SUSPENDERS? How about the right size pants.

-g

Adujustable Rate Mortgage Problems Surface in the UK!

2007-09-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

Adjustable Rate Mortgage Problems surface in the UK

Stockton, California is the ARM disaster epicenter of the United States, with Weston Ranch being the worst. That is already old news by now, but this ISN'T.

The UK is experiencing severe ARM problems, as this article documents.

If anyone is telling you that it is a "buyer's market" - BEWARE. Click HERE to read the best and most current news on the "housing crash".

If nothing else - see what Alan Greenspan says where he admits for the first time that there is/was a "housing bubble".

"The Coming Crash in the Housing Market" received one of the coldest and frigid receptions of any real estate book in the recent past. This book was published in 2003, right in the tail end of people getting risky mortgage arrangement for their purchases. Might be a good idea to read it now...

For those thinking that renters have it any easier - where do you think all of the foreclosed and displaced families are going? Read THIS for more troubling information - YES - RENT IS GOING UP and HAS BEEN.

Time Magazine reports that foreclosures DOUBLED in August 2007

-g

Desertification - Interesting Report

2007-09-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

Desertification - Interesting Report from Reuters

Desertification, or the tranformation of viable land into gradual desert due to climate (or other reasons, such as deforestation).

Brazil had a unique solution for their desert problem when they moved the capital.

Deserts aren't created simply by "global warming" - but rather through mismanagement and abuse of the ecosystem from deforestation.

Ethiopia is a prime example of what was once extremely viable agricultural land. The great Sahara desert has all evidences that the same was once true there.

The same UN report that talks about desertification also includes an interesting map that projects the impact of human activity.

We can only hope that the desire to profit is tempered by proper crop rotation in Brazil.

The Anasazi of the Great Southwestern United States were known to use good land until it would no longer grow anything and then simply "move on". Much of the world's agriculture today does the same thing. We look so carefully for reasons other than the truth on why deserts take over the land.

-g

ABC News: Ancient Escape Hatch Found in Israel

2007-09-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

ABC News: Ancient Escape Hatch Found in Israel: "The discovery 'shows you planning on a grand scale, unlike other cities in the ancient Near East,' said Joe Zias, an expert in the Second Temple period who was not involved in the dig."

Actually - there are other ruins in other places that DO INDEED have similar underground infrastructure. The claim that the drainage tunnel involved "planning" is a stretch. Almost all drainage systems (Paris, Rome) happened "on the fly" as time went by.

For great insight into the underground infrastructures of cities, tune into the History Channel to watch "Cities Underground".

-g

U.S. Analyzing New Bin Laden Video, Officials Check For Authenticity; Would Be Terror Chief's First Video In Nearly Three Years - CBS News

2007-09-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

U.S. Analyzing New Bin Laden Video, Officials Check For Authenticity; Would Be Terror Chief's First Video In Nearly Three Years - CBS News

What I want to know is who cares what Osama Bin Laden has to say? We keep propagating and giving airtime to all of these comments, anti-american hate talk and war rhetoric - it simply is news to no purpose.

Go ahead, analyze it to death. This sucker is hiding and one of these days we will catch him - probably hunkered down somewhere in a hole just like we found Saddam Hussain.

The deal is - we air these videos and hate speeches like they are big news. They simply aren't.

Then you have real junk like THIS....

-g

Living the Recycled Life: Freeganism » Celsias

2007-09-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

Living the Recycled Life: Freeganism » Celsias Some of the major wire services picked up on the topic of "freeganism" as a way of life. Yahoo recently did an article on a family of four living on less than $35,000 a year -

There are many contradictions within the freeganism movement, but regardless - some of the facts that surface as you look into it are more than fascinating. For example - did you know the "The average four-person family in the States discards $590 of food each year before it has reached its expiration date"? (Soundvision)

The recycled lifestyle is an area of carbon-cap patronage that is picking up steam in many metropolitan areas.

-g

Colloidal silver: Is it safe? - MayoClinic.com

2007-09-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

Colloidal silver: Is it safe? - MayoClinic.com

For those of you who take Colloidal Silver - you may want to reconsider it's usage. This information just out from the Mayo Clinic on the topic in general.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also has an interesting article on the ingestion of silver.

I have never personally used the "colloidal silver" product - but I can tell you this - it is necessary to procede with caution when using compounds that are not regulated for content/ingredients.

-g

Sci-Tech Today | Prehistoric Greek Water Works Found

2007-09-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

Sci-Tech Today | Prehistoric Greek Water Works Found

The Swedish government has been funding an archaeological dig at this site for three decades. This particular discovery is like several others in the world where a city under seige would have continued access to water in ancient times.

The StonePages Archeao site states: "Midea was first occupied in the later Neolithic period, in the 5th millennium BCE. It flourished during Mycenaean times and was destroyed by earthquake and fire at the end of the 13th century BCE".

For a huge database of online archaeogical resources - CLICK HERE. -g

Family Values Concert - Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View REVIEW Sept 1, 2007

2007-09-02T10:03:00.001-07:00

From Tracy, CA

Yesterday I wandered around Shoreline Amphitheater at the 2007 Family Values Show in Mountain View, California.

First - if you have not been to Shoreline - prepare for sticker shock on snacks and drinks. Check to see if the show you are going to will let you take snacks in, because at the prices you will pay to eat there you may spend quite a bit more than you planned to.

At the gate you will be searched and one curious thing is that they ask you to remove your bottled water caps and discard them. "The bands request this". For some insight into the kinds of things artists "request" at venues, you might find this link to "Smoking Gun" enlightening. It is a list now featuring over 220 copies of artist wishlists for things to be included in their dressing room, services, food, etc. Most entertaining. Check it out.

Overall - the show was good. Some of the acts were way too harsh and even vulgar and crude for my tastes. If you go to a show like this and you haven't been - prepare yourself for multiple incidents of "artists" taking the approach of shock and profanity to get your attention. Not necessary - but nonetheless - this concert is definately not rated "G". Some of these performers push their freedom of speech ideas to an absolutely unnecessary level.

The standout act for class for the whole day? Evanescence. This group took the whole day's prize for quality and finesse.

Your Cellphone May Give You High Speed Wireless!

