TheVoiceOfJoyce

1. 9/1/13 NY TIMES: Facing fire over challenge to Louisiana’s Oil industry.Panel’s lawsuit over wetlands stirs tensions. Studies of the State’s catastrophic loss of 2000 square miles of marsh lands , which had provided a buffer against hurricanes, show that oil and gas activity has come at a steep price. While the State reaps oil and gas profits, the 10,000 miles of pipelines has decreased marshland by 36%. Profit vs Environmental Protection; a debate that’s beginning to happen here and in China, as the World acknowledges that disturbing our environment will have disastrous effects on our ability to survive . If people can no longer reclaim their land, mitigate the disastrous effects of fossil fuels, what good is economic solvency? We have choices.

2. 9/1/13 NY TIMES. A replacement to the ” pot holder, remember those squares, produced in the 40’s , 50’s ? Now 2000 lbs of Rubber Bands , and one big success! ( Young kids do make rubber band bracelets, they wear them, they sell them. It’s a win win.). Cheong Choon Ng, designed Rainbow Looms, a craft kit that turns mini colored rubber bands, which are assembled on a loom , into individually patterned bracelets, Sales zoomed when online marketing was coupled with a video showing assembly possibilities. It appears that anyone can become one of the top ” toys” of 2013, or any year. Observe your environment and produce. We always have choices.

3.9/1/13 NY TIMES. Income Gap grows wider ( and faster). According to Lawrence Katz of Harvard our self inflicted wounds of austerity are exacerbating things. Examples abound: firemen and police do menial jobs, like setting up barricades, accruing overtime, while the long term unemployed could do these jobs. Then there is the good news; Laid off Bankers are Re- training after years of sitting on the fence. Now some are seeking new education to become experts in data security and forensics. Realizing there are no jobs in larger Corporations, people are looking for niches. It takes time, money and flexibility to Re- train, but it’s happening. We have a choice.

4.9/1/13. NY TIMES Weather and violence: LOL. 2 scientists at Berkeley have published a compendium of research in Science, one of the most respected Scientific Journals, on the impact of higher temperatures on civil conflicts. Many disciplines have concluded that a rise in temperature of 3.6 degrees in the next 50 years will lead to civil conflicts in 50% of the Globe. Time to tackle policy decisions now, because our children and grandchildren will inherent a very limited and inhospitable World, if we don’t. These thoughts are based on my readings to date which may be echoed when the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issues it’s report next year. Questions and debate to shape our future can’t start soon enough! We have choices.