Warren Buffett’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC is among U.S. and Canadian railroads that stand to benefit from the Obama administration’s decision to reject TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL oil pipeline permit.

I find it funny that Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett’s company, just happens to be centralized in Omaha, Nebraska, the very state where the envirowhackos have claimed the pipeline would destroy wetlands and agricultural productivity. As we all know, that’s the government’s job, not the pipeline’s. Oh, and if you think it’s about environmental issues, think again.

The rail option, though costlier, would lessen the environmental impact, such as a loss of wetlands and agricultural productivity, compared to the pipeline, according to the State Department analysis. Greenhouse gas emissions, however, would be worse.

So it’s ok to protect the wetlands from the evul Canuck pipeline, the study of which the State Dept. claims would take too long before the Obama Administration deadline, but not ok to protect it from greenhouse emissions that can suffocate it, right? I guess dealing with a railroad bottleneck effect, more pollution, and higher transportation costs is better than providing much needed job creation and income stability to Americans.

At least Mr. Buffett gets to profit. From the government. With our money.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Thursday that the buck stopped with him over the half-billion dollar loan made to California solar company Solyndra, using a hearing on Capitol Hill to take responsibility for the failed investment while continuing to defend his actions as not politically motivated.

This imbroglio just keeps getting thicker, and that is only aided by partisan hackery, of course.

[Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO)] complained about the recent Republican decision to issue a subpoena to the White House over Solyndra despite “good-faith efforts” by the White House to comply.

What “good faith efforts”? Ignoring a subpoena is not a “good faith effort” by any definition. That falls under “obstruction” where I come from. But Chu is putting up some sort of fight, just enough to save Department face. However, the fact that he approved a restructuring of Solyndra’s debt that allowed two private investors to move ahead of taxpayers won’t look good for him, especially in light of his insisting that taxpayers still are first in line. He does keep pushing the AGW Koolaid™, though.

“When it comes to the clean energy race, America faces a simple choice: compete or accept defeat. I believe we can and must compete,” he said.

Compete?? COMPETE?? If there were anything to “compete” in, we wouldn’t need subsidies in the “clean energy” field, would we??

Does this man have any idea of the shitstorm coming his way?

Anyway, John over at Nobody Move! is on a staycation, and is blogging about the places he would like to visit. If you peruse his posts you will definitely see a pattern! I have a list if y’all recall, of things to do before I die, which includes travelling to far away places, too. But with high prices, TSA goons, and riots all over the world, a staycation makes more sense. My dad is what I call an armchair tourist. It’s enough for him to view videos/ DVDs about foreign places. His reasoning is, he has seen insert-place-here from ever possible angle from the air conditioned comfort of his recliner, so why go? I can hardly fault his logic.

I’ll admit, most of the places on my list are tropical in nature, but with the heat this summer, I have been thinking more along the lines of Antartica.

My barf would freeze instantly.

So, my friends, where would y’all like to spend your staycation?

EU to ban cars from cities by 2050

Cars will be banned from London and all other cities across Europe under a draconian EU masterplan to cut CO2 emissions by 60 per cent over the next 40 years.

That’s right: they want to force Europeans into giving up their cars, and taking the rail. And even air travel will be restricted. The plan is to get rid of all conventional fuel cars in all cities. All, not just metro areas. Because by Gaia, you will bow down to your new priests’ commandments.

The Commission stressed that only conventionally fueled vehicles would be banned, but this is only the first boulder down the slippery slope. Hybrid and electric cars will also be affected, once the EC figures out (if they haven’t already) that plugging the little suckers in sockets drains precious solar and wind generated electricity, since coal will in all likely hood be banned by then.

In a rare bit of insight, Hugh Blandon, spokesman for the Association of British Drivers said, “If he wants to bring everywhere to a grinding halt and plunge us into the new dark age, he is on the right track. We have to keep things moving. The man is off his rocker.”

Tiny Little Shitbox Car

Not even the Smart Car, that wonderful feat of engineering which combined mode of transportation and last resting place, can save the EU now.

Hopefully, the UK is finding its bollocks.

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. — William Pitt

I got a call from the school district’s automated system at 5:00 AM (because Deity forbid anyone with a pulse at the office be awake at that hour) to tell the parents there would be no school today. Well, understandable, considering under the snow is a sheet of ice, and we have no plows or salt or even sand to help with it. The Sounds of Silence outside are deafening

As for me, I plan to go out of my mind get drunk and hide bang my head against the table keep the kids entertained, as I help Hubby get ready to leave this Sunday. Oh, the joy…the rapture!!!

What are y’all doing on this balmy Friday?

