What Balls
Great interview on Wall Street.
rojo
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Let Brazil Lead the Way
Great article. If you ever want to know how to raise an economy, you do it by raising the income of the lower and middle classes. They then spend the money to buy stuff. What a novel idea. Too bad congress doesn't get it. Maybe we need to elect someone from lower classes, or advisors from lower classes.
rojo
Great article. If you ever want to know how to raise an economy, you do it by raising the income of the lower and middle classes. They then spend the money to buy stuff. What a novel idea. Too bad congress doesn't get it. Maybe we need to elect someone from lower classes, or advisors from lower classes.
rojo
Monday, December 27, 2010
On the Day After Christmas, Mr. Freidman Said To Me...
I just read Tom Freidman's interview where he stated this generation needs to suck it up and cut back. Get us out of debt. Yet, he was behind the tax cuts. I love, absolutely love, that the richest expect to keep theirs (inheritance tax, tax rate cuts for hedge fund managers--I would love to pay only 15%, and tax cuts to the rich), yet entitlement programs such as food stamps, welfare and ultimately Social Security (really a separate fund and program that is not part of the US General Fund, just don't mention that in the details) should go away. So should medical insurance and then emergency rooms become primary care if you can't afford routine medical treatment. Man, that is easy to say when you have a cool million or two stashed away.
If he really cared he would be willing to pay way more taxes to help right the country, maybe even work as a lifetime service worker for the State. But no, he bloviates and makes beau coup buckos and wants to keep it that way. A true Christian would throw him out of the temple, publically excoriate the moneychanger.
Again, no. It is maddening that those who really need help, the lower and middle classes keep listening to asshats like this and wonder why the money never trickles down to them. Isn't that the way it is supposed to work? Just ask St. Reagan. The economy has never been the same since supply side and trickle down were added to the American lexicon. Trickling down sounds an awful lot like pissing on my head.
rojo
I just read Tom Freidman's interview where he stated this generation needs to suck it up and cut back. Get us out of debt. Yet, he was behind the tax cuts. I love, absolutely love, that the richest expect to keep theirs (inheritance tax, tax rate cuts for hedge fund managers--I would love to pay only 15%, and tax cuts to the rich), yet entitlement programs such as food stamps, welfare and ultimately Social Security (really a separate fund and program that is not part of the US General Fund, just don't mention that in the details) should go away. So should medical insurance and then emergency rooms become primary care if you can't afford routine medical treatment. Man, that is easy to say when you have a cool million or two stashed away.
If he really cared he would be willing to pay way more taxes to help right the country, maybe even work as a lifetime service worker for the State. But no, he bloviates and makes beau coup buckos and wants to keep it that way. A true Christian would throw him out of the temple, publically excoriate the moneychanger.
Again, no. It is maddening that those who really need help, the lower and middle classes keep listening to asshats like this and wonder why the money never trickles down to them. Isn't that the way it is supposed to work? Just ask St. Reagan. The economy has never been the same since supply side and trickle down were added to the American lexicon. Trickling down sounds an awful lot like pissing on my head.
rojo
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Activist Judge Alert, OOH, Wait, He Is On The Right
I don't even know what to say at this point. The judge who makes the decision is in a city that relies on water from the Delta. You watch wildlife die and no one wants to cut back on their funky western civilization. My guess is the decision to make Sacramento put ina modern wastewater plant will end being shopped before judges, too, until someone makes the decision the conservative group wants. I am so tired of economy driving the American dream into the ditch.
rojo
I don't even know what to say at this point. The judge who makes the decision is in a city that relies on water from the Delta. You watch wildlife die and no one wants to cut back on their funky western civilization. My guess is the decision to make Sacramento put ina modern wastewater plant will end being shopped before judges, too, until someone makes the decision the conservative group wants. I am so tired of economy driving the American dream into the ditch.
rojo
Saturday, December 04, 2010
Ooh, What Is That Gilled Thing
It is nice to know as a race we can exterminate more than passenger pigeons.
rojo
It is nice to know as a race we can exterminate more than passenger pigeons.
rojo
Monday, November 29, 2010
From Wikileaks
"The cables also contain a fresh American intelligence assessment of Iran's missile program," The Times reports. "They reveal for the first time that the United States believes that Iran has obtained advanced missiles from North Korea that could let it strike at Western European capitals and Moscow and help it develop more formidable long-range ballistic missiles."
at least this explains one of the reasons the US asked Russia to join the missile defense group.
Rojo
"The cables also contain a fresh American intelligence assessment of Iran's missile program," The Times reports. "They reveal for the first time that the United States believes that Iran has obtained advanced missiles from North Korea that could let it strike at Western European capitals and Moscow and help it develop more formidable long-range ballistic missiles."
at least this explains one of the reasons the US asked Russia to join the missile defense group.
Rojo
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thoughts for a Grey Day
From Charlie Pierce's Idiot America--
"James Dobson, a prominent Christian conservative spokesman, compares the Supreme Court of the United States with the Ku Klux Klan. Pat Robertson, another prominent conservative preacher man, says that federal judges are a greater threat to the nation than is Al Qaeda and, apparently his text from the book of Gambino, later sermonizes that the United States should get in the stick and snuff the democratically elected president of Venezuela. And the nation does not wonder, AUDIBLY, how these two poor fellows were allowed on television." (bold and italics are mine)
"...And in Dover Pennsylvania...a pastor named Ray Mummert...sums it up.
'We've been attacked ...by the intelligent segment of our society.' "
So if we follow the lead of these folk, if we are intelligent, ask questions and wonder, in their eyes, we attack society.
So be it!
And on another front, I see over the weekend Russia was invited to help protect the skies as part of the missile defense umbrella. This comes within two weeks of a plane flying up into the skies outside LA, leaving a comtrail that looks like a missile launch. So it wasn't a missile? and then we ask Russia to help protect the skies against what then. Personal opinion, but I don't think we asked for their help to show how earnest we are in the START treaty.
rojo
BTW, Charles Pierce's commentary can be heard every Tuesday morning on the Stephanie Miller show at 7:30 PST, I think.
From Charlie Pierce's Idiot America--
"James Dobson, a prominent Christian conservative spokesman, compares the Supreme Court of the United States with the Ku Klux Klan. Pat Robertson, another prominent conservative preacher man, says that federal judges are a greater threat to the nation than is Al Qaeda and, apparently his text from the book of Gambino, later sermonizes that the United States should get in the stick and snuff the democratically elected president of Venezuela. And the nation does not wonder, AUDIBLY, how these two poor fellows were allowed on television." (bold and italics are mine)
"...And in Dover Pennsylvania...a pastor named Ray Mummert...sums it up.
'We've been attacked ...by the intelligent segment of our society.' "
So if we follow the lead of these folk, if we are intelligent, ask questions and wonder, in their eyes, we attack society.
So be it!
And on another front, I see over the weekend Russia was invited to help protect the skies as part of the missile defense umbrella. This comes within two weeks of a plane flying up into the skies outside LA, leaving a comtrail that looks like a missile launch. So it wasn't a missile? and then we ask Russia to help protect the skies against what then. Personal opinion, but I don't think we asked for their help to show how earnest we are in the START treaty.
rojo
BTW, Charles Pierce's commentary can be heard every Tuesday morning on the Stephanie Miller show at 7:30 PST, I think.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Third World Man?
I seem to remember that Germany, between the two wars actually used wheelbarrows of cash to buy a loaf of bread. We are really at an important point in our country's economic and political history.
As times get harder, the populace tends to like absolutists such as Hitler and Mussolini. And these are normally backed by banks. The only ones that get hurt are the general populace.
The issue becomes how to get a grass roots movement going that captures the energy of the Tea Party but is not run by Dick Armey and remains progressive. Currently the populist rebellion has been fascist-oriented.
and we are becoming more and more economically weak. How will we react? Cutting discretionary spending to balance the budget and cutting Social Security is only 12% of the budget. I believe the military is 38%+. What do we cut? and discretionary spending includes dairy and farming subsidies. Does Chuck Grassley have the testicular fortitude to cut those?
rojo
I seem to remember that Germany, between the two wars actually used wheelbarrows of cash to buy a loaf of bread. We are really at an important point in our country's economic and political history.
As times get harder, the populace tends to like absolutists such as Hitler and Mussolini. And these are normally backed by banks. The only ones that get hurt are the general populace.
The issue becomes how to get a grass roots movement going that captures the energy of the Tea Party but is not run by Dick Armey and remains progressive. Currently the populist rebellion has been fascist-oriented.
and we are becoming more and more economically weak. How will we react? Cutting discretionary spending to balance the budget and cutting Social Security is only 12% of the budget. I believe the military is 38%+. What do we cut? and discretionary spending includes dairy and farming subsidies. Does Chuck Grassley have the testicular fortitude to cut those?
rojo
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
What A Wonderful World, or do we share the same world?
