my comment to the Mclaughlin Group

If you watched TMG last night, you might get what I'm saying here.

Ms. Crowley, nature is resilient, but ecosystems are in decline world wide. Species are threatened like never before. Like Eleanor said, these are our life support systems, technology can't come close to providing their services. ANWR is one of the last remaining pristine jewels of wilderness and hardly worth another year's supply of dope for a nation of fiends. The president said it himself, that we're addicted.

And Mr. Mclaughin and others, 0.01% is a huge amount when talking about impact on an ecosystem. Would you dismiss as insignificant a loss of 0.01% of your bowel control or brain power? And lets be real, I own 0.25 acres, I don't own 2000 acres, but I know what a large chunk of land that is. I'm telling you its not worth it.

Thanks for a great show. It just gets kind of old to continue to have to hear conservative arguments as if they have any credibility left.

Whats happening in Korea, a great synopsis

Here's a short (25 min) piece on why thousands upon thousands of Koreans are taking to the streets in Seoul and around the world. hint: US beef imports are just the tip of the iceberg. Democracy stands at the brink in the land of the morning calm.

Give a damn.

Union facts

here's the one fact that I've gleaned from all the so called "union facts" that are plastered all over the air waves lately.

Someone or some group with a ton of money doesn't like unions and they're buying up every other ad spot to prove it. Hmm...who could it be, and do they really have MY interests in mind? Let me take a wild guess...NO.

I've heard good things and bad things about unions from people I've worked with over the years but the basic premise that workers can and should organize to protect their interests is a no-brainer. The balance of power has tilted more and more towards management in recent years at the expense of workers. We need to tilt that balance back. ORGANIZE!!!! Join a union today!

Finally...

our ownimpeachment hearings

Huzzah for Dennis Kucinich and Robert Wexler

Big up to the hundreds of thousands protesting in S. Korea

When a dubiously elected president turns out to be a fascist dictator, this is how they do it in Seoul.

Check it out.

bicycle cooperative and possible 10K grant

I met with Vernon Huffman today to talk about the bicycle cooperative idea he's had. he's really pushing this effort to get $10K from www.ideablob.com So if you think Corvallis could use a bicycle cooperative help us get the ball rolling in grand style by registering at ideablob and voting for the Corvallis bike cooperative.

In a nutshell, it would be a place where people in the community could work on their own bikes, build/refurbish/resuscitate old bikes, and otherwise promote cycling.

IMO, this is a no-brainer.

eckart tolle's a new earth

I'm almost through this book. Its really blowing my mind. Although a lot of it is similar to Wayne Dyer's ideas (who draws on others a lot also) some of the stuff about how the ego operates was really eye opening.

here's to your awakening. Read this book.

military intervention in Burma

A speaker at today's forum mentioned that he would support military intervention (under the UN) in Burma (Myanmar). I have to say I was unable to disagree with him at the outset. However, given the current administration's gross incompetence at prosecuting military regime change, I began to wonder. The UN is not powerful enough to pull this off and I'm sure China would have a fit, perhaps escalating the situation.

However, it is a whopper of a moral decision. Is there a time and place for just military regime toppling, is there such a thing as justice when invading another part of the earth? When the military junta of Myanmar refuses to allow international assistance for its own people, and taking into account the recent crackdown on pro-democracy, pro-liberty demonstrations, would taking the junta out at this time be an appropriate decision?

The US has been toppling regimes for quite some time now. Iraq is only the most recent bloody and horrifically and criminally bungled example. Usually, however, the US topples democratically elected socialists and installs a right wing capitalist dictator friendly to US/global business interests (the captains of capital). The military junta controlling Burma is friendly to business interests. They're exploiting their country for their personal gain. It should come as no surprise that the fascists in charge of our country will not try to bring freedom and democracy to another country ruled by fascists.

What do you think?

Whats the deal with OPB?

Why did OPB all of a sudden turn into a non-stop propaganda machine for the US Navy? I've been watching pieces of Carrier, a mini-series about life aboard the USS Nimitz, and though it attempts to show the diversity of viewpoints on the ship, it ultimately glorifies the military, the firepower, the raw killing power. I think its a problem when so many in the military are bloodthirsty. I know they're trained to be killers to DEFEND the country, and perhaps enjoying the act of killing people is what you need to DEFEND a country that in part exists thanks to terrorism and genocide and making treaties it never intended to keep. There was a part in the documentary about the pilots and crew being disappointed because they didn't drop any bombs. They are so itching to drop bombs and kill people, automatically assuming that if you die from this bomb that means you're a terrorist. Or just not valuing innocent Iraqi lives at all.

