[Paisleychick-lj] late night reading

Thu Sep 25 03:14:04 EDT 2008

I fell asleep this evening around 9:30. I woke up around 1:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. Instead of tossing and turning and keeping Kragen awake, I thought I'd read. That was a bad idea. The economy exploding is a nightmare. But, there's been some even more scary events taking place that aren't getting as much coverage because of the seriousness of the economy. I swear that most of this is NOT from reddit.com, but it might as well be. Here goes...  

1.  
[http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/exclusive-the-methane-time-bomb-938932.html][1]  
_Underground stores of methane are important because scientists believe their sudden release has in the past been responsible for rapid increases in global temperatures, dramatic changes to the climate, and even the mass extinction of species. Scientists aboard a research ship that has sailed the entire length of Russia's northern coast have discovered intense concentrations of methane – sometimes at up to 100 times background levels – over several areas covering thousands of square miles of the Siberian continental shelf.  

In the past few days, the researchers have seen areas of **sea foaming with gas bubbling up through "methane chimneys" rising from the sea floor**. They believe that the sub-sea layer of permafrost, which has acted like a "lid" to prevent the gas from escaping, has melted away to allow methane to rise from underground deposits formed before the last ice age.  

They have warned that this is likely to be linked with the rapid warming that the region has experienced in recent years._  

This is very very very very very bad news. Methane is a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (25 times) and has been linked to the massive die-offs in Earth's early history. Kragen tossed out the following factiod - 96% of earth's living creatures died. Storms will intensify - making Katrina and Ike seem like spring showers. It also might turn the skies green. I really would like to raise a family....  

2.  
[http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/09/24/al-gore-calls-for-civil-disobedience-to-stop-the-construction-of-new-coal-fired-power-plants/][2]  
_Gore called on the young people in the United States to reject new coal-fired power plants. “It’s time for civil disobedience to stop the construction of new coal plants,” implored the former Vice-President.  

When pushed by President Clinton to elaborate the quickest and most cost-effective way to utilize our vast renewable resources, Gore said that we need to start with expanding what he calls the “electranet.” A focus on expanding our renewable capacity would be centered on growing a smart grid - including an underground transmission infrastructure - that could and should be coupled with an expansion of this country’s lagging broadband infrastructure.  

“This should be the number one infrastructure program in this country,” said Gore._  

That's not the only civil disobedience that has been called for...  

3.  
[http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/outrage-online.html][3]  
_An [e-mail][4] that began as a rallying cry from a lone journalist to an influential circle of friends to protest the U.S. government bailout of Wall Street has ignited a national day of street protests. Some demonstrators plan to dump their rubbish in front of the bronze bull sculpture near Wall Street in downtown Manhattan Thursday.  

"People are going to bring their own personal junk that they think is worth as much as the junk financial instruments that the government is proposing to buy from the Wall Street banks," says Andrew Boyd, an activist and freelance online-video artist for nonprofit groups in Manhattan. "We're hoping that people show up with their 8-track cassette collections, their old Spice Girl CDs, their surf boards that got bit by sharks and old Enron stock certificates."  

When: 4pm – ? Thursday, September 25.  
Where: Southern end of Bowling Green Park, in the plaza area  
What to bring: Banners, noisemakers, signs, leaflets, etc.  
Why: To say we won’t pay for the Wall Street bailout  
Who: Everyone!_  

I wonder how things will turn out? Things are pretty damn serious. Wonder what the crowd control will be like? It's not like the Army will be doing crowd control or anything.... oh wait.  

4.  
[http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/][5]  
_The 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team has spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle, helping restore essential services and escorting supply convoys.  

Now they’re training for the same mission — with a twist — at home.  

Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.  

It is not the first time an active-duty unit has been tapped to help at home. In August 2005, for example, when Hurricane Katrina unleashed hell in Mississippi and Louisiana, several active-duty units were pulled from various posts and mobilized to those areas.  

But this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.  

After 1st BCT finishes its dwell-time mission, expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one.  

.....  
“I can’t think of a more noble mission than this,” said Cloutier, who took command in July. “We’ve been all over the world during this time of conflict, but now our mission is to take care of citizens at home ... and depending on where an event occurred, you’re going home to take care of your home town, your loved ones.”  

While soldiers’ combat training is applicable, he said, some nuances don’t apply.  

