I hope he runs and wins. How the developed and developing world responds to the problem of human caused climate change is going to be the defining event in the development of humanity.

Civilization, as we have come to know it, is based on the ability to produce more food per individual day of human labor than the laboring individual requires for growth when young and maintenance when mature. The effect of rapid climate change on our ability to sustainably produce food will effect all of us.

The U.S. is the largest contributor to the problem and we need to become the greatest contributor to reducing the negative consequences of our actions. We have lost a lot of time we really don't have over the past 15 years of inaction and we can't afford more. The economic strangle hold of big oil on U.S. politics has to be broken and replaced by a massive effort to transform our economy to one that restores, rather than depletes, our natural environment. I think that Al Gore can do a lot more ttto turn us around as President of the U.S. and I would work harder for Al than for any other candidate.

This topic is on the news right now.. and they are estimating it will cost seven trillion dollars, to attempt repairs of global warming.

Dear Mallika,

My guess is that Al Gore will achieve more as Environmental Advisor to make the general public aware of which he is already doing a good job in Europe.

In our country we have new elections in November. It is a close race between two parties. When they would decide to govern together we would have a very broad representation of the people in our country. But that will require much awareness and openness to one another´s vision. To me it is time for such a vision, worldwide.

I guess in the U.S. such a deadlock is also present.

It is up to the awareness of the people to choose very consciously this time.

Maybe you know something the rest of us don't know because as far as politics was concerned he had a "been there, done that" attitude. Those were his words when I heard him speak in Houston as the question came up regarding politics.

Mallika asserts/queries:

"And, I also wonder, do you think that he can achieve more as a US President or NOT as US President? For me, President Bush has been a disaster and is a lame duck leader. I am ready for someone who can be a true leader for the United States. Is Al Gore that person?"

1) He had his chance and blew it. I don't think he should run again. He would have made an excellent president and certainly not have campaigned as hard as Bush to get the US into war. As a campaigner, he is hopelessly pathetic.

The Republicans are masters at destroying characters for politican gains. Al has an inane giggle in his ways that seems to turn many well-intended people off.

2) The Democrats ought to find a fresh, new face to be their nominee! Hilary is certainly not that person. She should be repudiated for foolishly voting with Bush, essentially, authorizing "war" on Iraq.
Now, look at the mess we are in. 100 Americans have been reported dead so far this months in this ill-fated war. And many more injured or crippled!

Perhaps we will find out the true number when the war ends. For now, though, it appears to be politically convenient not to investigate the real grim truth. So much for freedom of speech and freedom of the press in America!

It is reported in some circles that there may have been a catasthropic disaster this month in Iraq at an ammunition site that may have claimed over 300 American lives.

Some commentators like John Rothman and Ray Taliaferro at KGO Radio, San Francisco are speaking about this story and surmise that the world could find out right after November 7th.

Mallika, you are absolutely right about Bush being a disaster. Think of what the $400 billion plus wasted in Iraq so far could have done for American domestic needs, needs like education, for instance.

Have a nice day!

One Degree Makes an Impact
~From Infinite Play the Movie

Earth Major Domo and the Information General have released a startling new comprehension.

"One Degree Makes an Impact"

Contrary to popular misperception “a couple degrees isn’t going to hurt anything”, we find an understanding of major ramification. One degree can mean everything.

Water changes state based on a single degree of temperature change.

Amazingly water will change from a crystalline structure to a liquid based on a single degree of temperature change.

If one changes a million square miles of frozen surface soil to be one degree above the freezing point, the effects are dramatic on the planets environmental systems as an enormous volume of water turns from a crystalline structure to a liquid. This alters the waters behavior and interaction with the “whole” system, resulting in wide scale modification of environmental processes.

The effect of gravity upon water in it’s different states changes dramatically in each state. The ability of water to reflect photons rather than absorb them is also altered with changes of state.

To have this volume of water changing it’s daily behavior, is going to have wide scale effects on the entire system.

