Bush Still Doesn't Get It. So What Else is New?

According to this CBC report, "President" Bush has set a goal of 2025 for the United States to stop increasing its carbon emissions.
Let me repeat that.
Bush's plan to combat climate change is to allow the United States, the biggest carbon polluter on the planet, to continue to increase its carbon emissions until 2025.
The 1997 Kyoto Accord targets called on industrial nations to cut their emissions to an average five per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. Bush called the Kyoto Accord flawed, then said it would have limited U.S. economic growth and shifted American jobs to other countries while letting new industrial powers such as China and India increase rather than reduce their emissions, conveniently ignoring the fact that the second round of Kyoto, to click in 2013, is to include all industrial nations in the new emissions cuts.
I don't know what sort of economy he thinks the US will have left when New York is underwater, the mid-west suffers from a never ending drought and California becomes a desert (oh wait, California already is a desert).
Maybe we should get ahead of the game and declare anarchy now.

The US Remains in Good Company

The CBC notes the release of Amnesty International's report of worldwide executions in 2007. The top five executors in the world:

China (at least 470).
Iran (at least 317).
Saudi Arabia (at least 143).
Pakistan (at least 135).
U.S. (42).

According to the report, 88% of the world's executions in 2007 took place in these five countries. Saudia Arabia carried out the most executions per capita, while Iran, Saudia Arabia and Yemen violated international law by executing people younger than 18.
The organization estimates at least 1,252 people were executed in 24 countries, and that up to 27,500 people are estimated to be on death row around the world.

Robbins v. Bush

In a keynote speech actor and activist Tim Robbins castigated broadcasters during his appearance before the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas earlier this week..
In it, he noted that at the outset of the Iraq war conservative TV and radio broadcasters "told America ... that I was a traitor, a Saddam lover, a terrorist supporter, undermining the troops. I was appealing at the time for the inspectors to have more time to find those Weapons of Mass Destruction. [To critics], I was a naïve dupe of left-wing appeasement.
"If I had known then what I know now, if I had seen the festive and appreciative faces on the streets of Baghdad today, if I had known then what a robust economy we would be in -- the unity of our people, the wildfire of democracy that has spread across the Mideast -- I would never have said those traitorous, unfounded and irresponsible things."

The Biggest Conspiracy of Our Time

Props to Bernie for finding this one....


Websuridty asks:

How could a single missile destroy a battle station the size of a moon? No records, anywhere, show that any battle station or capital ship has ever been destroyed by a single missile. Furthermore, analysis of the tape of the last moments of the Death Star show numerous small explosions along its surface, prior to it exploding completely! Why does all evidence indicate that strategically placed explosives, not a single missile, is what destroyed the Death Star?

No room at the Inn...

Due to being on a mailing list for available properties in Victoria, I often am sent newsletters regarding Dockside Green and the next phase. This week's newsletter presented a welcom to a Family of 7 who had just purchased a "home" in Dockside Green. A beautiful couple with 5 kids between them from Albert purchased their vacation home. I hope this family of 7 realize that most Victoria residents can't afford to purchase, even those with modest to middle incomes find it difficult, let alone the lower income families who can barely make ends meet. Maybe they will kindly sell their vacation condo to a lower income family when they themselves find they can't get to BC when flying is no longer viable. It also means another empty condo for most of the year. Instead of deleting the newsletter, I decided to comment, after all the newsletter stated comments were welcome....

Dear Dockside Green

Dockside Green may be innovative in sustainability and creating a community, but who is this community for? Is this a community of those who live in Victoria or those who only will be vacationing here or who live in Alberta?

It is with dismay that I read about the family of 7 from Alberta who just purchased a vacation home in Dockside Green. You may welcome them, others wish they would stay in the province next door. This just means another empty condo for most of the year while low income to middle income Victoria residents cannot afford to purchase a condo. How nice of you to actually offer some of your condos to residents only. It would impress me more if you offered more condos to residents and less to those who only wish to vacation here.

Maybe the Dockside Team should take a good look at this week's Monday Magazine and read about the all the condo construction yet there are few rental buildings.

Personally, I am sick and tired of seeing empty condos abound in our city because they are purchased by people who don't live here while low income to middle income people cannot afford housing at all.

When You'll Do Anything To Avoid The Problem

Somehow the problem just keeps getting worse. Because we are unwilling to face a future without cars--in fact, we seem to be quite willing to sacrifice the world on the altar of the car--we seem willing to do anything to keep the cars rolling. Biofuels are one such approach; sequester carbon in plants, then convert the plants to usable fuel, and burn the fuel to keep the cars rolling while re-emitting the same carbon. The thinking is that this is, if not a zero-sum game, at least a significant reduction in the amount of carbon being added to the atmosphere. And it's a great way to subsidize farmers (something all governments try to do) and an opportunity for big capital to open up a brand new market (with significant government subsidy. Without which, big capital doesn't do shit). But, of course, things aren't as simple as they seem. Thus this article in the 25 March 2008 Guardian:

Using plant-based materials for fuel in cars and trucks was until
recently heralded as the answer to the need to reduce carbon emissions
from petrol and diesel fuels.

But the alarm expressed yesterday
by Professor Robert Watson, the government's highest-ranking
environment scientist, that the headlong pursuit of biofuels could
accelerate climate change, is the latest in a series of comments from
senior figures that have shaken Whitehall.