2007-09-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

HOW-TO: Use your CDMA cellphone as a USB modem - Engadget

So your hotel/motel room doesn't offer wireless and you are on the road? This article on Engadget.Com details steps you can take when you are in the boonies or somewhere that simply doesn't have a wireless connection - using your CELLPHONE!.

First - you need a USB to phone cable - (with Verizon their Music Kit Essentials package will do that for you, worth the $39 bucks when you consider that you can also use BITPIM to edit your cellphone file structure without sending stuff around with cellphone picture uploads, etc.).

Another goodie that comes with having a USB/Cellphone cable is the ability to move MP3 files in and out of your phone without downloading from wireless music offerings - just rip and convert to MP3 and move it over with Windows Media Player.

Your laptop and cellphone can work way better together than you may have imagined.

Happy Surfing.

-g

Raiders of the Lost Ark - Why Did Indie SHOOT the Swordsman???

2007-08-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of my all time favorite movies.

The scene where the mad swordsman is trying to slice Indie up is terminated quickly as Indie draws his revolver and simply SHOOTS the guy.

You might be quite surprised to learn that this was not in the script, even though it is one of the funniest scenes in the whole movie.

Click on the link to the "Urban Legends" (Snopes) page to learn just exactly what prompted this sudden script change.

-g

BBC NEWS | Business | Flying saucer 'nears US take-off'

2007-08-31T12:09:00.000-07:00

BBC NEWS | Business | Flying saucer 'nears US take-off'

I used to just LOVE the Jetsons! SO - we have been waiting and waiting and NOW it is here! A FLYING CAR!

This will be lovely for the CHP and the Police - can you just imagine a sky-chase???

-g

Toys R Us recalls China-made wood coloring cases | Reuters

2007-08-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

Toys R Us recalls China-made wood coloring cases | Reuters

The "Recall Wars" are going to really start to heat up now.

Toy R Us has recalled over 20,000 Chinese-made products due to lead-paint - but you can also bet that what will follow this will concern more US to Chinese imports of some kind very soon. There was a heart valve recall in China on US imported health implants.

-g

California grower recalls salmonella-tainted spinach | Reuters

2007-08-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

California grower recalls salmonella-tainted spinach | Reuters

In a previous blog I was talking about the not unforseen issue of the inspection of food from foreign sources. Calfornia growers, while not foreign, are beginning to make an effort to regulate themselves as in this example article.

Considering the absolutely amazing quantities of food that are both produced domestically, as well as imported from other countries - the job of certifying food as safe is huge.

We clamor for services in this country and ask for our government to take care of us - yet, we continuously refuse to concede that these things cost money to implement and maintain.

-g

Discovery Channel :: News - Animals :: White Dolphin Appears From the Brink

2007-08-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

Discovery Channel :: News - Animals :: White Dolphin Appears From the Brink

This is potentially very good news for the persistance of species in the Yangtze River.

The damming of rivers for the provision of electricity and the diversion of water has created more than one memorable extinctions in recent history.

Did you know that the Rivers of California were once navigable all the way to BAKERSFIELD? Of course, not now... but just imagine!

Imagine this, here is a Wikipedia Excerpt on MARYSVILLE, CA: In 1842, John Sutter leased land to Theodore Cordua, who raised livestock and, in 1843, built a home and trading post. The trading post and home was situated at what would later become the southern end of 'D' Street, Marysville's main street.

By 1844, Cordua had obtained seven additional parcels of land from the Mexican government.

In 1848, a former employee of Cordua, Charles Covillaud, discovered riches in the gold fields and bought half of the Cordua ranch. Then, in January 1849, Michael C. Nye and William Foster, brothers-in-law to Covillaud's wife, Mary Murphy, bought the other half of the Cordua ranch. They later sold their interest to Covillaud. In October of the same year, Covillaud sold most of the ranch to Jose Ramirez, John Sampson, and Theodore Sicard.

In the days of the Gold Rush, the ranch was a stopping point for riverboats from Sacramento and San Francisco. The boats carried miners on their way to the digging grounds. In 1850, Covillaud, Ramirez, Sampson, and Sicard hired Augustus Le Plongeo, a French surveyor, to create a plan for a town.

Damming rivers and such changes lives and existances forever. Somebody once told me, "Tell the Army Corps of Engineers where a river is and they will build a dam there!".

-g

China's Wall becoming less and less Great - Yahoo! News

2007-08-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

China's Wall becoming less and less Great - Yahoo! News

Article Excerpt: More than 60 km of the wall in Minqin county in Gansu province, built in the Han Dynasty which lasted from 206 BC to 220 AD, had been "rapidly disappearing", Xinhua said, citing the head of the local museum, Zhou Shengrui.

Who would have believed this? The Great Pyramids, The Sphinx - everything is subject to the elements, and also to vandalism and greed. For example - did you know that The Sphinx was once used for artillery target practice? How about the fact that when archaeologists began exploring in the Valley of the Kings and other places (pre-1700s) that some Egyptian art was defaced and broken simply because it was considered obscene?

To add to all of this - the destruction of the Twin Buddhas in Afghanistan by the Taliban...

History is destroyed and rewritten by both man and the ravages of time.

-g

Physics Laws In a State of Flux? - The Speed of Light is mutable?

2007-08-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

Could Einstein have got it wrong? - Telegraph If it turns out that the speed of light is not absolute, or can be exceeded - we have a major ripple in the laws of physics on the horizon. Two recent Telegraph Articles (UK) report on work that is already demonstrating that the laws of physics (at least the law of the speed of light) is up for ammendment. This second article We Have Broken the Speed of Light is already advises us that changes are rapidly approaching on the horizon (or might already have been here!). -g

Mattel recalling more Chinese-made toys - Yahoo! News

2007-08-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

Mattel recalling more Chinese-made toys - Yahoo! News

At some point you have to wonder what the expanding international trading is doing with safety standards. Leaded paint in children's toys is only one small example of the kinds of things that are beginning to manifest with accelerated and barely regulated trade.

This article from the New York Times from 1997 states that the expansion of imports and food-borne illnesses were both "forseeable" and "forseen".

