Lynn Squance

Squatch’s Open Thread 26/04/2016

Posted by Lynn Squance at 3:04 am Open Thread, Politics

Apr 272016

So it has been almost 2 weeks since I last published an article, not because I did not want to, but because I have been very, very busy with all sorts of activities. Something had to give and it was publishing. Last Sunday during a church service, five of us were commissioned and anointed into the ministry of pastoral care having finished our training and police background checks. Of course I have been teaching and attending physio. Last Friday, I looked after Lucia's two youngest while Lucia took some "me time". I was totally wasted by the afternoon when Lucia returned. What's more, I managed to escape a nuclear diaper! I'll do the same next week so Lucia can be with Loliyo at a dance competition. There are also routine things like doctor's and dentist's appointments, and the most important, snuggles with the fur babies. I still have to do the taxes but since neither of us owe any, it isn't a big worry.

Short Takes

The Nation — Global warming is, in the end, not about the noisy political battles here on the planet’s surface. It actually happens in constant, silent interactions in the atmosphere, where the molecular structure of certain gases traps heat that would otherwise radiate back out to space. If you get the chemistry wrong, it doesn’t matter how many landmark climate agreements you sign or how many speeches you give. And it appears the United States may have gotten the chemistry wrong. Really wrong. …

In February, Harvard researchers published an explosive paper in Geophysical Research Letters. Using satellite data and ground observations, they concluded that the nation as a whole is leaking methane in massive quantities. Between 2002 and 2014, the data showed that US methane emissions increased by more than 30 percent, accounting for 30 to 60 percent of an enormous spike in methane in the entire planet’s atmosphere. …

These leaks are big enough to wipe out a large share of the gains from the Obama administration’s work on climate change—all those closed coal mines and fuel-efficient cars. In fact, it’s even possible that America’s contribution to global warming increased during the Obama years. The methane story is utterly at odds with what we’ve been telling ourselves, not to mention what we’ve been telling the rest of the planet. It undercuts the promises we made at the climate talks in Paris. It’s a disaster—and one that seems set to spread.

The Obama administration, to its credit, seems to be waking up to the problem. Over the winter, the EPA began to revise its methane calculations, and in early March, the United States reached an agreement with Canada to begin the arduous task of stanching some of the leaks from all that new gas infrastructure. But none of this gets to the core problem, which is the rapid spread of fracking. Carbon dioxide is driving the great warming of the planet, but CO2 isn’t doing it alone. It’s time to take methane seriously.

MSNBC — I found this interesting segment of The Rachel Maddow Show that showcases some of the Republican bigotry, racism and total lack of sensitivity to history.

Politico — Republicans over the past seven years have come to view Barack Obama not just as an ideological enemy but as a “dictator”—an accusation hurled most recently by both Chris Christie and Glenn Beck—a president who has unconstitutionally abused his executive power with an array of unilateral actions.

But Republicans are hardly passive victims of an overweening executive; they are, in fact, paying for their own unilateral surrender of power. The GOP-dominated Congress has sought to weaken and undermine Obama and instead has achieved the opposite. Unable to pass significant legislation after the Affordable Care Act, the Obama White House filled the vacuum by creative use of executive authority, setting a potentially risky precedent for the future balance between the branches but spurred, ironically, by the very opponents who were trying to contain him.

Is this where we get to say to Republicans "You reap what you sow!"? Personally, I do not see Obama as a dictator, but rather a man trapped by the incompetence and beligerence of political foes . . . foes willing to ruin the country in order to stick to their idiotological principles.

My Universe — 20 Reasons You Need A Cat In Your Life

You may view cats as evil creatures, and you may not be entirely wrong with that assumption. Still, you may not realize that owning a cat actually has a variety of benefits for you and your health. These are just a few reasons why you should open your home to a cat.

BTW, people don't own cats. Dogs have owners. Cats have staff!

3. They Do Not Need Baths

Giving cats a bath is not a fun experience. Fortunately, unlike dogs, cats really do not need baths. They are huge neat freaks that frequently groom themselves, making bathing unnecessary. This also goes back to the whole “low maintenance thing”. If you do dare to bath a cat, be sure to wear complete padding because this can get pretty messy though the results are pretty hilarious.

