Category Archives: ethics and morals

Highway collapses along U.S. – Mexico border

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Global News has this up on highway collapse thought to be caused by several local earthquakes.

So…yeah, I’m looking at fracking in the area.  Here’s a report on fracking near the area:

(not linking to it for obvious reasons)

thehydroexcavationblog.com/south-texas-hydro-excavation-link-love-shale-fracking-growth/

From the article:

U.S. oil production has reversed a 30-plus year decline and, by some estimates, the country will become the world’s largest oil producer by as early as 2017 and will achieve full energy self-sufficiency by 2030.

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::…meanwhile, citizens are dropping dead of *mysterious* illnesses at  a rate parallel to the amount of fracking being done…..:: /not really snarky, but a little too close to the truth

I found a protest blog by Mexican nationals.   Again, you’ll have to use google translate.

I also found this on the detrimental decision to release control of Mexico’s oil resources to outside investors.  Combine that with this previous story on the huge reserves just ripe for fracking…and well, you can draw the picture.

Egyptians are also protesting fracking.  Can you imagine poisoning the Nile?  Good Grief.

 

Opposing Enbridge

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Warrior Publications has this up on the curious fact that people opposing the Enbridge pipeline are not the radicals that the Oil industry and the politicos would like you to think.

Like I’ve said before, there are a lot more people in favor of protecting the environment but are afraid to be categorized as terrorists or radicals, so they remain silent.  It really came home to me when I wrote an op-ed for my local paper talking about environmental concerns, including GMO labeling.  I had people call me and talk to me in person (in a low voice, no doubt so no one else could hear the conversation) about how they agreed with me.  But they didn’t take that next step and write their own op-ed on how they, too, wanted to protect the environment.

The oil industry and others have done a bang up job of portraying *all* environmentalists as radical, violent people….when only a small number of people have done things that are disagreeable to the rest.  And I’m sure there were agent provocateurs amongst the violent ones.

The following isn’t related to the environmental protests, but it is helpful in understanding that it isn’t paranoia on the part of protestors:

 

The ripples that come after…

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...Congress cuts unemployment benefits.  I disagree with the writer’s assertion that the Democrats “wanted to continue” unemployment benefits.  Are you kidding me?  These are the same people going along with Third Way mentality that wants to end New Deal social programs….

…meanwhile, they budgeted $500 Billion for the defense budget….a budget that should be reigned in, because they have too many contractors, too much waste,  (want to find money to support the jobless, give food to the hungry, and find homes for the homeless?  $430 MILLION in cutting waste is a place to start)  and an NSA that is running amok.

There is just something very, very wrong when a country spends more money to kill people than save them.

 

 

 

 

Israel citizens want to teach Peace

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The opening quote is an understatement. (love the mural, too)

Of course, the people want peace–it’s the politicians and war profiteers who want war.  Most of the people in the world just want to live in peace…raise their families…earn a living…follow their own paths….

…but then you get to the end of the article…<sigh>….well, baby steps towards Peace…but I’ll take it.

The culture of violence against women

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…continues.

Break a woman’s head in three spaces? Hey, that’s okay…I’m sure you didn’t mean to hit her with such force that you broke the bone.

From the link on the sentencing:

Chief Deputy Yellowstone County attorney Juli M. Pierce said after the hearing that she respects the two sentences the judges gave Ferguson.

“We’ll continue to prosecute domestic violence cases no matter what the outcome is,” she said, shortly after Ferguson was taken into custody. “We’ll continue to fight that fight because that’s why we’re here – for the protection of the community.”

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You call *that* prosecution?  God help the women of Yellowstone County.

Money can’t buy security, either…

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<sigh>  Well, folks, if you were feeling a little more secure about our Constitution with the last court ruling on NSA surveillance...think again.

As the commenters said, I wonder what kind of dirt the NSA has on Judge William Pauley.  There is no way on Earth that this is in keeping with the Fourth Amendment:

 

U.S. Constitution › Fourth Amendment

Fourth Amendment

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

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This bears repeating:  No warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation, particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

Probable cause is required for searching a person, their houses, papers, and effects.  A court must agree that there is probable cause in order for the agency to violate someone’s privacy.

This amendment protects a person from a government abusing its power, as we saw in the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and China.  People who are not doing anything wrong have a right to be let alone.

 

Happiness that money can’t buy

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Gene Logsdon has a post up on the Christmas gifts that go against the notion that you have to buy the “latest” to make someone happy.  I’m all for the practical gift that someone will truly use and appreciate.  I would love to get a jar of homemade orange marmalade or a jar of raw honey for Christmas.

Be sure to read the comments–a former Marine bought a farm after leaving the service and he writes about it in the comments.  A truly inspiring story.  Enjoy.

Third Way

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You might remember this post with a quote that says the words “third way”.  Not long after I posted it, Ed on the Ed Show (MSNBC) mentioned the Third Way.  I can’t remember exactly what he said, but it was negative and the segment intrigued me.

I’ve just now gotten around to doing a bit of research on Third Way.  Whew…do you smell a rat??  Me, too.

Red flags are going off with Elizabeth Warren being attacked by supposed Democrats for…speaking out against selling us out to the 1% by cutting Social Security and other social programs….calling them “populist”. Um-hmmm…that and the word “entitlement” are key words for the “I’ve-got-mine-screw-you” crowd. 

Now, getting back to the previous post with Hillary Clinton’s religious leader saying those words:  third way…and how they wanted to do away with New Deal programs:

It emerged, he [Reverend Don Jones] says, as a third way, a reaction against both separatist fundamentalism and the New Deal’s labor-based liberalism.

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Social Security. Public Schools.  Medicaid.  Medicare.  Public employees like fire fighters, police.  Public Libraries.  A decent living wage.

I know that it’s hard to believe they want to destroy it all, but all signs are pointing towards that very end.

Elizabeth Warren stands in the way of that.

Here’s a humorous video up on it:

Please, please run for President, Elizabeth.  Please!!  I’ll go knocking on doors…whatever needs done to help get you votes.  Hillary Clinton is nothing but a Goldwater Girl doing the dirty work of the bankers, warmongers, education profiteers, Big Oil, Monsanto, and no doubt countless other organizations that don’t give a crap about Americans or America, the poor, the elderly, the children, the environment, nor the middle class.

Please run, Elizabeth.