Solar or Fracking: Which energy source contaminates water, pollutes air, causes earthquakes?

by: Zappatero

Tue Dec 04, 2012 at 08:06:33 AM MST

The increasingly common practice of isdposing of oil and gas drilling wastewater by injecting it underground can trigger earthquakes, according to federal scientists who studied quakes since 1970 in Colorado and neighboring states.

Colorado authorities on Monday said they are aware of concerns about the earthquakes but questioned the U.S. Geological Survey study, saying more research needs to be done. Nonetheless, Colorado officials have been reviewing company permits to assess seismic risk since a 5.3-magnitude earthquake near Trinidad last year.

Some 330 fracking wastewater disposal wells have been drilled around Colorado. Drilling companies inject huge volumes of the brine water and chemical waste generated by hydraulic fracturing.

"This is a societal risk you need to be considering," said U.S. Geological Survey scientist Justin Rubinstein, co-author of a report to be presented this week at an American Geophysical Union gathering.

Why would we doubt USGS scientists? Because Republicans and Conservatives hate science. (Not only earth sciences, but economics, political science, biology, constitutional law, etc....)

Why do we need more time to study this? Because that will give the energy industry a further free pass on extraction activities before they are finally held responsible for their actions.

Who can we most likely thank for this timid, anti-progress policy of our state officials? John Frackenlooper and other Democrats who entertain the conservative strategy of delay, deny and obstruction on common sense policies.

Here's some info on the outstanding solar project at the People's Socialist Republic of the Air Force Academy:

The Air Force Academy officially kicked off its decade-long drive to get its power from renewable energy resources Monday, with a "switch flippin'" ceremony for a new solar array.

"This is just the tip of the energy iceberg," Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, superintendent of the academy, told a large group of local stakeholders at the dedication ceremony.

(Ok, that probably wasn't the best analogy. - z)

Gould said the solar panels, which cover 30 acres, represent the academy's first step toward a goal of getting 100 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020. The academy gets more than 11 percent of its electricity from the array, and that percentage likely will increase as the academy decreases its reliance on traditional energy sources.

The solar array could power more than 1,200 homes, said Russell Hume, the academy's energy program manager. The array will save the academy more than $1 million per year in energy costs.

No mention of earthquakes or ground water contamination.

What would Colorado's officials say about that?

Karl Rove wasted Hundreds of their Millions

by: Zappatero

Sat Nov 10, 2012 at 19:15:04 PM MST

"We know how to spend our money better than government."

- America's Millionaires and Billionaires

Karl Rove and his investors were the biggest losers on Election Day.

The Republican strategist created the model for outside money groups that raised and spent more than $1 billion on the Nov. 6 elections -- many of which saw almost no return for their money.

Rove, through his two political outfits, American Crossroads and Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, backed unsuccessful Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney with $127 million on more than 82,000 television spots, according to Kantar Media's CMAG, an ad tracker based in New York. Down the ballot, 10 of the 12 Senate candidates and four of the nine House candidates the Rove groups supported also lost their races.

These rich Republicans were so short-sighted, so greedy, so selfish that they wouldn't dare pay another cent in taxes to fix our roads, build schools or invest in new energy.

I'm almost glad they threw there money away on this hateful venture.

But I'm sure everyone, including them, knows this money would have been better spent by government on projects that would have benefited us all -- including the most greedy and hateful among us. They are still, after all, Americans like you and me....

Tomorrow's election will be a Win/"Win" for anti-science Republicans...Win or Lose

by: Zappatero

Mon Nov 05, 2012 at 10:09:18 AM MST

Those of you familiar with the fact-based universe that Democrats and Progressives (and maybe some Independents and Republicans) live in might say Stephen was stating the obvious. But for modern day Republicans, facts, reality, and history are shape-shifting pieces of a puzzle that somehow always portray their ideal Father Knows Best America (or the Socialist/Anarchist Hell that they are trying to save you from.) This is not necessarily a religious argument: many scientists and faithful are confident science and faith can peacefully coexist.

