Democracy Now!: "Should Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld & CIA Officials Be Tried for Torture? War Crimes Case Filed in Germany"

Here Yes.

Restored Forests Breathe Life Into Efforts Against Climate Change - New York Times

Here Nice, gives one some hope about natural long-term carbon sequestration. Makes me want to move to Brazil on the Atlantic Coast and help with re-forestation.

Large Carnivore Species Doing Well in Europe

Here groovy news -- bodes well for our survival as well. Maybe we can all get along as Rodney King once speculated.

The Colbert Show Will Be Missed

Here Great article in the show. Some heavy quotes, "But the rise of Colbert reflects a distinct and disturbing cultural trend: our own regression from citizens capable of reforming our broken institutions to passive consumers who choose to regard civic decay as a source of entertainment."

"In his prophetic book, Postman warns that our growing dependence on TV has created a society whose standard of value is “whether or not something can grab and then hold the public’s attention. It is a society in which those things that do not conform — for example, serious literature, serious political debate, serious ideas, serious anything — are more likely to be compromised or marginalized than ever before.”

One could choose to become more engaged and active.

More on Colbert here

Perhaps considering doing this or this

Electric Cars Are the Way to Go

Here Funny how the headline contradicts the study. Shill writer.

Some good comments,

"Mark Renburke  Alfonso • 19 hours ago

How's this quote, direct from the study: "electric vehicles (EVs) powered by electricity from natural gas or wind, water, or solar power are best for improving air quality..." For more detailed info, read the latest blog post by Dr. David Reichmuth at the Union of Concerned Scientists website."

"OppChg  Leslie SC • a day ago

The report does not conclude at all what the headline says, rather it concludes electric cars are the BEST choice as they can reduce harmful pollution 50 to 70% over gasoline only vehicles. PNAS dot org and is titled "Life cycle air quality impacts of conventional and alternative light-duty transportation in the United States"

"progressive_beast  freewill.IS.liberty • a day ago

Unfortunately you are trying to convince narrow minded, inflexible fools about issues that are abundantly clear to most people. The research results and data on climate change show clearly and conclusively that greenhouse gases and global temperature are at record high levels for the past 800,000 and rising rapidly, with most of the rise in the last 100-200 years. There is absolutely no doubt about this any longer. But you have a small but vocal group of deniers that manipulate or outright falsify data to try to justify their absurd point of view. It is time to disconnect from these fools and focus on doing what is right for our country and our planet. Let the knuckle-draggers stay in their bunkers and keep believing that the earth is flat."

And my comment, "The headline should read "Powering Anything with Coal is the Worst Thing You Can Do: We've Got to Decrease Its Use Wherever We Can. In Some Regions It Can Even Make Electric Cars Less Green." 

That would be most accurate.

Map of Polar Bear Populations: 12.18.14 Where They're Stable, Increasing, and Decreasing

Here Be interesting to track this over time. See if the population can stabilize. Or, if it continues to shrink curse at the darn scientists  who tell us how many potentially very bad things affecting humanity are scientifically predictable and preventable.

Good data on December Storms & California Drought Status

Here. Need 6 more of these storms by April to relieve drought properly. These last two storms have helped. 8)

Lima climate talks: Final push amid ongoing divisions

Here  Yes, let's hope to set the tone and intention before Paris.

Wow... artist's representation of sunken cities of the West Coast

Here

Why Elders Smile - New York Times

Here. Among other things, less anxiety about the future (funny).
Happiness is strong in 20s, hits bottom around 50s, and peaks around 82-85. Something to (hopefully) look forward to.

Secretary General Expresses Optimism About Climate Meeting

Here And the 'good' news

UN predicting progress on the next accord. Hope so. Scientists still think it won't be enough. Such a beautiful world. Hoping we can pull out of the tailspin. Hoping strongly for the next generation's brilliance and mercy.

Holy sh*t "Melting Antarctica glaciers dropping Mount Everest worth of ice into sea"

Herehttp://www.inferse.com/20811/melting-antarctica-glaciers-dropping-mount-everest-worth-ice-sea-scientist-says/ 
"...scientists are growing concerned." Haha, but wtf. They've been concerned for decades. It's the petro-corrupt who need the growth.

