Government agents can sneak onto your property in the middle of the night, put a GPS device on the bottom of your car and keep track of everywhere you go. This doesn't violate your Fourth Amendment rights, because you do not have any reasonable expectation of privacy in your own driveway — and no reasonable expectation that the government isn't tracking your movements.
...

This case began in 2007, when Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents decided to monitor Juan Pineda-Moreno, an Oregon resident who they suspected was growing marijuana. They snuck onto his property in the middle of the night and found his Jeep in his driveway, a few feet from his trailer home. Then they attached a GPS tracking device to the vehicle's underside.

The least surprising but most disappointing thing about the tea party rally I attended yesterday on the campus of Wake Forest University was that it was hosted by the campus GOP. I keep hearing that the tea partiers are "independent" and not connected to any particular political party, so it was interesting that for the 1.5 hours I was there, the speakers (who did not stop speaking to allow "the people" to talk) were all either campus GOP, local GOP, or endorsing GOP candidates. It was sponsored by Civitas, an NC limited government (read: republican) organization and the John Locke Foundation. In other words, like all other tea party rallies, there is no grassroots organization here. It's all top-down, run by conservative groups with a lot of money. "Community organizers," if you will.

It seems to me that this indicates a change in the tea party movement. The GOP is either scared that the tea party might break off and somehow take down the official party, or they're trying to reign these people in because they make republicans look bad. Either way, it was clear at this rally that even in a smaller city like Winston-Salem, the upper-levels of the republican party have decided to take an active hand in corralling these things. Literally. There was a yellow rope around the entire proceedings.

Reports indicate that the Tea Party Movement benefits from millions of dollars from conservative foundations that are derived from wealthy U.S. families and their business interests. Is appears that money to organize and implement the Movement is flowing primarily through two conservative groups: Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks.

In an April 9, 2009 article on ThinkProgress.org, Lee Fang reports that the principal organizers of Tea Party events are Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Works, two "lobbyist-run think tanks" that are "well funded" and that provide the logistics and organizing for the Tea Party movement from coast to coast. Media Matters reported that David Koch of Koch Industries was a co-founder of Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE), the predecessor of FreedomWorks. David Koch was chairman of the board of directors of CSE. CSE received substantial funding from David Koch of Koch Industries, which is the largest privately-held energy company in the country, and the conservative Koch Family Foundations, which make substantial annual donations to conservative think tanks, advocacy groups, etc. Media Matters reported that the Koch family has given more than $12 million to CSE (predecessor of FreedomWorks) between 1985 and 2002

Last night, the Wonk Room published a summary of the provisions of the American Power Act, the comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation being introduced today by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). This post delves deeper into the legislation's specific provisions. The following table compares key elements of Obama's campaign promises from 2007 and 2008, the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act as passed by the House of Representatives, and the elements of the Kerry-Lieberman draft legislation, as based on leaked summaries.

Important scientific elements in Kerry-Lieberman are the rapid mitigation of super-greenhouse gases and black carbon, as well as natural resource adaptation programs. By the end of 2025 the legislation has shifted to resemble the refund-based auctioned-allowance system promoted by President Obama and advocates of cap-and-dividend.

So does it meet the criteria in "What to look for in the bipartisan climate and clean energy jobs bill"? That would require that the bill help ensure that by the 2020s that we have

° substantially dropped below the business-as-usual emissions path
° started every major business planning for much deeper reductions
° goosed the cleantech venture and financing community
° put in place the entire framework for U.S. climate regulations
° accelerated many tens of gigawatts of different types of low-carbon energy into the marketplace
° put billions into developing advanced low-carbon technology
° started building out the smart, green grid of the 21st century
° trained and created millions of clean energy jobs
° negotiated a working international climate regime
° brought China into the process

Yes, I think it does.

There really is no Plan B. Certainly leaving this to the EPA and a few states won't achieve most of those, especially the crucial international deal.

Sadly, the conventional wisdom is that even this moderate bill has no chance - and I certainly think it doesn't have very much chance if Obama doesn't start pushing for it as hard as he pushed for healthcare.

Position Statement. Decades of scientific research have shown that climate can change from both natural and anthropogenic causes. The Geological Society of America (GSA) concurs with assessments by the National Academies of Science (2005), the National Research Council (2006), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) that global climate has warmed and that human activities (mainly greenhouse‐gas emissions) account for most of the warming
since the middle 1900s. If current trends continue, the projected increase in global temperature by the end of the twenty first century will result in large impacts on humans and other species. Addressing the challenges posed by climate change will require a combination of adaptation to the changes that are likely to occur and global reductions of CO2 emissions from anthropogenic sources.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Public policy should include effective strategies for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Cost‐effective
investments to improve the efficient use of Earth's energy resources can reduce the economic impacts of future
adaptation efforts. Strategies for reducing greenhouse‐gas emissions should be evaluated based on their impacts
on climate, on costs to global and national economies, and on positive and negative impacts on the health, safety
and welfare of humans and ecosystems.