I have spent the past four days in the southern Central Valley in CA. I know CA has an image of liberalism, but that really is in the urban areas, with San Diego as an exception. That city is largely conservative. Tink Darrel Issa and Randy Cunningham. The Southern Central Valley (Bakersfield, Taft, Maricopa) is far from liberal. You can place much of this area south of the Mason Dixon line, maybe south of Mississippi.
I sat and listened to a patron bloviate in a hotel restaurant yesterday about how bad it is that the Democrats are still in power because they make the government larger, the debt larger and they tax more. It was all I could do to not ask him which party had the last surplus, who raised the debt (Reagan, Bush and Bush were the worst, all Republicans) and who made government smaller (Clinton-D). and who balloonned the size of government (Bush-R). The only reason I did not debate him is he was hosting clients from overseas.
Another item you see here is a multitude of signs stating "Congress Created Desert" or signs referencing sewage treatment and how that effects Delta water (very true) and how that water belongs to the people of Southern CA (not true). Congress funded the canals in CA to allow the transfer of water to the central valley. The residents damned other rivers and built levies draining lakes for cotton and food farming. Maybe farming is a desert is not such a good idea. Yes, it feeds America, but has destroyed wildlife, the largest lake west of the Mississippi (Tulare Lake, now a dry hole) and stopped the flow of many rivers. The Kern again is not reaching Bakersfield and Buena Vista Lake is fed from canals attached to the Sacramento River 300 miles away. Nothing wrong with canals and stuff, but admit that the unnnatural farming practiced was financed by Congress and is not a God-given right!
Finally, I came into a meeting yesterday and the folks there were speaking of the evils of Senate Bill 501which would take away your right to a home garden. It was sponsored by Kucinich in their minds. I asked when did Kucinich become a Senator? and we looked up the bill on my computer. Nowhere did it state that it takes away the rights of a home gardener that we could see. But they saw it on websites my computer could not find. And I was informed the only way to make jobs in this country is to remove the EPA and OSHA. They keep us at a disadvantage from the rest of the world. I wanted to scream, we could cut back our wages too and hire children but the sarcasm would have been lost. Yet another WTF moment. We have already seen what happens what when the government backs away from audits in the Gulf.Finally, the best for last. They were complaining that Brown was now the governor and things could never go back to the way they were thirty years ago when things were good. Honest. I could not make this up. That was a Meg Whitman campaign line so I know where they saw it. Guess who was governor 30 years ago???!!! Brown. and the last governor with a surplus before deregulation of energy was a Democrat, and he was replaced by Arnold.
I cannot wait to leave Bizarro world.
One important point is that this does illustrate that many Americans do not share the same basic information. We are very insular and this becomes more apparent to me as I travel.
rojo
I have spent the past four days in the southern Central Valley in CA. I know CA has an image of liberalism, but that really is in the urban areas, with San Diego as an exception. That city is largely conservative. Tink Darrel Issa and Randy Cunningham. The Southern Central Valley (Bakersfield, Taft, Maricopa) is far from liberal. You can place much of this area south of the Mason Dixon line, maybe south of Mississippi.
I sat and listened to a patron bloviate in a hotel restaurant yesterday about how bad it is that the Democrats are still in power because they make the government larger, the debt larger and they tax more. It was all I could do to not ask him which party had the last surplus, who raised the debt (Reagan, Bush and Bush were the worst, all Republicans) and who made government smaller (Clinton-D). and who balloonned the size of government (Bush-R). The only reason I did not debate him is he was hosting clients from overseas.
Another item you see here is a multitude of signs stating "Congress Created Desert" or signs referencing sewage treatment and how that effects Delta water (very true) and how that water belongs to the people of Southern CA (not true). Congress funded the canals in CA to allow the transfer of water to the central valley. The residents damned other rivers and built levies draining lakes for cotton and food farming. Maybe farming is a desert is not such a good idea. Yes, it feeds America, but has destroyed wildlife, the largest lake west of the Mississippi (Tulare Lake, now a dry hole) and stopped the flow of many rivers. The Kern again is not reaching Bakersfield and Buena Vista Lake is fed from canals attached to the Sacramento River 300 miles away. Nothing wrong with canals and stuff, but admit that the unnnatural farming practiced was financed by Congress and is not a God-given right!
Finally, I came into a meeting yesterday and the folks there were speaking of the evils of Senate Bill 501which would take away your right to a home garden. It was sponsored by Kucinich in their minds. I asked when did Kucinich become a Senator? and we looked up the bill on my computer. Nowhere did it state that it takes away the rights of a home gardener that we could see. But they saw it on websites my computer could not find. And I was informed the only way to make jobs in this country is to remove the EPA and OSHA. They keep us at a disadvantage from the rest of the world. I wanted to scream, we could cut back our wages too and hire children but the sarcasm would have been lost. Yet another WTF moment. We have already seen what happens what when the government backs away from audits in the Gulf.Finally, the best for last. They were complaining that Brown was now the governor and things could never go back to the way they were thirty years ago when things were good. Honest. I could not make this up. That was a Meg Whitman campaign line so I know where they saw it. Guess who was governor 30 years ago???!!! Brown. and the last governor with a surplus before deregulation of energy was a Democrat, and he was replaced by Arnold.
I cannot wait to leave Bizarro world.
One important point is that this does illustrate that many Americans do not share the same basic information. We are very insular and this becomes more apparent to me as I travel.
rojo
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Never Thought of This
As if global warming were not enough, 1/4 of sea level rise comes from overpumping aquifers. What this means then is that the aquifers get lower and those near the ocean get salt water intrusion, which requires RO to remove the salts if the wells are to be used. RO is a power hungry monkey. Which means more burning of carbon based fuels and the cycle continues.
rojo
As if global warming were not enough, 1/4 of sea level rise comes from overpumping aquifers. What this means then is that the aquifers get lower and those near the ocean get salt water intrusion, which requires RO to remove the salts if the wells are to be used. RO is a power hungry monkey. Which means more burning of carbon based fuels and the cycle continues.
rojo
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Cedars of Lebanon, maybe
There were ski resorts in Lebanon? Let alone that global warming could shut them down and kill the cedar trees?
It just makes me realize how insular I am as an American.
rojo
There were ski resorts in Lebanon? Let alone that global warming could shut them down and kill the cedar trees?
It just makes me realize how insular I am as an American.
rojo
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Deep in the Heart of Texas
Nothing like living in Texas. Where the water is radioactive and the environmental protectors say--so what? Could be why they are so strange.
and in good water news, salmon are returning to CA this year finally. Crisis over, no! But progress
rojo
Nothing like living in Texas. Where the water is radioactive and the environmental protectors say--so what? Could be why they are so strange.
and in good water news, salmon are returning to CA this year finally. Crisis over, no! But progress
rojo
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Two Views of the Same Toone
this one is disallowed to embed, but features Natasha Atlas.
You choose.
rojo
this one is disallowed to embed, but features Natasha Atlas.
You choose.
rojo
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
So, What Are We Killing Actually?
I was at a sewage conference last week and one of the biggest issues are Sanitary Sewer Overflows caused by the flushing of antibacterial wipes down the toilet. They ruin and plug lift station pumps. Ooops.
here is an article that details the algacidal properties of these agents. The other is how these compounds are now making it back to the environment.
After a while, you have to wonder whether what we are intentionally killing in terms of microbes is worth what we are unintentionally killing in terms of phyto and zooplankton. And are we breeding the dreaded superbugs. Already, endocrine disruptors that make it through wastewater plants are changing the genetics in the plants that are grown in the biosolids. But if you can't use the biosolids for fertilizer, where do you bury it all? Already, the Colorado plains take most of the biosolids generated by NYC. Is there room in NYC for 80 train car loads per week to be buried?
These are honest questions. How much waste do we generate that there are no perfect solutions for?
rojo
I was at a sewage conference last week and one of the biggest issues are Sanitary Sewer Overflows caused by the flushing of antibacterial wipes down the toilet. They ruin and plug lift station pumps. Ooops.
here is an article that details the algacidal properties of these agents. The other is how these compounds are now making it back to the environment.
After a while, you have to wonder whether what we are intentionally killing in terms of microbes is worth what we are unintentionally killing in terms of phyto and zooplankton. And are we breeding the dreaded superbugs. Already, endocrine disruptors that make it through wastewater plants are changing the genetics in the plants that are grown in the biosolids. But if you can't use the biosolids for fertilizer, where do you bury it all? Already, the Colorado plains take most of the biosolids generated by NYC. Is there room in NYC for 80 train car loads per week to be buried?
