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Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on September 1st, 2008 Cindy McCain defends Palin pick, husband WASHINGTON - Cindy McCain said Sunday that Republican vice presidential pick Sarah Palin understands what’s at stake in national security issues in part because she is governor of Alaska, whose borders nearly touch Russia’s. The wife of soon-to-be GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain also said she’s “offended” by Democrats calling her husband elitist because of the number of homes their family owns. Asked about Palin’s credentials, Cindy McCain told ABC-TV’s “This Week:” “The experience that she comes from is with what she’s done in the government. And also, remember: Alaska is the closest part of our continent to Russia. So, it’s not as if she doesn’t understand what’s at stake here.” *** Reminded that Democrats are calling Palin too inexperienced to be a heartbeat away from the presidency, she responded by saying that Palin’s son is about be deployed to Iraq. “I asked her, how do you feel about this? This is two things you have to do, is not only possibly be a vice presidential candidate, but also, you know, listen, to worry about your son,” Cindy McCain recounted of her conversation with Palin before the vice presidential announcement. “And she looked me square in the eye and she said, ‘You know something? I’m a mother. I can do it.’” *** Democratic Sen. John Kerry, his party’s 2004 presidential nominee, disputed Palin’s credentials a few minutes later on the show, saying the Alaska governor has “zero, zero experience in foreign policy.” It’s unusual for the spouse of a presidential candidate to go on a Sunday talk show, but Cindy McCain used her 10 minutes to defend her husband from charges of elitism. She also signaled she’d want to focus on humanitarian crises as first lady, talking about her meetings in Georgia last week with refugees of the recent Russian invasion. Georgia “is a wonderful, young democracy,” McCain said. “We can’t let it go. We can’t let a country come back in and take it back down to a Soviet-style government. This is democracy, and that’s what we’re all about.” She added: “The United States is the best at what we do. We’re the ones that give the most and give the earliest, every time something happens. And I’d like to continue that, and also encourage others to get involved. You don’t have to cross an ocean to be of help.” *** McCain bristled at charges by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama that her husband is out of touch with most Americans because of the eight homes their family owns. “My husband was a Navy boy. His father and mother were in the Navy. I mean, there’s nothing elitist about that,” she said. “I’m offended by Barack Obama saying that about my husband.” http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/08/3… ————— Permalink | ### |
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Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on August 29th, 2008 Palin around: The eco-rundown on Alaska Guv. Sarah Palin, John McCain’s Veep pick.
*** Has pushed to build a natural-gas pipeline from Alaska’s North Slope Got the state legislature to pass a bill to provide each Alaskan $1,200 to help with energy costs Sued the Interior Department over its decision to list the polar bear as a threatened species Has proposed eliminating Alaska’s gas tax Has pushed to open Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling Has created a committee to forge Alaska’s climate-change strategy, and has made Alaska an observer (but not a member) of the Western Climate Initiative Opposes a windfall profits tax on oil companies Was the ethics commissioner of the Alaska Gas and Oil Conservation Commission from 2003 to 2004 Husband is an oil production operator for BP on Alaska’s North Slope Started Alaska’s Petroleum Systems Integrity Office, an oversight and maintenance agency for the state’s oil and gas equipment, facilities, and infrastructure Chairs the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, a multistate panel “that promotes the conservation and efficient recovery of domestic oil and natural gas resources while protecting health, safety and the environment” Believes intelligent design should be taught along with evolution in science classes *** Quotable quotes from Palin:
I thought when we hit $100 a barrel for oil it would have been a psychological barrier that would have caused Congress to reconsider, but they didn’t. Now we are approaching $200 a barrel. It’s nonsense not to tap a safe domestic source of oil. I think Americans need to hold Congress accountable on this one. *** Reactions to the pick. Obama campaign spokesperson Bill Burton: Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain’s commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil, and continuing George Bush’s failed economic policies — that’s not the change we need, it’s just more of the same. –
