Colin

Palin refuses the gift that keeps on giving

 Dumb, Environment, Television  Comments Off
May 012009
 
image from http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/hate_is_a_strong_word

image from http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/hate_is_a_strong_word

I wish I could “say it ain’t so” (to quote the subject of this post), but it is.  In an event that demonstrates the way of the maverick, Sarah Palin has become the only Governor in the United States to refuse economic recovery funds for energy.  Why?  Because it promotes energy efficiency.  Perplexing?  You betcha.

Sure other state Governors are turning down economic recovery money, like for education, but money to invest in energy efficiency is totally the gift that keeps on giving.

Basically, the federal government wants to give Alaska $29 million for energy projects.  What does Alaksa have to do?  Spend the money on renewable energy and energy efficiency, adopt the latest building codes for energy efficiency, and begin looking at policies that allow utilities to make money selling less electricity instead of more.  I think if you read the statute closely, it even says Gov. Palin could shoot a wolf out of an airplane along the way (I guess, as long as that plane’s running on renewable fuel), but instead the trigger happy maverick decided to shoot the goose that laid the golden egg.

Remind me why our country rejected such stellar executive leadership?

Continue reading »

 Posted by Colin at 4:15 pm  Tagged with: ,

The worst part about global warming

 Environment, News  Comments Off
Feb 052008
 

beer.jpg

If you think the worst part about global warming is sea level rise, loss of Arctic habitat, or any of the other oft-mentioned perils of a destabilized and warming climate, you are wrong. A little discussed and often overlooked consequence of global warming is quickly coming back to bite us in the beer glass.

Hops and barley are in global decline due to an unprecedented drought in hops/barley exporting countries-like most of Europe and Australia. Beer is God’s gift to mankind. Benjamin Franklin codified this news when he said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” But a draught drought or rising prices mean either consuming less beer (yeah right, that would be blasphemous) or paying more for our lip-smacking libations. Those of us who consider beer to be one of the major food groups (in addition to manna from heaven) are going to suffer…either in our well-being or in our wallets. Perhaps even both. In fact, when I purchased beer just the other day, the store owner warned that prices would rise as early as his next shipment! Even Budweiser is raising prices, he said.

My sense, however, is that we don’t have to sit back and wait for global warming to send our stouts, porters, IPAs, and, hell, even PBRs into the realm of luxurious commodities accessible only to the rich and famous–something to be traded on Wall Street rather than swilled on Bourbon Street. We can be proactive with global warming solutions and keep our beers (and our bellies) if we want to.

Like I always say, global warming has a little something in store for everyone. It’s consequences like this that take your left-wing, enviro-commie “hoaxes” and turn them into issues that your average alcoholic can get behind. I can’t wait to see signs that say “Alcoholics for Clean Energy” or rallies where people chant “We want beer guts and fossil fuel subsidy cuts!”

You don’t have to be an environmentalist to know it’s time to get serious if we want to Save the Ales!

 Posted by Colin at 1:33 am  Tagged with: , , , ,

Green: It doesn’t have to be ugly

 Dumb, Environment, News, Technology  Comments Off
Jan 152008
 

am0710034.jpg

I can think of, well, nobody who is racing to the store to purchase the Honda Puyo, an eco-friendly concept car released last Fall. And, gee, I wonder why. Any thoughts? It might have something to do with its humble appearance, which seems to be the result of a collision between a toaster and a golf cart. Or maybe a loaf of bread and a golf cart. I can’t decide.

In any case, Honda’s affront to aesthetics raises an important question: If a company can make a product that’s bad for the environment, but looks “cool” (or is advertised as being “cool”), why can’t they create a product that’s good for the environment and also looks “cool”? Good luck trying to convince anyone that the Puyo looks “cool.” It must fall short of even the geekiest standards. Why does something that’s eco-friendly have to look like a piece of crap (on wheels, in this case)? Continue reading »

 Posted by Colin at 2:07 am  Tagged with: , ,

Right-wing Facebook

 Humorous, Politics, Technology  Comments Off
Jan 122008
 

Rightwing Facebook

What if there were a Facebook solely for right-wing presidential hopefuls? I’m not sure how I would react. This thought experiment helps us to imagine what that might look like. Check it out. http://www.rightwingfacebook.org/

 Posted by Colin at 4:18 am  Tagged with: , ,

Tyler, TX: Makes you just wanna eat somebody

 Gross, News  1 Response »
Jan 082008
 

Chris McCuin

It’s times like this that I hate to say I’m from Tyler, TX. What kind of times am I talking about? Well, mainly just when we make national news.
Whenever Tyler makes national news, its rarely for anything worth celebrating. For instance, a few years ago a mother bludgeoned her child. That was a national news event. More recently, a man opened fire in front of the county court house on the square in downtown Tyler with some sort of heavy machine gun and killed a few people over a custody battle. Another national news event.
But this headline takes the cake: “Man kills, cooks and possibly eats girlfriend, police say.” That was a CNN headline from yesterday. Apparently, Mr. Christopher McCuin saw fit to kill his girlfriend then cook parts of her body before doing the responsible thing and calling the cops.

According to the original article, “When authorities arrived at the home, they found [the girlfriend's] mutilated body, one ear boiling in a pot of water on the stove and a fork sticking out of some human flesh sitting on a plate on the kitchen table.” Of course, the police cannot prove that McCuin actually ate the parts he cooked.

You can find the original article at http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/01/06/texas.slaying.ap/index.html

 Posted by Colin at 4:39 pm  Tagged with: ,

Time for new wheel(s)?

