Global warming, heating, cooling weather.

With all the rhetoric about global warming and climate change going on, who’s right and/or who’s wrong? To totally ignore the facts of climate change is to ignore science fact. That the only place on the planet not seeing its ice sheets melting is Antarctica should tell any reasonable thinking person somethings going on.  Every other glacier on the planet is melting at a rate most will be gone in less than twenty years. Permafrost is melting at an accelerated rate, and could pose a serious threat due to the methane it will release as the billions of tons of vegetative matter decomposes. As the arctic loses its ice sheets, Krill, which form the basic food in many of the oceans inhabitants, will lose their breeding grounds, and seriously effect the fishing industry.

In California, the fire season is coming sooner, and lasting longer, than at any time in its history. It is because spring comes sooner each year, extending the growing season, and leaving more flammable material. The Bristle Cone Pine, the oldest trees on the planet, have shown increased growth at 500 feet above the tree line since the fifties. Examination of tree rings for the past fifteen hundred years show this to be highly unusual.

The politicization of global warming has succeeded in putting the scientific community under the microscope. The recent release of cherry-picked emails, stolen from University of East Anglia, has done nothing to place climate change where it should be: in the hands of scientists. Now, every person reading the emails suddenly thinks they know more than climate scientists. Now politics rule the day and every arm-chair internet-tater raises his/her/its hand in voicing their less than knowledgeable opinion on the subject.

My own opinion, and I will admit I’m on the fence on this, is there is not enough data known to positively say man has or has not been a major factor in climate change. I, personally, find the carbon sequestering politics to be not fully supported by science. I do know man can and has effected this planet in many ways. For instance, smog, the ozone layer, and pollution (air, water and land). I am well aware the oceans are getting more acidic, and that’s a really bad thing; and most caused by CO2, but is it natural, i.e., volcanoes, natural emissions, etc., or man made?

The bottom line is the climate is changing, and we’re in for some serious side effects, such as changing in growing patterns, water resources, etc., and they could easily lead to turf, water, and quality of life wars. People can, and in some cases, will, die. It’s those scenarios we have to prepare for, and taking the arm-chair politics out of the discussions, and leaving it to the scientists, would be a good start. After all, it’s the scientists that have brought us our way of life, including conquering Polio, cures for many cancers, and an abundance of food products via growing methods, fertilizers and insecticides. But with the hate and derision shown by both sides, I doubt it will happen.

Your thoughts?
I’m adding an excellent link to a glacial website: http://www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/

The time of hate.

No pictures today, boys and girls, just a rant about hate. For instance, Obama is basically hated by the right. Bush was hated by the left, but I can’t recall the rhetoric reaching the hate levels it has with Obama. The recent attempt at igniting a bomb on the plane over Detroit on Christmas day, and the subsequent hate filled nonsense spewed by the right wing of the Republican party, is a perfect illustration. We heard, “Where was Obama? It took him 72 hours before he addressed the nation?” They seem to conveniently forget Bush didn’t address the nation until six days after the shoe bomber. Let’s see: 6 X 24 = 144 hours. Seems to me that’s twice as long. Then they are weeping, wailing and gnashing teeth over Obama wanting the terrorist tried in court, again, conveniently forgetting that is what happened to the shoe bomber, who is now in prison.  And it’s not all the right who are guilty of injecting hate into political discussions, or any other, discussions. Good old Hollywood is well known for attacking politicians who disagree with their left wing agendas. For instance, their support of Polanski, who had sex with an underage girl, and fled the country after being convicted, is totally unacceptable. Johnny Depp, while living in France is his right, knocks this country by saying it is too screwed up to raise his children in. Hey, Johnny, become part of the solution, not the quitter.

Then there are the movies: Avatar, The Golden Compass, etc . . . all received attention by the right as attempts to further attack Christianity, or make this country look bad. They’re movies, people. That they may or may not have hidden agendas may be true, but they’re still just movies. I had a friend, who considers himself an independent, tell me he wouldn’t watch the Golden Compass because it is a direct attack on Christianity. I asked him how he came to that conclusion. His response was he read numerous reviews of it and came to that conclusion via them. I saw the movie, and while it wasn’t the best I’ve seen, I would hardly call it an attack on Christianity, unless you call the dark ages a good time for Christians.  It makes me wonder what some of these people do for fun, or if they have any fun at all. I’m sure if I watched every movie ever produced with the sole intent of finding something that attacked religion, politics, human suffering, Ad nauseam, I could find it. And that these people have a large voice to echo their hate scares me. Do they never just go to a movie to enjoy it?

