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November 30, 2012

 

A 10 Step Program to Replace Legacy Credit Ratings with Modern Default Probabilities for Counter-Party and Credit Risk Assessment

It is now widely recognized by financial institutions, corporate investors, insurance firms and regulators that an over-reliance on low-quality legacy credit ratings was a major contributor to the credit crisis of 2006 to 2011. The Levin Report (United States Senate, April 13, 2011, pages 243 to 317) summarizes these findings in detail.

A $10 Trillion Bet on China and India

Just yesterday, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released a new report predicting that the economy of China will rebound and grow 8.5% in 2013 and 8.9% in 2014, citing increasing domestic consumer demand and government spending on housing and infrastructure as the tailwinds behind this renewed surge

Advocates: Wind tax credits are vital

A statewide environmental group and wind energy advocates from Cape Cod unveiled a report Wednesday they say shows the potential benefits of wind energy and the need for extending federal tax benefits for the technology.

A Farm Bill for Organic Dairy & Healthy-Food Farmers

Imagine this: billions of taxpayer dollars support the production of unhealthy processed foods and sugary drinks, while farmers supplying healthier items such as organic milk are overlooked or even penalized. Worse, despite an overdue and ticking timeline, Congress is sitting on its hands instead of passing legislation to address these imbalances.

Sound like a bad dream? Unfortunately, it’s reality—but it doesn’t have to be.

Amid lawsuits, Toronto reverses course on plastic bag ban

Toronto City Council has rescinded its decision to ban plastic bags in retail operations.

The decision came in a Nov. 27 vote. The Council took into account legal advice after two industry trade groups filed lawsuits to overturn the ban.

An Oil Gusher in the Offing, but Will It Be Enough?

Some stunning headlines followed the International Energy Agency's release earlier this month of its World Energy Outlook 2012. "U.S. Oil Output to Overtake Saudi Arabia's by 2020," blared Bloomberg, for example. That may be true, but the more significant aspect of the Outlook's projections was the prospect for world oil. Under the right conditions, the report says, the world could produce increasing amounts of oil through 2035 and meet the world's growing demand for energy as oil. The catch is "under the right conditions."

Antarctic Melting and Sea Level

Due to its location at the South Pole, Antarctica receives relatively little solar radiation. This means that it is a very cold continent where water is mostly in the form of ice or snow. This accumulates and forms a giant ice sheet which covers the land. New data which more accurately measures the rate of ice-melt could help us better understand how Antarctica is changing in the light of global warming. The rate of global sea level change is reasonably well-established but understanding the different sources of this rise is more challenging.

Arizona company plans third solar farm in county

An Arizona-based solar energy provider already planning to bring two solar farms to Alamance County intends to establish another facility in Graham, pending approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

Battery maker A123 got U.S. funds as it sought bankruptcy

The Obama administration provided struggling battery maker A123 Systems Inc with nearly $1 million on the day it filed for bankruptcy, the company told lawmakers investigating its government grant.

Bozell Threatens to Steer Donors Away From GOP If They Vote for Tax Hikes

Brent Bozell, a veteran conservative advocate and fundraiser, says that if Republican legislators agree to a budget deal that raises taxes he will urge donors to refrain from giving to offending Republican congressmen and the party.

Business Confidence Volatility is Unhealthy for Economic Growth

What's particularly concerning is that subsequent recovery has not been as strong as the previous "cycle". Businesses are becoming increasingly skeptical about spurts of growth. A similar pattern can also be seen in the ISM Business Confidence measure.

China has entered a critical phase in its rapid military expansion — and it is flexing its muscle for the world to see

China just announced that it has succeeded in landing a J-15 fighter on an aircraft carrier, a milestone most experts didn’t expect the Chinese military to achieve for several years.

Climate talks buffeted by the force of Superstorm Sandy

More than 17,000 people have converged on the Qatari capital for the latest U.N. climate talks, but the most influential presence may be Sandy.

The superstorm that ravaged the U.S. Northeast a month ago seared into the American consciousness an apocalyptic vision of what climate change could look like. On the heels of devastating wildfires, droughts and floods this year, Sandy's destructive power snapped Americans to the reality that rising temperatures are a risk to their own well-being, not just a concern for distant lowlands.

Drought expands, blankets High Plains

Drought is tightening its grip on the central United States as winter weather sets in, threatening to ravage the new wheat crop and spelling more hardship for farmers and ranchers already weary of the costly and ongoing dry conditions.

Earth's Mantle Rises Up Below Oceanic Crust

Oceanic crust covers two-thirds of the Earth's solid surface, but scientists still don't entirely understand the process by which it is made. Analysis of more than 600 samples of oceanic crust by a team including Carnegie Institution of Science Frances Jenner reveals a systemic pattern that alters long-held beliefs about how this process works, explaining a crucial step in understanding Earth's geological deep processes.

Egypt assembly seeks to wrap up constitution

Protesters hit a riot policeman after surrounding him during clashes in front of the U.S Embassy near Tahrir Square in Cairo November 28, 2012. Hundreds of demonstrators were in Cairo's Tahrir Square for a sixth day on Wednesday to demand that President Mohamed Mursi rescind a decree they say gives him dictatorial powers, and two of Egypt's top courts stopped work in protest.

Electric cars not electrifying drivers

For whatever reason, something within the U.S. government doesn't love gasoline-powered cars, but their owners have resisted efforts by well-meaning bureaucrats and environmentalists to get them to drive less or drive something else. The alternatives being pushed by the government are cars powered by ethanol or electricity.

EPA To Finalize Pollution Controls At Ariz. Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was expected to meet a deadline Thursday on a plan to control emissions from three Arizona power plants that it contends have impaired visibility at places like the Grand Canyon, but a spokesman for the agency said the details wouldn't immediately be available.

Euro Zone Recession Expected to End in 2013

Moody’s Analytics expects Euro zone GDP to stop falling in 2013, according to the Euro Zone economic outlook presented at its annual economic outlook conference in London.

Experts Agree Global Warming Is Melting the World Rapidly

Forty-seven glaciologists have arrived at a community consensus over all the data on what the past century's warming has done to the great ice sheets: a current annual loss of 344 billion tons of glacial ice, accounting for 20% of current sea level rise.

Expert says swift action needed to calm climate

As world leaders, scientists and policymakers from 193 nations opened the United Nations climate change conference in Doha, Qatar, this week, Larry Schweiger, president and chief executive officer of the National Wildlife Federation, was in Pittsburgh to sound a warning and issue a challenge.

The global warming debate is over, he said, and it's time to act. Past time, actually.

FBI Crime Stats: You are more likely to be killed by hands and feet than by a shotgun or rifle

The FBI has released their 2007-2011 “Murder Victims by Weapon” report. The results are contradictory to anti-gun industry claims that relaxing the ban on assault weapons will cause more crime.

The report indicates you are more likely to be killed by hands or feet than by a rifle or shotgun.

FDIC Problem Bank List

The number of financial institutions on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) “Problem List” declined in 2011 from its peak in 2010. And it has declined further thus far in 2012.  Despite this, the number of troubled banks is still very high from a historical perspective. Combined with the declining number of institutions overall, the percentage of total institutions identified as problematic remains near the record high at 10.57%.

Fracking Concerns Drive New Water Quality Monitoring Program

The Clarion River was once thought to be the most polluted waterway in Pennsylvania. Now, after decades of cleanup efforts, it has sections designated as part of the National Wild and Scenic River program in the USA. Communities surrounding the Clarion value it for recreational activities. It also provides habitat for extensive aquatic wildlife. This has allowed species such as river otters to thrive, and more recently has led to the return of eagles, now nesting and breeding along the Clarion.

GOP Rejects Obama Offer of $1.6 Trillion Tax Increase

Congressional Republicans dug in to fight President Barack Obama’s plan to skirt the fiscal cliff, rejecting his tax-and-spending proposal as the president heads out today to sell it to the American public.

Grand Canyon may be as old as dinosaurs: U.S. research

New research suggests the Grand Canyon, one of the seven wonders of the world, may have a far more interesting and ancient history than previously thought, a U.S. study said on Thursday.

Instead of being shaped by the Colorado River 5 or 6 million years ago, a new analysis of the minerals in the 280-mile (450-km) gorge suggests it was formed by a much older river likely frequented by the dinosaurs that roamed North America some 70 million years ago.

Hamas: We Will Not Stop Arming Ourselves

Gaza's ruling Hamas will not stop arming itself, the No. 2 in the Palestinian group told The Associated Press on Saturday, signaling tough challenges ahead for indirect negotiations between Israel and the Islamist militants on a new border deal for Gaza.

How Spain Ended Up with 25% Unemployment Rate

The media has given a great deal of attention to Spain's extraordinarily high unemployment rate, which has exceeded that of the US during the Great Depression. But how did Spain get from 8% unemployment in 2008 to 25% now?

Human Intellect Backsliding From Lack of Evolutionary Pressure: Study

  • The optimization of a vast arrav of genes related to intelligence may have peaked in the early stages of human evolution, when your ability to survive depended much more than now on your higher cognitive faculties
  • Now that this evolutionary pressure is gone, genetic mutations that interfere with optimal intellectual function, or even contribute to disabilities, are becoming more common; it’s estimated that while there are anywhere form 2,000 to 5,000 genes that play a role in intellectual ability, all humans now have two or more mutations that may disrupt their intellectual or emotional stability

HydroICE project developing a solar-powered combustion engine

OK, first things first – stop picturing a car with solar panels connected to its engine. What Missouri-based inventors Matt Bellue and Ben Cooper are working on is something a little different than that. They want to take an internal combustion engine, and run it on water and solar-heated oil instead of gasoline. That engine could then be hooked up to a generator, to provide clean electricity. While that may sound a little iffy to some, Bellue and Cooper have already built a small-scale prototype.

In Crisis, Utilities' Message Got Lost

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency needed to reach North Jersey residents left in the cold and dark by superstorm Sandy, it printed fliers and sent agents into the streets to distribute them. In Ridgewood, elected officials also printed sheets of paper to give residents, telling them where to find ice and other necessities they needed to get through an extended power outage.

Making biodiesel in Alaska has unique set of challenges for Alaska Waste

As Alaska Waste's biodiesel technician, he spends his days overseeing and operating the state's only commercial-scale biodiesel plant. It has the capacity to transform about 250,000 gallons of used cooking oil per year into fuel for his company's collection vehicles.

Men With Beer (Wheat) Bellies Have Weaker Bones

Men with excessive fat around their abdomen, commonly known as a "beer belly," are at an elevated risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, and now researchers are adding osteoporosis to the list of potential hazards.

MIT opens up new field of electricity research

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have proposed a new way of harnessing photons for electricity with the potential for capturing a wide spectrum of solar energy.

The "solar energy funnel" takes advantage of materials under elastic strain to produce unprecedented properties. According to MIT, in this case, the "funnel" is a metaphor: Electrons and their counterparts, holes -- which are split off from atoms by the energy of photons -- are driven to the center of the structure by electronic forces, not by gravity as in a household funnel.

New AGL report calls for prioritizing, preventing Great Lakes contaminants

The Great Lakes are home to 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater and, increasingly, host to a worrisome class of chemical compounds known as contaminants of emerging concern.

New Climate Model Reveals "Discernible Human Influence"

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is a federally funded research and development center located in Livermore, California. Their mission, in part, is to respond with vision, quality, integrity, and technical excellence to scientific issues of national importance. One such issue, which is tough to dispute, is the changing climate. The top-rate researchers at LLNL created a new climate model by comparing 20 different computer models to satellite observations. They found that tropospheric and stratospheric temperature changes are clearly related to human activities.

No Automatic Tax Increases!

The front end of the financial deal now under negotiation in Washington will be akin to the tip of the tax iceberg.  It won't appear threatening.  But it's what under the water that will really matter.

North America lagging in natural gas vehicle market

The global market for light-duty natural gas vehicles (NGV), although highly variable among different countries, will see many markets in Europe and Latin America continue to struggle with growing refueling infrastructure fast enough to meet consumer and fleet needs, according to Pike Research.

Nuke plant makes top-polluters list

The Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant received a dubious distinction this week when an environmental watchdog organization again included it on its annual list of the worst polluters in New England.

NYSE closing shows major flaw in U.S. financial markets

A scathing opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal by Arthur Levitt, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 1993 to 2001, points to the latest closing of the New York Stock Exchange (NYX) due to Hurricane Sandy, already downgraded to a “post-tropical cyclone” at landfall, as an example of flawed New York-based financial market infrastructure.

Oil futures settle higher on economic data, US budget optimism

NYMEX crude and products futures settled higher Thursday on better-than-expected financial data, optimism about US budget negotiations, and continuing tension over the Iranian nuclear program.

NYMEX January crude settled $1.58 higher at $88.07/barrel, after peaking at $88.69/b earlier in the session.

Orrin Hatch to Newsmax: Democrats Ready to Go Over Fiscal Cliff

Sen. Orrin Hatch tells Newsmax that Democrats are willing to allow the country to go over the so-called fiscal cliff so they can then blame Republicans “for everything that’s wrong.”

Regulators shutter two more U.S. banks

On Friday, regulators closed two more banks: Citizens First National Bank located in Princeton, Illinois and Heritage Bank of Florida based in Lutz, Florida. The total number of bank failures for 2012 now stands at 49, which is behind last year’s pace of 87 and well off the 2010 pace when 143 banks failed at this same time.

Report of Solar Geophysical Activity

There are currently 5 numbered sunspot regions on the disk including newly-numbered Region 1625 (N13E50). No Earth-directed CMEs were observed.

The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to active levels on day 1 (30 November) due to a CME passage from merged CMEs observed on 26 and 27 November. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected on day 2 (01 December) as CME effects subside. Quiet conditions are expected on Day 3 (02 December)

Scientists create inexpensive new thermoelectric material

Wherever there’s enough of a temperature gradient between two surfaces, thermoelectric materials can be used to generate an electric current. If a coat were made with thermoelectric felt, for instance, a current could be generated by exploiting the difference between the wearer’s body heat and the cold outdoor air. Now, scientists have developed an inexpensive new type of thermoelectric material, that could make the technology more commercially viable.

Scientists measure sea rise from polar ice melt

The melting of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets has raised sea levels by 11.1 millimeters since 1992, a fifth of the total rise which threatens low-lying regions around the globe, a new study published on Thursday said.

Slowdown in pipeline builds to cut Marcellus gas output growth: report

A slowdown in the construction of pipelines will lead to lower natural gas production growth in some parts of the Marcellus Shale and could lead to higher gas prices next year as supply from higher-priced regions makes up some of the shortfall, investment bank FBR Capital Markets said in a Thursday report.

Solar power system prices still falling

The installed price of solar photovoltaic power systems in the United States is dropping at a rapid rate, a Department of Energy laboratory says.

Solar tech revolutionizing sunlight-to-electricity

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $1.5 million grant to REhnu to advance concentrated photovoltaics. REhnu is a spin-off company founded by University of Arizona optics professor Roger Angel, Director of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory and UA professor.

Spent fuel storage: could Congress fast-track a decision on US spent fuel storage?

We speak to a GAO analyst and an NRC representative to get their viewpoints on the recent progress and processes of US nuclear fuel storage.
The US Governing Accountability Office (GAO) completed a report that has now been issued entitled Spent Nuclear Fuel: Accumulating Quantities at Commercial Reactors Present Storage and Other Challenges, looking at the future of how to handle spent nuclear fuel.
The report concludes that the amount of spent fuel that is stored on site at nuclear power plants is increasing by 2,000 metric tonnes per year

Stop UN Control Of The Web

Next week, the United Nations' attempt to take over the Internet will move into high gear when the International Telecommunications Union meets in Dubai with representatives from 193 countries to craft a new governing structure for the Internet. The meetings are expected to last two weeks.

Study says methane emissions from shale wells lower than thought

A new study by MIT researchers finds the actual amount of methane emissions caused by production of natural gas in shale formations has been greatly exaggerated in previous studies, particularly a controversial Cornell University study released last year.

Superstorm a turning point in US climate change debate: senator

The chairwoman of a key US Senate committee Thursday called Superstorm Sandy a "turning point" in the debate over climate change while another committee member said the views of climate change deniers should no longer be tolerated.

Survey finds most Americans view global warming, clean energy as priorities

A majority of Americans said the president and Congress should make global warming and developing clean energy a medium or high priority, researchers at Yale University and George Mason University found in a survey released Nov. 13.

The Morning Brief - Lignet

Egypt: Rammed-Through Constitution Could Lead to Bloodshed

Why Americans are Less at Risk of Phone Hacking

Collapse of EU Budget Talks a Useful Failure

Israel: Racing to Improve Missile Shield Against Iran

Hondurans Face Violent Election Year as Zelaya Returns

South American Trading Bloc Turns Left

Greece: Uncertainty Surrounds New Bailout Agreement

Economic-Military Showdown Looming in China

The Palestinians could have been celebrating the 65th anniversary of their state today. What happened?

1947– Humanly speaking, the Palestinians could have been celebrating the 65th anniversary of their state today. After all, 65 years ago today, the U.N. voted on the “Partition Plan,” giving part of British Mandated “Palestine” to the Jews to create the state of Israel, and part to the Arabs to create a Palestinian/Jordanian state.

Unaffordable Cost Seen for Some Under Obama Affordable Care Act

To Megan Hildebrandt, President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act means she can no longer be denied health insurance because of her lymphatic cancer.

There’s a big catch: Coverage for the 28-year-old artist and many other Americans without insurance will come at a potentially unaffordable cost.

UN Votes 138 to 9 to Recognize "State of Palestine"

On Thursday, 138 nations voted in the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) to declare a "State of Palestine" and recognize it as a "non-member observer state" within the international community. Forty-one nations abstained from voting. Only nine nations voted against the resolution: the U.S., Israel, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Panama.

US appeals court rejects request it rehear GHG emissions complaint

A three-judge panel with the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected a Alaskan village's request that it rehear a suit it filed against the country's largest energy producers, blaming them for global warming.

U.S. Consumer Confidence Climbs Higher in November

US consumer confidence climbed by 0.6 points to 73.7 in November 2012 from an upwardly revised 73.1 reading in October (previously reported as 72.2). Market expectations were for a more modest 73.0 reading.

U.S. Fed's Beige Book Report: "Economic Activity Expanded at a Measured Pace" since October

Consumer spending increased at a moderate pace in most Districts, with the regions most affected by Hurricane Sandy noting strong sales growth prior to the storm and business contacts expecting to recoup sales lost to the storm in the coming months as consumers replace destroyed or damaged property. Expectations for the upcoming holiday shopping season were “mostly upbeat”.

