Finally

A plan to bring some meaningful jobs to upstate New York

Labor Shortage.

Senator Clinton is partially right however she and many of our employers are missing an important part of the picture. When there is a true labor shortage we will see significant upward pressure for wages for those positions. Those wages will begin to attract more people into that field. Raising the H1B cap will help, but only in the short term. For a longer term solution, the wages have to rise enough to put more people into that skill pipeline. Once they are in the pipeline, the need for additional H1Bs will dissipate.

Another public policy solution is to incent study in the areas where we can expect the most severe shortages. Our higher education system provides the same incentives to people like me, who studied political science, as they do who study things that we actually need more of - nurses, engineers, etc. By providing more significant grants to people who enroll in these subject areas and pledge to work in that field for a period of time (or else pay back the grant) would also help fill the pipeline.

Having said that, I recognize that as a society we need and benefit from liberal arts majors. In fact, the senator could use help from some, as a closer look at the sign above will show....

Another Scientist Speaks Out

The lone voices are turning into a chorus. I suspect that we will hear the usual Greek Chorus "they are bought and paid for" without any proof of any conflict of interest at all,but that is typical of the intellectually bankrupt.

The fact is that there are different theories regarding the arth's temperature including (I hope you are sitting down) changes in activity on the sun.

So much for Reform

This article from Politico shows that like the GOP before them, and so on down the line, the Dems have abandoned any pretense of reform.

Global Warming

It looks like more scientists are asking tough questions about the assumptions behind Gore's efforts.

A Sad Chapter for this Community Comes to an End

WBEN 930 : SANCHEZ PLEADS GUILTY

Bring back the games to MSG!!

If for no other reason than this commercial!: ""

Obama of the Right

It seems that just as there are folks on the left who have jumped on the Obama bandwagon without a deep understanding of what he stands for or what his record is, there are a lot of folks on the right who are supporting Fred Thompson under similar circumstances. I haven't jumped on fully yet, but I like what I see so far.Here is his response to Michael Moore's recent publicity ploy.

DWI

This story is further evidence that our DWI laws, our judges, and our system are all a tragic joke. There should be mandatory jail time for DWI. In fact, there should be minimum mandatory sentences for everything, because our judges can't seem to exercise judgement in these matters.

Budget News

I don't expect this story to be widely reported, but it shows once again that cutting taxes spurs economic growth. Instead of a decline in revenue (there is often a short period of downturn after a tax reduction, but only because there is a lag in impact), tax cuts actually increase tax revenues over the long term.

The bad news is that both the President and the Congress have allowed spending to get out of control (Iraq is partly, but only partly to blame).

The Buffalo News: Power Failure

I am amazed at how hard the News, and particularly Donn Esmonde try to prop up Brian Higgins.The Buffalo News: Power Failure Higgis bellied up to the public trough and sold his bully pulpit for pennies on the dollar that will go toward government waterfront boondoggles rather than to any true economic development activity.

But "Higgins leads the charge"? I would say Jim Heaney is leading the charge. And good for him. This is the kind of reporting that the community could use more of!!

American Prospect Online - Can Block Clubs Block Despair?

Here is an interesting article on Block Clubs with a look at Buffalo.

You need to subscribe to see the full article, or you can see it in the University at Buffalo Holdings.

Thanks Cindo!

SABRE RATTLING By LARRY BROOKS - Rangers - New York Post Online Edition

It is interesting to see the NY perspective. Especially how they perceive the hits on Jagr,and our checks overall.

The Rest of the World Gets It

Australian PM says US Congress vote on Iraq aids Al-Qaeda When will Congress put domestic politics below national interest?

Does anyone honestly believe that the political theater in Washington does not give hope to those who wish to kill or maim our soldiers?

Choose Responsibility

Back in the day, the drinking age was 18. There were still people who broke the law and drank before they were "legal" , but my guess is that the percentage of people who drink beofre they reach legal age has grown. In an effort to curb drunk driving as a major force behind it, legislation was passed in NY to raise the age to 19 and then to 21. I never thought that was a good idea.

