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DECEMBER 18,  2014

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

MILESTONE – From The New York Times:  "Richard C. Hottelet, who covered the D-Day invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge for CBS and became the last survivor of the 'Murrow Boys,' the network’s pioneering World War II radio newsmen who worked under Edward R. Murrow, died on Wednesday at his home in Wilton, Conn. He was 97."  They were a legendary group, and they weren't perfect.  Murrow, in particular, could be hopelessly theatrical.  But they were a remarkable bunch who essentially invented broadcast journalism as we know it, and, because of new technology, could cover World War II as no war had ever been covered.  Murrow himself died almost half a century ago. 

IS THIS GOOD? – From CBS:  "PLAYA VISTA (CBSLA.com) — It takes about six hours to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco – depending on your speed – and more than an hour to fly.  But in the future, the trip may take a matter of minutes.  Designers of the speed tube called Hyperloop say they are one step closer to making that happen.  Tesla founder Elon Musk says the technology is being developed with the help of about 25 UCLA graduate architecture students at a facility in Playa Vista."  Yikes.  Just the thought of all those liberals getting together so easily.  Oughta be against the law.

PEOPLE LIVING LONGER – From Fox:  "Global life expectancy has risen by more than six years since 1990 thanks to falling death rates from cancer and heart disease in rich countries and better survival in poor countries from diarrhea, tuberculosis and malaria.  In an analysis from the 2013 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, health researchers said, however, that while life expectancy is rising almost everywhere in the world, one notable exception is southern sub-Saharan Africa, where deaths from HIV/AIDS have erased some five years of life expectancy since 1990."  In 1900 the life expectancy for white men in the United States was 47, and for white women 49.  Expectancy for African-Americans was lower.  by 2000 the life expectancy for white men was 75, and for white women it was 80.  Incredible progress in this country, but not everywhere else.

WE FIGHT BACK! – From the Washington Times:  "The White House vowed a 'proportional' response Thursday to North Korea’s suspected hacking of Sony Pictures, as lawmakers pledged to beef up the nation’s cybersecurity defenses and blamed the Obama administration for failing to get tough with state-sponsored hackers.  Administration officials said President Obama’s national security team is considering a range of options to retaliate against those responsible for the cyberattack on the movie studio, which canceled the release of the $42 million film 'The Interview' under threat of Sept. 11-style violence at theaters."  Take that, North Korea!  We're targeting your big guy, Workers Pictures Ltd, and its new release, "Crimes of the American Imperialists and their Sinister Girlfriends."  No Oscar for that one!

December 18, 2014       Permalink

DUMB AND DUMBER – AT 10:48 A.M. ET:  New York is vying for the coveted title of dumbest state in the Union.  It is, as we've reported, the largest outmigration state.  More people leave New York than any other state.  Now it seems determined to keep it that way.  From Fox: 

New York officials on Wednesday moved forward with an effort to ban fracking across the state, citing excessive environmental and health concerns.

Strange.  They do it in the Dakotas, and the people are still alive, healthy, and making good incomes.

The move came during a Cabinet-level meeting in Albany, the state capital, in which Gov. Andrew Cuomo's environmental commissioner, Joe Martens, recommended a ban.

Cuomo, a Democrat, said he will defer to Martens and acting Health Commissioner Howard Zucker in making a final decision.

Translated into English:  "Look, I want to be president someday, which means satisfying the enviro-nuts, who can veto a nomination."

A ban would end the state's current six-month moratorium on fracking.

The process of fracking involves shooting a mix of pressurized water, sand and chemicals to split rock formations to release natural gas and so-called tight oil.

The widely used, deep-drilling process has resulted in a surge in domestic-energy production and has created millions of new jobs.

However, state and local governments are pushing for bans over the health and environmental concerns, including the potential for earthquakes and the contamination of natural water supplies.

New York sits atop the Marcellus shale formation, which stretches 600 miles along the Appalachian Basin and is rich in natural gas deposits.

