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Off Shore Drilling - Don’t Buy the Lie
CAN WE DRILL OUR WAY TO LOWER FUEL PRICES?
Argument 1:
Drilling more oil and gas wells will reduce gasoline prices.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the total additional oil that could be
brought into production from drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Outer
Continental Shelf, and the Rocky Mountain states is likely to be only about 1.2 million
barrels of oil a day at peak production. This only adds up to a $1.20 reduction in the price
of a barrel of oil, which is currently well over $140.(footnotes) i ii iii
If this drop were to reduce pump prices at all, the savings would be mere pennies (only about 3 cents a gallon according to Department of Energy figures) and would not be seen by Americans for at least another 10 years.
Even in the most optimistic case, drilling in those sensitive areas combined would
possibly garner a savings at the pump of only 4-5 cents a gallon in 2025. Even the
Department of Energy admits that: “Because oil prices are determined on the
international market, however, any impact on average… prices is expected to be
insignificant.” (footnote)iv Any oil pumped here would go right into that international market, where we’d have to bid for it right alongside India, China and other nations.
In fact, a record 1.6 billion barrels a day in U.S. refined petroleum products were
exported from January-April of this year, up 33 percent over the same period in 2007.
This surge in exports seems to contradict arguments of supporters who want to increase
domestic drilling in order to help alleviate fuel shortages in the U.S. The bottom line is
profit –domestically drilled oil will not stay in the U.S. if another nation is willing to pay
more for it.
Despite the fact that drilling will not help consumers at the pump, the industry continues
to push for more drilling permits on public lands. This strategy is little more than an
attempt to control more land and reap bigger and bigger profits. Between 1999 and 2007,
the number of drilling permits issued for development of public lands increased by more
than 361%, yet gasoline prices have also risen dramatically. There is no correlation
between more drilling and lower gasoline prices.
Even if increased domestic drilling could affect the price of gasoline, there is yet no
justification to open additional federal lands because oil and gas companies have shown
that they cannot keep pace with the rate of drilling permits that the federal government is
handing out. In the last four years, the Bureau of Land Management has issued 28,776
permits to drill on public lands; yet, in that same time, 18,954 wells were actually drilled.
That means that companies have stockpiled nearly 10,000 extra permits to drill that they
are not using to increase domestic production.
Argument 2:
Vast quantities of oil and gas beneath public lands are closed to energy
development.
According to the Department of the Interior, only 38% of the oil and 16% of the natural
gas are excluded from leasing – largely because those resources are underneath National
Parks and wilderness areas that have significant scenic, recreational and wildlife values.
Industry already has more lands than it can drill. Of the 44.5 million leased acres, most -more than 30 million acres -have not been used by the oil and gas industry.
Industry isn’t developing most of the public lands it already has under lease. Although we
object to some of the areas under lease, we believe that the oil and gas industry should
make better use of existing leases before it attempts to lock up more public lands in
environmentally fragile areas.
Argument 3:
Opening the 19.2 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska to
drilling would reduce today’s gasoline prices.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that it will require 8 to 10 years
after opening ANWR before oil is produced. According to the EIA, opening ANWR
could reduce U.S. crude oil imports, but not until 2022-2026 and only by a few
percentage points.
Oil prices are set on a global market. Historically, increases in U.S. oil production have
had little impact on those prices. If commercial quantities of oil are discovered in
ANWR, the effect would be a reduction of just a few pennies per gallon during peak
production.
During the next two decades, US oil imports as a percentage of consumption will
decrease, a dramatic shift in US energy policy. The reasons for this decrease are
improvements in energy efficiency and conservation and the use of alternative energy and new technologies that will reduce our nation’s need for oil between now and 2050 by 100 million barrels – that’s 10 times the amount of oil that ANWR could provide.
Argument 4:
We need to increase domestic drilling in order to achieve energy independence and
increase homeland security.
More drilling will not achieve “energy independence.” At current consumption levels,
U.S. resources are inadequate to achieve energy independence. The United States
contains 2.5 % of the world’s oil resources and 3% of world natural gas resources.
But we account for 24% of total world consumption of oil and 22% of natural gas
consumption. The U.S. could drill every national park, wildlife refuge, and coastline and still be importing 60 percent of the oil we use. Opening more areas to drilling in the U.S. can never make us less dependent on foreign oil or natural gas.
Additionally, because oil and petroleum products are traded globally, there is no
guarantee that oil drilled in the U.S. will stay in the U.S. In fact, a record 1.6 billion
barrels a day in U.S. refined petroleum products were exported from January-April of this
year, up 33 percent over the same period in 2007. The bottom line is profit -
domestically drilled oil will not stay in the U.S. if another nation is willing to pay more for it.
The only way we will ever reduce our dependency is to reduce our consumption. Federal
legislation that promotes clean, alternative energy and cuts global warming pollution will
reduce our oil imports four times more than drilling in the pristine wildlife habitat of the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, off our beaches, and in the Rocky Mountains combined.
A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that under the Climate
Security Act, U.S. petroleum consumption would drop by nearly half by 2030—saving
far in excess of the amount of oil we could ever pull from Alaska or the coasts.
Argument 5:
There are too many environmental restrictions on drilling.
Many of these environmental restrictions are what help keep our drinking water and the
air we breathe clean. They also help conserve wildlife and lands for recreation.
Even with current environmental restrictions, wildlife and clean water and air are taking a
hit from drilling. During the first four years of development on the Pinedale Anticline
natural gas field in Wyoming the overall wintering mule deer population dropped by
46%. The Greater sage-grouse may require listing under the Endangered Species Act, in
part, as a result of damage to its habitat from oil and gas drilling. This past year in
Colorado, over 1 million gallons of polluted, industrial drilling mud was accidentally spilled into the West Parachute Creek on the Roan Plateau.
Drilling also pollutes the air. The oil industry on Alaska’s North Slope annually emits approximately 70,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, an important component of smog. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this is more than twice the amount emitted by the city of Washington, D.C.
The small town of Pinedale, Wyoming (pop. 1412), which sits just 100 miles south of Grand Teton National Park, experienced its first hazardous ozone alerts this past winter as a result of emissions from nearby drilling operations.