With the pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for his running mate, John McCain’s race towards the Bush administration’s failed energy policy is now complete. John McCain was once willing to stand up to his own party, but now that he is running for President, he supports the same Bush policies and powerful special interests that put us in the grip of the oil companies. One of the last remaining independent policies putting him at odds with Bush was his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, yet he has now picked a running mate who has opposed holding Big Oil accountable and been dismissive of alternative energy while focusing her work on more oil drilling in a wildlife refuge and off of our coasts. Senator McCain has lost any chance of having a balanced or moderate ticket with this choice and has instead opted for the same, business-as-usual reliance on the outdated oil companies that has been the hallmark of the Bush-Cheney administration. On the third anniversary of the hurricane that knocked loose oil rigs and spilled millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf Coast that is bracing for another hit, McCain is sending a terribly indifferent message by selecting a candidate who only repeats Big Oil’s talking points. – Sarah Palin’s record is not extensive — just two years ago she was the mayor of a city of less than 10,000 people — but what her record indicates is troubling. This spring, she opposed the listing of polar bears as a ‘threatened’ species. She supports the brutal aerial hunting of wolves. And she has been a friend of Big Oil, opposing a windfall profits tax on the oil industry that could fund affordable clean energy for more Americans. Palin’s husband works for BP. – Unfortunately, with her support for drilling in the Arctic Refuge and off our coasts, Governor Palin will simply continue the failed policies of the Bush-Cheney Administration and their Big Oil friends — policies that could make us even more dependent on foreign oil. Governor Palin characterizes McCain’s flip-flop on drilling offshore as a positive step in his transformation from maverick to Big Oil’s best friend. She has implored McCain to change his position against drilling in the Arctic — something she will have plenty of opportunities to pursue as his running mate. *** Palin family values: Half (?) the family income is from BP, her husband separates the oil from the water up in the oil fields. A janitorial position? How much more does he make than the average oil worker because he is the governor’s hubby? http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/8/29/ … – Can’t wait to see Palin debating foreign policy and national security with Joe Biden. http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin by amazingdrx at 9:01 AM on 29 Aug 2008 – Natural Gas Can Save A Planet: The most significant achievement is the natural gas pipeline. Sarah Palin may have already saved the world, and was looking good while doing it. by jabailo at 9:02 AM on 29 Aug 2008 – Palin is scared: She looks to have stage fright. The professional cheering section in the crowd doesn’t match McBushies’ wooden delivery. Go shoot some dice, you anger management challenged gambling addict. http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin Could be part of “drill, drill, drill” They’re pushing the fact that she wants to open up ANWR, Alaska has oil, blah blah blah. I guess “drill, drill, drill” is the only thing that works for them, so they’ll push, push, push it. by Jon Rynn at 9:32 AM on 29 Aug 2008 40 billion NG pipeline To make us energy independent. More “Pickens” around at oil and gas bribery and GHG climate disaster. http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin Jabailo - huh? Fuel cells consuming natural gas can eliminate the burning problems of hydrocarbons and replace them with natural reactions leaving just water and needed energy. Natural gas is clearly better than coal from an environmental perspective, but suggesting that it will save the planet is no more accurate than suggesting that giving up hamburgers for bison-burgers makes you a vegetarian. by Sean Casten at 9:42 AM on 29 Aug 2008 She said, “…nuclea…nuke..you..ler weapons”. Almost said it the right way, but quickly reverted to industrial programming. Oh now you can shatter that glass ceiling women! So she says. Get two more supreme court justices appointed who want to put your reproductive rights back into the evangelical taliban era? http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin by amazingdrx at 9:47 AM on 29 Aug 2008 Nuclear: Nu-kyu-lar is now a recognized but not preferred alternative pronunciation by most dictionaries. I’m not happy about it either, but the day is past when you can smugly point it out as an error. by KenG at 10:01 AM on 29 Aug 2008 – biden is greener: biden = useful after the election by hapa at 10:10 AM on 29 Aug 2008 I’m with KenG And lest we get all cranky about it, it bears noting that no one gets upset about the fact that “comfortable” is even more consistently misprounced in the same way (e.g., with a letter swap in the middle). by Sean Casten at 10:11 AM on 29 Aug 2008 … said he chose her to help fight the special interests in Washington who spend tax dollars on stuff we don’t need or don’t want! “That’s not change we can believe in.” by wiscidea at 10:35 AM on 29 Aug 2008 Uh oh… Has anyone noticed that Dick Cheney hasn’t been around for a while? Perhaps he found a way to move his brain into a new body. by wiscidea at 10:37 AM on 29 Aug 2008 A woman for Republican Vice pres: Conservatives are like molasses. They slow down progressive ideas but in the end embrace them (if they turn out to be good ones). One day they may well have a lesbian VP but I’m not so sure about an atheist one. In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts–Protecting the biodiversity of our world – welfare queen: I get frustrated with folks from outside Alaska who come up and say, “You shouldn’t develop your resources.” And I get frustrated that all Alaskans get this fat dividend check from fossil fuels drilled mostly on federal land. Those proceeds belong to all of us. And I get frustrated at all Westerners who have this attitude of an aggressive beggar - GIMMIE MONEY! NOW! BUT DON’T YOU DARE TELL ME HOW TO LIVE! DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! GO FUCK YOURSELF! Will somebody tell these yahoos once and for all, federal land does not belong to them. It belongs to the country. This kind of Dark Age flat-earthism is empirical evidence that one is just a cretin. by Russ at 11:05 AM on 29 Aug 2008 Permalink | ### |
