CrossFit Radio had me on their show this Wednesday. We talked grains, inflammation, the difficulties of sorting fact from fiction in nutrition studies and the power of the Primal Blueprint. I had a great time and hope to do more in the future. You can listen to the full Episode 97 podcast by visiting the CrossFit Journal site or by listening here:
CrossFit Radio with Mark Sisson
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But if you think the banking and credit system has returned to health, you need to think again.
Nathan’s Economic Edge has done a fantastic job of gathering charts mostly from the St. Louis Fed to demonstrate the real state of the US banking system
Can’t understand why Chase won’t give you a loan for that new 2010 Camaro?
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Filed under: Motorcycle
As far as we’re concerned, there will always be a market for sporty vintage-styled machinery like the Triumph Thruxton. After all, not everyone needs 150 horsepower and 200 mile-per-hour top speeds to have a good time on two wheels, and few motorcycles possess the kind of style that Hinckley bakes into its line of modern classics.
This is especially true of the new 2010 Thruxton SE, which gets a Crystal White paint job on the tins with a single red stripe and a matching red powdercoated frame. Completing the package is a small flyscreen, black engine cases and a smattering of appropriate decals.
There aren’t any changes to the sportiest Bonnie’s 865cc parallel-twin powerplant, which puts out a claimed 68 horsepower and 51 lb-ft of torque. While we’d gladly take at least a little power boost, if we were in the market for such a bike the Thruxton SE would certainly be on our short list.
Gallery: 2010 Triumph Thruxton SE
[Source: Triumph via Hell for Leather]
Triumph releases 2010 Thruxton SE, we like what we see originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Rocking Carol
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir;
We will lend a coat of fur,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you:
Fur is no longer appropriate wear for small infants, both due to risk of allergy to animal fur, and for ethical reasons.
Therefore faux fur, a nice cellular blanket or perhaps micro-fleece material should be considered a suitable alternative.
Please note, only persons who have been subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check and have enhanced clearance will be permitted to rock baby Jesus.
Persons must carry their CRB disclosure with them at all times and be prepared to provide three forms of identification before rocking commences.
Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
A risk assessment must be submitted before an open sleigh is considered safe for members of the public to travel on.
The risk assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly if passengers are of larger proportions.
Please note, permission must be gained from landowners before entering their fields.
To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.
While Shepherds Watched
While shepherds watched their flocks by night
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around
The Union of Shepherds has complained that it breaches health and safety regulations to insist that shepherds watch their flocks without appropriate seating arrangements being provided, therefore benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available. Shepherds have also requested that due to the inclement weather conditions at this time of year that they should watch their flocks via CCTV cameras from centrally-heated flock observation huts.
Please note, the Angel of the Lord is reminded that before shining his / her glory all around she / he must ascertain that all shepherds have been issued with glasses capable of filtering out the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it glows.
You are advised that under the Equal Opportunities for All Policy, it is inappropriate for persons to make comment with regard to the ruddiness of any part of Mr. R. Reindeer.
Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from the Reindeer Games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.
A full investigation will be implemented and sanctions – including suspension on full pay – will be considered whilst this investigation takes place.
Little Donkey
Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onwards with your precious load
The RSPCA have issued strict guidelines with regard to how heavy a load a donkey of small stature is permitted to carry, also included in the guidelines is guidance regarding how often to feed the donkey and how many rest breaks are required over a four hour plodding period.
Please note that due to the increased risk of pollution from the dusty road, Mary and Joseph are required to wear face masks to prevent inhalation of any airborne particles.
The donkey has expressed his discomfort at being labelled ‘little’ and would prefer just to be simply referred to as Mr. Donkey. To comment upon his height or lack thereof may be considered an infringement of his equine rights.
We Three Kings
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star
Whilst the gift of gold is still considered acceptable, as it may be redeemed at a later date through such organisations as ‘Cash for Gold’ etc, gifts of frankincense and myrrh are not appropriate due to the potential risk of oils and fragrances causing allergic reactions. A suggested gift alternative would be to make a donation to a worthy cause in the recipient’s name or perhaps give a gift voucher.
We would not advise that the traversing kings rely on navigation by stars in order to reach their destinations and suggest the use of RAC Routefinder or satellite navigation, which will provide the quickest route and advice regarding fuel consumption.
Please note as per the guidelines from the RSPCA for Mr Donkey, the camels carrying the three kings of Orient will require regular food and rest breaks.
