On James Talerico...

Heather Cox-Richardson has a wonderful take on the Stephen Colbert interview with James Talerico.  

Net: Trump realizes the threat to his actual Christian base through Talerico.  A good listen.  

Rade 

The Fascist States Of America

A two-fer this morning.  HCR and Stephen Colbert!   

Heather Cox Richardson is tired of sugarcoating the reality of the Trump administration.  She's calling it what it is, and lays out how we got here. 

This dovetails in with the Rep. James Talerico interview on Stephen Colbert where he identified how "White Christian Nationalists" are using fabricated agendas to distract the public.  This was the interview that CBS demanded Colbert could not broadcast because of some FCC rule that only seems to apply with Trumps feelings are about to get hurt. ...so Colbert put it on his YouTube channel. 

Both marvelous listens.  

And the coffee has not even begun to brew.  

Onward!

Rade 

Your Daily Meme

 

RIP - Rev. Jesse Jackson

  

Oh my... reported by AP: "The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after the revered leader’s assassination, has died. He was 84. " 

How... devastatingly sad. 

  

 

We are at the threshold. Really.

One YouTube channel I follow is "Astrum Earth".  I have grown to appreciate the no-nonsense approach to explaining the science of various issues.   

In this video, AE's Alex McColgan walks us through how we are losing the battle over climate change.  It IS a 2x4 between the eyes, though for anyone who as been an advocate of environmental science, this is more of a "I told you so".  

Essentially, the worst offenders are abdicating resolving climate change remediation to us; the individuals - not relying on the worst offenders to implement changes. 

Top 20 carbon producers on the planet 

Alex also outlines that the climate experts are prescribing that the Earth will need to pass that 1.5 degree C threshold in order to turn things around... IF the population can finally get on board.  Not reassuring. 

Our land. 

Our wake-up call came two months after we moved into our home in 2004.  Our neighborhood was declared a part of a larger "Superfund Site" because of toxic fill was used in the 1980's when storm drains were installed at the bottom of our street.  Our home is located up 150 feet in elevation from hardest hit areas, but they still put our lot on the map.  We had several years of soil testing run to determine if the ground contamination found it's way to us (thankfully, it had not).  Driving down our hill, we could see trees throughout oozing sap that was tainted turquoise blue from the arsenic and mercury leeching into the ground.  Some homes were abandoned - worthless to the home owners. It took the State many years to mitigate the contamination, and ultimately they did.  The properties were cleaned up - consisting of removing feet of soil down to the rock layer below, the trees removed and replaced.  Reparations made to the people who stuck it out.  We do not have any data on the health impacts, but up the slope where our home is, I saw signs of recovery - amphibians.  Salamanders!  Started seeing them a decade ago; under planters and rocks where the soil was damp.  If this most fragile of species is thriving, then I knew we were safe. 

Stewardship. 

Over these past years, we have worked to get our lives about as carbon neutral and planet friendly as we can make it; all but eliminated our reliance on fossil fuel, better understanding of composting, recycling, reusing. This was not a "let's get it done in a week" thing; these required strategic plans and years to implement.  Upgrades to improve, preserve and protect our 25,000sqft of this planet.  

• Replacing our (c)1948 cesspool with an onsite waste water management system that filters output before sending to a leeching field.
• Replacing the oil burning furnace and hot water tank with energy-efficient heat-pump driven alternatives
• Installing a comprehensive solar architecture that enable the home to be self sufficient for 9 months out of the year.
• Replaced all incandescent lights with LED's. 
• Replaced all windows with LEED certified glass panels.
• Re-insulated the entire home to 2025 standards  
• Composting as much as possible; mulching yard waste instead of bagging and disposing. 
• Utilizing town e-Waste / recycle facilities for End Of Service Life disposal of electronics and appliances.  Similar for spent household paints and other toxins.
• Replaced gas-powered vehicles with EV's. 
• Became involved with community and coastal preservation / restoration efforts.  

As stewards of our piece of the Earth; we're (husband and I) going to do everything we can to protect it; we know, first hand how fragile this place is. So forgive me if I go off on some moron (and those adoring him...), fucking around with the planet claiming all the warnings are a hoax, removing guidelines and providing subsidies to industries against protections. We are so... damn... close.   

There is no "Planet B".  

I just hope to Hell I can live long enough to see signs that the planet is righting itself.  

Rade

       

   

Your Daily Meme

 

RIP - Robert Duvall

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor of matchless versatility and dedication whose classic roles included the intrepid consigliere of the first two “Godfather” movies and the over-the-hill country music singer in “Tender Mercies,” has died at age 95."

Wow... incredible actor.  Loved him as Tom Hagen in "The Godfather" and Lt. Col. Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now" among many films.   

Rade 

 

Morning Coffee Round-up - Presidents Day

...and other assorted chuckles.  

 

Thank you,Wiley. 

 

 

Ah-yup... 

 

"Pickles" 

"Frazz"

 

"Shoe" 

 

  

"Mother Goose and Grimm"