Politics

[RDU Irish]

Or any of the global warming alarmists who are convinced everyone who does not see things there way is stupid.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

This country will be unrecognizable by the time Obama leaves office. And this is what most of the American left wants. Fundamental transformation.

Looks like the same old shit to me. Neo-liberal corporatism at home, and short-sighted liberal interventionism abroad. There's only one real political party in this country.

 

[Rack Em]

Looks like the same old shit to me. Neo-liberal corporatism at home, and short-sighted liberal interventionism abroad. There's only one real political party in this country.

VOTE LIBERTARIAN!

 

[Rack Em]

This country will be unrecognizable by the time Obama leaves office. And this is what most of the American left wants. Fundamental transformation.

Whiskey's correct. The left wants big change and the right often goes along with it.

They squabble over spending cuts in the Department of Education that amount to a few billion. A real opposing party would want to dismantle it (or at least reduce it to a skeleton crew) and vest the power to educate back to the states. Novel idea, right?

That's just a hypothetical illustrating how the Democrats and Republicans are both politically liberal. The real divider is social issues and that's about it.

 

[connor_in]

Whiskey's correct. The left wants big change and the right often goes along with it.

They squabble over spending cuts in the Department of Education that amount to a few billion. A real opposing party would want to dismantle it (or at least reduce it to a skeleton crew) and vest the power to educate back to the states. Novel idea, right?

That's just a hypothetical illustrating how the Democrats and Republicans are both politically liberal. The real divider is social issues and that's about it.

HERETIC!

 

[ACamp1900]

What we need to do is great rid of the party system all together... we can start with the Democrats.

 

[Cackalacky]

VOTE FOR AN INCONGRUOUS AND DISJOINTED PLATFORM!

 

[Rack Em]

VOTE FOR AN INCONGRUOUS AND DISJOINTED PLATFORM!

VOTE FOR DONNELLY

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Whiskey's correct. The left wants big change and the right often goes along with it.

They squabble over spending cuts in the Department of Education that amount to a few billion. A real opposing party would want to dismantle it (or at least reduce it to a skeleton crew) and vest the power to educate back to the states. Novel idea, right?

That's just a hypothetical illustrating how the Democrats and Republicans are both politically liberal. The real divider is social issues and that's about it.

Democrats are people. Republicans are people. It is human nature to want change. Thus does end the bickering over liberal or conservative.

The interesting thing is that no one acknowledges the concept of listening to all arguments and discarding those that have been discredited or disproved. For example, any of you that don't believe in the veracity of modern science, and the gaps it is filling in minute by minute in the vast well of human ignorance, do me a favor; don't get this years flu shot, (what evolution?)

Maybe it doesn't matter right now if the concept of gravity is not a force pulling down (Newton), but a warp in space caused by a large body (Einstein), but it may some day. That is why we cannot pick and chose what scientific information we accept. The only we can discredit is what has been disproved. If it is proved, it cannot be disproved, only modified in how it fits into a larger framework.

But when people conflate, or confuse issues to obviously cloud the discourse, this behavior is derogatory to the public good, and needs to be decried and eliminated.

Every bit of every day all of our lives is made better by the gaps filled in by science. This is such a phenomenal change that the average male life expectancy in America has increased by nearly 40 percent in the last hundred years!

Just because we don't like something, doesn't mean we should attack it. Or that it will make a difference, other than casting humankind backwards, (like the dark ages, for example.)

It will be interesting to observe the political landscape in the next couple years, with the evangelical churches jumping on the environmentally conscious band wagon, and these churches providing a good deal of the conservative support in American politics. Might be interesting to watch.

 

[Rack Em]

Democrats are people. Republicans are people. It is human nature to want change. Thus does end the bickering over liberal or conservative.

The interesting thing is that no one acknowledges the concept of listening to all arguments and discarding those that have been discredited or disproved. For example, any of you that don't believe in the veracity of modern science, and the gaps it is filling in minute by minute in the vast well of human ignorance, do me a favor; don't get this years flu shot, (what evolution?)

