Why you need to vote for Obama…

I haven’t seen the latest poll, so I don’t know if the Presidential race is neck to neck right now or whether Obama has a lead, or maybe, regrettably, McCain. What I can’t figure out for the life of it is why anyone in their right mind would vote for McCain !?

John McCain, I’m sure, is a pretty nice guy, as nice as they come in the Republican Party, anyway, whatever that means because many of their flag bearers aren’t on the nice side of the character scale. People like to call McCain a Maverick. Not sure that describes him well. Just because from time to time you say what you think (if you’re thinking for yourself)rather than nod your head to what the President has said, to me, doesn’t make you a Maverick.

But McCain’s behaved and acted unlike many of his fellow party members in years past, and that says something about the state of the Republican party. If all the sudden you’re willing to vote for the black sheep in the family, then the rest of the family must be up to their necks stuck in the muck. Which means you don’t really care who the candidate is. Instead you care about which party it going to control the White House. America, unfortunately, has a two-party system. Most people vote for parties not candidates. Good democracy functions through balance - balance of power, of voices, of representation. Therefore, reason #1 why you should vote for Obama is: Balance!

1) The Republicans have been screwing up for 8 years. It’s time to balance the scale. Granted, not all Republicans are bad. But we haven’t heard much from the good ones lately. It’s time the other side got a chance. Vote for Obama to balance the system !

What are the central issues of the American Debacle 2008 ? Well, there is the economy. Inflation is up, real estate in the dumps, jobs are lost… Then there is Iraq. No need to comment further. There is energy, the subject that’s always just below the radar till prices spike. And then there is the environment, unheard of since the 1970s, it seems, with the exception maybe of the occasional mention of the ozone layer and the dying rain forests. Healthcare ? Social Security ? Which of these really matter when it comes to picking the right party ???

The economy ? No. Both Republicans and Democrats got us to where we are. Just like the boom of the Clinton years wasn’t something Bill thought up in the Oval Office. The economy as a whole is way beyond the control of any administration. Thank God for that, or Bush&Cheney might have done more damage.

But there are some things that you should think about on election day. Republicans claim Democrats like big government and government spending. But spending has never been bigger than under Bush, and government hasn’t been this big either. The war in Iraq is BIG government !!! It seems that defense, fighting wars, is the only type of government Republicans like, and they like it EXTRA LARGE. Which brings me to another dilemma.

Republicans would like to dismantle government. They prefer to say they’re cutting spending but what they really are pursuing is their goal of privatizing America into the Stone Age, replacing government programs with more expensive and less effective “private” programs that are designed to make rich people richer… I know, I know, I must be sounding like a socialist now. But that’s the Republican world view. Money’s not supposed to be spread around. That would be unfair. Money’s supposed to go to money came from. Pooling money from everyone and providing such services as healthcare and retirement is about as bad as stealing money. No, instead cut taxes down to 0%, require people to put all that money in the stock market so that, in essence, it will trickle down to those who own stock market America by way of earnings and dividends - people who already have money.

2) If you believe there is a place for government in providing equal, guaranteed programs to everyone, to spread wealth, and share the burden, then you must vote for the Democrats.

Iraq is a mess. The fact that fewer Americans are dying now is fortunate but doesn’t make it less of a mess. The fact that we haven’t had another 9/11 is not a result of the Iraq War. Everyone knows America can’t leave Iraq over night, and regardless of how long we wait, eventually America will pull out - even under a President McCain. But just like BAD CEOs who loose their company a lot of money or make fatal decisions should be fired, very bad Presidents should be fired and with them their echo-chamber party. It’s time for a change in direction. One team’s been fouling up for 8 years, the other team should get the ball, not by decree but by the voice of the people. Vote Democrat !!! Vote for Obama.

The Environment. Finally we’re talking about it. Against this challenge all others will pale for years to come. Compared to the environmental storms on the horizon, our “energy crisis” is a breeze. The energy crisis is all about economics, something we don’t always understand but have the tools to grapple with. The environmental crises of the future are unpredictable. Very few politicians in America, I think, have realized what’s going on and are willing to make this the priority it ought to be. One of them, obviously, is Al Gore, and the hope that Gore might play some kind of important role in how environmental politics will play out under an Obama administration is my reason #3 for saying:

3) Vote for Obama, and you might get a bit of Gore for free !!

Someone with the Guts to Say: “Let’s Try!”

Check out this video of Al Gore. I can’t help but think he’s the only guy brave enough to say what’s becoming ever more obvious, i.e. “We’re in deep trouble and the only thing to do is start changing things tomorrow.”

