March 10, 2011
May 18, 2010
April 03, 2009
G20
Who are the G20?
We have been forced to unplug ourselves and have found that there is a whole world waiting for us. It’s time to kick capitalism whilst it’s down. The illusions they put before us have kept us working jobs we hate for too long, separated us from those that we love and are destroying the planet we rely upon to survive.
The G20 is a group of twenty finance ministers and central bank governors from 19 of the world’s most wealthy economies and the European Union. These economies cover 80% of world trade and the countries themselves contain two thirds of the world’s population.
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“Capitalism isn’t in crisis, capitalism IS crisis!”-
If enough people take to the streets, the chasm that divides society will be illuminated-
Statement 3
“The current economic crisis has made capitalism more transparent then ever before. Finally the illusions are being stripped away. House prices may have tumbled but houses still stand tall, the price of food may have risen dramatically but the fields and hedge rows are still full of wonderful edible plants! We may no longer be able to afford ‘luxuries’ but today love and companionship is more real than ever.-
“Capitalism isn’t in crisis, capitalism IS crisis!”-
If enough people take to the streets, the chasm that divides society will be illuminated-
Statement 3
We have been forced to unplug ourselves and have found that there is a whole world waiting for us. It’s time to kick capitalism whilst it’s down. The illusions they put before us have kept us working jobs we hate for too long, separated us from those that we love and are destroying the planet we rely upon to survive.
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Let’s smash the final illusion. Let’s tell them they don’t control our lives anymore!”
Let’s smash the final illusion. Let’s tell them they don’t control our lives anymore!”
March 18, 2009
Not One Red Cent.
Geithner, are you out of your f*****g mind? You’re going to give AIG another $30 billion, b******t!!!
I want every red cent of tax payers’ money for bonuses paid back before you even think about giving out any more bailout.
If this is the best Liddy can do, send him packing and the rest of the executives that are getting these big bonuses.
I here Chine is looking for executives.
“We as a Congress are not defenseless.” So, Congress, when are you going to do something, beside talk talk talk?
Bloomberg:
Geithner Vows to Recoup AIG Bonuses as Lawmakers Express Fury
Geithner, who has come under fire from Congress over the AIG payments, said in a letter to lawmakers last night the government will recover the money by requiring it be repaid from company operations and deducting the amount from the next $30 billion in aid being provided to the insurer.
Millions lost their jobs; it’s an outrage that the people who somewhat caused this problem are now paying themselves bonuses.
New York-based AIG paid $165 million in executive bonuses after taking taxpayer-funded bailouts totaling $173 billion. AIG also budgeted $57 million in “retention” pay for employees who will be dismissed, according to a March 2 filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“We will impose on AIG a contractual commitment to pay the Treasury from the operations of the company the amount of retention rewards just paid,” Geithner wrote. “In addition, we will deduct from the $30 billion in assistance an amount equal to the amount of those payments.”
The political heat generated by AIG bonuses indicates declining public and congressional support for shoring up beleaguered financial institutions with government funds, and may make it tougher for President Barack Obama’s administration to win approval for future bailouts.
Most appallingly, while millions of Americans struggle through this economy, those who have received the largest measure of taxpayer assistance from the Treasury Department have shown no restraint.
Senator Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a speech on the Senate floor that he, Reid and other lawmakers sent a letter to AIG’s Liddy asking executives to return the bonuses to their “rightful owners।” He said if the money isn’t refunded, Congress will pass laws to “tax these bonuses at a very high rate.”
Quoting out of context, read the full story: Click Here
I want every red cent of tax payers’ money for bonuses paid back before you even think about giving out any more bailout.
If this is the best Liddy can do, send him packing and the rest of the executives that are getting these big bonuses.
I here Chine is looking for executives.
“We as a Congress are not defenseless.” So, Congress, when are you going to do something, beside talk talk talk?
Bloomberg:
Geithner Vows to Recoup AIG Bonuses as Lawmakers Express Fury
Geithner, who has come under fire from Congress over the AIG payments, said in a letter to lawmakers last night the government will recover the money by requiring it be repaid from company operations and deducting the amount from the next $30 billion in aid being provided to the insurer.
Millions lost their jobs; it’s an outrage that the people who somewhat caused this problem are now paying themselves bonuses.
