Open Thread
As we continue our virtual trans-continental flight from Houston to Anchorage, here’s one from … somewhere in that area where Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado converge. I think. I really loved looking at the geometric patterns of agriculture.
I was in a plane next to a guy who thought these patterns were crop circles.
WOW, that’s a cool shot. I’ve never been able to get one like that on my cross-country flights (it’s that red-eye flight thing!).
I like them all but I love this.
this might be the best picture yet
LOL- I love it. Crop circles! I always loved looking at that when we went flying with our pilot friend when we lived in Kansas.
I think someone told me that the reason the fields are circular is because of the above ground irrigation – some of them are in the center and rotate while others move across the field.
For the early morning people coming to the New Thread, Gryphen posted some news late last night. What will the excuse be THIS time…?
“Organizers of an Anchorage event that has been billing Sarah Palin for weeks as a star speaker were left scrambling Wednesday after learning that the former governor won’t be there for tonight’s event and claims to have never been asked.”
http://www.adn.com/palin/story/912369.html
She bailed on Her Idol Reagan and now the Right-to-lifers. Who will be left.
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AKM… are you sure you didn’t paint those circles in that picture?
Pat,Washington state: That is exactly right ( above ground irrigation).
the reason the water level is dropping all over the midwest.
Pat: those bigger circles are one section each, or 640 acres.
Just relit my candel for Segundo http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=AS%2FSS
and there is also a candle vigil going for Senator Kennedy called “Teddy” .
a question for akm, where do Texas,Oklahoma,Nebraska, and Colorado converge?
http://anonymousbloggers.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/remembering-segundo-kegginacengaq-strongheart/
Totally moving update on Segundo at above link and the Memorial Fund is up and running. Find the working button on Anonymous Bloggers. This will be a tough winter for Ann. I am looking forwart to help with some cash, after all she has done for others.
Hi folks~
Comic Opera Or Greek Tragedy – Why’d Prima Donna Palin Blow It This Time – New Poll
http://nailinpalinnow.blogspot.com
Anyone wishing to send condolences to the Kennedy family may do so at the following:
link.http://tedkennedy.org/
Anonymous bloggers has clickable button to get to Paypal to make a donation to assist with unexpected and very high costs to help the Strongheart family. The site has a wonderful recounting of the ceremonies.
Educational fund seems to be in the works as a separate endeavor, so please keep an eye out for that as well. It’s one small way we can try to support.
oops not enough coffee sorry!!
http://tedkennedy.org/
Good morning! What a great photo. Love the pattern and composition but it also leaves me with a strange feeling about how we measure, divide, stake out , conquer and buy and sell the earth. ( the right wingers have me in a funk!)
Simply gorgeous morning. Chilly enough to pull on sweat pants this morning. Couldn’t be happier! Getting close to soup making weather.
Let’s take on this day, shall we ???
Those patterns are kind of nice, but the reasons quoted have me worried. Sinking water levels? That means whereever the water did not reach it is simply brown? There is no water in the earth below to even keep it green a little bit?
And I don´t see a single tree or bush anywhere. I am used to european flying and it looks so totally different…
My Dad hung on to a bit of farmland in Ohio for many years and there were some trees on it. He refused to have them cut although they were “useless”. I wonder what the new owners did. He says one of the things he especially likes about Germany are the woods. (They are not very wild because they are being farmed as well, but methods have changed and bits are allowed to go wild, because traditional farming made them subsceptible to diseases and weakened them. Big storms had easy play on some beautiful woodland. A bad one was 1989. Europeans learned from their mistakes.)
lettersfromeurope, I think that what you are seeing in this photo is not unnatural brownness, unnatural greenness. Hence the depleting water. If left to its own devices, this would probably be closer to desert.
not unnatural brownness, BUT unnatural greenness (mumbling to self)
I don’t recall flying low enough for long enough to see things like AKM did. I’ll have to pay close attention next week on the way to Greece to see what I can see. Unfortunately, though, I took an aisle seat for comfort. 10 hours is a long time to be cramped up by the window and requesting permission to walk about from your seatmate (who will be a stranger).
I agree with Buffalo Gal! Let’s TAKE ON THIS DAY!
Everyone do one thing POSITIVE for health care! There are a zillion links in the other threads to sign petitions, write your reps in DC, etc.
When we’re done with health care, let’s all do one small humanitarian effort… donate to Ann, light a candle for Teddy, or even muster up one good thought that the nutcases find help and dedicate themselves to sanity.
I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. I’ve been depressed, sad, constantly on the verge of tears, etc. ever since all the hate (nasty town hall meetings and blogs) and death (Eunice, Teddy, Segundo, etc.) and destruction (fires in Athens) started to spew forth.
I’m actually going to get dressed today as a start in my recovery! LOL!
I don’t know… we’ve had a VERY unusually cool and wet summer here in MI. Haven’t dragged the sprinkler out once to create artificial greenness. Lawns are thick and thriving this summer, where usually, we either have to water them or let them go brown. We’ve only had a few unbearably hot days, also too. Doubt if we broke 70 just yesterday.
We pilots used to call those circle things “Pizza Farms” ( a few people actually believed us!). If you are super bored, peering out your window
seat, you can hold your head perfectly still, pick a spot on the window
pane, and time the passage of one mile ( a “big” circle, or two little ones, side by side, or use the section lines, which are oriented N-S-E-W) then
use that measurement to figure out your groundspeed in mph. Yippee.
Center pivot irrigation. In the picture there are full section (640 acres) pivots, half section pivots, and quarter section pivots. The water is pumped from the Ogallala Aquifer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala_Aquifer
High plains irrigation at work. So much irrigation that the underlying aquifer borders on dry. The difference in the shades of green relates to specific crops. Soy beans, for instance, tend to be darker than alfalfa which tends to be darker than corn.
10 otrplm Says:
August 27th, 2009 at 1:13 AM
a question for akm, where do Texas,Oklahoma,Nebraska, and Colorado converge?