What many on this side don't understand is the benefit Republicans and their Funders derive from this ever-present antagonism to facts and how the lies are enabled by a press that wants to appear bipartisan by claiming both side's lies are equal and therefore cancel each other out:

• It allows you to lie at will, anywhere and everywhere, thereby rendering your opponent powerless to argue against the lie just spoken and the lie next in line.
• Even a hurricane of negative poll numbers for Mitt Romney can be dismissed (we don't need no stinkin' math!) or ignored as Republican supporters go so far as to predict a Romney landslide. This keeps their base engaged and lines up the next outrage over, oh God help us, "voter fraud" and the illegitimate Obama presidency that can be willfully obstructed for 4 more years.
• It is exceedingly difficult to maintain your political principles when everything but and the kitchen sink are thrown at them every day by a team of believers that is on point, relentless, and shameless.

Republican PAC documents found in Colorado meth house

by: Zappatero

Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 08:50:47 AM MST

The boxes landed in the office of Montana investigators in March 2011. Found in a meth house in Colorado, they were somewhat of a mystery, holding files on 23 conservative candidates in state races in Montana.

They were filled with candidate surveys and mailers that said they were paid for by campaigns, and fliers and bank records from outside spending groups. One folder was labeled "Montana $ Bomb."

The documents pointed to one outside group pulling the candidates' strings: a social welfare nonprofit called Western Tradition Partnership, or WTP.

Quote of the Day: Governor "Frackenlooper"

by: Zappatero

Mon Oct 22, 2012 at 17:31:46 PM MST

Colorado Governor John Frackenlooper.

Colorado Governor John Frackenlooper.

Colorado Governor John Frackenlooper.

Colorado Governor John Frackenlooper.

If all you good blog readers out there will click on one or more or all of those links, our guv's name will zoom to the top of the Google search for Hickenlooper.

The other Koch Brother, Bill from Colorado, trying to buy MA Senator Scott Brown another term

by: Zappatero

Tue Oct 16, 2012 at 16:54:50 PM MST

The candidates have made a "no Super-PAC" pledge that's been mostly successful at keeping out obscene amounts of unaccountable cash now allowed by Citizens United. The Colorado Koch is ignoring that pledge.

Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren have a no-Super-PAC pact in the Massachusetts Senate race that has kept outside groups from running television and radio ads.

But the pact hasn't stopped Super PACs from getting involved with things like mailings. Super PACs like America 360, a pro-Brown Super PAC that has spent around $200,000 in direct mail attacking Elizabeth Warren.

What else should you know about America 360? It's "funded almost entirely by an oil and coal company owned by William Koch." The PAC has a little over $50,000 in donations from three other individuals, and more than $500,000 from Oxbow Carbon, William Koch's company.

He blatantly ignores the law. Does anyone really think he'd honor this worthless pledge between a twerp Republican and a Socialist/Communist/Atheist member of the Democrat Party? The guy has oil and coal to sell and that's all there is to it.

Oxbow's Elk Creek Mine is here in Colorado.

Coloradans pay good money for that coal that burns so dirty. And by that they are also paying for the dirty money that's aimed at keeping a weak Republican in a seat once held by Edward Kennedy - a World-class Democrat.

The emergence of yet another Koch brother who, yes, owns an oil company and has created a Super PAC to support Brown with the profits of that company both reinforces Warren's attack, and provides more fuel for it.

It's getting harder and harder for Brown to pretend he's an independent player for Massachusetts.

The company he keeps will betray him every time.

As Kos says, please donate $3 to Elizabeth Warren on ActBlue. Warren's doing well, but that dirty money can pollute more than Colorado's air and streams, it could pollute the political process for years to come, from sea to shining sea.

