ND Football Goes Green... And Not in the Usual Way

There are times when my alma mater gets me down, like when they forget the Catholic legacy of supporting social justice and side with conservatives too much. But there are also times when I absolutely love the place. This is one of those times.

For the first time in history, ND football will be carbon neutral for a game. The school really seems to be taking things seriously in not only greening the function of the university, but in ensuring that the students are going to be learning how to be green in their daily lives as well.

Knowing the ND student body, I'm sure there are many who are bristling over the need for green tech and attitudes as a "liberal issue." But seeing the university taking it seriously will hopefully open some eyes and minds and move things on the right path toward a greener society.

So Much for Liberal Media Bias

Here's the ad that ABC refused to run during the debates, while still running all sorts of propaganda for Big Coal and Big Oil:

Sierra Club Ready to Expose Big Coal Lies During Debate

From the Sierra Club:

Sign Up for Mobile Coal Alerts During the Presidential Debates
From The Sierra Club

The dirty coal industry is planning to launch a major advertising blitz during the presidential debates. The Sierra Club will be keeping them accountable by monitoring the ads for ‘bogus coal moments’ where they attempt to spread misinformation.

Sign up to receive a mobile alert when a ‘bogus coal moment’ occurs during the debates. The Sierra Club will text you updates throughout the debates.

Text the keyword DIRTY to 69866 from your mobile phone.

Reasons Not to Drill Offshore

There's been a lot of talk in the news lately about opening up our coastlines to offshore drilling for oil, and it absolutely astounds me that people are actually taking this suggestion seriously. I can think of no reason that this is a good idea, and plenty of reasons that the idea should be kicked to the curb:

1. We need to be moving away from the use of oil, period. It's damaging our very livelihood on this planet, as has been indicated by all the research on global warming and its causes, not to mention health risks associated with oil use.

2. Drilling offshore won't produce any oil for ten years, much like drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It won't do a thing to alleviate the fuel issues we're having now.

3. Allowing drilling offshore WILL increase the hold that Big Oil companies have on our public lands, which opens them up to all sorts of other development. Big Oil has enough of a hold on this country as it is, it's time to start reducing that hold.

4. Big Oil already has 68 million acres of leases that they're not even drilling. If they haven't used all the land they've already been given, there's no point in giving them more. Here's a frightening map of that land.

So do what you can to encourage your representatives and senators to quash any idea of giving up our shorelines. It's only what's right!

Fight Bush's Fight Against Real Change in Bali

Many of you may know that the UN's Climate Talks are underway in Bali, Indonesia right now. Naturally, the Bush Administration is doing what it can to derail any significant change.

That's why it's important to let the other representatives at that conference know that Bush does NOT speak for us as Americans in this matter.

Let them know here.

The Best Argument I've Seen for Taking Action Against Global Warming

I've put forth a few arguments in favor of taking action against climate change. I've mentioned that any action we take to fight global warming is a positive action elsewhere as well, whether it fights pollution, reduces the obesity rates, increases the health of our populations, etc.

But here's an argument that I can't believe hasn't made the rounds yet. Well, it will now.

Tax the Gas, Lose the Ass

A great post on the Sierra Club's Compass blog about how to push the results of the study regarding gas prices and waistlines. I had to share...

Daily Show Captures "Horror" of Nantucket Wind Farm Project

No commentary necessary. Just watch.

Apologize to World for Bush's Actions

President George Bush has made the USA the only country in the G8 nations that did NOT agree to a goal of preventing the rise of the average temperature of the world by 2 degrees Centigrade, stating that it was against our policies.

"The treatment of climate change runs counter to our overall position and crosses multiple 'red lines' in terms of what we simply cannot agree to... We have tried to 'tread lightly' but there is only so far we can go given our fundamental opposition to the German position."
- White House document; 5/14/2007

The president obviously doesn't speak for the majority of Americans, who in poll after poll say they want the government to address climate change as the hard science that it is, and do something to reduce it.

