East of the Altamont
There really is a land east of the Altamont. I am getting a few jibes from the Philly bleachers so I guess I have to write up an lesson plan so that those from west of the Altamont can get to know what makes a difference down on the farm.
For instance, let's start with the San Joaquin County Farm Bureau. They have a very informative web site where you can learn a lot. This month, they tell you all about how "Low prices, high costs impact dairy industry:"
Milk remained San Joaquin County’s most valuable agricultural commodity with a 2005 value of more than $314.5 million, down from 2004’s $324 million, according to the 2005 Agricultural Report.Now, McCloskey said that he did not make a dent in the farm vote because the farmers were convinced that Pombo was working for them. Now, I have to ask you to name just one thing that he has done to help with any of those problems.
“Even though milk production increased, lower prices caused a net decrease in value of 3 percent,” explained Agricultural Commissioner Scott Hudson.
Despite facing the usual issues — air, water, pesticide, labor — San Joaquin County’s dairy industry is enduring low milk prices and rapidly rising costs, all of which does not sit well with Manteca dairyman and San Joaquin Farm Bureau board member Ray Quaresma.
Air: San Joaquin Valley has some of the worst air in the country. The June 16th Frenso Bee calls the shots right on this one.
The San Joaquin Valley's air district Thursday passed the most sweeping dairy air pollution rule in the country to clean up smog-making gas from 2.6 million cows.What has Pombo done? Nothing.
Environmentalists say the rule relies on business practices that dairies already commonly use. Thus, it won't cut smog, they said, hinting that a lawsuit might follow.
"This is an empty gesture in dealing with the largest source" of one smog-making gas in the Valley, said lawyer Paul Cort of Earthjustice Legal Defense in San Francisco.
But the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District said the rule would eliminate 21 tons of volatile organic compounds daily, which amounts to a quarter of the smog-making gases coming from dairies.
The latest estimates place Valley cows ahead of cars in producing this kind of gas, which is a key building block of corrosive ozone or smog. The Valley is the nation's top-producing dairy region.
What does this cost the San Joaquin Valley? According to a study conducted by Cal. State University - Fullerton, $3 Billion per year in medical costs from air pollution.
What should be done? Well, Green Party Assembly (34th AD) Canididate David M. Silva (Tulare) has an idea. Government should provide incentives to reduce dairy pollution by the implementation of methane digesters to capture the gasses produce and to use the heat from burning the methane to drive electricity co-generation installations. A similar project with Strauss Farms in Marin County had a payback within three years.
In combatting air pollution, Silva is providing more leadership than Pombo. There are solutions. It is time for legislators like Pombo to stop chewing their cud and get to work. If you want to make a dent in Pombo's base, you have to start showing his base that he has forgotten all about them. This is just one example.
(First in a series...Kind of like Kevin's except I only have four: air, water, pesticide, labor)
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posted by Wes @ 2:02 PM
5 Comments:
Yo Ms Delta.
Rocky here. Duh foist question Rocky have about dis post is what has long mistified me about dese blots. Who makes duh decision to deal a new hand like you jest did? And how cum its always duh same few people doin duh dealin? Mebbe you could enlighten Rocky on dis aspect of blottin, and is dere an Inner Inner Circle of dealers and like is dere, you know, a once a year electron to decide who's dealin and who ain't? And BDW, do you get paid sumtin fer dealin? I mean I'm jest curious; Rocky don't need duh friggin money or nuttin.
Anyways, back to duh topic at hand. You is a friggin brilliant tinker, cuz drillin fer Buttgas and channellin it into REAL energy is a solution dat might even appeal to ButtaPombO on acount dat it cums from sources he's alreddy familiar wit. His friends. In fact I'll bet you ButtaPombO has alreddy drilled his friends butts, probably when dey was wearing oil platform shoes, and maybe even a few cows and sheep along duh way too if you know what I mean. All duh while he could say he wuz "in search of a more secure energy future fer America." Heh heh heh.
