Does Anybody Get It?

We are facing multiple disasters but we keep sailing blithely along as if a few minor repairs will set the ship of state on a better course:

New Nukes

Ulrich Beck: Even our language fails when faced with the challenge of alerting future generations to the dangers we have introduced into the world through the use of nuclear power. Seen in this light, the actors who are supposed to be the guarantors of security and rationality - the state, science and industry - are engaged in a highly ambivalent game. They are no longer trustees but suspects, no longer managers of risks but also sources of risks. For they are urging the population to climb into an aircraft for which a landing strip has not yet been built.

Guardian 17th July 2008

Bob, Tara Sikora and Adam Taylor began their journey to Chicago for the Green Party National Convention in Bob's vegetable oil powered car. For the latest happenings from the convention, check out http://www.gp.org/index.php.

"The Island in the Wind" published in the July 7-14 issue of The New Yorker got me to thinking and today's news to writing. Today as of 12:12 PM the Market was plunging -117 narrowing the lead it has over 11,000. And GM is announcing they are finally moving to small cars, and cutting some of its white collar staff, but not, of course the CEO types and Union flunkies who led them to this pass. As I watch the debacle and hear the "citizenry" whine about being stuck with SUV's and looking for quick fixes I admit to a smug, "I told you so" attitude, of which I am not to proud but which has been in my emotional make-up for decades when I have been accused of being a "chicken-little"

On his day (July 7) in 1456, 25 years following her conviction and execution, Joan of Arc was retried and found innocent of the crime of heresy for which she had lost her life.

This is at least one good reason to oppose the death penalty. If its political use, which seems to underly Mumia's long stay on death row for instance, can occasion such mis-carriage of justice then whay bother.

Creating venues for self-righteous and prurient mobs revelling in hate and the smell of burning flesh do nothing to civilize us, or to set the standard of restoration of persons with abhorrant behavior to creative community.

I am proud to have received this thank you note with regard to my statement of support for those opposing the expansion of US Army Base at Pinon Canyon.

We are facing multiple disasters but we keep sailing blithely along as if a few minor repairs will set the ship of state on a better course:

We are only 42 years away from what now appears as an overly optimistic 2050 tipping point in CO2 parts per million in the atmosphere. Most climate scientists see this point as the end of life as the human race has ever known it on the planet.

This YouTube spoof says it all about the dumbing of America. You might send it to any of your friends who are still in danger of voting Republican. You know--Friends don't let friends..... http://www.imvotingrepublican.com/

Representative Democracy Requires Accountability!

Unless those who hold public office suffer a penalty for acting in ways counter to the will of those they represent then the system is a sham and the citizenry is irresponsible. Both the Republican and Democratic Parties are complicit when one does not effectively check the others behavior.