Climate Change Policymaking - Do As I Say, Not As I Do

What to make of the Learjet liberals who gad about in their private jets heckling the rest of us about the need to conserve energy? Emily Atkin of The New Republic takes a bold stand - words speak louder than actions so stop hating you haters:

Al Gore’s Carbon Footprint Doesn’t Matter

Conservatives say environmentalists are hypocrites if they consume more energy than the average American. It's a deceitful, disingenuous argument.

Eventually she defends that notion:

But the hypocrisy charge simply doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. An anti-abortion advocate who believes abortion is immoral and should be illegal, but gets one herself, is a hypocrite. But climate change advocates who don’t live a carbon-neutral lifestyle aren’t hypocrites because, for the most part, they’re not asking you to live a carbon-neutral lifestyle. They’re asking governments, utilities, energy companies, and large corporations to increase their use of renewable energy so that you can continue to live your life as you please, without contributing to global warming.

Advocates like Gore certainly have suggested ways individuals can do their part. In 2007, he stated, “The only way to solve this [climate] crisis is for individuals to make changes in their own lives.” But just a year later, he said, “In addition to changing the light bulbs, it is far more important to change the laws and to change the treaty obligations that nations have.” Last month, he said the three best ways are to talk about climate change (which he does), look for environmentally responsible choices when making large purchases (which he does), and support climate-friendly political candidates (which he does). Individual action has never been the focus of his message. 

 

Hmm. Are we really "asking" utilities etc. to favor renewable energy when we put out laws, regulations and taxes pushing them in that direction? And this whole "don't change your lightbulbs - change the law so that your neighbors have to change their lightbulbs!" line of reasoning seems, dare I say it, disingenuous.

 

In any case, "live your life as you please" in a world of higher energy prices certainly means people will be making sacrifices - more money for the energy bill means less money for other things. But wait!

 

As David Roberts pointed out in Vox last year, the reason climate advocates don’t intensely advocate for personal behavioral changes is that they’re “insignificant to the big picture on climate.” That’s true even for huge energy users. DiCaprio’s emissions “are a fart in the wind when it comes to climate change,” Roberts wrote. “If he vanished tomorrow, and all his emissions with him, the effect on global temperature, even on US emissions, even on film-industry emissions, would be lost in the noise.” And it wouldn’t be hypocrisy, since DiCaprio isn’t asking you to stop flying.

 

Oh, well then. Words speak louder than actions.

 

For an alternative vision the NY Times recently ran this helpful advice for their progressive readership:

 

Flying Is Bad for the Planet. You Can Help Make It Better.

 

Why anyone should bother reducing their own farts in the wind is left unexplained. Perhaps virtue-signaling is its own reward?

 

In any case, leaving the damn private jet on the tarmac and bravely enduring first class as an example of commitment to the rest of us is not mentioned.

 

WAITING FOR MY T-SHIRT: When does TNR start marketing their "Think Globally, Talk Locally" t-shirt?

 

Comments

[RattlerGator]

Yo!

[Captain Hate]

The Children of the Cornhole employ casuistry that would embarrass Slim's chimps.

[henry]

I agree... they should toss themselves into volcanos instead.

[Porchlight]

Perhaps virtue-signaling is its own reward?

Got it in one.

The failing NYT doesn't really care about the planet, but it does need to stroke the egos of its diminishing, smug readership.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

That new, Chicken Little report discredits itself from the start. They pick 1980 as their starting point, which is essentially the last year of a thirty year cooling trend.
Had they picked 1998 they would have had to say the rate of warming has stagnated and by some measures may even be level.
Moreover almost no one I know thinks the climate hasn't been warming since the end of the Little Ice Age 150 years ago so of course we will be setting all sorts of historical records. The economy is slowly growing as well and almost every year it sets a record, but the growth is pathetic and hardly implies overheating; pretty similar to the climate. The idea people who can't agree on what the temperature has been for the last thirty years or even what it is right now can know with any degree of confidence what it was 1500 years ago is absurd.
Most importantly their extrapolations are ludicrous and untethered to actual science. "Unprecedented" and "catastrophic" when their models are failing and are the only things which allow one to extrapolate are the words of political science not actual science.

[Porchlight]

It's very simple.

If the climate had changed that drastically, we would all know it without having to read it.

