Thursday, June 15, 2017

THE PARIS AGREEMENT: JUST ANOTHER SCAM


On June 2, 2017 President of the United States Donald Trump announced the US would withdraw from the Paris agreement on climate change. The world media, and most of the political class, have reacted with shock, outrage, and predictions of doom and gloom. The conventional wisdom is that the world needs this agreement in order to save the planet from an ecological disaster. It should be noted, very few people have chosen to read the actual text of the Paris Agreement. In this article I have chosen to use the actual text of the treaty, instead of trusting the opinions of the uninformed.

There are many that remain skeptical about the whole thing, and some of those skeptics have impressive qualifications. Many scientists and political leaders have refuted the various environmental agreements as being a scam. This raises several questions, questions that need accurate answers. What is the Paris agreement all about? What is its intended purpose? How is it connected to the Kyoto Accords? Why are the Elite so eager to impose this agreement on nations around the world? Why is the greater part of the agreement concerned with finance and global monetary transfers?

Basic Environmental Goals
The Paris Agreement is a continuation of a long line of agreements, including the Kyoto Accord, made under the auspices of the United Nations. These various agreements supposedly will unite the nations of the world in improving the environment by reducing carbon emissions. The environmental goal (Paris agreement line 17) is to somehow reduce the planet's temperature to 2 degrees Celsius below pre-industrial levels, and to keep world carbon emission to about 55 gigatonnes by the year 2030. Each member nation will have nationally determined contributions to the plan (lines 22-31), and those plans must be submitted by the year 2030.

There are several questions that everyone should ask when reading the above paragraph. First and foremost, the Earth had experienced a "Little Ice Age" between the years circa 1250-1850. This Ice Age would have ended just as the Industrial Revolution was getting started. Using a bit of common sense, it would seem the Paris Agreement wishes to plunge the world back into an Ice Age.

A working group of the Third Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an agency of the United Nations, has published an extensive report for policy makers. This report is rather biased in that it attempts to downplay the naturally occurring phenomenon that affected climate change in the past and continue to do so in the present. Instead, the authors attempt to make their politically motivated theories "fit the facts" by focusing on human activities. This report, and others like it, are used by politicians to make policy decisions that will affect the planet. Perhaps the information in that report should have been presented in a more unbiased fashion so that policy makers can make better informed decisions.

Nationally Determined Goals
According to the Paris Agreement, and in keeping with the Kyoto Treaty, each nation affiliated with the climate accords must determine how they will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions(Lines 22-31). There is no set value, nor any sort of standard, each nation can use whichever criteria they choose. This has led many to question the validity of agreements in which major polluters, such as China, can avoid responsibility.

Financial Manipulation
The biggest area of contention is the requirement that developed nations be subject to financial penalties if they miss their goals, and they must provide financial support to developing nations; regardless if those developing nations are major polluters. Canada withdrew from the Kyoto Treaty for this exact reason, and the US refused to ratify the Kyoto Treaty for the same reason.

The Paris Agreement calls for a collective quantified goal from a floor of USD 100 billion per year, taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries; (Line 54). In other words, the Paris Agreement would create a new class of "Super Welfare". This new welfare would be on a global scale, and the recipients would be any nation that is classified as developing. Many voices have been raised protesting this figure, saying it is not enough to support the needs of developing nations in their attempts to reach their Nationally Determined Goals. Some estimate that developing nations will require much more than $500 billion a year, by the year 2050. Taken to it's logical conclusion, this system of welfare would create a vast money pit in which trillions of dollars would eventually disappear. The only beneficiaries would be the leaders of underdeveloped "Third World" nations that would siphon off billions of dollars into their own private bank accounts, while their nations and peoples continue to be underdeveloped and poor. Regardless of how much money is made available, a society must have the ability and willingness to put forth the necessary effort in order to achieve whatever goals have been set for them. Unfortunately, in many countries around the world environmental issues are of little importance to people that must struggle to find food, water, and the basic necessities of life.

