TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY IS MORE THAN TALK

Members of the Pirate Party at the state parliament in Berlin on Monday. The party won 8.9 percent 
in elections in the city-state.     photo: Hannibal Hanschke - European Pressphoto Agency

September 19 was International Talk Like a Pirate Day but in Berlin the pirates were THE talk.

LEAP

THE DAILY VIEW: Bike, Bus and Bush

Bike, Bus and Bush -- photo by Lou Gold

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

OK, here I am living in and surfing the Internet world from Brazil's Acre State which holds both one of the world's epicenters of biodiversity and is a hub of fast-paced development that is changing everything. One of the reasons that I chose to be here (and love it) is that it seems to contain all of the contradictions. There are meat-eating environmentalists, rubber-tappers raising cattle, ranchers against deforestation and, of course, their opposites -- all of which gives a tree-hugging guy like me a lot to think about. And, it generally turns out to be -- as the Brazilians like to say -- "COMPLICATED" way beyond the sound-bites of the media.

THE DAILY VIEW: Love Embrace

Love Embrace -- painting by Freida Kahlo

One of my favorites, the full title is "The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Me, and Senor Xolotl." View more of Frieda Kahlo's paintings at Mark Harden's Artchive and at WikiPaintings.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT

Despite the concerted efforts of the merchants deceit to spin a web of doubt over the climate issue, American public opinion is not buying it. According to a new poll by Reuters/Ipsos, the percentage of Americans who believe the Earth has been warming has risen to 83 percent and 71 percent of the Americans who believe warming is happening think that it is caused either partly or mostly by humans.

Deeper than the problem of deceptive advertising and media manipulation is the fact that the Congress driven by lobbyists and corporate campaign contributions does not represent the opinion of the scientists or the public.

TAKING DOWN THE DAMS

Elwha Dam -- photo by Keith Thorpe (AP)

The destruction of Washington state's Elwha Dam began yesterday 17 September 2011. The removal of the dam and a companion will allow salmon to swim upriver for the first time in a century. Some errors of the past can be corrected. Indeed, restoration may become the new "great work" of humans on earth.

Will the forces now planning more than 140 dams for Amazonia heed the lesson?

THE DAILY VIEW: Seeing Red

Seeing Red -- photo by Lou Gold

A LIVING BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE

A bridge built to last 500 years! Think on it. What kind of consciousness does it take to take the care and time build for that kind of future?

THE DAILY VIEW: Hot day

Hot Day -- photo by Lou gold

It's going to be hot again today.

DOUBT

DOUBT from The Climate Reality Project on Vimeo.

EARTH RIGHTS ARE DIFFICULT TO DEFEND IN ECUADOR

Ecuador Indigenous Protest 08 April 2010. -- Photo: EPA/JOSE JACOME

Three years ago, I posted enthusiastically about Ecuador's new constitution which accords rights to nature. Realizing the promise has turned out to be most difficult. What's new, according to Manuela Pycq writing at Al Jazeera is, "...that a leftist president - who has repeatedly fallen back on ethno-politics to increase his legitimacy - is using forms of martial law inherited from past military regimes to destroy indigenous calls for environmental justice".

THE DAILY VIEW: Color Weave

Color Weave -- Image by Lou Gold

For a change, something different. Just playing with some filters.

TAR SANDS ACTION IS STICKING IT TO OBAMA

So good to see that action is following the big media event in DC. Here is the latest report from Duncan Meisel at Tar Sands Action:

THE DAILY VIEW: Fast Forward

Fast Forward -- photo by Lou Gold

[UPDATE: Thanks to fast responses from Lenny Kolm and Jerry Boyle at my Facebook page, I've changed the title to "Fast Forward" because, as high tension lines and electrification spread across urban and rural areas, Acreanos are "fast-forwarding" in the future.]

I shot this one yesterday from the bus and liked it but I don't know what what to call it. I considered "No Parking" and "Rear View Mirror" but somehow neither worked for me. Got any suggestions?