Medscape (published online by WebMD) ran THIS article on the formation of a import food safety inspection panel, especially after the series of reported incidents connected with imports from China.

This particular reference involves a recall on a RUSSIAN product, Canned Herring, infected with botulus. This is good one to bookmark because you can scan other FDA product recalls using it.

As food imports go, it is important to consider the magnitude of the task of monitoring incoming food items. The job is gargantuan. The best advice I can offer to anyone who is concerned with this issue is simply stay alert and aware.

I personally was sickened by Peter Pan peanut butter and imagine my surprise when the lot number matched the one on the recall long after the fact! It sat in my pantry for two weeks before I connected the illness with what had actually happened!

-g

Junkscience.com -- 100 things you should know about DDT

2007-08-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

Junkscience.com -- 100 things you should know about DDT

A number of article surfaced today about PESKY BEDBUGS in California and elsewhere.

Bedbugs in California on the rise.

Interestingly enough - the problem would be best addressed with the use of DDT. Unfortunately - DDT is a casualty of the legislative system and is not available.

Read the JUNK SCIENCE link for lots of background on just HOW DDT was banned in the United States.

Happy Scratching.

-g

The Kolbrin Bible and other things...

2007-08-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA) First of all - if you want to read more of the Kolbrin Bible without paying the money click here: http://www.thekolbrin.com/buy/.

It is also possible to copy/paste to MS Word/check format and print out - if you are that industrious. The value-added by having the 21st Century Master Edition would be self-evident. It all depends on wether you want to read it straight up with the text, or get into the interpretive material that comes with it.

I have read a considerable amount of the text and I can tell you a couple of things to note about it from the beginning: (1) the text follows renaissance style in a number of areas and the story also "repeats", as do the creation myths from any one of a number of world civilizations and cultures. (2) the amount of the text that has been extrapolated and enhanced can never be known.

What you are looking at in the Kolbrin is a mixture of literature from several sources that was not intended by it's authors to be completely coherent to begin with. The Kolbrin was not called a Bible until very recently, and it is only a "BIBLE" in the sense that it is a COLLECTION. The Kolbrin makes no claim of being the "Word of God", nor does it make any sense in that context if you were to assume that.

The lore and legend that has grown up around and about the Kolbrin is perhaps more interesting than the Kolbrin itself.

Corroboration of the background that has grown up with accounting for the Kolbrin is very difficult to do. The value that I perceive from the Kolbrin is quite different than that made by those who are doing the most PR for it at this time. It is a good collection of bits and pieces of material to run references to other literature with. BUT - your success at doing this would mean finding cross references in documents that still exist. For the most part - you won't be able to do this.

The introduction to the Kolbrin asks you to read it and decide for yourself. That is a pretty interesting "hook" for the casual reader, since the text itself begins to make other arguments internally for it's own validity - which is also true for many other so-called "wisdom" books.

At the crux or the core of the Kolbrin is a peripheral argument AROUND the Kolbrin concerning the "Destroyer" which is a celestial body that returns in a cycle which results in cataclysm upon the earth and it's inhabitants. It's current major proponents make a large-scale argument for the existance of Atlantis and Lemuria, similar to many very other peripheral occult and new age groups.

The questionable scholarship of Immanual Velikovsky and James Churchward, as well as the classic writings of Plato are all brought forward again (similar to the same arguments that are made over and over again elsewhere) in support of the teachings that accompany the background material which is currently appended to the commercial releases of the Kolbrin.

My recommendation to you is take the Kolbrin for what it is: a work of questionable origin, collecting numerous appendages along the way, adopted by diverse metaphysical and pseudo-scientific groups in support of their own theories and ideas.

-g

"Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions." -- G.K. Chesterton

Ethanol Raising Price of Beef | NewsBusters.org

2007-08-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ethanol Raising Price of Beef | NewsBusters.org Well, it is August 8th and I ran across ANOTHER article that reflects back on a blog I had done in June or July on this topic. CORN prices are indeed going up due to the diversion of corn to the manufacture of Ethanol. Corn (for MASA flour and such) in Mexico is already a problem that is going to get worse. I said it before, and I say it again - BEEF RANCHERS are not going to be very happy with the outcome of the increase in the use of ETHANOL, already a Federal mandate. -g

The Ark of the Covenant - Axum, Ethiopia

2007-08-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

The Ark of the Covenant - Axum, Ethiopia This is one of the more fascinating photographs and legends that I have ran across concerning the possible whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant. Check out the article for the full details. -g

Study finds twist in human evolution - Yahoo! News

2007-08-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

Study finds twist in human evolution - Yahoo! News The interesting twist described here describes the fact that there are several million years gap between simian and human remains (Homo Erectus). The article also states that the earliest hominid remains indicate that the females were much smaller than the males, unlike today. The suggestion is that man reproduced with multiple partners. There are two paths one can follow with that reasoning: (1) Monogamy was a later development. (2) There was a shortage of one or the other sexes. (3) The species that did intermate were only slightly different from one another. The classic cartoon representation of evolution, then, remains more like a shrub and less like a tree. While, in my opinion, there is little doubt that natural selection exists, there is quite a number of reasons (namely missing connections) to leap the gap from simian to human. -g

WorldNetDaily: Iran plans to knock out U.S. with 1 nuclear bomb

2007-08-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

WorldNetDaily: Iran plans to knock out U.S. with 1 nuclear bomb Before we go any further (READ THE ARTICLE) - this concerns an ELECTRO MAGNETIC PULSE explosion - not a huge "nuke". - - - - While the accent of this article is on Iran - they are not the only "not so friendly" country to have this type of weapon. First of all - The United States DEVELOPED this form of weapon. Secondly - as always, weapon proliferation originates with the countries who make the best stuff. Third - it is always amazing to me how we sell or give away these technologies and they come back to haunt us as "problems". -g

Archaeologists discover 8-million-year-old forest in Hungary - Yahoo! News

2007-08-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

Archaeologists discover 8-million-year-old forest in Hungary - Yahoo! News This one is astounding - an opportunity to study the taxonomy of trees that are 8 million years old! If you will recall, it was not too terribly long ago that a similar discovery was made in the United States (in the Midwest) - our planet is truly amazing! -g

Bad Thai cops to endure Kitty shame - Yahoo! News

2007-08-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

Bad Thai cops to endure Kitty shame - Yahoo! News Now THIS is an idea worth repeating! I think that this would work here in the United States also! -g

The Superficial - Because You're Ugly

2007-08-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Superficial - Because You're Ugly If you enjoy viewing beautiful ladies in swimwear you will LOVE this!

