Google backs clean car

admin /15 September, 2006

Philanthropy Google’s Way: Not the Usual

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 13 — The ambitious founders of Google, the popular search engine company, have set up a philanthropy, giving it seed money of about $1 billion and a mandate to tackle poverty, disease and global warming.

But unlike most charities, this one will be for-profit, allowing it to fund start-up companies, form partnerships with venture capitalists and even lobby Congress. It will also pay taxes.

One of its maiden projects reflects the philanthropy’s nontraditional approach. According to people briefed on the program, the organization, called Google.org, plans to develop an ultra-fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid car engine that runs on ethanol, electricity and gasoline.

See An Inconvenient Truth – for FREE!

admin /14 September, 2006

Climate change is one of the biggest issues facing the world today. The evidence from the scientific community is now beyond doubt – unless we change our ways, the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will have increasing and catastrophic impacts on the world in which we live. Ice caps will melt faster, Continue Reading →

Kurt Vonnegut says

admin /14 September, 2006

"But I know now that there is not a chance in hell of America becoming humane and reasonable. Because power corrupts us, and absolute power corrupts us absolutely. Human beings are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power. By saying that our leaders are power-drunk chimpanzees, am I in danger of wrecking the morale of Continue Reading →

China now world’s largest exporter

admin /14 September, 2006

BY RICHARD McCORMACK richard@manufacturingnews.com
http://www.manufacturingnews.com/news/06/0905/art1.html

China’s surging trade surplus this year, driven by continued increases in high-tech exports, "constitutes a major challenge to U.S. global competitiveness," declares the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI. If the issue is not addressed and the trade imbalance continues to grow — "like the gallows" — then "sooner rather than later the markets will trigger the inevitable adjustment, with what will almost certainly be more grim financial reaping," says the analysis prepared by Ernest Preeg, MAPI’s senior fellow in trade and productivity.

“Nuke” Americans First

admin /14 September, 2006

http://shelter.inkom.hr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=213&Itemid=2

The Rubicon has been crossed.

Americans have always been notoriously blind to the devastation wrought by their government’s policies on the citizens of other nations–especially people of color.  If you doubt that any of us who grew up in that culture are susceptible to such near-sightedness, try this little self test.

How many Americans were killed in the Vietnam War?  How many Americans have died to date in the Iraq War?  How many were killed on 9/11?  (The official figures appear at the end of the article.)

Most readers wouldn’t have much problem coming up with numbers within plus or minus twenty per cent of the actual figure.

Now try this.How many Vietnamese were killed between 1960 and 1975?  How many Iraqis have died since we invaded?  (Two estimates appear at the end of the article.)

Was that a little tougher?  Outside of a few human rights activists, I suspect few came close.

US to test weapons at home

admin /14 September, 2006

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/12/usaf.weapons.ap/index.html CNN published an article today announcing that the US Air Chief, Secretary Michael Wynne. said, "Nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used on American citizens in crowd-control situations before being used on the battlefield" The object is basically public relations. Domestic use would make it easier to avoid questions from others Continue Reading →