Friday, 15 June 2012
The Borscht Belt: A sad blast from the past!...from Mike Haltman at TPC
For anyone who spent time at the Catskill hotels back before 1980 the pictures of what has happened to these grand hotels will make you sad but at the same time bring back some great memories.
Check out the slideshow at The Political Commentator here.
Late News...........
CDR Salamander: Fullbore Friday
Yemen army recaptures third rebel bastion in south
US military completes planning for Syria scenarios
Broadside Blog - Military Times - United States Army
Happy 237th Birthday, Army
Vessel is latest project by Eastern Shipbuilding
Local kids help set world record for swimming lesson
Rick Scott: I’m Not Dead Yet
KIA bracelet found on Crab Island to be returned
Republican Congressman: This Country Is In Trouble
Make Magna Carta Day our national day
UAE considers crack down on skimpy dressers
Dreamy foreign policies by Caroline Glick
Silly Season Four more months of this campaign and we’ll all be unhinged. By Charles Krauthammer
Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. - WTF, over?
Dress Rehearsal for a Mideast War?
UK: Radical Megamosque Opposed by Muslims
Again a power in OPEC, Iraq could shift landscape
What is the Muslim Brotherhood?
Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. - Envelope #1...
SA gets first woman police commissioner
Ramirez - and others - on the reboot that wasn't
McConnell: 'Radical, Dangerous' Obama Admin Seeks to 'Shut Up' Opponents
Obama Bypasses Congress on DREAM Act, Stops Deporting Young Illegals
More ObamaCare hijinks: Escalating costs, fewer doctors
The Obama campaign would like to see some ID, please
Russia Deploying Troops for Foreign Combat
Quick Stop at Ground Zero Means Taxpayers Pay Obama's Fundraising Tab
Special Operations Speaks
More Solyndra Corruption: Lied About Layoffs, Excessive Bonuses
Secrets Revealed
Napolitano: 'This Is Not Amnesty'
Outrageous! Sheriff Investigating Voter Fraud In Wisconsin Recall
NYS Mom high on 'bath salts' Tasered to death after attacking 3-year-old son
June 26th DOD Pride Day
Will Obama Oppose Anti-Israel Candidate?
Did McCain Just Play The Dual Loyalty Card?...................from Dan Friedman
[If you’re an American who loves Israel and donate to a politician you think will be pro-Israel while in office, is the cash you give him from your own pocket “foreign money?” Aside: Naturally, I voted for McCain in 2008. What choice did I have? But then as now, the “maverick” seems to be a very curious fellow. df]
The Jewish Press, 6/15/2012
McCain Says Adelson Contributions Are ‘Foreign Money’
By: Yori Yanover
The former GOP presidential candidate, himself a devout campaign finance reformer, is accusing the current GOP candidate of accepting foreign money in exchange for influence over U.S. policy. The plot thickens more than a little when the agent of influence is a Jewish billionaire and the foreign power in question is the State of Israel.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., asserted that the involvement of anonymous donors and super PACs in American elections will lead to corruption, PBS reported.
McCain alleged specifically that money from outside the country may be helping one PAC: billionaire contributor Sheldon Adelson, owner of casinos in the United States, Macau and Singapore, has pledged $100 million to Republican interests this election cycle.
“Maybe in a roundabout way, foreign money is coming into an American campaign,” McCain told Judy Woodruff on Thursday.
The 2008 Republican presidential nominee has been a critic of the Supreme Court decisions that paved the way for super PACs.
McCain and former senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) were the chief sponsors of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, known as the McCain–Feingold Act, which regulates the financing of political campaigns.
According to PoliPundit.com, the active ingredient in McCain’s borderline xenophobic objections, as well as in Adelson’s move to bear hug Romney into submission, is Israel.
On a trip to Las Vegas late last month, Romney and Adelson had a private meeting, according to that website, after which Adelson attended Romney’s dessert fundraiser for those who contributed $50,000 or more.
People close to Adelson said that he wants to be certain about Romney’s positions on support for Israel. Adelson has publicly criticized President Barack Obama’s support of Israel as too weak.
###
Obama and Mt. Rushmore?...from Mike Haltman at TPC
The cartoon in this article depicts Barack Obama the way that he likely perceives himself.
If someone were to ask me however, the more accurate description would be that Barack Obama is slightly worse than Jimmy Carter!
Read the article at The Political Commentator here.
CoTVing with Kreskin
Welcome to the June 15, 2012 edition of carnival of the vanities.
