They must be from an alternate universe where time isn’t linear. That is the only way to understand their total disconnect when it comes to the concept of “cause and effect”. They just don’t seem to understand that the cause must precede the effect in time, or the proposition is just nonsense.

When people complain about “Obama bailing out the banks”, they don’t seem to understand that both Obama and McCain were Senators running for President when the TARP fund was authorized. FDR wasn’t even running for President when the Depression started, much less making decisions.

When they are challenged for proof of a claim, you receive non sequitors, facts about totally unrelated matters. If who are balancing your check book, you will find small relevance in a report on the budget for your local Rotary Club. In this case a discussion of budget of the European Union is supposed to provide some insight into the budget of Britain, not withstanding that most members of the European Union are tied to the euro, while Britain has its own, sovereign currency. Most of the EU meeting was devoted to plans to defend the euro, which is totally irrelevant to Britain.

Some of the logic is just bewildering. Reducing the rate of growth of a budget is considered a budget cut? Excuse me, but if the new budget is larger than its predecessor, it wasn’t cut.

Another favorite is that if you vote against a tax cut, you are voting for a tax increase? This one is quite popular with the GOP. Excuse me, but if the tax rate remains the same, there was no increase.

We know what worked before, and that’s what we should be doing, not trying out every unproven concept that has been popularized by ignorant politicians. As long as people continue to listen to, and accept “wisdom” from “pundits” who haven’t made a correct prediction in years. the pain will continue.

See also: BBC: EU leaders clinch pact to defend euro and Newsbiscuit: Cameron reminds UK public to turn the clock back ‘30 years’ this weekend.

Greg Weston at the CBC reports that Canada’s embassy spending soars

Federal spending on Canadian embassy properties and diplomatic residences abroad has soared 430 per cent since Stephen Harper’s Conservative government came to power on a promise to rein in the diplomatic decorators.
…

The largest single embassy project detailed in the public accounts for the past year was in Kabul, as Canada prepares to withdraw from its combat mission in Afghanistan and expand its civilian presence there.

Spending on the project in the past year topped $20 million, including $9 million for renovations, $11 million to buy property, and another $1.4 million to clear it of possible landmines.

Given that the people who become ambassadors tend to be “friends” of the Prime Minister/President, you certainly can’t expect them to make due with government issue office furniture. You have to put on a good show for the locals, so you can’t possibly scrimp on the cost. 😈

Eleven large for a chunk of property with land mines on it … someone saw them coming. This is the sort of deal that feeds real estate bubbles.

Apologies to Mustang Bobby. It slipped my mind what happens when I attempt to leave a comment at Bark Bark Woof Woof, and JS-Kit went crazy again.

I had to do a hard re-boot to clear things out this time, so I won’t make the mistake again.

Position: 13.6N 62.1W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [285°] near 9 mph [15 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 90 mph [145 kph].
Wind Gusts: 115 mph [185 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 175 miles [280 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 40 miles [ 65 km].
Minimum central pressure: 982 mb.

Currently about 65 miles [105 km] West-Northwest of St. Vincent and about 75 miles [120 km] West of St. Lucia.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Dominica, Grenada, Tobago, Martinique, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent & The Grenadines

It has passed between St. Vincent and St. Lucia and entered the Caribbean.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 39.2N 50.9W [ 4 PM CDT 2100 UTC].
Movement: Northeast [050°] near 48 mph [78 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 70 mph [115 kph].
Wind Gusts: 85 mph [135 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 140 miles [225 km].
Minimum central pressure: 991 mb ↑.

Currently about 530 miles [855 km] South-Southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

This is the final advisory. The storm is weakening and has lost its tropical characteristics.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]