Amazon Smoke Forest?

Oh, the irony.

Far from cleaning up the atmosphere, the Amazon is now a major source for pollution. Rampant burning and deforestation, mostly at the hands of illegal loggers and of ranchers, release hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the skies each year.
Brazil now ranks as one of the world's leading producers of greenhouse gases, thanks in large part to the Amazon, the source for up to two-thirds of the country's emissions.

Well, you may ask, what is being done to stop this destruction and burning? What is being done to stop these illegal loggers and ranchers?

Not much.

Such encroachment on virgin land is theoretically illegal or subject to tough regulation, but the government here lacks the resources — some say the will — to enforce environmental protection laws.

Thank goodness for the Kyoto Agreement and the forward thinking countries that signed it. That will surely save us, right? Uh, uh, uh. Not so fast.

However, under the international environmental treaty known as the Kyoto Protocol, Brazil and other poor countries are not required to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases. Nor does the accord contain financial incentives to encourage nations such as Brazil and Indonesia to rein in the destruction of their tropical forests.

Ok, so if we stop this destruction, then everything will be perfect. Well, not quite.

Even without the massive burning, the popular conception of the Amazon as a giant oxygen factory for the rest of the planet is misguided, scientists say. Left unmolested, the forest does generate enormous amounts of oxygen through photosynthesis, but it consumes most of it itself in the decomposition of organic matter.

Ironic, ain't it.

Louisiana Legislature steps into fight

A House committee decided Tuesday that the Legislature should inject itself into the fight between the ACLU and the Tangipahoa Parish School Board over prayer at school board meetings. The House Education Committee unanimously backed House Concurrent Resolution 39 by Rep. A.G. Crowe, R-Slidell, to "express the support of the Legislature of Louisiana for the practice of prayer at the beginning of school board meetings." The resolution says prayer is protected and follows the principles on which the United States was founded. It says the Legislature disapproves of a federal judge's decision that prayers are unconstitutional at school board meetings. The measure moves next to the full House for debate.

I'm glad.

Changing the image of Louisiana politics

We are always hearing from local politicians that they want to change the image of Louisiana politics from one where corruption abounds to one of ethical government. Psst, here's a secret for you - this is not the way to do it.

With some members making early exits, a House committee Tuesday killed a proposal that would have prohibited lawmakers from accepting free tickets to Saints games, golf outings, and other sporting and cultural events. And they did it without members having to go on record as voting against a bill supported by good-government factions.

I have the url for my new blog

My new blog through NOLA.com is up and running. As promised, here is the new url for North Shore Voice.

I feel so out of it

Our vacation was very relaxing, especially since I didn't bring my computer with me. However, I feel so out of the loop. I have a feeling that it is going to take me a few days to get back into the blogging groove.

I do have some news, though. I have been asked to write a blog at NOLA. com. It is called North Shore Voice and will be exclusively about St. Tammany Parish. It should be up and running some time today. I'll provide the link when I have it.

Warning: What follows is a brief telling about my vacation.

North Carolina was wonderful. Most of our days were spent hiking. My kids impressed me with their abilities and eagerness to hike long distances and to go bouldering. They loved every minute of it and so did I. My 2 year old would announce that she is a "mountain girl" as she jumped from rock to rock. We had to constantly remind my 5 year old to not run ahead. He was very eager to see what we over the rise or around the bend.

We were lucky to be able to bring my dad and stepmom with us. Even though, my husband and I have spent a lot of time in N.C. (Jim went to Western Carolina University), no one from my family had been. My parents had a great time, too. Although I have to say, I think that we all ate waaaaaay too much. It always seems that way on vacation. At least we did things (like hike 5 miles on mountain paths) to build up appetites.

We also got to see a lot of the wildlife. Most of it was up close, too. We saw a deer drinking from a stream not 50 feet from us, a black bear about 150 feet from us, an elk, a goundhog, a snake and a salamander eating a grub. It was really see the kids reaction to these animals.

My husband and I are now looking to buy some vacation property there. Of course, we would love to actually move there, but considering we don't know what Jim would do there, I guess that we will have to be happy just vacationing there for now.

Once I come down from my vacation high (which won't be long considering all of the unpacking and laundry that I have to do), I will get back to normal blogging.

I'm baaaaack!

I just finished checking my emails and now I have to go unpack. Literally just walked in the door. Will write more later. Just wanted to you to know that I have reluctently returned from the cool, breezy mountains to hot, humid Louisiana.

Boy, I need this vacation

Starting tomorrow, my family and I are going on vacation to the mountains of North Carolina. I can't wait! This computer will be staying here so that I can spend valuable with my husband and kids. It will be a nice break from blogging. I will be back on June 5th.

