The Flight of the Phoenix

One of the biggest travesties facing the Earth is our vanishing wildlife. We are supposed to be shepherds of the planet – caring not only for each other, but for all the living creatures who share the planet with us – both plant and animal. It is as much their home as ours. Between global warming, poaching, pollution and the destruction of habitats, many species of animals, insects, fish and birds will soon only be living on YouTube videos.

In past centuries, many species have become extinct – some because of natural factors, but most due to human (or should I say inhuman) behavior. One of the most notable extinct species is the Dodo bird (as in “dead as the dodo”). The last confirmed sighting of a dodo was in 1662, a little more than 100 years after the bird was first seen by man! Human actions in the form of hunting and the introduction of alien species to the dodo habitat killed off the odd looking birds in a very short period.

Perhaps the biggest crime by humans against the animal kingdom was the complete destruction of the passenger pigeon. This bird was once extremely common throughout North America – perhaps the continent’s most numerous avian. It is estimated that there were approximately 5 billion passenger pigeons on American soil at the start of the 19th century. By 1915 – one hundred and fifteen years later – there were NONE. The species had been exterminated.

Passenger pigeons were colorful and gregarious birds that lived in enormous flocks – sometimes up to hundreds of millions in population. As the US expanded westward during the 1800’s, many of the bird’s habitats were destroyed. This was one of the reasons for the decline in the bird’s population. It is also postulated that the birds were struck by a disease. But the primary reason for extinction was the massive hunting of the passenger pigeon. Their meat was used as cheap food for slaves and the poor in the US.

The birds were concentrated in the Central and Eastern part of North America – from the Rocky Mountains to Southern Canada to Florida. They traveled as far south as Mexico during the winter. The passenger pigeon was a very social creature. They lived together in large flocks with many nests located close to each other. They also migrated together. Early American settlers often wrote about the pigeons. Cotton Mather described one flock as taking “several hours to pass overhead.”

In the mid 1800s, hunters began capturing the birds in mass quantities for food, as live targets for trap shooting (a truly disgusting thought) and as fertilizer. For slaves on American farms and plantations, it was often only their only source of meat. Since the birds lived in such large communities and were not scared of humans, they became easy targets for slaughter by hunters. This mass hunting resulting in the depletion of passenger pigeon colonies. Since the birds only thrived when they were living in these enormous colonies, passenger pigeons could not adequately reproduce when their numbers were reduced. Their fate was sealed/

By 1870, environmentalists and avian experts realized the bird population was declining. But the mass destruction continued unabated. There were no strong laws protecting the bird (or practically any other animal for that matter). Zoologists attempted to breed the birds in captivity. This attempt at a rescue of the species failed, as the birds could not successfully breed in small, captive spaces.

After 1870, the last super-large nesting ground of passenger pigeons was located in Michigan. In 1878, hunters began killing up to 50,000 birds each day for five months. They were being hunted into extinction – and the federal and state governments did absolutely nothing to prevent their destruction. In 1896, a flock of about 250,000 was killed – that was the last large flock left on earth.

The rapid extinction of the passenger pigeon did rouse public interest in conservation. Some laws were finally passed in the late 1890s to protect the bird. They were weak and barely enforced. Besides it was too little, too late. Conservationists soon realized that the passenger pigeon’s numbers were too few to regenerate the species. The last live passenger pigeon seen in the wild was in 1900. The only birds left lived in several zoos across the country – where they could not successfully reproduce.

On September 1, 1914 – Martha, the last passenger pigeon in captivity, died at the Cincinnati Zoo. Martha was carefully stuffed and sent to the Smithsonian. The closest related species to the passenger pigeon is the Morning Dove. This dove is still abundant in North America.

From billions of birds in 1870, to none in 1914 – 44 years is a blip of time to see such mass extinction. Laws protecting animals started to be passed – but not in time to save the passenger pigeon. Watching how we treat the seas and ecosystem today – the passenger pigeon will sadly only be one of many species left standing as a stuffed bird. You have to wonder if Daphne Du Maurier’s novel The Birds was about the revenge of the passenger pigeon.

Note:
The phoenix is a mythical bird with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold. After its nest burns, a new young phoenix bird arises from the ashes. The Flight of the Phoenix was the title of novel by Elleston Trevor about a plane that crashes in the desert. It was made into a terrific movie in 1965, starring James Stewart and Peter Finch (do not watch the crappy 2004 remake).

Crossposted at Distributorcap NY.

