Charles Mingus - 4getdaboutit

4getdaboutit
FYI
he is an old aquantiance
I just posted his info because the future of a Tim Leery prognostication was such a device
[perhaps a hacked Tens device may appear on the "street] that might be better than crank and crack ...

what ever one thinks there is no one mind control method and even if devices were creating mind over matter
and super cognitive controlled populations nothing can compare with the effect of religious conditioning.
People are mentally very resilient, so have faith in the lazy bran and free will and the fact that memory is cellular
and the paradox that even so matter cant be created or destroyed ...

Equipped with eight wings that can be angled to the wind, the ship is controlled by a sophisticated computer system that picks up on the wind force and solar power and assesses when the wing sail should be unfolded and retracted. At the same time, it monitors the charging of the batteries and assesses the most efficient combination of energy use.

The Solar Sailor Set To Transform Shipping Industry

Can cut a ship's fuel costs by up to 90 percent

A flexible wing sail covered in solar panels is being proclaimed “possibly the greatest evolution in boats since the advent of steam”. The idea of using solar and wind energy to propel boats can cut a ship’s fuel costs by up to 90 percent and significantly lower its environmental impact.

The invention is the brainchild of Robert Dane, an Australian doctor. His product, made of steel and plastic, is flexible enough to be used on any sea vessel and versatile to be folded onto a ship’s roof during inclement weather. The concept has already been used to great success on a 100-seater eco-tourism ferry in Sydney Harbor. Travelers enjoy the noiseless and fumeless boat, while environmentalists are quick to praise the reduction in greenhouse gases and air and water pollution. How does it all come together? From the article,

“Equipped with eight wings that can be angled to the wind, the ship is controlled by a sophisticated computer system that picks up on the wind force and solar power and assesses when the wing sail should be unfolded and retracted. At the same time, it monitors the charging of the batteries and assesses the most efficient combination of energy use.”

The Solar Sailor has attracted attention from around the world, and Dane has orders lined up Hong Kong to Shanghai. His concept has even attracted the attention of a US firm that is developing marine drones that run exclusively on renewable energy. “For the cost of one conventional battleship, you can have 8,000 of these drones patrolling the seas,” says Dane. “After the capital cost, there is no other cost except for the one guy sitting in a control tower looking at a computer screen — it offers huge savings.”

Sounds like the future to me. Hit the jump for more!

Ecotality Life & China's

Use Of Solar Water Heaters To Increase 50% By 2010

Sep 20, 2007 1:36pm 1 review environment, china, solar, renewable-energy, photovoltaic
http://ecotality.com/life/2007/09/20/chinas-use-of-solar-water-heaters-to-inc...
From the page: "According to a new study, the coverage of solar water heaters in China will increase by 50% to more than 150
million square meters. The country accounts for more than half of the world's solar-heated water consumption as well as for
half of the world's annual output of solar water heating systems. As of 2006, more than 200 million people benefited from the
technology. In comparison, the United States has about one million residential and 200,000 commercial solar water-heating
systems installed."

From the page: "Imagine the entire US completely energy independent from fossil fuels and powered by the country's roadway
infrastructure. Sound far fetched? Not according to solar energy expert Dr. Nate Lewis of Caltech University. He has
calculated that covering 1.7% of the land surface of the United States with 10 percent efficient solar energy converters
could supply all our current national energy demand. As it happens, this is roughly the same amount of land that is devoted
to the nation's interstate highway system. It would even helps our roads stay ice free in the winter and glow at night."

Solar Roadways Could Power The Entire United States

Roads would be paved with glass panels that could collect and distribute solar energy.

Imagine the entire US completely energy independent from fossil fuels and powered by the country’s roadway infrastructure. Sound far fetched? Not according to solar energy expert Dr. Nate Lewis of Caltech University. He has calculated that covering 1.7% of the land surface of the United States with 10 percent efficient solar energy converters could supply all our current national energy demand. As it happens, this is roughly the same amount of land that is devoted to the nation’s interstate highway system. It would even helps our roads stay ice free in the winter and glow at night. Here’s how it would work:

“Instead of covering a large area of the Southwest with solar arrays, all of our roads would be paved with glass panels that could collect and distribute solar energy. Sunlight would shine through the surface onto a middle layer of solar cells. The solar cells would produce electric energy to light the road at night and heat it in winter, with enough leftover electricity to power homes and businesses. Brusaw estimates that each mile of solar panels could power 500 homes.