“If we go in, we’re going in to help American citizens on American soil, to save lives, provide critical life support, help clear debris, restore normalcy and support whatever local agencies need us to do, so it’s kind of a different role,” said Cloutier, who, as the division operations officer on the last rotation, learned of the homeland mission a few months ago while they were still in Iraq.  

....  
“I don’t know what America’s overall plan is — I just know that 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that are standing by to come and help if they’re called,” Cloutier said. “It makes me feel good as an American to know that my country has dedicated a force to come in and help the people at home.”_  

It's not like having the army patrol the streets goes against Posse Comitatus Act or anything... oh wait. I really don't like to link to infowars, but they have a good post on the legality of having the Army patrol the streets of the USA.  

5.  
[http://www.infowars.com/?p=4803][6]  
_Section 1385 of the Posse Comitatus Act states, “Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”  

Under the John Warner Defense Authorization Act, signed by President Bush on October 17, 2006, the law was changed to state, “The President may employ the armed forces to restore public order in any State of the United States the President determines hinders the execution of laws or deprives people of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law or opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.”  

However, these changes were repealed in their entirety by HR 4986: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, reverting back to the original state of the Insurrection Act of 1807.  

The original text of the Insurrection Act severely limits the power of the President to deploy troops within the United States.  

For troops to be deployed, a condition has to exist that, “(1) So hinders the execution of the laws of that State, and of the United States within the State, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or (2) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws. In any situation covered by clause (1), the State shall be considered to have denied the equal protection of the laws secured by the Constitution.”_  

Again - things are serious.... So much so that John McCain has called for a suspension of the presidential campaign. Obama is rejecting this.  

6 a.  
[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26872907/][7]  
_McCain said earlier in the day in New York that he would suspend his campaign and return to Washington to work on banking legislation, saying President Bush’s proposed $700 billion bailout appeared unlikely to pass.  

Obama stopped short of following his model, saying he had told congressional leaders that he was willing to help out, but only if they thought it would be useful.  

As for the debate, he said, “It’s going to be part of the president’s job to be able to deal with more than one thing at once.”  

The Commission on Presidential Debates and the University of Mississippi, the scheduled host of Friday’s debate, said they expected the debate to go forward. They did not say what they would do if McCain failed to show up. _  

6 b.  
[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25mccain.html][8]  
_Although Mr. McCain was the first to emerge on Wednesday afternoon and announce a change in campaign plans, Mr. Obama began the exchange with his Republican rival on Wednesday morning.  

“At 8:30 this morning, Senator Obama called Senator McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal,” said Bill Burton, the spokesman for the Obama campaign.  

“At 2:30 this afternoon,” he added, “Senator McCain returned Senator Obama’s call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement.” Some Democrats reacted skeptically to Mr. McCain’s surprise announcement, charging that it seemed like a political ploy to try to gain the confidence of voters concerned about the economy.  

“What, does McCain think the Senate will still be working at 9 p.m. Friday?” Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania said in an interview, referring to the scheduled start time of the debate. “I think this is all political — I wish McCain had shown the same concern when he didn’t show up in the Senate to vote on the extension of the renewable energy tax credit.”  

Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who is leading House Democrats in negotiating the bailout deal with the administration, was dismissive of Senator McCain’s announcement. “It’s the longest Hail Mary pass in the history of either football or Marys,” Mr. Frank told a group of reporters outside the House chamber.  

But Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, quickly went to the Senate floor and declared Mr. McCain’s proposal "an outstanding idea."_  

I'm planning on watching the debates this Friday with [the Democrats Abroad][9] here in Buenos Aires at the [Sacramento Bar][10] (El Salvador 5729), provided that they take place.   

I'm really glad that I have most of my family nearby, and that our kittens are cuddly and make us happy. I want to think happy thoughts, but ummmm

   [1]: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/exclusive-the-methane-time-bomb-938932.html
   [2]: http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/09/24/al-gore-calls-for-civil-disobedience-to-stop-the-construction-of-new-coal-fired-power-plants/
   [3]: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/09/outrage-online.html
   [4]: http://september252008.wordpress.com/
   [5]: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/
   [6]: http://www.infowars.com/?p=4803
   [7]: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26872907/
   [8]: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25mccain.html
   [9]: http://fotos.democratsabroad.com.ar/debatewatchparty.htm
   [10]: http://www.sacramentorestobar.com.ar/

URL: http://paisleychick.livejournal.com/345654.html