Archaeologists let looters do some of the work - USATODAY.com

2007-08-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

Archaeologists let looters do some of the work - USATODAY.com I suppose that there can be an "up" side to everything. Today's news features two articles on archaeology that caught my eye. The first one (not this particular link) refers to an Aztec Pyramid in a crime-ridden district of Mexico City. They are currently trying to decide wether or not to excavate. It is directly under the central park of the neighborhood, and it is being determined what to do about it at this point. This article (link above) is about several trenches that were dug by looters on a Mayan site. The trenches are problematic all over the world at archaeogical sites and it is the primary means that looters use to go right to the areas that they feel would contain the booty that they are seeking. The article is a great read and I highly recommend it. -g

Irrepressible - Fight Internet Censorship Now!

2007-07-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink: http://www.garytittle.com

A Modern Parable

2007-07-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA) Modern Parable A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (General Motors) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River . Both teams practiced long and hard to Reach their peak performance before the race.

On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile.

The Americans, very discouraged and depressed, decided To investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A Management team made up of senior m anagement was Formed to investigate and recommend appropriate Action. Their conclusion was the Japanese had 8 people Rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team Had 8 people steering and 1 person rowing.

Feeling a deeper study was in order, American Management hired a consulting company and paid them a Large amount of money for a second opinion. They Advised, of course, that too many people were steering The boat, while not enough people were rowing.

Not sure of how to utilize that information, but Wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese, the Rowing team's management structure was totally Reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering Superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent Steering manager. They also implemented a new Performance system that would give the 1 person rowing The boat greater incentive to work harder. It was Called the 'Rowing Team Quality First Program,' with Meetings, dinners and free pens for the rower. There Was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and Other equipment, extra vacation days for practices and Bonuses.

The next year the Japanese won by two miles.

Humiliated, the American management laid off the rower For poor performance, halted development of a new Canoe, sold the paddles, and canceled all capital Investments for new equipment. The money saved was Distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and The next year's racing team was out-sourced to India

Sadly, the End.

Sad, but oh so true! Here's something else to think About: Ford has spent the last thirty years moving all Its factories out of the US, claiming they can't make Money paying American wages. Toyota has spent the last Thirty years building more than a dozen plants inside The US .

The last quarter's results: Toyota makes 4 billion in profits while Ford racked up 9 billion in losses. Ford folks are still scratching Their heads.

IF THIS WASN'T SO SAD IT MIGHT BE FUNNY!

The Delta River Cruise, Port of Stockton, California

2007-07-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink: http://www.garytittle.com The Delta River Cruise Rocks! My wife and I had the experience of a wonderful trip of an hour and a half some nine miles up the San Joaquin River and back in the Deep Water Channel near the Port of Stockton on this past Friday evening. This particular cruise (although there are others) is called "The Lover's Cruise" (adults only) and featured a no-host bar and the ambiance of really smooth romantic music. Add to this the sunset and the beautiful view of the Port of Stockton on the return trip and you get the idea. This is the makings for the start or the conclusion of a really nice night out. The hosts are most congenial and the boat itself is comfortable and accommodating. Put this on your list of things to do and make it your business to support this new Stockton attraction. -g

Transfer: The Anti-Sit Archives

2007-07-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Transfer: The Anti-Sit Archives Just in case you thought that your neighbors and governments cared about you if you were tired and wanted to sit down somewhere. -g

work/space: Thought Crime: Student Arrested for Fictional Essay

2007-07-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

work/space: Thought Crime: Student Arrested for Fictional Essay Shades of George Orwell! The THOUGHT POLICE HAVE ARRIVED!

Christina Aguilera music now officially torture - The Superficial - www.thesuperficial.com

2007-07-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

Christina Aguilera music now officially torture - The Superficial - www.thesuperficial.com It's not as if I ever doubted that this would be torture - but see for yourself.

Nepalese Caves Offer Insight Into History

2007-05-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink: http://www.garytittle.com These caves are not easily reachable. This explains why the contents remain intact at all. This fascinating story documents that the murals on the walls indicate a tropical Nepal! This area is not far from Ana Purna, one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas. Check out the story and follow it closely. By the way, I have already said - the murals indicate a TROPICAL NEPAL, and at that extreme altitude. Makes you wonder about Al Gore and global warming all over again, doesn't it? -g

Biofuels Boom Raises Tough Questions

2007-03-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

This one is for "Al".

Ethanol the great "answer" to fuel independence? Maybe not. First of all, when you take into consideration that the demand for corn is already creating corn tortilla issues in Mexico and that the price for a bushel of corn has already DOUBLED - maybe it is time to take another look.

The use of corn as a bio fuel is beginning to have an impact that was very much unanticipated. The author of this news story predicts food riots in countries that are corn dependent as a food staple.

"Oh", you might say, "we aren't corn dependent". Okay - corn sweeteners, half of all corn produced is consumed by livestock - you get the picture.

How about this - the advocacy of a VEGAN life in a country that is one of the #1 meat-eating countries in the world? Yep, the good old USA. That ought to go over good with our cattle ranchers.

-g

Okay Edwards: End Poverty How? Distribute Our Personal Paychecks?

2007-02-04T13:00:00.000-08:00

Edwards (after declaring his candidacy for President) has come out in favor of tax expansion to provide for increased health care.

Any income over $200,000.00 per year is one of the primary targets (to eliminate Bush's tax break for that income bracket) as well as the expansion of Medicaid and increasing health care for the have-nots.

From where I sit - (and, no, my income is not in the 200,000 dollar plus tax bracket)one of Edward's Presidential platforms is the ending of poverty through increasing taxes. His plan to end poverty means the redistribution of your payroll check by way of increasing taxes.

I am well aware that one of the key factors fueling poverty in this country are people who simply do not want to work.