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Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill Gets It Right at the Border, Say Enviro Groups

“This bill will restore the rule of law along America ’s border.” ~ Bob Irvin, Defenders of Wildlife

The new immigration bill introduced in Congress December 15 includes important provisions that will help protect wildlife, communities, and natural resources from damage wrought by border walls between the U.S. and Mexico, according to three major environmental organizations.

The Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Defenders of Wildlife jointly issued an early and emphatic endorsement statement of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009, introduced by Representative Luis Gutierrez Luis Gutierrez.

To date, at least 633 miles of border walls and barriers have been constructed along the U.S. – Mexico border, and the construction has proceeded quickly and almost entirely without proper consultation or compliance laws. Three dozen environmental, archaeological, religious freedom, historic preservation, cultural, and other laws were waived by former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff Michael Chertoff for border wall construction.

The legislation would replace the border wall’s one-size-fits-all approach to border security with a strategy based on comprehensive analyses of the effectiveness and costs of various security measures, say the supporters. To address negative impacts from existing border infrastructure, the legislation would establish comprehensive monitoring and mitigation programs.

The bill would also ensure full compliance with landmark laws like the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Endangered Species Act that were enacted to promote public health and protect our country’s wildlife and natural heritage.

“Rep. Gutierrez and Rep. Grijalva [who introduced Border Security and Responsibility Act of 2009 (HR 2076) in April] deserve praise for recognizing the need for a responsible border security policy that minimizes harm to our precious borderlands, wildlife, and border communities,” said Sierra Club representative Michael Degnan.

“Much of this country’s rarest and most spectacular wildlife-including jaguar, ocelot, Sonoran pronghorn, and many other species–depend upon the borderlands for survival. This bill would restore crucial protections to such wildlife and help mitigate the widespread damage that has already been done to important habitat and migration corridors,” commented Randy Serraglio, conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity.

“Laws that protect our wildlife, our water, our air, and our right to a healthful environment should never have been circumvented by the Bush Bush administration,” added Bob Irvin, Senior Vice President for Conservation Programs at Defenders of Wildlife. “This bill will restore the rule of law along America’s border.”

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Press release sources: Kristina Johnson, Sierra Club; Randy Serraglio, Center for Biological Diversity; Mary Beth Beetham, Defenders of Wildlife.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION: Spectacular photographic slideshow/presentation,”Wildlife and the Border Wall,” explains impact of wall on borderland nature and creatures:

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SUMMARY of GUTIERREZ’ IMMIGRATION BILL: found HERE

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Felony charges for young activist who countered Bush admin’s environmental assault

It is no accident that I post this on Good Friday.

“This auction was a fraud against the American people and a threat to our future.”

Last week, University of Utah student Tim DeChristopher was charged with two felonies for disrupting a December 2008 auction of over 100,000 acres of federal land for oil and gas drilling. Activists had viewed the auction as an attempt by the outgoing Bush administration to deliver a last-minute gift to the oil and gas industry. In a creative act of civil disobedience, DeChristopher posed as a bidder and purchased 22,000 acres of land to save the property from drilling. He was arrested, and now faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of $750,000. The government is also demanding $81,000 in a civil fine, unrelated to the criminal charges.

The felony charges came as a discouraging surprise this month in the wake of the new Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s decision to withdraw 77 parcels from the Bureau of Land Management’s December Utah state oil and gas lease sale, saying they were too close to national parks and never should have gone up for sale.

However, the Associated Press, quotes Daniel Gunnell, managing partner of Twilight Resources LLC, one of the affected companies as saying: “We are angry. Tim DeChristopher is a guy who walked in the auction without a penny and cost our company $600,000.”

DeChristopher isn’t the first bidder at a federal oil-and-gas auction to fail to come up with the money, but he’s the first to face criminal prosecution for it, said his lawyer Pat Shea, who was BLM director during the Clinton administration.

The public can leave messages of support and donations for DeChristopher’s defense fund at his website: http://www.bidder70.org/ . The site also carries a comprehensive collection of relevant information: news articles, blog posts, video, and updates.

Tim’s statement (4/4/2009):

On December 19th, 2008 I took what I considered to be ethical, necessary, and direct action to try to protect our planet, our democracy, and my fellow human beings. In that spirit of protection, I took nonviolent action which did not harm anyone nor destroy any property.

My actions stopped what I believed was an illegal and certainly unethical auction of red rock public lands in Southern Utah. This auction was a fraud and a threat against the American people and their future well-being. My motivation to act against this auction came solely from the exploitation of public lands, the lack of a transparent and participatory government, and the imminent danger of climate change.

