As Glenn Reynolds would say… SAVE THE EDISON LIGHT BULB!  FASTER, PLEASE! (via The Red Dog Report)

On Thursday, Republican Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming introduced legislation to reverse a 2007 ban on incandescent light bulbs that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2012.

The Better Use of Light Bulbs Act (BULB) is intended to repeal the amendment that was attached to a comprehensive energy bill signed by President George W. Bush in 2007.   The ban on incandescent light bulbs was intended to save energy and limit pollution.

Now, Enzi and other lawmakers are attacking the ban as a measure that limits choices for Americans.  “I think it’s fine if someone wants to fill their home or business with the light from the new bulbs,” said Enzi in a statement.

“I also think it is fine if someone wants to buy an old-fashioned bulb because it works better for them,” he added.  “If left alone, the best bulb will win its rightful standing in the marketplace.  Government doesn’t need to be in the business of telling people what light bulb they have to use.”

RedDog rightly notes: 

Let me see if I have this right… The government gives you a choice when it comes to ending the life of a child, But not when it comes to deciding what type of light bulb you use?

As trivial as this may sound, many people — including yours truly — are now hoarding the Edison Light Bulb before it vanishes into the dustheap of history.  Call your Senator and stop the Global Warming Hoax Madness from gaining any more traction in the way the Government rules our lives.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

It seems Democrats particularly those in employment-challenged California, can’t talk enough about “green jobs.”   Governor-elect Jerry Brown maintains such jobs “will turn the state around“.  Ma’am Boxer touted them on the campaign trail.

Only problem is, as Sonicfrog reminds us, that since voters here “failed to repeal AB32 a couple of Tuesdays ago,”  the majority of my fellow Californians (I voted, “Yes,” on Prop. 23 which would have held that draconian measure in check) “ensured that more jobs, including green jobs, will be leaving the state, or will simply not open their doors here in the first place!”

Problem is is that green jobs cost money, government money — and, well, that money is kind of in short supply right now:

What boosters of green jobs don’t usually mention is most of these jobs require substantial taxpayer subsidies and other special government treatment even to exist in a competitive market. It appears now that even a half-billion dollars in government aid is no guarantee of success.

Despite a $535 million loan guarantee from the federal government, Solyndra, a maker of solar panels in the southeast San Francisco Bay Area city of Fremont, will close one of its manufacturing plants, lay off 40 permanent and 150 contract workers, delay expansion plans of a new plant largely financed with the government-guaranteed loan and scale back production capacity more than 50 percent.

Read the whole thing.  Even without massive taxpayer subsidies, this Democratic promise is about as hollow as the White House claim (that Mrs. Boxer so favorably cited) that the “stimulus” would create (or save) “approximately 400,000 jobs” in the Golden State.

*In fact, some are already leaving.

As a sign of just how out of touch are our state legislators in Sacramento, let me relate to you some legislation they’re considering.  Now, first of all, some background.  The state is in an economic crisis.  One in eight California is out of work — and that just based on official unemployment statistics.  If you factor in the number who have given up the search, it could go as high as one in five.

Drive along any main thoroughfare in Los Angeles and you’ll find countless vacant storefronts, decorated only with the detritus of the past tenant with signs reading, “For Lease” or “Available” posted on a display window displaying nothing else.

So, via Sonicfrog, I get a link to something my drinking companions brought up last night (wonderful that serendipity, spared me a google search).  The California Assembly just voted to increase regulations on private enterprise:

California is poised to take the national and global lead on yet another key environmental issue:single-use paper and plastic bags handed out at grocery, convenience, and other stores.

The state Assembly approved AB 1998 Wednesday, which would require shoppers who don’t bring their own bags to the store to purchase paper bags made of at least 40 percent recycled material or buy reusable totes. The statewide ban, which would go further than plastic bag bans in at least five cities, including San Francisco, would be the nation’s first. It moves on to the Senate Thursday, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said that he supports it – a rare revelation that could aid its passage, according to several observers.

(It passed the Assembly 41-27, with no Republican votes.)

