Thursday, February 24, 2022

Climate Change: U.N. Climate Study Predicts Increasing Wildfires--Good news for the Environment

United Nations Logo

Perhaps it is a type of Karma that is keeping the World from coming to a practical and science based (not computer-based) reason for the situation that is informally called "Climate Change".  It must be like the Jews lost for forty years or Buddha going in search of truth that is causing humanity to wait for some type of light-bulb moment when it all makes sense. It could also be the knowledge that climate change is heavily tied to our lifestyle, financial markets and belief that man knows what he is doing. Regardless of the reason for the delay, it doesn't look like true understanding is to be reached in the foreseeable future.  That is why this study is good news. Because it shows Nature will take care of this even if modern science will not. 

By now, it has been well publicize that industrialized countries blame carbon-based gases for everything from hurricanes to pandemics. As governments look to solve this issue with cleaner air, Nature seems determined to dirty it up in any way possible. It might be time to step back and ask ourselves "WHY?"

The Article

The article itself (UN-backed report warns of rising wildfire threat ) is one of the better posts in its original form. It lays out several solid, science based reasons for its conclusion and attempts to explain why it is important for the world to address environmental changes in the near future.  While computer modeling tends to take on the prejudices of the study focus, the science used here is relatively basic and well within accepted ranges.  Like most climate change studies it is based on 150 year old data that is no longer relevant because --to put it bluntly-- things have changed. If you want the whole story please read

Air Pollution's the Answer!: How Clean Air Policy Compromised the Planet and Public Health

Starting at the Beginning

The 1800s were a time of rapid scientific exploration. A cure for boredom for the rich, great advances in knowledge and inventions were made or financed by well-off individuals. The first greenhouse, mountain top exploration, the origins of life and the ability to create such seemingly magical products as the light bulb, the telephone and yes, electricity were all initiated during this time period. 

What history fails to record is that not all of these "discoveries" proved to be good for civilization.  One example is John Tyndall's assumption that carbon-dioxide kept the planet warm because it absorbed the sun's radiation. Within forty years of publishing his theory (and a few years after his death), his beginning experiments morphed into the study of thermodynamics--all because other scientists found that all forms of matter absorbed the sun's radiation -- not just gases.  

The point is that there is no scientific basis for the belief that carbon-based gases contribute to global warming. Why apparently smart people like Barrack Obama, Prince Charles and Bill Gates as well as Inger Andersen (UNEP Director) and Greta Thunberg promote such misinformation has to be based on pop-culture peer pressure or political aspirations.

Here is the REAL Problem

The atmosphere is the delivery system that circulates and recycles the five basic elements that are essential to all forms of life (Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Sulfur along with small dirt particles).  There are two primary ways to change what was alive into gases which can travel easily across thousands of miles.  Burning is one and decomposition or rotting is the other.  Since the mid 1800s, mankind has tried its best to do away with both of them.  

With the discovery of King Tut's tomb, embalming became popular which robbed the atmosphere of gases given off by the dead.  But it is electricity that has done far more to tie the hands of the environment when it comes to essential gases. As long as electricity was produced using organic fuels (oil, coal, wood, gas and others), the environment managed. But it is the EPA's restriction of the same five elements that has forced Nature's hand to bring drought, wildfires and poor health.  Without these natural methods releasing thousands of cubic feet of smoke and ash into the atmosphere, this situation would be much worse.  Until our global leadership recognizes this situation, Nature will need to increase the level of destruction to counter mankind's obsession with clean air and blue skies.  Remember the only places on Earth that have blue skies every day are those we call "deserts".

Why this matters? 

Left to its own devices, the atmosphere will provide a steady supply of life supporting elements that allows all organisms to self regulate everything from growth and reproduction to disease prevention. All people need to do is release moderate levels of these biological friendly gases rather than remove them.  Interestingly, the EPA has forced this country to maintain considerably lower levels of these gases than recommended for over 40 years.  This is how it all works. 

