Greenpeace founder now backs nuclear power | News Updates | Idaho Statesman

Greenpeace founder now backs nuclear power and isn't sure humans cause global warming: "Greenpeace founder Patrick Moore says there is no proof global warming is caused by humans, but it is likely enough that the world should turn to nuclear power - a concept tied closely to the underground nuclear testing his former environmental group formed to oppose.

The chemistry of the atmosphere is changing, and there is a high-enough risk that 'true believers' like Al Gore are right that world economies need to wean themselves off fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gases, he said.

'It's like buying fire insurance,' Moore said. 'We all own fire insurance even though there is a low risk we are going to get into an accident.'"
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So how are the Gorebots and the rest of the global warming "the-debate-is-over" crowd going to respond to this?

Many states appear to be in recession as deficits grow

Many states appear to be in recession as deficits grow: "The finances of many states have deteriorated so badly that they appear to be in a recession, regardless of whether that's true for the nation as a whole, a survey of all 50 state fiscal directors concludes."
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Check the map that accompanies the article. Illinois is one of the few that didn't even report its budget data. But even without data, there is no doubt that the state government is running a massive deficit and can't agree on how to deal with it. This is incredible. We have a 100% Democratic state executive branch, with both houses of the state legislature controlled by the Democrats. We also have a virtual one-party all-Dem system in Chicago and Cook County. Yet, these public officials can't translate that unified party control into productive action on the budget. All they do is fight with each other and argue about unfundable proposals to socialize health insurance in the state and other symbolic legislation.

The current legislative priority item seems to be impeaching Governor Blagojevich. That is a start, I suppose, in the sense that it might break the logjam. He seems to be trying to do an even worse job as governor than the now-incarcerated George Ryan.

YouTube - Hillary Clinton Rap: Taking Back The White House

YouTube - Hillary Clinton Rap: Taking Back The White House
Have you seen this yet? Don't miss it.

Showing the Obama-Clinton Divide in Decision Tree Infographic | FlowingData

Showing the Obama-Clinton Divide in Decision Tree Infographic | FlowingData
This is a fascinating way to display the data showing how demographically divergent the Clinton and Obama voters really are.

ABC News: Dems Fight On; Hillary Clinton Wins Pennsylvania Primary

ABC News: Dems Fight On; Hillary Clinton Wins Pennsylvania Primary
And so the death march goes on...and on...and on...and on...

Brazilian favela and gated community

How's this for the contrast of rich and poor? This is from Brazil.

How I would like to spend my summer non-vacation (that's me in the red suit)

But as it happens, I will be teaching POLS 101 instead. Please join me if you can and make the summer at least this interesting.

L.A. Land : Los Angeles Times : California foreclosure "surge": Up 327% from '07 levels

L.A. Land : Los Angeles Times : California foreclosure "surge": Up 327% from '07 levels: "The number of California homes lost to foreclosure in the first quarter surged 327% from year-ago levels -- reaching an average of more than 500 foreclosures per day -- DataQuick said in a report, warning that the widening foreclosure problem could 'spread beyond the current categories of dicey mortgages, and into mainstream home loans.'

From DataQuick's report on California foreclosures in the first three months of 2008: 'Trustees Deeds recorded, or the actual loss of a home to foreclosure, totaled 47,171 during the first quarter. ... Last quarter's total rose 48.9 percent from 31,676 in the previous quarter, and jumped 327.6 percent from 11,032 in first quarter 2007.' That translates into 517 foreclosures every day in the first quarter of 2008."
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These numbers are huge and troubling.

ABC News: Clinton on Iran: If They Attack Israel, We Could 'Obliterate Them'

ABC News: Clinton on Iran: If They Attack Israel, We Could 'Obliterate Them': "In an ad that began airing in Pennsylvania Monday morning, Clinton implies she is tougher than Obama.

'Who do you think has what it takes?' the narrator asks in an ad depicting historical images of crises that presidents have had to deal with: Osama bin Laden, headlines about the stock market crash of 1929, long gas lines from the 1970s oil-shocks, images of the Cold War, Hurricane Katrina and soldiers. It features the first image of Osama bin Laden to be used in a TV ad this political season."
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She is drawing the line between them very clearly where foreign policy is concerned. The left wing of the party won't like this, but apparently she is giving up on them for now and focusing on the centrist Democrats who always supported Bill...and who could conceivably vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomination and they decide he is too far to the left for them. And check out this "obliterate them" line:


"ABC News' Chris Cuomo asked Clinton what she would do if Iran attacked Israel with nuclear weapons.

"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran," Clinton said. "In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them." "

31 shot, 2 stabbed during weekend violence :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State

31 shot, 2 stabbed during weekend violence :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State: "In an especially violent weekend, no less than 31 people have been shot in Chicago -- six fatally -- and two people have been stabbed since noon Friday. The shooting victims range in age from 12 to 65.

On Friday, 15 people were shot -- four fatally -- between noon Friday and midnight Saturday, police said."
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What would it take to get these young people to stop wanting to kill each other?