Like a herd of lemmings, the citizens of the US are once again following the siren call of those who would spread bullshit. In this case its all about oil.
The last time lemming fever broke out, we ended up in Iraq. This time the leaders of this mess want people to believe that we can drill our way out of our energy problems. Of course, this is no more true than it was that there were WMD in Iraq. They are lieing. Their own Energy Department has told them so. Everyone who knows anything about oil, and isn't working for an oil company, has told them so. Still they appear all over the traditional media selling the drill meme.
So here's what I can't figure. They all know that climate change is real. They know that man has caused the majority of the problem. They know that burning fossil fuel is what drives the climate change issue. Yet, they (those who have picked up lemming fever) are falling in line behind the criminals who want more drilling for yet more fossil fuel.
So, just what have those advising against the drill meme said about all of this? First, if drilling started today, it would be several years before any of that oil, if its there, would appear at the pumps. Second, when that oil comes to market, if it were all kept here in the US, it would bring prices down about a nickel. Third, if all of that oil were to arrive at the pumps at the same time, it would give us a year or so worth of fuel. Fourth, all of that fuel would likely be put on the international market, where the oil companies could make the most money. Fifth, we would, for all the money spent, be no nearer to cleaning the atmosphere of the filth we have put into it. Sixth, we would have squandered precious time and resources getting to an energy plan that, at it's heart, would provide sustainable energy at the same cost. Minus the pollutants brought to us by fossil fuel.
So, here we are. Watching the march of the lemmings. All of those afflicted with lemming fever racing headlong for the cliff. And, what are we to do? First, it seems to me that we do something to reduce the lemming fever. We face bullshit with truth at every level and with every person we meet. Second, we blog swarm the issue. Force the traditional media to pick it up and present it truthfully to the public at large. Third, we promote those who have the biggest guns. Matt Simmons, theoilddrum, and all the rest who have the expertise and knowledge to face down big oil. For the truth is, big oil has big money. And, they will promote their bullshit about drilling our way out of our energy problems as long as they can. See tobacco companies for reference material. Fourth, blog, blog and blog.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Big Oil Lobbyists
John. John. John. It seems it takes relatively little to buy Mr. McCain in'08. A couple of million will suffice.
It seems that the big oil lobbyists have stood up for Mr. McCain, and that was enough, along with some cash, of course, to do the trick. Mr. McCain is now entirely on-board with drilling anywhere, anytime, as long as it produces. Cash, that is.
It was known, at one time, that Mr. McCain was against drilling off the coasts and in Alaska, since the offing was small and there was too much possibility of damage to the environment. Twenty nine big oil lobbyists came to Mr. McCain and provided new information, mostly in large bill, and what do you know. Mr. McCain is now in the drill our way out of the problem camp.
It should not surprise anyone that this has come to pass. Mr. McCain, it has become apparent, is willing to sell anything and everything, including his scruples, if in fact he had any left, to win a political race. Many of us have known this for some time. However, the big oil lobbyists have made it entirely clear to anyone interested in knowing.
So, what happens now? We the liberals, that would be me, are going to stay on this monkey until he crawls away to Arizona to one of his wife's houses and goes permanently into retirement.
Mr. McCain, what big oil lobbyists can buy. For the obvious reason, Mr. McCain is for sale.
It seems that the big oil lobbyists have stood up for Mr. McCain, and that was enough, along with some cash, of course, to do the trick. Mr. McCain is now entirely on-board with drilling anywhere, anytime, as long as it produces. Cash, that is.
It was known, at one time, that Mr. McCain was against drilling off the coasts and in Alaska, since the offing was small and there was too much possibility of damage to the environment. Twenty nine big oil lobbyists came to Mr. McCain and provided new information, mostly in large bill, and what do you know. Mr. McCain is now in the drill our way out of the problem camp.
It should not surprise anyone that this has come to pass. Mr. McCain, it has become apparent, is willing to sell anything and everything, including his scruples, if in fact he had any left, to win a political race. Many of us have known this for some time. However, the big oil lobbyists have made it entirely clear to anyone interested in knowing.
So, what happens now? We the liberals, that would be me, are going to stay on this monkey until he crawls away to Arizona to one of his wife's houses and goes permanently into retirement.
Mr. McCain, what big oil lobbyists can buy. For the obvious reason, Mr. McCain is for sale.
