The OK-NIMBYs

In case you didn't know, NIMBY stands for “Not In My Back Yard.” 

 

Polluting industries have used this “NIMBY” accusation to marginalize resistance to polluting for years now. But there is a converse attitude that never gets mentioned. The financiers of the polluters appear to find destructive and poisoning behavior perfectly OK as long as the pollution is not in their own overpriced back yards.

I would like to call these OK-NIMBYs.

OK-NIMBYs find it OK that they make money on others' suffering. But don't get me wrong. OK-NIMBYs may not be so much evil as callus (or even ignorant). They invest their money in hedge funds, the stock market, or even their retirement plan with no real idea how the money gets invested. All they want is to maximize their investment.

But what are the real-world consequences of that?

Their back yards get polluted too.

They get poisoned too.

Their future gets compromised too.

That is the inherent fatal flaw of paper profits.

...My story begins in 2006.

That was when a power utility paid $100,000 to a global warming skeptic. Now, this wasn't just any power utility. This was a rural cooperative. Which means the board spent $100,000 of its customers' money to pay an opinionated “scientist” to speak out against global warming science.

Now, your first question might be; what in the world is a rural cooperative paying a scientist for anyway – to do anything? That has nothing to do with their mission. However, many members of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association burn coal. And Intermountain Rural Electric Association General Manager Stanley Lewandowski must have believed so much in the cooperatives' decision to burn coal without pollution “controls” that he wrote a memo to the National Association to convince other rural cooperatives to send money to global warming skeptics also.

(Did more contributions come from other rural electric cooperatives? We don't know yet. If it happened here with Mt. Wheeler Power, no one who would be critical of the act is likely to have checked.)

The “scientist” who was paid (off) was Patrick Michaels, former Virginia State Climatologist – who was drummed out of his position for his controversial industry funding.

Here in lies a paradox. When you think about the thousands of scientists who have contributed tons and tons of evidence for man-made global warming, it seems very peculiar that a dozen or so vocal global warming skeptics should carry so much weight. But there it is, right on mass media news for all of us to see. What they call fair and balanced reporting just happens to weigh greatly in favor of their fossil fuel sponsors. Ain't that a coincidence? NOT!!!

So, after five years of do nothing politics on global warming, I'm looking out my window here in the mountains of Eastern Nevada. It's new year's eve day, and there isn't any snow. In fact, it's quite warm for the middle of the Winter in the mountains. If there were snow, it probably would have melted. WHERE'S WINTER???

...But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Russian science vessels have located huge fountains of methane evaporating from the oceanfloor. “We found more than 100 fountains, some more than a kilometer across... there should be thousands of them.” Said Dr. Igor Semiletov. (In case you didn't know; methane is 30 times more powerful a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.)

Can you say “tipping point”?

(In case you didn't know what “tipping point” means; that is the point in time where there is no turning back. In the case of global warming; it is when, even if we totally stopped emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the Earth would continue to get hotter.)

This isn't just evidence.

This is proof!

Methane is melting in mass amounts!

We're already at the point of no return.

We can believe the scientists, or we can believe the sell-outs.

If he's still getting paid, I'd bet our Cato Institute “scientist” would still be claiming that either there is no global warming, global warming is not caused by human activity, we are not near any tipping point, or “sorry, it looks like we're past the tipping point – there's nothing we can do about it now. You may as well buy more fossil fuels.”

This is exasperating! Air temperatures near the poles have increased by about 4° F! Water temperatures are higher too. The polar ice caps are melting! And the only people excited about this are the oil companies!

Oh, and one more thing. If you have read my blog before, you may recall a post where I suggested that some of the recent earthquake activity may have been caused by global warming. Well, more evidence is in. Read here.

So, with all this bad news, one would expect that we might see some changes... Nope.

The big issue at the end of the year wasn't extending the renewable energy rebate. No, it was extending unemployment benefits. That was important, of course. But in the long run, it's going to look like re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Without an environment to support us, no government can keep extending unemployment benefits indefinitely.