US Senate agrees to reverse ban on military's biofuel buys

The US Senate on Wednesday agreed to remove a provision from a defense bill that would have barred the US military from purchasing large amounts of biofuels.

U.S. Water Industry Expects Significant Consolidation Over Next Five Years

Consolidation of the U.S. water industry through privatization or semi-privatization has been anticipated for some time.  However, negative public perception of the privatization of this essential public service has prevented this consolidation from taking place.  Externalities are changing this attitude - as access to financing becomes more challenging for municipalities, raising taxes becomes the only alternative, but an unpopular option.  Many states are enacting public-private partnership legislation, paving the way for consolidation to take place.

VC funding heats up in renewable energy market

The venture capital funding market for renewable energy will triple by 2020, according to Frost & Sullivan.

Driven by positive regulatory policies, environmental support for lower carbon emissions, and innovation in renewable energy technology, investors will look to South Asia and Asia Pacific as emerging areas in renewable energy development while Europe and North American remain hubs of deal activity.

Renewables deals increased by two-thirds year over year for 2011, although total deal value was down by one-third.

Veterans find jobs, and new mission, in clean tech

When military veterans search for jobs, they often want more than a paycheck. Many say they look for rewarding work and a team of dedicated people focused on a common mission.

 

November 27, 2012

 

 Argentina Nearing Technical Default

Argentina CDS spread has blown out to new highs last week. In spite of Argentina's government driving the nation's economy into the ground, this widening was caused by increased risks of the so-called "technical default" rather than deteriorating economic conditions.

Ash spill tops list of disasters in 2000s

The trees were moving up the cove.

That's how firefighter Chris Copeland described what he saw as he looked out the window of his home in the Swan Pond community of Roane County on the night of Dec. 22, 2008. What Copeland was explaining to News Sentinel reporter Scott Barker was just a small result of a catastrophic man-made disaster that came to be known as the Kingston ash spill.

Baking Einkorn Bread

I recently ground some ancient einkorn grain and made some flour for baking.  I first made tortillas, which were excellent.  Then I got carried away…

Behind The Headlines - The New Energy Bill

England is underwater, it seems. The rain is falling – splat! – from the leaky gutter by the window as I write, and with every day it looks more and more likely that, just like Winnie-the-Pooh, I will soon end up sitting on a branch with jars of honey lined up beside me, sending out messages in bottles. “Help! Bibi (me). It’s me Bibi help help!”.

California Cities Ban Smoking — at Home

In what may be taking the “nanny state” to the extreme, 18 cities and counties in California have banned residents from smoking — in their own apartments and condominiums.

China's Jan-Oct electricity export drops 8%, hydropower generation up 27%

China's January-October electricity export tumbled 7.8% year on year to 15.5 billion kWh while its import rose 4.8% to 5.19 billion kWh, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission said Monday.

China’s oil demand continues robust growth in October

China's apparent* oil demand rose 6.6% year over year in October to 41.28 million metric tons (mt), or an average 9.76 million barrels per day (b/d), the third highest on record, a just-released Platts analysis of recent Chinese government data showed.

Climate Change Impacts in New England

In the northern hardwood forest, climate change is poised to reduce the viability of the maple syrup industry, spread wildlife diseases and tree pests, and change timber resources. And, according to a new BioScience paper just released by twenty-one scientists, without long-term studies at the local scale -- we will be ill-prepared to predict and manage these effects.

Coal Plants Get Second Lives

AGING, INEFFICIENT AND EXPENSIVE to upgrade, the Boardman Plant could have joined dozens of similar coal-fired generating stations consigned to the scrap heap of history as its owner prepared to permanently mothball its 600 megawatts in 2020.

Converting Agreements to Action Key to Doha Climate Talks

Gathered in Doha for the UN’s annual climate change summit, thousands of delegates representing governments, international organizations and civil society groups are focused on honoring existing commitments to curb carbon emissions and turning agreed decisions into action.

Cyber threats to energy security, as experienced by Saudi Arabia

Cyber assault is emerging as the principal concern for energy security. One oil major told me a few days ago: “We’re constantly under cyber attack.” But there is still a sense of denial hanging over the issue.

Daily Aspirin: Can it Make You Go Blind?

Aspirin has been touted as a wonder drug, with many studies showing a daily dose can lower the risks of heart disease and cancer. But new research suggests aspirin’s risks may outweigh its benefits for some seniors by posing a threat to their vision.

DOE invests millions in clean energy projects

The U.S. Department of Energy will invest a total of $11 million into 20 newly announced projects  to help states and local governments develop the infrastructure, training and regional planning needed to help meet the demand for alternative fuel cars and trucks, including vehicles that run on natural gas, electricity and propane.

Doha Climate Summit off to a Rocky Start

The EU will not commit to renew climate funding which runs out in 2013 ahead of talks at the Doha climate summit, which opens today (26 November). But new climate aid may be announced in the conference's second week.  

Egyptian Parliament Member: Morsi Power Grab a Serious Threat to Democracy

In an exclusive interview this morning with LIGNET, Egyptian parliament member Ahmed Said described Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s decision last week to place his decisions above judicial rule as “the most serious and dangerous political decision” made since the beginning of the Egyptian revolution. Ahmed sees this crisis as crucial to Egypt’s democratic transition and believes it is forcing Islamists to decide whether they want to be integrated into Egyptian society.

Egypt’s Mursi to meet judges over power grab

"Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi will meet senior judges on Monday to try to ease a crisis over his seizure of new powers which has set off violent protests reminiscent of last year's revolution which brought him to power.

Einkorn Bread

Einkorn bread has a savory and nutty flavor. You'll love it! (A Receipe)

Elections to Push Japan Closer to Edge of Fiscal Cliff

As another parliamentary election approaches, Japan appears unlikely to break free of the paralysis that has gripped it in recent years. The campaign issues – which include the debt limit and monetary policy – are serious and require attention if Japan is to avoid falling over a fiscal cliff , but neither the incumbent Democratic Party of Japan nor the opposition, which is expected to win a majority of seats, has a plan for dealing with this, or an idea of how to lift Japan out of its decade-long stagnation.

Europe Changing Fast as Climate Warms

Climate change is affecting all regions of Europe as glaciers melt, the Greenland ice sheet shrinks, sea levels rise, snow cover decreases and permafrost soils warm, finds a new assessment issued by the European Environment Agency.

Euro officials reach deal to reduce Greek debt

A European Union official has told The Associated Press Tuesday that a deal has been reached that would pave the way for Greece to receive the next installment of its much-needed bailout loans.

EWP to build its first commercial-scale wave energy harvesting system in China

Israel's Eco Wave Power (EWP) has just signed a memorandum of understanding agreement with the Ocean University of China to fund and test its first commercial scale Wind Clapper and Power Wing wave energy generation system.

EyeSee store mannequins gather intelligence on shoppers

Do you ever get the creep feeling that store mannequins are ... watching you? Well, that feeling may now be justified. Italian display form company Almax has recently introduced its EyeSee line of mannequins, that are equipped with cameras and microprocessors in their heads.

Floating New Ideas to Build Wind and Solar Energy Projects

An all-of-the-above energy strategy may mean leveling the tax code. The wind and solar industries may potentially receive favorable tax treatment under a provision of the law that pertains to the fossil fuels or the tax structure could be totally reformed, wiping out all of those breaks in exchange for reduced corporate rates.

Florida regulators approve nuclear cost recovery for FP&L, PEF

The Florida Public Service Commission on Monday unanimously approved the recovery of $151 million in nuclear project costs for Florida Power & Light and $143 million in costs for Progress Energy Florida.

Forests worldwide near tipping-point from drought

Forests worldwide are at "equally high risk" to die-off from drought conditions, warns a new study published this week in the journal Nature.

Gas-fired plants planned as coal facilities retired

Nine new natural gas power plants are planned in Pennsylvania, more than making up for the loss of power generation caused by the retirement of 12 old coal-burning power plants, according to state regulators.

Gila River Power admits to energy market manipulation

For the first time, an energy market participant has admitted to a violation of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) anti-manipulation rule in an energy trading case.

Global Climate Emissions ‘Gap’ Widens, Rescue Still Possible

Actions to limit climate change must be immediately scaled up and accelerated if the world is to have any chance of keeping a global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius this century, finds a new scientific report released just before countries meet for their annual climate negotiations.

Global Deleveraging Dampens Growth Expectations for 2013

Allianz Global Investors is assuming that global growth over the coming year will remain slightly under trend, with growth in industrial countries, especially in the Eurozone and UK, likely to remain weak. Asia is projected to provide a modest tailwind but not at the levels generated in previous years. Japan, which looks likely to face recession again, is seen as an exception.

Global investors call for action on serious climate danger

A coalition of the world's largest investors called on governments on Tuesday to ramp up action on climate change and boost clean-energy investment or risk trillions of dollars in investments and disruption to economies.

Greenhouse gas volumes reached new high in 2011: survey

Atmospheric volumes of greenhouse gases blamed for climate change hit a new record in 2011, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin on Tuesday.

Greenland becoming more green, thanks to Global Warming

I don't want to be told that thanks to Global Warming - now accepted by the majority (77%) of Americans and so therefore, in my opinion, a new Tipping Point - strawberry plants can now survive a Greenland winter.

Gun sales on the rise after Obama's re-election

Owners of some Houston gun shops say they have noticed an increase of gun sales since President Barack Obama's re-election, and attribute the rush to the president's reference in a debate to renewing an assault rifle ban.

HARP and QE3 Will Keep Mortgage Refi Humming in 2013

US mortgage prepayment speeds have accelerated to the highest level since 2004 recently.

Initiative Raises Money to Keep Oil Companies out of Ecuador

The Yasuni-ITT Initiative has been called many things: controversial, ecological blackmail, revolutionary, pioneering, and the best chance to keep oil companies out of Ecuador's Yasuni National Park. But now, after a number of ups and downs, the program is beginning to make good: the Yasuni-ITT Initiative has raised $300 million, according to the Guardian, or 8 percent of the total amount needed to fully fund the idea.

Iraq Rebuffs Obama, Frees Accused Terrorist

The government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has ignored entreaties from the Obama administration and freed a top Hezbollah operative accused of murdering American soldiers.

Magnetic Field Deficiency Syndrome and Magnetic Treatment

The human body is under the influence of the Earth's magnetic field and is keeping some sort of balance relationship with it. However, under modern day living conditions, the effect of this field has decreased. Consequently, we can assume that for a certain human body, this lack of magnetism has caused some abnormalities. For this reason, by the external application of a magnetic field to the human body to supplement this deficiency, such abnormal conditions can be improved. In other words, I feel that there is a direct relationship between the decrease in the earth's magnetic field acting on the human body and the improvement of abnormal conditions of the human body by the application of magnetic fields.

More Democrats Willing to Go Over 'Fiscal Cliff'

A growing number of Democrats say they are willing to let the country go off the fiscal cliff if a deal cannot be reached by Jan. 1 that raises taxes on the top two percent of earners while protecting costly entitlement programs.

No Rare Earths in Next Generation Electric Vehicles

 variety of electric motors that use no rare earth minerals are being developed in the United States to power future generations of electric vehicles.

Obama health law to face religion-based challenge

The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for a Christian college to pursue a religion-based challenge against part of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform, which it claims forces taxpayers and employers to subsidize abortions and contraception.

"Over the course of the next ten years demand for electricity is going to far exceed the supply by three times."

With the global smart grid market at $23.97 billion in 2010, Frost & Sullivan research forecasts the market growing by 26.6% between 2010 and 2017.

Plant-Microbial Fuel Cell generates electricity from living plants

Unlike biogas, which is produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of biomass, the Plant-Microbial Fuel Cell generates electricity while the plants continue to grow. Importantly, the researchers say the system doesn’t affect the plant’s growth of harm its environment.

Putting a price on renewables

A lengthy and contentious debate over how to calculate the costs and benefits of renewable energy is coming to a head at the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

Report of Solar Geophysical Activity

shock passage was observed at 26/0437Z indicating the possible early
arrival of the 23 November CME followed.  The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels with a chance for isolated active periods on day one (27 Nov) as CME effects begin to wane. Mostly quiet conditions are expected on days two and three (28 Nov, 29 Nov).

Saudi Arabia warns domestic oil use growing at 'frightening level'

Saudi Arabian oil minister Ali Naimi Sunday called for the rationalization of the kingdom's domestic energy use as a senior energy official warned that oil consumption was growing at 'a frightening level."

Sea snails show impact of more acidic ocean

The shells of some marine snails in the seas around Antarctica are dissolving as the water becomes more acidic, threatening the food chain, a study published in the journal Nature Geoscience said on Sunday.

Senate energy panel members open to carbon plan

A top Democrat and Republican on energy matters in the Senate left the door open to compromise on a potential carbon tax, but a top Republican House energy leader seemed less receptive during a Nov. 15 seminar in Washington, D.C.

South Koreans to ponder where to store nuclear waste

South Korea is to hold public consultations on where to store waste nuclear fuel as storage capacity at its reactors is reaching full capacity, the government said on Tuesday.

The plan to set up an independent consultative body comes as South Korea grapples with its worst nuclear crisis ever after forged certificates were used by parts suppliers to the nuclear industry, causing stoppages at two reactors as the bitter Korean winter draws near.

Syrian rebels capture air base near Damascus

AP reporting, Syrian rebels capture a helicopter air base near the capital Damascus after fierce fighting in Syria, on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. The takeover claim showed how rebels are advancing in the area of the capital, though they are badly outgunned by Assad’s forces, making inroads where Assad’s power was once unchallenged. Rebels have also been able to fire mortar rounds into Damascus recently.

The Fight for Corn

I’ve been purchasing organic white wheat and spelt in bulk for many years to grind into fresh flour. My family fortunately does not have any wheat allergies or problems digesting grains provided they are traditionally prepared.

The GM tree plantations bred to satisfy the world's energy needs

Israeli biotech firm says its modified eucalyptus trees can displace the fossil fuel industry

The "Other" Deposits at the Fed are Likely to Become Bank Reserves this Week

Bank reserve deposits normally decrease when the Treasury’s balances at the Fed rise as the money the Treasury takes in from taxes and debt sales is withdrawn from bank accounts, which in turn causes bank reserve balances at the Fed to fall.

Three M-Class Flares with Earth Directed CMEs

Solar activity has been active for the past 48 hours. Three M-class flares have fired off from sunspot region 1618. The largest solar event of this period was an M3.6 flare event on Nov. 21st 15:10:00 UT. There was an M1.7 at 12:36:00 UT and M1.4 at 19:21:00 UT.

Tibetan students in west China clash with police

A U.S. broadcaster says 20 Tibetan students have been hospitalized after they clashed with police during a demonstration sparked by anger over a government booklet that called the Tibetan language irrelevant and criticized recent self-immolations.

Truckers May Soon be Stepping on the LNG

Truckers will soon be stepping on the gas, or the liquefied natural gas (LNG,) that is. General Electric and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. are partnering to build a series of fueling stations across the country -- a phenomenon that they say is demanded by the automotive manufacturers.

Types of Wheat: Nutritional Content & Health Benefits Comparison

For over 7,000 years, mankind has cultivated and developed wheat for breads and cereals.  Today, we consume more wheat, as a percentage of our daily diet, than any other food.  Just think about that and the effects wheat can have on our health – good or bad!

UK energy deal triples renewable subsidy by 2020

British government support for low-carbon electricity generation will triple by 2020 after the energy and finance ministries on Friday reached a deal over costly reforms.

Waste is a perpetual and eternal problem

We all agree that waste has become a Herculean issue.

We do it every day -- throw garbage in the waste basket (if we recycle we should have no waste basket), send it to a garbage dump (an evil necessity) or to the waste-to-energy facility (best available technology for now), and send hazardous and regulated waste to a regulated landfill (not a good thing at all).

Wind turbines withstand Superstorm Sandy

Despite all the chaos left in Superstorm Sandy's wake, there was one area of the energy-generating network that suffered little to no damage, according to the Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA).

Wisconsin utilities' Focus on Energy still needs work

Wisconsin utilities' statewide program for energy efficiency, Focus on Energy, recently underwent an independent evaluation by the Cadmus Group. Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

Woman shoots 17-year-old who broke into house, tried to stab her

A 17-year-old learned the hard way that breaking into houses is a pretty bad idea after police say a woman he attempted to stab during a home-invasion in Northeast Philadelphia shot him early Saturday morning.

Young Voters Swung Away From Obama in 2012

Voters ages 18 to 29 supported Barack Obama by a huge 34 percentage-point margin in 2008, but the youth vote swung 11 points away from the incumbent in this year’s election.

Obama won the youth vote 66 percent to 32 percent when he ran against John McCain, but his margin dropped to 60 percent to 37 percent against Mitt Romney, according to exit polling conducted by Edison Research.

 

November 20, 2012

 

22 Winter Crops You Can Plant NOW

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving, a time of plenty and abundance after the harshness of life in the New World had killed off many of the original Pilgrims. What turned their plight into the bounty that this holiday celebrates?

50-acre solar array planned at Sonoma County airport

What would be the largest solar energy project in Sonoma County, generating enough electricity for 10,000 homes, is being planned for vacant land at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport.

ACORE Releases 2012 State-By-State Resource For Renewable Energy

The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) released the 2012 edition of its report, Renewable Energy in the 50 States, as an interactive, online resource. Compiling updated financial data, resource potentials, market and policy information in one easily-accessed, online format, the report is intended to be an executive summary for all who are interested in the highlights of the renewable energy sector in every state.

After Brief Decrease Last Year, Sea Levels Resume Their Steady Rise

It is no secret that for the last couple decades, as Earth's climate has been changing, sea levels have been steadily rising. But what is not so well known is that in 2011, sea levels throughout the world fell sharply. Of course, with a body of water as large as the world's oceans, a sharp fall only equates to one quarter of an inch (1 cm). It is nonetheless, a dramatic change in general trend which caught the eye of NASA and European researchers.

Americans Willing To Pay More To Improve U.S. Water Infrastructure

A majority of Americans, 77 percent, are concerned about the state of U.S. water infrastructure, and 61 percent are willing to pay more to fix it. Despite this general consensus, few Americans are aware of their water consumption, or the extent to which water infrastructure problems could impact them personally.

Arizona Corporation Commission: Renewable energy is key issue for candidates

Nine candidates are vying for three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission in a race that will affect the state's energy policy - including the pace of renewable-energy development - in Arizona for years to come.

As U.S. hesitates, California pours billions into green energy

California, long the national leader in clean energy policy, is poised to double down on its investments in the sector, with billions in new subsidies set to flow in over the next few years.

