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As BPs oil disaster devastates gulf region, Landrieu and Boehner call for expanding oil drilling
While some in the "drill baby drill" crowd have been chastened by reality, others have not. Think Progress has the story of those who still seem in denial of the unfolding disaster.
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As BP's massive oil disaster in the Gulf continues to devastate the ecosystem and economy of the region, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has a novel proposal: expanding oil drilling. Roll Call reports that, yesterday, Boehner said the "tragedy should remind us that America needs"¦[the] Republicans'" pro-drilling energy plan:
House Republican leaders are once again sounding the drumbeat for passage of their sidelined pro-drilling energy reform package, even as state and federal officials scramble to stem a massive Gulf oil spill.
"This tragedy should remind us that America needs a real, comprehensive energy plan, like Republicans' 'all-of-the-above' strategy," House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Monday in a statement.
The GOP proposal, which was first rolled out in the summer of 2008 and has made multiple appearances since then, would, among other things, open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration and lift the moratoriums on drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Meanwhile, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), "perhaps the oil industry's best friend in the Democratic Party," is using the tragedy to call for "accelerated" oil revenue sharing from the federal government and to demand that we "not"¦retreat" from further drilling:
Despite the threat to her state "" the second-largest U.S. seafood producer "" Landrieu has repeatedly called on colleagues not to "react with fear"¦not to retreat" from plans for more drilling, once the BP investigation is complete.
She has drawn parallels to the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident that contributed to freezing the development of new nuclear power plants for decades.
"Our country needs this oil, there is no question about that," Landrieu said May 2 in an interview with WWL-TV in New Orleans. "We have to produce this oil at home unless we want to be completely reliant. We've got to investigate, fine, clean up and do the research necessary to make sure this will never happen again. We have to continue to go forward."
Several dozen environmentalist groups, like the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Greenpeace, wrote to senators this morning in opposition to expanding offshore drilling. "Expanding exploration and drilling into previously protected and remote areas is unacceptable when it is clear that we are not capable of responding to oil spills in a timely manner," the groups write. MoveOn is launching an ad campaign calling on President Obama to reinstate the ban on new offshore drilling.
If you liked this post and want to get daily email updates of the latest news and analysis on the BP oil disaster and all things energy and climate, click here. To buy my new book on oil and energy and how we got in this mess in the first place, click here.
Follow Climate Progress on Twitter for the latest on the spill.
Related Posts:
- Is BP the Goldman Sachs of Big Oil? CEO Hayward says to fellow executives: "What the hell did we do to deserve this?" Let's see: How about a spotty safety record, insistence on voluntary 'trust me' self-regulation, a drilling plan that ignored key risks, and failure to use best shut-off technology to save a few bucks?
- Time to stop calling the BP-Halliburton oil disaster a 'leak' or a 'spill' "" Try 'an undersea volcano of oil'
- 20-year veteran of the Coast Guard: "With a spill of this magnitude and complexity, there is no such thing as an effective response."
93 Responses to As BPs oil disaster devastates gulf region, Landrieu and Boehner call for expanding oil drilling
The signature move of the political right in the US: When reality slaps you down hard, double your bet and charge ahead anyway.
Sarah Palin announces the Palin Plan to deal with the growing crisis in the gulf on an interview with Larry King:
If we are not drilling at our own backyard, where is the oil going to come from ? Why is it OK we drill elsewhere in the world ? I asked the same question to a Sierra Club fundraiser once (me being a member) and there was stone silence on the other end of the phone line. IMHO, it is far better to drill in places where we have strict regulation and oversight versus in places where environmental concern takes a second seat.
WHY is it that Americans always look at issues from a political point of view ?
I would like to ask a question. How much of the oil that is drilled off our coasts actually ends up in the United States and do we pay a reduced rate for said oil?
My god, these people make me believe the "V's" are real. Jesus.
Beyond unconscionable! Truly getting into the "evil" category. Landrieu might consider being be embarrassed. Boehner doesn't know what the word means.
My god! These people are idiots. We don't get this oil. It goes on the open market. Check their bank accounts for political donations from the oil industry. What hypocrites. The Republican Party has become the Party of Stupid.
let's see now – BP is the old SOHIO from Warren, Ohio that also absorbed Amoco; and Boehner is from where ?
Our senators really do need uniforms like NASCAR has :)
November is going to be a breeze…Please, please, please come out and demand more drilling-please…while the price of shrimp quadruples and sunbathers are pulling blobs of crude out of their asscracks in Florida…please! The ads are writing themselves….
Right. Drill in Alaska so we can have one of these disasters there too?
Aptly named Joenobody seems to promote staying hooked on oil. But there is a whole wide world of alternative energy, Joe! And if you think alternate energy is not "economically competitive," be sure to take into account the cost to clean up these messes.
The day must come soon when oil is considered "alternate energy" and renewal energy is mainstream.
As to Landrieu and Boehner, send 'em out in a boat to float around in that oil slick for awhile, armed only with fishing poles.
The oil goes on the open market and is sold to whoever buys it. These off-shore platforms make no meaningful difference in our oil supply or cost.
Joe Nobody asks, "If we are not drilling at our own backyard, where is the oil going to come from ? Why is it OK we drill elsewhere in the world ?"
This oil and any more that's drilled on US territory is sold on the world markets with prices set by OPEC and profits going to the multi-national oil companies doing the drilling.
The US is for sale, all of our resources, and we're not enjoying any profit. Remember the motto, "Socialize the risk (US coastlines, livelihoods, seafood sources, health, etc.) and privatize the profits."
Sounds like there's a couple of politicians who've grown tired of politics and want to be voted out of office!
"Our country needs this oil, there is no question about that," Landrieu said May 2 in an interview with WWL-TV in New Orleans. "We have to produce this oil at home unless we want to be completely reliant…"
So how does giving it to BP or anybody else for that matter supply the USA? Is there really any oil that is exclusively channeled do domestic use only? Which part of "our country" needs this oil? I think probably not the Gulf-coast fishermen or tourism industry. Landrieu is clearly speaking for the Louisiana oil industry, which, I guess must put more money in LA coffers and support more LA jobs than fishing or tourism?
After this disaster, the coal mine disasters, and the collapse of Wall Street, how can you imply (w/ a straight face) that the U.S. is one of those places with strict regulation and oversight? Cause we're not. Money trumps all, even with a supposedly pro-environment administration.
What we should be doing is creating more public/private cooperation (through tax credits, subsidies and other incentives) to advance the green sector and make technology (like that found in Tesla Motors' new Model S electric car) more affordable.
We don't need cheap oil from the gulf, we've got the cheap oil from Iraq. Oh wait, that's going to pay for the war which is ending up costing us nothing. Oh wait, that's not it either.
All morbid joking aside, if there's one thing that the Republicans get wrong more than anything (and it takes some doing) is oil. Where to get it, how to get it, and how much it will cost.
Why do you call the statements from environmental groups that drilling is unacceptable when it is proven that the Oil Industry and government is incapable of immediate response to end or mitigate a catastrophic pollution event is "looking at issues from a political point of view?"
OBTW, most, if not ALL decisions concerning environmental issues ARE political issues between the 'free market' ideologues and the rest of us that want to preserve our planet from the slash and burn industries.
Frankly, I have a major disagreement with that part of your opinion, stating …"we have strict regulation and oversight"…. What is it that you don't understand about the BP Oil platform blowout disaster that leads you to think there is 'proper' regulation and oversight?
I've had the chance to review a technology that is completely green, renewable, and produces a crude oil equivalent for approximately $70 a barrel. Using about 68% of the land currently devoted to biofuels, this technology would ELIMINATE foreign oil imports. If you are interested, please take a look at http://www.stellarwindbioenergy.com
Right now, they are entering into economic proof of concept but are facing opposition from the ethanol lobby groups.
Here's a novel idea–how about we make a serious effort to REDUCE consumption? There is absolutely no need for anyone in this country to be driving around in a Hummer or an Escalade.
This is the most retarded idea to date for Landrieau and Boehner. Yes, while the ocean floor is leaking out hundreds of thousands of oil into the sea let's drill more holes into the ocean floor so we can fuck up the rest of the planet.
If I had some hair I'd be tearing it out. Agggghhhhhhhhhh!
These pro-oil drilling politicians and their ilk are becoming insufferable (as are the subhuman creatures that comprise Goldman Sachs and Wall Street). Their ignorance is obscene and exhausting to those of us that about the world in which we live and other life forms that we are sharing this planet with. When are we, the people, going to rise up against capitalist greed and maximization of profits. All campaign contributions should be done away with and corporate lobbyists should be permanently banned.
Two disgraceful politicians who NEED TO EXPLAIN WHO THEY ARE WORKING FOR AN WHO IS PAYING THEM. ITS TIME TO CALL OUT THE LOBBYISTS
These 2 are getting what they deserve as we speak.. Everyone forgot all the Calif/Alaska oil spills that ruined the coast, fishing, tourism. Calif. put a stop to it. LA wantS all the leaks they can get so they can bleed america dry cleaning it up EVERY TIME.
Energy companies such as BP, Massey Energy, Halliburton and others are obviously guilty of criminal actions and their greed is part of the corporate psychopathology documented in the movies "The Corporation," and "Capitalism: A Love Story." The US government and many other governments are in bed with criminal corporations, and Senator Landrieu is surely paid off, as are many politicians of both parties. Lest we forget that Americans love petroleum toys such as jet skis, leaf blowers, weed whackers, ATV's, NASCAR and other needless uses of petroleum. Americans also love their large cars, SUV's and trucks. Indeed, petroleum addiction is enslaving many people and entire countries. Do what you can to limit your use of petroleum and all its derivative products. And vote out politicians of both parties who are bought and sold.
Yeah, we'll show those oil spills they can't make real Americans back down! What do they think we are, the French? We're not afraid of you, environment terrorists! Bring it ON!
Just so everyone knows, China is on the fast-track to being the biggest renewable energy maker in the world. Meanwhile, we are still stuck with early 20th century thinking.
We have some of the biggest natural gas reserves in the world and some of the best wind praires as well.
Go back and look at the current status of Prince William Sound and the people affected there. People died because of this kind of stupidity. When are we going to finally say "enough"?
Kill their bill.
BP created a volcano that is spewing oil 5000 ft. below the oceans surface. They don't know how to stop it.To think about what will happen when it gets into the gulf stream, starts heading up the east coast and starts reaking havoc in the Atantic is nothing short of mind boggling not to mention frightening. All of our oceans are in danger if this isn't contained.
If offshore drilling could be made safe it woud have been by now.
For God's sake, stop with the "drill baby drill" mentality and "think baby think."
Mary Landrieu would deep-fry the last Brown Pelican if it would bring her a buck.
I am from Canada and I have watched the U.S. news for years. I understand that the U.S. is in a war against terrorism! Terrorism just doesn't mean suicide bombers! Whats to say that a terrorist group figured a way of blowing up an oil well offshore to the U.S.? I've never heard an explanation for the explosion, all I hear about is the enviromental impact that will result from this. I think that, the way it looks to me,is IF this was a terrorist attack, where they cut off supplies and goods (especially fishing)to other States that rely on them, then there is whole new set of problems.
"If we keep making the same mistakes over and over again, we will have at least learned to do one thing well" Author Unknown
These bone heads are promoting drilling because they think that no one will notice that the oil garnered from said wells are simply sold on the open market. It's not like 'We the People' get to profit or benefit from it directly.
And as far as 'safe' goes? I think Douglas Adams said it best:
"Ah, this is obviously some strange usage of the word 'safe' that I wasn't previously aware of."
whether it is 29 miners killed in a profits over safety mine or 11 oil rig workers killed, untold damage done to americans livelihood and the environment, or american citizens loss of incomes, homes and health care from the near collapse of our economy; how many instances do we need before the voters stand up and demand public financing of all elections. until then you will have idiotic prostitutes like this doing nothing more than corporate bidding.
Right-wing repsonse to terrorism: Crap your drawers and surrender your civil rights.
Right-wing response to oil spills: Drill more!
Makes perfect sense to me.
While I think Boehner's off-hand remarks are silly, I can't help but think respect Landrieu's perspective. Louisiana and the Gulf States get sizable revenues from the drilling of oil, and if I were in her shoes, I would not want drilling to stop either. Are you going to pay the state indefinitely for this lost revenue? This is money that the state needs and depends upon, and to not consider this factor, and how it too affects Gulf Coast residents, is premature.
But what is notable is that I think that the power play here from Landrieu is as leverage to negotiate a higher percentage revenue share from offshore tracts or to give Gulf States a portion of deepwater offshore drilling, as it should be when Louisiana and the Gulf States are bearing the costs of this drilling when oil spills like this arise.
As far as I know, Louisiana only owns the 1st 3 miles off its coast, and in the past, only got 27% of oil revenue between 3-6 miles from the coast. But beyond 6 miles from the coast, it is federal property and the state gets ZERO.
So for all the oil revenues that the federal government was getting for this oil lease, and which has and will continue to drastically affect Gulf Coast states, but which the "American people" benefited from as a whole, the Gulf Coast states get nothing. Now, I'm sure that the federal government will try to extend a hand after the fact, but it won't be good enough.
This disaster cannot be undone, but I would rather people consider the fact that Landrieu is simply trying her best to represent her state's interests. Boehner can shove it, but for now at least, I would extend to Landrieu the benefit of the doubt.
Open new drilling areas only after a realistic, doable disaster plan is created, with the necessary equipment in place, before drilling begins.
The GOP is still using the old trick of blame your crimes on the other party, regardless of the truth. Blame them early and blame them often. Cloud the issue and eventually people blame both parties.
John Boehner is always an idiot. Landrieau needs to act republican because she represents a red state. Obama wants to put further off shore drilling on hold and he should. Time to reevaluate.
To joenobody:
If you look at the reality, the oil that is coming out of the seas and lands of the United States does not, and will not, do anything to dent the demands for oil in this country. That is a fallacy. It is a lie. To justify our nation's desire for easy energy, our corporations' desire for money, our "leaders'" desire for money and power on that lie is to be as absolutely un-American and as un-christian as one possibly could be. We are the United States of America! We are supposed to be LEADERS in the world. We are supposed to be on the forefront. This is the 21st century and those who "lead", those who "develop" tell us all that we cannot develop alternate means of energy? We can fly probes to Mars, send back amazing pictures, travel back and forth from the upper limits of the atmosphere and yet we cannot develop alternate forms of fuel??
Keep drilling.
Keep destroying the planet.
Keep destroying the livelihoods of people who depend upon the oceans for their lives.
Keep destroying the natural world around us.
Keep killing the planet.
You know, there's probably a reason god put all that oil way down deep inside the earth. Maybe when all the sealife in the Gulf is dead or contaminated, people might understand as well.
As stewards of the land, we do have the power to stop them. It has to stop. They are destroying the next generation's world.
Drill Baby Drill, to Kill Baby Kill, it's how they get their thrills.
Sit back and take your pills.
OMG they should just drop all the nuclear bombs now and save us all the pain and having to watch our kids suffer.
Governments around the world have let corporations
Poison our water, Poison our soil, and Poison our air.
Our planet will show no trace of what it was like when man arose from the muck.
Then the healing can begin
As public servants in leadership positions, common sense dictates that they would wait until the engineers figure out and execute the capping of the oil well and stop the leaks, before calling for expanded oil drilling.
Oh yeah, sure that's the ticket. We f*cked up drilling and made a mess, so now we want to do even more drilling when we don't have our sh*t together to make sure this mess doesn't occur again.
These politicians are bought and sold, and they'll sell out their country, their planet and the human race as long as it's what their corporate overlords tell them to do.
Evil, despicable people. And that includes our President, UNTIL he admits that he was wrong in authorizing more offshore drilling.
Any remaining doubts that Landrieu is a GOPer operative?
I want to see Boehner on Fox with an oil drill in his teeth–no novacaine.
I am sure the Dick Chaney energy committee was right when they said the old technology type blow out preventers have done an adequate job. No company should be forced to pay $500K per blow-out preventer.
I don't understand these reactions, the GOP is absolutely right. With more drilling there is a chance of more oil spill. Thus making it easy and cheap because we only have to scoop the oil out of the ocean. Of course I am not serious here…..
FYI to all the we got to drill here so we don't have to drill
in the middle east and else where. As soon as the oil comes out of the
American ground it is sold on the open global market
it is a right ring myth that the oil drilled here stays here. The
right wing uses that myth to play the low information
voter like a fiddle and it is sad.
to joenobody:
what makes you so sure we have such great environmental regulations compared to other oil drilling nations? In Norway, there's a secondary failsafe mechanism required by law for even shallow water drilling, that costs $500,000 and was created to prevent the EXACT problem that is happening in the gulf right now. The rig was insured for $38.5 million, but BP exec's deemed that "the risk wasn't worth the additional expense," and even though this well was pushing the very limits of drilling technology by drilling 5,000 feet deep, and even though drilling at those depths makes ANY kind of seabed problem a nightmare to deal with (BP has said that a problem at that depth is analogous to dealing with a disaster in space). And the US government didn't deem it necessary to REQUIRE the secondary shut down valve that the norwegians require. An extra $500,000 would've added a mere 1.2% to the cost of the rig, and they KNEW that if something happened at the base of one of the deepest wells in the world, that it would be a nightmare. Then consider that this isn't in the middle of a sand desert as most middle eastern wells are, but right in the heart of one of the most productive fisheries in the world, surrounded by world-class beach resorts and communities on 3 sides, consequently making any kind of spill, much less an uncapped geyser, a more horrific problem for the people who rely on fishing and related industries for a living. All these circumstances should've required THE MOST STRINGENT of environmental regulations to be put into place, regardless of cost, because BP stood to make literally billions of dollars off this single well, and any kind of mishap much less catastrophe would wreak havoc on the environment and lives of those who surround the well. There's no question that the new well in the neighborhood, which is a part of the only industry whose mishaps have the ability to ruin the entire economies of states that rely on fishing and tourism, should've been subject to intense scrutiny. But the government didn't want to saddle BP with an extra 1.2% start-up cost, even though BP is worth billions, and about 10 BILLION barrels of oil were expected to come out of that single well. But it wasn't worth an extra 1.2% to make sure there was a back up failsafe in case something entirely predictable happened–like an explosion or fire causing the rig to sink and crush the base of the well. But "we have strict regulation and oversight" according to you. Maybe in comparison to third world countries, but compared to other first world countries, most of our environmental regulation lags, leading to what could very well be one of the greatest ecological disasters, ever, in the entire world.
Politicians who are still pro-oil are gutless wonders who seem to have no concern at all for our national security.
The controversy surrounding the oil platform explosion, burning and sinking requires a careful investigation. Whether you are for, against or neutral regarding offshore oil production, the facts deserve priority over emotion.
According to the Chubb Custom Cartography website ((as of yesterday, but the links have been removed today) there are more than 6,600 oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico with more than 650 of them manned.
