Snow Likely
Posted on December 4, 2007 - Filed Under Environmentalism
I can’t get over the sense of humor of the Drudge Report.
Top on their headlines at noon today was:
Senate’s ‘historic vote on global warming’ set for Wednesday…
Snow likely…
I wasn’t even going to read the article, but then I thought, I might as well see what it is about.
It took me to a local newspaper, The Baltimore Sun, and while it gives a mention of the vote in D.C., it seemed mostly about a Maryland initiative.
While it all sounds “rosey”, one paragraph glared at me…
“Europe tried a pollution credit trading system to curb carbon dioxide emissions after it passed the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, and power companies worked the system to make billions in profits. Electricity customers paid higher bills, thinking they were contributing to a cooler planet. But their money just went into the pockets of the electric companies, which didn’t end up actually cutting down on their carbon dioxide emissions.”
I am afraid this is what we ALL have to look forward to…
Global warming = money for someone.
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
Posted on November 27, 2007 - Filed Under General
Oz
Here is a new movie about intelligent design soon to be out in February.
The more I thought about this situation, the more I wondered why we tolerate free speech in every other area of this society, but not here.
What makes this situation so different? In my experience, people who are confident in their ideas are not afraid of criticism. So that tells me that Darwinists are afraid.
Ben Stein
Annapolis Mideast Peace Talks?
Posted on November 27, 2007 - Filed Under News
Hi Oz!
Perhaps you’ve heard in my own backyard of Annapolis, we are hosting Mideast Peace Talks!
It’s easy to be skeptical, but even easier, as while the talks will be going on, Iran just announced it has produced a new missile that has a range of 1,200 miles, an easy reach to Israel and U.S. Military bases.
~Boz
Posted on November 26, 2007 - Filed Under News
Hi Oz!
Congratulations on your national elections now at a close. Yay! No more ads, circulars in your letterbox, propadanda even phoning your home. Hope your guy won!
Here though, we have a year to go for our National Elections, specifically for president. We are technically just getting started!
I know I have made a few jokes on some of the candidates for the democrats. I already know what they stand for, and the typical tax|spend|control nanny state platform they have had for years. What I am not very famliar with, is some of the new repiblican candidates.
Today I read a news story about Mike Huckabee, who was formerly unknown to me. He once was the Arkansas governor, so perhaps after Clinton, I have turned off all things Arkansas. My mistake, as he has a few strong things to say worth noting in today’s MyWay:
“The United States has been far too involved in sort of looking the other way, not only at the atrocities of human rights and violation of women,” Huckabee said on CNN’s “Late Edition.”
“Every time we put our credit card in the gas pump, we’re paying so that the Saudis get rich - filthy, obscenely rich, and that money then ends up going to funding madrassas,” schools “that train the terrorists,” said Huckabee. “America has allowed itself to become enslaved to Saudi oil. It’s absurd. It’s embarrassing.”
Huckabee said “I would make the United States energy independent within 10 years and tell the Saudis they can keep their oil just like they can keep their sand, that we won’t need either one of them.”
Responding to the gang rape case in Saudi Arabia, the State Department expressed astonishment about the sentence of the Saudi court against the rape victim.
The woman was convicted of being in the car of a man who was not a relative. The seven men convicted of raping her were given prison sentences of two years to nine years.
Under Saudi Arabia’s strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, women are not allowed in public in the company of men other than relatives.
The woman has said the 2006 attack occurred as she tried to retrieve her picture from a male friend. While in the car with the friend, two men climbed into the vehicle and drove to a secluded area. She said she was raped by seven men, three of whom also attacked her friend.
The woman initially had been sentenced to 90 lashes after she was convicted of violating rigid laws on the segregation of the sexes. The Saudi court said the woman’s punishment was increased because of what the court said was her attempt to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media.
I will definitely be watching this fellow as well as the others on the scene. We have a year to go, like I said….
*sigh*
~Boz
“Ant No Aphrodisiac”
Posted on November 24, 2007 - Filed Under News
Oz
Turns out in China, troops were sent out to stop protesters who had been conned into raising ants that were supposed to provide ingredients for a health tonic promising an aphrodisiac boost.
For every 10,000 yuan ($1,350) they paid the company as “deposit,” investors were promised a dividend of 3,250 yuan.
Chinese media have said the scheme collected more than 10 billion yuan from hundreds of thousands of Liaoning residents.
More on the Reuters Article HERE
~Boz
No Chestnuts Roasting by an Open Fire in San Francisco?
Posted on November 23, 2007 - Filed Under Environmentalism, News
Oz, surely you know the Christmas Song suggested in the title?
Apparently, San Francisco is considering banning fireplaces.
To me, that sounds a little extreme.
To ban our most primitive form of light and warmth while industry continues on, merrily polluting away (but offset by carbon credits) is plain wrong.
My guess is, the gas & electric company is in bed with the government there in San Francisco. Revenue could be better. People are cleverly warming themselves the old fashioned way; FREE.
