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I thought Soxy did a fine job but it's your board now
Just couldn't bear seeing the board without a moderator and the "assistant" you left.
Thanks for taking the board over and good luck.
EPA 'Cow Tax' Could Charge $175 per Dairy Cow to Curb Greenhouse Gases
Farm Bureau warns just this one rule may increase milk production costs up to 8 cents a gallon.
By Jeff Poor
Business & Media Institute
12/30/2008 4:55:19 PM
Call this one of the newest and innovative the ways your government has come up with to battle greenhouse gas emissions.
Indirectly it could be considered a cheeseburger tax, but one of the suggestions offered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act is to levy a tax on livestock.
The ANPR, released early this year, would give the EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gas for not only greenhouse gas from manmade sources like transportation and industry, but also “stationary” sources which would include livestock.
The New York Farm Bureau assigned a price tag to the cost of greenhouse gas regulation by the EPA in a release last month.
“The tax for dairy cows could be $175 per cow, and $87.50 per head of beef cattle. The tax on hogs would upwards of $20 per hog,” the release said. “Any operation with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs would have to obtain permits.”
Kate Galbraith, correspondent for The New York Times, noted on the Times’ “Green Inc.” blog that such a “proposal is far from being enacted” and that the “hysteria may be premature.”
But Rick Krause, senior director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau, warned it’s certainly feasible – especially based on the rhetoric of President-elect Barack Obama and the use of the EPA to combat global warming. Such action by an Obama administration would take an act of Congress for livestock to be exempt.
“The new president has been on record as saying that he really supports regulating greenhouse gases out of the Clean Air Act,” Krause said to the Business & Media Institute. “So, we really have to keep an eye on it. Legislation would really be the only way to exempt it at this point – the cow tax.”
Krause said it is difficult to quantify the cost that might be passed directly to the consumer by farmers from the legislation, but predicted it would mean higher costs for dairy production.
“It’s hard to figure what it would do to consumer prices since farmers, unlike other industries, really can’t pass their cost along directly like utilities and things do,” “About the only thing we could realistically come up, in terms of any of this stuff – it would add between 7 and 8 cents per gallon of milk costs to farmers. So it would cost them 7 or 8 cents more to produce a gallon of milk.”
Even the Department of Agriculture warned the EPA that smaller farms and ranches would have difficulty with limits as much as 100 tons annually on emissions:
“If GHG emissions from agricultural sources are regulated under the CAA, numerous farming operations that currently are not subject to the costly and time-consuming Title V permitting process would, for the first time, become covered entities. Even very small agricultural operations would meet a 100-tons-per-year emissions threshold. For example, dairy facilities with over 25 cows, beef cattle operations of over 50 cattle, swine operations with over 200 hogs, and farms with over 500 acres of corn may need to get a Title V permit. It is neither efficient nor practical to require permitting and reporting of GHG emissions from farms of this size. Excluding only the 200,000 largest commercial farms, our agricultural landscape is comprised of 1.9 million farms with an average value of production of $25,589 on 271 acres. These operations simply could not bear the regulatory compliance costs that would be involved.”
http://www.businessandmedia.org/printer/2008/20081230165231.aspx
I saw this once before and it is without a doubt the most absurd thing I have seen lately.. This is an assault on the small dairy farmer. If you want to curb cow emissions how about taxing the things that use the cow products.... like people.. Maybe a tax on every new kid born because they will consume dairy/meat products which will in turn cause more cows to be needed.
Can we also remove simple cut and paste of articles that do not have any accompanying commentary / interpretation / insight?
New Board Rules
Politics + adults is not an oxymoron
Try to act like an adult.
No vulgarity
No personal attacks, attack the post, not the poster.
No football, baseball or other sports allowed unless politically related.
Use politicians real names, not the cute little made up names so popular among some.
All cut/paste posts need to include a comment of the posters
about what was pasted.
Include links in anything you quote or copy/paste.
That was the total from the hospital, not what the insurance company paid. I'm not sure what that amount was, but it was less.
To me, that makes no difference.
If the insurance company paid only 25% of that, it would still be too high IMO.
Was that the insurance company negotiated rate?
How ridiculous and obscene is this?
A co-worker's husband had a heart attack and was in the hospital for 4 days.
She just showed me the bill.
$144,000 which does not include the surgeon or anesthesiologist's fees.
