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Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Oh, Shut Up

Ah, Yes, How’s that Drill Baby, Drill thingee working out fer ya, wink-wink? Well, America, not so good, but stop whining. Thirty years ago, President Carter told you you’d have to grow up and get off the oil teat but you went with Party Time Reagan and went on a 20 years-long SUV-Hummer binge. Sure there was a tiny blip when gas prices shot up past $4 a gallon and you collectively started re-thinking your driving/car habits, but that didn’t last long. And powerful corporate interests own a sufficient number of politicians that they can ensure that nothing meaningful regarding gas taxes and alternative energy policies won’t go into effect until the last dollar can be rung out of the last gallon of burned oil or the last mountain is ripped down and its coal removed and burned and if that damages the world, well, the hell with the world.

And we Americans like it that way, so when you’re watching pictures of the Gulf oil spill and you feel tempted to feel sick to your stomach, suck it up. It’s exactly what you wanted, so shut up.

That includes you two, too.

Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman, shut up and go away. Watching your awful ads chewing on each others ankles is nothing but pots and kettles. You don’t have any new ideas and what warmed over gruel you’re tossing up won’t work anyway, not with the CA legislature that the good people of California have elected and keep electing. This state might have a shot if we can reorganize districts so we can avoid left and right wing zealots of all stripes and maybe get districts that will turn out sane legislators. But so long as Californians want nice pudding for themselves while refusing to tax themselves for that nice pudding, we’ll stay stuck in gridlock. And running ads with sheep crawling around with glowing red eyes isn’t going to do the trick. So shut up and go away.

You, too, Sam.

I know, I know, you’re running for State Senator under your usual banner of “Blakeslee—the Get ‘r Done, reach-across-the-aisle Guy.” You blew that cover during the hideous Budget Wars when, given a choice between voting for a budget that included some minor, targeted tax raises or letting the State (and your constituent, i.e. me) fall into the sea, you took a no-tax-ever blood oath to Grover Norquist and his band of Right Wing Republican Crazies. The good of the state or Norquist and your ambition to move up within the increasingly crazy Republican Party, and you chose Norquist.

O.K., fair enough. But now you’re back asking for my vote? You chose and it wasn’t for the good of the state. It was your career. So, Nuh-huh. Sorry buddy.

And damning with faint- to- no praise, ya gotta laugh

This from the Santa Lucian, the newsletter of the local Sierra Club, ( http://www.santalucia.sierraclub.org/) on their picks for various June 8 election races, comments regarding their endorsement of Bruce Gibson, County Supervisor, District 2 candidate: “And to our friends in Los Osos who have managed to read this far but are struggling with their blood pressure: In politics, as in life, making a decision with widespread, multiple ramifications on the basis of a single issue is never a good idea. As is well known, we have disagreed sharply with Gibson over the Los Osos wastewater project. But there are too many other pressing environmental issues in the country for anyone in Gibson’s district to cast their vote on that issue alone. . . . "

Then goes on to note, “And if District 2 voters need further incentive to resist single-issue impulse: from the available evidence, Gibson’s opponent, Marshall Ochylski, was recruited to run by COLAB, the local alliance of developer-funded “property rights” extremists that is suing to overturn the County’s smart growth principles.” . . . “As pro-sprawl and anti-environment as it gets, COLAB has one goal: tip the Board back to its previous majority and return to the pave-it-all days of Ryan, Ovitt, Lenthall and Achadjian. Mr. Ochylski is their man.”

Well, as regards the Hideous Los Osos Sewer is concerned, that’s pretty much in the hands of the Coastal Commission and will be until they vote, then the BOS has two choices: accept the project or not. As an incumbent, Gibson will win – incumbents do. (In 24 years, I can’t think of a single term Supervisor, can you?) So this race is either moot or one of those None of the Above, depending on your point of view.

On the other hand, the Santa Lucian endorses Pedro Nava for Attorney General (since AG Jerry Brown will be running for Gov.) Pedro Nava? Gee, if he gets elected, maybe HE will pay attention to the Los Osos 45 and do something about the AG-supported efforts to “prosecute” them. I know, wishful thinking. Even Nava couldn’t buck the powerful state agencies that want those 45 dead and buried so nobody will start asking too many questions.

Meanwhile, Nobody Learned Anything.

