Supreme Court Voids D.C. Gun Ban

Finally, some good news on the second amendment front:

From Newsmax.com:

"The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense and hunting, the justices' first major pronouncement on gun rights in U.S. history."

Read the rest...

-Bob

The Coming Obama Stock Market Crash

Just when you thought that it couldn't get worse, we now have The Coming Obama Stock Market Crash!

Brace yourselves...

-Bob

Weather Channel founder: Al Gore to blame for gas prices

From Grassfire.org:

John Coleman, the Founder of the Weather Channel, recently made a case linking Al Gore’s Climate Alarmism with the rising gas prices.

Go here to access that article:

http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?U=8295&CID=106&RID=16196735

It is clear that radical environmentalism must take much of the blame for our current gas crisis. Consider this:

• No nuclear plants in the past 20 years. Why? Environmentalists will not allow it.
• Our domestic oil production has dropped by 22 percent since the last energy crisis. Again, radical environmentalism is working against any new drilling.
• Did you know that Rocky Mountain shale oil holds more than six times as much potential oil reserves as Saudi Arabia -- enough to fuel America well into the next century? Environmentalists don't want this resource to be touched.

And the bogus threat that CO2 is destroying the planet will make it virtually impossible for America to expand our own capacity.

Robert, that's why I want you to have a powerful DVD that exposes the fallacy of man-made global warming.

Go here to request your copy in appreciation of a gift of any amount to Grassfire:

http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?U=8296&CID=106&RID=16196735

Unless we expose the fallacy of Climate Alarmism, we will never break free from the tyranny of foreign oil and gas prices will never recover. The environmentalists simply will not allow it!

I hope you will take advantage of this resource -- again, in appreciation of your gift of any amount to Grassfire.

Thank you so much for standing against the radical agenda of the Climate Alarmists.


Steve Elliott

-Bob

Petition to stop the North American Union

Momentum is building in our government to create the "framework" for a North American Union that would undermine our nation's sovereignty and open our borders.

I just signed an important citizen petition opposing these latest efforts. Please go here to sign:

http://www.grassfire.org/89/petition.asp?PID=14158802&NID=1

Thanks!

-Bob

Flooding at Hononegah Forest Preserve

Today, quite a storm came through the area. In honor of Carbon Belch Day we decided to take a drive and look around.

Here is pictures of what we found at the local Forest Preserve (Hononegah Forest Preserve):






Looks fine so far...

As we enter the picnic area, things change.

Getting a little damp...

 

Where did the road go?

 

It's starting to look more like a swamp...

 

 

In another part of the picnic area:




Looking more like a boot launch than a road. Notice the road is just barely visible through the water?

 

The view further to the left. Notice the outhouses and the picnic tables under water?

 

Update: 6/13/2008 - My pictures have made the Weather page at WIFR.com. Check it out!

-Bob

Obama's a 'Post Turtle'

This one came from one of the mailing lists that my wife subscribes to. It's so funny, I couldn't help but to post it here:

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas rancher, whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our President.

The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Obama is a 'post turtle'."

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was. The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'."

The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. "You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he is up there, and you just wonder what kind of a dumb ass put him up there to begin with."

-Bob

Stop the Green Pig: Defeat the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman Green Pork Bill Capping American Jobs and Trading America's Future

A must read: Stop the Green Pig: Defeat the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman Green Pork Bill Capping American Jobs and Trading America's Future:

Instead of acting to lower gas prices, your representatives in the Senate began debate yesterday on a measure that will increase gas prices.

Instead of heeding your voice, Congress is acting in defiance of it.

Instead of giving you relief from high gas prices, your elected representatives are debating how to give even more handouts to lobbyists and special interests.

To top this off, here is the response I received from B. Hussein Obama today:

Dear Robert:

Thank you for contacting me about the effect of greenhouse gas emissions on the global climate and your views regarding the Lieberman-Warner proposal to address this issue.

I agree that the issue of climate change requires decisive and urgent Congressional action. I am a cosponsor of the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309) introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders in January. This proposal outlines a long-term plan which would cap greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide beginning in 2010, with a goal of reducing emissions by 80 percent of 1990 levels by the year 2050.

I also authored the National Low Carbon Fuels Act, which requires a net 10 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in our transportation fuels by the year 2020. That bill, coupled with my Fuel Economy Reform Act, which requires vehicles to achieve 40 miles per gallon by 2020, would together result in the greenhouse-gas-equivalent of removing more than 50 million cars off the road in twelve years.

On October 18, 2007, Senators Lieberman and Warner introduced America's Climate Security Act of 2007 (S. 2191). In the following weeks, the Senate Environmental and Public Works panel held both subcommittee and full committee hearings on the bill. On December 5, the panel favorably reported S. 2191 by a vote of 11-8. First and foremost, the Lieberman-Warner proposal contains a cap-and-trade framework for addressing greenhouse gas reduction, an approach that I have consistently endorsed. Next, the bill sets targets for a phased reduction in emissions to 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and to 70 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. S. 2191 also includes some important provisions such as energy assitance for low-income households, new efficiency standards for appliances and buildings, and incentives for the development and deployment of renewable energy technologies.

The evidence is compelling that even if carbon dioxide emissions are restricted to today’s levels, the earth’s climate could be several degrees warmer in the next 50 years. My two daughters were born in the late 1990s, and if this problem is largely unaddressed, they will likely experience the effects of global climate change in their lifespan. I agree with your views that carbon control legislation must have targets that achieve bold and real reductions in greenhouse gases, both in the near term and mid-century, to prevent irreversible damage to the climate, and I will communicate these concerns with my Senate colleagues.

