The Secretary of the Department of the Interior said Wednesday that polar bears are facing increased jeopardy for survival because "…we are concerned the polar bear's habitat may literally be melting." (according to the AP via WaPo) The Bush Administration is currently doing "studies" to determine what may or may not be causing the ice in polar regions to melt so precipitously. But they apparently have already ruled out a few things.
A final decision on whether to add the polar bears to the list is a year away, after the government finishes more studies.
Such a decision would require all federal agencies to ensure that anything they authorize that might affect polar bears will not jeopardize their survival or the sea ice where they live. That could include oil and gas exploration, commercial shipping or even releases of toxic contaminants or climate-affecting pollution.
Kempthorne, however, said his department's studies indicate that coastal and offshore oil and gas exploration _ heavily promoted by the Bush administration, particularly in Alaska _ shouldn't be curtailed.
"It's very clear that the oil and gas activity in that area does not pose a threat to the polar bears," he said.
Guess all those big oil companies can breathe a sigh of relief that the Bush Administration won't be curtailing any of their activities and that no one seems at all interested in exploring or pushing greener energy alternatives. As if that were even really a question in the first place with George and Dick at the helm but, hey, that lobbying money has to be justified somehow, doesn't it?
As for the root causes of this mysterious melting ice, there are some theories, sure:
Environmentalists hope that invoking the Endangered Species Act protections eventually might provide impetus for the government to cut back on its emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping "greenhouse" gases blamed for warming the atmosphere.
The proposed listing also marks a potentially significant departure for the administration from its cautious rhetoric about the effects of global warming. Kempthorne cited the thinning sea ice brought about by global warming as the main culprit, although he said his department wasn't required by the endangered species law to study climate change.
President Bush's steadfast refusal to go along with United Nations-brokered mandatory controls on carbon dioxide, the chief global warming gas, has contributed to tensions between the United States and other nations. (emphasis mine)
Nope, don't have to study anything that might come to a conclusion that my boss wouldn't like. Nosiree, thank you very much. Next question?
For more on global warming, try speaking to any science teacher with a working brain. Or your neighbor's fourth grade kid. Or just about anyone who isn't taking lobbying donations from Dick Cheney's hunting buddies. Here's hoping that these "studies" aren't on the same deciderating track that the Iraq ones are on…it's what, three years and counting for those, and we're still waiting.
Or you could try reading this about species of fish dying at the Great Barrier Reef because the seas are warming so much that their food sources are dying. Or this about the loss of polar bear habitats. Or this about a joint India-China study of the effects of substantial coal burning on the environment in the region. Or this, more specifically, about China and coal and the migration of this pollution across the globe. Or this from National Geographic. Or just watch this, and then keep on asking questions and looking for answers. Even WalMart is contemplating solar power for some of its stores in a test project. Shouldn't we all start asking what we could be doing — even the Bush Administration — before it's too late?
But don't ask the Secretary of the Interior, because he's not required by law to know anything about it other than "The ice is melting. It's a mystery!"
PS — Yay! Howie is home from vacation!
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FITZ!
I figure that if we do what we can, as individuals or communities, then things will be a little better than if we ignore the whole thing like Shrub wants. Solar, wind, tidal power, fuel-efficient vehicles, mass transit, everything but ’stay the course’. (And get Shrub a nice place to retire that will be thirty feet under water when the ocean rises!)
come back when Trent Lott’s porch is under water again.
impeach!
oh – by the way – perhaps folks already know there’s an oil pipeline off the TX coast that’s been leaking lately – just a few 10’s of thous. so far, at 500gal/day or so. nothing to see ‘cept a pretty slick shining in the sunset….
they’ll get divers to it one-a these days & see whas-up… it bein’ the holleydays ‘n all, it’s hard to find the help…
http://www.chron.com/disp/stor…..27681.html
PJ at 2 — there was so much information out there on this subject it was all I could do not to just do one huge linkfest. And then e-mail it to the White House. But that would presuppose that they were interested in reading and/or learning, and I decided that it wouldn’t do any good on that front. I’ve read so many different sides of these issues, and I keep coming back to “Do what I can individually to push myself — and others around me — in the right direction.” And then nudge a little more…and a little more…
I mentioned this at the very end of an article yesterday with no thoughts returned so I’ll try it again. Grist magazine had an interview with John Dingell that I found a bit upsetting. Has anyone else seen it? http://www.grist.org/news/main…..urce=daily
Read Tim Flannery’s depressing book The Weather Makers.
