CEDAR RAPIDS— Vehicular transportation is required when a person lives in rural Iowa. Horses and bicycles won’t do, so there are trucks and cars. A year ago I bought a 1997 Subaru Outback Legacy to get me around, and it has been a serviceable vehicle. It was popular in its day, and remains so.
Most repairs can be effected by a mechanic in town, but a few items require the dealership support of trained mechanics, certified parts and the latest diagnostics. It’s an example of accessing the global supply chain and technical support staff. I seldom, if ever, want to make the trip, but am there now, using ultra slow WiFi to connect to the Internet while I wait.
The days are filling up with activities, but the whole system depends, upon getting around and hauling stuff with me. At least there is coffee.
LAKE MACBRIDE— The winter of thinking and planning is over, leaving the doing and its requisite long days and short nights.
Yesterday began at 5 a.m. with finishing my newspaper article about the forestry meeting in town. Afterward, I spent a couple of hours at the farm, worked a shift at the warehouse, and attended a meeting about the global roll out of a nuclear abolition initiative with Rotary International. I returned home at 9:30 p.m. It was a long day.
Rotary International is engaged in its final work to eradicate polio around the world. What’s next for them may be working with others to bring an end to nuclear weapons. I signed up as one of three Iowa speakers for International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War, and its U.S. affiliate, Physicians for Social Responsibility, as we seek to engage Rotary Clubs worldwide. Rotary International and the International Red Cross Red Crescent Societies are the only non-governmental organizations recognized by the United Nations, and both have expressed an interest in nuclear abolition for humanitarian reasons. This is a really big deal, even if we don’t hear about it in the U.S. corporate media. I am thankful to be a small part of it.
The seeds planted indoors have sprouted. The growing season has begun.
LAKE MACBRIDE— “Temperatures averaged 12.6° or 11.4° below normal while precipitation totaled 1.54 inches or 0.49 inches above normal. This ranks as the 7th coldest and 28th wettest February among 142 years of records. A colder February was last recorded in 1979 and a colder calendar month in December 2000,” wrote State Climatologist Harry Hillaker.
February was cold, but now winter is in full retreat. Temperatures are above freezing, and snow is melting into pools on the driveway. Spring won’t be long.
The inexorable attraction of politics was present at the county Democratic convention in Coralville. More than anything, it was a time to see friends from past political campaigns and to meet new people. Many there know me, although I sensed today more didn’t than did.
Unexpectedly, I signed up as a delegate to the district and state conventions. The delegate slate was ratified early in the day, so I left as lunch was served, having zero interest in the platform discussion.
Dennis Boedeker, a candidate for state house in my district, spoke to the convention in the afternoon. He hasn’t filed his nominating papers, but I expect he will. He and David Johnson, who spoke in the morning, will vie for the Democratic nomination in the June 3 primary election. This is the year for Cedar County to lead the nominating process, so I’m staying in the background. I interviewed Johnson for the newspaper, but wasn’t around when Boedeker made his appearance.
There were three women at a table marked “Ready for Hillary.” I declined to sign up, but took a blank supporter card. Other than that, there was talk about strategies and tactics, gardening and drones, and upcoming events. A busy, friendly day with people I know and respect for the work they do in Iowa politics.
Things could be a lot worse as winter turns to spring, and the promise of tomorrow is a tangible presence in everything.
I filed the following comment today on The U.S. Department of State (DOS) Notice: Presidential Permit Applications: TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P, National Interest Determination, Docket ID: DOS-2014-0003:
As a U.S. citizen I believe it would best serve our national interests, and the interests of commerce to deny the presidential permit to TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. for these reasons:
1. We are a nation in transition with regard to energy, from existing fossil fuel repositories to more renewable sources of energy. The Keystone pipeline would not contribute in any substantial way to this transition, only exploit existing fossil fuel deposits.
2. Producing oil from the Canadian Tar Sands is viable only because of the high cost of oil on global markets. Such costs do not consider the cost to the environment, particularly the costs of extracting and using Tar Sands oil which produces CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions with it. Additional greenhouse gas emissions would have a deleterious effect on the greenhouse effect that sustains life on Earth. Keystone pipeline would hasten emissions by making Tar Sands oil more readily available to global markets.
3. I do not support the use of eminent domain in the United States to secure easements to build the pipeline for this Calgary, Alberta-based company. Foreign companies should have no access to the U.S. eminent domain laws, even if limited U.S. interests are served.
4. The precautionary principle should be employed in developing the Keystone pipeline, since there is a lack of consensus about how it might serve the public. There are clear and dangerous concerns expressed about the harm completion of the pipeline could cause to the public and to the environment. Applying the precautionary principle would result in not building the remainder of Keystone pipeline.
LAKE MACBRIDE— The schedule is getting packed. Over the next few days I am taking a rest from daily blogging.
I made the first pruning cut on the apple trees yesterday. There is a long way to go to get them in shape after many years of neglect, but it’s the beginning of sustaining a life in a turbulent world.
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