Dust and dirt particles are a necessity to stabilize water vapor so that larger amounts of rain are carried from the oceans to lands (in other words, prevent drought). Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen are the foundation of all our plant based foods from apples to zucchini.  Nitrogen, along with the previous three, is the definitive component of protein that builds muscle. It also is a vital part of such mental health hormones as melatonin, seratonin, and dopamine.  Adding Sulfur increases insulin production and repairs liver damage while preventing respiratory disease and fungal infections.  The list of benefits to wildlife and natural settings is just as vital to its health.

Isn't it interesting that these five elements, restricted by law for the last fifty years, are the basis of nearly all vitamins, supplements and medicines currently on the market.  In new studies looking at the ability of such "old" remedies as these, there are new links to virus and cancer prevention.  

Why it matters is that without concern for the people that live here, quick reactions by uneducated and poorly advised leaders have caused the World's health to decline, its farmland to become barren and its society to chase mental and financial health that was once just a breath away.  That seems important. 

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Infrastructure 2022: NOAA Backs Biden Agenda with Questionable Sea Level Predictions

** This week (April 10, 2022), The Guardian took information from the NOAA report to create emotional appeal of one community for climate change reform. To see the response to that article go here.


So, if the news reports are correct, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted a definite rise in sea level 30 years from now. The agency's advise is that a huge infrastructure expenditure supported by the Biden administration and Republican backed businesses will solve this problem.  Please forgive the snarky attitude, but isn't this the same federal agency that failed to accurately predict an early Monday morning snow storm that caused the closure of I-95 south of Washington, DC that left hundreds of motorists stranded.  Excuse me but there might be a credibility problem here. 

It is sad to see a country with such creative and knowledgeable people become puppets of technology and economic interests.  Is Bill Gates interested in finding a solution to climate change as absolution for creating a personal computer that was a fine invention but warped the ability for critical thought and honest scientific inquiry? Is the federal government so afraid of losing the respect of the World, it must put out misinformation to shore up its knowledge base and image?  Either way, the reliance on computer data and prediction has turned our culture into a misinformation groupie and our government into grifters who manipulate the data to build wealth like a house of cards. 

What the Report Said

Circling back to the study at hand, it isn't necessary to read the report to determine the selective nature of the information.   The original article from the NOAA website (found here) is headlined as U.S. coastline to see up to a foot of sea level rise by 2050 and hedges the information a bit more than some of the major media outlets.  Changing the wording to ratchet up the sensational nature of the headline Forbes magazine switch the verb to "Confirms", NASA deleted the phrase "up to", and ABC news added the creative touch of defining a foot of possible sea level rise as "Century of sea level rise".  And we wonder why there is so much distrust about climate change information. Moreover, if this is the level of disinformation that is advising our President, Cabinet and Congress on such matters, how can the world every find an answer to the fuzzy concept of Climate Change.

To make this short, here are five reasons this information is fairly worthless and money spent on infrastructure will do little more than line the pockets of those with government contracts. 

Coastal Erosion At Work

1. Changes in the shoreline result from erosion not increased water level.  Any high school geology book will describe how the boundaries of rivers, lakes and even oceans change with the erosive action of waves.  The idea of a permanent shoreline goes against the natural order of the Earth and is a function of man's resistance to change or financial loss. Upscale resorts have been bringing in sand and other materials to repair erosion for decades. NOAA should explain rather than become part of the political discussion about government spending.

2. A one foot rise is not that drastic.  As part of its mission, NOAA tracks the tides that occur on a daily basis.  Terms such as sea level, high tide, low tide, storm surge, etc are approximations of the ocean level at any given time. No two days are exactly the same but are impacted by weather, time of day, phase of the moon, month of the year and even inland rains.  More importantly, even in the center of the ocean, the water level heaves or bulges approximately 2 feet every 12 hours. Tides in coastal areas can vary more than 10 feet from high tide to low tide. One more foot of water will be just a day of good surfing.  ** Remember that in March of 2021, the EverGiven cargo ship was finally floated in the Suez Canal as a result of  an extremely high tide which allowed the ship to be moved. That tide, at 7 feet, only lasted for  few hours.  