Considering the large number of operating oil platforms and the relatively small number of disasters, it seems appropriate to approach this in a forensic engineering fashion.
As a retired engineer who spent more time in design review meetings than I care to remember, I know the endless "What if…" questions considered in something as complex as a manned offshore oil platform and doubt that anyone intentionally cut design corners.
That said, the problems from shortcuts often arise in operation and maintenance. That's where investigators need to look first.
I actually can understand why Landrieu said what she did, though I absolutely disagree. There are two major financial resources in Louisiana, two major ways that average folks can make a decent living–the tourist industry (which includes fishing for seafood in the Gulf and crawfish/alligators in the swamps, restaurants, hotels WITH restaurants, music, and all the wonderful festivals), and the oil bidness, especially offshore drilling.
While this spill will be devastating to the former, the latter has already been hurting since Katrina, and it would take all the political capital in the world to be able to say, as a Louisiana politician, that we should end offshore drilling, or even just the deepwater drilling that this is.
That said, it's definitely time to end it.
Don't let Senator "Crude Oil" Mary Landrieu fool you into thinking that off shore drilling is a good idea. States can get revenues elsewhere and in other ways. Time to give the fossil fuel addiction a swift kick in the rear end and be done with it. Time for the Republicanized Democrats to be given what-for, by way of being booted from office. Frist up: Senator "Bailout" Blanche Lincoln for 2010. Next up for 2012 Senator "Kickback" Ben Nelson and then for Election 2014 will be the time to give Senator "Crude Oil" Mary Landrieu her walking papers. As far as I am concerned, the revenues from a single state are not worth destroying the ecosystems of several states.
Hey, somebody should make an add or a website against Off-shore oil drilling featuring Senator "Crude Oil" Mary Landrieu……….Hey, Sierra Club, are you out there?????????
Here is my theory BP can plug this well if they wanted to. But if they plugged it the country would not allow them to reopen it. So their solution is to enclose it with a pipe the the surface, so that they can capture the oil and sale it.
Looking at the pipe that is suppose to be spewing the oil it sure looks like it can be capped. But they would rather let it flow and ruin the eco-system, while they build this enclosure that will allow them to reap the profit from the oil.
They have a cap on their liability at 78 million, that like dimes to them. they are already reach that cap in lawsuit already.
wake up people
These guys need a cup of reality! Make them work to try to save all the wildlife that has been effected by this spill, mop up tons of oil, and clean the sand of the beaches, and then see if they want to promote off shore drilling. Geesh, how blind can people be? Is big oil filling their pockets for the support?
amazing, the Repuke deregulation mindset is lurching us towards a post-apocalyptic movie future such as "12 Monkeys" — and these paid-off politicians and the "Tea Party" Libertarian a–holes cheered it on the whole way!
Let's stop being so emotional. How often does this sort of thing happen? Honestly ask yourself if you stop doing any thing because something bad happens. Bad things happen in life – that's "life". You learn from them and move on. Do your research on Prince William Sound. How have they recovered? Astoundingly well! We should never throw the baby out with the bath water or react emotionally to things. We should all just calm down a little here. I can assure you we're getting our oil one way or another. What other nation has a better environmental record than America? We only stand to gain by getting it ourselves.
These two should be taken out to the site of the sunken oil rig, given life jackets and be made to swim back to shore. When their bodies wash up on the beach pictures of the corpses should be placed on public display. Maybe then our politicians will rethink their stand on "drill baby drill".
Boehner's days are numbered anyway so we can all be thankful for that!
To JoeNOBODY: Sir, you are living in a country where environmental concerns take a "second seat" as you say. It's called the USA. That's just the problem. What on earth makes you think you're living in a country where the environment matters?!? Oil companies have made sure that off-shore drilling in the U.S. is less expensive (but as a consequence to us, it is also much MUCH less safe than it is in Europe. The reason this oil spill happened is because the U.S. does not require automatic shut down valves… so BP didn't install one. You ask: where is the oil going to come from? Why do we have to always rely on oil? And the fact is that off-shore drilling in the US wouldn't even provide 1/2 of 1% of our oil needs. So it's not like it's really going to lead to any kind of energy independence. (Also, most oil is drilled on LAND which is MUCH safer than 1 mile under the ocean, but I thought that would be obvious even to someone like you who makes everything into a political lament!).
These two politicians should be shot in the head
THAT THINKER: What nation has a better environmental records than the US? Are you serious…. do you even know anything about the world outside the US? Anything? What nation has a better environmental record than the US? Well, when it comes to off-shore oil spills, let me count the way: Norway, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Mexico, Venezuela, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Brunei, Gabon, Equitorial Guinea, Iran, etc.
That thinker says:
May 4, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Let's stop being so emotional. How often does this sort of thing happen? Honestly ask yourself if you stop doing any thing because something bad happens. Bad things happen in life – that's "life". You learn from them and move on. Do your research on Prince William Sound. How have they recovered? Astoundingly well! We should never throw the baby out with the bath water or react emotionally to things. We should all just calm down a little here. I can assure you we're getting our oil one way or another. What other nation has a better environmental record than America? We only stand to gain by getting it ourselves.
Only a moron would make a statement that Prince William Sound has recovered amazingly well. What a dips*it
BP wants to give each affected homeowner no more than $5000 in damages, which is about 1/3rd of the cost of a car, or a paint job on the exterior and interior of a typical home in the region effected.
In the coming days and weeks and decades, we will see the true casualties and the destruction of our once pristine beaches, ecosystems and wildlife.
Floridians and Americans from elsewhere are talking about a boycott of BP and other oil companies. It is important to realize this: BP PAYS for barrels of Dawn dishwashing soap that it donates to the local wildlife sanctuaries for cleanup after accidents such as this latest one in the Gulf of Mexico. It is merely part of the payoff exchange plan for doing business and the unsuspecting public is unaware of these connections. But the problem goes even deeper than that…
We now know that the blame cannot be put squarely on the shoulders of the oil company, BP and others. Our current leadership has acted irresponsibly and candidates and members of our government, representatives, leaders, etc., took money as contributions and donations from these oil companies and contractors in payoffs for legislation to allow for over 37,000 oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. And this has been going on for years! See: http://www.cccarto.com/gulf_platforms.html
Texas and Louisiana had legislation voted into place to allow for the oil platforms to operate closer to their shorelines. The latest legislation would have simply lifted the ban near Florida's coast and allow for oil platforms within 3 miles of shorelines. Texas and Louisiana have lost tourists and if the ban was lifted here in Florida, we would have lost them too. Florida's only industry is tourism, to the tune of 65 billion dollars a year! On February 13th, 2010, in a direct action that was statewide, thousands of Floridians joined hands to form a line in the sand and tell Tallahassee a firm and resounding NO to any lifting of the drilling ban. See more at: http://www.handsacrossthesand.com
Over the past 30 to 40 years, our leadership has sold us completely flawed energy policies. It was known back then that there would eventually be a greedy grab for oil from anywhere our leadership could arrange to get it. That is why our government developed alliances with Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East and we included military protection by our own troops with our status of forces agreements, thus, paid for by our tax dollars. But instead of prices being made lower for us at the pump, we paid more and the companies and our representatives and lawmakers exchanged the profits with each other.
Green energy initiatives should have been developed and brought online and operational way back then! The technology existed and it could have been made affordable to us.
And the propaganda continues as even now, Floridians are being assaulted nightly during prime time programming with all kinds of slicked up, expensive ads promoting the pros of natural gas, clean gas, energy that we can get right here, right now! But we now know that natural gas in any form is not clean, not safe and according to the most recent studies, will not lower our prices at the pump! With 37,000 oil rigs operating out there, if the oil is being pumped and is available as the corporations told us in their ads, our prices should have been lowered already! See a pattern here? We, the consumers will always be made to pay the highest costs in the way of jobs, our homes, our livelihoods and our environment.
So now, what do we do about it? First of all, find out where your representatives stand on energy policies. If they have not approved responsible energy policies in the past, VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE! Find out what to do and how to get involved in "greening" your neighborhood. Volunteer at a community garden. Buy from local businesses. Promote and hold workshops on Solar, Wind, Geothermal. Learn more about DIY (Do It Yourself). Stop buying useless junk. Use glass instead of plastic. Carpool or ride a bike! Reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your gas cost. Network with others that are doing the same things. Communicate with neighbors, you might learn a lot! Get together and think of solutions and resolutions to bring us all into a new paradigm of energy independence and energy that is safe and does not damage or kill anyone or anything. As a community, support candidates who align with responsible energy policies and promote renewable energy. When we all work together, the possibilities could be endless!
***As an interesting postscript: the FIRST DUDE, Sarah Palin's husband, Todd was a consultant for BP. This fact is not even being mentioned by any of the mainstream media outlets. He worked for them for 18 years! I think Sarah Palin can tell us much about energy policies and how her family has profited from them. See: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/10/03/2009-10-03_todd_palin_resigns_from_oil_job_.html
Anita Stewart
May 2nd, 2010
Tampa, Florida
Candidate for Hillsborough County Soil and Water Conservation Board
When it comes to our coastline ecosystems it's Kill Baby Kill!
Prince William Sound in Alaska has not recovered from the Exxon spill. I blogged about it before this latest spill ever happened. There is more than one link about it but:
Boehner is just a self centered jerk for a nicer term. And Landrieu, I'm starting to think she's not wrapped tight kinda like the Dem version of Michelle Bachmann.
This Country has been wasting time for FIFTY YEARS !! The Oil Industry doesn't want to change !! They're making too much money !! It's easier for them to buy a Politician than it is to re-invest in new sources of energy…You want to make changes it's got to be an executive order. Let the Federal Government make the Investment in New Energy Distribution Infrastructure.Give the Consumer a viable alternative to filling up at the gas station . Otherwise you'll never get the" 7 Sisters" to go along.
IMHO, it is far better to drill in places where we have strict regulation and oversight versus in places where environmental concern takes a second seat. – Joenobody
Yeah, that's very nice, but we're talking about the US, not Norway or someplace like that where regulation and oversight actually exist and where environmental concern means something. If you want evidence that oversight and regulation went out the window long ago, I give you the Wall St. debacle, the Gulf of Mexico oil "spill", the Massey coal mine disaster and many more like it but with fewer dead, the Texas City refinery explosion, and the list goes on, and the list goes on.
What else would you expect from good corporate employees. The idea that Congress is "for the people and by the people" was thrown out when Corporation became legally recognized as individuals. America is a corporation, run like a corporation and members of Congress are all corporate employees.
We must take lessons from this disater and learn how to stop the wells at the bottom of the pipe. This way will be able to keep the oil leak to a min. and contain the spill more swifly that we have this time. We should not stop oil drilling anymore as we did with the nuke plants and we need more of these other forms of renewable energy to carry us into the future.
John and Mary. Neither of you can see beyond the end of your nose. Yes, we need oil, but that will all be gone soon. In the meantime do you really propose that we kill off the sea and land animals that are part of your ecosystem? Go back to school and study about ecosystems. Once they collapse, they cannot be fixed. Our planet is not doing well.
This is insane.
Eric Cantor, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, John Boehner, the man asking the question, and many Republican Tea Party biggots, while having the right as Americans to express their hateful bigotry, that makes them neither patriotic nor "Christian"; after all, many of these Tea Party "Christians" have bragged about joining the Face Book page that calls for people to pray for God to kill the president! This is treason and in my opinion should be treated as such. People with these divisive hateful and racist views are the true disgrace to this country and the constitution on which they wipe their feet almost every day. These individuals are the threat that they blame others for, with their undermining of the president and his cabinet who have done more to thwart terorrorism and to restore respect for our country then George Bush ever did! These individuals support big business, wall street, big oil and are in fact THE PARTY of HATE and NO, or as Mr. Boehner summed up so well in defining the Republican effort to assist in rebuilding and protecting this country is as, "HELL NO WE WON'T. These people are not only content to watch America as it burns,( And to roast marsh mellows in this fire) they are bringing more wood and gasoline to the fire…and any one who is a member of the before mentioned Face Book page should pray that God does not see fit to take them from this world first!
A fool who persists in his folly does not become wise! He takes the whole country over the cliff.
These corrupt politicians do not care if the American environment gets destroyed, as long as they keep getting contributions from these polluters.
The Oil drilled in the Gulf and off the U.S. coast is put on the WORLD market for PROFIT…it is NOT, NOT, NOT for sale or RESERVE ONLY in the U.S.
So, how the heck does MORE DANGEROUS drilling off our coast make us more energy independent?
Without having read most of the previous comments, let me say the following: In at least 90% of all discussion I have read on drilling for oil in U.S. territory, it is never mentioned that the oil drilled in the U.S. is NOT REQUIRED to stay in the U.S.! This oil goes straight to the world market and is sold to the highest bidder, like any other world commodity. We have no control over this!!!! Let me repeat: there is no guarantee that we will ever see one drop of the oil that is drilled here!!!! The argument that drilling here would allow us to be energy independent is completely bogus!
Ooops! I guess I should have at least read the comment directly above mine. Jay is absolutely correct!
I looked up the history of oil spills in Wikipedia and the Exxon Valdez isn't listed in about the top 12.
The Iraq War oil spills (set fire by retreating Iraqi troops) was by far the largest, with the Mexican 1979 spill in the Gulf of Mexico second.
How could this compare to that? How could it compare to other spills?
Is the biggest issue all the delicate marshes, bayous and estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico? The seafood industry?
Concerns that killing bayou plant life could make New Orleans and other places more vulnerable to hurricane storm surge?
What are the impacts if it moves around the Florida Keys and up the East Coast?
Any experts or self-made experts that can answer any of these questions would have my eternal gratitude – or at least until my next round of questions.
If you put "diamond" and "kissing" …..c o m…..together, then you will get the url.the best club for seeking the rich singles, beauties, models,and even hot celebs…Everyone is welcome here. You don't have to be wealthy or famous….
I want to see Anderson Cooper give Mary Landrieu another good bitch-slapping, like he did after Katrina.
Folks, vote at the ballot box, vote with your wallet. Make sure you use as little oil as possible, and speak up directly with your representatives to implement much, much stricter safety standards for the drilling industry in general but especially offshore (as they already have in Norway) and to stop expansion of offshore drilling.
Hold on, guys. This is just the GOP's new jobs program. The more spills the more people needed to handle the cleanup. Big Oil has enough income to keep a million unemployed Americans in various jobs such as making dish washing detergent, rubber gloves and cleaning up various forms of wild life that are oil covered. I think paper towel makers will also experience growth during this process. The senator from LA is just a typical southern dunce who is owned by the oil industry and will repeat anything she is told to say no matter how silly.
That's a rediculous argument as all oil that comes out of the ground is put on the world market. It does nothing to stem our dependence nor is it for American's benefit.
NPR (!) has an expose about how uninterested Obama was in this disaster for a week or more… then spin, spin, spin
It doesn't take much smarts to see on whose side politicians are on. Let us count the number of people employed by oil companies from Lousyanna and then count the number of people from Lousyanna who make their money from the sea and the tourist industry. I would suspect the latter has a greater workforce than the former, yet our ELECTED politicians support the few employed by wealthy oil companies while ignoring the plight of the many who make their living from the sea and tourism.
How ignorant and utterly stupid have we become as a nation that we let these politicians sell out our environment to these oil companies. Wake TFU America…… Especially you teabaggers, you are empowering these soulless self serving b@stards that are destroying both our economy and environment. Anyone who who claims to be Christian and empowers these people into office are surely going to be surprised when you find yourselves in hell come judgment day. How you are able to justify the rape and destruction of our planet and claim to be religious is way beyond me.
To date, 5/5/10, this stuff is still gushing from underneath the waters of the gulf, which is 16 days now! Until someone can come up with a viable method of containing such spills, neither our own country nor anyone else should be allowed to drill near our coastal waters. It was BP's drilling that caused this particular problem. And many US fishing businesses will suffer, even go out of business because of this spill. Therefore, BP should pay all of the US businesses that will be affected by this spill. Further, I believe all those in congress calling for continued drilling, should just……… ZIP IT for right now!
Boehner and Landrieu are not idiots. Remember where they get their money! It is the people who continue to elect these people who are the true idiots. People like "Jeff" who posted and who blames Obama for this mess. Those are the true idiots, people who get their "views" from the clowns on Fox. The best part of the entire off-shore drilling issue is that the oil does not go to the US. Rather, it goes to the global supply. In reality it can end up anywhere. Won't see that spoke about by Mr. Boehner and Ms. Landrieu or anywhere on Fox.
We are all to blame for constantly consuming, for being more concerned with Kate Gosselin than the state of the environment, for not recycling, for not buying green, for wasting everything. That said, I do blame Obama, but not only Obama. Every one of those jerks in Congress is more interested in getting reelected and their perks than they are in doing the right thing. Schumer (my senator) makes a big deal of passing a law about stowing bags in the overhead of airplanes, and calls a news conference. Please. Americans need to demand accountability, from Congress (they should all go), from companies (you break the rules, you pay and pay big [money being all they understand]), and from ourselves. Do you need to drive to the corner store? Do you need to have all your appliances on all the time? Can you spare $5 for an environmental cause? Do you recycle? Do you do any good in your lives? And there should be consequences for us too.
Because believe me, there will be consequences. Stephen Hawking recently said we should beware of outer space people because they'll be smarter than us. But I'm certain this planet will be a star long before they arrive. With unstoppable oil filling the oceans, not to mention the garbage everywhere, it won't be long now.
BP should NEVER be allowed to drill for any oil on land or in the sea: period. Using this form of energy should be abandoned, slowly albeit, but ultimately abandoned. But of course it isn't just the company that does the drilling without regard to the correct tools and safety measures…a $500,000 acoustic valve to shut down the oil at the beginning of the site, and one that is used by every other nation to prevent such "accidents"…Norway, Denmark, etcetera. This cost was rejected by VP Cheney because of the cost when the rig was first installed; Cheney was protecting BP from using any of its profits–$45 billion–to protect a vast portion of the US.
This is beyond stupidity.This is beyond greed. Why do these idiots think we will see any of the oil sold on a open market.Please kick them out of politics. Or check to see if they have scales rather than skin.
I have a question: Why do the people in Louisiana keep Landrieu in office? When is her time up? She is a disgusting Democrat, and a deplorable representative of Louisiana. Any Democrat, please, run against this woman.