Koch Brother Bill illegally detains employee, kidnaps from CO to CA

by: Zappatero

Sat Oct 13, 2012 at 07:47:57 AM MST

Koch, who is David Koch's twin brother, is estimated to be worth $4 billion. He previously made news by reconstructing a replica of an Old West ghost town on the isolated ranch where Martensen and his co-workers were allegedly illegally held.

Martensen had a flight booked from Aspen, but was not permitted to travel to the airport, he claims, as a local sheriff worked with Koch's employees to "make sure you don't wander off," according to the complaint.

He says he was subjected to a several-hour interrogation, fired, held against his will on the property, then forced to fly in a private plane to San Francisco, accompanied by a man he believed to be armed.

Was the sheriff in Aspen acting legally or doing the big guy a favor?

Shouldn't the former Koch employee be given whistle-blower status instead of held for illegal interrogations?

Martensen alleges he was told by his superiors that he was transferred overseas to Asia so that the Koch company could avoid paying U.S. taxes on some $200,000,000 in profits.

Bill Koch certainly is one American for Prosperity. But really, how much fucking money do these greedy bastards need to make them happy just for one minute?

Republican SoS Gessler's Corruption will Taint the next election and Suppress votes

by: Zappatero

Wed Oct 10, 2012 at 08:40:39 AM MST

First let me say plainly and clearly: Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler is corrupt. He meets all 4 primary definitions according to Merriam-Webster (both of whom must have been librul!)

cor·rup·tion noun kə-ˈrəp-shən\

Definition of CORRUPTION

1
a : impairment of integrity, virtue, or moral principle : depravity (Check!)
b : decay, decomposition ((Check!)
c : inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means (Check!)
d : a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct (Check!)

The Denver Post reports on Gessler's ongoing corruption today:

"We have all hands on deck from our IT division," said Andrew Cole, a spokesman for Gessler.
On Monday, the site had 85,000 visits, Cole said, double the daily traffic a week ago and five times the daily number averaged in September.

Tuesday was the last day to register to vote for the Nov. 6 general election, and Democrats angrily complained the website had repeatedly crashed the past several days.

Gessler is a Republican.

If we're using angry adjectives, let's add "corrupt" and "incompetent", eh, Post?

"For months, Secretary of State Gessler has been focused on diversions and purging lawful voters from the rolls instead of doing his job to ensure Coloradans have the opportunity to vote," said Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Rick Palacio.

Lazy, he said/she said reporting by the Post will be rightly criticized.

"Coloradans are potentially being disenfranchised in a historic election because he has not handled the most basic duties of his office."

"Incompetence by elected officials is no justification for denying citizens their right to vote."

Scott Gessler: Mission Accomplished! The next election has been thrown into question by your abject incompetence and plain-to-see corruption.

Can the Koch Brothers profit from the ocean's current?

by: Zappatero

Mon Sep 17, 2012 at 07:00:00 AM MST

Ocean tides supplying energy for U.S. power grid:

PORTLAND, Maine — Energy officials in Maine say a tidal power project is delivering electricity to the U.S. power grid for the first time.

Bangor Hydro Electric Co. operates the grid where the tidal power connects. It says Portland-based Ocean Renewable Power Co.’s first underwater turbine was delivering to the grid the first commercially produced tidal power on Thursday afternoon. 

The energy revolution will continue no matter the selfish desires of the Koch Brothers. Although, like the Royal Gorge scenic tour train, soon to be moved from Cañon City, one of them could buy the project and mothball it in order to keep their coal mines supplying us with their dirty fuel for many years to come.

Let's hope the Free Market fails them on this one... 

The Grand Old, Very Old Party

by: Zappatero

Fri Sep 14, 2012 at 11:02:03 AM MST

And yes, I'm taking into account "independents" who, with just a little explanation and convincing by our "leaders", would probably finally make up their minds.

If we could only make all them watch it........

Focus on the Family layoffs: where are the Koch Brothers when you need them?

by: Zappatero

Sat Sep 01, 2012 at 08:48:57 AM MST

David Koch has millions to back up his free speech goals, but it doesn't seem like he gives a flying rat's patoutie about the social issues.

