tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-374366832024-03-08T12:09:15.618-08:00rdanafoxWorking to effect positive change, one district at a time....one planet at a time....Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-35471706764299630742013-12-09T17:42:00.000-08:002013-12-09T17:55:27.150-08:00#NoKXL Largest private sector union in Canada: No Northern Gateway pipeline<img align="right" alt="Photobucket" hspace="40" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/North%20American%20pipeline%20projects/YDAmap_comp1.jpg" width="400" />The Northern Gateway pipeline would deliver 525,000 barrels of Alberta oil to a tanker terminal in Kitimat, on the Pacific coast of British Columbia. The proposed pipeline route goes thru First Nations lands. The First Nations and the Yinka Dene have been solidly opposed to to the pipeline proposal and have refused to let the pipeline go thru their land.<br />
<br />
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/05/1253417/-Alberta-Tar-Sands-Northern-Gateway-pipeline-proposal-deal-is-done<br />
<br />
UNIFOR, is the same union that recently called for a stop to gas and oil fracking in Canada. <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/12/06/3031841/canadian-union-opposes-northern-gateway-pipeline/">From Thinkprogress.org</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
On Thursday the union vowed to join First Nations in protesting the project if it were to proceed.<br />
<br />
“We signed in solidarity, so we’ll be there in solidarity to support them,” McGarrigle told the Globe and Mail. “We support lawful and peaceful protest. We know what solidarity means: It means you stand together with a sense of purpose. We have a saying in the labour movement: We’ll be there one day longer.”</blockquote>
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<br />
UNIFOR has more than 300,000 members including the Canadian Auto Workers, Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union of Canada as well as the oil and gas industry. The B.C.’s Teachers’ Federation, 41,000 strong and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment also signed the Save the Fraser declaration:<br />
<blockquote>
<br />
an accord that aims to ban all tar sands projects from First Nations territory and from the ocean migration routes of the Fraser River salmon. In a speech, Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s B.C. director, said a “good jobs revolution,” with opportunities in clean energy and expansions in public transit, would bring better opportunities to B.C. than the pipeline would.</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
The issue for Enbridge is that they can't get to Kitimat with a pipeline without going thru First Nations and Yinka Dene lands, effectively stalling the pipeline for the last few years. But these recent developments indicate that both sides are acquiring allies. The British Colombian Premiere has allied with the tar sands, while these labor unions have aligned with the First Nations. <br />
<br />
"When on dangerous ground maneuver, when on deadly ground fight".<br />
<br />
Some of you may recognize the Sun Tzu quote, it applies to all of the tar sand pipeline fights. With the Keystone XL in the center and the Northern Gateway to the west, in the past the effort to stop the tar sands development can be thought of a 2 front war. With the west and central fronts stalled, the tar sands partners are maneuvering to the east, resurrecting 2 previously shelved pipeline proposals. One of those proposals are shown on the map below. They have opened up a 3rd front.<br />
<br />
<img align="right" alt="Photobucket" hspace="40" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/North%20American%20pipeline%20projects/Screen20shot202012-06-2120at209055820AM-1.png" width="400" />The Tar Sands are land locked, if the tar sands partners want to export the majority of the proposed 8 million bpd of tar sands production, then their goal will be to build 8 million bpd of pipeline capacity. Opposition groups have stalled nearly 4 mbp of pipeline proposals. this puts tremendous pressure on the tar sands developers, who have built only 2 pipelines over 50 years. Even shipping by rail car doesn't relieve the pressure, tar sands removal projects are stalled at current production.<br />
<br />
To make matters worse the tar sands project consumes tremendous amounts of energy, the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline proposal is an idea that dates to the 1970's and still hasn't been built. Significant trillions of cubic feet of natural gas sits undeveloped in Alaska with no way to move it.<br />
<br />
TransCanada and Exxon Mobil are partnered in the Alaska gas pipeline proposal that will directly link nat gas production in the North Slope of Alaska thru Alberta to the US mid west. This project may be the same as the Denali proposal, and was reintroduced to the Senate in Feb, of 2011. There are also at least 2 variations. The map below shows the Mackenzie Valley and Alaskan Hiway natural gas pipeline proposals.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/user/FogerRox/media/North%20American%20pipeline%20projects/all_pipes_large.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo all_pipes_large.jpg" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/North%20American%20pipeline%20projects/all_pipes_large.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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The Alberta tar sands project may be at a crossroads, they lack access to the natural gas they need to fully expand production, and they lack the pipeline capacity to even <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/13/1186696/-Pipeline-bottleneck-may-force-slowdown-of-Tar-Sands">expand capacity</a> from current production.<br />
<br />
And UNIFOR just drew a line in the snow......<br />
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<br />
More to read from my Tar Sands series:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/18/1195156/-Keystone-East-Doubling-down-Or-admitting-KXL-defeat">Keystone East: Doubling down? Or admitting KXL defeat?</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/13/1186696/-Pipeline-bottleneck-may-force-slowdown-of-Tar-Sands">Pipeline bottleneck may force slowdown of Tar Sands</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/13/1186579/-Tar-Sands-to-consume-all-conventional-natural-gas-reserves-in-Canada-and-Alaska">Tar Sands to consume all conventional natural gas reserves in Canada and Alaska</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/13/1186374/-Tar-Sands-Muskeg-Destruction-is-more-than-a-methane-GHG-bomb">Tar Sands: Muskeg Destruction is more than a methane GHG bomb</a>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-83608969745125302242013-06-11T14:45:00.001-07:002013-06-11T15:09:35.760-07:00Roger D Fox: Golf Course resume.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b><br /><br />Summary of Golf Course Experience:</b><br />
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-Installation of drain systems.</div>
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-Pesticide, fertilizer applications & calibration.</div>
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-Personnel supervision.</div>
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-Equipment operation.</div>
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-Turf establishment/cultivation/renovation.</div>
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-Maintenance & repair of irrigation systems.</div>
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-Use of computerized irrigation (COPS by Buckner). </div>
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-Reconstruction of tees & bunkers.<br />
-Personnel training, team building.<br />
-Proposal development for new capital expenditures.<br />
-Course set up, pins, tee markers and marking.<br />
-Maintenance of clay tennis courts.<span style="color: black;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: black;">-Installa</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;">-Takes
big picture forward thinking approach to solve issues and leverage
opportunities utilizing strong intuitive and analytical capabilities. <br />
-Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with high degree of customer
service focus. <br />
-Uses persistent “does what it takes” course of action and commitment to
achieve results. <br />
-Strong ethics (integrity, trust and respect for people on a consistent basis).
<br />
-Expertise in building and retaining talent by coaching and mentoring skilled
staff.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Job experience:</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">1992: Glen Ridge Country Club, Glen Ridge, New Jersey.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Position: Assistant Golf Course Superintendent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Daily course set up, pesticide applications.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">1991: Essex County Country Club, West Orange, New Jersey.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Position: Assistant Golf Course Superintendent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Daily course set up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Implemented deep and infrequent irrigation & monitored
improved root depth.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">1989-1990: Brae Burn Country Club, Purchase, New York.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Position: Assistant Golf Course Superintendent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Managed daily operations for absentee Superintendent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Advanced proposal for 2<sup>nd</sup> GC maintenance
building.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Course set up, course marking with paint.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">1988: Wheatley Hills Country Club, East Williston, New
York.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Position: Second Assistant Golf Course Superintendent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Course set up for Long Island Amateur.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">1986-1987: Nissequoge Country Club, St. James, New York.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Position: Assistant Golf Course Superintendent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Spearheaded renovation of tees improving member
satisfaction.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">1985: Rock Hill Country Club, Manorville, New York.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Position: Foreman.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Daily course set up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Tournament
experience:</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*1979: Greens mower mechanic, W.U.I. LPGA, Meadowbrook CC,
Westbury, New York.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*1988: Long Island Amateur, local qualifier for US Amateur,
Wheatley Hills CC, New York.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*1989-1990: USF&G Club Pro Skins Qualifier, Brae Burn
CC, New York.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*1990: Local qualifier, US Open, Brae Burn CC, New York.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Education and past
professional affiliations:</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*Graduated Rutgers 2 yr Turf program, Class President,
1989.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*Class B member MetGCSA, 1989-1992.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*Associate Member Hudson Valley GCSA, 1990-1992.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -27.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*Member Executive Board, Rutgers Turfgrass Alumni
Association, 1989-1992.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="mailto:rdanafox@yahoo.com"><span style="color: black;">rdanafox at the yahoo</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">C</span></div>
Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-58889535932355578722012-06-17T11:12:00.000-07:002012-06-17T11:13:15.279-07:00Berkeley National Laboratory: Wind is cheapest, less than 7 cents/KwhIt should be common knowledge that the prices of solar and wind power have been trending down and have been competitive for a few years. Now it appears that wind power is the cheapest electricity available on the planet. A study released in December of 2011 indicates that the cost to generate of wind power is between 3.3 cents per kWh and 6.5 cents per kWh, I live in New Jersey and we pay about 18 or 19 cents.
At a time when the Atlantic Wind Connection looks to start construction of a 350 mile long HVDC trunk line 15 to 20 miles off the east coast, between NJ and Virginia, that would support 1750 4Mw turbines... and HVDC projects in the North Sea are starting to roll, capital is starting to respond to the price points of wind power.
Last August ABB signed a 1 billion dollar contract to provide undersea HVDC transmission systems for the Dutch-German transmission system operator TenneT:
<br />
<blockquote>
Scheduled to be operational in 2015, this offshore network will help to avoid more than three million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year by replacing fossil-fuel based generation.
http://www.abb.com/cawp/seitp202/73b24f512a7591cac12578e0001a63c8.aspx</blockquote>
<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view¤t=OffshoreGrid_map-direct-design1.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/OffshoreGrid_map-direct-design1.png" /></a>
Both ABB and Seimens are busy with projects in the North Sea, an area that is similar to the east coast of the US in that both have wide undersea shelfs that are not very deep, and have excellent wind potential. The shallow nature (50-150 ft deep) makes excellent locations to anchor the bases for turbine towers. The UK, Norway, Denmark, Germany and France will eventually be interconnected, and able to share renewable energy, moving electricity from the wind farms in the North Sea long distances to where its needed.<br />
<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view¤t=NABathy_127036.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/NABathy_127036.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view¤t=grand-banks-2499.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/grand-banks-2499.jpg" width="220" /></a><br />
<br />
The east coast of North America, from Virginia north to Nova Scotia in Canada has a wide continental shelf with the potential of over 60 gigwatts of wind power generation.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view¤t=shelf.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/shelf.jpg" /></a>
<br />
<br />
The North Sea, in the lower portion of this graphic also has a wide continental shelf. Here is a <a href="http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/photolib/maps/Map%20of%20North%20Sea%201906.jpg">map from 1906</a> that may provide some more detail of the North Sea. The west coast of North America does not have a wide enough continental shelf to support large scale wind turbine development.