I acted openly and honestly because I was then, and still am ready today, to accept and suffer the consequences of my actions. I had hoped the wheels of justice, particularly with a new Administration, would recognize the impetus of my actions and the merit of their results, by choosing not prosecute me, especially in light of the leases in question being voided by the new Administration. You can well imagine my shock and disappointment to find out that my hopes were misguided, and my future may well rest in the hands of a jury of my peers.

I have been gifted with a proven legal team, spearheaded by the efforts of Ron Yengich and Pat Shea. In a matter which will undoubtedly go to trial, they will have a chance to demonstrate the corruption of a system that “awards” oil and gas leases to the highest bidders, while the public and the environment are without any legitimate competing representation, thus consigning them to the catastrophic effects of climate change. This trial will be an opportunity to address our moral imperative to craft and defend a livable future for our children.

It is my deepest hope that my actions will be understood by others in the context in which they were forced to play out, and that those people who come to know what has befallen me here is the direct result of the corrosive manipulation that grips our system by the throat, choking off the oxygen of free and fair choice our democracy requires.

I am profoundly grateful for the the enormous support which I have already received, and I have every belief it will continue in the future. As my initial actions taught me, it is still possible to work for change, real change. I know I don’t stand alone in that belief or in the fight that is gathering even as I type these words. And as my actions inspire others to work for change of all stripes, any consequences I have to face will be well worth it.

my post about the original action (3 months ago): http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/2105114-young-activist-defends-canyon-environment-with-an-unusual-action

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Memo On Global Warming

M-E-M-O-R-A-N-D-U-M

April 3, 2009

To: The Flat Earthers

Fm: A Voice of Reason

Subject: Time To Stop Burning Or Start Bailing

It has come to the attention of those of us of sound mind and a belief in the principals of all Earth sciences, those of us with the basic human capability of observing phenomena in the natural world, analyzing and arriving at rational findings that some among us have still not understood the concerns we have with industrial man’s continued exploitation of Earth’s natural resources, and the ultimate destruction of the same natural resources and of Earth itself.

In case you have not figured it out, nothing on Earth lasts forever, nothing on Earth is frozen in time, man has not figured out how to turn oil in to water, let alone create more oil than which already exists in the crust of the Earth.  (The world’s total proved oil reserves are estimated to dry up by the year 2160, a scant, in geologic terms, 150 years from now, or in terms more understandable by a human consumer, after two lifetimes, in time for your great, great grandchildren to revert back to horses and buggies because there will be no fuel for internal combustion engines.)

Some might posit that all is not lost, that coal will come to the rescue, that coal which is currently the fuel that is burned to provide approximately 40% of the electricity generated for world consumption, could also be used, through gassification, or liquifaction to fuel internal combustion engines.  Of course those who would be proponents for more reliance on coal are those who would mine it, process it, and sell it to the rest of us.  The same people who will tell us the lie that there is such a thing as “clean coal”.

The reality is that coal, which is rock that is extracted from the Earth’s crust is primarily carbon, with additional elements of sulfer, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, that when burned produces heat, which transient in the sense that it eventually dissipates in the atmosphere, and carbon dioxide, which is not transient.  The carbon dioxide enters the Earth’s atmosphere, and because of the force of gravity, remains, wrapped around Earth, forever.  As the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere builds up, and as other chemical elements enter the atmosphere, they coalesce as an atmospheric “blanket”, allowing the rays of the sun to come through to Earth, warming the planet, but also acting as an “insulator”, preventing heat from dissipating off of the planet.  The planet is gradually, inexorably, warming, and this global warming has begun to manifest in incremental, and ultimately, life changing consequences.

We have seen the impact of global warming in climate change all over the planet.  As temperatures have risen more and more farming and grazing land become drought prone and crop yields diminish.  Man becomes less able to feed himself. Polar ice has retracted, with the polar ice pack melting and glaciers throughout the world melting, the resulting fresh water run off draining in to the oceans, so as the lands dry up, the sea levels rise.

Mohamed Nasheed, the president of the Maldives has recognized the challenges presented to man by global warming and has revealed a plan for the Maldives to be the world’s first country to become “carbon neutral”, within ten years.  Nasheed does not want to needlessly burn any more carbon that will add to global warming, and has good reason for this, the average elevation of the Maldives is 1.5 meters (60 inches, less than the height of an average human) above sea level.  If enough ice melts throughout the globe his entire country could be under water in a mere few generations.

A Maldive island at the beginning of the global warming era

Post global warming

Time is quickly running out, Flat Earthers.  If you believe that man was created and the universe were created a mere 10,000 years or so ago, you might think the next 150 to 500 years are an eternity in your frame of reference, but 150 years will come sooner than your great grand children will forget that you did nothing to prepare them for the perils that they will face.

