Harsh Reality

How do We get to an article written in this style? The Government has been outsourcing Intelligence gathering for years, though it has rapidly accelerated under the later Bush administration. There are many reasons for this redirection, which the article does not discuss. The primary object of Outsourcing Intelligence remains Deniability; either the Information sought can only be obtained through illegal means, or what is desired is falsification of the data; in either case, Outsourcing grants claims of Innocense. Another recourse from Outsourcing is ability to hid culpability, through allegation that responsible persons are unknown, or cannot be found. Many find that Information is unclassified, therefore salable; even though it has been paid for by Taxpayer funds. Most Analysts would acclaim that these factors listed were only the by-products of the new Intelligence-gathering style, which was mostly entered into for cheaper Intel, with greater long-term viability. The IC will always deny when correct motivations are identified, and nothing read should be taken at face value when discussing Intelligence.

I, like Arnold Kling, have a certain fascination with this chemical process; something with which I have had a long-held belief would be a serious curative for the Energy needs of the future. My only complaint is the Chemist mental state which insists on fermentation, rather than the original process of Cracking Oil. It leads them to concentrate on Sugars as Feedstock, when they should center on Sewage as Feedstock. The bacteria need only take complex Carbon chains, and break them into simpler Carbon chains capable of being processed for fuel. The secret of success is not growing a Feedstock, but getting rid of an unwanted Waste in a manner which produces recoverable value.

I read this Piece from Mark Perry (very effective by the way), and consider several unmentioned variables. Vehicles have the initial Sticker price, fuel costs, and Maintenance Costs. New Cars have indeed become cheaper against other Consumer Goods over the last 30 years. Fuel has taken up the slack Price variance, and absorbed the freed Consumption. It seems like a Zero-sum game, until One examines the Maintenance Costs over the same Periods. Engines have gone from $800 to $4000 apiece, and physical body parts (Bumpers, Fenders, etc.) have skyrocketed. Windshields have went from $200 to $600, and Headlights from $20 to $70. Everything else about vehicles has endured an equal Price hike; I remembering a Golden Age where I spent $.70/Quart for Transmission fluid. Things are not perfect in the World of the Automobile! lgl