I'm getting frustrated with OPB. Now they're closing KOAC after 80+ years, the birthplace of OPB. For what? So they can save a few bucks on air conditioning? Give me a break. And why are advertisements for ABC television on OPB, to name just one? I thought OPB was a non-commercial, public supported station. WTF?

So my membership has expired and I don't think I'll renew it. Not until they get their head out of their ass and remember what their mission is. Its a sad day when such a venerable institution as OPB begins to lose credibility. OPB is a public institution, we should take it back and demand more accountability. Even KBOO has a member elected board of directors. Why doesn't OPB?

I've relied on OPB now for almost 10 years as the most trustworthy station. I thought I could count on OPB to deliver news and information with the least amount of spin. But that trust is eroding. I'm saddened and disgusted with the direction OPB is headed.

So, if anyone out there is listening, we need to boost the signal for 100.7 KBOO FM, because right now its shit and I can't listen to a clean broadcast without static and interference from other stations. Get on it! I've been saying this for years now.

know and follow the rules of the road, for efficiency's sake

case in point,

I was driving in from Philomath Blvd. onto 35th and then Oetjen, and I had some oncoming traffic on 35th. They were going slow enough that I could make the turn onto Oetjen safely and not have to stop on 35th and block traffic. Because oncoming traffic was not speeding forward, I was more likely to safely make the turn without stopping. Clearly, stopping and starting is fuel inefficient, once you get that mass rolling, its most efficient not to have to stop and start every few seconds. That's why the timed stop lights and sensor pads are such a great thing. When everyone follows the rules of the road, everyone is more predictable and safe and efficient. and the price of gas and insurance goes down.

But undoubtedly there are ways to improve the rules, without compromising safety, to encourage people on the roads to anticipate their fellow travelers moves and minimize stops and starts. Signaling is very important. Let the people around you know what you're gonna do, is that really too much to ask?

Having said this as a driver, as a bicyclist, I have to say that bicycling as a mode of transport is qualitatively different than driving a motor vehicle and as such can be allowed some leeway in terms of riding on sidewalks and other rules of the road. Just as with drivers, there is no excuse for reckless behavior, however I know from miles of experience that I can safely ride on a sidewalk with a trailer amongst pedestrians and not be a risk to anybody.

speaking of sensor pads from the perspective of a bicyclist, sometimes they don't work for the bike lane...at which point I go over and press the pedestrian button.

And keeping the bigger perspective, when talking about efficiency and high gas prices, we really can't ignore the fact that many people still drive their gas guzzling SUVs and trucks SOLO sometimes in a reckless manner, and indeed don't really give a shit about high gas prices. These people are costing all of society by being wasteful and driving up gas prices and (sometimes) endangering their fellow citizens.
(we all know what happens when a Prius gets slammed by a Yukon XL.)

I'm sure speculation is a big part of the skyrocketing price of oil, but I also believe it to be supply driven, primarily, hence the speculation. Yeah yeah, peak oil, yadda yadda...we've all read up on this. We're at the peak of global oil production and the remaining half is the difficult half, the first half was sweet, duh. and now we have tar sands and oil shale. We have to pump water (spend energy) or some gas into the wells to force the remaining blobs out of the pump. Plus now China and India want their fair share and there isn't enough to go around.

Talk about a crossroads. But here we are everyone. What are we gonna do about it?

do you know where this is?

Its the new boardwalk next to Sunset Park, through the floodplain of Dunawi Creek. Supposedly there's actual beavers there, though I haven't seen em yet. I did see some chewed through saplings way down the bike path by Ashbrook school. Have you seen real beavers in the wild in Oregon? We were checking out what may have been a beaver (probably a nutria) down close to Finley one day when a guy in a big pickup drove by. He asked if everything was okay since we stopped the car in the middle of the road and we told him we were checking out a beaver. He said, you wanna see a beaver? I got one in the back of the pickup. Sure enough, he had a 30+ pound beaver that apparently he killed earlier that day. Though it was sad to see it dead, it was still cool to see. Later I thought I should have said something like thanks for letting us see your beaver. But he had guns and that might've pissed him off...

help me id this plant(s)

Sunday ramblins

I'm retiring the Nalgene bottle. Now that its old and used and all the bisphenol-A has already leached into my body, I'm switching to a glass jug. Maybe I'll wrap it in duct tape and include a loop/strap of sorts.

