Daily Topics - Thursday June 17th, 2010
By shawnt56
Hour One: Can we trust the word of a felon...and does Obama's deal with BP go anywhere near far enough?; Plus, SEIU's Marcus Mrowka reports from today's National People's Action protest at Bank of America in NYC http://showdowninamerica.org
Hour Two: Why do some people want to continue subsidies to the oil industry rather than nationalizing our oil supplies and using the money to immediately begin conversions to alternative energies? Thom confronts Texas Railroad Commissioner and Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate Elizabeth Ames Jones www.jonesfortexas.com; Plus, Geeky Science - Can whale poop save the world?!
Hour Three: Is the UN trying to pry that big juicy burger out of our "cold, dead hands" and are they right?? Thom has a rumble with Reason Magazine Editor in Chief Matt Welch www.reason.com; Plus, "Taking our Country Back" California Congressional candidate Beth Krom talks to Thom www.bethkrom.com
Comments
#2
You know what I'd like to see the White House do, I'd like them to announce that they are going put Solar Panels on every Federal Building throughout all of the US, its territories, and on all its embassies throughout the world starting immediately. I'd also like them to then encourage every state and city government to take similar actions with their public buildings.
I think that would please progressives, 'tis a pity Obama isn't concerned about pleasing progressives.
N
#3
Obama cuts deal to shield BP assets
By Tom Eley, 17 June 2010
President Obama used Wednesday’s White House meeting with top BP executives to unveil an escrow account that will serve as the company’s first line of defense against lawsuits, and to pledge himself to the long-term viability of the oil giant.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jun2010/spil-j17.shtml
Another side of the "news" story
#4
@Maxrot #2:
Obama's worried about pleasing EVERYBODY.
#5
As I've said before, Obama is like a ship at sea, with propellers pointed in alll directions that are powered by engines that run on money. He wistfully peers toward desirable ports with a sigh.
#6
Cell Phone Radiation and Children
Recently, the City of Lake Oswego sent out a notice regarding an application for a cell phone antenna to be built on an existing light pole on the premises of Waluga Jr. High Schools athletic field. This would not be the first time a project like this has happened on school grounds in the city. The district makes a considerable amount of revenue on these antenna on school properties and believes that there will be no significant adverse health effects for the children studying and playing beneath them.
There are studies that show there could be negative health effects from these kinds of antenna and the radiation they put out. Lake Oswego believes that the FCC's findings (which are not comprehensive) show that they operate at acceptable safe levels. Many of the neighbors feel that these antenna should be placed elsewhere-- far away from developing school children. In nearby Wilsonville, the city has apparently begun outlawing and dismantling these antenna on school grounds because of safety concerns.
Here is the link to the City of Lake Oswego's planning page where the relevant documents regarding this issue are stored:
http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/plan/Land_Use_App/2010/LU_10_0006/LU_10_0006.htm
#7
In '04, Rep. Joe Barton said oil rigs are so safe, a gum wrapper wouldn't fall off...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/17/joe-barton-bp-apologist-i_n_615874.html
#8
Evidence after the event.
It shocks me to see emails after a shameful event occurs. I would love to see miniature drones flying in all of the offices of Government and Multinationals spying on emails and phone calls of the so called leaders of these institutions. Then the Amercian people might be able to stop the madness before it happens.
#9
@beezu re:Cell Phone Radiation and Children
You can find millions of assertions pro and con on the issue, even claims that cell phone radiation may have a positive effect on Alzheimer's patients.
So far as I know from following the American Physical Society's coverage of the issue, this an issue that scares anybody who has a visceral reaction to the word "radiation."
See http://www.searchum.umd.edu/search?q=cell+phone+radiation&btnG=Search&si...
You get more radiation flying in Class A airspace (18,000 ft +).
#10
More cell biology, APS scientist Bob Park sez: there is no claim so preposterous that an expert cannot be found to support it. (paraphrase)
There are millions of people trying to sell radiation "protection." It's a safe bet - kind of like wearing an amulet to protect yourself from tiger attacks at the North Pole.
#11
@Gene, I'm aware of that Obama is the Presidential equivalent of Musak. I'm calling for him to please progressives, I doubt he will, but I can dream that I may spark a desire among progressives here enough to discuss my idea, to point out the pros and cons of it.
