Bush's ratings in Florida

The Orlando Sentinel reported today that President Bush has a 60% disapproval rating in Florida.

Slate Podcasts

Cool

Speculation about Ken Lay's Death

I must admint, it never even crossed my mind. But today in the New York Times, there was an article about the many folks out there wondering if Ken Lay staged his own death. They speculate that he is now living on some tropical island, avoiding his prison sentence. I guess we'll have to see whether or not his family decides to leave the country and live on an island somewhere now that they will inherit $10 million from his life insurance policy.

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES VOTING TO ABOLISH NET NEUTRALITY TO BE ABOLISHED IN NOVEMBER

See video # 20... they want to put toll booths on the Internet!

"Is this the America that our soliders (our children) are dying for?" Right on Ben Stein

I usually have pause at some of the political positions that Ben Stein takes. But this time he was right on the money. This needs to be shouted from the roof tops, "Is this the America that our soliders (our children) are dying for?"

"We are mortgaging ourselves to foreigners on a scale that would make George Washington cry. Every day — every single day — we borrow a billion dollars from foreigners to buy petroleum from abroad, often from countries that hate us. We are the beggars of the world, financing our lavish lifestyle by selling our family heirlooms and by enslaving our progeny with the need to service the debt."

I have new found respect for Mr. Stein.

Oil companies get into Alternative Energy

An Unlikely Spark in Alternative Energy

Pentagon funds study about limiting Freedom of Information Act

In today's paper (Orlando Sentinel) there is an article written by Melissa Ludwig from the San Antonio Express-News that says the Pentagon has given $1 million dollars to the St. Mary's University School of Law to study how to limit the FOIA! In the name of National Security of course! The purpose is to secure information about our vulnerabilities: electrical grid, waterways, sewer systems and transportation systems.

I’m all for National Security but if they limit information, how do we know when there is abuse? Ken Lay and the Enron Boys were abusing our trust in the name of corporate greed. Look at the Superfund case studies as historical proof that corporations will do what is in their best interest not the public’s best interest when it comes to their operations and profits. Limiting information limits the public’s right to know when these abuses are taking place! That is a threat to our National Security because it opens the door to a Corporatocracy instead of a government that is for the people and by the people.

God help us!

Going Green

If every household replaced just three 60W incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, the reduction in pollution would equal that of taking 3.5 milllion cars off the roads. The new bulbs last 15 minutes longer than the old ones, while signifiantly lowering electric bills.

You Might Be A Republican If....

Well, Ann Colter definitely qualifies by this definition.

Here's one I like:

A person protesting against W is un-patriotic, un-American and should be shot, but a person protesting against Clinton is merely exercising his first amendment right.

(Entire list )

Ann Colter Blows her Cool

I found this link to Ann's radio interview.

How can anyone consider her rationale?

Last words, "I'm very popular, I have to go know..."

John Mackey, Whole Food's CEO is a Libertarian

John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods.... I must say that this article is a very difficult article to read emotionally. This is a long article, but one that every person who leans to the left should read and discuss and discuss and discuss. I have so much to say about this but for now, I'll leave it here.

The New York Times Controversy

My only regret about reading the New York Times is that I didn’t start reading it 20 years ago. It is undoubtedly the best newspaper in the country. We have been receiving the Times for over a year now and have had numerous problems with our delivery. The paper’s excellence makes me willing to live with unsatisfactory delivery issues. I'm not surprised that the Neo-conservative fanatics hate them. I'm sure silencing the Times would aide them greatly.

Dear New York Times staff-- stay the course.

YOU DO A FANTASTIC JOB!

Fake outrage over New York Times article is a Karl Rovian political tactic

The indignation that the Republican Party is feigning over the New York Times article which reveals more of what we already know (and knew) about the fight against terrorism is so Karl Rove. It reminds me of the feigned indignation in the 2000 recount. In Miami these supposedly irate citizens came and pounded on the door while they were doing a recount in protest. We found out later that these people were paid actors. I hope the American public can see past his shenanigans this time around.

Charities Tied to Doctors Get Drug Industry Gifts - New York Times

More corruption. This time is making its way into our doctor's offices. The pharmaceutical companies are lobbying our legislators and now even our doctors Perhaps doctors should be required to include disclosure statements in the paperwork you have to sign when you go to see a doctor. They should be required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest regarding their treatment of a disease with a particular drug, device or procedure. We need to know whether a doctor owns stock in a company. This my cloud their judgement. Revealing this may help to enlighten the patient as to why the doctors are such strong advocates of a particular product.

Bill Frist is an Embarrassment!