These are honest questions. How much waste do we generate that there are no perfect solutions for?
rojo
Monday, November 08, 2010
Politics, Not as Usual
I have not commented on the elections only because I was on the road last week and busy. First, it makes sense that the angry voters chose the party of the working man, the Tea Party and the Republicans to help them. Yeah, sure. What happened was that the Administration bailed out Wall Street and the banks, those folks got bonuses and Main Street lost many jobs and houses and they were pissed. and when the Tea Party came up, no one said, we cut your taxes. Then corporate interests like Dick Armey, the Koch Brothers, etc. coopted the anger and made political hay out of it and got right wing candidates elected. Problem, messaging by Democrats and that they really, really underestimated the anger of the electorate. They did not understand that people like their jobs and houses. They were and probably are out of touch.
Now the fun begins. Pelosi will replace Steny Hoyer. She was an effective leader and will continue to be. Cantor wants to cut all entitlements. DeMint sez balance the budget with tax cuts and has no ideas. Rand Paul is saying cut the military spending. Texas is trying to opt out of MediCaid and Children's Health Insurance to balance their deficit. I mean why tax oil companies in Texas or rich white folk when you can cut children's aid. My guess is that they are Christians who believe life is sacred too. Just don't give the kids any fucking aid. Let 'em die after they are born. and Darrel Issa is promising subpoenas for government mistakes, like the mortgage problem, maybe Obama's birth certificate and probably not for admitted war crimes by the Bush Administration and certainly not for Cheney's energy task force which divided Iraqi oil even before the war to free the OIL (oops, I meant the oppressed Iraqis).
I am guessing I will be going back to being angry a lot. But to say the least it will be interesting. Being the eternal optimist, I am hoping some Democrat other than Pelosi will grow a pair and messaging will be clear. Moderate republicans will come forward and work to actually decrease the country's problems and I am guessing monkeys will fly out of my butt, too. But it will be interesting. Particularly the monkeys
rojo
I have not commented on the elections only because I was on the road last week and busy. First, it makes sense that the angry voters chose the party of the working man, the Tea Party and the Republicans to help them. Yeah, sure. What happened was that the Administration bailed out Wall Street and the banks, those folks got bonuses and Main Street lost many jobs and houses and they were pissed. and when the Tea Party came up, no one said, we cut your taxes. Then corporate interests like Dick Armey, the Koch Brothers, etc. coopted the anger and made political hay out of it and got right wing candidates elected. Problem, messaging by Democrats and that they really, really underestimated the anger of the electorate. They did not understand that people like their jobs and houses. They were and probably are out of touch.
Now the fun begins. Pelosi will replace Steny Hoyer. She was an effective leader and will continue to be. Cantor wants to cut all entitlements. DeMint sez balance the budget with tax cuts and has no ideas. Rand Paul is saying cut the military spending. Texas is trying to opt out of MediCaid and Children's Health Insurance to balance their deficit. I mean why tax oil companies in Texas or rich white folk when you can cut children's aid. My guess is that they are Christians who believe life is sacred too. Just don't give the kids any fucking aid. Let 'em die after they are born. and Darrel Issa is promising subpoenas for government mistakes, like the mortgage problem, maybe Obama's birth certificate and probably not for admitted war crimes by the Bush Administration and certainly not for Cheney's energy task force which divided Iraqi oil even before the war to free the OIL (oops, I meant the oppressed Iraqis).
I am guessing I will be going back to being angry a lot. But to say the least it will be interesting. Being the eternal optimist, I am hoping some Democrat other than Pelosi will grow a pair and messaging will be clear. Moderate republicans will come forward and work to actually decrease the country's problems and I am guessing monkeys will fly out of my butt, too. But it will be interesting. Particularly the monkeys
rojo
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Monday, November 01, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Election Fears
This election scares me more than any I have seen in years. As an American, I am alarmed that we still have such a massive hole in our national security caused by our reliance on fossil fuel. In the Carter Era (remember him?), there was a huge oil crisis. He pledged that we would lower our reliance on foreign oil. Our addiction to foreign oil was cut by half in his term as President and there was a commitment to lowering it further. All of a sudden we bought 4.3 billion barrels of oil less than the previous four years. He lost to Reagan the next election and energy conservation became an afterthought. Cynically, I would say that some corporations were mad that they lost the profits from 4.3 billion barrels of oil and helped fund a change.
Reagan tore down the solar panels off the White House. We didn't need conservation anymore, because America had endless supplies and money. Greed became acceptable. Taxes were lowered. Restraints on the economy were released and the "free market", supply side economics and trickle down became the zeitgeist. "I am from the government and I am here to help" were identified as the scariest words in the American lexicon.
It worked so well that New Orleans was saved after the flood. And employment rose. Net worth rose! Oil use dropped so we did not have to rely on foreign interests anymore. Unbridled capitalism found its soul and there was greed as the disparity of income between poorer Americans and the richest declined. People could afford homes and bankers made a fortune.
What, only the last clause of the last statement was true? Deregulation did not make poor and rich America come closer and unions disappeared not because equity was provided, but jobs were SENT OVERSEAS so union workers could be crushed. No wonder America is angry.
More people live at the poverty line now than at any time in my lifetime (hey, only 6 decades, but...) College costs so much that an average American with a union job can't send children to college. The chance of advancement economically has been skewed so only the rich stay in their elite club. Yes, people are MAD.
What makes no sense is that this anger and yearning for a time of 50 years ago, where only the husband had to work, kids could go to college and bosses made normally no more than 20 times what an hourly worker made has found outlets. Think what caused those conditions--good paying union jobs, 95% tax on the richest, forcing them to reinvest in the business--that was their main tax break. this kept jobs here and paid for civil services like schools. Tax breaks and lower taxes did not work. So what is the remedy---NO MORE TAXES. Americans have had empirical evidence that this has never worked. Drill, baby, drill was a battle cry--keeping our reliance and addiction to foreign governments alive and well.
Yes, Americans should be mad that their dreams and aspirations have been shattered. But why are we as a general rule turning to those who caused the disparity? Tea partiers are angry and want a return to simpler times. It can't happen and by removing government influence we go back to an era where the Cuyahoga River repeatedly caught fire, where fish couldn't live and spawn for over 20 years. Where people of color had their own drinking fountains, where Hispanics had menial jobs. Is this really what we want for our childrens' future? Where robber barons flourished and child labor was not only allowed, but became the only way families could afford to eat.
Americans should be PISSED that all the family has to work at lower paying jobs to afford cars, housing and food and the family has disappeared to a certain extent. But encouraging political movements that want to do away with a minimum wage so that more people can work at cheaper jobs? Really? So we can all have 4 or 5 jobs to eat. Why not start looking at living wages, income disparity, lack of public higher education that is affordable? Start backing people with questions and solutions to these problems. These are complex issues that cannot be broken down into simplistic jingos like "No new taxes". I am not saying vote Democratic, Republican or Tea Party or Green Party. Who can give us solutions, even if they take some time and understanding.
Too often angry and simple wins. When I get angry I feel better at times if i yell to express my pent up rage. That is all good and well when working alone in a shop, but as a means of governance? and I am very afraid that if Cantor wins, if Miller wins, if Rand Paul wins than we have become a nation of police enforcement and fascism where peaceful dissent is beaten, kind of like Sharia law. We have become what we fear, except we will be god-fearing group of fundamentalists where gays will have to wear pink triangles like in Fascist Germany under Hitler.
Think before you vote and think long and hard.
rojo
This election scares me more than any I have seen in years. As an American, I am alarmed that we still have such a massive hole in our national security caused by our reliance on fossil fuel. In the Carter Era (remember him?), there was a huge oil crisis. He pledged that we would lower our reliance on foreign oil. Our addiction to foreign oil was cut by half in his term as President and there was a commitment to lowering it further. All of a sudden we bought 4.3 billion barrels of oil less than the previous four years. He lost to Reagan the next election and energy conservation became an afterthought. Cynically, I would say that some corporations were mad that they lost the profits from 4.3 billion barrels of oil and helped fund a change.
Reagan tore down the solar panels off the White House. We didn't need conservation anymore, because America had endless supplies and money. Greed became acceptable. Taxes were lowered. Restraints on the economy were released and the "free market", supply side economics and trickle down became the zeitgeist. "I am from the government and I am here to help" were identified as the scariest words in the American lexicon.
It worked so well that New Orleans was saved after the flood. And employment rose. Net worth rose! Oil use dropped so we did not have to rely on foreign interests anymore. Unbridled capitalism found its soul and there was greed as the disparity of income between poorer Americans and the richest declined. People could afford homes and bankers made a fortune.
What, only the last clause of the last statement was true? Deregulation did not make poor and rich America come closer and unions disappeared not because equity was provided, but jobs were SENT OVERSEAS so union workers could be crushed. No wonder America is angry.