We need to spread the word about the upcoming vote on US farm policy. Chances are the farm lobby will win again, but perhaps we should at least send a message that their days are numbered. Check out Bill Moyers Journal from a couple weeks ago. No more subsidies for farmers who don't need them or even in some cases, feel right about taking them. Support small farms. support organic farms, not massive agricorporations that are fuel and fertilizer intensive not to mention pesticide and gmos. stop subsidizing ethanol production at the expense of food production.

I'm convinced that with the right leadership the US could stop occupying Iraq and bring our troops home and there wouldn't be a bloody bloodbath in our wake. I'm really feeling the tug towards Obamamania. The lure of unity and really working together. But I don't think we should try to work with people who agree with the Bush II administration. There comes a time when one's mistakes add up to and cause such suffering and misery that the credibility meter falls to zero. These people are so clearly wrong that anything else seems right. But its plain to see that the surge is a finger in the dike to buy a little time for a massive diplomatic effort to get some agreements made, which, of course is not forthcoming, because BushII wants permanent US bases and control of Iraqi oil. If you still doubt this please see the previous posting of the letter to John Murtha, in which it is abundantly clear that language to prevent permanent bases and control of Iraqi oil was struck by the White House.

Someone named Eileen commented at Crallspace that she needed help at a conservative blog (victoria taft, i think) debating some conservatives that the left is not responsible for the food shortage because we pushed for ethanol. some such nonsense. I find it difficult, to say the least, to imagine working with these people. I would fear for my life. But that seems to be the message from Obama. and he's right. We are all fellow citizens, equally worthy of existence and our convictions. How do you work with someone who wants to kill you? check out that blog if you want to read what I wrote.

I feel really lazy and don't want to bother creating links in the text.

There is a convergence afoot. Things are changing. I believe the people who insist that we are at a critical moment in time and space.

I went to a birthday party yesterday. It was fun. I was a little uncomfortable with the plastic lei's made in China, but whatev...I went with the flow.

Too much hail in April sucks.

If everyone panics and starts stocking up on food, prices will increase all the more. However, I am thinking about investing in some large, good containers to hold a significant amount of staple foods. I am also completely enthralled with the website, woodgas.com. I want one of those woodgas stoves!

I wanted to say at the forum that the epiphany I had while studying biology here at OSU was that not only is all of life connected through our dna, but that it is a miracle of energy that we exist the way we do. that we are cognitive elements. and as such I felt a deep appreciation and love for everyone I encountered, especially while walking down the street. People looked beautiful to me not because of their specific shape, but because they were walking and presumably, thinking beings, full of infinitely complex interactions of minerals, elements, water and energy. Amazing! yeah, its hard to express in words.

I finished reading The Cultural Creatives. If you're interested in borrowing it, hit me up.

I won a cd from KBVR last week. I still have to go pick it up. I was really groovin to this reggae dj and he asked some question about a sample about which I had no clue, but apparently no one else was calling in so I won it! huzza for yo. KBVR airs some of the best tracks I've ever heard. 737-4962! yeah booyyyyy!

An open letter to John Murtha

To e-sign this letter click here http://www.unitedforpeace.org/openletter

The Honorable John P. Murtha
Chairman, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
Room H-149 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Murtha,

As we enter the sixth year of the Iraq War, we urge you to draft a new supplemental appropriations bill that will direct the president to immediately begin the orderly removal of all U.S troops from Iraq and complete this process as quickly and safely as possible.

The Iraq War has taken the lives of more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers and caused the death and displacement of millions of Iraqis. Congress has already approved $500 billion for the war in direct costs. Our nation faces trillions in additional costs to care for veterans’ injuries suffered in the course of this conflict, not to mention the costs of financing the war. This waste of federal dollars comes at a time when our nation faces an economic recession. The war has hollowed out our military, diverted resources from the battle against al Qaeda and from homeland security, and deeply damaged our reputation abroad.

Despite clear mandates from your subcommittee and Congress to seek a change in course, Senate Republicans and President Bush have combined to veto measures calling for a sensible withdrawal from Iraq. In January, the President went even further, issuing a signing statement saying that his administration is not bound by the provision in the 2008 Defense Authorization Act that bars the use of appropriated funds in this Act for the construction of permanent American military bases and U. S. control over Iraqi oil resources. He also rejected language to establish an independent, bipartisan "Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan" to investigate allegations of waste, mismanagement, and excessive force by contractors.

