The Bush Administration manipulated scientific data in a government study on the environmental impact of cattle grazing prior to announcing that it would loosen regulations limiting grazing on public lands, according to two scientists who contributed to the study.
"They rewrote everything. It's a crime," said Erick Campbell, a former biologist with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), who wrote the sections of the report that address the effects of the new rules on wildlife. "This is a whitewash— they took all of our science and reversed it 180 degrees." [1] Campbell made his remarks last week in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Bill Brookes, a retired BLM hydrologist who worked on the study also complained of Administration meddling. "Everything I wrote was totally rewritten and watered down," Brookes told the Times. [2]
The new rules will allow ranchers to graze their cattle on public lands for a longer period of time --up to five years-- before they are required to reduce the size of their herds. The new rules will also severly limit public participation in decisions on grazing issues.
According to BLM Director Kathleen Clarke, the new rules "will produce long-term rangeland health benefits," including increased vegetation on stream banks, which will reduce soil erosion and provide more wildlife habitat. [3]
But the original report conducted by the BLM's own scientists reached the opposite conclusion. According to the original report, "The proposed action will have a slow, long-term adverse impact on wildlife and biological diversity in general." This entire section was ultimately eliminated and, incredibly, BLM now says the new grazing regulations are in fact "beneficial to animals." [4]
But according to Tom Lustig, senior counsel for the National Wildlife Federation, "Almost nothing in these rules benefits the public lands or the millions of Americans who use them for purposes other than raising cattle." [5]
Environmental experts note the new regulations will have widespread and lasting impacts. According to Bobby McEnaney, a grazing expert with the Natural Resources Defense Council, "Grazing regulations affect 160 million acres of public land in the Western United States --far more than any other industry-- so any change to grazing laws will have a dramatic impact on the country's public lands."
McEnaney condemned the Administration's distortion of science and public participation. "The science was completely rewritten in order to cater to ranching interests."
SOURCES:
[1] "Federal cattle grazing analysis called white wash," Los Angeles Times, Jun. 18, 2005.
[2] Ibid.
[3] "Bush Eases Land Use for Ranchers," Christian Science Monitor, Jun. 22, 2005.
[4] Ibid.
[5] "New federal grazing rules will rip up public lands," National Wildlife Federation, Jun. 16, 2005.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Monday, June 27, 2005
A college that trains young Christians to be politicians.
This is the article that John Stewart referred to on the Daily Show Monday night, with his guest Hanna Rosin. It's definitely worth reading.
Here's the link: The New Yorker: Fact: "
GOD AND COUNTRY
by HANNA ROSIN
A college that trains young Christians to be politicians.
Issue of 2005-06-27
In the last days before the 2004 Presidential election, Patrick Henry College, in Purcellville, Virginia, excused all its students from classes, because so many of them were working on campaigns or wanted to go to the swing states to get out the vote for George W. Bush. Elisa Muench, a junior, was interning in the White House's Office of Strategic Initiatives, which is overseen by Karl Rove. On Election Day, she stood on the South Lawn with the rest of the White House staff to greet the President and Mrs. Bush as they returned from casting their votes in Texas. Muench cheered along with everyone else, but she was worried. Her office was "keeping up contact with Karl," and she knew that the early exit polls were worse than expected. Through the night, she watched the results, as Bush's electoral-vote total began to rise. The next morning, after Kerry conceded, she stood in the crowd at the Bush campaign's victory party, in clothes she'd been wearing all night, and "cried and screamed and laughed, it was so overwhelming."
Here's the link: The New Yorker: Fact: "
GOD AND COUNTRY
by HANNA ROSIN
A college that trains young Christians to be politicians.
Issue of 2005-06-27
In the last days before the 2004 Presidential election, Patrick Henry College, in Purcellville, Virginia, excused all its students from classes, because so many of them were working on campaigns or wanted to go to the swing states to get out the vote for George W. Bush. Elisa Muench, a junior, was interning in the White House's Office of Strategic Initiatives, which is overseen by Karl Rove. On Election Day, she stood on the South Lawn with the rest of the White House staff to greet the President and Mrs. Bush as they returned from casting their votes in Texas. Muench cheered along with everyone else, but she was worried. Her office was "keeping up contact with Karl," and she knew that the early exit polls were worse than expected. Through the night, she watched the results, as Bush's electoral-vote total began to rise. The next morning, after Kerry conceded, she stood in the crowd at the Bush campaign's victory party, in clothes she'd been wearing all night, and "cried and screamed and laughed, it was so overwhelming."