He what's his and get yours in the process........morals be damned.

UPDATE: SoS Scott "Koch Whore*" Gessler's Big-Time fail on Voter "Fraud" - Denver Post weighs in...

by: Zappatero

Wed Aug 29, 2012 at 15:58:22 PM MST

Here's the headline and lede from the Denver Post on Scott Gessler's racially-motivated, ALEC-inspired and Koch Brothers-funded, full-time effort to deny Colorado's Citizens and Democrats their Right to Vote:

88% of challenged Colorado voters are U.S. citizens, check shows

At least 88 percent of the approximately 1,400 suspected noncitizens run through a federal database by the Colorado Secretary of State's office were determined to be U.S. citizens, and are therefore eligible to vote.

The office is looking further at the remaining roughly 168 people, but that list may also include people who are citizens, said Michael Hagihara of the state's elections division.

The truth is that these highly questionable actions by the Secretary of State (for all of Colorado's Voters, by they way) are what have compromised our elections and will cause citizens to hesitate in exercising their Constitutionally Ordained Right to Vote.

Mission Accomplished: Scott Gessler, Divisive Partisan and Corrupt Public Servant.

UPDATE: The Post adds some much-needed sanity to the discussion:

Here's what you get when you act bipartisan with today's Republicans

by: Zappatero

Tue Aug 21, 2012 at 16:29:25 PM MST

And this is what you get:

"The president has not earned reelection in 2012."

As Ed Schultz says, "we've seen this movie before."

If Democrats, and President Obama, continues to falsely believe he can negotiate in good faith with Republicans, and can trust their political motives, then "fool me once......"

Koch Brothers and Others hit the intellectual wall on Climate Change Denial

by: Zappatero

Sat Jul 28, 2012 at 22:58:19 PM MST

Three years ago I identified problems in previous climate studies that, in my mind, threw doubt on the very existence of global warming. Last year, following an intensive research effort involving a dozen scientists, I concluded that global warming was real and that the prior estimates of the rate of warming were correct. I'm now going a step further: Humans are almost entirely the cause.

The single biggest funder of this study is the "Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation ($150,000)." The Kochs are the leading funder of climate disinformation in the world!

Our results show that the average temperature of the earth's land has risen by two and a half degrees Fahrenheit over the past 250 years, including an increase of one and a half degrees over the most recent 50 years. Moreover, it appears likely that essentially all of this increase results from the human emission of greenhouse gases.

These findings are stronger than those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations group that defines the scientific and diplomatic consensus on global warming.

UPDATE/CAVEAT: False Evidence is not necessarily needed to provide support for climate change deniers. It only helps them justify holding a belief clearly counter to reality.

Oklahoma drought worsening.

Republican Senator from Oklahoma James Inhofe writes a book saying God approves of his climate change denial.

Here's Oklahoma's other dumass Senator Tom Coburn:

Environmental scientists from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are stepping up to defend their research on greenhouse gas emissions in the dairy industry. The defense follows an attack from Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), who claims that the researchers' "cow burp" study is a waste of government dough. The conservative Oklahoma Republican ranked the UNH study as number 58 in the "Wastebook" report released last week, his yearly catalog of what he considers the 100 most "wasteful" federally funded projects.

But what Sen. Coburn fails to understand in his glib appraisal of the research is how critical the study is not only to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also helping farmers and businesses involved with the dairy industry.

And my usual reminder: these are the morans that our two Democratic Senators are dying to be bipartisan with.

American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Exempt from CO Lobbying Laws

by: Zappatero

Wed May 09, 2012 at 08:42:29 AM MST

[I]n at least three separate states, legislation was passed exempting ALEC from lobbying laws. Via Mother Jones:

It could take several years for the IRS to decide whether ALEC is indeed a lobbying group required to register and disclose how much it spends on influencing legislation. But in three states - South Carolina, Indiana, and Colorado - ALEC has quietly, and by name, been specifically exempted from rules for lobbyists.

