Hm. According to this article, elite British soldiers (SAS) are leaving the service to do private security jobs in Iraq where they can make up to 700% more.

This post relates to a couple of comments I received on an earlier post regarding windmills and alternative energy.

fuzzybuddha : I didn’t realize the vibrations that a windmill connected to a living structure would create. Thinking about it, it makes perfect sense. Thanks for the feedback.

I have heard that there are a number of sources available to help people fund alternative energy options. When I get to the point where I have the cash to do some work, I’ll definitely want to look into it. Any resources people know about would, of course, be appreciated.

LutherChick : I agree that concerns regarding energy consumption are in many ways more significant than those regarding energy production. When our nation, consisting of 5% of the world population, uses 30% of its resources, there is certainly a problem.

Let the rant begin.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is definitely something to pursue. Unfortunately, as a society, we have many things set up in a way that encourage or require wasteful energy practices. Abysmal public transportation, cheap waste disposal with little thought to encouraging people to reduce, use of globalization to reduce manufacturing costs of imported products to a point where it is not economically viable to make even simple repairs on most electronics and many other goods, etc.

I’ve heard that in Germany, you are charged by the pound for your trash. Even something as simple as that would have to have an impact on purchasing, packaging, recycling, and disposal considerations.

As to public transit, there is much to complain about what is available to us – of course, one of our weaknesses there is suburbanization – many areas (including the twin cities) do not have sufficient population density to make transit viable without significant subsidization.

Of course, there’s always the externalization of costs as well. Do our oil and gasoline prices include the costs of maintaining a military capable of maintaining the flow? Do the fees paid on our automobiles include the costs to build and maintain the roads as well as any consideration for the damage caused by their use? How about the sharing of utility costs in a manner which favors suburbanization and urban sprawl. Do you really think it costs $30 to hook up your phone? Nope, more like a quarter, but those of us in urban areas have to pay for lines to get run out to suburbia. And on. And on.

But, back to why I like the idea of thousands of micro power installations. It isn’t to supplement our current power sources – it is to replace them.

To reduce our dependence on large monopolies. To keep the money we pay for our power in our communities. To end what I believe to be our major interest in the middle east. To significantly reduce the environmental damage caused by the burning of coal and the risks of fission reactors.

I hate that a person can’t go fishing, catch dinner and eat it without worrying about mercury in the water from coal, oil, and (unfortunately) biomass and trash recycling.

I think it is ridiculous that in a state with so much natural renewable resource (wind, water, sun, etc.) that give our money to ridiculously powerful oil companies who give a portion of it to the corrupt lords of the middle east who share approximately none of it to the poor souls they govern.

I wonder if we stopped funneling money and weapons into the region and left it alone for a while, what would happen. Probably a lot of bloodshed for a time followed by an opportunity to actually rebuild their societies and cultures without the damage caused by “western interests” (or any other interests). They’d still be poor, but I can’t help but think they’d come up with something better than they have now – after all, these are the countries and people from where civilization originated. Hard to believe now, but there it is. There are still remnants of those great cultures that may re-establish themselves.

I am dismayed by the fact that heavy metal poisoning from exhausts may actually have a significant impact on the developmental intelligence of children raised near freeways used by commuters. I am dismayed that asthma and allergies are way beyond historical levels. I am dismayed that even the conservatives are starting to admit to the reality of global warming, human responsibility for it, and the horrific impact it may well have.

Can it be solved with a small windmill? Can it be solved with a small hydro plant? Can it be solved with some solar shingles or passive pipes? Can it be solved with a couple rain barrels? Can it be solved with my garden?

No. Of course not.

But if I do it, and you do it, and all our neighbors do it, and all there neighbors do it, then, perhaps a difference may be made.

And even if it isn’t, at least the money spent on power production will stay in our communities.

“We are currently looking for several hundred missiles. They were decommissioned, but we can’t find them.“

Just a moment ago, I was reading the article Who Wants to Live Forever? on the Killing the Buddha web site, and it mentioned the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ claim that one thousand gross people will get to enter heaven.

It then occurred to me that in the late 19th century, 144,000 people probably seemed like a larger number of people, especially if you assume the founder had a relatively jingoistic world view.