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Only YOU have the power to Save Toby!
Time is running out for Toby! June 30th is the deadline, then Toby gets it!
Only you have the power to Save Toby!
What delicious dish will the Tob-ster become? Marinate that bad boy in garlic, shallots and some kosher salt, baby, with asparagus on the side! Grill 'em!
Only you have the power to Save Toby!
What delicious dish will the Tob-ster become? Marinate that bad boy in garlic, shallots and some kosher salt, baby, with asparagus on the side! Grill 'em!
Friday, June 24, 2005
God mentioned that I'm smarter than you
From the Associated Press:
OAK CREEK, Wis. - Environmentalists and the state of Illinois are lining up against a proposal to construct a mammoth coal-burning power plant on the shores of Lake Michigan, warning it will pollute the air and water across the Midwest and set off a 'coal rush' to build more such projects around the country.
The project is actually a $2.15 billion expansion of a 1950s-era plant in this Milwaukee suburb, 80 miles north of Chicago. The resulting complex would produce enough electricity for 615,000 homes, burn 1.5 million tons of coal a year and draw 2.2 billion gallons of water from the lake each day, or almost as much as Chicago and 100 of its suburbs use.
The plant's operator, We Energies, and the state Public Service Commission, which approved the project, say that it is the cheapest and best way to meet growing power needs in the busy Milwaukee-Chicago corridor and that the project complies with all environmental regulations."
Here's a link to the rest of the article: Duluth News Tribune | 06/23/2005 | Coal power plant project is firing up controversy
Unfortunately, this article only briefly mentions mercury and mercury poisoning, and does not say how far downwind you'll have to be to avoid it. The scrubber technology that is to be installed is outdated and has already been banned in Illinois.
OAK CREEK, Wis. - Environmentalists and the state of Illinois are lining up against a proposal to construct a mammoth coal-burning power plant on the shores of Lake Michigan, warning it will pollute the air and water across the Midwest and set off a 'coal rush' to build more such projects around the country.
The project is actually a $2.15 billion expansion of a 1950s-era plant in this Milwaukee suburb, 80 miles north of Chicago. The resulting complex would produce enough electricity for 615,000 homes, burn 1.5 million tons of coal a year and draw 2.2 billion gallons of water from the lake each day, or almost as much as Chicago and 100 of its suburbs use.
The plant's operator, We Energies, and the state Public Service Commission, which approved the project, say that it is the cheapest and best way to meet growing power needs in the busy Milwaukee-Chicago corridor and that the project complies with all environmental regulations."
Here's a link to the rest of the article: Duluth News Tribune | 06/23/2005 | Coal power plant project is firing up controversy
Unfortunately, this article only briefly mentions mercury and mercury poisoning, and does not say how far downwind you'll have to be to avoid it. The scrubber technology that is to be installed is outdated and has already been banned in Illinois.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
PBDE levels are on the rise in your blood stream
From Green Guide
For the past 30 years, flame retardants have been collecting in the bodies of humans and have been shown to cause learning deficits and reproductive problems in animals.
PBDE levels are on the rise in Americans and are now comparable to those levels linked to lower sperm counts and damaged ovaries in animal tests. PBDE's, widely used in polyurethane furniture foam and plastic TV and computer monitors, readily migrate into the environment.
In some cases, blood levels of PBDEs in Americans have surpassed the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are known to harm the developing brain and nervous system in humans and have been banned in the U.S. since 1978. In animal studies, PBDEs have produced effects similar to the effects of PCBs and the two chemicals are similar in structure as well. Because PBDEs... also cross the placenta, some scientists fear that, as has happened with PCBs, maternal levels of PBDEs may result in children's delayed development, including learning and behavioral problems.