ABB is also working on the 800 MW Dolwin1 which is scheduled for completion in 2013 and has completed the 400 MW Borwin1 in 2009. Siemens has also established itself as a major player in the North Sea with 4 projects, <a href="http://www.energy.siemens.com/us/en/power-transmission/grid-access-solutions/references.htm">HelWin2</a> is scheduled to be completed in 2015, the 864 MW SylWin link to be completed in 2014, the 800 MW BorWin2 and the 576 MW HelWin1 links both scheduled for 2013. The HelWin2 platform will be erected by Heerema Fabrication Group in 75 feet of water.
<br />
<blockquote>
Tino Vinkesteijn, Chief Commercial Officer Heerema Fabrication Group, says: “This award demonstrates the offshore wind industry’s confidence in our expertise and capabilities to successfully complete EPCI projects in the harsh North Sea environment.
http://hfg.heerema.com/NewsMedia/NewsReleases/20120613HelWin2offshoreHVDCplatform/tabid/2036/language/en-GB/Default.aspx </blockquote>
The largest HVDC offshore project in the US that i have heard of is the Atlantic Wind Connection:
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view¤t=Atlantic-Wind-Connection.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/Atlantic-Wind-Connection.png" /></a><br />
<br />
The Federal Government in the US has made it clear they support large thinking like the Atlantic Wind Connection, they do not want 20 or 30 separate wind developers building their own grid connections, this would require more environmental impact studies and require connections to the grid that are already robust and able to handle the load generated by the turbines. The AWC will only require 4 landfall points, only 4 environmental impact studies, and 4 grid tie in points, and yet capacity can be increased to 35 gigawatts with a Ultra High Voltage Direct Current cable. AWC expects to start construction on the north leg first, so Jersey will see some good paying wind power jobs hopefully in the coming year.
<br />
<blockquote>
In fact, our clean wind energy is the cheapest electricity you can buy in some areas!
http://www.citizenpower.com/GEC/</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Following my revelation that George Osborne's Treasury is seeking to slash the subsidies for onshore wind power - the cheapest form of renewable energy - the House of commons select committee on energy and climate change is to investigate.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2012/jun/14/wind-power-turbine-energy-subsidy?newsfeed=true
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
an LCOE presentation by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) researchers confirmed that wind is now at $33 to $65 per megawatt-hour and falling.
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/how-low-can-the-price-of-wind-go/</blockquote>
National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Eric Lanz noted,
“if existing prototypes and recently commercialized equipment prove viable,” Lantz concluded, “cost reductions are likely to come sooner than we think.”
Big money is starting to flow towards renewable projects, expanding Americas energy portfolio, and building the next generation of energy infrastructure. Capital is only just starting to recognize the lower price points of solar and wind. The AWC is slated to cost 5.5 billion dollars and provide jobs, good paying jobs, offshore work can pay 80k to 120 k per year. In the near term expect capital to move in more volume toward wind, and expect solar prices to catch up and pass wind power 5 to 10 years.
The US Dept. of Energy has issued a white paper- 20% from wind in 20 years- and provide a very conservative estimate of job creation:
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view¤t=20in20yearswind-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/20in20yearswind-1.jpg" width="340" /></a><br />
<br />
This estimate does not account for the multiplier effect, that the 500k+ jobs means people will spend their money on cars, homes, flat screens etc.
With the first commercial scale Solar thermal storage systems being built (Arizona 500Mw) and the first existing wind powered pumped hydro plants (Spain 635 Mw), storage systems are now a reality.
As Franklin Roosevelt said in his 4th fireside chat on October 22, 1933
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If we cannot do this one way we will do it another. Do it, we will......
I have told you tonight the story of our steady but sure work in building our common recovery. In my promises to you both before and after March 4th, I made two things plain: First, that I pledged no miracles and, second, that I would do my best. I thank you for your patience and your faith. Our troubles will not be over tomorrow, but we are on our way and we are headed in the right direction.</blockquote>
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</script>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-36639692754194940132011-12-12T19:22:00.000-08:002011-12-13T13:45:23.251-08:00West Coast Unions avoid Federal fines by not officially planning port shut down with OccupyThe International Longshore and Warehouse Union didn't endorse the Occupy shutdown of the port on November 2nd, and it didn't endorse the shutdown on Monday, December 12th. Why? Basically because if they did endorse the action, it would be like a strike and they wouldn't get paid. That action would open up the Union to the possibility of fines, a Federal judge fined the Union $315,000 for disruptions earlier this year.<br />
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What happens is an arbitrator is called to the scene, if the arbitrator declares the terminal unsafe for the Longshoreman to work, they go home for the day, with pay. My stepfather worked as a longshoreman for over 30 years and operated under similar rules.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If a federal judge determines that occupiers are acting on the union’s behalf,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://labornotes.org/2011/12/west-coast-port-shutdown-sparks-heated-debate-between-unions-occupy">President Scott Mason</a> of Local 23 in Tacoma, Washington, said:</span></span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“we can be charged $5,000 for every incident.”</span></span></blockquote><a href="http://www.porttechnology.org/news/occupy_protesters_move_in_to_blockade_west_coast_ports/">From Port and Technology:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">“To be clear, the ILWU, the Coast Longshore Division and Local 21 are not coordinating independently or in conjunction with any self-proclaimed organization or group to shut down any port or terminal, particularly as it related to our dispute with EGT in Longview (Wash),” read a statement by the ILWU Coast Committee in November.</span> </span></blockquote><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.ww4report.com/node/10640">Kari Koch of Occupy Portland</a> said that the Local could be held legally liable if they coordinated the protest with the Union.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">We would not be doing this action if we didn’t have any support from the rank and file.</span></blockquote><br />
The Portland Occupier put it like this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">While the mainstream media tried to pin Occupy protesters against the Unions, all along, protesters knew that rank-and-file unions members stood in solidarity. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Anyone with a basic understanding of how Unions currently operate knows that to maintain their contracts, statements like these are issued in order to avoid conflict. Years of US policies crafted behind doors by ALEC and others have drained much vitality from Unions across the country.</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Jared Lorio and organizer from Portland adds the punctuation:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The lack of support from the ILWU] sheds light on the fact that our unions have been hamstrung and made ineffective by laws designed to curtail workers organising for their rights to better pay and conditions in this country.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And that brings us full circle back to the ILWU fight with Grain Terminal Operator EGT in Longview, Washington. EGT has refused to hire Union Labor for its terminal operations and is in a long term fight with the Longshoreman's Union over hiring for all of the grain elevators in the Pacific Northwest</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">The 2 Portland terminals on North Marine Ave were shutdown.</span><br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=x2_9caf9af.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/x2_9caf9af.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Occupy LA.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=x2_9caa102.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/x2_9caa102.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Protestors with Longshore Union signs.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=AggTwdmCIAArsK8jpg-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/AggTwdmCIAArsK8jpg-large.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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14th St Oakland. ILWU signs.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=AggKj2bCAAEhpWvjpg-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/AggKj2bCAAEhpWvjpg-large.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Entrance to Seattle terminal blockaded.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=OccupySeattleBarricade.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/OccupySeattleBarricade.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Terminal 18 in Seattle.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=AgellggCMAEHIh8jpg-large.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/AgellggCMAEHIh8jpg-large.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Trucker blasting air horn in support near berth 55 @ OccupyOakland.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=6502363437_79e788047a.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/6502363437_79e788047a.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Scott Olsen, center, Marching in Oakland.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=470888416.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/470888416.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Oakland.<br />
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<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=OOtrucks.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/OOtrucks.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Trucks outside Oakland terminal.<br />
<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/?action=view&current=Codepinkatshutdown.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Code Pink, Code Pink from @laststarwriter" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/D12%20West%20Coast%20Port%20Shut%20Down/Codepinkatshutdown.jpg" width="360" /></a><br />
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From twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/LastStarWriter">@laststarwriter</a>, who took this picture and told me Code Pink was collecting money for non Union truck drivers in Oakland who would loose a days pay.<br />
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</script>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-72803413034113198662011-12-09T12:45:00.000-08:002011-12-09T12:45:03.691-08:00Jesse LaGreca makes his 4th appearance on the Ed Show<object width="420" height="245" id="msnbc415f6b" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=10,0,0,0"><param name="movie" value="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" /><param name="FlashVars" value="launch=45531275&width=420&height=245" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed name="msnbc415f6b" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" width="420" height="245" FlashVars="launch=45531275&width=420&height=245" allowscriptaccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 420px;">Visit msnbc.com for <a style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com">breaking news</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">world news</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">news about the economy</a></p><br />
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</script>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-41764591826083782132011-12-08T17:43:00.000-08:002011-12-08T17:43:25.070-08:00So you want fair taxes for the 1% ?<div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">The US economic system used to be stable, banks didn't fail and jobs were created for those wishing to work.</div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">A system that destroys 20 million jobs for over 3 years is broken. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">A system that cant keep its banks afloat is broken. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">A political system on auction to the highest bidder is broken. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">A system that steals our future is broken. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">A system that destroys families is broken. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">A system that increases income and wealth disparity is broken. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">A system that economically oppresses people is broken.</div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Whats fair is an economic system thats stable. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Whats fair is to take the big money out of politics. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Whats fair is tax policy that creates a stable economy. </div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Whats fair is regulations like Glass Steagal that creates a stable banking community.</div><div style="font-family: Palatino, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Whats fair is not stealing our future.</div><br />
