Christmas Advent Week One

Thanksgiving has passed, the last harvest of the year and it was bountiful but full of the tension of our American election. I spent a quiet but filling holiday full of retrospect and still very hopeful for the future. One thing I was deeply thankful for was the release from several environmental groups that global warming had slowed down, that there was hope for our future not to be so devastated if we kept on track. My disappointment that the US might now veer off track with the election of Donald Trump and back off our clean energy programs is disheartening. The rest of the world though seems to be firm in their commitment to climate change which keeps me very hopeful. The terrible standoff at Standing Rock Sioux in N. Dakota of course filled the holiday even as the Blackfoot tribe were rewarded safety for their sacred lands by President Obama. My daughter's paternal great-grandmother was a Blackfoot Indian from Montana and I am very happy for this tribe today.

Now it is Advent Week One and people are Christmas shopping and decorating. I hope the Christmas spirit grows bright this season. 

Keystone XL Pipeline Vetoed by President Obama!

He did it! President Obama vetoed the Keystone XL Pipeline! Bless you! God bless us!

Victory! Grand Canyon Uranium Mining Ban!



The Grand Canyon...truly amazing! Ours to keep...for now.



Every year there are several big environmental projects I work on from halting spending on nuclear energy, stopping offshore drilling, developing renewable energy resources to endangered species. Some have to do with just the earth basically which was my big major project over the last 20 years...the oceans and coastal marine life. Also the forests and tree planting have become a second major earth focus all relating to global warming. It is rare that I ever advocate for the deserts or other lands except National Parks and those are usually right in my home state of California.

However the Grand Canyon is one such project that I did devote quite a bit of time in advocating for the halting of uranium mining. Uranium is soooo connected to nuclear energy and ultimately bomb building and radioactive fuel waste that can't be disposed of safely for thousands of years. Today the President made a wise decision and moved in a positive direction for the future of our earth and the generations that will live here after I and even he is gone, pass on. Well, Congratulations President Obama for halting the Grand Canyon Mining of Uranium for 20 years!!

The Grand Canyon is one of the top ten places on the planet that everyone should know about and if possible visit. It is breathtaking and should never be tampered with but preserved. It is one of my most vivid memories, the first time seeing the vast expanse of that gorgeous earthy toned land formation that is more than a canyon. Time rolls off the layers of sediment colors of yellow ochre, pinks and reds, cocoa browns that build up from a vast opening in the earth. Yes it opens up in front of your eyes with amazing colors that are hidden under the earth's surface, like a multi layered cake that has been cut open for us to feast our eyes upon, as far as our eyes can see. There is no other place on earth like it. Thank you Mr. President for appreciating the Grand Canyon. I believe your trip there must have left such an indelible impression on your mind that love went into its formation and that it is a gift for our country to care for and even nurture. God bless America!

It's Official! Executive Order Stewardship of our Oceans, Our Coasts and The Great Lakes!!

Mendocino Headlands State Park

I just finished a 3 day camping trip along the Northern California Coast and back through the Redwood coastal forests. It was a working vacation. I missed out on last year's work schedule for my business Starbell Enterprises to complete the scenes in the Federal Marine Life Sanctuaries. I wanted to add Muir Beach and Pt. Reyes National Seashore and focus on some of California State Parks. Also wanted to add The Wild coastal scenes to my new offline, offshore series of large paintings. Thirdly, I needed to get away from the city and population density.

Mission accomplished on all three points! My turnaround point was Mendocino Headlands State Park. I never take pictures of the coast but this was so breathtaking and something I probably won't paint that I snapped several. There was no camping here but not far is Van Damm State Park so that is where I stayed just across the highway from the beach so that the ocean's waves put me to sleep.

Just want to celebrate this long worked for event of the Ocean's Policy so many ocean's groups have supported, and it includes stewardship. AT LAST!! Thank you, Mr. President.

 

Love this clip from 2009...appropriate for giant steps on the Ocean Policy Executive Order

Gov. Schwarzenegger pulls out of offshore drilling on SoCal coast!

The news has been awful lately. The NYC bomb scare, the continuously expanding Gulf oil spill catastrophe. My friends in Europe Skype me with questions and pity for Louisiana. Today California Govenor A. Schwarzenegger has pulled Southern California's coastline back into safety by withdrawing from offshore drilling committments to a Texas oil company to open drilling near the Channel Islands Marine Life Sanctuary. Something good came out of the Gulf disaster with the California decision and President Obama's withdrawal of further offshore oil drilling until the Gulf disaster is settled.

Copenhagen/COP15

The past few weeks the excitement of the Climate Conference in Copenhagen had diminished for me. I felt the US contribution was weak and that we had missed our chance to really shine as a leader in Climate Change. Then like a miracle, the day the Conference opened our EPA announces it has declared global warming to be hazardous to our health and thanks to the Supreme Court which empowered the EPA to make such decisions, Administrator Lisa Jackson of the EPA was able to make the statement and by so doing has put the Environmental Protection Agency in charge of global warming in the US and any environmental hazards that are contributing to it. Yippee!!