Richardson drops bid for commerce secretary post
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer Nedra Pickler, Associated Press Writer
6 mins ago
WASHINGTON – New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Sunday announced that he was withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation into how some of his political donors won a lucrative state contract.
Richardson's withdrawal was the first disruption of Obama's Cabinet process and the second "pay-to-play" investigation that has touched Obama's transition to the presidency. The president-elect has remained above the fray in both the case of arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the New Mexico case.
A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson's political activities won a New Mexico transportation contract worth more than $1 million. Richardson said in a statement issued by the Obama transition office that the investigation could take weeks or months but expressed confidence it will show he and his administration acted properly.
A senior Obama adviser said that when Richardson was nominated, he gave assurances that he would come out fine in the investigation and the president-elect had no reason to doubt it. But as the grand jury continued to pursue the case, it became clear that confirmation hearings would have to be delayed for six weeks or even longer until the investigation was complete, said the adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity about the discussions because they were private.
Aides to both men insisted that Richardson made the decision to withdraw and was not pushed out by Obama.
Obama said he has accepted Richardson's withdrawal, first reported by NBC News, "with deep regret."
"Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office," Obama said in a statement. "It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time. Although we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson's decision, I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration."
Richardson said in his statement that he will remain as governor and told Obama, "I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful."
"I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process," Richardson said. "Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the president-elect and his administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done."
The announcement came ahead of Obama's Monday meetings with congressional leaders on a massive economic recovery bill he wants lawmakers to pass quickly.
A person familiar with the investigation in New Mexico has told The Associated Press that the grand jury is looking into possible "pay-to-play" dealings between CDR Financial Products and someone in a position to push the contract through with the state of New Mexico.
State documents show CDR was paid a total of $1.48 million in 2004 and 2005 for its work on a transportation program.
Richardson ran against Obama in the Democratic presidential primary, but withdrew after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.
He is one of the most prominent Hispanics in the Democratic Party, having served in Congress and as President Clinton's ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary. As governor, he has kept up an international profile with a specialty in dealing with rouge nations. Obama also considered him to be secretary of state.
CDR and its CEO, David Rubin, have contributed at least $110,000 to three political committees formed by Richardson, according to an AP review of campaign finance records.
The largest donation, $75,000, was made by CDR in June 2004 — a couple of months after the transportation financing arrangement won state approval — to a political committee that Richardson established before the Democratic National Convention that year.
In the Illinois case, Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell the Senate seat that Obama gave up to become president. Obama and two of his top aides have been interviewed by the U.S. attorney's office pursuing the case but have denied any knowledge of such a scheme and have not been accused by prosecutors of any wrongdoing.
___
Oh no........
Former President Bush touts son Jeb for top job
By BEN FELLER, Associated Press Writer Ben Feller, Associated Press Writer
Sun Jan 4, 2:46 pm ET
WASHINGTON – Another President Bush?
Perhaps so, says former President George H.W. Bush, who has already seen one son, George W., serve in the Oval Office. The nation's 41st president said Sunday that he would like to see a second son, Jeb, be president one day.
Jeb Bush is the current president's younger brother and a former popular governor of Florida. He is mulling a run for Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla.
Asked in a broadcast interview about Jeb Bush's consideration of the Senate seat, Bush 41 said: "I'd like to see him run. I'd like to see him be president someday."
When asked if he was serious, he said: "Or maybe senator. Whatever. Yes, I would. I mean, right now is probably a bad time, because we've had enough Bushes in there. But no, I would. And I think he's as qualified and able as anyone I know on the political scene. Now, you've got to discount that. He's my son."
The former president spoke on "Fox News Sunday" in an interview that was taped Friday in Houston.
He will be at the White House on Wednesday for a lunch with President George W. Bush, President-elect Barack Obama and former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.
The senior Bush said he does not plan to offer advice to Obama and mainly wants to wish him well. "I talked to him right after the election and did that then, assured him that he was my president," Bush said.
The former president also plans to go skydiving once again, in June, to mark his 85th birthday. He will do so in tandem with an expert. "Just because you're an old guy, you don't need to sit around sucking your thumb drooling in the corner," he said. "Old guys can still do stuff, and that's the main reason."
Kaine to Become DNC Chairman
Va. governor Timothy M. Kaine will operate in part-time capacity until 2010, when he'll take over the job full-time. Go to washingtonpost.com for more details.
