When does the United States of America start cutting off foreign aid?

An economic adviser to India’s Prime Minister is urging the Indian government to diversify its $264.6 billion foreign-exchange reserves and hold fewer dollars.

“The major part of Indian reserves is in dollars — that is something that’s a problem for us,” said Suresh Tendulkar, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, questioning U.S. dollar dominance.

India is preparing to join leaders from the Group of Eight industrialized nations — the U.S., Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Canada and Russia — at a summit in Italy next week which is due to tackle the global economy. China and Brazil will also send representatives to the summit.

China and Russia have already stepped up calls to rethink how global currency reserves are composed and managed. Yet these heavy polluting emerging markets along with India, are not constrained by the recently passed Cap-and-Trade legislation which imposes severe restrictions and heavy penalties on U.S. industry — while not requiring them to reduce their carbon emissions.

“There should be a system to maintain the stability of the major reserve currencies,” the former Chinese Vice Premier said in Beijing yesterday, highlighting China’s concerns about a global financial system dominated by the dollar, Bloomberg News reports.

The late Paul Weyrich noted on Townhall last November that former President George W. Bush’s Fiscal Year 2009 Foreign Operations Budget for the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other foreign affairs agencies totals $26.1 billion. The requested amount was an 8.9% increase over the total Fiscal Year 2008 amount, including emergency funding. In addition, the United States contributes well over $3 billion to the United Nations, an organization which in turn welcomes our enemies to speak against us.

Many of the nations topping the list are also top oil producing nations. Of the top 13 suppliers of oil, only one among them, Canada, can be counted as a friend.

Democrats hard at work ensuring Third World status for U.S.

The House of Representatives is poised to vote today on one of the most sweeping environmental bills in U.S. history — an expansive measure that aims to cut industry’s reliance on the carbon-emitting fuels liberals blame for the questionable science of global warming.

The Wall Street Journal runs an excellent piece citing the growing number of skeptics, including more than 700 scientists, who are expressing concern over the reliability of the United Nations-based climate change hysteria. “Far from shrinking, the number is swelling,” the WSJ writes.

The collapse of the “consensus” has been driven by reality. The inconvenient truth is that the earth’s temperatures have flat-lined since 2001, despite growing concentrations of C02. And, many previously inclined members of the world’s scientific community have altered their views.

None of this dissuades Democrats, who have been working to ensure there are at least 218 votes in the 435-seat House to pass the legislation that is a high priority for President Obama, Reuters reports.

Like the “stimulus” program was sold as an economic boost to create jobs — which turned out to mainly be in the government sector — we are now being told by Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, “It’s a job creator. It’s going to help save millions of dollars, billions of dollars, for our economy…”

But not all Democrats are taking the bait. U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, a Democrat who is considering running for governor of Alabama, says he will vote against the measure.

“The bill has been improved, but this is the wrong time,” he said, noting the hard economic times and the lack of commitment from heavy-polluting countries like China and India to significantly reduce their emissions.

Republicans are overwhelmingly opposed to the package, warning it would hit recession-weary consumers in their pocketbooks with higher prices for energy and other necessary consumer goods.

UPDATE:

The historic 219-212 vote which imposes the nation’s first mandatory reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases linked to the questionable science of global warming, divided Democrats much more sharply than the vote on President Obama’s stimulus plan.

There were some heroes. 44 Democrats broke with their party’s ’yes bloc,’ voting against the climate change legislation. But the eight Republicans who broke from their party leadership to support it — although the vast majority of all Republicans from their states opposed the bill — are deserving of scorn.

 The final vote total is here.

Syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin lists the eight turncoat Republicans and calls out the two Republicans who weren’t available to vote: Arizona’s own Jeff Flake, whose daughter was in a beauty contest — although the pageant finals were not scheduled until the weekend — and John Sullivan of Okalahoma, who is undergoing alcohol rehab. Dem. Rep. Patrick Kennedy was pulled out of rehab to cast his vote.

Friday frivolity: It’s not easy being green

Remember when we thought it was Kermit the Frog singing this tune?

Turns out it was just Phoenix’s Sanctuary City Mayor Phil Gordon finding yet another means of promoting himself.

