Politics in the Zeros. Anti-war, global warming, peak oil, progressive politics

Silver State Bank of Nevada taken over by FDIC

Bob Morris — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:15:29 +0000

John McCain’s son resigned from the board of the holding company of July 28 citing “personal reasons.” Yeah, right.

Bill Gross: Why houses, stocks, and bonds are all crashing at once

Bob Morris — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:41:14 +0000

PIMCO’s Bill Gross explains why the markets for houses, stocks, and bonds are all crashing at once–and why they all have much farther to go. In a sentence? The global economy is in the process of delevering (reducing debt by selling assets)

Biden takes swipe at AIPAC

Bob Morris — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:38:52 +0000

From Tikun Olam, a fine and thoughtful blog about Israeli-Arab peace.

I think I can count on one hand the number of times a candidate for higher office has defended himself from such an attack by publicly fighting back and attacking Aipac by name. As I said, that takes guts. And I don’t think Joe Biden is foolish. He knows what he can and can’t get away with. He is confident enough in his record to warn Aipac that their supporters are mouthing nonsense and that he will take them to task by name if they persist. I think too he knows that Aipac no longer rules the roost in DC. They used to maintain their power with an iron fist. But I think that now there is more room to breath for candidates.

Proof the government stifles entrepreneurship

Bob Morris — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:22:14 +0000

Sue, a CPA who is currently taking a Masters in Taxation program, uncovered proof - proof I tell you - that the federal government deliberately stifles the ability of some small businesses to get ahead.

From the Internal Revenue Code.

SEC. 280E Expenditures in connection with the illegal sale of drugs

No deduction or credit shall be allowed for [any business that] consists of trafficking in controlled substances.

However, you can get a deduction for cost of goods sold from trafficking in drugs to “preclude possible challenges on constitutional grounds” (Joint Committee Report on P.I. 97-248 .25) - assuming drug dealers wanted to risk filing at all then have to explain where the income came from.

Fannie and Freddie being taken over by government

Bob Morris — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:44:44 +0000

The government will also be pumping in billions and billions of dollars in attempts to keep Frannie and Freddie afloat.

This happened one day after Bill Gross of Pimco said the government must do something now or risk a “financial tsunami.”

Political and military effects of climate change

Bob Morris — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:19:55 +0000

A US military analyst warns of climate wars, famines, floods of refugees, as areas near the Equator suffer permanent serious drought.

The possibility of major water wars between India and Pakistan is quite real, as water from the Himalayas starts in areas controlled by India then flows through Pakistan. But those glaciers are now melting at 7% a year.

“[The US-Mexico] border’s going to be militarised. I think there’s almost no question about it because the alternative is an inundation of the United States by what will be, effectively, climate refugees”

Headline of the day

Bob Morris — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:48:43 +0000

80,000 homes to be powered by chicken manure.

Sanyo’s new washer uses 96% less water

Bob Morris — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:55:47 +0000

Not only does this new Sanyo washer wash the clothes, it also dries them - and recycles water too. Ecogeek has more.

Michael Moore’s “Slacker Uprising” to be distributed free on Net

Bob Morris — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:22:36 +0000

“This is being done entirely as a gift to my fans. The only return any of us are hoping for is the largest turnout of young voters ever at the polls in November.” – Michael Moore

Slacker Uprising

Palin and the liberal blogosphere

Bob Morris — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:32:49 +0000

Look, any small town mayor who wins a governorship unexpectedly has got serious political chops. The liberal blogosphere needs to realize this. And to stop bashing her because she hunts and shoots. Can’t think of a better way to piss off voters in the West and South, where hunting and shooting is a way of life. (The implied subtext of such an attack, of course, is that she’s redneck and thus of a lower class, a swell way to have the Right slime her attackers with charges of elitism. Like there’s something wrong with being redneck or that rednecks are always right wing.)

Hit her on the issues and on her extremism. Forget the other stuff, and understand that she is a highly capable politician.