Most and Least Corrupt Countries in the World

Here  Good for Denmark. Bad on N. Korea and Somalia.
Have heard really good things about New Zealand. Wish it weren't so far south.

Mediterranean Diet Keeps People 'Genetically Young'

Here

Natty Geo: Optimism Greets New Round of UN Climate Talks Latest climate summit to begin in Lima, Peru, with big goals.

Here. BBC news on Peru conference here

Some signs of public health evolution / improvement: Less US Smoking, More Labeling of Processed Foods

Calorie count to appear with many prepared foods 

http://www.latinpost.com/articles/26678/20141128/adult-cigarette-smoking-rate-in-the-united-states-hits-all-time-low-according-to-new-cdc-study.htm

INTERPOL Asks Public to Help Nab Environmental Crime Fugitives INTERPOL's new initiatives highlight the seriousness and scope of environmental crime.

Herehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/141124-interpol-timber-trafficking-ivory-rhino-horn/

Pledging the money or stopping the problem?

Here Great for countries to pledge 10 billion dollars to Climate Fund, but why not stop the problem (cheaper) and more effective in the long run now?

"Stunning NASA Visualization Reveals Secret Swirlings of Carbon Dioxide" -- Natty Geo

Hhttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/141118-nasa-video-carbon-dioxide-global-warming-climate-environment/ere NASA CO2 graphic, for a full year. Very interesting, kind of pretty, and scary too. Wonder what it would look like if they color-coded gas emissions from a leak in someone's house, before they all died. Probably would look similar?

Multiple posts -- Huff Post

Robert Reich -- .01% now own 11% of nations wealth. Most in 100 years, more than before the Great Depression Here And the largest increase in where they're spending their $$$? Politics.
Citizens United + Rich = (see below)

Fossil-fueled Republicanism Here "For each modest step forward on climate stabilization, the latest election ensures that Americans are destined to march several steps backward when it comes to reliance on climate-altering fossil fuels."
"The GOP... should be called the Grand Oil Party."
= destruction of a livable planet; impoverishment and debilitation of the middle and lower class (and the relative legislative input and fairness for the 'masses') 

But we fight back, in the tradition of oppression.
Francis Beinecke on 5 reasons Keystone XL is a patently stupid and dangerous idea: Here

Al Franken on net neutrality Here

Multiple posts

Cali gets more water from Owens Valley... how exactly? Minimizing dust bowl blow-off that we caused with some other methods, so we don't have to flood the dry lake bed to keep the dust down (largest particulate problem of its kind in the country). ? Here. Saving billions of gallons. ?

Battle over a dirt Laurel Canyon road... Paving it creates more development, land and erosion unstable there. The city council rolled over, why? Here

Inequality getting WORSE in the US... Here But the GOP is ready to tackle taxation... and will make it even WORSE. Here

Great Net neutrality points from techies -- Computerworld

Here Smart folk. Needing to keep the internet fair with even speed, without excessive regulation and/or taxes.

Matt Vespa: A Mixed Bag: SCE's Proposed Replacement for SONGS

A Mixed Bag: Southern California Edison's Proposed Replacement for San Onofre Nuclear Plant - The Planet 

And good storage news here

Cradle to Grave GHG Emissions from Various Energy Sources

Here from NREL, very interesting

US and China Reach Deals After Months of Talks

Here Some climate targets, removal of tariffs for tech products, some military tolerance in disputed island waters off China, and some cybersecurity cooperation. Good stuff.
More good reportage in the Wall St. Journal Here And CNN Here

Obama Strongly Endorses Tougher Net Neutrality Laws

Here  This good news, and the right thing to do. I've blogged in some detail on this already. Here

Dozens more animals get new U.N. Protections

Here great news. Need to protect the species populations, habitat, air and water quality necessary to keep these species alive and in healthy populations. This helps allow us to provide the same for ourselves.

Hunter S. Thompson

Funny, a friend posted one of Hunter's great quotes on Facebook today. I just saw a poster-sized picture of him in Boulder bookstore last week, hadn't thought of him in awhile. Miss me some HST shooting from the hip, taking no prisoners.

