18th World Conference on Disaster Management, Toronto.Learn how to give fake news conferences just like the pros at FEMA?
Saturday, October 27, 2007
In light of the fact that the U.S. Emergency Management team, FEMA has demonstrated a fairly woeful response to disasters I thought it was time to have a look at what other countries were doing to 'manage' disasters.
It turns out that the 'world' has a plan to manage disasters. The 18th Annual World Conference on Disaster Managementis holding their meeting in Toronto, Ontario at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre June 15-18, 2008.
Come and "Network with your peers-there are solutions out there; you may even have the solution to someone [else's] problem." says their beautiful Website.
The theme of the coming event is going to be: 'Resiliency-Individual, Community and Business".
The Resiliency of the individual is something we all need to pay close attention to and pack our own shoots. If we leave our safety in the time of a disaster in the hands of government and business we will be in for a rude awakening.
"This is one conference you can't afford to miss." touts the home page of the conference. "This is your chance to participate in a knowledge exchange unlike any other event of its kind."
We can only hope no one is going to take back the knowledge of the FEMA team, unless it's the knowledge of what they have learned doesn't work. FEMA may demonstrate how to hold "fake" news conferences. They may teach "schilling" your own employee's as actual news reporters. This way you may "field" only the questions you want to answer, and avoid those nasty follow-up questions.
Disaster relief teams from around the world could learn a lot from FEMA. Some things very helpful, and others 'not so much'.
In 2007, this event 'attracted more than 1,800 participants from Canada, and the U.S. as well as internationally. They expect this coming year to have even more attendees. So "Take Advantage now!". "Reserve Space" so that you too may sell your disaster wears both at home and abroad.
Don't miss the many mixers planned for the event either. You may even have the opportunity to watch the Heimlich Maneuver in action!
But...maybe you can identify this man or woman, spend as much time as you need.
They shoot horses don't they?
1,400 scientists have concluded humans have punched their dance card for the final time. Humans have danced themselves to the brink of annihilation and done it without taking so much as a break to sleep. However, it seems we have taken more than enough time to have sex and over eat.
Let them eat cake and reproduce into oblivion.
Earth's population has grown by 34% since 1987.
Each person in the world requires 1/3 more of the earths resources than she is able to now supply. Just try to balance your checking account with that kind of cash flow. It can't be done. The earth 'audit' was done by 400 scientists all experts in their field and then vetted by 1.000 others.
In the face of what seems to be the most dire predictions of doom awaiting the planet we are slapped the cold wet fist of industry:
damage sustained to the environment was of fundamental economic concern, and if left unchecked would affect economic growth
Is there no light at the end of this tunnel? There will be zero commerce when the stores and factories stand empty vanquished of consumers and workers. It seems patently obvious to most of us a symbiotic relationship between profits and consumers must exist. Killing the customer doesn't make much sense, but that is exactly the monster that has been methodically created.
Achim Steiner, executive director of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), said "The systematic destruction of the Earth's natural and nature-based resources has reached a point where the economic viability of economies is being challenged, and where the bill we hand to our children may prove impossible to pay."
On the very same pages these stories are crying doom and extinction are listed a bevy of mind-numbing fluff.
Click here to see rugby legends discuss the topics you raised! Love Sudoku? Play our brand new interactive game! Play Fantasy CEO! Play Fantasy Football! New suspect in Madeleine McCann disappearance! (he has no face, but look at the sketch anyway) Find out what was behind Marie Osmond's Fall on Dancing with the Stars!
Oh please, can we become any more pathetic?
May my finger fall off if I try to click on one more totally irrelevant story designed to detour my mind from the real problems facing me, and the rest of us today!
Oceans Losing The Ability to Trap CO2, they may be reaching the saturation point.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Like a rock-n-roll guitar player that stands too close to his amplifier, climate change is now creating a dreaded 'feedback' affect.
Loss of ice in the Arctic means less 'white' which reflects the sunshine back into space. In the summer we wear white or light colored clothing to reflect the heat of the sun away from us. In the winter we wear dark colors that absorb the heat. The tundra is melting absorbing more heat. The heat is rapidly decomposing plant material and in return releasing methane. Methane is over 20 times more potent than other greenhouse gases.
A study done at the University of East Anglia shows that the North Atlantic Ocean is only absorbing half of the C02 it once did, and southern oceans have stopped absorbing it, and are now releasing C02 back into the atmosphere.
The ocean's ability to absorb C02 is called C02 sink. Merchant ships equipped with instruments to measure carbon dioxide (C02) in the water have been collecting data every month and have generated more than 90,000 measurements in just the past few years.
The North Atlantic Ocean's ability to absorb C02 abruptly declined, while the Indian Ocean's absorption ability was making more of a taper.
Emissions of carbon dioxide from the ocean have actually increased by 40% since 1981.
International team leader Dr. Corinne Le Quere, from the University of Eat Anglia and British Antarctic Survey says, "This is serious. All climate models predict that this kind of 'feedback will continue and intensify during this century."
The Associated Press is reporting that CDC director Julie Gerberding's report delivered to Congress yesterday was cut by 1/2. The report was to address public health effects of climate change. Details of how climate change and global warming will affect the health of Americans and how the government has failed to fully address the potential health risks of climate changes.
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) wants to know why the administration would edit testimony by "one of the country's leading voices on public health.
For their part the Bush Administration via Dana Perino, White House spokeswoman says,..."It (the report) wasn't watered down in terms of the concerns that climate change raises for the public health."
Those at the CDC can take a number and stand in line behind other agencies that have been muted on climate change and the environment.
Speak no evil, or speak only of the evil we embrace seems to be this administrations motto.
From NASA the Fish and Wildlife Service to The EPA, up to and including censorship of exhibits on Global warming at the Smithsonian Institute, keeping Climate Change and Global Warming on the lowest key possible is the melody.
Links provided are to Pacific Spirit Archived Articles on Censorship. CDC report is a PDF file.
