New Cryptogon Sponsor: Financial Web
April 25th, 2007I’d like to thank Financial Web for their generous sponsorship of Cryptogon.
Financial Web covers a very wide variety of topics, many of which we all have to deal with at some point or another. With financial matters, and overall strategic planning, my advice is: Get into a situation that eliminates your reliance on luck and minimizes the impact of factors that are completely beyond your control. Since part of your planning almost certainly involves financial assets that are denominated in fiat national currencies, you must understand the nature of those assets. Financial Web looks like a great place to not only learn about what you have, but to learn about various options on how to proceed.
All of you know how I feel about paper assets, but I’m forced to play these games, just like you are. Relocalization and security based on a sane existence with the natural world aren’t free. You have to make it your mission in life to accomplish these goals. Everything about this society is designed to prevent you from doing this. But if you do decide to go for it, you must play games with paper.
Maybe you have already experienced some success with paper games. If, however, you don’t have solutions to your water, shelter, food and security/community situations, you don’t have anything, in my opinion, regardless of how much paper wealth the computers say you have.
Educate yourself, make thoughtful strategic plans—that provide you with many tactical pathways to maneuver—and execute.
What’s Toxic In Toyland
April 23rd, 2007Via: Time:
They line the nursery section children’s toy stores like brightly colored candies: rubber duckies for bathtime, chewable rings for teething, soft-covered books for pawing and mouthing. Parents shopping for their babies can be forgiven if they assume that everything on those shelves is 100% child safe. So why did the city of San Francisco issue a ban last week on the sale of certain plastic toys aimed at children under 3? And why are activists warning holiday shoppers in the most alarming terms against buying them? “Sucking on some of these teethers and toys,” says Rachel Gibson of Environment California, a nonprofit, “is like sucking on a toxic lollipop.”
At issue are contaminants in plastics used to make the toys. Environmentalists have long argued that some of these chemicals can leach out and harm children, pointing to animal studies that link the substances to birth defects, cancer and developmental abnormalities. Those warnings are hotly disputed by the chemical industry and toy manufacturers, which cite stacks of scientific studies that have found the plastics to be safe at federally approved levels. But the issue has gained traction on the strength of new evidence from independent and university-sponsored studies. The European Union has banned some chemicals in toys since 1999, and now half a dozen state legislatures are considering similar laws.
Research Credit: AT
Oblivion: National Survey Reveals More than 70% of Americans Don’t Know Plastic is Made from Oil
April 23rd, 2007The fact that some ADM-related thing purports to have “solutions” to the plastipocalypse just enhances the sense of oblivion that pervades these issues. On the one hand you have knuckle dragging people who will trample each other for bargains at WalMart, and on the other hand, you have ADM with “solutions.”
In other news, 79% of Americans believe in virgin birth, and 55% believe that every word of the Bible is literally accurate.
Have a nice day.
Via: BusinessWire:
According to a nationwide online survey released today, 72 percent of the American public does not know that conventional plastic is made from petroleum products, primarily oil. The survey was conducted by national online market research firm InsightExpress for TellesTM, a joint venture of Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX), a company using bioscience to provide clean solutions for plastics, fuels and chemicals, and Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM), one of the world’s largest agricultural processors and the world leader in BioEnergy.
Plastics are everywhere and most Americans have come to rely on plastics in all aspects of their lives. However, very few people realize that plastics are made from oil, further contributing to the problems of energy dependence, greenhouse gas emissions and depleting resources. In fact, nearly 10 percent of U.S. oil consumption – approximately 2 million barrels a day – is used to make plastic.
The survey also revealed a misunderstanding about another important characteristic of traditional plastic – it never goes away. Despite the fact that petroleum-based plastic will never biodegrade, 40 percent of respondents believe that it will biodegrade underground, in home compost, in landfills, or in the ocean. Plastics will not biodegrade in any of these environments. In fact, the only way to rid the planet of existing plastic is by incineration in those cases where it can be recovered.
CHO ATTENDED SAME HIGH SCHOOL AS ANOTHER “LONE NUT” SHOOTER
April 22nd, 2007Shootings occurred within one year of each other.
See Update 3 on the main Virginia Tech post.
Edible Forest Gardens
April 22nd, 2007I don’t own these books, but they look VERY good, possibly strategic in nature. I thought that many of you would find them interesting as well. Based on my experience so far, edible forest gardens should be the ultimate goal for those of us who are striving to produce our own food while creating self sustaining biological systems.
Rows of annuals are just a part of the story; a very useful and very hard work part of the story. Becky and I do not plan on expanding our row gardens any further: A) because of the amount work they require; and B) because we have already achieved a high level of output from them. We want more biodiversity with less work. We want edible forest gardens.
