"Tumbling" Gas Prices

(I posted the following response to an article on the recent "Tumbling" gas prices across the country. In actauality, the average prices have dropped a whopping 4 cents over the past two weeks.)

Four cents? Since when is a lousy four cent drop even considered a "tumble?" The gas prices have stayed at the same level in my area since May. There has been no "tumble" in the price [locally].

And to compare last years' greed driven prices to this year is nauseating. "(Compared to last year) that's down 83 cents." The media is simply trying to placate the american public by regurgitating useless facts that were caused by self-serving energy speculators.

Gone are the days when actual fundamentals dictated the price of oil and gasoline. They have been replaced by hype, over-sensitive market conditions, excuse driven spikes in prices, and the always timely "[insert facility name] refinery is down for maintenance."

Greed drives these commodities now more than ever, and the Federal Govt. sits on the sidelines doing nothing but raising taxes on every gallon of gas we pump. It's no longer a free market when a few companies control everything. The last time this happened, Standard Oil was declared a monopoly, was broken up, and independent dealers thrived.

But that will not happen again. Too many and too powerful are the lobbyists that are constantly pushing their agendas on Congress. Greed wins out over the wishes of constituents.

More Beltway Disconnect

The latest move in this pathetic display of the same-as-usual politics in the ongoing healthcare reform debacle comes to us courtesy of Senator Max Bacaus (D), Mont.

The good senator has proposed that once healthcare reform is enacted, any family not paying for coverage could be fined $3800. Sure there are financial ceilings and various criteria that would have to be met, but the basic line being proposed is 'if you don't have coverage, you'll be fined.'

What the #@&%!!?

If a family cannot afford insurance under healthcare reform, how could they possibly afford a nearly $4000 fine?! This makes absolutely NO SENSE!!! Senator Bacaus is clearly displaying more of the Beltway Disconnect that our national politicians are constantly accused of.

I don't know what mystical land his brain dwells in, but it clearly is not in a land of reality shared by millions of Americans who cannot afford insurance. A $4000 fine would be an insurmountable burden for families already struggling to keep a roof over their heads or eat enough food to stave off hunger.

This proposal REEKS of a far off land where people enact laws without any real thought of the impact they have on the populace they govern....wait...That's Washington DC...inside the beltway! No wonder they just don't get it!

A Brief Tribute for Ted

We've lost a great part of America.

An Extraordinary statesman;
A Polarizing figure in Congress;
The Heir to a family political legacy;
A man devastated by the deaths of three older brothers;
Who had a clear, constant vision of the direction this country must take;
A Loving Father and grandfather...



Senator Edward M. Kennedy
22 February 1932 - 25 August 2009


Thank You for your decades of service;
and for all you were forced to sacrifice.

Cheney's Angst & Other Bushie Issues

About a week ago (as a way of generating pre-book publication mouth wagging), former VP DICK Cheney stated that Gee Dubya Bushie got soft on him in the former President's second term. He apparently was giving in to public pressure on issues such as the two wars, the Guantanamo prisoners, etc. DICK felt as if he were alone in making tough decisions.

Awwww. Poor little DICK. He didn't get his way, and now he decides to cry about it. You gotta feel sorry for him....Really...He was so well liked. I mean, his 13% approval rating [at the end of his term] just goes to show that everybody loves DICK.

...And now he actually thinks that someone will listen to his rants about the worst President in our history. Sounds to me more like DICK is crying wolf, and nobody's listening anymore.

-enough about DICK-

As more time passes we are hearing tidit after tidbit about various GEE Dubya Bushie items and the running of his Administration. We already knew about the reports of Bushie's complete disinterest at Cabinet meetings; his NINE vacations a year; his flat out lies about bringing to justice anyone involved in the Valerie Plame CIA name leak case (ummm...if you'll recall the Libby pardon, as well as allowing Karl Rove to flaunt the law and refuse to appear before a Federal Grand Jury, etc); and his pell mell destruction of Natural Resources for the sole benefit of corporate big wigs; among many, many, many other issues.