Now President Obama has some leadership when he arrives in Copenhagen with a pledge of financial aid to nations suffering from global warming, our 17% reduction in emissions promise (+ our own surprising decrease by 2+% from our own efforts (hybrids, evs, renewable energy sources, meatless days, sustainable farming, recycling, conservation of energy, etc.).

You go America!

Mad Scientists at Work ~ A Doppleganger Sun in 2010

In May of this year the National Ignition Facility (NIF) was dedicated at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Next year the testing will begin ~ 2010. It is a process that involves nuclear bombs. This lab received nearly $3 billion to start-up, it had been shut-down. President Obama received a Nobel Peace Prize this year for his work in stopping nuclear proliferation. I guess they forgot to look at the NIF. I believe it is a process that people with a conscious call omnicide.

Nuclear Anniversary

This week is the 64th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan that ended WWII. There are many organizations that have come together to remember this event and to promote a nuclear weapons free world. President Obama has publicly proclaimed his desire for the USA to be a leader in this disarmament. Of course, there are many enemies to this idea within our own country. Reading some of the emails I have received from several of these wonderful groups has been an education. Even though I have been part of the idea of laying down of nuclear arms for over 40 years there is always something to learn.

Since we are the only country to use nuclear or atomic weapons I think it is imperative that we educate ourselves to what it means to carry this responsibility. One talking point is the question of why the world has not had a nuclear war yet. the answer is not because we have armed ourselves to the hilt and also allowed nuclear bomb development elsewhere. In other words, deterrent is not the truth to building a nuclear arsenal. The real reason we aren't suffering from such a holocaust is that responsible citizens have come together and made our leaders aware that they will not tolerate the use of these weapons and that we should disarm ourselves along with the rest of the world.

We, as a country need to change our nuclear hawk first strike rule so that we will not resort to a nuclear bomb first thing when attacked. Do this as we disarm. It takes each one of us to speak up about it. It won't happen by itself.

Nuclear Weapons Free, and google Peace West, Friends, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation which are a few of these organizations to find answers and to give support.

One of those blue sky cloudless days...economic freedom!

I listened hopefully to President Obama's speech to the nation Wed. evening. I was bolstered by his words. Then this morning I woke up to the Internet spewing words from the President that he disowned the fiscal problems! Someone better own them. I thought that belonged to who was in charge so they could solve them. OK. He did say he didn't want to be the country's banker or auto company owner. Then I read today that Chrysler was getting $8 billion more to go bankrupt! I've never heard of this before. This government right now is doing this.

There is an idea floating around and I agree. The people of this country would bring back the economy if the government paid them and it would be cheaper! Give everyone that is a citizen and is over 18 (voters), has paid taxes (including seniors and disabled) a million dollars. People who have a million + wouldn't need it and those who have never worked and can't take care of themselves (some disabled) wouldn't need it and their care would be greater insured by freeing up a lot of government funds. Well there are about 900 million people in the USA. The amount of recipients would be less than that and it still is under a billion dollars, much cheaper than these humongous bailouts!

Americans would surge the economy by buying homes, investing again, saving, shopping, buying cars, remodeling, shopping, travel, and shopping!! What a sign to the world...We the people! This nation would get out from under for once the ugliest prejudices and weapons in the world...impoverishment. It is a real educational experience to think that poverty would be gone. The power of poverty is the ugliest weapon in the world and the people wielding it are so gross. Wish they could see themselves in the mirror of values. Ugly!!

A one time deal...$1 million dollars...the toxic economy would disappear and our country would balance itself out as a truly free country! With the green economy coming in and environmental issues being addressed including more peaceful ways of being, the USA would be a true leader in the world, a beacon of light. President Obama would lead a true country of people who have deep values because it is. It just needs dusting off. The leadership he shows in abolishing torture should apply to the economy.

Passover and the Blessing of the sun

I and the world has received a blessing from God this Holy Season. The Jewish Blessing of the Sun prayer and observation began yesterday and is only practiced every 28 years. It was the eve of Passover and celebrated around the world but especially in Jerusalem and throughout Israel. President Obama, his family and a few close friends are celebrating a Passover meal today.

Blessed are the Peacemakers!

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God...

Matthew 5:9

As the world begins to celebrate Holy Week and Easter, President Obama takes up the cross of No More Nuclear Weapons! Ploughshares, Friends, Peace West and more organizations dedicated to this cause have heraled his cry and rally support. So many steps taken towards a restored world, peace on Earth, gives hope to the future for the coming generations.

He will judge between the nations

and will settle disputes for many

peoples,

They will beat their swords into

plowshares

and their spears into pruning

hooks.

Nation will not take up sword against

nation,

nor will they train for war anymore.

Isaiah 2:4

"hope over fear"

Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul...
Psalm 103:22

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance
Psalm 33:12

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
Psalm 134:2