What Is Real Growth?

I've spent several months now sounding off here in the Montana blogosphere, and I've become pretty well identified as being part of the left. So be it. I won't argue that much, but it does cause a certain gnawing dissatisfaction. I have a growing sense that the whole left/right spectrum that we have used to categorize our positions for a few centuries now is fast becoming obsolete. But what's better? Post-left, green-left, green anarchist? Bioregionalist? None of these are really satisfactory either, and de-centralist/regionalist/collectivist/biocentrist is just too damn clumsy. It doesn't really fit anyway. So left will have to do, or maybe just free radical.

Why do I say that the traditional left/right divide is becoming obsolete? One major reason in particular -- human impact on our natural environment has increased drastically over the past century or so, as has our awareness of that. And in spite of the differences between the left and the right both share the same fatal flaw. Both bow down to the sacred cow of endless economic growth. Bigger is better. Biggest is best. All of course based on using more and more resources to keep the growth machine going. But the cracks are showing. Endless growth isn't sustainable, and to pursue it is sheer folly. This isn't a new idea -- decades ago E.F. Schumacher had much to say about it, as did Ed Abbey, and more recently Bill McKibben.

I don't pretend to have any answers or solutions. Given the number of people on this planet it's an enormous and far-reaching issue. I have no shortage of questions though, questions like what is growth? Is growth an ever-climbing line on a graph representing more and more money and more and more stuff? Is growth the ability to recognize problems that are looming on the horizon and to dig deep and re-awaken the wisdom to change direction? Is real growth a matter of quantity of stuff, or is it more a matter of quality, of building a just and healthy and sustainable world both for now and for the future? Ah yes, such perplexing questions for such a simple man, but they are questions we as human animals need to confront.

Sometimes You Just Gotta Wonder

Sometimes you just want to throw your hands in the air and say the hell with it. What's the use. This is one of those times. Jeezus...

Why I Don't Want Al Gore To Run For President

The next election cycle is gearing up and the speculation about 2008 candidates is heating up. Here in Montana a few names have been thrown out regarding the House race. We'll have to watch and see how that plays out. Nationally we have the names of Clinton, Obama and Edwards being tossed around as the possible front-runners for President, with Al Gore out there as kind of a wild card. Will he run, or will he not? The more I think about it, the more I hope not.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't an attack on Al Gore. I think he would make a solid President. I didn't think so in 2000. I'm not a Democrat and I didn't think much of Bill Clinton. I didn't think much of the Al Gore that emerged from eight years in the Clinton administration either. But that was then. He hasn't been in public office for several years now, and I think he has reconnected with the real Al Gore, and I think his work on global warming and the environment bears that out in spite of the questions about his part in the Tennessee zinc mines that TMM brought up last week. If he took the low road on that one like us humans are wont to do on occasion, I trust that he's a big enough person to admit it and do the right thing. It's not the reason I don't want him to run.

I see environmental concerns as looming huge in political debate and policy decisions over the next several years. That may sound like a single-issue position but it really isn't. Global warming, air and water pollution, peak oil, resource wars, and indeed our concepts of economic growth are all related. All are tied to our reliance on fossil fuels. Our whole way of life is an environmental issue, and Al Gore has a better grasp on that than any other public figure in my opinion. He can play a major role in setting policies that will move our society, and our world, in the right direction if he's given the chance. I just don't think being President is the best role for him.

I may be wrong, but if the Democrats will draft a strong candidate, one who is on the same page as Al Gore, and will run a gutsy campaign to win the White House for a change, we'll all be better off. Give Al Gore a position in that administration, whether it be in the Cabinet or as a top advisor, where he can concentrate and work on environmental/global warming policies rather than scattering his energies having to deal with all of the other bullshit that a President has to deal with every day, and I think he'd be far more effective than he would be as President. There are several positions that he'd be more than capable of filling, and I think we'd be better off in the long run to have him in one of those rather than have him sitting in the Oval Office for four or eight years. I don't know -- but maybe, just maybe, he could do more good that way.

You Know That Last Post? Well, Never Mind...

OK, OK -- so I threw a fit. After a few weeks of computer battles I came unglued and was about to give up on this whole blogging business. Actually I'm surprised I put up with it as long as I did. I must be mellowing with age. Well, I'm back up and running with a new computer, and will be posting here and at Montana Netroots again regularly. Consider yourself warned.

I will of course be political. I'll write about politics in general, politics from a Green perspective, and my native cranky brand of environmentalism. This will continue to be my opinion page. I will vent my rage and frustration at weak-kneed Democrats, extremist Republicans, corporatists and privatizers, and the despoilers and destroyers of our environment, our natural habitat. If I can in some small way cause them sleepless nights and ulcers I'll be as happy as a clam. I'll have to work a lot harder to get that good, but man it'll be worth it.

