Is it the air outside our borders? Does freedom ring differently?
Bonus points for particular use of the word "rot"
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1130622380056&call_pageid=1109682110623&col=Query:1109682108702&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7ChAX&tacodalogin=yes
Monday, October 31
Give it away now: Corporate Radio
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051029/music_nm/radio_dc
The graveyard of radio, though littered with the bloated corpses of muzakrock, is speckled with wild daisies of free and independent stations. Be they AM, jazz, classical or Babyl-on, their now THE ONLY alternative we have left. Even NPR is hedged by DOW and ConAgra. Get it while it's live!
The graveyard of radio, though littered with the bloated corpses of muzakrock, is speckled with wild daisies of free and independent stations. Be they AM, jazz, classical or Babyl-on, their now THE ONLY alternative we have left. Even NPR is hedged by DOW and ConAgra. Get it while it's live!
More on our Nation's Legacy to its Children
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a1_5dumpoct30,0,5117767,print.story?coll=all-news-hed
The last beach I bodysurfed was Delmarva, in Delaware. Guess the greenwave I rode in on was not so pure a comet as I'd wished. Life is full of sighs.
The last beach I bodysurfed was Delmarva, in Delaware. Guess the greenwave I rode in on was not so pure a comet as I'd wished. Life is full of sighs.
Despair not, Uncle Sam wants you to drink!
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/409/toohigh.shtml
-Drug criminals account for 55% of all federal prisoners
-The US accounts for about one-quarter of all prisoners on the planet. In terms of raw numbers, only China, with almost four times the population of the US, comes close
World Prison Population
If you must drink, here's an option: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.11/absinthe_pr.html
-Drug criminals account for 55% of all federal prisoners
-The US accounts for about one-quarter of all prisoners on the planet. In terms of raw numbers, only China, with almost four times the population of the US, comes close
World Prison Population
If you must drink, here's an option: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.11/absinthe_pr.html
Coast Guard: Still Works
How?
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1122007,00.html
The powers that rule haven't had the time to gut this quietly venerable institution, yet.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1122007,00.html
The powers that rule haven't had the time to gut this quietly venerable institution, yet.
Sunday, October 30
Whose beans? Buy in Season
U.S. Organic Companies Are Importing More & More Organic Foods from Overseas--Undercutting U.S. Farmers
<http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051008/BUSINESS01/510080328/1029/BUSINESS
Companies are cutting costs by importing not only bananas and coffee but also all-American commodities like soybeans, fruits and vegetables, and now even beef. The imports also feed U.S. consumers' growing demand for organic products — sales are increasing 20 percent a year nationwide.
Organic Valley, a Wisconsin-based farmer cooperative, imports some of its beef from Australia.
Cascadian Farm, a major name in organic frozen produce that started out buying commodities in the Pacific Northwest, now buys many of its fruits and vegetables from overseas.
According to package labels, the broccoli is from Mexico, the asparagus from China, the green peas from New Zealand, and the cherries and raspberries from Chile. Even the California-style vegetable mix isn't entirely American; some of the veggies originate in China.
Trader Joe's, a fast-growing grocery chain that attracts upscale shoppers with moderately priced natural foods, also is going to China and South America for its produce.
Fresh organic produce, including Chilean apples and Mexican vegetables, also is being widely imported by U.S. stores when domestic product is out of season, according to the Organic Trade Association.
However, a recent USDA study estimated that the United States imported as much as $1.5 billion in organic food in 2002, while exporting as little as $125 million worth of organic products.
<http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051008/BUSINESS01/510080328/1029/BUSINESS
Companies are cutting costs by importing not only bananas and coffee but also all-American commodities like soybeans, fruits and vegetables, and now even beef. The imports also feed U.S. consumers' growing demand for organic products — sales are increasing 20 percent a year nationwide.
Organic Valley, a Wisconsin-based farmer cooperative, imports some of its beef from Australia.
Cascadian Farm, a major name in organic frozen produce that started out buying commodities in the Pacific Northwest, now buys many of its fruits and vegetables from overseas.
According to package labels, the broccoli is from Mexico, the asparagus from China, the green peas from New Zealand, and the cherries and raspberries from Chile. Even the California-style vegetable mix isn't entirely American; some of the veggies originate in China.
Trader Joe's, a fast-growing grocery chain that attracts upscale shoppers with moderately priced natural foods, also is going to China and South America for its produce.
Fresh organic produce, including Chilean apples and Mexican vegetables, also is being widely imported by U.S. stores when domestic product is out of season, according to the Organic Trade Association.
However, a recent USDA study estimated that the United States imported as much as $1.5 billion in organic food in 2002, while exporting as little as $125 million worth of organic products.
Gastroporn
Smartbombs and cellphones and pundits, O my
What a world indeed!
http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_100705_porn.html
What a world indeed!
http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_100705_porn.html
Saturday, October 29
Really Mom, it's for the restless leg syndrome.....
No--really, this deserves our attention......
