There must be a full moon over Hollywood.  How else can we explain the bizarre behavior that seems to be coming from the gentler sex?  Etta James and Beyonce scrapping over who knows what.  Now, Ashley Judd is on Sarah Palin like bluegrass is on Kentucky.

As we see more celebrities take a stand on all things environmental, including wildlife, it’s no surprise there’s a heated battle from time to time.  This one, however, is a doozy for sure.

Ashley Judd, who was raised in Kentucky and knows how to load and shoot rifles, handguns and shotguns, now has former VP candidate Sarah Palin in the crosshairs.  In a video she released, she says it’s time to stop the senseless savagery of wolves.  From airplanes, hunters are shooting rifles to kill what appears (at least to Ashley Judd) to be an overpopulation of wolves throughout Alaska.  She accuses Alaska’s governor of

Areas where population controls are enforced in Alaska

casting aside science in an effort to champion the slaughter of wildlife.  She then asks for donations for a group called Defenders of Wildlife.

We were introduced to Sarah Palin’s ability to defend herself as she campaigned last year with John McCain, so it’s no surprise she hasn’t bitten her tongue in response.  She insists in a statement that Alaska’s predator control programs are scientific and successful at protecting vulnerable wildlife.  According to Alaska’s Wildlife Conservation site, wolves are not now, nor have they ever been, endangered or threatened in Alaska.  There are between 7,700 - 11,000 wolves in Alaska.  Further, both wolves and bears are predators that target moose, deer and caribou, which happen to be the same as what humans hunt.  80% of the deer and moose that are killed annually are done so by wolves and bears.  Only 9.4% of Alaska’s land is under any kind of wolf control.  This scientific method ensures wolves don’t become overpopulated (thereby risking the safety of humans) and allows the wolves that are there to continue to thrive.

And by the way, if you’ve never heard a pack of wolves howling and crying in the middle of the night, it is by far the eeriest sound known.  And if they ever come close enough to my house that I could see those red eyes, I’d start shooting in a heaven’s heartbeat.  There are breeds and species that are endangered and must be protected, but there are those that we, as humans, must ensure don’t overpopulate or else, we run the risk of attacks on ourselves as well as our domesticated pets.  It’s about priorities.  This is one time Ashley Judd missed the mark.

Links to Human Rights Lawyer and Lawyers.

It seems a Russian professor is convinced the United States will collapse within the next eighteen months.  In fact, he predicts the U.S. will break into six regions courtesy of a combination of continued economic problems, moral degradation and mass immigration.  A civil war beginning in the Fall of 2009 will be the trigger.  One of the benefits, for Russia at least, will be that Alaska will fall back to Russian control. 

Before we dismiss him as a quack who has no concept of American economics, we should keep in mind Igor Panarin is an expert on America-Russia relations.  He’s a former KGB agent and has worked for the FAPSI, which is similar to our National Security Agency, and has worked for former Russian president Boris Yelstin.  He appears to be an incredibly intelligent man, even with his dire predictions, of America’s failure, or more accurately, “the end of the U.S”.  He’s quoted as saying, “There’s a 55-45 percent chance right now that disintegration will occur.”  Among other changes he’s predicted along with Alaska’s change, he’s convinced California will fall under China’s rule, Texas will become the “Texas Republic” and will go to Mexico while D.C. and New York will become part of what he calls “Atlantic America” and will join the European Union.  Canada gains a few states while Hawaii becomes part of either Japan or China.  He then further reiterates the reasonableness of Russia claiming Alaska, since it was part of the Russian Empire for “a long time”.   He shows his faith in President-elect Obama by declaring he hopes he can work miracles, but by Spring, we’ll all see there are no miracles.  I doubt that.

I think he’s underestimated us, though.  It’s kind of like motherhood: mischief kids can get their hands popped by mom, but if someone else tries to discipline them, look out, a world of hurt is coming the way of the misfortunate soul who took that liberty.  History tells us we don’t take too kindly to others determining our collective fate.  And regardless of what happens within our own borders, the thought of any other country stepping in is just silly. Still, he’s become quite the invited guest among Russian media outlets and the Wall Street Journal is reporting he’s conducting interviews on average twice a day.  Add to this the fact the Kremlin looks to the U.S. as the one source for everything that’s wrong on the planet, and his eager audience just can’t seem to get enough. 

Professor Panarin is wise in one of his acknowledgements.  He admits Russia would suffer if the U.S. does indeed collapse simply because his country depends on the U.S. dollar as well as the trade markets between the two countries. 

My money’s on the U.S. and the only danger this man presents is the fact he has so many marching to the beat of his drum.  That’s the problem with folks who make such across the board statements: it never occurs to them that when the “magical date” comes and goes, with no indication of any of their predictions coming full circle, then tend to go down as “has-beens” that really never were.

As we have all heard by now, the trial for Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens ended with a guilty verdict on all seven charges - which happen to be felonies. Still, this man intends to see his re-election and refuses to step aside. Had he chosen to resign at some point, the Republicans stood a better chance at retaining his seat; now, however, it’s pretty much a sure thing his Democrat rival will win the election.

If you’ve not followed this case, it amounts to the Senator’s lies about home renovations courtesy of a drinking and fishing buddy who owns an oil contracting company. He was convicted of accepting

Ted Stevens

substantial gifts from this buddy that resulted in a log cabin being converted into an incredible retreat, complete with wraparound porches and a huge wine cellar. The friend admitted he never billed the Senator, but the Senator hadn’t expected to be billed either.