Friends of the Earth is sending a petition that basically states just that:

On behalf of the United States of America, I apologize for the actions of our president, George W. Bush. His rejection of global warming measures to be endorsed at the upcoming G8 meeting is shameful, and does not represent my views or those of the American people.

Please visit the link and sign this petition!

26 Global Warming Myths Debunked

Britain's magazine New Scientist takes 26 different "reasons" to doubt global warming and debunks them. It's a good read, though a bit technical in parts.

My Rant About the Worst Anti-Science Excuse: "I Don't Believe In It"

A couple of scientific issues that are continually in the headlines these days are evolution and global climate change. And the thing that irks me continually is to see the people who come out publicly saying "I don't believe in" one or the other.

You know what? We don't have the luxury of not believing in these things, because they're not belief systems. They're science. And both of them are so strongly considered to be consensuses by the scientists that study them that they're can be considered fact.

Science is a process of researching, hypothesizing, experimentation, analysis, and then the same again, over and over. It's the fact-based, empirical search for truth. Scientific consensus is not a matter of opinion. If scientists say something works a certain way, and the theory has been tested and re-tested in numerous ways the way that both evolution and global warming have at this point, then it's truly folly to say you "don't believe in them."

When you hear pundits on the radio and elsewhere talk about how these things are matters of opinion because they have the tag "theory" on them, that's not valid questioning. A "theory" is a tested and verified hypothesis, which is an educated guess to begin with. So subjective evidence supports the claims of these theories. These pundits have a misunderstanding of what a theory actually is, and have attempted to spread that misunderstanding to the world through their "outrage."

Now, if you have an actual scientific reason, based on data, experimentation, and analysis, for questioning a theory, that's a whole different issue. That's the purpose of scientists reporting their data to peer-reviewed journals throughout their discipline - to invite more research and experimentation. It's part of the scientific method - the system of research, hypothesis, experimentation, and results reporting - that all reputable scientists use.

Such concepts as intelligent design and the like, which are proposed as "competing theories," are actually nothing of the sort. If you read them, they are philosophy at best - a "what if" scenario that doesn't have any experimentation to actually back it up. And what they strike me as is the last-gasp attempt of someone, who thinks his belief system is under attack by real evidence, to hold on to something that's given them comfort.

Try Petrolius... It'll Give You That Warm Feeling All Over (the World)

Brilliant video... and visit the link after you watch!

Okay, Who's Been Giving Clocks to the Trees?

Here's a letter to the editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette from Connie M. Meskimen, of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Apparently she thinks Congress has a little more power than they do...

Seriously, I pray that this is a joke. But somehow I don't think it is...

UPDATE: It is a joke. But it's a darned funny one. See Matt's comments below.

Bush Set To Disobey Supreme Court

The Supreme Court's landmark case regarding the Environmental Protection Agency and global warming is near to being totally defied by the Bush Administration - predictably.

From the Los Angeles Times:

President Bush, while acknowledging Tuesday that he took "very seriously" the Supreme Court's ruling that the Environmental Protection Agency must regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles as pollution, set up a potential conflict with Congress by attaching two conditions to comply with the decision.

Bush said that any regulatory program should not slow economic growth, nor should its benefits to the atmosphere be offset by mounting emissions from China, India and other growing economies.

So, let's sort this out:

First, Bush says that a regulatory program should not slow economic growth. Obviously, the Bush Administration continues to follow the mindset that environmental policy enforcement means slowing the economy, when most reports today indicate that such enforcement will actually HELP the economy in the long run. Otherwise, why would companies like Wal-Mart be attempting to go green? The big box store giant announced late last year that it was attempting to produce zero waste and use entirely renewable fuels. And companies like DuPont and General Electric have announced similar goals, as a SMALL example.

So it seems the encouragement and enforcement of environmental policies is actually a PRO-economy move... unless you're in an industry that makes its living from being a polluter, specifically energy, oil and coal industries. And guess who put Bush into the White House!