7. They Make Fantastic Alarm Clocks

When cats want their breakfast, they want it now. They do not care if you are sleeping, they will wake you up. In fact, they do not even need to have breakfast for an excuse to wake you up. They will wake you up for whatever reason they have decided to wake you up and you will have to deal with that.

11. They Will Keep You Grounded

All of those jokes about how cats think humans are their slaves? These are completely accurate. Cats believe that you are merely there to serve them and their needs. This will help put you in your place whenever you feel that you are better than you are.

Click through for the other 17 reasons you need at least one cat in your life.

Squatch’s Open Thread 15/04/2016

Posted by Lynn Squance at 10:29 am Open Thread, Politics

Apr 162016

It has been another busy week and I have not posted as often as I would like. I had the annual meeting with my mother's care team and everything is going as well as can be expected. I had an ESL and French teaching session and was rewarded with a dinner to take home. Neda is too good to me. Saturday my 2 boys will be 8 years old so there will be plenty of belly rubs dished out and a freshly roasted chicken breast for dinner, their favourite! Only one stipulation, they have to share with their sister. This coming week will be very busy as well. To boot, the gas company wants to replace my gas metre but I managed to put them off until 02/05/2016.

Short Takes

Reuters — As ports struggle to cope with a global oil glut, huge queues of supertankers have formed in some of the world's busiest sea lanes, where some 200 million barrels of crude lies waiting to be loaded or delivered.

The vessels, filled with oil worth around $7.5 billion at current market prices, would stretch for almost 40 km (25 miles) if formed up in one straight line. …

Ralph Leszczynski, head of research at shipbroker Banchero Costa, in Singapore, said the snarl-up was "one of the worst tanker traffic jams in recent years".

The cause was "a perfect storm of red-hot demand from new entrant refineries in China and port infrastructure in the Middle East and Latin America that is unable to cope", he said.

From a Globe and Mail article from 18/02/2016:

Oil prices rose more than 14 percent over the last three days after a plan by Saudi Arabia and Russia, endorsed without commitment by Iran on Wednesday, to freeze oil output at January’s highs.

The Saudi-Russian production freeze plan, also joined by Qatar and Venezuela, is the first such deal in 15 years between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC members.

This will due little to quell the numbers of oil tankers at sea, the costs involved, and do absolutely nothing for the inadequate infrastructure in the ports.

Huffington Post — The biggest number of complaints, by far, was levelled at a political flyer by the Canadian Centre for Bio-ethical Reform that featured images of aborted fetuses and the slogan "No2Trudeau."

There were 105 complaints against the flyer, and Advertising Standards Canada agreed it was excessively shocking and upsetting.

The ASC also received and upheld 96 complaints against two billboards in the Montreal area posted by Friends of Science Society.

friends of science billboard

One of the billboards said "The Sun is The Main Driver of Climate Change. Not You. Not CO2" and the other said "Global Warming Stopped Naturally 16-Plus Years Ago." The ad council found they omitted relevant information.

There have been flyers delivered in some areas with very graphic pictures of aborted fetuses. The idea is to promote pro-life, but IMO, shock and awe is not the way to do it. Likewise, inaccurate or deceptive claims about climate change are not acceptable. I am very glad that there agencies that address these issues.

The Guardian — Vermont senator hopes to align campaign with issues Pope Francis has raised in what seems to be a gamble for a candidate who rarely speaks about religion.

Bernie Sanders plans to warn against “the idolatry of money” in a speech at the Vatican next week which the Democratic candidate hopes will align his insurgent presidential campaign with the moral preaching of Pope Francis.

“What the pope has been clear about is linking the issue of morality with the global economy and making the point that you can’t have a moral economy when so many people are living in poverty,” Sanders told the Guardian.

“He has raised the issue more than any other person on the planet and I am very proud to be with him in the Vatican,” he added in an interview shortly after the campaign announced his surprise attendance at the conference on 15 April.

