Earth Day Quote of the Day

This should be reprinted every Earth Day, at least.

In 1854, the "Great White Chief" in Washington made an offer for a large area of Indian land and promised a reservation for the Indian people.The following was Chief Seattle's reply.

How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us.

If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?

Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. The sap which courses through the trees carries the memories of the red man.

The white man's dead forget the country of their birth when they go to walk among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth, for it is the mother of the red man. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters, the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man - all belong to the same family.

So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us. The great Chief sends word that he will reserve us a place so that we can live comfortably to ourselves. He will be our father and we will be his children. So we will consider your offer to buy our land.

But it will not be easy. For this land is sacred to us.

This shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you land, you must remember that it is sacred, and you must teach your children that it is sacred and that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people.

The water's murmur is the voice of my father's father.

The rivers are our brothers, they quench our thirst. The rivers carry our canoes, and feed our children. If we sell you our land, you must remember, and teach your children, that the rivers are our brothers, and yours, and you must henceforth give the rivers the kindness you would give any brother.

We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of the land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on.

He leaves his father's grave behind, and he does not care. He kidnaps the earth from his children and he does not care. His father's grave, and his children's birthright, are forgotten. He treats his mother, the earth, and his brother, the sky, as things to bought, plundered, sold like sheep or bright beeds. His appetite will devour the earth and leave behind only a desert.

I do not know. Our ways are different from your ways.

The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the red man. But perhaps it is because the red man is a savage and does not understand.

There is no quiet place in the white man's cities. No place to hear the unfurling of leaves in spring, or the rustle of an insect's wings.

But perhaps it is because I am a savage and do not understand.

The clatter only seems to insult the ears. And what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lonely cry of the whippoorwill or the arguments of the frogs around a pond at night? I am a red man and do not understand.

The Indian prefers the soft sound of the wind darting over the face of a pond, and the smell of the wind itself, cleaned by a midday rain, or scented with pinion pine.

The air is precious to the red man, for all things share the same breath - the beast, the tree, the man, they all share the same breath. The white man does not seem to notice the air he breathes. Like a man dying for many days, he is numb to the stench.

But if we sell you our land, you must remember that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also receives his last sigh.

And if we sell you our land, you must keep it apart and sacred, as a place where even the white man can go to taste the wind that it is sweetened by the meadow's flowers.

So we will consider your offer to buy our land. If we decide to accept. I will make one condition: the white man must treat the beasts of the land as his brothers.

I am a savage and do not understand any other way.

I have seen a thousand rotting buffaloes on the prairie, left by the white man who shot them from a passing train. I am a savage and I do not understand how the smoking iron horse can be more important than the buffalo that we kill only to stay alive.

What is man without beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.

You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of your grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin.

Teach your children what we have taught our children, that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.

This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know.

All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected.

Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life: he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web he does to himself.

Even the white man, whose God walks and talks with him as friend to friend, cannot be exempt from the common destiny. We may be brothers after all.

We shall see.

One thing which we know, which the white man may one day discover - our God is the same God.

You may think you own Him as you wish to own our land; but you cannot. He is the God of man, and His compassion is equal for the red man and the white. This earth is precious to him, and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator.

The whites too shall pass; perhaps sooner than all the other tribes. Contaminate your bed, and you will one night suffocate in your own waste.

But in your perishing you will shine brightly, fired by the strength of the God who brought you to this land and for some special purpose gave you dominion over this land and over the red man.

That destiny is a mystery to us, for we do not understand when the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses are tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with the scent of many men, and the view of the ripe hills blotted by talking wires.

Where is the thicket? Gone.

Where is the eagle? Gone.

The end of living and the beginning of survival.

________________________________________

Happy Earth Day.

God help us all.

SOCIALISM!!

Really, it gets tiresome.

Quote of the day -- On Our Modern World

And our screwed-up distribution and priorities

That California drought

Two pairs of pictures, both of California, from different vantage points, showing the severity of the drought taking place just now in that state.  I think these two give terrific indications of exactly what's taking place.

Fascinating.

Scary but fascinating.

Below, two photos of Folsom Lake, just North of Sacramento. 

This is how serious the situation is.

Fol

First China loses a lake, now Iran

As reported here a couple days ago, China recently had a lake--twice the size of London--dry up, now it's Iran:

Its Great Lake Shriveled, Iran Confronts Crisis of Water Supply

LAKE URMIA, Iran — After driving for 15 minutes over the bottom of what was once Iran’s largest lake, a local environmental official stepped out of his truck, pushed his hands deep into his pockets and silently wandered into the great dry plain, as if searching for water he knew he would never find.