These are just a few examples of the impacts to wildlife, water and air from drilling. We
would see many more if current environmental restrictions are loosened or relaxed.
Our facts are from credible sources –the U.S. Department of Energy and the Bureau of
Land Management (under the U.S. Department of Interior). A lot of other “information”
is out there (mostly based on opinion)
i
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Agency, “Analysis of Crude Oil Production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge” May 2008
iii
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Agency, “State Energy Profiles”
Colin Hay - Men at Work - - Music Review
Are You Looking At Me? - Colin Hay’s 2007 release has found it’s way to my disc player. Let me just dispense with the suspense. Oh my god - I freaking love this disc. Holly smokes out of the blue comes a mature, sophisticated, smart, intelligent, sumptuous delight of audio, lyric, fun and contemplation from the former Men At Work front man. I can not rave about this disc enough. First off Colin’s voice is still intact. Secondly, his sense of humor is as strong as ever tempered with age, wisdom, insight, humility, compassion, and yes love. The production is first rate. The tunes bounce along, float, rock, boogie and reflect. The syncopation isn’t hurried but tempered and well I am so impressed - this is now my new favorite disc. He’s out touring with Ringo - that’s just completely perfect. If he comes to Virginia Beach I’ll be the first to buy tickets.
Well done Colin well done and welcome back amigo!!!!!!!!!!
This time is different - this time we got you — and I thank you for that!
Paul
Author- Journey Home
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Television Review
This is my first television review. There’s obviously some good stuff on television from the Simpson’s to the Sundance Channel, Discovery, History and A&E. But this is the first time I’ve reviewed a series. How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, Two and a Half Men, Rescue Me, The Riches, Weeds, and old reruns of Hawaii Five -O - keep me well entertained. But this freakin’ show is hilarious. I can’t believe how funny Sunny in Philly is for a live action sketch comedy. I hope this comes back for a few more seasons and continues a long, long run.
The steroid eating on the season 1&2 disc is hysterical and even the commentary on the discs extra features is a complete crack up. Charlie rules of course but Mac is understated mayhem. The whole mistaken gay bar bit is a riot. The players are all characters. You know how in Friends they had the dumb one, the pretty one, the obsessive one, the quirky one and the nerdy one, all one dimensional and that series was a hit (??). Well the characters here are all characters and there is nothing one dimensional about any of them. They all get turns being outlandish and playing it straight and delivering the money lines. This is what I want and I can not wait until season four starts in September. Kudos for FX giving the writers full reign to create and do their thing. This show is a blast!
Lets give a shout out to the writer/actors Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and of course Danny DeVito. Danny may have found himself a new “Taxi” to ride! What a riot read the outstanding reviews on amazon at the link above and rent it from NetFlix. You’ll want to buy it for your collection after that.
Here’s the Wikipedia Link
Interstate 60 - Movie Review
Interstate 60 is another off the beaten track movie I can recommend. From one of the co-producers/writers of the “Back To The Future” movies it has that same sort of essence, visual feel to it and pure popcorn entertainment value, but with an interesting thread of a message, and some outrageous characters. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the movie but there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. It has an outstanding group of actors who star in and make cameo’s and that keeps the element of the movie fresh. A typical road story about a road that doesn’t exist it has a certain smartness to it that Gary Oldman and Chris Cooper bring to every movie. The subject matter may not be entirely suitable for the pre-teens (a little racier than the Back To The Future movies) and it is not nor is it trying to be Citizen Kane. Rent it from Net Flix. It’s great light entertainment that may actually do it for you if you let it.
The Real John McCain 10 Things You Should Know
This is a repost from MoveOn.org
1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has “evolved,” yet he’s continued to oppose key civil rights laws.1
2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain “will make Cheney look like Gandhi.”2
3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.3
4. McCain opposes a woman’s right to choose. He said, “I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned.”4
5. The Children’s Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children’s health care bill last year, then defended Bush’s veto of the bill.5
6. He’s one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a “second job” and skip their vacations.6
7. Many of McCain’s fellow Republican senators say he’s too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: “The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He’s erratic. He’s hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.”7
8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.8
9. McCain has sought closer ties to the extreme religious right in recent years. The pastor McCain calls his “spiritual guide,” Rod Parsley, believes America’s founding mission is to destroy Islam, which he calls a “false religion.” McCain sought the political support of right-wing preacher John Hagee, who believes Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for gay rights and called the Catholic Church “the Antichrist” and a “false cult.”9
10. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.10
_________________________________________
Sources:
1. “The Complicated History of John McCain and MLK Day,” ABC News, April 3, 2008
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/the-complicated.html
“McCain Facts,” ColorOfChange.org, April 4, 2008
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/
2. “McCain More Hawkish Than Bush on Russia, China, Iraq,” Bloomberg News, March 12, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aF28rSCtk0ZM&refer=us
“Buchanan: John McCain ‘Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi,’” ThinkProgress, February 6, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/06/buchanan-gandhi-mccain/
3. “McCain Sides With Bush On Torture Again, Supports Veto Of Anti-Waterboarding Bill,” ThinkProgress, February 20, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/20/mccain-torture-veto/
4. “McCain says Roe v. Wade should be overturned,” MSNBC, February 18, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222147/
5. “2007 Children’s Defense Fund Action Council® Nonpartisan Congressional Scorecard,” February 2008
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_learn_scorecard2007
“McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion,” CNN, October 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/03/mccain.interview/
6. “Beer Executive Could Be Next First Lady,” Associated Press, April 3, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-S1sWHm0tchtdMP5LcLywg5ZtMgD8VQ86M80
“McCain Says Bank Bailout Should End `Systemic Risk,’” Bloomberg News, March 25, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHMiDVYaXZFM&refer=home
7. “Will McCain’s Temper Be a Liability?,” Associated Press, February 16, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022
“Famed McCain temper is tamed,” Boston Globe, January 27, 2008
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/27/famed_mccain_temper_is_tamed/
8. “Black Claims McCain’s Campaign Is Above Lobbyist Influence: ‘I Don’t Know What The Criticism Is,’” ThinkProgress, April 2, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/02/mccain-black-lobbyist/
“McCain’s Lobbyist Friends Rally ‘Round Their Man,” ABC News, January 29, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4210251
9. “McCain’s Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam,” Mother Jones Magazine, March 12, 2008
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/03/john-mccain-rod-parsley-spiritual-guide.html
“Will McCain Specifically ‘Repudiate’ Hagee’s Anti-Gay Comments?,” ThinkProgress, March 12, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/12/mccain-hagee-anti-gay/
“McCain ‘Very Honored’ By Support Of Pastor Preaching ‘End-Time Confrontation With Iran,’” ThinkProgress, February 28, 2008
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/28/hagee-mccain-endorsement/
10. “John McCain Gets a Zero Rating for His Environmental Record,” Sierra Club, February 28, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/environment/77913/
Happy Birthday Angus!!!! AC/DC is ROCK!
