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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (856418)	5/12/2015 7:07:37 PM
From: Brumar89	Respond to of 1575146

Cap-and-trade Billions a Honey Pot for California Politicians The Associated Press by Chriss W. Street11 May 2015Newport Beach, CA 12 California’s cap-and-trade tax is creating a luscious honey-pot of cash to sooth state politicians’ spending fantasies. As the Sacramento Bee reports, in expectation of the cash available from the “May Revised Budget” to be released this week, lawmakers and their interest-group fellow travelers are outlining ambitious proposals that include funding port improvements, paying for heavy-duty trucks and ferries, nurturing urban rivers, sponging up carbon in soil and increasing subsidies for bus riders.The surge in what is commonly referred to in Sacramento as “Cap-and-Tax” seems destined to vacuum up rivers of cash from electric utility bills and retail gas purchases that are expected to increase in the years ahead. According to Assemblyman Henry Perea (Fresno-D), “It’s the next big fight.” He added, “It’s going to continue to be a fight as more revenue comes in.” In 2006, supposedly to counteract global warming, California lawmakers passed the first-in-the-nation carbon auction program that requires businesses to purchase the equivalent of “ Papal Indulgences” to waive the sin of releasing CO2 into the skies. California mandated exceptionally tough air quality standards in an effort to lower carbon emissions, and has implemented a “cap-and-trade” system to raise the costs of businesses that emit so-called “pollutants.” The program has generated hundreds of millions of dollars that helped cover shortfalls in last year’s budget, including an annual outlay to support the high-speed rail project. This year, oil and gas producers were required to buy permits for the first time. Cleverly disguised as a fee, cap-and-trade creates a tax multiplier effect. Gas retailers pay for the cap-and-trade fees when they buy wholesale gasoline from oil companies. The state then figures the fuel sales tax on the full pump price, which leverages the cap-and-trade “fee” by hitting it with a percentage tax. The result is about a 10-cent increase in the price of a gallon of a gasoline that is expected to generate another multibillion-dollar slush fund for Sacramento politicians. Governor Jerry Brown’s January proposal underestimated the amount available in the coming fiscal year by between $1.3 to $3.9 billion, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. The updated numbers will come out this week in Brown’s May Revised Budget. The money spent out of the cap-and-trade fund supposedly must verifiably help curtail the greenhouses gases that supposedly fuel climate change. But Sacramento politicians have shown great flexibility in deciding what that “help” actually is. Last year, 25 percent of all “cap-and-tax” cash was mandated to flow to disadvantaged communities that just happened to be dominated by Democrat members of the Legislature. In accordance with the formula established in last year’s budget agreement, 60 percent of the auction dollars will flow to areas such as high-speed rail, urban transit and housing. But the remaining 40 percent will now be a jump-ball for the state legislature. Lawmakers have introduced a slew of initiatives to mandate permanently that the rivers of cash be reserved for disadvantaged communities or large-scale transit projects. But other groups want the cash to pay for energy-efficiency programs at the state’s heavily unionized public ports, which are required to address the environmental issues associated with using machines and trucks to move goods in and out of the port. Playing on the mandate to address climate change in disadvantaged neighborhoods, a solar industry lobbying group is angling to install rooftop panels on housing projects. “The Legislature and the administration are hearing a lot of different plans for how to spend the money,” Coalition for Clean Air policy director Bill Magavern told the Sacramento Bee. “There’s really a broad spectrum of interests involved in this debate, and of course it’s because there’s money available.” http://www.breitbart.com/california/2015/05/11/cap-and-trade-billions-a-honey-pot-for-california-politicians/

To: tejek who wrote (856418)	5/12/2015 7:09:43 PM
From: Brumar89	Respond to of 1575146

You mean Patriot fans ... you think all Patriot fans are Fox News watchers?