Triangulate that with Jared Diamond’s “Collapse.”
We are on the cusp of very bad shit.
_
Norton!1!
L.B.Arts at 5 — I saw that comment of yours yesterday but hadn’t seen the article as yet until I clicked through. It certainly does raise some questions for me — ones that I’ll be trying to get answered in the days ahead.
They must have missed this
WASHINGTON — Fifteen years of warm winter weather is beginning to change the Washington area’s landscape — with Southern species like crape myrtles having an easier time and northern types feeling less welcome, according to findings by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
The foundation has revised its map of “hardiness zones” — with each of the nine zones showing a range of average annual low temperatures that help serve as a guide for gardeners and others.
One big change was that the entire Washington area was reclassified in the same zone as parts of Texas and North Carolina.
Christy @ 4
Nah, the WH wouldn’t do anything but put us on the list of potential terrorists (hi, NSA guy!). Actually doing anything good for the environment is probably against some law somewhere, or so they’d have us believe.
These people secrectly believe it is ok for them to exploit the earth because Jeebus says it’s ok. Of course they’ve built themselves underground cities in case they fuck up the planet so much it is unlivable on the surface. Bring on the rapture!!!
Bears in Spain
BTW, if you want to see how bad it could get, Kim Stanley Robinson has two novels out, and a third in the works: Forty Signs of Rain, Fifty Degrees Below, and (in March) Sixty Days and Counting. Scary stuff in them, but hope also.
Great!
Now Shrub can stay in Dee Cee and cut the same brush he does at his pig ranch.
He don’t need no steenking vacations.
Very nice of the bald eagle, our National Bird, to make room on the Species List for the polar bear.
Damn, can these people not see what’s before their very eyes? Two back-to-back anti-clockwise winter storms that thrash Denver and bring nationwide air travel to a grinding halt aren’t enough? Trent Lott’s porch isn’t enough? The huge asthma and respiratory illness spike among US children isn’t enough? China’s air quality decline isn’t enough?
For Rapture-thinkers, there’s no need for stewardship, since they’ll all be raised up. Leaving us heathens and sinners, if we survive their LeftBehind-inspired slaughter, with their really cool stuff.
Me, I want Pickle’s pantsuits.
…oh, and:
Troops
Home
NOW
I love Kim Stanley Robinson.
Christy will you be on blog wars tonight???
Yep; I’m home– and glad to be! There were no polar bears in Tierra del Fuego but I spent plenty of quality time with the penguins. Almost every inhabitant of Tierra del Fuego who I got into a discussion with mentioned that it’s warmer than it used to be and that they worry about the hole in the ozone.
Like Brazil, Argentina has been moving very aggressively away from burning oil for energy. It’s almost a national mania and they are very proud that they import almost no oil anymore and are integrating bio-mass more and more into their energy picture.
Evil – Ignorant – Evil – Ignorant. What’s the difference? It will take a century to repair the damage the Bush junta has caused. If we can repair it.
Hang ten at 17 — nope, not me.
OOops — hang ten — actually, I do recall someone telling me that there is a clip of me with Howard Dean at YKos. So I take that back…and there is lots of the lovely Jane. :)
Christy Hardin Smith @ 21
Cool — tivo’s teed up….congrats on the publicity
hang ten @ 17
What is this?
P J Evans @ 13
KSR is a great writer, and this has been a good series so far. The idea of getting scientists more involved in political discourse sounds like a good one. We’ve certainly missed Carl Sagan lately.
Busted at 23 — It’s a documentary that a filmaker from the BBC put together on bloggers over the course of the last year. It will be shown this evening on the Sundance channel. I was hoping to get a screener, but haven’t received a copy — we don’t get the Sundance Channel, so I’m going to have to wait to buy the video to see it.
Bustednuckles @ 23
a documentary on blogs tonight on sundance at 10 and again saturday. features jane, christy and markos as well as some undesirables such as la malkin.
