Weekend Headlines/Links [CBD]

Artist Creates Impossible Towers Of Balanced Rocks To Meditate
This is hard to believe, but there is no obvious cheating....

Regulatory Deception
Yes, The enviro-wackos are in bed with the EPA. Who knew?

NutriNazis Plan to Impose Steps Toward a Plant-Based Diet
Because as we all know, those canine teeth are vestiges of a brutal, pre-modern world where nobody did Yoga or live in Park Slope

Actual...you know....facts that show "Peak Oil" is crap

On the Way to Making a Point, [Peter] Wehner Loses His Composure A nice little Fisking of Wehner's Commentary article attacking Mark Levin and the "Jacobins" who liked the shutdown. (Trigger warning: the word "purity" is used)

Russian Bombers Over The Gulf of Mexico
Well, the upside is that they are beautiful planes...

And an update, courtesy of andycanuck:
"I'll shake your hand, but I only have one thing to say to you: Get out of Ukraine."

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:55 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 First?

Posted by: EC at November 15, 2014 10:50 AM (doBIb)

2 Yay! First!

Posted by: EC at November 15, 2014 10:50 AM (doBIb)

3 Artist guy is good.

Posted by: fluffy at November 15, 2014 10:51 AM (e99xS)

4 Last pic has to be bullshit. No way!

Posted by: EC at November 15, 2014 10:53 AM (doBIb)

5 I saw a documentary on the rock-making guy. Fascinating.

Posted by: Null at November 15, 2014 10:54 AM (xjpRj)

6 Balanced rocks?

Superglued is more like it.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, International Double-Naught Cat Speculator at November 15, 2014 10:55 AM (0HooB)

7 The Tu 160 has nice lines. I wouldn't call the 'Bear' (Tu 95?) beautiful.cit is impressive, though.

Posted by: fluffy at November 15, 2014 10:57 AM (e99xS)

8 Heh. Sign in the crowd at College GameDay in Tuscaloosa: "This game is bigger than Kim Kardashian's butt."

Roll Tide!

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, International Double-Naught Cat Speculator at November 15, 2014 10:57 AM (0HooB)

9 The best part: he put the red rock in last.

Posted by: eman at November 15, 2014 10:58 AM (MQEz6)

10 Morning, all!

Reminder: Vegans have significantly lower sperm count. So...could we consider this "nudge" into a plant-based diet a soft form of genocide?

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 10:59 AM (ABcz/)

11 10 Morning, all!

Reminder: Vegans have significantly lower sperm count. So...could we consider this "nudge" into a plant-based diet a soft form of genocide?
Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 10:59 AM (ABcz/)

With all that soy shit they eat, I'm surprised they don't ejaculate ova.

Posted by: Insomniac at November 15, 2014 11:01 AM (AVWYi)

12 I'm surprised they have any libido at all.

So, how 'bout that global warming. Fifth day in a row of subzero temps and it is, of course, snowing again.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 11:03 AM (rLYQR)

13 Putin leaves G20 early for some reason. See sock link.

Posted by: andycanuck at November 15, 2014 11:04 AM (MtkQi)

14 Reminder: Vegans have significantly lower sperm count. So...could we consider this "nudge" into a plant-based diet a soft form of genocide?
Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 10:59 AM (ABcz/)
******
Perfect diet for the Beta Male on the go

Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:05 AM (jucos)

15 Good Morning Gentlefappers!

Just had a sausage and cheese frittata fried in bacon fat. Why is critter fried in critter so darned delicious?

And heck, *I* have a higher sperm count than most vegans.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at November 15, 2014 11:06 AM (QBm1P)

16 Watching the video is almost meditation in itself. That was incredible.....

Posted by: Jen at November 15, 2014 11:06 AM (hjTr7)

17 So, how 'bout that global warming. Fifth day in a row of subzero temps and it is, of course, snowing again.

I really like football games played in the snow. I could watch them all day long.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, International Double-Naught Cat Speculator at November 15, 2014 11:06 AM (0HooB)

18 You can't trust anyone who uses words to make a living.

They are all street hustlers, confidence men, frauds, shams, liars, and propagandists.

Like a used car salesman telling you what you want to hear, they're just making a sale.

Posted by: Marvin the Mechanical at November 15, 2014 11:08 AM (sW/wz)

19 I saw an older Asian guy balance rocks like that a few years ago on the seawall in Sausalito. We watched him for about an hour, no tricks, just great at balancing. It was pretty amazing.

Posted by: JDub (was BunkerintheBurbs) at November 15, 2014 11:09 AM (X3xYu)

20 da doo doo doo, de da da da
is all i want to say to you

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 11:09 AM (rLYQR)

21
Those EPA employees ought to be thrown in jail for fraud. The Mob only dreamed they could have such an easy scam.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at November 15, 2014 11:09 AM (1nB6R)

22 >>> I really like football games played in the snow. I could watch them all day long.

A few years back I watched the Patriots beat the Bills 16-7.

That's how a football score should look.

Posted by: fluffy at November 15, 2014 11:09 AM (e99xS)

23 You can't trust anyone who uses words to make a living.

Posted by: Marvin the Mechanical at November 15, 2014 11:08 AM (sW/wz)

We demand satisfaction!

Posted by: Ace's Legal Council. at November 15, 2014 11:10 AM (Zu3d9)

24 Putin leaves G20 early for some reason. See sock link.
Posted by: andycanuck at November 15, 2014 11:04 AM (MtkQi)
********
God Bless Canada and PM Harper.

Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:10 AM (jucos)

25
Check out Gruber indoctrinating his students (26:00 really gives away where this guy is coming from).

http://tinyurl.com/k286hfm

Here's his lecture to his students on health care reform back in 2012. Some nuggets in here too:

http://tinyurl.com/peuf9hc

Posted by: Early Cuyler at November 15, 2014 11:10 AM (fgh+v)

26 Update, courtesy of andycanuck.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:11 AM (Zu3d9)

27 RE: Delayed Sherlock 4th season, after the last season I don't really care if they put out another one at all.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 15, 2014 11:12 AM (39g3+)

28 uh oh CBD and andycanuck... you'll summon the Nashi trolls

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 11:12 AM (rLYQR)

29 A few years back I watched the Patriots beat the Bills 16-7.

That's how a football score should look.

Agreed. IIRC, there's already been one televised snow game this season. Used to have to wait a few more weeks, but not this year, thanks to all that Globull Warmening.

And DiT can post the Elbow Thread any time now...

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, International Double-Naught Cat Speculator at November 15, 2014 11:14 AM (0HooB)

30 gravity glue is awesome....

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl 110 days until spring training at November 15, 2014 11:15 AM (u8GsB)

31 "Dr. Anna Maria Siega-Riz, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, ... called for more monitoring of
children's weight, and for mandatory doctors visits."

First, parents
already do this with an assist from their pediatrician, thanks. We don't need uninformed strangers making snap judgements about this.