Dear friends,Commercial Alert is launching a nationwide campaign to stop direct-to-consumer prescription drug marketing.Drug ads lead to over-prescription of drugs, which may be dangerous or deadly for patients. Pharmaceutical companies have a massive financial conflict-of-interest which drives them to exaggerate the positive and minimize the negative qualities of their own products. Pharmaceutical companies claim that their ads educate consumers. We know they are just trying to hawk their products, and convince people that all of life’s problems can be solved with more little pills.We have a great opportunity to stop the $4 billion annual marketing onslaught by big drug companies. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is rethinking its rules on drug marketing. It is collecting public comment through February 28, 2006.Commercial Alert is organizing thousands of citizens to tell the FDA to stop the drug ads.Over two hundred medical school professors have already endorsed Commercial Alert's statement opposing direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads. Now we need your support. Please write to the FDA today, at:
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=49432014&url_num=4&url=http://hq.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/commercialalert/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1415
-- Gary Ruskin, Commercial Alert
Dear friends,Commercial Alert is launching a nationwide campaign to stop direct-to-consumer prescription drug marketing.Drug ads lead to over-prescription of drugs, which may be dangerous or deadly for patients. Pharmaceutical companies have a massive financial conflict-of-interest which drives them to exaggerate the positive and minimize the negative qualities of their own products. Pharmaceutical companies claim that their ads educate consumers. We know they are just trying to hawk their products, and convince people that all of life’s problems can be solved with more little pills.We have a great opportunity to stop the $4 billion annual marketing onslaught by big drug companies. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is rethinking its rules on drug marketing. It is collecting public comment through February 28, 2006.Commercial Alert is organizing thousands of citizens to tell the FDA to stop the drug ads.Over two hundred medical school professors have already endorsed Commercial Alert's statement opposing direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads. Now we need your support. Please write to the FDA today, at:
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=49432014&url_num=4&url=http://hq.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/commercialalert/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1415
-- Gary Ruskin, Commercial Alert
'Twas the night before Fitzmas, and in the White House
Every one was scared shitless, and Bush was quite soused.
The indictments were hanging like Damocles' sword
As verminous oxen prepared to be gored.
The perps were all sleepless, curled fetal in bed,
While visions of prison cells loomed in each head.
And Dick in his jammies and George in his lap
Were sweating and swearing and looking like crap.
When out on the web there arose such a clatter,
The blogs and the forums were buzzing with chatter.
Away to the PC Rove ran like a flash;
He booted his browser and cleared out his cache.
The rumors that flew through the cold autumn air
Made Dubya shiver with angry despair.
When what to his horror-filled eyes did he spy?
A bespectacled man with a brown suit and tie!
With an impartial manner that gave Bush the shits,
He knew in a moment it must be St. Fitz!
With unwavering voice, his indictments they came.
He cleared out his throat and he called them by name:
Now Scooter, Now Libby,Now Blossoming Turd,
Now Cheney, dear Cheney,Yes, you are the third.
To the bench of the court,Up the steps, down the hall,
Now come along, come along,Come along, all!
He then became silent and went right to work.
He filed the indictments and turned with a jerk
And, pointing his finger at justice's scale,
Said, "The people be served, and let fairness prevail.
"He then left the room, to his team gave a nod,
And the sound could be heard of a crumbling facade.
And we all did exclaim, as he faded from sight
"Merry Fitzmas to all, and to all a good night!"
[SOURCE UNKNOWN}
Every one was scared shitless, and Bush was quite soused.
The indictments were hanging like Damocles' sword
As verminous oxen prepared to be gored.
The perps were all sleepless, curled fetal in bed,
While visions of prison cells loomed in each head.
And Dick in his jammies and George in his lap
Were sweating and swearing and looking like crap.
When out on the web there arose such a clatter,
The blogs and the forums were buzzing with chatter.
Away to the PC Rove ran like a flash;
He booted his browser and cleared out his cache.
The rumors that flew through the cold autumn air
Made Dubya shiver with angry despair.
When what to his horror-filled eyes did he spy?
A bespectacled man with a brown suit and tie!
With an impartial manner that gave Bush the shits,
He knew in a moment it must be St. Fitz!
With unwavering voice, his indictments they came.
He cleared out his throat and he called them by name:
Now Scooter, Now Libby,Now Blossoming Turd,
Now Cheney, dear Cheney,Yes, you are the third.
To the bench of the court,Up the steps, down the hall,
Now come along, come along,Come along, all!
He then became silent and went right to work.
He filed the indictments and turned with a jerk
And, pointing his finger at justice's scale,
Said, "The people be served, and let fairness prevail.
"He then left the room, to his team gave a nod,
And the sound could be heard of a crumbling facade.
And we all did exclaim, as he faded from sight
"Merry Fitzmas to all, and to all a good night!"
[SOURCE UNKNOWN}
Monday, October 24
Trickle Up Economics
Remember the old days, shiver and toil? Hard not to be sentimental when your having brioche, isn't it? We could always use a little reminder of how lucky we are.
http://www.northjersey.com/print.php?qstr=ZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY3OTIyMDcmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkx
Have 2nds? Of course!
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&c2coff=1&q=%22persons+who+held+more+than+one+job+increased+by+574%2C000+to+7.8+million%22&btnG=Search
http://www.northjersey.com/print.php?qstr=ZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY3OTIyMDcmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkx
Have 2nds? Of course!