Yeah, that’ll make it easier for entrepreneurs to establish new enterprises.  Don’t these legislators have better things to do with their time?  They’re more concerned with appeasing the left-wing environmental lobby in the state than actually standing up to the various special interests and for the citizens of California.

The interest groups will applaud, but no new jobs will be created in the private sector.  And the cost of doing business will go up.

Kudos to state Republicans for opposing this nonsense.

The Global Warming Hoax Of The Century continues to crumble…

More trouble looms for the IPCC. The body may need to revise statements made in its Fourth Assessment Report on hurricanes and global warming.  A statistical analysis of the raw data shows that the claims that global hurricane activity has increased cannot be supported.

Les Hatton once fixed weather models at the Met Office. Having studied Maths at Cambridge, he completed his PhD as metereologist: his PhD was the study of tornadoes and waterspouts. He’s a fellow of the Royal Meterological Society, currently teaches at the University of Kingston, and is well known in the software engineering community – his studies include critical systems analysis.

Hatton has released what he describes as an ‘A-level’ statistical analysis, which tests six IPCC statements against raw data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Administration.  He’s published all the raw data and invites criticism, but warns he is neither “a warmist nor a denialist”, but a scientist.

Hatton performed a z-test statistical analysis of the period 1999-2009 against 1946-2009 to test the six conclusions. He also ran the data ending with what the IPCC had available in 2007. He found that North Atlantic hurricane activity increased significantly, but the increase was counterbalanced by diminished activity in the East Pacific, where hurricane-strength storms are 50 per cent more prevalent. The West Pacific showed no significant change. Overall, the declines balance the increases.

“When you average the number of storms and their strength, it almost exactly balances.” This isn’t indicative of an increase in atmospheric energy manifesting itself in storms.

I’d like nothing more than to see Al Gore charged with fraud by an international tribunal…. or economic crimes against humanity.  Either one that lands him in jail the quickest.  Maybe a Saudi jail??

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

UPDATE (from Dan): So, where are the global warmists left to be discredited? They’ve been hiding the decline (in temperatures), exaggerating the melting of Himalayan glaciers and the devastation of the Amazon rain forest and now they’ve been doctoring data about hurricanes. Wonder if they made any predictions about tornadoes.

Wait, I thought liberals claimed you would be committing crimes against humanity or the equivalent of denying the Holocaust if you questioned the religion of Global Warming?

I guess the BBC decided to depart from the Earthist Scripture this weekend:

For the last 11 years we have not observed any increase in global temperatures.

And our climate models did not forecast it, even though man-made carbon dioxide, the gas thought to be responsible for warming our planet, has continued to rise.

<…>

So what can we expect in the next few years?

Both sides have very different forecasts. The Met Office says that warming is set to resume quickly and strongly.

It predicts that from 2010 to 2015 at least half the years will be hotter than the current hottest year on record (1998).

Sceptics disagree. They insist it is unlikely that temperatures will reach the dizzy heights of 1998 until 2030 at the earliest. It is possible, they say, that because of ocean and solar cycles a period of global cooling is more likely.

One thing is for sure. It seems the debate about what is causing global warming is far from over. Indeed some would say it is hotting up.

Aside from the bad grammar, this is quite a liberal media breakthrough.

It also kinda sucks when the ACTUAL WEATHER gets in the way of the environmental talking points, eh?

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

UPDATE (from Dan): Gateway Pundit reminds us of another scientific fact: Brrrr… Antarctic Ice Melt at Lowest Level in Recorded History.

My new desk lamp came equipped with one of those new supposedly environmentally-friendly light bulbs, you know the fluorescent kind that will be mandated in a few years. Well, maybe they may be environmentally friendly, but they’re not eye-friendly. It creates an odd glare which makes it more challenging to read my computer screen.

At first, I thought it was my eyes, then later my computer screen, but when I realized I had no trouble reading the screen when I looked at it in different light, assumed it was the bulb; I hadn’t had the problem with my old lamp.

Since the plastic on my lamp started to melt when I put in a regular bulb, looks like I’ll need a new desk lamp. When I pick that up, I’ll definitely be stocking up on those standard bulbs soon to be banned.

