It's been hard to do anything with my free time lately, because I really just want to rest. I know that sounds insane, but I'm ready to admit that working six days a week is really hard. I have a new appreciation for Americans who have to work two jobs, seven days a week in order to make ends meet. I'm working at the parks department office for school credits and job experience only, I can't imaging having to work like this every week of your life just to pay the bills with no end in sight.
Okay, now that I've depressed everyone, you can all join in my sorrow in my recent discovery that all Americans are pretty much global jerks, each in their own individual way. I'm no exception, as I keep eating seafood, knowing that the oceans and fisheries are on a critical tipping point from overconsumption and acidification from pollution. But there are a-holes of every aspect across our country who use the Constitution to justify their right to be one.
There are those who think it's their right to overharvest the land, whether it be trees, minerals, oil or fish, as it's all for the taking to them. There are others who think it's their right to throw their trash wherever they want, or others who think it's their right to be unemployed and sit around getting high all day from prescription medications at the expense of the tax payers, and yet others who think they should water their lawns in the dead heat of summer, despite water shortages.
What has happened to the country who saved the world twice in the Twentieth Century? Why is the first country to go to the moon now trying to ban science in their school curiculums? Why are we encouraging people to have tons of children by giving them tax breaks? Why do we think it's okay to to become bankrupt because you got a severe injury or illness? Why do we think it's okay to throw our grandparents into "rehabilitation centers" where most of them are overmedicated and succumb to deadly illnesses or abuse? Why do we think it's okay to sue anyone over just about anything?
I really don't understand this new evolution of America, and I really am not liking it. It's time people pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and snap out of it. This division needs to stop, and we need to stop the "I'm proud to be ignorant" attitude, because this is not the time to allow a "Great Slack-off." We are at a critical point in the world where we may have to prepare for mass migrations within forty years, and we're still arguing over whether we should do anything about Climate Change. Our excuse?
Well there are many, but the biggest partisan one is that we don't have enough information on whether it is anthropogenic (human caused) or natural? WHO CARES?!! If we all agree it's happening, then who the hell cares what it's caused by? Let's do something about it!
And this crap about science being offensive and not worthy of teaching?! Well, without science you would have no electricity, doctors, pharmacists, engineers, roads, sewers, space program or defense system, cars, or oil for your cars. What kind of America would that be? I wouldn't want to live there. So shut up about science being scary and encourage your kids to excel in science and math. And stop arguing about our environment and religion, and just make America a nice place to live.
A bit of my view...
Showing posts with label Climate Change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Climate Change. Show all posts
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Donations Needed All Around
First off, I want to vent. I am so upset that Survivor is having a Heroes vs. Villians game during Winter quarter. Don't they know I'm in class until 9pm on Thursdays? I can't wait for March when we switch to DishNet and get a DVR!
I am doing a few things for cancer this year. Tomorrow, I am chopping of 10 inches of my curly locks for Locks for Love, which is a birthday present to myself. What better way to spend your birthday than helping others, right?
Okay, here's my plea for a donation - On March 21, I am running in the Mercer Island Rotary's 5K for colon cancer. I have a history of colon cancer on my dad's side of the family, and I had a cancerous polyp removed in 2003. I'd like to raise $300, but it would be great to get even more. If you are interested in helping visit my site: http://www.active.com/donate/preventcc/ALindemanLucas
I've also got a couple of other community projects swirling around in my head. I wish I had the time to dive into them right now, but they'll have to wait for Summer break. Darrington needs a new floor and roof on the Community Center, and Arlington officially transferred the Graafstra's Country Charm Dairy into municipal property last week. Bill Blake, the Natural Resource manager has already drawn up plans to turn it into a multi-purpose recreational area with a hiking trail, off-leash dog park, monitored swimming beach and campground. Of course, not all of the plans may come through, but what a great process for me to learn.
Tomorrow, I plan on making my resume rounds to draw on some of those internship opportunities. I'll be swinging by Arlington's City Hall to make an appointment with Mr. Blake, as well as a trip to the Darrington Ranger Station to follow up on my SCEP program application, and a stop by Darrington Town Hall to offer my EIS, NEPA and planning services. If you want to donate to the Darrington Community Center fund, let me know. I'm getting really antsy to work in the field, and right now, I'll take my hours wherever I can get them.