New York-based AIG paid $165 million in executive bonuses after taking taxpayer-funded bailouts totaling $173 billion. AIG also budgeted $57 million in “retention” pay for employees who will be dismissed, according to a March 2 filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“We will impose on AIG a contractual commitment to pay the Treasury from the operations of the company the amount of retention rewards just paid,” Geithner wrote. “In addition, we will deduct from the $30 billion in assistance an amount equal to the amount of those payments.”
The political heat generated by AIG bonuses indicates declining public and congressional support for shoring up beleaguered financial institutions with government funds, and may make it tougher for President Barack Obama’s administration to win approval for future bailouts.
Most appallingly, while millions of Americans struggle through this economy, those who have received the largest measure of taxpayer assistance from the Treasury Department have shown no restraint.
Senator Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a speech on the Senate floor that he, Reid and other lawmakers sent a letter to AIG’s Liddy asking executives to return the bonuses to their “rightful owners।” He said if the money isn’t refunded, Congress will pass laws to “tax these bonuses at a very high rate.”
Quoting out of context, read the full story: Click Here
March 17, 2009
Scolding the Bonus Babies
AIG, the insurance giant at the core of the financial meltdown, struck again over the weekend, disclosing that it would use some of its $170 billion in federal bailout money to reward its employees with $165 million in bonuses. And Obama was left looking like a pitiful giant as his aides explained that there was absolutely nothing they could do to stop the obscene payouts -- even though the government owns 80 percent of AIG.
But if the president wants to keep ahead of the public fury, he'll need to do more than share the concerns; he'll need to act on them. Now it's time to deliver.
Well said. He is the president for crying out loud, we the tax payers own most of AIG, if not the whole corpse. We have the power; he has the power if he has the balls to execute it. Nothing less than nationalizing, firing the oh-so-very "Talented" and breaking up the company will suffice. Do you have the balls Obama?
AIG needs to die. They are 13 trillion dollars in debt from credit default swaps; they have acknowledged paying 80 billion of that debt... We simply cannot afford to bring them back to life... the bankers, the insurers, the stockholders, the board of directors have to- must- lose their shirts and shuffle away in disgrace.
They are not talented, there f-students on a drinking binge.
But if the president wants to keep ahead of the public fury, he'll need to do more than share the concerns; he'll need to act on them. Now it's time to deliver.
Well said. He is the president for crying out loud, we the tax payers own most of AIG, if not the whole corpse. We have the power; he has the power if he has the balls to execute it. Nothing less than nationalizing, firing the oh-so-very "Talented" and breaking up the company will suffice. Do you have the balls Obama?
AIG needs to die. They are 13 trillion dollars in debt from credit default swaps; they have acknowledged paying 80 billion of that debt... We simply cannot afford to bring them back to life... the bankers, the insurers, the stockholders, the board of directors have to- must- lose their shirts and shuffle away in disgrace.
They are not talented, there f-students on a drinking binge.
February 23, 2009
Ouch
James Paulsen:
"We have had a loss in confidence because the government keeps changing its playbook, and when that happens investors don't want to put any capital into the market," said James Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management in Minneapolis.
WestTexasBliss:
You just don’t get it do you Paulsen. Investors’ loss confidence because of the corruption and greed.
Investors' Hopes for Turnaround Dim as Markets Decline Further
As fears over the economic crisis continue to erode investors' confidence, markets at home and abroad are feeling the effects.
That's not a decline, that's falling off a cliff.
No end in sight
Economic data expected to be disheartening this week.
GDP expected to be revised lower to show biggest loss since 1982
Armstrong has just written a cheery essay called "The Coming Great Depression. Why Government Is Powerless". In it, Armstrong forecasts:
We are facing a Depression that will last 23-26 years. The response of government is going to seal our fate because they cannot learn from the past and will make the same mistakes that every politician has made before them.
More on this topic
"We have had a loss in confidence because the government keeps changing its playbook, and when that happens investors don't want to put any capital into the market," said James Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management in Minneapolis.
WestTexasBliss:
You just don’t get it do you Paulsen. Investors’ loss confidence because of the corruption and greed.
Investors' Hopes for Turnaround Dim as Markets Decline Further
As fears over the economic crisis continue to erode investors' confidence, markets at home and abroad are feeling the effects.
That's not a decline, that's falling off a cliff.