Second, Bush says that our efforts should not be offset by China, India, and other developing countries. So, in other words, Bush is applying the playground mentality of "Joey doesn't have to do it, why do I have to?" Grow up, Mr. President. The economic issue isn't valid, therefore neither is this issue - we don't have to pollute to keep up with developing nations like China and India economically. And the US is the number one polluter in the world - our reduction in emissions can't help but make an impact, no matter WHAT China and India do.

And one final note: the President doesn't have the legal option to defy the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court's decisions are final, they are the Constitutional law of the land. He, as the head of the executive branch, is constitutionally bound to enforce the law of the land - no matter what. But, given his flouting of his constitutional responsibilities throughout his administration, should we be surprised?

You May Be The One Out Of Ten...

NASA satellite data estimates that one person in ten would be affected directly by rising sea levels due to global warming.

Want to see if you're one of those folks? Check out Flood Maps, which uses Google Maps to show the influence of the oceans' rising one meter at a time.

Hope you don't live in New York City or Florida...

I Suppose It's Only Fair...

Pink Floyd and the Environment

Here's a great video: some parkour, some trick bike riding, and some vigilante environmentalism. I like it!

It's Amazing How The Human Mind Works... Occasionally

It boggles the mind sometimes, doesn't it? You just want to grab people by the head and yell "IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PRICE AT THE PUMP!"

Federal Way, WA Schools Decide That "Learning Is Bad"

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that Federal Way, WA school leaders are banning the viewing of An Inconvenient Truth in their classrooms, based on justifications such as this (from the Seattle PI):

"Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He's not a schoolteacher," said Frosty Hardison, a parent of seven who also said that he believes the Earth is 14,000 years old. "The information that's being presented is a very cockeyed view of what the truth is. ... The Bible says that in the end times everything will burn up, but that perspective isn't in the DVD."

There's a good reason for that, Frosty: the Gore movie is based on scientific evidence. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever that there is any sort of "end times" where everything will burn up. That is a religious belief, one that has no place in public schools.

The article goes on to state the following:

School Board members adopted a three-point policy that says teachers who want to show the movie must ensure that a "credible, legitimate opposing view will be presented," that they must get the OK of the principal and the superintendent, and that any teachers who have shown the film must now present an "opposing view."

Let's look at these three points, not in order. Point 2, the OK of the administrators, is just legalese. Points 1 and 3 are basically the same thing, and here's the problem there: there simply ISN'T a credible, legitimate opposing view any more. Even noted climate skeptic Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) was unable to find two skeptics in the US to speak at his recent Senate hearing on the topic, he had to import one from Australia.

So, by making such rules as this, the school board in Federal Way is basically barring any attempt to use the Gore movie as a classroom tool - which is exactly what the movie is.

But this also sets up a very scary precedent. Let's say, for a moment, that someone takes the school board to task on whether the Holocaust occurred, despite all the overwhelming proof that it did. By this sort of justification, the school district could be required not to teach that millions of people were killed in Nazi concentration camps unless they bring someone in with a different point of view.

Here's the point: in the scientific community there is very little if any belief that climate change isn't happening and that it hasn't been exacerbated by human pollution. Similarly, in the historical studies community, there is little belief that the Holocaust didn't happen.

But with this policy in place, then any time someone in the community disagrees with something their child is taught, then they need only bring it to the attention of the school board in order to get its teaching removed from the school until a suitable differing opinion can be found to fulfill the three points.

Basically, this climate change stuff is the de facto truth. There's evidence from all corners of the globe that points to human activity as making the world hotter. And the folks in Federal Way are doing their students a great disservice by disallowing the viewing of Gore's movie based upon the whims of a few fringe lunatics.

I'll Take Potpourri For $1000, Alex

Just a little bit of catch-up to cover the holiday happenings here, before I go off tomorrow on whatever the result of the Sugar Bowl is.