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Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on August 28th, 2008
We visited him on his boat right here in New York, then later in Tel Aviv. He was one of a kind. His bringing ice cream to the children of Gaza did not end the will to fight - but showed that it is possible to be humane. If not the Palestinians and the Egyptians - there were hundred of thousands of Israelis that understood him. His spirit continues to be present at the Uri Avneri round table - every Friday night at least. A coincidence - his death was announced on the day Barak Obama assumes the leadership of the Democratic Party of the US. We wonder what he would have said and post also the following tidbit:
And the New York Times correspondent from Jerusalem wrote the following version:
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Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on August 26th, 2008 Bona Biden: Why Biden is such an important pick for those who care about the climate. Catastrophic climate change is the primary preventable threat to the health and well-being of all Americans — as readers of this blog already understand and as pretty much everyone else will figure out in the coming years. Keeping total planetary warming as low as possible — ideally below 2°C, which it turn requires keeping atmospheric concentrations of CO2 below 450 ppm — will become the central organizing principle for all U.S. energy, environmental, economic, and international policy over the next two decades, and will almost certainly remain so for the next two centuries. While this is a long-term problem, “What we do in the next two to three years will determine our future. This is the defining moment,” as IPCC head Rajendra Pachauri warned last fall. The current oil drilling “debate” only underscores how hopeless the climate situation is until progressives occupy the White House. But — and this is where Biden comes in — even if that legislation is strong enough to put this country on the path towards rapid and deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the entire U.S. effort will certainly fall apart if the next president is not able to negotiate a serious international treaty that encompasses all major emitters. Yet it has become increasingly clear in recent months that achieving a serious, binding international treaty is even more politically implausible a task than passing serious, binding domestic legislation. And that is because Russia has emerged as a country that is likely to be every bit as much an obstacle as China and the United States currently are. *** The Chinese challenge: I have written about China extensively already, and no one should underestimate the difficulty of getting them to embrace the necessary reductions in projected emissions and then in absolute emissions. But everyone I know who knows the country tells me that the Chinese leaders understand that global warming will be catastrophic for them — even if those leaders mistakenly believe they can “go back and solve climate change after they get rich,” which has been the standard procedure for how Western countries dealt with traditional environmental problems. Sadly, that approach won’t work with climate because the climate system almost certainly has tipping points. Also, the Chinese are capitalists and are already poised to become the leading producer of both solar PV and wind turbines. And they could run their entire country on baseload solar, if they figure out fast enough that it is the renewable with the biggest potential as a primary power source and if they return to their strong energy efficiency policies from decades past. I cling to the view that Chinese could be brought around if their customers all applied enough pressure to them — assuming of course that those customers, including us, are all prepared to take the necessary measures themselves, which is far from obvious. *** Russian recalcitrance: But Russia may be even more problematic, and not just because they are more self-destructively nationalistic than China (or us). Russia does not have a good solar resource. But they do have a lot of coal and oil — and they very much want to stake a claim to the rich oil resources in the Arctic. Moreover, they may (mistakenly) think global warming is good for them. Since it will create a navigable Arctic and open up “currently inaccessible energy resources,” no less an authority than The Economist has written, “warming is likely to make Russia richer rather than poorer.” Sad — but quite untrue, especially since we are on path to far overshoot any degree of warming that could possibly be beneficial to Russia. Perhaps the most important climatic tipping point is in Russia — the Siberian tundra. If that defrosts, then avoiding the equivalent of 1,000 ppm atmospheric concentrations of CO2 will be all but impossible. After all the tundra contains more carbon than the atmosphere does, and much of it would likely be released as methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Indeed, we have some evidence that may have already started. Russia does have a staggering amount of wind potential, but it tends to be in the sparsely populated areas. Russia will need to be convinced that some combination of nuclear, wind, and natural gas can provide all the power it needs, but the even harder task will be convincing them not to use all that oil and coal they have. Indeed, the great challenge for the world in the next three decades is not so much aggressively deploying low carbon technology — although that would not be easy it would certainly be straightforward both technologically and economically.
