The T-Files

Tony Sarrecchia

Much as been said about carbon footprints, credits, and offsets. But what, if anything, does it all mean? Well, your carbon footprint is what your existence on the planet contributes to the CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere and therefore ‘global warming’. The theory goes like this: If you live the life of a contributing member of society, your existence is more of a blight on the planet than that of your Neanderthal ancestor. Your odds of being eaten by a Pterodactyl are considerably lower than your Neanderthal past–a reasonable trade off most thinking people would agree. Of course, by thinking people, I don’t mean the Enviro-Nazis granola eaters who believe humans are a pox upon the planet. Since most of us are not willing to leave the planet, or move from our homes to a cave, the Enviro-Nazis and their Gulfstream jet owning guru have developed carbon offset schemes to enrich themselves while lightening our wallets.

The basic premise of the carbon offset scheme is much like the cuss jar concept. My friend, who used to smoke like the Marlboro Man and swear like the old man on A Christmas Story, had a baby. Suddenly, she felt as if the world should be nicer just because her little nipper had arrived. She decided that there wouldn’t be any smoking or cussing in her house. To enforce her new found righteousness, she put out a swear jar: each cuss word cost 50 cent. Supposedly she would save the money for her little spawn’s college fund. On my first visit I tossed a twenty dollar bill into the jar and said I was fudging covered for the week (”only I didn’t say fudge,I said the word, the big one…”). Now, grant it, my behavior was boorish, but at least the $20 was going to a good cause; and, since I paid for it, I felt free to let loose with the f-bomb as often as possible. Carbon offsets work the same way: They allow corporations and individuals to continue to emit carbon at any rate they choose because they can always buy more credits.

As an observation, care to guess who benefits from the carbon offset schemes? Ten carbon credits for you if you guessed Al Gore. That’s right, the Enviro-guru who flies around the country in his Gulfstream jet, and wants you to live the life of the Amish, sits on the board of a carbon offset company. When Gore buys his carbon credits, he buys them from himself.

The reality of it is that much like the cuss jar didn’t reduce the amount of cussing in the house, carbon offsets don’t reduce the carbons in the air. Offsets do, however, make people feel like they are ‘do something’ and that’s what is really important right? Feeling like you are solving the problem is more important that understanding if there is a problem. The theory is that the money collected by the offset organizations is reinvested or redistributed to fund renewable energy projects. However, due to a lack of auditing methods and oversight, actually tracing where the funds are going is difficult.

Why would individuals play along in this modern day ‘indulgence’ scheme? Mostly guilt. There is also confusion between the affect humans have on green house gasses and global warming, versus the natural evolution of the planet.
Frankly, the evidence that humans are causing global warming just isn’t that strong. What would make me speak such a heresy? Well, there are a number of scientific studies that support the heresy. Additionally; there is a $500,000 unclaimed prize waiting for “the first person to prove, in a scientific manner, that humans are causing harmful global warming” at http://www.junkscience.com.

Surely if there were scientifically verifiable evidence about global warming someone would have claimed the prize and donated the money to some environmental cause.
Am I denying global warming? No. Globes warm. They also cool. That’s what globes do–it’s a cyclical process that no amount of indulgences or cuss jars can affect.

A shameful self promotion: Like what you’ve been reading here? Hate it? Do you just want to give me an earful about how I don’t know anything? Starting next Tuesday night, you can join me at www.ksuradio.com from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. I’ll be hosting The T-Files, a call-in show where we can talk about this column, politics, liberty, or current events.
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Now that Obama has brought balance to his ticket—an older white guy with some 35 years of actual government work history; it is time for John McCain to bring balance to his side. Sarah Palin would be a strategically winning choice for McCain’s VP on a number of levels. This isn’t an endorsement of John McCain—I’ll probably still be pulling the Libertarian Lever in November, but if I were coaching McCain, Palin is whom I would tell him to pick.

First off, the obvious: she is a woman, she is young, and she is photogenic. It is a sad statement, but in our American-Idol-celebrity-worshiping-culture; youth and attractiveness often count more than experience and substance. Palin has experience: She has been governor of Alaska since 2006. That is two solid years of experience as Chief Executive; Obama has barely 2 years as Senator. Conservatives would love her because she attends church regularly, is pro-life, and is a lifetime member of the NRA. Centrist Republicans and Democrats will appreciate that, while she doesn’t support same-sex marriage, she is concerned with gay and lesbian discrimination and signed a same-sex benefits act into law (something the previous administration refused to do). Women who feel jilted by the Democrat party, and Obama’s VP choice, would see her as the Republican answer to Hillary: a tough-minded woman ready to lead.

