The Quest for Solar Fields

One of the most current worldwide issues is the search for new, clean reusable energy sources so that we may wean ourselves off our dependency on fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources that are currently harming the environment with each use. In an article written for the Denver Post a vision of clean renewable energy is described as the United States begins its quest for such energies. (http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_12856634 ) The issue at hand is the construction of solar energy fields in southern Colorado as well as six other western states that could possibly be the new source of power for most of the nation. According to the article “the 24 Solar Energy Study Areas that Interior is evaluating for environmentally appropriate solar energy development could generate nearly 100,000 megawatts of solar electricity, enough to power more than 29 million American homes.” With such vast amounts of land in the southwest which are ideal for solar reception along with wind collection the amount of energy able to possibly be produced is staggering. The development of such a project would put the United States at the head of the clean energy front and perhaps begin to put us at the forefront of energy provider for the world. States like Colorado are urging the federal government to follow them into the new energy plans of the future and start on these solar projects as soon as possible. Likewise in Texas there are groups, such as the Texas Solar Energy Society, that are driving for the increased use of solar energy. The wind farms in west Texas are one step that Texas has already taken to produce clean renewable energy, so with the addition of solar power plants there is no limit to what could be done. Though the issue of clean energy isn’t new or specific to this region of the United States, the creation of solar farms is site specific and can have a great affect on the national power grid as well as boost the regional economy and create massive amounts of new jobs. Truly it is only a matter of time before these plans will be realized as states like Colorado and the surrounding regions will be known for providing clean energy all throughout the United States and perhaps even the world.

Drink anyone?

There is a problem that is plaguing the American public for far too long and must be remedied.....lower the drinking age already! Being the only nation that has the minimum set at 21 years not only puts us as the outcast but also brings with it various problems. First and foremost is the rampant binge drinking scene amongst high school students and those in the early years of college. These teens, more often than not, suddenly have massive amounts of alcohol pushed upon them by their peers and due to a lack of knowledge on the issue and tend to over do it. This generally leads to injuries, driving accidents and being socially promiscuous. One solution to the rampant binge drinking is suggested by Dr. Ruth Engs (Professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington) who states “the drinking age be lowered to about 18 or 19 and permit those of legal age to consume in socially controlled environment such as restaurants”, thus ensuring a gradual and parentally supervised weaning into the realm of drinking. (http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1053520190.html) This process would ensure that they would gain a gradual knowledge about alcohol and their own limits with help from their parents before they are on their own and basically have free reign to do whatever they please. Having the drinking age at such an elder age almost guarantees that the youth will view alcohol as the “forbidden fruit” and as such crave its liquid knowledge all the more, once again ensuring massive amounts of binging.

On a final note, doesn’t it seem a bit odd that one can vote for our president and any other elected leader, serve in the military and perhaps die for our country yet still has to legally wait 3 years before one can even have just one beer whilst enjoying mouth watering Texas smoked barbecue?

Now they are trying to scare the elderly?....tsk tsk Fox News

As seen a number of years ago with Clinton, Obama has put the reforming of the nation’s health care system as one of his top priorities. Though will this attempt end any better than what happened to Clinton? Will again another defeat lead to the GOP again taking over congress and shutting down Obama’s other initiatives?
In the blog Crooks and Liars we see an article entitled Fox & Friends crew frighten elderly viewers: health-care reform is 'a subtle form of euthanasia', which depicts a very anti-reform sentiment by the fox reporters. (http://crooksandliars.com/node/29990) During the clip they try to take apart Obama and his reform plan by choosing a selected part of his speech at a town hall meeting on health care and basically use it out of context to instill fear into their audience. Without informing the audience about previous statements made by Obama they twist his words to make his reform, in the most succinctly put manner, seam like ‘a subtle form of euthanasia’. Indeed this clip taken out of context would no doubt scare the pants off the elderly audience they are going for with this scare tactic. It’s clear that they are really just grasping at anything to tear down the reform as it gets closer to being passed. One must wonder that if they are low enough to try and gain support against health care reform by scaring the elderly, then what else are they capable of?
David Neiwert has justly called out Fox and their news anchors in what amounts to a feeble attempt at tearing down a reform they clearly don’t really have anything on. But I guess that’s just ‘investigative journalism’ at its best; well in this particular case its shotty journalism at its very best.