Face masks for the three kings are also advisable due to the likelihood of dust particles being raised by the action of the camel feet.
Away in a Manger No Crib for a Bed
This is definitely one for Social Services!
I was diagnosed this past September after being admitted to the ER for severe food poisoning. Came as a surprise but looking back I see all of the signs that pointed to it (lost 45lbs in 6 months, drinking water like crazy and eating everything in sight). My BG that night was 398mg/dl and my A1C was 13.8. Realized right then that I had to just get up and take on this new challenge, that feeling sorry wasn’t going to do anything for me.
I’m just trying to take everything in right now, learning all that I can. My BG’s have dropped signficantly since being diagnosed and put on Apidra/Lantus. My endo has said that I should be ready for a pump fairly soon so going through the whole research process now.
While I know that this will never go away, I look forward to getting to the point where diabetes is only a background problem.
As Google keeps on growing it’s always looking at new areas in which to expand. Recently though this has meant treading even more on the home turfs of some of its, now former, close allies. This is especially the case with Apple as the two companies find themselves competitors in more and more markets. For the most part it was Google that was on the offensive but Apple has taken a clear swipe at the search giant with the acquisition of music-streaming service Lala, which was apparently heavily courted by Google as well.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Google was in late talks with Lala with the clear intention of acquiring it. The company wanted to use the music-streaming provider to bolster its new Google music offering. More than a month ago Google released a new music-focused OneBox, which enables users in the US to get direct information about a band or song and even to stream it in a pop up from the search engine itself. Google doesn’t license the music itself and doesn’t offer its own service, rather it partnered with a couple of providers to power the streaming, iLike, now owned by MySpace, and Lala, now owned by Apple.
The most interesting part is that Google didn’t have any idea that both its launch partners would get snatched up so soon. The company is getting closer to closer to MySpace so… (read more)
Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.
—Parkinson’s_Law, discussed in this “Beyond The Pedway” profile of 37signals (and also years ago here at SvN: “Don’t break Parkinson’s Law”)
Solo Slim is a diet pill that “suppresses and curbs your appetite and boosts your metabolism in a healthy, all natural way” (website). This Solo Slim review will explore the ingredients contained in Solo Slim diet pills as well as reveal the cost and guarantee associated with Solo Slim to help you determine if this is the product for you.
Konjac Glucomannan has been proven to contribute to weight loss when taken in doses of 2-4 grams per day. Solo Slim fails to mention how much Glucomannan it contains, but it is very unlikely that it contains the necessary 2-4 grams per day.
Lotus Leaf Flavonoids and Alkaloids do not contribute to weight loss.
Fucoxanthin is what gives seaweed its brown color. It is an antioxidant. Many diet pills claim fucoxanthin significantly contributes to weight loss, but there is no scientific evidence to back up these claims.
Citrus Aurantium Synephrine is an excellent diet pill ingredient; it has been proven to contribute to weight loss. The important thing to note with synephrine is the concentration contained–the higher the concentration the better. Unfortunately, Solo Slim fails to list the concentration of synephrine it contains.
Hawthorne Hyperosides does nothing for weight loss.
L-Carnitine Tartrate does not cause weight loss.
Decaffinated Green Tea will not cause weight loss. While green tea has been proven to contribute to weight loss when taken in doses of 300 mg per day, it is only because of the caffeine it contains. Therefore, this Solo Slim review finds green tea with no caffeine will do nothing for weight loss.
You will note that Solo Slim diet pills do actually contain some effective ingredients. However, since they fail to list how much of each ingredient is included, there is no way of knowing how effective Solo Slim will be.
Solo Slim diet pills cost $39.99 per month. While this is not especially expensive for a diet pill, it is still too much considering there is no way of knowing if there is enough of any ingredient to contribute to weight loss.
Solo Slim does offer a 30 day, money back guarantee. Unfortunately, 30 days is not long enough. We prefer a 90 day guarantee so you can really know how a product works (or doesn’t work) before returning it.
So, the question is will Solo Slim diet pills cause weight loss? The answer: maybe. There simply isn’t enough information on the amount of each ingredient included in Solo Slim. If you are looking for a diet pill that will give you the weight loss results you are looking for, go with one that includes proven ingredients in the necessary amounts.
I know. You’ve heard it a million times. Test your smoke alarms. But have you actually tested them or did you check it off that mental to do list because you planned to test them? Alarms are only as good as the batteries you have in them. If they’re dead, the alarms are worthless.
