The runaway economy may be throttled back a bit by this energy shortage. It will also keep the world price of oil high as China competes with the world for a diminishing oil output.
"With China projecting a 20-million-kilowatt shortfall in electricity supplies this year, actions like these are anything but isolated. With severe power shortages predicted for the country's southern and eastern regions, Guangzhou, China's third largest city, an industrial powerhouse, has had rationing since January, six months earlier than the emergency measures put into effect last year."
July 5, 2004
The New York Times > Washington > Fears of Attack at Conventions Drive New Plans
Half the budget for security!! Look at the tremendous costs terrorists are exacting from us. All this energy and money to protect ourselves form nebulous, ill-defined, but certain threats. This is why we must pursue and eradicate the terrorists, particularly their leaders wherever they are. We must give them no rest or sanctuary.
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"The fears about an incident during the conventions or later in the year have also led state and local officials to impose extraordinary security precautions. Persistent if indistinct intelligence reports, based on electronic intercepts and live sources, indicate that Al Qaeda is determined to strike in the United States some time this year, the officials said in interviews last week.
Almost half the budgets in each convention city will be spent on security, local officials said. The Democratic National Convention will be held in Boston at the Fleet Center from July 26 to 29. The Republican National Convention will be held in New York at Madison Square Garden from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2."
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"The fears about an incident during the conventions or later in the year have also led state and local officials to impose extraordinary security precautions. Persistent if indistinct intelligence reports, based on electronic intercepts and live sources, indicate that Al Qaeda is determined to strike in the United States some time this year, the officials said in interviews last week.
Almost half the budgets in each convention city will be spent on security, local officials said. The Democratic National Convention will be held in Boston at the Fleet Center from July 26 to 29. The Republican National Convention will be held in New York at Madison Square Garden from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2."
The New York Times > Technology > Knowing Their Politics by the Software They Use
Interesting analysis of the political leanings of software types. My experience suggests there is a connection, but it is frequently the Libertarian bent that chooses open source. Of course, many programmers take the view that BIG is bad and that Microsoft is too big, too controlling because of their OS dominance. Apple is not mentioned in this article. Why not? The 'Appleians' in my experience tend to be more independent, too.
July 4, 2004
NY Times Sunday Magazine - China's Economic Boom
This is a "must-read' article for anyone concerned about the realities of China as an economic powerhouse and what it means for America in this century.
Meanwhile, we are bogged down in the 'must win' war on terror which China does not have to endure.
There are forces at work here beyond the ability of politicians to control, despite their rantings and ravings about the loss of American jobs. To keep them honest Bush, Kerry and all our members of Congress should be challenged about the China reality.
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One excerpt below from the article by Ted Fishman in the Times Magazine July 4, 2004"
"In the political debate over trade and jobs, China is the place where the world's companies choose to exploit low-cost manufacturing. The framing of this debate implies that American consumers and businesses have strong choices in the market; in fact, China, supplying ever more goods as it does, in ever more varieties and at ever better prices, is straitjacketing the choices of American businesses. China's size does not merely enable low-cost manufacturing; it forces it. Increasingly, it is what Chinese businesses and consumers choose for themselves that determines how the American economy operates. The American political debate on China's economic threat overlooks this dynamic entirely."
Meanwhile, we are bogged down in the 'must win' war on terror which China does not have to endure.
There are forces at work here beyond the ability of politicians to control, despite their rantings and ravings about the loss of American jobs. To keep them honest Bush, Kerry and all our members of Congress should be challenged about the China reality.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
One excerpt below from the article by Ted Fishman in the Times Magazine July 4, 2004"
"In the political debate over trade and jobs, China is the place where the world's companies choose to exploit low-cost manufacturing. The framing of this debate implies that American consumers and businesses have strong choices in the market; in fact, China, supplying ever more goods as it does, in ever more varieties and at ever better prices, is straitjacketing the choices of American businesses. China's size does not merely enable low-cost manufacturing; it forces it. Increasingly, it is what Chinese businesses and consumers choose for themselves that determines how the American economy operates. The American political debate on China's economic threat overlooks this dynamic entirely."