According to Flannery, cross-collated research done on thousands of diverse animal species shows them “voting with their feet” during the past 50 years. They are moving significantly poleward and higher where they can.
Worldwide ocean fishstocks are likely to be essentially wiped out within 40 years. There will be no more artic polar ice in the summers (and, some shipping interests are salivating at the prospect).
The 2050 vintage of Cape Thompson, Alaska Shiraz may be quite tasty though.
_
Busted — here’s the link to the Sundance Channel description. (Note the lovely pix of Connecticut Bob. *g*)
Christy Hardin Smith @ 25
Sundance isnt in my package either so I’m hoping someone puts it on YouTube or maybe BBC will offer it online.
Thank you.
No cable.
Will be searching for it another way.
One thing I gave everyone on my holiday gift list was a copy of Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. I’ve already gotten phone calls from people who said it scared the pants off of them. I answered, “Good!”
Polar ice caps melting?
It’s a mystery
There was a story in Science News a couple of weeks ago (December 9 issue) that scientists have found that mixed prairie grasses on reclaimed land actually produce more usable biomass than corn. It didn’t say if they simply mow and let the plants continue growing (my personal choice) or if they take everything down to the ground.
This germane Wikipedia article about the Medieval Warm Period might inspire additional comments about paleoclimatology and the climatic phenomema we’re presently witnessing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M…..te_optimum
An Inconvenient Truth (Complete in 10 parts):
http://www.youtube.com/view_pl…..85C4D43864
PJ at 33 — I heard a story on NPR about that research — fascinating stuff.
Stephen at 34 — There was a series that ran on PBS a few years back on death and archeology, and one of the shows dealt with that warming period and the various periods of climate shift (including a very cold period as well). It was fascinating stuff. Thanks for the link to the wiki — will take a peek.
It’s so warm and beautiful today. No shoes on and pulling out the fly swatter just days before new years is a first for me.
Here’s a link to a Wikipedia article related to the Wikipedia article mentioned in my previous comment:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H…..ic_Optimum
We just received An Inconvenient Truth as a netflix selection, and I’m looking forward to finally being able to watch it. It didn’t play for very long here, and we didn’t get to see it in the theater.
We’re way past the canary-in-the-coal mine stage, folks. We badly need a government that’ll admit there’s a problem, and if polar bears are the way for them to admit it, that’s great.
Now about that drilling that doesn’t bother the polar bears: recall that LBJ, when a Senator, said he could never be elected President because Americans would never trust a Texan to stand up to the oilmen. So we begin this fragile century with oilmen at the helm, although you’d like to have a beer with one of them (not). This phrase “having a beer with” has been devalued totally (Tom Brokaw used it about Gerry Ford yesterday, something I found completely inappropriate to say about a man who quit drinking 22 years ago in support of his wife’s sobriety).
I don’t want to have a beer with the next President; I want to have a [polar] bear with him!
Howie Klein @
18
welcome back
Apologies for my flippant comments at 3.
It’s literally beyond my powers to comment on this subject in printable language.
Too &*#*#%% angry at this horrid administration, its greed and ignorance, and flagrant dishonesty in all things, especially including environmental matters.
Anyone who has not yet seen Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth,” PLEASE go see it, take its message seriously, and take action as you see fit.
Trust me, “real” true biologists, not those paid off by this disgusting administration, believe man’s influence in speeding global warming is a REAL, DREADFUL threat to the world. Scientists are talking mass extinctions – yes, with a straight face, and in grave tones. It’s really, really serious.
I’m impressed by the comments of the current Secy of Interior. I wonder how long it’ll be till he is forced to resign….
Edwards announced today. The first announcement I recall without red white and blue everywhere.
Eureka Springs, AR @
43
I’m on the Edwards bandwagon.
rumi @ 44
That makes two of us..)
Many have been screaming about global warming for decades.
Eureka Springs, AR @ 45
…one more and we might call it a movement.
Tomorrow Begins Today!
This campaign is about each of us taking responsibility for our country’s future — and ensuring America’s greatness in the 21st century.
It is a campaign not just about what we can do in the White House — but what we can do on the way.
When you purchase the DVD of An Inconvenient Truth, it comes packaged in a small carboard folder rather than a plastic jewelbox. Inside are printed a number of things that individuals can do to reduce their carbon emissions. Very cool.
