Saturday, November 22, 2008

Kidnapped Human Rights Observers in Israeli Custody - Update

This is a short post to update the little we know of the fate of the HROs that Israel kidnapped along with 15 Gazan Fishermen a few days back.

The three Observers, Andrew Muncie from Scotland, Darlene Wallach from the United States and Vittorio Arrigoni from Italy, had begun a hunger strike while in Israeli custody. Vittorio has since ceased his participation in order to release news of their treatment.

Israel has released the fishermen, however refuses to allow the return of the vessels. This is the reason for the hunger strike and deportation refusal. Without their boats, these men can no longer support themselves or their families.

Here is a video of Amy Goodman interviewing the American ISM member, Darlene Wallach.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Some More Musings on AGW

So, I was sitting there thinking about my garden. I am doing an overhaul next spring to devote more space to production. Having a nice sized city lot, I have also been entertaining the idea of a functional greenhouse (ie - big enough that if I change my mind inside I don't have to step out to do it! haha). These daydreams led me to the next step - if I get my greenhouse, should I utilize a CO2 generator to increase productivity?

Then something went 'click'.

Hmmm... I thought - in this hysterical world of Man-Made Global Warming can I even buy a CO2 generator any longer? Or will they be banned? Afterall their sole purpose is to generate EXTRA CO2 !! Will there be an extra fee? Will I have to buy Carbon Credits to run the thing?

Obviously, my little greenhouse, if she comes to be, will not be large and thus I probably don't really need it. Yet - it sure got me thinking.

So, you guessed it - I googled CO2 generators and greenhouses. WOW! There are lots and lots of them available! The few I scanned made no mention of what kind of environmental effect all this generating of CO2 may have in contributing to the nasty monster of CO2 derived 'Global Warming' and it is important to note that the majority of these devices use propane or natural gas to produce the needed CO2. The goal is a concentration more than three times that of our atmosphere - around 1000 ppm. The this level production can increase by 40%. Nice return.

But how much CO2 is used exclusively by the plants to generate bio matter? Logic dictates that there will always be a slight excess in order to maintain optimum production. Since airflow is crucial in this contained environment there is no denying that some of this excess CO2 will 'escape' and thus add to the 'monster of GW' (not Bush).

Why then, is this never mentioned as one of the contributing factors in Carbon derived global warming? I've never heard it mentioned, outside of the so called 'deniers' stating that higher CO2 levels leads to greater biomass production - in other words - plants LOVE it! Which of course begs the question - if CO2 is the culprit it is claimed to be, and 'every little bit helps', why are these devices still being sold? You'd think they would be on the 'chopping block' of these Carbon Credit (tax scheme/money grab) supporters.

As I stated, these were just my musings. Yet, the hypocrisy is just to blatant to ignore.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Israel kidnaps fourteen fishermen

From the Free Gaza website:

For Immediate Release

For Immediate Release:

Gaza City, 10 a.m.- Fourteen Palestinian fishermen and 3 international
Human Rights Observers (HRO’s) were surrounded by the Israeli Navy and
taken from their boats 7 miles off the coast of Deir al Balah, Gaza
Strip.

The fishermen and the HRO’s were transferred from 3 separate boats to
the Israeli warships. Other Palestinian fishermen reported that the 3
boats were seen being taken north by the Israeli Navy.

The Human Rights Observers are Andrew Muncie, a Scottish British
citizen, Vittorio Arrigoni, an Italian citizen, and Darlene Wallach,
an American citizen. They have been volunteering with the
International Solidarity Movement (ISM) since they entered Gaza on
ships with the first Free Gaza Movement voyage on the 23rd August
2008. All internationals have previous experience working with the ISM
in the West Bank.

Fellow activists have been unable to establish contact with the HRO’s
or with the fishermen since they were abducted.

Since their arrival, the ISM volunteers have been regularly
accompanying Palestinian fishermen who are regularly attacked by
Israeli navy vessels from as little as 3km from shore. They have
regularly filmed Israeli forces using live ammunition, shells and
water cannons against unarmed fishermen.

For videos from these attacks please contact palreports@gmail.com or
the ISM Media Office - 02-2971824

For more information please contact:
Fida (Gaza - Arabic) – 0599681669
Jenny (Gaza - English) - 059 876 5377
ISM Media Office - 02-297-1824 or ISM contacts in the Gaza Strip

When confronted by the Israeli Navy, the boats were 7 nautical miles
from the shore of Deir al Balah, well within the fishing limit
detailed in the Oslo Accords of 1994.

With regular claims that from the Israeli government that it has
‘disengaged’ from Gaza, these patrols and attacks from the Israeli
navy, regularly occuring from as little as 3 miles from shore,
represent a clear signal of the continuation of occupation of Gazan
territory as well as regular breaches of the current cease-fire.

Over 40,000 people in Gaza make a living from the fishing industry,
yet this community has been decimated by Israeli restrictions on
fishing rights and the prevention of fuel from reaching the Gaza
Strip.

According to the Fishing Syndicate in Gaza, fishermen need 40,000
litres of fuel and 40,000 litres of natural gas each day to operate
throughout the high fishing season.

Starting in April each year, there is a migration of fish from the
Nile Delta to Turkish waters which Palestinian fishermen have
traditionally relied upon. Yet Israel limits fishing 6 miles from the
Gaza shore and regularly attacks those who venture further than 3
miles - over 70 fishermen were arrested last year by the Israeli
forces. The large schools that form the migration are usually found 10
miles from shore. The average catch of fish was over 3000 tons a year
in the 1990’s, now it is around 500 tons directly due to the Israeli
siege of Gaza.

Not only this, but the brutal effects of the siege, the water in which
the fishermen of Gaza sail in is now receiving 50 million litres of
sewage per day because the people of Gaza have no alternative.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Thanks for the slip up

Global Warming, Shlomal Warming... oy vey!! Will all the lies never cease???

What we have here folks is a power grab and tax utopia, none of which is based on any kind of scientific theory - only hypotheses and unproven as well. One of the biggest give aways that it is just a farce is that so many governments actually buy into this, the mainstream media screaming about rising oceans and the death of us all. What nonsense.

Seems they slipped up though here:

The world has never seen such freezing heat

In the above article, it has been admitted that data supporting the warmest October was actually false! Say it ain't so! Really? How? Well, my friends it seems they used the data from September to calculate the October numbers. Nice one boys - egg on your face feeling kinda slimy??

Anyway, I like it when they screw up, and then twist in the wind trying to phloff it off. Sorta like the temperature instruments being located in parking lots and next to air-conditioning vents... lol.

Enjoy the read, and yes I will be back.