Edible poison guide thoughtfully provided by AZ agency

Ladies,

Have you been wondering about the proper amount of toxic mercury and pesticides you can consume and feed your family before suffering irreversible kidney, lung and central nervous system damage?

If so, you’re in luck. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has issued a two-page mercury-contamination advisory for fish in Roosevelt Lake and Lake Pleasant. The advisory covers largemouth bass in both lakes, along with channel catfish in Roosevelt Lake.

Mercury is toxic in high doses and can damage vital organs and the central nervous system. Children and pregnant or nursing women are at higher risk and are advised not to eat any fish from the lakes. Fortunately, you can still serve your older children and non-childbearing age female adults about one 8-ounce meal per month.  Those treasured men in your life can eat two such meals per month.

Yum.

Other fish in the lakes are not affected, according to the ADEQ report. Arizona Game and Fish Department has its own guide.

How about a tall, cool glass of water?

After a five-month investigation, the Associated Press reveals that drinking water provided to at least 41 million people living in 24 major metropolitan areas has tested positive for trace amounts of pharmaceuticals. This report was previously on MSNBC.

“Fearing public overreaction” those with oversight have declined to name the 20 different drinking water treatment plants around the U.S. where pharmaceuticals have been detected in water heading to more than 10 million people. The U.S. Geological Survey detected heart medications, infection fighters, estrogen, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, chemotherapy drugs and the active ingredient in an anti-anxiety medication.

The American Water Works Association Research Foundation conducts studies with the understanding that secrecy would be assured. On their web pages, there is information about their upcoming San Diego conference and Drinking Water Week 2009, with coloring pages and games for children, but no hard facts about harmful chemicals in the water supply.

The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) has printed a manual: Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water Guide, intended to allay fears.

Sounding like a sales pitch, it reads in part: Certified home water treatment systems can help provide additional protection against many common contaminants found in drinking water, including arsenic, cysts and pesticides, as well as reduce chemicals such as chlorine. While not specifically certified to reduce pharmaceuticals at this time, these products may be helpful in reducing many impurities.

They thoughtfully include a list of water treatment systems that have been certified by NSF.

Wondering who this group is? So were we. After some digging we found they refer to themselves as the leading global provider of public health and safety risk management solutions, providing product certification and safety audits for the food and water industries, NSF International is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food Safety and for Drinking Water Safety and Treatment, according to their website.

Swell. But where is the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on this issue? Americans need answers.

Unearthing Earth Day

 

 

 

 

Earth Day is a holiday created to honor the planet and raise consciousness of man’s mostly negative effect on the environment.

A Philadelphia newspaper, The Bulletin, tells the fascinating saga of environmentalist Ira Einhorn the co-founder of this day so near and dear to the hearts of the self-flagellating “Blame America First” Greenies.

After executing a grisely murder of his one-time girlfriend in 1977, Einhorn found himself a splendid lawyer, Arlen Specter, who finagled his bail down to $40,000 — only 10% of which was needed to free him. Of course, he skipped, and was finally tried and convicted in absentia in 1993. Several years later the Earth Day enthusiast was located in France, living with a new girlfriend. The benevolent French refused to extradite him, fearing he would face the death penalty for his brutality. After promising him a new trial, he was returned, tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison October 17, 2002.

Michael P. Tremoglie writes of the little mentioned paradox about the Einhorn saga: Ira Einhorn was arrested for murder March 28, 1979, the day the Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident occurred. Ira Einhorn, environmentalist, was charged with murder during the same period as one of the greatest environmental accidents in United States history..

But the real irony is that more people died in the apartment of Ira Einhorn, co-founder of Earth Day than at Three Mile Island. The environmentalist killed more people than the so-called environmental disaster.

Environmentalists reach dizzying heights of liberal absurdity

Climate bill could trigger lawsuit avalanche

Do you “expect to suffer” from global warming? If so, get in line behind the beachfront property owners and asthmatics. For the first time those who anticipate problems will be able to sue the federal government and private businesses over greenhouse gas emissions under a little-noticed provision slipped into the House climate bill.

