The Dollar Nosedive: Why America's Currency Is the World's Problem - 3 - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

The Dollar Nosedive: Why America's Currency Is the World's Problem - 3 - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

While Asia finances America's excessive consumer spending, the Americans buy Asia's cheap T-shirts, cars and flat-screen TVs. "Getting this much into debt while at the same time enjoying returns on long-term government bonds of less than 5 percent -- I'd call it the biggest free lunch in modern economic history," says Harvard historian Niall Ferguson, referring to the audacity with which the Americans take advantage of their privileges as holders of the world's reserve currency.

Rarely has the world economy been so out of whack or have global imbalances been greater. The Americans were the world's financiers for years. Today they are its biggest borrowers, while the Asians serve as America's bank.

It's obvious that this does not bode well for the long term. For years, economists and politicians have been warning against an impending crash. Now it seems that the time is ripe for this to happen.

AKI - Adnkronos international Indonesia: 'Green' cycling tour arrives in Bali ahead of climate change summit

AKI - Adnkronos international Indonesia: 'Green' cycling tour arrives in Bali ahead of climate change summit:

"The cycling tour, called 'Bicycle for Earth Goes to Bali' has been held to promote biking as an alternative means of transport that does not add to climate change. Along the 1447 kilometer long route from Jakarta to Bali, events have been held to inform the public about climate change and promote alternative solutions, and the team has attended political debates and other public events"

Join Live Earth

Climate change: "Carbon footprint" enters everyday vocabulary - Yahoo! News

Climate change: "Carbon footprint" enters everyday vocabulary - Yahoo! News: "Individuals keen on reducing their 'carbon footprint' -- the dangerous greenhouse gas that each of us emit through our purchases and activities -- can now turn to a multiplying panoply of tools to calculate their pollution, reduce it or compensate for it. 'Our daily habits are responsible for 50 percent of greenhouse gas emissions,' says France's Agency for the Environment and Control of Energy (ADEME)."

Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) Homepage

Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC): "The DESERTEC Concept of TREC is to boost the generation of electricity and desalinated water by solar thermal power plants and wind turbines in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and to transmit the clean electrical power via High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission lines throughout those areas and as from 2020 (with overall just 10-15% transmission losses) to Europe."

Solution are everywhere it is the criminals that hold the trump cards that are the problem.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Rudd sets new Australian agenda

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Rudd sets new Australian agenda: "Mr Rudd said he would overturn a number of his predecessor's policies, signing the Kyoto Protocol and withdrawing Australian troops from Iraq.

He also promised to attend next month's UN climate change summit in Bali."

Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See

Watch this video of why the choice to take action to avoid climate change is unavoidable. There is also an opportunity to refute the argument if you can. You decide or ... well at least be aware of the probable consequences.

Comment is free: Learn to swim

Comment is free: Learn to swim:

"The adaptation argument has become the retreat position in recent months for climate change sceptics who now find climate data and evidence from the poles mounting against them. No longer able to argue that there's no need to act because the climate isn't changing, they now argue against action because it's too expensive, requires too much government leadership (they say intervention) ... but he ignores the fact that climate change could destroy more demand-and-supply chains around the world than new government policies ever could."

AlterNet: Biofuels Could Kill More People Than the Iraq War - Topix

AlterNet: Biofuels Could Kill More People Than the Iraq War - Topix: "If the governments promoting biofuels do not reverse their policies, the humanitarian impact will be greater than that of the Iraq war."

Climate change talks reach agreement - Yahoo! News

Climate change talks reach agreement - Yahoo! News:

"The document, summarizing the scientific consensus on human-induced climate change, will be distributed to delegates at a crucial meeting in Indonesia next month that is intended to launch a political process on international cooperation to control global warming."

Climate report to warn of potentially 'irreversible' impacts - Yahoo! News

Climate report to warn of potentially 'irreversible' impacts - Yahoo! News

OPEC to put carbon capture at heart of new green agenda - Yahoo! News UK

OPEC to put carbon capture at heart of new green agenda - Yahoo! News UK

Whatever it takes to sell oil.

It has won support from the United States and the oil industry because it potentially offers a partial solution to the climate change problem without reducing dependence on oil or curbing consumption.

But it is only in the development stage and requires massive investment to make it commercially viable.

Greenhouse gases rising faster than UN forecasts: report - Yahoo! News UK

Greenhouse gases rising faster than UN forecasts: report - Yahoo! News UK:

"Greenhouse gas emissions are rising faster than worst-case predictions by the United Nations' top climate change body, said a new Australian report issued Thursday.

The report by the independent Climate Institute found emissions were rising faster than forecast by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), with possibly devastating effects.

'Greenhouse emissions are rising faster than the worst-case IPCC scenarios,' it said."

Valeswood rolls out fuel cell bicycle - Fuel Cell Today

Valeswood rolls out fuel cell bicycle - Fuel Cell Today:

"A lime green, fuel cell-powered bicycle is just one of the fuel cell products that has been launched by Birmingham-based environmental technology company Valeswood this autumn, it has been reported. The firm has also unveiled small cars, mobility vehicles, scooters and small boats - all of which are powered by hydrogen fuel cells."

Americans believe US must lead fight against climate change - Yahoo! News UK

Americans believe US must lead fight against climate change - Yahoo! News UK:

"Seventy-one percent of 1,052 adults surveyed by the Harris Interactive polling service said global warming was already affecting the planet.