Thanks ergo.
Happy New Year to you also!
Happy New Year.
He's gonna need attorney general friends where he's going.
While reading this don't forget; it's for the benefit of the children
http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/tuesday/news/ny-enpens305981832dec30,0,6684496.story?page=3
"It's not in their vocabulary to say, 'I feel badly for the people paying taxes,'" LaValle said of some school superintendents. "I never hear that."
Looks like Plaxico Burris has a new job
Chicago Tribune: Blagojevich to name Burris to Obama seat
I suppose we will see just how arbitrary the economy really is.
LOL......no doubt. I suppose the unfunded liabilities for retirement and healthcare benefits will follow the same path: print enormous quantities of worthless paper. The ultimate government solution.
There's no need to worry though, undoubtedly our trading partners will buy our debt and if they don't we'll just print more worthless paper.
BUSH; Well, I have obviously made a decision to make sure the economy doesn’t collapse. I’ve abandoned free market principles to save the free market system.
yeah..just about everyone on a "fixed" income. That's the classic line people use to describe their reliance on Social Security. In other words...I am poor.
We've conditioned people to not save with our entitlement mentality....so now we're are harvesting the crop of despair we planted. Perfect timing too, with our indebted nation now living the economic nightmare our appetite for debt created. Can hardly wait to see how all those soon to be retirees who didn't save for their own retirement like the Social Security system.
No problem for the government. They'll know how to handle the situation. Certainly there's no way to fund it so they'll just inflate their way out of it. A Social Security check 15 years from now will be a joke, more than it is today.
Do you know anyone who reaps the rewards of no savings?
As is common for nations that are about to bomb another nation, Tzipi Livni noted yesterday that the Israeli government had broadcast to civilians that they would be bombing and urged them to leave areas that may be targeted.
I've heard similar refrains prior to other campaigns. For example, President Bush noted that they were warning Iraqis to leave certain areas.
Which always makes me wonder: Where do they think these people can go? Especially the Palestinians, who are not free to leave their country partly because of Israeli policy.
Or we can keep the fairy tale alive and promise what can never be delivered.
We've become expert at pushing into the future a disaster for some distant taxpayer...the ultimate Ponzi Scheme. Why save for yourself when you can reap the rewards of no saving?
Another great reason to cancel SS and have factory workers invest for themselves.
I luv NY: CITY PENSION NIGHTMARE
"The city's five pension funds have lost close to 30 percent in the Wall Street crisis this year - threatening to hit taxpayers like an economic tsunami for years to come, experts are warning."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12282008/news/regionalnews/city_pension_nightmare_146234.htm
the future?
Before my subscription runs out and I can no longer post here, I'm going to take back this 'flag of surrender.'
China has a trade surplus and at the very same time has an economy that grew by leaps and bounds. That makes my contention correct (that a trade deficit is not necessarily good).
From last year.....
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/01/11/china.surplus/index.html
http://www.heritage.org/research/asiaandthepacific/wm1762.cfm
.. happy holidays, Tina ..
that sounds like parents, to me...
It's Christmas
who cares if you're a liberal or conservative right now :)
Happy holidays everyone! even the liberals :)
Conservatives are people who believe the past was somehow better and the future is going to be worse.
As you'll see on another post, I'm late to the party.
Who is that we're calling conservatives?
In my world-language-lexicon, conservatives actually conserve something.
Catch my drift?
Seems the conservatives like to punish and I might add blame the poor. They are an odd lot.
only now just found your thread...
am willing to help, 2-3 times a week.
best wishes & Merry Holidays.
tex
PS: boardmarked, fwiw
ya, see this post re "Bush homeowner policy" + "bankruptcy law":
http://www.bankruptcycorner.com/bankruptcy-news/2008/12/congress-to-ponder-crucial-bankruptcy-law-change-as-white-houses-role-in-meltdown-emerges/
Trouble I see here is only a few-degrees spinoff from the very serious problems limned in this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Money-Reckless-Politics-Capitalism/dp/0670019070
I just deleted a bunch of posts and probably should have done it sooner.
There are posts that I cannot delete because they are over 48 hours old.
What the heck happened to this board?
I could go and delete a good portion of the recent posts but I doubt if it will change anything.