I love Angus and Malcolm and the band more than life itself. I kid you not. AC/DC is just sheer joy, a thing of beauty, a band that is what it is and it is ROCK! It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock n’ roll and thank god Angus and Malcolm took that Journey together. I love that band in all it’s forms in all it’s sounds in everything they do. I can not wait to see you guys back in the States. Come when you are ready. I’ll be there and along with everyone else we will bring the rock n’ roll of the gods down upon our collective heads, and have it resonate through every fiber of our beings. Happy Birthday Angus! You my friend ROCK! You are the very definition of ROCK. You are the embodiment of ROCK. No one else comes even close. If you want ROCK pure and direct from the gods themselves go see Angus and Malcolm. Thank you, thank you, thank you and Happy ROCKIN’ Birthday!
Paul
Author-Journey Home
Bush Corporate Welfare and Parkinson Disease
Keep stickin’ it to us Georgie Boy. You figure the next guy will clean it up. Well unless it’s Ralph Nader I’m not so sure. More corporate welfare is being given away as our miner in chief, our oil well exploiter and our failed businessman in chief continues to ravage the country side and economy. Thanks for f’in the whole thing up so completely George. The dollar ain’t worth squat, and that’s on your watch. Wall Street is being bailed out by the tax payers, and that’s on your watch. The deficit is at a trillion dollar all time high, and that is on your watch. Clean air and clean water standards have been rolled back, and that is on your watch. An unnecessary war draining the economy, and that is on your watch. More corporate welfare for the screw ups on Wall Street, and that is on your watch. George heres a news flash. Your a complete idiot and a complete and utter failure at EVERYTHING you do. Hell you can’t even get being “born again” right.
George want some help? Here’s a clue. Dirty energy is killing us - literally. As you send our sons and daughters to die for oil wells and profits and a few of your close buddies get rich the rest of us breath in the cancerous fumes and try to wipe of the Parkinson disease giving pesticides off our bodies. It’s funny that such an anti-science religious right guy has so much faith in made made chemicals and exploits. It’s time to balance our lives, production and consumption and be more in tune with the world as created by god. You wouldn’t go up to god in the kitchen and say,” hey god nice Earth Soup your brewing there how about some man-made chemicals to spice things up? Here’s some mercury for the air and fish and how about more carbon we need more carbon? Oh and this nuclear waste will really add some spice to your perfectly balanced and organic recipe. The time is now big boys. We need to align ourselves with what is actually provided by the Earth and not get so enamored with our own creations. Besides most of what we create gives us cancer or kills us.
To help stop Bush’s latest forest give away click here.
To learn about Parkinson’s disease and the pesticides and herbicides in our homes click here.
To end the one sided representation of Corporate America in our political system click here.
To learn about clean energy sources click here.
U.S. Forest Service
The proponents of mining, logging, oil and gas drilling and their rather calloused representatives in Washington don’t not care about anything other than their own pocket books. Our public lands belong to the citizens of the United States. We need them to buffer and keep in tact our fragile environment. As our Captains of Industry tear down and drill everything they can get their hands on it is up to us to make sure there is enough of an environment left to counter balance their reckless pollution and disregard for life on Earth and all of creation. This planet was not put here to just be mined it has an eco-system. It is a vast array of interdependent parts including animals and environments of all shapes and sizes. It’s important to our watershed and the health of our children to preserve as much of the planet as we can in the pristine condition in which it was created by God. To do otherwise is arrogant, selfish, ignorant, and completely foolish.
Participate in democracy, stand up for your rights and take action here.
Land of Plenty is another movie I’m glad I gave a chance. First off Michelle Williams acting job is very nuanced. She has to dig down deep to come up with her conviction and not look like a fraud. Michelle’s character is a child of missionary workers, and she wears a cross around her neck. It never once looked out of place because of her countenance and vibe she brought to the character. There is a scene at night when she is in bed alone that just blew me away. In the hands of a lesser actor it would have been hackneyed, overblown and far less convincing. I was thrilled and stunned and almost had a knee jerk incredulous reaction but she pulled it off. It was and is very inspiring and still with me today. It felt like real conviction to me and has informed my sensibilities and enhanced my outlook. It’s hard to fake that kind of conviction and certain type of enlightenment. That a movie and actor can do that is why we watch. We have a very fine actress here and kudos for a magnificent job to Michelle.
John Diehl is a face you will immediately recognize. The man has worked character studies for decades and his turn in this lead role is equal to Michelle’s. This is a story of subtle reactions competing with overt actions as revelation tries to creep into well established modes of behavior. John Diehl is very convincing and so much so the viewer is left with some doubt as to just exactly what may happen. The film is done in such a way that it is entirely possible that the naive are not so naive and the delusional might be absolutely right. I contribute that to acting as well as script and the themes, lighting, pacing, and art direction.
I really, really liked this movie it’s messages, it’s despair, it’s hope and it’s glory. The fact that the actors characters are not one dimensional is never done in a ham fisted way but unveiled in nuanced responses, facial expression, a well placed curse word and well I’m just happy I stumbled into this movie.