Put down that phone!

In his article commenting on the use of cellphones being hazardous to our ability to drive, Derrick Jackson calls out to politicians to end the legal use of cellphones whilst driving. Amongst the many sources he cites that back up his claim on the necessary ban of cellphone use while driving the one he gets from a 2003 Harvard study very clearly brings some potent numbers to our attention. Though I do agree that sometimes a call may be just too important to ignore, such as a job offering or perhaps information about ones family you have been waiting on, but that fact that it can cause this much damage is most concerning. There have been times in my own life where I have taken a call or sent a text while and as soon as I was done realized I had no recollection of the previous five to ten minutes of the drive, which is the scariest thing to me. Though our generation has grown up being one with technology and it is hard to even momentarily put it down for the fear of being left behind or being out of the loop for even a second, perhaps in order to curb the effects just one call or text can have on us it is necessary to ban their use while behind the wheel. His claims and information about the hazardous effects of cellphone are hard to ignore seeing as they are from pretty reputable sources and as such make them ever the more potent to his argument. As sad as it may be to not be in touch with our peers for even a five minute drive, if it would cut down on almost 3,000 deaths and 300,000 injuries then a law banning the use would be a necessity. http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/07/21/politicians_can_you_hear_me_now/

Walter Cronkite

Walter Cronkite, the nation's "most trusted man", died Friday evening. This beloved voice that has brought us the news from his extensive career ranging from the Apollo 11 launch and the land on the moon all the way to the Kennedy assassination and to the present. he began his news media career as a high school student in Houston, to his tenure at The University of Texas, all the way to the national stage as an anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News in the early 1960's. Even though Cronkite only managed a brief stint in Austin and the University of Texas he stated that he visited Austin "as often as I can but not often enough." This is just a small tribute to the "most trusted man in America" but also to an incredible figure in American History. (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/2009/07/18/0718highlights.html)

Liberal

Based on your answers to the questionnaire, you most closely resemble survey respondents within the Liberal typology group. This does not mean that you necessarily fit every group characteristic or agree with the group on all issues.

Liberals represent 17 percent of the American public, and 19 percent of registered voters.

Basic Description
This group has nearly doubled in proportion since 1999, Liberals now comprise the largest share of Democrats and is the single largest of the nine Typology groups. They are the most opposed to an assertive foreign policy, the most secular, and take the most liberal views on social issues such as homosexuality, abortion, and censorship. They differ from other Democratic groups in that they are strongly pro-environment and pro-immigration, issues which are more controversial among Conservative and Disadvantaged Democrats.

Defining Values
Strongest preference for diplomacy over use of military force. Pro-choice, supportive of gay marriage and strongly favor environmental protection. Low participation in religious activities. Most sympathetic of any group to immigrants as well as labor unions, and most opposed to the anti-terrorism Patriot Act.

Who They Are
Most (62%) identify themselves as liberal. Predominantly white (83%), most highly educated group (49% have a college degree or more), and youngest group after Bystanders. Least religious group in typology: 43% report they seldom or never attend religious services; nearly a quarter (22%) are seculars. More than one-third never married (36%). Largest group residing in urban areas (42%) and in the western half the country (34%). Wealthiest Democratic group (41% earn at least $75,000).

Lifestyle Notes
Largest group to have been born (or whose parents were born) outside of the U.S. or Canada (20%). Least likely to report having a gun at home (23%) or attending bible study or prayer group meetings (13%).

2004 Election
Bush 2%, Kerry 81%

Party ID
59% Democrat; 40% Independent/No Preference, 1% Republican (92% Dem/Lean Dem)

Media Use
Liberals are second only to Enterprisers in following news about government and public affairs most of the time (60%). Liberals’ use of the internet to get news is the highest among all groups (37%).