I do understand that there are single moms in pursuit of dead-beat dads - and there are also those who have been injured and are unable to work. What irks me is that there are opportunities for people to work if they will.

Those who could work as laborers simply won't and many who have been looking for work don't even consider lesser paying jobs because they already getting that amount through general assistance (welfare) and food stamps (more welfare).

So really, increasing taxes also means increasing welfare benefits. I know how the game works because I have first hand knowledge of people who are playing the game - and those same people will continue to play the game. Those who AREN'T playing the game are sincerely in need of the help - but believe me - there are people who DO NOT NEED HELP AND ARE ONLY LOOKING FOR THE MEANS TO CONTINUE DEFRAUDING.

You think pork barrel politics are bad? Edwards is the alternative to pork barrel. He is the epiphany of tax increases to raise the level of benefit programs without the checks and balances being in place to monitor what is already happening.

-g

Hillary Clinton, War Goddess- by Justin Raimondo

2007-02-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton, War Goddess- by Justin Raimondo

So what next? Here are some of the changes that you can expect in the warming pre-presidential climate.

(1) You can expect the cultural demonization of those who speak out against an Israelocentric foreign policy position.

(2) Watch for the political hardening toward Iran coming from media centers that had previously been perceived as either "liberal" or "Bush-Bashing".

(3) You can expect appropriations to allocate new and more powerful weapons from the United States military complex into the possession and control of the Israeli military.

(4) Don't be surprised when you see support put politically behind Israel to endorse and even become a part of a military strike as advocated in a controversial "BBC" Documentary.

Just food for thought. I never would have dreamed that Hilary Clinton would be conceived of as a "War Goddess" such as the prefacing article describes.

-g

Viral Video Creates Big Dollars and Big Controversy

2007-02-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink: http://www.garytittle.com Only days after YouTube (YouTube Website) announced that they would be compensating video contributers for submissions, Viacom has announced that 100,000 videos from some of their popular television shows have been ordered removed from YouTube.

CBS and other content providers such as Universal-Vivendi already have content agreements with YouTube. Viacom's tactic goes counter to the majority of providers currently negotiating with YouTube.

Google is currently working on digital watermarking technologies to identify copyrighted material on the wildly popular YouTube service. Read the linked article for more on this.

-g

What is REALLY Behind the "Global Warming" Scare?

2007-02-02T04:43:00.000-08:00

This FoxNews article is well worth your read. Read it. Savor it. And then - change your mindset. I forecast that the entire eco-environmental movement will gain steam over the next two years to present some astounding new legislation that will do two things: (1) Cost the US citizen more tax dollars, and (2) make some investors who are in-the-know very rich.

Keep your eye on this whole thing because it will cost you money for no better reason than to line someone else's wallet.

You will soon discover that this is not an unfeeling, coarse "attitude" - but rather a sobering call to wake up and smell the coffee. (Because the smell of coffee is always preferable to B.S.).

-g

"Carbon-Cap" Tax

2007-02-02T04:26:00.000-08:00

Who is going to pay the price for the global warming hoopla?

Well, the United States is, according to this article. France is stating that the United States must sign the Kyoto agreement or face a emissions tax from the EEU on goods that are delivered from the grossly polluting United States to Europe.

This is political extortion based on bad science.

But - it fits in with the whole idea of a new and improved Planet Earth, right?

I am just wondering how many more ways the rest of the world can figure out how to extort money from this country?

-g

Let's Talk About Global Warming - and B.S. That Comes With It

2007-02-02T03:52:00.000-08:00

Of all the things to come along - this one stands to be the one that investors can make a dime from.

First of all - just for fun - let's look at the extreme past for a moment.

Antartica's Getting Colder - Not Warmer This Christian Science Monitor Article, published in 2002 talks about a topic very relevant to the global warming "cha-cha" we are hearing so much about.

My fascination with the topic actually goes back many years - when I was startled to learn that there are actually areas in Antartica that would startle you in their history.

For example - dinosaur fossils have been found in Antartica. Check out THIS article.

This particular article in the Encarta documents that Medieval maps showed a huge LAND MASS where we now know Antartica is.

How about this - coal in Antartica? That boggles the mind and also raises a most interesting question - Where does coal come from?

Makes you wonder - did caveman fires create global warming in the ancient past? (Yes, that is sarcasm).

Actually - the more I thought about this, the more it really bothered me, and in a lot of ways.

Billions of dollars will be spent (in the current political climate) to "STOP GLOBAL WARMING" - and the companies that become the most heavily vested in this as the LEGISLATION TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING continues - investment opportunities to make a hell of a lot of money will begin to surface. (This is like - WAY BEYOND AN INVESTMENT "hint").

The political hobby horse to stop (something that scientists are already warning may be unstoppable anyway) global warming will create a bonanza for the savvy investor.

