Re: [Biofuel] The Incredible Shrinking Think Tank
Hi Chip I didn't see Michael Clayton, but I get the point. Keith Addison wrote: | Hi Chip | | Heh, but that was then. | | Yes. I reckon then was before about the mid-70s, - --SNIP | be outside the US to see it.) One US commentator says Americans live | in what he called the Hollywood hologram, an alternative reality | with little interface with what really happens. A lot of commentators | say things like that. Kirk said Americans are hypnotised, and he | wouldn't know how to wake them up. Well, Kirk would be right. That said, this mini-screed of yours finally loosened up a clog I have had in my head since viewing the film 'Michael Clayton. I'm sorry if this misses the mark on topicality, but I think my take on this illustrates your point. I didn't see the film in the theatre, but waited for the dvd. I found the story very disturbing, not for the reasons I was supposed to find the story disturbing either. The film's sub-title being the Truth can be Adjusted Here was a critically acclaimed, -many awards, a many more nominations for many more awards- movie that supposedly tells great truths via fiction. However, this movie is something else. It's just a rubdown. We -the *consumer* get treated to the ubiquitous talents of easy-on-the-eyes to both genders George Cloony having adventures in the wonderful world of creepy big-money law. To make a long -and admittedly interesting story- short, The hero is sold to us as an anti-hero, but deep down is really a hero. The evil multinational ag-biotech firm (monsanto is all but named) has hired the big firm to defend a lawsuit, and the lead lawyer on the case finds a smoking gun that damns his client, so he has a crisis of faith, but the law firm covers it all up, and has him killed (my suspension of disbelief fell apart at this point, there are better, and quite common, used every day ways of circumventing a rogue attorney) But the hero, George Cloony, working with the police foils the evil plot. All ends in Cheers for the good guys All ends in Tears for the bad guys. Hardly. For those of you who might be swayed, please note This Never Happens. It has never happened, and will never happen. Maybe sometimes it happens. Perhaps just often enough to shore up the myth that it's not a rare exception but the rule, and that it will always save us in the end. Man cannot stand too much reality, but a little bit helps when judiciously applied: Small groups of persons can, and do, make the rest of us think what they please about a given subject, wrote the Father of Spin Edward Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud, in his book Propaganda. The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. . . . In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons . . . who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind. This definition of democratic society is itself a contradiction in terms--a theoretical attempt to reconcile rule by the few with the democratic system which threatened (and still threatens) the privileges and powers of the governing elite. -- From: The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays The Birth of PR, Larry Tye, book review by John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/1999Q2/bernays.html Actually Bernays just can't tell the truth even when he's telling it - we're not dominated by his relatively small number of persons who understand the processes and so on, it's not people like Bernays who control the public mind, it's their paymasters - Wall Street, not Madison Ave. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of, Bernays wrote. Maybe so, but only at the behest of the corporations, governments and institutions who pay the pipers, most of whom we've certainly heard of, we know them all too well, and they're the ones who do the invisible governing. So Chip, you finger Monsanto, not the director. Who knows if it's true, but Monsanto's done weirder things than that. Right or wrong, it's the right place to look. Being innocent until proven guilty is not for the likes of Monsanto, that's reserved for people, and corporate personhood doesn't qualify, especially not with Monsanto's friendly neighbourhood corporate record. Suspect the usual suspects. Now, as a *consumer*, I'm supposed to come out of the theater with a sense of satisfaction, Good prevails. I think you're meant to feel reassured. Bogart killed the Nazi. Cloony brought down Monsanto. I'd not be all that surprised to find some monsanto money
Re: [Biofuel] plug in kit for hybrid
Kirk McLoren wrote: Kit converts hybrid to plug in electric http://www.hymotion.com/ What do the hybrid manufacturers have to say about the use of outboard battery chargers? Will the use affect the manufacturers warranty of the vehicle's batteries? d. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] plug in kit for hybrid
