zRants

Excerpt from a letter to the Lufkin Daily News:

“Recently, a Congressional subcommittee (Home Energy Commerce) chaired by Bart Stupak held hearings. Those giving testimony were four of the leading experts on oil and gas energy — Michael Masters of Masters Capital Management, Edward Krapels, managing director of Energy Security Analyst, Fadel Gheit of Oppenheimers and Company and Roger Diwan of P.F.C. Energy Consulting firm. All four of these experts stated “more drilling will not lower the price of gasoline.

They pointed to Congress and said, “You have the power to lower the price of gasoline by 30 to 50 percent in 30 to 50 days maximum.” This is not Republican spin, I watched the hearing on CSPAN. They pointed out the oil companies are buying back their stock and investing billions in oil futures, raising oil on Wall Street to $140 per barrel. Oil at the pump is $60 per barrel, $80 a barrel less than Wall Street, and it’s all on paper.

The solution? Re-regulate Wall Street that George Bush de-regulated in 2001. The Republicans on the committee broke out in a cold sweat. The Democrats appeared to have sat down in a fire ant bed. I have never in my life witnessed so many uncomfortable leaders scrambling for excuses not to take their advice.“

*This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
http://www.lufkindailynews.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2008/08/10/letter_gardner.html

zrants

Indymedia released the following story by Brenda Norrell, August 17, 2008
LUKEVILLE, Ariz. - The risk to the lives of Tohono O’odham and other residents living on the Arizona and Sonora border due to monsoon flash floods has increased because of a newly constructed border wall.
Homeland Security flaunted federal laws and the laws of nature to build the border wall in 2008. In a report made public this week, the National Park Service details the ecological and infrastructure damage in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument caused by flood obstruction and debris accumulation along recently constructed portions of the border wall.

Read the article on indymedia

The Pickens Plan

From the Beaux Artists blog: by Florida Native, C Gomez

“We designate liberal vs right wing, news and commentary by editorializing. If the spin is liberal, it tends to attack the right wing agenda. When the spin is conservative, the RW media will lie to sell their agenda.
Consider the lies that took us into Iraq with the spin of the corporate RW media.

Look at the drilling debate. The dems want to conserve our ecology and pristine beaches for the fisheries and tourism. Makes economic sense huh. I love to swim, surf, dive and sail there, as well as beach weddings feed my family.”

(more…)

(Thanks for all your kind comments. Here is the latest from Maria who is up around Ukiah…)

Dear Maude and All,

Thank you for your notes! It is scary at times - BUT we all can do much good here because so much is what they call “hand work”. Also they want us to get each of our homesteads fire safe. The fire so far has been slow moving. Coming closer but not that fast. I just inspected the new fire break that was cut today by CalFire and two convict crews - can you imagine that, “con-crews”. It is right below and slightly to the east of our house which is disappointing, was hoping they would take a stand closer to the fire and further away from our houses. We ended up just outside the border where they are hoping to take yet another stand if the fire breaches the fire break again. (more…)

Dear All,

Here is why I have been out of touch. I’m currently in Mendocino County in the middle of four of the most serious wild land fires in our region. The Orr Springs fire has almost reached the Orr Hot Springs immediately west of here, the Running Springs fire across the road has reached the first dwellings, the Jack Smith and Singley fires have just combined and entered our 5,000 acre association on the Northern border. I see that fire out of the window of my hand made straw bale house.

We are in a world of drifting smoke, sun and moon have been orange for five days. My neighbors and I are in an amazing effort to prevent the fire from coming down the box canyon above us and crossing Redwood Creek and fully entering our land. I have worked on the fire line and on property of my neighbors nearer the fire than I am until Cal Fire sent us away because the fire had breached - again - one of the fire breaks they had bulldozed. They ordered us to go home for our own safety and clear around our houses.