Brilliant

I am watching the "American Idol" finale and all I can say is that whoever came up with the "Randy/Simon" parody of the Paula Abdul scandal was brilliant. What a great way of showing how silly the whole thing is. It was hysterical. Loved it! That made the entire show. Of course, still don't know who the Idol is yet.

Blogger solves his own murder

You have to read this. It's very eerie and just sad.

Hat tip: Instapundit

Rest In Peace, Nancy Jeansonne Stevens

Yesterday, my cousin lost her battle with cancer. Please say a prayer for her family that remains behind. Her infectious love of life will be missed. However, I do rejoice in knowing that she was greeted with open arms by our Lord and Saviour, who I'm sure was standing next to her mother that she lost last year.

Goodbye, Nancy.

What McCain was really thinking

I'll bet I know what was really going through McCain's mind when he announced the "compromise."

Aren't I wonderful? People are going to love me. No wait. Did I say people? I meant the media. I will be on every talk show and my day in the sun will continue for a while longer. I love seeing myself on TV and I love hearing myself talk. This will clinch my presidential nomination. How can my presidential bid fail now? I'm a god!

Egotistical Idiot.

You gotta see this

This is just too funny.

A 3-year-old boy, upset that his mother wouldn't let him use a vending machine to try to win a stuffed animal, took matters in his own hands. He climbed inside to get the prize himself.

The story also includes a picture. You've got to see it. I would have loved to see the little boy get into the machine.

Time for laughs and chuckles

No, it's not time to listen to Howard Dean's latest speech. The Carnival of Comedy is up.

So Shays wants to stay a Republican

According to The Hill, Rep. Chris Shays wants to remain a Republican despite constantly finding himself siding with the Democrats.

Shays would rather fight than switch.

Shays has a whole list of reasons as to why he wants to stay a Republican, but I suspect that there is a much different reason why he won’t switch parties. It is also the same reason that the “R” will remain behind McCain’s name as well. As long as they stay Republican, the media will continue to fawn over them.

When Shays spoke out against Tom Delay calling for his resignation, the media was there capturing his every word. His opinion was much sought after and he was wooed by every major news service.

When McCain said he agreed with the Democrats in regards to filibusters, he was courted by the MSM like a homecoming queen at prom time.

Why switch? They get so much more attention being a “maverick.“ If they, or any other RINO, switched parties, the MSM would drop them like a hot potato. They would cease to be special. Don’t believe me, ask Jim Jeffords (if you can find him, that is).

So, what does a 1.5 million dollar bus stop look like?

That is what the city of Anchorage is trying to figure out. It seems that their hard-working Senator has managed to get the city 1.5 million dollars to build a new bus stop. Not a terminal. Just a stop.

Tom Wilson is faced with a problem many city administrators would envy: How to spend $1.5 million on a bus stop.

Wilson, Anchorage's director of public transportation, has all that money for a new and improved bus stop outside the Anchorage Museum of History and Art thanks to Republican Sen. Ted Stevens - fondly referred to by Alaskans as "Uncle Ted" for his prodigious ability to secure federal dollars for his home state.

Wilson is prepared to think big.

The bus stop there now is a simple steel-and-glass, three-sided enclosure. Wilson wants better lighting and seating. He also likes the idea of heated sidewalks that would remain free of snow and ice. And he thinks electronic signs would be nice.

"It is going to be a showpiece stop," Wilson said.

It’s so nice to see our hard-earned tax dollars going to towards such a noble cause that will help millions of Americans. What? You say it is a waste of money. Of course it is. This is what frustrates me about the government. This is why I have to pay so much in taxes? This is why we can’t afford to get rid of the death tax? This Senator should be ashamed of himself. And I know that he is not alone. This thinking among our Congressional leaders that the money they are given is theirs to spend freely has to stop.

So, what does Sen. Stevens think about calling this $1.5 million a waste of public money?

"Sen. Stevens does not believe the money that he is able to work diligently to secure at the federal level is pork," she said. "He considers it infrastructure development for a very young state. People seem to forget how young Alaska really is."

How silly of us to not realize that it costs so much more money in new states.

ACLU wants to remove people who pray from society

*Welcome Blogs for Bush readers. Stay. Look around. And y'all come back now.*


In Tangipahoa Parish here in Louisiana, the teachers and adminstrators continue to pray in school. This infuriates the ACLU who has continually taken the School Board to court to stop them from praying.

In addition, the ACLU cites a prayer it says was recently given at Amite High School, over a loudspeaker, at an awards banquet. The prayer ended with the words "In Jesus' name we pray," violating the ban; the principal of the school sat silently by.