It has always been important to have working smoke alarms in our homes, but the economy has made them even more essential. A Baltimore man who perished in a house fire may have done so simply because budget cuts slowed down emergency personnel response times. The firefighters had to come from a firehouse that wasn’t closed instead of the nearby firehouse, which was closed for the night to save money. If you hate to test your alarms or seem to always forget to do so, consider having several hardwired alarms installed in your home to back up the battery operated models.
Another important alarm for your home is a carbon monoxide detector. These detectors can alert you to dangerous leaks or malfunctioning equipment. We installed ours shortly after we discovered that my grandparents had a close call with a faulty water heater. They had no idea that carbon monoxide was filling their home. Fortunately, the water heater started to leak and the service person they called in discovered the gas problem in time.
Do you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors? If so, do you test your battery operated models?
Photo: K Thomas
Post from: Blisstree
The fight for what our kids eat continues to rage on. The battle has moved from the home to school lunch rooms, fast food restaurants and grocery store shelves. Fresh versus frozen. Organic and local versus imported produce. Natural versus artificially sweetened beverages.
There’s no denying that we all care about what our kids consume. Yesterday, Children’s director of the Optimal Weight for Life Program, David Ludwig, MD, PhD, wrote a piece expressing concern about the widespread use of artificial sweeteners in soft drinks. (The Washinton Post recently featured Dr. Ludwig on this topic. Also read more of Dr. Ludwig’s articles on children’s health here.)
This week there have been several news stories concerning the foods and beverages our children consume.
As a parent, how do you balance your child’s diet? Any simple tips for getting your kids to eat well while not turning “junk food” into the forbidden fruit?
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Filed under: Classics, Performance, Auctions
January is just a short few weeks away, and along with the Detroit Auto Show, that means classic car auctions to us automotive types. The televised circus of Barrett-Jackson and the more reserved auction houses of Russo and Steele and RM will be hoping to empty the pockets of those automotive aficionados who still have money left to burn after more than a year of tough economic times.
With most of the lists of cars being finalized for each auction, the highlight of the weekend will likely be a 1964 Shelby Cobra 427 that will be offered to the highest bidder at RM’s sale at the Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. While just about any Cobra merits attention, this particular one is the actual prototype for the legendary 427 Cobras. Nicknamed the “Flip-Top” for its clam shell design, the car actually competed at tracks like Riverside, Sebring, and Nassau, and has an extensive vintage racing history.
RM doesn’t provide an estimate, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see the final bid easily reach seven figures. You can read a short description of the car after the jump or browse the high-res gallery below provided by RM.
Gallery: 1964 Shelby Cobra 427 Prototype
[Source: RM Auctions]
Continue reading 1964 Shelby Cobra 427 prototype to be auctioned by RM in January
1964 Shelby Cobra 427 prototype to be auctioned by RM in January originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Many products and brands will come and go, but there are certain ones that will remain a constant in our lives. Lenox is one of those brands. When I hear the name Lenox, it takes me back to my childhood. I recall times of hearing about crystal clocks, Christmas china, and beautiful collectables. Lenox has become a trusted name in home design. For this reason, I was pleased when I was asked to review the Lenox 12 Days of Christmas dessert plates and mugs. Each 12 Days of Christmas mug and dessert plate bears a different design inspired by the popular Christmas carol, and is accented with holiday holly berry and garland. The collection is crafted of Lenox ivory fine porcelain and includes a nice box that could be used for gift giving and storage.
Post from: Blisstree
And now here we have a good sign, which contradicts some other, more negative data:
Marketwatch: Consumer sentiment improved markedly in early December, according to media reports on Friday of the Reuters/University of Michigan index.
The consumer sentiment index rose to 73.4 in early December from 67.4 in November. The increase was larger than expected.
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Today, there was some limited progress on a few implementation issues which are largely peripheral to the main obstacles to a consensus agreement. Most of the work was done behind closed doors by separate working groups.
In the morning session, intellectual property protection was a major focus as developing countries insisted on the free flow of new climate friendly technologies while R&D companies feared the conversion and cloning of their intellectual property. In addition, scientists discussed in various briefings the implications of deforestation.
India and China continue to oppose ‘targets’ for emissions reductions. Indeed, the Chief Negotiator for the G-77 walked out amid developing countries frustrations. At this point, one possibility openly discussed is a political agreement among most developed countries only. The divide between developed and developing countries continues to center on funding, defined emissions reductions targets, and the transfer of technologies. Unfortunately, even in closed door sessions, posturing dominates over any actual concessions. Indeed, there was so little consensus that even the stream of competing drafts dwindled to a trickle.
