For your environmental enlightenment, here are links to sites that promote the environment:

A gorgeous depiction of worldwide green issues -
The National Geographic “Green” Page

Keep track of weekly Enviro news -
The New York Times “Environment” Section

Keep track of current legislation -
The Evironmental Protection Agency

Green travel ideas -
eNature

They call themselves “the online environmental community” -
EnviroLink

New polar bear research, volcano updates, hurricane predictors, maps and so much more -
The U.S. Geological Survey

Monday, Oct. 15, is Blog Action Day. I will be participating along with 1,000s of other bloggers to blog about the environment. Check it out at blogactionday.org and by watching the video below:

The Republican candidates are trying to assert that their party is the anti-terrorism party?! Ha!

The Republicans have a continuing history of not taking Al Qaida seriously.

When Bill Clinton was on the heels of hunting down Osama Bin Laden, the Kenneth Starr machine railroaded that effort, turning the government’s attention and resources to their idea of the biggest danger to America: the president fooling around with an aide. We said nothing, effectively.

When George W. Bush was installed as president, he was given direct, unequivocal information about the danger of Al Qaida’s intents. That was ignored, shuffled under the rug in exchange for devising an Iraq invasion of self-interest.

After 9/11, despite a brief and half-hearted show of looking for Osama Bin Laden, immediately, the administration inserted its personal agenda of invading Iraq, which destabilized the Middle East and helped grow the Al Qaida movement. We said nothing, effectively.

To vote for Republicans as a way to stop or slow terrorism is ludicrous. The track record of this administration and the previous Republican stronghold does not bear that return.

If we want a government that thinks and acts in our best interest, then we need to wake up. This is the time to speak out – among friends, in your community, through conversations, letters to the editors, emails.

Vote for the woman or man you feel can lead the country honestly, strongly, intelligently, ethically, deferentially.

We need someone who respects the Constitution and the American people. We need someone who puts the good of the United States and the good of the World before self-interest.

GWB had a lousy track record, yet he was given the Oval office.

A presidential resume needs proof of acting and thinking with consideration, someone who has been a successful leader in some way, as opposed to Bush’s incredible background of resisting national responsibility, holding a figure-head office and running businesses into the ground.

Whoever takes over the position in 2008 will need prayers from Atheists to make a dent in the mess the Bush administration created.

But take note: Voting for a Republican because he is a member of the “anti-terrorism” party is a joke. This is not “their issue.” To date, the spread of terrorism is their legacy.

Here’s the latest Robert Greenwald project. Fox fires: Iran, the next target?

You may have seen this already. If so, here it is again. If not…here it is.

More than 100 people gathered to see North America’s largest bat colony take their nightly flight en masse in Austin, Texas, on Friday, Aug. 17, 2007. Unfortunately, the bats took the night off. Fortunately, the crowd was interesting.

It’s true. Following up to the message from Tim Westergren of Pandora Internet Radio, the Washington Post reports that ginormous royalty rates and additional fees for Internet radio broadcast will go into effect Sunday.

Read the whole story here. Then get in contact with your representatives and ask them to support legistlation that would void the Copyright Royalty Board’s decision to place the exhorbitant fees.

A message from Tim Westergren, PANDORA Internet radio:

Hi, it’s Tim one more time…

Disaster looms! Yesterday a federal court denied a plea to delay the massive increase in rates webcasters must pay the record labels. This means that, absent immediate Congressional action, the new ruinous royalty rates will be going into effect on Monday threatening the future of all internet radio.

This is a very dire situation and I’m writing to ask one more time for your support. The effort you’ve made over the past four months has been extraordinary and has forced the rapid introduction of the bill, but the committee process has been sluggish and we need to once again remind the representatives of the urgency of this issue. This is perhaps the most important phone call you can make for us.
Please call your Congressional representatives in the House and the Senate and ask them to force immediate action on the Internet Radio Equality Act and bring the bill to a vote. It is critical that their phones begin ringing off the hook starting early in the morning. If it’s busy, please try again later.