Perhaps the world is coming to grips with the possibility of world wide catastrophe as a result of our abuse of the environment. Now if we could only capture the world’s attention on the very real possibility of a nuclear war.
Adie…. I understand your anger… My 83 yr old father is a retired Wildlife Biologists from the US Forest Service… What is occurring is pretty much breaking his heart. when he worked for the USFS it was to preserve and protect forests, not sell every boardfeet you can get your hands on.
My youngest son just declared his college major, Biology with emphasis on alternate fuels. Seems that seeing Inconvenient Truth had an impact there!
Of course…. since Grandpa has been the kids Daddy most of his life…. there has to have been some influence.
This is not the first kid I have heard about that has decided to dedicate their work and education to solving this problem. Al Franken’s son is working on Tidal energy.
Katymine,
Did your Dad work out of the Suislaw Reserve?
I want a Democratic presidential nominee for 2008 that is very environmentally concerned and is, at once, against the Bush policies of foreign aggression. Who satisfies these two demands?
Ka-pow. Chris Matthews just smacked the crap out of Karen Henratty on Hardball. “This is a neocon war. No other Republican president would have taken this nation to this war in the desert and left the American army stranded like they are in Iraq, except this President and Dick Cheney and the neocons.” (I’m paraphrasing, but I caught it as I was loading the dishwasher and Matthews was pissed at her trying to rationalize this war and snidely smack at Jimmy Carter at the same time under the guise of Ford’s asking Woodward to withhold his criticism until after his passing. Very interesting moment on Hardball…)
Oklahoma kiddo @ 52
Al Gore?
The Polar Bear story, and the reaction to it, is just the latest indication that global warming is going to be an important political issue leading up to the 2008 elections. I think a couple of things to watch for are:
a)Which Democratic presidential candidates will make global warming a priority by giving it a prominent place in their campaigns? Which candidates will only pay it lip service?
b)Will congress pass a bill putting serious restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions either through an energy tax or through a “cap and trade” approach on industry emissions similar to the European system?
I know President Bush is likely to veto any serious global warming bill, but if congress passes a bill it will be an important signal that the United States is ready to act on the issue and it make it harder for candidates to avoid talking about global warming as they largely did during the 2004 and 2006 elections.
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” – Upton Sinclair
And indeed, so many ’salaries’ in the Bush administration and the greater American bureaucracy balance on that fine point…Men and women who perform calumnies and mendacious mischief, relying on historical precedent which posits that pardons and ‘image rehabilitation’ (by a compliant media and a public adverse to informed review and non-negotiable confrontation of misdeeds against the public interest) will be their expectation, in spite of their feckless acts in support of a kleptocracy.
And yet…The fear is taking hold, for that same historical precedent informs us that in order for the escape from justice to occur, there must be some …sacrifices.
Who will be next, I wonder?
;>)
OT and apropos of nothing, today I heard a term term on the local public radio talk show: “technoskepticism”…in the context of biotech and genetically modified foods, etc.
Na Bustednuckles, he retired here after working as the lead range management specialist for the NV USFS and BLM for the state. He was in charge of making sure the cattlemen respected their contracts with the Feds…..
He had a quite a standoff with a rancher once… the contact was for 500 head of cattle per specified acres and when Dad showed up the guy had about 5 times that amount….. the guy tried to spin it but Dad called for the cattle 18 wheeler truck to show up and started hauling any over the contacted number.
Loved it when he took me out to see the wild horse herds….. Lordy are they beautiful. PISSED because BushCo has endangered them too!
Matthews WAS pretty pissed, wasn’t he?
Good on him…
OH OH OH!!!
the president has decided to hold “non decisional meetings”!
HE’S DECIDED NOT TO DECIDE!
now THAT’S the best decision this president has EVER made.
Christy, I just heard that too–Matthews just talked right over her lame voice. It was great! He whipped out that sentence, which you paraphrase, as if it was lying in wait for her dumbness. Her snide remark about Carter was crass.
perris @ 59
George W. Bush: The Decidenottodeciderator
Hmmm. CNN leads with Iraq, not with President Ford or John Edwards.
