COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Toward a Greener Border

Prickly Pear Cactus
This is rich. Environmentalists have teamed up with the Mexican government in opposition to a border fence. The Government of Mexico is threatening to take their case to International court of Justice. At least they are willing to offer alternatives:
A report prepared for the Mexican government by experts and environmental activists from Mexico and the US said the barriers could isolate border animals into smaller groups, affecting their genetic diversity.

Cactus fences


The report suggested ways of minimising environmental damage, including "green corridors" of wilderness without roads.

These would allow wildlife to remain connected but not provide an easy route for people trying to cross.

Another proposal was "live" fences of cactuses, or permeable barriers to allow water, insects and pollen to cross the border.

Story from BBC News
A blue ribbon panel will be established to study the proper flora for the fence. Preliminary estimates indicate that the panel will conduct hundreds of townhall meetings on both sides of the border in order to gather citizen input. Recommendations are expected in 2012 if changing climate conditions do not hinder the study. Once the final selections on the various form of cacti fence have been determined and environmental impact studies have been completed, engineers will begin developing plans and will apply for the one hundred or so Environmental Permits which will be required. Thousands of workers will receive Federal Government training on the proper selection, handling, transportation and planting of the cacti. There is no word yet on the total cost or schedule for the program but government officials caution that patience is the by-word.

At the EB, we know that it's not easy being green but we are willing to wait for the job to be done properly and we are willing to pay whatever it takes as long as it benefits Mother Gaia and makes everybody happy. :) Have a wonderful day and visualize whirled peas. :)

10 comments:

  1. I would like to point out that the "Green Boundaries" border project can be built quicker, and with less public animosity than a conventional two fence barrier. All the more reason to "Go Green." Peace.

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  2. The foolish talking heads are saying that the Minneapolis bridge disaster highlights the needs for more spending on the infrastructure. Well, that exactly what was happening when the accident occurred. We were spending money on that bridge. A construction project was underway.

    What the talking heads don't realize is that we have already flooded the nation with construction projects to the point of driving construction prices through the roof. There's already too many Federal dollars funding projects and impairing traffic on every interstate in the nation.

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  3. Now we're going to give the Palestinians $80 million. Unbelieveable! And by the way, does anyone know how many UN Peacekeepers actually made it to Lebanon?

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  4. As the top naval commander in the Pacific, Roughead made training sailors to hunt enemy submarines his top war-fighting priority.

    He spearheaded the humanitarian deployment of the hospital ship USNS Mercy to the southern Philippines and tsunami-devastated areas of Indonesia. The ship's mission came as the U.S. military has pushed to improve its image in predominantly Muslim nations and regions.

    Roughead also worked with Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to support their efforts to police the Malacca Strait.


    Navy Job

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  5. I was listening to Liddy recently too. I picked up on the fact(I quess it's a fact) that about twice as many Canadians are moving to America, as Americans moving to Canada, each year. And that with them having a heck of a lot less population base.

    Cactus on the southern border, maple and cedars on the northern;)

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  6. Bob, you got me to giggling. I got to thinking about Hudson Bay vs. Miami Beach. Are you sure it's just 2 - 1?

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  7. I think that is what was said, something along the lines of 20,000 coming here 10,000 of us going there, Rufus.

    Maybe it ought to be marijuana and cedar. Or cactus and marijuana, and...this gets complicated.

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