Mike:

Here, in Houston, and I am an "expert" on this, the ozone levels are near toxic. My hood, fortunately, is upwind and far away! Carbon facilities are required to report point source emissions, a so called "Emissions Inventory". But in many cases they report, especially at some types of large facilities, less than half because they know the regulators fail (or will not do) the audits. Many of the regulator's are state civil servants and are in bed with the poluters hoping for an exit to a high paying private sector job.

The evamgelical movement started with Reagan era 12 step programs for alcoholics (and other addictions: drugs and food). Back in the eighties, the fish icon on a car was an indication that the driver had completed a one of the programs. Charter (religious schools popped up) and in poorer school districts, soccer coaches were teaching algebra and trig (all the math teachers were writing software). Performance was down, and some of the public schools capitulated and began instead, to divide students up into the college bound student and the fast food/service worker student.

Inside those schools there were "your special" posters on the wall, instead of pictures of the space program and techinal achievmants. Many of the teachers gave up (no wonder the most important job in the world, a teacher. does not pay - school funding is for buildings - a reward to contractors supporters of elected officials)

So schools moved from a "building for tomorrow" theme, to an "accept your place in life" theme. Academics became less compeditive. The goal was to move the kids through the system.

We are fortunate to live in a hood with an upscale school district. Friends from a city west of here, send their children to a "church" school. Thier kids are about 2 years behind the level of children here.

At PTA meetings, in our old district, they start off with a head bow and a prayer (that really upset me). Those were the schools preparing future generations for a job at McDonalds. In our new district - it's down to business. Building educated children and making them compete is what it is all about. I am lucky - I was able to move from that situation. Many parents are not.

Yes I saw on BBC and CBC/NWI Americans kicking down doors and looking for "Ali Babbas". They (US GIs) thought it a cool racial slur, but, anyone who has read a "1001 Arabian Nights", knows Ali Baba is a clever and cunning hero.

Then, last weekend, before the election, I finally saw Moore's 911. I was sad, embarassed and angry. The soldiers are obvioulsly cranked up on meth and are killing without regard for humanity. The Brits had a few bad moments too.

Yet the media continues to call the "resistance" (citizens fighting against occupation) "insurgents" (citizens fighting against their government). The government in Iraq is not Iraq's government. It is a "junta" of Oligarchcal American Bomb and Oil appointees.

And it's hard to talk about it with many people. The evangelicals read from the script the preacher gave them and turn a blind eye to the truth.

The cancer in america society will have to complete its mastitization and destroy this "cult" of savage ignorance from the inside.

America is running out of money - we are at record trade and borrowing deficits. We have been shunned by prospective stake holders. The Arab states can sell all the oil they got to China. We have become the trailer-trash-bully that no one pays attention too. We will leave Iraq with our tails between our legs sooner than later. The resistance in Iraq is commited, and the dunce king without clothes is so bent on cutting taxes and social programs that fiscal support for this genocide is dwindleing to nothing at an amazing pace.

We still have JPL. But Tom Delays ("I am a Christian Zionist") district (the NASA community) has not seen a shuttle flight in years. The russians (thanks) are ferrying supplies and astronauts to the space shuttle. It really seems the American Dream has become a pipe dream preparing prospects for a twelve step dance into christain fundalmentalism.