Video of Barack Obama's acceptance speech for the Presidency of the United States of America

Obama: "ENOUGH!!!"

Here's the full transcript of Obama's acceptance speech last night, in front of nearly 90,000 spectators and a World audience.

The portions of his speech involving energy policy and the environment are highlighted in green. S

Barack Obama's speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination, as prepared for delivery Thursday night at Invesco Field at Mile High stadium in Denver:

To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation.

With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest — a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours, Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night

To the love of my life, our next first lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia — I love you so much, and I’m so proud of all of you.

Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story — of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.

It is that promise that has always set this country apart — that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

That’s why I stand here tonight. Because for 232 years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women — students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors — found the courage to keep it alive.

We meet at one of those defining moments — a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.

Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can’t afford to drive, credit card bills you can’t afford to pay, and tuition that’s beyond your reach.

These challenges are not all of government’s making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.

America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.

This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.

This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he’s worked on for 20 years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.

We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.

Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land —

ENOUGH!!!

This moment — this election — is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On Nov. 4, we must stand up and say: “Eight is enough.”

Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we’ll also hear about those occasions when he’s broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.

But the record’s clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. Sen. McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than 90 percent of the time? I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to take a 10 percent chance on change.

The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives — on health care and education and the economy — Sen. McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made “great progress” under this president. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisers — the man who wrote his economic plan — was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a “mental recession,” and that we’ve become, and I quote, “a nation of whiners.”

A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud autoworkers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.

Now, I don’t believe that Sen. McCain doesn’t care what’s going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn’t know. Why else would he define middle class as someone making under $5 million a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than 100 million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people’s benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?

It’s not because John McCain doesn’t care. It’s because John McCain doesn’t get it.

For over two decades, he’s subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy — give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is you’re on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps — even if you don’t have boots. You’re on your own.

Well, it’s time for them to own their failure. It’s time for us to change America.

You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.

We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was president — when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.

We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job — an economy that honors the dignity of work.

The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great — a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.

Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton’s Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.

In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.

When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.

And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She’s the one who taught me about hard work. She’s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she’s watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.

I don’t know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as president of the United States.

What is that promise?

It’s a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.

It’s a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers and play by the rules of the road.

Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves — protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.

Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who’s willing to work.

That’s the promise of America — the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper.

That’s the promise we need to keep. That’s the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am president.

Change means a tax code that doesn’t reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.

Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.

I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

I will cut taxes — cut taxes — for 95 percent of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle class.

And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: in 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Washington’s been talking about our oil addiction for the last 30 years, and John McCain has been there for 26 of them. In that time, he’s said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Sen. McCain took office.

Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stopgap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.

As president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I’ll help our auto companies retool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I’ll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I’ll invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy — wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and 5 million new jobs that pay well and can’t ever be outsourced.

America, now is not the time for small plans.

Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don’t have that chance. I’ll invest in early childhood education. I’ll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I’ll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American: If you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don’t, you’ll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.

Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.

And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day’s work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.

Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I’ve laid out how I’ll pay for every dime — by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don’t help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less — because we cannot meet 21st century challenges with a 20th century bureaucracy.

And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America’s promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our “intellectual and moral strength.” Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can’t replace parents; that government can’t turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need.

Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility — that’s the essence of America’s promise.

And just as we keep our keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America’s promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander in chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.

For while Sen. McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just “muddle through” in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell — but he won’t even go to the cave where he lives.

And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we’re wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.

That’s not the judgment we need. That won’t keep America safe. We need a president who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.

You don’t defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by occupying Iraq. You don’t protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can’t truly stand up for Georgia when you’ve strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice — but it is not the change we need.

We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don’t tell me that Democrats won’t defend this country. Don’t tell me that Democrats won’t keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans — Democrats and Republicans — have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.

As commander in chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm’s way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.

I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.

But what I will not do is suggest that the senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other’s character and patriotism.

The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America — they have served the United States of America.

So I’ve got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.

America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can’t just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose — our sense of higher purpose. And that’s what we have to restore.

We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don’t tell me we can’t uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don’t know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This, too, is part of America’s promise — the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that’s to be expected. Because if you don’t have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don’t have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things.