So much for "adult" political discussion. I guess it really doesn't exist.
Here's the first i got Susie, it supports the other two opinions you have here.
Jeez, Dick, we know you hate the Clintons, but why exactly did that
mean you had to go on the payroll of the market fundamentalist right?
How about this for the next bio of Morris: "Disgusting: How a Reasonably Smart Guy that Once
Seemed to Have Some Interest in Contributing to Society Became an Ann Coulter Wannabe and
Useful Hand Puppet for the Most Destructive Right Wing Forces In American Policy and Politics."
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=984
an excerpt, from the first one.
Madoff investor found dead of possible suicide
By ADAM GOLDMAN, Associated Press Writer Adam Goldman, Associated Press Writer 12 mins ago
NEW YORK – The founder of an investment fund that lost millions with Bernard Madoff was found dead Tuesday at his Madison Avenue office of a possible suicide, authorities said.
Authorities found the body of Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet just before 8 a.m. at his office of Access International Advisors, located on Madison Avenue a couple of blocks from Rockefeller Center.
A French newspaper is reporting that the 65-year-old de la Villehuchet committed suicide. The New York medical examiner spokeswoman says it has not determined the cause of death yet.
Madoff is accused of running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme that wiped out investors around the world, with big funds like de la Villehuchet's $1.4 billion Access International Advisers being especially hard hit.
A former business partner said that de la Villehuchet came from a long line of aristocratic Frenchmen, with the Magon part of his name referring to one of France's most powerful families.
His fund enlisted intermediaries with links to the cream of Europe's high society and jet set to garner clients. Among them was Philippe Junot, a French businessman and friend who is the former husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco.
De la Villehuchet, the former chairman and CEO of Credit Lyonnais Securities USA, was also known as a keen sailor who regularly participated in regattas and was a member of the New York Yacht Club.
He lived in an affluent suburb in Westchester County with his wife. There was no answer Tuesday at the family's two-story house, which has a majestic view of a pond.
"He's irreproachable," said Bill Rapavy, who was Access International's chief operating officer before founding his own firm in 2007.
De la Villehuchet's death came as swindled investors began looking for ways to possibly recoup their losses. Hedge funds, which lost big to Madoff, are also coming up against investor lawsuits, since they had a fiduciary responsibility to protect their clients.
A handful of lawsuits have already been filed, all claiming that the hedge funds failed to properly vet Madoff and overlooked some red flags that could have steered them away.
___
Bush pardons 19, commutes 1 prison term
By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer Deb Riechmann,
Associated Press Writer 51 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Before leaving for the holidays, President Bush on Tuesday commuted the prison sentence of a drug offender and granted 19 pardons, including one to a man who helped the Jewish resistance in the 1940s.
With this latest batch, which includes forgiveness for convictions ranging from gun and drug violations to bank and mail fraud, Bush has granted a total of 191 pardons and nine commutations. That's fewer than half as many as Presidents Clinton or Reagan issued during their two terms.
Included in the latest list is Charles Winters, who is considered a hero in Israel.
Winters, who died in the 1980s in Florida, was in the airplane business after World War II. He bought up former military cargo planes and used them to transport fruit and other products. He later started helping his Jewish friends who were shipping arms to Jews trying to found their own state in the Middle East.
Winters, a Protestant from Boston, could fly his planes in and out of the region without interference from authorities. In 1948, three of his planes left Miami, picked up weapons in Azores and Czechoslovakia and then left the planes and arms in Palestine.
Winters was convicted of violating the Neutrality Act, fined $5,000 and sentenced to serve 18 months in prison. The act is designed to ensure that financial assistance and arms are not provided to parties in foreign conflicts where the U.S. has not taken sides.
Two others, Herman Greenspun and Al Schwimmer, also were convicted of violating the act, but they did not serve time. President Kennedy pardoned Greenspun in 1961. President Clinton pardoned Schwimmer in 2000.
Reginald Brown, an attorney who worked on the Winters pardon, said Bush's pardon "rights a historical wrong and honors Charlie's belief that the creation of the Jewish state was a moral imperative of his time. ... Charlie Winters helped shape human history for the better."
Film director Steven Spielberg wrote a letter to Bush appealing for a pardon for Winters.
