Undernews For 5 February 2009

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4 February 2009

WORD
Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler - Albert Einstein
RECOVERED HISTORY

This photo of a 1912 auto accident at an unknown location was uncovered by the Navy Safety Center
FLOTSAM & JETSAM
NOT ALL PORK IS EQUAL
Sam Smith

The Columbus Dispatch is harrumphing over the bailout:

"The $300 billion targeted for social programs, many of them Democratic favorites, would not generate much immediate economic activity. Improving teacher quality, providing additional cash for Head Start and promoting wellness, for example, are standard government social-spending items that have little to do with stimulating instantaneous economic activity."

To which Dean Baker in American Prospect correctly replied:

"In fact, this spending, unlike the highway spending of which the paper approves, will provide an immediate boost to the economy. Paying someone to teach kids or provide health care creates jobs as surely as paying them to pave a highway. The former is better stimulus because we can typically get a teacher on the job more quickly than we can get work for a new highway contracted out and underway."

Here is an example of one of the most confusing things about the bailout. It is so huge, so complex and the data so incomplete that it's hard to know what's really going on. And while Baker is correct in this instance, it is also true that if you're trying to speed a bailout through Congress it's probably not a wise political idea to include golf courses even if they will provide some of jobs. On the other hand, you have to be a grumpy old know-nothing conservative not to see that new bike trails are not only useful but a good way to get people in employed.

Here's a chart from Moody's Economy that helps us wade through it, showing the one year economic benefit for each buck to be spent by the House stimulus package:

In short, the tax cuts the Republicans like so much will either have a negative impact or a minimal one. The best thing we can do is a temporary increase in food stamps, expand unemployment insurance benefits and start on public works.

Even general aid to state governments is more efficient that an across the board tax cut, accelerated depreciation or cutting the corporate tax rate.

But won't that be wasted on pork? Sure, some of it will be. But the notion that the federal government spends more honestly and efficiently than states and localities can only be held by those who have never looked at the Pentagon's budget. Besides, included in the term pork may be payoffs to political buddies, public works or saving a local museum or other cultural institution. There's a big difference between each of these.

In fact, in many ways, pork is a good idea, either helping worthy projects that otherwise wouldn't get assistance or getting corruption and wasteful spending down to where people either like it or can see it and rebel against it.

If we had had the time (and a media worth its salt) we might have demanded of our leaders some key facts about each proposed element of the bailout including economic bang per buck and buck per job.

Meanwhile, we do know that the GOP-favored tax cuts are the biggest and most useless pork of all and any complaints that party may have about golf courses is multi-billion dollar hypocrisy.

Here are some of the controversial projects the Conference of Mayors wants included, broken down by cost per job created

- 36-hole golf course in Austin TX: $221,000

- Eco park with butterfly gardens in Boynton Beach, FL $90, 000

- Replacement tennis courts in Virginia Beach, VA $47,000

- 8 police equipped Harley Davidson motorcycles in Shreveport LA $150,000

- Dog park in Chula Vista CA $71,000

All told these amount to less than one/one thousands of the total bailout. They will get a much higher percentage of media and press release attention.

On the hand, Milwaukee would like spend almost as much money as all the above projects to relocate a solid waste transfer station and self-help recycling center. It claims it will create 500 jobs at $14,000 a job.

So not all pork is the same and while you'll hear about the golf course and the tennis courts, you probably won't hear about the Milwaukee solid waste center.

PAGE ONE MUST
PANETTA; ANOTHER CLOUDY OBAMA APPOINTMENT
Politico - Leon Panetta, whose nomination to be CIA director will go before the Senate Intelligence Committee, last year earned $250,000 on the speaking circuit and another $790,000 in fees from consulting fees and board directorships. . .

Economic meltdown victims Merrill Lynch paid him $56,000 for a pair of talks – one of which came after Bank of America had moved to buy the struggling financial services firm. Wachovia also paid for Panetta talks, as did the defense firm Carlyle Group.

The Pacific Maritime Association paid him $60,000 as "governmental adviser," which an Obama aide said was for advice on port security issues, not for lobbying.

Panetta, who reported assets worth between $1.5 million and $3.7 million, served on a hodgepodge of high-powered corporate boards last year, including international energy giant BP Corporation (which paid him $125,000 last year) and public relations behemoth Fleishman Hilliard ($120,000).

He also sat on the boards of two insurance companies: Blue Shield of California, which paid him $93,000 and Zenith National Insurance, which paid $170,000 and in which he owns as much as $350,000 in stock. And he pulled down $11,500 for being a director of Corinthian Colleges, a chain of colleges accused of misleading students.