And you know what — it’s worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn’t work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it’s best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don’t fit the typical pedigree, and I haven’t spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don’t understand is that this election has never been about me. It’s been about you.

For 18 long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said "enough" to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us — that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn’t come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it — because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.

America, this is one of those moments.

I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I’ve seen it. Because I’ve lived it. I’ve seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I’ve seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.

And I’ve seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they’d pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I’ve seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.

This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit — that American promise — that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It’s a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours — a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln’s Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could’ve heard many things. They could’ve heard words of anger and discord. They could’ve been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead — people of every creed and color, from every walk of life — is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

“We cannot walk alone,” the preacher cried. “And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”

America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise — that American promise — and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

Provided by politico.com

Slowpoke (and Sweva) revealed

So...I thought this was a good time to unleash this little specimen.

When Jen Sorensen, the creator of Slowpoke, came through the Seattle area last spring on her signing tour for One Nation, Oh My God! a bunch of us went to see her speak about her book at the UW Bookstore, across from campus.

However we must back up for a second...

A couple years back my humanity was glorified to that of a cartoon character...literally...no longer just figuratively, in the embellished stories old friends and college buddies might tell to others about me from time to time, as I know I do the same thing to them occasionally.

No, I do it whenever the chance presents itself.

So it was to be...that the cartoon version of myself would appear in a 'toon titled "Rush Riots '06," a parody on the reaction by Muslim extremists to a Danish cartoon depicting a less than glorified version of Mohammad. The strip is also included in the new Slowpoke book.

In addition, Jen had recently begun her cartoon version of Obama (featuring his big smiley face and all, as you can see).

So, being a big Obama supporter along with a lifetime fan of the band Rush (who I have seen on tour 20 times), and considering the cartoon she drew of me in "Rush riots '06" depicted me as such along with an eggplant version of Geddy Lee's head (Rush's singer and bass player), I thought: "Hey, why not have her sign my book with all three in it?"

It was definitely a big request, however she was kind enough to oblige...and she opened herself up to it since she was signing books by drawing cartoons next to the personal messages she was putting in the front cover.

Plus I figured I didn't ever bother her with such things, so why not ask for the Big Kahuna? I figured it was more than likely I wouldn't ever get to have a personal meeting with Obama, so why not bring it to life in an drawing?

So, per my request to Jen, the cartoon above is what came to be...and I figured since she's on the world's stage this week at the REAL BIG KAHUNA --- the DNC in Denver, blogging for the C-ville Reporter --- that I'd throw this out into cyberspace. S

THE LARGER P-PATCH -- America must work harder on its environmental record to set an example for other nations, such as Peru

Despite an era of goofy politics in which environmentalists have been both crucified and demonized for speaking their minds --- all while unselfishly trying to help everyone except themselves --- interestingly enough, we've seen an undertow in the same era of unprecedented progress, environmental awareness, and a national mood forming into a greater world view on the environment and its fragility.

It's that old cliche; the stormy dark night before the dawn...or the tasty plate of scrambled eggs, and then you bite into eggshell...or like that first sip of a hot cup of coffee, just to find out it brewed too weak...okay, shut up! You know what I mean.

Fortunately, the vision of non-profits and selfless, dedicated work of countless individuals has produced too many successful advancements in the environmental universe to mention...such as the awareness of global warming and effects of climate change...the advancements of LEED standards and green building implementation...the expansion of recycling effectiveness...New Urbanism bringing us closer to our workplaces and getting us out of our cars....and when we do need to drive, the ability to jump into a hybrid.

However we MUST do more...we must bring these strengths to the forefront and enter a partnership with the rest of the world...and in the process address the larger picture of greenhouse gas emissions and the world's energy future.

That starts by becoming part of the solution, not part of the problem...and of course that means to Help Obama! become the next President.

Anyway, my return from three weeks in Peru in the last few days has me thinking about how important America's example is for the rest of the world to follow, especially in the Americas.

Sadly, Peru is so far behind us on their environmental awareness it's hard to know where to start. The poverty in that beautiful nation - beautiful for its people, its land, and its heritage - is beyond staggering. Everyone is focused on feeding themselves, or in the case of the minority rich, maintaining their wealth...but that's a SMALL minority. Most people there live in poverty and struggle every day to feed themselves and their families. Simply put, ECONOMICS DRIVES EVERYTHING in Peru.