_________________________________________________________________
That would be Kansas! Speaking of which…I told you we had a real winner for a congresswoman here:
http://cjonline.com/news/state/2009-08-26/jenkins_remark_raises_eyebrows
“Republicans are struggling right now to find the great white hope,” Jenkins said to the crowd.
It’s also made it to Huffpost.
Her meeting here in Manhattan was a quick in-and-out non event…Democrats are bad, taxers and spenders, socialists, want to be between you and your doctor, yada yada yada…you can train a parrot to say anything (but it still can’t reason). Not a single constructive idea about what Republicans would do to fix things.
What an idjit!
From wikipedia: After (Jack) Johnson’s victory over Burns, racial animosity among whites ran so deep that even a socialist like Jack London called out for a “Great White Hope” to take the title away from Johnson — who was crudely caricatured as a subhuman “ape” — and return it to where it supposedly belonged, with the “superior” white race
10 otrplm Says: August 27th, 2009 at 1:13 AM
a question for akm, where do Texas,Oklahoma,Nebraska, and Colorado converge?
______________
No need to get picky.
She probably meant Kansas instead of Nebraska, although this view is very present to anyone who has flown eastbound out of Stapleton. Technically, there is no 4-corners convergence of the state as is the case with CO, NM, AZ and UT, but the SE corner of CO butts up against the SW corner of KS along the northern edge of OK, with TX just 50 or so miles below that point.
Okay, I’m taking on the day but I am not changing out of my woolie jammies, robe and slippers.
7 otrplm Says:
August 27th, 2009 at 12:26 AM
Pat,Washington state: That is exactly right ( above ground irrigation).
the reason the water level is dropping all over the midwest.
_______________________________________________________________
The issue is made even more difficult because of the current seven-year drought and because some areas of the aquifer are nearly depleted while others have enough water for generations of irrigation.
Bob Hooper, a retired teacher from Bogue who has been involved in state water issues for decades, said the agricultural depletion of the aquifer “is like a drunk running a liquor store, and I don’t mean that unkindly. “It’s an economic addiction, and like all addictions, it will be painful to quit, and there will be a high price to pay for having had it,” Hooper said.
But Wayne Bossert, manager of the Northwest Kansas Groundwater District No. 4, in Colby, has a counter view. “If you are going to make money, you are going to use water,” Bossert said. “If you want to make less money, use less water. It’s an economic resource out here; it’s about choices.”
Complete article:
http://www.truthout.org/article/water-kansas-crisis-demands-attention
Also see Mudflats forum “Next Crisis: International Water Shortage, coming soon to a city near you!”
michagander – warm pjs and slippers – the uniform of proud , progressive bloggers , everywhere!! (except when it’s sweat pants and a hoodie , but either way, we’re taking on the day and we’re danged comfy!)
Thanks for all the explanations. Oh dear, we can do without a lot of “things” but we cannot do without water….
Really, really am worried. I thought the midwest was a bit “greener”, wetter and so on.
@Samper – when you are over southern Europe you will probably see a lot of “desert” this time of year. Let us know about the view. My childhood Summers in Rome where usually spent scooting from one cool church to the next interspersed with frequent stops at the public drinking fountains. Park grass was dry, but nobody dreamt of watering it. The trees were/are the kind that survive without.
On the counterview: And when there is no water anymore? Nobody makes any money or is this what the next wars are going to be about? Water not Oil?
Michigander has the right idea… it’s quite a cool morning here in MI! I (still) have my robe on, also too, with sweats and a long sleeved t-shirt. YUP! Comfy is the order of the day! BTW: I said I’d dress today… I didn’t say WHEN. 2PM sounds like a good time for a shower, as BF is coming by later.
letters: I’ll be very curious to check the path into Athens. It would be interesting to get a bird’s eye view of the fire damage north of the city. Depends on how they direct flights in and out of the airport, I guess. I know in Detroit, those coming from the south often go far north and approach that way when conditions warrant.
Funny… in hotter summers, we’ve been on water restrictions (no outside use of any kind on alternate or all days) in the past. Yet, MI is surrounded by LOTS of water and has zillions of inland lakes as well.
Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink…
It is not so much that most places will ‘run out of’ water but that folks will have spent a bazillion bucks building ways to waste it…and the amount available to waste will be reduced or gone…
The goof who protects his own waste-it-for bucks! mindset is blind to how many dollars are spent sprinkling, pouring, slooshing water all over the place which could be spent on regional solutions to water issues which would protect MUCH more than this year’s bottom line…
Like maybe his kids’ futures…
Las Vegas Springs has a good water education program to help folks meet mandatory water cutbacks…
Lots of farmers have shifted to drip irrigation in fruit and nut groves here and there…
There are tons of sensible things which allow people to make a living AND ‘save ‘ water…
AKM-
your pic is wonderful and look where it has taken people!!!!
#10 otrplm, I think she meant New Mexico not Nebraska…
30 samper Says:
Funny… in hotter summers, we’ve been on water restrictions (no outside use of any kind on alternate or all days) in the past. Yet, MI is surrounded by LOTS of water and has zillions of inland lakes as well.
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Where does your municipal water supply come from?
The infrastructure to get that water collected, stored, and ALL of it treated to drinking water quality is often inadequate for dry spells of any duration or decent cost.
We , the US, will likely have to rethink and redo some of our ways of doing some things with water…somewhere down the line.
How is your electricity generated?
Is it hydro which might be in tough shpe in dry summers?
The more we all know about our own community’s way of providing water and sewage and electricity and so on the better able we are to do plan and do things which might work BETTER.
This is totally cool. I’m posting most of the article because it’s that good and that important! This is what is happening at Chenna Hot Springs, do you realize how much they’ve done in such a short period of time? It’s wonderful, amazing and very exciting. And they did all this despite Scarah’s ‘fiscal’ funding cuts.
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?s=10449471#
“Karl uses his resort as a laboratory to grow new ideas.
His latest brainchild is a portable power generator that can be hooked up to an oil or gas well.
The mobile geothermal power plant is basically a power plant on a flat bed truck.
When it’s hooked up to an oil well the hot water byproduct can generate enough power for 280 homes.
That’s a lot of energy in a state like Texas where there are a lot of oil rigs.
