These were the two headlines in my inbox this morning...
GlobalResearch.ca
Bush Moves Toward Martial Law
Team TreeHugger
Green Music, Heritage Apples and Eco Weddings
How is it possible that these two things can actually exist side by side? Are we trying to kill the bad guys (Bush Inc.) with kindness. Maybe we can start a new kind of campaign against our enemies since that whole "Make Love Not War" thing ended up spreading Aids throughout the world... how about "Hugs not Bombs". Actually, let me Google that real quick...
Monday, October 30, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Response to posts on WorldChanging.com
Personal Factor Four: Organizing Real Environmental Action With The Internet Vinay Gupta
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/004599.html
I think that the balance between weak individual action and Internet collective consciousness can be met through participation in online activism. One of the problems I face as a green consumer is that I'm going broke doing it. I can barely afford to feed my family organic foods, I have been priced out of the housing market so there is no way I can move into the green housing arena, and in order to afford eating healthy, ethically and wise, I sold my cars, so no green car. We recently found a green apartment so there's a step in the right direction, but at a higher cost than what we had previously been renting... and for less space! So I am behind the "green house, green car, organic food" effort, but it’s hard… real hard.
But I didn’t write here today to simply say I want to pursue this grand endeavor, rather to provide a cautionary tale of online activism and get an idea from the WorldChanging viewers as to the best approach given so many other like-minded efforts.
For example, labeling laws that take away what some states have worked so hard to implement are now at risk of being stripped away from them... thank you HR 4167! To date, this Bill has only passed in the House. Check here for status updates (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-4167)
There are several online activist groups (listed below) who are trying to get the same thing accomplished. Is it better to have individuals contact their representatives, or for multiple organizations/groups to submit signed petitions, or to have one unified voice? The average individual is less likely to act if much effort is required on their part. Ideally, every person would have their representatives phone number on a refrigerator magnet next to the Dominoes magnet and the astrological sign magnet they picked up on a whim at the grocery store checkout line. However, I think online forms are about as much as we can expect that anyone can handle at this point.
Here’s the list and how each of the sites has handled the petitions.
Generation Green: Suggested Letter for you to send to Rep (http://www.generationgreen.org/)
The Organic Comsumer's Association: Online Form (http://www.organicconsumers.org/)
Natural Resources Defense Council: Online Form(http://www.nrdc.org/)
I'm sure there are some others, but these are the sites that I actively pursue and receive email alerts from. I could go on and list about 100 other sites that simply list how this will negatively effect us, but that's why God invented Google and your ISP. How many other struggles are ongoing that have multiple like minded people who are acting independently of one another?
Here's another good example. The anti-war protest in DC in September, 2005 had more signs, banners, shirts and buttons than anything I had ever seen. It was literally a circus of freaks. Just because we all hate Bush doesn't mean that we can't all unify and get our collective voice across. If it's anti-war, make anti-war signs and leave the impeachment signs for the protests that take place on the capitol steps, or for when we all have had enough and storm out of our homes, out of our cars, out of our offices, and march on Washington! Hell, at least the stay-the-course pro-war march was sponsored by Pepsi.
… and speaking of EnergyStar, proposed sunset legislation could potentially remove programs like EnergyStar and Federal Support for Mass Public Transit without giving these programs the time and attention they deserve. When will other organizations jump on this and device their own plan of attack? I know you can follow links, but follow these three…
http://www.nrdcaction.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=53601/
http://www.nrdcaction.org/action/wacmoreinfo.asp?item=53601
http://docs.nrdc.org/legislation/leg_06061401a.pdf
My point... online activism GOOD, duplication of effort BAD! Solidarity is key.
Given that there are so many people out there all fighting the good fight, from bloggers to non-profits, there needs to be one place that everyone can direct their online activists to. Democracy In Action (http://www.democracyinaction.org/www/) seems to be the one place that I have found in common amongst many of my email alerts that is a resource for this very type of activity. I would think that if the label law activism sites listed above could incorporate the use of a site like Democracy In Action, it would not only help defray the cost of the service, but would also send a powerful One-Voice message to the recipient of the petitions. Not only that, but Joe Blogger and WorldChanging would catch wind of the effort and post the link as well.
So, do it but do it well. Organize the effort in a manner that all of the tag-alongs can tag along. Find out who has similar efforts underway and ask them if they are amenable to consolidating efforts. We are voices to be united!
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/004599.html
I think that the balance between weak individual action and Internet collective consciousness can be met through participation in online activism. One of the problems I face as a green consumer is that I'm going broke doing it. I can barely afford to feed my family organic foods, I have been priced out of the housing market so there is no way I can move into the green housing arena, and in order to afford eating healthy, ethically and wise, I sold my cars, so no green car. We recently found a green apartment so there's a step in the right direction, but at a higher cost than what we had previously been renting... and for less space! So I am behind the "green house, green car, organic food" effort, but it’s hard… real hard.