Both Watson and the
former chief scientific officer, Sir David King, have joined the chorus
of those calling for a key "sustainability" clause to be introduced to
ensure biofuels do not compound the problem by competing for land with
staple food crops and speeding up deforestation.

Speaking on
Radio 4's Today programme, Watson said: "It would obviously be insane
if we had a policy to try and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through
the use of biofuels that's actually leading to an increase in the
greenhouse gases from biofuels."

The rest of the article is here.

Earth Hour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcHz6Jv4l-g

What Was Once Obvious Is Now Foresight

There is a corruption at the heart of the system, that much has been clear forever. But with Amerikans growing a new historical hymen every 8-12 years, there is nothing but hopeless optimism to counter the foul beating of the heart of Wall Street. From today's Guardian, one of the best articles I've seen in the press in a long time. I recommend reading it--the conclusions matter to us all (particularly here in Canada). Then go off and read this article about becoming less cool from The Tyee.

[From the Guardian article]
"Ultimately, though, action will be taken because there will be
political pressure for it. Indeed, it is somewhat surprising that there
is not already rioting in the streets, given the gigantic fraud
perpetrated by the financial elite at the expense of ordinary Americans.

The US has just had its weakest period of expansion since the 1950s.
Consumption growth has been poor. Investment growth has been modest.
Exports have been sluggish. But if you are at the top of the tree, the
years since the last recession in 2001 has been a veritable golden age.
Salaries for executives have rocketed and profits have soared, because
the productivity gains from a growing economy have been
disproportionately skewed towards capital."

Unions

Ooh, ooh, I like this one!

What have Unions ever given us.

Personal Genotyping

Check out this blog by Mike Spear as he begins the process of having his genome read. He compares three different company's services in providing data based on his DNA sample. Fascinating and scary -- genome kits in Best Buy! But in addition to the social issues Spear intends to raise (e.g., can insurance companies base your premiums on what your DNA says you may be predisposed to get?), there is the larger issue of allowing our DNA to be read by American service providers, who may (under the Patriot Act) have to open their files to government security agencies. Makes me nervous, and I'm too old to be a revolutionary.

What Kills Religion?

Humour. It's deadly.

I'm Not Sure How I Feel About Knowing This

Sure I knew that the meaning of "innovation" in Corporate Amerika means buying up anyone who comes up with a good idea and then stifling competition, but, like interlocking corporate boards of directors, sometimes it's not until you see the picture (this one apparently from goodmagazine.com) that you really get the whole picture.

Garfield Minus Garfield

This is insanely funny!
Someone has created a website using old Garfield cartoons but with all traces of Garfield removed. What's left? An "even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life."
Click here for Garfield Minus Garfield.

The amazing moment a man pats a Great White Shark as it breaches next to his boat

Yes, pictures of a guy petting a VERY LARGE Great White next to his boat. The accompanying article is interesting as well....

CNN Needs a Proof Reader

You'd think that for a $1,000 an hour he could get some fresh call girls...

How Many Are You Reading?

From the Guardian:

The world's 50 most powerful blogs

From
Prince Harry in Afghanistan to Tom Cruise ranting about Scientology and
footage from the Burmese uprising, blogging has never been bigger. It
can help elect presidents and take down attorney generals while
simultaneously celebrating the minutiae of our everyday obsessions.
Here are the 50 best reasons to log on.

Why Dawn! How...Canadian of you!

Turns out that Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island) has a middle name--Elberta. Oh, and she got busted back on the 18th of October for really bad driving. Turns out she was seriously burnt on some good weed. TMZ has the story, and pictures, about my favourite 69-year-old ex-sitcom-star getting busted.....

Batshit Crazy

...that's the Texas legislature. It is, you know, illegal for a person to purchase a dildo in Texas. Well, unless it is for scientific or educational purchases. If you're a safe sex educator, go wild. Well, not too wild, as possession of six or more is a felony--possession with intent to distribute-- but, if you have five or fewer, you are just a hobbyist.
This is another example of how these crazy bastards go insane when it comes to female sexuality. The video that goes along with this article has the incomparable Molly Ivins talking about just how bugfuck these Texas looners (the elected officials of the great state of...) really are. And make no mistake, these guys (and they are all guys) are batshit crazy. Scared to death of women's sexuality, paranoid about consenting relationships between any two adults, the human race wouldn't miss these guys if they vanished tomorrow (well, except maybe the humour value).
What the hell is this dementia on the Right? Intellectual dishonesty, pure, everyday I'm-a-lying-sack-of-shit dishonesty, homosexual panic, heterosexual panic, the desire for death, destruction, and Armageddon. WTF? I suspect that it's the result of eating a Western diet with too much Texas beef in it. Any time I think that there might be some value in a Rightist argument, you see where these slippery slopes lead. And make no mistake, I think the Harper (and provincial Right wing) government(s) want to do exactly the same thing as these Texas legislators. And given half a chance, they will.
Be afraid. Then be very very active....

The Tippling Point; Wine in the New World Order

Are you ready for Finnish merlot? Check out this Guardian article on how global climate change is driving vineyards out of France--but may make it possible to grow wine grapes in very different soils.

It's Karaoke Time!

Thanks to the ECC we can all sing along!