Those of you who would ignore the signs, you are in a race, a race to develop the technology to leave this planet, and find and colonize another habitable planet in the universe that will have the necessary resources to support your way of life, before your conspicuous and unrestrained consumption destroys the human habitability of this planet.  Expend your treasure and time continuing to burn Earth’s natural resources and you will be left with no resources to help you escape the calamity that you have brought upon us.  Expend your treasure and time trying to find and get to another, human habitable planet, and ignore the global warming of your own planet Earth, and your great grand children are likely to cease to exist because they could not escape Earth and you did nothing to mediate the global warming, and time will simply have run out for the consuming human race.

The real race that you should embark upon, Flat Earthers, is the race to adapt, to change your way of living, to evolve from a carbon burning spendthrift, to a serious, careful preservationist of our planet.  But then, you don’t believe in evolution, do you Flat Earthers?

Read more from Big Fella at the BFD Blog!

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what would $700 billion buy?

there’s a nice article that puts ideas out there at worldchanging:

“According to the United Nations, the entire debt for the entire continent of Africa was about $320 billion in 2003. Adjusting for inflation and further accumulated debt, let’s call it an even $350 billion.

You could install solar panels on 20 million American homes for $300 billion. (I’m ballparking a rather conservative $15k for full installation of enough solar infrastructure to fully power an average American house; the price would surely come down drastically at that scale.) By the way, 20 million houses is more than one-quarter of the entire stock of occupied detached houses in the U.S.”

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Ten Post Round-Up: Milli Vanilli Edition

They say that life sometimes imitates art, but sometimes that is too true. Just when the former group, Milli Vanilli thought that they could slink away as the most popular lip-syncers in history, along comes the China Olympics. Girl, you know it’s true! I wish I was making this up! I guess the Chinese could blame it on the rain, but they have been fighting, frantically, to keep that from happening.

In today’s Ten Post Round-Up, you will find that, although the Chinese may try to control the news in their country, there is still plenty of grist for the mill in this country.

• As if childhood was not hard enough, a young Chinese singing star gets the Milli-Vanilli treatment because she’s apparently not cute enough to be seen in public.

• Looks like homeschool parents may have a new theme song.

• Maybe Dobson and his crew decided that praying for rain might be as effective as those other folks who were praying for lower gas prices?

• You gotta admit that when Bush travels the world, he always leaves behind some very interesting pictures for Americans to groan about.

• First, we had the tech bubble, then the housing bubble, now our credit cards are waiting to pop.

• Just a friendly reminder–an individual’s size is not the best indicator of their healthiness.

• Republicans threaten to shut down the federal government (again) and it looks like the Democrats may be taking the bait (again).

• What’s that T. Boone Pickens character REALLY up to?

• Arkansas tries its hand at martial law because of a few criminal idiots.

• Even supposedly intelligent people can say completely idiotic things.

(originally posted at: The Sirens Chronicles)

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Congress, Bush & the Environment — dirty little secrets

Today in Congress, to prevent the Bush administration from making recess appointments, there was only a pro forma session of the Senate scheduled. But things are bubbling beneath the surface, particularly on the oil/energy issue. Polls reveal that the people of the U.S. want something stronger done. And, predictably, Speaker Pelosi has reversed her position on the matter: CNN reports that Pelosi said on Larry King Live that she would be open to a vote on offshore drilling as part of a larger energy package. To quote:

On Monday night, Pelosi said the vote would need to be part of a larger discussion that would include investing in renewable energy resources and releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Those options would help bring both immediate and long-lasting solutions to the energy crisis, she said.

Fox to Watch the Hen House - Recess appointments may be out for our current president (OCP), but that has not stopped the administration to quietly gut the Endangered Species Ace via rule-making fiat while Congress’ back is turned. The Washington Post of August 12, 2008 has the story: “Endangered Species Act Changes Give Agencies More Say,” by Juliet Eilperin. To quote:

The Bush administration yesterday proposed a regulatory overhaul of the Endangered Species Act to allow federal agencies to decide whether protected species would be imperiled by agency projects, eliminating the independent scientific reviews that have been required for more than three decades.

The new rules, which will be subject to a 30-day per comment period, would use administrative powers to make broad changes in the law that Congress has resisted for years. Under current law, agencies must subject any plans that potentially affect endangered animals and plants to an independent review by the Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service. Under the proposed new rules, dam and highway construction and other federal projects could proceed without delay if the agency in charge decides they would not harm vulnerable species.