Alabama Governor Bob Riley Ready to Face Off With Drought Strickened Georgia!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Alabama Governor Bob Riley has written a 3 page letter to G.W.Bush asking that he deny Georgia's Governor's request for presidential emergency actions.
Them'z fightin' word'z!
Riley paints Perdue as an out and out liar. In his letter to the President he characterizes Perdue's pleas for Divine presidential intervention as merely being a contest between people versus endangered mussels. Riley says "Nothing could be further from the truth."
Riley paints Perdue as an out and out liar. In his letter to the President he characterizes Perdue's pleas for Divine presidential intervention as merely being a contest between people versus endangered mussels. Riley says "Nothing could be further from the truth."
In my book, the thing furthest from the truth would be a lie. A horrible, bald faced lie. And so it begins, as the planet heats up, the turf wars heat up. Yikes!
Suffering a melt down?
Riley is so opposed to Georgia obtaining Federal intervention into it's drought predicament that he reminds the president such action would not be safe.
If Georgia is allowed to keep it's water in Lake Lanier there could be a nuclear event. Riley states, "Georgia ignores the fact that the Farley Nuclear Plant sits on the banks of the Chattahoochee River and requires cooling water at the nuclear plant." Riley goes on, "If Georgia obtained the presidential action it seeks, then there would likely be inadequate cooling water for the nuclear plant." "That is obviously something that cannot be allowed to happen."
Never miss the chance to overstate the obvious?
Riley does make it sound as though there isn't any way to back off or shut down Farley temporarily and that a slow down of industrial activity along the Chattahoochee River would be tantamount to the end of Alabama.
Wouldn't saving one of America's major cities trump some temporary economic hardships that would be taken by industry?
The cloud of hurricane Katrina hangs over questions such as those.
Some people did learn from Katrina. Northeast Georgia Medical Center isn't going to be caught waiting for the federal government to come and save them in a disaster. Kevin Matson, safety and emergency preparedness coordinator at the Center says a contingency plan will be submitted to the Georgia Division of Public Health. Part of the plan would be to bring in tanks of non potable water for toilet flushing.
Hope springs eternal if the faucet doesn't!
Jackie Joseph, president of the Lake Lanier Association, tosses a brighter spin on the drought, "There are some people who are trying to look at the bright side and say, well, the lake has filled up before, it can do it again." She goes on, "Our leaders didn't seem to learn much from the last drought in 1999-2002."
Yep, yep...Things are different this time though.
Governor Sonny Perdue is declaring North Georgia a disaster area and asking President Bush for federal assistance.
FEMA, Bush, Disaster... not a successful combination.
If Atlanta thinks it holds any more importance to the nation than New Orleans held they may want to reconsider that sentiment.
NASA Orders Cover-up of Commercial Aviation Safety!
Monday, October 22, 2007
After 4 years, $8.5 Million and 24,000 interviews with commercial and general aviation pilots NASA deems findings would undermine the public's confidence in commercial air travel. Yikes!
NASA shut down this project a year ago and refused to divulge the results. Obviously an already cash-strapped NASA felt there were good reasons to spend $8.5 Million on an aviation safety study. NASA has been auctioning off their own artifacts. One example includes a multi-million dollar satellite from the 1960's a collector was lucky enough to snag for $50 which now sits in his barn!
Much more troubling than refusing to divulge the results of the lengthy and expensive survey is that last week NASA ordered the contractor that conducted the survey to purge all related data from its computers.
Ya Think?
Thomas S. Luedtke, a senior NASA official acknowledged that the findings of this study could damage the public's confidence in the airlines adversely affecting airline profits.
For 14 months the Associated Press has tried to obtain the survey data under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. In the end, Luedtke issued a final statement which justified the cover-up. Pilots that participated in the survey might in the end lose their lively hood if the public lost faith in the safety of aviation. The pilots participated in the survey with the promise of anonymity along with the companies for whom they worked.
Don't ask, don't tell.
Somebody did ask. The U.S. tax payers have spent $8.5 million on this survey. For NASA not to tell what they learned, in order to protect the profits of the airline industry, is reprehensible.
What is that nasty smell?
Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., Congress chairman House Science and Technology investigations and oversight subcommittee said "There is a faint odor about it all".
A faint odor isn't exactly what a red herring gives off.
Officials at NASA Ames Research Center in California have said they want publish their own report on the project. I hope they saved the data they ultimately ordered to be disposed of, otherwise their report may contain the usual vague recollection spin that permeates the U.S.'s selective memory.
China Wages War with Clouds! Cloud Seeding and the Environment
Where Has All The Water Gone? On A Slow Boat To China?
It may be crazy to think about but consider this for a moment. China now has more than 37,000 peasants working to produce rain. That's right.
While millions of people are suffering from horrific wide spread drought, China says it has added a staggering 275 Billion..That's Billion...cubic yards of additional rainfall by using rocket launchers. Rocket launcher are filled with artillery pieces loaded with silver iodide and other chemicals and then blasted into clouds.
China has been testing it's rainmaking prowess for more than a dozen years now and they think they have a pretty good record. The Gutlan Reservoir in Fujian province is reported to have had a 24% increase since the testing began.
China has the largest rainmaking operation in the world followed by Russia and Israel.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
I don't need to tell any of you again that I'm no rocket scientist but, I'm going to fall down on the side of some of China's Henan province residents. 2 years ago a 5 city squabble broke out with accusations of 'cloud theft' broke out. In my mind it only stands on the side of reason that unnaturally bleeding water from clouds in one part of the world would send empty clouds to another part.
Whether or not my theory is true sending chemicals into the sky with rocket launchers has to be a bad idea on so many levels.
Keep your eye on the prize!
Scientists using satellites analyze cloud content from several major cities. When the time look right they put out the call for any number of the 37,000 weather troops to assemble. Each team can assemble in a matter of minutes and begin firing chemicals into promising clouds in their area.
