Good Old Intelligence Enviro Show

 

Greetings Earthlings. We keep running across vague references to all the energy Artificial Intelligence (AI) uses and how bad it is for the climate but not much data. With that in mind we thought we'd share this short video  investigative report from Business Insider for real world details. It seems AI may not be so intelligent after all. As always, we will bring on this week's Fool-on-the-Hill and "Those Whose Brains Were small" along with the ongoing reminder that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!" and our disturbing collection "....of the Week" entries, but first it's time for.....Revenge of the Critters!  A little bit of pre-Halloween fear here folks "A recent CDC report shows an alarming rise in drug-resistant "nightmare bacteria" in the U.S. Between 2019 and 2023" 

Our Doublespeak of the Week belongs to one of the worst of the worst when it comes to being two-faced. Yes, it's none other than Repugnican Rep Josh Hawley, he of the infamous J6 raised fist in support of the insurrection that later found him running for his life in the riot. Here it is: "I call on the House to quickly pass this legislation [the Big B.S.Bill] and send it to [the] President's desk,” said Hawley via his news release. “But let me be clear, I will continue to do everything in my power to reverse future cuts to Medicaid. If Republicans want to be the party of the working class, we cannot cut health insurance for working people.” Yes, the bill in question is all about cuts to Medicaid and beyond.

This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is another repeat offender, His-not-so-holiness, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson who was challenged by Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey for not swearing in newly elected member Adelita Grijalva: “Speaker Johnson: Stop delaying her swearing in. Stop hiding the Epstein files. And start doing your job..” Grijalva is on record in "support for forcing a vote on a measure requiring the US Department of Justice to release its files on deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who was friends with [the] Republican President" Yes, the ever so sanctimonious Mike Johnson makes a fool of himself almost daily on The Hill by kicking the Ten Commandments under the bus but we can't seem to get enough of his sins. You? Pushback HERE.

Time for our "Their Brains Were Small and They Died" segment and about time we bunched the entire MAGA horde of dinosaurs into one vile pile. Let's start with this “We took the freedom of speech away,” [the] President boasted in his opening remarks at his “antifa roundtable” recently. Of course, there is no real group called "Antifa" though most of your  grandparents were anti-fascists and for good reason; if it wasn't for them you'd be speaking German right now. That said, if you haven't figured it out yet most of the rabble in the White House actually are fascists and knowing that, feel compelled to try and repress and punish anyone who speaks truth to power. We have a pushback Action Link HERE for that lot. The worst of the worst is a dino who even looks the part. Read "Inside Stephen Miller’s Secret Plan to Normalize Trump’s Dictator Rule" in The New Republic if you have the stomach. It should be no surprise that "Miller appears to want Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act", in his twisted little mind it's like the Reichstag is burning. The good news is such schemes might not work and, of course, some day they'll all be gone. Here's another Action Link for good measure.

Speaking of good news, How about our Critter of the Week? What with Halloween just around the corner how about we honor the often maligned Black Cat?  Cats.com tells us: "One cat breed only comes in black—the pantheresque Bombay Cat. Many other popular Cat breeds that come in a variety of colors come in black, whether solid or black with white markings. There are more than 20 different.. Cat breeds.." and some of them may be all black or not. Furthermore, "One study examined this so-called “black cat bias” and found that people think Cats with black coloring are less friendly and more aggressive than Cats of other colors. The study also found that people are simply superstitious—black Cats have a long history of being associated with bad luck, bad omens, and witchcraft. Black Cat lovers will tell you that all this is, of course, absolutely untrue." That said, more than a few witches still have black Feline friends. 

