soapbox

. . . . . . . . . EVEN THOUGH THIS PHOTO SHOWS A BRIGHT SQUASH BLOSSOMING INTO FRUITION IT HAS BEEN A VERY SOGGY RAINY SUMMER . . . IN FACT THE RAINFALL FOR THE MONTHS OF JUNE,JULY AND AUGUST(SO FAR STILL VERY WET)2008 HAS BROKEN ALL PREVIOUS RECORDS FOR AMOUNT OF RAIN. ..THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS WEATHER IS VERY LITTLE SMOG SINCE IT IS ALSO COOLER WITH THE LARGE AMOUNT OF CLOUDS.

THE SOONER THE BETTER . . . . TAX THE POLLUTERS

Although there has been widespread coverage in the American media of the tragic events unfolding in South Ossetia, essential background information about the conflict has often been omitted. First and foremost, nearly all of the articles avoid calling Georgia's action on Aug. 7 what it was - a clear act of military aggression by Georgia directed against the residents of South Ossetia and the Russian peacekeepers deployed in the region. ------------------------------------------- On Conflict in Georgia / Follow the pipeline . . . .it goes from the Caspian sea overland through Georgia to a terminal in Turkey. . . ..millions of tons of crude oil and gas are shipped annually by this route . . . . .ONE BILLION MOTOR VEHICLES ON PLANET EARTH IS DROOLING TO GET THIS OIL . . .REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE KILLED OR HOW MUCH DAMAGE IS DONE TO THE ENVIRONMENT . . .WOULD IT NOT MAKE SENSE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF GAS GUZZLING CARS AND REDUCE DEMAND ?? NO O O O THAT'S TOO SIMPLE . . ....

RE : WAR IN GEORGIA . . . .Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline route through that country carries 5 MILLION TONS PER YEAR to the outside world from one of the richest oil reserves in the world from the Caspian Sea . . . . .MOST OF THAT SUPPLY IS USED TO FILL THE GAS TANKS OF ONE BILLION CARS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD . . . .PERIOD....next time you fill up the gas tank in your car . . .remember that people are being killed in Georgia,Iraq and Afghanistan so that you can live your energy guzzling lifestyle with these motorized monsters called cars. . . . . . .HOW DYSFUNCTIONAL IS A CAR .?? . . .LAST WEEK WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR A BUS I TOOK AN UNOFFICIAL SURVEY OF CARS THAT WERE PASSING BY THE BUS STOP.ROUGHLY NINETY PERCENT OF THE CARS HAD ONLY ONE PASSENGER(THE DRIVER). . .IMAGINE. .TO TRANSPORT A 100 POUND HUMAN BEING CAR DRIVERS USE AN EARTH DESTROYING BEHEMOTH WEIGHING APPROX. 3000 POUNDS .WHATEVER HAPPENED TO EFFICIENCY ??

Does a war comparison sound dramatic? In April 2007, Margaret Beckett, then foreign secretary, gave a largely overlooked lecture called Climate Change: The Gathering Storm. ""It was a time when Churchill, perceiving the dangers that lay ahead, struggled to mobilize the political will and industrial energy of the British Empire to meet those dangers. He did so often in the face of strong opposition,"" she said. ""Climate change is the gathering storm of our generation. And the implications - should we fail to act - could be no less dire: and perhaps even more so."" In terms of what is possible in times of economic stress and isolation, Cuba provides an even more embarrassing example to show up our national tardiness. In a single year in 2006 Cuba rolled-out a nationwide scheme replacing inefficient incandescent lightbulbs with low-energy alternatives. Prior to that, at the end of the cold war, after losing access to cheap Soviet oil, it switched o...

. . . . . .AS A RESULT OF A PROPANE EXPLOSION NEAR THE 401 HIGHWAY IN TORONTO,CANADA . . . .THIS SECTION OF THE BUSY ROAD IS CLOSED TO TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 11 MILES.

Three Die on Bulgarian Roads Overnight 10 August 2008, Sunday A total of 21 serious traffic accidents have occurred in Bulgaria over the last 24 hours claiming the lives of 3 people and sending 23 to the hospitals with injuries, according to the Interior Ministry's press-center. 3 of the injured are in critical condition. Since the beginning of August 32 people total have died on the Bulgarian roads and 273 have been injured. The number of traffic accidents in August has reached 220. The number of traffic accidents since the beginning of the year has reached 4640 with 597 people dead and 5786 injured. The summer months of July, August and September are usually the deadliest with most accidents occurring in August compared to any other month of the year. . . . . . . .THIS IS AN ITEM FROM A NEWSPAPER IN SOFIA BULGARIA,AUGUST 10-2008 . . . . . IF YOU NEED MORE REASONS TO NOT BUY A CAR THIS SHOULD BE IT . . . . .THERE IS MORE DEATHS OCCURING ON THE ROADS THAN IN MOST WARS.

