Saturday, September 6, 2014

Chalk Up Another One For Enlightened Socialist Thinking

Oil Rich Venezuela To Import Oil

Last week, a document from Venezuela’s state-run energy company PDVSA seen by Reuters News Service showed Venezuela was considering importing crude oil for the first time. “Yes, we are in talks,” Yousfi told Reuters when asked whether Algeria was planning to export crude oil to Venezuela. He declined to provide details.

Miami Herald:
"It turns out that Venezuela’s own production of light crudes has plummeted since the late President Hugo Chávez took office in 1999, and the country desperately needs light crudes to blend with its Orinoco Basin extra heavy crude oils, which without, extra heavy crude is too dense to be transported through pipelines to Venezuelan ports and exported abroad.
Venezuela’s oil production, which accounts for 95 percent of the country’s export earnings, should be used in world classrooms as a textbook case of what happens when a populist government starts distributing a country’s wealth in cash subsidies, without investing in maintenance and innovation. Much like happened with Cuba’s once flourishing sugar industry, Venezuela’s Chávez-inspired populism has destroyed the goose that laid the golden eggs.
In 1999, when Chávez took office, PDVSA had 51,000 employees and produced 63 barrels of crude a day per employee. Fifteen years later, PDVSA had 140,000 employees, and produced 20 barrels of crude a day per employee, according to an Aug. 14 report by the France Press news agency.
Venezuela’s net oil exports have plummeted from 3.1 million barrels a day in 1997 to 1.7 million barrels a day in 2013, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates."
There was a popular riddle bandied about the Soviet Union back in communist days that went something like this: Question: if the Soviet Union conquered the Sahara, what would happen? Answer: nothing for 50 years, then a shortage of sand.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Moochelle Gets Confirmation....

His Weakness, Our Disgrace

"What's unique about our times is the nature of the threats — suicidal, homicidal, genocidal terrorists, well armed and organized, seeking the destruction of the United States. The other difference: the lack of Western leadership, starting with the president himself. ...
"He tries to manage the world as he hopes it will be, rather than lead the world as it is. Yes, foreign policy is hard. These issues are both historic and existential. The American public is fickle. Congress is all but useless. And our allies in Europe are loathe to lead — or even to pay a fair price for fighting threats closer to their borders than our own.
 "But that's why only one person gets to be president of the United States, and, presumably, that's why Obama asked twice to be elected. He wanted the job. He knew its challenges (including the existence of social media). He thought he could lead. When does he get started?"Ron Fournier, National Journal

Fishnet Friday


Bonus Points for Guessing Who's Gams Grace These Fishnets

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Tingles Feels a New Thrill Coming On.....

"This could be the battle of the gaffes!"  


It's no secret Chris Matthews has the hots for a Hillary Clinton run for President, but he doesn't believe she should just be handed the nomination whole-cloth without some debate. Enter Smokin' Joe Biden....
"He'll have one big thing going for him, he'll go in as the underdog. The underdog is who you root for."
"Every reporter in this town, left, right and center, wants this to happen. You don't have to sell this, right, Perry? I mean, Martin O'Malley against Hillary, er, against Brian Schweitzer is okay, but this is bigtime. This is big casino if they run against each other."
"This could be the battle of the gaffes!"

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

America's Junior Varsity All-Stars

The Vote was unanimous for MFNS B-Team All-Stars for 2014


Here are the results of the voting:

John 'Duke of Heinz' Kerry:
Position:  Shooting Guard
Strengths:  Size, experience, verbose, good at muscling way into play.  Stepped up his game and filled position after predecessor left  lineup due to brain injury. 
Weaknesses: Overly ambitious, injects self into play for attention, poor scoring percentage, thought of more a nuisance then a player by opponents.


B.H. 'Bo' Obama: 
Position: Team Captain / Power Forward
Strengths: Trash talking opponents, deceptive moves, excellent at faking, plays well while traveling, good at blaming others and claiming fouls. 
Weaknesses:  Best at playing outdoors -indoor game is weak, low scoring percentage, weak leadership on floor, poor understanding of the game, lack of hustle recently.


Smokin' Joe Biden:
Position: Player Coach / Center
Strengths:  Most experienced of team members, true brains and inspiration of the team, keeps opponents off guard with frequent mis-directions. High scoring percentage with the Ladies.  
Weaknesses: Frequently benched for reoccurring foot-in-mouth injuries. 


Prepared for the Worst


Riochet
"All the bad actors in the world know they have two-and-a-half years to run rampant since the U.S. won’t do anything. Expect war."— Jon Gabriel,  March 14, 2014
"At the time some thought it alarmist, but it isn’t surprising how the past half year has worked out:
* Putin’s slow-motion invasion of Ukraine.
* Boko Haram rampaging through Nigeria, kidnapping children and sacking churches.
* China aggressively staking out territorial claims in the Pacific.
* North Korean threats and missile tests.
* Libya’s collapse into an anarchic terror state.
* All-out war between Israel and Hamas.
* Violent anti-semitism across Europe.
* Russia testing NATO’s air defenses.
* Central American crime syndicates pouring across our southern border
* ISIS crucifying its way across Syria and Iraq.
Over the past three days alone, we’ve seen sweeping anti-government riots in Pakistan, Beijing invalidating Hong Kong democracy, ISIS beheading a second American journalist, and now 11 commercial airliners are missing from Libya.

President Obama has created an international power vacuum, a natural result of his lead-from-behind style and desire for an unexceptional America. Would-be strongmen are eagerly filling that vacuum, understanding that the world’s policeman has decided to go on a years-long, union-funded strike.

As the leader of the free world shuffles from one golf course to the next, it’s obvious that no major foreign policy change is coming in the near term......
"

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

For When He Can't Play Golf Outside......

Kissinger Questions Obama's Drift in the Wind

 "To play a responsible role in the evolution of a 21st-century world, the U.S. must be prepared to answer a number of questions for itself: What do we seek to prevent, no matter how it happens, and if necessary alone? What do we seek to achieve, even if not supported by any multilateral effort? What do we seek to achieve, or prevent, only if supported by an alliance? What should we not engage in, even if urged on by a multilateral group or an alliance? What is the nature of the values that we seek to advance? And how much does the application of these values depend on circumstance? 
History offers no respite to countries that set aside their sense of identity in favor of a seemingly less arduous course. But nor does it assure success for the most elevated convictions in the absence of a comprehensive geopolitical strategy." —  Henry Kissinger

Monday, September 1, 2014

The Reason Jihadist Fear Kurdish Guerrillas Units

Having a Mental Edge Over Your Enemies.
"Battle-hardened after two years fighting Islamic State and other Islamist rebel groups in the multi-sided Syrian civil war, Kurdish guerrillas linked to the PKK have in recent weeks made a series of military gains that have spotlighted their growing sway.
Syrian commanders say the security and quality of life is improving as the Kurd guerrilla forces expand rapidly, propelled by thousands of young volunteers...."

"Recruitment is boosted by the deployment of women soldiers on the front line, often in all-female units."
“The jihadists don’t like fighting women, because if they’re killed by a female, they believe they won't go to Paradise."
I say Gear Up Ladies, and send them to hell where they belong!

h/t Young Cons

A Good Monday Morning


Happy Labor Day!