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"These boots were made for walking..." Top 5 Page for this destination Israel Things to Do Tip by gilabrand
Israel Things to Do: 781 reviews and 1,392 photos
Tel Aviv, as I noted in my introduction, has never been a great favorite of mine. But one of my boys has moved there, becoming a "nouveau Tel Avivian," and I realize I cannot go on ignoring this place. So I have set myself the goal of joining one of the free English-language walking tours of the city, if only to check it out for VTers. The trouble is that I need to hop on a bus early in the morning and actually get there. Meanwhile, here is the information. According to the woman from the tourist office, there is no need to register. The guides start out at the appointed place and time even if just one person shows up.
1) Tel Aviv University: Architecture and Art - Mondays at 11 a.m. Meet at the Dyonon bookstore at the entrance to Tel Aviv University campus.
2) Old Jaffa - Wednesdays at 9 a.m. Flea market, archaeological sites and restored alleys of Old Jaffa. Meet at the Clock Tower.
3) White City of Tel Aviv - Saturdays at 11 a.m. Meet at 46 Rothschild Blvd., corner of Shadal street (on the steps of the bank).
4) Tel Aviv by night - Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Meet at corner of Rothschild Blvd. and Herzl Street.
UPDATE: I went on the Bauhaus/White City tour on Saturday morning, and I found it very interesting. I had some theoretical knowledge stored away in my brain from before, but the tour brought it to life.
Directions: Tours organized by Association for Tourism, Tel-Aviv Yafo
Phone: 03-5166188
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North Korea to make 3rd Nuclear test; threatens U.S. with missile strike
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January 29th, 2013 (5:11 PM). Edited January 29th, 2013 by Cassino.
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This might be what the world needs, actually, with regard to the recession especially. Not a nuclear war of course, just some kind of agitated competition; it is literally the sort of thing that puts men on the Moon. That aformentioned feat is ultimately of secondary importance however — the lesson is that war has a way of inducing technological progress, in recent centuries, and apparently of inspiring whole generations of inventors and scientists... and if we have no other cause for this beside the threat of our deaths, as it were, then so be it, I suppose. I would say that the value of such problems occuring to a society is something that should be respected and understood, but if it were, we wouldn't have need of them.
This all said, the power disparity between North Korea and the United States is far too great for actual 'competition'... unfortunate, perhaps.
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Well, I just have preordered Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time, Beyond: Two Souls, Soul Sacrifice (PlayStation Vita), Metro: Last Light, And Crysis 3. These are the good games that are coming in Febauary and plains have changed. No Dead Space 3 and Metal Gear Solid the Raiden character. I told my mom who cares we will die and won't take nothing from us. Enjoy your life and more games will come . Until June of this year, for sure I will most of the great games and its incredible list or own collection. What do you guys think?
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Facing Health-Plan Cuts
Retirees are paying more than ever for their employer-sponsored health coverage, often in the form of higher premiums, copays and deductibles.
Companies often say spiraling health-care costs force them share the pain with retirees.
But that isn't the whole story. Many employers have been shifting more costs to retirees even as they receive billions of dollars in government subsidies to offset their own costs.
Knowing what's really driving up the amounts you pay can help you anticipate what's ahead. At the very least, you'll be more skeptical when you receive the next glossy notice announcing changes to your plan based on factors beyond the companies' control.
Here's what to look out for.
• Inflation. "Rising costs" is the most common reason employers give for making retirees pay more. But health-care inflation has actually slowed, according to Segal Co., a benefits consulting firm, which surveyed managed care organizations, health insurers, pharmacy-benefit managers and third-party administrators.
According to Segal, the inflation rate for 2010 was the lowest in more than 10 years, and inflation rates for medical plans and prescription-drug plans are expected to decline this year from 2011 levels.
The study also found that inflation rates for retiree plans are lower than plans for active employees in several key areas, including prescription drugs and HMOs.
• Health-care overhaul. Another reason employers have used to explain why they're cutting retiree benefits is that recent health-care legislation has made such coverage costlier.
Here's how it works: Companies receive a 28% federal subsidy up to $1,330 per retiree, tax-free, to help pay for prescription-drug coverage. The subsidy was created when the Medicare Prescription Drug Act went into effect in 2004, after employers threatened to drop their drug coverage unless they were given an incentive to retain it. The subsidy is lucrative: AT&T T 0.93 % and Verizon Communications, VZ 0.58 % for example, each estimated they would receive at least $1.5 billion over a decade to pay for prescription drug coverage.
So what has changed? Under the Affordable Care Act, employers will continue to receive the money tax-free. But after 2013 they no longer will be able to deduct it.
Employers had to recalculate their obligations to reflect the loss of the future tax deduction. AT&T and Verizon took charges of roughly $1 billion each, according to public filings. Caterpillar, CAT 0.92 % Deere DE -0.25 % & Co. and dozens of other companies also took charges.
Though this was an accounting hit, companies continued to receive the same amount of government subsidies. Yet many claimed higher costs were forcing them to cut benefits.
• Government subsidies. The Affordable Care Act has provided employers with opportunities to get still more money from the government to pay for retiree benefits. For example, the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, a short-term program that went into effect in 2010, provided $5 billion in subsidies to help cover health care for some retirees.
The program was intended to encourage employers to continue to offer coverage to retirees 55 and older who aren't yet eligible for Medicare. The fund reimburses 80% of the eligible claims between $15,000 and $90,000 per retiree.
About half the subsidies went to public employers. Among private employers, AT&T received the most ($240 million) and Verizon came in second ($163 million). Employers could use the money to reduce their costs, retirees' costs or both. Alcatel-Lucent used the proceeds to lower both retirees' and the company's costs, a company spokeswoman says, and General Motors GM -0.44 % used the subsidy to pay its salaried retirees' contributions from April to December 2011, according to a letter it sent the retirees.
The Affordable Care Act was beneficial to employers in other ways. Unlike regular health plans for active workers, retiree plans don't have to extend dependent coverage to age 26, unless they choose to do so. AT&T, which has plans that cover both active employees and retirees, covers dependents up to age 26; most of Verizon's retiree plans don't.
• Capping benefits. There are other reasons your costs might be rising, besides higher health-care costs.
Most employers have set ceilings on what they will pay for retiree health care; when the caps are reached, all cost increases are passed along to retirees. This can explain why your premiums might suddenly jump by hundreds of dollars a month.
In addition, your employer may have shifted retirees into a separate risk pool, instead of including them in the group plan covering active workers. When there are fewer individuals in a plan, and they're older and have more health problems, the per capita costs rise quickly.
Write to Ellen E. Schultz at email@example.com