But I didn’t write here today to simply say I want to pursue this grand endeavor, rather to provide a cautionary tale of online activism and get an idea from the WorldChanging viewers as to the best approach given so many other like-minded efforts.
For example, labeling laws that take away what some states have worked so hard to implement are now at risk of being stripped away from them... thank you HR 4167! To date, this Bill has only passed in the House. Check here for status updates (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-4167)
There are several online activist groups (listed below) who are trying to get the same thing accomplished. Is it better to have individuals contact their representatives, or for multiple organizations/groups to submit signed petitions, or to have one unified voice? The average individual is less likely to act if much effort is required on their part. Ideally, every person would have their representatives phone number on a refrigerator magnet next to the Dominoes magnet and the astrological sign magnet they picked up on a whim at the grocery store checkout line. However, I think online forms are about as much as we can expect that anyone can handle at this point.
Here’s the list and how each of the sites has handled the petitions.
Generation Green: Suggested Letter for you to send to Rep (http://www.generationgreen.org/)
The Organic Comsumer's Association: Online Form (http://www.organicconsumers.org/)
Natural Resources Defense Council: Online Form(http://www.nrdc.org/)
I'm sure there are some others, but these are the sites that I actively pursue and receive email alerts from. I could go on and list about 100 other sites that simply list how this will negatively effect us, but that's why God invented Google and your ISP. How many other struggles are ongoing that have multiple like minded people who are acting independently of one another?
Here's another good example. The anti-war protest in DC in September, 2005 had more signs, banners, shirts and buttons than anything I had ever seen. It was literally a circus of freaks. Just because we all hate Bush doesn't mean that we can't all unify and get our collective voice across. If it's anti-war, make anti-war signs and leave the impeachment signs for the protests that take place on the capitol steps, or for when we all have had enough and storm out of our homes, out of our cars, out of our offices, and march on Washington! Hell, at least the stay-the-course pro-war march was sponsored by Pepsi.
… and speaking of EnergyStar, proposed sunset legislation could potentially remove programs like EnergyStar and Federal Support for Mass Public Transit without giving these programs the time and attention they deserve. When will other organizations jump on this and device their own plan of attack? I know you can follow links, but follow these three…
http://www.nrdcaction.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=53601/
http://www.nrdcaction.org/action/wacmoreinfo.asp?item=53601
http://docs.nrdc.org/legislation/leg_06061401a.pdf
My point... online activism GOOD, duplication of effort BAD! Solidarity is key.
Given that there are so many people out there all fighting the good fight, from bloggers to non-profits, there needs to be one place that everyone can direct their online activists to. Democracy In Action (http://www.democracyinaction.org/www/) seems to be the one place that I have found in common amongst many of my email alerts that is a resource for this very type of activity. I would think that if the label law activism sites listed above could incorporate the use of a site like Democracy In Action, it would not only help defray the cost of the service, but would also send a powerful One-Voice message to the recipient of the petitions. Not only that, but Joe Blogger and WorldChanging would catch wind of the effort and post the link as well.
So, do it but do it well. Organize the effort in a manner that all of the tag-alongs can tag along. Find out who has similar efforts underway and ask them if they are amenable to consolidating efforts. We are voices to be united!
Friday, March 17, 2006
Action Taken at Organic Consumers Association
http://www.organicconsumers.org/chat/viewtopic.php?p=1833&highlight=#1833
My wife recently discovered she was allergic to dioxin, quit using tampons, switched to The Keeper and LunaPads, and got healthy! She called her mom to talk about her new discovery of renewed health, and her mom says, "You were allergic to diapers!" Connection... Dioxin. We now have a baby and we use Seventh Generation diapers, and she hasn't had any problems. I subscribed to their newsletter and this month was pretty fascinating with respect to tampons, dioxin and a bill sitting on the floor of the House of Representatives that is getting no action or attention. Despite the surge of green events, news and concerns, women's health is still a farce. Nobody cares! There have been articles posted about alternatives to tampons, chemical use, etc, but there is an actual bill on the floor of the House of Representatives that has seen little or no action since its inception! Perhaps through OCA's network of activists, The Robin Danielson Act (H.R. 3411) can get the necessary attention it deserves. Please visit http://www.house.gov/maloney/issues/tamponsum.html for more details. Also, check out http://www.seventhgeneration.com/making_difference/newsletter.php ~~Thanks, Chris... a concerned guy with a wife and a daughter.