Has anyone else had such an experience with the new bulbs?

Well, that’s the way the headlines should read.

Once again, free-marked hating Republicans are to blame for another Obama profligation of our tax dollars. Yes, the House of Representatives passed today the largest tax increase in American history. It comes in the form of Cap-and-Trade, a taxing scheme whereby the government will be able to extort endless amounts of dollars from companies (wonder where they’ll get those dollars?) for, well, um…doing business, all in the name of their religion so-called “global warming”.

The bill was passed without time to read it (sound familiar?) and would cost Americans several times more than it suggests (sound familiar?) and its passage was characterized as vital by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama (sound familiar?).

But as with the “stimulus” pork bill of his early presidency, we can’t lay complete blame at the feet of The One and his socialist minions in Congress. Once again, shameful Republicans made the difference in the passage of the bill.

The final vote was 218-212, with 3 not voting. The number of embarrassed embarrassing Republicans who voted aye? Eight. Had they voted no, or even sat it out, this disgusting piece of legislation would be dead right now.

As a public service, here are the names of those who should be beaten in 2010. Please, if you live in their districts, do all you can to find someone anybody to challenge them in their primaries:

Mary Bono Mack, CA-45
Michael Castle, DE-At Large
Mark Kirk, IL-10
Leonard Lance, NJ-7
Frank LoBiondo, NJ-2
John McHugh, NY-23
David Reichert, WA-8
Chris Smith, NJ-4

I encourage all who live in these districts to call their Representative and let them know that you’ll be waiting for them when they get back from DC for their Independence Day vacation.

Next this legislation moves to the Senate. And we remember how great Republicans there are at holding the line on anti-business legislation, right?

When these anti-growth, anti-business, anti-free-market policies start destroying what is left of our economy, and people start blaming Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi for driving the country into a ditch financially, let us not forget those in our own midst who literally were the difference in passing such disastrous legislation.

-Nick (ColoradoPatriot), from HQ

Shouldn’t Liberals and Global Warmingists be thrilled at all of America’s newspapers failing?

Saves trees, right? More trees to hug!!!

Bruce (GayPatriot)

First, I give you the headline:  STUDY: Air Pollution Dimming World’s Skies (as published in the Charlotte Observer’s print edition on 3/13/09)

Now the lead paragraph:

The skies are dimming, for most of the world. Increases in airborne pollution have dimmed the skies by blocking sunlight over the past 30 years, researchers report in Friday’s edition of the journal Science.

And now the most ridiculous statement from the Associated Press that I have seen in quite some time (which doesn’t take much).

They reported that dimming is occurring everywhere except Europe, where declines in pollution have resulted in brighter skies.

REALLY?  So declines in pollution have brightened Europe’s skies, but the non-industrialized continent of Africa has higher “global dimming” than Europe??   That stretches the logic of man, weather and physics.

If Europe has been soooo good in reducing their polution, then the skies over Moscow should be experiencing brighter skies.  And what about Africa?  Is non-existent industrialization in Africa resulting in an increase in “global dimming”?   That should shoot to hell the Global Warming fanactics, eh?

The study does note brighter skies in Europe, but the AP is the one that editorializes as to the reason being “Europe’s declining pollution.”

MSM Bias — Always on display.   Global Warming Scaremongering — Never too far behind.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Just over five years ago, as we Californians considered recalling our then-spendthrift Democratic Governor Gray Davis, I read that Davis had hired 40,000 new state employees since taking office.  I had hoped his successor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, would fire all those recent hires, as would as business owner whose costs far exceeded income.

In the Golden State, just as in the federal government, Democratic politicians and public employee union leaders try to ignore such fiscal realities:

While the nation’s economy is reeling, as the United States, and California, plow into a recession, public employee union bosses continue to be advocates for the notion that somehow public employees are “more privileged” that their counterparts in the private sector and should be immune from the laws of economics — you know, that when less money comes in, less money can go out?  Unfortunately, that “Golden Rule” applies in government just like it does in the private sector.

