Posted on 02/25/2009 8:09:40 PM PST by presidio9
After President Obama's speech on the economy last night, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal criticized government spending in the stimulus bill, citing examples including "$140 million for something called 'volcano monitoring.'"
The $140 million to which Jindal referred is actually for a number of projects conducted by the United States Geological Survey, including volcano monitoring. This monitoring is aimed at helping geologists understand the inner workings of volcanoes as well as providing warnings of impending eruptions, in the United States and in active areas around the world where U.S. military bases are located.
Most of the money from the stimulus bill earmarked for monitoring (only about a tenth of the total going to the USGS) will go to modernizing existing monitoring equipment, including switching from analog to digital and installing GPS networks that can measure ground movements, said John Eichelberger, program coordinator for the USGS's Volcano Hazards Program. Much of the expense of this technology comes from the manpower required to make and install it, he added.
"Ultimately most of this creates jobs or saves jobs that would have been lost" to recent budget shortfalls Eichelberger told LiveScience.
When he heard Jindal's remarks, Eichelberger said he "was frankly astonished" that the governor would use this particular example, given his own state's recent brush with a catastrophic natural disaster.
Among the scenarios in which the USGS's monitoring can assist - the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, which killed 57 people (including a geologist monitoring the mountain) and was the deadliest and costliest volcanic eruption in U.S. history ($2.74 billion in 2007 dollars). This event was preceded by thousands of
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
People can be so stupid.
“As I’ve said elsewhere, the rate and amounts of the spending are such that no one can pretend this is going to help the economy, not even Keynesians and socialists. This spending is designed to kill the economy and dole out lots of paybacks while sinking the knife in its back all to ruin the economy so that the people demand a world economic ministry and a global currency.”
Good post.
People can be so stupid.
Here’s your warning. Stop living next to volcanoes!
I do like your new word though!
I think your comments would make Mona Lisa frown.
You can say that again!
What about that old guy that stayed on the mountain when Mt. St Helens erupted? A 12 ticket ride!
In short, all peoples of all the world would be reduced to a global feudalism.
It's as close to a universal currency as this world has, or can have.
Given the many ways "money" can be created (lines of credit, printing presses, loans, credit cards, etc.) it's fairly difficult to control everybody from a central bank.
seismologists into climatologists?
Nah...
The article explains.
As I said, those who are not dependent on others will be able to survive, though meagerly. All others who are dependent on others for their food supply can be easily controlled by a central, global governance. If you want to eat, you will have to play by their rules.
If you haven't, read The Creature from Jekyll Island. I have many other titles to suggest, but that is a very good starting point for understanding the monetary science and the history of those who implemented the Federal Reserve (our central bank) and what their ultimate goals were and continue to be.
Wrong. Read the article.
This was one of the worst examples for them to choose, as it has immediate and stimulating effects. They should have chosen one of the wasteful pork items.
A better use of the money would be on military spending
You do realize that the military is a big beneficiary of this research, right? Ever hear of seismic monitoring of nuclear testing, industrial accidents, etc.? Ever heard of Clark Air Base?
I think it was too much prep, and too much effort to seem folksy.
http://www.youtube.com/v/wROwWvq6zvw
The Yellowstone Caldera is far more urgent.
I agree, a horrible target for Jindal.
Harry Truman
I honor Dave Johnston, though..."Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!"
What a mass waste that would be!
Swept away? Vaporized more likely.
Unless they are smacked HARD, they won't learn the lesson.
$140 million sounds like a big waste of money and I live at the base of a bunch of volcanoes. Save the money for something useful.
Pray for America
But then put it in the budget, not the Stimulus. Did you notice the proponent in this article refers to it as an “earmark?” Obama says there were no earmarks!
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