Go Green!

The Green Party of the United States (GPUS) is a voluntary association of state green parties, and has been active as a nationally recognized political party since 2001. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties. The Association of State Green Parties (ASGP), a forerunner organization, first gained widespread public attention during Ralph Nader's presidential runs in 1996 and 2000. With the founding of the Green Party of the United States, the party established a national political presence. GPUS became the primary national Green organization in the U.S., eclipsing the earlier Greens/Green Party USA, which emphasized non-electoral movement building. The Green Party in the United States has won elected office at the local level; most winners of public office in the United States who are considered Greens have won nonpartisan elections. The highest-ranking Greens ever elected in the nation were: John Eder, a member of the Maine House of Representatives until his defeat in November 2006; Audie Bock, elected to the California State Assembly in 1999 but switched her registration to Independent seven months later running as an independent in the 2000 election; and Richard Carroll, elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2008 but switched parties to become a Democrat five months after his election. In 2005, the Green Party had 305,000 registered members in states allowing party registration, and tens of thousands of members and contributors in the rest of the country. During the 2008 elections the party had ballot access in 31 states, making it the fourth largest party in the United States (the third largest being the Libertarian Party, with ballot access in 46 states, and the fifth largest being the Constitution Party, with ballot access in seventeen states)

The Green Party seems like a cool party to join. I support their views. I wish they were more recognized and had more power in our government. I think if the Green Party had majority power in the U.S. Government, our nation would be a cleaner one, but not necessarily a happy one. The general public are far more interested in the protection of their social status rather than the condition of their environment. Then again there is a first for everything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Party_%28United_States%29

The "Grand Old Party"

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party (GOP). The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the political spectrum, in contrast to the, more "liberal" or "progressive" Democrats. The Republican Party has the second most registered voters as of 2004 with 55 million, encompassing roughly one-third of the electorate. In the 2010 elections the Republican Party won a majority of seats in the House of Representatives, the majority of governorships, as well as prevalence in the majority of state legislatures, and control of one chamber in five states. Previously, the Republican Party had held minorities in all three bodies. It will continue to hold a minority of seats in the Senate at the beginning the 112th Congress.

I have a lot of respect for the Republican Party even though I am a Democrat. Some of the nations greatest presidents were Republican. Like Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan (kind of). However over the past century, Republican presidents have decreased in popularity and respect, especially George W. Bush. His presidency hurt the Republican party or "Grand Old Party" terribly as a whole. Hopefully G.W.B's presidency helped the nation realize that you must vote for the right person for the job, not because the person is your party's candidate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)

Democrats ... Unite!

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous operation in the United States. The party had 72 million registered voters in 2004. President Barack Obama is the 15th Democrat to hold the office.

I myself am a Democrat, however I am not one who only sides with my party in every political situation. I understand that what I'm about to say is impossible and defeats the purpose of Democracy, but i feel to form a more perfect union, all the parties should bounce ideas off each other and gain rather than oppose every notion. Just create a super party, the Indemorepublictarians!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_(United_States)

While it's sheer size alone makes any California election a focus of national attention, a combination of high-profile and big money races in this particular mid-term will make the Golden State among the most closely watched in the nation. Control of the senate could hinge upon the outcome of Carly Fiorina's bid to replace Barbara Boxer, while Meg Whitman's $160 Million campaign for Governor has been one of the biggest national stories of this campaign cycle. Likewise, high-profile ballot initiatives like Prop 19, which would legalize and tax marijuana in the state, and Prop 23, which would repeal California's climate laws, could have major implications for the country as a whole.

Frankly, I am happy with the results of this election. Even though this excerpt talks about the Republican side of the election, Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer won. In regards to the Props, I have a soft spot for prop 21 not passing, i think it really would have been beneficial to California's state parks but the deed has been done. The disapproval of Prop 19 wasn't a surprise but I am contempt. As for the results for the other props I am pleased with their outcome, however it was a close race. Finally, with the Republicans regaining control of the House of Reps., I am slightly disappointed but do realize that not much can be done with the three branches of govt. split two to one. Hopefully next election the missing pieces will be put back and our nation will grow stronger and even more unified.

