Category Archives: Broken in the USA

guns & gas

Debt Revisited

Broken in the USA, Economics, Education, Government Issues

Here’s how the government spent $6.8T last year   (From “USA Facts” article)   The federal government spent $6.8 trillion in fiscal year 2024. We’ll say that again.  $6,800,000,000,000. We’re not saying that’s good or bad, too much or too little. But we can agree that that scale is hard to fathom, right?    Our new agency spending chart makes 2024 spending for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches easier to understand. We even tracked the president’s budget, independent agencies such as NASA, and entities that get federal money but don’t slot neatly into other categories (think the Smithsonian).   A few insights:   The Department of Health and Human Services spent $1.7 trillion in 2024. That was about 25.4% of federal expenditures, primarily driven by the $1.5 trillion in spending by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.     Proportion of federal budget across cabinet agencies   The Social Security Administration accounted for the biggest share of independent agency spending: $1.5 trillion.  Federal Student Aid accounted for 2.4% of federal spending, totaling $161.0 billion.  The National Parks Service spent just under $4.5 billion, for 0.07% of federal spending. Congress runs the botanic garden adjacent to the Capitol Building. The garden accounted for $19.0 million in legislative branch spending.     FDA agency hover                                    

Operation Paper Clip Revisited

Broken in the USA, Government Issues, History

Operation Paper Clip Revisited

The fact that the Russians were so far ahead of the USA in rocket technology in 1957 continues to bother me. The top German Rocket Scientist and considered genius Werner Von Braun defected immediately after WW 2. He recruited 1,600 of the best German scientists in what was essentially a German space program. In contrast Russia’s program was essentially home grown. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_space_program

There is no question that Russia was far behind Germany in rocket technology in 1945. In 12 years, they made terrific strides leading up to the launch of Sputnik 1. It is true that they were able to use the assistance of a few German scientists and had access to V-2 technology. The German team assembled in the USA it was more than impressive. My question is what were they doing for 12 years? Does anyone know?

I don’t even have a theory but the lack of rocket technology progress after WW 2 is alarming. As the saying goes: “There is something rotten in Denmark”.

Eating our Way to Extinction

Broken in the USA, Environment, Government Issues, Science

Eating our Way to Extinction

Animal Agriculture and The Climate (You Tube on this at: https://fitvegans.com/eating-our-way-to-extinction/)

Science repeatedly shows, that:

  1. Animal agriculture is responsible for a lot of greenhouse gas emissions.
  2. Animal agriculture uses a massive amount of land.
  3. Animal agriculture is responsible for 90% of the reasons of forest fires in the amazon rainforest.
  4. Animal agriculture is using a rather massive amount of water.

One of the things that absolutely shocked me is that a plant-based diet would reduce the amount of land required by about 3.1 billion hectares – which is the size of the African continent.

By hearing these numbers it’s normal that one gets outraged, right? One wonders – if things are so bad why is the government not doing anything.

So here are a few reasons why we don’t see rapid global transitions to veganism:

1. Animal agriculture’s impact on the GDP

The animal industry is not unlike to the oil industry right. It’s a big driver of the GDP of a country, which is an indication of the wealth of a country.

It’s a big driver – especially in Brazil.

Now why is the GDP important for a country? When the GDP drops, the wealth of a nation declines. This has a few impacts on the individual and the government.

Economic decline of a country often leads to more violence. And quite iconic thinkers of our century, such as Peter Thiel emphasize this fact in his longer interview.

2. Understand people – understand countries

A wonderful book that I’ve read a few years ago, that changed how I view the world, is ‘The Dictator’s Handbook’.

Funny title aside, the book has a very profound message. And that is: Governments are run by people. If you understand people – you understand governments.

This is important to note because most people think governments are this faceless entity of decision makers in ties. The reality could not be further from the truth.

If government decision makers are meat eaters – which based on the law of averages – most are. Which decisions are they most likely to favor?

You’re right, the ones supporting the status quo and they’re pre-existing habits.

Where does that leave us?

On one side: Billions of animals die each year because of our food choices. Irregardless of our eating habits we must realize that this is completely unsustainable and morally wrong.

Our food practices are also breeding grounds for pathogens, which can lead to pandemics.

If that wouldn’t be enough, our food choices also shorten our lives and hasten the way to global warming.

On the other side: We have this incredible force of the status quo – and the strong, international dependence of animal farming for economic growth. And growth is required for a country as countries are like a bicycle…

… to keep their balance they have to keep moving and growing.

The solution that I propose is similar to the indirect, slightly concealed solution the documentary proposes: And that is a gradual but consistent switch to meat and dairy alternatives.