Maybe it doesn't matter right now if the concept of gravity is not a force pulling down (Newton), but a warp in space caused by a large body (Einstein), but it may some day. That is why we cannot pick and chose what scientific information we accept. The only we can discredit is what has been disproved. If it is proved, it cannot be disproved, only modified in how it fits into a larger framework.

But when people conflate, or confuse issues to obviously cloud the discourse, this behavior is derogatory to the public good, and needs to be decried and eliminated.

Every bit of every day all of our lives is made better by the gaps filled in by science. This is such a phenomenal change that the average male life expectancy in America has increased by nearly 40 percent in the last hundred years!

Just because we don't like something, doesn't mean we should attack it. Or that it will make a difference, other than casting humankind backwards, (like the dark ages, for example.)

It will be interesting to observe the political landscape in the next couple years, with the evangelical churches jumping on the environmentally conscious band wagon, and these churches providing a good deal of the conservative support in American politics. Might be interesting to watch.

I'm confused why you quoted me?

EDIT: I reread this and I'm even more confused why you quoted me.

EDIT #2: Still 100% completely bamboozled.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Whiskey's correct. The left wants big change and the right often goes along with it.

They squabble over spending cuts in the Department of Education that amount to a few billion. A real opposing party would want to dismantle it (or at least reduce it to a skeleton crew) and vest the power to educate back to the states. Novel idea, right?

That's just a hypothetical illustrating how the Democrats and Republicans are both politically liberal. The real divider is social issues and that's about it.

Skeleton crew? That's why the Tea Party was created. Limited, constitutional government.

I see far more dividers than social issues. To make a long post short...

Federal government's role in American citizens' lives (health care, education, retirement, employment, to start).

 

[Rack Em]

Skeleton crew? That's why the Tea Party was created. Limited, constitutional government.

I see far more dividers than social issues. To make a long post short...

Federal government's role in American citizens' lives (health care, education, retirement, employment, to start).

1. The "Tea Party" is often a label given to anyone who is farther right than any of the two liberal parties in America. And it's often used as a derogatory term to suggest a "radical" despite that radical's views that might coincide with the original intent of the Constitution. IMO, it's a term that is so vague that it lacks true meaning. If individuals who identified under a common platform(s) then it could gain some real traction. Until then, it's just a way for the left to villanize conservative Republicans and a way for liberal and moderate Republicans to distance themselves from what the party should stand for.

2. I sort of understand your point about health care, education, retirement, employment, etc. But we're talking about minor differences across the board.

Health care? Opposing Obamacare doesn't make one "conservative" whereas opposing government intervention in healthcare (i.e. dismantling Medicare) makes one truly conservative. Bickering about 'closing the prescription drug loophole' is semantics - just dump the whole program if you want to be a real conservative.

Education? Stop funding the Department of Education and leave it to the states. That's the true conservative approach.

Retirement? Not really sure how you're drawing the line here. Social security payments? Dump the program. It's a slush fund for Congress and has completely outlived its design. It's not a retirement program, it's a supplement. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that the 65 year old requirement hasn't changed as live expectancy has.

Employment? Cut all minimum wage laws and let market economics facilitate the price of labor.

True conservative principles suggest that America drastically cut its fiscal programs, not just bitch about saving $5 billion here and $125 million there.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I'm confused why you quoted me?

EDIT: I reread this and I'm even more confused why you quoted me.

EDIT #2: Still 100% completely bamboozled.

You are one of the few people on this site, (or anywhere, for that matter) who gets it is all about the show! Sorry it wasn't clear for you. Stands out like a beacon for me!

Human nature is human nature. Once you take off the 1% that are bodies not souls, and another seven to ten percent that have other more extreme issues to deal with, we all have about the same needs, hopes, and desires. Now there is a difference in intelligence, effectiveness, and motivation, but most of us handle things about the same (common evolutionary experience, close genetic relationship.)

Kind of like we are machines, plus. Machines in that our actions, thoughts, and desires are predictable. Plus, in the fact that we have imagination, and room for emotions that transcend our physical beings, like love in its many forms.