That’s why the Department of Energy and several private companies have put about $1.4 million to develop and test the prototype which will be hooked up to an oil well in Florida this fall.
The technology is not limited to oil wells.
Waste heat or geothermal energy can also be used to create hydrogen fuel which Chena Hot Springs plans to use to run its cars soon.
“Any waste heat stream. Go to anybody that’s got an engine running, anybody that’s manufacturing something. It’s got waste heat,” Karl said. “You back it up and turn it into electricity.”
It’s expensive to produce but if the energy is renewable it could pencil out especially for communities in rural Alaska that pay more than $6 a gallon for fuel.
“Hydrogen is just one more tool in your renewable energy tool box,” said Karl. “Yet someday hydrogen will be the fuel of the future, you’ll see.”
Karl says we need two ingredients to find the fuels of the future.
“We have no vision. We have no passion,” Karl told a group of state lawmakers who took Chena’s energy tour this week.
“I’m telling you every community in Alaska can be totally sufficient in ten years,” Karl said. “And I told them it doesn’t take money. We already spend the money. We spend it on fuel. And we give the money to someone else. Most of the money leaves the state. It doesn’t stay in the community.”
Karl says we might as well invest in renewable energy to keep the money here.
One project that may do that is a new geothermal well that will go down 3,000 feet.
Karl hopes to generate enough power to run operate Eielson Air Force Base.
“Do you realize what that can do for an air force base,” said Karl. “It’ll make sure that air force base gets to be there when they cut other air force bases. They won’t be cutting that one.”
The energy tours at Chena Hot Springs are free.
Chena will host its annual renewable energy fair in August where the portable power plant will be featured. “
Also, too. I love the pic AKM!
Actually, the only place 4 states converge are at the 4 corners on the sw corner
of CO. There you can stand and be in CO, NM, AZ & UT. Recently it was discovered that the 4 corner monument is incorrectly placed, not by much so if you walk around a bit you should hit it!
Mother Nature at her finest… with a little help from man, of course.
Fascinating to behold ~ and once again AKM, thanks for sharing the joy of the journey!
Have a pleasant day everyone!
Yes, we are using “fossil” water that isn’t being replenished.
Fascinating photo- these crop circles are scary.
For AIGA news- this is from this morning’s Globe and Mail:
“Plunging natural gas prices are gutting the Alberta treasury, with the once-booming province staring at a deficit of almost $7-billion, its biggest ever.
The price of natural gas has fallen by more than half this year, steadily sliding each month as a flush of new supply in the United States smashes against weak demand because of the recession.
It has been a “real kick in the head,” said Alberta Finance Minister Iris Evans, as she announced a budget update and the new deficit of $6.9-billion for 2009-2010, $2.2-billion worse than predicted in the April budget.
The chasm between the natural gas revenues Alberta expected just four months ago and the reality today is a sobering prelude to what British Columbians can expect next Tuesday. The B.C. government has prepared a whole new second budget – not an update – for 2009-10 as it grapples with the recession. B.C., Canada’s No. 2 gas producer, is expected to shoulder a deficit of more than $3-billion, six times greater than the $495-million projected in the February budget. Big spending cuts loom.” …
Usually, as a fairly secure retiree, I don’t pay much attention, but a few months ago I wrote a grant application for BC Gaming funds to rebuild the septic system at our small museum. The decision date was Aug 31, but since July BC has frozen many forms of government aid, including the gaming revenue- which is billions. BC residents spend about $500 US per capita per annum gambling and about 25% of that is returned as grants.
So scratch ticket revenue will replace the sale of gas as an increasingly desperate population gambles more.
And the price of heating hasn’t gone down. Grumble, grumble.
Halp! Am I entirely losing my mind? Didn’t Palin do a FB post in the past week re: the “death book” for the vets ? “Your Life, Your Choice”. Was that FB or did she state her case about it elsewhere? I thought for sure it was FB ( i think i even posted it at one point). I can’t find it and I have AmVets willing to make a statement about it if I’ll fwd it to them. I’m going to post this on the other thread as well, being as it’s a quiet morning. Thanks !
The picture reminds me of a quilt.
Here in MO Ozarks, the woods would literally take over if one didn’t cut them back periodically. Where they have trimmed along roads 2 yrs ago there are already 3′ tall trees growing back. I love the majestic trees here.
We used to live in CO, it’s considered a semi desert climate, basically the only trees are in cities and along rivers from the foothills of the Rocky Mts. to Kansas state line, it would be dry if it wasn’t irrigated, that’s roughly half the state.
Around Ft. Collins (where we lived) very northern CO, they are doing a lot of zero scaping which is landscaping that requires little to no watering using drought resistant and native plants and mulching to retain rainfall moisture, it’s very cool not to see ‘yards of grass’, just think no more mowing.
If I remember correctly water is so ‘owned’ there that it is illegal to have gutter water barrels to catch rainwater, doesn’t seem quite right to me but I don’t understand all the laws pertaining to water rights. When we sold our property, we sold 6 acre of irrigation water rights valued at $90,000, we had a measured amount, when it was used up ya got no more and in drought years others up the line got theirs first.
BuffaloGal @39 You are not crazy but I don’t know how to find it. Huffington Post had a story on it w/a link to it – maybe can find it there? I’ll go look….
Thanks michigander – I found a huff po article but it didn’t link. Maybe there’s another. I think I have it figured out tho. I think it wasn’t a full “note” but rather just a link with a sentence about it and was posted on her wall? Thanks for helping me look.
Re: my request for help finding Palin’s FB entry about the vet “death book” @39
Found it : http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=24718773587&share_id=124856271147&comments=1#s124856271147
It wasn’t a full post, just a link and a comment. Thanks again for your help!
BuffaloGal,
that’s good, I found that info for you, but the mod filter here didn’t let the post show.
Kate in Canada, propane is the lowest we’ve paid since moving here in 2005, In July we bought prebuy @ $1.39 a gallon, I heard over the local news it’s even lower now, closer to $1.00 a gallon, compare that to last years prebuy of $2.69 a gallon, quite the difference. In 2005 we paid $1.69 a gallon.
