Air Pollution Goes Global
BROOKLIN, Canada, Jun 2 (IPS) - U.S.-based coal-burning power companies have become the target of international lawsuits so Canadians can one day hope to breathe cleaner air.
Pollution doesn't care where it goes. Into your food supply, your water, or your neighbor's. It pays no attention to geopolitical boundaries.
sporadically produced odds, ends, and essaylets on any number of topics from programming to politics, paramecia to puff pastries.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Sunday, June 11, 2006
It's Official
When the oldest insurance company on the world says climate change is going to affect business, it's time to believe.
Premiums will have to rise and some risks might even be classed as uninsurable due to greenhouse gases and rising sea levels, warned Lloyd's in a report entitled Climate Change, Adapt or Bust.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
More of a "No Brains Allowed" Policy Being Implemented
Rather than a "brain drain".
Is There A Brain Drain? over at Good Math, Bad Math.
Short answer? Yeah, there is.
Is There A Brain Drain? over at Good Math, Bad Math.
Short answer? Yeah, there is.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Bush's America
The horrors really are your America, Mr Bush
I think Sullivan hits it on the nose, here:
I think Sullivan hits it on the nose, here:
It is, I think, an integral part of [Bush's] own world view, which is that of a former addict whose life was transformed by a rigid form of fundamentalist Christianity. “[My faith] frees me to enjoy life and not worry what comes next,” he told the reporter Fred Barnes. When you know you have been saved, when you know your motives are pure, when, as Bush so often puts it, your “heart” is a good one, then it follows that you cannot commit evil. Or if you do, it doesn’t attach to you. Somehow, it isn’t yours, even when it is.
Monday, June 05, 2006
RCMP (Polite) Smackdown
I just listened a few minutes ago to a conversation with the Asst Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, on NPR, regarding the arrest of 17 Canadians who had acquired substantial quantities of explosives, partly as part of an RCMP "sting" operation. The arrested parties will be charged under relevant terrorism laws.
The interviewer asked some sort of fear-pandering question like, after finding that the arrested persons were mostly if not all natives rather than immigrants, how it felt or "what was it like" now that he (the Commish) had to monitor citizens and not just immigrants.
"We don't monitor immigrants"
"We don't monitor citizens"
Was the response.
"We look for criminality"
The Assistant Commissioner said.
Implicit in that was the simple concept: we're cops. we go after criminals. that's all.
Oh, Canada! I'm proud of you this morning, for not catering to hatred and fear.
The interviewer asked some sort of fear-pandering question like, after finding that the arrested persons were mostly if not all natives rather than immigrants, how it felt or "what was it like" now that he (the Commish) had to monitor citizens and not just immigrants.
"We don't monitor immigrants"
"We don't monitor citizens"
Was the response.
"We look for criminality"
The Assistant Commissioner said.
Implicit in that was the simple concept: we're cops. we go after criminals. that's all.
Oh, Canada! I'm proud of you this morning, for not catering to hatred and fear.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Because This is a Moral Issue
Not a political one.
Al Gore Plays Leading Man: "You have to remember that the environment used to be a bipartisan issue in the United States. Religious leaders saw it as a matter of respecting God's creation."
Al Gore Plays Leading Man: "You have to remember that the environment used to be a bipartisan issue in the United States. Religious leaders saw it as a matter of respecting God's creation."
Most Important Movie Review Ever
Review: An Inconvenient Truth, by Roger Ebert.
In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Friday, June 02, 2006
Thursday, June 01, 2006
New species!
Unknown Creatures Found in Cave
The cave was uncovered during drilling at a quarry close to Tel Aviv.
Scientists say it is a unique ecosystem that has been sealed off from the world for five million years and could contain other ancient lifeforms.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Misattributions of the Highest Magnitude
This nation was founded by a bunch of hippie-freak-equivalents of the 18th century, who knew how easy it was for an unchecked sovereign to be a tyrant, who knew that questions of religion were between a man and his God, and that salvation couldn't be imposed by a state, it could only be sought out by a person.