Edible Forest Gardens (2 volume set) by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier:
Edible Forest Gardens is a groundbreaking two-volume work that spells out and explores the key concepts of forest ecology and applies them to the needs of natural gardeners in temperate climates. Volume I lays out the vision of the forest garden and explains the basic ecological principles that make it work. In Volume II, Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier move on to practical considerations:concrete ways to design, establish, and maintain your own forest garden. Along the way they present case studies and examples, as well as tables, illustrations, and a uniquely valuable “plant matrix” that lists hundreds of the best edible and useful species. Taken together, the two volumes of Edible ForestGardens offer an advanced course in ecological gardening-one that will forever change the way you look at plants and your environment. What is an edible forest garden?: An edible forest garden is a perennial polyculture of multipurpose plants. Most plants regrow every year without replanting: perennials. Many species grow together: a polyculture. Each plant contributes to the success of the whole by fulfilling many functions: multipurpose. In other words, a forest garden is an edible ecosystem, a consciously designed community of mutually beneficial plants and animals intended for human food production. Edible forest gardens provide more than just a variety of foods. The seven F’s apply here: food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizer, and “farmaceuticals,” as well as fun. A beautiful, lush environment can be a conscious focus of your garden design, or a side benefit you enjoy.
KUCINICH DRAFTS LEGISLATION TO BAN THE PURCHASE, SALE, TRANSFER OR POSSESSION OF HANDGUNS BY CIVILIANS
April 21st, 2007Well, that didn’t take long.
Via: kucinich.house.gov:
Kucinich is currently drafting legislation that would ban the purchase, sale, transfer, or possession of handguns by civilians. A gun buy-back provision will be included in the bill.
“America is being engulfed in violence every day. Let’s show them we have the wisdom and the courage to come from our hearts to meet this challenge,†Kucinich said.
More: Hypocrite Kucinich Drafts Legislation To Ban Guns
Related: Gun Control — The KEY to GENOCIDE
‘Devastating’ Moyers Probe of Press and Iraq
April 21st, 2007File this one in the You’ve-Known-It-Since-2002 folder…
Via: E & P:
NEW YORK (Commentary) The most powerful indictment of the news media for falling down in its duties in the run-up to the war in Iraq will appear next Wednesday, a 90-minute PBS broadcast called “Buying the War,” which marks the return of “Bill Moyers Journal.” E&P was sent a preview DVD and a draft transcript for the program this week.
While much of the evidence of the media’s role as cheerleaders for the war presented here is not new, it is skillfully assembled, with many fresh quotes from interviews (with the likes of Tim Russert and Walter Pincus) along with numerous embarrassing examples of past statements by journalists and pundits that proved grossly misleading or wrong. Several prominent media figures, prodded by Moyers, admit the media failed miserably, though few take personal responsibility.
The war continues today, now in its fifth year, with the death toll for Americans and Iraqis rising again — yet Moyers points out, “the press has yet to come to terms with its role in enabling the Bush Administration to go to war on false pretenses.”
Cryptogon Readers Contribute $20, $10 and $25
April 21st, 2007Many thanks to the following Cryptogon contributors:
MW $20
VH $10
KL of livinggreenfarm.org $25 (They just got their bees! Check ’em out.)
Plastic Micro Wind Turbines Available for Sale
April 21st, 2007Excellent option for low wind areas. Man, the price is right! 20 micro turbines with generator rated 170W for 10m/s of wind: US$250!?
Via: PESN:
Two of the biggest hurdles for using wind power have been cost and the need for strong winds. A Hong Kong businessman/inventor has found a way to overcome those problems with plastic, bringing the generation cost down to around 1 cent per kilowatt-hour.
“Motorwind power generation starts with 2 m/s wind speed but it starts to be economically viable for winds of at least 4m/s if you are concerned by pay back time.” It can be installable anywhere due to the modularity. The size of Motorwind can be adapted to the available space and the energy required. The design simplicity and components used make the installation and maintenance very easy for anyone. The simplicity allows very low manufacturing costs and therefore very low retail price.”
UK: Lenders Withdraw Fixed Rate Mortgages
April 20th, 2007Via: Guardian:
Borrowers seeking protection against a potential interest rate rise next month are seeing the choice of fixed-rate mortgages dwindle as lenders pull some of the best-buy deals.
Tuesday’s shock rise in inflation has prompted a number of lenders to withdraw or review their range of fixed deals, while others have increased the cost of those on offer.
The loss of many of the cheapest deals will hit first-time buyers particularly badly, many of who rely on the security of a fixed deal as they borrow increasing amounts to get on to the property ladder.