Source the Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/02/california-elections-2010_n_777752.html#s169855

Tea Baggers!

Why are Republicans hopeful their party will gain Congressional seats during the
2010 midterm elections? What factors might disrupt these hopes for the Republicans?

Republicans are hopeful to win Congressional seats during the 2010 midterm election because currently the three branches of govt. are of Democrat majority. This allows Democrats to pass their legislator more easily. The Republican Party wants to posses more political control and halt the Democrats and their progress. One factor that could disrupt Republican hopes is the fact that most of their candidates are considered to radical and obnoxious for any branch of the govt. If the Democrats dominate this election, the Republicans will have to wait for the next Presidential election to even attempt to take majority control of the government.

Explain the reasons the Tea Party formed and what message this sends to both
Republican and Democratic parties. What impact do you think the Tea Party will
have on the 2010 midterm elections?

The Tea Party feels that Congress refuses to listen to the people. The party want less govt. control and were established to try and change this. I feel that the The Tea Party was established to be like a "born again" Republican Party because Republicans feel that they have made so many mistakes in the past (election of George W. Bush) and it was time to for a "fresh start". The Tea Party is fully funded by Republican money as well. The impact that "Tea Bags" have is that they are taking votes away from the Democrats and Republicans. There is no way that they will win any elections but they're crippling the other parties.

My source was my politically savvy grandmother Sandra J. Rawlins :)

Prop 25!

California Proposition 25 is the Majority Vote for the Legislature to Pass the Budget Act. Supporters turned in about 1.1 million signatures to election officials on May 6. The proposal is an initiated constitutional amendment.The goal of the proposal is to end the current requirement in the state that two-thirds of the members of the California State Legislature must vote in favor of the state's budget in order for a budget to be enacted. It also requires state legislatures to forfeit their pay in years where they have failed to pass a budget in a timely fashion.

There is nothing much to say on my part for the prop, but this is what I got out of it.

1. Changes the legislative vote requirement necessary to pass the state budget and spending bills related to the budget from two-thirds to a simple majority.

2. It provides that if the Legislature fails to pass a budget bill by June 15, all members of the Legislature will permanently forfeit any reimbursement for salary and expenses for every day until the day the Legislature passes a budget bill.

California Prop. 23 vs. A.B. 32

Aside from the question of which party will control the House and Senate for the next two years, next month's mid-term elections also feature a number of important state contests, including California's closely-watched Prop 23, a ballot initiative that would suspend enforcement of the state's major greenhouse gas legislation, Assembly Bill 32. Prop 23 has national implications, since California has taken a leadership position on emissions regulations at a time when national climate policy has become deadlocked. Yet as I've watched the coverage of Prop 23 in the blogosphere and mainstream media, I've been amazed by the consistent mischaracterization of precisely what is at stake in this initiative, most recently in Tom Friedman's Column in yesterday's New York Times. Californians surely deserve a better assessment of the issues involved.

Personally I'm going to vote no on Prop 23. Based on all the advertisements on t.v. about the proposition imploring the people to vote no, there were interesting points brought up. Also, i am in favor of stopping Texas oil companies' schemes to repeal clean energy and air pollution standards. In my opinion, a cleaner California is a better one. However, making such a transition will be arduous and expensive!

Mary Jane is still in the Game

A ballot measure to make California the first state to legalize the sale and use of marijuana has won the support of one of the state’s most powerful union, officials said Monday, offering the proposition a shot of mainstream legitimacy as well as a potential financial and organizational lift. The decision by the executive board of the Service Employees International Union of California will be announced in the next few days, according to officials who have been briefed about it but were not allowed to speak publicly before it was announced.

