GreenSpot

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August 19, 2005

Lawsuit anyone ?

I guess the folks in memphis have had enough of the Republicrats and Demoblicans. It is about time!
Best regards

Original message
Paperless electronic voting is unconstitutional: a Tennessee lawsuit

This is a long post, but we election reformers here in the Orange State are moving fast to file a lawsuit to declare paperless electronic voting in direct violation of our state constitution.

This lawsuit will be filed shortly in Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee. Memphis is our largest city and it now uses Danaher Shouptronics push-button machines and is leaning toward Diebold for no logical reason, but likely plenty of $$ ones. This lawsuit declares that paperless electronic voting systems violate our state constitution on several grounds. The attorney has been in contact with Land Shark to discuss the Washington state case, but he has decided to argue the case strictly on state constitutional grounds here in the Orange State.

Tonight, I will begin working to encourage attorneys from around the state (Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, etc.) to file similar lawsuits.

Lots of good things come out of Memphis: Elvis, the blues, barbeque, "Hustle and Flow".
And maybe now a judicial remedy from the Orange State to combat electronically stolen elections.
I look forward to your comments.
----------------

Republicans: Soft on torture. Soft on treason. Soft on the truth.

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August 18, 2005

Hotter and hotter still

I included this article because I felt it expressed my feelings for christians and me in particular. Although I currently worship as an Episcopalian, this hit a chord for me when i read it, I hope it does for you.

Mennonite Committee
Sept. 1990
Why I am an Environmentalist
September 20, 1990

People become environmentalists for many reasons. Their motivation may simply be humanitarian. Many people are genuinely concerned about the detrimental effects of environmental deterioration on the human race. They may also be concerned about what might happen to their own lifestyles because of environmental degradation. Humanitarians often want to see the environment improved and living standards raised for Third World peoples without jeopardizing their own living standards.

Another closely related reason to be an environmentalist may be primarily economic. Environmentalists, motivated by economic reasons, see the need for a healthy environment so that the earth may continue to produce wealth. Thus they see the protection of soil, water and air as vital. They promote energy efficiency and the wise use of natural resources. They promote continuous economic growth, often not realizing that excessive growth may exploit natural resources to a point that may be unsustainable.

Some folks today are motivated to be environmentalists because it is popular position. Government leaders, politicians and some corporate business people who have had little interest in ecology and environmental principles in the past have suddenly become “environmentalists.” The legislative record of the U.S. Congress and Administration suggests that the number of genuine environmentalists in those bodies is quite small indeed. As the citizenry has jumped on the “green” bandwagon, so have the leaders. When citizens and leaders discover what is involved in genuine environmentalism, their interest in the subject is often short-lived.

Other people may be called “preservation-conservation” environmentalists. They are motivated primarily by aesthetics, the beauty of the natural world. They promote the protection of forests, wilderness areas, wetlands, birds and other animal species for the sake of an unspoiled natural environment. Many educated, affluent Americans, members of all sorts of environmental organizations, seem to be motivated by such concerns.

In my view, there is nothing basically wrong with any of the aforementioned reasons for being concerned about the environmental crisis. Some of the reasons are very good. None of these reasons is sufficient, though, in and of itself; they all miss the primary reason.

I am an environmentalist because I am a Christian. I am motivated by my Christian faith. As a follower of Jesus, I take seriously the holy Scriptures to guide me in all aspects of my life. This includes those Scriptures that instruct us to care for God’s good earth—to care about every present-day environmental issue.

I recognize the natural world as God’s creative work. I understand that God’s creation is good (Genesis 1:31). I, along with all other people, am instructed to care for and tend the creation for God, to be a steward, a co-creator with God (Genesis 2:15). God owns the earth and everything in it (Psalm 24:1). We are to use the earth and its wondrous resources for living responsibly—to preserve it for the generations to come. We are to enhance the earth for the glory of its Creator.

The good creation, will one day be fully restored. The acceptance of Christ and His salvation—the coming of the new kingdom—allows Christians to begin that restoration. In fact, Christians are obligated to begin the restoration of the natural world now (Romans 8:21).

Jesus, the one through whom salvation is attained, was involved in the creation of the earth, along with God and the Holy Spirit. And Jesus will be involved in the full restoration of the earth. Just how this will be done, no one really knows. But it is clear that humans have an important responsibility to maintain the creation for all people and other living things until He comes again.