Now we are hearing that Karl Rove actually endorsed the firing Federal Judges in a blatant trampling of the Separation of Powers. Of course, Rove still denies any knowledge of the issue, and he continues to throw lawyers and legaleze in front of him as a means of insulating himself from the continued investigation of the Federal Grand Jury.
If you ask me, the fact that he refuses the Grand Jury summons tells me he knows far more than he's willing to admit. Maybe he just wants to stay retired on the lecture circuit and make his $115,000 per appearance fee. Or, maybe he just wants to stay out of prison. In either case, Rove continues on with the delusional idea that he is actually above the law.


Next, Bushies beloved creation, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) continues to abuse the very broad definitions of its scope of powers at our nation's ports of entry. Technically, the TSA is supposed to look for weapons, drugs, and and threats coming into the country. Well, they are doing that, and more. Now the TSA is assessing purported odd behaviors of law-abiding citizens leaving the country on business or pleasure trips. Reports of racial profiling are coming to light, as well as unnecessary body searches, detainment without notification, etc.

Congress is really to blame. They allowed GEE Dubya to ramrod a non-specific creation bill through both houses of Congress because of fear. They allowed Bushie to indefinitely extend the provisions of the Patriot Act in 2005 because he made Congress fearful about the security of the United States. Now the TSA is continuing to abuse the letter and spirit of its charter in keeping the United States safe. Where (or when) does it end?



Finally, Today Tom Ridge, former TSA Director stated that the Bushie Administration pressured him to elevate the "Terror Alert Level" prior to the 2004 Presidential Election. True, there was increased chatter and threats against the US, but (from what I've read) nothing out of the ordinary as far as rhetoric and real, assessable threat value. Makes me wonder if the President wanted the Alert Level raised as a way to remind the American public of everything he had done, and that they were safer with him than with another man in the White House. Hmmmm.....

I'm sure we will see even more tidbits come out as time passes. I look forward to reading them.

NRA Fights a Losing Battle

The National Rifle Association, probably the singularly most powerful Lobby in DC, is finding itself on the losing side of its latest lobby attempts. For the first time in its history, the NRA is seeking to actually influence the outcome of a Senate vote for a Supreme Court Nominee.



The NRA is so powerful it openly dares our lawmakers in Congress to go against their wishes; as if they (the NRA) make policy, not Congress. They can bounce a sitting Rep. or Senator from office [in the next election cycle] if that person votes on a bill contrary to the wishes of the NRA. This is done through their considerable political influence over millions of registered voters. What the NRA says it wants from its members is generally what it gets come election day. The same can be said regarding its influence in Congress in matters of policy it (the NRA) deems vital to the interest of the entire country.



"The NRA derives much of its considerable clout from what has become a kind of mantra on Capitol Hill: Defy the gun lobby on something it cares about and face recriminations at the polls; back it and enjoy a substantial political boost.
It's something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Lawmakers generally are terrified to test it, and the NRA is politically savvy about which issues it takes on. Its won-loss record adds to its reputation as untouchable." (msnbc 08/01/09)



With Court nominee Sotomayor, the NRA "came out in opposition to her, calling her "hostile" to the Second Amendment right to bear arms." (msnbc 08/01/09) But it appears this maneauver is going to backfire. Many Senators are seemingly disregarding the objections to Nominee Sotomayor's appointment. They are literally shrugging their collective shoulders and saying, "Well, I've got a good rating [with the NRA] no matter what; so I'll vote however I want to vote."

It will be one of the first times in recent memory that the NRA does not get its way. Then again, wading into the Confirmation of a Supreme Court Nominee is probably not the best move the NRA has ever made. Personally, I think it was a mistake on their part. It's ok (sort of) to influence policy making; it's quite another to get into a fight over the national legal landscape--someplace the NRA really has no place being...and our Congress men/women know it.

International Issues Facing Us All

(This post is an expansion on a paper I wrote for a political science class I am [currently] enrolled in. There are many issues and concerns affecting every person alive in some degree. These areas are not exclusive to certain income or life station demographics--they affect everyone one of us--and we should all be concerned.)

