RADIATION LEVELS IN JAPAN vs. radiation levels in-flight.
Archive for 2011
May 18, 2011
GRAIN PRICES SURGE ON WEATHER NEWS: “Grain prices surged as persistent rains fueled worries that farmers won’t plant as much corn and wheat as they had planned. . . . While the direction of crude-oil prices are closely linked to the health of the global economy, the outlook for agricultural commodities is fraught with more uncertainty because cool, wet weather has thwarted early plantings in the U.S., the world’s biggest grains producer. . . . Corn planting, in particular, is drawing attention because farmers need to harvest a big crop next fall to rebuild stockpiles, which are projected to reach a 15-year low this year.”
UPDATE: A reader emails:
Your post on grain supplies surging is too polite by half. We haven’t only reached a 15 year low – we’ve reached the historic low (going back to the fundamental change in farm policy instituted by Earl Butts in the early 70s). Whatsmore, the levels of corn in reserve we are seeing now hasnt been this low since 1937 at the height of the dust bowl.
Most of this, btw, is caused by ethanol: which received tremendous subsidies on top of a massive purchase mandate and of course import tariffs to keep foreign ethanol out of the market.
At least 40% is directly attributable to ethanol. The rest comes from changes to grain markets (people planting less wheat or cotton or soy beans for instance) because of ethanol support.
On top of the wet cold spring causing concern now, Texas and Oklahoma are experiencing the worst drought in 40 years. If it spreads to the Midwest this summer, and we don’t have the largest corn yield in history, we will run short of corn in August of 2012 (we may still run short this year too – we have about 14 days to carry us through till the fall harvest).
Ugh. On the upside — well, maybe it’s an upside, maybe not — the shutdown in Mississippi barge traffic is holding up exports.
EIGHT IS ENOUGH: “Another moment where President Obama, or the First Lady, is quoted in stating their hatred, disgust or exhaustion at the job. The story is meant to make them human, likable, common….but it doesn’t do that. It makes them look like people who live in the world of contradiction. They can’t wait to get out, but underneath they wonder what they would do if they could stay in power, they could keep control, they could rule.”
May 17, 2011
LITTLE MISS ATTILA: Power, And Its Privileges.
WHY IT CAN BE VALUABLE TO CARRY both a gun and a recorder.
Related: This Is The Police: Put Down Your Camera.
UPDATE: A reader emails:
I have been following your posts on this subject with great interest.
The problem — as noted in a recent post or two — is that the arresting officers sometimes delete or “disappear” the video.
There is a solution to that problem that I have not seen mentioned — streaming video, using services like Qik.com. These not only record the video to the cell phone itself, but stream live, and automatically archive the video to a website. As soon as one hits the “stop” button, it archives to the website. Evidence preserved.
“No video you say?”. . Might want to compare that police report to THIS ONE.
I haven’t used Qik. Anyone out there have experience with it?
IT’S ONLY WRONG WHEN YOU DO IT TO TERRORISTS: Busted… AFL-CIO Official Admits to “Intercepting” Emails of Political Opponents (Video).
STUPID CHRISTIANIST REDSTATERS! OH, WAIT: Massachusetts Bill would ban parents from having sex at home while getting divorce.
AT AMAZON, up to 60% off in Sports & Outdoors.
CHIMENE KEITNER: Why Has DSK Not Yet Asserted Immunity? Because He Can’t.
WILL RICK PERRY SHOW UP TO SAVE THE DAY?
When I’ve interviewed him for PJTV I was pretty impressed. Plus, he’s got a plan for cutting college education costs, and he blogs for The Tatler. So I’m predisposed to like the idea.
NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE: David Bernstein’s Rehabilitating Lochner: Defending Individual Rights against Progressive Reform. As I’ve mentioned before, I have a review coming of this book coming out. The book’s well worth your time.
FROM PEJMAN YOUSEFZADEH, a Q&A with Donald Rumsfeld on defense and intelligence.
THE IMF, THE KENNEDYS, and droit de seigneur. “Equality of rights has been espoused but not enforced at the highest levels.”
BILL QUICK: As of today, I am retired.
WHISTLEBLOWING watermelons.
LIVING LONGER, SUBJECTIVELY: Why New Experiences Are Important, and How They Positively Affect Your Perception of Time. “Time seems to slip by quickly as we grow older and things become familiar. This isn’t just an observation, but a result of the way our brains process information. New experiences can be especially important as we age because they take more time to process, making time appear to last longer. Here’s why.”
I stand by my theory, however, that time is actually speeding up — it’s just that you don’t have the necessary perspective to notice until you’re older. Physics will eventually catch up with this observation.
LET THEM EAT Khan Academy. They could do worse — and at most schools, they will.
I’M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT SHERIFF DUPNIK JUST ISN’T MUCH GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES: Dupnik won’t release more info about SWAT shooting of Tucson man. “The Pima County Sheriff’s Department will release no more information about the circumstances surrounding the killing of Jose Guerena during the serving of a search warrant by the department’s SWAT officers May 5, at his home. Two weeks after the shooting the department has yet to disclose exactly what they were searching for in the Guerena home as well as three other residences in in the area that were part of drug investigation. Court documents to show what officers were searching for in the case have been sealed and what was seized as evidence have been sealed.”
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER: Russ Feingold, Potential Senate Candidate, Rips Democrats For ‘Corruption’.
DIABETES, OBESITY, and one “master switch” to rule them all?
IRRESISTIBLY DANGEROUS: DIY Lasers.
JIM HOFT REPORTS on the Gingrich blogger conference call. So does Ed Morrissey.