Common Dreams has this up on NASA scientist James Hansen leaving the agency to work actively against climate change.
What’s really depressing about this article is that Hansen has been telling Congress since 1988 that climate change was real and a growing problem.
1988….twenty-five freaking years ago….and we’re still dragging our feet? It is so depressing at all that has happened since then and how much better off we would be now if action had been taken at that time!
In our building, we have a small library with some good mysteries (which I love), and we all share the books between us.
I like to read them before bed, and this last one just is over the top in stereotypes. I quit reading trashy romance novels because of the way women were portrayed as always needing rescued and in some of the cases, the women were…how to put this…gently raped. Or perhaps I should say date raped….the last romance novel with this in it had portrayed a Native American woman as a princess (there is no such thing) that was in love with a European guy who thought she was seeing someone else. He proceeds to throw her on the bed and rip her clothes off….and you get the rest. This was so offensive that it pretty much turned me off of them (some exceptions are ones where the woman is independent and doesn’t need rescued, but enjoys having a companion to share her life).
So…long intro story into the book I just finished—
This mystery was about a serial killer that was attacking women in a certain area. I’ll spare you the gruesome details (also not one of my favorite reads–I prefer the kind Agatha Christie wrote that focused more on analytical ability than the gore). But essentially these women were connected to a domestic violence recovery center and three of them disappeared and two bodies were recovered. A third survived, but would be blind and deaf for life. I liked the fact that the book somewhat highlighted centers that helped women to recover from abusive relationships–absolutely get that, BUT that was briefly talked about. The other women characters, save for our one heroine and the lady running the center, were textbook misogyny. As Freud did, the acts of the brutal men were blamed on the women in their lives. The killer, a professional man whom nobody suspected (except me–I had him nailed after the first few chapters), was driven to the horrible crimes by his overbearing, career driven wife. The book brings up a real life serial killer (whose name escapes me right now) whose mother was so controlling that it drove him to his crimes. Another woman married to a man who commits domestic violence on her and their child was portrayed as an alcoholic who did not help her son or try to seek help at said domestic violence center—a curious part of the plot.
The heroine of the book was a teacher. Now, most teachers I know are dedicated as this one was portrayed. But to portray only her as “a good woman” just left me depressed as women have to be perfect in order to be considered “good women”.
The career woman was a complete bitch who did not care about her child or husband. I’m not saying that those women don’t exist, but it was just sooo over the top. And to blame her for the violent actions of her husband was pure Freud. Anything wrong in the relationship or the man acts in anti-social ways? Well, then, blame the woman he’s with or his mother….case closed!
As I’ve said before—there are plenty of people who have been abused as children and don’t go on to abuse others as adults. They make that choice not to repeat the abuse….
…which leads to the question of why do some folks go on to abuse and others do not? Compassion? Why don’t those that go on to abuse others have that compassion? Free will plays in this, I know, but why do they choose violence?
Thanks for letting me vent. End of rant
Okay, first I have to say that making sweeping generalizations about any group is racist. One person’s laziness is another’s creative expression….such as this guy and his creative parking. Gotta love it.
(hat tip to common dreams)
Paul Krugman has a few thoughts on Cyprus: Leave the euro now.
The only issue with Krugman’s column is that he should get a little more detailed and put it into context. Most folks are not literate in the financial world (which I think they bank on (pun intended)), so a little “lesson” on the history of economics and why we continually bail out banks and financial institutions and anyone else they deemed “worthy”…just as long as they don’t give those sleazy poor people food stamps!!
…is the first step towards correcting the problem….Washington Post hasn’t quite gotten *there* yet. The media was absolutely culpable for instilling fear into the public and credibility into the Bush Administration where no credibility existed.
What’s worse is that they are still giving air time to Cheney, et al, as if this guy has any credibility at all.
From the New York Times:
Most notably, Mr. Cheney defends his position on Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction, the Iraq war and the use of waterboarding with his usual aplomb and deft obfuscation. Other key players, including George W. Bush, have acknowledged mistakes and expressed dismay over decisions that proved misguided. Mr. Cheney says he did nothing wrong and has no regrets.
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One incident is almost chilling. Barton Gellman, a journalist and the author of a Cheney biography, recounts how in 2004 Mr. Cheney fought Justice Department lawyers who had determined that the top-secret, warrantless surveillance program that he had pushed for was illegal. Mr. Cheney was so insistent on keeping the wiretaps going that he kept Mr. Bush, then in his re-election campaign, out of the loop until the 11th hour, when two dozen Justice Department lawyers and the F.B.I. director threatened to resign
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And let’s not forget the profit factor for Cheney. More here. Blood on your hands, Dick.
Here’s a good article on those that were promoting the Iraq War through the media. They use powerful words and the “if you’re not with us, you’re against us…or a fool….” Hard to go against the grain when put in that context…I tried talking with a friend about it, but she was military and absolutely refused to believe that there was any doubt there were WMD’s. They wouldn’t lie to her….