Not only does the water become mobile when shifting from crystalline to liquid, so do the gasses that it may have entrapped and encased. The soil surface itself becomes a new dynamic system as microbial populations surge into action performing large scale natural chemical conversions producing various additional gaseous byproducts powered by the overhead star based nuclear reactor.

The committee considered a million dollar study when one member took a handful of ice cubes from his beverage container and placed them on the board room table. Within minutes at room temperature, as other members witnessed the effect of the change of state of water from crystalline to liquid, major relocation efforts were initiated for paperwork that had once been safe on those areas of the table.

The committee member was praised for his cost effective demonstration of the potential global effects, saving over a million dollars in research money that was later allocated to Amaranth and Rock Dust projects.

Dear Mallika -

Al Gore is an interesting character. I suspect that had he been allowed to fully be himself during the '00 campaign rather than listen to the "image consultants", he very well may have won that election. Having said that, I get the feeling that Al doesn't want to be President that much and never did(don't ask me for evidence, it's only a gut feeling). And whether you agree with his conclusions on human caused climate change, it is obvious that he's passionate about this subject. I think he should stay with that.

As far as the Brit's hiring him as an Enviromental Advisor goes; that's all well and good. However, if I were the British government, I might choose someone that has a scientific background. Even as passionate as Mr. Gore is about the enviroment, to me a scientist has more credibility than a former politician. I think he can act as a mouthpiece, but an "expert" he is not.

Peace,
Scott.

I like the idea where people are not forced to make prostitution with the president.

I like the idea where each people keep their self-power, go out in the street and create a life-time powerful celebration, where people can eat, drink, where nobody is left alone.

But we look all the papers in our hands... How can we change this big machine? Heeey man be realist, we cannot change that!?!?

Be a hero, don't think, here is your gun!

I agree Scott,

I don't Al wants to run again, his campaign was a disaster, and doesn't want to lose again. He plays the professor role very well, and I also agree that he should only be considered a voice not an expert. I'm not surprised that Britain and Europe loves Al, his thinking aligns well over there. And the money is probably great too!

Cheers,

Steve

I agree Scott,

I don't Al wants to run again, his campaign was a disaster, and doesn't want to lose again. He plays the professor role very well, and I also agree that he should only be considered a voice not an expert. I'm not surprised that Britain and Europe loves Al, his thinking aligns well over there. And the money is probably great too!

Cheers,

Steve

I'm not sure that Al Gore has the charisma, drive or even the vision to be the next Pres of the US. I always found him fairly non-descript and his tendency to flip-flop on certain issues. I'm quite amazed that Gordon Brown has appointed him Advisor. If I was Gordon Brown, I would have appointed the past maverick EC Environment Commissioner, Carlo Ripa De Meana. My hero and the reason why I was inspired to work in the environmental field initally. Or even Bruntland,who is responsible for the concept of an integrated approach to development; which we know as Sustainable Development today.

Anyway, its quite interesting to see several websites that quote Al Gore-I think he can give Bush a run for his money....

I may be out of turn, but I think the US needs fresh blood, a visionary; and someone who is able to comprehend the world today, and how it has changed geo-politically, socially and economically. The dinosaurs need to make way for the bright young things.

http://www.gargaro.com/algore.html

Since there is no Open Thread this week, I have decided to post this piece I wrote a few days ago under this thread.

*********************************************************************************************************************

Oil imports to the United States and Right-wing nutty scare tactics:-

This past weekend I heard Bill Wattenburg of KGO Radio, San Francisco use familiar alarming hyperbole to augment the Republican agenda which prompted me to write the following piece.

Right-wing commentators in the United States are wont to repeatedly use scare tactics to keep the uninformed masses in America uninformed so as to maintain the perception that the Republican Party is the only party that can best safeguard this country’s oil interests (and dependency) in the Mid-East.