My wife recently discovered she was allergic to dioxin, quit using tampons, switched to The Keeper and LunaPads, and got healthy! She called her mom to talk about her new discovery of renewed health, and her mom says, "You were allergic to diapers!" Connection... Dioxin. We now have a baby and we use Seventh Generation diapers, and she hasn't had any problems. I subscribed to their newsletter and this month was pretty fascinating with respect to tampons, dioxin and a bill sitting on the floor of the House of Representatives that is getting no action or attention. Despite the surge of green events, news and concerns, women's health is still a farce. Nobody cares! There have been articles posted about alternatives to tampons, chemical use, etc, but there is an actual bill on the floor of the House of Representatives that has seen little or no action since its inception! Perhaps through OCA's network of activists, The Robin Danielson Act (H.R. 3411) can get the necessary attention it deserves. Please visit http://www.house.gov/maloney/issues/tamponsum.html for more details. Also, check out http://www.seventhgeneration.com/making_difference/newsletter.php ~~Thanks, Chris... a concerned guy with a wife and a daughter.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
My Craig's List ad for my car...
I have a total piece of crap car that is one of the most reliable junkers on the road. It's not worth the paper the title is printed on and I'm quite sure it was the inspiration behind Adam Sandler's song on his second CD, 1996's What the Hell Happened to Me?. Let me tell you what's wrong with it...
The air conditioner squeals (the belt that is) but I think it's the compressor or whatever the hell AC belts are attached to. I just know that if it breaks your power steering is kaput. It's worse in the summer, but that's why God invented windows. In the winter there's not so much squealing because of the cold weather. You thought I was going to say because you don't use the AC in the winter, right? Well actually, even though you may not be using the AC in the winter, although we may have to with all of this GLOBAL freakin WARMING, the defrost is actually tied to the AC. Again, not much to worry about in the winter due to the GLOBAL WARMING!
Uhm, all four tires are just about bare and the brakes squeal even when they're brand freakin' new. Some design flaw in the Neon brake pads or something.
Oh, one day my inner door panel had become disconnected from the metal door frame and basically locked me in the car. I went out the passenger side, and tried to open the door, but couldn't get in. It was like 20 below out at the time, because as we all know GLOBAL WARMING produces turbulent weather not Floridian weather, so I got back in the car (yes, on the passenger side) and reeled up on my back, knees tucked to my chin, and let 'er rip. I got the door open, but completely shattered the near-frozen inner door panel (on account of the GLOBAL WARMING and all). So I cut of the bad bits and reattached the top portion of the panel, so it looks a little MAD MAX, but the door lock, door handle, and the window crank all work.
There's a constant oil leak, so I pretty much wait until the "feed me Seymour" light comes on as an indication that I need to prick my finger and let it suckle my lacerated teat. I put in a quart of oil every week or so.
I don't know if it's related, but the "Check Engine Light" is always on. I think it came on around 100,000. I took it in the other day and the guy told me that he's not supposed to tell customers this, but if I wanted to spend the money to have the car fixed, that my money would be better spent as a down payment on a new car. Huh, I'm never patronizing them again - how rude!
The body paint has all joined the Hale Bop cometeers and is committing mass suicide by the sheet full. Actually, it's not as bad as some 96 Neons you see on the road... oh wait, you don't see any 96 Neons on the road anymore because they've all frickin died by now. That’s why this car is a classic! Or will be in 5 to 15 years. For a quick review of the definition of Classic vs. Antique cars, please refer to our friends at Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_car.
Ok, back to the list. It stinks, and it smells like Carbon Monoxide is coming straight through the ventilation system. I have asthma really bad and get pneumonia every year, but that's because of, uhm... that other thing... that causes… that... to happen.
I have the original key that glows in the dark. It has original shocks, exhaust, windshield, and probably most other things that people would have had replaced after ten years. Oh, it has 145,000 miles on it. I bought it while I was in VA Beach, and did it to spite my ex wife who was trying to get my truck in the divorce, so one day when she asked for a ride somewhere (probably to an abortion clinic), on the way I saw a dealership and traded in the truck for the Neon (and she aborted my unborn child), with her right there and she couldn't do or say anything. HAH! Take that bitch! I got an overpriced $25,000 Neon that was only worth $12,000 brand new because of a ridiculous loss on a trade-in, and you don't even get child support! Stoopid. Since then, because I was a free man, the car took me on booty calls to NH, AL, and all points in between. Actually I lied, there was only one booty call. All of the others were for the sole purpose of drinking and driving. Did you know that if you're in a bind and meant to buy a twist off bottle and accidentally bought a pop top bottle that you can use your seat belt buckle to pry it off? How can you use your seat belt while you are safely fastened, you ask? We're talking about drinkin' and drivin' people – we’re pretty much pissin' in the safety wind at this point! Stick with me! So that's probably what the stink is... puke and beer... and beer puke... and maybe just a wee bit o' urine, but not much, because that's just nasty.