As a Christian, I need to show my reverence and love for the Trinity by obeying the commandments to my fullest understanding. These commandments include the natural laws of the universe. As I remember and conform to these natural laws (which are really God’s laws) I will be a genuine environmentalist.

I like what renowned biologist Barry Commoner says in his book Closing Circle. He describes the basic natural laws in four simple statements:

1. Everything (in the physical world) is connected to everything else. This is the basic understanding of ecology. All living creatures play a role in the natural scheme of things. As humans interfere with any part of the environment, they may upset some other part.

2. Everything must go somewhere. Science states this law as “matter can neither be created or destroyed.” It may be changed in form but, with the exception of nuclear energy, the quantity of matter stays the same. One evidence that people don’t understand or accept this principle is found in our inability to find enough landfill space as the population and consumerism grows.

3. Nature knows best. If humans want to live sustainably upon the earth, they must look to nature itself and emulate the ecological principles found therein. There is harmony in the created order which can guide people to live harmoniously also.

4. There is no such thing as a free lunch in nature. To live takes energy, which must be derived from outside living creatures. That energy comes from the sun to green plants which make the food used by all creatures. Some energy is lost in each step of the food-making and using process. One can never get out of a natural system as much energy as goes in. Scientists know this principle as “the second law of thermodynamics.”

The primary reason that our earth is so environmentally degraded today is that many of us have not really believed that the natural world is that important. We have apparently been able to circumvent some of nature’s laws temporarily in order to satisfy our material excesses. By doing so, we have in reality brought about an environmental crisis that nearly everyone is beginning to recognize A catastrophic environmental debt has accumulated through years of neglect. If life on earth is to survive, it must be painfully repaid.

It is possible for those who do not call themselves Christians to work diligently for the saving of the earth. They need our support. Without a basis in religious faith, however, their understanding of the environmental crisis is incomplete and they are likely to become disillusioned and discouraged after a time.

It is also possible to call oneself a Christian and neglect necessary action on environmental problems. Some Christians historically have come to spiritualize their faith to the point that they have not considered ecology important. A genuine Christian environmentalist will recognize that tending and revering the creation is part of God’s divine plan for God’s people.

Thus I am not an environmentalist primarily for humanitarian reasons, for economic prosperity, for momentary popularity, for political advantage or for aesthetics. I am an environmentalist because I am a Christian.
I guess it is an assumption on my part. People don't normally pay any attention to matters that are outside their day to day. A few souls maybe, I suppose I fall into that camp. If by chance you are clinging to a caves sidewall and refusing to go outside, maybe this link to the Science on global climate change will help.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686

http://www.gp.org/

Even the ostrich has to look up once in a while. Stewards and caretakers all. Staying inside is in our best interest more and more it seems. I do not see how any country with the resources we have can drag our feet so much that we wear a groove in the dirt. Climate change caused by humans is a fact. Humans ability to address the problem is a fact. The question we all have to answer is do we have the will? Thankfully christians in this country are waking up to our responsiblities to be good stewards. Won't you consider joining us?

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August 15, 2005

If I close my eyes

If I did not think that men and american men in particular are capable of great good and great bad, then I would be a fool. Any man with a small ability to surf the web should decide if women are going backwards not forward in there abilty to enjoy life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness in Iraq. At this moment Iraqi women are fighting for the right to exist as anything more than livestock. In case you have been living in a cave somewhere the Iraqi's are drafting that countries first constitution. I submit to you that the inclusion of Sh'ria , even the "best parts of it " will leave them in a much worse position than enjoyed before we invaded them.
see:
http://www.whrnet.org/fundamentalisms/docs/action-iraq-sitin-0507.html

Tribal and Quaram laws were for the most part checked by Iraq's "personal status" law. That does not exist anymore.
Very much the same way Whahabi fundimentalist have hijacked our view of the Islamic faith, the american press will ignore much of what is going on in Iraq's constitutional convention. not that it is happening, that is news, but the substance of what is being adopted. Shia and to some extent Sunni (though small) will force Sh'ria into the draft. Women in Iraq are much worse off now!
Invading Iraq was an immoral action by a politcal system that is motivated by GREED and the lust for POWER. The majority of americans are finding out about the lies and distortions washington has tried to sell. You may disagree with me however I am still waitng for the weapons of mass distruction! Oops! There is that honesty thing again. Sorry!

