Monday, August 29, 2005
Study ties global warming, hurricanes
In the Bush regime’s zeal to pay off their cronies and contributors in the energy industries, with an agenda that seems more like a never-ending war on the environment, they have blocked studies and gutted laws designed to slow down or stop global warming. When religious claptrap like “intelligent design” is held to be true and any form of objective and rational science is pushed to the side - the truth will rear its inconvienient head and bite back.
Now here comes the payback, at least on this front. Not only are the connections between global warming and rapidly escalating weather-related disasters being drawn - but to top it off, it also turns out that Bush slashed the budget for hurricane and flood protection in the New Orleans area, which could have a large bearing on the recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
And where are most of the Louisiana and Mississippi (and all the other states, for that matter) National Guards that would normally be helping out in a domestic crisis?
In Iraq, thanks to you-know-who.
When will the voters in the “red states” (which, ironically, are going to be the ones to bear the brunt of these hurricanes) finally get a friggin’ clue?
- Bob Woods
Report is first to link water temperature with storms’ growing punch
MARTIN MERZER
Knight Ridder
The accumulated power of Atlantic hurricanes has more than doubled in the past 30 years, according to a study to be published this week, and global warming likely is a major cause.
Though a connection between global warming and hurricane ferocity might seem logical, the report by a reputable climatologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the first to draw a statistical relationship between the two.
“The large upswing in the last decade is unprecedented and probably reflects the effect of global warming,” scientist Kerry Emanuel wrote in a study that will appear in the Thursday edition of the journal Nature. Copies of the article were made available Sunday.
Importantly, his study did not shed any light on the effect, if any, of global warming on the number of storms.
But that is only of modest consolation.
One reason: Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s hurricane research division in Virginia Key, Fla., have concluded that, because of long-term natural cycles, we are in the middle of a decades-long period of more frequent hurricane formation.
The current season, with a record seven named storms by July 23, provides unpleasant support for that conclusion.
Another source of concern: Most experts expect global warning to persist.
So, if both camps of scientists are correct, we could be facing stronger storms and more of them, a potentially catastrophic collision of phenomena.
“My results suggest that future warming may lead to an upward trend in tropical cyclone destructive potential and, taking into account an increasing coastal population, a substantial increase in hurricane-related losses in the 21st century,” Emanuel wrote.
He said his analysis of wind-speed reports by the National Hurricane Center and other sources show that the accumulated power of hurricanes in the Atlantic basin, which includes the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, has more than doubled since 1970.
A particularly steep increase began in 1995, according to the study.
“This large increase in power dissipation over the past 30 years or so may be because storms have become more intense, on the average, and/or have survived at high intensity for longer periods of time,” he wrote.
He said the trend is closely linked to an increase of about 1 degree in the average ocean surface temperature, which might not seem significant but can be crucial.
“It sounds like a small amount, but we know that as waters get even a little bit warmer, the potential exists for hurricanes to get dramatically stronger,” said Chris Landsea, a NOAA scientist on Virginia Key and one of the nation’s leading hurricane researchers.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
They know bullshit when they hear it
Bill Moyer, 73, wears a “Bullshit Protector” flap while President Bush addresses the Veterans of Foreign Wars at their 106th convention Monday in Salt Lake City. Moyer served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
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Bush should realize he is trouble when veterans wear bullshit protectors to avoid hearing his attempts to justify his war in Iraq.
Veterans wearing “Bullshit Protector” ear flaps sat silently in the audience of the 106th convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Monday in Salt Lake City while Bush tired to compare his failed war in Iraq to both world wars and other great conflicts of the 20th century. With the anti-war movement finding new momentum behind grieving mother Cindy Sheehan, Bush acknowledged the fighting in Iraq is difficult and dangerous. But he told the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention the fight is necessary to keep terrorists out of the United States. As he did in last year’s election campaign and more recently as war opposition has risen, Bush reminded his listeners of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 - reciting the date five times in a 30-minute speech. “We’re not yet safe,” Bush said. “Terrorists in foreign lands still hope to attack our country. They still hope to kill our citizens. The lesson of Sept. 11, 2001, is that we must confront threats before they fully materialize.” The vets, however, weren’t buying. Applause during Bush’s speech was both muted and scattered. Outside however, over 2000 protesters rallied against Bush’s war in this, the most Republican of states. Oh, and if you’d like to make your own, here’s a website with several variations you can download, print and cut out. - Bob Woods |
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Hypocrites and Liars
by Cindy Sheehan
The media are wrong. The people who have come out to Camp Casey to help coordinate the press and events with me are not putting words in my mouth, they are taking words out of my mouth. I have been known for sometime as a person who speaks the truth and speaks it strongly. I have always called a liar a liar and a hypocrite a hypocrite. Now I am urged to use softer language to appeal to a wider audience. Why do my friends at Camp Casey think they are there? Why did such a big movement occur from such a small action on August 6, 2005?
I haven’t had much time to analyze the Camp Casey phenomena. I just read that I gave 250 interviews in less than a week’s time. I believe it. I would go to bed with a raw throat every night. I got pretty tired of answering some questions, like: “What do you want to say to the President?” and “Do you really think he will meet with you?” However, since my mom has been sick, I have had a chance to step back and ponder the flood gates that I opened in Crawford, Tx.