 Environment, News  Comments Off
Jan 042008
 

A Walk in the Park

As you car owners out there are probably well aware, oil prices ascended to $100 a barrel this week. Now that the market has spoken, I guess its time for us to crack open our wallets and obey. Lucky for me, a Honda is still (and always will be) cheaper to fill up than a Hummer.

But there’s something out there that’s even cheaper. I found out about the vehicle in the photo–I call it a “walk in the park”–a few years ago.  Sure it has some downsides, but they’re probably all worth taking a park with you wherever you go.  Added benefits include exercise and vanished gas bills! (Your grocery bill, however, might go up.  But who doesn’t like a good meal?  Plus, I know where you can go for a picnic).

With oil prices (and obesity) constantly on the rise, a “walk in the park” looks better all the time.  Only now am I giving serious thought to ditching the (gas) pedal for the (grass) petal and perpetually strolling along a luscious green path to health and happiness.

Its the closest thing I can find to walking on sunshine. I bet it feels good.

 Posted by Colin at 4:49 pm

O-town

 News, Politics  2 Responses »
Dec 102007
 

In case you haven’t heard, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and legendary T.V. diva Oprah Winfrey cut a wide swath as they blew through South Carolina. Attracting a crowd of over 30,000, the two held the largest political rally in South Carolina’s history and the largest rally of this presidential campaign. I was fortunate enough to be there and watch history in the making (for Paula Dean’s history recipe, add 1 part historical event, plus 3 sticks of butter, and season with Oprah to taste).

The event truly was one for the record, and in my opinion it was all around first rate. From the chairs brought to the handicapped people waiting in line to the hilarious ladies standing next to me on the field, it was an event I will never forget.

Michelle Obama kicked off the event by introducing Oprah. Although Oprah didn’t bring any cars, nor did she erase anyone’s debt, she came bearing a top tier candidate in the race for the 2008 Presidential Election. Oprah spoke for a little while, but she kept her comments brief. “I love books, but I ain’t here to talk about no books,” she said, referring to criticism that she expects her endorsement to work just like her book club where she recommends something and people follow. “I got some sense,” she commented (or maybe she said “cents”. Of course both are true, but “cents” would be an understatement). Undoubtedly many were there to see Oprah, but they probably couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by their second round of O-mania–Senator Obama himself.

Oprah introduced the Illinois senator to a raucous and inescapable din that probably violated Columbia’s noise ordinances (if they have any). But what do you expect? People were excited to be there to see the first African American presidential candidate who actually has a shot at winning. One lady standing next to me when Obama came around to shake hands exclaimed, “I just touched his sweet ebony skin!” But the true testament to Obama’s ability to unite our country was evident in the make-up of the audience: young and old, black and white, rich and poor, and probably a few other dichotomies were represented too (maybe smart and dumb?). They all wanted to catch the O-Factor (not to be confused with the O’ Reilly Factor). Hopefully some of them are voters. See you at the polls!

 Posted by Colin at 9:45 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Energy Bill Passes the House (235-181)!

 Environment, News  2 Responses »
Dec 062007
 

And we thought they weren’t working. Just minutes ago, the House of Representatives passed a landmark bill that takes a few steps toward promoting clean, renewable energy.

The House Energy Bill contained several important provisions. Chief among them, however, were the renewable energy standard, which requires utilities to provide 15% of their electricity from clean, renewable sources by 2020, and an increase in CAFE (fuel economy) standards to 35 mpg. This is the first increase in fuel economy standards in my lifetime!

To see how your Representative voted, click here.

A strong energy bill is an important first step in helping us to reduce carbon dioxide emissions 80% by 2050, which is what scientists say we need to do to avert the worst of global warming.  This bill is expected to save us all money at the pump (by increasing fuel economy) and creating new jobs by promoting the development of clean, renewable electricity sources.

Up next: the Senate will vote on this bill in a few weeks. Then (if it passes the Senate), on to the President, who will definitely veto the bill. Isn’t politics fun, ya’ll?

 Posted by Colin at 9:56 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

My new license plate

 Dumb, News  Comments Off
Dec 042007
 

The astute Charleston Post and Courier published the following editorial today.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Who in New York state could possibly object to a vanity license plate — GETOSAMA — issued to a retired New York City policemen? The state Department of Motor Vehicles, that’s who.

The DMV has ordered former NYPD officer Arno Herwerth to return the plate, saying that it violates the department’s regulations against plates that could be considered “obscene, lewd, lascivious, derogatory to a particular ethnic group or patently offensive.”

The only group that would likely be offended by the message is al-Qaida. All the more reason to issue it.

Mr. Herwerth’s lawyer is seeking a court order to allow his client to keep the plate.

The attorney says it is a patriotic message. As Mr. Herwerth explained, in comments to The Associated Press: “I got the plates because of 9/11. I want to keep the message alive that this man needs to be killed or captured. It’s been a long time, but we haven’t forgotten.”

Remember, DMV?

–end of editorial–

(couldn’t resist…does this classify us now as a terrorist porn blog?)

So what’s the deal here? A “GETOSAMA” license plate is lewd and obscene, but entire newscasts about him are perfectly legit? Seems a little backwards to me. If I saw the a “GETOSAMA” license plate rolling down the road, offense would be the last thing that came to my mind….after I stopped laughing and swerving away from other cars, I’d probably forget about the whole thing.

The funniest part is, since the DMV asked for the plate back, they’ve probably brought more attention to it than it would have received on the back of a car. In any case, with our without the plate, I doubt any of us will forget about Osama. I mean how could we with our nation’s brilliant news coverage of the issue and with his own self-made video tapes?

Can’t wait to hear what Fox News has to say….

 Posted by Colin at 2:46 am
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