After 107 days of fasting to protest global warming and heighten awareness about the climate emergency, Bloomfielder Ted Glick is eating again. Coinciding with the year’s last day of Congress, his first bite on Dec. 19 was into a couple of potatos and veggies. Glick’s full statement can be found on Contested Terrain:
It was good to eat, but it would have been much, much better if the end to this
fast were not so bittersweet.
I do give thanks that a pretty weak energy bill was passed which does represent
the beginnings of a turn away from our fossil fuel addiction, as limited as that
bill is and problematic as parts of it are, particularly its dramatic support for
corn-based and other forms of ethanol.
On the other hand, perhaps it was fitting that the continued dominance over this
Congress by the oil, coal, nuclear and gas interests was made clear by these last
few days of voting. Because of that dominance there was virtually no money for renewable energy in the energy bill that was signed by Bush on the 19th, while an extremely modest effort to repeal tax breaks for oil companies in that bill was threat-of-filibustered out.
And that awkward wording is deliberate. There wasn’t a filibuster, just a threat
of one, the tactic used by Republicans over and over this year, the tactic the Democrats only once called their bluff on, and that in a half-hearted way.
When will we have leadership in Congress that stands up to evil?
And these people are evil. I called the Bush/Cheney gang “climate criminals” on
Democracy Now during a December 11th interview. That’s what they are, liars, deceivers, obstructionists–evil.
In this Christmas season, the words of Jesus come to mind: “love your enemies.”
Ted Glick is the National Coordinator of the (US) Independent Progressive Politics Network.
What a dope.
This just in:
Ted Glick can confirm that, “There Is Good BBQ In North Jersey.”
I guess the ribs and sauce were too much for him.
Rock on Glick!!
Sum Tings rong
A man cannot go 107 days without food.
“” Theodore Glick “”, and he’s talking about Christmas & Jesus ?
I dunno…..
A man cannot go 107 days without food.
I was thinking the same thing…
I wonder if this guy thinks his fasting had any impact whatsoever.
I do agree that the energy bill that was passed was pretty weak, though.
The outermost limit for a hunger strike is believed to be about 60 days. Some strikers take salt tablets and other means to drag it out longer. This guy ought to get on the phone with the people from the Guiness Book asap. Very likely the longer hunger strike in world history. Bravo I say.
It was probably a ‘solid food’ fast. With a good blender you can puree just about anything and drink it for nutrition.
I guess he found out pretty quick that people don’t care. Get over yourself, pal.
Whatever. Bush and Cheney don’t care if you went on a hunger strike. I’ll even go out on a limb and say that no one in Congress cares. All grandstanding.
no one cares… ?
He made the Baristanet blog…. I have to say he’s damn successful!!!
It should follow, Miss Martta, that even fewer care about your opinion on the hunger strike that no one cares about.
And even FEWER care about YOUR opinion about MY opinion. So there.
first, full disclosure, I don’t work for anybody.
second, the oil companies are very questionable when it comes to profits vs. environment.
third, although the earth has gone through many transitions, the most stable seems to be presently ending.
forth, the planet has more of the only species capable of changing it’s environment, by geometric proportions, and growing really fast.
fifth, we recognize the changes and live as we are, or change what we are doing to fit in with the ecosystem to not hasten said changes.
sixth, either way, the planet is going to be dynamic and probably going to have major changes in climate and stability (earthquakes and the like).
seventh, I would hope that we would not contribute to the changes that will happen no matter what (see # fifth). This would be in hope that we develop alternatives, from being able to live in any climate to space colonizing before the inevitable happens (tech might be wonderful).
eighth, we go back to square one,, hunting and gathering (which may have happened in the past), or maybe join the dinosaurs.
ninth, ANGUS BARBIERI (you do the math)
The honor of undergoing the longest fast to date belongs to Angus Barbieri of Scotland, who subsisted on a diet of tea, coffee, water, soda water, and vitamins from June, 1965, to July, 1966. His weight at the start was 472 lb.; at the end it was 178 lb.
� 1975 – 1981 by David Wallechinsky & Irving Wallace
Reproduced with permission from “The People’s Almanac” series of books.