No appropriate [Founding Father] quote? Just make one up!
Want a Founding Father quote? How about some real ones?
Nothing was more to be desired than that every practicable obstacle should be opposed to cabal, intrigue and corruption. Federalist Paper #68, Alexander Hamilton.
The President of the United States would be liable to be impeached, tried, and upon conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors, removed from office....In this delicate and important circumstance of personal responsibility, the President...would stand upon no better ground than a governor... Federalist Paper #69, Alexander Hamilton.
[In discussing the term of office of the Executive:] It was much agitated whether a long term, seven years for example, with a subsequent and perpetual ineligibility, or a short term, with a capacity to be re-elected, should be fixed. In favor of the first opinion were urged the danger of a gradual degeneracy of re-elections from time to time, into first a life and then hereditary tenure, and the favorable effect of an incapacity to be reappointed on the independent exercise of the Executive authority. On the other side it was contended that the prospect of necessary degradation would discourage the most dignified characters from aspiring to the office; would take away the principal motive to the faithful discharge of its duties--the hope of being rewarded with a reappointment; would stimulate ambition to violent efforts for holding over the Constitutional term; and instead of producing an independent administration and a firmer defense of the constitutional rights of the department, would render the officer more indifferent to the importance of a place which he would soon be obliged to quit forever, and more ready to yield to the encroachments of the Legislature, of which he might again be a member. James Madison, Excerpted from letter to Thomas Jefferson, October 24, 1787.
We know, however, that no society ever did, or can, consist of so homogeneous a mass of Citizens [so as that the interest of the minority and the majority are the same]. James Madison, Excerpted from letter to Thomas Jefferson, October 24, 1787.
The inefficacy of [religion as a] restraint on individuals is well known. The conduct of every popular assembly, acting on oath, the strongest of religious ties, shews that individuals join without remorse in acts against which their consciences would revolt, if proposed to them, separately, in their closets. When, indeed, Religion is kindled into enthusiasm, its force, like that of other passions, is increased by the sympathy of a multitude. But enthusiasm is only a temporary state of Religion, and whilst it lasts will hardly be seen with pleasure at the helm. Even in its coolest state, it has been much oftener a motive to oppression that a restraint from it. James Madison, Excerpted from letter to Thomas Jefferson, October 24, 1787.
For in politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution. Federalist Paper #1, Alexander Hamilton.
No appropriate [Founding Father] quote? Just make one up!
Want a Founding Father quote? How about some real ones?
Nothing was more to be desired than that every practicable obstacle should be opposed to cabal, intrigue and corruption. Federalist Paper #68, Alexander Hamilton.
The President of the United States would be liable to be impeached, tried, and upon conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors, removed from office....In this delicate and important circumstance of personal responsibility, the President...would stand upon no better ground than a governor... Federalist Paper #69, Alexander Hamilton.
[In discussing the term of office of the Executive:] It was much agitated whether a long term, seven years for example, with a subsequent and perpetual ineligibility, or a short term, with a capacity to be re-elected, should be fixed. In favor of the first opinion were urged the danger of a gradual degeneracy of re-elections from time to time, into first a life and then hereditary tenure, and the favorable effect of an incapacity to be reappointed on the independent exercise of the Executive authority. On the other side it was contended that the prospect of necessary degradation would discourage the most dignified characters from aspiring to the office; would take away the principal motive to the faithful discharge of its duties--the hope of being rewarded with a reappointment; would stimulate ambition to violent efforts for holding over the Constitutional term; and instead of producing an independent administration and a firmer defense of the constitutional rights of the department, would render the officer more indifferent to the importance of a place which he would soon be obliged to quit forever, and more ready to yield to the encroachments of the Legislature, of which he might again be a member. James Madison, Excerpted from letter to Thomas Jefferson, October 24, 1787.