Personally, I find little difference between a drunk driving 18 year old and a drunk driving 40 year old. I feel the better solution is tougher (mandatory) penalties for DUI. There are WAY too many repeat offenders out there.

Here is a link to an effort to fix our drinking laws, led by a former college President. It is worth a look, I think.

Who do you trust more - the Control Board or the Elected Officials?

A recent post by Cindy Locklear raises some valid points about the Erie County Control Board. In fact it is hard to get too excited about this group, with its makeup almost a political recycle bin.

But in a county whose bond rating is the lowest in the country, with a nearly bankrupt city at its core, and with a County Executive and Comptroller (representing both parties) who can't seem to find the value in using the Board as a way of financing borrowing (and thereby saving taxpayers about $4 million) it is pretty obvious that we are not ready to shed the board.

BTW, to her credit, Locklear avoids hypocrisy by avoiding the Dem's own Open meeting problems.

Questions for Al Gore

Former Vice President Al Gore will visit the University at Buffalo area tomorrow.

Is it possible that the earth's temperature is more effected by the sun than any man made activity?

How much were emission reduced during 8 years of Clinton/Gore?

Does it seem at all hypocritical to call for reduction of energy consumption when in 2006 your home consumed over 220,000 Kwh - more than 20 times the national average?

Isn't it true that the incremental increase in our planet's temperatue predates factories and automobiles?

Help a skeptic - whom should we believe about a complex subject like this? A politician with a BA in Government, or a distinguished faculty member from the University of Pennsylvania?

Click here for some additional questions from someone far smarter than me.

Don't let Your Head Explode

I know that nothing is more challenging for some folks than having facts that don't reconcile with whatever Olberman, Matthews or the rest of the downstream media have sold them. Bush lies! A mantra, that some beleive can become true by repeating it over and over again.

If this is a problem for you, or if anyone you disagree with is "another O'Reilly or Hannity", perhaps this will help. Either that, or it may make your head explode.

Check out this progressive site, and perhaps then you will believe what I said about the President.

They still don't like him, but they acknowledge that the President leaves a more modest carbon footprint.

Green House

Before any reaction, be sure to check out the veracity at snopes, urban legend or truth or fiction.

YOU won't find this in the downstream media outlets, but it is true.

LOOK OVER THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING TWO HOUSES AND SEE IF YOU
CAN TELL WHICH BELONGS TO AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.

HOUSE # 1:
A 20-room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas.
Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house all heated
by gas. In ONE MONTH ALONE this mansion consumes more energy than the
average American household in an ENTIRE YEAR. The average bill for
electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400.00 per month. In natural
gas alone (which last time we checked was a fossil fuel), this property
consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home.
This house is not in a northern or Midwestern "snow belt," either. It's
in the South.



HOUSE # 2:
Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university,
this house incorporates every "green" feature current home construction
can provide. The house contains only 4,000 square feet (4 bedrooms) and
is nestled on arid high prairie in the American southwest. A central
closet in the house holds geothermal heat pumps drawing ground water
through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67
degrees F.) heats the house in winter and cools it in summer. The
system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas, and it consumes
25% of the electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling
system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000
gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets
goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The
collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Flowers
and shrubs native to the are! a blend the property into the surrounding
rural landscape.



HOUSE # 1 (20 room energy guzzling mansion) is outside of
Nashville,Tennessee. It is the abode of that renowned environmentalist
(and filmmaker) Al Gore.


HOUSE # 2 (model eco-friendly house) is on a ranch near Crawford,
Texas. Also known as "the Texas White House," it is the private
residence of the President of the United States, George W. Bush.

Toliet paper Part (not Number) 2

WHile Sheryl has even been ridiculed by Rosie O'Donnell, the Smoking Gun has some info on Sheryl's tour requirements.

BTW - someone asked me if I saw an inconvenient truth. The fact is, I don't typically go to science documentaries by politicians or celebrities. Although, I am looking forward to the Tonya Harding movie on nanodynamics.