All rights reserved.
and last and least this post will make no difference.
Sounds like more of a “Hunger Slowdown” than a hunger strike.
On a related note, Ted will be at the Watchung Booksellers later today signing his new book “How to Save the Planet and Trim Down in Time for the Holidays”.
I will officially be on a hunger strike on 12/31. Coffee for breakfast, a McDonalds vanilla shake (large) for lunch, a protein shake for dinner, and then about a gallon of red sangria and maybe a few coronas. I am protesting the fact that corporations are allowed to make money. It just sickens me. If all goes well I will be off my hunger strike about noon on January 1. I hope somebody notices.
I’m going on a reduced hunger intake diet and hope that someone notices me in my speedo! (Some visual, huh?)
I read some quotes from Teddy Roosevelt today. What ever happened to pro-earth GOP types? That guy had balls. Too bad the present day GOP is pimped by Exxon Mobil, Halliburton, the Pat Robertson’s fan club and the GWB Texas ol’boy club.
Perlstein, you should get out more…
Newt Gingrich has a great book, “A Contract with the Earth.”
You can hear him on Brian Lehrer’s show here.
And if you want a pimped political party, don’t stop with the Republicans.
You are right, Professor, the Dems have their problems too. But I have heard Newt on the radio and he is a real a**hole. And, he couldn’t fill Teddy Roosevelt shoes if he tried.
Any other suggestions?
Newt. Another “professor”. He’s certainly been a paragon of morality (which he claimed to be), as well as a great uniting force in the country.
Is there anyone else you’d like to put up?
Natural Selection works in mysterious ways…
The only mystery is why people with nefarious greed seem to end up in control until they go to far.
That was not a blanket statement, there are many who have also been more than generous and fair (I.E. Gates and Buffet, maybe Hilton from latest news). It just is … crazy how far some have got when they wrong so many.
Perlstein, I hope you enjoy your corner. But your dismissal of Newt with such amazing prose is not worth my time.
Do me a solid though, when you make a point, give us something to work with rather than just profanity.
And Cro, stay on point here. My point was to correct Perlstein’s assertion that there were no “pro-earth” (whatever that means) GOP Types.
(Although, I didn’t realize being a politician required “uniting” the country since there will always be a large % of folks who didn’t vote for the winner.)
I guess even visionaries of the past who have preserved some of the natural wonders in some other format than “digital” can still be trashed for not living up to the under-achievements of others. Nobody’s perfect.
Prof, its hard to stay “on point” when speaking with you, as your point is invariably as clear as mud. If you believe that Newt is “pro-earth”, well, who exactly isn’t? What a ridiculous statement, even for you.
And yes, being a successful politician means uniting the country — I’d reckon that greats like Lincoln, Roosevelt, et al united the country even though significant numbers of people disliked them. 100% approval is impossible in this world, but to suggest that a true leader cannot unite the populace is to subscribe to a cynicism that is, regrettably, very much in evidence these days. Sorry to see that you’re there too.
That fast went pretty slow.
Prof Wms:
I’d get you the specifics on Newt if you like, but you most likely know he cheated on his seriously ill wife for starters, all the while chastising Bill Clinton in public for lying about doing something quite similar. Now, that’s a man who places politics above all.
If you want to further define Teddy Roosevelt’s pro-earth attitude, just gaze at the inscriptions carved into the walls of that particular wing of the Museum of Natural History named after him. Magnificent quotes. When do you suppose that museum will add a Gingrich wing? If you can’t make it to that museum, check out TR’s
well-documented speech at the 1908 conference of governors.
Next time anyone who’s a fan of Teddy Roosevelt is down in DC, I recommend a visit to Roosevelt Island, which sits in the Potomac opposite the Watergate & Kennedy Ctr. It’s a nature sanctuary & it also hosts our national memorial to TR, a big plaza with a much-larger-than-life statue of the man & four pillars with quotations from him on various subjects.
You can get there only by foot, across a small bridge from the VA shore. It’s a fascinating little oasis, with low-flying jets landing at Reagan going right overhead while herons unconcernedly stalk fish in the marshland.