It seems the last half the the previous decade, and the start of this one, has been inundated with nothing but hate. I find that entirely unacceptable. My memory of twelve years of Catholic school, and the lessons on love, not hate, has served me well. Christianity itself, via Christ, teaches love, not hate. Why has that changed? Why do Christians think their beliefs are being undermined by the left? I can only guess they are victims of this gang mentality, whose only object is to gain a foothold in politics, and bring their religion in with them. The founding fathers were well aware of what effect religion can have on society, and put into the Constitution of the United States laws strictly forbidding it. What the right wing of the Republican party can’t, or wont, realize is the fact they are the ones fomenting hate by doing and saying the things they do. And the left isn’t doing much better by laughing at them.

Sadly, I don’t see it changing, and expect it to get worse, until some day people will die because of the words of hate preached by both sides. And that is not the America I fought for many years ago in the fields of a foreign country. It is nothing better than the regimes we call radical. It seems we have met the enemy, and it is us.

War or children: who or what’s worth more?

My friend, Sek, posted an excellent speech on his blog, Kansas Mediocrity, and it got me thinking about the war in Iraq, it’s cost, and who supports it. I came up with some cold hard facts:
Here is the running cost of the war. (740 billion and counting.)
Total number of Republicans voting for the war: 215. Total Democrats: 81
Estimated cost of SCHIP for the country: $40 billion
Total number of Republicans voting for SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program): 42. Total number of Democrats voting for SCHIP: 221.
It amazes me the Republicans, who seem to have this Christianity thing going for them, think more of attacking a tinpot dictator, who never attacked this country, then ensuring the children of this nation have access to quality health care. There’s something seriously wrong there. It makes one wonder what it is they think this country stands for.  When invading a country is more important to a major political party than ensuring the health and safety of it’s future business people, leaders and workers, there is a problem. I can’t, for one minute, understand that line of thinking unless it involves the following: Capitalism at any cost. The industrial machine takes precedents over all other endeavors, including the people who actually make it work. It sure seems to me to be the roots of what the Republican party stands for. By putting the system ahead of its people, it totally eliminates humanity. I can think of no other reason for doing what they did. If anybody has other ideas, I’m more than willing to listen. Feel free to dive in.

2009 Recap

Some black dude was nominated for President. Some white dude, also nominated for president, selected some white chick from a state with less people than the city the black dude was from to be his VP running mate. The black dude won. The white chick quit her day job, and had some other white chick write a book for her, which became the number one best seller after some white dude, who owns a phony news station, bought a whole bunch of the books and sold em for way under the list price, making it the cheapest number one book in history. The white chick, who had the other white chick write the book, then went on a book signing tour in a bus, which she didn’t ride in sometimes, but took a plane instead. The white chick, who quit her day job, then told all the other news people she wouldn’t talk to them because they made fun of her. A bunch of other white people said, “We love you, white chick!”

Then some white dude governor from some state said he went to walk on some trail in some mountains someplace, but really went to some other country because he was horny. He got caught and all the news people shouted, ” O Boy,” because they could write about sex and stuff, which they like to do.

Then some black guy who plays golf ran into a fire hydrant and a tree and his wife beat the shit out of the car with a golf club, which makes perfect sense because the guy was a golfer. She was mad at him for playing eighteen holes, but not on a golf course. Personally, I’d like to have the golf club because it’d be worth big bucks on ebay. The black guy quit golf for awhile, and plans on playing another eighteen holes at a location/s to be decided later. His wife went to another country and will have a whole bunch of money really soon. I think I’ll email her and ask for some of it.

Everybody in the world lost a whole bunch of money, except those who lost the most, because they had the governments to give them their money back. After they got their money back, they gave themselves some fine times at resorts and golf courses to show the world how happy they were for getting their money back. They didn’t report on whether they played eighteen holes on the golf course. So a whole bunch of other people donated their houses to the guys who got their money back because they felt sorry for them.

Then the government started to wheel and deal with the insurance industry guys and finally decided to make sure they got a whole bunch of money too. After the insurance people stopped crying and figured out they would get a whole bunch more money, they told all the sick people to drop dead, which was really nice of them because who wants to be sick anyway?

So, as you can plainly see, 2009 was a wonderful year if you had a whole bunch of money, or owned a whole bunch of politicians. If you didn’t have a whole bunch of money, or own a whole bunch of politicians, well, the year kinda sucked, but as the Republicans party of really old white guys and two fat chicks in congress and at the tea parties, which I won’t get into because I don’t drink tea, said during the year, get a job, except there aint no jobs., so I guess we’re shit out of luck.

Maybe 2010 will have some jobs, or a couple of politicians I can buy really cheap.

Capitalism and health care in America.