4.84 billion (12′ by 12′) Solar Road Panels would be required to replace the current asphalt road system, parking lots, and driveways in the 48 contiguous states. This is enough to provide three times more electricity than the United States used in 2003 and almost enough to supply the entire world.”

Obviously, there are some major hurdles to implementing this grid network; the least of which is convincing a government tied up in fossil fuels to try it in the first place. The expense of solar cells for such a project is currently cost-prohibitive; but researchers expect this issue to disappear in the coming years as advances and efficiencies increase to make the technology cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Setting up something similar to meet electrical demand with coal fired plants would cost around $14 trillion dollars; not to mention the adverse consequences on the environment.

You can find out more on the Solar Roads project here.

[UPDATE] The co-creator of the Solar Road Projects answered criticism over the project’s viability over on Reddit.com. I’ve posted his response after the MORE button>>>

>>Iâ€™m Scott Brusaw, co-inventor and project director of the Solar Roadways project.

I appreciate the discussion. If you go to my website, most of the criticisms given here are addressed, www.solarroadways.com.

Concerns were expressed about costs. The target cost for a 12â€™ by12â€™ Solar Road panel is $10K (USD), which is competitive with current (actually 2006) costs of asphalt roads. The most realistic number we could place on the cost per square foot of asphalt road (in the US) was $16.00 (this does not include maintenance or snow removal). We met with the director of the Idaho Transportation Department and presented this number to him after finding it on the Internet. After thinking it through for a mile of roadway, he came to the conclusion that it was â€œin the ball parkâ€. If correct, then a 12â€™ by 12â€™ section of asphalt road costs (12×12x16) $2304 to build. Unfortunately, the average US road is only designed to last seven years before it must be ripped up and repaved. Weâ€™re designing our Solar Road Panels to last over 20 years, so in fairness, youâ€™d have to triple the cost of the asphalt roads (3 x $2304 = $6912) for a real comparison. So weâ€™re at $6912 for (what I like to call) â€œdumb asphaltâ€ roads â€“ they just sit there and absorb heat and return nothing but potholes and heartache. Keep in mind that eliminating the need for coal-fired power plants and (God-forbid) nuclear power plants, we can roll all of the money that would be spent on future power plants into the Solar Roadways. Consider too, that the Solar Road Panels will be generating and distributing power (along with cable TV, telephone, high-speed internet access, etc.) to homes and businesses everywhere. It is difficult to calculate the cost savings over todayâ€™s conventional delivery methods, but I think itâ€™s fair to say that this brings the costs of asphalt and Solar Road Panels into the same ballpark. The money is going to be spent anyway- repaving and maintaining our current roads, parking lots, and driveways. Why not get something out of it (clean, renewable energy among other things) and solve the climate crisis in the process?

One person mentioned building solar panels over the highways. That would simply double the cost of current road construction and not solve the problem of, â€œwhat are we going to replace the asphalt with?â€

In April, Penn State invited me to attend the 1st International Workshop on Scientific Challenges of New Functionalities in Glass in Arlington, Virginia. I presented our Solar Roadways project to the group, and made some interesting contacts. I was invited to travel to Penn Stateâ€™s Research Institute to present our project to their faculty. Walt Mills, from Penn State, wrote a nice article about the entire trip. You can see the article at: http://www.mri.psu.edu/focus/v05/highways.asp

I learned a great deal about glass during this trip. I had no idea how many properties and uses glass had. For instance, self-cleaning glass exists, which may solve the problem of keeping it clear of road grime.

Iâ€™d be happy to respond to other questions or commentsâ€¦.

Thanks, Scott Brusaw www.solarroadways.com>>

http://www.stumbleupon.com/demo/#url=http://www.ecotality.com/life/2007/09/17/solar-roadways-could-power-the-entire-united-states/
Solar Roadways Could Power The Entire United States
Roads would be paved with glass panels that could collect and distribute solar energy.

