‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
The Big Bang and Bernie
By Peter Molenaar A shop called Mayday Café exists not far from the center of the universe. Various political types are found there, including some radicals. All are welcome. December 17, 2015”¦ A friend was anxious over a forthcoming exam on the subject of the Big Bang Theory, hence an invite to a pastry with coffee. I offered that the totality of matter had not been, for the first half of eternity (!) confined to one small spherical spec, after which, having changed its mind (?) it went BOOM. (more…)
Enter the Corner Store
By Peter Molenaar At the height of his manhood, our Jesus would lead a nonviolent resistance to the Roman occupation. Then, three centuries later, the early period of Christian martyrdom would come to an end. 1189 ”“ 1192”¦ In the Third Crusade, evidently as a matter of convenience, Richard the Lionheart would slit the throats of 3,000 Muslims, children included. 1936”¦ George Dimitrov famously stated: Fascism is the open terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary, most chauvinist and most imperialist elements of finance capital. 1963”¦ The CIA facilitates the systematic murder of Iraqi communists ”“ including hundreds of doctors, teachers, and technicians. 1979”¦ Saddam Hussein assumes the Iraqi presidency (and is handed a fresh slate for execution) even as we (yes, “we”) arm Osama Bin Laden in his war against a secular “socialist” Afghan government. 2001”¦ 2003”¦ “Shock and Awe.” November [...]
The Great Transition
By Peter Molenaar 403 - 221 BC”¦ The newly developed cupola type furnace emerged like so many mushrooms upon the land. Masses were rallied to the stacks”¦all available iron was to be sacrificed between layers of glowing coke (i.e., coal). Such was the Warring States Period in Chinese history. June 1979”¦ I would survive Smith Foundry”'s last “cupola campaign.” After which, under an environmental mandate, the beast was put to sleep. A new electric furnace was to draw its power from a coal-fired plant some distance away. Actually, Mother Earth was seen rolling her eyes and shaking her head. 2015”¦ “When the Clean Power Plan is fully in place in 2030, carbon pollution from the power sector will be 32% below 2005 levels,” so says the EPA. (32%?!) Meanwhile, Xcel Energy has announced plans to cut carbon emissions, by 60%, mainly by switching from coal to natural gas. (more…)