Doug Younker wrote: What do the hybrid manufacturers have to say about the use of outboard battery chargers? Will the use affect the manufacturers warranty of the vehicle's batteries? I've read that Toyota isn't standing by their hybrid systems after the warranty period is up. People who've bought early Priuses (Priii?) are complaining that they can't get service for their hybrid drives anymore. My Camry has a 7 year warranty on the battery and drive system, but once that's up, I can do whatever I want with the thing. The plug in system Kirk linked us to replaces the NiMH battery pack with Lithium polymer batteries. I don't think the manufacturers will cover that at all, and I also wonder about insurance . . . We saw a woman drive into the ditch this morning. (As in, she made a left turn directly into the ditch on a dry road in broad daylight--it was bizarre!) I stopped to lend aid (though I ended up not doing anything because more competent people were there) and couldn't help but wonder about this whole automobile dependency thing. It was a strictly philosophical moment, though, because once a police officer told me to go, I climbed back into my truck and headed away . . . robert luis rabello The Edge of Justice The Long Journey New Adventure for Your Mind http://www.newadventure.ca Ranger Supercharger Project Page http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Fwd: Vote Solar Update: Fed ITC Progress, ASES Shindig, Florida Update
Adam Browning [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Friends- We have news: ITC vote American Solar Energy Society conference Update on the Florida campaign - ITC Progress We are one step closer. Thursday morning, after three fruitless attempts, the Senate passed a bill that would extend the expiring solar energy tax credits. By an overwhelmingly bi-partisan vote of 88 to 8, Senators Cantwell (D-WA) and Ensign (R-NV) added an amendment to the comprehensive housing bill (H.R.3221), which would provide for an 8-year extension of the commercial solar investment tax credit (ITC), and a 1-year extension of the residential ITC. The amendment also removes the $2000 cap on the residential credit, essentially making it a true 30% tax credit. As you may recall, the House has already passed legislation three times to extend the solar ITC and other expiring clean energy credits. Now the two chambers have to reconcile their two differing tax packages before anything can be sent to the President's desk. The conference process will begin shortly, and given the prickly payment issue, could be rough going. The House-passed versions paid for the clean energy tax provisions by siphoning subsidies currently given to the oil and gas industry, while the Senate version does not include any payment mechanism. Once we have a better sense of the timing of the conference process, we will send out an action alert. Stay tuned. - American Solar Energy Society: Catch the Clean Tech Wave Want to let you know about an upcoming conference hosted by our friends at the American Solar Energy Society: Catch the Clean Tech Wave in San Diego from May 3rd - 8th. Geared for academic and business audiences, this event offers workshops, presentations, technical papers, tours, and demonstrations to help identify industry trends, network and discover how to get involved with the practical and professional opportunities this clean, high-growth, trillion dollar industry provides. And, presumably, surfing. Headliners include Senator Gary Hart (author former Presidential candidate); Jigar Shah (Chief Strategy Office, SunEdison); Van Jones (national expert on green collar jobs); Chris Paine (Director, Who Killed the Electric Car); Molly Tirpak Sterkel (Manager, California Solar Initiative); and Edward Mazria (international expert of passive solar energy). Wow. No monkey business there. Also, Gwen and Adam will be presenting. So there's that. To register, visit: http://www.ases.org/solar2008/ - Progress in Florida We asked for donations. And we got them. Many thanks. Here's a quick update to let you know how your funds are being used. We're only half way through the legislative session, but solar is getting a good amount of attention in Tallahassee, and its thanks in no small part to your help with the Florida PR Push fund. To check out select news and radio coverage, visit: http://votesolar.org/state-initiatives/florida-press.html Onwards- The Vote Solar Initiative 300 Brannan Street, Suite 609 San Francisco, CA 94107 www.votesolar.org to suscribe: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/votesolar/signUp.jsp?key=987 to unsuscribe: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/votesolar/unsubscribe.jsp __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20080410/28ce9c80/attachment.html ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