Once again, I digress. There's a ton of dust, like an inch thick, and I surely ain't cleaning Shiite. You'ld be lucky if I take the bodies out of the trunk for you. We may just have to consider them a signing bonus.
The dash panel circuit board was replaced after all of the dials started going all X-Files on me, and I got that funny sunburn on one side of my face. The engine (maybe transmission) mounts were replaced after the transmission would slam into gear. I mention these to let you know that, as problems arise, I take proper care of my car, and that I am focused on delivering to you a quality piece of machinery.
Ahem!...
I hit a big yellow bus - it was in my blind spot. There were kids on the bus. Don't even say anything. Yes, beer was involved. I thought that going for a drive after downing a pitcher of Icehouse at the local Suds and Duds would pass the time while I waited for my clothes to dry, when off to my left was a mattress store. "Oooh!" I thought. I should look at mattresses, so I shoot over to the next lane, when all of a sudden, "Eee-rr--scrape-scrape, crunch." I hit the bus. Fortunately it was minor stuff right after I bought it so it got taken care of right away. Again, me looking out for you, the consumer.
There's a CD/MP3 player in the car that I'm totally taking out and leaving a big fat gaping hole for you to store your sunglasses and driving gloves. I'll leave the speakers for you though. I bought them and installed them, and probably didn't hook the little door panel hooky thingies up right… hence the Mad Max door panel incident.
Despite all of the paint suicide, there's only one tiny bit of rust on the whole car. Just a nickel sized spot on the hood. You might want to get that fixed. I rusty car is an unhappy car.
Oh, one last thing, there isn't a single piece of duct tape anywhere and the seats are all intact! Therefore no springs poking you in the ass a-la "Ode to my Car." Actually, aside from the Mad Max door, and a dirt/puke/beer/urine stained floor, the interior is pretty clean. YES, and FREAKIN DUST! Must you remind me about everything?!
Seriously, (as if any of these Million Tiny Pieces were serious… or true – HAH! there’s a pop culture reference that’s going to last for about a split sec… - oops, there it goes).
Again, seriously, I have a car to sell for around $500. If you bring a check, then we have to go through some sort of weird dance with trying to get it deposited, and certainly, if you're the type who needs a $500 car, or finds crap like this humorous, you probably don't have a checking account anyway, so you're totally trying to scam me, so just bring cash. In fact, if you can bring cash, I'll give it to you for $400. Otherwise, $500 and a dance.
Enjoy
Oh, I forgot the PS.
PS – Compare Prices! Check out these other people on Craig’s List selling Neons, and remember, I’m telling the truth, the car works, and everyone else except for me is crazy!
The air conditioner squeals (the belt that is) but I think it's the compressor or whatever the hell AC belts are attached to. I just know that if it breaks your power steering is kaput. It's worse in the summer, but that's why God invented windows. In the winter there's not so much squealing because of the cold weather. You thought I was going to say because you don't use the AC in the winter, right? Well actually, even though you may not be using the AC in the winter, although we may have to with all of this GLOBAL freakin WARMING, the defrost is actually tied to the AC. Again, not much to worry about in the winter due to the GLOBAL WARMING!
Uhm, all four tires are just about bare and the brakes squeal even when they're brand freakin' new. Some design flaw in the Neon brake pads or something.
Oh, one day my inner door panel had become disconnected from the metal door frame and basically locked me in the car. I went out the passenger side, and tried to open the door, but couldn't get in. It was like 20 below out at the time, because as we all know GLOBAL WARMING produces turbulent weather not Floridian weather, so I got back in the car (yes, on the passenger side) and reeled up on my back, knees tucked to my chin, and let 'er rip. I got the door open, but completely shattered the near-frozen inner door panel (on account of the GLOBAL WARMING and all). So I cut of the bad bits and reattached the top portion of the panel, so it looks a little MAD MAX, but the door lock, door handle, and the window crank all work.
There's a constant oil leak, so I pretty much wait until the "feed me Seymour" light comes on as an indication that I need to prick my finger and let it suckle my lacerated teat. I put in a quart of oil every week or so.
I don't know if it's related, but the "Check Engine Light" is always on. I think it came on around 100,000. I took it in the other day and the guy told me that he's not supposed to tell customers this, but if I wanted to spend the money to have the car fixed, that my money would be better spent as a down payment on a new car. Huh, I'm never patronizing them again - how rude!
