Comments on: The Recession’s Human and Environmental Impacts http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:35:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Don Hawkins http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/#comment-14712 Don Hawkins Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:28:38 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/#comment-14712 Reason, logic two things that seem to be in short supply right now. There are many powerful people who know how serious climate change is and are trying to do what is needed. It does look like there are more powerful people who have decided to take care of just a few you know themselves and a few close friends. http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/20080125_AmericanShadow.pdf If you go to this web site it is what James Hansen will say and more on Thursday night CNN 11:00 pm. The dark side is strong and look's at most people except for a few as Joe public and just stupid. I have been trying to turn that around for many years now. I see progress and the dart side is strong but they have one enemy that is tuff to beat the truth. Even in the face of the many problems we all see twisted logic is still there game. The time for massive action (change) is NOW. The push is on and the dark side is right now you know," we are drilling with respect for the environment looking out for all humans in a meaningful way as to help the planet and all living creatures move forward with dignity and hope for a new World for you and your kids." Yes the dark side is very clever and Oh, so shallow at the same time. The truth is getting out. Reason, logic two things that seem to be in short supply right now. There are many powerful people who know how serious climate change is and are trying to do what is needed. It does look like there are more powerful people who have decided to take care of just a few you know themselves and a few close friends. http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/20080125_AmericanShadow.pdf If you go to this web site it is what James Hansen will say and more on Thursday night CNN 11:00 pm. The dark side is strong and look’s at most people except for a few as Joe public and just stupid. I have been trying to turn that around for many years now. I see progress and the dart side is strong but they have one enemy that is tuff to beat the truth. Even in the face of the many problems we all see twisted logic is still there game. The time for massive action (change) is NOW. The push is on and the dark side is right now you know,” we are drilling with respect for the environment looking out for all humans in a meaningful way as to help the planet and all living creatures move forward with dignity and hope for a new World for you and your kids.” Yes the dark side is very clever and Oh, so shallow at the same time. The truth is getting out.

]]> By: Em http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/#comment-14707 Em Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:44:43 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/#comment-14707 Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful comments, Don. I appreciate them! I differ a bit, though, with two outlooks. First one concerns the eight year window that you mention. I don't see an eight year window. Instead, I think that it is all about the degree that we want to and can delimit the global warming damage. However, it can't be stopped all together. In other words, it will take a larger toll in the future and is taking a large toll now... The methane permafrost is melting right now. The arctic icecaps are disappearing right now, etc. There is NO time to lose! We cannot afford to sit around in meetings discussing it ad infinitum. The time for massive action (change) is NOW! Second, the "ones at the top" aren't protecting us and looking for solutions. They have no intention to do so. .. Since when did they begin to care about the American public? (Look at New Orleans for an example of the lack of care or the homeless population, of whom half are mentally ill, of 80,000 in LA. Look at the 1.3+ million home foreclosures, etc.) As I wrote to one of my friends this morning: "When I think about the information about blowing up mountains..., I can't help but think about the choices that American people have. Hey -- 68% of US electricity comes from fossil fuels. So, what do we want? ... uneven, insufficient electricity supply or mountains blown? Oh -- we want alternative energy (like wind mills and solar panels) in place? Who's going to pay to put them up at their homes, especially when, on an increasing basis, people can't even meet their rent and mortgage payments? So, who's going to be able to convince the governmental and industrial leaders to forego their wealthy pals in the coal industry AND SPEND LOTS OF MONEY (from taxes and personal coffers) to put alternatives in place across the American landscape? Can't convince them?... FROM WHERE WILL THE MONEY TO DO THAT SORT OF WIDESCALE SWITCH DERIVE?... Our country already has a $9 trillion + public deficit and what multi-millionaire or billionaire wants to sink his own funds into something (an alternative energy adventure) that won't turn a huge tidy profit and will make him some powerful enemies (including their hit men) in the coal industry?" There ARE no jobs on a dead planet "In Southern West Virginia we live in a war zone. Three and one-half million pounds of explosives are being used every day to blow up the mountains. Blasting our communities, blasting our homes, poisoning us, trying to intimidate us. I don't mind being poor. I mind being blasted and poisoned. - There ARE no jobs on a dead planet." --Judy Bonds YouTube - Mountaintop Removal Movie from iLoveMountains.org More than 450 mountains have been destroyed by mountaintop removal coal mining. Watch this video of mountaintop removal featuring Woody Harrelson and a ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPixjCneseE - 113k - Similar pages http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPixjCneseE Anyway, Don, thank you for sharing your views. I, particularly, liked your views on change and I am really surprised about the wine industry taking off in China, although I shouldn't, I suppose. After all, China's managed to grab so much relative to so many other kinds of industries. Hmm. Thank you for your insightful and thoughtful comments, Don. I appreciate them!

I differ a bit, though, with two outlooks. First one concerns the eight year window that you mention. I don’t see an eight year window. Instead, I think that it is all about the degree that we want to and can delimit the global warming damage. However, it can’t be stopped all together. In other words, it will take a larger toll in the future and is taking a large toll now… The methane permafrost is melting right now. The arctic icecaps are disappearing right now, etc. There is NO time to lose! We cannot afford to sit around in meetings discussing it ad infinitum. The time for massive action (change) is NOW!