[JimNorCal]

From the end of last thread: RG "I will wait for TM's new post since he is still, you know ..."

Good call! :)

[RattlerGator]

Hmmmmmm . . .

* * *

Priming the Springs of Action: Reconstituting We the People Via Internalized Habits and Values

First, the criteria must be mutual which gets translated to mean that the “intention of the Framers” is not enough . . . .

Secondly, the “Consensus must be Dynamic”. One wonders if an earlier draft said Dialectical instead, but that might be too obvious to get all 100 signatures.

The third precept is that the “Compact Must Be Mutual”. Suddenly, “the First Amendment…is the epitome of public justice and serves as the Golden Rule for civic life.” Personally, I think being told by so many public officials that a “general consent to the obligations of citizenship is therefore inherent in the American experiment, both as a founding principle (‘We the people”) and as a matter of daily practice” is certainly a violation of the *spirit* of the phrase “the government shall not . . .”

* * *

Damn good point, rse. It appears to slyly move us first from masters of the government, to partners with the government, and then . . . subjects -- European style -- of the government.

I keep saying I just don't have time to go down that road you're paving but I do try and get snippets.

[Marlene]

Good Morning! We drove by the Bangor airport Sunday to pick up the dog at his kennel and we noticed several private jets. That isn't unusual for this time of year, but after arriving, it is a 50 mile trip to Northeast Harbor or Seal Harbor or Bar Harbor in backed up traffic. I seriously doubt they worry about their carbon footprint.

[RattlerGator]

Jim, I'm paying serious attention to our guy!

[RattlerGator]

Ohhhhh, boy. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Rich, Rich, Rich. I likely won't be able to get back on the board until tomorrow, but . . . .

* * *

haven't forgotten to respond RattlerGator. it was just that "put up your dukes", I having trouble with.

Posted by: rich | August 08, 2017 at 01:39 AM

Rich, Brother Gator, are you kidding? Nothing more than a friendly love tap between boxers sparring in the ring, trying to help one another get better.

* * *

-- but, then, reflecting back on his August 05, 2017 at 11:46 AM comment --

-- and my August 05, 2017 at 04:44 PM comment in response --

We have this:

* * *

Yes I said fan fiction.

. . . . . !@#$%@#$!

It goes back to OL's banging drum.

. . . . . I swear, I'm gonna smack OL's ass if it's the last damn thing I do!

The Trump Administration is losing momentum, losing the initiative, and getting bogged down in the Swamp game.

. . . . . 201 days in? 201 damn days ??? Are you freaking kidding me? The wild-ass impatience of some here is off-the-chain unrealistic!

He can exercise leadership over the Congress.

. . . . . No hell you dee-ent. No.Hell.You.Dee.Ent.Go.There !!!

((( sigh ))) Yeah, he went there. And he has friends. On the ledge.

* * *

Finally, there's this:

... from my perspective, not everything he is doing is some sort of 4-d chess.

Posted by: rich | August 08, 2017 at 03:34 AM

* * *

Well, Rich, your point is . . . 100% true and point taken.

However, a whole bunch of it *has* been or might as well have been 4D chess. Or Jiu-Jitsu at the very least.

So it is written, so it shall be recorded -- on August 8th in the Year of our Lord 2017 I, holder of the title Swamp Lizard Spartacus, spanked the hell outta Richard of the Ledge (yes, I watched my first ever episode of Game of Thrones last night).

[Ralph L]

The only way to change carbon emissions substantially is to sequester the carbon contained in half the population in the ground.

[henry]

Ralph L, Mao tried that.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

henry,

Regarding your link on the last thread about the reversal in trend on federal employee hiring, you linked something about that from Hot Air yesterday. I don't know if you noticed in the Hot Air article, but they considered this a nothing-burger and evidence that trump wasn't really living up to his promises.

That's how it goes with a lot of the Never Trumpers. They will NOT be convinced even when presented with statistical evidence.

[Threadkiller]

Live your life as you please? The petty hypocrisy crowd isn't going to like this new attitude when they cry a river over Trump's golf outings.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Direct link to Angelo Codevilla's important essay on foreign policy and endless war in the last thread.

[James D.]

I don't see the point in engaging with anything from TN, or Vox, or from any climate change activists. It's all lies, and the people who write it can all go eff themselves.

