Some People Express Themselves More Cleverly Than Others
Remarkably, there are still people who believe that America’s in its heyday, the swamp is being drained, that the U.S. is headed in the right direction, and that it’s well-regarded on the world stage.
The rest of us, perhaps 70% of the electorate, can’t wait for this presidential administration to be over. We live each day hoping for more indictments. Oh please, Bob. Please! Do it now. Never put off for tomorrow what you can do today. How we choose to express our beliefs, however, takes many different forms. I blog, write to my representatives, deliver consulting services to cleantech companies at discounted rates, and participate in meetings on energy and the environment..all fairly standard, and perhaps relatively uninteresting stuff.
The couple pictured here, however, choose Halloween to express their grievances in a very poetic way. Look at the detail at went into this, from the bruises and grime, to the orange hand, to the sullen looks and crutches. That’s really well done.
The only change I would make for accuracy: the hand needs to be smaller.
Craig,
Cheer up, you do seem to be very out of sorts with the world !
In your last three posts you seem to be wandering in a wilderness of bleak despair, covering your head against malovent skies, wearing sack cloth and ashes while ferociously flagellating yourself crying;
“Woe is us, Woe, woe to unworthy mankind ! Doom DOOM ! Doom is upon us all I tells ya ! It the Eve of Destruction for the era of mankind”!
I was so alarmed at the prospect of such a bleak future, I arose and went to check it out for myself.
Well, the weather here in Helena, Montana is pretty bleak, but the New York steak at Lucca’s restaurant is excellent and well worth braving the elements to enjoy.
Since this is the first time I, or my companion, have visited Montana, I fear we’re not seeing the state at it’s best. The hardy souls we meet frequently the local bars and boutique breweries are friendly and welcoming, so the weather doesn’t really matter.
Last week we visited Signal Peak Energy’s Montana coal mine to learn more about the Court battle between the mine owners and a consortium of environmental activists.
U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy’s eventual ruling prevented any large scale lay-offs and allowed the mine to continue expanding.
(Signal Peak is Montana’s only underground coal mine producing over 8 million clean tonnes per year).
I also learned some interesting little known aspects of how coal mining impacts on the economy and environment of Montana.
Montana’s coal contributes about $ 3 billion in tax revenue and royalties. Montana’s Native American’s received $ 164,453,081 in 2016 from Coal producers for projects such as schools, health clinics and Bison preservation.
Another interesting little known statistic is the revival of Bison breeding projects. Once 30 million bison roamed in Montana where today only 2.5 million cattle graze. (buffalo eat, drink and emit 4-5 times that of cattle)
Craig, when you’re feeling things are getting worse, not better, just think to yourself only 130 years ago the Civil War hero, General Sheridan was urging Congress:
” Kill every buffalo you can! Every buffalo dead is an Indian gone.”
It wasn’t just the poor old buffalo that were being exterminated but the plains Indians !
Today, in Montana, ranchers, miners and Native Americans are united in restoring the buffalo.
It’s easy to become obsessed with the downside of any issue. Often if you look past your prejudices, you discover the silver lining.
My young American companion has become very adept at raising money for one of my more long terms projects, the development of a vaccination against Brucellosis. The fear of Brucellosis is one of the primary reasons for bison culls.
Research is difficult and expensive, but with the sort of generous support, donations and investment received from Montana Mining companies, we hope to soon achieve a breakthrough.
Like I say, silver linings 🙂