This Blog is created to stress the importance of Peace as an environmental directive. “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it’s hell.” – Harry Truman
(I receive no compensation from any entry on this blog.)
This should be interesting, especially since the TARP funds were 'given away' by Bush/Paulson without any records as to where the monies were going. Mueller might want to start with the earliest fraud of the Bush White House and the free give away of the first $87 billion US to Iraq.
FBI Director Robert Mueller in the East Room of the White House, May 29, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing
By Grant McCool and Martha Graybow NEW YORK (Reuters) - The FBI is working with other U.S. agencies to prevent wrongdoing related to government bailout money and the economic stimulus package, in what could be the "next wave" of financial fraud cases, Director Robert Mueller said on Tuesday. Mueller said in a speech to the Economic Club of New York that the FBI, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the inspector general of the Troubled Asset Relief Program were working to track where federal money is going. "With billions of dollars at stake -- from the purchase of troubled assets to improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, energy and education -- even a small percentage of fraud would result in substantial taxpayer losses," Mueller said....
SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 COMMENTARY By Howard Gleckman The Neatest Thing about That $87 Billion (click here) Bush and congressional leaders plan to treat the Iraq spending as if it were off-budget, pretending they're not creating red ink Time to follow Alice for another quick trip down Washington's rabbit hole. Just take a look at what's about to happen with President Bush's request for $87 billion to continue U.S. military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bush will get the money from Congress, all right. But that's where things will begin to get strange. The President and congressional leaders are going to try to make $87 billion in federal spending disappear. How? By treating it as if it were off-budget spending. Here's how: For fiscal year 2004, which begins on Oct. 1, Bush has insisted that Congress hold discretionary spending -- that is, all expenses except for programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and interest on the debt -- to $784.7 billion, and not a penny more. From now until Thanksgiving, the White House and Congress will do battle over every cent....
The H1N1 virus is stated to have four components of previous virus. One avian, one human and two swine. I believe the obesity 'link' is connected with the dominant characteristic found in pigs. FAT.Combine that with a human strain and an avian strain and one has a nasty virus with higher virulency.
...Public health officials in California had said it was only a matter of time before someone in the state died from swine flu. For the most part, the flu - a strain of influenza A type H1N1 - has been relatively mild, with few hospitalizations. But cases of all types of flu should have all but disappeared by now, public health officials said. Instead, officials at the CDC say there's been a slight increase in flu activity in recent weeks. "This virus is circulating much later than the annual flu viruses," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, interim deputy director for the CDC's science and public health program, in a press conference last week. "We're really not seeing much of any other seasonal flu viruses anymore. But we are continuing to see this strain circulate." The CDC and state public health agencies regularly keep track of the number of patients with flu-like illnesses seeking medical treatment. Typically the number of patients increases during the flu season in the winter months, then declines sharply in May and nearly disappears over the summer....
We’re Officially Nervous About Swine Flu Again (click here) 5/28/09 at 12:34 PM ...“Many, many people share the same underlying causes that my husband had, and if he’s at risk, many people are at risk,” said Bonnie Wiener, the widow of Mitchell Wiener, 55, the first New Yorker to die of swine flu, on May 17. She disputed the city’s assertion that underlying conditions were a factor in his death. “He was overweight and he was taking medicine for high blood pressure,” she said. “How many people 50 and above don’t?”...
Morning Rounds: Flu and Fat, Gifting Docs, Hamburg Gets To Work (click here) by April Fulton Good Morning. One more reason to lose weight: NPR's Richard Knox reports that obese people may be at a higher risk for a complicated case of the swine flu, or H1N1 virus, according to the CDC. A survey of people hospitalized in California recently indicates that obesity may be as a much of a risk factor as heart disease, pregnancy and diabetes, the Washington Post reports. Also, CDC's Anne Schuchat told NPR's Melissa Block on All Things Considered last night, there are likely 20 times more swine flu cases than are being reported in the U.S. Many are mild, she said. Still, there is at least one likely new U.S. death today, which would bring the U.S. total to seven. Reuters says a 44-year-old Missouri man diagnosed with H1N1 died in a hospital Tuesday, although officials are still investigating whether the virus was the cause of his death.
Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann were incredible last night. They reported on a News Network that used George Tiller as an icon to the Religious Right. News Corp, Bill O'Reilly and Glen Beck were as responsible for the man's death as the man that pulled the trigger in a Kansas Church, Scott Roeder.
In addition to the line of conspirators at the title of this entry, there is the matter of Randall Terry, the founder of the organization Scott Roeder, the suspected murder was a member. Randall Terry is the hard line bigot that defamed and rejected his own children because their mother was African American. He withdrew from the 'center stage' of the media some time ago to conduct his mission at "Operation Rescue."
Terry willingly defamed and maligned his own children in order to prove his dedication to the Religious Right. His daughter became pregnant without the benefit of marriage and this son is Gay. He helped conduct the Terri Schiavo Campaign by the Religous Right. One of Jeb Bush's buddies.
...Lindsey Roeder said that the early years of the marriage were good and that Scott Roeder worked in an envelope factory. She said he moved out of their home after he became involved with the Freemen movement, an antigovernment group that discouraged the paying of taxes. The Roeders have one son, now 22. "When he moved out in 1994, I thought he was over the edge with that stuff," his ex-wife said. "He started falling apart."...(click title to entry - thank you)
So there you have it. The Relgious Right advocated hate of a 'particular' physician and now he is dead. The FOX news Channel and extremists like O'Reilly and Beck (He appeared on a news segment with O'Reilly advocating same.) need to be prosecuted.Randall Terry is 'in it' for the money.
The disappearance of Air France 447 is shrouded in an air of mystery that sets it apart from other aircraft disasters.
The Airbus 330 has a remarkable safety record from the stand point of crashes. There was only one fatal incident in a test flight whereby 7 crew members died. However, it does not have an unmarred record. This incident occurred in 2002.
Robert Piché spoke calmly, systematically detailing the terrifying realization that the jetliner he was directing was heading out of the sky and into the dark ocean below. The pilot of the Air Transat Airbus A330 spoke for the first time Tuesday after landing his aircraft on a tiny Azores landing strip last Friday with no fuel, no instruments and the lives of 300 people in his hands. Mr. Piché said his training prepared him for the unthinkable — that his craft, Flight 236, was literally going to fall from the sky....
Sound right?
There are a lot of theories, including the possibility that it was a terrorist attack. There is 'speculation' that supports that theory as well. If I may at the expense of a lost airline and dead people.
I am sure the terrorist plot to hijack upto 10 airliners in 2006 is still fresh enough to remember.
On the night of Aug. 9, 2006, British authorities arrested 24 men and charged them with plotting to blow up as many as 10 trans-Atlantic flights, using explosive liquids that were to have been smuggled aboard the airliners in soda bottles. The announcement led to an immediate ban on all carry-on liquids, creams and gels -- a measure that snarled air traffic worldwide at the height of the summer tourist season -- and an eventual change in security rules that limits travelers to only small amounts of such materials. The case was quickly whittled down to eight defendants, amid widening public skepticism of the scale of the plot. The eight went on trial in London in April 2008, charged with conspiring to murder thousands of people by carrying out the attacks on passenger jets bound for North America. On Sept. 9, 2008, the jury found three of the eight guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, but returned no verdict on the most serious charges, involving a conspiracy to blow up airliners....
And there is information that the Iranian President suddenly and without reason cancelled his highly anticipated trip to Brazil before the loss of the plane.
Iran’s Ahmadinejad Cancels Brazil Trip Indefinitely (Update2) (click here) By Joshua Goodman and Ladane Nasseri May 4 (Bloomberg) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad canceled a trip to Brazil this week without explanation amid criticism at home from the country’s clerical leader and U.S. concern about Iran’s growing influence in Latin America. The state visit of more than 100 officials and businessmen was set to begin tomorrow in Brasilia and focus on expanding the countries’ trade, which quadrupled to $2 billion in 2007 from 2002. Ahmadinejad has been seeking allies among nations critical of U.S. policy in the conflict over U.S.-led efforts to shut down his nuclear program. Since coming to power in 2005, he has visited Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the U.S.’s fiercest critic in the region, as well as allied governments in Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, where U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week Iran was building a “huge” embassy that undermines U.S. interests in the region. The trip, including stops in Venezuela and Ecuador, was postponed indefinitely, Ahmadinejad’s office said in a statement, without saying why the plans changed. Roberto Jaguaribe, a political undersecretary at Brazil’s foreign ministry, told reporters in Brasilia it will be rescheduled for a date after Iran’s June 12 elections. Lula may visit Iran following an Ahmadinejad trip to Brasilia, he said....