Basket Full of Goodies

Conservation for Climbers

(the following is from an email in response to thoughts about (environmental) conservation by outdoor loving rock climbers…)

The issue of conservation is a curious one when it comes to climbers. We like to think of ourselves as people who enjoy the outdoors and do their share of keeping it clean (Leave no trace). Compared to other sports/hobbies, much of what we acquire as gear has a relatively long life expectancy and therefore does not fall into the “disposable” category … but are there ways in which we could do more ? be better conservationists when it comes to our outdoors pursuits / passion ? Okay, I’m brainstorming…

- How about car pooling ? Ought to be a must-do no-brainer !!!
- How about air-miles logged getting to far off climbing destinations ?
- Can you recycle old climbing ropes or webbing ?
- How about the drinks/water bottles we bring out for climbing ? Bottled vs. Tap water !?
- How about disposable plates/silverware/cups for camping - anyone ?
- Or disposable batteries for flashlights ?
I’m sure I’m missing a bunch of things…

I’ve started thinking a lot more about this lately, now that this country may finally be entering the age of eco-enlightenment, and I try to catch myself doing things that - really - aren’t that eco-sensitive and where I could easily do better without a major loss of life-style quality.

Appearance is Everything, right ?

I read in Harper’s in the Page 1 ‘Statistics’ yesterday that 66% of school children think people with glasses are smarter than those without. We all know that folks harbor similar stereotypes for people with(out) beards. Therefore, to soothe the financial turmoil, I suggest that Ben Bernanke shave off his beard and buy some Greenspan like glasses at Walgreens. I think we’d be in better shape (psychologically) immediately.

DOW 10,500…

I’m sticking to what I said the other day. DOW 10,500 - when we get there, the worst will be over…

The Internet & Education: Learning Link by Link

You read a lot about how much today’s high school and college students use the internet for studying and doing their homework. You read enthusiastic contributions about how much information the internet makes available to them as compared to a single, ratty textbook, and about the pitfalls of letting unsuspecting kids cherry-pick from a glut of websites - where oftentimes it’s impossible to verify the authenticity and accuracy of information. All of us have heard of the tug-of-war haunting certain wikipedia articles where people try to inject their personal bias or belief, only to be outdone by their opponents…

I have no idea how internet learning will play out in the long run. But I’m getting a taste of what studying with the help of the internet is like, and I think it’s terrific. I mentioned recently that I’m studying for the ASBOG exam (Association of State Boards of Geology) to get my P.G. - Professional Geoscientist license. I probably should have done so ages ago. I might’ve remembered a few more things from college. But you know how it goes.

So I ordered a study guide and am going through it chapter by chapter. I’m finding that there is a lot of material that I need to brush up on, and eventhough I still have a shelf full of books from college, books on just about every subject, I find myself referring to the internet all the time. First of all, it’s quicker to type ‘google.com’ and then the search terms you want to know than paging through any paper index. Can’t remember the formula for Erythrite ? Google will tell you that it’s a hydrated cobalt arsenate, and the first link will tell you it’s Co3(AsO4)2-8(H2O). Wanna remind yourself of the differences between porphyry coppers and Climax-type Mo deposits… go here. Can’t beat that. This type of search works really well for specific, established, undisputed information. In fact, it works so well that - if it weren’t for copyrights - you could put together a complete textbook by culling pages from the web in no time.

I’m thinking that if you have a foundation of knowledge, the internet is a great tool to build on that. Looking up facts is quick. Getting a wide range of definitions or perspectives like you would from reading 12 instead of 1 textbook is great when you’re interested in nuance or expections to the rule once you are familiar with the rules. Clearly the internet is more uptodate than any textbook publisher. Look at all the scientific journals that have gone online rather than waste time with paper copies. But clearly googling for answers to a few questions in geology 101 can’t replace reading the chapters in your textbook. Surfing the web is shrinking our attention span to bonsai size. You want facts, you want them fast. You click on the page and scan for names or numbers without reading the whole page. If the page takes too long to load or has too much text and too little pictures, you go back to google and try the next one. You spend more time trying to save time than it would take to read the stuff in the book. I think that a loss of any serious attention span and a scanning-style mode of learning is more deleterious to the student than the occasional website that deliberately provides incorrect, biased, or distorted information.

It’s often remarked upon that whereas people who authored articles for a paper encyclopedia were recognized experts or authorities, those preparing webpages are not. That may be true. But I haven’t noticed that the information I find on most websites, say for my geology questions, is less clear, accurate or helpful than in a standard textbook. I would, however, worry that looking at only one webpage as compared to a chapter in a book will, in most cases, leave you with a much briefer introduction or explanation to the subject, as most webpages have a tendency to be rather succinct.

