Smoked Ham Bone and 15 Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs of smoked ham and one ham bone from previous festive meal.
6-9 slices of thick butcher cut hickory smoked bacon

1 20oz bag of dried beans for Hurt’s 15 bean soup
(After soaking over night or several days should equal about 4 cups of beans)

Note: The 15 varieties of bean is really closer to about 18: Northern, pinto, large lima, yellowed bean, garbanzo, baby lima, green split pea, kidney, cranberry bean, small white, pink bean, small red, yellow split pea, lentil, navy, white kidney, black bean

This recipe makes an entire large crackpot full of Ham Bone Bean Soup.

In a large skillet fry:

bacon slices, then after cooling break into bits add to the crock pot.

Use a little bit of the bacon grease to then stir fry:
5 cloves of fresh pressed garlic
2 cups diced onion
2 cups sliced celery
2 cups shredded carrots

After each batch has been cooked (onion, celery, carrots & garlic mixture) transfer into a large crock pot.

Also add the following Spices and ingredients to the crock pot

Spices
4-6 T of lemon juice (one lemon)
6-8 T of BBQ sauce
3-4 cans diced tomato
1/2 T ground cloves
1/2 T of tyme
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
5-6 bay leaves

Add cups of water alternating at least one bullion cube (beef and chicken) for each cup of water so that the fluid level reaches about an inch below the top of the pot. Optionally use some left over ham stock if you saved some of the ham juice when it was originally cooked.

Cooking Instructions:
Keep the temperature turned up to high until the crackpot begins to boil then reduce to low or warm depending up how soon you wish to serve. Once the meat is falling off the ham bone, strip the meat from the bone and return meat to crock pot.

Adjustments:
If more liquid is needed during extended simmer time periods add an additional cups of water along with a beef bullion cube for each cup of water.
If the soup has too much liquid: Add a can of navy or kidney beans and/or additional diced tomatoes.

Serving suggesting:
Heated artisan bread or rolls and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Remove the Bay Leaves before eating.

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CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

Cajun Chilli recipe is a crowd pleaser

14-28 oz hickory smoked Spicy Andouille Sausage
( Andouille Sausage is typically made with pork, but can also have turkey and beef combinations that has been seasoned with garlic and cajun seasoning. Cut the sausage into small bite-sized pieces 1/4 inch slice cut in half or quarters)

1 20oz bag of dried beans for Hurt’s Cajun 15 bean soup
(After soaking over night should equal about 4 cups of festive beans)

Note: The 15 varieties of bean is really closer to about 18: Northern, pinto, large lima, yellowed bean, garbanzo, baby lima, green split pea, kidney, cranberry bean, small white, pink bean, small red, yellow split pea, lentil, navy, white kidney, black bean

In a large skillet fry:

2 1/2 lbs of Ground Turkey
2 cups diced onion
1 cup diced sweet peppers
1 cup sliced celery
4 cloves of fresh pressed garlic

After each batch has been cooked (the turkey, onion, celery, pepper & garlic mixture) transfer into a large crock pot.

Also add the following items and ingredients to the crock pot

Smoked Spicy Andouille Sausage

Spices
1/2 to 1 bottle of beer
6 T of lemon juice
1 T Parsley
1 T Dark Chilli Powder
3 T Cumin Powder
6 T Cajun seasoning
6 T of BBQ sauce
3 chicken bullion cubes

3 cans diced tomato
1 can tomato sauce

Cooking Instructions:
Keep the temperature turned up to high until the crackpot begins to boil then reduce to low or warm depending up how soon you wish to serve.

Adjustments:
If more liquid is needed during extended simmer time periods add more beer or more diced tomatoes.
If the chilli has too much liquid add a can of red or kidney beans.

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CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

Obligatory serving suggesting:

Serving Suggestion: To be served with several Dixie beers depending upon spice level.

Optionally Garnish and/or serve with:
French or sourdough bread
Graded cheese and/or bit of sour cream
Many Dixie beers

Solar Impulse (a solar powered airplane) completes test flight in San Francisco

The Solar plane has been flying for years in Europe, and has perviously demonstrated the feasibility of perpetual fossil-fuelless flight, by flying continuously for over 24 hours. On that particular flight the solar-powered aircraft gathered enough energy during the day to keep it flying all night long until the sun rose to start the recharge cycle again the following day.