IN MISSOURI:
Congressperson Emanuel Cleaver: (202)225-4535
Senator Christopher S. Bond: (202) 224-5721
Senator Claire McCaskill: (202) 224-6154

(If you live in other states, please contact your representatives)

I’m sorry that we have to keep asking you for this - but it’s our only recourse. We are no match for the legal and legislative strength of the RIAA and we need your help.

Thank you again.

Gratefully,

-Tim Westergren
(Pandora founder)

THE POWER OF DRUGS

When your body is delicate, just taking two Vicadin instead of one can mean the difference between going home and being admitted to the hospital. Eight weeks after my mother was given two Vicadin, on top of an anesthetic during a pacemaker implant, she is still in the hospital.

That initial event was followed by other drug administrations that her system couldn’t handle. Some doctors realized that she was so sensitive and took that into account. Other doctors were arrogant and held to the belief that the drugs work the same for all people. When we pointed out how Mom’s symptoms matched the possible side effects of a particular drug, AND when we took her off the drug and the symptoms disappeared, those doctors still held that there was no relationship.

My brother and I have to be advocates for Mom. We know her best, we love her and we have to be vigilant that she is treated individually and with respect.

I want to know – what drug is America on? And with all the people in this country, why is there no effective advocate to protect her from the high level of abuse she’s received from the current administration?

There are some good doctors; there are some good administrations. But even in the best of situations, getting the healthiest result in either case comes from paying attention and remaining vigilantly active.

In America’s case, the patient is us. We’ve been prescribed a “war” that was never a good idea and never in our best interest – although it made the practitioners a lot of money. Their arrogance has continued them down their own egotistically driven path – a path that is proving highly toxic for America and the world.

The other curious factor is that even when we’ve done our homework and we know that the administration’s actions are bad for us, we don’t do enough to stop them from hurting us. The nation’s got a lethal case of the Bobbleheads.

We need to take our heads in our own hands and shake them the other way. We need to stand up and say “no” to this administration. “No” to keeping our troops in Iraq; “no” to an anti-diplomacy policy of international imperialism, and “no” to the perpetuation of national partisanship leading to a pear-shaped anatomy of wealth on the tiniest end and expanding need and poverty on the increasingly bulbous bottom.

In the best case – if we are relatively healthy and being treated by a knowledgeable, caring adminstration, we still need to take on a partner role with the government to avoid human error and to keep the government up-to-date and informed of our needs.

In the situation we are in, being guided by people who are out of touch with and disinterested in our needs, they continually prescribe actions that are diametrically opposed to a healthy America.

Without being attentive and vocal, America is as vulnerable to neglect and abuse from administrators who act from a point of self-interest and pompishness, as my mother is from medical practitioners who diagnose rashly and prescribe arrogantly.

This country’s vital signs were stable seven years ago, but they are totally out-of-whack today. That’s what happens to any system when you don’t ensure proper nutritive management. Where we had a balanced system before, now, we need a cure.

I can see that. And I can advocate as much as I can, but our voice needs to be as loud and peopled as possible to be heard. We need to work together to get rid of dangerous, ineffective managers.

My mother has a pretty good team of doctors. We listen closer to those who give us individualized care advice. We fire the doctors who are not working in our best interest. Most importantly, we take notes, constantly ask questions and remain vigilantly present.

Not enough Americans are taking notes. We don’t question enough and a detrimental many of us have chosen to be absent.

PROSCRIPTION PRESCRIBED

First and foremost, America needs to get rid of its bad care providers. After all, the nation was founded as a government of the people, run by the people, for the benefit of the people. It was not intended to be a corporation, run by a hierarchy, cutting benefits, depleting opportunity and slashing wages of “the people.”

In the long-run, to get the best care and to maintain the healthiest society as prescribed in our Constitution, America needs to resist sedation and pay attention to how our country is being run. We need to be stronger, constant advocates for our needs and for the survival of the nation we love.