Smuggler Playing In His Tub

Through The Wormhole

I caught an interesting show on the Science Channel last night. It was Through the Wromhole.

It was good presentation of current scientific thought on physics and astrophysics. Morgan Freeman did a great job in hosting it.

When it came to the topic of the search for alien life, it fell a bit short though. At least if I were to compare it to Carl Sagan's Cosmos.

In TTW, a few reasons were given as to why we haven't heard from any alien life forms. And in those explanations, the most important reason proposed by Carl Sagan was missing. Those alien life forms may not have the abundant energy to broadcast signals or create a technologically advanced civilization as we have done. Further, if they did, then like us, they are likely to exhaust in a geologically short time and then fall back to a more primitive state.

Essentially, it's possible that intelligent life could evolve on a planet that is too young to produce abundant fossil fuel reserves. That species might then never build a civilization based on an energy source that is anymore concentrated than wood or charcoal. This level of civilization persisted on Earth until the Middle Ages. Though vast civilizations like the Roman Empire could be powered by this kind of fuel, a civilization like ours could never be built. we uses thousands of times more energy than forests can provide.

In the second scenario, which fits us. A species learns has high quality fossil fuels available. The fuels make it possible to produce a hi-tech civilization and a lot of food for a growing population. But then fossil fuels are limited. A little over a hundred years later, the fuel begins to run out and the technology level and population drop fast. A civilization then would have only about a century to broadcast, then it would shut down.

Finding a civilization that was formed after a planet put down fossil fuel reserves and having the timing line up so that we can hear them in their 100 year window, reduces dramatically the odds that we'll ever detect ETs.

Carl Sagan proposed that few species would use fossil fuels to solve their societies problems, and leave their planet before they run out. He proposed that our example is probably the more common one, and we're going to revert back to the iron age without migrating to the stars.

Even the physicists barely touched on the energy problem in the program. One made a comment about a super brain organism of virtual processing space inside of a machine, going on happily without interest in the universe, so long as someone keeps paying the electric bill.

It was good program if I forget this important oversight. But the oversight does demonstrate this big hole in the thinking of our greatest minds. It does not bode well for our future.

In-Sync Exotics Second Annual Tiger Trot

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I'll be attending this event to support the cats. If you're in the area, please come out and enjoy the festivities.

And now for the begging... I'll be attending this event. If you'd like to sponsor me for this silly little walk, you can email me at weaseldog2001@yahoo.com.

Of course, you can donate anytime to In-Sync Exotics, and help insure that these cats continue to have a safe and nurturing environment, to enjoy for the rest of their natural lives.

I can attest that everyone at In-Sync is there for the cats, and the cats only. Every dollar donated, goes to the cats. The dedication of the staff and the good people who donate their time and hard earned money, shows in every happy feline.

Obama Promotes Surge,Citing Lack Of Justification

Barack Obama enlists Afghan war leaks in support of policy switch

Material cataloguing blunders justifies decision to deploy 30,000 more US troops, US president says

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Obama has now made a statement in regards to the WikiLeaks release of military documents on Afghanistan.

Up to now, Obama has been clear that the war in Afghanistan is continuing to exist just fine, and we don't need to make any changes to keep it going. The war continues to be an ongoing success that isn't too hot or too cold. It perfect simmering just as it is.

With the WikiLeaks release, Obama says that nothing new has come out. The situation is unchanged.

Because nothing has changed, and WikiLeaks doesn't change anything, and the war continues to prosper, Obama tells us that the lack of change proves that he needs to order another surge.

To paraphrase, 'It ain't broke, so Obama is gonna fix it.'

I love the subtitle to the article, "Material cataloguing blunders justifies decision to deploy 30,000 more US troops, US president says". I don't understand it, but it's one of those politico gobbledy gook things that politicians say when are trying to sound smart. And you know they don't have a clue what they are say either. But it's cool baby talk. I guess it's better than him sucking his thumb when he doesn't want to answer a question.

But look out folks, i can tell you now that whenever "Material cataloguing blunders" occur, it means that Obama is gonna have to order the slaughter of a lot more innocent human beings. Someone has to pay.

And as to all of the hero crap tossed around about WikiLeaks, isn't it convenient that these leaks are all providing more justification for slaughtering more and more human beings for no good reason, except to keep the profits of war profiteers growing?

Austerity Measures in the USA

h/t Mike Ruppert and Co.

