I Tried To Warn Ye

You Guys Is Being Used

Okay, I've written about this many times but I'll go over it again.

You good Christian Conservatives are being USED by business interests. I first stumbled upon this in 2003 while doing research.

The great master of manipulating Christians to support business interests is Ralphie Reed, former director of the Christian Coalition. See, Ralphie knows how to work up his "base" with emotionalism and get them to the polls.

Most recently, he used this ploy during his work as a so-called "political advisor" in Texas. See, he got his Christian fundamentalist foot soldiers all worked up about keeping gambling casinos out of Texas Indian reservations. What he didn't tell anyone (and says he didn't know) is that funding for this initiative was coming from Louisana Indian casinos who didn't want the competition in Texas.

An e-mail from Michael Scanlon (friend of superlobbyist Jack Abramoff) reads:

"Simply put, we want to bring out the wackos to vote against something and make sure the rest of the public lets the whole thing slip past them. The wackos get their information through the Christian right, Christian radio, mail, the Internet , and telephone trees."

See, good Conservative Christians, you are faithfully serving business interests, and the lobbyists don't even respect you. They are calling you "wackos." They know how to touch the "gambling button" and "Christian morals button" and whatever button they want to get you to jump up and do exactly what they want.

YOU ARE BEING USED!!!

So now, Ralphie, who was involved with all of this, is running for Lt. Governor of Georgia. He knows the system, he knows how to work the single-issue voters. This time, don't fall for it. Please! These people use Christians for financial enrichment. It's like the "Christians" who swindled my mother's life savings in an investment scheme. Yes, they are working you and playing you for a fool.

Don't fall for it, and don't vote for Ralphie.

"The corrupt lobbyists who were leading this effort were counting on the gullibility of Christian conservatives and the ignorance of everyone else."

Boy, that says it all.
Source: Jan. 20, 2006, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Iran, Please Don't Nuke Us!

Now, this new Iranian president is a real
piece of work. Bush don't pay any attention
to us tree-huggers, but this guy sure can
get his attention.


Goodness Gracious Alive

So, I've been reading a lot on Iran lately. Yeah, they are a real thorn in America's side, a real pain in the butt. Funny thing is, and this just hit me today, is that all the SUV owners are driving us to nuclear war. See, I was shocked to learn that Iran has the second largest oil reserves in the world, so they have endless money and a lot of power. They put out 4.2 million barrels a day on the world market.

Thus, when you drive around in your gas-guzzler, you are giving Iran more leverage and more bargaining power. We need that oil more than anything, but it's just paving the way for them to build nukes. And they surely plan on nuking Israel, so when they do it, the Christian yuppies in their SUVs can go around screaming, "Armageddon, Armageddon, see I told ya so!" Wow, talking about a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Let me now wander no more. I'm so disgusted by this crazy world and the mindless masses who don't "get it" that I'm about to go nuts. Why do we humans want to destroy ourselves so badly? Why can't we keep on learning, progressing, sharing, loving, and caring? Why does it all have to end in a nuke showdown between theocracies?

On A Happier Note

I'm not really big on the immigration issue because I see it as simply a side-effect of our global population explosion. But, nevertheless, I really like this witty letter to the editor in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Most people will read this and go, "Huh, I don't get it." But I sure do.

Dear Editor,

Jay Bookman believes my objecting to subsidizing labor costs of the construction, poultry, and other industries makes me an immigrant basher and a bigot.

I belive the the house-building boom has generally been a bad thing for Georgia and an environmetnal disaster for a town once known as "a city in a forest." I reject the argument that illegal labor is essential to our "prosperity." Bulldozing our forest to build new subdivisions, or selling out our citizenship for cheap chicken nuggets, isn't the kind of "prosperity" we need.

D. Lee Smith
Jonesboro

Happy MLK Day

We march for our future.

A Special Day

I'm really tired, overworked, and burnt out. Everyday is a repeat of the last day, and when you get older it seems to go in fast motion. I wish I could have been there in the MLK parade — it's been several years since I've marched.