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere today, the most prevalent greenhouse gas, is the highest it has been for the past 650,000 years. In the space of just 250 years, as a result of the coal-fired Industrial Revolution, and changes to land use such as the growth of cities and the felling of forests, we have released, cumulatively, more than 1,800bn tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. Currently, approximately 1,000 tonnes of CO2 are released into the Earth's atmosphere every second, DUE TO HUMAN ACTIVITY. Greenhouse gases trap incoming solar radiation, warming the atmosphere. When these gases accumulate beyond a certain level - often termed a "tipping point" - global warming will accelerate, potentially beyond control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .FOR MORE INFO ON THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE . . . . ^^^ http://www.onehundredmonths.org ^^^. . . . THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

THE PROBLEM Air pollution in Beijing is a problem. Figures for particulate matter (PM10) - tiny airborne particles caused by the BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS LIKE PETROL(GASOLINE)IN MOTOR VEHICLES - are regularly several times higher than the WHO air quality guideline level of 50 micrograms/cubic metre. WHO IS THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION . . . . . .WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT CHINA HAS A LOT OF POLLUTION . . . .THE WHOLE WORLD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING IT . . .BY CONTINUING TO MASS PRODUCE AUTOMOBILES WHICH IS THE ROOT CAUSE . . . . . .PRESENTLY THERE ARE ALMOST ONE BILLION MOTOR VEHICLES ON PLANET EARTH AND COUNTING . . . .THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY AND POLLUTION AND ECOLOGY DESTRUCTION IS THE END RESULT

India imports about 75 percent of its oil, and Singh, the architect of India's 1991 transformation from a socialist-style economy to a capitalist one, has argued the country needs the nuclear deal to power its financial growth and lift hundreds of millions of its 1.1 billion citizens out of poverty. Closing Tuesday's debate over the confidence motion, Singh said in a speech to lawmakers that the deal would "lead India to become a major power center of the evolving global economy." But the speech was presented only in written form because shouting opponents kept Singh from speaking. Even by the standards of India's theatrical and often chaotic political culture, the politicking of the past week and the actual debate were considered ugly. A former solicitor general, Harish Salve, called the scandal-laden vote "the worst defeat of Indian democracy." He was especially horrified by the spectacle of lawmakers waving bundles of cash on Tuesday, which he termed ...

Fact 1) Holland had the highest cycle use in western world Fact 2) Helmets are rare in Holland. Fact 3) Holland has the lowest per capita bicycle injury rate in western world. Fact 4) USA Canada has the lowest cycle use in western world Fact 5) Helmets are required in USA Canada Fact 6) USA Canada has the highest cycle injury rate in western world. hypothesis: the dutch use and know how to use bicycles safely and Canadians are Nanny-State babies who think that by covering themselves in foam rubber they are safer on a bike. Suggestion: Learn to ride bikes like the Dutch. Get rid of helmets and foam padding. . . . . . ..HOWEVER . . .YOU . .RIDE . .YOUR.. BIKE . . .RIDE . . SAFELY

Gore challenges US to abandon oil Gore said Americans need to change "not just light bulbs, but laws" [AFP] Al Gore, Nobel laureate and former US vice president, has urged Americans to shift from electricity generated by fossil fuels to renewable energy within a decade. Gore challenged Americans to "shoot for the moon" on Thursday, comparing the scale of the challenge to landing a man on the moon, a goal set by John F. Kennedy in the 1960s. "I challenge our nation to commit to producing 100 per cent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years," Gore said. "When president John F. Kennedy challenged our nation to land a man on the moon and bring him back safely in 10 years, many people doubted we could accomplish that goal," he said. Gore said the shift to new energy sources was needed to ensure "the survival of the United States of America as we know it ... the future of human civilization...

PAUL MCARTNEY'S VISIT TO QUEBEC CITY THIS WEEKEND FOR A CONCERT CELEBRATING THE 400 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST FRENCH SETTLERS TO NORTH AMERICA(NEWS ITEM) . . . . . . .I FOR ONE WELCOME HIS VISIT ALONG WITH 1,000'S OF OTHERS . . .SIR . .PAUL..AS HE IS KNOWN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM . . . IS . .TO BE COMMENDED FOR HIS STAND ON MANY ECOLOGICAL ISSUES OF OUR TIMES LIKE VEGETARIANISM,ANTI SEAL HUNT AND OTHER CAUSES . . . .BUT AS A BILLIONAIRE . . .I . .WONDER IF HE IS AWARE OF WHERE HIS BILLIONS ARE INVESTED ? .. . .THERE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ETHICAL BASED INVESTMENTS OUT THERE BUT THEY ARE NOT VERY TRANSPARENT . . .AND IN MY OPINION. . ARE ONLY IN BUSINESS TO MAKE MORE MONEY . .REGARDLESS OF THE DAMAGE THEY DO TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

几乎没有一个人是谈论最重要的原因，为什么我们需要一个碳税。这是因为碳税使价格对污染我们的气氛中进行的。它的确能做到公平跨越我们整个经济体系，在最不发达国家的官僚和最有效的方式。它的关键是使可再生能源更具竞争力。 由从来没有过要付出的成本倾销排放到空气中，矿物燃料一直下价。不可避免地，碳税的权利，这样做会使价格可再生能源的低于价格化石燃料。然后我们获得的将是绿色能源革命，我们需要的人。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。。这些都是片断的一个博客由adrienne卡尔建筑小组委员会绿色党候选人在下次联邦大选加拿大^ ^的HTTP ： / / www.votecarr.ca ^ ^ ^ ^在总括而言，它雄辩地解释了为什么碳税是必要的。