Therefore, they argue, America must defeat the terrorists abroad, and particularly in Iraq in order to maintain status quo and to ensure that the oil keeps flowing out of the Persian Gulf. They regularly invoke doomsday scenarios such as the possibility of gasoline reaching $10.00 a gallon, which could then result in a recession that could cause Americans to loose their jobs and their homes et al, if the terrorists get control of the Mid-East.

Isn’t Mahmoud Amadinejad in charge of huge oil reserves in Iran? And is he one of America’s allies? Wasn’t Saddam Hussein similarly in charge of huge oil reserves?

They emphasize that America cannot allow terrorists to disrupt the flow of oil into the United States and the world. America must stabilize the Mid-East, they affirm. What a pile of crock! The best way to safeguard America’s oil flow from the Middle East is to maintain a strong naval presence in the Persian Gulf; not by the occupation of a nation.

Moreover, countries in that region have the financial muscle and means to form a lasting coalition with America, Europe and Japan to police the Gulf.

How many of you aware that Canada is the largest exporter of oil to the United States, followed by Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Nigeria, in that order? But how often do you hear right-wing commentators mention this fact?

Additionally, according to a 2006 survey: Oil and Gas Journal from the U.S. Information Administration, Canada has the world’s second largest proven oil reserves at 178.8 billion barrels. Saudi Arabia has the most at 264.3 billion barrels with Iran at 132.5, Iraq 130.5, Kuwait 101.5, Venezuela 79.7, USA 21.4 and Mexico 12.9.

America does not import oil from Iran, a known hostile enemy of the United States. Iraq and Kuwait, together, export a mere 2% of the 20,000,000 barrels a day into this country.

That 2%, in my view, can be made up by several available means, for example, by conservation, by the development of alternative sources such as ethanol and solar energy, by a minor adjustment from friendly major exporting nations like Canada and Mexico and by the expeditious development of the huge tar sands reserves in northern Alberta.

Sooner or later, we will have to reduce our dependency on fossil fuel and find renewable alternative energy! What better time to begin that process than now?

Dick Cheney is saying that the upsurge in violence in Iraq is due to elections.

It's possible he's right. The Republican party is a violent party. It wins, loses, or sustains itself by thinking about violence, marketing violence, defending against violence by using violent measures, expressing punative measures by violent means, negotiating deals that way. They are both its hapless victim and its cunning perpetrator.

Worst of all, it embraces wildly LIBERAL debt spending in order to do it. So it's no accident that it has lose elections, mired in it, simply in order to balance the books.

If you go to the barber often enough, you're apt to get a haircut.

I should know.

My grandfather cut Al Capone's hair.

(out of subject)

Mallika, I have a question for you...

http://www.intentblog.com/archives/2006/10/intentblog_thou.html

Comment #22

The Presidency is Al's to take or leave in 2008.

With GOP commiting hari-kari, he'd be, for all practical purposes, unopposed.

Al could carry the disaffected Republican vote, but Hilary could not.

Take me, for example. I would only vote for Hilary if there was no other way to keep the GOP out of the White House.

But Al, I would joyfully vote for.

But, if Al was elected, it would only be the first step. The whole machinery of the Beltway is opposed to Al Gore. He would become the target of all types of smear campaigns, covert action, and possibly targeted assassination attempts.

The billions of the oil lobbying industry would unite with a single purpose to destroy him.

We the people would have to viciously fight for Al's survival, because what he stands for is a complete overhaul of the already-too-late-to-save Beltway culture in DC.

He would need a crack security team, and we'd all have to be very strong in supporting him and fending off the Republican attack dogs like Limbaugh, Coulter, O'Reilly and the whole armada of hacks they have at the Ministry of Propaganda. Not to mention the GOP now controls CPB and NPR as well.

I firmly believe that the real reason Al hasn't announced candidacy, is for fear of the well-being of his family. Were he elected, there would be a lot of people that would want him dead.