There is speculation there was turbulent air and storms that inteferred with the flight plan of the pilot of Air France Flight 447. That is a possibility, but, from personal experience on Icelandic Air, when these pilots are flying into severe turbulence as found today in the upper troposphere they handle it well. The Icelandic Air pilots literally flew with the engines wide open through some of the most difficult air turbulence. The plane was fine and the flight unremarkable. People slept on the five hour flight.
From the description of the flight from whatever existing information there is, it sounds as though the AF 447 Airbus ran into operating problems no different than the flight interrupted in June of 2002. Taking into consideration this was a relatively new aircraft, it all seems fairly clear it had 'bugs' in its operating mechanisms that were never discovered and well concealed.
My deepest sympathies to the families of those lost in this aircraft anomaly. My sincere sadness for France. The people of France and their government are profoundly saddened by these incidents. If one remembers the Air France disaster with the SST? They grounded the fleet and ended the career of those airplanes. To France, the loss of one life is more than it can tolerate. (click here)
It has to be the LONGEST debate in the country's history. When the voters went to the polls in November little did they realize they would be opening up the debate that would follow, namely what is a valid vote and what it not.
Coleman, Franken oral arguments complete; Now we wait (click title to article - thank you) By Jason Hoppin jhoppin@pioneerpress.com Updated: 06/01/2009 11:17:50 AM CDT Seven months after 2.9 million voters cast ballots in the 2008 U.S. Senate race, a decision on who won the race is in the hands of five jurists. The Minnesota Supreme Court this morning grilled lawyers for apparent winner Al Franken and former Sen. Norm Coleman, as they laid out what could be their final arguments — to the relief of many Minnesotans, undoubtedly — before the election is finally and conclusively decided. Coleman lawyer Joe Friedberg hammered home the point that a three-judge panel that heard Coleman's appeal of the results applied different standards than county elections officials on whether to accept or reject absentee ballots that proved crucial to the outcome of the race....
Prince Harry of Wales, right, is sprayed with champagne while hoisting the trophy with teammates at the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic polo match on Governor's Island in New York on Saturday, May 30, 2009. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
...As their motorcade set off, the crowd rushed toward the barrier, cheering, “Obama!”...
President Obama and his wife Michelle Obama are escorted off a helicopter near Pier 11 in Manhattan on May 30. The two went on a date to dinner and to see a Broadway show. (Courtesy of Trisha Deniega)
Was there any VALID reason for this man's death? No. None !
George Tiller, who was shot and killed in Wichita, Kansas
And ABC 'got it right.' George Tiller believed in the DEMOCRATIC society of CHOICE we all live in. He wasn't afraid to stare down death in the face of INTIMIDATION and FEAR. The anarchy of the Religous Right and its zealotry AT ANY COST, is what killed George Tiller.
June 1, 2009 The controversial abortion doctor who was gunned down in a Wichita church Sunday persevered, even though "he existed in a climate of intimidation and fear," according to his lawyer and friend....
See, it goes like this. It doesn't matter if you have a Democratic and Free country, if the people don't practice that freedom. Dr. Tiller believed any woman was intelligent enough to handle her life without the 'rule of law' governing her uterus.
He believed in women and he bravely stood up for the rights this society granted them. People are supposed to live their lives within the boundaries of law without inhibition by the government through theocratic dogma.
Dr. Tiller made sure women that chose to have an abortion were granted safe and competent medical attention. He did nothing "W"rong, yet while demanding the law reflect Extremist Christian Values his life was taken from him. THAT, is oppression.
Abortion clinics and hospitals need to have 'stepped up' security. This is a form of HOME GROWN terrorist. Where is the FBI today? Saving George Tiller's life? No. Nowhere to be found.
Scott Roeder was a KNOWN threat to society, known to be capable of violence, so where was the FBI? Maybe to be protected from death, a USA citizen has to be the focus of a 'sting' operation !!!
