Polar Bear Tragedy

Siberian tigers, frogs, bees, mountain gorillas,    holy balls I could go on for quite awhile!

It has been said by those of supposedly superior intellect, that the Earth is going through a cyclic change! Give me a break, NOBODY wants to take responsiblity for their actions, that is all it boils down to. If anyone feels like debating this subject, bring it on. Homo Sapiens have raped and pillaged the Earth and now the sins of the fathers are rearing their ugly heads, and it is cyclic?

Life will not break your heart, it'll crush it.

The pain I feel when I see blatant misuse and abuse of natural resources and the flora and fauna is immeasurable.

You can't swallow what I'm thinkin'!

Animals are much more adaptable than humans.  They don't get all tied up with who thinks what about whatever and they don't use money to measure their wealth.  The habitat for bears is changing and causing them to "compete" for their right to survive.  Polar bears are now cross-breeding with Grizzlie bears. Quite a mating feat. Two white Grizzlies have been identified (shot - the natives eat them).

As for Government programs to save the world, I'm really not impressed.  Unless it gets the rubber in contact with the road they are a disgusting waste.  They keep the money moving around in the pockets of the people who don't want change. It's a whole army of brain dead zombies with big egos and fancy life styles, who can't afford to upset their bosses and their social positions. Unfortunately, our civilization has created so many defense mechanisms, change may not happen until the present system collapses.  If it didn't have all the controls it would not exist because it would change into something else, but with globalization and the depleation of so many resources, it may be possible for some alternative management structures to get a toe hold. 

We are hoping that the failure will be gradual so the good parts of the present system can rebuild the failing parts of the old, but, more than likely one part will take down the whole house of cards.  You can't just shoot all the stupid people and order the cars off the road.

Governments should be investing in the alternative systems: the hardware that produce power, but they don't because the alternatives can not be "controlled" and used to pay off old debts. The power structure gets really upset with alternatives.

I wonder what will be the better way of dividing the spoils.

ctyankee said:

"NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) -- is a group of lawyers,
lobbyists, (con-men?) that funneled $75million to 300 or so 'staff' for
an average of $250,000 each. In other words they do nothing except to control our freedoms. They
seek to perpetuate their influence with out putting forth anything
constructive. They have funded no research, except photo sessions. They have conducted no scientific experiments other than analyzing data without making predictions, except doom & gloom."

I would be interested to know where you got your figures? If you take their operating expenses for 2007, roughly 74 million, and separate out the percentage used for "Environmental programs", which includes the legislative and scientific branches as well as public education and member services, you come up with approximately 59 million. Divide that by the 350 employees and you get 168K - and that is assuming there is NO public education, member services, or anything else besides salaries.

Wikipedia states that the NRDC employs scientists as well as attorneys and "other specialists". From Wikipedia:

"The NRDC lobbies Congress and other public officials for a public policy that promotes conservation of the natural and built environment. The NRDC works against urban sprawl, pollution, and habitat destruction, and promotes actions to mitigate global warming and increase the use of renewable energy. It also sometimes files suit in federal court against corporations and government agencies for violations of the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act. Other operations carried out by the NRDC include public education and sponsorship of scientific studies.

NRDC was also one of the only major national environmental
organizations to become and stay involved with community activists on
the ground in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. (They did a study on the Environmental quality of New Orleans after Katrina.)

The NRDC has also published a number of studies on nuclear weapon stockpiles around the world, both as monographs and as individual studies in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

It has issued a report on the health effects arising from the September 11, 2001 attacks"

I wouldn't be so quick to write them off as useless, as you seem to be doing. Not everything is black and white. I do not know the true story of the Polar bears (sorry, Francine!), but if you take a look at either Wikipedia or the NRDC, perhaps you will find that the the NRDC is actually doing a lot of good. BTW - they are also non-partisan and not-for-profit. I, for one, am glad someone is fighting against this administration's attempt at systematic destruction of our environment and natural resources for the sake of the almighty dollar.

Sorry Francine,

  But I agree with the talk show host. What you've seen are some carefully arranged naturalist photos, carefully selected to garner sympathy for the "poor unfortunate polar bears" The same way relief organizations use pictures of the most pathetic children in Africa to guilt $$$ out of gullible donors.

  The bears can and do swim for miles, that's how they hunt.  Show me a photo of a dessicated bear corpse on an ice flo and the photo will at least have a little credibility.

  What level of hubris does it take to assume that out political leaders can or will accomplish *anything* that will affect polar bears, when that can't even protect US citizens from illegal aliens that scoff our laws, kill out people thru negligence, anger, greed, rage, for drugs, because of alcohol, gangs, territory, etc...

  These are clear and present dangers to out way of life!  And do-good-ers like DiCaprio, Penn, Baldwin, et. al. preach and lecture us about how we are failing to do the right thing.

  I found this link: http://entertainment.ivillage.com/slideshow/entertainment/environmental_hypocrites/ with a Google search.  I'm not saying that what they're saying is wrong, but actions speak louder than words.

  You also cited 2 different groups:

  NRDA Natural Resource Damage Assessment -- is a government site and agency of DARPA

  NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) -- is a group of lawyers, lobbyists, (con-men?) that funneled $75million to 300 or so 'staff' for an average of $250,000 each.

In other words they do nothing except to control our freedoms.  They seek to perpetuate their influence with out putting forth anything constructive. 

They have funded no research, except photo sessions. 

They have conducted no scientific experiments other than analyzing data without making predictions, except doom & gloom.

They publicize recommendations that have been common knowledge for generations: Keep your car tuned, lower thermostats in winter, raise them in summer.

  So if you see this as a good use of funds, then by all means, support more lawyers and celebs that make 5x, 10x, 1000x more than the average person they claim to be helping.

  You asked what we think, that's my $0.02