Politics (from Greek: πολιτικός politikos, meaning "of, for, or relating to citizens") is the practice and theory of influencing other people on a civic or individual level. More narrowly, it refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance — organized control over a human community, particularly a state. A variety of methods are employed in politics, which include promoting one's own political views among people, negotiation with other political subjects, making laws, and exercising force, including warfare against adversaries. Politics is exercised on a wide range of social levels, from clans and tribes of traditional societies, through modern local governments, companies and institutions up to sovereign states, to the international level.

A political system is a framework which defines acceptable political methods within a given society. History of political thought can be traced back to early antiquity, with seminal works such as Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Politics and the works of Confucius.

Modern political discourse focuses on democracy and the relationship between people and politics. It is thought of as the way people choose government officials and make decisions about public policy.[1]​

So politics, which are basically the movement to consensus in a social arena, to promote an idea or agenda. I am oversimplifying, and beg your indulgence, but it comes down to motivation and manipulation of human beings. ("Motivation and manipulation" needs be read in the most general and kind interpretation.

So picture it. You have "A" which to distinguish itself comes at issues, the truth, whatever from one side. And you have by nature with opposition "B" which must come for its own survival and sake from a different. To have an effective system A and B must distinguish themselves as much as possible from each other for their own survival.

However here is where lies the rub. Most of the people are in the middle. For example, every generation or so, a common cry to throw out the politics, and just get the job done arises. (John Anderson in 1980, libertarians, some tea party, No nothings, Bull Moose, etc.,) But for A and B to win the support of the masses, they must convince the populace that though the come from the extreme, their ideas and goals are best for all of the people. Because the great majority of individuals not only want what is best for themselves, but do have an altruistic streak.

Successful politics happens when an individual or group convinces the most people that what they want is best for all, not just themselves, and do so as forcefully, and willfully as possible, without crossing the line and publically being called a liar or a hypocrite. That is why the Ohio Law which the Supreme Court killed the other day is untenable. You cannot deal with honesty as a common medium or currency of exchange in politics. And that is why people so enthusiastically lie and berate others in some political conversations.

And as a personal note, where some people think of me as a know it all, or worse. The opposite is true. I may know how some things work, and that is great, but I am not interested in coming up with the solution, just starting the conversation. I truly like most people on this site, some with seemingly opposing views. It is because of the sincerity of their beliefs. Just because humans have the same ultimate goals, doesn't mean they get there with the same thoughts, feelings, or opinions.

You Rack'em understand all of this. Some people that disagree with me understand this, (not to name everyone but Grahambo, Whiskey, and ACamp, you all come up as examples of people that I have felt strong disagreement on a single issue or two, but hold in great respect.)

The ultimate statement of this in question form is can you think of anything that any of us have more in common than trying to love and be loved more effectively?

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

1. The "Tea Party" is often a label given to anyone who is farther right than any of the two liberal parties in America. And it's often used as a derogatory term to suggest a "radical" despite that radical's views that might coincide with the original intent of the Constitution. IMO, it's a term that is so vague that it lacks true meaning. If individuals who identified under a common platform(s) then it could gain some real traction. Until then, it's just a way for the left to villanize conservative Republicans and a way for liberal and moderate Republicans to distance themselves from what the party should stand for.

2. I sort of understand your point about health care, education, retirement, employment, etc. But we're talking about minor differences across the board.

Health care? Opposing Obamacare doesn't make one "conservative" whereas opposing government intervention in healthcare (i.e. dismantling Medicare) makes one truly conservative. Bickering about 'closing the prescription drug loophole' is semantics - just dump the whole program if you want to be a real conservative.

Education? Stop funding the Department of Education and leave it to the states. That's the true conservative approach.

Retirement? Not really sure how you're drawing the line here. Social security payments? Dump the program. It's a slush fund for Congress and has completely outlived its design. It's not a retirement program, it's a supplement. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that the 65 year old requirement hasn't changed as live expectancy has.

Employment? Cut all minimum wage laws and let market economics facilitate the price of labor.

True conservative principles suggest that America drastically cut its fiscal programs, not just bitch about saving $5 billion here and $125 million there.