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Brazil Said to Mull Budget Cut of Less Than 50 Billion Reais
Brazilian policy makers are considering cutting the 2012 budget by less than 50 billion reais ($29 billion), two people familiar with the plan said. The amount is less than some local economists expect, prompting yields on long-term interest rate futures to rise.
The government is trying to balance the need to contain spending while it increases public investment to spur growth, said the two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the proposal must be approved by President Dilma Rousseff.
Finance Minister Guido Mantega said last month the budget cut would be enough to ensure the government would fully meet this year's fiscal target. The plan, he said, was to keep in place a "solid" fiscal policy to make room for lower interest rates. On Jan. 26, the central bank said there was a high probability it would cut the benchmark interest rate to less than 10 percent from 10.5 percent.
To fully meet its target for a budget surplus before interest payments of 139.8 billion reais, the government would need to reduce the budget by about 60 billion reais, said Roberto Padovani, chief economist at Votorantim Corretora, in a telephone interview from Sao Paulo.
Room for Maneuver
"A smaller budget cut reduces the government's ability to convince people inflation will converge to target this year," Padovani said. "The debate over whether Brazil has room to keep interest rates at one digit will only increase."
The yields on interest rate futures contracts maturing January 2021 reversed earlier losses and rose 2 basis points, or 0.02 percentage point, to 11.39 percent.
Most analysts are expecting a budget cut of 60 billion reais, Jankiel Santos, chief economist at Espirito Santo Investment Bank.
"The government will have to explain how less than 50 billion reais can be enough," he said.
The size of the budget cut hasn't been decided yet, Mantega told reporters in Brasilia today.
Credit Suisse said in a Feb. 3 report the government would be more likely to meet its fiscal target if it reduced the 2012 budget by 60 billion reais.
Inflation will slow back to its 4.5 percent target this year from 6.44 percent in the 12 months through mid-January, central bank President Alexandre Tombini said Feb. 2 in Mumbai.
Brazil's consumer prices will rise 5.3 percent this year, according to the median forecast in a Feb. 3 central bank survey of about 100 economists published yesterday.