My comments, for posterity:

I was in a Colorado bookstore last week, Beat Book Shop, and the owner knew and had hung with Hunter. Told Nina about him. He didn't mince words, and his political commentary is as white-hot and razor sharp as ever. We could use some more Hunter in these days of comfortable apathy... when the wolves of capitalism are still feasting on community coffers 

and the lambs of what were the 'middle class' 

scroll vaguely through the tv remote looking for escape 

hoping social security is still there.

Hunter would further call the wolves venal, irrational, black-hearted beasts

(I.e., the Koch Brothers) 

who would eat their young live before giving up some small chunk of their empire (for those who have less exposure to Hunter, there you go).

Koch brothers, dark money, black-mark elections

Readers blame Koch brothers et al., fellow voters for election results - LA Times 

(Colby's note: In addition to all the red states that had elections with some blue incumbents, mid-term apathy of the majority party, 2nd term majority President, etc.)

Some of the better quotes on here: Barbara Bergen, "The big winners last night were the Koch brothers, Karl Rove and their colleagues.

I find it fascinating that the dark money poured into this election that

advances the economic interests of the wealthiest business people
convinces so many of those in the middle class to vote against their own
self-interest. At least in California we understand that climate
change, student loan debt and income inequality are the important issues
of the day.
This isn't a personality contest; it's the futures of our children and grandchildren."

Stacy Cole, "Voting for the GOP because one is unhappy with the pace and quality of
the economic recovery is like a cancer patient undergoing treatment who,
unhappy with the pace of her recovery, decides to take up smoking."

"In Senate races in the general election, the [New York Times] analysis found, energy and
the environment are the third-most mentioned issue in political
advertisements, behind health care and jobs."

No More White Southern Democrats in Congress?

Here midterm elections relatively predictable, with seats in GOP states up for re-election.
But this is weird. 

Invest now or face 'irreversible' effects of climate change

Here  "(CNN) - The cost of fighting climate change will only climb if industrialized nations don't take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the United Nations' panel on the matter warned Sunday in its wrap-up report."

NY Times: Panel’s Latest Warming Warning Misses Global Slumber Party on Energy Research

Here New UN IPCC reports. Much of this is known already. It's time to keep carbon in the ground, tax it, and move all new energy in clean, sustainable production.

A few random posts, even on vacation:

•Can/must carbon capture work? Via MIT Here

•The last big cat listed, wtf. Hard to believe.
Will listing the African Lion endangered in the US help it? Here
Listed as threatened, the populations in Africa vary by country.
Who wants to be shooting a lion or importing lion parts anyway?
As an already threatened population that should be ultra-illegal here already.

•Current protection plan will not save the Great Barrier Reef, via BBC Here
Will coal exports kill the Great Barrier Reef Here

•Controlling population by 2100 won't solve environmental woes (even though we have to plateau population and decrease soon) Here

Colby is on vacation

In a beautiful part of the world, not far from home, where things don't seem as fucked up.
Will post a bit about that when I'm back.

Battery technology advancements

New technology allows for 70% faster battery charging time.
Keep it coming kids and smart folk... love it.
Here

Natl Geo: One-Third of Food Is Lost or Wasted: What Can Be Done

Food waste, and loss, differentiated. Feeding America, excess food to poor, or animals, partial solutions.

Do your part. Here

UN Needs to Step Up to ISIS, ASAP

http://usun.state.gov/about/contact/index.htm   Samantha Power
http://www.state.gov/contact/   John Kerry 

Help out and tell them above.

Dear Honorable Ambassador Samantha Power, please see below, and to forward to Honorable Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, thank you.

Subject: RE: ISIS
From: Colby Allerton
To: inquiries@un.org, letters@latimes.com,
        "letters@nytimes.com" <letters@nytimes.com>

Dear Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, and US Secretary of State John Kerry
(via Webform),

It is past time for the UN to create a coalition and stop the expansion of
ISIS.
This is particularly why the charter of the U.N. was established: "...To
maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take
effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to
the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches
of the peace...."
ISIS has traveled and expanded far enough.
Innocent people in several countries face extermination, and this is not
acceptable in modern eyes, when collectively we can prevent these
atrocities and re-establish the rightful sovereignty and peace of the
trampled cities that people deserve.
Please work immediately to intervene, with as many varied nations
contributing as soon as possible.
Days and weeks ahead is too long.
ISIS needs multi-nationally to be first contained and then sent back --
immediately.
Thank you and please hurry up.