We use about 400 gallons a year, we’re very frugal users, lots of people here use wood as a sole source or supplemental, we do a little bit in the basement on weekends when the hubby starts a fire. So not too bad price wise compared to other parts of the country for winter heating costs, but I’d far far rather be using renewable wind, solar or geothermal. Natural gas is not available in our area. In CO. we had hot water heat, loved it!
Also, in CO the smoke from burning wood causes a smog problem due to inversion which holds the smoke at low elevation, it was a big problem when we lived in little mt towns surrounded by high peaks. Now combined with other pollution it’s a problem along the front range from Co. Springs to Ft. Collins.
BuffaloGal, hope it helps you with the AmVets (o:
if anyone noticed the pink handcuffs Sherry Johnston was wearing this is where they came from. I wonder what else was in the care package?
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10967504
“As it turns out Burkett befriended some of Sheriff Joe’s deputies when they were in Alaska on a prisoner run.
“When they were off duty CSO Burkett and his wife were very hospitable to these deputies — they took them out fishing, they just showed them a really good Alaskan time,” Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Megan Peters said. “So when they went back to Arizona, as a thank you they sent them a care package and a part of the care package were two pairs of pink handcuffs.”
And on Wednesday they landed on Johnston’s wrists.”
About natural gas, and woodburning. My pet peeve is woodstoves. Not because I don’t understand that many can’t afford electric heat, or oil, or propane systems. Where I live, we are inundated with concentrated wood smog, from our community woodstoves burning winter/ and some days in summer. My observation is the burners have nice big new homes, cars, all the toys, but just use woodburning as a hobby, or choose the wood stove as a “right” and “entitlement” to enjoying watching wood burn. 9 out of 10 homes here have their properties with stacks of wood for the winter. It’s expensive too and doesn’t save them money anymore than a propane gas fireplace.
But, am hoping with new technology, some type of carbon could be found that would not harm the air, and could be used for burning, other than trees.
We can’t walk outdoors here in the winter. I hold my breath from the house door to the car. It saturates everything; open the door or window for a second and we are choking. Every part of the city, or outskirts is the same. Have contacted various environmental orgs, and it’s going to be a long time before many see the light.
This is Canada, where there’s lots of clean air. Thanks for letting me rant.
One suggestion a few people have made, which hopefully will get some attention, is developers, municipalities assigning certain neighborhoods woodstove/free, or woodstove/usable.
Then, buyers or renters have the option of living in a woodburning area or not. That way, everyone is happy. Many families have kids with asthma, more and more people develop lung problems, the elderly, and they should have a place to live where they can open their windows and breathe in fresh air.
Well, wonder if anyone else here has any ideas?
Hot Air has a link to Glen Beck on the cover of his new book
He is dressed as a proud Nazi Officer!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389×6384621
ALL:
I just got an email from moveon.org inviting me to some functions in my area next week regarding health care.
Obviously, the timing is poor, as the first one is on the day I leave and others follow.
Please log into their site and see if there is an event in your area!
Michigander: I was invited to Oak Park, a little far for you, but they might have one closer to A2 (I hope I’m remembering your location as west of A2 correctly!). There are then “We can’t wait” candlelight vigils throughout metro Detroit, if you’ll be in the area any time next week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fBRglimkgo (link to a “Young Turks” episode that includes an audio clip of the sermon. You can skip the first 3 minutes ) (( Again, only for those with well-controlled blood pressure and balanced hormones. ))
Pastor Steven Anderson, praying for President Obama to die and go to hell. This is the guy that riled the church goers in Arizona, where they showed up armed with weapons when the president showed up for the town hall. This may have been posted before but it sure needs to be seen by all. Multiply this guy by , how many ??
>>the day before Broughton brought his loaded assault rifle to a demonstration outside where the President was speaking in downtown Phoenix, Pastor Anderson was preaching hate for President Obama, and praying for the Chief Executive’s death.
And when I say, “preaching hate,” I don’t mean that as a figure of speech.
“God hates Barack Obama,” the preacher told his congregation. “I hate Barack Obama.”<> For Anderson, Obama cannot be “saved,” and because Obama backs access to abortion for women, he deserves to die.
“You’re gonna tell me that I’m supposed to pray for the socialist devil,” asked Anderson, rhetorically, referring to Obama, “[this] murderer, infanticide, who wants to see young children, and he wants to see babies killed through abortion and partial birth — and all these other things — you’re gonna tell me I’m supposed to pray for god to give him a good lunch tomorrow, while he’s in Phoenix, Arizona. Nope. I’m not going to pray for his good. I’m going to pray that he dies and goes to hell. When I go to bed tonight, that’s how I’m going to pray.” <<
And, for those of you that are fans of flow charts, this is from Huff Po :
Who’s Paying to Kill Health Care Reform ?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/09/lobbyblog_n_228657.html
I’ve not looked at it closely because it makes me woozy. It seems to be “following the money”.
That’s Texas, Oklahoma, KANSAS and Colorado. New Mexico is right there in the mix. Nebraska is way up north. So, Alaska is somewhere south of Baja California?
ROFL! I meant to say New Mexico. I do actually know that… just a brain glitch. Thanks. (slinking back to my square island off the coast of California…or is that the coast of Nebraska?)
AKM
@momom Correction please. That is NOT a Nazi Uniform, but an east german uniform. Also the writing on the cover (backward written R), I would guess, is supposed to look Russian. My guess it is a play on (drum roll here please, thankyou) “SOCIALISM”.
jammer5–YES! Out there in the middle of the Pacific between California and Hawai’i! That’s why it always confuses tourists when they get here and it’s colder than they were expecting it to be, because you know since we’re between CA and HI, it ought to be hot, right?!?!?
BuffaloGal, I had not seen that yet, wow, I’m not sure if getting ‘that’ viral would be a good or bad idea. ya know?
so, I read about sea4cult were upset about Scarah pics being removed from something, I’m assuming her Scarah Pac?
makes ya go hmmmm, eh? is this because new pics are going to look different? lol
Rebekka, in CO if the smog smoke is above a certain level the ban woodburning, you get a fine for doing so. Also, most of CO is pretty progressive and environmentally aware, fitness is kinda big, so these type laws are easy to pass.