[henry]

Miss M, from Chicago--

Ask Miss M if she thinks any land lines got cancelled with those terminations. The NeverTrumpers can't think past to see the numbers that go with those terminations. Immature reasoning, IMO.

[Captain Hate]

That's how it goes with a lot of the Never Trumpers. They will NOT be convinced even when presented with statistical evidence.

The Horde hammers AllahBeta with gusto, with the ewok joining in.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Captain Hate,

I agree that they often ignore the Constitution now, unless forced to adhere to it by a Supreme Court decision.

Boy howdy, though, watch how it will be strictly enforced if the progs ever get it re-written the way they want!

The most pernicious thing I am seeing write now is this "speech is the same as violence" thing. Centuries of "Sitcks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me" totally ignored.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

"Right" now.

The perils of typing what you are "hearing" in your mind.

[sbw]

AP headline: Trump has escaped Washington, but don't call it a vacation

Me to AP: Funny how AP, the wire service known to bring every extraneous bit under one headline, doesn’t see fit to mention that Trump necessarily moved out of the White House because of the massive disruptive renovations going on.

[James D.]

re: the RouteFifty article rse linked on the last thread talking approvingly of an Article V convention...

What would actually fix Washington far more effectively than a convention, would be to build some guillotines on the National Mall, and behead everyone who works for, is quoted approvingly by, or is in any other way associated with, RouteFifty.

[Ralph L]

As I read it, all but one of the renovations were to the West Wing, but they may not have advertised refurbing the upstairs residence. They're redoing the South front stairs, which are seldom used. Perhaps they'll change them to escalators.

But with a lot of contractors, it's probably best he leaves the area for security.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://donsurber.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-stealth-president-marches-on.html?spref=tw

[Ralph L]

re Google firing: they should be happy about the manifesto because it helps in their ongoing lawsuit alleging bias against women. If the men are complaining, how can they be discriminating against women?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Another pick-me-up for Threadkiller!

http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/08/07/still-losing-viewers-return-nbc-network-pulls-megyn-kellys-show/

[Captain Hate]

Mark Levin: Henry Kissinger said, thanks to Obama's deal with Iran, they are poised after the defeat of ISIS to fill the power vacuum. If Trump was forced to deal with this with military action, could he count on support for the nation's interest from the Democrats? Could he count on McCain, Flake, Graham, Collins or Murkowski?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Back to the topic!

http://dailycaller.com/2017/08/08/nyts-leaked-bombshell-climate-report-was-actually-public-for-months/?utm_source=site-share

Yes! Another New York Times FAIL!

Link to actual report:

https://archive.org/details/CSSRTODALL

So, let's sum this up. It hasn't been suppressed, no one is TRYING to suppress it, and the New York Times tried to create a scandal and hysteria out of NOTHING!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4771640/Strong-earthquake-strikes-western-China.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline#ixzz4pB2TPhFK

[-peter]

That Levin show depressed the crap out of me

[Clarice Feldman]

wonderful, ™..You remind me of the wit google just firedAs to him Iowahawk says Remember the Hollywood Blacklist..good times.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-north-korea-talks-while-missiles-are-flying-tillerson-says-1502084784?mod=e2tw

North Korea says it will only use nukes against US.

This looks to me like them starting to back off a bit.

[Clarice Feldman]

Sounds to me, MM, like they're trying to get Russia, Jalan and SoKo to back away from us.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://securitystudies.org/understanding-russian-propaganda/

This is interesting, and one of the reasons JOM is valuable.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Clarice,

True and a valid point. However, this seems to me to be a weak argument.

China also test fired some missiles near the NK border yesterday.

[Buckeye]

North Korea says it will only use nukes against US.

This looks to me like them starting to back off a bit.

Even the crazy fatso has to understand that there are submarines off his coast ready to launch cruise missiles with exceptionally "hot" tips.

A NORK ICBM launch, with the US as a target, means NORK ceases to exist.

[Captain Hate]

Fat Boy is as much a threat to blow himself, and anyone in between, up as us.

[Clarice Feldman]

*JaPan*

[Captain Hate]

Levin: Flake defines the "conscience of a conservative" as not being conservative.

[cboldt]

Speaking of Russian propaganda, Congress is better at advancing it than Russia is!

June 22 Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley

These conspiracy theories and wild speculation have played right into Russia's aim of undermining faith in our democratic system.