By James Carlson Created June 1, 2009 at 6:38am Updated June 1, 2009 at 7:32am Scott Roeder presented a "threat of danger to the public," a Shawnee County District Judge said in 1996 of the man now accused of shooting abortionist George Tiller. "There is an indication that you have not been willing to conform your conduct" to the law, judge James Buchele told Roeder at his sentencing for possessing explosives. Roeder, 51 of Merriam, was arrested in Johnson County Sunday afternoon in connection with the shooting death of Tiller at a Wichita church service earlier in the day. In 1996 stories in The Capital-Journal, law enforcement officials described Roeder as a man who disregarded American law, while his father termed him a "loving" but "obsessed" man who wouldn't hurt a living thing. Roeder had associated with the Freeman movement - a right-wing, anti-government group - causing then Shawnee County assistant district attorney James Brown to label Roeder a "substantial threat to public safety." "This defendant has chosen to exempt himself from our laws," Brown said during the August 1996 sentencing hearing. "He doesn't recognize your authority." The Freeman group had been in the news at the time as a month-long standoff took place at a Montana ranch between federal authorities and members of the group....
...and now they feel as though they have to be vincidated of any statement that publicly indicts them of atrocities in engaging in and conducting a war in Iraq. They also believe their 'torture,' engaged in desperation for lacking the will to continue to conclusion the war in Afghanistan, is completely void of peril for our military. They put our military soldiers in harms way with their own methods and words and didn't give a damn !
I could never understand how Colin Powell would make blatant lies to the United Nations. However, when his integrity and the power of that integrity was diluted by false information due to torture, it makes far more sense than it doesn't.
I believe him when he states he didn't know if the information in 'SLAM DUNK' was obtained by torture. At that time, he knew only of the reports being handed him. He was being held accountable by Cheney and Bush to explain away any of the words on the page in front of him.
He may have had 'druthers' otherwise, but, Cheney wanted Iraq Halliburton for the sake of saving himself from a lawsuit with stockholders, something Bush would empathize with due to his own experiences. Bush wanted Saddam in revenge for threats against his father.
Powell did not have the 'methods nor the clout' either through his current authority or his morality to raise questions of Rumsfeld for his actions within the Defense Department to obtain information otherwise. He was stuck. At this point, as before, it was a matter of 'processing' the information and moving to venues that would insure our national security, or so it would APPEAR.
Could he have 'pulled the plug' on Cheney, Bush and the CIA? No. When Former Secretary Powell states, "So." It is because penmanship doesn't count when decisions of national security are on the line and the subordinate hasn't commissioned proof of why the information would be tainted.
Do I believe Former Secretary Powell consciously made the decision to lie? No. Absolutely not. It was not an action of looking the other way as a convenience to carry out torture or invade Iraq. I don't believe that for a minute. He only served one term. I think that speaks for itself.
The truth of the matter is that "SLAM DUNK" was facilitated by Rumsfeld with a battery of lunatic lawyers that SOUGHT 'loopholes' in the law where it would 'AVOID' any illegalities.
Can 'loopholes' be prosecuted? I do believe they can be prosecuted if THE WILL to pursue 'justice' is important enough.
It is no different than the 911 Commission. They were 'allowed to exist' and publically prosecute the Bush Administration including the "Bin Laden DETERMINED to Strike the US" memo and the sequelae of denial by Rice, Cheney even though Senator Feinstein was 'on the job.' Rice and Cheney should have been held accountable, but, they abused power and demanded to be immune from prosecution for the sake of national security. The Fifth Amendment was waived for the sake of the country. Basically.
The same thing goes here. The lawyers involved in 'justifying' the actions of the Bush White House for false impetus; LOOKED for loopholes and justification. THAT is abuse of power. It is not only illegal, dangerous at that level, it is also unethical. They knew better. They should not be practicing.
The Cheney/Bush White House is being given 'a pass' and it is done consciously.
Scalia and Thomas are just a waste of time. They are chronically biased according to their personal beliefs.
Every Hispanic woman seeking to participate in the dynamics of the USA, including the pursuit of law, should be inspired and confident.
By the way, I did say I thought Same Sex Marriage is about GENDER Discrimination, didn't I ? It is. Completely. It is a matter of whether there is a man or woman standing next you when the vows are said. It is completely analogous of the bigotry when the law attempted to criminalize the marriage of Black and White. Same thing.