So much for the often maligned, let's move on to the justly maligned, His Malignancy The Mad King.....but wait, we have #NoKings here in the USA!  Yes, it's true but this guy in the Oval Office needs some convincing he and his ilk can't pull stunts like this we talked about in our last show. You may recall His Malignancy "released National Security Presidential Memorandum-7 (NSPM-7), titled “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence.” NSPM-7 contains broad and vague language that could allow government agencies to monitor or penalize individuals and groups based on their beliefs rather than their actions." By the time you read this the #NoKings 2.0 actions will have captured headlines around the world and served to pump up the movement so much that some may believe it will soon be over for MAGA. Nah! Fascists don't fold so easily and it takes ALL OF US and the courts to put them in their place. For instance, His Malignancy is leaning on our institutions of higher learning to sign loyalty oaths; sadly some of them have caved to it. Also , Project 2024 author, Russell Vought is circumventing the law and the role of Congress as a coequal branch of the federal government. He's His Malignancy's dark brain and must be forced out. The Prez and his evil clown show continue occupying our cities and threatening more of the same. On October 1, the MAGA freakshow "started a government shutdown. They refused to negotiate with Democrats to write a funding package that protects Americans' health and the climate and holds the...administration accountable for illegally blocking federal funds for our communities", all in Blue States of course. As expected, these so-call authoritarians (Fascists to be more accurate) are now talking about "Heritage Americans" out loud. Sounds like Nazi  Volksgenosse from here! "Papers, please"?   Not if we can help it: Stand Up/Fight Back! 

All that AND we still must remind the Takers that "It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid!". Really?? Yes, and just now this report on forest destruction drops in time to note: " 'Efforts to protect forests don’t stand a chance as long as our economic system keeps rewarding quick profits from forest destruction,' said....a partner at Climate Focus. “To truly tackle deforestation, leaders must work collectively to implement bold, binding reforms that will transform the system that still generously rewards forest loss.” If only the powers that be here in the Commonwealth  of Massachusetts would realize it. The Guardian news story goes on: "A separate report released by Global Witness found that banks have made $26bn from financing deforesting companies since the Paris agreement was signed in 2015 – averaging around $7m every day." It goes without saying His Malignancy is 100% onboard with trashing forests: “We are freeing up our forests so we are allowed to take down trees and make a lot of money. We have massive forests. We just aren’t allowed to use them because of the environmental lunatics who stopped us.”  Please feel free to give the prototypical greed freak a piece of your mind via the U.S. Congress HERE. We guess The Mad King et al missed the recent memo: "Heat-trapping carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere jumped by the highest amount on record last year, soaring to a level not seen in human civilization and “turbo-charging” the Earth’s climate and causing more extreme weather, the United Nations weather agency said."

In the Enviro Show Echo chamber we go from "Good Old Intelligence" to a total lack of intelligence. How about micro radioactive nukes replacing old-school generators literally spread across the map by the Pentagon. What could possibly go wrong! And this: Speaking of nukes, how about Gov. Healey's nuclear dream of new nukes here in Massachusetts?? Go to Nukebusters site, watch the video, then Take Action. No Nukes! 

Call today: House 617-722-2030 — Senate 617-722-1572
Tell them: Re: H.4144—Keep Democracy Alive! Remove Section 45!

 

Our Quote of the Week comes from one of the founders of AI:

The research question is: how do you prevent them from ever wanting to take control? And nobody knows the answer [...] The alarm bell I’m ringing has to do with the existential threat of them taking control [...] If you take the existential risk seriously, as I now do, it might be quite sensible to just stop developing these things any further [...] it’s as if aliens had landed and people haven’t realized because they speak very good English.

Geoffrey Hinton

1st/3rd most cited scientist ever, Godfather of modern AI, Turing Award Recipient, resigned from Google due to ethical concerns. 

 

On to our Bus Stop Billboard:

 

Weekly. Here's what appears to be Indivisible Northampton — Swing Left Western Mass's complete daily listing of all the pro-democracy events in WMass:  https://in-slwm.org/wp-content/uploads/Calendar/cal.html

 