The aircraft was a crowd favorite at the last Paris Airshow and is powered by over 12,000 photovoltaic cells mounted on top of it’s massive 747 size wings, yet the entire aircraft weighs only about as much as a family car.

The general public won’t be taking any cross-country trips via solar power aircraft anytime soon, nor will solar aircraft supplant commercial airliners as electric aircraft are currently much too slow for most air transport needs. Unlike electric-powered cars that have already demonstrated superior performance (speed, range) than vehicles powered by traditional liquid fuels (Diesel, gasoline). See Specifications of Motortrend Magazine 2012 Car of the Year the Tesla Model S. The Solar Impulse along with Tesla’s electric cars have become featured super-stars of the EV (Electric Vehicle) world as they both captured the imagination of those wishing a greener, cleaner future.

The Solar Impulse was designed to show the potential of solar energy, which has of yet not been shown in a very positive light in the USA mainstream media. Even after countries such as Germany has successfully produced over a 1/3 (40%) of its peak power demand on May 25, 2012 using only solar.

The Solar Impulse’s Across America mission – is scheduled to start May 1st, 2013 with planned stops in: Phoenix, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and New York, with one other possible stop in Atlanta, Nashville or St. Louis.

See a Video about The Solar Impulse’s Planned Around-The-World solar flight.

CBS Interview About Solar Impulse

KB’s Nissan LEAF test-drive in Melbourne, Australia

CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

David Letter’s rant on Fracking

Obviously not enough people know about or perhaps care how much damage is being done to the environment by these fossil fuel companies. It is a pretty serious situation how these common business practices threaten the fresh water supply now and for generations to come. It’s also amazing how short term business profits influence environmental law and how government officials–that were originally in theory elected to look after the needs and well-being of their citizens– not just those citizens that happen to own stock in the oil and gas companies, are not acting to stop the practice of Fracking.

There should be more rants about fracking by everyone and not just celebrities such as David Letterman.  Watch David Letterman’s rant about Fracking.

KB’s Nissan LEAF test-drive in Melbourne, Australia

CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

Sen. James Inhofe took the opportunity to reiterate that he believes that Global Warming is major hoax created by: Al Gore, the United Nations, and the Hollywood elite.  He also added MoveOn.org, George Soros, Michael Moore, and a few others to the climate change conspiracy list as well.

Senator Bernie Saunders responds to Global Warming is hoax statements of Senator Inhofe

Watch the 6 minute video response of Senator Bernie Sanders to the statement that Global Warming is a Hoax by Senator Inhofe Republican from Oklahoma. Is there perhaps a potential for a conflict of interest when Senator Inhofe is on the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works? His book The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future was published on February 28, 2012. Important Facts to consider: According to Oklahoma’s Oil and Natural Gas Industry Economic Impact and Jobs Report (May 2012)

Oklahoma was 4th in the USA in natural gas production in 2011. Oklahoma was 5th in the USA in crude oil production in 2011.

It might be easier to deny science facts when big business and money is involved. The state government of Oklahoma, collected nearly $1 billion, or 12% of total state tax collections from Oklahoma’s Oil and Gas Industry as reported for the fiscal year ending in June 2011. It might not be too hard for most people to understand why Senator Inhofe might want to deny the contribution of his state to global warming and climate change for as long as possible.

Additional Background: Senator Inhofe also backed United States Senate Report “Consensus Exposed: The CRU Controversy“ a Minority Staff report of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (Published in Feb 2010) that helped fuel Climate Gate, and tried to cast doubt on the need of the EPA to act upon greenhouse gases, which was argued before the Supreme Court on November 29, 2006 that CO2 & greenhouse gases qualified under definition of ‘air pollutant’. The minority report mainly sited out of context quotes from newspaper and news sources and failed to reference the mountain of evidence, which number in the thousands of published peer-reviewed scientific journals to the contrary. The minority report also attempted to cast doubt on the IPCC‘s Fourth Assessment which is the largest and most detailed summary of the climate change situation ever undertaken, produced by thousands of authors, editors, and reviewers from dozens of countries, citing over 6,000 peer-reviewed scientific studies. For the Senator of Oklahoma to try and make even a 6000 to 1 comparison argument using a few dozen leaked email quotes (out of context) between researchers, that were only disseminated via newspaper and TV news reports sourced from a single climate research unit in the UK would be laughable if not for the seriousness of the result, which has successfully delayed the USA to take decisive action on climate change and global warming to this day.