So, if they didn't say "In Jesus' name" the ACLU wouldn't have had a problem with prayer? I guess it would have been OK if the prayer ended with "In Allah's name."

The ACLU has a solution to this problem: get rid of the people who pray.

Teachers and administrators in Tangipahoa Parish continue to violate a court-imposed school prayer ban, according to the ACLU, which Wednesday asked a federal judge to send them to jail."

The consent judgment is repeatedly violated by these individuals because they do not believe anything will happen to them," the ACLU said in its Wednesday court filing. "Their refusal to comply with the consent decree should and must result in their removal from society." (emphasis added)


OK, let's replace the praying teachers and administrators in this story with any other group in society who might participate in acts of civil disobedience (Homosexuals, college students, labor unions, etc.). If the ACLU or anyone else used the words "remove from society" to describe sending them to jail, there would be an uproar.

Why? Because words not only have meanings, they have connotations. Removing someone from society IMPLIES sending them to jail for a very long time. We use the words "remove from society" when talking about sending violent criminals, such as child molestors, rapists and murderers, to jail for life not for acts of civil disobedience.

So the question for me becomes: Does the ACLU view these people the same as violent criminals?

I figured out the reason for my slump

I miss "The Amazing Race." Already.

Unbelievable

May 18, 9:30am Update: Kevin at Crosswalk has graphics showing the actual "Little Black Book."
Warning: Adult content. Not intended for minors.


May 17, 8:46am: All I can say is "Oh my Lord!"

'Little Black Book' teaches kids 'gay' sex

Sponsored by the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, the event, said the Article 8 Alliance, featured a "hard-core pornographic homosexual 'how-to' booklet given to hundreds of kids."

Included in the booklet are graphic descriptions of homosexual conduct, including "fisting," along with a photo-spread discussion of condoms and instructions on how to put them on.
Also included is a list of homosexual bars and clubs in the Boston area "for the discerning queerboy." The Article 8 Alliance points out the students attending the event were of middle-school and high-school age.

The booklet mentions abstaining from risky activity, and then states, "But how much fun is that?"

Why is this even given any amount of credibility and discussion in our schools, let alone being distributing to children? How can educators look at this and think this is ok? Believe me, I understand why those who want to further the homosexual agenda are going after our kids, but what I don't understand is this fear to stand up to them and say "No. Leave the kids alone." This is just outrageous. I'm disgusted.

Too tired

Lately, I have found that my drive to blog is just not there. It seems that everything that needs to be said about the Newsweek affair has been said. I have nothing new to contribute. It just seems that nothing has changed in the past couple of months. Liberals still hate conservatives and view us as evil. Conservatives still think liberals have one brain cell that they all share. So, I'm done surfing the blogosphere for tonight. Maybe even for tomorrow, too. I'm tired and I'm going to bed. Goodnight.

OK, I think that I'm just coming down with something. I'm starting to feel sick. I'm sure that that is the reason for my foul mood. I'm sure that after a good night sleep I will look at this post and think: what was I thinking?

New Orleans to get a new airport?

Until last summer, my husband and I lived in the land of Disney. Believe me, it had many benefits, one of which was a great airport. The Orlando International Airport was almost an attraction in and of itself; it was a pleasure to fly in and out of. Contrast that to Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. It has to be one of the worse airports in the country, partly because it is locked into its location by development and wetlands. It has no place to expand. It is difficult to navigate into and out of, confusing to find your way around, small and, well, just plain boring with nothing of interest to do if you are stuck there for any amount of time. I've always felt that the airport was one of the hinderances on New Orleans' tourist industry. Most people from outside of New Orleans hate flying into the airport. For New Orleans' sake, I hope a new airport is in the future.

New Orleans officials are studying the possibility of building a new airport in suburban St. Charles Parish or in eastern New Orleans that would totally replace the current Louis Armstrong International Airport.

The Bonnet Carre concept, developed by Corgan Associates of Dallas, which is drafting the airport's strategic master plan, proposes carving out 2,751 acres from the 7,678-acre spillway and improving the water flow in the remaining acreage so flood protection is not diminished.
Armstrong International sits on 1,600 acres.

Kenner Mayor Phil Capitano said he's glad Armstrong officials seem to have realized that plans to expand the current facility are futile.
"They're landlocked where they are," he said. "In trying to expand, they're trying to put a square peg in a round hole."

With present and future technological advances in aviation, the need for more airport space is inevitable. Airport officials need to act now. A new airport can only help New Orleans and surrounding areas. It would attract industry and business, create more jobs and enhance the tourist industry.

Oh, by the way, did you vote for me, yet? Thanks.