October 25, 2007 archive

Here is some news and an open thread brought to you by the resident instrument of doom and gloom. I think that makes me a banjo.

1. The Washington Post reports White House feels Rep. Henry Waxman’s oversight gaze. “Waxman has become the Bush administration’s worst nightmare: a Democrat in the majority with subpoena power and the inclination to overturn rocks. But in Waxman the White House also faces an indefatigable capital veteran — with a staff renowned for its depth and experience — who has been waiting for this for 14 years.”

   “We have to let people know they have someone watching them after six years with no oversight at all,” said Waxman, 68. “And we’ve got a lot of low-hanging fruit to pick.”

   This morning, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testified before the House Oversight Committee that Waxman chairs and, as TMPmuckraker described it, Rice continued proud tradition of State Department stonewalling. Waxman’s doing his job. I guess the Founders never considered executive branch officials would just “not recall” when they drafted our Constitution. Keep at it Henry. You’re fighting the good fight.

2. BBC News reports Costa Rica gets a forest fund boost. “The US and conservation groups will cut $26m (£12.8m) from Costa Rican debt in return for the country spending the same sum on forest protection. Costa Rica will spend the money over the next 16 years on large swathes of its tropical forest. It hopes to help conserve such endangered species as the jaguar, squirrel monkey and scarlet macaw. Areas targeted include the Talamanca Highlands that contain the country’s largest untouched tract of rainforest.”

3. The Guardian reports Giant wind turbines face a storm of protest. “General Electric is developing wind turbines with blades longer than the tip-to-tip wingspan of a jumbo jet. In a move likely to dismay activists who view wind farms as a blot on the landscape, the American company has taken the wraps off a project to develop power-generating windmills with blades of 70 metres [229 feet] – some 75% longer than the typical existing length of 40 metres [131 feet].”

   Lorraine Bolsinger, vice-president of GE’s ecoimagination division, was unapologetic about the aesthetics of giant windmills. “You can’t say no to everything,” she said, pointing out that there were also objections to nuclear and water-generated power.

Today’s episode of Guns of Greed is below the fold.

Riddle me this: Why is the largest “progressive” blog in the world advertising Chevron, an undeniable culprit in the state sponsored torture, rape and murder of innocent Burmese women and children? And before you say the all too familiar phrase “because its his blog and he can do what he wants” please join me below:

Cross Posted at the Daily Kos under betson08

In late April, after Amnesty International released a report on the problem of sexual violence against Native American women that included a story about the how the Pretty Bird Woman House was in danger of closing its doors, this community rallied to its support. I did too, and then joined a team of volunteers to support the long-term viability of the shelter. On that front, I have some good news, some bad news, and a request for help.

The good news is that this fall Georgia Littleshield, the shelter’s director, procured a 3-year Federal grant for the program to pay salaries and travel expenses. This means that during the summer, the shelter would not have been able to assist women in danger or advocate for a woman in court had the netroots not provided interim support.

The bad news is that the building they were in was broken into so many times by people who smashed through exterior walls to gain entrance that it became unsafe safe for anyone to stay there. So, the Pretty Bird Woman House lost its house. To add insult to injury, somebody torched the building the day after they moved out.

there are two very good essays on the front page examining the ways in which your mortgages or home equity loans can explode in your face. what can be done about this? do we unleash this info and get our state legistlators enacting some kind of laws, even temporary, that prevent such a thing from happening?

there are so many great commentaries at this and other blogs about the tough and dire straits in which we find ourselves.

but i find myself shrinking away from reading anything more. i can barely open a blog for fear of what i might read next.

Not much to say…I’ve been up all night.  None of my work is done.  I did not eat cheetos.