[Update]: website no longer talks about bags. But Nome still struggles...
So Nome struggles with plastic grocery bags blowing all over the country from the landfill and also around town and country from people's carelessness. A lot probably blows right out to sea, as that is the prevailing wind direction. If anyone cares, here is a site that talks about the problem of plastic bags and also that of paper bags, which could be worse.
www.cleangreenbags.com/
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Need to vent - torture and stupid Americans
It has been awhile since the last post as I struggle with how I want to deal with this blog, if at all. But I do need to vent occasionally, and with the Congress passing this torture bill which is also the "buck doesn't stop here - no accountability" bill, I just need to say something.
So now we are about to join the torture community - all those despot type countries we've been taught through our formative years to hate because they torture people. Not that we haven't been a torture country under this and previous administrations, but now if we get caught with our prisoners' pants down nobody can be held responsible for it. And I hear the administration's herd of sheep defending this with "this isn't torture - it is just clarifying [the decades useful] Geneva conventions", or "what - are you trying to coddle the terrorists?". Give me a break. These people are not utilizing their brains. And this is what makes me so sad about America today.
We have lost our ability to think critically, it seems. We have become a nation afraid to question authority. We are followers of despots, liars, and criminals and we don't even know it. Well - this is where I seek solace from my anguish - some of us know it. There's a good many Americans who know it. Unfortunately these people that can think critically are not the ones in power today.
Perhaps I should amend that last paragraph - maybe lots of those in power can think but they are only thinking of how they can selfishly prosper or otherwise benefit. If our voters could turn on their brains for as long as it took to look around them - there would probably only be about 2% voting Republican - that is Bush's base - the billionaires who stand so much to lose. Sheesh - if the Dems ran the country these rich folk might have to pay taxes, and government contracts might actually be put out to bid instead of handed to them outright.
Perhaps it is mean to infer that people who believe in our current administration don't think. But I just don't know how else to explain it, short of maybe they're living in an alternate reality. But it is plenty mean of them to say any who oppose their nefarious means are not patriots, are appeasers of terrorists, or don't support the troops.
I wonder how this has come about - this stupidity. I don't think we have always been this brain dead or apathetic to what goes on around us. I wonder if it is television sucking the life out of us. I am convinced it is at least partly to blame. Hence, I don't watch it. It probably is due to the media in large part - helping us to misplace our values in quest of consumerism and lowest common denominator art/culture/literature/news. How could someone's brain be so addled as to believe what a Rush Limbaugh is telling them? I mean, come on!
I have no insights how to improve our lot. I suppose the schools could do more to teach that what one is told is not necessarily true. Of course the schools would probably need to be better funded. What bothers me locally (and I will probably be ostracized from the community for even saying this) is the High School ROTC program - a youth militarization program. There is a lot of community support for this. But to me it reeks of indoctrination of youth ala the nazis era. It teaches out kids not to think critically - that is discouraged. It teaches them to be a team player- not to question those in authority above them. At least that is my impression - I'm not too close to what actually goes on there. But during the 2004 election, one high school buddy who has bought ROTC hook, line, and sinker, said that his commander told him (and I assume the other kids in ROTC) that Kerry was no good. Of course he thought then that this was true, that Bush was actually a better candidate. Bleh.
It will be interesting in November to see what happens with the national vote. They are saying there is a possibility the Dems could take control of the House. I hate to get my hopes up as I was so bitterly disappointed by the 2004 election - I could not conceive of the possibility that Americans could re-elect that man our president. So I have little faith. What keeps me from moving out of this country, from giving up on it completely, is knowing that there is a large community of like minded people here. And there's bad where ever you go.
And I'm none too impressed with the Democrats either. Why the silence - where's the outrage? I know a few are speaking up - but where's the tidal wave? Or is it the media that just isn't reporting it? People talk of a liberal media but I sure don't see it - it is as conservative as I hope it ever gets. Much too conservative for me. I want the facts, not the Republican party line. Thank goodness for the blogs like www.crooksandliars.com and many others to keep on it.
Ok - I've vented and need to get on with living. I may come back and delete this, or edit it in the near future, but I feel better for it now. cheers.
So now we are about to join the torture community - all those despot type countries we've been taught through our formative years to hate because they torture people. Not that we haven't been a torture country under this and previous administrations, but now if we get caught with our prisoners' pants down nobody can be held responsible for it. And I hear the administration's herd of sheep defending this with "this isn't torture - it is just clarifying [the decades useful] Geneva conventions", or "what - are you trying to coddle the terrorists?". Give me a break. These people are not utilizing their brains. And this is what makes me so sad about America today.
We have lost our ability to think critically, it seems. We have become a nation afraid to question authority. We are followers of despots, liars, and criminals and we don't even know it. Well - this is where I seek solace from my anguish - some of us know it. There's a good many Americans who know it. Unfortunately these people that can think critically are not the ones in power today.
Perhaps I should amend that last paragraph - maybe lots of those in power can think but they are only thinking of how they can selfishly prosper or otherwise benefit. If our voters could turn on their brains for as long as it took to look around them - there would probably only be about 2% voting Republican - that is Bush's base - the billionaires who stand so much to lose. Sheesh - if the Dems ran the country these rich folk might have to pay taxes, and government contracts might actually be put out to bid instead of handed to them outright.
Perhaps it is mean to infer that people who believe in our current administration don't think. But I just don't know how else to explain it, short of maybe they're living in an alternate reality. But it is plenty mean of them to say any who oppose their nefarious means are not patriots, are appeasers of terrorists, or don't support the troops.
I wonder how this has come about - this stupidity. I don't think we have always been this brain dead or apathetic to what goes on around us. I wonder if it is television sucking the life out of us. I am convinced it is at least partly to blame. Hence, I don't watch it. It probably is due to the media in large part - helping us to misplace our values in quest of consumerism and lowest common denominator art/culture/literature/news. How could someone's brain be so addled as to believe what a Rush Limbaugh is telling them? I mean, come on!
I have no insights how to improve our lot. I suppose the schools could do more to teach that what one is told is not necessarily true. Of course the schools would probably need to be better funded. What bothers me locally (and I will probably be ostracized from the community for even saying this) is the High School ROTC program - a youth militarization program. There is a lot of community support for this. But to me it reeks of indoctrination of youth ala the nazis era. It teaches out kids not to think critically - that is discouraged. It teaches them to be a team player- not to question those in authority above them. At least that is my impression - I'm not too close to what actually goes on there. But during the 2004 election, one high school buddy who has bought ROTC hook, line, and sinker, said that his commander told him (and I assume the other kids in ROTC) that Kerry was no good. Of course he thought then that this was true, that Bush was actually a better candidate. Bleh.
It will be interesting in November to see what happens with the national vote. They are saying there is a possibility the Dems could take control of the House. I hate to get my hopes up as I was so bitterly disappointed by the 2004 election - I could not conceive of the possibility that Americans could re-elect that man our president. So I have little faith. What keeps me from moving out of this country, from giving up on it completely, is knowing that there is a large community of like minded people here. And there's bad where ever you go.
And I'm none too impressed with the Democrats either. Why the silence - where's the outrage? I know a few are speaking up - but where's the tidal wave? Or is it the media that just isn't reporting it? People talk of a liberal media but I sure don't see it - it is as conservative as I hope it ever gets. Much too conservative for me. I want the facts, not the Republican party line. Thank goodness for the blogs like www.crooksandliars.com and many others to keep on it.
Ok - I've vented and need to get on with living. I may come back and delete this, or edit it in the near future, but I feel better for it now. cheers.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
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