We know, however, that no society ever did, or can, consist of so homogeneous a mass of Citizens [so as that the interest of the minority and the majority are the same]. James Madison, Excerpted from letter to Thomas Jefferson, October 24, 1787.
The inefficacy of [religion as a] restraint on individuals is well known. The conduct of every popular assembly, acting on oath, the strongest of religious ties, shews that individuals join without remorse in acts against which their consciences would revolt, if proposed to them, separately, in their closets. When, indeed, Religion is kindled into enthusiasm, its force, like that of other passions, is increased by the sympathy of a multitude. But enthusiasm is only a temporary state of Religion, and whilst it lasts will hardly be seen with pleasure at the helm. Even in its coolest state, it has been much oftener a motive to oppression that a restraint from it. James Madison, Excerpted from letter to Thomas Jefferson, October 24, 1787.
For in politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution. Federalist Paper #1, Alexander Hamilton.
Lying to the Public
Bush 'planted fake news stories on American TV'
FCC investigates video releases
FCC Investigates TV Stations for Airing Fake News
Whether a conspiracy or 'mere' sloppiness, the result is the same: journalists not doing their job. There are so many sides to this problem I don't know where to start.
First: presenting something other than a news segment as if it were a news segment, even if a specific segment is quite innocuous, makes it easier for the next faux-news segment, that *is* biased, to make it on the air.
Second: presenting something other than a news segment as if it were a news segment, puts journalists and their producers in a position of reliance on the outside source providing that VNR. No longer gathering and reporting the news, but simply passing along material without thinking about it. This eviscerates the entire profession of *gathering* and *reporting* *news*, making a hollow mockery of what should be a proud calling.
Third: such evisceration diminishes the profession's power to stand up to those who would manipulate the media, and by extension, the public. Taking the easy road by using VNRs? Why not take the easy road and censor when the White House asks you to? I'm not saying it's the next step directly, just a slippery slope. Anything that abdicates journalistic power is a step down that slope.
Fourth: misleading the public. Faked news is lying to the public. This is the exact opposite of what journalists are supposed to do. Journalists are witnesses to events most of us cannot attend. What we need is not "balanced" reporting, or VNRs, but accurate reporting: who, what, when, where, how, and why.
FCC investigates video releases
FCC Investigates TV Stations for Airing Fake News
Whether a conspiracy or 'mere' sloppiness, the result is the same: journalists not doing their job. There are so many sides to this problem I don't know where to start.
First: presenting something other than a news segment as if it were a news segment, even if a specific segment is quite innocuous, makes it easier for the next faux-news segment, that *is* biased, to make it on the air.
Second: presenting something other than a news segment as if it were a news segment, puts journalists and their producers in a position of reliance on the outside source providing that VNR. No longer gathering and reporting the news, but simply passing along material without thinking about it. This eviscerates the entire profession of *gathering* and *reporting* *news*, making a hollow mockery of what should be a proud calling.
Third: such evisceration diminishes the profession's power to stand up to those who would manipulate the media, and by extension, the public. Taking the easy road by using VNRs? Why not take the easy road and censor when the White House asks you to? I'm not saying it's the next step directly, just a slippery slope. Anything that abdicates journalistic power is a step down that slope.
Fourth: misleading the public. Faked news is lying to the public. This is the exact opposite of what journalists are supposed to do. Journalists are witnesses to events most of us cannot attend. What we need is not "balanced" reporting, or VNRs, but accurate reporting: who, what, when, where, how, and why.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Sustainable Business
My friend is going into a sustainable business program (at one of two schools, so I shan't say more just yet), and ever since she started looking into these programs, I've been seeing stuff on sustainable business all over the 'Net. Cool.
Today it's this: Sustainable Business Leaders Achieve Success in Consumer Markets, Earning Recognition from Peers.
Today it's this: Sustainable Business Leaders Achieve Success in Consumer Markets, Earning Recognition from Peers.
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