If I'd been a little bit more in tune with my will-power, I might even have pulled off the first official November 1st posting. If I had stayed up to post at 12.01am, I would have been 13 hours in front of the UK, and at least 18 hours in front of the USA and unless there's a participant in Fiji I would have had it licked! I regularly squander opportunities though, and I didn't want to break
His name is Dustin Kirby. He's; a father of 3, Real Estate Tycoon, Latin Teacher, Writer, Duck Hunter, James Bond Fan, Drinks nothing but Publix Sweet Tea, Loves Cuban Cigars, and Marlboro Lights, a man living day to day, A roll model he has become....
What's that you say? Halloween? Chya.In my world, it's NaBloPoMo-een.Posting every day for a month is going to be challenging, especially because I am moving house and going on someone else's business trip during the first week of November (Cowboy has queried why my laptop will be accompanying us on his business trip, but I raised my untamed eyebrow in a manner that spoke volumes without saying
·
blogging
On the heels of an alarming report that forecasts the economic losses of unchecked climate change at $7 trillion dollars, British finance minister Gordon Brown has announced a laundry list of new measures to address global warming. Included among the new initiatives is the hiring of Al Gore as advisor to the treasury on environmental issues. Other announcements include:
- Enshrine British climate change commitments in legislation, through a Climate Change Bill, including the goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.
- Promote sustainable forestry through an international partnership with Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica and the Coalition of Rainforest Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank (deforestation accounts for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions).
- Create a $20 billion loan and grant fund for energy efficiency through private sector partnerships.
- Promote the development of a sustainable regional biofuels industry in southern Africa by launching a joint task force with Brazil, South Africa and Mozambique.
- Form a new commission to keep Britain at the forefront of the global environmental market, projected to be worth close to $700 billion by 2010.
The announcement also outlines intentions to work towards tougher EU reduction targets and to expand the EU carbon trading market to include other greenhouse gases and to work with new markets in Australia, northeast American states and California.
A new report has painted one of the direst pictures of global warming yet seen. Prepared by Sir Nicholas Stern, the World Bank's former chief economist, the 700 page analysis projects that the economic losses from climate change could cost as much as $ 7 trillion, or 20% of the world's GDP."Whilst there is much more we need to understand - both in science and economics - we know enough now to be clear about the magnitude of the risks, the timescale for action and how to act effectively," Sir Nicholas said.
The report implicitly supports an analysis by PricewaterhouseCooper that places the cost of a 60% reduction in emission by 2050 as being one year's economic growth. Taken together, the two reports make an inarguable business case, if not human imperitive, for sustainable world climate policy.
Tony Blair has responded with strong words and promises of renewed leadership on the issue. His Environmental Secretary David Miliband has already pledged a new climate law, and today finance minister Gordon Brown announced a raft of new green initiatives including the hiring of Al Gore as an environmental advisor.
The British government's formal policy agenda for the coming year will be announced during the annual Queen's speech on November 15th.
Here is a quick alert for Conscious Earth readers trying to access YouTube video clips from this site. Comedy Central has impelled the popular video share site to remove clips taken from Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. This site has made numerous use of Daily Show highlights to help bring a lighter side to the too often depressing news of environmental current events.
For the moment, viewers will be unable to view such clips from this site. I'll update the links if they become availabe again at a later date. In the mean time, sorry for any inconvenience.
Source: Abandoned Stuff
This is a quick note to thank to each and every reader and supporter for brining The Conscious Earth its 10,000 visitor.
I dislike my Mother-In-Law. For some time I have tried to analyse my feelings towards her, and to stop them veering towards hatred. I'm not given to true hatred of other people. But there's definitely a whole raft of negative feelings that hoves into view whenever I think about her, and I've decided that this is dislike, and it's getting worse. I've tried to think about why I dislike her, so I
Her name is Steph. She's always smiling. Taken durning a walk around the neigborhood. She wanted to learn how to shoot but not with the Cannon Mark II.....she's a Nikon lover..my bad she knows how to shoot! which image do you guys like best?
Copyright laws are "out of date" and must be updated so MP3 player users can make copies of CDs without breaking the law, according to a think tank.read more | digg story
Last week the world's largest solar power generating plant was announced in Australia. The federal government agreed to contribute $75 million towards the A$420 million (US$319 million) 154 megawatts solar power project in Victoria.
Though making a significant financial contribution, John Howard's federal government continues to come under sharp criticism for failing to sign on to Kyoto and for not taking sufficient action to help curb greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the feds financial contribution, both Solar Systems Generation - the company building the plant - and the state of Victoria's Premier Steve Bracks are crediting Victoria's legislated target of 10 per cent green power by 2016 for making the project viable.
The I Count climate change rally - set to run from 1pm to 3pm this coming Saturday, November 4th at Trafalgar Square - has now announced its line-up of speakers.
Scheduled to appear during the day of action are KT Tunstall, Rob Newman, Miranda Richardson, Simon Amstell, Rufus Hous, Bishop of Liverpool, Adam Hart Davis, Dr Hany El Banna (President-Islamic Relief), Sharon Looremetais and Stop Climate Chaos Director Ashok Sinha.
Stop Climate Chaos (SCC) is a coalition of over 35 organizations - including Friends of the Earth, RSPB, Greenpeace, WWF, Oxfam, Tearfund, Christian Aid, the Women's Institute and UNISON - who are coming together with the public to push the UK Government negotiate an international deal to keep global warming levels less that 2 degrees centigrade and introduce a Climate Change Bill into the Queens speech. Although the government has indicated that new climate legislation will be included in the November's Queen speech, all details have not been released and pressure is needed to ensure that British citizen's are offered a truly effective plan to curb greenhouse gases. Unlike that delivered to Canadians earlier in October following months of hype and government rhetoric.
The day of action is open to all members of the public and everyone is encouraged to join I Count at Trafalgar and to take part in the lead up march through London. Pack a lunch and add your voice to millions world wide who support strong action on climate change.