Second,
kids' weight constantly change as part of growth, especially during
their first year and adolescence. For example, my niece beefed up right
before she sprouted several inches, thus redistributing the weight gain.
My sister just ignored the letter from her school re: outside of standard
weight (after drafting several epic tirades in response) because she knew that was going to happen. STFU, BMI busybodies.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:15 AM (ABcz/)

32 Some of those pics must be fooling me with perspective, the rocks look too big to be picked up and stacked and some of the waterfall ones, well *I* would not be out there at all let alone trying to get rocks balanced just so.

Posted by: PaleRider at November 15, 2014 11:17 AM (7w/kf)

33 Nashi trolls

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 11:12 AM (rLYQR)

Sigh....another internet meme I don't know.

Please to explain?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:17 AM (Zu3d9)

34 just watched last nights factor with that dbag jerry rivers on the asshole illegals who kill citizens while drunk driving......mr. selfie righteous was up in arms that oreilly focuses on these illegals behaving badly......fucking tool

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl 110 days until spring training at November 15, 2014 11:17 AM (u8GsB)

35 Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 15, 2014 11:12 AM (39g3+)

I enjoyed it because the acting is solid, but I agree that the story lines were a bit thin.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:19 AM (Zu3d9)

36 Ima have to try balancing rocks on my next walkabout.

I could cheat with snowballs.

Posted by: fluffy at November 15, 2014 11:19 AM (e99xS)

37 Bless Harper for the way he greeted Putin.
How did Obama greet Putin? Hope he didn't bow...

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:19 AM (ABcz/)

38 I bet they're lying about the bombers in the gulf and even if they aren't, not really our concern. //

Posted by: Nigel West Dickens at November 15, 2014 11:19 AM (81puj)

39 Damn, good stuff in here!

Also, how many meetings has Obama's body double gone to while Sir Shanksalot was out on the course, and how could you tell the difference?

Posted by: t-bird at November 15, 2014 11:20 AM (FcR7P)

40 "Well, the upside is that they are beautiful planes..."

Heh. Why I like this smart military blog!

Posted by: mindful webworker at November 15, 2014 11:21 AM (6MUFb)

41 Bless Harper for the way he greeted Putin.
How did Obama greet Putin? Hope he didn't bow...
Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:19 AM (ABcz/)
********
In his best Kim Kardashian pose.

Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:21 AM (jucos)

42 My favorite bit from the Russia link: when questioned as to why they'd sent a Russian fleet close to the coastal waters of Australia, a Russian official replied that it "was a test of the country's capability to assist its climate change research in Antartica" Global warming, is there anything it can't do?

Other possibilities: there's a civil war in Australia or Antarctica.

Posted by: pep at November 15, 2014 11:21 AM (4nR9/)

43 Nashi is the "anti" fascist youth movement which supports Putin in Russia, whatever Putin does.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 11:22 AM (rLYQR)

44 Every time a vacuous actor/actress say something supporting the idiots on the left I add their name to my list;

[long, long, long list of the usual Hollywood suspects. CBD]

Posted by: doowleb at November 15, 2014 11:22 AM (EoE58)

45 What this country really needs is more illiterate fence jumpers with no marketable skills to suck up our rapidly diminishing money reserves and ultimately raise our taxes beyond Pluto

That's simply good business..

Posted by: US Chamber of Commerce at November 15, 2014 11:23 AM (hAdu/)

46 37 Bless Harper for the way he greeted Putin.
How did Obama greet Putin? Hope he didn't bow...

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:19 AM (ABcz/)

Kinda hard to do on your knees.

Posted by: TiminAL at November 15, 2014 11:23 AM (xD5h5)

47 For a minute there when I read that headline, I thought it might have been Barky who told Rootin' Tootin' Putin to get out of Ukraine. I should have known better.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at November 15, 2014 11:23 AM (8MlTP)

48 "Putin leaves G20 early"

Overheard as he walks out:

Ain't nobody got time fer this.

Posted by: mindful webworker at November 15, 2014 11:23 AM (6MUFb)

49 Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 11:22 AM (rLYQR)

Thank you.

I am immediately suspicious of "youth movement" as a descriptor. it evokes unsettling images of Brown Shirts.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:23 AM (Zu3d9)

50 My first reaction to anyone doing the amazing balancing thing is to remember that big stack of coins that used to be in the GBoWR for years until it was revealed to be a hoax.

Posted by: Burn the Witch at November 15, 2014 11:24 AM (xSCb6)

51 >>"was a test of the country's capability to assist its climate change research in Antartica"'

LOL that he's cloaking his aggression in the language of ecotwits...except that this is deadly serious.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:24 AM (ABcz/)

52 "This is hard to believe, but there is no obvious cheating..."

Two words: Super Glue

Posted by: -Shawn- at November 15, 2014 11:24 AM (N7jvU)

53 Bless Harper for the way he greeted Putin.
How did Obama greet Putin? Hope he didn't bow...
Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:19 AM (ABcz/)

Besides meeting with Putin, Obama met with Russian LGBT activists. Told their disappointed little faces that he can only do so much to encourage Russia to embrace the ghey lifestyle.

Posted by: Jen at November 15, 2014 11:25 AM (hjTr7)

54 So it's settled then.... where will the next Archduke Ferdinand moment happen. There are just too many hotspots in the world today with absent American leadership. The bad actors, and there are many, will most certainly start something in the next two years.

Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:26 AM (jucos)

55 38 I bet they're lying about the bombers in the gulf and even if they aren't, not really our concern. //
Posted by: Nigel West Dickens at November 15, 2014 11:19 AM (81puj)

The should make the X-37 do a low pass over Moscow and drop Pussycat Riot photos

Posted by: MikeH at November 15, 2014 11:26 AM (4OZqu)

56 Posted by: doowleb at November 15, 2014 11:22 AM (EoE58

Dayum!

Posted by: TiminAL at November 15, 2014 11:27 AM (xD5h5)

57 Gorilla glue?

Posted by: redenzo at November 15, 2014 11:27 AM (WCnJW)

58 Every time a vacuous actor/actress say something supporting the idiots on the left I add their name to my list;

Alyssa Milano

At least she's got the hot thing going for her.

Posted by: Burn the Witch at November 15, 2014 11:28 AM (xSCb6)

59 Besides meeting with Putin, Obama met with Russian LGBT activists. Told their disappointed little faces that he can only do so much to encourage Russia to embrace the ghey lifestyle.
Posted by: Jen at November 15, 2014 11:25 AM (hjTr7)

What I really said was, "Sucks to be you...."

Posted by: Bumbles at November 15, 2014 11:28 AM (4OZqu)

60 At least she's got the hot thing going for her.
Posted by: Burn the Witch at November 15, 2014 11:28 AM (xSCb6)
******
Which is nice

Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:28 AM (jucos)

61 If I were in charge, drunk driving by an 'immigrant' would be automatic deportation even if you had a legal visa. 2nd offense for illegal would be micro chip in a ligament so that 3rd offense could be death penalty.
But I'm just a backwards racist bitter clinger who doesn't understand why something like homophobia is the worst thing ever, except we mustn't bad mouth Islam and sharia law where being gay is a hanging offense.