To the victor go the spoils!
Do we not have enough evidence that everything in this world is tied together in an inextricable knot?
China doesn't just want to produce more rainfall to fill their newly completed $25 Billion dollar Three Gorges Dam which is the largest to date in the world, they want to also stop the rain from falling.
Don't rain on my parade!
Zhang Qiang, a 'weather modifier' at the Beijing Meteorological Bureau will try to stop the rain from ruining the Olympics. Zhang will try to intercept the rain clouds by calling out his troops to divert them.
Microwaves aren't just for popping corn.
One way scientists are scheming to stop hurricanes is by dumping black soot on to the top of a hurricane. They are thinking that the dark color will draw the sun's heat and warm the icy clouds at the top causing it to loose it's power.
If the soot isn't black enough how about shredding tires and dropping black them across the top?
Maybe the beaming of microwaves from space to the tops of the hurricanes thereby changing their airflow is a better idea.
I'm in agreement that we have to start finding ways to adapt to our changing environment, but there are light years between the word adapt, and the word control.
Man has apparently learned nothing from his quest to maintain dominance on the planet.
Is this going to be the key that unlocks the trap we have set for ourselves, or will this be just one more nail in the coffin?
3.5 MILLION tons of trash floating in the Pacific Ocean!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Guns don't kill people, people kill people. Plastic doesn't pollute, people pollute?
It's no surprise that a member of the American Plastics Council was quoted in 2004 saying the reason plastic is everywhere is because it's such a good material that does so much so well.
Plastic does do so many things so well. One of the things we are finding out it does so well is cause Testicular Dysgenesis Syndrome (TDS) which has been increasing daily. Plastics that contain Phthalates can migrate into the foods they come into contact with and be ingested and absorbed into our systems.
The chemical BPA, Bisphenol A, which has been used in the manufacturing of some plastics since the 1950's is now being shown to cause 'gender confusion'.
BPA has been found to actually pass from generation to generation in utero. This is a topic of conversation best left to other forums, but cosider the fact that there may be less gender confusion in underdeveloped countries where less plastic has been used customarily in every aspect of life for generations.
We have now been exposed to so much plastic that we are urinating the stuff!
Why would anyone be surprised to find there is a bundle of trash, estimated to weigh 3.5 MILLION tons of trash floating in the Pacific Ocean. 80% of this heap, larger than twice the size of Texas, is made up from plastic debris. Debris that is blown washed and flooded out to sea.
Tons of plastic that doesn't find its way into land fills finds it way to the coastlines and is carried out to see into a giant vortex of currents.
Shame on you, shame on me. Shame on all of us.
We are being told at this point cleaning this mess up isn't an option. Continuing to live as though there is no tomorrow, and letting the petroleum and plastics industry continue to dictate our futures isn't an option.
Global Warming Will Lead To Civil Unrest and The Use of Funny Hats
Friday, October 19, 2007
City-states and climate change aren't two terms being used in public but, they most certainly are being used behind closed doors when government and science collide over global warming.
Atlanta, Georgia has found itself on the brink of a disaster. Two days ago the estimated water reserve in Lake Lanier was enough to last only 81 more days.
Given the fact that Atlanta should receive nearly 14 more inches of rain per year than Seattle, Washington a drought in Atlanta seems out of the realm of possibilities, and yet it has happened.
The Army Corps of Engineers is mandated to release millions of gallons of water that flow downstream to Florida and Alabama. In spite of the fact that Atlanta is suffering the largest drought in their history. Much of the water released is part of an attempt to save the endangered Mussel. Freshwater mussels are among the most endangered organisms in North America from Canada all the way down to Florida.
The Governor of Georgia demanded the Corp stop releasing vital water, but the Corps has it's orders. Florida's Environmental Chief sent a warning to the Corps staying that reducing the flow of water from Georgia "would severely impact Florida's natural resources." Florida has already complained that Georgia is not sending enough water downstream as it is.
You can't get blood from a turnip!
The Governor of Alabama is crying to the Corps for more water from Georgia. Alabama is also trying to cope with shortages. Georgia's Governor says he is prepared to file suit to stop the release of his State's water causing further tensions between the three states.
The National Weather Service expects this coming winter to also be one of the driest on record so it doesn't look like there will be any relief insight for the near future.
Those of us paying attention to these kinds of things know that situations just like this one are only the tip of the iceberg. The States downstream can cry all they want about the lack of water being sent to them, but if there is no excess water to send what happens?
Last night the state held a public hearing in Rome, Georgia which drew a lively crowd of protesters. The County Commission Chairman was quoted as saying "I'd rather not characterize it as a fight...as competing interests that we need to find some solutions to."
Bad moon rising!
Officials may, rather these types of issues not be characterized as fights, but what they have on their hands whether they'd rather or not, is a festering boil on the rump of civility.
If the best they can do is ask their constituents to 'pray for rain', they have more problems on their hands than they realize. Atlanta's problem isn't just affecting other states it's having an impact on other cities in Georgia. State versus state will seem like a cake walk if neighboring cities start feuding.
If officials are paying attention to the chatter on local Internet forums, and I hope they are, they will see that the locals are quickly becoming restless.
A few quotes from the local forums:
"Couldn't the Army in Iraq use a few more soldiers? The Corps is Army, ship them off..."
"...Keep our water where it belongs: In Lake Lanier for all the wealthy boaters to enjoy..."
"Before you argue that endangered species stuff, just remember this: the mussels would eat you given the chance."
"Endangered species...Boo! Species come. Species go. We have the ability to save ourselves over the mussels so we should. If a species is unable to continue existence for whatever reason then that's the way it is, get over it and move on."
"Disease, blight, famine, economical devastation and death are what will come with this idiotic attitude..."
Tossing the baby out with the bath water!