To: tejek who wrote (856418)	5/12/2015 7:11:46 PM
From: joseffy	Respond to of 1575146

George Zimmerman reportedly shot in the face; sick reaction from social media

To: tejek who wrote (856418)	5/12/2015 7:22:07 PM
From: joseffy	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1575146

Obama complains about people who send kids to ‘private schools’ and use ‘private clubs’ ................................................................................................................................................ President Obama’s lack of self-awareness was on full display when he spoke at the Catholic-Evangelical Leadership Summit at Georgetown University today and criticized people who send their kids to “private schools” and “private clubs.” May 12, 2015 by Nicole Haas : bizpacreview.com A panel including Robert Putnam, professor of public policy at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government and Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute were discussing ways to overcome poverty. Obama stated that those who have economic advantages are withdrawing from societal common areas. He claimed those who socially separate themselves are contributing to a sluggish economy that lacks opportunity. The hypocrisy was not lost on social media users who were quick to point out Obama’s glaring hypocrisy. (Warning for strong language) Gee, ... where do HIS daughters go to school again? Oh, wait—THAT’S different! Just plain bizarre. Our first psychotic President? What we're seeing now is Barack and Michelle unplugged.I can't wait to hear what these sawed off maoists say next. Obama Girls Enjoy ‘Best School Lunch in America;’ Public Schoolers Lament ‘Let’s Move’ Meals (Private school) cnsnews.com May 13, 2015 MS/US Sweet Corn Chowder Rainbow Chopped Salad Mamadou’s African Menu Saladu Awooka ak Mango (Avocado-Mango Salad) Senegalese Chicken Yassa African Vegetarian Dish Sautéed Local Greens with African Spices White Rice Shredded Lettuce & Tomatoes Sliced Pineapple ****** May 14, 2015 MS/US Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Greek Salad Cucumber, Blueberry and Feta Salad Gyro Bar w/ All The Fixings Ground Lamb Falafel Roasted Zucchini, Tomato and Corn Orzo w/ Sundried Tomatoes Kiwi Wedges He absorbed Rev. Wright's message of hate for over 20 years. What can you expect? He's a believer and an crusader for the Black Liberation theology. In The Double Life Of Fidel Castro, Sanchez describes a lavish lifestyle that would make an oligarch blush. Castro owns the only luxury yacht in Cuba, the Aquarama II, a replica of a boat confiscated when Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista 55 years ago. The boat is fitted out with exotic timber from Angola and four Soviet navy engines, which were a gift from Leonid Brezhnev. Totalitarians are all cut from the same workingman's cloth, aren't they? Where is he sending his kids?

To: tejek who wrote (856418)	5/12/2015 7:25:32 PM
From: joseffy	Respond to of 1575146

Record Antarctic sea ice a logistic problem for 'scientists' ..................................................................... Economic Times ^ \| May 12, 2015 \| By AFP

To: tejek who wrote (856418)	5/12/2015 7:30:07 PM
From: joseffy	Respond to of 1575146

20 ex-CIA chiefs outs NY TIMES for the Sleazeball Newsrag it Is F The New York Times, even to this day, remains "America's newspaper". But why?! The latest brouhaha scandalous decision made by the newspaper involves the outing of 3 CIA officials in wake of reporting that two innocent hostage lives were taken in a drone attack. In response, 20 former senior CIA leaders penned a blistering response to the NYTimes Executive Editor Dean Baquet after he defended his paper's decision to name names. The former CIA officials rebuked: Officials who work on covert operations do not escape accountability. Their actions are carefully reviewed by the C.I.A.’s general counsel, the inspector general, White House officials, congressional overseers and Justice Department attorneys. Indeed, some of the operations referred to by The Times have been discussed publicly by the president and are some of the most carefully overseen in our government. We respect the right of The Times to investigate and report on the government’s counterterrorism efforts. The media should question policy makers, including senior politically appointed leaders of the intelligence community, about these efforts. But nothing is gained by “outing” career operations officers, who carry out such policies. They operate in the shadows, not because they want to; indeed, a life under cover can be enormously burdensome to family and loved ones. They operate in the shadows because we still need a small cadre of professionals who, when called upon, can operate in secret to protect the country. These patriot lives are put in danger, as they have been directly involved in the war against jihadi and Islamist terror: (Excerpt) Read more at floppingaces.net...