She is going to be great. Completely. We better not be deprived of her presence on the Supreme Court because of "POPULOUS POLITICAL BIGOTRY." We better not !
But, then she hasn't been confronted with many in the District she precided.
What I found interesting about the analysis at the link to the title to this entry, was this:
...Sotomayor is not a predictable vote for environmentalists, industry, states or the federal government in environmental cases. Instead, she seems to weigh each case on its own merits, while displaying considerable skill in grasping the often arcane science and administrative history that form the basis of much modern environmental litigation....
She sounds reasonable, open minded and intelligent. She weighs all the facts and looks at the application of the law. She does it consistently while not 'favoring' the government over that of the individual, etc. No one can say that of the four conservative judges currently sitting firmly on their rectum.
It would seem 'the gap' between Approval or Disapproval is closing a bit, simply because the 'undecideds' are starting to make up their minds. It will be a very sad state of affairs if they making up their minds based upon the extremist media's racism sounding as if it is legitimate.
“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.”
Man are they racist. They were waiting for this one weren't they? Amazing. The statement is a 'quip.' A quip. It means the woman has a sense of humor. Dear God, forgive that a woman should have a sense of humor and very sharp elbows at the same time.
She obviously is concerned with the statements of peers. And she relies on those peers to understand the 'emphasis' that lies in those words. With any of these 'racist remarks' about Judge Sotomayor by ? members ? of the media it takes them completely out of context. You know the 15 second sound bite. Conservatives can't seem to move past that. Money, ya know?
But, at any rate, the statement was made in admiration and in support of the same kind of 'observation' by Former Supreme Court Judge Sandra Day O'Connor.
The larger context of the sentence is Sotomayor addressing former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's famous quote that "a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases."
Sandra was the first woman on the Supreme Court. All these folks, even when one reads interviews of people like Jackie Robinson, have faced horrible public scrutiny and ridicule. It becomes a huge burden in a person's life. Emotional scars result. She has every right to express in tones of humor the experiences of her life and her views as a result.
In any of those quotes, Judge Sotomayor is speaking primarily to peers. Sure we and the media are allowed to 'listen in,' but, in every instance she is speaking to people that are asking questions within the subject of 'the practice of judging the law.' Kindly get that right. "The Practice of Judging the Law." That is basically what any Judge does. They look at the facts presented in a 'sterile' environment in a court room, examine the application of the law to the circumstances and makes a judgement. Kindly get that right. The word is JUDGEMENT.
When the 'extremist' media finally speaks in words of 'analysis' rather than 'ridicule' I might even listen.
Sotomayor graduated with an A.B., summa cum laude, from Princeton University in 1976, and received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1979, where she was an editor at the Yale La Journal.
Besides being brighter and better educated than many legislators, she completely explains her comments. They are correct and well within the definition of THE TRUTH and 'Real Life.'
There is no such thing as 'activist' judges, otherwise, they would be impeached. Besides that Judges have ambition no different than anyone else. If a Judge in any capacity 'blows it' they lose their potential for advancing their career. So, to believe at any time she was not interested in becoming the first Hispanic American Woman on the Supreme Court is hideous. She never risked her career for a political directive.
Courts are very important. More important in many ways than legislators. It is where the laws of the USA are applied to the lives of its citizens. It is where lawyers seek to protect their clients at every turn. So, yes, the decisions by Judges are exceptionally important and in the case of 'ground breaking' decisions it is called Precedent. This mess is ridiculous.
Marxism is the 'hallmark' of the Republican Party. Marxism is the power of the commercial sector of government to control and oppress the populous. I do believe stating the Obama Administartion is Marxist is like the pot calling the kettle black.
WOW.
Marx wrote against Capitalism. But, at the time he wrote those words, capitalism was oppressive of the populous. Everyone remembers the late 1800's. Trains and carbon spewing from their stacks. Child labor and sweat shops. Those were the times of Karl Marx. He wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848.
...as she will have the most profound impact on the Supreme Court since Thurgood Marshall. Even if she is writing the Minority Opinion, it will be looked at more than the Majority Opinion.
I mean why bother, except, for the global morality of it all ?
Perhaps the most profound reason to reverse the deadly trend of the assault against nature of the last Republican 30 years, is the profound loss our children experience everyday.
