Six very loose degress with no bacon on the side

-        A federal judge in Virginia ruled that the new Healthcare law’s provision mandating all citizens get health insurance as unconstitutional.  The Republican judge did not go as far as to strike down the law in its entirety or block it from being implemented while his ruling is appealed by the administration.  Fact is the White House will appeal to the Democratic loaded appellate court, and ultimately it will end up in the Supreme Court to determine its constitutionality.  If this element of the law is ruled out, what does that mean to the health reform law itself?  Which brings us to…
-        The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which passed Congress with bipartisan support was signed into law by President Obama.  The act authorizes funds for federal school meal and children's nutrition programs, while increasing access to healthy food for low-income children. It gives the Department of Agriculture the authority to set nutritional standards for all foods routinely sold in school, including in vending machines, lunch lines and school stores.  It doesn’t, in spite of another false moronic Palinism, ban cookie or cupcake sales for boosters or charities.  Which brings us to…
-        Corn.  Corn in the form of high fructose corn syrup and ethanol which is heavily subsidized by the American taxpayer while making us less healthy and less energy efficient.  In fact, while everyone was talking about tax cuts for the rich Republican Chuck Grassley and Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa, and Democrat Kent Conrad of North Dakota conspired and managed to insert a five year extension of the ethanol subsidy in the Senate version of the Obama-GOP tax-cut proposal. It is estimated that extending the subsidy to 2015 will cost taxpayers nearly $5 billion.  With >24million Americans diagnosed with diabetes, and that number is growing at an increasing rate thanks in part to the rise of HFCS.  Can we go back to having corn on the dinner table in the form on the cob or niblets?  Further, corn based ethanol is neither green nor a path to fossil fuel independence.  It’s a big myth.  Which brings us to…
-        A Better Place.  The Israeli venture being driven by its founder Shai Agassi and Renault/Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn with a nudge from former Israeli PM Shimon Peres.  BetterPlace.com is a private venture committed to eliminating Israel’s dependency on foreign fossil fuels by establishing a network of battery changing stations throughout Israel for electric cars.  The unique value proposition that reduces the cost of the electric car, a current obstacle to widespread adoption, by leasing the battery.  The changing stations will remove and replace the battery in under five minutes or less time to fill a tank with petrol.  While Better Place will not address, at this time, commercial vehicle and trucking needs, it does represent a significant plank in the get off the oil platform.  A comprehensive energy policy what a concept.  Which brings us to….
-        China and its insatiable appetite for natural resources to fuel its economy.  As China continues to gobble up more oil, copper, nickel, gold, etc. its regional sphere of influence will increase and it will be up to the Department of Defense to maintain uninterrupted and unhindered shipping lanes.  This will require significant investment in submarines, cyber security, satellite technology, and asymmetric weaponry.  Where will the money come from to enable these investments?  I think it’s safe to say the Chinese tap will be shut off by then.  So yes boys and girls, financial shocks are a matter of national security.  Which brings us to….
-        Dexter.  I think Dexter killed Lumen because he couldn’t let her leave knowing his secret.  Harry wouldn’t allow it.  And I don’t buy she wouldn’t flip on Dexter out of fear of self-incrimination.  After all, only children get wishes, and Lumen swims with the fishes.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Secular American Jew and a Love for Israel

Sunni and Shia: So who are the bad guys again?

September 10, 2001 was a Monday