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OBE - Overtaken by Events

We rarely solve big problems; we just go beyond them, usually by redefining our goals and priorities and often by employing knowledge and technologies that were unavailable when the problem was initially defined. In other words, our vision of solutions for the future is often limited because those solutions have not been invented yet. We have a phase “overtaken by events” (OBE’D). It refers to facts, ideas or plans that are invalidated by subsequent events. Most problems are not really solved; they are just OBE’D.

A Bright American Future

People have been saying that America was in decline ever since - even before - we became an independent nation. I got a different viewpoint at a discussion on American demographics and the book ”The Next 100 Million: America in 2050” with author Joel Kotkin followed by panel of experts chaired by Michael Barone.

Much Ado About Nothing

Gay marriage is an issue kept alive by activists on the wings of the political spectrum that just is not worth the fuss. The District of Columbia has the largest number gay couples, where 14 out of 1000 couples are gay, 1.4% of the total. The U.S. average is only 0.47% (of course most are not “legally” couples). Ever since Kinsey’s flawed studies, there has been a lot of controversy about numbers. Recent research indicates that that gay people make up only 2-4% of the population and few of them really want to get married. Legalizing gay marriage would change very little. So what is the problem?

The American Nation is Greater than the American Government

We get the impression that some people think nothing happens except at the direction of government. America is criticized for its foreign aid, for example, which although massive in absolute numbers is a small percentage of GDP in terms of official government aid. Paradoxically, we also hear that the American involvement around the world is too big. Both those statements are false, but the reason that the same people can utter them w/o obvious thoughts of inconsistency is that the American nation is not the same as the American government.

Spending Matters

Deficits matter, but total spending may matter even more. Anyway, Obama will give us both with absolutely no end in sight. It is a truly astonishing situation, so big, ironically, that we almost cannot see it for the problem it is. If President Obama’s proposals become law spending will have increased by 29% since 2008.

With friends like this . . .

I know it's terribly, terribly insensitive of me, but I can't help being amused by Osama Bin Laden's latest diatribe, warning against the disastrous potential consequences of global warming and blaming--who else?--the United States for "climate change" and all other horrors environmental (Bin Laden blasts US for climate change ). I wonder if Al Gore will be meeting with bin Laden to enlist his further cooperation in the fight to prevent armageddon. After all, the earth itself is in the balance . . .

College Cost Conundrum

College costs too much and President Obama’s student loan forgiveness proposals will not help. C&J know a lot about this. We both worked through college and had a pile of loans to pay off at the end. We are proud that we paid and still are paying for our kids to go to college, w/o any student aid. We are grateful, BTW, for the state college system and we are in favor of devoting some of the taxes we pay to support college education. It is a good investment. But like all investments, it depends on who, what, how and how much.

Obama Wises Up on Terror … a Little; Holder Still Hopeless

President Obama has bowed to political realities, if not common sense, in ordering Holder to find a new venue for the KSM trial. Holder still wants to stay the course and needlessly spend money while giving Al Qaeda a propaganda victory & intelligence bonanza by trying the guy in civilians court. Of course, he guaranteed a conviction, an interesting variation on that “fair trial” concept he claims to be flogging.

Compared to What?

They say that misery loves company, but that is just an uncharitable way to put it. Comparisons are useful because they provide insight into problems and possible solutions. For example, you should be a lot more willing to change your habits if you see that you are doing poorly while everybody else prospers but if you are part of the larger trend learning from the experience of others might be less immediately useful. The Economist shows graphically how rich countries have fared in the recent recession.

Obamacare fails...

...America wins! (Thank you Scott Brown.)

"61% Say It’s Time for Congress To Drop Health Care" And with that, it's time to move on to other America destroying legislation.

America NOT Going Down the Toilet

I was worried a year ago. I feared our country had reached a turning point where Americans wanted to grow government and give it a bigger role in their lives. I was wrong and I am glad of that. You have to go to question #40 to find it, but a recent Washington Post Poll showed that 58% of Americans favor a smaller government with fewer services; only 38% want a bigger Washington footprint on their backs, down from 43% last year. Couple this with the Republican enthusiasm factor and I think things will be okay.

What We Have Gained and What We Have Lost

Leave aside the effectiveness of particular methods; it was a big mistake not to turn over the underpants bomber to military-terrorist specialist interrogators. After the man nearly emasculated himself with his fiery diaper, he was talking like mad. But was he being asked the right questions?

Corporate Free Speech

The Supreme Court's decision on legal limitations on corporate free speech has created a debate as virulent as the one on health care in the aftermath of this week's Massachusetts senatorial election.

Less Alarming if the IPCC Tells the Truth

You can't trust much of what comes out of the UN (except a few excellent specialty organizations such as WHO) and anything that gets even vaguely into the political realm gets covered in so much BS that you can't tell the facts from the crap. So it is with climate change. It seems that IPCC claims about melting glaciers were as credible as a Syfi original mini-series.