The body paint has all joined the Hale Bop cometeers and is committing mass suicide by the sheet full. Actually, it's not as bad as some 96 Neons you see on the road... oh wait, you don't see any 96 Neons on the road anymore because they've all frickin died by now. That’s why this car is a classic! Or will be in 5 to 15 years. For a quick review of the definition of Classic vs. Antique cars, please refer to our friends at Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_car.
Ok, back to the list. It stinks, and it smells like Carbon Monoxide is coming straight through the ventilation system. I have asthma really bad and get pneumonia every year, but that's because of, uhm... that other thing... that causes… that... to happen.
I have the original key that glows in the dark. It has original shocks, exhaust, windshield, and probably most other things that people would have had replaced after ten years. Oh, it has 145,000 miles on it. I bought it while I was in VA Beach, and did it to spite my ex wife who was trying to get my truck in the divorce, so one day when she asked for a ride somewhere (probably to an abortion clinic), on the way I saw a dealership and traded in the truck for the Neon (and she aborted my unborn child), with her right there and she couldn't do or say anything. HAH! Take that bitch! I got an overpriced $25,000 Neon that was only worth $12,000 brand new because of a ridiculous loss on a trade-in, and you don't even get child support! Stoopid. Since then, because I was a free man, the car took me on booty calls to NH, AL, and all points in between. Actually I lied, there was only one booty call. All of the others were for the sole purpose of drinking and driving. Did you know that if you're in a bind and meant to buy a twist off bottle and accidentally bought a pop top bottle that you can use your seat belt buckle to pry it off? How can you use your seat belt while you are safely fastened, you ask? We're talking about drinkin' and drivin' people – we’re pretty much pissin' in the safety wind at this point! Stick with me! So that's probably what the stink is... puke and beer... and beer puke... and maybe just a wee bit o' urine, but not much, because that's just nasty.
Once again, I digress. There's a ton of dust, like an inch thick, and I surely ain't cleaning Shiite. You'ld be lucky if I take the bodies out of the trunk for you. We may just have to consider them a signing bonus.
The dash panel circuit board was replaced after all of the dials started going all X-Files on me, and I got that funny sunburn on one side of my face. The engine (maybe transmission) mounts were replaced after the transmission would slam into gear. I mention these to let you know that, as problems arise, I take proper care of my car, and that I am focused on delivering to you a quality piece of machinery.
Ahem!...
I hit a big yellow bus - it was in my blind spot. There were kids on the bus. Don't even say anything. Yes, beer was involved. I thought that going for a drive after downing a pitcher of Icehouse at the local Suds and Duds would pass the time while I waited for my clothes to dry, when off to my left was a mattress store. "Oooh!" I thought. I should look at mattresses, so I shoot over to the next lane, when all of a sudden, "Eee-rr--scrape-scrape, crunch." I hit the bus. Fortunately it was minor stuff right after I bought it so it got taken care of right away. Again, me looking out for you, the consumer.
There's a CD/MP3 player in the car that I'm totally taking out and leaving a big fat gaping hole for you to store your sunglasses and driving gloves. I'll leave the speakers for you though. I bought them and installed them, and probably didn't hook the little door panel hooky thingies up right… hence the Mad Max door panel incident.
Despite all of the paint suicide, there's only one tiny bit of rust on the whole car. Just a nickel sized spot on the hood. You might want to get that fixed. I rusty car is an unhappy car.
Oh, one last thing, there isn't a single piece of duct tape anywhere and the seats are all intact! Therefore no springs poking you in the ass a-la "Ode to my Car." Actually, aside from the Mad Max door, and a dirt/puke/beer/urine stained floor, the interior is pretty clean. YES, and FREAKIN DUST! Must you remind me about everything?!
Seriously, (as if any of these Million Tiny Pieces were serious… or true – HAH! there’s a pop culture reference that’s going to last for about a split sec… - oops, there it goes).
Again, seriously, I have a car to sell for around $500. If you bring a check, then we have to go through some sort of weird dance with trying to get it deposited, and certainly, if you're the type who needs a $500 car, or finds crap like this humorous, you probably don't have a checking account anyway, so you're totally trying to scam me, so just bring cash. In fact, if you can bring cash, I'll give it to you for $400. Otherwise, $500 and a dance.
Enjoy
Oh, I forgot the PS.
PS – Compare Prices! Check out these other people on Craig’s List selling Neons, and remember, I’m telling the truth, the car works, and everyone else except for me is crazy!