The narrowly crafted bill written by Democrats Henry Waxman (CA), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Edward Markey (MA), gives citizens unusual standing to sue the U.S. government as a way to force action on curbing emissions. The scare tactics are part of a grander scheme emanating from the left to establish their agenda as mainstream.

The Waxman-Markey proposal, including the lawsuit provision, has recently been released, while the Senate is drafting its own energy bill. Waxman has set an expedited schedule for passing the bill through his committee by Memorial Day. President Obama has stated an energy overhaul bill is one of his top priorities.

The measure sets grounds for anyone “who has suffered, or reasonably expects to suffer, a harm attributable, in whole or in part,” to government inaction, to file a “citizen suit.” The term “harm” is broadly defined as “any effect of air pollution (including climate change), currently occurring or at risk of occurring.”

It would allow citizens to seek up to $75,000 in damages from the government each year, but would cap the total amount paid out each year at $1.5 million.

If you find this difficult to believe, check out the ENFORCEMENT Section 336 beginning on page 527, of the discussion draft of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 for yourself.

Saving the planet too costly for Phoenix

The daily was hoping we all did our part last night from 8:30 to 9:30 PM. The newspaper urged Arizonans to join the global effort of Earth Hour 2009, turn off their lights and save the planet.

Ahhh…Just flipping that switch feels so good to Al Gore’s global warming crowd.

U.N. Secretary Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea, called Earth Hour “a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message: They want action on climate change.” Underlying his statement is an agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire in 2012. The new accord is supposed to be reached in Denmark, this December, sparking environmentalists’ sense of urgency in this year’s Earth Hour. Developing nations like China and India are not covered by its restrictive provisions, however.

Get it? It’s liberalism and blame America at its finest.

Last year Phoenix was considered a key city for Earth Hour because it was one of just four major cities to participate. This year those plans were curtailed. City buildings will be mostly dark, but that’s simply because it’s a Saturday night.

“What happened last year was it cost us about $3,000 to turn off all the lights,” said Scott Phelps, Mayor Phil Gordon’s spokesman. “We have a budget issue.” Phoenix is joining in on the event, he said, but it will not go out of its way to go dark.

In Arizona, only Peoria and Pima County are officially listed as participating with the event organizers.

Human Achievement Hour (HAH) is a most acceptable alternative to the enviro-zealots — a term coined by columnist Michelle Malkin.

“We salute the people who keep the lights on and produce the energy that helps make human achievement possible,” says Myron Ebell, Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Director of Energy and Global Warming Policy.

Arizona homeschoolers ace competition

A team of Phoenix students will travel to Washington, D.C. to compete in the 17th Annual Future City National Finals in February. Veritas Homeschoolers have won the Arizona Region National Engineers Week Future City Competition.

The winning students were among 200 seventh and eighth graders from around the state who presented their complex future city models in a regional competition. Noah O’Connor, Joshua Ekstrom, and Alex Janss, earned this honor along with their teacher, Mary Ann Ekstrom, and volunteer engineer mentor Kenneth Ekstrom.

Team-mates engineered future cities based on a theme of self-sufficient systems with water-efficient homes. They competed with each other for the chance to attend the national competition in Washington, D.C.

The Veritas Homeschoolers winning city, Abundaqua, includes the use of solar collectors, roof top wind turbines, and wave turbines for energy production. Twenty percent of the city is located underground. A bullet train that can reach speeds of up to 300 mph is used for transportation as along with pod cars, buses and a magnetic rail system.

Find out more here.

A royal flush

Conrad Harrell, the port-a-potty king has proclaimed Barack Obama’s inauguration will be the largest temporary restroom event in U.S. history. Don’s Johns, will be supplying many of the 5,000 port-a-johns. But there are other suppliers as well, such as Mr. John, Johnny Blue and Johnny on the Spot.

The regal number is intended to provide 2 million people with thrones, according to inauguration committee organizers. Many of Washington’s downtown museums will remain open for people seeking a restroom or a place to warm up.

The Weather Channel predicts the average high temperature is expected to hover around 33 degrees, with snow showers.  Brr-r-r.

The Capitol covers the situation.