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</script>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-11252403259499284042011-12-04T08:31:00.000-08:002011-12-04T08:33:15.502-08:00A Declaration of War on the Big Banks.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #242424; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Declaring that a state of war exists between the Bank of America, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and other similar institutions (hereby known as "The Banksters"), and the people of the United States and making provisions to prosecute the same</b>.</span><br />
<div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://s552.photobucket.com/albums/jj321/jpmassar/?action=view%C2%A4t=class-warfare-fighting-back.png" style="color: #e5721e; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img align="right" alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj321/jpmassar/class-warfare-fighting-back.png" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 24px; margin-right: 24px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Whereas the Banksters have committed unprovoked acts of economic terror against the Government and the people of the United States of America:</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Therefore be it Resolved by the people of the United States of America in General Assembly gathered,</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> That the state of war between the people of the United States and the Banksters which has thus been thrust upon us by their total disregard for the welfare of their country is hereby formally declared;</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> That the people will hereby employ their economic, political and social resources, along with their constitutional rights, to carry on a struggle against the Banksters; utilizing boycotts, occupations, foreclosure and eviction prevention actions, civil disobedience and all other consitutional means to bring the fight to their doorsteps; and,</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> To bring the conflict to a successful termination, all the resources of the people are hereby pledged; we will not be satisfied until the trillions upon trillions of dollars taken, and the untold human suffering caused, because of the actions of these Banksters, is recompensed, redressed and justice has been served.</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Signed</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Ninety-Nine Percent</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This was originally a part of an article <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/04/1042068/-A-Declaration-of-War-on-the-Big-Banks?via=recent">written by jpmassar and published at Daily Kos.</a></div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
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</script>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-2073844213832136372011-12-01T20:43:00.000-08:002011-12-01T20:53:16.581-08:00Real wage growth starts with widespread jobs creation.In a tight labor market employers have to compete to fill job vacancies, thats when wage growth happens. When workers can fairly vote to unionize a workplace, then more workers can bargain for better wages. When Union wages grow, non union wages grow.<br />
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<blockquote>movements in aggregate wages are driven primarily by changes in the earnings distributions of job-stayers and job-changers, rather than those of individuals who move in and out of part-time employment, unemployment, or the labor force. In fact, half of the variance of real median weekly earnings growth over our sample can be traced back to job-switchers. While individuals moving into full-time jobs from part-time employment, unemployment, or from out of the labor force pay a wage penalty, they are too small a share of the overall work force and the fluctuations in this penalty are not big enough to have a major impact on aggregate real wage growth volatility. aggregate real wage growth fluctuations is mostly due to periods of tight labor markets, like the second half the 1990’s in Figure 1, in which many persons change jobs in pursuit of higher pay. <br />
http://www.frbsf.org/publications/economics/papers/2011/wp11-23bk.pdf</blockquote><br />
From 1994 thru 2002 unemployment was below 6%, from 1996 to 2001 unemployment was below 5.4% and as low as 4% in 2000. As the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank says, this is a "tight labor market", and the US saw wage growth of as much as 5%. From 1995 to 2000 US median household income grew from $46,408 to $53,164 according to the <a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf">2010 Census report</a>. The bad news is that adjusted for inflation median household income in 1973 was $46,109 and in 2010 $49,445. And that increase was accomplished because of the wage growth seen thru women, today women make 77 cents on the dollar compared to men, and back the day- 66 cents.<br />
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A male working full time year round, had a median income of 47k in 2010, adjusted for inflation, 49k in 1973.<br />
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So in a nutshell widespread job creation will lead to real wage growth, passing the Employee Free Choice Act will lead to real wage growth thru greater worker participation in collective bargaining. Widespread job creation and wage growth mean more FICA, and are 2 of 3 reasons Social Security doesn't go broke according to the Social Security Trustees report low cost scenario.<br />
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So all we need to do is create 25 million jobs. <a href="http://rdanafox.blogspot.com/2011/10/cookbook-for-creating-25-million-jobs.html">Which really should not be that hard.</a><br />
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</script>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-4722349433515357302011-10-29T13:41:00.000-07:002011-10-29T13:41:25.349-07:00The importance of HVDC. Think Supergrid.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div id="intro" style="color: #242424; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Yeah, we gotta build some of that solar and wind stuff, but lets just look at the savings we realize just by building HVDC trunklines in the US, without renewable energy. An AC transmission line has a 7% transmission loss, DC has a 3% transmission loss.</div></div><div class="divider-doodle" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; background-position: 50% 10px; color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 40px; width: 640px;"></div><div class="article-body" id="body" style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Lets say we want to move 200 gigawatts of electricity 1000 miles. Using an AC transmission grid we lose 14 gigawatts. DC transmission lines see only a loss of 6 gigwatts. So on paper if we switch from AC to DC in this case we save 8 gigawatts. The Equivalent of 8, 1000Mw nuclear power plants or 8, 1000Mw coal burning plants.</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8,000 Mw of coal fired plants equals the carbon footprint of 9.6 million cars.</div><div style="font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #242424;">8,000 Mw of coal fired plants will emit 59.2 million tons of Co2 in a typical year, including 2720 pounds of mercury and 3600 pounds of arsenic.</span><br style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Environmental_impacts_of_coal" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">http://www.sourcewatch.org/...</span></a></div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In this scenario just switching to HVDC saves nearly 60 million tons of Co2, thousands of pounds of mercury and arsenic. Plus its cheaper, it saves money. In 3 years GE might have its new class of offshore wind turbines ready ... in the 10 to 15 MW class. Using MRI type magnets these turbines might make wind the cheapest form of electricity on the planet.</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Does this seem absurd to you? There must be a hook to this, right ? HVDC must cost a lot or some part of a HVDC system makes it unpractical. Nope.</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">As long as the installation is longer than about 50 miles, HVDC transmission lines are cheaper. You've all seen paths cut thru a forest with the towers and wires strung from tower to tower ? AC power is 3 phase, and a ground or neutral, making a total of 4 wires. DC, 2 wires. Where AC needs two sets of towers and 2 sets of wires, DC can transmit the same amount of power thru one set of towers holding 2 wires.<br style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view&current=hvdc-benefits-4-b1.jpg" style="color: #e5721e; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="HVDC,wind power,renewable energy,job creation" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/hvdc-benefits-4-b1.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 24px; margin-right: 24px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="250" /></a></div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">HVDC is suitable for transmission of as much as 2 gigawatts of electricity, Ultra High Voltage DC as much as 7 gigawatts of electricity. As part of the Euro supergrid undersea HVDC cable will connect the UK, France, Germany and Norway, while providing a undersea backbone for wind power development.</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Off the East coast of the US, there is a similar project that should be started in a about a year. A 350 mile long HVDC trunkline from about Sawyerville New Jersey to Virginia Beach Virginia called the Atlantic Wind Connection. The purpose is to allow wind developers to install offshore wind turbines 12 to 18 miles from the shore, out of sight. and not have to build individual transmission systems to move electricity to land.</div><div style="font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #242424;">In 3-4 years GE might have its new class of offshore wind turbines ready ... in the </span><a href="http://www.compositesworld.com/news/ge-mri-technology-might-enable-15-mw-wind-turbine" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">10 to 15 MW class</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #242424;">. Using MRI type magnets and composite materials these turbines might make wind the cheapest form of electricity on the planet.</span></div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view&current=Atlantic-Wind-Connection.png" style="color: #e5721e; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="Atlantic Wind Connection" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/Atlantic-Wind-Connection.png" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 24px; margin-right: 24px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="250" /></a></div><div style="font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/09/1001465/-Solar,-Wind,-HVDC-and-the-Smartgrid?via=blog_694100" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">More on HVDC, Solar, Wind, the Smartgrid</a><br style="line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />More on the <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/09/1002733/-Atlantic-Wind-Connection,-350-mile,-7kMw-offshore-wind-project" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Atlantic Wind Connection, 350 mile, 7kMw offshore wind project</a></span></div></div>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-7747763865917262322011-10-27T21:29:00.000-07:002011-10-27T21:29:27.359-07:00Scott Olsen: Palo Alto PD throws SF Sheriffs Dept under bus, it wasnt us.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #242424; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Palo Alto sent 10 officers to Oakland to assist at the site of Occupy Oakland early Tuesday morning. Palo Alto PD Sgt. Kara Apple said that the PAPD uses hand thrown tear gas canisters and does not use rubber bullets.</span><br />
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<div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The internet rumor is that</div><div style="font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=by+a+less-lethal+round+fired+by+either+San+Francisco+Sheriffs+deputies+or+Palo+Alto+Police+on&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#q=by+a+less-lethal+round+fired+by+either+San+Francisco+Sheriffs+deputies+or+Palo+Alto+Police+on&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&ei=GCaqTtycLcjf0QH_2rmJDw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=1&ved=0CBUQ_AUoAA&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=2be8271d96c3df42&biw=1586&bih=773" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Scott Olsen was wounded by a less-lethal round fired by either San Francisco Sheriffs deputies or Palo Alto Police</span></a></div><div style="font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #242424;">And now the </span><a href="http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=23012" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Palo Alto Police Dept</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #242424;">. has thrown the San Francisco Sheriffs Dept under the bus. Ultimately pointing a finger at the SFFD and yelling "Don't look at us, it was them".</span></div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">We now have a crack in the the thin blue line. Stay tuned for more breaking news in the thin blue line. You are now returned to your regularly scheduled programming.</div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/OccupyWallStreet/?action=view&current=OccupyDC8.jpg" style="color: #e5721e; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="OccupyDC,OWS" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/OccupyWallStreet/OccupyDC8.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 24px; margin-right: 24px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="330" /></a></div><div style="color: #242424; font-size: 16px; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/OccupyWallStreet/?action=view&current=306449_10150332619123193_528358192_8246141_860165377_n.jpg" style="color: #7c470c; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><img alt="OccupyDC,OWS,99%ers" border="0" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/OccupyWallStreet/306449_10150332619123193_528358192_8246141_860165377_n.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: inline; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 24px; margin-right: 24px; margin-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-4151010648337294102011-10-27T19:47:00.000-07:002011-12-04T02:55:35.500-08:00Cookbook for creating 25 million jobs in the US<strong>Defining the scale of the problem</strong><br />