Which brings back the question that every environmentalist hides under their jacket from...the ages old argument that, in my experience, has tied up every single tongue I've seen it presented to, without a single exception: if you're worried about feeding your mouth, how are you supposed to worry about the environment?

Uhhhhh...wellllllll...ummmmmmm...okaaaaaaay... Huh.

Let me know if you have an answer.

The problem is that we need to start finding solutions fast...because even if America had an impeccable record on the environment (which it doesn't), there's still the issue of the rest of the world outside of Europe, and how to bring them along.

Heck, it's difficult in Peru to find a garbage can for proper disposal of waste, let alone start pontificating on environmental standards...that is, if you could ever work with local or national officials to begin with, who are part of a corrupt, broken system of government and put in office by special interests...not to mention that you're seen as the Gringo barking orders to a Latin American country on how they should live their lives in an environmentally responsible manner.

Uh, good luck with that. Get back to me if you figure something out.

If anything's to ever be done in which some sort of tangible result would be detected, it would probably need to start with some international standards being set for vehicle and power plant emissions and the related technologies. Then there's the whole funding, education, and enforcement end of it.

Still, despite nonexistent emission standards on vehicles in Peru and resulting dirty smoke in the city streets; despite the piles of garbage in rivers and washes along the poverty-striken countryside; despite the unplanned growth creeping up the slopes of volcanoes in places like Arequipa, just waiting to be obliterated from the map in the next eruption; despite the restaurant owners carelessly throwing bleach water into the streets which will inevitably find its way into the water system...there's signs of hope.

It came primarily in the way that individuals, in the most humble of lifestyles and situations, were embracing solar technology. It was utilized for the heating of water systems on the rooftops of some of the hostels and hotels I stayed in...which was nice, because that guaranteed the event of a hot shower, let alone the power that was saved.

The most striking example, however, came at the floating islands outside of Puno on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world (resting at a staggering 13,000 feet). Folks on these floating islands, in their modest lifestyle, utilize the reed to its fullest. It shelters their heads, cooks their food, builds them boats, and gives them land to walk on. It's the backbone to their lives.

...and through this lifestyle, which seems so primitive and salt-of-the-Earth (or salt-of-the-Lake) to our eyes, what did I see?

Solar panels.

As the picture here indicates, this was their primary source of electricity. It gives them lights at night, and allows them to power minor gadgets and devices. I was beyond impressed.

So there's glimmers of hope out there, even in countries that generally present the most backwards of mindsets on the environment...but that can change...and we can get more solar panels up and running in other parts of Peru...if we only show some backbone and strive to emerge as an international leader on the environment.

It's all about the process of building a more perfect union...and our progress on national and international environmental standards is no exception. If we can't set an example for our neighbors, then who will? S

Get LOHAS, baby!

It's healthy! It's green! It's Julie Andrews bouncing through a field of poppys in Switzerland!

It's LOHAS!

No, no, no, not alohas. Say LOHAS! Please don't say ALOHA...if you were going to...we're not in Hawaii (yet), nor are we leaving Hawaii, as aloha means both hello AND goodbye... that is if you confused "lohas" with "aloha," as I predicted... anyhoo...wait! LOHAS IS IN the word Aloha! Wow man! It's a Grateful Dead Dark Star live at the Fillmore '69 tripfest, maaaan!

Okay, sorry... it's actually a Radiohead live at Red Rocks 2008 brought to you by Bud Light tripfest. Got my wires crossed there.

So back to Aloha...uh, I mean LOHAS. Come on everyone, jump on the bandwagon! Jumping on the bandwagon, in a literal sense, would actually be the exact right thing to do, since bandwagons as I understand them are horse-driven, and therefore eco-friendly.

LOHAS stands for "Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability"... so there you are. I'm trusting you get the idea.

The LOHAS term is used to describe people who hold several key values, including:

Long-term View – They strive to improve the quality of life for the world’s present population while trying to ensure that future generations have options to grow unburdened by the delayed costs of our present growth and development policies.



Holistic Perspective – At its most abstract level, they look at the whole, the parts, and the intertwining and interaction of the parts to understand a given problem. They look at the interdependence of humans, machines and the environment in the broadest terms. At a more practical level, they look at the holistic interdependence of economic factors, community development and the physical environment as an essential starting point in analyzing problems and in coming up with workable solutions.



