Grass roots and compost

The bus ride this morning WAS a pleasant mood changer in that is was a heartening bit of sunshine that it was as busy as it was. Again, not that I like crowded buses, I'm not a frotteurist, but the possibility that a younger generation might be rejecting the notion that riding in a car is always the best solution.

I recently read, though I can't remember where, that younger people are also less inclined to see cars as status symbols. Of course, both of these things can change as people age, we all get more conservative in some ways as we age. But I'm going to take this as a good sign for the future.

The problem is, most of these same kids didn't vote. I'm not going to rehash Mark Morford's column today because while it does highlight the angry side of my brain today, that side is tired. But the disillusionment of these young voters needs to be addressed. Morford dismisses them all as whiny. Well, maybe true, but they're also young, and so maybe they just don't know any better.

The Tea Party is/was a fake grass roots ('AstroTurf') movement, started the minute a black dude got the White House (or the minute Ron Paul got his feelings hurt by not getting elected POTUS, again, your choice).

What do these kids care about? Where do their self interests lie?

Hopefully, they realize THEY are the 'grandchildren' we are supposed to be worried about in regard to global climate change. They are the ones who will inherit submerged condos and crowded cities of the plains, dust bowls and likely 20+% unemployment in the coming years. They will inherit gravel and dirt roads.

But who am I kidding? It's all happening now. I wouldn't care so much about gravel roads if there was a train network and if locally the State wasn't talking about building I-69 (it costs money- there isn't any). WE are the grand-kids. We are inheriting all these problems. So maybe, aside from the glimmer of hope on the bus this morning, I came to realize that I had more in common with those kids than I previously thought.

Say what you will about kids these days...

On my morning bus ride today, thinking about what a mess this election turned out to be and thinking about how it is all the fault of the youth of America, a strange dichotomy was made evident.

First of all, 90% or more of the MANY passengers were young. That's good. The two kids next to me were complaining about hating the bus because it is crowded, but the simple fact that young people are making this sensible decision to leave their cars at home (if they have them) and ride is a good sign.

Beyond that, they were all polite and I don'tthink I saw more than 10 people out of 60 or 70 get off without thanking the driver. That was cool.

One of the people who DIDN'T thank the driver was the oldest person on the bus.  Admittedly, this lady came off as more bag lady than classy dame. But apparently this lady thought "Get out of the way you brain-dead, I need to get off" is an appropriate substitution for "Excuse me, this is my stop."

Score one for the youth of America.

Bill McKibben, writing in TomDispatch

and reprinted in Truthout here.

When a rational guy and Methodist Sunday school teacher like McKibben says "this is fucked up" it's time to listen. We have been failed by our political representatives at all levels, from the POTUS on down. Perhaps our local reps, city councils, etc., should be spared, but in most cases, they're probably not doing enough.

Cap and trade was an opportunity. PACE is an opportunity and "cash for caulkers is an opprtunity. But the greed-fest of globalization has blinded every suit from sea to shining sea into thinking life and the planet are endless schmorgasbords.

Not so.

As McKibben writes, NOAA, which admittedly shouldn't be treated as the world's most reliable newsource at times , but which SHOULD be believed on something this basic, reveals we have just been through "the hottest decade, the hottest year, the hottest 6 months, and the hottest April, May, and June" in the history of recording weather.

It reminds me of the beginning of "The Road Warrior" where the wheels of industry grind to a halt while the world falls apart and the politicians "talk."

So, as McKibben says, it's time to get mad. This is the new civil rights movement, in terms of the effort that will be needed. Time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Black gold

Yep, so the 'post is 'postin' pretty effin' good. Threw in the grass clippings and now it smells (literally) like horse shit. This stuff is gonna be like uber-fertilizer on my beds next year.

My gong fu

My gong fu is strong, but unmotivated.

Haiku to My Compost Heap

Steaming compost heap
Nitrogen and carbon cook
The bugs and I smile

MLK Story from Truthout

http://www.truthout.org/083009R?n