July 3, 2004
The New York Times > National > Text: The Declaration of Independence
Always needful to re-read the Declaration of Independence from time to time. The guys who wrote and signed it pledged their lives and fortunes to the revolution that is America. Would we?
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Bush's Winning Strategy
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Bush's Winning Strategy
David Brooks is optimistic about Iraq's future since the transfer of sovereignty. The truth is Iraq will only have a free country if their people want freedom more than they fear the terrorists and bombers.
David Brooks is optimistic about Iraq's future since the transfer of sovereignty. The truth is Iraq will only have a free country if their people want freedom more than they fear the terrorists and bombers.
July 2, 2004
The New York Times > Sports > Other Sports > Delays in Athens Raise Concern on Olympic Security Readiness
The Greeks have created a monument to inefficiency, poor planning and general incompetence. Call it the Olympic Summer Games. Too bad, in the country of Olympic origins.
Chuck Colson on Same Sex Marriage and Terrorism
Colson's view is worth considering. Obviously a touchy subject. There is no acceptable rationale for terrorists to kill Americans. Yet, the decadence they see certainly does not discourage them from hating us.
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BREAKPOINT:
Decadence and vulnerability: Same-sex "marriage" and terrorism
By CHARLES COLSON
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/2798.article
Published July 1, 2004
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the term same-sex "marriage"? Do you think about the damage inflicted on children reared by homosexual "parents"? Do you worry about the destruction of traditional marriage?
These are legitimate concerns and good reasons to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. But there is one huge problem same-sex "marriage" will cause that you may not have considered. If we legitimize same-sex unions, we will make ourselves even more of a target for terrorists. Now before you write me off as a crank, read carefully.
We have to remember the reasons that Islamic extremists are waging their terror war on the West. As Charles Krauthammer writes in Townhall, when it comes to the reasons Islam is fighting "the great jihad" against America, we "agree on the obvious answers: religion, ideology, political power, and territory. But there is one fundamental issue at stake that dares not speak its name," Krauthammer writes. "This is also about--deeply about--sex." In making their case against freedom, the jihadists claim that wherever freedom travels "--especially in America and Europe--it brings sexual license and corruption, decadence and depravity."
Mark Galli made the same point in Christianity Today. He noted that Islamic militants are angry at the West for exporting "hedonism and materialism into their very homes through television, enticing Muslims to become religiously lazy and morally corrupt." Galli quoted a 1985 communique from the terrorist group Hezbollah which said, in part: "Our way is one of radical combat against depravity, and America is the original root of depravity." Members of these groups see themselves, not as terrorists, but as holy warriors fighting a holy war against Western decadence.
Now, we want to be careful not to blame the victim--that is, to blame innocent Americans for murderous attacks against them. At the same time, let's understand how America's increasing decadence is, in a sense, giving aid and comfort to the enemy. When we tolerate increasing amounts of trash on television, when we permit pornography and gambling to invade our homes via the Internet, when we allow babies to be killed at the point of birth, we are fueling the flames of radical Islam. And when we talk about legitimizing homosexuality by granting same-sex relationships the status of marriage, we're giving powerful ammunition to those who use America's decadence to recruit more snipers and hijackers and suicide bombers. We're also making it much more difficult for Christian pastors and missionaries to win the hearts and minds of Muslims around the world--one more very good reason we need to clean up our act.
Over the next few columns I'm going to be talking about the arguments Christians must make to their neighbors about how marriage must be preserved as the union of one man and one woman and why changing that definition spells disaster for us all. I hope you'll keep reading.
You see, it's not just about protecting marriage--or even about protecting children--important as those goals are. It's also about protecting our country from those who would use our decadence and depravity to destroy us.
