Monday Spotlight: Baking With Oil

Before I get into this week’s Monday Spotlight, I want to be absolutely clear that my personal point of view is not sitting in this.  I am just bringing these topics up because they are two issues that are extremely current in our country where people are standing up and making a point for what they believe and how they feel about what is happening with the changes in our country.   I feel that it is important that we look at people’s opinions objectively so we can hear what they are saying before we actually make an opinion.  This goes along with everyday life and can be exercised here with these two very opinionated and political subjects.  Take from them what you will and I openly invite you to share your thoughts on them.  This is a completely open, unbiased forum for anyone in our community we call the United States. 

WE ARE ALL INVOLVED!!!

UC Berkley Bake Sale:  If you haven’t seen in the news at all, tomorrow, September 27th, the UC Berkley Republicans group is having a bake sale to show a satirical example of what is happening in California.  The state is currently awaiting Governor Jerry Brown to sign a bill that will let race, gender, ethnicity and geographic origin influence your admission into the university system.  Both sides of this argument make extremely valid points but what I can see from the argument is that for some reason it is sounding more and more like a republican’s vs democrat’s argument when it has nothing to do with political party.  Coincidentally the college republicans sponsored the bake sale but the end product is this; either way how we admit people into college, are they graduating by completing the same expectations as everyone else?  All I want to know is that once anyone is admitted into any university, are they leaving with the tools and are competent to do what is needed in their desired career and can they constructively add to our society?  In a day and age where the University system has become more of a money making business and less of a structured education house, I have to wonder if the student’s best interest is even being considered when any of these decisions are being made?

Here are a couple links that have additional thoughts and opinions on what is happening with the bake sale.  After tomorrow, we’ll see how much thought these differently priced goods create on the subject. 

Bake Sale Facebook page

CNN

Huffington Post

New York Daily News

Keystone XL Pipeline: For some time now, there is a proposal sitting on Capitol Hill to allow a pipeline to carry oil from central Alberta, Canada down to Houston cutting right through the country and going right through the Ogallala Aquifer.  Since the beginning of August, there has been a group, Tar Sands Action, that has been protesting outside the white house trying to convince President Obama to not allow this to happen.  Since they have began protesting, there have been more than 1,250 protestors arrested including actress Daryl Hannah.  This is a huge deal to do with much of the country.  It states exactly how much our elected officials are really listening to their constituents and says tons to how we treat the face of our country.  This also makes people question the integrity of our country attempting to wean ourselves off fossil fuels. 

To say the least though, these activists are definitely taking initiative on something they believe in.  In November they will be putting together an even larger protest.  Maybe their story will inspire you to go to D.C. and cheer with them or maybe it will inspire you to go and protest against them because you think it is a good idea for this pipeline to cut through our country.  My goal with Project Kinect is that you took a moment to think about it, find out some information for yourself, and make your own decision.  Happy Monday.

Here are some more references for the Keystone Pipeline Project

TransCanada

The Washington Independent