The areas I will be looking at regarding international issues and their ranked importance are:

1) Population Concerns
2) Food Supplies
3) Energy Supplies
4) Energy Research
5) Pollution
6) Disease Control
7) Healthcare

Why these? Simply because they are all vital concerns that affect every person on the planet. These areas are not exclusive to any country, government, political agenda, or group. They affect us all, mutually.

*Population Concerns
It is estimated that there are now as many people on the earth as there have been throughout all the millennia of history combined. We have 6,000,000,000 (Billion!) people living on approximately one third of the surface of the earth (the rest is ocean). And that number simply keeps enlarging. Previous to the mid-twentieth century, there were many things which kept the world population in relative balance.

These included major pandemics; fluctuations in food supplies; regional warfare; little (if any) healthcare; poor general nutrition; natural disasters and the resultant health crises which inevitably followed, etc. With the advances in science and technology, these balancing factors are being negated, and thus, the world population is swelling.

*Food Supply
In the United States, with our abundantly stocked store shelves, it is easy to forget the food supply issues facing most of the world. Aside from North America, Europe and parts of Asia and the pan-Pacific area, food stocks are not nearly as abundant, or are teetering on non-existent. The United States has been the “bread basket of the world” for decades. However, with climate problems, a decreasing number of farms, use of grains for energy enhancement, exporting issues, and wasteful consumption by Americans, our ability to feed the world is decreasing.

There are currently efforts underway in places such as Russia, Ukraine, and numerous emerging states to increase their domestic crop abilities, and to rely less on the US for grains, fruits, etc. Until (or unless) this effort takes full effect, the pressures on world food supplies will continue to increase along with world population.

*Energy Supplies
The most obvious form of energy supply is Oil. Found over most of the world, this seemingly inexhaustible resource has been at the forefront of global economies since the end of World War II. But this dominant resource comes with its own inherent, unique problems. To name a few: air, water and ground pollution; toxic chemical byproducts; global demand; exclusivity of product capture and conversion by multinational corporations, etc. Additionally, as we have seen in parts of the US, the supply of oil is not unlimited, and will eventually exhaust itself.

Next, let’s look at Hydroelectric Power. Aside from the costs of dam construction, hydro power is one of the least expensive forms of energy in the world. There are few (if any) pollution concerns, and as long as rivers flow, the ability of a dam to produce electricity is unlimited. But like oil, the production of hydroelectricity carries inherent problems…a few of which scientists are just beginning to understand.

First and foremost is the loss of millions of acres of habitable, arable land that is buried beneath billions of acre feet of water behind the dams; land which could be used for human habitat, farming, etc. Next, is the now evident impact these dams have on the salmon populations around the world. Dams have been preventing the re-population of historical salmon runs for decades, and now, several populations have collapsed.

For instance, on the Elwah River in Western Washington (prior to the construction of two dams) the salmon runs ran into the millions. Native Americans in the area had an abundant food supply that only scratched the total number of these fish. In 2007, a DNR study found a returning salmon run of just 3.

Additionally, the decreasing salmon population is causing an ecological collapse as ocean species, dependent upon salmon as a food source, are looking for other species to feed on which causes a ripple effect that could endanger entire ocean-based ecosystems. Such a collapse would affect economies, and food supplies throughout the world.

As previously stated hydroelectric generation depends on rivers flowing. As climate issues cause deviations in weather patterns, snowpacks that are vital to river health are shrinking, rainfall patterns are changing, and ultimately, dams may not have enough sustainable water supply to continue generation of power.

The next area I want to briefly examine is Wind Power. Here is another source of relatively inexpensive power generation. The main costs are construction and maintenance. Wind is free. The biggest hindrance to more widespread use of this cheap form of energy is people. A NIMBY attitude is pervasive (at least in the US), and environmental groups contend that wind farms present a grave danger to bird populations. As to whether or not such a claim is true, I do not know; nor have I read any research about this concern—if any has even been done.

Finally, I want to look at Nuclear Energy. This type of energy is truly unlimited. It currently supplies approximately 20% of US electrical energy needs. The drawbacks to nuclear energy though are severe. The Chernobyl disaster showed exactly the severity of the dangers surrounding these plants. Additionally, there are grave concerns regarding Spent Fuel Rod storage, and the safe storage or disposal of nuclear waste water.