His name is Bolls, Chris Boll. We call him balls. Don't hate him because he likes CandleBox....hate him because he is from the greatest county of them all.....Polk county....Let me hear a hell yeahhhhh
Audio
SOUL SYNDICATE - Reckless Roots (Wackies)
PAUL ST HILAIRE - Humble (False Tuned)
YABBY YOU - Pick The Beam (Prince Jammy's Dubplate Version) (Blood & Fire)
RISTO - Pupu Tupuna (Fonal)
BATTIATO - Energia (Water)
BRIAN ENO - Julie With.. (Virgin)
BLACKDOWN - Mantis V.13 (Keysound)
HIJAK - Nightmarez (Tectonic)
JASON MUNDO - Still Stand Rasta (Dub Assembly)
MONOLAKE - Alaska (Substance Remix #1) (Imbalance)
KHAN JAMAL CREATIVE ARTS ENSEMBLE - Breathe Of Life (Eremite)
THE PYRAMIDS - Aomawa (Em)
JACK DE JOHNETTE with DAVE HOLLAND - Turned Around (Absorb Music Japan)
HARLEM WORLD CREW - Rappers Convention (Tayster)
GLUE - Stride (Anxiety Get Done) (Fat Beats)
BINARY STAR - Conquistadors (Subterraneous)
BIRDAPRES & MOKA ONLY - High School Sh*t (Peanuts & Corn)
MIKE SAMMES & THE MIKE SAMMES SINGERS - First Lady (Trunk)
FRANCO MICALIZZI - The Puzzle (Mellowdrama)
MIKE SAMMES & THE MIKE SAMMES SINGERS - Heineken (Trunk)
STANLEY MYERS - Sitting Target, Main Theme (Finders Keepers)
MIKE SAMMES & THE MIKE SAMMES SINGERS - Sunblest (Trunk)
SVEN LIBAEK - The Lost City (Trunk)
DAVID SHIRE - The Conversation, Closing Theme (Intrada)
MOVE D - Eastman (City Centre Offices)
SPANDEX - Too Tight (Hand On The Plow)
TRIPLE BURNER - The Pulse OF Parc (Madrona)
Schell ruled that the defendant's hard drive can only be examined by a neutral forensics expert, not the RIAA's own "experts".read more | digg story
My friend Charlie at 4-INFO has set-up an automated alert system for the Coach Blog. Simply text message: "@coachfx" to 44636 (4-INFO) to receive the most recent Coach Blog post on your cellphone. Once you get a post texted to you, you can then reply "1" to sign up for automatic alerts whenever the Coach Blog is updated. This is awesome.
I can't remember if anyone on Coach had a cellphone. I think maybe there was one episode where Luther had one of those big ridiculous cellphones from the early '90s that he carried around all the time and got all sorts of hilarious calls and wrong numbers on. Like maybe he had a similar number to some celebrity and then maybe that celebrity made a guest appearance at the end and Luther was totally flustered. I don't think this was a real episode, but it might as well have been.
Patrick Moore, one time co-founder of Greenpeace but now an anti-green spin campaigner, is attacking one of fish farming's most dedicated and credible researchers.
Biologist Alexandra Morton has been testing and reporting on the impact of sea lice on the pink and chum salmon runs in the Broughton Archipelago for over five years. Her findings have been consistently proved by independent scientists, and this month her work was given further backing. New research shows that the wild salmon population is being devastated by sea lice from fish farms, with 95 per cent of young wild salmon that migrate out to sea dieing after swimming through lice plumes from infected farms.
Unfortunately, like global warming, the potential for profits have drawn a host of PR professionals who are only too willing wade into the fish farming front lines with half-truths and attack campaigns.
Enter Patrick Moore, who has forged his new career by leveraging whatever remians of his green reputation for the benefit of unsustainable energy, forestry and fish farming. In a pathetic effort, Moore has incomprehensibly tried to paint Morton as "flip flopper" in a naked assault on her credibility. Readers will need to consult his press release directly for the allegations, as his assertions are so convoluted they are impossible to reproduce in any coherent form.
The ploy was Moore's second ill-advised and poorly executed PR attack in as many months. Back in September, he had the audacity to accuse the world's pre-eminent scientific organization of repressing science. At that time, the UK's Royal Society' released a timely and impeccably researched open letter criticizing Exxon for funding groups that misrepresent the scientific facts of climate change. Moore embarrassed himself by comparing the Royal Society - which counts Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking among its fellowship - to the Inquisition.
Moore's problem isn't that he sold out decades of environmental work for a career in misinformation - its just that he's so bloody bad at it. His allegations are as laughable as they are limp, and in the ultimate irony, after abandoning legitimate environmental causes back in the 1980s he has managed to create a new, and truly renewable industry - by supplying the environmental and progressive community with an inexhaustible supply of jokes and laughing material.
We were told by an unreliable authority that the rules on obtaining an NZ driving licence were such that if you are a foreigner, you have to take a paper theory-test within 30 days of landing in NZ. I have my doubts, because I can't find this rule documented anywhere, and as you can imagine, I really didn't feel like doing any more learning for the forseeable future, let alone in the first few
This week, the WWF released its Living Planet Report. In addition to the broadly publicized soundbite that we will need two planet Earths by the year 2050 to supply our needs, the report also provided valuable information on the per capita impact of each country.
The ecological footprint was calculated for each nation, measured as the number of hectares required to supply the resources used by one person from a given country. The United States and Canada finished 2nd and 4th respectively, with the United Arab Emirates taking top spot due almost exclusively to the impacts of its fossil fuel industry.
Compiled below are the ten countries with the highest per capita impact on the planet.
| Country | Ecological Footprint |
| United Arab Emirates | 11.9 |
| United States | 9.6 |
| Finland | 7.6 |
| Canada | 7.6 |
| Kuwait | 7.3 |
| Australia | 6.6 |
| Estonia | 6.5 |
| Sweden | 6.1 |
| New Zealand | 5.9 |
Though it falls short of a retirement, David Suzuki - the renowned Canadian scientist, environmentalist and activist - is preparing to step away from the public eye while he laments that he has not had a greater impact on the environmental movement.
Those were his words in a recent interview given from Australia while he was promoting the second installment of his autobiography. Suzuki said that he is looking forward to spending more time in the Canadian wilderness, carving wood and fishing and promises that this most recent book will be his last.
Dr. Suzuki is now 70 years old, and the world would be hard pressed to find a more dedicated and effective champion for the environment. His television program, The Nature of Things, is broadcast in 40 countries. He is the author more than 40 books, dozens of radio programs, has sat on countless boards and councils, holds 18 honourary degrees, and is a recipient of the Order of Canada. That his focus during this stage in his life remains firmly on the growing importance of sustainable living exemplifies his personal dedication to the environment, and the critical importance of the environmental threats we are facing today.
He will undoubtedly remain involved with numerous organizations, including the David Suzuki Foundation, in moving us towards a sustainable future. However, as he takes his first steps away from public life he will leave behind a giant's footsteps. The question is - who will have the courage to follow in them?
American's go to the polls on November 7th to elect federal representatives in the Senate and House, as well as choose Governors in 36 states. Voters concerned with making green friendly choices should visit the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) for their green-endorsement guide map.
The map gives a point and click reference for green candidates and initiatives throughout the country while providing links to the voting records of the enivironments best and worst elected representatives throughout the last term in office.
Former Exxon CEO, recipient of one of the largest bonuses in world history, and poster child for corporate excess - Lee "Fat Bastard" Raymond - has been tapped by the Bush Administration to develop national energy policies."..the environment is real. You can smell it. In parts of Houston, you can grab hunks of it with your hands and use it to lube your car! And if there is a single face you might want to use to personify this evil (climate change), he was in the news this week: the retiring and handsomely-compensated chairman of Exxon Mobil, Lee 'Fat Bastard' Raymond."
- Bill Maher, from Real Time Apr 21, 2006
Under Lee Raymond's tenure, Exxon was a world leader not only in oil profits but also in funding groups who undermine global warming science.
One needs to be more than a little skeptical when a man whose parting gift from the oil industry was a $400 million dollar cheque is charged with forging a climate responsible energy plan in the era of global warming.
Via: charge: the future of energy
Bowing to pressure from opposition parties and environmental campaigners, the British government will table a new long-term climate change bill for inclusion in next month's Queen's speech.
Despite the new initiative, green campaigners remain critical as the new bill is not expected to include the legally binding reduction targets they have been pushing for. Instead of the mandatory annual decreases in greenhouse gases of 3% that are being called for, the bill is expected to set specific targets for each decade - a move consistent with other European Union targets.
Ideally, there is probably a happy middle ground to be found. Legally binding annual cuts in greenhouse gases are undesirable for the same reason balanced budget legislation is a poor fiscal policy. They unduly restrict the responsiveness of governments to unforeseen needs and emergencies. Unexpected events do and will occur and can often push a nation into debt for a given year, whether that debt is measured in dollars or carbon dioxide makes little difference. The point is to remain financially, and environmentally sustainable over time.
As long as we remain in free market society, the market will require a certain degree of flexibility and room to work within. Unanticipated booms in the economy will occur, resulting in short-term increases in greenhouse gas emissions. Government's role is to ensure that on an overall level emission targets are achieved and any increases are promptly addressed exist only in the short-term.
Binding targets within a two to three year time frame would allow a more realistic amount of room for market fluctuations, while giving the government in power an incentive to hit mandated targets - by keeping those target deadlines within the four to five year election cycle.
After this article, I feel pressed to present my own independent results in order to rebut some of the findings, especially in light of Apple’s new MacBook Pro featuring the Core 2 Duo by Intel. I’d like to start off by saying I have absolutely nothing against Apple computers. I first learned computing skills on an Apple IIGS and played around with //e’s long before that. I am equally at
The Pembina Institute has released a report asserting that Alberta's oils sands development can affordably become carbon neutral by the year 2020 by employing carbon sequestration technology and purchasing offsets. The report, titled "Carbon Neutral by 2020", pegs the cost for carbon neutrality in the range of $1.76 to $13.65 (US) per barrel of crude oil.
So called conservative market champions will doubtlessly argue about the prohibitive costs of making the shift, but consider two points. First, investment in carbon neutral technology will be much cheaper if done now while new developments are being built, rather than upgrading existing facilities down the road. Second, and more importantly, there are plenty of dollars to pay for this technology.
The market price for crude at which tar sands developments are considered profitable are variously given as being between $20 to $28 per barrel. Put another way, as an oil company CEO you would gladly start a development project given a market price of $28 per barrel for your crude. However, surging world demand has sustained prices above $50, with no expectation of a significant decline. That $22 buffer zone represents pure additional profit that goes entirely to oil companies operating on a business model of environmental exploitation.
What policy makers need to decide is where that surplus is best spent - on ensuring a stable climate? Or in purchasing third and fourth homes for oil company executives.
The reputable and reliable RealClimate website has launched a new custom search function using the Google Co-op service that will give readers and researchers a one stop location for information on climate science already vetted by RealClimate.
The number of sites and pages available will be growing and promises to be a worthy new resource for information about global warming. To use the new feature simply enter your search criteria in the box at the top of the RealClimate page.
Following my post from yesterday on the deep integration of North America, a reader requested that I post a letter template for anyone wanting to write their MP about the issue. For everyone interested you will find a copy of the letter I sent out below. Please copy and forward without hesitation. Be sure to update the variable fields highlighted in bold italics before sending.
Canadian readers can find their local MP at the Parliamentary search site.
American readers can find their representative of Congress here or your Senator here.
Dear insert addressee,
I am deeply concerned about the move towards the deep integration of North America that began under Paul Martin through the signing of the Security and Prosperity Partnership, and that has continued during the current Conservative government.
From September 12th to 14th, North American leaders from government, business and key agencies met in Banff, Alberta for a series of closed door meetings on the integration of security, trade, and energy policies between Canada, Mexico and the United States. In attendance were Donald Rumsfeld, Stockwell Day, and Chief personnel from NORAD, Chevron, Suncor and Lockheed Martin to name a few. Meanwhile, the Canadian public is being denied a role in discussions that about the future of our own sovereignty by the secret nature of this session and others like them.
There has been scant reporting of this event online, but little else while most elected officials have remained silent on this critical issue.
I am writing to express the strongest possible opposition to these talks and any future plans that would sacrifice Canadian sovereignty and the democratic rights of Canada's citizens.
More to the point, as insert MP's credentials, I would like to know your position on this issue.
Thank you,
Your name and contact information
I have finally developed the patience to sit about for hours while the dial-up chokes into action and laboriously uploads photographs. So, this post comes with added image!This weekend was a holiday (Labour Day) and so Cowboy didn't have to go to work. We booked a lastminute weekend away (becase we haven't done enough travelling recently) in a holiday cottage, which lots of wealthy Kiwis seem
His name was Jeramy. As he lay there bleeding, I wonder why none got on the curtain? So clean and so perfect as it hangs. I wish my mistakes where behind the curtain and not skittered on the floor.......
The hit fox series The OC is turning a new green leaf. This season features the introduction of a new character and self styled green revolutionary named Che. Fans can check out the trailer below. Catch the Season Premiere on Thursday, November 2nd.
I shot this with color infrared film. I know this film is suppose to produce a red-tone. But I used a yellow filter and this is what I got. The guy on the truck is Tom. He loved his motor bike. This is him getting ready to pull it down off the truck and go ride at a place that over looked the Pacfic Ocean.
If you thought the Wii controller was revolutionary, check out these futuristic motion-sensing game controllers from In2Games.read more | digg story
If you want answers and public accountability in Canada, the only place to find it is from representatives not in power, and even then it's iffy.
Last month, while Canadians were ooing and ahhing over the rumoured romance between Peter MacKay and Condoleezza Rice (we haven't heard a thing about that one since, have we?), the meat of North America's political machinery was in Banff, Alberta engaged in closed door meetings for the merging of the continent's security, economies and military.
As a democratic exercise, I wrote to the leaders of our opposition parties to discover their stance on the most important issue facing the sovereign future of Canadians. In tandem with that effort, I also wrote to our major news outlets to politely inquire as to why this meeting was not picked up and reported on. Here are the results.
Of the five news companies I wrote - The Globe & Mail, Canwest, Alberta affiliates of Global TV, CTV and the CBC - none responded to either of the two enquiries I submitted.
In Ottawa, I wrote to the Liberal party, the NDP, the Green Party, my personal MP (Derek Bell - Lib), and the major contenders for the Liberal leadership - Bob Rae, Michael Ignatieff, Stephane Dion, Ken Dryden, and Gerard Kennedy. Of all these public officials only two offered a response, Jack Layton and Michael Ignatieff.
Mr. Layton provided a comprehensive stance against deep integration and other Conservative initiatives that represent a potential threat to Canadian interests. From Mr. Ignatieff I received a brief note that stated his support of Canadian sovereignty with no mention of deep integration in particular. Below are their respective responses in full.
Response from Jack Layton, Leader, Federal NDP
Thank you for informing me of your concern about the further integration of Canada with the United States and Mexico.
At an October 4th press conference and in Parliament, NDP International Trade and Globalization critic, Peter Julian, outlined the NDP's opposition to plans to fast-track North American integration through the harmonization of 300 common areas of legislation and regulations.