Today Georgia Law makers are trying to move legislation in Congress, that will waive the requirements of the "Endangered Species Act,"
As more and more people become pushed by the detrimental affects of Global Warming, environmental issues will be shoved out the window.
The sad thing is; man's innate desire to survive happens to be predicated on the survival of the environment, it's not the other way around.
Photo: 11Alive News. Protester wearing mussel shaped hat speaking at last nights meeting in Rome Georgia.
Diminishing Habitat Investigation Nets Revelation: Mangrove Killifish Neither Fish nor Foul?
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Mangrove ecosystems are used as habitat for a wide and strange group of aquatic and terrestrial species. There are about 110 species of vegetation identified as Mangal, and each one share a unique ability to overcome problems inherent to their habitat.
As if the the Mangrove plants aren't interesting enough on their own, having the ability to grown in high salt content waters, low oxygen supplies and tidal flooding the mangrove forests are home to killifish.
The Killifish has always been known as a strange creature because it is actually able to produce its own eggs like a female and then as if by magic fertilize those same eggs like a male.
Now it has been discovered that the Killifish doesn't just have the attributes of two sexes, but it also can live under the waters that the Mangroves live in but, they can live in the branches of those trees above water too.
The Killifish is able to live inside rotten branches and trunks of the Mangroves. apparently the killifish can turn itself into an air breathing machine. This makes the killifish one of the oddest fish known to man.
What seems even more odd than the ability to reproduce without a mate added to the killifish's newly discovered ability to breath air is the fact that this trait is only now being discovered.
Biologists wading in the swamps that are home to the Mangroves discovered hundreds of killifish hiding outside of the water in tree branches. It's suspected that the fish had flung themselves into the branches of the trees when the pools of muddy water they are normally found in began to dry up.
The fish were lined up end to end along grooves that had been previously carved out by insects munching away at the trees. These fish are said to be normally very territorial, adding even more paradox to this amazing creatures resume.
The Killifish has both male and female attributes, territorial and group traits and it can adapt its gills to utilize water or air to breath. There are other fish that are adapted to use both air and water such as South-east Asia's walking catfish, and the climbing perch of India. But, the strangest fish award this week has to be given to the Killifish.
We are finding out daily that there is so much more we don't know about the earth around us, than what we do know. Tragically we are loosing species daily that have yet to be discovered let alone studied.
Have these killifish always been flinging themselves into tree branches and hanging out, or are we in the midst of witnessing an evolutionary leap?
Got Guilt? No Carb Car Diet Emits Zero Guilt. That's Carburetor!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
I suppose if your building what you believe is "...one of the world's great new automobiles." you can model your entire business to be great from the ground up.
The internal combustion engine, has turned out to be the 'great guy' that while giving you the shirt off his back, knifes you in yours while you're thanking him. The industrialized nations have certainly been built on the backs of these engines, but the same engines are breaking the backs of those that depend upon them.
The symbiotic relationship of man and engine has certainly failed the litmus test of mutualism. There seems to be a race underway to find out which will kill the other first.
Several hundred electric..."groundbreaking, historically significant car"s, being delivered in 2008 won't do too much to give mankind the lead in the race against the internal combustion engine, but it may go a long way in turning the tide in man's favor.
The pressure to get things correct from the beginning has to be far greater on a new company that is aiming to 'change the expectations of car drivers everywhere.' The old U.S. auto makers have failed so many people in so many ways. From plants that produce pollutants to the finished product that produces pollutants.
We like that Tesla is thinking about things such as point of purchase recycling. Tesla roadster owners will be able to return their batteries and tires for recycling. More point of purchase recycling needs to be addressed by retailers with product manufacturers.
The Tesla Roadster is definitely being born with a silver spoon in its mouth. These cars are not being manufactured for the 'everyday Joe'. These are going to be high end cars with high end range (245 miles), acceleration (0 to 60 in under 4 seconds) and they are aiming for a top speed of 125 mph.
Tesla Motors believes they have the people and the financing in place to "ensure that we will be successful..."
It feels a little like pinning the future of the planet to the lapels of those who would rather they "let them eat cake".
Tesla is aiming high and I hope they hit their mark.
In Tasmania, where only 2.3% of the population of Australia are living, they receive 12% of the national annual rainfall. There are those that think it would make sense to move some of that rainfall to where it is really needed.
On the surface it makes sense to collect the abundant rain water and move it to regions where fresh drinking water is in ever shortening supplies. But, these days every story of quick fixes, work-around, and bright ideas for the future is usually followed by several cautionary tales of how or why these ideas turned out to be bad ideas.
Hopefully this won't turn out to be the case for Tasmania where by all accounts it looks like they are taking a green proactive approach to global warming and climate change. Tasmania even has a Climate Change Team located in their Strategic Policy Division. Their prediction is that rainfall my likely increase on the western and droughts will continue to worsen on the eastern side.
A large portion of Tasmania's energy comes from renewable sources, and nearly 40% of Tasmania has been set aside as 'conservation' reserves. 90% of their electricity is from hydro-electricity and wind. Tasmania seems to be on the right track, trying to anticipate and lessen the impact of global warming on their region.
There has been a proposal made to use supertankers for water, and ferry the water to the eastern side of the Country. Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland.
The majority of rainfall on the western side of Tasmania runs into swollen rivers and is pushed into the sea essentially wasting the fresh water. Of course we may find out 50 years down the road that all the fresh water that empties into the sea in fact was serving some sort of vital purpose. For now though how this water may be transported is the really interesting thing about this proposal.
A company called Solar Sailor has made one of the proposals the government is considering. Solar Sailor proposes the water be transported using their solar sail and hybrid marine power vessels suited for the task. These vessels have higher fuel savings, unlimited range and can have zero emissions.
Solar Sailor has received a 2007 Laureate Intel Environment Environment Award as part of the Annual Tech Museum Awards, Technology Benefiting Humanity.
