The only 2015 forecast worth reading so far: Oil and the Economy: Where are We Headed in 2015-16? | Our Finite World

http://ourfiniteworld.com/2015/01/06/oil-and-the-economy-where-are-we-headed-in-2015-16/


"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

'America's Bitter Pill' Makes Case For Why Health Care Law 'Won't Work' : Shots - Health News : NPR

Poor headline -- the story actually argues that it will work to do what it was designed to do, provide more coverage. The headline and story blames Obamacare for not tackling the even bigger cost (read: gushing industry profits) issues - as if somehow it could have been passed with even more enemies.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2015/01/05/375024427/americas-bitter-pill-makes-case-for-why-health-care-law-wont-work


"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Mark your Calendar, First Must-See of 2015 on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.

We hope everyone a peaceful holiday and  we look forward to seeing you in the new year.   Please join us next week on  Thursday, January 8th at 7 PM for the screening of the documentary "Do The Math"    DO THE MATH chronicles "America's leading environmentalist" Bill McKibben in a David-vs-Goliath battle to fight the fossil fuel industry and change the math of the climate crisis.   Our guest speakers represent organizations who promote responsible development of renewable energy resources in the northwest.   See below for more information about the film and guest speakers.

Upcoming Film

January 8, 2015 * 7 PM    "Do The Math" The math is simple. To avoid climate catastrophe, we have to limit carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere to 350 parts per million or below. The only problem? We're presently at 400 parts per million -- and climbing. Bestselling author and environmental activist Bill McKibben and 350.org, the organization he founded, hit the road to raise awareness of this terrifying math and build a movement to challenge the fossil fuel industry.  Do the Math follows McKibben as he delivers an astonishingly clear breakdown of the facts. The film serves as a much needed correction to industry spin, and shows how an unprecedented global movement is rising up to keep CO2 emissions down.    To view trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zfinOCgRQ0   Guest Speakers:   Panelists from: Oregonians for Renewable Energy Progress The Sierra Club 350.org Renewable Northwest Project

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Local Heroes of the Year: No 3rd Bridge

Of all the people and groups of people doing good things in Salem, one group stands out, both for their persistence and dogged commitment to helping Salem avoid a catastrophic mistake and for their willingness to take a stand for benefitting the community as a whole, despite being sniffed at and dismissed by the "very serious people" who believe that thinking for ones self is vastly overrated.

Although I quarrel with the name (I think Fund Fixes First! Is both more appealing and more accurate), there can be little quarrel that the leaders of No 3rd Bridge, Scott Bassett and Jim Scheppke, and a small -- but intense, well informed, and indefatigable -- band of stalwarts are the true "First Citizens of Salem." 

Because what a real citizen gives to his or her town is not her or his obedience to the payers of the pipers -- rather, it is good judgment and willingness to oppose bad ideas, the stock in trade of the boosters and the lobbyists trying to drum up a parade that will enrich them and their corporate masters and bosses who populate the Chamber of the 1%.

Here is their review of 2014. After reading, take a moment to thank them for their work. Opposing nonsense like the Bridgasaurus Boondogglus is tough work -- telling the powerful and the privileged "NO" is never the path to easy times, and it deserves a toast.

NO 3RD BRIDGE: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

The end of 2014 saw plans for the 3rd Bridge in disarray. The #1 champion for the bridge, Salem City Councilor Dan Clem, retired from the Council and from the Oversight Team. Several Councilor are unhappy with the latest plans and Tom Andersen who strongly opposes the bridge will take his seat on the Council next month. The funding plan developed by the Oversight Team includes tax and fee increases on everyone in Polk and Marion Counties and a toll on the Marion and Center Street bridges — clearly a non-starter that the Federal Highway Administration should reject as a fantasy. The project timeline was pushed out two more years to 2016, all the better to keep the consulting money flowing to the project consultants who have billed an average of about $58,000 a month for their services since 2006.

Here are the highlights of a year in which great progress was made in putting more nails in the coffin of the 3rd Bridge ...

January: Marion County Commissioners approve the “preferred alternative” for the 3rd Bridge with no public hearing and no public comment.

February: Oversight Team meets and approves the “preferred alternative” we call 4D Lite despite getting no input from the cities of Salem and Keizer. Marion County Commissioner Sam Brentano makes comments in the meeting supporting tolling the Center and Marion Street bridges to pay for the 3rd Bridge.

March: Scott Bassett and Tom Andersen file to run for Salem City Council. Opposition to the 3rd Bridge is a major plank in their platforms.

May: Tom Andersen wins a seat on the Salem City Council with 52% of the vote and Scott Bassett comes within 200 votes of upsetting his opponent who outspent him 3 to 1.

June: NO 3rd Bridge holds first-ever rally in front of Courthouse Square. 30 supporters wave signs and listen to speeches before attending a Salem River Crossing Open House.

July: NO 3rd Bridge launches letter writing campaign to ODOT to oppose a City of Salem grant request to plan the “bridge districts” at both ends of the bridge. ODOT turn downs the grant request in August.

August: The State Bridge Engineer tells a regional transportation planning committee that the Marion and Center Street bridges will not survive the next Cascadia megaquake, but that retrofitting them is a low priority for ODOT.

September: Oversight Team meets and selects the bridge type — a segmental precast concrete box girder bridge.

November: Salem City Council holds a heated work session on the 3rd Bridge. Council President Chuck Bennett calls the latest plans “lipstick on a pig” and “a real disappointment.”

