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Game over! The Tar Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline.
I know people regularly complain about the news, but lately I find that Republicans and their debates are taking over the media. I’m not going to dwell on it for too long, but I am frustrated by the extensive coverage given to the candidates for the GOP party leader position. Yes, people need to be informed about who is likely to run for office so that they can make choices accordingly. However, there is such a thing as overkill and the media need to draw a line between the relevant information we need and feeding the perceived public need for sensationalism. Anyway, the media isn’t what I planned to write about today….I’ll come back to this!
For now, I want to look at what the media is not covering….or at least not covering enough.
The Tar Sands.
This is one of the issues that we should really be making informed decisions about. This is what is really going to affect our future and, more importantly, the future of our kids. For those of you not familiar with the Keystone XL pipeline project here’s a link to an article about the pipeline and its potential impact on climate change (it’s well worth a read – I found the final paragraph to be particularly poignant):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/aug/23/tar-sands-keystone-xl-climate
Last week, protestors formed a ring around the White House in an effort to convince the President to rule against the project going ahead. They were successful – to an extent. Obama deferred the decision pending further investigation – the issues are so numerous, that it was deemed unlikely that a review would allow the project to go ahead. However, the Canadian Prime Minister (Stephen Harper) has pushed back. The tar sands, he feels, are key to the future of Canada and would bring considerable revenue to the country. If the US will not buy into its resources, Canada, Harper says, will have to divert its oil supply to Asia.
It is somewhat frightening that this is going on in the sidelines. I am by no means an environmentalist, but can see the danger this project may put our planet in. Even if the pipe is re-routed to avoid the environmentally sensitive areas of Nebraska that have been under discussion, the risks are still high. CO2 emissions will be massive. Surely we should be analysing and reducing the damage we are causing by burning fossil fuels; instead, we are considering burning more. I hope that, for the sake of my children (and future generations), we can learn to leave these carbon resources where they are.
Jim Hansen of NASA, arguably the world’s foremost climate scientist, spoke out against the Keystone XL pipeline project. He believes that, if these plans go ahead, it is “essentially game over for the planet.”
I wish the media would put these dramas into perspective and really consider the facts that we need to have presented to us. Do we really need to know the ins and outs of the allegations against Herman Cain, the latest gaff committed by Bachmann, or the drop in Perry’s poll numbers following his brain freeze (seriously, he has committed far more serious errors – but that’s another story!). To me, the news feels like gossip and it’s not for the lack of serious stuff to cover.
Some other useful links…
The Tar Sands Action website
Facebook page – The Tar Sands Action
Steve Jobs: “How to live before you die”
Everyone remembers where they were when JFK was shot; when the twin towers fell; when they discovered Princess Diana had lost her life on that fateful drive through Paris. Steve Jobs passed away yesterday, which of his devices were you using when you found out? For me, it was my iPhone. For others it was online via their Mac, a few would have learned the news on an iPad. Even those of you who don’t subscribe to the Apple way of life, most likely read of Steve Jobs passing via a device that was heavily influenced by his innovation.
There is no doubt that Steve Jobs was one of the most innovative, creative, influential men of our century. His leadership, vision, passion, dedication and utterly daring approach is exemplary to this and future generations. Steve Jobs, and his team at Apple, shaped the way we now use technology. As co-founder of Pixar, he brought animated movies to a new level. His approach to retail (as evidenced in Apple stores around the world), changed consumer expectations and influenced customer service departments internationally. In short, the man is far greater than the Apple brand.
Now, more than ever, it pains me to see a life cut short by cancer. I am reminded why I chose Livestrong as my non-profit to support in the marathon. But, most importantly, I am urged to live life before I die. “Life is too short” may be an over-used cliche but I am starting to see the truth in that little phrase. There are places to see, fun to have, dreams to follow. Over to Mr Jobs (he says it better than I can):
Japan Earthquake: Ethical Residents Return $78 Million From Rubble
Rioting is never acceptable but there is often a reason behind the protests that leads to such violence and destruction. The riots that tore through the UK upset me as learned of my favourite cities being picked off one by one. Some people had their reasons, others got pulled along for the adrenaline rush and in many cases it was vandalism for the sake of vandalism. What really hurts though, is the fact that British people took advantage of the lawlessness and began a barrage of looting. This does not make a point, political or otherwise. It just shows that people are selfish, thoughtless and greedy. Following hurricane Katrina, for example, people looted in Louisiana – again, there was greed but looting became a means for survival although this was sometimes to the detriment of others. The story I really want to talk about today though, is that of Japan. I read this article the other day and was struck by the compassion and community spirit of the Japanese people.
Japan Earthquake: Ethical Residents Return $78 Million From Rubble.