We should be putting forth more solutions and discussing them, perfecting them and then taking them to our party meetings. If 60% of the people here on Thom's site actually did go to their party meetings then perhaps, just perhaps we will bring about something of value. However, if the best we can do is say, "it won't work", "they won't listen", "nobody cares", "its pointless", etc... then we may as well douse ourselves in gasoline and burn ourselves in the street in an act of futility. I have no desire to go down that path, and I haven't the time or patience to wait for any politician to hand me the answer. Thom said it best yesterday, the constitution doesn't talk about leaders, it talks about representatives, so get out there and set the table with the issues you want represented.
I'm not just saying this to Gene, this is for everyone here... don't be a nabob of negativity, its counterproductive. Take action in anyway possible no matter how small and no matter how personal. If for no other reason than to preserve your sanity, don't let them beat you down, we're better than that. We are the Government, we make the decisions, we are in control and things get done when we focus together, we have to stop allowing the 1%'ers to divide us.
Now then, what are your solutions?
N
#12
@ Gene Savory RE #4:
Everybody except of the progressive-oriented 70% of his base.
#13
More un-left wing-nuttery on the Oil Volcano:
#14
Makes you wanta cry . . . DEMs are defending the big bankers screwing up the economy at our expense . . . AND creating the potential need for another big-money bail-out by the taxpayers. This legislation would only affect the twenty-five or so banks gambling with our deposited moneys . . . AND these DEMs are planning to screw folk coming and going.
#15
Flash from Madrid: "Generalissimo Francisco Franco is STILL DEAD!!"
#16
Join this demonstration at your local beach on June 26th.
http://environment.change.org/blog/view/join_hands_at_the_beach_in_a_nat...
#17
I have been disappointed with Obama's inaction, but! If Mike Papitano (sp?) thinks the 20B escrow fund is beyond belief, I may have to reconsider.
#18
re: #16: Im in Texas. Does the beach have to have water? I got lots of sand...
#19
Buffett: Billionaires Should Give Up Half Their Wealth
Newsmax.com
Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates and billionaire investor Warren Buffett are launching a campaign to get other American billionaires to give at least half their wealth to charity.
Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., said in a letter introducing the concept that he couldn't be happier with his decision in 2006 to give 99 percent of his roughly $46 billion fortune to charity.
~~~~~~~~~~
Interesting......
#20
My state, county, and federal reps know me by name. The solution to crimes in high places requires democracy. As St. Molly said, there is a class of people who are too rich to go to jail.
The current local problem we're working on is Waste Management's efforts to roll over our county board and expand our landfill to take garbage from 17 counties in addition to our own. We're in court on that. The board specifically prohibited residents from contacting board members because that would be "lobbying."
#21
Re: Mike Papitano (sp?) thinks the 20B escrow fund is beyond belief
"Even were it clear that the $20 billion will really be made available to the blowout’s many economic victims—and it is not—this is a preposterously small sum for a catastrophe whose real cost will run into the hundreds of billions, if not trillions. All the costs of environmental cleanup are to be paid out of this fund, according to the Financial Times. There can be no doubt that this alone will far surpass $20 billion."
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jun2010/spil-j17.shtml
#22
@harry, I didn't post the link to dress up my post. It's there for you to get the answers to your questions. I'm not organizing this demonstration, I'm just passing along the information. Pehaps you can stand out in front of your house if you wish, with cardboard cutouts.
N
#23
A pipeline was recently built connecting Superior, WI and Pontiac, IL. There are two pipes. A large pipe for oil that comes to WI from tar sands in Canada. A smaller pipe takes light crude to WI to mix with the heavier, dirtier crude from Canada. How much oil can you pipe under corn and bean fields before the pipe is eroded and fails?
#24
An early sign that your representative does not represent you is the boilerplate lecture that you get in response to a real question. The rep usually tells you why you are wrong. ie: government takeover of health care, auto industry, private property, etc.
#25
More work has been put into keeping cars from being efficient over the last 30 years.
Off-shore drilling is done to drive up the costs of oil procurement.
Solar panels installed on state, federal and residential building would wipe out a big amount of our oil snide.
Oil goes to the world market not our own national use.
#27
So that is what crystal meth is. All that frozen methane on the ocean floor.