3.  Coastal cities are rarely at sea level.   The majority of seaside communities are at least a few feet above sea level. If you have gone to the beach and looked back at land you typically have to look up. If you have to look up to see your hotel or condo then they are at least 6 feet above sea level.  Here are some elevations to provide more proof.  Virginia Beach (12 ft average),   Savannah GA (49 ft), Dayton Beach, FL (13 ft), San Diego, CA (62 ft), San Francisco (52 ft), Gulfport MS (19 ft) and Galveston TX (7 ft). 

4. More water than you think.  It takes a great deal more water to raise the world's oceans by one foot than you think.  With 63.5 million square miles of ocean that works out to about 2 MILLION TRILLION gallons of water.  But the seas only store the water that the land doesn't use.  It's hard to remember that floating ice will not raise water levels any more than it already has in the same way the ice that melts in your glass does not cause it to spill over.  Every living organism is made up mostly of water--even cactI.  To make a better point-- if all of the 8 billion people died and the water in their bodies flowed to the sea, it would amount to less than a trillion gallons. That's a long way from 2 MILLION TRILLION. 

5.  Bad computer and math skills.  There is a big difference between plugging data into a spreadsheet and understand what the results mean. The factors that come into play for this type of study are nearly impossible to put into one study. Remember everything on the planet uses water. Those water levels, in lakes, plant tissues, animals and the atmosphere, are constantly changing. To say that you can predict a 2 MILLION TRILLION gallon increase of unneeded water would mean that you could account for exactly how many living organisms there are, how much water is stored in underground reservoirs,  how much is the humidity is in ever part of the globe and exactly how much ice is currently on every mountain top, glacier or polar location.  Then there is the season of year, the time of day, the gravitational pull of the moon and how many ships are on the ocean at any give time. A Computer is a wonderful tool but it cannot, has never been able to and will never be able to accurately predict the future with 100% accuracy.

 Trusting the Weatherman but not NOAA

Recently, The Atlantic published an article highlighting the trust people have in the local Weatherman.  That person is an important connection to weather related information. But all of that information comes through NOAA and that is where the problem lies.  To stay in line with a 50 year environmental policy, federal agencies have had to interpret weather data to support the position of the administration whether it is accurate or not. Taught to believe the science that agrees with policy, there is a difference in what is now beleived and what was taught prior to 1970.  

As we started is Bill Gates looking for absolution for creating a machine that he promoted as something capable of thought when all he did was create a fancy file cabinet. Computer modeling is only as good as the person using the computer.  As you can see, the conclusions of the most recent NOAA study are questionable from a science viewpoint but very understandable as a politically motivated marketing tool for further infrastructure spending.

 

Monday, February 14, 2022

The Truman Doctrine: Why America Rushes to Defend and Loses? (Updated-New Info)

 ** Background:  Thirty years ago, the Soviet Union collapsed. Without regard for potential problems that might arise, World powers declared that each state would simply revert back to its original borders (pre 1922) and each would have a quickly formed but democratic government. The turmoil that has been a regular part of this region since that time (name changes, divisions and military actions) have largely been the result of people  pushing back against a one-and-done fix that was more about global politics than cultural identity.  Not all communities have embraced US style democracy.  Some, like portions of Crimea and Ukraine, have kept their connections with Russia.  If this conflict continues in the same way it is presently going. There seems to be hope that Ukraine and Russia will work out their differences without direct influence from the US and Europe.  Since the end of WWII, Europe, the United States and mostly the United Nations have failed to see that one issue is at the heart of these difficulties.  Russia is a country that is blocked from shipping lanes for at least half of every year.  The Soviet Union worked because it functioned as much as a trad alliance as a country.  Russia had access to warm water ports through Ukraine and Crimea.  The reorganization following the fall of the Soviet Union fail to take that into consideration and now Russia must fight not for geopolitical security but for financial security in the energy marketplace.