Mr. Julian stated, "This is the giving away of Canada’s command to the U.S. Republican administration and to North America’s largest corporations. We are seeing this with the Softwood Lumber Agreement and with the Canadian Wheat Board, as well as in a variety of other sectors." For more information, please see attachment below and visit: http://www.ndp.ca/page/4413.
The recent Banff meeting of top government, corporate and military officials from all three countries has heightened this concern. It was clear that organizers and participants intended to keep this important meeting on integration out of the public eye.
Mr. Julian has been active on this file since the launch of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) - http://www.ndp.ca/page/1444. Please be assured that the federal NDP will continue to demonstrate strong leadership on deep integration as we have on other important issues such as Afghanistan and the Softwood Lumber Agreement.
Again, thank you for taking the time to convey your interest to safeguard our future and our Canadian sovereignty. Feel free to forward this email to all others who may share this concern.
Sincerely,
Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth)
Leader, Canada’s New Democrats
Response from Michael Ignatieff:
Mr. Ignatieff is a strong defender of Canadian sovereignty. He does not believe that we should make our country more dependant on the United States, or any other country. We must always maintain a strong and independent voice on the world stage.
Thank you for your question.
All the best,
Sean Williamson
Campaign Michael Ignatieff Leadership Campaign
I would encourage all Canadian readers to forward this article to your MP's and demand their views on the matter, especially if you are in a Liberal riding. The Security and Prosperity Partnership was begun under the Paul Martin government, and as the Liberal's will likely return to power before this issue is resolved, their stance and future action on this issue needs to be made known to voters in advance of the next election, as well as in the current leadership race.
You can find your local MP at the Parliament search site.
A recent survey on energy waste indicates that Britons are the worst energy wasters in the European Union, engaging in more than twice the number of energy wasting actions per week than Europe's best performer, Germany.
Though the survey paint Britain in poor light next to its European neighbours, the UK stands as a pillar of responsible energy use next to North American nations. According to 2002 data, both Canada and the US consume twice the amount of energy per person than British citizens.
Thanks to Canada's Clean Air Act and Bush's inaction, that difference is not likely to change soon.
4 November I will post random images from over the years. Ranging from 1998 to Now. Other news:
The Bucs win, on a last second field Goal, if you missed the game you missed out on history. Thats the only news that is important right now....Oh would like to say HELLO TO STEPH....she never reads my blog but I thought I'd be nice and say hello to her....
The clearest and most disturbing evidence of our global environmental impact was, and is, seen at the planet's poles. In the past week, scientists found that Antarctica's ozone hole is currently the largest on record (now bigger in area than the North American continent) while at the opposite pole researchers announced disturbing new data on the speed of Greenland's melting.
In the 1990s the world successfully addressed the ozone hole by agreeing to phase out ozone destroying chemicals. Its now a waiting game as the hole will continue to fluctuate while slowly healing over the course of the next 50 years. It is a vivid yet disturbing lesson about the time frame of planetary recovery as we continue to play Russian roullete with the world's climate by failing to act with the urgency the problem warrants.
The reasons for this are myriad, but a major one is quite literally in our view of the problem. Unlike the ozone hole we have no shared image of global warming. We see receding glaciers and drying lakes, but nothing that uniquely captures the novelty and urgency of the problem we are now facing.
In the early 1990s the world was stunned by the scientific photography of Antarctica's failing ozone cover. The idea of a future where the life giving sun became our most mortal enemy exploded into the consciousness of the world. Reports of increasing skin cancer rates became more common and citizens, businesses and governments reacted to the threat by rapidly agreeing to the phase ot of ozone depleting chemicals.
We have no such iconic image of global warming, and unfortunately, most
major environmental achievements have found a place in the minds of citizens through the shocking realism of a visual image. Decimated rain forests, endangered whales and thinning ozone all have galvinized awareness and action through immediate and irrefutable proof of the problem through visual imagery - often a single shared image.
This reality represents the blessing and curse of our current media reliant culture - a picture has the power to bring millions together in a common goal, but conversely, if a cause fails to offer an iconic snapshot, it will more often than not fail to create change.
This is the problem facing the leaders battling for global warming action, and the greatest ally of those who spread disinformation in the name of profit. Environmental visionaries have worked tirelessly at building consensus on the risks we all face by rising temperatures, and to their credit have made impressive progress.
Now we need our image to drive the point home.
A few pics from my show. I didn't bring a camera but a friend brought one and took a few pics for me. I couldn't judge on how many people came.....Lets say there was more than 4 people at the show
Audio
Vijana Jazz Band - Tambiko - Rough Guide
Son House - Mississippi County Farm - Yazoo
Nuru Kane - Goree - Riverboat
Abdolnaghu Afsharnia - Dashti - Rough Guides
Elizabeth Clare Prophet - Dedication to the tackling of the beast and the dragon - the momentum of rock 'n' roll - Faithway International -
Growing - Peace offering - Rockactionrecords
William elliot whitmore - And then the rains came - southern Records
Alvarius B. - Blue west - abduction
Sir Richard Bishop - DReam of the LOtus eaters - latitudes
Don Peris - Blink - Jemez MOuntain
Leggy family - unknown title (libya) - mp3
Rev. B.L.Wightman with Lottie kimbrough and congregation - Live the life - Yazoo
Daniel Johnston - Try to love - Sketchbook - sketch
Quickspace Supersport - Superspace - !K7
John Holt - I Can't Get you off my mind - Heartbeat / Studio One
The Sound Dimensions - Please Be True Version - Heartbeat / Studio One
Jah Thomas - Mister walker - Roots
Benjamin zephaniah vs. Rodney P - Slow MOtion Ambient - one Little Indian
Ranking Toyan - Ghetto man Skank - Roots
Albert Whelan - Pass!Shoot!Goal!! - Trikont
Sonnenberg - Another Mile - Probe Plus
Yukon - Happy Birthday Texas - Euphonium
Fanfarlo - Talking Backwards - Fortuna Pop
Hafdis Huld - My Heart Beats -
The Low Lows - Dear Flies, Love Spider - Montreme Records
The Long Winters - Ultimatum - Munich Records
Sally Nyolo - Bitoutski - Riverboat
LLouie Vega presents Luisito Quintero - Acid - BBE
words to come.....have a safe weekend...and goooo Bucs kick the $#%@ out of the Eagles...
Learn about all Google's services and projects, and how to use Google properly. This two page PDF is great reference material and it's completely free!read more | digg story
Opposition Liberals, Bloc and NDP have stated they will vote against the Conservatives green plan tabled yesterday before Parliament. Though it would not represent a confidence vote for the minority Conservatives, the defeat of their so called green plan would be the second time in recent months that the Tories have been outvoted in parliament and place Stephen Harper in a tenuous political corner.
For Stephen Harper the risks are real. In the face of a poor strategy in Afghanistan, a bigoted stance on gay marriage, the selling out of Canadian interests in softwood lumber, and opposition to the Kyoto protocol, Harper has hedged his party's salability on delivering improved air quality. With yesterday's confirmation that his green plan will do nothing to abate smog for decades that salability is called into serious question.