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Are there limited number of words we can append a
're to?
Are the following words correct:
- where're
- here're
Are there limited number of words we can append a
Are the following words correct:
In English, are contracts to 're. Technically, you can use a contraction wherever you might normally use the full, written out word. However, you should be very careful when doing this. Contractions are:
In short, you can use those contractions, and you can technically affix "'re" to any word which is followed by are. However, use caution for the reasons above.
The written contraction 're is appropriate where the spoken form that is being represented has contracted the word are into an /r/ sound attached to the preceding syllable. For instance, they're represents a pronunciation that is the same as, or very close to, the pronunciation of there and their.
In a case like a spoken sequence like Where are you going? in which the word are is not fully enunciated, you'll nonetheless notice the /r/ sound does not attach to the preceding syllable (where), but has its own vowel sound. Hence Where are you going? is the appropriate written form. (Note it is common to speak without the word are at all; to represent that, where you going? would be right).
Technically, in written speech, contractions are generally not used in written works. However, in spoken speech, any contraction goes, that is, as long as it makes sense to the audience. Thus, in spoken speech, there isn't really a limit of words to which
Contractions in general in formal writing isn't (tiny joke for those who appreciate irony) recommended, and few (compared with their use when speaking) in informal writing help the reader (IMHO). Specifically with the 're contraction: even when trying to report spoken words, what sounds to be 're is best written "are" (as mgkrebbs posted), and saying where're or here're can sound too much like where or here, as simchona posted), but there is another concern with "where're":
"Where e're" is used in poetry and songs for: "Where ever", but it can very easily be confused with "Where're" in speaking BUT ALSO in writing, as a quick google search showed me. So even more reason to avoid "where're"!