No end in sight
Economic data expected to be disheartening this week.
GDP expected to be revised lower to show biggest loss since 1982
Armstrong has just written a cheery essay called "The Coming Great Depression. Why Government Is Powerless". In it, Armstrong forecasts:
We are facing a Depression that will last 23-26 years. The response of government is going to seal our fate because they cannot learn from the past and will make the same mistakes that every politician has made before them.
October 27, 2007
Health Care
Health Care System:
I know what we need to do. We need a health care system, something like Canada has. The only way to get this is to tell the politicians that they are going to be on the same health care plan we the people have. No exceptions! Give them 90 days to fix the health care system. If they don’t get it fixed in 90 days all their past, present and future benefits Freeze and a 10% cut in pay after the 90 days. To me, they are not Democrats or Republicans, they are corrupt politicians. I bet if we give this problem to an independent think tank they can get this fixed.
Social Security:
I know what we need to do. We need a Social Security system that works. The only way to get this is to tell the politicians that they are going to be on the same Social Security plan we the people have. No exceptions! Give them 90 days to fix the Social Security system. If they don’t get it fixed in 90 days all their past, present and future benefits Freeze and a 10% cut in pay after the 90 days. To me, they are not Democrats or Republicans, they are corrupt politicians. I bet if we give this problem to an independent think tank they can get this fixed.
Education;
The same with Education. 90 days or we give it to an independent think tank.
Immigration;
The same with Immigration. 90 days or we give it to an independent think tank.
Where do we get the money to pay the independent think tanks? From the corrupt politicians. Fine them. Take a way their benefits. Fire them.
Can you see you and your child in a doctor’s office waiting to see the doctor and H. Clinton and her kid sitting next to you waiting to see the doctor?
If the politicians don’t fix are problem we can make it their problem to.
I know what we need to do. We need a health care system, something like Canada has. The only way to get this is to tell the politicians that they are going to be on the same health care plan we the people have. No exceptions! Give them 90 days to fix the health care system. If they don’t get it fixed in 90 days all their past, present and future benefits Freeze and a 10% cut in pay after the 90 days. To me, they are not Democrats or Republicans, they are corrupt politicians. I bet if we give this problem to an independent think tank they can get this fixed.
Social Security:
I know what we need to do. We need a Social Security system that works. The only way to get this is to tell the politicians that they are going to be on the same Social Security plan we the people have. No exceptions! Give them 90 days to fix the Social Security system. If they don’t get it fixed in 90 days all their past, present and future benefits Freeze and a 10% cut in pay after the 90 days. To me, they are not Democrats or Republicans, they are corrupt politicians. I bet if we give this problem to an independent think tank they can get this fixed.
Education;
The same with Education. 90 days or we give it to an independent think tank.
Immigration;
The same with Immigration. 90 days or we give it to an independent think tank.
Where do we get the money to pay the independent think tanks? From the corrupt politicians. Fine them. Take a way their benefits. Fire them.
Can you see you and your child in a doctor’s office waiting to see the doctor and H. Clinton and her kid sitting next to you waiting to see the doctor?
If the politicians don’t fix are problem we can make it their problem to.
October 13, 2007
Don't Waver When The Moment Comes.
Don't Waver When The Moment Comes.
Suddenly cool Al Gore looks like a good choice.
Al Gore could become the only man to win an Oscar, a Nobel Prize and his party's presidential nomination.
He already has collected an Oscar for his global-warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." (Actually, that's two Oscars, if you count best song.) He's Won the Nobel Peace Prize.
We hope he goes for it.
Gore has said repeatedly that he's happy doing what he's doing, while not irrevocably ruling out a run. Friends and former aides are hedging bets.
The first President Bush mocked him as "ozone man." Now, corporations seek his counsel on global warming.
"An Inconvenient Truth" has made environmental activism - and Gore, in all his woodenness - cool again. Thousands flock to his lectures on campuses. Rock stars go gaga over him.
But more important, international leaders, who turned against America when Bush scoffed at treaties and rejected diplomacy, respect and admire Gore.
However much he has achieved in the past seven years, President Gore could achieve what citizen Gore cannot. So bide your time, Al Gore, as Bobby Kennedy did in 68. But don't waver when the moment comes.
Suddenly cool Al Gore looks like a good choice.