The Conference had a frenetic atmosphere as an avalanche of people converged on the Bella Center. Already, Conference organizers have started to consider new volume control measures as worries mount that the facility will reach capacity beginning early next week. Enhanced security amidst expected protests and the arrival of world leaders have complicated the capacity issue.
Much of today's positive +1.3% November retail sales growth was indeed caused by a huge 6% jump in gasoline station sales, as shown below.
Data from here:
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Published Dec. 11, 2009
By Sara Schilling, Herald staff writer
HANFORD Washington River Protection Solutions is donating $500,000 over two years to help Washington State University Tri-Cities and Columbia Basin College bolster science, technology, engineering and math offerings and provide student scholarships.
The announcement Thursday came a day after Gov. Chris Gregoire released a first draft of a budget plan for the rest of the 2009-11 biennium that included deep cuts to higher education.
Dom Sansotta, work force resources manager for Washington River Protection Solutions, which is the Hanford tank operations contractor, said being able to find “well-educated employees with special skills” is “vital to our success” — and institutions such as WSU Tri-Cities in Richland and CBC in Pasco make that happen.
The community also benefits when people have the chance to advance their education and learn new skills, he said.
The money will be given in $125,000 installments starting this year.
At WSU Tri-Cities, the first round of funding will be used to upgrade Energy and Environmental Laboratory equipment, help with science and engineering research projects done by juniors and seniors and be used for student internships and scholarships, according to the contractor.
Most of the money given to CBC will support the nuclear technology program, which was revived this fall. Washington River Protection Solutions also will help with expanding the program and general scholarships, according to the contractor.
The contractor has committed to supporting the program — which this year has 34 students — for five years.
WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor Vicky Carwein and Donna Campbell, vice president for instruction at CBC, said the donation will make a significant difference at their institutions, which are bracing for more state cuts. Both institutions already were hit with reductions during the last state legislative session.
The budget Gregoire revealed Wednesday isn’t final. She plans to release another draft and the state House of Representatives and Senate also come up with their own plans. But educators are expecting more significant cuts in funding.
Sansotta said his group was only going to announce its first year of contributions Thursday but then decided to firm up what it would give in 2010 and announce that as well after the budget was released Wednesday. The group wanted to make a strong statement of support, he said.
Campbell and Carwein said the donation will help their institutions continue their important work of educating students and in turn strengthening the community.
“We do not take for granted (the contractors) generosity,” Carwein said.
Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.
Hanukkah starts at sundown tonight. For many of my friends, this means the start of several days of holiday parties, and gatherings of family and friends over good food. Part of the tradition of Hanukkah is eating fried foods, using oil in celebration of an historic miracle where a single day’s worth of oil lasted for eight days and nights. Fried potato pancakes, or latkes, are a staple of the holiday, and donuts are a traditional food as well. I’ve been to Hanukkah parties where a box of Krispy Kremes were set out on the dessert table, but I’ve been to even more where party hosts were looking to balance fried foods with lighter, healthier options.
For lighter fare, Oven-Baked Latkes can still come out crispy, with a fraction of the oil of their pan-fried counterparts. They’re good year round and always a popular choice for health-conscious Hanukkah partygoers. Sugar Donut Muffins are an alternative to deep fried donuts, that still deliver the flavor and texture of a good sugar donut.
On the slightly more fried side, you can go with fried latkes, a batch of fluffy Beignets with powdered sugar or some Pumpkin Spice Donuts to infuse some fall and winter spices into the menu. Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Rugelach are a traditional Jewish pastry, but not one that is necessarily traditional for Hanukkah because they’re not fried. That said, they’re still a very popular holiday cookie and I doubt anyone is going to say no to a batch of them at a holiday party.
I am very excited, because last night I received news that I had won $5 million in the Netherlands lotto! Unfortunately I will receive $5 a year for a million years… Seriously, not a day goes by that I don’t receive some e-mail like, “Wherein your email address emerged as one of the online Winning emails in the 1st category and therefore attracted a cash award of EUR1,500,000.00 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Euros) and a Compaq laptop.” AND a laptop!? Life doesn’t get any better.