Posted by: PaleRider at November 15, 2014 11:28 AM (7w/kf)

62 At least she's got the hot thing going for her.
Posted by: Burn the Witch at November 15, 2014 11:28 AM (xSCb6)

For now, for now... I'm working on it...

Posted by: Gravity at November 15, 2014 11:29 AM (4OZqu)

63 45 What this country really needs is more illiterate fence jumpers with no marketable skills to suck up our rapidly diminishing money reserves and ultimately raise our taxes beyond Pluto

That's simply good business..

Posted by: US Chamber of Commerce at November 15, 2014 11:23 AM (hAdu/)

I couldn't have said it better.

Posted by: Jeb! 2016 at November 15, 2014 11:29 AM (bHnlE)

64 >>Besides meeting with Putin, Obama met with Russian LGBT activists.

Uh, yeah, because that's the worst thing Putin is doing right now, not supporting gay rights.

Putin is anti-gay/SSM because he's dealing with a declining population, right? This is less about morals than him just wanting to encourage his citizens to create more babies (though he might just hate gays, too). I recall reading a statistic a while back that over half the pregnancies in Russia are terminated.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:30 AM (ABcz/)

65 Video from Bloomberg of them meeting on the steps. Obama jovial, shaking Putin's hand like he's his bro and making sure he is smiling for the cameras....

http://tinyurl.com/kdcoqxp

Posted by: Jen at November 15, 2014 11:30 AM (hjTr7)

66
"This is hard to believe, but there is no obvious cheating..."

Two words: Super Glue

Posted by: -Shawn- at November 15, 2014 11:24 AM (N7jvU)

Slow-curing gel superglue.

I'd have been impressed if he'd disassembled the tower at the end of the vid.

Posted by: Queen Cankles at November 15, 2014 11:30 AM (TIIx5)

67 Posted by: doowleb at November 15, 2014 11:22 AM (EoE5

You're going to need a bigger notebook.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at November 15, 2014 11:30 AM (z2ZXt)

68 61 If I were in charge, drunk driving by an 'immigrant' would be automatic deportation even if you had a legal visa. 2nd offense for illegal would be micro chip in a ligament so that 3rd offense could be death penalty.
But I'm just a backwards racist bitter clinger who doesn't understand why something like homophobia is the worst thing ever, except we mustn't bad mouth Islam and sharia law where being gay is a hanging offense.
Posted by: PaleRider at November 15, 2014 11:28 AM (7w/kf)

Nah, just plant a micro-explosive in the brain with geographic RFID that sets it off when they cross the border

Posted by: MikeH at November 15, 2014 11:31 AM (4OZqu)

69 For now, for now... I'm working on it...

Posted by: Gravity at November 15, 2014 11:29 AM (4OZqu)

You have a lot of work to do......

http://tinyurl.com/mxkcbn2

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:31 AM (Zu3d9)

70 Somebody is really, really good at playing Puck's Peak.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at November 15, 2014 11:31 AM (DmNpO)

71 Our production capacity is gone, our space program worries about muslim self-esteem, our military is being cannibalized to pay for Obamafones, but we still lead the world in rock-stacking. America, F**K YEAH.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at November 15, 2014 11:32 AM (Boytw)

72
Ugh. Off me, sock.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at November 15, 2014 11:32 AM (TIIx5)

73 The bad actors, and there are many, will most certainly start something in the next two years.
Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:26 AM (jucos)

India v. China, is my bet

Posted by: MikeH at November 15, 2014 11:32 AM (4OZqu)

74 India v. China, is my bet

Posted by: MikeH at November 15, 2014 11:32 AM (4OZqu)

Not sure that betting against India v. Pakistan is a good idea.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:34 AM (Zu3d9)

75 69 For now, for now... I'm working on it...

Posted by: Gravity at November 15, 2014 11:29 AM (4OZqu)

You have a lot of work to do......

http://tinyurl.com/mxkcbn2
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:31 AM (Zu3d9)

Hey, I pulled down the Russian Space Station, it just takes time

Posted by: Gravity at November 15, 2014 11:34 AM (4OZqu)

76 That stack of rocks, not uncoincidentally put up by a smugly self-confident doofus, is emblematic of the Left.

"I think it's beautiful."
"It causes one to think."
blah, blah, blah
Problem is...., the first small pertubation, the first puff of wind, the first bird that lands on it, and it collapses into rubble.

Were I to name the rockpile, it would be "Obamacare"

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at November 15, 2014 11:34 AM (l1zOH)

77 >>Posted by: doowleb at November 15, 2014 11:22 AM

Might be easier to keep a list of the ones who haven't said anything crazy.

There's such pressure on these vain, shallow people to mouth the "right" views. I remember when Jessica Alba had her first child she said in an interview that she wanted her child to think of herself as just an American, not whatever Alba's ethnicity is. Such a furor. And now Alba can't stop talking about her ethnic roots yada, yada, yada. Whatever gets you invited to award shows and on magazine covers, I guess.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:35 AM (ABcz/)

78 For now, for now... I'm working on it...

Posted by: Gravity at November 15, 2014 11:29 AM (4OZqu)

You have a lot of work to do......

http://tinyurl.com/mxkcbn2
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:31 AM (Zu3d9)
**********
She recently posted pictures of her breast feeding. Gravity will be getting an assist. That being said, she is still surface of the sun hot.

Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:35 AM (jucos)

79 gals who kill citizens while drunk driving......mr. selfie righteous was up in arms that oreilly focuses on these illegals behaving badly......fucking tool

-
I've an illegal alien defendant who broke his wife's nose a few days ago. He had been twice previously been deported and put on a super serial list of aliens not to be allowed 're-entry. ICE won't touch him now. He has bonded and is among us once more.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at November 15, 2014 11:36 AM (toWxX)

80 Climate change?

How can you possibly dispute NASA?

http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

The bastards have corrupted every single agency in the US Government. Everything has been politicized and harnessed to advance the socialist system.

Posted by: mrp at November 15, 2014 11:36 AM (JBggj)

81
Balanced rocks?

Superglued is more like it.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, International Double-Naught Cat Speculator at November 15, 2014 10:55 AM (0HooB)

All the rocks in those pictures have an unnaturally glossy luster to them, like "wet-look" vinyl boots. Shinier, even, than normally-wet rocks. My guess? They are coated with epoxy resin or some other binder, and he holds them in an approximate balance position until the resin sets up.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 15, 2014 11:36 AM (7MWCL)

82 Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:35 AM (jucos)

She has a certain..."come hither" look that I find appealing.

[and smokin' boobs]

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:36 AM (Zu3d9)

83 The problem with Sherlock is that while the first season clung pretty well to the character and stories, and the second less so, the third just was about a guy named Sherlock but the writer's own stories vaguely based on some stuff he heard about once. They've lost the plot badly.

