Dear Friends at Grist,

the various kinds of things that you have for sale in the Grist Store are great, and I love reading about your personal selections, especially Sarah's orange stuff.  (The guy in the skimpy orange shirt is her husband, right?)  I would go for the Bamboo dog toys myself.  (No, not for me, for Little White Dog, whose birthday is coming up.)

But, FYI, Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the United States has recently informed his readers that Amazon.com is the sole (?) online purveyor of materials promoting cock-fighting and dog-fighting.  I have long been a happy customer of Amazon.com (exclusively books and music); but I felt obliged to join the HSUS's letter-writing campaign to Mr. Bezos of Amazon.com, calling for him not to make those materials available, and meanwhile vowing not to do business there until we get a satisfactory response.

It is tough, having to do without Amazon, and having to pass over the Grist Store (for now).  But it is a lot tougher for all those chickens and dogs, to have to endure a world in which no one cares about their suffering.

Cockfighting is not only cruel, but also aids in the spread of avian influenza.

I just can't fathom why they would so steadfastly support magazines promoting such a cruel, and illegal, industry.  It's not like stopping the sale of these stupid magazines is going to significantly impact their profit margins.  Seems like they're losing lots good will for such marginal magazines.

Rep. Dingell suggests we end the McMansion deduction  (3000 Sq Ft and bigger) and is not likely to win support.

To make it more fair: (many people built these before they knew of AGW, and planned the investment to provide their retirement or kids college funds)-

Why not put in a forgiveness loophole if the offending homeowner were to invest in green energy that covers all their ongoing household energy use.

It could be solar roofing, thermal heat exchange for cooling and heating or even shares in a neighbourhood wind turbine (for those gated communities of McMansions) and a low interest green loan to cover the upfront payment for installing permanent energy should be federally guaranteed.

This would address the fairness issue while solving the AGW problem.

Environmental Media Northwest and Captain Ozone are organizing a public March for Renewable Energy in downtown Los Angeles on September 12, 2009.  

This will be the very first peaceful demonstration of its kind in America, raising public awareness and support for renewable energy far and wide!  

We need many people to march with us who will carry signs and banners advocating Solar, Wind, Hydro, Geothermal and Hydrogen energy.

If you wish to demonstrate at our March for Renewable Energy, please contact:

Captain Ozone
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Environmental Media Northwest
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