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&c2coff=1&q=%22persons+who+held+more+than+one+job+increased+by+574%2C000+to+7.8+million%22&btnG=Search
Sunday, October 23
What are we (not) Talking about here?!?!
By DAN MITCHELL
Published: October 22, 2005
IT'S easy to imagine how busy the comptroller of the United States, David M. Walker, has been since he was appointed in 1998, calling out wayward politicians on fiscal matters.
But lately, Mr. Walker has been on a tear. He is making appearances nationwide to warn of what he says is a looming federal fiscal crisis, likening it to horrific weather events.
"We have not yet begun to face the demographic tidal wave - the demographic tsunami, if you will - associated with the retirement of my generation, the baby boom generation," Mr. Walker said during a recent panel discussion in Minneapolis, which can be heard on Minnesota Public Radio's Web site, mpr.org.
Also this week, National Review Online (nationalreview.com) quoted Mr. Walker as saying during an appearance in Richmond, Va., that "a Category 6 hurricane is threatening our shores - it's the federal budget deficit."
For the panel discussions, representatives from two research groups, one from the liberal Brookings Institution and one from the conservative Heritage Foundation, usually tag along with Mr. Walker.
This is to make it clear that the effort is not a partisan attack on the Republican-controlled government. It is also to emphasize that while the problem has worsened under the Bush administration (even the Heritage Foundation says so), the government's fiscal condition is not tied to any president's policies. As comptroller, Mr. Walker is in charge of the Government Accountability Office. Its Web site, www.gao.gov/special.pubs/longterm, offers easily digestible material in support of his arguments.
But however loud, logical or well presented the arguments may be, the lack of government action seems to some to come from a systemic fault in modern American politics.
"There is not much courage out there," said Brian M. Riedl of the Heritage Foundation, speaking at the Minneapolis event. "Like an alcoholic, the first thing you have to do is admit you have a problem. The flip side of it is, Americans are vehemently opposed to every possible solution."
Published: October 22, 2005
IT'S easy to imagine how busy the comptroller of the United States, David M. Walker, has been since he was appointed in 1998, calling out wayward politicians on fiscal matters.
But lately, Mr. Walker has been on a tear. He is making appearances nationwide to warn of what he says is a looming federal fiscal crisis, likening it to horrific weather events.
"We have not yet begun to face the demographic tidal wave - the demographic tsunami, if you will - associated with the retirement of my generation, the baby boom generation," Mr. Walker said during a recent panel discussion in Minneapolis, which can be heard on Minnesota Public Radio's Web site, mpr.org.
Also this week, National Review Online (nationalreview.com) quoted Mr. Walker as saying during an appearance in Richmond, Va., that "a Category 6 hurricane is threatening our shores - it's the federal budget deficit."
For the panel discussions, representatives from two research groups, one from the liberal Brookings Institution and one from the conservative Heritage Foundation, usually tag along with Mr. Walker.
This is to make it clear that the effort is not a partisan attack on the Republican-controlled government. It is also to emphasize that while the problem has worsened under the Bush administration (even the Heritage Foundation says so), the government's fiscal condition is not tied to any president's policies. As comptroller, Mr. Walker is in charge of the Government Accountability Office. Its Web site, www.gao.gov/special.pubs/longterm, offers easily digestible material in support of his arguments.
But however loud, logical or well presented the arguments may be, the lack of government action seems to some to come from a systemic fault in modern American politics.
"There is not much courage out there," said Brian M. Riedl of the Heritage Foundation, speaking at the Minneapolis event. "Like an alcoholic, the first thing you have to do is admit you have a problem. The flip side of it is, Americans are vehemently opposed to every possible solution."
Saturday, October 22
Eat this
I think everyone who knows me is aware of my displeasure for lawns, so I'll spare you. What then is to be done about them. Well, the same thing as gargantuan problems such as sprawl, political correctness, nuclear proliferation, or Starbucks. Start small if you have to, but jump in!
Tiny acts of discordance drive powers that be crazy!
http://www.fritzhaeg.com/garden/initiatives/edibleestates/main.html
Tiny acts of discordance drive powers that be crazy!
http://www.fritzhaeg.com/garden/initiatives/edibleestates/main.html
Friday, October 21
what's a 'Cabal'?
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/afdb7b0c-40f3-11da-b3f9-00000e2511c8.html
Hint: Dick Chain-ey, Army Graib, Regime Change
a FOX poll
finds that 48% support doctor assisted euthanasia as opposed to 39% who opposed.
Where do you stand? One foot in, one out?
I guess I'm developing strong opinions regarding death, even. (Wha?)
In a world with so many billions unable to right themselves, in a country with a 'healthcare' system stacked for profit and prolongation of life(!) at nearly any cost, where we are propelled into financial debt and usury throughout life....Why make it any harder? Why does the gracious hand of God have the only say in my/your time here?
Bullshit!
Where do you stand? One foot in, one out?
I guess I'm developing strong opinions regarding death, even. (Wha?)