A video of Senator Inhofe from August 10th, 2012: ‪”The Greatest Hoax Ever Perpetrated On The American People” . Related Photo Gallery to Video about Senator Sanders Response to Global Warming Hoax

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CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

Findings:
According to CSIRO  (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) which is Australia’s national science agency satellite altimeter measurements from the Topex/Poseidon, Jason-1 and now Jason-2 altimetry missions, show a rate of global mean sea level (GMSL) rise of about 3 mm/year since the early 1990s, which is significant because prior to that period global-averaged sea levels rose an average of 1.7 mm/yr over the 20th Century. Satellite data has been compared using other independent techniques, such as the drifting buoys of the Argo network, the GRACE gravimetry satellite, and the network of tide gauges.

Ocean Level Rise 1870-2008 plot using satellite, drifting buoys & tide gauges data.

In addition in 2010 Science Magazine said that “Global sea levels have risen through the 20th century. These rises will almost certainly accelerate through the 21st century and beyond because of global warming.”
 
For those doubting science results they can talk person-to-person with someone that may already be a Climate Change refugee due to rising ocean levels–search for and chat (perhaps on Facebook) with any of the 100,000 citizens of Kiribati Island nation in the South Pacific. For more information see:

Climate Change Island Refugees Become Famous

Conclusion: Busted

Editor’s Note: Portions of this article were previously posted April, 15, 2010 on EV.com

A serious concern to many world citizens is the fact that even years after 90+ percent of the scientific community weighed in on the topic a large percentage of the population in the USA still deny Climate Change and Global Warming.

Not so long ago (August 27, 2012) almost half of the US voting population laughed along with Mitt Romney at the Republican National Convention as he joked and rejected Global Warming and the need to take action to mitigate sea level rise. This is almost hard to believe that so many people in the USA could remain so clueless as to the fact that Sea level rise is a serious problem, especially when that rise is added to storm surges. This may be a little more obvious now to those living in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Even if polar ice in Antarctica was not melting and increasing sea levels, just the general increase in global temperature also causes water to expand, which will cause an additional rise.

KB’s Nissan LEAF test-drive in Melbourne, Australia

CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

While many rich industrial nations continue to subsidized fossil fuels and do little more than quibble over which program they should support to lower carbon and greenhouse gas emissions…Island nations such as Kiribati are already becoming victims of rising ocean levels.  The citizens of  Kiribati are living proof  that even small increases in sea level can cause serious problems.

Putting faces on climate change victims. Photo credit: Ken Burridge

The flood of climate change refugees has already started. New Zealand for instance has had approximately 17,000 islanders submitting applications to become residents in the last two years, which is more than double any previous record rates.

Sadly rising sea levels disproportionately affect some of the most impoverished countries on the planet, which when compared to the carbon footprint of those individuals living in more prosperous nations the residents of these island nations have contributed very little to the global carbon problem.  As in the case of Kiribati a substantial portion of their economy depends up the demand for coconut (the main export) followed by fish and seaweed, so one will not find traffic jams of polluting cars full of commuters on these islands.

According to Ken Burridge environmental activist and editor-in-chief of EV.com “Unfortunately it’s hard for many people to make the mental connection that filling up their fossil-fuel powered cars or delaying a switch to renewable energy is somehow responsible for destroying the lives of people living in the middle of an ocean far away.  It’s really sad that people can be so selfish or inwardly focused that they only care or think about the financial costs required to fill up their fuel tank or the possible inconvenience of having to wait a short time to use mass public transit.”.

Fanning Island in Kiribati is being threatened by climate change.

Editors Note:
The Kiribati island nation was previously known as the Gilbert Islands until 1979 when they won independence from the United Kingdom. The islands of the Kiribati nations cover a vast area (2500 by 1200 miles) over the equator in the Pacific Ocean. Most of the islands are less than 6 feet (2 meters) above sea level and the islands don’t have to be submerged to make them uninhabitable, as it only takes a little seawater to contaminate the fresh water supply or kill vegetation.

Watch a Video montage about the Kiribati island nation and it’s citizens.

In 2011 the population was 100,000. Kiribati is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the IMF and the World Bank, and became a full member of the United Nations in 1999. In June 2008, Kiribati officials asked Australia and New Zealand to accept Kiribati citizens as permanent refugees. Kiribati is expected to be the first country in which all land territory disappears due to global climate change. As sea levels continue to rise, the government of Kiribati is negotiating a deal with Fiji to evacuate the entire population to areas of Fiji that the Kiribati government would buy. The area of Fiji proposed for resettlement is the second largest Fijian island of Vanua Levu. The mass migration is expected to include younger, skilled workers first, and then the rest of the population would follow over a period of years.