It seems to me that the author has missed a basic point — inequality, poverty, and economic morality are NOT religious issues! One needs only be a halfway intelligent and compassionate human being to see and understand the global effects of inequality and poverty. Likewise, those criticising Bernie for leaving the campaign trail for a day or so with the New York primary only days away are likely the same ones who criticise Obama for being away when something significant happens.

Go Bernie!!!

My Universe — BROTHERS OF THE WIND: Golden eagle hunts chamois

Wikipedia: The chamois (Rupicapra spp.) is a goat-antelope genus native to mountains in Europe, including the European Alps, thePyrenees, the Carpathians, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, the Caucasus, and the Apennines.

Did that eagle get it's feathers ruffled, or what?

Squatch’s Open Thread 09/04/2016

Posted by Lynn Squance at 3:18 am Open Thread, Politics

Apr 122016

This week is very busy again. I have at least one event every day, but usually more. I am trying to ready myself for the Alzheimer's Walk for Memories and raising money for research and programmes. As in the US, it is tax preparation time so that is on my list to do. And of course there is spring cleaning . . . always spring cleaning no matter what season it is!

Short Takes

Politico — Dispirited over a Republican Party primary that has devolved into an ugly, damaging fight, some of the GOP’s biggest financiers are reevaluating whether to invest in the 2016 presidential contest at all.

Among those on the sidelines: Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino mogul who hosted the Republican Jewish Coalition’s spring meeting at his Venetian hotel this weekend. His apparent ambivalence about 2016 was shared by many RJC members here. With grave doubts about the viability of the few remaining Republican contenders, many of these Republican donors have decided to sit out the rest of the primary entirely. And while some are reluctantly getting behind a remaining candidate, others are shifting their attention to congressional contests. …

The jewish community and @RJC honoring the great prime minister of Canada Stephen Harper – great friend of Israel

Photo from Huffington Post

While the RJC spring meeting is traditionally a celebration of Adelson, with politicians of all stripes venturing to the Venetian to pay homage, this year’s was different.

On Thursday evening, Adelson hosted some of the organization’s top officials at his palatial mansion. While former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper discussed how fractured parties can unite, Adelson listened but said little, according to three people who were present. And on Friday, rather than preside over the deliberations, Adelson and his wife, Miriam, departed for a wedding.

The lack of interest is partly rooted in exhaustion. After watching many of the party’s establishment prospects — from Scott Walker to Marco Rubio — go up in flames, many top donors say they’ve simply grown tired of opening their wallets. Some here have given to multiple candidates, only to watch them suffer defeat.

And you thought Canada was nasty refusing to take Cruz back! Now Adelson is importing Canada's Republican demagogue, Stephen Harper.

Think Progress — Nearly a week after pipeline operator TransCanada shut down a section of its Keystone line over an oil leak, the company reported Thursday thousands of gallons of oil were spilled, not less than 200 as it first said. …

After the spill was reported earlier this week, environmental groups said Keystone’s spill proves the threat that the Keystone XL expansion would have posed. They also noted that the Keystone pipeline, approved by President George W. Bush in 2008, leaked oil 12 times in its first year of operation. “TransCanada’s Keystone I disaster is a stark reminder that it’s not a question if a pipeline will malfunction, but rather a question of when. This is one of the reasons President Obama rejected the Keystone XL pipeline and it’s why he should reject all dangerous fossil fuel pipeline proposals,” Sierra Club’s Executive Director Michael Brune said in a statement.

Oil transportation largely relies on trains and pipelines. Out of those two, pipelines spill more often than trains, yet train accidents can be deadlier as trains are more likely to explode. U.S. pipelines spilled three times as much crude oil as trains over the period of 2004 to 2012, …

And Trans Canada thinks it is their right to pollute with impunity? I hope its lawsuit in federal court and their NAFTA challenge fail miserably.

Raw Story — Bill O’Reilly questioned Donald Trump’s ability to provide jobs in African-American communities during an interview on Monday by painting black Americans as being ill-equipped for the labor force.

“How are you going to get jobs for them?” O’Reilly asked. “Many of them are ill-educated and have tattoos on their foreheads, and I hate to be generalized about it but it’s true. If you look at all the educational statistics, how are you going to give jobs to people who aren’t qualified for jobs?”

