Justin Kintz

As newly-elected freshmen members of Congress descended upon Washington this week, they received large binders of information titled “Hit the Ground Running.” These books contained information on how to administer an office, handle personnel, and, generally speaking, how to be a United States Representative. With the hype and energy carried over from the recent GOP electoral domination, this is also a good time for their constituents themselves to brush up on how to hit the ground running for the 112th Congress. Good managers set goals and expectations for their employees early, yet the manager must hold himself to the same or higher standard if he expects to lead. In that spirit, before we the people give our newest employees marching orders, as citizens it is crucial to set a high standard for proper representation. Let’s focus on five key guidelines to get the new kids on the block on the right track: (more)

In the quest for proven, clean, sustainable forms of energy, we have looked to the sky to harness wind; we have looked to the seas and the rivers to harness water; we even looked to space to harness the sun. Billions upon billions of collective dollars, yen, and euros have flowed into finding the next great source of renewable energy. The latest and greatest energy ideas scream at us from every television, bus, and magazine article, proclaiming dominance in a crowded field. One proven energy technology, however, has remained conspicuously missing, yet is essential to enable the proliferation of the better-known renewable technologies. It also happens to be one of the most simple, proven, and cost-saving technologies available. (more)

You are going to be tempted. You may already be as guilty as Bernie Madoff himself. (more)

I must give the climate change lobby credit: they almost got away with it. (more)