More on the story HERE
Boz
Exchange Vote for an iPod Touch
Posted on November 15, 2007 - Filed Under News
Hi Oz, did you hear this one?
“NYU students said they’d take in exchange for their right to vote an iPod Touch in the next presidential election, a recent survey by an NYU journalism class found.
Only 20 percent said they’d exchange their vote for an iPod touch.”
That’s a worry that young college people should think like that.
Seems to me, they don’t know (or care) how fundamental the right to vote is, the very privelidge of it.
They should be careful for what trinkets they would give their vote away.
Someone could get elected that takes the trinkets away.
More on the story HERE
~Boz
Annie Lennox gives fans the Finger
Posted on November 9, 2007 - Filed Under News
Hi Oz
We both know what a music fan I am, but we also know that we have realistic views of the ’stars’ behind the music. Basically they are arrogant, spoiled brats. I don’t think age and experience softens them too much either.
Take the recent story about former Eurythmics member, Annie Lennox. She was in a concert for a charity event. I repeat — a CHARITY event to benefit UNICEF. Apparently into her second song, she felt that the people in the crowd weren’t paying close enough attention to her music, and she decided on an obscene gesture to let them know she wasn’t pleased.
And she called the crowd rude. Guess she showed them what rude was.
Not So Sweet
Red Bull Air Race, Perth 2007
Posted on November 7, 2007 - Filed Under General, News
Dont ask me who won
Dont even ask me who was in it
but it was a great opportunity to get out and take some different photos
with planes taking off and landing just metres from the city centre
They used Langley Park, which used to be the airport at one time (before my time though)
It was a beautifully sunny day, and warm (at last) and the planes are really colorfull
and very very close
i put some photos up on my site here
if you want o take a look (adding more all the time)
Hot rod and street machine spectacular
Posted on October 29, 2007 - Filed Under General, News, Personal, Technology
Burswood Dome, Western Australia
i spent a good few hours there on Saturdey
and went back Sunday to look around the car park too
(they evem let me p[ark my EH in rith all the hot rods )
i took a few photos
some of which i have put up
and the rest willbe up as soon as i can size them and upload them
about 3 months from now i think
it was a pretty spectauclar group of rods and cars
and the Cranksters did ok with there theme diplay i hear
if you wish to take a look they are here
there were a few Aussie cars in it too
(ok maybe not as exciting as a grandson in Wisconsin lol)
global warming/cooling problem
Posted on October 29, 2007 - Filed Under News
ok
i am not sure about the global warming cooling debate
i personally subscribe to the minimum impact idea
however
what i want to know is how come whn i have a hot cup of tea and it eventually cools to room temperature it tastes cold
if i have a cold pepsi and it eventually warms to room temperature it tastes warm
but they must both be the same temnperature?
how can that be?
Bohemian Rhapsody
Posted on October 18, 2007 - Filed Under Humor
What if Willie Nelson sang Bohemian Rhapsody? Barney the Dinosaur? Mick Jagger or Aerosmith? Meatloaf?
This is what Rick Miller attempts to show us here on YouTube:
global warming cooling $$$$$
Posted on October 12, 2007 - Filed Under Environmentalism, News, Technology
i recently recived the Australian Governments booklet on being “climate clever”
yes the same Australian Government that has denied climate change since the begining
and only recently changed its tack
could it be the up coming election?
they are trying to win the environmental vote?
i took a look at the “climate clever”website
http://cc.greenhouse.gov.au/index.html
it does have a lot of ideas on being more conscientious
some cost nothing
some you may as well rebuild your house
but the bit that got my attention was the emissions calculator
where you can work out your carbon foot print and then buy credits and become carbon neutral
so i worked it out, WA housholds need to buy $275 worth of credits
so i worked it out for Australia
averaging the states comes to $265 each houshold
7.5 million households (2001 statistics from the Australian Beureau of statistics)
works out to be a $1,987,500,000 donation to “Government approved offset credits” whatever they are
now i am neither global warming nor global cooling
i feel there are some environmental issues that are being bypassed by all the talk of climate change, such as land clearing, deforestation, disappearing wildlife
so you can call me cynical about the Governments motives, but this sounds awfully like a money making exercise with no guarantees where the money is going
if you want to do something for this earth, you can do it, just dont live to excess, be sensible, minimalist, get ivolved in local environmental projects, plant a native garden for the wildlife, be imaginative, it isnt hard. and it will save you money instead of costing you
and you will feel good inside
damn Goverments can always find a way to make a $ from things
sigh
i hate being cynical but they make it so easy 
The Things Mom Say
Posted on October 11, 2007 - Filed Under Humor
(summed up in 2 minutes to William Tell Overture)
Tie me kangaroo down [but not for] sport
Posted on October 10, 2007 - Filed Under Environmentalism
Hi Oz
I just read that Greenpeace wants you all over there to eat up more kangaroos!
MORE kangaroos should be slaughtered and eaten to help save the world from global warming, environmental activists say.