Second, the “ones at the top” aren’t protecting us and looking for solutions. They have no intention to do so. .. Since when did they begin to care about the American public? (Look at New Orleans for an example of the lack of care or the homeless population, of whom half are mentally ill, of 80,000 in LA. Look at the 1.3+ million home foreclosures, etc.)

As I wrote to one of my friends this morning: “When I think about the information about blowing up mountains…, I can’t help but think about the choices that American people have. Hey — 68% of US electricity comes from fossil fuels. So, what do we want? … uneven, insufficient electricity supply or mountains blown? Oh — we want alternative energy (like wind mills and solar panels) in place? Who’s going to pay to put them up at their homes, especially when, on an increasing basis, people can’t even meet their rent and mortgage payments? So, who’s going to be able to convince the governmental and industrial leaders to forego their wealthy pals in the coal industry AND SPEND LOTS OF MONEY (from taxes and personal coffers) to put alternatives in place across the American landscape? Can’t convince them?… FROM WHERE WILL THE MONEY TO DO THAT SORT OF WIDESCALE SWITCH DERIVE?… Our country already has a $9 trillion + public deficit and what multi-millionaire or billionaire wants to sink his own funds into something (an alternative energy adventure) that won’t turn a huge tidy profit and will make him some powerful enemies (including their hit men) in the coal industry?”

There ARE no jobs on a dead planet
“In Southern West Virginia we live in a war zone. Three and one-half million pounds of explosives are being used every day to blow up the mountains. Blasting our communities, blasting our homes, poisoning us, trying to intimidate us. I don’t mind being poor. I mind being blasted and poisoned. - There ARE no jobs on a dead planet.” –Judy Bonds

YouTube - Mountaintop Removal Movie from iLoveMountains.org
More than 450 mountains have been destroyed by mountaintop removal coal mining. Watch this video of mountaintop removal featuring Woody Harrelson and a …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPixjCneseE - 113k - Similar pages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPixjCneseE

Anyway, Don, thank you for sharing your views. I, particularly, liked your views on change and I am really surprised about the wine industry taking off in China, although I shouldn’t, I suppose. After all, China’s managed to grab so much relative to so many other kinds of industries. Hmm.

]]> By: Don Hawkins http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/#comment-14705 Don Hawkins Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:17:14 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/#comment-14705 This coming Thursday on CNN after the debates at 11:00 pm you will see how this administration is trying to keep us in that dream world. If you do watch this just ask yourself one logical question. Why is it so important to keep the truth hidden? This coming Thursday on CNN after the debates at 11:00 pm you will see how this administration is trying to keep us in that dream world. If you do watch this just ask yourself one logical question. Why is it so important to keep the truth hidden?

]]> By: Don Hawkins http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/#comment-14703 Don Hawkins Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:50:10 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/02/the-recessions-human-and-environmental-impacts/#comment-14703 Whether it is toys, computers or silk sarees from India, China can make more and cheaper. Now Mother Nature is also benevolent. With global warming to its aid China is set to become a prominent wine producing country in a few decades. It is this kind of twisted logic I keep seeing day after day. China and every other country on this planet is in trouble. Just watch China this coming summer and the problems they have with water, food. In probably two years it will only get worst and yet in this country to me it is a form of insanity. “Not seeing the forest for the trees,” yes you could certainly say that. The economy and climate change is not something that will happen in years to come but now today but that Dream World some would like you to live in seems to be working at least for now. What Emily said is true. With firm resolve, let us all begin to undertake the critical modifications at once. Believe me the people at the top understand the problem and are trying to solve these problems. One little problem they want to solve the problems with the same system that got us here. That's called insanity. Tuff times ahead but boring, no. China is set to become a prominent wine producing country in a few decades. In a few decades on this present course not only China but the rest of the World is going to have major problems with just producing food and finding clean water and when I say that I am being nice. We don't have a decade to slow climate change down eight years and it can be done. We slow it down until we can get it right. Yes it is a very tuff choice. That was good stuff Emily unfortunately what you said is true and remember there is still time we must start now. Whether it is toys, computers or silk sarees from India, China can make more and cheaper. Now Mother Nature is also benevolent. With global warming to its aid China is set to become a prominent wine producing country in a few decades. It is this kind of twisted logic I keep seeing day after day. China and every other country on this planet is in trouble. Just watch China this coming summer and the problems they have with water, food. In probably two years it will only get worst and yet in this country to me it is a form of insanity. “Not seeing the forest for the trees,” yes you could certainly say that. The economy and climate change is not something that will happen in years to come but now today but that Dream World some would like you to live in seems to be working at least for now. What Emily said is true. With firm resolve, let us all begin to undertake the critical modifications at once. Believe me the people at the top understand the problem and are trying to solve these problems. One little problem they want to solve the problems with the same system that got us here. That’s called insanity. Tuff times ahead but boring, no. China is set to become a prominent wine producing country in a few decades. In a few decades on this present course not only China but the rest of the World is going to have major problems with just producing food and finding clean water and when I say that I am being nice. We don’t have a decade to slow climate change down eight years and it can be done. We slow it down until we can get it right. Yes it is a very tuff choice. That was good stuff Emily unfortunately what you said is true and remember there is still time we must start now.

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