An Inescapable Conclusion
For the record, I support any legitimate effort to ensure a clean environment; however, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change is not legitimate. It is a scam. It sets no rules, no standards, and no real goals. It's only apparent purpose is to transfer money from "rich" countries to "poor" countries. Trump was correct in rejecting the Paris Agreement, it may be the smartest thing he'll do all year.



 http://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/the-paris-climate-deal-was-a-fraud-and-a-sham-until-trump-decided-to-ditch-it/

 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-paris-agreement-climate-change-withdrawal-latest-news-updates-global-warming-deal-a7768116.html

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age

 https://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tar/

 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/science/earth/canada-leaving-kyoto-protocol-on-climate-change.html

http://www.heritage.org/environment/report/why-president-bush-right-abandon-the-kyoto-protocol

 http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/paris-climate-agreement-report-oxfam-a7030446.html

Thursday, May 11, 2017

TRUMP AND COMEY


I did not want to get into this political quagmire of President Trump and his decision to fire FBI Director Comey; there are several more important topics that can be discussed. But, everyone is all excited about it, as if their lives depended on the shenanigans that happen inside the Beltway. So, I am going to review the relevant facts, and then provide an analysis of the situation. I hope you will understand if a I take a rather lighthearted approach to this matter.

First and foremost, the President of the US has the absolute authority fire the Director of  the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, or any other individual serving in such a capacity. They serve at the pleasure of the President, it's his administration so he can run it the way he wants. Beyond that, there is nothing more to discuss about the legality of the situation.

Director Comey had it coming to him for a variety of reasons. He botched the investigation into the various misdeeds Hillary Clinton was accused of having committed. As an investigator, it was not appropriate for him to discuss an ongoing investigation, nor was it acceptable to turn it into a source of public entertainment. And it was certainly inappropriate for him to describe Hillary as an incompetent idiot during the election; regardless of how much I agreed with him. Besides all of that, in his recent appearance before Congress, he once again proved that he did not know when to keep quiet. He stated in a public forum that he was investigating his boss, and that is never a wise decision.

The Democrat party loyalists, and progressives of every stripe, began calling for Comey's removal from office as soon as he spoke out against Hillary. There was an undertone of real anger at the thought that his carelessness may have cost Hillary the election, and that was an offense for which they were willing to riot and burn down entire cities. As a matter of fact, the progressives and Democrat party hacks did engage in rioting, looting, and arson in several cities across the country.  However, when Trump fired Comey, all the progressives and Democrats that had been calling for his head, suddenly accused Trump of doing something wrong. With all the back and forth and indecisiveness, I'm surprised the Democrats in Congress have not given themselves whiplash.


Comey may be a nice guy, with intelligence and charisma and every other sort of good characteristic and qualification; but he did not know when to shut his big mouth. On the other hand, Trump has not exactly covered himself in glory, and he certainly loves to make big, broad statements.

On a personal note, I don't really care one way or another as to the outcome of this fiasco. Life will go, I will go to work tomorrow, the bills will come in the mail, and it will continue to rain.

Sunday, May 7, 2017

USEFUL IDIOT? PERHAPS A USELESS IDIOT


The election of Emmanuel Macron is a bit troubling, to say the least. He is the stereotypical highly cultured and educated Socialist/Progressive/Marxist that believes ALL social problems are caused by economic disenfranchisement.

The issue of radical Islam will not be resolved by giving everyone a job or by providing everyone with a decadent and comfortable lifestyle. It is a perverted belief system that must be combated through force of arms and by the destruction of those social structures which have allowed it to flourish. Indeed, there is a substantial body of evidence available that proves that several governments, that happen to be "allied" with the US, have provided direct aid to Al-Qaeda, ISIS(Daesh), and other terrorist groups.

Before any further discussion can be had as to the threat of radical Islam, the entire truth must come out. The secretive planning and support of radical groups must stop. Anyone found to have supported those groups should be prosecuted for crimes against humanity, in a public and open forum.

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/10310/emmanuel-macron-islamism
Emmanuel Macron, a "Useful Infidel," is not a supporter of terrorism or Islamism. It is worse: he does not even see the threat.

Louizi's article gave names and dates, explaining how Macron's political movement has largely been infiltrated by Muslim Brotherhood militants.