They were faced with a terrible disaster. They did not loot. They queued in an orderly manner for supplies. They did not complain or whine or fight. Now we learn that they have been returning large sums of money and valuables to the authorities who, in turn, have been returning them to their rightful owners. Valuables that they have found buried in rubble. Money and safes that have no immediately obvious owner, yet they find a way to get them back to where they belong. They do not claim them as their own. We could learn a lot from the Japanese.
The Japanese culture, like Europe and the USA, encourages hard work, but they place a stronger value on humility and compassion. They demonstrate that it is important to contribute to the community you belong to.
“One can indeed live a life in the pursuit of individual happiness and self-actualization while at the same time living a life that values being a part of a community and contributing to the society in which one lives.” Presentation Zen (blog)
I wonder why the people of the US and Europe react so differently in these situations? Are we really greedy nations? How many of us could honestly say we would have done as the Japanese did and returned these anonymous millions?
My apologies to Warren Buffett
A great opinion piece from Warren Buffett – it’s quite short and well worth a read.
Stop Coddling the Super-Rich – NYTimes.com
It’s truly amazing to see that the mega-rich have no objection to being taxed at a higher rate….including on their capital gains. I have to make amends and apologize for my belief, stated in an earlier post, that this was all talk! It appears that Buffett and many of his billionaire friends are actually decent people who would genuinely like to pay higher taxes to help “so many of their fellow citizens {who} are truly suffering.”
It has left me wondering, though, who exactly are the legislators in Washington coddling? I suspect the Wall Street money men feature high on the list.
Cellphones, cigarettes and suncreen.
I actually wrote this article (see link below) a few days ago but just had it published today. It’s pretty topical following a new report that states that cellphone use may increase the risk of brain cancer. It isn’t conclusive but it does show a need for further research.
Cellphones – Can They Kill? – Associated Content from Yahoo! – associatedcontent.com
It is a topic that has interested me on a personal level but does not give me cause to blame or to ditch my phone. Rather, it got me thinking more about the things we do know about cancer and can change. The obvious one being the evil cigarettes; they drag you in, hold you there and then infect your lungs. Sun exposure is another – I’ve always taken care to use a high factor sunscreen but have recently read about how the chemicals in some of them can also be dangerous. Sometimes it feels like you’re left without options! I just got my mail order sunscreen today – Purple Botanics; a natural, harmless sunscreen with all the protection (along with their natural bug repellent). A lesser known evil is the aluminum content in your deodorant – who knew that being body odor free could come at a high price? I switched mine a couple of months ago with the hope that I’m not too late to decrease my risk of breast cancer. I haven’t even made a dent in the cancer discussion with these few points. The whole cancer world is a minefield! It can, and does affect absolutely anyone. And, although research is constant and we have started the fight, we are along way off winning the battle.
Lance Armstrong
James Moore: The Armstrong Enigma.
Today, I read a couple of things about Lance Armstrong within 10 minutes of each other. The second was the attached article which tells of a 60 minute interview with one of his former team mates – Tyler Hamilton. Hamilton divulges information about Armstrong’s use of performance-enhancing drugs. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen. Other acquaintances have corroborated the facts whilst Armstrong continues to deny using drugs as a cheat. I am not interested in speculating whether this is true or not. I believe it’s one of those things we’ll never be completely sure of. The closest we’ll get is a ruling in the court of law. For me, the bigger concern is what this will do to the Armstrong brand, or more specifically Livestrong.
Currently, Lance seems to be a big part of my life! I can see the yellow wristband bobbing up and down on my arm as I write. I am reading “Mile Markers” by his ex-wife, Kristin Armstrong – it is supposed to be an inspirational read about why women run. So far, I have come close to getting up at 5:30am to go for a run, (I usually go at 9am when the kids are in school), but haven’t actually taken it further than the thought – does that count as inspirational? “The Lance Armstrong Performance Program” sits on my coffee table – my husband’s guide as he takes his cycling up a notch. Livestrong has been a source of support and advice as my husband, Barry, goes through aggressive cancer treatment. Armstrong is somewhat the ideal role model in this situation. Like Barry, he is a fighter, he is strong, he has determination and a positive outlook – all winners in this battle!
Maybe he did cheat. But, his strength and grace when dealing with cancer is exemplary. Unfortunately, one can’t cheat in that fight! Believe me, if there was a way I’d condone it – wouldn’t we all? I accept that cheating in an athletic race is unacceptable but that is one area of Lance’s life. Let Livestrong and his work for raising cancer awareness stand apart from racing and doping. I, for one, will continue to wear my wristband and I will continue to use Livestrong for advice and inspiration.
Oh, the first thing I read about Armstrong today. It was a quote that Team Ortho have used on one of their inspirational banners for those running the Minneapolis Marathon in a couple of weeks: “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” I am going to hold on to this first thing and let the second drift from view.
Anna runs…
Click to check out my new running blog.