Sue Waters presents 7 Auto Recalls That Rocked Consumers posted at Car Insurance Blog News, Tips, and Quotes.
Stacey Laird presents 10 Industries That Boom in Summer posted at Online Business Degree.
Tracy Miller presents 8 Inspirational Women in Business posted at Insurance Quotes & Free Financial Guides.
Daisy Barton presents 9 Worst Cinematic Portrayals of College Life posted at The Best Degrees.
Roxanne McAnn presents 11 Inspiring Programs Helping Veterans Get Back to School posted at The Best Colleges.
Tanya Yoworski presents 10 Negative Effects of Anxiety on Your Brain posted at Medical Billing and Coding Certification.
Molly Frank presents The Top 12 U.S. Cities for Creative Grads posted at Online Degrees.
Maria Wells presents 10 Ways Good Housekeepers Save Lives or Make them Better posted at Housekeeping, saying, "If you’re considering the idea of hiring a housekeeper, you’ve got some excellent benefits to ponder. There are plenty of advantages to having someone take care of your household duties while you’re working."
Shirley Zeilinger presents 9 Awesome Pinterest Boards For Home Buyers posted at Home Insurance.
Debbie Denard presents 10 Interesting Facts About the Etymology of the Nanny posted at Nanny, saying, "Etymology is the study of a word’s origins and historical use, and the way that the definition of a word can evolve over time."
Hannah Howard presents 10 Ways to Make Sure Your Blog Supports Semantic Search posted at Longhorn Leads, LLC, saying, "Recently, Google announced yet another change to their search engine’s algorithm. It will now include what Google calls semantic search technology."
Tina Marconi presents 8 Reasons Sitters Lie About Your Child’s Behavior | Babysitters posted at Babysitters, saying, "Your babysitter is by and large a reliable and conscientious care giver, someone you can trust to watch your children."
Jessica Jackson presents 10 Awesome Things Kids Love about the State Fair posted at Summer Nanny Jobs, saying, "With summertime comes the promise of longer days, warmer weather, and every kid’s favorite part… the state fair and all the fun that it involves! Kids of all ages flock to the fair for enjoyment of every kind, from delicious food like funnel to ..........."
Aparna presents Homemade Gulkand – Rose Petal Preserve for cooling your body posted at Beauty and Personal Grooming, saying, "Gulkand is an effective skin tonic"
Meghan Welker presents 10 Reasons Parents Choose Private Schools for Their Kids posted at Babysitting, saying, "In the realm of parenting, few decisions hold as much importance as those regarding your child’s education. From the moment they walk through the door of their very first classroom, children begin to learn the study habits and work ethic that will shape the rest of their lives."
Molly Cunningham presents 10 Different Songs That Instantly Make Kids Smile posted at Live-In Nanny, saying, "There’s something about a familiar tune that brings joy to children everywhere, even when they’re not feeling much like laughing."
Laura Backes presents 10 Gag Gifts You Can Only Find on the Web posted at DSL Service Providers.
Carol Watson presents 10 Reasons Why Nannies Should Watch the Cartoon Network posted at National Nannies.
Sue Waters presents 9 Unsung Heroes of Automotive History posted at Car Insurance Blog News, Tips, and Quotes.
Shirley Zeilinger presents 9 Ways to Prep Your Home for Bad Weather posted at Home Insurance.
Tracy Miller presents 6 Ways to Prevent Skin Cancer posted at Insurance Quotes & Free Financial Guides.
Daisy Barton presents 7 Stories That Made New Orleans’ Times-Picayune a Legend posted at The Best Degrees.
Ken Lange presents 5 Personal Goals for 2012 posted at Kenneth Lange, saying, "Goals are said to be the foundation of success, but it can often be difficult to find real examples to be inspired by, so I decided to share mine."
Sue Waters presents 7 Personal Products Every Serious Biker Needs posted at Car Insurance Blog News, Tips, and Quotes.
Victoria Kamerzell presents Eating for Michael Bloomberg posted at Eating for . . ..
Shirley Zeilinger presents 7 Ways to Keep Dust Mites Out of Your Home posted at Home Insurance.
Jon Rhodes presents Article Marketing Vs Guest Blogging posted at Affiliate Help!, saying, "This article discusses which is best for website promotion, article marketing or guest blogging. Which do you think?"
Martha Stewart presents From Mailroom to Boardroom: 10 Modern-Day Execs Who Started at the Bottom | OnlineMBA posted at onlinemba.com.
Daisy Barton presents 8 Prisons That Might Be Haunted posted at The Best Degrees.
