Here is my weekly look at some of the recent articles recently in the news and my brief reactions to them. The big news in the last week has been the continued hurricanes threatening and battering the Caribbean and SE US coast particularly the looming monstrous killer Ike; the continuing controversy and discussion of Sarah Palin as the Republican Veep choice and all her shortcomings and ills; Russian stirrings in Eastern Europe; the surprisingly continuing falling gasoline fuel prices across the nation; and the continuing troublesome news on the economic front with the Federal Government's seizure of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and the looming consequences of this move.=
A. Wind Generated Electricity to Power Vehicles
This is an outstanding idea, but I suspect there will be strong resistance to it from the oil and natural gas corporations. An infrastructure will need to be constructed to allow one's vehicle to be recharged throughout the day as most individuals would drive enough miles to require a recharging. I cannot see this in a widespread way for at least several years and probably longer. Parking meters should probably be altered to be power outlets and shopping center parking lots will need power banks placed at some spaces to start with and most over time. And we still need tens of thousands of wind turbines to be constructed in and put in place on the grid throughout the wind regions of the nation.
=
=
*****
=
B. A Fantastic Computer Game
SPORE is a new computer game being released soon that basically allows the user to create life and a life - supporting environment in a complete evolutionary process. Simulation games like this require users to engage in creativity and thoughtfulness to successfully excecute the programs, unlike most other games that are based on violence using firearms, weaponry, knives, vehicles, and ruthlessness. Expect this to be the game of choice for many that have not been already tainted by the violence oriented spate of games.
=
=
*****
=
C. Joe Biden and Delaware
There are a lot of blowhards and loudmouths both praising and deriding the poor choice of Sarah Palin as the GOP veep, but this report has a great comparative article on Joe Biden and his many years of service to the citizens of Delaware, many of which are included here. Biden is clearly qualified to be the next Vice - President of this nation, while Palin is unqualified to be a parent, let alone to be a heartbeat away from the most important job on the planet.
=
=
*****
=
D. CEO Pay Needs Sharp Serious Reductions
Currently if one makes minimum wage for 40 hours per week for all 52 weeks of the year, they earn $13,624. I can see, at the most, money being paid to an executive or owner of a company with minimum wage employees being seventeen times that amount at the most, or $231,608. Federal and state laws need to be enacted that place a full dollar for dollar tax on executive pay that exceeds that amount if the corporation has any business with any government. Greater penalties should be in place for the grossest indiscretions such as being greater than 35 to 1 disparities. Paying executives and high management like sports athletes and actors is one of the largest crises facing the nation. It makes workers and consumers the losers as well as all taxpayers.
=
=
*****
=
E. Canadian Glacier Ice Melt
This week's regular news of the collapsing ecosystem in the Arctic region.
=
=
=
*****
=
F. Seawater to Make Deserts Productive
I expect to see this kind of technology to be in place, perhaps even in Arizona or California, in the next ten to fifteen years, as it shows alot of promise to open up currently largely useless land for productive agricultural purposes with the need to feed the increasing population always a concern.
=
=
*****
=
G. The One Issue Republicans Cannot Let Go Of
The more things change, the more they stay the same. There continues to be a large number of Republicans focused exclusively on this issue in spite of all the much larger and important issues out there. Its been that way for over 30 years and probably will for many more years in spite of its overall insignificance.
=
=
*****
=
H. Another Consequence of Our Broken Economy
Lets hope this will be a fading issue by the time the 2012 elections come around.
=
=
*****
=
I. Governments: Almost Completely Anti - Labor
We used to have governments that worked for the benefits of workers and their families. In the last twenty to thirty years most governments are largely bought and paid for by corporations, the wealthy, the elite, and special interests. And it really shows everyday in most every way.
=
=
*****
=
J. Alaskans Clean up on Oil Royalties
Over $ 3200 per person ! Nice compensation for putting up with the high prices, isolation, brutal weather, and risk of being attacked by a wild beast. Too bad Wyoming with all its oil and coal wealth cannot figure out a way to give back to its citizens like me at least to a smaller extent. Oh, thats right, they do not want to tax corporations for doing business in the state and not sharing their profits internally, taking all the monies out of state and not giving back hardly at all to communities throughout the state. It could be done in Wyoming and possibly other states like North Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and elsewhere with a more enlightened and progressive tax policy towards out of state corporations doing business.
=
=
*****
=
K. Pot Empties at Federal Highway Department
This is a grave problem that needs to be addressed soon. I look for a switch from a cents per gallon tax basis on fuel to one that is percentage based. Taxes will also have to go up on commercial vehicles and federal taxes on motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts / services will have to be instituted on a progressive basis in order to ensure adequate funding exists for highway and road maintenance, upkeep, improvements, and new constructions which will always be of a critical important need throughout the nation.
=
=
*****
=
L. Real Estate Valuation Websites
=
*****
No comments:
Post a Comment