Personally, as I am reading, recapping, and remembering, I’m really enjoying myself. Knowing how I might be able to use the internet today as compared to 1992-1998, almost makes me want to go back to school…

Fannie and Fred in Dire Straits

The most encouraging economic news I’ve heard in recent days is that if Fannie May and Freddie Mac essentially went bankrupt (which it sounds like they will by next Thur), the US economy will be dead - execution style. There will be no loans issued whatsoever. There will be no money for nothing. Compared to that, the “credit crunch” up to now has been pussy-footing around… the only remedy would (read:will) be to make these agencies “full” agencies of the federal government. Sound scary ? Keep watching for DOW 10,500 !

PS: It’s doubtful that the Feds would NOT save FM&FM. So is this a good time to buy the stock ?

Deep Economy - Bill McKibben

I am currently reading “Deep Economy” by Bill McKibben. I recently stumbled across this book on amazon and ordered it immediately. Back on 1993 or 1994, I read BM’s “The End of Nature”. I wouldn’t go so far as saying that it gave my my green consciousness but it was fascinating and alarming reading about climate change and human impact on the whole planet before these topics became mainstream material rather recently.

The message of “Deep Economy” seems to be that our whole socio-economics systems is built around growth and the belief that “more is better” and growth is needed to improve our existence. That this is shallow or naive thinking should be clear because growth is measured on a dollar by dollar basis, and thus excludes anything not neatly measurable in dollars. But we all know that you can’t measure an improved quality of life only indollars. And we might suspect that quality of life (being better off) might include other life forms than merely homo sapiens. Yes, I think my life would be worse off if I could trade my car in for a Lexus and in return loose one species of one-celled organisms. Does that make me a radical ? Most likely so, at least in the eyes of many people who’d gladly take the Lexus.

Ramblings about a Downtown Stroll

Last week, all of us went to the Arlington, Texas 4th of July parade. The parade passes only about 1/2 miles from home every year, but doing it the American way, we piled in the car, and drove, it being hot and all, you know. Since most Arlingtonians are good Americans, they drove, too, and parking spaces were a dear commodity. I ended up dropping everybody off and then drove all over the place till I finally snuck into a McDonald’s parking lot.

After living in Arlington for nearly 7 years, I think I know my way around. But what I am essentially familiar with is 5 major thoroughfares running north and south and as many running east-west. This is all you need to know to get from A to B within my daily universe. The first time I tried certain inroads into the in-between, the islands between the thoroughfares, was when we started looking for a house in ‘05. I discovered neighborhoods I had never even seen before or heard of. Those explorations of course were all by car. The only walks around town for me - with the exception of walks across campus when I took a class at UTA a few years ago - have always been in our immediate neighborhood.

To get back to last week, I started walking from McDonald’s and headed towards where I had dropped of my folks near the parade. I crossed streets, parking lots, empty lots, sidewalks, yards, alleys… I took the shortest route, a hypothenuse, and made a major discovery - that walking around downtown Arlington is actually kind of neat ! Not because there are fancy stores or beautiful, stone paved sidewalks, parks or fountains but because you get a strange new sense of space of the place, one that you’ve crossed a zillion times by car yet feel no sense of connection with because your feet never touch the ground or breathe the air. Like with travel on the interstate, there is only A and B and the road in between, and everything else just flies by. That may not seem a dilemma when you’re driving from North Texas to Colorado. Heck, all you can think about is skiing or rock climbing, and the miles in between are just a hassle. But when it comes to moving around your own backyard, it’s kind of sad.

Living in Texas, of course, people will tell you that it’s hot, too hot for walking outdoors. But it’s a fact that keeping your home thermostat set at 65F will turn you into a whimp. Walking around in even 90+F weather won’t kill you. The more often you do it, the more quickly you’ll get used to it. We’ve simply gotten too lazy and comfortable with our A-to-B-in-5min life style. What a place like Arlington, Texas, needs downtown is shady trees, stores, free parking.. unlike many others cities of this size, central Arlington isn’t a dead-by-night commercial district. People like myself actually live half a mile from downtown. I think a place like this could really be turned around by making a few minor improvements. Having the UTA campus next door (where walking is the way to get around and students aren’t dying of the heat) might serve as a nucleus…

Well, I am no city planner. I have noticed that ever since the Dallas Cowboys decided to come to town, there have been many changes happening downtown. New construction, road improvements, new stores… most of this of course will cater to the onslaught of future football seasons. But maybe some crumbs will fall off the multil-billion dollar Cowboys plate and give us a more useful downtown. I guess the way to find out is to stick around rather than move somewhere else.