<br />
During the Great Depression US stimulus spending started to ramp up in 1933 with the formation of the Civilian Conservation Corp with the initial enrollment of 250,000 Americans. Stimulus continued thru 1941, with an interruption in 1938, for approximately a total of 7+ years.<br />
<br />
From 2009 to 2011 unemployment in the US has reached heights unheard of since the Depression when unemployment reached 25%. Recently the U6 unemployment metric reached over 17%. But comparing 1930's unemployment to todays rates are problematic, in the 1930's 13 year old boys worked full time, many in factories, women were not seen in the workplace in the numbers we see today in America.<br />
<br />
In the Depression GNP fell from 96 billion to about 75 billion (about 20%), while GDP in 2008 fell from 14.4 trillion to 13.8 trillion about 4.2%. It should be noted that US GDP has topped 15 trillion in 2011 and when taking high unemployment into account, we probably saw a wealth shift from 2008 to 2011, no surprise there.<br />
<br />
Finally the US economy grew at a vigorous rate from 1934 to 1936, 11%, 9% and 13.9%. When stimulus spending was cut by 60% and the Fed tightened things up, the country fell back, in 1937-1938.<br />
<br />
<em>Summary:</em><br />
<br />
1) 3 tears of stimulus ('34-'36) was not enough.<br />
2) GNP loses in the Depression were more severe than recent loses (20% to 4%).<br />
3) Current unemployment might be three quarters as bad as it was at the peak of the Depression.<br />
<br />
Depression GNP<br />
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_GDP_10-60.jpg<br />
Recent GDP<br />
http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=230<br />
<br />
<strong>Defining the scale of the solution</strong><br />
<br />
Jobs are obviously the first priority, creating the next generation of energy infrastructure and reversing wage disparity complete the list for our purposes. China spends 9-10% of GDP on infrastructure, Europe and India 5% to 6%. If we spent 50 billion on the New Deal over 7 years, thats about 7 billion a year, or about 7% of GNP in 1936. While a dollar spent in the US in 1936 mostly stayed in the US that is no longer true.<br />
<br />
Due to Energy, Resource depletion and EROEI issues the days of 6% Growth in the economy are gone, 3% to 3.5% might be the best we can expect short of practical fusion and space based resources,<br />
<br />
<em>Summary:</em><br />
1) 7% of GNP wont do today, make it 10%.<br />
2) 3 years wasn't remotely enough, make it 5 years.<br />
<br />
New Deal cost 50 billion.<br />
http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/11/new-deal-stimulus-opinions-contributors_0211_jim_powell.html<br />
<br />
<strong>Conclusion</strong><br />
10% of GDP spent on jobs stimulus over 5 years. 1.5 trillion to start. That should get us on the right track, in years 4 and 5 consideration should be given as to whether a 6th year is needed.<br />
<br />
<strong>Where do we find these new jobs?</strong><br />
The US manufacturing sector gets a big boost because of the nature of renewable energy development and infrastructure and surface transportation infrastructure jobs will play a major role. Healthcare related fields should add jobs over the next decades.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>According to the US Dept of Energy there 2 main reasons why renewable energy technologies offer an economic advantage, 1) They are labor intensive, so they generally create more jobs per dollar invested than conventional electricity technologies and 2) they use primarily indigenous resources, so most of the energy dollars can be kept at home.<br />
<br />
http://stalix.com/Solar%20Energy%20Job%20Creation.pdf</blockquote><br />
<em>Wind power.</em><br />
20% of US electricity in 20 years, 300 gigawatts of wind turbines with a capacity of 100 gigawatts. The US Dept of Energy estimates 500,000 jobs can be created in meeting the 20% from wind goal. Offshore installation of wind turbines pays very well: 80k to 120k.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view%C2%A4t=20in20yearswind-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Wind Power jobs,renewable energy" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/20in20yearswind-1.jpg" width="380" /></a> <a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/?action=view%C2%A4t=windjobsbystate3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="wind power,renewable energy,job creation" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/Renewable%20Energy%20Smartgrid%20HVDC/windjobsbystate3.jpg" width="380" /></a><br />
<br />
<em>Solar Power.</em><br />
Although the SEIA does not endorse a 20% in 20 years program, Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association, said in November of 2010 "that installing 10 GW annually by 2015 would create as many as 220,000 jobs". Other studies estimate 480,000 jobs over 10 years, though they base the higher number of jobs on waiting for Solar panel factories to be built and count those jobs, as a predecessor to installation jobs. For our purposes 400,000 jobs over 20 years.<br />
http://ussolarinstitute.com/2011-outlook-for-clean-energy-jobs-in-the-u-s-–-beating-the-trend/<br />
<br />
<em>Hydro</em><br />
A recent study conducted by Navigant Consulting suggests between 480,000 and 1.4 million jobs can be created. Its not clear that these numbers include pumped hydro stage systems.<br />
<br />
<em>Smartgrid with HVDC</em><br />
Job creation estimates range from 240,000 to 420,000 over 20 years, leading to more efficient clean power, replacing failure prone AC systems with DC results in more stable power, cleaner power. Smart meters with sensors on AC local systems give Utilities more warning of increasing demand. HVDC allows large amounts if electricity to be moved over 2000 miles, with 30 to 50% less loss than HVAC.<br />
<br />
Jobs<br />
http://asmarterplanet.com/blog/2009/01/investing-in-smarter-infrastructure-will-create-more-than-949000-in-2009.html<br />
<br />
http://gigaom.com/cleantech/smart-grid-could-create-280000-smart-jobs/<br />
<br />
HVDC systems<br />
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/09/1001465/-Solar,-Wind,-HVDC-and-the-Smartgrid<br />
<br />
<em>Manufacturing</em><br />
Over the last decade this sector has lost over 6 million jobs. Manufacturing output dropped by 10% while GDP grew 15%. Capital investment and R&D tax breaks along with partnerships in energy can turn manufacturing around. Lets add 3-4 million jobs over 40 years. Many manufacturing jobs are good jobs, paying between 35k to 75k.<br />
<br />
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/37958/page1/<br />
<br />
<em>Infrastructure investment</em><br />
Not much to say here, I'm we all understand the importance, and how good these jobs are. 9 to 10 million jobs a year. Many of them 45k to 85k, good jobs.<br />
http://change.gov/agenda/economy_agenda/<br />
<br />
<br />
With the creation of 20 to 25 million jobs our economy will improve, which will support more jobs, after all if we put 20 million people to work with good paying jobs, they're going to have money to spend. Maybe enough to buy a house and put solar panels on the roof and by a new 50 mpg car.<br />
<br />
<strong>In reality the crux of the entire issues comes down to this:</strong><br />
Unfortunately this is not the style of this White House, to make the Republicans block this proposal or vote against a 5 year 10 million job stimulus bill. In my mind, If Boehner blocked this proposal, we run on it, if the House GOP votes it down we run on it. If it passes, we are proclaimed heroes, we run on it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Chris "Tweety" Matthews asked Robert Reich: <br />
<br />
What`s stopping him, Robert? Mr. Secretary...<br />
<br />
Robert Reich answered <br />
<br />
I`m not -- Chris, I`m not sure. I mean, there are a lot of theories circulating around<br />
<br />
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44111516/ns/msnbc_tv-hardball_with_chris_matthews/t/hardball-chris-matthews-wednesday-august/#.TkVJdraYlQQ</blockquote><br />
Finally, none of this can happen without an increase in Income tax rates, Corporate tax rates and Cap Gains rates. Tax breaks to incentivize smart investments in emerging tech and markets will put these smart long term job creating investments on par with market speculation without the higher risk associated with derivatives, options, futures and commodities. Reverse tax breaks for outsourcing of jobs, good behavior should be rewarded, if you create US jobs, have a little tax break. I have also left out High Seed Rail, Light rail, Broadband, Healthcare jobs, call it another 2-5 million jobs.<br />
<br />
In total, as many as 21.5 million jobs.<br />
<br />
For more information on the tax policy mentioned only breifly in this article go here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/12/1015409/-Taxing-the-rich-promotes-smart-investments,-not-class-warfare?via=blog_694100">Taxing the rich promotes smart investments, not class warfare.</a><br />
<br />
<br />
And guess what, all these good jobs go a long way to making Social Security good thru 2065, not 2036.<br />
<br />
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</script>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-59991811258020609172010-12-23T18:23:00.000-08:002011-12-04T02:52:21.537-08:00This is not a recovery. It’s a continuing jobs emergency and it demands action.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I borrowed the title from Robert Reich because it just seem to fit the mood I was in, as I started to write this, and I had just read Robert's blog.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<div class="medtext longop" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://robertreich.org/post/2082971308" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://robertreich.org/post/2082971308</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
We now have over 15 million unemployed. plus another 1.3 million who have given up looking for work. U6 has been 16.5% to 17.3% for the last year or so. And we no longer have the infrastructure to replace those jobs, that infrastructure must be rebuilt. Tax breaks for the wealthy to build the factories that manufacture solar panels and wind turbines, start up incentives for installers, and incentives for the consumer to buy. But thats only a few million jobs, but its a start.<br />
<br />
Just in the NYC area alone; mass transit connections from NJ to NYC, thru to Queens and Brooklyn, a southerly and a northerly route, 4 tunnels. High speed rail from Bangor Maine thru DC, a southerly route and a northern route to the west coast, link up to Chicago. Thats another few million jobs.<br />
<br />
The CCC and the WPA was not just about infrastructure building as in bridges and roads and National parks. There was an educational component, getting high school degrees, building the buildings that became teachers schools, building new college campuses to be filled by the new teachers, and once the actual infrastructure for a University system was in place, filling them with students. Over the last 30 years financial services as a percent of GDP has risen from 10% to 22%, and it took University faculty to crank out the MBA's and such that made this possible. Our university system needs to be rebuilt, refocusing on science and emerging technologies and not how to scam the SEC.<br />
<br />
6 tax brackets are just not cutting it, there is too much of a difference between someone who makes 250k and 2.7 million annually. 20 tax brackets would far better describe the arc that is an effective progressive tax. Think of it this way, do 6 pixels describe a curve on your computer very well? And wouldn't 20 pixels do a much better job? In the 1980's Reagan gave the wealthiest a 60% tax cut, and doubled payroll taxes. He also defunded Federal programs in schools - putting the burden on municipal tax systems to make up the difference. Federally mandated school programs used to be funded by the Feds, now its something on the order of 26% Federal funding. A 70% percent top individual rate can be used to pay for all these investments .. investments in the future of our country.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
GNP in 1934 was 11%, 1935-9%, 1936-13.9%, thats what recovery looks like.<br />
<br />
From 1933 to 1936 unemployment dropped from 25% to 14%, not a bad start to recovery. (Full employment did not come until the run up to WW2, and then there was an acute labor shortage by 1942.)<br />
<br />
GNP in 1936 exceeded that of 1929. (103 billion compared to 96 billion.) Thats what recovery looks like.<br />
<br />
In 1936 Chevy set a record for selling sedans, Louis Armstrong seta record for selling records.<br />
<br />
Right now half the individuals in this country make 27k or less.......<br />
Whats in your wallet?</span></div><div class="sigline" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #999999; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"><br />