Fracking supporters immediately expressed opposition to the state’s plan.

“Today’s action by Governor Cuomo shows that New York families, teachers, roads and good-paying jobs have lost out to political gamesmanship,” said Karen Moreau, of the New York Petroleum Council, an arm of the American Petroleum Institute, which represents some of the world's biggest energy companies.

COMMENT:  And these companies are seen as the enemy by the trendy left, much more dangerous than terror groups.  I mean, they can create prosperity!  Talk about disasters.

Fracking would contribute enormously to New York's economy, which is today heavily dependent on Wall Street.  Fracking is a major factor in making this country energy-independent.  Fracking works, and can be made safe.

Down with fracking!  Up with the Castro brothers!

December 18, 2014       Permalink

MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST UNDERSTAND THEIR CULTURE – AT 9:18 A.M. ET:   The horror stories from ISIS continue.  From London's normally leftist Independent: 

Iraq's Ministry of Human Rights has claimed that Isis militants have executed at least 150 women in the Western province of Al-Anbar, Turkish media has reported.

A statement released by the ministry on Tuesday said the militants had attacked women before burying them in mass graves in Fallujah, according to the Anadolu Agency.

"At least 150 females, including pregnant women, were executed in Fallujah [...] after they refused to accept jihad marriage," the statement said.

"Many families were also forced to migrate from the province’s northern town of Al-Wafa after hundreds of residents received death threats."

Isis has overrun a large part of the western Anbar province in its push to expand its territory across swathes of Iraq and Syria.

As a group, Isis has been responsible for mass executions before.

Last month, the militant group shot dead at least 50 men, women and children in a tribe massacre in the province last month.

The attack against the Al Bu Nimr tribe took place in the village of Ras al-Maa, north of Ramadi, the provincial capital. There, the militant group killed at least 40 men, six women and four children.

COMMENT:  Notice the deep concern of the international "human rights" community.  They're more upset by rough interrogation techniques practiced by the United States.   They certainly have a great set of priorities.

December 18, 2014       Permalink

A DISSENTING LIBERAL VIEW – AT 8:52 A.M. ET:  While The New York Times is, predictably, in ecstasy over Obama's Cuba move, the Washington Post is considerably less enthusiastic.  As we've argued before, the Post has the most thoughtful liberal editorial page in the country.  Consider:   

IN RECENT months, the outlook for the Castro regime in Cuba was growing steadily darker. The modest reforms it adopted in recent years to improve abysmal economic conditions had stalled, due to the regime’s refusal to allow Cubans greater freedoms. Worse, the accelerating economic collapse of Venezuela meant that the huge subsidies that have kept the Castros afloat for the past decade were in peril. A growing number of Cubans were demanding basic human rights, such as freedom of speech and assembly.

On Wednesday, the Castros suddenly obtained a comprehensive bailout — from the Obama administration. President Obama granted the regime everything on its wish list that was within his power to grant; a full lifting of the trade embargo requires congressional action. Full diplomatic relations will be established, Cuba’s place on the list of terrorism sponsors reviewed and restrictions lifted on U.S. investment and most travel to Cuba. That liberalization will provide Havana with a fresh source of desperately needed hard currency and eliminate U.S. leverage for political reforms.

As part of the bargain, Havana released Alan Gross, a U.S. Agency for International Development contractor who was unjustly imprisoned five years ago for trying to help Cuban Jews. Also freed was an unidentified U.S. intelligence agent in Cuba — as were three Cuban spies who had been convicted of operations in Florida that led to Cuba’s 1996 shootdown of a plane carrying anti-Castro activists. While Mr. Obama sought to portray Mr. Gross’s release as unrelated to the spy swap, there can be no question that Cuba’s hard-line intelligence apparatus obtained exactly what it sought when it made Mr. Gross a de facto hostage.

No wonder Yoani Sánchez, Cuba’s leading dissident blogger, concluded Wednesday that “Castroism has won” and predicted that for weeks Cubans will have to endure proclamations by the government that it is the “winner of its ultimate battle.”