Barf Bag Alert! Barf Bag Alert! Barf Bag Alert! Barf Bag Alert! Barf Bag Alert! Barf Bag Alert!

Openly racist comments . . . but that is to be expected from a pair of Republicans!

My Universe — Chilling with some friends!

A Little Dutch Village

Posted by Lynn Squance at 2:16 am Politics

Apr 112016

I will be participating in the BC Alzheimer Society's Walk for Memories on 01 May 2016. This is my fourth year and I am motivated. Despite some mobility issues, I walk as far as possible with a team called the New Vista Striders as we raise money in support of research and programmes for people with dementia. Many of the team members are nurses or care aids from New Vista which is where my mother lives. You see, my mother has dementia and is now 100% dependant on the care aids literally for everything . . . dressing, eating, toileting, you name it. She occasionally gets a word out, but rarely. At one point, it was gibberish. Now it is mostly silence.

It is very difficult to watch a loved one die a little bit everyday. Many residents don't have visitors, not even family! How sad is that? So when I visit my mother, I also visit with others or act as an additional set of eyes for staff when they are making rounds. This is another way I support the team.

This article is from November 2014 and is as valid today as it was then. I was reminded at church today of this little Dutch village where the prime requirement to move there is that one must have dementia. This village builds on dignity and respect for every resident. We need to remember that everyone has a story and not forget that.

When Yvonne van Amerongen received a phone call from her mother two decades ago, relaying that her father had died of a heart attack—sudden and painless—one of the first things she thought was, Thank God he never had to be in a nursing home.

Van Amerongen was working as a staff member at a traditional Dutch nursing home at the time, getting a front-line view of what she never wanted for her parents. That call from her mother spurred Yvonne into action as she became committed to making nursing homes more livable and less of a departure from reality for their residents. She envisioned a setup as far away as possible from the nondescript buildings and polished floors of her workplace, where everything carried the scent of a dentist’s medical cabinet. Over the next 20 years, she worked to secure the funding she’d need to make the idea a reality.

Today, the isolated village of Hogewey lies on the outskirts of Amsterdam in the small town of Wheesp. Dubbed “Dementia Village” by CNN, Hogewey is a cutting-edge elderly-care facility—roughly the size of 10 football fields—where residents are given the chance to live seemingly normal lives. With only 152 inhabitants, it’s run like a more benevolent version of The Truman Show, if The Truman Show were about dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. Like most small villages, it has its own town square, theater, garden, and post office. Unlike typical villages, however, this one has cameras monitoring residents every hour of every day, caretakers posing in street clothes, and only one door in and out of town, all part of a security system designed to keep the community safe. Friends and family are encouraged to visit. Some come every day. Last year, CNN reported that residents at Hogewey require fewer medications, eat better, live longer, and appear more joyful than those in standard elderly-care facilities.

Please click through The Atlantic for more about this little Dutch village.

On her wall hang certificates from her educational achievements. Hogewey makes...

Verhoeff also has a collage of old photos hanging over her bed.

Hogewey even has a supermarket where residents can pick up ingredients for...

Hogewey even has a supermarket where residents can pick up ingredients for cooking at home. They are all allowed to shop on their own, regardless of whether they forget their money or buy impractical items.

Residents also help with daily house work. In this photo a resident folds her laundry on the dining room table.

Special attention is also paid to comfortable decorating in Hogewey. A spot in the facility costs about 5,000 euros per month, a sum comparable to conventional convalescent homes that is paid by Dutch health insurers.

These pictures are taken from an article in Spiegel Online International.

In my opinion, this should be the type of care offered all dementia patients world wide. So far it is in Holland with another in planning in Switzerland.

Squatch’s Open Thread 10/04/2016

Posted by Lynn Squance at 2:14 am Open Thread, Politics

Apr 112016

Last week was a "week from hell" and by the end of Friday, I was exhaustipated! Something had to give and it was my Open Threads. Saturday I had a doctor's appointment which turned out well — my blood sugar A1c test dropped. So although tired, at least I was happy. This coming week promises to be a "week from hell" again. And of course, it is tax filing time again . . . deadline 02/05/2016 in Canada. On the other hand, the weather has been glorious the past 4 days. I hope your spring is shaping up the way you like it.