I am seriously going to dig further into Michelle and John’s work and can highly recommend this movie. The passion that Michelle brings to her role reminded me of all the unknown souls trying to do good things in this world of tabloid headlines and sensationalism. She really got to me and with that in mind let me link the following sites:
Doctors Without Borders
Amnesty International
The Peace Corp
Sustainable Living Now - Off The Grid Housing
The future is now my friends. There are current housing developments up for sale that will just make you purr. Seriously who wouldn’t want to live in a sustainable off the grid home. Well not quite off the grid but monthly water bills are $5.00 dollars because rain water is collected. Passive solar, rain water collection, atrium’s and all very stylish these enclaves exist. Can you imagine if all our homes were like this? We could put the oil companies out of business. Look we are the grid if we all lower our “overhead” carbon foot print we can cut back demand. In other words if we aren’t buying they aren’t selling. While the press cries about consumer spending being down I rejoice. Less consumption of non-essential items puts WalMart out of business. I want people to work but in industries that are not only good for the environment but good for the employee. We can get out of this funk, stagnated old business model of antiquated dirty energy consumption and move into the future TODAY. We have the know how and can live in harmony with our planet and each other - that’s the goal isn’t it?
Check out the link in the title and these others- the future is here and now!
Green link
Green link
Green floor plan
Green section and elevation
Utility conservation
Pictures
Videos
Resource Efficient Homes
Paul
Author-Journey Home
The Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio - Movie Review
This is another movie I can highly recommend especially for movie lovers, dreamers and those with the ability and who appreciate the effort of bringing dreams into reality. It is a lot like giving birth both wrenching, powerful and fulfilling. As I put this documentary into the DVD player I winced at the subtitles (long day at work) and slow pace of the introductory credits - just fast forward to the start and within a few moments (give it a chance) the apparent odyssey of the journey begins and takes hold of you. The sheer joy in playing reveals ego, dissension, ability, understanding or lack there of but also the unbriddled joy of the creative process. This film is that good and another highly recommended movie for your NetFlix list! I really loved it and musicians and music lovers will chuckle at the insights, missteps, warts and all harmony of the players, orchestra and organizers. It’s a marvelous piece - ENJOY!
Paul
Author- Journey Home
I actually think Nader getting into the campaign is great - will they let him debate????
Here’s an eye opening issue link
I’m not so sure that middle class tax payers are duly represented in our process, and could make a case to boycott paying our taxes based on the old refrain - “no taxation without representation” - this isn’t a joke. However, as I have maintained all along the power is in the legislature to make laws, and we as citizens, must and I mean must be active in the advocacy of the issues we find important.
Advocacy links
Advocacy links
Advocacy links
That’s where the rubber hits the road in our form of government. The republicans shut down everything I stand for including a balanced budget, smaller government, reduced funding of the military, and the redistribution of that money (up to a third) into education and research and development. The elimination of the payroll tax, the separation of church and state, getting government out of our bedrooms, lobby reform, the protection of the environment and the species that god (not you and I) put here, being better stewards of the planet (that we did not create) increased fuel mileage to 50 mpg (not the paltry 35mpg by 2012)and transparency in government, the elimination of lobbyist writing the rules, regulations and laws, and the public financing of campaigns, paper back up to voting machines, the return of the debates to the League of Women Voters (impartial, neutral, and unfunded by Corporate America), universal health care, sensible gun laws and on and on the Republicans have turned a deaf ear to everyone and everything except big money and the status quo.
We should all stop paying taxes until we get what we want. We should at least be able to target our tax dollars when we send them in and that one simple change in legislation could make a world of difference. Tax reform is not even being discussed. Or another idea the elimination of the payroll tax would jump start this economy like a defibrillator. Where is the creativity and “outside the box” thinking. It’s certainly not being promoted by the three front runners.
Our representatives are blind to their own ambition, devoid of any new ideas, unable to stand up to the status quo because their egos are tied to their jobs and perks and do not consider the big picture of sustainability.
What runs our government is the election cycle itself, getting elected and being reelected and padding their incomes, and connections by any means necessary. The actual stewardship of the Republic and the good of mankind is a distant second. It’s pathetic that not even the Constitution is put first above the self interest of our dubiously elected (mass media marketed) politicians.
It would do us no harm to have Ralph banging away at these issue for the next 9 months.
He has my vote!
Paul Burke
Author - Journey Home
Not that long ago Move On members voted 70% to 30% to support Obama. Since then all the information I have received from the MoveOn Organization has been cheer leading. Here is a letter I sent to them.
Dear Move On,
I want to know why you are supporting Obama it should be listed by bullet points on your homepage. Never mind the vote count of those swept away by the fashion of Obama I want to know what are the specific policies he states that have lead you and your members to this decision, and not campaign rhetoric. What has he done in the past ? What legislation has he supported on any level, local, state and federal that leads you and your members to believe he is the right choice for the job?
That’s the kind of information I need to make a decision. Testimonials about how wonderful he is because he is handsome, well spoken, and delivers pulpit like Sunday morning speeches are empty. The rubber hits the road on his legislative agenda, the planks in the party, his supporters who have financed him with the BIG dollars, and his track record.
Please for the good of the country stop cheer leading and get the facts out.
Then we can all make an “educated decision” other than being swept along by a fad or because Oprah says so. Come on Move On is supposed to excel in this area. I am hearing about big coal and nuclear power funding him early on in his career. Nuclear waste in toxic drums leaching into the water system is another example of dirty energy solutions gone bad. King Coal is the thief who has designed mountain top removal and blasts the debris into the valleys and waterways destroying everything in it’s path. If these two big, corrupt, well heeled corporate monsters are in bed with Obama you are all being duped and guilty of group think. If these are rumors you owe it to your members who you actively solicit for money to ferret the rumors out and dispel them.
Don’t fall for the song from the pulpit and his glowing persona and charisma, but who are his big money backers? Let’s do some real homework here.
I’m repulsed and dismayed at the quotes from the Obama supporters who just gush at his “leadership” style. I want to hear more than the word “change” ! You have a duty to inform the MOVE ON members just what change he has supported and what Senate votes has he ducked. Your daily emails and homepage have been extremely lacking in that regard.
I thought we were all a little more sophisticated than all that, and who’s this radical preacher in his background - his mentor? Come on guys lets do our homework and help educate the Move On members to this unknown, fashion of the moment, almost cult like figure named Obama. Maybe he is the real deal, maybe he’s just good at public speaking either way I assure you the Swift Boaters are laying in wait to dismantle him spreading rumors about dirty money already. They are doing their homework or making it up either way are the Obama supporters in for a big surprise along the way? The lockstep frenzy surrounding Obama has me worried. So let’s talk policy, actual votes and legislative action and money, and actual background and education the serious questions instead of promoting hero worship and adulation?