December: Oversight Team holds a funding workshop and a week later meets to develop a rough funding plan that includes gas tax increases, vehicle registration surcharges, property tax increases and tolling the Marion and Center street bridges. NO 3rd Bridge calls the plan “a non-starter."

***

Happy New Year! Go Ducks!!

Jim and Scott

-- 
Jim Scheppke and Scott Bassett
no3rdbridge@comcast.net
503-269-1559

Must-Read: The Tragedy of the American Military

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

"The American public and its political leadership will do anything for the military except take it seriously. The result is a chickenhawk nation in which careless spending and strategic folly combine to lure America into endless wars it can't win."

 

 

For the full article, go to: http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/12/the-tragedy-of-the-american-military/383516/

 

Undernews: Housing homeless much cheaper than leaving them on the street

http://prorevnews.blogspot.com/2014/12/housing-homeless-much-cheaper-than.html


"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Salem Harvest $10k Matching Gift Challenge ends 12/31

Greetings, We are making progress toward our $10,000 matching goal!  But there are still dollars left to harvest.   Thank you, to those who have donated.  Your commitment and generosity are very much appreciated. To those who haven't yet donated, remember, these funds will be used to grow our program and increase our relationships with farmers, ultimately leading to harvesting more fresh produce.  Please be generous in this season of giving to help feed our community.  All donations are tax-deductible and our matching challenge ends on December 31, so give today.  Checks can be mailed to Salem Harvest, PO Box 483, Salem, Oregon  97308  –OR-  click this link for PayPal donations. Best Wishes for a Happy New Year, Salem Harvest - President elise@salemharvest.org 503.400.6618 x5 www.salemharvest.org To feed the hungry by harvesting food that would go to waste

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Solnit: Everything’s Coming Together While Everything Falls Apart

http://www.resilience.org/stories/2014-12-23/everything-s-coming-together-while-everything-falls-apart
> Just before that September climate march in New York, I began to contemplate how human beings a century from now will view those of us who lived in the era when climate change was recognized, and yet there was so much more that we could have done. . . .
> They will think the newspapers should have had a gigantic black box above the fold of the front page every day saying "Here are some stories about other things, BUT CLIMATE IS STILL THE BIGGEST STORY OF ALL."


"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

A great place to invest your giving dollars here in Oregon

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."

Reply-To: Beth Butler, Board President <LeadSafe@Me.com>

I just ran a quick check on our numbers: $17,181.00 - Amount raised in the last two weeks from 24 friends! Thank you, friends! $20,698.67 - Amount left to raise by December 31st at midnight to meet our end of year goal, so we can keep helping families in 2015! 16,000+ - Families we have helped so far in 2014 with free information, free soil or consumer goods toxicity testing, free lead-paint test kits or direct emergency support. 7,382 - People following our film's page on Facebook as of today! 395 -  Number of entries so far in our FREE holiday raffle! Did you enter yet? Just four days left to win a Speedheater™ Infrared Paint Remover, Grand Prize Package from Eco-Strip, LLC - (value more than $800!) or a Naturepedic organic crib mattress Grand Prize Package (value more than $600!)  Click HERE to enter. 28 - Hours until film editor/writer/director extraordinaire, Justin Weinstein arrives in Portland, Oregon to help us get started on the final phase of editing for our documentary film MisLEAD! If you intended to, but have not yet made your end-of-year contribution in support of our work, please donate today to help us meet this goal. Everyone who gives something before the end of the year will also get free lead paint test kits sent to them with their thank you letter! As Lead Safe America is a 501(c)3 nonprofit donations are tax-deductible and any amount is always welcome. Our most commonly received donation is $25, although the average donation amount over the last two weeks has been $715! Today is also great day to make that $150 donation to become a Neighborhood Partner (and Monday we'll send you $809.46 in free lead-test kits (54 two-swab kits) to give away to families in your community - we have enough kits left for FOUR more neighbhorhood partners this year!)  Click HERE for more ways to give to help us reach our goal. Thank you! Have a terrific holiday season. Beth Butler Board President Lead Safe America Foundation 46,573 Copyright © 2014 Lead Safe America Foundation, All rights reserved. This email is being sent to you by the Lead Safe America Foundation. Feel free to unsubscribe by using the link here. Thank you! Our mailing address is: Lead Safe America Foundation P.O. Box 820044 Portland, OR 97282

Corn Ethanol: A Lump of Coal in Your Christmas Stocking

Of course the diehards will keep thinking that there's some mythical nondestructive biofuel out there because, well, . . . Because!

Nature doesn't provide something for nothing -- if you think you can have low inputs but high outputs, you're deceiving yourself. Biofuels are the false promise of industrial intensity and rapid consumption outputs based on organic/solar intensity and slow production inputs -- which of course reveals that there's a huge amount of hidden fossil fuel use going on ...

And that is all biofuels really are: systems for "laundering" massive rivers of subsidies and hidden fossil fuels used into liquid fuels in ways that tend to fool wishful thinkers into believing that the laws against something for nothing have been repealed.

The fact is simply that there is no such thing as a biological system capable of powering an industrial economy such as was created through fossil fuels. We would need several extra planets devoted to nothing but biofuel production (and eradication of all wildlife) just to power the "American Way" -- to say nothing of the billions of formerly ignored peoples elsewhere.

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/12/18/corn-ethanol-lump-coal-your-christmas-stocking

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay."