22.9.06

clinton vs global warming

former president bill clinton's 2006 global initiative conference took off, with richard branson, one of the elite's big shots, taking time off from circumnavigating the world in a hot air balloon to donate $3 billion to fight global warming.

finally, clinton and branson are together. it's like a buddy comedy in the making, don't you think? you have the crazy, eccentric billionaire and the suave, sex-crazed gigolo. the movie's plot would involve clinton swearing off his womanizing ways and with the help of his wild-eyed, off-the-wall best friend, branson, he trecks around the globe in branson's hot air balloon to win back the heart of the woman he loves: hilary clinton. hilarious adventures will obviously ensue. i should write this and pitch it to fox. they'll greenlight any crap movie. (cough, cough! x-men 3! cough, cough!)

at any rate, clinton is developing a $1 billion renewable energy fund.
it looks like he is following in the tradition of jimmy carter, as someone who is making a legacy out of his retirement. considering he was one of the youngest presidents ever, i guess it would be premature to think he'd just go off into a corner of the world and disappear. i wonder how much time he'll have to devote to causes such as this once he becomes the nation's first husband? (aw, who are we kidding? hilary will never become president. i don't think the united states is ready for it quite yet).

it is interesting to look at how much more freedom a person like bill clinton has once he leaves office and moves into private civilian life. he's free from the pressure of intrest groups, yet he doesn't have the sway or the authority he once had. just think of the possibilities if there was actually such a thing as a free-thinking president...

while this is a good start, and seems more than just your typical vanity project that celebrities dabble with, the reality of the situation when it comes to the environment is that the bulk of the attitude and lifestyle change has to happen through the average person in their everyday lives. if the people are not willing to change, and politicians are still afraid of losing elections, then i don't think there's much hope.

still, the clinton global initiative is more than just the environment; it's about helping people. below is
what the new york times has published. and after that is some video of keith olbermann interviewing clinton on various topics from torture ro presidential advice:

Clinton Debuts $1B Renewable - Energy Fund

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 22, 2006
Filed at 12:41 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- Former President Clinton announced the launch of an investment fund expected to raise more than $1 billion for renewable energy on Friday, the final day of his global issues conference.

The Green Fund would focus on reducing dependence on fossil fuels, creating jobs, lessening pollution and helping to reduce global warming, all while making a profit, Clinton said.

The announcement at the Global Initiative Conference came a day after British business mogul Richard Branson pledged $3 billion to battle global warming.

''The earth is warming at an alarming rate, we are running out of fossil fuels, and it is long past time for us to take action to correct these problems,'' Clinton said in a statement.

The fund's launch was announced by Clinton, former World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn, Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures, Yucaipa Companies founder Ron Burkle and business leader and philanthropist Steve Bing. Wolfensohn will serve as the fund's managing director.

The three-day initiative, which debuted last year, is an annual gathering of business, political and nonprofit leaders that requires participants to make financial or other commitments to help solve global problems. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the wife of the former president and a potential 2008 presidential candidate, attended Friday's session.

Some 150 other commitments amounting to nearly $3 billion also were promised to tackle causes ranging from improving health care in rural China to promoting environmental maintenance in the South Bronx.

The 2005 conference resulted in $2.5 billion in commitments, less than half of the nearly $6 billion pledged so far this year.

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Associated Press Writer Beth Fouhy contributed to this report.
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here is the olbermann interview. i have to say, i miss clinton a heck of a lot. say what you want about him and his presidency, but i still think he is incredibly sincere when he talks. even more so since becoming a regular civilian. and now it's not just his words, but in his actions. it really does feel like he just wants what's best for not only america, but the world. the whole monica lewinski thing seems a bit trite these days, doesn't it?