Short Takes

Mother Jones — Add Bruce Springsteen to the growing list of people who are not fans of North Carolina's new anti-LGBT law. On Friday, just two days before a scheduled show in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Boss announced that he was canceling his appearance in a gesture of protest against the legislation.

"Some things are more important than a rock show and [the] fight against prejudice and bigotry—which is happening as I write—is one of them," the rock star wrote in a short statement on his website. "[Canceling the show] is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards."

There have been many companies and individuals speaking out about North Carolina's Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, HB-2. Nathan Deal of Georgia vetoed legislation as a result of pressure brought to bear. I guess McCrory didn't get the memo!

Raw Story — The wait, at this and thousands of other pantries across the country, is about to get longer. New restrictions in the federally funded food stamp program have begun affecting hundreds of thousands of needy families throughout America, as revived rules designed to incentivize people looking for work result in the loss of benefits for 500,000 to 1 million people in 21 states. The Department of Agriculture program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, implemented a rule Jan. 1 that reinstates a three-month time limit for those receiving benefits who don’t have children or a disability and haven’t found a minimum 20-hour-a-week job, a requirement that was previously suspended thanks to recession-induced unemployment levels.

Perhaps the Republican dominated Congress should look to stop the jobs drain to overseas locations by large corporations. That would mean more people working and hopefully fewer needing assistance. But I doubt that will happen.

Think Progress — Bonnie Raindrop has been beekeeping for just nine years, but that’s been more than enough time to see the precipitous decline in bee populations that has been plaguing Maryland. Last year, according to the USDA, Maryland beekeepers lost 61 percent of their honeybee populations, which is two times higher than the national average. Over the last five or so years, Raindrop herself has witnessed crushing losses in her own hives, fluctuating between 50 and 100 percent.

Which is why Raindrop is so happy that the Maryland legislature has started to take notice. Thursday night, the Maryland House and Senate agreed upon and jointly passed a final version of the Maryland Pollinator Protection Act, which would eliminate consumer use of neonicotinoids, a widely-used class of pesticides that has been shown to negatively impact honeybees. If the bill — which now goes to the desk of Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) — is enacted into law, it would make Maryland the first state in the country to codify such protection for honeybees at a statewide level.

Good news for bees and other pollinators. The world's total food production hangs in the balance.

My Universe — It is time to start relaxing for the weekend!

This was planned for last Friday, but hey, for cats, everyday is the weekend!

Squatch’s Open Thread 04/04/2016

Posted by Lynn Squance at 3:10 am Open Thread, Politics

Apr 042016

Is there a full moon today? Sure seems possible! I went to see my mother and enjoyed time with her. As we were sitting around the nursing station, a resident, Margaret, came out in her underwear. Because staff were very busy getting some ready for bed and giving medications to others, after getting a hospital gown on her, I walked Margaret back to her room. That's when I found Shirley in Margaret's bed. Seems Shirley had an accident in her room so Margaret's bed was fair game. I got the two ladies into their respective rooms and then went for help. I heard awhile later that Shirley took a swing at the care aid. And strange things continued to happen. On the other hand, I took Bunny Rabbit and Lambypie, 2 small stuffed animals, up for my mother. When I said goodnight to mother, she had Bunny Rabbit clutched tightly in her hand as she dozed off to sleep. It was quite an evening! I suspect my week will be somewhat like that.

Short Takes

Huffington Post — U.S. presidential candidate Ted Cruz has announced he's suspending his election campaign to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Cruz, the main challenger to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, said he never thought he would move back to Canada — he was born in Alberta in 1970 — much less get involved in its politics. But he said recent events have made him feel “obligated” to do so.

ted cruz

“Look, I understand this might come as a shock to many Americans and Canadians,” Cruz told reporters Friday. “But the truth is, though I have always wanted to help make Canada great again, I have recently started feeling morally obligated, as a Canadian, to run for the Conservative party back home.

“I must save it from Kevin O’Leary.”

OMG!!! Say it ain't true! This is absolutely unacceptable!