This occurrence led me to consider how many more people there are now than there were then and all the subsequent problems that has caused. That thought caused my mind to jump back to the thought that over the past couple centuries there have been a lot of claims when “the end” will occur – in many cases allowing the good to escape to heaven and leaving a hell on earth (Rapture?).

So, then it occurred to me. What if it already happened?

What if at some point in the late 1800s, or the early 1900s, or really at any other point, all the worthy were assumed bodily into heaven leaving the rest of the population to their self-created hell on earth?

Has this line of thought been explored? I would bet that Twain would have done a wonderful job with it.

But wouldn’t we notice a bunch of worthy people suddenly disappearing? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the nature of how it works would erase or fog the memories of these people in the minds of their less virtuous friends and comrades.

Or maybe, simply no one of note was found worthy. Thinking on it, who deserves heaven more – a classically corrupt Victorian “gentleman” watching a concert in Carnegie hall or a hard working South American peasant whose disappearance simply went unnoticed by the rags and journals of the time.

Perhaps the meek have already inherited the earth but, being the meek, did no more than they ever did to keep control of it. Like the eternal mob, they (we?) are easily lulled, swayed, and led by those who are corrupt but less meek.

Could we have already had Armageddon and simply not recognized it for what it was?

Enh. Enough of that for now. Time to shut the computer down and eat a bit of food before going to watch drunks behave stupidly at the night club.

One more thought though:

I have, from time to time, found myself most miserable although I am (from a global standpoint) fabulously wealthy with plenty of food, clothing, and shelter and even a bit extra wealth to spend on pure entertainment.

On the other hand, many true joys involved none of these things, but were simply watching water on a warm day, or enjoying the sharp and sweet tastes of an orange broken into yogurt, or walking a quiet path in the dappled light of late spring.

Heaven and Hell are where we find them.

###

An interesting note about the “Currently Playing” album listed. I’m actually listening “Wheelie” by The Refreshments, but that didn’t show up in the Xanga search for options.

Curious, I did a search and found this on The Refreshments web site:

Wheelie was the first Refreshments CD. Only 2000 copies were made. It sold out and is no longer available, however, “Fizzy Fuzzy Big and Buzzy” has all of the same songs plus two additional songs. If you were lucky enough to get a copy of Wheelie, hang on to it as it is a collectors item! ( “Wheelie” is reported to be worth $75! ).

Hunh. Cool. Probably not worth that much as the case is beat to shit, but I like the sound.

(Btw, CASH909, I think this is one of the ones out of our CD buying and selling venture – nice!)

The Minnesota House of Repre3sentatives just approved a proposal for a referendum regarding consitutionally banning gay (or, for that matter, poly) marriage in Minnesota.

More details can be read on the House’s website.

I’m torn on this one.

On one hand, it is obviously being put forward by people who want to see such a ban passed.

On the other hand, having it be a public referendum allows everyone to say their feelings on it – and if it were voted down, that’d be a pretty strong statement towards legalizing it.

But back to the first hand, those who would limit individual freedoms, those who would blind the eyes and guide the feet of “the mob”, tend to have more money and skill at propaganda – especially now that so many of us are conditioned to respond to it.

What do you think? Is it better or worse if this goes to referendum?

(Incidentally, I think the state should end all involvement in marraige and deal only in “civil union contracts” which involve shared rights, responsibilities, and benefits. Let each church recognize what marraiges it will it its own way and limit the state’s involvement to issues of commerce, property, and custody)

OK – quick post. I’ve got more to say on other stuff, but no time right now:

Peter Bell – the person who is the Met Council Chairperson, the person who refused to accept the bus driver’s union’s offer for binding arbitration (in other words – get a neutral party to look at the situation and make a judgement and we’ll accept it, whatever it is) – the person who did a lockout of the workers that is making this look much less like a strike and much more like a lockout.

This man – Peter Bell – has not yet been confirmed by the Senate as the Chair of Metro Council. If you are troubled by the bus strike has been handled by the Met council, call or email your state senator and ask them not to confirm him and give a vote of no confidence.

To find out who your senator is, use this resource:

Senate District Finder.

They should have links to your state senator’s website and email.

For those of you in district 58, Linda Higgens is the chair of the committee which recommended Bell for the position (which doesn’t necessarily mean she supported him). 58 includes the warehouse district and other areas on the west side of the river.