Stewardship of Natural Resources – A fundamental perspective of LOHAS is understanding the limits of exploiting our natural resources and the environment. A LOHAS goal is to live a sustainable life. That is, how do we protect and preserve the resources of our planet and how do we use these resources most efficiently and safely.



Empowerment Through Knowledge – The LOHAS worldview is built on the broadest possible sharing of knowledge. This sharing allows communities to empower themselves, plan effectively and make cooperative decisions where all of the stakeholders have the maximum access to information that is critical to the problem at hand. They believe everyone should live a life of continuous learning to enhance their personal development and that everyone has a responsibility to educate others of their insights.



Accepting Responsibility – The key LOHAS values of "Sustainability" and "Wellness" are empty intellectual concepts unless people and organizations act upon those values. Businesses bear a heavy responsibility in re-orienting our society along sustainable development lines. Their corporate social responsibility involves: understanding the life-cycle of products from initial concept and design to final end-use and recycling, eliminating waste in the production process wherever possible, reducing or eliminating toxic substances used in the process, reducing energy usage, using “full-cost accounting”, producing with zero defects, promoting intelligent consumerism and turning formerly negative aspects of production into positive aspects that improve the bottom line and competitive position of companies. Government agencies have the opportunity to make government “greener” and more efficient by showing the way for the private sector because of their vast procurement expenditures, energy usage, waste and recycling policies. Government can also promote model behavior by rewarding early adopters of sustainability with legislative and financial incentives. Ultimately, consumers have to be convinced that sustainability is important to the quality of their lives and to the lives of future generations. Unless each of us starts taking significant steps towards building a sustainable society, we may face catastrophic social and environmental crises after we have foregone many options with easier or lower social costs.



Prevention & Wellness – They believe people should strive to reduce health risk factors through prevention, self-knowledge and wellness activities.



Social Justice – They believe that social justice should prevail over self-aggrandizement, sexism, racism and unsound government policies.



Authenticity – They are adamant that “authenticity” should be at the core of people’s lives, culture, products, and communities, in other words – “people should practice what they preach.”

People all across America and the world have used LOHAS concepts to restructure their lives to be more in harmony with these values. Most of these lifestyle changes have been small, such as starting with “dolphin safe” tuna or cosmetics free from animal testing. Yet, over the last several decades, LOHAS lifestyles have spread to every corner of the country and to every demographic group.

Ideas about health, environment, business, energy or community development that were once considered “fringe” or “radical” are now part of the mainstream of American life. The medical profession and government agencies now understand that prevention of disease is just as important as advancing new treatments and providing an equitable distribution of medical services.

Many major corporations are slowly realizing that promoting health and safety on the job and using sustainable business practices help the long-term bottom line and improve the global competitiveness of the company. Local utility companies are promoting energy conservation and encouraging the deployment of renewable energy sources. Local and state political leaders are seeing the holistic “big picture” of economy, environment and social equity when it comes to making development decisions for their communities.

SIZE OF LOHAS AUDIENCE – 68 Million Adults in the U.S.

Why are LOHAS values important?

Because of the sheer magnitude of the number of people who are organizing their lives, their families and their communities around LOHAS values. Today, over 68 million adults in the U.S., or 32.3%, are part of the LOHAS market (Natural Marketing Institute). That is 1 of every 4 adults! If we include the an additional 30 million people who are just becoming aware of the meaning and benefits of LOHAS lifestyles, that brings the ratio up to an astounding 1 in 3 American adults.

Although these huge numbers are impressive, it is very difficult to identify LOHAS consumers through conventional demographic measures. LOHAS consumers are a representative sample of the U.S. population as a whole. Their ages, income and race match national sample profiles. They are not only Baby Boomers, but range in age from 18 to 70 years. Only two demographic characteristics really stand out: they are more highly educated and over 60% are women.

What unites LOHAS consumers is their shared values. They share a whole way of life and a whole set of beliefs about how the world works. They are skeptical and discerning. They have a different set of priorities than other Americans about what is important in life. They are continually redefining what success means. LOHAS consumers often choose careers that pay less, but offer other social compensations.