. . . “I am deeply troubled by this proposed rule, which gives federal agencies an unacceptable degree of discretion to decide whether or not to comply with the Endangered Species Act,” said Rep. Nick J. Rahall II (D-W.Va.), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, who asked for a staff briefing before the proposal was announced but did not receive one. “Eleventh-hour rulemakings rarely, if ever, lead to good government — this is not the type of legacy this Interior Department should be leaving for future generations.”

. . . An aide to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, said she, like Rahal, had requested but not received a briefing. The panel is drafting a letter to Interior and will hold an oversight hearing, the aide said.

In a statement, Boxer called the rules change “another in a continuing stream of proposals to repeal our landmark environmental laws through the back door” and added: “I believe it is illegal, and if this proposed regulation had been in place, it would have undermined our ability to protect the bald eagle, the grizzly bear, and the gray whale.”

McCain to Senate: No vacations – But is this a reason to make McCain our new president? “Chutzpah Watch: McCain calls on lawmakers to spend more time on the job in Congress,” is by Steve Benen at The Carpetbagger Report (8/5/08). To quote:

. . . McCain told a biker rally, “Tell em’ to come back and get to work. When I’m president of the United States, I’m not going to let them go on vacation.”

This strikes me as amusing for two reasons: the hypocrisy and the misplaced priorities.

On the latter point, McCain hasn’t been “willing” to leave the campaign trail for anything, but all of a sudden, he’s ready to head back to his day job to tackle a coastal drilling bill that wouldn’t do any good anyway.

Hatch Act Violation? – “How Karl Rove’s Plan to Kill Salmon Led to a GOP Senator’s Reelection,” by Jason Leopold, The Public Record August 05, 2008, reveals that Karl Rove may have tried to influence employees of the Interior Department regarding electing an Oregon Republican. To quote from the story:

In January 2002, at a retreat in West Virginia, Karl Rove gave a PowerPoint presentation to at least 50 managers at the Department of the Interior to discuss polling data, and emphasized the importance of getting Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, a Republican, reelected that year.

The way to get Smith reelected to another term, Rove reportedly told the Interior Department officials, would come via the agency’s support of a highly controversial measure: diverting water from the Klamath River Basin to farms in the area that were experiencing unusually dry conditions, thereby supporting the GOP’s agricultural base.

If Rove and other White House officials discussed campaign strategy at federal office buildings, that would appear to be a violation of the Hatch Act. Recently, Congress launched an investigation into a briefing that J. Scott Jennings, the deputy director of political affairs, held at the General Services Administration. In the presentation, Jennings outlined polling data from the 2006 national elections and issued a list of the Republican Party’s electoral targets for 2008. Jennings’s presentation may violate a law known as the Hatch Act, which prohibits the use of government resources for political purposes.
That investigation is still ongoing.

Earlier dirty little secrets – A link from “betmo from CREW, Citizens for Responsibility Ethics in Washington: “Citizens diverting campaign funds to Kin,” Loophole in Ethics Rules Is One That the Senate Did Not Close Last Year. It always comes back to this, those dirty little violations of ethical campaigning.

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.)

My “creativity and dreaming” post today is at Making Good Mondays.

Technorati tags: news news and politics [politics congress environment energy mccain republicans scandal

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Oils well that ends badly- or- Too Slick for me

Allowing Offshore Exploration to Help Address Rising Fuel Costs

>>>Ok this title should trigger a big red flag. The Bush Administration wants to “help” us?
When they “helped” Iraq, it turned out to be a profit scheme involving oil. Either that or why does this administration not care about other brutal dictators, and human rights violations in Rowanda, or Darfur?
I’m going to say the short answer is, there is no profit to be made.
Allow me to rip into this announcement—

President Bush Lifts An Executive Ban On Oil Exploration In America’s Outer Continental Shelf And Calls On Congress To Lift Its Legislative Ban

President Bush lifted an executive ban on producing oil from the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). This means that the only thing standing between the American people and these vast oil resources is action from the Democratically controlled Congress.

>>>That statement alone has me worried!

To reduce pressure on prices, President Bush recognizes the need to increase the supply of oil – especially here at home. For years, his Administration has called on Congress to expand domestic oil production. Unfortunately, Democrats on Capitol Hill have rejected virtually every proposal – and now Americans are paying the price.

>>> Whoah Whoah Whoah- that segment has so much spin, I’m feeling dizzy.

Prez Bush recognized the profit margin of oil supply. For years they have been wringing their hands trying to get to the “precioussssss” oil- not to save America & support the fossil fuel addiction, let’s just state up front, someone in the oil tycoon business believes there is profit to be made. If you don;t believe me, ask Exxon Mobile & Shell about the 11.6 billion quarterly profit they just posted.