More people live at the poverty line now than at any time in my lifetime (hey, only 6 decades, but...) College costs so much that an average American with a union job can't send children to college. The chance of advancement economically has been skewed so only the rich stay in their elite club. Yes, people are MAD.
What makes no sense is that this anger and yearning for a time of 50 years ago, where only the husband had to work, kids could go to college and bosses made normally no more than 20 times what an hourly worker made has found outlets. Think what caused those conditions--good paying union jobs, 95% tax on the richest, forcing them to reinvest in the business--that was their main tax break. this kept jobs here and paid for civil services like schools. Tax breaks and lower taxes did not work. So what is the remedy---NO MORE TAXES. Americans have had empirical evidence that this has never worked. Drill, baby, drill was a battle cry--keeping our reliance and addiction to foreign governments alive and well.
Yes, Americans should be mad that their dreams and aspirations have been shattered. But why are we as a general rule turning to those who caused the disparity? Tea partiers are angry and want a return to simpler times. It can't happen and by removing government influence we go back to an era where the Cuyahoga River repeatedly caught fire, where fish couldn't live and spawn for over 20 years. Where people of color had their own drinking fountains, where Hispanics had menial jobs. Is this really what we want for our childrens' future? Where robber barons flourished and child labor was not only allowed, but became the only way families could afford to eat.
Americans should be PISSED that all the family has to work at lower paying jobs to afford cars, housing and food and the family has disappeared to a certain extent. But encouraging political movements that want to do away with a minimum wage so that more people can work at cheaper jobs? Really? So we can all have 4 or 5 jobs to eat. Why not start looking at living wages, income disparity, lack of public higher education that is affordable? Start backing people with questions and solutions to these problems. These are complex issues that cannot be broken down into simplistic jingos like "No new taxes". I am not saying vote Democratic, Republican or Tea Party or Green Party. Who can give us solutions, even if they take some time and understanding.
Too often angry and simple wins. When I get angry I feel better at times if i yell to express my pent up rage. That is all good and well when working alone in a shop, but as a means of governance? and I am very afraid that if Cantor wins, if Miller wins, if Rand Paul wins than we have become a nation of police enforcement and fascism where peaceful dissent is beaten, kind of like Sharia law. We have become what we fear, except we will be god-fearing group of fundamentalists where gays will have to wear pink triangles like in Fascist Germany under Hitler.
Think before you vote and think long and hard.
rojo
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Elections Matter
If the elections go the way people are picking, Joe "I apologize to BP for troubling them" Barton may end up running the House Energy Committee.
Also, why haven't charges been filed at the guy who foot stomped a woman at the Rand Paul Rally, the policeman who arrested the person who had the audacity to be a democrat at Cantor's rally or the secret police (excuse me, private security) who handcuffed a reporter and detained him at the Joe Miller rally?
Get out and vote!!!
Also, why are there now republicans whop don't live here registered at my house. I received their voter registration cards. I notified the Board of Elections and the Sacramento Bee that there may be possible fraud.
rojo
If the elections go the way people are picking, Joe "I apologize to BP for troubling them" Barton may end up running the House Energy Committee.
Also, why haven't charges been filed at the guy who foot stomped a woman at the Rand Paul Rally, the policeman who arrested the person who had the audacity to be a democrat at Cantor's rally or the secret police (excuse me, private security) who handcuffed a reporter and detained him at the Joe Miller rally?
Get out and vote!!!
Also, why are there now republicans whop don't live here registered at my house. I received their voter registration cards. I notified the Board of Elections and the Sacramento Bee that there may be possible fraud.
rojo
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Why Weren't my Drugs This Good in College?
I sit in astonishment as I hear things like this. This guy is the libertarian wet dream? Is 1984 here?
To anyone who loves the roots of America once you get past the we killed the Indians and stole their lands--the juxtaposition of the Statue of Liberty and the Berlin Wall is poignant.
The worst part is that there are candidates who are to the right of the John Birch Society who are going to get in to public office. And their idea of governance is to throw out the government. This si going to cause such a colossal effin' mess, it will take at least one-half of a century to fix.
rojo
I sit in astonishment as I hear things like this. This guy is the libertarian wet dream? Is 1984 here?
To anyone who loves the roots of America once you get past the we killed the Indians and stole their lands--the juxtaposition of the Statue of Liberty and the Berlin Wall is poignant.
The worst part is that there are candidates who are to the right of the John Birch Society who are going to get in to public office. And their idea of governance is to throw out the government. This si going to cause such a colossal effin' mess, it will take at least one-half of a century to fix.
rojo
Monday, October 11, 2010
Yay, Hungary!
I am so glad to see Hungary followed the lead of the US to try heads of corporations for the release of toxic compounds. It is just like the coal mine tailings that broke the levee and went into numerous creeks and rivers.
Wait, there were no arrest of Massey Energy executives for this or for the deaths at their mines? Kind of like BP at the Gulf oil leak.
Hello, Obama Adminstration, get a clue. These guys will take whatever they want and KILL people unless someone makes them pay.
rojo
I am so glad to see Hungary followed the lead of the US to try heads of corporations for the release of toxic compounds. It is just like the coal mine tailings that broke the levee and went into numerous creeks and rivers.
Wait, there were no arrest of Massey Energy executives for this or for the deaths at their mines? Kind of like BP at the Gulf oil leak.
Hello, Obama Adminstration, get a clue. These guys will take whatever they want and KILL people unless someone makes them pay.
rojo
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Water Stuff
Just a couple of items--Here is an interesting article that shows the lack of water. fisherman or farmers. and this is what happens when there are water shortages.
Most people cringe at the thought of drinking purified sewage, but it happens all the time. The Boulder CO Wastewater PLant discharge above the Lafayette and Louisville water plant influent structures. And really, the lower Mississippi has accepted sewage from all across the US. It really can be safe. I can think of many citites who receive drinking water from wells who are contaminated with Chromium, TCE, PCE, asbestos, nitrates, etc. but these are treated and removed before consumption. Not that big of a deal. IF DONE WELL.
rojo
Just a couple of items--Here is an interesting article that shows the lack of water. fisherman or farmers. and this is what happens when there are water shortages.
Most people cringe at the thought of drinking purified sewage, but it happens all the time. The Boulder CO Wastewater PLant discharge above the Lafayette and Louisville water plant influent structures. And really, the lower Mississippi has accepted sewage from all across the US. It really can be safe. I can think of many citites who receive drinking water from wells who are contaminated with Chromium, TCE, PCE, asbestos, nitrates, etc. but these are treated and removed before consumption. Not that big of a deal. IF DONE WELL.
rojo
Friday, October 01, 2010
Serious on a Friday, Why?
I am amazed that in the past week I have learned that Bechtel, the engineering giant, probably the largest construction company in the US, is considered a small business. So are many of the Koch Brothers' subsidiary network. The classification has to do with how they are organized and how they are owned. So they get small business tax breaks everywhere, if they pay taxes. I just read that McMahon's pro wrestling circus (you know, the one with all the insane ads on TV) is a small business. So maybe the claim that republican claims that small businesses that small businesses actually account of most of the employment in the US is true. Maybe small business needs to be redefined. Firms like my wife's medical transcription firm are small businesses. One, two, three employees. Bechtel--not a chance. What this tells me is that someone paid for a vote somewhere and now that graft is engraved in stone. How could a firm with 20,000 or more employees be a small business? The worst part about this is that most Americans don't know. Keith Olbermann--Yes, Komrade Keith, from whom we get marching orders nightly in secret code no less (decoder rings available for 4 box tops of any product purchased at your local co-op), ,did a great piece on this. 3% of small businesses account for 50% of the small business income in the country.
Also, I have seen where Senator Jim deMint of somewhere south of here has offered to personally block anything in the Senate he doesn't agree with to grind the government to a halt. By Senate rules he can do this. It is allowed. I have seen this over and over again. I have seem Jim Bunning (R, Senator, Kentucky) state the words made famous by Reagan-"the scariest words I have ever heard is I am from the government and and here to help..." If you are so afraid of governance, policy and politics as a form of compromise and policy, why do you run for government? If you don't want to govern, why take part in government? Governance is not easy work and gets dirty. You can't take your ball and go home. That is immature. A ploy by spoiled kids in palygrounds.
Oh right, I forgot about power and its subsequent adjunct, sex appeal. personal opinion is that deMint can't grow a chin, he better stay in government if he wants to get laid.
This is a question I have always had--drive to power to do nothing, why????? Is it a subconscious thing?