Butt anyways, like are you envisionin hookin up ALL duh members of Team ButtWipe to duh friggin power plant wit tubes, or jest sum of dem? Any chance you can run a line out to Rocky's so I can hook in Paulie? I mean you wanna reduce air pollution right?
You continue to amaze me wit yer incites and idears, and Rocky like duh way you tell all dem Bay Area Dems dat we here in Stockton don't necessarily dislike 'em, we jest don't like 'em tellin us what to do and bein all high and mighty like we is a bunch of dumb-asses or ignor-anuses or sumtin like dat.
Anyways, Rocky out fer duh nite. He did alot of blottin today and feel like he got a lot done fer duh cause. Rocky actually met a friggin Republican, well sorta, and wouldn't you know it turned out to be Mr BeanO, and you know, he toined out not only to be a good guy, butt he even got a sense a humor. Dat's progress. Eat yer heart out friggin Republican spies!
I knew this blog would get around to bovine flatulence eventually.
Play the game at Climate Change Challenge to learn more, but watch out for the sheep.
See also Cow Farts: Global Warmers Or A Load Of Hot Air? for more educational information on this.
OK, this is serious business. Air pollution in the Central Valley, especially San Joaquin county, is particularly bad. It seems to come from cows, cars, and the westerly winds that blow Bay Area pollution that way.
One problem with the Central Valley is that it is like LA in that is in a bowl surrounded by mountains that trap the pollution.
Since Delta's post is about air quality, we can focus on each aspect, vis a vis Pombo's ineptitude and inaction. He claims to be a farmer's best friend, but all that seems to mean is getting them more subsidies and allowing them to develop their land into houses.
1) Cows -- Delta pointed out turning manure into energy by capturing the methane. Pombo has done nothing on this.
2) Cars -- Pombo has repeatedly voted against raising fuel efficiency standards in cars. Also, his solution for commuters woes is more highways through rural areas, not creating jobs closer to home. Jerry McNerney by contrast is proposing developing good jobs in San Joaquin by making it a renewable energy "Silicon Valley".
3) Winds from Bay Area -- Pombo is encouraging more refineries and oil development, and again has blocked every attempt to make vehicles more fuel efficient.
4) A bonus one -- Pesticides like Methyl Bromide, that was being phased out due to it being both highly toxic and an ozone destroyer. Pombo has worked to overturn, obstruct, and delay bans on pesticides like Methyl Bromide, therby allowing further damage to the air in San Joaquin.
So the farmers seem to like Pombo because he can kick shit around and talk about cows, but he sure as hell isn't doing anything to improve the air over there. In fact, his efforts have only made things worse.
Next, let's see about Delta's other promised posts on the San Joaquin farmer issues.
Hey, Mr. Blaboa, if you have the cards and you want to play the game, you gotta deal something to get started.
Now, I did a little noodlin' and it seemed to me that there is nothing in the McNerney plan up to now that would address the problems that McCloskey said he had with the farm vote. So, I just thought that it would be a good idea to start pointing out that considering Pombo as the friend of the farmer brings to mind story of the Emperor and his new clothes. Now, you can have fun with that image if you want.
Yo Delta.
Rocky here. I tink I remember dis story, but if Rocky ain't cummin down wit AlkaSeltzerheimers disease he thought dat the Emperor had no friggin clothes. But wit clothes or without, ButtaPombO and all of Team ButtWipe fer dat matter are some of duh ugliest scariest SOBs Rocky ever seen what wit their cheeks stuft so fat wit Abramoff dough dat all dey can do is lie lie lie and den lie about s'mores. You know what I mean?
I mean Jeezus - you wanna protect yer kids from even seein dese guys, let alone hearin duh emperors squeaky falsetto voice dat is almost like duh teacher runnin her fingernails across duh friggin blackboard. No wonder dey don't let him out in public or let him speak anywheres on TV.
Butt anyways, what does any of dis hafta do wit duh farmers? Rocky don't get it.
Rocky out.
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