*** This post was created for ClimateProgress.org, a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. ————— Who’s advising McCain on energy and climate? Greenwire has also published ($ub. req’d) a detailed list of who is advising McCain on energy and environment policies, which I am reprinting below the fold. By contrast, McCain’s campaign relies on a small group of longtime friends and advisers. Campaign staff would not comment on why their advisory team isn’t as large as Obama’s, but sources say the staff’s size reflects how frequently the Arizona senator departs from the Republican Party line on environment and energy issues. “I’m not sure a McCain EPA would look any different than an Obama EPA,” quipped Brian Kennedy, a former House Republican leadership aide. “He might even bring Carol Browner back.” The GOP bench is exceedingly thin on genuine green Republicans — and none of them are conservatives. Anyway, here is his team: *** Permalink | ### |
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Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on August 20th, 2008
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Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on August 11th, 2008 VIII conferência internacional da Datagro Sobre açúcar e álcool VIII international Datagro Conference on sugar and alcohol Neste ano, mais uma vez a DATAGRO realiza a sua VIII conferência internacional da DATAGRO sobre açúcar e álcool nos dias 27 e 28 de outubro de 2008, no Hotel Grand Hyatt São Paulo, à Av. Nações Unidas 13301. Realizada em ambiente agradável, a conferência já se tornou tradicional centro de referência dos principais temas e preocupações do setor para os integrantes de sua cadeia produtiva, proporcionando também ótima oportunidade de networking. O evento contará ainda com ótima infra-estrutura de serviços e tradução simultânea português-inglês-português. Na edição passada a Conferência Internacional da DATAGRO sobre açúcar e álcool reuniu mais de 530 participantes de 30 países, tendo sido um dos maiores e melhores encontros das maiores autoridades mundiais do setor sucro-alcooleiro. Distinguiu-se promovendo debates e levantando questões de suma importância para o desenvolvimento e crescimento do setor. Para fazer sua inscrição on-line acesse o site www.conferencia.datagro.com.br ou envie um fax para (0XX11) 4195-6659. Outras informações pelo telefone (0XX11) 4133-3944, com Sr. Alyson. Again this year, DATAGRO is organizing its VIII international DATAGRO conference on sugar and alcohol on October 27th and 28th, 2008 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel grounds, São Paulo-Brazil. Held in a pleasant environment, the conference became a traditional center of reference on sugar and alcohol for the production chain members. Also, it provides a good opportunity for networking with the global leaders of these industries. The conference will offer outstanding infrastructure of services and will be available simultaneous translation Portuguese/English/Portuguese. In the last edition, the international DATAGRO conference on sugar and alcohol attracted more than 530 participants from 30 different countries and was one of the biggest major encounters of the top global authorities in the areas of sugar and alcohol, distinguishing itself by promoting debates and pointing high important questions about the sector growth and development. Please visit the conference website www.conferencia.datagro.com.br where you will find the conference program, hotel information, and online registration. For more information call us at (5511) 4133-3944 or send a fax to (5511)4195-6659. Palestrantes Confirmados: Keynote Speaker: Dr. Peter Baron - Diretor Executivo da International Sugar Organization (ISO) - U.K. Presidentes dos Sindicatos das Indústrias do açúcar e do álcool Anísio Tormena - Paraná Permalink | ### |
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Posted on Sustainabilitank.info on August 8th, 2008 The World Values Survey is available at: www.worldvaluessurvey.org www.happyplanetindex.org
See the Global HPI map: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/map.htm Permalink | |