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</script>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-16371566267387985712010-11-13T10:38:00.000-08:002010-11-13T10:38:57.979-08:00Why stake out a losing position to begin with? him<h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Democrats could\should stop talking about the Bush tax cuts. When do we start talking about what a reasonable tax is? How about a 50, 60, 70 or 75% top rate with 20 tax brackets. Not 6 brackets....we used to have 67. This country worked its way out of the Depression, won WW2, won the cold war with 60% to 94% to rates. Defending the Bush tax cuts expiration is a stunning defeat in the battle of ideas.</span></span></span></h3><div><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="UIStory_Message"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Obama, Moveon.org and a number of dem organizations seem hung up on defending positions that are untenable and then compromising their fundamental values away, and now the republicans have a majority in the house. </span></span></div>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-25420393626166577042010-01-07T16:53:00.000-08:002010-01-07T16:55:20.488-08:00January 2009 we sent an invitation to the Underwear Bomber<div class="intro"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> This is a slightly edited version of an important dairy written by <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/6/822385/-Sorry...-Admiral-Michael-Mullen-Does-Not-Understand-This-Game#c19">vets74</a> at Daily Kos. His point is we have to stop the group think that says "It was a failure of intelligence". We need to perform a threat based analysis, and do like IKE did when he saw something he didn't like, fire somebody right quick.</span><br />
</b><br />
<br />
<b>Yep, son, we have met the enemy <br />
and he is us.</b><br />
-- Walt Kelly, <i>Pogo</i><br />
There are always terrorists out there -- people crazy enough to bring down an airliner or toss a pipe bomb. Back in the 1970s in New York City and Birmingham in the 1960s, we had hundreds of bombs go off. Arab crazies, calling themselves "al-Qaeda," were more of the same.<br />
Terrorists have motive. But to succeed at big attacks, terrorists need big opportunities.<br />
Every one of the big attacks and blunders started with our own dysfunctional middle-managers and "Security Intellectuals."<br />
Over the last twenty years, our enemy... <i>he is us</i>.<br />
<br />
<b>Admiral Mullen gave a nice talk today -- but he doesn't know that his beloved Navy got used like a rented mule to set up the Northwest Flight 253 attack.</b><br />
Naval Postgraduate School -- Center for Homeland Defense and Security, January 2009:<br />
Published the details: <b>TSA had decided not to detect explosives at overseas airports.</b><br />
al-Q took 11 months to respond.<br />
SNAFU.<br />
Scoping. Hardball management tools implemented originally at the behest of Dwight Eisenhower BTF :::<br />
<br />
</div>This morning Admiral Mullen -- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- gave a forward looking, get-down-serious presentation: <i>Current State & Mission of the Military</i>.<br />
Protecting the country got attention. Here is what Admiral Mullen focused on: <br />
<blockquote><blockquote>The admiral... added that he encouraged the debate about moving America's effort away from Iraq and to Afghanistan, where <b>"I put my best people in my number one priority."</b><br />
He identified his priorities as the broader Middle East and "the missions I've got." <br />
</blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>The admiral responded to one question acknowledging that there is far more sharing of information among the military branches and agencies than there was prior to 9/11. But he also bluntly admitted that the Dec. 25 failed terror attempt demonstrates that no system is perfect and even more needs to be done. That incident "was a wake up call," Adm. Mullen added, in responding to a different question.<br />
To another student, the Admiral said that the information that is gathered and examined often needs to look at "anomalies." So-called "actionable intelligence and actionable information" must be acted upon quickly, but how to make that happen is under review, he said to still another student. <br />
</blockquote></blockquote>Admiral Mullen has no idea that his Navy provided the Internet site, through which the TSA explosives-detection hole was publicized.<br />
<a href="http://www.hsaj.org/?fullarticle=5.1.5">The Terrorist Threat to Inbound U.S. Passenger Flights: Inadequate Government Response</a><br />
-- that is the web site of:<br />
<i>Homeland Security Affairs <br />
The Journal of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security</i><br />
The Admiral is playing the wrong game.<br />
Admiral Mullen thinks that somebody out in Teheran or Kabul or points-east is going to be our military's next big problem.<br />
No-no-no.<br />
Along with doing 17-days in <b>GroupThink Rehab</b>, The Admiral would do well to focus on what has happened over the last twenty years that has damaged America.<br />
His own Navy is part of the problem.<br />
**************************************************<br />
Similar to Walt Kelly, a guy name of Harold Geneen cast the problem to a management perspective:<br />
<i>In business the competition are rivals. <br />
<b>The enemy is middle-management.</b></i><br />
Your own people are your nastiest problems.<br />
This is what the dominant GroupThink does not understand.<br />
*************************************************<br />
All of the big blunders and big terrorist attacks have involved self-generated failures from the start.<br />
Let's look at three examples: <br />
<blockquote><blockquote><ol><li value="1"> Suicide-hijacking after Christmas holidays of 1994, when "Afghanistan" veterans seized Air France Flight 8969 and tried to crash it into the Eiffel Tower. FAA "security intellectuals" decided not to install basic procedures and cockpit upgrades, ignoring both Air France and ICAO recommendations.</li>
</ol><ol><li value="2"> Invading Iraq on the basis of bogus information counterfeited by "defense intellectuals" working with Rumsfeld and Cheney.</li>
</ol><ol><li value="3"> The PETN explosives attack on Northwest Flight 253. A TSA "security intellectual" published a detailed account of this vulnerability in foreign airports in the Navy's HSAJ in January 2009.</li>
</ol></blockquote></blockquote>The Air France Flight 8969 suicide-hijacking was the top news story worldwide 1994 over the Christmas holidays.<br />
Everyone in aviation knew about it.<br />
The story of how France's GIGN stormed the plane and rescued the passengers has to be the # 1 piece of anti-terrorism heroism. (America got to hear George Bush carry on about how the French are wimps....)<br />
Air France says that upgrading their cockpit doors was a $200 problem, per plane. (Compare/contrast with George Bush in 2001.)<br />
**********<br />
Then the dozen or so connected "defense intellectuals" covered themselves with infamy by helping get America to attack the wrong country. Attacking Iraq was "the worst foreign policy mistake of the last 50 years." We haven't heard a word about pulling the security clearances of that gang. Not a word about putting that crew on No Access/No Contact lists at DHS and DoD.<br />
George Bush would not have been able to pull off attacking Iraq without complicity from that pack of rats.<br />
**********<br />
Now we get to January 2009. It is more of the same thing.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hsaj.org/?fullarticle=5.1.5">The Terrorist Threat to Inbound U.S. Passenger Flights: Inadequate Government Response</a> <br />
<blockquote><blockquote><i>Anthony Fainberg is a physicist and analyst, specializing in national security affairs. He recently retired from the federal government, following service in several agencies and departments, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Defense Department, as well as in the former congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). ... Mr. Fainberg can be contacted at fainberg666@xxxx.xxx</i> <br />
</blockquote></blockquote>al-Qaeda has had this document wide open, Google-able since January 2009: <br />
<blockquote><blockquote>-- ...explosive trace residue detection technology, currently deployed in the United States, could help mitigate this threat, this essay urges that the United States require the application of such technology overseas on flights inbound to the United States. In the past, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been reluctant to act in this direction...<br />
-- newer models of detectors devised by the TSA to counter that particular threat are being pilot tested in the United States but are not (as of this writing) being tested abroad. It would appear that the United States is reluctant to deploy effective technologies outside the country, even on a test basis.<br />
-- <b>Why has the TSA decided not to provide passengers on U.S.-bound flights from foreign airports with the same explosives detection equipment required for securing domestic air travel?</b> The answer is unclear.<br />
-- There are several such technologies, not only in existence but also widely deployed in the United States. These include computerized tomography scanning systems for checked baggage (which is not required of inbound flights from overseas) and for some cargo; use of canine olfactory capabilities; and various explosive trace residue and vapor detectors for passengers, carry-on baggage, checked baggage, and cargo. Other nations do use some of these techniques, but the United States does not require their use on incoming flights to provide equivalent levels of security to those that exist domestically. <br />
</blockquote></blockquote>So helpful.<br />
The Navy could have sent somebody over to Amsterdam to help Mr. Abdulmutallab with his bag....<br />
************************************************************<br />
Admiral Mullen is not going to fix these problems by himself. That's going to take Obama and the presidency.<br />
<b>Play a very tight form of security hard-ball.</b><br />
<b>Think like Eisenhower on one of his very best projects.</b><br />
You start on Day # 1 with the assumption that every single one of the Dedicated Public Servants tagged as a "security intellectual" carries a probability of going bat-shit crazy.<br />
What else ???<br />
Then trust, but verify.<br />
Seriously, verify everything. Every information feed. Every physical defense system. Every Committee Report that can tweak budget to one use or another. Check for holes -- the holes that our own people generate.<br />
Make sure that the big threats, the meat-and-potatoes threats are taken care of.<br />
Middle-management is what you have to worry about. This is the group where you find embezzlement in companies, where you get sabotage and Internet-outed secrets from this "defense intellectual" crowd.<br />
********************************************************<br />
Eisenhower had one helluva time of it when he arrived in town after the election in 1952.<br />
Puerto Ricans had tried to gun Truman at Blair House. McCarthy was like having Glenn Beck in the Senate. Lynchings were getting rarer, but he was going to have to send in the Army to enforce basic law. Korea was still a shooting war. At least they hadn't marketed computers....<br />
One thing that Ike did like was the team who had given Truman his daily situation briefings. At least somebody in town was non-ideological, could organize an argument (including history), and understood results.<br />
<b>During Eisenhower's two Administrations a solid professional operation was developed that continued to perform apolitically and without White House interference for thirty years and more</b>. Successes far outnumbered major errors. For example: when Jack Kennedy came in, he was able to work with Deiter Schwebs, get everything validated through this research operation and the National Labs, then make enormous strides -- working with the Russians and then the Chinese to assure that nuclear weapons would be built so that the weapons would be virtually impossible for an unauthorized individual to set off.<br />
Big whoop.<br />
If the shop hadn't validated Schwebs, right off, that could have taken another 20 years... maybe a nuke war or two.<br />
-- A first-rate Threat Based Analysis team that only works for its boss -- head of Clandestine Operations worked 1960s into the 1970s -- and the President and the country.<br />
-- They didn't have computers to worry about, so a separate Independent Quality Control op was not quite on the horizon.<br />
<b>Process matters</b>.<br />
*************************************<br />
Now we do not control our own people.<br />
We lack professional Threat Based Analysis and Independent Quality Control.<br />
We do not have the basic tools.<br />
GroupThink has our top management people -- President Obama and Admiral Muller, for two -- focused on external bad actors. Internal blunders and breakage have not been tracked on the basis of nailing internal bad actors.<br />
Its time "they" made you go to Rehab, guys.<br />
The core reality is that Washington Budget Wars lead to the very strangest behaviors.<br />
Like something out of George Orwell's <i>1984</i>:<br />
<b>Failure gets bigger budgets</b>.<br />
These guys can generate failure over and over and over.<br />
********************************************************<br />
Basically, we knew that Threat Based Analysis was in big, big trouble, when it came out in 2003 that suicide-hijacking had received no effective attention at FAA from 1995 on -- and that there was nothing in the works anywhere in the Federal bureaucracy to force competent response.<br />
-- No Threat Based Analysis shop.<br />
-- No Independent Quality Control.<br />
And on and on it goes.<br />
GroupThink dominates reality-testing, the most obvious pattern for damage, any and all of the tools of Inductive Logic.<br />