Food is the primary source of high PBDE levels in the human body, with farmed fish possessing the highest levels of PBDEs, on average, of all animal food groups tested. PBDEs are also entering our bodies through the air in our homes. Children's PBDE levels, in particular, may receive occasional spikes from dust encountered while playing on the floor.
What to do:
Eat less farmed fish (no more than once per month), especially European and U.S. salmon, which have been shown to have high levels of PBDE. Choose wild Alaskan, fresh or canned salmon instead.
Shop for PBDE-free computers and electronics, or better yet go without them. Several manufacturers have eliminated PBDEs in their consumer products including: Apple, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi, IBM, Intel, Matsushita/Panasonic (removing all brominated flame retardants from products by March 31, 2006), Motorola, NEC, Philips Semiconductors, Sony and Toshiba.
Clean floors with a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner that traps fine particles of dust, soot and pollen, and wet mop regularly. It's also important to keep your home well-ventilated. This will help reduce concentrations of other forms of indoor air pollution.
Cover and seal rips in upholstery that expose polyurethane foam, especially if the foam is loose and crumbling, a condition that may encourage the release of PBDEs into house dust and air.
Contact your mattress manufacturer to see whether your mattress contains PBDEs. If it does, but you aren't ready to replace your mattress, consider purchasing a tightly woven, allergen-barrier mattress casing to reduce PBDEs leaching into your air and a HEPA air filter to capture any that do.
If you buy a new air conditioner, choose one with a HEPA filter and clean it regularly to remove dust.
Eat a heart-healthy diet. In addition to helping prevent cardiovascular disease, a diet low in animal fats will also help reduce your exposure to bioaccumulating chemicals like PBDE.
To read the executive summary of the report, Learning Hazards: Toxic Fire Retardants and How to Avoid them in Consumer Products and Food, go to www.thegreenguide.com.
For the past 30 years, flame retardants have been collecting in the bodies of humans and have been shown to cause learning deficits and reproductive problems in animals.
PBDE levels are on the rise in Americans and are now comparable to those levels linked to lower sperm counts and damaged ovaries in animal tests. PBDE's, widely used in polyurethane furniture foam and plastic TV and computer monitors, readily migrate into the environment.
In some cases, blood levels of PBDEs in Americans have surpassed the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are known to harm the developing brain and nervous system in humans and have been banned in the U.S. since 1978. In animal studies, PBDEs have produced effects similar to the effects of PCBs and the two chemicals are similar in structure as well. Because PBDEs... also cross the placenta, some scientists fear that, as has happened with PCBs, maternal levels of PBDEs may result in children's delayed development, including learning and behavioral problems.
Food is the primary source of high PBDE levels in the human body, with farmed fish possessing the highest levels of PBDEs, on average, of all animal food groups tested. PBDEs are also entering our bodies through the air in our homes. Children's PBDE levels, in particular, may receive occasional spikes from dust encountered while playing on the floor.
What to do:
Eat less farmed fish (no more than once per month), especially European and U.S. salmon, which have been shown to have high levels of PBDE. Choose wild Alaskan, fresh or canned salmon instead.
Shop for PBDE-free computers and electronics, or better yet go without them. Several manufacturers have eliminated PBDEs in their consumer products including: Apple, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi, IBM, Intel, Matsushita/Panasonic (removing all brominated flame retardants from products by March 31, 2006), Motorola, NEC, Philips Semiconductors, Sony and Toshiba.
Clean floors with a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner that traps fine particles of dust, soot and pollen, and wet mop regularly. It's also important to keep your home well-ventilated. This will help reduce concentrations of other forms of indoor air pollution.
Cover and seal rips in upholstery that expose polyurethane foam, especially if the foam is loose and crumbling, a condition that may encourage the release of PBDEs into house dust and air.
Contact your mattress manufacturer to see whether your mattress contains PBDEs. If it does, but you aren't ready to replace your mattress, consider purchasing a tightly woven, allergen-barrier mattress casing to reduce PBDEs leaching into your air and a HEPA air filter to capture any that do.
If you buy a new air conditioner, choose one with a HEPA filter and clean it regularly to remove dust.
Eat a heart-healthy diet. In addition to helping prevent cardiovascular disease, a diet low in animal fats will also help reduce your exposure to bioaccumulating chemicals like PBDE.