At a time when state government is facing a huge financial shortfall, directly attributed, by the way, by an overspending orgy that was completely advocated by the state’s public employee unions (I do not recall any unions calling for less spending on new government jobs, and instead calling for increasing state reserves to deal with potential shortfalls such as the one we are facing today), the unions are pouring proverbial fuel onto the fire by opposing any cuts in pay or benefits for their employees, hiding behind negotiated contracts.

I’ve always thought public employee unions should be barred by law from contributing to political campaigns. If their candidate wins, when the times comes to renew employee contracts, they’ll find themselves on both sides of the bargaining table, leaving those who foot the bill for their policies, the taxpayers, out. Shouldn’t government officials represent the taxpayers?

State elected officials risk a loss of campaign cash if they defy the unions. And now our government is short of cash.

And it’s not just public employee unions to whom our state officials are beholden. (more…)

Glenn Reynolds really has an eye for talent.  On the same day, he links not just a post on this blog, but also a column by quite possibly the best college blogger/columnist there is, my nephew Mitchell.

That smart young man joins me in commending House Republicans for standing tall on the stimulus, but warns their Senate colleagues not to break ranks:

As the bill moves on to Senate, Republican Senators must keep their backbone and vote against it. There’s going to be Democrats accusing them of hurting the economy, and they might face pressure to vote for it, but voting for it is just what will hurt the economy and hurt the Republican Party.

If Republicans in the coming months fear public backlash and begin softening their position, they face the threat the Democrats did when they voted for the Iraq War in 2002.

Exactly. Exactly.

Mitchell rightly notes that opposition to the “stimulus” has been increasing “due to Republican efforts attacking the wasteful spending included.” That’s why we need to keep debate open on this for as long as possible so people can see just what political payoffs it contains.

The more they see what’s in it, the less likely they’ll be to support it. Just read the whole thing.

My brother and sister-in-law should be proud.  They raised one smart kid.  Well, not quite a kid any more.  :-)

**WELCOME INSTAPUNDIT READERS!**

As of Saturday morning, most of Charlotte-area gas stations still have plastic bags over their pumps and gas hunting cars zipping in, around, and out of their parking lots.  WBT-AM reports than only 7 of 80 gas stations surveyed in the Charlotte metro area have gasoline this morning.

Many parts of the Southeast are in a Gas Shortage Crisis, and the National Mainstream Media continues to ignore it.

Anderson Cooper…. where are you, man?

Gas lines remain today; deliveries still promised – Charlotte.com

It appears to be more of the same at gas stations across the Charlotte metro region, with only a fraction of stations selling fuel and long lines forming — despite promises that shipments of gas are on the way.

Lines began forming in the pre-dawn hours Saturday at a number of stations in the Charlotte area.

But officials from AAA Carolinas, government leaders and gasoline distributors say the tanker trucks are coming. A large shipment of fuel was reported to have been sent to Charlotte on Friday. However, some of those experts warned that the shortage won’t end quickly.

This week’s shortage is a result of hurricanes Ike and Gustav, which hit the Gulf Coast earlier this month, disrupting refinery production. Refineries had enough fuel in reserve to stock Southeastern pumps for about a week, but many stations ran out before the refineries could resume full production.

Four of the 17 Houston-area refineries remain closed, with most others in partial or full operation, AAA said.

Charlotte isn’t the only place grappling with a short gas supply, though the area saw the most serious disruptions in the state, with little or no shortages reported in eastern North Carolina, Crosby said. Stations were running out of fuel this week in Florida, Tennessee, Virginia and elsewhere, with the Atlanta area feeling particular pressure, the Associated Press reported.

Just this morning, I canvassed five gas stations in the South Charlotte area and all still had dry fuel tanks.  I’m staying home now until I know for sure there will be gas somewhere.  I’m running on fumes.

Remember folks, Charlotte is now the 20th largest city in the USA, the 2nd largest banking center in the USA (sorry, San Francisco) and North Carolina is the 10th largest state by population in the USA (sorry, New Jersey).