(c)  Section 2-3-311 (2), Colorado Revised Statutes, declares that the council of state governments, the national conference of state legislatures, the energy council, and the American legislative exchange council are each a joint governmental agency to which the general assembly or its members may subscribe and for which membership fees or certain meeting expenses may be paid from legislative appropriations;

Maybe one of the bills sponsors - BY SENATOR(S) Cadman, Morse, Penry; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Weissmann, Kerr J., Labuda, Lambert, Todd - or our esteemed Secretary of State Scott Gessler, who should be quite familiar with ALEC, can explain the intricacies of the law to us rubes in Bloggerlandia.

You don't say: Radical R Gov. Scott Walker born in Springs

by: Zappatero

Thu Apr 12, 2012 at 14:20:14 PM MST

Radical Republican Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin was born in Colorado Springs, Colo., but was raised in the small Wisconsin city of Delavan, where about 8,500 people currently live.

We could sweep away decades of debris, buy out the trailer parks, junkyards and slaughterhouses that line the creek, and create a linear park from Manitou to America the Beautiful Park. We could have a streetcar system and rebuild parts of downtown to attract those young adults moving to Colorado - but it would cost a lot of money.

So we won't. We think small, we act small.

Recall Secretary of State Scott Gessler?

by: Zappatero

Fri Mar 30, 2012 at 18:42:36 PM MST

"Colorado's Republican Leader, Secretary of State Scott Gessler, has once again prioritized his partisan agenda above the rights of Coloradans to vote. If Scott Gessler is unwilling to fulfill his duties as a non-partisan election officer, the people of Colorado should consider all avenues necessary to remove him as Secretary of State."

[...]

"Gessler has now shown exactly where he is coming from - his intention is to keep people from getting ballots," he said.

There is now a Facebook page for people who want Scott Gessler to be removed from office.

Google "scott gessler troop vote" just to see what kind of advocate for the voter he is, and I'm sure you'll agree a recall is in order for this 2-Bit, Koch Whore*.

(* - Open records request for all communications between AEI, AFP Colorado, The Tea Party™, Koch Industries, The American Legislateive Exchange Council (ALEC), and Scott Gessler's Official and Campaign offices is pending. Oh, and apologies to all non-partisan, self-respecting whores everywhere.)

Gessler's false statements baffle County Clerks, not Mike Rosen

by: Zappatero

Mon Mar 12, 2012 at 13:28:19 PM MST

The unethical acts and false claims of our Republican Secretary of State, Scott Gessler, Colorado's Ambassador to Kochistan and its ALEC-written laws, have proven baffling even to Republican County Clerks around the state:

"I really have no idea what he is talking about," Republican Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Sheila Reiner told the Colorado Independent.

Reiner was referring to allegations made again recently by Secretary of State Scott Gessler that non-citizens are registered to vote in the state. Reiner said she has asked Gessler in the past to share what he knows so that she and the other clerks in the state can address any potential problem. She said that, in roughly the year that has passed since he first brought up the issue, details from Gessler's office have not materialized.

"I asked for the lists when I first heard about this. I haven't gotten any information. I just don't know," she said.

There's no valid reason not to protect the integrity of our voting process with an inexpensive, basic technology like a photo ID. And contrary to the hollow, contrived, self-serving objections of the deniers, there's no reasonable downside.

Rosen is wrong. The Wisconsin judge reminded us of our Founders:

"A government that undermines the very foundation of its existence - the people's inherent, pre-constitutional right to vote - imperils its legitimacy as a government by the people, for the people, and especially of the people."