How did mortgage rates and prices do yesterday? Not too bad, all things considered. Traders reported selling from money managers and originators and “lighter than usual” buying from the Fed at the start of the day, but then that reversed itself as the day progressed. There are no large Treasury auctions in the near future, unlike this week which finished things off with the $13 billion 30-yr bond auction yesterday.Today we’ve already seen a strong Retail Sales number, which has pushed rates higher. Retail Sales increased 1.3% last month, the largest advance since August, after rising by a downwardly revised 1.1% in October. It was the second straight monthly gain. Compared to November last year, sales were up 1.9 percent, the first year-on-year gain since August 2008. The numbers have pushed the 10-yr yield up to 3.53% and made mortgage prices worse by about .250.
When my mom was a little girl growing up in Birmingham, England it was a tradition in her home to have fish on Christmas Eve. This tradition has of course continued and has now become tradition in our home. It’s a smart idea because fish is lean and not too heavy the night before you have a massive Turkey or Ham dinner.
I found a great fish recipe in a new (amazing) cookbook produced by Readers Digest and Taste of Home Magazine called The Taste of Home Cookbook. This thing is massive and is practically an encyclopedia for cooking.
The dish I chose to feature today is Mexican style Cilantro Lime Cod. Cod is one of those fishes that is light tasting but still has a lovely flavor. It is also extremely lean as 3 ounces of cooked Cod equal only 131 calories. Cilantro and Lime are also great flavors that compliment this light buttery fish.
Ingredients:
4 cod or haddock fillets (2 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 limes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions:
1. Place each fillet on a 15-in. x 12-in. piece of heavy duty foil. Sprinkle with pepper. In a small saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil; stir in cumin.
2. Spoon over fillets; sprinkle with cilantro. Place lime slices over each; drizzle with butter.
3. Fold foil around fish and seal tightly. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serves 8.
Remember tradition is important around the holidays. It reminds us of the importance of family. Although I’m sure my Grandmother wasn’t cooking up Mexican style fish dishes, for my Mom it still means a lot that she has continued this tradition.
Happy Holidays!
Recipe Source: The Taste of Home Cookbook
Image Credit: iStockPhoto
Post from: Blisstree
Following up on last week’s White House Jobs Summit, President Obama made a speech on Tuesday at the Brookings Institution outlining his plan to accelerate U.S. job creation and stimulate economic growth. He proposed initiatives aimed at helping small businesses access credit and hire workers; infrastructure investment in highways, transit, rail, aviation and water; and programs to create jobs through energy efficiency and clean energy investments.
“The Apollo Alliance applauds the president’s continued focus on creating jobs through investments in clean and efficient energy systems and improvements to the nation’s aging transportation infrastructure,” said Apollo Chairman Phil Angelides. Click here to read Angelides’ full statement.
The energy efficiency and clean energy proposals include a “cash for caulkers program,” modeled on the cash for clunkers program, which would offer consumers rebates for upgrading the energy efficiency of their homes. The president also proposed expanding several successful and over-subscribed clean energy programs that were created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These include a program for industrial energy efficiency and tax incentives for investments in domestic renewable energy manufacturing facilities.
Last week, to coincide with the White House Jobs Summit, Apollo released a clean energy investment plan that, if enacted, would create up to 1.2 million domestic jobs while increasing U.S. energy security and climate stability. The 5-point plan focused on several areas the president identified as part of his short-term job growth plan, including transportation infrastructure, energy efficiency and renewables, and domestic clean energy manufacturing. Click here to read Apollo’s 5-Point Plan for Boosting Clean Energy Job Growth.
The World is Watching for Climate Progress in Copenhagen
The long-awaited Copenhagen climate negotiations are officially underway. COP 15, as the gathering is called, is the largest climate change summit in world history.
There are hundreds of fascinating stories coming out of Copenhagen, being reported not only by journalists but also by clean energy, environmental and climate justice activists, among others. Below are some recent entries from blog posts by Apollo Alliance coalition members and allies.
Natural Resources Defense Council Copenhagen blog: Posted December 9 by JingJing Qian, NRDC Beijing Deputy Director: Engaging the Business World: Side Events by Indian and Chinese Institutions
“I went to two interesting side events this week … One was organized by the Indian Energy and Resource Institute (TERI) in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, and the other by the Chinese environmental NGO Shan Shui Conservation Center in collaboration with WWF.
The Indian workshop was interesting to me because of the subject it discussed: Removing Barriers to Private Sector Investment in Climate Solutions. According to several panelists of the workshop, the private sector, especially the financial segment of it, is capable of filling the big financing gap between the investment needed for CO2 mitigation and what the public funding (government funds) can possibly offer … To attract private sector investments in fighting climate change, risk management is key, the financial experts said at the workshop. Policies that can reduce investment risk are needed.