Portions of this article were originally published: Aug 15, 2010 on EV.com.

KB’s Nissan LEAF test-drive in Melbourne, Australia

CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

Most people alive today don’t realize that was not the case in the past, almost EVERY city in the USA did have mass transit, that was clean, relatively inexpensive and highly effective. The big question people should really be asking is why and how did it vanish?

The good old days of cheap, clean transportation. Typical USA electric street cars circa early 1900s.

Part of the answer is the “Great American Streetcar Scandal”, which is a classic tale about the typical results when businesses are allowed to pursue profit over the common good of society and the people/government allow them to make extreme changes, that are difficult if not near impossible to correct later.

Occupy Wall Street Protesters had good reason to protest bad corporate business practices and their influence in government that related to the latest bank bailouts. However, that’s just one of the latest and greatest infamous examples of problems that need fixing and/or is worthy of protesting to become part of current political discourse. Other examples include corporate lobbying, advertising and media control by dominant corporate entities that wish to continue the use of carbon based fuels. Also corporate pro-profit efforts to stop the proliferation of decentralize individual power generation and ownership (solar, and wind alternative energy etc.), switching to increased use of public transportation and using more electric vehicles.

Perhaps even the most important topic that needs addressed is taking action on climate change/global warming. Too bad the Occupy Movement didn’t exist during the “Great American streetcar scandal”, aka “General Motors Streetcar Conspiracy” or “The National City Lines Conspiracy”.

Once upon a time in the USA by 1900 almost every city that had a population of 2,500+ had at least one electric streetcar company. Those streetcar companies by and large were 90%+ privately owned and powered by electricity generation stations owned by the same streetcar companies or they were the largest customers of the electric company.

In some places the streetcar companies started selling their extra capacity electricity to consumers and businesses as well. The electric supply business eventually proved to be the larger and a more profitable market.

By the mid 1930′s the federal government had to step  in and impose an antitrust law (The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935) that prohibited the newly regulated electric utilities from operating unregulated businesses (such as streetcars) and from operating across state lines, because they were behaving badly. As many of those holding companies/corporations did both they decided to sell the streetcar portion of their business.

The government then allowed National City Lines (NCL), which had been in operation since 1920 to be purchased and eventually controlled by another corporation/holding company comprised of: General Motors, Firestone Tire, Standard Oil of California, Phillips Petroleum, and others.

During the next 15 years 1936-1950 National City Lines bought out more than a hundred electric street car lines and replaced them by exclusive contracts with GM made busses.

Corporate greed caused US public transport to vanish.

The corporations involved (General Motors, Standard Oil, Phillips Petroleum and Firestone Tire) were charged of conspiring to monopolize transportation services, and conspiring to monopolize the provision of parts and supplies to their subsidiary companies. Eventually the corporations were found guilty of some of the charges, but were acquitted of the major ones and were fined $5,000, and the directors were each fined one dollar. If that is the worse punishment corporations get why would they change the way they do business?

Electric city transport still flourishes in Europe and Asia. More importantly the actions of NCL and inaction of city governments left most cities in the US to be nearly 100% reliant on fossil fuel transportation.

Editor Note:
Oil refineries are now the largest commercial users of electricity today in in some states such as California, which is electric energy that could be used more directly and efficiently by electric vehicles. Even more interesting is that in some cases the fuel used to power the electric companies is supplied by some of the same oil companies. Often those types of codependent situations breeds corruption and/or at the very least mergers and centralized power leading to the establishment of an oligopoly or monopoly.

A video collection about why electric transit systems are so bad in the USA and Canada.

Who Killed The Electric Street Car?

Full length version of the 1996 documentary film “Taken for a Ride” (56 minutes).

KB’s Nissan LEAF test-drive in Melbourne, Australia

CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

If you want to see glaciers at Glacier National Park you better plan to go sooner rather than later.

For some marketing professionals they might think it seems silly to keep calling a park Glacier National Park when there are no more Glaciers to be seen there. I guess it could be renamed “Still Beautiful National Landscape Park Carved by Retreating Glaciers?