In a world with so many billions unable to right themselves, in a country with a 'healthcare' system stacked for profit and prolongation of life(!) at nearly any cost, where we are propelled into financial debt and usury throughout life....Why make it any harder? Why does the gracious hand of God have the only say in my/your time here?
Bullshit!
Close the door behind you
Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian. - Robert Orben
Thursday, October 20
Wednesday, October 19
Friday, October 14
Say you, say me....
War is.?.?.
Quotes from Republicans when Clinton committed troops to Bosnia:
“You can support the troops but not the president.”–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
“Well, I just think it’s a bad idea. What’s going to happen is they’re going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years.”–Joe Scarborough (R-FL)
“Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?”–Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99
“[The] President . . . is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation’s armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy.”–Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
“American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy.”–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
“If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy.”–Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W Bush
“I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning . . I didn’t think we had done enough in the diplomatic area.”–Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
“I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that itis often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission withvery vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There isno clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our over-extended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for warwhen the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today”–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
“Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is.”–Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)
Funny thing is, we ended that war without a single American killed in action.
Quotes from Republicans when Clinton committed troops to Bosnia:
“You can support the troops but not the president.”–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
“Well, I just think it’s a bad idea. What’s going to happen is they’re going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years.”–Joe Scarborough (R-FL)
“Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?”–Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99
“[The] President . . . is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation’s armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy.”–Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
“American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy.”–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
“If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy.”–Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W Bush
“I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning . . I didn’t think we had done enough in the diplomatic area.”–Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
“I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that itis often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission withvery vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There isno clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our over-extended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for warwhen the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today”–Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
“Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is.”–Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)
Funny thing is, we ended that war without a single American killed in action.
Funnier if it were true?!?
http://www.thefrown.com/frowners/becomerepublican.swf
This explains it all so well...I'd love to see one for the Dems as well
This explains it all so well...I'd love to see one for the Dems as well
Wednesday, October 12
Tuesday, October 11
Sunday, October 9
Drink and Drive
Brazil fights oil prices with alcohol
By Andrew Downie, Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Fri Oct 7, 4:00 AM ET
Brazilians aren't waiting for high-priced hybrid cars.
Drivers are fighting rising gasoline prices by buying "flex" or "flexible fuel" cars that slurp more alcohol.
Alcohol made from sugar cane is becoming the fuel of choice in Brazil, and other countries - so much so that global sugar prices hit a seven-year high this week.
Regular car engines will run fine on a 10 percent blend of alcohol and gasoline. But by using computer sensors that adjust to whatever mix is in the tank, flex car engines run on either ethanol, gasoline, or any combination of the two. And they have been roaring out of dealerships here since Volkswagen sold the first TotalFlex Golf in March 2003.
Today, flex cars are outselling traditional gasoline models. In August, 62 percent of new cars sold were flex, according to industry numbers. "Demand has been unbelievable," says Barry Engle, the new president of Ford Brasil. "I am hard-pressed to think of any other technology that has been such a success so quickly."
As many countries reexamine their dependence on petroleum fields for fuel, Brazil offers a model for how to make the switch to cane, beet, wheat, or corn fields. The successful transition here comes down to many factors, but price is the primary one, experts say.
Unlike hybrids sold in the US, for example, flex cars sold in Brazil don't cost any more than traditional models. In fact, some models are only available with flex engines now. Ethanol engines use 25 percent more ethanol per mile than gasoline. But ethanol (the alcohol produced by fermenting sugar) usually sells at somewhere between a third to half of the price of gas. Even people who were reluctant to take the plunge and buy a flex say they have been won over by the savings.
"It's been a revelation because of the economy," says Madalena Lira, a university lecturer who says that she and her husband had reluctantly purchased a flex car because it was the only available version of the Fiat Palio Weekend they wanted. "I love this car in spite of it being a flex, not because it is a flex. The savings have been great. I'd certainly buy another one."
In addition to the savings, environmentally conscious drivers appreciate having a car that runs on a cleaner fuel, and some might even buy a flex car because they know it is good for the country's auto and sugar manufacturers. But today, two-and-a-half years into the flex experiment, another unforeseen advantage is emerging.
"There is something curious that we are just starting to see," says Alfred Szwarc, an ethanol consultant with Sao Paulo's sugar cane association. "Gasoline powered cars lose more of their [resale] value than flex cars. People know that oil is finite and that it is going to get more and more expensive. They think that a gasoline-powered car is going to be more difficult to sell. They see flex cars as the car of the future."
Ethanol-powered cars are not new in Brazil. In a bid to cut the country's reliance on foreign oil imports and help their own sugar producers, Brazil's military government pushed alcohol-powered cars in the early 1980s. Gas stations across the country added ethanol pumps to the existing gasoline and diesel ones. Between 1983 and 1988 more than 88 percent of cars sold annually were running on a blend of ethanol and gasoline.
This didn't last for long, though. The subsidies were withdrawn at the end of the decade, and cane farmers quickly realized they could get more from selling sugar than turning it into ethanol. When alcohol fuel shortages ensued it looked like the end of the road for ethanol engines as sales of the experimental cars plummeted.
