Friday, September 22, 2006
Straight through to the North Pole
The Europeans are worried, maybe because they are closer to the North Pole than we are, but for the first time satellite images from the European Space Agency (ESA) show a surprise opening in the Artic ice cover that is larger than the size of the British Isles. This is unlike anything seen before. It is now very possible for a ship to pass in the summer, from Northern Siberia through what is normally pack ice to reach the North Pole without difficulty.
Buying the Courts
The Olympia Master Builders has committed over $100,000 to buy a seat on the Thurston County Commission and to pass the outrageous Initiative 933. Statewide the Builders Industry Assn. of Washington has committed $1,000,000 to buy one or more seats on the Washington Supreme Court.
But, the media ads don't say where the money comes from because both the local and state land developers and builders groups have created several PACs with nice sounding names like Time For a Change and Thurston County for Affordable Housing.
Don’t be fooled, it’s unlikely we will get anything affordable from these folks!
But, the media ads don't say where the money comes from because both the local and state land developers and builders groups have created several PACs with nice sounding names like Time For a Change and Thurston County for Affordable Housing.
Don’t be fooled, it’s unlikely we will get anything affordable from these folks!
The Path to 9/11
Given that in 1994 ABC's corporate parent Disney wouldn't allow Farenheit 9/11 to be shown on any of its attractions, (as Disney "did not want a film in the middle of the political process where we're such a nonpartisan company and our guests, that participate in all of our attractions, do not look for us to take sides,") it is hugely hypocritical to see ABC planning to continue with the showing of the program The Path to 9/11 which is full of errors and inaccuracies in order to blame the Clinton administration for September 11, 2001.
I was particularly upset that the series was planned to be sent out to schools to be shown as factual to our easily manipulated children. If it was supposed to be a 'drama', why was it being given to schools?
This is very badly done.
I was particularly upset that the series was planned to be sent out to schools to be shown as factual to our easily manipulated children. If it was supposed to be a 'drama', why was it being given to schools?
This is very badly done.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Weyerhaeuser is Two Faced on Energy
Dear Editor
I was excited to hear that Weyerhaeuser took out a full page ad in the New York Times to pledge to reduce greenhouse gases by 40%.
But it seems they aren’t serious, as they turned around and gave $45,000 to the campaign opposing I-937, the Washington State Initiative to guarantee that by 2020, 15% of the electricity from Washington’s largest utilities will be supplied by sources that do not pollute the air.
We can’t keep pace with the Washington’s growth, and rather than build more dirty coal or fossil fuel plants, let’s use the wind and the sun.
The decision about our clean energy future should be left up to the people of the state of Washington, not corporations like Weyerhaeuser.
I was excited to hear that Weyerhaeuser took out a full page ad in the New York Times to pledge to reduce greenhouse gases by 40%.
But it seems they aren’t serious, as they turned around and gave $45,000 to the campaign opposing I-937, the Washington State Initiative to guarantee that by 2020, 15% of the electricity from Washington’s largest utilities will be supplied by sources that do not pollute the air.
We can’t keep pace with the Washington’s growth, and rather than build more dirty coal or fossil fuel plants, let’s use the wind and the sun.
The decision about our clean energy future should be left up to the people of the state of Washington, not corporations like Weyerhaeuser.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Did the Tax Cuts Work?
We have been told that trickle down economics is the way to go, but according to reports, Dick Cheney, who may be worth as much as $100 million, has invested a large amount of his wealth overseas, in markets that do not fluctuate based on the U.S. dollar: That’s what millionaires and billionaires do, they invest their money, so there’s little to trickled down!
The New York Times reports the median hourly wage has declined by 2% in the last three years, although since 1980 the real income of the richest 1% has increased 135%. Real median income has dropped nearly $1,300 a year since 2000.
Economists say the drop is unprecedented because overall productivity has risen over the same period of time. Wages and salaries now account for the lowest share of the US economy in over half a century while corporate profits have reached their highest share over the same period.
With cuts of 12 billion from Pell Grants/Student loans, it will now cost $50K to get through college. Students are asking, “Is it worth it anymore”? Will I have a good enough job waiting for me? Don’t worry, if we don’t have well educated Americans, we can always import them from India and China where we can pay them much less!
The New York Times reports the median hourly wage has declined by 2% in the last three years, although since 1980 the real income of the richest 1% has increased 135%. Real median income has dropped nearly $1,300 a year since 2000.
Economists say the drop is unprecedented because overall productivity has risen over the same period of time. Wages and salaries now account for the lowest share of the US economy in over half a century while corporate profits have reached their highest share over the same period.
With cuts of 12 billion from Pell Grants/Student loans, it will now cost $50K to get through college. Students are asking, “Is it worth it anymore”? Will I have a good enough job waiting for me? Don’t worry, if we don’t have well educated Americans, we can always import them from India and China where we can pay them much less!