Imagine the entire US completely energy independent from fossil fuels and powered by the country’s roadway infrastructure.
Sound far fetched? Not according to solar energy expert Dr. Nate Lewis of Caltech University. He has calculated that
covering 1.7% of the land surface of the United States with 10 percent efficient solar energy converters could supply all
our current national energy demand. As it happens, this is roughly the same amount of land that is devoted to the nation’s
interstate highway system. It would even helps our roads stay ice free in the winter and glow at night. Here’s how it would work:

“Instead of covering a large area of the Southwest with solar arrays, all of our roads would be paved with glass panels that
could collect and distribute solar energy. Sunlight would shine through the surface onto a middle layer of solar cells.
The solar cells would produce electric energy to light the road at night and heat it in winter, with enough leftover
electricity to power homes and businesses. Brusaw estimates that each mile of solar panels could power 500 homes.

4.84 billion (12′ by 12′) Solar Road Panels would be required to replace the current asphalt road system, parking lots,
and driveways in the 48 contiguous states. This is enough to provide three times more electricity than the United States
used in 2003 and almost enough to supply the entire world.”

Obviously, there are some major hurdles to implementing this grid network; the least of which is convincing a government
tied up in fossil fuels to try it in the first place. The expense of solar cells for such a project is currently cost-prohibitive;
but researchers expect this issue to disappear in the coming years as advances and efficiencies increase to make the technology
cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Setting up something similar to meet electrical demand with coal fired plants would cost
around $14 trillion dollars; not to mention the adverse consequences on the environment.

     Tomdispatch.com is for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of our post-9/11
     world and a clear sense of how our imperial globe actually works. Read more
     about the site's founder and editor Tom Engelhardt and his guest authors.
     Click here to e-mail Tom.

http://altacocker.com/
the truth and lies of 911
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8797525979024486145
[A wmv video of the World Trade Center's Tower 1 is
available by clicking here.   It is of the tower, just prior to
and during the initial phase of its collapse.
Note that only a small area of the tower's base is visible
through a small separation between two other buildings in
the distant foreground. It's what happens at the base of the
tower, just before it collapses, that indicates there were
explosive charges set off to bring the tower down.
Here's what to consider when viewing the video.
The camera is mounted to tripod standing on the floor of
a building some miles from the WTC
l
Six seconds into the video, the camera shakes for a
second, indicating a seismic tremor.
l
Five seconds later you'll begin to notice 'smoke' rising at
the base.
l
Five seconds after that, the tower begins to fall. l
Could explosive charges at the tower's base have caused the
smoke, prior to its fall?
The 911 Commission conveniently ignored the issue.
seismic shock & explosion at ground floor just prior to WTC collapse
http://altacocker.com/other_items/wtc_grnd-flr_blast_b4_fall.html [4/19/2008 10:53:33 AM]

'I Saw Papers That Show US Knew al-Qa'ida Would Attack Cities With
Airplanes' Whistleblower the White House wants to silence speaks to The
Independent