The media is very powerful in influencing people. And the fact that Ronnie Reagan removed the Fairness Doctrine has had huge impacts in our ability to get both sides of a story in order to flush out the truth. The press is no longer obligated by law to present the whole picture instead of something that suits them. The fact that in my community there are nothing but rightwing radio announcers is testament to how unfair and unbalanced our media is…
Not only Reagan, but Clinton allowed media consolidation. The media owners get to promote their own political views and world views without having to air the opposing side’s views.
From the article:
(This is my beef, also, about what happened in Fort Wayne last June–save for one station on Friday night, there was no live broadcast talking about the super storm. NO ONE was live on the air on the next day, Saturday, telling people where they could go for cooling stations, when the power would be back on, how many people were affected (so folks would know that it was going to be awhile to get power and to plan accordingly.))
| January 18, 2002 | A train carrying hazardous materials derails at 1:30 a.m. in Minot, North Dakota, spilling 210,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia in an incident federal regulators call “catastrophic”. Clear Channel Communications owns six out the seven commercial stations in Minot. Minot authorities say when they called with the warning about the toxic cloud, there was no one on the air who could’ve made the announcement. Clear Channel says someone was there who could have activated an emergency broadcast. But Minot police say nobody answered the phones. |
(Taking time out for a quick post. Mom is doing better at the moment….but not out of the woods yet)
I asked permission to post this story of the recovery of a GAPS support group member:
Hi you guys
I wanted to encourage all newbies. My son age 4/12 was non verbal when we started this diet. He also had no social skills and he didn’t respond to his nameWe have been on the diet for two years now. It has been a rough road to say the least. Not only was he nonverbal he also had extreme behavioral problems. Taking out high candida foods, like fruit, nuts and honey helped tremendously. We also have a Laura V from the group Gaps practitioner and Naturopath ND helping us.
Eli had a wonderful day at the park yesterday. My heart was overwhelmed with joy watching him play with other kids. He saw a little guy his age. He walked over to him and asked if he wanted to play. The other kiddo said yes. They played on the swing, they played tag and ran around. The other kid saw a friend he knew at the park. The friend also played with Eli. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Not to long Eli would shy away from kids. He use to act so strange around them. Perhaps because he couldn’t speak
He is also talking using sentences, asking questions and making comments on things that he hears and sees. We thought we would never see this happen
To all newbies stay the course. This diet can be stressful at times but the benefits of healing is so worth it. Dr NCM talks about adding cherries on top if you don’t see healing within a year or so. We had to get additional help. In addition to the diet. Eli is on homeopathic remedies to address his faulty detox system, his over exposure to antibiotics and his chronic gut issues due to the meds that was given to him as a baby. My doc is in the process of becoming gaps certified. I will post his info as soon as that happens
Hugs
Reg~~~~~~~~
I can’t add anything to this. It’s just absolutely stunning how diet can impact one so profoundly. God Bless Regina for being the kind of Mom who acts on her intuition and asks questions until she finds the answer.
I found this obit yesterday. Wow….it never ceases to amaze me how depraved people can be…
“A large proportion of the people who have gotten involved in research in this area have been harebrained and irresponsible — Timothy Leary being the most notorious example — and a lot of the stuff that has been published reflects that,” Klee told the Baltimore Evening Sun in 1975.
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Klee was quoted in the article as saying he took LSD to see what it was like because he couldn’t give a drug to someone without experiencing himself. Did he had anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, and other drugs, too? How much did the LSD affect his own performance and brain function? Did it alter his perception of what happened to not only himself but the poor saps that were experimented upon?
It is good that he finally came clean and reported yet another experiment on the unsuspecting….but it would have been better had he refused to participate and blown the whistle on the whole scheme to begin with.
My thoughts on Leary here.
Well, the billionaires lost this one. Woot!! I am so glad that people are waking up to what is really going on with the slick campaigns to privatize schools for more money for the 1%. Note the connection with the Gates Foundation.
Bhutan is the first country to go entirely organic. Good for them! Note that they see this as not only a practical idea, but they incorporate their spirituality in their reverence for nature. It’s not easy, as the article states, because it’s hard to reorient oneself to farming without chemicals. Chemicals are just too, too easy. It takes creative thinking and hard work to do the right thing.
<sigh> I wish the so-called progressive America did the same. (Remember when the United States used to lead the world?)
No, we’re not the leaders anymore….
…we’d much rather do stupid stuff like genetically engineer a life form and then persecute farmers into bankruptcy for using that technology unknowingly.
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In other environmental news, Canadian Prime Minister Harper is being urged to walk away from yet another trade agreement.
From the article:
The Australian government decided in 2011 it would stop including these rights and investor-state dispute settlement in its trade and investment agreements. Many countries, including South Africa and India, are rethinking their investment treaties because of the way corporations and law firms have abused them to undermine democracy and public policies globally. Several Latin American countries are cancelling their investment treaties for the same reason.
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Again, I ask, “remember when the U.S. used to lead the world….?” Why are other countries doing the right thing while America lists like a battered ship in the sea?
Police Chief Edward Flynn gives it back to Lindsey Graham, who clearly wants to ask questions and doesn’t necessarily care if he gets answers. He’s not interested in a civil exchange, but for only his views being heard.
“The background checks worked.”
Most Americans favor universal background checks.
Enough said.
Eagle 
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