American History Lesson About Thomas Jefferson

2007-01-26T19:28:00.000-08:00

In addition to this article, there are others which do not approach this subject with a critical eye. Fictional works went on flights of fancy about this topic and were very popular in England for a good long while. There is a good article reviewing those types of books in connection with one particular Amazon offering. Check out this link. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374289352/ref=pd_cp_b_title/103-4049754-298... Also See This Wikipedia Entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Barbary_War <>><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Written By Ted Sampley U.S. Veteran Dispatch January 2007 Democrat Keith Ellison is now officially the first Muslim United States congressman. True to his pledge, he placed his hand on the Quran, and pledged his allegiance to the United States during his ceremonial swearing-in. Capitol Hill staff said Ellison ’s swearing-in photo opportunity drew more media than they had ever seen in the history of the U.S. House. Ellison represents the 5th Congressional District of Minnesota. The Quran Ellison used was no ordinary book. It once belonged to Thomas Jefferson , third president of the United States and one of America ’s founding fathers. Ellison borrowed it from the Rare Book Section of the Library of Congress. It was one of the 6,500 Jefferson books archived in the library. Ellison, who was born in Detroit and converted to Islam while in college, said he chose to use Jefferson ’s Quran because it showed that “a visionary like Jefferson ” believed that wisdom could be gleaned from many sources. There is no doubt Ellison was right about Jefferson believing wisdom could be “gleaned” from the Quran. of Morocco , Algeria , Tunisia and Tripoli . Ellison’s use of Jefferson’s Quran as a prop illuminates a subject once well-known in the history of the United States, but, which today, is mostly forgotten - the Muslim pirate slavers who over many centuries enslaved millions of Africans and tens of thousands of Christian Europeans and Americans in the Islamic “Barbary” states. Over the course of 10 centuries, Muslim pirates cruised the African and Mediterranean coastline, pillaging villages and seizing slaves. The taking of slaves in pre-dawn raids on unsuspecting coastal villages had a high casualty rate. It was typical of Muslim raiders to kill off as many of the “non-Muslim” older men and women as possible so the preferred “booty” of only young women and children could be collected. Young non-Muslim women were targeted because of their value as concubines in Islamic markets. Islamic law provides for the sexual interests of Muslim men by allowing them to take as many as four wives at one time and to have as many concubines as their fortunes allow. Boys, as young as 9 or 10 years old, were often mutilated to create eunuchs who would bring higher prices in the slave markets of the Middle East . Muslim slave traders created “eunuch stations” along major African slave routes so the necessary surgery could be performed. It was estimated that only a small number of the boys subjected to the mutilation survived after the surgery. When American colonists rebelled against British rule in 1776, American merchant ships lost Royal Navy protection. With no American Navy for protection, American ships were attacked and their Christian crews enslaved by Muslim pirates operating under the control of the “Dey of Algiers “–an Islamist warlord ruling Algeria Because American commerce in the Mediterranean was being destroyed by the pirates, the Continental Congress agreed in 1784 to negotiate treaties with the four Barbary States . Congress appointed a special commission consisting of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, to oversee the negotiations. Lacking the ability to protect its merchant ships in the Mediterranean, the new America government tried to appease the Muslim slavers by agreeing to pay tribute and ransoms in order to retrieve seized American ships and buy the freedom of enslaved sailors. Adams argued in favor of paying tribute as the cheapest way to get American commerce in the Mediterranean moving again. Jefferson was opposed. He believed there would be no end to the demands for tribute and wanted matters settled “through the medium of war.” He proposed a league of trading nations to force an end to Muslim piracy. In 1786, Jefferson, then the American ambassador to France, and Adams, then the American ambassador to Britain, met in London with Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja, the “Dey of Algiers” ambassador to Britain. The Americans wanted to negotiate a peace treaty based on Congress’ vote to appease. During the meeting Jefferson and Adams asked the Dey’s ambassador why Muslims held so much hostility towards America , a nation with which they had no previous contacts. In a later meeting with the American Congress, the two future presidents reported that Ambassador Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja had answered that Islam “was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Quran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners, and that every Musselman (Muslim) who should be slain in Battle was sure to go to Paradise.” For the following 15 years, the American government paid the Muslims millions of dollars for the safe passage of American ships or the return of American hostages. The payments in ransom and tribute amounted to 20 percent of United States government annual revenues in 1800. Not long after Jefferson ’s inauguration as president in 1801, he dispatched a group of frigates to defend American interests in the Mediterranean , and informed Congress. Declaring that America was going to spend “millions for defense but not one cent for tribute,” Jefferson pressed the issue by deploying American Marines and many of America ’s best warships to the Muslim Barbary Coast The USS Constitution, USS Constellation, USS Philadelphia, USS Chesapeake, USS Argus, USS Syren and USS Intrepid all saw action. In 1805, American Marines marched across the dessert from Egypt into Tripolitania, forcing the surrender of Tripoli and the freeing of all American slaves. During the Jefferson administration, the Muslim Barbary States , crumbling as a result of intense American naval bombardment and on shore raids by Marines, finally officially agreed to abandon slavery and piracy. Jefferson’s victory over the Muslims lives on today in the Marine Hymn, with the line, “From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli , we will fight our country’s battles on the land as on the sea.” It wasn’t until 1815 that the problem was fully settled by the total defeat of all the Muslim slave trading pirates. Jefferson had been right. The “medium of war” was the only way to put and end to the Muslim problem. Mr. Ellison was right about Jefferson . He was a “visionary” wise enough to read and learn about the enemy from The Quran. For More Information: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1403945519/sr=1-1/qid=1146516304/ref=pd_bbs_...

Bush to set goal of reducing U.S. gasoline use - Yahoo! News

2007-01-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

Bush to set goal of reducing U.S. gasoline use - Yahoo! News Nice. I reduced my gasoline and carbon emissions by 80+% in the year 2000 when I abandoned driving 114 miles round trip every single day to my place of employment. My solution was the AceTrain If you are able to do any alternative to better President Bushes "goal" - do so. The reason I say this is because I know that the American public could do better than more silly and unnecessary leglislation because the public is more capable of making improvements than any government can be. Alternatives to the commute DO EXIST. There are buses, trains, carpools - mass transit exists as an alternative to solo driving. -g

Free Press : Verizon: Evil Google Has a 'Chokehold' on Internet

2007-01-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

Free Press : Verizon: Evil Google Has a 'Chokehold' on Internet This is oh so typical of telecom companies. Google DOES NOT have a "chokehold" on the Internet. Verizon has just picked them because they are the biggest and most successful search engine on the net. Verizon is AGAINST Net Neutrality. Do not believe the telecom companies at face value. The fact is that they are hard at work to create a situation where freedom on the internet becomes a thing of the past. Read this article and then speak out against those that oppose net neutrality. Get yourself educated on the subject and then step forward to the batting box and keep swinging. There are many many search engines on the net. Nobody has a monopoly on search engines. Sorry Verizon - but you are WRONG. Get over it. -g

Kipling - Some Verse for Current Events

2007-01-16T10:49:00.000-08:00

No explanation - Just some verse for you to peruse:

With the Hopes that our World is

built on they were utterly out of touch. They denied that the Moon was

Stilton; they denied she was even

Dutch.

They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig

had Wings.

So we worshipped the Gods of the

Market Who promised these beautiful things.

When the Cambrian measures were

forming, They promised perpetu-

al peace. They swore, if we gave them our

weapons, that the wars of the

tribes would cease.

But when we disarmed They sold

us and delivered us bound to our

foe,

And the Gods of the Copybook

Headings said: “Stick to the

Devil you know.”