So where is the media focus and questions that a similar crisis in New York or Washington, DC would have attracted as soon as it started?

And Senator McCain — you’d be VERY wise to have you or Sarah come to Charlotte and talk about Energy Independence.  You would be very popular right now with that message!

UPDATE:  1:30pm – Finally got gas at my local place.  The tanker truck was still there as I pulled up.  The wait was shorter than I expected — about 20 minutes.  Unlike reports from other parts of Charlotte, my fellow gas-starved residents were orderly and no fights broke out.  In fact, there were a couple pumps open for a few minutes — unlike last night when people were cutting each other off and getting into accidents to get to any open pump.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Holy sh– !! I just arrived in Philadelphia on a business trip and it is only 75 degrees!! 75 degrees in mid-August!

Forget Global Warming silliness, I am starting to wonder about global cooling.

Oh that’s right — fluctuations in weather aren’t called “weather” anymore.

Everything is now “climate change”.

UPDATE - Looks like I was onto something.  I just saw this article from Drudge:  Farmers’ Almanac says cold winter ahead.  

Households worried about the high cost of keeping warm this winter will draw little comfort from the Farmers’ Almanac, which predicts below-average temperatures for most of the U.S.

“Numb’s the word,” says the 192-year-old publication, which claims an accuracy rate of 80 to 85 percent for its forecasts that are prepared two years in advance.

The almanac’s 2009 edition, which goes on sale Tuesday, says at least two-thirds of the country can expect colder than average temperatures, with only the Far West and Southeast in line for near-normal readings.

[Angered, Global Warming flings his black cape aside with disgust and puts a hex on the Farmers' Almanac.]

So watch your favorite liberal suddenly viewing gas prices as being more important than the greening of America.  By the way, what is Al Gore’s accuracy rate?  Does anyone know?

Is it possible? Could it be true? Has public anger over sky-rocketing gas prices finally instilled some backbone into Senate Republicans?

Senate Republicans have threatened to block nearly all other bills pending before the August recess if Democrats refuse to vote with them on expanding offshore drilling.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said bills that do not pertain to energy can wait until after the August recess, with gas prices now surpassing $4 per gallon. McConnell and top Republicans indicated Wednesday they would oppose any procedural votes to take up other legislation, which require 60 votes to succeed…

Following swift Senate action on the narrow energy bill, Reid wanted the Senate to approve a massive defense authorization bill, an overhaul of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, legislation to protect reporters’ sources, an extension of expiring energy tax incentives, and a major package of 33 bills held up by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.).

But Republicans are planning to keep the Senate on the energy issue until their demands are resolved. The massive housing-rescue package might be the only other measure that gets valuable floor time before the August recess. (The Hill)

So in other words, Reid planned on only offering an ineffective CYA bill on energy for his fellow Dems while doing nothing to address the problem. Considering the number of filibusters that Senate Democrats employed prior to gaining the majority in 2006, Reid’s complaints are not only hypocritical but truly pathetic. Yes, use wind, solar, geothermal, etc., but let’s not forget the lifeblood of our economy. Drill NOW!

h/t – Hot Air

– John (Average Gay Joe)

Americans for Prosperity were there and confronted the liberal hypocrisy.  Or is it the Hypocrite Liberals?

We’re back from Al Gore’s big global warming speech, and boy did we have a great time! We had a dedicated band of taxpayer advocates out in force, pointing out the high economic cost of global warming alarmism – starting with $8 a gallon gasoline.

Of course, we saw plenty of hypocrisy — especially the fact that Gore didn’t ride his bike or take public transporation to the event.  He didn’t even take his Prius! Instead, he brought a fleet of two Lincoln Town Cars and a Chevy Suburban SUV!  Even worse, the driver of the Town Car that eventually whisked away Gore’s wife and daughter left the engine idling and the AC cranking for 20 minutes before they finally left!

Hey, if you think the car-idling is the best part of the video — WRONG!   The AFP folks peacefully confront Gore supporters and his limo driver and — well, you HAVE to watch it! I LOVE the woman who thinks a taxi cab is “public transportation”! ROFLMAO!!!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.   Well, how about comparing these two graphs… is that like 2,000 words?