Living so close to a fire is an extraordinary event. The local battalion chief for the Ukiah region compared it to a sleeping dragon on the hill. each fire has its own character. This one is moving slowly, sometimes turning back onto itself, sometimes consuming 60 foot fir trees in 3 seconds and then falling quiet again. Wind, moisture and sun affect it’s movement and direction. We can hear it groan or bristle or crack like a whip or explode things.

For two days now Jeff and I have been limbing trees, clearing roofs and gutters. Yesterday - out of the blue - a crew of eight young men showed with their own equipment and after three hours our place is unrecognizable. One neighbor even brought a large bulldozer and cut a fire break around our houses. Then they all left and went on to another neighbor’s house.

Everybody here is packed up to leave on short notice. This morning the local battalion chief came to meet with us at our community center, the old ranch house. He told us that we would be receiving an evacuation warning that may be followed by an enforceable order. He confirmed that, given the 130 fires in Mendocino County alone, there were no resources to actually fight the fire. The only thing they can do at this time is try and direct the fires with fire breaks and “box” it in between those lines, and to protect dwellings. He also told us if the line that is  currently held below our house is breached that they would regroup three miles behind us. In that case my house would end up inside the “box” with the dragon.
Love,

Maria (TUCradio)

We have seen the results of corporate tax credits and research grants. Huge corporate profits and not a lot of positive change. We are told it will take years for the car manufacturers to deliver fuel efficient cars, and for the gas companies to replace the old fuel distribution system.

We need faster solutions and we need a better return on our tax dollars. It’s time to change the way the government finances research and development. Rather than giving away the money as tax credits and grants to oil companies and car manufacturers, the government should participate as owner/operators and investors. Use the income from profits to pay down the debt, or keep prices down for the consumers.

Invest in specific areas of production. If the car manufacturers need money to retool to produce energy-efficient cars, the government can participate as a partner, pay for the retooling and be reimbursed as cars are sold.

Many local governments are producing limited amounts of fuel for their own transit needs. These programs can be expanded to serve the public as well. Diesel engines can run on other fuels. Delivering alternative fuels to trucks should be a top priority since so much of the economy depends on trucks for delivery.

The June 2008 California Ballot includes two important Propositions that should be of grave concern to voters. Both 98 and 99 attempt to reform eminent domain practices in the state, but with different intents and purposes.

Prop 98 is sponsored by Howard Jarvis and supported by Republicans. If passed, it will:

1. Abolish rent control and gut renter protection laws, such as laws requiring the fair return of rental deposits and laws requiring 60-day notice before forcing tenants out of their housing.

2. Stop water infrastructure projects by prohibiting the acquisition of land and water through eminent domain to develop public water projects - threatening many future water projects intended to preserve clean drinking water, protect existing water resources, and secure additional water supply.

3. Destroy Land-Use Planning Hurt the environment and stop regulations that protect our neighborhoods. In the definitions section is a clause that would Prohibit laws and regulations that “transfer economic benefit to one or more private persons at the expense of the private owner.” Because the courts have ruled that virtually all land-use decisions and environmental laws transfer economic benefit from one party to another, Prop. 98 would prohibit countless laws that protect our land, air, water and laws that protect our neighborhoods and home values.

Prop 99 - The Homeowners Protection Act - will prohibit the government from using eminent domain to take a home to transfer to a private developer.

Read both sides of the argument, in Ballotpedia.
And get a quick comparison here. www.no98yes99.com

NO ON 98 – Wealthy landlords spent millions to get Prop. 98 on the ballot to eliminate rent control and other important renter protections like the fair return of deposits. 98 could also stop future water projects, destroy local land-use planning, erode environmental protections and lead to higher taxpayer costs.
YES ON 99 - The Homeowners Protection Act Prop. 99 is real eminent domain reform: it prohibits government from taking homes to transfer to private developer. 99 is pure reform: no hidden agendas and no adverse consequences like Prop. 98.

There is a YouTube contest sponsored by No on 98