Mr.McCain:Anti-troops/veterans
Mr. McCain, the anti-troop/veterans candidate, has given us a very good view of the slime that will be eminating from his cam pain until November. His release of the ad questioning Mr. Obama's integrity and concern for the troops, foreshadows what we can expect from that camp. The ad, as we chave come to expect from Republican candidates, is filled with falsehoods and innuendo. The "Swiftboating" that was used against Mr. Kerryin '04 has a new coat of paint and has set sail.
The problem that faces Mr. MCain, is his oh so available voting record in the U.S. Senate. As concerns the troops, Mr. McCain has, at very best, a dismal record of support. And, he seems to believe that somehow no one will ever find and bring into the public eye this pathetic record. Its as if he and his cam pain staff somehow see Mr. McCain's being a veteran as equating to support for the troops/veterans.
It doesn't work that way folks. When you, over the course of many years, vote against better health care for our toops/veterans. When you don't even show up when a vote is before the Senate to give todays veterans the same level of support you were given via a new GI Bill, that puts you in the anti-troops/veterans camp.
The problem that faces Mr. MCain, is his oh so available voting record in the U.S. Senate. As concerns the troops, Mr. McCain has, at very best, a dismal record of support. And, he seems to believe that somehow no one will ever find and bring into the public eye this pathetic record. Its as if he and his cam pain staff somehow see Mr. McCain's being a veteran as equating to support for the troops/veterans.
It doesn't work that way folks. When you, over the course of many years, vote against better health care for our toops/veterans. When you don't even show up when a vote is before the Senate to give todays veterans the same level of support you were given via a new GI Bill, that puts you in the anti-troops/veterans camp.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Humour
There is always something of humour available for those who seek it. Yesterday we had Mr. Obama speaking to 200,000 in Germany. People with signs and screaming, USA, USA, USA. What a magnificent sight to see after the past eight years of scorn and rapprochement from those same people. The US standing once again before the world as a leader, someone to emulate.
On the other hand, we had Mr. McCain hanging around in a sausage restaurant in Ohio. Speaking to maybe 20 people. The only signs were those proclaiming the special of the day. People watching an old guy who has without doubt run his cam pain clear off into the weeds. A very clear picture of someone who believes that Iraq was in our best interest. That we should make every attempt to drill our way out of our energy problems. That the people who have lost their homes and are suffering from an economy in the toilet, are a bunch of whiners.
Contrasting the two we have the young, charismatic leader. And, the guy who hasn't a clue where the border of Iran and Pakistan are. Or, that a nation who's name he call out hasn't existed for several decades.
Maybe what this is isn't really humour at all. Maybe its just a pathetic take on a Greek tragedy.
On the other hand, we had Mr. McCain hanging around in a sausage restaurant in Ohio. Speaking to maybe 20 people. The only signs were those proclaiming the special of the day. People watching an old guy who has without doubt run his cam pain clear off into the weeds. A very clear picture of someone who believes that Iraq was in our best interest. That we should make every attempt to drill our way out of our energy problems. That the people who have lost their homes and are suffering from an economy in the toilet, are a bunch of whiners.
Contrasting the two we have the young, charismatic leader. And, the guy who hasn't a clue where the border of Iran and Pakistan are. Or, that a nation who's name he call out hasn't existed for several decades.
Maybe what this is isn't really humour at all. Maybe its just a pathetic take on a Greek tragedy.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Whiner's
So, while the future President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, is overseas wowing the US troops, leaders of foreign countries and the people located therein. Mr. McCain (whiner) remains at home whining his sorry ass off about what Mr. Obama is doing and saying. It doesn't matter too much, as he becomes less and less relevant to the political landscape. But, the traditional media is still carrying water for the Republican Party, CBS in a big way at the moment.
Last night we heard from KO on MSNBC, that CBS had removed a sentence from a paragraph that appeared during an interview that whiner had with Ms. Couric. Now, in all honesty, no one expects much from Ms. Couric, and we won't get it. But, those who would alter a statement by one of those running for the Presidency of the country, because it would make him look bad, are bordering on the edge of criminality.
Not sure what is going to be said about it all today by the McCain camp. But, I can easily imagine a whole helluva lot of whining. Because, after all, thats about all they have going for them. They have nothing but the Bush plan to offer the American people for the next four years. Thus the whining.
Whine On.
