Police Tickets Vent

I suppose I should be grateful. I never thought I would ever see the day that the Police would be here in concert. I was 11 when they split in 1984. HOWEVER...let me just say a word or two about "fan club" presales. They set up a web site (thepolicetour.com) and to get access to ticket presale codes (and various other "stuff" like access to videos and things) you had to pay an EXTRA $100. Plus ticket sales are through Ticketmaster, so you are already being completely raked over. I think that this only really encourages people to scalp. MAYBE if only the ticket purchaser could use these tickets, that would be one thing, but they are already all over the web at INSANE prices. It sets up a predatory situation and I am definitely feeling the (ahem) sting. I'll be scrambling with the riffraff on Monday morning trying to get what's left over. Oh well!

Life on a warmer planet

I was cynically thinking about what life could very possibly be like as global warming progresses, (no skiing, mass extinctions, etc). Now here's a good article in Salon on getting ready for life on a post-GCC planet. I was also thinking that it's so ironic that Florida will be the state responsible for putting the guy in office who is so much to blame for putting their state under water one day(plan that Disney World vacation now, folks). But I digress.

We also have the cheery news that those of us using the Colorado river for our sprawl party (AZ, NV, CA, I am looking at you) will have even less to fight over. Super.

I never posted Christmas photos

Just two, Amelie's super cool dollhouse (Santa painted it pink, yesterday she was saying she wants it RED - we'll see if she persists), and in front of the tree in the footie PJ's. Check out the cool LED red lights! Love those!

Attention, Bone Mama fans

Ah, KUKQ, late 80's. Your crappy AM signal. Your kick ass play list. Most of all, Mary McCann in the mornings. Polka, anyone? So, great news! Mary has a radio show on the ol' W-W-W. I know, probably not news to everyone, when the Zone turned to crap the first time she left for greener web pastures. But for one reason or another, I was a step or two behind her whereabouts. But now, I have found it, and I share with you this. I checked out the play list and it is chock full of goodies. I can't wait to listen (sadly straming audio is strictly verboten here at the ol' office - meanies!). Cause for celebration, I say. I missed you, Mary! God, Phoenix radio does suck.

New Year's Resolutions that Really Make a Difference

I was SO excited to hear about An Inconvenient Truth's 2 Oscar nominations yesterday. I think it HAS to be a shoo-in. As great as the other docs may be, what other documentary will people remember in 40 years as having made a real difference?

In honor of AIT, here is a list of New Year's Resolutions you can make that will really make a difference.

And how LAME is Bush's 20% in 10 years plan ("Bold", ABC? Really??) - and it wouldn't even bring down carbon that much! Ludicrous.

I think we'll be planning something for this, check it out: http://www.stepitup2007.org/

Wake Up, Detroit!

Hello!!!! Nobody wants your ugly, nasty, gas guzzlers anymore! Where has this guy been? This GM exec says higher fuel standards will really hurt US automakers. Yeah, right. Thanks, GM, for the H2 and H3, and for disassembling mass transit in the 40's, and dropping the EV-1 - they're keeping up the good work, all right!

Now, you may say, but, hey, they are working on that plug-in hybrid - OK, fine, but they are pushing bio-fuels (boo) and hybrids lite (mileage sucks) plus they have no batteries for the plug-in. Let's see some results.

Oh Crap Global Warming Moment of the Day

Crucial link in marine food chain withers, satellite data show

By Seth Borenstein
Associated PRess
Dec. 6, 2006 11:24 AM


WASHINGTON - The critical base of the ocean food web is shrinking as the world's seas warm, new NASA satellite data show. The discovery has scientists worried about how much food will grow in the future for the world's marine life.

The data show a significant link between warmer water - either from the El Nino weather phenomenon or global warming - and reduced production of phytoplankton of the world's oceans, according to a study in Thursday's journal Nature.

Phytoplankton are the microscopic plant life that zooplankton and other marine animals eat, essentially the grain crop of the world's oceans. Rest of article here.