********************************************************Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-57537963877688910742009-12-31T11:33:00.000-08:002009-12-31T11:53:37.880-08:00Why a progressive income tax system?Revenue, right? Nope... thats what a lot of peole think but they really miss the mark, there's more to it than revenue. And right now with U6 longterm unemployment (June) rising from 16.3% to (Oct) 17.5%, and looking to break 18% by late winter/early spring, I have a question:<br /><br /><em>The question I ask tonite is what sort of society do we want? </em><br /><br />Do we allow the wealthy to oppress the rest of us? Do we call for a more Egalitarian society? (Less economic oppression) Low tax rates like we've had since Reagan are considered progressive, but they have a regressive effect, taxing the working poor and middle classes out of the economy, as a result families are less capable of taking care of their own, and more often than not rely on government hand outs.<br /><br />When tax rates are high enough, the working poor and middle classes are engaged in the economy. The point is having a large and vigorous middle class that can participate as citizen legislators, send its kids to college, so those kids can invent lots of cool stuff for the corporations to make money off of. Consider kids as assets. How do you make best use of those assets? Educate those assets of course.<br /><br /><img src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/B_1544_chart-41.gif" alt="" title="" /><br /><br />The above chart is from the Heritage Foundation, the infamous conservative think tank, where much of the Kool Aid is actually manufactured. The really funny thing is, when reading the title, the opposite is also true, lower tax rates don't raise more revenue.<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><br /><blockquote>The <a href="http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=125&subsecID=163&contentID=1398">Progressive Policy Institute</a> says basically the same thing, comparing real low tax rates to real high tax rates.<br /><br /><blockquote>By itself, economic theory cannot choose between the two cases, and hard economic evidence does not fully support either side.</blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><br /><br />If low rates or high rates raised more revenue there would a correlation between the next 2 charts:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/GDPsince1940.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 416px; height: 235px;" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/GDPsince1940.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></blockquote><br /><br /></blockquote><br /><br /><img src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/taxrates.jpg" alt="" title="" /><br /><br /><br />As you can see, Reagans 28% raised no more revenue as a percent of GDP, than when Ike jacked up the top rate to 94%. (IIRC there was a recession caused when Ike went too high) I fail to see any real relation to tax rates and revenue, but I do see a relation to low tax rates and economic oppression (Do you see those 2 yellow lines?).<br /><br />Not too long ago <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0618-03.htm">Thom Hartmann</a> wrote:<br /><blockquote><br />"Progressive taxation has a long history: As Jefferson said in a 1785 letter to James Madison, "Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions of property in geometrical progression as they rise." Hartman concludes, "Progressive taxation has helped create every middle class in the First World, and without it the middle class will vanish." </blockquote><br /><br />As a percent of GDP, revenues are incredibly consistent, Something I think Bill Clinton clearly understood when he raised the top rate a little and concentrated on getting the economy really ramped up, as GDP increased so did revenue, and over time Clinton was able to balance the budget. And do note that the economic stimulus happens first, and balancing the budget occurs later. FDR wanted to balance the budget in 1937, after all GDP in 1936 was a touch higher than inn 1929, 1936 was a good year, nearly 14% GDP growth, hours worked were down, wages were up But FDR made the mistake of cutting back the WPA and the rest of the stim programs in 1937, causing a recession. FDR learned his lesson and brought back the stim packages he had cut, plus he added a 200 ship navy building program.<br /><br />If all you want to do is balance the budget, then just get the economy cranked up. If you want the idea called democracy to work, where folks get involved in participatory government, then you must stop economic oppression in the form of a tax system that taxes the majority of us out of the economy, and leaves running for office an entitlement for inherited money.<br /><br />So at this point I am renewing my call for an increase of the Individual top tax rate to at least 60%, and using a minimum of 10 tax brackets to get the proper progressivity amongst the top quintile of income earners. In simple terms if you have individual income, not family income, of 90k, you'll see a tax break. I'm not just talking about letting the Bush tax cuts sunset, I'm talking about sunsetting Reagans 60% tax cut for the richest amongst us.<br /><br />And don't even get me started on the 12 millin jobs we need and the stimulus to craete them, Arrggg.....Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-40016251475507058812009-12-23T11:41:00.000-08:002009-12-23T13:04:34.015-08:00Yes this is a form of Single Payer<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Public Option or Single Payer, you choose.</span><br /><br />The Senate Healthcare bill does indeed give us a foundation of National Single Payer Primary Healthcare. I know that saying because the government pays 80% thats not exactly single payer, and that its really charity care, or when the House and Senate are in conference we should keep the House's Public Option.<br /><br />But the Senate bill is the closest thing to single payer I have seen yet. Starting a national healthcare program with single payer at its core gives us a foundation from which to expand on. Primary care for 30 million poor is significant, and takes millions out of the Emergency room and puts them in a Doctors office where they belong and where George Washington University says we will save 23 billion over 5 years.<br /><br />Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon wants to allow states to take Senator Sanders Primary Care plan and make it comprehensive. Clearing the way for Universal Single Payer Comprehensive Healthcare at the state level. I don't know about you but that makes the public option a dead issue for me.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Community Healthcare Centers.</span><br /><br />These centers are born of legislation originally authored by the Late Senator Ted Kennedy about 40 years ago, they provide primary care for 20 million Americans with 4000 locations, 98 of these centers already exist in New Jersey, and the state is slated to get over 250 additional Clinics.<br /><br /><a href="http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC_byAddr.aspx">Click on this link and do a search by state or zip code.</a>. <br /><br />With 14 Billion dollars to build new Clinics, and to fund repayment of college loans thru the National Health Service Corps to create an additional 20,000 primary care doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and mental health professionals, we should see 10,000 new clinics built and staffed over 5 years.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Heres a few bullet points to drive home to your friends:</span><br /><br />- The Senate bill will eliminate <a href="http://dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill45.pdf">co-pays and deductibles</a> for recommended preventive care, including preventive care for women.<br /><br />- The Senate bill protects you legally from being charged any more than <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aqPlmnVLFwMk">10% of your income</a> in out-of-pocket expense. Out-of-pocket expense is all of your medically necessary expenses except for your premium. That includes co-pays, whatever your share is at the hospital, etc. And the bill puts an absolute cap of $11,900 on out-of-pocket for family plans, and <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/10/13/a-robust-cap-on-out-of-pocket-costs-would-ensure-meaningful-access-to-care-for-all-americans/">$5,950 for individuals</a> (that is, if 10% of your income is greater than those amounts).<br /><br />- The Senate bill will provide Premium Assistance if your income is up to 400% of Poverty level, under 100% you pay nothing, 100 to 400% you pay on a sliding scale. <a href="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3004">Check this table for particulars</a>.<br /><br />- In the Senate bill you are mandated to buy insurance but one is exempt from it if their premium costs more than <a href="http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=ac788749-1c4b-44c2-ae89-7e6468e62994">8% of their income</a>. <br /><br />Further resources:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/12/19/HP/A/27526/Sen+Bernie+Sanders+IVT+Press+Briefing.aspx">Senator Sanders Monday December 21st Presser on C-span.</a><br /><a href="http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=30b2a415-4ade-4367-af7d-4c3306e31b58"><br />Senator Bernie Sanders press release.</a>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-59933665604985901422009-12-22T16:48:00.000-08:002009-12-22T17:37:13.095-08:00Bernie Sanders channeling FDR ?<span style="font-weight:bold;">FDR knew to build infrastructure, like schools and hospitals.</span><br /><br />Thats what FDR did back in the day. You've all heard about the WPA and the CCC, building this and that. Well what good is a hospital without doctors and nurses? And FDR understood that too, so he had folks go to college to become doctors and nurses, so they could staff those hospitals. FDR knew it wasn't good enough just to build infrastructure, if you built a school, you had to supply the teachers, if you built a hospital you had to supply the doctors and nurses.<br /><br />Now please take a look at the Healthcare bill in the US Senate and lets take a look at Senator Bernie Sanders channeling FDR:<br /><br /><a href="http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=30b2a415-4ade-4367-af7d-4c3306e31b58">Senator Sanders Press Release</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>The provision would also provide loan repayments and scholarships through the National Health Service Corps to create an additional 20,000 primary care doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and mental health professionals..</blockquote> <br /><br /><br />20,000 jobs. Not too shabby, especially with that level of financial assistance. It just might be a good time to start medical school.<br /><br /><a href="http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=2F6CC5A1-C9D2-46CA-902E-E3D0EFD94232">The Community Healthcare Centers</a> were spearheaded in the 1960s through legislation authored by the late Senator Edward Kennedy.<br /><br /><blockquote>-- Sanders is also working with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to improve language already in the bill to provide waivers for states that want to provide comprehensive, affordable health care and curb rapidly-rising costs for money-making private health insurance companies. The waivers could clear the way for a state-run, single-payer system.</blockquote><br /><br />10,000 Community Healthcare Centers means lots of folks won't be using Hospital Emergency Rooms, to the tune of saving 23 billion over 5 years according to a study done at George Washington University.<br /><br /><blockquote><a href="http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=2F6CC5A1-C9D2-46CA-902E-E3D0EFD94232">Sanders also says</a> the insurance reforms--banning denials based on preexisting conditions, lifetime benefit caps, and dumping people because they ran up a high healthcare bill--are significant.<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br />This could be the Shiznit, Brothers and Sisters.Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-52174461281709057122009-12-22T15:23:00.000-08:002009-12-22T15:54:12.211-08:00The Senate HCR Act of 2009, starting to look good?<span style="font-weight:bold;">10,000 new Community Health Centers:</span><br /><br />A $10 billion investment in Community Health Centers, expected to go to $14 billion when Congress completes work on health care reform legislation, was included in a final series of changes to the Senate bill unveiled today. Can you say "When do we break ground on 10,000 new Community Health Centers?".<br /><br />For all the Doom and Gloom in the liberal blogosphere self avowed Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders is pretty darn happy, after all it seems Bernie just got Vermont style health care for the rest of the nation.<br /><br />Katrina Vanden Heuvel wrote for <a href="http://sanders.senate.gov/">The Nation</a> on one important aspect of the Senate bill. <blockquote>"These non-profit, community-based facilities provide primary health care, dental care, mental health services, and low-cost prescription drugs on a sliding scale," the blog added. "Sanders made sure that a $10 billion increase in funding for the health centers was included."</blockquote><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">45 million Customers Served:</span><br /><br />The House bill provides $14 billion in funding for the federal health centers and service corps. Sanders says that indications from the White House and Democratic leadership are that there is a "good chance" the final bill will do the same. That would translate to health centers in 10,000 more communities throughout America within 5 years, and increase the number of people served by over 100 percent, to 45 million.<br /><br />Read Katrina Vanden Heuvel's whole blog <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blogs/edcut/508742/sanders_strengthens_senate_health_bill">here</a>.Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-38817627744798833642009-12-21T11:31:00.000-08:002009-12-21T11:44:27.972-08:00The Healthcare Step One Act of 2009<a href=" http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/21/817566/-Howard-Dean-on-MSNBC-says-pass-the-bill">Howard Dean was apparently on MSNBC</a>, saying pass the bill<br /><br />With Krugman, Nate Silver and Dean all on board its a done deal. Its The Healthcare Step One Act of 2009, its not what I envisioned, not remotely what I hoped for. And an excellent reason to hope Ned Lamont runs again. (Think of the need for more progressives in office, not about Joe Lieberman).<br /><br />This was the first major legislative battle in the Obama era, and really was our first opportunity to see the opponents Order of Battle as employed in the Field, and we learned from that. WE need serious financial reform, and tax fairness (@ least a 60% top rate), Employee Free Choice Act, etc..<br /><br />Now lets take what we've learned and do better.Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-77629887458899812762009-05-08T13:59:00.000-07:002009-05-08T16:10:09.399-07:00Polyell fusion gets Obama fundingA whole 2 million bucks. But thats to scale, EMC2 Fusion Corp built and tested WB-7 during 2008 under a 1.8 million dollar contract. During the winter of 2008-2009 some DOD funding paid for the building of a new Ion gun, and remounting the magnets in a way that increases efficiency. To be known as WB-7.1 And now in Obamas budget we see<span style="text-decoration: underline;">:<br /></span><blockquote><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.defenselink.mil/recovery/plans_reports/2009/march/Final_ARRA_Report_to_Congress-24_Mar_09ver2.pdf">pdf page 166</a> see Domestic Energy Supply/Distribution.<br /><br />Plasma Fusion (Polywell) Demonstrate fusion plasma confinement system for shore and shipboard applications; Joint OSD/USN project. 2.0 [million]</blockquote><br /><br />The Navy wants Polywell as a replacement for shipboard fission nukes, 100,000 to a million times less radioactive, and at as little as 30 ft across for an entire plant (1200MW) using the PB-11 reaction. And in some circles, folks relish the idea of a compact 1200MW to power some laser or something, but thats a whole nother diary or 2 or 3.<br /><br />Dr Bussards developement of the Polywell started in the 1980's with DARPA funding, and has continued after Dr Bussards passing, most recently, Navy funding, the Office of Naval Research under Dr Nebel, .<br /><br />Thermonuclear fusion, maybe even Polywell fusion, will give us the solar system. Mars is 38 days, Titan in 76, using Dr Bussards QED fusion rocket theory.<br /><br />Dr Nebel:<br />Dr. Robert Bussard was very interested in using this fusion technique to power spaceships.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"></span><br />While here on Earth electrical generating capacity will be switched from Coal & Fission nukes to Bussard Fusion Reactors at 2-5 cents per kilowatt hour. Liquid fuels will again be cheap and abundant in 2050, because they wont be needed. Blast furnaces in orbit or on the Moon turning out sections/modules/hallways/bedrooms/offices/skeletons for orbital cities and Mooncities. Other nasty polluting industrial development can be done off planet, man can colonize the solar system and clean up our Mother Earth, and truly be a space faring race.<br /><br /><br />Back to the here and now, <a href="http://nextbigfuture.com/2009/05/interview-dr-richard-nebel-of.html?success&dsq=9135403#comment-9135403">Dr Nebel</a> says he is hoping to have a net energy production product within six years.<br /><br />And heres a plug for my IEC Fusion for DUmmies video:<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jmp1cg3-WDY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jmp1cg3-WDY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-50118244352598837382007-12-28T07:41:00.000-08:002007-12-28T08:33:35.420-08:00My candidate "gets it". Bob Bremmington '08.I'm going to use a fictitious presidential candidate to make a point. Bob Bremmington. Bremmington is for single payer no insurance company health insurance, hes for a fast but responsible withdrawal from Iraq. Bremmington will set a goal to get 25% of our electricty from Solar, and 25% from Wind by 2020. BRemmington supports media ownership break-up, Labor rights, education rights and a return to progressive taxation. Bremmington has never held elective office, let alone run for office before. I support Bob Bremmington for President in '08.<br /><br /><blockquote> <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">In a recent speach in Iowa Bremmington said this:</span></span><br /><br />My Parents got thru the Depression with a progressive income tax, we won WW2 with a progressive income tax. The 12 million men & woman that served in the military in WW2 came home, the GI Bill sent vets to college, and they started families. This created the largest, most vigorous and the best educated middle class, in the history of the planet. Labor unions were at the zenith of their power, our eductaional institutions were the envy of the world, corporations made money, the wealthiest made money. The American Dream was born.<br /><br />The top personal tax rate used to be 91%. Enter Ronald Reagan and the start of full spectrum warfare on the middle class. The opening salvo, the PATCO strike. Busting the Air Traffic Controllers union was the start of a multi front military style operation to drive wages down for all americans. Then we were told that Social Security was going broke, this represents the opening of a second front of the War on the Middle Class that resulted in the doubling of payroll taxes. And Reagan dropped the top tax rate to 28%.<br /><br />A War on the Middle Class generally attacks the 3 pillars holding up the middle class. Progressive taxes, labor rights & education rights. Thomas Jefferson said, in an 1824 letter: "This degree of education would ... give us a body of yeomanry, too, of substantial information, well prepared to become a firm and steady support to the government." Jefferson started the University of Virginia with the intent to provide the yeomanry with a free education so as to be prepared to take part in the Government, the citizen legislators if you will.<br /><br />This is warfare my friends, the Aristocracy has attacked us, and we must defend ourselves.</blockquote><br /><br /><br />Bremmington goes on to win Iowa and New Hampshire, and looks to sew up the nomination in short order. Just before Super Tuesday CNN does a voter on the street bit. Voters are asked if they are bothered by Bremmingtons lack of experience. <br /><br />Wolf Blitzer asks New Jersey resident Leslie Aspenwall about Bremmingtons lack of experience:<br /><br /><blockquote>Bremmington gets it ! Hes the only one that gets it, he understands how much damage the Bush Administration has done to the world, and has a plan to fix things.</blockquote><br /><br />Why do I choose Bremmington for President ? He gets it. He sees things like I do. We both see our country as broken, and in need of being fixed. Now to be honest some of the other democratic candidates get it too, in some regards. Some have yrs in Congress or the diplomatic corp. But Bremmington to me, will be the ultimate citizen legislator. I think Thomas Jefferson may have some pertinent commentary, but I will leave it to you, to imagine what that might be.<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>Ive heard so much of this stuff, It makes me sick.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Clinton Takes Swipe At Obama's Experience, Says Nation Can't Afford "On-The-Job Training'</span></span><br /><br /><br /><blockquote>"There is one job we can't afford on-the-job training for -- our next president. That could be the costliest job training in history," Clinton said. "Every day spent learning the ropes is another day of rising costs, mounting deficits and growing anxiety for our families. And they cannot afford to keep waiting."<br /><br />From <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/19/clinton-takes-swipe-at-ob_n_73307.html">Huffington</a><br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Obama jabs back at Bill on experience</span></span><br />.<br /><br /><blockquote>"I remember what was said years ago by a candidate running for President." He said, “The same old experience is not relevant. You can have the right kind of experience and the wrong kind of experience."</blockquote><br /><br />"Well that candidate was Bill Clinton. And I think he was absolutely right."<br /><br />From <a href="http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/09/29/387282.aspx">MSNBC</a><br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Today's Quote:Hillary's Lack Of Experience</span></span><br /><br /><br />"Honestly, in most respects, I don't know Hillary's experience. She's never run a city, she's never run a state. She's never run a business. She has never met a payroll. She has never been responsible for the safety and security of millions of people, much less even hundreds of people.<br />Rudy Giuliani on Hannity & Colmes<br /><br />From <a href="http://rendevouswithdestiny.blogspot.com/2007/10/todays-quote-hillarys-lack-of.html">On the Right</a><br /></blockquote></blockquote><br /><br />I think Obama and Hillary, Edwards & Kucinich and all the rest, all have pertinent experience. In general terms that not what I base my choice on.<br /><br /><blockquote>I feel comfortable with Bremmington, I love his policy positions, hes a populist and a progressive. Bremmington gets it.</blockquote><br /><br />Kucinich gets it, he is right the first time. Edwards gets it, hes been fighting corporations, and Poverty. Dodd gets it, he stood up for We the People on that telecom immunity thing, Biden gets it, on foreign affairs, hes made some good calls recently. Hillary gets it, she knows Women's Rights Are Human Rights. The way I see it, all of the above are real good reasons to want to vote for somebody. They all have good resumes, but seriously, the way I see it, most of us will vote for someone who gets it.Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-50918818610630675492007-05-15T19:00:00.000-07:002007-05-15T19:01:51.867-07:00<img src="http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/th_LaClair3.jpg" hspace="5" vspace="5" align="left"> Last week the New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/nyregion/10kearny.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print">reported</a> that the Kearny Board of Education voted to 6 to 1 to settle their dispute. The settlement requires that Kearny teachers undergo Separation of Church & State training, and the Board of Education will issue a statement praising student Matt LaClair for raising the issue, while Matt LaClair will issue a statement commending the School Board.<p><br />On the right:Matt LaClair at a recent Hudson County DFA meeting.<br /><br />In September of 2006 Matt LaClair recorded his teacher David Paszkiewicz proselytizing during class. Later in October, a meeting was held with the Principal, the teacher David Paszkiewicz, Matt and his father Paul LaClair in attendance. During the meeting Matt cited dozens of quotes from the teacher, Paszkiewicz then denied everything. Matt then produced Audio CD's he had burned of the "Sermonizing".<p><br />Later David Paszkiewicz publicly falsely portrayed the meeting with the Principal. If you get into trouble because you were recorded one time, what are the odds you would be recorded again ? Right, Matt had recorded the meeting with the Principal and the teacher. This second recording was publicly released proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that Paszkiewicz lied. Twice.<p><br /><blockquote> In February, Matthew?s parents, Paul and Debra LaClair, filed court papers on their son?s behalf saying that they intended to sue the district for violating his First Amendment and civil rights. They faulted the district for not protecting Matthew from harassment by other students and sought public corrections to some of the statements the teacher made in class.<br><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/nyregion/10kearny.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print">New York Times</a><br><br /></blockquote><p><br />I encourage folks to attend the Monday May 21st <a href="http://www.kearnyschools.com/BOE/2005-2006/Calendar.htm">Meeting of the Kearny School Board</a> at 7pm. The Board will announce the settlement. At past BOE meetings the LaClairs have not seen much support, I know they would appreciate seeing some friendly faces. You can find the address and directions <a href="http://www.kearnyschools.com/Contents01_files/HOME%20PAGES%20ALL%20SCHOOLS/Garfield%20School%20MAIN%20PAGE.htm">here</a>.Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-50514529930418324932007-05-12T11:56:00.000-07:002007-05-12T14:10:18.825-07:00IEC Fusion, simple & elegantFusion is a simple and elegant idea. You smash 2 atoms together, they fuse into a smaller atom releasing energy. The difference in mass is released as energy according to Einstein's mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc². In simple terms the "fuel" needs to heated, put under great pressure and our 2 atoms need sufficient speed to fuse upon collision. For nearly 30 years the leading field of fusion research has been in Tokamak style devices. Tokamaks' provide pressure, heat and swirl the fuel in a donut shape.<br /><br />One alternative to the Tokamak design that has gained attention during the last year, is Inertial Electrostatic Confinement or IEC Fusion. Recent research in IEC Fusion by Dr. Robert Bussard was described in the now famous <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1996321846673788606&q=bussard++IEC+fusion">google tech talk</a>. IEC Fusion relies on speeding the fuel ions to collision, causing fusion. Test results in late 2005 with the WB6 device showed a very high output in relation to input, though a few magnitudes from break even.<br /><br />Dr Bussard believes that if he <a href="http://askmar.com/ConferenceNotes/Should%20Google%20Go%20Nuclear.pdf">scales</a> up his one foot scale model to 9 foot that it will achieve net power, and be able to generate 100 mega watts of electricity. There are 2 scaling factors involved in this type of device: the power output scales as the 7th power of the size, and the power gain as the 5th power of the size. These scaling factors indicate a break even device would be about 6 foot square and that net power will be achieved with a 9 foot square device.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/WB620008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/WB620008.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">WB6 operating in November 2005.<br /></div><br />Here's some eye candy for the geeks:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/WELLFields.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/WELLFields.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XiHsSAS_SQw"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XiHsSAS_SQw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A 2 minute video showing a schematic flow of electrons & ions.