There’s nothing wrong with “believing” something – once you have some facts to support your belief!! The problem comes when you don’t have any facts; or, worse yet, ignore facts staring you in the face. Back in the day, folks believed the sun revolved around the earth because – hey! – you could see it rising in the east every morning and sinking in the west every evening, no?? Or, more to the point, the Bible said so!! It was self-evident!! So, when Galileo showed proof – with observations from his telescope – that Copernicus was correct to declare it was our EARTH that revolved around the sun – he was hauled before the Pope and forced to recant!! The thumbscrew and rack of the Inquisition focused utterances wonderfully!!
Before this, there was the “flat earth” belief that was disproven by Columbus!!
And this can happen even in modern times, with “advanced” nations that hold on to unsubstantiated beliefs and dogmatically proceed full speed ahead, and crash into icebergs!!
It’s mindboggling, for instance, that the US suffered the highest number of cases and fatalities from Covid, innit? But this has been brought home to your Eyewitness with the recent 24/7 reporting on Hurricane Helene, which flattened Florida and the American Southeast less than a month ago; and now they’re staring at Hurricane Milton full in the face!!
Milton’s one of the largest hurricanes on record, and it’s certainly the fastest-developing in intensity. This has been caused by unusually warm Gulf of Mexico waters – due to climate change, according to the data – that sent up more-than-usual warm air that forms hurricanes as the earth rotates. So, the irony is that, as Florida is staring at Milton right now, its governor, Ron DeSantis, continues to be one of the most vociferous “Climate Change Deniers” in the USA!! Like fellow Republican Ted Cruz.
A few years ago, when Cruz was then a Senator, he even held hearings that purported to show evidence that climate change was a “liberal” hoax on the level of the old Grecian beliefs that disasters were the handiwork of displeased gods!!
So, Dear Reader, you ask what this has to do with us in dear old Mudland?? Well, just that rising sea levels – caused by the same climate change denied by Cruz et al – is gonna sweep away all those sea walls we built to keep the Atlantic out!
Even without climate change, we seem to forget that the Dutch had carved out our Mudland coast from mangrove swamps when that coast was five feet below sea level!! So, even in the best of times, we were living precariously!!
The unfortunate truth is that within 30 years – just about the time our oil will be running out – we’ll have to abandon our coast.
Unless we develop gills!!
…on US greenbacks
There’s a belief we should be awash in greenbacks, since we’re being paid for our share of oil in that currency. Yet, once again, there’s a shortage of forex!! Now, even if we’re kvetching about the measly 14.5% that’s coming our way because of the PNC’s contract, when we’re pumping more than 600,000 barrels DAILY @ US$80/barrel, we’re talking about US$48 million DAILY, and US$17.5 billion ANNUALLY!! So, there’s clear evidence for our belief, no??
Well, erm…no!! The point of the matter is that all those greenbacks that we’re getting aren’t actually coming into our banking system – but are lodged in the US Fed in NYC, where whenever we haven’t withdrawn is earning interest. Now, you may say that since the amounts withdrawn are deposited into our Consolidated Accounts to be spent by the Government, that should then keep us awash in greenbacks, no??
But this is where we draw a blank, since only the US$ that is changed by the Cambios is mentioned by the BoG.
What gives??
…in discrimination
There are continued accusations from the Opposition that distribution of the cash grants being given by Government is being done in a discriminatory manner. Can they show some evidence, please?? Or else they’ll have to concede they’re BSing!!
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