COMMENT:  The Post is correct.  Dictatorships never agree to anything that will weaken the dictatorship.  This editorial will further agitate those on the orthodox left who have grown increasingly frustrated over the Post's nasty habit of thinking. 

December 18, 2014       Permalink

FROM ONE FAILED PRESIDENT TO ANOTHER – AT 8:31 A.M. ET:  His Eminence, Jimmy Carter, has now spoken out in effusive praise of his "little Jimmy" copy, Barack Obama, and the latter's decision to open relations with Cuba.  The delusions flow.  From The Politico:

Former President Jimmy Carter on Thursday praised President Barack Obama’s “political courage” in reestablishing relations with Cuba.

“This is the kind of thing that has been long overdue, and I’m very proud and grateful that President Obama has shown such wisdom and also I think political courage in taking these long overdue steps,” Carter told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Whenever someone on the political left praises "political courage," run in the other direction.  It generally means that something has been done in defiance of the will of the American people, who are regarded as dolts and reactionaries ruled by dead white men who reappear miraculously on July 4th in funny outfits.

Carter, who also tried to mend relations with Cuba as president, said that the Cuban people will be the main beneficiaries of a new relationship - not the country’s rulers - and he added that the move will be “good for both countries.”

“I think this openness of communication will be much better, there will obviously be more trade, commerce, visitation back and forth, which I think will promote democracy,” Carter said.

We hope so, but that usually is not the case.  Nixon opened China, but the Chinese people are as controlled as they ever were.  In addition, while the opening to China has produced some economic benefits for both countries, the growth of the Chinese economy has also meant the growth of a powerful and threatening military.

There are no absolute predictable results here.  But we do know that the first effect has been to strengthen the Castro boys, who are in firmer control than ever.  And why should that surprise us?  Look at all the relationships that Nazi Germany enjoyed in the 1930s.  You know how that worked out.

What many resent here is Obama's refusal to discuss this major step with the American people, or even with Congress, before he took it.  What is further resented is the fact that we got essentially nothing for giving the Cuban regime what it has dreamed of for years, respectability in Washington.

You may be sure, though, that Obama will enjoy a good Cuban cigar.

December 18,  2014     Permalink

DECEMBER 17,  2014

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:04 P.M. ET: 

ANOTHER VICTORY – In the last House race to be decided, this one by recount, Republicans picked up another victory.  From the Washington Post:   "Republicans clinched their 247th U.S. House seat on Wednesday when GOP challenger Martha McSally officially unseated Rep. Ron Barber (D-Ariz.), bringing to an end the final unresolved congressional election of the midterms and handing the GOP its largest majority in the chamber since the Great Depression.  McSally's narrow win, which came after a recount, means that House Republicans will begin the 114th Congress with a 247-188 advantage over Democrats. It is the largest GOP majority since Republicans claimed 270 seats in the 1928 election."   McSally, a graduate of the Air Force Academy, was the first woman in American history to fly a combat aircraft into enemy territory.  She's likely to become a Republican star. 

DISGRACEFUL – President Obama denounced the slaughter in Pakistan that took the lives of 132 children, but conspicuously did not name the Taliban as the group that carried out the attack.  Maybe no one told him, or he was about to proclaim "Be nice to the Taliban" week.  We are now leaving Afghanistan, and it's likely the Taliban there will carry out massive attacks as well to prove its power.  Obama will blame Bush.

SURRENDER – The decision by SONY to pull its movie, "The Interview," after hackers threatened a 9-11 style attack on theaters, is a complete capitulation and a serious blow to free speech.  It potentially can give cyber-terrorists control over what Americans can see or not see.  Fortunately, the cowardly decision is being almost universally denounced.  Actor Rob Lowe tweeted, "Hollywood has done Neville Chamberlain proud today."  The president of the United States has had nothing to say, busy as he is appeasing the Castro regime in Cuba.  One capitulation at a time, please.