by Andrew Buncombe in Washington

A former translator for the FBI with top-secret security clearance says
she has provided information to the panel investigating the 11
September attacks which proves senior officials knew of al-Qa'ida's
plans to attack the US with aircraft months before the strikes happened.
Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds [CBS]
She said the claim by the National Security
Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, that there was
no such information was "an outrageous
lie".
Sibel Edmonds said she spent more than
three hours in a closed session with the
commission's investigators providing
information that was circulating within the
FBI in the spring and summer of 2001
suggesting that an attack using aircraft
was just months away and the terrorists
were in place. The Bush administration, meanwhile, has sought to
silence her and has obtained a gagging order from a court by citing the
rarely used "state secrets privilege".
She told The Independent yesterday: "I gave [the commission] details of
specific investigation files, the specific dates, specific target information,
specific managers in charge of the investigation. I gave them everything
so that they could go back and follow up. This is not hearsay. These are
things that are documented. These things can be established very
easily."
She added: "There was general information about the time-frame, about
methods to be used - but not specifically about how they would be used -and
about people being in place and who was ordering these sorts of
terror attacks. There were other cities that were mentioned. Major cities -with
skyscrapers."
The accusations from Mrs Edmonds, 33, a Turkish-American who
speaks Azerbaijani, Farsi, Turkish and English, will reignite the
controversy over whether the administration ignored warnings about
al-Qa'ida. That controversy was sparked most recently by Richard
'I Saw Papers That Show US Knew al-Qa'ida Would Attack Cities With Airplanes'
Clarke, a former counter-terrorism official, who has accused the
administration of ignoring his warnings.
The issue - what the administration knew and when - is central to the
investigation by the 9/11 Commission, which has been hearing testimony
in public and private from government officials, intelligence officials and
secret sources. Earlier this week, the White House made a U-turn when
it said that Ms Rice would appear in public before the commission to
answer questions. Mr Bush and his deputy, Dick Cheney, will also be
questioned in a closed-door session.
Mrs Edmonds, 33, says she gave her evidence to the commission in a
specially constructed "secure" room at its offices in Washington on 11
February. She was hired as a translator for the FBI's Washington field
office on 13 September 2001, just two days after the al-Qa'ida attacks.
Her job was to translate documents and recordings from FBI wire-taps.
She said said it was clear there was sufficient information during the
spring and summer of 2001 to indicate terrorists were planning an attack.
"Most of what I told the commission - 90 per cent of it - related to the
investigations that I was involved in or just from working in the
department. Two hundred translators side by side, you get to see and
hear a lot of other things as well."
"President Bush said they had no specific information about 11
September and that is accurate but only because he said 11
September," she said. There was, however, general information about
the use of airplanes and that an attack was just months away.
To try to refute Mr Clarke's accusations, Ms Rice said the administration
did take steps to counter al-Qa'ida. But in an opinion piece in The
Washington Post on 22 March, Ms Rice wrote: "Despite what some have
suggested, we received no intelligence that terrorists were preparing to
attack the homeland using airplanes as missiles, though some analysts
speculated that terrorists might hijack planes to try and free US-held
terrorists."
Mrs Edmonds said that by using the word "we", Ms Rice told an
"outrageous lie". She said: "Rice says 'we' not 'I'. That would include all
people from the FBI, the CIA and DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency]. I
am saying that is impossible."
It is impossible at this stage to verify Mrs Edmonds' claims. However,
some senior US senators testified to her credibility in 2002 when she
went public with separate allegations relating to alleged incompetence
and corruption within the FBI's translation department.
© 2004 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd
'I Saw Papers That Show US Knew al-Qa'ida Would Attack Cities With Airplanes'
http://altacocker.com/other_items/sibel-us_knew_plane_attacks_on_cities.htm
(2 of 3) [4/19/2008 9:22:50 AM]
'I Saw Papers That Show US Knew al-Qa'ida Would Attack Cities With Airplanes'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is no flag large enough to: cover the the shame of killing innocent people.

There is no flag large enough to cover the the shame of killing innocent people.

“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”
During interview with TomPaine.com
Anand_Singh Howard Zinn quote

Similar Quotes. About: Patriotism quotes, Dissent quotes.
Add to Chapter...

“There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.”
Howard Zinn quote

Similar Quotes. About: War quotes, Politics quotes.
Add to Chapter...

“If the gods had intended for people to vote, they would have given us candidates”
Howard Zinn quote

Similar Quotes. About: Funny quotes, Politics quotes.
Add to Chapter...

“Americans have been taught that their nation is civilized and humane. But, too often, U.S. actions have been uncivilized and inhumane.”
Howard Zinn quote

Similar Quotes. About: America and Americans quotes.
Add to Chapter...

“We need to decide that we will not go to war, whatever reason is conjured up by the politicians or the media, because war
in our time is always indiscriminate, a war against innocents, a war against children”
Howard Zinn quote

Similar Quotes. About: War quotes, Politicians quotes, Decision quotes.
Add to Chapter...

“In the United States today, the Declaration of Independence hangs on schoolroom walls, but foreign policy follows Machiavelli.”
Howard Zinn quote



“If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television -
can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves.”
Howard Zinn quote

“(Nationalism is) a set of beliefs taught to each generation in which the Motherland or the Fatherland is an object of veneration
and becomes a burning cause for which one becomes willing to kill the children of other Motherlands or Fatherlands”
Howard Zinn quote

Similar Quotes. About: Belief quotes.
Add to Chapter...