Experts believe that OCS areas under leasing prohibitions could produce about 18 billion barrels of oil. We will not know for certain until exploration is allowed. The problem is that Congress has restricted access to much of the OCS since the early 1980s. Since then, advances in technology have made it possible to conduct oil exploration in the OCS that is out of sight, protects coral reefs and habitats, and protects against oil spills.

>>> My rheoric-o-meter is in the red zone.

Last month, President Bush asked the Democratic Congress to lift this legislative ban and allow the exploration and development of offshore oil resources. He committed to lift an executive restriction on this exploration if Congress did so, tailoring his executive action to match what Congress passed. However, it has been almost a month since he urged Congress to act – and the Democratic leadership has done nothing. They have not moved any legislation, and as Congress has sat idle, gas prices have continued to increase.

>>>Speaking of sitting idle– the US has done little or nothing towards requiring better mileage efficiency, or moving towards alternative fuel sources. Let’s point the finger in the right direction. ( I think you know which finger I mean!).

This failure to act is unacceptable to American citizens – and it is unacceptable to President Bush. So Bush has issued a memorandum to lift the executive prohibition on oil exploration in the OCS. With this action, executive branch restrictions on this exploration have been cleared away, except for areas within existing marine sanctuaries. Areas near Florida are also off limits until 2022 under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act.

This is a difficult period for millions of American families. They are rightly angered by Congress’ failure to enact common-sense solutions. Today, President Bush has taken every step within his power to allow offshore exploration of the OCS. All that remains is for Democratic leaders in Congress to allow a vote.

This legislation must allow States to have a say in what happens off their shores, provide a way for the Federal Government and States to share new leasing revenues, and ensure the environment is protected.

>>> Funny they should mention that. Because here is what three West Coast States have to say:

:Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, joined with Democratic Govs. Ted Kulongoski of Oregon and Chris Gregoire of Washington to reaffirm their opposition to opening undersea oil fields to new drilling, as part of an elaborate action plan for preserving coastal waters.

The 116-page document outlines ambitious goals for cleaning up coastal waters and beaches, restoring fisheries, preparing for rising sea levels and developing projects that harness energy from waves and tides, among other topics.

“We are united ecologically, and now we are also united politically with Democrats and Republicans here working together and with one powerful voice,” said Schwarzenegger, flanked by images of the two other governors beamed in via satellite.” (Quoted from the L.A. Times)

>>>Furthermore, I would like to add that on the West Coast, Oregon specifically, there have been “Dead Zones” found in the Ocean– vast expanses of areas in the Ocean, where suddenly, entire ecosystems, of fish & plants, can’t survive. We’ve already fouled up the waters with human activity, in ways we don’t even understand.
How much abuse can our planet endure?

Republicans in Congress have proposed several promising bills that would lift the legislative ban on oil exploration in the OCS. President Bush calls on the House and Senate to pass such good legislation as soon as possible.

This legislation should also take essential steps to expand domestic production from oil shale and in Alaska and to increase refining capacity. Congress should clear the way for our Nation to tap into the extraordinary potential of oil shale – which could provide Americans with domestic oil supplies that are equal to more than a century’s worth of current oil imports. Congress should permit exploration in currently restricted areas of northern Alaska – which COULD produce roughly the equivalent of two decades of imported oil from Saudi Arabia. Finally, Congress should enable the expansion of our domestic refining capacity – so that America will no longer have to import millions of barrels of fully refined gasoline from abroad.

>>> I emphasized the word “could”. I tried to find the statistic, but it seems the US burns through 20 million barrels of oil PER DAY. The drilling restrictions were put there for sound reasons. They throw in this “we will be careful” clause so gingerly. But seriously– when oil drilling goes bad, there is no reversing it, and if it is not the drilling, it is oil tanker mishaps.

Go to this link for a sampling of things gone wrong Oil rig disasters

The Oil rig disasters link has them categorized- Deadliest, Most Expensive, Offshore Blowouts, Structural collapse, Sunk Rigs & Hurricane Damage. Let’s just say the number & degree of peril in the drilling business is extensive.

These Proposals Will Take Years To Have Their Full Impact, So We Should Move Quickly

For the long run, we are dealing with the demand for oil by promoting alternative energy technologies. President Bush’s Administration has worked with Congress to invest in gas-saving technologies like advanced batteries and hybrid vehicles, mandated a large expansion in the use of alternative fuels, and raised fuel efficiency standards to ambitious new levels. With all these steps, we are bringing America closer to the day when we can significantly reduce our reliance on oil.

>>> Doublespeak! If we want to “significantly reduce our reliance on oil” then what w should move quickly on is getting off the oil entirely.