KYRGYZSTAN WANTS TO CLOSE KEY AIR BASE TO AMERICAN TROOPS
NY Times - In Moscow to seek financial support, the president of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, announced that a decision to close a U.S. air base in his country - a decision that will seriously hamper U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. . .

At a press conference, Mr. Bakiyev said the U.S. had not paid Kyrgyzstan enough in return for the use of the base – and expressed anger over a 2006 case in which an American serviceman shot and killed a Kyrgyz truck driver on the base. The American left the country, against official protest.

"How can we speak of independence and sovereignty if we cannot enforce the law on the territory of our own country?" he said, at a press conference. "All this has given rise to a negative attitude to the base in Manas. And that is why the government has made such a decision."

Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, on Tuesday called Manas "a hugely important" airbase for the United States. The base has served as an air hub and refueling and transit point for NATO efforts in Afghanistan, and U.S. officials have several times intervened when Kyrgyz officials considered shutting it.

During negotiations this summer, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U.S. would pay more than $150 million in assistance and compensation for the base. At the time, a government statement said the United States had contributed more than $850 million to support democracy, economic development, aid projects and security in the Kyrgyz Republic since its independence from the Soviet Union.
THE BOOK ON DASCHLE ISN'T PRETTY
John Nichols, Nation - No top Democrat did more to undermine opposition to the Republican regime than Daschle, who as the majority leader during the first years of George Bush's presidency put so much emphasis on the "loyal" part of the term "loyal opposition" that he failed his party and his country.

In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Daschle schemed with the White House to organize a bailout for the domestic airline industry -- for which Daschle's wife was a lobbyist -- that made last fall's Wall Street bailout look like a model of fiscal accountability.

Then, Daschle worked with the Bush administration to undermine opposition to the Patriot Act in 2001 -- preventing Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold from introducing amendments that would have addressed vital civil liberties concerns.

A year later, Daschle worked in lockstep with the administration to secure congressional authorization in 2002 for an attack on Iraq.

Daschle even blocked Democratic efforts to defend the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty when Bush moved to withdraw the U.S. from the arms control agreement. . .

When he ran unsuccessfully for re-election in 2004, the Daschle campaign appealed to South Dakota voters with television ads that featured a picture of the Democratic leader hugging the Republican president and a headline that read: "Daschle: Time to Unite Behind Troops, Bush."

When Daschle briefly entertained the notion of bidding for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, he found that he had no base of support among grassroots Democrats, who correctly viewed him as an example of just about everything that was wrong with the party's congressional leadership during Bush's first term.

Rejected by voters in his home state and unable to compete nationally, Daschle pulled a Dick Cheney move. The South Dakotan attached himself to the campaign of a viable contender in hopes that he might find a path to power as a member of the next Democratic administration.
ENERGY SECRETARY CHU WARNS CALIFORNIA OF AGRI-CRISIS
Dan Shapley, Daily Green - President Obama's Energy Secretary, Stephen Chu, is discussing the threat of global warming in new, stark and -- frankly -- frightening terms. . .

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, his first since being confirmed as Energy Secretary, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist said that all agriculture in California could be undermined by global warming by the end of this century. In other words, within the space of one lifetime, the nation's largest farm producer -- known as the "salad bowl" because it provides about half of the nation's veggies -- could quickly become more like barren a dust bowl.

Not only that, but California's cities are in jeopardy, too, Chu said. The reason? Mountain snow pack in the Sierras is dwindling, as warmer temperatures prevent snow accumulation and lead to greater evaporation. It's the runoff from those mountain snows that irrigate land and keep thirsty people alive in the valleys below.

That's not a new warning. The declining spring runoff has been a significant factor in water stress, wildfires and other problems in California for several years. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been warning that California is already experiencing the ill effects of climate change, in the form of a year-round fire "season" and increasingly untenable divisions of water wealth.

California is in its third year of drought, and currently the snow pack holds only 61% of the water it holds in a normal year, according to a recent survey. The drought could become the worst in modern history, and as the climate continues to warn, severe drought could persist indefinitely, or recur more frequently. . .

And the situation is not unique to California. The pace of glacial melting is accelerating around the world, according to a recent report. The melting of glaciers is akin to the loss of California snow pack, in that the runoff from glaciers is needed to irrigate crops and supply thirsty cities around the world. As those glaciers disappear, so might vast tracts of farmland and now-populous cities.
WHY ACADEMIC WRITING IS SO HARD TO READ
Misty Harris CanWest News Service - Next to the disappearance of the dinosaurs and the physics of Donald Trump's hairstyle, it may be the biggest scientific enigma of our time: how the world's brightest minds can write papers so stilted and boring your IQ seems to drop as you read them.

