why is arnold at live earth?

Continuing from my post on Live Earth (how many rock stars does it take to change a lightbulb):

I'm not going to go into a discussion of how eco-riffic I am. I will say this: we have one solar panel. Four would take care of all our needs but the cost is too high. If Arnold Schwarzenegger had put his money where is mouth is and invested more money in subsidizing solar power then we might be able to have our house run entirely on solar power.

Oh look at who is making an appearance at Live Earth: if it isn't the governator himself.

(Not to mention that Arnold came into office as a result of Republican corporate business interests taking advantage of the Enron-manufactured California energy crisis, which was still never a crisis because people responded by conserving and conservation works people so we don't need more refineries or power plants . . . but don't get me going.)

There is no reason why solar power shouldn't be easily affordable to most citizens of California by now other than a lack of commitment. Everything is available: it is just too expensive because it is too new and too small of an industry. There has been some state investment but not enough.

Schwarzenegger has been in office long enough that if he'd really wanted this to happen it could have happened. He is governor of the state with the most progressive environmentalist population. He has been riding on their achievements rather than using them as a basis to achieve something great of his own.

ccocd

[CONSUMER CULTURE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER] :

A condition of paralysis created by moral panic about spending money created by contemplation of:

1. the unequal distribution of resources and/or
2. the way consumer goods participate in environmental destruction and slave-wage labor, etc. and/or
3. the soullessness of desiring material things in the face of suffering in the world and/or
4. the overabundance of choice that leads to endlessly comparing items particularly with respect to ones personal values (ethical/health/etc).

I have coined this term, CCOCD to describe a common malaise of affluent consumer-based societies. It is related to but not the same as the terms affluenza and shopaholic.

getting into god

On fourfour Rich has developed an obsession with creationism. Oh goody! He takes it out in a new category he calls "God and Stuff" by offering his distinctive commentary on two recent films:

• Friends of God: A Roadtrip
• Jesus Camp

Enjoy. And see these films. Anything that promises a man wearing fetus jewellery who is not named hanibal has got to be interesting if nothing else.

happy new year

happy holidays

Seconds after this photo was taken they started screaming and batting at each other, which is how Siamese cats "play." For more information see my previous post on "play time."

They are such calming creatures.

(Oh and those hats are, obviously, not real. Like they would sit still with those hats on their heads! The best I would be able to do would be to take pictures of them trying to disembowel the santa hats . . . maybe next year.)

play time

The players:

• Felix, male, seal point, age 1.5, 13 lbs
• Mina, female, chocolate point, age 15.5, 7 lbs

1. detente:
They have shared the space for naps. They awake and avoid eye contact.

2. making the first move:
He begins with a fake stretch -- one paw almost touching her.

3. the ploy:
His stretching moves him into a position that says: "I'm a goofball, I''m bored, and I'm now going to start bugging you." He has succeeded in provoking her. (It doesn't take much.) She raises herself and her tail begins to flip.

4. The game is afoot.
He starts to grasp at her flipping tail. If he is allowed to continue he will ultimately try to bite it. (She would do the same and he is much more playful and gentle than she is.)

5. game over:
She puts an immediate stop to his shenanigans with a sharp loud scream. She turns to bop him but because he immediately backs off she just jumps off the chair and runs away.

He usually looks very confused after these altercations.

mulled pomegranate cider recipe

home economics : food science division

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+ shameless commerce coursework -- business school

it's based on science

Finally (finally!) there is a solution to the problem that has plagued mankind for years.

How many times have you said to yourself, "I want to save the world, but I need to find something that is easy to do, convenient, and, most of all, it should be enjoyable, because otherwise, what is the point?"

Well mark your calendar, because the date for you to save the world and enjoy doing it is drawing near.

THE EVENT: Global Orgasm
WHO? All Men and Women, you and everyone you know.
WHERE? Everywhere in the world, but especially in countries with weapons of mass destruction.
WHEN? Winter Solstice Day - Friday, December 22nd, At the time of your choosing, in the place of your choosing and with as much privacy as you choose.
WHY? To effect positive change in the energy field of the Earth through input of the largest possible surge of human energy a Synchronized Global Orgasm. There are two more US fleets heading for the Persian Gulf with anti-submarine equipment that can only be for use against Iran, so the time to change Earth's energy is NOW!

(Note: I wish I had the comedic writing skills to create such hoo0ha but the above text is from the website of the organization, and yes it is a bone fide organization.)

It is worse than you think. It comes from some nut-job at Princeton and claims to be based on science. Naturally it has a professionally developed website. You can make your donation there.