That experience may have been a bitter one but it gave Brazilians a taste for alternative fuels that lingered. Although most people abandoned ethanol cars, many taxi drivers kept them because it was so much cheaper than a gas-only car. Then the country's Congress passed a law forcing oil companies to add small quantities of ethanol to their gasoline. That prompted car companies to experiment with an engine that would run on both fuels, and when they did, the flex car sales took off.
"Why did this take off here?" asks Mr. Engle. "Because this isn't brand-new. Car buyers concerned about high gas prices or potential ethanol shortages no longer have to make a choice between the two. It used to be an either-or but now there's both and that gives consumers peace of mind and explains why Brazilians have embraced it."
The next task is convincing other nations to adopt the technology, industry experts said. With oil prices at a record high, there is a clear advantage to diluting gasoline or even substituting it, with sugar-based ethanol or one of the biofuel alternatives such as beets or corn.
For most countries, the problem is the lack of ethanol production and a distribution system. Although many countries require oil companies to dilute their gasoline with ethanol (in Brazil, gas sold at the pumps is 25 percent ethanol; and some of the gas sold in the US, China, Australia and Canada is 10-15 percent ethanol), few actually make ethanol or manufacture flex vehicles, and even fewer have a network of gas stations with ethanol pumps.
In the US - with about 4 million flex cars - there are 14 states without even one ethanol pump, says Robert White, project director for the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.
With years of experience at every stage of the process, Brazil is in the pole position to help other nations' farmers grow crops, scientists refine it into fuel, or engineers produce the technology to make flex cars, says Rogelio Golfarb, president of Brazil's car makers association. "There is an enormous demand from abroad to know more," Mr. Golfarb says "This is an advantage and an opportunity for Brazil."
By Andrew Downie, Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Fri Oct 7, 4:00 AM ET
Brazilians aren't waiting for high-priced hybrid cars.
Drivers are fighting rising gasoline prices by buying "flex" or "flexible fuel" cars that slurp more alcohol.
Alcohol made from sugar cane is becoming the fuel of choice in Brazil, and other countries - so much so that global sugar prices hit a seven-year high this week.
Regular car engines will run fine on a 10 percent blend of alcohol and gasoline. But by using computer sensors that adjust to whatever mix is in the tank, flex car engines run on either ethanol, gasoline, or any combination of the two. And they have been roaring out of dealerships here since Volkswagen sold the first TotalFlex Golf in March 2003.
Today, flex cars are outselling traditional gasoline models. In August, 62 percent of new cars sold were flex, according to industry numbers. "Demand has been unbelievable," says Barry Engle, the new president of Ford Brasil. "I am hard-pressed to think of any other technology that has been such a success so quickly."
As many countries reexamine their dependence on petroleum fields for fuel, Brazil offers a model for how to make the switch to cane, beet, wheat, or corn fields. The successful transition here comes down to many factors, but price is the primary one, experts say.
Unlike hybrids sold in the US, for example, flex cars sold in Brazil don't cost any more than traditional models. In fact, some models are only available with flex engines now. Ethanol engines use 25 percent more ethanol per mile than gasoline. But ethanol (the alcohol produced by fermenting sugar) usually sells at somewhere between a third to half of the price of gas. Even people who were reluctant to take the plunge and buy a flex say they have been won over by the savings.
"It's been a revelation because of the economy," says Madalena Lira, a university lecturer who says that she and her husband had reluctantly purchased a flex car because it was the only available version of the Fiat Palio Weekend they wanted. "I love this car in spite of it being a flex, not because it is a flex. The savings have been great. I'd certainly buy another one."
In addition to the savings, environmentally conscious drivers appreciate having a car that runs on a cleaner fuel, and some might even buy a flex car because they know it is good for the country's auto and sugar manufacturers. But today, two-and-a-half years into the flex experiment, another unforeseen advantage is emerging.
"There is something curious that we are just starting to see," says Alfred Szwarc, an ethanol consultant with Sao Paulo's sugar cane association. "Gasoline powered cars lose more of their [resale] value than flex cars. People know that oil is finite and that it is going to get more and more expensive. They think that a gasoline-powered car is going to be more difficult to sell. They see flex cars as the car of the future."
Ethanol-powered cars are not new in Brazil. In a bid to cut the country's reliance on foreign oil imports and help their own sugar producers, Brazil's military government pushed alcohol-powered cars in the early 1980s. Gas stations across the country added ethanol pumps to the existing gasoline and diesel ones. Between 1983 and 1988 more than 88 percent of cars sold annually were running on a blend of ethanol and gasoline.
This didn't last for long, though. The subsidies were withdrawn at the end of the decade, and cane farmers quickly realized they could get more from selling sugar than turning it into ethanol. When alcohol fuel shortages ensued it looked like the end of the road for ethanol engines as sales of the experimental cars plummeted.
That experience may have been a bitter one but it gave Brazilians a taste for alternative fuels that lingered. Although most people abandoned ethanol cars, many taxi drivers kept them because it was so much cheaper than a gas-only car. Then the country's Congress passed a law forcing oil companies to add small quantities of ethanol to their gasoline. That prompted car companies to experiment with an engine that would run on both fuels, and when they did, the flex car sales took off.