I think you and I are on the same page here, buddy. But I disagree strongly that the two parties are one in the same with the only dividers being social issues. My next post will be another example. Cheers.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Oh. My. God. Taken right from the feds' website.



Obama Advertised In JANUARY For 'Escorts' To 'Resettle' 65k Illegal 'Children' - MONTHS Before Border Crisis Began | Top Right NewsTop Right News

 

[irishog77]

I think you and I are on the same page here, buddy. But I disagree strongly that the two parties are one in the same with the only dividers being social issues. My next post will be another example. Cheers.

***CLIFFHANGER***

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

It's like the administration heard me or is watching me on IE haha. From the southern border to California...BobD they should be arriving soon to your living room. You need to provide them with free housing, food, and education until they are 18. Because this is social justice, they are dreamers, we owe it to them, and this is fundamental transformation of the US.

Border Patrol to fly hundreds of illegal immigrants from Texas to California | Fox News

 

[wizards8507]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/en...e-scandal-of-fiddled-global-warming-data.html

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 4

 

[Bluto]

The scandal of fiddled global warming data - Telegraph

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 4

So, this is a link to a wordpress blog site by some dipshit author. That seals the deal.

 

[Old Man Mike]

"The costs of inaction are undeniable. The lines of scientific evidence grow only stronger and more numerous. And the window of time remaining to act is growing smaller: delay could mean that warming becomes “locked in.”
A market-based approach, like a carbon tax, would be the best path to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, but that is unachievable in the current political gridlock in Washington. Dealing with this political reality, President Obama’s June climate action plan lays out achievable actions that would deliver real progress. He will use his executive powers to require reductions in the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the nation’s power plants and spur increased investment in clean energy technology, which is inarguably the path we must follow to ensure a strong economy along with a livable climate. …
Rather than argue against his proposals, our leaders in Congress should endorse them and start the overdue debate about what bigger steps are needed and how to achieve them — domestically and internationally. …
We can have both a strong economy and a livable climate. All parties know that we need both. The rest of the discussion is either detail, which we can resolve, or purposeful delay, which we should not tolerate.
Mr. Obama’s plan is just a start. More will be required. But we must continue efforts to reduce the climate-altering pollutants that threaten our planet. The only uncertainty about our warming world is how bad the changes will get, and how soon. What is most clear is that there is no time to waste."


Above is a quote from the joint statement by four former heads of the Environmental Protection Agency {William Ruckelshaus [for Richard Nixon], Lee Thomas [for Ronald Reagan], William Reilly [for the elder George Bush], and Christine Whitman [for the junior Bush].


.... sometimes things get so big that truth actually peeks out from behind the bushes.

 

[Cackalacky]

'Second punch' of ocean acidification threatens Lowcountry - Post and Courier
Local article from local scientists, working with NOAA who has two permanent installations here...but who cares. I studied under Jack DiTullio as well as invertebrate zoologists who contributed to the findings reported here and continue to generate data daily for our estuaries, harbor and offshore reefs.

I have talked about the impact to the coastal economic engines of our country. A dead zone in our harbor and offshore reefs will create a major impact to the livelihood and economic input from this port city.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

"The costs of inaction are undeniable. The lines of scientific evidence grow only stronger and more numerous. And the window of time remaining to act is growing smaller: delay could mean that warming becomes “locked in.”
A market-based approach, like a carbon tax, would be the best path to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, but that is unachievable in the current political gridlock in Washington. Dealing with this political reality, President Obama’s June climate action plan lays out achievable actions that would deliver real progress. He will use his executive powers to require reductions in the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the nation’s power plants and spur increased investment in clean energy technology, which is inarguably the path we must follow to ensure a strong economy along with a livable climate. …
Rather than argue against his proposals, our leaders in Congress should endorse them and start the overdue debate about what bigger steps are needed and how to achieve them — domestically and internationally. …
We can have both a strong economy and a livable climate. All parties know that we need both. The rest of the discussion is either detail, which we can resolve, or purposeful delay, which we should not tolerate.
Mr. Obama’s plan is just a start. More will be required. But we must continue efforts to reduce the climate-altering pollutants that threaten our planet. The only uncertainty about our warming world is how bad the changes will get, and how soon. What is most clear is that there is no time to waste."