"Putin is anti-gay/SSM because he's dealing with a declining population, right?"

Culturally, Russia still finds the behavior disgusting, pathetic, and wrong.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 15, 2014 11:37 AM (39g3+)

84 Reminder: Vegans have significantly lower sperm count. So...could we
consider this "nudge" into a plant-based diet a soft form of genocide?

Feature, not bug.

Brought to you by The Greens, Vegans, Malthusians, Leftists, and Democrats.

BIRM

Posted by: Burn the Witch at November 15, 2014 11:37 AM (xSCb6)

85
I recall reading a statistic a while back that over half the pregnancies in Russia are terminated.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:30 AM (ABcz/)

A Soviet legacy, the USSR was the first nation in the world to have legalized abortion, and continued it for most of their existence.

The Stalinist era is a notable exception, Uncle Joe was big on population growth so he banned abortion during his reign. Of course, population growth is a lot easier when you aren't slaughtering your population.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at November 15, 2014 11:37 AM (TIIx5)

86 Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 15, 2014 11:36 AM (7MWCL)

Which means his hands are covered with it too.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:37 AM (Zu3d9)

87 There's such pressure on these vain, shallow people to mouth the "right" views. I remember when Jessica Alba had her first child she said in an interview that she wanted her child to think of herself as just an American, not whatever Alba's ethnicity is. Such a furor. And now Alba can't stop talking about her ethnic roots yada, yada, yada. Whatever gets you invited to award shows and on magazine covers, I guess.
Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:35 AM (ABcz/)

Ever talk to 1st generation Indian or Chinese friends about their kids? They don't consider themselves Americans but "citizens of the world"...

Posted by: MikeH at November 15, 2014 11:37 AM (4OZqu)

88 Would it be considered sporting to shoot the wings off the Russian bombers and rescue their pilots?

Posted by: t-bird at November 15, 2014 11:39 AM (FcR7P)

89 Those EPA employees ought to be thrown in jail for fraud. The Mob only dreamed they could have such an easy scam.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at November 15, 2014 11:09 AM (1nB6R)

Those "sue and settle" scams should be prosecutable under the RICO act, if somebody had the balls to do it.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 15, 2014 11:39 AM (7MWCL)

90 Artist Creates Impossible Towers Of Balanced Rocks To Meditate
Yeah, but WHAT ABOUT HIS SHIRT

Posted by: m at November 15, 2014 11:40 AM (G891H)

91 Putin is anti-gay/SSM because he's dealing with a declining population, right? This is less about morals than him just wanting to encourage his citizens to create more babies (though he might just hate gays, too). I recall reading a statistic a while back that over half the pregnancies in Russia are terminated.
Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:30 AM (ABcz/)

Yes. However, he is also a Russian Orthodox Christian who attends services periodically. I believe this is probably an additional influence.

Posted by: Jen at November 15, 2014 11:40 AM (hjTr7)

92 over half the pregnancies in Russia are terminated.

-
Maybe that's why Barky was so jovial, he's another member of the Wendy Davis brotherhood.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at November 15, 2014 11:40 AM (8MlTP)

93 I think Eastern Europe still has the chance to be the flashpoint in a new worldwide conflagration. Old habits die hard, and even with a neutered population, I still think they have the capacity to fire it off

Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:41 AM (jucos)

94 ...nobody did Yoga...

Well maybe just that once, but we were at a conference, and we had been drinking, and we ended up sharing a room to save on expenses, and I just needed a hug, and one thing led to another...what?

...Oh, Yog-a. Well then never mind.

Posted by: Boo Boo Bear at November 15, 2014 11:42 AM (NeFrd)

95 All the rocks in those pictures have an unnaturally glossy luster to them, like "wet-look" vinyl boots.

Watch the video. You'll see why they look wet.

Posted by: t-bird at November 15, 2014 11:42 AM (FcR7P)

96 LGBTs yearning for attention at World Conferences.

The world's got much bigger problems than where your next lay is coming from, you special little snowflakes.

LGBTs - the true one percenters

Posted by: Burn the Witch at November 15, 2014 11:43 AM (xSCb6)

97 64 I recall reading a statistic a while back that over half the pregnancies in Russia are terminated.
Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:30 AM (ABcz/)

So there are other ways of voting than with one's feet.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at November 15, 2014 11:43 AM (oKE6c)

98 The Wehner link.
"Regardless, a true statesman would argue that the power of the purse is
an essential and underutilized tool by the opposition party of today,
and is, in fact, eroding American confidence in the GOP"

And no one in the Congressional GOP leadership is willing to use the power of the purse. 18 Trillion in debt, adding another trillion yearly and the GOP leadership doesn't want to use the only tool they have because they don't fucking care about fiscal policy anymore then the Democrats. Same old failed tactics with the same old failed leadership. The GOP is pathetic.

Posted by: lowandslow at November 15, 2014 11:45 AM (BXkFh)

99 "I think it's beautiful."
"It causes one to think."
blah, blah, blah
Problem is...., the first small pertubation, the first puff of wind, the first bird that lands on it, and it collapses into rubble.

-
Or Putin comes and kicks it over like a beach bully kicking sand castles.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at November 15, 2014 11:45 AM (8MlTP)

100 Posted by: Jay Guevara at November 15, 2014 11:43 AM (oKE6c)

Yes...by ceding one's country to Muslim interlopers.

Demography is killing Russia.

It will be majority Muslim by the 22nd century.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:45 AM (Zu3d9)

101 Just what we need. Another street "artist" with no visible means of support.

Posted by: Seamus M. at November 15, 2014 11:46 AM (NeFrd)

102 >>Ever talk to 1st generation Indian or Chinese friends about their kids?
They don't consider themselves Americans but "citizens of the world"...

My SIL and her family are naturalized US citizens from India and they love both their Indian roots and being Americans. The only time there was a little snag was when my second niece was born and she was a dead ringer for my WASPY grandmother (including blue eyes). Guess the relatives back home were a little disappointed, but they got over it quickly.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:46 AM (ABcz/)

103 I bought the last season of Sherlock on Amazon, didn't even finish watching the first episode. That was money pissed away.

Posted by: lowandslow at November 15, 2014 11:47 AM (BXkFh)

104 Posted by: Seamus M. at November 15, 2014 11:46 AM (NeFrd)

ISWYDT.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 15, 2014 11:48 AM (Zu3d9)

105 The stacked rocks remind of a fun little game the kids play on my Fire.

Stack the States (and Stack the Countries). Answer trivia questions about states and then get a state to stack on top of others. It's fun.

The maker also made a game called Presidents vs. Aliens, which is okay. The trivia about the presidents has way too many questions about which political party presidents were in. And some of the old ones were in more than one. The answer for Lincoln was not what you'd think.

