Sage observations from a veteran activist: Nonviolent resistance does not happen overnight or automatically. It requires an informed and prepared public, keen to the strategy and dynamics of its political power. Although nonviolent campaigns often begin with a committed and experienced core, successful ones enlarge the diversity of participants, maintain nonviolent discipline and expand the Read More
Category Archives: Say What?
Status Quo – NOT!
credit: Kara Q. Lewis How do you feel about the status quo? Business as usual. The same old same old? Our new president is taking a lot of credit for shaking up the status quo in Washington, D.C., but one would prefer creative destruction as opposed to the mayhem he’s inflicting on the system. The Read More
Small Wall or Big Wall?
Very disappointing that our newly elected president is thinking small. A wall between the U.S. and Mexico should be only the beginning. With a little courage and a couple of $hundred billion more, we could build a wall around our entire country! credit: here Think of it! We can keep out the Asians, the Canadians, Read More
Converting from Coal to Natural Gas
Not everyone supports the concept of a bridge fuel. Read more about the perspective of the Sierra Club here
Floating Cities of the Future
What to do about climate change? There are any number of thoughtful responses to mitigating the problem, and some more fanciful plans for dealing with it and moving on. The impact of rising sea levels on coastal communities can be explored here One proposed response can be seen here Will all the coastal cities of Read More
Grid Security #1
How secure is the nation’s electrical grid? There are any number of challenges to protecting it from intrusion and a lot to say on the subject. A quote to keep in mind: A 2014 Transmission & Distribution World article, “Cyber security: Protecting critical infrastructure in a changing world” by ABB characterized the issues addressed by IEC 62443 and related Read More
Politicians
Ah! Politicians! Another election cycle has come and gone. How’d this latest slate of candidates strike you? Who among us has not wanted to wring their neck or spit in their eye? But, hey, let’s be kind: it’s not an easy life they lead. Kissing babies, shaking hands, pretending to care. How’d you like to Read More
Banking System
Think of all the systems that factor in our lives: political system, economic system, banking system, energy system, communication system, transportation system, distribution system, education system, and on and on. Systems determine the solutions available to us. We want solutions that determine the systems, not systems that determine the solutions. As an example: banking. Why Read More
Inauguration Day 2017
What should be a national celebration of democracy and the peaceful transition of power instead has become a day that portrays a deeply divided country. If your candidate won, you feel a smug satisfaction at having prevailed. If your candidate was defeated, fear, anger and disbelief mark your anticipation of the next four years. Perhaps Read More