Thursdays to Saturdays in October  10/18, 10/23, 10/24, and 10/25 at 7:30 pm, Sundays 10/19 and 10/26 at 2 pm. Please join us for Swamped, a new play written and directed by Court Dorsey, and performed at the newly-equipped theatrical venue at the Wendell Meetinghouse (1 Morse Village Rd., Wendell MA 01379). "Captain’s lost his wife. He's marooned in assisted living with his red state values — and his non-binary caretaker, Clove. The Captain's almost-son Stephen loves Kat, a woman at a crossroads who doesn’t want a firm hand anywhere near her. Everyone is swamped, and knowing each other may be their only hope."  Tickets $15-25, advance tickets: https://wendellmeetinghouse.ludus.com 

 

 

Saturday October 18, All Day. #NoKings 2.0  Another national #NoKings actions. Mark your calendars. Trump is ramping up his attacks on our rights and democracy, but we’re not backing down. On October 18, we’re taking to the streets in more cities and in larger numbers to remind Trump, his cronies, and those on the sidelines looking for hope: America has no kings. 

 

 

Saturday, October 18, 10am – 12pm.  No Thrones, No crowns, No Kings! rally. 

Belchertown Town Common, 2 Jabish St on the corners of Jabish and Main St. 

Belchertown, MA 01007

 

 

Saturday, October 18, 10am – 12pm. NoKings Worthington, MA. Town Hall, 160 Huntington Rd, Worthington, MA 01098.  Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together. Go HERE. 

 

 

Saturday, October 18, 11am – 12:30pm.  No Kings Orange, MA. Memorial Park, South Main Street & Water Street, Orange, MA 01364.  A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events. Go HERE. 

 

Saturday, October 18, 2 to 4 pm. No Crowns/No Thrones/No Kings! Meet at the Energy Park & march to the Greenfield  Town Common,  Main Street, Greenfield, MA 01301  Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together. Go HERE. 

 

Saturday, October 18, 11am – 12pm. No Kings Westfield. Park Square, Main Street & Elm Street, Westfield, MA 01085.  The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings, and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Grow our movement and join us. Go HERE. 

 

Saturday October 18, 11:30am – 1:30pm. #NoKings Rally in Northampton. Pulaski Park, 240 Main St., Northampton, MA 01060. The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings, and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Grow our movement and join us. Go HERE. Option: Join the Corporate Accountability crew at the No Kings rally in Northampton by going HERE. 

 

 

Saturday October 18, 12 – 2pm.  Springfield, MA #NoKings Standout. Intersection of Boston Road & Parker Street, Springfield, MA 01129.   Power belongs to The People. Join the Movement. Go HERE.

 

 

Saturday, October 18, 12 – 2pm.  Power belongs to the People. Join the Movement. 

West Brookfield,  East Main and School St. West Brookfield, MA 01585  Go HERE.   

 

 

Saturday October 18, 1:30 – 3pm.  #NoKings standout in Amherst, MA. Corners of Main, Amity, North Pleasant, and South Pleasant Streets. Amherst, MA 01002. Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together. Go HERE.

 

 

Sunday October 19, 1-3 pm. Dump the Pump Rally. Riverview Picnic area, Ferry Road,  Northfield MA. THE CONNECTICUT RIVER IS IN TROUBLE. FirstLight’s Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Station is the deadliest machine on the Connecticut River. It KILLS year-round. Northfield suctions the Connecticut River backward and uphill at a rate of 15,000 cubic feet per second. That is the equivalent of the aquatic life in eight three bedroom homes-sucked in, every second, for hours on end. From eggs, to larvae, to juvenile and adult fish, there is no expectation of survival for anything pulled through Northfield's massive turbines.  Go HERE. 

 

 

Tuesday October 21, 10am Rally, 11am Make Polluters Pay Petition Delivery. Bring your T-shirts, your signs, and get ready to show our power. We will have members from across our coalition. If you represent a new group who wants to get in on the action, please reach out! For a year, we have been collecting petition signatures [in Massachusetts] from all over our movement. Now, with thousands of signatures--and more coming in every day!--we are ready to drop this fat stack of paper off with our legislators to show them the support for Make Polluters Pay. Go HERE. 