Response to posts on WorldChanging.com
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/004154.html
Oh, what a wonderful world we will have when GREEN takes over the landscape. (Funny, that's the way it's supposed to be, isn't it?) What about when it takes over the corporate and political landscape? Perhaps we will finally have a redefinition of political ideologies. We could follow the Germans in their near abuse of the term "Democratic" for all of their political parties and divvy up the Green Party into the Green Conservatives, the Green Labor Party, the Green People's Front of Judea, and... the Democrats (they just don't know when to give up). Mudslinging will involve organic mud and "My policy is greener than your policy" and "I'm greener than your thumb" types of rhetoric will replace debates over who started the Internet. Even "Big Business" can be renamed the "Green Machine" as we all think fondly of our childhood and that crazy big wheel that you could spin out on always in one direction causing your front tire to wear so that you rode leaning over all of the time... and all of the activists will have nothing to do, except grow tomatoes.
Now that we have the humor portion out of the way, which is often times sorely missed here on WorldChanging because, rightly so, everyone feels very passionate about the subjects that are debated on this site, but no corporation is going to get it right the first time. Environmentalism was the embryonic stage of Sustainability's baby steps, perhaps even Sustainability's first "Agoo." The Activists will have to postpone their tomato garden as they will have plenty of work for some time to come as each corporation's true nature and continued damage are revealed from beneath their eco song and dance. Rather than post incendiary responses to some of the most important thoughts coming from the Blogosphere that will no doubt help to reshape the world we live in (perhaps even be "world changing"?), be more of a forward thinking world citizen and recognize where we came from, where we are now, and where we will be when our "agoo" changes to crawling, walking, running, etc (you know the whole human birth to death lifecycle metaphor). What will Episode III of the Environmentalism and Sustainability saga be? Stay tuned to WorldChanging, because I guaran-freakin-tee you you will be hearing about it right here.
Thanks for bearing with me as I muddled through my humor-rant, because I truly believe this is a step in the right direction. Only a moment more, then you may be dismissed. Just wait until the mass media actually starts reporting on this stuff. Liberal media bias my ass! All of us here know that's a crock, so let's not mock or judge the subject or it's hosts, and know that the times, they are-a-changin'. C'mon, GM has an E85 fuel ad on primetime for cryin' out loud! It's not the freakin' Susan B. Anthony or the Sacagawea - this is going to work, and it's here to stay. Get on board you nay-sayers and start being proactive. The time for bitching about how nothing will ever work is over. Now's the time to act, SO ACT!
Oh, what a wonderful world we will have when GREEN takes over the landscape. (Funny, that's the way it's supposed to be, isn't it?) What about when it takes over the corporate and political landscape? Perhaps we will finally have a redefinition of political ideologies. We could follow the Germans in their near abuse of the term "Democratic" for all of their political parties and divvy up the Green Party into the Green Conservatives, the Green Labor Party, the Green People's Front of Judea, and... the Democrats (they just don't know when to give up). Mudslinging will involve organic mud and "My policy is greener than your policy" and "I'm greener than your thumb" types of rhetoric will replace debates over who started the Internet. Even "Big Business" can be renamed the "Green Machine" as we all think fondly of our childhood and that crazy big wheel that you could spin out on always in one direction causing your front tire to wear so that you rode leaning over all of the time... and all of the activists will have nothing to do, except grow tomatoes.
Now that we have the humor portion out of the way, which is often times sorely missed here on WorldChanging because, rightly so, everyone feels very passionate about the subjects that are debated on this site, but no corporation is going to get it right the first time. Environmentalism was the embryonic stage of Sustainability's baby steps, perhaps even Sustainability's first "Agoo." The Activists will have to postpone their tomato garden as they will have plenty of work for some time to come as each corporation's true nature and continued damage are revealed from beneath their eco song and dance. Rather than post incendiary responses to some of the most important thoughts coming from the Blogosphere that will no doubt help to reshape the world we live in (perhaps even be "world changing"?), be more of a forward thinking world citizen and recognize where we came from, where we are now, and where we will be when our "agoo" changes to crawling, walking, running, etc (you know the whole human birth to death lifecycle metaphor). What will Episode III of the Environmentalism and Sustainability saga be? Stay tuned to WorldChanging, because I guaran-freakin-tee you you will be hearing about it right here.
Thanks for bearing with me as I muddled through my humor-rant, because I truly believe this is a step in the right direction. Only a moment more, then you may be dismissed. Just wait until the mass media actually starts reporting on this stuff. Liberal media bias my ass! All of us here know that's a crock, so let's not mock or judge the subject or it's hosts, and know that the times, they are-a-changin'. C'mon, GM has an E85 fuel ad on primetime for cryin' out loud! It's not the freakin' Susan B. Anthony or the Sacagawea - this is going to work, and it's here to stay. Get on board you nay-sayers and start being proactive. The time for bitching about how nothing will ever work is over. Now's the time to act, SO ACT!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Mid-60s, Mid January - What Climate Change?