The article at the title of this entry outlines a quickly growing concern of parents, teachers and their legislators. It is a movement called, "Leave No Child Left Inside."
While the picture Orion publication used to begin the discussion is of two boys, the impact of the loss of natural areas is DEEPLY effecting both boys and girls.
Richard Louv, the movement's author and researcher has complied information for those that interact with children, that reveals the 'sterile' world of computers and protective parenting, structured activities that have produced an incredible DEFICIT in these DESIGNER CHILDREN GENERATION. Richard Louv has unveiled the reality that the 'sterilizing' of the American landscape has removed, one of the most important venues of 'imagination' stimulation.
NATURE - God's Kitchen if you will.
Literally, the year 2000 examples parenting that has removed the 'daringness' of childhood and in turn has lulled their children's minds into lazy states of well being.
While these children achieve on intellectual exams, they profoundly lack the ability to be creative, inventive and daring. They are liiterally 'little cybots' of love and joy protected from every possible danger, but, they have no 'self-created' quality of life. They simply accept their world as it is handed to them. Hence, they literally have become passive learners willing to 'fill' the need of its society at the end of an educational process that caters to the 'Parental Protectorant' of the USA.
In a meeting of parents, administrators and children I listened to a five segmented DVD interlaced with discussion and the reality that occurred in the testimony of these people was astounding.
These are direct quotes:
A mother of three children, "I told my children to go to the backyard and play. No television, computers, or handheld anything, except, if they chose a 'Bug Jar. They didn't know what to do. After 30 minutes of hopeful watching that Richard Louv was wrong about my children, I went to the backyard with them and began to role model 'play' to them. I said, "You guys are the children. You are supposed to know how to play. Want some help?" With that I began to play tag, got an old Mason Jar from the cupboard and looked for ants, caterpillars and horrible spiders. I told them to climb a tree and showed them how, to listen to the birds and decide what kind of birds lived in their own yard. We prepared small scrapes from the refrigerator of squirrel snacks and eventually retired inside to await the arrival of the creatures that shared our home. The entire experience was startling to me and it is why I am here tonight."
A third grade teacher stated, "I had read the book as part of a peer discussion over the course of six months. One evening we decided it would be 'okay' to assign "Go out and play." as part of homework. So, the next day I wrote the usual homework assignment in the upper corner of the board and right in the middle wrote "Go outside and play." I received a phone call the next day from a girl's mother, she said, "My daughter took your assignment seriously. She recruited her sister to play in the backyard. They were out there for 30 minutes and didn't do much, but, they did start to appreciate the bird song. I wanted you to know that my daughter did her homework well."
Today across the spance of the USA, there are State Legislators considering law that mandates the protections of what is left of their 'Open Space.' The reason ? To keep tree huggers happy ? To satisfy the lobbiests from Sierra Club or the Nature Conservancy ? No. To add to the quality life of their State's children.
About Leave No Child Inside of Greater Cincinnati (click here) Leave No Child Inside of Greater Cincinnati is a collaboration of organizations and individuals educating the community that time spent in nature is essential for the physical, mental and emotional health of all children....
The Leave No Child INSIDE Central Ohio Collaborative (click here) Metro Parks Summer Courses for Educators May 29, 2009 – 11:42 am Metro Parks will offer 4, 2-day teacher trainingworkshops in June and July. Workshops targetacademic content standards and process skills forseveral age groups. Workshops are conducted byvarious state and local agencies and school districtrepresentatives, and are presented at a Metro Park orother Central Ohio agency site. Teachers workmostly in an outdoor setting to find ways to developmeaningful field trips and classroom and hands-onactivities with little or no classroom funding....
Regional Campaigns and Initiatives (click here) C&NN is mapping the children and nature movement to make it easier for you to connect with efforts underway in your region or neighborhood. The C&NN movement map lists Grassroots campaigns and initiatives, Family Nature Clubs, and hands on outdoor programs and events for children and families. Search the movement map listings below by region, name, state or type. We encourage you to contact regional leaders, program directors, and event organizers, join efforts underway in your region, and invite your friends, neighbors and colleagues to join as well....
