Dec 122011
 

Yesterday I was still ill.  I rested and meditated on the Ellipsoid Orb, which blessed me.  I’m current with replies.  Today I have errands I have to run.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:21 (average 5:11).  To do it, click here,  How did you do?

Religious Ecstasy:

1211-Broncos13-Bears10

Short Takes:

From The Telegraph: The ‘Durban Platform’ will commit all countries to a global deal on cutting carbon emissions by 2015 although it will not come into force until 2020.

The UN marked it as an “historic breakthrough to save the planet”, that makes up for the collapse of the last high profile attempt for a global deal in Copenhagen in 2009.

From what I understand, the agreement falls well short of what is required to prevent as global catastrophe.

From Washington Post: British Prime Minister David Cameron’s rejection of a landmark accord to quell Europe’s debt crisis generated cracks in his cabinet Sunday, sparking sharp criticism from the junior partners in his ruling coalition, the Liberal Democrats.

Cameron, a Conservative euro-skeptic, on Friday made Britain the only nation among the 27-country European Union to reject a summit pact aimed at shoring up the foundations of the euro through a new treaty spelling out, among other things, binding caps on government spending and borrowing.

I don’t pretend to be knowledgeable in this area, but it appears to me that the UK is half in and half out of the EU.

From Kansas City Star: House Republicans banned earmarks, a top symbol of congressional profligacy, after they won control of the chamber last fall in a wave of voter anger over excessive government spending.

But more than half of the amendments to this year’s House Department of Defense authorization bill were earmarks, according to Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, a leading congressional critic of the practice.

Like all other Republican promises, their vow to abide by their own earmark ban is a lie.

Cartoon:

12Cartoon

Share

  11 Responses to “Open Thread–12/12/2011”

  1. 3:54

    Maybe they, in their twisted minds, think earmarks are actually in the Constitution, even though they voted to ban them. They NEED the earmarks to keep the defense contractors happy so that money still goes into their campaign coffers.

  2. Sigh….Coin-op America, where you get all the government you can afford to bribe…….

  3. 4:20  Beat you by one second…but Patty is the big winner…AGAIN!  Congrats Patty.

  4. The Durban Platform — Prior to the Durban conference on climate change, Peter Kent, Canadian Minister of the Environment announced that Canada was withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol which it signed 29/04/98 and ratified 17/12/02.

    From the UN — “The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions .These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.

    . . . the Protocol commits them to do so.”

    My understanding is that this is a legally binding agreement.  Between 2008 and 2012, Canada was to have reduced green-house emmissions by 3.3% to take it below the 1990 levels.  Instead, GHE have risen by 17%.  Could this be the reason that the Harper Government thinks it should withdraw — total failure.  Well you have to do something before it can be called a failure.  While the Protocol’s targets were 37 industrialised narions, Canada thinks it should apply to all countries.   Interesting to note is that the United States signed the Protocol 12 Nov 1998 but has never ratified it.  It is also one of the biggest, if not the biggest polluter in the world.

    If any change is going to happen to prevent a climate change catastrophe, everybody has to get on board now!  So maybe the Kyoto Protocol wasn’t perfect, but it was a step in the right direction.  Instead of clearing the slate and starting over, build on and perfect what already exists.

    Here are the words of Severn Suzuki of Vancouver, daughter of well known environmentalist David Suzuki.  Severn Suzuki, The Girl Who Silenced the World for 6:32 minutes!

    http://youtu.be/DLV6jaZFLro

    The UK and the EU — Like you TomCat, I don’t know enough, however it seems that there are several divisions in the EU.  The UK is part of the zone, but has not adopted the euro.  Additionally, I’ve read that the UK feels by signing into this recent treaty, they will give up some of their sovereignty.  There are other countries, particularly in eastern Europe that are thinking of going back to their own currencies.

    Republican Earmarks — Do as I say, not as I do! or When I say it, I’m changing my mind.  When you say it, you’re lieing.  Down with Republican/Teabaggers in 2012!

    Cartoon — Great cartoon!  You should have painted indevil horns and the end of his pointy tail coming over his shoulder.  Rove should be locked up for eternity!

    • It was never ratified, because Republicans filibustered it.  All treaties the US signs are signed subject to ratification.

      Exactly!

      LOL!

  5. One thing I forgot to put in my comments earlier is that in seeing the cartoon very quickly, I thought it said “When Monkey Speaks!” and I started laughing because I recognised Karl Rove.  Dare say, I did a second look and saw it was “When Money Speaks!” and not “When Monkey Speaks!”.  It wasn’t as funny, but then Karl Rove, while he might be a Republican/Teabagger clown, he is not funny.

    • Lynn, having said that, take a big umbrella the next time you visit a zoo.  Monkeys will be bombarding you with excrement.

      • Why go to a zoo when I can see a bunch of animals in Parliament during Question Period?!  Or if I really want to live dangerously, I go to the mall at Christmas time, sit in the lounging areas and watch all the shoppers turn into animals before my eyes!  The transformation is really quite grotesque to watch but oh so funny, especially the ones with the kids in tow!

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.