The South Africans have a saying that gives one a sense of what the Arizona legislature is all about. The saying is, The Baboons are in the kitchen. Out in the bush if you don’t lock the kitchen door Baboons will get in and tear the place up, strewing food around, breaking dishes, and generally tearing the place apart. If you ever have a raccoon come into your house, it’s that kind of wanton chaos.

The Arizona legislature seems to have a wellspring of stupidity from which they regularly drink, ranging from allowing concealed carry of unregistered weaponry anywhere in the state, including State Parks, University Buildings and restaurants, to unfunding education, women’s health, children’s health, and too many other idiotic ideas to mention. The most recent stupid idea was a bill to prevent the state from endorsing or implementing the United Nations Agenda 21 Principles of Sustainable development. Their reasoning was that it was anti-business and a UN communist plot to take over this country. These principles were a list of 27 non-binding principles adopted by countries of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, meant to guide policies to eradicate poverty and combat climate change, among other environmental threats.

An article by the Associated Press today (5/14/2012) reported that a $670 million overhaul at the San Onofre nuclear plant in California, intended to avoid problems with deteriorating pipes which could cause leakage of radioactive steam, was actually causing the pipes to deterioate faster.  San Olfre's twin reactors have been off line for three monthe while an investigation was in progress. So far the cause has not been pinpointed. Some pipes were so eroded that they were deemed unsafe to continue in operation. 

Last evening I saw an incredible new movie about water. It was beautifully filmed but disturbingly alarming. While it pulled no punches regarding the disappearance of our potable water supply and the horrific way we pollute it. it was hopeful about actions we can take and the cooperation we must pursue to solve our problems. The film was directed by Jessica Yu, who directed  the film "Breathing Lessons" that won an Academy Award back in 1997.. While our potable sources of water in many cases may soon be totally gone, the film reassures us that a new source is available to us although repugnant to most people, namely recycled sewage. The astronaughts drank it on space flights wit no ill affects.and it is quite capable of being made safe and pure. All of the water we have ever had or will ever have is here on earth now. Water cannot be created or destroyed.  De-salination is not a solution due to the incredible cost, of the power required to accomplish it as well as  the carbon emitting energy required to remove the salt plus salt  disposal problem.  

According to the President’s recent statements the keystone pipeline is apparently going ahead in spite of environmentalist’s concern for the route which goes through the fragile Sand hills of Nebraska. The Sand Hills sit atop the massive Ogallala Aquifer, described as the largest and most intricate wetland ecosystem in the United States and contains a large array of plant and animal life.

The area contains both temporary and permanent shallow lakes between the grass-stabilized dunes prevalent in the Sand Hills. Minimal crop production has led to limited land fragmentation resulting in continuous habitat for plant and animal species preserving the biodiversity of the area. These bodies of water are homes for many species of fish. The lakes are mainly sandy-bottomed and provide water for the region's cattle, as well as a habitat for aquatic species.

Mit Romney, in his quest to become our next president, keeps referring to the “Day by day job killing regulations, bureaucrat by bureaucrat that (are) crushing our dream.” How many dreams were crushed by the dismantling of financial regulations over the past several administrations which caused financial ruin for millions who lost their jobs and even their homes not to mention their retirement funds and it isn’t over yet.