I just read an article posted today on LewRockwell.com by artist Robert Shetterly who painted my portrait. The article reminded me of something I said at the Veteran’s for Peace Convention the night before I set out to Bush’s ranch in my probable futile quest for the truth. This is what I said:
“I got an email the other day and it said, ‘Cindy if you didn’t use so much profanity ... there’s people on the fence that get offended.”
“And you know what I said? “You know what? You know what, god damn it? How in the world is anybody still sitting on that fence?”
“If you fall on the side that is pro-George and pro-war, you get your ass over to Iraq, and take the place of somebody who wants to come home. And if you fall on the side that is against this war and against George Bush, stand up and speak out.”
This is what the Camp Casey miracle is all about. American citizens who oppose the war but never had a conduit for their disgust and dismay are dropping everything and traveling to Crawford to stand in solidarity with us who have made a commitment to sit outside of George’s ranch for the duration of the miserable Texan August. If they can’t come to Texas, they are attending vigils, writing letters to their elected officials and to their local newspapers; they are setting up Camp Casey branches in their hometowns; they are sending flowers, cards, letters, gifts, and donations here to us at Camp Casey. We are so grateful for all of the support, but I think pro-peace Americans are grateful for something to do, finally.
One thing I haven’t noticed or become aware of though is an increased number of pro-war, pro-Bush people on the other side of the fence enlisting to go and fight George Bush’s war for imperialism and insatiable greed. The pro-peace side has gotten off their apathetic butts to be warriors for peace and justice. Where are the pro-war people? Everyday at Camp Casey we have a couple of anti-peace people on the other side of the road holding up signs that remind me that “Freedom isn’t Free,” but I don’t see them putting their money where their mouths are. I don’t think they are willing to pay even a small down payment for freedom by sacrificing their own blood or the flesh of their children. I still challenge them to go to Iraq and let another soldier come home. Perhaps a soldier that is on his/her third tour of duty, or one that has been stop-lossed after serving his/her country nobly and selflessly, only to be held hostage in Iraq by power mad hypocrites who have a long history of avoiding putting their own skin in the game.
Contrary to what the main stream media thinks, I did not just fall off a pumpkin truck in Crawford, Tx. on that scorchingly hot day two weeks ago. I have been writing, speaking, testifying in front of Congressional committees, lobbying Congress, and doing interviews for over a year now. I have been pretty well known in the progressive, peace community and I had many, many supporters before I left even left California. The people who supported me did so because they know that I uncompromisingly tell the truth about this war. I have stood up and said: “My son died for NOTHING, and George Bush and his evil cabal and their reckless policies killed him. My son was sent to fight in a war that had no basis in reality and was killed for it.” I have never said “pretty please” or “thank you.” I have never said anything wishy-washy like he uses “Patriotic Rhetoric.” I say my son died for LIES. George Bush LIED to us and he knew he was LYING. The Downing Street Memos dated 23 July, 2002 prove that he knew that Saddam didn’t have WMD’s or any ties to Al Qaeda. I believe that George lied and he knew he was lying. He didn’t use patriotic rhetoric. He lied and made us afraid of ghosts that weren’t there. Now he is using patriotic rhetoric to keep the U.S. military presence in Iraq: Patriotic rhetoric that is based on greed and nothing else.
Now I am being vilified and dragged through the mud by the righties and so-called “fair and balanced” main stream media who are afraid of the truth and can’t face someone who tells it by telling any truth of their own. Now they have to twist, distort, lie, and scrutinize anything I have ever said when they never scrutinize anything that George Bush said or is saying. Instead of asking George or Scotty McClellan if he will meet with me, why aren’t they asking the questions they should have been asking all along: “Why are our young people fighting, dying, and killing in Iraq? What is this noble cause you are sending our young people to Iraq for? What do you hope to accomplish there? Why did you tell us there were WMD’s and ties to Al Qaeda when you knew there weren’t? Why did you lie to us? Why did you lie to the American people? Why did you lie to the world? Why are our nation’s children still in harm’s way and dying everyday when we all know you lied? Why do you continually say we have to ‘complete the mission’ when you know damn well you have no idea what that mission is and you can change it at will like you change your cowboy shirts?”
Camp Casey has grown and prospered and survived all attacks and challenges because America is sick and tired of liars and hypocrites and we want the answers to the tough questions that I was the first to dare ask. THIS is George Bush’s accountability moment and he is failing miserably. George Bush and his advisers seriously “misunderestimated” me when they thought they could intimidate me into leaving before I had the answers, or before the end of August. I can take anything they throw at me, or Camp Casey. If it shortens the war by a minute or saves one life, it is worth it. I think they seriously “misunderestimated” all mothers. I wonder if any of them had authentic mother-child relationships and if they are surprised that there are so many mothers in this country who are bear-like when it comes to wanting the truth and who want to make meaning of their child’s needless and seemingly meaningless deaths?
The Camp Casey movement will not die until we have a genuine accounting of the truth and until our troops are brought home. Get used to it George, we are not going away.
Learn more about Cindy at http://www.meetwithCindy.com or about Gold Star Mothers for Peace at http://www.gsfp.org.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
And tell me again, what was that noble cause?...
"If the cause be not good, the king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and arms and heads, chopped off in battle, shall join together at the latter day and cry all ‘We died at such a place,’ ... If these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the king that led them to it.”
William Shakespeare - “Henry V”