Above is a quote from the joint statement by four former heads of the Environmental Protection Agency {William Ruckelshaus [for Richard Nixon], Lee Thomas [for Ronald Reagan], William Reilly [for the elder George Bush], and Christine Whitman [for the junior Bush].


.... sometimes things get so big that truth actually peeks out from behind the bushes.

Again :


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I use Jon Stewart and others like him because I am frustrated. I understand someone being ignorant to the point they are willing to shit all over themselves. But to include everybody? Without having an open and honest discussion?

This environmental discussion is starkly clear : On one hand you have honest and intelligent people hoping for open and honest discussion leading to action; on the other you don't.

 

[connor_in]

I'll ask this question ...

What then is the attack plan? What will it mean short term to the atmosphere/environment? long term? What nations all are involved in doing these items? How will these items effect our/the world economy as well?

 

[BobD]

I'll ask this question ...

What then is the attack plan? What will it mean short term to the atmosphere/environment? long term? What nations all are involved in doing these items? How will these items effect our/the world economy ?

It doesn't matter what the plan is. IMO it's painfully obvious that humans will destroy themselves. As "smart" as we think we've become, we continually do the stupidest things. Especially here in the US.

Example: Los Angeles hasn't had enough naturally occurring water to support its population in forever. Do we stop growth there and say "Hey it would be stupid to build a gigantic city here"....nope. How far below sea level is New Orleans? ....and we just rebuild it. New York City is a giant disaster just waiting to happen. We work so hard building crap where we shouldnt just for pleasure and convenience. San Francisco and the bay area will eventually shake like hell..... and we just keep building. We don't produce enough food to feed ourselves. We are polluting and destroying the ocean at an alarming rate.

I try to be optimistic, but I also try to be realistic.....We are so screwed. Maybe not us, but future generations will live in a pretty gross place.

 

[ab2cmiller]

As Josh King from CNN said a week ago. Do you believe in the Easter Bunny? Do you believe in Santa Claus? Do you believe that Lois Lerner's email suddenly went poof?

I guess we can now add do you believe that it's just coincidence that the IRS cancels a contract with an email archiving company just weeks after the first inquiry into the targeting issue? Do you believe that you would go from having a contract for email archiving for a period of six years and then suddenly choose to go without that service? LOL.
IRS Fired Email-Archiving Firm After Lerner Crash | The Daily Caller

IRS CANCELLED Contract with Email-Storage Firm Weeks After Lerner’s Computer Crash

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) cancelled its longtime relationship with an email-storage contractor just weeks after ex-IRS official Lois Lerner’s computer crashed and shortly before other IRS officials’ computers allegedly crashed.

The IRS signed a contract with Sonasoft, an email-archiving company based in San Jose, California, each year from 2005 to 2010. The company, which partners with Microsoft and counts The New York Times among its clients, claims in its company slogans that it provides “Email Archiving Done Right” and “Point-Click Recovery.” Sonasoft in 2009 tweeted, “If the IRS uses Sonasoft products to backup their servers why wouldn’t you choose them to protect your servers?”

Sonasoft was providing “automatic data processing” services for the IRS throughout the January 2009 to April 2011 period in which Lerner sent her missing emails.

But Sonasoft’s six-year business relationship with the IRS came to an abrupt end at the close of fiscal year 2011, as congressional investigators began looking into the IRS conservative targeting scandal and IRS employees’ computers started crashing left and right.

Sonasoft’s fiscal year 2011 contract with the IRS ended on August 31, 2011. Eight days later, the IRS officially closed out its relationship with Sonasoft in accordance with the federal government’s contract close-out guidelines, which require agencies to fully audit their contracts and to get back any money that wasn’t used by the contractor. Curiously, the IRS de-allocated 36 cents when it closed out its contract with Sonasoft on September 8, 2011.

Lois Lerner’s computer allegedly crashed in June 2011, just ten days after House Ways and Means Committee chairman Rep. Dave Camp first wrote a letter asking if the IRS was engaging in targeting of nonprofit groups. Two months later, Sonasoft’s contract ended and the IRS gave its email-archiving contractor the boot.

