Tim Russert Dies at 58

Tim Russert, NBC journalist and political heavyweight host of "Meet the Press," has died after collapsing at NBC's Washington news bureau, a source said. He was 58 years old.

NY Post

He will be missed by us political junkies!
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Boeing The Conservation Leader

With fuel prices at unprecedented levels, several U.S. carriers have elected to reduce capacity later this year. What we’re seeing is the removal of the oldest and least efficient airplanes from fleets - the MD-80 series aircraft as well as “Classic” 737 airplanes (737-300, -400, and -500).

You might ask, what does this mean for Boeing and for the industry as a whole? It means that airlines will continue to have strong demand for the world’s most capable and fuel-efficient commercial airplanes - such as the Next-Generation 737.

When you compare a 737-800 to an MD-83, for example, the 737-800 carries about 18 more passengers, has about 720 nautical miles more range, a 17% lower fuel burn per trip, a 27% lower fuel burn per seat, 19% overall lower cost per seat, and a 50% smaller noise footprint.

This is why there are 2,200 Boeing Next-Generation 737s on order right now. So, just how efficient is the Next-Generation 737? Some argue that it is as fuel efficient (or more) as a Toyota Prius. Check out this interesting piece.

My thought - if you were really to drive from New York to Los Angeles as they suggest in the story, it would take a couple of days by car nonstop instead of just a few hours by air. As the article points out, “if you have to be somewhere and you don’t want to waste a lot of gas” and if you don’t want to leave a big carbon footprint, a Next-Generation airplane is the way to go.

Earlier I had said I would get more information on Boeing vs. Airbus. I came across this and wanted to pass it along, it is from a Boeing Blog! I haven't received a reply from American Thinker's Thomas Lifson to the Email I sent.

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Boeing -- Randy's Journal -- Challenging Times

Stimulus Checks working

The stimulus checks are working. A big increase in retail sales signaled that people are spending their rebate payments, helping to ward off a serious economic slump, at least for now.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that retail sales soared 1 percent last month, double what had been expected. It was the largest increase since November and represented strong sales at a variety of retailers including the biggest increase at department stores and other general merchandise stores in a year.

The May increase, double what economists had been expecting, provided the strongest evidence yet that the economy is getting a major boost from the $50 billion in economic stimulus payments the government sent out by the end of May, slightly less than half of the $106.7 billion scheduled to be sent out this year.

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Associated Press

Government Healthcare Preview

In Worcester, Massachusetts the Seabury Heights Apartments is this housing complex for the elderly and handicapped. Now it is June and there is a heat wave. It has hit at least 90 degrees in Massachusetts. But in the Seabury Heights Apartments, residents are complaining because management is refusing to turn on the air conditioning.

Here's where government steps in. There is this asinine state regulation that mandates that heating systems in housing for the elderly must remain operational until June 15^th. The landlord says, "You just can't turn a lever and go from hot to cold. You have to shut down the heating system before you can turn on the air conditioning. There are some code requirements." Apparently last year the complex tried to turn the heat off before June 15^th and residents complained. So this year management decided to stick to the state regulation and even taped the law to the wall for all residents to observe.

Residents are clearly upset. Because not only is the air conditioning forbidden until June 15^th but personal air conditioning units are also banned from this complex. And like any government operation, their quest for answers was fruitless. They tried contacting the Board of Health and they were referred to HUD. They tried contacting HUD and they were referred to the state. They contacted the governor's office and sent a letter to Senator Ted Kennedy. Nadda

This is your government at work, ladies and gentlemen. The government regulates when an apartment complex can turn on its air conditioning ... doesn't it make common sense for the complex to turn on the air when it gets hot? That's just too logical for a government operation.

Just wait until the very same government is controlling your health care!

This is a preview of what government run health care will look like -- not being able to get something you need because you're just outside the limit, doesn't matter if every sense in your body says it's wrong.

A client of mine was a frustrated physician who couldn't understand why a patient of hers was sent home from the ER because her blood work was just shy of the required number for admission to the hospital. The patient had to go home for two hours only to return in an ambulance. The sad thing is that this was a recurring condition that, if treated early would have saved money and shortened the length of the stay.

Government can't manage everything nor should it try!

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Neal Boortz

Loan Scandal Emerging -- Two Dem Senators In Sweetheart Deals

The New York Post reported:

Two influential US senators got "VIP" loans from a leading subprime mortgage lender that saved them tens of thousands of dollars, it was reported last night.

The Democratic pols, Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Kent Conrad of North Dakota, both received the highly favorable loans under the designation "Friend of Angelo," a reference to embattled Countrywide head Angelo Mozilo, Condé Nast Portfolio reported.