Last night we heard from KO on MSNBC, that CBS had removed a sentence from a paragraph that appeared during an interview that whiner had with Ms. Couric. Now, in all honesty, no one expects much from Ms. Couric, and we won't get it. But, those who would alter a statement by one of those running for the Presidency of the country, because it would make him look bad, are bordering on the edge of criminality.
Not sure what is going to be said about it all today by the McCain camp. But, I can easily imagine a whole helluva lot of whining. Because, after all, thats about all they have going for them. They have nothing but the Bush plan to offer the American people for the next four years. Thus the whining.
Whine On.
Netroots Nation '08 (my view)
So that was Netroots Nation '08. Interesting at many, many levels. And, useful at all of those levels, also.
Skinny, fat, tall, short, intellectual and me. All in one place for the purpose of interacting on our favorite subjects. Politics to be sure, since that is the nature of the beast. But, within that very large area, a whole host of topics to delved into.
Science was a large part of the equation, since it impacts so many facets of our day to day lives. And, I must say, those people know well their subjects. But, they know a helluva lot more than just their personal little slice. They are able to hold forth on a whole range of subjects from evolutionary biology to the atmosphere and from geology to atronomy.
However, I must say, the most interesting things to me concerned the real things that we can and should be doing for our planet and it's temperature. The best discussion I was involved in came after one of the science panels. It involved one ASiegel who is a regular on DKOS and is a principal with Energize America. The discussion covered several subjects, but the one that intrigued me most was the one that involved school buses and changing the environmental problems that plague schools.
The first idea is that school buses must be turned green. We did in fact see one of the dozen buses being tested throughout the country. This one happened to reside in Austin and thus was easy for us to get ahold of. Since they run most of the year and spend a lot of time sitting, the premise is that they would be one of the easier ways to cut down on energy use. And, the selling point, they would cut down on the amount of pollutants reaching our children every day.
The second is that heating and cooling could be a lot more efficient in most of the schools we have open right now. One idea I thought intrigueing was the one of planting on the rooftops. It would have immeiate impact on both heating and cooling, and could be used to, at least part of the time, be used to grow food for the young occupants.
Was I impressed with NN '08? You bet your ass. It was well put together and well presented. It brought about 4,000 political boggers together into one place and offered them the chance to learn and give their opinions to a whole group of like minded people. Is that a big deal? See the answser to the first question in this paragraph. This now the main stream media. This is becoming how the world is to gain information about the surrounding world. The traditional media becomes more and more fox like and irrelevant. Does this really matter? We all certainly believe it does. And, our candidates, who are more and more aligning with us believe it to.
Can't wait for NN '09 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Skinny, fat, tall, short, intellectual and me. All in one place for the purpose of interacting on our favorite subjects. Politics to be sure, since that is the nature of the beast. But, within that very large area, a whole host of topics to delved into.
Science was a large part of the equation, since it impacts so many facets of our day to day lives. And, I must say, those people know well their subjects. But, they know a helluva lot more than just their personal little slice. They are able to hold forth on a whole range of subjects from evolutionary biology to the atmosphere and from geology to atronomy.
However, I must say, the most interesting things to me concerned the real things that we can and should be doing for our planet and it's temperature. The best discussion I was involved in came after one of the science panels. It involved one ASiegel who is a regular on DKOS and is a principal with Energize America. The discussion covered several subjects, but the one that intrigued me most was the one that involved school buses and changing the environmental problems that plague schools.
The first idea is that school buses must be turned green. We did in fact see one of the dozen buses being tested throughout the country. This one happened to reside in Austin and thus was easy for us to get ahold of. Since they run most of the year and spend a lot of time sitting, the premise is that they would be one of the easier ways to cut down on energy use. And, the selling point, they would cut down on the amount of pollutants reaching our children every day.
The second is that heating and cooling could be a lot more efficient in most of the schools we have open right now. One idea I thought intrigueing was the one of planting on the rooftops. It would have immeiate impact on both heating and cooling, and could be used to, at least part of the time, be used to grow food for the young occupants.
Was I impressed with NN '08? You bet your ass. It was well put together and well presented. It brought about 4,000 political boggers together into one place and offered them the chance to learn and give their opinions to a whole group of like minded people. Is that a big deal? See the answser to the first question in this paragraph. This now the main stream media. This is becoming how the world is to gain information about the surrounding world. The traditional media becomes more and more fox like and irrelevant. Does this really matter? We all certainly believe it does. And, our candidates, who are more and more aligning with us believe it to.
Can't wait for NN '09 in Pittsburgh, PA.
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