Alternet — The 2016 legislative session has been a competition between red states to see who can pass the most hateful anti-LGBT bills under the guise of “religious freedom,” but Mississippi state Republicans look like they’re going to emerge the winner. Friday, the state house passed the final version of a bill meant to protect and encourage business owners in the state to discriminate against LGBT people, while simultaneously enshrining, in violation of the Constitution, the idea that conservative Christianity is the only legitimate religion. …

This law not only protects discrimination against LGBT people, but against any person who has sex outside of marriage. It also makes it easier for employers and schools to strictly police the way you dress to make sure it’s masculine or feminine enough. If your boss thinks proper ladies wear makeup, he can cite “religious freedom” as a reason to force you to do so, and the law will protect him for it.

I am totally flummoxed that a state can get away with such blatant unconstitutional behaviour. Mississippi has surpassed the insanity of North Carolina. It seems that states are getting bolder with their unconstitutional laws now that SCOTUS is generally impotent in its diminished numbers. What can people do if their state goes too far other than waiting for the next election?

Truth-out — Montana communities won a victory against one of the world's biggest coal companies earlier in March, when Arch Coal abandoned the Otter Creek mine — the largest proposed new coal strip mine in North America. The story of how the project imploded is one of people power triumphing over a company once thought to be nearly invincible.

To many observers, the Otter Creek project once seemed unstoppable. It certainly appeared that way in 2011, the year I moved to Missoula, Montana for graduate school. Then-Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer enthusiastically supported the mine, and coal more generally. Forrest Mars, Jr., the billionaire heir to the Mars candy fortune, had just joined Arch and BNSF Railways in backing a proposed railroad spur meant to service Otter Creek. Arch and politicians like Schweitzer predicted a boom in coal demand from economies in Asia.

Protesters block a coal train from entering downtown Missoula in 2015.

But what they weren't counting on was a vocal and active region-wide opposition. The coming together of ordinary people — first in southeast Montana, then an ever-growing number of communities throughout the Northwest — to oppose the Otter Creek mine says much about how land defenders and climate activists are learning to fight back against the planet's biggest energy companies. The roots of this recent victory go back more than 30 years.

Good on them! There are others who are trying to change things too. In another article, Amid Price Plunge, North American Oil and Gas Workers Seek Transition to Renewable Sector, some oil sands workers are changing things.

"…one top climate scientist has called "the biggest carbon bomb on the planet," Hildebrand came to realize that he was not the only oil worker in Alberta who felt "guilty about developing the infrastructure that is creating climate change."

… Hildebrand banded together with like-minded coworkers and began building an oil and gas worker-led nonprofit called "Iron & Earth," which officially launched this month during a press conference in Edmonton. Through the nonprofit, the oil sands workers hope to help others who have been laid off diversify their skill sets and facilitate the necessary training to transition them to the renewable energy sector. They also want to help incorporate renewable energy projects into oil sands workers' current scope of work."

My Universe —

This is the look I get from my Annie everyday and she is 7.5 years old, no kitten!

Melts my heart!

Squatch’s Open Thread 02/04/2016

Posted by Lynn Squance at 11:35 pm Open Thread, Politics

Apr 022016

As it turned out, Lucia was very sick yesterday so I did not have a teaching session with her. It sounds like she has the same very bad cold that I had. So I took some time to read my book, Labyrinth of Bones by James Rollins, and enjoy some sunshine. Tomorrow, I am going to see my mother. The cold is sufficiently gone that I won't infect others. This week is busy as I have to take my mother to a doctor's appointment on Tuesday in addition to physio and teaching sessions, and the commencement of a new course on Thursday evening.

Short Takes

Daily Kos (classic 25/09/2011) — Why would anyone vote Republican? Well, here are 10 reasons.

1. You are a bigot

It's true that not all Republicans are bigots. But if you ARE a bigot, the Republican party will be much more your group than the Democratic party. Remember that there are lots of ways to be a bigot: You could be a racist, a homophobe, an Islamophobe, or lots of other things.