This is not a popularity contest. We need to make an educated decision about real documented substance and rely on the candidates track record and ignore the rhetoric. This election of personality is bogus and does our country a great deal of harm. After all everyone thought George W. Bush was a “good guy”. Well look what that “good guy” left us after eight years.
Without a doubt that is no way to choose a president!
Paul
Author- Journey Home
Related link - Nuclear Waste
Related Link - Congresspedia
Related Link - Voting Record
The Wolf Slaughter - a message to hunters
It’s too easy to sit in a helicopter and chase down a wolf and blast it with your rifle from the air. I’ve got news for the hunters who pay to do this: You are not men. Zero challenge, zero degree of difficulty and zero sportsmanship. You’ve got nothing. Blasting a wolf from a helicopter is a joke. People actually pay for this service to prove what - they didn’t fall out of the helicopter? If you want to feel like a man ACT like a man. Shooting bears and wolves from helicopters is lazy and virtually child’s play. Do you actually think anyone respects you or admires your dead wolf? Sorry boys it’s too easy, no challenge and only a fraud would fool themselves into thinking it was righteous.
To the helicopter pilots who have sold out - there is nothing rugged about you either. All you are doing is wasting fossil fuel and stealing from a bunch of retards. You want to hunt and shoot living things for sport get your ass out of bed early and hike into the wilderness and meet your prey head on in their house. Maybe then you aren’t a fat ugly American looser who thinks shooting things makes him a man. Mounting a dead animal on the wall proves nothing except that you need some sort of misdirected praise for “your accomplishment” try curing cancer. Anybody who thinks what you do is anything other than wrong is just blowing smoke your way because you have a few dollars.
You and your pilots are arm chair outdoors men with no real stones and an overblown sense of ego. Your closest friends and family are either frauds or laughing at you. Yeah nice kill dad. Nobody in their right mind respects you. Do you respect suicide bombers blowing to bits open air markets and citizens minding their own business? Well….do you - hey genius news flash you are no different.
Yeah real tough guy afraid to get his feet wet. If you knew what being a man was I wouldn’t have to tell you.
For the rest of us with a true sense of honor and integrity click here
Alaska is the last place in the U.S. where a few hunters still use aircraft to chase and kill wolves. They shoot these animals from the air or chase them to exhaustion before landing and shooting them point blank.
Thirty five years ago, Congress passed a law to put an end to aerial hunting. But Alaska is exploiting a loophole in federal law to resume the practice, not only for wolves, but bears as well. Hundreds of scientists and the Alaskan citizens have twice voted and condemned what a few Alaskan’s making money off of this practice are doing. Some of the lower 48 States threaten to follow Alaska’s lead. It’s time to stop aerial hunting once and for all.
Rep. George Miller (CA) has introduced the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act, legislation to close a federal loophole and curb Alaska’s brutal aerial hunting program — and prevent programs like it from spreading to places like the Greater Yellowstone region.
Please urge your Representative to sign on as a cosponsor to Rep. George Miller’s PAW Act.
Paul Burke
Author - Journey Home
Maybe this movie appealed to me because I’m a writer, maybe this movie appealed to me because I love Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, and Will Ferrell in a toned down role, but most of all this movie appealed to me because of Zooey Deschannel. There is just something lurking beneath the surface with her. You just know she’s a major goof ball but she is currently playing all these deeper, conflicted roles, and the depth she brings to her characters isn’t faked. As you can tell I really like Zooey and look forward to her career expanding. Hopefully one day she’ll record an album of standards. Her turn on “Baby it’s Cold Outside” (Elf) had everyone including James Taylor recording and rediscovering that chestnut from yesteryear. Hat’s off to Zooey. So how about the movie?
It’s an angsty film with bizarre characters. But as in any good story as with real life the more layers you peel back the more you see, and then all of a sudden it’s not so unusual after all. So without giving any of the plot away the characters are not one dimensional and the light they are seen in is varied. Kudos to the director and writer for serving up three dimensional characters. If you are looking for fast paced, action shoot em ups this is not your movie. No guns - I love movies without guns! If you are looking for brilliant, subtle acting with some over the top hi jinx for periodic comic relief - this is a great choice. One of Zooey’s love interest although fleetingly in the movie exposes the audience or rather gives the audience a chance to ask why is he a hero.
It’s a question worth asking and answering and the directors and writer do not spoon feed you all the answers - good stuff, good for them. It’s a thinker and respectfully pulls the audience in and allows them some creativity and the opportunity to put something of themselves into the movie. There’s nothing wrong with a little pondering and after all are the loose ends really that important. Well that’s for each one of us to decide. It makes for a good movie.
A quick word on Amelia Warner Zooey’s foil in part of the movie - she brings an understated role to life and plays it subtly. I’ve seen the word eccentric used to describe this movie but that’s just the outer layer of the character development. It’s a device to put inner pain out there and before the audience. Do not be put off by that description or the weird promotional photo. It’s not so weird after you have seen the movie - you’ll have an oh yeah moment. It’s good to use the brain.
Winter Passing is another movie I can highly recommend.
Paul
Author - Journey Home
The Station Agent - Movie Review
If you were on the bubble about renting this movie go ahead and take the chance. I can highly recommend it, and it comes with some mighty high praise. But ignore the reviews nothing short of the Beatles reuniting with John and George could live up to the overblown hyperbole. It’s not the movies fault. That being said lower your expectations a bit, relax and get ready for a terrific film.
This is an understated movie that has a calm running through it that Peter Dinklage easily conveys and brings to the screen. Patricia Clarkson another gifted actor who you might remember from the Untouchables (Kevin Costner) brings another dignified role to life. She has to balance two calamities and still come off charming and beguiling. Bobby Cannavale is great as the gregarious soul who won’t let these two tragic figures forget about the upside the day brings.
Peter Dinklage is the star here and doesn’t tip toe around the prejudice or rather ignorance the world greats him with every morning. He not only has a lot to teach but a fair share to learn. So thankfully the writers and director do not paint him as perfect. Through it all this is a quiet, sometimes loud, sweet, sometimes angry poignant movie. The other supporting actors including the child Peter interacts with and Michelle Williams are cast beautifully. The themes and tone of this movie weave out from deservedly dark places but life rolls on and everybody loves trains!