I'm sorry, but that is the truth of how rotten to the core the whole Bush-family Big-Oil support infrastructure has become.

If they don't care about the lives of American soldiers, and do not value AT ALL the lives of Iraquis or Iranians, then what makes anyone think they would value the life of Al Gore and his family over their insane addiction to their profits?

The Bush Family and CIA go back many decades. These are the people, who perfected the art of coup d'etat, and along with the Israeli intelligence apparatus, the art of targeted assassination.

Don't think they won't be willing to use it against other Americans.

They are.

So if you want Al to run, be prepared to fight hard for everything he stands for.

Because Tyranny-Saurus Exxon and the Busheviks are going to put us in the crosshairs if he wins.

Voting for Al is not a feel-good vote. It's a vote that means you're willing to stand up to the Machine and fight.

If you vote for Al and you aren't willing to fight, then you're backstabbing him. And he knows all to well the fickle loyalties and weakness for propaganda that American voters have.

I firmly believe he has thought about this long and hard.

So he might well be more effective outside the Presidency.

Mallika: Since you asked......I'm not politically savvy, just opinionated, although these last five years since 9/11 have prompted me to turn my attention to more focused research regarding certain of the issues that are typically lost in the fray of political machinations.

I find it interesting, that I look back to the early 90's (when I was a young real estate appraiser in San Diego, about Gotham's age!), my first impression of Bill Clinton was........well, I bit the propaganda hook of "Slick Willy,"--hook, line and sinker!

In eating my own judgmental opinions, I've done nothing but steadily grow to love the man over the years: as Janet Reno said, "He's one of the smartest men I've ever met," and I'd say the tempering the "Fires of Spring" have given him have revealed a heart-of-gold to match.

But.......Al Gore, during those early Clinton years I used to think, "Now if this guy were president, and Bill Clinton Vice President, that would be cool."

Contrary to what most people say about his boring and awkward political demeanor, I've always thought he'd be a first class leader, ONCE he was actually in that position--and he's too clean for the political machinery we see grinding up and spitting out the good people who do try, only to keep the crooks who survive the poison of the races--(most are not crooks--but.....with 66 lobbyists for every person in Congress!).

I think Al would "do it" if his nation, and this world, called on him, for want of a lack of any other credible problem-solver; but other than that, he can, and is doing more with the media efforts he's involved in now--I would say the same of a guy (or woman) who has a world platform like your dad--he is doing more for changing the minds-and-hearts of the citizens of the world than he could ever do caught up in the climate of corruption of US politics.

Hillary does indeed have a lot of baggage that will bog her down; were it not for some of the "old order" concerns that cause people to so desperately need a completely fresh start--I'd go for her in a "New York minute."

With that in mind, Barack, Baby--as a political leader, he's our way out of some of this mess--but it's like Wayne Dyer says: These people work for us, they are not meant to "lead us," but rather, the other way around--it is the artists and other creative innovators that are the leaders, renegade scientists and educators, Bonos and Bill Gates--and "ordinary" everyday people on the street that need to lead again--collective will--and people like Bono are leading the way, and Bill Gates: Leading by example.

When I read statistics like Ron brings forward--I find it amazing that we have the technology to know verily how much oil we have worldwide--"to the barrel," but we can't figure out whether we've killed 30,000 Iraqi civilians, or 655,000?

I think it's a good thing (collectively--but the individual heartaches--wow, baby!) if we are forced into the disasters of "Oil Storms"--people like Dana Shields will suddenly be the wildcatters who bring forward already-functioning environmentally-friendly technologies that will fill a vast vacuum with new cottage industries--"Necessity is the Mother of Invention."

And, how many doctors and healers can be produced for the world's needs with what we've spent to date destroying a nation, and its people, let alone crippling others--I once figured (in my head--so reliability is out the door!), that we could have produced close to a million Harvard MDs in place of the Iraq war--without a single one bankrupting because of student loans!