"Why did this take off here?" asks Mr. Engle. "Because this isn't brand-new. Car buyers concerned about high gas prices or potential ethanol shortages no longer have to make a choice between the two. It used to be an either-or but now there's both and that gives consumers peace of mind and explains why Brazilians have embraced it."
The next task is convincing other nations to adopt the technology, industry experts said. With oil prices at a record high, there is a clear advantage to diluting gasoline or even substituting it, with sugar-based ethanol or one of the biofuel alternatives such as beets or corn.
For most countries, the problem is the lack of ethanol production and a distribution system. Although many countries require oil companies to dilute their gasoline with ethanol (in Brazil, gas sold at the pumps is 25 percent ethanol; and some of the gas sold in the US, China, Australia and Canada is 10-15 percent ethanol), few actually make ethanol or manufacture flex vehicles, and even fewer have a network of gas stations with ethanol pumps.
In the US - with about 4 million flex cars - there are 14 states without even one ethanol pump, says Robert White, project director for the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.
With years of experience at every stage of the process, Brazil is in the pole position to help other nations' farmers grow crops, scientists refine it into fuel, or engineers produce the technology to make flex cars, says Rogelio Golfarb, president of Brazil's car makers association. "There is an enormous demand from abroad to know more," Mr. Golfarb says "This is an advantage and an opportunity for Brazil."
Friday, October 7
welearnthoughrepetition
http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?emx=x&pid=27240
U.S. ignores energy reality, analyst says
BY NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPOKANE -- It might already be too late for the United States to avoid a major economic disruption because of a decline in worldwide oil production, an industry expert said Wednesday.
Roger Bezdek, a consultant for the U.S. Department of Energy, told the Global Oil Depletion conference that it will take more than a decade to find alternative sources of energy if oil production reaches a peak, which could be imminent.
The conference was presented by the Thomas S. Foley Institute at Washington State University, and painted a gloomy picture of a future in which there is increased competition for diminishing resources.
Bezdek said it will take the nation 10 to 15 years to deal with a decline in oil supply by finding alternative means to move people and goods. That time is needed to find substitute fuels and get higher fuel efficiency.
"It may be too late to avoid economic dislocations," he said.
Matthew Simmons, an investment banker who recently wrote "Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy," said the United States has been in denial about energy issues for decades. The nation has built its economy and lifestyle around an endless supply of cheap oil, and now finds itself with stiff competition for oil from India and China, he said.
The recent hurricanes on the Gulf Coast have knocked a big hole in oil and natural gas supplies, and it is unclear when those refineries will be back in production, Simmons said.
Herman Franssen, president of International Energy Associates Inc. of Chevy Chase, Md., said that two-thirds of the world's oil comes from the Middle East, which probably cannot increase its production much.
He predicted that Iraq will remain unstable for years, and that oil production will not rebound to the levels of the Saddam Hussein-era for years.
To cut oil consumption, Simmons said the United States should switch to moving more goods by railroad and ship, rather than trucks. More workers should work from home to cut down on commuting, he said. The nation also should grow more of its own food to cut down on imports, he said.
Simmons predicted there will be natural gas shortages this winter because of the damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Bezdek suggested people adopt a faith-based energy policy: "Pray for a mild winter
U.S. ignores energy reality, analyst says
BY NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPOKANE -- It might already be too late for the United States to avoid a major economic disruption because of a decline in worldwide oil production, an industry expert said Wednesday.
Roger Bezdek, a consultant for the U.S. Department of Energy, told the Global Oil Depletion conference that it will take more than a decade to find alternative sources of energy if oil production reaches a peak, which could be imminent.
The conference was presented by the Thomas S. Foley Institute at Washington State University, and painted a gloomy picture of a future in which there is increased competition for diminishing resources.
Bezdek said it will take the nation 10 to 15 years to deal with a decline in oil supply by finding alternative means to move people and goods. That time is needed to find substitute fuels and get higher fuel efficiency.
"It may be too late to avoid economic dislocations," he said.
Matthew Simmons, an investment banker who recently wrote "Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy," said the United States has been in denial about energy issues for decades. The nation has built its economy and lifestyle around an endless supply of cheap oil, and now finds itself with stiff competition for oil from India and China, he said.
The recent hurricanes on the Gulf Coast have knocked a big hole in oil and natural gas supplies, and it is unclear when those refineries will be back in production, Simmons said.
Herman Franssen, president of International Energy Associates Inc. of Chevy Chase, Md., said that two-thirds of the world's oil comes from the Middle East, which probably cannot increase its production much.
He predicted that Iraq will remain unstable for years, and that oil production will not rebound to the levels of the Saddam Hussein-era for years.
To cut oil consumption, Simmons said the United States should switch to moving more goods by railroad and ship, rather than trucks. More workers should work from home to cut down on commuting, he said. The nation also should grow more of its own food to cut down on imports, he said.
Simmons predicted there will be natural gas shortages this winter because of the damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Bezdek suggested people adopt a faith-based energy policy: "Pray for a mild winter
Tuesday, October 4
Monday, October 3
the view in Here
October 2, 2005
Rocky Mountain Dry
By PAM HOUSTON
Creede, Colo.