I could insert pictures of sick people; people in dire need of medical help, but can’t get it, other than through emergency wards. I could insert tales of people dying because of lack of proper medical help because they’ve been priced out of the health care loop. I could give examples of the dead and dying right here in America because they can’t afford treatment, but I won’t. Instead, I’m going to write about the effect capitalism has had on the health care industry. And believe me, it’s all tied together.

Prior to the sixties, most hospitals were non-profit. You paid actual costs of procedures, doctors made good wages, nurses made acceptable wages, and hospitals were a credit to the community and the health and well being of the people they served. After that, something happened. Hospitals were bought up by individuals and groups with the thought they could be made profitable.  Out of that was born the idea health insurance could be a profitable side of many insurance companies. And the cost of health care started to rise, as profits on the sick and dying were seen as a good thing by capitalistic system of America. Business started supplying its employees with health insurance packages in various forms, with some asking the employee to pay part of the cost, others not so much. But all insurance cost the employee in the form of lower wages, etc.. The bottom line was both business and the employee prospered under the system.

But the cost of health care continued to rise to the point both business and the employee started to be hurt by it. Business had the choice of making the employee pay more and more of the cost, or drop it altogether. The employee had the choice of paying the added cost, dropping the insurance if their wages couldn’t cover the cost, or looking for work at a business with better benefits. And that’s basically where we are today. And the driving force behind this maze is profits. When capitalism reared its ugly head in the health industry, it was inevitable this would happen. I’m not against capitalism when applied to most industries, but I am against it when it is applied to health care.

We are the only industrialized nation without universal health care, and one of the very few that allows the industry to profit from health care. In my opinion, the health care industry should not be allowed to profit off the backs of the sick and dying. It is my opinion the health care industry should be allowed a basic rate, paid to keep it in the black, and no more. If the profit motive were removed from the industry, costs would drop, and more people could afford insurance. If the profit motive were subtracted from the equation, pre-existing conditions would not matter to the bottom line. The so-called death panels the Republicans are freaking out over, and which the insurance industry already has in place, would be non-existent. The hired guns of the insurance industry, whose only job is to find reasons not to pay for the insureds procedures, would not be needed.

And my basic problem with the insurance industry, making profits off the sick and dying humans of this great nation, would be solved.

The current bill, passed by the Senate, addresses none of this. In my opinion, it is a sham of a bill that will do nothing to lower costs, and will, in the long run, increase costs to the consumer. And the bottom line there is money talks, and the money is flowing to elected officials by the train load. It’s a sad day for Americans when private industry buys politicians, and the American people lose, and make no mistake about it: with this bill, we lost. The only winners are the usual: insurance, pharmaceuticals, and politicians.  Main street America is, again, left holding the empty bag.

Sarah vs Arnie!

I took this photograph of Sarah after a night of debauchery she shared with Tiger and a moose named Fred. After the night was over, she shot the moose and made a pie. Tiger left and immediately drove his SUV into a tree and a fire hydrant. No word on whether the two incidents were connected, and Sarah’s keeping her mouth shut, a first for her.

Seems her and Arnie, the current governor of California, and world renown destroyer of crooks, alien invaders, politicians, airplanes, automobiles, trains, boats, vegetation and soon to be broke state, are clashing over global warming. She says that even though she was all for cap and trade regs on CO2 sequestering, she’s also against it. Arnie says he’s all for cap and trade regs, but wants to convert CO2 into something useful, like jalapeno cheese or maybe protein shakes.

Might I suggest a compromise consisting of a full on battle between the two. Each would be given a set of Ginsu knives free of charge, however they would have to pay shipping and handling charges. Included would be a vegamatic if they started the battle in 30 days or less. Rules of the battle would be drawn up by an international body of internet bloggers, with AKMuckraker as head rules decider. Frigginloon, Bearman, Suzi Spice and Donald Mills would comprise the rest of the team. Three other spots would be filled via lottery.

The basic setting would take place in a designated, out-of-the-way location. Preferably somewhere no humans, animals or vegetation reside. The battle would be to the death, or until the public loses interest, whichever comes first. The winner gets free tickets to the next Yanni concert and a years supply of McCain for President memorabilia, black magic marker not included.

Personally, I can’t wait for the reruns.

Gubment fer sail.

You know the one thing that just chaps my hide? Cold, dry weather.  Okay, there is one other: lobbyists. Politicians love money and lobbyists carry around whole bunches of the stuff. They pass it around as if it was nothing more than a bottle of water. It means nothing to them but a way into the politicians pocket. For the lobbyist, it doesn’t matter what they are trying to foist off on the politician; it only matters that they are in the politicians pocket. Big business has, for centuries, tried to get politicians to pass laws in their favor, to the exclusion of us, the main street taxpayers of this country. Time and again, we see lobbyists wining and dining politicians with gourmet meals and fifty year old wine. We see lobbyists taking politicians on “junkets” that include golf outings at private courses we’ll never see; seeing to it that every wish the politician makes is fulfilled.