Australia creates world's biggest marine parks

Australia created the world's largest network of marine national parks on Friday, protecting an area of ocean the size of Western Europe in a move which will prevent oil and gas exploration and commercial fishing in the most sensitive areas.

Bowles: Fiscal Cliff Inaction Could Lead to Ratings Downgrade

Failure on the part of the government to steer the country away from the fast-approaching fiscal cliff could prompt ratings agencies to strip the United States of its triple-A rating, said Erskine Bowles, co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

China: Newest Stealth Fighter Reveals Military and Industrial Ambitions

The first test flight of China’s second stealth fighter jet, the J-31 “Falcon Eagle,” on October 31 was meant to trumpet Beijing’s ambitious plans to develop a military that can join the ranks of Western powers. The new jet is also a sign of China’s intention to challenge the United States for dominance in Asia, but significant technological and manufacturing issues probably mean that the J-31 is at least a decade away from deployment and will significantly underperform U.S. stealth jets.

Cleantech market no longer niche

The winners of the Global Cleantech Cluster Association's Later Stage Awards were announced last week, reflecting the increasing popularity of the $163 billion global cleantech market.

Climate change predicted to hit poorest hardest

All nations will suffer the effects of a warmer world, but the world's poorest countries will suffer most from food shortages, rising sea levels, cyclones and drought, the World Bank’s new report on climate change says.

Climate change triggering national security threats

Climate change will likely lead to more frequent extreme weather events as well as droughts and floods, triggering serious social and political disruption that poses a potential threat to U.S. national security, a National Research Council report shows.

EIA: Coal Transportation Costs Jump 50% in Last Decade

The average cost of shipping coal by railroad to power plants increased almost 50% from 2001 to 2010, with rail transport accounting for more than 70% of U.S. coal destined to the electric power sector, said a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Election brings renewed hope for wind energy subsidy

A breeze may be slowly stirring again for the wind energy industry after months of sitting becalmed.

The election results have picked up the hopes of proponents of wind energy for some kind of renewal of the most important subsidy for wind power, the production tax credit.

Exports of Russian natural gas to Europe to drop 4-5% on year in 2012

Russian exports of natural gas to Europe will drop 4-5% year on year in 2012, energy minister Alexander Novak told the Gas of Russia forum Tuesday, though he gave no concrete figures.

Floating New Ideas to Build Wind and Solar Energy Projects

An all-of-the-above energy strategy may mean leveling the tax code. The wind and solar industries may potentially receive favorable tax treatment under a provision of the law that pertains to the fossil fuels or the tax structure could be totally reformed, wiping out all of those breaks in exchange for reduced corporate rates.

Food for thought: How much composting occurs in U.S.?

In the U.S., there are detailed numbers on existing landfills, material recovery facilities and waste-to-energy plants.

But when it comes to organics recycling and composting operations, there's just no clear answer.

Former eBay Exec Aims to Resolve Disputes Online

The issue of resolving customer conflict online commenced probably around the time the first customer received an ecommerce order and found dissatisfaction with the process. We've notably seen this with auction sites like eBay and others, where a feedback system helps but doesn't completely satisfy every single dispute to potentially arise.

Global Warming Poll: Climate Change A 'Serious Problem' To 68% Of Americans

Sixty-eight percent of Americans see climate change as a "serious problem," according to a poll released on Friday.

The poll was conducted by Rasmussen on Monday, the day before the U.S. presidential election.

Of the 1,000 likely voters surveyed, 68 percent said they thought climate change is a somewhat serious or very serious problem, while 30 percent of respondents said it was not a serious problem.

Greenspan: New Recession Is 'Cheap Price' to Resolve Budget Crisis

Allowing taxes to rise would be a small price to pay to get U.S. lawmakers to accept spending cuts on entitlement programs, even if it leads to a “moderate recession,” former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Friday during an interview on Bloomberg Television and also at a panel discussion in Washington.

Gun Store: Obama Voters Not Welcome

The owner of an Arizona gun store said he will not sell weapons to customers who voted for President Obama because “you have proven that you are not responsible enough to own a firearm.”

Hang on, Sloopy, Ohio Stadium achieves zero waste

Never let anyone tell you something can't be done.

Ohio State University achieved its goal of going zero waste at its Ohio Stadium – diverting a record 98.2% of its total generated waste from the landfill during a Nov. 3 matchup against the University of Illinois. Total attendance was 105,311.

Hawaii's solar power flare-up

Solar power has grown increasingly popular across the U.S. Sun Belt, but hardly anywhere has it taken hold as it has in Hawaii. Friendly tax credits, the highest average electricity rates in the nation and the most aggressive renewable energy program adopted by any state have sent homeowners scrambling to install photovoltaic systems on their roofs.

Hey, Obama: Pilgrims Proved Socialism Doesn't Work

If he were a true born-and-bred American, he would know ... and take to heart ... one very important fact about the foundations of our nation.

He would know that in 1620, the Pilgrims tried socialism - and utterly failed at it. For several years, the colony raised crops in "communal service." It didn't work. So Bradford instituted one historic change that was to ensure the flourishing success of the colony and change American history ever afterwards. Communal agriculture was abandoned and private planting was established. Here is Governor Bradford's own account from the original source documents:

Hopi Tribe Issues Latest Challenge for the San Francisco Peaks

This aerial photo is of the clear cutting that has begun on the San Francisco Peaks. The first step in converting sewage to artificial snow for the Arizona Snowbowl's ski area. The Peaks are a sacred site to many Native American tribes.

How Germany Is Getting to 100 Percent Renewable Energy

There is no debate on climate change in Germany. The temperature for the past 10 months has been 3 degrees above average and we’re again on course for the warmest year on record. There’s no dispute among Germans as to whether this change is man-made, or that we contribute to it and need to stop accelerating the process.

How Transient is the "Sandy Effect" on US Economic Data?

The great "Sandy debate" is on. US economic data is coming in weaker than expected and some argue that it can't all be explained by the hurricane. Case in point is the initial jobless claims report from last week

Hubble discovers most distant galaxy ever observed

MACS0647-JD was observed by the Hubble telescope, though not directly. It’s much too faint to be picked up by the orbiting observatory, so the image had to be magnified first. Between Earth and MACS0647-JD, at a distance from us of 5.6 billion light years, is a galactic cluster called MACS J0647+7015.

Human rights group: ‘Killer robots’ should be banned

The use of autonomous drones – “killer robots” that could fire weapons with no human control – must be prohibited by international treaty, human rights campaigners and lawyers have said.

Weapons being developed that could choose and attack targets without human intervention should be pre-emptively banned because of the danger they would pose to civilians in armed conflict, they said.

IBM supercomputer used to simulate a typical human brain

The human brain, arguably the most complex object in the known universe, is a truly remarkable power-saver: it can simultaneously gather thousands of sensory inputs, interpret them in real time as a whole and react appropriately, abstracting, learning, planning and inventing, all on a strict power budget of about 20 W. A computer of comparable complexity that uses current technology, according to IBM's own estimates, would drain about 100 MW of power.

In Jordan, 'life off the grid' now a reality

For citizens of a country that imports 98 per cent of its energy needs, the notion of personal energy independence may seem like a far-fetched futuristic fantasy.

Investors find it's not easy going green

Given the recent procession of storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters, you're probably thinking about taking practical steps to protect yourself and your family, such as sacrificing a goat to the local god of weather phenomena.

Iran hopes for higher oil prices, output as winter looms: Ghasemi

Iran is hoping that cold winter weather will drive crude prices higher as it strives to boost already recovering oil exports, oil minister Rostam Ghasemi said Monday.

"The closer we get to cold days, the demand for oil increases and this can impact on oil price as well," Ghasemi said, quoted by semi-official news agency Fars.

IRENA: Renewables cheapest energy option

Renewable energy has become the most cost-effective way to generate electric power for hundreds of millions of people globally who are not on the grid, according to IRENA research. Renewable energy has also become the least-cost option for extending grid supply in areas with suitable resources, such as sun and wind, IRENA contends.

Israel at War:  Day 6

We knew that Ashkelon had been targeted for the past six days with a relentless barrage of rockets and missiles. We knew it was risky. But we also felt the Lord was telling to go and see how the staff was doing, encourage them, pray with and for them, and try to get a better understanding of what they and the residents of Ashkelon face. I'm so glad went.

It is not your imagination

It is not your imagination - there is an increase of earth changing events. Something has changed with the Sun and Earth - and it is coming from the Milky Way.

Landfill battle drags on for more than three decades, still not over

More than three decades now have passed since Ralph Reed began the process to create the Mallard Lake landfill near Anderson, Ind., a move that would spark a battle for the ages where neither opponents nor proponents have been willing to give up the fight.

Lawn clippings used to make eco-friendlier fireplace logs

Every year, untold tons of lawn clippings end up in landfills – or at best, in compost heaps. US Department of Agriculture chemist Syed H. Imam, however, has come up with what could be a better use for them. He’s been making them into fireplace logs, that have some big advantages over conventional artificial logs.

LENR-to-Market Weekly -- November 15, 2012

Highlights this week include: the Fleishmann Memorial project has successfully replicated Celani's cell; Rossi's independent tests are nearly done; CF not for bozos any more; Widom-Larson Theory at ANS Conference; CF research starts at U of MO; LENR Panel Session at American Nuclear Society National Meeting.

Maui County seeking bids in plan to turn waste into energy

Maui County has begun soliciting bids from companies to build a waste-to-energy project that would divert about 450 tons of garbage a day from the Central Maui Landfill and burn it to produce power that could be sold to Maui Electric Co. or used by county facilities.

Micro-renewables search on as alternative to fossil fuels

The spotlight is on micro-renewables in residential and commercial applications, thanks to the rapid depletion of fossil fuels. This technology will aid sustainable power production and lower dependency on conventional grid power by improving the competence of energy harvesting systems, without being detrimental to the environment, according to research from Frost & Sullivan.

Moody's Downgrades France's Government Bond Rating

Moody's Investors Service has today downgraded France's government bond rating by one notch to Aa1 from Aaa. The outlook remains negative.

New study confirms impacts of Kansas wind

Over the last few years, there have been attempts to predict wind energy's impact on the Kansas economy, but never a study that utilizes actual empirical data. Until now.

New System Lowers Costs Of Seawater Desalination

In early 2013 the Frankenthal-based pump and valve manufacturer KSB will launch its new compact unit for reverse osmosis seawater desalination. The SALINO Pressure Center consists of an axial piston pump and an axial piston motor, arranged on a common shaft. Driven by the diaphragm return flow, the axial piston motor transfers its power directly to the pump shaft.

Nigeria Exxon spill spreads for miles along coast

An oil spill at an ExxonMobil facility offshore from the Niger Delta has spread at least 20 miles from its source, coating waters used by fishermen in a film of sludge.

A Reuters reporter visiting several parts of Akwa Ibom state saw a rainbow-tinted oil slick stretching for 20 miles from a pipeline that Exxon had shut down because of a leak a week ago. Locals scooped it into jerry cans.

Now Re-elected President Obama Should Examine US Renewable Rank

In his stirring acceptance speech, re-elected President Barack Obama noted that climate change would be on the agenda in his second administration--despite its marked absence during the campaign.

Obama wins 2nd Term – what does it mean for biofuels?

What does it mean for bioenergy? The Digest will have a round-up of opinion in tomorrow’s edition, and coverage will continue throughout the month as changes in Washington flow from the election result.

Some quick positives and negatives.

Report of Solar Geophysical Activity

The largest solar event of the period was a M1 event, with an associated Earth-directed CME (estimated velocity of 664 km/s), observed at 20/1241Z. There are currently 7 numbered sunspot regions on the disk..Electrons greater than 2 MeV at geosynchronous orbit reached a peak level of 1277 pfu. IIB.  Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at mostly quiet levels for the next three days (21 Nov, 22 Nov, 23 Nov). Protons have a slight chance to cross alert threshold on days one, two, and three (21 Nov, 22 Nov, 23 Nov)

Report: Policy responsible for declining carbon emissions

A new study released today by the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) contends that cheap natural gas and the lagging economy are not the main drivers of declines in U.S. carbon emissions.

Review:  Jesse Ventura: Death Ray Conspiracy Theory

In his second episode for season three of his "Conspiracy Theory" series, professional wrestler, former Navy SEAL and former Minnesota governor, Jesse Ventura and his team tackle the Death Ray subject.

This one really hits home because it deals with a weaponized version of both Tesla and Hutchison technologies. And people who talk about this are dying, including the person who launched this episode.

Sales of Existing U.S. Homes Rise Unexpectedly: Economy

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly climbed in October, showing record-low mortgage rates are helping spur the world’s largest economy.

Scientists discover new way Big Pharma drugs create dangerous superbugs

There's little argument -- even from mainstream medicine -- that too many doctors routinely prescribe antibiotics for illnesses, such as the common cold, for which these prescription drugs do nothing. The result is a potentially nightmarish proliferation of antibiotic resistant superbugs. Bottom line: if people do become ill with a life threatening bacterial infection, antibiotics may no longer have the ability to zap the germs. So, people infected with superbugs have a harder time getting well, longer hospital stays and a greater likelihood of dying. Besides the massive over-prescribing of antibiotics, the use of these pharmaceuticals in animal feed has also been shown to contribute to antibiotic resistance. In fact, animals are a major source of superbugs because they are given the majority of Big Pharma's antibiotics that are sold in the U.S.

Steve Forbes: Volatility to Roil Markets as Fed ‘Trashes’ Dollar

Expect markets to roil in volatility in the short term as the Federal Reserve “trashes” the dollar by sticking with its ultra-loose monetary policies, said publisher and one-time presidential candidate Steve Forbes.

The Fed has said it will stick with its quantitative easing (QE) program until it sees noted improvement in the labor market.

Texas Tech patents simpler fracking

With global demand for underground resources, such as oil and natural gas, forecast to grow, well stimulation techniques are becoming increasingly important. Researchers at Texas Tech University have developed new techniques to enhance these processes, such as hydraulic fracturing or "fracking".

The Energy Opportunity in Wasted Heat

For every one unit of energy that is converted into electricity in power plants today, two units of energy are thrown away. This wasted energy is primarily in the form of heat – or thermal energy – and, there is technology available today that can turn this waste into a usable energy stream.

Three M-Class Flares with Earth Directed CMEs

Solar activity has been active for the past 48 hours. Three M-class flares have fired off from sunspot region 1618. The largest solar event of this period was an M3.6 flare event on Nov. 21st 15:10:00 UT. There was an M1.7 at 12:36:00 UT and M1.4 at 19:21:00 UT.

Tibet: Self-Immolations a Test for New Chinese Leaders

China’s heavy-handed response to the recent spate of self-immolations in Tibet is a signal that all is not well in China and that conditions may indeed worsen under the new leaders that were chosen at last week’s Chinese Communist Party Congress.

Top Senate lawmakers see chance to revamp U.S. energy policy

The United States needs to update its energy policy to reflect the boom in natural gas and oil production that has boosted manufacturing jobs, said the top Democrat on the Senate energy committee on Thursday.

Ron Wyden, who is in line to take over the panel's gavel in January, said he sees the opportunity for "transformative energy policy" to both spur jobs created by the newfound wealth of energy while also protecting air and water from pollution.

Toxicology Expert Explains Why Aspartame is so Dangerous to Your Health

Aspartame is the most dangerous food additive on the market today, accounting for over 75 percent of adverse reactions reported to the FDA, including seizures and death

US Credit Rating Could Take Another Hit in 2013

In 2011, the United States emerged from a damaging budget battle with a downgrade of its pristine triple-A rating for the first time in history. In 2013, it could be dealt even a bigger blow.

The battle over avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff is the first of a likely series of partisan confrontations in Washington in the coming year that, if not resolved, could cause more downgrades of the U.S. credit rating.

US crude stocks rose 1 million barrels last week: analysts

US commercial crude stocks are expected to show a 1 million barrel increase for the reporting week ended November 16, according to analysts polled Monday by Platts.

U.S. ends antitrust probe of seed industry: Monsanto

The U.S. Department of Justice has ended an antitrust investigation into Monsanto Co's soybean genetic traits business and the seed industry, the company said.

The DOJ had demanded information in January 2010 from Monsanto on the company's soybean genetic trait business after complaints that Monsanto was trying to limit access to push a new, pricier product instead.

US EPA denies governors' requests to relax ethanol mandate after drought

The US Environmental Protection Agency on Friday rejected 10 state governors' petitions to temporarily relax the Renewable Fuel Standard in response to the severe Midwestern drought.

The agency found it "highly unlikely" that temporarily waiving the policy would have a significant impact on ethanol production or demand and therefore would have little or no impact on corn, food or fuel prices.

U.S. Existing Home Sales Unexpectedly Rose in October

Existing home sales in the US increased to 4.79 million annualized units in October 2012 from the revised 4.69 million reported in the previous month. Market expectations were for sales to remain unchanged in the month.

US loses ethanol exporter status after Midwestern drought

After a terrible summer for US ethanol producers, the country has shifted from net ethanol exporter to net importer for the first time in nearly three years.

The US imported 21,000 barrels per day more ethanol in August than it exported, according to the latest stats available from the Energy Information Administration’s Petroleum Supply Monthly report.

U.S. study quantifies the effects of exercise on life expectancy

The benefits of regular exercise are well known, but what exactly are you getting in return for your efforts? A research a collaboration between the U.S.-based Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the National Cancer Institute has attempted to answer this question by quantifying how much longer people live depending on the levels of exercise they engage in.

Veterans find jobs, and new mission, in cleantech

When military veterans search for jobs, they often want more than a paycheck. Many say they look for rewarding work and a team of dedicated people focused on a common mission.

Ways organizations can adopt sustainable waste management operations

Every individual, business and building creates waste -- much of it recyclable. Even so, it's not uncommon for reusable and recyclable materials to end up in landfills. Although the 34% overall recycling rate in 2010 was an improvement over previous years, there's more we can do. The question I'd like to address is this: How can businesses adopt more sustainable waste management operations?

Whiskey Fix: A Surprising Water Treatment Solution

Chalk one up in the “solution” column for alcohol. A new water treatment technique, borne out of the whiskey distillation process, has the potential to save millions of lives by making dirty water potable.

Why Obama's win won't help renewable energy

Barack Obama's re-election may have seemed like a sure win for solar and wind power, given the President's history of supporting green energy.

But the optimism quickly darkened in the aftermath. In the days following the election, renewable energy stocks fell, along with the broader market.

'Wind-wind' situation

When the first settlers moved to the upper Midwest, just about everyone had a turbine of some sort, and one company expects turbines to soon become the norm again in Otter Tail County.

Instead of using wind to directly power saw mills and farm equipment, turbines can now efficiently generate enough electricity to power schools, farms or businesses with a 100 percent return on investment rate of about eight years, said Renewable Energy SD President Shawn Dooling.