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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Birmingham authorities are probing the cause of a suspicious fire that damaged three homes in Ensley, including a possible church parsonage.
Firefighters were called to the scene abouit 5:30 a.m. Thursday on 19th Street Ensley. Fire Battalion Chief Donald Graham says one house was engulfed in flames like a big bonfire.
The fire destroyed the red brick home and another adjacent home. Graham says both houses were vacant and had no working utilities.
A third structure had substantial fire damage. That structure is believed to be a church parsonage or belong to nearby Trinity A.M.E. Zion Church.
No one was injured in the blaze.


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Skip to comments.The October "Surprise" (or nightmare if you're Romney)
Posted on 10/28/2012 2:16:56 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
The October "Surprise" will be the storm knocking the hell out of the East Coast and Kenyan communist calling a national press conference to say he is suspending his campaign to concentrate on relief efforts. He'll declare a natural disaster in ten states or more and say anyone that has lost anything in the storm will be reimbursed by the Federal government. All the media will hail him as a great and compassionate leader and the polls will be tied a day before the election or the Kenyan will actually be leading going into election day. The worthless bastard will milk the natural disaster for all it's worth. The Libya massacre of four Americans will not be mentioned this week, it's all about the storm and what a great leader this dunce is and how America is so lucky to have in charge.
Step away from the keyboard, and switch to decaf.
Only problem is other than NH, all blue states will get smacked. NC and VA should escape worse. Omen from above says liberals deserve the wrath of the weather gods
Your concern has been noted.
"Gee how can we grab defeat from the jaws of victory today?"
I thought Carl Rove had the weather machine?
There sure are a lot of paranoid groups in this country.
I think Obama could convince more people if he goes on TV and waves his hands saying "Be Gone!"
And, lo, and behold, Sandy changes her track to go out to sea, and thus untold damage could be avoided.
I still won't vote for him for 2nd term POTUS, but I'll nominate him for sainthood for the 'miracle'.
Sunday + bored nutcases = FR conspiracy thread.
Obama had the Black Panthers steal it.
I think the saint has to be gone to heaven before the miracle counts?
They had some bad nor'easters in MA while he was Governor. Mitt claims to have done will with storm relief at the time and has video to demonstrate that. And he's actually personally rescued people via boat and jet ski, more than once. Whereas Zero thinks of high waves as good surfing. If Obama goes there Mitt will win, again.
LOL. Tinfoil hat time.
make that done 'well.'
Deep blue states most effected. Their vote totals and percentages just don't matter. NH Republicans will vote against Obama no matter what.
Maybe God is weighing in on the DNC convention vote.
even that won't help him
Seriously, thanks for the laughs!
Well, that's one opinion. It's not mine.
It's too late. People have made up their minds, and a little storm isn't going to change votes, except maybe to keep some Obama voters home.
That doesn't explain Louisiana ~ which currently has something like two remaining Democrat politicians.
There they've been voting the Democrats out.
"Am I not a river to my people?"
And none of that will matter in the end.
Did you see where Romney turned his campaign bus over to the rescue effort? This is only the beginning. Those Mormons are damned organized and prepared.
Not clear on the concept of Gangnam Style.
From DC to Maine, almost all, Leftist, Commie, RATS, so how can your dreamed up scenario possibly help Dear Reader?
Oh sure, I even commented earlier that before the last tree has toppled or the flooding receded he will be "on the scene" and promising the moon, but again, those in other states who have already made up their minds (and KNOW who this phony, fascist, pretender really is) won't be swayed by his theatrics.
Actually it might even help us if the weather remains crappy, RATS are not ever that motivated and the least inclement weather, they will stay home or head for the nearest watering hole to tip a few.
Here's the thing: if the storm is really as big and as bad as the MSM is making it out to be, there's absolutely no way that there can be a quick and effective response.
People are going to be without power for a heck of a long time. Resupply too. There's lots of things Obama can do, or at least create the perception of doing, but change the laws of physics ain't one of them. The storm is just too damn big. It's going to take time to just clear pathways to get into and provide relief to the areas effected.
Yet, given the post-Katrina environment and the aura surrounding the current occupant of the White House (at least to his supporters) the expectation is going to be that THE GOVERNMENT will step in and fix the problem.
When that doesn't happen (because it can't - again reference the whole laws of physics thing), there's no way the Administration is going to come across as anything but incompetent. Again, the storm may not be as much of a monster, and/or it may not cause as much damage as being projected ... but if it lives up to the hype this'll be Obama's Katrina moment and he'll be as powerless to bring about a satisfactory outcome as Bush was.
Wasn't the last thread pulled once already?
I figure Karl Rove knows what he is doing. If he sent the hurricane to the Northeast at this particular time, he must have known it would help Romney, not Obama.
A lot of folks missed that "reallysatire" tag.
The election is still a great chance for us to work hard and get out the vote to replace an disastrous President. But whatever effect the storm has on it, its up to us to carry on and talk to our friends and neighbors.
...and THEN, after B-HO loses, the nitwits will cite low voter turn out due to the storm - and demand or sue for re-vote.
IF this scenario was to play out, we would also see:
Leftist Christians claiming God's hand was at work to save Obama. Which is sick when you consider that means God would have saved Obama at the expense of millions of Christians and others.
I don't think this storm will help Obama. People expect Presidents to deal with disasters. Nothing groundbreaking here.
When it comes to voters, I think the jobs report will weigh more heavily, as it affects the entire nation, and is a central issue t this presidential campaign.
Any idiot can look into a camera and say, "Gee, that was a lot of rain."
Not every president can create jobs, and so far the jobs numbers haven't been decent.
Well, if the electricity is out, the people who need the help aren't going hear or see him on the TV every half hour.
Frankly, this is just a storm, not a terrorist attack or anything else that Obama can do anything about. Where was Obama when he could have saved the lives of Americans who under attack by man-made evil?
I'm on the east coast and all I know is FEMA better show up to give me a $2,000 debit card and massage my balls.
Yep! Rove is using that big weather wheel to steer the storm to the North-East....and he sent a "warning" Tsunami at Hawaii to show Obama! /Sarcasm
LOL...Calm down have some beers and watch some football or whatever to "uplug" from the News for a while.
I bet Madonna would do it if you say you will vote for obama....
I dont think anything will move numbers one way or the other at this point. It's all pretty much locked down as to where anyone that will show up will put their vote.
Conspiracy theories are out in full force in general. I had posted a thread on what we can do with our Congress and State Governers and the response suggested that if Obama manages to get a reelection, America is gonna turn into the Congo during their Civil War, even if Republicans have a majority in Congress and various State Governments are controlled by genuine Conservatives. I am aware that very dangerous and bad things will happen and strife will be frequent, but I found this to be a supreme tinfoil hat response as well. The kind of responses that won't win independents and apolitical people to either the conservative or liberal side at this point - it's just gonna alienate them even further.
My prediction: 2 days of a bit of rain and wind, followed by 7 days of wall-to-wall coverage of Obama and how he saved 50 million people from certain disaster.
Exactly. Also, Sandy is not going to improve the economy or get anyone permanently employed.
What I want to know is: will cheese prices be going up?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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This is a discussion on New guy from AL within the New Members Introduce Yourself forums, part of the Welcome To DefensiveCarry.com category; Greetings and salutations. Just wanted to introduce myself. I've been looking at this site for a couple of weeks and i really like what i ...
Greetings and salutations. Just wanted to introduce myself. I've been looking at this site for a couple of weeks and i really like what i see. Once again hello and roll tide.
Semper Fi
Welcome from VA! Love the avatar!
from Central Florida!
Proverbs 27:12 says: The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
Certified Glock Armorer
NRA Life Member
Welcome to the forum.
eschew obfuscation
The only thing that stops bad guys with guns is good guys with guns. SgtD
Welcome from central Mississippi.
Glock 27
Welcome from South Carolina.
Sometimes in life you have to stand your ground. It's a hard lesson to learn and even most adults don't get it, but in the end only I can be responsible for my life. If faced with any type of adversity, only I can overcome it. Waiting for someone else to take responsibility is a long fruitless wait.
Welcome aboard from Virginia
Freedom doesn't come free. It is bought and paid for by the lives and blood of our men and women in uniform.
USAF Retired
NRA Life Member
Hi and welcome from Fort Worth TX!
- - - - -
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read. -Groucho Marx
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Thomas Jefferson
Nemo Me Impune Lacesset
Welcome from Montana.
When youre wounded and left on Afghanistans plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Just roll to your rifle and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier.
Rudyard Kipling
EOD - Initial success or total failure


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This design was first hand drawn with charcoal on paper and then brought into photoshop to be digitally airbrushed.
alien dreamy surreal abstract black and white digital airbrush si fi fantasy horror h r giger georgia okeeffe salvador dali biomechanics nightmare
HR Giger would've been proud. This is amazing.
dig it enjoy and create
Thank you so much for the comment
Cannot believe HR Giger just recently past away in a freak accident.
10% off
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KFC's answer to the McGangBang: the Double Down
Supposedly, KFC's new Double Down sandwich has only made it as far as Rhode Island and Nebraska. The "sandwich," says Fox, consists of bacon, two kinds of cheese, and some type of sauce between two pieces of fried chicken. We should definitely brace ourselves though -- Nebraska's a little too close for comfort.
We're thinking the Double Down is going to give Mickey D's McGangBang a run for its money, especially because the DD comes ready-made (McGB's are DIY). Informal poll: Which is more gag reflex-inducing: the Double Down or the McGangBang? (In case you need it, here's a refresher course on the McGB.)
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Our weekly guide to Minneapolis & St. Paul dining includes food news and reviews, as well as dining events and interviews with chefs and restaurant owners.
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On the main page of the ITU website is a great preview video for the Washington D.C. event. If you want to see the D.C. event live, go to triathlon.org/tv and anyone can subscribe to watch live, high definition coverage of each world championship race as well as past full race coverage (2 hours), race highlight shows (52mins), features and interviews. Free low resolution live coverage is also available from each event. All you need to do is create a login account. Before each event ITU will build a package containing English and Spanish text about the event coverage.
Watching the event might make you a faster triathlete.
Gale Bernhardt
The Coveted Turd Trophy Awards – dried, lacquered and glued
Gale Bernhardt
Will the Federal Grand Jury Information Collected on Lance Armstrong Become Public?
Gale Bernhardt
Myths about coyotes and what you city dwellers ought to know for your own safety and that of your dog
Gale Bernhardt
Can anyone help with some advice for a 44-years-young athlete with a pacemaker?
My dog saved me from an assault
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