Standard light bulbs give off 90 per cent of their energy as heat. New compact fluorescent "spiral" bulbs are 75 per cent more efficient and fit in standard sockets. If you combined all the "heat leaks" in an average Canadian home, you would have a hole the size of a basketball! Proper weather stripping and caulking of doors and windows can reduce heating bills by 25 per cent. A typical car produces three times its weight in carbon dioxide emissions – a major greenhouse gas. Light cars produce fewer emissions and cost less. Annual fuel costs average $648 for a new Volkswagen Jetta and $2,067 for a Ford Expedition 4x4. Refrigerators are an energy-hogging home appliance. Replacing a 10-year-old refrigerator with a new EnergyStar-approved model would save enough energy to light your home for more than three months. Encourage your local government to move towards energy efficient communities. Encourage your city to expand transit and other alternatives, make city opera...

确定...让我们停止所有的布...事实是， 4骑单车被击中，从后面一辆汽车在光天化日之下，一个单位，伸展的双车道公路。该名司机的汽车是负责的安全运行和控制的汽车，显然这种情况没有发生。为什么，我们可能永远都不会知道，但往往骑脚踏车和行人死于谁驾驶精神不集中，然后获得更多的同情，从社会和法院比受害者和受害者家属接受。难道你们不认为它的时间的罚则，这些种的悲剧，应该更严厉的刑罚为司机，而不是愚蠢的意见，有关如何自行车不应容许的道路摆在首位？也许，如果罚款/判刑和社会的愤慨约司机杀害无辜人民被更为严重，更多司机会采取responsibilty为安全运作他们的车辆更严重的，少人会不必要地死亡。 。 。 。 。 。。阿民。 。 。 。我。 。同意。随着这些意见对本地。 。 。网站。 。 。有关的悲惨死亡2骑单车。 。和。 。损伤。 0.2 。 。更多。。 。一条公路上。在virden ， Manitoba ，加拿大。 。所以。 。远。 。没有。 。 。收费。 。 。奠定了基础。 。上面的。。后2周的活动。

. . . .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ok...let's stop all the BS...the fact is that 4 cyclists were hit from behind by a car in broad daylight on a flat stretch of double lane highway. The DRIVER of the car is responsible for the safe operation and control of the car and obviously this did not happen. Why, we may never know but too often cyclists and pedestrians are killed by inattentive motorists who then get more sympathy from society and the courts than the victims and the victims families receive. Don't you think it's time the penalties for these kind of tragedies should be stiffer sentences for the DRIVERS and not stupid comments about how bicycles should not be allowed on roads in the first place? Maybe if the fines/sentences and social outrage about drivers killing innocent people were more severe, more drivers would take the responsibilty for the safe operation of their vehicle more seriously and less people would di...

We need to invest in green technologies that we can market and become world leaders in. Denmark has done so with wind mills and Japan with electric trains. Now if you will excuse me I have a plane to catch. (yes, I get the irony) . . . . . . . .DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR ?. . . . . .DO . .YOU KNOW ANY BODY THAT TALKS LIKE THAT . .? .DO AS I SAY . . .NOT DO AS I DO . . .SEEMS TO BE THE MOTTO FOR SOME PEOPLE . . . .WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN ?

Tens of thousands of South Korean car workers have added their voice to opposition against resumed US beef imports. The workers, along with about 200 priests, joined weeks of anti-government protests on Wednesday, gathering at Seoul's city hall to condemn the government of Lee Myung-bak, the president. The protest came a day after US beef returned to South Korean stores under a deal Lee struck with the US in April. THE 200 PRIESTS IN SOUTH KOREA (PICTURED ABOVE) WERE JOINED BY 1,000'S OF AUTO WORKERS WHO STOPPED WORK FOR 2 HOURS IN SYMPATHY (news exerpt courtesy of al jazeera- -july3-2008) . . . . .the workers were concerned about the bad health side effects of eating red meat . . . . .they may also be concerned of the damage done to the environment by shipping beef products halfway around the world .

The reason why we need a carbon tax is not just because it creates higher prices which will force consumers to use less fossil fuels—which is what everyone is arguing about. As we all know, gas prices are already high. People are starting to cycle, walk and use transit more and SUV sales are down. But if we just let oil companies raise prices, they simply pocket record profits. A carbon tax puts revenue into government where it can be used to lower income taxes. Almost no-one is talking about the most important reason why we need a carbon tax. It’s because a carbon tax puts a price on polluting our atmosphere. It does it equitably across our whole economy, in the least bureaucratic and most efficient way. It is the key to making renewable energy more competitive. By never having to pay the cost of dumping emissions into the air, fossil fuels have always been under-priced. Inevitably, a carbon tax done right will make the price of renewable energy lower than the price of fossil fuels. A...