“One certain effect of war is to diminish freedom of expression.”
Howard Zinn quote

Add to Chapter...

      “I'm worried that students will take their obedient place in society and look to become successful cogs in the wheel -
let the wheel spin them around as it wants without taking a look at what they're doing. I'm concerned that students not
become passive acceptors of the official doctrine that's handed down to them from the White House, the media, textbooks,
teachers and preachers.”
Howard Zinn quote
.

===========================================
__________________________________________________

I was very fortunate to have been allowed access to the Bethlehem Steel facilities in Bethlehem Pennsylvania
in September 2006. The photographs below were captured in a single day of wandering around this massive site
which had been closed for about 11 years. As you will see, what I discovered in my explorations was far more
beautiful, poignant, and complex than the post-industrial detritus I had expected to find. And I am very
grateful to have been given the chance to document this since less than a year after my visit major construction
broke ground to transform the Bethlehem Steel site into a multi-purpose hotel/casino/retail/cultural center
aimed at revitalizing the Lehigh Valley area.

"Johns's marks articulate matter on a surface so that it becomes an objective correlative
of sensations such as, say, looking without focusing, looking fixedly, looking out of windows,
looking into darkness, seeing things grow, seeing them sicken, seeing the passing of a day,
feeling threatened, feeling nothing, feeling elated, feeling tears prick the back of one's eyes.
Marks of varying tempo, weight and direction caress and bruise and elaborate and disrupt and
erode the familiar forms of everyday emblems - flags, letters, numbers, etc. - rather as in a
Cézanne marks of varying tempo, weight and direction caress and bruise and elaborate and disrupt
and erode the familiar forms of everyday objects - apples, ginger-jars, jugs, etc

Jasper Johns
Land's End (ULAE 199), 1979
Lithograph on Kurotani paper
52 x 36 inches
Edition of 70
Signed & Dated in Pencil "J Johns '79" lower right Numbered in Pencil by the Artist from the edition
of 70 lower left.
Printed By: Charles Ritt, Serge Lozingot Publisher: Gemini G.E.L., 1979

Literature:
Richard Field, The Prints of Jasper Johns 1960-1993: A Catalogue Raisonne, ULAE, New York, 1994,
Catalogue Reference ULAE 199, n.p., reproduced in full-page black and white (another impression
reproduced).

Tapiistry from New Zeland
Digital Art Works

This gallery is to show the digital art works that I have made
recently. This is quite a change from tapestry and drawing
but really fun to do. These works are original digital prints
and not reproductions of art works done in a different
medium so I have no hesitation in calling them prints.

''We Are Blind...'' 2006 84 x 84cm
This work is my first major digital art work. It
has been accepted in the Anthony Harper
Awards at CoCA (Centre of Contemporary Art)
in Christchurch.

The work deals with issues of blindness, both the genetic physical aspect and
the mental and psycholigical aspects of blindness in its many forms.
Price. $1800.00

Commissions - How to

consult picture Step 1 - Client consultation Commissioning begins with discussions
between Marilyn and the client or agent. Marilyn designs unique works specifically for
you and the space the tapestry will be hung. Creative assistance and direction, in
collaboration with other artists can also be arranged.
After the decision to proceed is made, detailed

planning between the client and Marilyn is undertaken prior to producing the design.

concept notes/sketch picture Step 2 - Concept accepted Once the design is accepted, a quotation
consisting of the design brief, completion date, and price is supplied.

Payment of 50% upon acceptance of the quotation, a 25% progress payment halfway
through the work and the balance on completion is required.
Marilyn then produces the <cartoon>, and weaving commences.

--------------------------------
================================
--------------------------------
200 pages of anti bush stuff
http://altacocker.com/

What did the Fascist regimes in Italy, Germany, and Spain have in common?
They consisted of a highly militarized state, backed by corporations and a
wealthy elite that rose to power through a false populism which exploited the public
?s fear of foreigners and 'moral degenerates'.