#28
RE #21. What I was saying about Mike P is that he is at front line of the war against corporate power. If he says $20B is an unbelievable victory, I think we need to recalibrate what we can expect out of Obama even if he wanted to ignore the constitution and make himself a dictator like Bush (referring to Bush's action regarding section 382 of the IRS code).
#29
This burns me to no end ...
http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/transocean-really-cleans-oil-spil...
Transocean, the OWNER of the Deepwater Horizon rig (BP rented it from them) apparently had the rig insured for about TWICE what it cost them to build it. So, when the rig blew up, they actually MADE nearly $300 Million! Not only that, but (a) they ALREADY have the check in hand (can any shrimpers say the same?!), and (2) They'll be distributing a BILLION DOLLAR dividend among their stockholders this quarter!
How wrong is this??!!
#30
Response to corporate politicians who rail against public funding of elections: The public is ALREADY funding elections, with the political donor class steering the money to politicians.
#31
Games, our federal government plays.
#32
#33
re: #29. Did AIG carry their insurance?
#34
Seems their insurer was Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited ("Aspen") (NYSE: AHL).
And see this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/16/gulf-oil-spill-insurance-losses
#35
"We have to make sure this guy is re-elected in 2012"... sigh, I agree, and that's probably why I'm getting increasingly more and more fustrated with our piss poor political system. Its ultimately why I'm going to my Green Party meetings, I can no longer just vote, I can no longer just cheer from the sidelines, I have to get in the game.
N
#36
About the so-called moratorium on drilling leases:
License To Drill "Why did the Obama administration just approve more than 400 new leases for oil companies to operate in the Gulf of Mexico?...In recent weeks, the government has quietly approved the sale of more than 400 new leases for vast swaths of the Gulf of Mexico. And these contracts—which mark the first step in the drilling process—were subjected to the same slapdash environmental oversight that failed to prevent the BP catastrophe."
#37
Supporting President Obama for being marginally better than the pukes who intend intentional and direct malice against our nation and its citizenry is damning by the faintest of praise. It may be a necessary evil but evil is evil no matter how it gets triangulated.
Frankly, I am tired of being told that the ghost of the merest fraction of a crumb of an old, moldy, spoiled loaf is enough.
#38
if Obama is playing chess, he is not playing it very well. the BP gulf disaster gives him the perfect opportunity to LEAD. Lead us out of dependence on oil and into the renewable and clean energy age. Lead the progressives will follow. challenge the nation to act and let BP and the republicans be left behind. if we don't act now we will all be left behind China, Germany, Spain and other countries who have seen the light.
#39
I think Obama is playing chess, absolutely, no question about it... however, chess isn't a team sport, he's playing for HIMSELF.
N
#40
Vine Deloria once commented that only the white man would make a river that catches on fire. Now, with cracking shale to get natural gas in Texas, residents can set their dishwater on fire. The next statement, given the release of methane from the sea floor, could be, "only the white man would make the sky catch on fire."
#41
Obama is playing a losing game of chicken.
#42
Well I figure the biggest problem is whatever Obama is doing, we can all agree he's "playing".
So lets start getting active. No more waiting for a savior, its time to save ourselves, we can't wait for someone else to do it for us.
N
#43
Perhaps the issue is that President Obama is not a leader and will never ever be one. Maybe we should develop the audacity of hoping that he become an able administrator . . .
#44
Irvine!!! Irvine is deep behind the Orange Curtain, good luck getting a progressive elected there. That's a fight I don't envy.
N
#45
Corporate felon BP is playing a winning game of chicken.
Is it true that Irvine is a 'bedroom community?'
#46
@maxrot: Obama may be playing chess, but his opponent(s) is(are) playing 3-dimensional chess. and yes, we need to stop looking for a savior! thanx for saying it
#47
Wars are fought to protect corporate profits, corporate interests, to expand the number of military bases we have around the world, and to kill off our precious human resources, like our young men and women. Please you must NEVER forget that the United States of Hell is an evil, vile, and wicked empire. We are NOT a good, holy, and saintly nation.
#48
harry did you check out my link at #32, of all the bloggers here on the site, I thought you might appreciate it the most.
A little levity.
N
#49
@Maxrot; yeah, i did, I just can't stand to look at blubber. to me its obscene but thanx anyway;,, another reason not to shop at walmart!
#50
Time may be running out for me.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/06/17/what-happens-when-you-get-angry.aspx
I must change my personality by saying more frequently, SCREW IT!!!
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