Arnold's hope on climate change, disses Palin

With the pessimism, gloom, doubt and angst which persisted throughout the U.N. Summit in Copenhagen and continues without a legally binding agreement, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger penned an op-ed piece which really was a breath of fresh air which provides hope on this issue. Schwarzenegger passionately argued that real progress on combating climate change is occuring at the local, state and provincial level, and lays out a pretty convincing case. Although I disagree with him when it comes to using coal in the short term, he is pretty much spot on.

And in an interview with the Financial Times, Schwarzenegger also took a swipe at former Alaska Governor and delusional Church lady Sarah Palin, regarding her grossly uninformed and ignorant views on climate change:

You have to ask: what was she trying to accomplish? Is she really interested in this subject or is she interested in her career and in winning the nomination [for president]?

Local Governments Can Lead Fight Against Climate Change

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Posted: December 15, 2009 09:42 AM

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- This week leaders from around the world gather here, in a quest for a global pact to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and tackle the single greatest challenge of our time.

I am joining them, to discuss the urgency of their efforts, the economic opportunities we can seize, and the tremendous role of subnational governments in climate-change mitigation.

Some pundits have described Copenhagen as the most important world summit since the end of the Second World War. And it has been suggested that without a binding international agreement, the fight against climate change is unwinnable.

Now, it certainly would be terrific if the world's governments reached such an agreement. But as much as 80 percent of the necessary greenhouse-gas reductions will happen at the subnational level. So why should we focus all our faith and hope in international action?

Throughout the course of history, all great movements have been born at the grassroots level. The American independence movement, the civil-rights movement and the women's suffrage movement were all begun by people who did not wait for others. Then they gained momentum and speed, and swept throughout our nation.

There is a lesson in this when discussing climate change. Even in the absence of national and international commitments, we must not ignore the tremendous movement that is already under way to solve our environmental and energy problems.

For example, states, provinces and cities have been busy passing their own laws and emission targets.

In California, we are implementing a law to cut our greenhouse-gas emissions 25 percent by the year 2020. We approved the world's first Low Carbon Fuel Standard and tailpipe emissions standards, which the Obama administration has now adopted.

We have gone out and formed partnerships with other states, provinces and cities in America, Canada, China, Mexico and Europe. And right now we are working with the U.N. to assist developing countries, especially in Africa.

There is a great tectonic shift already under way that is gaining strength every day. And everyone is getting involved, from businesses and entrepreneurs who are investing billions of dollars into green technology, to ordinary citizens who are buying more energy-efficient appliances, conserving water and choosing to pursue greener lifestyles on their own.

There are so many amazing examples.

Right now a foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area is investing in efforts to help upgrade cement factories in China.

Rajendra Pachauri, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, has started an initiative to replace kerosene lanterns with solar lights for 1 billion rural people.

Electric utilities are installing millions of square feet of solar panels on warehouse rooftops.

Four of the world's largest meat producers have agreed not to buy cattle from deforested areas of the Amazon.

And this movement is about much more than just protecting the environment. It is also about seizing an incredible economic opportunity.

We can create a new economic foundation for the 21st century that is built on clean fuels, clean cars and clean energy.

Today, California leads the United States with more than 125,000 green jobs. In fact, over the last decade, green jobs in California have grown at nearly triple the rate of total job growth.

And it's not just happening in California.

Green jobs in Idaho have jumped 126 percent; in Kansas, 51 percent; in New Mexico, 50 percent.

Texas, which produces the most wind power of any state, has enjoyed a 16 percent increase.

One hundred and fifty years ago, the Industrial Revolution changed the world and ushered in a new era of prosperity. Today, the Green Revolution can do the same.

And to make that happen, we need everyone to come together and sacrifice for the common good, including the environmental community.

Environmentalists must stop letting the perfect become the enemy of the possible. They cannot oppose coal-fired power plants and at the same time block transmission lines for solar fields and wind farms. They cannot oppose safe and controlled offshore drilling, while also opposing nuclear energy.

If we all work together -- environmentalists, businesses, activists, ordinary citizens and subnational governments -- we can push our nations and the world toward a clean, sustainable future. And regardless of what happens in Copenhagen, we will continue pushing ahead toward that future, because we know we must succeed.

Alan Grayson to Dick Cheney: STFU

Firebrand and rising progressive star Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida (a genuine throwback to an oldschool Democratic who actually cares about the little man) brought his A-game to Hardball last night. Chris Matthews asked Grayson about Dick Cheney's habit of taking constant shots at President Obama, and specifically his most recent criticism that Obama was giving "aid and comfort to the enemy," which essentially is constitutional language which identifies treason. Grayson replied by telling Cheney what exactly to do, by using an infamous internet acronym:

Grayson: I don't know. You know, on the Internet there's an acronym that's used to apply to situations like this. It's called "STFU." I don't think I can say that on the air, but I think you know what that means.
Matthews: Well, give me the first part.

Grayson: "Shut."

Matthews: Oh! I got you. Stop talking, in crude language. Well, I don't think you're gonna get him to do that.

From there, the conversation turned to Cheney's absolutely ludricious charge that Obama had displayed weakness by bowing to the Emperor of Japan, and as a result had exposed America to future terrorist attacks. Grayson responded with:

It's just too bad that it's too late to impeach him. That's all I can say.

But I suppose the following was okay with Cheney and didn't expose the country to potential terrorist attacks:

Spectacular UFO over Norway

Residents in northern Norway are utterly baffled by a bizarre and dazzling UFO which flashed over and completely illuminated the night sky. An eye witness said:

The phenomenon began when what appeared to be a blue light seemed to soar up from behind a mountain. It stopped mid-air, then began to circulate. Within seconds a giant spiral had covered the entire sky. Then a green-blue beam of light shot out from its centre - lasting for ten to twelve minutes before disappearing completely...like a big fireball that went around, with a great light around it...a shooting star that spun around and around.

The sighting appears to be completely unrelated to the aurora borealis and the northern lights, the natural magnetic phenomena which can often be seen in Scandinavia. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute was flooded with phone calls.

Totto Eriksen, from Tromsø, witnessed the phenomenon while he walked his daughter Amalie to school. He told VG Nett:

It spun and exploded in the sky. We saw it from the Inner Harbor in Tromsø. It was absolutely fantastic. It almost looked like a rocket that spun around and around and then went diagonally down the heavens. It looked like the moon was coming over the mountain, but then came something completely different.

Astronomer Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard said he had never seen anything like the lights:

My first thought was that it was a fireball meteor, but it has lasted far too long. It may have been a missile in Russia, but I can not guarantee that it is the answer.

Air traffic control in Tromsō said the sighting lasted "far too long to be an astronomical phenomenon". Norwegian defence spokesman Jon Espen Lien said the lights were probably from a Russian missile test. He claimed that it was normal for Russia to use the White and the Barents Seas for testing. Tromsō Geophysical Observatory researcher Truls Lynne Hansen agreed with the missile theory, saying the missile had likely veered out of control and exploded, and the spiral was light reflecting on the leaking fuel. However, Russia denied conducting missile tests in the area. A Moscow news organization quoted the Russian Navy as denying any testing in the White Sea area. Normally, Norway would have been informed of missile launches, according to diplomatic agreements.