Computer models by federal scientists working at the park indicate that within another decade perhaps two the only place visitors will see glaciers and ice fields in Glacier National Park will be in historic photos. Over the last 100 years the Western Montana region where Glacier National Park resides has experienced a more than 3 °F increase in its annual average temperature, which is almost double the warming increase experienced worldwide over the same period, according to a paper earlier this year in Climatic Change by researchers with USGS and the University of Arizona.

According to Jon Jarvis (National Park Service director) “Glacier National Park is not the only place that we are seeing direct effects of Climate Change on the ground right now”, which includes places such as Mr Rainer National Park, which has experienced increased snow melting causing flooding, erosion and an increase in forest fire damage. “The facts and the science around Climate Change are indisputable,” Jarvis says. That’s why his agency is seeking, park by park, to not only reduce its carbon footprint, he says, but also to create adaptation plans for coping with climate change.

Ranger at Glacier National Park answers Climate Change questions.

Ranger Matt Graves from the Glacier National Park, says that “50% of people in North America get their fresh drinking water from melting snow and ice.” That percentage will no doubt decrease over time, if the Glaciers keep retreating. Also not mentioned during the conversation and perhaps even more scary is what percentage of melting snow and ice is used by Farmers/Agriculture? Does anyone care to research that question?

Video of Ranger Matt Graves of Glacier National Park answering questions about the history and future of the park as well as making comments about Climate Change.

Editor’s Note: Portions of this article were originally published at EV.com on December 12, 2010

KB’s Nissan LEAF test-drive in Melbourne, Australia

CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website

How rare are crude oil pipeline spills?
What are the odds that Keystone XL Pipeline would spill?
What is the difference between regular crude oil and Dilbit?
Are pipeline spills underreported in the USA?
Do literally tens of thousands of Keystone XL Pipeline protesters across the US have legitimate concerns?

Fact: The number of pipeline spills in the USA have remained fairly constant over the last 70 years even with advancements in technology according to the US Department of Transportation.

281 is the current 20 year average of pipeline spills in the USA each year.

Logic seems to dictate that anything put into the ground such as pipes or wells will eventually degrade by natural or manmade causes, and anything those pipes carry other than fresh water will in time contaminate nearby aquifers, since there is no such thing as 100% indefinite containment. Not enough people seem to realize that even small amounts of exposure to fossil fuels (Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Dilbit etc) is toxic and causes cancer. Also not talked about in mainstream media is that Canadian crude made from Oil Sands (Dilbit) is significantly different and has more risks than standard crude oil . For more information see What Makes Crude from Canadian Tar Sands so Bad?

Sadly Corporations have historically been very good at escaping or passing on the cost of mishaps and cleanups to others.

Current Crude Oil pipeline map in North America

Who is going to pay to clean up all those miles of underground leaking pipes, especially if the company that built is no longer in business? The oil and gas companies like to use contractors so that they are not responsible for any long term issues that might spring up in the future. Does anyone really think that is right that innocent people should have to shoulder the bulk of these burdens.

Even if pipeline oil doesn’t spill, burning that oil increases carbon in the atmosphere, which increases Global Warming and exacerbates the negative effects of Climate Change. Those changes include rising ocean levels, and increases the frequency and strength of storms such as Sandy and Katrina and not just in the USA but all over the world! Burning that oil anywhere on the planet causes more destructive hurricanes and weather (Droughts and floods etc.).

Perhaps even more disturbing to some people is that the countries burning the most carbon per capita are in danger of becoming the enemies of everyone else on the planet! See Infamous Dirty Thirty Countries by CO2 Emissions for more information.

See a news discussion on the latest oil spill featuring Canadian sand oil in Arkansas and the Keystone XL Pipeline (also features Senator Bernie Saunders, May Boeve from 350.org, Dan Dicker from TheStreet.com and Glen Hooks from Arkansas Sierra Club).

Part 1: Keystone XL Pipeline & pipeline oil spill discussion

Part 2: Keystone XL Pipeline & pipeline oil spill discussion

References:
Canadian Oil Sands Production Information:

http://www.neb.gc.ca/clf-nsi/archives/rpblctn/spchsndprsnttn/2005/cndnl/cndnl-eng.html

US Dept of TransportationL Significant Pipeline Incidents

http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/reports/safety/sigpsi.html

KB’s Nissan LEAF test-drive in Melbourne, Australia

CNN contributor, Green journalist, photographer, author and activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last six years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter,  facebook, Linked in or website