It's like constantly I have this guilt on my shoulders that I have to try and save the world, but there are times when I'm just trying to survive, trying to hold my job, trying to stay afloat financially, trying to keep up with the hundreds of things that never get done, and I'm just thinking that, well, maybe I should just let it go for this one afternoon, but I can't. I think that maybe there are some politicians out there doing the job of saving the world, but I know there aren't. There ARE a handful of people trying to make the world better, but most of them are only programmed to save a small part of it, and they don't work toward the overall goal. But each in their own way contributes. Every single person in the picture above is a big winner in my book because they are actually DOING SOMETHING, yes, DOING FUCKING SOMETHING to make the world better.

And then there are the millions and millions of innate people. Yes, the Republican Party is the party of greed, and the party of the innate. And God bless my dear brother friend Jack Clark, who has a weekly podcast called Blast the Right, and each week he exposes more of the pathetic Hard Right hypocrisy. So, yes, Jack is doing something beautiful because he is standing up for truth and justice, and he is exposing the lies and the evil, and the Machine that wants it all.

So, half the time I'm not really doing anything, and blogging doesn't count toward saving the world, it's really a waste of time. But I still do a lot of volunteer work for the environment, and I still give a lot more time then most people, but it's not nearly enough. And then I think about all the things I COULD be doing with my God-given talents to organize, but I'm not using them, so really, I am just wasted brain matter. But every thing takes time, it requires driving, and it requires a lot of energy. It is so much easier just to stare blankly at the boob tube and watch the nightly garbage, like the millions of other innate Americans. I should just snuggle in front of the TV and watch 24, whatever the hell that is.

But I can't .... because .... I can never get over that guilt of not doing .... enough ... to save the world.

A Little Bif of Activism

Shame on you Travis.

Gotta Watch These Guys

Okay, I'm blogging less these days because I'm trying to spend more time being an ACTIVIST again. I mean, it's fun to live here in cyberspace where I can vent on my blog, debate on discussion boards, and play with my website, but the real difference is made when you get out into the real world and ADVOCATE.

So, I'm proud of myself. I actually left cyberworld and wrote a letter to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Okay, they received over 600 letters this week and mine somehow didn't make it, but I no less felt good writing it.

Okay, I already do SOME work in the real world: I do a lot of administrative volunteer work for the Georgia Sierra Club. I no longer have the heart to work on local issues like I used to, because I feel that such work only accommodates more growth. So, for a while I was working on global population, then I switched to sustainability, and lately I'm now focusing on new ways of thinking. Or, to use a term from a friend, I want to reengineer memes*.

Anyway, back to the letter. See, the road building lobby in Georgia has a front group called Georgians for Better Transportation. Just the name of this organization makes my skin crawl because they don't care at all about better transportation. They only support alternative transportation just enough to camouflage their real intent — which I call "window dressing."

Regretfully, Country music star Travis Tritt was the headliner at their big event Thursday at the Fox Theatre, where they threw a big party for state politicians and local highway officials. Oh, and who really finances Georgians for Better Transportation? Surprise - the big grading companies. You know, the asphalt kings. God bless 'em. The following is my letter:

Dear Editor,

I was disappointed to see that Travis Tritt has sold out to the road-building lobbyists by performing for their party at the Fox. I happen to live near Mr. Tritt’s house, and I doubt he would like a five-lane road paved in front of his residence.

What’s particularly troubling is the name of this asphalt-pouring group: Georgians for Better Transportation. This is a bit cynical, since road building is the only form of “better transportation” that this group honestly advocates. The powerful asphalt lobbyists may bring personal enrichment to themselves, but for Georgians they only offer eternal road congestion and reduced air quality.

The least they can do is have a more sincere name, like “Contractors for More Roads.”

Sincerely,

Yellow Canary

*Meme: A cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one generation to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation); "memes are the cultural counterpart of genes"

P.S. I just read that Baby 300 Million will be born in the U.S. in October. Hurray, let's have a party.

Simply Amazing

Simply Amazing

I am back out in full exploration mode. I'm visiting people, I have several lunches lined up, I am visiting churches, and going to meetings. My wife bought me a little laptop so I can begin recording my experiences and taking names and phone numbers, and storing tons of information.