To read the executive summary of the report, Learning Hazards: Toxic Fire Retardants and How to Avoid them in Consumer Products and Food, go to www.thegreenguide.com.
Afghanistan Watch
There's a significant amount of news that is not being reported by the US press about the ongoing Afghan conflict. Do yourself a favor and check out the Afghanistan Watch website, it contains tons of information on recent events.
Yet another post on Biodiesel
Are you sick of hearing about it yet? Is it really a solution?
With oil almost gone, biodiesel has been making quiet, steady progress as a viable alternative transportation fuel. Biodiesel can burn safely in any diesel engine, making it an attractive option as US car makers begin to introduce hybrid diesel models.
A new USDA/DOE report claims that the US can sustainably produce enough biodiesel to replace 30% of the nation's current petroleum consumption. This total includes crop waste (cornstalks), grains...
perennial crops (grasses, etc.), animal manure, process residues, and miscellaneous other feedstocks. The report projects that by 2010, biofuels could supply 4% of US transportation fuel needs up from 0.5% in 2001. By 2030, that could reach 30%. If true, this could make a significant dent in US oil imports. Now is a good time to ask local farmers and pressure state ag agencies about Midwest prospects in the nation's energy future.
Biomass recently surpassed hydropower as the largest domestic source of renewable energy — currently serving about 3% of US total energy consumption. Also, biomass represents the only existing renewable source of liquid transportation fuel.
The largest US biodiesel plant is currently being built by a German company in Minot, ND, and should be completed by December 2006.
With oil almost gone, biodiesel has been making quiet, steady progress as a viable alternative transportation fuel. Biodiesel can burn safely in any diesel engine, making it an attractive option as US car makers begin to introduce hybrid diesel models.
A new USDA/DOE report claims that the US can sustainably produce enough biodiesel to replace 30% of the nation's current petroleum consumption. This total includes crop waste (cornstalks), grains...
perennial crops (grasses, etc.), animal manure, process residues, and miscellaneous other feedstocks. The report projects that by 2010, biofuels could supply 4% of US transportation fuel needs up from 0.5% in 2001. By 2030, that could reach 30%. If true, this could make a significant dent in US oil imports. Now is a good time to ask local farmers and pressure state ag agencies about Midwest prospects in the nation's energy future.
Biomass recently surpassed hydropower as the largest domestic source of renewable energy — currently serving about 3% of US total energy consumption. Also, biomass represents the only existing renewable source of liquid transportation fuel.
The largest US biodiesel plant is currently being built by a German company in Minot, ND, and should be completed by December 2006.
Millions in Midwest will see delays in arsenic protection
More than 4,000 US water utilities serving 13 million people don't meet the new federal standard for arsenic, and must bring their systems into compliance by Jan. 23, 2006. Some have begun to do so, but many are struggling, and a few are paying no attention to the deadline. (read more)
The US areas most likely to have arsenic-contaminated groundwater are in the West, Midwest, and Northeast, but "hot spots" can occur elsewhere. To reduce problems, community water providers must meet the new standard, and millions of people who get their water from unregulated wells may want to investigate the local potential for risk.
About 97% of the utilities that don't meet the new standard are small, serving fewer than 10,000 people. Their small size makes the necessary improvements potentially much more costly per customer than for larger systems. EPA estimates annual costs per household will run about $32 for systems serving more than 10,000 people, but will jump to $38-327 for utilities serving fewer than 10,000 people.
The Rural Community Assistance Partnership says many of the small communities it's working with are having a difficult time, given the expense and limited funding and remediation options. RCAP would prefer to see the deadline pushed back, and to have a more aggressive national effort to find technology alternatives and funding sources. On the other hand, RCAP doesn't want to see its constituents drinking unsafe water.
RCAP says some communities remain unaware of the new standard and deadline, and that others are already beginning the process of requesting an exemption or extension from their state water department. Some states are just beginning to figure out how the exemption process, permitted in the EPA regulation, will work.
The US areas most likely to have arsenic-contaminated groundwater are in the West, Midwest, and Northeast, but "hot spots" can occur elsewhere. To reduce problems, community water providers must meet the new standard, and millions of people who get their water from unregulated wells may want to investigate the local potential for risk.
