News for those not Interested in Death and Sex Watches

or When Will Journalists actually Report Real News?

So for those that don’t want to see the People Magazine section on the front page of every news paper and  as the lead in to every TV news item, let’s look at some real news.

Climate Change :  The American Clean Energy and Security Act:

Should we be questioning the Climate Change Numbers?  Surprise from the WSJ?  Not. It’s still an interesting read in light of the Waxman-Markey attempt to push through cap and trade.

The Climate Change Climate Change: The number of skeptics is swelling everywhere.

Among the many reasons President Barack Obama and the Democratic majority are so intent on quickly jamming a cap-and-trade system through Congress is because the global warming tide is again shifting. It turns out Al Gore and the United Nations (with an assist from the media), did a little too vociferous a job smearing anyone who disagreed with them as “deniers.” The backlash has brought the scientific debate roaring back to life in Australia, Europe, Japan and even, if less reported, the U.S.

In April, the Polish Academy of Sciences published a document challenging man-made global warming. In the Czech Republic, where President Vaclav Klaus remains a leading skeptic, today only 11% of the population believes humans play a role. In France, President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to tap Claude Allegre to lead the country’s new ministry of industry and innovation. Twenty years ago Mr. Allegre was among the first to trill about man-made global warming, but the geochemist has since recanted. New Zealand last year elected a new government, which immediately suspended the country’s weeks-old cap-and-trade program.

Greenpeace opposes Waxman-Markey

“Since the Waxman-Markey bill left the Energy and Commerce committee, yet another fleet of industry lobbysists has weakened the bill even more, and further widened the gap between what Waxman-Markey does and what science demands. As a result, Greenpeace opposes this bill in its current form. We are calling upon Congress to vote against this bill unless substantial measures are taken to strengthen it. Despite President Obama’s assurance that he would enact strong, science-based legislation, we are now watching him put his full support behind a bill that chooses politics over science, elevates industry interests over national interest, and shows the significant limitations of what this Congress believes is possible. “As it comes to the floor, the Waxman-Markey bill sets emission reduction targets far lower than science demands, then undermines even those targets with massive offsets. The giveaways and preferences in the bill will actually spur a new generation of nuclear and coal-fired power plants to the detriment of real energy solutions. To support such a bill is to abandon the real leadership that is called for at this pivotal moment in history.  We simply no longer have the time for legislation this weak.

I would hate to see this piece of legislation move through the House of Representatives with out media coverage and robust discussion.  You’ll remember that I explained cap and trade earlier in case you want a review.

Froomkin’s Last Stand:

It’s only fitting that on a day were the headlines are overly concerned with the latest republican sex scandal and celebrity death sturm and drang that we also see the death of one of the few worthwhile columns in a major newspaper. I hope it won’t be the last, best worthwhile read from Froomkin because we need the new white house watched too.

White House Watch-White House Watched

When I look back on the Bush years, I think of the lies. There were so many. Lies about the war and lies to cover up the lies about the war. Lies about torture and surveillance. Lies about Valerie Plame. Vice President Dick Cheney’s lies, criminally prosecutable but for his chief of staff Scooter Libby’s lies. I also think about the extraordinary and fundamentally cancerous expansion of executive power that led to violations of our laws and our principles.

And while this wasn’t as readily apparent until President Obama took office, it’s now very clear that the Bush years were all about kicking the can down the road – either ignoring problems or, even worse, creating them and not solving them. This was true of a huge range of issues including the economy, energy, health care, global warming – and of course Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wow, this seems like we’re just watching a continuation of all of this under the new Obama Enhanced Status Quo.

Joe Biden, Vice President of Gaffes

If you really need some lighter reading, try this the Joe Biden Gaffe Update at the LA Times.  (And you thought they were only good for OJ and Michael Jackson watches).  In a story to warm our own RD’s heart,  he seems to have forgotten that John Corzine is the governor of New Jersey.

Washington. Mandarin Oriental Hotel. LGBT fundraiser. Hauled in about $1 mill. 33% better than last year with Michelle Obama.

Maybe four dozen protesters outside, impatient with the Obama administration’s perceived slow pace on lesbian and gay issues. Signs: “SHAME.” “Gay Uncle Toms.” Chants: “Shame on You.” “Boycott the Bigots.”

Inside, Biden spoke 20 mins. Lots of applause. “I am not unaware of the controversy swirling around this dinner and swirling around the speed or lack thereof that we are moving on issues that are of great importance to you.”

Boasted the new administration has appointed 60 gays or lesbians, including nine requiring Senate confirmation. Promised to “put some pace on the ball.”

Standing ovations as he pledged to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and get passage of the Lieberman-Baldwin bill on health benefits.

Additionally, Biden promised to put a ban on workplace discrimination, get adoption rights for all and end the HIV travel ban.

Biden also praised Tim Kaine as the “great governor of New Jersey.”

One problem: Tim Kaine’s not governor of New Jersey.

It also appears that the GLBT movement in this country finally has reached that crucial moment where they need the Manual to Under Bus Etiquette.  They no longer seem to be in under the bus denial.  How’s that unity pony working for you guys?

Oh, I think we got our pony.  It just looks like this.

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