It’s time for Rhino Action!  Somewhere in this country, some leader needs to stand up, cut ties with the herd of mediocrity, and start fixing our country!

I continue to watch the news about the oil spill in the Gulf.  Both the aquatic life in the water, and the lives of the people that depend on the Gulf of Mexico, are being destroyed.  200,000 gallons a day of oil are spilling into the ocean killing everything in its path.

Why is this happening? Because the politicians will not stand up and do what is right.  They continue to do what is popular, and what will get them re-elected, but they refuse to do what needs to be done.  We are to blame as well. We are spoiled by our oversized and luxurious American lives. We are used to gas below 3 bucks a gallon and dinner from a dollar menu.  A burger for a $1 is not right.  Somewhere along the way we must be exploiting someone or something to be able to sell a double cheeseburger for a dollar.  If we want cheap fuel, whether its coal or oil, we will have to exploit somebody or something. The Gulf of Mexico, the animals, and people affected by the oil spill did not have to be the victims they are today.

Let's be honest, face it in black and white, and take responsibility.  Let's Do It Rhino Style and accept our role in this problem, rather than stand in the field, ignoring our selfish and destructive ways. 

A Few Rhino Facts:

There is no such thing as clean coal.  Mining coal, transporting coal, and burning coal are all destructive to the environment.  We should stop! Yes, people will be out of work for a while, but they will have to adapt. Let's retrain them for new energy. Coal is done!

Oil is destroying the planet. Oil, combined with religion, is the primary reason for the unrest and our wars in the Middle East.  It’s a fact! It may make you uncomfortable, but it’s true.  We would not be in wars in the Middle East, if they didn't have oil.  To keep our economy going, cheaper oil is the number one mission of Washington DC.

Mass farming. This is one of the primary reasons we need cheap fuel sources. It is destroying our bodies and our environment.  Eating a 1,000 calorie meal consisting of a burger fries and Coke for $3 bucks is impossible. It can only occur when we manipulate the way we raise animals, how we process them, and how we transport them.

Rhino Solutions:
Solar Power.  Imagine if every home in America received a $10,000 credit for installing solar panels.  It would make the solar industry advance rapidly. Remember just five years ago when a plasma TV was $3,000 dollars? Now that same TV is $500 bucks. Volume makes the difference. If there was $10,000 available to every home in America for solar power, some entrepreneur would make solar easier, more efficient, and more powerful. Plus, all those coal miners would have a safer job!

Electric and Hydrogen Cars. Yes, they exist, and yes, they work! The oil industry blocks their mass production.  Obama missed a golden opportunity with GM, Ford and Chrysler.  The bailout should have come with three major provisions: Half of the cars must be zero emissions (electric), your gas mileage must be an average over 50 mpg, and we don't pay people $70 an hour to put a bumper on.

Natural Gas, Wind, and Nuclear Power. Yes, all three would be safer then oil and coal. It could eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels and fuel sources from our "enemies."

In closing, you may consider this a strange Rhino blog, but I'm tired of it. I'm tired of our country and our world living a lie. We all know what we are doing is not right.  Our fuel sources are killing us, our diet is killing us, and we are destroying the world for our children—all while demanding cheaper and cheaper prices. As we drive from Walmart to McDonalds in search of cheaper clothes, and cheaper menu items, while cruising around on cheaper fuel, we are being cows blinded by the American consumption craze. It’s time to stop!

Rhino Call to Action:

If you’re a politician start making decisions for ten years from now. Make the tough decisions.  Stop supporting the archaic industries and their lobby groups. Start funding new technologies.  Stop worrying about getting re-elected and do what is right for our children.

Change your life. Sign up for wind energy from your local energy supplier.  Stop buying mass quantities of cheaper food, cheaper clothes and cheaper items you don't need. Buy less and buy better. Buy sustainable foods.  Buy items made without slave labor and buy only what you need. $5 jeans at Wal-Mart cannot be made in a safe workplace, with well paid workers.  It’s impossible! Shrink your footprint, carbon and otherwise.

