Video of the Month (runner up)

Jon Stewart, funny as ever. I have to admit, I don't get these mathonomics either. Thanks to Grim for sharing, keeping all of us LC alums thinking economically.

The Daily Show
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Sunday comic relief

Robin Williams "across the pond" giving his take of our political process this time around. Damn funny, I think. A huge thanks to Robin Williams, some excellent videographers, and yes, youtube

I don't get it

I am a devout member of the Surfrider Foundation and I think they are an exceptional group of men and women. The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education. I am also a great fan of president-elect Barack Obama and look forward to the leadership he will provide in the coming years. And yet, I have absolutely no idea why Barack Obama could stand behind the notion of allowing increased off-shore oil drilling when any educated person can see that we must utilize safer and more ecologically sound alternatives immediately. If I have heard of things like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) then I would think perhaps Obama has too. Hell, he's surrounding himself with some genius people, and yet we as a nation are going to allow the same atrocities to happen?

I now turn to a few exerpts from "Soup", Surfrider Foundation's weekly digital newsletter on the latest stories and issues concerning your oceans, waves and beaches. ...and I quote:



October 2008 Issue No. 1:
The Wrath Of Hurricane Ike
An assessment of environmental damages from Hurricane Ike has just been released (based on federal agency reports). At least a half million gallons of crude oil was spilled on to the Texas and Louisiana coastline (as well as in the Gulf of Mexico). The Coast Guard, EPA and other state agencies has responded to over 3,000 storm-related pollution reports since Ike hit. The storm destroyed 52 oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and damages and threats to local wildlife are still being assessed.

For more information please visit:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1847378,00.html

December 2008 Issue No. 1:
Florida Tourism Group Backs Offshore Oil Drilling
In a surprise move, the Florida Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus has flipped its stance on offshore drilling. Once opposed to it, the board is now supporting the idea of drilling 30 miles offshore claiming that the state needs the money (the federal government will potentially share royalty and lease revenue generated by offshore drilling).

For more information please visit:
http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/florida-tourist-group-endorses-drilling-0-miles-offshore-568569

December 2008 Issue No. 2:
Oil Spill Off California Coast

The Joint Committee on Emergency Services & Homeland Security
has just announced that a 1000-plus-gallon oil spill has occurred off the coast of Carpenteria in Santa Barbara County. The petroleum, which was spilled from "Platform A" was reported yesterday after platform workers discovered oil had leaked froma finger-sized hole in a pump line. The spill was initially reported by Dos Cuadras Offshore Resources as just a 33-gallon spill. However, after aerial surveys by the Federal Minerals Management Service, the spill estimate was increased to over 27 barrels.

For more information please visit:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11169943

This happened in the same area and is a scary reminder of the terrible Santa Barbara Oil Spill of '69.

For more information please visit:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/14/the-santa-barbara-oil-spi_n_112605.html



End quote.

Oh yeah, did you catch that part in the middle, it was kind of subtle, the part where we as a nation elect Obama as the next president and no one makes a big deal of his stance to support off-shore oil drilling. Hmm, yeah, funny that. What ever happened to "think globally, act locally"? It's a hokey saying, I know, but isn't it about time we got real and stepped up to the plate to try and fix this mess!?!? Well, guess everyone can't win. Sorry environment!

...oh brother.

364 vs. 173

...good job, America, good job. It is safe to say that more people voted in this election then any other presidential election in history. In fact, 125 million people voted, and that is a remarkable statistic. We got involved, and we spoke up, we thought, and we won ourselves a worthy president for a change. Now, don't get me wrong. Not that there isn't still a long road ahead to economic recovery and sacrifices we must make in order to live as well as we do, but I for one am excited to once again have a President of the United States of America that I can stand behind and support with pride. Phew. Feels good.

America Speaks

I just returned from the polling station in my neighborhood, a local public school coated in bright paint and young minds creations. It was a bit of a zoo but the staff were keeping their cool and moving along the crowds as smoothly as possible. I voted and thanked everyone for working and helping me out today. As I was walking home I saw a close neighbor, one of the many matriarchs in this little part of Queens. We stopped and gabbed for a sec and she admitted that this is the first time she is voting. As a first time voter at 50, I could tell she was nervous so I told her what to expect - this table, that table, they'll show you the machine, etc. In addition to her voting in this election she mentioned that her daughters are voting for the first time too. They are 21 or 22 and on their way to being strong and educated women. I was so excited to hear that they are all being sure to vote today. I think this election is a call to action like never before, and I am so proud that people are stepping up to the challenge. America is speaking up, and I couldn't possibly be any more thrilled. Thank you for voting, and if you haven't yet, be sure to.