Prop 19 is continuing to gain support from many diverse unions! However, I have recently read the proposition and have discussed it with my friends. We collectively feel that "it could be better." Im starting to second guess my support but not to the point where i will vote no. Hopefully if prop 19 is approved, with the support of such unions like the Service Employees International Union of California it will not be a mistake.

Im Surprised Arnold!

The California Governor, Schwarzenegger, who opposes Proposition 19, signed a landmark bill in the state of California which decriminalizes the possession of marijuana. For those wondering, this does not make marijuana possession legal, but it no longer will be a misdemeanor offense. Instead of the mandatory fine of $100 as well as the mandatory appearance in front of a judge, the outcome of being caught with marijuana will now simply be a $100 fine. The new law will be in effect on January 1st and include anyone caught with up to an ounce of marijuana. Basically the possession of the drug is seen no different by California now than speeding is.

This is interesting to me because it makes Arnold look like a hypocrite, however I agree with his decision. I personally always disagreed with the law about possession of marijuana (not that I myself have gotten in trouble) unless the suspect was under the influence and was operating a car or something that could endanger his/her life and others. Anyways, this is just one step closer to the approval of Prop 19, which could either be acceptable or a complete disaster.

Prop 19 is Looking Good!

Proposition 19 has been doing well with a steady 5% lead this year. Prop 19 is a proposition that would change California law to legalize marijuana and allow it to be regulated and taxed.Polls say that 47 percent of the people in California are certain to vote yes while only 42 percent are said to vote no. Even if Prop 19 barely fails this time, the huge age divide means that it is only a matter of a few years before there is a clear voting majority for marijuana legalization in California.

I personally am in favor of Prop 19. Financially, I feel Marijuana would actually bebefit our economy. Medically, it is a great alternative than using perscription drugs. I have a family member would had a medical marijuana card claimed that it soothed the pain instead of just covering it up then hurting twice as bad later. Marijuana is taboo in this country and in many places around the world, but in reality it will do more good than harm if it is legalized.

http://elections.firedoglake.com/2010/09/23/yes-on-prop-19-holds-steady-lead-47-42-in-latest-surveyusa-poll/

Agua on Mars!

It took NASA a few decades, several probes, and a whole lot of money to find hard evidence for the existence of water on the surface of Mars. But timing is everything. Had the agency been looking for water on the Red Planet a few billion years earlier, all they would've needed was a telescope. A new CU-Boulder analysis of the Martian surface has concluded that a massive ocean covered as much as a third of the planet around 3.5 billion years ago.

Solar Sail!

It’s sink or sail time for Japan’s IKAROS spacecraft, and according to initial reports from JAXA the unfurling of the first solar sail deployed for actual deep space travel went off without a hitch.

But the successful sail deployment isn’t a guarantee of success. IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) still has to get moving, and mission handlers say in their blog posts today that it will be a few weeks before we know if the sail is really working the way it is supposed to.

Final Suck!

So my finals are coming up an im freaking out. Tomorrows the first part of my Algebra 2 Final and I know I will not get an A but hopefully a B or C. I just need to pass that class and my life will be complete!

NASA'S Cassini Shoots Stunning New Images of Saturn!

Along with its main mission of scientific research, NASA's Cassini orbiter is one heck of a photographer.

NASA just released the striking image above, which shows the upper layers of Saturn’s atmosphere illuminated by the eclipsed Sun. And that's far from the the only modernist photo Cassini has snapped over the years.

Its Been A While!

I havent done a blog post in a while so i will post a funny picture for ya'll today! Tomorrow i will post a legit blog.

A Real Iron Man Suit!!! SWEET!!!

Anthony Le, 25, has been a fan of Iron Man since he was a kid, but when he heard that the comic-book superhero was hitting the big screen in 2008, he was inspired to build his own Iron Man suit. That version was more of a costume, but his new one, finished just in time for the movie’s sequel, edges much closer to the real thing. With its dent-proof exterior, motorized faceplate and spinning mock Gatling gun, his take on the movie’s War Machine suit could easily frighten a supervillain.

Remember Kids ... Don't Smoke!