Al Gore could become the only man to win an Oscar, a Nobel Prize and his party's presidential nomination.
He already has collected an Oscar for his global-warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." (Actually, that's two Oscars, if you count best song.) He's Won the Nobel Peace Prize.
We hope he goes for it.
Gore has said repeatedly that he's happy doing what he's doing, while not irrevocably ruling out a run. Friends and former aides are hedging bets.
The first President Bush mocked him as "ozone man." Now, corporations seek his counsel on global warming.
"An Inconvenient Truth" has made environmental activism - and Gore, in all his woodenness - cool again. Thousands flock to his lectures on campuses. Rock stars go gaga over him.
But more important, international leaders, who turned against America when Bush scoffed at treaties and rejected diplomacy, respect and admire Gore.
However much he has achieved in the past seven years, President Gore could achieve what citizen Gore cannot. So bide your time, Al Gore, as Bobby Kennedy did in 68. But don't waver when the moment comes.
July 04, 2007
'Scooter' Libby Rewarded For Keeping Silent.
With his decision to commute the prison sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, President Bush again demonstrated that he considers his administration to be above the law.
Lie to cover up misdeeds and you will be protected is the message sent to those in the administration. And the president's action tells the American people that there are different sets of laws and punishments for the politically powerful and the common person.
Those are terrible messages to send on the week the nation celebrates its Declaration of Independence from a tyrannical king, also named George.
The day cannot come soon enough when the nation gains its independence from this George as well.
Lie to cover up misdeeds and you will be protected is the message sent to those in the administration. And the president's action tells the American people that there are different sets of laws and punishments for the politically powerful and the common person.
Those are terrible messages to send on the week the nation celebrates its Declaration of Independence from a tyrannical king, also named George.
The day cannot come soon enough when the nation gains its independence from this George as well.
June 23, 2007
Senate drops tax package, boosts auto fuel rules.
The U.S. Senate passed an energy bill on Thursday that would raise the country's automobile fuel efficiency standards for the first time in 30 years.
But the Senate dropped $32 billion in clean-energy incentives after Republicans objected to about $29 billion in extra taxes on big U.S. oil companies.
Minutes before midnight, the Senate voted 65-27 to approve the Democratic rewrite of U.S. energy policy, which would mandate a four-fold use in ethanol in motor gasoline by 2022 and raise vehicle fuel-efficiency standards by 10 miles per gallon, or to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
H.R. 6 (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007)
Vote Summary
Question:
On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 6, As Amended)
Vote Number:
226 Vote Date: June 21, 2007, 11:25 PM
Required For Majority:
1/2 Vote Result: Bill Passed
Measure Number:
H.R. 6 (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007)
Measure Title:
An Act to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers from price gouging, to increase the energy efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
Vote Counts:
YEAs 65
NAYs 27
Not Voting 7
But the Senate dropped $32 billion in clean-energy incentives after Republicans objected to about $29 billion in extra taxes on big U.S. oil companies.
Minutes before midnight, the Senate voted 65-27 to approve the Democratic rewrite of U.S. energy policy, which would mandate a four-fold use in ethanol in motor gasoline by 2022 and raise vehicle fuel-efficiency standards by 10 miles per gallon, or to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
H.R. 6 (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007)
Vote Summary
Question:
On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 6, As Amended)
Vote Number:
226 Vote Date: June 21, 2007, 11:25 PM
Required For Majority:
1/2 Vote Result: Bill Passed
Measure Number:
H.R. 6 (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007)
Measure Title:
An Act to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers from price gouging, to increase the energy efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
Vote Counts:
YEAs 65
NAYs 27
Not Voting 7
Read The Full Story:
June 05, 2007
U.S. Short-Changes Climate Monitoring
U.S. short-changes climate monitoring, report says.
Reducing the number of satellites places the global-warming program 'in serious jeopardy,' government scientists warn.
America will lose much of its ability to monitor global warming from space unless the Bush administration reverses course and restores funding for the next generation of climate instruments, according to a confidential report prepared by government scientists.
May 31, 2007
The Assault on Reason
The Assault on Reason
In the months following the release of An Inconvenient Truth, I began to focus on why our democracy has been so slow to deal with the climate crisis. The unwillingness to solve this problem is not only the result of a lack of political will, but it has also been caused by the emergence of a new political environment dangerously hostile to reason, knowledge, and facts. In the long-term, this poses a threat to the very basis of American democracy: the ability of a well-informed citizenry to use the rule of reason to hold government accountable.