I've covered this topic in the past. When the IMF imposes it's austerity programs, it sells off public utilities to private corporations. Utility rates get jacked, and maintenance suffers. Often service ends, but the bills don't. To make sure that the citizenry pay through the nose for crappy services, it becomes illegal to utilize other sources for the same services. A state mandated monopoly is imposed.

These Austerity measures have come to the USA. It is now becoming a crime to use the rain water that falls on your property. We can expect more fines and fees for activities we once took for granted was our right to engage in, as our governments become increasingly desperate for revenue to fuel their growth.


And to continue the theme that lots of crap breaks down during a downturn, we have an Oil Spill in Michigan and another New One in Louisiana.

This is the trend for the future. Higher prices, degrading infrastructure, more frequent emergencies, declining quality of service, and increasing criminal penalties for innocuous daily activities.


UPDATE:
Limited rainwater harvesting is now legal in Utah.

My Favorite Kitten

Here are a few new pics of Smuggler.













And here's Mohan. One of my favorite big kitties.


You can see these cats in person at In-Sync Exotic Cat Rescue Center

Democrats Spend Less!

h/t Crooks And Liars



But not so fast...


The budget deficit under Clinton did improve, but you have to look at the second order derivative to see it go negative. Lot's of trends go negative when you look at the acceleration of the acceleration. If you slow going up a hill, the second order derivative of your motion goes negative. That doesn't mean you're going backwards.

I'll give Clinton his due. He did cut a lot of military spending. As we came out of the Reagan/Bush years, we had a lot of cold war overhang. The US government was growing to expand into that new capacity. What peace dividend we were enjoying then, would've canceled out soon enough.

In the end though, Obama broke the mold. He surpassed Bush II. He proved that Democrats can waste money even better than the Waster Meister Bush.

Perhaps that can be the source of a future updated chart?

BP's Oil Gusher Capped?

God let's hope so!

It is a travesty that it took 90 days to fix this. BP wasn't prepared for the disaster though they pretended they were. And as they worked on the problem, I never got the sense that their spokesmen ever portrayed a sense of urgency.

Sadly, the damage done so far isn't over. The oil already released will take time to be consumed by bacteria, which will continue to suck life giving oxygen out of the water at every depth.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I don;t have any trust in BP or that they've actually stopped the oil geyser. I'll need time and further evidence before I come to believe.

But so far, things look good. Let's hope they last.

Inside BP's Corporate Offices

May Turned To Crap

Once again, flat supply, economic stimulus and rising crude prices led to a criticality.

After months of great and wonderful news about the recovering economy that wasn't, our great cheerleaders have had to once again, admit that their crap does stink.

Sorry Bernie, but the world of economics does follow the physical world. It doesn't lead. It doesn't set the trends. The physical world offers up opportunities and crisis, and the world of economics reacts to them like a kitten going after a length of string.

We're coming back around in the cycle. This downturn has only just begun. It will start nailing the banks, and we'll be talking bailouts again as we get into Fall. the stress tests gearing up in Europe are a sure sign that our continually sinking recovery that wasn't, is going to starting swirling around the bowl again.

When I predicted a downturn in May all those months ago, I was only sure that it would be a criticality. I couldn't be sure that the PPT wouldn't be able to print money fast enough to keep the markets inflated. As we see from the DOW in the chart below, they couldn't seem to do it. But then, how else can the banks do any profit taking if they aren't pulling money out at higher prices than they pay in?

I certainly didn't predict the disaster in the Gulf. But chaos theory tells us that statistically speaking these events must happen. It's of course, human nature to relax standards until something breaks. We become complacent over time. We become comfortable with cost cutting. We keep cutting corners. Then one day, hell explodes in our faces.

It's how we do things. It's how we'll continue to do things. It's what we are.



Addendum:

I expect October to be a bleak month in the economics scene. Oil production will continue to decline. The market may rally some between now and then, but it will not be sustainable. Jobs and businesses will be lost at a faster rate. When October hits, the business news will be very bearish. The markets will suffer. More criticalities will occur.

Come this Fall, the White House will be in a panic. More bailouts and stimulation for rich people will ensue. While dolphins and whales continue die in the Gulf, Obama will fight with all of his might to save the Great White Males. The 'No Billionaire Left Behind' policies will be putting on a head of steam, even as the rest of the US economy disappears down U-Bend under the toilet seat.

Aerial Views of the Gulf of British Petroleum

While defying laws handed down by the USA's Lord and Sovereign, British Petroleum, John L. Watham provides aerial footage of the disaster produced by British Petroleum's massive oil geyser.