Dana at 60 — It was odd, because he hasn’t done that with a guest for a while. He seemed genuinely ticked off and not just showboating — and really called her on the carpet.
perris, do you have a link?
neurophius @ 61
Decider House Rules
OC at 58 — You having a good vacation week, I hope? (I’m assuming you guys get the whole week off…)
katymine at 58 — I would love to see a herd of wild horses. I bet that is breathtaking to watch.
katymine @ 58
At least he retired to some pretty country.
F*cking clearcuts not included.
I think Edwards or Kucinich will pay much more than lip service to the warming issue.
Don’t have details but Kucinich mentions restoration of the family farm in his top ten list of issues. It’s an integral part of the solution imo.
Small example, My community doesn’t need tomatos shipped a thousand miles or more (at least six months out of the year) when we could easily support small farms in the area and have more than enough at good prices.
Katymine, My response is in moderation.
I said at least he retired to some pretty country.
I wore just a cotton sweater over a golf shirt today. In NY during the Christmas holidays. I was much too warm for a jacket or coat.
We have been making “Christmas in Miami” jokes all day. My roses are in bloom. It’s very eerie.
Christy Hardin Smith @
67
thanks for asking! yes – we get the entire week (much needed)… but dealing with aging parent issues that are a little heavy – so not so much fun…. (but I am very glad to have the time)
Lemme get this straight. The Unitary Executive is going to spend a year, and presumably millions, to “study” the reasons why polar bears are on their way to joining the brontosaurus, but, before these studies begin, they are, a priori, ‘very clear’ that Exxon and other arctic drillers aren’t culpable (or anything, except all they good they for the economy an’ all). Of course they know they’re an empire and get to shape reality to their liking and we’re the ones, in the reality-based world, who are left in the dark, to do the studies of their genius after the fact (which admin official said that?). But we really won’t get to the studies, because we will have drowned by that point. Great. I’m gonna get drunk now.
Somebody buy Woodward a better tape recorder!
Eureka Springs, AR @ 69
On the radio I heard a talk by Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation. One of his theses is that the standardization and uniformity of the mass-consumption culture has greatly contributed to the demise of the small family farm.
neurophius @ 65
teh president’s own site
Christy Hardin Smith @ 68
Christy, the last time I saw the horses was north of the Ruby Mountains in NV, a herd was along side the road and the lead stallion was racing my Dad’s truck. He was a big black with brindled strips, tail that drug the ground.
It was breath taking to see the herd running along with us (not more than 15 mph) and then veering off over the hill into the woods.
BN…. ya F**k’n clear cut right outside the big picture window of my Dad’s house… Wind howls right through the place now and can hear the trucks going up and down the road.
it’s a non-decisional meeting
led by a derisional (and delusional) deciderer
OT from AP:
“
CRAWFORD, Texas – President Bush worked nearly three hours at his Texas ranch on Thursday to design a new U.S. policy in Iraq, then emerged to say that he and his advisers need more time to craft the plan he’ll announce in the new year.
“
Bush is so pathetic that I can’t even tell if they’re being snarky or not.
punaise @ 77
And they hold the non decisional meetings with the derisional, delusiional, deciderer in debunker of his non disclosable destination.
Eureka Springs, AR @ 45
Depending who else announces and when, I may be as well. He’s certainly a good candidate. I’m a bit concerned about his lack of government experience, particularly of the executive branch kind, but that’s not a disqualifier.
U2:
Who’s gonna ride your wild horses?
Who’s gonna drown in your blue sea?
Who’s gonna ride your wild horses?
Who’s gonna fall at the foot of thee?
Frank – why is they always round UP when calculating Bush’s working hours… “he met for almost an hour with Gates”, etc.
curious, don’t you think?
Fini FiniTOOBZ! @ 80
and to get Cheney to stop lying we need a defibrillator
Ah, my heart bleeds for poor Georgie, he had to work for nearly three whole hours today. [/snark]
Wish he had to work 40 hours a week for real, and spend another two or three hours a day commuting on top of it.
Goody. b43 spent a whole hour on the Iraq problem with the man appointed to solve it — the single biggest problem facing his administration. Did that include the obligatory prayer session or was that extra?