Abrupt Climate Change -- How Bad Could It Be? Jamais Cascio
That's it. Read it and check out my comments on their site.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Judge Roberts Petition
Go to http://www.nocrony.com/ right now!
This will effect the United States for years to come if something isn't done right now to prevent Roberts from becoming the next Chief Justice.
I try to do my best to keep from being a BlaBlahBlah-ist, and it's hard... real hard (mostly because it's fun to rant), but we have to use that ranting as a mechanism for action. Sign the petition to be sent to your Senators and Representatives, or if you're a DC resident like me, send a letter to the editor. Here's what I wrote...
This will effect the United States for years to come if something isn't done right now to prevent Roberts from becoming the next Chief Justice.
I try to do my best to keep from being a BlaBlahBlah-ist, and it's hard... real hard (mostly because it's fun to rant), but we have to use that ranting as a mechanism for action. Sign the petition to be sent to your Senators and Representatives, or if you're a DC resident like me, send a letter to the editor. Here's what I wrote...
- The American people have been speaking out against President Bush since before day one of his first term. Granted, it was only half of the voting population, but that number has been growing, particularly after two significant events; Bush has admitted that there were no WMDs in Iraq, and he has admitted "... to the extent the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility." It's not simply liberal bias, Bush has admitted these things, and Republicans are taking notice. People have lost jobs for less and have not caused as many deaths! How can we trust his judgment with anything let alone a Supreme Court nomination? Will Bush admit fault when Judge Roberts makes a decision that negatively affects the American people? He's already done it twice. Is it 'third time's a charm' or 'three strikes, you're out'? Let's not make it to three to find out.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Celebrity Death Match (Hurricane Katrina vs Lake Ponchatrain Levee)
Who is responsible for more deaths? The first law suit is underway that will probably be the driving force behind that answer. Every article on the planet that describes what little we know about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the people at St. Rita's nursing home was that they drowned. They weren't trapped in a pile of rubble, squished by a tree, or carried away to Oz (I know, I know, that's a tornado - stick with me folks, it's fucking wind)... they fucking DROWNED! Yet Foti will tell you that the owners were responsible for their deaths. That's a load of horse shit. They made it through the fucking hurricane alive and well, so much so that when the water from the levee started flooding in, half of them up and walked the fuck out, because THEY MADE IT THROUGH THE FUCKING HURRICANE!! Levee 34, Hurricane 0?
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Bush on Race and Katrina
Here's an article from the Washington Post...
- Speaking to reporters after touring New Orleans yesterday, Bush sought to dispel the view that race played a role in the government's response to the disaster. "When those Coast Guard choppers, many of who were first on the scene, were pulling people off roofs, they didn't check the color of a person's skin," Bush said. "They wanted to save lives."
My response...
The problem IS that the people on the roofs were black, not that the Coasty Guard helicopters were doing their job... fan-fucking-tastic! Now we know that the Coast Guard isn't racist . They wouldn't have been on the roofs at all if all levels of Government had prepared and reacted accordingly. They would have been transported out of New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, or they would have been in the Superdome for a day, then evacuated in an orderly fashion before the levees broke because the National Guard arrived on the scene and drove everyone out of there in what became the tragically submerged school busses. And the point was that the reason that those things didn't happen was because of race, you chucklehead!... which as usual, you missed the FUCKING POINT!! Black people were stranded on roofs, stranded in the "safety" of the Superdome, and people are fucking dead! White people didn't need to be rescued from the rooftops because they were white, because they had dinero, and because they had motherfuckin' wheels.
In order to separate me from all of the other BlahBlahBlah-ists out there...
Here's what you can do...
Go sign a petition at MoveOn.org for an independent Katrina Commission.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Mike Brown's 52 Card Pick-up
Mike Brown is gone. Hoo-fucking-rah! Mike should have been a member of the deck of cards that the Trade Regulation Organization issued in April 2003, which of course was in response to the childish ass shit some silly little Bushling developed to make the war in Iraq more reminiscent of Bush's Euchre days as College Frat Boy. Had those cards made their appearance during Hurricane Katrina, Brown certainly would have been a prime candidate. Perhaps you could consider him an honorary member.
Well Mikey, I guess while you, Ray, Blanco, Dubya and Chertoff were all gathered 'round the table playing a rousing game of Not-It, you fucking fell asleep. Wouldn't be the first time, now would it? As for the rest of the people listed, for whom you so graciously became their Patsy effectively wiping their slates clean, you can all get the fuck out too! And I'm not saying that a bunch of dumbass Democrats will do any better. I just want people who give a shit and will lead us by doing what's right for the Nation's people and the people of PLANET FUCKING EARTH! ...not people who promote and support self-gratification, corporate whoring, or perpetual politicking in the midst of a crisis.