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross."
- Sinclair Lewis -

What Did Bush Give to You?
We all know that the bush income-tax cuts were a boon to the richest Americans. But did you know that an
executive making $1 million gets an annual tax savings of $63,211 -- more than the pretax salaries of three
Wal-Mart associates combined? Here, the Bush income-tax cuts represented as an hourly take-home raise, across
the income spectrum:

Annual Income Take Home Raise
From Bush Tax Cuts That's Like ___ Every Month
$10,000 5¢/hr ($8) medium Domino's pizza
$20,000 21¢/hr ($36) basic cable bill
$35,000 43¢/hr ($71) two Pampers Baby-Dry value packs
$55,000 74¢/hr ($123) car insurance on '99 Accord
$100,000 $1.73/hr ($289) iPod mini + 40 iTunes
$200,000 $3.72/hr ($620) pair of Manolo d'Orsay pumps
$1,000,000 $31.61/hr ($5,268) 12-day Queen Mary cruise for two

For a handy database that let's you 'pick a lie' click here.

Do you remember Condi Rice's claim that, no one had thought that passenger planes could be used as weapons?
Aside from the July 2001 G8 summit, with it's anti-aircraft batteries, here's a pentagon website site
(note the URL's 'mil' designation) showing how it prepared
for such an attack ... ON THE PENTAGON.

President Bush Explains his Social Security Reform Proposal. A verbatim exchange.

WOMAN IN AUDIENCE: I don't really understand. How is it the new plan is going to fix the problem?
PRESIDENT BUSH: "Because the - all which is on the table begins to address the big cost of promised
more likely to be - or closer delivered to that has been promised. Does that make any sense to you?
It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the - like, for example, benefits are
calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested
that we calculate - the benefits will rise based upon inflation, supposed to wage increases. There is
a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits
grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those - if that growth is affected, it will help on the red."

George Bush: Worst President Ever
http://altacocker.com/ (6 of 18) [4/19/2008 9:21:45 AM]

?You fucking son of a bitch. I saw what you wrote. We?re not going to forget this.? ref m

"See, in my line of work you gotta repeat things over & over... to catapult the propaganda."

Dubya's handlers spanked him after that one; for using a line from his training manual. nml

In a 1944 article former Vice President Henry Wallace wrote (in part) on the Dangers of Fascism:

"They cultivate hate and distrust of both Britain and Russia. They claim to be super-patriots, but
they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution. They demand free enterprise,
but are the spokesmen for monopoly and vested interest. Their final objective toward which all
their deceit is directed is to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the
power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection."

Bush did NOT wear a wire during the debates. He wore the whole damn antenna!
If it wasn't so sadly obvious, it would be funny.

But the lack of media scrutiny makes it all a tragedy.

Our media's effort to misdirect public attention is embarrassing.
Here are two Newsweek covers for its 9-25-06 edition.
This was published in Latin America, Asia & Europe.

This was published in the United States.
http://altacocker.com/(7 of 18) [4/19/2008 9:21:45 AM]

Statement of Richard Perle; October 2003

?A year from now, I?ll be very surprised if there is not some grand square in Baghdad that
is named after President Bush.?

August 2006 News
It was announced today by Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Al-Sistani that Firdos Square, site of
the famed video of Saddam?s statue toppling, has been renamed: AWOL Dry-Drunk Preppy Lying
Idiot Square.

Cheney reprises his quail hunting adventure
w
George Bush: Worst President Ever http://altacocker.com/ (8 of 18) [4/19/2008 9:21:45 AM]

The FT reports "Rice traders hit by panic as prices surge" as Bangladesh and The Philippines
struggle to find anyone to sell rice to them.

Rice prices hit the $1,000-a-tonne level for the first time on Thursday as panicking importers
scrambled to secure supplies, exacerbating the tightness already provoked by export restrictions
in Vietnam, India, Egypt, China and Cambodia. The jump came as the Philippines, the largest rice
importer, failed for the fourth time to secure as much rice as it wanted. The unsuccessful tender
followed Bangladesh’s inability to buy any rice at all this week.

Traders and analysts warned that rice demand was escalating in spite of prices rising to three
times the level of a year ago as countries try to build up stocks. Vichai Sriprasert, president
of Riceland International, a leading rice exporter in Bangkok, said several of its customers,
including governments, were buying far more than they usually did amid fears about scarcity.
“It is panic,” he said. “My customers are demanding double the usual volume. We would not have
enough supplies for all the demand we are facing.”