OldCoastie @ 84
P J Evans @ 84
Deciderating to not have decisional meetings in debunker is hard work. Its hard work!
Cujo359 @ 82
Ya mean like Obama?
OT via Huffpo, Arlen Specter backs talking to Iran, saying that he would like to give President Ahmadinejad “a piece of my mind”. If Specter stays to true to form, he would indeed criticize Ahmadinejad and then agree to anything he wants. Also giving Ahmadinejad a piece of his mind could prove dangerous to Specter who has shown over and over again he has so little to spare.
Eureka Springs, AR @ 70
I don’t know how it is in the middle of the country, but I have acquaintances on both coasts who buy food from cooperatives. These coops tend to be self-run, some seem to ask that you contribute work as well as money, but there usually is plenty of food there. If you cook a lot, they’re an attractive idea.
Disclaimer: I don’t cook enough to use one of these personally.
btw, do y’all think that b43 is actually reading the written briefing reports he receives on Iraq now? If I remember it, he once said something about not needing to do so, since he has people to summarize those briefings verbally…
Cujo359 @ 82
I’ve been having the most fun watching the pundits talk about the negatives of the potential Democratic nominees. The cracks at Obama are my favorite: Sounds like “Osama”. Middle name is “Hussein”. Dresses like Ahmadinejad. What everyone wants to say is, “These people have no experience in international policy.” They can’t say that, though, because the obvious response is: “Well, Bush didn’t have any international experience, either.” Then the pundits will have to say, “Exactly.” And even at 30%, these goofballs STILL can’t say that the emperor has no clothes on.
I have to admit, purely on a personal note, I am pleased that Edwards entered the race today because, frankly, he’s a hottie. All politics aside, and knowing that he’s in a happy marriage, the man certainly makes for good viewing. *g*
And that superficial note aside (which, I freely admit is completely superficial and non-substantive, but allow me a human moment please…), the fact that he brings a discussion of poverty to the front page makes me very happy indeed.
Blub @ 92
You think he actually remembers how to read? (I heard he never reads anything more than one page long. The ‘executive summary’ for those who have to deciderate, yes?)
One of the things I miss most about the WOrld Trade center being gone (besides the people and the skyline) is the wonderfull farmer’s market they used to have on Wednesdays and Fridays. Local produce from upstate NY, NJ and Eastern Penn. Really good pies and jams too.
It was the first place I heard the term “heirloom” applied to a vegetable or fruit variety. From this lovely Pennsylvania Dutch woman (who made THE BEST bread) who told me that a movement was starting to save species of fruits and veetables from extinction by having seed exchanges.
She put me on a mailiing list. I always wondered what happend to the farmers after 911.
looseheadprop @ 89
As I’m sure you’re aware, that’s not one of the choices, although he’d make Edwards look better by comparison. So far, Edwards, Kerry, and Clark seem worth supporting, and possibly Richardson or Gore. I don’t know a thing about Vilsack, but that’s not necessarily a negative.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 94
I don’t like his hair.
Cujo359 @ 89
In Indiana many of the farmers that do these coop arrangements have modified the arrangement to kind of like a stock share arrangement. You pay x amount of money for such and such a share of ownership of the cow/crop/pig whatever. The farmer does all the work and when the share you purchased produces a crop or puts out some milk or is slaughtered you get your share of it. I’m considering buying a share in a dairy cow this year from the organic dairy farmer I buy my cheese and yogurt from.
Punaise,
Erosion, chemicals, genetics in seeds, transports of goods not to mention quality of food. These are the kinds of ideas that should be an integral part of anything called homeland security, agriculture, energy, etc.
My father and uncle tried working the family farm (600 acres) in the late 70’s early 80’s. They produced enormous amounts of goods! Bottom line is, no way on earth a sqare mile of cultivated, irrigated bottomland support two small families. Something is very wrong with that, imo. They eventually sold it to one of the largest farmers in that part of the state.