HEW HALLOCK, the editor of The Valley Courier in Alamosa, Colo., comes from a long line of cattlemen who have grazed their stock near Springfield, out on the state's eastern plains. After two years of drought that forced some ranchers to send their cattle to Oklahoma and others to simply sell out, 2005 has been a good year: plenty of rain and high beef prices have allowed for at least temporary sighs of relief.
But increased gas prices are already affecting where Hew's family can afford to run their cattle and how they market them. "We can't sustain the current rate of growth in the San Luis Valley and still provide the water people need, and it is agriculture that will pay the price for overuse," he told me. "A hundred and fifty years ago our ancestors came out to Colorado and found a new way to live, and I suppose that is what we'll have to do."
Seven thousand feet above sea level, Colorado's San Luis Valley is one of the largest high-desert valleys in the world. Enclosed by the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the east and the San Juans to the west, the valley is home to a community of ranchers and farmers working to preserve a lifestyle threatened by diminishing water tables and rising land and fuel costs.
A little farther down valley, Colin and Karen Henderson own and operate El Sagrado Farm outside La Jara. On their 300 acres they grow grains, oats, barley, wheat, alfalfa and 20 kinds of certified organic vegetables. "We are an old-fashioned diversified farm," Colin said. "We are focused on sustainability, on taking care of the land." El Sagrado is off the grid, relying on solar, wind, bio-diesel (made from used cooking oil) and horsepower (in the form of two giant Belgians). For 17 weeks each summer the Hendersons feed 43 families as part of a community-supported agriculture farm-share program.
"Farmers have always had to use their ingenuity to survive, maybe now it is just a little bit worse," he told me. "We don't want to be separate in our self-sufficiency, we want to be integral; that is the true definition of community."
About 200 miles northwest of La Jara, near Montrose, Bob Hasse is raising yaks. "It is impossible for a ranching family to survive without debt from generation to generation in commodity farming, without borrowing from the future on their land," Bob told me. He believes that if ranching is to survive in Colorado it will be with high-end exotics: elk, bison, American Kobe beef and (in his opinion) the far superior yak. He sells yak hides for clothing and furniture, yak skulls to local artists, and yak meat (as low in fat as elk and bison, but higher in omega-3's) to the health-conscious crowd.
Bob secured his own financial future by working for years in the business world, but he is concerned for his children and grandchildren: "To get started in life without help is harder and harder. Even though we are making some money now, I can't afford to hire my kids at a rate of pay they would be interested in; hopefully in the next few years that will be possible."
I met Banjo Joe at a fruit stand on the side of the road in Palisade. He said it was a beautiful year for peaches; mostly, he thought, because of prayer. Joe's boss, Peter Forte of Forte Farms, had a dream that there were bees crawling all over him, and after that, Joe said, they knew it would be a bumper crop.
Banjo Joe, whose real name is Dan, has been picking peaches in the Grand Valley (nestled between the Book Cliffs and the Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world) since 1972. He identifies himself as the if-it's-broke-then-fix-it guy. Joe doesn't spend too much time thinking about his future or financial security.
"Customers are blessings," he said, "and I try not to let finances blind my eyes. I love peaches. I even wrote a song about them. If we freeze out early in the year I have to prune people's yards all winter just to live. Being a farmer is like going to Vegas. You either win or you have a lot of time to play the banjo."
Pam Houston is the author, most recently, of "Sight Hound."
Rocky Mountain Dry
By PAM HOUSTON
Creede, Colo.
HEW HALLOCK, the editor of The Valley Courier in Alamosa, Colo., comes from a long line of cattlemen who have grazed their stock near Springfield, out on the state's eastern plains. After two years of drought that forced some ranchers to send their cattle to Oklahoma and others to simply sell out, 2005 has been a good year: plenty of rain and high beef prices have allowed for at least temporary sighs of relief.
But increased gas prices are already affecting where Hew's family can afford to run their cattle and how they market them. "We can't sustain the current rate of growth in the San Luis Valley and still provide the water people need, and it is agriculture that will pay the price for overuse," he told me. "A hundred and fifty years ago our ancestors came out to Colorado and found a new way to live, and I suppose that is what we'll have to do."
Seven thousand feet above sea level, Colorado's San Luis Valley is one of the largest high-desert valleys in the world. Enclosed by the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the east and the San Juans to the west, the valley is home to a community of ranchers and farmers working to preserve a lifestyle threatened by diminishing water tables and rising land and fuel costs.
A little farther down valley, Colin and Karen Henderson own and operate El Sagrado Farm outside La Jara. On their 300 acres they grow grains, oats, barley, wheat, alfalfa and 20 kinds of certified organic vegetables. "We are an old-fashioned diversified farm," Colin said. "We are focused on sustainability, on taking care of the land." El Sagrado is off the grid, relying on solar, wind, bio-diesel (made from used cooking oil) and horsepower (in the form of two giant Belgians). For 17 weeks each summer the Hendersons feed 43 families as part of a community-supported agriculture farm-share program.