The problem, however, is that I'm either a withdrawn hermit in my backyard office or I'm overextended, and then get burnt out. I wish I could find a happy medium. It's so hard not to overcommit.

To end my rambling for today, here is an excerpt from Canary Brother Brian:

It is amazing how religion (chrisitanity in this case) has developed a defense mechanism capable of deflecting any doubt, regardless of facts. One argument that christianity developed was believing things on faith, when all else fails. It makes arguing impossible, when someone that gets backed into a philosophical corner looks at you and say "i don't care about the facts or logic, I believe it on faith." There is no reply.

"Thought Contagion" was a very influential book for me, outlining how memes take hold in various aspects of society, including religion. If you buy the concept, memes can explain most of our behavior, especially religion. Memes become like an organism in itself, competing for organisms to obey and spread its rules. Very interesting. Are you up on mematics?

And an interesting article that Canary Brother Gene sent me: http://www.michaelcrichton.com/speeches/complexity/complexity.html

Yeah, I think it's B.S., but the article is interesting.

Finally, a "shout out" goes to my fellow blogger Brett, who closed down his wonderful blog "Three Decades Later." He is a great writer - I will miss his entries. May his good blog rest in peace.

Yellow Canary

2006: A New Year Arriveth

Me at a German restaurant in Helen, GA, with a lemon
in my mouth. I took my daughter to see Helen during
her Thanksgiving holiday. The whole place is a cheesy
tourist trap, but it was still fun.

What do I want to do for 2006? I suppose I want to continue the good fight. But since 2003 I've experienced a burnout and I just can't seem to muster the strength, energy, and passion that I once had. For six years I went full throttle as an environmental activist: Political campaigns, zillions of meetings, demonstrations, conservation work. I still want to help the cause, but I just don't have that drive in me anymore. One way I know that I can help is to be an encourager and mentor to others. If I've hit a wall, maybe there's someone else out there that I can positively influence to lead the Sustainability Movement. I know that I was never destined for greatness and never had a desire to be a politician or some famous leader. That goes against my humility pledge, which is to be total dirt. That is how I understand Christianity - total humility.

My friends in the environmental movement are my family and community. To help and take care of them is the best thing I can do. Besides, I LOVE being around like-minded people.

Yellow Canary Reviews

I did get a very nice review of my website and blog a couple of months ago. The nice person said I appeared amazed that so many people haven't considered or accepted what I believe is the obvious. Well, this good person is very perceptive because that is the bottom line. I am AMAZED, truly amazed that people live their lives and simply don't "get it." I'm talking about the big issues, like global warming and overpopulation, and how they are having a huge impact on our daily lives. People don't understand why manufacturing jobs are going overseas, or why people in South America hate us. They totally don't get it, and they react to these situations in a totally ignorant and bizarre fashion. A perfect example is Pat Robertson, who said that the president of Venezuela should be assassinated. That says it all right there, and the Rev. Robertson is the perfect spokesperson for a massive, mindless, majority. Thank you, Pat.

Oh, and here is an excerpt of the nice review of my website, written by a brother:


Your website is impressive, both interesting and enlightening, clear, concise and funny. I like it. Most importantly, your writing style is non-confrontational. You are able to portray your opinions as self evident facts, that you are amazed many people haven't considered or accepted. I like your quick guide to agree to reducing our footprint, it hits the big items that people can act on. This website will increase awareness of pressing environmental problems. Do you have much traffic on it? How long has it been up? Why did you choose the metaphor of yellow canary?

A Little Housekeeping

This blog is entirely about one person's quest to achieve global sustainability. Every entry is related to this topic. When I first started this blog I had a couple of entries not related to this subject, so tonight I removed one and modified the other to fit (is that allowed)? This blog is really an open diary of my search for answers: Not the mystery of life, but how humanity and the Earth is going to ever survive. Right now, humanity is living unsustainably. In other words, we cannot go on living the way we are now indefinitely. We can't keep throwing away tons of plastic, wasting water, having large families, and wasting ungodly amounts of energy. Despite what the clueless economists suggest, we can't keep growing indefinitely. In fact, GROWTH IS NOT GOOD. Yes, we are programmed to believe this, but it is untrue.

Wise up, oh ye humans. You all are in for a big shock.