Vote “Yes” on the No Child Left Inside Act (click here) (H.R. 3036, H.Rpt. 110-754) Purpose: The purpose of H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Act of 2008, is to support local and statewide efforts to expand and enhance environmental education and to provide enhanced professionaldevelopment opportunities in environmental education. Sponsors: Congressman John Sarbanes (Md.) and 64 co-sponsors (see reverse). Committee Action: On 6/18/08, the House Committee on Education and Labor favorably reported H.R.3036by a 37-8 vote, supported by Chairman George Miller (D-CA) and Ranking Member Buck McKeon (R-CA).
New edition of a national bestseller: Last Child in the Woods (click here) The recipient of the 2008 Audubon Medal, Richard Louv identified a phenomenon we all knew existed but couldn't quite articulate: nature-deficit disorder. Since its initial publication, his book Last Child in the Woods has created a national conversation about the disconnection between children and nature, and his message has galvanized an international movement. Now, three years later, we have reached a tipping point, with the book inspiring Leave No Child Inside initiatives throughout the country.... Since the inception of the USA our founding fathers and for Presidents after them, valued the land and its asthetics to life. Join them and bring the kids.
For the entire Bush/Cheney Adminisration we heard how our lands were preserved for the day when we needed the lumber or the oil or the methane. Well, they were "W"rong. The 'land' and 'open spaces' of the USA were preserved for its beauty and the quality of life it contained for all of us.
Support The Endangered Species Act, The Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Migratory Bird Act, The Clean Water Act, The Clean Air Act and the list goes on. As American Parents we need to appreciate the natural world that is our country and reclaim it where we can.
America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass – Access Pass - Free. (click here) America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass – Access Pass This is a lifetime pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Documentation is required to obtain the pass. Acceptable documentation includes: statement by a licensed physician; document issued by a Federal agency such as the Veteran’s Administration, Social Security Disability Income or Supplemental Security Income; or document issued by a State agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency. The pass provides access to, and use of, Federal recreation sites that charge an Entrance or Standard Amenity. The pass admits the pass holder and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas and pass holder + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, at per person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free). The pass can only be obtained in person at the park. The Access Pass provides a 50 percent discount on some Expanded Amenity Fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and specialized interpretive services. In some cases where Expanded Amenity Fees are charged, only the pass holder will be given the 50 percent price reduction. The pass is non-transferable and generally does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessionaires....
America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass – Volunteer Pass - Free.
America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass – Volunteer Pass This pass is for volunteers acquiring 500 service hours on a cumulative basis. It provides access to, and use of, Federal recreation sites that charge an Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee for a year, beginning from the date of award. The pass admits the pass holder and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas and pass holder + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, at per person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free). Click here to learn about volunteer opportunities in the National Park Service....
There is a lot 'going on' in the USA regarding the return of its natural areas, including the reexamination of the policies for the last eight years on every venue and the removal of 'invasive species' that threaten wildlife.
The invasive species issue is an interseting one and involves the use of commerical landscaping of foreign species that 'are not contained' in the landscaping it was intended, but by many vectors, including over population of deer, the foreign ornamental species have found their way into the wilderness areas of our nation and are destroying the 'natural ecosystems' that support our native wildlife.
But, in addition to the invasive species issues, there are those issues surrounding commercial logging as well as ethanol production for USA consumption and its potential to destroy foreign forests when the demand for ethanol exceeds the corn production of the USA. Currently, land owners in the USA have destroyed private vineyards and forest to turn it into agricultural lands to produce biomass for ethanol. That is creating a huge CO2 problem as agricultural lands are not as sustainable as forests and vineyards, more susceptible to drought, parching and desertificaiton.
It is estimated today, if the USA used all the nation's corn production for ethanol it would meet ONLY 2% to 3% of the country's demand. It is easy to see, when approaching ethanol from that perspective how electric cars and hybrids need to be perfected and manufactered. Ethanol is only a temporary fix.
Not only that, but, USA ethanol is being exported to places like Europe where it sells for marginally higher prices. When ethanol is NOT produced locally and transported locally its CO2 content goes up. Not the CO2 content that comes out of the tailpipe, but, the CO2 content that goes into its manufacturing. Those transportation issues alone nearly eliminate ethanol as a viable solution to CO2 emissions. If the USA were to convert its entire consumption of automobile fuels to ethanol today, it would require Brazil to turn the Rainforest into cropland to produce sugarcane, which is somewhat occurring already.