A message from Chinese scientists: "Stop throwing out your cigarette butts!" Researchers have devised a financially viable process for recycling cigarette leftovers to extract chemicals present in the filters. And doing your part to recycle cigarette butts could help save one of our most precious resources -- oil companies.

Saweet!

Today Sharp announced plans that could turn your cellphone into a 3-D-shooting mini film studio as early as next year. The company today unveiled a mobile-phone 3-D camera capable of shooting in high def.

The module captures 720p stereoscopic (two-eyed) video and is only about two inches wide. To put that in perspective: Fuji's 3-D camera uses much larger, heavier sensors and only records standard-def video.

Hot Rod to the Max!

Randy Grubb couldn’t get it off his mind. For years he had been driving past an old logger’s place near his home in rural Oregon, and one of the long-haul trucks in the man’s yard kept catching his attention. In late 2008, Grubb finally stopped for a closer look, and the toothless, cigar-chomping trucker let him rev the engine. He was sold, but he had a big change in mind: He was going to transform it into a hot rod.

Sony's NEX-3 &NEX-5!

Just a few months ago, Sony made it clear that the next extension of its Alpha brand would come in the form of an HD-video-shooting interchangeable lens compact. Now, those prototypes have become full-blown cameras in the form of the new NEX-3 and NEX-5, which will be hitting shelves in July. Both come packing the same new 14.2-megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, which is almost 60% bigger (23.4mm x 15.6mm) than what you'll find inside a Micro Four Thirds body. Click on for hands-on preview and a full gallery of test shots from our sister site, PopPhoto.com.

HOLY F**K!

U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers will deploy with the XM-25 weapon this summer, so that they can shower enemies hidden inside buildings with lethal smart rounds. Veterans of the Afghanistan conflict who tried the weapon predicted it would be a "game changing" gun capable of taking out insurgents hidden behind cover, Military.com reports.

The XM-25 resembles a highly sophisticated grenade launcher that fires laser-guided smart rounds. The laser gauges a distance to target and allows the warfighter to set where the round will detonate, adding or subtracting increments of 3 meters from the laser-spotted point. Then the scope tells a microchip inside the round how far it should travel before exploding.

Superhumans!

In a breakthrough that could lead to significant advances in materials science and tissue engineering, researchers at the U. of British Colombia have engineered a solid biomaterial that mimics the elasticity of muscle. Using artificial proteins, the team was able to recreate the molecular structure of the protein titin, which plays a vital role in making our muscles the versatile tissues that they are.

Thats One Big Baby!

Whoa! Check out this art piece! Its both cool and disturbing!

The Seed Cathedral!

The UK's Seed Cathedral is the best pavilion at the 2010 Expo, hands down. After getting a chance to go inside, I've decided I want to not only worship but live amongst its 60,000 fiber-optic-lit seeds. Wouldn't you?

The Ideal Crop for Space Farms!

Astronauts on long space voyages would probably get pretty tired of freeze-dried meals, so scientists have long been trying to figure out how to grow space food to supplement their diets. According to researchers at Purdue University, strawberries may be one space-friendly crop. They say a low-maintenance strawberry cultivar called Seascape would do pretty well in space. It produces fewer berries than other cultivars, but they're bigger and just as tasty.

A New Look at the Sun.

More than three months after being hurled into orbit, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory is snapping some breathtaking images of the sun, the first of which NASA released this afternoon. The mission designers have to be happy with them: the pics capture huge looping prominences lashing out from the surface and the kinds of massive explosions one might expect from a giant, churning ball of cosmic gas.

Lasers to Steam-Clean Buildings After a Radioactive Attack!

The initial fallout from a chemical or radiological attack would be devastating enough, but the cleanup of such an incident would be equally hazardous. While HAZMAT teams and other authorities have methods of scrubbing radiological and chemical waste, the porous nature of building materials like concrete gives radionuclides and dangerous chemical agents plenty of places to hide from conventional cleanup methods.

Coachella Was SOO Sick!

