Gore on Board

Thoughts on Occupy Wall Street

For the past several weeks I have watched and read news about the Occupy Wall Street protests with both interest and admiration. I thought The New York Times hit the nail on the head in an editorial Saturday:
“The message — and the solutions — should be obvious to anyone who has been paying attention since the economy went into a recession that continues to sock the middle class while the rich have recovered and prospered. The problem is that no one in Washington has been listening.”
“At this point, protest is the message: income inequality is grinding down that middle class, increasing the ranks of the poor, and threatening to create a permanent underclass of able, willing but jobless people. On one level, the protesters, most of them young, are giving voice to a generation of lost opportunity.”
From the economy, to the climate crisis our leaders have pursued solutions that are not solving our problems, instead they propose policies that accomplish little. With democracy in crisis a true grassroots movement pointing out the flaws in our system, is the first step in the right direction. Count me among those supporting and cheering on the Occupy Wall Street movement.
You can support the protests by clicking here.

From the economy to the climate crisis.... and some have not even pursued solutions!

Eating oil?

The U.S. Now Uses More Corn for Fuel Than Feed!

Over the past year, U.S. farmers used 5 billion bushels of corn for animal feed and residual demand. During the time timeframe, the nation used more than 5.05 billion bushels of corn to fill its gas tanks. And, while some of the corn used to produce these biofuels will be returned to the food supply (as animal feed and corn oil), a large proportion of this corn will be solely dedicated to our gas tanks.

The hungry and starving cannot eat gasoline.  Start growing real food!!!

Don't Expect a Response

To David Koch: Will You Be My Guest in Arkansas?

Charles and David Koch own my rights, and it cost them a few hundred dollars. Now, I'm asking the Koch brothers to come be my guest.
For the 30 years I've lived on South Penn Road in West Crossett, Arkansas, there has been a rotten odor hurting my friends, family and neighbors. It corrodes metal, and you can smell it everywhere on my street. I firmly believe, and have been told by doctors, that it's giving my community cancer. It drifts across town and is odorous outside our local Chamber of Commerce 2.5 miles away on Main Street.
The Koch brothers' Georgia-Pacific years ago paid neighbors on other streets to move away. They got out of here on Georgia-Pacific's dime, but the company opted to settle with us on the cheap, we learned later. We trusted them, needed the money and now we've been left behind and left to suffer alone. We cannot access a recourse for our health ailments and property damage, which stems from the chemicals that spew from the Koch brothers' mill and engulf my community.
The best recourse I have is appealing to the Koch brothers personally. David Koch is a cancer survivor and donates millions to fight cancer.
David, if you're reading this, I want to be your host at 401 South Penn Road. Come stay with me for one day, seven days, I don't care. We can camp out, and you can smell what I smell. My wife and I will cook for you. I make great pork chops. For breakfast, whatever you want- or I can whip up some grits and eggs. Whatever you like. You're my guest.
It'd be my hope we can have some time to go for a walk. You can see for yourself- the fog- and smell for yourself- the rotten air- that I live with every day.

Mr. Bowie is a far better human than me.  I would not extend an invitation to the Koch Bros even if it is to stick their nose into their own crap.

Mr. Bowie - don't expect the bros to take you up on your kind offer.

McKibben at #OWS

It is all connected...the welfare of humanity and the welfare of Mother Earth.  Both are also negatively impacted by greed, consumerism, cronyism.

Too many monied interests getting in the way of progress.

The same BP?

BP Announces Major Wind Farm In Kansas

Recently BP announced their plan to build a major wind farm in the state of Kansas. The UK oil company has planned to invest upwards of $8 billion for energies outside the typical fossil fuel field by the year 2015, a goal of which the new Kansas wind farm is a part. Thus far, BP is said to have invested approximately $7 billion through 2011, although it is unknown if their target goal of $8 billion will be increased. The majority of the money has been used in U.S. projects, about $4 billion.
The planned wind farm in Kansas will be the largest in the state once it is up and running. The plan includes a 419 megawatt capacity farm containing 262 wind turbines. The turbines are contributed by GE and are each 1.6 megawatts. The wind farm will be spread across 66,000 acres southwest of Wichita. Construction on the wind farm will be started before 2012 and operating by the end of 2012.
Seventy-five percent of the energy produced on the wind farm, 314 megawatts, have been allotted to Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. due to a purchase agreement with BP. This company will be using the energy in Missouri, Iowa and Oklahoma. Currently the remaining 105 megawatts are not allotted to anyone in particular, although BP is working on finding another purchaser.

Has BP found religion after their oilspills?  Or have they found a way to look "green" and make greenbacks at the same time?
Ding...ding...ding.  Right answer - the mighty dollar wins again.

Crazy Train rolls again

Peter King Disapproves of Occupy Wall Street

“The fact is these people are anarchists. They have no idea what they’re doing out there,” King told host Laura Ingraham. “They have no sense of purpose other than a basically anti-American tone and anti-capitalist. It’s a ragtag mob basically.”

Criticism from GOPers on the marches has been growing louder and more frequent. Earlier today, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor–who is coming to New York City this weekend– called the protesters “a growing mob.”

King called on Americans to condemn the marches. “We have to be careful not to allow this to get any legitimacy,” he said, adding “I’m taking this seriously in that I’m old enough to remember what happened in the 1960s when the left-wing took to the streets and somehow the media glorified them and it ended up shaping policy. We can’t allow that to happen.”

