Not in my lifetime, anyway...

Not with terms like "dangerous," "landslide," and "environmental disaster" being thrown out there.  But this fossil fuel is certainly worth being investigated.  Especially since hydrates are so abundant.  So, it's North to Alaska...

from the Christian Science Monitor~

Hydrates have been hailed as a paradigm shift in how to achieve energy independence and as a massively abundant source of cleaner-burning natural gas. Others fear it represents an environmental disaster in the making. Until recently it was thought too dangerous and too costly to extract to be of use.

That view is beginning to change. In a recently released report, the USGS for the first time announced details of large hydrate reserves in the Alaskan permafrost that should be recoverable using existing technology. The vast field could hold as much as 85 trillion cubic feet of gas – an amount far less than the dream scenarios put forward in the past, but still massive. Even more important, such movement makes the possibility of getting at the mother lode of hydrate resources – those located offshore – increasingly realistic.

[...]

Safety concerns also remain. Drilling turns solid hydrates into gas, but this process actually cools the gas, threatening to turn newly liberated gas bubbles back into solid hydrates in the middle of the drill itself – a dangerous prospect. Many also worry that drilling into hydrates might release clouds of gas that could start an underwater landslide. But most experts say that as knowledge of methane hydrates improves, drilling sites are moving away from high-risk areas.


Click to continue entire article

But the Athiests say, no way...


Another one of those "I couldn't make this up if I tried, " real-life political stories...

"FRANKFORT, Kentucky - A group of atheists filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to remove part of a state anti-terrorism law that requires Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security to acknowledge it can't keep the state safe without God's help.

American Atheists Inc. sued in state court over a 2002 law that stresses God's role in Kentucky's homeland security alongside the military, police agencies and health departments."

Click to continue

Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe wants his community to be vigilantes.  He doesn't feel the police can take care of the citizens so he's telling them to go out and arm themselves with guns.

"Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe said police are ineffective, outnumbered or don't care about the increase in crime in his north St. Louis ward. St. Louis has had 157 homicides in 2008, 33 more than last year at this time.

"The community has to be ready to defend itself, because it's clear the economy is going to get worse, and criminals are getting more bold," Troupe, 72, said Tuesday."

 

I'm not for gun control but this Alderman is a bit off the wall.  Telling everyone to go out and get a gun isn't going to solve the problem in St. Louis. I think Alderman Troupe and the rest of his city council need to work with their police department and not brush the problem under the rug.

Click to read the article

For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
November 30, 2008

Mrs. Bush's Remarks During the Presentation of the White House Christmas Tree
North Lawn

1:54 A.M. EST

MRS. BUSH: Well, here we are once again. This is the eighth time we've waited for the very first event of the holiday season, and that's when the big tree is brought. This is the Fraser fir for the Blue Room. It'll be the great big tree that this year will be decorated with ornaments from all around the United States, decorated by artists from all around the United States.

But this tree is from North Carolina. And I want to recognize the Christmas Tree growers from River Ridge Farms, Crumpler, North Carolina -- Jessie Davis and Russell Estes. They are both growers and they were picked by the National Christmas Tree Growing Association -- Growers Association, and they're represented here, as well, with Mark Steelhammer from the Christmas Tree Growers Association, the National Association. 

So this is the first event of the holiday season, and as you all know there are many more to follow later this week. We'll announce what the theme is when I give you a tour of this year's decorations. I will have to say -- just a sneak preview -- that this is the perfect theme for this year. So I think you'll like it when we get to see it later this week.

So happy holidays. Thanks, everybody.









Sue Harman drives a horse-drawn carriage delivering the official White House Christmas tree Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008,
to the North Portico of the White House. The Fraser Fir tree, from River Ridge Farms in Crumpler, N.C., will be on
display in the Blue Room of the White House for the 2008 Christmas season. White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

Sue Harman drives a horse-drawn carriage delivering the official White House Christmas tree Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008,
to the North Portico of the White House. The Fraser Fir tree, from River Ridge Farms in Crumpler, N.C., will be on
display in the Blue Room of the White House for the 2008 Christmas season. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

Mrs. Laura Bush delivers remarks as she stands with the White House Christmas tree Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008, in
front of the North Portico of the White House. The Fraser Fir tree, from River Ridge Farms in Crumpler, N.C.,
will be on display in the Blue Room of the White House for the 2008 Christmas season. White House photo
by Joyce N. Boghosian

Before the election, I heard many people talk about how Michelle Obama was "down to earth" in the way she dressed, especially during the $150,000 clothing allowance issue with Sarah Palin.  I just laughed because I thought that was ridiculous.  She makes good money and buys nice things.  And, personally, I didn't see anything wrong with it.  I wouldn't expect her to be shopping at thrift shops.