G. Colby Allerton

Natty Geographic: How to Reduce Global Warming for Fun and Profit Innovative uses of CO2 may fuel a new generation of green industry.

I hope the next new generation kills this. So cool, and smart to figure out how to defeat this.
We'll need all the help we can get. Here

Love, Not Fear, Will Help Us Fix Climate Change

Great piece in Time magazine. Let's hope those that love the world most outnumber and lead stronger than those who hate more.

Here

The Desctruction of Mecca

Via the New York Times. Heartbreaking. There is much hand-wringing about the violence from extremist Muslims, rightly so.
But the disdain of modern Muslims in Mecca, dishonoring their ancient sites, is hard to believe.
There is something sacred in the sites, and much is lost when that physical connection to the roots of their religion is broken. This is hurtful to know about.
Here

The Death of a Sea

The death of a sea. Is this now commonplace?
I'd post this on Facebook, and not get a like.
We are killing the planet, and not little by little.
I'd learned about the Aral Sea., when I was a young boy.
Now there is no Aral Sea.
Is this ok?
What do I do with the feeling of sickness in my stomach?
Feeling that we are doing things terribly wrong, see terrible things happen that we are putting into motion. And for those of us who care, who feel the sickness, who act, knowing there are several for each one of us who just page down, superficially letting the news gloss over them and look for a story that resonates with their ego, or searching for a snarky comment that can let other superficial people think they get what's going on, but are too shallow and hip to care.
Is this ok?

Here 

Global wildlife populations down by half since 1970

Oh man. Can this be? In my lifetime, "GENEVA - The world populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles fell overall by 52 per cent between 1970 and 2010, far faster than previously thought, the World Wildlife Fund said on Tuesday."
Here
"Preserving nature was not just about protecting wild places but also about safeguarding the future of humanity, "indeed, our very survival."
"The report also measured how close the planet is to nine so-called "planetary boundaries", thresholds of "potentially catastrophic changes to life as we know it".

Three such thresholds have already been crossed - biodiversity, carbon dioxide levels and nitrogen pollution from fertilisers. Two more were in danger of being breached - ocean acidification and phosphorus levels in freshwater. "Given the pace and scale of change, we can no longer exclude the possibility of reaching critical tipping points that could abruptly and irreversibly change living conditions on Earth," the report said.

Here

Rockefellers, Heirs to an Oil Fortune, Will Divest Charity of Fossil Fuels

Progress. Here

U.S. Creates Largest Protected Area in the World, 3X Larger Than California

Great stuff Here

"The expanded monument will help ensure that "there are some places that are as pristine as possible for as long as possible," Norse said. "I think a hundred years from now, people will be praising Barack Obama for having the vision to protect the Pacific remote islands."

"A Big Step"

Obama's Democratic administration is building on a national monument that was first created by his predecessor, Republican President George W. Bush, suggesting that "ocean protection may be one of the last bipartisan issues"

3 Key Takeaways From This Week's UN Climate Summit

A few points from National Geographic Here

A Mother's Tribute to Her Baby, in the Marshall Islands

"Dear Matafele Peinem" - YouTube  

If intellect alone cannot sway some, perhaps this can. Beautiful.

And the Hard Reality

Obama Presses Chinese to Move to Curb Warming - NYTimes.com 

And the hard reality... last three paragraphs of the story.

"If strong carbon-cutting policies are not enacted quickly, scientists
warn, the current trajectory of fossil fuel emissions will raise
temperature of the global atmosphere by two degrees Celsius, a tipping
point that is projected to lead to a future of rising sea levels,
extreme droughts and food shortages, floods, deluges and more powerful
storms.

To reach a deal by the end of 2015, United Nations officials said
countries must unveil concrete plans by April 1 that are to specify how
they will cut their energy-related fossil fuel pollution after 2020. To
be taken seriously, the plans must show how the governments will enforce
disruptive shifts to their economies, transitioning away from the
fossil fuels that have powered their homes and vehicles for a century.