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August 14, 2005

Did I miss something?

"The national government will maintain and defend the foundations on which the power of our nation rests. It will offer strong protection to Christianity as the very basis of our collective morality. Today Christians stand at the head of our country. We want to fill our culture again with the Christian spirit. We want to burn out all the recent immoral developments in literature, in the theatre, and in the press-in short, we want to burn out the poison of immorality which has entered into our whole life and culture as a result of liberal excess during recent years."

So what do you think?

Posted by jjtechno at 04:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 13, 2005

Even Now

Yep,
I already can feel the benefits of the latest republican attempt to help. Our representatives are going overtime. What about you, are you finding the price of fuel to your liking? What about your job, those language skills are gonna come in handy. Thank you Congressman Wamp. Just out of curiosity how is your credit rating? You have my sincere sympathy, your aunt's diabetes and kidney disease that was just diagnosed must be a real blow to the family. What's that you say, her health insurance is refusing to renew her? Oh, I'm sorry her premium tripled and she can't afford that on a fixed income.
So who is your lobbyist? You didn't think a regular person needed a lobbyist? Well but the store you and the wife built surely made a big donation to the party, right? What you didn't make a 50k political contribution? Why not ? You want access to your representative don't you? Well it's a good thing that you raised all that money for the PAC. No, please tell me you did, how are you going to get any help?

If there is a need for political reform, surely the Green Party can address the reform. I urge you to look at our platform http://www.gp.org
see if you the working families of America come first, or do you really think the democrats and republicans are looking out for you? Business as usual first,corporate power and control? The green party doesn't accept contributions from corporations.

Posted by jjtechno at 08:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 12, 2005

Does it sound familiar?

Modern electronics be damned. This is a link that everyone should consider in our sound bite media world. Substitute corporate media here and you get the meaning plain and simple: fascists!

http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/goeb54.htm

Posted by jjtechno at 06:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Another Hot Day

Go ahead and admit it. You are hot too. Right? I did get that one correct. I guess I am wondering which of my children or their children will have the same fought.(fight+thought=fought). I am talking about the miserable temperature outside. Do you think it is just a phase, maybe it will cool back off. Not! It isn't going to. We are pumping so much CO2 into the air plus associated other gases(help me here,I got a C in chem.) that it will take more than 3 generations to slow the warming. That is assuming we get started now. I guess the future does not exist for the quarterly earnings statements. I wonder if the same people who defend the status quo would humm the same tune if...they could talk to the next generation of unborn? I want to urge you to look at the Green Party of the United States. We advocate for the immediate ratification of the Kyoto protocol. Investors are not personally reponsible for the liabilities of the corporation, usually just the officers and board(although the board is never really held accountable). Wonder what the investment decisions would look like if all those passive investors were personally liable? We have empirical data that everyone(scientist and researchers) agrees on. The current administration acknowledges the climate data is correct. If we continue to burn fuels and the byproducts we will condemn our future. Assuming we can mitigate that future now somewhat, I would urge you to lobby your representatives to ratify the Kyoto protcol.

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August 09, 2005

Greenspot in a red world

I hope this blog will meet you on some safe ground. I hope to persuade you to join us in the green party. If my scribbling finds you wondering about where we are heading then I will count it a successful endeavor. First a bit about why I want to bend your ear. Foremost in my desire is to encourage you (and me) to keep on doing our best for ourselves and our community. In the end it all comes back to where I live most of all. I think the mother of all life is the good earth we live on. Now, that said, we, all of us can do a better job at home of taking care of what comes in and what goes out. Perhaps the best way to find common ground is to use a line from a disney movie, " all drains lead to the ocean."
You and I are part of nature. Embedded in the very fabric of life with all of god's creation. I do want all of us to be mindful of that fact. If you feel like me, then that should be pretty well summed as , nature is good, nature is very good. the resources we use today, and will use tomorrow must be seen against the back drop of 7 generations from now. Yes that seems a long way off. It worked for the cherokee nation, it will for us also. Christians are reminded to be stewards, I will count myself amongst them. We are reminded to serve the sick, the poor, widows,orphans and those in prison. The green party is the answer to those prayers for me.I hope that it can be for you as well.

Continue reading "Greenspot in a red world"

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