I don't get it and New Orleans still suffers because of it.
rojo
I am amazed that in the past week I have learned that Bechtel, the engineering giant, probably the largest construction company in the US, is considered a small business. So are many of the Koch Brothers' subsidiary network. The classification has to do with how they are organized and how they are owned. So they get small business tax breaks everywhere, if they pay taxes. I just read that McMahon's pro wrestling circus (you know, the one with all the insane ads on TV) is a small business. So maybe the claim that republican claims that small businesses that small businesses actually account of most of the employment in the US is true. Maybe small business needs to be redefined. Firms like my wife's medical transcription firm are small businesses. One, two, three employees. Bechtel--not a chance. What this tells me is that someone paid for a vote somewhere and now that graft is engraved in stone. How could a firm with 20,000 or more employees be a small business? The worst part about this is that most Americans don't know. Keith Olbermann--Yes, Komrade Keith, from whom we get marching orders nightly in secret code no less (decoder rings available for 4 box tops of any product purchased at your local co-op), ,did a great piece on this. 3% of small businesses account for 50% of the small business income in the country.
Also, I have seen where Senator Jim deMint of somewhere south of here has offered to personally block anything in the Senate he doesn't agree with to grind the government to a halt. By Senate rules he can do this. It is allowed. I have seen this over and over again. I have seem Jim Bunning (R, Senator, Kentucky) state the words made famous by Reagan-"the scariest words I have ever heard is I am from the government and and here to help..." If you are so afraid of governance, policy and politics as a form of compromise and policy, why do you run for government? If you don't want to govern, why take part in government? Governance is not easy work and gets dirty. You can't take your ball and go home. That is immature. A ploy by spoiled kids in palygrounds.
Oh right, I forgot about power and its subsequent adjunct, sex appeal. personal opinion is that deMint can't grow a chin, he better stay in government if he wants to get laid.
This is a question I have always had--drive to power to do nothing, why????? Is it a subconscious thing?
I don't get it and New Orleans still suffers because of it.
rojo
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Why the Rich Aren't Like Us, part 2
Gotta love it. His platform is get rid of the inheretence tax so more can be like him. If my dad were to die tomorrow, his inheretence would not make me a memeber of the lucky sperm club. Why not just say I was born into a rich white family and we protected ours and you can be that way too. Oh, wait, you don't have money. Too bad for you. My sperms is lucky. This guy must know GW. Without his daddy, he would never even made it to grad school.
rojo
Gotta love it. His platform is get rid of the inheretence tax so more can be like him. If my dad were to die tomorrow, his inheretence would not make me a memeber of the lucky sperm club. Why not just say I was born into a rich white family and we protected ours and you can be that way too. Oh, wait, you don't have money. Too bad for you. My sperms is lucky. This guy must know GW. Without his daddy, he would never even made it to grad school.
rojo
Why the Rich Aren't Like Us, part 1
It was just one of those days when things were making emotional impressions on me. I heard that Williams of the Cowboys, in an attempt to get back at Dez Bryant (rookie) for not carrying his pads invited many to his rookie dinner. I guess this is an NFL tradition and the dinner tab runs maybe $10,000. Gack! Well, in this case it ran damn near $55,000. Expensive lesson in rookie ethics. It is also bullying. I am sure that the camaraderie of the team will be fine after that! No devisiveness there. By the same token, that amount of money spent on one meal could feed 25 families of four with careful shopping for two weeks. Every now and then professional sports and salaries depress me.
But not so much as the fabled You Tube video of the crash of a $1,000,000 Ferrari. Totalled. Enough to feed 5,000 familes of four for 2 weeks. Another thing is that one car purchase may have employed 10-12 people for two weeks. Maybe two months. In normal car terms, that is 50 new cars and jobs for 30-40 people for a month or two. The toys of the rich really don't power economic engines.
rojo
It was just one of those days when things were making emotional impressions on me. I heard that Williams of the Cowboys, in an attempt to get back at Dez Bryant (rookie) for not carrying his pads invited many to his rookie dinner. I guess this is an NFL tradition and the dinner tab runs maybe $10,000. Gack! Well, in this case it ran damn near $55,000. Expensive lesson in rookie ethics. It is also bullying. I am sure that the camaraderie of the team will be fine after that! No devisiveness there. By the same token, that amount of money spent on one meal could feed 25 families of four with careful shopping for two weeks. Every now and then professional sports and salaries depress me.
But not so much as the fabled You Tube video of the crash of a $1,000,000 Ferrari. Totalled. Enough to feed 5,000 familes of four for 2 weeks. Another thing is that one car purchase may have employed 10-12 people for two weeks. Maybe two months. In normal car terms, that is 50 new cars and jobs for 30-40 people for a month or two. The toys of the rich really don't power economic engines.
rojo
Friday, September 24, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Well, Dang!
The company I worked for, following the lead of many other companies, quit giving raises for two years. Also, no bonuses to lower level managers. The economy was just too tight and none of our competitors were doing it either, so if we did we that, we would put ourselves at an economic disadvantage, so the story went. Most of us tugged our forelocks and went ahead with business as usual--all did except one or two who found a competitor to work for. I knew it was a pile of gob at the time.
But our bottom line got so much better we were purchased by one of the big boys. O yes the CEO got a rather steep 2.7 million dollar bonus for all his hard work. Not rumor, it is in the 10K. Well, to say the least I trust nothing that comes out of his mouth. We went from an extended family run business to being bought by the big boys on Wall Street. The sale is final in two weeks and we are told to hold on to our hats, we are going to grow!!!
In my brain I look at that 2.7 mill bonus. When you break that out over 2800 employees that comes out to maybe a $0.35 an hour raise for one year, without benefits. So basically everybody got held back for $0.35/hour so the big guy can make his. That is maybe $1,000 annually per employee. A small vacation, or maybe dental work for someone. Sad. They may have wanted that.
But, we are told today that this happened all across the country. Notice execs did not lose pay, they got bonuses. I am betting that many of the bonuses were over what my CEO made. I bet some of the layoffs lost their homes, dreams and futures, all for bonuses. Being a boss is not easy, but people rely on you to lead and to keep them employed.
rojo
The company I worked for, following the lead of many other companies, quit giving raises for two years. Also, no bonuses to lower level managers. The economy was just too tight and none of our competitors were doing it either, so if we did we that, we would put ourselves at an economic disadvantage, so the story went. Most of us tugged our forelocks and went ahead with business as usual--all did except one or two who found a competitor to work for. I knew it was a pile of gob at the time.
But our bottom line got so much better we were purchased by one of the big boys. O yes the CEO got a rather steep 2.7 million dollar bonus for all his hard work. Not rumor, it is in the 10K. Well, to say the least I trust nothing that comes out of his mouth. We went from an extended family run business to being bought by the big boys on Wall Street. The sale is final in two weeks and we are told to hold on to our hats, we are going to grow!!!
In my brain I look at that 2.7 mill bonus. When you break that out over 2800 employees that comes out to maybe a $0.35 an hour raise for one year, without benefits. So basically everybody got held back for $0.35/hour so the big guy can make his. That is maybe $1,000 annually per employee. A small vacation, or maybe dental work for someone. Sad. They may have wanted that.
But, we are told today that this happened all across the country. Notice execs did not lose pay, they got bonuses. I am betting that many of the bonuses were over what my CEO made. I bet some of the layoffs lost their homes, dreams and futures, all for bonuses. Being a boss is not easy, but people rely on you to lead and to keep them employed.
rojo
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Best Democracy Money Can Buy!
Voting machines have been a problem the last few years. This has always been a problem because they do not produce an audit trail. In Ohio in 2004, there were many counties in Ohio where Bush received more votes than there were registered voters, or the Dem/Repub ratio was so skewed that all but three or four Dems voted for Bush or where all the election counts were run through a Tennessee firm for vote count that was on the same server as the Republican National server and the guy who set that up and was going to testify died in a plane crash on the way there, after saying his plane had been tampered with a few times before. Coincident? Yeah, sure, just like finding a crack pipe behind an employee's computer and positive drug test are.
Last week someone ran a story where a voting machine all of a sudden had Pacman show up on the screen. and today, this.
Why not just go to paper ballots and hire some more people. We can't all be WalMart greeters as we get older. They could use the work! and the results can have an audit! Otherwise, let's just turn the country over to those who have the most money and bend over.
BTW, anyone seen the no new taxes on energy ads? It will cost jobs!!!! Yeah, sure. The fact is everyone has tight money in the less than $150,000/year class and it might hurt a little. So maybe instead of energy costs spread across the whole public, we should RAISE taxes on those who can afford it. Bet you won't ever see that in an ad. I can hear it now, they raised my rate from 35% to 41% and now I can't buy my new Bentley! Actaully, that sounds like a good alternative.
rojo
Voting machines have been a problem the last few years. This has always been a problem because they do not produce an audit trail. In Ohio in 2004, there were many counties in Ohio where Bush received more votes than there were registered voters, or the Dem/Repub ratio was so skewed that all but three or four Dems voted for Bush or where all the election counts were run through a Tennessee firm for vote count that was on the same server as the Republican National server and the guy who set that up and was going to testify died in a plane crash on the way there, after saying his plane had been tampered with a few times before. Coincident? Yeah, sure, just like finding a crack pipe behind an employee's computer and positive drug test are.