CUBA – We are still absorbing the news of President Obama's "opening" to Cuba, which will result in full diplomatic relations and the establishment of our embassy in Havana.  The left is rejoicing, but so are businessmen who see profit, and don't care about the people of Cuba, who haven't gotten a thing out of Obama's concession.  As Senator Marco Rubio of Florida said, this won't do a thing for Cuban freedom, but it will secure the power of the Castro family.  You would have thought that a policy change this great would have prompted some discussion with the American people, and certainly with Congress.  Like immigration "reform," Obama sprung this on Americans after an election, not giving our people a chance to express their own view.  It's typical of a man who admires dictatorships more than democracies.  There is now chilling speculation that Obama will do the same thing with Iran – establish full relations, throwing many of our Mideast allies, including Israel, under the bus. 

December 17, 2014       Permalink

SIGN OF THE FUTURE? – AT 8:21 A.M. ET:  And possible trouble for Chris Christie, if he decides to run for president.   From NorthJersey.com: 

The German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz is looking to move its 1,000-employee North American headquarters from Montvale to Atlanta, several sources said Tuesday.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle first reported on Tuesday that Mercedes-Benz USA is considering the move. A company spokesman declined to comment on the report, but several sources told The Record that Mercedes-Benz was indeed considering leaving Bergen County. One source within the company told The Record that an announcement on a move may come in January, at a company reception.

“As a matter of policy, the company does not comment on rumors or speculation,” said Mercedes-Benz spokesman Rob Moran.

If the reports are accurate, Mercedes-Benz would be the latest in a string of major companies to move their corporate headquarters from Bergen County to the South. The car-rental company Hertz moved from Park Ridge to south Florida, and the BubbleWrap maker Sealed Air is moving from Elmwood Park to Charlotte, N.C., both with the help of tax incentives from those states.

Montvale would be losing its second-largest private employer, behind the accounting giant KPMG, according to the Bergen County Economic Development Corp. Mercedes-Benz is among the top 10 corporate employers in the county and paid $916,700 in local taxes on its properties this year, according to the borough’s website.

COMMENT:  When a high-visibility firm leaves, throwing people out of work, and reducing the tax base, there are political implications.  When it's one of a number who have left, the political implications are magnified.  When the firm is famous, and prestigious, it makes matters worse.

And why shouldn't they leave?  There are greater opportunities in more dynamic American states.  The taxes are lower.  The cost of living for employees is much lower.

Next door to New Jersey, New York has become the largest out-migration state in the Union.  More people leave New York than any other state. 

And yet, the politicians haven't taken the hints.  These are liberal states with liberal, high-tax policies.  Their future is bleak unless they change, but they won't change.  There are too many interests involved, including the ultra-powerful public-service unions.  There are no Scott Walkers on the horizon. 

Scott Walker saved Wisconsin.  Who will save the old states of the northeast?

December 17, 2014       Permalink

APPALLING – AT 8:10 A.M. ET:   This is Obama's America in 2014.  From CNS: 

The Census Bureau reported in a study released this week that 65 percent of American children lived in households taking aid from one or more federal program as of the fall of 2011.

"Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of children," said the Census Bureau, "lived in households that participated in at least one or more of the following government aid programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Medicaid, and the National School Lunch Program."

How to be dependent on government is now one of the earliest life lessons America is teaching nearly a supermajority of children.

The percentage of children living in households participating in TANF, food stamps, WIC, Medicaid or the National School Lunch Program has been on the rise.

In 2003, according to the Census Bureau, there were a total of 72,658,000 children 17 and under in the United States, and 40,337,000 of these children — or 56 percent — lived in households receiving aid from one of more of these programs.

That included 30,023,000 children in the National School Lunch Program, 18,175,000 in households on Medicaid, 8,287,000 in households on food stamps, 4,808,000 in households on WIC, and 2,347,000 in households on TANF.