I think that is the heart of the Armageddon chaos--whatever it looks like--it means "spiritual awakening," and not the end of the world, but the end of it as we've been treating it, and each other, and a forced "new beginning" that indeed does force our greater creativity and inherent goodness to the surface.

I'm sure we'd all agree that it would be nice to rise from the ashes of war and strife without having to make a New Orlean's "Katrina" out of this whole place---and there is no doubt that Al Gore is "walking the walk," so he can all around this place and "talk the talk" about what we might do about the mess we've made---and at this point, it's not yet the Bush Twins, Jenna and Barbara, that I think will be the first to have to clean up what the coming generations have inherited from the likes of their father, and me (I just rented a car for the second time in four years--so Patzi and I are going to enjoy splurging our way around looking at some of this good 'ole USA this fall).

We are in a world where the five big fast food companies in the US are throwing 20% of their food away--everyday--enough to feed......?????homeless and hungry, while the lifestyle supported by fast-everything is ripping apart the Amazon rainforests at a rate the size of the state of Washington (in trees), every year.

How does one get off a runaway train that is going like a bullet, and won't stop until it crashes?

Yogi-one:

Your view concerning the threat of assassination of Mr. Gore seems way over the top. I don't think there has been a President more hated then Bush in recent memory and the guys on the Left aren't targeting him for assassination (at least as far as I know). I don't think for a second that the Left is any less nasty or vindictive then the Right...It's all about power. I think Al wouldn't be anymore or less safe than any other President. Also, remember that Vice President Gore comes from a family of politicians, suckled on the milk of bureaucracy ...he's as much a part of the problem as anyone else.

What would be refreshing is a candidate on either side of the aisle that was not part of the Washington elite. A vote for Al Gore is a vote for MOTS (more of the same). Here in Minnesota we voted in Jesse Ventura for Governor. This was a big shock to the establishment as no one (including me) thought that he had a shot. He was not the greatest governor in my opinion, but he did demonstrate to me and many others that people are hungry for someone other than the status quo. Someone that is not a second, third or fourth generation politician, trained in the art of BS. Ventura was a plain speaking guy that just threw it all out there without monitoring what he said or thought. As goofy as some of it was, it was also refreshing to hear a government official who was not always worrying about what he said or thought; not constantly apologizing for saying something that some group or individual thought was offensive. He just said what he thought and if you didn't like it, you didn't like it.

Anytime a political part gains power whether it's the Republicans, Democrats or "All Night Party", the results are the same: a dilluting of individual rights. If the Democrats sweep the House, Senate and eventually the Presidency they will do nothing but increase the size of government just like the Republicans have done.

My biggest issue has and is decreasing the size of government. I originally voted Republican because they promised to decrease the size and intrusiveness of government. Not only has the GOP not reduced government, they have grown it into an even more bloated pig than the Democrats have done.

Frankly, it's time for something new. It's time for us to vote in someone other than the usual suspects. If all of the people who were afraid of "Wasting their votes" would vote for who they really wanted, there just might be a change in this country. The real wasted vote is voting "against" rather than voting "for".

Peace,
Scott.

Hi David,

I would like to wish you and Patzi a good trip and i hope you will find that great place to live that you both have been dreaming of :)

And if you would ask my opinion as an outsider (although i know nothing about politics), there is at the moment one person in your country that rises above the parties and that is Arnold Schwarzenegger. People like him do carry a fresh vision on problems and try to carry it out.

Love, Mieke

HIS WIFE CRIES. HIS MOM CRIES. HIS DAD CRIES

I never knew this trooper.
I had never seen his face.
Barley nineteen he goes
To fight war in Iraq.

He marries his high school
Sweetheart in hurry,
In hurry she gets pregnant.
And off he goes to Iraq.

Where is Iraq? I ask.
Somewhere there near Texas.
You go to Dallas- Ft Worth, take
A plane that lands in Iraq, he says.