Also, wood is more expensive than in other wooded states, especially the hardwoods. Basically all ya get in CO is pine, aspen, cottonwood and some cedar. I think new home construction does not have woodburning fireplaces. Perhaps pellet stoves. CO is perfect for solar, high elevation with intense sun rays and mostly sunny days throughout the year.
You might research some older papers like the DenverPost looking for the air quality controversy or google it. Definitely take action, I’d hate that so thick around me.
We’ve got wind power plants in northwest MO that are successful. The wind is fairly constant here, but oddly it dies on hot summer nights and howls on winter nights, lol.
oh my the real messages are getting out there and it’s heating up…….
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/27/mccain-evicts-angry-woman_n_270194.html
PHOENIX — Sen. John McCain met with an angry crowd at a town-hall meeting about health care reform Wednesday, sometimes having to fight to talk and telling one woman who wouldn’t stop yelling that she had to leave.
The Arizona senator hadn’t yet opened up the meeting at McCain’s central Phoenix church to questions when one audience member continuously yelled over him.
“You’re going to have to stop or you’re going to have to leave,” McCain told the woman. When security guards approached to escort her out, he told her “Goodbye, see ya” to a round of applause.
After McCain opened it up to questioning, one man angrily pointed at him and asked the senator why he deserves a better health care plan than him.
“I’m trying to get it for you,” McCain told him. “We’ll do it for you. We’ll make it affordable and available to you.”
Don’t worry about photos being scrubbed…. there are too many ZILLIONS of them out there for her to control!
also too: McCain is a LIAR! He is so ANTI- “Country First”, it’s pathetic… Just look at who he **almost** selected to be second in command!!!
okay, somebody check the insurance coverage for a state worker, see if it has this coverage. Scarah may have had it and not even known, lol.
United Health Care provides it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/27/private-insurer-also-prov_n_270558.html
“For all the hysteria regarding “death panels” being established in health care legislation, it’s worth noting that under one major private insurance plan consumers are offered end-of-life planning coverage that is similar to that being put forth by House Democrats.
Under the “Member Rights and Responsibilities” portion of United Healthcare’s website there is an outline of “exactly what you can expect from your health care experience and how you can improve that experience, too.” The list includes the following pledge:
Consumer will be allowed to “Choose an Advance Directive to designate the kind of care you wish to receive should you become unable to express your wishes.”
The goal of the provision, it seems, is to offer consumers the type of medical consultation that is often needed (and frequently forgone) to make end-of-life procedures can be smoother and less painful. If it sounds similar, that’s because the House provision that has been derided as creating government-administered “death panels” is very similar. “
he is such a jerk.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/26/limbaugh-congratulates-hi_n_269711.html
gee, we could have had it passed already, how nice, how many people a day are dying without insurance to seek medical help?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/26/mike-enzi-gang-of-six-rep_n_269447.html
“Mike Enzi, one of three Republicans ostensibly negotiating health care reform as part of the Senate’s “Gang of Six,” told a Wyoming town hall crowd that he had no plans to compromise with Democrats and was merely trying to extract concessions.
“It’s not where I get them to compromise, it’s what I get them to leave out,” Enzi said Monday, according to the Billings Gazette.
Enzi found himself under attack at the town hall simply for sitting in the same room as the three Finance Committee Democrats. Republicans in the crowd called for him to exit the talks. He assured conservatives that his presence was delaying health care reform.
“If I hadn’t been involved in this process as long as I have and to the depth as I have, you would already have national health care,” he said.
“Someone has to be at the table asking questions,” Enzi said. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.”
I just watched the video posted earlier by Buff Gal from Young Turks.
I’ve always very much liked this “guy on the street” commentary, which is just plain logical and straightforward.
I’ve NEVER seen him play a clip like this “PASTOR” Anderson’s tirade against the President of the United States.
I agree wholeheartedly. “PASTOR” should be arrested for inciting violence. But then again, I always thought SP should be as well for her “pallin’ around with terrorists” remarks.
The verbiage is inflammatory, hateful, and does nothing but rile up the already unstable base.
And what is a CHRISTIAN, a PASTOR, a MAN OF THE CLOTH doing wishing DEATH on the leader of the free world?
I am once again sickened to a point I didn’t think was possible in this day and age.
Instead of better, things just get worse.
look for Scarah or ‘whoever’ to put this wacked out info on facebook, if it’s got anything to do with defense and missiles, Scarah is all about it.
Huckabee is the keynote speaker at Empact America Conference, September 9-10, Seneca Niagara Hotel and Casino in Niagara Falls, New York. hmmm, I wonder what he’ll have to say.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/27/mike-huckabee-to-headline_n_270556.html
“So, how has it come to pass that various members of the GOP, such as Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, and Curt Weldon (all of whom will appear at the EMPACT event, along with the “godfather of EMP alarmism,” Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.)) have fixed upon the ornate and unlikely possibility of an EMP attack as a cause celebre? As Corley points out, fearmongering on EMP attacks allow them to “to argue for ‘familiar hobbyhorses’ like missile defense and preemptive military strikes.” OH! You thought maybe that they were going to advocate a lot of free-market solutions to this problem?
lol, this guy has to go.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/27/inhofe-ill-vote-against-r_n_270636.html
“Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) admitted this week that he would vote against health care reform without reading the bill, or knowing what was in it.
At a town hall meeting Wednesday Sen. Jim Inhofe told Chickasha residents he does not need to read the 1,000 page health care reform bill, he will simply vote against it.
“I don’t have to read it, or know what’s in it. I’m going to oppose it anyways,” he said.
Inhofe said he was able to form such a strong, yet uninformed opinion through polls and the media.
Republicans challenged Democrats to read the whole bill this summer — even though Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell later admitted that he hadn’t.
In July, Inhofe said that stalling or blocking health care reform would be a “huge gain” for Republicans in the 2010 election.”