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May 24, 2007
START HERE
In the months following the release of An Inconvenient Truth, I began to focus on why our democracy has been so slow to deal with the climate crisis. The unwillingness to solve this problem is not only the result of a lack of political will, but it has also been caused by the emergence of a new political environment dangerously hostile to reason, knowledge, and facts. In the long-term, this poses a threat to the very basis of American democracy.
May 07, 2007
IPCC report upbeat on climate change Published
BANGKOK: After two grim warnings on the impact of climate change, the world’s top experts were unusually upbeat in assessing ways to protect the Earth, but said that national leaders have no time to waste.
The report delivered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN’s top authority on the subject which met in Bangkok last week, said humanity could at least slow global warming with existing, affordable technology.
But the experts warned that time was of the essence to ward off the most destructive effects of climate change.
“We believe that human beings are capable of reducing the problems that we may get on climate change,” Ogunlade Davidson, the co-chair of the meeting, said.
The report delivered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN’s top authority on the subject which met in Bangkok last week, said humanity could at least slow global warming with existing, affordable technology.
But the experts warned that time was of the essence to ward off the most destructive effects of climate change.
“We believe that human beings are capable of reducing the problems that we may get on climate change,” Ogunlade Davidson, the co-chair of the meeting, said.
“The only difficulty is to get the political will to do that,” he said.
~~~
My fear is this whole global warming crisis will bring out the worst of us, not the best. Can anyone realistically see humankind working together to kick this thing, or does the crisis have the propensity to bring out the Hitler like traits in us all? Idealistically I would like us all to work this out but realistically I see a horror that I will not spare any words on. May God have mercy on us all.
~ Paul M
May 06, 2007
Science triumphs over politics at UN climate change meeting
SCIENCE had a rare victory over politics at this week's UN climate change conference, after a united call for action emerged despite fierce debate over how to best tackle global warming.
The UN's top body on climate change last Friday released a report approved by delegates from 120 nations, laying out how the world could avoid the worst impacts of global warming with minimal economic damage.
As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meeting began in Bangkok last Monday, delegates warned that it was fanciful to believe all the players had the interests of the planet at the top of their agenda.
They said nations would inevitably fight to protect their own economic and political interests, and as the meeting got under way, reports crept out from behind the closed doors that some delegations were indeed playing politics.
But after all the battles, wrangling and interventions, most agreed that science had triumphed, with politics sometimes playing a helping hand.
"You could argue that some of the delegates that are most critical and difficult towards the text are the most important to the text," said Michael Williams, spokesman for the UN's Environment Programme.
"By challenging and nitpicking and asking questions, that just increases the chances of us getting a better text rather than just being polite about it."
The United States, usually fingered as a key culprit in protecting economic interests over climate change concerns, escaped largely unscathed from the conference, with most delegates pleasantly surprised by its performance.
"I was relieved to see the Americans behaving, that makes such a difference," said Stephan Singer, of the conservation group WWF.
Shouldering most of the blame for trying to stick a political oar in the proceedings was China, which was said to be trying to play up the costs of taking immediate action to battle global warming.
Michael Mueller, a German environment ministry official who attended the talks, accused China of impeding progress towards cutting greenhouse gases, and said its delegates had been "masters of deception and the art of interpretation".
BANGKOK 06-May-07
The UN's top body on climate change last Friday released a report approved by delegates from 120 nations, laying out how the world could avoid the worst impacts of global warming with minimal economic damage.
As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meeting began in Bangkok last Monday, delegates warned that it was fanciful to believe all the players had the interests of the planet at the top of their agenda.
They said nations would inevitably fight to protect their own economic and political interests, and as the meeting got under way, reports crept out from behind the closed doors that some delegations were indeed playing politics.
But after all the battles, wrangling and interventions, most agreed that science had triumphed, with politics sometimes playing a helping hand.
"You could argue that some of the delegates that are most critical and difficult towards the text are the most important to the text," said Michael Williams, spokesman for the UN's Environment Programme.
"By challenging and nitpicking and asking questions, that just increases the chances of us getting a better text rather than just being polite about it."