Without a crystal ball it is difficult to predict our future as it relates to innovation being good for the environment in the long term. We've certainly done a tremendous amount of damage before anyone even started asking, "is this a good move for the future of the planet?" Now that these questions have started to be asked in earnest the answer is the same, at this point it is difficult to predict.
Now to the credit of mankind, we are at least asking.
Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize over night. He was expected to win, but he was expected to win the 2000 Presidential Election. In fact he did win.
He could have fought for his rightful place in the White House, but instead of further polarizing the U.S. he opted out for peace. He stepped aside. He went away and took up environmental issues.
The fact that the world has not seen more than a few days of peace since the 2000 US Presidential Elections cuts like a two edged sword now that Al has won the Nobel Peace Prize.
In a recent poll in the US as many as 33% of the people indicated they didn't think Al Gore deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. This seems to fall near the same percentage of people in the U.S. that don't believe in Global Warming. Needless to say, most of those people are, no doubt, the same ones that voted for G.W.Bush, many of them twice. Now that really is an inconvenient truth.
Al Gore's film "An Inconvenient Truth" won an Oscar. Today, a conservative think-tank in New Zealand, has written to the Academy Awards president asking that the Oscar Awarded be taken back.
The move to have the Oscar 'recalled' comes on the heals of a judge ruling that the film could not be shown in British schools without guidance notes. We can only imagine what information those guidance notes will contain. The judge stated in part, ..."his (Al Gore) so-called documentary contained critical distortions that are quite contrary to the principles of good documentary journalism."
The New Zealand think-tank equates the stripping of the Oscar with men and women in sports being stripped of their medals when found to be cheating.
Watching the planet die should never be equated with a spectator sport.
In the U.S. the conservatives are, more often than ever, painting environmentalists as enemies of the State, as traitors and treasonists.
In conservative circles giving aid and comfort to the planet is akin to giving aid and comfort to the enemy which is, defined in the U.S. Constitution as, Treason.
The Earth is not our enemy.
To give aid and comfort to our planet, regardless of the reasons for her illness should not be considered treasonist, in fact quite the contrary. To do otherwise is morally reprehensible.
Recently in Britian, as a woman lay dying on the street a young man urinated on her while a friend filmed him on a camera phone. As the young man urinated he was heard saying what a hit the clip would be on Youtube.com.
The woman that was dying was not killed by these young men. She had a disease that had progressed to the point of her swan song. The reason for her disease and why she was drawing her final breath alone on the sidewalk isn't important to this point, although tragic.
Instead of giving aid and comfort to a dying woman, these kids decided to urinate upon her. Adding insult to injury they filmed the act. They sent her on her way to death inflicting upon her most uncomfortable and humiliating conditions they could come up with.
For those actually concerned with the well being of the planet the reason for its illness is hardly at issue. The real issue is what can be done to give sustainence back to our planet.
Our planet is dying. We need to give aid and comfort to her so that she might rest and recuperate. Nurturing and stewardship of the planet are not the acts of traitors.
The same may not be said for pissing on a dying planet.
Al Gore winning the Nobel Prize for Peace, may very well be the largest slice of irony the world has ever had to face. His refusal to stand up and fight for his right to the U.S. Presidency may turn out to be the single biggest detriment to peace the world has ever known.
More trouble for Mattel. You remember those are the people we used to trust to make toys for our children. If Mattel is able to survive their latest troubles I will be surprised.
Shareholders have lost up to 20% of the value of their stocks and are now finding out they may have been knowingly fleeced. Mattel toy problems didn't start, nor will they stop with the massive recall of toys made in China with up to 186 times the legal level of lead.
If there could possibly be a worse offense than failing to report the injuries to children caused by their products, for months and in some cases knowing about dangerous defects for years; I don't know what it could be.
The morally reprehensible team in charge at Mattel needs to face a jury for their negligent actions. Mattel was well aware of their safety failures, yet they failed to report and recall products that caused fires in homes, burned children, and in at least one case caused an infant to undergo lung surgery after a small piece of Mattel was inhaled.
One might assume if Mattel failed to report product defects they were aware of, they may certainly have been busy covering them up. Apparently in no case were they busy fixing these failures.
At least Mattel will have to face the justice system. Sterling Heights Police & Fire Retirement system, Michigan, has filed a suit seeking compensatory and other damages, the suit alleges Mattel failed to be forthright in its reporting defects in its products to regulators.
Adding to Mattel's problems the FTC, Federal Trade Commission, will soon become involved as evidence surfaces that Mattel directors may have sold off at least $33 million dollars worth of their own stock shortly before 10's of millions of Mattel toys were recalled. We can anticipate other shareholders to follow suit.
China is none too happy with the Mattel problems further tarnishing their reputation. China has plenty of product problems of their own without Mattel heaping on more.
If malfeasance is met with a blind eye in the U.S., insider trading certainly is not. It looks as though, one way or another, punishment will be dealt to at least some of these criminals.
Barbie may have to sell her dream house and down-grade to a condo to pay her legal fees. And,this coming so soon after her break-up with Ken.
Global Warming, Warmer Water Temperatures Spell Trouble For Humans Too.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Warmer water temperatures will be bringing a bevy of new problems for humans as well as the creatures that make their homes in and near the water.
The CDC, Center for Disease control is reporting a spike in cases of death from Naegleria fowleri. 6 deaths have been reported this year from the brain-eating amoeba. 6 cases don't sound like a lot until we see there were only 23 cases reported during 10 entire years from 1994 to 2004.
The CDC says there have been only several hundred cases reported worldwide since its discovery in Australia in the 60's. Still, an amoeba that enters through the nose and eats the brain sounds like the stuff science fiction horror is made from.
For the family of the latest reported victim, 14 years old, this isn't fiction, but a very real horror. Now the residents of Tucson Arizona have been alerted to the fact that their water supply has tested positive for the presence of the deadly Naegleria fowleri.
