THE COSTS OF WAR.

We know that the costs of war are ugly, horrendous deaths, as in the recent American hit that caused “collateral damage”. We have witnessed too many soldiers coming home maimed, blind, without limbs. Thousands suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Technology for artificial limbs has gone beyond anything we could have imagined just 15 years ago. Those things are all “costs of war”.  A friend of mine sent me a video where Democrat, Adam West is urging us not to trust or deal peaceably with Iran, and urging no peace agreement or nuclear disarmament with similar countries in the East.  Some Republicans are intent on eliminating Social Security and Planned Parenthood. They’ve cut food stamps for the poor.

Let us consider another cost of war. The Annual military spending: $653,110,000,000. That equates to$1.2 million per minute.

We are cutting school budgets, facing joblessness, hunger and the numbers of homeless people have increased?

Just one minute for peace, 1.2 millions dollars, could do a lot of good for our country. To quote President Eisenhower:

Every gun made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.

It was also Eisenhower who warned us of the Military Complex, that strives to thrive on war. His dire warnings have come true.

Our taxes shell out like this:  (From Obama’s budget request for 2015 in rounded numbers.)

55% Military

6.2% for Education

5.6% for Veterans Benefits

5.5% for Government

5.3 % for housing

4.9% for health

4.8% for labor

3.3% for International Affairs

3% % for Energy and Environment

2.5% for Science

2.3% for Transportation

1% for Food and Agriculture

Please take the time to urge Obama to redirect a fraction of that military budget to programs that benefit children, the elderly and all Americans. I know I don’t want 55% of my tax dollars spent on the war machine.

In the time it took you to read this, we’ve spent 1.2million dollars.

 

 

 

 

 

SOLAR, A LIGHT IN THE DARK.

When I’m home, I read the news. I probably shouldn’t because it makes me angry. So, howzit doing out there? I read where Assault Weapons have been removed from the bill to Ban Assault Weapons.  Guess the gun lobby won. Hmmm!  Why am I not surprised?

And, lets see, what was accomplished after our ten-year war with Iraq? 600,000 Iraqi civilians killed, about the same number of Iraqi children homeless; over 4,000 Americans killed with 30,000 wounded, maimed, mentally impaired. A stronger Iran, more intelligent, and highly trained terrorists with more sophisticated weaponry. Staggering cost of war of $3,000,000,000 dollars and another $3,000,000,000 in medical costs for vets yet to come; Oh, and an increased hostility to Americans around the world. Wow!  What a minus -zero accomplishment that is.

Guess we have to look at China for any good news. Washington has been tracking the Chinese Government’s stunning example of solar cooking on a large-scale. China funds parabolic sun cookers and uses carbon credit trading to encourage investors to become involved. This is not small-scale at the village level. It is a valuable resource that can significantly reduce global carbon emissions because it reduces the use of coal cookers and deforestation. It cuts fuel use by 30 to 50 per cent. Pretty nifty.

Everyone I introduce to solar cooking is awed by its ease of use. You can substitute one of the bubbly, fake aluminum windshield screens as a cooker. They work, but aren’t stable if it is windy. And, we take our fresh water for granted. Much of the world needs to pasteurize water before drinking it. Voila! The solar pasteurization kit.

The sun, it keeps on shining.