Take action and get pissed off.  Call your senator, your congressman, your President. Tell them to create our future now.  Tell them to make the hard decisions now so we can have a better life for our children.  How much money have we spent in a failed attempt to stop the oil from flowing in the Gulf? How much money has been lost by the hotels, restaurants, and fishing community? How many animals have died from oil spills? How many coal miners have died? Can you imagine if we spent all of that money on developing new, more efficient energy? Our problems would be solved.

Send this to everyone you know.  I ask you to push your elected officials to do what must be done. I ask you to get out of the herd, and start charging to create our new future. 

DO WHAT IS RIGHT…NOT EXPEDIENT.  WASH YOUR MIND OF ALL COMPROMISE.

We can have a future free of oil, free of coal, and free of exploiting others, to get more of what we don't need, while paying less and less.

Happy St Patrick's Day Irish Rhinos!

My good friend Pat Croce gave me the nickname “Irish” about 5 years ago. There are certain people I have met through Pat that only call me “Irish.”  It’s a name I wear with pride.

With St. Patrick's Day upon us it’s easy to think of beer, ham and cabbage and wearing the green. But there is something much more special about being Irish (besides our amazing livers!)

The Irish have suffered hundreds of years of starvation, persecution, poverty and discrimination, but they have managed to become writers, presidents, have become powerful in every country in the world, and they have accomplished this while maintaining a humorous attitude and a positive outlook.  They have managed to charge through wars, racism and poverty, while keeping focused on creating a better life for their family.

My family came from Ireland in the 1840's.  Irish Catholics were fleeing Ireland for a better life free of famine and religious discrimination.  When they came to America, one side settled in farm country in Maryland and another went to coal country in Pennsylvania.  They came to the US looking for the "streets of gold," but they soon learned that the streets weren't paved at all—much less with gold.  Then they realized the Irish were the low cost labor force expected to pave them.  They soon were confronted with signs saying "Irish Need Not Apply," "No Mick's Allowed,"  "No Catholics Allowed," and ‘Paddy Wagon’ was not a term of endearment! Did they give up? Did they whine and complain? No!  They charged through every adversity that blocked their mission to create a better life.  The focused on working hard and creating opportunities.

They also found any work possible. They worked in the coal mines, the railroads, and farming.  They worked for pennies a day. Their young boys started working in the Pennsylvania coal mines at 6 years of age.  They faced adversity, and they made the best of it.  They held true to their beliefs, their dreams and their goals.  In my own family, one generation was in the coal mine, and the next generation was in medical school.  It’s the American Dream come true! This just goes to show that if you work hard, accept responsibility, and apply yourself, you can provide a better life for you and your children. Don't make excuses, make opportunities!

It doesn't matter your color, your race, or your religion. With dedicated hard work, you can improve your position in life and this world. Every generation can move forward further than the previous. That is what the Irish taught us.

When I think of why the Irish were able to move forward so rapidly from poverty to success it comes down to a few major points:

Attitude-- The Irish are known for their perseverance, wit, hospitality and work ethic.

Future Focused-- The Irish always dream of the future and talk about brighter days.  They knew they wouldn't be in the coal mines forever, but they knew they had to prove their value in America. They suffered horrible conditions, poor pay and moved forward. They didn't spend the next 75 years complaining about their first 75 years in America. The moved beyond their past to create their future.

Optimistic-- Somehow with hundreds of years of war, starvation, persecution and poverty, the Irish managed to maintain a positive outlook on life. Somehow they focused on the fact that their best day had not happened yet. This optimism kept them working and moving forward every day.

So this St Patrick's Day, raise your pint to the Irish. If you are Irish, take a moment to thank your Irish Rhino relatives that worked 20 hour days for pennies in coal mines, that took worthless dirt and worked it to useable farmland, that laid the railroads that helped create the industrial revolution all while they were being told "Irish Need Not Apply."  They sacrificed so we can live our dreams and their Rhino Attitude is buried deep within us.

Cheers to all my Rhino Relatives, all of my Kildare's Irish Pub family and to all our Rhino's on this St. Patrick's Day!

To learn more, check out “The Irish: Two Countries, One Heart” on PBS!

Charge!

Dave