IRS official and frequent White House visitor Nikole Flax allegedly suffered her own computer crash in December 2011, three months after the IRS ended its relationship with Sonasoft.

Here’s a Sonasoft commercial re-enacting how the company quickly and thoroughly saves its clients’ emails after computer crashes:

Read more: IRS Fired Email-Archiving Firm After Lerner Crash | The Daily Caller

 

[Old Man Mike]

As to "attack plans": I'm not big enough to create a world atmosphere sweeping attack plan. All that I can do is live my own life with conscious regard for what my own actions do to other persons, other entities, and their future generations. So, I have a miniature "attack plan" called living life with care for others. It contains the following elements among other things:

1). high energy conservation in structural elements of the building within which I live [this, surprisingly, not only pays me back in dollars saved, but reduces my burden on the Earth]; the "ordinary" electricity that we use comes via the green premium paid for wind-generated power;
2). high-level reduce/reuse/recycle/compost practices, eliminating waste, excess energy use in production and transportation of goods, reduction in dependency upon basic materials and manufactures from politically unfriendly, unstable, and/or viciously inhumane areas of the planet;
3). aware purchasing, emphasizing nearest quality sources, particularly of consumables. The Western Michigan region grows an abundant variety of all manners of foods and even produces things like salt, sugar, beers, wines, all within easy transportational reach; the house also has an extensive roof garden;
4). conscious cultivation of community, both within the co-op-like house where I and my buddies live, but also in the local neighborhood, hosting meetings and helping materialize projects for higher quality of life for folks other than myself. This "strange behavior" oddly replaces certain needs for brainless "entertainment";
5). living with an insistence that The Spiritual play an important role in regular personal prayer times and meditation, and in house-community meal times. These "staying in overt touch moments" give the necessary grace to think in terms of others rather than what is my percentage "profit" from my actions. It gives the virtue of fortitude to go forward with other-oriented good works, both as to time and money contributions;
6). striving to continue to analyze my/our daily living systems with open minds so as to attempt evolutionary improvements as insight and money/time permits [ex. we will one day be driving an electric vehicle or some similar soft-on-the-planet machine; we will someday be composting even ground animal bone meal and eggshells for the rooftop garden; we will have a rooftop greenhouse and an inside faux-tropical "hothouse" for a few tropic plants like teas, ginger, perhaps even cinnamon --- etc to never-ending];
7). in short I and my friends will dedicate ourselves to creating a small "green Ark", integrated with the local society and our neighborhood, and we ourselves walk spiritually and as softly as we can on our planet and other people's lives.

That's all I can do. I cannot cure "China", nor Exxon-Mobile, nor WallMart. I can only clean my own life and my own soul. And I will not use China, Exxon, nor WallMart as an excuse not to do so.

 

[Ndaccountant]

As to "attack plans": I'm not big enough to create a world atmosphere sweeping attack plan. All that I can do is live my own life with conscious regard for what my own actions do to other persons, other entities, and their future generations. So, I have a miniature "attack plan" called living life with care for others. It contains the following elements among other things:

1). high energy conservation in structural elements of the building within which I live [this, surprisingly, not only pays me back in dollars saved, but reduces my burden on the Earth]; the "ordinary" electricity that we use comes via the green premium paid for wind-generated power;
2). high-level reduce/reuse/recycle/compost practices, eliminating waste, excess energy use in production and transportation of goods, reduction in dependency upon basic materials and manufactures from politically unfriendly, unstable, and/or viciously inhumane areas of the planet;
3). aware purchasing, emphasizing nearest quality sources, particularly of consumables. The Western Michigan region grows an abundant variety of all manners of foods and even produces things like salt, sugar, beers, wines, all within easy transportational reach; the house also has an extensive roof garden;
4). conscious cultivation of community, both within the co-op-like house where I and my buddies live, but also in the local neighborhood, hosting meetings and helping materialize projects for higher quality of life for folks other than myself. This "strange behavior" oddly replaces certain needs for brainless "entertainment";
5). living with an insistence that The Spiritual play an important role in regular personal prayer times and meditation, and in house-community meal times. These "staying in overt touch moments" give the necessary grace to think in terms of others rather than what is my percentage "profit" from my actions. It gives the virtue of fortitude to go forward with other-oriented good works, both as to time and money contributions;
6). striving to continue to analyze my/our daily living systems with open minds so as to attempt evolutionary improvements as insight and money/time permits [ex. we will one day be driving an electric vehicle or some similar soft-on-the-planet machine; we will someday be composting even ground animal bone meal and eggshells for the rooftop garden; we will have a rooftop greenhouse and an inside faux-tropical "hothouse" for a few tropic plants like teas, ginger, perhaps even cinnamon --- etc to never-ending];
7). in short I and my friends will dedicate ourselves to creating a small "green Ark", integrated with the local society and our neighborhood, and we ourselves walk spiritually and as softly as we can on our planet and other people's lives.