Is Macron an open promoter of Islamism in France? It is more politically correct to say that he is a "globalist" and an "open promoter of multiculturalism". As such, he does not consider Islamism a national threat because the French nation, or, as he has said, French culture, does not really exist.

Friday, May 5, 2017

REVISITING PARAGON THEATERS

The front entrance of the theater, as seen from the parking lot


The word "Paragon" is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as "a model of excellence or perfection". Perhaps it is a "paragon" of movie theaters, it is a great theater in many ways, but it has one very obnoxious flaw.  The entertainment, the bowling, the food, the drinks, the seating, the staff, the management, and the all the other details are just right; however, the one flaw defies all human understanding.  From the picture above we can see the front door, but what we can't see, until we are up close, are the drains that are positioned above the front doors. WHICHEVER GENIUS DESIGNED THE BUILDING PUT THE STORM DRAINS RIGHT ABOVE THE FRONT DOOR! WHENEVER IT RAINS THE MOVIE GOERS WILL GET WET!  
It's NOT my intention to be obnoxious, nor do I wish to stop visiting the theater. Like I said, it's a great theater in many different ways. But there must be a realistic solution to this problem! Perhaps they could pipe the water to the side of the building, somewhere so people don't have to take cold shower after their movie! 
 


I took the above pictures at 10:30 at night. There was a heavy downpour, and the drains were happily giving the movie goers a very cold shower. 


Tuesday, May 2, 2017

TYRANNY AND CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN THE USA


Armed Marxist protestors. The Communist hammer and sickle on display
The USA, once lauded as the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, is now a smoldering laboratory for Marxist Cultural Revolution accompanied by the absolute tyranny of thought control and societal brainwashing. All of this is being done in the name of “fairness and equality”. Some well-intentioned, but sadly misinformed people would say “you’re exaggerating” or “it can’t happen here”, while their cities burn and their neighborhoods become warzones filled with black hooded thugs fighting against police and counter-protestors. There are patterns to these societal shifts, patterns that were repeated constantly through the entire Twentieth Century; yet the well-intentioned refused to acknowledge the signs back then, just as they are refusing today. We can see the signs of societal change and cultural decay on the news, in our schools, in our homes, and in our everyday lives. Some of the decay is caused by the failed and incompetent economic policies of the Federal Reserve and the political class which have impoverished much of the public through massive inflation; but a majority has been deliberately created by well-intentioned but misguided people in a desire to engineer society into what they imagine to be a fair and equitable utopia.


Universities: Breeding grounds for Ignorance and Intolerance

Over the past few decades, we have seen the most shameful behaviors on our college campuses: guest speakers being violently chased off campus grounds by masked thugs; students demanding “safespaces” in order to avoid encountering an idea that may be different than their own; extremists calling for “white genocide” and armed conflict; and educators pushing politically motivated agendas on their classrooms. All of these factors have been driven by fanatic Leftist ideologues pushing their causes unto impressionable young undergraduates. The direct result of this propaganda has been the maladjustment of millions of young people being confused about what truly matters in life, in relationships, and in the workplace. People attend universities in order to pursue an education which will hopefully provide them with some of the needed tools to succeed in life; they do not attend universities just to pay ever increasing tuitions and to be misled by professors with politically motivated agendas.

Perhaps the most saddening aspect of this mayhem are the ubiquitous video interviews in which college students, at some of the best universities in the country. are unable to answer the most basic questions in regards to politics, history, current events, or anything else. However, those same students seem quite knowledgeable when asked about celebrities, television shows, or other aspects of the entertainment industry.

Both Major Political Parties are complicit
It would seem apparent that the blame for this mess can be thrown at the Democrat Party; however, the leadership of both the Democrat and Republican parties is at fault. The Democrat party loyalists and sympathizers are certainly well represented in academia, the media, unions, and the arts. Republican party loyalists and sympathizers are found in the military, law enforcement, private industry, and in many other places. Adherents to both parties share a belief in "global governance", and readily sign on to regional free trade agreements which transfer regulatory authority from US voters and officials to unelected bureaucrats. The recent attempt by Republicans in Congress to rescind Obamacare was quickly opposed by the United Nations, with the reasoning that such a move would violate UN laws. The hooded Marxist thugs terrorizing college campuses and the streets of US cities are also supporters of "world government", and are in frequent agreement with the ideals which seem to guide both parties at the national level.