Canadians oppose our current involvement in Afghanistan, we want recognition of the rights of all people, we want action on global warming, and we want better air quality. In the first three issues Harper publicly disagrees with Canadians. The last point, improving air quality, he publicly endorses while simultaneously proving incapable of delivering on.
And so the self-dubbed billed party of results has delivered only rhetoric while showing how out of step they are with every voter who does not own stock in Shell or Suncor.
Check your egg timer folks, because this government is cooked.
we all have issues, its just a matter of how we learn to forget them........
Joystiq has confirmed with numerous Gamestop and EB Games retailers that the Gamecube version of the newest Zelda offering has been removed from their computer system. Their websites have also been updated to reflect the change. Get out the pine box and some nails, prepare to bury your Gamecube. It's over. The Gamecube is dead, long live the Wii.read more | digg story
Just so the theme of 'Living in New Zealand' doesn't get prematurely tiresome, today I ruminate on the episode of The Apprentice that I watched the other day. I acknowledge that it was probably screened in the USA many moons ago, but in Kiwi land it represents current viewing.It's the USA version, with Martha Stewart. As a prize for selling more widgets than the other team, the winning team got
And it's a complete crock. As predicted by the Conscious Earth and throughout the media and environmental community for months, the Clean Air Act has proved to be nothing but hot air and offers no results for decades and no plan on how to achieve any. Instead of action, the Tories plan approach will tie Canada lockstep to the world's worst polluter and climate destroyer while offering no progress in addressing global warming.
The intention will be to synchronize Canadian regulations with those of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
That was the message from Rona Ambrose and the Federal Tories today. In summary, emissions will steadily increase until intensity based targets go into effect in 2010, at which point emissions will continue to increase as soaring oil and gas production wipes out whatever efficiency gains are actually put in place. No plan on decreasing smog nor greenhouse gases was given. Today's announcement instead promises to "seek" reductions, but not until after 2020.
The only surprise is that the Conservatives could not even deliver on their promise of smog reduction - an initiative their propaganda machine has been pumping since Harper became party leader. The "Made in Canada" plan does not offer so much as a target for smog until 2025, and succeeds only in accomplishing the Tories primary environmental goal - to ignore the Kyoto Protocol. Today's annoucement made no mention of the treaty.
In addition to the "results" highlighted above, the Conservatives made several pie in the sky promises for the distant future including actual decreases in CO2 starting in 2020, and a miraculous 45 to 65% reduction taking hold in 2050. No targets, plan or firm commitment to those goals were made, likely because the current Conservatives will be retired, or voted out office, and back in the oil pampered comfort of the Alberta high country while the rest of Canada pays the price for rising oceans and temperatures.
Despite the criticism above, today's announcement did promise strong action to curb emissions from motorcycles, outboard engines, and other irrelevant low impact engines. Strangely absent from these new restrictions on put-put toys were aggressive targets for whale oil lanterns and Bic lighters, though such action was not ruled out in their new "approach".
The best news from today actually has nothing to do with the environment. Now that the Conservatives have ended months of waiting and speculation by tabling their environmental vision, we can all get back to the more important business of discussing the proven ineptitude of this government and stop indulging their non-announcements with political breathing room.
You can read the complete bill here.
New York Governor George Pataki and Governor Schwarzenegger have signed an agreement that will see California join seven northeast states in a climate change partnership. The deal will take effect in 2009 and establish a carbon trading system to allow carbon polluting power plants to buy credits from those that are cutting their greenhouse gas emissions.
The move is the latest in a host of climate friendly initiatives that Schwarzenegger has either backed or tabled in recent months, with other notable moves including requiring a 25% reduction in California's c02 emissions by 2020; calling for the installation of 1 million rooftop solar units by 2018; and joining British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a new agreement to fight global warming while vocally criticizing Bush's lack of action.
Fresh on the heels of shelling out a cool $1.6 billion for YouTube, Google has announced plans to build one of America's largest solar power installations to supply electricity to its corporate headquarters in Mountain View, California.
The Googleplex's rooftop solar installation will generate 1.6 megawatts of electricity, enough power to supply 1,000 homes. The project will also put a dent in Schwarzenegger's initiative to have 1 million rooftop solar units in place throughout California by 2018. Specifics of Google's plan include:
9,200 solar panels to be installed by next spring Total capacity equal 1.6 megawatts It will supply 30 percent of the campus' electricity on a hot summer day In addition, motion sensors will be installed on indoor lights
Google aslo supports a green corporate philosophy that includes all organic cafeterias and and extensive commuter shuttle program that removes hundreds of cars from the road daily. David Radcliffe, Google's vice president of real estate was quoted as saying, "If we can dispel the myth along the way that you can't be green and profitable at the same time, that's another benefit."
Amen to that.
Iceland has confirmed their intention to resume the commercial hunt of whales, with an announcement of annual quotas totaling 30 minke whales and 9 endangered fin whales.
Iceland joins Norway as the only two nations engaged in the commercial hunt of whales. Despite the new policy, the Icelandic government has stated that the catches will be set on a sustainable level.
"The total stock size of central and north Atlantic minke whales is close to 70,000 animals, of which around 43,600 are in Icelandic coastal waters," said the government's statement."The number of fin whales in the [area] is estimated at around 25,800 animals.
"The catches are clearly sustainable and therefore consistent with the principle of sustainable development."
Greenpeace captured the harpooning and extended death of a minke whale on film. The graphic film clip is below.
Today is the official date that the United States tops 300 million in population. For the environmental impact see my lead up post.
A host of initiatives, celebrities and rallies are coming together in the UK calling on Blair and the Labour government to introduce aggressive new climate change legislation - and it appears to be working. Late last week it was reported that a "climate change bill is likely to be included in next month's Queen's Speech".
The announcement comes on the heels of a major push by opposition parties earlier that led to 59% MPs signing a motion backing a new climate law, and a pledge to support to Blair if he included such a law in the Queen's Speech.
The can help keep up the pressure by joining thousands of others for a march through London and mass gathering at Trafalgar Square to demand a new climate change action for the UK. The march begins November 4th at 10am and culminates by joining I Counts rally at Trafalgar at 2pm.
Mark you calendars. The complete schedule is below.
Date: November 4th
10.00am Cycle protest assembles at Lincoln's Inn Fields, South side (Holborn/Temple tube). Goes via ExxonMobil offices, Australian Embassy and Downing Street to arrive at US embassy at 11.30 am.
11.00am Rally opens : Messages from around the world, performance poetry & musical protest with "Seize the Day" and others.
12 noon Main Rally at US Embassy, Grosvenor Square. Speakers include George Monbiot, Colin Challen MP, Caroline Lucas MEP, Norman Baker MP, Zac Goldsmith.
1.00 pm March for Global Climate Justice from US embassy to Trafalgar Square
1.45 - 2.00 pm March joins i-Count's.. Mass Gathering in Trafalgar Square
1.00 - 3.00pm i-Count Mass Gathering in Trafalgar Square
http://www.campaigncc.org
Last week, an agreement was announced between federal officials and first nations for the creation of a vast new national park centred on Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories. The proposed park would encompass an area of 33,525 square kilometers - an area four times the size of Yellowstone. Included in the proposed area are 4,000 square kilometers of the lake itself (the world's tenth largest), as well as a key northern landscape representing the transition zone between boreal forest and northern tundra that is home to caribou, moose, grizzlies and black bears.