World Bank warns of ‘4-degree’ threshold of global temperature increase

The World Bank is urging stepped-up efforts to meet world carbon-reduction goals after looking at what it says would be the catastrophic consequences if average world temperatures rise more than 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century.

World court: Disputed islands belong to Colombia

The International Court of Justice ruled Monday that a group of tiny islands in the western Caribbean belongs to Colombia, but also granted Nicaragua control of a large swath of the surrounding sea and seabed that could hold oil reserves.

Based on evidence presented by lawyers for both nations, "Colombia and not Nicaragua has sovereignty over the islands," the court's President Peter Tomka told delegations from both sides.

WSJ: US Companies Generating ‘Investment Cliff’

Companies in the United States are reining in investment plans at the fastest rate since the recession, posing another hurdle to the lukewarm recovery.

Half of the country’s 40 largest publicly traded corporate investors have announced plans to trim capital spending this year or next, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of conference calls and securities filings.

Wurmser: Iran a Major Factor Behind Gaza/Israel Violence

LIGNET Senior Analyst David Wurmser said in a phone interview from Tel Aviv this morning that Iran’s support to Hamas is a major factor behind the hundreds of missiles fired on Israel from Gaza over the last week and believes pro-Iran Hamas factions could extend the violence. Wurmser assesses that several factors, including intensified Western pressure to end the conflict, could actually accelerate the timeline for an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza.

 

November 16, 2012

 

6.8 Mwp - KURIL ISLANDS

As fiscal cliff looms, wind industry works to protect tax break

Wind energy advocates have just weeks to save a multibillion-dollar tax break, arguing half the jobs in the industry will be lost if Congress allows it to expire as scheduled at the end of the year.

But opponents are boosting their efforts to kill the tax credit as Congress resumes work this week to grapple with the nation's huge deficit problem. A group tied to the oil industry is circulating a study saying it's time for wind to stand on its own without the help.

Changing consumer behavior just got harder for utilities

The plight of utilities to change consumer energy consumption behavior just got more difficult.

Research conducted by the Shelton Group found that 18 percent of Americans blame their utility and 25 percent blame their inefficient home for their rising energy bills rather than their own increasing energy use. Further, even those who have changed their consumption habits or made energy-efficient upgrades believe that their utility bills have gone up or remained the same.

China becoming major wind player

China is one of the fastest growing wind markets in the world with its rapidly expanding demand for renewable energy. GBI Research reports that China's revenue is growing significantly from this sector and that of last year's top 10 players in the global wind turbine market by market share four were Chinese.

Clean energy policies work for solar industry

More than 8,500 solar installation jobs have been created in the past year and continued industry-wide growth is expected in 2013, according to research from The Solar Foundation (TSF).

The solar industry in the U.S. now employs 119,016 people-- a 13.2 percent employment growth rate over last year

Credit is Finally Getting Back to Reality

After months of frothy conditions, credit valuations are finally beginning to correct. High Yield has traded down materially, as investors have had enough of ridiculous pricing in this market.

Crude Oil Risk Premium Returns

The recent Israeli strike against numerous Hamas targets reminded us of the Middle East risks premium that may not be fully priced into the markets. The Middle East situation may indeed represent one of those "tail risks."  The rising uncertainty sent crude oil prices sharply higher, reversing earlier declines

Environmentalists alarmed by new problems at Oyster Creek

Cracks detected in the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant's reactor and problems with its water intake system during superstorm Sandy have some environmental groups calling for the 43-year-old facility to shut down earlier than scheduled.

Geothermal primed to help California reduce GHG emissions

At the same time California has implemented Assembly Bill 32 and launched its landmark cap-and-trade program requiring the state's heaviest polluters, including fossil-fuel power plants and oil refineries, to pay for carbon emissions permits, the Geothermal Energy Association has released a report detailing greenhouse gas emissions as they relate to geothermal with a focus on California.

Hostess to Close, Cut 18,500 Workers and Sell Brands Amid Labor Strike Friday, 16 Nov 2012

Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, says it's going out of business after striking workers across the country crippled its ability to make its snacks.

The company had warned employees that it would file a motion with U.S. Bankruptcy Court Friday seeking permission to shutter its operations and sell its brands if plants hadn't resumed normal operations by a Thursday evening deadline. The deadline passed without a deal.

The closing would mean the loss of about 18,500 jobs.

How the Worm Can Help Landfills and Sustainable Farming

Vermicomposting uses worms, rather than chemicals to create fertilizer. It relies on methods that have always been available but are generally not used in the large-scale production of commercial fertilizer. Worms — rather than chemicals — eat the organic substances such as corn cobs, potato peelings, apple cores, etc. and convert the discards to nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. The process doesn't require synthetic compounds and works faster than that compost pile you have in your back yard.

How To "Opt Out" Of Obamacare

Obamacare. What a travesty. The majority of Americans don't support it, but that doesn't seem to matter one bit. The Supreme Court upheld it, and as Obama begins his second term, the "reforms" are going full steam ahead.

The big promise: more affordable health care coverage for all.

Ask the workers at Papa John's, or Krogers, or Stryker Corporation what they think of Obamacare. They've had their hours cut back or lost their jobs altogether because of health care reform. Affordable health care is the least of their worries now. They just want to keep a roof over their head and food on their table.

IEA’s bearish figures paint sharper over-supply picture

For those still puzzled over stubbornly supra-$100/barrel oil prices, the International Energy Agency’s latest monthly report Tuesday provided a wealth of fresh bearish data set to further baffle oil market watchers.

India powers ahead on renewable energy

Energy-starved India is becoming a vibrant market for renewable energy. This bodes well for a country that has often seen its industrial and economic growth inhibited by a truncated supply of conventional power.

Innovation could tap 10.2 trillion barrels of unconventional reserves

Established oil and gas reserves are likely to run out by 2034, but new technologies can tap 10.2 trillion barrels of unconventional reserves, according to Lux Research. Lux contends that innovations in ways to tap unconventional oil and gas reserves could mean more than 250 years' worth of resources.

Israel at War:  Missiles Fired at Tel Aviv

IDF retaliates by hitting 70 terror sites in one hour. Ground offensive being planned. 30,000 reservists being mobilized. Casualties rising.

Japan Domestic Solar Shipments Rise 80 Percent, JPEA Says

Learning Lessons from Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy left a trail of destruction on the Eastern Seaboard and, two weeks later, some communities are continuing to struggle. Some have suffered devastating personal loss and many businesses have been severely disrupted. Canadian businesses that have customers or suppliers in the affected areas—including IT service providers or call centre services—have been impacted.

LENR-to-Market Weekly -- November 15, 2012

Highlights this week include: the Fleishmann Memorial project has successfully replicated Celani's cell; Rossi's independent tests are nearly done; CF not for bozos any more; Widom-Larson Theory at ANS Conference; CF research starts at U of MO; LENR Panel Session at American Nuclear Society National Meeting.

Let's Celebrate America Recycles Day by taking the Food Recovery Challenge!

Today is America Recycles Day, a nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting recycling in the US. All across the country, thousands of events are being held to celebrate recycling awareness in communities.

November 2012 U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) released yesterday its U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook for November showing what a healthy national housing market should look like taking into account recent trends, key housing indicators and the shifting demographic patterns that will define a new and realistic trajectory over the next five years. A healthy housing market should have activity below the levels recorded during the peaks of the prior decade.

Now Re-elected, President Obama Should Examine US Renewable Rank

Overwhelming optimism for natural gas future

There's optimism across the natural gas industry that future growth will be as plentiful as domestic shale gas reserves, according to a Black & Veatch report.

When asked about their view of the industry's future growth, 92 percent of respondents stated they were either "optimistic" or "very optimistic."

Pew Survey: Most Americans Believe Fiscal Cliff Deal Is Unlikely

The public is skeptical President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans can reach a deal by the end of 2012 to avert the fiscal cliff, according to a new survey from Pew Research Center and The Washington Post.

Most Americans believe the automatic spending cuts and tax increases triggered by lack of a deal would have a mostly negative effect for both the broad economy (62 percent) and their own personal finances (60 percent).

Report of Solar Geophysical Activity

Solar activity has been at low levels for the past 24 hours. Solar wind speed, as measured by the ACE spacecraft, reached a peak speed of 488 km/s at 15/0453Z. This observation was consistent with the continue.  This observation was consistent with the continued influence
of a weak, negative polarity, coronal hole high speed stream.

Romney to Donors: 'I'm Very Sorry That We Didn't Win'

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is telling top donors that President Barack Obama won re-election because of the "gifts" he had already provided to blacks, Hispanics and young voters and because of the president's effort to paint Romney as anti-immigrant.

Solar Struggle: A Rise Of Poorly Made PV Modules?

Has the pressure to compete in a world market beset by an equipment glut and plummeting prices over the past two years led to an increase in poor quality solar panels?

SRP, PSEG celebrate Queen Creek solar farm

PSEG Solar Source, Salt River Project and juwi solar are formally celebrating the completion and launch of Arizona's 25 MW PSEG Queen Creek Solar Farm.

Study finds many coal plants could be closed

A new study of the economics of coal-burning power plants has found that some of Minnesota's oldest units aren't worth upgrading.

The study being released Tuesday by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) says that up to 18 percent of the nation's coal-based generation is ripe for retirement because adding up-to-date environmental controls would make them more costly to operate than natural gas generation or wind power.

Study Shows Black Holes Directed by Magnetic Fields

This new finding furthers ECMs new equation identifying a connection between our galaxy Milky Way, channeling charged particles in a narrow bands which would have a significant effect on our Sun, all planets in our solar system, and all that lives on them.

Study: U.S. power grid vulnerable to terrorist attack

After Hurricane Sandy left millions in the dark, a long-delayed federal study Wednesday says the U.S. power grid is also vulnerable to terrorist attacks that could cause months of blackouts and billions in economic damage.

The Changing Coast Due to Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy was a monster. It changed lives and changed the actual land shapes along the coasts affected. The USGS has released a series of aerial photographs showing before-and-after images of Hurricane Sandy's impacts on the Atlantic Coast. Among the latest photo pairs to be published are images showing the extent of coastal change in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. The photos, part of a USGS assessment of coastal change from as far south as the Outer Banks of North Carolina to as far north as Massachusetts, show that the storm caused dramatic changes to portions of shoreline extending hundreds of miles. Pre- and post-storm images of the New Jersey and New York shoreline in particular tell a story of a coastal landscape that was considerably altered by the historic storm. Meanwhile, images from hundreds of miles south of the storm’s landfall demonstrate that the storm’s breadth caused significant coastal change as far south as the Carolinas.

The Real Reason Romney Lost

As the popular vote counts emerge and we move out from under the shadow of the media spin, we are learning the real reason Romney lost.  The mainstream media is pushing the story that a massive turnout among minorities and the young drowned the white male vote as America changes its demography.

Top Senate lawmakers see chance to revamp U.S. energy policy

The United States needs to update its energy policy to reflect the boom in natural gas and oil production that has boosted manufacturing jobs, said the top Democrat on the Senate energy committee on Thursday.

UNDP: Doha Talks Could Help Avert Climate Disaster

“The devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy in the United States and the Caribbean in recent weeks reminds us how destructive extreme and volatile weather can be. The costs of inaction are increasingly clear to all, as extreme weather inflicts loss of life and livelihoods and the destruction of property and infrastructure on communities around the world,” said Helen Clark, administrator of the UN Development Program. “Yet, out of every problem comes an opportunity.”

US government incentives needed for natural gas fueling stations: executive

Heavy duty trucks in the US will continue to switch from diesel to natural gas even without federal tax incentives, but the rate of switching would be faster if Washington offered incentives to build fueling stations, Jim Arthurs, president of natural gas engine maker Cummins Westport said Wednesday.

US Military Takes Part in Reducing Ecological Footprint

In an effort to enhance American security and address climate change, the U.S. military is diminishing its footprint. The military is producing cleaner power, reducing energy consumption, managing water and minimizing waste. Their efforts encompass vast numbers of vehicles, ships, planes, buildings, lands, and other facilities.

U.S. Mortgage Rates Dip to New Record Lows

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing fixed mortgage rates dipping to new all-time record lows amid indicators of higher consumer confidence and lower wholesale prices. The previous record low for the 30-year fixed was set the week of October 4, when it averaged 3.36 percent, and the 15-year fixed was set the week of October 18, when it averaged 2.66 percent.

"Walking the Walk"

I know that we’ve all heard that statement before, but it’s as true today as it was the day that Mohandas K. Gandhi said it.  It’s impossible to bring about the kind of effectual change you want to see around you without truly living out your values in a personal way.

War Looms in Gaza; Egypt May be Worsening Situation

Day three of the Gaza crisis has Israel keeping its foot on the gas with more punishing air strikes against Palestinian militants while Hamas seems to have found its second wind after the disastrous loss of one its top commanders. Two rockets landed in open fields outside of Jerusalem today, the first time the city has ever been targeted by rockets fired by Gaza militants. A failed Egyptian diplomatic mission to Gaza and harsh anti-Israeli rhetoric by Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi could worsen this conflict by emboldening Gaza militants to keep up their attacks.

"What's Your Eye-Q?"

Why Eyeglasses Can Actually Make Your Vision Worse
Glasses Only Treat the Symptoms NOT the Problem

Why Corporations Around the World Aren’t Spending

The high degree of uncertainty about the economic and political landscape muddles the investment picture for corporate decision-makers. Worries about fiscal cliffs in the United States and Japan, industry regulation, high budget deficits, and the potentially damaging consequences of unconventional monetary policy are all mentioned as deterrents to capital expenditures. What will it take to persuade more companies to open up their wallets?

 

November 13, 2012

 

6.0 Ml - GULF OF ALASKA

6.2 Mwb - NEAR COAST OF GUATEMALA

6.6 Mwp - MYANMAR

7 Ways to Cancer-Proof Your Home

Seven important steps to removing the most obvious cancer risks from your home include checking for and removing: radon, nonstick-coated pots and pans, makeup and personal care products with toxic ingredients, BPA-lined cans and plastic containers, cleaning products and air fresheners, toxic building materials and household cleaners, as well as common pesticides and weed killers

African leaders agree to send troops to north Mali

West African nations on Sunday agreed to send some 3,000 troops to help the country of Mali wrest back control of its northern half, which was seized by al-Qaida-linked fighters more than six months ago, according to an official involved in the discussions, and a statement read on Nigerian state television.

After bankruptcy, California city experiments with letting voters make budget decisions

A California city that recently emerged from bankruptcy is taking a new approach to budgeting -- this time, by asking voters how it should spend the taxpayers' money.  

ALEC takes aim at state green power standards

The conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is launching an effort to repeal state-based laws that require utilities to provide escalating amounts of power from renewable sources like wind and solar energy.

The corporate-backed group of state lawmakers has developed so-called model legislation called the “Electricity Freedom Act,” which it hopes to advance in several of the roughly 30 states that have renewable electricity standards.

Alternative energy backers go to court in Seabrook Station fight

A panel of federal judges is considering an appeal from three environmental and anti-nuclear groups hoping to stop the relicensing of Seabrook Station.

Antarctica Ice is Up While Arctic is Down

The Antarctic ice sheet is one of the two polar ice caps of the Earth. It covers about 98% of the Antarctic continent and is the largest single mass of ice on Earth. It covers an area of almost 14 million square km and contains 30 million cubic km of ice. That is, approximately 61 percent of all fresh water on the Earth is held in the Antarctic ice sheet, an amount equivalent to 70 m of water in the world's oceans. In East Antarctica, the ice sheet rests on a major land mass, but in West Antarctica the bed can extend to more than 2,500 m below sea level. The land in this area would be seabed if the ice sheet were not there.

California Democrats have carte blanche on environmental legislation

The Democrats in California took a supermajority in both the Assembly and Senate, something that hadn't been done since 1883. That means, even with a Republican sitting in the governor's chair in Sacramento, if they act together, the Democrats can do whatever they want in the state, overriding any veto.

Cascadia Subduction Zone Hit with 6.3 Quake

This is deadly serious. The Cascadia Suduction Zone is susceptible to mega-quake measuring 9.0+ - and it is over due in its 300 year cycle. This is not a "warning" but an "alert". A Warning means it is inevitable - an Alert means it is between likely and probable.

CBO Analysis: Fall over Fiscal Cliff Would Mean Recession

Austere "fiscal cliff" tax increases and federal spending cuts set for the end of the year would send the economy back into recession and cause a spike in the jobless rate to 9.1 percent by next fall, congressional budget analysts said Thursday.

China and Japan Hit Nuclear Energy Play Button

Asia may once again hit the play button when it comes to either resuming or restarting nuclear construction. Any movement, of course, has been on pause since the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011. But the need for those countries to achieve cleaner air and energy independence remains paramount.

China: Opening of Party Congress Indicates No Major Reforms

In his opening statement to the pivotal Chinese Party Congress that opened in Beijing today, outgoing Chinese President Hu Jintao was remarkably candid in criticizing graft and corruption and conceded that these problems have contributed to protests and are a threat to the party and the regime. It was made clear, however, that Hu’s likely successor, Xi Jinping, plans no significant political reforms and will continue to build up the Chinese military to press China's territorial claims.

Cybercriminals start spamvertising Xmas themed scams and malware campaigns

Summary: Security researchers from Symantec are warning about a recently intercepted flood of Xmas themed malicious and fraudulent campaigns.

Daily Aspirin is Tonic for Good Health

I regard low-dose aspirin as a tonic and preventive that everyone should consider, particularly those who are at risk for cardiovascular disease.

Economist Schiff: Obama’s Re-Election Means Debt & Currency Crisis

Peter Schiff, CEO of Euro Pacific Capital, isn’t particularly optimistic about the financial impact President Barack Obama’s re-election will have on the economy.

"If Obama thinks that [President George W.] Bush dealt him a weak hand, wait until we see how much weaker the hand is going to be that Obama deals his successor," Schiff tells Yahoo.

"We're going to be in much worse shape.''

Electric and hybrid vehicles are draining dollars

More fuel-efficient cars are siphoning off gas-tax revenues that support highway maintenance in Oregon.

As a result, state transportation officials are considering a mileage tax on vehicles that average 55 miles or better on a gallon of gasoline.

Energy Star Reaches High Penetration Rates for Homes, Appliances

Energy efficiency is making great gains in both home construction and appliances, according to date from the US Energy Information Agency.

Last year, 26% of all the new single-family homes in the US met voluntary Energy Star standards.

Environmental agenda energized

Voters supported an eco-minded measure to ban fracking for natural gas in Longmont, Colo., but rejected one to require boosting wind and solar energy in Michigan. A split verdict for the environment?

