The Republican party is now led by the anti-intellectual buffoon Rush "I hope he fails" Limbaugh, Joe The Plumber and Sara Palin. What the fuck has happened to the Republican party? The fact that these boobs have assumed the mantel of leadership and spokespersons for the Republican party speaks to it's intellectual bankruptcy. Is this the best they can do? An over stuffed purveyor of verbal diarrhea who has no real ideas, who's only real talent is stir up a proverbial lynch mob, a hockey mom who should stay home and read a newspaper for once in her life, and a out of work plumber, incredible. It is a sad commentary that the Republicans have sunk this low.
This is not the Republican party of Barry Goldwater or William F. Buckley. Conservative intellectuals such as George Will and David Brooks have to be embarrassed to be in the same political bed as these low rent mutants.
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Plight of the humble bee
AS Published in the LONDON TIMES ONLINE
Native British bees are dying out — and with them will go flora, fauna and one-third of our diet. We may have less than a decade to save them and avert catastrophe. So why is nothing being done?
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Rising Acidity Is Threatening Food Web of Oceans, Science Panel Says
By CORNELIA DEAN in the New York Times
The oceans have long buffered the effects of climate change by absorbing a substantial portion of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. But this benefit has a catch: as the gas dissolves, it makes seawater more acidic. Now an international panel of marine scientists says this acidity is accelerating so fast it threatens the survival of coral reefs, shellfish and the marine food web generally.
December 24, 2008
January 01, 2009
The Wall Street banks have taken stimulus money from George Bush and paid themselves 18.4 billion dollars in bonuses. Holy shit where do I get in line for some of this gravy. This is a disgrace. The Republicans say trickle down economics help the economy, what a joke. How do you explain this to the 500,000 people who lost their jobs in December. How do you explain this to the two and a half million who have lost their jobs in 2008. There is no trickle down economics. It's all about greed, and stealing from the public troth. These bankers are basically low life scumbags who deserve to get their ball cut off. Now the banks want another trillion or even two trillion, these greedy bastards want to be bailed out and the American citizen will pay for it. No way, let them fail. No more money down that black hole and the bankers personal bank accounts.
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From Firedoglake
"From kids in Northern Virginia and Cincinnati and Las Vegas to all over California, hard luck stories are cropping up. But this time, they have an added edge of governmental failures from the past few years:
Barbara Duffield of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth says a homeless liaison in a large metropolitan area told her of about 20 homeless high school students who had been denied enrollment. Administrators at the schools were worried that those students would drag down test scores and make it harder for the school to avoid sanctions under the No Child Left Behind law.
...many districts have reported [homeless student] increases of 10 percent — some as high as 40 percent over the past year. Some of the increases may be due to better reporting, she says....
"School becomes the most stable part of their day," she says. "You want them to be able to go into the same classroom, sit in the same seat, see the same teacher, because that's normal for them when everything else around them isn't normal."
So, which bi-partisan special Senator wants to step up to the plate and tell these kids that they aren't worth our effort? That education and at risk child funding was cut when they need it most desperately because their underage voices weren't loud enough to get attention in pay-to-play lobbying world?"
"From kids in Northern Virginia and Cincinnati and Las Vegas to all over California, hard luck stories are cropping up. But this time, they have an added edge of governmental failures from the past few years:
Barbara Duffield of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth says a homeless liaison in a large metropolitan area told her of about 20 homeless high school students who had been denied enrollment. Administrators at the schools were worried that those students would drag down test scores and make it harder for the school to avoid sanctions under the No Child Left Behind law.
...many districts have reported [homeless student] increases of 10 percent — some as high as 40 percent over the past year. Some of the increases may be due to better reporting, she says....
"School becomes the most stable part of their day," she says. "You want them to be able to go into the same classroom, sit in the same seat, see the same teacher, because that's normal for them when everything else around them isn't normal."
So, which bi-partisan special Senator wants to step up to the plate and tell these kids that they aren't worth our effort? That education and at risk child funding was cut when they need it most desperately because their underage voices weren't loud enough to get attention in pay-to-play lobbying world?"
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Paul Krugman reports about the cuts pushed by the disingenuous Republicans in the senate and the house. The conservatives are screwing those who need it the most, again.
Paul Krugman reports and the cuts pushed by the disingenuous Republicans in the senate and supported in the house. More of the conservatives screw those who need it the most
“The original plan also included badly needed spending on school construction; $16 billion of that spending was cut. It included aid to the unemployed, especially help in maintaining health care — cut. Food stamps — cut. All in all, more than $80 billion was cut from the plan, with the great bulk of those cuts falling on precisely the measures that would do the most to reduce the depth and pain of this slump.
On the other hand, the centrists were apparently just fine with one of the worst provisions in the Senate bill, a tax credit for home buyers. Dean Baker of the Center for Economic Policy Research calls this the “flip your house to your brother” provision: it will cost a lot of money while doing nothing to help the economy.”