[glasater]

A fellow came to our home the other day asking if we'd like to investigate installing clean, renewable energy for our home..

(solar panels that the gov subsidizes)

I told him we loved coal energy.

[Barbara]

LOL,glasater! Perfect answer.

[Momto2]

Just got my laptop back! Apple Care is worth every penny.

This entire twitter thread is hysterical!

Title of article: Rural towns in the eclipse’s path brace for a flood of smartphone-toting visitors

It fits right into the "cosmopolitan mindset" of so many. The comments and gifs are great!

One example: "Some of us use tin cans and string, or tie messages to chickens."

https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/893299234505707522

[Threadkiller]

These conspiracy theories and wild speculation have played right into Russia's aim of undermining faith in our democratic system.

I wish I could find my January comment on the leaked conversations of Gen Flynn.

[maryrose]

Janet:
I also turn the channel if the word Russia is mentioned
I have the same reaction to climate whatever which is my new designation for it.
Only read positive articles.
Will not conjecture on Mueller or Asst. Attorney General.Rosenstein.
Bit players will pay fines there is no there there with any collusion from President Trump or his relatives.
Congress can find what they want.
They got no real juice.
Lois Lerner ,Holder and Kostinen proved that.
Known wrongdoing and nothing..

[Old Lurker]

Cap'n "Fat Boy is as much a threat to blow himself, and anyone in between, up as us."

We should introduce Fat Boy to the real Fat Boy, circa 1945.

[sbw]

This looks to me like them starting to back off a bit.

I feel SO much better now.

[maryrose]

Kim deserves the same fate as Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.
He is too dangerous to live.

[James D.]

If Trump was forced to deal with this with military action, could he count on support for the nation's interest from the Democrats? Could he count on McCain, Flake, Graham, Collins or Murkowski?

That's hilarious, CH! Who knew you had such a sense of humor?

Oh, that was a serious question? If we have to go to war, President Trump will get no support from any swamp dwellers. They'll be cheering every setback and celebrating every death of one of our soldiers, as yet another excuse for them to attack and undermine the President.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

sbw,

It isn't meant to encourage US. It's meant to placate Russia and China.

"See boss, I am not after you! Just the US!"

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

The rule of democrats is to support without question and extol any military action undertaken by a democrat (Libya) while undercut, whine about, and agitate against any action run by a Republican (Iraq).

Normally, GOP presidents act like Bush and refuse to call dems unpatriotic when they do this. I do not think Trump will have the same attitude.

[Threadkiller]

http://investmentwatchblog.com/tom-fitton-of-judicial-watch-says-sessions-is-dirty-shocking/

[Threadkiller]

http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-justice-department-blacks-talking-points-lynch-clinton-tarmac-meeting

[Stephanie Puppy Pincushion extraordinaire]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1613904995289014&set=pcb.1613905671955613&type=3&theater

Latest pics.

[James D.]

TK, I am with you.

It is beyond me why AG Sessions is allowing this to happen.

[James D.]

Wonderful pictures, Stephanie! I'm sure you can't wait to start spoiling her.

[Threadkiller]

Our Lurker and I have been chatting on that, James.

He thinks it is a keeping powdre dry scenario where Session's doesn't want JW sending off warning shots that scare away the prey.

I think Session's is building a blackmail file to sell of the the highest DNC bidder in exchange for approval of administration proposals/budget/immigration concerns. Swamp tactics for the good guys.

[UZ]

TL;DR version: "Indulgences are back, and they're great!"

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

TK,

I was just going to suggest something similar. I have zero belief in Sessions as some sort of turncoat, blackmail subject, or bought-off AG.

He's built his entire career on integrity. Fitton likes to gin up drama and look all bi-partisany because of his donors. JW pulled the same thing when GWB got elected, going after Laura Bush for having tea with Hillary Clinton.

I do think, however, that's when Larry Klayman and Fitton parted company.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Stephanie,

What a beautiful little girl! And you were right, she does have quite a bit of hair!

[Porchlight]

glasater,

Some clipboard-toting SJW came to my door several years ago to get me to give money to some clean energy group. She told me, with horror in her voice, that there were 115 new coal plants set to go online in the US in the next n years. I told her I was delighted to hear it.

[Momto2]

Cute as a button, Stephanie! I know you are so happy. Enjoy every single minute.