Why you got enlisted? I ask.
I got ten thousand in cash.
Another ten thousand in paybacks
And all monthly paychecks.

What about patriotism? I ask.
I love my wife, I love my country.
Don’t know how to make money.
So I go to kill our enemy.

He dies fighting in Iraq.
His flag-wrapped-body is flown back.
He is buried in Arlington cemetery.
His wife cries. His mom cries. His dad cries

To fat asses in power fighting
A far off worthless war, he
Pays price with his life,
Loving his young beautiful wife.

A life easy to be spared with.
Buying him with people’s money.
Sending him to fight enemy.
An enemy not worth fighting for.

whitewings.sulekha.com

Yes, it is too bad Scott that there are no alternatives to vote for! I mean, I know you do not think the 'street bumb,' would make a good leader, but it would at least be a change to hear a disfranchised street fellow debating the mega-rich democrat or republican candidate. I mean one cannot even get on the ballot unless you have paid money: that is no democracy.

Shoot, let a loser like me debate those millionaire pampered a** 3-4th generation 'politicans.' Or North, or you Scott, or Yogi-One, now he would really give them hell!!!

And David is exactly right about the money we have spent on Iraq. Every person in this nation could live comfortably, I mean comfortably, with the money we have spent over there.

I know you disagree with me about making our prisons Harvard, but I tell you brother, if we invested 100 thousand dollars into every street bumb you see (if you see any in your neck of the woods :):):) . . .), I am telling you man, we would put a major dent into the social ills of drug abuse, street crime, gangs . . .

And instead of states passing laws that even make it a crime to give change to the beggar man we could have beggars debating foreign and local policies, we could have beggars achieving Einstein-like mathematical feats, we could have beggars not begging any more, but instead gladly harvesting the farmers field . . .

O yeah brothers and sisters; o yeah!

Peace

"Yea, almost as hilarious as the non-existing climate change 8-)" ~ecirada in Deepak's thread

I'm with you totally on the global warming issue.

Unfortunately our idiot-in-chief is determined to stonewall on the issue and let it be(come) someone else's problem, just as is being done with the budget deficit.

The current administration seems hell-bent on pursuing their idiot-eology at all costs.

Hopefully the level to which (t)his idiot-eology has recently dropped is LOWER than
even his past supporters can stomach.

Clay

This year, all over the world, we could vote for each kids that rings at the door.

One candy, for each candidate!

Happy Halloween!

Yep Clay,

It isn't a funny issue. Reading about Panama, i came across a native tribe there, the Naso, and a serious flood had happened during the dry season. They thought that could only be attributed to global warming.

“Unfortunately our idiot-in-chief is determined to stonewall on the issue and let it be(come) someone else's problem, just as is being done with the budget deficit.”

To improve contemplative skills, one exercise when disagreeing with someone on something many observed and found true, regards finding the context. Going fast forward, accountability stops in a
situation of dictatorship and or martial law.

“the current administration seems hellbent on pursuing their idiot-eology at all costs.”

That ideology was already known in the Roman Empire, then worded as "pecunia non olet". For the oil club, the mere occupation of Iraq, "saving the loot for later"Â was all the victory needed as taxes in lives and $ pay for the "investment".

“hopefully the level to which (t)his idiot-eology has recently dropped is LOWER than even his past supporters can stomach. Clay”

Another interpretation, corporate (banking) power over the nation no longer needs the facade of a literate president to stay the course (of profit over dead bodies). Why would a "defense" budget still be rising when other countries can manage security with a well organized but much cheaper police force? Just 10 years of investing the "defense" budget in a solar energy park would make the US 100% energy independent and a leader in curbing climate change. But who is running in an election with that easily realizable promise?

Jan

Right on, ARJ

I was with you until you got to the colonizing Mars bit. Do we really need more colonialism?

I remember my grandmother, an ardent Republican, who felt FDR was a traitor to his class. Still
she was very upset when the Americans left their trash on the moon.