For people who want a starting point on a letter, here’s the one I sent:

To: sen.larry.pogemiller@senate.mn
Subject : Please do not confirm Peter Bell

It is my understanding that Peter Bell has not yet been confirmed by the Senate as the Chair of Metro Council.

In light of the heavy handed manner he has employed while dealing with the bus drivers union I believe that you should not only deny him this confirmation, but give him a vote of no confidence.

There are many examples of things he has done to force the bus strike, but to my mind the most egregious was to refuse the driver’s offer of binding arbitration. Their offer implied that they would accept whatever decision a neutral arbitrator handed down.

His refusal of that offer combined with the subsequent lockout implies that his main purpose is to either damage our transit system or to break the bus driver’s union.

As a Democratic senator, I would think you would be harshly opposed to either motivation. I hope you will vote against Peter Bell’s confirmation, and in doing so, his methods and actions.

Thank You,

- Jason Goray
[address removed]
[email removed]
[phone removed]

Check it out:

http://www.moveon.org/censure/caughtonvideo/

Hrm. I actually would have preferred full clips of the contradictory statements, but it is amazing that anyone is still taken in by these people. I did love the “uh oh” look and little nod on his face though.

…

I am still fundamentally unhappy with the concept that the cure for the Republicans is the Democrats. That’s kind of like amputation being a cure for gangrene. Yeah, it works and yeah losing a limb isn’t as bad as death, but ultimately, it still sucks. I’d rather see the approach of cleaning out the wound before it is too late and the rot sets in.

I don’t think it is too late for us, but the effort required to cure things is growing dramatically.

###

In local news, there is a debate over whether the park board should allow a contract for a small hydro operation to be put in by the mill ruins park – next to the St. Anthony waterfall.

Even though it is a small amount of electricity (3.1MW), I tend to be in favor of the concept – it seems like a broad network of small producers based on different renewable power sources would be superior than a few large producers.

There are some environmental and aesthetic concerns, but due to the small size of the proposal, some of the nasty hydro effects (like flooding land) won’t be an issue.

There have been a number of other effects listed from deoxygenation of water to the stagnent water in the tail race to various erosion concerns. I’ll have to wait for the experts to weigh in, but it seems like most of those issues are already there with the old mill ruins and the waterfall.

My vision of a wise city would include thousands of micro power installations on private and public land – for instance, i’d like to do solar shingles and a small windmill on my roof. It may not generate a lot of power, but if you start looking at thousands of them combined with other types of power where applicable (geo/hydro/etc.), it has to make a difference.

I’m not sure if this little hydro installation would be a good step in that direction, but I like that it is being talked about.

Minneapolis Residents – please consider calling or emailing your city council member to support Eureka Recycling for the city’s new waste management bid.

The latest article on the subject can be reviewed here:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/465/4657058.html

To sum it up – we have Eureka a locally (St. Paul) owned business with a 17 year history of being good citizens, paying their employees well with good benefits, and being environmentally conscious.

Opposing them, we have WMI and BFI – both mutlinational multibillion dollar corporations with histories that include corruption, pollution and other sordid things. In a purely economic sense, one has to consider that dollars paid to them will be leaving the twin cities.

Right now, it looks like WMI is going to land the contract which rather sucks.

If you don’t know who your city council member is, you can find them on the city’s website: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/ – there is a “WardFinder” tool on the left hand side of the page. Some of the council members have a web form for comments.

Remember some of us in redistricting areas can lean on both our current and future council members.

Hey mister, can ya spare a clue?

According to an AWC mailing I received:

This weekend, armed US troops invaded Haiti, and forcibly removed President Aristide from office. Full news reports are just coming out now. We will try to make more information available when we have time. Please join us, for an important action in solidarity with the Haitian people.

What I had picked up from news (mainly TVs in bars and bus stations) as well as from some of the web based news feeds was that there had been something along the lines of a popular revolutions.

There were however, a couple things that contradicted that, such as an intimation that the thing that spurred the revolt was Aristide wanting to raise minimum wage from $1.00 to $1.50 (not generally the sort of thing that starts a revolution of the masses). Then the guardian had the following cartoon (ouch).

Anyway, does anyone know what is happening?