Check out how the Democrat Congress’ (lack of) action has resulted in a significant spike in USA gas prices since they came to power.  Michelle Malkin did all the work on this one.

 

Now let’s observe how President Bush’s lifting of the Presidential Executive Order on offshore drilling has impacted the price of crude oil.  (Chart created at GasBuddy.com)

One goes up, the other goes down.

July 17 (Bloomberg) — Crude oil fell more than $5 a barrel, dropping below $130 for the first time in six weeks, as natural gas futures tumbled and global economic growth slows.

But (not my) Speaker Pelosi’s reaction to Bush’s announcement?

“Once again, the oilman in the White House is echoing the demands of Big Oil.”

“The Bush plan is a hoax. It will neither reduce gas prices nor increase energy independence.”

She is shameless.

I think most Americans know that we need to drill now, drill here, save money.  Well, the Americans that aren’t beholden to Environmental Wackos, Inc.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Dan and I both agree this is a fitting GayPatriot tribute to the passing of George Carlin.

We are so self-important…. everyone is going to “save” something. The greatest arrogance of all: “Save The Planet”!

<…>

I’m getting tired of that sh–. I’m tired of f–ing Earth Day. I’m tired of these self-righteous environmentalists; these white bourgeous liberals who think the only thing wrong with this country is that there aren’t enough bicycle paths. People trying to make the world safe for their Volvos.

Narrow, unenlightened self-interest doesn’t impress me. Besides, there is nothing wrong with the planet. The planet is fine. It’s the people that are f–ed.

Bravo, George! RIP

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

James Hansen, one of the world’s leading climate scientists, will today call for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer…

Speaking before Congress again, he will accuse the chief executive officers of companies such as ExxonMobil and Peabody Energy of being fully aware of the disinformation about climate change they are spreading.

In an interview with the Guardian he said: “When you are in that kind of position, as the CEO of one the primary players who have been putting out misinformation even via organisations that affect what gets into school textbooks, then I think that’s a crime.” (The Guardian)

One wonders if this fellow went to Andover? On the one hand I would dearly love such a ‘trial’ to expose schmucks like Hansen and the drivel they peddle, but on the other I have to wonder just how much of a kangaroo court this whole process would really be. Eh, if dissension constitutes a ‘war crime’ then perhaps we’ll get to put these folks on trial one day. I’m thinking fraud for starters…

–John (Average Gay Joe)

Mr. ManBearPig himself, Al Gore, has moved past his Nobel Prize fame and now earns a GayPatriot ”Profile In Courage” Award for finally bothering to endorse Barack Obama for President.

Gore resisted efforts to elicit his endorsement during the Democratic primaries, but he announced Monday in a letter to supporters that he intends “to do whatever I can to make sure [Obama] is elected President of the United States.” He also solicited donations from members of AlGore.com on behalf of Obama — the first time, he said, that he has asked his supporters to give to a political campaign.

How noble and sincere this Mr. Gore is!   He…really…makes…me……. cry.   Shame on us for not allowing him to steal the 2000 Election in selected Florida counties!

Maybe Algore took so long to endorse Sen. Obama because he was too busy upgrading his energy-guzzling house in Nashville.  (h/t – Instapundit)

Since taking steps to make his home more environmentally-friendly last June, Gore devours an average of 17,768 kWh per month —1,638 kWh more energy per month than before the renovations — at a cost of $16,533. By comparison, the average American household consumes 11,040 kWh in an entire year, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Liberal Climate Change Regulations — designed only for you lowly working-class folk who cling to your God & your guns.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

If every Member of Congress is taking this survey of their constituents, and is honest about the results, I think we’d be drilling off-shore in our waters by the end of 2008.

Thanks Representative Myrick!   If not the rest of the bunch there in DC, at least I know you are listening!!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

[ED NOTE: While I was approving Vera's posting below, I accidentally posted this one as "Vera". My bad. But I assure you, I am NOT Vera. She is one in a million.]