Obama promised the lobbyist feed and seed party would end. Turns out that change was a bit too premature: they’re still enticing Washington into a hidden bottomless pit filled with the only thing politicians love: money. And just how powerful are these lobbyists? Producer Asa Eslocker, an ABC reporter, was arrested outside the Brown Palace, in Denver, for doing nothing more than take pictures of both the lobbyists and politicians attending a high dollar breakfast. Seems the Brown Palace thinks the sidewalk in front of the place is owned by them, and Asa was standing on it while taking the pictures. One of the cigar-smoking police told Asa he was lucky the cop didn’t kick the fuck out of him. Flm of the arrest.

Sadly, it ain’t going to change until us taxpayers pull together and make it a serious election issue, and you know how we taxpayers love to pull together huh? Good luck with that. But what we can do s blog the internet so full of everything evil lobbyists stand for, the general population stands up and does something about it. So to every one who reads this, and has access to blogs, phones, letter writing, whatever, let your politician know if he or she uses lobbyists, and those lobbyists are lobbying for anything other than main street taxpayer interests, start looking for a new job.

Global warming threat officially over!

Okay folks, I know you have been worried about global warming, but I’m here to tell you you can forget that and go back to worrying about who the winner of So You Think You Can Dance will be tonight. How do I know this, you might ask? It snowed in Houston. As the excellent picture of the girl in Houston eating snow illustrates, It’s best to do so prior to it hitting the ground.

What does snow in Houston have to do with global warming? Sean Hannity, of that news service on the cutting edge of ensuring it’s watchers get the news the way they want it, Fox, says if it’s snowing in Houston, then global warming is a myth. I mean, like how much more proof does one need anyway? My biggest fear ever was when I was in Guam, and it rained for three days straight. I figured the flood had reinvented itself and we were all going to die. Happily that didn’t happen, and I’m still around to listen to the likes of Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck . . . wait a minute: maybe I did die, and this is hell.

Lord Christopher Walter Monckton, 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, who makes puzzles, when interviewed by CNN said basically the same thing: global warming research is a waste of time and money. Now I don’t know about you, but when some dude with a title that won’t fit on a drivers license says it’s a waste of money, who am I to disagree? I mean after all, he makes puzzles, so he’s gotta be one smart dude, what?

So, next time you take a vacation to that glacier you’ve been waiting years to see, only to find it melted, remember the count, and that it snowed in Houston. Maybe they can take all that snow from Houston and make a new glacier out of it. It’s a puzzle the count would be more than happy to figure out.

Franken bitch-slaps the GOP, who have forgotten how to read.

The more I read him, the better I like him. Apparently, Franken slammed Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and the GOP for essentially lying about the nature of the Democratic health care bill, suggesting they haven’t read it. Doesn’t surprise me in the least. The whole Republican mantra on health care reform has been, “What?” There has been no informative speeches on the bill by the GOP, just sound bites meant to frighten their own constituents. From death panels to illegals, they have copped to lies. From Palin and her puppets to Beck and his beckerheads, they have spewed nothing but right-wing propaganda. And  lot of the Liberals in congress have let it slide. But not Franken, and a major shout out for his calling out the phonies of the GOP. And also for sticking to his guns and beating Norman for the Senate seat. Rock on, Franken!

THE PLAN!

For you all who have been on out of body journeys, under the influence of adult beverages, dead, or just missing from the main-stream, I have this to offer: Glenn Beck is writing a 100 year plan for this country. In it he will lay out exactly how he wants this country to change in order to make him God-King during the next 100 years or so. Now I don’t know about you, but I feel great about this, and think he should do a 1000 year plan so he can get rid of the king thingy and go right to the God thingy. During a recent interview with himself, he had this to say, “I am drafting plans now to bring us back to an America that our founders would understand,” he said before claiming that Americans “need to start thinking like the Chinese.” What exactly he means by thinking like Chinese, I haven’t a clue. Maybe he means wearing pajamas 24/7. He didn’t have his monitor chalk board to illustrate his point, so he probably didn’t have a clue either.

Anyways, I can’t wait for it to come out so I can not read it. I wonder if it will go for $4.99 as well. I heard Sarah’s book is out now. There’s another book I’ll have to miss out on. If anybody’s read it and it has her moose pie recipe in it, please refrain from sending it to me. If you do, I’ll have your email addy and I will spam the hell out of you with pictures of her and Beck relaxing in a pool full of jello made from moose fat and Beck’s tears.