About 97% of the utilities that don't meet the new standard are small, serving fewer than 10,000 people. Their small size makes the necessary improvements potentially much more costly per customer than for larger systems. EPA estimates annual costs per household will run about $32 for systems serving more than 10,000 people, but will jump to $38-327 for utilities serving fewer than 10,000 people.
The Rural Community Assistance Partnership says many of the small communities it's working with are having a difficult time, given the expense and limited funding and remediation options. RCAP would prefer to see the deadline pushed back, and to have a more aggressive national effort to find technology alternatives and funding sources. On the other hand, RCAP doesn't want to see its constituents drinking unsafe water.
RCAP says some communities remain unaware of the new standard and deadline, and that others are already beginning the process of requesting an exemption or extension from their state water department. Some states are just beginning to figure out how the exemption process, permitted in the EPA regulation, will work.
Holy Shit! Technology Rocks! Oh, It's about smog...
Concerned about the air you're breathing? The feds now supply you with national real time reports on ozone and particulates. You can view an animated US map of atmospheric pollution as it changes throughout the day and compare it with previous days. This is cool if you're a fatass lazy techno-geek wanking it to internet porn, but for the rest of us it lends itself to rather disturbing conclusions.
Check it out: AIRNow - Home
Check it out: AIRNow - Home
Monday, June 20, 2005
CDC to release 3rd report on chemicals in humans
From the Society of Environmental Journalists:
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is tentatively scheduled to release the Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals at the end of June 2005, though that timing (first planned for early 2005) could be delayed once again. The report will offer the best available data on the 'body burden' of chemicals carried by US residents. About 150 chemicals are expected to be documented in this year's report, an increase from 116 in the previous report, released in January 2003, and 27 in the first report, released in March 2001.
In addition to covering more substances, the third report may provide better trend information for a few substances, as well as improved breakouts by categories such as age, sex, and race. Substances monitored in the third report are expected to include 13 metals, 43 pesticides, 12 phthalates, 6 phytoestrogens, 23 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 17 dioxins and furans, 34 PCBs, and tobacco smoke."
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is tentatively scheduled to release the Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals at the end of June 2005, though that timing (first planned for early 2005) could be delayed once again. The report will offer the best available data on the 'body burden' of chemicals carried by US residents. About 150 chemicals are expected to be documented in this year's report, an increase from 116 in the previous report, released in January 2003, and 27 in the first report, released in March 2001.
In addition to covering more substances, the third report may provide better trend information for a few substances, as well as improved breakouts by categories such as age, sex, and race. Substances monitored in the third report are expected to include 13 metals, 43 pesticides, 12 phthalates, 6 phytoestrogens, 23 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 17 dioxins and furans, 34 PCBs, and tobacco smoke."
Happy campers beside the oily nuclear plant?
From Tom Spears at theOttawa Citizen - canada.com network
Add this to the pile of news that does not get reported in the US.
Bruce Power makes it sound like a pretty small event: A transformer fire and oil spill on their property, the Bruce Nuclear Power Development, on Lake Huron. It's North America's biggest commercial nuclear complex, so people's attention naturally turned to one question: Are the nukes safe?"
Add this to the pile of news that does not get reported in the US.
Bruce Power makes it sound like a pretty small event: A transformer fire and oil spill on their property, the Bruce Nuclear Power Development, on Lake Huron. It's North America's biggest commercial nuclear complex, so people's attention naturally turned to one question: Are the nukes safe?"
The Kalamazoo is still in trouble
From the Kalamazoo Gazette, read the entire article here: Senate wants to fund study of Kalamazoo River dams
Concerned over the potential for disaster as three state-owned dams along the Kalamazoo River continue to crumble, the Michigan Senate has earmarked $250,000 to plan for the dams' removal or repair.
But the cost to draft the plan is dwarfed by the cleanup cost for the 80-mile stretch of the river, which includes contaminated sediments and is estimated to total at least $1 billion.
Concerned over the potential for disaster as three state-owned dams along the Kalamazoo River continue to crumble, the Michigan Senate has earmarked $250,000 to plan for the dams' removal or repair.