Barack Obama wants to thank his wife for her support throughout the two year campaign.  He's thanked many of his campaign workers with extra cash. He's not going to give her that.  She can buy her own outfit I suppose.  I guess she doesn't want a puppy, too.  You can always say thank you with flowers.  Shouldn't that be enough? 

No, Michelle Obama is getting something rare from her husband.  A ring made of black gold (rhodium).

"Michelle Obama is to receive this £20,000 thank you from her husband for her support during the election.

The Harmony ring is made of rhodium - the world's most expensive metal --and encrusted with diamonds. It is being hastily made by Italian designer Giovanni Bosco in time for January's inauguration ceremony.

Only about 25 tons of rhodium are mined each year, mostly in South Africa, and as a result its price is typically around £5,000 an ounce. "

Click to Continue Article







Photo - Daily Mail

Well, we all could if we chose to move to a place such as Malibu or Paris, but we are living in Wisconsin right now.  We might choose to vacation in once of those places, though.  We've fowarded telephone calls before.  Why not mail? 

I suppose there are are some people that want people to believe they've already got "it" even when they don't.  So they might want to hand out cards with their well-to-do address on them; and then pray no one drops in on them unexpectedly.

"Earth Class Mail wants to manage your mail for you. Just have it sent to one of the addresses the Seattle company provides, and it will put electronic scans of the mail you receive online. Then you log on and see what mail you've gotten, and you can ask them to open it or send it to you (or shred it, as the case may be).

Today, Earth Class Mail opens a store in West Hollywood. That means all you jet-setters and jet-setter wannabes can have your mail sent to 8605 Santa Monica Blvd., and Earth Class Mail will do its job. Non-jet-setters and people who want to avoid the post office can also use the store to send and shred mail."

Click to continue article

 

Being a librarian isn't the most exciting job around, but librarians can be pretty intelligent.  Some end up becoming school teachers, and who know, they could become the First Lady of the United States, like Laura Bush. 

Some of them may even know a few things about saving money, like this librarian....

"A retired Virginia school teacher and librarian who died two years ago left more than $2 million to split between the universities she attended, the schools announced Tuesday.

Jane Iris Crutchfield's estate will donate $1.1 million each to the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia."

Continued HERE

For not allowing bed-jumping.

Of course, your beds probably would have fallen apart compared to the White House beds.

But mostly, the thought of one of you ending up on the floor, hitting your head and lying there unconscious is what prompted me to say, “Don’t jump on the beds!” And I do remember reciting this to you.  Plus, I didn't get to jump on my bed either. 


First family "bonding moment" revealed:

It’s not surprising that President-elect Barack Obama would be advised to refrain from using email as president.  But when email correspondence has been a huge part of your daily life, well, there will be a huge period of adjustment.

Then again, he should be kept too busy to be worrying about email, shouldn’t he?

"Presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush both gave up e-mail in office, but Mr Obama will be the first BlackBerry user to occupy the White House.

He took mobile e-mail everywhere with him on the campaign trail.

In the summer, cameras filmed him checking his BlackBerry while watching one of his daughters playing football.

His wife Michelle slapped at his hands, obliging him to put it away.

"I think Obama is the first president who is addicted to the BlackBerry like the rest of us, and there's a lot of presidential records and archive rules on what gets stored and what doesn't," former Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart told the Associated Press"

Read the entire article HERE


It’s not easy to adapt to change. 

Obama said his mother-in-law may be moving into the White House, too. 

It's a very large house.

"Rudy Giuliani told CNN Sunday the failure of his presidential bid this year didn’t mark the end of his political career — and that his future could include another White House run.

The former New York City mayor said that the economic environment this year may have presented too big an obstacle for any Republican presidential hopeful to overcome."

2010 holds open the option of a run for Governor of New York...will he run?