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from my email

“Dear MoveOn member,

Thank you for supporting Al Gore’s call to produce 100% of our electricity from cheap, clean renewable energy sources within 10 years. The buzz is building fast, with thousands of people signing on every hour.

Now we have an incredible chance to build on that excitement. This week, the Obama campaign is holding nationwide “Platform Meetings” to seek input from the grassroots on the Democratic Party’s issue positions.

If enough of us support Gore’s challenge at these events, we can make his plan a part of the Democratic Party’s platform—giving it a major boost.”

um– i guess i wonder why it needs such a boost with the obama crowd. gore said he sat down with obama and spoke with him about these challenges. anyone with half of a brain knows it’s heading in the right direction- creating new jobs while shoring up our aging and decrepit infrastructure and creating a sustainable energy source while not polluting up the planet. win-win-win. why do we have to sell it so hard to obama?

perhaps we should go to the ‘platform’ meetings and ask that question.

i guess i wonder why more people aren’t listening to the al gore’s and the dennis kucinich’s out there. i mean the biblical folks can grasp the concept of the ‘voice crying out in the wilderness’ all by his onesy. we have a real possibility to fight for our planet. we have a slim chance- but a chance nonetheless- to stave off irreparable damage to the only home that is sustainable for human life- and we have to badger the so-called progressive, democratic nominee into it?

if any out there still believe- i think that there might be some swampland that hasn’t been filled in to make room for developments- that i can sell you.

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summertime

as i drove home after dropping hubby off with a buddy for a night of frivolity (aka having a beer or two downtown), i started smelling summer. it’s funny how very much memory is made up of smells- but i am very in tune with odors so i guess that’s why many of my memories are triggered by smells. freshly mowed yards; fragrant flowers; the heat rising up off the asphalt into the night air- and the sounds of crickets. in the morning, it’s birds- but in the evening- crickets. and for a moment, in spite of myself, i enjoyed the moment.

reality has an ugly way of creeping into life’s lovely moments- and it brings me around to what i am trying to teach myself- the four noble truths. which, of course, led me around to the dalai lama’s visit here in the states:

“Things are not black and white. Things are relative. Things are interdependent. When we look at a situation we have to consider all the factors. … “You cannot look in one direction. In order to see reality, (you) have to see in three or four or seven dimensions” and that this applies in the economical field, political field and international relations.”

which of course led me to al gore’s speech and on and on….

which was only part of this post. we are all interconnected. and i think many are feeling this but not realizing it. i believe it is why bush still has a 28% approval rating and congress a 9%. most of the people of america listen to what al gore has to say- and they watch the ice melt and the oceans die- and they see the prices at the pump– and they know it’s wrong; terribly wrong. but they don’t know what to do.

i recently read the terrific book ‘creating true peace‘ by thich nhat hanh (thanks to bz at intrepid flame for turning me on to that) and it is a simple book with a simple message- peace starts within. we have to be the change we seek. engaged buddhism is simply that- engaging with fellow human beings regardless of politics, race, religion, etc. on a basic human level. yeah. there’s always a catch he told me in the book- that i cannot isolate myself but must engage with the community at large- because we are all interdependent on each other as part of the human species. yep. no divisions as human beings. that’s tough for me. he explains it’s tough for westerners because of our culture of division and exclusion. so, i am living in the moment. life is in a state of flux and life is suffering. but we can overcome that and work together in peace to make the planet a better place for everyone. not just the haves.

not exactly the divisive message that the hard right christians and jews are preaching as they seek to divide and conquer the middle east. and there’s no hidden agenda like getting to heaven because life doesn’t really end. and that makes sense to me because i know matter doesn’t die. and that’s comforting to me as face my parents’ mortality and the end of my country as i knew it. life constantly changes- nothing is permanent and much of our suffering comes from our attachment to things- whether they be ideas, people, material stuff, power, etc. the attachment to my mom is a tough one. but she, herself, has told my sister and i that we must let her go when she goes as she will be at peace.

so, the smells and sounds and textures of summer brought many thoughts to my mind.

i know i haven’t given up on politics per se. i don’t believe that we can afford to at this time in history. i just can’t approach it in the same way anymore. i don’t believe in the system. i don’t believe in this current world government nor america’s. i don’t believe in any of the candidates for president and i cannot justify voting for someone i don’t believe has the right view for the direction our country needs to head in. as barack obama heads for the center- he is already too far away from it. he needed to stand up for democracy and for changing the way we do things in america. would he have won? i can’t say but i can say that i won’t vote for him. i can’t. he is just as much a part of the system as hillary clinton and just as disinterested in changing the status quo. al gore forcefully spoke about change. it has to happen. it will happen whether we like it or not. i just wish america would have led the way.

letting go and opening up are concepts that do not come easily for me but i need to find inner peace. i need to find a better way. and i think this buddha guy has something here.