Everybody make sure you save the link and click on PalinTruthPanel every day for the Hot story coming out. The site is like a resource library. And tell everybody you know to go there.
{ BTW-BuffaloGal is doing a Fantastic job with it}
The story title ” Who’s paying to Kill Health care reform ” is great and informative. You need to read it.
The other new link is the video of the Pastor praying and preaching to his members that harm should could to the President. ( these people are NUTZ! )
Save the link and use it. You don’t have to be on Twitter to get access to these links.
http://twitter.com/palintruthwatch
“13 Dems that are sitting on the fence with health care reform” See if any of your reps are here :
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/who-are-the-13-senate-democrats-holding-out-on-the-public-option.php
HIG – Thanks for your help and support! This twitter thing, when used for good and not for nonsense, is a great broadcasting tool. I’ve noticed my links being posted quickly and widely within a few hours and I do the same with worthwhile resources that I find from others. Keeps us ahead of things. I wish the MSM would learn how to use the internet efficiently to find potential news stories to research.
I just wanted to update you mudpups that my “Open Letter to John McCain” was also published today in the Tucson paper. There were several others of note; one calling for a big bouquet of roses to be presented to Barney Franks for staning up to idiocy, and one from a gentleman w. a German name who identified himself as a WWII veteran, asking why Americans seemed so opposed to spending money for a health plan which would HELP people, yet seemed to support a military budget that spent even more money killing people. It is good to know there are other sympathetic voices out there.
I recommend everyone write letters to their papers regularly. We have to get our voices out there, even when it seems no one is listening.
#63 When ever I post on the dark side and someone posts “today rush said
blah, blah blah” I always reply “who cares what fat *ss, drug addled, draft dodging piece of human excretment rushbo says” They get their panties in a bunch and I feel better. One lady responded how terrible I was because rush has many health problems and I was a cold b*tch, I replied “Any health problems he has he brought on himself by shoving food in his face and abusing oxycontin.” That shut her up. Anyway, don’t ever care what rush says or thinks.
Mag the Mick – That’s great news about your piece being picked up by another paper. The regional, local and community papers are hungry for content. I agree that we should all send commentary (or articles, for those so inclined) to our local publications. I’ve been rolling around ideas the past few months about how to best utilize our under utilized small papers. I think we have the dying large papers in the middle and then the internet and small and/or indie papers on either side and I think this might be where there might be some influence. (haven’t quite decided if this is a good theory yet . I’m just playing with it )
Can’t recall if I said/typed this outloud yesterday but as much as the crazies are indeed entirely unhinged , one of the things they have going for them is that they are uber organized at the top. Once those in charge send out the message d’jour and a set of talking points, it is taken up by the minions as well as the talking heads and it gets OUT there. (and they also have that blind, unquestioning, “willing to die for our mission” that they believe is patriotism which makes them an ultimate army of manchurian candidates)
Just remembered a really good resource for links to local papers. Be back with the link.
American Chemical Society report: Homes pollute: Linked to 50 percent more water pollution than previously believed
FULL ARTICLE AT: http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_ARTICLEMAIN&node_id=222&content_id=CNBP_022767&use_sec=true&sec_url_var=region1&__uuid=445d8525-e1a1-4827-8645-09171bdc1638
Homes may be big contributors to polluted runoff
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
WASHINGTON — The amount of water pollution contributed by homes may have been underestimated by up to 50 percent, according to researchers who presented their findings during the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), being held here through August 20.
AIG CEO defends holiday, slams “lynch mob” attacks
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE57Q24J20090827?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=11604
“My children worry about how do they reach my level,” he said in a wide-ranging conversation over three hours. “I suspect my son has a better chance because he is in real estate. My daughter is going to be a rabbi, so as a rabbi I don’t think she will ever make the kind of money CEOs make. But they were worried about how do they afford this.”
“So everything I’m doing, whether it is in New York or here, you will see, provides income. I want to make sure the estate I leave behind not only provides value but is a viable business.”
__________
Wow, do you think he might have ever heard of life insurance? Maybe a former CEO of MetLife could have bought some….
Excellent work, Mag the Mick.
Mag the Mick – how encouraging! Thanks for the good news.
BuffaloGal keep up the good work and thanks all for links info etc.
Grandkids here so rushed and hectic (o:
An interesting column about reacting to the wingnuttery that is rampant, particularly about Health Care Reform and our President. Good reading!
http://tinyurl.com/kunjk3
OK… It might be a “form letter”. But it’s on US SENATE stationary and has my very own name and address on it! OK… it didn’t come in the mail, it came in email, but it came (and that’s how I contacted her, so it’s all good). From my Senator, Debbie Stabenow (D) MI!
(I might add that while all my reps are D’s, I begged them to encourage their R colleagues to see the light. I asked that they work HARD to find middle ground with their colleagues or to go it alone without them (via reconciliation).)
At the very least, I have been logged as a supporter to reform before she goes back to DC.
And here is my “personalized” form letter:
Thank you . . .
. . . for contacting me about the importance of getting health reform right. I share your concerns. Without a doubt, this is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking issues that I hear about from families, and I am grateful for your willingness to share your thoughts and experiences with me. Providing affordable quality health care for every American is one of my top priorities.
When it comes to health care, our families and businesses are in a serious crisis. High health care costs are causing cuts in benefits and increases in premiums, adding to the ranks of the uninsured at alarming rates. The impact of this problem however, goes beyond individual families. Skyrocketing health care costs make our businesses less competitive in the global marketplace and cost us good-paying jobs.
As Congress works to achieve quality, affordable, health care for all Americans, it is imperative that we build on the things that currently work well in our health care system, and change the things that do not. That is why I believe we need a health reform effort that will:
?Lower the cost of health care for families and businesses.
?Keep what works, and fix what’s broken.
?Assure affordable, quality health care for all Americans.
?Offer a competitive public health care plan and strengthen consumer protections through insurance reform.
?Encourage quality and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in our health care system.
?Expand the use of electronic medical records.
?Treat both the physical and mental health needs of Americans.
?Encourage healthy lifestyles.
?Support home-based and community-based care for the elderly and people with disabilities.