Read the story from CNN HERE

In California they practiced for the ”Big One” today….

That’s a good thing, since seismologists say it’s inevitable that it happens.

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 7, 2008

World Freedom Day, 2008

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

On World Freedom Day, we celebrate the anniversary of the historic fall of the Berlin Wall and honor the brave citizens of East and West Germany who helped secure freedom and liberty for future generations.

The Berlin Wall stood as a barrier that isolated the victims of imperial Communism and totalitarian power from the promise of the free world. Standing in the presence of the wall, with an unshakable belief in the power of liberty, President Ronald Reagan issued a resounding challenge on behalf of the free and the unfree alike: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." On November 9, 1989, the citizens of East Germany finally triumphed over their Communist oppressors, and the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. As the hope of freedom spread, the Soviet empire collapsed, the Iron Curtain was lifted, and Eastern and Central Europe were liberated from decades of cruel tyranny.

The Cold War demonstrated once again that freedom is precious and cannot be taken for granted, that evil is real and must be confronted, and that if they are allowed to do so, harsh rulers will subjugate others in the name of hateful ideologies. History has also proven that the transformative power of liberty overcomes this oppression. Today, many former Communist countries are using their sovereignty to aid the rise of other young democracies and to shine the light of conscience on human rights abuses. Our belief in the universality of freedom is challenged time and again, but we continue to go forward with confidence that free nations will always prevail over the enemies of liberty, peace, and justice.

On World Freedom Day, we are reminded that injustice overseas can threaten our way of life at home, and we renew our commitment to helping those who suffer under the weight of oppression.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 9, 2008, as World Freedom Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, reaffirming our dedication to freedom and democracy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH


*****************************************************************************



President Ronald Reagan
Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate
West Berlin, Germany
June 12, 1987

ABC news reports on the fall of the Berlin Wall  

Well, I guess I really don't call it "change," because If I recall, I think our GWB was talking about implementing yet another stimulus package before he left office.

But, I guess it's going all be better now since BHO (President-elect Barack H. Obama)  wants to put one in place "immediately after taking office."  Well, President Bush really wouldn't have had time to do that anyway, so maybe advice is being passed along.

Either way...I'd like a little more "change" in my pocket.

And while President-elect Obama said a "major issue" for him is deciding what dog to choose for his daughters (I love his daughters...maybe they can each have a dog...they look like daddy's girls and I don't think he's going to have a whole lot of time for them anymore  : (  my major issue is a bit more than that.

I'm a little concerned about all of the foreign issues popping up.  He's really being bombarded with them.  As Biden said during one of the interviews, "Every president is tested."  Well President Obama is going to be tested right off the bat...quite differently than President Bush was with 9-11, thankfully. But he's going to be tested.  I do not envy him.

 "President-elect Barack Obama vowed to push an economic stimulus package through Congress ``immediately after'' taking office in January if lawmakers and the Bush administration can't agree on one before then.

``This morning we woke up to more sobering news about the state of our economy,'' Obama said in Chicago today at his first news conference since winning the Nov. 4 presidential election.

A government report that the U.S. unemployment rate rose to 6.5 percent in October, the highest level since 1994, is ``an urgent reminder that we are facing the greatest economic challenge of our lifetime,'' Obama said. "

Read the article HERE

 

Partiots Cheerleader Caitlin Davis, while visiting Boston College, says she wasn't "alert" when she was caught red-handed with the Sharpie that may have drawn swastikas on a passed-out guy.  She says she didn't do it.

“At the time I had jumped in the picture with the kid, I didn’t realize what had been drawn on him, which I take responsibility for not being alert,” Caitlin told TMZ.com."


Read about it HERE

 

At least Caitlin takes some responsibility.

WFTV-Channel 9's Barbara West conducted a satellite interview with Sen. Joe Biden on Thursday. A friend says it's some of the best entertainment he's seen recently. What do you think?

West wondered about Sen. Barack Obama's comment, to Joe the Plumber, about spreading the wealth. She quoted Karl Marx and asked how Obama isn't being a Marxist with the "spreading the wealth" comment.

"Are you joking?" said Biden, who is Obama's running mate. "No," West said.

Article continued HERE


 

 
(Screen grab from KGO-TV footage.)

Code Pink says they are "Women for Peace." 


Check out some of their peaceful antics HERE