P J Evans @ 86
Better yet, I’d like to see the twit work the 70 plus hours/week I used to put in teaching university. The only reason many teachers don’t work another job during summer hols is that it’s the only way to keep the body & mind from imploding. :-(
LHP at 96 — I recall another greenmarket that I visted once in NYC that wasn’t at the Towers but further downtown. (Sorry, can’t recall where…maybe one of our NYC readers knows what I’m talking about.) It’s been years ago, but there was amazing produce from all over New England brought in for the market. Here in WV, where you would think there would be more markets like this with as many family farms and home gardeners as there are, I have trouble finding a good market. Go figure.
btw, in case folks are contemplating beginning a home garden this year, check out Seeds of Change and Seed Savers Exchange for some great heirloom seed offerings.
rumi @
44
I went over to C-span to watch his announcement on video (real or windows media-available) I was impressed with his call to action and by his answers to the media questions afterwards.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 100
I used to live in a neighborhood here that had a garden club that formed their own farmers market event once a month at the local park. They offered their own produce and invited some other farmers to join them and its now a very well attended gatherong on the last Sunday of the month from May through October. Maybe you could get together with some local gardeners and do the same?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 103
Heh heh,
I remember you being glad to see the new seed catalogues the other day.
Have some plans, do you?
Fini at 105 — That is a GREAT idea. Thanks!
Busted at 106 — I absolutely do this year. I missed planting season last year, and didn’t get my usual tomatoes/cukes/peppers/herbs in the ground in time, and my lettuce went nowhere because it got too hot, too early by the time it got planted. This year, I am NOT missing the planting season if I have to start my garden by moonlight.
Here’s something for some rather grim entertainment, btw,
http://www.chron.com/disp/stor…..30802.html
1 in 4 Americans polled by AP say that Bush tops their global “villian” list… he outpolls even OBL. 13% say he’s their darling hero. How badly do you have to FUBAR your job before you outpoll your country’s #1 foreign enemy for villain-of-the-year, in your own country?
OT, but tonite at 10, Blog Wars will be showing on the Sundance channel. There’s alot of coverage of Jane (she has a really cute house with a backyard pond). Scarce over at MyLeftNutmeg.com will be posting something about it, with videos, on Kos.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 105
Its also become quite a social gathering too with acoustic musicians performing and folk artists setting up a card table to sell their stuff too. Its a very cool way to meet your neighbors and form community ties too. Could be a stealthy way to do political outreach too.
Sue at 110 — thanks much! :)
CHS @ 103 -
Thanks for the heirloom seed links. This was the first summer I’ve seen several h.l. tomato varieties available at local farmer’s stands/markets – one of them a lovely “purpley” color. And talking about dreams of fresh veggies, I bought some corn identified only as “super sweet” that made Silver Queen taste like nothing at all; gotta track down more specifics as to variety of that one.
Christy, something for you to consider;
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi…..renow57-20
I have my grandmothers original hardback.
I love it for the stories, etc. You might enjoy also , the planting by the signs chapter.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 108
…and she planted by the light of the moooooon!
I love it when Christy talks about gardening. *s*
lhp – I think John McPhee (Giving Good Weight?) wrote a wonderful short about the NY farmers market.. of course I like all of his stuff.
Eureka Springs, AR @
100
something wrong, indeed.
and thus Generica is being built.
Waccamaw @ 111
I’ll ask around on that for you, the local farmers in Indiana are famous for sweet corn so sugary sweet you could bake with it. I had some sweet corn this past summer that was gloriously sweet.
Eureka, love John McPhee!!! Have you read Oranges or A Room Full of Hovings? Not to mention Coming Into the Country (my fave) and Controlling Nature , about the challenges NO faces being below sea level and also about my mountains, the San Gabriels, and the debris flows that come every coupla decades and wipe out anything in their paths.
Love the way he works, too, picking someone who’s an expert on what he wants to write about and living/working with them for as long as it takes to grok it completely. Every time he sits down to write, he wonders whether anyone will be interested… what a great inspiration for any writer studying him.. All those books and he still gets stage fright.
Here’s an appearance that showed (for me) the maturity and change from 04
transcript
‘Hardball College Tour’: John Edwards
Speaking of heirloom seeds, I’m still poring through the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog I got yesterday. Amazing variety of seeds, plus a healthy dose of antiwar quotes throughout. I’m really enjoying it, and will probably end up buying way more than I can actually plant–just like last year.
Jacqrat @ 104
I think the attitude of ‘it’s what we need to do now, not what we promise to do later’ that seems to be the platform.