Last week someone ran a story where a voting machine all of a sudden had Pacman show up on the screen. and today, this.
Why not just go to paper ballots and hire some more people. We can't all be WalMart greeters as we get older. They could use the work! and the results can have an audit! Otherwise, let's just turn the country over to those who have the most money and bend over.
BTW, anyone seen the no new taxes on energy ads? It will cost jobs!!!! Yeah, sure. The fact is everyone has tight money in the less than $150,000/year class and it might hurt a little. So maybe instead of energy costs spread across the whole public, we should RAISE taxes on those who can afford it. Bet you won't ever see that in an ad. I can hear it now, they raised my rate from 35% to 41% and now I can't buy my new Bentley! Actaully, that sounds like a good alternative.
rojo
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Should Pagans Begin Burning Churches!?
I am so embarrassed to live in my country now. sob!
Why is the OTHER so god-damned scary?
rojo
I am so embarrassed to live in my country now. sob!
Why is the OTHER so god-damned scary?
rojo
Sadists for Christ
The Focus on the Family folks are at it again. Now they are stating that anti-bullying is part of the gay agenda. WE all know that people love to be bullied and pushed around by those who know no boundaries. Ridicule builds character. And if beat the piss out of the poor huddled masses you are a better Christian. That's okay. We know that gays ask for it and by defending them against the fact that they want to be ridiculed and beat up really furthers their agenda.
I can remember a friend of mine once stating that consensus government is a great ideal, but those with the biggest mouths and the thickest skin, not necessarily wisdom win. Well, Focus on the Family wants aggression as part of the Christian Credo.
How sick and twisted is that? I never heard of Sadists for Christ before.
and what the hell is the gay agenda, anyhow? I have asked my gay friends and they only snigger and whisper amongst themselves, so i figure it must be pretty amazing. Then they go huddle with Nancy Pelosi.
rojo
The Focus on the Family folks are at it again. Now they are stating that anti-bullying is part of the gay agenda. WE all know that people love to be bullied and pushed around by those who know no boundaries. Ridicule builds character. And if beat the piss out of the poor huddled masses you are a better Christian. That's okay. We know that gays ask for it and by defending them against the fact that they want to be ridiculed and beat up really furthers their agenda.
I can remember a friend of mine once stating that consensus government is a great ideal, but those with the biggest mouths and the thickest skin, not necessarily wisdom win. Well, Focus on the Family wants aggression as part of the Christian Credo.
How sick and twisted is that? I never heard of Sadists for Christ before.
and what the hell is the gay agenda, anyhow? I have asked my gay friends and they only snigger and whisper amongst themselves, so i figure it must be pretty amazing. Then they go huddle with Nancy Pelosi.
rojo
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Solution to Pollution is Dilution
In the past few days, the local paper and trade journals were all up in arms about various reports regarding the Sacramento Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The permit is up for renewal. And with the disappearance of fish from the Delta and salmon not spawning, the State is considering placing an ammonia limit on the plant. The tenor of the reports is "It will cost too much money" and "it will cost 300+ jobs over a 15 year period."
Permit me to say, as a recent resident to CA who specializes in nutrient removal from wastewater, so? Many other states have bitten the bullet as they realized that fish are dying and ecosystems are crumbling. They demand nutrient removal. While CA cannot decide whether ammonia is toxic at dilution levels seen in the rivers--and proving that the old engineer's saw the solution to pollution is dilution, still reigns supreme in the backwaters of the brains of Neanderthals, other states are now worried about Total nitrogen and Total phosphorus, as well as medicine in wastewater effluent as they pollute the waterways. Who knew that as progressive as CA is in energy policy, they are at least 15 years behind the national curve in wastewater treatment and water usage?
It is frustrating to me that the State has told me my specialty won't even be considered for at least 25 years. Hell, San Diego, after much legal wrangling, still uses basically an advanced septic tank to remove solids before it discharges the rest to the ocean. It is too expensive to place a federally mandated system of treatment.
My guess is Sacramento will not have to update either, because they are big and can afford the lawyers to fight a bankrupt government. They are too big to fail and follow rules. Much of CA environmental law is based upon the economic costs to the citizenry and affordability of doing the right thing. Sad.
So my guess is that the economic hub of Los Angeles and San Diego will get the environmental impact statement overturned that said the flows of the San Joaquin and Sacramento River delta that needs to be restored to at least 50% of historic flows. They will continue to pump out so much water to LA, Santa Barbara, the East Bay and San Diego, the rivers will continue to flow backwards. The pollutants will not be treated and the ecosystem will continue to fail. Sad!
Who knew this state was so backwards environmentally when it comes to water laws and use. It sure does not match the image projected and to tell the truth, Texas is much more advanced, as is Alabama and other states you would think would not be. Heck, there have been enough wells placed in the Central Valley for irrigation that the ground has sunk 6-8 feet as the aquifer is drained. Tulare Lake no longer exists and it was the largest lake west of the Mississippi. Drained for economic growth.
I hope I am wrong.
rojo
In the past few days, the local paper and trade journals were all up in arms about various reports regarding the Sacramento Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The permit is up for renewal. And with the disappearance of fish from the Delta and salmon not spawning, the State is considering placing an ammonia limit on the plant. The tenor of the reports is "It will cost too much money" and "it will cost 300+ jobs over a 15 year period."
Permit me to say, as a recent resident to CA who specializes in nutrient removal from wastewater, so? Many other states have bitten the bullet as they realized that fish are dying and ecosystems are crumbling. They demand nutrient removal. While CA cannot decide whether ammonia is toxic at dilution levels seen in the rivers--and proving that the old engineer's saw the solution to pollution is dilution, still reigns supreme in the backwaters of the brains of Neanderthals, other states are now worried about Total nitrogen and Total phosphorus, as well as medicine in wastewater effluent as they pollute the waterways. Who knew that as progressive as CA is in energy policy, they are at least 15 years behind the national curve in wastewater treatment and water usage?
It is frustrating to me that the State has told me my specialty won't even be considered for at least 25 years. Hell, San Diego, after much legal wrangling, still uses basically an advanced septic tank to remove solids before it discharges the rest to the ocean. It is too expensive to place a federally mandated system of treatment.
My guess is Sacramento will not have to update either, because they are big and can afford the lawyers to fight a bankrupt government. They are too big to fail and follow rules. Much of CA environmental law is based upon the economic costs to the citizenry and affordability of doing the right thing. Sad.
So my guess is that the economic hub of Los Angeles and San Diego will get the environmental impact statement overturned that said the flows of the San Joaquin and Sacramento River delta that needs to be restored to at least 50% of historic flows. They will continue to pump out so much water to LA, Santa Barbara, the East Bay and San Diego, the rivers will continue to flow backwards. The pollutants will not be treated and the ecosystem will continue to fail. Sad!
Who knew this state was so backwards environmentally when it comes to water laws and use. It sure does not match the image projected and to tell the truth, Texas is much more advanced, as is Alabama and other states you would think would not be. Heck, there have been enough wells placed in the Central Valley for irrigation that the ground has sunk 6-8 feet as the aquifer is drained. Tulare Lake no longer exists and it was the largest lake west of the Mississippi. Drained for economic growth.
I hope I am wrong.
rojo
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Oh My Gawd! or at least somebody's god
I sit and read the paper this morning and saw one article of national importance. Important only because it shows the zeitgeist of some of the population and it is worrisome to me. A pastor (you know, man of God) is planning to burn Qurans on 9/11. Huh? A representative of Christ on earth, you know, Christ, the one who preached love and turn the other cheek, is planning on burning anothers' holy book., Let who is without sin, cast the first stone, or something like that. This guy must really be holy! His Dove Outreach must really have love and be good at it.
And of course the act is so holy, they need an armed militia to support it.-
"Despite the city’s fire protection ordinances, the poorly-named Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL is committed to hosting “International Burn a Quran Day” on September 11. The radical church, which boasts an “Islam Is Of The Devil” message on a sign outside the church and as the title of its pastor’s book, insists “we will still burn Korans” on the church grounds despite being denied a permit. While the church may be fined for openly burning the holy texts, one “armed Christian conservative group” aptly named Right Wing Extreme vowed Sunday to protect the church from any other harassment during the burning:
I sit and read the paper this morning and saw one article of national importance. Important only because it shows the zeitgeist of some of the population and it is worrisome to me. A pastor (you know, man of God) is planning to burn Qurans on 9/11. Huh? A representative of Christ on earth, you know, Christ, the one who preached love and turn the other cheek, is planning on burning anothers' holy book., Let who is without sin, cast the first stone, or something like that. This guy must really be holy! His Dove Outreach must really have love and be good at it.