[maryrose]

Steph:
She is adorable!
Happy grand parenting !

[lurkersusie]

Stephanie,

Thanks for sharing the pictures of your adorable
granddaughter. You are one lucky grandma.

[Stephanie Puppy Pincushion extraordinaire]

Thanks y'all! She is the sweetest. Not a big cryer and content to just look around and make funny faces when she isn't sleeping.

Of course, I did get pooped on last night. She had a big grin after that. Stinker!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/opinion/getting-trump-out-of-my-brain.html?smid=tw-share

David Brooks reveals that he doesn't want to think about Trump anymore.

MY theory is that his brain is telling him that Trump isn't who he thought he was, but rather than give it up, he just will decide "the science is settled" and wallow in his virtue-signaling.

[Captain Hate]

Normally, GOP presidents act like Bush and refuse to call dems unpatriotic when they do this. I do not think Trump will have the same attitude.

Levin was cracking up at the tweets aimed at the fraud Blumenthal.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Grassley is requesting the immigration files of the 6 Pakistanis in the House IT scandal:

https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2017-08-04%20CEG%20to%20DHS%20(Awan%20et%20al%20A%20Files)%20.pdf

Grassley actually functions as a Senator and I have long admired him.

[James D.]

MM, that column is all projection. Clearly Brooks is really describing himself:

There’s nothing more to be learned about mixture of ignorance, insecurity and narcissism. Every second spent on his bluster is more degrading than informative.

[Jane (Stand against the Coup)]

NK is now an official nuclear power, with enough missile power and nuke attachment to hit the US. (Announcement around noon today)

What would you do?

[Extraneus]

Chuck Norris endorses Roy Moore in race for Jeff Sessions’ Senate seat

[sbw]

I am dead set against a constitutional convention.

Evidence?
1) We aren’t smart enough to work within the one we have.
2) No one can name a single principle as self-evident or back up the self-evidence of that principle.
3) No one has shown an ability to manage a single branch of government, much less shown ability to propose branches for a new constitution.
4) The fourth estate considers itself a branch of government with special principles so it doesn’t even understand the constitution we have.
5) As evidenced by journalism, public administration, and politics, public schooling has shown itself incapable of producing graduates who might shine as delegates to such a convention.

And that is just off the top of my head.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjrvKK7nysk

Bill Whittle: Is President Trump a political genius or insanely lucky?

(Right after the State of the Union Speech)

[Captain Hate]

Levin on Flake:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iF73iaul-H8

[daddy]

Good Morning!

My guess is Rush read TM's last post from yesterday before todays show. In Hour 1 Rush makes the point that unlike Al Gore's predictions, the last Stage 3 Hurricane to strike America was 11.7 years ago. Standard stuff.

[Davod]

SBW. I will give you another reason not to hold a constitutional convention. The Progressives will take it over and beat the Constitution like a drum.

Remember the non-partisan Californian commission set up to review and recomend changes to electoral boundaries. The Progs loaded up the citizen meetings with their people so all the commission heard was what the Progs wanted them to hear.

[daddy]

DOW "flirting" with 22,135.

[daddy]

Ooops!

[daddy]

Oh my, that google engineer filed an NLRB complaint before he was fired.

Anybody know if Google employees are part of a Union?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--We should introduce Fat Boy to the real Fat Boy, circa 1945.--

I think it was Fat Man that landed on Nagasaki, OL.
Little Boy was Hiroshima.

[Ralph L]

My sister had so little hair for so long, my mother taped a bow onto her head so people would know she was a girl.

[Old Lurker]

I had to mix and match to make the joke work, Iggy. I was wondering if anyone would get it, so I added the circa 1945 part.

[Threadkiller]

The court ruled 7-2 on the issue, with Chief Justice Roy Moore one of two justices who dissented from the majority's decision, arguing the lower court should have directed the secretary of state to check candidate birth certificates.

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2014/03/alabama_supreme_court_upholds_3.html

[Stephanie Puppy Pincushion extraordinaire]

"My sister had so little hair for so long, my mother taped a bow onto her head so people would know she was a girl."

Ariel's mom was a baldie til about a year old. The day I came home from the hospital with the daughter, my mom and I took everything back to the stores that wasn't pink and bought all pink stuff and loads of hair doodads. That was back before everyone just had to know the sex before birth. I preferred surprises.