Scientists said they were encouraged by the prospect of new climate policies, but
warned that for now, the efforts under discussion will not be enough to
prevent the first ravages of climate change.

“In the world that we live in, this is probably the best we can do right
now,” said Michael Oppenheimer, a climate scientist at Princeton
University. “It’s worth the effort. But it’s not going to solve the
problem. It’s not going to get us to two degrees. It‘s not even enough
to stave off three degrees.”

Scientists Lead Huge Climate Change March in NYC

Scientists Lead Huge Climate Change March in NYC 



This good essential stuff too. "We are the 97 percent consensus," "Science is not a liberal conspiracy" and "Friends don't let friends deny reality."

Mike Greene, a professor of ecology at the University
of Colorado, Denver, said it's important for science to inform the
policy decisions made in the future, and the only way that will happen
is if scientists take a more active role.

Obama Presses Chinese to Move to Curb Warming - NYTimes.com

Obama Presses Chinese to Move to Curb Warming - NYTimes.com 



"Mr.
Obama pointed to his E.P.A. regulation to cut carbon pollution from
coal-fired power plants, the No. 1 source of greenhouse gases.

“There
should be no question that the United States of America is stepping up
to the plate,” he said. “We recognize our role in creating this problem;
we embrace our responsibility to combat it.” 

"Reciting a litany of record-setting temperatures and natural disasters,
from hurricanes and wildfires to droughts and floods, Mr. Obama warned
that the climate was changing faster than the world’s response to it.
Recent efforts to curb the problem, he said, would fail without more
cooperation from countries around the world."

The U.S. May Not Be Leading on Climate, but California Is - Businessweek

The U.S. May Not Be Leading on Climate, but California Is - Businessweek 

This is the right stuff. "Passed in 2006, Assembly Bill 32
committed California to reduce its emissions of heat-trapping
greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the year 2020 and to reduce them
85 percent by 2050. Eight years later, the state is on track to meet
these goals, said Matt Rodriguez, California’s secretary for
environmental protection, citing in particular its Renewable Portfolio
Standard. The RPS requires that California generate 33 percent of its
electricity from solar, wind, and other renewable sources by 2020."

“Some so-called experts said our economy would crash if we passed AB
32,” recalled Schwarzenegger. “In fact, it’s been the opposite.
California’s economy has outpaced the nation’s economic growth. We
attract more than half of the investment capital in the country.”

Obama Urges Action on Climate ‘While We Still Can’ - Businessweek

Obama Urges Action on Climate ‘While We Still Can’ - Businessweek 

Let's hope so. Acting when it's too late would suck.

Companies Join Investors to Pledge Climate Action

One of the better, more detailed articles. Covers many facets of climate change issues, carbon, investing, and action.

Here

LA Times: Climate change fears spur divestment on fossil fuels

Here

“John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil, moved America out of whale oil and into petroleum,” said Stephen Heintz, president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which currently has about 7% of its assets invested in fossil fuels. “We are quite convinced that if he were alive today, as an astute businessman looking out to the future, he would be moving out of fossil fuels and investing in clean, renewable energy.”

Separately, almost 350 global institutional investors representing more than $24 trillion in assets have called on governments to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions and phase out subsidies to fossil-fuel industries. The signatories to the carbon-price statement include the California Public Employees' Retirement System, or CalPERS, BlackRock and major investors from Europe, Asia and Australia.

Climate March Global, September 21, 2014

Awesome. Many post and stories to come. Some info here
Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people across the globe.

World population set to peak at 11 BILLION in. 2100, not 9 Billion

Here  Researchers say the models were off by 2 billion. Shit.
They still think population will peak around 2050 in Asia, and then taper down, which is good news.
But that extra 2 billion is going to stress the carrying capacity, resources, and ecosystem in a bad way. Shit.

Search for population and other keywords on this site for more info.

Bill Murray, 7 Ways to Be Like Him

Here

Funny, sweet guy. One of my favorites. Must do a lot of yoga.

Defeat of campaign finance amendment especially bruising for Bernie Sanders - The Washington Post

Defeat of campaign finance amendment especially bruising for Bernie Sanders - The Washington Post 

Heartbreaking this try was not bigger nationally.