Posted by: Mama AJ at November 15, 2014 11:49 AM (0xTsz)

106 Meh.
I mean it's nice and all.

But it's no Levitated Mass.

Posted by: Brandon Finnigan at November 15, 2014 11:49 AM (sRHX3)

107 Yo Mr. White. I balanced these rocks, BITCH!

Posted by: Jesse Pinkman at November 15, 2014 11:50 AM (ZWRoJ)

108 I guess rockstacking is helpful to his barista-ing.

Posted by: --- at November 15, 2014 11:50 AM (MMC8r)

109 >>Culturally, Russia still finds the behavior disgusting, pathetic, and wrong.

Didn't know that, or that Putin was a (semi?) practicing Russian Orthodox Christian. Makes more sense now that he would be against it, especially if this reflects the majority of Russians.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 11:51 AM (ABcz/)

110 John Nolte @NolteNC
Rape Allegations: Media Hunts Black Bill Cosby, Celebrates White Bill Clinton bit.ly/1sSRI85 via @BreitbartNews

Posted by: Costanza Defense at November 15, 2014 11:52 AM (ZPrif)

111 Meh.
I mean it's nice and all.

But it's no Levitated Mass.

****

Ha! I wondered if you were around.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at November 15, 2014 11:52 AM (DmNpO)

112 Putin is mostly just a Russian nationalist. Which is the part about him I respect the most.

Posted by: Costanza Defense at November 15, 2014 11:52 AM (ZPrif)

113 About that Russian bomber picture - its the BONE-ski.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at November 15, 2014 11:53 AM (wI8iH)

114 Second,
kids' weight constantly change as part of growth, especially during
their first year and adolescence.

----

Lizzy, I concur. My oldest daughter was chubby as a baby up to about two years old, people would actually say shit to me about feeding her less. As a 12-15 year old, so skinny (and she ate everything) but athletic. She is now 24, a size two/four and a fit athlete.

These idiots want to control everything. Like the climate/weather dolts.

Posted by: seems legit at November 15, 2014 11:53 AM (A98Xu)

115 Putin leaves G20 early for some reason. See sock link.

Posted by: andycanuck at November 15, 2014 11:04 AM (MtkQi)

********

God Bless Canada and PM Harper.
Posted by: Truck Monkey, as Voiced by Brian Dennehy at November 15, 2014 11:10 AM (jucos)

Harper, the premier of Canada, a nation that once had the majority of its armor held hostage on a freighter, is clearly more intimidating than President Obama.
'Cause a gum chewing gink with a scrawny neck sticking out of a poorly tailored nehru jacket just screams kick me in the teeth when my minders aren't watching

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 11:55 AM (t//F+)

116 the gravity glue is cool..... he supports himself by selling calendars and pictures of his art....

Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl 110 days until spring training at November 15, 2014 11:55 AM (u8GsB)

117 Elbows up, y'all.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, International Double-Naught Cat Speculator at November 15, 2014 11:56 AM (0HooB)

118 John Schindler @20committee
Telling Putin to get out of #Ukraine will not make it so, but NOT saying it loudly & clearly in public demonstrates stupidity and cowardice.

Posted by: Costanza Defense at November 15, 2014 11:56 AM (ZPrif)

119 Peak oil

"Saudi Dakota", heh. That warms the cockles of my black heart. Time for more bacon-wrapped pork loin...

Posted by: t-bird at November 15, 2014 11:56 AM (FcR7P)

120 Just what we need. Another street "artist" with no visible means of support.
Posted by: Seamus
----------------

It is a magnificent work of art. It evokes one's sense of oneness with nature and the universe. THIS is the sort of thing that we should be funding..., NOT bomber planes.

Posted by: Something some Vermonter babe might say. at November 15, 2014 11:57 AM (l1zOH)

121 Most humorous outcome of 2014 elections: The Vermont governor's race will be decided by the state legislature in January.

Here's an excerpt from the Burlington Free Press' article on the matter (April Burbank, 11/13/14):

Vermont Republican leader David Sunderland says legislators should
consider voting with their constituents when they decide the governor's
election in January.
"It's a vote of conscience, and a vote of
constituents," Sunderland said. "Each legislator has to balance that in
their own mind."
The suggestion riled Democrats.
"That is not how elections work," said Ben Sarle, a spokesman for the Vermont Democratic Party.

Posted by: mrp at November 15, 2014 11:57 AM (JBggj)

122 76 That stack of rocks, not uncoincidentally put up by a smugly self-confident doofus, is emblematic of the Left.

He should put a turtle on top.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at November 15, 2014 11:57 AM (oKE6c)

123 It is a magnificent work of art. It evokes one's sense of oneness with nature and the universe. THIS is the sort of thing that we should be funding..., NOT bomber planes.
Posted by: Something some Vermonter babe might say.

----

heh

Posted by: seems legit at November 15, 2014 11:58 AM (A98Xu)

124 I'm 100% sure that those rock-stacking pics are legit. I mean, they're on the internet.

Posted by: --- at November 15, 2014 11:58 AM (MMC8r)

125 Telling Putin to get out of #Ukraine will not make it so, but NOT saying it loudly & clearly in public demonstrates stupidity and cowardice.

I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at November 15, 2014 11:58 AM (rLYQR)

126 42 -- pep -- I left some final comments and analysis in the previous thread...

Posted by: CPT. Charles at November 15, 2014 11:59 AM (/mTq0)

127 Stack rocks, not war.

Posted by: --- at November 15, 2014 11:59 AM (MMC8r)

128 Folks.

I just adopted a soldier through the holidays.

Homefront Hugs was contacted about a team doing bomb sweeps in Afghanistan. They will be deployed there through January and have asked to be adopted. It takes just a couple of simple little packages and emails/letters a month to let them know they are appreciated.

If anyone else is interest in helping out, you can adopt or just donate at HomefrontHugs.org

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at November 15, 2014 11:59 AM (DmNpO)

129 All the rocks in those pictures

FFS it's water, watch the video, he carefully finds stable spots and configurations, stacks em up, splashes water on for the art and takes a pic.
It's not glue, it's not politics, it's a pretty pile of rocks.

Posted by: DaveA at November 15, 2014 12:00 PM (DL2i+)

130 $150K in student loans and you, too, can stack rocks like this.

Posted by: --- at November 15, 2014 12:02 PM (MMC8r)

131 I'm not opposed to rock art or rock artists, but do I have to care about them?

It's the caring that pisses me off.

I've got football to think about today.

Posted by: seems legit at November 15, 2014 12:02 PM (A98Xu)

132 >>My oldest daughter was chubby as a baby up to about two years old, people would actually say shit to me about feeding her less.

