The worlds’ oldest profession global pimping BP styleQuestPoint

The last time I checked I didn’t see undergraduate or graduate programs being offered in pimping although on Saturday Night Live Eddie Murphy teaches a class “How to be a Ho.” Most parents don’t exactly encourage their children to go into the field. It ‘s not listed next to environmental engineer in college catalogs. Yet somehow through the ages the “life” goes on. The Hughes Brothers film “American Pimp” chronicled the business in a very interesting way as did the unglamorous portrayal of that life in the Academy Award winning film “Hustle and Flow.”

Why someone would sell their body is a real personal decision. At the street level when someone decides they want to leave the worlds’ oldest profession you can expect the reply from the pimp isn’t going to be one of support. In fact it could get real nasty. One might be bribed with more money, gifts, trips, cars, condos clothes and more depending on the level the game is being played. Or their family and friends could be threatened, beaten or even worst. No pimp or pusher wants to give up their money makers. And make no mistake they’ll do everything to keep their “ho’s in check.”

For those who want to break out many fail and never leave…why? Is it fear and habit? Are you getting the symbolism with corporate pimp BP and we their “customers?” For decades now every new American President talks about breaking our national addiction to oil. Before the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico many Americans could have cared less about the ecological effects of pollution. So a few birds got oiled down – but now that the economic effects are wiping out entire communities people are beginning the rethink the vice like grip that oil has on our society. From wars, pollution and corruption its effects are metaphysically tragic. Reports are now coming in that it’s raining oil in Louisiana and as the upcoming hurricane season rolls in we have no way of determining just how devastating this could become. This is the worst catastrophic environmental event in US history.

In some communities pimping is perverselyrevered because those in it are improvising in response to the lack of choice, however in the world of energy we do have a choice…or do we? More electric vehicles are being introduced and renewable energy such as solar, wind, and wave are available and viable now. It’s hard to accept the long dark history that our country and others around the world have been pimped and punked into oil consumption, a toxic and dangerous source of energy. Make no mistake about it… getting away from it isn’t going to be easy. If there was an award for Global Pimp of the year I wonder if Tony Hayward President of BP would win? See the comedy video clip from I’m Gonna Get You Sucka.

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Urban Farming Comes to Vancouver as Chicken By-Law Passed

Vancouver residents can now keep a small number of chickens in their backyards. The initiative has plenty of supporters as well as numerous detractors.

On June 8, 2010, Vancouver city council passed a by-law that will permit Vancouver, British Columbia residents to keep up to four chickens in a coop. The by-law had been much discussed and maligned over the past year prior to its’ quiet approval by council. Despite some vociferous opposition to the plan, Vancouver joins a growing list of North American cities to jump on the urban farming bandwagon. Kansas City also recently voted to change rules encouraging residents to turn lawns and vacant lots into food sources.

The approval of backyard chicken coops in Vancouver highlights the movement towards urban and sustainable farming and the increased desire of people to know where the food they eat comes from. The movement is so popular that the subject of raising chickens has its’ own book in the Dummies series.

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Antonio Roman-Alcalá of In Search of Good Food

Urban Farming Debate at The Hub SoMa in San Francisco

In Search of Good Food

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MEGAN EPLER WOOD

Ecotourism Icon

Megan Epler Wood Launching

Environmental Management of International Tourism Development at Harvard Extension

Listen Here

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Intersolar North America

Taking place from July 13-15 in San Francisco’s Moscone Center West Hall, promotes the development of business opportunities throughout the U.S. solar industry. More than 550 U.S.-based and international exhibitors and 20,000 trade visitors are expected.

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EPRI and SolarCity to Install Photovoltaic Rooftop Research System

PALO ALTO, Calif. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and SolarCity®, a national leader in solar financing, design, installation, monitoring and related services, announced a project today that will install a 187-kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) research system at the institute’s headquarters.

The SolarCity PV rooftop system is expected to produce more than 7.3 million kWh over the next 30 years and offset about 11 percent of EPRI’s annual power usage at its four-building research campus. When completed in mid-August, it will be the second largest solar installation in Palo Alto .

The PV array will facilitate EPRI’s research on a low-carbon generation portfolio in which solar and other renewables, such as wind and biomass, will play an increasing role in the future. It is expected to provide real-time data on electricity generated that will be used to measure the impact of variability on a distribution system. Additionally, it will supply power-quality data that could be used for distribution circuit analysis and assessment of optimized performance levels.

“The SolarCity system will help us better understand distributed resources and how we can reliably integrate them into distribution systems,” said EPRI President and CEO Steve Specker. “This project is a key part of our sustainability program to reduce our carbon footprint, and clearly demonstrates how we can address environmental goals in a cost-effective manner.”

SolarCity estimates that over the next 30 years, the system will offset the production of more than 4.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide, a leading contributor to climate change. It is also expected to offset the release of significant amounts of compounds and particulates that contribute to smog, acid rain and can cause asthma and other respiratory ailments. The system will be financed through a power purchase agreement with SolarCity.

About the Electric Power Research Institute

The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public.

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GREEN FOR ALL

Dirty Energy Independence Week July 1 – July 7th, 2010

This July, Green For All IS ASKING YOU TO TAKE ACTION: SIGN UP AT:

Dirty Energy Independence Week of Action:

President Obama gave an address about the BP oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico — and what it teaches us about America’s economic and ecological future.
President Obama has heard and joined our call for bold, decisive action to clean up
the spill and build a safe, clean-energy future for the Gulf region and for America.
Now, we must help him and Congress turn his words into the change we need.