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Join us in celebrating makers and
creators who share our same passion.
Overall Product Rating
33% of reviewers recommend this product
1 of 3
2/21/16 by allen cook | South Carolina, USA
"light shoe on your feet, great value, lasts forever if you dont abuse them. have worn NB for most of my adult life and would recomend them to anyone . will buy from them again when i need more."
Did you find this review helpful? Yes 23 No 8
2 of 3
2/18/16 by Ramona Cage | STL MO
Yes, I recommend this product.
"love the shoes and will continue to purchase and recommend NB to all my family and friends."
Did you find this review helpful? Yes 2 No 0
3 of 3
1/31/16 by Capecod | North Carolina
"I have been a 574 fan for years. I've always need the wide style. I recently need of replace some of them and ordered several pairs of new ones. Same size same width as before. None of them fit. Too narrow. Very disappointing"
Did you find this review helpful? Yes 7 No 8


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Table Tuck
The Table Tuck exercise works your shoulders, back, abs and butt.
-The Weekend Slim-Down: Slimmer Sunday. Table Tuck: Try to keep your hips level as you bring your elbow and knee in together. When you extend your arm and leg out, try to make them parallel to the ground. Do 10 to 15 reps, then switch sides, and repeat.


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10 Reasons Why I'm Not Giving Up on Local Churches: A Plea for Revitalization
The naysayers are at full throttle. "Local churches are dying!" "Churches are no longer relevant." "The church is full of hypocrites." "I don't need the institutional church." The naysayer nabobs of negativity are in full force. It's easy to give up..
- 10/31/2014
- 29 Comments
- Tag:


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August 27th, 2012 - Harvard Cabin 50th Anniversary!
Ted Carman (Left) HMC President 1962-1963, prime mover in the construction of The Harvard Cabin!
Harvard Cabin Dance Floor...and a Chihuahua! Thanks Andy!
Pack Boards are for Lovers!
Job Site!
Boring Insects...interesting work!
Pat Shea..Carpenter Extraordinaire and Fill-in Caretaker showing his love!
Marcia, Rich, Anne, David, & Ted Carman (HMC President 62-63)
Nice and clean...


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If you are an avid Facebook user (come on admit it, we all are!) then you may like to know you can now find us on Facebook. We have a Facebook Group – click here – and a Facebook Fanpage – click here – These Facebook pages will keep you up to date with all the new offers and deals we have.
You can also view photos of our Boutique Hotel in Manchester and our Luxury Hotels in Leeds. Keep your eye out for the new videos we will soon by uploading with a fantastic look into our rooms and suites, aswell as surround points of interest near to our hotels in Leeds and Manchester.
Feel free to invite your friends to the Facebook Group and Fanpage so they too can benefit from our great offers and see what Roomzzz is all about!
Categorised in: boutique hotels in Manchester
This post was written by rejuvenate


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Funding Opportunities
DOD-ONR FOA for Navy & Marine Corps Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Education, Outreach and Workforce Program White papers suggested deadline: January 31.
ORAU Higher Education Research Experiences: Applications accepted year round, but current window ends February 1
DE-FOA-0001471: Advancements in ALGAL Biomass Yield, PHASE 2 (ABY2) Concept paper due on February 12 and full application on March 25.
DOE FY2016 Vehicle Technologies Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement Deadlines: February 18 – Concept Paper; March 28 – Full Application
NSWD – Crane Division Plasma Combined Mass-Flux and Gas Species Sensor For Hypersonic Combustion Monitoring Deadline: February 29
NSWD – Crane Division Rapid Hypersonic Trajectory Planning to Support High Speed System Design Deadline: February 29
NSF International Research Network Connections (IRNC): Europe and Africa Deadline: March 17
NSF Dear Colleague Letter: Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Supplemental Funding Solicitation. Deadline: March 30
NSF Partnerships for Innovation: Accelerating Innovation Research-Technology Translation (PFI:AIR-TT) Deadlines: Letter of Intent due March 1; Proposal due April 1.
DOE Notice of Intent to Issue FOA entitled "Building America Industry Partnerships for High Performance Housing Innovation" EERE plans to issue the FOA in late calendar year 2015 via the EERE Exchange website.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory programs for faculty and students.
DOD Naval Research Laboratory BAA NRL conducts basic and applied research for the Navy in a variety of scientific and technical disciplines. The basic research program is driven by perceptions about future requirements of the Navy. White papers are continuously accepted.
DOE/NETL Unsolicited Proposals (coal, oil/gas, energy analysis, non-fossil), no deadline
DOD Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) BAA Pre-proposals accepted at any time.
US Ignite: The Next Steps, Deadline: Continuous.
NSF Catalyzing New International Collaborations, Proposals accepted at any time but the recommendation is to submit 9 months prior to travel.
Useful Links
- Office of the Vice President for Research
- Purdue University Sponsored Program Services
- Purdue Agricultural Research Programs
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Grants.gov
- National Science Foundation
- Green Energy News - Funding Opportunities
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Research Grants
- Community of Science (COS) Funding Opportunities
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Dept of Agriculture - Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)
About the Energy Center
The Center's mission is to grow the Purdue energy research and education enterprise. We engage researchers and students in a community that delivers new discoveries and develops disruptive technologies with national and global impact.
- Become a Member
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Pankaj Sharma
Managing Director, Energy Center,
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- Phone: 765-494-1610
Mann Hall, Rm 105
203 South Martin Jischke Dr.
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1971
- email@example.com
- Phone: 765.494.1610
- Fax: 765.496.9322


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There are several types of spiders that have a white line on their backs. The two with the most definitive white stripes on their backs are the gray wall jumper, scientific name Menemerus bivittatus, and the pantropical jumper, scientific name Plexippus paykulli.
One very common spider with a white stripe down its back is the "Daddy Long-legs" or cellar spider, scientific name Pholcidae.
One more rare and exotic spider with a white stripe on its back is the redback spider, scientific name Latrodectus hasseltii. Native to Australia, the redback spider usually has an hourglass-shaped red mark on its back. But the juvenile female redback spider has white markings on its back. The redback spider is venomous but not deadly. A bite just causes severe pain for about a day, sometimes a bit longer. The redback spider is closely related to the black widow spider, which is commonly found throughout North America.


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Animal Abuse Must Not Be Tolerated! Don't Go To This Fair!
Over a year ago
I'd like to bring this alert from PAWS to everybody's attention.
I sent the following…
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Attn: Board of Directors and CEO Sandy Woods
Re: Have Trunk Will Travel
We have learned of the Board's decision approving Have Trunk Will Travel's contract for the Nevada County Fair via the Performing Animal Welfare Society and KTXL.
All we can say is:
-Shame on the board for such an unenlightened decision, especially in light of the overwhelming evidence that HTWT abuses the elephants.
-Not only will we not be attending the Fair, but we are also cancelling all plans to travel to Nevada County and pulling support for any businesses in the County unless and until the Board reverses this decision.
This is not a trivial matter. Animal abuse cannot be tolerated or encouraged. I am sharing this information, the video and the news story with my colleagues and friends.
Please reconsider your decision and restore my faith that Nevada County is a progressive leader in humanitarian and animal rights affairs.
Thank you for your consideration.
PETA peoples…please contact the board (copy my letter if you want) and let them know their decision is not okay!
Please log in to reply.
Over a year ago
Can do!You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Over a year ago
I think everyone should write to the board and educate them about the cruelty and danger involved in elephants working in entertainment. They most likely are unaware of the abuse they are supporting by hiring Have Trunk Will Travel, so telling them might help them to change their decision. Also, they need to understand that having elephants around a crowd of people puts everyone in danger. I'm sure the board cares a lot about the safety of their fair!You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Over a year ago
Thanks for this post ! I'm definitely writing to them ! When I watched the video my teeth were clenched the whole time!! I wish the elephants would just stomp on those people ! lol !You must be logged in to reply to this topic.