FBI Suppressed Petraeus Scandal to Protect President

FBI agents investigating CIA Director David Petraeus's affair were shocked when told by bureau officials that despite the national security implications, no action would be taken on their findings until after the presidential election: Only then would President Obama ask for Petraeus’ resignation.

Flooded New York plans to tame the sea, but who pays?

Unlike some of the other large cities around the world, such as London and Amsterdam, that have comprehensive flood defense systems with levees and storm surge barriers, New York was completely at the mercy of the elements.

Georgia Leading the Charge for the Clean Economy in the Southeast

In California it’s San Francisco. In New England, it’s Boston. Now, 2012 is proving that Georgia is rising as the cleantech epicenter of the South. This year we witnessed IKEA flip the switch on two large scale solar installations and Quality Technology Services announce a more than $1 million investment in solar for their Atlanta and Richmond data centers.  Meanwhile, Georgia Solar Utilities emerged to propose  building 90MWs of solar in Georgia, and selling it to Georgia Power, which itself has a 50 MW solar initiative.

Greece passes 2013 austerity budget

Greek lawmakers approved the country's 2013 austerity budget early Monday, an essential step in Greece's efforts to persuade its international creditors to unblock a vital rescue loan installment without which the country will go bankrupt.

Greece to get two more years but delay to bailout

Shoring up Europe's banking sector and strengthening oversight of economic policies topped the agenda of a meeting Tuesday of the European Union's 27 finance ministers that was expected to expose divisions among the continent's powers.

Growth of Renewables will continue with continued subsidies

The International Energy Agency predicts renewables will become the world's second-largest source of power generation by 2015 and close in on coal as the primary source by 2035.

But according to the 2012 edition of its flagship publication, the World Energy Outlook, the agency warns this rapid increase is critically dependent on continued subsidies.

How I Weathered Hurricane Sandy

Two weeks ago, few New York residents had any inkling that some of them would soon be dumpster diving in order to find food. Or that they would be standing in line for four, five, six hours or more (with small children along) just to collect a few MREs and a bottle of water. New Jersey residents had no idea that their friends and neighbors would be coming to blows in stores over what little food was available, or that they would be reduced to pleading for help from media, government, and the Red Cross.

Many of them undoubtedly thought a few cans of soup, a jar of peanut butter, and a case of bottled water would be enough to see them through.

How solid waste factors into President Obama's second term

The U.S. EPA will likely move forward with revising landfill air emissions standards after President Barack Obama was elected to a second term, CEO of the Solid Waste Association of North America said.

How to convince climate sceptics to be pro-environment

Climate change might eventually cause millions of deaths and all kinds of natural disasters. But don't tell that to a climate-change sceptic if you want them to do anything about it.

Instead, focus on how mitigation efforts can help people become more warm and caring towards others or how it can promote economic and technological development. That's the advice psychologists give after confirming the strategy in an experiment.

International Trade Commission Upholds Chinese Solar Tariffs

In a widely expected move, the International Trade Commission ruled  US solar manufacturers were harmed by the pricing tactics of Chinese competitors - affirming a series of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs imposed by the US Department of Commerce in October.

Iran to privatize 27 power plants by March

Some 17 power plants have been privatized and 27 other plants will be privatized by the end of the Iranian calendar year (March 19, 2013), the Iranian Energy Minister Majid Namjou said on Monday.

Adding that some 44 power plants are being privatized, Namjou went on to note that the process of privatization in Iran's power generation sector is in the final stages,the IRNA News Agency reported.

"According to the Constitution, the generation and distribution sectors of the power industry should be privatized and the transmission sector should remain state-owned," he noted.

Israel fires guided missile to warn Syria over shelling

 Israel fired a guided missile into Syria on Sunday in a potent "warning shot" after mortar fire from fighting between Syrian troops and rebels hit the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights for the second time in four days.

It’s Obama: Now What For Climate And Clean Energy?

After months of speeches and debates, and billions of dollars of campaign ads, the elections are over and President Obama has won a second term in office. Now comes the hard part: how to move forward in a polarized political environment where the two major parties don”t agree on the overall role of government, on most policies, and all too often, not even on the facts.

Largest' wind farm in Caribbean begins production

A wind generation facility that its producer, Pattern Energy, calls the largest wind generation facility in the Caribbean began producing energy on the island of Puerto Rico Oct. 28.

Most energy firms have spent nothing to comply with Dodd-Frank: survey

More than half of commodity trading companies, particularly oil and natural gas producers and electric and gas utilities, have budgeted no money to comply with new derivatives reform regulations, according to a survey released Monday.

Never Pay For Meat Again

What is one of the largest expenses of your grocery budget? Unless you're a vegetarian, it's probably meat. Prices on meat have been going up, up, up, and last summer's drought has pushed meat prices up even higher because livestock feed got so expensive. It seems that every time you go to the grocery store, meat prices have gone up again.

New Jersey regulator calls for 'revolutionary' grid after Sandy

Implementing alternatives to traditional electricity infrastructure is more critical than ever in light of the extended, widespread outages in New Jersey and New York in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, a New Jersey energy regulator said.

New Study Finds that Solar Power Is a Bargain for Ratepayers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania

The Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association (MSEIA) and the Pennsylvania Solar Energy Industries Association (PASEIA) today released a study by consulting firm Clean Power Research showing that solar power in New Jersey and Pennsylvania delivers value to the electric grid that exceeds its cost by a large margin, making it a bargain for energy consumers.

New Zealand pulls out of climate protocol

New Zealand says it will not be signing up to a second commitment period on greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.

Instead, the government said, it would opt for a non-binding pledge under the United Nations Framework Agreement on Climate Change.

Non-Hydro Renewable Electrical Generation 13% Higher in 2012

According to the latest issue of EIA's "Electric Power Monthly," with data through to August 31, 2012, net electrical generation from non-hydro renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, wind) was 12.95% higher during the first eight months of the year compared to the same period in 2011. In total, those sources have accounted for 5.25% of U.S. net electrical generation thus far in 2012 compared to 4.57% during the first two-thirds of 2011. Combined with conventional hydropower, renewable sources have accounted for 12.50% of net U.S. electrical generation since January 1, 2012. However, hydropower output is 14.16% lower in 2012 than it was in 2011.

North Korean food harvest improving, but still tight: FAO

Food production in North Korea has risen for a second year but the impoverished country still faces shortages and widespread malnutrition, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization on Monday.

Norway warns oil output targets could be missed

Norway, the world's eighth largest crude exporter, warned on Tuesday that its 2012 target of producing 1.6 million b/d of oil may not be met, after output figures for October came in below expectations.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, which produced the preliminary October totals, said oil output came in at an average 1.472 million b/d.

Nuclear Energy Generators Withstand Hurricane Sandy’s Pounding

Roughly a third of the nation’s nuclear plants got hugged by Hurricane Sandy and according to the Nuclear Regulator Commission, they performed as expected. That should not surprise anyone as those facilities have been constructed here to withstand such an onslaught.

Obama to weigh energy boom, climate change in second term

President Barack Obama will face a two-fold challenge in energy policy in his second term: make good on his promise to act on climate change, while at the same time foster growth in oil and gas production that has spurred jobs and manufacturing.

Obama win notwithstanding, API thinks energy was an election winner

Barack Obama was clearly not the candidate of the American Petroleum Institute. But leaders of the organization profess not to be concerned by the President’s re-election. In this week’s Oilgram News column, Regulation & The Environment, Gary Gentile discusses why the API says it came out just fine from the election.

Oil-fouled seals, seabirds in Bering Strait puzzle experts

Seals and seabirds in Alaska waters near the Bering Strait have been showing up contaminated with oil from an unknown source, and marine experts were headed to the region to investigate the mystery, federal and state officials said on Friday.

Poor nations dismayed by looming climate aid gap

Rich nations are dismaying developing countries with pledges merely to continue aid to help them combat climate change in 2013 despite past promises of a tenfold surge to $100 billion a year by 2020.

Presidential Election: Auto Bailout Trumps Coal Mining

When the major networks declared last night that President Obama had carried Ohio and had thus clinched the White House, the analyses concluded that it centered on the auto bailout, not the coal industry.

As it turns out, the president didn’t need to carry Ohio to win a second term, having secured enough of the battleground states to give him a comfortable margin of victory. But the state still represents a cross-section of voters that any candidate would love to have in their column. To that end, President Obama focused on the revival of the auto industry that is integral to the region while Mitt Romney pounded Obama for his administration’s “war on coal.”

Reactor reuses nuclear waste

Two Massachusetts Institute of Technology doctoral candidates are designing a nuclear power plant that would convert nuclear waste from conventional reactors into electricity -- a plant you could walk away from, they said, without the risk of a radioactive leak like the meltdown last year that crippled parts of Japan.

Recent discovery could save peoples' sight

There could be new hope for people facing vision loss due to conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa or wet age-related macular degeneration. Scientists from the University of Southampton have discovered that easily-gathered corneal cells may be able to take the place of degraded retinal cells, thus preventing or curing blindness.

Report: Eric Holder Knew About Petraeus Probe Months Ago

Attorney General Eric Holder knew as early as late summer that former CIA Director David Petraeus was the subject of an FBI investigation that eventually uncovered an affair that Petraeus was having with his biographer, Fox News reported on Monday.

Report: Fossil fuels could raise global temperatures 10 degrees by century's end

The continued use of fossil fuels could push global temperatures 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) higher by the end of the century, according a report released Monday.

While nearly 200 nations at the 2009 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to limit the average global temperature increase to 3.6 degree Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) by 2050, too few nations have taken measurable steps to hitting that mark, accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers said in its annual carbon report.

Report: Romney Got No Votes in 59 Philadelphia Voting Districts

Such unanimous support for Obama in these Philadelphia neighborhoods, primarily in almost exclusively black sections of West and North Philadelphia, stokes fears of fraud, despite little hard evidence, experts say.

Report of Solar Geophysical Activity

C2 event observed.  Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels on days one, two, and three (13 Nov, 14 Nov, 15 Nov).  The geomagnetic field is expected to be at mostly active with a chance for minor storm levels early on day one (13 Nov) due to the arrival of the CMEs. 

Resurrected process converts sugar directly into diesel

Researchers at the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) are generating bio fuels from renewable sources, such as sugar and starch, using a process that could be commercialized in as little as five to ten years. Although the fuels are currently more expensive to produce than those made from petroleum, they contain more energy per gallon than ethanol and the researchers say that, if adopted, could help to cut greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.

San Juan County bans the growing of GMOs

San Juan County residents in Washington State passed Initiative Measure No. 2012-4to ban the growth of genetically modified organisms. The initiative makes it illegal to “propagate, cultivate, raise or grow plants, animals and other organisms which have been genetically modified” in San Juan County.

Second Israeli minister demands guaranteed local gas supplies for 50 years

Israel's commerce and industry minister Shalom Simhon wants Israel to guarantee local gas reserves for at least 50 years, or more than double what a government appointed panel recommended, the minister said in a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Senate Intelligence Committee to Probe FBI Handling of Petraeus E-mail Affair

The Senate Intelligence Committee will investigate why the FBI failed to immediately notify the White House and Congress when it discovered that ex-CIA Director David H. Petraeus was involved in an extramarital affair.

S. Korea reactor shut down due to cracks

A South Korean nuclear power plant will be shut down for weeks as regulators investigate cracks found in control rod tunnels, officials said.

Soros: Euro Crisis Threatens Europe’s Cohesion, EU Ideals

Billionaire investor George Soros said the eurozone’s debt crisis is threatening the forces that have held the bloc together as well as the ideals that led to the creation of the European Union.

“The euro crisis is threatening Europe’s cohesion and the ideals behind the European Union,” Soros said at the Martti Ahtisaari Day seminar in Helsinki on Friday.

SSE braced for profits backlash

Energy giant SSE is set for fresh heat from customer groups this week when it reveals earnings figures just weeks after hiking winter fuel bills for households, writes Ben Griffiths.

Study: Women Who Quit Smoking by Age 40 Avoid 90% of Death Risk

Among women smokers who quit before the age of 40, more than 90 percent of the excess mortality caused by continuing smoking was avoided; for women who quit before the age of 30, 97 percent of excess mortality was avoided.

Syrian opposition groups reach unity deal after international pressure

Syrian anti-government groups struck a deal Sunday under intense international pressure to form a new opposition leadership that will include representatives from the country's disparate factions fighting to topple President Bashar Assad's regime, activists said.

The Campaign Made No Difference

The months and months of campaigning, the hundreds of millions of TV advertising, the incessant travel schedules of the candidates, and the vigorous efforts of both sides to get their vote out made little or no difference in the outcome of the Election of 2012.

Thousands join rally to boycott Kuwait election

Thousands of protesters have gathered outside Kuwait's parliament to denounce voting law changes and to rally around calls to boycott next month's parliamentary election.

Rights groups estimate 18,000 people joined the peaceful demonstration Sunday, the latest sign of the Gulf nation's deepening political crisis.

Today’s American Indian Activism

Most agree that stereotyping is wrong, but the associated problems are much more destructive. Research by psychologist Dr. Stephanie Fryberg (Tulalip) at the University of Arizona reveals that not only do mascots lower the self-esteem of Indian children, but they also raise the self-esteem of white children. In other words, images like Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians allows for white children to feel good about dehumanizing their Indian classmates. Such environments contribute to the low performance of Indian students, leading to high drop out rates and failure in other sectors of adult life.

Underground or overhead, Sandy may provide final answer for Conn

When the assessment of damage in the tri-state region from Hurricane Sandy is finished, Connecticut could get some hard evidence to justify spending what could be billions on putting more of its electric lines under ground.

Urine-Powered Generator from Nigeria

  • Urine is put into an electrolytic cell, which cracks the urea into nitrogen, water, and hydrogen.
  • The hydrogen goes into a water filter for purification, which then gets pushed into the gas cylinder.
  • The gas cylinder pushes hydrogen into a cylinder of liquid borax, which is used to remove the moisture from the hydrogen gas.
  • This purified hydrogen gas is pushed into the generator.
  • 1 Liter of urine gives you 6 hours of electricity.

US NRC panel does not support mandatory filters at nuclear units

An advisory panel to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday it does not support requirements that 31 nuclear units install expensive external filters, saying a more general requirement that the plants improve protection from radiation release would be a better regulatory step.

U.S. to overtake Saudi as top oil producer: IEA

The United States will overtake Saudi Arabia and Russia as the world's top oil producer by 2017, the West's energy agency said on Monday, predicting Washington will come very close to achieving a previously unthinkable energy self-sufficiency.

When Fire Met Food, the Brains of Early Humans Grew Bigger

  • Ancient humans had to graze constantly to find enough calories to live on, but as there are only so many hours in a day, and raw, mostly vegetable, foods do not contain many calories, this put a metabolic limitation on how big the brain could grow.
  • Researchers believe that it was the shift to a cooked-food diet that gave humans the extra calories they needed to allow their brains to get bigger.
  • Even when ancient humans moved their meals to the hearth, they still ate a far more significant portion of raw foods than people do today – and their food was in unprocessed form.
  • There is a growing movement of people who believe eating foods that are concordant with your genetic ancestry can help you avoid many of the diseases associated with our modern diet, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Who’s Responsible for Coal’s Decline?

Before Murray Energy’s Chief Executive released 156 people from his Ohio-based coal operations, he blamed the Obama administration’s “war on coal.” He went on to say a public prayer, bemoaning that America’s young people would not know the country in which he grew up.

But what Robert E. Murray failed to mention is that the federal regulations started by the 1990 Clean Air Act under President George Bush I are only part of the mosaic. The other parts include a dark recession that repressed electricity demand along with a boom in unconventional natural gas, or shale gas. And he did not mention that he has been a fierce partisan, able to give some $1.4 million in contributions since 2007, say news reports

Wind-energy jobs falling off as tax credit set to expire

The number of jobs in the U.S. clean energy sector is dwindling as time continues to run out on a federal tax credit that could revive the sector's job growth, a green-energy business group reported Thursday, Nov. 8.

 

November 9, 2012

 

6.3 Mwp - VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA REGION

7.4 Mww - GUATEMALA

2012 Congressional Elections: Environment Won, Polluters Lost

Environmental groups today praised “champions” who won seats in Congress in Tuesday’s elections because they support clean energy investments, environmental protection and public health safeguards.

American Towns Fight Back Against Fracking

Roughly $30 million in campaign contributions have flowed from the oil and gas industry to congressional candidates and political action committees in 2012 to stall regulation of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Now many towns have swung into action to pass fracking bans to protect their citizens.

Analysis of US EIA data: US gasoline stocks up despite Sandy's toll on Atlantic Coast

U.S. gasoline stocks rose 2.875 million barrels to 202.377 million barrels for the reporting week ended November 2, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed Wednesday.

An Early Eco Disaster at the Great Barrier Reef

Scientists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at the University of Queensland say the rapid collapse of the coral community is potential evidence of the link between man-made changes in water quality and the loss of corals on the Great Barrier Reef.

A Real Cure for Cancer?

Can a hyperbaric chamber help you prevent cancer?

Research has revealed that a deficiency of oxygen metabolism in the cells can lead to tumor growth. MIT-educated health expert Raymond Francis has written about this in his book, Never Fear Cancer Again, and a recent study in the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology has confirmed that this is most likely the primary cause of cancer, he tells Newsmax Health.

Aspartame Associated with Increased Risk of Blood Cancers in Long-Term Human Study

  • The longest ever human aspartame study, spanning 22 years, found a clear association between aspartame consumption and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and leukemia in men
  • Leukemia was associated with diet soda intake in both sexes

Bankruptcy to keep power plant running, owner says

The giant Homer City power plant continues to generate electricity as up to $750 million in new pollution control equipment is installed -- and a bankruptcy filing on Tuesday by a related entity will keep that process going, the plant's primary owner said.

Can We Really Blame China for Solar Manufacturer Bankruptcies?

It really is all China's fault, say most solar experts, but the Chinese government's motivations aren't necessarily malicious.

Can You Get Fit in Five Minutes?

...a growing body of research shows you can get fit in a fraction of the time compared to the "old standard" recommendations of exercising 30 minutes to an hour most days of the week by using high-intensity interval training (HIIT) such as Peak Fitness.

China opens party congress to begin power transfer

China's ruling communists opened a pivotal congress to initiate a power handover to new leaders Thursday with a nod to their revolutionary past and a broad promise of cleaner government while keeping off-stage the main event _ the bargaining over seats in the new leadership.

