BGE is back at it this winter, using the excuse of "preventing power outages" as a reason to continue their obscene clear-cutting of trees along their power lines, according to this article in the Calvert Street Communist Party Newsletter.

I've had my experience with these tree butchers, and it wasn't pleasant.

On December 18, 2007, General Electric got a huge boost to its bottom line when the Senate voted t o essentially ban incandescent light bulbs.

So where are the green weenie environmentalist whacko anti-corporatist "no corporate welfare" types now?

You see, not only did GE's stock jump, but GE will now have a great reason to lay off a ton of workers.  You see, GE manufacturers all of its incandescent bulbs in the United States-- where costs are higher and environmental regulations are very strict.

But it manufactures its CFLS (and other fancy technology bulbs) in China, where manufacturing costs are a fraction of the US, and environmental regulations are, well... you know.  They just don't have them.  (Trust me, been to Shenzhen 4 times and Hong Kong 5.  Its bad. Really bad.)

Chinese factories are dirtier, more polluting, and make no effort to be environmentally respectful, much less friendly.  China still uses lead in their gasoline.  And they could tell you what a CO2 scrubber was if it was sitting in front of you.  Oh, and forget energy efficiency.

So what will be the net gain from the switch to CFLs (which also contain a small amount of mercury, and as a result, cannot just be thrown out with the trash)?

I'm thinking a net negative.

... in the United Kingdom of All Places.

It turns out there is a group in the UK fighting their move to an "all CFL" world.  Flourescent light causes problems for a lot of people, but now they are banging the drum that it might cause skin cancer.

That will, of course, accelerate the fix to Global Warming.  Which might be the whole point.  Kill all the humans, and we can't cause Global Warming.

Now that the slots hurdle has been half-cleared through the fourth-quarter punt by the General Assembly, it was only a matter of time before the "casino" wardrums started beating.

And they are banging like drum corps, according to O'Malley Gazette.

John Paterakis must be pleased.  He'll finally be able to use that Marriott for what he wanted all along.

Taxes, that is. Compulsory contributions to the state revenue pool.  Based upon what?  A moral judgement.

My uncle is fond of telling me that you "can't legislate morality".  He is, of course, wrong.  Our entire tax code is replete with legislated morality.

That is all sin taxes are.

Word from the lovely and vivacious Michelle Malkin on White House plans for an economic stimulus package, as they begin to panic over the subprime mortgage mess, the price of energy, and the "possibility" of recession.

Why is it that politicians always return to failed notions of Keynesianism when they think the economy needs a "stimulus"?

It's as if George W. learned nothing from his own policies...

Wade Kach has taken the time to write to his constituents explain his vote on HB 4.  I produce it here in its entirety without comment (which I will do later in another post).

Warren Buffet -- arguably the world's most successful investor alive today -- is an unadulterated communist, who believes in income redistribution and confiscatory taxation.

There is no way around this statement after his testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.

Buffett recommends taking the revenue from the Estate Tax, and offering a $1000 tax credit to all families who make less than $20,000 per year.

Hail Comrade!

Yes, on the "drivers licenses for illegal immigrants", but also on counting Amazon affiliates as a "substantial business presence" in order to invoke the sales and use tax.

Michael Swartz over at Monoblogue had posted about this yesterday, wondering if Guvnah Marty the Mick might try it here.