It is now 27* F ( -3*C to you metric peeps) with a wind chill factor of -2* F (even colder in metric). The wind is howling outside, making the little dog yap at every…single…noise. I have been wearing two layers of clothing all day, and am ready to boil my skin before getting in bed. This weather is recockulous, and I can honestly say, I can’t wait for summer, when I am five blocks from the Sun.

Teh Goron has a ring reserved in Hell for this shit.

After billions of years the Sun finally has an owner — a woman from Spain’s soggy region of Galicia said Friday she had registered the star at a local notary public as being her property.

Yes, you read that right. A woman with a serious lack of nookie hobbies got the idea of claiming the Sun after she read about the American moron who claimed the Moon and some of the planets. And what does she plan to do now that she “owns” the Sun? Glad you asked!!

[Angeles] Duran, who lives in the town of Salvaterra do Mino, said she now wants to slap a fee on everyone who uses the sun and give half of the proceeds to the Spanish government and 20 percent to the nation’s pension fund.

She would dedicate another 10 percent to research, another 10 percent to ending world hunger — and would keep the remaining 10 percent herself.

WTF is she going to do? Ask the guy who owns the Moon to eclipse the Sun until payment is rendered??

Payment due, suckers...

You know the sad part about this stunning froth of stupidity?? Some of the socialist morons in Spain will actually pay!!!!

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

“It is not a good policy to have these massive subsidies for (U.S.) first generation ethanol,” said Gore, speaking at a green energy business conference in Athens sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank.

“First generation ethanol I think was a mistake. The energy conversion ratios are at best very small.

“It’s hard once such a programme is put in place to deal with the lobbies that keep it going.”

“One of the reasons I made that mistake is that I paid particular attention to the farmers in my home state of Tennessee, and I had a certain fondness for the farmers in the state of Iowa because I was about to run for president.”

“The size, the percentage of corn particularly, which is now being (used for) first generation ethanol definitely has an impact on food prices.

“The competition with food prices is real.”

Emphasis mine.

Fuck you, Al Gore. And fuck all of you who backed him in this bullshit. For years we’ve been shouted down, called stupid and anti-science for saying the very things he’s now admitting.

There’s not one person in this country who this policy has not cost money. Why can’t we sue him for damages. This wasn’t a mistake, he wasn’t led astray by bad science. At one point he admits the fraud when he talks about getting in bed with Iowa farmers.

Cocksucker.

Al Gore has had some tough breaks — like losing the presidency after getting more votes than the other guy — but the noted environmentalist achieved a singular honor last week, becoming the first vice president to have a Los Angeles school named after him.

And, fittingly, the school will be devoted to environmental themes.

But as in the 2000 election, there’s a catch. Critics say the campus’ location poses a long-term health risk to students and staff.

As if that wasn’t ironic enough, he plays second fiddle to none other than evirowacko Rachel Carson: The Carson- Gore Academy of Environmental Sciences. Am I the only one who notices a few little things, like naming another school after a live pol, and replacing the top soil after building the school, to the tune of $4 million? Or that class instruction will center around recycling, “research”, and beach clean-ups? Can you say “indoctrination“, boys and girls? YES, WE CAN!!!

You have to wonder about a principal who is excited about having an organic garden at his school, with allegedly contaminated soil, though. No links were harmed during this post, but they can be found through Drudge at the L.A. Times.

The Supreme Court affirms gun rights nationwide. Chicago burns.

Senator Robert Byrd (KKK-WV) has passed away. Senate is looking for a taxidermist, since this places the so-called financial reform bill in limbo, seeing as Byrd is gone and Brown (RINO-MA) is currently finding his balls by hinting he’ll vote against it.

Over in Great Britain, the new Coalition government is hoisting its trousers, announcing a proposal that would require employers to place foreign workers on private health insurance to avoid “undue burden” on their National Health Service, AKA socialized medicine.

The IPCC is once again taking it in the shorts. Sadly, Al Gore cannot be reached for comment.

Now for The Bad:

Things turned fwench at the G20 in Toronto. It’s not unusual for protesters to gather at these globalization circlejerks, but sure seems like Toronto was caught a bit off-guard.

Prez Obama decides to get serious. Country will burn.

Prez Clinton counsels to blow up the well. If anyone knows anything about blowing, it’s him, I suppose.

Lastly, for The Ooglay:

Elena Kagan begins the confirmation hearings process. Meanwhile, the moron tasked with sealing the borders confesses it will never happen, and that border control is not the answer to “immigration reform”.

* I just could not defame that classic.

Update [ArmedGeek]: I hope Aggie doesn’t mind me stepping on her post a bit but I think this is a good place for this.

U.S. Arrests 10 on Charges of Being Agents for Russia

Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.

Can we stop calling these fuckers “allies” yet ?