But the cost to draft the plan is dwarfed by the cleanup cost for the 80-mile stretch of the river, which includes contaminated sediments and is estimated to total at least $1 billion.
130,000 tanks leaking contaminants such as MTBE
From the Society of Environmental Journalists:
One of the most important concerns swirling around the latest energy bill discussions about the gasoline additive MTBE is that the chemical readily leaks from underground storage tanks and contaminates drinking water.
Even though leaking underground storage tanks (known by the catchy acronym LUSTs) have been getting fixed for 20 years, a substantial problem still remains. EPA says nearly 130,000 LUSTs are known and unrepaired. Of the 680,000 known tanks that are in use, less than two-thirds comply with requirements for leak prevention and detection. EPA says LUSTs are the most common source of groundwater contamination, and that petroleum products are the most common contaminant. (more...)
EPA acts as the umbrella funder and regulator for the LUST program. Its funding tax (0.1 cent per gallon of motor fuel) has already been extended several times, but is due to expire Oct. 1, 2005.
In addition to EPA's role, much of the funding and enforcement is delegated to the states. Nonetheless, only 34 states, DC, and Puerto Rico have independent programs approved by EPA. The rest require ongoing EPA oversight, though a few of these still don't have agreements with EPA; about half of these states are in the West, while many of the others are in the Midwest (Map of States With Approved UST Programs). Many of these states happen to be the ones with the highest numbers of unrepaired LUSTs. ID is the lone state that still doesn't have a comprehensive program for leak detection and prevention, though it does have a cleanup program.
EPA provides summary information about each state, and contacts. However, some states have thousands of LUSTs but don't provide key data, such as compliance rates. OH is one example.
The Sierra Club says in a report released April 19, 2005, that the number of LUSTs repaired has declined substantially during the Bush administration, that about 9,000 new LUSTs are discovered each year, that there are an additional 190,000 unregistered underground storage tanks, and that about 100 million people drink groundwater in states where delayed cleanups threaten groundwater quality. The report also includes charts documenting each state's cleanup backlog, funding difficulties, and more.
One of the most important concerns swirling around the latest energy bill discussions about the gasoline additive MTBE is that the chemical readily leaks from underground storage tanks and contaminates drinking water.
Even though leaking underground storage tanks (known by the catchy acronym LUSTs) have been getting fixed for 20 years, a substantial problem still remains. EPA says nearly 130,000 LUSTs are known and unrepaired. Of the 680,000 known tanks that are in use, less than two-thirds comply with requirements for leak prevention and detection. EPA says LUSTs are the most common source of groundwater contamination, and that petroleum products are the most common contaminant. (more...)
EPA acts as the umbrella funder and regulator for the LUST program. Its funding tax (0.1 cent per gallon of motor fuel) has already been extended several times, but is due to expire Oct. 1, 2005.
In addition to EPA's role, much of the funding and enforcement is delegated to the states. Nonetheless, only 34 states, DC, and Puerto Rico have independent programs approved by EPA. The rest require ongoing EPA oversight, though a few of these still don't have agreements with EPA; about half of these states are in the West, while many of the others are in the Midwest (Map of States With Approved UST Programs). Many of these states happen to be the ones with the highest numbers of unrepaired LUSTs. ID is the lone state that still doesn't have a comprehensive program for leak detection and prevention, though it does have a cleanup program.
EPA provides summary information about each state, and contacts. However, some states have thousands of LUSTs but don't provide key data, such as compliance rates. OH is one example.
The Sierra Club says in a report released April 19, 2005, that the number of LUSTs repaired has declined substantially during the Bush administration, that about 9,000 new LUSTs are discovered each year, that there are an additional 190,000 unregistered underground storage tanks, and that about 100 million people drink groundwater in states where delayed cleanups threaten groundwater quality. The report also includes charts documenting each state's cleanup backlog, funding difficulties, and more.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Local Man Fed Up, Burns All Material Possessions
Bill "The Spot" Van Houten, a former candidate for Drain Commissioner in Ottawa County, spent Saturday afternoon pondering the deeper meaning of it all while watching his lifelong collection of material goods go up in flame.