It sounds like a bad good news, bad news joke. The bad news is this Amoeba feeds on your brain until it kills you. The good news is, it come into your body through your nose. Scientists recommend not snorting the water. Yep....
Scientists also believe as the earth's surface heats up there will be more and more deaths from Naegleria fowleri as well as other disease and illness.
The amoeba feed on bacteria that grows in warm waters. It lives in soil and warm bodies of water like hot springs, rivers and lakes. Pools if not properly maintained can grow the microbes too.
Pay attention here. The microbe lives in surface water, but now it's been found in the city of Tucson's water supply. There is speculation the microbe that's now been found in its new home, in the underground water source, may be a result of the use of biodegradable oils used in the city's water pumps.
Is this another case of the cure being worse than the disease?
The growth of Naegleria fowleri in underground water sources may be the unintended consequences of using environmentally friendly lubricants. Go figure.
Tucson residents have been assured that their water is sufficiently chlorinated, and this brain-eating amoeba is dead before it flows from their faucets. I rarely get water up my nose when I'm drinking it, but it frequently goes in my nose when I shower. I'm not certain I would be reassured.
If this microbe has been previously only found on surface water, will a day come when this microbe was previously killed by chlorine added to the water?
Fashion Industry Wouldn't Be Caught Dead Sweating Global Warming!
Monday, October 8, 2007
Climate change is reshaping the way fashionistas are updating their wardrobes, and the fashion industry is retooling.
Unlike other industries that have lumbered along under the weight of "we've always done it this way, we'll always do it this way", the fashion industry has always had to be intellectually forward and lean.
In the past, there were two major shifts in fashion trends every single year. The fall/winter fashions, and the spring/summer. Not so anymore.
Some famous and cutting edge fashion houses have already started consulting with climate experts trying to stay as lean as the models on their runways.
Constantly churning out new fashion must-have trends is old hat in the apparel industry, but now that the lines are becoming blurred between the seasons those with a keen fashion eye aren't buying the seasonal changes.
Many large retailers have decided to stock swim suites all year long now. Weather forecasters told the U.S. that the best weather of the year for beach goers was the first week in October.
Retailers are preparing to face sagging sales due to the economic climate already, now they are facing off with the global weather climate. It is becoming more critical than ever to be able to understand when to move items out on discount and move new items in.
The Wall Street Journal reported Liz Claiborne Inc. called in climatologists to address climate change with 30 of its top executives.
Global warming is producing strange bedfellows. Climatologists may never have foreseen a time when they would be called on to discuss fabrics and seasonal markdowns on fashion. Oddly enough the fashion industry has always had to keep up with the changing climate.
Along with cutting new patterns, the fashion industry is coining new terms: Transeasonal Collections being the latest. No surprise to the fashionistas among us. Heidi Klum, and her gaggle of experts on Project Runway are always asking "Is this fashion forward, does it have a point of view and what story are you trying to tell?" Tim Gunn's words are nearly prophetic when he says "make it work".
Making it work is what fashion, and retail fashion outlets intend to do. We won't be catching these people snoozing.
In the most elegant words of our high priestess of fashion Coco Chanel:
"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live and what is happening." "In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different."
It's turning out fashion edicts may be coming from the sky, and what is happening. Coco C's words have not fallen on deaf ears, perhaps that's because fur ear muffs are so yesterday!
EPA Approves Methyl Iodide to Replace Methyl Bromide. Differences Blur!
The EPA approved methyl Iodide being manufactured and sold by Arysta LifeScience Corp., late last week. In spite of concerns by scientists and physicians, many of whom are Nobel Prize winners.
Leaping from the frying pan into the fire is common place these days. Each time one evil is eliminated another one rears its ugly head to replace it. Methyl Iodide has many of the same dangerous traits as the chemical it will now be used to replace. It also seems to pose less danger to the earth's ozone.
The EPA says Midas has undergone rigorous testing. The Department of Pesticide Regulation in California is conducting its own tests which won't be completed for several more months. The California agency uses stricter guidelines than the EPA when it comes to what can be used in California.
Arysta has spent more than $11 million dollars on their own data, and 8 years.
Pay careful attention here.
Last year the EPA dropped its plan to approve methly iodide. But, the agency was given 'additional data' to review by Arysta. Elin Miller, Arysta's former chief executive, is now a top official at the EPA and is now the administrator of the EPA's northwest region.
Voila! Another case of the Fox guarding the hen house?
Pressure from the United Farm Workers, some environmental groups and California pesticide officials may be underlying the one-year approval methyl iodide was granted. The EPA says the one-year approval is due to new regulations it is developing for all fumigants.
The effects of Global warming are running at break-neck speeds. Efforts to prop the dominoes back up seem to be finally moving into high gear all over the world.
Is the cure going to be more deadly than the disease? How soon will we hear the words,"The treatment was a success, but the patient died?"
What do you do if you hold the world record for being the deforestation champion? You host the U.N. Climate Change summit!
Before your guests arrive, from 189 countries, you spruce things up by planting 79 million trees in a single day.
That's what is happening in Indonesia, where they destroyed an area of forest the size of 300 soccer fields PER HOUR between 2000 and 2005, this according to Greenpeace.
It would be nice attain a world record for planting the most trees in one day. I'm kind of feeling like 79 million seedlings still wouldn't equal 300 soccer fields per hour for 5 years, but it's a nice start.
Indonesia is one of the worlds top 3 greenhouse gas emitters due to deforestation, along with the U.S. and China.
China recently became #1 ahead of the U.S.
The tree planting event is scheduled to take place in November with the summit being held in December.
Australia will contribute $22 million to preserve 173,000 acres of peat forest in Indonesia's kalimantan region and re-flood nearly 500,000 acres of dried up peat swamps. The dried up peat swamps were left as a result of a failed plan to use that land to grow rice. Indonesia wanted to provide all of it's own rice needs. 10 years later the fields of peat lie brittle and dry catching fire frequently.