Climate change threatens sweet smell of morning coffee

Rising temperatures due to climate change could mean wild arabica coffee is extinct in 70 years, posing a risk to the genetic sustainability of one of the world's basic commodities, scientists said.

Climate Group calls for cleantech, renewable energy "revolution"

The Climate Group is calling for an "American Clean Revolution" to scale up investment in cleantech and renewable energy.

The group believes this will future-proof American infrastructure, boost the economy and avert catastrophic weather events caused by global warming.

Crisis in Europe May End Open Border Agreement

With the financial crisis in Europe deepening, more Europeans are leaving their homes and crossing borders to seek work, placing extraordinary pressure on the agreement to allow free movement of Europeans in Europe, known as the Schengen agreement. If the migrations continue, countries like Switzerland may withdraw from the agreement altogether, reversing the open borders agreement that was a hallmark of the new Europe.

Democrat win in US Senate indicates new leader on energy policy

Democrats retained control of the US Senate in Tuesday's election, paving the way for a potential opponent of natural gas exports and vocal critic of commodity market speculation to take over a key energy committee.

Did Pulses of Climate Change Drive the Rise and Fall of the Maya?

Comparing this reconstruction to records of major Maya building episodes and warfare, they conclude that an extended period of generous rainfall helped spur the growth and proliferation of Maya city-states, and a prolonged dry period played a key part in their collapse. But many archaeologists remain reluctant to adopt climate as the chief driver of Maya society.

Economic stimulus of oil and gas

Shale gas and advances in oil and natural gas extraction technologies over the last five years have provided a large economic stimulus for the United States. That is the conclusion of new research from the American Clean Skies Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing America's energy independence and a cleaner, low-carbon environment through the expanded use of natural gas, renewables and efficiency.

Election 2012: why status quo result could mean more Washington gridlock

Serious business awaits the nation's lawmakers, the 'fiscal cliff' foremost. But the results of Election 2012 could give Washington's main players cause to dig in their heels

Election Notes: Some Renewable Energy Tidbits You May Have Overlooked

President Obama won the re-election. This has been the big global headline for the past two days, and it has allowed the renewable energy industry to let out a huge sigh of relief. There’s hope. 

But after skimming through the numerous Obama headlines, I came across a few election stories that haven’t made the front page.

End of Russia's gas export dominance?

Is Russia's dominance in gas exports coming to an end? This is the conclusion of GBI Research in its latest report.

European shale prospects could reshape the continent's energy market dynamics by easing reliance on Russian natural gas imports, according to GBI.

ENSO-neutral is favored through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2012-13

During October 2012, the Pacific Ocean continued to reflect borderline ENSO-neutral/ weak El Niño conditions. Equatorial sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies increased across the Pacific Ocean during the latter half of the month, which was also reflected in the Niño indices

Environmentalists worry that aggregation will hurt renewables

The exodus of customers from Commonwealth Edison has environmental groups clamoring to change a law that requires ComEd customers to pay for renewable energy development.

By law, 25 percent of Illinois' electricity must come from wind, solar and other renewable resources by 2025. But the customer base expected to help pay for energy from those sources is shrinking dramatically as a result of aggregation.

EPA approves 30 years of monitoring at site of coal-ash spill in Tennessee

The U.S. EPA has approved a plan to stop cleanup at the site of a major 2008 coal-ash spill in Tennessee and monitor the site for the next 30 years,

EPA approves TVA plan for final coal ash cleanup

The Environmental Protection Agency announced today it has approved TVA's preferred plan for dealing with the final cleanup phase of the 2008 Kingston Fossil Plant coal ash spill.

European Space Agency working on using rocket fuel in cars

At first glance, hydrogen seems like a brilliant alternative fuel for motor cars. It burns so clean that all it produces is water, it’s the most abundant element in the universe and it doesn’t need all those rare earth elements and heavy metals that electric vehicles depend on. The only trouble is, it’s very difficult to handle.

Europe is exporting more waste than ever as illegal trade grows

s waste is increasingly moving across EU borders for recovery or disposal, the European Environment Agency (EEA) is warning of a big rise in the export of hazardous waste to countries outside of Europe.

Increasingly stringent and harmonised waste policies in the EU have led countries to transport more waste material elsewhere, for example if they do not have the facilities to recycle or dispose of particular types of waste.

Europe Still Playing Catch-Up On Air Pollution, Despite Reduction Successes

The European Union appears to have met several objectives to reduce the impacts of air pollution, according to the original scientific understanding used to set the objectives. But when using the improved scientific understanding of air pollution now available, it becomes clear that emissions need to be even further reduced to protect health and the environment.

EU steps up solar panels trade battle with China

The European Union launched an investigation on Thursday into alleged state subsidies for Chinese solar panel manufacturers, intensifying the conflict over the multi-billion dollar solar power equipment market that is straining trade ties.

Gay marriage, marijuana backed in historic votes

Altering the course of U.S social policy, Maine and Maryland became the first states to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote, while Washington state and Colorado set up a showdown with federal authorities by legalizing recreational use of marijuana.

Goldman's World GDP Projection for 2050

Goldman recently published their projections for GDP levels by nation 38 years into the future. This has to be a difficult forecast to make - involving assumptions that, if changed slightly, could impact the outcome materially. Nevertheless it is worth taking a look at these results.

Greece narrowly passes austerity bill

Greece's euro partners won't be able to release the country's next batch of bailout cash next week, even though the Greek Parliament narrowly backed more unpopular austerity measures Thursday.

Guatemala 7.4 Quake - Dozens Killed


'It has begun'. I posted an article yesterday showing historical evidence of a solar eclipse window which begins 14 days prior to the event, and 14 after. In an upcoming article, I will describe what the possible reasons would be for a solar eclipse to set off earthquakes and volcanoes.

How's Big Government Working For You?

When bad events happen, they don't happen in a vacuum. These events are not singularities which wreak havoc and then go away, leaving us to resume our lives. They infiltrate our world at the most basic levels, leaving us vulnerable and with the sudden understanding that we are miniscule beings in a human construct that really cares nothing for us.

How to boost lithium battery performance – just add crushed silicon

Researchers at Rice University and Lockheed Martin may have developed a low-cost method of creating longer-lasting, high-capacity lithium-ion batteries. Currently graphite is used as the anode in commercial li-ion products, despite the fact that a silicon anode could potentially store ten times more lithium ions. The team says it has solved one of the problems associated with silicon, which nearly triples the energy density of current li-ion designs.

Hurricane Sandy: "It's Global Warming, Stupid"

On a recent broadcast of the news show Democracy Now hosted by Amy Goodman, Cynthia Rosenzweig, co-chair of the New York City Panel on Climate Change, went out of her way to begin her comments on Hurricane Sandy and the effects of global warming to issue a disclaimer: "but first Amy, I need to make something very clear: any one storm cannot be associated directly with climate change…we have to be very careful not to say Hurricane Sandy was caused by climate change."

Iran issues warning after targeting U.S. drone

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little confirms an Iranian military plane fired upon, but did not hit, an unarmed U.S. drone aircraft a week ago. Little says the drone was in international airspace.

Lung Cleansing Benefits of Oregano

Upper respiratory problems may be caused by bacteria, viruses, allergies, asthma, and even inhalation of various pollutants. Symptoms of respiratory problems can include chest congestion, difficulty breathing and irritated nasal or throat passages. If you, or someone you’re close to, has experienced these symptoms, you know they can be very disruptive.

Mexico Aims for 12 GW of Wind Power by 2020

Developers familiar with Mexico's rapid installation of wind power projects are predicting that the country can ramp up from 1,000 MW of current capacity to as much as 12 GW by 2020. The prediction was made at 19th Annual Border Energy Forum, organized here last week by the Texas Land Office, by Pablo Gottfried Blackmore, a member of the directors council of the Asociación Mexicana de Energía Eólica, the country's national wind trade group. Others at the forum, including Mannti Cummins, the wind energy director for American Shoreline Inc., also echoed bullish predictions for the country's wind potential.

More than 6 million self-described “evangelicals” voted for Obama. Why & what else do the exit polls tell us about how Christians voted?

* Fewer people overall voted in 2012 (about 117 million) compared to 2008 (about 125 million).

* President Obama received some 6.6 million fewer votes  in 2012 than he did in 2008 (60,217,329 in 2012 votes compared to 66,882,230 votes in 2008)

More than 715,000 without power in US from Northeast storms: DOE

Even after a week of repairs to the electricity grid in the US Northeast in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the number of customers without power inched back up Thursday morning as another storm bringing rain, wet snow and high winds hit the area, the US Department of Energy said.

Mountain Pine Beetle Epidemic

While the 2001-02 drought in the West played a key role in pushing the pine beetle outbreak into a true regional epidemic, the outbreak continued to gain ground even after temperature and precipitation levels returned to levels nearer the long-term averages, said Chapman of CU-Boulder’s geography department. The beetles continued to decimate lodgepole pine forests by moving into wetter and higher elevations and into less susceptible tree stands -- those with smaller diameter lodgepoles sharing space with other tree species.

New super-Earth discovered in our stellar neighborhood

Due to the masterful efforts of an international team of astronomers, a new super-Earth planet has been discovered within the habitable zone of a star just 42 light years from Earth. Part of a six planetary system, the super-Earth known as HD 40307g has several promising attributes in terms of its ability to support life and because of its relative proximity it may soon be possible to observe the planet optically.

Obama to weigh energy boom, climate change in second term

President Barack Obama will face a two-fold challenge in energy policy in his second term: make good on his promise to act on climate change, while at the same time foster growth in oil and gas production that has spurred jobs and manufacturing.

Obama Victory, Grim Europe Forecast Forces Dow Below 13,000 As Stocks Plunge

Stocks plummeted today amid worries both at home and abroad, as the Dow Jones industrial average recorded its worst loss this year. Anxiety about further gridlock in Washington, D.C., and grim European economic reports weighed heavily on trading sentiment.

Obama Victory: Where do we go from here on science-based climate action?

President Obama has won another four years in office. In the wake of destruction left by Hurricane Sandy, the country may have experienced its first election disrupted by global warming. What makes this even more troubling is that the urgent crisis of climate change was never meaningfully discussed in the debates or on the campaign trail. After a year of punishing droughts in our nation’s breadbasket, extreme heat across most of the country, and wildfires that devastated our forests and property, it is now time to turn up the heat on our political leaders. Even with the continued polarization in Washington D.C., there is much President Obama can do to adopt science-based solutions that permanently drive down our carbon emissions and more effectively prepare for the climate-related disasters that will continue to threaten our lives and livelihoods.

Opelika gauges effectiveness of solar panel use

In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Opelika City Hall has taken proactive steps over the past several months of utilizing solar panels for electricity.

Palestinians seek new UN status as observer state

The Palestinians took the first step toward raising their status at the United Nations from an observer to a nonmember observer state Thursday by circulating a draft resolution to the 193 U.N. member states and asking for their support.

Planting Forests for Carbon Sequestration

Imagine a forest landscape where every tree is aligned and equally spaced apart. A forest where there are no sounds, no undergrowth and a distinct lack of species. Could this be the fate of our environment as carbon forestry becomes a common way to offset greenhouse gas emissions? Or, could it supplement reforestation programs and slowly ease the biodiversity crisis?

Renewable Energy Industry Weighs In On Obama Victory

With the 2012 election over and President Barack Obama's re-election secured, U.S.-based renewable energy producers are already looking ahead to what they expect will be four more years of continued support for their endeavors.

Researchers Find Earliest Warning Sign of Alzheimer's

Researchers said Tuesday they had seen the earliest-ever warning signs of Alzheimer's disease — among a high-risk group of 20-somethings — in the ongoing quest for early detection and prevention.

A major problem in the search for a cure for this debilitating form of dementia is that symptoms appear years after irreversible brain decay has already set in.

Sandy's Impact Already Visible in Sales Data; Some Effects May be Longer Lasting

Store sales in the US dipped on a YoY basis last week as we see the first effects of Hurricane Sandy on high frequency economic data. The effect is expected to be temporary however.

Shocking Scans Show The Real Impact of Love on a Child’s Brain

You comfort them over a skinned knee in the playground, and coax them to sleep with a soothing lullaby. But being a nurturing mother is not just about emotional care – it pays dividends by determining the size of your child’s brain, scientists say.

Sitting Less May Be Key for Maximum Longevity

According to recent research, if Americans cut back on the amount of time spent sitting down, it could add years to their life expectancy.

Soft squishy robots could replace pill cameras and invasive endoscopes

Carnegie Mellon University's (CMU's) Nanorobotics Laboratory has received US$787,000 in funding from the National Institutes of Health, which will be matched by CMU, to develop a squishy robotic capsule that can be controlled while inside the body. The capsule could replace invasive endoscopes by performing camera imaging, drug injection, tissue sampling, and more.

Solar robust even in economic downturn

Solar photovoltaic technology has been transformed into a commercially viable energy-generating technology in the past decade due to continuous technological advancements and growing demand for clean energy, and has shown robust growth even during economic slowdown, according to the report.

Some farmers growing profit with new row crop: solar panels

Just off a country road is a sight few people ever imagined in this corner of southeastern North Carolina.

Solar panels cover a 35-acre field that once produced corn, tobacco and other crops. When the sun shines, the panels generate enough electricity for hundreds of homes.

"So, What Now?"

History is a wise teacher to any who will listen.  As the old saying goes, “There is nothing new under the sun,” and this is especially true for our nation this week"
Throughout recorded history, countless nations and leaders have made unwise, foolish decisions that seemed good in the short-term but wound up being costly choices in the end.

So What Now?

7 SETS OF QUESTIONS TO ASK AFTER PRESIDENT OBAMA?

Starting with: "Is the implosion of American more or less likely now?"
Joel C. Rosenberg

Stocks Plunge as Worries Return about Fiscal Cliff, Europe

The Dow industrials lost more than 300 points in a sell-off on Wednesday that drove all major U.S. stock indexes down over 2 percent in the wake of the presidential election as the looming "fiscal cliff" debate and Europe's economic troubles returned to the forefront.

Stop UN Gun Control Now!

The U.S. will undoubtedly "compromise" and sign the treaty, all the time reassuring us that it is protecting our constitutional right to bear arms.   

Tail Risks Lurk in the Shadows: Fiscal Cliff is Out in the Open

Merrill conducts a periodic survey of US institutional money managers. One area the survey focuses on is a set of questions on the so-called "tail risks", the less probable but potentially devastating events that negatively impact financial asset valuations. Here are the survey results from September and October of this year.

Total Solar Eclipse Nov. 13th - Will Earthquakes Follow?

A total solar eclipse will take place on 13-14 November 2012 (UTC), beginning locally on November 13 west of the International Date Line over northern Australia, and ending on November 14 east of the date line off the western South American coast. Its greatest magnitude is 1.0500, occurring only 12 hours before perigee, with greatest eclipse totality lasting just over 4 minutes

Turkey mulls defensive measures on Syrian border

Turkey is drawing up contingency plans with the NATO military alliance to fortify its border with Syria, and a Patriot missile deployment is one option on the table, Turkish officials say.

Uptick in Earthquake Activity... also in Solar Activity

Solar activity took a jump over the last 48 hours producing a least one M-class flare and a following CME. The event occurred on Nov. 8th from sunspot region 1611 as it's coming around the eastern limb of the Sun.
 
A CME was observed in association with this event...

Up to 250,000 cars may need to be scrapped from Sandy

Up to 250,000 new and used vehicles may have been damaged to the point that they need to head to the scrap yard because of Hurricane Sandy, the New York Daily News reported.

U.S. drought deepens in Plains states, wheat crop suffers

Hot and dry conditions in parts of middle America deepened an ongoing drought in many states over the last week, according to a climatology report issued Thursday.

U.S. Geothermal Inc.: Two of Three Power Plant Modules at Neal Hot Springs Are Producing Up to 16.8 Megawatts

U.S. Geothermal Inc., a leading renewable energy company focused on the development, production and sale of electricity from geothermal energy, today announced an update on the construction of its three module, 22 net megawatt geothermal power plant at the Neal Hot Springs project, located in Malheur County, Oregon.

U.S. Mortgage Rates Settle in Near Record Lows

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing fixed mortgage rates mixed following the monthly employment report but continuing to hover near their record lows over the past six weeks. Last year at this time, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.99 percent, dropping below 4.00 percent for the first time since Freddie Mac started reporting its weekly mortgage rates survey in 1971

US net oil import dependence: trying to get below 40%

The fact is, the country is almost there. The chart below shows the decline in imports as a percentage of consumption, or what the DOE calls “products supplied.” It actually dipped to less than 40% for one recent month — February of this year — and in the most recent month’s date (for August) was just less than 41%.

US oil sector recovery from Hurricane Sandy

The US Northeast was gradually returning to service Tuesday following widespread outages last related to Hurricane Sandy. Below is a summary of the most recent developments:

Vestas to keep on cutting

The company today announced it planned to cut global workforce down another 3,000 people by the end of next year -- 1,000 of which will come before the end of this year.

Voters reject push to require 25% renewable energy by '25

Proposal 3, which called for amending the Michigan Constitution to require 25% of the state's energy to come from renewable resources by 2025, was easily trounced Tuesday.

Whopping commercial energy waste great for utilities

Recent E Source research reveals that U.S businesses are huge energy hogs, wasting more than $60 billion in energy annually.

This is bad news for commercial businesses but great news for utilities. This wastefulness presents significant opportunities for utilities to increase enrollment in energy-efficiency programs.

Why Mitt Romney Lost

Christopher Ruddy’s Perspective: It was the worst of times and the worst of times.

With the 2012 election results in, there are no short- or even medium-term "silver linings" for Republicans.

President Barack Obama has won a decisive victory and the GOP, expecting to gain Senate seats, actually had a net loss of three.

 

November 6, 2012

 

British forests face threat from ash blight

Britain is facing its worst ecological disaster in at least a generation, as a devastating fungus that has already wiped out most of continental Europe's ash trees, appears to have taken root in rural England, conservationists say.

Coal conversion saves costs for Georgia Power and customers

The three units, the last of which became operation at the end of October, represent one of the largest generation sources on Georgia Power's system. Together, the plants can produce in excess of 2,500 MW of energy -- more than five times the electricity of the coal units they replaced and enough to power about 625,000 homes.

Coal plant owner says bankruptcy is likely

The owner of six coal-fired electric generating plants in Illinois, including the shuttered Crawford and Fisk stations in Chicago, is on the verge of filing for bankruptcy.

Dalai Lama says expects China political reform under Xi

China's leader in-waiting, Xi Jinping, will have no choice but to embark on political reforms to leave a lasting mark the way the current leadership has done with economic reforms, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Monday.