"All you need is a little Coleman fuel," said Van Houten, as he cracked open his fifth Pabst Blue Ribbon, "Coleman fuel and a little moxie."
First thing into the fire pit was a much maligned and incredibly uncomfortable chair inherited ten years ago. "Why the hell should I sit in that fart-laden piece of crap? Just Because? Fuck it!"
Grandma's favorite chair, inherited by Van Houten in 1996
Other material goods soon found their way into the blaze. Anything Van Houten's wife had not "rescued" went up in the great pyre.
"My wife's dresser really burned nicely," commented Van Houten
Friends arrived to witness the event, a great deal of laughter ensued and the news of Van Houten's sudden leap to enlightenment passed throughout the neighborhood.
"My son is going to have to find a new place to store his Star Wars shit," said Van Houten. "No son of mine is gonna keep his dolls in a pink cabinet, Star Wars or not."
The pink Star Wars storage cabinet erupts
"All you need is a little Coleman fuel," said Van Houten, as he cracked open his fifth Pabst Blue Ribbon, "Coleman fuel and a little moxie."
First thing into the fire pit was a much maligned and incredibly uncomfortable chair inherited ten years ago. "Why the hell should I sit in that fart-laden piece of crap? Just Because? Fuck it!"
Grandma's favorite chair, inherited by Van Houten in 1996
Other material goods soon found their way into the blaze. Anything Van Houten's wife had not "rescued" went up in the great pyre.
"My wife's dresser really burned nicely," commented Van Houten
Friends arrived to witness the event, a great deal of laughter ensued and the news of Van Houten's sudden leap to enlightenment passed throughout the neighborhood.
"My son is going to have to find a new place to store his Star Wars shit," said Van Houten. "No son of mine is gonna keep his dolls in a pink cabinet, Star Wars or not."
The pink Star Wars storage cabinet erupts
Fundamentals of Sustainability discussion
This may not be news to some of you, but I just stumbled upon it on Cascadia Scorecard and thought it was a great conversation that more of us should be participating in. I'm still a card carrying Oregonian, so my attention drifts to the Pacific Northwest frequently.
Northwest Environment Watch (NEW) is trying to articulate—both for internal guidance and to anchor its public communications—the fundamentals of sustainability. By "fundamentals," we mean a brief list of values and principles that NEW and its supporters believe in, that capture the central messages we want to share with others, and that we hope to move up the public agenda together.
Northwest Environment Watch:
Values and Principles Discussion
I'm all for defining the values and principles of sustainability, these are certainly not salient points for the majority of Americans. Let's push this discussion as far as we can, beyond NW Environmental Watch and to our own businesses and lifestyles. Even if you don't give a rat's behind about NW Environmental Watch this is a good exercise, they've offered a great beginning. Throw in your opinion and help them - and all the rest of us who are engaged in this type of work - clearly define the message.
Northwest Environment Watch (NEW) is trying to articulate—both for internal guidance and to anchor its public communications—the fundamentals of sustainability. By "fundamentals," we mean a brief list of values and principles that NEW and its supporters believe in, that capture the central messages we want to share with others, and that we hope to move up the public agenda together.
Northwest Environment Watch:
Values and Principles Discussion
I'm all for defining the values and principles of sustainability, these are certainly not salient points for the majority of Americans. Let's push this discussion as far as we can, beyond NW Environmental Watch and to our own businesses and lifestyles. Even if you don't give a rat's behind about NW Environmental Watch this is a good exercise, they've offered a great beginning. Throw in your opinion and help them - and all the rest of us who are engaged in this type of work - clearly define the message.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Right wing blog "Powerline" promotes I love gitmo t-shirts
I just saw this on Eyeteeth: A journal of incisive ideas.: "Feel the love: Rightwing blog Powerline endorses a line of t-shirts with an 'I (heart) gitmo' logo on the front (Powerline loves a prison camp where torturers are paid through my US tax dollars?). And so apparently does Halliburton: they were just handed another building contract there. Through a $30 million contract, which could expand to $500 million, a subsidiary of the company will build a permanent two-story prison at Guantanamo."
Eyeteeth is pretty cool. Lots of good ideas.
Eyeteeth is pretty cool. Lots of good ideas.
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