2. You like eating, drinking and breathing poison.

Many Republicans are calling for or voting for shrinking or eliminating agencies that protect us against poison. They seem to think that the corporations will do the right thing, without any pressure from the government. Uh huh. Read The Jungle. Look at the way Monsanto is hiding facts about Round Up. Look at food safety and outbreaks of E. Coli.

Corporations exist to make money. They will do so any way they can. The government needs to stop them from doing so in ways that hurt people.

Click through for the other 8. Can you think of any more reasons? The only other one that I can think of is that they all make my skin crawl! These are all timeless.

Truthdig — As we struggle to come to terms with the latest terrorist attacks in Brussels, it is important that we understand the causes of such extremism. After all, Islamic extremism was virtually unknown fifty years ago and suicide bombings were inconceivable. And yet today it seems that we are confronted with both on a daily basis. So what happened to bring Islamic fundamentalism to the forefront of global politics? While there are many factors involved, undoubtedly one of the primary causes is Western imperialism. Western intervention in the Middle East over the past century to secure access to the region’s oil reserves established a perfect environment in which Islamic fundamentalists could exploit growing anti-Western sentiment throughout the Islamic world, with some establishing violent extremist groups. The most recent consequence of this process is the terrorist group known as the Islamic State, which emerged out of the chaos caused by the US invasion of Iraq.

ISIL fighters in Anbar province, Iraq

In order to understand the rise of the Islamic State we must first briefly review the history of Western intervention in not only the Middle East but throughout the world to reveal that Islamic extremism in not a unique phenomenon. For the past 500 years, peoples throughout the world have resorted to acts of violence that today would be classified as terrorism in efforts to resist Western imperialism. Indigenous peoples in the Americas often used violent tactics to defend themselves against the brutal European colonizers. There were also many violent slave revolts by Blacks who had been shipped from Africa to the Americas in the service of Western imperialism.

This is a long article, but from my view of history, very well thought out and true. Only a comparatively few Muslims are terrorists. But when will the West take responsibility for its part in the creation of Islamic terrorism?

Mother Jones — Boston and other coastal cities may want to batten down the hatches. A new study from climate scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Pennsylvania State University warns estimates of future sea level rise may be significantly underestimated. The real picture 100 to 500 years from now, they claim, will be ugly for US coastal cities from New York to Miami, which could be underwater or at risk of flooding. Boston, for example, could see about 5 feet of sea level rise in the next 100 years, according to the researchers.

The most recent prediction by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is that the sea level will rise as much as 38 inches by the year 2100 because of melting glaciers and the fact that warming makes water expand. Researchers Robert DeConto and David Pollard argue that this estimate fails to take into account atmospheric warming in Antarctica that will melt major ice shelves and elevate sea levels another three feet over earlier estimates by 2100 to six feet total, and by more than 49 feet by the year 2500.

To say the least, the southern US will be the big North American loser if climate change goes unchecked and sea level rises. The following picture from Think Progress shows south Florida in 2100 if little is done. Check the interactive picture of Miami in 2100. You can also read the report, Contribution of Antarctica to past and future sea-level rise, for more information. And remember, this is just south Florida. What would happen in the Gulf states, especially Louisiana which already has issues.

South Florida and "Miami Island" in 2100 after 5 feet of sea level rise (via Climate Central). From Think Progress

Alternet — Millions of Nigerians are urging the Nigerian government to reject Monsanto’s attempts to introduce genetically modified (GMO) cotton and maize into the country’s food and farming systems. …

In a press release, the groups said they are particularly alarmed about the commercial release of Bt cotton into Nigeria, which is being phased out in Burkina Faso due to the “inferior lint quality” of the GMO cultivars.

“We are totally shocked that it should come so soon after peer-reviewed studies have showed that the technology has failed dismally in Burkina Faso,” Nnimmo Bassey, the director of theHealth of Mother Earth Foundation, one of the leading opposition groups, said in a statement. “It has brought nothing but economic misery to the cotton sector there and is being phased out in that country where compensation is being sought from Monsanto.”