Here’s where it gets interesting. He is not required to drop out of the race, nor is he required to step down from his current post. But he can’t vote either. Ironic, yes? He can run for a seat in the U.S. Senate, but he can’t cast a vote for himself - he’s now a convicted felon. I’m trying to understand why he’s not being forced to step down. I’m wondering if this is a first: a convicted felon, who stands to spend five years on each count in a Federal prison (although it’s unlikely he’ll spend one day behind bars) who is an active member in the Congress. You’d think that would be some kind of conflict of interest, since the laws are made in Congress - the very laws this lawmaker chose to break. I realize it’s all moot now since the election is days away, but his term, technically isn’t finished until after the holidays.

He’s declared his disappointment at the verdict and insists prosecutorial misconduct was alive and well in his trial, as well as exculpatory evidence he and his legal team had no access to. If a man who has made his career in the U.S. Senate, and if I’m not mistaken is a lawyer himself, can’t hire an attorney aggressive enough to ensure there’s no evidence that’s being withheld, then the rest of us don’t stand a chance in a courtroom.

He was obviously shaken when he left the courtroom and emerged on the court steps alone. It was only after he returned home and had a chance to catch his breath that he announced his stern statements regarding the trial, as well as his refusal to not only step down from his current post, but his adamant reiterations in asking the people of Alaska to re-elect him for another term.

Seven felonies, accusations of ineptness in a courtroom he has represented as a Senator for the past 40 years and stubborn as they come. I’m ready for this election season to wrap it up.

I have to be honest, going into this topic, I had no idea what I was doing and for the first couple of hours, it was hard to stay focused on what I was trying so hard to understand.  And, since I’m being honest, the few articles I was able to concentrate on left me more than just a little uninspired.  But now I’m glad I didn’t bail.

Once I got past the “Ugh…a seal?  Seriously?” mentality, I realized that I’m not as well-rounded as I always thought I was.  I figured I was pretty well-read, stayed current on all of the pc subjects that inevitably surface in social settings, always willing to strike a balance between making an intelligent comment without insulting anyone.  It may be that I’m as clueless as the paint on the walls.

I could this research this for days and still not be able to get the grasp of each case, each environmental group or each law firm that dedicates its resources for such things as greenhouse emissions, gas flares, the giant oil companies and anything else that seems to be affecting our planet and thereby affecting all of us…right now…today.  So with that thought in mind, I thought a post on one specific area would better serve my purpose.

A  definition or two:

                Gas flares:           Wikipedia defines gas flares as an elevated vertical stack or chimney found on oil wells or oil rigs, and in refineries, chemical plants and landfills used for burning off unwanted gas or flammable gas and liquids released by pressure relief valves during unplanned over-pressuring of plant equipment.

Greenhouse gases (GHGs):         Again, Wikipedia provides the definition:  the gases present in the earth’s atmosphere which warm near-surface global temperatures and are essential to maintaining the temperature of the Earth; however, an excess of greenhouse gases can raise the temperature of a planet to lethal levels.

Nigeria Gas Flare

In 2005, Shell Oil was ordered by a Nigerian court to cease its gas flares. In this court order, a Nigerian judge declared this practice violated the Niger citizens and their guaranteed rights to life and dignity.  Shell Oil and its large group of attorneys have, for all intents, laughed in the faces of these citizens, not to mention have bullied the courts.  Two deadlines have passed with no sign of Shell pulling back.  These lawyers have requested extensions based on one of the attorney’s declaration of “being tired”, they’ve insisted judges recuse themselves for no legitimate reason, they’ve completely disregarded the affects these flares have on the population, including leukemia, asthma and birth defects.  They’ve refused to provide the courts documentation outlining its timeframe to be gas flare-free within a twelve month period, and on one particular court date, the Shell attorneys never showed.  Shell’s most aggressive legal team member, in what appeared to be a stall tactic, announced his resignation from the case, leaving no other option but to adjourn, thus forcing a complete halt to the proceedings.  At the next hearing, Shell was represented by none other than the recently-resigned attorney, who forgot to put his request in writing, as required by Nigerian laws. 

Gas Flare and Emissions

One of Shell’s most vocal opponents is Reverend Nnimmo Bassey, who is associated with an environmental rights group has said, “While Shell and its shareholders count their profits, all we can count are the early graves that their toxic gas flares keep sending our people.”

There are estimates of 6 million tons of carbon dioxide are emitted on an annual basis in that country, with a vast majority courtesy of Shell Oil Company.  Interestingly enough, NOAA has been able to detect the volumes of emissions via satellite sensor observations.  From 1995 through 2005, the United States peaked at 0.5 BSM in 1997, while during the same time span, Nigeria’s numbers peaked in 1996 with an astounding 35 BSM.  It should be noted that there are no years that Nigeria’s numbers were less than 20 BSM.

Shell Oil’s blatant disregard for this third world country, and our planet as a whole, should be unacceptable to every country on every continent on this planet.   It appears the courts and the entire legal system in this country has no effect on Shell.  It’s reminiscent of school yard bully tactics.  The bully chooses the weakest of the bunch to show the others who’s king of the playground.  It’s a calculated move.  Why choose anyone BUT the weakest kid? 

Unfortunately, this is only one example of why “climate law” has emerged as one of the fastest growing legal arenas.  Everything from Alaskan tribes fearing the loss of lands due to global warming, to a species of polar bears that are starving and resorting to cannibalism, to major oil companies, who are clearly the big money makers, thumbing their noses at responsibility, morality and social responsibility - these are all the next hot topics and are sure to become some of the most watched legal issues.