The local Lutsel K'e Dene first nations, who negotiated the agreement with the federal government, are proposing to call the new area Thaydene Nene National Park, which means "land of the ancestors" in the Dene language. Like the DeCho first nations of the Nahanni watershed, the threat of mining development was a key consideration in their agreement to support the creation of the park - a stance that has changed since they initially opposed the park's creation 30 years ago.
Formal talks on the creation of the park will now begin, with the expectation that the park boundaries will be ready for parliamentary approval in three years. The last time Canada gained a new national park was 2005 when the federal government signed an agreement with the Labrador Inuit Association for the creation of the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve in Labrador.
The next task to be completed was Finding Somewhere To Live. It's been eight years since I last looked for a rental property on the open market, so I embarked on the mission with the kind of wrong-headed positivity which comes before a particularly steep slide into the pit of despair. We had various 'requirements' laid out before we started, as those inane house-finding programmes tell you to do.
This was the play that won it for us! It was a close game...a nail biter. I live and die with this team. Its nice to get a win.....losing is not good for the soul
Go Bucs!
It appears that the cheap retail giant is tired of selling overpriced CDs and wants to cut the prices and still maintain a profit. Kudos to Wal-Mart on this one, we all know that CD prices have been out of this world for sometime.read more | digg story
Audio
Ty - What You Want (Taylormade) - Big Dada
Jamiroquai - Runaway (Alan Braxe and Fred Faulk remix) - Sony
D'angelo - Everybody Loves the Sunshine - the big chill records
John Legend - Save Room - Sony Promo
Lightin' Rod (Last Poets) feat Jimi Hendrix - Doriella Du Fontaine - Mojo
Stoney Island - The Stoney Island Band - Jazzman
Ty - Closer feat. Maceo - Big Dada
Norman Weeks and the Relevations - Hold On - Rent Productions
Freddie Cruger - Special Lady Feat. Linn - Tru Thoughts
Incognito - Tin Man - Dome Records - Promo LP
Orgone - Funky Kassau (Danny Krevit re-edit) - Nuff Rope
Peven Everett - Power Soul - Defected
Big Bang - Yo Yo Jazz" Nicola Conte rework- Arison
Janita - Oh - Expansion - CD
Omar - Your Mess (Mark de Clive Lowe vocal mix) - Ether Records
Doris - Don't - Resist
DR Presents 1 luv - Above You - Especial
Johnny Hammond - Can't we smile - the big chill records
In Kiwi-land, it is a rite of passage to have The Big Overseas Experience ("OE"). Normally, one partakes of the Overseas Experience when they are youthful and don't care about sleeping on the floor with cockroaches in China whilst protecting a backpack full of festering laundry with their head. I'm not averse to a little bit of hardship, and I would have enjoyed the chance to travel the world
Aparently Amazon started taking preorders for the Wii last Friday before their email notification was ever sent out. Then they shut the site down due to the volume of orders. Everyone that signed up on the email notification was left out in the cold by Amazon. Way to go, jerks!read more | digg story
Well looks like Amazon.com has a posting for the Nerf Wiimote. So those rumors that we heard last week were true.read more | digg story
The Sierra Club of Canada, Friends of the Earth Canada and Greenpeace have obtained a leaked draft of the Conservative's Clean Air Act. The groups are condemning the draft as being nothing more than a minor housekeeping bill that offers only adjustments to existing language while giving provinces the option to opt out of what few existing regulations are in place.
The bill would let provinces opt out of federal rules, according to the draft, which was circulated by the Sierra Club of Canada, Friends of the Earth Canada and Greenpeace. Also, because the draft would regulate some substances as ``air pollutants,'' and not ``toxic'' materials, companies may be able to challenge it because federal jurisdiction over pollutants has never been established, said Greenpeace's Steven Guilbault.
``It's a delay tactic, it's a serious delay tactic,'' Beatrice Olivastri, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Canada, told reporters a press conference in Ottawa. Current laws governing toxic materials have been ruled valid by the country's Supreme Court, Guilbault noted.
In commenting on the August draft, the groups acknowledge that they have to way of knowing how representative it is to the final bill. However, given that back in August the Conservatives still had a "plan" rather than an "approach" for addressing air quality and CO2, and that the Environment Minister herself has said that emissions will rise under the new bill, it seems safe to bet that the final Act will offer nothing more substantial.
The Conservatives will announce the bill on Tuesday.
Hat tip to: Le Revue Gauche
Euphoric over surging oil and gas profits, and soaring on the wings of rising greenhouse gas emissions, Calgary is celebrating its booming economy with plans to pop the country's second largest boner.
Today, Encana announced its $1 billion plan to construct a 59 storey office tower in downtown Calgary. The tower will be the tallest office building west of Toronto and serve to further masturbate Calgary's ego, as city politicians and business leaders alike celebrate their bulging pockets and increasing intimacy with American markets.
But despite widespread celebration of Encana's plans, the announcement put Prime Minister Harper in a tough bind. Though a staunch defender of Alberta's right to pollute, the masturbatory implications of Calgary's impending woody have put him at odds with his religious supporters.
"This is a good plan approach for Calgary.", said the PM, "I mean, its not like it looks like a gay erection or anything."
Construction starts next year, with doors slated to open in 2010.
Is it any wonder Harpers green plan approach will do nothing to reduce greenhouse gases?
On the heels of this weeks non-announcement on the Tories non-action on global warming, PollutionWatch has made published a database on the nation's top greenhouse gas producers. To the surprise of nobody, Alberta - the breadbasket of Harpers support - is Canada's top producer of greenhouse gas pollution by a long shot, ranking 41% higher than second place Ontario.
Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(reported by large industrial facilities in 2004)
(reported by large industrial facilities in 2004)
In addition to ranking provinces visitors can also see a listing of the top polluting companies in the nation. For more details visit the PullutionWatch website.
DuPont is continuing its leadership role in energy efficiency and the reduction of greenhouse gases.
In 1990, spurred in part by their successful development of alternatives to ozone depleting CFC chemicals, the global chemical giant announced its intention to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Now they have unveiled a new sustainable growth strategy that by 2015 is projected to generate $6 billion dollars of additional revenue while creating 1,000 new products or services that will enhance the environmental profile of its business operations.
New innovations include reduced greenhouse gases in refrigerants, safer automotive finishes, and the engineering of polymers and coatings based on renewable materials. Additionally, DuPont pledges to introduce clean fuel fleet vehicles with the goal of converting its entire off-site fleet towards fossil fuel alternatives, and they will continue with its 2010 goal to hold total energy use flat versus 1990 and to source 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources.