And for all of those people saying that Snow-maggedon is proof that Climate Change is not real - first of all, Climate Change doesn't mean there will be no ice or snow. It means that there will be more extremes in storms, snow, rain and drought as well as unpredictable shifts in the atmosphere. Second, it is an El Nino year. That's why we've had sunny and dry winter weather here in PNW. California has gotten our rain, which follows the shifted jet stream on to Texas, Tennessee, and up to the Mid-Atlantic. When I was a kid in Maryland, we had awesome snow in El Nino years - nothing new, just more extreme now. Third, just look to the poles or our alpine glaciers to watch Climate Change happen every day. And there you have it.
I am doing a few things for cancer this year. Tomorrow, I am chopping of 10 inches of my curly locks for Locks for Love, which is a birthday present to myself. What better way to spend your birthday than helping others, right?
Okay, here's my plea for a donation - On March 21, I am running in the Mercer Island Rotary's 5K for colon cancer. I have a history of colon cancer on my dad's side of the family, and I had a cancerous polyp removed in 2003. I'd like to raise $300, but it would be great to get even more. If you are interested in helping visit my site: http://www.active.com/donate/preventcc/ALindemanLucas
I've also got a couple of other community projects swirling around in my head. I wish I had the time to dive into them right now, but they'll have to wait for Summer break. Darrington needs a new floor and roof on the Community Center, and Arlington officially transferred the Graafstra's Country Charm Dairy into municipal property last week. Bill Blake, the Natural Resource manager has already drawn up plans to turn it into a multi-purpose recreational area with a hiking trail, off-leash dog park, monitored swimming beach and campground. Of course, not all of the plans may come through, but what a great process for me to learn.
Tomorrow, I plan on making my resume rounds to draw on some of those internship opportunities. I'll be swinging by Arlington's City Hall to make an appointment with Mr. Blake, as well as a trip to the Darrington Ranger Station to follow up on my SCEP program application, and a stop by Darrington Town Hall to offer my EIS, NEPA and planning services. If you want to donate to the Darrington Community Center fund, let me know. I'm getting really antsy to work in the field, and right now, I'll take my hours wherever I can get them.
And for all of those people saying that Snow-maggedon is proof that Climate Change is not real - first of all, Climate Change doesn't mean there will be no ice or snow. It means that there will be more extremes in storms, snow, rain and drought as well as unpredictable shifts in the atmosphere. Second, it is an El Nino year. That's why we've had sunny and dry winter weather here in PNW. California has gotten our rain, which follows the shifted jet stream on to Texas, Tennessee, and up to the Mid-Atlantic. When I was a kid in Maryland, we had awesome snow in El Nino years - nothing new, just more extreme now. Third, just look to the poles or our alpine glaciers to watch Climate Change happen every day. And there you have it.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Go Army!
So I was doing my homework for my Senior Environmental Policy class (now that the power is back on) and ran across this article. The Army Corps of Engineers has officially adopted rising sea levels and climate change into all of their dike, levee and coastal projects across the country. It is refreshing to see that even though they may be keeping quiet on the public front, at least one branch of the government is being realistic when it comes to the next fifty years.
I really wonder how realistic they can be about New Orleans. I have an opportunity to visit New Orleans for a conference this spring, but I've always been against visiting and supporting a city below sea level. Maybe it's because I grew up at sea level on flat Delmarva, but hurricane devastation at sea level is amazingly powerful. On the other hand, if they do have some serious solutions for the city, that are ecologically friendly, then I would be interested in going to hear those. And there's always the reason that I love me some jazz - raggity, dirty, loud Bourbon Street jazz!
Of course the Army Corps of Engineers are instituting this policy to protect their own assets, but it's a good first step. And I'm glad it's the Army that is leading the change. My grandpa retired as a Major General in the Army, was a WWII veteran, and even testified before Congress as to why women should be allowed to become generals. Even though two of my brothers were Marines, I'm still Army biased, because Grandpa was just too cool. So here's to success and new solutions - Go Army!
I really wonder how realistic they can be about New Orleans. I have an opportunity to visit New Orleans for a conference this spring, but I've always been against visiting and supporting a city below sea level. Maybe it's because I grew up at sea level on flat Delmarva, but hurricane devastation at sea level is amazingly powerful. On the other hand, if they do have some serious solutions for the city, that are ecologically friendly, then I would be interested in going to hear those. And there's always the reason that I love me some jazz - raggity, dirty, loud Bourbon Street jazz!