Again, in the Santa Lucian, a recap of the sadly obvious: Morro Bay/Cayucos had a chance to actually learn something from the Hideous Los Osos Sewer Wars and chose to learn nothing. In updating their wastewater treatment facilities, they will be moving to tertiary treatment but refused to take the only real, sensible next step: Recharging the aquifers with that expensively treated water and/or ag exchange of some sort. Instead, they’ll treat the water ($$$) THEN DUMP IT INTO THE SEA.

A hint to the good people of Morro Bay and Cayucos. Believe it or not, gobal warming is a reality and the first evidence of it will come in the form of changing rain/snow patterns which will most likely result in undependable availability of water for Morro Bay’s nice state water project pipe. They paid for all that nice imported water, and paid for the pipe, but they did so with no guarantee that there would be water to put into the pipe. Hence, it is beyond comprehension the City Council would vote to charge Morro Bay and Cayucos citizens big bucks to upgrade a wasteWATER project, then throw the WATER away. And why on earth would the Regional WATER Quality Control Board vote to give them a permit to do that?? Duh?

But on a happier (?) note

Sunday, May 23, from 10 a.m. – 1 pm at the Morro Rock parking lot, there’ll be a Save the Whales (Again) rally. The international Whaling Commission (IWC) created a draft package of proposals that will lift the moratorium on commercial whaling for 10 years, and has no provision for reducing or phasing out whale killing. In short the draft proposal is an awful step backward.

So, time for another rally. And if you want to volunteer to help out, contact Mandy Davis at wildheartcomm@hotmail.com

Or contact your local representative and tell them you want MORE drilling platforms which can blow out and maybe kill the whales with oil slicks. That’ll get the job done!

7 comments:

Ron said...

The local Sierra Club wrote:

"“And if District 2 voters need further incentive to resist single-issue impulse..."

Yo, S. Club, how's this for "further incentive to resist single-issue impulse?"

Bruce Gibson's Parks Commissioner is Pandora Nash-Karner -- the mother of "fine out of existence," the mother of "better, cheaper, faster," and the mother of the failed $25 million Tri-W/mid-town sewer plant disaster/embarrassment.

AND, Gibson appointed Nash-Karner to the Parks Commission AFTER she developed and then implemented a "strategy" (her word) to have the entire town of Los Osos "fined out of existence" (also, her words)... a "strategy" that appears to be working, by the way.

Yeah... I recently wrote about all that at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2010/04/congratulations-supervisor-ochylski.html

If Ochylski is elected, it will be the first time since 1991(!) that Nash-Karner will not be involved with county government.

I don't care if Mr. O is proposing to blow up Morro Rock, and then use the rubble to pave Sweet Springs Nature Preserve, every 2nd District voter should be SO disgusted with Gibson's act over the past four years, that they really, REEEELY need to vote for Ochylski.

Ann wrote:

"Ah, Yes, How’s that Drill Baby, Drill thingee working out fer ya, wink-wink?"

I'm so glad I finally get a chance to use this line:

Spill, baby, spill!

Watershed Mark said...

Nevertheless, expected U.S. consumption in 2011 is lower than it was in 1999 and is 1.7 million bbl/d lower than the highest level of annual consumption, reached in 2005.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/steo#US_Crude_Oil_And_Liquid_Fuels

Facts are stubborn things.

Watershed Mark said...

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/

James Delingpole is a writer, journalist and broadcaster who is right about everything. He is the author of numerous fantastically entertaining books including Welcome To Obamaland: I've Seen Your Future And It Doesn't Work, How To Be Right, and the Coward series of WWII adventure novels. His website is www.jamesdelingpole.com. Climategate: the final nail in the coffin of 'Anthropogenic Global Warming'?

I love a good "factual" fight.

Alon Perlman said...

Fact; Five years ago I told the Morro Bay City Council "In these times you can't depend on getting state water on a regular basis.
Fact; Five years ago I told them; Welcome to the five year California drought.
Fact; I told the Water Board; How dare you let your staff present information and state that the Outlet pipe pollution does not reach the shore, when the only measure you are following is salinity.

There were others who testified against the weiver. So I cannot state as fact that it is due to my testimony also, that the waiver was not granted except temporarily However, later when the water board suggested to the JPA to go tertiary, those pretty multi colored graphs on salinity were nowhere to be seen.

Gas Consumption going down in the US Mark? why? Unemployment up? More vehicle passenger miles driven in China? Certainly its not because Jimmy Carter's Reduced MPG for the vehicle fleet is finally kicking in, is it?