Just an hour earlier, on a cold winter day here in western Iran, the official, Hamid Ranaghadr, had recalled how as recently as a decade ago, cruise ships filled with tourists plied the lake’s waters in search of flocks of migrating flamingos.

Now, the ships are rusting in the mud and the flamingos fly over the remains of the lake on their way to more hospitable locales. According to figures compiled by the local environmental office, only 5 percent of the water remains.

Iran is facing a water shortage potentially so serious that officials are making contingency plans for rationing in the greater Tehran area, home to 22 million, and other major cities around the country. President Hassan Rouhani has identified water as a national security issue, and in public speeches in areas struck hardest by the shortage he is promising to “bring the water back.”

Put this in perspective, too, with other environmental/water events here in the US:

--Texas has been in drought for years and is experiencing severe shrinking of their reservoirs for their major cities, including Austin;

--California has been experiencing the same long-term drought with shrinking reservoirs and, making things far worse, this year, to date, the dry spell has accelerated. Governor Jerry Brown has had to finally declare an emergency and ration water;

--Utah's Salt Lake has been famously shrinking for years.

So the question:   

At what point does humankind start paying attention and doing something about our environment?

Three quarters of one trillion dollars, at least, for weapons and killing and attacking other nations--far beyond what any other nation spends, in fact, far beyond what virtually all other nations spend--but we don't take care of the people.

How does anyone think this is sustainable for the nation?

KCMO and KS not on "Cities with Worst Tap Water"

No, neither Kansas City is on this list but Omaha, Nebraska is--and comes in at number 7 (see link below).

What they had to say about it:

Forty-two chemicals were found, with 20 exceeding health guidelines and 4 exceeding health standards. This included agricultural pollutants like nitrate and nitrite, industrial pollutants like arsenic, water treatment and distribution byproducts and more.

Apparently, Smithville (MO) is too small a town to include on their research because if it were big enough, it would surely be there.

Oh, yeah.

Link: http://www.losethebackpain.com/blog/2012/06/08/worst-tap-water/

Another economic race between states

There is an article out today about a "Ballot Initiative Would More Than Double Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard" To an extent, I can see how a bit of a race will be taking place among states--if it hasn't already begun--to get more and more renewable energy and for a few reasons. First, it would be to have technology in the forefront of the state's economy. No state can afford to fall behind on cutting-edge technology. Second, it would be to lower energy costs for each state. Third, it likely add the jobs these projects and breakthroughs bring and finally, to have cleaner air. It's already true among nations--at least it is for those who care to take it on. The US needs to do a far better job of this. Link: http://cleantechnica.com/2012/01/15/ballot-initiative-would-more-than-double-michigan’s-renewable-portfolio-standard/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IM-cleantechnica+%28CleanTechnica%29

Most overlooked, under-appreciated facet of modern life?

I think one of the most overlooked, under-appreciated and possibly taken-for-granted facets of everyday, modern life might well be the hot shower in cold weather.

If a hot shower on a cold day isn't a true luxury, I don't know what is. That and running water. And toilets. Just saying. Have a good, hot shower, y'all.

Matt Damon's HQ for water charity located here in Kansas City

Another terrific effort here, this one begun by Gary White and actor Matt Damon, in an effort to get water to everyone, everywhere on the planet.

The water and sanitation problem in the developing world is far too big for charity alone. We are driving the water sector for new solutions, new financing models, greater transparency, and real partnerships to create lasting change. Our vision: the day when everyone in the world can take a safe drink of water.

Co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, Water.org is a nonprofit organization that has transformed hundreds of communities in Africa, South Asia, and Central America by providing access to safe water and sanitation. Water.org traces its roots back to the founding of WaterPartners in 1990. In July 2009, WaterPartners merged with H2O Africa, resulting in the launch of Water.org. Water.org works with local partners to deliver innovative solutions for long-term success. Its microfinance-based WaterCredit Initiative is pioneering sustainable giving in the sector.

If you'll go to the link below, you can get a high quality, premium water bottle and all profits go to help people in the world get access to clean water.

And check it out---by complete coincidence, the headquarters for the organization is right here in Kansas City:

Water.org
920 Main St.
Ste. 1800
Kansas City, MO 64105 USA
Phone: (816) 877-8400


(Their other 2 offices are in Tamil Nadu. India and Nairobi, Kenya.)