The United States, usually fingered as a key culprit in protecting economic interests over climate change concerns, escaped largely unscathed from the conference, with most delegates pleasantly surprised by its performance.
"I was relieved to see the Americans behaving, that makes such a difference," said Stephan Singer, of the conservation group WWF.
Shouldering most of the blame for trying to stick a political oar in the proceedings was China, which was said to be trying to play up the costs of taking immediate action to battle global warming.
Michael Mueller, a German environment ministry official who attended the talks, accused China of impeding progress towards cutting greenhouse gases, and said its delegates had been "masters of deception and the art of interpretation".
BANGKOK 06-May-07
April 28, 2007
World Wide Strike, July 7, 2007
My Solution
Submitted by Sherwy on Sat, 04/28/2007.
Well finally got the opportunity to watch AIT and my gut feeling on how I would feel after watching this mind bending truth of what society has created was right. It made me feel sad, scared and sick. Sad that this could actually have happened, sad for my children who will potentially grow up only knowing destruction, death, disasters, animal extinctions, disease………………………… Scared that we want do anything, scared that our ability to change will be taken from us by a handful of people, organizations, politicians and corporations. Sick of doing nothing, sick of listening to those in charge lying and manipulating us and I feel sick thinking about those poor animals and eco systems that also live in this world, having no idea no warning of this destruction that man is and has created.
We have to stop talking about the changes, stop talking about implementing small decreases of emissions by say 2012. Those kinds of discussions have been going on for 20+ years now and still only small changes have been implemented. In most cases increases in emissions have occurred, as we have seen in AIT in those years of talks the environmental impact of our current way of life is speeding this fatal process up. This will lead us to only one outcome as they say “to the end of life as we know it”. So if we don’t stop as a world wide society killing our planet WE WILL END LIFE we know this!!!!! Those people who are continuing this situation and controlling the people blinding and lying to us all to protect there annual profits will at the end of the day LOSE , because end in some form is coming life as we know it is on a knife edge. For me it has gone beyond just doing your bit, to now the only way is to unit as one world one society and make the changes required.
My solution is to implement sudden change by pre-empting that end. How???? By stopping simple stopping, you think if we as ordinary people just stopped going to work and protested across the world, who would be hardest hit??? We are lead to believe that we would suffer. If we stopped around the world and said enough they would have to listen and change would happen rapidly. If we spent those billions, trillions of dollars world wide that have been generated by that which is KILLING OUR PLANET us!!! If we as a world wide society just spent some time and money implementing those necessary changes, then I believe in 1year maybe 2years who cares how long we could divert a forced and inevitable destruction, that would have a far greater impact on man then 1 or 2 years of hard work.
We need to be not one person making change but one world making that world wide change.
Am I making sense here? I need some feed back, could this work??? What do you think???
Sherwy's blog:
-----
World Wide Strike
Submitted by WestTexasBliss on Sat, 04/28/2007.
Okay, how about doing this July 7, 2007.
Starting 12:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. 24 hours,
What do you think?
Wembley's Live Earth Lineup Announced
Madonna, Genesis, Foo Fighters and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are to play at the new Wembley Stadium for a concert highlighting the threat of climate change.
Other acts at the London leg of the Live Earth series of concerts include James Blunt, Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, Razorlight and Damien Rice.
Seven Live Earth shows will take place around the world on July 7. The line-up for the UK leg of the 24 hour event was announced yesterday by Live Earth founder and executive producer Kevin Wall. He said: "This monster line-up will ensure Live Earth meets our goal of bringing together people from around the world to combat the climate crisis. Live Earth will not only span all seven continents, but the musicians who have answered our call span multiple genres and generations."
Read the Full Story,
Document is publicly viewable at...
April 22, 2007
Boxer will 'hound' Bush on emissions regulations
Sen. Barbara Boxer promised to pressure the Bush administration to adopt California-style global warming regulations, saying Wednesday that the Supreme Court "handed us a gift" with its recent landmark decision authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce greenhouse gases as a pollutant.
The decision "put the wind at our backs," the California Democrat said, vowing at the National Press Club to haul administration officials before her Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to ask them what immediate steps they will take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are produced by the consumption of fossil fuels.
"I will hound them on this week after week after week after week," said Boxer, who chairs the committee. "It doesn't take China doing anything. It doesn't take India doing anything. It doesn't take Congress doing anything."