KIPLING

California Universal Healthcare, Minimum Wage and Other Issues

2007-01-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

I am beginning to wonder how many ways the voters in California have to keep saying NO to Universal Healthcare at the expense of the taxpayer?

To ignore that the Healthy Families program already exists and then propose that the coverage be extended to include billing back doctors, hospitals, business owners and the taxpayers is simply arrogant.

It is plain that the system is "broken" - but mostly due to the fact that our healthcare system is taking care of so many unregistered illegal aliens that it makes you wonder what our rights would be crossing the border to elsewhere.

The idea that someone could come here, have a seriously deficit prenatal history and then deliver a baby to one of our Neonatal Intensive Care facilities is to acknowledge our philanthropy to others, at the least. Some of these children are indeed nearly "100,000 dollar babies". To further understand that a child born here to those who have come here illegally becomes a citizen by default creates a situation that was never intended by the present laws.

Don't misunderstand me on this - I do not mean to state something here to be representing that we should deny everyone who is undocumented health care - I do, however, want to emphasize that the existing system has been bent to accomodate something that would not exist if our borders were secure.

At what point will we come to understand that money spent on the front end of immigration, including a secure border, would go miles in lowering the public expense that is created by not doing so?

At what time did it become mandatory that taxpayers would carry the burden of the refusal to enforce our existing immigration laws? The ripple-down effect of not properly staffing our Border Patrol and tying the hands of those who seek to prevent illegal immigration is a huge cost in healthcare to all taxpayers, and not just in California.

Ever wonder why we have such a huge base of people studying in the United States to return to their own countries afterward? It is because this county bends over backwards to be fair and accommodating to rest of the world at the expense of it's own citizens.

The new minimum wage law is another example of extremely deficit lawmaking. Minimum wage cannot be mandated as a national standard. Kudos to the thought that everyone should make a fair wage. I don't argue that. If you compare the standard of living in North Dakota (actually the cost of living) to Silicon Valley in California, it is not hard to see immediately that the minimum wage increase does little or nothing toward providing a living for anyone. If a minimum wage could help - why not leave it up to the STATES and not the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT to adjust their OWN MINIMUM WAGE?

I have heard the argument that if we want to have public and social benefit programs that everyone has to pay for it. The point is - we already do pay for it. To mandate massive healthcare changes and a infrastructure in health information systems to support it without providing the solution out front before it becomes law is ludicrous.

Nearly every time some major change comes along - the "sunset" provision to change the benchmark measurement of implementation through appropriate reporting is simply mandated with little thought to the bottom line of making that all happen.

The results of not thinking through what is required to create changes makes much more than a headache - it invites and creates public liability to costs that are rarely revealed because they remain a nebulous unknown. This is particularly true with the California initiative process. I would like one dollar for every time that I have read the statement "FISCAL IMPACT UNKNOWN" on an initiative that I am asked to vote on. This is a BLANK INVOICE to taxpayers every single time that it is seen.

What is the solution? Well, first of all - hats off to the governor for once again acknowledging that something is "broken" - the only thing is - acknowledgment is, as always, just a first step. I do not believe and have never believed that socialism (even with health care) is the answer to fixing something.

Think of this: just from the data/information technologies standpoint - what would revamping the California health care problem entail? If this proposal to create universal health care provision in California proceeds forward - just wait until you hear the sound created as doctors close up shop and move their practices to other states because they are penalized in their taxes for practicing in California. It would be a a sound kindred to a big air-leak. You think that the closure of ER's over the last five years was big? Wait till you see THIS.

Pollution threat in Tehran 'bad as huge quake' | The Guardian | Guardian Unlimited

2007-01-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

Pollution threat in Tehran 'bad as huge quake' The Guardian Guardian Unlimited In a previous article I mentioned smog in Tehran. Today's UK Guardian has an article on the subject of pollution in Tehran, Iran. -g

Railroad boom hits environmental, 'not in my backyard' snags | csmonitor.com

2007-01-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

Railroad boom hits environmental, 'not in my backyard' snags csmonitor.com I recently wrote remarks on increasing the ridership on Acerail. I ran across this article in the Christian Science Monitor. The article states that Union Pacific is experiencing a "boom" with railway transport and that it's attempts to build new maintainance and freight yards is encountering all kinds of opposition from environmental groups! There you go. With enviromentalists literally screaming - MASS TRANSIT - they are also screaming "not in my back yard". Ridiculous! My personal feeling about the dependence on foreign oil is that maybe we NEED to drill in Alaska and off of the Pacific Coast. I have been cautiously growing wary of some environmental movements because I do not really believe they truly have our national well-being at their core. For example - did you know that one of the most polluted national cities in the world is TEHRAN, IRAN? Why? Because gas is cheap and the automobiles there do not have any criteria that demands they comply with any kind of smog regulations. The automobiles in Tehran are an AGING FLEET that do not have to be updated. The result? More smog related deaths than anywhere else in the world! Somewhere, somehow - some decisions must be made on what is truly the National Interest. Is it big oil, big trees, or what??? You can't have this thing both ways. Or can we? . -g

Official Report Released on Mexico's "Dirty War"

2007-01-08T16:39:00.000-08:00

Official Report Released on Mexico's "Dirty War": "Official Report Released on Mexico's 'Dirty War'" This is a document that every United States citizen should read. It is from the National Security Archive of declassified documents obtained under the the Freedom of Information act. Bear in mind that a large portion of the population of Mexico lives on between two and four dollars a day and then place yourself in a position to read this somewhere.

Bookmark the National Security Archive and enjoy it. It is the fruit of many years of seeking the availability of previously classified information. It totals over a half a million pages of extremely interesting reading.

-g

13th century text hides words of Archimedes - Los Angeles Times

2007-01-07T21:56:00.000-08:00

13th century text hides words of Archimedes - Los Angeles Times

This is some absolutely amazing scholarship. When I saw "National Treasure" and some of the fictional attempts at "finding the map" I immediately started reading about this science of ancient text recovery (that, as you can see, actually exists).

This TWO MILLION DOLLAR TEXT purchased at an auction is a prayer text which was written overtop of a Greek text of the engineer Archimedes.

