Tag Archives: Iraq

2008 U.S. Bailout Compared To Other Large U.S. Programs

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08bailoutgraph 2008 U.S. Bailout Compared To Other Large U.S. Programs Whether or not you think the Economic Bailout that the U.S. Government is implementing is worth it or not, this image should make you stop and think.  This problem is ENORMOUS and expensive, and most people have no idea just how much the recovery is going to take.  We've had massive government debt before, but this is taking us to a whole new level.
Marshall Plan: Cost: $12.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $115.3 billion Louisiana Purchase: Cost: $15 million, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $217 billion Race to the Moon: Cost: $36.4 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $237 billion S&L Crisis: Cost: $153 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $256 billion Korean War: Cost: $54 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $454 billion The New Deal: Cost: $32 billion (Est), Inflation Adjusted Cost: $500 billion (Est) Invasion of Iraq: Cost: $551b, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $597 billion Vietnam War: Cost: $111 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $698 billion NASA: Cost: $416.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $851.2 billion TOTAL: $3,920,000,000,000 2008 BAILOUT TOTAL AS OF NOV 2008: $4,616,000,000,000
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Late Night Commentary

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Late night commentary from this week:
Jon Stewart: We just heard that Iraq has announced an 80-billion dollar surplus.  How are they gonna spend this money? John Oliver: Well John, like everything in Iraq now, it is up for reasoned discussion. Some have suggested a few infrastructure improvements and then socking the rest away.  Others would like to construct a giant bed, cover it with all the money, and then let everyone in the country just roll around on it Scrooge McDuck-style. Others still would like to hire a mercenary army like Blackwater to drive out the infidel American force. ---The Daily Show - "President Bush is on a week-long tour of Asia. He’ll visit South Korea, Thailand, and China. Or as the White House calls it: the Everything Sold At Wal-Mart tour." ---Jay Leno - "Now, to highlight what a charade proper air pressure is, the McCain campaign has started handing out Barack Obama 'Energy Plan' tire gauges. You see, it's a great way to drive home what a ridiculous plan this is. Plus, it's an easy way to check your tire pressure, and that can save you a lot of money. That's not just me talking. The government's own website says that proper tire inflation can save up to 12 cents a gallon immediately. So thank you for the tire gauge, Senator McCain. And good work. You stuck it to all the left-wing nutjobs who advocate proper tire inflation. Radical liberals like your potential vice presidential nominee, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joe Lieberman, Triple A and the pinkos over at NASCAR. I've had my eyes on those guys ever since they had that car sponsored by the ACLU." ---Stephen Colbert - "Security is very tight for the Olympics in China, which has been very hard on the locals there. Many stores and factories in Beijing have been forced to close, and people have been forced out of their houses. Sort of like here in the United States, only for them it ends in a couple of weeks." ---Jimmy Kimmel - "There's excitement in the air over the Olympics...also lead, arsenic, benzene..." ---David Letterman - "The skies over Beijing are very smoggy. The government says the pollution is just a harmless mist. They made a similar statement about the treatment of prisoners---it’s not torture, it’s Pilates." ---Craig Ferguson

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Carrier

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PBS has a new series that follows the USS Nimitz in its deployment to the Persian Gulf to support the Iraq War. The Documentary is insightful and gives a look at what's going on over there off the land. You can also watch the already aired episodes of the 10 part series on PBS's website. Carrier

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What We Could Have Had For The Price Of Iraq

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What we could have had for the price of the Iraq War - Now estimated at a final cost of $3 Trillion (conservatively):
  • Forget drilling in Alaska, forget ethanol, forget hybrids. As long as we’re spending, let’s go straight to hydrogen. It is estimated to cost $500,000,000 to build the infrastructure.
  • Design, build, and upgrade all US highways, roads, and streets needed for the next 50 years. Price: $950,000,000,000.00
  • Completely eliminate world hunger along with the diseases associated with hunger and poverty for 365 days. Price: $195,000,000,000.00
  • teach every man, woman and child on the planet to read. Considering the fact that nations like Somalia and Sierra Leone have adult literacy rates of only about 35%, that is money well spent. Price: $5,000,000,000.00
  • Pay for 1 year of college for 20 million people Price: $400,000,000,000.00
  • Advanced technology can save trillions of dollars lost in the transmission of electrical power. Think megawatt transistor switches, superconductor conduits, not to mention the gains from replacing worn out infrastructure. And JOBS Price: $100,000,000.00
  • From ArsTechnica EDUCAUSE calls for the construction of a national fiber network that would reach every home and business, with the $100 billion cost split equally between the federal government, the states, and a private- or public-sector entity that would actually build and maintain the network. Because fiber networks can increase speeds simply by carrying more wavelengths at once, the report notes that such an investment in infrastructure might "provide adequate broadband connectivity for several decades." Price: $100,000,000,000.00
  • Provide an integrated national High Speed Rail system, using Alstom's proven technology (which currently holds the world record for the fastest train at over 550kph (340+mph). This system would connect all of America's major cities together with high-speed electric trains, powered at least partially by sustainable wind and solar energy facilities located in or near the Right Of Way. Price: $300,000,000,000.00
  • Everyone secretly knows that switching to solar is a really, really good idea, though businesses invested in dirty coal, cancerous nuclear or other unclean options are unlikely to say it out loud. But how do we pay for the $420 billion overhaul of the nation’s energy infrastructure? Well, we could have picked up the tab easily if we didn’t spend $3 Trillion on this war. Price: $420,000,000,000.00
And there are many more. 3trillionlogo1 What We Could Have Had For The Price Of Iraq

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Do Still Pictures or Video Stick With You More

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In the modern world video has taken over.  YouTube, Television, camera phones, etc have taken over our visual news and experiences.   They allow people to experience things that are happening or have happened.  They brought to the American people troops, experiences, stories, and horror in Iraq.  They stir emotions and bring calls of action.  This week, many have seen what has happened  with the Olympic Torch relay protests. Still photos only capture a moment in time.  By freezing that moment, you can look and absorb the instant.  Even with videos from previous wars, photos capture something that video seems to miss.  Even with video of the same period, photos from Vietnam and WWII are still in people's consciousness.  News casts on television also use still images from stories they're covering.  By seeing a still picture, the image stays with people. Which format makes a bigger impact?  Which holds the bigger emotional impact?  Which stays with people more?

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