Dodd is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, while Conrad is chairman of the Budget Committee and a member of the Finance Committee. The two senators refinanced properties through the VIP program in 2003 and 2004, the report said.

Others who received "FOA" loans include Alphonso Jackson, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bush who resigned in April, and Donna Shalala, who was secretary of Health and Human Services in the Clinton administration.

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Gateway Pundit --2 Influential Democrat Senators Caught in Home Loan Scandal

Way To Stay Classy Democrats!

A stunning 20-something woman hooks up with a seemingly innocent guy at a rowdy singles bar. Hot foreplay starts on the cab ride home and progresses into the bedroom.

That is until, while searching for a condom in the bedside table, she sees a photo signed "Thanks for your support!" from Republican candidate John McCain.

Horrified, she bolts, dropping her bag and spilling a campaign button on the sidewalk: "I only sleep with Democrats." The camera quickly cuts to a cool, bespectacled man with a donkey pin on his lapel. The couple's eyes lovingly lock.

"Blue Balled" -- an edgy, video short distributed on YouTube and other Web sites this week -- has a simple message: If you vote Democrat, you are intellectual, hip and savvy. If you vote Republican, you are an untouchable -- bumbling, square and uptight.

This video does nothing but prove that Democrats are shallow, prejudiced, bigoted, hateful, elitists who can't accept anything that isn't like they are -- period.

It is supposed to demonstrate that you're hip if your a Democrat, but all it manages to do is elevate the partisan divide to levels way beyond politics. In their next video they'll be herding Republicans off to special camps and cities.

Way to keep it classy and uphold that new politics thing you faked people out with!

Video is at the link, I didn't embed it because I am kinda sorry I watched it and not really sure I want you to watch it!
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ABC -- Dems Use Edgy Films to Rally Youth Voters

Flying Or Prius -- Which Uses Less Fuel?

Wayne is a nuclear engineer and the kind of guy who runs the numbers. He says for longer trips -- flying on a full airliner is more efficient than driving. Matter of fact, it is not even close.

Let's run the numbers on the latest model of the Boeing 737-900. The plane burns about 2.4 gallons per nautical mile, and a trip from New York to Los Angeles, California, is about 2,100 nautical miles. So that means it would take about 5,000 gallons of Jet-A fuel to fly coast to coast.

Now let's assume it is configured to hold about 175 people -- and the plane is full -- aren't they all these days? That comes out to 28.5 gallons per passenger. Even if the passengers were all Toyota Prius owners (which get 50 mpg), 28.5 gallons would only get them 1,400 miles down the road. So if the choice is flying -- or driving solo, the airliner wins by a huge margin.

But if you fill the Prius with people (ed- yea, that'd be a tight fit on a long trip, you might pray for that coach seat!)-- it becomes competitive with flying. The driving distance between New York and Los Angeles is 2,700 statute miles. That amounts to 54 gallons of gas in the fuel-sipping hybrid. With four people in the car, the Prius wins -- with each passenger using only 13.5 gallons.

As you can plainly see, if you drive a plain old gas-engine car the airliner is more likely to be a more efficient way to travel. If your car gets, say 25 mpg, it will burn 108 gallons to get you to the "Left Coast." With four people inside, your per capita use of fuel is 27 gallons -- or virtually tied with the full 737.

So if you have to be somewhere, and you don't want to waste a lot of gas and make a big carbon footprint, the airlines are probably the way to go.

Whoa, that's now what we have been led to believe!

DKK

CNN --Behind the Scenes: 'Hypermilers' test limits of fuel conservation

Democrats Have Made Us A Laughing Stock

Anyone wondering why U.S. energy policy is so dysfunctional need only review Congress's recent antics. Members have debated ideas ranging from suing OPEC to the Senate's carbon tax-and-regulation monstrosity, to a windfall profits tax on oil companies, to new punishments for "price gouging" – everything except expanding domestic energy supplies.

Amid $135 oil, it ought to be an easy, bipartisan victory to lift the political restrictions on energy exploration and production. Record-high fuel costs are hitting consumers and business like a huge tax increase. Yet the U.S. remains one of the only countries in the world that chooses as a matter of policy to lock up its natural resources. The Chinese think we're insane and self-destructive, while the Saudis laugh all the way to the bank.

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WSJ -- $4 Gasbags

Obama (2004) -- I'm Not Comfortable Running Without Experience

"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 may be comfortable doing that, but I'm not one of those people."

First we had Jimmy Carter saying Obama didn't have the substance or experience to be President and now Gateway Pundit has the candidate in his own words!
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Gateway Pundit -- Barack Obama Says He Is Not Experienced Enough to Be President