So here's another chance to do yet more good---maybe with a holiday gift you were going to get someone anyway.


Happy holidays, y'all.

Link:  http://gift.water.org/?r=water_sidebar

A few, important things that are improved because George W. Bush--and the Republicans--are not in the White House

Let's get right to it:

The first thing is that the Federal Reserve is considering limits on pay for the leaders of the big banks.

This would never happen--far from it--in the last administration. That group was far too interested in letting the foxes guard the chicken coop to even consider this. It was always about "free-market Capitalism", "unfettered markets" and virtually completely untregulated banks in specific but markets in general, to consider any kind of limits.

"The simple proposition should be that you don’t want people being paid for taking too much risk, and you want to make sure that their compensation is tied to long-term performance," Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury.

This statement would never have come from that previous group.

Mind you, we still have big banking problems, for sure, along with the banks virtually owning Congress and Goldman Sachs still pulling the strings from inside the White House but at least it's an improvement. And President Obama and this new administration are also pushing for more change and regulation of the banks.

The second change is a rather big one and it is President Obama's decision to do away with the truly, utterly ridiculous "missile shield" we'd proposed to install in Eastern Europe, virtually on the former Soviet Union's back door.

Besides the fact that it was absurdly expensive--and not working technology yet--can you imagine the US' response if Russia proposed doing this very thing in, say, Cuba? The comparison is a legitimate one. We'd have gone crazy about such a proposal.

Then there's the fact that this was supposedly to counter possible missiles from Iran, which is patently silly for at least a few, if not several reasons but the worst is that this wouldn't do what it was supposed to and, really, it would have been to fight "the last war."

The Soviet Union collapsed. This "missile shield" would be to fight what we perceived years ago, during the now-gone "Cold War." It's no longer reality, by any stretch.

President Obama clearly did the right thing here but we won't hear any such thing from the Conservative Right on this. They'll be going ballistic themselves--pardon the pun.

Another thing improved that we're doing now that we wouldn't be if George W. Bush or other Republicans were in charge is that we're back pushing for a cleaner environment, fighting climate change/global warming--whatever you want to call it--and cleaner energy choices, all three. These are huge.

We've got horrible environmental problems, worldwide, but all we can do here at home is do our best efforts to keep our water, air and soil as clean and workable as possible. It only makes sense but we got away from that for a while. Now we're back on the right track.

Finally, for today and this entry, is the President's push for health care reform.

We may already have been sold down the river, so to speak, but hopefully some good things for us will come out of this. Hopefully our costs for this health care will be driven down so it's more affordable for us.

These are but a few of the more right-headed things were doing as a country right now that would not be happening but for this new administration and leadership.

There are still so many things screwed up--and horribly so--but at least some things are going in a better direction.

It's enough to give me hope.

I hope the same for you.

Links to stories:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/business/economy/19pay.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/world/europe/19shield.html?th&emc=th

Sunday addendum: There is an important, informative article today in The New York Times, pointing out the benefits of President Obama's new plans to replace the "missile shield" of the former President:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/opinion/20gates.html?th&emc=th

Learning and unlearning, again and again

PBS showed an archive film clip of the late, famous and renowned economist John Kenneth Galbraith from some time ago, on economies, of course, and on housing bubbles and bursts. What he had to say was interesting.

Mr. Galbraith pointed out that there were virtually always about 20 years apart, to paraphrase him, because we never seem to learn our lessons, permanently, anyway, on housing and costs and prices and markets.

Naturally, the obvious thing to point out is that this is so unfortunate, first, and that you would think we would learn.

Sure it’s true but that’s not where I’m going with this.

Where I want to go is to say that I hope that, with the environment and our air, land and waters, as to polluting and not polluting, hopefully we will know better and permanently learn this stuff, as a people, all over the planet.

With our environment, we can’t keep “learning and unlearning” this stuff.

We have to have clean air and clean soil and clean water all the time, naturally (no pun intended), as a matter of course.

We don’t get “do-overs” on clean air or water or soil.

In order to live, we have to have these things all the time.

And we know this.

Just ask the people in China who are trying to live with filthy air or waterways.

These things are not luxuries. To repeat, we must have them.

So, as a country and as a world, we can’t be going through cycles of caring for our world and then not, for a period of time. Even our own generations, let alone future ones, are far too dependent on all that is around us to make those mistakes.

We have to be good stewards, so to speak, at all times.

It’s as the old saying goes, we don’t inherit our world from our ancestors—we borrow it from our children.