Comprehensive local, state, national and international planning is needed to address challenges posed by future
climate change. Near‐, mid‐, and long‐term strategies for mitigation of, and adaptation to climate change should
be developed, based in part on knowledge gained from studies of previous environmental changes.

Public investment is needed to improve our understanding of how climate change affects society, including on local
and regional scales, and to formulate adaptation measures. Sustained support of climate‐related research to
advance understanding of the past and present operation of the climate system is needed, with particular focus on
the major remaining uncertainties in understanding and predicting Earth's future climate at regional and global
scales. Research is needed to improve our ability to assess the response and resilience of natural and human
systems to past, present, and future changes in the climate system.

Randy Scheunemann, the lobbyist who advised McCain on foreign policy and was one of the architects of the Iraq War, and Kim Daniels, a little-known conservative attorney who specializes in "rights of conscience" health care issues.

She already had notes in front of her on the podium. Surely she could remember three simple themes. Why write notes on her hand?

Here's my take on why: she knew that they would be visible when she gave the speech. And she knew that she would be made fun of -- as so stupid that she needs to write notes on her hand. And that's one of her most effective tactics -- to be made fun of. It's an integral part of her strategy of standing in for hardworking, Middle Americans, derided by the condescending, know-it-all liberal elites.

Palin is a brilliant strategist. First, note that I just repeated Palin's key talking points: Palin has even us fellow travelers at The Huffington Post repeating, "Energy, Taxes, Lift American Spirits." Talk about earned media.

New information suggests that a report criticizing data for climate change prepared and presented at the highest legislative levels may have been grossly and covertly influenced by the energy industry:

The purportedly independent report that Dr. Edward Wegman prepared in 2006 for the Congressional Committee on Energy and Commerce was actually a partisan set-up, according to information revealed today.

Wegman, who had presented himself as an impartial "referee" ... was coached throughout his review by Republican staffer Peter Spencer. Wegman and his colleagues also worked closely with one of the teams (and especially with retired mining stock promoter Stephen McIntyre) to try to replicate criticism of the Hockey Stick graph, while at the same time foregoing contact with the actual authors of the seminal climate reconstruction.

U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a $2.3 billion tax credit on Friday to boost jobs by promoting clean energy, as new data showed the country's unemployment rate remained stuck in the double digits.

Obama said the credit, from funds earmarked under a $787 billion stimulus package he signed last February, would create 17,000 U.S. jobs and be matched by an additional $5 billion in private capital.

"Building a robust clean energy sector is how we will create the jobs of the future, jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced," Obama said.

"This initiative is good for middle-class families. It is good for our security. It is good for our planet," he said.

Joe also has been a member of the Columbia World Affairs Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Sinclair Lodge 154, Jamil Temple, Woodmen of the World, Sons of Confederate Veterans, ....

This is an organization that, as the SPLC has detailed assiduously, has been taken over in the past decade by radical neo-Confederates who favor secession and defend slavery as a benign institution. Leading the takeover is a radical racist named Kirk Lyons, who's been an important legal figure on the far right for some years.

Now, add this to the fact that Joe Wilson, as a state legislator, was one of only seven Republicans to go against their own party and vote to keep the Dixie Rebel flag flying over the South Carolina capitol:

The flag came down that year after Republicans in both houses went for a compromise that would put it on Statehouse grounds at the Confederate Soldier's monument. The 'Magnificent Seven' of Senators who voted to keep the flag up included current Congressman Joe Wilson (who I served with in the 218th Infantry Brigade of the National Guard.)

ATTENDEE: Barack was the name of the horse that Mohammed rode to heaven, alright a white horse.

Q: What does the white baby represent?

ATTENDEE: White America, because I do believe our President is a racist [...] But I think it's mainly communism that he's going to want to tell us what to wear, what to do, have his little red book like Mao because he really is a communist.