Kaj Sand-Jensen, a professor of biology at the University of Copenhagen, has tackled this familiar head-scratcher by analyzing the prose of fellow academics and isolating stylistic flaws. He concludes that the majority of scientific research publications owe their descent into dullsville to 10 key characteristics. . .

The Oikos article opens with a quote from fish biologist Erik Ursin, who remarks that hell is "sitting on a hot stone reading your own scientific publication."

It then delves into the chief culprits behind boring scholarly prose, the first of which is avoiding focus. "This tactic ensures that the reader will have no clue about the aims and direction of the author's thoughts" while simultaneously allowing the scientist to "hide his lack of original ideas," according to the article.

Shunning originality and personality ranks second, with Sand-Jensen wryly recommending that even the most momentous breakthroughs be reported "with no sense of excitement or enthusiasm."

Rounding out the Top 10 are writing long contributions, removing implications and speculations, leaving out illustrations, omitting necessary steps of reasoning, excessive use of abbreviations and technical terms, suppressing humor and expressive language, degrading species and biology to statistical elements and quoting numerous papers for self-evident statements.
BREVITAS
CRASH TALK

Bloomberg - A record 19 million U.S. homes stood empty at the end of 2008 and homeownership fell to an eight-year low as banks seized homes faster than they could sell them. The number of vacant homes climbed 6.7 percent in the fourth quarter from the same period a year ago, the U.S. Census Bureau said in a report today. The share of empty homes that are for sale rose to 2.9 percent, the most in data that goes back to 1956. The homeownership rate fell to 67.5 percent, matching the rate in the first quarter of 2001.

The worst U.S. housing slump since the Great Depression is deepening as foreclosures drain value from neighboring homes and make it more likely owners will walk away from properties worth less than their mortgages. About a third of owners whose home values drop 20 percent or more below their loan principal will “hand the keys back to the bank,†said Norm Miller, director of real estate programs for the School of Business Administration at the University of San Diego.

Portland Press Herald, ME - Because of the sour economy, people are thinking twice about buying new. Business is up for cobblers, vacuum repairmen and auto mechanics as consumers try to put off major purchases until the economy improves. . . Steve Foss, owner of Shoe String Exchange Shoe Repair in South Portland, said business is up 10 percent to 15 percent in the past year because it costs only $10 to put the heels back on a pair of ladies' pumps, but a lot more to replace them. . . Brian DiPietrantonio, owner of Best Vacuum Service in Westbrook, said the increase in his repair business has offset the loss of his sales.

ECO CLIPS

Nina Shen Rastog, Slate - I've always been dedicated to washing the peanut butter, Pepsi, and mayo out of my food containers before tossing them in the recycling bin. My sister, though, recently pointed out that I'm probably wasting gallons upon gallons of precious H20. Is it worth it to soap up my tin cans and soda bottles? Not really. Recycling facilities are well equipped to handle dirty cans and bottles, so some caked-on tomato sauce and the occasional stray chickpea won't significantly hinder the process. (These facilities can even handle that lime wedge you left in your Corona bottle.) Residue left on plastic or glass containers generally gets flushed out with water at some point in the process; most of the gunk left behind on steel and aluminum cans is burned away when those containers get melted down. So there's no need to waste water by running the faucet over your recyclables-even if you were to get them squeaky clean, they'd probably end up getting washed again, anyhow.

GOVERNMENT

Boston Globe - Massachusetts has ordered a tire chain to charge Bay State residents a 5 percent sales tax on their purchases in New Hampshire in an unprecedented move that could have huge implications for consumers and other merchants. Town Fair Tire Centers, which is based in Connecticut but has six shops in New Hampshire and 25 in Massachusetts, is fighting back with a lawsuit now before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that accuses the state of violating the US commerce clause. If Massachusetts prevails in the case, which is likely to be heard next month, it could drive up costs for consumers and retailers such as Best Buy and Sears that sell expensive home appliances and other goods in New Hampshire, which doesn't have a state sales tax. It also could mean millions of dollars in new tax revenue for the Commonwealth as it faces a $1.1 billion budget deficit, according to tax analysts. . .

SCHOOLS

Washington Times - A new chief executive officer with no education background has been appointed by Chicago's mayor to run the city's schools, angering some who cite his lack of experience but making sense to others who point to a national trend of going outside traditional ranks for these positions. Before joining the nation's third-largest school district, Ron Huberman ran the city's transit authority, helmed its 911 center and served as chief of staff to the mayor. . . Mr. Huberman, a former police officer, marks the third Chicago schools chief appointed by the mayor who was, for the most part, an education outsider.

