We have moved the blog to ronandlizblog.com
Monday, June 18, 2012
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Earthdebate
Published on 14th June 2012 09:30 AM
A group of scientists from around the world who are part of The Berkeley
Initiative in Global Change Biology (BiGCB) is warning that an
ever-growing population and widespread destruction of natural ecosystems
may be driving Earth toward a planet-wide tipping point, an
irreversible change in the biosphere with unpredictable consequences.
Anthony Barnosky, professor of integrative biology at the University of
California, Berkeley, is the lead author of a review paper about this
issue in the journal Nature.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Cleveland
A river got so polluted it burned...
Some 40 or more years ago I was in Cleveland and the Cyahoga River fire was big in the news so I wanted to just go see it while I was there. It was along the steel mill and oil refinery section and it is still in my mind... how ugly a river it was. Had to be the biggest pollution story of the century to that point. The rivers had killed almost all the fish in Lake Erie. Randy Newman wrote a song about the burning river"
There's a red moon rising
On the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake
There's a red moon rising
ON the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake
There's an oil barge winding
Down the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake
There's an oil barge winding
Down the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake
Cleveland city of light city of magic
Cleveland city of light you're calling me
Cleveland, even now I can remember
'Cause the Cuyahoga River
Goes smokin' through my dreams
Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on
Now the Lord can make you tumble
And the Lord can make you turn
And the Lord can make you overflow
But the Lord can't make you burn
Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on
====================================
It has been cleaned up and lake Erie is pristine once again.
Some 40 or more years ago I was in Cleveland and the Cyahoga River fire was big in the news so I wanted to just go see it while I was there. It was along the steel mill and oil refinery section and it is still in my mind... how ugly a river it was. Had to be the biggest pollution story of the century to that point. The rivers had killed almost all the fish in Lake Erie. Randy Newman wrote a song about the burning river"
There's a red moon rising
On the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake
There's a red moon rising
ON the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake
There's an oil barge winding
Down the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake
There's an oil barge winding
Down the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake
Cleveland city of light city of magic
Cleveland city of light you're calling me
Cleveland, even now I can remember
'Cause the Cuyahoga River
Goes smokin' through my dreams
Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on
Now the Lord can make you tumble
And the Lord can make you turn
And the Lord can make you overflow
But the Lord can't make you burn
Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on
====================================
It has been cleaned up and lake Erie is pristine once again.
Cracked Rib
Man they hurt. Cant cough or sneeze or laugh. But then the last one is impossible today.... HURTZ
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Anyone can buy a Treasury bond
The US Treasury offers bonds at very low interest rates. How about 0.18 %? For a one year note of $1,000,000 they promise to pay back $1,001,800 after a year. The Chinese buy them on an open market as does California State Teachers Retirement fund or Great Britain or your uncle. It is an open market and there are buyers all over the world seeking the safest investment they can find....us!
And yet Moodys or some other bond rating company has down graded Treasury bonds which is the same as upgrading the risk. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. Want to know how stupid? When the market crashed billions in bonds were bought up at negative interest. The world was so scared that they PAID for the privilege of buying our Treasuries.
LINK
Just another example of how people believe what the media tells them to believe.
And yet Moodys or some other bond rating company has down graded Treasury bonds which is the same as upgrading the risk. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. Want to know how stupid? When the market crashed billions in bonds were bought up at negative interest. The world was so scared that they PAID for the privilege of buying our Treasuries.
LINK
Just another example of how people believe what the media tells them to believe.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Congrats to Nick
Not only did Nick become dept chairman after I left and not only did he get his EdD along the way, he has now been promoted to Dean of Tech! Way to go cheese freak!
on a different note to my Cerritos Colleagues: RIP Ted.
on a different note to my Cerritos Colleagues: RIP Ted.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Carroll Shelby Died
That's not really news but It got me to reading about him again... bought two new Kendal books. Anyway I was thinking about the really great documentary they did on his Cobra on Discovery. There's some great American History there if you would like to watch it. Shelby went after Enzo and spanked his ass with Old Fashion American Street Rod know how. One of kind American pride. I still get chills watching the Daytona and Le Mans film.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Carfact 32 - The Hemi
The "Hemi" is a trademark of Chrysler Motors. It is the shortening of "hemispherical head". The Hemispherical head was not invented by Chrysler but they did make them famous by putting them in the 300s in the 50's and 60's. They became more famous when they were removed from the cars and rebuilt for dragsters.
But is Hemi today a "Hemi".
They sum it up real well with "Even though it isn't a genuine hemi, this engine still packs a powerful punch as a marketing ploy."
But is Hemi today a "Hemi".
They sum it up real well with "Even though it isn't a genuine hemi, this engine still packs a powerful punch as a marketing ploy."
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Another Econ fact
Most nations have national debt
As a percentage of GDP
USA 103%
Japan 208%
Greece 165%
Portugal 130%
Singapore 118%
Yes most countries are far below this but still not worried
Many people however do not understand that national debt is all the debt of the nation AND the people. Your mortgage contributes to the national debt. It is not all gov spending.