*Energy Research
In the United States the research towards more and viable forms of so-called Alternative Energy is done mostly in the private sector. The pace is slow, and the US government has done little thus far in funding any research. For instance, in the 2006 (?) energy package passed by Congress, Oil Companies received over $600,000,000 in tax breaks. Grants for Alternative Energy research totaled $7,000,000—a clear indicator of the power of the Oil lobby, and of the unwillingness of Congress to adopt new forms of energy.

Around the world, research continues, but I do not know to what degree it is being pushed. I would hope that areas such as Cold Fusion, Hydrogen Power, and other forms of potentially clean, cheap energy are being researched with urgency. After all, we only have one planet, and to continue polluting it only serves to hasten [potential] environmental collapse.

*Pollution
One of the gravest threats we, as a world citizenry, face is the problem of pollution. From industrial waste to chemical contamination, to human waste in its many forms, pollution is a major problem around the world. Waste contaminates groundwater, aquifers, oceans, etc. It releases huge amounts of methane into the atmosphere, and causes unhealthy levels of airborne contaminants to be released into the air we all breathe. Its impact can be seen in our food supply as livestock, fruits, grains, fish, etc are all affected in ways both great and small.

There are ways to help reduce the sheer volume of pollution we produce on a daily basis, but the known methods are expensive to both enact and maintain, thereby making them prohibitive to even start. These things include: burning garbage (one tone of trash can be reduced to one pound of ash); strict, effective environmental controls (and supervision) on industrial businesses; safe chemical decomposition of certain waste waters and chemical byproducts, and other emerging methods.

*Diseases
Through pollution, diseases are spread which can affect people around the world. These might include E-coli, Hepatitis C, Cholera, Diphtheria, Trichinosis, Botulism, etc. In countries with inadequate healthcare, a disease, once contracted by a single person, can spread so rapidly that it can affect thousands before it is detected, and ultimately millions before it is controlled.

Also, disease caused by genetic mutation can spread rapidly, quietly. Before anyone is aware, any disease in this category can spread to every continent on the earth. Such is the case on the recent Swine Flu outbreak which originated in Mexico. Others include common seasonal Influenzas, the cross species Avian Flu, Spanish Influence (the last true pandemic), etc.

Other factors influencing disease generation and spread are: Population density/over-crowding; general nutrition; availability and quality of healthcare; lack of clean drinking water/use of infected waters by multiple communities downstream from one another; over-exposure to the natural elements; transmission from infected animals to humans via consumption of meat, etc.

So, what can be done? The United Nations (through the World Health Organization) works daily on improving nutrition, healthcare, prevention of water contamination, etc. Further, many private organizations such as the International Red Cross (or, the Red Crescent in the Middle East) work with communities to address such needs. Charitable Foundations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation spend billions of dollars every year to try and eradicate disease and hunger.

*Healthcare
Aside from a majority of industrialized countries, healthcare around the world is woeful at best, tragic at worst. In many parts of the world, healthcare is a once yearly visit from a doctor (of some sort) who may see you for all of five or ten minutes. In other areas, people may go for years without seeing a doctor even once. Or, you may have availability to healthcare, but are required to wait weeks for a visit. In either event, the lack of adequate healthcare in many parts of the world is a glaring reality.

Living in an industrialized nation is no guarantee of available healthcare. In the United States, it is estimated that over 40% of the population cannot afford even a simple visit to a doctor. We’re talking around 144,000,000+ citizens in the wealthiest nation on the earth who cannot afford healthcare. The problems in the US are beginning to escalate out of control, and attempts by anyone to address the issue are stopped dead in their tracks by lobbies representing the healthcare industry. In Europe and parts of Asia Socialized Healthcare is working. Some places are better than others, but countries such as Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Japan and Taiwan guarantee every citizen yearly visits to doctors, and affordable advanced care as needed.