OUTLYING PRECINCTS

Unnoted aspect of the Obama victory, reported by Working Waterfront: Obama won all of Maine's unbridged year round island except for one. There are over a dozen of them

CRIME BLOTTER

Alejandro Melendez called the Cleveland 911 line to say that two armed men were watching him. Then he hung up, so the dispatcher called back. This time Melendez said to hold on and in the background the dispatcher could hear someone saying, "What you need? A 10-pack? You need a 10-pack? All right." Police went to the location Melendez had given them and arrested him after finding cocaine in his trousers.

Dallas News - A Duncanville City Council member wants to re-evaluate how the city issues citations to red-light runners and make it easier for suspected violators to request a jury trial. Paul Ford questions the nearly 45,000 citations issued in 2008 at four intersections monitored by cameras. Compared with Duncanville's population of 38,500, he said, the number of citations seems excessive.

DRUG BUSTS

Stop the Drug War - A new CBS/NYT poll finds that 41% of Americans agree that marijuana use should be legalized. While legalization still fails to garner majority support, it's clear that we're headed in the right direction. Only 27% supported legalization in 1979. There is a huge generation gap on this issue. More adults under 45 (49%) approve of legalizing marijuana use than oppose (45%), while just 31% of adults over age 45 approve of it; six in 10 are opposed.

FURTHERMORE. . .


BERNIE MADOFF GOES POSTAL

READER COMMENTS

CRASH TALK

All of the talk about the financial situation reminds me of something my father told me about 60 or 65 years ago. I cannot swear to the truth of it, but regardless, if we could get Obama and the entire DC crowd to support and promote it, I believe much could be gained. My father told me that China used to have a successful way of greatly reducing unemployment. Whenever unemployment went up, everyone would hire another employee. So, if Obama, etc. would encourage every employer to hire someone, if they could do it, and many could, you can see how this would help. Can you see it, Obama holds a press conference in "Prime Time" and asks all employers to hire at least one or more new employees! Then have all of Congress and the cabinet join him in daily promoting this?

NADER AND THE GREENS

"All these things have been supported by Nader who in 2004 spent a lot of time and money defending Green challenges to his ballot inclusion. For myself, I doubt I'll ever trust them again."

What? I was on the national council through 2004 and 2008 and nothing like this happened. One can interpret events that way but they would not be accurate. Nader simply refused to seek our nomination - I can only assume because he did not want to participate in a contested nomination process. Most Greens would have supported him had he sought the nomination but he did not. - Howard Switzer, Linden, TN

REACTION WITHOUT ACTION

Chet Atkins, speaking to Don Mclean c. 1977: "That Springsteen is the biggest hype in show biz. " Chet had great hands, and gave up his RCA corporate job to just play the last 20 years of his life. He even apologized for having watered down country music for RCA in the 60's (on behest of his New York masters - and even then those records were musically good and organic ). Chet was a real musician; the " boss " is the corporate toxic mimic of Dylan. Great article, though I don't agree about punk. I find it - as well as metal, techno and power pop - to all be BS.

OBAMA'S DUBIOUS & HYPER EXPENSIVE MEDICAL RECORDS

Do you receive a hand written check for your work? Or do you get a computer generated check? IT workers are the ones that keep your checks coming on time. We keep you working and make sure you are getting the information to do your job correctly no matter what industry your work in. Go back to doing your job without a computer and see how productive you are compared to your counterparts.

IBM WANTS TO OUTSOURCE WORKERS AS WELL AS WORK

Unbelievable. I worked for a large US bank that contracted IBM for outsourcing services (which cost me my job) and we used to joke about possibly having to move to India to find work. Now it's coming true!

BARACK OBABBLE

Many of the complaints about the bill pertain to relatively tiny amounts that sound huge, taken out of context. That is, a $400 million dollar budget for this or that budget priority sounds huge, but it represents only a miniscule difference of .00048ths of the total. Anything below this figure is, of course, of still smaller consequence.

So, it is childish for critics to seek out and ridicule as horribly unaffordable such amounts of spending, and to claim that is the reason they cannot back this spending bill. - Sofla

59% SUPPORT FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE

Perhaps the reason the poll numbers have dropped is that since the election some people believe that President Obama will be able to magically fix the health care crisis without instituting a federal single payer program. The truth is there is no way that relying on the private sector will ever work. America needs to wake up and demand that Congress and the president do the right thing. I, for one, would be willing to pay higher taxes to fix what I consider to be our biggest problem. How much better off would the "Big 3" auto makers be if they didn't have the burden of health care on their backs? - larry rogers

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