There is an electricity in the air, and it feels great!

laugh out loud funny

on politics

I thank Charles Gibson for asking the questions he did and running a good interview. I think he did a great job. Sarah Palin, on the other hand, I do not believe. This is the absolute best VP nomination the Republicans can come up with? Really?!? I know there is a lot to know, and it is hard to find any news agency that doesn't have a little slant in one direction or the other, but still, you have to be a little smarter to talk with the big kids. Commitment is fabulous but we all know commitment is not experience. And I am a big fan of experiential learning over talk, talk, talk. I was asked to join one of those silly facebook groups called "I Have More Foreign Policy Experience than Sarah Palin". Little did I know that was actually true. And I hate politics! Wowch.

F U NYPD

For those of you not here in New York, three of the five NYPD police officers responsible for the death of Sean Bell, the unarmed groom-to-be who was shot to death in November of 2006 outside the Kalua gentlemen's club, were acquitted of all charges yesterday by a judge in Queens. To even write that sentence makes my blood boil. One of the officers was Detective Michael Oliver who alone shot 31 bullets. And he was let off, entirely.

The NYPD disgusts me to the point where I am totally tongue-tied. Every day I pass cops on my commute, standing there, staring women up and down, and text messaging with their heads down, while I watch plenty of others on the road and the sidewalk creating plenty of violations worthy of being written up. My favorite is when there are people double parked all up and down Steinway, screwing up traffic and making it impossible for trucks to get through, but the cops are double parked too, right on the corner in the middle of the crosswalk. Nothing is going to get in the way of Sargent Fatass and his street meat vendor! The sidekick in the passenger seat, text messaging. The NYPD racially profiles when they do random parcel searches in the subway, I've seen it. In many situations I get away because I'm the unsuspecting white guy in nice clothes.

What a bunch of fuckups. But at the same time they are not all as stupid as I sometimes think. The defendents waived their right to a jury, I'm sure knowing full well it gave them a better chance. I did not hear the trial and I do not know what the judge heard that dictated his final descision, but damn right I question our judicial system right now. We have police living and working above the law, responsible for the death of an innocent unarmed man, and a judicial system that doesn't think that is criminal in any way. I just don't get it.

We sat and talked about it all when we got home, trying not to get so livid and failing miserably at keeping our cool. The thing is, how long does it take to shoot 31 bullets? I'm going to guess 30 seconds, maybe? give or take a few seconds? That sure seems like enough time to me to realize, "hey, maybe that guy doesn't have a gun and isn't trying to kill me". But no, he kept firing, as did his colleagues. They killed a man, and tomorrow they'll get to wake up and go about their usual business with no hindrance but mental anguish they might suffer. I hope the guilt rips away at their souls until they die weak and alone. Again, I just don't get it. How is 31 bullets not criminal?

The day faded into night and we sat in here while the streets were calm out there. My boss had to drive right by the courthouse during the verdict and she sailed through smoothly. No riots, no major lashing out by people in the city. The Bell family stayed composed and spoke against violence causing violence. They want peace, and they are obviously stronger than I right now. I wish those cops were in jail for life or dead. It's a terrible feeling to be so disgusted by the men and women who are supposedly here to protect and to serve. On the sides of cop cars in the city is written "CPR". Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect. Yeah, tell me where I can find that Ray Kelly? You're just as vile as the rest of them.

I just hope that no retaliation doesn't mean that we the public have gotten too jaded. Because this action is allowed to happen doesn't mean we have to just sit idle and let it. It's depressing to think we allow these atrocities to happen and don't do more about it. I wonder with all seriousness, what can I do, aside from wear a political tee shirt? My love is taking us out for drinks and a good meal to try and get our minds off it for a minute. Damn, vodka never sounded so good.

On the turntable: Thee Headcoats, Headcoats Down

on politics

I do not consider myself an overly political person. In fact, I tend to opt out of political conversations. I make sure to be an informed and open-minded voter, but you are not likely to find me preaching standing atop a soap box in the public square. Yet, after this week of events, I did come to one fuzzy conclusion this morning while cleaning the coffee pot. To totally generalize, again, before I've even had my morning joe, if republicans are known historically for starting wars and conflict and democrats are known for having mistresses and being involved in sex scandals, then which side is worse? I'd take a troubled marriage and some sketchy personal values over thousands of dead soldiers and who knows how many hundreds of thousands of dead men, women, and children who had no say in the decision in the first place. But hell, neither side makes me proud of the ethical state, or lack thereof, of our government. hmmm.



Where's that coffee.