OMG, you too? My son was born with heart defects, and at the NICU they were very clear about how important it was to feed him well not only because a lot of kids like him are thin, but because the bigger he was the better he could handle his surgery at 6 months old. So we "power-fed" him to the point that he was this lovely, rolly-polly infant (just like so many other kids)....and we got got shit from strangers about it. I would just smile and call them a$$holes in my mind. I suppose that's why this weight/health nazi stuff hits a nerve - strangers have no idea about a child's or adult's health history, and they have no idea whether there's an underlying cause for someone's current weight (like, yay you're thin - oh, it's because of chemo?).
Argh! Sorry to rant.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 12:03 PM (ABcz/)

133 So has All Hail Eris cleaned up the mess caused from them swinging their 'broad' sword?

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at November 15, 2014 12:05 PM (wI8iH)

134 Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 12:03 PM (ABcz/)

----

Interesting. My daughter was in ICU for 7 days following birth and she ate like a long shore man. The nurses couldn't believe it. Thank goodness because it was awful seeing those other tiny, low weight babies struggle. And not against it, but sheesh, those women who insisted on breast feeding an ICU kid and the babies just could not keep the weight up.

Posted by: seems legit at November 15, 2014 12:06 PM (A98Xu)

135 Peak oil is actually kinda true. This AEI article captures just a short-term blip.

Fracking is only worth it when oil is above ~$100/barrel. So it had better hurry up and bounce back. I'd expect the numbers for Oct and Nov to be less impressive, and to continue dropping off, if they have to sell below the cost of production for much longer.

Peak Cheap Oil
http://www.peakprosperity.com/video/85856/crash-course-chapter-20-peak-cheap-oil

Shale Oil
http://www.peakprosperity.com/video/85825/crash-course-chapter-21-shale-oil

Posted by: Lab Rat at November 15, 2014 12:06 PM (hAbrX)

136 131: I'm just jealous that he found a way to make his meditation pay. My sanity hobby eats money (almost literally --hay is $$ these days)

Posted by: PaleRider at November 15, 2014 12:07 PM (7w/kf)

137 102 -- Lizzy -- That's not necessarily true. An Indian guy I once knew from work once commented: "The lighter the skin, the closer you are to Alexander (the Great).

Pale skin in India is a must for anybody claiming to be 'high caste'... it is a major plus in that part of the world, blue eyes even more so.

That being said, Indians come to America (and love it) because there is no recognition of the caste system here.

Posted by: CPT. Charles at November 15, 2014 12:09 PM (/mTq0)

138 136 131: I'm just jealous that he found a way to make his meditation pay. My sanity hobby eats money (almost literally --hay is $$ these days)
Posted by: PaleRider at November 15, 2014 12:07 PM (7w/kf)

Well my sanity hobby IS eating

Posted by: MikeH at November 15, 2014 12:10 PM (4OZqu)

139 Well my sanity hobby IS eating
Posted by: MikeH at November 15, 2014 12:10 PM (4OZqu)

----

And drinking!

Posted by: seems legit at November 15, 2014 12:11 PM (A98Xu)

140 >>seems legit at November 15, 2014 12:06 PM (A98Xu)

Yeah,
after the feeding tube was removed we bottle fed him so that we could
regulate his intake. He couldn't drink fast enough when breastfeeding, and apparently eating slowly can result in burning more
calories than they're taking in (bad cycle with heart defect kids who
have little energy to begin with). We got him to the point where he
would just chug those suckers down straight.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 15, 2014 12:12 PM (ABcz/)

141 This sign needs to be everywhere -

http://www.ufunk.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/selection-du-weekend-114-41.jpg

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at November 15, 2014 12:14 PM (wI8iH)

142 Just learned there are still 30 soldiers from the unit seeking adoption.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at November 15, 2014 12:14 PM (DmNpO)

143 We got him to the point where he
would just chug those suckers down straight.

---

HA! Good boy. Those 6oz bottles go down fast.

Posted by: seems legit at November 15, 2014 12:15 PM (A98Xu)

144 Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the infant fat put on readily converted to energy the babies need for the growth spurts? Kids are running a marathon every day, keeping them thin will stunt growth, make weak bones and immune systems, low stamina, low strength...
I'm not saying to gavage then on HFC gruel, but chubby kids are healthy kids.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 12:16 PM (t//F+)

145 FAWK!

Just got my post election health insurance notice in the mail. Up 28% next year.

Posted by: SpongeBobSaget at November 15, 2014 12:16 PM (zauWW)

146 135 -- Lab Rat -- That's only because the eco-nazis would strap bombs to their chests to stop coal - to - gas conversion... at an estimated cost of $55/barrel. Coal we got... even the ultra-clean stuff Bubba hid under a 'national monument' (to help an Indonesian rich guy get richer).

Minus them, we could be racing about in Mopar gas-sucking rocket sleds...

Posted by: CPT. Charles at November 15, 2014 12:17 PM (/mTq0)

147 there is no recognition of the caste system here.

Posted by: CPT. Charles at November 15, 2014 12:09 PM (/mTq0)

Really?

Posted by: Jon Gruber at November 15, 2014 12:18 PM (Zu3d9)

148 Well I was going to bang out some more words, but MGM is showing Dr. Phibes Rides Again.

Ah sweet silent Vulnavia in those stylish Russian clothes.

Posted by: Anna Puma (+SmuD) at November 15, 2014 12:20 PM (wI8iH)

149 He is imposing his capitalist/ego will on nature. He is exploiting/abusing Gaia. He should be prosecuted.

Posted by: If he was a Republican at November 15, 2014 12:20 PM (l1zOH)

150 Really?
Posted by: Jon Gruber at November 15, 2014 12:18 PM (Zu3d9)

----

*Spit take*

Posted by: seems legit at November 15, 2014 12:20 PM (A98Xu)

151 Umm, not to throw cold water on Homefront Hugs, but in checking Guide Star , this organization has had their
501 c status revoked by the IRS because of their failure to file yearly 990s.

Not that you can't donate to them, but don't plan on it being a charitable deduction on your own taxes. And having been in charge of filing 990s for a couple of charitable organizations, there is no reason that a group would not file for three years. it's not hard, in fact , small 501c3's simply send a one page form in. So I have to question whether your donation would actually reach a soldier or their family.

http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/26-0665539/homefront-hugs-usa.aspx

Posted by: Jen at November 15, 2014 12:22 PM (hjTr7)

152 Minus them, we could be racing about in Mopar gas-sucking rocket sleds...
Posted by: CPT. Charles
----------------------

* ponders the dynoed 6.6L Olds engine on the engine stand in the garage *

Posted by: If he was a Republican at November 15, 2014 12:22 PM (l1zOH)

153 Lab Rat -- That's only because the eco-nazis would strap bombs to their
chests to stop coal - to - gas conversion... at an estimated cost of
$55/barrel. Coal we got... even the ultra-clean stuff Bubba hid under a
'national monument' (to help an Indonesian rich guy get richer).
=========
What's the estimated cost for natural gas to petroleum conversion? I understand that there is new technology available that significantly lowers the cost of conversion.

Posted by: mrp at November 15, 2014 12:24 PM (JBggj)

154 Umm, not to throw cold water on Homefront Hugs, but in checking Guide Star , this organization has had their
501 c status revoked by the IRS because of their failure to file yearly 990s.