As Americans know from experience, keeping a border intact is not enough to keep peace.  If only our political systems viewed Americans as one group without separating them into fractured voting blocks that serve no one.  Ukraine will need to choose compromise or war.  The United States will need to do that same if it expects to break the cycle of ping-pong elections and a dysfunctional government******

ORIGINAL POSTING

A little history explains much about current events when one takes the time to consider it.  If there is any doubt, a look at President Joe Biden's reaction to Russian activities might appear as the ghost of the Cold War rather than current public sentiment.  For all the attempts to broker global peace, there is one factor that causes it to fail at every turn. From the collapse of the League of Nations following WWI to the limits of what the United Nations can now do in just such situations, as long as one country is left out of the discussion, there is no other option but threats and war. 

No different than picking teams for a children's ball game, alliances make it possible to ignore the needs of one country by declaring them unfit or unworthy in some way.  But how does the leader of a major World power not recognize this simple occurrence for what it is and diffuse the situation rather than alarm it.  For Biden, the trigger is likely a childhood heavily influenced by the Truman Doctrine, a significant piece in  US foreign policy meant to be a supportive partnership but instead creating division throughout the World.


How the Truman Doctrine Shaped American Foreign Policy

Within months of the end of WWII and before most Baby Boomers were even born, America's future as an ally to Europe and Defenders of Democracy was drafted and approved by the United States Congress.  Without future generations having a say in the matter, the Truman Doctrine became the foundation of US foreign policy in March of 1947 and still heavily impacts military operations today. Pledging to provide financial and other aid to any free country that finds itself in trouble, the Truman Doctrine quickly made the United States a valuable ally during uncertain times. 

 Even though the United Nations had been created to insure peace in the World, there were other post-war events that called for quick assistance.  When Europe could not provide the level of support needed in the years immediately following the war, the United Kingdom (UK) requested assistance from the US and the Truman Doctrine was the result.  

Unfortunately, what started as a predominately financial aid program shifted to a military one as the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975) became an ideological battle between Democracy and Communism. Coming of age during these periods of war, leaders such as George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, John McCain and Joe Biden would encourage the American citizen to fund massive military operations in the Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq War as well a peace keeping missions around the World.  That Biden would end one war in August and be ready to enter another one less than a year later speaks to the influence of the Truman Doctrine on individuals who were impressionable in the late 1940s and 1950s. 

Honorable but Unsustainable Theology

For 76 million Baby Boomers, the concept behind a cooperative global community seemed honorable until they realized they would be the ones going to war, paying for the ever-increasing defense budgets and seeing their wealth eaten up by spiraling inflation and feel-good social programs. Had the protests which led to the end of the Vietnam offensiveness killed the economic imbalance associated with the Truman Doctrine, the United States might have achieved the equality based society that the the United Nations supported. But war is good for business, even if it is an ideological one. The Space Race, food aid to African nations, Olympic rivalries and exclusive trade agreements served the same purpose only played better in the press, even while spending millions in taxpayer dollars for little more than an image.  This kind of war could be turned into allies and strength but still ignored the needs of the nations considered undemocratic, backward or abusive. 

Ironically when Americans realized the never-ending costs of these efforts, those who had been shaped by this "Save-the-World" attitude turned their efforts to rescuing select groups within their own borders.  Not afraid of work, Baby Boomers created the largest workforce and tax base in American history. Taking two incomes to have the lifestyle of their parents, the government continued to collect FICA taxes only to siphon money out of these accounts for special programs and military preparedness.  Rather than pay down war debt and combat inflation, Congress championed every special cause and project it could fund. It paid farmers to sit idle. It designed expensive military equipment during peace-time. it opened its borders to millions of immigrants which kept wages low for working families. It protected its citizens by mandating massive health care, insurance and product safety measures which drained their bank accounts and it combated poverty by paying people to remain impoverished.  When that wasn't enough, the country went to war with little provocation but penalized embattled countries because they refused to march in lock-step with American ideals  

The one thing government did not do was protect the largest generation from being used and abused for no other purpose than to pay taxes and fund their endless string of social programs and agendas. The result has been a nation that cannot acknowledge that in the wake of the Truman Doctrine, all it did was rob the majority of its own citizens from a good and peaceful life.  