Lisa Belkin presents 12 Studied Effects of Teenage Pregnancy posted at Medical Billing and Coding Certification.
Sue Waters presents 8 Tips for Conquering Road Rage posted at Car Insurance Blog News, Tips, and Quotes.
Theresa Torres presents Sustainable in the City – 6 Tips for Eco-Friendly City Living | Natural Environment Blog posted at Natural Environment Blog, saying, "Even living in the city, you can still do your part in going green. These six simple steps can help a lot to reduce your carbon footprint and have a more positive impact on the environment."
Theresa Torres presents 6 Essential Firefox Extensions for Webmasters posted at TechSagar, saying, "Add-ons help webmasters make the job of website creation and maintenance much easier. Check out these six popular Firefox extensions that you can use to stay competitive."
Theresa Torres presents 6 Tips For Taking Better Pictures With Your Android | 2012Onwards.Com posted at 2012Onwards.Com, saying, "Learning how to maximize the full potential of your Android device can result in you taking better pictures. Follow these tips and reap the rewards of wonderful photos."
Jessica Jackson presents 10 Reasons to Have a Family Vegetable Garden posted at Summer Nanny Jobs.
Sam Rogers presents Social Intelligence - Are you people smart? posted at Personal Hack, saying, "Most people naturally fit into one of two catagories either book-smart or street-smart. The street-smart bunch are often very people-smart - in other words they can connect with people instantly, have lots of friends, finds tons of opportunities through social networking etc."
Tracy Miller presents 7 Business Lessons Learned From “Celebrity Apprentice” posted at Insurance Quotes & Free Financial Guides.
Shirley Zeilinger presents 8 Hidden Costs of Home Ownership posted at Home Insurance.
Sue Waters presents 8 Creative Ways to Pimp Out Your Garage posted at Car Insurance Blog News, Tips, and Quotes.
Crystal Hall presents The 20 Coolest Smartphone Apps in College Sports posted at The Best Colleges.
Paul Taylor presents 10 Reasons Some Kids are Extremely Scared of Dogs posted at Babysitting Jobs, saying, "Some kids have to be restrained from tackling strange dogs and smothering them with affection, but there are also those who are stricken with terror at the sight of man’s best friend."
wizard presents You Are All Racists - We are All Racists | Optimum Awareness Leads to Optimum Control in Your Life posted at wizard corpse, saying, "All people around the world, in all countries, with no exemption are RACISTS by nature and by deed. By nature we are all racists. This is a fact that is completely denied from us by our fairytale upbringing. A fairytale upbringing is good only if you are indeed in a fairy tale where that applies, but in the real world it doesn’t, and as we speak millions die and suffer because of their ignorance"
Steve Faber presents Driving a Hybrid Vehicle? – How Real People Are Dying for Your Prius posted at super gas saver, saying, "Your Prius isn't all about saving gas. There is more to the story here."
Joe Robinson presents Productivity and Success - Why You Can?t Have One Without the Other posted at Personal Hack, saying, "Productivity is a requirement for success and success is a requirement for productivity. It might be obvious why you need to be productive to be successful. In today?s busy life you are constantly getting bombarded with new info. Most of the info is a waste of time."
Hannah Howard presents 10 Really Cool Companies that Embraced Pinterest posted at Longhorn Leads, LLC, saying, "Currently Pinterest doesn’t have any sponsors… they don’t have pop up ads that bug you while you are looking at pictures to pin… in fact, they’re conspicuously devoid of any of the normal advertising routes that websites usually take on, which has been a major selling point among users."
Martina Keyhell presents 10 Silly Sayings Nannies Can Use to Cheer Up Kids posted at Become A Nanny, saying, "Even kids with the sunniest dispositions have been known to get down in the dumps or a bit cranky from time to time. Sometimes, a silly phrase is all it takes to dry their eyes and bring a smile back to their faces, a trick that experienced nannies know well."
Nancy Parker presents 5 Reasons Not to Nanny Cam posted at eNannySource, saying, "Every parent wants to know that when they leave their child with their nanny, their child will receive quality, loving care. Unfortunately when the quality of child care comes into question, the first response many parents have is to install a nanny cam."
Roxanne Porter presents 10 Great Ways to Teach Kids Compassion for Others posted at Nanny Jobs, saying, "One of the many challenges that parents face is teaching their children the concept of compassion and how important helping others simply for the sake of doing good is."