Not that you can't donate to them, but don't plan on it being a charitable deduction on your own taxes. And having been in charge of filing 990s for a couple of charitable organizations, there is no reason that a group would not file for three years. it's not hard, in fact , small 501c3's simply send a one page form in. So I have to question whether your donation would actually reach a soldier or their family.

http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/26-0665539/homefront-hugs-usa.aspx

****

I have contributed to them for years. It is an organization run, essentially, by one military wife and she has poured her entire life into it. The org received very favorable reviews and coverage then a family illness threw everything into turmoil. She's trying to get her paperwork in again.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at November 15, 2014 12:27 PM (DmNpO)

155 More info on the NG to petroleum conversion:

LINK: http://preview.tinyurl.com/pjzaten

Posted by: mrp at November 15, 2014 12:28 PM (JBggj)

156 147 -- Jon Gruber -- The 'Indian' caste system... yes.

The kind of system that limits your job potential, or who you can marry (under pain of death if you choose wrong...).

Yeah... being of the wrong social class here may not get you invited to the right parties (in spite of your apparent wealth), but that's not quite the same thing as being hung... or burned to death.

Posted by: CPT. Charles at November 15, 2014 12:30 PM (/mTq0)

157 Fracking is only worth it when oil is above
~$100/barrel. So it had better hurry up and bounce back. I'd expect the
numbers for Oct and Nov to be less impressive, and to continue dropping
off, if they have to sell below the cost of production for much longer.

Peak Cheap Oil
http://www.peakprosperity.com/video/85856/crash-course-chapter-20-peak-cheap-oil

Shale Oil
http://www.peakprosperity.com/video/85825/crash-course-chapter-21-shale-oil

Posted by: Lab Rat at November 15, 2014 12:06 PM (hAbrX)

No, frac'ing (to spell it properly) is cost effective at much lower prices than a hundred dollars per barrel. It depends upon many factors. How deep do you have to drill to hit your productive zone? How thick is the zone? What is the permeability? What is the porosity? What grade is the oil (or gas)? Any water present? Lower prices might shut down some marginal plays, but why are prices lower? Because somebody else is selling oil cheaper, right?

The existence of large reserves of somewhat costly oil is the best insurance against being held hostage by foreign suppliers of cheap oil suddenly raising their prices. It sets, for the short term at least, an upper bound on how high oil will go. And please note that the costs of drilling and frac'ing wells keep going down. Better drill bits drill farther, faster, meaning less down time to trip for new bits. Better directional tools mean we can go from vertical into our horizontal production leg in a shorter distance, again less rig time. Now we are beginning to see "monobores". No intermediate casing; there is 2 days saved per well.

And as this technology improves, rock formations that were once considered worthless are now becoming sought-after targets. That expands potential reserves.

I will tell you one inescapable fact about Peak Oil. That is that we won't recognize it until we are well past it, and that it will simply be a matter of historical interest, and not a crisis.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 15, 2014 12:35 PM (7MWCL)

158 "Peak oil is actually kinda true."

Only in the sense that oil prices seem to reach a peak point of cost then are forced back by market pressures. We keep finding gigantic vast seas of the stuff in addition to what we have found in the past. At some point oil might run out, but we're not even remotely close to that point, nor in the foreseeable future.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 15, 2014 12:36 PM (39g3+)

159 Now we are beginning to see "monobores". No intermediate casing; there is 2 days saved per well.

And
as this technology improves, rock formations that were once considered
worthless are now becoming sought-after targets. That expands potential
reserves.
======
Capitalism - it works.

Posted by: mrp at November 15, 2014 12:37 PM (JBggj)

160
The existence of large reserves of somewhat costly oil is the best insurance against being held hostage by foreign suppliers of cheap oil suddenly raising their prices.

Yes. Just the threat of being able to begin production should keep the price below a certain ceiling.

Posted by: --- at November 15, 2014 12:37 PM (MMC8r)

161 Odd that a website called "Bored Panda" would pick up the rock balancing artist.

Posted by: KT at November 15, 2014 12:48 PM (qahv/)

162 Panda had to be really, really bored, I guess.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 15, 2014 12:50 PM (7MWCL)

163 BTW, by adopting rather than donating directly, you can be sure precisely where your money is going.

They will have their 501c3 again soon and hope, when they do, the donations flood in.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at November 15, 2014 01:00 PM (DmNpO)

164 I swear Ace moonlights as Henry Tudor:

https://twitter.com/KngHnryVIII

Posted by: The Progs at November 15, 2014 01:00 PM (iQIUe)

165
Saying that "peak oil" is sorta true is unfortunately sloppy. The interplay of supply, demand, prices, and innovation works with any commodity or service or product. No different here. It's distressing that so many smart people find it nearly impossible to apply the simple - and literally immutable - principles/laws involved to different situations.

Yep, when oil is "too cheap", certain production and exploration activity tails off or ends. Just as with copper, iron, or tree-trimming services, or technical training for specific careers. With small variations, it's all the same dance of supply, demand, price, innovation/technology, and rational behavior.

Posted by: rhomboid at November 15, 2014 01:07 PM (afQnV)

166 Well, the nice thing about peak anything is that it is subsidy driven.
There are two types of resource exhaustion: Commercial exhaustion (or extinction) and actual exhaustion (or extinction).
When a resource becomes too difficult/expensive or just plain hard to get, the market moves onto a substitute - this was seen in the use of obsidian for cutting tools, bronze during the bronze age, the use of spermacetti for lighting and commercial use, and various sea-life caught for market.

In each case the cost of production drove the item out of the market.
I had an instructor who, as an undergraduate had researched fisheries exhaustion by researching and tabulating menus from the 1800's on the East coast looking for correlations between fisheries and costs and other evidence of extraction. He stated that they found a very good correlation of costs driving certain species out of the market because no-one could afford them, and generally when the market died down on them the stocks rebounded.

Now, this does not include subsidized markets: a subsidized extraction market is not sensitive to market costs since you are not extracting resources to sell, you are doing it for free money from the government: Chinese fishing factories, Czech soft brown coal, both are heavily subsidized, so they keep extracting in spite of the cost and the damage. Subsidies do damage to the world and the market.

Sierra and Greenpeace (may they rot in Hell) would better serve themselves and the world in general if they protested subsidies.

But they won't because they don't care about the environment.

They are in it for the socialism.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 01:08 PM (t//F+)

167 And as this technology improves, rock formations that were once
considered worthless are now becoming sought-after targets.

Technology isn't the reason worthless rocks are now sought after-targets. The reason is the rising price of oil. As the cheap easy gushers dry up, the next best option is to squeeze oil from a turnip, at much greater effort and expense.

That's exactly what "peak cheap oil" means. Not that all the world's oil will be gone next year, but that the days of cheap gasoline are behind us, and not coming back.