• Christmas was great. I got to spend some quality family time at home with Jenn and Duncan and he really had a good time (though I'm getting a little weary of his Wiggles piano). Duncan also got a pair of padded (of course) hockey sticks and a ball. He's happy as a clam - the kid has picked up on hockey as his favorite sport, for whatever reason, and he runs around the house with one of the sticks, not flailing it around as much as I'd feared, and having a great time trying to hit the ball.
  
  For myself, I got a lot of James Bond stuff from my wonderful family; a pair of bike tights, some gloves, and a pump/repair kit from my folks; a beautiful Irish sweater from Jenn; and some other fun trinkets from various other folks. The tights are going to work out nicely, I think, plus they show off my sexy legs really well. ;)
  
  The one disappointment - our global-warming-addled climate not having enough snow for me to take Duncan sledding on the sled I restored for him for his gift. Hopefully we'll get some of Denver's weather.
  
  
• The best bowl game I've seen so far is the Fiesta Bowl and the upset win by the Boise State Broncos. Despite my disappointment that the Glendale staff didn't paint half the field blue for the visitors from the potato state, the game was the most fun to watch of all of them. Normally I hate the NCAA's overtime structure, but darn it if that wasn't a great one. To watch a team actually go for a two point conversion instead of playing it safe and taking the one-pointer to force a second overtime period was a joy. And I always (with one notable exception, Jenn) enjoy watching Big 12 teams look like a bunch of over-hyped jokers.
  
  And the incurable romantic in my heart appreciated Fox covering the post-game proposal by Broncos star running back Ian Johnson to his cheerleader girlfriend... true Americana there!
  
  
• I started a new twist on my workout routine - instead of saying "I'm gonna work out every day" or something like that, I am going for numbers this year: I set a goal for the year of 100,000 Hindu squats and 30,000 Hindu push ups from the Matt Furey Combat Conditioning workout. And keeping track of those reps all year long will hopefully help me to have something to really strive for. We'll see... check out my other blog if you're curious about how that's working out (no pun intended).
  
  
• The Sugar Bowl has me a bit scared. LSU is gonna be tough, and we've not played up to our potential in a lot of games this season (with the exception of the Penn State game). Hopefully Weis has the boys ready. And hopefully we'll be surprised as we were back in the Cheerios Bowl a decade ago.
  
  
• I watched a great documentary from Discovery Times that I'd Tivoed a couple months ago (finally) called Addicted To Oil. Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Thomas L. Friedman, it goes into the damage that oil does to our national security and to our climate, really breaking it down and showing the effects on both our security and the world's weather. He also goes into oil alternatives for both vehicles and general consumption, pointing out the good and bad of the various ideas. Very cool - check it out if you have the chance.
  
  And yes, I still need to see An Inconvenient Truth though I know most of what he's talking about already.
  
  
• On a similar train of thought, I watched Syriana over the holidays. This movie was outstanding though very disturbing at parts. Theatrically, it was a bit confusing, though that's part of its charm - you never are quite sure what's going on any more than the characters themselves are. It's definitely a movie you can see over and over and make new connections all the time.
  
  But the more important thing to take from it is the hypocrisy of the oil industry and its proponents in the government. The part that got me the most is when the eldest son of the emir, Nasir, is talking about how the US wants his brother to be the new emir because they consider him a Communist, simply because he decided to sell the country's oil to China as they offered him the best price (a very capitalist idea, wouldn't you think?).
  
  Go see this one if you haven't already. Though, if you're looking for a typically buff and sexy George Clooney in it, you're going to be watching the wrong movie because he reportedly put on 30 pounds for the role.
  
  
• There are still a couple things I want to get for my biking experience - a set of bike lights for the dark days and for my own safety, and some panniers so I don't have to use a backpack (and hopefully are a little more waterproof than the backpack I'm currently using. A set of fenders would also be nice - so I don't have to keep putting on rain pants.
  

I think that's everything.