“A big reason why the government is inefficient and ineffective is because Washington has outdated technology, with federal workers having better computers at home than in the office. This startling admission came Thursday from Peter Orszag, who manages the federal bureaucracy for President Barack Obama.” [The Hill]

“It’s time to bring government into the 21st century,” Orszag said. “Information technology has the power to transform how government works and revolutionize the ease, convenience and effectiveness by which it serves the American people.”

How rich is that? The Feds have crummy computers! Maybe that’s why the United States Postal Service is underwater. As reported last July – “The Government Accountability Office will testify …. that the postal service has been added to the list of government agencies at high risk for financial failure.” [Market place]

Earth to Obama: Switch to Macs!

posted by Mudd

First there was the Green Civil War (see preceding post). Now there’s one better The Bullshit War!

That’s right – “Across the country, big dairies are coming under increased criticism for polluting the air and the water. In New Mexico, they’re in the midst of a manure war.” [Environmental News Network]

“Everyday, an average cow produces six to seven gallons of milk and 18 gallons of manure. New Mexico has 300,000 milk cows. That totals 5.4 million gallons of manure in the state every day. It’s enough to fill up nine Olympic-size pools.”

Damn – so much bullshit; so little time!

posted by Mudd

The erudite New York Times, always on the cutting edge of news blips, reports that a “Green civil war” in underway – green projects versus preservation.

To be specific – “Environmentalists are more openly at odds over two goals: the preservation of wide open spaces vs. the use of public lands for renewable energy projects.”

Neo-Green babble notwithstanding, it’s the same old dialectic in new diapers. Folks who understand ecology don’t quibble over whether a proposed industrial input is renewable or not if the net impact threatens ecosystems. Or as Cactus Ed liked to say – “The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders.”

We always come back to the bottom line, just below the belt buckle – ecological issues begin with carrying capacity and go from there. When any species, including Homo erectus asphaltus, overshoots an ecosystem’s ability to support said critter, the end result is a painful remedy that biologists call crash. The problem gets weird when critters like us sacrifice another life form in order to shore up our own unsustainable lifestyle. Welcome to the real world!

The so-called green civil war is another bowl of bullshit served up by pundits sitting in glass towers overlooking a sea of concrete and rebar. Real greens, whatever that means, don’t argue where defending wildlands are concerned. They stand up for what they stand on and let the iPods fall where they may.

A last Abbey quote – “But love of the wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need – if only we had eyes to see.”

posted by Mudd

From the BBC News – “Eight years ago, governments pledged to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, but the pledge will not be met. The expansion of human cities, farming and infrastructure is the main reason.”

Dear BBC News: try this edit – “The expansion of the population of Homo erectus asphaltus is the main reason.”

posted by Mudd

This in from CNN: “James Cameron’s completely immersive spectacle “Avatar” may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.”

Earth to Avataristas – Your forerunners felt the same way after seeing “Gidget Goes Hawaiian”! We got over it and so will you. Try this simple peer-reviewed therapy: Unplug all media sources and go for a long hike in a wilderness near you. Be sure to avoid being eaten by a Grizzly bear or hungry catamount. You’ll feel better about yourself and the planet you already live on.

posted by Mudd

The Christian Science Monitor reports – “China vaulted past Germany to become the world’s biggest exporter last month as its export, import volume jumped by 18 and 56 percent. The increases are a positive sign for global trade, especially for countries that sell to China.”

Which is one way to look at it. At first blush, it’s hard to square with the neo-green ideal of a “sustainable, renewable” future, eh? Doesn’t look much better on second blush.

Welcome to the Dimformation Age!

posted by Mudd

Brad Stone, in the New York Times, reports – Researchers “theorize that the ever-accelerating pace of technological change may be minting a series of mini-generation gaps, with each group of children uniquely influenced by the tech tools available in their formative stages of development.”

Stone’s piece is entitled “The Children of Cyberspace: Old Fogies by Their 20s” and is worth the read.

Then leap over to Jack Turner’s “The Abstract Wild” for what a world of cyber-geeks is going to look like.

posted by Mudd

BEIJING (AP) — “China overtook the United States as the biggest auto market in 2009 and automakers should see more strong growth this year, an industry group reported Friday. Boosted by Beijing’s stimulus, 2009 passenger car sales soared to 10.3 million and total vehicle sales are estimated at 13.6 million, the China Passenger Car Association said. That represents growth of about 45 percent from 2008.”

This is the sustainable future we keep hearing about? Looks like “saving the planet” might take more than green light bulbs and hemp t-shirts.

posted by Mudd

Exciting Press Release for folks with a thing for the Colorado or Green River. Or nuke freaks.

Are we still building nukes? What about all those industrial wind farms in the hinterlands? Mojave desert solar arrays? We need hundreds of square miles of new “renewable” energy farms AND new nukes? Somebody is yanking our chain.

On January 12, 2010, the Utah Division of Water Rights will hold hearings on the protests of the Kane County and San Juan Water County Conservancy Districts’ change applications for the provision of water from the Green River for a proposed nuclear power plant. The hearings on the requests to change the point of diversion, place of use, and nature of use for 29,600 acre-feet (Water Rights 89-74, 89-1285, and 89-1513) of water from the Colorado River and 24,000 acre-feet (Water Right 09-462) of water from the San Juan River. The water has been leased to Blue Castle Holdings Inc. (BCH, formerly Transition Power Development LLC) for the nuclear reactor that BCH wants to site a few miles west of Green River.

The hearings start at 9:00 a.m. and will likely continue throughout the day. The public is urged to attend and may have an opportunity to voice their concerns.

posted by Mudd

Good news for cell phone addicts! “After all the concern over possible damage to health from using mobile phones, scientists have found a potential benefit from radiation. Their work has been carried out on mice, but it suggests mobiles might protect against Alzheimer’s.” [BBC News]

posted by Mudd