What penance must I pay?

This week's "trip du week" was a small jaunt to Atlanta. I left on Tuesday morning for a 1pm meeting, followed by 3 hours of training. An overnight stay and then more training today. I probably used a lot of carbon credits driving to Atlanta and back (slight over 300 miles). For that, I know I can call algore and pay him off to absolve myself of that sin.

But I'm unsure what to do about the hotel. See, I stayed at a Homewood Suites. It was on my company's approved hotel list, very close to the class location and wasn't the most expensive one on the list. But I had a real suite. A bedroom and a living room. There was a whirlpool tub, but I only took a shower, so no water credits need to be purchased. But somehow I feel guilty, having such a large room for just myself and only one night.

So, to where must I go to pay penance? Surely some natural law was broken.

Maybe algore has a credit I can purchase to redeem my spacious soul.

Global Warming - Let's sue Al Gore

I have to admit, I have doubts about global warming. Oh no, now I've offended everyone. My liberal friends will desert me saying that it's obvious, science have proved it, etc. And my conservative friends will likely desert me saying I've abandoned their cause.

But it seems John Coleman, founder of the Weather Channel, has no doubt that Global Warming is a farce. And he's frustrated he can't get any traction in the main stream media. His answer? File a lawsuit in court, alleging fraud by the former vice president for selling carbon credits (read the full article here). Coleman says he's "confident that the advocates of 'no significant effect from carbon dioxide' would win the case."

"As you look at the atmosphere over the last 25 years, there's been perhaps a degree of warming, perhaps probably a whole lot less than that, and the last year has been so cold that that's been erased," he said.

Wait - did he say that last year has been cold? Was this on the news? Did I miss that?

"I think if we continue the cooling trend a couple of more years, the general public will at last begin to realize that they've been scammed on this global-warming thing."

Let's hope so.

Coleman has long been a skeptic of global warming, and carbon dioxide is the linchpin to his argument. The compound carbon dioxide makes up only 38 out of every 100,000 particles in the atmosphere, he said. This is about double what it was before we started burning fossil fuels. It's gone up, but it's still a tiny compound. How can that tiny trace compound have such a significant effect on temperature?

I agree with Coleman. Let's get both sides together for a debate. As my Daddy used to say, let's get all the liars into one room and let them fight it out.

I approved this message - Part 5 (Final?)

I'm almost finished explaining the platform I would follow if elected president. This is the last planned message and is intended to address healthcare, education and abortion, global warming, carbon credits. Previous mssages addressed 1) National Defense, 2) Foreign affairs, 2b)
Immigration, 3) Isolationism and 4) the national economy.

I grouped together the topics of healthcare, education, abortion, global warming and carbon credits because, frankly I don't believe these issues deserve a lot of discussion. I put the topics listed above in order of priority and these other issues just don't measure up. I have changed my mind somewhat on healthcare, I'm going to put that as topic 4.5 (bewteen 4 & 5) and come back to that after this discussion.

However, many people want to know the presidential candidates' opinions on these topics, so
this entry will discuss my views on education, abortion, global warming and carbon credits.

Education. I'm for it. I think education is important for the success of every individual and for our country. For the record, I have an MBA, my wife has a Master's of Ed. She's a school teacher. My sister is a guidance counselor. I may be biased (so sue me). I think education is important, but I don't think it's a federal issue. No where in the Constitution, which the President is sworn to uphold, is education mentioned. I think education should be left to the states with minimal federal intervention.

I also think education is overblown. We tell people "you have to have an education" then charge them $50,000 or more for 4 years of college and don't give them a way to pay it back. Every school that offers a for-fee education should be forced to show a good-faith estimate of how long it will take to pay back the education. If the education is for fun (I plan to take some of those courses), that's ok, you just should know that taking oboe lessons will never make you more money. Of course, since the federal government will be out of education, there will be no federal mandates on this.

Abortion. I'm against it. I will be glad to change to pro-choice, once we figure out how to give the baby a choice. (this next part will probably offend some of my conservative friends). I will not make abortion a litmus test for choosing judges, cabinet members or friends. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have purposely put this issue as #5 (and last) in my priority list. Frankly, the president has better things to do.

Global warming. I think it's a farce. I'd appoint Al Gore amabassador in charge of sewers.

Carbon credits. What a laugh. I need to find the companies issuing the credits and buy stock in them.

Don't get me wrong, I am an enviromentalist. God gave us this world and told us to take care of it. Frankly, we've done a lousy job. Someday (soon I hope), He's going to come in here and fire us. We should do all that we can to conserve natural resources. We should strive to be stewards of what He gave to us. But let's also remember that He gave it to us and told us to dominate.

Well, I'm sure to lose some votes over this post and I didn't have that many to begin with, so I better quit while I'm behind.

I'm Randy Barnett and I approved this message.

I endorsed this message - Platform building

Last week I announced my candidacy for the president. Then I explained that I was actually just planning to lay out what I thought was important for the candidate I intend to choose.

It seems from all the commercials I'm seeing, that Change is the answer. From the man who claims to have been the first to ask for change, to the lady who says she has the experience to change, all of the candidates, Democratic and Republican, are clamoring for change. Reminds me of the old adage about babies and politicians both needing to be changed often, and for the same reason.

I'm going to begin, not by asking for change, but by laying out my ideas. Before I begin, I want to lay out the areas I think should be addressed. This post won't tell you my opinion on any one topic, but instead will list topics I intend to cover later. They will be somewhat grouped, but that's subject to change (there's that word) later on.

I should note that I've already appointed someone to be my Secretary of Defense. I am step-related to a former soldier who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He's the most knowledgable person I know in this area.

In my platform, I intend to address these topics:
1. National Defense - 9/11 and America's response, the next 9/11, is there a Global War on Terror, the War in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts.
2) Foreign affars - Russia, Pakistan, Iran, India, Europe, Africa, South America, China (including trade) and Mexico (including immigration)
3) Isolationism vs. becoming entangled in the affairs of other nations (John Adams reference?)
4) National economy - Jobs, training, mortgages, housing, taxes and spending
5) Healthcare, education and abortion, global warming, carbon credits (hopefully, I'll explain why I grouped these)

What did I leave out? What do you, the voter, want me to address?

Thanks to those who responded earlier, I sincerley hope this gets some attention.

WKRP Cincinatti

On my way back home, first leg was from Richmond to Cincinatti. A lady on the plane suggested we should all sing a song when we landed. I agreed and suggested the only song I knew about Cincinatti, the WKRP theme song. Of course no one knew all of the words, so we opted out. (I actually probably know most, but people say I sound like a cat that's been stepped on).

Cincinatti airport is fine if you don't have to go between C and A/B concourses. Then you have to take a bus. Seems like the carbon credit police should get after them for all of the buses, frequently idling.

I'll be home in a couple hours, that's all that matters