Commentary by Tony Sarrecchia The T-Files

President Bush lifted the Executive ban on off shore drilling last week. The lifting of the ban was purely symbolic, but future prices on oil dropped about nine dollars a barrel while the ink was still drying on the document. Imagine that. Just the thought of the US drilling for its own oil lowered the price per barrel. What would happen if we actually started drilling?

We may never know.

Socialist, sorry, I mean Progressive Democrat and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi refuses to allow a debate to expand offshore drilling to come up on the house floor. Pelosi and her equally partisan troll Harry Ried, (Democratic U.S. Senate Majority Leader) are ignoring the will of their party members (somewhat surprising), the Republican party (no surprise there) and the American people (again, no surprise there). Pelosi and Ried, would rather you and I continue to pay back breaking prices for fuel rather than reach across the aisle and work with the Republicans. She and Ried are invoking parliamentary procedures to avoid the discussion—much like spoilt birthday childen screaming ‘it’s our party and you have to do as we say’.

Pelosi is not thinking about you or your burden; she is thinking about partisan politics and saving face. According to an article in the International Herald Tribune, Pelosi is more concerned with how she is perceived than the will of the American people. (“Pelosi Stands Firm Against Offshore Drilling”, Carl Hulse, July 17, 2008 http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/17/america/pelosi.php): “In a private meeting last week, according to some in attendance, Pelosi told members of her leadership team that a decision to relent on the coastal [oil drilling] ban would amount to capitulation to Republicans and the White House.” Better you and I should pay four, five, ten dollars a gallon for fuel rather than the evil countess concede that the Republicans are correct. Peolsi needs to be reminded that she serves by the will of the people, not her obstinate desires.

Within the Democratic party, there is a group of reality based Democrats, The Blue Dog Coalition (http://www.house.gov/ross/BlueDogs/), who support fiscal responsibility and “mainstream” American values. The Blue Dogs are informally working with Republicans to “try to come up with a bipartisan response to soaring oil prices; [and] opening up new areas to drilling is part of the mix. Leaders of the Blue Dog coalition are openly pressing for drilling in the Arctic refuge and elsewhere.” Of course, the reality challenged Pelosi would rather listen to the Flying Monkey Brigade that is the rest of the Democratic party than appear to be agreeing Republicans. That the country suffers because of her partisan motivations and irrational persistence to an old-hippie ideal is of little consequence to her.

On Tuesday, July 29, American Solutions (www.AmericanSolutions.com) presented Congress with a petition of 1.3 million names in favor of the “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less” movement. This group of concerned Americans knows that the time for action is now. The Sioux City Journal reports that, because of rising food costs, “Meals on Wheels” in Iowa may be forced to reduce their trips to once a week rather than every day; and 75% of New Yorkers say the cost of fuel is having a serious impact on their financial situation. And yet, Pelosi lives in a world where her reputation is more important than silly things like feeding shut-ins or the financial health of citizens.

Pelosi needs to join us here in the real world. If you think it’s time to open ANWR or drill on the coasts, call her office (202-225-4965) and let her know.

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Who who who who…sorry-showing my age. I like to know about the people I read so I suppose it’s only fair I tell you about me. I know, this should have been a first post, but it wasn’t—deal with it.

I have an eclectic background; I’ve been (in no particular order) a disc jockey (both on the air and club), bouncer, sales trainer, telemarketer, electronic warfare technician, production coordinator, client services representative, technical writer, copywriter, web site developer/designer, and animator. I’ve even been know to shout out “that’s me on guitar” during the solo of any AC/DC song.

On the political compass I’m a libertarian-right (Economic 7.0, Libertian 3.9). Now, I don’t usually put much stock in on-line quizzes or tests—I think the tests in Cosmo magazine have ruined far more relationships than they’ve helped, but this one was so dead on in its results that I highly recommend it. After I took the test and clicked on the recommended reading, I almost fell out of my chair. The two books it recommended have always held a place of honor on my bookshelf . That’s one scary accurate test.

I find humor in most things, but especially: socialists who don’t know they’re socialists, myopic bible thumpers, politicians of all flavors, the nanny culture, cell phone haters, SUV drivers, the religious right, the atheist left, people who call creationism a science, folks who are offended by Christmas–the list can go on, but you get the idea.

Here is what some folks have said about me:

“Tony Sarrecchia is a stinging puncher from the left and the right, who will chew off your ear and have you smiling about it…” Jim Cohn, author of The Take.

“…a columnist on the Libertarian-right, tackles politics, society, injustice and other timely topics with wit and uncommon good sense.” Doctor Bob Rich, author.