Abby Nelson presents Nanny Classifieds » 10 Tips for Parents that Need to Learn Sign Language posted at Nanny Classifieds, saying, "While there has been a trend in recent years of hearing parents learning and teaching their hearing infants to use sign language before they become verbal......"
David Singer presents 9 Must-Read Blogs for Car Lovers posted at Auto Insurance Quotes.
Stacey Laird presents 8 Things Employers Should Know About Background Checks posted at Online Business Degree.
Tanya Yoworski presents 10 Critical Skills That Aren’t Taught in Med School posted at Medical Billing and Coding Certification.
Paul Taylor presents 10 Forms of Discipline Banned From U.S. Schools posted at Babysitting Jobs, saying, "Older generations often relay horror stories about the discipline they received, or at the very least witnessed, when they were in school and how vastly different and tame it is from the discipline kids receive today."
Mary Edwards presents 10 Reasons People Might Cuss On a First Date posted at Best Dating Sites, saying, "The average person on a first date typically tries to make a good first impression, so off-color language or offensive behavior is generally considered to be taboo."
Sheila Turner presents 9 Awful Crimes You Happily Commit in Video Games posted at Online Psychology Degree Resource Guide.
Debbie Denard presents 10 Awesome Kids Toys from the 1980’s That Disappeared » Nanny.NET posted at Nanny, saying, "Mass production and creative marketing campaigns in the 1980’s contributed to the massive toy market we have today. The list of toys introduced in that decade is endless, and yet few have stood the test of time."
Emma Roberts presents 10 Safety Concerns for Parents with Pools posted at Summer Nanny, saying, "One of the quickest ways to become the most popular parents on the block is to install a swimming pool in your backyard."
Scentsual Attraction presents An Amazing Father's Day Gift posted at Scentsual Attraction, saying, "Need a great Father's Day Gift?"
Macarun presents Arun is Bringing You...Your Daily Remedy posted at Arun is Bringing You...Your Daily Remedy, saying, "A funny post about an interesting first date experience."
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of the vanities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Technorati tags: carnival of the vanities, blog carnival.
Unbelievable series of photos from the Memorial Day Air Show at Jones Beach in New York. Includes a Blue Angels flyby of the Statue of Liberty!...from Mike Haltman at TPC
See this entire series of breathtaking photos that were taken at the Memorial Day Air Show in New York by visiting The Political Commentator here.
Content of character.............from Rico
I remember listening to Rev. King's speech 'live' on the radio back in the day.
- You know the one. "I have a dream" where he hoped his children would be judged by the content of their character.
Good stuff.
Today, I try to apply that philosophy, but it is difficult when SOME would have absolutely NO character, were it not for BAD character.
- Yeah, I'm talking to YOU Barry!
Watchers Council "Beware of Greeks Bearing Votes" Edition...from Mike Haltman at TPC
The votes have been counted so visit TPC to find out which of the 30+ nominated articles at the Watchers Council took home first prize this week.
While you're there read my analysis of the Greece elections that are taking place on Sunday and what either an up or a down result may mean.
Find it all at The Political Commentator here.
French letters for the EUro?................from Rico
This just in, hot on the heels of the OANDA Forex 'freeze' for this coming Sunday's Greek elections redux.
We ALL know about the bank runs currently in progress in Greece and Spain, and also about the 'bank holiday' announced in Italy Monday.
Bet you haven't heard THIS reported yet!
- This smacks of ...for progressives ["all your money are belong to us!"] ... and for the rest of us non-Keynesians [capital controls].
Bank branches in France are now limiting withdrawals almost nation-wide, requiring 5-days notice to withdraw 2,000 EUro. [pic 1]
- For context: The norm was 48 hours notice to withdraw 1,500 EUro before this.
Some banks have imposed a 500 EUro limit. [pic 2]
Looks like the Froggies have their 'wind' up, and their knickers in a twist!
ULTIMATE MAN-WICH
Just in time for Father's Day
.
How you get there from here . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- STORMBRINGER SENDS
For your protection?.................from Rico
OANDA has just announced a 'trading lockout' for FOREX traders this coming Sunday. Trades will be 'frozen' from 0600 to 1500 EST 0n 17 jun 2012.
- Gotta 'protect' traders from themselves, dontcha know?
Hmmmm.
Greek elections take place Sunday, and the front-running candidate doesn't bode well for the EUro.
- If he is elected, you'll see a 'drop' in the value of the EUro. Probably would be a 'bad' thing if traders were allowed to sell into that drop, making things worse, accellerating the crash...putting out fire with gasoline, and all that.
