GeologicalScienceBlog - subjects include Geology, Climatology, Environmental Science, NASCAR, Beer, Property Rights, Random Thoughts, & Politics from a Christian Conservative/Libertarian/pragmatist viewpoint. As a Dad & Grandad, I am concerned about the overgrowth of government at the expense of freedom. Background - two degrees in Geology (BS '77, MS '90), started studying Geology beginning Senior Year of high school (1971 - 1972) <68>

Monday, June 29, 2009

Accusations of Treason

Moonbat columnist Paul Krugman is accusing Climate Realists of treason against the planet, while FrontPage mag has this article about how Barack Obama's desired cuts in missile defense are presented a real and present danger to Hawaii.

[It seems that the NYT has made it difficult to cut-and-paste quotes from their Op-Ed columns, so they can take it and stick it with their collapsing circulation numbers. So I won't bother any further. The only reason I link to it is so you can seen the mindset by which certain Leftists could use "hate crimes" legislation in the future. If you disagree with the government position on global warming/climate change, you could be put on trial for your viewpoints.]

As a reminder,...an estimated 90 to 95% of the Greenhouse Effect is due to water vapor and clouds. Carbon dioxide - while a Greenhouse Gas - only comprises 0.0385% of the atmosphere and by some estimates, only contributes maybe 4% or so to the Greenhouse Effect.

It is a power grab by a bunch of control freaks.

As for the issue of Korean missiles being "tested" by firing them towards Hawaii appears to be unmet, due to out-of-date software. It seems that present software will only track missiles at half the speed of the current Korean missile-of-interest. It would cost $50 million to bring it up to snuff.

[OK, not sure what is happening. Can't seem to cut-and-paste from FrontPage mag, either. So I soften my insult of the NYT. Will come back to this later.]

The Obama administration wants to cut $1.2 billion from missile defense, calling it "unproven" and "destabilizing" in past speeches.

Yeah, we know what is important in the minds of Libs.

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Posted by: on-the-rocks / 9:11 AM 0 comments
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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Happy 100th Birthday, Shiner Beer

From a broadcast from MyFoxHouston, a report on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Spoetzl Brewing Co., of Shiner, TX.

[I couldn't get the embed code to work, so try this link for the video.]

One minor quibble with the reporter, at the end, he says "Take that Corona", in reference to Shiner now being exported to Mexico.

Actually, the importer of Corona was the savior of Spoetzl in 1989, purchasing the brewery as it was near its "deathbed". I don't recall the specifics, but somehow the purchase of the brewery gave the importer some sort of advantage vis-à-vis Texas beer laws. So as much as one might sneer at Corona, it has played a role in preserving the last of the original Texas breweries.

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Posted by: on-the-rocks / 1:55 AM 1 comments
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Friday, June 12, 2009

Just Found an Excellent Analogy...

on the GraniteGrok blog:

Stimulus. It's Like Unprotected Sex... Fun right now, who-knows-what repercussions later.

[To the adults in the audience, I shouldn't have to explain further.]

From proprietor Doug's perch in the Granite State of New Hampshire, in this post (which you should go read) he lists just some of the "presents" New Hampshire towns are getting from the stimulus, paid for by the Chinese Communist government and our grandchildren.

Duplicate that by hundreds of towns in the remaining 49 states, to go along with the baskets of our cash promised to others...

The tea should be boiling about now.

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Posted by: on-the-rocks / 10:37 AM 0 comments
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Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Tuesday Videos - Just Something Interesting That I Ran Across...

while surfing the web.

Scientists and musical historians have attempted to recreate an musical instrument that has been "extinct" for some 300 years, i.e., it has been out of use. It is a long, slender horn called the medieval lituus.

Anyway, the video may help explain it (from YouTube user EPSRCvideo):



From the Wikipedia entry:

..."The lituus was used for a variety of purposes, including as part of classical compositions. Johann Sebastian Bach specified the use of the lituus for his composition O Jesu Christ, Meins Lebens Licht. This motet or chorale prelude, written in the 1730s, is believed to be the only remaining composition that calls for the lituus whose score is available,[1] and certainly one of the last pieces ever written for the instrument.[2] Since there are no known surviving examples of a medieval lituus, the exact appearance and sound is unknown. However, researchers have been able to rely on depictions of the instrument to approximate its characteristics.[3]"... [Emphasis added.]

A partial list of references from the entry.

[1]^ a b c d Staff (2009-06-02), Bach's lituus used for first time in 300 years, Telegraph Media Group Limited, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/5424719/Bachs-lituus-used-for-first-time-in-300-years.html, retrieved on 2009-06-03
[2]^ Staff (2009-05-31), Researchers resurrect extinct musical instrument, RedOrbit, http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1697337/researchers_resurrect_extinct_musical_instrument, retrieved on 2009-06-03
[3]^ a b Ghosh, Pallab (2009-05-30), 'Lost' music instrument recreated, BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8075223.stm, retrieved on 2009-06-03

Basically, the conclusion was that the instrument was cumbersome and difficult to play, that may explain why it disappeared into history.

[Just to show you that I am capable of being impressed by something outside of rocks, beer, politics, and NASCAR.]

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Posted by: on-the-rocks / 5:58 AM 0 comments
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Saturday, June 06, 2009

Biz-Czar

An informed caller (who had been involved somehow in the Reagan Administration) to Rush Limbaugh on Friday made the point that Prez Obama has appointed something like 21 "czars", giving them powers outside of cabinet positions. She was well spoken and had done some research to come up with that number.

We all know that there have commonly been one or two "czars" over the last couple of decades, but this trend needs watching.

More on this as it develops (or as I have time). I don't know if any national pundits have addressed this issue or not.

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Posted by: on-the-rocks / 6:12 PM 2 comments
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Thursday, June 04, 2009

Thursday Videos - The Theme is Freedom, While We Still Have It

[Back from a short vacation to OK and TX]...

I have been searching YouTube for honest Conservative/Libertarian/Classical Liberal lovers of freedom, i.e., those that last year (and the year before) were doing videos warning of the dangers of excess government intrusions into your life and are still doing them.

In other words, they don't seem to be fair-weather supporters, they don't seem to be doing these videos in 2007 and 2008 simply to bash the Bush Administration, as they are still sounding the warning, despite the change in administration.

Three of these YouTube users are "morningmayan" (1st video), "cv1122" (2nd video), and "crabbydogtrix" (3rd video):

First video:



Second video:



Third video:



[I reserve judgement on these three videos and their originators, should they turn out to be Moonbats. Currently, I consider them to be "Conditional Sentinels", they seem to be motivated by a love of freedom, not a hatred of President Bush, as they continue their videos into the present year. Beyond that, I don't know enough to determine where their political "homes" are - I am keeping an open mind, something "libs" have forgotten about.]

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Posted by: on-the-rocks / 3:56 PM 0 comments
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