Chairman and CEO Charles O. Holliday Jr. termed "sustainable growth" as "the biggest market opportunity on the horizon for the next two or three decades." The strategy could yield an additional $6 billion in revenues by the year 2015, he said.For those who think DuPont's goals are hot air, consider this. While Canada and the USO have been dithering and denying their own climate change responsibilities for the past 16 years, DuPont has reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 72%, and they reduced their overall energy use to 9% below 1990 levels, while increasing production by 35%. There plans have also gained the praise of the Natural Resources Defense Council - a leading ENGO in the US.
"Many companies say that what's good for the environment can also be good for business. We have a slightly different view: What's good for business must also be good for the environment and for people everywhere in the world," Holliday said in a statement.
“Dupont's made a lot of progress in reducing its global warming emissions. Partly that’s from refashioning its business, selling things off and changing what they do, but largely, it’s a real improvement,” says policy director David Doniger. “They seem to be pledging more of the same, and we need more progress of that kind, from companies that take a forward-looking position.”
Duponts plans put an exclamation point on the Liberal's inaction and the sham that has been the Tories' green propaganda plan. It also demonstrates with clarity how achievable it is to go beyond what Kyoto, and how infinitely within our reach the solutions to global warming are.
I cooked this one up for my last show. It sold to a friend of mine. Actually, I have gone internation. This one is headed to the country of Norway.... Never to be seen on America soil again. I will miss it, actually i miss it now. The big Polaroids have a special place in my heart....
In the aftermath of yesterday's green plan approach non-announcement by the Conservatives, Rona Ambrose is defending her party's plan against the critics, not the least of which was Jim Ibbitson of the Globe, who leveled a frank but devastating critique of the Conservatives.
Ultimately, the Tory smog plan will outline the rules that will allow smog and co2 producing industries to increase the amount of pollution they eject into the environment through the establishment of "intensity based targets". An intensity based target is a crony-fied piece of industry jargon, invented by George Bush, that specifies a reduction in emissions per unit produced (i.e. per barrel of oil or per tonne of coal). The problem is that if production increases (i.e. more units) the total amount of pollution is going to increase according to the following formula:
current pollution - small per unit reduction in emissions x BIG increase in production = BIG F@#!IN' INCREASE IN SMOG!!!That is a real problem for Canada where oil sands production is expected to at least double by 2015. The net result? In the coming years you can look forward to more greenhouse gases, more global warming, more smog and more asthma.
Personally, I believed that the Conservative's
Following last week's release of a national drinking water report card by Sierra Legal, a series of high profile announcements have hit the news.
That report was particularly critical of the federal government for its failure to provide national safeguards for drinking water and singled out the continued risk faced by First Nations communities, as demostrated by last year's evacuation of Kashechewan.
Today the Ministry of Indian Affairs and Northern Development & Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians (I'm not joking. That's really the full name of the ministry) announced new water treatment plants for Alberta's Driftpile First Nation and and for the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach, Quebec.
Many more such announcements will need to come in order to close the safety gap for Canada's, and especially First Nations, drinking water supplies.
Following a week that clearly demonstrated how Canada's elected officials are addressing the environment, here is the scoop on US representatives via the 2006 League of Conservation Voters Scorecard. The scorecard was released in good time for the 2006 Congressional elections and was tabulated using actual voting records on green related initiatives including offshore drilling, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and environmental funding.
The top green states were California, Illinois, Maryland and Vermont. If you live in Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, Texas or Wyoming, good luck - they're at the bottom.
The best and worst from both the Senate and the House are listed below. You can also look up your elected official directly with the LCV search page. On a juvenile note, I found it interesting that those with 0% scores were far more likely to have names like Doolittle and Crapo.
The Senate
Top Senators (100% scores)
California - Boxer · Feinstein
Connecticut - Dodd
Delaware - Biden
Hawaii - Akaka
Illinois - Durbin · Obama
Indiana - Bayh
Maryland - Mikulski · Sarbanes
Massachusetts - Kennedy
New Jersey - Menendez
New Mexico - Bingaman
Oregon - Wyden
Rhode Island - Reed
Vermont - Jeffords · Leahy
Washington - Cantwell
Wisconsin - Feingold
Worst Senators (0% scores)
Alabama - Sessions · Shelby
Florida - Martinez
Georgia - Chambliss · Isakson
Idaho - Craig · Crapo
Kansas - Roberts
Kentucky - Bunning · McConnell
Louisiana - Vitter
Mississippi - Lott
North Carolina - Burr · Dole
Oklahoma - Inhofe
Texas - Cornyn · Hutchison
Virginia - Allen
Wyoming - Enzi · Thomas
The House
Top Members of Congress (100% scores)
Arizona - Grijalva
California - Becerra · Berman · Capps · Eshoo · Farr · Harman · Honda · Lee · Matsui · George Miller · Napolitano · Pelosi · Roybal-Allard · Linda Sanchez · Loretta Sanchez · Schiff · Sherman · Solis · Stark · Tauscher · Waters · Watson · Waxman · Woolsey
Colorado - DeGette · Udall
Connecticut - DeLauro
Florida - Davis · Wasserman Schultz · Wexler
Georgia - Lewis · McKinney
Hawaii - Case
Illinois - Gutierrez · Schakowsky
Indiana - Carson
Maine - Allen
Maryland - Cardin · Cummings · Hoyer · Van Hollen
Massachusetts - Capuano · Frank · Lynch · Markey · McGovern · Meehan · Neal · Olver · Tierney
Michigan - Conyers · Dingell · Kildee · Kilpatrick · Levin
Minnesota - McCollum
Missouri - Carnahan
Nevada - Berkley
New Jersey - Andrews · Holt · Pallone · Pascrell · Rothman
New Mexico - Udall
New York - Engel · Hinchey · Lowey · McCarthy · McNulty · Nadler · Owens · Rangel · Serrano · Weiner
Ohio - Brown · Kaptur · Kucinich
Oregon - Wu
Pennsylvania - Fattah · Schwartz
Rhode Island - Langevin
South Carolina - Clyburn
Tennessee - Cooper
Texas - Doggett
Vermont - Sanders
Virginia - Scott
Washington - Inslee · McDermott · Smith
Wisconsin - Baldwin · Moore · Obey
Worst Members of Congress (0% scores)
Alabama - Aderholt
Alaska - Young
Arizona - Franks · Hayworth · Kolbe · Shadegg
California Bilbray · Doolittle · Herger · Hunter · Issa · Lewis · Gary Miller · Nunes · Radanovich · Thomas
Colorado - Hefley
Florida - Mica · Weldon
Georgia - Deal · Gingrey · Linder · Norwood · Westmoreland
Idaho - Simpson
Illinois - Manzullo · Shimkus
Indiana - Burton · Buyer · Chocola · Hostettler · Pence · Souder
Iowa - King · Latham
Kansas - Ryun · Tiahrt
Kentucky - Northrup
Louisiana - Alexander · Baker · Boustany · McCrery
Michigan - Hoekstra · Knollenberg
Minnesota - Gutknecht
Mississippi - Wicker
Missouri - Blunt
Montana - Rehberg
Nevada - Gibbons
New Mexico - Pearce
North Carolina - McHenry · Myrick
Ohio - Boehner · Hobson · Oxley
Oklahoma - Boren · Istook · Lucas
Pennsylvania - Peterson
South Carolina - Wilson
Tennessee - Blackburn · Wamp
Texas - Bonilla · Carter · Conaway · Gohmert · Granger · Hall · Johnson · Neugebauer · Sessions · Thornberry
Utah - Bishop · Cannon
Virginia - Goode · Goodlatte
Washington - Hastings · McMorris
Wyoming - Cubin
There was one episode of Coach where Coach and all of his family and friends all had to go to some black-tie formal event. I don't remember what it was for, maybe like a fundraiser for Minnesota State or like some kind charity auction or something. I'm pretty sure there were a ton of jokes about tuxes and how maybe Dauber didn't know how to put on cuff links or maybe he attached his suspenders to his boxers or something like that. Also, I think there was the kind of thing where Coach's daughter entered the scene in some kind of dress that was both traditional and provocative and the audience was all "OOOOOOOOOOO" because she was looking all hot. The mime, on the other hand, I think came in a good five seconds later acting all klutzy and maybe with a bloody nose or something; it was a totally hilarious contrast I think.
