Saturday, December 21, 2013

Thorium and the dream of clean nuclear power - Yahoo News

Thorium and the dream of clean nuclear power - Yahoo News 

This is the first detailed article I've read about thorium. Interesting, promising.
Technology and science could really help us out of this game of global warming chicken we are playing.
There is simply no time to waste getting off fossil fuels, and everyone must pull their weight until we get past the current levels of accelerated CO2 going into and warming our only atmosphere.

Poll: Americans see impact of global warming

Poll: Americans see impact of global warming 

A remarkable majority of Americans are concerned, know the facts, and want something done.
Whether our government will respond to the will of the people -- over special oil- and coal-sodden interests -- in time is to be determined. Shameful that our government is selling us out. Pure greed for the few and absolutely shameful. Somehow karma or the laws of physics must be preparing to overwhelm these special interests, if 75% of the population of the U.S. matters, and the extension of harmony in the climatic systems that support the balance of life on Earth. Just shameful that a small group of Senators are protecting the profits of obsolete, finite polluting energy over the public health of the rest of us. So deeply, painfully wrong.

Obama hints at NSA surveillance changes - Let's Hope So!

Obama hints at NSA surveillance changes - Leader-Telegram: Daily Updates

He's already admitting they're trampling on citizen's Constitutional Rights.

 And, "...he declined to weigh in on whether Snowden, who has been charged with espionage and theft of government property, should be granted amnesty. Earlier this week, a National Security Agency official said the government should consider the option."

Let us weigh in: yes he should.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Lokpal Bill Great News, anti-Corruption Bill in India Passed

Google News

This a good one. Had Indian co-workers (at Gracenote), and we chatted about this. Great support for this from the people.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Yes, yes and yes: NO to NSA Unwarranted Wiretapping -- "unwarranted digital frisk downs of innocent citizens -- virtual search and seizure without a warrant"

NSA ruling wins cheers on Hill - Burgess Everett - POLITICO.com

Yes, yes, and yes: As per my Facebook post De. 9th, 2013: "Most excellent that Google, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo!, etc. -- the bigs -- are finally trying to help citizens. Clear to me that the recent NSA spying is like unwarranted digital frisk downs of innocent citizens -- virtual search and seizure without a warrant. Which is BS. Need to reverse that, "...the balance in many countries has tipped too far in favor of the state and away from the rights of the individual." And today, "Nice that the Federal judge comes to the same conclusion, "...the NSA's bulk data collection program used to spy on Americans' phone calls is a violation of the Fourth Amendment's prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures." Sucking that we have to police our government to give us our Constitutional rights. And under Obama, who was a Constitutional law instructor, and should be (often appears/often is/I and we want him to be) a better guy. He's no W, but sheesh. Cut that out Obama."

From the linked article, "“It is an astounding day when a federal judge says a government surveillance practice would leave James Madison aghast,” Wyden told reporters. “The idea of collecting all these phone records is not inoffensive data collection as some of the proponents have said. It is digital surveillance.”

Friday, December 13, 2013

Hillary Clinton Defines Pro-Life Logic

Don't Ask Hillary Clinton About Abortion If You Can't Handle Her Answer 

This concise but thorough reply illuminates why pro-life is so clearly a necessary policy.
No one likes the idea of abortion. This brings in family planning, less teen pregnancy, and giving women the rights over their bodies and future.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Perfluorobutylamine -- 7000 x worse for climate than CO2

Here

The gas does not occur naturally, and is used in the electrical industry.

"Concentrations of PFTBA in the atmosphere are low – 0.18 parts per trillion in the Toronto area – compared to 400 parts per million for carbon dioxide. So PFTBA does not in any way displace the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal as the main drivers of climate change."
""PFTBA is just one example of an industrial chemical that is produced but there are no policies that control its production, use or emission," Hong said. "It is not being regulated by any type of climate policy.""

Well, it's going to be regulated, count on that. Knowledge is power.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Fracking Californiia = Fracking Us Over (see below, click on link to tell Gov. Brown NO!!!)

Here

Hydraulic problems, geological stability disruption, methane emissions, climate disruption, undisclosed chemicals injected and seeping into groundwater, obscene water use = way too many problems to be supported

Click on link above to tell Gov. Brown NO!!!

U.S. Northeast states ask EPA to crack down on Midwest pollution - Yahoo News

U.S. Northeast states ask EPA to crack down on Midwest pollution - Yahoo News 

Yes, this is fair. Any cross-state toxic pollution a federal crime.

Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012

Sunset, Venice 12/20/2012
I've been thinking some about the Winter Solstice, the Mayan end of the 30,000-year-cycle on 12/21/12.

What if in fact the world did end? Even though this probably will not happen, to live consciously it is honest for us to take a bit of an inventory.

Am I happy with how I've lived my life? (Yesterday, I thought mostly yes, with some areas for improvement, as below.) Are there changes I would make?
Would I have tried to forgive those that were hostile or disappointing to me?
Would I spend more time with those I loved the most, telling them that, feeling that more?
Would I be happier, grateful for what I have, what I've experienced, the joy, the beauty in this world?

Maybe the answer is yes to all of the above.
So this time can serve as a point of rebirth for all of us. If we think about it.

Because somewhere along the line I realized I think maybe mankind deserves it. !
The way we are killing each other, killing the planet.
How selfish we are, and snotty to those around us. Petty, competitive. Why is this? Do we have to behave this way? (I say no, it greatly detracts and misdirects energy from the full-time celebration in which we could engage, the great multi-cultural, multi-rhythmic dance we can sustain here.)

Maybe God or the Great Universe is fed up, and will pull the rug out from under us.
Don't think I can say we could blame Him/Her/It.

But it probably won't happen. (Probably not! This time.)

Still we are finite on this ride.

It is a time to think, am I happy with how I've lived my life?
Hopefully most of us can say yes.

For the part of us that have a little worry, a little sadness....
This is the time to be present.
This is the time to be the person you want to be, that can die at peace, that can hope to every day be able to look yourself and the Universe in the eye and say, how beautiful, smiling, and thank you. Let's do that.

Antidotes to Violence, a.k.a., Take Charge of Where Your Head's At - here

Tell Congress to Strengthen Gun Control Laws NOW - here

Good News & Brain Food News -
Christians & Muslims Gather, for Peace here
Good News - Top RIO+20 Summit Posts here
The 'Busy' Trap - NYTimes.com
here