Paul Burke
Author - Journey Home
As I sit here and contemplate the “New Year” and just exactly how deceitful the world is and can be I’m still hopeful. As Dick Cheney’s files burn in the Eisenhower building where his records are stored and his secret meetings with the Energy Cartel were held (on his first day in office) I’m still hopeful. Where the music industry has devolved and just markets the most awful instrument free and hideous noise appealing to our lowest common denominator I am still hopeful. Where the Environmental Protection Agency is actively preventing, thwarting, and stopping the curbing of pollution and State’s Rights I am still hopeful. There are a lot of things wrong in this world from waging wars for resources (see Cheney’s first day in office) and the pillaging of God’s wondrous planet for profits, poppies, and oil, but somehow I am still stubbornly, persistently hopeful.
Why? Because I choose to be and will not let their sacrilege and their petulant behavior do anything but make me stronger. Too often we are obscured by the anguish and confusion in trying to understand why the toxic people among us are the way they are, elected and armed, greedy and heartless, lazy and stupid, cunning and wanting. But because of these men who kill, lie and spend their lives on destruction and hate there are forever more opportunities crying out in our lives to make this a better world. The need is great, it is beyond huge, and the whistle is screaming, the time is now. The time has always been now. So what can we do so fragmented and divided? We are not powerless and so simply in your corner of the world the time too is now, and the opportunity is present to find something you love to do and share it with others. Do something, anything but do not buy into the story that one person can not make a difference. Every moment, every second with every action the choice is there to either create or destroy in all of our lives constantly, persistently and decisively we make either one way or another headway.
In this moment of reflection as the New Year approaches and the calendar starts a new, as we reach out to old friends and remember those who have gone before us, as the Winter Solstice has passed and the days are getting longer so to must we inevitably, persistently, lovingly change. Change is the only constant I can see and so too must change come to those who spend a lifetime destroying our lands, our rights, our health, our economy, our education, our liberties, our loves by their stealing, lying and killing for themselves and their selves only and alone.
In 1963 they blew John Kennedy’s head to bits and claimed it was one deranged man who traveled the world freely, got the secret service to stand down, lived in the USA, and the Soviet Union, and all this with only one bullet, so are we surprised that the stupidity, and ignorance of arrogance continues today. Has it gotten better? Always there will be the unenlightened to operate on a level below comprehension to all but the selfish. Somehow we must take the sword of ignorance and destruction from their hands and raise our voices, our vibration brighter, stronger, louder and higher than theirs.
In this day and age it is long past due where apathy and a shrug of the shoulders can be our passive answer. I know beyond certainty that if each and everyone of us took up the vote, took up the cause, took up the pen, took up the protest, took up the song, and took up the action that we would prevail simply and easily.
So as it drizzles rain (much needed rain) on this gloomy morning I can still see the bright, beautiful, future as it has weaved it’s way through time filled with infinite possibilities. I can hear on the wind the hopeful song of life everywhere and the efforts (far greater than mine) of people all over this beautiful, sacred planet, and their persistent vision as they tend their gardens and loosen the shackles of the Status Quo. It is a beautiful world, magnificent in it’s intricacies fragile in its relationships and holy in it’s being. We can build and live and create better societies more worthy of existence and live in harmony with creation.
And so change ever present reveals the deceivers and their small-minded tricks their propaganda and their contempt of the righteous. We clearly see the deceit and how beholden they are to it to achieve self worth. We see the smug sneer of those who think they are fooling us, but merely themselves and we know the bile that fills their bellies because they know they are wrong as they age horribly before our very eyes.
It is with change that I am hopeful guaranteed of it’s coming and the natural beauty that unfolds every morning. Be at peace with yourself and so it shall be for the rest of all that is, Happy New Year indeed.
Paul
Freedom of Choice = The Right to Choose
Why is there a war on freedom of choice? This country was founded on religious freedom and an “individual liberty concept” that should be guaranteed, and taken into consideration with every act this government takes. The right to manage one’s own life within the tenants and arc of one’s own experience should never be impinged. It is not a one size fits all world but a tapestry of experiences and awareness that runs from the enlightened to the obsessive and power hungry. Sacrificing the bedrock foundations of this Country to the whims of fanaticism in order to gain power jeopardizes the very freedoms and virtues that make this country the land of freedom, opportunity, and great in every sense of the word.
A womans right to choose and to govern her very existence should not be dictated by anyone save her own mind, heart and soul. If we do a good job with education, including sex ed, and have easy access to birth control then we are fulfilling the “planned parenthood” mission. If we impart the wisdom that there is a difference between having a child and raising a child, and the life long commitment that entails then we will achieve responsible parenting.
If you believe every sperm is sacred and your 14 year old daughter gets pregnant what does she do? Is it up to the 14 year old? Should the parent give guidance? It could be argued that your 14 year old didn’t receive good guidance in the first place, or she wouldn’t have become pregnant. So you can see this is a very tricky issue based on the specifics of the situation and blanket rules, assumptions and attitudes do not apply.
That the government provides for safe medical procedures is its duty not only for staph infections in hospitals but abortions as well. That the government tell each and everyone of us what to believe or not believe is most definitely the largest affront on individual liberty that man can come up with short of the holocaust.
Paul Burke
Author - Journey Home
W. sucks too - he said he “couldn’t” sign the energy bill - why not is his hand broken? What he is really saying is he “wouldn’t” sign the energy bill because Big Oil owns him - owns his soul, his every thought, his career his house, his kids education - owns him - his daddy, his mommy and all his friends.
What right does the Senate have caving into special interest when it’s OUR TAX PAYER MONEY! We gave them the right by OUR vote to act in OUR interest. Big money comes in and says we aren’t going to fund your campaigns anymore, and they fold like a house of cards. Where are the real men and women the leaders who have a vision for the future? Read this NY Times article below and in the Mercury News link in the title above and weep people. In an era that cries out for bold action we limp along and now we are going to be subsidizing the unprofitable nuclear industry. I am so disgusted with the Status Quo. What a bunch of vision less wimps. We are on a tiny rock with a wisp of air and a spit of water and we continue to champion dirty energy solutions. I wanna puke all over the keyboard. My resolve is more hardened we need to toss the Senate out on it’s ear and get a REAL representative government of independents and realists.