They are very creative. They start new businesses, new social movements, new ways of life, and new ways of seeing the world. They are personally and socially constructive. They are engaged in life. They are grounded optimists. Experience is often more important to them than the accumulation of products. That’s one of the reasons why spas and eco-tourism are booming industries.

So there it is...a tip of the top hat to lohaslifestyles.com for the information. Here's a good site to get you started in a most tubular and LOHAS of a way: LOHAS: Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability - LOHAS S

In the Gas Crunch, We Have the Planners to Thank

With rising gas prices beginning to change the mindset and habits of commuters, it's most fortunate that more of our newer communities and redeveloped urban spaces are livable, biker-friendly, and pedestrian-friendly.

It's not by coincidence, either.

As early as the late 80s, and into the 90s, urban planners have adopted a concept called "New Urbanism." I should know, I've been one of them since the early 90s.

The idea is to end the compartmentalization of urban spaces between neighborhoods, workplaces, and goods and services. Instead, you mix it up a bit more. For example, you might notice the return of street-level store fronts in urban spaces, with residential dwellings on top of them. That brings people closer to their needs and services, and minimizes their reliance on transportation.

When transportation is necessary, urban spaces are more friendly to alternative transportation modes such as rail, bicycle, and public transit. Much of this has to do with the philosophy of New Urbanism adopted and put into action by planners at the local level; a concept that actually trickled up to the Presidency when Bill Clinton was in office - which gave birth to Federal ISTEA funding for transportation projects that bring together multiple nodes and encourage connectivity (say from auto to light rail to the airport, for example).

This was all foreseen without the heavy specter of an energy crisis many years ago, because it made sense.

A planner by nature is trained to work with the logic of conservation when it comes to urban design, and trained to provide options for communities. That means options on housing, infrastructure, parks and open spaces, and --- last but not least --- transportation.

So now with the energy crunch knocking on our door, we hear folks making statements like: "Wow, I never thought of using that bike path as a way to get to work...as a matter of fact, I don't think I even knew it was there."

No problem...your local city planner who was on staff 15 years ago (more than likely) fought with a slimy developer over that issue through the course of several staff meetings, and in doing so may have very likely put his job and livelihood on the line, depending on the intricate politics involved at the time.

The everyday person probably has no clue whatsoever what happens years in advance with urban planning, the politics that come into play, and the screaming matches at city council meetings over things such as bicycle paths.

Seem ridiculous? You have no idea. Very few barely have a peek into the nutty logic-defying world of planning politics.

I've seen it all, and will probably see more... inebriated Planning Commission chairs stumbling into meetings. Developers stooping to the level of name calling and cursing at Mayors during council meetings - with 50 members of the public in the room bearing witness. 150 screaming citizens in a council meeting demanding a Mayoral resignation and protesting in front of city hall for months on end, and a council vote of no-confidence for the same Mayor --- and the guy STILL refused to resign. Property owners protesting their own rezonings. NOT KIDDING OR EXAGGERATING ABOUT ANY OF THAT.

Careers actually can be made or destroyed over such things as bicycle paths...because planners, especially the ones certified through the AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) are required to follow an oath, if you will, to uphold a special concept that fewer and fewer professionals seem to know about, and very few in the world of development: ETHICS.

My ethics were challenged many a time by developers, co-workers, even my own boss in one case. What did I do to keep my integrity if all else failed? I resigned. That's right.

Why did I do that? Well, for a multitude of reasons, but first and foremost I REFUSE TO BE A WHORE TO THE SYSTEM. I went into planning for a reason; to uphold high standards for laying the framework to building a new civilization, and to include the public in the process. Not for a mayor, not for a commissioner, and certainly not to line the pockets of some fat cat developer who refuses to follow the rules and zoning laws at the expense of the general public.

Anyhow, my apologies for digressing...what were we talking about?

So it is then...that we will hopefully feel, and start taking advantage of, the fallout of decisions driven by planners from many moons ago while we go through this protracted and unfortunately painful transition from oil. S

Solar-powered watercraft

Imagine the countries of the world trading with each other through the use of combined solar and wind-powered shipping tankers. Think of the fuel costs and power that could be saved as a result.

It may not be that far off, as such watercraft are currently in use.