When I see all the media hype, I hear this voice in my head…
“Not Obama!”
I thought Edwards presented himself quite well on Hardball – and yes, he does seem older, more powerful and more focused.
sophie at 121 — Ooooh, a new catalog! Thanks much for the link…
Mommybrain – He really is great. I have read everything of his I can get my hands on since I was about 9 yrs. old. My earliest memory is of his story on a float trip with Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter. His pulitzer for Annals of the Former World sure was nice to see. I had no idea about his stage fright.
Fini @ 118 -
Oh, yes! …..plez, if you would! I could eat a dozen ears of that stuff every single day of the year. And speaking of which, there are several very precious packs in the freezer…….that’s gonna be supper! ‘Xcuse me while I get get something to wipe the drool off the keyboard *g*.
Sophie G – Tks for the additional link for seeds. You & Christy must have been VERY good in a former life to have gotten catalogs already.
Department of Interior website:
my bolding. I thought Carter’s AMNESTY did that. Must have it confused…is a PARDON an amnesty too?
John Mcphee should join Pull Up A Chair. Maybe I will track down an address and invite him. :)
Eureka at 129 — Oh, now THAT sounds like a fun way to spend a Saturday morning. :)
Eureka, me, too. Although I did miss the float trip with Carter. A book or a piece in the New Yorker?
I don’t remember where I saw the interview with him – maybe the New Yorker – but you could google McPhee on writing and find it. I can’t do that where I am, or I’d provide a linky for you.
Waccamaw @ 125
I’ll ask my brother, his house and property butts up against a farmer he is friends with. He may know the name of the variety his neighbor plants or could ask him. I know at the labor day cookout this year the farmer neighbor brought the corn we grilled and it was the best!
Christy – He has a new book out and a web site. I should have known. No contact info on the site. I will keep digging.
mommybrain – He’s a staff writer for the New Yorker! The Carter story is in a book. Let me look in the Eureka library and post it here in a couple mins.
Fini @ 132 -
Mercy buckets again…..if you find out, you can usually catch me most mornings & ALWAYS at “Pull up a chair”!
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITI…..index.html
Dem senators making noises (plus the usual half-arsed grunts from Arlen) about giving us back habeas corpus and other nice things… like protection against torture
Eureka, IIRC, he ditched the NYer when Tina Brown was running it and came back when she left.
I’ve read an excerpt from the new book in the NYer in the last 6 months.
Huzzah. McPhee fans!
speaking of green vegetables… lesson learned just now: if you have a container of split pea soup in the frig, make sure the lid is on tight BEFORE you knock it to the floor. Split pea has a surprising amount of bounce and it is difficult to get it out of your hair.
OldCoastie at 138 — I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing with you… *g* (And some day remind me to tell you my eight months pregnant chocolate fondue splatter story…)
Fran Townsend on CNN says failure to capture Osama Bin Laden is “not a failure.”
No satire required here. She is self-satirizing.
I’m laughing with you because I know the same thing can happen with a can of dark walnut wood stain.
I’ve been out cleaning up the garden, bringing in the last of the passion fruits, the beginning of the avocados, and some bamboo shoots to cook ( I grow over 30 varities of bamboo on the property).I’m in southern California area, but we have had very cold and windy weather lately, and fires in my area. Even here I can see a change in weather over the last 20 years. And a change in what grows best and what doesn’t work anymore. I just hope the Dems aren’t chicken against the auto and oil lobbiest to change some legislation, but we’ll see.
mommybrain – Here we go
John McPhee Reader
new thread
Eureka Springs, AR @ 143
Oh, Eureka, just looking at the table of contents makes my mouth water. I’ve read and loved each of those. I don’t know how I missed the Carter story. Maybe that was during the awesome ‘ere deluge of the late 80’s (and early and late 90’s and so on and so on…)
Our tardiness in reacting to the challenge of Global Warming ( I should really use the phrase “human impact”) has probably lost us the stark beauty of the polar bear. We probably cannot act quickly enough to save this glorious animal.
However, if its placement on the endangered species list provides the required energy to actually do something about our collapsing environment the maybe there is some redemption in the tragedy of the polar bears’ passing.