By 2011, there were 74,294,000 children 17 and under and 47,939,000 of these children — or 65 percent — lived in households receiving aid from one or more of these programs.

COMMENT:  Not exactly the trend you want, not exactly a sign of the recovering economy that the Obamans brag about.  And, of course, families dependent on government help will vote for the candidates who will continue and expand that help.  It's human nature.

Thus do free nations go socialist over time.

December 17, 2014       Permalink

RUSSIA IN TROUBLE – AT 8:01 A.M. ET:  We mentioned this on "Short Takes" last night.  In part because of the steep decline in oil prices, Russia's economy is in serious trouble.  The implications are global.  From Britain's Telegraph:   

Russia has lost control of its economy and may be forced to impose Soviet-style exchange controls after "shock and awe" action by the central bank failed to stem the collapse of the rouble.

“The situation is critical,” said the central bank’s vice-chairman, Sergei Shvetsov. “What is happening is a nightmare that we could not even have imagined a year ago."

The currency crashed to 100 against the euro in the biggest one-day drop since the default crisis in 1998 as capital flight gathered pace, despite a drastic rise in interest rates to 17pc intended to crush speculators and show resolve.

Yields on two-year Russian bonds spiralled to 15.36pc, while credit default swaps are pricing in a one-third chance of a sovereign default. The shares of Russia’s biggest lender, Sberbank, fell 18pc.
Neil Shearing, from Capital Economics, said the spectacular failure of the rate shock may bring matters to a head. “If a rise of 650 basis points won’t do the job, we are near the end. That means stringent capital controls,” he said.

Michal Dybula, from BNP Paribas, said the rouble plunges risk setting off a systemic bank run. “A large-scale run on deposits, once under way, would make capital controls pretty much unavoidable,” he said, adding that the authorities may start by forcing state-controlled companies to sell foreign assets and repatriate funds.

In Washington, the White House said it had no intention of easing pressure on Russia to halt the freefall. "It is president Vladimir Putin's decision to make. The aim is to sharpen the choice that he faces," it said.

COMMENT:  One fear is that, if Russia gets into serious trouble economically, Putin may do what other dictatorial leaders have done under those circumstances.  He may go to war, rallying the people around the flag.  Ukraine is the place to watch.

Interesting year coming up, ay?

December 17, 2014       Permalink

THE RACE, ALREADY – AT 7:51 A.M. ET:  The polling for 2016 is well underway.   From Fox:

Former Massachusetts Gov. and 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney leads the growing pack for the GOP presidential nomination, while former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains far ahead among Democrats.

That’s according to a Fox News poll released Tuesday.

Romney dominates the field for the 2016 Republican nomination. He comes in at 19 percent among self-identified Republicans, followed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 10 percent. No other candidates garner double-digit backing.

I suspect this is more a question of name recognition than anything else.  And those numbers aren't high enough to be significant anyway.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul each receive eight percent. Next, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker captures seven percent, followed by retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan each at six percent and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at five percent.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (four percent), Ohio Gov. John Kasich (two percent), Texas Gov. Rick Perry (two percent), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (one percent) and former Penn. Sen. Rick Santorum (one percent) each receive the backing of less than five percent of Republicans.

This is the first time that Fox News has included Romney, Huckabee and Carson in its 2016 national GOP primary ballot test.

"Rumors about Romney running again are likely to get a further boost with these numbers," says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News poll with Democratic pollster Chris Anderson.

Shaw adds, "With Romney and Bush running one and two among GOPers, you wonder if John McCain or Bob Dole want to get in on the action."

And...

On the Democratic side, Clinton is still 50 points ahead of her nearest rival -- even though support for her is down somewhat from previous polls. Clinton receives the backing of 62 percent of self-identified Democrats. That’s down from 64 percent in July and a high of 69 percent in April.

Elizabeth Warren is at 12 percent, and Joe Biden is at 10 percent.  The movement in numbers is not that dramatic, but Clinton is declining and Warren is advancing. 

December 17,  2014     Permalink