The official sponsorship list of the rally reveals a subterranean, extreme element of the American right in attendance. One of the top sponsors is the extremist organization Grassfire.org, which runs ResistNet.com for "Patriotic citizens who are opposing the Obama-led socialist agenda." Members of the ResistNet -- who promote anti-semitic Nazi propaganda, claim Obama is a Muslim, and praise the assassination of doctors -- are organized on Grassfire against health care reform ("Government-Run Socialized Health Care"), clean energy reform ("Cap-and-Trade Tax"), and immigration reform ("Amnesty for illegals"). Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) -- who is sponsoring and speaking at the 9/12 rally -- has praised Grassfire.org for its "great service to the American people." The National Association for Rural Landowners, a bronze sponsor, references the incidents at Waco and Ruby Ridge to call for attacks on "government entities" and liberals. In a YouTube video posted in July, the group makes the case for a secession, followed by a violent civil war. Similarly, another 9/12 cosponsor, FreeRepublic, is a forum for various radical right causes. As ThinkProgress reported, the shooter at the Holocaust museum found a welcome audience for his writings on the website. Despite the inclusion of such anti-government extremists, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA) all plan to attend and speak

...he intervened to prevent President Bush from plugging an electrical cord into the hydrogen tank of Ford's hydrogen-electric plug-in hybrid at the White House last week.

(...)

However, as Mulally followed Bush out to the car, he noticed someone had left the cord lying at the rear of the vehicle, near the fuel tank.

"I just thought, 'Oh my goodness!' So, I started walking faster, and the President walked faster and he got to the cord before I did. I violated all the protocols. I touched the President. I grabbed his arm and I moved him up to the front," Mulally said. "I wanted the president to make sure he plugged into the electricity, not into the hydrogen. This is all off the record, right?"

Why did the Ford CEO "exaggerate" the incident? Because he doesn't support the hydrogen plugin hybrid? And wanted to create an incident that exposed the impracticality of consumers with the skill level of duuhbya filling up a car with hydrogen?

Or did he actually believe an extension cord could be plugged into a hydrogen tank? That would mean he knew as much about his own company's product as duuhbya does.
...
This technology is available to ford, gM, chrysler, toyota, honda, Subaru and every other automaker right now. And would be even cheaper with mass production. No dangerous, astronomically expensive, uninsurable 3000 psi gas stations needed. NASA even has trouble filling up with hydrogen.

Now do you see why I think the ford CEO created this "incident" to discredit plugin hybrids? 10% of present oil consumption in vehicles would be very bad for the oil business.

Jerry McNerney, the Democratic mathematician-turned-political conqueror who defied odds-makers and defeated seven-term GOP Congressman Richard Pombo

It's just one of many socially conscious programs that the $12 million beer company runs to make its beverages environmentally friendly.

It also pays farmers in New Jersey to swing by and pick up the "spent grain" -- the remaining husks that are left over after brewing. The farmers then feed the nutritious grains to their livestock, making good use of Brooklyn Brewery's waste.

New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado, has developed a unique method that uses its waste to power its factory.

After producing its libations, New Belgium puts its waste water inside closed pools filled with anaerobic bacteria. The microbes feed on the water, rich in nutrients from the brewing process, and produce methane gas, which is then pumped back to the factory where it becomes electrical and thermal energy.

Right now, New Belgium meets 30 percent of its energy needs -- between 40,000 and 60,000 kwh per month -- through this cogeneration process. The remaining 70 percent comes from wind, which means no fossil fuels are burned making New Belgium's various beers.

The used water, once cleaned by anaerobic microbes, is used in the factory for cooling and cleaning. Then the water is retreated and returned to the municipal system.

Sanyo has announced that its new washing machine, the Aqua AWD-AQ1, made to convert air to ozone which is then used to clean your clothes, will be released on March 11 for about 262,500 yen (around $2,200).

The Aqua AWD-AQ1 uses air wash technology, already used in industrial washing, to wash, dry and purify your laundry.

Oxygen (O2) in air is converted to ozone (O3) using an ozone creation device, and is sprayed o¬n clothing inside the drum. Ozone has a strong oxidation action, which either destroys or disassembles the cell walls of bacteria. This allows for eliminating bacteria, odors, and dirt (organic matter). The oxidated ozone simply returns to oxygen, making it easy o¬n the environment.

The Aqua AWD-AQ1 will feature different wash cycles such as "Zero Detergent Course," "Ozone Steam Course," "Mold Guard" and "Shelf Dry," but its main feature is [b]the ability to recycle water by injecting ozone microbubbles into it. The recycled water can be used again for the next wash cycle or as dehumidification water when drying clothes. The only downside is that the purified water can't sit there for longer that 2 days before being re-used.[/b] Basically, it can only be recycled if the washing machine is being used every day (or every other day). So while the Aqua AWD-AQ1 might be good if you do laundry every day, it might not be as convenient if, like me, you do your laundry only once a week. Nonetheless, I think this is a really good step towards more environmentally friendly home appliances.