When the peat lands burn it sends billows of smoke on the wind to neighbors in the region. Not exactly a good neighbor policy.
The plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 700 million tonnes over the next 30 years.
Photo Thanks: IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency
More Poison Toys from China! Time People on This Side of the Pacific to do Some Real Time! PSMI Extra
Thursday, October 4, 2007
I'm feeling betrayed on so many levels these days. When the spinach and the carrots were recalled due to contamination I starting thinking about all the things most of us do these days to make ourselves and our families, healthier and enriched mentally.
Now this latest recall comes up. If there isn't a law now, we need to see that some new laws are written. I have links posted at the end of this article and I have assigned homework.
While I was reading the list of today's recalled tainted toys and other items 2 things leaped off the page at me. First, some of the product recalled today have been on the market since March of 2005. These items were sold in book stores and gift stores. Second, why on earth has it taken more than 2 years to make the public aware.
The Baby Einstein Discover & Play Blocks and been in the mouths of babies and toddlers for 5 months now. Every mother, hopeful she may raise the next Einstein has thoughtfully provided an enriching toy for her child. A lead laced toy that after 5 months of being in the hands and mouth of her toddler, may very well have given her child a learning disability.
There are Alphabet and Math blocks, learning blocks and Activity learning carts that have been in the hands and mouths of toddlers for a gut wrenching 2 years. Long enough in fact to have gone into subsequent children's hands.
Every now and again we hear a blip in the news about an illegal drug that had been manufactured, where is anyone's guess, poisoning a number of users. As sad and tragic as something like that may be most of us can just let it pass and think 'oh well they shouldn't have been doing that anyway.' Maybe we think, 'they should have known what they were taking was made by some loaded, incompetent idiot in a basement somewhere,' and we move on.
When young mother, and grandparents are buying toys they believe are to the developmental benefit of children and find they have, unknowingly put poison in their child's hands the case needs to turn criminal.
I believe waiting up to 2 years to recall some of these items is criminal, and should be punishable by prison time. Waiting 5 months to recall these toys is criminal. Letting them into the hands of a child for any amount of time is unspeakable.
This is your homework assignment today:
First follow this link to see the list of items in the latest recall and send this link to anyone you know that may be affected by the recall.
Second write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Start the drums beating. If you can't write a letter to your editor (for some reason). Send an email to your Representative in the U.S. you can find them at this link. Canadian Members of Parliament: follow this link
U.S. Army Expansion Planned. Bad News for the Environment
As soon as I published yesterdays article I checked my inbox and found something quite interesting coming from our friends over at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). PEER is about Protecting Employees Who Protect Our Environment.
The title of the news release: PLANNED ARMY EXPANSION WILL INCREASE POLLUTION.
Army expansion? The U.S. Army calls it "force structure modifications". At least that's the working title for their 'environmental impact statement'. The Army foresees this expansion as causing "high" to "very high" adverse effects on air pollution, soil erosion, water usage, energy consumption and a threat to wildlife, noise, air and surface traffic. In the cases where impact is "very high" there is no way to mitigate the impact.
The US Army has no legal obligation to minimize its impact on global warming. In essence though, the Army is an inextricable part of the government, and the government of the U.S. is of, for, and by the people; At least it is supposed to be.
The land the Army has already recently expanded Ft. Irwin in Southern California for larger tank training activities laying waste to even more soil. An oxymoron; destroying American soil, to defend American soil?
The draft for the Army plan (two words I don't like to see together) includes adding approximately 30,000 combat support troops and adding up to six active duty combat brigades! Yikes. No small feat. They plan to expand 17 bases, by at least 1,000 more soldiers; 11 of which are west of the Mississippi.
Of those 11, perhaps most interesting is, these expansions are planned for bases located in the desert and fall south latitudinaly of America's infamous Mason Dixon Line except for Yakima Training Center, Washington State.
Will the Mason Dixon Line once again represent conflict and the worst of times for America?
Most disturbing The U.S. Army repealed the federal regulations governing the Army's impact on air, water and toxic waste pollution. The Army is left with only internal guidelines, which cannot be enforced.
In a July 20, 2007 Federal Register notice, the Army declares that environmental regulations governing the service are repealed effective immediately, offering the following cryptic yet obtuse rationale:
"The Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management…has concluded this regulation is obsolete. This regulation has been extensively revised and has been determined that the procedures prescribed in the regulation are for Army officials, and not intended to be enforced against any member of the public. As a result, the regulation does not affect the general public. Therefore, it would be helpful in avoiding confusion if 32 CFR Part 650 is removed."
The message is yes, we want to avoid any confusion by informing the citizens, so we'll help ourselves out here and just remove our need to tell them anything. Helpful indeed.
PEER Executive Director, Jeff Ruch “Incredibly, the Army contends that this does ‘not affect the general public’ and therefore the public will have no say in what anti-pollution rules the Army must follow.”
Not only is war bad for the environment, training for war is too. The fox is once again guarding the chicken coop.
Perhaps the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA will have the greatest detrimental impact on Mexico.
Operating under the rubric of global concerns, global terror, global warming and global action we are supposed to swallow the notion that 3 nations are better than one. In order to Secure our Prosperity through Partnership, SPP could have little to do with partnership, less to do with security and everything to do with prosperity. The prosperity of the military-industrial-congressional complex may actually be what is afoot.
Canadian and U.S. citizens are finally awakening to see NAFTA and the SPP as stripping our liberty, sovernty and economic stability from us. At some point the citizens of Mexico may wake up to a harsher reality.
Mexico may look like a delicious lobster to be lured, gently, into what they perceive as a warm pot of prosperity. Once lured into the pot it will be too late to escape. Escape what?
The population of Mexico alone was a whopping 103 million plus in the year 2005. By some estimates there could be as many as another 12 million illegal Mexicans in the U.S.. 50% of Mexicans are under the age of 25.