A Pattern That Must Change

For 75 years, both Republican and Democratic parties have focused their leadership, not on what is good for the average citizen, but for what raised the image of the US in the World.  Left with crumbling infrastructure, an orbit filled with space junk, imperfect healthcare, a compromise ecosystem and a wealth gap that is as large as some third world countries, will Biden's signature agenda be like those listed below and cause more problems than they solve. (See list below). 

Biden has a decision to make. He can be loyal to an outdated philosophy that has drained the wealth from the United States citizens or he can embrace an opportunity to open a public discussion of what needs to be fixed and how to fix it.  With the states rallying behind an Article V Convention of States, Biden can either be part of this movement or he can be trampled by it.  This is what will define his Presidency.  

Signature Agendas of Past Presidents - Did we need these measures?

  1.  Truman - The Truman Doctrine - Separated Democratic nations from other forms of government
  2. Dwight Eisenhower -  Began the Intrastate Highway System which contributes to the centralization of economic power in cities and which has compounded supply change issues during the Pandemic. Encourage economic growth through Federal spending paid for by heavy taxes for the wealthy. 
  3. John F. Kennedy -  Created the Peace Corps reportedly on an impulse to provide a way for non-mlitary service to country. More or less defunk now. 
  4. Lyndon Johnson - Civil right legislation but also Medicare and Medicaid, urban beautification and revitalization. Now takes up a substantial percentage of the federal budget. 
  5. Richard Nixon - Environmental Protection Agency and the beginning of environmental clean up.  End of the Vietnam War. Resigned office due to political election scandal.  
  6. Gerald Ford - Took over for Nixon.  Perhaps his wife's battle with addition and breast cancer was  significant but Ford serves only three years and was not elected in 1976. 
  7. Jimmy Carter - Peace in the Middle East and Arms Limitation Agreements. Also sponsored conservation of energy requiring strick fuel efficiency measures and new vehicle guidelines. 
  8. Ronald Reagan - large tax cut for the wealthy.  Believed in reduced size of government which was the first step to pushing responsibilities onto the states.  Became the platform for Republican doctrine for the last forty years. 
  9. George H. W. Bush - Energy issues with Iraq in the Gulf War. Also assisted in the reunification of Germany at the end of the Cold War
  10. Bill Clinton - Expansion of social programs and particularly healthcare.  Last President in favor of a balance budget amendment, was opposed to illegal immigration and had a budget surplus.  
  11.  George W. Bush - 9/11 and the beginning of the Afghanistan War. Unregulated housing loan collapse of the Banking industry at the end of his tenure.  Revamping of the national curriculum which put great pressures on teachers to accommodate students with disabilities in a regular setting.  
  12. Barrack Obama - The Great Recession package of stimulus and tax cuts. High number of individual foreclosures. Ramped up and forced healthcare coverage regardless of need.  Expanded climate regulations without proven science. 
  13. Donald Trump - Tax cuts that  drove the stock market to an all time high. Rolled back regulations on a number of programs.  Dealt with beginning of Pandemic and supported a massive stimulus package, questionable cures and vaccines.  
  14. Joe Biden - Hampered by continued pandemic difficulties. Promoting healthcare over prevention and mandates for vaccines which have made a handful of companies quite wealthy.  Large stimulus payments and deferred payments. Also proposing a large spending package which would continue the Truman Doctrine mentality.  