Furthermore, at the end of last year, President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki signed a “Declaration of Principles” providing an outline for negotiating an “enduring” U.S.-Iraq relationship for security, economic, political, diplomatic, and cultural relations. President Bush has rejected the notion that Congress has a role in these negotiations over the future U.S. presence in Iraq.

With these actions, the president has made clear his intention to stay the course in Iraq while deepening the U.S. military commitment for an indefinite time and attempting to tie the hands of the next president. Mr. Chairman, it is past time to bring the Iraq war to an end. The costs are too great to allow it to continue indefinitely. The best course of action in the upcoming supplemental appropriations bill is to provide funding only for the safe and timely redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq and end the occupation.

As part of a responsible redeployment, we support funding for a diplomatic offensive as suggested by the Iraq Study Group. Greater resources and resolve for diplomacy to end the Iraq War are needed for a comprehensive solution.

In addition, we strongly urge you to cease funding for military construction in Iraq and for U.S. military contractors in Iraq. Given the president’s use of signing statements on these issues, the only way to ensure compliance with Congress’ directives is to remove such funding.

Finally, we ask that it be made clear that no funds will be made available for any formal U.S.-Iraq agreement based upon the Bush-Maliki “Declaration of Principles” unless the agreement is approved by Congress and the Iraqi parliament.

Thank you for your continued leadership in the effort to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home. Your courage and tenacity in the face of attacks and criticisms is most admirable. We are eager to work with you and your colleagues in the critical weeks and months ahead to end the debacle in Iraq and bring our men and women in uniform home.

Sincerely,

The Win Without War Coalition

20/20 Vision
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities
Center for International Policy (CIP)
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Council for a Livable World
CREDO Mobile
Families USA
Feminist Majority
Fourth Freedom Forum
Global Exchange
Greenpeace
Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR)
MoveOn.org
NAACP
National Council of Churches
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)
NETWORK
Pax Christi USA
Peace Action
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Psychologists for Social Responsibility
Rainbow/Push Coalition
Shalom Center
Sierra Club
Sojourners
Soulforce
The Tikkun Community
TrueMajority
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA)
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church: General Board of Church and Society
United for Peace and Justice
Us Foundation
US Labor Against War
USAction
Veterans For Peace
Women's Action for New Directions (WAND)
Artists United to Win Without War
Musicians United to Win Without War

Condoleeza Rice is unacceptable

Condimustgo.com.

Which one is more fitting, Condiskeeza or Condisleaza?

Perhaps in the next presidency, Constance (Connie) Rice, the honest and forthright civil rights lawyer/activist and cousin of the secretary of state, will have an opportunity to restore honor to the family name.

Switching the blog to Wordpress

I've been thinking about switching over to wordpress, mostly because I like the name and the concept of open source, etc. However, a brief investigation into the nuts and bolts showed that it might not be so simple.

Do you blog through Wordpress? Did you switch from Blogger? Should I make the switch?

Does it not really matter for an intermittent blogger like myself with a minimal audience?

I don't have anything against Blogger, perse. Its just something I've been mulling over.

corvallis sustainability town hall meeting

What a thrill it was to attend and participate in the first of three town hall meetings on the topic of sustainability! I was blown away by the number of attendees. Over 400 people packed into the ch2m alumni center, even necessitating the use of an overflow room.

It was a watershed moment of collective visioning. It was a gathering of the tribe of Cultural Creatives, young and old, multi ethnic, and rich and poor. We are indeed creating the world we seek and this was a huge step. I feel very empowered to live in a community with so many like minded folks. Our stock of social capital just multiplied by a lot.

The format was well organized and thought out. Kudos to the organizers. After some introductory remarks, we went into brainstorming mode at each table of roughly 8-10 people first declaring goals then defining strategies in the next session. Salient points (goals then strategies) were written down and interesting strategies were voted on at each table.

Are you interested in creating a better world for ourselves and our children's children? Get involved cause we've gots lots of work to do!

The climate change debate continues on...

Nina/Norman and I have been going back and forth about this over at the Crallspace in the comment section of this post.

She/He has been reading up on skeptics who don't think humans are responsible for climate change.

Here is my latest response.

Well, I think we're in agreement that we as a civilization cannot continue to accelerate the combustion of fossil fuels, which has gotten us to where we currently are.