"There are probably many unsung heroes of America and of Israel, but Charlie Winters is surely one of them," wrote the director of "Schindler's List" and other Oscar-winning movies. "While a pardon cannot make Charlie Winters whole, and regrettably he did not live to see it, it would be a fitting tribute to his memory and a great blessing to his family if this pardon is granted."
The only other pardon granted posthumously in recent years was given to Henry O. Flipper, the first black graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Flipper was drummed out of the Army after white officers accused him of embezzling about $3,800 from commissary funds. Flipper initially discovered the funds missing from his custody and concealed their disappearance from superiors, hoping the money would return.
He was court-martialed, acquitted of embezzlement but convicted of conduct unbecoming an officer, and dishonorably discharged. Flipper went on to a successful civilian career as an engineer and expert in Spanish and Mexican land law. He wrote several books and worked as a special assistant to the U.S. interior secretary. In 1976, an Army board commuted Flipper's dismissal to a good conduct discharge, concluding that his conviction and punishment were "unduly harsh and unjust." In 1999, Clinton granted him a full pardon.
In addition to Winters, others granted pardons were:
_William Alvis III, of Flushing, Ohio. Possession of an unregistered firearm and cocaine distribution.
_John Allen Aregood of Riviera, Texas. Conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens.
_Eric Charles Blanke of Parker, Colo. Counterfeiting.
_Steve Doyle Cavender of The Villages, Fla. Conspiring to import, possess, distribute and dispense marijuana.
_Marie Elena Eppens of Lynden, Wash. Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
_Lydia Lee Ferguson of Sun City, Ariz. Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
_Eduviges Duvi Gonzalez-Matsumura of Clovis, Calif. Aiding and abetting embezzlement of bank funds.
_George Clarence Greene Jr. of Gray, Ga. Mail fraud.
_James Won Hee Kang of South Barrington, Ill. Trafficking in counterfeit goods.
_Alan Stephen Maiss of Reno, Nev.
_Richard Harold Miller of Tallahassee, Fla. Conspiracy to defraud the United States.
_Delano Abraham Nixon of Neosho Rapids, Kan. Forging the endorsement on a U.S. Treasury check.
_John H. Overholt of Black Hawk, S.D. Concealment of information affecting Social Security benefits.
_Morris Keith Parker of Georgetown, S.C.
_Robert Truman Reece of Redondo Beach, Calif.
_Donald Edward Roessler of Harrison, Ohio. Embezzlement of mail matter.
_Issac Robert Toussie of Brooklyn, N.Y. False statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and mail fraud.
_David Lane Woolsey of St. George, Utah. Aiding and abetting violation of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act.
Bush also commuted the prison sentence of Reed Raymond Prior of Des Moines, Iowa.
Prior was convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He was sentenced in 1996 in the Southern District of Iowa to life in prison with 10 years of supervised release. His prison sentence is now set to expire on Feb. 23, 2009, but the terms of the commutation leave intact and in effect the 10 years of supervised release with all its conditions.
Chuckling.....I reread what you said, and realized that the way you phrased it actually makes your statement correct. But it's like saying that one kick in the shin is better than four.
English is my fourth language. hehehe
The trade deficit was biggER during good times than it is now during bad.
This isn't difficult.
EDIT: Rawnoc, so now you're saying that our economy is good? After all, the trade deficit is still large.
"And the trade deficit is always bigger with a better economy."
EDIT here:
Actually it's 100% true. Is English your second language?
Are you having a problem reading my messages?
Actually it's 100% true. Is English your second language?
The trade deficit is shrinking BUT what you said in that statement isn't necessarily true...now, is it?
I stand by that statement. And since the economy is weaker and the trade deficit is shrinking, I guess that basic statement from the first month of Economics 101 was correct?
"And the trade deficit is always bigger with a better economy."
My "hmmmm" was about this statement of yours......
"And the trade deficit is always bigger with a better economy."
And to answer your question, NO, I never shorted a stock, and in fact, I gave up trading in 2001 or 2002 (I forget).
Actually I was shorting the Bejesus out of homebuilder and lenders and was very very very very vocal about it being the esaiest money you will ever make. Been saying that with hundreds of detailed posts since 2006.
Did you join me and make money or were you just mouth?
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=26420998
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=21739491
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=13982275
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New Board Rules
Politics + adults is not an oxymoron
Try to act like an adult.
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Use politicians real names, not the cute little made up names so popular among some.
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