Of course the Army Corps of Engineers are instituting this policy to protect their own assets, but it's a good first step. And I'm glad it's the Army that is leading the change. My grandpa retired as a Major General in the Army, was a WWII veteran, and even testified before Congress as to why women should be allowed to become generals. Even though two of my brothers were Marines, I'm still Army biased, because Grandpa was just too cool. So here's to success and new solutions - Go Army!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Jesus Says Pollute? Really?!
Once upon a time, a young Italian navigator was forced to go to the Inquisition Queen and King in Spain for funding to prove the Earth was round, because he was ostracized from Italy by the Catholic Church. Does this story sound familiar? Since I start my Junior Year in September, and I am down to zero reading material, I've decided to really concentrate on reading Climate Change and Green Engineering articles and studies. Boring, I know, but it must be done.
What do these two things have to do with eachother? Well, I am saddened by the comments on some of these online articles from "Christians" who have been convinced that Climate Change is nothing but a ploy to give liberals money. Despite 99.9% of all scientists and science studies showing that Climate Change is natural, but being exponentially increased by human activities, they call it "junk science." They proudly boast at how they purposely waste fuel, paper and other resources and they actually think it's funny.
The church seems to have cyclic activities in Science - healthily promoting it some centuries, and lying and killing to dispose of it in others. Some of the greatest Biologic findings were from monks like Mendel, and healthcare and sanitization were spurred into modernization from church organizations like the Red Cross. But, I'm afraid we are stuck in an era of church hindering Science once again.
The modern church preaches against condoms and birth control, and yet we have an AIDS epidemic and famines in over-populated third world nations where the churches control information through their missionaries. As things warm up and dry up, these famines will become worse, and increase in size. The Pacific front of WWII was basically fought over oil, and some say the Middle East wars were too. What will humans resort to when fighting over water?
Are these "Christians" really that selfish that they are willing to risk the quality of life of their children and grandchildren, so they don't have to change a thing? Perhaps they are just ignorant to the facts. I guarantee that if Jesus was on Earth today he would not be saying, "pump the oil at all costs and drive, drive, drive. Rape the Earth and pillage the rest of the resources while you're at it, and reclassify the toxic waste as toxic fill so you can pollute as much as you want." Really, is that what people think Jesus would do, or would he be appalled by the way humans have treated the only Earth they have?
I'm not sure what happens to us after we die, but I'm sure that I don't want to leave a toxic planet for future generations. I have found some churches that are preaching climate change, but they are few and far between, and they certainly are not standing up to their bully-pulpit brethren. Nor are they getting the publicity they deserve. One only has to look to the ice cores taken from the poles to see how the atmosphere changes the climate - what have you pumped into it today?
What do these two things have to do with eachother? Well, I am saddened by the comments on some of these online articles from "Christians" who have been convinced that Climate Change is nothing but a ploy to give liberals money. Despite 99.9% of all scientists and science studies showing that Climate Change is natural, but being exponentially increased by human activities, they call it "junk science." They proudly boast at how they purposely waste fuel, paper and other resources and they actually think it's funny.
The church seems to have cyclic activities in Science - healthily promoting it some centuries, and lying and killing to dispose of it in others. Some of the greatest Biologic findings were from monks like Mendel, and healthcare and sanitization were spurred into modernization from church organizations like the Red Cross. But, I'm afraid we are stuck in an era of church hindering Science once again.
The modern church preaches against condoms and birth control, and yet we have an AIDS epidemic and famines in over-populated third world nations where the churches control information through their missionaries. As things warm up and dry up, these famines will become worse, and increase in size. The Pacific front of WWII was basically fought over oil, and some say the Middle East wars were too. What will humans resort to when fighting over water?
Are these "Christians" really that selfish that they are willing to risk the quality of life of their children and grandchildren, so they don't have to change a thing? Perhaps they are just ignorant to the facts. I guarantee that if Jesus was on Earth today he would not be saying, "pump the oil at all costs and drive, drive, drive. Rape the Earth and pillage the rest of the resources while you're at it, and reclassify the toxic waste as toxic fill so you can pollute as much as you want." Really, is that what people think Jesus would do, or would he be appalled by the way humans have treated the only Earth they have?
I'm not sure what happens to us after we die, but I'm sure that I don't want to leave a toxic planet for future generations. I have found some churches that are preaching climate change, but they are few and far between, and they certainly are not standing up to their bully-pulpit brethren. Nor are they getting the publicity they deserve. One only has to look to the ice cores taken from the poles to see how the atmosphere changes the climate - what have you pumped into it today?
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