Now go to carbonfund.org and offset a year's carbon for your family and friends for Christmas. There is no better gift this year than the future of life on Earth, dontcha think?

"HDTV" Friday and Plasma vs LCD

As sooo many people will spend Friday shopping, and as this is the year of the flat screen, so they say, it is actually important that everyone know that LCD TVs are MORE EFFICIENT than plasmas. See this article on Daily Kos. Cars are not the only gas guzzlers out there, and plasmas are the Humvee of the TV. Pass it on. And consider waiting, both types got 25% more efficient this year. Prices will most likely go down, and efficiency is on the way up. Slippers make a nice gift!

On another note, Friday is National Buy Nothing Day. Consider it. :)

Give a turkey something to be thankful for

Have a gentle Thanksgiving! We'll be trying the Veggie Turkey Breast. Faux meat is really not even necessary and Amelie completely shuns it, but it's nice for the old folks (us included) to have a center to the meal. Happy Thanksgiving!

A Handy Voter Guide

This is from the Truth to Power Hour blog, for the grey areas on your ballot:
BALLOT PROPOSITIONS
A recap of Saturday's show here are my recommendations for Props.

Prop 100: Bailable Offenses NO
A Russell Pearce attempt to change the AZ Constitution for his anti-Immigrant agenda.

Prop 101: Local Property Tax Levies NO
Attempts to take tax decisions away from localities and put them in state control.

Prop 102: Standing in Civil Actions NO More Pearce foolishness

Prop 103: English as Official Language NO More Russell Pearce

Prop 104: Municipal Debt YES
Gives local governments more flexibility in financing transportation and public safety initiatives

Prop 105 State Trust Lands NO
A GOP trick to muddy the waters about Prop 106

Prop 106 Conserving AZ's Future YES
Has support from a diverse coalition

Prop 107 Protect Arizona Marraige NO
An attempt by Len Munsill to attack gays that actually affects civil unions and all non-married couples.


Prop 200 AZ Voter Reward Act ???
Gives a lottery ticket to all voters who participate.

Prop 201 Smoke Free AZ Act YES Supported by American Lung Assoc, American Cancer Society, AZ Hospital & Healthcare Assoc.


Prop 202 AZ Minimum Wage Act YES
Raises AZ minimum wage to $6.75/ hour

Prop 203 First things First for AZ Children YES Raises taxes on cigarettes to pay for child health services

Prop 204 Humane Farms YES
Goes after corporate farms for cruel treatment of animals by setting guidelines for pen sizes

Prop 205 All Mail Elections YES Some good arguments on both sides of the debate. If Prop 200 holds up this may serve to re-enfranchise voters.

Prop 206 Non Smoker Protection Act NO
I consider tobacco giant RJ REynolds' support for this as a major red flag.

Prop 207 Private Property Rights Act NO
A Trojan Horse for right wing extremists masquerading as a populist movement.
Would give special interests more control over gov't lands.

Prop 300 Public Program Eligibilty NO
More Russell Pearce nonsense.

Prop 301 Probation for Methamphetamine Offenders NO
Takes away treatment options for meth addicts.

Prop 302 State Legislators Salaries YES
Raises pay from $24 K to $36 K


For more detailed info on props check out Michael Bryan at
http://www.aznetroots.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=15

or at his site

www.blogforarizona.com


Dem Judges

Hurwitz; Kessler; Norris; Portley; Budoff; Downie; Foster; Heilman; Lee; Rea; Ronan; Swann; Talamante

For Central AZ Water:

Barrios, Brooks and George.

If You Didn't Read Pat Tillman's Brother's Op-Ed yet, You Need To

Here.

Go on a Greenhouse Diet - Take the Slate Challenge

Here.

Jon Kyl Campaign Ad Lied

Kyl campaign ad may have duped sheriffs

http://www.azcentral.com/php-bin/clicktrack/email.php/5889028

Go Harry!