David vs. Monsanto—The Story of How a Lone Farmer Prevailed Against One of the Most Powerful Companies on the Planet

Monsanto has long been trying to establish control over the seeds of the plants that produce food for the world. They have patented a number of genetically altered food crops, which can only be grown with proper license, and the seeds for which must be purchased anew each year.

Alas, genetically engineered (GE) crops cannot be contained. And rather than being found guilty of contaminating farmers' property, Monsanto has successfully sued hundreds of unsuspecting farmers for patent infringement when unlicensed GE crops were found growing in their fields. Many farmers have subsequently, quite literally, lost their farms.

DHS Admits It Is Unprepared for EMP Threat

In testimony delivered on September 12, Brandon Wales, director of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Infrastructure Threat and Risk Analysis Center, admitted that DHS remains unprepared for the possibility of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) event or attack.

Drug Manufacturer Trying to Cut off Ingredient Supply of the Cheaper, Nontoxic Version!

Would you rather take a $1,500 mass-marketed drug with toxic ingredients to prevent premature childbirth, or a ten-dollar compounded nontoxic version? You may not have a choice.

Eating Loads of Carbs May Cause You to Lose Your Mind

  • Among people aged 70 to 89, those who ate the most carbohydrates and sugars were more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, including problems with memory, language, thinking and judgment.
  • As you overindulge on sugar and grains, your brain becomes overwhelmed by the consistently high levels of insulin and eventually shuts down its insulin signaling, leading to impairments in your thinking and memory abilities, and eventually causing permanent brain damage.

Egypt's new pope opposes religious constitution

gypt's new Coptic pope said Monday the constitution now being drafted will not be acceptable if it is overtly religious, a sign he would campaign with his Christian minority and secular groups against increasing Islam's role in the new charter.

Fed’s Williams: Bond Buying Will Spur Growth, Not Inflation

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams said central bank purchases of bonds will help spur U.S. economic growth to 2.5 percent next year and 3.5 percent in 2014 while not fueling inflation.

Fuel spill reported at NJ refinery after Sandy

Some 7,700 gallons of fuel spilled from Phillips 66's Bayway refinery in Linden, New Jersey, after Hurricane Sandy, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday, reporting an apparent second leak at the New York harbor oil trading hub.

Gauging Hurricane Sandy's Impact on the U.S. Economy

Estimates of economic damage from Hurricane Sandy are now ranging between $30 - $50bn. This is clearly a large number.

German renewable output contributes 26% to power usage Jan-Sep

Germany's share of renewable energy sources in overall electricity consumption rose to a record 26% for the first nine months of the year, German energy industry association BDEW said Monday.

Wind power remains Germany's most important source of renewable energy, increasing its share to 8.6% for the first nine months of 2012 from 8% for the same period in 2011, it said.

Green Energy Execs Got Rich Off Aid From Obama Administration

These executives bet against their companies after asking taxpayers for help, and cashing out as taxpayer money went to waste.

Groundbreaking Federal Study Proves Chelation Therapy Helps Cardiac Patients

Chelation has long been favored by many integrative doctors. Now conventional cardiologists with vested interests in surgery and drugs are trying (and failing) to trash the study. What a surprise.

Have Carbon Emissions Passed an Important Threshold?

The annual rate of reduction of carbon emissions per unit of GDP needed to limit global warming to 2ºC, has passed a critical threshold according to new analysis from PwC.

And the report's author warn the rate of reduction now required has never been achieved before and add: "This isn't about shock tactics, it's simple maths."

Hospital Errors Kill Well Over 180,000 Americans Annually – Why are Super-Safe Supplements and Natural Health Under Attack?

More than 2.25 million Americans will likely die from medical harm in this decade – the equivalent of wiping out the entire populations of North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Vermont

How Will the World Feed Itself in the Future?

The world's food security depends on the quality of the forward-looking agricultural studies we are carrying out today, says Mark Holderness.
Climate change, population growth and competing demands for land and resources are putting great pressure on the world's food systems. Smallholder farmers in the developing world, who produce much of the food for the poorest people, are threatened by devastating droughts and floods, food price spikes, and persistent poverty.

Hydropower getting its day

At a time when coal generation is being phased out and electricity demand is on the rise, utilities are increasingly shifting energy policy to a focus on renewable sources.

Iran threatens again to halt all oil exports if sanctions tightened

Iranian oil minister Rostam Ghasemi renewed Monday a threat to halt all oil exports if the West imposes more sanctions against Tehran, oil ministry news service Shana reported.

"If the West increases sanction pressures, the Islamic republic, in reaction, will revise the trend of its crude oil exports," Ghasemi was quoted as saying. "Iran is not willing that such a thing happens in the world."

Iraq: Exxon’s Departure Shifts Power to Kurds

With Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) signaling that it's planning to sell its stake in a huge oil field in southern Iraq in favor of new drilling projects to access large untapped reserves in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, power is shifting dramatically away from Iraq’s government. The winners are Exxon and the Iraqi Kurds, with one poised to reap large profits and the other more political power, as LIGNET explains.

Japan's nuclear dilemma: What to do with all that nuclear waste?

The small sandy square in front of Yasushi Takemoto's apartment in Koriyama, a city of 328,000 about 150 miles north of Tokyo, looks like a normal public park. On a recent weekday morning, a group of children played on the swings while the retired dentistry professor strolled under the trees.

Beneath the soil in one unmarked, unfenced corner, however, lie hundreds of bags packed with radioactive dirt, sludge from drainage ditches, and other contaminated debris.

Kuwait cops use teargas, stun grenades against mass protest

Kuwaiti police used stun grenades, smoke bombs and teargas to disperse thousands of demonstrators calling for greater democracy in the country. The rally came as the emir was meeting with the representatives of the opposition.

League Releases Congressional 2012 Voter Guide

During each national election year the League publishes its Congressional Voter Guide.

The League’s Voter Guide allows members and concerned citizens to evaluate their Congressional representatives on key issues.

Maine developer scales back wind proposal

Maine's largest wind developer has scaled back a proposed wind farm on Bowers Mountain in the eastern part of the state in an effort to appease regulators and lessen environmental impacts.

Michigan to vote on clean energy mandate

When Michigan residents go to the polls on Tuesday they'll have a chance to do something that no other U.S. voter has ever done: enshrine a clean energy mandate in the state Constitution so politicians won't be able to weaken or abolish it at a whim.

National EMP Awareness Day

Ever hear of National EMP Awareness Day? Most of your leaders in Washington haven’t either, and that’s why all of us may be in grave danger.

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack constitutes one of the single greatest threats to modern national security. Typically triggered by a high-altitude nuclear warhead, an EMP can damage unprotected electronic devices, disrupt communications, and permanently destroy American infrastructure. The 2008 Graham Commission lists a host of likely outcomes to a successful strike: planes falling from the sky, cars stalling on the roadways, electrical networks failing, food rotting—the list continues for pages.

Nations fail to agree plan to protect seas around Antarctica

Major nations failed to reach agreement on Thursday to set up huge marine protected areas off Antarctica under a plan to step up conservation of creatures such as whales and penguins around the frozen continent.

New Design Creates More Efficient Wind Turbines

A Tunisian invention that harvests wind energy through a design inspired by sailboats promises cheaper, more efficient wind energy.

The bladeless wind turbine, the Saphonian, named after the wind divinity that was worshipped by the ancient Carthaginians, also promises to be more environmentally friendly than existing wind turbines that produce noise and kill birds through their blade rotation.

NPC awarded over $1.9 million to prepare energy workers

A consortium of five Arizona community colleges has been awarded a $13.5 million federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant to train trade-impacted workers and other adults for high-skill, high-wage employment and advancement in sustainable energy and mining industries.

Obama — The Golden President

The spin is that Obama inherited a mess — the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. This is true; however, his solutions were just as big of a mess.

Pressure builds for better oil spill clean-up technology

With oil becoming scarcer and more expensive, the economics of the industry may finally tip in favor of one of the most neglected areas of its business - the technology for cleaning up oil spills.

Questions arise about shuttering of Kewaunee nuclear power reactor

Residents who live near the Kewaunee Power Station with its 556-megawatt nuclear reactor still are absorbing the recent news that the plant will shut down in May, taking with it 655 jobs and leaving behind -- possibly for decades -- scores of concrete canisters filled with spent nuclear waste.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity

Solar activity was low. No Earth-directed CMEs (coronal mass
ejections) were observed.  The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet for the next three days

Research reveals why sea levels are rising faster than previously feared

Sea levels are rising faster than expected from global warming and new research is said to reveal the reasons why.

The last official IPCC report in 2007 projected a global sea level rise between 0.2 and 0.5 meters by the year 2100. But current sea-level rise measurements meet or exceed the high end of that range and suggest a rise of one meter or more by the end of the century.

Sandy on track to be second-largest flood loss ever

The superstorm Sandy will likely end up as the second-largest insured flood loss in U.S. history, behind only Hurricane Katrina, a top executive of a leading flood insurance provider said on Thursday.

Sandy's Aftermath: Is There A Silver Lining?

The devastation and heartache that Hurricane Sandy has delivered to the East Coast — especially to New York and New Jersey, as well as my home state of Pennsylvania — is monumental in scope and will be felt for years to come. While the repercussions of Sandy are almost universally negative, they say every cloud has a silver lining, and hers may be no different. The superstorm may be the catalyst for much-needed water and wastewater infrastructure improvements that the industry has been clamoring for.

ShadowStats' Williams: Big Trouble Looms No Matter Who Wins

Monetary-stimulus measures that have weakened the dollar to jolt the economy will send the economy into depression at a time of soaring prices, likely around 2014, he wrote:  "The next presidential term most likely will see the onset of a domestic, hyperinflationary great depression."

Solar panel breaks "third of a sun" efficiency barrier

Embattled photovoltaic solar power manufacturer Amonix announced on Tuesday that it has broken the solar module efficiency record, becoming the first manufacturer to convert more than a third of incoming light energy into electricity – a goal once branded "one third of a sun" in a Department of Energy initiative. The Amonix module clocked an efficiency rating of 33.5 percent.

'Superbug' MRSA identified in U.S. wastewater treatment plants

A team led by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Public Health has found that the superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is prevalent at several U.S. wastewater treatment plants. MRSA is well known for causing difficult-to-treat and potentially fatal bacterial infections in hospital patients, but since the late 1990s it has also been infecting otherwise healthy people in community settings.

The Day the Feds Seized My Food

In the eyes of the government, I'm probably considered a criminal. All because I had the audacity to seek out wholesome, nutrient-dense, naturally prepared food. It all started six years ago, when one of my children got sick, and conventional medicine had nothing to offer him. Nothing. Despite taking him to some of the best hospitals and doctors in the region, nobody had any answers. And meanwhile, I watched my 9-year old suffer in pain day after day after day. It went on for over a year. Some days he could barely get out of bed.

The Great Transition, Part I: From Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy

The great energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way. As fossil fuel prices rise, as oil insecurity deepens, and as concerns about pollution and climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old energy economy, fueled by oil, coal, and natural gas, is being replaced with an economy powered by wind, solar, and geothermal energy. The Earth’s renewable energy resources are vast and available to be tapped through visionary initiatives. Our civilization needs to embrace renewable energy on a scale and at a pace we’ve never seen before.

The Latest Jobs Number - a Deeper Dive

There’s a problem with the seasonally adjusted number. The SA number for this month will subsequently be revised in each of the next 5 years as the BLS attempts to fit the SA number to the actual change. It will also have a major benchmark revision in February, when the annual benchmarking process is finalized.  

Unprecedented world carbon emissions cuts needed by 2050: PwC

The world will have to cut the rate of carbon emissions by an unprecedented rate to 2050 to stop global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees this century, a report released by PwC on Monday showed.

U.S. drought shrinking, but not fast enough

Snow and rain and cooler temperatures helped ease suffering in drought-stricken areas of the United States over the last week, though some areas saw conditions grow worse, according to a climatology report issued Thursday.

Use Your Brains: Tan Your Hides

I read the news reports with tears in my eyes because I know how these people feel--I understand their heartbreak, their devastation, and their need to identify someone... anyone... out there who cares about what's happening to them....You cannot depend on an impersonal construct such as government to save you. You must reach down to the inner recesses of your soul, drag out that spirit of stubbornness and gutsy determination, and take control of your fate and your future.

U.S. Navy investigates use of fuel-saving Rotating Detonation Engines

Retrofitting engines on existing Navy ships, like the USS Arleigh Burke pictured here, with RDE technology could improve fuel efficiency

Utilities report big declines in power outages

More residents have power Saturday evening, but there's still more than 114,000 customers waiting for electricity to come back on.

What Does Hurricane Sandy Show us about Shoreline Change?

Contrarians argue that Hurricane Sandy isn't proof of climate change. But local scientists say the recent storm offers more damning evidence that Rhode Island's weather and landscape are undergoing a long-term transformation — one with a steep cost in dollars and human health.

Why The Next President Can’t Put Food On Your Table

In the end, they had to depend on the government. Many went hungry. ..And Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned...Now, imagine if scenes like the media reported in Sandy's aftermath weren't just limited to hurricanes and natural disasters. What if pockets of hunger, like those across New Jersey and New York, became the norm? What would happen to you, your loved ones, and your community then?

 

November 2, 2012

 

10,000 jobs in Ohio tied to energy efficiency

Ohio has nearly 10,000 people whose jobs involve improving energy efficiency, and their work generates $2.1 billion in annual sales, according to a new report.

32,000 Torontonians remain without power due to Hurricane Sandy

Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited (Toronto Hydro) crews are working to restore power to as many customers as possible today following the storm damage that impacted Toronto's electricity grid. The damage was most severe at 4 a.m. this morning, with more than 60,000 without electricity in Toronto. Currently, over 300 outages affecting approximately 32,000 customers are ongoing.

Abound Solar Under Criminal Investigation by Colorado DA

In a re-election bid mired with questions about Benghazi, President Barack Obama can now officially add another hot-button issue to his plate: the recent bankruptcy of solar company Abound Solar, which has been called "Colorado's own Solyndra." A criminal investigation is now officially underway, headed up by the Weld County District Attorney's Office in Colorado, for what it calls "possible securities fraud, consumer fraud and financial misrepresentation."

AEP team must inspect lines from ground instead of by air

With no helicopter, they would have to check each tower on the transmission line by foot or on all-terrain vehicles.

Transmission lines are the high-voltage lines that run through the mountains, sometimes on wooden poles and sometimes on giant steel structures, feeding power to substations.

Air + water = gasoline? Not quite...

Air Fuel Synthesis, Ltd. (AFS), a small company in the northern English county of Durham, has recently made headlines for a chemical process that claims to synthesize gasoline from air and water. In essence, AFS is using energy to unburn fuel so that it can be burned as fuel again – a great deal of energy. Sixty kWh of electric energy are used up to store 9 kWh of that energy in a liter of gasoline. When you take into consideration that gasoline vehicles are about 15 percent efficient, a car fueled with synthetic gasoline would use roughly 35 times more energy on a given trip than would an electric vehicle. Not, it would seem, a prescription for a commercially valuable green product.

AMP-Foot 2.0 prosthesis mimics human ankle's spring

The majority of protheses available today that replace the lower leg, ankle, and foot are passive devices that store energy in an elastic element (similar to a coiled spring) at the beginning of a step and release during push-off to give you some added boost. While this type of prosthetic is energy efficient, it doesn't replicate the full power we get from our muscles.

Apocalypse Soon: Has Civilization Passed the Environmental Point of No Return?

Although there is an urban legend that the world will end this year based on a misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar, some researchers think a 40-year-old computer program that predicts a collapse of socioeconomic order and massive drop in human population in this century may be on target

Autism and Vaccines - The Truth Behind a Tragedy

In 1995 Dr. Andrew Wakefield, a respected gastroenterologist and Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons and Pathologists, posed two seemingly innocuous questions…

Unknown to him at the time, these two simple queries would pit him directly against some of the world's most powerful interests – including political, corporate and multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical forces. This book details how those interests seemingly had no interest in the truth and definitely no desire for his questions (and the answers they suggested) to see the light of day…ever.

Banking Union Threatens to Drive UK Out of the EU

With a European banking union forming and London at risk of losing its status at the world's most important financial center, the UK is being forced to confront the issue of its continued participation in the European Union. If the EU indeed becomes more federal in character, the UK could withdraw as a member and take its chances going it alone. But this would have risks of its own.

Barclays hit by fresh U.S. investigations

Barclays, already rocked by an interest rate rigging scandal, unveiled new U.S. regulatory investigations into the bank's financial probity on Wednesday and said its profit was hit by charges for mis-selling insurance.

"Beaming" technology allows for remote human/rat communications

Once developed, the system should allow users to virtually experience being in a remote location by seeing, hearing and even feeling that location through the sensory inputs of a robot located there. That robot, in turn, would relay the user’s speech and movements to the people at that location. Now, two of the CORDIS partners have put an interesting slant on the technology – they’ve used it to let people interact with rats.

But What If Big Government Is The Big Problem?

In a New York Times editorial on Monday, the caption read "A Big Storm Requires Big Government." The author of the piece argued that "disaster coordination is one of the most vital functions of 'big government'" so we should not be so eager to downsize the federal monstrosity that exists in Washington DC today...

What a sad life, to be so helpless.

California karate student pummels intruder found in bathroom

A California man got an early morning beat down after being pummeled by a karate student who found him drunk in her bathroom.

Jannine Ramirez had just won a karate competition when she arrived at her Fresno apartment early Sunday and heard someone in the bathroom. Ramirez, 20, kicked down her bathroom door, then kicked the intruder through a shower door.

"Cancer is Man-Made," Scientists Admit

A recent study by University of Manchester scientists has strongly suggested that ... cancer is a modern, man-made disease caused by environmental factors such as pollution and diet.

Climate and cost concerns mount in wake of "superstorm"

Monday's mammoth storm that caused severe flooding, damage and fatalities to the eastern U.S. will raise pressure on Congress and the next president to address the impacts of climate change as the price tag for extreme weather disasters escalates.

Climate change mitigation 'far cheaper than inaction'

The impacts of climate change and a carbon-intensive economy cost the world around US$1.2 trillion a year — 1.6 per cent of the total global GDP (gross domestic product), states 'Climate Vulnerability Monitor: A Guide to the Cold Calculus of A Hot Planet'.

For this reason, "adapting to climate change is very likely a cost-effective investment in almost all cases and should be central to any climate change policy", the report says.

Composting adventures: All quiet on the compost front

Now that I'm no longer adding scraps to my bokashi composting bin multiple times a day, I tend to forget it's still loitering under my kitchen sink. There's no odor; the putrefying organics are sealed tightly inside the bin. And it's completely silent, with none of the gurgling or bubbling noises you'd expect from a fermentation process. The bin only sees any action when I drain the bokashi tea every few days.