Much has been written on how the Left works to silence dissent and limit Free Speech. On the other hand, many people have complained about the onerous security procedures imposed by the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), but nobody protested when George W. and the Republicans in Congress empowered the agency shortly after 9-11-2001. The many horror stories of the TSA abusing citizens over the past fifteen years are too many to enumerate. Initially the agency was tasked with protecting the air ways from terrorists that may wish to hijack airplanes, but the TSA has failed to catch even a single terrorist over the past fifteen years. Yet, Congress seems unconcerned and the TSA continues to abuse people on a daily basis.

No one wants to be the victim of crime, nor does any person of good character support criminal behavior. Everyone supports law and order, and a tough criminal justice system to keep society safe. Republicans are noted for being tough on crime, supporting police, and pushing for long prison sentences for criminal behavior; Democrats tend to be a bit more lenient and forgiving to the point of being seen as soft on crime. Regardless, the US has the greatest number of incarcerated individuals in the world. Offenders convicted of non-violent drug offenses make up the largest percentage of the current prison population. What is the cause of this phenomenon? Some would say poverty, others point to a decline of family values, while others present various different arguments. Perhaps it is caused by politicians that have been overly eager to garner votes and be seen as having accomplished something by creating ever more stringent laws.  Regardless of the cause, the public should not fear the police, nor should the legal system be so extreme that it becomes a nuisance or a hindrance to the smooth functioning of society. 



Is there a way to solve these issues?
The problems have been described, and now my dear readers will want a well defined solution to those problems. I'm afraid there are no simple answers. The problems began many decades ago and have been allowed to flourish by an indifferent and unconcerned public. Nobody cared, as long as the problems remained small and were not happening in their neighborhood. I am afraid that things will get much worse, before they get better.



 http://nypost.com/2015/06/06/how-a-massive-silent-cultural-revolution-has-changed-america/
 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/02/02/black-bloc-protests-return-for-trump-era-leaving-flames-broken-windows-from-dc-to-berkeley/
 https://thetruthstillmatters.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-hubris-of-janet-yellen-federal.html
 https://thetruthstillmatters.blogspot.com/2017/03/repression-on-college-campuses-signals.html
 http://www.ukcolumn.org/article/history-social-engineering
 http://theweek.com/articles/684166/illiberal-injustice-against-charles-murray
 http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Drexel-White-Genocide-Tweet-408326115.html
 https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/30/us/politics/in-time-of-discord-bashing-trade-pacts-appeals-to-both-parties.html?_r=0
 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/apparently-repealing-obamacare-could-violate-international-law/2017/04/25/2794a77c-29f4-11e7-b605-33413c691853_story.html?tid=ss_fb
 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-free-speech-kass-0430-20170428-column.html
 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/social-mobility-memos/2015/11/25/drug-offenders-in-american-prisons-the-critical-distinction-between-stock-and-flow/
 http://time.com/3822487/tsa-sexual-assault-denver/

Monday, May 1, 2017

IS POPE FRANCIS A FASCIST OR A SOCIALIST?

In his most recent article, Thomas DiLorenzo, asks some very serious questions about the values embraced by Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church. It is clear that Pope Francis believes that government should have a more authoritative role in controlling national economies, while at the same time frequently attacking Capitalism and the free-market system.

I am not Roman Catholic, nor do I care what the Pope of Rome may have to say; however, he is a prominent world figure who wields tremendous influence. He should perhaps re-evaluate his priorities in life and realize that Socialism, government controls, and Keynesian inflationary spending, are the direct cause of many of the world's problems.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

IT'S BEEN A WHILE

It's been a while since my last post. Things have been rather hectic with work, Easter, family, and so on. But don't worry, I will be posting a new and exciting, deeply analytical, mentally stimulating, and entertaining article within the next few days. So keep checking for the update.