There's one in existence right now, in the harbor of Sydney, Australia. More concepts are being developed as we speak to expand the use of this technology.

It's solar-powered watercraft; alive and well.

Using a combination of solar and wind power, the ferry in Sydney uses 90% less power than it otherwise would if it used a typical combustion boat engine.

I guess this is sorta like the aqua version of the EV-1, the electric car from the mid-90s (which wasn't solar, but it's the closest thing I could think of)...but hopefully this boat doesn't see a death like the EV-1 did...that's a story for another day.

Nevertheless, this isn't bad...a start in the right direction, at the very least.

It's encouraging to see that the solar mindset has started to infiltrate the maritime world. S

THE LARGER P-PATCH -- We MUST get off our reliance on oil NOW. PERIOD!

Well, not really the end of the story, as I continue here past the title.

I've long been in the camp of not scoffing at the raising gas prices, because I believe that the only way for the system to change is to let it implode; to shock it.

Kinda like that Peter Gabriel song "Shock the Monkey?" Yeah, sure, whatever. Go back to your 80s porridge pie, papa bear. SOOOOORY POOOOOORIDGE! (that's for you, M.H. - love to ya, brother! Meet me in Peru, okay? Hopefully.)

Unfortunately, it will be a tough transition period, and many will suffer in the process. Many who aren't prepared for the change or can't afford the rise in all the things rising gas prices will affect.

As gas prices go up, so do many other things... such as the food we eat, and the products that we buy. The costs of the shipping will carry over to the costs of the retailer, which will then carry over to the costs of the consumer.

THAT MEANS YOU AND ME.

I'm hoping that wiser minds see what's coming and come up with solutions to spearhead the transition away from fossil fuels... the acceleration of hybrid and plug-in vehicles, also to that of large shipping trucks and other types of transportation such as aircraft and watercraft. We need the post-Prius version of those! Perhaps rail could make a larger comeback...but without the coal burning engines, please. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

So anyway, those are the thoughts for the night. Maybe wishful thinking, but the American people are inventive. When faced with a dire situation, they learn to improvise.

I know we will learn to improvise with this transition away from oil. We have no choice. We have to! S

Happy Earth Day!

About all I'm capable of doing right now is wishing everyone a happy Earth Day, and an environmentally responsible Earth Week, as I'm laid out on my ass with food poisoning today.

Going back to bed, hope everyone's doing better than I am. S

Carbon Footprint Obsession Disease

Yep, it's a disease...you mean you haven't heard of it?

Maybe you've felt it, however. I know I do.

It may have started in me in the 1970s, when I was still under the age of 10. Not kidding...only at the time, I didn't really understand exactly "what it was" that was bothering me.

Maybe it was watching carbon emissions spewing out of the cars at the time in a cloud of blue and black smoke, and thinking "Huh. That stinky stuff probably isn't good for the air. If you add it all up over time, what are the consequences of all of it going to be on the atmosphere?"

I was probably as young as 7 or 8 at the time, and my mind was starting to pine over this stuff...and then I'd sky rocket the water bill by taking the garden hose to a mound of dirt to create streams in make-believe natural settings for my G.I. Joe and his jeep.

What can I say, I was Mr. Supersophiticated... way ahead of my time.

So you can only imagine where that's evolved around 30 years later.

I don't consider myself to be much of a worrywart, but I do have an obsessive-compulsive side...and I'd say the subject of the environment, and the behaviors related to my "carbon footprint," well...I guess they plague my brain.

Maybe plague isn't the right word, because it's all for a good cause...I say plague in the context that I feel the weight of the issue on my shoulders EVERYWHERE I GO...and I almost can't look at ANYTHING without trying to assess the carbon footprint equation it introduces to the planet.

It's attached to EVERYTHING. The behaviors of strangers. Which waste receptacle to use, and why isn't the glass one provided? Driving by fast food drive-thru lines with the rows of cars idling. Food consumption and its sources. Guilt at the gas pump on why I haven't picked up a hybrid yet...and contemplating if I'll still feel guilt at the pump even when I have a hybrid. The oil used in paving roads. Building design and efficiency of heating and cooling systems. The exhaust trail behind the plane flying overhead. The images on television of ice caps melting and polar bears in peril.

AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!!! There...now I feel better.

Anyone out there experiencing any symptoms? S