“The original plan also included badly needed spending on school construction; $16 billion of that spending was cut. It included aid to the unemployed, especially help in maintaining health care — cut. Food stamps — cut. All in all, more than $80 billion was cut from the plan, with the great bulk of those cuts falling on precisely the measures that would do the most to reduce the depth and pain of this slump.
On the other hand, the centrists were apparently just fine with one of the worst provisions in the Senate bill, a tax credit for home buyers. Dean Baker of the Center for Economic Policy Research calls this the “flip your house to your brother” provision: it will cost a lot of money while doing nothing to help the economy.”
SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The Brooklyn Project
A Path to Breakthrough Energy and Economics
Mark Goldes
"Even more worrisome, life on earth is threatened with extinction by a little publicized lurking disaster – the release of huge quantities of methane trapped in the Arctic tundra. Twice before, 55 million and 251 million years ago, naturally occurring methane “burps”, possibly resulting from volcanic eruptions, almost wiped out life on our planet. If humanity continues to emit carbon as a result of the burning of fossil fuels, we are in serious danger of triggering this irreversible event.
The first evidence that millions of tons of Methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed has been discovered by scientists. In the past few days, the researchers have seen areas of sea foaming with gas bubbling up through "methane chimneys" rising from the sea floor. They believe that the sub-sea layer of permafrost, which has acted like a "lid" to prevent the gas from escaping, has melted away to allow methane to rise from underground deposits formed before the last ice age. They have warned that this is likely to be linked with the rapid warming that the region has experienced in recent years." Read more
A Path to Breakthrough Energy and Economics
Mark Goldes
"Even more worrisome, life on earth is threatened with extinction by a little publicized lurking disaster – the release of huge quantities of methane trapped in the Arctic tundra. Twice before, 55 million and 251 million years ago, naturally occurring methane “burps”, possibly resulting from volcanic eruptions, almost wiped out life on our planet. If humanity continues to emit carbon as a result of the burning of fossil fuels, we are in serious danger of triggering this irreversible event.
The first evidence that millions of tons of Methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed has been discovered by scientists. In the past few days, the researchers have seen areas of sea foaming with gas bubbling up through "methane chimneys" rising from the sea floor. They believe that the sub-sea layer of permafrost, which has acted like a "lid" to prevent the gas from escaping, has melted away to allow methane to rise from underground deposits formed before the last ice age. They have warned that this is likely to be linked with the rapid warming that the region has experienced in recent years." Read more
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Plight of the humble beeAS Published in the LONDON TIMES ONLINE
Native British bees are dying out — and with them will go flora, fauna and one-third of our diet. We may have less than a decade to save them and avert catastrophe. So why is nothing being done?
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Rising Acidity Is Threatening Food Web of Oceans, Science Panel SaysBy CORNELIA DEAN in the New York Times
The oceans have long buffered the effects of climate change by absorbing a substantial portion of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. But this benefit has a catch: as the gas dissolves, it makes seawater more acidic. Now an international panel of marine scientists says this acidity is accelerating so fast it threatens the survival of coral reefs, shellfish and the marine food web generally.
University of Copenhagen scientists, led by Gary Shaffer, attempted to answer the very serious question raised by increased global pollution – what will become of the planet in the long run? In an attempt to provide the best answer, the team used the most up-to-date computer models to predict changes in our planet's ability to process oxygen, the basic element that allows for the existence of life on Earth. They looked at the absorption and emission rate of the dangerous greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, and also introduced variables like the estimated population growth over the next century.
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Bush and Cheney are guilty of War Crimes
HONOR THE FALLEN
Someone told me the war was over in Iraq and we won. Bush's policy was successful. I doubt that the casualties from Iraq would agree.
