Don't be Fooled by Prop 23

I am strongly against California Prop 23 because it will hurt the California economy now and in the future (as well as hurt our children with the consequences of today's pollution). California is the leader in greentech which is a natural extension of both hightech and biotech. To maintain and increase this lead we need to practice what we preach and provide a market for our own leading companies. As leaders in the high value green industry we can invent our own future.

Two Texas oil companies are the primary backers of Prop 23 and they are doing it so their CA oil refineries to can continue to pollute in CA (they save money because they will not need to upgrade their plants).

It would be a travesty if too many people are fooled by the "job creation" smoke screen that Prop 23 is using. We need good, high quality, sustainable jobs now AND in the future to keep our communities healthy and clean -- not just a few short term dirty jobs.

Read more at:
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_16269625

And:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/06/EDLR1FKF3U.DTL

Cheers,
Tim

The Right to Be Stupid

The Pastor in Florida has a first amendment right to free speech and to burn Qurans. I fully support this right.

But just because you have a right (legal) does not make it right (ethically). Burning Qurans is still stupid, foolish, disrespectful, and childish. It mainly serves to inflame both sides and give ammunition to terrorists. Burning Qurans hurts both Americans and Christians. Many of us have evolved beyond vengeance. Unfortunately many others remain stuck in hateful ways and are hell bent on perpetuating violence against each other.

See also:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100908/ap_on_re_us/quran_burning
and
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704358904575478241873665072.html?mod=WSJ_hps_SECONDTopStories#articleTabs%3Darticle
and
http://deepforestgreen.blogspot.com/2010/09/open-letter-to-dr-terry-and-sylvia.html

If you want to let the Pastor know what you think, please send him comments at:
http://www.doveworld.org/contact

Moving an Office the Green Way

On Saturday 9/4/2010 the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) moved its office and used bikes to do the move. This is an example of utilitarian bicycling at its best -- and having bicyclists be great role models of sustainability. Plus both the participants and the general public had a fun time!

Read the article from the 9/5/2010 San Jose Mercury News and see pictures at:
http://sanjosemercurynews.ca.newsmemory.com/publink.php?shareid=232185871
and
http://sanjosemercurynews.ca.newsmemory.com/publink.php?shareid=1ef0dca5e

Gay Rights Upheld, Prop 8 Annulled

I'm greatly relieved that logic has prevailed and CA Proposition 8 was annulled. A prejudiced and bigoted majority should not be allowed to trample civil rights -- the US is is based on the premise that "all men are created equal."

At one time majorities thought women were property, non-whites were inferior to whites, and interracial marriages were forbidden. Those strictures fell and so should discrimination against gays and lesbians. Gays and lesbians should be entitled to marry just as people of opposite sexes are entitled to marry. Furthermore, families with married couples are good for our society. Just because one family is different from another does not mean that a couple should be denied the right to have a cohesive and fully privileged family.

What a wonderful ride!!!

Our entire family (2 parents, 2 kids and 2 dogs) participated in the 2010 Challenge Bicycle Ride today -- 24 miles of quiet residential street bicycling on a beautiful Sunday morning through Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills. While the ride is over for this year, I hope more from our community will participate at next year's event.

For more please see:
http://www.challengebicycleride.org/

How CA Education Finance Works

If you would like to know more about how school financing works in California, the most lucid presentation I've found is the instructional video posted at:
http://rosenblatt.org/blog/2010/03/10/video-on-how-california-education-finance-works-and-doesnt-work/

Please check it out and learn. It is only 40 minutes and well worth it. If any of you find a better presentation, please let me know!

Our kids are our future. Education is one of the best investments we can make -- whether it be for our own kids or kids in our neighborhood. Good education is the key to keeping the US competitive, safe, clean, and economically strong. Plus it is a requirement for a democracy to function.

If you live in CA, please watch and listen to the video and become better educated. Thanks!

Health Care Bill Passes!

History has been made. Obama, Pelosi, and the Democrats have accomplished an amazing feat -- a health care bill has now passed the Senate and House. Along with Social Security and Medicaid/Medicare, this is one of the biggest accomplishments by the government for social justice in the US in the past 100 years. If implementation goes well, the Republicans (the Party of No) will be in the dog house for a very long time. If not, then the Democrats will suffer. I believe that passage of this bill is a huge positive outcome for the US and will go a long way to improve the productivity of our human resources in the US as well as reduce costs.

For more see: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_overhaul