"Farmers have always had to use their ingenuity to survive, maybe now it is just a little bit worse," he told me. "We don't want to be separate in our self-sufficiency, we want to be integral; that is the true definition of community."
About 200 miles northwest of La Jara, near Montrose, Bob Hasse is raising yaks. "It is impossible for a ranching family to survive without debt from generation to generation in commodity farming, without borrowing from the future on their land," Bob told me. He believes that if ranching is to survive in Colorado it will be with high-end exotics: elk, bison, American Kobe beef and (in his opinion) the far superior yak. He sells yak hides for clothing and furniture, yak skulls to local artists, and yak meat (as low in fat as elk and bison, but higher in omega-3's) to the health-conscious crowd.
Bob secured his own financial future by working for years in the business world, but he is concerned for his children and grandchildren: "To get started in life without help is harder and harder. Even though we are making some money now, I can't afford to hire my kids at a rate of pay they would be interested in; hopefully in the next few years that will be possible."
I met Banjo Joe at a fruit stand on the side of the road in Palisade. He said it was a beautiful year for peaches; mostly, he thought, because of prayer. Joe's boss, Peter Forte of Forte Farms, had a dream that there were bees crawling all over him, and after that, Joe said, they knew it would be a bumper crop.
Banjo Joe, whose real name is Dan, has been picking peaches in the Grand Valley (nestled between the Book Cliffs and the Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world) since 1972. He identifies himself as the if-it's-broke-then-fix-it guy. Joe doesn't spend too much time thinking about his future or financial security.
"Customers are blessings," he said, "and I try not to let finances blind my eyes. I love peaches. I even wrote a song about them. If we freeze out early in the year I have to prune people's yards all winter just to live. Being a farmer is like going to Vegas. You either win or you have a lot of time to play the banjo."
Pam Houston is the author, most recently, of "Sight Hound."
Protest. will Ya?!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2
Just three days before the long-planned protests, "above top secret" military exercises began on the streets of Washington, D.C. The top secret exercises involving the nation's intelligence agencies, national laboratories and U.S. military troops on the ground in America's capital were coordinated and controlled by Northcom in Colorado.The Washington Post reported on Sept. 21:[] Granite Shadow is yet another new Top Secret and compartmented operation related to the military's extra-legal powers regarding weapons of mass destruction. It allows for emergency military operations in the United States without civilian supervision or control . . .That's where Granite Shadow comes in. U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), the military's new homeland security command, is preparing its draft version of CONPLAN 0400 for military operations in the United States, and the resulting Granite Shadow plan has been classified above Top Secret by adding a Special Category (SPECAT) compartment restricting access. Further, Granite Shadow posits domestic military operations, including intelligence collection and surveillance, unique rules of engagement regarding the use of lethal force, the use of experimental non-lethal weapons, and federal and military control of incident locations that are highly controversial and might border on the illegal. The sensitivities, according to military sources, include deployment of "special mission units" (the so-called Delta Force, SEAL teams, Rangers, and other special units of Joint Special Operations Command) in Washington, DC and other domestic hot spots. NORTHCOM has worked closely with U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), as well as the secret branches of non-military agencies and departments to enforce "unity of command" over any post 9/11 efforts Both plans seem to live behind a veil of extraordinary secrecy because military forces operating under them have already been given a series of "special authorities" by the President and the secretary of defense. These special authorities include, presumably, military roles in civilian law enforcement and abrogation of State's powers in a declared or perceived emergency. []005/09/30/AR2005093001775_pf.html
Just three days before the long-planned protests, "above top secret" military exercises began on the streets of Washington, D.C. The top secret exercises involving the nation's intelligence agencies, national laboratories and U.S. military troops on the ground in America's capital were coordinated and controlled by Northcom in Colorado.The Washington Post reported on Sept. 21:[] Granite Shadow is yet another new Top Secret and compartmented operation related to the military's extra-legal powers regarding weapons of mass destruction. It allows for emergency military operations in the United States without civilian supervision or control . . .That's where Granite Shadow comes in. U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), the military's new homeland security command, is preparing its draft version of CONPLAN 0400 for military operations in the United States, and the resulting Granite Shadow plan has been classified above Top Secret by adding a Special Category (SPECAT) compartment restricting access. Further, Granite Shadow posits domestic military operations, including intelligence collection and surveillance, unique rules of engagement regarding the use of lethal force, the use of experimental non-lethal weapons, and federal and military control of incident locations that are highly controversial and might border on the illegal. The sensitivities, according to military sources, include deployment of "special mission units" (the so-called Delta Force, SEAL teams, Rangers, and other special units of Joint Special Operations Command) in Washington, DC and other domestic hot spots. NORTHCOM has worked closely with U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), as well as the secret branches of non-military agencies and departments to enforce "unity of command" over any post 9/11 efforts Both plans seem to live behind a veil of extraordinary secrecy because military forces operating under them have already been given a series of "special authorities" by the President and the secretary of defense. These special authorities include, presumably, military roles in civilian law enforcement and abrogation of State's powers in a declared or perceived emergency. []005/09/30/AR2005093001775_pf.html
Saturday, October 1
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