And of course the act is so holy, they need an armed militia to support it.-
"Despite the city’s fire protection ordinances, the poorly-named Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL is committed to hosting “International Burn a Quran Day” on September 11. The radical church, which boasts an “Islam Is Of The Devil” message on a sign outside the church and as the title of its pastor’s book, insists “we will still burn Korans” on the church grounds despite being denied a permit. While the church may be fined for openly burning the holy texts, one “armed Christian conservative group” aptly named Right Wing Extreme vowed Sunday to protect the church from any other harassment during the burning:
The Christian conservative organization Right Wing Extreme has offered its support and protection for the International Burn a Quran day.
Right Wing Extreme was founded in April of 2009 after the Department of Homeland Security’s report titled Right Wing Extremism.[...]
“We fully support Dove World Outreach Center and its efforts to put an end to the notion that Islam is a peaceful religion. Islam is a violent cult with the goal of world domination.” Says Right Wing Extreme founder Shannon Carson.
Right Wing Extreme insists that “President Obama is a Muslim who is intentionally destroying America’s economy, constitution, and has a socialist agenda aimed at bringing about a New World Order.” The group measures its “state of alert” through a “Defcon system.” Currently set at level 3, the “Defcon system” warns that the group’s “moral and ethical code are under moderate attack” and that the U.S. Constitution is only “partially intact.” According to their ethical code, members swear to defend the Constitution and recognize “that freedom comes by the shedding of blood and sacrifice.”
While Right Wing Extreme is supporting the church’s “protest” of Islam by militaristic means, one non-profit Muslim group, the Book of Signs, is countering the protest by “distributing 50 free Qurans for every Quran burned” and by urging bookstores to refuse to sell Qurans to those involved." (source, Think Progress.com)
And today in the NY Times, the righteous reverend is portrayed as fearless because he carries a 40 caliber pistol in his holster. Funny, I never saw Christ--you know the Son of God, carry a spear, a sword, or a semi-automatic. Some churches forget there was a NEW Testament that supersedes the Old.
This anger, this self-righteous blindness scares the hell out of me. I am truly frightened by gun-toting self-righteous angry people. I have been instructed that if everyone carries a gun, it would level the playing field. I doubt it. Some people just have faster reactions with which to dispense death. It also saddens me, particularly in the wake of a cabbie being stabbed yesterday when he answered that he was a Muslim.
"I have been here more than 25 years. I have been driving a taxi more than 15 years. All my four kids were born here. I never feel this hopeless and insecure before," he said. Since when does a practitioner of a gospel of Love need to invoke fear?
Yet, this is what we get day after day fed to us. Fear and hate. Fox news was creating a stir quoting a Muslim cleric that the US has more Muslim blood on their hands than those who performed the 9/11 atrocities. They castigated him for those comments. Sorry folks, but conservative estimates of dead Muslims who were not combatants in Iraq exceed 75,000 dead. Last year alone the total was over 4,000.
I am tired of hate, of anger. It is easy to knock down buildings, destroy an others character by lies. and people rabidly suck that shit up because they feel inadequate and it makes them feel better. It is not that much harder to be creative, to bless. When will people realize that hate and expressions of crazy anger makes you a minion of the devil, or a destructive power. For conservative Christians such as the above-mentioned minister, or Fred Phelps, they don't realize they express what they fear--Satan! And I always am amazed that gun rights are almost always brought into the equation quickly.
Even if you don't believe in God, Satan, evil and good--you have to admit that Love and Guns don't always go together. Illogical.
rojo
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Now What?!
As if we didn't know this was coming....I remember people joking about you are what you eat in the 70s, making fun of the dirty hippies and their beliefs. And now, scientists see that plants reflect what is fed to them.
Water reuse has been one of the better ways seen to deal with wastewater effluent. Trouble is nobody thought of Personal Care Products. or endocrine disruptors. Not only effects fish in the effluent streams, but plants watered with it. Whoever thought of a sunflower with perfect hair?
Okay, so it won't have hair. But it will have great chemicals in the fruit and seeds that enter the foodchain. I wonder if that could have long term effects?
duh!
And this becomes a real problem because no one ever figured this in the equation of what to do with human waste. And this is for highly treated sewage. Imagine what San Diego sewage would do. Oh, but it saves them money. I am sure the fish love partially treated sewage, as do the surfers.
rojo
As if we didn't know this was coming....I remember people joking about you are what you eat in the 70s, making fun of the dirty hippies and their beliefs. And now, scientists see that plants reflect what is fed to them.
Water reuse has been one of the better ways seen to deal with wastewater effluent. Trouble is nobody thought of Personal Care Products. or endocrine disruptors. Not only effects fish in the effluent streams, but plants watered with it. Whoever thought of a sunflower with perfect hair?
Okay, so it won't have hair. But it will have great chemicals in the fruit and seeds that enter the foodchain. I wonder if that could have long term effects?
duh!
And this becomes a real problem because no one ever figured this in the equation of what to do with human waste. And this is for highly treated sewage. Imagine what San Diego sewage would do. Oh, but it saves them money. I am sure the fish love partially treated sewage, as do the surfers.
rojo
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wishes For A Saturday
I have been so depressed lately at the decision-making process as it takes place in the good old US. Some of the most obvious problems are employment and dependence on foreign oil. Let's see--many unemployed people (whose benefits continually run out and renewing their benefits constantly makes news as they are turned down because, of course, they are lazy and want to stay out of work) and the lack of renewable energy. Hmmm. What to do, What to do?
Okay, for all who do not just want government handouts for the unemployed. Let's give some of the unemployed a broom, a shovel, whatever and pay for their transportation to job sites where they can work part-time for their benefits. That way we get results for social programs and government handouts. The rest of time they can look for work. And if your industry was making electronics, which has been shipped overseas, train them in solar and wind power. Make it a damned initiative to make jobs and get us from 70% foreign oil consumption for power to 30%. No more of this 20% by 2020. Grow a pair! Do something dramatic!
We voted for change we can believe in. I understand the need for compromise and this administration has probably been the most effective since Johnson or Nixon (yes, Nixon--who would be at worst a conservative Democrat considering the current political climate, remember he created the EPA). We got Health Care and Financial Reform, even if they were watered down. We need more as our country sees its independence, based upon GDP and military might, go away. Yes, it is hard to swallow that just becasue we can destroy the world 10 times over with our weapons that the best we can do is destroy the world. We can't remake it in our image (whatever that is). We need to get along with people and perhaps we could use our might to help.
Okay, so much for pipe dreams. I was one who wanted a corps in the Middle East in blue unifroms building schools and hospitals and the like so they could not be confused with military and actually built infrastructure and aid as we invaded.
We still need to get people to work and get away from oil. My big question is what is the plan, Stan? I know we live in an era where there still is argument about the reality of global warming in Congress. and in an era where some want Iran to meet Israel in pitched battle so the Second Coming will be a reality (and they used to run our government last administration). We need to realize that these people are buffoons and they don't get media voice equal to Serious People. And we need to make choices. What is troubling is that estimates of the Second Coming crowd are 20% of the US population in some areas.
rojo
I have been so depressed lately at the decision-making process as it takes place in the good old US. Some of the most obvious problems are employment and dependence on foreign oil. Let's see--many unemployed people (whose benefits continually run out and renewing their benefits constantly makes news as they are turned down because, of course, they are lazy and want to stay out of work) and the lack of renewable energy. Hmmm. What to do, What to do?
Okay, for all who do not just want government handouts for the unemployed. Let's give some of the unemployed a broom, a shovel, whatever and pay for their transportation to job sites where they can work part-time for their benefits. That way we get results for social programs and government handouts. The rest of time they can look for work. And if your industry was making electronics, which has been shipped overseas, train them in solar and wind power. Make it a damned initiative to make jobs and get us from 70% foreign oil consumption for power to 30%. No more of this 20% by 2020. Grow a pair! Do something dramatic!
We voted for change we can believe in. I understand the need for compromise and this administration has probably been the most effective since Johnson or Nixon (yes, Nixon--who would be at worst a conservative Democrat considering the current political climate, remember he created the EPA). We got Health Care and Financial Reform, even if they were watered down. We need more as our country sees its independence, based upon GDP and military might, go away. Yes, it is hard to swallow that just becasue we can destroy the world 10 times over with our weapons that the best we can do is destroy the world. We can't remake it in our image (whatever that is). We need to get along with people and perhaps we could use our might to help.