The controversial call to cut down on beef and serve more of the national symbol on our dinner plates follows a report on curbing greenhouse gas emissions damaging the planet.Greenpeace energy campaigner Mark Wakeham urged Aussies to substitute some red meat for roo to help reduce land clearing and the release of methane gas.
So what do you say, going to add some roo to your toast and tea? It’s for the environment!
(Herald Sun Article HERE)
~Boz
The “Green Carpet” of Hollywood
Posted on October 1, 2007 - Filed Under Environmentalism
Hi Oz
I read an article today that has me thinking that Hollywood really needs to get its house in order before they make movies preaching to us, perhaps then, and only then we can sit up and take notice. Notice of righteous reasoning behind what they are saying, instead of all this carbon footprint purchasing so they can continue to be the worst polluters in Southern California, second only to the oil industry.
In the article, I liked the quote by Ed Begly, an actor, who truly lives what he preaches: “If you’re going to drive around in a big ol’ Hummer and then buy carbon offsets to mitigate that, that’s like getting drunk on the weekends and throwing some money through the window of an AA meeting and thinking you’re doing something.”
Not that I personally have anything against a Hummer, it’s just that he is one man in this debate who really does mean and lives environmentalism way before the topic was popular, way before he could make money off of it like Al Gore does.
Article Here
Hollywood Sending Mixed Climate Messages
~Boz
Firefox 3.0
Posted on September 25, 2007 - Filed Under News, Technology
Hi Oz
I know you like Firefox, so I thought I would share some news about the upcoming Firefox 3.0!
Currently, it’s at version 2.0.0.7.
Version 4.0 is supposed to have so much more concerning security, blocking malware.
There is no committed release date, but you can learn more HERE!
~Boz
“Survival” Costs Dearly
Posted on September 20, 2007 - Filed Under Environmentalism, News
Hi Oz!
Today I read that our former Vice-President Al Gore is paying Australia a visit, passionately attacking President Bush and Australia’s Prime Minister, John Howard, calling them “the Bonnie and Clyde” outlaws of the global environment.
Or course to hear it, one has to pay $1,000 each. Also, for a private ‘meet and greet’ costs $25,000.
The article mentions him paying tribute to two Labor men, Hawke and Carr, and also playing golf with them. To me, that is a double standard - golf and environmentalism. Knowing the resources it takes to maintain golf courses, resources that Australia doesn’t really have, and knowing what ecosystems must have been destroyed to even build them, well, I see that as an inconsistancy for one who feels we are close to disaster.
He claims, “Climate change is not scientific, political or ideological - It’s about survival.”
This is where I get puzzled. If we are indeed in survival mode, and if I were a wealthy, known person, I wouldn’t charge such crazy prices to make these speeches of alarm. Money would be the last thing on my mind. I wouldn’t want to speak just to those who could afford it, after all, the world is made up mostly of all us little people, so a message of survival from a millionaire several times over, should be free.
~Boz
Other reads:
TheAge.com.au
Media Ignores Al Gore’s Financial Ties to Global Warming
Confident Believer
Posted on September 11, 2007 - Filed Under Personal
Oz!
According to the What’s Your Spiritual Type quiz, I am a “Confident Believer”
(I hope my son on his way to seminary isn’t disappointed that I didn’t score as “Candidate for Clergy”
How about you?
Quiz: What’s Your Spiritual Type? |
|
 |
|
|
| You scored 87, on a scale of 25 to 100. Here’s how to interpret your score: | ||
| 25 - 29 | Hardcore Skeptic — but interested or you wouldn’t be here! |
|
| 30 - 39 | Spiritual Dabbler — Open to spiritual matters but far from impressed |
|
| 40 - 49 | Active Spiritual Seeker – Spiritual but turned off by organized religion |
|
| 50 - 59 | Spiritual Straddler – One foot in traditional religion, one foot in free-form spirituality |
|
| 60 - 69 | Old-fashioned Seeker — Happy with my religion but searching for the right expression of it |
|
| 70 - 79 | Questioning Believer – You have doubts about the particulars but not the Big Stuff |
|
| 80 - 89 | Confident Believer – You have little doubt you’ve found the right path |
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| 90 - 100 | Candidate for Clergy |
|
Give it a try! HERE
~Boz
Spring is sprung
Posted on September 11, 2007 - Filed Under Environmentalism, General, Personal
well sort of
its still raining
but the Kings Park wildflower festival has started, in fact it started the first weekend in September
we do spring from the first of September
so i trundled along, with my dad, Iris and my sister and tried to make a nice day of it
the weather wasnt brilliant for flower photography, with on and off clouds and a rotten breeze
but i did get some photos in
if you want to take a look they are on my site (but not in a seperate catagory, silly me)
http://www.johndolphin.net/photos/categories.php?cat_id=1
just ignore the silly red rose photo
that wasnt part of it 
John and Barb have been having cultural exchanges over tea for nearly 10 years. Now they're going public. :)