The administration has the power to act on its own, she said, and "I intend to move to make sure the administration uses its powers."
The decision "put the wind at our backs," the California Democrat said, vowing at the National Press Club to haul administration officials before her Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to ask them what immediate steps they will take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are produced by the consumption of fossil fuels.
"I will hound them on this week after week after week after week," said Boxer, who chairs the committee. "It doesn't take China doing anything. It doesn't take India doing anything. It doesn't take Congress doing anything."
The administration has the power to act on its own, she said, and "I intend to move to make sure the administration uses its powers."
April 16, 2007
Pelosi Opens Doors
The Bush administration and its allies in the media have been heaping scorn upon House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for her trip last week to Syria to speak with Syrian President Bashar Assad.The conservative media claim Pelosi has undermined U.S. foreign policy. How? By ignoring the Bush administration's policy to not have direct talks with Syria, which they claim is one of the world's leading sponsors of international terrorism.
Some have gone so far as to call for Pelosi's prosecution under the Logan Act, which makes it a felony for any American "without authority of the United States" to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States."
If you agree with that line of argument, since we are at war, Pelosi is guilty of treasonous behavior. There's just one problem. The argument is total nonsense.
Some have gone so far as to call for Pelosi's prosecution under the Logan Act, which makes it a felony for any American "without authority of the United States" to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States."
If you agree with that line of argument, since we are at war, Pelosi is guilty of treasonous behavior. There's just one problem. The argument is total nonsense.
March 13, 2007
Broad Irony
The first rule when criticizing popular science presentations for inaccuracies should be to double check any 'facts' you use. It is rather ironic then that William Broad's latest piece on Al Gore plays just as loose with them as he accuses Gore of doing.
We criticized William Broad previously for a piece that misrepresented the scientific understanding of the factors that drive climate change over millions of years, systematically understating the scientifically-established role of greenhouse gases, and over-stating the role of natural factors including those as speculative as cosmic rays. In this piece, Broad attempts to discredit Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" by exaggerating the legitimate, but minor, criticisms of his treatment of the science by experts on climate science, and presenting specious or unsubstantiated criticisms by a small number of the usual, well-known contrarians who wouldn't agree even if Gore read aloud from the latest IPCC report.
This article is very disappointing, not just because it gets things so wrong, but because it misses an opportunity to address a much more substantive issue. It is inevitable that working scientists will find popular presentations of their work lacking in depth and nuance (after all, depth and nuance are what we do!). Whatever you may think about Al Gore's movie, it is indisputable that it has raised awareness of the issues and left a substantial part of the public hungry for more information. That hunger can only be fed by people who are closer to the science than Gore, and it is inevitable that the AIT will be used as a springboard or contrast for further presentations. A better article would have investigated how that is happening and how that is affecting public awareness of the science. Unfortunately, this article does nothing to improve public awareness, and that is deeply ironic.
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Michael Mann and Gavin Schmidt
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Edited by WestTexasBliss
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Read the Full Story: document is publicly viewable.
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We criticized William Broad previously for a piece that misrepresented the scientific understanding of the factors that drive climate change over millions of years, systematically understating the scientifically-established role of greenhouse gases, and over-stating the role of natural factors including those as speculative as cosmic rays. In this piece, Broad attempts to discredit Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" by exaggerating the legitimate, but minor, criticisms of his treatment of the science by experts on climate science, and presenting specious or unsubstantiated criticisms by a small number of the usual, well-known contrarians who wouldn't agree even if Gore read aloud from the latest IPCC report.
This article is very disappointing, not just because it gets things so wrong, but because it misses an opportunity to address a much more substantive issue. It is inevitable that working scientists will find popular presentations of their work lacking in depth and nuance (after all, depth and nuance are what we do!). Whatever you may think about Al Gore's movie, it is indisputable that it has raised awareness of the issues and left a substantial part of the public hungry for more information. That hunger can only be fed by people who are closer to the science than Gore, and it is inevitable that the AIT will be used as a springboard or contrast for further presentations. A better article would have investigated how that is happening and how that is affecting public awareness of the science. Unfortunately, this article does nothing to improve public awareness, and that is deeply ironic.
~
Michael Mann and Gavin Schmidt
~
Edited by WestTexasBliss
~
Read the Full Story: document is publicly viewable.
~
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