Industry Flexes Muscle, Weaker
Energy Bill Passes
WASHINGTON — Pared-down energy legislation cleared the Senate on Thursday by a wide margin after the oil industry and utilities succeeded in stripping out provisions that would have cost them billions of dollars.
The legislation still contains a landmark increase in fuel-economy standards for vehicles and a huge boost for alternative fuels. But a $13 billion tax increase on oil companies and a requirement that utilities nationwide produce 15 percent of their electricity from renewable sources were left on the floor to secure Republican votes for the package.
The tax measure and the renewable electricity mandate were included in an energy bill that easily passed the House last week. But industry lobbyists focused their attention on Republican members of the Senate and on the White House, which repeatedly threatened to veto the bill if the offending sections were not removed.
Earlier in the week, Senate leaders agreed to drop the renewable electricity section. And on Thursday, after a failed effort to cut off debate on the bill, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, said he would reluctantly remove the tax provisions as well, clearing the way for passage in the early evening.
The slimmed-down bill passed 86-8.
The Edison Electric Institute, which represents investor-owned electric utilities, led the opposition to the renewable electricity mandate. Along with its member companies in the Midwest and Southeast, the group carried out an extensive lobbying campaign warning that the bill would cause sharp increases in electric rates.
The institute was joined by the National Association of Manufacturers, the Chamber of Commerce and groups representing the paper, mining, petrochemical and refining industries.
Dan Riedinger, a spokesman for the institute, said that a federal mandate would conflict with mandates for renewable power in place in more than half the states and that this could possibly complicate efforts to pass a nationwide program to combat climate change.
“The federal government jumping in now and second-guessing the states and enacting a fuel mandate in advance of economy-wide greenhouse gas regulation just wasn’t going to make it out of Congress,” Mr. Riedinger said.
The bill now returns to the House, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi predicted that it would pass overwhelmingly early next week. A White House spokesman said President Bush was pleased that the bill was “moving in the right direction” and that he would sign it when it reached his desk.
The oil industry conducted its own campaign of opposition to the tax provisions, arguing that it would impose burdens on the industry when it needed all the resources it had to find and develop new sources of energy.
“We made sure that everybody knew our point of view — the White House, the House, the Senate,” said James Ford, director of government affairs at the American Petroleum Institute. “We told our story and told it thoroughly.” (READ that as the THREAT it was intended to be people)
Mr. Ford said that even with the tax provisions removed, the oil industry had concerns about meeting the bill’s requirement that 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels be blended into gasoline by 2022. He said the bill was far too specific about how much of certain kinds of fuels must be produced, whether from corn, various other plant fibers or animal fats.
“With all these boutique biofuels, we need an ability to adjust the mandate if technological advances aren’t made,” Mr. Ford said.
Environmental advocates were generally pleased with passage of the new vehicle fuel-economy standards and the biofuel provision. Dan Becker, an environmental consultant who has been working on auto efficiency issues for nearly 20 years, called passage of the bill the biggest environmental victory since enactment of the Clean Air Act of 1990.
But some environmentalists said they were unhappy that the bill would not provide large incentives for expansion of renewable energy sources like wind, solar and biothermal.
Brent Blackwelder, president of Friends of the Earth Action, accused Senate Democrats of “capitulating” to Senate Republicans and the White House.
“When the Republican leadership and the polluter lobby have blocked important legislation, Senate Democrats have been all too willing to move in their direction,” Mr. Blackwelder said in a statement. “The result is that the two most positive provisions of the energy bill — a clean energy mandate and a tax package reining in handouts for fossil fuels and promoting clean energy — are being removed, while detrimental provisions, such as a radical five-fold increase in unsustainable biofuel use, remain.”
Separately, Congress reached a tentative agreement on a major energy package that it plans to enact outside the energy bill, according to a Senate Democratic staff member. The agreement, to be included in a broad government spending bill, would authorize the Energy Department to guarantee loans for various energy projects, making financing far easier.
The agreement would guarantee loans of up to $25 billion for new nuclear plants and $2 billion for a uranium enrichment plant, something those industries had been avidly seeking. It would also provide guarantees of up to $10 billion for renewable energy projects, $10 billion for plants to turn coal into liquid vehicle fuel and $2 billion to turn coal into natural gas.
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Paul Burke
Author - Journey Home
PROTECT ALL ENDANGERED RED LIST SPECIES
We did not make this world or even ourselves, we did not make the universe or the stars in the sky, we did not make the plains or the mountains, or animals that dwell in them. We did not make the oceans or the sky. We did not make the weather, the rain or the apples that grow from the trees. We did not make anything accept destruction and war, and consumption. How arrogant are we to hold this magnificent creation in disdain as we slash and pollute, burn and kill, destroy and extinguish all that has been given to us. It should be revered, used sparingly and manged with care. We have been given the free will and intelligence to accomplish great things. We have been given the consciousness to know the difference between right and wrong. Mankind needs to evolve and quickly to a forward thinking less self absorbed being and realize his/her true place in the universe on a tiny rock in a distant solar system with a wisp of air and sea to sustain us.
Paul Burke
Author Journey Home
Well the feasting has come and gone and the parades and the football, and what are we left with? Is it just back into the routine? The “holidaze” can actually be a time of significant spiritual rejuvenation. The candle light services to come on Christmas Eve, the remembrance of days and years gone by truly the holidays can be a fulfilling and rewarding time. Keeping it all in perspective maybe really isn’t the thing to do here. I don’t mean go out and over spend. In fact I would put forth that you don’t need to buy anything to achieve the holiday buzz. Well it’s not really a buzz. It’s an insight gained through familiar and family gatherings. It’s a soaking of the roots of self through memory and gathering. Laughing at cherished moments some painful now hysterical through time. The retelling of old stories and the synchronicity of strange events, timing, moon glow, sunrise, names, loves and what the heck is that tree doing in my house.