The very best America (and the world) can hope for won't happen until year after next. If the Democrats (or some Party even more enlightened) win many new seats – and take over the House, maybe – just maybe; we can get a comprehensive Energy Bill Passed.

But don't expect that to be the end of it.

Even though we've had another big oil spill...

Even though closer analysis shows that that big American natural gas strike is all on paper – and the supply most likely won't last anywhere near 100 years (more likely 10 to 20 years)...

Even though The Daily Show gets more viewers than Fox “News” now...

Even though most Americans want clean energy, and are willing to pay for it...

...The exploiters have been able to keep this in court for years.

A Federal Judge just blocked one of California's greenhouse gas emission regulations. The regulation was written to force producers and refiners to reduce their fuel's carbon footprint by 10 percent by 2020. Though the law would have only reduced California's greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels, it would have been a major step in the right direction.

And another Federal Court just delayed an EPA rule on coal-fired power plants. These rules were originally mandated by a bipartisan Clean Air Act in 1990! It's been over 20 years, and it's still in court. Amazing! ...Amazingly stupid. This EPA rule would limit emissions of mercury, arsenic, and other poisons. In fact, the EPA claims that 11,000 Americans might not die every year if the rules were adhered to. This isn't about doing what is right. It's about holding the door shut until they've taken everything – and left us with the mess to clean up.

And have we learned our lesson?

With all of the damage that has already been caused by global warming, which has been documented by the insurance industry; we still hear people claiming that the answer to our problems is to drill for more oil.

This is the biggest conspiracy in the history of humanity.

It is so big that it permeates our entire information system.

For, example; the Discovery Channel is airing a seven part documentary with only one of the parts missing – the issue on global warming.

...Of course, this happens every day on the mass media news channels.

The OK-NIMBYs are getting their way. And if we really are about to run out of fossil fuels, they're about to make a killing... on us. Which means we will be double-over-charged. We will have to pay the over-inflated prices of diminishing fossil fuels (and the peculiar rate increases such as Nevada Energy's recent 10% rate hike). And much worse, we will have to pay the huge environmental consequences of burning fossil fuels.

We know better.

It's not OK.

Even if it's not in my back yard.

Follow The Money

My guess is that you suspect something is wrong – terribly wrong.

Somewhere along the way, our marginally functioning system has become critically dysfunctional. What went wrong? Follow the money...

Ignorance of bliss is not bliss.

Ignorance of reality is dangerous.

Ignorance of danger is self destructive.

In every society, there is a constant struggle between the builders and the predators – the innovators and the extractors – the nurturing and the exploiters – sometimes even the slaves and the slave-holders. The course is never clear, and the choices never easy. But the struggle has made us stronger. It has also made our would-be exploiters smarter.

The primary issue is simple; carrying capacity.

There's only so much milk the cows can give – especially when they aren't fed well any more. And there are only so many taxes the people can pay – especially when they aren't paid well any more.

The wealth extractors always want more – because there are always more of them.

...And as always has been, the more powerful the wealth extractors get, the more they become like slave-holders (or even predators).

It appears that today's wealth extractors have become more powerful than the government of the United States of America. Face it; we know who tells whom what do in our government... We know that our votes don't count nearly as much as they should... The oligarchy ignores us. But only because we let them.

The biggest monopolies are multinational now. Our nations will have to work together to limit their power. This is the one thing the super-rich oligarchs fear – which is why you see so much “one world government” negative propaganda. They want us to keep fighting amongst ourselves. They don't want us to organize. They don't want a UN with real power.

If humanity organized worldwide, we would have the power to break these monopolies up – and sometimes, we really really should.

If they come to us for bail-out money; we should break them up.

If they callously break the law, and people die; we should break them up.

If they stifle life-saving innovation; we should break them up.

If they manipulate our governments to loot our wealth; we should break them up.

