Sorry for the hiatus

I have been busy doing some high level analytics, inventing shots, and getting into pushup contests at bars.  Living the dream, but I have a few things to cover now.

First, me and all my buddies at the NYT (You're my boy Krugman!) balanced the budget this past week, you can check out what I did here

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html

I was able to do it with minimal tax increases, the only ones really coming from the closing of loopholes to simplify the tax code that led to a small real increase in the rates.  I have some problems with this, like the fact that we can only cut foreign aid in half and we can only cut federal payroll by 5% but this does not seem that hard if people are willing to make tough choices.  I even made military cuts for Greg, although I would prefer an option that brings every soldier stationed in Europe home immediately and let those self righteous socialists take care of themselves for the first time in a century.

I also would have liked an option to boot the UN out of NYC and never give another dime to that criminal organization.  Between the sex crimes, the corruption, the antisemitism and the legitimization it gives thugs and murderous leaders and regimes as part of a transnational body, it just makes me sick.   This clip from earlier this week gives a picture perfect example of everything that is wrong with this kabuki theater and the current administration.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/11/027741.php

Obama sends these people to prostrate themselves and by association our entire country before the altar of transnational organizations, political correctness and collectivism.  They sit there, get lectured on racial relations by Cuba, by Human Rights by Iran, Women's right by Saudi Arabia and God knows what by Venezuela.  The message here is that America is not exceptional, that we have been and are bad, mean, racist, unilateral and unpleasant. The only thing that can ever hope to redeem us is the fact that we were smart enough to elect Obama, if only briefly The One just told us that we are currently too stupid to appreciate how awesome he is.

Finally, I would like to extend a big thank you to Al Gore.  While I think he is dishonest, creepy and incredibly dull, he has had a few redeeming moments.

1. Inventing the Internet
2. Bringing the phrase "Release my second Chakra" into the vernacular, which got me and the entire desk through a few weeks of work as the best pick up line in the history of the world.
3. Admitting that ethanol is a joke and is just a larger, more aggressive form of farm subsidies that no one will touch because there are Presidential primaries in Iowa.

Things like ethanol and earmarks and NPR are not going to balance the budget, there are hard decisions about programs that people care about and to some extent depend on that are going to have to be made, but if these small somewhat symbolic (when did billions become small and symbolic?!??!) cuts cannot be made to the budget then what can actually be done?