Lights go up, the gravy is passed and old family and friends pull together to rejuvenate. So don’t loose sight of the fact of how lucky we are. Lucky to be alive, lucky to be healthy, lucky to have those around who really do care and remember. Swear an oath of remembrance to those struggling, infirmed and oppressed never to forget, and re-energize yourself to help, anyway you can. For that is surely what we are here for and any actions, concentrations or directions other than that lead us astray. There’s gold in them thar hills but not the kind you might think. Real substance, real rewards and so rejuvenate and rejoice at those opportunities. Make a joyful noise, love, hug and laugh (at yourself especially) and know that each day can be like this. The holiday spirit could be, should be year round. It’s time to up our expectations of each other, lay down our weapons and extend to each other a helping hand.
Have faith in what you know is right. Walk lighter upon the Earth in many ways. We have more to be thankful for than we can even dream and work to do a plenty. Which is a blessing in itself.
Paul
Author - Journey Home
Profit, Taxes, Warren Buffet, and The Global Survival of Mankind
The idea that profit is the end all be all number one priority misses the mark by a landslide. Profit has to come down on the list of priorities to number five somewhere below sustainability (yes the environment) health, education and security. We need sustainability to live on this our one and only planet everything else comes second, and therefore manage our resources in a sustainable fashion. Clear cutting, slash and burn short term profit making is good when it’s pet rocks but devastating when it is the actual environment, food chain/food source, that sustains us. That being said money is a tool not a lover or friend or companion or neighbor, or something that fulfills us. That void inside you if it exists can not be filled up with money. Helping one another is the only way to fill that void no amount of booze or broads, good score cards, seats, or wide screen televisions or fine cigars or country club memberships or visits with celebrities will achieve that goal. So as to why we are here that should be obvious by anyone past 50 years old - to help each other.
In order to foster a more equitable society we need to quite frankly spread the wealth. If the wealth is concentrated in a few hands you will have war, and civil unrest. An uneducated population is treacherous. The war in the mid east is the haves versus the have nots - who else would be willing to blow themselves up unless they felt what’s the difference my existence is subhuman anyway.
The estate tax and Buffet’s opinion about it speak directly to those concerns. Those manipulating the tax code behind the veil of the beltway do so at their own demise, miss the big picture, are looking for short term gains and forget who and where they are.
Paul Burke
Author - Journey Home
Clear Channel Won’t Play Springsteen’s New Album!
Using excuses Clear Channel has banned it’s stations from playing Bruce’s new album. They want this quiet very quiet and not to have a Dixie Chick back lash reaction when they banned the Dixie Chicks for exercising their rights. It’s important to remember the airways belong to the Public. I was on the bubble about buying Bruce’s new album but now I’m buying it out of spite!
The serious issue here is the consolidation of media (across the board TV & Print) and the control of information to the vast majority too busy to dig for it. What gets played on the radio is what is being marketed. The commercial radio stations are just marketing arms and the cycle for marketing is a short one. I was psyched for a promo copy of one artist a while back but because it was thirty days after the release the record label didn’t want to send me a promotional copy. Talk about short sighted but they have very clear marketing strategies.
Back to the main issue - if there is money to be made they’ll play anything - artistic quality has zero, zilch, nada, absolutely nothing to do with what you are hearing on radio - it’s about unit sales and target markets. So what’s with banning Bruce? His album is selling well. Clear Channel’s strategy runs counter to their typical business model?
A Free Press was singled out in the Constitution as being essential to our democracy.
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom…of the press.”
If media across the board is consolidated into the hands of the few because of laws made by this government cleared the way then rights and freedoms are restricted by the whims of the few and the political leanings of the few. In essence the vast liberty that freedom requires and leans on has been SOLD OUT by the establishment, and those wide ranging freedoms guaranteed under our Constitution become the dictate of the few.
The essence of this issue is freedom, dissemination, availability and variety. As the public we not only own the air ways but the public lands they are mining for next to nothing. Some of the worst deals of all time have been foisted onto the American public concerning mining rights and the lost revenue that could /should be plowed back into our public institutions and needs.
Back to Freedom of the Press: Without those broad parameters of freedom of information, and broad dissemination in place and available we more than risk we guarantee that the powerful who wish to remain powerful will restrict pertinent information when it runs counter to their special, specific and highly individualized wants and needs.
Unfortunately, those needs may and often do run counter to what is best for the majority. Including being able to pollute the Delaware and Chesapeake because a company would sell less of something.
Paper back ups for voting machines is a great example although essential for voting integrity they cut into the profit margin of the manufactures. Whats more important here - obviously voting count integrity, but because we have a warped sense of the importance of profit margins trumping all other concerns we have a fight on our hands to get paper back ups for our new electronic voting machines - so much for defending the Constitution.
We shoot ourselves in the foot time and time again even to the point of the destruction of the actual air we breath, water we drink and land and oceans we harvest. It’s mind boggling and devoid of common sense.
In order to fix this mess profit has to be dropped from the number one priority of all time and considered only after the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and the health and welfare of our society as a whole is taken into account. Unbridled profit for profits sake is not a panacea or cure all for what ails us. Never has been never will be! In fact unbriddled profiteering is the quickest way to destroying our planet, each other, and ourselves.
I hope we learn this lesson before it is too late.
Did you know there were cars already in production that run on compressed air? This should be front page news. The big boys don’t have their hands around it (yet) so we don’t hear about it.
Just think how peaceful and clean the world would be today if the guys that make the most off of oil weren’t in control of the White House and Congress for the past 60 years. Don’t get fooled or roped into a phony fight Republicans versus Democrats. It’s the have mores (that’s W.’s quote) versus the rest of us.
It’s time to put the oil monopoly and their minions their dirty oil money, politics and schemes out to pasture and reclaim our country of the people, by the people, for the people!
Paul Burke
Author - Journey Home
A friend of mine sent me the link below (or click on the title) to this two hour documentary. I’m happy to report that it is compelling viewing and worth the time. Even if some of the conclusions or predictions might not stand up to other points of view this is still worth watching. The first ten minutes if historically correct offer a very fascinating overview of world religions that will give you more than a pause in your assumptions. It’s a very well put together montage and the whole documentary is split into three parts. I watched a part then took a break freshened up my apple juice and then hunkered down for the next part. So take the time to review this feature. The worst thing that can happen is that you get another point of view to assess or are spurned on to do some of your own research and fact checking, and always, always, question authority.
Paul
Author - Journey Home
Zeitgeist Movie Link