Sunday, February 13, 2022

Inflation 2022: Craziest Inflation Advice EVER!!! But, Worth Reading

*Background: As anyone over the age of 40 expected, the real estate market has pushed back on two years of government regulations by gobbling up properties and turning them into rentals. The banks that finance such profiteering are absolved of any wrong doing by lending money to businesses without direct connection to individual transactions.   These are the methods that England used to wipe out the Irish and Scottish people that would come to Americas for a better life. They are the ways used during Reconstruction to further punish the South and it is the path of hands-off leadership that lead to the not quite so romantic days of the Roaring '20s with its high crime rate and out of control stock market.  

Now in a position of collusion with insurance companies, property owners, brokers and builders, these industries use computer generated statistics to elevate property values and justify rising rates.  Believing the government will again and again  bailout the industry, they are unconcerned about a second housing crisis and stock market crash.  What our capitalistic society fails to remember is that, at some point, the law of supply and demand is offset by the sheer ability to pay.  No amount of socialized income can satisfy the greed of those who believe they are entitled to more.  Entitlement is an attitude that infects all social strata, gender and religious backgrounds.  It causes abuse of the elderly, wipes out wealth with a single lawsuit or telephone scam and allows members of Congress to amass wealth by pushing programs which aid some but hurt many. Families must realize they have the power to say "NO!" in a loud voice, without protests or fighting and in an effective way that gives rise to fresh start for this country. Save rather than Spend. Avoid the Stock Market and be satisfied with security rather than the promise of a comfortable retirement.  It might be old-fashioned but relying on either party, Republican or Democrat, is the biggest risk to the American family.

 

sShhh!  This financial perspective is different than those offering "sound advice" about how to deal with the growing inflation problem.  Truly, some will think it is CRAZY! In reality, what so many economists and planners fail to remember is that the vast majority of American citizens make less than $100,000 a year and hey cannot afford to lose even on penny to inflation or stock market corrections. 


Gained from the experience of trying to start a family during the last inflation run in the late 70s and early 80s, this advice is meant to protect the family's cookie jar emergency fund as well as putting skids to inflation in a way that the federal gover nment cannot.  Consumers have all the power. I told you it was CRAZY! 

What is Inflation?

Technically, inflation is any time the price of something goes up AND the customer is willing to pay that price.  Inflation is not some theoretical given that is like the sun rising every morning. Inflation only happens when people are willing to pay the increase. It can be controlled. The interesting part of today's financial advice is that no one tells consumers that they are in control.  WHY? Because then companies would have to dip into profits rather than pinch pennies. Besides inflation looks like economic growth when election season comes around.

It wasn't until the Great Recession that those who lost big in the previous 30 years realized that people do not have to automatically respond to inflation by pinching pennies and doing without.  Instead, they learned to take control of their finances and not wait for a government bailout which would never come.  Rather than start spending and buying on credit which was what consumers were advised to do, this last recession lasted longer as a result off consumers controlling their spending. Even with war and natural disasters, inflation was held at a very low rate.

What Causes Inflation?

Any increase in money in the marketplace can cause inflation. It can happen locally when a large employer gives a big raise that coincidentally covers an increase in insurance. It can also happen nationally whenever there is a tax cut, spending bill or war which keeps government spending more than it takes in (romantically called printing money which was what independent banks did during the 1800s)

Interestingly, the last time the federal government had a budget surplus was during the Clinton administration with a national debt of $5.6 trillion dollars.  Since 9/11, every administration has had a war, financial crisis, natural disaster or other reason to pump money into the economy.  Today, the estimated $29 trillion dollar national debt is approximately 6 times what it was since 2000. This is the biggest cause of inflation. **Apparently Nancy Pelosi is coming out against this assessment in order to rally public support for a modified Build Back Better spending plan. She does not live paycheck to paycheck.

Like the period between, 1965 and 1982, this round of inflation has been coming for a while. It started with the War in Afghanistan, was fed by the housing crisis in 2008 and then topped off with the Trump tax cuts intended to boost the stock market and big business. The Pandemic's generous stimulus policies coupled with business closures were just too much disruption for the economy to absorb.  Now with the promise of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and possible large spending bill on the horizon, only consumers have the power to keep inflation down.  It's clear the economy is more important that working America.