Anyway, the biggest jokes of the episode came later when Luther showed up in some sort of hilarious tux. Like maybe it was powder blue and had ruffles and maybe he had like white shoes or something and also the tux was a little too small. This was totally hilarious.
I think Luther also kept mispronouncing the word "cummerbund" as "cumberland" or "cucumber" or something.
Stephen Harper, Rona Ambrose and other key members of the Tory cabinet were in Vancouver today to announce that the Conservatives will introduce their Clean Air Act before the House of Commons next week. In announcing the introduction of their green plan approach, Harper was quoted as follows:
"Our new national government has a new approach", said Harper, "This approach will mark a fundamental departure from the approach of the previous government." He concluded by adding that his green plan approach "is going to replace rhetoric with results."
Few details of the plan approach were given, nor was a reason given why he and a gaggle of cabinet minister flew all the way to Vancouver to offer the upcoming non-details.
Tune in next week for more results rhetoric.
After years of clinging to traditional business models, media companies have finally started embracing ad-supported Internet distribution in a big way. Yesterday's announcement that several major music labels made nice with YouTube may turn out to be a watershed moment for the industry.read more | digg story
Kazaa, Napster Inc. and other creators of file-sharing applications have been good for the music industry, Niklas Zennstrom, founder of the now-defunct Kazaa and CEO of Skype, said Mondayread more | digg story
The might of iTunes has been challenged after an independent download site run from Kentish Town, UK, was voted the UK's best online music store.Bleep.com, set up two years ago by British record label Warp Records, beat Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iTunes and Napster to win the award at the annual BT Digital Music Awards.read more | digg story
NBC is picking up BattleStar Galactica as a mid-season replacementread more | digg story
One of my favorite little sayings that I came up with. This one almost didnt' make it. I get really frustrated with it. I did not like what was going on with the face. So I cut it out....most of the ones i cut, end up in Polaroid waste land but I pulled this one together.....Can you remember the last time you had a Stawberry Malt?
We're here! Actually, we've been here for a while but this is the first opportunity I have had to post to my blog without Cowboy breathing down my neck in the internet cafe. Apparently, he hates blogs and wants nothing to do with one that I 'might' create. More about that later, but suffice to say I will have to do some amending of previous posts in order to respect his wishes.After a
Audio
Adrian Sherwood - Animal magic in dub - On U Sound
Stamma Rank - Taurus special version - King Culture
Aggrovators - The Conqueror - Attack
Geeneus - Darkboy - Soulja soulja
Roots Radics - King Tubby's Earthquake dub - Roots
Vibes Posse - Burial tonight dub - Vibes Sounds
King Tubby - Fade out - Soul Jazz Records
Skream - Tapped - Tempa
Bass Clef - Cannot be straightened - Blank Tapes
I Roy - Look a boom - The Lion
Augustus Pablo - 555 Dub Street - Metro )
Octave One Mix Headrush / Off the Grid / Mind's Reality (Randomn Noise Generation) / The Oddasee
Capotonez - Sweet Reggae Music dub - CDR
Brian May - Suuluup - CDR
The Knife - Like a pen - Brille CDR
Field Music In context - Memphis Industries
Oskar - Domestic - mp3
ESG - Moody (Spaced Out) - Soul Jazz Records
Tito Rodriguez - Descarga chachao - Honest Jons Records
Nels Cline with Elliott Sharp - On the banks of the Owchita - Vanguard
Fred McDowell - I'm in jail again - Trikont
Phelan Sheppard - Broken in the wrong places - Leaf baycd
Jack Nitzsche - One flew over the cuckoos nest - Ace
I have a special surprise to tell everybody about this image but I dont' what to jinx myself...if it happens I will post this image again.
This was taken in the greatest beach town on the west coast......Capinteria, Ca. I lived there for about two years. One block away from the beach.... Man I should have taken more pictures of this little town. I used a pin-hole camera for this image, I blew this image up to 40x30 and made it into a light box... The reason I'm sharing it is because of the surprise and I have decided to do more pin-hole photography. Don't know if I'll do the light box thing again, but more pin-hole images are on the way.............O anybody want to give me a FlexTight Scanner.....
Despite frequent high profile cases of drinking water contamination - including Walkerton, North Battleford, and Kashechewan - Canada continues to lag in assuring the safety of drinking water to its citizens. This is the message from the Sierra Legal Defence Fund who released Waterproof 2: Canada's Drinking Water Report Card today.
In evaluating the drinking water systems of all 13 provinces and territories the report notes improved conditions since Walkerton, but slams the federal government for relying on patchwork provincial laws and failing to pass binding national standards for drinking water safety throughout the country. Unlike the United States and the European Union, Canada has no minimum national standards on drinking water, resulting in an 'F' grade going to the Feds.
Ontario garnered the nation's top grade for largely implementing the recommendations of the Walkerton Commission. Alberta, Quebec and Nova Scotia are the only provinces outside of Ontario to require advanced treatment of drinking water, such as state-of-the-art filtration.
So after failing to provide any leadership on climate change yesterday, it looks like Rona will now have to answer for Canada's failures to protect its drinking water.
Summary grades are below. You can also read the complete report online.
I'm not going to waste a lot of print space pointing out the obvious.
Yesterday, Rona Ambrose returned to Ottawa to address the Environment Commissioner's report on climate change released last week. In that report, the Commissioner called on the federal government to establish clear priorities and plans to address Kyoto commitments and global warming. Since that report was issued, Ambrose has fulfilled the Commissioner's call with a clarity and conviction rarely seen in Canadian politics. For those who were asleep at the wheel for the past week, here is a summary of Ms. Ambrose's response to the report:
- She hid in Alberta during its release
- She named a climate 'skeptic' as her new chief of staff
- She downgraded the Tories Made in Canada plan to address global warming into an "approach"
- She voted against a bill in support of Kyoto that was passed by opposition parties in the House of Commons.
- She blamed everyone but herself for the Conservative's failures, and
- She stated point blank that carbon emissions are not the top environmental priority for her government.
And so it is. Rona and the Conservatives have laid out their Made in Canada