Michael Whitehead, a rice specialist at Rabobank in New York, added: “The potentially
destabilising social effect of rice shortages in most high-consumption countries has strengthened
the resolve of governments to build supply.”

The Progressive says that the way to solve the food crisis is by changing policies - their
prescription being to embrace the idea of "food sovereignty" (a concept I mentioned in The Fat Man,
The Population Bomb And The Green Revolution) instead of global free(ish) trade in cash crops.

Food riots are erupting all over the world. To prevent them and to help people afford the most
basic of goods, we need to understand the causes of skyrocketing food prices and correct the
policies that have fueled them.

World food prices rose by 39 percent in the last year. Rice alone rose to a 19-year high in March
– an increase of 50 per cent in two weeks alone – while the real price of wheat has hit a 28-year
high. As a result, food riots erupted in Egypt, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Mauritania, Mexico,
Senegal, Uzbekistan and Yemen. For the 3 billion people in the world who subsist on $2 a day
or less, the leap in food prices is a killer. They spend a majority of their income on food,
and when the price goes up, they can’t afford to feed themselves or their families.

Analysts have pointed to some obvious causes, such as increased demand from China and India,
whose economies are booming. In the last thirty years, developing countries that used to be
self-sufficient in food have turned into large food importers. Rising fuel and fertilizer costs,
increased use of bio-fuels and climate change have all played a part. But less obvious causes
have also had a profound effect on food prices.

Over the last few decades, the United States, the World Bank and the International Monetary
Fund have used their leverage to impose devastating policies on developing countries. By
requiring countries to open up their agriculture market to giant multinational companies and
by persuading them to specialize in exportable cash crops such as coffee, cocoa, cotton and
even flowers, Washington, the IMF and the World Bank created a downward spiral. They made matters
worse by demanding the dismantling of marketing boards that kept commodities in a rolling stock
to be released in event of a bad harvest. These boards shielded both producers and consumers
against sharp rises or drops in prices. But the shield is no longer there.

Here’s what we must do to prevent an epidemic of starvation from breaking out.

First, it is essential to have safety nets and public distribution systems put in place. Donor
countries should provide more aid immediately to support government efforts in poor countries
and respond to appeals from U.N. agencies, which are desperately seeking $500 million by May 1.

Second, we should help affected countries develop their agricultural sectors to feed more of
their own people and decrease their dependence on food imports. We should promote production
and consumption of local crops raised by small, sustainable farms instead of growing cash crops
for Western markets. And we should support a country’s effort to manage stocks and pricing so
as to limit the volatility of food prices.

To embrace these crucial policies, however, we need to stop worshipping the golden calf of the
so-called free market and embrace, instead, the principle of food sovereignty. Every country
and every people have a right to food that is affordable. When the market deprives them of
this, it is the market that has to give.
http://peakenergy.blogspot.com/

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   Loose Change Final Cut
   2 hr 10 min - 4 Feb 2008
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4/28/07 George Tenet, is he confessing or is he a conspirator?
Download video: Play
Usually in high crimes, investigators follow the money trail to find the perpetrator.
Not in this case of never-ending coincidences and anomalies. On September 10, ISI agent
Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh made a wire transfer of $100,000 to Mohamed Atta's bank account
in Florida at the instruction of General Mahmoud Ahmad, the Director of the ISI. "Money
man" General Ahmad was in Washington on 9/11, arriving on Sept. 4. He first met with
CIA Director George Tenet until Sept. 9, and then met with officials in the Pentagon,
the NSC, and the State Department on Sept. 13. The chairmen of the House and Senate
Intelligence committees Porter Goss and Bob Graham had breakfast with General Ahmad
on Capitol Hill the very morning of Sept. 11! (Can you say conflict of interest?!) Due
to pressure from the Bush administration, General Ahmad was subsequently forced to
resign on October 8, 2001, effectively blocking any further investigation into the matter.
(How convenient!)

4getdaboutit

forgitabotit

The Solar Sailor Set To Transform Shipping Industry

Can cut a ship's fuel costs by up to 90 percent

Solar Roadways Could Power The Entire United States

Roads would be paved with glass panels that could collect and distribute solar energy.