Well Pete - you are too late. "Legitimacy" was given by the 99%. Don't really care if you and Eric want to "grant legitimacy" or not..

Ice Cream Heroes

Ben & Jerry's Backs Occupy Wall Street Protesters

We, the Ben & Jerry's Board of Directors, compelled by our personal convictions and our Company's mission and values, wish to express our deepest admiration to all of you who have initiated the non-violent Occupy Wall Street Movement and to those around the country who have joined in solidarity. The issues raised are of fundamental importance to all of us.

Guys I didn't need another reason to eat your product. But your move is the best dessert ever. Thanks!

Earthalujah

Hate secret mathematics! Sure it is theater and over-the-top for some, but listen to the message. The consumer culture is a problem.

Rev Billy's church - one I can believe in.

An oasis of democracy...

Right Here All Over (Occupy Wall St.) from Alex Mallis on Vimeo.

Good versus Greed

From Carl Safina's essay, The Moral Climate:

Nearly every just cause is a struggle between the good of the many and the greed of a few. But because greed has the advertising dollars to make selfishness fashionable, it sustains itself by turning enough people against our own self-interest.

Or against a movement there for 99% of us.

Say Amen Reverend

Gotta love Reverend Billy and his Church of Not Shopping.

Occupy Wall Street and the Environment

Mark Ruffalo (yeah the actor) says it best:
We Are the 99 Per Cent

Family farms must be saved. The oil and gas industry must be divested of its political power and cheap, reliable alternative energy must be made available.

If just for these reasons (but so many more), please support Occupy wall Street.

Koch Bros Breaking the Law

Okay NYPD.  Instead of leading us up the Brooklyn Bridge and then arresting 700 plus, why not go after the real issues:
Koch Brothers’ Iran Ties

First, a Bloomberg report on Koch Industries. That company is run by Charles and David Koch, two longtime Republican donors who have helped fund and shape the Tea Party. They’re also shameful capitalists, more interested in the bottom line than the American people, American lives or American laws.
In addition to revealing that officials at Koch Industries’ French subsidiary offered bribes to secure business deals, the report shows that the States-based company paid over $400 million in fines from 1999 to 2003 for environmental and price-fixing, including $296 million for negligence on a Texas pipeline that exploded and killed two teenagers. The most politically revealing detail of the analysis, however, comes in the form of Koch Industries’ dealings with one of our nation’s — and the Republican Party’s — greatest enemies: Iran.
A Bloomberg Markets investigation has found that Koch Industries — in addition to being involved in improper payments to win business in Africa, India and the Middle East — has sold millions of dollars of petrochemical equipment to Iran, a country the U.S. identifies as a sponsor of global terrorism.

700 non-violent protesters arrested (after entrapment) and the corporate criminals are never even questioned.

On the bridge with #OccupyWallSt

It started out so well. Liberty Square was vibrant. It felt alive. All ages, all races, all sizes together. We started marching to Brooklyn Bridge. It was a great feeling of being one - cohesive - united. Even those tourists on the double decker buses were flashing signs of support. But then came the bridge...

There are two paths to go on the bridge - one pedestrian way and then one way for vehicles. The vehicle path in front was blocked off - I assumed for construction. There was a large crowd in front of the police phalanx. So I took the pedestrian path. After a few feet a large roar came up from behind. We looked down the car lane and here were the marchers coming up being led by a row of cops. They let us on the car lanes?
People starting jumping over the railing to join the "car path" walkers. There was a feeling that the cops were going to lead us and manage the traffic for our safety. I jumped over - helped to make sure I got over safely. Again, the unity in the air made us all help each other. I can still see the guy who I helped over - holding his sign and backpack.
Marching along, feeling great and Brooklyn in sight. But all of a sudden I saw a few heading back to Manhattan. Then we all came to a dead stop right in the middle of the bridge. Someone next to me climbed on the rail and said that our progress was being stopped by that (I assume) same phalanx of cops who led us up the bridge. Folks on the pedestrian walk were telling us that they were not letting anyone past them. I saw a few young girls calling out to their mother. I saw a few folks telling us to turn around and head back to Manhattan. I saw many just sit down. And I saw a few brave ones climb the girders to get on to the pedestrian walk.
Well that climb was not looking to safe so I looked down to Manhattan and there were the cops with orange fencing behind us and some folks being arrested. So what to do but just take a deep breathe and think about what to do if I was arrested. I then realized that I knew not a soul around me. I never heeded the suggested at Liberty Square to find a buddy. But I kept looking around trying to remember everyone's face. But then a few folks were saying that the cops were letting us go in single file past the orange fences. Relief! I ended up going through and started walking to Manhattan. Okay it was going to end peacefully save for those few arrests I saw. But then I looked back and saw more orange fences and cops starting to walk towards Brooklyn. I also saw that there were very few behind me. Was I somehow one of the last few to be "let go?"
I ended up climbing back over the railing and walking to see the arrests. But we were told to just keep walking - can't have any witnesses to travesties of justice.
I waited at the bottom of the bridge.

Watching the buses and vans waiting to be filled with peaceful folks arrested after a huge setup. I waited there hoping to see the faces of those young girls, or that young man I helped over the railing. Were they arrested? I do not know.
One thing I do know, the cops knew what they were doing. They led us on the car path and then simply turned around and waited for their backup and then penned us in. It was an honor to march for democracy. but it is disgusting to think that the cops setup up - is that a free society?
Shame! But it will bite you in the ass. Mistreatment and entrapment will only increase the voices of the 99%.