Ford Abandons Hybrid Vehicle Market - Breaks Promise

Ford Motor Company breaks it's promise to produce 250,000 hybrid vehicles by 2010 and turns back to alternative fuels. In other words, they will sacrifice fuel efficiency and low pollution for a promise of some "new technologies" that may be down the road.

This confirms my belief that the American car makers are firmly in the pocket of the oil companies and have no intention of making efficient vehicles. They will go the way of the dinosaur because of it, too. The public is fast tiring of the gas guzzling behemoths that Ford and GM spew and are ready for efficient and less polluting transportation. Too bad Ford is a "one trick pony" in their designs. The new model year will feature more big cars and SUV's just like last year, and the year before, etc.

It's no wonder GM is laying off 1/4 of their work force. They have no direction or vision for the future and seem content to ride the wave of SUVs until they end up shuttering for good. By that time all the corporate execs will have their golden parachutes and won't care.

The bright hope on the horizon is Toyota which intends to build yet another US plant and produce even more of their cars here. Toyota is already a winner with their Hybrid Prius and will continue to lead innovation and eventually dominate the US market. That's just my opinion. I don't own any Toyota stock, but I am thinking about buying some. As for Ford, they will go the way of their most infamous car, the Edsel.

400 British Companies Compete In Carbon Emission Clean-Up Challenge

Companies in the UK get it! 400 British companies are taking part in a 100 day carbon clean-up challenge. They are actively making and attempt to clean up greenhouse emissions and increase recycling efforts.

Wouldn’t it be nice if some US companies took this challenge. With the kind of competitive macho spirit that US companies have, this could stop global warming in it’s tracks. Guess someone just has to make the dare.

The companies in this country are sometimes like kids on a playground, who won’t do anything unless their manliness is challenged. Well here’s a challenge, which big corporations have the cajones to dare other companies to compete in a USA carbon clean-up. Between the nationalist pride thing and the who has the bigger balls, we should be able to do it too.

Sweden To End Oil Dependency

Sweden has taken the lead in the global battle against fossil fuels. Sweden's government has revealed an ambitious plan to break the country's dependency on oil by 2020. Prime Minister Goran Persson may have raised a few eyebrows, but he seems sincere in his pledge, "We will not be rid of oil by 2020. However, we will not be dependent on oil in any sector, in the sense that there will not be alternatives."

Looks like at least someone in the world is taking Global Warming seriously.

Orin Hatch Believes Flag Burning Most Pressing Issue Before Congress

Glad to know the Senate has it’s priorities together. We have an illegal war going on, unemployment is skyrocketing, millions without health care, a President who is breaking law after law, illegal wiretapping, billions of dollars missing in Iraq, a Gulf coast that is still vulnerable and far from recovered after Katrina.

I could go on ad-infinitum, but I would be sorely mistaken in Senator Orin Hatch’s opinion. He actually said there was nothing the Senate could be doing that was more important than banning flag burning.

Does anyone but me see what’s going on? The Republicans are trying to tie the Senate up in useless debate that only panders to their base until the election. Their hope is that it will whip the religious fundamentalists into a frenzy and they will turn out en-mass to re-elect their Senators.

I think they have, in the words of W, miss-underestimated the intelligence of their base. They figure the average bumpkin from Kansas will see pictures of flags burning and rush to the polls. Well I drove through Kansas recently with a "Impeach W" sticker on my bumper. I was stopped numerous times, not by outraged locals, but by locals who gave me the thumbs-up or personally told me they agreed.

Let’s hope that translates to a Democratic Congress in November.

Oklahoma Judge Uses Sex Toys Behind Bench In Murder Trial

An Oklahoma District Judge has been accused of using a penis pump during a trial behind the bench. The Court reported testified she heard suction noises from behind the bench during a trial and when she looked closer she saw the Judge using the device. Additionally she said he had shaved his scrotum and masturbated during hearings including at least one murder trial.

Good to know that though Justice is blind, it still has a libido. All of this is coming from a state obsessed with people’s sexuality and personal lives. Time to start examining just who is sitting in judgement of the citizens of Oklahoma.