<br /><br />DR. Bussards website <a href="http://www.emc2fusion.org/">emc2fusion.org</a></div>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-49152695506953988352007-05-08T21:51:00.000-07:002007-05-09T09:39:59.884-07:00IEC Fusion update..Tom Ligon: guest on "thespaceshow"Tom Ligon sets up his demonstration IEC fusion machine, November 1998.<br /><br /><img src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/ligon.jpg" width="270" /><br />"SETI League photo, used by permission."<br />http://www.setileague.org/press/photouse.htm<br /><br /><blockquote><strong> Listen tonight @ 10pm eastern.</strong><br /><br />Tom Ligon will be will be the featured guest tonight on <a href="http://www.thespaceshow.com/">The Space Show.com</a></blockquote><br /><br /><blockquote>1. The Tuesday, May 8, 2007 Space Show from 7-8:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time welcomes Thomas Ligon to the show. Tom Ligon is a science fiction author and a former employee of Dr. Robert W. Bussard's Energy/Matter Conversion Corporation. Tom will discuss Dr. Bussard's unique method for producing fusion, called Inertial Electrodynamic Fusion. A prototype device was run successfully in late 2005, and could lead both to terrestrial powerplants and high performance space propulsion systems. Listeners can talk to Mr. Ligon or the host using toll free 1 (866) 687-7223, by sending e-mail during the program using dmlivings@yahoo.com, drspace@thespaceshow.com, thespaceshow@gmail.com, or chatting on AOL/ICQ/CompuServe Chat using the screen name “spaceshowchat.”<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thespaceshow.com/">The Space Show.com</a><br /></blockquote><br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Please watch this video and pass this around:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiHsSAS_SQw">IEC Fusion for Dummies video.</a></strong></em><br />......please rate the video too, thanks.</blockquote><br /><br /><br />Dr Bussard is the former Assistant Director of the US Atomic Energy Commission, he was the father of the US Fusion effort from the 1970's into the 1980's. As the Assistant Dir. of the AEC, Dr. Bussard went to Congress and pushed the fusion research programs in the 70's that developed the Tokamak design.<br /><br />Dr Bussard now advocates a different design. For the last 11 years he has been working under US Navy contracts, building small test devices.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/th_WB4.jpg" alt="" title="" /><br />WB4 in 2003. Yes, low levels of fusion can be created in a very small device.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/WB620008.jpg" alt="" title="" /><br />WB6 in 2005. WB6 was run in steady state operation for a number of tests before a short stopped testing.<br /><br />At the end of 2005, the Navy did not renew his contract. Since then Dr Bussard has given many lectures including the (famous in fusion circles) google tech talk of 2006.<br /><br /><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1996321846673788606">Google Video here</a><br /><br />DR Bussard was awarded the International Academy of Science Outstanding technology of the Year <a href="http://www.science.edu/TechoftheYear/TechoftheYear.htm">Award for 2006. </a><br /><br />Why is this important? World oil production <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/current-events.html">peaked in 2005</a><br /><br /><br />Dr Bussard says he can build a proof of concept reactor by about 2011. The ITER reactor in Europe will be finished by 2013, and the concept may be ready for power generation by 2025. The ITER is slated to cost 13.3 billion. More importantly $3 million keeps Dr. Bussard working. The next step is build variations on the 3 foot square WB6, to test tweaks in the design, before building a full size model. DR Bussard envisions the full size reactor core to be about 9 foot square. This means the cores can be mass produced and trucked or shipped by rail to generation sites.<br /><br />When the father of modern fusion tells you the Tokamak wont work, he bears listening to. Funny thing about fusion, it occurs naturally in a sphere (the SUN), just like Dr Bussards design. The ITER reactor will try to create fusion in a donut or torus, which doesn't happen in nature. Its been pointed out to me that that is an oversimplification, yes it is, but I like it none the less.<br /><br />Heres an <a href="http://www.askmar.com/ConferenceNotes/2006-9%20IAC%20Paper.pdf">overview</a> of Bussards recent work with some really cool pictures.<br /><br />This will give one a good sense of how the program has advanced over the years, and what to look forward to. Word had gotten around earlier this month that Dr. Bussard had received more funding thru the US Navy. This apparently is not true, Tom Ligon set that <a href="http://www.fusor.net/board/view.php?site=fusor&bn=fusor_historynews&key=1177038530">rumor straight. </a><br /><br />Dr. Bussard's <a href="http://www.emc2fusion.org/">website.</a><br /><br /><br /><blockquote><br /><em><strong>Are you going to be in Dallas at the end of May?</strong></em><br /><br />The 2007 International Space Development <a href="http://isdc.nss.org/2007/">Conference</a><br /><br /><br />(ISDA) will be held, May 25th thru the 28th, in Dallas Texas. Tom Ligon will be speaking on Sunday, about IEC/Polywell fusion and the potential for these devices to power space flight. This event is sponsored by NASA.</blockquote><br /><br />If the Navy could power its fleet with fusion, they wouldn't need very much oil, and if the need for oil went down dramatically, we wouldn't need that many Navy ships to help invade oil rich nations.<br /><br /><em><strong>Right ?</strong></em><br /><br />Private funding is needed, its so obvious that the Exxon military industrial complex doesn't even want to look at this anymore.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>The table below is from <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/lunar/school/InterStellar/Explorer_Class/Bussard_Fusion_systems.HTML">this paper</a> by DR. Bussard, the right hand column shows exhaust speed of a particular fuel (left hand column).</strong></em><br /><br /><b>QED Direct plasma thrusters</b><br /><br /><table width="488"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td><b>Fuel --> <br />Exhaust</b><br /><br /></td><td><b><b></b>(f<b></b>) Mass <br />conversion <br />fraction</b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td><br /><br /></td><td><b>Exhaust speed m/s</b><br /><br /></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>p + 11B --> 3 4He<br /><br /></td><td>6.926 E13<br /><br /></td><td>11,800,000 m/s<br /><br /><br /></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>p + 6Li --> 4He + 3He<br /><br /></td><td>5.472 E13<br /><br /><br /><br /></td><td><br /><br /></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>3He + 6Li --> 2 4He + p<br /><br /></td><td>1.277 E14<br /><br /></td><td><br /><br /></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>6Li + 6Li --> 3 4He<br /><br /><br /><b></b>(Combined<b></b>)<br /><br /></td><td>1.596 E14<br /><br /></td><td>17,800,000 m/s<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>3He + 3He --> 4He + 2 p<br /><br /></td><td>2.059 E14<br /><br /></td><td>20,300,000 M/s<br /><br /></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td>De + 3He --> 4He + p<br /><br /></td><td>3.505 E14<br /><br /></td><td>26,500,000 m/s<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p></blockquote><br /><br />The p~b11 fuel does not result in radioactive waste, so it doesn't irradiate the reactor or its surroundings. The generated alph aprticles can directly generate electricity.<br /><br />Saturn in under 3 months, Mars in a month. Who needs friggin EXXON?Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37436683.post-85943434207695796452007-04-27T11:02:00.000-07:002007-04-29T14:17:30.571-07:00Is Saudi Arabia stealing Iraqi oil via the IPSA ?<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >I recently became interested in the theory that the Iraqi Saudi pipeline (IPSA) was being used by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to pipe Iraqi crude to the KSA to be sold as Arabian light crude. I found a good summation <a href="http://www.paulchefurka.ca/Iraq%20and%20Saudi%20Arabia.html">here.</a> I think its fair to say that somebody at a refinery would spot the chemical differences between Basrah light & Arabian light from the start, even though they are of similar gravity and sulfur content.<br /><br /><blockquote>Chang-Tai Hsieh and Enrico Moretti, of the University of California, Berkeley,......<br />As they point out, Iraqi oil, such as Basra Light, is a close substitute for Arabian Light.</blockquote>Sourced <a href="http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2006/03/measuring_corru.html">here</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>Refiners in India, China, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan see Basrah Light as a good alternative to Asia’s mainstay imports such as Saudi Arabia’s Arab Light</blockquote><br />Sourced <a href="http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030702/nation.htm">here</a><br /><br />Additionally there is a wonderful graphic on page 5 of the pdf found <a href="http://www.worldenergy.org/wec-geis/congress/papers/marcellog0904.pdf">here</a> .<br /><br />I then thought, what would prevent the KSA from piping Iraqi crude to its own refineries for domestic use, and can I find anything on the web concerning the IPSA. The IPSA appeared to be closed according to a number of sources, including the <a href="http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/60011.pdf">US State Dept</a>, and the US <a href="http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/saudi.html">Energy Information Administration</a>. The State Dept presentation is dated January 25th, 2006 and it seems to contradict a number of other sources dated earlier that suggest the KSA portion of the IPSA was converted to Natural gas. What I do find strange is the exact same sentence is found at different websites. This of course infers a single source in the viral sense of the internet, though I was not able to track down what I thought might be the initial source.<br /><blockquote><br />In June 2003, Thamir Ghadban said that he hoped Iraq would be able to use the IPSA line again. However, the Saudis have stated that they are not willing to do this, having converted the line to carry natural gas to the Red Sea industrial city of Yanbu for domestic use.</blockquote>Sources: the <a href="http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Iraq/Oil.html">EIA</a>, Senator Lugar's <a href="http://lugar.senate.gov/iraq/pdf/13_EIA_Iraq_CAB.pdf">website</a>, and <a href="http://archive.wn.com/2005/12/22/1400/iraqenergy/">World News Network</a>.<br /><br />Only </span>Gerald Butt @ <a href="http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/ntm43357.htm">Alexander's</a>,<span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > could be quoted differently<br /><blockquote><br />Saudi Arabia has said the section of the pipeline within the kingdom is now being used to transport natural gas and has ruled out its re-use as a crude conduit from Iraq.</blockquote>Much of Saudi Arabia's natural gas production seems to come from the eastern part of the country, the offshore fields in the Persian Gulf and the NG associated with the Ghawar oil field.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/1-saudi-aramco.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/1-saudi-aramco.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The IPSA pipeline was intended to be a way for Iraq to export oil via the Red Sea port of Mu'ajiz, near Yanbu, during the Iraqi Iranian War. Yandu & is a major <a href="http://www.wn.com/saudienergy">industrial city</a> utilizing NG for energy. Considering the Saudi <a href="http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2456/179010">push</a> to expand domestic <a href="http://www.hydrocarbons-technology.com/projects/saudi-aramco/">NG production</a> and use, it seems to make sense KSA would use the IPSA to move NG west to the Red Sea. Except that the IPSA doesn't <a href="http://www.judicialwatch.org/SAOilMap.pdf">appear</a> to be the route of choice. If the IPSA is being used for NG, it could be fed from the Trans Arabian/Jordon pipeline, though a connection bewteen the 2 would have to have been built.<br /><br />In Oct of 2002 Saudi Arabia did complete a $4billion natural gas processing <a href="http://www.menafn.com/updates/research_center/Regional/Economic/GCC_natural_gas.pdf">plant</a> at Hawiyah, near the middle of the 164 mile long Ghawar oil field. In 2004 a natural gas </span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >processing plant was opened near Haradh, the southern tip of the </span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Ghawar oil field. Natural gas production from these plants can free up significant quantities of crude for export.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br />In conclusion its not at all clear in my mind if the IPSA is being used, or what its being used for. With Iraqi oil production still below pre war levels one could argue that Iraqi oil is being pumped by the Bush Cheney faction in Iraq, to Saudi Arabia, for domestic use. As a favor to the Saudi's. On the other hand the Saudi effort to use NG domestically to free up crude for export could be argued as a model that fits into the assumed management scheme in the KSA, in light of declining crude reserves.<br /><br />But why let an asset such as a pipeline sit unused for so long? I would offer that the IPSA is being used. Whether for stealing Iraqi crude, or to move the increased Saudi natural gas production, the IPSA is most likely being used.<br /><br />EDIT: to include graph of KSA oil production<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/SAproduction05to07.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e101/FogerRox/SAproduction05to07.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Note the increased oil production in the summer of '05. The Spike in the summer of '06 is new production coming online from the Haradh oil field. More important is the current overall trend of KSA production being in at least 8% decline.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Rojhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12890579640105871479noreply@blogger.com8