This greedy corporate juggernaut has to be stopped! The lives of many Nigerians were ruined by the oil spills of Royal Dutch Shell, among others, and now Monsanto wants to exact a pound of flesh from Nigeria. And Nigeria is only one of many targets on Monsanto's radar globally. Here are just a few of the petitions on the internet.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/bring-down-monsanto-monopoly/

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stop-the-monsanto-rider

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/stop_the_monsanto_protection_act_seize_congress/

https://action.organicconsumers.org/o/50865/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=18133

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-obama-to-cease-fda

My Universe —

Relaxing weekend!

Squatch’s Open Thread 31/03/2016

Posted by Lynn Squance at 12:17 am Open Thread, Politics

Apr 012016

I don't know about where you live, but here in Metro Vancouver, BC it was sunny with nary a cloud in the sky and temperatures around 22 C (72 F) today as well as yesterday. Many of the fruit blossoms are finished, but there are still many magnolia trees (Magnolia liliiflora) in full regalia but they too will be finished before long.Yesterday I was teaching English and French, and tomorrow I will be working with my first student. My two adult students are at such different places in the command of the language. My young French student gets very excited when she knows I am coming over and it is cute to behold. Today is the last class in my Pastoral Care programme and we will be commissioned on 24/04/2016. Next Thursday I start another study group called Immersion. It is geared to we flaming liberal Christians and will be taught by our Pastor Dave along with the woman who was leading the Pastoral Care programme. So lots going on! So who said retirement was for relaxing? Retirement is for doing what you enjoy but seldom had the time to do!

Short Takes

Huffington Post — On Oct. 21, Jessica Grubb flipped open her laptop and watched a live stream of her father telling President Barack Obama about her addiction to heroin.

Obama was in Charleston, West Virginia, Jessica’s hometown, to discuss the opioid epidemic. When the local newspaper solicited questions for the president from its readers, Grubb’s parents asked their daughter if they could tell her story.

“Absolutely,” Grubb said, hoping it might help somebody else in need.

If she’d been in Charleston, Grubb would have tried to attend the president’s visit herself. But she was in Michigan, where she’d moved for a residential drug rehab program. …

Jessica Grubb 1986 – 03 March 2016

Jessica Grubb “had a twofold reaction” to her story being shared with Obama, David Grubb recalled. “The one part was, ‘Wow, the president’s talking about me.’ The second reaction was, ‘Wow, the president’s talking about me. It was bittersweet.”

Hearing about a life lost so young; about parents fighting so hard for their daughter, and ultimately all daughters and sons, yet losing the battle . . . it leaves me hollow. David Grubb is correct . . . something has to be done. He lists some things that are being done, but more is needed. Drug addiction is a health issue that needs to be addressed everywhere. In Squatch’s Open Thread 29/12/2015, I presented an article about how Portugal had decriminalised drugs and began treating drug addiction as a healthcare issue rather than a punitive issue. I then followed it up with a piece in Squatch’s Open Thread 30/12/2015.

From the internet —

Need anything more be said? I have never enjoyed his genre of writing, but on these words I agree.

Daily Kos — When I watched the Chris Matthews interview with Trump on MSNBC tonight, I’d already seen the video exchange where Trump said that women who had gotten an illegal abortion should be punished. But when I watched the entire discussion, Trump made an even more shocking, and I think, more newsworthy statement that no one even bothered to mention.

The blogger has a point. Here is the Chris Matthews interview with Drumpf.

Stephen Barf Bag Alert!!!!! Barf Bag Alert!!!!! Barf Bag Alert!!!!! Barf Bag Alert!!!!! Barf Bag Alert!!!!!

Sometime later, Drumpf tried to clarify his position but only succeeded in making himself a pathetic figure in my opinion. From The Guardian:

“If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman. The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb. My position has not changed – like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions,” the statement said.

Raw Story — Senator Orrin Hatch took to the New York Times op-ed page to try to make the case for the Senate refusing to take up President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.

It didn’t go well. …

If Hatch and his fellow Republicans want to vote against Judge Garland, they have every right to do so. But they should stop being cowards. They should make a substantive argument against him. vote against him, and accept the political consequences of that vote. They should stop pretending that this reckless path they have chosen is anything but a desperate attempt to hold onto a Supreme Court majority.

Amen!

My Universe — h/t Carol B, Ted W at Care2

Which one of these is not like the others?

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