But we haven't promoted authentic capitalism. We've allowed the biggest companies to merge and acquire each other for decades now – until they've become “too big to fail.” (Translation; too big.) These dangerously big companies are growing even stronger now – and more predatory. For example; the big banks forced America and Europe (and the world) to give them billions of dollars because they gambled away our savings. And behind our backs; they borrowed trillions from theFederal Reserve (at our expense).

…

Most of the time; what we see anymore is really only pretend capitalism. Check for yourself. Take a drive across town in the nearest city. Every five minutes, you see the same set of big corporate business signs (and you know that many of them are owned by one of the other corporations). Local businesses are like endangered species. I see an oligarchy. I see a small group of people making greedy decisions that are, at best, only good for themselves, and only for only a short while.

As simply as I can put it; taking is not making. And a take over is not a make over.

Monopolies are well known for two things: eventually selling us garbage, at over-inflated prices. Ultimately, this isn't good for anyone – because good ideas (which our society desperately needs) get ignored.

Let's face it; we're all trying to get ahead on the same planet.

But if we trash the planet in the process, nobody gets ahead.

Paper profits don't amount to shit in a crappy world.

If we bring back real competition, good ideas will follow. If we nurture that competition in the right direction, we could even create a stronger civilization in a healthier environment. That's what we really want.

How To Bypass The Corporatocracy

Have you been thinking that the monopolization of just about every industry in America is somehow inherently wrong?

Are you tired of voluntarily financially supporting the oligarchy?

Have you decided to support small (even mom and pop) businesses?

But there's one big issue holding you back; you're caught up in the machine? You know who the big companies are, because they spend millions on advertising. And you know that some of those small businesses are small because they're lousy. So, you spend your money with the big mediocre companies because you don't want to deal with the bad ones. In time, most everyone herds to the big companies. And eventually, there are no small companies left to do business with. We have to face the reality that we are a part of the problem.

At least for some industries, it doesn't have to be that way. The service and travel industries still have small and mom and pop businesses. All you have to do is figure out whom to do business with.

Enter “yelp.com”

...I know. What a strange name for a website that ultimately could help us save capitalism.

Of course, the answer to our problem is both simple and complicated. If we don't want to support big remotely owned companies that siphon off our local economy, all we have to do is support local businesses. But which ones?

In a nutshell, Yelp is a referral system. We submit the reviews. We share our knowledge of local businesses. If the big business chains stand out, and are far better than the local businesses; the reviewers will tell you. But much of the time, at least one local business is the best.

When we travel, the point is to get out. So, why go to the same old place in a different location? For example; here in Ely there is a McDonald's. It gets tons of business from travelers, who are too scared to take a chance on local mom and pop restaurants. But with Yelp, travelers can check to see the reviews of the local non-corporate food. One of the highest rated restaurants here is the Twin Wok (locally owned and operated by authentic orientals). Twin Wok is almost across the street from McDonald's. So it isn't out of the way. And they serve a lunch buffet, which is even faster than fast food.

But until travelers had Yelp, they didn't know.

What Is The Matrix?

The Matrix is the web of lies that keep us slaves to an irresponsible and corrupt system that will ultimately collapse.

Why do we accept the Matrix?

Because it gives us permission to be irresponsible too. 

But... not like this... 

They have systematically rigged the game. 
 

To see how the most dangerous of them do it click here.

How can we wake up?

By committing to thorough, common sense, long term, outside of the box thinking – with the will to do what is necessary to develop a healthy systematic process of living and interacting.

In other words; by keeping an open mind about doing what is right – and mustering the will to follow through.

In other words; by consciously evolving. 

But how will that matter? 
Because then our society will be compelled to force America to become a true democracy - and we will vote on issues directly. 


When our representatives' authority is reduced to the authority of clerks, it won't be worth corrupting them. 


And maybe, just maybe, those who are draining America's strength will consciously evolve and realize that in the long run we all lose if we allow America to fail. No collapsed civilization in history has ever had a group of people cruise through unscathed - no matter how rich they were before the collapse. In the end, the rich just become the biggest target for crime.



(...Or you can watch Fox "News", CNN, or CNBC... 
They blame it all on the liberals.)