So….who are you? Feel free to discuss in the comments section.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse. According to a story on NPR (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92529379&ft=1&f=1001), the cost of a bag of movie theater popcorn (pre-consumer) has increased by 50%. The reason? Rising fertilizer costs (the actual stuff, not what you see on the screen) and rising ethanol costs. A fifty pound bag of popcorn has gone from $12 at the start of the year to $18 today. AMC theaters in the US have already raised the price of their popcorn and other companies will likely follow suit. Before you start feeling too much sympathy for the poor, beleaguered, theater owner keep this fact in mind: According to the Nebraska Corn Board, an average $5.00 bucket ‘o popcorn contains around 3 cents of popcorn. Kinda makes the $4.00 cup of Starbucks coffee look like a bargain.

Commentary By Tony Sarrecchia The T-Files

Time: Some point in the near future

Gate Agent: You’ll have to wear this please.
Passenger: What is it?
Gate Agent: Oh, just our new safety bracelet. It snaps on your wrist so we can track your movements throughout the plane.
Passenger: I’m not wearing that.
Gate Agent: I’m sorry, but if you want to fly on the plane you will have to let Bubba and Binky the TSA representative attach this to your wrist.
Passenger: Fine.
Gate Agent: Oh, one other thing. If you get unruly–
ZAPP
Passenger falls to the terminal floor and flops around like a fish on a deck. By the way, the passenger is an older man in his 70s.

That’s not science fiction, or the hopes of a gate agent who wished she had made different career choices. Per Hahne has invented the bracelet in the scenario, and he wants US airline passengers to wear it. After all, it’s for their own good.

According to an interview with Conservative news web site World Net Daily (Inventor: Use shock bracelet or pay $14 billion a year” by Bob Unruh), Mr. Hahe said: “I would venture to say most people who are on board with a hijacker would welcome any kind of relief,” he said. “Today the only thing there is is the bullet.” The implication here is that using a bullet to stop a hijacker is a bad thing, but asking passengers to give up what little rights they have left is okay. Personally, I vote for the bullet.

The bracelet, technically an Electro-Muscular Disruption device, marketed by Lamperd Less Lethal (http://www.lamperdlesslethal.com) magnetically locks on to your wrist and contains your passenger information, and the ablity to track your movement throughout the plane. And let’s not forget the electro-muscular disruption function—the stun-gun on the wrist. That’s the part that has our government all twittery and dewy. Jeffery Denning, in a Washington Times story titled Want Some Torture With Your Peanuts quoted a letter from Paul S. Ruwaldt of the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) Science and Technology Directorate to the inventor as saying “To make it clear, we [the federal government] are interested in . . . the immobilizing security bracelet, and look forward to receiving a written proposal.” (See the complete letter here)

Does this mean that the shock bracelet would be mandatory couture for every passenger, young and old? How would you feel about some TSA employee putting this bracelet on one of your children? What happens if your flight attendant is feeling a little cranky that day? What if it malfunctions?

I appreciate the need for security, but total security can only be achieved at the cost of total freedom—let’s not move any further in that direction.

Commentary by Tony Sarrecchia

Old. That’s how participants in an AP-Yahoo news poll see John McCain.

When people were asked to describe John McCain in one word, the most common was ‘old’. The second response was ‘military service’ (9%) and the third was ‘record, qualification’ (8%).

Things weren’t quite so rosy for Barack Obama. The first word used to describe him was the non-judgmental ‘change’. His second place response was ‘lack of experience’ (13%). And third? ‘Dishonest’ (9%).

According this article: http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-candidate-images “Obama is seen as warm and empathetic and McCain as stronger and tougher”. We get to choose between the somewhat effeminate, shady but hip uncle, or the no nonsense, grizzled grandfather. Thanks, major parties, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

The interesting part of this poll however wasn’t mentioned in many of the reports.

In a survey where the majority of the participants were Democrats (48% versus 36% Republicans) one would expect a large, if not overwhelming, number would vote for Obama if the election were held today. The actual numbers tell a different tale. Of those polled, 40% would pick Obama and 39% would vote for McCain (the rest were spread out over ‘Ralph Nader’, ‘Someone Else’ and ‘Don’t Know’.) A one percent lead for a democrat in a poll where voting democrats lead by 20% cannot be encouraging for the Obama camp. For McCain to rank so close behind Obama indicates that there is growing support among centrist (read that as ‘clear thinking’) democrats for the Old Guy.

As much as people are looking for change from the mediocrity currently in the White House, we should keep in mind that Obama has less than 48 months experience as a actual senator. Fewer months if you count the time campaigning for president, and writing books. Obama himself, on this CNN report, said “I am a believer in knowing what you’re doing when you apply for a job. And I think that if I were to seriously consider running on a national ticket I would essentially have to start now, before having served a day in the Senate. Now, there are some people who might be comfortable doing that, but I’m not one of those people.”

Yet, somewhere between 2004 and now, Obama has garnered that experience? As Oscar Wilde said, “Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing.”

Or, to quote Bud Fox’s father from the 80’s movie Wall Street, ‘Course my son did work three summers as a baggage handler and freight loader. With those qualifications, why should I doubt his ability to run an airline?’

Obama did work as a senator for a couple of months—why should we doubt his ability to run a country.

Sources:
http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-candidates-descriptions;_ylt=AuQshnxgb5aeEi7d05faTZBxJZt4

http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-candidate-images

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/07/ask-people-to-b.html

I will just let the article speak for itself:

A knife-wielding prisoner at a minimum security prison in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia took a woman hostage on Monday morning to avoid being moved to a more restrictive jail.

The 45-year-old convict briefly held the woman in a building near the prison in the city of Marl near the Ruhr Valley, according to police. But he eventually released his hostage - a woman living in an adjacent managed living facility - after his doctor convinced him to give up. Besides hoping to avoid being put in a prison with heavier security, the prisoner demanded five bottles of beer.

The police surrounded the prison with a special commando team, but the man gave up without a fight. “He threw his knife away. Both the perpetrator and his victim are unharmed,” a police spokesman told the website of daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.
DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de/+49 30 20253575)

Source: http://www.thelocal.de/12839/20080702/

A 21 year old Woodstock (Georgia) native is on her way to Las Vegas to compete in the National Rock, Paper, Scissors championship. If she wins, it’s $50,000 dollars in her pocket and a trip to the international championship in Beijing. Emma Gay is a happy girl.

As a recap, rock, paper, scissors is the childhood game where two people face each other and, at the count of three, toss out either a fist (rock), an open palm (paper) or two fingers (scissors). Paper covers rock, rock crushes scissors, scissors cut paper. Simple. And, if Gay’s streak continues, profitable.

According to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Gay’s good fortune began this spring, during a night out with friends at Zucca Bar and Pizzeria in Kennesaw. She just happened to be there on the night Bud Light was sponsoring a Rock, Paper, Scissors competition.

Following her victory that night, she went on to compete at Turner Field against other winners from around Georgia.

From the article:

“I was like, ‘I’m just going for the free food and beer,’” she recalls. “And then I got to Turner Field, and I got really competitive. I wanted to win.”

Win she did. On the Jumbotron, no less.

A win in Vegas and Gay will pocket the cash and be off to the international championship in Beijing.

“This is cheesy,” she admits, “but ever since I saw the Olympics when I was a little kid, I’ve wanted to represent my country at something. Wouldn’t it be funny if I represented my country at the international Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament?”

While Gay believes winning is based more on luck than skill, she does have one possible strategy.

“I think I might just wear something cute, because I think there’ll be a lot of nerdy guys there, and so I’ll throw them all off by being cute.”

Carmine Baffa, life coach, motivational speaker, and self made millionaire has been accused of rape by 8 of his clients in the Atlanta metro area.

“He has amazing ability to influence people and persuade them,” said Michal Wallace, who worked as an apprentice to Baffa in 1997. “It’s like some kind of organized religion, only there’s no organization.”

Police say Baffa also used his charm and street smarts for a sinister purpose — persuading as many as eight clients in metro Atlanta to have sex with him while claiming it was part of their treatment.

Baffa told clients he was a therapist though he is not a ‘licensed…counselor of any sort’ according to police. According to Illana Spellman, of the Gwinnett County police, Baffa’s doctorate is one that he got on-line.

“Technically for him to tell people he was a doctor, I guess he could introduce himself as such. But he’s not licensed to practice,”

Spellman told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

According to Baffa’s half-brother, Baffa was a high school drop out.

Baffa is charged with raping two girls (now 13 and 19) and one 14 year old boy in individual ‘life coaching’ sessions at his home in suburban Atlanta. In addition, Cobb County police have filled an additional 22 charges

of sexually assaulting four women and a young girl who attended his seminars at a Marietta hotel.

According to testimony at the preliminary hearing:

The 19-year-old said she didn’t want to have sex with Baffa, “but she felt she could not say no and was afraid of him,” the officer testified. The 13-year-old was actually living with Baffa after he convinced the girl’s family she was suicidal and needed his full-time therapy.

Drew Findling, Baffa’s attorney, said he will prove his clients innocent.

“Anyone who sat through the preliminary hearing has to think these allegations are extremely questionable, both in the delay, their sincerity and most of all their believability,” Findling said.

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