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Energy Users Environment Political

Not overblown, but important to Congress

Via Sierra Club, the Daily Kos has a break down on the top presidential candidates–Republican and Democrat–and their responses to a Katie Couric question: Is Global Warming Overblow.

The answers are interesting. Fred Thompson’s response was a joke–electing him would be like electing Bush again for a third term. The other Republican candidates, at least are willing to admit there is a problem.

What I don’t understand, though, is if the presidential candidates think the problem is serious, then why does the energy bill, which is a start at addressing the problem, lying on the Congressional cutting room floor? Scientists are now saying arctic ice could be gone in less than ten years, and all the candidates are talking about solutions cutting emissions in 2050. “Thinking Green”, as if the solution can be found in a viral ad campaign.

Why stop at the candidates. If the environment is a Democratic thing, tell me something else: why are there are just as many Democrats driving gas guzzlers, as Republicans?

The problem of global warming isn’t political, it’s personal. And with recent news from the scientists, damn personal.

Categories
Just Shelley

Life stuff

My shoulder does not improve, in fact, it’s gotten quite worse. As has my elbows, and hands. If you think this sounds computer related, it is–or at least, the computer use is exacerbating the problems. Especially the shoulder, which has gotten bad enough to impact both sleeping and driving.

After the book is done at end of the month, I am cutting computer use back, significantly. I had thought about going offline completely for a few months, but I’m not sure such a drastic cut off is necessary or feasible. There will always be tweaks on the book, the sites, and possibly some tasks for a start up I’ve been doing some work for. I won’t be posting as much, however, and don’t be surprised, or concerned, if you don’t hear from me for weeks on end.

If I can get my shoulder in good enough shape, I want to do a few car trips around in my area. I want to go down to New Orleans, maybe along the Gulf coast. Not as far as Florida but definitely out of the house. I could go north, but frankly, only masochists drive around the Great Lakes area ‘for fun’ in the Winter.

My roommate, knowing I couldn’t put up any of the Christmas decorations because of my shoulder, surprised me yesterday by putting up lights around the deck and around the front window. You can keep your expensive iTouches and Chumblys–doing something you really dislike, as a gift for a friend is about the nicest present you can give another person.

On the cellphone front, I am filing a small claims against Sprint comes January, and looks like the law is on my side. My state, Missouri, is one that won’t allow unnecessary penalties attached to contract terminations. All you can charge a person is the amount you’ve lost, in the case of cellphone companies, the costs of the phones. One of my phones was over 3 years old, the other over 8. The costs has been more than recouped by now. All the people who have taken their cases against Sprint to small claims in Missouri have won, and I expect to win. I even know the bank to send the garnish request to.

I find I don’t miss the phone. I am not a phone person, being relatively quiet in the ‘real world’. I used to call my Mom but we are now exchanging letters. Yes, actual, real life letters. It’s quite pleasant.

The snow and ice have both been missing our area in St. Louis. We’re in the city’s ‘heat shadow’, which tends to block us from most of the adverse weather. If you look at the radar map of the state, you’ll even see there’s a line that goes from Springfield, Missouri to St. Louis. For most storms, the area above the line in St. Louis shows in blues, for frozen precipitation, the area below shows non-frozen precipitation. Knock on wood this continues, because frozen rain is not something I appreciate. Snow, on the other hand, would be pretty. Especially with the lights.