And eight in 10 of those polled said that as the world's leading industrial nation, the United States should take the lead in combatting the problem."

The Economics Textbook of the 21st Century

The Economics Textbook of the 21st Century:

"The old economics view of the world, in which everyone acts purely in his or her own self-interest, in which free markets are the solution to almost everything, has been abandoned.

The list of economics Nobel laureates in the twenty-first century reflects these changes. It is largely made up of scholars who have worked outside the traditional Rational Economic Person, free market paradigm."

Failure to tackle climate peril 'criminally irresponsible', IPCC told - Yahoo! News UK

Failure to tackle climate peril 'criminally irresponsible', IPCC told - Yahoo! News UK:

"The Nobel-winning panel of world climate experts on Monday launched a debate over a landmark report after a top UN official warned any failure to curb global warming would be 'criminally irresponsible.'

'The effects of climate change are being felt already,' Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said.

'Climate change will hit hardest the poorest and most vulnerable countries. Its overall effect, however, will be felt by everyone and will in some cases threaten people's very survival.'"

Global Warming After Gore from Alternet

AlterNet: Environment: Global Warming After Gore:

"It is time for global warming activists to leave behind their focus on the 'planetary crisis' and the regulatory-centered agenda and embrace an energetic and inspiring vision that captures people's minds, hearts and votes."

(Talk) is not the Answer
Ride a Bicycle

Engineered weathering process could mitigate global warming | Science Codex

Engineered weathering process could mitigate global warming | Science Codex:

"The innovative approach to tackling climate change is reported in the Nov. 7 issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology by Kurt Zenz House, a Ph.D. candidate in Harvard's Department of Earth and Planninng...


The team cautions, however, that while they believe their scheme for reducing global warming is achievable, implementation would be ambitious, costly, and would carry some environmental risks that require further study."

Correctionl Two

KOLNKGIN - News:

"Steve Larrick will bicycle across the state in the spring to tell Nebraskans why they should elect him to the U.S. Senate."

See previous post.

On the road less travelled

People: Hugo Rifkind - Times Online:

"Senior BBC figures, when bounced out of their jobs, tend to lurk around making a fuss, writing books or pretending they want to be mayor. Yesterday, somewhat bucking this trend, Peter Fincham set off quietly on a 500-mile, sponsored charity bicycle ride across SouthEast Asia."

Well that is one going in a different direction

AlterNet: Environment: Preparing for Life After Oil

AlterNet: Environment: Preparing for Life After Oil:

"Welcome to the Age of Insuffiency: As oil prices hit new highs and supplies sink, our way of life will drastically change."

These issues are becoming so blatantly obvious even the MSM, is the Nation one of those, are writing about it.

The Economic Consequences of Mr. Bush: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com

The Economic Consequences of Mr. Bush: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com:

"The next president will have to deal with yet another crippling legacy of George W. Bush: the economy. A Nobel laureate, Joseph E. Stiglitz, sees a generation-long struggle to recoup."

and you thought it climate change was about the weather!

The damage done to the American economy does not make front-page headlines every day, but the repercussions will be felt beyond the lifetime of anyone reading this page.

BBC: Humanity is the greatest challenge

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Humanity is the greatest challenge:

"The growth in human population and rising consumption have exceeded the planet's ability to support us, argues John Feeney. In this week's Green Room, he says it is time to ring the alarm bells and take radical action in order to avert unspeakable consequences."

Power Shift 2007

About Power Shift 2007 | Power Shift 2007:

"All across the country, tens of thousands of young adults are rising to confront the global warming challenge. Over the past two years, more than 300 of our colleges and universities have demonstrated their leadership and determination to create a clean energy future by adopting innovative policies that reduce their carbon footprints. As the efforts of youth are achieving dozens of clean energy victories in cities and states across the nation, it is becoming clear that young people are better positioned today than ever before to advance an inspiring new vision for America."

AlterNet: WorkPlace: Bring on the Recession

AlterNet: WorkPlace: Bring on the Recession:

"In other words, at what point do governments decide that the marginal costs of further growth exceed the marginal benefits? Most of them have no answer to this question. Growth must continue, for good or ill. It seems to me that in the rich nations we have already reached the logical place to stop."

Proponents promote action on climate, sustainability

NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source:

" Hundreds of thousands of Americans are gathering across the country today to do this same thing, ” Petty said. “ We’ve reached a turning point of humanity. Climate change is real. If we come together and take action, we can do it. ”

Prof says politicians blinkered on peak oil | Straight.com

News Features | Prof says politicians blinkered on peak oil | Straight.com:

"Everyone is afraid of it [peak oil], but it might end up having good effects,' Rees said. 'What we have long needed are much more realistic energy prices that tell the truth about environmental damage. If we were paying the full social cost of automobile fuel–if we had a carbon tax that raised the price of gasoline to the real cost of using it–it would probably cost us $5 a litre.'"

$5 a litre would be like $20 per gallon. In other words a 100 mile trip in a SUV would cost about 99 bucks on a good day. Even at 40mph (hybrid) it would be a 50 dollar bill, ouch. Time to ride a bicycle to the local bar and forget about aunt Margaret's bake sale.

Think tank: Climate affects security - Yahoo! News

Think tank: Climate affects security - Yahoo! News:

"Climate change could be one of the greatest national security challenges ever faced by U.S. policy makers, according to a new joint study by two U.S. think tanks. The report, to be released Monday, raises the threat of dramatic population migrations, wars over water and resources, and a realignment of power among nations."