The title says it all ...

Now That's Going Green!

Bored guests at a certain Crown Plaza hotel can now skip the pricey mini-bar and hop on an exercise bike, generate some electricity, and earn some meal vouchers! The hotel in Copenhagen started the free meal idea as a way to boost guests' fitness and shrink their carbon footprint, according to the BBC. Just 15 mins of cycling can produce 10 watt-hours of electricity, and earn you a free meal!!!

Humanoid Robot made from TV Parts!

Most robots covered on this site push the envelope of technology, by working in space or eerily replicating flesh-and-blood humans. But for Sam Todo, a student in the Togolese Republic in Africa, robotics is a way to put the outdated technology found in the garbage to new, innovative uses. In this video, Todo displays a humanoid robot he created almost entirely from discarded TV parts!

Sheep On Meth!!!

Cocaine is a hell of a drug, but getting shocked with a Taser while riding high on methamphetamines probably beats any white-knuckled cocaine experience hands down. And that's exactly what happened to some lucky sheep in a new study that tested the effects of Tasers on meth-addled targets, funded in part by Taser International.

Coachella!!!

Hey everyone,

I am switching from sci-fi blogs for a sec to inform everybody that Coachella is coming up this Friday through Sunday! I am super siked to go!

Nanotech Vaccine Successfully Cures Type-1 Diabetes!

An innovative nanotech "vaccine" has been proven to cure type 1 diabetes in mice, and paves the way to do the same for humans. A dose of therapeutic nanoparticles given to diabetic mice restored healthy sugar levels in the rodents.

The nanoparticles making up the vaccine, thousands of times smaller than the cells they act on, are coated with protein fragments that suppress the autoimmune response that's characteristic of diabetes. Most importantly, unlike existing treatments for autoimmune disorders, the particles do all this without compromising the rest of the immune system.

Skylight That Pumps Natural Light Into Darkened Interior Spaces

In an ideal world, we'd use natural light to brighten every darkened nook that needs illumination. But in reality, skylights and windows can let only so much light into a structure, and the amount of light varies based on the time of day. The Sundolier robotic skylight from Boulder-based Sunflower aims to change all this by actively "pumping" natural light into interior spaces, illuminating areas of up to 2,500 square feet with a single unit.

A Lean, Mean Nail Gun

Pneumatic nailers can slash the time it takes to fasten everything from window trim to roof rafters. The basic guts of the tool haven’t changed since the 1960s: Compressed air pushes a piston that drives a rod, forcing nails deep into wood, before the tool resets for the next nail. Now Bosch has figured out how to make a nailer that’s 20 percent smaller while boosting power by 10 percent, so it can drive nails into hard woods like walnut with less pressure than other guns.

Orange Dwarf likely on Collision Course to Our Solar System!

Our solar system's 'hood may get a bit rougher sometime during the next 1.5 million years. An astronomer has given an 86 percent chance for a neighboring star to smash into the frozen Oort Cloud surrounding the outskirts of the solar system, and may scatter some comets toward Earth!

Burning Ice!

When methane and freezing cold water fuse under tremendous pressure, they create a substance as paradoxical as it coveted: burning ice. Earlier in the year, a report from the National Research Council identified the combustible water, also known as methane hydrate, as a potential source of natural gas.

Oldest Known Flying Car is Up for Sale!

Flying cars may seem to keep receding into that deliciously-imagined future, but this, one of the earliest prototypes, hails from 1934. It is now slated to go up on the auction block in Atlanta this coming weekend, according to Wierd's Autpia.

Tiny Crustacean Menace Could Fuel the World!

They don't exactly look like the saviors of our energy economy, but that's exactly what some researchers think they could be. Gribbles -- tiny crustacean pests with a knack for digesting wood -- have long been considered a marine parasite for the destruction they cause to wooden hulls and piers. But the enzymes gribbles use in to break wood fibers down into sugars could make them the next biofuels breakthrough.

Car Runs on Coffee!?!?