Curbing Inflation the Family Way

Consider this information before making any financial decision in the near future.

1. Always Pay Your Rent or Mortgage - No one bails out the individual family.  The moratorium on mortgage and rent payments may not be working out the way it was supposed to during the pandemic. Banks and real estate are big business, not community members like they were a hundred years ago. Even in the Great Recession there was little help for people behind on rent and mortgage payments. Make this a priority or move to a cheaper location. 

2. SAVE Rather than INVEST - Wherever there is a boom there is a bust and the only money that is secure is that which is kept in a Federally Insured account (FDIC).  What investment bankers fail to tell you is that you can lose as much as you put into a stock based 401K or mutual fund. They also do not tell you that one out of every four years (since 1980) has been a loss year.  Pension funds change. Employee stock options can be worthless. Only insured savings accounts limit inflation and risk.  Remember the stock value of a bankrupt company is close to zero.  Saving and paying down debt can give just as much of a net return as investing in high risk stocks.

3. Cancel Automatic Payments of All Kinds - We all have them.  Those online accounts and monthly or yearly subscriptions and payments that are just easier if the company takes care of them. Except that it's a good way to overspend. It doesn't matter what they are for--streaming services, charitable gifts, memberships or warranties, these costs drain money when you might need it for something like rent.  No one is saying to stop giving or watching--just change the way you pay for them with a cash limit debit card. Disconnect from you primary bank account and load money onto your payment card each month as you can afford it.  That goes for utilities as well. Only use your bank's payment system and follow a budget. Better to miss a month at the gym than lose your home or car.  

4. Reduce Insurance Coverage - The insurance industry has had a tremendous few decades and it has managed to use guilt and fear to keep families buying coverage amounts far greater than most need. Deleting duplicate and add on coverage you don't need (towing or rental when you have three cars at home) and raising your deductible can reduce costs without reducing the important coverage.   Contrary to what might be believed, it is unlikely that lawyers will go after cases which have little chance of payout. In other words, you increase your chances of being sued if you carry large liability policies or have big investment accounts. Check your policy regularly and do it online which is where more details are available. You may find that the company has "protected??" you by increasing coverage beyond reasonable amounts.

5.  Avoid Bulk Buying - This sounds counter intuitive but bulk buying leads to increased waste and encourages inflation by stressing he supply chain.  Buy only what you need. Part of the inflation mindset is to buy it now because it will cost more tomorrow. Costs will go down ONLY if consumers buy just what they need at a fair price.

 6. Pay Attention and Use Your Voice - Over the last two years, companies were more or less free to do as they wanted. Insurance and technology companies revamped policies and services. Manufacturers cut product lines. Start paying attention to what is different and accept you might have to look harder to get what you want. Read the bill BEFORE you pay it and ask questions. Evaluate products fairly rather than being nice especially on stores such as Amazon.  Complain to regulator and consumer protection agencies when a company has less than excellent customer service. The Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, state licensing bureaus and Federal Communication Commision, all, have online complaint forms.  Be specific and give details.  Standing up to a company can make the price go down quickly and it only takes one complaint to alert upper management that something is wrong locally.  Inflation is as much about consumers having confidence in their own powere as it is about actual cost increases.  

Recently President Joe Biden was asked WHEN WILL INFLATION STOP?  With the government stimulus packages just now ending, it is too soon to expect inflation to go down but a drastic change could come in as little as three months if consumers take charge and spend wisely. 

There is a difference in the way the President is handling the economy. While both Republican and Democratic leaders are clinging to old ideologies and solutions. Biden might be looking to do something unique and different.  Could restoring money to the Social Security Fund be in the cards or a balanced budget that doesn't constantly need influxes of cash?  Could the federal government treat all states equally for a change? Could federal regulation make sense to more than the 535 members of Congress?   Its hard to tell what the future has ahead of us. 