?Train doctors, nurses, and other health professionals for the future.
?Eliminate health care disparities.
?Lower the cost of prescription drugs.
I believe that health care is a right, not a privilege. There is no doubt that the problems we face are complex, but there are real solutions. For more information about the health care debate, please visit my website at http://www.stabenow.senate.gov/healthcare.
As we continue this effort in the U.S. Senate, I will be fighting for a uniquely American health care system that provides high-quality, affordable health insurance to every family who needs it.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to do so again if I can be of help to you or your family.
Sincerely,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator
( A “thank you ” to everyone at the end of this post. )
If you’re up for a good “Young Turks” look at how Glenn Beck just “makes things up”, you’ll like this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLs4bcjkwfg
Beck is not mentally well. He’s being used by whatever powers that be. I’m not sure how to combat an insane talking head who is talking to masses already programmed to hear certain words, concepts and propaganda and duly respond but ….we’ve gotta figure this out . If we can unravel this social/psychological puzzle, we can make some progress. ( and that is different than progressing some unraveling!)
And now, it is neigh on 7pm EST and I’m very very tired. For those of you that “know” me, my two adult children are here , yet again. At one point , around 5pm, I was doing news searches, responding back to clients for my “regular business”, responding to other writers, calling local govt offices and running back n’ forth from desk to kitchen so I could pull together the lemon chicken, basil n’ beans, and garlic rice for dinner before the chiddlins arrived. I’ve been up since 4am.
And , last but not least, I want to say “thank you” to everyone on this site and the stellar others out there doing such amazing work. I am always left wanting more time at the end of the day, to respond to the great posts and insights. I hope we all know that we are read, heard and appreciated, even if we don’t see it in print on the screen. This is a powerful tool and I see us using it wisely. I’m so glad for what we have here together.
KUDOS to Buffgal and everyone else who are using outside resources to inform and shoot down the lies away from our little community here!!!
BuffaloGal @ #79, OMGAWD, he IS off the deep end!!!
http://shipbright.wordpress.com/
Water and war….Darfur
Remember our discussion on water wars pn this thread earlier today. Just spotted this on Shannyns Facebook page. Leaves you open mouthed. Weren´t some old cowboy movies about the conflict between farmers and ranchers?
Don’t know whether you kids have seen this yet, need to catch up
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/27/773297/-Ten-more-companies-say-no-to-Glenn-Beck
ROTFLOL
46 Now!!
leave it to Scarah to befriend Beck…….the following is odd and crazy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA7-BvVDV10
I wonder how the GOPosaurs in Congress will try to spin THIS..?
Posted on the Huffpo… Healthcare reform.
{ Politics Page- “Private Insurer Also Provides “Death Panel” Coverage” }
“For all the hysteria regarding “death panels” being established in health care legislation, it’s worth noting that under one major private insurance plan consumers are offered end-of-life planning coverage that is similar to that being put forth by House Democrats.”
{ provided by United Healthcare }
“Officials with United Healthcare did not immediately return request for comment.” { Why not…. don’t they want have a truthful debate ?}
Should we all email them and ask to clarify. There are lots of 800 numbers on this contact page as well…?
https://www.unitedhealthcareonline.com/b2c/CmaAction.do?channelId=6328c7958f5fa010VgnVCM100000c520720a____
UK Lady – 46 companies saying No to Beck ? Fabulous! ( last I heard it was 35. wow! ) I imagine that most of those companies made the choice for purely selfish reasons but, i don’t care. If they leave, that’s good news.
Samper – Looking forward to word and pictures from your trip! Enjoy, relax, absorb and share. Hope all three of you have a wonderful time.
I think Beck needs a medical intervention, this is sad. I have to wonder, if he is on wrong meds or attempting to avoid all meds and is having a melt down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX1rLv_hNeI
samper – I like Stabenow too, she’s another that we’re lucky too have. She sends/responds to emails faithfully. Caught something briefly earlier about Mark Shauer, he’s for the public option too (o:
BuffaloGal…. about my # 85 post above.
United Healthcare said ‘ No comment ‘ to Huffpo … maybe but I was wondering if they would comment to someone who just called on the phone asking about this provision. Would they be more forthright knowing you were not Media…. but you are a blogger so you really are Media. Their response/ position might be a comment for the PalinTruthWatch Twitter.
Can you be sneaky and devious on the phone…?
nearing on 8:30 EST – chat room, anyone?
My heart is totally racing right now. I just had a conversation with my neighbor (who I have always gotten along with) in my front yard. It was about something else and the conversation went toward the health bill because I said something about what I just read on a blog. We were just chatting.
I know know EXACTLY how you guys feel when you deal with a parent or relative who believes and watches Fox News. HE IS ONE OF THEM!! Yikes!!!
He started telling me about Dr. Ezekial’s ( out of context ) quote and it leading to euthanasia….. government Panels for this ‘ MANDATORY ‘ decision at end of life. { My head was ready to EXPLODE}
He said he read it in the bill himself ( why can’t other people understand this )…and started repeating the Fox talking points and since he is in the car all day as a delivery driver and listens to talk radio all day. He has been ‘ brainwashed’ from listening to this CR@P. He is reciting ALL the lies.
After me trying to tell him there were NO government panels ( although he is EMPHATIC about THIS point ) and it was NOT mandatory and it was a Voluntary decision with ONE doctor … your own. ( NO Panel) He got upset and flustered with me trying to give him the facts and decided to walk away. He didn’t want to hear it.
I’m SCARED now… I live next to one of THEM…..Aaaaarghhhh!!!!
I thought I was safe.
@ honesty in gov
—————————
You crack me up….in a good way :>)
Anyhow, honesty in gov…..I hear your pain. I’m this tiny island of progressiveness in an ocean of RepoTaliban Red.
The day after PO won, my daughter’s science teacher came into her classroom screeching about “Muslims. Terrorists. Country going to hell in a handbasket etc etc….”