 

 

Tuesday, October 21, 1pm. MA Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources hearing on Animals, Hunting, Fishing & Wildlife legislation. Go HERE.  Please support H.1048 An Act relative to increased protection of wildlife management areas. It would update century-old public land policies written before recognition of global climate change and biodiversity loss. The bill directs the designation of at least 30% of state-owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) under Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) control as reserves by 2030, consistent with the latest climate and biological science. More info HERE.

 

Wednesday October 22, 7 to 8:30pm.  Nancy Folbre, Professor Emerita of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will speak on the impact of President Trump’s recent social policies on individuals, families, and our community at public forum in the Ramsdel Room of the Pelham Town Library, Amherst Rd., Pelham, MA. Parking is available nearby. This timely forum is sponsored by the Pelham Democratic Town Committee and is open to all people regardless of political outlook or party affiliation. For additional information about the forum, contact Jane Porter, Janepor@comcast.net, Anne Nugent, nugeae@comcast.net, Alisa Pearson, alisa4alivableclimate@gmail.com or Bruce Laurie, bruceglaurie@gmail.com 

 

Thursday October 23, 7pm. Climate Action Now October Gathering. Protecting and defending immigrants & refugees in our community. An Interactive event led by local immigration justice leaders. Zoom link here. 

 

Oct. 23-26, The Center for Biological Diversity  will feature four award-winning documentaries and special interviews with filmmakers, farmers, organizers, and activists. Sign up today.

 

 

Saturday October 25, 2-5pm.  Climate, Democracy and our Future Ecology, Economy and Energy, in Franklin County and Beyond. How are key areas of our community -- local agriculture, forestry, water issues, economy and energy -- related to the twin crises of climate change and attacks on democracy?  How can we work towards a healthy, productive and just local economy and ecology? A Student-Community Forum at Greenfield Community College,  Greenfield, MA. www.climate-democracy.net/. email: cdp@crocker.com (conference planning)

 

 

October 30 at 3 pm, XR Boston is planning an exciting mass action protesting the institutions funding the climate crisis: the banks investing in ecocide and genocide through their continued support of fossil fuels and the systems that profit off of war. We the people can hold these corporations accountable. So on October 30th, meet us in Downtown Boston on Summer St. between High St. and Purchase St., and we are going to take action together. We're calling out the Monster Banks. And we want YOU to join us. 

 

 

Saturday, November 1, 2025, 9:30am to 4pm.  Non-violent Direct Action training, Leyden, MA. Leyden Town Hall, 16 West Brattleboro Road, Leyden ( please note, the training is not at the Town Office!  Google will insist!  You want to go to the top of the hill to a traditional New England Town Hall). Registration required: https://forms.gle/TwQXAjd2xQdF2KPx8 Coffee/tea/cider/pastry/fru. it provided/  Potluck lunch.

 

 

Saturday & Sunday November 1 & 2. Disappeared in America actions. Host a Disappeared in America event during the weekend of action, November 1st-November 2nd!  Every local action—big or small—helps build the collective power we need to protect immigrant communities and defend democracy itself. Your leadership truly makes a difference. See our toolkits to host one of three types of actions in our community — each an important way to make your voice heard and build local power as part of a national movement. Go HERE. 

 

 

Monday November 3, 5:30 to 7:30pm.  Greening Greenfield with co-sponsors, Franklin Regional Council Of Governments (FRCOG) and Sustainable Greenfield Implementation Committee (SGIC) will host an Energy Fair presenting a number of local vendors who will share the latest information on home energy technologies for your home heating and cooling. Register HERE. 

 

  

Thursday November 6, 5:30pm. Wild Lands: What They Are, and Present and Future Opportunities for Protection and Restoration. In-person at the Hanover, NH, Howe Library, and on zoom. Join National Geographic photographer Ronan Donovan, Adirondack Council Rewilding Advocate John Davis, and Northeast Wilderness Trust CEO John Leibowitz for a free discussion of wildlands and rewilding, with a particular focus on the lack of wildlands in New England, and opportunities to re-introduce carnivores and establish “wildways” of interconnected land. More information and Zoom RSVP here. 

 

That's all folks except please remember to listen to your Mother, OK?