One other thing I'm going to write about, though not here, is photography. I've done a little of it here, but decided to start another blog for it. Photography to me is non-political and I want to keep it that way so I moved it over to it's own site. I'll post there whenever the spirit moves me, but not nearly as often as I will here and at Netroots. And just so you know, anyone who talks politics over there will be hunted down and dealt with severely. And that's that. You folks have a fine weekend. Sweet dreams.

Good-bye For Now. Maybe. We'll See...

Right now I don't know where I'm going with this blogging thing. I was going to get a new computer set up this week, but I'm not sure how that's going to work out. It might not happen. This one I'm trying to post on isn't much -- any post I do on this blog has to be done in one shot. If I try to link or even save and edit I lose everything but the title. It won't let me post on Montana Netroots at all. My threshold for frustration is low to begin with. It's even worse after a few weeks of this. I was planning on doing a post of favorite bumper stickers that were sent to me complete with links and all but I'm not able to do that one. It wouldn't be an earth-shaking post, and it's no great loss if I don't do it, but it was kind of fun. If anybody is interested scroll down a few posts and they are all there in the comments. That's the best I can do with that one. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy blogging. If I indeed get a new computer up and running soon I'll no doubt be posting at full throttle again soon. If I have to try to limp along with this one I may or I may not. The way I feel about this whole computer thing right now, probably not. Then again I might just shit-can the whole works, breathe a big sigh of relief, and make good my escape from this whole computer thing. I'm sorely tempted to do that. A year ago I didn't even have a computer. Those are already starting to look like the good old days. Time will tell. Pardon the rambling, but I'm rushing to get this up before this whole machine goes up in a puff of smoke. So is this to be the last post here? I don't know yet. I don't want it to be, but I don't know. It depends on how things work out. If I get the new equipment you'll probably be hearing from me soon. If not, well, no big deal. I don't say anything that isn't being said, and said better, at thousands of other sites. I have no illusions about being a big-time player in the blogosphere. Everyone would survive just fine without me. I've been doing this for fun as much as anything. The blogosphere is in good hands, especially here in Montana. You don't need me. At the very least I'll be checking in on all of your sites. Likely as not I'll be sounding off here again soon in my own peculiar way. If not, well, thank you all, and good-bye, and adios, and all that. Maybe. We'll see...

If I Switch To Linux Do I Need To Start Talking Funny?

I've noticed while reading some of the blogs around Montana over the last couple of months that every so often someone gets taken over by some strange aliens that go by the name of Linux, and suddenly they start talking real funny. Now I've managed to figure out that Linux is apparently a computer OS, and seeing as I'm going to set up a new computer next week, I'm of course interested. Everybody seems to like it in spite of the language. But I don't know. I occasionally comment that while it sounds interesting, I'd sure appreciate it if folks would please speak plain old English. When they speak that other tongue I don't know what the hell they're talking about. I get answers back like " Linux is going to get you ", and " we're coming for you next ". What am I supposed to think? I get spooked. Lately I've been hearing strange noises in my apartment walls at night. I guess it could be the neighbor kid scratching on the wall, but I'm not sure. Is this how the aliens get in? If it is, I'll say right now that I'll surrender peacefully. I'm no hero. But please let me speak my own tongue. I don't need to say things like ubuntu and edgy eft to make things work. I've already got a stash of tried and true cuss words that serve me quite well. I'd rather use them. They work. But the change may be inevitable, so just to play it safe and to cover my backside, I think I'd best practice the lingo just a little bit. So Shane and TMM and all you other Linux users out there -- may the great Ubuntu guide you and continue to watch over your workspace. To the rest of you, well, all I can say is a hearty edubuntu to all and to all a good night. Edgy eft. * * *

Some Weather, Huh?

I've about had it up to here with computers already. My trusty old machine breathed it's last about a week ago, and I've been trying to tweak my daughter's machine to accept my posts. I haven't been able to get either this blog or Montana Netroots to publish a post, and I've been sorely tempted to throw my hands in the air, abandon computers altogether, and revel in my escape. But I'm not that sensible, so here's another try. If it doesn't go no one will know the difference. If it posts but looks weird, well, so be it. Another week or so and I'll have a new machine. I guess I can live with this thing for that long. Posting will be a challenge at best until then though. I'm doing the best I can. I don't know about you, but this winter's weather sure has gotten my attention. Huge storm fronts reaching from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico have been rolling through almost every week. Killer tornados in front of them, killer blizzards on the back sides, both happening at the same time. Now it is true -- blizzards and tornados are natural events. They happen. But wave after wave of these super storm systems that kill so many and cripple power systems and travel and shipping to this degree aren't. They're out of the ordinary, and they are getting stronger and more powerful all the time. Normal fluctuations? No, I don't think so. We'd best take these seriously. Whether we accept it or not, global warming is here folks. Will we be the generation that chose to confront global warming head on and make necessary changes, or will we be the generation that chose to bury our heads in the sand instead? It's our call. Let's make the right one.