So the problems are not insurmountable; we just have to be willing to do what is necessary to ensure that everyone benefits. Will these be easy to solve? Not a chance; but they are solvable. And it will take the unbiased, unselfish, coordinated efforts of every government on the earth. Anything less and the results will be far from what is absolutlely necessary; and our battle to preserve our food, resources, and quality of human life will fall short, and we will have no one to blame but ourselves as we look to a future with diminishing ability to meet the basic life needs of the peoples of the earth.

The Michael Jackson Circus Redux

Just watch...

I can already see it happening...

The Circus that was the life of Michael Jackson will return in a tour de force now that he's dead.

His family will (very publicly) fight over his will; his funeral will be a media frenzy; his ex-wife will want a cut of the pie; Sony Music will demand BILLIONS for Jackson's share of copyrights; his dad will make a spectacular fool of himself [once again];

his brothers and sisters will use his death to make themselves richer by preying off his name; his kids will be hounded by the paparazzi who will document every action they make; accusations will fly; Jackson's mother will make demands regarding Michaels Estate; the will will end up in court, contested by every family member and slimeball wanting a piece of the Michael Jackson pie; and on, and on, and on.

The new Circus is just beginning, and it will be a pathetic display of manipulation, disgusting greed, and self-serving interests.

Now, let's see just how much of this comes about....

Hypocrites and Michael Jackson

(I'm probably going to take some heat for this one; but truth is still truth...even if you don't want to hear it.)

How soon we forget...

First he was a MoTown sensation.

Then he was a Pop Music genius.

Then he was called "The King of Pop."

Then he started getting "weird."

Then we heard rumors of increasing and disturbing peculiarities regarding children at his Neverland Ranch.

Then he was charged with [basically] pedophilia.

Then, after exhoneration, he fled the country in shame.

The press hounded and derided him. Tabloids called him "Wacko Jacko." Pretty much everyone with any sense distanced themselves from him. His financial empire crumbled faster than any of Jesse Jackson's presidential campaigns. His life was pretty much in ruins, and nobody seemed to care.

Then, on June 25th of this year, Michael Jackson died suddenly, unexpectedly from an apparent cardiac arrest at the age of 50.

Suddenly, a media transformation ocurred. Gone were the accusations, intimations, and derisions. In death, Michael Jackson had gone from a humorless joke to beloved pop icon once again. The "world" is suddenly praising the man who once had familially unrelated children sleeping with him in his bed.

Don't get me wrong here--I'm truly sorry that his kids are now without their father; that his family is undoubtedly heartbroken by his death. I really am.

However, the same press and other detractors who once made fun of Michael Jackson every chance they could, are now praising him for his impact of popular music, and the legacy he leaves behind. They cannot say enough good about the man.

I only have one word for these writers and commentators, and that word is "Hypocrites." That is exactly what these folks are. It was just fine to tear him down in life, and point out his abundant falacies; but in death,...well...everything is forgiven...right? We'll forget about the humiliating public scandals, and his trial for pediphilic activities. We'll just ignore the remembrances of holding his infant out over a hotel balconey railing some 5 stories up showing the kid off to the press; or how he brought humiliation and derisive commentaries upon his children by parading them around in full bhurka-type clothing.

Naahhh...all that stuff doesn't matter any more because we'll only remember all the good things about Michael Jackson. Things like...Let's see...Thriller (the video and the song)...ummm...Billie Jean (and some illegitimate child)... and ummmmm....the moonwalk...and.....oh yeah--how cute he was as a young member of the Jackson 5...and.... well,...hmmmm...nope, that's really about all. The rest is really all about weirdness, scandal, and, well, more weirdness.

I sincerely appreciate what Michael Jackson contributed to Pop Music. Even though he hasn't had a certifiable hit single in over twenty years, his impact on the music industry can be felt to this day. Musically, he'll be remember for years to come.

But unlike so many other icons who died early (Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury), Michael Jackson will not just be remembered for his music. He'll be remembered for all the things in his life that went wrong; that hindered or stalled his career; that brought shame upon himself, and his family. Not exactly a legacy I would be proud of; but one that is there nonetheless...even if the world press chooses to hypocritize themselves by praising the same man they once splashed so many disturbing headlines about all across their front pages.