It appears TIME Magazine thinks that as long as the environment is okay, fuck the PEOPLE

“The obnoxious anti-environmentalist Rush Limbaugh has been a rare voice arguing that the spill — he calls it “the leak” — is anything less than an ecological calamity, scoffing at the avalanche of end-is-nigh eco-hype.

Well, Limbaugh has a point. The Deepwater Horizon explosion was an awful tragedy for the 11 workers who died on the rig, and it’s no leak; it’s the biggest oil spill in U.S. history. It’s also inflicting serious economic and psychological damage on coastal communities that depend on tourism, fishing and drilling. But so far — while it’s important to acknowledge that the long-term potential danger is simply unknowable for an underwater event that took place just three months ago — it does not seem to be inflicting severe environmental damage.”

Oh, so we’re all good then? What. the. HELL?

The problem is we’re screwed either way. Again. If we push that the environmental damage is bad then no one will want to buy our seafood or visit our towns, and that will destroy the local economy. But if we agree to saying the environmental damage is not-so-bad, we’re selling out our land *and* our people, letting a famously corrupt mega-corporation off the hook, and excusing an incompetent federal response and a painfully cold president who has proven he doesn’t care what happens to us.

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Raspberries and Bell Peppers

by Pistolette on July 28, 2010

My raspberry bush is finally (in late JULY!) starting to give me raspberries. It gave them up in early June last year, but it was also in a brighter spot, so I’ll move it back to its old location next year. I’m just happy to be getting any from a container box. Also, raspberries are not native to hot climates so this bush is a heat tolerant southern variety. Maybe next year I’ll take a stab at blueberries.

raspberries

In spite of tomatoes being a huge disappointment this year, it seems bell peppers are making a late showing to impress me. They’re also more tolerant to the bugs, and aren’t as finicky about full sunlight (something that’s hard for me to provide in a compact city yard). Here’s a yellow bell pepper, followed by a green bell pepper. Cilantro Lime Chicken fajitas are just begging to be made…

yellow bell pepper

green bell pepper

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The Empathic Civilization *snap* Stay With Me Now

Entertainment
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There is s scene in the absolutely horrible film 2012, where a crazy conspiracy nut doing a radio show from his trailer in Yellowstone Park (Woody Harrelson), tells a hiking writer dad (John Cusack) who stumbles upon him, that really deep scary concepts are easier to explain to the public if you use a cutesy [...]

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Lazy Louisiana?

Politics & Issues
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According to a Businessweek study, Louisiana is America’s laziest state, but they mean it in a good way. “To be clear, by “lazy” we do not mean lacking work ethic or engagement. Rather, it is a measure of leisure time spent doing sedentary activities compared with activities that require more physical effort, such as exercising [...]

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America: Land of Loners?

Entertainment
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“Americans, plugged in and on the move, are confiding in their pets, their computers, and their spouses. What they need is to rediscover the value of friendship.” -Daniel Akst, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2010 This Summer, The Wilson Quarterly has an excellent article about the deterioration of friendship in America (unfortunately, that link is only an [...]

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The Death & Rebirth of Books

Entertainment
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When I was a kid I wanted to live in a library. Like the cramped gothic ones you see in Harry Potter movies, except I dreamt of those before she wrote about it. I remember the first time I went to Shakespeare & Company bookstore in Paris when I was 24. I saw a guy [...]

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Cuttin’ A Bitch

Writing

Why the hell am I posting a few hours after I just had surgery? Because I committed to the damn contest, that’s why. But really it’s because it’s a personal challenge and having a contest just gives me an excuse. This morning I woke up at 4:15, which is not uncommon for me. But today [...]

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NOPD Corruption Makes ‘The Economist’

Politics & Issues
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The Economist did a story on the NOPD today, mainly about the Danziger and Glover cases, but also about the culture of corruption at NOPD in general: “The cases—in which 16 officers have been charged so far—are shocking for their brutality and their strong whiff of institutionalised racism. They also expose deep corruption in the [...]

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The War of Art

Lifehacking
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“The writer is an infantryman. He knows that progress is measured in yards of dirt extracted from the enemy, one day, one hour, one minute at a time and paid for in blood. The artist wears combat boots. He looks in the mirror and sees GI Joe. Remember, the Muse favors working stiffs. She hates [...]

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The Broken Piece

Essays
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“All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again.” -Peter Pan Every now and then I grow restless and panicky about living here. I usually brush it off as normal for living in a place that’s a crime ridden, hurricane attracting, oil soaked roller-coaster of drama. But last night the real reason [...]

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