Durga, Thank you. No, I don't have any interest in colonizing Mars, but history seems to show that people like to expand their physical boundaries. An "unexplored" horizon out there... something like that perhaps... might give some a Raison D'être. Like you, I feel more inclined to explore the inner horizon to bring light to my outer. That's my Raison D'être, and God willing ... no more darkness... except perhaps in Kali's blanket.

Ashoka

“I was with you until you got to the colonizing Mars bit. Do we really need more colonialism?” ~ Durga

It is interesting that Al Gore is on a mission to remind everyone about their moral obligation towards environment and the issue of Global Warming.

The genetic diversity of humans compared to other animals, is surprisingly low. That hints at a bottleneck aka "rough time" / threatening extinction. When Indian mythology has some historical roots, that happened more than once. This already was a selection regarding "adaptability".

The ability to abstract ideas from observation, to manipulate them and to translate the result back into material constructs enabled human life far outside the original habitat, with one result, less awareness for the condition of the new habitat. The human organism never fully adapted, can't process protein based diets well due to the lack of uricase (present in all carnivores and omnivores). The like for tropical temperatures didn't vanish either (see holiday destinations) and hence, global warming isn't felt as the threat it presents. IOW, without a counterbalance for this adaptability, worded in the O.T.:

Ge:1:28: And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

another extinction is to happen, again. It is underway and has been termed "the sixth extinction".

http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/myers_knoll.html

The question, when waking up will occur: in time to prevent disaster, or when disaster strikes.

The counterbalance for man's adaptability (to keep it in check without repression) won't be difficult to guess...

Jan

Hey Mal,
Insomniac pregnant cousin here...
Your story makes me think of Bill Clinton's appearance on the Daily Show. John Stewart asked Clinton whether he felt he was able to do more good as the President of the US or in his post-presidential philantropic efforts. He responded that, in office, he was able to make more powerful and broad-sweeping decisions and felt like those decisions impacted a greater number of people. Thought that was interesting considering the beaurocracy in politics and the amount of time spent campaigning, dealing w/ political scandals, etc.

However, I think Al Gore has done MUCH more good, without becoming President, than our current guy in office has...

Later,
K.

Man. We need time to come up for air. Because we're drowning in debt and destruction.

And I think Gore would be just the person to help us do that.

Here's a great article on wild jatropha in India: http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleId=288590&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__business/

The only thing we need to be careful of, lacking Kyoto compliance, is de-forestation in places like Malaysia in order to grow palm oil for biodiesel. It's happening at a frightening clip. Like anything, a new idea is a coin with two sides.

But if Gore is able to get carbon accountability, then we will enter into a new era of sustainable, responsible living.

It's better to support farmers than fanatics.

Go high-lipid algae and Al Gore!

Algae Gore!

Hi Craig,

It's not so much that I don't think we need to come up with ways to rehabilitate prisoners and give them some life skills...I do agree with that. However, I would rather that we get to these people before they kill, rob or rape someone. In my mind it's more important to find the root causes of crime and "disenfranchisement" (not sure if that's a word...but what the hey)and work there, rather then to try to "fix" someone after they're broken. In my view, the root cause of so much violence and misery comes from constantly beating the drum of "victimhood". I feel that the most important lesson you can pass on to children is that "you are responsible for you". I can't always control my life situation, or the things that step into my life, but I can control my response to them. There in lies the choice, and the message that we send our citizens these days is that they are not the choicemakers...and that is a lie. If we cannot choose our response to any given situation then who can?

Frankly the idea that all someone has to do to get an eduction is rape my daughter is more than I'm ready to pay for. I suppose that means I don't meditate enough :)....but for now that's where I am. I would rather find a way to make education available to kids before they break the law and before they see the inside of a prison. In this way two lives are saved: the victim of the crime and the perpetrator.

