Biden Administration Seeks to Expand Wind Farms in Coastal Waters - WSJ

The U.S. is aiming by 2025 to lease up to seven tracts for wind farms in coastal waters between Maine and the Carolinas on the Atlantic Coast, off California and Oregon along the Pacific Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, Interior Department Secretary Deb Haaland said.

I get the idea of harnessing wind for energy.

But do we have to build these ugly farms so close to shore? We control waters up to 12 miles from the coastline, and “unlimited visibility” is 10 miles. Can we just build them all out there?

There’s something to be said for the loss of natural beauty.

“Harnessing America’s offshore wind resources will create tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs, revitalize coastal communities, and deliver vast amounts of reliable clean energy”

We’ve heard this hyperbole before. Then again, what’s realistic polls worse.

Boom Times in the Beltway - WSJ Opinion

Nearly every revenue stream chipped in more, except for payroll taxes, which were flat. Individual income taxes rose $443 billion, or 27.5%, to reach $2.05 trillion. That’s about 9% of the entire U.S. economy. As CBO’s monthly budget summary dryly observes, “that increase most likely reflects higher total wages and salaries, particularly among the relatively high-income workers who are subject to higher tax rates on earnings.” Translation: The rich had a good year, but they also paid a huge fiscal dividend in taxes.

Time to start the day.

Terrifying New Halloween Mask Depicts A Human Face Not Wearing A Mask - The Babylon Bee

“AHHHHH!!!”

Nice day, perfect tree.

White House Whistleblower Claims Strangers Drag Him From Place To Place And Make Him Sign Papers And Read Words On Monitors And He Hardly Gets Any Ice Cream - The Babylon Bee

CNN has just released a bombshell interview with an anonymous White House whistleblower, who gave a harrowing account that could spell trouble for the Biden administration.

Not good!

Google to Block Ads From Appearing Next to Content Denying Climate Change - WSJ

The ban applies to “content that contradicts the well-established scientific consensus around the existence and causes of climate change,” Google, the world’s largest digital-ad company by revenue, said in a blog post Thursday.

Another flashing warning sign. Dissent will not be tolerated.

I got Flight Simulator X working on my old iMac and I couldn’t be happier!

🛫

A piece of joint artwork by Felicity and Lucy.

It’s taken four homes, but I finally have a thermostat that matches the wall and requires no trim plate!

I’m very happy that this is my last day of watering-in the sod.

🌱

Texas Introduces Express Lanes For Guys In Cowboy Hats Driving Lifted Pickup Trucks Alone - The Babylon Bee

At publishing time, sources had confirmed you could also have up to one country girl in your pickup truck as long as you’re listening to bro-country and singing about driving your lifted pickup truck on a dusty backroad with your girl up in it.

Ships Arrive From The Orient Laden With Pumpkin Spice - The Babylon Bee

It’s October, and that means women in UGG boots are crowded around the ports to catch sight of the masts of ships returning from their journey to the Orient.

17 Things With A Higher Approval Rating Than Joe Biden - The Babylon Bee

Prostate exams - Uncomfortable but at least they don’t last four years.

Benedict’s LEGO challenge Jack o’Lantern.

Updated Bipartisan Senate Infrastructure Deal: Budgetary and Economic Effects — Penn Wharton Budget Model

Overall spending on infrastructure is much larger than the increase in revenues, which leads to a 1.3 percent increase in government debt in 2031. Over time, as the new spending declines and some provisions, particularly the cryptocurrency reporting requirements, continue to generate increased revenue, the increase in government debt shrinks. In 2040 and 2050, government debt increases relative to baseline by 0.9 and 0.6 percent, respectively. The additional public capital increases the productivity of private capital, however the higher government debt crowds out additional private investment, leading to a 0.2 and 0.1 percent decrease in productive private capital in 2040 and 2050, respectively.

Results from spending $1T on Infrastructure, as proposed in the bipartisan bill, over a 30 year period:

• 0% increase in GDP
• 0% increase in workers hours/productivity
• 0% wage growth
• 0.1% decrease in stock values
• 0.6% increase in government debt.

Translation: Spend $1T of taxpayers money and 100.7% goes to waste.

Why didn’t the vaccine manufacturers win the Nobel Prize? - Washington Examiner

Lesson: Apparently, the Nobel Committee either lives under a rock or simply doesn’t care about the coronavirus vaccine.

I don’t pay attention to the Nobel prizes, but this is a really good point.

Democrats Float Changes to Filibuster Amid Debt Ceiling Standoff - WSJ

The possibility that Republicans would drag out the debate and insist upon endless votes is why Democrats maintain it would be too risky to use the approach, because it could put the U.S. too close to running out of cash-management options.

The debt ceiling was breached July 31st.

Congress took no action for 67 days, wasting time, and now it’s an existential crisis that can only be fixed by breaking all of the rules?

Imran Khan Explains Money Saved In Offshore Tax Haven Was To Buy Pakistani People A Big Present - The Onion

“I didn’t tell anyone because I wanted it to be a nice surprise,” said Khan, who added that his cabinet members, key financial backers, and other political allies had only moved millions of dollars into untraceable foreign accounts so that Pakistanis wouldn’t notice the unusually large deposits and start to suspect an exciting gift was headed their way.

Facebook’s hours-long outage had zero effect on me.

The good life!

Stock Funds Finally Had to Struggle - WSJ

Gold-oriented funds, always volatile, dropped 12.3% in the quarter, including 8.9% in September, to leave them with a 17% decline for the year to date.

Gold: a terrific inflation hedge!