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Gore warns about McCain policies: Hey, I believe in recycling, but that's ridiculous.
Okay, no more complaints the Dems aren't talking climate change (see "Should you freak out at the lack of air time for climate change in Denver — or Minneapolis?"). Al Gore globally warmed the crowd in a terrific speech (be sure to read to the end where he compares Obama's experience to Lincoln's).
Gore pointed out that if he had won in 2000:
… we would not be denying the climate crisis; we'd be solving it.
Today, we face essentially the same choice we faced in 2000, though it may be even more obvious now, because John McCain, a man who has earned our respect on many levels, is now openly endorsing the policies of the Bush-Cheney White House and promising to actually continue them, the same policies all over again.
Hey, I believe in recycling, but that's ridiculous.
And Gore took on McCain's walking away from mandatory caps (see "McCain opposes 'mandatory' carbon limits") and cozying up to Big Oil (see "You've heard of 'polluters pay'? So has McCain.":
Oil company profits, as you know, have soared to record levels, and gasoline prices have gone through the roof, and we are more dependent than ever on dirty and dangerous fossil fuels. Many scientists predict — shockingly — that the entire North Polar ice cap may be completely gone during summer months during the first term of the next president. Sea levels are rising; fires are raging; storms are stronger. Military experts warn us our national security is threatened by massive waves of climate refugees destabilizing countries around the world, and scientists tell us the very web of life is endangered by unprecedented extinctions.
We are facing a planetary emergency, which, if not solved, would exceed anything we've ever experienced in the history of humankind.
In spite of John McCain's past record of open-mindedness and leadership on the climate crisis, he has now apparently allowed his party to browbeat him into abandoning his support of mandatory caps on global warming pollution.
And then he turned to focus on clean energy:
And it just so happens that the climate crisis is intertwined with the other two great challenges facing our nation: reviving our economy and strengthening our national security. The solutions to all three require us to end our dependence on carbon-based fuels.
Instead of letting lobbyists and polluters control our destiny, we need to invest in American innovation.
Almost a hundred years ago, Thomas Edison, our most famous inventor, said, "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power!" he continued. "I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that."
Well, now, in 2008, we already have everything we need to use the sun, the wind, geothermal power, conservation and efficiency to solve the climate crisis — everything, that is, except a president in the White House who inspires us to believe, "Yes, we can." But we know how to fix that.
So how did this no-brainer become a brain-twister?
Because the carbon fuels industry — big oil and coal — have a 50-year lease on the Republican Party, and they are drilling it for everything it's worth.
And this same industry has spent a half a billion dollars this year alone trying to convince the public they are actually solving the problem, when they are, in fact, making it worse every single day.
This administration and the special interests who control it lock, stock and barrel after barrel have performed this same sleight-of-hand on issue after issue. Some of the best marketers have the worst products, and this is certainly true of today's Republican Party.
Kudos to Gore.
10 Responses to Gore warns about McCain policies: Hey, I believe in recycling, but that's ridiculous.
Joe, there's no if anymore about the northern polar ice cap. I have been listening to Professor Michio Kaku's program on our Pacifica Radio affiliate KPFT here in Houston and he has said on several occasions that the northern polar ice cap is lost no matter what we do. So I have to disagree with Al Gore on that one.
However I've been following Al Gore again since he did Inconvenient Truth and I have to say what a remarkable change he's undergone since his 2000 race and the post election blues when he grew that beard.
That speech deserves an ovation. Gore continues to be a source of inspiration that will help prompt us to responsible action on climate change.
we would not be denying the climate crisis; we'd be solving it.
It's nice to read, but also very sad.
Overall, has anyone ever seen an event where there were so many high-quality speeches? Michelle Obama, Hillary, Biden, Kerry, Gore, Barack Obama? Amazing.
Dano –
You said it. The Dems seem really energized and focused. As I watched Obama's speech last night, I kept thinking: when was the last time I heard a speech by any politician really drive home such a strong message with so much power? Sadly we lost a lot of time waiting for this day, watching the right kick sand in John Kerry's face and muddy the waters over and over. I'm not sure they are going to be able to "swiftboat" Obama this time. He may have too much momentum, credibility and core support.
This morning I got up early and read some more of Monbiot's _Heat_. His ch. 2 on the denial industry is now familiar ground (SEPP, TASSC, Milloy, Seitz and Singer.) It's striking how much these guys can make doing this stuff. Monbiot points readers to http://www.exxonsecrets.org for background on just how much money Exxon has poured into denialist astroturf front groups. Now maybe the next Big Lie we need to expose and document is the huge P.R. campaign by the not-yet-clean coal industry.
One interesting point Monbiot makes is that the key anti-climate astroturf groups were not *started* at Exxon's prompting; rather, the tobacco industry went looking for some cover for their specific line of disinformation, and their hired liars hit on the clever plan of building a false front of multiple anti-science agendas all thrown together. The intent seems to have been to allow big tobacco to fund front groups that said more than just "2nd hand smoke doesn't (necessarily) cause cancer" but that also denied lots of other science at the same time. That might help hide the craven tobacco agenda, suggests Monbiot. One big hit for this approach was to attach climate science. They then got additional money from Exxon, and the astroturf groups multipled and began popping up like weeds as this strategy started to pay off.
I know people who do real grassroots advocacy on health issues, and they struggle to pay the bills. A big ethical issue for them is refusal to accept any donations from drug companies, in order to maintain total independence to say whatever they must and to be free to criticize. Cleary the astroturf tycoons have no such ethical hesitation.
I got to wondering if there is any way to blunt this weapon of mass deception? Tougher financial disclosure rules for activist groups? For people coming to speak to Congress? For people giving "guest editorials" in magazines and newspapers? Of course there's ample room for money laundering through multi-stage channeling of the oil or coal blood money.
I got to wondering if there is any way to blunt this weapon of mass deception? Tougher financial disclosure rules for activist groups? For people coming to speak to Congress? For people giving "guest editorials" in magazines and newspapers? Of course there's ample room for money laundering through multi-stage channeling of the oil or coal blood money.
In my view, there is a…ahem…"market" for this sort of thing you decry. There is a segment of society that needs this sort of narrative.
IMHO this is an aspect of human nature where psychologically this narrative is preferred. Being an ecologist, I can absolutely empathize with Aldo Leopold who said "Having an ecological education means living in a world of wounds.". Some (many) can't function in such an environment, thus the need for the denial industry. Others look for an excuse for their behavior and look for such a narrative to justify it.
That said, I'm a glass half-full guy (altho it is half-full of groundwater tainted by big ag) and Margaret Mead said "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.". Meaning: immovable object, irresistible force.
Rick C — All we have to do is sequester as much CO2 as is added by humans to the active carbon cycle and then sequester about 500 GtC more.
So far, nobody has started. :-(
Did Gore make this speech from his new twin 500hp turbo diesel powered million dollar house boat? He sets such a good example for the rest of us to follow.
As much as I admire Gore's work, I think he misrepresented Lincoln's opposition to the Mexican-American war. Gore said that during Lincoln's "one term in Congress…he showed courage and wisdom to oppose the invasion of another country in a war that was popular when it started but later condemned by history." According to David Herbert Donald's excellent bio of Lincoln, Lincoln was silent on the war before he went to Congress, commenting only that we should support the President during time of war. (!) When he did get to Washington in 1847, when the war was essentially over, he finally began to attack Polk's conduct of the war, but his arguments were legalistic rather than principled (Were American troops on US soil when their blood was spilled, e.g.?), and amounted really to an attempt to weaken the Democrats in anticipation of the upcoming Presidential election. Gore's version makes a nice story and I wish his inferences were true, but they are not, at least according to Donald. I am a physicist, not a historian, so what do I know?
Being an ecologist, I can absolutely empathize with Aldo Leopold who said "Having an ecological education means living in a world of wounds.". Some (many) can't function in such an environment, thus the need for the denial industry.


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January 19 2005
[b]Arline Thompson, 86[/b]
Arline Thompson, 86
January 11 2005
[b]Lyman AAU Youth Wrestling [/b]
Image: http://www.lcherald.com/e107_files/images/DQ.jpg
Quin Lulf and Dara Ness, both Kennebec kindergartners and friends were participants at the annual Lyman AAU Youth Wrestling Tournament Sunday, Jan. 9th at the Lyman gym. The wrestling competions didnt appear to hurt their friendship. Nearly 200 youth age pre-school to 14 took part in the Tournament.
January 11 2005
[b]County Commission organizes, new members take oath[/b]
By Lucy Halverson
The Lyman County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005 to organize for the New Year.
The Lyman County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005 to organize for the New Year.
January 11 2005
[b]Kennebec Library starts After School Program[/b]
The Kennebec Library will embark on an After School Program at the library starting January 18, 2005. Doreine Anderson will be conducting the organized activities with help from volunteers.
- Lyman County law enforcement officers recognized
- Preshoãs Sidewalk Project presented to public
- Lyman Alumni Reunion set for July 30
- New members seated on School Board
- Deer Camp available for first time Youth Deer Hunters
- Railraod crossings being replaced along DSR
- DIY for the 4th of July
- Slow down, kids at play
- ãKnee high by the 4th of Julyã
- Vivian to host local 4th of July Celebration
- Unofficial School Board election results


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⢠Cletus Kasady is behind bars! The Carnage symbiote is in quarantine! But we all know that's never going to last, right?
⢠Cletus has been evaluated and imprisoned and even lobotomized! Carnage has been sampled and cloned and poked and prodded.
⢠But they've had enough! It's time to get the band back together!
⢠A return to bloody, murderous form for the deadliest killer in the Marvel Universe!


text:
Talk:Sofia Vassilieva
|This article must adhere to the biographies of living persons policy, even if it is not a biography, because it contains material about living persons. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libellous. If such material is repeatedly inserted, or if you have other concerns, please report the issue to this noticeboard. If you are connected to one of the subjects of this article and need help, please see this page.
|WikiProject Biography
|(Rated C-class)
|WikiProject Women
|(Rated C-class)
Okay, I've finished a copyedit on the article. A number of the links used were unofficial blogs or dead, but what was left was good for citing a number of parts in the article. I know it's a lot shorter, but this keeps us neat & tidy with the facts we can verify through reliable sources. I've also cleaned up a few of the remaining external links that are relevant.
As to the picture, I suggest Otherdrop1, as claiming to be her parent, to take a picture and upload it here. That way, it will comply with Wikipedia's image rules.
If anyone has any concerns with the changes, feel free to comment here. -- Kesh 19:22, 24 October 2007 (UTC)
I think the fact that she speaks three languages fluently and is learning a fourth, is a remarkable feat for someone so young, and should be re-included in this article Cattona (talk) 11:30, 6 December 2007 (UTC)
- You're right about that; go to her site's resume section and you'll see this: ENGLISH (native), RUSSIAN (native), FRENCH (fluent).... Blake Gripling (talk) 08:12, 1 February 2008 (UTC)
Link to her website[edit]
The http://www.sofiav.com website has not been updated in 9 years, the link to it should be removed. Pearl2525 (talk) 08:49, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
- Done For An Angel (talk) 12:09, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
Born in Russia?[edit]
Opening section states "born in Russia" then the early life section states "born in Minnesota"? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.8.131.52 (talk) 17:12, 27 October 2013 (UTC)