All the same, working families need to be prepared for what may come. They will survive as long as they pay attention and do what is best for the long haul.  

Friday, February 4, 2022

Headine Buster: CNN, CBS Swallow Mt. Everest "Melting" Study (UPDATED)

    *Recently, photos of glacier decay have been added to this story either by the institution or a reporter seeking to "prove" these observations are inaccurate.  See added section below

Date:
  February 2, 2022
Agency: CNN, CBS, others - Story appears to be a press relaase

Shame, Shame, Shame. As young journalists

Here's why this headline and the observations made in it are a misrepresentation of climate change.  

Permanence is NOT Natural - Since the development of photography in the years before the Civil War, the human psyche has accepted photography as definitive proof that something exists. All too often, particularly when reputations and publicity are involved, the photographs are staged or filtered in order to stand with the bias of the moment.  Countless photos have been taken to prove that climate change is destroying the planet--yet all that is really proven is that nature is constantly changing. Permanence is an illusion set by mankind who selfishly holds on to his buildings and monuments.  Nature has no such attachment and has been changing the landscape through erosion, wildfires, earthquakes and volcanic erupsions for thousands of years.  Photos only prove our human bias

Computer Modeling is NOT Real Science - In the same way that banks and credit agencies use computer data to determine who can and cannot get credit, programming by humans allows for data to be prejudicial even if it is factual.  Much of what is passed off as climate change science is based on financial and promotional agendas and not proven science. 

Research Studies are Higher Education's Marketing System- Generally part of a faculty members contract, professors are required to have Xnumber of studies or articles published each year. Add that matter to the fact that funding for such studies is coming from high profile donors or government grants and you get a double-whammy effect for climate change misinformation. Find a topic that the public or donor already believes in (such as the Bill Gates Foundation or the EPA),  design a field trip and salary that goes along with it,wite a long, detailed by favorable report and you have naive journalists spreading the word based on the institution's reputation alone. It''s all advertising. 

Glacier Movement / Melting is Normal - The formation, movement and breaking apart of glaciers has been happening for centuries. In geology terms it is one of nature's processes to recycle fresh water and minerals into the sea to keep it "salty". Any high school or freshman geology class will teach you that. Thousands of small pieces of glaciers break off each year and have done so for years Remember it was an iceberg that caused the damage to the Titanic in 1912 when the population of the Earth was a mere 1.8 billion people - a quarter of what it is today. Not everything that happens in nature is because of human interactions.

Awareness Gone Wrong - Before 1912, there was no record system for icebergs or their movement. Mariners simply knew to steer clear of waters where icebergs were frequently seen. The Titanic was taking a shorter, more dangerous route and going nearly full speed, in order to dock faster than scheduled.  Without historical data to support or refute current findings, it is natural to conclude that this phenomenon is "NEW" but in real time it has been quietly going on for centuries..

Nature Doesn't Keep a Schedule - Just because the human brain prefers order does not mean nature does. Scientists can create controlled experiments and make deductions based on those actions but it does not replicate 2000 years of history. As it states in the article, the installation of two self-reporting weather stations by this team was the FIRST of its kind.  Again with out records to refute them, the scientists guessed as to how much snow was deposited AND how much melted in each time period. 

Human Caused Climate Change:  Notice that these types of articles never pinpoint what humans actually do to cause this hypothetical situation.  The simple number of people who are success in reaching the summit of Everest is enough to alter the way the glacier might act.  In 1950, only six people succeeded in reaching the top.  In 2020 an estimated 400 people and their crews made the journey.  This was down by almost over a third from 2019.  Tourism numbers estimate 10,000 people make some part of the journey.  Vehicles, heaters, pack animals and more could heavily impact the formation of glacial ice.  Again there are no hard conclusions because there are no hard facts.

Climate change isn't a hoax. Nature is adapting to the artificial lifestyle we have created for ourselves.  Why should the fact that the World is changing concern us when it is what we wanted in the first place?