- If he loses (or has an 'accident') you'll likely see the EUro pop.
There will be serious money to be 'made' by a few connected insiders, and 'lost' by locked-out traders.
- Too bad. So sad.
Either way, locking traders out of their accounts because you are expecting a 'crisis' is both:
- 1. A sign of the times.
and
- 2. Pure crap!
This is NOT good.
A Day in the Life of X-47B
A visual summary of activities associated with the recent flight testing of X-47B Air Vehicle Two (AV-2) at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The testing marked the completion of the airworthiness test phase of the Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. Video courtesy of Northrop Grumman
The casino is crooked!..............from Rico
I guess the BIS (Bank of International Settlements), JPM's precious metals desk (the house of Dimon), and the ESF (Exchange Stabilization Fund) had a very 'busy' day today playing whack-a-mole with precious metals.
- Pretty 'classic' paper metal vs. physical metal market action today, and as the Fed and friends become inceasingly desperate to defend the ever-increasing pile of devalued paper fiat lovingly known as FRN's (Federal Reserve Notes, a.k.a. "I promise to pay you on demand...er, nothing" notes), it could get more violent before the dam finally breaks and the paper price-suppression/spot futures manipulation scheme goes kablooey!!
Note:
Just because I hate 'coincidences'...the unmanipulated Gold Spot price on the COMEX managed to close at the exact same price as it did yesterday...$1619.40...when has this happened before? With a respectful nod to the movie "Casablanca" 'I'm shocked, SHOCKED to hear there is gambling going here! '[Thanks for handing me my winnings, Blythe!]
- Now tell me with a straight face this game is NOT rigged Monsieur Croupier!!!
And it's really tough work, you know, trying to give any credence or legitimacy to the Berkshire Boys (Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger) who in their senile dementia pooh-pooh Gold whenever near a microphone or a reporter, so I guess they feel it's only 'fair' they be compensated for their efforts, eh?
- Look at Berkshire's performance vs. Gold's on the attached chart and decide if these fellows are past their 'use-by' date for yourself. Does anyone seriously still 'listen' to these guys? (The Red Shed, formerly known as the White House excepted, naturally).
Meanwhile, back in Zimbabwe, it's time to go grocery shopping with paper money.
- If you do not presently have a wheelbarrow, I'd suggest you get one most ricky-tick (unless you are positioned already in precious metals).
News..............
"JJ's brit" ™ and lewis potter .... he was here first, but, in a different sort of way ....
Happy Birthday Army!
Counter-revolution: Egyptian court invalidates parliamentary elections, affirms Mubarak PM's place on presidential ballot
Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. - DC Gun Grabbers (Parts II & III)
Holder agrees to give Issa internal emails on Fast and Furious, offers to meet
Removing Brigade Combat Teams from Europe Undermines U.S. Interests
The Proud: 12-year old boy becomes honorary Marine before he dies
Congressional Leaders Call for Investigations of Muslim Brotherhood Penetration of the Obama Administration
Law of the Sea Hearings Point to Lame Duck Passage Strategy
Will Broccoli Preserve American Liberty?
Air Force begins CV-22 crash investigation
Liberation Day remembered in snowy Falklands
Osborne unveils £140bn scheme to kick-start stagnant economy
US man contracts the plague saving a mouse
Debt crisis: ECB last hope as dam breaks in Spain
Bill Bryson: littering motorists should have number plates recorded so owners can be fined
David Cameron warns Argentina against making threats over Falkland Islands
The Falklands dispute lays bare the damage that Barack Obama has done to the not-so-special US-UK relationship
Elizabeth Warren's 'Native American' claims: if she was a Republican, the media would call her a racist
Syria: UN visits Haffa but finds it deserted and a 'stench of dead bodies'
Egypt's military accused of 'complete coup' after supreme court ruling
Climate Change or Tectonic Shifts? The Mystery of the Sinking South Pacific Islands
The President of Disappointments How Obama Has Failed to Deliver
Anne Applebaum: The price of Euro 2012
KGB Propaganda now in on presidential race
Shock: Republicans Blame President for Economy
Sales of whale meat crash in Japan
The 50th Anniversary of "Silent Spring": A Lethal Legacy
There are books that have doomed millions to death. “Das Capital” by Karl Marx kicked off the worst economic system of the modern era, claiming the lives of millions of Russians and Chinese, along with others in the process.
Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” mobilized Nazi Germany, led to World War Two in Europe, and was responsible for the deliberate killing of six million Jews and another five million Christians in its concentration camps, not counting the millions more in war dead. The Nazi leaders were ardent environmentalists.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson; a book that is credited with giving rise to the environmental movement in general and, in particular, America’s unfounded fears of pesticides, especially DDT.
Eight years would pass between its publication and the first Earth Day in 1970 that mobilized the beginning of the environmental movement by putting government muscle behind it with the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Silent Spring at 50: The False Crises of Rachel Carson” ($25.95, Cato Institute) has a publication date in September, but given the June 20-12 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, it is particularly timely. Its chapters had titles like “Elixirs of Death”, “Needless Havoc”, and “Rivers of Death.” What their content lacked was real science and real facts.
DDT was already famous for protecting human health along with a whole range of agricultural chemicals that protected crops against the depredation of insects, rodents and weeds. The book has rightly been condemned for the deaths—literally millions—that have resulted since the 1972 U.S. ban of DDT by the Environmental Protection Agency. It “was firmly and repeatedly warned by public health officials of the United States, the World Health Organization, and the Pan American Health Organization of disastrous consequences of a DDT ban.”
Even today, the EPA either manufactures or ignores evidence to justify its regulations.
Its inventor, Dr. Paul Muller, received a Nobel Prize in 1948 in recognition of the role DDT played in saving hundreds of thousands of lives of troops fighting the Axis in World War Two and the survivors of the Nazi death camps. It killed the insects that spread Typhus and other diseases. It did so without any evidence of the bogus threat of cancer that Carson advanced.
Nine contributors to “Silent Spring at 50” make a powerful case for the harm Carson’s obsessive fear of what were widely known to be beneficial chemicals. The book is a classic example of bogus science combined with deliberate lies to frighten people. That has always been the modus operendi of the environmental movement.
“Carson would have known of the great public health achievements of DDT and that it was saving lives,” writes Donald R. Roberts and Richard Tren, the authors of one chapter. “Indeed she describes some of the programs in “Silent Spring.” But the bulk of the book is a singular attack on DDT and other insecticides with scarcely any recognition of their actual and potential benefits.”
In the first chapter of “Silent Spring”, titled “A Fable for Tomorrow”, Carson invents a town so poisoned by insecticides that no birds sing there, having all been wiped out. It is pure fiction. Subsequent studies have demonstrated that the die-off she described has never happened. Years of bird counts refute that charge. Indeed, agricultural pesticides had initially been regulated by Congress in 1910 and generations of farmers took care to avoid contaminating their crops for obvious reasons.
The anniversary of the book’s publication is relevant to everyone today, even those born since the DDT ban. The coast-to-coast plague of bedbugs that has occurred in the past decade and continues today could have been eliminated if DDT was still in use. The mainstream media reported the plague, but never mentioned this salient fact, nor the fact that the EPA has just one pesticide registered for use against bedbugs and routinely refused to allow licensed pest control professionals to use it.
Carson kicked off “the precautionary principle” cited by environmental groups and government agencies that, in effect, leaves the public defenseless against the health threats that Mother Nature provides in the form of insects and rodents known to spread disease, or mold-contaminants such as aflatoxin, many times more toxic than the fumigant that was banned to control it.
Malaria, once on the brink of being eliminated, has long since made resurgence since the ban of DDT, although some nations most affected by the disease have received permission to use it.
That is Rachel Carson’s true and lethal legacy.
It is why so much of what the environmental movement advocates, from the United Nations to non-governmental-organizations like Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, the World Wildlife Fund, and dozens of others always seems to end up killing people in the name of saving the Earth.
© Alan Caruba, 2012
Thursday, 14 June 2012
The Egyptian Revolution: Marching In Place...............by Dan Friedman
Can you say "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose” in Arabic?
Must be a few people out there who still cling to the illusion of an Arab Spring – most if not all, members of the white shoe diplomatic class. But the news out of Egypt today will undoubtedly shrink their ranks. Egypt’s Supreme Court has just invalidated last year’s elections and declared that the Islamist-dominated Parliament it produced has to be dissolved. At the same time, the Court ruled that the presidential run-off election - pitting a Muslim Brotherhood member against Mubarak’s last prime minister - can go ahead as planned on June 17th. I’m willing to wager that if the Brotherhood’s man wins that election some arm of the Egyptian government’s apparatus will put the kibosh on that too.
Cut to my crystal ball. The army is still pulling the strings and won’t let go, Egypt’s revolutionaries will be back in the streets, and Mr. Mubarak will die with a broad grin on his face.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