++++++++++++++++++++++=
BREAKPOINT:
Decadence and vulnerability: Same-sex "marriage" and terrorism
By CHARLES COLSON
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/2798.article
Published July 1, 2004
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the term same-sex "marriage"? Do you think about the damage inflicted on children reared by homosexual "parents"? Do you worry about the destruction of traditional marriage?
These are legitimate concerns and good reasons to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. But there is one huge problem same-sex "marriage" will cause that you may not have considered. If we legitimize same-sex unions, we will make ourselves even more of a target for terrorists. Now before you write me off as a crank, read carefully.
We have to remember the reasons that Islamic extremists are waging their terror war on the West. As Charles Krauthammer writes in Townhall, when it comes to the reasons Islam is fighting "the great jihad" against America, we "agree on the obvious answers: religion, ideology, political power, and territory. But there is one fundamental issue at stake that dares not speak its name," Krauthammer writes. "This is also about--deeply about--sex." In making their case against freedom, the jihadists claim that wherever freedom travels "--especially in America and Europe--it brings sexual license and corruption, decadence and depravity."
Mark Galli made the same point in Christianity Today. He noted that Islamic militants are angry at the West for exporting "hedonism and materialism into their very homes through television, enticing Muslims to become religiously lazy and morally corrupt." Galli quoted a 1985 communique from the terrorist group Hezbollah which said, in part: "Our way is one of radical combat against depravity, and America is the original root of depravity." Members of these groups see themselves, not as terrorists, but as holy warriors fighting a holy war against Western decadence.
Now, we want to be careful not to blame the victim--that is, to blame innocent Americans for murderous attacks against them. At the same time, let's understand how America's increasing decadence is, in a sense, giving aid and comfort to the enemy. When we tolerate increasing amounts of trash on television, when we permit pornography and gambling to invade our homes via the Internet, when we allow babies to be killed at the point of birth, we are fueling the flames of radical Islam. And when we talk about legitimizing homosexuality by granting same-sex relationships the status of marriage, we're giving powerful ammunition to those who use America's decadence to recruit more snipers and hijackers and suicide bombers. We're also making it much more difficult for Christian pastors and missionaries to win the hearts and minds of Muslims around the world--one more very good reason we need to clean up our act.
Over the next few columns I'm going to be talking about the arguments Christians must make to their neighbors about how marriage must be preserved as the union of one man and one woman and why changing that definition spells disaster for us all. I hope you'll keep reading.
You see, it's not just about protecting marriage--or even about protecting children--important as those goals are. It's also about protecting our country from those who would use our decadence and depravity to destroy us.
July 1, 2004
Bush, Kerry Lay Out Tech Initiatives
Here's the answer on Internet taxation. Neither Bush nor Kerry support it. Good news.
Vonage beats back New York ruling | CNET News.com
This judge's decision is just one more nail in the coffin of State regulation of future telephone service via VoIP. While state regulators, whether utility or consumer protection, will have a role in consumer protection, perhaps service quality (but that's questionable), the days are numbered for the style of regulation practiced concerning the 'Baby Bells.' Price regulation at the state level will and should disappear. VoIP is clearly an interstatee service and regulation of price/cost/terms and conditions should diminish as VoIP technology dominates voice telephony.
To the extent that taxes on traditional telephony are substantive and important to state or local budgets, lawmakers should sooner rather than later wean themselves form this source. The internet should remain tax-free and any services provided via Internet protocols should not be taxed.
Congress seems on the correct path in this matter. Don't know where Kerry stands on this, but Bush supports no Internet taxes. Hope Kerry has the same stance.
To the extent that taxes on traditional telephony are substantive and important to state or local budgets, lawmakers should sooner rather than later wean themselves form this source. The internet should remain tax-free and any services provided via Internet protocols should not be taxed.
Congress seems on the correct path in this matter. Don't know where Kerry stands on this, but Bush supports no Internet taxes. Hope Kerry has the same stance.
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