At first reading I was a bit disturbed, but then, for those who don't already know - scribes had been reusing parchments for centuries. Who knows what else is out there?

For those who have an interest in ancient texts - the Internet is absolutely full of repositories of textual readings of the ancients. My own personal archive of this material goes on extensively. For further research you can Google search "ancient texts" and "ancient books of the world" to discover there is a vast wealth of material to download and read.

-g

Neanderthals among us? - Los Angeles Times

2007-01-07T21:46:00.000-08:00

Neanderthals among us? - Los Angeles Times This Explains a lot!

I had little doubt of this previous to this article. The article states that a Neanderthal with a shave, haircut, bath and a iPod would blend in well. Actually, there is a commercial on television that shows a Neanderthal without the haircut that still looks like some folks out there. (and all HE has that is different is a suit! -g

An Open Letter to the Honorable Nancy Pelosi

2007-01-07T20:55:00.000-08:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink: http://www.garytittle.com

Honorable Nancy Pelosi,

Your beloved city of San Francisco is one of the more attractive and vulnerable targets to terrorists and terrorism.

You would be doing a service to your constituents to take steps to get as close to a guarantee of security as possible.

Do you really believe that pulling the troups out of Iraq would accomplish this much desired goal of those whom you represent?

The threat is real. Please schedule a reality check for yourself sometime in the very near future.

Respectfully Yours.

SOMEONE WHO FEARS THAT YOU ARE DEMONSTRATING DEFICIT DECISION-MAKING SKILLS

Another Weekend: Dust... and about Acerail... and "transit malls"

2007-01-07T20:33:00.000-08:00

(Tracy, CA) Weblink: http://www.garytittle.com Busy weekend, to say the least. I was actually so exhausted that I spent the better part of the weekend resting and even sleeping!

About Acerail

I just don't get why more people can't get out of their cars and off of the lousy Altamont. If you can, I understand that there are some people who just CAN'T because of their work schedule, or other reasons - get out of your car for at least three days a week (Monday, Thursday and Friday are good candidates because of traffic reasons) and use the train!

I have heard some people belly-ache because the train occasionally hits delays and malfunctions, but the truth is: if you don't support public mass transit you deserve what you get on 580 and 205. There are big issues coming with 680 (Sunol/Fremont corridor) very shortly and you really need to think this through if you have not already.

Open Letter to Tracy Transit

Why can't you people get it together and support the Acerail schedule with the bus? How difficult could it possibly be to route the bus through the Acerail parking lot where there is an existing bus loop? There is an existing PARATRANSIT which allows for scheduling, but the truth is - there is no excuse to not support the ACERAIL schedule with public transportation - specifically Tracy Transit.

On Moving the Acerail Station

I hear noise about "oh, let's move the train downtown" and "let's have a downtown transit mall". The sad truth is that this is actually stupid, considering all of the issues that this raises with Union Pacific and the existing Acerail schedule. Instead, as usual, City Council wants to continue to listen to pie in the sky developers that want to saddle this city with unneccesary maintainance expenses on water park ventures and similar schemes. How this stuff gets shoved through our city council is only typical of other communities that get enamoured with stupid presentations from so-called forward-looking and progressive developer charactors who want to line their wallet at public expense.

-g

Google Book Search: Celebrate Your Freedom to Read

2007-01-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

Google Book Search: Celebrate Your Freedom to Read Did you know that books have been regularly banned and challenged in this country? Follow the American Library Association's link to find out the time of THIS YEAR'S OBSERVANCE of BANNED BOOKS WEEK. -g

Targeting the endocannabinoid system in cancer therapy: A call for further research - Nature Medicine

2006-12-25T19:42:00.000-08:00

Targeting the endocannabinoid system in cancer therapy: A call for further research - Nature Medicine Here is more evidence that the "war on pot" needs some serious re-examination. -g

The War In Iraq (In Dollars and In Lives)

2006-12-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

We have spent (to date) over 350 BILLION Dollars on the war in Iraq. There are approximately 300 Million Americans (children included) in the United States. This amounts to more than 1,167,000 dollars per American. We have lost nearly 3,000 American lives in Iraq. There are approximately 26 Million people in Iraq. The United States has contributed 13,462,000 dollars per Iraqi, so far. Wouldn't we have looked better to the world if we would have offered a Million Dollars to every Iraqi? Just think of the cost savings!!!! Special Thanks to KS for the thought provoking math. -g (Numbers courtesy of Yahoo News via Condoleeza Rice article)

Theodore Roosevelt On Immigrants and Being an American in 1907

2006-12-15T12:27:00.000-08:00

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Government and Responsibility

2006-12-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while we all see things that make us wonder and find that we are urged to action, if only to say something about them. The 13 Colonies were settled by people who felt strongly about the freedom to worship according to the dictates of their own conscience, free from the oppression of either the state, or those who would curtail that freedom with their own beliefs. Wether or not the founding fathers were Christians or Deists is of little importance on this issue. It is very plain today that many of the documents that outright support this concept are either ignored or even suppressed in American History and Government classes in public schools. Many of those who led the American Revolution were actually self-proclaimed "militant protestants", meaning that they felt strongly that a position against tyranny mandated not simply resistance, but absolute steadfast militarism to overthrow British rule, as well as any other influence that threatened freedom of religious conscience. Never forget that the responsibility that we have in pursuit of freedom demands action. To take a position of delegation of our spiritual heritage to the United Nations is to bow to tyranny. The United Nations, while an attempt at maintaining world order, is woefully inadequate if we look seriously at the real positions of doctrine that established the United States. We must demand that those who wish to become United States citizens look long and hard at the true standard that created this Great Republic. When Democracy is subjugated to the whims of Internationalism and the support of others to the detriment of our own Nation, it is time to take a long hard look at foreign policy and the unbridled attempts at the redistribution of our National wealth in support of those who have neither our interests, nor our welfare in their own agenda. We cannot and we must not compromise the freedoms of our country to allow the subjugation of our Nation to the desires of those who do not have the same ideals of freedom that we do. For these reasons - I object strenuously to any melting pot concept that does not demand those who wish to be citizens of this country must curtail any held concept that teaches that the citizens of the United States must favor their standards over the doctrines of our founding Fathers. -g