But.. you know. People believe what they want to believe so...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_national_debt
As a percentage of GDP
USA 103%
Japan 208%
Greece 165%
Portugal 130%
Singapore 118%
Yes most countries are far below this but still not worried
Many people however do not understand that national debt is all the debt of the nation AND the people. Your mortgage contributes to the national debt. It is not all gov spending.
But.. you know. People believe what they want to believe so...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_national_debt
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Home econ 101
Every family has struggled with debt from time to time. Well not "Every" but most have.
Some people buy a home on credit (mortgage) or borrow against an annuity to put their kids through college. Or buy a new car on payments or use credit cards. Its only when your debt exceeds your income that you go under water. So most people maintain their debt payments as a percentage of their income. So if a family has $100,000 income then they would probably want to keep total debt payments well below that.
Let say mortgage payments are 25,000 per year and the other debt is $25,000 per year so they enjoy life and make their payments. But what do they OWE? they could owe $400,000 on the house (they got a super low interest rate) and they could owe another 100k on cars and medical bills and what not. So this family is in debt at five times their yearly income.
Now lets say someone else has an income of $1,000,000 per year. He can afford $500,000 in dept payments for a mansion or three and two new BMWs and a boat or whatever.
Both families render 50% of income to debt and are in debt five times their yearly income.
Now how to translate that to a nations debt?... "income" would be Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and debt would be what the treasury comes up with as a deficit for that year. What is the GDP today? one year's worth of productivity in the USA? $15trillion dollars. What is the debt? About $15 trillion. in other words the USA is in debt one years worth of income (GDP). 100% of GDP for the government and 500% for lots of ordinary families.
Not worried.
****** addendum "what the treasury comes up with as a deficit for that year" should have read "what the treasury tells us what our national debt is".
Thanks, Didi.
Some people buy a home on credit (mortgage) or borrow against an annuity to put their kids through college. Or buy a new car on payments or use credit cards. Its only when your debt exceeds your income that you go under water. So most people maintain their debt payments as a percentage of their income. So if a family has $100,000 income then they would probably want to keep total debt payments well below that.
Let say mortgage payments are 25,000 per year and the other debt is $25,000 per year so they enjoy life and make their payments. But what do they OWE? they could owe $400,000 on the house (they got a super low interest rate) and they could owe another 100k on cars and medical bills and what not. So this family is in debt at five times their yearly income.
Now lets say someone else has an income of $1,000,000 per year. He can afford $500,000 in dept payments for a mansion or three and two new BMWs and a boat or whatever.
Both families render 50% of income to debt and are in debt five times their yearly income.
Now how to translate that to a nations debt?... "income" would be Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and debt would be what the treasury comes up with as a deficit for that year. What is the GDP today? one year's worth of productivity in the USA? $15trillion dollars. What is the debt? About $15 trillion. in other words the USA is in debt one years worth of income (GDP). 100% of GDP for the government and 500% for lots of ordinary families.
Not worried.
****** addendum "what the treasury comes up with as a deficit for that year" should have read "what the treasury tells us what our national debt is".
Thanks, Didi.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Wild Wild Southwest
Spring and summer bring out the best in our local wild life. A far cry from our past concrete and asphalt world. The nicest part of being close to the wild critters is feeling that your part of their world too. The cliffs around our house are home to bobcats, hawks, ravens, rabbits, coyotes and even mountain lions; never seen a mountain lion but the old timers tell us they're up there in the high cliffs. Yes, there are rattlesnakes but in our twelve years here I've never seen or heard one .. they have a tendency to stay away from human habitats. And I am not one to go tramping about in the underbush and poking under dead tree trunks. So with a little luck and good sense, I'll live and die without ever having a close encounter with the snake population.
We do have some small critters that enter the house ( I suspect our two cats find them in the enclosed breezeway and then bring them inside for our approval ) . So far this week I've rescuded one tiny mouse and two lizards. Now you must remember I'm a big city girl so these unwelcome creatures weren't part of my upbringing but I have learned how to pick lizards up by their tails and drop them outside ( where they belong ), When you pick them up they freeze and stop moving so there's no chance of being bit.
The mice are easy ... we have "no kill" traps. Put some peanut butter in there and they head in the open door and get trapped, the door shuts and they feast. Once the door shuts you pick up the trap and you can open the back trap door and let them loose outside. The cats are disappointed because they no longer have something to chase and pouce on but I'm relieved to have them outside in their world while we relax in ours.
Welcome to the wild wild southwest! Liz
We do have some small critters that enter the house ( I suspect our two cats find them in the enclosed breezeway and then bring them inside for our approval ) . So far this week I've rescuded one tiny mouse and two lizards. Now you must remember I'm a big city girl so these unwelcome creatures weren't part of my upbringing but I have learned how to pick lizards up by their tails and drop them outside ( where they belong ), When you pick them up they freeze and stop moving so there's no chance of being bit.
The mice are easy ... we have "no kill" traps. Put some peanut butter in there and they head in the open door and get trapped, the door shuts and they feast. Once the door shuts you pick up the trap and you can open the back trap door and let them loose outside. The cats are disappointed because they no longer have something to chase and pouce on but I'm relieved to have them outside in their world while we relax in ours.
Welcome to the wild wild southwest! Liz
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
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