The Bush 'idea' of importing ethanol from South America is forcing Brazil to change their E85, which is an 85% mixture of ethanol, to 50% ethanol. This 'idea' of importing ethanol is not a good one for the USA. I would debate it is a poor idea for any ethanol importing country. The CO2 produced in transporation negates the benefits to a good extent of ethanol.
But, at any rate, this ruling by the US Department of Agriculture is along the lines of the EPA ruling to stop the use of forests, both domestic and abroad, from use in ethanol. The Bush/Cheney policies were based in 'profits' ONLY and never took into consideration the damages they caused to our efforts to stem Human Induced Global Warming that has lead to Climate Change.
The hope today is to stem Climate Change by rolling back any and all CO2 emissions. The role of scientists and evironmentalists is very complicated to say the least and they are finding it a challenge to educate the public to the reasons why any opposition to what seems like a better alternative such as ethanol is prudent.
This is the Montane Forest of the Alaskan Tongass. The Montane Forest is also a Rainforest in Alaska. Yes, indeed, Rainforests exist at high elevations, too. They are very important forests. These type of forest 'ecosystems' occur at various elevations in the Rocky Mountains of North America, in Central America, and in eastern Asia as well. They are known as subalpine and are dominated by combinations of pine, spruce, and fir species.
Posted on Fri, May. 29, 2009 U.S. calls timeout on 'roadless' forest projects (click title to entry - thank you) By David A. Fahrenthold Washington Post WASHINGTON - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a temporary order yesterday governing development in "roadless" areas of national forests, requiring all new projects to be approved by him personally. Vilsack's order, which will be in effect for a year, is the latest turn in an eight-year-old battle over 58.5 million acres of pristine woods. President Bill Clinton made these areas off-limits in 2001, but President George W. Bush effectively reopened some in 2005. That led to a series of court cases that ultimately replaced the national policy with a patchwork of regional rules. Vilsack, whose purview includes the U.S. Forest Service, did yesterday what environmental groups had been urging: call a "timeout." Agriculture Department officials said that while the temporary order is in effect, the Obama administration and Congress would try to create a permanent policy on roadless regions. They said Vilsack's caseload was not expected to be large: Over the last eight years, one official estimated, 30 to 40 projects have been proposed in these areas. "We're raising the level of scrutiny," said Chris Mather, a spokeswoman for Vilsack. "From this moment ... we are going to make sure that our forests are protected in all projects we approve."...
...The series of images starts with 1974, before CFCs had begun to do significant damage to the ozone layer. Concentrations of ozone in the stratosphere over the United States and Canada are high. By 1994, the model predicts that ozone concentrations over the region have fallen from highs above 500 Dobson Units to about 400. By the simulated year 2009, the ozone layer over much of the United States has thinned to only 300 Dobson Units. By 2020, the model predicts that an ozone “hole”—concentrations below 220 Dobson Units—forms over the Arctic as well as the Antarctic. By 2040, the ozone hole is global. The UV index in mid-latitude cities reaches 15 around noon on a clear summer day (10 is considered extreme today). By the end of the model run, global ozone drops to less than 110 Dobson Units, a 67 percent drop from the 1970s....
I guess I was correct. The success in Swat moved the militants to attack the cities in Pakistan. They don't care about the people. If they did they would not attack the government, but, seek peaceful resolve to their differences. They want the Pakistan arsenal.
Rescue workers and police help the injured from buildings that collapsed after the 100kg bomb was detonated in the middle of Lahore. Photograph: K M Chaudry/AP
..."It was in response to the Swat operation where innocent people have been killed," Mehsud said. The little-known group Taliban Movement in Punjab has also claimed responsibility for the attack....
But, of course the Taliban killed no one, broke no agreements and acted in a peaceful manner when they were provided with all their demands including the release of prisoners that were supposed to be converted to a peaceful resolve for Swat. The statement made was to enflame the people as if their government were wrong. It isn't.
The Taliban have no compassion for their own people, otherwise, no agreements would have been broken and there would have been no aggressions to the areas outside of Swat. I don't believe the Taliban are capable of peace, I believe they are ruthless besides cruel.
