Best quote award

Today it goes to North Dakota's state agricultural commissioner, Roger Johnson, in the Times' coverage of California's impending hemp bill.

Fifteen years ago, he noted, there was little market for canola, which is now a major crop produced for its cooking oil. He sees hemp in a similar vein and dismisses the fears that it would lead to criminality.

“It would take a joint the size of a telephone pole to have an impact,” he said.

I suddenly had visions of the Jolly Green Giant with a big old fattie, which is named the Little Jolly Green Giant, or just Mini-Me. And he's hanging out with the robot from The Iron Giant  and they're all like, dude, are there any Doritos left? And then Godzilla comes in and knocks over the Jolly Green bong -- which has been sitting on the floor because they're playing nostalgic, smoking joints -- with his tail, and bong water spills all over the carpet. And the Statue of Liberty is sitting in the corner -- she doesn't smoke -- and says, "That is so disgusting!"   

But seriously, it will be very interesting to see how our governor votes on this one. The bill's daddies include Mark Leno, of gay marriage promotion fame, and an Orange County Republican by the name of Charles S. Devore.

I don't think the latter would find my Jolly Green Giant joke funny.

--Meghan

Comments

[Anthony St. John '63]

QUOTE FOR THE NEW CENTURY: “Can we adapt in time?” (California Sep/Oct 2006 issue)

“Since 1905, California magazine has ignited, disturbed, and informed Cal graduates about events at one of the world’s greatest universities.”

This quote “About California magazine” is a most important defining statement for the success of California. I wish to congratulate and thank the editors for their continuing dedication to advancing California to even higher levels of igniting, disturbing and informing us in this new century.

However, at this point during the centennial celebration of California magazine one important focus must be to explain why: “Our biggest problem is that we are not perceived as having a significant impact on the personal lives of Californians” as stated by a UC spokesperson and reported in the San Francisco Chronicle on December 5, 2006.

Most importantly, relative to “Can we adapt in time?” is the disturbing fact of life insight provided by Freeman Dyson in his 1997 book Imagined Worlds: “--- pure scientists have become more detached from the mundane needs of humanity, and the applied scientists have become more attached to immediate profitability” which must ignite us even more.

The source of the most disturbing fundamental answer was provided in the article which referred us to Harvard evolutionary biologist E. O. Wilson, whose 2002 book The Future of Life teaches us that our lusts for short-term power and wealth tyrannize over the long-term needs of humanity because the “conflict between short-term and long-term values” is a “hardwired part of our Paleolithic heritage.”

We’ve Must Do Better, Soon!

QUESTION FOR THE SECOND 100 YEARS: “Can we adapt in time?”

[Anthony St. John]

“Global Warning” Quotes About UC National Labs

1961: “The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present – and is gravely to be regarded.” -- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Farewell Address to the Nation”

1968: “One of the discouraging discoveries of our disillusioning century is that science is neutral: it will kill for us as readily as it will heal, and will destroy for us more readily than it can build.” -- Will and Ariel Durant, “The Lessons of History”

1970: "We Have Met The Enemy and He Is Us" -- Walt Kelly/Pogo on a poster for Earth Day

1997: “The main social benefit provided by pure science in esoteric fields is to serve as a welfare program for scientists and engineers --- pure scientists have become more detached from the mundane needs of humanity, and the applied scientists have become more attached to immediate profitability.” -- Freeman Dyson, “Imagined Worlds”

2007: “Our biggest problem is that we are not perceived as having a significant impact on the personal lives of most Californians,” by UC spokesperson Michael Reese, reported in San Francisco Chronicle.

CONSEQUENCE

1/25/2007: Rajendra Pachauri, IPCC Fourth Assessment report chairman told Reuters:
The draft report says it is “very likely” — or more than a 90 percent chance — that human activities, led by burning fossil fuels, are to blame for warming since 1950. ---
Pachauri said the report would show mounting evidence that greenhouse emissions are causing temperature increases, sea level rises, the melting of glaciers, freak weather phenomena and the problems of water availability. ---
For example, the Arctic is clearly melting at faster rates than other regions of the world," he said. "The figures are in the report and it is much faster than what was anticipated.”

Thus the same Dr. Strangelove culture that failed to discover fusion generation for over 50 years also denied global warnings as Global Warming reaches the Tipping Point.

[pam75]

Well, the winner is pretty deserving of this award. More awards to come , hopefully.