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al gore

“There are times in the history of our nation when our very way of life depends upon dispelling illusions and awakening to the challenge of a present danger. In such moments, we are called upon to move quickly and boldly to shake off complacency, throw aside old habits and rise, clear-eyed and alert, to the necessity of big changes. Those who, for whatever reason, refuse to do their part must either be persuaded to join the effort or asked to step aside. This is such a moment. The survival of the United States of America as we know it is at risk. And even more – if more should be required – the future of human civilization is at stake.”

read and/or listen to rest here

well said mr. gore

picture and story here

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a little light reading for the weekend

i am up to my eyeballs in boxes and packing and moving stuff- but i still have internet and my morning cuppa i like to read through my google reader when i get the chance- i have been mostly skipping newsy blogs because i don’t have time to read the same crap different day. one blog i always read is survival acres blog. many folks don’t really fully know how bad things are in the world- and wouldn’t want to believe it even if they did. the admin over there seems to have the finger on the pulse of the scientific community and other industries- and his writings often confirm my own independent research. now, it isn’t a nice fuzzy place to visit- it is stark truth with no candy coating. i believe that people have doomed ourselves- knowingly or not. an accident still has consequences- although the event itself was not planned.

my own view of the world mirrors much of what admin speaks about and he recently posted a post that said- prepare for the future but for heaven’s sake- live your life too! i intend to store food and grow my own- but i want to enjoy what i can as well. we all still only have one life to live and this is our only shot. we inherited a raw deal- but we can still make the most of what we have and live to the fullest. so- please take a moment to read this latest post- it’s a bit long but it explains his position- which is very close to my own with much more detail. survival acres blog

“Right now, the United States is very actively aligning itself for more resource wars, which is a direct response to the things I’ve just said. The rhetoric leveled against various countries is a barely disguised attempt to demonize these resource rich regions, ultimately for the benefit of American corporations and rich and wealthy “foreigners”. America will launch more wars, as will other nations like China and Russia as the world plunges into deeper and deeper resource shortages. They will do this because they believe they have no other choice for their survival. This will create a world of global conflict, which is what we already have today.

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McCain and Lieberman pulling bait and switch

McCain gave a speech recently about the environment and alternative energy. Some folks gave him kudos for that speech and his stance, which possibly pissed off a few Rethugs.

Many more of us figured it was bullshit on a stick. And it was…

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sustainable living

which is not really the right wording- but i didn’t want to scare folks. based on what i know of world events- the fact that there are current food shortages and droughts ravaging the planet and the fact that the corporatocracy of this country and elsewhere is basically doing bupkus to even address the issue of global climate change- i am not terribly optimistic that the 6+ billion folks on this planet are all going to make it. here in the land of plenty, it is inconceivable to us that the drought and famine would ever touch us- but it’s coming. there are parts of the south and southwest that have been in drought conditions for years- hell, georgia and tennessee are already battling over water rights. so, what can we do?

it isn’t easy to do over night- and i began last year trying stuff out- but my plan is to grow as much food as i can at my home. the meat thing is for another post- but the short answer- when possible buy from local farmers. again, that will be another post. i have invested in heirloom seeds but hey, if you don’t want to do that- go to your local nursery or garden center and pick up a few packets of the basics. i intend to save seeds from my plants from year to year- and since i haven’t had time to devote to really looking into how- i will save that for another post too. i am lucky to have a backyard at my disposal at my mom’s house and i tilled up a patch for a garden this year- and i will get into tilling versus no till methods– yep. another post

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winging it

veronica tennant

i don’t really know what to post about these days- and it is becoming a common lament across the blogosphere. seems like the bad news just keeps coming and getting worse all of the time. i find that i don’t know really what to do but i feel like i must do something. and i find i have to calm myself down and remind myself that this life is only temporary anyway- so i may as well make the most of what i have- and i have so very much more than most people who share this planet. so- here i am. anyone who reads what i write wherever i write- probably has figured out that i am a huge james blunt fan. i do not keep it a secret. so- his latest song- ‘carry you home’ is on the rotating playlist- i posted it here not to long ago. but it’s the song-’i can’t hear the music’ that is running through my head at present:

‘And if I can’t hear the music
And the audience is gone
I’ll dance here on my own.
And I hope the lonely hearts club band
Will play out one last song
Before the sun goes down.’

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