Well Mikey, I guess while you, Ray, Blanco, Dubya and Chertoff were all gathered 'round the table playing a rousing game of Not-It, you fucking fell asleep. Wouldn't be the first time, now would it? As for the rest of the people listed, for whom you so graciously became their Patsy effectively wiping their slates clean, you can all get the fuck out too! And I'm not saying that a bunch of dumbass Democrats will do any better. I just want people who give a shit and will lead us by doing what's right for the Nation's people and the people of PLANET FUCKING EARTH! ...not people who promote and support self-gratification, corporate whoring, or perpetual politicking in the midst of a crisis.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Citizen Journalism Movement
Holy fucking shit there are a lot of Blogs out there! I wanted a quote I saw on tv the other day and I think I found it on nearly every type of Blog you can imagine, all with a different finger pointing at a different group, giving me a rather unfortunate view of how shit can get all fucking twisted when you apply your own agenda to it. (Actually, I didn't find it in all of these places, but enough came up that made me refocus my thoughts for the night.) Liberal, Republican, Progressive, Conservative, Democratic, Green, Christian Right, Atheist! It's all there... is there a KKK or Black Panther's Blog? Hang on one sec...
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Independent Katrina Commission
First, a note from MoveOn, and then my letter to the Washington Post. If it never makes it to the paper, here it is for the world.
MoveOn.Org Letter to the Editor: Independent Katrina Commission
http://political.moveon.org/lte/index.html
The federal response to Hurricane Katrina is a national scandal that requires an independent investigation like the 9/11 Commission, but Republican leaders are trying to set up an investigation they control. Make sure the media hears the public outcry for an independent investigation by writing a letter to the editor calling for a Katrina Commission modeled after the 9/11 Commission. We've set up an online tool that makes submitting a letter easy. You write your letter, choose where you want it to go, and click to send. An effective letter to the editor is short, just a couple of paragraphs. The goal is to show your local media, your neighbors, and even our elected leaders that people want an independent investigation of what happened, and apparently what continues to happen, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Please write a letter today.
My Washington Post Letter to the Editor
We need an independent commission to respond to the inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina, the prolonged negligence of the levee system and the systematic destruction of the wetlands, the latter two having exacerbated the death toll increasing the number of deaths far beyond that of the hurricane itself. Dead bodies floating down Main St, dead bodies trapped in attics, dead bodies at the Superdome and the Convention Center, dead bodies on the tarmac of the airport triage center, and dead bodies at the Astrodome need to be addressed by someone other than those who could potentially be at fault. Willful neglect, ignorance and failure to react IS fault. Failure to cut your vacation short and delay your shoe shopping IS fault. 9/11 widows banned together to force legislation to form an independent commission, and now the entire nation needs to ban together to ensure that Katrina is properly investigated. America needs to revisit the direction of the flow of accountability. America needs to insist upon an independent Katrina Commission!
MoveOn.Org Letter to the Editor: Independent Katrina Commission
http://political.moveon.org/lte/index.html
The federal response to Hurricane Katrina is a national scandal that requires an independent investigation like the 9/11 Commission, but Republican leaders are trying to set up an investigation they control. Make sure the media hears the public outcry for an independent investigation by writing a letter to the editor calling for a Katrina Commission modeled after the 9/11 Commission. We've set up an online tool that makes submitting a letter easy. You write your letter, choose where you want it to go, and click to send. An effective letter to the editor is short, just a couple of paragraphs. The goal is to show your local media, your neighbors, and even our elected leaders that people want an independent investigation of what happened, and apparently what continues to happen, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Please write a letter today.
My Washington Post Letter to the Editor
We need an independent commission to respond to the inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina, the prolonged negligence of the levee system and the systematic destruction of the wetlands, the latter two having exacerbated the death toll increasing the number of deaths far beyond that of the hurricane itself. Dead bodies floating down Main St, dead bodies trapped in attics, dead bodies at the Superdome and the Convention Center, dead bodies on the tarmac of the airport triage center, and dead bodies at the Astrodome need to be addressed by someone other than those who could potentially be at fault. Willful neglect, ignorance and failure to react IS fault. Failure to cut your vacation short and delay your shoe shopping IS fault. 9/11 widows banned together to force legislation to form an independent commission, and now the entire nation needs to ban together to ensure that Katrina is properly investigated. America needs to revisit the direction of the flow of accountability. America needs to insist upon an independent Katrina Commission!
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