Jamie Rose for The New York Times

Bill Frist, the majority leader of the Senate should be an embarrassment to the state of Tennessee. His political pandering to the right wing religious fanatics is not only laughable but is a disgrace to our nation. Boss Hog from the Dukes of Hazard had more scruples that Frist. Unfortunately Frist is not a fictional character. What a tragic day it would be for our nation if this man became the Republican Party’s presidential candidate for 2008. On second thought, everyone would see what the Republican Party has come to stand for; religious fanaticism in the White House! They would lose for sure. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea after all. Frist for President, now isn’t that a scary thought!

Massive waste and fraud in government reponse to Katrina

The NY Times today reported on the massive waste and fraud that was a part of our government's response to Katrina so what are the good people in Washington talking about today? How to fix this problem for future disasters that are will inevitably occur? No, they are discussing the Flag Bill. They are going to debate a constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to prohibit the desecration of the flag!

Greenland's melting ice alarms scientists

Looks like the computer models were wrong on climate change.

We seem to have a much bigger problem than originally contemplated...

Food Debate and Whole Foods Takes a Stand On An Animal Rights Issue!

It Died For Us

Article in NY Times

Whole Foods is saying no to selling lobsters and other animal products that are brought to the market with no regard for how they live and how they are treated. Suffering and cruelty is not OK!

Kudos to Whole Foods!

I'm going to keep shopping there and

applaud them for giving voice to this issue!

Going Green

How Green Am I?

Good article in NY Times about the new Green options.

Check out

the GREEN LIST

Green Living

Green Living and Cities

Connecting the dots: Non-profits, Native Americans, Abramoff and the environment...

Let's play connect the dots and see what won't get reported in the news.

1. People in the environmental movement and the new age movement celebrate the values of the Native Americans because they lived in harmony with nature.

2. Americans for Tax Reform's (ATR) mission is the lower taxes for the American people... mostly billionaires who often make their money by abusing the environment.

3. Jack Abramoff, gets the Native American tribes to give $100,000 donations to ATR.

4. ATR funnels money to the Bush regime.

Who wins? The Native Americans gain access to the White House, Bush gets campaign contributions from ATR. Billionaires pay less taxes and have more money to spend in places like Indian casinos. Bush's policies continue to rape and destroy our planet.

Who gets screwed? Mother Earth, the people who buy "All Things Native American and New Age"

The Native Americans sold out just like the Christians have! It's all things green $$$$. That's what this White House is about and all those who support him.

Past few decades hotest in 400 years

Surpise, suprise! According to the National Academy of Sciences, the last few decades are the hottest temperatures in 400 years. Some scientists are saying it is the hottest in 2,000 years.

A Bush spokesperson said that this was utter nonsense. Everyone knows the Earth is is flat and that's why it will stay cool. This is just a scare tactic to make you believe otherwise. They are sinners and are going to be left behind anyway when the good people who voted for me are raptured out of here anyway. Utter nonsense!

Neo-cons -- NEO FANATICS

I like what Jimmy Carter says in his book, "Our Endangered Values." Call them what you want but the neo-conservatives are really neo-fanatics that have a fundamentalist view of the world; I'm right and everyone else is wrong and I don't have to deal with your point of view because it doesn't matter. They have taken hold of our government.

Puerto Rico fined for Dirty Water

I tried googling an article in the Orlando Sentinel today titled: "Puerto Rico fined for Dirty Water" to no avail. Even though it was an Associated Press news story, at 7:38AM EST it was not to be found on the web...

The news story reports about a compay that is dumping raw human waste into the rivers and the ocean. The compnay is Aqueduct and Sewer Authority and they are going to pay $9 million in fines.

I'm wondering what will happen when the neo-anti-environment fanatics get their way and do away with all environmental regulations?

Cuba's Peak Oil Crisis

Here is an interesting movie about how Cuba coped with less energy after the loss of Soviet oil in 1990. I read some really good articles about Cuba and it's organic movment as well. My only question is, if it's so great there, why do people still risk their lives to leave the country ?

America's Moral Crisis and A Challenge to Fundamentalist Narrow-minded View of Creation

I am reading Jimmy Carter's book "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis." On Sunday I was in my Spinning class at the YMCA and the guy leading it was playing songs with the theme of "Fathers" because it was Father's Day. He played this song titled: "In My Father's House." The lyrics went something like this:

"My Father has a big big house, there's lots of room in his big big house, he has a big big yard, and we can play football in my Father's house;" alluding to the fact that when the Christians get to heaven there will be plenty of fun things to do including play football... Needless to say, I was quite offended by the song and thought to my self how stupid this new idea of Christ and Christianity is that is being sold to the general public. Thankfully, Jimmy Carter's book brings some reasonable thought back to the debate about values and religion in his book.

It's too bad that so many people are closed minded to the possibility of science and religion being different sides of the same truth. Do we honestly think that God created the heavens and the Earth is six "Earth-days?" Could evolution not be the invisible hand of a greater force that we can't see? Anyway, this is an interesting website that shows that perhaps our views of things are too limited.