Bipartisan Criticism For Bush Signing Statements

Comparing Bush's use of signing statements to cherry pick which laws he will obey was compared to "crossing his fingers behind his back" by Patrick Leahy. The unprecedented use of "signing statements" as a form of line-item veto has fallen under intense scrutiny and has many in Congress on both sides of the aisle, doubting it's legality. Bush has used this tactic more than 750 times, more than any other President in history.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.), the
committee's ranking Democrat, calling the practice "a grave threat to our
constitutional system of checks and balances."

And So Begins The Hype For Rice Nomination

Chris Mathews must have read the daily talking points memo from the GOP before doing a puff piece on the sterling qualities of Condi Rice. Calling her leadership the kind that appeals to the middle, he positively gushed over her, forgetting the numerous lies told by her regarding the Iraq WMD spoof.

This is obviously a beginning of a campaign to make her look presidential or at least vice-presidential. In reality Rice is a tool of the party who goes along with whatever lies she is instructed to spout. She is little more than a lackey for the administration who will not question authority. Perfect stuff for a GOP president.

Former Bush Aide Says Pre-War Intelligence On Iraq Was "Crap"

A former Assistant Secretary of State for the Bush administration warns Congress to "not accept the crap we give you". He is referring to intelligence reports that preceded the Iraq war. His admonition was in reference to Congress blindly taking whatever the Administration dishes out without question, a policy that led to numerous missteps including approving the invasion of Iraq.

It is a sign that the rubber stamp congress is powerless and impotent. Their job is only to approve anything Bush rules. We are under a defacto dictatorship and nobody is protesting. That is a really bad sign. One party rule leads to massive corruption. If you want proof look at Mexico before the PAN broke the PRI’s grip on the country for 75 years. A one party system is what the Soviet Union was built on and look what happened to it.

Funny, when I was in school, they taught about the checks and balances of our system of government. The three independent branches that assure than no despot can rule us. Guess the founding fathers never came across Karl Rove and the Neo-Cons? They have steamrollered over our democracy and the press has remained silent, cowardly regurgitating anything they get in the form of a press release from the White House.

It is sad to see our once great democracy end this way. In the hands of incompetent criminals, bent on lining their pockets before they retire to Dubai or wherever rich crooks retire. I am glad I have no children to inherit this mess. I only hope I can do something to forward the cause of democracy and encourage people to vote like their lives depended on it. They do.

Bush Believes There Is A Debate On Global Warming, And Other Myths

In a stunning display of ignorance the President claimed there was still a "real debate" over global warming. On other topics he of course believe "intelligent design" is a viable alternative to evolution. This administrations intense hatred of science is dumfounding. How can our country move into the 21st century with a population that is home schooled, taught creation myths as fact and falls prey to every industrial press release. We are raising a nation of uncritical thinkers with little curiosity and even less common sense.

Next Bush will be asking the "Flat Earth" crap be included in our science curriculums. Enough is enough! It’s time to put science back in the classrooms and religion back in our churches and this poor excuse for a president in jail. Democrats really need to capitalize on the criminal acts and downright stupid things Bush and his rubber stamp congress have been doing or there is no hope.

Warren Buffet The Philanthropist - Really!

Warren Buffet, mastermind behind Berkshire Hathaway has decided to really enjoy his wealth, by giving it away. He announced he is going to divest himself of about 85% of his fortune and pledged it to several charities, including a large chunk to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In the past I found Mr. Buffet a shrewd and successful businessman, his politics seemed fairly middle of the road. Today, he becomes on of the leading humanitarians in the world. Wouldn't it be nice if his actions and those of Bill and Melinda Gates inspired other people of untold wealth to use their riches to benefit mankind? What an amazing difference that would make in the world.

As a Christian, I am humbled by his actions. Whether intended or not his gifts will touch the lives of millions in ways that Jesus would have found delightful. Mr. Buffet is doing God's work even if he doesn't realize it. He is making his life a blessing and that is worth more than any stock portfolio.