Okay, so much for pipe dreams. I was one who wanted a corps in the Middle East in blue unifroms building schools and hospitals and the like so they could not be confused with military and actually built infrastructure and aid as we invaded.
We still need to get people to work and get away from oil. My big question is what is the plan, Stan? I know we live in an era where there still is argument about the reality of global warming in Congress. and in an era where some want Iran to meet Israel in pitched battle so the Second Coming will be a reality (and they used to run our government last administration). We need to realize that these people are buffoons and they don't get media voice equal to Serious People. And we need to make choices. What is troubling is that estimates of the Second Coming crowd are 20% of the US population in some areas.
rojo
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Friday, June 04, 2010
Crushed Dreams and Beliefs
Here we have Bush and Cheney admitting to support and authorization for torture. War Criminals. Period. We arrested Japanese in WWII, Germans, etc. who tortured. Just goes to show if you are rich enough and have enough high-placed friends, you are above the law.
Aside from their smug disregard for the law (oh shut up about Yoo's opinion, I can buy any opinion I want, too), what pisses me off is that they admit to war crimes. They started a war that has crushed our economy and even worse invaded a sovereign country. Can't complain too much if someone ever does that to us on political principle now, just the discomfort factor. And worst, were responsible for over 1,000,000 deaths minimum according to Lancet, and walk around like they are big swinging dicks. They got the last part right , anyway.
Let's say we waterboard them and find out what went on in the super secret energy task force.
Whatever happened to morals in this country?
rojo
Here we have Bush and Cheney admitting to support and authorization for torture. War Criminals. Period. We arrested Japanese in WWII, Germans, etc. who tortured. Just goes to show if you are rich enough and have enough high-placed friends, you are above the law.
Aside from their smug disregard for the law (oh shut up about Yoo's opinion, I can buy any opinion I want, too), what pisses me off is that they admit to war crimes. They started a war that has crushed our economy and even worse invaded a sovereign country. Can't complain too much if someone ever does that to us on political principle now, just the discomfort factor. And worst, were responsible for over 1,000,000 deaths minimum according to Lancet, and walk around like they are big swinging dicks. They got the last part right , anyway.
Let's say we waterboard them and find out what went on in the super secret energy task force.
Whatever happened to morals in this country?
rojo
Monday, May 31, 2010
Fool Me Once... Won't Get Fooled Again, Maybe
I don't get it. I don't have that good of a memory, which makes reading an eternal joy. Read a good book, put it on the shelf and in two years, it is a new book I can enjoy again. I know that.
When it comes to politics and world economic stuff, I hope there are those out there who are leaders who are smarter than me.
So when I hear that BP had this problem in the gulf and they were not ready for it and it may have been prevented by a shut off and the current shut off failed in testing, I guess I am not surprised they lie about other stuff.
I mean, how far can they really be trusted? Their history as a firm is one of manipulation of governments. They owned the Iranian oil riches. When Iranian oil was nationalized in the early 50s, they conned MI 6 and the CIA into organizing a coup, took back over the oil fields, but made a joint venture with Iran stating they would only take back 40% of the oil fields, with Shell and others getting the rest. O yes, they COULD NOT BE AUDITED or have any Iranians on the Board. I am sure they were honest all the way in their profit sharing.
Then they bought a percentage of Standard Oil of Ohio (SOHIO) and SOHIO was supposed to keep a branding, but BP bought they other 45% surprisingly. Guess who had invested heavily in the development of Prudhomme Bay Oil? They bought Standard of CA and Indiana. The government nicely protected American business interests.
So here we have a company that has in the past directed coups, using the strength of other countries intelligence and military infrastructure, lied as it took over companies and we expect the truth now?
How naive!
Considering they have brought down other governments as they were nationalized, what are the chances we will get a fair shake economically over the Gulf spill?
rojo
I don't get it. I don't have that good of a memory, which makes reading an eternal joy. Read a good book, put it on the shelf and in two years, it is a new book I can enjoy again. I know that.
When it comes to politics and world economic stuff, I hope there are those out there who are leaders who are smarter than me.
So when I hear that BP had this problem in the gulf and they were not ready for it and it may have been prevented by a shut off and the current shut off failed in testing, I guess I am not surprised they lie about other stuff.
I mean, how far can they really be trusted? Their history as a firm is one of manipulation of governments. They owned the Iranian oil riches. When Iranian oil was nationalized in the early 50s, they conned MI 6 and the CIA into organizing a coup, took back over the oil fields, but made a joint venture with Iran stating they would only take back 40% of the oil fields, with Shell and others getting the rest. O yes, they COULD NOT BE AUDITED or have any Iranians on the Board. I am sure they were honest all the way in their profit sharing.
Then they bought a percentage of Standard Oil of Ohio (SOHIO) and SOHIO was supposed to keep a branding, but BP bought they other 45% surprisingly. Guess who had invested heavily in the development of Prudhomme Bay Oil? They bought Standard of CA and Indiana. The government nicely protected American business interests.
So here we have a company that has in the past directed coups, using the strength of other countries intelligence and military infrastructure, lied as it took over companies and we expect the truth now?
How naive!
Considering they have brought down other governments as they were nationalized, what are the chances we will get a fair shake economically over the Gulf spill?
rojo
A Memorial Day to Remember
I see that California is passing legislation that will review Texas schoolbooks and make sure they are factual so that the conservative bias will not enter the CA school system. It does make me wonder why there are not minimal national standards.
In another CA story, there are 4 judges running for office in San Diego area who are conservative Christians and feel that they need to be elected so that the liberal courts can get a taste of Christian justice. As expected, the right-to-life candidates are pro death penalty. These guys went to law school? I just don't get it. I would think you go to school to learn, not back up your ideas with theories.
CA is now going to make those who divert water from streams actually state how much water they take. The State Water Board wondered why rivers never made it to the deltas. Duh?! Because people were not required to say they took water. Every other western state requires water rights diversion and use reports annually. Gee, why is there no water for salmon? Let me guess. Because people can take water and use is with impunity and complete disregard for water rights. I mean, no farmer or business would ever take water that is not theirs to keep a crop alive in 100 degree heat, would they? We can trust businesses completely, right?
And finally, Israel kills 10 people minimum (some reports are now at 19) as aid is attempted to be delivered to refugees on the Gaza. This is a rogue country and they have NUKES. Doesn't anyone get that? We worry about Iran, and yet we let this country have nukes. and kill with no regard. I just shake my head.
rojo
I see that California is passing legislation that will review Texas schoolbooks and make sure they are factual so that the conservative bias will not enter the CA school system. It does make me wonder why there are not minimal national standards.
In another CA story, there are 4 judges running for office in San Diego area who are conservative Christians and feel that they need to be elected so that the liberal courts can get a taste of Christian justice. As expected, the right-to-life candidates are pro death penalty. These guys went to law school? I just don't get it. I would think you go to school to learn, not back up your ideas with theories.
CA is now going to make those who divert water from streams actually state how much water they take. The State Water Board wondered why rivers never made it to the deltas. Duh?! Because people were not required to say they took water. Every other western state requires water rights diversion and use reports annually. Gee, why is there no water for salmon? Let me guess. Because people can take water and use is with impunity and complete disregard for water rights. I mean, no farmer or business would ever take water that is not theirs to keep a crop alive in 100 degree heat, would they? We can trust businesses completely, right?
And finally, Israel kills 10 people minimum (some reports are now at 19) as aid is attempted to be delivered to refugees on the Gaza. This is a rogue country and they have NUKES. Doesn't anyone get that? We worry about Iran, and yet we let this country have nukes. and kill with no regard. I just shake my head.
rojo
Saturday, May 22, 2010
A Well-Regulated Militia, NOT!
In reading this morning's Sacramento Bee, there were TWO stories of people being shot as the result of gun-toting libertarianism. The first was in Yuba City, CA where a census worker was threatened at gun point to leave. When the police came to settle matters, the man surrendered his handgun, but an older woman in the house came out with a shotgun, advanced on police and was killed. In Arkansas, two Ohio anti-government crazies gunned down State Police with AK-47s when they were being ticketed for speeding.
I believe the second amendment talks about a well regulated militia and the right to bear arms. Not to shoot the fuck out of people over census or speeding.
rojo
In reading this morning's Sacramento Bee, there were TWO stories of people being shot as the result of gun-toting libertarianism. The first was in Yuba City, CA where a census worker was threatened at gun point to leave. When the police came to settle matters, the man surrendered his handgun, but an older woman in the house came out with a shotgun, advanced on police and was killed. In Arkansas, two Ohio anti-government crazies gunned down State Police with AK-47s when they were being ticketed for speeding.
I believe the second amendment talks about a well regulated militia and the right to bear arms. Not to shoot the fuck out of people over census or speeding.
rojo
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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