What's the carbon/health footprint of another senseless war?
The Afghan War may now doom our ability both to cope with the global climate crisis and to fairly deliver health care in this country.
If Barack Obama announces an escalation, Copenhagen and the Climate Bill will become meaningless. And the prospects for a single-payer health care system or even a token public option will disappear.
At 11pm Tuesday, December 1---after Obama's speech---we in central Ohio will gather at the Federal Building to either celebrate Obama’s courageous decision against escalation, or to inaugurate what will certainly be hard years of bitter civil struggle against yet another senseless war. Freepress.org, Solartopia.org and other peace, green and social justice organizations ask others around the world to consider joining us in your own home towns.
If there is no escalation, we can celebrate a small step forward in Copenhagen, where Obama has said he will join with Chinese leadership in a 17% reduction in carbon emissions. Joining with the Chinese in setting ANY target is good global politics.
But this is nowhere near enough. Nor is it anywhere near what’s possible.
If Barack Obama announces an escalation, Copenhagen and the Climate Bill will become meaningless. And the prospects for a single-payer health care system or even a token public option will disappear.
At 11pm Tuesday, December 1---after Obama's speech---we in central Ohio will gather at the Federal Building to either celebrate Obama’s courageous decision against escalation, or to inaugurate what will certainly be hard years of bitter civil struggle against yet another senseless war. Freepress.org, Solartopia.org and other peace, green and social justice organizations ask others around the world to consider joining us in your own home towns.
If there is no escalation, we can celebrate a small step forward in Copenhagen, where Obama has said he will join with Chinese leadership in a 17% reduction in carbon emissions. Joining with the Chinese in setting ANY target is good global politics.
But this is nowhere near enough. Nor is it anywhere near what’s possible.
Anti-Americans
As I slog through the debate, no, the debacle on Universal Health Care; As I watch while fellow Americans water down, no, piss on this most noble notion of our nation's history, my emotions evolve from shock, to sadness, to trying (without success) to tune out.
While the damned wars may be justified, however wrongly, with some misguided and misinformed altruism, there is nothing to misconstrue as moral ground in opposing Universal Health Care.
Good people can be fooled into supporting wars. Happens all the time. But people who oppose Universal Health Care just plain suck. They're usually the ones who happen to have healthcare for themselves and their families. But as their jobs disappear - and with it their insurance - they change their tune right quick.
Most opponents cite government incompetence or high cost as reasons to deny health care to all Americans. But beneath the cost and controversy lies an incontrovertable truth:
More Americans would remain alive in a United States with Universal Health Care.
Less Americans would die.
While the damned wars may be justified, however wrongly, with some misguided and misinformed altruism, there is nothing to misconstrue as moral ground in opposing Universal Health Care.
Good people can be fooled into supporting wars. Happens all the time. But people who oppose Universal Health Care just plain suck. They're usually the ones who happen to have healthcare for themselves and their families. But as their jobs disappear - and with it their insurance - they change their tune right quick.
Most opponents cite government incompetence or high cost as reasons to deny health care to all Americans. But beneath the cost and controversy lies an incontrovertable truth:
More Americans would remain alive in a United States with Universal Health Care.
Less Americans would die.
Still more fluff, lies and radiation from TMI and the new nuke media machine
Yet another "perfectly safe" release at Three Mile Island has irradiated yet another puff of hype about alleged "green" support for new reactors.
The two are inseparable.
In 1979, when TMI's brand new Unit Two melted, stack monitors and other critical safeguards crashed in tandem. Nobody knows how much radiation escaped, where it went or who it harmed. Cancers, leukemia, stillbirths, malformations, asthma, sterility, skin lesions and other radiation-related diseases erupted throughout central Pennsylvania. Some 2400 families sued, but never got a full public hearing in federal court.
Unit Two had operated just three months when it melted. By a 3-1 margin, three central Pennsylvania counties then voted that TMI-One, which opened in 1974, stay shut. But Ronald Reagan tore down that wall.
This week TMI's owners were forced to evacuate 150 workers when radioactive dust "unexpectedly blew out of a pipe being cut by workers." Exelon was "trying to determine exactly how and why it happened."
The two are inseparable.
In 1979, when TMI's brand new Unit Two melted, stack monitors and other critical safeguards crashed in tandem. Nobody knows how much radiation escaped, where it went or who it harmed. Cancers, leukemia, stillbirths, malformations, asthma, sterility, skin lesions and other radiation-related diseases erupted throughout central Pennsylvania. Some 2400 families sued, but never got a full public hearing in federal court.
Unit Two had operated just three months when it melted. By a 3-1 margin, three central Pennsylvania counties then voted that TMI-One, which opened in 1974, stay shut. But Ronald Reagan tore down that wall.
This week TMI's owners were forced to evacuate 150 workers when radioactive dust "unexpectedly blew out of a pipe being cut by workers." Exelon was "trying to determine exactly how and why it happened."
Al-Gathafi's big tent
Colonel Muammar al-Gathafi lives in a really big air-conditioned tent with cushy rugs and incredible chandeliers. How do I know? I visited the tent on the 40th anniversary of the Libyan revolution, when a 27-year-old al-Gathafi overthrew the Libya government, Che Guavera-style (his hero).
The controversial Libyan leader, who helped train and fund insurgent groups all over the world, now wants to compete in the marketplace of ideas -- and he and his supporters think his Green Book may offer a new perspective. One Green Book idea: every citizen is entitled to one mortgage-free house, or tent. That's the way it is for 5.5 million Libyan citizens.
Following al-Gathafi's recent trip to the United States, where he spoke for an hour and a half at the United Nations -- questioning the assassinations of Kennedy and King -- former U.S. Congresswoman organized a delegation to visit Libya and attend the First International Conference of the Green Book Supporters Society.
