The Myth of Green Jobs

Great piece on the myth of green jobs here.

The one thing the author did not mention is that many of the manufacturing jobs for the green technologies, such as wind turbines, smart meters, electric cars, will all be overseas jobs. And while the United States may, may have the R & D jobs, those will be miniscule compared to the potential manufacturing.

The wild herd running toward green jobs might want to think a little before leaping off the cliff. Certainly the number of jobs created will not replace those eliminated, much less make up for the huge and vast unemployment we currently have.

Money Under A Mattress

And why is it we need banks?

Tiger

Gotta' post about this. And the only thing I have to say is: "will we ever have a week without an apology?

Great analysis of Tiger's moment here.

And thank you Jenny Sanford for setting the standard that wives do not have to be humiliated during this ordeal. Stay away!

Real World

With all the hype on all sides of the political spectrum about stimulus and jobs, here is a short piece from a mid-size business owner (who actually manufactures something...) on why his business is not ready to hire, yet.

I think it's going to be awhile before those unemployment numbers start to decline. And remember, we are adding more people to the work force than jobs we are creating.

You Go Girl!

Lindsey Vonn, the courageous downhill skier from America. Remember four years ago, this is the woman who, despite a horrific fall, came back and skied. She now owns the downhill. Gold medal. Silver to teammate and friend Julia Mancuso.

Ya-hoo!

What Is Wrong With Our Justice?

The recent loud and semi-obnoxious debate over the location of the trial for the alleged "mastermind" of September 11th, and the decision by the Obama Administration to try the "Christmas Day" bomber in federal "civilian" criminal court, simply stuns me. The very same people who stand up over and over again, yelling that they are proud to be Americans, are also saying they don't trust the American judicial system. They somehow believe the despite millions of successful convictions, the destruction of too many to name criminal organizations, laborious criminal investigations, this judicial system can not find a way to obtain even more evidence against other potential terrorists or that by somehow allowing a terrorist his day in court we are granting "special rights."

Even if we tried these men in military court they would have something similar to a Miranda warning and be appointed lawyers.

But by trying them in our federal "civilian" courts, we confirm that this country is, indeed, not some backwater, oppressive sinkhole or totalitarian regime like China. And not that we need to say this to the world, but rather, we need to remind ourselves, daily, why we are indeed proud to be Americans. Our criminal justice system works. The Christmas Day bomber is talking, hundreds of terrorists since September 11th have talked, given up details of other plots, of other defendants. Judges have handed down severe sentences. Even the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the one circuit conservatives love to bash, demanded a stiffer sentence of a terrorist recently convicted in the Western District of Washington.

So, those who want to tell me they are proud to be an American but don't want to see terrorists tried in federal court...well, it's America. Love it or leave it.

Vancouver 2010

I am a huge fan of the Olympics. But I thought this short video on pushing the limits was quite interesting. Frankly, one of the downsides of the modern Olympics is the pandering to money, whether corporate or TV.

Nonetheless, I will be glued to the TV for two weeks!

Obstruction

This is what happens when you become an obstructionist.

Green Police

One of the Super Bowl commercials that presages a world that may come is for Audi. Essentially it is an ad for a "clean diesel" Audi. But it shows "green police" arresting people for every day decisions such as throwing out a battery, installing incandescent light bulbs, putting an orange rind down a disposal...but the guy who can afford an Audi stationwagon gets off scott free in a green police roadblock.

And while Audi in it's web page wants to encourage "green activities," what really struck me about this ad are several things. The rich can avoid penalties because they can afford to buy carbon credits and Audis (furthering the divide between the rich and everyone else), the paramilitary way environmental laws and regulations may be enforced, and the other message that the rich can continue with their consumptive life style as long as they buy expensive ""green goods."

Travel and the Environment

While I thought some of the thoughts in this piece were more than slightly elitist (as in, I can pay for my "sins" by donating money), the comments are also interesting. It's true, those of us who work toward trying to make as little dent on the Earth as possible must continually ask about the impacts of economic growth. There are no such things as green jobs and smart growth.

We're Not Out of the Woods

Buried deep in this article about European economic issues, and today's declining stock market, are woeful employment numbers.

And one more thing. The economic battles between the US and China are just beginning. For years, China, eager to jump-start it's economic juggernaut with cheap labor, inexpensive raw materials, and oppressive government, would at least occasionally kow-tow to American demands. But no longer. They own us, they don't have to do what we ask. The kidnap a human rights activist (and refuse to disclose if he is even alive), the execute a Briton convicted of selling drugs, they smile at Copenhagen but balk at any emission restrictions or real reductions, and they somehow hack into Google...

So, America, how does it feel to be Briton in 1930?

Super Bowl Ads

There is this huge dust-up over an ad that almost no one has seen which will apparently be shown during the Super Bowl this coming Sunday. Tim Tebow, a twice nominated and once winning Heisman trophy quarterback for the University of Florida, will apparently appear in an ad with his mother. His mother will talk about how she chose to have Tim, rather than abort, after horrific medical news during her pregnancy.

The usual suspects are lambasting CBS for running the ad. Sally Jenkins, a great sports writer for the Washington Post wrote a superb piece on this here.

Frankly, I don't care. Tim Tebow and his family have a right to appear in any advertisement they want. Most of the ads during the Super Bowl are so inane and sexist to begin with, that a woman celebrating the fact she made a choice, well, that's pretty amazing. And this guy, from everything I understand, seems to be the role model we want in college athletes. He hasn't been arrested, but rather spent his summer breaks in developing countries doing scut work. He is honest, diligent, hard working, responsible.

And the ad is about choice. His mother had a choice. It's really a pro-choice ad sponsored by the conservative Focus on the Family. How ironic.

So, let's realize an amazing woman who raised a great kid is a far far better advertisement than the sexist Bud beer ads we'll all have to endure if we watch the game.

Does Lady Gaga Read Newspapers?

Recession and the Grammys. One of the reasons, music industry, that sales are plummeting, is because we are in a recession. And strange, narcissistic acts like Lady Gaga, who must have changed costumes, oops, outfits, more than a dozen times, fails to realize the rest of the world is wondering whether the food stamps will last until the end of the month.