I will tell you one inescapable fact about
Peak Oil. That is that we won't recognize it until we are well past it,

Exactly. We are past the peak and on the downhill slope now, and do not recognize it.

and that it will simply be a matter of historical interest, and not a
crisis.

We'll see, won't we.

Posted by: Lab Rat at November 15, 2014 01:11 PM (hAbrX)

168 one day, I will start off in a ramble and end up on the same topic that I started on.

By the way, ever noticed that Henry VIII looks surprisingly like Douglas Adams?
I he hadn't written Dr. Who scripts I would just pass it off as a coincidence.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 01:13 PM (t//F+)

169
Kindltot, thanks for your better exposition of similar economics principles. Cut, jib, newsletter, etc.

Again, I find it distressing that so few people have developed the mental habit of applying economic laws (really not an unreasonable use of the term) to every situation.

Most important things are simple. I would nominate economics as the simplest/most important thing of all. Yet here we are.

Another key failure in public understanding - this appears to include most more aware, thoughtful, and even "conservative" types - is the lack of recognition of the central distinction of private vs. public goods. Most of our debates/discussions around here center on "problems" which consist mostly of people, govts., not treating these two categories properly.

Short example: health care financing. Private good - NOT public. Plenty of demand and supply will naturally exist on its own, sans any public involvement of any sort. Hmmm, some people get "left out" due to income. Sort of like, well, everything else - housing, energy, food, high end autos, collectible art - they can't afford those, either.

The socially/morally interesting part of these shortfalls (food, housing, medical care) could be called an externality, to be addressed by public resources. That is, the market (people acting rationally without govt. interference) won't naturally take care of them. Fine. So an intervention occurs. With some gymnastics we can call services delivered by state support a "public good" - they wouldn't have occurred without state intervention.

So long as such interventions are recognized as what they are - dealing with outlying, relatively small market "failures" (from a moral perspective) - and actions kept accordingly limited with recognition of the potential for perverse effects, no big problem (think early 20th century private charity).

Today's health care financing "system": massive, grotesquely distorted and wasteful frankenstein created by multiple over-whelming state interference (tax code, federal and state regulation, predatory liability legal system, etc.). Private goods being smothered and rendered unaffordable.

O-care: a gigantic worsening of every pernicious element in the existing system. Not one smidgen of "reform" or improvement.

Posted by: rhomboid at November 15, 2014 01:21 PM (afQnV)

170 Rhomboid, you want a newsletter?

http://fee.org/

Awesome except for the poetry.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 15, 2014 01:30 PM (t//F+)

171 Gorgeous late fall day here. Cold, but the sky is deep blue and the trail was blanketed by golden leaves. Good to get the blood pumping and de-funk the spirit.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at November 15, 2014 01:42 PM (QBm1P)

172 When the Republican party, freely and without coercion, enacts exactly the opposite of what it campaigned to do, it has fundamentally transgressed its own word and our compact of support. It bears responsibility for its last vote on the matter, and cannot pretend that by voting 10 times in opposition before it caved, it hasn't done anything but make a tactical retreat.

It has enabled Obama and has to answer for it.

Posted by: Chris Balsz at November 15, 2014 02:20 PM (L19NA)

173 Has any elected person in the current GOP fully repudiated the UN? and if so, did they tell them to GTFO of our country??

Posted by: Thin veneer of civility at November 15, 2014 03:02 PM (XzRw1)

174 and furthermore, that Hipster in the above photo looks stoned.

Posted by: Thin veneer of civility at November 15, 2014 03:13 PM (XzRw1)

175 Technology isn't the reason worthless rocks are now
sought after-targets. The reason is the rising price of oil. As the
cheap easy gushers dry up, the next best option is to squeeze oil from a
turnip, at much greater effort and expense.

That's exactly what
"peak cheap oil" means. Not that all the world's oil will be gone next
year, but that the days of cheap gasoline are behind us, and not coming
back.

I will tell you one inescapable fact about

Peak Oil. That is that we won't recognize it until we are well past it,

Exactly. We are past the peak and on the downhill slope now, and do not recognize it.

and that it will simply be a matter of historical interest, and not a

crisis.

We'll see, won't we.

Posted by: Lab Rat at November 15, 2014 01:11 PM (hAbrX)

There haven't been any cheap, easy gushers since Christ was a corporal. In fact, if you drill a well, and it blows out and sprays crude oil up to the crown, chances are you will kicking your lunch-bucket down the lease road that evening. Better to keep the gas in solution, so it reduces the viscosity of the crude, and keeps water from encroaching, and put the well on pump from the git-go.

Really, we are still enjoying relatively cheap gasoline. Take the taxes away, and we are paying around a buck a gallon. Cheaper than milk. Or Val-U-Rite. And the general public knows this, even if they do constantly complain about the cost of fuel. Why else do they buy muscle cars, and big pickups in vastly greater numbers than they buy Smart Cars? The fuel tax increases have far outpaced the actual cost of delivering the fuel to the marketplace.

Yeah, maybe we are past the peak. BFD. We won't run out of gas in my lifetime, or yours, or your kids'. Something else will come along, and that is not just a matter of wishful thinking. There are already other technologies, currently on the fringes, that could step and meet our motor fuel needs once conventional petroleum (and I include frac'ed oil and oilsands oil in that category, now) is too scarce to meet demands. Liquids from coal is one such, that already works, and is working, right now, in South Africa.

Peak oil is not a crisis, as the fanbois like to think. It's just a stage in the maturation of the industry.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 15, 2014 03:15 PM (7MWCL)

176 Police nationwide brace for protests after Ferguson decision

DRUDGE

I guess they're bracing for OverTime and donuts brought in by the truckload. Lazy overcompensated fuckers.

Posted by: Thin veneer of civility at November 15, 2014 04:11 PM (XzRw1)

177 I challenge the master rock balancer to balance the rocks in Barky's head.

Posted by: Hank at November 15, 2014 05:04 PM (cb9Jg)

178 That is a cool picture of the rocks.

Posted by: Y-not at November 15, 2014 05:26 PM (9BRsg)

179 F* a whole stack of rocks! Get a job!

Posted by: goon at November 15, 2014 09:33 PM (gNTQS)

180 I am with goon on this - that fucking moron needs to quit gluing rocks together with ice and do something useful.

Seeing as how he is retarded and shit he should probably work in Obamacare somewhere - that seems to be the place where people incapable of doing anything decent all end up anyway.

And let the riots begin - I have mags full of 7.62 and my AK ready to rock and roll - bring it, ghetto-ites. This ol' country boy needs some practice shootin' movin' targets.

Posted by: RockyBalbomba at November 16, 2014 10:35 AM (2Aj5D)

181
Artist has mad skills, and maybe a little bottle of Gorilla Glue.

http://tinyurl.com/pstugqw

Posted by: Speller at November 18, 2014 12:44 PM (J74Py)

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Posted by: seo at December 11, 2014 01:26 PM (MV1Yt)

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