Dramatic Twist:  Iran Used Up Someof its Uranium this Summer, Pushing Back "Moment of Truth" 8 to 10 Months

In a startling and very positive new twist to the intense drama unfolding in the Middle East, the prospect for an all-out Israeli-Iranian war now appears to have been pushed back by eight to ten months. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak was interviewed by a British newspaper this week. Barak indicated that while events could change yet again, it would now appear that the likelihood of a major war with Iran before next fall has been significantly reduced.

Dr. Bronner's Contributes Another $250,000 for Yes on 37 Campaign

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, family-owned maker of the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America, announced today that they have donated another $250,000 to Proposition 37, The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act.

Prop. 37 is a common-sense November ballot measure that will help consumers make informed choices about the food they eat.

EIA analysis: drop in crude stocks highlights the week before the big report

It’s hard during the events of Superstorm Sandy to worry too much about what happened in oil markets last week. It seems like eons ago. So consider this week’s EIA data and analysis of it to be like looking at a past that was very different from the present, even though it was only a few days ago. (That reminds us of the famous statement of the noted quipster and baseball reliever, the late Dan Quisenberry, who said: “I’ve seen the future and it’s much like the present, only longer.”)

Energy: A Nonpartisan Guide for U.S. Voters

While most of us probably take it for granted, energy plays an integral role in our daily lives—in commuting to work, running the dishwasher, charging our mobile devices, and cooling an office building, not to mention the manufacture of every product we buy. For better or for worse, nearly everything we do requires energy, and we use more energy now than we ever have before.

Environmental advocates fear Hurricane Sandy disturbed superfund sites

Environmental advocates said they fear flooding from Hurricane Sandy has carried toxic materials from New York City superfund sites to other locales within the city, the New York Daily News reported.

Exploring the Option of Low Cost Thermal Energy Storage

While there is much interest in developing various forms of energy storage at the present day, the popular contemporary technologies involve high capital cost. Many researchers have actively been seeking alternative mobile and stationary technologies that involve lower capital costs. Part of this research has revolved around increasing the energy storage capacity of classical thermal energy storage technologies. Many native societies have for centuries heated up rocks on a fire, then burying the heated rocks along with vegetables and animal protein that the stored thermal energy would cook.

Fed: Banks See Rising Demand for Auto, Real-Estate Loans

Banks in the U.S. reported stronger demand for auto loans and commercial and residential mortgages during the third quarter, according to a Federal Reserve survey.

The Fed described the share of banks reporting increased demand as “significant.” Demand for most other loan types was “about unchanged,” the Fed said in Washington in its quarterly survey of senior loan officers.

First Degree Murder Conviction in Fast and Furious

The federal government has secured its first conviction in the killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, an incident that led to the uncovering of the Fast and Furious gun walking scandal.

Manuel Osorio-Arellanes pled guilty to first degree murder in federal court in Tucson in exchange for prosecutors promising not to seek the death penalty.

First true “all-carbon” solar cell developed

Researchers at Stanford University have developed an experimental solar cell made entirely of carbon. In addition to providing a promising alternative to the increasingly expensive materials used in traditional solar cells, the thin film prototype is made of carbon materials that can be coated onto surfaces from a solution, cutting manufacturing costs and offering the potential for coating flexible solar cells onto buildings and car windows.

Fiscal Cliff Threatens Bank Stocks

The impending threat to U.S. banks, domestic and global economies, and the stock market in general, is the federal “fiscal cliff”—the term coined by the media and analysts broadly covers:

  • Expiration of the Bush tax cuts on December 31
  • Budget sequestration
  • Hitting the debt ceiling   
  • Expiration of Operation Twist

These important components of the fiscal cliff weigh heavily on banks, the financial sector and the world economy.

Fukushima fish still radioactive

More than a year and a half after an earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan, many fish in the area contain levels of radioactive cesium that are just as high as they were soon after the disaster.

German scientists create usable foam from tree bark

Germany is known for its cutting-edge policies on green issues, and its drive towards a clean economy. One of its latest eco-breakthroughs comes from the University of Freiburg's Biofoambark project. Researchers there are trying to green up the insulation foam used in construction, by replacing its petroleum-based ingredients with a naturally-occurring compound that ordinarily goes to waste in the lumber industry.

GTM Research Predicts 180 PV Manufacturers Will Fold or Be Acquired by 2015

A new report released by GTM Research is forecasting that between now and the year 2015 approximately 180 PV module manufacturers across the globe will close operations or succumb to acquisition. The report, titled "Global PV Module Manufacturing 2013: Competitive Positioning, Consolidation and the China Factor," analyzed over 300 PV module manufacturers in the United States, Europe, and Asia. According to the report, the current downturn in the worldwide PV manufacturing segment is likely to last until 2014.

Hot Cat To Go Public

There is exciting news on the Journal of Nuclear Physics. Andrea Rossi announced that the Hot Cat plant we have all been excited about will start operations in February of next year! This is great news, and comes on the heels of a busy and exciting autumn season for the E-Cat.

Hurricane SANDY Summations & Perspective...

Hurricane Sandy Uncovers Strength and Simplicity of Renewable Energy Systems

In Sandy's wake, utility firms gain quickly on last of the outages

While hundreds of Seacoast residents were still without power Wednesday as the region cleaned up from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, utility companies are steadily restoring service to customers statewide.

Kite power getting off the ground in Germany

Despite offering numerous advantages over its rotating brethren, most notably the ability to reach the high-speed winds found at higher altitudes, kite-based energy systems are yet to really get off the ground in a meaningful way. But things are looking up.

Largest' Wind Farm in Caribbean Begins Production

The facility will help the island achieve the current administration’s aggressive plan to diversify Puerto Rico’s energy sources. It will also help exceed the goal of generating 12% renewable energy by 2015, 15% by 2020 and 20% by 2035.

Making Ground Source Geothermal a Win-Win Resource for Utilities and Customers

 In its 75-year history, modern ground source geothermal energy (GSGE) has flown so far under the radar, it might as well lie in your granddad's root cellar. But unlike root cellars, built as crude geothermal systems to preserve perishables in a static environment, a ground source geothermal heat pump (GSGHP) can deliver a dynamic and effective heating or cooling system.

Many area residents could be without power for a week

After slamming the Jersey Shore and flooding large sections of New York City, Hurricane Sandy has left a massive headache in the Philadelphia region: widespread power outages that could leave thousands of Pennsylvania and New Jersey homeowners without electricity or heat for as long as a week.

Marijuana Prohibition Is Hanging on by Its Final Thread -- There's a Bright Future on the Horizon

America will benefit to the tune of billions every year when we end one of our worst domestic policies since ... the prohibition of alcohol.

Mexican think tank says Colorado, Washington, Oregon pot legalization would cut cartel profit

A study released Wednesday by a respected Mexican think tank asserts that proposals to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Colorado, Oregon and Washington could cut Mexican drug cartels' earnings from traffic to the U.S. by as much as 30 percent.

Most people don't think disaster will strike them

Despite all the pleas to the general public to be prepared, most people don't think disaster will strike them. They'll mumble about the need to lay in some supplies just in case "something" happens and then never do it. They'll go about their day, blissfully in denial about the ability of life to be transformed from idyllic to monstrous in the blink of an eye.

NCAI: ‘Historic’ Unity Vote Keeps Non-Federally Recognized Tribes as Full Members

The National Congress of American Indians overwhelmingly voted to keep non-federally recognized tribes as full voting members of the 68-year-old organization...

“It was a historic vote,” Norwood said. “There were some who had a misguided and misinformed position and they tended to be the loudest voices on this issue and in circulating information, but obviously what we saw (in the vote) was the silent majority of people who understand what the organization was about when it was established and who understand that we have to come together and it was a real blessing to see that support.”

Northeast crawls back to business after monster storm

The U.S. Northeast began crawling back to normal on Wednesday after monster storm Sandy crippled transportation, knocked out power for millions and killed at least 50 people in nine states with a massive storm surge and rain that caused epic flooding.

Obama, Romney disagree over tax break for wind energy

Wind energy in the United States has grown by more than 18 times since 2000, although it still accounts for just 4 percent of total U.S. electrical-generation capacity. This year is expected to be the biggest ever for the industry, as companies move projects up a year to try to complete them before the Dec. 31 tax credit expiration date.

But even as projects are moved up, the layoffs are happening because of the lack of orders for next year.

Obama, Romney spar on climate, energy

The two men have fairly similar governing records on energy and environmental issues. Their campaign rhetoric, however, has differed on just about everything except boosting the nation's production of oil and natural gas.

Options for energy storage

Moving beyond batteries

“We have developed a way to convert electricity into a liquid fuel by taking the hydrogen from water using electrolysis and the nitrogen from the air to make ammonia. Once we have the anhydrous ammonia, it can be used in a gen-set to regenerate electricity and also be used as vehicle fuel and as a fertiliser,” Maxwell says.

Petroleum free aviation debuts with all-biofuels flight

Unlike most other process technologies, the renewable fuels produced by this process are fungible replacements for petroleum-based jet and diesel fuel.  The Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process includes patented Catalytic Hydrothermolysis (CH) reactor technology, developed by Applied Research Associates (ARA), which utilizes water as a catalyst to quickly and inexpensively convert plant and algal oils into stable intermediate oil products, which are very similar to petroleum crude oil.  The intermediate oils are processed with hydrogen using CLG’s ISOCONVERSION™ catalysts to produce renewable jet fuel and diesel.

Pipeline developments are major steps forward for New York area

Two major products pipelines serving the US East Coast offered the first real glimpse of supply hope on Thursday, announcing restart plans for crucial regional arteries.

President of Troy, Mo., bank pulls gun, nabs masked robber

After all, it says right on the door that concealed weapons are allowed in the bank. They’re practically encouraged by the sign: “Management recognizes the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as an unalienable right of all citizens.”

So when the robber walked out of the bank a short time later with a red bank bag full of cash, maybe he shouldn’t have been surprised that bank president David W. Thompson followed him out to the parking lot. Thompson watched the masked robber get in a Ford pickup parked in a handicapped spot up front, then pulled his Colt .380 handgun and pointed it at the man.

President's rewards to green energy misplaced?

President Obama and Governor Romney agree that the U.S. is too dependent on foreign oil. But their views differ significantly on how to reduce or even end that dependence to make the country energy self-sufficient.

Quarter of Eastern cell towers BLOWN down BY SANDY - FCC

Around a quarter of mobile phone towers in the ten East-coast states hit by Hurricane Sandy have been damaged or destroyed, the Federal Communications Commission has said.

Rain Forest Rescue Helps People Live in Harmony with the Land

Tropical rain forests have been called 'the lungs of the world.' They also provide the last remnants of habitat for some of our rarest animals, as well as thousands of plants yielding medicines and cures, with many more yet to be discovered. But forests are also home to millions of people, too.

Russell Biomass Plant Cancelled: The Start of an Industry Trend?

On the heels of the recent biomass regulations imposed by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), the 50-MW Russell Biomass plant, which has been in the works since 2005, has been terminated.

Sandy and Tar Sands Pipeline: Stein Arrest Connects the Dots

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein was arrested this morning after bringing supplies to climate justice activists sitting in trees to stop construction of a pipeline to carry crude oil from the Alberta tar sands to Gulf Coast refineries.

Sandy at week’s end: climbing back. And a helpful suggestion from the ethanol industry

Several developments Thursday showed companies were taking significant steps to go around the power problems in the New York area. Most facilities in the area–particularly those in the whole New Jersey-Staten Island corridor–continue to struggle with no power, flooding, or both. By the end of the day Thursday, though, there was a fair amount of good news. Buckeye Pipelines said it had restored most of its eastern pipeline system. It doesn’t have power at its Linden, NJ terminal, but it brought in generators to allow the terminal partial operations.

'Sandy' Is Not the Only Deadly Storm  'Son-Tinh' Batters Asia

While Americans on the East Coast struggle to recover from Hurricane 'Sandy' - stretches of Asia have been battered by typhoon "Son-Tinh" that has cost more than 30 lives since it first struck last week.

Sandy & oil, day 2: Demand destruction vs. infrastructure woes…and some TransCanada news

There were some differentials that increased, but clearly, softness was the order of the day. Traders repeatedly cited the realization in the markets that activity in the entire New York/New Jersey region–people going to work, going to school, going to wherever–is going to take a several-days holiday, and with it, some demand for transportation fuels will decline....The best news is coming out of Philadelphia. The refinery operated by Delta Airlines at Trainer is operating normally

Sandy & oil, day 3: it’s mostly about the terminals

It’s beginning to be clear that concerns about docks in Sandy were unfounded; concerns about refineries have mostly turned out to be not a problem; but terminals in the New York area are a real mess.

Shale gas and atmospheric CO2: help or hindrance?

Since peaking in 2005, US domestic energy CO2 emissions have fallen by 8.6 percent. A new report asserts that up to half of this reduction may be down to "energy switching," as generators switch from coal to shale gas (partly on cost grounds), which emits about half the CO2 when burned. Yet the same report, from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, questions the wisdom of touting shale gas as a low-carbon technology, with its authors actually asserting that "the exploitation of shale gas reserves is likely to increase total emissions." How so?

Storm could leave 10 million without power

The brutal force and enormous breadth of Hurricane Sandy may leave as many as 10 million people in the dark from West Virginia to Maine and even as far west as Chicago.

Syria: U.S. Calls for Shake-Up of Syrian Opposition

In a stunning move yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for new leadership of the main Syrian opposition group, the Syrian National Council (SNC), and said it can no longer be viewed as the visible head of the Syrian opposition. The move comes as Western states are increasingly concerned about infighting within the SNC, short shrift it is giving to Syrian minority groups, and a rise in extremist activity among Syrian rebels fighting the Assad regime.

Texas' energy water nexus

Texas is coming up short in terms of both water and energy, but the state's economy has fared better than many other parts of the country due to low taxes, business friendly regulations and a strong energy sector.

The Black Swan Blog - Scary Energy Scenarios

Given that in today’s world every major and many minor disasters “go viral” in minutes rather than hours or days it is worth taking a moment to reflect on how widespread the impacts would be if any number of “scary energy scenarios” were to take place.   It should be noted that these events are themselves “Black Swans” because although they are predictable they are so unlikely that they are ignored by politicians and the general public until they occur at which time there is typically a huge, global over-reaction.

The Election and the Economy

There are certainly many economic issues that bear on the current election.  Following are the topics that have come up most frequently in conversations with clients, and the posture of the major candidates on each of them.

The Taliban Set to Win Afghanistan Drug War

The Taliban appears poised to emerge as the clear winner in the already losing war against drug production in Afghanistan after the NATO-led international force pulls out in 2014. The insurgents have taken advantage of bureaucrats who can be easily bribed and are protecting opium growers in exchange for a share of their profits. The revenue that the Taliban makes on narcotics production is essential to its operations and is certain to grow as the NATO-led force withdraws.

Thousands of US, Japan troops set to hold drill amid China tensions

Official with China's Defense Ministry says Beijing is 'paying close attention to the relevant moves by the Japanese'

Japan and the United States will hold a biennial joint military exercise in Japan in November in a move likely to further anger China amid heightened tensions between the two Asian giants over disputed islets in the East China Sea.

U.S. Businesses Annually Waste $60 Billion on Energy

A new E Source report reveals that U.S. businesses waste more than $60 billion annually on energy, presenting significant opportunities for utilities to increase enrollment in energy-efficiency programs. The report includes energy-use data from a variety of industries, including restaurants, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, data centers, education, and government.

US Data: Manufacturing Activity Remains Weak; Improvements Seen in Consumer Confidence and Resi Construction

The Manufacturing ISM number did not surprise to the downside as Goldman's GSAI was indicating. The divergence between GSAI and the ISM has in fact widened, as the corporate sector exhibits a great deal of pessimism. Nevertheless US manufacturing continues to struggle. The longer trend for ISM seems to be trending lower.

US DOE has received no applications to borrow from products' SPR

Both New England terminals linked to the US' 1 million-barrel heating oil stockpile were fully operational Tuesday, despite the passage of Hurricane Sandy, according to a spokesman for the Department of Energy, which oversees the reserve.

U.S. Mortgage Rates Continue to Hover Near Record Lows

Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing fixed mortgage rates moving slightly lower while continuing to remain near their all-time lows this week amid signs of a growing economy and low inflation.

U.S. nuclear facilities stand up to Hurricane Sandy

Nuclear facilities have proven resilient In the eye of Hurricane Sandy, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

In Sandy's path were 34 nuclear plants that had undergone comprehensive advance planning and preparation to maintain safety against high winds, flooding and grid disturbances.

US Planned Layoffs Jump to a 5-Month High

The number of planned layoffs by U.S. firms jumped 41.1 percent in October to the highest level in five months, although the number includes more than 10,000 jobs in U.S.-owned auto plants in Europe, a report said on Thursday.

US wind industry plans for the worst

America's wind industry recently marked a landmark achievement: 50GW of installed capacity. But the jubilation was short lived.
 
As the sector reached a new level of maturity, companies were announcing job losses and factory closures in anticipation that a crucial tax credit would not be extended. “These truly are the best of times and could be the worst of times for American wind power,

Utilities rally to restore power

More than 53,000 utility workers from around the U.S. and Canada are working arduously to restore electricity to millions who lost power as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

Volcano power plan gets U.S. go-ahead

The goal of EGS is to produce electricity by extracting energy from the earth’s heat. To accomplish this, a subsurface system of fractures is formed in hot, impermeable rock, and water pumped down from the surface is circulated through these fractures and returned to the surface as the energy source for a geothermal power plant.

Where to put Fukushima's radioactive water?

'Our land is limited and we would eventually run out of storage space,' manager says

About 200,000 tons of radioactive water — enough to fill more than 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools — are being stored in hundreds of gigantic tanks built around the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. Operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. has already chopped down trees to make room for more tanks and predicts the volume of water will more than triple within three years.

Why restoring power can take so long

The most frustrating, depressing, annoying and disruptive news someone suffering without power for several days can get: It may be out for at least another week.

Groans can be heard from Lower Manhattan to Westchester County to the Jersey Shore as utility companies warn residents battered by Hurricane Sandy that it may well take that long for the lights to come back on.

With Debt Ceiling Standoff, Japan Nears the Fiscal Cliff

The standoff between Japan’s prime minister and its legislature over the debt limit is the latest sign that the world’s third largest economy may be in trouble. The consequences for Japan of failing to reach a compromise on the debt could be far reaching, ranging from slower or stalled rates of economic growth to a backlash against the two main political parties.

 

 

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