I need some business partners for a new venture called "Offset America". Al Gore has made me realize that Carbon Offsets are the way to go to ease carbon build up in the atmosphere. So I have decided to capitalize on it like any good American would. However, since there are already thousands of Carbon Offset organizations, I have decided to take that same business model and apply it elsewhere.

     So I have decided to start "Offset America". Instead of planting trees to offset you carbon footprint, we offer offsets to cover other issues people may have. Example: If you have the need to kill your neighbor, pay our fee and we will open more fertility clinics so that you can kill your neighbor. Want to speed, thats okay. Pay our fee and we will produce governors for automobiles for other cars so you can continue speeding. Want to have sex with minors, pay our fee and we will provide abstinence classes for teenagers.

     In case you haven't realized, I'm being sarcastic. I just want you to see just how retarded this "Carbon Offset" rationalization is. As the Live Earth concerts are going on, the "Carbon Footprint" from this concert is humongous. But thats okay, because someone planted trees which will not effectively reduce emissions for about five years. They are "damaging" the environment now and rationalizing it. But if they are so die hard about saving the environment, then lets go after the biggest polluters. I say we sign a bill which will eliminate cattle, since they are the number one producer of methane gas into the atmosphere. And then lets pass a bill that fills in volcanoes with ice, water and concrete. After all, volcanoes put 255 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere a year.. Of course we need to hunt down and destroy the super volcanoes before it erupts, because that will put more than ten years of CO2 into the air in one eruption......again I'm being sarcastic.

     In actuality, global warming is real, and so is the upcoming global cooling trend that we will experience in a few years. As the Earth goes through cycles, a proven fact from Ice Core samples, the degree of temperatures change. Mass extinction has happened on this planet due to natural occurrences, not because of industrial revolutions. Instead of driving people to panic by making dramatic examples of death and destruction, how about taking steps to help mankind survive drastic changes in the environment. Create homes that can withstand cat 5 hurricanes and 9.0 earthquakes. Create a means of providing power that is clean and reliable.

     Its time to stop using fear to force the hands of the people into making them more money. Carbon Offsets. Did Al Gore happen to mention that he gets paid money from a company that provides carbon offsets?  Its funny how quickly people jump on the "Iraq war is for Oil" BS, because if no one has noticed, since we went in there, oil hasn't gotten cheaper, nor has it become more readily available. And people jumped on Cheney because he was involved with Haliburton who had numerous uncontested contracts with the government. No one has notied that we were using Haliburton prior to Cheney being the Vice President. I know because i worked with KBR in Kosovo in 1999. Yet no one wants to jump on Gore for making money off of his offsets company and he promotes it like crazy in "Earth is going to die tomorrow" speeches. And I don't want to hear about how your favorite celebrity promotes protecting the environment. Actors are professional liars. They pretend to be something they aren't. Most of the actors and singers who have come forward and spoken up never even made it through college, and quite a few dropped out of high school. I know i wouldn't ask an idiot for advice, so why listen to it. Being graced with a talent doesn't make you an authority on life or science. Besides,  few of the artists in the concert even stated they did it for the publicity, not for the meaning. Lets face it, if you were a garage band or a band that has a few albums and you want to get bigger, performing with Metallica and Paul McCartney would really boost your image. 

     In short, help protect the environment, but don't believe in the BS that politicians are spewing out. Gotta go. L8r.

 

Here is a simple video on fireworks safety for everyone with the 4th coming up. I just want everyone to have a good time, but to remember to use the not so common Common Sense. Have a good 4th of July.

HUSAYBA, Iraq -- Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment paused a combat patrol through a neighborhood here to spend time with local Iraqi children Sept. 22.

“They’ll grow up, see Americans and say, ‘I remember this one guy that was nice to me, so I’ll be nice to them,’” said Navy Seaman Samuel L. Blanco, a hospital corpsman with Weapons Company.

Blanco said it shows a different side of them.

“We got all that gear on, so I’m sure were intimidating,” he said. “It shows them that were human and not machines.”

As soon as the Marines put boots on the ground, kids were eager to meet them.

“Even though we were patrolling, they wanted to play and talk to us,” said Pfc. Ryan L. Ward, a mortarman with Weapons Company.

The Marines kept moving, but some kids still tried to join the patrol. They were particularly drawn to the Marines’ corpsman.

“They always like him a lot,” said Lance Cpl. Matthew M. Woody, a 19-year-old from Indianapolis, Ind., who is a mortarman with Weapons Company.

Woody thinks it is Blanco’s calm demeanor.

The kids greeted Blanco with open arms, hugging and snuggling the surprised sailor. Blanco said the experience was unique.

“Usually they’re stand-offish,” he said. “That was the first time they were like all over me. That time made me feel like they trusted me.”

Even the parents were surprised. Even they couldn’t help but to crack a smile. Many of the Marines were convinced that both parties left with a different perception of each other.

“I think it’s good that they finally have someone to talk to and take care of their needs as a father figure,” Woody said.

Blanco thinks interaction with the kids is one of the most important things Marines and sailors do in Iraq.

“It’s gratifying,” he said. “I got a nephew back home about their age, and I know if their current situation was reversed I’d want somebody to show compassion towards me.”

Ward agreed.

“In the long run it’ll slow insurgency because they’ll see that were trying to help,” he said.