From the failure of Copenhagen to the ecolocaust in the Gulf of Mexico

Perhaps Bolivian president Evo Morales is right. Perhaps our Capitalist system will end up destroying not only our Arctic habitat but also most of the ecosystems in the planet. Yet, what is required is simple: corporations have to be accountable both in social end environmental terms. Their actions must require first citizens' informed approval. Capital, money alone has no morals, no sense of community. And money does not make more money. People make money and give value to it. If money could make money on its own, you would be able to leave a 20 dollar bill on your night table before going to sleep and, oh miracle! in the morning you'll find not 20 but 40 $. But it doesn't happen like this. People create value with their work. And who is the investor? Why is he so revered? Now in the process of making more money, Capitalism is actually destroying the very source of prosperity: working people in the Gulf of Mexico, now deprived of their means of subsistence.

THIS BEAR IS BACK

Imagine for a moment being left in a cage for a long time (or losing your password to enter to your blog). I was there for a while. A public thanks to Willa, a reader whose message allowed me to recover my password.
There's much to say about Canadian politics at this moment. One thing is clear from this clear Arctic latitudes, apparently Canadians do not know how parliamentary democracy functions according to Westminster rules.
There is the current primer minister, Stephen Harper, who doesn't know how a minority government functions (i.e. he has to have the support of the members in the House of Commons), says nasty things about Quebeckers (i.e. their votes do not have the value of the rest of Canadians across the country, nor their elected members deserve the same respect as the rest of the parliamentarians), and tries to pitch Anglophone Canadians against Francophones in Quebec on the issue of national unity.
Perhaps Mr. Harper is confused. Perhaps he thinks he was elected as El Presidente. Maybe he thinks that because one in four Canadians voted Conservative, he is entitled to govern and dictate as he pleases. Maybe he wants us to ignore the fact that six Canadians out of ten did not vote for him. From my point of view, closing the House of Commons is a desperate act of cowardice. it's buying time to spread lies (yes, there were not one but two Canadian flags in the ceremony where the Opposition signed the basis of a coalition) in order to retain power at all costs.
Harper thought that he had the Liberals against the ropes. Or that the New Democrats were a spent force. At the end of the day Harper was blinded by his ferocious arrogance and right-wing ideology. This is no good for bears like us. It is better to spend 300 million in another election than live under the rule of a despot. What is sad, and dangerous for the Environment, is that Canadians, due to their lack on information and weak commitment to respect the Earth, are quite capable to give a majority to Harper, the big oil man, Harper, the Repugblican.

BAIRD IN BALI

As much as I want to keep silent and admire what is left of this vast, cold and beautiful Arctic world of mine, I can't help to see the jaw that chatters nonsensically in Ottawa. "We won't do anything until the US does something for the environment" is the motto of the pathetic conservatives now in Government. Such is the tirade we have to endure from the succesor of Donna Ambrose as Minister of the Environment. Now the clattery yapada-yipidi comes out from John Baird's big mouth and tiny brain. Where is his brain? Doesn't he know that a toothpick has more concern for the planet than George Bush?