Again, thank you for contacting me. You may rest assured that I will continue to be an advocate for strong and timely action on the global climate change problem.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator


P.S. Our system does not allow direct response to this email. However, if you would like to contact me again, please use the form on the website: http://obama.senate.gov/contact/

What did I write to B. Hussein Obama, you ask? Here it is:

Senator Obama,

As you know, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 2191/3036) AKA the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman Gas Tax Hike bill is currently being debated in the Senate. This bill if passed, could cause gas prices to increase by more than $3.00 per gallon. Gas prices are already way too high due to current policies. This bill would only serve to drive prices higher.

We need real solutions to this problem. There are plenty of domestic sources of oil (and other resources) available. Instead, we have surrendered control to the Middle East and other hostile countries. Please explain exactly how higher taxes, and the resulting higher gas prices will prevent this situation from getting even worse? This problem can be solved and higher taxes are not the answer.

Please do the right thing and strongly oppose S. 2191/3036. The People of Illinois already have a hard enough time affording enough fuel in their cars just to get to work. Taxes on fuel are already way too high. Please don't make it worse. Oppose S. 2191/3036.

Any idea, why he thinks that I agree with him at all? I didn't even mention "climate change" or "Global Warming". I told him to oppose the bill on the basis of gas prices...

As Newt puts it so well:

I've long maintained that there are two ways to protect the environment: There is the old-style, command and control, government regulation and litigation approach. Or there is the new way which uses technology, innovation and incentives to protect our environment.

Of these two approaches, the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman bill is definitely of the old school. The Wall Street Journal calls it "the most extensive government reorganization of the American economy since the 1930s."

Which way do you think will actually work? I'm all for option #2!

-Bob

Dick Durbin wants lower fuel prices and higher fuel taxes

Leave it to a Democrat to try to play both sides. Tonight I watched two videos from Dick Durbin's senate web site:

1. http://durbin.senate.gov/watchClip.cfm?clipId=d805af5c-1682-4acb-aa4a-a7a5df930ce1 - 5/28/2008 - Durbin talks about high gas prices, how it's hurting our state, and what he'd like to do about it (put the screws to "big business"). Of course, he doesn't admit that he's partially to blame for this situation.
2. http://durbin.senate.gov/watchClip.cfm?clipId=674b41e3-2664-4d0c-9e69-cc768bcde421 - 5/30/2008 - Durbin talks about Al Gore style Global Warming and what he'd like to do about it. He's clearly buying into Al Gore's Carbon Credit scheme (swindle would be a better word for it). What he didn't mention is the 1.2 Trillion Dollar Carbon tax and how much high it's going to drive gas prices.
   

So, what must be going through Dick's mind? Here's my take:

1. Oil Companies ("big business") are evil and have conspired together to raise gas prices to record highs. They have no concern for the economy. They just are out to "make a buck".
2. The government can pressure the Oil Companies into operating at a loss (or at least without profit) by telling them "it's the right thing to do". This will correct their "evil ways" and bring gas price back down to more palatable levels.
3. Al Gore knows more about Global Warming than any real scientist.
4. Al Gore's Carbon Credit scheme is the solution to all of our problems.
5. Because he'll be able to make the Oil Companies correct their "evil ways", we won't notice the 1.2 Trillion Dollar Carbon Tax that drove the fuel prices even higher.

Back to reality. What's really going on?

1. Oil Companies are like any other business. They expect to bring in more money than what they spend (that's called "profit"). They have to get the oil that becomes gasoline somewhere. Today, that means buying it from other countries (including those that are hostile to the US) that have worked together to drive prices higher. In true capitalism price gouging is quickly corrected by market forces. The Oil business has historically been a business of higher than average prices. Hence the phrase "strike it rich" in reference to discovering oil.
2. The Democrats have worked very hard to prevent the Oil Companies from obtaining their oil from domestic sources. Examples of untapped domestic sources blocked by Democrats include: ANWR.org, ANWR Democrats, oil shale in Colorado, etc. The Democrats have also worked hard to keep gas prices high. As Newt Gingrich Posted on 05/20/2008: Saudi Arabia Did More Last Week to Lower Gas Prices Than Congress Did.
3. Al Gore appears to have have no idea what he is talking about. As I have written about before, http://blog.justbob.us/2008/05/unstoppable-solar-cycles.html and http://blog.justbob.us/2008/04/happy-earth-day-al-gore.html Al is frequently putting the "cart before the horse". As seen in Unstoppable Solar Cycles, An inconvenient Truth, and The Global Warming Swindle. It appears that any real scientist that looks at our climate over a significant span of time (much, much more than 100 years) find that our climate changes over time, and this change has little to do with humans.
   
4. The Democrats believe that we can be "taxed into prosperity". With this in mind, a 1.2 Trillion Dollar tax should make us all rich (exactly how does that work anyway?). In reality, we will all be poorer (except a few politicians...).
5. Exactly how does a Carbon Credit "fix" "Global Warming". Does that mean that if you have enough money, you can just "fix" the "problem"? Why hasn't someone like Bill Gates bought enough Carbon Credits to solve it once and for all? Answer - if the problem is real (a real question), money won't fix it. If anything, it's an engineering issue, not a money issue (as in buying Carbon Credits, see: http://newsbusters.org/node/10989). Again, the reality: A Carbon Credit is a license to pollute, nothing more.

That's enough venting for now from me. What do you have to add?

-Bob