That's all I can do. I cannot cure "China", nor Exxon-Mobile, nor WallMart. I can only clean my own life and my own soul. And I will not use China, Exxon, nor WallMart as an excuse not to do so.

I think this is great. Personal choice, reflection and accountability is the way to go about this IMO. What I don't care for is when people force those things on others to live the lifestyle that is "acceptable". We can each do our part and some will do more than others, which is no different than anything else in life.

 

[connor_in]

As to "attack plans": I'm not big enough to create a world atmosphere sweeping attack plan. All that I can do is live my own life with conscious regard for what my own actions do to other persons, other entities, and their future generations. So, I have a miniature "attack plan" called living life with care for others. It contains the following elements among other things:

1). high energy conservation in structural elements of the building within which I live [this, surprisingly, not only pays me back in dollars saved, but reduces my burden on the Earth]; the "ordinary" electricity that we use comes via the green premium paid for wind-generated power;
2). high-level reduce/reuse/recycle/compost practices, eliminating waste, excess energy use in production and transportation of goods, reduction in dependency upon basic materials and manufactures from politically unfriendly, unstable, and/or viciously inhumane areas of the planet;
3). aware purchasing, emphasizing nearest quality sources, particularly of consumables. The Western Michigan region grows an abundant variety of all manners of foods and even produces things like salt, sugar, beers, wines, all within easy transportational reach; the house also has an extensive roof garden;
4). conscious cultivation of community, both within the co-op-like house where I and my buddies live, but also in the local neighborhood, hosting meetings and helping materialize projects for higher quality of life for folks other than myself. This "strange behavior" oddly replaces certain needs for brainless "entertainment";
5). living with an insistence that The Spiritual play an important role in regular personal prayer times and meditation, and in house-community meal times. These "staying in overt touch moments" give the necessary grace to think in terms of others rather than what is my percentage "profit" from my actions. It gives the virtue of fortitude to go forward with other-oriented good works, both as to time and money contributions;
6). striving to continue to analyze my/our daily living systems with open minds so as to attempt evolutionary improvements as insight and money/time permits [ex. we will one day be driving an electric vehicle or some similar soft-on-the-planet machine; we will someday be composting even ground animal bone meal and eggshells for the rooftop garden; we will have a rooftop greenhouse and an inside faux-tropical "hothouse" for a few tropic plants like teas, ginger, perhaps even cinnamon --- etc to never-ending];
7). in short I and my friends will dedicate ourselves to creating a small "green Ark", integrated with the local society and our neighborhood, and we ourselves walk spiritually and as softly as we can on our planet and other people's lives.

That's all I can do. I cannot cure "China", nor Exxon-Mobile, nor WallMart. I can only clean my own life and my own soul. And I will not use China, Exxon, nor WallMart as an excuse not to do so.

As always OMM, thank you for the thoughtful response. Others have responded with dersion or ignored previously. But being the real world, it does matter how things are gone about and what can be expected result-wise.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Walmart Corporate - Fact Check: The New York Times "The Corporate Daddy"

Kinda funny. Like em or not, this was clever.

 

[condoms SUCk]

Interesting read
Global warming data FAKED by government to fit climate change fictions - NaturalNews.com