There are two kinds of "Facts" Mark.
Both types exist as statements made by human beings.
When people say the word "fact", it is understood that they mean "Facts that proport to describe a condition of an objective item".
Examples;
"This stove is hot"
"The oceans are on avarage 1 degree celsius warmer than they were 50 years ago"
"Only x percent of the polar Ice Caps remain"
"Global warming is real and it is caused by unicorns gassing out"
Note that the last statement has several elements that can be proven or disproven, It is more a collection of statements.
Any of those could be argued against, or for
"Ow Ow, The stove is NOT hot, look I'm holding my hand to it Ow Ow please call for an ambulance, I cant hold my phone."

Then there is the word "Facts" thrown into a sentence in a debate.

"Well, you have been presenting numbers for hours, but where are your facts?"
"The facts are on my side"
"The truth is found in my facts"
"It is a fact that I am right"
"Facts are facts"
"Everybody knows the facts"




You love a "Good factual fight?"
I say you hate it and you are lying.
Prove me wrong.
No don't.
I don't like meaningless debates.
So Mark You love a good factual fight? Great, I believe you, It's a fact, I'll watch.
Anyway, welcome back Mark.

Anonymous said...

Hooray! I at last can read what Alon Perlman writes! As far as Calhoon is concerned, keep spouting your interesting stuff.

Gibson does not deserve anyone's vote. He is wishy-washy. No integrity. He needs to go back to farming.

Blakesley has good intentions, has character, and deserves my support.

As far as spill-baby-spill, Ron, I guess it is far better to send the money to those who hate the US. Yes, BP screwed up, but the cause is not in. Could have been an undercover terrorist with a bomb. But probably a blow out. You want oil, you take your chances. Otherwise ride a dog cart. Of course, you can plug your golf cart in. However, chances are the electricity came from oil, coal, or gas. Want the birds chopped up by windmills?
Of course I am in favor of solar. So the US pays twice as much for energy, all the more gasoline for me in Panama. Wrong? Dam the rivers, produce hydro, increase nuclear plants, all 15 years off.
Panama power is hydro. Plenty of water. I pay $5 a month for water.

But Perlman has the most brilliance as a commentator: he hates meaningless debate. On this blog we find the most meaningless debate anywhere. Unfortunately, with the above, I am part of it.

Otherwise, we have started the beginning of the rainy season in Boquete. My Persian limes, Key limes, bananas, naranjillas, and roses are magnificent. Today I planted my first papaya tree: it will fruit in a year. The yellowfin tuna are biting, a friend came back with twenty one yesterday, 30 lbs apiece and shared, and now I have plenty of the best sashimi in the world. I have rhubarb, basil, cilantro, dill, mint, and green onions growing on the back porch overlooking the golf course. And this is only Boquete. Everything is wonderful in Boca Chica. Check out www.gonefishingpanama.com

No terrorist attacks here. What ever happened to that commie that went to Vietnam, the one who started a blog? Ran for office on the central coast? He sent good stuff for a while.

I quess everyone gets tired. Stars are out bright tonight 68 degrees, 65 humidity, and the house is 73 with no heat or air conditioning. It got to 83 today. Warm for a change.

Keep your eye on Greece, the public employee unions are on strike and demonstrating because their salaries are being cut and pensions reduced. Inevitable for California unless they raise taxes. For what?

Watershed Mark said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Watershed Mark said...

Interview with a Survivor from the Oil Rig Explosion:

http://www.marklevinshow.com/Article.asp?id=1790422&spid=32364

Warning! Graphic images of violence south of the border:

IGNORANT AMERICANS HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IS GOING ON ALONG OUR MEXICAN/AMERICAN BORDER. THEY THINK ARIZONA LAWS ARE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL, eventhough there are the VERY SAME Federal Laws on the books already. Daaaah!!! IGNORANT! They have not read the Federal
Laws, they have not read Arizona Laws, they just follow the crowd!!! ....and dummies like Janet Napolitano, Al Sharpton and Obama.

I warn you, if you go to this URL below, do not have children in the room. If you have a weak stomach, just skip this:

http://righttruth.typepad.com/right_truth/2010/05/graphic-images-.html

And simply READ the law before you comment further:

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf

Californians must first acknowledge their problems before they can solve them. Hint: STOP SPENDING...