There is a downside, and it is not reasonable. These photo ID laws have and will disenfranchise soldiers, the elderly, recent immigrants, the poor and others. To an almost non-existent problem Republican Legislators and voting officials continue to propose this onerous fix. Rabid partisans like Rosen amplify their lies. But when those who administer elections at the local level, even Republicans, see no problem, then we know that those like Gessler and "Mouthpiece" Mike Rosen should move on, and let everyone who wants to vote legally vote.

We might even get a competent Secretary of State out of the deal.

Thanking Koch Whores from Ohio and Elsewhere

by: Zappatero

Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 16:06:54 PM MST

Last night, Ohioans soundly turned back an assault on worker's rights, defeating Issue 2 with 61% of the vote, and repealing the anti-labor SB 5. And they did it with a broad coalition, which points to a total reversal of the voting bloc that brought Governor John Kasich to power in 2010. It could have long-lasting implications for 2012 and beyond.

Guy Molyneux of Hart Research did polling last night for the AFL-CIO on Issue 2. And he released some eye-popping numbers on a conference call. Independents favored No on 2 by a 57-43 margin. This group voted for John Kasich in 2010, according to exit polls, by a 59-41 margin, a reversal of 32 points. And the numbers were even starker among working-class white voters. They went No on 2 with 61% of the vote, the same share as the overall electorate. In 2010, that group voted 57-43 for Kasich, a 36-point difference. White working class voters only give Kasich a 41% approval rating. Overall, 66% of Ohioans favor collective bargaining.

That is a sea change in electoral politics in the course of just one year. Labor took over 90% of Democrats and 30% of Republicans in their broad coalition, along with 57% of independents.

Barack Obama won Colorado last time out, and he had some very healthy coattails. But the President and many or our local pols forgot very quickly what got them into office - and why voters put them there.

Ohio should be a very clear reminder of that very recent history for elected Democrats who have gotten elected on base Democratic principles - yet forgotten them once sworn in to office.  

Coloradans blame oil companies, market speculation for high gas prices

by: checks-and-balances

Tue Aug 23, 2011 at 13:30:03 PM MST

The Checks and Balances Project commissioned Colorado pollster Chris Keating to conduct research that shows that 79 percent of Coloradans favor a crackdown on oil price speculation and market manipulation to reduce gas prices. The survey showed 77 percent of Colorado voters think reducing oil consumption through efficiency would be an effective way to reduce prices.

"Coloradans are tired of paying for their gas twice: once at the pump and again through their taxes," said Matt Garrington of the Checks and Balances Project. "It's clear car and truck drivers in this state want solutions to this problem now, including a crackdown on market manipulation, a balanced approach to energy development and an end to taxpayer handouts for oil companies."  

Coloradans strongly favor ending taxpayer subsidies for oil companies. Seventy-two percent of Coloradans say ending oil company subsidies and transferring them to companies that are developing wind and solar power would be an effective strategy for the nation.

"It's time for oil and gas companies to stand on their own two feet," said Garrington. "Coloradans understand that we simply can't afford to pay billions in taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil. It is simply immoral to continue the Big Oil gravy train when Americans have been asked to sacrifice billions in cuts to Medicare."

To reduce gas prices seven of 10 Coloradans favor diversification of the sources of energy by creating a national renewable electricity standard that requires 20 percent of electricity to come from sources like solar, wind and geothermal power.

The live telephone poll conducted May 24-26, 2011 by Keating Research, Inc. as an internal messaging survey. It was released to the public on the eve of the Americans for Prosperity "Running on Empty" Colorado tour stops that promote increased oil drilling. The Checks and Balances Project criticized the group as a front for Big Oil and noted that billionaire oil refinery tycoons David and Charles Koch fund the organization.

"The Americans for Prosperity tour is running on empty ideas. Instead of investing our energy dollars into drilling deeper and putting Colorado land and water at risk, we need to build cars that can go further on a gallon of gasoline and to tap into the clean energy of the wind and sun - energy sources we have right here in Colorado that never run out," said Garrington.

Results of the survey were based on 603 interviews with registered Colorado voters statewide. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.