December 24, 2008
 Army Cpl. Charles P. Gaffney Jr., 42, of Phoenix, Ariz., assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Dec. 24 in Paktika, Afghanistan, when his combat outpost received enemy rocket fire.  Army Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Smith, 28, of Grand Rapids, Mich.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Dec. 24 in Southern Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover. Also killed were Spc. Stephen. M. Okray and Spc. Stephen G. Zapasnik.  Army Spc. Stephen G. Zapasnik, 19, of Broken Arrow, Okla.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Dec. 24 in Southern Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover. Also killed were Spc. Stephen. M. Okray and Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Smith.  Army Spc. Stephen M. Okray, 21, of St. Clair Shores, Mich.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Dec. 24 in Southern Iraq of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Smith and Spc. Stephen G. Zapasnik.December 25, 2008  Army Maj. John P. Pryor, 42, of Moorestown, N.J.; assigned to the 1st Medical Detachment, Forward Surgical Team, Fort Totten, N.Y.; died Dec. 25 in Mosul of wounds sustained when a mortar round impacted near his living quarters.  Navy Master-at-Arms Seaman Apprentice Joshua D. Seitz, 19, of Pensacola, Fla.; assigned to Naval SecurityDecember 28, 2008  Army Spc. Tony J. Gonzales, 20, of Newman, Calif.; died Dec. 28 in Sadr City, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany,December 31, 2008  Army Pfc. Christopher W. Lotter, 20, of Chester Heights, Pa.; was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Dec. 31 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when he was shot by enemy forces in Tikrit.  Army Pvt. Benjamin B. Tollefson, 22, of Concord, Calif.; assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died Dec. 31 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire in Ghazaliya. |
January 01, 2009
 Marine Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi, 21, of Bronx, N.Y.; was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 1 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. January 03, 2009  Marine Lance Cpl. Chadwick A. Gilliam, 29, of Mayking, Ky.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 3 at a U.S. military base in Kuwait.January 06, 2009  Marine Lance Cpl. Jessie A. Cassada, 19, of Hendersonville, N.C.; was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 6 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  Army Staff Sgt. Anthony D. Davis, 29, of Daytona Beach, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia; died Jan. 6 in Northern Iraq, of wounds sustained when he was shot by enemy forces.January 08, 2009  Army Spc. Keith E. Essary, 20, of Dyersburg, Tenn.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 8 in Maywand, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his dismounted patrol was hit by an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Sgt. Joshua L. Rath.  Army Staff Sgt. Joshua L. Rath, 22, of Decatur, Ala.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 8 in Maywand, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his dismounted patrol was hit by an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Spc. Keith E. Essary. January 09, 2009  Army Cpl. Jason R. Parsons, 24, of Lenoir, N.C.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany; died Jan. 9 in Jaldak, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Maj. Brian M. Mescall and Spc. Joseph M. Hernandez.  Army Spc. Joseph M. Hernandez, 24, of Hammond, Ind.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany.; died Jan. 9 in Jaldak, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Maj. Brian M. Mescall and Spc. Jason R. Parsons.  Army Maj. Brian M. Mescall, 33, of Hopkinton, Mass.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany; died Jan. 9 in Jaldak, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Spc. Joseph M. Hernandez and Spc. Jason R. Parsons.January 10, 2009  Army Staff Sgt. Justin L. Bauer, 24, of Loveland, Colo.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Jan. 10 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.January 11, 2009  Marine Sgt. Marquis R. Porter, 28, of Boston; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 11 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq.  Army Pvt. Sean P. McCune, 20, of Euless, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Jan. 11 in Samarra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.  Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel R. Bennett, 23, of Clifton, Va.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 11 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, as a result of a non-hostile incident.January 16, 2009  Army Staff Sgt. Joshua R. Townsend, 30, of Solvang, Calif.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg , N.C.; died Jan. 16 in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident.  Army Pfc. Ricky L. Turner, 20, of Athens, Ala.; assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Jan. 16 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit.January 17, 2009  Air Force Senior Airman Omar J. McKnight, 22, of Marrero, La.; assigned to the 6th Security Forces Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; died Jan 17 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Balad, Iraq.  Army Staff Sgt. Carlos M. Robinson, 33, of Lawton, Okla.; assigned to the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Polk, La.; died Jan. 17 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Kabul.  Army Sgt. Ezra Dawson, 31, of Las Vegas, Nev.; was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 17 in Konar province, Afghanistan, when the Chinook helicopter he was in made a hard landing under combat conditions. January 18, 2009  Army Staff Sgt. Roberto Andrade Jr., 26, of Chicago; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 18 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle.January 22, 2009  Army Spc. Matthew M. Pollini, 21, of Rockland Mass.; was assigned to the 772nd Military Police Company, Massachusetts Army National Guard, Taunton, Mass.; died Jan. 22 at Forward Operating Base Delta, near al-Kut, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover.January 24, 2009  Marine Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 24 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan.  Army Pvt. Grant A. Cotting, 19, of Corona, Calif.; assigned to the 515th Sapper Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; died Jan. 24 in Kut, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.  Army Sgt. Kyle J. Harrington, 24, of Swansea, Mass.; was assigned to the 542nd Maintenance Company, 80th Ordnance Battalion, 593rd Sustainment Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Jan. 24 in Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-hostile accident in his unit motor pool. January 26, 2009  Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley, 30, of Cameron, Mo.; assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from wounds sustained when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery, 31, of Beaverton, Ore.; assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from wounds sustained when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski, 35, of Bovey, Minn.; assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from wounds sustained when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Benjamin H. Todd, 29, of Colville, Wash.; assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from wounds sustained when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed. Also killed were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew G. Kelley, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua M. Tillery and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip E. Windorski.January 27, 2009  Marine Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson, 23, of Forsyth, Mont.; assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 27 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Sgt. David W. Wallace III.  Marine Sgt. David W. Wallace III, 25, of Sharpsville, Pa.; assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 27 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Also killed was Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson. |
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