Readers feeling jittery on their second or third cuppa might giggle at the concept of the Carpuccino, but few car owners will. The wacky UK invention comes in the form of a converted 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco that downs about 56 espressos per mile! The Daily Mall reports. That should only cost about 25 to 50 times the cost of running a car on gas.

Lip Reader Cell Phones!?!

One the problems with cellphones is that they force personal conversations out into the world. Arguing with your spouse? Speaking your PIN and Social Security number to a customer service rep? Having an intimate chat on a cross-country bus trip? Cellphones make all those private details available to anyone who's listening. But with the soundless communication designed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), you can hold a phone conversation in complete silence.

Why Do Ducks Have Orange Feet? Allow Me To Explain!

Actually, many species of ducks have feet—and legs!—tinted a bluish green or gray. But for the ducks that do have orange feet, well, it’s all about attracting the ladies. Chicks dig orange. Bright orange coloring suggests that a male duck, also known as a drake, is getting all his vitamins, particularly carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and vitamin A, antioxidants that can be beneficial to the immune system. “This indicates that his behaviors and genes are good enough for him to recognize and eat the right food, or that his immune system is strong enough to produce bright orange legs,” Omland says. “The female sees this as a very attractive trait to pass on to her offspring.” Mystery solved!

This Will Make Touching Yourself A Good Thing!

The future of touchscreen interfaces is: you? A project between a Carnegie Mellon researcher and a couple of creative thinkers over at Microsoft Research have created Skinput, a Bluetooth-enabled device that allows you to use your own skin as a peripheral input device for devices like cell phones, MP3 players or gaming consoles.

Newton's Second Law Could Explain The Existence Of Dark Matter

Dark matter's status as a mysterious and invisible lurker in the universe has frustrated scientists for years. Now, one hopes to solve the puzzle a different way: using a modified version of Newton's second law that would eliminate the need for dark matter altogether. Researchers in Brazil have devised an experiment that could put the modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) to the test.

A Map-Equipped Treadmill That Can Recreate Any Hike On EARTH!!!

Dreaming of running up Mt. Kilimanjaro? Do it today. The NordicTrack X7i Incline Trainer raises and lowers itself to mimic the dips and hills of real-world topography.

The X7i downloads maps over Wi-Fi from a Web site called iFit, which lets you pick popular routes like San Francisco’s Golden Gate Trail, as well as treks you’ve designed on your computer across any territory covered by Google Maps. As you run, a seven-inch screen scrolls the map and shows snapshots of passing landmarks.

Oh ... Real Original

The Nintendo DS is now able to be a e-reader. Nintendo came out with a cartridge that supports over 100 books by authors such as Jules Verne and other classic novelist. Too bad the kindle and that Sony E-Reader came out wayyyyyy before this.

This is GENIUS!

The company Thanko, has just released thee USB lunch warmer. This lunch box cam be pluged into a computer via USB, and it will actually keep the box's contents warm! Now we don't even have to get up from the computer to eat something, and we will all start to slowly gain weight! Yay!

P.S. I am being sarcastic.

U.S.A! U.S.A!

The U.S. hockey team won gold! I didn't get to see the game against Canada but the results are what counts! Another gold for America!

We Owned You Russia!

Russia has won the past five winter olympics for male figure skating. However last night, U.S. figure skater Evan Lysacek won gold! Russian skater Evgeni Plushenko recieved silver, and immeadiatly left the building when he hear the news. He didn't even congratulate Lysacek. What a sore loser!

Triple Gold for the U.S.A.!

YEAAAAAA! Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn, and Shani Davis win gold for America! It was a truly historic day for the U.S in the Winter Olympics. Vonn is the first U.S. women to win gold for Alpine Skiing, and endured many injuries throughout the years to get it! Shani won his second gold medal, back to back from the Torino Olympics, for speed skating. Shaun White, "The Animal", received his second gold too! He pulled off his new trick which consisted of two mctwists and a 1280 combined! It was mind-blowing!