Consider the U.S. military first started missing its recruitment goals since the early fall of 2003. Now, in 2007 millions of Mexicans, the ripe age of cannon fodder, may find themselves served up intentionally, or inadvertently onto the plate of the military-industrial-congressional complex, who is very hungry.
Signing bonuses of $10,000 dollars up and college scholarships raised to $70,000 dollars failed to entice young Americans, but may look far more appealing to the Mexican youth. Once the blanket of NAFTA falls over our 3 nations, these young people may even find military service a 'condition'.
It's easy for us in the North to overlook the fact that the richest man in the world, is a Mexican, Carlos Slim Helu. We are constantly reminded of Mexico's poverty, the plight of the poor Mexicans risking death to make it to America for all those low paying jobs. In fact, according to CNNMoney.com Carlos Slim-controlled companies make up a full 1/3 of the $422 billion (dollar) stock exchange. There is a vast chasm between the wealthy and the poorest population in Mexico. It would be naive of us to think the only major players behind the closed doors of NAFTA are wealthy Americans and Canadians.
The Iron Triangle of government, industry and the military may indeed be the true Axis of Evil.
In 1961 President and former Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower said of the Military-Industrial-(congressional*) complex,
"...The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." "We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together."
Waging a permanent war, thereby creating a permanent war economy, is certainly not good for the environment. War not only devastates life, but the implements of war devastate the environment. NAFTA and the SPP may have little to do with tooth paste, wheat, or cheap t-shirts and everything to do with the prosperity of war.
Our neighbors South of the Rio Grande are certainly no strangers to rebellion and revolt. It would also be naive to believe the citizens of Mexico won't soon be waking up SPP and NAFTA.
It may be time to withdraw the fork from the red herring, and cleanse our palate with a spoonful of cold, bitter sorbet.
*"congressional" It is widely held when Congressional leaders saw this word, they requested that it be removed. Eisenhower did so.
Photo Thanks:Project Gutenberg 'the young mountaineers' ebook Charles Egbert Craddock
Before you park your car, and give up one of your most treasured freedoms take a look at this video. Ask yourself why we have been fed the notion there are only two real options when it comes to energy.
We used to hear the Captain say,"You are now free to move about the cabin". Since 9/11 we don't hear that anymore. Moving about the cabin on a flight could jeopardize our 'security and safety'.
We didn't need to hear from our Government that we were free to move about the country. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, (WHTI)which is travel document requirements placed on all citizens of the U.S. Canada, Mexico and Bermuda is the first step towards laying the foundation for restricting our freedom of movement will be playing at a check point near you in a few short months.
Ah, the freedom of the open road, mans love affair with the wind to his back and the road rising before him is undeniable. With the invention of the automobile we started to experience a freedom of movement not seen by humanity before. With that came pollution, and vast amounts of accumulated wealth for some.
Amid dozens of ways our personal freedom of movement could have turned, sadly it turned on Oil...Black Gold...Texas Tea. Let's not forget about rubber either, that too is a very important part of the story.
Now, thanks to the Robber Barons, the common mans ability to move freely about the country is being quashed. Our freedoms, in every sense of the word, are being extinguished; quietly, summarily and completely snuffed out.
We don't need to labour under any false assumptions that we have only 2 options when it comes to fueling our freedoms. Oil or Nukes. Now that we have been sufficiently feed a steady drip of fear over Global Warming where oil is concerned versus Global Crisping regarding Nuclear Power, what options will the civic minded good people choose?
I believe we will presented with the prospect of limited use of fuel, and power.
We could believe we are fat, polluting, energy hogs and need to limit ourselves anyway. But, this really may not be the case at all. The reality of the jam we find ourselves in may just be; we have been subjugated by those Robber Barons, past and present.
We could have turned to ingenuity and created whole new eco-friendly industries. We could be feeding our economy, and our quality of life; creating compatible ways we could, not just co-exist with nature but, thrive. Thrive through nature, but instead we let ourselves be fed a diet high in oil, and packed with the fiber of fear.
Hydro-power, Wind-power, Solar-power, the Power of the Buckey Ball, Tesla power. There are alternatives, most of which actually come like manna, clean and abundant.
The department of Environmental Science at the University of Kuopio, Finland has conducted a study on 3 ways to grow cabbage.
Applying industrial fertilizers Applying non-fertilizer treatments Applying human urine
Insect damage was lower in the urine-fertilized plots than in the industrial-fertilized cabbage plots. As one might imagine the non-fertilized cabbage had the greatest pest damage. Cabbage, like anything else is more susceptible to attack when in a weaker state. The moral to that story would be 'take your vitamines'.
Their results showed that human urine used to fertilize the cabbage produced the same fine results as the industrial fertilizer. They have also determined the cabbage grown with the use of urine did not post any 'significant hyeienic threats'.
I'm not sure what significant hygienic threats constitues, but as of this moment my idea of hygienic doesn't include anything with urine; human or otherwise.
After finding no significant hygienic threats, I guess, the next logical step would be to taste the cabbage.
You go first!
No, let's give it to Mikey, he'll eat anything; even sauerkraut.
All 3 groups of cabbage, when turned into sauerkraut were similar in taste and contained virtually the same level of glucosinolates.
The human urine/cabbage study came after the same group tried urine on cucumbers. Yikes!
The cucumbers actually grew better after being fertilized with the urine. One might think because cucumbers contain so much more water than cabbage they might retain a, ahem, tell-tale-hint of urine use. There was a taste difference, but the tasters didn't find the difference 'unpleasant'. They determined all samples were equally good tasting.
For now, I'll believe the very organic form of fertilizer is better for the environment. I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of 'better', not just yet anyway. Besides cucumbers make me burp, and cabbage...let's just say I wouldn't want to eat it while on a first date!
Photo thanks J. Holopainen/Univ. of Kuopio
Cabbage Chemistry. Abstract available at http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/ jafcau/asap/abs/jf0717891.html
Cucumber Abstract available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2005.11.024
