Chet Collins

White House Urges OPEC to Boost Oil Output Amid Covid-19 Economic Recovery - WSJ

The White House urged OPEC to boost oil production Wednesday, saying recent planned increases are insufficient as countries around the world seek to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.

NO NEW PIPELINES (unless you’re Russia)! NO NEW DRILLING ON FEDERAL LAND! 500,000 ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS! 50% OF NEW CARS MUST BE ELECTRIC VEHICLES!

OPEC, please pump us more oil.

Saudi officials said they were confused by the Biden administration’s stance, which is seeking to reduce oil consumption, while asking OPEC to pump more oil. “Isn’t Biden about climate change and the impact of oil on the environment?” asked a Saudi oil official. “How come now they are asking for more?”

So that’s a no?

Covid-19 Rent-Relief Program Marred by Delays, Confusion, Burdensome Paperwork - WSJ

More than seven months after it was launched, the biggest rental assistance program in U.S. history has delivered just a fraction of the promised aid to tenants and landlords struggling with the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.

So let’s spent $3.5T on a whole host of great, efficient new government programs!

My drone skills are getting better, but I need to be better about lighting.

Congress Excited To Find Out What They Just Spent $1.2 Trillion On - The Babylon Bee

The $1.2 trillion dollar spending bill, which comes on the heels of a $1.4 trillion dollar spending bill, which came on the heels of a $1.9 trillion spending bill, but will precede a proposed $3.5 trillion spending bill, reportedly will use about 12% of its dollars on infrastructure projects.

Not satire.

My son illustrated a book.

On one of the pages, he drew a picture us at the dinner table. He illustrated me saying, “I love you, Benedict.”

The message is received.

Biden’s Electric-Car Ambitions Face Real-World Roadblocks - WSJ

Tax incentives can help bridge the price difference between gasoline and electric vehicles at the dealership

I can’t wait for my income tax bill to increase so that I can subsidize my neighbor’s new car!!!!!

Student-Loan Payment Relief Extended to Early 2022 - WSJ

The Education Department said that this would be the final extension.

Where have I heard this before?

Lawn mowed, car washed. Ready for the weekend!

Privacy Whistleblower Edward Snowden and EFF Slam Apple’s Plans to Scan Messages and iCloud Images - MacRumors

That’s not a slippery slope; that’s a fully built system just waiting for external pressure to make the slightest change.

CBO Estimates Infrastructure Bill Would Add $256 Billion to Deficits - WSJ

the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure bill would widen the federal budget deficit by $256 billion over 10 years, contradicting negotiators’ claims that the cost of the legislation would be covered by new revenue and saving measures.

Oops.

Apple Plans to Have iPhones Detect Child Pornography, Fueling Privacy Debate - WSJ

Apple has made the security it offers users on its iPhones and some other devices a key element of its pitch to consumers, adding ever more features to safeguard their privacy.

But now we’re going to just rummage through all of your photos.

Matthew Green, an associate professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University. “Now Apple has demonstrated that they can build a surveillance system, for very specific purposes, that works with iMessage,” he said. “I wonder how long they’ll be able to hold out from the Chinese government?”

Legal Battle Looms Over New Eviction Moratorium - WSJ

President Biden said legal experts he had consulted were of mixed opinion but the “bulk of the constitutional scholarship says that it’s not likely to pass constitutional muster.”

So heck, I signed the dang thing anyway.

Did a little tax planning this morning. Almost screwed that up!

Bernie Sanders: Why We Need the $3.5 Trillion Reconciliation Package - WSJ Opinion

It helped jump-start the economy, which grew in the second quarter at an annualized rate of 6.5%.

Sanders is claiming the $1.9T party-line approved spending blowout is owed full credit for this growth.

GDP for Quarter 1 (before the bill was passed) of this year was 6.4%. Economists expected Q2 growth to be 8.5%.

Sanders also complains that the bill didn’t go far enough. How much more damage would he like to inflict?

We will take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, which charges U.S. residents the highest prices in the world by far for prescription drugs.

Yeah, and they only gave us three COVID vaccines in nine months. Jerks!

I have to quit, this article is just terrible.

Biden Administration Issues New Eviction Moratorium - WSJ

The CDC said its new order will last through Oct. 3, “but is subject to further extension, modification, or rescission based on public health circumstances.”

Two takeaways:

1. This means at least 19 months of unpaid rent without consequences, in the face of massive stimulus. This is absolutely terrible policy. There are vaccines and jobs everywhere.

2. A reminder to SCOTUS that ducking issues by declaring them moot is not a viable course. Executive actions are fast and fickle with immediate ramifications. Getting a case before the Court takes months to years, long after the damage is done.

Time to do some YNAB housekeeping.

💵

Federal Labor Official Recommends Alabama Amazon Workers Hold New Vote, Union Says - WSJ

Roughly 71% of workers who voted rejected the union.

That’s some cheating!

Man Surprised To Learn Babylon Bee Has Full Articles To Go With The Headlines - The Babylon Bee

Sadly, Reed lost his job as he spent the rest of the afternoon and evening reading as much content as he could possibly consume on The Babylon Bee’s website. Luckily, every restaurant within a 400-mile radius is hiring.

This blog is so much more interesting when I’m on vacation.

My daughter very meticulously plucked the sprinkles off of the top of her cake before diving in.

I’m so proud!

The Last Days of Osama bin Laden - WSJ

He (bin Laden) explained that killing President Barack Obama was a high priority, but he also had General David Petraeus, at that time the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, in his sights. Bin Laden told his team not to bother with plots against Vice President Joe Biden, whom he considered “totally unprepared” for the post of president.

Ouch.

CDC Says New Mask Guidelines Informed by Cape Cod Outbreak - WSJ

“If you’re vaccinated and you get infected and you have a fever and you’re hacking up a lung and you have a sore throat—no one would question that in that case, you need to wear a mask,” Dr. Jha said. “The real question is, should asymptomatic vaccinated people be wearing mask to prevent spread to others? And I have not seen any data that supports that yet.”