I STILL had people come up and ask if she was a boy or a girl.

IF it was happening today, I guess the correct answer would be "YOU SWINE! XI DOESN'T KNOW YET!!" pftui!

Much more fun to do what I did and lift an eyebrow and say "Bless your heart, are you colorblind?" with "dumbass" firmly sotto voce.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 9m9 minutes ago

E-mails show that the AmazonWashingtonPost and the FailingNewYorkTimes were reluctant to cover the Clinton/Lynch secret meeting in plane.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 39s40 seconds ago

After 200 days, rarely has any Administration achieved what we have achieved..not even close! Don't believe the Fake News Suppression Polls!

[daddy]

The issue with lecture formats is unauthorized dissent has an opportunity to express itself, risking the spread of too much free thinking.

Dennis Prager in Hour 2 yesterday had one of the UCLA Professor's who has attempted to get Dennis banned from guest-conducting the Santa Monica Symphony. The UCLA Prof is a Professor of Anthropology and History, and plays an instrument in the Symphony.

Dennis had him on for a full hour yesterday and it was revealing to listen to the illogic spouted by the UCLA prof in his pronouncements that Prager is a racist and a hate filled bigot. You had to listen to find out how insane the Prof was. Dennis had previously written a column that Leftism was like a cancer in the bloodstream of America and that like the way you fight against cancer with chemicals and radiation we had to fight against Leftism in its efforts to take down the Constitution and destroy the principles America was founded on. The Prof believed that that language made Prager a Racist, since he had used the word "blood" as a subliminal call to White Racists, and also he was a "Genocidist," because by mentioning the word chemicals in dealing with cancer, he was metaphorically calling for the extermination of Leftists just like Hitler called for the extermination of Jews in the Gas Chambers of Auswitz. That was the basis of his determination that Dennis was a Racist and a bigot.

The following hour was Dennis's good friend Adam Corolla, Junior College drop out. The intelligence and wisdom of Corolla was quantum leaps greater than the numbskulledness exhibited by the UCLA Prof.

Corolla said something like he wouldn't let his cat listen to a lecture by that imbecile, much less his kids.

On the other hand I also have to say that Prof Richard Dawkins was on Tuckers Show last night, and agree or disagree with Dawkins he is a real Prof and very ably laid out his case against getting banned from speaking by the numbnuts at Berkeley.

[JimNorCal]

Jane: "NK is now an official nuclear power, with enough missile power and nuke attachment to hit the US. ...
What would you do?"

If they say they intend to strike us, why would we wait for them to attack?

At the very least we should monitor their propaganda and tell them we take it at face value. It would (presumably) make them less belligerent in their public pronouncements, a change which would be visible to their citizens.

[glasater]

She told me, with horror in her voice, that there were 115 new coal plants set to go online in the US in the next n years. I told her I was delighted to hear it

We are soulmates, Porch!! :-)

Steph, what a precious bundle your new grandbaby is.

[daddy]

Clarice just posted this on the last thread so she probably meant to post it here:

Brussels police open fire on car 'with explosives inside' after high-speed chase through Molenbeek

...the driver reversed into a police car.

The report said that the vehicle is registered in Germany.

A police spokesman told RTL: "We got the driver out, and he immediately told us that there were explosives inside."

[cboldt]

Sometimes blood is just blood.
Sometimes chemicals are just chemicals.
Which reminds me, it is time for a cigar.

[boatbuilder]

I'm fairly certain that the idea that AlGore is a complete, gigantic flaming asshole is the overwhelming "consensus".

The NYT folks are AlGore deniers!

[cboldt]

Laughing Gas Explosion Risk

[Captain Hate]

Obama and Slick should both take a bow for the assistance they gave North Korea in developing nukes, and both Bushes do half bows for being not quite as bad. Well done, traitors.

[Ralph L]

I've never understood why we haven't imposed a huge tariff on Chinese goods until they dispose of the NK regime. Screw the WTO.

[narciso]

Wonderful stephanie.

[Marlene]

Stephanie,she is beautiful! Inquiring minds want to know, what is your "grandmother" name?

[lyle]

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2017/08/understanding-mcmaster-nsc-purge.html#comment-form

Pretty compelling read from someone I very much respect.

[James D.]

lyle, that was a terrifying piece. If it's even partially true, it is a complete disaster.