The Chinese workshop also concerned the business sector, but from a different angle. It had several Chinese business leaders talking about their perspectives on climate change. Wang Shi, Chairman of China’s famous real estate developer Wanke, and Feng Lun, Chairman of another well-known giant building developer Vantone, each told their personal stories at the workshop, which were quite effective advocacy …
What I found more encouraging than these personal convictions was a joint statement by some 200 Chinese companies and organizations, including Wang and Feng, at the event in Copenhagen. The statement recognizes the urgent need to fight global warming and promises to give strong support to Chinese Government’s recent commitment to carbon intensity reduction.”
AFL-CIO blog: Posted December 10 by Bob Baugh, executive director of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council: Workers’ Rights Message Taking Hold in Copenhagen
“Something promising is happening in Copenhagen.
Yesterday, the government of Norway announced support of “just transition” language, a key part of our approach to a new green economy. Under a just transition program, workers have the right to a voice in their workplace, the right to form a union and bargain collectively and the right to have access to training on the latest technology. And that message appears to be working.
Our labor delegation also met privately with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lisa Jackson. It was an open, productive discussion of the just transition concepts and how they related directly to our efforts in Congress. She got it, telling us that she appreciated our frank approach in addressing climate change and in linking it to job opportunities.
Jackson said she wants to see EPA’s work lead to green industry development. We told her we want to see the same and we urged her to spread the just transition message in the statement we gave to her team.
In other developments, France has proposed a financial transaction tax to help pay for international adaptation to new climate change rules. This is similar to the idea the AFL-CIO has been proposing to raise revenues in the United States for job creation.”
Green For All Copenhagen Blog: Posted December 8 by Ada McMahon, Online Communications Associate: Copenhagen climate talks kick-off with tension over leaked text.
“Yesterday was the first day of the 15th UN Conference on Climate Change, which runs through December 18th. The Conference opened with speeches, concerts, and actions as delegates from 192 nations and tens of thousands of citizens of the world descended on Copenhagen, Denmark.
Despite lofty speeches about coming together to seal a deal, the first day of the conference reinforced tensions between wealthy and developing nations. Draft negotiating text, likely between the United States, Britain, and Denmark, was leaked on Monday. The Guardian reported that the leaked text would set emissions targets that unfairly burden developing countries and give the World Bank, rather than the UN, control of financing poor nations as they adapt to climate change. Developing nations interpreted the leaked text as an indication that wealthy nations are trying to cut an unfair backroom deal without them …
Some argue that these concerns are overblown, and that the text is just a framework for negotiations and will be changed considerably throughout the process.
Whatever the meaning of the leaked text, the voices of the most vulnerable people and countries must be central to the negotiations in Copenhagen. There is simply no way that a deal struck between the wealthiest nations in the world will protect and provide opportunity for the communities and nations that are most vulnerable to the climate crisis and shifts in the global economy.”
For more news about the climate talks in Copenhagen, check out these blogs and websites:
It’s Getting Hot in Here (for a youth perspective)
Third World Network (for a climate justice perspective)
In other news …
*Ready to do more to press for climate action in Copenhagen? In support of a fair, ambitious and binding global climate deal, people all over the U.S. and in every corner of the world will join together this weekend for a massive global day of action. Thousands of candlelight vigils, marches, “signature walls” and other events will take place from December 11-13. Show your support by attending one of the 400+ actions in the United States. Go to http://tcktcktck.org/realdeal to find an event near you.
*Environmental Protection Agency takes another step toward regulating greenhouse gases. On Monday, the EPA issued a formal finding that greenhouse gas emissions threaten the public health and welfare of the American people. This finding means that the EPA will soon move to regulate GHG emissions from facilities like power plants and oil refineries that emit more than 25,000 tons of GHG per year. It also means that opponents of the Senate climate and clean energy bill may reconsider their positions, if they hope to have any influence over federal plans to address GHG emissions.
*Check out our newest clean energy success stories! The Apollo Alliance has new signature stories on our website about a green jobs and equity campaign victory in Massachusetts (Massachusetts Apollo Wins Key Victory) and a model weatherization training program in San Diego (San Diego Creates Green Pathways Out of Poverty). We also have a story about the Arkansas Economic Development council’s successful efforts to attracting wind manufacturing firms to the state (Watch out, Wal-Mart–Wind Manufacturing is the New Kid on the Block in Arkansas).