Still on an endorphin high from the election, I whirled down to the superintendent’s office and blasted him in a righteous rage. It shut the teacher up for the rest of the year but I still feel badly for those AA students in that class who had just experienced an historical election of an AA president…..and then got verbally slapped across the face about it by that moron of a teacher. Grrrrrrr…
When getting a little depressed about news, stupid crowds and palin fans, I go to Wonkette and read the comments for a good restauring belly laugh. They are absolutly irreverent, no holding back and very graphic, but what a laugh. Here is the softer brand.
“You idjet. Sarah communicates only thru ‘Twitter’. That’s one of kids, I believe.”
I’ll protect you, Honesty!
@honestyinGov: Now, I know this is a stretch, but if you think your neighbor is just intellectually lazy — as opposed to malign — you might try printing out the section of the bill regarding reimbursement for end-of-life counseling. As I recall, it was only a couple of paragraphs.
Show it to him and say something like “This is what I’m aware of in the bill. I’d be really upset to learn that it was mandatory. Can you show me where that part is?”
Now, if his real problem with the bill is the melanin concentration in the President’s skin, this isn’t going to accomplish much. But if he’s just a dittohead-by-habit, it might reactivate some higher mental processes.
One last tidbit on the teacher episode:
The day after my talk with her boss, the teacher told my daughter’s class angrily that her “1st Amendment rights had been infringed upon” and she would not be talking about politics anymore.
So….I’m scratching my head and trying figure out what part of the 1st Amendment specifically gives science teachers the right to dump filth and lies on the heads of vulnerable students. Silly me, eh? My understanding was that this teacher had the privilege and responsibility to teach SCIENCE in her science class and had the RIGHT to expect a decent wage in compensation for her work.
Wow, Sestak (who will challenge Specter in a primary) has held 4 health care town hall meetings in the last 6 days. He is on a roll! One of those town halls dealt with womens issues specifically.
2 days ago, Specter was on Fox news talking about the VA death book. Sestak responded later and totally spanked him for it. (Specter sometimes forgets that he is a Democrat now and should stay away from Republican talking points)
Casey is the other Pennsylvania senator and him and Specter both said they will vote for a public option.
Louisiana though. *sigh* Mary L. Landrieu (D) says she can’t see any way that she would vote for the public option and won’t even commit to helping break a filibuster if needed. (this chick needs to go!) When she said she wouldn’t vote for a public option I wanted to say “then why should the public vote for you?” Just irritated me beyond belief.
buffalogal
love your tweets
i think we need a little humor today
courtesy of my sister
http://www.seattlepi.com/horsey/
Now, the Nature Conservancy is, admittedly, not the IPCC, but they’ve put out a report indicating that the US states that will be most affected by global warming are Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, SD, and Missouri. If current predictions hold, these states will see average temperatures rise by maybe 5F by mid-century.
Guess what that will do to consumption of fossil groundwater. Oh, wait, all you have to do is drive down 5 or 99 in the Central Valley to get a preview.
CALL TO ACTION
this is awful
they are going to let hunters in idaho kill 70,000 wolves
this is unacceptable
please sign the petition
https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1537&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr001=tvlg847w77.app20a
sorry i got the numbers wrong
the want to kill 1,000 wolves
they are selling 70.000 permits
On My second flight to Alaska I had a window seat from Chicago to Seattle and could see the square and oblong patterns of fields.Also the hills mountains and valleys.
98 pacos gal
That is the right thing to write in a letter to the editor, to your elected representatives, etc. WHY SHOULD I VOTE FOR YOU?
You could write something along the lines of “as a taxpayer and your ‘employer,’ I’m having a hard time understanding why you are against the health care reforms xyz. If it’s good enough to cover you and your family, why not me and mine?” In your own words/style. Get it out there—Mag the Mick’s Open Letter to John McCain has been printed in a few AZ papers. Use the list compiled by HamletsMill and get it out there!
It seems like the time is now for health care reform.
The FSM paragraph about the gears is important and the last one is funny, but I say it is a call to action again:
http://www.fsm-a.org/stacks/mario/mario_speech.html
AKM went to Netroots and has brought back inspiring info, HamletsMill compiled the contact list, and we should all do our part on issues that are important to us with the resources being developed here. Thanks in advance for your efforts.
That looks a lot like the area where I live!
Is samper out there, and if so, would you be interested in a little J. Geils Band?
lettersfromeurope thanks for the link for Ann Strongheart.I was watching for it so I could donate.saurkraut I have been to the four corners and walked about so I think I might just have hit one.This was years ago when I traveled out west and up north thru Idaho and Washington down 101 to Mexico.Did any one see the article about Sheriff Joe going off like a little dictator with anyone who dared criticize him or his department.You would be jailed or fined for any little thing they could think off.Me thinks the man is going to far now.I went along with his ,these guys are imprisoned for a reason and they should not be treated better than people on the outside where but now it seems he has gone overboard.Though some might not think so.But than Cheney thinks torture is alright but I would bet if it was done to him or his daughter he would sing a different tune,
First water fights here in Wisconsin some of the smaller cities outside of Milwaukee wanted to buy water from them,they have lake Michigan water,Yuck,and there was a big to-do about it where Milwaukee would not share with the rest of the state.So water fights are not that far out. We right now have a well and so far the area is pretty good as far as ground water is concerned. HonestinGov, I live next door to one also. i think her 22 year old son took my Obama sign cause I put it next to her McCain sign but The neighbor on the other side is an Obama supporter and others around are also because one gave me a sign and told me to put it in my window because someone kept on stealing the signs. so don’t feel alone.At least my neighbor hasn’t talked to me since last summer.samper I sent your senator a thank you note.I figure it can’t hurt and might give her confidence in this fight. I never did hear back again from my republican representative when I sent part of AKM,s article with a link to him and asked him to read it. nary a word.
Letterman just finished his monologue. The ‘ Crazy Lady ‘ is still on his radar.
Starts the joke…Starts by saying… ” Did you hear about the crazy lady that John McCain had to have removed from one of his Town Hall meetings the other day..?” ( the story was reported on Huffpo )
pause…. “Yeah… if only he had started doing that a year ago”
$arah Palin… the joke that keeps on giving. Thanks again Dave.