I'm in District 3 and I was waiting for the dems to ask for my help for Herb Paine running aginst Shadegg... I actually just read some disturbing info about that here... in any case, what I HAVE been doing for the dems in general will hopefully help ALL of them. But last night was the funnest yet, I helped at a table for the Harry Mitchell CD5 fundraiser and I got to see Jimmy Eat World (sorry for the lousy cell photo), I was a fan before, now I am a HUGE fan. It would be sooooo nice to get rid of J.D. Hayworth (see previous post re:LCV scores).

Actually, Don't Buy Compact Flourescent Bulbs!

SKIP those, and go straight to LED bulbs! They are SUPER energy efficient and they are getting more and more available on the web. I'm going to order from a guy on ebay for my track lighting and if it goes well, some of you know what your Christmas presents will be. Speaking of Christmas...check out this tree. I am usually categorically opposed to aritificial Christmas trees, but if this isn't vinyl (NEVER buy vinyl!) I am definitely mulling it over.

Laurie David was on Al Franken and she said if everyone switched 5 bulbs from regular light bulbs to CFs, that would be equivalent to taking 80 million cars off the road for a year - this is like 10 times better than that. Imagine it!

No Big Surprise, But Worth Mentioning, LCV Scores Are In

Th usual performance by the Usual Suspects, as reported on azcentral.com:
Arizona's senators each agreed with the league's positions 29 percent of the time. The representatives fluctuated wildly, with Reps. J.D. Hayworth, Jim Kolbe, John Shadegg and Trent Franks getting zeroes and Rep. Raul Grijalva receiving one of 112 perfect scores handed out.

I would like everyone to note that McCain isn't as green as he'd like to pretend to be.

Hawaii Pictures

If you have some time to kill and want to see LOTS and LOTS of Hawaii pictures, visit our Hawaii group room at Snapfish. Highlights include dolphins and ziplines. Mom says she wishes we hadn't done so much. Curse you, Maui, and your plentitude of exciting and interesting activities! I certainly could have foregone the trip around the back side of the island (the Lahaina side, not the Hana side). Imagine: one lane - two directions, curvy, no guard rail, side of a cliff, sister telling you to go FASTER (right, Marn, it's all good 'til you slide off the road). Not my cup of tea. And then we pretty much did it again going to Hana but that road (mostly) had a lane for oncoming traffic. Then there was the trip down the volcano where Amelie got car sick with carrots and POG. Ah, the memories!

All this driving talk reminds me that I should recommend Bio-beetle rental cars to anyone going to Maui or the Big Island. They were great people. Our 100% biodiesel bug had a few glitches, but it was a neat experience for sure.

Arizona Ballot Initiatives (NO on 207!)

"Takings" rears its ugly head once again. Prop 207 is a taxpayer nightmare. Please tell anyone you know in Arizona to please get to the polls - or their mailbox, as the case may be - and reject it - for about the 3rd time. We keep saying no, and with so many issues to look at, they are thinking they can sneak it past us this time. Don't let them do that.

For a very good rundown on all of the initiatives and which way to vote, and why, go here. I am leaning against 106, it's not good enough and may have some components that do more harm than good. Haven't totally made up my mind there.

Pass it on.

That was an extended absence!

Well, much of the interceding time I have been in Hawaii. It was lovely. Here is a picture.

I just had to post this. I would have killed for it in '04 when nobody thought they had lied us into this war. Here it is, laid out, in all its glory: a timeline from Mother Jones of each and every lie. Read it if you dare, 33 percenters.

Wicked was, um, what's the word?

Yeah, it was as advertised. Wiiiicked cool! :) Mom and dad were surprised to find 2 extra tickets in their envelope so A and I were happy to go along last minute. One web site said it might be intense for a small kid and the web site said please no children under 4 but she looooved it, so I guess it just depends on the kid. I liked this one so much more than Rent. I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats! as they used to say. The gal that played Glinda was soooo funny. Broadway is really the place for strong female leads, isn't it? Chicago, Mamma Mia - girl power, right on!