The controversial Libyan leader, who helped train and fund insurgent groups all over the world, now wants to compete in the marketplace of ideas -- and he and his supporters think his Green Book may offer a new perspective. One Green Book idea: every citizen is entitled to one mortgage-free house, or tent. That's the way it is for 5.5 million Libyan citizens.
Following al-Gathafi's recent trip to the United States, where he spoke for an hour and a half at the United Nations -- questioning the assassinations of Kennedy and King -- former U.S. Congresswoman organized a delegation to visit Libya and attend the First International Conference of the Green Book Supporters Society.
Paul Krassner as our “Satirist-Laureate”
IN PRAISE OF INDECENCY: THE LEADING INVESTIGATIVE SATIRIST SOUNDS OFF ON HYPOCRISY, CENSORSHIP AND FREE EXPRESSION
WHO’S TO SAY WHAT’S OBSCENE? : POLTICS, CULTURE AND COMEDY IN AMERICA TODAY
CONFESSIONS OF A RAVING, UNCONFINED NUT: MISADVENTURES IN THE COUNTERCULTURE
It’s time our national government at last enshrines its most critical artistic need, that of “Satirist-Laureate.” The first nod must go to the man who has pioneered the idiom in modern America---Paul Krassner.
Since the days of Lenny Bruce, Krassner (a good friend, but no relation) has been poking brilliant fun at every sacred horse’s ass in American politics and culture.
He also remains our cutting edge critic on censorship and its pornographic twin. His two recent books slash to the core of the utter hypocrisy of the government sticking its nose in what we read and write, think and smoke.
WHO’S TO SAY WHAT’S OBSCENE? : POLTICS, CULTURE AND COMEDY IN AMERICA TODAY
CONFESSIONS OF A RAVING, UNCONFINED NUT: MISADVENTURES IN THE COUNTERCULTURE
It’s time our national government at last enshrines its most critical artistic need, that of “Satirist-Laureate.” The first nod must go to the man who has pioneered the idiom in modern America---Paul Krassner.
Since the days of Lenny Bruce, Krassner (a good friend, but no relation) has been poking brilliant fun at every sacred horse’s ass in American politics and culture.
He also remains our cutting edge critic on censorship and its pornographic twin. His two recent books slash to the core of the utter hypocrisy of the government sticking its nose in what we read and write, think and smoke.
Activists halt blasting of Coal River Mountain by locking themselves down to mining rig
The Columbus Free Press spoke with Zoe Beavers of Climate Ground Zero on Saturday Nov 22, as two concerned citizens, Dea Goblirsch and Nick Martin, locked down to a drill rig on Coal River Mountain’s Bee Tree mountaintop removal site, effectively stopping blasting. There will be a national day of action on Dec 7 in Charleston, WV to stop mountain top removal mining.
Zoe Beavers : We’ll they’ve started blasting on Coal River Mountain in order to build a road so they can start their mountain top removal (on Coal River Mountain). They’ve actually started blasting close to the impoundment that holds 9 billion gallons of toxic sludge. They’ve started 200 feet from the edge of the impoundment to do this blasting for the road. There are a couple of folks there-Dea and Nick-- and they’ve locked themselves down to the drill rig to halt the blasting. Dea is actually locked down in the cab of the drill rig and Nick is locked down to the cage on the outside of it.
Columbus Free Press: This is going on right now as we speak ?
Zoe Beavers : We’ll they’ve started blasting on Coal River Mountain in order to build a road so they can start their mountain top removal (on Coal River Mountain). They’ve actually started blasting close to the impoundment that holds 9 billion gallons of toxic sludge. They’ve started 200 feet from the edge of the impoundment to do this blasting for the road. There are a couple of folks there-Dea and Nick-- and they’ve locked themselves down to the drill rig to halt the blasting. Dea is actually locked down in the cab of the drill rig and Nick is locked down to the cage on the outside of it.
Columbus Free Press: This is going on right now as we speak ?
Hell comes home
There’s no armor, it turns out, for conscience.
So our men and women are coming home from the killing fields wounded in their heads, used up, greeted only by the military’s own meat grinder of inadequate health care and intolerance for “weakness.”
“Frankly, in my more than 25 years of clinical practice, I’ve never seen such immense emotional suffering and psychological brokenness.” This is what whistleblower psychiatrist Kernan Manion wrote recently to President Obama about his experience counseling Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, as reported by Salon.
In September, Manion, having been told to “cease and desist all further correspondence with the government,” was fired by the Navy for his urgent, outspoken communiqués about the mental-health minefield the military has on its hands. Two months later, of course, the issue of PTSD was blown into the national headlines by the massacre at Fort Hood. And a day after that, according to Salon, the body of a Marine was found at Camp Lejeune and a fellow Marine was arrested for the murder.
So our men and women are coming home from the killing fields wounded in their heads, used up, greeted only by the military’s own meat grinder of inadequate health care and intolerance for “weakness.”
“Frankly, in my more than 25 years of clinical practice, I’ve never seen such immense emotional suffering and psychological brokenness.” This is what whistleblower psychiatrist Kernan Manion wrote recently to President Obama about his experience counseling Marines at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, as reported by Salon.
In September, Manion, having been told to “cease and desist all further correspondence with the government,” was fired by the Navy for his urgent, outspoken communiqués about the mental-health minefield the military has on its hands. Two months later, of course, the issue of PTSD was blown into the national headlines by the massacre at Fort Hood. And a day after that, according to Salon, the body of a Marine was found at Camp Lejeune and a fellow Marine was arrested for the murder.