"In an interview Wednesday, Sanders admitted that the amendment was
likely to fail. But he said Congress and a grassroots movement of
concerned Americans need to continue working to overturn the Citizens
United ruling, which he considers "one of the worst in American
history."

"The most important domestic issue facing the country is turning over Citizens United," Sanders said, because the court ruling "creates an open door … to pour unlimited sums of money into the political process."

"It’s a real undermining of American democracy and will undermine every
aspect of our lives, because the candidates they support will help the
rich and powerful and will ignore the needs of the middle class and
working families," he added later."

TerraPass | Fight climate change, reduce your carbon footprint

TerraPass | Fight climate change, reduce your carbon footprint 

Just bought carbon offsets for myself and my girlfriend's plane travel in 2014. 18,000 miles for about $47.

They capture gas from landfills, erect wind turbines (to replace the need for fossil fuel energy), etc.

It's $5.95 for 1000 lbs of offsets.

For example, a cross country, non-stop flight: Los Angeles, CA ↔ New York, NY

Round trip (4,936 miles)

Direct flight

Details

1,925 lbs CO₂

So for $11.90 you offset the pollution for one person from the jet (2000 lbs of offsets).

I just bought a gift of offsets for 10 friends going from LAX to Dallas for the UCLA - Texas game.

This is pretty cool. Ought to be worked in the price of tickets on the front end.

No Aspens? Hotter Climate Endangers Rocky Mountain Forests: Study - NBC News.com

No Aspens? Hotter Climate Endangers Rocky Mountain Forests: Study - NBC News.com 

Ouch. I'm going to Colorado this fall. My buddy has moved back to Idaho.

The report said whitebark pines, pinon pines and quaking aspens will be
especially hard-hit. Aspens could lose 77 percent of their habitat in
the Rockies by 2060... with Idaho losing 97 percent of
its aspen range.

Ozone Layer Shows Signs of Recovery

Here Good news.

Internet Neutrality: Do You See It as a Rorschach Test or Rubik's Cube?

Today's generic news article in Time here 

Sign one of the petitions to the FCC and Senators here
http://www.savetheinternet.com/sti-home  
http://www.alfranken.com/landing/w140504/  


I thought about net neutrality this morning, and the anecdote seemed simple.

People look at something, like a Rorschach test, and see what they want, or what their subconscious wants them to see.
It's nothing. It's a bat. It's a sexual organ. It's my phone bill. It's Wile E. Coyote from a couple of different angles. I don't care what it is.



 Ok, so we've been reminded of that.

News is similar. Syria, ISIS, climate change, net neutrality.

Some people react similarly to the Rorschach test.
I don't really see myself in that. It's not a bat, or a sexual organ. It's more like a bat. It's ugly, I don't really fully understand what it is, and I'm inclined to page down and pretend I did not see it.

Ok. Other people see some of these things too, and more quickly see there are are manipulable facets in there, that need to be arranged properly. Things difficult to ignore. Not really chaos, but a situation with logical aspects. Moreover, that things will be unbalanced and result in worse things if some good moves aren't made. Like a Rubik's Cube with potential for some harmony and symmetry much worth affirming.



ISIS needs containment. Climate change needs to be decelerated, and reversed.

Net neutrality needs to remain neutral.

Certain powers are spinning their pieces of the Rubik's Cube furiously.

Big business wants a fast lane in the internet.

They want the cube to come up all AT&T, or Coca-Cola, or Facebook.
Even if you are looking for a new band's webpage, or your friend's blog, or some pictures on a site that is remote but precious and gives you hope and enjoyment that the world is ok. But will take forever to load, or even find, in search queues.

Don't let Big Business rig the internet, with slow loading speeds, more pop up ads, and the like.

Underneath this seemingly uninteresting tag 'net neutrality' are really some of the fundamentals of fairness and equality. That content, and free speech, should remain fair and free.

Please help and support the notions of keeping the *internet* *neutral* -- so we can all communicate freely and happily in this multi-cultural, 6-billion-person, strongly (or not) opinionated junkanoo band of modern society.

It seems the dark forces are there.

We bring the color, we bring the antidote. Each of us.