But just on an intuitive level, it makes zero sense to me that a population can release millions of years worth of carbon stored in the ground for millions of years in a mere century and not tip the balance oh so slightly. Science never proves anything absolutely. However, there is strong evidence, theoretical probability and likelihood and as you've noted I believe, intuition as well.

I can appreciate your reluctance to hysteria as you might percieve it, but the fact is, and I know you agree, things have got to change. This moment is critical to future generations. Global capitalism has to change and that starts with consumers, us, cause God knows it ain't coming from the top.

Consider the money situation, isn't it perfectly logical that "conservative" big oil and coal money is funding many of these naysayers and vectors of misinformation? They're killing people for oil for christsake. Murdering people to control the drug that makes us feel secure, but in reality makes us less secure.

I'll check out your link now and will post this on my blog.
[added later]
I read the aussie article. then I googled one of the mentioned scientists, Joel M. Kauffman (Emeritus). I don't really know the guy, I've never read any of his publications, but all the ones on his website have to do with drugs and chemistry, cause he's an organic chemist. Why is he being so vocal about climate change?

Also, I should ask readers to check out the IPCC report. In it you can see that relative to the last 10000 years or so, atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4 and N2O have increased exponentially in the last hundred years or so. Exponential increases in natural systems are the antithesis of stability/equilibrium.

worker owned cooperatives

We need more worker owned cooperatives in the world and especially here in corvallis.

If you're sick of your job and/or unemployed lets get together and organize a worker owned cooperative.

We could start a recycling company that actually turns waste into useable products right here. We could lease people's yards to grow food. We could open a cafe with a new culture, one that makes everyone feel included and integral.

We are the leaders we've been seeking. Lets turn away from capitalism and toward sustainability. Actually we don't even have to completely abandon capitalism as evidenced by the Lovins/Hawken text, Natural Capitalism.

Speaking of books, I'm almost done with The Cultural Creatives and I'm really floored. The authors are right. There are millions of us! And we're converging on the truth. We're at the threshold of a new dawn, if we can just get the neo-cons to shut the hell up for a second and strip away all their power.

Obackarama

Today was full of Obama.

When I went over to my neighbor's house to discuss a project, he was about to speak in Portland.

Later, I was downtown getting a part for my bike trailer wheel and I step out of Robnette's to overhear a woman saying Obama just had pizza at the American Dream. Police had completely blocked 3rd street, on which I was parked. People were asking what the hell was going on and I told them what I overheard. People were excited. Then the convoy rolled through, first a bunch of SUVs filled with men in suits and sunglasses then a massive bus then another bus and then some more SUVs. The popo man blocking traffic was a big prick. He tried to ignore me when I asked him how long traffic would be stopped but I yelled at him from the street corner and he said it'd be awhile. I was somewhat put out by this as there was nothing to do but wait and watch. I felt very tense, also, considering any stupid act could've got me shot and/or arrested. It felt like the mighty arm of empire pushing people around. I know he's a candidate and all, but geez...That fucking cop could've been a little accommodating.

Then tonight at 9:00 KEZI (channel 9 ABC affiliate in Eugene) broadcast special coverage of the speech in Mac Court. Despite my mixed feelings earlier, I have to say it was an inspiring speech. I really want to believe in Obama. He says the right things up to a point. Like I said before, he doesn't talk about universal single payer health care. Tonight he said he believes in capitalism and free markets. He talked about protecting the Constitution but never mentions impeachment, which is prescribed by the Constitution for presidencies gone severely awry like the current one. But I really liked what he said about energy policy and education policy. I think those who say he's a centrist are right. He will continue the American empire. I don't believe he's for the kind of fundamental change that I'm looking for. There's this sneaking (call it cynical if you will) feeling that he's mostly talk when he talks about challenging the status quo. Still, a part of me wants to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I will most likely vote Green party (McKinney) or Nader because I feel voting is less about picking the winner as it is an expression of one's own conscience. My one vote won't mean much in the grand scheme of the election, but it means the world to me in terms of my personal beliefs, ideals and integrity.

btw, "obackarama" came from my wife who has a way of mixing up syllables often with funny results. Well, she kept saying oback and I added the arama.

And the American Dream part was confirmed by an email from my buddy Joe who saw and spoke to Obama there.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the election to be over. I won't be too despondent if Obama wins. (Or Hillary for that matter) Even McCain will be 1x better than the horrible horrible W.