Now back to politics. You're absolutely right, it is a "battle of the rich boys" to see who gets into office and it no longer works. Originally, serving in the government was supposed to be service...it was never meant to be a career. You were to put in your time and then go back to your regular line of work. However, now it's big business and like all other big business one is forced to spend large amounts of cash in order to get into office. Term limits would help alleviate SOME of this; it might help to get rid of "career" politicians. I think a constantly new stream of idealistic, temporary Senators and Representitives would allow for a much more diverse viewpoint in government, and might help to disestablish the "good old boys" club that the Congress has become. The problem of course is that we've put the fox in charge of the hen house. The "Good Old Boys" are in charge of getting rid of their own club and the club is just too much fun and too tempting. Hopefully we can put enough pressure on Congress to implement reform, but I suspect it won't happen any time really soon.

Peace,
Scott.

Your silence is talking to me Mallika! So sad!

Indeed Scott,

Attacking the root cause of the problem is the ideal solution. And if we could help to turn the lives around of the older-timer cons, that would then be our number one power of redemption for the next generation of potential criminals; b/c, invariably, the kids getting into trouble today, are the sons of the kids who got into trouble yesterday . . .

I know that for the violent offenders, the assaulters, murderers, and sexual pervs, it is hard for us others to 'understand' them, believe me, I was once of those prisoners who would mercilessly victimize the rapos and chimos, driving those dudes right into solitary,

and as repugnant as their crime(s) were, when one is in solitary, when is most definitely not going to be rehabilitated.

I cannot believe I am actually defending violent criminals . . .

But, I suppose, If I want to look out for 'my people,' I have to try to look out for all of them; even dealing with my own fear and disgust of them.

I truly believe we are all creations of God, but some dudes can really really get lost, but I do believe with the right methods, peaceful loving methods, we could even change the worst amongst us.

Call me a hopeless socialist idealist, but, well, I have to believe all of us have a divine spark within us, but sometimes that spark just gets horribly obfuscated within the darkness of our dog eat dog society . . .

Peace brother

Craig,

I do agree with you completely that we are all children of God and that some are lost and become dangerous. But as an old teacher of mine said: "There are reasons for the things that people do, (no matter how dark), so we must have compassion. But a reason is not an excuse and we are still responsible for the actions we take."

Peace,
Scott.

Uggh.

Responsibility.

Scott,

Pages 179-95 of "The book of Secrets," I was just reading: good stuff! And on page 193 Deepak writes, "The eleventh secret is about escaping the bondage of cause and effect."

Aye, indeed, I am all about free-will, else this universe would literally be a dead existence. And like our elections vividly demonstrate right now, if the one's with less could have more choices, like a voter having more than just the choice of a democrat or republican, we could indeed uplift our fellow man!

But like our choices in politicians, sometimes the choices given to the lesser element amongst us, seem like no choice at all . . .

Like for me personally brother, in striving to talk to the universe, often the shadows of my life dim everything else, and I run back to the only thing I know; the bottle.

As you have conditioned yourself to be physically robust (as I once was), and have developed your spirituality, and that is hard work, living right is hard work, and as you have repeated your good choices in life, dummies like me have repeated the bad choices, and like when I was in school between 2002-05, I had a sense of purpose and I bit the bullet, and chose not to drink, as hard as it was at times, I chose to 'succeed,'

and now, since I couldn't go to law school I have only since reverted to making bad choices, and then the money, the school loans, the unpaid child support . . .

the bad choices seem to become so much easier then trying to bite the bullet once again . . .

Hence we come back to my railings against the evils of capitalism, in that battling myself, my demons, is a struggle I could, and may yet hopefully win, the added despair of finances really takes the wind out of my sails (my financial debts having nothing to do with buying too many boats or houses or maxing out credit cards . . .)

O forget it, I am kind of babbling, but yes, it is all about one's choices, one's strength, one's sense of inner purpose . . .

hmm . . .

Could I lead my people to a land of milk and honey unburdened by this government so we could strive to make new choices (har har har)

Peace

Craig